title: MiR-378 is an independent prognostic factor and inhibits cell growth and invasion in colorectal cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  MicroRNAs(miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that participate in a variety of biologic processes, and dysregulation of miRNA is always associated with cancer development and progression. Aberrant expression of miR-378 has been found in some types of cancer. However, effects and potential mechanisms of miR-378 in colorectal cancer (CRC) have not been explored.
  
  
  METHODS
  Quantitative RT-PCR was performed to evaluate miR-378 levels in CRC cell lines and 84 pairs of CRC cancer and normal adjacent mucosa. Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional regression analyses were utilized to determine the association of miR-378 expression with survival of patients. MTT and invasion assays were used to determine the role of miR-378 in regulation of CRC cancer cell growth and invasion, respectively. Tumor growth was assessed by subcutaneous inoculation of cells into BALB/c nude mice. Luciferase assay was performed to assess miR-378 binding to vimentin gene.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In this study, we confirmed that miR-378 significantly down-regulated in CRC cancer tissues and cell lines. Moreover, patients with low miR-378 expression had significantly poorer overall survival, and miR-378 expression was an independent prognostic factor in CRC. Over-expression of miR-378 inhibited SW620 cell growth and invasion, and resulted in down-regulation of vimentin expression. However, miR-378 knock-down promoted these processes and enhanced the expression of vimentin. In addition, we further identified vimentin as the functional downstream target of miR-378 by directly targeting the 3'-UTR of vimentin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion, miR-378 may function as a tumor suppressor and plays an important role in inhibiting tumor growth and invasion. Our present results implicate the potential effects of miR-378 on prognosis and treatment of CRC cancer.
authors.forename: Guang-Jun
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: He
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Hua-Xu
authors.initials: HX
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: The First Department of General Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, Sichuan, People's Republic of China. zhoutong0088@163.com.
authors.forename: Tong
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D020413:3' Untranslated Regions; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D064593:Heterografts; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D034622:RNA Interference; D047368:Tumor Burden / Q000235:genetics; D014746:Vimentin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D020413:3' Untranslated Regions; C526012:MIRN378 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs; D014746:Vimentin