title: Mir-208 promotes cell proliferation by repressing SOX6 expression in human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is the major histological type of esophageal cancer in developing countries. The prognosis and survival rate of ESCC are very poor. Recently, microRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as important regulators of cancer cell biological processes. To better understanding the molecular mechanisms by which they regulate the behavior of cancer cells is needed.
  
  
  METHODS
  The expression of miR-208 was examined in ESCC cell lines and tumor tissues by real-time PCR. Proliferation capability of ESCC cells upon regulation of miR-208 expression was detected by MTT assay, colony formation assay, anchorage-independent growth ability assay and flow cytometry analysis. The target of miR-208 was determined by western blotting analysis, luciferase reporter assay and real-time PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  miR-208 was upregulated in ESCC cell lines and tissues. Overexpression of miR-208 in ESCC cells increased cell proliferation, tumorigenicity and cell cycle progression, whereas inhibition of miR-208 reduced cells proliferation, tumorigenicity and cell cycle progression. Additionally, SOX6 was identified as a direct target of miR-208. Ectopic expression of miR-208 led to downregulation of SOX6 protein, which resulted in the downregulation of p21, upregulation of cyclin D1 and phosphorylation of Rb.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that miR-208 represents a potential onco-miR and participates in ESCC carcinogenesis by suppressing SOX6 expression.
authors.forename: Heping
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Dayong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Liangshuai
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Junwei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ou
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Shiqiu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Imaging, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, P,R, China. ygzihu@163.com.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Jianyong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D017931:DNA Primers; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000502:physiology*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D055757:SOXE Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; C550906:MIRN208 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs; C406240:SOX8 protein, human; D055757:SOXE Transcription Factors