title: miR-612 negatively regulates colorectal cancer growth and metastasis by targeting AKT2.
abstract: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide, with a particularly high incidence in developed countries. Distant metastasis and recurrence are the main causes of CRC-related deaths. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) in the serum make them potential biomarkers for cancers, as reported in serum or tumor tissues from CRC patients. In this study, we found that miR-612 expression was significantly lower in CRC tissues or cells compared with peritumor tissues or normal cells, and lower in metastatic CRC specimens compared with non-metastatic specimens, whereas AKT2 exhibited opposite trend. Gain-of-function and loss-of-function assays showed that miR-612 inhibited CRC cell proliferation and migration in vitro by Cell Counting Kit-8 and transwell assays. Further analysis revealed that miR-612 directly suppressed AKT2, which in turn inhibited the downstream epithelial-mesenchymal transition-related signaling pathway. These results were additionally validated in vivo by tumorigenesis and liver metastasis experiments. The results of this study suggested a critical role of miR-612 in the development of CRC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Feng
mesh_terms: D063646:Carcinogenesis; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000235:genetics; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition / Q000235:genetics; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: C582274:MIRN612 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs; C494921:AKT2 protein, human; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt