title: miR-204 inhibits invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition by targeting FOXM1 in esophageal cancer.
abstract: MicroRNAs (miRNAs), endogenous noncoding small RNAs, have been reported to play crucial roles in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in cancers. Deregulation of microRNA-204 (miR-204) has been documented in many cancers, but its role in the development of esophageal cancer (EC) has not been studied. Here, we reported the role of miR-204 in invasion and EMT in EC. We identified an inverse correlation between miR-204 expression level and the invasion and EMT phenotype of EC cells, and up-regulation of miR-204 inhibited invasion and EMT phenotype of EC cells. Furthermore, we showed that forkhead box protein M1 (FOXM1) was a direct target gene of miR-204, and miR-204 regulated invasion and EMT in EC by acting directly on the 3'UTR of FOXM1 mRNA and suppressing its protein expression. We also explored the anti-tumor effect of miR-204, and found that overexpression of miR-204 suppressed the growth of esophageal tumors in vivo. These findings suggest that miR-204 might be a suppressor of invasion and EMT in EC, which offers a novel potential therapeutic target for EC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Qiqihar Medical University Qiqihar 161006, Heilongjiang, China.
authors.forename: Yurong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Qiqihar Medical University Qiqihar 161006, Heilongjiang, China.
authors.forename: Xiuwen
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Qiqihar Medical University Qiqihar 161006, Heilongjiang, China.
authors.forename: Qingyang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Bai
mesh_terms: D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000235:genetics; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition / Q000235:genetics*; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D000072278:Forkhead Box Protein M1; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: C107585:FOXM1 protein, human; D000072278:Forkhead Box Protein M1; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; C549404:MIRN204 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs
keywords: Esophageal cancer; epithelial-mesenchymal transition; forkhead box protein M1 (FOXM1); invasion; miR-204