title: Expression of MicroRNA-301a and its Functional Roles in Malignant Melanoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although microRNA-301a has been reported to function as an oncogene in many human cancers, the roles of miR-301a in malignant melanoma (MM) is unclear. The present study aims to investigate the functional roles of miR-301a in MM and its possible molecular mechanisms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) assay was performed to detect the expression of miR-301a in MM tissues, and analyze its correlation with metastasis and prognosis of MM patients. In vitro, miR-301a was ectopically expressed using overexpression and knock-down strategies, and the effects of miR-301a expression on growth, apoptosis, migration, invasion and chemosensitivity of MM cells were further investigated. Furthermore, the potential and functional target gene was identified by luciferase reporter, qRT-PCR, Western blot assays.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We showed that the expression of miR-301a was significantly upregulated in MM tissues, and upregulation of miR-301a correlated with metastasis and poor prognosis of MM patients. Transfection of miR-301a/inhibitor significantly inhibited growth, colony formation, migration, invasion and enhanced apoptosis and chemosensitivity in MM cells, while transfection of miR-301a/mimic could induce the inverse effects on phenotypes of MM cells. Luciferase reporter, qRT-PCR and Western blot assays showed that phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) was a direct and functional target of miR-301a. It was also observed that the Akt and FAK signaling pathways were involved in miR-301/PTEN-promoting MM progression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Taken together, our study suggests that miR-301a may be used as a potential therapeutic target in the treatment of human MM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, PR China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: Yuejun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xiaoxing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.forename: Jinqing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xiaolin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zhanjun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Lei
authors.forename: Xueyong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D001483:Base Sequence; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000494:pharmacology; D018450:Disease Progression; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000494:pharmacology; D051416:Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D051059:PTEN Phosphohydrolase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010641:Phenotype; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D012878:Skin Neoplasms; D014410:Tumor Stem Cell Assay; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D000096142:Cutaneous Malignant Melanoma
chemical_list: C550735:MIRN301A microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs; D004317:Doxorubicin; D051416:Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D051059:PTEN Phosphohydrolase; C494929:PTEN protein, human; D002945:Cisplatin