title: MiR-137 and its target TGFA modulate cell growth and tumorigenesis of non-small cell lung cancer.
abstract: MiR-137 has been reported to serve as a tumor suppressor in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the potential mechanism remains largely unclear. The present study aimed to explore the potential molecular mechanisms by which miR-137 regulated NSCLC.
  
  
  
  Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to quantify the expression levels of miR-137 in NSCLC tissues and cell lines. Dual-luciferase reporter assay was employed to confirm the specificity of miR-137 target genes. An MTT assay and flow cytometry were used to determine the rates of cell proliferation and cell cycle distribution. Furthermore, the effect of miR-137 up-regulation on TGFA expression was examined by western blot.
  
  
  
  miR-137 expression levels in NSCLC cell lines or tissue were significantly lower than in a normal human lung cell line or adjacent normal tissues. We further found that upregulation of miR-137 inhibited the proliferation of NSCLC cells, whereas silencing of miR-137 promoted the proliferation of NSCLC. Moreover, we identified TGFA as a direct target gene of miR-137 in NSCLC cell. Finally, Similarly, knockdown of TGFA led to the suppression of NSCLC cell proliferation.
  
  
  
  Overall, our findings indicated that miR-137 served as a tumor suppressor in NSCLC and its suppressive effect is mediated by repressing TGFA expression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Haidian, Beijing, China. smlie3370@yeah.net.
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: X-D
authors.initials: XD
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D063646:Carcinogenesis; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D002453:Cell Cycle; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000235:genetics; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: C545567:MIRN137 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs; D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha