MiRNA-497 inhibits proliferation, migration and induces apoptosis of gastric cancer cells by negatively regulating PBX3 expression

Nana Jiang¹, Aihua Liu¹, Chuanyou Cao², Guimin Chen^{3, *}

¹Department of Digestive Medicine, The Seventh People’s Hospital of Jinan, Shandong, Jinan, Shandong, P. R. China - ²Department of Pharmacy, The Seventh People’s Hospital of Jinan, Shandong, Jinan, Shandong, P. R. China - ³Department II of Internal Medicine, Lin Yi Cancer Hospital, Linyi, Shandong, China

Background: microRNA (miR) is an important factor in regulating human genes, and its abnormal expression is considered to be a significant factor in the progression of various tumors.

Objective: To explore the relationship between miR-497 expression and stomach cancer (SC) and its effect on the biological behavior of cancer cells. Methods: miR-497 expression in SC tissues and cells was detected, and its correlation with clinical characteristics and survival of SC patients was analyzed. miR-497 and PBX3 over-expression or inhibited vector were established and transfected into SC cells, and whether the biological behavior of SC cells changed after transfection was observed. Dual luciferase report was utilized for analysis of the relationship between miR-497 and PBX3.

Results: miR-497 was reduced in SC tissues and cells. Its low expression was correlated with tumor size ≥ 5 cm, high stage (III+IV), lymph node metastasis and poor survival rate. Increasing miR-497 could inhibit SC cell proliferation, invasion and induce apoptosis, while increasing PBX3 could reverse the changes in SC cell biological behavior caused by miR-497 increase.

Conclusion: miR-497 is down-regulated in SC and is related to the better prognosis of patients. In addition, miR-497 can inhibit SC progression by negatively regulating PBX3.