OncoTargets and Therapy (May 2019)
miR-125a-5p inhibits colorectal cancer cell epithelial–mesenchymal transition, invasion and migration by targeting TAZ
Abstract
Lei Tang,1 Li Zhou,2 Shengchun Wu,1 Xiaoming Shi,1 Guangwei Jiang,1 Shuai Niu,1 Dianzhu Ding11Vascular Surgery, Hebei General Hospital, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050000, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Pneumology, The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050000, People’s Republic of ChinaBackground: miR-125a-5p regulated biological processes in various types of cancer, including colorectal cancer (CRC). TAZ, a vital transcriptional coactivators of the Hippo pathway, was found to be overexpressed in various cancers.Objectives: This study aims to study the effect of miR-125a-5p on the progression of CRC by regulating TAZ expression.Methods: In this study, miR-125a-5p and TAZ expression in CRC tissue and cell lines were detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Luciferase reporter assay was applied to detect whether TAZ was a target of miR-125a-5p. Cell migration and invasion were detected in vitro by wound-healing assay and cell invasion assay. Western blot was used to detect the expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related proteins.Findings: The results revealed downregulation of miR-125a-5p, as well as upregulation of TAZ in CRC tissue and cell lines. TAZ was identified as a direct target of miR-125a-5p, and its expression was negatively regulated by miR-125a-5p in CRC cell lines. The functional studies revealed that overexpression of miR-125a-5p inhibited the migration, invasion and EMT of CRC cells, while upregulation of TAZ reversed the inhibitory effect caused by miR-125a-5p.Conclusion: Our data suggest that miR-125a-5p inhibits CRC cell migration, invasion and EMT by targeting TAZ. These results suggest that miR-125a-5p serves as a potential therapeutic biomarker for CRC patients.Keywords: miR-125a-5p, TAZ, colorectal cancer, epithelial–mesenchymal transition, migration, invasion
