Aberrant Expression of miR-362 Promotes Lung Cancer Metastasis through Downregulation of Sema3A

J Immunol Res. 2018 Aug 1:2018:1687097. doi: 10.1155/2018/1687097. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

miR-362 is a recently discovered member of the microRNA family, and it modulates a variety of physical activities and plays an important role in the occurrence and development of many tumors. However, the biological functions of hsa-miR-362-5p in non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) are unknown. Transwell assay and colony formation were used to determine the migration, invasion, and proliferation of NSCLC cells in vitro. A subcutaneous tumor model in nude mice was established to detect NSCLC tumor growth in vivo. The direct binding of miR-362 to the 3'UTR of Semaphorin 3A (Sema3A) was confirmed by luciferase reporter assay. In this study, we found that the level of miR-362 was higher in NSCLC tissues than in adjacent normal tissues and that the level of miR-362 expression was also elevated in five NSCLC cell lines (A549, 95-D, H1299, H292, and H460) relative to a human normal lung epithelial cell line (BEAS2B). Furthermore, miR-362 promoted NSCLC cell invasion, migration, and colony formation in vitro and tumor formation in vivo. Next, we identified the miR-362 target gene Sema3A, which is significantly correlated with metastasis. Sema3A expression was increased in normal tissues relative to NSCLC tissues. This result is consistent with the fact that miR-362 expression is negatively correlated with Sema3A expression in clinical tissue samples and indicated that miR-362 can regulate Sema3A expression in NSCLC cells and consequently affect NSCLC invasion, migration, and colony formation. Taken together, these findings on the newly identified miR-362/Sema3A axis elucidate the molecular mechanism of NSCLC invasion and migration and could lead to a potential therapeutic target in NSCLC treatment.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / genetics*
  • Cell Movement
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Down-Regulation
  • Female
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Nude
  • MicroRNAs / genetics*
  • Neoplasm Metastasis
  • Neoplasms, Experimental / genetics*
  • Semaphorin-3A / genetics*
  • Semaphorin-3A / metabolism

Substances

  • MIRN362 microRNA, human
  • MicroRNAs
  • SEMA3A protein, human
  • Semaphorin-3A