MicroRNA‐130b suppresses metastasis of colorectal cancer through downregulation of its target genes (LB200)

Abstract

MicroRNA 130b (miR‐130b) is significantly dysregulated in various human tumor types. In this study, using a microarray assay, we characterized the upregulation of miR‐130b expression in colorectal cancer (CRC) specimens. However, there is limited knowledge about the roles of aberrant miR‐130b expression in CRC. Our studies in CRC cells demonstrated that miR‐130b significantly decreases cell migration and invasion in vitro and in vivo. In the overexpression miR‐130b CRC cells and the CRC specimens, we observed a decreased level of integrin β1 protein, which is considered as a key molecule involved in cell motility. The targeting of the 3’‐UTR region of integrin β1 gene by miR‐130b was revealed using a luciferase reporter assay. The impaired motility of the miR‐130b overexpression cells is recovered partly by the expression of integrin β1 lacking the 3’‐UTR. Furthermore, the inverse expressions of miR‐130b and integrin β1 were observed in CRC specimens. In summary, these data demonstrate that miR‐130b downregulates its target‐integrin β1, leading to the impaired migration and invasion of CRC cells. It also reveals the potential therapeutic function of miR‐130b for preventing metastatic colorectal cancer.