MiR-874 inhibits cell growth and induces apoptosis by targeting STAT3 in human colorectal cancer cells

B. Zhao, A.-S. Dong

Department of Nuclear Medicine, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China. zhaobo5896@163.com

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• Oncology

OBJECTIVE: MicroRNA-874 (miR-874) has previously been identified as a tumor suppressor in several cancers. However, its role in colorectal cancer (CRC) has not been studied. In the present study, we aimed to investigate its potential roles in regulating cell growth and apoptosis in human CRC cells.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: MiR-874 expression was detected by real-time PCR analysis. Cell viability was detected by CCK-8 assay. Protein expression level was detected by Western blot, and luciferase activity assay was used to validate the interaction between mir-874 and STAT3 mRNA 3’UTR.

RESULTS: We found that miR-874 was significantly downregulated in CRC tissues. Gain and loss of function of miR-874 proved that miR-874 could inhibit cell growth and induce apoptosis in CRC cells. Luciferase reporter assay and Western blot analysis showed that miR-874 repressed STAT3 expression by targeting its mRNA 3’UTR. Silencing STAT3 recapitulated the phenotype of miR-874 overexpression. Moreover, the inverse correlation between miR-874 expression and STAT3 expression was validated in CRC specimens.

CONCLUSIONS: These data demonstrate that miR-874 functions as a tumor suppressor by repression of STAT3, suggesting its potential therapeutic value in CRC treatment.

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