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Updated: Mar 22, 2026

In Vivo Inhibition of MicroRNA to Decrease Tumor Growth in Mice
Published on: August 23, 2019
MiR-381 functions as a tumor suppressor in colorectal cancer by targeting Twist1
Xinxin He1, Yangnian Wei1, Yong Wang1
1Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Hunan, People's Republic of China.
Abstract:
MiR-381 has been reported to be dysregulated in several human cancers. However, the function and mechanism of miR-381 in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains unclear. In the present study, the miR-381 expression was assessed in a cohort of 113 CRC specimens using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RTq-PCR), which demonstrated that miR-381 was significantly downregulated in CRC and correlated with distant metastasis and tumor, node, and metastasis (TNM) stage. Functional study revealed that restoration of miR-381 significantly inhibited the invasion, migration, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of CRC cells. Luciferase reporter assay validated that Twist1, an important EMT inducer, was a direct target of miR-381, and rescued Twist1 attenuated the function of miR-381 in CRC cells. Correlation analysis also revealed an inverse correlation between miR-381 and Twist1 expression levels in CRC specimens. Taken together, our results highlight the significance of miR-381/Twist1 interaction in the development and progression of CRC, and suggest that restoration of miR-381 may be a potential therapeutic strategy for the patients with CRC.
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