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Updated: Mar 15, 2026
In Vivo Inhibition of MicroRNA to Decrease Tumor Growth in Mice
Published on: August 23, 2019
MicroRNA-137 suppresses tongue squamous carcinoma cell proliferation, migration and invasion
Lanying Sun1,2, Jin Liang1, Qibao Wang3
1School of Stomatology, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Tissue Regeneration, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China.
Objectives:
Tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) is the most frequent type of oral malignancy. Increasing evidence has shown that miRNAs play key roles in many biological processes such as cell development, invasion, proliferation, differentiation, metabolism, apoptosis and migration.
Materials And Methods:
qRT-PCR analysis was performed to measure miR-137 expression. CCK-8 analysis, cell colony formation, wound-healing analysis and invasion were performed to detect resultant cell functions. The direct target of miR-137 was labelled and measured by luciferase assay and Western blotting.
Results:
We demonstrated that expression of miR-137 was downregulated in TSCC tissues compared to matched normal ones. miR-137 expression was downregulated in TSCC lines (SCC4, SCC1, UM1 and Cal27) compared to the immortalized NOK16B cell line and normal oral keratinocytes in culture (NHOK). In addition, we have shown that miR-137 expression was epigenetically regulated in TSCCs. Overexpression of miR-137 suppressed TSCC proliferation and colony formation. Ectopic expression of miR-137 promoted expression of the epithelial biomarker, E-cadherin, and inhibited the mesenchymal biomarker, N-cadherin, as well as vimentin and Snail expression, indicating that miR-137 suppressed TSCC epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). We also showed that ectopic expression of miR-137 inhibited TSCC invasion and migration. In addition, we identified SP1 as a direct target gene of miR-137 in SCC1 cells. SP1 overexpression rescued inhibitory effects exerted by miR-137 on cell proliferation and EMT.
Conclusions:
These results indicate that miR-137 acted as a tumour suppressor in TSCC by targeting SP1.
Insights
MicroRNA-137 (miR-137) functions as a tumor suppressor in tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC). It inhibits TSCC proliferation, migration, and invasion by targeting SP1, offering potential therapeutic strategies for oral cancer.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) is a prevalent oral malignancy.
- MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are critical regulators of diverse cellular processes, including cancer development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of miR-137 in TSCC.
- To identify the molecular targets and mechanisms underlying miR-137's function in TSCC.
Main Methods:
- Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) to assess miR-137 expression.
- Cell proliferation (CCK-8), colony formation, wound-healing, and invasion assays to evaluate cell functions.
- Luciferase assay and Western blotting to identify and validate miR-137 targets.
Main Results:
- miR-137 expression was significantly downregulated in TSCC tissues and cell lines.
- Overexpression of miR-137 suppressed TSCC proliferation, colony formation, migration, and invasion.
- miR-137 inhibited epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) by modulating E-cadherin, N-cadherin, vimentin, and Snail.
- SP1 was identified as a direct target of miR-137, and its overexpression rescued miR-137's inhibitory effects.
Conclusions:
- miR-137 acts as a tumor suppressor in TSCC.
- The tumor-suppressive function of miR-137 is mediated through the direct targeting of SP1.
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