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miR-320 inhibited ovarian cancer oncogenicity via targeting TWIST1 expression

Chunyang Li1, Ping Duan2, Jianguang Wang1

  • 1Department of Biochemistry, School of Basic Sciences, Wenzhou Medical UniversityWenzhou 325000, Zhejiang, China.

American Journal of Translational Research
|September 2, 2017
PubMed

Insights

MicroRNA-320 (miR-320) acts as a tumor suppressor in ovarian cancer by inhibiting cell proliferation, cell cycle progression, and invasion. It targets Twist homolog 1 (TWIST1), which is upregulated in ovarian tumors.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Ovarian cancer is a leading cause of gynecological cancer deaths globally.
  • Dysregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) is increasingly implicated in cancer development and progression.
  • Specific miRNAs, like miR-320, show altered expression in various cancers, suggesting potential roles in tumorigenesis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of miR-320 in ovarian cancer.
  • To identify the molecular targets and mechanisms through which miR-320 exerts its effects in ovarian cancer cells.
  • To explore the therapeutic potential of miR-320 in ovarian cancer.

Main Methods:

  • Quantitative real-time PCR to measure miR-320 and TWIST1 expression in ovarian cancer tissues and non-tumor tissues.
  • Cell proliferation assays (e.g., MTT assay) to assess the impact of miR-320 and TWIST1 on cell growth.
  • Cell cycle analysis using flow cytometry.
  • Invasion assays (e.g., Transwell assay) to evaluate metastatic potential.
  • Western blotting to confirm protein expression levels.
  • Luciferase reporter assays to validate TWIST1 as a direct target of miR-320.

Main Results:

  • miR-320 was significantly underexpressed in ovarian cancer tissues compared to non-tumor tissues.
  • Twist homolog 1 (TWIST1) expression was upregulated in ovarian cancer tissues and inversely correlated with miR-320 levels.
  • Overexpression of miR-320 suppressed ovarian cancer cell proliferation, induced cell cycle arrest, and inhibited invasion.
  • TWIST1 was identified as a direct target of miR-320.
  • Overexpression of TWIST1 promoted ovarian cancer cell proliferation, cell cycle progression, and invasion.
  • Restoration of TWIST1 expression reversed the tumor-suppressive effects of miR-320.

Conclusions:

  • miR-320 functions as a tumor suppressor gene in ovarian cancer.
  • miR-320 inhibits ovarian cancer progression by targeting TWIST1, thereby suppressing cell proliferation, cell cycle progression, and invasion.
  • These findings highlight the potential of miR-320 as a therapeutic target for ovarian cancer treatment.
Keywords:
Ovarian cancerTWIST1miR-320microRNAs

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