MicroRNA-9 enhances invasion and migration of cervical carcinomas by directly targeting FOXO1

Cervical carcinoma is the third frequently diagnosed cancer among women worldwide. Increasing evidence suggests that dysfunctions of miRNAs are involved in human cancers and could act as either tumor suppressors or oncogenes. The purpose of this study is to elucidate pathobiological functions of miR-9 expression by targeting FOXO1 in cervical carcinoma.

Real-time-PCR was utilized to detect miR-9 and FOXO1 level in cervical carcinoma tissues and cells. Transwell assays were employed to check out the roles of miR-9 on cells invasive and migratory potency. Luciferase reporter and Western blot were applied to verify FOXO1 as a target gene of miR-9.

The results showed that miR-9 was significantly high expressed in cervical carcinoma cell lines and clinical tissues. miR-9 enhanced the ability of migration and invasion of C33A and HeLa cells. FOXO1 was confirmed as the direct target of miR-9, and miR-9 over-expression down-regulated the expression level of FOXO1.

Our data demonstrate that miR-9 enhances invasion and migration of cervical carcinomas by directly targeting FOXO1. This may lead to a modern therapeutic strategy for the treatment of cervical carcinomas.