Open Access
ARTICLE
MicroRNA-377 Targets Zinc Finger E-box-Binding Homeobox 2 to Inhibit Cell Proliferation and Invasion of Cervical Cancer
Cong Ye*, Yubo Hu†, Junrong Wang*
* Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, China–Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, P.R. China
† Department of Anesthesiology, China–Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, P.R. China
Oncology Research 2019, 27(2), 183-192. https://doi.org/10.3727/096504018X15201124340860
Abstract
A large number of microRNAs (miRNAs) are aberrantly expressed in cervical cancer and play crucial roles in
the onset and progression of cervical cancer by acting as either an oncogene or a tumor suppressor. Therefore,
investigation of the expression, biological roles, and underlying mechanisms of miRNAs in cervical cancer
might provide valuable therapeutic targets in the treatment for patients with this disease. In this study, miRNA-
377 (miR-377) was downregulated in cervical cancer tissues and cell lines. Decreased miR-377 expression was
strongly correlated with the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage, lymph node
metastasis, and distant metastasis in patients with cervical cancer. Enhanced expression of miR-377 prohibited
cell proliferation and invasion in cervical cancer. Bioinformatics analysis predicted that zinc finger E-boxbinding homeobox 2 (ZEB2) was a potential target of miR-377. Subsequent experiments confirmed that ZEB2
is a direct target gene of miR-377 in cervical cancer. In addition, ZEB2 was overexpressed in cervical cancer
tissues and was inversely related with miR-377 levels. Furthermore, the suppressive effects of miR-377 on
cervical cancer proliferation and invasion were rescued by restored ZEB2 expression. Overall, our findings
indicated that miR-377 decreases proliferation and invasion of cervical cancer cells by directly targeting ZEB2
and provides novel evidence of miR-377 as a novel therapeutic strategy for the therapy of patients with this
malignancy.
Keywords
Cite This Article
Ye, C., Hu, Y., Wang, J. (2019). MicroRNA-377 Targets Zinc Finger E-box-Binding Homeobox 2 to Inhibit Cell Proliferation and Invasion of Cervical Cancer.
Oncology Research, 27(2), 183–192. https://doi.org/10.3727/096504018X15201124340860