Open Access

Restoration of miRNA‑148a in pancreatic cancer reduces invasion and metastasis by inhibiting the Wnt/β‑catenin signaling pathway via downregulating maternally expressed gene‑3

  • Authors:
    • Yunpeng Sun
    • Qiandong Zhu
    • Mengtao Zhou
    • Wenjun Yang
    • Hongqi Shi
    • Yunfeng Shan
    • Qiyu Zhang
    • Fuxiang Yu
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: November 28, 2018     https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2018.7026
  • Pages: 639-648
  • Copyright: © Sun et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

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Abstract

Various microRNAs (miRNA) have been recognized potential novel tumor markers and have a critical role in cancer development and progression. Recently, methylation of miRNA‑148a was identified as a crucial biochemical process in the progression of cancer. However, its potential role and in pancreatic cancer as well as the underlying mechanisms have remained largely elusive. The present study investigated the potential antitumor effect of miR‑148a as well as its impact on invasion and metastasis in pancreatic cancer. It was found that the expression of miRNA‑148a and the potential predictive biomarker maternally expressed gene‑3 (MEG‑3) were obviously decreased in human pancreatic cancer tissues compared with those in adjacent non‑tumorous tissues. Furthermore, miR‑148a was found to be downregulated in pancreatic cancer cell lines compared with normal pancreatic cells through promoter methylation. An MTT assay and a clonogenic assay demonstrated that restoration of miRNA‑148a inhibited the proliferation and colony formation of pancreatic cancer cells. In addition, miR‑148a transduction led to the upregulation of MEG‑3 expression and promoted apoptosis of pancreatic cancer cells. Western blot analysis revealed that transduction of miR‑148a markedly decreased the expression levels of C‑myc, cyclin D1 and β‑catenin in pancreatic cancer cells. Methylation of miR‑148a not only decreased the endogenous β‑catenin levels but also inhibited the nuclear translocation of β‑catenin to delay cell cycle progression. Furthermore, ectopic miR‑148a methylation inhibited pancreatic cancer cell migration and invasion via causing an upregulation of MEG‑3 expression. Most importantly, ectopic overexpression of miR‑148a in pancreatic cancer cells inhibited tumor formation in an animal experiment. Taken together, miR‑148a methylation is a crucial regulatory process to inhibit the proliferation and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells, and transduction of miR‑148a suppressed the proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells through negative regulation of the Wnt/β‑catenin signaling pathway. The findings of the present study suggested that miRNA‑148a acts as a tumor suppressor in pancreatic cancer and may contribute to the development of novel treatments for pancreatic cancer.
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January-2019
Volume 17 Issue 1

Print ISSN: 1792-0981
Online ISSN:1792-1015

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Spandidos Publications style
Sun Y, Zhu Q, Zhou M, Yang W, Shi H, Shan Y, Zhang Q and Yu F: Restoration of miRNA‑148a in pancreatic cancer reduces invasion and metastasis by inhibiting the Wnt/β‑catenin signaling pathway via downregulating maternally expressed gene‑3. Exp Ther Med 17: 639-648, 2019
APA
Sun, Y., Zhu, Q., Zhou, M., Yang, W., Shi, H., Shan, Y. ... Yu, F. (2019). Restoration of miRNA‑148a in pancreatic cancer reduces invasion and metastasis by inhibiting the Wnt/β‑catenin signaling pathway via downregulating maternally expressed gene‑3. Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine, 17, 639-648. https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2018.7026
MLA
Sun, Y., Zhu, Q., Zhou, M., Yang, W., Shi, H., Shan, Y., Zhang, Q., Yu, F."Restoration of miRNA‑148a in pancreatic cancer reduces invasion and metastasis by inhibiting the Wnt/β‑catenin signaling pathway via downregulating maternally expressed gene‑3". Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine 17.1 (2019): 639-648.
Chicago
Sun, Y., Zhu, Q., Zhou, M., Yang, W., Shi, H., Shan, Y., Zhang, Q., Yu, F."Restoration of miRNA‑148a in pancreatic cancer reduces invasion and metastasis by inhibiting the Wnt/β‑catenin signaling pathway via downregulating maternally expressed gene‑3". Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine 17, no. 1 (2019): 639-648. https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2018.7026