Open Access

Downregulation of miR-221/222 by a microRNA sponge promotes apoptosis in oral squamous cell carcinoma cells through upregulation of PTEN

  • Authors:
    • Lijie Zhou
    • Fangfang Jiang
    • Xijuan Chen
    • Zifeng Liu
    • Ying Ouyang
    • Wei Zhao
    • Dongsheng Yu
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: October 13, 2016     https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2016.5250
  • Pages: 4419-4426
  • Copyright: © Zhou et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

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Abstract

MicroRNA‑221 and microRNA‑222 (miR‑221/222) have been identified as oncogenes and confirmed to be overexpressed in various types of cancer. However, the regulation mechanism of miR‑221/222 in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) remains to be fully elucidated. Previously, an miR‑221/222 sponge was successfully constructed and its effect on the downregulation of miR‑221/222 expression was investigated. In the present study, the dual luciferase reporter assay revealed a phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) deletion on chromosome 10 to be a target gene of miR‑221/222. It was also demonstrated that miR‑221/222 suppression by transfection with an miR‑221/222 sponge in vitro resulted in upregulation of PTEN. Notably, the proliferation and invasiveness of the miR‑221/222 sponge‑transfected cells was significantly inhibited, while apoptosis was promoted, when determined by Cell Counting Kit‑8, Transwell assays and flow cytometry. The results of the present study prove that miR‑221/222 may downregulate the expression of PTEN in OSCC cells and function as oncogenes, providing a novel insight into the underlying mechanism of OSCC tumorigenesis. The present study suggests that upregulating the expression of PTEN by downregulation of miR‑221/222 may be a potential treatment for OSCC.
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December-2016
Volume 12 Issue 6

Print ISSN: 1792-1074
Online ISSN:1792-1082

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Spandidos Publications style
Zhou L, Jiang F, Chen X, Liu Z, Ouyang Y, Zhao W and Yu D: Downregulation of miR-221/222 by a microRNA sponge promotes apoptosis in oral squamous cell carcinoma cells through upregulation of PTEN. Oncol Lett 12: 4419-4426, 2016
APA
Zhou, L., Jiang, F., Chen, X., Liu, Z., Ouyang, Y., Zhao, W., & Yu, D. (2016). Downregulation of miR-221/222 by a microRNA sponge promotes apoptosis in oral squamous cell carcinoma cells through upregulation of PTEN. Oncology Letters, 12, 4419-4426. https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2016.5250
MLA
Zhou, L., Jiang, F., Chen, X., Liu, Z., Ouyang, Y., Zhao, W., Yu, D."Downregulation of miR-221/222 by a microRNA sponge promotes apoptosis in oral squamous cell carcinoma cells through upregulation of PTEN". Oncology Letters 12.6 (2016): 4419-4426.
Chicago
Zhou, L., Jiang, F., Chen, X., Liu, Z., Ouyang, Y., Zhao, W., Yu, D."Downregulation of miR-221/222 by a microRNA sponge promotes apoptosis in oral squamous cell carcinoma cells through upregulation of PTEN". Oncology Letters 12, no. 6 (2016): 4419-4426. https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2016.5250