miR-377 inhibits the tumorous behavior of prostate cancer cells by targeting MYC

Abstract

Abstract Aims The MYC gene is one of the regulatory and proto-oncogenic genes that is overexpressed in most prostate cancers. Studies have shown that abnormal expression of microRNAs is involved in the onset and development of many different types of human cancer, including prostate cancer. Materials and methods In this study, we first evaluated targeting the effect of miR-377 on MYC by luciferase assay. Real-time PCR was used to figure out whether miR-377 could decrease the target gene mRNAs in transfected PCa cell lines (PC3 and DU145). The effects of miR-377 on apoptosis cells, proliferation, cell cycle, and wound healing were analyzed. Results We showed that miR-377 targets MYC mRNA by luciferase reporter assay. A significant reduction in MYC mRNA level was detected, following miR-377 transfection in PC3 and DU145 cell lines. The higher levels of miR-377 in PCa cell lines induced apoptosis, reduced proliferation, and migration, and stopped the cell cycle. Conclusion All these data reveal that miR-377 functions as a tumor suppressor in PCa and may serve as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of this cancer.