Abstract
BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) represents a malignant neoplasm exhibiting high incidence and mortality rates, marked by diminished patient survival probabilities and an unfavorable prognosis. The primary objective of this research is to investigate the prognostic value of miR-4701-3p in NSCLC and its regulatory role in tumor progression. METHODS: In this study, a cohort comprising 105 patients with NSCLC was enrolled. Expression levels of miR-4701-3p in tissues and cell lines were assayed using RT-qPCR. To investigate the correlation between miR-4701-3p and clinicopathological features, the χ2 test was applied. Additionally, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis alongside Cox regression modeling were performed to evaluate the prognostic significance of miR-4701-3p. RESULTS: miR-4701-3p was markedly upregulated in NSCLC tissues and cells. miR-4701-3p was significantly correlated with TNM stage and lymph node metastasis (LNM) in NSCLC patients. The group exhibiting high miR-4701-3p expression demonstrated a markedly decreased 5-year survival rate in comparison to the low expression group. According to Cox regression analysis, miR-4701-3p expression, TNM stage, and lymph node metastasis (LNM) emerged as independent predictors of the 5-year survival rate among NSCLC patients. By downregulating miR-4701-3p, a substantial inhibition of NSCLC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion was observed, accompanied by enhanced apoptotic activity. Conversely, overexpressing miR-4701-3p can enhance cell proliferation, invasion, and migration abilities while inhibiting cell apoptosis. CONCLUSION: The elevated expression of miR-4701-3p in NSCLC tissues has certain predictive value for poor prognosis in patients and may be involved in malignant behaviors of NSCLC cells.