Abstract
BACKGROUND: Despite advancement in the treatment, the mortality of gastric cancer remains high. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in tumor development and progression by regulating signaling pathways. In this study, we investigated the role of miR-937 in gastric cancer cells. METHODS: MiR-937 expression was determined in gastric cancer and matched normal tissues, and human gastric cancer cell lines by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Effects of miR-937 on cell proliferation, migration and invasion were analyzed by MTT and Transwell assays, respectively. In addition, the regulation of FOXL2 by miR-937 was evaluated by western blotting and luciferase reporter assays. Effects of FOXL2 on cell proliferation, migration and invasion were detected again. RESULTS: MiR-937 level was low expressed in gastric cancer tissues and cell lines. Overexpression of miR-937 inhibited cell viability, colony formation and promoted apoptosis in gastric cancer cells. MiR-937 overexpression also inhibited cell migration and invasion by inhibiting the EMT process. Furthermore, we found that FOXL2 was a direct target of miR-937 and negatively regulated by miR-937. Moreover, miR-937 overexpression inhibited the activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway. Furthermore, we found that overexpression of FOXL2 promoted cell viability, colony formation, migration, invasion, and inhibited apoptosis in gastric cancer cells. CONCLUSIONS: MiR-937 inhibits the proliferation and metastasis of gastric cancer cells by targeting FOXL2 via inactivation of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. These results suggest that miR-937 may be a potential target for the treatment of gastric cancer.