MiR-494-3p promotes the progression of endometrial cancer by regulating the PTEN/PI3K/AKT pathway

Abstract

MicroRNAs (miRs) are essential regulators in the development and progression of cancer. The role of miR-494-3p in endometrial cancer (EC) has not yet been investigated. In the present study, the expression levels of miR-494-3p were significantly upregulated in EC tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues. Furthermore, upregulation of miR-494-3p in patients with EC indicated poorer prognosis; miR-494-3p overexpression significantly promoted the proliferation, migration and invasion of HHUA and JEC cells in vitro. Consistently, inhibition of miR-494-3p in HHUA cells significantly suppressed tumor growth in vivo in a xenograft model. Additionally, phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) was revealed to be a direct target of miR-494-3p in EC cells. Furthermore, overexpression of miR-494-3p inhibited PTEN expression and consequently activated the downstream phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) signialing pathway. Restoration of PTEN or inhibition of PI3K/AKT pathway also abolished miR-494-3p-mediated proliferation, migration and invasion of HHUA and JEC cells. In summary, the results of the present study revealed the importance of the miR-494-3p/PTEN/PI3K/AKT axis in the progression of EC, which may provide novel insight into potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of EC.