MicroRNA-3651 promotes colorectal cancer cell proliferation through directly repressing T-box transcription factor 1

Abstract

Colorectal cancer is a commonly diagnosed gastrointestinal malignancy worldwide with a high mortality rate. Accumulating evidence has indicated that the expression of a number of microRNAs (miRNAs) is associated with the development of colorectal cancer. However, the precise molecular mechanism of these miRNAs in regulating cancer progression is yet to be determined. In the present study, miR-3651 was demonstrated to be overexpressed in colorectal cancer tissues compared with normal tissues, and to be associated with the tumor-node-metastasis stage. The downregulation of miR-3651 was found to induce growth arrest and apoptosis in colorectal cancer cells. In addition, western blot analysis demonstrated that the downregulation of miR-3651 inactivated PI3K/AKT and MAPK/ERK signaling in colorectal cancer cells. Bioinformatics analysis predicted T-box transcription factor 1 (TBX1) as a potential target gene of miR-3651, and a dual-luciferase reporter assay confrmed that TBX1 was directly repressed by miR-3651. The results of the current study also indicated that TBX1 was associated with the miR-3651 mediated activation of oncogenic signaling and colorectal cancer cell proliferation. In conclusion, the results of the current study revealed the oncogenic potential of miR-3651 in colorectal cancer.