MiRNA-621 exerts tumor suppressor function in gastric adenocarcinoma by targeting AURKA/GSK-3β pathway

Xiao  Han; Hongxue Liu; Xiaojun  Tang; Yao  Zhao

doi:10.18388/abp.2020_5452

Xiao Han Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, the Affiliated Huaian No.1 People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huai ‘an, Jiangsu Province, 223001, China
Hongxue Liu Department of Obstetrics, the Affiliated Huaian No.1 People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huai ‘an, Jiangsu Province, 223001, China
Xiaojun Tang Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, the Affiliated Huaian No.1 People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huai ‘an, Jiangsu Province, 223001, China
Yao Zhao Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, the Affiliated Huaian No.1 People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huai ‘an, Jiangsu Province, 223001, China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18388/abp.2020_5452

Abstract

Gastric adenocarcinoma is a major challenge to human health worldwide. Abnormal expression of miR-621 was found in many types of cancer. This research aimed to investigate the effects and detailed molecular mechanisms of miR-621 on gastric adenocarcinoma progression. The present study first showed that miR-621 was downregulated in gastric cancer patients, and its expression level was correlated with tumor size. MiR-621 overexpression inhibited viability, colony formation and proliferation of gastric cancer cells. AURKA was identified as a direct target of miR-621. AURKA knockdown induced decrease of p-GSK-3β/GSK-3β ratio and increase of p-β-catenin/β-catenin ratio which confirmed that AURKA positively regulated GSK-3β phosphorylation. AURKA knockdown also inhibited proliferation of gastric adenocarcinoma cells. AURKA expression was negatively correlated with miR-621 level. In addition, AURKA overexpression reversed the effect of miR-621 on the growth of cancer cells. Taken together, our results suggest that miR-621 is an important tumor suppressor in gastric cancer and could be a promising target for the cancer treatment.