Aim: Although, miR-218 has been implicated in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition process, the detailed mechanisms of miR-218 involvement in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in human lung adenocarcinoma cell are still unclear.
Materials & methods: miR-218 function assays and its target gene analysis were performed.
Results: miR-218 suppresses human lung adenocarcinoma cell migration and invasion and inhibits its target gene, Ecop and Robo1 expression, which subsequently suppresses NF-κB activity and its downstream targets.
Conclusion: miR-218 inhibits human lung adenocarcinoma cell migration and invasion via the suppression of Ecop and Robo1 expression, thus suggesting that miR-218 could serve as a potential therapeutic target.
Keywords: EMT; Ecop; Robo1; epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition; lung adenocarcinoma; miR-218.