MicroRNA-384 is lowly expressed in human prostate cancer cells and has anti-tumor functions by acting on HOXB7

Objectives: In this work, we evaluated the expression of microRNA-384 (miR-384) in human prostate cancer (CAP) cells and its regulatory role on CAP in vitro and in vivo functions.

Methods: In CAP cell lines, miR-384 expression was evaluated by qRT-PCR. In LNCaP and VCaP cells, lentiviral infection was done to overexpress miR-384. The regulatory effects of miR-384 overexpression on CAP in vitro proliferation and migration, and in vivo tumorigenesis, were evaluated, respectively. The targeting of miR-384 on Homeobox b7 gene (HOXB7), was evaluated by dual-luciferase reporter assay and qRT-PCR. In addition, HOXB7 was upregulated in miR-384-overexpressed CAP cells to evaluate the correlated role of HOXB7 in miR-384-mediated CAP proliferation and migration in vitro.

Results: MiR-384 was lowly expressed in CAP cell lines. Lentiviral infection induced miR-384 overexpression inhibited CAP in vitro proliferation and migration, and in vivo tumorigenesis. HOXB7 was directly targeted by miR-384 in CAP cells. In miR-384-overexpressed CAP cells, HOXB7 upregulation reversed the effect of miR-384 by promoting CAP in vitro proliferation and migration.

Conclusion: MiR-384 was downregulated in CAP cells. MiR-384 overexpression suppressed CAP in vitro and in vivo development, possibly via acting through its downstream target gene of HOXB7.