Background: Colon cancer is a heterogeneous tumor and a leading cause of cancer-related mortality. MicroRNA (miRNA) has been proposed as the biomarker in cancers. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical significance and potential functional role of miR-937 in colon cancer.
Methods: In the present study, reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was conducted to examine the expression levels of miR-937 in colon cancer tissues and cell lines. Kaplan-Meier curve and Cox regression analyses were used to determine the prognostic impact of miR-937 on survival. Cell Counting Kit-8 and Transwell assays were performed to examine cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, respectively.
Results: miR-937 was significantly upregulated in colon cancer tissues and cell lines. Clinical analysis results showed that miR-937 expression was associated with lymph node metastasis and TNM stage. Patients with high miR-937 expression predicted a shorter overall survival rate. Functionally, overexpression of miR-937 promoted cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, while inhibition of miR-937 inhibited these cellular behaviors in vitro.
Conclusions: These results suggested that miR-937 may act as a prognostic biomarker and a potential target for therapeutic strategy, as well as promote proliferation, migration, and invasion of colon cancer.
Keywords: Colon cancer; Invasion; Migration; Prognosis; Proliferation; miR-937.