Purpose: LACTB, regulated by a variety of microRNAs (miRNAs), is proven to be a tumor suppressor. However, there are few reports that LACTB in colon cancer cells is regulated by miRNA. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore the miRNAs that regulate LACTB in colon cancer.
Patients and Methods: Data from TCGA were analyzed in starBase and GEPIA2, and Western blot and quantitative PCR (qPCR) were used to detect the expression of LACTB in colon cancer cell lines. MiRNAs targeting LACTB were predicted by MicroT-CDS, starBase, miRDB, mirDIP, and DIANA. The relationship between LACTB and miRNA was explored by dual-luciferase assay. MTT, propidium iodide (PI), Western blot, Annexin V-FITC/PI Kit, qPCR and transwell assay were used to detect the changes in cell proliferation, cell cycle, autophagy, apoptosis, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), cell migration, and invasiveness in colon cancer cells that overexpressed miR-1276 and/or LACTB.
Results: The results showed that the LACTB mRNA level was lower and the miR-1276 level was higher in colon cancer than in normal tissue. MiR-1276 inhibited the expression of LACTB. Furthermore, overexpression of miR-1276 in colon cancer cells increased proliferation, migration, invasiveness and EMT, and decreased autophagy and apoptosis. Supplementing LACTB suppressed these effects of miR-1276.
Conclusion: In conclusion, miR-1276, which may be a potential therapy for colon cancer, inhibits cell growth and promotes apoptosis by targeting LACTB in colon cancer cells.
Keywords: microRNA, colonic neoplasms, cell proliferation, LACTB, miR-1276