MicroRNA-223-3p stimulates proliferation, metastasis and regulates cell cycle via downregulating Neurofibromatosis Type 2 in Papillary thyroid cancer

Western blot was performed to evaluate N-cadherin, E-cadherin, Vimentin, MMP2 and MMP9 expression.Luciferase reporter assay has been achieved for examining the targeting sites in microRNA-223-3p with 3’UTR of NF-2. Moreover, the xenografts nude mice were utilized for accessing the roles of microRNA-223-3p on tumor increasing and KI-67 expression. According to our results, microRNA-223-3p was upregulated in PTC tissues and cells.

The highly expression of microRNA-223-3p is related with poor prognosis in PTC patients. Moreover microRNA-223-3p mimics stimulates cell proliferative and invasive abilities in TPC-1 cells. And microRNA-223-3p could also induce the EMT of TPC-1 cells and up-regulate the expression of MMP2 and MMP9.

Furthermore, luciferase reporter assays showed microRNA-223-3p can directly target NF-2 in TPC-1 cells. In addition, NF-2 overexpression could partially reverse the regulatory roles of microRNA-223-3p on PTC cell proliferation, invasion and EMT. The promotion impact of microRNA-223-3p on PTC cell was also confirmed through in vivo experiment.

Therefore, microRNA-223-3p becomes a potential marker of PTC prognosis and microRNA-223-3p promotes the cell duplication and invasion through downregulating NF-2 in PTC cell lines. The discovery of microRNA-223-3p/NF-2 axis might pave a new way on the pathogenesis and therapy of PTC.