Aim: Possible roles of miRNAs in cancer treatment have been highly studied. This study aimed to elucidate the role of miR-4732-3p in lung cancer. Methods: Bioinformatics analysis was conducted to predict miR-4732-3p-related mRNA targets in lung cancer. Following interaction determination between miR-4732-3p and TBX15 as well as between TBX15 and TNFSF11, their in vitro and in vivo roles were assayed. Results: miR-4732-3p negatively targeted TBX15, which upregulated TNFSF11 by enhancing the activity of the TNFSF11 promoter. Overexpression of miR-4732-3p or silencing of TBX15 or TNFSF11 inhibited the malignant phenotype of lung cancer cells and reduced tumorigenicity in vivo. Conclusion: Overall, this study highlighted the inhibitory role of miR-4732-3p in lung cancer progression through the TBX15/TNFSF11 axis.
Keywords: TBX15; TNFSF11; invasion; lung cancer; miR-4732-3p; migration; proliferation; promoter activity.
This study describes the role of miR-4732-3p in lung cancer. The authors conducted bioinformatics analysis to predict miR-4732-3p-related mRNA targets in lung cancer. Then they analyzed the potential interaction between miR-4732-3p and TBX15 and between TBX15 and TNFSF11. To evaluate their effects on the progression of lung cancer, the authors performed in vitro and in vivo assays. They discovered that miR-4732-3p negatively targeted TBX15, which upregulated TNFSF11 by enhancing the activity of TNFSF11 promoter. Overexpression of miR-4732-3p or silencing of TBX15 or TNFSF11 inhibited the malignant phenotype of lung cancer cells and reduced tumorigenicity in vivo. This study, which has identified potential for the miR-4732-3p/TBX15/TNFSF11 axis as an antioncogenic tool, opens the possibility for better monitoring of lung cancer.