Recent findings have suggested that microRNAs may be involved in the regulation of metastasis in malignant cancers such as non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This study aimed to determine the relationship between expression of miR-125b and matrix metalloproteinase 13 (encoded by MMP-13) and the metastatic potential of cancer cells in NSCLC. Expression levels of miR-125b transcripts and MMP-13 proteins were analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry, respectively, in tumor tissues and adjacent nontumor tissues from 42 patients with NSCLC. The interaction between miR-125b and MMP-13 expression and the associations between miR-125b and clinicopathologic data were analyzed. MiR-125 b expression levels were decreased in NSCLC tumor tissue samples, which correlated with an increased incidence of lymph node metastases, increased pathologic stage, increased MMP-13 expression levels, and decreased early progression-free survival. Additionally, we have demonstrated that increased levels of miR-125b can directly downregulate MMP-13 protein expression and inhibit the invasive capabilities of cancer cells. Expression levels of miR-125b were negatively correlated with metastatic potential of NSCLC tumors, which may function through regulation of MMP-13.
Keywords: NSCLC; matrix metalloproteinase 13; miR-125b; non–small cell lung cancer; tumor metastasis.
Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.