MicroRNA‐367‐3p overexpression represses the proliferation and invasion of cervical cancer cells through downregulation of SPAG5‐mediated Wnt/β‐catenin signalling

• Published in: Clinical and experimental pharmacology & physiology 2020-04, Vol.47 (4), p.687-695
• Main Authors: Yang, Ting, Tian, Sijuan, Wang, Linlin, Wang, Yaohui, Zhao, Juan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anticancer properties; Antigens; Cancer; Catenin; Cell proliferation; Cervical cancer; Cervix; Chromosome 3; Gene expression; MicroRNAs; miRNA; miR‐367‐3p; Signaling; SPAG5; Target recognition; Tumor cell lines; Tumors; Wnt; Wnt protein
• ISSN: 0305-1870; 1440-1681
• DOI: 10.1111/1440-1681.13222

MicroRNA‐367‐3p (miR‐367‐3p) has been previously reported as a cancer‐related miRNA that is dysregulated in various cancer types and functions either as an oncogenic or as tumour suppressive miRNA. However, whether miR‐367‐3p is dysregulated in cervical cancer and, further, whether it contributes to the development and progression of the disease remains unknown. Here, our results demonstrated that miR‐367‐3p expression was markedly decreased in both cervical cancer tissues and cell lines compared with corresponding controls. In vitro experiments revealed that miR‐367‐3p overexpression repressed the proliferation and invasion of cervical cancer cells. Notably, sperm‐associated antigen 5 (SPAG5) was identified as a target gene of miR‐367‐3p. Moreover, decreased expression of miR‐367‐3p was correlated with high expression of SPAG5 in cervical cancer tissue specimens. SPAG5 inhibition or miR‐367‐3p overexpression significantly downregulated Wnt/β‐catenin signalling in cervical cancer cells. However, the antitumour effect mediated by miR‐367‐3p overexpression was partially reversed by SPAG5 overexpression. Overall, these findings demonstrate that miR‐367‐3p overexpression restricts the proliferation and invasion of cervical cancer cells through targeting SPAG5 to downregulate Wnt/β‐catenin signalling, suggesting a mechanism for the tumour suppressive function of miR‐367‐3p in cervical cancer. Our study highlights the involvement of miR‐367‐3p/SPAG5/Wnt/β‐catenin signalling axis in regulating the malignant progression of cervical cancer.