Published online Jan 7, 2011. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v17.i1.79
Revised: July 29, 2010
Accepted: August 5, 2010
Published online: January 7, 2011
AIM: To investigate the expression profile of miRNA in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).
METHODS: The expression profile of miRNA in ESCC tissues was analyzed by miRNA microarray. The expression levels of miR-143 and miR-145 in 86 ESCC patients were determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using TaqMan assay. The mobility effect was estimated by wound-healing using esophageal carcinoma cells transfected with miRNA expression plasmids.
RESULTS: A set of miRNAs was found to be deregulated in the ESCC tissues, and the expression levels of miR-143 and -145 were significantly decreased in most of the ESCC tissues examined. Both miR-143 and miR-145 expression correlated with tumor invasion depth. The transfection of human esophageal carcinoma cells with miR-143 and miR-145 expression plasmids resulted in a greater inhibition of cell mobility, however, the protein level of the previously reported target of miR-145, FSCN1, did not show any significant downregulation.
CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the deregulation of miRNAs plays an important role in the progression of ESCC. Both miR-143 and miR-145 might act as anti-oncomirs common to ESCC.