Hsa-miR-337 inhibits non-small cell lung cancer cell invasion and migration by targeting TCF7.

Objective: Recent studies have revealed that microRNAs (miRNAs) play a crucial role in the progression of tumorigenesis. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is one of the most common malignancies worldwide. The aim of this study was to identify the exact role of hsa-miR-337 in the progression of NSCLC and to investigate the possible underlying mechanism.

Methods: Hsa-miR-337 expression in NSCLC cells and 60 paired tissue samples were detected by Real Time-quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-qPCR). Moreover, the functions of hsa-miR-337 in vitro were identified by transwell assay and wound healing assay, respectively. Furthermore, the underlying mechanism was explored by RT-qPCR, Western blot assay, and luciferase assay.

Results: The expression level of hsa-miR-337 in NSCLC tissues was remarkably down-regulated when compared with that of adjacent normal samples. Moreover, the invasion and migration of NSCLC cells were significantly inhibited after overexpression of hsa-miR-337 in vitro. Moreover, after overexpression of hsa-miR-337 in vitro, the mRNA and protein levels of TCF7 were significantly down-regulated. Besides, the expression of TCF7 in NSCLC tissues was negatively correlated with the expression of hsa-miR-337.

Conclusions: The above results suggested that hsa-miR-337 could repress the migration and invasion of NSCLC cells through directly targeting TCF7. Furthermore, hsa-miR-337 might offer a new therapeutic intervention for NSCLC patients.