Role of Mir-452-5p Overexpression in Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) in Early-stage Colorectal Cancer

Background/Aim: The microRNA miR-452-5p holds a critical role in the progression of multiple tumor formations, but there is limited understanding regarding the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) progression and its underlying mechanisms in the early-stage colorectal cancer (CRC). We aimed to explore the change in miRNA expression in early-stage CRC and examine the role of these miRNAs in CRC. Materials and Methods: The expression levels of miR-452-5p in tissues and cells of early-stage CRC were determined by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Additionally, the biological effects of miR-452-5p on CRC were investigated by in vitro functional experiments. Results: The expression levels of miR-452-5p were found increased in early-stage CRC tissue. We found that miR-452-5p promoted CRC cell proliferation but inhibited epithelial- mesenchymal transition. Furthermore, miR-452-5p promoted cell proliferation through activation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathway, and inhibited cell invasion through suppression of Slug (Snail2) expression and up -regulation of E-cadherin expression. Conclusion: The expression of miR-452-5p is up-regulated in early CRC and suppresses epithelial-mesenchymal transition in CRC. These discoveries suggest that miR-452-5p has the potential to serve as a viable therapeutic target for CRC.