MicroRNA-148a-3p inhibits cancer progression and is a novel screening biomarker for gastric cancer

Purpose Dysregulation of miR-148a-3p in gastric cancer was reported. However, the diagnostic potential and biological function of miR-148a-3p in gastric cancer progression is not fully studied. Methods Bioinformatics analysis and RT-qPCR assay were performed to analyze the expression of miR-148a-3p in gastric cancer tissues and plasma of gastric cancer patients. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to analyze the diagnostic value of miR-148a-3p. In vitro proliferation, apoptosis, migration, invasion, sphere formation assay and Western blotting assay were performed to evaluate the biological function of miR-148a-3p in gastric cancer progression. Results miR-148a-3p was significantly down-regulated in both gastric cancer patients' tissue and plasma samples. Plasma miR-148a-3p showed promising efficacy for gastric cancer diagnosis. Overexpression of miR-148a-3p could inhibit the proliferative phenotype, metastatic phenotype, and cancer stem-like properties of gastric cancer cells. Conclusions miR-148a-3p inhibits cancer progression and is a novel diagnostic biomarker for gastric cancer.