microRNA-577 inhibits cell proliferation and invasion in non-small cell lung cancer by directly targeting homeobox A1

An increasing number of studies have indicated that the dysregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs/miR) is closely associated with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) development and progression by acting as tumor suppressors or oncogenes. Therefore, an in-depth understanding of the biological roles of miRNAs in NSCLC may provide novel therapeutic methods for the treatment of patients with this disease. In the present study, reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to detect miR-577 expression in NSCLC tissues and cell lines. Cell Counting Kit-8 and Transwell invasion assays were performed to determine the effects of miR-577 on NSCLC cell proliferation and invasion. Luciferase reporter assays were used to demonstrate the relationship between miR-577 and homeobox A1 (HOXA1) in NSCLC cells. The results revealed that miR-577 was markedly downregulated in NSCLC tissues and cell lines. Additionally, restoration of miR-577 expression significantly decreased the proliferation and invasion of NSCLC cells. Furthermore, miR-577 negatively regulated HOXA1 expression in NSCLC cells by directly binding to its 3-untranslated region. HOXA1 was significantly upregulated in NSCLC tissues, and its upregulation was inversely correlated with miR-577. Notably, restored HOXA1 expression abrogated the reduced proliferation and invasion of NSCLC cells caused by miR-577 overexpression. Taken together, these results indicated that miR-577 may have served tumor suppressive roles in NSCLC by directly targeting HOXA1. Therefore, this miRNA may be developed as a potential therapeutic target for the therapy of patients with NSCLC.