MiR-186 targets ROCK1 to suppress the growth and metastasis of NSCLC cells

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) act as oncogenes or tumor suppressors in human cancers. Increasing evidence shows that deregulation of miRNAs contributes to the development and progression of human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Here, we identified miR-186 as a tumor suppressor in NSCLC, which was decreased in NSCLC. Overexpression of miR-186 significantly inhibited proliferation, migration, and invasion of NSCLC cells. In addition, Rho-associated protein kinase 1 (ROCK1) was identified as a target of miR-186 in NSCLC cells. Restoration of ROCK1 remarkably reversed the tumor-suppressive effects of miR-186 on cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in NSCLC cells. Furthermore, ROCK1 was inversely correlated with miR-186 expression in NSCLC. Collectively, our data indicate that miR-186 functions as tumor suppressor in NSCLC by targeting ROCK1.