SQLE induces epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition by regulating of miR-133b in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

In this study, we show differential miR-133b down-expression in human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) cells and tissues. In addition, squalene epoxidase (SQLE), a key enzyme of cholesterol synthesis, is identified as the direct downstream target gene of miR-133b by luciferase gene reporter assay. Furthermore, ectogenic miR-133b expression and SQLE knockdown can inhibit proliferation, invasion, and metastasis, and diminish epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) traits of ESCC in vitro, implying that miR-133b-dependent SQLE can induce tumorigenicity and that SQLE is an EMT inducer. Xenograft experiment results also proved the biological function of SQLE in vivo Therefore, we conclude that miR-133b-dependent SQLE plays a critical role in the potential metastasis mechanisms in ESCC. PMID: 28069586 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: Acta Biochimica et Biophysica Sinica - Category: Biochemistry Authors: Tags: Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai) Source Type: research