MiR-588 acts as an oncogene in ovarian cancer and increases the radioresistance of ovarian cancer cells

The therapeutic outcomes of ovarian cancer (OVCA) patients are majorly limited by the development of acquired chemo/radioresistance and the lack of targeted therapies. Accumulating studies demonstrate that microRNAs are involved in tumorigenesis and radioresistance. This study aims to illustrate the role of miR-588 in the radioresistance of OVCA cells. The levels of miR-588 and mRNAs were detected by reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). OVCA cell viability, proliferative, migratory and invasive capacities were evaluated by the cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, colony formation assay, wound healing assay and transwell assay, respectively. The luciferase activities of plasmids containing wild -type and mutant serine/arginine-rich splicing factor 6 (SRSF6) 3'-untranslated region in miR-588 silenced OVCA cells were detected by a luciferase reporter assay. We found that miR-588 was overexpressed in OVCA tissues and cells. Knockdown of miR-588 exerted an inhibitory effect on the proliferation, migration and invasion and strengthened the radiosensitivity of OVCA cells, whereas overexpression of miR-588 increased the radioresistance of OVCA cells. SRSF6 was verified to be targeted by miR-588 in OVCA cells. In addition, the expression level of miR-588 was negatively correlated with that of SRSF6 in OVCA clinical samples. Rescue assays indicated that SRSF6 knockdown reversed the effect of miR-588 inhibition of OVCA cells under radiation. Overall, miR-588 acts as an oncogene in OVCA and increases the radioresistance of OVCA cells by targeting SRSF6.