MiR-548c impairs migration and invasion of endometrial and ovarian cancer cells via downregulation of Twist

BACKGROUND: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small non-coding RNAs, which post-transcriptionally repress the expression of genes involved in cancer initiation and progression. Although some miRNAs that target many signaling pathways (also called universe miRNAs) are supposed to play a global role in diverse human tumors, their regulatory functions in gynecological cancers remain largely unknown. We investigated the biological role and underlying mechanism of miR-548c (one universe miRNA) in endometrial and ovarian cancer. METHODS: The effects of miR-548c overexpression on cell proliferation, migration and invasion were studied in endometrial and ovarian cancer cells. TWIST1 (Twist) was identified as a direct miR-548c target by western blot analysis and luciferase activity assay. The expression of miR-548c and Twist were examined by qRT-PCR in endometrial and ovarian cancer tissues. RESULTS: Here, we report that miR-548c is down-regulated in endometrial and ovarian cancer tissues when compared to normal tissues, and our meta-analysis reveal that decreased miR-548c expression correlates with poor prognosis in endometrial cancer patients. We show that in endometrial and ovarian cancer cells, ectopic expression of miR-548c significantly inhibits whereas knockdown of miR-548c dramatically induces cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion. By using luciferase reporter assay, we demonstrate that Twist, a known oncogene in endometrial and ovarian cancers, is a direct target of miR-548c. Furthermore, the expression of Twist partially abrogates the tumor suppressive effects of miR-548c on cell migration and invasion. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that miR-548c directly downregulates Twist, and provide a novel mechanism for Twist upregulation in both endometrial and ovarian cancers. The use of miR-548c may hold therapeutic potential for the treatment of Twist-overexpressing tumors.