miR-222 promotes invasion and migration of ovarian carcinoma by targeting PTEN

Ovarian carcinoma is the most lethal of the gynecologic malignancies worldwide. Increasing evidence suggests dysfunction of microRNAs (miRNAs) plays an important role in human cancers. The function of miR-222 was detected in ovarian carcinoma to verify the regulation of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) by miR-222. miR-222 expression in ovarian carcinoma tissues and cell lines were examined using RT-qPCR. Transwell assay was used to detect miR-222 effects on ovarian carcinoma cell migration and invasion. Western blot analysis and luciferase assays were performed to validate PTEN as miR-222 targets. miR-222 expression was upregulated in ovarian carcinoma tissues and three cell lines (A2780, SKOV-3 and OVCAR-3). Ectopic overexpression of miR-222 in ovarian carcinoma cells was sufficient to promote invasion and migration. PTEN acted as a direct target of miR-222. Overexpression of PTEN inhibited human ovarian carcinoma cell migration and invasion. In summary, our findings suggest that miR-222 plays an important role in promoting ovarian carcinoma cell invasion and migration and miR-222/PTEN may be a novel therapeutic target of miRNA-mediated promotion of cell invasion and migration in ovarian carcinoma.