miR-27a-3p Functions as a Tumor Suppressor and Regulates Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cell Proliferation via Targeting HOXB8

MicroRNA-27a-3p has been implicated to play crucial roles in human cancers. However, the biological role and underlying mechanisms of microRNA-27a-3p in regulating nonsmall lung cancer remain unclear. MicroRNA-27a-3p expression levels in non-small lung cancer cell lines were detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, using a normal cell line as control. The effects of microRNA-27a-3p on cell proliferation and apoptosis were analyzed by Cell Counting Kit-8 assay and flow cytometry assay. Luciferase activity reporter assay and Western blot were conducted to validate the potential targets of miR27a-3p after preliminary screening by TargetScan. Effect of microRNA-27a-3p or homeobox B8 on the overall survival of patients with non-small lung cancer was analyzed at Kaplan-Meier Plotter website. MicroRNA-27a-3p expression levels were significantly reduced in non-small lung cancer cell lines compared with normal cell line. Overexpression of microRNA-27a-3p inhibits non-small lung cancer cell proliferation but promotes cell apoptosis. Homeobox B8 was further validated as a functional target of microRNA-27a-3p. Collectively, our results indicated that microRNA-27a-3p acts as a tumor suppressor in non-small lung cancer via targeting homeobox B8.