miR-195 suppresses metastasis and angiogenesis of squamous cell lung cancer by inhibiting the expression of VEGF

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, noncoding RNAs that are ~22 nucleotides in length. Accumulating evidence has revealed that miRNAs act as oncogenes or tumor suppressors in various human cancers. In order to investigate the role of miR-195- in squamous cell lung cancer (SQCLC) cells, and to determine the underlying mechanism, the present study utilized RT-qPCR, western blot analysis, luciferase assay, MTT assay, cell migration assay, and in vitro angiogenesis techniques. The results obtained revealed that miR-195-5p acted as a tumor suppressor in SQCLC cells. The expression levels of miR-195 were decreased in two SQCLC cell lines (H520 and SK-Mes-1) compared with a normal lung cell line, and miR-195 directly targeted the 3′-untranslated region of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in SQCLC cells. Additionally, miR-195 upregulation suppressed the viability and migration of SQCLC cells. Furthermore, miR-195 inhibited the growth and tube formation of endothelial vascular cells. Collectively, the findings indicated that miR-195 downregulated VEGF, and that targeting this miRNA may provide an effective approach to inhibit angiogenesis in tumors.