miR-29a-3p directly targets Smad nuclear interacting protein 1 and inhibits the migration and proliferation of cervical cancer HeLa cells

Smad nuclear interacting protein 1 (SNIP1) is a nuclear protein and involved in essential biological processes. MicroRNAs are effective regulators of tumorigenesis and cancer progression via targeting multiple genes. In present study, we aimed to investigate the function of SNIP1 and identify novel miRNA-SNIP1 axis in the development of cervical cancer. The results showed for the first time that silencing of the SNIP1 gene inhibited the migration and proliferation in HeLa cells significantly. Bioinformatics analysis and dual luciferase reporter assay demonstrated that miR-29a-3p could target 3′ UTR of SNIP1 directly. The mRNA and protein expression levels of SNIP1 were negative regulated by miR-29a-3p according to the RT-qPCR and Western blot analysis, respectively. Furthermore, functional studies showed that over-expression of miR-29a-3p restrained HeLa cells migration and proliferation, and the mRNA expression of SNIP1 downstream genes (HSP27, c-Myc, and cyclin D1) were down-regulated by miR-29a-3p. Together, we concluded that miR-29a-3p suppressed the migration and proliferation in HeLa cells by directly targeting SNIP1. The newly identified miR-29a-3p/SNIP1 axis could provide new insight into the development of cervical cancer.