MicroRNA-744-5p is downregulated in colorectal cancer and targets SEPT2 to suppress the malignant phenotype

MicroRNA (miR)-744-5p serves a pivotal role in the progression of multiple cancers; however, the function of miR-744-5p in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains largely unknown. In the present study, the effects of miR-744-5p on the progression of CRC were analyzed and the mechanisms involved were investigated. It was revealed that miR-744-5p was frequently downregulated in CRC tissues and cell lines. Overexpression of miR-744-5p significantly inhibited the proliferation, colony formation, and promoted the apoptosis of CRC cells. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that Septin 2 (SEPT2) was a potential target of miR-744-5p. miR-744-5p bound the 3′-untranslated region (UTR) of SEPT2 and reduced the level of SEPT2 in CRC cells. A negative correlation between the expression of miR-744-5p and SEPT2 was observed in CRC tissues. Overexpression of SEPT2 counteracted the suppressive effect of miR-744-5p on the proliferation and apoptosis of CRC cells. Collectively, these data demonstrated the functional mechanism of miR-744-5p by targeting SEPT2, which suggested miR-744-5p as a potential target for the treatment of patients with CRC.