miR-202 Inhibits Cell Proliferation, Migration, and Invasion by Targeting Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor in Human Bladder Cancer

Recent studies have demonstrated that miR-202 is associated with several types of cancer; however, the expression and function of miR-202 have not been investigated in bladder cancer. We analyzed the expression of miR-202 in bladder cancer tissues and adjacent noncancerous tissues. The effect of miR-202 on the proliferation, migration, and invasion was evaluated by in vitro assays. The target gene of miR-202 was assessed by luciferase reporter assay. In this study, miR-202 was found to be significantly downregulated in bladder cancer cell lines and tissues and was highly correlated with the T classification, N classification, grade, and recurrence. Ectopic expression of miR-202 suppressed cell viability, colony formation, cell migration, and invasion in vitro and inhibited xenograft tumor growth in vivo. Inversely, downregulation of miR-202 had contradictory effects. The 3′-untranslated region (3′-UTR) of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) was identified as a direct target of miR-202 using luciferase reporter assays, and knockdown of EGFR enhanced miR-202-inhibited cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. In conclusion, miR-202 suppresses bladder cancer carcinogenesis and progression by targeting EGFR, thereby representing a potential target for miRNA-based therapy for bladder cancer in the future.