MicroRNA-133b expression inversely correlates with MET and can serve as an optimum predictive biomarker for patients of colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND: Inactivation of the tumor suppressor gene microRNA-133b is a frequent event in various malignancies including colorectal cancer (CRC). The result of our previous research has found a statistically significant downregulation of microRNA-133b expression in human CRC cells, microRNA-133b can block the growth and metastatic progression of CRC cells in vitro and in vivo by targeting and repressing mesenchymal to epithelial transition factor. In this study, we identify the association between microRNA-133b, epithelial transition factor expression and clinicopathological parameters. METHODS: The detection of microRNA-133b and epithelial transition factor between gene and protein expression was evaluated in 46 patients with CRC. The correlation among microRNA-133b, epithelial transition factor and clinicopathological parameters associated with CRC was assessed. Furthermore, the diagnostic capability of microRNA-133b and epithelial transition factor in CRC was also evaluated. RESULTS: The results show decreased microRNA-133b expression in CRC tissues, and a very strong inverse correlation between the expression of oncogene epithelial transition factor and the expression of microRNA-133b. We also observed that the expression levels of microRNA-133b and epithelial transition factor were statistical associated with clinical stage and lymph node metastasis in CRC tissues, and further identified microRNA-133b and/or epithelial transition factor may be useful for distinguishing CRC patients from the normal population by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. CONCLUSIONS: microRNA-133b expression is inversely correlated with epithelial transition factor expression. MicroRNA-133b and/or epithelial transition factor may be useful as valuable prognostic biomarkers in CRC patients.