Tumor Suppressor miRNA-503 Inhibits Cell Invasion in Head and Neck Cancer through the Wnt Signaling Pathway via the WNT3A/MMP Molecular Axis

Head and neck cancer (HNC) is the fifth most common cancer worldwide, and its incidence and death rates have been consistently high throughout the past decades. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have recently gained significant attention because of their role in the regulation of a variety of biological processes via post-transcriptional silencing mechanisms. Previously, we determined a specific profile of miRNAs associated with HNC using a miRNA microarray analysis. Of the 23 miRNAs with highly altered expression in HNC cells, miR-503 was the most significantly downregulated miRNA. In this study, we confirmed that miR-503 acts as a tumor suppressor, as our results showed decreased levels of miR-503 in cancer cells and patients with HNC. We further characterized the role of miR-503 in the malignant functions of HNC. Although there was a minimal effect on cell growth, miR-503 was found to inhibit cellular invasion significantly. Algorithm-based studies identified multiple potential target genes and pathways associated with oncogenic mechanisms. The candidate target gene, WNT3A, was confirmed to be downregulated by miR-503 at both the mRNA and protein levels and validated by a reporter assay. Furthermore, miR-503 modulated multiple invasion-associated genes, including matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), through the Wnt downstream signaling pathway. Overall, this study demonstrates that miR-503 suppresses HNC malignancy by inhibiting cell invasion through the Wnt signaling pathway via the WNT3A/MMP molecular axis. The modulation of miR-503 may be a novel therapeutic approach to intervene in cancer invasion.