BACKGROUND: Accumulating studies demonstrate that microRNAs play crucial roles in multiple processes of cancer progression. Lower levels of miR-183 have been observed in diverse types of tumors but the mechanism and precise function of miR-183-5p in cervical cancer have largely not been investigated.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: The level of miR-183-5p in different cervical cancer cell lines and clinical tissues was detected qRT-PCR assays. Transwell and wound-healing migration assays were conducted to assess the functional roles of miR-183-5p in over-expressing cervical cancer cells in vitro. Rescue assays were carried out to confirm the contribution of integrin subunit Beta 1 (ITGB1) to the aggressiveness of cancer cells regulated by miR-183-5p.

RESULTS: miR-183-5p was reduced in clinical tissues of cervical cancer and cell lines when compared to the normal subjects and normal cervical epithelial cell line, respectively. In addition, over-expression of miR-183-5p markedly inhibited migration and invasion in cervical cancer cells, and increased aggressiveness was observed in miR-183-5p inhibitor transfected cells. Furthermore, the luciferase reporter assays revealed that ITGB1 was the gene directly regulated by miR-183-5p. Notably, a negative association between the ITGB1 and miR-183-5p was found, and the gene expressions of ITGB1 was mediated by miR-183-5p in cervical cancer cells.

CONCLUSIONS: miR-183-5p serves as a latent anti-oncogene by targeting the metastasis-promoter gene, ITGB1.