Tianjin Medical Journal ›› 2023, Vol. 51 ›› Issue (10): 1025-1031.doi: 10.11958/20221910

• Cell and Molecular Biology •     Next Articles

MiR-338-5p can promote the proliferation, migration and invasion of bladder cancer cells by targeting TSHZ3

LIU Hongwei(), ZHU Yi, XIANG Lingbao, XIONG Hong, CHEN Ruiqi   

  1. Laboratory of Urology, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang 524001, China
  • Received:2022-12-02 Revised:2023-04-06 Published:2023-10-15 Online:2023-10-18

Abstract:

Objective To investigate the mechanism of miR-338-5p regulating the proliferation, migration and invasion of bladder cancer cells by targeting TSHZ3. Methods The expression of miR-338-5p in 33 samples of bladder cancer tissue and paracancerous tissue was detected by qRT-PCR. Bladder cancer T24 and UM-UC-3 cells were transfected with mimics-NC, miR-338-5p mimics, inhibitor-NC and miR-338-5p inhibitor, and the transfection efficiency was detected by qRT-PCR. CCK-8 assay was used to detect the effect of overexpression or knockdown of miR-338-5p on the proliferation of bladder cancer cells. Transwell assay was used to detect the effect of miR-338-5p on migration and invasion of bladder cancer cells. The potential target genes of miR-338-5p were predicted by TargetScan, miRDB and Targetminer databases, and TSHZ3 was chosen for the target gene. The targeting relationship between miR-338-5p and TSHZ3 was verified by dual-luciferase reporter gene assay and Western blot assay. miR-338-5p mimics and TSHZ3 overexpression plasmids were co-transfected in bladder cancer cells, and the proliferation, migration and invasion of cells were detected by CCK-8 and Transwell assays. Western blot assay was used to detect the overexpression of miR-338-5p or TSHZ3 against Wnt/ β-catenin signaling pathway. Results miR-338-5p was significantly upregulated in bladder cancer (P<0.05). Overexpression of miR-338-5p increased the proliferation, migration and invasion of bladder cancer cells (P<0.05), while transfection of miR-338-5p inhibitor decreased the proliferation, migration and invasion of bladder cancer cells (P<0.05). Bioinformatics analysis and the dual-luciferase reporter gene assay showed that there was a targeting relationship between miR-338-5p and TSHZ3. The rescue experiment showed that co-transfection of miR-338-5p mimics and TSHZ3 overexpression plasmid partially eliminated the promoting effect of overexpression of miR-338-5p on the proliferation, migration and invasion of bladder cancer cells (P<0.05). Western blot results showed that overexpression of miR-338-5p significantly decreased the expression level of TSHZ3 protein and increased Wnt3a and β-catenin protein expression levels (P<0.05). In addition, overexpression of TSHZ3 reduced Wnt3a and β-catenin protein expression levels (P<0.05). Conclusion miR-338-5p is upregulated in bladder cancer, and promotes the proliferation, migration and invasion of bladder cancer by targeting TSHZ3 expression. The mechanism may be related to the activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

Key words: urinary bladder neoplasms, cell proliferation, cell movement, neoplasm invasiveness, miR-338-5p, TSHZ3, Wnt/β-catenin

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