MiR-1294 acts as a tumor suppressor in clear cell renal cell carcinoma through targeting HOXA6.

OBJECTIVE: Renal cancer represents about 3% of all human cancers. Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the main type of renal cancer. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been reported to play crucial roles in the carcinogenesis of human cancers. This study was aimed to investigate the expression of miR-1294 and the mechanisms underlying miR-1294-mediated ccRCC progression. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The miR-1294 expression levels in ccRCC cell lines were analyzed by quantified real time-PCR (qRT-PCR). The effect of the miR-1294 expression on the overall survival of ccRCC patients was analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier Plotter. Cell proliferation, colony growth. and cell invasion were examined by cell counting kit-8 assay, colony formation assay. and transwell invasion assay, respectively. The lucif-erase activity reporter assay and Western blot assay were conducted to validate the connection between miR-1294 and homeobox A6 (HOXA6). RESULTS: MiR-1294 was downregulated in ccRCC cell lines and correlated with the poor overall survival of ccRCC patients. The overexpression of miR-1294 inhibits ccRCC cell proliferation, colony growth, and cell invasion. HOXA6 was validated as a target of miR-1294 and negatively regulated by miR-1294. The overexpression of HOXA6 attenuated the miR-1294-mediated effects on ccRCC cellular functions. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicated that miR-1294 functions as a tumor suppressor in ccRCC. MiR-1294 suppressed cell proliferation, colony formation, and invasion in ccRCC partially via targeting HOXA6.