MiR-125b-2-3p associates with prognosis of ccRCC through promoting tumor metastasis via targeting EGR1.

Abstract

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is an aggressive tumor with frequent metastatic rate. In order to explore the mechanisms, we determined the roles of miR-125b-2-3p in metastatic ccRCC progression. In the study, both clinical and experimental evidences supported the critical role of miR-125b-2-3p in accelerating ccRCC metastasis. Elevated miR-125b-2-3p expression correlated with lymphatic invasion, distant metastasis and poor survival. Functional study showed that high miR-125b-2-3p expression significantly increased ccRCC cell migration <i>in vitro</i> and lung metastasis <i>in vivo</i>. Furthermore, we demonstrated that miR-125b-2-3p directly targeted EGR1, and miR-125b-2-3p accelerated ccRCC cell migration through down-regulating EGR1. Taken together, this study demonstrated that miR-125b-2-3p associates with ccRCC prognosis via promoting tumor metastasis through targeting EGR1.