MicroRNA-200b suppresses cell invasion and metastasis by inhibiting the epithelial-mesenchymal transition in cervical carcinoma

The expression of microRNA (miR)-200b is suppressed in numerous tumor types, leading to epithelial-mesenchymal transition, which enables solid tissue epithelial cancers to invade and metastasize. The present study assessed the role of miR-200b in cervical cancer with the aim of clarifying the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms and to identify potential strategies for its prevention and treatment of cervical cancer. Reverse-transcription quantitative PCR revealed that miR-200b was downregulated in invasive cervical carcinoma tissues compared with that in normal adjacent tissues. A Transwell migration assay indicated that transfection of cervical cancer cells with miR-200b mimics significantly inhibited their migratory potential, while migration was enhanced in cells transfected with miR-200b inhibitor. Furthermore, western blot analysis indicated a negative correlation between miR-200b and mesenchymal marker vimentin as well as matrix metalloproteinase-9, which has a key role in tumor invasion and metastasis. In addition, a positive correlation between miR-200b and the epithelial marker E-cadherin was revealed by western blot and immunofluorescence. The results of the present study suggested that miR-200b suppressed the migratory potential of cervical carcinoma cells and therefore their ability to metastasize by inhibiting the epithelial-mesenchymal transition, which may be utilized for the treatment of cervical cancer.