Elevated oncofoetal miR-17-5p expression regulates colorectal cancer progression by repressing its target gene P130

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are essential for regulating normal embryonic development and carcinogenesis. Here we report that miR-17-5p, an oncofoetal miRNA, is a key regulator of colorectal cancer progression. We show that miR-17-5p is an oncogenic miRNA that regulates tumorigenesis and progression by targeting the gene encoding P130 and subsequently activating the Wnt/beta-catenin pathway. Using specimens from two large cohorts of colorectal cancer patients, we found that patients whose tumours had high miR-17-5p expression had shorter overall survival rates but showed a better response to adjuvant chemotherapy than did patients whose tumours had low miRNA expression. We also observed a strong inverse correlation between miR-17-5p and P130 expression. The current findings suggest that miR-17-5p is a crucial determinant of colorectal cancer progression.