microRNA-802 inhibits cell proliferation and induces apoptosis in human cervical cancer by targeting serine/arginine-rich splicing factor 9

microRNAs (miRNAs) play crucial roles in cancer development and progression by targeting mRNAs for degradation and/or translational repression. microRNA-802 (miR-802) has been reported as a tumor suppressor and its deregulation is observed in various human cancers. However, the prognostic value of miR-802 and its underlying mechanisms involved in human cervical cancer are poorly investigated. The purposes of this study were to explore the role of miR-802 in cervical cancer and to clarify the regulation of serine/arginine-rich splicing factor 9 (SRSF9) by miR-802. Here, we found that miR-802 was downregulated in both cervical cancer tissues and cell lines. Transfection of a miR-802 mimic into cervical cancer cells inhibited their proliferation and colony formation, and promoted cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase and cell apoptosis. In addition, we found that miR-802 could directly target the 3-untranslated region of SRSF9 and suppress SRSF9 expression. Rescue experiments revealed that overexpression of SRSF9 partially reversed the inhibition effect of miR-802 in cervical cancer cells. Overall, these findings demonstrate that miR-802 functions as a tumor suppressor in cervical cancer by targeting SRSF9, suggesting that miR-802 might serve as a potential therapeutic target in cervical cancer.