miR-92a-3p promotes the proliferation, migration and invasion of esophageal squamous cell cancer by regulating PTEN

Esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC) has a high mortality rate. MicroRNA (miR)-92a-3p is considered to be a tumor promotor and an oncomiR. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of miR-92a-3p and its target gene on ESCC in terms of proliferation, migration and invasion. Higher expression of miR-92a-3p was detected in the tissues of patients with ESCC, compared with that in normal tissues. In addition, ESCC cell lines had a higher expression of miR-92a-3p compared with normal esophageal cells. A miR-92a-3p mimic was found to promote ESCC cell proliferation and a miR-92a-3p inhibitor was found to reduce ESCC cell proliferation. miR-92a-3p mimic transfection accelerated ESCC cell migration and invasion and decreased ESCC cell apoptosis via the Bax/Bcl-2 pathway and cleaved caspase-3. Phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) was detected as a target of miR-92a-3p by a dual luciferase reporter assay. The overexpression of PTEN not only inhibited ESCC proliferation, migration and invasion, but also promoted ESCC cell apoptosis. PTEN and the miR-92a-3p mimic inhibited and promoted ESCC proliferation, respectively, which may be associated with the PI3K/Akt pathway. The results of the study revealed that miR-92a-3p promoted the proliferation, migration and invasion of ESCC, and the effect of miR-92a-3p on ESCC was realized by regulating PTEN.