MicroRNA-154 Inhibits the Growth and Invasion of Gastric Cancer Cells by Targeting DIXDC1/WNT Signaling

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as pivotal regulators of the development and progression of gastric cancer. Studies have shown that miR-154 is a novel cancer-associated miRNA involved in various cancers. However, the role of miR-154 in gastric cancer remains unknown. Here we aimed to investigate the biological function and the potential molecular mechanism of miR-154 in gastric cancer. We found that miR-154 was significantly downregulated in gastric cancer tissues and cell lines. The overexpression of miR-154 significantly repressed the growth and invasion of gastric cancer cells. Bioinformatics analysis and Dual-Luciferase Reporter Assay data showed that miR-154 directly targeted the 3'-untranslated region of Dishevelled-Axin domain containing 1 (DIXDC1). Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analyses showed that miR-154 overexpression inhibited DIXDC1 expression. An inverse correlation of miR-154 and DIXDC1 was also demonstrated in gastric cancer specimens. Overexpression of miR-154 also significantly suppressed the activation of WNT signaling. Moreover, restoration of DIXDC1 expression significantly reversed the inhibitory effect of miR-154 overexpression on the cell proliferation, invasion, and WNT signaling in gastric cancer cells. Overall, these results suggest that miR-154 inhibits gastric cancer cell growth and invasion by targeting DIXDC1 and could serve as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of gastric cancer.