MicroRNA-194 Inhibits the Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Gastric Cancer Cells by Targeting FoxM1

We hypothesized that miR-194 may control Forkhead box protein M1 (FoxM1) expression in gastric cancer cells and therefore may have therapeutic potential in gastric cancer. The expression level of miR-194 was examined using real-time PCR in human gastric cancer and noncancerous gastric tissues, gastric cancer cell and normal gastric mucosal epithelial cell. We examined whether the miR-194 regulates cell migration and invasion, and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition Phenotype by inhibiting FoxM1 in gastric cancer cells. The expression of miR-194 was significantly lower in gastric cancer compared with non-cancerous gastric tissues and cells. Exogenous expression of miR-194 inhibited cell migration, invasion, and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition phenotype in gastric cancer cells. Moreover, we discovered a novel post-transcriptional regulatory mechanism of FoxM1 expression that is mediated by miR-194. Our study clearly demonstrates that miR-194 inhibits the acquisition of the EMT phenotype in gastric cancer cells by downregulating FoxM1, thereby inhibiting cell migration and invasion during cancer progression.