miR-373-3p Targets DKK1 to Promote EMT-Induced Metastasis via the Wnt/-Catenin Pathway in Tongue Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Figure 3

miR-373-3p activates the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. (a) TOP/FOP luciferase reporter assays in SCC-9 and UM1 cells transfected with miR-NC (50 nM), miR-373-3p (50 nM), or antagomiR-373-3p (50 nM). (b) Western blotting of nuclear β-catenin expression. The nuclear protein p84 was used as a nuclear protein marker. (c) Real-time PCR analysis revealed that miR-373-3p regulates the expression levels of multiple Wnt/β-catenin downstream genes. The pseudocolors represent the log₂ transformed intensity scales of expression in miR-373-3p versus control cells or antagomiR-373-3p versus control cells. (d) The stimulatory effect of miR-373-3p on TOP/FOP luciferase reporter activity was impaired by silencing β-catenin or TCF4. (e) Matrigel-coated transwell assay indicated that silencing β-catenin or TCF4 abrogated the promotion of TSCC cell invasiveness by miR-373-3p. The data are presented as the mean ± s.d. of three independent experiments. , , and .

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)

(e)