MicroRNA-192 suppresses liver metastasis of colon cancer

Metastasis causes most deaths from colon cancer yet mechanistic understanding and therapeutic options remain limited. Here we show that expression of microRNA (miR)-192 is inversely correlated with metastatic potential of colon cancer cells. Ectopic expression of miR-192 sensitizes colon cancer cells to growth factor deprivation stress-induced apoptosis, whereas inhibition of miR-192 confers resistance. Overexpression of miR-192 inhibits metastatic colonization to the liver in an orthotopic mouse model of colon cancer. Alterations associated with the metastatic phenotype in the primary tumors include increased apoptosis, decreased proliferation and angiogenesis. Further studies indicate that miR-192 downregulates expression of Bcl-2, Zeb2 and VEGFA in vitro and in vivo, which is responsible for enhanced apoptosis, increased expression of E-cadherin and decreased angiogenesis in vivo, respectively. Finally, studies performed on human colonic adenocarcinoma show that expression of miR-192 is significantly reduced in neoplastic cells as compared with normal colonic epithelium. Importantly, there is a significant decrease in miR-192 expression in stage IV tumors when compared with stage I or II lesions. These findings indicate that miR-192 has an important role in colon cancer development and progression. Our studies underscore the clinical relevance and prognostic significance of miR-192 expression in colon cancer. Therefore, a major implication of our studies is that restoration of miR-192 expression or antagonism of its target genes (Bcl-2, Zeb2 or VEGFA) may have considerable therapeutic potential for anti-metastatic therapy in patients with colon cancer.