miR-204-5p acts as a tumor suppressor by targeting matrix metalloproteinases-9 and B-cell lymphoma-2 in malignant melanoma

: An increasing number of microRNAs have been found to be involved in tumorigenesis, including melanoma tumorigenesis. miR-204-5p is down-regulated and functions as a tumor suppressor in many human malignant tumors. miR-204-5p expression is also decreased in melanoma tissues, but its biological roles and molecular mechanisms in malignant melanoma remain unclear. In this study, the aberrant down-regulation of miR-204-5p was detected in melanoma, especially in metastatic melanoma. miR-204-5p also served as a protective factor for the prognosis of melanoma patients. We determined that miR-204-5p suppresses cell proliferation, migration and invasion, and promotes cell apoptosis in melanoma. Matrix metalloproteinases-9 and B-cell lymphoma-2 are the functional targets of miR-204-5p, through which it plays an important biological role in malignant melanoma. The effect of miR-204-5p on malignant melanoma is verified using a xenograft model. We also determined that miR-204-5p increases 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin (DDP) chemosensitivity in malignant melanoma cells. This finding elucidates new functions and mechanisms for miR-204-5p in melanoma development, and provides potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of melanoma.