MiR-143 targets CTGF and exerts tumor-suppressing functions in epithelial ovarian cancer

A series of recent studies suggested that miR-143 might involve in the tumorigenesis and metastasis of various cancer types. However, the biological function and underlying mechanisms of miR-143 in human epithelial ovarian carcinoma (EOC) remain unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the miR-143 expression and its clinical diagnosis significance in patients suffering EOC and to analyze its role and underlying molecular mechanism in EOC. Our result showed that the expression levels of miR-143 were downregulated in EOC tissues and cell lines, was associated with International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage, pathological grade and lymph node metastasis (all P < 0.01) . Overexpression of miR-143 significantly inhibited EOC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Furthermore, computational algorithm combined with luciferase reporter assays identified connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) as the direct target of miR-143 in EOC cells. The expression level of CTGF was significantly increased in EOC tissues, was inversely correlated with miR-143 expression in clinical EOC tissues. Knockdown of CTGF mimicked the suppression effect induced by miR-143 overexpression. Restoration of CTGF expression partially reversed the suppression effect induced by miR-143 overexpression. These results suggested that miR-143 inhibited EOC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, at least in part, via suppressing CTGF expression.