MiR-154 inhibits the growth of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma by targeting the GALNT7.

MicroRNAs are critical regulators of the development and progression of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). However, the role of microRNA-154 (miR-154) in the development and progression of LSCC has not been clarified. We found that down-regulated miR-154 expression in LSCC tissues was associated with poorer prognosis in LSCC patients. MiR-154 over-expression inhibited the proliferation, clonogenicity and migration of LSCC cells and induced their cell cycle arrest, which were reversed by miR-154 inhibition. MiR-154 targeted the GALNT7 expression by reducing the GALNT7-regulated luciferase activity in LSCC cells while up-regulated GALNT7 mRNA transcription was detected in LSCC tissues and cells. GALNT7 silencing significantly attenuated the proliferation, clonogenicity and migration of LSCC cells and induced their cycling arrest. Finally, intravenous treatment with lentivirus for miR-154, but not for scrambled control miRNA, expression significantly retarded the growth of implanted LSCC Hep-2 tumors and decreased the tumor weights by reducing the GALNT7 expression in mice. Therefore, miR-154 may serve as a novel prognostic marker and therapeutic target for LSCC.