miR-138-5p Promotes Glioma Cells Invasion by Targeting Nir1

Objective To investigate the relationship between miR-138-5p and PYK2 N-terminal domain-interacting receptor 1(Nir1)and determine whether miR-138-5p affects glioma invasion through binding with Nir1.

Methods The expression level of miR-138-5p in different glioma cell lines and its effect on Nir1 protein in glioma cells U251 and H4 were compared, as well as the invasion ability of glioma cells after transfection, to detect whether miR-138-5p could target Nir1.

Results The level of miR-138-5p in low-invasive human glioma H4 cells was significantly higher than that in highly invasive human glioma U251, LN229 and U87 cells(P < 0.05). In the U251 and H4 cell, the expression of Nir1 protein in the miR-138-5p overexpression groups was lower than that in the miR-negative control(miR-NC)group; the expression of Nir1 protein in miR-138-5p inhibitor group was increased in comparison with inhibitor NC group. However, Nir1 mRNA level in miR-138-5p overexpression group had no significant changes compared with the miR-NC group(P>0.05). The number of U251 and H4 cells in the miR-138-5p overexpression group passing through the small hole in the basement membrane was significantly less than that in the miR-NC group(P < 0.05). miR-138-5p overexpression significantly reduced luciferase activity of Nir1-3'-UTR.

Conclusions miR-138-5p binding to Nir1 in glioma cells, which can inhibit the invasion of glioma cells by reducing the translation of Nir1 and the expression of Nir1 protein.