MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in the regulation of various tumor biological processes including proliferation and apoptosis. miR-217 has been implicated in many types of cancer, whereas its expression and potential biological function in human pancreatic adenocarcinoma (HPAC) remain unclear.
PGC-1α gene was subsequently downregulated by siRNA in miR-217-downregulated breast cancer cells to examine its effect on cancer proliferation and cell-cycle progression.
Gastric cancer is the most common cancer in the world, miRNAs have been demonstrated to play critical role in the development and progression of gastric cancer, such as miR-7, miR-217 and miR-335.
Luciferase activity and ChIP assays revealed a negative feedback relationship between CAGE and miR-217. miR-217 and CAGE oppositely regulated the response to anti-cancer drugs such as taxol, gefitinib and trastuzumab, an inhibitor of HER2. miR-217 negatively regulated the tumorigenic, metastatic, angiogenic, migration and invasion potential of cancer cells.
TargetScan analysis predicted miR-200b and miR-217 as negative regulators of cancer-associated gene, a cancer/testis antigen, which is known to regulate the response to anti-cancer drugs.