miR‑195 suppresses metastasis and angiogenesis of squamous cell lung cancer by inhibiting the expression of VEGF.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, noncoding RNAs that are ~22 nucleotides in length. Accumulating evidence has revealed that miRNAs act as oncogenes or tumor suppressors in various human cancers. In order to investigate the role of miR‑195‑ in squamous cell lung cancer (SQCLC) cells, and to determine the underlying mechanism, the present study utilized RT‑qPCR, western blot analysis, luciferase assay, MTT assay, cell migration assay, and in vitro angiogenesis techniques. The results obtained revealed that miR‑195‑5p acted as a tumor suppressor in SQCLC cells. The expression levels of miR‑195 were decreased in two SQCLC cell lines (H520 and SK‑Mes‑1) compared with a normal lung cell line, and miR‑195 directly targeted the 3'‑untranslated region of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in SQCLC cells. Additionally, miR‑195 upregulation suppressed the viability and migration of SQCLC cells. Furthermore, miR‑195 inhibited the growth and tube formation of endothelial vascular cells. Collectively, the findings indicated that miR‑195 downregulated VEGF, and that targeting this miRNA may provide an effective approach to inhibit angiogenesis in tumors.