A Comprehensive Analysis of the Downregulation of and Its Prognostic Significance by Targeting and in Ovarian Cancer.

Previous studies demonstrated that could repress various cancers on proliferation, angiogenesis, and metastasis. However, little attention has been paid to its role in ovarian cancer as a novel biomarker or intervention target, especially its clinical significance and underlying regulatory network. A meta-analysis of six microarrays was adopted here to determine the expression trend of , and was further validated by gene expression profile data and cellular experiments. We explored the functional annotations through enrichment analysis for the differentially expressed genes targeted by . Subsequently, we identified two hub genes, and , based on interaction analysis using two online archive tools, miRWALK (it consolidates the resources of 12 miRNA-focused servers) and Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA). Finally, we validated their characteristics and clinical significance in ovarian cancer. The comprehensive meta-analysis revealed that was markedly downregulated in clinical and cellular specimens. Transfection of the mimic could significantly inhibit cellular proliferation. Concerning its target genes, they were involved in diverse biological processes related to tumorigenesis, such as cell proliferation, migration, and the apoptosis signaling pathway. Moreover, interaction analysis proved that two hub genes, and , were highly associated with poor prognosis in ovarian cancer. These integrated bioinformatic analyses indicated that was dramatically downregulated in ovarian cancer as a tumor suppressor. The upregulation of its downstream modulators, and , was associated with an unfavorable prognosis. Thus, the present study has identified as a potential intervention target for ovarian cancer based on our bioinformatic analysis processes.