MiR-503 targets PI3K p85 and IKK-β and suppresses progression of non-small cell lung cancer

A microRNA usually has the ability to coordinately repress multiple target genes and therefore are associated with many pathological conditions such as human cancer. Our understanding of the biological roles of microRNAs in lung cancer, however, remains incomplete. In this study, we identified miR-503 as a tumor-suppressive microRNA in human non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC), whose expression level correlates inversely with overall survival in NSCLC patients. Ectopic expression of miR-503 suppressed tumor cell proliferation and metastasis-related traits in vitro as well as in vivo, supporting a anti-cancer role of the microRNA in NSCLC progression. Mechanistic study revealed that oncogenic PI3K p85 and IKK-beta were direct targets of miR-503. Overexpression of either PI3K p85 or IKK-beta partially restored the malignant properties of NSCLC cells in the presence of miR-503. Taken together, our data demonstrate miR-503 inhibits the malignant phenotype of NSCLC by targeting PI3K p85 and IKK-beta and might play a suppressive role in the pathogenesis of NSCLC, thus providing new insights in developing novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.