MicroRNA-610 suppresses the proliferation of human glioblastoma cells by repressing CCND2 and AKT3

Previous studies have shown that microRNA (miR)-610 is crucial in a variety of biological processes in various types of human cancer cells. However, the role of this microRNA in glioblastoma (GBM) is presently unclear. In this study, the role of miR‑610 in cell proliferation was investigated in GBM. It was demonstrated that miR‑610 expression is markedly downregulated in GBM cells and GBM tissues compared with normal human astrocytes (NHAs) and normal brain tissue, respectively. Ectopic expression of miR‑610 reduced the proliferation and anchorage‑independent growth of GBM cells, whereas inhibition of miR‑610 promoted this effect. Bioinformatics analysis further revealed cyclin D2 (CCND2) and AKT3, putative tumor promoters, as potential targets of miR‑610. Data from reporter assays showed that miR‑610 directly binds to the 3'‑untranslated region of CCND2 and AKT3 mRNA, and represses their expression at the transcriptional and translational levels. In conclusion, the data provide compelling evidence that miR‑610 functions as an anti‑onco‑miRNA, which is important in inhibiting cell proliferation in GBM, and its anti‑oncogenic effects are mediated chiefly through direct suppression of CCND2 and AKT3 expression.