MiR-200c suppresses the migration of retinoblastoma cells by reversing epithelial mesenchymal transition.

Aim: To analyze the relationship between clinical features and epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) in retinoblastoma (RB), further to investigate whether miR-200c regulates the EMT and migration of RB cells.

Methods: Expression of EMT-related markers and tumor-related factors were detected by immuno-histochemistry analysis in RB tissue from 29 cases. Correlations between their expression and clinical characteristics were analyzed. The regulation effects of miR-200c on EMT-related markers, tumor-related factors were observed in mRNA level and protein level by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Western blot, respectively, in Y79 and Weri-rb1 cells. Its effects on migration force of these RB cell lines were also detected with Transwell test.

Results: Lower expression of E-cadherin was present in the cases with malignant prognosis. MiR-200c promoted the expression of E-cadherin and decreased the expression of Vimentin and N-cadherin in Y79 and Weri-rb1 cells. Migration force of RB cells could be inhibited by miR-200c.

Conclusion: EMT might be associated with bad prognosis in RB. MiR-200c suppresses the migration of retinoblastomatous cells by reverse EMT.