MiR-30a-5p activates the AKT signalling pathway by targeting PHTF2 to inhibit migration and EMT of gastric cancer

TL;DR

MiR-30a-5p inhibits gastric cancer cell migration and EMT by targeting PHTF2 and activating the AKT signaling pathway.

Contribution

The study identifies PHTF2 as a direct target of miR-30a-5p and reveals its role in regulating gastric cancer progression.

Findings

MiR-30a-5p suppresses migration and EMT in gastric cancer cells by activating the AKT pathway.

PHTF2 is a direct target of miR-30a-5p and its knockdown inhibits cancer cell migration and EMT.

Overexpression of PHTF2 promotes migration and EMT while inhibiting the AKT pathway.

Abstract

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a very important role in the development of gastric cancer (GC). MiR-30a-5p Participates in the formation and progression of various cancers. However, the role and clinical value of miR-30a-5p in GC remain unclear. The expression of miR-30a-5p in GC cells and Gastric Epithelial Strain-1 (GES-1) was detected by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). Wound healing assay, transwell assay and western blot analyses were used to examined the effects of miR-30a-5p on GC cells in vitro. In silico prediction, qRT-PCR, dual luciferase reporter assays and western blot were applied to confirm the target genes of miR-30a-5p. The results indicated that miR-30a-5p inhibited the migration and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) of GC cells by activating the AKT signalling pathway. Putative homeodomain transcriptional factor2 (PHTF2) was identified to be a direct target of miR-30a-5p. Knockdown of PHTF2 also suppressed the migration and EMT of GC cells, while overexpression of PHTF2 could promote the migration and EMT of GC cells and impede the AKT signalling pathway. miR-30a-5p can suppress the migration and EMT of GC cells by directly targeting PHTF2. Hence, miR-30a-5p may be a potential target for GC treatment.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1038/s41598-025-33375-y.

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