Inhibition of miR-103 reverses epithelial-mesenchymal transition and sensitizes lung A549 cells to cisplatin in vitro and in vivo

Emerging evidence has demonstrated that microRNAs (miRNA) play a critical role in chemotherapy-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in lung cancer. However, the underlying mechanism of chemotherapy-mediated EMT has not been fully elucidated. In the present study, we explored the role of miR-103 in regulating cisplatin (DDP)-mediated EMT in human lung adenocarcinoma A549/DDP cells. Real-time quantitative PCR revealed that miR-103 was significantly upregulated in A549/DDP cells compared with the parental cells, and inhibition of miR-103 sensitized A549/DDP cells to DDP treatment, induced cell apoptosis, inhibited cell invasion and reversed the mesenchymal features of A549/DDP cells. Moreover, inhibition of miR-103 significantly enhanced DDP sensitivity in the mouse model. Taken together, these findings suggest that inhibition of miR-103 might be a potential therapeutic approach to reverse DDP resistance in lung cancer.