Oncogenic role of microRNA-20a in human uveal melanoma

As a member of the microRNA (miR)-17-92 cluster, miR‑20a has been indicated to be involved in the regulation of the proliferation and invasion of various cancer cells. Previous studies have observed elevated plasma levels of miR‑20a in patients with uveal melanoma (UM), compared with normal controls. In the present study, the potential function of miR‑20a in UM was investigated. Reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis was performed to detect the expression levels of miR‑20a in UM cells and tissues. The functions of miR‑20a on cell proliferation, migration and invasion were determined in vitro using 3‑(4,5-dimethyl-thiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide and Transwell assays, respectively. The expression levels of miR‑20a were significantly increased in the UM cells and tissues (P<0.05). Subsequently, miR‑20a mimics were transfected into UM cells, which led to increases in cell growth, migration and invasion activities. By contrast, miR‑20a inhibition markedly suppressed the viability and motility of UM cells in vitro. These data provided convincing evidence that miR‑20a may function as an oncogenic miRNA, and may be involved in promoting cell growth and motility in the molecular etiology of UM, suggesting its potential as a candidate therapeutic target for the treatment of patients with UM.