Down-regulation of microRNA-23a promotes pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma initiation and progression by up-regulation of FOXM1 expression

Transcriptional factor Forkhead box M1 (FOXM1) plays an important role in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) development and progression. The molecular mechanisms underlying its dysregulation remain unclear. We identified and functionally validated the microRNAs (miRNAs) that critically regulate FOXM1 expression in PDAC. The expression levels of miRNA-23a (miR-23a-3p and -5p) were altered in PDAC cell lines and their effects on FOXM1 signaling and cell proliferation and migration and tumorigenesis were examined in vitro and in vivo using mouse PDAC models. Compared with non-tumor pancreatic tissues, PDAC tissues and cell lines exhibited significantly reduced levels of miR-23a expression. Reduced miR-23a expression and concomitant increase in FOXM1 expression were also observed in acinar-to-ductal metaplasia and pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia, the major premalignant lesions of PDAC. Transgenic expression of miR-23a reduced the expression of FOXM1 and suppressed cell proliferation and migration in PDAC cells, whereas the inhibitors of miR-23a did the opposite. Loss or reduced levels of miR-23a increased the levels of FOXM1 expression, while increased expression of FOXM1 down-regulated miR-23a expression, suggesting that miR-23a and FOXM1 were mutual negative regulators of their expression in PDAC cells. Therefore, the miR-23a/FOXM1 signaling axis is important in PDAC initiation and progression and could serve as an interventional or therapeutic target for patients with early or late stages of PDAC.