Abstract

MicroRNAs (miR) are a group of non‑coding, small RNAs, 18‑20 nucleotides in length, that are frequently involved in the development of a variety of different types of cancer, including glioma, which is a type of severe tumor in the brain. Previous studies reported that miR‑124 levels were downregulated in glioma specimens; however, the potential role of miR‑124 in glioma currently remains unclear. The present study performed experiments, including dual‑luciferase reporter assay (DLRA), MTT assay, transwell assay and flow cytometry, with the aim of elucidating the molecular mechanism of miR‑124 in glioma. The results indicated that miR‑124 expression was decreased in glioma tissues, accompanied by the increased expression of extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN). The expression of EMMPRIN was inhibited by miR‑124 transfection. The DLRA results revealed that EMMPRIN directly targets miR‑124. Furthermore, upon overexpression of miR‑124 in the U87 cells, cell proliferation was significantly inhibited, apoptosis was increased, and cell migration and invasion were decreased. Furthermore, tumor growth was blocked by miR‑124 in mice. Based on these results, the present study concluded that miR‑124 is critical for amelioration of glioma by targeting EMMPRIN, thereby acting as a tumor suppressor. Thus, miR‑124/EMMPRIN constitutes a plausible basis for the treatment of glioma.