miR-144-3p Regulates the Radiation Sensitivity of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Through Targeting the NFE2L2 Pathway

Radiation therapy is one of the most critical methods for the comprehensive treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). However, radiation resistance limits the effectiveness of radiotherapy. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are associated with the radiosensitivity of NPC, but their impacts and mechanisms of action require further investigation. Aberrantly expressed miRNAs were screened in NPC and normal tissue. A series of gain-of-function and loss-of-function experiments were conducted to evaluate the biological behavior of miR-144-3p in NPC cells. The role of miR-144-3p in the proliferation and apoptosis of NPC cells was studied. Downstream mechanisms of miR-144-3p were explored through bioinformatics analysis and RNA sequencing, confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter gene assays. We observed downregulation of miR-144-3p in NPC tissue and radiation-resistant cells. Furthermore, upregulation of miR-144-3p in radiation-resistant cells suppressed the enhancement of radiosensitivity in NPC cells. Conversely, inhibiting miR-144-3p decreased radiosensitivity. We also found that miR-144-3p directly targets nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NFE2L2) and inhibits its expression. The results of this study indicate that the miR-144-3p/Nrf2 pathway contributes to reducing the radioresistance of NPC, making it a potential therapeutic target.