Clinical significance and impact on the cell behaviors of miR-758-5p/MMP-2 axis in ovarian cancer cells

Ovarian cancer (OC) is one of the most lethal gynecological malignant tumors globally. The objective of this research was to investigate the clinical significance and biological roles of the microRNA (miR)-758-5p/MMP-2 axis in OC. This study recruited 150 epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) patients. The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis examined the association between miR-758-5p levels and patient survival outcomes. Cox regression analysis identified critical factors influencing patient mortality risk. RT-qPCR quantified the expression of miR-758-5p and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2). Cell proliferation was assessed by the CCK-8 assay, while cell migration and invasion were evaluated by the Transwell assay. Flow cytometry was utilized to measure the cell’s apoptosis rate. The dual-luciferase reporter assay confirmed the targeted regulatory relationship. MiR-758-5p was reduced in EOC patients (P < 0.0001). The expression of miR-758-5p (HR = 0.272, 95%CI = 0.131–0.561, P < 0.001), lymph node metastasis (HR = 1.951, 95%CI = 1.085–3.506, P = 0.026), and tumor stage (HR = 2.125, 95%CI = 1.108–4.078, P = 0.023) were critical factors influencing patient mortality risk. Specifically, high expression of miR-758-5p was significantly correlated with improved patient survival outcomes. Moreover, elevated levels of miR-758-5p effectively suppress the proliferation, migration, and invasion of OC cells while promoting apoptosis (P < 0.0001). The study further revealed that miR-758-5p directly negatively regulated MMP-2 expression. Overexpression of MMP-2 partially counteracted the effects of the miR-758-5p mimic on cell behavior (P < 0.0001). The miR-758-5p/MMP-2 axis may play a critical role in the OC progression.