Mousa Behzadi - Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
hamed hatami - Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
fatemeh alian - Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
masoumeh alimohammadi - Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
shahin Alizadeh Fanalou - Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
jafar karami - Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Background and Aim: It has been reported that the microRNA-۲۰۲ (miR-۲۰۲) is involved in various types of human diseases such as cancers, but its role in pathogenesis of glioma is limited. Our aim was to evaluate the role of miR‐۲۰۲ in glioma and its effects on apoptosis, migration and invasion of glioma cell lines. Methods: Glioma and normal human astroglia (NHA) cell lines were cultured, transfected with mimic, inhibitor and negative control (NC) of miR-۲۰۲. Total RNA and protein were extracted. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was conducted to evaluate the expression of miR‐ ۲۰۲ and ROCK۱. Western blot was performed to detect the protein level of ROCK۱. MTT and wound healing assay were performed to evaluate the effects of miR-۲۰۲ on apoptosis and migration of human glioma cell lines, respectively.Results: Our results revealed that the miR-۲۰۲ expression was significantly downregulated in glioma cell lines in comparison to NHA cell line (P<۰.۰۵). On the other hand, the ROCK۱ expression was significantly upregulated in glioma cell lines, compared to the NHA cell line (P<۰.۰۵). Furthermore, we showed a negative correlation between expression of ROCK۱ and miR-۲۰۲ (P=۰.۰۱, r=-۰.۴۲۶). We documented that upregulation of miR-۲۰۲ could induce apoptosis and suppress the invasion and migration in glioma cell lines through downregulation of ROCK۱Conclusion: The miR-۲۰۲ expression was low in glioma cell lines which makes the miR-۲۰۲ as a tumour-suppressor miRNA in glioma. The role of ROCK۱ gene in glioma is known and served as an oncogene in glioma. Therefore, targeting ROCK۱ by miR-۲۰۲ may increase the survival time, improve the disease outcome and could be considered as a potential therapeutic target for glioma patients.

miR‐۲۰۲, ROCK۱, glioma, apoptosis, migration, invasion