Abstract

MicroRNA-923 and microRNA-523 have been shown to be involved in various malignancies in addition to other biological processes. There is growing evidence that oxidative stress plays a crucial role in cancer. At present their role in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma is unclear. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the expressions of microRNA-923 and microRNA-523, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect oxidative stress-related factors, and Western blotting was used to detect the expressions of autophagy related proteins, endoplasmic reticulum stress-related proteins and apoptosis-related proteins. The effects of microRNA-923 and microRNA-523 on cell proliferation were detected by cell counting kit 8, and the formation of intracellular autophagosomes was analyzed by immunofluorescence. The results showed that the expression of microRNA-923 and microRNA-523 was significantly enhanced in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma serum exosomes. Light-chain 3 II, autophagy-related 5, autophagy related 12, nitric oxide and hydrogen peroxide expression was increased and total antioxidant capacity expression was decreased in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma tissues. Hydrogen peroxide induced oxidative stress promoted the expression of microRNA-923 and microRNA-523 as well as cell proliferation, apoptosis, autophagy and endoplasmic reticulum stress. MicroRNA-923 and microRNA-523 could also promote cellular autophagy and endoplasmic reticulum stress. Unexpectedly, microRNA-923 and microRNA-523 inhibited apoptosis, indicating that apoptosis was not involved in hydrogen peroxide induced microRNA-923 and microRNA-523 regulated cell proliferation. It was confirmed that hydrogen peroxide induced microRNA-923 and microRNA-523 mediated cell proliferation, autophagy and endoplasmic reticulum stress. Collectively, our study showed that oxidative stress induced microRNA-923 and microRNA-523 expression regulates cellular autophagy in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. This will provide some clues to gain insight into the molecular and biological mechanisms of esophageal squamous cell carcinogenesis.