Genome-wide profiles of metastasis-associated mRNAs and microRNAs in salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma

Salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma (SACC) is often accompanied with poor prognosis due to local recurrence, distant metastasis, and perineural invasion. The mechanism involved in SACC metastasis is not yet fully understood. In this study, we profiled the expression of messenger RNA (mRNA) and microRNA (miRNA) in a SACC cell line, ACC-2, and a highly metastatic SACC cell line, ACC-M, using high-throughput sequencing. We discovered that: (1) differentially expressed (DE) mRNAs and DE miRNAs are potentially involved in SACC metastasis; (2) multiple regulatory interactions between DE miRNAs and DE mRNAs exist; and (3) miR-338–5p/3p target LAMC2 to impair motility and invasion of ACC-M and MDA-MB-231 cells. In conclusion, our study integrated the regulatory effects of miRNAs and mRNAs on SACC metastasis and provided a potential application for miRNAs in future therapeutic intervention. •Different expressed miRNAs and mRNAs were profiled in lowly and highly metastatic SACC cell lines.•Multiple regulatory interactions between miRNAs and mRNAs may contribute to SACC metastasis.•miR-338–5p/3p and their target LAMC2 function on metastasis of multiple types of cancer.