Up-regulation of microRNA-1290 impairs cytokinesis and affects the reprogramming of colon cancer cells

► miR-1290 is up-regulated in colon cancer cells. ► Up-regulation of miR-1290 impairs cytokinesis. ► miR-1290 overexpression affects the reprogramming of colon cancer cells. Abnormal cytokinesis increases the possibility of nuclear fusion in tumor cells. However, the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in abnormal cytokinesis is unclear. Here, we found that miR-1290 was significantly up-regulated in clinical colon cancer tissues. Up-regulation of miR-1290 postponed cytokinesis and led to the formation of multinucleated cells. KIF13B was a target of miR-1290 that was involved in aberrant cytokinesis. Furthermore, enforced expression of miR-1290 activated the Wnt pathway and increased the reprogramming-related transcript factors c-Myc and Nanog. Our results suggest that up-regulation of miR-1290 in colon cancer cells impaired cytokinesis and affected reprogramming.