miR‑367 enhances the proliferation and invasion of cutaneous malignant melanoma by regulating phosphatase and tensin homolog expression

Melanoma presents a serious threat to human health but the underlying mechanisms have not been fully identified. Increasing evidence indicates that microRNAs exert a significant influence on the tumorigenesis and metastasis of different types of cancer. The present study aimed to identify the role of microRNA (miR)‑367 in the initiation and progression of melanoma and investigate its potential target. A total of 50 melanoma samples and 25 benign nevi tissues were used in the present study. Reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis were performed to determine the expression of mRNA and protein, respectively. Cell proliferation and invasion were assessed by CCK‑8, wound healing and Transwell assays. A proposed target mRNA of miR‑367 was determined using a luciferase reporter assay and an in vivo xenograft model was used to evaluate the function of miR‑367 in the progression of melanoma. It was revealed that miR‑367 was overexpressed in melanoma tissues and cell lines. The miR‑367 level in tumor tissues was positively correlated with tumor thickness, tumor stage, lymph node involvement, distant metastasis and the patient survival rate. A high miR‑367 level was observed to enhance the growth, migration and invasion of melanoma cells. Conversely, low miR‑367 levels suppressed the proliferation and invasion of melanoma cells. Furthermore, miR‑367 was revealed to bind directly to phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) mRNA and regulate the expression of the PTEN protein. miR‑367 markedly increased the growth and invasion of melanoma cells, whereas the cotransfection of PTEN vectors limited the promoting function of miR‑367 in the proliferation and invasion of A375 cells. The upregulation of miR‑367 promoted tumor growth in vivo. In conclusion, the results revealed that miR‑367 serves a positive role in the development of melanoma and may be an important target for the treatment of cutaneous melanoma.