miR-202 suppresses proliferation and induces apoptosis of osteosarcoma cells by downregulating Gli2

Accumulating data have shown that microRNAs are involved in the pathogenesis of cancer. miR-202 has been confirmed to be downregulated in several types of human cancer. However, the expression and biological role of miR-202 in osteosarcoma (OS) carcinogenesis and progression remain unclear. In this study, we demonstrated that miR-202 expression is significantly decreased in human OS cell lines and specimens. Restoration of miR-202 expression could inhibit OS cell proliferation, induce cell apoptosis, and suppress tumor growth in nude mice models. We subsequently identified the transcription factor Gli2 as a direct target of miR-202. Overexpression of Gli2 blocked the inhibitory function of miR-202. Taken together, our results indicate that miR-202 acts as a novel tumor suppressor to regulate OS cell proliferation and apoptosis through downregulating Gli2 expression.