CREPT promotes glioma cell proliferation and invasion by activating Wnt/β-catenin pathway and is a novel target of microRNA-596.

Cell cycle-related and expression elevated protein in tumor (CREPT) is emerging as a novel cancer-related gene that is dysregulated in many kinds of malignancies. However, the expression and biological role of CREPT in glioma remains unclear. In the present study, we aimed to explore the potential function and regulation mechanism of CREPT in glioma. Results showed that CRETP expression was significantly upregulated in glioma cell lines. Depletion of CREPT by siRNA-mediated gene silencing markedly decreased the proliferative and invasive capabilities of glioma cells. Bioinformatics analysis predicted CREPT as a target gene of microRNA-596 (miR-596), which was further verified by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis. miR-596 was significantly decreased in glioma tissues and cell lines, and inversely correlated with CREPT expression in clinical specimens. Knockdown of CREPT or overexpression of miR-596 significantly restricted the activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in glioma cells. Moreover, overexpression of CREPT partially reversed the miR-596-mediated inhibitory effect on proliferation, invasion and Wnt/β-catenin signaling in glioma cells. Overall, these results demonstrate that CREPT exerts an oncogenic role in glioma and its expression is regulated by miR-596. Our study highlights the important role miR-596/CREPT/Wnt/β-catenin signaling axis may play in glioma.