MKNK2 is a valid target of miR-125b in breast cancer

MAP kinase interacting serine/threonine kinase 2 (MKNK2) belongs to the protein kinase superfamily which phosphorylates and activates eukaryotic initiation factor 4E (elF4E), a rate limiting factor in protein synthesis that enhances the translation of some proteins involved in cell cycle, apoptosis and angiogenesis regulation. In this study, we found that the expression levels of MKNK2 are inversely correlated with the expression levels of miR-125b in human breast cancer development. We showed that miR-125b inhibited tumor cell growth and invasion by regulating MKNK2 at posttranscriptional level. Thus, both miR-125b and MKNK2 could be therapeutically targeted in breast cancer.