miR-17 inhibitor suppressed osteosarcoma tumor growth and metastasis via increasing PTEN expression

•miR-17 was increased in OS tissues and cell lines.•Inhibition of miR-17 suppressed OS cell proliferation.•Inhibition of miR-17 suppressed OS cell migration and invasion.•PTEN was a target of miR-17.•miR-17 was negatively correlated with PTEN in OS tissues.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play essential roles in cancer development and progression. Here, we investigated the role of miR-17 in the progression and metastasis of osteosarcoma (OS). miR-17 was frequently increased in OS tissues and cell lines. Inhibition of miR-17 in OS cell lines substantially suppressed cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) was identified as a target of miR-17, and ectopic expression of miR-17 inhibited PTEN by direct binding to its 3′-untranslated region (3′-UTR). Expression of miR-17 was negatively correlated with PTEN in OS tissues. Together, these findings indicate that miR-17 acts as an oncogenic miRNA and may contribute to the progression and metastasis of OS, suggesting miR-17 as a potential novel diagnostic and therapeutic target of OS.