MicroRNA-378* promotes trophoblast cell survival, migration and invasion by targeting Nodal

Nodal is a member of the transforming growth factor-(3 superfamily that plays critical roles during embryogenesis. Recently, we have reported that Nodal inhibits trophoblast cell proliferation, migration and invasion, but induces cell apoptosis in human placenta.;Taken together, these findings strongly suggest that miR-378* plays an important role in human placental development by regulating trophoblast cell proliferation, survival, migration and invasion and that miR-378* exerts these effects, at least in part, via suppression of Nodal expression.;In this study, regulation of Nodal by miRNAs was examined. In silico analysis of Nodal 3' UTR revealed a potential binding site for miR-378*. Results of luciferase assays and Western blot confirmed that Nodal is a target of miR-378*. MiR-378* promoted trophoblast cell survival, proliferation, migration and invasion, and a similar effect was observed when Nodal expression was inhibited. Furthermore, overexpression of Nodal reversed the invasion-promoting effect of miR-378*.