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Introduction
Sebaceous gland carcinoma (SGC) of the eyelid is a type of malignant epithelial tumor originating from sebaceous glands of the eyelid. SGC is the second most common malignant eyelid tumor in a number of Asian countries and ranks either third or fourth in various European countries (1,2). TNM staging, larger tumor diameter, recurrence, metastasis and perivascular invasion are clinical factors for poor prognosis (3–5), and patients with SGC are prone to recurrence and metastasis after surgery, which also results in poor prognosis (6). The mortality rate is high after recurrence and metastasis, and studies have reported that SGC of eyelids ranges from 5.9 to 11.3%, which may be associated with patient ethnicity, the time of follow-up and the number of samples assessed (7,8). Therefore, early diagnosis and treatment are key to improving patient prognosis.
As single-stranded, non-coding small RNAs, microRNA (miRNAs/miRs) can act as cancer-promoting or tumor-suppressor genes in a variety of cancer types. In addition, studies have reported that abnormally expressed miRNAs in different carcinoma tissues can be used as biomarkers of tumor prognosis and diagnosis, including miR-200c and miR-141 in SGC (9,10). miR-3907 is a novel miRNA that has been shown to be involved in lung cancer and kidney disease (11,12). However, to the best of our knowledge, the role of miR-3907 in SGC of the eyelid remains unknown.
The platelet thrombin protein thrombospondin 1 (THBS1), a glycoprotein that mediates cell-to-cell and cell-to-matrix adhesion, plays an important role in a variety of diseases, including malignant tumors (13). Downregulation of THBS1 mRNA expression in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma has been shown to be correlated with TNM stage and lymph node metastasis (14). Moreover, pigment epithelium-derived factor-induced exosomal THBS1 plays an important role in inhibiting metastasis and invasion in lung cancer (15).
To the best of our knowledge, the biological roles and expression levels of miR-3907 and THBS1 in SGC have not been previously investigated. Using an miRNA microarray, miR-3907 was found to be highly expressed in SGC of the eyelid. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the effects and potential regulatory mechanisms of miR-3907 (as a target of THBS1) on the proliferation and migration of SGC cells, with a view to providing a potential target for the early diagnosis and treatment of...