LATS2 was a direct target of miR-103. (A) The putative binding sequences of miR-103 in the 3′-UTR of LATS2. (B) Luciferase activity assays to determine the activity of luciferase vectors containing wild-type or mutant LATS2-3′-UTR were performed subsequent to transfection with miR-NC or miR-103. The luciferase activity was normalized to Renilla luciferase activity. Western blot analysis and RT-qPCR identified the expression of (C) LATS2 messenger RNA and (D) LATS2 protein in SW620 and LoVo cells subsequent to transfection with miR-NC or miR-103. For western blot analysis, GAPDH acted as an internal control. For RT-qPCR assays repeated in duplicate, GAPDH acted as an internal control for LATS2 and RNU6B acted as an internal control for miR-103. *P<0.05 compared with the control. miR, microRNA; NC, negative control; LATS2, large tumor suppressor kinase 2; UTR, untranslated region; RT-qPCR, reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction; GAPDH, glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase; WT, wild-type; RNU6, U6 small nuclear RNA.