Table 1.

List of experimentally validated miR-18a targets and their biological roles

Target gene	Full name	Verification methods	Cell lines	Biological roles	References
IRF2	Interferon regulatory factor 2	Luciferase reporter assay	BEAS-2B, A549, HEK-293T	Promotes apoptosis, inhibits cell proliferation and migration	[54]
SOX6	Sex-determining region Y (SRY)-box 6	Luciferase reporter assay, Western blotting	CaSki, ME-180, SiHa, PaCa-2	Inhibits the Wnt/β-catenin pathway	[56]
WNK2	WNK lysine deficient protein kinase 2	Luciferase reporter assay, Western blotting	CaSki, ME-180, SiHa, PaCa-2	Inhibits the MEK/ERK pathway	[56]
PTEN	Phosphatase and tensin homolog	Luciferase reporter assay, Western blotting	CaSki, ME180, SiHa, PaCa-2	Inhibits the PI3K/AKT pathway	[56]
STK4	Serine/threonine-protein kinase 4	Luciferase reporter assay, qRT-PCR	HEK-293T, DU145	Promotes apoptosis, inhibits endogenous AKT activity	[58]
PIAS3	Protein inhibitor of activated STAT3 (signal transducer and activator of transcription 3)	Immunoprecipitation assay, qRT-PCR	MKN28, MKN1	Inhibits STAT3 activity, downstream of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway	[61, 66]
CDC42	Cell division control protein 42	Luciferase reporter assay	HCT116	Acts as a GTPase in the PI3K/AKT pathway	[68]
SREBP1	Sterol regulatory element-binding transcription protein 1	Luciferase reporter assay, Transwell assay, qRT-PCR	MDA-MB-231, MCF-7	Promotes EMT and cell migration and invasion	[69]
CTGF	Connective tissue growth factor	Luciferase reporter assay, Western blotting, qRT-PCR	3T3	Promotes cell proliferation, phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and AKT, crosstalk with the TGF-β pathway	[75]
Nedd9	Neural precursor cell expressed, developmentally downregulated 9	Luciferase reporter assay, Western blotting, qRT-PCR	3T3	Downstream of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, activates the MEK/ERK pathway	[75]