miR-34a represses the SRC/Ras/ERK signaling pathway by silencing SRC.

<p>(A) Schematic of the predicted miR-34a site in the 3′UTR of SRC mRNA, which is broadly conserved among vertebrates. (B) Luciferase reporter assays were performed after transfection with the indicated pMIR-Report plasmids and a renilla transfection control plasmid and upon co-transfection with miR-34a or the relevant scramble controls. The data shown are the means±SD of three replicates and are representative of three independent experiments. *p<0.05. (C) SRC expression at both the protein and mRNA levels was much lower in MDA-MB-231 cells transfected with miR-34a mimics compared to scramble control cells. The data shown are the means±SD of three replicates and are representative of three independent experiments. *p<0.05. (D) Western blotting analysis of the protein levels of SRC, Ras-GTP, total Ras, phosphorylated ERK1/2, and ERK1/2 in MDA-MB-231 cells transfected with control or SRC siRNA, control or SRC vector, scramble or miR-34a mimics and treated with mock therapy or DADS.