Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40684202›Full record

ArticleJournal of experimental & clinical cancer research : CR2025

MiR-181a-driven downregulation of cholesterol biosynthesis through SREBP2 inhibition suppresses uveal melanoma metastasis.

Rui Wang, Claudia Gilbert, Houda Tahiri, Chun Yang, Solange Landreville, Pierre Hardy

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of experimental & clinical cancer research : CR, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Gut microbes · 2026
    Article
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Rui WangDepartment of Pharmacology and Physiology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, H3T 1C5, Canada.
Claudia GilbertResearch Center of CHU Sainte-Justine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, H3T 1C5, Canada.
Houda TahiriResearch Center of CHU Sainte-Justine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, H3T 1C5, Canada.
Chun YangResearch Center of CHU Sainte-Justine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, H3T 1C5, Canada.
Solange LandrevilleDepartment of Ophthalmology and Otorhinolaryngology-Cervico-Facial Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada.
Pierre HardyDepartment of Pharmacology and Physiology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, H3T 1C5, Canada. pierre.hardy.med@ssss.gouv.qc.ca.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgrounduveal melanoma (UM) is the most common primary intraocular tumor in adults, with metastasis being the leading cause of death. However, effective treatments for metastatic UM remain limited. Emerging evidence suggests that cholesterol metabolism plays a role in cancer progression, but its impact on UM metastasis is not well understood.

methodswe investigated the effects of miR-181a on UM metastasis using multiple UM cell lines and a suprachoroidal injection mouse model. Functional assays, including migration, invasion, and cancer stem-like cell (CSC) formation, were performed. The target of miR-181a was identified through bioinformatics, luciferase assays, and western blotting. Cholesterol levels were measured, and in vitro and in vivo studies assessed the therapeutic potential of combining miR-181a with crizotinib.

resultsmiR-181a significantly decreases UM cell migration, invasion, and metastasis. Mechanistically, miR-181a was found to target sterol regulatory element-binding protein 2 (SREBP2), thereby inhibiting cholesterol biosynthesis. This decrease in cholesterol levels hindered reduced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and led to a decline in cancer stem-like cell (CSC) populations in UM. Furthermore, elevated cholesterol or overexpression of SREBP2 abrogated the anti-metastatic effects of miR-181a. Additionally, a combination of miR-181a and crizotinib significantly inhibited metastasis, both in vitro and in vivo.

conclusionsmiR-181a inhibits UM metastasis by targeting SREBP2 and reducing cholesterol biosynthesis. Its combination with crizotinib may provide a promising therapeutic strategy for metastatic UM.

Indexed as

CholesterolMelanomaMicroRNAsSterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 2Uveal NeoplasmsAnimalsCell Line, TumorCell MovementCrizotinibDisease Models, AnimalDown-RegulationEpithelial-Mesenchymal TransitionGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticHumansMiceNeoplasm MetastasisCholesterolCrizotinibMicroRNAsMIrn181 microRNA, humanSREBF2 protein, humanSterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 2Cholesterol biosynthesisCombinational therapyCrizotinibMetastasismiR-181aSREBP2Uveal melanoma

Identifiers

PMID40684202
PMCPMC12275384

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.