KH-type splicing regulatory protein (KHSRP) is involved in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma progression through regulating a subset of microRNAs [miRNA]

KH-type splicing regulatory protein (KHSRP) is a multifunctional RNA-binding protein (RBP), which is involved in many post-transcriptional aspects of RNA metabolism including microRNA (miRNA) biogenesis, affects distinct cell functions in different tissues and can impact on various pathological conditions. However, the function and underlying mechanisms of KHSRP in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remain largely unknown. In the present study, we uncover a novel oncogenic function of KHSRP in esophageal tumorigenesis, and implicate its use as a marker for prognostic evaluation and as a putative therapeutic target in ESCC. To investigate the molecular pathways involved by KHSRP-knockdown, the expression levels of miRNAs in KHSRP-knockdown cells were analyzed using microarray.