LAUSR

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been proven to act as key post‐transcriptional regulators of gene expression, involved in the genesis and development of multiple tumor types. However, the expression and roles of miR‐543 in colorectal cancer (CRC) remain unknown. Here, we found that miR‐543 was constitutively up‐regulated in CRC tissues and its over‐expression promoted tumor cell migration and invasion. Moreover, we identified PTEN as a direct target of miR‐543 using subsequent software analysis and a dual‐luciferase reporter assay. In conclusion, data presented here demonstrate that miR‐543 acts as a tumor promoter and plays a vital role in CRC metastasis. These findings confirm that miR‐543 may potentially serve as a novel therapeutic target for treating CRC. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.