Fig. 6

SOCS2 serves as a suppressor gene and a target of miR-194-5p. A The potential targets of miR-194-5p were predicted by miRDB, TargetScan, StarBase, Tarbase and miRpathDB. Nine target genes (Gene set 2) were obtained from the intersection. B The downregulated genes in PDAC of the GSE43795 dataset (Gene set 1) and the genes of Gene set 2 were intersected to obtain the target gene of miR-194-5p. C The expression of SOCS2 was obviously reduced in PDAC tissue compared with tumor-adjacent tissue, as shown by IHC staining (n = 6). Scale bar = 50 μm. D The expression of SOCS2 was decreased in PDAC compared tissue with normal tissue based on TCGA and GTEx data. E PDAC samples from the TCGA were divided into two groups (high and low SOCS2 expression groups). Kaplan‒Meier survival analysis was used to determine the overall survival rate. F The binding sites between miR-194-5p and SOCS2 mRNA were predicted by TargetScan (top). The WT and Mut sequences of the binding sites between SOCS2 mRNA and miR-194-5p were cloned into dual-luciferase reporter vectors (bottom). G A dual-luciferase reporter assay was performed by co-transfection of PDAC cells with WT/Mut SOCS2 plasmids and miR-194-5p mimic or mimic NC. H RIP and RT‒qPCR assays were performed to confirm the binding of miR-194-5p to the AGO2 protein. *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01; ***p < 0.001