In the past decade, we have observed exciting advances in lung cancer therapy, including the development of targeted therapies. However, additional strategies for early detection and tumor-based therapy are still essential in improving patient outcomes. EGF receptor (EGFR) and MET (the receptor tyrosine kinase for hepatocyte growth factors) are cell-surface tyrosine kinase receptors that have been implicated in diverse cellular processes and as regulators of several microRNAs (miRNAs), thus contributing to tumor progression. Here, we demonstrate a biological link between EGFR, MET, and the miRNA cluster 23a∼27a∼24-2. We show that miR27a regulates MET, EGFR, and Sprouty2 in lung cancer. In addition, we identify both direct and indirect mechanisms by which miR-27a can regulate both MET and EGFR. Thus, we propose a mechanism for MET and EGFR axis regulation that may lead to the development of therapeutics in lung cancer.cell signaling | epigenetics L ung cancer remains the number one cause of cancer-related deaths among men and women. However, in the past several years, we have witnessed some major advances in therapeutics that have improved outcomes in selected subgroups of patients. Tyrosine kinase receptors continue to be investigated as therapeutic targets in lung cancer. The receptor tyrosine kinase for hepatocyte growth factors, MET, is a membrane receptor for the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) (1); MET tyrosine kinase is known to promote survival of many cell types following exposure to various apoptotic inducers, including serum starvation, death receptor activation, or genotoxic treatment (2). MET protein expression and phosphorylation have been associated with primary resistance to EGF receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients (3). EGFR is a membrane receptor overexpressed in most NSCLC tumors, and its activation and signaling contribute to both the growth and maintenance of epithelial tissues (4-6). MET and EGFR are normally expressed by cells of epithelial origin and, upon ligand stimulation, induce cancer cell invasion, thus increasing metastatic potential. This effect on invasion occurs primarily through increased phosphorylation of both ERK1/2 and the ETS domain containing protein (ELK)1 transcriptional factor (7-9). MET and EGFR protein levels are positively regulated by Sprouty2 protein expression (10-12). Sprouty2 is ubiquitously expressed at different levels in human tissues (13). Sprouty2 expression has been shown to increase MET protein levels in colon adenocarcinoma and also to increase EGFR levels by attenuating EGFR degradation by ubiquitination (10,12,14). MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs of 19-25 nt that can inhibit mRNA translation and/or negatively regulate mRNA stability (15). MiRNA dysregulation is one of the most important factors contributing to cancer development (16) and has been implicated in cancer drug resistance (17). Several miRNAs are indeed involved in cancer initiation and progression such as miR-15 and...