Furthermore, ectopically expressing FOXO3a (without 3′UTR) significantly abrogated the miR-96-induced proliferation, but transfection with FOXO3a-3′-UTR (with 3′UTR) only partially attenuated the proliferative enhancement by miR-96 overexpression, suggesting that the effect of miR-96 on proliferation of breast cancer cells may be though downregulation of FOXO3a via directly targeting the FOXO3a 3′-UTR. This evidence concerns the gene FOXO3 and breast cancer.