To verify the target involved in progression of ovarian cancer, we searched putative target genes via miRanda and TargetScan and we focused on SphK1 because of its rank and function associated with migration and invasion, particularly, the ectopic expression of miR-124 substantially decreased the expression of SphK1 in both SKOV3-ip and HO8910pm ovarian cancer cells assessed by western blot assay (Figure 2D and Additional file 2C), although real-time PCR analysis did not show obvious changes in mRNA expression of SphK1 (Additional file 2B). This evidence concerns the gene SPHK1 and ovarian carcinoma.