Intriguingly, MCT-1 depletion in IV2–3 subline (p53-mutant) restored the miR-34a level independent of p53 function (Additional file 7: Figure S7D) similar to that of invasive lung cancer A549 cells (p53-wildtype) upon MCT-1 knockdown (Fig. 6b). Here, TP53 is linked to lung carcinoma.