MDK and cancer: Li et al found that miR-9-3p expression is up-regulated in non-small cell lung cancer cells, and this promotes proliferation and invasion of the cancer cells through activating AMP-related protein kinase pathways [36]; miR-9 targets MDK, and regulation of PDK/AKT pathway inhibits angiogenesis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma [47]; also miR-9-3p could inhibit the EMT of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells through targeting FN1, ITGB1 and ITGAV [48].