Methods for modulating expression of a component of a cell, comprising contacting the cell with a nucleic acid comprising an miR-140 nucleic acid sequence in an amount sufficient to modulate the cellular component are provided. Overexpression of miR-140 inhibits cell proliferation in both U-2 OS (wt-p53) and HCT 116 (wt-p53) cell lines. Cells transfected with miR-140 are more resistant to chemotherapeutic agent methotrexate, mi-140 expression is related to HDAC4 protein expression. The claimed methods reduce the protein expression level of HDAC4 without degrading the target mRNA.
