Objective To screen the microRNA( miRNA) with potential biomarker characteristics in prostate cancer tissues, and to analyze the biological functions and signal pathways of its target genes. Methods From cancer and cancer genome program( TCGA) database, we downloaded the prostate cancer dataset, and analyzed the expression of miRNA in the prostate tissues and the adjacent carcinoma tissues, and screened out the differentially expressed miRNAs; KaplanMeier survival curves were used to analyze the survival of patients with prostate cancer, and miRNAs with potential biomarker characteristics( high expression and poor prognosis) were screened out. Target genes with potential biomarker characteristics were predicted by bioinformatics online website, and gene ontology( GO) enrichment analysis and Kyoto gene and genome encyclopedia( KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis were conducted to analyze the biological functions and tumorrelated pathways of target genes with potential biomarker characteristics. Results A total of 159 differentially expressed miRNAs were found in the prostate cancer tissues and adjacent tissues, among which, 59 were down-regulated and 100 were up-regulated. Survival analysis revealed poor prognosis in pancreatic cancer patients with high miR-17 expression.The relative expression levels of miR-17 in the prostate cancer tissues and adjacent tissues were 3 852. 66 ± 1800. 41 and 1581. 22 ± 391. 71, respectively. The miR-17 had a total of 138 target genes, which were mainly involved in the biological processes such as transcriptional DNA template, protein phosphorylation, methylcytosine catabolism, positive regulation of apoptosis, transmembrane transport of sodium ions, and cytokinesis; the main molecular functions included their binding to protein kinase, nucleic acid, metal ion, calcium ion and protein. The signaling pathways related to miR-17 target genes included 13 estrogen signaling pathway, such as c AMP signaling pathway, chemokine signaling pathway, HIF-1 signaling pathway and cancer proteoglycan signaling pathway, and so on. Conclusions The miR-17 can be used as a potential biomarker for the occurrence and prognosis of prostate cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]