Aims:　Ovarian　cancer　is　the　fifth　most　deadly　cancer　in　women,　and　is　usually　diagnosed　too　late.　Exploring　specific　and　sensitive　biomarkers　will　be　helpful　to　early　detection　and　will　improve　the　survival　rates　of　ovarian　cancer　patients.　Main　methods:　Realtime　PCR　was　used　to　detect　the　expression　of　miR-376a.　Wound　healing　and　transwell　assays　were　used　to　examined　the　migration　and　invasion　abilities　of　ovarian　cancer　cells.　Tumor　xenograft　experiments　were　employed　to　test　the　in　vivo　malignancy　of　ovarian　cancer　cells.　Western　Blotting　and　luciferase　report　assays　were　conducted　for　the　target　genes　analysis.　Key　findings:　Using　a　cohort　of　32　cases　of　ovarian　cancer　and　10　cases　of　healthy　control　samples,　we　found　that　miR-376　expression　is　increased　in　ovarian　cancer　tissues.　The　serum　level　of　miR-376a　is　significantly　higher　in　ovarian　cancer　patients　and　is　associated　with　the　clinical　stages　of　ovarian　cancer.　Over　expression　of　miR-376a　stimulated　the　proliferation,　migration,　and　invasion　of　ovarian　cancer　cells,　while　inhibition　of　miR-376a　expression　blocked　the　proliferation,　migration,　and　invasion.　Data　from　nude　mice　further　demonstrated　the　stimulatory　role　of　miR-376a　in　ovarian　cancer　progression.　Mechanically,　miR-376a　played　its　role　by　targeting　KLF15　and　Caspase-8.　Significance:　Our　findings　enrich　the　knowledge　of　miR-376a　in　ovarian　cancer　formation　and　progression,　providing　a　possibility　of　using　miR-376a　as　a　diagnostic　and　prognostic　biomarker　for　ovarian　cancer.　(C)　2016　Elsevier　Inc.　All　rights　reserved.