MiR-199a-3p regulates mTOR and c-Met to influence the doxorubicin sensitivity of human hepatocarcinoma cells.

Abstract

MicroRNAs (miRNA) have rapidly emerged as modulators of gene expression in cancer in which they may have great diagnostic and therapeutic import. MicroRNA-199a-3p (miR-199a-3p) is downregulated in several human malignancies including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Here, we show that miR-199a-3p targets mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and c-Met in HCC cells. Restoring attenuated levels of miR-199a-3p in HCC cells led to G(1)-phase cell cycle arrest, reduced invasive capability, enhanced susceptibility to hypoxia, and increased sensitivity to doxorubicin-induced apoptosis. These in vitro findings were confirmed by an analysis of human HCC tissues, which revealed an inverse correlation linking miR-199a-3p and mTOR as well as a shorter time to recurrence after HCC resection in patients with lower miR-199a-3p expression. These results suggest that tactics to regulate mTOR and c-Met by elevating levels of miR-199a-3p may have therapeutic benefits in highly lethal cancers such as HCC.

• Authors: Francesca Fornari, Maddalena Milazzo, Pasquale Chieco, Massimo Negrini, George Adrian Calin, Gian Luca Grazi, Daniela Pollutri, Carlo Maria Croce, Luigi Bolondi, Laura Gramantieri
• Journal: Cancer research (Cancer Res) Vol. 70 Issue 12 Pg. 5184-93 (Jun 15 2010) ISSN: 1538-7445 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 20501828 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Antibiotics, Antineoplastic
• Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
• MicroRNAs
• RNA, Messenger
• mirn199 microRNA, human
• Doxorubicin
• Luciferases
• MTOR protein, human
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met
• Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
• TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases

Topics

• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Antibiotics, Antineoplastic (pharmacology)
• Apoptosis (drug effects)
• Blotting, Western
• Carcinoma, Hepatocellular (drug therapy, genetics, pathology)
• Cell Adhesion (drug effects)
• Cell Cycle (drug effects)
• Cell Movement (drug effects)
• Cell Proliferation (drug effects)
• Doxorubicin (pharmacology)
• Drug Resistance, Neoplasm
• Female
• Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
• Humans
• Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins (genetics, metabolism)
• Liver Cirrhosis (drug therapy, genetics, pathology)
• Liver Neoplasms (drug therapy, genetics, pathology)
• Luciferases (metabolism)
• Male
• MicroRNAs (physiology)
• Middle Aged
• Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases (genetics, metabolism)
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met (genetics, metabolism)
• RNA, Messenger (genetics, metabolism)
• Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
• TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases