microRNA-21 governs TORC1 activation in renal cancer cell proliferation and invasion.

Abstract

Metastatic renal cancer manifests multiple signatures of gene expression. Deviation in expression of mature miRNAs has been linked to human cancers. Importance of miR-21 in renal cell carcinomas is proposed from profiling studies using tumor tissue samples. However, the role of miR-21 function in causing renal cancer cell proliferation and invasion has not yet been shown. Using cultured renal carcinoma cells, we demonstrate enhanced expression of mature miR-21 along with pre-and pri-miR-21 by increased transcription compared to normal proximal tubular epithelial cells. Overexpression of miR-21 Sponge to quench endogenous miR-21 levels inhibited proliferation, migration and invasion of renal cancer cells. In the absence of mutation in the PTEN tumor suppressor gene, PTEN protein levels are frequently downregulated in renal cancer. We show that miR-21 targets PTEN mRNA 3'untranslated region to decrease PTEN protein expression and augments Akt phosphorylation in renal cancer cells. Downregulation of PTEN as well as overexpression of constitutively active Akt kinase prevented miR-21 Sponge-induced inhibition of renal cancer cell proliferation and migration. Moreover, we show that miR-21 Sponge inhibited the inactivating phosphorylation of the tumor suppressor protein tuberin and attenuated TORC1 activation. Finally, we demonstrate that expression of constitutively active TORC1 attenuated miR-21 Sponge-mediated suppression of proliferation and migration of renal cancer cells. Our results uncover a layer of post-transcriptional regulation of PTEN by transcriptional activation of miR-21 to force the canonical oncogenic Akt/TORC1 signaling conduit to drive renal cancer cell proliferation and invasion.

• Authors: Nirmalya Dey, Falguni Das, Nandini Ghosh-Choudhury, Chandi Charan Mandal, Dipen J Parekh, Karen Block, Balakuntalam S Kasinath, Hanna E Abboud, Goutam Ghosh Choudhury
• Journal: PloS one (PLoS One) Vol. 7 Issue 6 Pg. e37366 ( 2012) ISSN: 1932-6203 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 22685542 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.)

Chemical References

• 3' Untranslated Regions
• MIRN21 microRNA, human
• MicroRNAs
• Multiprotein Complexes
• Proteins
• TSC2 protein, human
• Tuberous Sclerosis Complex 2 Protein
• Tumor Suppressor Proteins
• Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 1
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
• TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases
• PTEN Phosphohydrolase
• PTEN protein, human

Topics

• 3' Untranslated Regions (genetics)
• Carcinoma, Renal Cell (genetics, metabolism, pathology)
• Cell Line, Tumor
• Cell Movement
• Cell Proliferation
• Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
• Humans
• Immunoblotting
• Kidney Neoplasms (genetics, metabolism, pathology)
• Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 1
• MicroRNAs (genetics)
• Models, Genetic
• Multiprotein Complexes
• Neoplasm Invasiveness
• PTEN Phosphohydrolase (genetics, metabolism)
• Phosphorylation
• Proteins (genetics, metabolism)
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt (genetics, metabolism)
• Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
• Signal Transduction (genetics)
• TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases
• Tuberous Sclerosis Complex 2 Protein
• Tumor Suppressor Proteins (genetics, metabolism)