ALCAM is indirectly modulated by miR-125b in MCF7 cells.

Abstract

MicroRNA (miRNA) deregulation is associated with various cancers. Among an expanding list of cancer-related miRNAs, deregulation of miR-125b has been well documented in many cancers including breast. Based on current knowledge, miR-125b is considered to be a tumor suppressor in breast cancers. While important messenger RNA (mRNA) targets have been defined for miR-125b, here, we aimed to further investigate direct/indirect consequences of miR-125b expression in breast cancer cells by using a transcriptome approach. Upon miR-125b expression, a total of 138 cancer-related genes were found to be differentially expressed in breast cancer cells. While only a few of these were predicted to be direct mRNA targets, majority of the gene expression changes were potentially downstream and indirect effects of miR-125b expression. Among these, activated leukocyte antigen molecule (ALCAM) mRNA and protein levels were found to be highly significantly increased upon miR-125b expression. Given the tumor suppressor role of miR-125b in our model system, upon silencing of ALCAM expression, cell proliferation rate re-increased in miR-125b-expressing cells. While ALCAM's possible context-dependent roles are not clear in breast cancer, a diverse expression pattern of ALCAM mRNA was detected in a panel of breast cancer patient samples. Differentially expressed/regulated cancer-related genes upon miR-125b expression along with the significant increase of ALCAM are of future interest to understand how deregulated expression of miR-125b may have a tumor suppressor role in breast and other cancers.

• Authors: H Begum Akman, S Duygu Selcuklu, Mark T A Donoghue, Shiva Akhavantabasi, Aysegul Sapmaz, Charles Spillane, M Cengiz Yakicier, A Elif Erson-Bensan
• Journal: Tumour biology : the journal of the International Society for Oncodevelopmental Biology and Medicine (Tumour Biol) Vol. 36 Issue 5 Pg. 3511-20 (May 2015) ISSN: 1423-0380 [Electronic] Netherlands
• PMID: 25539763 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• ALCAM protein, human
• Antigens, CD
• Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal
• Fetal Proteins
• MIRN125 microRNA, human
• MicroRNAs
• RNA, Messenger

Topics

• Antigens, CD (biosynthesis, genetics)
• Breast Neoplasms (genetics, pathology)
• Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal (biosynthesis, genetics)
• Female
• Fetal Proteins (biosynthesis, genetics)
• Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic (genetics)
• Humans
• MCF-7 Cells
• MicroRNAs (biosynthesis, genetics)
• RNA, Messenger (biosynthesis)