miR-24 regulates apoptosis by targeting the open reading frame (ORF) region of FAF1 in cancer cells.
BACKGROUND
microRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that regulate cognate mRNAs at the post-transcriptional stage. Several studies have shown that miRNAs modulate gene expression in mammalian cells by base pairing to complementary sites in the 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) of the target mRNAs.


RESULTS
In the present study, miR-24 was found to target fas associated factor 1(FAF1) by binding to its amino acid coding sequence (CDS) region, thereby regulating apoptosis in DU-145 cells. This result supports an augmented model whereby animal miRNAs can exercise their effects through binding to the CDS region of the target mRNA. Transfection of miR-24 antisense oligonucleotide (miR-24-ASO) also induced apoptosis in HGC-27, MGC-803 and HeLa cells.


CONCLUSIONS
We found that miR-24 regulates apoptosis by targeting FAF1 in cancer cells. These findings suggest that miR-24 could be an effective drug target for treatment of hormone-insensitive prostate cancer or other types of cancers. Future work may further develop miR-24 for therapeutic applications in cancer biology.
Qin
Wenming
W
State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
Shi
Yi
Y
Zhao
Botao
B
Yao
Chengguo
C
Jin
Li
L
Ma
Jiexian
J
Jin
Youxin
Y
D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D017209:Apoptosis; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D001665:Binding Sites / Q000235:genetics; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002460:Cell Line; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D015536:Down-Regulation; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D009154:Mutation; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense / Q000235:genetics; D016366:Open Reading Frames / Q000235:genetics*; D011485:Protein Binding; D019311:Staurosporine / Q000494:pharmacology; D014162:Transfection
D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; C490780:FAF1 protein, human; C543845:MIRN24 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense; D019311:Staurosporine