MicroRNA miR-93 promotes tumor growth and angiogenesis by targeting integrin-β8.
It has been reported that the miR-106b∼25 cluster, a paralog of the miR-17∼92 cluster, possesses oncogenic activities. However, the precise role of each microRNA (miRNA) in the miR-106b∼25 cluster is not yet known. In this study, we examined the function of miR-93, one of the microRNAs within the miR-106b∼25 cluster, in angiogenesis and tumor formation. We found that miR-93 enhanced cell survival, promoted sphere formation and augmented tumor growth. Most strikingly, when miR-93-overexpressing U87 cells were co-cultured with endothelial cells, they supported endothelial cell spreading, growth, migration and tube formation. In vivo studies revealed that miR-93-expressing cells induced blood vessel formation, allowing blood vessels to extend to tumor tissues in high densities. Angiogenesis promoted by miR-93 in return facilitated cell survival, resulting in enhanced tumor growth. We further showed that integrin-β8 is a target of miR-93. Higher levels of integrin-β8 are associated with cell death in tumor mass and in human glioblastoma. Silencing of integrin-β8 expression using small interfering RNA promoted cell proliferation, whereas ectopic expression of integrin-β8 decreased cell growth. These findings showed that miR-93 promotes tumor growth and angiogenesis by suppressing, at least in part, integrin-β8 expression. Our results suggest that inhibition of miR-93 function may be a feasible approach to suppress angiogenesis and tumor growth.
Fang
L
L
Sunnybrook Research Institute, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Deng
Z
Z
Shatseva
T
T
Yang
J
J
Peng
C
C
Du
W W
WW
Yee
A J
AJ
Ang
L C
LC
He
C
C
Shan
S W
SW
Yang
B B
BB
D000818:Animals; D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002470:Cell Survival; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D020868:Gene Silencing; D006801:Humans; D039641:Integrin beta Chains / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000378:metabolism*; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D009423:Nervous System Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000378:metabolism
D039641:Integrin beta Chains; C543350:MIRN93 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; C094865:integrin beta8