title: miR-21 modulates cell apoptosis by targeting multiple genes in renal cell carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the mechanism of miR-21 involved in the development of renal cell carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cell proliferation and apoptosis were measured after repression of miR-21 expression by antisense oligonucleotides. miR-21 targets were scanned using target prediction programs. After reduction of miR-21, Fas ligand and metalloproteinase inhibitor 3 (TIMP3) expression and luciferase activity were detected by Western blot and luciferase reporter assay. The effect of TIMP3 on miR-21-induced cell survival was determined by transfection with TIMP3 lacking 3' untranslated region and miR-21.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The reduction of miR-21 by antisense oligonucleotides inhibited cell proliferation and induced cell apoptosis by activation of caspase pathway in renal cell carcinoma cells. Moreover, bioinformatics analysis revealed that miR-21 has the potential to regulate multiple apoptosis-related genes. The reduction of miR-21 inhibited Fas ligand and TIMP3 expression by targeting the binding site within the 3' untranslated region. Finally, the introduction of TIMP3 cDNA without 3' untranslated region abrogated miR-21-induced cell survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Together, these findings indicate that miR-21 plays a key role in regulating cell apoptosis by targeting multiple genes in renal cell carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Jinan General Hospital of PLA, Ji'nan, China. aiminzhang2000@126.com
authors.forename: Aimin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yizhen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Youhe
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Xiangtie
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics*; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: C524940:MIRN21 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs