MicroRNA-125b induces metastasis by targeting STARD13 in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells.
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small noncoding RNAs that regulate gene expression by targeting mRNAs to trigger either translation repression or mRNA degradation. miR-125b is down-regulated in human breast cancer cells compared with the normal ones except highly metastatic tumor cells MDA-MB-231. However, few functional studies were designed to investigate metastatic potential of miR-125b. In this study, the effects of miR-125b on metastasis in human breast cancer cells were studied, and the targets of miR-125b were also explored. Transwell migration assay, cell wound healing assay, adhesion assay and nude mice model of metastasis were utilized to investigate the effects of miR-125b on metastasis potential in vitro and in vivo. In addition, it was implied STARD13 (DLC2) was a direct target of miR-125b by Target-Scan analysis, luciferase reporter assay and western blot. Furthermore, activation of STARD13 was identified responsible for metastasis induced by miR-125b through a siRNA targeting STARD13. qRT-PCR, immunofluorescent assay and western blot was used to observe the variation of Vimentin and α-SMA in breast cancer cells. In summary, our study provided new insights into the function of miR-125b during the metastasis of breat cancer cells and also suggested the role of miR-125b in pro-metastasis by targeting STARD13.
School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China. leileitang1984@163.com
Feng
F
Tang
Rui
R
Zhang
Yunmian
Y
He
Meijuan
M
Zou
Le
L
Guo
Tao
T
Xi
D000199:Actins / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D005260:Female; D020690:GTPase-Activating Proteins; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D014746:Vimentin / Q000235:genetics
D000199:Actins; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D020690:GTPase-Activating Proteins; C531888:MIRN125 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs; C473607:STARD13 protein, human; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; D014746:Vimentin