title: miR-137 suppresses cell growth in ovarian cancer by targeting AEG-1.
abstract: Astrocyte elevated gene-1 (AEG-1) is an oncogene overexpressed in multiple types of human cancers including ovarian cancer (OC). However, the underlying mechanism of AEG-1 up-regulation in OC is not well understood. In this study, we showed that miR-137 downregulated AEG-1 expression through interaction with its 3' untranslated region (3'UTR) and that miR-137 expression was inversely correlated with AEG-1 levels in OC specimens. Similar to the downregulation of AEG-1, overexpression of miR-137 in OC cell lines decreased in vitro cell growth, clonogenicity, and also induced G1 arrest. Importantly, miR-137 overexpression suppressed in vivo tumor growth in nude mice models. Furthermore, we found that restoring the AEG-1 (without the 3'UTR) significantly rescued miR-137-induced cell growth inhibition and cell-cycle arrest. Taken together, these findings indicate that miR-137 functions as a tumor suppressor by inhibition of AEG-1. These molecules might be targets for prevention or treatment of OC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology, The Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Harbin Medical University, 150 Haping Road, Nan Gang District, Harbin, 150081, Heilongjiang Province, China.
authors.forename: Jinling
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Bairong
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: Fanling
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.forename: Ge
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lou
mesh_terms: D020413:3' Untranslated Regions / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D063646:Carcinogenesis / Q000235:genetics*; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005260:Female; D059585:G1 Phase Cell Cycle Checkpoints / Q000235:genetics; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins
chemical_list: D020413:3' Untranslated Regions; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; C545567:MIRN137 microRNA, human; C483039:MTDH protein, human; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D035683:MicroRNAs; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins
keywords: AEG-1; Cell growth; Ovarian cancer; miR-137