title: MiR-421 regulates apoptosis of BGC-823 gastric cancer cells by targeting caspase-3.
abstract: MicroRNAs might act as oncogenes or tumor suppressors in cancer. Recent studies have shown that miR-421 is up-regulated in human gastric cancer. Here, we found that miR-421 was over-expressed in gastric cancer tissues and cell lines. Bioinformatics analysis predicted that the caspase-3 gene was a target of miR-421. Caspase-3 was negatively regulated by miR-421 at the post-transcriptional level. Bax and Bcl-2 were also regulated by miR-421. Moreover, tumor necrosis factor receptor-I and -II, death receptors in the apoptosis pathway, were up-regulated by miR-421. The over-expression of miR-421 promoted gastric cancer cell growth and inhibited apoptosis of the BGC-823 gastric cancer cell line. These observations indicate that miR-421 acts as a tumor promoter by targeting the caspase-3 gene and preventing apoptosis of gastric cancer cells through inhibition of caspase-3 expression. These findings contribute to our understanding of the functions of miR-421 in gastric cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory, Kunshan First People's Hospital, Affiliated to JiangSu University, Kunshan, China E-mail : wangjianjun0520@163.com.
authors.forename: Jian-Hong
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Yong-Liang
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Ze-You
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiong-Yong
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Pu
authors.forename: Wang-Wei
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Xian
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yi-Biao
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Jian-Jun
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics*; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000235:genetics*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000235:genetics; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I / Q000235:genetics; D047889:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type II / Q000235:genetics; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000235:genetics; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: C547665:MIRN421 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I; D047889:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type II; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D053148:Caspase 3