title: miR-29a activates Hes1 by targeting Nfia in esophageal carcinoma cell line TE-1.
abstract: MicroRNA (miR)-29a has been associated with carcinogenesis in humans; however, its functional significance in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is yet to be determined. In the present study, the expression of miR-29a was markedly downregulated in ESCC tissue and the ESCC TE-1 cell line, compared with normal esophageal tissue and cells. Furthermore, the present study identified that the forced expression of miR-29a in TE-1 cells significantly reduced cell proliferation and migration. miR-29a overexpression did not affect the expression of Notch1, however, it did increase the gene expression levels of hairy and enhancer of split 1 (Hes1), which is the key effector of the Notch signaling pathway. Direct targeting by miR-29a resulted in the downregulation of nuclear factor 1 A (Nfia), which represses the transcriptional activity of the Hes1 promoter. Furthermore, knockdown of Nfia increased Hes1 expression and inhibited cell growth in TE-1 cells. These results indicate that a low level of miR-29a expression is involved in ESCC tumorigenesis, and exogenous expression of miR-29a may repress cancer cell growth by downregulating Nfia and activating the Notch signaling pathway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Luohe Medical College, Luohe, Henan 462002, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Chang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Medicine, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450000, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Medicine, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450000, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Medicine, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450000, P.R. China ; Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Chuntian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Medicine, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450000, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jing
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Luohe Medical College, Luohe, Henan 462002, P.R. China ; Department of Basic Medicine, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450000, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Wenhai
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yan
keywords: cell growth; esophageal squamous cell carcinoma; microRNA; notch; nuclear factor 1 A