title: Long non-coding RNA MEG3 induces renal cell carcinoma cells apoptosis by activating the mitochondrial pathway.
abstract: This study aimed to examine the effect of long non-coding RNA (LncRNA) MEG3 on the biological behaviors of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) cells 786-0 and the possible mechanism. MEG3 expression levels were detected by RT-qPCR in tumor tissues and adjacent non-tumor tissues from 29 RCC patients and in RCC lines 786-0 and SN12 and human embryonic kidney cell line 293T. Plasmids GV144-MEG3 (MEG3 overexpression plasmid) and GV144 (control plasmid) were stably transfected into 786-0 cells by using lipofectamine 2000. Cell viabilities were determined by MTT, cell apoptosis rates by flow cytometry following PE Annexin V and 7AAD staining, apoptosis-related protein expressions by Western blotting, and Bcl-2 mRNA by RT-qPCR in the transfected cells. The results showed that MEG3 was evidently downregulated in RCC tissues (P<0.05) and RCC cell lines (P<0.05). The viabilities of 786-0 cells were decreased significantly after transfection with GV144-MEG3 for over 24 h (P<0.05). Consistently, the apoptosis rate was significantly increased in 786-0 cells transfected with GV144-MEG3 for 48 h (P<0.05). Furthermore, overexpression of MEG3 could reduce the expression of Bcl-2 and procaspase-9 proteins, enhance the expression of cleaved caspase-9 protein, and promote the release of cytochrome c protein to cytoplasm (P<0.05). Additionally, Bcl-2 mRNA level was declined by MEG3 overexpression (P<0.05). It was concluded that MEG3 induces the apoptosis of RCC cells possibly by activating the mitochondrial pathway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China.
authors.forename: Miao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, The First Hospital of Wuhan, Wuhan, 430022, China.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China.
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China.
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China.
authors.forename: Xing-Yuan
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China.
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China.
authors.forename: Guo-Song
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China. zengfuqingpro@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Fu-Qing
authors.initials: FQ
authors.lastname: Zeng
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D057809:HEK293 Cells; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000235:genetics*; D062085:RNA, Long Noncoding / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: C498907:MEG3 non-coding RNA, human; D062085:RNA, Long Noncoding