MicroRNA-21 promotes the proliferation and invasion of neuroblastoma cells through targeting CHL1.
BACKGROUND
Neuroblastoma (NB) is one of the most common solid tumors in infants and children. Numerous reports demonstrated that microRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in the carcinogenesis of neuroblastoma. miR-21 functions as a tumor oncogene in some malignancies. However, its role in NB remains poorly understood.


METHODS
miR-21 expression was quantified in NB tissues and matched adjacent non-tumor tissues using quantitative real-time PCR (RT-PCR). Cell proliferation, migration, and invasion were measured following overexpression of miR-21 expression by miR-21 mimics. miR-21 targets were scanned using target prediction programs. Following the overexpression of miR-21, target gene expression was detected by western blotting. In addition, cell proliferation, migration, and invasion were measured following inhibition of CHL1 expression by siRNA.


RESULTS
In the present study, our results showed that miR-21 was increased in NB tissues compared with matched adjacent non-tumor tissues. Forced overexpression of miR-21 significantly increased NB cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Close homolog of LI (CHL1) was found to be a target of miR-21. Furthermore, downregulation of CHL1 by siRNA performed similar effects with overexpression of miR-21 in NB cells.


CONCLUSIONS
We suggested that miR-21 promoted neuroblastoma cell growth and motility partially by targeting CHL1, indicating the potential utility of miR-21 inhibition as a novel therapeutic strategy against neuroblastoma.
Department of Pediatrics, Huaihe Hospital of HeNan University, Kaifeng, Henan Province, China - xfzhang1982@sina.com.
Ying
Y
Li
Ya M
YM
Shang
Qi W
QW
Wang
D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000502:physiology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000502:physiology*; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000473:pathology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
C490650:CHL1 protein, human; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; C524940:MIRN21 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs