title: Enforced miR-144-3p Expression as a Non-Invasive Biomarker for the Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patients Mainly by Targeting NRF2.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous non-coding RNAs of 19-25 nucleotides in length. Abnormal miRNA expression has been identified in various types of cancer. However, the aberrant expression of miR-1244 has not been reported in acute myeloid leukemia.
  
  
  METHODS
  First, the expression of miR-144-3p was explored in the bone marrow and peripheral blood of AML patients and healthy control. Then, we also evaluated the level of miR-144-3p in HL-60 cells. The possible target gene of miR-144-3p was predicted using TargetScan. Dual luciferase reporter assay was applied to validate the target gene of miR-144-3p. Cell viability and apoptosis on miR-144-3p was explored. Western blot analysis was applied to identify the downstream signaling of miR-144-3p.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our data showed that miR-144-3p was markedly increased in both the peripheral blood and bone marrow of AML patients compared with healthy controls. Moreover, we also found an increased expression of miR144-3p in HL-60 cells. In comparison, NRF2 protein expression was significantly decreased in HL-60 cells. Dual luciferase reporter assays demonstrated that miR-144-3p significantly suppressed the relative luciferase reporter activity of a pmirGLO-NRF2-3'UTR. In accordance with the downstream effects of NRF2 overexpression, inhibition of miR-144-3p reduced cell viability and prompted apoptosis. More importantly, we found that the inhibition of miR-144-3p in HL-60 cells could not enhance Caspase-3 activation when NRF2 protein expression was silenced.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest a potential oncogenic function of miR-144-3p in HL-60 cells, which is mainly achieved by targeting NRF2.
authors.forename: Xuelin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Dejun
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Hu
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis; D015415:Biomarkers; D018922:HL-60 Cells; D006801:Humans; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute; D035683:MicroRNAs; D051267:NF-E2-Related Factor 2
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D035683:MicroRNAs; D051267:NF-E2-Related Factor 2; C495635:NFE2L2 protein, human