Different miR-21-3p isoforms and their different features in colorectal cancer

Int J Cancer. 2017 Nov 15;141(10):2103-2111. doi: 10.1002/ijc.30902. Epub 2017 Aug 2.

Abstract

MiR-21, the only microRNA (miRNA) found to be overexpressed in any type of solid tumor, its guide stand, miR-21-5p, has been studied a lot in colorectal cancer (CRC); however, few researchers focused on its passenger strand, miR-21-3p. In our study, based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data, we found that there were more varieties and quantities of miR-21-3p isoforms in microsatellite instability (MSI)-type CRC. We further examined the role of miR-21-3p by in vitro and in vivo studies. MiR-21-3p may be an oncogene in CRC by promoting cellular mobility through epithelial-mesenchymal transition. However, different isoforms, especially miR-21-3p 0 | 2, may be a favorable prognostic marker for CRC survival, probably due to increased complementary effect of miR-21-5p and/or target genes. Further study investigating the underlying mechanism of miRNA isoforms is needed.

Keywords: MiR-21-3p; colorectal cancer (CRC); epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT); isoform.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / genetics*
  • Cell Movement
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic*
  • Humans
  • Immunoenzyme Techniques
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Nude
  • MicroRNAs / genetics*
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Prognosis
  • Protein Isoforms
  • Smad7 Protein / genetics
  • Smad7 Protein / metabolism
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • MIRN21 microRNA, human
  • MicroRNAs
  • Protein Isoforms
  • Smad7 Protein