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miR-154 inhibits EMT by targeting HMGA2 in prostate cancer cells

Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry volume 379, pages 69–75 (2013)Cite this article

Abstract

Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a crucial process that plays an important role in the invasion and metastasis of human cancers. High-mobility group AT-hook 2 (HMGA2) has been found to be involved in the EMT program, with its aberrant expression having been observed in a variety of malignant tumors. However, the mechanisms regulating HMGA2 expression remain incompletely understood. The objective of this study was to investigate whether mir-154 plays a critical role in EMT by regulating HMGA2. The expression levels of HMGA2 were examined in four samples of prostate cancer (PCa) tissue and adjacent non-tumorous tissue by Western blot analysis. The effects of forced expression of miR-154 or HMGA2 knockdown on PCa cells were evaluated by cell migration and invasion assays and Western blot analysis. HMGA2 was upregulated in the PCa tissue samples compared with the adjacent normal ones. Forced expression of miR-154 or HMGA2 knockdown significantly reduced the migratory and invasive capabilities of PCa cells in vitro and inhibited EMT gene expression, increased the levels of E-cadherin, an epithelial marker, and decreased the levels of vimentin, a mesenchymal marker. HMGA2 is a direct target gene of miR-154 by dual-luciferase reporter assay. Our findings suggest that miR-154 plays a role in regulating EMT by targeting HMGA2. Understanding the targets and regulating pathways of miR-154 may provide new insights into the underlying pathogenesis of PCa.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Program for Development of Innovative Research Team in the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Provincial Initiative Program for Excellency Disciplines of Jiangsu Province, by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant numbers 81171963, 81102089, and 81201998) and the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (Grant number BK2011773).

Conflict of interest

The authors have no financial conflict of interest.

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Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, 210029, China

    Chen Zhu, Jie Li, Gong Cheng, Hai Zhou, Liangjun Tao, Hongzhou Cai, Pu Li, Qiang Cao, Xiaobing Ju, Xiaoxin Meng, Chao Qin, Lixin Hua, Changjun Yin & Pengfei Shao

  2. Department of Molecular and Genetic Toxicology, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China

    Meilin Wang & Zhengdong Zhang

Authors
  1. Chen Zhu
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  2. Jie Li
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  3. Gong Cheng
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  4. Hai Zhou
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  5. Liangjun Tao
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  6. Hongzhou Cai
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  7. Pu Li
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  8. Qiang Cao
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  9. Xiaobing Ju
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  10. Xiaoxin Meng
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  11. Meilin Wang
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  12. Zhengdong Zhang
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  13. Chao Qin
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  14. Lixin Hua
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  15. Changjun Yin
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  16. Pengfei Shao
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Changjun Yin or Pengfei Shao.

Additional information

Chen Zhu, Jie Li, and Gong Cheng contributed equally to this work.

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Cite this article

Zhu, C., Li, J., Cheng, G. et al. miR-154 inhibits EMT by targeting HMGA2 in prostate cancer cells. Mol Cell Biochem 379, 69–75 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11010-013-1628-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11010-013-1628-4

Keywords

  • Prostate cancer
  • miR-154
  • EMT