P53-induced miR-1249 inhibits tumor growth, metastasis, and angiogenesis by targeting VEGFA and HMGA2

Cell Death Dis. 2019 Feb 12;10(2):131. doi: 10.1038/s41419-018-1188-3.

Abstract

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are important class of functional regulators involved in human cancers development, including colorectal cancer (CRC). Exploring aberrantly expressed miRNAs may provide us with new insights into the initiation and development of CRC by functioning as oncogenes or tumor suppressors. The aim of our study is to discover the expression pattern of miR-1249 in CRC and investigate its clinical significance as well as biological role in CRC progression. In our study, we found that miR-1249 was markedly downregulated in CRC tissues and cell lines, and negatively related to pN stage, pM stage, TNM stage, and overall survival (OS). Moreover, we demonstrated that miR-1249 was a direct transcriptional target of P53 and revealed that P53-induced miR-1249 inhibited tumor growth, metastasis and angiogenesis in vitro and vivo. Additionally, we verified that miR-1249 suppressed CRC proliferation and angiogenesis by targeting VEGFA as well as inhibited CRC metastasis by targeting both VEGFA and HMGA2. Further studying showed that miR-1249 suppressed CRC cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and angiogenesis via VEGFA-mediated Akt/mTOR pathway as well as inhibited EMT process of CRC cells by targeting both VEGFA and HMGA2. Our study indicated that P53-induced miR-1249 may suppress CRC growth, metastasis and angiogenesis by targeting VEGFA and HMGA2, as well as regulate Akt/mTOR pathway and EMT process in the initiation and development of CRC. miR-1249 might be a novel the therapeutic candidate target in CRC treatment.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Movement / genetics
  • Cell Proliferation / genetics
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Disease Progression
  • Female
  • HCT116 Cells
  • HMGA2 Protein / metabolism*
  • HT29 Cells
  • Heterografts
  • Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Nude
  • MicroRNAs / genetics
  • MicroRNAs / metabolism*
  • Middle Aged
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / metabolism*
  • Transfection
  • Tumor Burden / genetics
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / metabolism*
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / metabolism*

Substances

  • HMGA2 Protein
  • HMGA2 protein, human
  • MicroRNAs
  • TP53 protein, human
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53
  • VEGFA protein, human
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A