Epigenetic regulation of thyroid hormone receptor beta in renal cancer

PLoS One. 2014 May 21;9(5):e97624. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0097624. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Thyroid hormone receptor beta (THRB) gene is commonly deregulated in cancers and, as strengthened by animal models, postulated to play a tumor-suppressive role. Our previous studies revealed downregulation of THRB in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), but the culpable mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. Since epigenetic regulation is a common mechanism influencing the expression of tumor suppressors, we hypothesized that downregulation of THRB in renal cancer results from epigenetic aberrances, including CpG methylation and microRNA-dependent silencing. Our study revealed that ccRCC tumors exhibited a 56% decrease in THRB and a 37% increase in DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) expression when compared with paired non-neoplastic control samples. However, THRB CpG methylation analysis performed using BSP, SNaPshot and MSP-PCR consistently revealed no changes in methylation patterns between matched tumor and control samples. In silico analysis resulted in identification of four microRNAs (miR-155, miR-425, miR-592, and miR-599) as potentially targeting THRB transcript. Luciferase assay showed direct binding of miR-155 and miR-425 to 3'UTR of THRB, and subsequent in vivo analyses revealed that transfection of UOK171 cell line with synthetic miR-155 or miR-425 resulted in decreased expression of endogenous TRHB by 22% and 64%, respectively. Finally, real-time PCR analysis showed significant upregulation of miR-155 (354%) and miR-425 (162%) in ccRCC when compared with matched controls. Moreover, microRNA levels were negatively correlated with the amount of THRB transcript in tissue samples. We conclude that CpG methylation is not the major mechanism contributing to decreased THRB expression in ccRCC. In contrast, THRB is targeted by microRNAs miR-155 and miR-425, whose increased expression may be responsible for downregulation of THRB in ccRCC tumors.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • 3' Untranslated Regions / genetics
  • Carcinoma, Renal Cell / genetics*
  • Carcinoma, Renal Cell / pathology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferase 1
  • DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases / genetics
  • DNA Methylation
  • Epigenesis, Genetic*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / genetics
  • Humans
  • Kidney Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Kidney Neoplasms / pathology
  • MicroRNAs / genetics
  • Thyroid Hormone Receptors beta / genetics*

Substances

  • 3' Untranslated Regions
  • MIRN155 microRNA, human
  • MIRN425 microRNA, human
  • MicroRNAs
  • Thyroid Hormone Receptors beta
  • DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferase 1
  • DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases
  • DNMT1 protein, human

Grants and funding

The study was supported by the National Science Centre grants NN401611940 and NN401047638 (to AN), the UNESCO/FEBS Collaborative Experimental Scholarship for Central & Eastern Europe, 2010 (to AW), and the National Science Centre Grant 2012/05/B/NZ5/01541 (to APW). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.