The SH3BGR/STAT3 Pathway Regulates Cell Migration and Angiogenesis Induced by a Gammaherpesvirus MicroRNA

PLoS Pathog. 2016 Apr 29;12(4):e1005605. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1005605. eCollection 2016 Apr.

Abstract

Kaposi's sarcoma (KS)-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is a gammaherpesvirus etiologically associated with KS, a highly disseminated angiogenic tumor of hyperproliferative spindle endothelial cells. KSHV encodes 25 mature microRNAs but their roles in KSHV-induced tumor dissemination and angiogenesis remain unknown. Here, we investigated KSHV-encoded miR-K12-6-3p (miR-K6-3p) promotion of endothelial cell migration and angiogenesis, which are the underlying mechanisms of tumor dissemination and angiogenesis. We found that ectopic expression of miR-K6-3p promoted endothelial cell migration and angiogenesis. Mass spectrometry, bioinformatics and luciferase reporter analyses revealed that miR-K6-3p directly targeted sequence in the 3' untranslated region (UTR) of SH3 domain binding glutamate-rich protein (SH3BGR). Overexpression of SH3BGR reversed miR-K6-3p induction of cell migration and angiogenesis. Mechanistically, miR-K6-3p downregulated SH3BGR, hence relieved STAT3 from SH3BGR direct binding and inhibition, which was required for miR-K6-3p maximum activation of STAT3 and induction of cell migration and angiogenesis. Finally, deletion of miR-K6 from the KSHV genome abrogated its effect on the SH3BGR/STAT3 pathway, and KSHV-induced migration and angiogenesis. Our results illustrated that, by inhibiting SH3BGR, miR-K6-3p enhances cell migration and angiogenesis by activating the STAT3 pathway, and thus contributes to the dissemination and angiogenesis of KSHV-induced malignancies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Blotting, Western
  • Cell Movement / physiology
  • Herpesvirus 8, Human / physiology
  • Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Immunoprecipitation
  • Mice
  • Mice, Nude
  • MicroRNAs*
  • Microscopy, Confocal
  • Muscle Proteins / metabolism*
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / genetics
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / metabolism*
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • RNA, Viral*
  • STAT3 Transcription Factor / metabolism*
  • Sarcoma, Kaposi / pathology*
  • Signal Transduction / physiology
  • Transfection

Substances

  • MicroRNAs
  • Muscle Proteins
  • RNA, Viral
  • SH3BGR protein, human
  • STAT3 Transcription Factor
  • STAT3 protein, human