MiR-150 promotes cellular metastasis in non-small cell lung cancer by targeting FOXO4

Sci Rep. 2016 Dec 15:6:39001. doi: 10.1038/srep39001.

Abstract

Previous studies have shown that dysregulation of microRNA-150 (miR-150) is associated with aberrant proliferation of human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells. However, whether miR-150 has a critical role in NSCLC cell metastasis is unknown. Here, we reveal that the critical pro-metastatic role of miR-150 in the regulation of epithelial-mesenchymal-transition (EMT) through down-regulation of FOXO4 in NSCLC. In vitro, miR-150 targets 3'UTR region of FOXO4 mRNA, thereby negatively regulating its expression. Clinically, the expression of miR-150 was frequently up-regulated in metastatic NSCLC cell lines and clinical specimens. Contrarily, FOXO4 was frequently down-regulated in NSCLC cell lines and clinical specimens. Functional studies show that ectopic expression of miR-150 enhanced tumor cell metastasis in vitro and in a mouse xenograft model, and triggered EMT-like changes in NSCLC cells (including E-cadherin repression, N-cadherin and Vimentin induction, and mesenchymal morphology). Correspondingly, FOXO4 knockdown exhibited pro-metastatic and molecular effects resembling the effect of miR-150 over-expression. Moreover, NF-κB/snail/YY1/RKIP circuitry regulated by FOXO4 were likely involved in miR-150-induced EMT event. Simultaneous knockdown of miR-150 and FOXO4 abolished the phenotypic and molecular effects caused by individual knockdown of miR-150. Therefore, our study provides previously unidentified pro-metastatic roles and mechanisms of miR-150 in NSCLC.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • A549 Cells
  • Animals
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / genetics
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / metabolism*
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / pathology
  • Cell Cycle Proteins
  • Female
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms / genetics
  • Lung Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Lung Neoplasms / pathology
  • Male
  • Mice, Nude
  • MicroRNAs / genetics
  • MicroRNAs / metabolism*
  • Neoplasm Metastasis
  • Neoplasm Proteins / genetics
  • Neoplasm Proteins / metabolism*
  • RNA, Neoplasm / genetics
  • RNA, Neoplasm / metabolism*
  • Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism*

Substances

  • Cell Cycle Proteins
  • FOXO4 protein, human
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors
  • MIRN150 microRNA, human
  • MicroRNAs
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • RNA, Neoplasm
  • Transcription Factors