The miR-29 transcriptome in endocrine-sensitive and resistant breast cancer cells

Sci Rep. 2017 Jul 12;7(1):5205. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-05727-w.

Abstract

Aberrant microRNA expression contributes to breast cancer progression and endocrine resistance. We reported that although tamoxifen stimulated miR-29b-1/a transcription in tamoxifen (TAM)-resistant breast cancer cells, ectopic expression of miR-29b-1/a did not drive TAM-resistance in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. However, miR-29b-1/a overexpression significantly repressed TAM-resistant LCC9 cell proliferation, suggesting that miR-29b-1/a is not mediating TAM resistance but acts as a tumor suppressor in TAM-resistant cells. The target genes mediating this tumor suppressor activity were unknown. Here, we identify miR-29b-1 and miR-29a target transcripts in both MCF-7 and LCC9 cells. We find that miR-29b-1 and miR-29a regulate common and unique transcripts in each cell line. The cell-specific and common downregulated genes were characterized using the MetaCore Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis algorithm. LCC9-sepecific miR-29b-1/a-regulated GO processes include oxidative phosphorylation, ATP metabolism, and apoptosis. Extracellular flux analysis of cells transfected with anti- or pre- miR-29a confirmed that miR-29a inhibits mitochondrial bioenergetics in LCC9 cells. qPCR,luciferase reporter assays, and western blot also verified the ATP synthase subunit genes ATP5G1 and ATPIF1 as bone fide miR29b-1/a targets. Our results suggest that miR-29 repression of TAM-resistant breast cancer cell proliferation is mediated in part through repression of genes important in mitochondrial bioenergetics.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biomarkers, Tumor / genetics*
  • Breast Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Breast Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / genetics*
  • Estrogen Antagonists / pharmacology
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic*
  • Humans
  • MicroRNAs / genetics*
  • Mitochondrial Proteins / genetics
  • Mitochondrial Proteins / metabolism
  • Tamoxifen / pharmacology*
  • Transcriptome
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Estrogen Antagonists
  • MIRN29a microRNA, human
  • MicroRNAs
  • Mitochondrial Proteins
  • Tamoxifen