PDGFR-modulated miR-23b cluster and miR-125a-5p suppress lung tumorigenesis by targeting multiple components of KRAS and NF-kB pathways

Sci Rep. 2017 Nov 13;7(1):15441. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-14843-6.

Abstract

In NSCLC alterations in PDGF receptors are markers of worst prognosis and efficient targeting of these receptors is yet to be achieved. In this study, we explored PDGFR-regulated microRNAs demonstrating that miR-23b cluster and miR-125a-5p are downregulated by increased expression of PDGFR-α or PDGFR-β in NSCLC cells. Mechanistically, the expression of these microRNAs is positively regulated by p53 and negatively modulated by NF-kB p65. Forced expression of miR-23b cluster or miR-125a-5p enhanced drug sensitivity and suppressed invasiveness of NSCLC cells by silencing several genes involved in oncogenic KRAS and NF-kB pathways, including SOS1, GRB2, IQGAP1, RALA, RAF-1, IKKβ, AKT2, ERK2 and KRAS itself. Of note, an inverse correlation between miR-23b cluster, miR-125a-5p and respective target genes was also found in vivo in a large dataset of lung adenocarcinoma samples. Furthermore, in vivo delivery of miR-23b cluster or miR-125a-5p significantly repressed tumour growth in a highly aggressive NSCLC circulating tumour cell (CTC) patient derived explant (CDX) mouse model. In conclusion, our finding sheds light on the PDGFR signaling and endorses the possibility to employ miR-23b cluster and miR-125a-5p as therapeutic tools to silence simultaneously a range of redundant pathways and main effectors of tumorigenesis in NSCLC.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology
  • Carcinogenesis / genetics
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / genetics*
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / pathology
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / therapy
  • Down-Regulation
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / genetics
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Genetic Therapy
  • Humans
  • Lung / pathology
  • Lung Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Lung Neoplasms / pathology
  • Lung Neoplasms / therapy
  • Male
  • Mice
  • MicroRNAs / administration & dosage
  • MicroRNAs / genetics
  • MicroRNAs / metabolism*
  • Middle Aged
  • Multigene Family / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras) / metabolism
  • Receptors, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction / genetics*
  • Transcription Factor RelA / metabolism
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / metabolism
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • KRAS protein, human
  • MIRN125 microRNA, human
  • MIRN23a microRNA, human
  • MicroRNAs
  • RELA protein, human
  • TP53 protein, human
  • Transcription Factor RelA
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53
  • Receptors, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras)