Inhibition of LCMR1 and ATG12 by demethylation-activated miR-570-3p is involved in the anti-metastasis effects of metformin on human osteosarcoma

Cell Death Dis. 2018 May 23;9(6):611. doi: 10.1038/s41419-018-0620-z.

Abstract

Epidemiological studies have demonstrated that metformin could mitigate the progression of several tumors. Although it has been proved that metformin could cause demethylation of DNA and lead to up-regulation of some encoding genes and non-coding RNAs, there is little data about the effects of metformin on metastasis, and the interaction between metastasis and autophagy in human osteosarcoma cells. Here, we found miR-570-3p was significantly down-regulated in human metastatic osteosarcoma tissues but not in non-metastatic osteosarcoma tissues. Metformin attenuates the metastasis and autophagy in osteosarcoma. Interestingly, this autophagy favors osteosarcoma cells invasion. Moreover, reduction of metformin-induced inhibition of autophagy could reverse the invasion suppression in osteosarcoma. Mechanistically, metformin increases miR-570-3p by the demethylation of DNA, and the upregulation of miR-570-3p repressed the translation of its target, LCMR1 and ATG12. Our results, for the first time, presents evidence that the miR-570-3p-mediated suppression of LCMR1 and ATG12 is involved in the metformin-induced inhibition of metastasis in osteosarcoma cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Animals
  • Autophagy
  • Autophagy-Related Protein 12 / metabolism*
  • Base Sequence
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Movement / drug effects
  • Demethylation*
  • Down-Regulation / drug effects
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mediator Complex / metabolism*
  • Metformin / pharmacology*
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Nude
  • MicroRNAs / genetics
  • MicroRNAs / metabolism*
  • Neoplasm Invasiveness
  • Neoplasm Metastasis
  • Osteosarcoma / genetics*
  • Osteosarcoma / pathology*
  • Osteosarcoma / ultrastructure
  • Survival Analysis
  • Up-Regulation / drug effects
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • ATG12 protein, human
  • Autophagy-Related Protein 12
  • MED19 protein, human
  • MIRN570 microRNA, human
  • Mediator Complex
  • MicroRNAs
  • Metformin