miR-21 antagonism abrogates Th17 tumor promoting functions in multiple myeloma

Leukemia. 2021 Mar;35(3):823-834. doi: 10.1038/s41375-020-0947-1. Epub 2020 Jul 6.

Abstract

Multiple myeloma (MM) is tightly dependent on inflammatory bone marrow microenvironment. IL-17 producing CD4+ T cells (Th17) sustain MM cells growth and osteoclasts-dependent bone damage. In turn, Th17 differentiation relies on inflammatory stimuli. Here, we investigated the role of miR-21 in Th17-mediated MM tumor growth and bone disease. We found that early inhibition of miR-21 in naive T cells (miR-21i-T cells) impaired Th17 differentiation in vitro and abrogated Th17-mediated MM cell proliferation and osteoclasts activity. We validated these findings in NOD/SCID-g-NULL mice, intratibially injected with miR-21i-T cells and MM cells. A Pairwise RNAseq and proteome/phosphoproteome analysis in Th17 cells demonstrated that miR-21 inhibition led to upregulation of STAT-1/-5a-5b, STAT-3 impairment and redirection of Th17 to Th1/Th2 like activated/polarized cells. Our findings disclose the role of miR-21 in pathogenic Th17 activity and open the avenue to the design of miR-21-targeting strategies to counteract microenvironment dependence of MM growth and bone disease.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / genetics*
  • Bone Neoplasms / genetics
  • Bone Neoplasms / immunology
  • Bone Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Bone Neoplasms / secondary*
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred NOD
  • Mice, SCID
  • MicroRNAs / genetics*
  • Multiple Myeloma / genetics
  • Multiple Myeloma / immunology
  • Multiple Myeloma / metabolism
  • Multiple Myeloma / pathology*
  • Prognosis
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / immunology*
  • Th17 Cells / immunology*
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured
  • Tumor Microenvironment
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • MIRN21 microRNA, human
  • MicroRNAs