MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a very important role in the development of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). This study focuses on the effects of miR-9 on the regulation of AML cells and their related signaling pathways. We found that the expression of miR-9 was significantly decreased in four AML cell lines (THP-1, HL-60, TF-1 and KG-1) compared with the human normal bone marrow cells (HS-5). Moreover, miR-9 overexpression inhibited HL-60 cell proliferation ability, and promoted apoptosis. However, interfering with miR-9 expression promoted the proliferation of HL-6 cells and inhibited apoptosis. Western blotting results subsequently showed that overexpression of miR-9 could elevate the expression of MAT1, LATS1, and LATS2 in HL-60 cells, and inhibit the expression of YAP, while the interference with miR-9 had the opposite result. Taken together, miR-9 may act as a tumor suppressor by activating the Hippo/YAP signaling pathway of AML cells, which in this way supply ideas for the clinical remedy of AML patients.
Keywords: Hippo/YAP signaling pathway; acute myeloid leukemia; mir-9; proliferation and apoptosis.