Expression of microRNA-21 in non-small cell lung cancer tissue increases with disease progression and is likely caused by growth conditional changes during malignant transformation

  • Authors:
    • Barbara Haigl
    • Vanita Vanas
    • Ulrike Setinek
    • Balazs Hegedus
    • Andrea Gsur
    • Hedwig Sutterlüty-Fall
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  • Published online on: January 22, 2014     https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.2014.2272
  • Pages: 1325-1334
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Abstract

MicroRNAs can govern up to hundred different mRNAs and are important regulators of gene expression programs in development and disease. We analyzed the expression of microRNA-21, one of the most common oncomirs, in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Using northern blots the microRNA-21 expression levels of NSCLC-derived tissue and cell lines were measured. In line with earlier observations we show that mature microRNA-21 expression levels are highly increased in NSCLC-derived tissue compared to normal lung tissue. Additionally, we demonstrate that microRNA-21 levels correlate with malignancy since its expression in higher staged tumors is significantly more elevated compared to stage 1A. Interestingly, microRNA-21 levels in cultured NSCLC-derived cells are comparable to the expression detected in non-malignant lung tissue. Since microRNA-21 levels showed no fluctuation during the cell cycle, accelerated proliferation of tumor cells is not responsible for microRNA-21 upregulation in the tumor compartment. Similarly to NSCLC-derived cancer cells, the tumor-associated fibroblasts show low expression levels of microRNA-21. Together, these data indicate that rather microenviromental and growth conditional changes than intrinsic features of the cancer cells are responsible for the observed increase of microRNA-21 levels in tumor tissues. Subsequently culturing conditions were changed to assess the impact of co-cultivation with fibroblasts, hypoxia and anchorage-independent growth on microRNA-21 expression. While co-cultivation with tumor-associated fibroblasts had no effect on microRNA-21 expression, both hypoxia and anchorage-independent growth cause a microRNA-21 elevation. In summary, our data demonstrate that growth conditions especially expected in more malignant tumors result in microRNA-21 upregulation explaining the observed increase in higher staged lung cancer tissue, but not in lung cancer-derived cells.
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2014-April
Volume 44 Issue 4

Print ISSN: 1019-6439
Online ISSN:1791-2423

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Spandidos Publications style
Haigl B, Vanas V, Setinek U, Hegedus B, Gsur A and Sutterlüty-Fall H: Expression of microRNA-21 in non-small cell lung cancer tissue increases with disease progression and is likely caused by growth conditional changes during malignant transformation. Int J Oncol 44: 1325-1334, 2014
APA
Haigl, B., Vanas, V., Setinek, U., Hegedus, B., Gsur, A., & Sutterlüty-Fall, H. (2014). Expression of microRNA-21 in non-small cell lung cancer tissue increases with disease progression and is likely caused by growth conditional changes during malignant transformation. International Journal of Oncology, 44, 1325-1334. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.2014.2272
MLA
Haigl, B., Vanas, V., Setinek, U., Hegedus, B., Gsur, A., Sutterlüty-Fall, H."Expression of microRNA-21 in non-small cell lung cancer tissue increases with disease progression and is likely caused by growth conditional changes during malignant transformation". International Journal of Oncology 44.4 (2014): 1325-1334.
Chicago
Haigl, B., Vanas, V., Setinek, U., Hegedus, B., Gsur, A., Sutterlüty-Fall, H."Expression of microRNA-21 in non-small cell lung cancer tissue increases with disease progression and is likely caused by growth conditional changes during malignant transformation". International Journal of Oncology 44, no. 4 (2014): 1325-1334. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.2014.2272