miR-302/367/LATS2/YAP pathway is essential for prostate tumor-propagating cells and promotes the development of castration resistance

Oncogene. 2017 Nov 9;36(45):6336-6347. doi: 10.1038/onc.2017.240. Epub 2017 Jul 24.

Abstract

Clinical intervention for patients with advanced prostate cancer (PCa) remains challenging due to the inevitable recurrence of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) after androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). Cancer stem cells (CSCs) with serial tumor-propagating capacity are considered to be the driving force for PCa progression and recurrence. In this study, we report that the miR-302/367 cluster, a previously identified potent pluripotency regulator, is upregulated in prostate tumors. Specifically, the forced expression of the miR-302/367 cluster accelerates the in vitro and in vivo growth of PCa cells and their resistance to androgen ablation, whereas the knockdown of the miR-302/367 cluster using anti-sense RNA suppresses the incidence of formation, growth rate and endpoint weight of PCa cell tumors. Mechanistically, we find that LATS2, a key component of the tumor-suppressive Hippo signaling pathway, acts as a direct target of the miR-302/367 cluster in PCa cells. The downregulation of LATS2 by the miR-302/367 cluster reduces the phosphorylation and enhances the nuclear translocation of the YAP oncoprotein. Conversely, the restoration of LATS2 expression abrogates the tumor-promoting effects of forced miR-302/367 cluster expression. Collectively, the potent pluripotency regulator-triggered miR-302/367/LATS2/YAP pathway is essential for prostate tumor-propagating cells and promotes castration resistance. Thus, targeting this signaling axis may represent a promising therapeutic strategy for CRPC.

MeSH terms

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / genetics
  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Cell Cycle Proteins
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation / physiology
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • MicroRNAs / genetics
  • MicroRNAs / metabolism*
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local
  • Nuclear Proteins / genetics
  • Nuclear Proteins / metabolism
  • Phosphoproteins / genetics
  • Phosphoproteins / metabolism
  • Prostatic Neoplasms, Castration-Resistant / genetics*
  • Prostatic Neoplasms, Castration-Resistant / metabolism*
  • Prostatic Neoplasms, Castration-Resistant / pathology
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / genetics
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction
  • Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism
  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins / genetics
  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins / metabolism
  • YAP-Signaling Proteins

Substances

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing
  • Cell Cycle Proteins
  • MIRN302 microRNA, mouse
  • MIRN367 microRNA, human
  • MIRN367 microRNA, mouse
  • MicroRNAs
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • Phosphoproteins
  • Transcription Factors
  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins
  • YAP-Signaling Proteins
  • YY1AP1 protein, human
  • Yap1 protein, mouse
  • LATS2 protein, human
  • LATS2 protein, mouse
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases