Stromal fibroblast-derived miR-409 promotes epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and prostate tumorigenesis

Oncogene. 2015 May 21;34(21):2690-9. doi: 10.1038/onc.2014.212. Epub 2014 Jul 28.

Abstract

Tumor-stromal interaction is a dynamic process that promotes tumor growth and metastasis via cell-cell interaction and extracellular vesicles. Recent studies demonstrate that stromal fibroblast-derived molecular signatures can be used to predict disease progression and drug resistance. To identify the epigenetic role of stromal noncoding RNAs in tumor-stromal interactions in the tumor microenvironment, we performed microRNA profiling of patient cancer-associated prostate stromal fibroblasts isolated by laser capture dissection microscopy and in bone-associated stromal models. We found specific upregulation of miR-409-3p and miR-409-5p located within the embryonically and developmentally regulated DLK1-DIO3 (delta-like 1 homolog-deiodinase, iodothyronine 3) cluster on human chromosome 14. The findings in cell lines were further validated in human prostate cancer tissues. Strikingly, ectopic expression of miR-409 in normal prostate fibroblasts conferred a cancer-associated stroma-like phenotype and led to the release of miR-409 via extracellular vesicles to promote tumor induction and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in vitro and in vivo. miR-409 promoted tumorigenesis through repression of tumor suppressor genes such as Ras suppressor 1 and stromal antigen 2. Thus, stromal fibroblasts derived miR-409-induced tumorigenesis, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and stemness of the epithelial cancer cells in vivo. Therefore, miR-409 appears to be an attractive therapeutic target to block the vicious cycle of tumor-stromal interactions that plagues prostate cancer patients.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Carcinogenesis / genetics*
  • Carcinogenesis / pathology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / genetics*
  • Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / pathology
  • Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition / genetics*
  • Fibroblasts / pathology*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / genetics
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Nude
  • MicroRNAs / genetics*
  • Prostate / pathology*
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / pathology
  • Tumor Microenvironment / genetics
  • Up-Regulation / genetics

Substances

  • MIRN409 microRNA, human
  • MicroRNAs