MicroRNA-106b Regulates Expression of the Tumour Suppressors p21 and TXNIP and Promotes Tumour Cell Proliferation in Mycosis Fungoides

A prognostic 3-miRNA classifier for early-stage mycosis fungoides has been developed recently, with miR-106b providing the strongest prognostic power. The aim of this study was to investigate the molecular function of miR-106b in mycosis fungoides disease progression. The cellular localization of miR-106b in mycosis fungoides skin biopsies was determined by in situ hybridization. The regulatory role of miR-106b was assessed by transient miR-106b inhibitor/mimic transfection of 2 mycosis fungoides derived cell lines, followed by quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR), western blotting and a proliferation assay. MiR-106b was found to be expressed by dermal T-lymphocytes in mycosis fungoides skin lesions, and miR-106b expression increased with advancing mycosis fungoides stage. Transfection of miR-106b in 2 mycosis fungoides derived cell lines showed that miR-106b represses the tumour suppressors cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1 (p21) and thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP) and promotes mycosis fungoides tumour cell proliferation. In conclusion, these results substantiate that miR-106b has both a functional and prognostic role in progression of mycosis fungoides.