microRNA-7 inhibits the epidermal growth factor receptor and the Akt pathway and is down-regulated in glioblastoma

Cancer Res. 2008 May 15;68(10):3566-72. doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-07-6639.

Abstract

microRNAs are noncoding RNAs inhibiting expression of numerous target genes, and a few have been shown to act as oncogenes or tumor suppressors. We show that microRNA-7 (miR-7) is a potential tumor suppressor in glioblastoma targeting critical cancer pathways. miR-7 potently suppressed epidermal growth factor receptor expression, and furthermore it independently inhibited the Akt pathway via targeting upstream regulators. miR-7 expression was down-regulated in glioblastoma versus surrounding brain, with a mechanism involving impaired processing. Importantly, transfection with miR-7 decreased viability and invasiveness of primary glioblastoma lines. This study establishes miR-7 as a regulator of major cancer pathways and suggests that it has therapeutic potential for glioblastoma.

MeSH terms

  • 3' Untranslated Regions
  • Brain Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Cell Separation
  • Down-Regulation*
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic*
  • Glioblastoma / metabolism*
  • HeLa Cells
  • Humans
  • MicroRNAs*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / metabolism*
  • Transfection

Substances

  • 3' Untranslated Regions
  • MicroRNAs
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt