MiR-134/487b/655 cluster regulates TGF-β-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition and drug resistance to gefitinib by targeting MAGI2 in lung adenocarcinoma cells

Mol Cancer Ther. 2014 Feb;13(2):444-53. doi: 10.1158/1535-7163.MCT-13-0448. Epub 2013 Nov 20.

Abstract

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has recently been recognized as a key element of cell invasion, migration, metastasis, and drug resistance in several types of cancer, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Our aim was to clarify microRNA (miRNA)-related mechanisms underlying EMT followed by acquired resistance to epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) in NSCLC. miRNA expression profiles were examined before and after transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) exposure in four human adenocarcinoma cell lines with or without EMT. Correlation between expressions of EMT-related miRNAs and resistance to EGFR-TKI gefitinib was evaluated. miRNA array and real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) revealed that TGF-β1 significantly induced overexpression of miR-134, miR-487b, and miR-655, which belong to the same cluster located on chromosome 14q32, in lung adenocarcinoma cells with EMT. MAGI2 (membrane-associated guanylate kinase, WW, and PDZ domain-containing protein 2), a predicted target of these miRNAs and a scaffold protein required for PTEN, was diminished in A549 cells with EMT after the TGF-β1 stimulation. Overexpression of miR-134 and miR-487b promoted the EMT phenomenon and affected the drug resistance to gefitinib, whereas knockdown of these miRNAs inhibited the EMT process and reversed TGF-β1-induced resistance to gefitinib. Our study demonstrated that the miR-134/487b/655 cluster contributed to the TGF-β1-induced EMT phenomenon and affected the resistance to gefitinib by directly targeting MAGI2, in which suppression subsequently caused loss of PTEN stability in lung cancer cells. The miR-134/miR-487b/miR-655 cluster may be a new therapeutic target in patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma, depending on the EMT phenomenon.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing
  • Adenocarcinoma / genetics
  • Adenocarcinoma / metabolism
  • Adenocarcinoma / pathology
  • Blotting, Western
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / genetics
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / metabolism
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / pathology
  • Carrier Proteins / genetics*
  • Carrier Proteins / metabolism
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / genetics
  • Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition / drug effects*
  • Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition / genetics
  • ErbB Receptors / antagonists & inhibitors
  • ErbB Receptors / metabolism
  • Gefitinib
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Guanylate Kinases
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms / genetics
  • Lung Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Lung Neoplasms / pathology
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism
  • MicroRNAs / genetics*
  • Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis
  • PTEN Phosphohydrolase / metabolism
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Quinazolines / pharmacology
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing
  • Carrier Proteins
  • MIRN134 microRNA, human
  • MIRN487 microRNA, human
  • MIRN655 microRNA, human
  • Membrane Proteins
  • MicroRNAs
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • Quinazolines
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta1
  • ErbB Receptors
  • Guanylate Kinases
  • MAGI2 protein, human
  • TPTE protein, human
  • PTEN Phosphohydrolase
  • Gefitinib