MiR-205 and MiR-373 Are Associated with Aggressive Human Mucinous Colorectal Cancer

PLoS One. 2016 Jun 6;11(6):e0156871. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0156871. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

Mucinous adenocarcinoma (MAC) represents a distinct histopathological entity of colorectal cancer (CRC), which is associated with disease progression and poor prognosis. Here, we found that expression levels of miR-205 and miR-373 were specifically upregulated only in patients with mucinous colon cancers, but not in CRC that lack mucinous components. To investigate the effects of miR-205 and miR-373 on intestinal epithelial cell (IEC) biology by gain- and loss-of-function experiments in a proof-of-concept approach, we chose previously established in-vitro human Caco-2-based models of differentiated, non-invasive (expressing TLR4 wild-type; termed Caco-2[WT]) versus undifferentiated, invasive (expressing TLR4 mutant D299G; termed Caco-2[D299G]) IEC. Enterocyte-like Caco-2[WT] showed low levels of miR-205 and miR-373 expression, while both miRNAs were significantly upregulated in colorectal carcinoma-like Caco-2[D299G], thus resembling the miRNA expression pattern of paired normal versus tumor samples from MAC patients. Using stable transfection, we generated miR-205- or miR-373-expressing and miR-205- or miR-373-inhibiting subclones of these IEC lines. We found that introduction of miR-205 into Caco-2[WT] led to expansion of mucus-secreting goblet cell-like cells, which was associated with induction of KLF4, MUC2 and TGFβ1 expression. Activation of miR-205 in Caco-2[WT] induced chemoresistance, while inhibition of miR-205 in Caco-2[D299G] promoted chemosensitivity. Caco-2[WT] overexpressing miR-373 showed mitotic abnormalities and underwent morphologic changes (loss of epithelial polarity, cytoskeletal reorganization, and junctional disruption) associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition and progression to inflammation-associated colonic carcinoma, which correlated with induction of phosphorylated STAT3 and N-CADHERIN expression. Functionally, introduction of miR-373 into Caco-2[WT] mediated loss of cell-cell adhesion and increased proliferation and invasion. Reversely, inhibition of miR-373 allowed mesenchymal IEC to regain epithelial properties, which correlated with absence of neoplastic progression. Using xenografts in mice demonstrated miR-373-mediated acceleration of malignant intestinal tumor growth. In conclusion, our results provide first evidence that miR-205 and miR-373 may differentially contribute to the aggressive phenotype of MAC in CRC.

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous / genetics*
  • Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous / pathology*
  • Animals
  • Caco-2 Cells
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Colonic Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Colonic Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Disease Progression
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • HCT116 Cells
  • HT29 Cells
  • Humans
  • Kruppel-Like Factor 4
  • Mice
  • Mice, Nude
  • MicroRNAs / physiology*
  • Neoplasm Invasiveness

Substances

  • KLF4 protein, human
  • Klf4 protein, mouse
  • Kruppel-Like Factor 4
  • MIRN205 microRNA, human
  • MIRN373 microRNA, human
  • MicroRNAs

Grants and funding

This study was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (Grant CA226/4-3 to E.C.) and intramural funding (Interne Forschungsförderung Essen to E.C.). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.