STAT3 activation of miR-21 and miR-181b-1 via PTEN and CYLD are part of the epigenetic switch linking inflammation to cancer

Mol Cell. 2010 Aug 27;39(4):493-506. doi: 10.1016/j.molcel.2010.07.023.

Abstract

A transient inflammatory signal can initiate an epigenetic switch from nontransformed to cancer cells via a positive feedback loop involving NF-kappaB, Lin28, let-7, and IL-6. We identify differentially regulated microRNAs important for this switch and putative transcription factor binding sites in their promoters. STAT3, a transcription factor activated by IL-6, directly activates miR-21 and miR-181b-1. Remarkably, transient expression of either microRNA induces the epigenetic switch. MiR-21 and miR-181b-1, respectively, inhibit PTEN and CYLD tumor suppressors, leading to increased NF-kappaB activity required to maintain the transformed state. These STAT3-mediated regulatory circuits are required for the transformed state in diverse cell lines and tumor growth in xenografts, and their transcriptional signatures are observed in colon adenocarcinomas. Thus, STAT3 is not only a downstream target of IL-6 but, with miR-21, miR-181b-1, PTEN, and CYLD, is part of the positive feedback loop that underlies the epigenetic switch that links inflammation to cancer.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma / genetics
  • Adenocarcinoma / metabolism
  • Adenocarcinoma / therapy
  • Algorithms
  • Animals
  • Binding Sites
  • Breast Neoplasms / genetics
  • Breast Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • Cell Movement
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / genetics
  • Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / metabolism*
  • Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / pathology
  • Colonic Neoplasms / genetics
  • Colonic Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Colonic Neoplasms / therapy
  • Computational Biology
  • Deubiquitinating Enzyme CYLD
  • Epigenesis, Genetic*
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Genes, src
  • HCT116 Cells
  • HT29 Cells
  • Humans
  • Inflammation / genetics
  • Inflammation / metabolism*
  • Inflammation Mediators / metabolism
  • Kinetics
  • Mammary Glands, Human / metabolism*
  • Mammary Glands, Human / pathology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Nude
  • MicroRNAs / metabolism*
  • NF-kappa B / metabolism
  • Neoplasm Invasiveness
  • PTEN Phosphohydrolase / metabolism*
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / metabolism
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / metabolism
  • RNA Interference
  • Receptors, Estrogen / genetics
  • STAT3 Transcription Factor / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction
  • Transcriptional Activation
  • Transfection
  • Tumor Burden
  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins / genetics
  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins / metabolism*
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Inflammation Mediators
  • MIRN21 microRNA, human
  • MIrn181 microRNA, human
  • MYC protein, human
  • MicroRNAs
  • NF-kappa B
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc
  • Receptors, Estrogen
  • STAT3 Transcription Factor
  • STAT3 protein, human
  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
  • PTEN Phosphohydrolase
  • PTEN protein, human
  • CYLD protein, human
  • Deubiquitinating Enzyme CYLD