MALAT1 regulates the transcriptional and translational levels of proto-oncogene RUNX2 in colorectal cancer metastasis

Cell Death Dis. 2019 May 16;10(6):378. doi: 10.1038/s41419-019-1598-x.

Abstract

Ectopic expression of lncRNA-MALAT1 has been discovered in recurrent colorectal cancer (CRC) and metastatic sites in postsurgical patients, however, its biological mechanism remained unelucidated. Our study first revealed the novel roles of MALAT1 in promoting CRC metastasis through two mechanisms: first, MALAT1 binds miR-15 family members, to "de-inhibit" their effect on LRP6 expression, enhances β-catenin signaling, leading to elevated transcriptional levels of downstream target genes RUNX2. Second, MALAT1 binds SFPQ, and dissociates SFPQ/PTBP2 dimer to release free PTBP2, which elevates translational levels of RUNX2, through interacting with IRES domain in the 5'UTR of the corresponding RUNX2 mRNAs. Moreover, increased RUNX2 expression levels were detected in recurrent CRC tumors, which were closely associated with TMN stages, metastasis, as well as CRC patients' survival. Our study demonstrated that MALAT1 and RUNX2 may serve as two biomarkers for predicting the recurrence and metastasis of CRC patients.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biomarkers / metabolism
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / pathology
  • Core Binding Factor Alpha 1 Subunit / genetics
  • Core Binding Factor Alpha 1 Subunit / metabolism*
  • Gene Knockout Techniques
  • Humans
  • MicroRNAs / metabolism
  • Neoplasm Metastasis / genetics
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / metabolism
  • Polypyrimidine Tract-Binding Protein / metabolism
  • Protein Biosynthesis
  • Proto-Oncogene Mas
  • RNA, Long Noncoding / metabolism
  • RNA, Long Noncoding / physiology*
  • Recurrence
  • Signal Transduction
  • Survival Analysis
  • Transcription, Genetic
  • beta Catenin / metabolism

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Core Binding Factor Alpha 1 Subunit
  • MALAT1 long non-coding RNA, human
  • MAS1 protein, human
  • MIRN15 microRNA, human
  • MicroRNAs
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • PTBP2 protein, human
  • Proto-Oncogene Mas
  • RNA, Long Noncoding
  • RUNX2 protein, human
  • beta Catenin
  • Polypyrimidine Tract-Binding Protein