MicroRNA profiling of paediatric AML with FLT-ITD or MLL-rearrangements: expression signatures and in-vitro modulation of miR-221/222 with BRD4/HATs inhibitors.
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ABSTRACT: Novel therapeutic strategies are needed for paediatric patients affected by Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML), especially for high-risk patients, characterized by high relapse incidence. MicroRNAs (miRs) have been extensively studied as biomarkers in cancer and haematological disorders, and their expression has been correlated to the presence of recurrent molecular abnormalities, expression of oncogenes, as well as to prognosis/clinical outcome. In this work, we identified different miRs expression signatures related both to presence of MLL and FLT3-ITD rearrangements and to paediatric AML patients clinical outcome. Notably, miR-221/222 resulted as a possible relapse-risk related miR. Thus, we investigated miR-221/222 expression modulation by using BRD4 and HAT inhibitors (JQ1 and curcumin), alone or in association. JQ1 modulates miR 221/222 expression in AML with a synergic effect when associated with curcumin. Moreover, we observed changes in the expression of CDKN1B, a known target of miR-221/222, increase in apoptosis and impaired colony forming capacity of AML cell lines and CD34+ AML primary cultures. Altogether, these findings suggest that several miRs expression signatures may be potentially useful as risk stratification indicators and relapse prediction markers of paediatric AML. Epigenetic drugs, deserving additional research for enhancing activity, bioavailability and safety, could represent a novel therapeutic strategy for high-risk paediatric AML patients
Project description:We show that numerous miRNAs are transcriptionally up-regulated in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) tumors compared with unaffected thyroid tissue. Among the predicted target genes of the three most upregulated miRNAs (miRs 221, 222 and 146b), only less than 15% showed significant downexpression in transcript level between tumor and unaffected tissue. The KIT gene which is known to be downregulated by miRNAs 221 and 222 displayed dramatic loss of transcript and protein in those tumors that had abundant mir-221, mir-222, and mir-146b transcript. Keywords: Disease state analysis
Project description:We show that numerous miRNAs are transcriptionally up-regulated in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) tumors compared with unaffected thyroid tissue. Among the predicted target genes of the three most upregulated miRNAs (miRs 221, 222 and 146b), only less than 15% showed significant downexpression in transcript level between tumor and unaffected tissue. The KIT gene which is known to be downregulated by miRNAs 221 and 222 displayed dramatic loss of transcript and protein in those tumors that had abundant mir-221, mir-222, and mir-146b transcript. Experiment Overall Design: Total RNA was extracted from paired tumor and normal thyroid tissues from 9 PTC patients. The same set samples were applied to Custom miRNA microarray chips (OSU_CCC version 2.0) and Affymetrix HG-U133 plus 2 chips.
Project description:Apart from alterations in the RET/PTC-RAS-BRAF pathway, comparatively little is known about the genetics of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). We show that numerous miRNAs are transcriptionally up-regulated in PTC tumors compared with unaffected thyroid tissue. A set of 5 miRNAs including the 3 most upregulated ones (miRs 221, 222, 146) distinguished unequivocally between PTC and normal thyroid. Additionally, miR-221 was upregulated in unaffected thyroid tissue in several PTC patients, presumably an early event in carcinogenesis. Tumors in which the upregulation (11-19 fold) of miRs 221, 222 and 146 was strongest showed dramatic loss of KIT transcript and Kit protein. In five of 10 such cases this was associated with germline single nucleotide changes in the two recognition sequences in KIT for these miRNAs. We conclude that upregulation of several miRs and down regulation of KIT are involved in PTC pathogenesis, and that sequence changes in genes targeted by miRNAs can contribute to their downregulation.
Project description:mRNA breast cancer cell lines were profiled to study the function of hsa-mir-221 and hsa-mir-222. MCF7 cell lines were profiled after treatment with mir-221/222 mimics, and compared to profiles with transfection controls. Similarly, MDA-MB-231 cell lines were profiled after treatment with mir-221/222 inhibitors, and compared to profiles with transfection controls. Since ESR1 is a predicted target of mir-221/222 we also profiled MCF7 cell lines after disrupting ESR1 with an siRNA. Other breast cancer cell lines are provided because all cell lines were normalized together. Keywords: breast cancer, cell line, hsa-mir-221, hsa-mir-222, ESR1
Project description:MicroRNAs (miRNAs) constitute fine tuners of gene expression and are implicated in a variety of diseases spanning from inflammation to cancer. miRNA expression is deregulated in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), however, their specific role in key arthritogenic cells such as the synovial fibroblast (SF) remains elusive. We have shown in the past that the expression of the miR-221/222 cluster is upregulated in RA SFs. Here, we demonstrate that miR-221/222 activation is downstream of major inflammatory cytokines, such as TNF and IL-1β, which promote miR-221/222 expression independently. miR-221/222 expression in SFs from the huTNFtg mouse model of arthritis correlates with disease progression. Targeted transgenic overexpression of miR-221/222 in SFs of the huTNFtg mouse model led to further expansion of synovial fibroblasts and disease exacerbation. miR-221/222 overexpression altered the transcriptional profile of SFs igniting pathways involved in cell cycle progression and ECM regulation. Validated targets of miR-221/222 included p27 and p57 cell cycle inhibitors, as well as Smarca1 (a chromatin remodeling component). In contrast, complete genetic ablation of miR-221/222 in arthritic mice led to decreased proliferation of fibroblasts, reduced synovial expansion and attenuated disease. scATAC-seq data analysis revealed increased miR-221/222 gene activity in the pathogenic and activated clusters of the intermediate and lining compartment. Taken together, our results establish an SF-specific pathogenic role of the miR-221/222 cluster in arthritis and suggest that its therapeutic targeting in specific subpopulations should inform the design of novel fibroblast-targeted therapies for human disease.
Project description:Melphalan-induced modulation of miR-221/222 levels in MM cells. Melphalan-resistant U266/LR7 cells showed the highest induction of miR-221/222 after drug exposure. To study the transcriptome perturbation induced in MM cells following the combination of miR-221/222 inhibitors plus melphalan we used the whole gene expression data
Project description:Full title: Expression data from antisense miRNA-221/222 (si221/222) and control inhibitor (GFP) treated fulvestrant-resistant breast cancer cells The expression of miR-221/222 were found to be upregulated in fulvestrant resistant breast cancer cells MCF7-FR compared to its drug-sensitive counterpart MCF7. To investigate the role of miR-221/222 in acquired resistance to fulvestrant, we lowered the level of miR-221/222 in MCF7-FR cells using miRNA inhibitors (antagomirs), and compared gene expression profiles before and after treatment.
Project description:To evaluate involvement of miR-221 and miR-222 in lung cancer, we investigated the effects of miR-221 and miR-222 overexpression on six lung cancer cell lines as well as one immortalized normal human bronchial epithelial cell line. Two cell lines, H3255 and H1299 with no replicates were studied. Cells were transfected with miR-221, miR-222, or miR control. Microarray analysis was done to identify genes differentially expressed in lung cancer cells after the transfection of miR-221 or miR-222.
Project description:To evaluate involvement of miR-221 and miR-222 in lung cancer, we investigated the effects of miR-221 and miR-222 overexpression on six lung cancer cell lines as well as one immortalized normal human bronchial epithelial cell line.