miR-181d and c-myc-mediated inhibition of CRY2 and FBXL3 reprograms metabolism in colorectal cancer

Cell Death Dis. 2017 Jul 27;8(7):e2958. doi: 10.1038/cddis.2017.300.

Abstract

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second major cause of tumor-related deaths. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have pivotal roles in CRC progression. Here, we describe the effect of miR-181d on CRC cell metabolism and underlying molecular mechanism. Our data firmly demonstrated that knockdown of miR-181d suppressed CRC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion by impairing glycolysis. Mechanistically, miR-181d stabilized c-myc through directly targeting the 3'-UTRs of CRY2 and FBXL3, which subsequently increased the glucose consumption and the lactate production. Inhibition of c-myc via siRNA or small molecular inhibitor abolished the oncogenic effects of miR-181d on the growth and metastasis of CRC cells. Furthermore, c-myc/HDAC3 transcriptional suppressor complex was found to co-localize on the CRY2 and FBXL3 promoters, epigenetically inhibit their transcription, and finally induce their downregulation in CRC cells. In addition, miR-181d expression could be directly induced by an activation of c-myc signaling. Together, our data indicate an oncogenic role of miR-181d in CRC by promoting glycolysis, and miR-181d/CRY2/FBXL3/c-myc feedback loop might be a therapeutic target for patients with CRC.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Blotting, Western
  • Caco-2 Cells
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Movement / genetics
  • Cell Movement / physiology
  • Cell Proliferation / genetics
  • Cell Proliferation / physiology
  • Chromatin Immunoprecipitation
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / genetics
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Cryptochromes / genetics
  • Cryptochromes / metabolism*
  • F-Box Proteins / genetics
  • F-Box Proteins / metabolism*
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / genetics
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / physiology
  • HCT116 Cells
  • HT29 Cells
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • MicroRNAs / genetics
  • MicroRNAs / metabolism*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / metabolism*
  • RNA Stability / genetics
  • RNA Stability / physiology
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism

Substances

  • CRY2 protein, human
  • Cryptochromes
  • F-Box Proteins
  • FBXL3 protein, human
  • MIrn181 microRNA, human
  • MYC protein, human
  • MicroRNAs
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc
  • RNA, Messenger