MicroRNA-204 Inhibits the Growth and Motility of Colorectal Cancer Cells by Downregulation of CXCL8

Oncol Res. 2018 Sep 14;26(8):1295-1305. doi: 10.3727/096504018X15172747209020. Epub 2018 Feb 5.

Abstract

Among all of the miRNAs, miR-204 has gained considerable attention in the field of cancer research. This study aimed to reveal the detailed functions and the underlying mechanism of miR-204 in colorectal cancer (CRC) cells. The expressions of miR-204 in CRC tumor tissues and cell lines were monitored. Expressions of miR-204 and CXCL8 in Caco-2 and HT-29 cells were altered by transfection, and then cell viability, apoptosis, migration, invasion, EMT-related protein expression, and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway protein expression were assessed. We found that miR-204 was expressed at low levels in CRC tumor tissues and cell lines when compared to their normal controls. miR-204 overexpression reduced the viability, migration, and invasion of Caco-2 and HT-29 cells while significantly inducing apoptosis. miR-204 overexpression upregulated E-cadherin expression and downregulated N-cadherin and vimentin expressions. CXCL8 was a target of miR-204, and miR-204 suppression could not increase cell viability, migration, invasion, and EMT procedure when CXCL8 was silenced. Moreover, miR-204 overexpression decreased the phosphorylated levels of PI3K, AKT, and mTOR. The increased phosphorylations of PI3K, AKT, and mTOR, and the upregulation of CXCL8 induced by miR-204 suppression were all abolished by the addition of LY294002 and AZD8055 (inhibitors of PI3K/AKT and mTOR, respectively). To conclude, we demonstrated a tumor-suppressive miRNA in CRC cell lines, miR-204, which is poorly expressed in CRC tissues and cell lines. miR-204 exerted antigrowth, antimigration, anti-invasion, and anti-EMT activities, which might be via deactivating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway and repressing CXCL8 expression.

Publication types

  • Retracted Publication

MeSH terms

  • Caco-2 Cells
  • Cell Growth Processes / physiology
  • Cell Movement / physiology
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / pathology
  • Down-Regulation
  • HT29 Cells
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-8 / genetics
  • Interleukin-8 / metabolism*
  • MicroRNAs / genetics
  • MicroRNAs / metabolism*
  • Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / metabolism
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism

Substances

  • CXCL8 protein, human
  • Interleukin-8
  • MIRN204 microRNA, human
  • MicroRNAs
  • MTOR protein, human
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases