MicroRNA-590-3p promotes ovarian cancer growth and metastasis via a novel FOXA2-Versican pathway

ABSTRACT: Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is the deadliest gynecological cancer. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that play important roles in gene regulation and their dysregulation is associated with many diseases. In this study, we determined the expression and function of miR-590-3p in EOC. We found that miR-590-3p levels were higher in high-grade carcinoma when compared to low-grade or tumours with low malignant potential. Interestingly, plasma levels of miR-590-3p were significantly higher in EOC patients than in subjects with benign gynaecological disorders. Transient transfection of miR-590-3p mimics, or stable transfection of mir-590, increased cell growth, migration, and invasion. In vivo studies revealed that mir-590 accelerated tumour growth and metastasis. Using a cDNA microarray, we identified Forkhead box A2 (FOXA2) and Versican (VCAN) as a top downregulated and a top upregulated gene, respectively, by mir-590. We showed that miR-590-3p targeted FOXA2 3’ UTR to suppress its expression. In addition, knockdown of FOXA2 by siRNAs or knockout of FOXA2 by CRISPR/Cas9 enhanced cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Overexpression of FOXA2 decreased, while knockout of FOXA2 increased, VCAN mRNA and protein levels and ChIP-qPCR revealed that FOXA2 binds to VCAN promoter. Interrogation of the TCGA ovarian cancer database revealed a negative relationship between FOXA2 and VCAN mRNA levels in EOC tumours and that high FOXA2/low VCAN mRNA levels in tumours were positively correlated with patient survival. Finally, overexpression of FOXA2 or silencing of VCAN reversed the effects of mir-590. These findings demonstrate that miR-590-3p promotes EOC development via a novel FOXA2-VCAN pathway.

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

PROVIDER: GSE113440 | GEO | 2018/04/21

REPOSITORIES: GEO