MiR-21 is an EGFR-regulated anti-apoptotic factor in lung cancer from never-smokers

ABSTRACT: Approximately 15% of lung cancer cases are not associated with smoking and show molecular and clinical characteristics distinct from those in smokers. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutations, which are correlated with sensitivity to EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs), are more frequent in never-smoker lung cancers. In this study, microRNA (miRNA) expression profiling of 28 never-smoker lung cancer cases identified aberrantly expressed miRNAs, which were much fewer than in lung cancers of smokers and included miRNAs previously identified (e.g., upregulated miR-21) and unidentified (e.g., downregulated miR-138) in those smoker cases. The changes in expression of some of these miRNAs were more remarkable in cases with EGFR mutations than in those without: the most upregulated miRNA, miR-21, was more abundant in cancers with EGFR mutation. A significant correlation between phosphorylated-EGFR (p-EGFR) and miR-21 levels in lung carcinoma cell lines and the suppression of miR-21 by an EGFR-TKI, AG1478, suggested that the EGFR signaling pathway positively regulated miR-21 expression. In a never-smoker-derived lung adenocarcinoma cell line H3255 with mutant EGFR and high levels of p-EGFR and miR-21, antisense inhibition of miR-21 enhanced AG1478-induced apoptosis. In a never-smoker-derived adenocarcinoma cell line H441 with wild-type EGFR, the antisense miR-21 not only showed the additive effect with AG1478 but also induced apoptosis by itself. These results suggest that aberrantly increased expression of miR-21, which is further enhanced by the activated EGFR signaling pathway, plays a critical role in lung carcinogenesis in never-smokers and is a potential therapeutic target in both EGFR mutant and wild-type cases.

ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus Homo sapiens

PROVIDER: GSE14936 | GEO | 2009/07/29

SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA111977

REPOSITORIES: GEO