Regulation of p14ARF expression by miR-24: a potential mechanism compromising the p53 response during retinoblastoma development
Open Access
- 15 February 2012
- journal article
- Published by Springer Science and Business Media LLC in BMC Cancer
- Vol. 12 (1), 69
- https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2407-12-69
Abstract
Most human cancers show inactivation of both pRB- and p53-pathways. While retinoblastomas are initiated by loss of the RB1 tumor suppressor gene, TP53 mutations have not been found. High expression of the p53-antagonist MDM2 in human retinoblastomas may compromise p53 tumor surveillance so that TP53 mutations are not selected for in retinoblastoma tumorigenesis. We previously showed that p14ARF protein, which activates p53 by inhibiting MDM2, is low in retinoblastomas despite high mRNA expression. In human fetal retinas, adult retinas, and retinoblastoma cells, we determined endogenous p14 ARF mRNA, ARF protein, and miR-24 expression, while integrity of p53 signalling in WERI-Rb1 cells was tested using an adenovirus vector expressing p14ARF. To study p14ARF biogenesis, retinoblastoma cells were treated with the proteasome inhibitor, MG132, and siRNA against miR-24. In human retinoblastoma cell lines, p14 ARF mRNA was disproportionally high relative to the level of p14ARF protein expression, suggesting a perturbation of p14ARF regulation. When p14ARF was over-expressed by an adenovirus vector, expression of p53 and downstream targets increased and cell growth was inhibited indicating an intact p14ARF-p53 axis. To investigate the discrepancy between p14 ARF mRNA and protein in retinoblastoma, we examined p14ARF biogenesis. The proteasome inhibitor, MG132, did not cause p14ARF accumulation, although p14ARF normally is degraded by proteasomes. miR-24, a microRNA that represses p14ARF expression, is expressed in retinoblastoma cell lines and correlates with lower protein expression when compared to other cell lines with high p14 ARF mRNA. Transient over-expression of siRNA against miR-24 led to elevated p14ARF protein in retinoblastoma cells. In retinoblastoma cells where high levels of p14 ARF mRNA are not accompanied by high p14ARF protein, we found a correlation between miR-24 expression and low p14ARF protein. p14ARF protein levels were restored without change in mRNA abundance upon miR-24 inhibition suggesting that miR-24 could functionally repress expression, effectively blocking p53 tumor surveillance. During retinal tumorigenesis, miR-24 may intrinsically compromise the p53 response to RB1 loss.Keywords
This publication has 31 references indexed in Scilit:
- BCL6 enables Ph+ acute lymphoblastic leukaemia cells to survive BCR–ABL1 kinase inhibitionNature, 2011
- Regulation of RB Transcription In Vivo by RB Family MembersMolecular and Cellular Biology, 2010
- Prediction of microRNAs affecting mRNA expression during retinal developmentBMC Developmental Biology, 2010
- miR-24 Inhibits Cell Proliferation by Targeting E2F2, MYC, and Other Cell-Cycle Genes via Binding to “Seedless” 3′UTR MicroRNA Recognition ElementsMolecular Cell, 2009
- Increased MicroRNA Activity in Human CancersPLOS ONE, 2009
- microRNA-24a is required to repress apoptosis in the developing neural retinaGenes & Development, 2009
- Expression of p14ARF, MDM2, and MDM4 in human retinoblastomaBiochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 2008
- p16INK4a Translation Suppressed by miR-24PLOS ONE, 2008
- The Catalogue of Somatic Mutations in Cancer (COSMIC)Current Protocols in Human Genetics, 2008
- N-terminal polyubiquitination and degradation of the Arf tumor suppressorGenes & Development, 2004