Microenvironment-induced downregulation of miR-193b drives ovarian cancer metastasis

Oncogene. 2015 Nov 26;34(48):5923-32. doi: 10.1038/onc.2015.43. Epub 2015 Mar 23.

Abstract

The cross-talk between ovarian cancer (OvCa) cells and the metastatic microenvironment is an essential determinant of successful colonization. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have several critical roles during metastasis; however, the role of microenvironmental cues in the regulation of miRNAs in metastasizing cancer cells has not been studied. Using a three-dimensional culture model that mimics the human omentum, one of the principal sites of OvCa metastasis, we identified and characterized the microenvironment-induced downregulation of a tumor suppressor miRNA, miR-193b, in metastasizing OvCa cells. The direct interaction of the OvCa cells with mesothelial cells, which cover the surface of the omentum, caused a DNA methyltransferase 1-mediated decrease in the expression of miR-193b in the cancer cells. The reduction in miR-193b enabled the metastasizing cancer cells to invade and proliferate into human omental pieces ex vivo and into the omentum of a mouse xenograft model of OvCa metastasis. The functional effects of miR-193b were mediated, in large part, by the concomitant increased expression of its target, urokinase-type plasminogen activator, a known tumor-associated protease. These findings link paracrine signals from the microenvironment to the regulation of a key miRNA in cancer cells. Targeting miR-193b, which is essential for metastatic colonization of cancer cells could prove effective in the treatment of OvCa metastasis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis
  • Blotting, Western
  • Cell Adhesion
  • Cell Movement*
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic*
  • Humans
  • Immunoenzyme Techniques
  • Mice
  • Mice, Nude
  • MicroRNAs / genetics*
  • Omentum / metabolism
  • Omentum / pathology*
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / pathology*
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured
  • Tumor Microenvironment*
  • Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator / genetics
  • Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator / metabolism
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • MIRN193 microRNA, human
  • MicroRNAs
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator