FOXP1-induced lncRNA CLRN1-AS1 acts as a tumor suppressor in pituitary prolactinoma by repressing the autophagy via inactivating Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

Cell Death Dis. 2019 Jun 24;10(7):499. doi: 10.1038/s41419-019-1694-y.

Abstract

As the commonest type of functional pituitary tumor, prolactinoma takes up around 40-60% of functional pituitary tumors. Despite dedications attributed to the treatment of prolactinoma, complete cure remains difficult. Hence, it is of significance to bring to light the underlying mechanism of prolactinoma. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a group of transcripts which can regulate various biological processes. In the present study, we explored an lncRNA that was differentially downregulated in prolactinoma samples. LncRNA clarin 1 antisense RNA 1 (CLRN1-AS1) was downregulated in 42 patient samples and inactivated the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Functionally, CLRN1-AS1 suppressed cell proliferation, promoted apoptosis, and inhibited autophagy. Subcellular fractionation assay revealed that CLRN1-AS1 was located in the cytoplasm of prolactinoma cells. Based on bioinformatics analysis and mechanism experiments, we determined that CLRN1-AS1 acted as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) by sponging miR-217 to upregulate the dickkopf WNT signaling pathway inhibitor 1 (DKK1). Furthermore, Forkhead box P1 (FOXP1) was verified to be a transcription suppressor of CLRN1-AS1. In summary, this study revealed that FOXP1-induced CLRN1-AS1 regulated cellular functions in pituitary prolactinoma by sponging miR-217 to release the DKK1/Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Autophagy / genetics
  • Autophagy / physiology
  • Blotting, Western
  • Caspase 3 / metabolism
  • Chromatin Immunoprecipitation
  • Computational Biology
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors / metabolism*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / genetics
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / physiology
  • Humans
  • Immunoprecipitation
  • In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence
  • In Vitro Techniques
  • Male
  • Membrane Proteins / genetics*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Pituitary Neoplasms / genetics
  • Pituitary Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Pituitary Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Prolactinoma / genetics
  • Prolactinoma / metabolism*
  • Prolactinoma / pathology*
  • RNA, Long Noncoding / genetics
  • RNA, Long Noncoding / metabolism*
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Repressor Proteins / genetics
  • Repressor Proteins / metabolism*
  • Wnt Signaling Pathway / genetics
  • Wnt Signaling Pathway / physiology
  • beta Catenin / genetics
  • beta Catenin / metabolism*

Substances

  • CLRN1 protein, human
  • FOXP1 protein, human
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors
  • Foxp1 protein, mouse
  • Membrane Proteins
  • RNA, Long Noncoding
  • Repressor Proteins
  • beta Catenin
  • Caspase 3