Pluto Bioinformatics

GSE71756: microRNA suppresses prostate cancer stem cells and metastasis by inhibiting a cohort of pro-metastasis targets including CD44, Rho GTPases and EZH2

Bulk RNA sequencing

microRNA plays important roles in tumor initiation and progression. Here we showed that, one of the miR-200 family member, miR-141 is drastically under-expressed in several prostate cancer stem cell populations in both xenograft and primary patient samples. Enforced expression of miR-141 in CD44+ PCa cells suppressed tumor initation and metastasis. Cancer stem cell related properties including clonal and sphere formation ability as well as migration and invasion abilites were blocked by miR-141. Moreover, under-expression of miR-141 in prostate cancer stem cells is important in maintaining a partial mesenchymal status. Whole genome sequencing revealed novel pathways that are regulated by miR-141 including Rho GTPase signaling pathway. Stem cell related molecules including CD44 and EZH2 are also validated as direct targets of miR-141 mediating the tumor and metastasis suppressive function. Altogether, these data suggests that on e signal miRNA, miR-141 could utilize multiple mechanisms to obstruct tumor progression and metstasiss. SOURCE: Liu Can (canliu@mdanderson.org) - The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center