Molecular Crosstalk by miR-449a and miR-34b in endometrial and ovarian cancer cells in vitro

Aims

Endometrial and ovarian cancers, the sixth and eighth most prevalent cancers in women globally, account for nearly 8% of all new female cancer cases annually. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as a promising field in cancer treatment, offering new avenues for targeted therapies and diagnostic tools. Recent miRNA-based cancer research has uncovered various miRNAs commonly dysregulated in cancer and which possess tumor-suppressive functions. These miRNAs influence genes crucial for cellular differentiation, proliferation, apoptosis, and metabolism.

Main methods

In the present study, the researchers investigated the effect of dysregulation of two such miRNAs, miR-449a and miR-34b, on the oncogenes involved in the progression of endometrial and ovarian cancer using the respective RL95-2 and SKOV3 cell lines. The transcriptional gene expression analysis was done by Real-Time Quantitative Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR).

Key findings

It was found that the overexpression of miR-449a and miR-34b downregulated HIF-1α, VEGF, c-Myc, COX-2, and TNF-α while upregulating TP53 in both cancer types. Conversely, inhibiting these miRNAs increased the levels of HIF-1α, VEGF, c-Myc, COX-2, and TNF-α, and decreased TP53. However, co-transfection with both mimic and inhibitor had varying effects.

Significance

The study demonstrated that these miRNAs could influence critical processes such as angiogenesis, proliferation, inflammation, tumorigenesis, and apoptosis in cancer cells, highlighting their potential as therapeutic targets. However, the varied effects observed with the co-transfection of mimics and inhibitors suggest a complex interplay that requires further investigation.