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Tumor Biology
Published in: Tumor Biology 4/2016

01-04-2016 | Original Article

Methylation-mediated repression of potential tumor suppressor miR-203a and miR-203b contributes to esophageal squamous cell carcinoma development

Authors: Yibing Liu, Zhiming Dong, Jia Liang, Yanli Guo, Xin Guo, Supeng Shen, Gang Kuang, Wei Guo

Published in: Tumor Biology | Issue 4/2016

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Abstract

MiRNAs regulate gene expression and play pivotal roles in biological processes. MiRNAs can be inactivated by epigenetic mechanisms, such as DNA hypermethylation of CpG sites within CpG islands. Here, we investigated the role and methylation status of miR-203a and miR-203b in esophageal cancer cell lines and primary esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) tumors and further elucidate the role of both miRNAs in the prognosis of ESCC. The present study revealed a strong downregulation of miR-203a and miR-203b in esophageal cancer cell lines and primary ESCC samples. Treatment of esophageal cancer cells with demethylating agent 5-Aza-dC led to increased miR-203a and miR-203b expression, confirming the epigenetic regulation of both miRNAs. The inhibition of proliferation and invasiveness in esophageal cancer cells after treated with 5-Aza-dC or transfected with miR-203a or miR-203b mimics, suggesting the tumor suppressor role of both miRNAs in esophageal cancer. Furthermore, the critical CpG sites of miR-203a and miR-203b were found to be located in proximal promoter region, and the proximal promoter hypermethylation of both miRNAs was found to influence transcriptional activity. Downregulation and hypermethylation of miR-203a and miR-203b were associated with TNM stage, pathological differentiation, and lymph node metastasis. ESCC patients in stages III and IV, with reduced expression of miR-203a or hypermethylation of miR-203a or miR-203b, demonstrated poor patient survival. In summary, our results suggest that miR-203a and miR-203b may function as tumor-suppressive miRNAs that are inactivated through proximal promoter hypermethylation and miR-203a expression and methylation may be useful prognostic marker in ESCC patients.
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Metadata
Title
Methylation-mediated repression of potential tumor suppressor miR-203a and miR-203b contributes to esophageal squamous cell carcinoma development
Authors
Yibing Liu
Zhiming Dong
Jia Liang
Yanli Guo
Xin Guo
Supeng Shen
Gang Kuang
Wei Guo
Publication date
01-04-2016
Publisher
Springer Netherlands
Published in
Tumor Biology / Issue 4/2016
Print ISSN: 1010-4283
Electronic ISSN: 1423-0380
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s13277-015-4432-9

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