MicroRNA-21 induces resistance to 5-fluorouracil by down-regulating human DNA MutS homolog 2 (hMSH2).

Abstract

The overexpression of microRNA-21 (miR-21) is linked to a number of human tumors including colorectal cancer, where it appears to regulate the expression of tumor suppressor genes including p21, phosphatase and tensin homolog, TGFβ receptor II, and B-cell leukemia/lymphoma 2 -associated X protein. Here we demonstrate that miR-21 targets and down-regulates the core mismatch repair (MMR) recognition protein complex, human mutS homolog 2 (hMSH2) and 6 (hMSH6). Colorectal tumors that express a high level of miR-21 display reduced hMSH2 protein expression. Cells that overproduce miR-21 exhibit significantly reduced 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-induced G2/M damage arrest and apoptosis that is characteristic of defects in the core MMR component. Moreover, xenograft studies demonstrate that miR-21 overexpression dramatically reduces the therapeutic efficacy of 5-FU. These studies suggest that the down-regulation of the MMR mutator gene associated with miR-21 overexpression may be an important clinical indicator of therapeutic efficacy in colorectal cancer.

EDRN PI Authors
  • (None specified)
Medline Author List
  • Alder H
  • Amadori D
  • Braconi C
  • Croce CM
  • Fabbri M
  • Fishel R
  • Gasparini P
  • Lovat F
  • Nuovo GJ
  • Paone A
  • Patel T
  • Sumani KM
  • Valeri N
PubMed ID
Appears In
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 2010 Dec, volume 107 (issue 49)