1. Academic Validation
  2. MicroRNA-137 inhibits pituitary prolactinoma proliferation by targeting AKT2

MicroRNA-137 inhibits pituitary prolactinoma proliferation by targeting AKT2

  • J Endocrinol Invest. 2022 Nov 24. doi: 10.1007/s40618-022-01964-7.
Q Xu # 1 Z X Yu # 2 Y L Xie # 3 4 L Bai 3 4 S R Liang 1 5 Q H Ji 6 J Zhou 7
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Endocrinology, Xijing Hospital, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China.
  • 2 Department of Nephrology, Xijing Hospital, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China.
  • 3 Department of Microbiology and Pathogen Biology, Basic Medical School, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China.
  • 4 School of Life Sciences, Yan'an University, Yan'an, 716000, China.
  • 5 Department of Endocrinology, Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, 710038, China.
  • 6 Department of Endocrinology, Xijing Hospital, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China. qiuheji@hotmail.com.
  • 7 Department of Endocrinology, Xijing Hospital, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China. zhoujie@fmmu.edu.cn.
  • # Contributed equally.
Abstract

Purpose: Prolactinoma is the most common type of pituitary adenoma. Most prolactinoma need medical treatment, but some of them are aggressive and require surgery. In previous decades, some miRNAs have been manifested as oncogenes or tumor suppressors. Consequently, miRNAs' abnormal expression involves tumorigenesis, invasion, and metastasis of different types of tumors, including pituitary tumors. The current study aim to explore the aggressiveness-associated miRNAs in prolactinoma and underlying molecular mechanisms based on the bioinformatic analysis and fundamental experiment studies.

Methods: GSE46294 miRNA expression profile from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database was downloaded. Differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) were filtered from this data. Subsequently, the target genes of downregulated miRNAs were analyzed by Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment. RT-qPCR, western blot, and CCK-8 assays were used to validate the effect of miR-137 on the proliferation of MMQ cells through Akt2. Finally, the binding site of rat miR-137 to Akt2 were predicted by Targetscan and Bibiserv database, and verified by double luciferase reporter assay.

Results: Twenty-four changed DEMs (fourteen upregulated and ten downregulated) were identified. Target genes of downregulated DEMs were classified into three groups by GO terms. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis revealed these target genes enriched in the PI3K-Akt pathway. We also confirmed that miR-137 can target Akt2 and inhibit the proliferation of MMQ cells induced by Akt2.

Conclusion: MiR-137 suppressed prolactinomas' aggressive behavior by targeting Akt2.

Keywords

Aggressive prolactinomas; Bioinformatic; microRNAs.

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