Identification of miR-193b targets in breast cancer cells and systems biological analysis of their functional impact

Mol Cell Proteomics. 2011 Jul;10(7):M110.005322. doi: 10.1074/mcp.M110.005322. Epub 2011 Apr 21.

Abstract

Identification of protein targets for microRNAs (miRNAs) is a significant challenge due to the complexity of miRNA-mediated regulation. We have previously demonstrated that miR-193b targets estrogen receptor-α (ERα) and inhibits estrogen-induced growth of breast cancer cells. Here, we applied a high-throughput strategy using quantitative iTRAQ (isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantitation) reagents to identify other target proteins regulated by miR-193b in breast cancer cells. iTRAQ analysis of pre-miR-193b transfected MCF-7 cells resulted in identification of 743 unique proteins, of which 39 were down-regulated and 44 up-regulated as compared with negative control transfected cells. Computationally predicted targets of miR-193b were highly enriched (sevenfold) among the proteins whose level of expression decreased after miR-193b transfection. Only a minority of these (13%) showed similar effect at the mRNA level illustrating the importance of post-transcriptional regulation. The most significantly repressed proteins were selected for validation experiments. These data confirmed 14-3-3ζ (YWHAZ), serine hydroxyl transferase (SHMT2), and aldo-keto reductase family 1, member C2 (AKR1C2) as direct, previously uncharacterized, targets of miR-193b. Functional RNAi assays demonstrated that specific combinations of knockdowns of these target genes by siRNAs inhibited growth of MCF-7 cells, mimicking the effects of the miR-193b overexpression. Interestingly, the data imply that besides targeting ERα, the miR-193b effects include suppression of the local production of estrogens and other steroid hormones mediated by the AKR1C2 gene, thus provoking two separate molecular mechanisms inhibiting steroid-dependent growth of breast cancer cells. In conclusion, we present here a proteomic screen to identify targets of miR-193b, and a systems biological approach to mimic its effects at the level of cellular phenotypes. This led to the identification of multiple genes whose combinatorial knock-down likely mediates the strong anti-cancer effects observed for miR-193b in breast cancer cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Base Sequence
  • Breast Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Breast Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Down-Regulation
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Genes, Neoplasm
  • Genes, Reporter
  • Glycine Hydroxymethyltransferase / genetics
  • Glycine Hydroxymethyltransferase / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Hydro-Lyases
  • Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases / genetics
  • Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases / metabolism
  • Luciferases, Renilla / biosynthesis
  • Luciferases, Renilla / genetics
  • Membrane Proteins / genetics
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism
  • MicroRNAs / genetics
  • MicroRNAs / metabolism*
  • Models, Genetic
  • Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases / genetics
  • Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases / metabolism
  • Proteome / genetics
  • Proteome / metabolism
  • RNA Interference
  • Systems Biology
  • Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / genetics
  • Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / metabolism

Substances

  • MIRN193 microRNA, human
  • Membrane Proteins
  • MicroRNAs
  • Proteome
  • Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases
  • AKR1C2 protein, human
  • Luciferases, Renilla
  • Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase
  • Glycine Hydroxymethyltransferase
  • Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases
  • Hydro-Lyases
  • HACD2 protein, human