Is miR-29 an oncogene or tumor suppressor in CLL?

Oncotarget. 2010 Jul;1(3):224-7. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.129.

Abstract

B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), the most common leukemia in the Western world. CLL occurs in two forms, aggressive and indolent. Aggressive CLL is characterized by high ZAP-70 expression and unmutated IgH V(H); indolent CLL shows low ZAP-70 expression and mutated IgH V(H). We recently found that miR-29 is up-regulated in indolent human B-CLL, compared to aggressive B-CLL and normal CD19(+) B-cells. To determine the role of miR-29 in CLL, we generated transgenic mice over-expressing miR-29 in mouse B-cells. Recently we reported that miR-29 transgenic mice develop indolent CLL phenotype. Interestingly, our previous findings suggest that miR-29 targets expression of TCL1, a critical oncogene in aggressive CLL, indicating that miR-29 might function as a tumor suppressor in CLL. Here we discuss these results and provide additional insights into function of miR-29 in CLL.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • B-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • B-Lymphocytes / metabolism*
  • B-Lymphocytes / pathology
  • Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / genetics
  • Disease Progression
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / genetics
  • Genes, Tumor Suppressor*
  • Humans
  • Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / diagnosis*
  • Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / genetics
  • Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / metabolism*
  • Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / physiopathology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • MicroRNAs / genetics
  • MicroRNAs / metabolism*
  • Prognosis
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / metabolism
  • Tumor Microenvironment

Substances

  • MIRN29 microRNA, mouse
  • MicroRNAs
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins
  • Tcl1 protein, mouse