IL-17/miR-192/IL-17Rs regulatory feedback loop facilitates multiple myeloma progression

PLoS One. 2014 Dec 9;9(12):e114647. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0114647. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a clonal plasma cell disorder which constitutes the second most common hematological malignancy, and remains an incurable tumor with poor survival. Recently, interleukin-17 (IL-17), produced locally in the tumor microenvironment, has been reported to play a crucial role in tumor immunity. In this study, we determined that exposure of MM cells to IL-17 had various promotive influences on different aspects of tumor progression. IL-17 significantly induced cell proliferation, inhibited cellular apoptosis, repressed cell adhesion to fibronectin and collagen I, and facilitated cell migration. Exposure to IL-17 also resulted in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), as evidenced by repression of the epithelial marker E-cadherin, and induction of the mesenchymal marker Vimentin, and EMT transcription factors Snail and Slug. Further experiments showed that IL-17 activated the oncogenic p65 transcription factor, which directly repressed the miR-192 gene via binding to the miR-192 promoter. Loss of miR-192 in MM cells can mimic the effects of IL-17, and was required for the above oncogenic effects of IL-17 on MM. Furthermore, we found that miR-192, and its homologous miR-215 directly targeted the 3'-untranslated regions of IL-17Rs, including IL-17RA and RE mRNA. By examining bone marrow specimens derived from MM patients, a negative correlation between miR-192 expression and IL-17 or IL-17RA expression was observed. Also, IL-17 was negatively correlated with E-cadherin and positively with Vimentin. Taken together, our study provides evidence that the IL-17/miR-192/IL-17Rs regulatory feedback loop is manifest in MM and might represent a promising and efficient prognostic marker and therapeutic target for MM.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Apoptosis
  • Cell Adhesion
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Movement
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Disease Progression
  • Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition
  • Feedback, Physiological
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic*
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-17 / genetics
  • Interleukin-17 / metabolism*
  • Interleukin-17 / physiology
  • Male
  • MicroRNAs / genetics*
  • MicroRNAs / metabolism
  • MicroRNAs / physiology
  • Multiple Myeloma / metabolism*
  • Multiple Myeloma / pathology
  • Transcription Factor RelA / metabolism
  • Tumor Microenvironment
  • Vimentin / metabolism

Substances

  • Interleukin-17
  • MIRN192 microRNA, human
  • MIRN215 microRNA, human
  • MicroRNAs
  • Transcription Factor RelA
  • Vimentin

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Foundation of Science and Technology Agency in Liaoning Province (2012225019, Research on regulation of IL-17 on myeloma). The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.