Global microRNA depletion suppresses tumor angiogenesis

S Chen, Y Xue, X Wu, C Le, A Bhutkar… - Genes & …, 2014 - genesdev.cshlp.org
S Chen, Y Xue, X Wu, C Le, A Bhutkar, EL Bell, F Zhang, R Langer, PA Sharp
Genes & development, 2014genesdev.cshlp.org
MicroRNAs delicately regulate the balance of angiogenesis. Here we show that depletion of
all microRNAs suppresses tumor angiogenesis. We generated microRNA-deficient tumors
by knocking out Dicer1. These tumors are highly hypoxic but poorly vascularized, suggestive
of deficient angiogenesis signaling. Expression profiling revealed that angiogenesis genes
were significantly down-regulated as a result of the microRNA deficiency. Factor inhibiting
hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1), FIH1, is derepressed under these conditions and …
MicroRNAs delicately regulate the balance of angiogenesis. Here we show that depletion of all microRNAs suppresses tumor angiogenesis. We generated microRNA-deficient tumors by knocking out Dicer1. These tumors are highly hypoxic but poorly vascularized, suggestive of deficient angiogenesis signaling. Expression profiling revealed that angiogenesis genes were significantly down-regulated as a result of the microRNA deficiency. Factor inhibiting hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1), FIH1, is derepressed under these conditions and suppresses HIF transcription. Knocking out FIH1 using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome engineering reversed the phenotypes of microRNA-deficient cells in HIF transcriptional activity, VEGF production, tumor hypoxia, and tumor angiogenesis. Using multiplexed CRISPR/Cas9, we deleted regions in FIH1 3′ untranslated regions (UTRs) that contain microRNA-binding sites, which derepresses FIH1 protein and represses hypoxia response. These data suggest that microRNAs promote tumor responses to hypoxia and angiogenesis by repressing FIH1.
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