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Updated: May 11, 2026

miRNA Expression Analyses in Prostate Cancer Clinical Tissues
11:29

miRNA Expression Analyses in Prostate Cancer Clinical Tissues

Published on: September 8, 2015

Essential role of NADPH oxidase-dependent reactive oxygen species generation in regulating microRNA-21 expression and

Sarvesh Jajoo1, Debashree Mukherjea, Tejbeer Kaur

  • 11 Department of Pharmacology, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine , Springfield, Illinois.

Antioxidants & Redox Signaling
|May 21, 2013
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) drive prostate cancer progression by regulating miR-21. Inhibiting ROS or miR-21 reduces cancer cell invasiveness and metastasis, offering new therapeutic targets.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Oncogenic microRNAs (miRs) like miR-21 are implicated in tumor growth and metastasis.
  • NADPH oxidase-derived reactive oxygen species (ROS) are elevated in prostate cancer and influence cell behavior.
  • miR-21 targets tumor suppressors maspin and programmed cell death 4 (PDCD4).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of NADPH oxidase-dependent ROS in regulating miR-21 expression and function in prostate cancer cells.
  • To determine the impact of ROS-mediated miR-21 regulation on its target proteins, maspin and PDCD4.
  • To assess the therapeutic potential of targeting the ROS-miR-21 axis in prostate cancer.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized androgen receptor-negative PC-3M-MM2 prostate cancer cell line.
  • Employed loss-of-function strategies including anti-miR-21 and p47(phox) siRNA (si-p47(phox)) transfections.
  • Assessed cell invasiveness and lung metastasis in severe combined immunodeficient mice models.
  • Analyzed clinical samples from advanced prostate cancer patients.

Main Results:

  • High expression of miR-21 and p47(phox) was observed in aggressive prostate cancer cells and patient samples.
  • Inhibition of miR-21 and p47(phox) reduced miR-21 levels, increased maspin and PDCD4 expression, and decreased cell invasiveness.
  • Targeted inhibition significantly reduced lung metastasis in vivo.
  • ROS were found to activate Akt, and its inhibition decreased miR-21 expression.

Conclusions:

  • ROS are essential regulators of miR-21 expression and function in prostate cancer.
  • miR-21 acts as a key mediator of ROS-induced invasiveness and metastasis.
  • The ROS-miR-21 pathway represents a potential therapeutic target for advanced prostate cancer.

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