miR-127 regulates cell proliferation and senescence by targeting BCL6

Cellular senescence occurs as a response to extracellular and intracellular stresses and contributes to aging and age-related pathologies. Emerging evidence suggests that cellular senescence also acts as a potent tumor suppression mechanism that prevents the oncogenic transformation of primary human cells. Recent reports have indicated that miRNAsact as key modulators of cellular senescence by targeting critical regulators of the senescence pathways. We previously reported that miR-127 is up-regulated in senescent fibroblasts. In this report, we identified miR-127 as a novel regulator of cellular senescence that directly targets BCL6. We further showed that miR-127 is down-regulated in breast cancer tissues and that this down-regulation is associated with up-regulation of BCL6. Over-expression of miR-127 or depletion of BCL6 inhibits breast cancer cell proliferation. Our data suggest that miR-127 may function as a tumor suppressor that modulates the oncogene BCL6.