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An In Vitro Protocol for Evaluating MicroRNA Levels, Functions, and Associated Target Genes in Tumor Cells
Published on: May 21, 2019
microRNA-181a enhances cell proliferation in acute lymphoblastic leukemia by targeting EGR1
Lorena Verduci1, Gianluca Azzalin1, Silvia Gioiosa1
1Dipartimento di Biotecnologie Cellulari ed Ematologia, "Sapienza" Università di Roma, Roma, Italy.
Abstract:
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is an aggressive cancer that occurs in both children and adults. Starting from an integrated analysis of miRNA/mRNA expression profiles in 20 ALL patients, we identify a negative correlation between miR-181a and EGR1. Coherently, miR-181a over-expression in Jurkat T-ALL cells decreases EGR1 expression, increasing cell proliferation and enhancing the cell-cycle progression from G1 to S phase. We show that EGR1 is a new direct target of miR-181a. Our findings suggest that miR-181a behaves as an onco-miRNA in ALL by down-regulating EGR1.
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