Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 17, 2026
Method for Novel Anti-Cancer Drug Development using Tumor Explants of Surgical Specimens
Published on: July 29, 2011
MiR-21 enhanced glioma cells resistance to carmustine via decreasing Spry2 expression
1Department of Neurosurgery, Yantaishan Hospital, Yantai, China. hwbgs5258@163.com.
Objective:
Gliomas are accompanied with high mortality owning to their invasive peculiarity and vulnerability to drug resistance. miR-21 is a vital oncogenic miRNA that regulates drug resistance of tumor cells. This study aims to elucidate the function of miR-21 in human glioma cells resistant to carmustine (BCNU) and to demonstrate the underlying molecular mechanism.
Materials And Methods:
BCNU-sensitive cells (SWOZ2 cells) were transfected with miR-21 agomir and negative control, and BCNU-resistance cells (SWOZ2-BCNU cells) were transfected with miR-21 antagomir and negative control. The Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR was used to detect and compare the levels of miR-21expression between SWOZ2-BCNU and SWOZ2 cells. The drug sensitivity of these cells to BCNU was determined by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. The protein expression of Spry2 was detected by Western blotting.
Results:
The expression level of miR-21 was remarkably higher in SWOZ2-BCNU cells than that in SWOZ2 cells. The half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of BCNU was obviously higher for SWOZ2-BCNU cells than that for SWOZ2 cells. Besides, we found that aberrant expression of miR-21 in SWOZ2-BCNU cells is responsible for glioma BCNU-resistance. Consistently, Spry2 protein levels were significantly reduced in SWOZ2-BCNU as well as in miR-21 agomir-transfected cells, inversely correlated to miR-21 expression. The results of si-Spry2 co-transfection suggested that the effect of miR-21 on glioma BCNU-resistance is mediated through Spry2.
Conclusions:
miR-21 enhances the resistance of human glioma cells to BCNU by decreasing the expression of Spry2 protein. Thus, Spry2 may be a novel therapeutic target for treating glioma BCNU-resistance.
Insights
MicroRNA-21 (miR-21) promotes resistance to carmustine (BCNU) in human glioma cells by reducing Spry2 protein levels. Targeting Spry2 may offer a new therapeutic strategy for overcoming BCNU resistance in glioma.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Gliomas exhibit high mortality due to invasiveness and drug resistance.
- MicroRNA-21 (miR-21) is an oncogenic miRNA implicated in tumor cell drug resistance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of miR-21 in human glioma cells resistant to carmustine (BCNU).
- To elucidate the molecular mechanism by which miR-21 influences BCNU resistance.
Main Methods:
- Utilized BCNU-sensitive (SWOZ2) and BCNU-resistant (SWOZ2-BCNU) human glioma cells.
- Quantified miR-21 expression using Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR.
- Assessed BCNU drug sensitivity via Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay and detected Spry2 protein levels using Western blotting.
Main Results:
- BCNU-resistant cells exhibited significantly higher miR-21 expression compared to sensitive cells.
- miR-21 expression inversely correlated with Spry2 protein levels in glioma cells.
- Overexpression of miR-21 conferred BCNU resistance, an effect mediated through the downregulation of Spry2.
Conclusions:
- miR-21 enhances BCNU resistance in human glioma cells by decreasing Spry2 protein expression.
- Spry2 represents a potential therapeutic target for overcoming carmustine resistance in glioma treatment.
