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Prognostic Value of miR-137 in Children with Medulloblastoma and its Regulatory Effect on Tumor Progression

Wenyuan Ji1,2,3,4, Xuan Zhe1,2,3,4, Lusheng Li1,2,3,4

  • 1Department of Neurosurgery, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No. 136, 2nd Zhongshan Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400014, People's Republic of China.

Neuromolecular Medicine
|August 19, 2021
PubMed

Insights

MicroRNA-137 (miR-137) is down-regulated in medulloblastoma (MB), a pediatric cancer. Restoring miR-137 levels inhibits MB cell growth and progression, suggesting its potential as a prognostic biomarker.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Medulloblastoma (MB) is a highly aggressive pediatric brain tumor with limited treatment options.
  • MicroRNA-137 (miR-137) dysregulation is implicated in various cancers, but its role in MB remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the expression levels of miR-137 in medulloblastoma.
  • To determine the prognostic significance of miR-137 in MB.
  • To elucidate the functional role of miR-137 in MB cell behavior.

Main Methods:

  • Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) for miR-137 expression analysis in MB tissues and cell lines.
  • Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox regression modeling to assess prognostic value and clinical correlations.
  • In vitro assays including MTT, Transwell, and flow cytometry to evaluate the impact of miR-137 on cell proliferation, migration, invasion, cell cycle, and apoptosis.

Main Results:

  • miR-137 expression was significantly downregulated in MB tissues and cell lines compared to normal controls.
  • Lower miR-137 expression correlated with poorer prognosis and was associated with specific clinical characteristics in MB patients.
  • Upregulation of miR-137 suppressed MB cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, while promoting apoptosis and inhibiting cell cycle progression, partly through targeting KDM1A.

Conclusions:

  • miR-137 is a tumor suppressor microRNA in medulloblastoma.
  • Downregulation of miR-137 is a significant indicator of poor prognosis in medulloblastoma.
  • miR-137 holds potential as a valuable prognostic biomarker for medulloblastoma.
Keywords:
ApoptosisInvasionMedulloblastomaPrognosisProliferationmicroRNA-137

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