miR-193a-3p Promotes Radio-Resistance of Nasopharyngeal Cancer Cells by Targeting SRSF2 Gene and Hypoxia Signaling Pathway
Lingsuo Kong, Qing Wei, Xianwen Hu, Lanren Chen, Juan Li
Shandong University Medical College, Ji’nan, Shandong, China (mainland)
Med Sci Monit Basic Res 2019; 25:53-62
DOI: 10.12659/MSMBR.914572
Available online:
Published: 2019-02-18

BACKGROUND:
Radio-resistance is an important barrier in nasopharyngeal carcinoma treatment. MicroRNAs are gene expression core regulators in various biological procedures containing cancer radio-resistance. Nevertheless, the clinical association between nasopharyngeal carcinoma and miR-193a-3p/SRSF2 remains unclear.
MATERIAL AND METHODS:
We examined the miR-193a-3p level in radio-sensitive CNE-2 and radio-resistant CNE-1 NPC cell lines, and, based on a literature review, predicted SRSF2 to be the target gene of miR-193a-3p. We explored the expression of SRSF2 at protein and mRNA levels by transfecting either miR-193a-3p-mimic or antagomiR. Finally, we performed signaling pathway analysis to assess the possible role of miR-193a-3p/SRSF2 in signaling pathways.
RESULTS:
miR-193a-3p promotes NPC radio-resistance, and the SRSF2 gene is the direct target for miR-193a-3p in NPC, and thus is negatively correlated with NPC radio-resistance. The hypoxia signaling pathway activity is strongly affected, and it is possible to use the downstream activity of the SRSF2 gene to show the effect of miR-193a-3p on radio-resistance in NPC cells.
CONCLUSIONS:
miR-193a-3p mediates promotion of NPC radio-resistance.
Keywords: Head and Neck Neoplasms, Nasopharyngeal Diseases, Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms