iScience (Apr 2023)

Tumor-suppressive role of the musculoaponeurotic fibrosarcoma gene in colorectal cancer

  • Hiroaki Itakura,
  • Tsuyoshi Hata,
  • Daisuke Okuzaki,
  • Koki Takeda,
  • Kenji Iso,
  • Yamin Qian,
  • Yoshihiro Morimoto,
  • Tomohiro Adachi,
  • Haruka Hirose,
  • Yuhki Yokoyama,
  • Takayuki Ogino,
  • Norikatsu Miyoshi,
  • Hidekazu Takahashi,
  • Mamoru Uemura,
  • Tsunekazu Mizushima,
  • Takao Hinoi,
  • Masaki Mori,
  • Yuichiro Doki,
  • Hidetoshi Eguchi,
  • Hirofumi Yamamoto

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 26, no. 4
p. 106478

Abstract

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Summary: Somatic cell reprogramming using the microRNAs miR-200c, miR-302s, and miR-369s leads to increased expression of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors in human colorectal cancer (CRC) cells and suppressed tumor growth. Here, we investigated whether these microRNAs inhibit colorectal tumorigenesis in CPC;Apc mice, which are prone to colon and rectal polyps. Repeated administration of microRNAs inhibited polyp formation. Microarray analysis indicated that c-MAF, which reportedly shows oncogene-like behavior in multiple myeloma and T cell lymphoma, decreased in tumor samples but increased in microRNA-treated normal mucosa. Immunohistochemistry identified downregulation of c-MAF as an early tumorigenesis event in CRC, with low c-MAF expression associated with poor prognosis. Of note, c-MAF expression and p53 protein levels were inversely correlated in CRC samples. c-MAF knockout led to enhanced tumor formation in azoxymethane/dextran sodium sulfate–treated mice, with activation of cancer-promoting genes. c-MAF may play a tumor-suppressive role in CRC development.

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