Anti-cancer agents in medicinal chemistry, 2013, 13(7):1126-32.

Oncogenic MicroRNA-27a is a Target for Genistein in Ovarian Cancer Cells

Linlin Xu, Jingying Xiang, Jian Shen, et al

Department of Pharmacology, Nanjing Medical University, Jiangsu, China

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are emerging as important regulators in various pathobiological processes in cancer. Genistein, as a major isoflavonoid isolated from dietary soybean, possesses a wide variety of biological activities particularly in cancer prevention. However, the molecular mechanisms by which genistein elicits its effects on ovarian cancer cells have not been fully elucidated. In this study, we reported that expression of miR-27a was higher in human ovarian cancer relative to benign ovarian tissues. Meanwhile, transfection of SKOV3 cells with the inhibitor of miR-27a suppressed growth and migration of tumor cells. Our study also found that treatment of ovarian cancer cells with genistein caused an inhibition of ovarian cancer cell growth and migration. Further cellular mechanistic studies revealed that genistein down-regulated miR-27a expression, which was accompanied by significantly increased expression of Sprouty2, a putative miR-27a target gene. Taken together, our findings reveal that oncogenic miR-27a plays an important role in ovarian cancer cell growth and metastasis, and genistein, as nontoxic inactivators of miRNA, can block ovarian cancer cell growth and migration, offering novel insights into the mechanisms of genistein therapeutic actions.

荷兰《药物化学中的抗癌药物》，2013年9月

在卵巢癌细胞中致癌的 MicroRNA-27a 是金雀异黄素的标靶

徐琳琳，向晶莹，沈建，等

中国江苏南京医科大学药理学院