Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRs) are important posttranscriptional regulators of cell fate in both normal and disease states. miR-211 has previously been shown to be a direct regulator of metabolism in BRAFV600E-mutant melanoma cells in vitro. Here, we report that miR-211 expression promotes the aggressive growth of BRAFV600E-mutant melanoma xenografts in vivo. miR-211 promoted proliferation through the posttranscriptional activation of extracellular signal–regulated kinase (ERK) 5 signaling, which has recently been implicated in the resistance to BRAF and MAPK/ERK kinase inhibitors. We therefore examined whether miR-211 similarly modulated melanoma resistance to the BRAF inhibitor vemurafenib and the MAPK/ERK kinase inhibitor cobimetinib. Consistent with this model, miR-211 expression increased melanoma cell resistance to both the inhibitors, and this resistance was associated with an increased ERK5 phosphorylation. miR-211 mediates these effects by directly inhibiting the expression of DUSP6, an ERK5 pathway–specific phosphatase and now shown to be an miR-211 target gene. These results dissect the role of the miR-211–DUSP6-ERK5 axis in melanoma tumor growth and suggest a mechanism for the development of drug-resistant tumors and a target for overcoming resistance.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 385-394 |
Number of pages | 10 |
Journal | Journal of Investigative Dermatology |
Volume | 141 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Feb 2021 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Biochemistry
- Molecular Biology
- Dermatology
- Cell Biology