MicroRNA-21 promotes the proliferation and invasion of cholesteatoma keratinocytes

Abstract

Conclusions: The present study revealed that miR-21 promotes the proliferation and invasion of cholesteatoma keratinocytes. These results provide a partial explanation for the more aggressive clinical behavior observed in cholesteatoma.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the post-transcriptional regulatory effects that control proliferation, apoptosis, and invasion in cholesteatoma keratinocytes. In particular, the potential role of miR-21 was focused on in this study.

Methods: Thirty cholesteatoma tissues were processed for RNA and cell culture. Cholesteatoma keratinocytes were transfected with miR-21 mimics, miR-21 inhibitors, or negative control miRNAs; and growth curves were drawn. RT-PCR was used to assess the expression levels of miR-21. EdU incorporation assay and TUNEL staining were used to assess the proliferation and apoptosis of cholesteatoma keratinocytes, respectively. The invasive abilities of cholesteatoma keratinocytes were examined using 6-well Transwell plates.

Results: MiRNA-21 was upregulated when cholesteatoma keratinocytes were transfected with miR-21 mimics. Furthermore, the number of proliferative EdU + cells increased in cholesteatoma keratinocytes transfected with miR-21 mimics; and the number of TUNEL-positive cells also increased in cells transfected with miR-21 mimics. In addition, the number of migrated cells transfected with miR-21 mimics was higher, compared with migrated cells transfected miR-21 inhibitors or control miRNA.

Keywords:

• Apoptosis
• cholesteatoma
• keratinocyte
• microRNA-21
• proliferation

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank all members of the laboratory for their technical support and helpful discussion.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.