MicroRNA-138-5p modulates cell proliferation and sensitivity to Taxol in bladder cancer cells
MicroRNA-138-5p modulates cell proliferation and sensitivity to Taxol in bladder cancer cells
Mahtab Kadkhodayi,1Reza Safaralizadeh,2,*Behzad Baradaran,3Vahid Asghariazar ,4Mohammad Amin Doustvandi,5
1. Department of Animal Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, The University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran 2. Department of Animal Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, The University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran 3. Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran 4. Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran 5. Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
Introduction: Bladder cancer (BC) is one of the most common malignancies worldwide. Chemotherapy based on Taxol is the standard treatment for a range of cancers, including BC, but chemoresistance is mainly responsible for relapses of bladder cancer during clinical therapy. MicroRNAs (miRs) have been demonstrated to promise as a therapeutic factor in combination therapy of BC. Downregulation of miR-138-5p is reported in human bladder cancer. We aim to investigate the association of miR-138-5p expression with the sensitivity of bladder cancer EJ138 cells to Taxol.
Methods: EJ138 cells were transfected with miR-138-5p mimics and treated with Taxol in a combined manner or separately. The efficacy of transfection was verified by qRT-PCR. The half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) value of Taxol in EJ138 cells and the effect of miR-138-5p on cell proliferation and chemosensitivity to Taxol were measured using the MTT assay.
Results: These data verified the tumor-suppressive role of miR-138-5p in BC cells. Furthermore, the results showed that the miR-138-5p+Taxol combination group showed lower cell viability rates than that of the miR-138-5p transfected group or Taxol treated group alone. The IC50 of Taxol and miR-138-5p+Taxol in EJ138 cells were 0.735 μg/ml and 0.09125 μg/ml, respectively. This might indicate that miR-138-5p could decrease the efficient dose of Taxol and might be effective in reducing Taxol-related potential side effects in bladder cancer patients.
Conclusion: Upregulation of miR-138-5p suppresses EJ138 cell proliferation and increases the sensitivity of these cells to Taxol. Consequently, the combination of miR-138-5p with Taxol would provide a potential strategy to be considered as a treatment option against bladder cancer.