An antisense RNA capable of modulating the expression of the tumor suppressor microRNA-34a
Serviss JT., Richter FC., Van den Eynden J., Andrews N., Houtman M., Vesterlund M., Schwarzmueller L., Johnsson P., Larsson E., Grandér D., Pokrovskaja Tamm K.
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>The microRNA-34a is a well-studied tumor suppressor microRNA (miRNA) and a direct downstream target of TP53 with roles in several pathways associated with oncogenesis, such as proliferation, cellular growth, and differentiation. Due to its broad tumor suppressive activity, it is not surprising that <jats:italic>miR34a</jats:italic> expression is altered in a wide variety of solid tumors and hematological malignancies. However, the mechanisms by which <jats:italic>miR34a</jats:italic> is regulated in these cancers is largely unknown. In this study, we find that a long non-coding RNA transcribed antisense to the <jats:italic>miR34a</jats:italic> host gene, is critical for <jats:italic>miR34a</jats:italic> expression and mediation of its cellular functions in multiple types of human cancer. We name this long non-coding RNA <jats:italic>lncTAM34a,</jats:italic> and characterize its ability to facilitate <jats:italic>miR34a</jats:italic> expression under different types of cellular stress in both <jats:italic>TP53</jats:italic> deficient and wild type settings.</jats:p>