MicroRNAs and tumor invasion: involvement of Rho GTPases

• Grant number: 11/18936-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: December 01, 2011
• End date: November 30, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Morphology - Cytology and Cell Biology
• Principal Investigator: Marinilce Fagundes dos Santos
• Grantee: Cilene Rebouças de Lima
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

During epithelial tumor invasion, proteins that regulate cell-cell interactions, the loss of apical-basal polarization and increased cell motility are differentially expressed. This process is known as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and is partially regulated by small molecular weight GTPases from the Rho family (from Ras-Homology). Although much is known about the role of Rho GTPases in tumorigenesis, their regulation and exact function in each significant step during tumor progression are not completely clarified. This subject became even more complex with the recently acquired knowledge about microRNAs (miRNAs), which regulate various cellular processes, including cytoskeleton arrangement and cell migration. Tumor progression, invasion and metastasis are frequently accompanied by alterations in miRNAs expression. In this study we investigate the role of specific microRNAs (146b, 221 and 222) in Rho GTPases regulation and motility in papillary thyroid carcinoma cells. This is the most frequent carcinoma in the thyroid gland, being invasive in about 40% of the patients; the miRNAs 146b, 221 and 222 are over expressed in this tumor (Lee & Dutta, 2009). We expect to elucidate important molecular mechanisms regulating tumor invasion, as well as to contribute to new potential therapies to reduce the invasive potential of tumor cells. (AU)

Scientific publications

(5)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

LIMA, CILENE REBOUCAS; GOMES, CIBELE CRASTEQUINI; SANTOS, MARINILCE FAGUNDES. Role of microRNAs in endocrine cancer metastasis. Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology, v. 456, n. C, p. 14-pg., 2017-11-15. (11/18936-7, 15/19645-7)

LIMA, CILENE REBOUCAS; GOMES, CIBELE CRASTEQUINI; SANTOS, MARINILCE FAGUNDES. Role of microRNAs in endocrine cancer metastasis. Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology, v. 456, n. C, SI, p. 62-75, NOV 15 2017. (11/18936-7, 15/19645-7)

MONTEIRO, MARIANA M.; LIMA, CILENE R.; GOMES, CIBELE C.; CRUZ, MARIO C.; HORLIANA, ANNA C. R. T.; SANTOS, MARINILCE F.. Lowered Expression of MicroRNAs 221 and 222 Mediate Apoptosis Induced by High Glucose in Human Periodontal Ligament Cells. Cell Biochemistry and Biophysics, v. 78, n. 3, SI, JUL 2020. (15/19645-7, 12/24508-0, 12/03990-9, 11/18936-7)

LIMA, CILENE REBOUCAS; GERALDO, MURILO VIEIRA; FUZIWARA, CESAR SEIGI; KIMURA, EDNA TERUKO; SANTOS, MARINILCE FAGUNDES. MiRNA-146b-5p upregulates migration and invasion of different Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma cells. BMC CANCER, v. 16, FEB 16 2016. (11/18936-7, 12/03990-9)

MONTEIRO, MARIANA M.; LIMA, CILENE R.; GOMES, CIBELE C.; CRUZ, MARIO C.; HORLIANA, ANNA C. R. T.; SANTOS, MARINILCE F.. Lowered Expression of MicroRNAs 221 and 222 Mediate Apoptosis Induced by High Glucose in Human Periodontal Ligament Cells. Cell Biochemistry and Biophysics, v. 78, n. 3, p. 8-pg., 2020-07-17. (15/19645-7, 12/03990-9, 11/18936-7, 12/24508-0)