Estrogen receptor β upregulated by lncRNA-H19 to promote cancer stem-like properties in papillary thyroid carcinoma

Cell Death Dis. 2018 Nov 2;9(11):1120. doi: 10.1038/s41419-018-1077-9.

Abstract

Estrogen receptor β (ERβ) plays critical roles in thyroid cancer progression. However, its role in thyroid cancer stem cell maintenance remains elusive. Here, we report that ERβ is overexpressed in papillary thyroid cancer stem cells (PTCSCs), whereas ablation of ERβ decreases stemness-related factors expression, diminishes ALDH+ cell populations, and suppresses sphere formation ability and tumor growth. Screening estrogen-responsive lncRNAs in PTC spheroid cells, we find that lncRNA-H19 is highly expressed in PTCSCs and PTC tissue specimens, which is correlated with poor overall survival. Mechanistically, estradiol (E2) significantly promotes H19 transcription via ERβ and elevates H19 expression. Silencing of H19 inhibits E2-induced sphere formation ability. Furthermore, H19 acting as a competitive endogenous RNA sequesters miRNA-3126-5p to reciprocally release ERβ expression. ERβ depletion reverses H19-induced stem-like properties upon E2 treatment. Appropriately, ERβ is upregulated in PTC tissue specimens. Notably, aspirin attenuates E2-induced cancer stem-like traits through decreasing both H19 and ERβ expression. Collectively, our findings reveal that ERβ-H19 positive feedback loop has a compelling role in PTCSC maintenance under E2 treatment and provides a potential therapeutic targeting strategy for PTC.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 1 Family / genetics
  • Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 1 Family / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology
  • Aspirin / pharmacology
  • Carcinogenesis / drug effects
  • Carcinogenesis / genetics
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Estradiol / pharmacology
  • Estrogen Receptor beta / genetics*
  • Estrogen Receptor beta / metabolism
  • Feedback, Physiological
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic*
  • Heterografts
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Nude
  • MicroRNAs / genetics
  • MicroRNAs / metabolism
  • Neoplastic Stem Cells / drug effects
  • Neoplastic Stem Cells / metabolism*
  • Neoplastic Stem Cells / pathology
  • RNA, Long Noncoding / genetics*
  • RNA, Long Noncoding / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction
  • Survival Analysis
  • Thyroid Cancer, Papillary / drug therapy
  • Thyroid Cancer, Papillary / genetics*
  • Thyroid Cancer, Papillary / mortality
  • Thyroid Cancer, Papillary / pathology
  • Thyroid Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Thyroid Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Thyroid Neoplasms / mortality
  • Thyroid Neoplasms / pathology

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Estrogen Receptor beta
  • H19 long non-coding RNA
  • MIRN3126 microRNA, human
  • MicroRNAs
  • RNA, Long Noncoding
  • Estradiol
  • Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 1 Family
  • Aspirin