RARβ acts as both an upstream regulator and downstream effector of miR‐22 , which epigenetically regulates NUR77 to induce apoptosis of colon cancer cells

What is it about?

This work studies the induction of miR-22, which is a tumor suppressor, as well as the consequence of miR-22 induction. Our novel data showed for the first time that retinoic acid (RA) and histone deacetylase inhibitors including natural short-chain fatty acids and an FDA-approved cancer drug could induce miR-22. This induction was mediated via the receptor of retinoic acid. In addition, we uncovered that miR-22 induction caused epigenetic upregulation of two nuclear transcriptional factors as well as their relocation to the cytosol. Consequently, those factors lost their proliferative effect and generated cell suicidal property. Together, via such a mechanism, which is human-relevant, miR-22 itself and it inducers are effective in reducing colon cancer tumor as demonstrated in mouse models.

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