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Long non-coding RNA MEG3 induces renal cell carcinoma cells apoptosis by activating the mitochondrial pathway

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Summary

This study aimed to examine the effect of long non-coding RNA (LncRNA) MEG3 on the biological behaviors of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) cells 786-0 and the possible mechanism. MEG3 expression levels were detected by RT-qPCR in tumor tissues and adjacent non-tumor tissues from 29 RCC patients and in RCC lines 786-0 and SN12 and human embryonic kidney cell line 293T. Plasmids GV144-MEG3 (MEG3 overexpression plasmid) and GV144 (control plasmid) were stably transfected into 786-0 cells by using lipofectamine 2000. Cell viabilities were determined by MTT, cell apoptosis rates by flow cytometry following PE Annexin V and 7AAD staining, apoptosis-related protein expressions by Western blotting, and Bcl-2 mRNA by RT-qPCR in the transfected cells. The results showed that MEG3 was evidently downregulated in RCC tissues (P<0.05) and RCC cell lines (P<0.05). The viabilities of 786-0 cells were decreased significantly after transfection with GV144-MEG3 for over 24 h (P<0.05). Consistently, the apoptosis rate was significantly increased in 786-0 cells transfected with GV144-MEG3 for 48 h (P<0.05). Furthermore, overexpression of MEG3 could reduce the expression of Bcl-2 and procaspase-9 proteins, enhance the expression of cleaved caspase-9 protein, and promote the release of cytochrome c protein to cytoplasm (P<0.05). Additionally, Bcl-2 mRNA level was declined by MEG3 overexpression (P<0.05). It was concluded that MEG3 induces the apoptosis of RCC cells possibly by activating the mitochondrial pathway.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Urology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China

    Miao Wang  (王淼), Gang Luo  (罗刚), Chao Huang  (黄超), Xing-yuan Xiao  (肖行远), Liang Wang  (汪良), Guo-song Jiang  (蒋国松) & Fu-qing Zeng  (曾甫清)

  2. Department of Urology, The First Hospital of Wuhan, Wuhan, 430022, China

    Tao Huang  (黄韬)

Authors
  1. Miao Wang  (王淼)
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  2. Tao Huang  (黄韬)
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  3. Gang Luo  (罗刚)
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  4. Chao Huang  (黄超)
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  5. Xing-yuan Xiao  (肖行远)
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  6. Liang Wang  (汪良)
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  7. Guo-song Jiang  (蒋国松)
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  8. Fu-qing Zeng  (曾甫清)
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Fu-qing Zeng  (曾甫清).

Additional information

Both authors contributed equally to this work.

This project was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 81001132, 81172423, and 81272816).

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Wang, M., Huang, T., Luo, G. et al. Long non-coding RNA MEG3 induces renal cell carcinoma cells apoptosis by activating the mitochondrial pathway. J. Huazhong Univ. Sci. Technol. [Med. Sci.] 35, 541–545 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11596-015-1467-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11596-015-1467-5

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