Background
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) play an important role in the development of pancreatic cancer. We previously showed that the microRNA miR-137 is downregulated in clinical samples of pancreatic cancer, and its expression negatively regulates the proliferation and invasiveness of pancreatic cancer cells.
Conclusion
Our results suggest that miR-137 reduces stemness features of pancreatic cancer cells by Targeting KLF12-associated Wnt/β-catenin pathways and may identify new diagnostic and therapeutic targets in pancreatic cancer.
Methods
The stemness features of pancreatic cancer cells was detected by flow cytometry, immunofluorescence and sphere formation assay. Xenograft mouse models were used to assess the role of miR-137 in stemness features of pancreatic cancer cells in vivo. Dual-luciferase reporter assays were used to determine how miR-137 regulates KLF12. Bioinformatics and Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis of KLF12 recruitment to the DVL2 promoters. Involvement of the Wnt/β-catenin pathways was investigated by western blot and Immunohistochemistry.
Results
miR-137 inhibits pancreatic cancer cell stemness in vitro and vivo. KLF12 as miR-137 target inhibits CSC phenotype in pancreatic cancer cells. Suppression of KLF12 by miR-137 inhibits Wnt/β-catenin signalling. KLF12 expression correlates with DVL2 and canonical Wnt pathway in clinical pancreatic cancer.