MiRNA-149 modulates chemosensitivity of ovarian cancer A2780 cells to paclitaxel by targeting MyD88.

Background: The low effectiveness of anticancer drugs remains a major unresolved obstacle to successful chemotherapy. Recently, much evidence on the roles of miRNAs in determining drug-sensitivity/resistance has been emerging. The relationship between miRNA-149 expression and paclitaxel chemoresistance in human ovarian cancer cells remains largely unknown.

Methods: This study investigated the relationship between miRNA-149 expression and the sensitivity of ovarian cancer A2780 cells to paclitaxel treatment. To achieve the down-regulation of miRNA-149 gene expression in A2780 cell line, the cells were infected with lentivirus carrying inhibitor of miRNA-149. Western blot and qRT-PCR were used to detect relevant protein levels and the expressions of mRNAs of interest. Cell proliferation was measured by CCK-8 assay. Flow cytometry was used to measure cell cycle and apoptosis. Transwell migration assay was used to observe the change of migration of transfected cells.

Results: Down-regulation of miRNA-149 decreased the sensitivity of ovarian cancer A2780 cells to paclitaxel. After paclitaxel treatment, decreased apoptosis and G2 phase ratio, increased cell migration, increased level of Bcl-2, and decreased level of Bax were found in miRNA-149-down-regulated A2780 cells. MiRNA-149 down-regulation resulted in increased expression of MyD88 in A2780 cells. Down-regulation of miRNA-149 in A2780 cells increased MyD88 expression and decreased their sensitivity to paclitaxel treatment.

Conclusion: Our findings suggest that miRNA-149 mediates the susceptibility of paclitaxel by regulating MyD88 expression in ovarian cancer cells.