Eupatilin Inhibits Renal Cancer Growth by Downregulating MicroRNA-21 through the Activation of YAP1.

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the second most common human urinary tumor. Eupatilin is the main active ingredient of the traditional Chinese medicine . The effect of Eupatilin on RCC and the underlying mechanism remain unknown. Here, we investigated the anticancer effects and mechanisms of Eupatilin in RCC and , laying an experimental foundation for the clinical application of Eupatilin in the treatment of RCC. The results showed that Eupatilin significantly inhibited 786-O cell viability and migration and promoted apoptosis. Eupatilin inhibited the expression of miR-21 in 786-O cells, and overexpression of miR-21 suppressed the effect of Eupatilin on viability, apoptosis, and migration in 786-O cells. Eupatilin inhibited the growth of renal tumors in nude mice by downregulating miR-21. YAP1, which was identified as a target of miR-21, showed significantly lower expression in RCC tissues than in healthy tissues. miR-21 significantly inhibited YAP1 protein expression in 786-O cells and tumor tissues isolated from nude mice, and YAP1 attenuated the effect of miR-21 on the viability, apoptosis, and migration of 786-O cells. In conclusion, Eupatilin inhibited the expression of miR-21, which mediated the proapoptotic and antimigratory effects of Eupatilin by suppressing YAP1 in renal cancer cells. These results suggested that Eupatilin could be a potent agent for the treatment of RCC.