Yvonne Tay
National University of Singapore, Singapore
Title: A microRNA-638/ferritin gene: Pseudogene network regulates iron storage in prostate cancer
Biography
Biography: Yvonne Tay
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-coding RNAs that post-transcriptionally modulate gene expression by binding to miRNA response elements (MREs) on target transcripts. Aberrant expression of miRNAs results in the deregulation of tumor suppressors and/or oncogenes. Iron is an essential metal known to play critical roles in various cellular processes. Deregulated iron homeostasis tilts the systemic iron balance, leading to various human pathologies, including cancer. However, little is known about miRNAs in the regulation of iron storage. In this study, we characterize miRNA-638 as a crucial player in iron storage in prostate cancer, which is the second leading cause of cancer death in men worldwide. MiRNA-638 targets ferritin heavy chain, FTH1 and several of its pseudogenes to promote tumor growth, suggesting the potential involvement of a deregulated competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network in pathogenesis. Our results indicate that miRNA-638 could be an oncomiRNA in prostate cancer; hence it is a potential therapeutic target.