The role of miR-17-92 in the miRegulatory landscape of Ewing Sarcoma (RNA-Seq)

MicroRNAs serve to fine-tune gene expression and play an important regulatory role in tissue specific gene networks. The identification and validation of miRNA target genes in a tissue still poses a significant problem since the presence of a seed sequence in the 3´UTR of an mRNA and its expression modulation upon ectopic expression of the miRNA do not reliably predict regulation under physiological conditions. The chimeric oncoprotein EWS-FLI1 is the driving pathogenic force in Ewing Sarcoma. miR-17-92, one of the most potent oncogenic miRNAs, was recently reported to be the top EWS-FLI1 activated miRNA. Using a combination of AGO2 pull-down experiments by PAR-CLIP (Photoactivatable-Ribonucleoside-Enhanced Crosslinking and Immunoprecipitation) and of RNAseq upon miRNA depletion by ectopic sponge expression, we aimed to identify the targetome of miR-17-92 in Ewing sarcoma. Intersecting both datasets we found an enrichment of PAR-CLIP hits for members of the miR-17-92 cluster in the 3´UTRs of genes up-regulated in response to mir-17-92 specific sponge expression. Strikingly, approximately a quarter of these genes annotate to the TGFB/BMP pathway, the majority mapping downstream of SMAD signalling. Taken together, our findings shed light on the complex miRegulatory landscape of Ewing Sarcoma pointing miR-17-92 as a key node connected to TGFB/BMP pathway Overall design: mRNA profiles of a Ewings Sarcoma cellline (clone of A673 with inducible sh EWS-FLI1 knockdown) treated with microRNA sponges and controls

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Schwentner R, Herrero-Martin D, Kauer MO, Mutz CN, Katschnig AM, Sienski G, Alonso J, Aryee DN, Kovar H