MicroRNA-3666 regulates expression of phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome ten in leukemic cells

AIM: To explore the regulatory effect of microRNA-3666 (miR-3666) on the expression of its target gene phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN) in leukemic cells. METHODS: miR-3666 expression levels in normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells and leukemic cells were determined by quantitative real-time PCR. miR-3666 targeting PTEN 3-untranslated region (3UTR) was predicted by TargetScan software. 3UTR of PTEN was inserted in the dual luciferase reporter vector psiCHECK2. The reporter activity was evaluated by the Dual-Luciferase Reporter Assay System after the luciferase promoter vector and miRNA were co-transfected into HEK293T cell line. K562 cells were transfected with synthetic miR-3666 inhibitor (anti-miR-3666) or a synthetic control miRNA (anti-miR-C). The expression of PTEN protein in the above transfected K562 cells was determined by Western blotting. RESULTS: miR-3666 was up-regulated in the human leukemic cell lines and primary leukemic cells compared to normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The results of dual luciferase assays validated PTEN as a specific target gene of miR-3666. Inhibition of miR-3666 resulted in an up-regulation of PTEN protein expression in the K562 cells. CONCLUSION: miR-3666 is over-expressed in leukemic cells. The abnormal over-expression of miR-3666 may play a key role in leukemia due to the down-regulation of PTEN.