Researchers at the Cancer Epigenetics Group , led by Manel Esteller and Aging and Cancer group , led by Purification Muñoz

of the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL ) have shown that colon cancer cells with an altered function of the DICER protein , responsible for the processing and maturation of microRNAs, increase the content of tumor stem cells and enhances the development of liver metastasis .

MicroRNAs

MicroRNAs (miRNAs ) play important roles in cells, regulating the expression of certain genes. These miRNAs are produced as long RNA molecules , which , to be functional, needs to be processed and matured by a protein complex which DICER

is a part . In previous studies, it was demonstrated that alterations in the production and maturation of specific miRNAs promotes the development of cancer.

In this article, published in the journal Oncogene , researchers demonstrated that loss of function on DICER leads to an imbalance overall on the production of miARNs and specifically of those that regulate the function of cancer stem cells and that control the transition epithelium – mesenchyme, a process associated with tumor cell migration . Consequently, tumor cells deficient in DICER function have greater ability to generate and induce tumor metastasis development .

Stem cells control the growth and development of tumor metastasis

In most tumors there are cells that exhibit similar properties to the adult stem cells that there are in all tissues . This cell population is called tumor stem cells and are believed to be responsible for tumor growth and metastasis generation . These cells lose epithelial cell characteristics , associated with the process of epithelial-mesenchymal transition and would be responsible for initiating the growth of metastases after their migration from the primary tumor .

This article demonstrates that DICER protein regulates properties of stem cells of colon tumors and its impaired function have important consequences , promoting tumor progression.

Article’s reference

V, Carmona FJ, Ramalho-Carvalho J, Heyn H, Villanueva A, Muñoz P and Esteller M. Impaired DICER1 function promotes stemness and metastasis in colon cancer. Oncogene, doi: 10.1038/onc.2013.398, 2013.