The transcribed-ultraconserved regions in prostate and gastric cancer: DNA hypermethylation and microRNA-associated regulation

The transcribed-ultraconserved regions (T-UCRs) are a novel class of non-coding RNAs, which are absolutely conserved (100%) between the orthologous regions of the human, rat and mouse genomes. Previous studies have described that several T-UCRs show differential expressions in cancers and might be involved in cancer development. We investigated the transcriptional levels of representative 26 T-UCRs and determined the regions that were differently expressed in prostate cancer (PCa) and gastric cancer (GC). A quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed the downregulation of Uc. 158+A expression by a DNA methylation-associated mechanism, which was restored by 5-Aza-dC (5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine) treatment. Bisulfite genomic sequencing using cell lines and tissue samples demonstrated cancer-specific CpG hypermethylation in both GC and PCa. However, Uc. 416+A was only overexpressed in GC and we identified an miR-153 binding site in the possible regulatory region of Uc. 416+A using online databases. Along with a forced expression or knockdown of miR-153 in MKN-74 GC cells, the transcriptional levels of Uc. 416+A were significantly disturbed. A luciferase reporter gene assay supported the direct regulation of Uc. 416+A expression by miR-153. Furthermore, Uc. 416+A was associated with cell growth through the regulation of IGFBP6 (insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 6) in GC. These findings suggest an oncogenic role of Uc. 416+A in GC, which suggests that our approach would provide new insights into functional studies of T-UCRs in cancer biology.