Role of miR-34a as a suppressor of L1CAM in endometrial carcinoma

L1CAM promotes cell motility, invasion and metastasis formation in various human cancers and can be considered as a driver of tumor progression. Knowledge about genetic processes leading to the presence of L1CAM in cancers is of considerable importance. Experimentally, L1CAM expression can be achieved by various means. Over-expression of the transcription factor SLUG or treatment of cells with TGF-β1 can induce or augment L1CAM levels in cancer cells. Likewise, hypomethylation of the L1CAM promoter on the X chromosome correlates with L1CAM expression. However, presently no mechanisms that might control transcriptional activity are known. Here we have identified miR-34a as a suppressor of L1CAM. We observed that L1CAM positive endometrial carcinoma (EC) cell lines HEC1B and SPAC1L lost L1CAM protein and mRNA by treatment with demethylating agents or knock-down of the DNA-methyltransferase-1 (DNMT1). Concomitantly, several miRNAs were up-regulated. Using miRNA profiling, luciferase reporter assays and mutagenesis, we identified miR-34a as a putative binder to the L1CAM-3'UTR. Over-expression of miR-34a in HEC1B cells blocked L1CAM expression and inhibited cell migration. In ECC1 cells (wildtype p53) the activation of p53 caused miR-34a up-regulation and loss of L1CAM expression that was miR-34a dependent. We observed an inverse correlation between L1CAM and miR-34a levels in EC cell lines. In primary tumor sections areas expressing high amounts of L1CAM had less miR-34a expression than those with low L1CAM levels. Our data suggest that miR-34a can regulate L1CAM expression by targeting L1CAM mRNA for degradation. These findings shed new light on the complex regulation of L1CAM in human tumors.