TY - JOUR T1 - Regulation of Human UGT2B15 and UGT2B17 by miR-376c in Prostate Cancer Cell Lines JF - Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics JO - J Pharmacol Exp Ther SP - 417 LP - 425 DO - 10.1124/jpet.115.226118 VL - 354 IS - 3 AU - Dhilushi D. Wijayakumara AU - Dong Gui Hu AU - Robyn Meech AU - Ross A. McKinnon AU - Peter I. Mackenzie Y1 - 2015/09/01 UR - http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/354/3/417.abstract N2 - Given the prime importance of UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) 2B15 and UGT2B17 in inactivating testosterone and dihydrotestosterone, control of their expression and activity in the prostate is essential for androgen signaling homeostasis in this organ. Although several studies provide evidence of transcriptional control of UGT2B15 and UGT2B17 by various endogenous and exogenous compounds, potential post-transcriptional regulation of UGT2B15 and UGT2B17 by microRNAs (miRs) in prostate cancer cells has not been examined. The present study identified a putative miR-376c target site in the 3′-untranslated regions (UTRs) of both UGT2B15 and UGT2B17 mRNAs. In accordance with the possibility that this miRNA negatively regulates UGT2B15 and UGT2B17 expression, there is an inverse correlation in the levels of miR-376c and UGT2B15/UGT2B17 mRNAs in prostate cancer cell lines versus normal prostate tissue. In LNCaP cells, transfection of miR-376c mimics inhibited the glucuronidations of testosterone, 4-methylumbelliferone (a substrate of UGT2B15), and androsterone (a substrate of UGT2B17). miR-376c reduced both UGT2B15 and UGT2B17 mRNA and protein levels and the activity of luciferase reporters containing UGT2B15 or UGT2B17 3′-UTRs. This microRNA-mediated repression was significantly abrogated by mutating the miR-376c binding site in the 3′-UTRs of both UGTs. Collectively, these data indicate that the expression of UGT2B15 and UGT2B17 is negatively regulated by the binding of miR-376c to the 3′-UTRs of UGT2B15 and UGT2B17 in prostate cancer cells. This represents the first evidence for post-transcriptional regulation of UGT2B15 and UGT2B17 by miRNAs in prostate cancer cells and may have importance in regulating androgen receptor signaling. ER -