RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 miR-3148 Is a Novel Onco-microRNA that Potentiates Tumor Growth In Vivo JF Anticancer Research JO Anticancer Res FD International Institute of Anticancer Research SP 5693 OP 5701 DO 10.21873/anticanres.12906 VO 38 IS 10 A1 TAKAKI AKAMINE A1 YOSUKE MORODOMI A1 YUI HARADA A1 KOJI TERAISHI A1 TETSUZO TAGAWA A1 TATSURO OKAMOTO A1 YOSHIHIKO MAEHARA A1 YOSHIKAZU YONEMITSU YR 2018 UL http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/38/10/5693.abstract AB Background/Aim: Alterations of microRNA expression in three-dimensional spheroids were examined to identify novel microRNAs that might be associated with tumorigenesis. Materials and Methods: Using microRNA microarray analysis, we screened for microRNAs that were dramatically up-regulated inside three-dimensional spheroids in genetically-modified HCT116 human colon cancer cells expressing Copepoda Green Fluorescent Protein under hypoxia. Results: miR-3148 was identified as a possible candidate onco-microRNA. A growth advantage of HCT116 cells stably expressing miR-3148 (HCT116-miR3148) was observed compared to parental cells in vivo, but not in vitro. Additionally, no change in growth under hypoxic or starvation conditions was seen in these cells cultured two-dimensionally; however, HCT116-miR3148 cells maintained as three-dimensional spheroids were highly resistant to hypoxic conditions. HCT116-miR3148 cells were more sensitive to mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) kinase inhibitors and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) inhibitors. Conclusion: MiR-3148 may be a novel onco-microRNA that protects cancer cells from serious stress conditions through the MAPK/ERK pathway, especially in vivo.