miRNA and mRNA expression in HEK cells with inducible expression of tumour repressor ICER

Inducible cAMP early repressor (ICER) is a member of the CREB/CREM/ATF-family of transcription factors, which all exhibit high numbers of isoforms due to transcription from alternate promoters and extensive differential splicing. ICER is proposed to down-regulate both its own expression, and the expression of other genes, containing cAMP-responsive promoter elements. A number of studies indicate that ICER is involved in regulating cell growth. It is suggested that ICER is involved in cell cycle regulation that it may act as a tumour suppressor and that it may play a role in tumourigenesis of neuroendocrine tissues. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have recently been identified as novel regulators of gene expression, through their attenuation of protein levels. MiRNAs may function as tumour suppressors or oncogene, with highly tissue specific expression and with different miRNA expressed during differentiation and development. Thus, the potential of miRNAs to modulate the human transcriptome is remarkable. To date, the exact biological role of only a small fraction of identified miRNAs has been elucidated. The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of ICER upon global mRNA and miRNA expression. HEK 293 cells (overexpression ICER or not) are analysed for mRNA and miRNA expression and data compared to illuminate the role of ICER in gene regulation and in miRNA regulation.