miR-196a is able to restore the aggressive phenotype of Annexin A1 CRISPR/Cas9 knock-out pancreatic cancer cells

Annexin A1 (ANXA1) is a Ca2+-binding protein involved in pancreatic cancer (PC) progression. It is able to mediate cytoskeletal organization maintaining a malignant phenotype. ANXA1 Knock-Out (KO) MIA PaCa-2 cells partially lost their migratory and invasive capabilities and also the metastatization process is affected in vivo. Here, we investigated the microRNA (miRNA) profile in ANXA1 KO cells. The analysis of the modification in miRNA expression remarked the significant involvement of ANXA1 in PC progression. In this study, we focused on miR-196a which is a well known oncogenic factor in several tumour models and it appeared down-modulated in absence of ANXA1. Furthermore, both ANXA1 and miR-196a are able to trigger the mechanisms of the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). Our results show that the reintroduction of miR-196a through the mimic sequence restored the early aggressive phenotype of MIA PaCa-2. Then, ANXA1 seems to support the expression of miR-196a and its role. On the other hand, this miRNA is able to mediate some of protein functions in PC progression. This work elucidates the correlation between ANXA1 and specific miRNA sequences, particularly miR-196a, and provides new knowledge about the protein intracellular role.