Impaired microRNA processing by DICER1 downregulation endows thyroid cancer with increased aggressiveness

The global downregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) is emerging as a common hallmark of cancer. However, the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are not well known. We identified that the oncogenic miR-146b-5p attenuates miRNA biosynthesis by targeting DICER1 and reducing its expression. DICER1 overexpression inhibited all the miR-146b-induced aggressive phenotypes in thyroid cells. Systemic injection of an anti-miR-146b in mice with orthotopic thyroid tumors suppressed tumor growth and recovered DICER1 levels. Notably, DICER1 downregulation promoted proliferation, migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition through miRNA downregulation. Our analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas revealed a general decrease in DICER1 expression in thyroid cancer that was associated with a worse clinical outcome. Administration of the small-molecule enoxacin to promote DICER1 complex activity reduced tumor aggressiveness both in vitro and in vivo. Overall, our data confirm DICER1 as a tumor suppressor and show that oncogenic miR-146b contributes to its downregulation. Moreover, our results highlight a potential therapeutic application of RNA-based therapies including miRNA inhibitors and restoration of the biogenesis machinery, which may provide treatments for thyroid and other cancers.