miR-133b suppresses colorectal cancer cell sternness and chemoresistance by targeting methyltransferase DOT1L

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a subpopulation of chemoresistant cells that play a critical role in disease recurrence following chemotherapy. It has been reported that microRNA-133b (miR-133b) acts as a tumor suppressor in colorectal cancer (CRC). However, whether miR-133b is associated with CRC sternness and chemoresistance is not clear. In this study, we report that miR-133b is downregulated in colorectal spheroids, which are enriched with CSCs and display stem cell-like characteristics, including upreulation of CSCs surface markers and elevated chemoresistance. Additionally, miR-133b overexpression reduces CRC sternness and overrides chemoresistance to 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) and oxaliplatin (OXP), indicating a negative role of miR-133b in regulating CRC sternness and chemoresistance. Moreover, miR-133b directly targets and suppresses the expression of disruptor of telomeric silencing 1-like (DOT1L), an exclusive H3K79 methyltransferase. Furthermore, miR-133b overexpression suppresses DOT1L-mediated H3K79me2 modification of stem cell genes, which is consistent with their downregulated transcription. More importantly, DOT1L restoration abrogates the suppressive effects of miR-133b on CRC sternness and chemoresistance, hence demonstrating that miR-133b regulates CRC sternness and chemoresistance through targeting DOT1L. Overall, these results imply that miR-133b might represent a novel therapeutic target in interfering CRC sternness and chemoresistance.