miRNA-149* promotes cell proliferation and suppresses apoptosis by mediating JunB in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia

•miRNA-149* was upregulated in T-ALL cells and T-ALL patients’ bone marrow samples.•JunB was a target of miR-149*, and miRNA-149* mimics downregulated JunB levels.•miRNA-149* mimics promoted proliferation and reduced cell apoptosis in T-ALL cells.•miRNA-149* mimics downregulated p21 and upregulated cyclinD1, 4EBP1, and p70s6k.•miRNA-149* inhibitors exhibited opposite effects.

MicroRNA-149* (miRNA-149*) functions as an oncogenic regulator in human melanoma. However, the effect of miRNA-149* on T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is unclear. Here we aimed to analyze the effects of miRNA-149* on in vitro T-ALL cells and to uncover the target for miRNA-149* in these cells. The miRNA-149* level was determined in multiple cell lines and bone marrow cells derived from patients with T-ALL, B acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL), acute myelocytic leukemia (AML), and healthy donors. We found that miRNA-149* was highly expressed in T-ALL cell lines and T-ALL patients’ bone marrow samples. JunB was identified as a direct target of miR-149*. miRNA-149* mimics downregulated JunB levels in Molt-4 and Jurkat cells, while miRNA-149* inhibitors dramatically upregulated JunB expression in these cells. miRNA-149* mimics promoted proliferation, decreased the proportion of cells in G1 phase, and reduced cell apoptosis in T-ALL cells, while miRNA-149* inhibitors prevented these effects. miRNA-149* mimics downregulated p21 and upregulated cyclinD1, 4EBP1, and p70s6k in Molt-4 and Jurkat cells. Again, inhibitors prevented these effects. Our findings demonstrate that miRNA-149* may serve as an oncogenic regulator in T-ALL by negatively regulating JunB.