miR-19a contributes to gefitinib resistance and epithelial mesenchymal transition in non-small cell lung cancer cells by targeting c-Met

Gefitinib, an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor, is used as a first-line treatment for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, most NSCLC patients inevitably develop gefitinib resistance, and the mechanisms underlying this resistance are not fully understood. In this study, we show that miR-19a is significantly down-regulated in gefitinib-resistant NSCLC cell lines compared with gefitinib-sensitive cell lines. In addition, the down-regulation of miR-19a suppressed the expression of epithelial markers but induced the expression levels of mesenchymal markers. A mechanistic analysis revealed that miR-19a regulated c-Met expression by directly targeting the c-Met 3′UTR. Overexpression of miR-19a decreased c-Met expression and re-sensitized gefitinib-resistant NSCLC cells in vitro and in vivo. Consistent with the in vitro findings, the miR-19a serum level was significantly decreased in NSCLC patients with acquired gefitinib resistance compared with the level observed prior to the acquisition of resistance in each patient, indicating that miR-19a expression may be a valuable biomarker for the prediction of acquired gefitinib resistance in a clinical setting. Our data demonstrate that the miR-19a/c-Met pathway plays a critical role in acquired resistance to gefitinib and that the manipulation of miR-19a might provide a therapeutic strategy for overcoming acquired gefitinib resistance.