MiR-15 and miR-16 are direct transcriptional targets of E2F1 that limit E2F-induced proliferation by targeting cyclin E

MicroRNAs (miR) are small noncoding RNA molecules that have recently emerged as critical regulators of gene expression and are often deregulated in cancer. In particular, miRs encoded by the miR-15a, miR-16-1 cluster seem to act as tumor suppressors. Here, we evidence that the miR-15a, miR-16-1 cluster and related miR-15b, miR-16-2 cluster comprise miRs regulated by E2F1, a pivotal transcription factor that can induce both proliferation and cell death. E2F1 is a critical downstream target of the tumor suppressor retinoblastoma (RB). The RB pathway is often inactivated in human tumors resulting in deregulated E2F activity. We show that expression levels of the 4 mature miRs, miR-15a, miR-16-1 and miR-15b, miR-16-2, as well as their precursor pri-miRNAs, are elevated upon activation of ectopic E2F1. Moreover, activation of endogenous E2Fs upregulates expression of these miRs and endogenous E2F1 binds their respective promoters. Importantly, we corroborate that miR-15a/b inhibits expression of cyclin E, the latter a key direct transcriptional target of E2F pivotal for the G(1)/S transition, raising the possibility that E2F1, miR-15, and cyclin E constitute a feed-forward loop that modulates E2F activity and cell-cycle progression. In support of this, ectopic expression of miR-15 inhibits the G(1)/S transition, and, conversely, inhibition of miR-15 expression enhances E2F1-induced upregulation of cyclin E1 levels. Furthermore, inhibition of both miR-15 and miR-16 enhances E2F1-induced G(1)/S transition. In summary, our data identify the miR-15 and miR-16 families as novel transcriptional targets of E2F, which, in turn, modulates E2F activity.