Fig. 8.

Synergistic anticancer effect by the combination of the restoration of miR-34a and silencing of PLK1 is via myc. a miR-34a binding site within MYC 3′-UTR. b PLK1 and MYC protein levels in MiaPaCa2 cells transfected with miRNA and siRNA monotherapies and their combination. (Representative blot out of 3 biological repeats is shown). c MYC immunostaining of tumors from the different treatments of the in vivo experiment shown in Fig. 8. d MYC immunostaining of short-term and long-term PDAC FFPE specimens. Representative images are shown. e Quantification of MYC immunostaining based on histology scores (0–3: 0- none, 1- weak, 2- moderate, 3- high). f Cell viability of cMYC overexpressed-MiaPaCa2 cells (transiently transfected with MYC ORF-containing plasmid 24 h prior to treatments) and naive cells following treatment with the combination for 48 h. Immunoblotting of MYC is depicted beneath the graph (n = 3 biological repeats). g Proposed model of synergism via MYC as a common target for miR-34a and PLK1. STS; short-term survivors, LTS; long-term survivors. cMYC OE; cMYC overexpression. Data represent mean ± SD. (Student’s t-test, NS; not significant for P > 0.05, *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01)