The long non-coding RNA DANCR regulates the inflammatory phenotype of breast cancer cells and promotes breast cancer progression via EZH2-dependent suppression of SOCS3 transcription

LncRNA DANCR promotes macrophage lipid accumulation through modulation of membrane cholesterol transporters

The progression of atherosclerosis (AS), the pathological foundation of coronary artery disease (CAD), is featured by massive lipid deposition in the vessel wall. LncRNAs are implicated in lipid disorder and AS, whereas the specific role of lncRNA DANCR in atherogenesis remains unknown. Here, we demonstrated that DANCR promotes macrophage lipid accumulation by regulating the expression of membrane cholesterol transport proteins. qPCR showed that compared to control groups, CAD patients and atherosclerotic mice had higher DANCR levels. Treating human THP-1 macrophages and mouse RAW264.7 macrophages with ox-LDL significantly upregulated the expression levels of DANCR. Oil Red O staining showed that the silence of DANCR robustly reduced, while overexpression of DANCR significantly increased the numbers and size of lipid droplets in ox-LDL-treated THP-1 macrophages. In contrast, the opposite phenomena were observed in DANCR overexpressing cells. The expression of ABCA1, ABCG1, SR-BI, and NBD-cholesterol efflux was increased obviously by DANCR inhibition and decreased by DANCR overexpression, respectively. Furthermore, transfection with DANCR siRNA induced a robust decrease in the levels of CD36, SR-A, and Dil-ox-LDL uptake, while DANCR overexpression amplified the expression of CD36, SR-A and the uptake of Dil-ox-LDL in lipid-laden macrophages. Lastly, we found that the effects of DANCR on macrophage lipid accumulation and the expression of membrane cholesterol transport proteins were not likely related to miR-33a. The present study unraveled the adverse role of DANCR in foam cell formation and its relationship with cholesterol transport proteins. However, the competing endogenous RNA network underlying these phenomena warrants further exploration.

New evidence for a role of DANCR in cancers: a comprehensive review

Cancer remains a leading cause of mortality and poses a substantial threat to public health. Studies have revealed that Long noncoding RNA DANCR is a cytoplasmic lncRNA whose aberrant expression plays a pivotal role in various cancer types. Within tumour biology, DANCR exerts regulatory control over crucial processes such as proliferation, invasion, metastasis, angiogenesis, inflammatory responses, cellular energy metabolism reprogramming, and apoptosis. By acting as a competitive endogenous RNA for miRNAs and by interacting with proteins and mRNAs at the molecular level, DANCR contributes significantly to cancer progression. Elevated DANCR levels have also been linked to heightened resistance to anticancer drugs. Moreover, the detection of circulating DANCR holds promise as a valuable biomarker for aiding in the clinical differentiation of different cancer types. This article offers a comprehensive review and elucidation of the primary functions and molecular mechanisms through which DANCR influences tumours.

Harnessing the potential of long non-coding RNAs in breast cancer: from etiology to treatment resistance and clinical applications

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common malignancy among women and a leading cause of cancer-related deaths of females worldwide. It is a complex and molecularly heterogeneous disease, with various subtypes that require different treatment strategies. Despite advances in high-resolution single-cell and multinomial technologies, distant metastasis and therapeutic resistance remain major challenges for BC treatment. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are non-coding RNAs with more than 200 nucleotides in length. They act as competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) to regulate post-transcriptional gene stability and modulate protein-protein, protein-DNA, and protein-RNA interactions to regulate various biological processes. Emerging evidence suggests that lncRNAs play essential roles in human cancers, including BC. In this review, we focus on the roles and mechanisms of lncRNAs in BC progression, metastasis, and treatment resistance, and discuss their potential value as therapeutic targets. Specifically, we summarize how lncRNAs are involved in the initiation and progression of BC, as well as their roles in metastasis and the development of therapeutic resistance. We also recapitulate the potential of lncRNAs as diagnostic biomarkers and discuss their potential use in personalized medicine. Finally, we provide lncRNA-based strategies to promote the prognosis of breast cancer patients in clinical settings, including the development of novel lncRNA-targeted therapies.

DNMTs-mediated SOCS3 methylation promotes the occurrence and development of AML

OBJECTIVES

As a tumor suppressor gene, SOCS3 inhibits the growth of tumor cells by regulating JAK/STAT signaling pathway through negative feedback. This study aimed to investigate the biological function and mechanism of SOCS3 methylation mediated by DNMTs in the development of AML.

METHODS

Bone marrow samples were collected from 70 AML patients and 20 healthy volunteers. The expression and methylation status of each gene were detected by RT-qPCR, western blot and MS-PCR, and the growth and apoptosis rate of leukemia cell lines were detected by CCK-8 and flow cytometry. The effects of changes in SOCS3 gene expression and methylation status of AML cell lines were observed by gene transfection and gene knockdown.

RESULTS

The methylation rate of SOCS3 in AML initial treatment group was significantly higher than that in the remission group and the normal control group (60% vs. 0%, 0%). The expression of SOCS3 in the SOCS3 methylation group was significantly lower than that in the non-methylated group and control group, while the expression of DNMT1, DNMT3a, p-JAK2, p-STAT3 and p-STAT5 were significantly higher than those in the non-methylated group and control group. Demethylation treatment, SOCS3 transfection and DNMT3a knockdown could up-regulate the expression of SOCS3, which decreased the proliferation and increased the apoptosis of leukemia cell lines.

CONCLUSION

SOCS3 methylation mediated by DNMTs promotes the occurrence and development of AML and can be used as a potential biomarker for the diagnosis and efficacy evaluation of AML.

Non-coding RNAs mediated inflammation in breast cancers

Breast cancer is the major cancer that affects women all over the world. The awareness over past several decades has led to intensive screening and detection as well as successful treatments. Still, the breast cancer mortality is unacceptable and needs to be urgently addressed. Among many factors, inflammation has often been associated with tumorigenesis, including breast cancer. More than a third of all breast cancer deaths are marked by deregulated inflammation. The exact mechanisms are still not completely known but among the many putative factors, the epigenetic changes, particularly those mediated by non-coding RNAs are fascinating. microRNAs, long non-coding RNAs as well as circular RNAs seem to impact the inflammation in breast cancer which further highlights their important regulatory role in breast cancer pathogenesis. Understanding inflammation in breast cancer and its regulation by non-coding RNAs is the primary objective of this review article. We attempt to provide the most complete information on the topic in hopes of opening new areas of research and discoveries.

Long noncoding RNAs as regulators of epithelial mesenchymal transition in breast cancer: A recent review

AIMS

Breast cancer (BC) is the most frequently occurring cancer in women worldwide. BC patients are often diagnosed at advanced stages which are characterized by low survival rates. Distant metastasis is considered a leading cause of mortalities among BC patients. Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a transdifferentiation program that is necessary for cancer cells to acquire metastatic potential. In the last decade, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) proved their significant contribution to different hallmarks of cancer, including EMT and metastasis. The primary aim of our review is to analyze recent studies concerning the molecular mechanisms of lncRNAs implicated in EMT regulation in BC.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We adopted a comprehensive search on databases of PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar using the following keywords: lncRNAs, EMT, breast cancer, and therapeutic targeting.

KEY FINDINGS

The different roles of lncRNAs in the mechanisms and signaling pathways governing EMT in BC were summarized. LncRNAs could induce or inhibit EMT through WNT/β-catenin, transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), Notch, phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT), signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) pathways as well as via their interaction with histone modifying complexes and miRNAs.

SIGNIFICANCE

LncRNAs are key regulators of EMT and BC metastasis, presenting potential targets for therapeutic interventions. Further research is necessary to investigate the practical application of lncRNAs in clinical therapeutics.

Evaluating Dual-Targeted ECO/siRNA Nanoparticles against an Oncogenic lncRNA for Triple Negative Breast Cancer Therapy with Magnetic Resonance Molecular Imaging

Differentiation antagonizing noncoding RNA (DANCR) is recognized as an oncogenic long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) overexpressed in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). We showed in a previous study that RNAi with targeted multifunctional ionizable lipid ECO/siRNA nanoparticles was effective to regulate this undruggable target for effective treatment of TNBC. In this study, we developed dual-targeted ECO/siDANCR nanoparticles by targeting a tumor extracellular matrix oncoprotein, extradomain B fibronectin (EDB-FN), and integrins overexpressed on cancer cells for enhanced delivery of siDANCR. The treatment of Hs578T TNBC cells and MCF-7 estrogen receptor-positive cells in vitro resulted in significant down-regulation of DANCR and EDB-FN and suppressed invasion and 3D spheroid formation of the cells. Magnetic resonance molecular imaging (MRMI) with an EDB-FN-targeted contrast agent, MT218, was used to noninvasively evaluate tumor response to treatment with the targeted ECO/siDANCR nanoparticles in female nude mice bearing orthotopic Hs578T and MCF-7 xenografts. MRMI with MT218 was effective to differentiate between aggressive TNBC with high DANCR and EDB-FN expression and ER+ MCF-7 tumors with low expression of the targets. MRMI showed that the dual-targeted ECO/siDANCR nanoparticles resulted in more significant inhibition of tumor growth in both models than the controls and significantly reduced EDB-FN expression in the TNBC tumors. The combination of MRMI and dual-targeted ECO/siDANCR nanoparticles is a promising approach for image-guided treatment of TNBC by regulating the onco-lncRNA.

Underexplored reciprocity between genome-wide methylation status and long non-coding RNA expression reflected in breast cancer research: potential impacts for the disease management in the framework of 3P medicine

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common female malignancy reaching a pandemic scale worldwide. A comprehensive interplay between genetic alterations and shifted epigenetic regions synergistically leads to disease development and progression into metastatic BC. DNA and histones methylations, as the most studied epigenetic modifications, represent frequent and early events in the process of carcinogenesis. To this end, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are recognized as potent epigenetic modulators in pathomechanisms of BC by contributing to the regulation of DNA, RNA, and histones' methylation. In turn, the methylation status of DNA, RNA, and histones can affect the level of lncRNAs expression demonstrating the reciprocity of mechanisms involved. Furthermore, lncRNAs might undergo methylation in response to actual medical conditions such as tumor development and treated malignancies. The reciprocity between genome-wide methylation status and long non-coding RNA expression levels in BC remains largely unexplored. Since the bio/medical research in the area is, per evidence, strongly fragmented, the relevance of this reciprocity for BC development and progression has not yet been systematically analyzed. Contextually, the article aims at:consolidating the accumulated knowledge on both-the genome-wide methylation status and corresponding lncRNA expression patterns in BC andhighlighting the potential benefits of this consolidated multi-professional approach for advanced BC management. Based on a big data analysis and machine learning for individualized data interpretation, the proposed approach demonstrates a great potential to promote predictive diagnostics and targeted prevention in the cost-effective primary healthcare (sub-optimal health conditions and protection against the health-to-disease transition) as well as advanced treatment algorithms tailored to the individualized patient profiles in secondary BC care (effective protection against metastatic disease). Clinically relevant examples are provided, including mitochondrial health control and epigenetic regulatory mechanisms involved.

Expression analysis of Rho GTPase-related lncRNAs in breast cancer

The Rho GTPases have prominent roles in cell cycle transition and cell migration. Some members of this family have been found to be mutated in cancers. Moreover, alterations in expression levels and/or activity of these proteins have been reported in many types of cancers. Thus, Rho GTPases are involved in the carcinogenesis. Rho GTPases regulate growth, motility, invasiveness and metastatic ability of breast cancer cells. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been revealed to exert significant effect in the regulation of these proteins via direct routes or through sequestering microRNAs that inhibit Rho GTPases. We aimed to assess expression levels of four Rho GTPase-related lncRNAs, namely NORAD, RAD51-AS1, NRAV and DANCR in breast cancer samples versus non-cancerous specimens from the same individuals. Expression levels of NORAD were shown to be elevated in tumoral tissues compared with non-tumoral tissues (Expression ratio (95% CI)= 5.85 (3.16-10.83), Standard error of mean (SEM)= 0.44, P value< 0.0001). NRAV expression was also higher in tumoral tissues compared with control tissues (Expression ratio=2.85 (1.52-5.35), SEM= 0.45, P value= 0.0013). Similar to these lncRNAs, RHOA was demonstrated to be up-regulated in malignant tissues (Expression ratio=6.58 (3.17-13.63), SEM= 0.52, P value< 0.0001). Although expression ratio values showed up-regulation of RAD51-AS1 and DANCR in cancerous tissues (Expression ratio (95% CI)= 2.2 (1.05-4.6) and 1.35 (0.72-2.53), respectively), P values did not reach significance level (P values=0.0706 and 0.3746, respectively). There were significant associations between expression level of NRAV gene in tumor tissues and a number of parameters including age, histological tumor grade and tubule formation. Taken together, the current study shows dysregulation of a number of RHOA-related lncRNAs in breast cancer in association with abnormal up-regulation of this member of Rho GTPase family and suggests conduction of additional functional studies to unravel their mode of participation in the breast carcinogenesis.

Coding roles of long non-coding RNAs in breast cancer: Emerging molecular diagnostic biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets with special reference to chemotherapy resistance

Dysregulation of epigenetic mechanisms have been depicted in several pathological consequence such as cancer. Different modes of epigenetic regulation (DNA methylation (hypomethylation or hypermethylation of promotor), histone modifications, abnormal expression of microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs, and small nucleolar RNAs), are discovered. Particularly, lncRNAs are known to exert pivot roles in different types of cancer including breast cancer. LncRNAs with oncogenic and tumour suppressive potential are reported. Differentially expressed lncRNAs contribute a remarkable role in the development of primary and acquired resistance for radiotherapy, endocrine therapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy. A wide range of molecular subtype specific lncRNAs have been assessed in breast cancer research. A number of studies have also shown that lncRNAs may be clinically used as non-invasive diagnostic biomarkers for early detection of breast cancer. Such molecular biomarkers have also been found in cancer stem cells of breast tumours. The objectives of the present review are to summarize the important roles of oncogenic and tumour suppressive lncRNAs for the early diagnosis of breast cancer, metastatic potential, and chemotherapy resistance across the molecular subtypes.

SOCS3 as a potential driver of lung metastasis in colon cancer patients

Background

The suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3) is the negative feedback regulator of the JAK-STAT signaling pathway. The purpose of our study was to investigate the SOCS3 status in colon primary tumor and lung metastasis and its relationship with macrophages.

Methods

The SOCS3 expression pattern and its relationship with the immune response in pan-cancer was investigated using multiple methods. Samples and corresponding clinical information of 32 colon cancer patients with lung metastasis were collected, and the CD68, CD163, and SOCS3 status were conducted using immunohistochemistry (IHC). The relationship between SOCS3 status and macrophage markers was analyzed. Besides, we explored the molecular mechanisms of SOCS3 in lung metastasis via the TCGA database.

Results

High SOCS3 expression was more inclined to poor prognosis and was positively correlated with main immune cell infiltration in almost each cancer type, especially in colon cancer. Compared with the colon primary tumor, lung metastasis harbored higher CD163 and SOCS3 expression, and high SOCS3 expression was more likely to be associated with high CD163 expression in lung metastasis. Besides, the exceptional differentially expressed genes in lung metastasis significantly enriched in immune responses and regulations.

Conclusions

SOCS3 possessed value as a prognostic marker and target for immunotherapeutic intervention in different tumors and might be a potential target of tumor progression and tumor immunotherapy in colon cancer.

Histone modification and histone modification-targeted anti-cancer drugs in breast cancer: Fundamentals and beyond

Dysregulated epigenetic enzymes and resultant abnormal epigenetic modifications (EMs) have been suggested to be closely related to tumor occurrence and progression. Histone modifications (HMs) can assist in maintaining genome stability, DNA repair, transcription, and chromatin modulation within breast cancer (BC) cells. In addition, HMs are reversible, dynamic processes involving the associations of different enzymes with molecular compounds. Abnormal HMs (e.g. histone methylation and histone acetylation) have been identified to be tightly related to BC occurrence and development, even though their underlying mechanisms remain largely unclear. EMs are reversible, and as a result, epigenetic enzymes have aroused wide attention as anti-tumor therapeutic targets. At present, treatments to restore aberrant EMs within BC cells have entered preclinical or clinical trials. In addition, no existing studies have comprehensively analyzed aberrant HMs within BC cells; in addition, HM-targeting BC treatments remain to be further investigated. Histone and non-histone protein methylation is becoming an attractive anti-tumor epigenetic therapeutic target; such methylation-related enzyme inhibitors are under development at present. Consequently, the present work focuses on summarizing relevant studies on HMs related to BC and the possible mechanisms associated with abnormal HMs. Additionally, we also aim to analyze existing therapeutic agents together with those drugs approved and tested through pre-clinical and clinical trials, to assess their roles in HMs. Moreover, epi-drugs that target HMT inhibitors and HDAC inhibitors should be tested in preclinical and clinical studies for the treatment of BC. Epi-drugs that target histone methylation (HMT inhibitors) and histone acetylation (HDAC inhibitors) have now entered clinical trials or are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Therefore, the review covers the difficulties in applying HM-targeting treatments in clinics and proposes feasible approaches for overcoming such difficulties and promoting their use in treating BC cases.

Functional interplay between long non-coding RNAs and Breast CSCs

Breast cancer (BC) represents aggressive cancer affecting most women’s lives globally. Metastasis and recurrence are the two most common factors in a breast cancer patient's poor prognosis. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are tumor cells that are able to self-renew and differentiate, which is a significant factor in metastasis and recurrence of cancer. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) describe a group of RNAs that are longer than 200 nucleotides and do not have the ability to code for proteins. Some of these lncRNAs can be mainly produced in various tissues and tumor forms. In the development and spread of malignancies, lncRNAs have a significant role in influencing multiple signaling pathways positively or negatively, making them promise useful diagnostic and prognostic markers in treating the disease and guiding clinical therapy. However, it is not well known how the interaction of lncRNAs with CSCs will affect cancer development and progression.

Here, in this review, we attempt to summarize recent findings that focus on lncRNAs affect cancer stem cell self-renewal and differentiation in breast cancer development and progression, as well as the strategies and challenges for overcoming lncRNA's therapeutic resistance.

Investigating the molecular mechanisms of Tamoxifen on the EMT pathway among patients with breast cancer

Tamoxifen is one of the most used drugs for breast cancer. This study aimed to investigate the effect of the Tamoxifen mechanism on the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) pathway among breast cancer patients due to its resistance to breast cancer cells. We selected the appropriate datasets from the GEO database using continuous and integrated bioinformatics analysis. We examined the signaling pathways, gene ontology, and protein association of genes after classifying the gene expression profile. Finally, we confirmed the candidate genes using the GEPIA database. Two groups were defined for gene expression profiles. The first group in which the expression profile of genes increased after Tamoxifen was evaluated using the expression profile of genes that decreased in the EMT pathway. The second group was the opposite of the first group. 253 genes in the first group and 302 genes in the second group were shared. The genes in the first group were involved in various pathways of cell death, focal adhesion, and cellular aging. The second group was more involved in different phases of the cell cycle. Finally, MYLK, SOCS3, and STAT5B proteins from the first group and BIRC5, PLK1, and RAPGAP1 proteins from the second group were selected as candidate proteins in connection with the effect of Tamoxifen on the EMT pathway. We evaluated Tamoxifen's effect on the EMT pathway more accurately. However, for a closer look at Tamoxifen, more studies need to be done on target genes and proteins to clarify their role.

Development of a Novel Immune-Related Gene Prognostic Index for Breast Cancer

Objective

To construct an immune-related gene prognostic index (IRGPI) for breast cancer (BC) and investigate its prognostic specificity and the molecular and immune characteristics.

Methods

BC hub genes were identified from The Cancer Genome Atlas and immune-related databases using weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). IRGPI was constructed using univariate, LASSO, and multivariate regression analyses, and was validated with GSE58812 and GSE97342 in the Gene Expression Omnibus database (GEO). At the same time, we evaluated the predictive ability of IRGPI for different BC subtypes. Subsequently, the molecular and immune characteristics, clinical relevance, and benefits of immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment were analyzed for different IRGPI subgroups.

Results

IRGPI consisted of six genes: SOCS3, TCF7L2, TSLP NPR3, ANO6, and HMGB3. The IRGPI 1-, 5-, and 10-years area under curve (AUC) values were 0.635, 0.752, and 0.753, respectively, indicating that IRGPI has good potential in predicting the long-term survival of BC patients, consistent with the results in the GEO cohort. IRGPI showed good predictive power in four different breast cancer subtypes: ER positive, PR positive, HER2 positive and triple-negative (P<0.01). Compared with the low-IRGPI group, the high-IRGPI group had a worse prognosis and a lower degree of immune infiltrating cells (p < 0.05). IRGPI showed specificity in distinguishing age, TNM stage, ER, and HER2 statuses, and our study found that the high-IRGPI group had low tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion (TIDE), microsatellite instability (MSI), and T cell dysfunction scores (p < 0.05). In addition, compared with the TIDE and TIS models, showed that the AUCs of IRGPI were better during the 5-year follow-up.

Conclusion

IRGPI can be used as an independent prognostic indicator of breast cancer, providing a method for monitoring the long-term treatment of BC.

A review on the role of DANCR in the carcinogenesis

DANCR is an RNA gene located on chr4. This gene has several splice variants. Up-regulation of DANCR has been reported in many types of cancers. This lncRNA is mainly located in the cytoplasm and regulates genes expression at post-transcriptional level. In fact, it acts as a molecular sponge for a variety of miRNAs, including miR-874-3P, miR-335, miR-149, miR-4319, miR-758-3p, miR-216a-5p, miR-874-3p, miR-33a-5p, miR-335-5p, miR-145-3p, miR-665, miR-345-5p and miR-125b-5p. DANCR also regulates activity of PI3K/AKT/NF-κB, Wnt/β-catenin, ERK/SMAD, MAPK, IL-6/JAK1/STAT3, Smad2/3, p53, FAK/PI3K/AKT/GSK3β/Snail pathways. In the current narrative review article, we summarize the roles of DANCR in the carcinogenesis, with an especial emphasis on its role in the development of osteosarcoma and lung, liver, pancreatic and colorectal cancers.

High serum exosomal long non-coding RNA DANCR expression confers poor prognosis in patients with breast cancer

Background

Exosomal long non‐coding RNAs (lncRNAs) serve as excellent candidate biomarkers for clinical applications. The expression of differentiation antagonizing non‐protein coding RNA (DANCR) has been shown to be decreased in breast cancer (BC) tissues and cell lines. However, the clinical value of circulating exosomal DANCR in BC has not been explored.

Methods

A total of 120 BC patients, 70 benign breast disease (BBD) patients, and 105 healthy women were recruited in this study. Total RNA was extracted from serum samples, and the level of serum exosomal lncRNA DANCR was evaluated by quantitative real‐time reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR).

Results

Serum exosomal lncRNA DANCR levels were significantly higher in BC patients than in BBD patients and normal controls. The diagnostic performance of serum exosomal lncRNA DANCR was good, and the combination of serum exosomal lncRNA DANCR, CA153, and CEA greatly improved the diagnostic accuracy for BC. High serum exosomal lncRNA DANCR level was associated with various clinicopathological variables including lymph node metastasis, ER status, HER2 status, and TNM stage. In addition, the BC patients in the high serum exosomal lncRNA DANCR expression group had significantly shorter 5‐year overall survival time. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that serum exosomal lncRNA DANCR was an independent risk factor for BC.

Conclusion

Serum exosomal lncRNA DANCR may be a useful non‐invasive biomarker for the clinical diagnosis and prognosis of BC.

Ultrasound targeted microbubble destruction-mediated SOCS3 attenuates biological characteristics and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of breast cancer stem cells

SOCS3 is low-expressed in breast cancer and may be a potential target. Ultrasound targeted microbubble destruction (UTMD) improved the efficiency of gene transfection. We explored the effects of UTMD-mediated transfection of SOCS3 on the biological characteristics and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs). The expression of SOCS3 in breast cancer (BC) and its association with prognosis were evaluated by GEPIA and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) websites. BCSCs were sorted by flow cytometry and immunomagnetic bead method, followed by sphere formation, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and xenograft assays to test their effects in vitro and in vivo. The levels of SOCS3, EMT- and STAT3 pathway-related genes were determined by RT-qPCR and Western blot, respectively. The effects of liposome and UTMD on BCSCs and mice were compared by the gain-of-function experiments. Low expression of SOCS3 was associated with poor prognosis of BC patients, and found in BC and BCSCs. BCSCs were successfully sorted, with high viability and tumorigenicity. UTMD increased the transfection rate of SOCS3. Moreover, UTMD- and liposome-mediated SOCS3 reduced cell viability, proliferation, migration and invasion, blocked cell cycle, inhibited sphere formation in BCSCs, and retarded tumor growth in mice. Mechanistically, overexpressed SOCS3 inhibited the expressions of EMT-related genes and the activation of STAT3 pathway in BCSCs and mice. The regulatory effects of UTMD-mediated SOCS3 on the above-mentioned biological characteristics were better than liposome-mediated SOCS3. UTMD-mediated SOCS3 has a better therapeutic effect in BC, providing new experimental evidence for the treatment of BC.

Lidocaine and Bupivacaine Downregulate MYB and DANCR lncRNA by Upregulating miR-187-5p in MCF-7 Cells

Background: Breast cancer is the most common malignancy and a leading cause of death among women. The majority of patients require surgery, and retrospective studies have revealed an association between anaesthetic techniques during surgery and clinical outcomes. Local anaesthetics (LAs) influence carcinogenesis by interacting with non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). However, the detailed mechanisms underlying the association between LAs and ncRNAs remain unclear.

Methods: In this study, the effects of two commonly used LAs, lidocaine and bupivacaine, on the malignancy of MCF-7 breast cancer cells were investigated. The expression profiles of the microRNAs (miRNAs) that responded to treatment with LAs were determined through next-generation sequencing.

Results: Data from the functional assay revealed that the LAs suppressed the proliferation of MCF-7 cells. The result of next-generation sequencing revealed that 131 miRNAs were upregulated, following treatment with the LAs. Validation using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) identified miR-187-5p as a potential biomarker, and it was selected for further analyses. Prediction with bioinformatics tools and luciferase reporter assays revealed that MYB is a direct target gene of miR-187-5p. Based on the hypothesis that lncRNAs acts as miRNA sponges, the target lncRNA, DANCR, of miR-187-5p was predicted using DIANA-LncBase v2 and validated using luciferase reporter assays. In addition, the reciprocal suppressive effect between DANCR and miR-187-5p was determined.

Conclusions: This study suggests that one of the anti-tumour mechanisms of lidocaine and bupivacaine is mediated through the DANCR-miR-187-5p-MYB axis. This may provide a novel molecular mechanism of tumour suppression in breast cancer.

The role of FOXC1/FOXCUT/DANCR axis in triple negative breast cancer: a bioinformatics and experimental approach

BACKGROUND

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most challenging subtype of breast cancer and does not benefit from the existing targeted therapies. In the present study, we used bioinformatics and experimental approaches to assess the genes that are somehow involved in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) pathway which may explain the invasive features of TNBC.

METHOD AND RESULTS

We analyzed five GEO datasets consisting of 657 breast tumors by GEO2R online software to achieve common differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between TNBC and non-TNBC tumors. The expression of the selected coding and non-coding genes was validated in 100 breast tumors, including fifty TNBC and fifty non-TNBC samples, using quantitative Real-Time PCR (qRT-PCR). The bioinformatics approach resulted in a final DEG list consisting of ten upregulated and seventeen downregulated genes (logFC ≥|1| and P < 0.05). Co-expression network construction indicated the FOXC1 transcription factor as a central hub node. Considering the notable role of FOXC1 in EMT, the expression levels of FOXC1-related lncRNAs, lnc-FOXCUT and lnc-DANCR, were also evaluated in the studied tumors. The results of qRT-PCR confirmed notable upregulation of FOXC1, lnc-FOXCUT, and lnc-DANCR in TNBC tissues compared to non-TNBC samples (P < 0.0001, P = 0.0005, and P = 0.0008, respectively). Moreover, ROC curve analysis revealed the potential biomarker role of FOXC1 in TNBC samples.

CONCLUSION

Present study suggested that the deregulation of FOXC1/lnc-FOXCUT/lnc-DANCR axis may contribute to the aggressive features of triple-negative breast tumors. Therefore, this axis may be considered as a new probable therapeutic target in the treatment of TNBC.

A novel immune-related long non-coding RNAs risk model for prognosis assessment of lung adenocarcinoma

Background: The abundant immune-related long non-coding RNA (IRLNRs) in immune cells and immune microenvironment have the potential to forecast prognosis and evaluate the effect of immunotherapy. IRLNRs analysis will provide a new perspective for LUAC research.

Methods: We calculated the immune score of each sample according to the expression levels of immune-related genes (IRGs) and screened the survival-related IRLNRs (sIRLNRs) by Cox regression analysis. The expression levels of AC068338.3 and AL691432.2 in tissues and cell lines were confirmed by RT-qPCR.

Results: 36 IRLNRs were selected by Pearson correlation analysis. Ten sIRLNRs were significantly correlated with the clinical outcomes of LUAC patients. Five sIRLNRs were identified by multivariate COX regression analysis to establish the immune-related risk score model (IRRS). The overall survival (OS) in the high-risk group was shorter than that in the low-risk group. IRRS could be an independent prognostic factor with significant survival correlation The distributions of immune gene concentrations were different between high-risk group and low-risk group. Furthermore, we further verified that the expression levels of AC068338.3 and AL691432.2 in different LUAC cell lines and tumor tissues were lower than that in Human bronchial epithelial cell (HBE) and adjacent tissues respectively. The lower expression levels of AC068338.3 and AL691432.2 were detected with the more advance T-stages.

Conclusions: Our results highlighted some sIRLNRs with significant clinical correlations and demonstrated their monitored and prognostic values for LUAC patients. The results of this study may provide a new perspective for immunological research and immunotherapy strategies.

Histone 3 Lysine 27 Trimethylation Signature in Breast Cancer

Cancer development and progression rely on complicated genetic and also epigenetic changes which regulate gene expression without altering the DNA sequence. Epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation, histone modifications, and regulation by lncRNAs alter protein expression by either promoting gene transcription or repressing it. The presence of so-called chromatin modification marks at various gene promoters and gene bodies is associated with normal cell development but also with tumorigenesis and progression of different types of cancer, including the most frequently diagnosed breast cancer. This review is focused on the significance of one of the abundant post-translational modifications of histone 3- trimethylation of lysine 27 (H3K27me3), which was shown to participate in tumour suppressor genes' silencing. Unlike other reviews in the field, here the overview of existing evidence linking H3K27me3 status with breast cancer biology and the tumour outcome is presented especially in the context of diverse breast cancer subtypes. Moreover, the potential of agents that target H3K27me3 for the treatment of this complex disease as well as H3K27 methylation in cross-talk with other chromatin modifications and lncRNAs are discussed.

HOXD9 transcriptionally induced UXT facilitate breast cancer progression via epigenetic modification of RND3

BACKGROUND

Ubiquitously expressed transcript (UXT) is a prefoldin-like protein. It was reported that UXT played vital role in several cancer types. However, functional role of UXT in breast cancer need further investigation.

METHODS

mRNA level or protein level of were determined by qRT-PCR or western blots. Proliferation of breast cancer cells was evaluated by CCK-8 assay and EdU assay. Migrative and invasive ability of cells were determined by wound healing assay and transwell assay. Transcriptional activation of UXT was determined by dual luciferase activity. The enrichment of H3K27me3 and EZH2 on the promoter of RND3 was evaluated by ChIP assay. The methylation of RND3 promoter was determined by MSP assay. In vivo function of UXT was evaluated by xenograft model.

RESULTS

Our results indicated that UXT was elevated in breast cancer and associated with poor prognosis. HOXD9 elevated expression of UXT via transcriptional activation. UXT knockdown impaired the proliferation, migration and invasion. Rescue experiments suggested that UXT promoted malignant phenotypes of breast cancer cells via epigenetically repressing RND3. Moreover, UXT promoted tumorigeneses and metastasis of breast cancer cell in vivo.

CONCLUSION

Inhibition of UXT impaired proliferation and metastasis of cancer cell via promoting RND3. Moreover, UXT epigenetically repressed the expression of RND3 via recruiting EZH2 in the promoter of RND3.

Long Non-coding RNA DANCR in Cancer: Roles, Mechanisms, and Implications

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) DANCR (also known as ANCR)—differentiation antagonizing non-protein coding RNA, was first reported in 2012 to suppress differentiation of epithelial cells. Emerging evidence demonstrates that DANCR is a cancer-associated lncRNA abnormally expressed in many cancers (e.g., lung cancer, gastric cancer, breast cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma). Increasing studies suggest that the dysregulation of DANCR plays critical roles in cancer cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, invasion, and chemoresistance in vitro and tumor growth and metastasis in vivo. Mechanistic analyses show that DANCR can serve as miRNA sponges, stabilize mRNAs, and interact with proteins. Recent research reveals that DANCR can be detected in many body fluids such as serum, plasma, and exosomes, providing a quick and convenient method for cancer monitor. Thus DANCR can be used as a promising diagnostic and prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for various types of cancer. This review focuses on the role and mechanism of DANCR in cancer progression with an emphasis on the clinical significance of DANCR in human cancers.

The control of polycomb repressive complexes by long noncoding RNAs

The polycomb repressive complexes 1 and 2 (PRCs; PRC1 and PRC2) are conserved histone-modifying enzymes that often function cooperatively to repress gene expression. The PRCs are regulated by long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in complex ways. On the one hand, specific lncRNAs cause the PRCs to engage with chromatin and repress gene expression over genomic regions that can span megabases. On the other hand, the PRCs bind RNA with seemingly little sequence specificity, and at least in the case of PRC2, direct RNA-binding has the effect of inhibiting the enzyme. Thus, some RNAs appear to promote PRC activity, while others may inhibit it. The reasons behind this apparent dichotomy are unclear. The most potent PRC-activating lncRNAs associate with chromatin and are predominantly unspliced or harbor unusually long exons. Emerging data imply that these lncRNAs promote PRC activity through internal RNA sequence elements that arise and disappear rapidly in evolutionary time. These sequence elements may function by interacting with common subsets of RNA-binding proteins that recruit or stabilize PRCs on chromatin. This article is categorized under: RNA Interactions with Proteins and Other Molecules > Protein-RNA Recognition RNA Interactions with Proteins and Other Molecules > RNA-Protein Complexes RNA Interactions with Proteins and Other Molecules > Protein-RNA Interactions: Functional Implications.

Emerging roles of suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 in human cancers

As a member of the suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS) family, SOCS3 is a cytokine-inducible protein that inhibits cytokine signaling in a variety of signaling pathways. Increasing evidence shows that SOCS3 regulates tumor development through multiple pathological and physiological processes. It is worth mentioning that SOCS3 negatively regulates JAK/STAT signaling by binding to JAK/cytokine receptors or phosphorylation docking sites on STAT receptors, thus preventing tumor cell proliferation and inhibiting tumor cell invasion and metastasis. The kinase inhibitory region KIR of SOCS3 is the key to JAK inhibition. In addition, SOCS3 may also regulate tumor progression through other molecules or signaling pathways, such as microRNAs (miRNAs), IL-6 and NF-κB signaling pathway. MicroRNAs inhibit SOCS3 expression by binding to the 3' untranslated region of SOCS3 mRNA, thus regulating tumor development processes, including tumor cell proliferation, invasion, metastasis, differentiation, cell cycle and apoptosis, as well as tumor metastasis and chemotherapy resistance. On the whole, SOCS3 acts as an inhibitor of the majority of tumors through various pathways. In the present review, the role of SOCS3 in multitudinous tumors was comprehensively summarized, the molecular mechanisms and modes of action of SOCS3 in tumors were discussed, and the association between SOCS3 expression and the clinical characteristics of patients with cancer were emphasized.

Emerging Roles of LncRNAs in the EZH2-regulated Oncogenic Network

Cancer is a life-threatening disease, but cancer therapies based on epigenetic mechanisms have made great progress. Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) is the key catalytic component of Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) that mediates the tri-methylation of lysine 27 on histone 3 (H3K27me3), a well-recognized marker of transcriptional repression. Mounting evidence indicates that EZH2 is elevated in various cancers and associates with poor prognosis. In addition, many studies revealed that EZH2 is also involved in transcriptional repression dependent or independent of PRC2. Meanwhile, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been reported to regulate numerous and diverse signaling pathways in oncogenesis. In this review, we firstly discuss functional interactions between EZH2 and lncRNAs that determine PRC2-dependent and -independent roles of EZH2. Secondly, we summarize the lncRNAs regulating EZH2 expression at transcription, post-transcription and post-translation levels. Thirdly, we review several oncogenic pathways cooperatively regulated by lncRNAs and EZH2, including the Wnt/β-catenin and p53 pathways. In conclusion, lncRNAs play a key role in the EZH2-regulated oncogenic network with many fertile directions to be explored.

lncRNA and breast cancer: Progress from identifying mechanisms to challenges and opportunities of clinical treatment

Breast cancer is a malignant tumor that has a high mortality rate and mostly occurs in women. Although significant progress has been made in the implementation of personalized treatment strategies for molecular subtypes in breast cancer, the therapeutic response is often not satisfactory. Studies have reported that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are abnormally expressed in breast cancer and closely related to the occurrence and development of breast cancer. In addition, the high tissue and cell-type specificity makes lncRNAs particularly attractive as diagnostic biomarkers, prognostic factors, and specific therapeutic targets. Therefore, an in-depth understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of lncRNAs in breast cancer is essential for developing new treatment strategies. In this review, we systematically elucidate the general characteristics, potential mechanisms, and targeted therapy of lncRNAs and discuss the emerging functions of lncRNAs in breast cancer. Additionally, we also highlight the advantages and challenges of using lncRNAs as biomarkers for diagnosis or therapeutic targets for drug resistance in breast cancer and present future perspectives in clinical practice.

Aldehyde dehydrogenase 1A1 and 1A3 isoforms - mechanism of activation and regulation in cancer

In some types of human cancer, aldehyde dehydrogenases represent stemness markers and their expression is associated with advanced disease stages and poor prognosis. Although several biological functions are mediated by their product Retinoid acid, the molecular mechanism is tissue-dependent and only partially understood.

In this review, we summarize the current knowledge about the role of ALDH in solid tumours, especially ALDH1A1 and ALDH1A3 isoforms, regarding the molecular mechanism of their transcription and regulation, and their crosstalk with main molecular pathways resulting in the excessive proliferation, chemoresistance, stem cells properties and invasiveness. The recent knowledge of the regulatory effect of lnRNA on ALDH1A1 and ALDH1A3 is discussed too.

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Aldehyde dehydrogenases are important stem cell markers in many human cancer types.

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ALDH1A1 or ALDH1A3 activation participates in tumour progression, chemoresistance, stem-cell properties and invasiveness.

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ALDH1A1 interacts with oncogenic pathways Notch, NRF, CXCR4, Polycomb, MDR, and HOX.

Keep your eyes peeled for long noncoding RNAs: Explaining their boundless role in cancer metastasis, drug resistance, and clinical application

Cancer metastasis and drug resistance are two major obstacles in the treatment of cancer and therefore, the leading cause of cancer-associated mortalities worldwide. Hence, an in-depth understanding of these processes and identification of the underlying key players could help design a better therapeutic regimen to treat cancer. Earlier thought to be merely transcriptional junk and having passive or secondary function, recent advances in the genomic research have unravelled that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play pivotal roles in diverse physiological as well as pathological processes including cancer metastasis and drug resistance. LncRNAs can regulate various steps of the complex metastatic cascade such as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), invasion, migration and metastatic colonization, and also affect the sensitivity of cancer cells to various chemotherapeutic drugs. A substantial body of literature for more than a decade of research evince that lncRNAs can regulate gene expression at different levels such as epigenetic, transcriptional, posttranscriptional, translational and posttranslational levels, depending on their subcellular localization and through their ability to interact with DNA, RNA and proteins. In this review, we mainly focus on how lncRNAs affect cancer metastasis by modulating expression of key metastasis-associated genes at various levels of gene regulation. We also discuss how lncRNAs confer cancer cells either sensitivity or resistance to various chemo-therapeutic drugs via different mechanisms. Finally, we highlight the immense potential of lncRNAs as prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers as well as therapeutic targets in cancer.

Long non-coding RNA RP11-283G6.5 confines breast cancer development through modulating miR-188-3p/TMED3/Wnt/β-catenin signalling

The contributions of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) to breast cancer are critical areas of investigation. In this study, we identified a novel lncRNA RP11-283G6.5 which was lowly expressed in breast cancer and whose low expression was correlated with poor overall survival and disease-free survival of breast cancer patients. Functional experiments revealed that ectopic expression of RP11-283G6.5 confined breast cancer cellular growth, migration, and invasion, and promoted cellular apoptosis. Conversely, RP11-283G6.5 silencing facilitated breast cancer cellular growth, migration, and invasion, and repressed cellular apoptosis. Moreover, RP11-283G6.5 was found to confine breast cancer tumour growth and metastasis in vivo. Mechanistically, RP11-283G6.5 competitively bound to ILF3, reduced the binding of ILF3to primary miR-188 (pri-miR-188), abolished the suppressive effect of ILF3 on pri-miR-188 processing, and therefore promoted pri-miR-188 processing, leading to the reduction of pri-miR-188 and the upregulation of mature miR-188-3p. The expression of RP11-283G6.5 was significantly positively correlated with that of miR-188-3p in breast cancer tissues. Through increasing miR-188-3p, RP11-283G6.5 decreased TMED3, a target of miR-188-3p. RP11-283G6.5 further suppressed Wnt/β-catenin signalling via decreasing TMED3. Rescue assays revealed that inhibition of miR-188-3p, overexpression of TMED3 or blocking Wnt/β-catenin signalling all attenuated the roles of RP11-283G6.5 in breast cancer. Collectively, these findings demonstrated that RP11-283G6.5 is a tumour suppressive lncRNA in breast cancer via modulating miR-188-3p/TMED3/Wnt/β-catenin signalling. This study indicated that RP11-283G6.5 might be a promising prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for breast cancer.

Identification and Roles of miR-29b-1-3p and miR29a-3p-Regulated and Non-Regulated lncRNAs in Endocrine-Sensitive and Resistant Breast Cancer Cells

Despite improvements in the treatment of endocrine-resistant metastatic disease using combination therapies in patients with estrogen receptor α (ERα) primary tumors, the mechanisms underlying endocrine resistance remain to be elucidated. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), including microRNAs (miRNA) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA), are targets and regulators of cell signaling pathways and their exosomal transport may contribute to metastasis. Previous studies have shown that a low expression of miR-29a-3p and miR-29b-3p is associated with lower overall breast cancer survival before 150 mos. Transient, modest overexpression of miR-29b1-3p or miR-29a-3p inhibited MCF-7 tamoxifen-sensitive and LCC9 tamoxifen-resistant cell proliferation. Here, we identify miR-29b-1/a-regulated and non-regulated differentially expressed lncRNAs in MCF-7 and LCC9 cells using next-generation RNA seq. More lncRNAs were miR-29b-1/a-regulated in LCC9 cells than in MCF-7 cells, including DANCR, GAS5, DSCAM-AS1, SNHG5, and CRND. We examined the roles of miR-29-regulated and differentially expressed lncRNAs in endocrine-resistant breast cancer, including putative and proven targets and expression patterns in survival analysis using the KM Plotter and TCGA databases. This study provides new insights into lncRNAs in endocrine-resistant breast cancer.

Krüppel-like factor 5-induced overexpression of long non-coding RNA DANCR promotes the progression of cervical cancer via repressing microRNA-145-3p to target ZEB1

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) differentiation antagonizing non-protein coding RNA (DANCR) participates in the development of diverse cancers. Nevertheless, the impact of DANCR on cervical cancer (CC) remains largely unknown. This study aims to explore the effects of DANCR sponging microRNA-145-3p (miR-145-3p) on CC. Expression of KLF5, DANCR, miR-145-3p, and zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1 (ZEB1) in CC and adjacent normal tissues was determined. Human CC cell lines were, respectively, treated with silenced DANCR or miR145-3p mimic/inhibitor. Then, the viability, migration, invasion, and apoptosis of CC cells were measured. The cell growth in vivo was observed as well. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assay was performed to analyze the binding of KLF5 and DANCR promoter. Interaction among DANCR, miR-145-3p, and ZEB1 was assessed. KLF5, DANCR, and ZEB1 were upregulated but miR-145-3p was downregulated in CC tissues. KLF5 activated DANCR expression and the high DANCR expression was related to tumor staging, infiltrating muscle depth and lymphatic metastasis of CC patients. Reduced DANCR or elevated miR-145-3p repressed malignant behaviors of CC cells. The tumor diameter and weight were also repressed by DANCR silencing or miR-145-3p elevation. The effect of DANCR knockdown on CC cells could be reversed by miR-145-3p inhibitor. MiR-145-3p was targeted by DANCR and ZEB1 was targeted by miR-145-3p. KLF5-induced overexpression of DANCR promotes CC progression via suppressing miR-145-3p to target ZEB1. This study may provide potential targets for CC treatment.

Long non-coding RNAs in nasopharyngeal carcinoma: biological functions and clinical applications

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is one of the most common head and neck malignancies. It has obvious ethnic and regional specificity. Long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) are a class of non-protein coding RNA molecules. Emerging research shows that lncRNAs play a key role in tumor development, prognosis, and treatment. With the deepening of sequence analysis, a large number of functional LncRNAs have been found in NPC, which interact with coding genes, miRNAs, and proteins to form a complex regulatory network. However, the specific role and mechanism of abnormally expressed lncRNAs in the pathogenesis of NPC is not fully understood. This article briefly introduced the concept, classification, and functional mechanism of lncRNAs and reviewed their biological functions and their clinical applications in NPC. Specifically, we described lncRNAs related to the occurrence, growth, invasion, metastasis, angiogenesis, and cancer stem cells of NPC; discussed lncRNAs related to Epstein-Barr virus infection; and summarized the role of lncRNAs in NPC treatment resistance. We have also sorted out lncRNAs related to Chinese medicine treatment. We believe that with the deepening of lncRNAs research, tumor-specific lncRNAs may become a new target for the treatment and a biomarker for predicting prognosis.

miR-214-5p targeted by LncRNA DANCR mediates TGF-β signaling pathway to accelerate proliferation, migration and inhibit apoptosis of prostate cancer cells

OBJECTIVE

This research was designed to probe into the regulatory mechanism of long non-coding RNA (LncRNA) differentiation antagonizing non-protein coding RNA (DANCR) in potential applications and molecular mechanisms of prostate carcinoma (PC).

METHODS

The DANCR and miR-214-5p levels in PC tissues and cell lines were tested via real-time PCR, and those of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling pathway related proteins were evaluated via Western Blot (WB). Cell proliferation, migration, apoptosis and the regulatory relationship between target genes were assessed via MTT method, scratch test, flow cytometry, dual-luciferase report, RNA co-immunoprecipitation and RNA pull-down test, respectively.

RESULTS

DANCR was up-regulated in PC patients' serum and cell lines, while miR-214-5p was opposite, showing negative correlation. Besides, DANCR was significantly correlated with PSA, Gleason score and T stage in PC patients. The area under the curve (AUC) of DANCR and miR-214-5p for diagnosing PC was not less than 0.850, while the AUC for predicting poor prognosis was more than 0.800. Cox analysis results also revealed that the two might be prognostic indicators of PC patients. We found that DANCR high levels or miR-214-5p low levels were related to PC patients' poor prognosis. Up-regulating DANCR or down-regulating miR-214-5p could promote PC cells' malignant proliferation and migration, prevent apoptosis, and activate TGF-β signaling pathway, while reverse treatment of DANCR or miR-214-5p can reverse the above results. DANCR regulates miR-214-5p in a targeted manner, and DANCR over-expression can reduce the cancer inhibitory effect of miR-214-5p on PC cells.

CONCLUSION

DANCR-miR-214-5p-TGF-β axis regulatory network plays a key regulatory part in PC progression. It may provide new strategies for the screening and treatment of patients.

Long non-coding RNA HAL suppresses the migration and invasion of serous ovarian cancer by inhibiting EMT signaling pathway

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the specific function of long non-coding RNA HAL in serous ovarian cancer (SOC) and to further clarify the regulation of HAL on EMT pathway.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The expression of HAL and TWIST1 was detected by qRT-PCR. CCK8 assay, wound healing assay, transwell assay and flow cytometry were used to detect the HAL function on proliferation, migration, invasion and apoptosis in SOC cells. Western blot was used to calculate protein level of Vimentin, N-cadherin and E-cadherin. The effect of HAL on tumorigenesis of SOC was confirmed by xenograft nude mice model.

RESULTS

HAL was significantly decreased in SOC tissues and cells. Overexpression of HAL inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of SKOV3 cells, but promoted apoptosis. Furthermore, overexpression of HAL decreased the mRNA and protein levels of TWIST1 via a binding between HAL and TWIST1. Forced expression of TWIST1 reversed the inhibitory role of HAL on SOC cells' migration and invasion. The in vivo tumor growth assay showed that HAL suppressed SOC tumorigenesis with inhibiting EMT pathway.

CONCLUSIONS

Our research emphasized HAL acting as a tumor-inhibiting gene by regulating EMT signaling pathway, thus providing some novel experimental basis for clinical treatment of SOC.

Breast Cancer and the Other Non-Coding RNAs

Breast cancer is very heterogenous and the most common gynaecological cancer, with various factors affecting its development. While its impact on human lives and national health budgets is still rising in almost all global areas, many molecular mechanisms affecting its onset and development remain unclear. Conventional treatments still prove inadequate in some aspects, and appropriate molecular therapeutic targets are required for improved outcomes. Recent scientific interest has therefore focused on the non-coding RNAs roles in tumour development and their potential as therapeutic targets. These RNAs comprise the majority of the human transcript and their broad action mechanisms range from gene silencing to chromatin remodelling. Many non-coding RNAs also have altered expression in breast cancer cell lines and tissues, and this is often connected with increased proliferation, a degraded extracellular environment, and higher endothelial to mesenchymal transition. Herein, we summarise the known abnormalities in the function and expression of long non-coding RNAs, Piwi interacting RNAs, small nucleolar RNAs and small nuclear RNAs in breast cancer, and how these abnormalities affect the development of this deadly disease. Finally, the use of RNA interference to suppress breast cancer growth is summarised.

STAT3-induced HLA-F-AS1 promotes cell proliferation and stemness characteristics in triple negative breast cancer cells by upregulating TRABD

Breast cancer (BC) is one of the most common malignances and is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women globally. Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a common subtype of BC. Emerging evidence has indicated the crucial roles of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the tumorigenesis of TNBC. Our aim was to explore the role and regulatory mechanism of lncRNA HLA-F antisense RNA 1 (HLA-F-AS1) in TNBC cells. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, colony formation assay, flow cytometry analysis and western blot analysis were used to measure HLA-F-AS1-mediated cellular behaviors in TNBC. Xenograft tumor assay was applied to assess biological function of HLA-F-AS1 in vivo. Luciferase reporter assay and RNA pull down assay were used to verify the binding ability between molecules. Our findings demonstrated that HLA-F-AS1 expression was significantly upregulated in TNBC tissues and cells, and high level of HLA-F-AS1 indicated the poor prognosis of patients with TNBC. HLA-F-AS1 promoted TNBC progression by facilitating cell proliferation and stemness maintenance and inhibiting cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 stage and apoptosis in vitro as well as inducing tumor growth in vivo. HLA-F-AS1. In addition, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) transcriptionally induced HLA-F-AS1 upregulation in TNBC cells via interacting with HLA-F-AS1 promoter. Moreover, HLA-F-AS1 acted as the molecular sponge of microRNA 541-3p (miR-541-3p) to elevate TRABD (TraB domain containing) expression in TNBC cells. Rescue experiments confirmed that the decrease of cell proliferation and stemness characteristics under silenced HLA-F-AS1 was rescued by TRABD overexpression in TNBC cells. In conclusion, STAT3-induced HLA-F-AS1 facilitates cell proliferation and stemness characteristics in TNBC by miR-541-3p-dependent upregulation of TRABD, which might provide a potential novel direction for the treatment of TNBC.

Mechanistic role of DANCR in the choreography of signaling pathways in different cancers: Spotlight on regulation of Wnt/β-catenin and JAK/STAT pathways by oncogenic long non-coding RNA

Discovery of non-coding RNAs has paradigmatically shifted our understanding of the multifaceted nature of cancer. It is becoming progressively more understandable that long non-coding RNAs play fundamental role in regulation of cell signaling pathways in different cancers. DANCR has started to gain remarkable appreciation because of its central role in cancer onset and progression. In this review we have attempted to summarize emerging aspects of DANCR-mediated regulation of Wnt/β-catenin and JAK/STAT pathways in different cancers. We have also discussed how DANCR epigenetically inactivated tumor suppressors to promote cancer. There is sufficient experimental evidence related to oncogenic role of DANCR in variety of cancers. However, there is a need to uncover how DANCR modulates various other oncogenic pathways in different cancers.

Long Noncoding RNA DANCR Regulates Cell Proliferation by Stabilizing SOX2 mRNA in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

The long noncoding RNA DANCR (differentiation antagonizing non-protein coding RNA) displays aberrant expression in various cancers. However, its clinical value and functional mechanisms in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) remain poorly understood. We found that DANCR is dramatically up-regulated in human NPC, and that it is an indicator for poor survival prognosis. DANCR knockdown suppressed cell proliferation, colony formation in vitro, and tumorigenicity in vivo. Mechanistic analyses demonstrated that DANCR could bind to RNA-binding protein 3 (RBM3) protein and stabilize SOX2 mRNA, resulting in NPC cell proliferation. Our findings indicate that DANCR functions as an oncogene and a potential therapeutic target for NPC.

Long non-coding RNA ADAMTS9-AS1 exacerbates cell proliferation, migration, and invasion via triggering of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma cells

Although many long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are modulators of biological events in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the potential significance of most lncRNAs in HCC remains to be fully understood. The role of lncRNA ADAMTS9-AS1 in HCC was therefore determined. ADAMTS9-AS1 expression was higher in HCC cell lines compared to normal cells as determined by qPCR analyses. Furthermore, CCK-8, scratch wound healing, transwell migration, and invasion assays suggested that ADAMTS9-AS1 overexpression promoted the proliferation, migration, and invasion in MHCC97-H and HepG2 cells; ADAMTS9-AS1 knockdown showed the opposite results. Based on the results from GEO, the correlation between ADAMTS9-AS1 and PI3K/AKT/mTOR was identified. Thus, an association between ADAMTS9-AS1 and the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway was further observed. To confirm the pathway protein levels, p-AKT, PIK3CB, and p-mTOR were selected. Western blot assays suggested that ADAMTS9-AS1 enhanced the expression levels of the three proteins. Because of their close relationship with PI3K/AKT/mTOR, apoptosis- or autophagy-related proteins were further investigated. ADAMTS9-AS1 expression was negatively related with LC3-II, BECN1, and pro-apoptotic Bax, whereas it was positively correlated SQSTM1 and anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 expression. Western blot results suggested that ADAMTS9-AS1 decreased ADAMTS9 expression. Our data revealed that ADAMTS9-AS1 contributed to proliferation, migration, and invasion in HCC cells, likely due to the activation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, to influence autophagy and apoptosis. These findings suggest that ADAMTS9-AS1 could serve as a molecular target in HCC treatment.

Epigenetic and breast cancer therapy: Promising diagnostic and therapeutic applications

The global burden of breast cancer (BC) is increasing significantly. This trend is caused by several factors such as late diagnosis, limited treatment options for certain BC subtypes, drug resistance which all lead to poor clinical outcomes. Recent research has reported the role of epigenetic alterations in the mechanism of BC pathogenesis and its hallmarks include drug resistance and stemness features. The understanding of these modifications and their significance in the management of BC carcinogenesis is challenging and requires further attention. Nevertheless, it promises to provide novel insight needed for utilizing these alterations as potential diagnostic, prognostic markers, predict treatment efficacy, as well as therapeutic agents. This highlights the importance of continuing research development to further advance the existing knowledge on epigenetics and BC carcinogenesis to overcome the current challenges. Hence, this review aims to shed light and discuss the current state of epigenetics research in the diagnosis and management of BC.

lncRNA DANCR Promotes Proliferation and Metastasis of Breast Cancer Cells Through Sponging miR-4319 and Upregulating VAPB

Background: Breast cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers that often occur in females. Long noncoding RNA differentiation antagonizing nonprotein coding RNA (DANCR) has been involved in the pathogenesis of various tumors, including breast cancer. This study aimed to investigate the role and underlying mechanism of DANCR in breast cancer. Materials and Methods: The level of DANCR was detected in breast cancer tissues and cells by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Cell viability was evaluated by the 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide assay. Cell apoptosis was assessed using flow cytometry. Cell migration and invasion were estimated by the Transwell assay. The relationship between DANCR, miR-4319, and vesicle-associated membrane protein-associated protein B (VAPB) was confirmed by bioinformatic analysis and dual-luciferase reporter assay. The level of microRNA-4319 (miR-4319) was tested by qRT-PCR. The expression of VAPB was measured by qRT-PCR or western blot assay. Results: DANCR and VAPB were upregulated, while miR-4319 was downregulated in breast cancer tissues and cells. Knockdown of DANCR hindered proliferation, migration, and invasion and promoted apoptosis of breast cancer cells. DANCR knockdown inhibited breast cancer development through regulating miR-4319. Inhibition of miR-4319 restrained breast cancer cell progression by targeting VAPB. Moreover, DANCR regulated VAPB expression by sponging miR-4319 in breast cancer cells. Conclusion: DANCR facilitated breast cancer cell progression through regulating the miR-4319/VAPB axis, indicating that DANCR might be a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for breast cancer treatment.

Novel insights into the interplay between m6A modification and noncoding RNAs in cancer

N6-methyladenosine (m⁶A) is one of the most common RNA modifications in eukaryotes, mainly in messenger RNA (mRNA). Increasing evidence shows that m⁶A methylation modification acts an essential role in various physiological and pathological bioprocesses. Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), including miRNAs, lncRNAs and circRNAs, are known to participate in regulating cell differentiation, angiogenesis, immune response, inflammatory response and carcinogenesis. m⁶A regulators, such as METTL3, ALKBH5 and IGF2BP1 have been reported to execute a m⁶A-dependent modification of ncRNAs involved in carcinogenesis. Meanwhile, ncRNAs can target or modulate m⁶A regulators to influence cancer development. In this review, we provide an insight into the interplay between m⁶A modification and ncRNAs in cancer.

Long Non-Coding Small Nucleolar RNA Host Genes (SNHGs) in Endocrine-Related Cancers

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are emerging regulators of a diverse range of biological processes through various mechanisms. Genome-wide association studies of tumor samples have identified several lncRNAs, which act as either oncogenes or tumor suppressors in various types of cancers. Small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) are predominantly found in the nucleolus and function as guide RNAs for the processing of transcription. As the host genes of snoRNAs, lncRNA small nucleolar RNA host genes (SNHGs) have been shown to be abnormally expressed in multiple cancers and can participate in cell proliferation, tumor progression, metastasis, and chemoresistance. Here, we review the biological functions and emerging mechanisms of SNHGs involved in the development and progression of endocrine-related cancers including thyroid cancer, breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, ovarian cancer and prostate cancer.

LncRNA-DANCR Interferes With miR-125b-5p/HK2 Axis to Desensitize Colon Cancer Cells to Cisplatin vis Activating Anaerobic Glycolysis

Colon cancer is one of the most prevalent malignancies that lead to high occurrence of cancer-related deaths. Currently, chemotherapies and radiotherapies remain the primary treatments for advanced colon cancer. Despite the initial effectiveness, a fraction of colon cancer patients developed cisplatin resistance, resulting in therapeutic failure. The long non-coding RNA differentiation antagonizing non-coding RNA (DANCR) has been shown to be upregulated in multiple cancers, indicating an oncogenic role of DANCR. This study aims to elucidate the roles of DANCR in regulating cisplatin (CDDP) resistance of colon cancer. We found DANCR was significantly upregulated in colon cancer tissues and cells compared with normal colon tissues and cells. DANCR was upregulated in cisplatin-resistant colon cancer cells. Moreover, overexpression of DANCR significantly desensitized colon cancer cells to cisplatin. On the other way, silencing DANCR dramatically overrode CDDP resistance of colon cancer cells. Bioinformatics prediction revealed DANCR could bind to seeding region of miR-125b-5p as a competitive endogenous RNA. This interference was further validated by luciferase assay. Moreover, we detected a negative correlation between DANCR and miR-125b-5p in colon cancer patient tissues: miR-125b-5p was clearly downregulated in colon cancer tissues and cells. Overexpression of miR-125b-5p significantly sensitized cisplatin-resistant cells. Interestingly, we observed the cisplatin-resistant cells were associated with a significantly increased glycolysis rate. We further identified glycolysis enzyme, hexokinase 2 (HK2), as a direct target of miR-125b-5p in colon cancer cells. Rescue experiments showed overexpression of miR-125b-5p suppressed cellular glycolysis rate and increased cisplatin sensitivity through direct targeting the 3' UTR of HK2. Importantly, silencing endogenous DANCR significantly induced the miR-125b-5p/HK2 axis, resulting in suppression of the glycolysis rate and increase in cisplatin sensitivity of colon cancer cell. Expectedly, these processes could be further rescued by inhibiting miR-125b-5p in the DANCR-silenced cells. Finally, we validated the DANCR-promoted cisplatin resistance via the miR-125b-5p/HK2 axis from an in vivo xenograft mice model. In summary, our study reveals a new mechanism of the DANCR-promoted cisplatin resistance, presenting the lncRNA-DANCR-miR-125b-5p/HK2 axis as a potential target for treating chemoresistant colon cancer.

DANCR: an emerging therapeutic target for cancer

The discovery of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) revolutionized the current framework for understanding the molecular mechanisms of tumorigenesis and stimulated the search for targeted cancer treatments. Among lncRNAs, differentiation antagonizing non-protein-coding RNA (DANCR) is a newly identified oncogenic gene that is upregulated in diverse cancer types and has a critical role in cancer progression. Herein, we summarize current knowledge regarding DANCR regulatory functions related to cancer cell proliferation, invasion, metastasis, and chemo-resistance. We also synthesize the effects of DANCR on cancer stemness features, the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and angiogenesis, which are essential for the progression of malignant cancer cells. Mechanically, the interaction between DANCR and its targets including microRNAs (miRNAs), mRNAs, and proteins are also elucidated. Finally, we propose DANCR-based therapeutic approaches to provide novel insights about cancer treatment.

Versatile role of curcumin and its derivatives in lung cancer therapy

Lung cancer is a main cause of death all over the world with a high incidence rate. Metastasis into neighboring and distant tissues as well as resistance of cancer cells to chemotherapy demand novel strategies in lung cancer therapy. Curcumin is a naturally occurring nutraceutical compound derived from Curcuma longa (turmeric) that has great pharmacological effects, such as anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, and antidiabetic. The excellent antitumor activity of curcumin has led to its extensive application in the treatment of various cancers. In the present review, we describe the antitumor activity of curcumin against lung cancer. Curcumin affects different molecular pathways such as vascular endothelial growth factors, nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), mammalian target of rapamycin, PI3/Akt, microRNAs, and long noncoding RNAs in treatment of lung cancer. Curcumin also can induce autophagy, apoptosis, and cell cycle arrest to reduce the viability and proliferation of lung cancer cells. Notably, curcumin supplementation sensitizes cancer cells to chemotherapy and enhances chemotherapy-mediated apoptosis. Curcumin can elevate the efficacy of radiotherapy in lung cancer therapy by targeting various signaling pathways, such as epidermal growth factor receptor and NF-κB. Curcumin-loaded nanocarriers enhance the bioavailability, cellular uptake, and antitumor activity of curcumin. The aforementioned effects are comprehensively discussed in the current review to further direct studies for applying curcumin in lung cancer therapy.

LncRNA DANCR-miR-758-3p-PAX6 Molecular Network Regulates Apoptosis and Autophagy of Breast Cancer Cells

Objective

This study set out to probe into the effects of long non-coding RNA (LncRNA) differentiation antagonizing non-protein coding RNA (DANCR) on apoptosis and autophagy of breast cancer (BC) cells.

Methods

The expression levels of DANCR, miR-758-3p and paired box 6 (PAX6) in BC tissues and cell lines were detected. The transcription and protein levels of PAX6, apoptosis-related factors (caspase-3, caspase-9, Bax/Bcl-2), and autophagy-related factors (LC3B, Atg5, Beclin-1) in BC cells were detected. The cell proliferation, apoptosis, autophagy and the regulatory relationship between genes and target genes were analyzed.

Results

DANCR and PAX6 were up-regulated in BC tissues and cell lines, while miR-758-3p was opposite. Down-regulating DANCR inhibited the malignant proliferation of BC cells and also promoted apoptosis and autophagy, which showed that caspase-3, caspase-9, Bax/Bcl-2, LC3B, Atg5 transcription and protein levels increased, while Beclin-1 transcription and protein levels decreased. DANCR regulated miR-758-3p in a targeted manner, and its over-expression could weaken the anti-cancer effect of miR-758-3p on BC cells. In addition, miR-758-3p also directly targeted PAX6, and knocking down its expression could weaken the inhibitory effect of down-regulating PAK6 on BC cell apoptosis and autophagy. We also found that DANCR acted as a competitive endogenous RNA sponge miR-758-3p, thus regulating the PAX6 expression.

Conclusion

DANCR-miR-758-3p-PAX6 molecular network plays a key regulatory role in BC cell apoptosis and autophagy, which may provide reference for treating patients.

Epigenetics in Inflammatory Breast Cancer: Biological Features and Therapeutic Perspectives

Evidence has emerged implicating epigenetic alterations in inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) origin and progression. IBC is a rare and rapidly progressing disease, considered the most aggressive type of breast cancer (BC). At clinical presentation, IBC is characterized by diffuse erythema, skin ridging, dermal lymphatic invasion, and peau d'orange aspect. The widespread distribution of the tumor as emboli throughout the breast and intra- and intertumor heterogeneity is associated with its poor prognosis. In this review, we highlighted studies documenting the essential roles of epigenetic mechanisms in remodeling chromatin and modulating gene expression during mammary gland differentiation and the development of IBC. Compiling evidence has emerged implicating epigenetic changes as a common denominator linking the main risk factors (socioeconomic status, environmental exposure to endocrine disruptors, racial disparities, and obesity) with IBC development. DNA methylation changes and their impact on the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of IBC are also described. Recent studies are focusing on the use of histone deacetylase inhibitors as promising epigenetic drugs for treating IBC. All efforts must be undertaken to unravel the epigenetic marks that drive this disease and how this knowledge could impact strategies to reduce the risk of IBC development and progression.