miR-204-5p suppresses hepatocellular cancer proliferation by regulating homeoprotein SIX1 expression

MicroRNA-204-5p Inhibits Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Targeting the Regulator of G Protein Signaling 20

Although the oncogenic roles of regulator of G protein signaling 20 (RGS20) and its upstream microRNAs (miRNAs) have been reported, their involvement in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unexplored. We utilized the starBase, miRDB, TargetScan, and mirDIP databases, along with a dual-luciferase reporter assay and cDNA chip analysis to identify miRNAs targeting RGS20. miR-204-5p was selected for further experiments to confirm its direct targeting and downregulation of the RGS20 expression. To study the miR-204-5p/RGS20 axis in HCC, RGS20 and miR-204-5p were increased in PLC/PRF/5/Hep3B cells, and the viability, hyperplasia, apoptosis, cell cycle, and invasion/migration of the cells were assessed. RGS20 exhibited optimism, while miR-204-5p exhibited pessimism in tumors. miR-204-5p directly targeted RGS20 and downregulated its expression, whereas high RGS20 expression indicated a poor prognosis. Transfection of miR-204-5p inhibited the hyperplasia, migration, and invasion of HCC cells, but promoted apoptosis and influenced the levels of cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2), cyclin E1, B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), Bax, and cleaved caspase-3/8. These effects were reversed by overexpression of RGS20. We recognized miR-204-5p as an upstream regulator targeting RGS20, thereby inhibiting HCC progression by downregulating RGS20 expression. RGS20 may prove to be a potential target for HCC treatment, and miR-204-5p might seem like to be a potential miRNA in gene therapy.

CircUSP10 promotes liver cancer progression by regulating miR-211-5p/TCF12/EMT signaling pathway

There is no precise diagnosis or prognosis for liver cancer (LC) using a single biomarker. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) contribute to the pathogenesis of different cancers, but their role in LC is not entirely understood. In this study, circUSP10, an aberrantly expressed circRNA in LC, was screened using the Gene Expression Omnibus database, and its tissue-specific expression was verified using qRT-PCR. In vitro, functional assays and nude mouse tumorigenesis models were used to investigate circUSP10 role in LC. RNA immunoprecipitation and dual-luciferase reporter assays were performed to study the mechanistic relationship between circUSP10, miR-211-5p, and transcription factor 12 (TCF12). We found that circUSP10 expression was upregulated in LC tissues and cells. CircUSP10 expression was linked to tumor size and tumor node metastasis stage and negatively correlated with LC prognosis. In vitro assays confirmed circUSP10-mediated proliferation, migration, and invasion of LC cells and their association with the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) pathway. Mechanistically, circUSP10 adsorbed miR-211-5p, which regulated TCF12 and promoted tumorigenesis via the EMT signaling pathway. Therefore, our results suggest that circUSP10 may promote LC progression by modulating the miR-211-5p/TCF12/EMT signaling cascade and may serve as a potential biomarker for LC diagnosis and prognosis.

Unraveling the Roles of miR-204-5p and HMGA2 in Papillary Thyroid Cancer Tumorigenesis

Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine malignant tumor with an increasing incidence rate. Although differentiated types of thyroid cancer generally present good clinical outcomes, some dedifferentiate into aggressive and lethal forms. However, the molecular mechanisms governing aggressiveness and dedifferentiation are still poorly understood. Aberrant expression of miRNAs is often correlated to tumor development, and miR-204-5p has previously been identified in papillary thyroid carcinoma as downregulated and associated with aggressiveness. This study aimed to explore its role in thyroid tumorigenesis. To address this, gain-of-function experiments were performed by transiently transfecting miR-204-5p in thyroid cancer cell lines. Then, the clinical relevance of our data was evaluated in vivo. We prove that this miRNA inhibits cell invasion by regulating several targets associated with an epithelial-mesenchymal transition, such as SNAI2, TGFBR2, SOX4 and HMGA2. HMGA2 expression is regulated by the MAPK pathway but not by the PI3K, IGF1R or TGFβ pathways, and the inhibition of cell invasion by miR-204-5p involves direct binding and repression of HMGA2. Finally, we confirmed in vivo the relationship between miR-204-5p and HMGA2 in human PTC and a corresponding mouse model. Our data suggest that HMGA2 inhibition offers promising perspectives for thyroid cancer treatment.

MicroRNA-204-5p: A pivotal tumor suppressor

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of non-coding single-stranded RNA molecules with a length of approximately 18-25 nt nucleotides that regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally. MiR-204-5p originates from the sixth intron of the transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily M member 3 (TRPM3) gene. MiR-204-5p is frequently downregulated in various cancer types and is related to the clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of cancer patients. So far, many studies have determined that miR-204-5p functions as a tumor suppressor for its extensive and powerful capacity to inhibit tumor proliferation, metastasis, autophagy, and chemoresistance in multiple cancer types. MiR-204-5p appears to be a promising prognostic biomarker and a therapeutic target for human cancers. This review summarized the latest advances on the role of miR-204-5p in human cancers.

MIR99AHG/miR-204-5p/TXNIP/Nrf2/ARE Signaling Pathway Decreases Glioblastoma Temozolomide Sensitivity

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most prevalent primary cerebral tumor in adults with high aggressiveness. Temozolomide (TMZ) is considered as the most widely used chemotherapy for GBM patients. Accumulating studies have proved that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) participate in the pathogenesis of tumors. The aim of our study is to disclose the role of mir-99a-let-7c cluster host gene (MIR99AHG) in GBM. MIR99AHG expression was discovered to be elevated in GBM cells through quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) analysis. Loss-of-function experiments demonstrated that MIR99AHG silencing enhanced TMZ sensitivity of GBM both in vitro and in vivo. RNA pull down, RNA-binding protein immunoprecipitation (RIP), and luciferase reporter assays were implemented to unveil the underlying mechanism of MIR99AHG in GBM. The results of the mechanism assays implied that MIR99AHG interacted with microRNA-204-5p (miR-204-5p) and enhanced thioredoxin interacting protein (TXNIP) expression to inactivate the Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway. MIR99AHG/miR-204-5p/TXNIP regulatory axis was verified by rescue experiments in GBM. To summarize, MIR99AHG plays a promoting role in the TMZ resistance of GBM cells. The findings in this study might provide novel sight for the treatment for GBM.

MicroRNA-455-3p functions as a tumor suppressor by targeting HDAC2 to regulate cell cycle in hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers. MicroRNA has been studied more and more deeply and may become a new target for the treatment of HCC. Here, we investigated the role of miR-455-3p in HCC progression. Compared with non-tumor tissues and normal human hepatic cells, miR-455-3p expression was significantly downregulated in HCC tissues and cell lines. And overexpression of miR-455-3p inhibited cell proliferation and migration but promoted cell apoptosis in HCC cell lines HepG2 and Huh7. Mechanism studies displayed that miR-455-3p targeted HDAC2 and negatively regulated HDAC2 expression. Moreover, HDAC2 was highly expressed in HCC tissues and cell lines. Overexpression of HDAC2 reversed the inhibitory effects of miR-455-3p on cell proliferation, migration and cell cycle protein (CDK6 and cyclin D1) expression, and neutralized the promotion effects of miR-455-3p on cell apoptosis and the activation of p53 pathway. Furthermore, a p53 inhibitor Pifithrin-α (PFT-α) effectively abolished the effects of miR-455-3p on HCC cell behaviors. Additionally, the role of miR-455-3p in tumorigenesis was evaluated by using a mouse xenograft model, and the data showed that miR-455-3p suppressed tumor growth in vivo. In summary, our results suggested that miR-455-3p targeted HDAC2 to inhibit cell proliferation, migration and promote cell apoptosis via the activation of p53 pathway.

Dysregulation of miR-204-5p/APLN axis affects malignant progression and cell stemness of esophageal cancer

OBJECTIVE

This study attempted to investigate the mechanism of miR-204-5p and its downstream gene in regulating bio-functions of esophageal cancer (EC).

METHODS

Bioinformatics analysis was performed to select the mature miRNAs, mRNAs, and clinical data of EC. The miRNA-mRNA regulatory axis was predicted through bioinformatics and used Dual-luciferase analysis to verify the interaction between miR-204-5p and APLN. qRT-PCR was applied to analyze expression of miR-204-5p and APLN mRNA. Western blot was utilized to detect APLN protein expression. Functional assays like CCK-8, wound healing, Transwell, and stem cell sphere formation assays were launched to confirm proliferative, migratory, invasive and stemness of cells in different treatment groups.

RESULTS

MiR-204-5p was lowly expressed while its target gene APLN was highly expressed in tumor tissues. Besides, miR-204-5p overexpression hindered proliferation, invasion, migration, and stemness of EC cells. Additionally, dual-luciferase assay verified the interaction of miR-204-5p and APLN. MiR-204-5p could downregulate APLN level and its overexpression reduced the effect of APLN on EC cell functions.

CONCLUSION

Dysregulation of miR-204-5p/APLN axis was linked with malignant progression of EC. MiR-204-5p/APLN may be an underlying candidate for the design of anticarcinogens.

miR-204-5p Hampers Breast Cancer Malignancy and Affects the Cell Cycle by Targeting PRR11

PURPOSE

To unravel mechanisms of miR-204-5p in breast cancer (BC) cells.

METHODS

miR-204-5p expression level in BC cell lines was measured by qRT-PCR. Putative binding sites of miR-204-5p on the 3'-untranslated region of PRR11 were predicted by the bioinformatics method and verified by the dual-luciferase method. Protein and mRNA levels of PRR11 in BC were determined by western blot and qRT-PCR. The association between two genes was analyzed by correlation analysis. Cancer cell functions were evaluated through CCK8, flow cytometry, and Transwell approaches.

RESULTS

Significant downregulation of miR-204-5p was observed in BC tissue and cells. Cell functional experiments showed the inhibition of miR-204-5p on cell behaviors and cell cycle. PRR11 was the downstream target of miR-204-5p. Inhibition of RPP11 could reverse the impacts of the miR-204-5p inhibitor on cell functions of BC.

CONCLUSION

Our study revealed that the miR-204-5p/PRPP11 axis suppressed BC progression, which may provide a novel insight into the regulatory roles of miR-204-5p.

CircMTO1 suppresses hepatocellular carcinoma progression via the miR-541-5p/ZIC1 axis by regulating Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition

CircRNA mitochondrial tRNA translation optimization 1 (circMTO1) functions as a tumor suppressor usually and is related to the progression of many tumors, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). CircMTO1 is downregulated in HCC as compared to adjacent nontumor tissue, which may suppress the HCC progression by certain signal pathways. However, the underlying signal pathway remains largely unknown. The interactions between circMTO1 and miR-541-5p were predicted through bioinformatics analysis and verified using pull-down and dual-luciferase reporter assays. CCK-8, transwell, and apoptosis assays were performed to determine the effect of miR-541-5p on HCC progression. Using bioinformatic analysis, dual-luciferase reporter assay, RT-qPCR, and western blot, ZIC1 was found to be the downstream target gene of miR-541-5p. The regulatory mechanisms of circMTO1, miR-541-5p, and ZIC1 were investigated using in vitro and in vivo rescue experiments. The results depicted that silencing circMTO1 or upregulating miR-541-5p expression facilitated HCC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion and inhibited apoptosis. CircMTO1 silencing upregulated the expression of downstream ZIC1 regulators of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway markers, β-catenin, cyclin D1, c-myc, and the mesenchymal markers N-cadherin, Vimentin, and MMP2, while the epithelial marker E-cadherin was downregulated. MiR-541-5p knockdown had the opposite effect and reversed the effect of circMTO1 silencing on the regulation of downstream ZIC1 regulators. Intratumoral injection of miR-541-5p inhibitor suppressed tumor growth and reversed the effect of circMTO1 silencing on the promotion of tumor growth in HCC. These findings indicated that circMTO1 suppressed HCC progression via the circMTO1/ miR-541-5p/ZIC1 axis by regulating Wnt/β-catenin signaling and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, making it a novel therapeutic target.

Long non-coding RNA NEAT1 promotes the malignancy of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma by regulating the microRNA-204-5p/SEMA4B axis

Laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) is a highly invasive malignant tumor in the head and neck area. As an oncogene, long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) nuclear enriched abundant transcript 1 (NEAT1) promotes cell proliferation, migration and invasion several types of cancer. The present study aimed to reveal the effects of NEAT1 on the progression of LSCC. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was used to detect relative mRNA expression levels of NEAT1, microRNA (miR)-204-5p and semaphorin (SEMA) 4B. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to analyze overall survival times. RNA in-situ hybridization (ISH) exhibited the distribution of NEAT1 and miR-204-5p in tissues. RNA fluorescence ISH was used to analyze the distribution of NEAT1 and miR-204-5p in the cells. Western blot analysis was used to detect the expression level of target proteins. Cell viability was analyzed using a MTT assay, while flow cytometry was used to determine cell apoptosis. Wound healing and Transwell invasion assays were used to value cell migration and invasion, respectively. RNA immunoprecipitation assay, bioinformatics prediction and a dual luciferase reporter assay were used to analyze the target relationship. The RT-qPCR results showed that NEAT1 was highly expressed and miR-204-5p had decreased expression in LSCC tissues and cells compared with that in the normal tissue and the 16HBE-14o cell line, respectively. Knockdown of NEAT1 using small interfering (si) RNA and overexpressed miR-204-5p both effectively inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of LSCC cells. Besides, further experiments revealed that miR-204-5p was a target of NEAT1. At the same time, silenced miR-204-5p reversed the anti-tumor effects of si-NEAT1. In addition, SEMA4B was targeted by miR-204-5p in LSCC cells and upregulated SEMA4B weakened the antitumor effects of miR-204-5p in LSCC cells. NEAT1 regulated the expression of SEMA4B by targeting miR-204-5p in LSCC cells. Overall, NEAT1 promoted the proliferation and invasion of LSCC cells by regulating the miR-204-5p/SEMA4B axis.

Regulatory Role of microRNAs Targeting the Transcription Co-Factor ZNF521 in Normal Tissues and Cancers

Powerful bioinformatics tools have provided a wealth of novel miRNA–transcription factor networks crucial in controlling gene regulation. In this review, we focus on the biological functions of miRNAs targeting ZNF521, explaining the molecular mechanisms by which the dysregulation of this axis contributes to malignancy. ZNF521 is a stem cell-associated co-transcription factor implicated in the regulation of hematopoietic, neural, and mesenchymal stem cells. The aberrant expression of ZNF521 transcripts, frequently associated with miRNA deregulation, has been detected in several tumors including pancreatic, hepatocellular, gastric, bladder transitional cell carcinomas as well as in breast and ovarian cancers. miRNA expression profiling tools are currently identifying a multitude of miRNAs, involved together with oncogenes and TFs in the regulation of oncogenesis, including ZNF521, which may be candidates for diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers of cancer.

High-mobility group AT-hook 2 promotes growth and metastasis and is regulated by miR-204-5p in oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

To investigate the expression of high-mobility group AT-hook 2 (HMGA2) and miR-204-5p in oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and their biological roles in ESCC development and progression.

METHODS

HMGA2 and miR-204-5p expression levels in ESCC tissues and cell lines were detected by qRT-PCR, Western blotting and immunohistochemical staining. ESCC cell lines were transfected with a small interfering RNA for HMGA2 and miR-204-5p mimic to downregulate and upregulate the expression levels of HMGA2 and miR-204-5p, respectively. The growth, migration and invasion abilities of ESCC cells were assessed by MTT, colony formation, wound-healing and Transwell assays, respectively. A luciferase reporter gene assay was used to determine whether the 3'-untranslated coding regions of HMGA2 could be directly bound by miR-204-5p.

RESULTS

HMGA2 expression was markedly upregulated (P < .001), while miR-204-5p expression was markedly downregulated (P = .003) in ESCC tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues. HMGA2 expression was correlated with tumour size, invasion depth, lymph node metastasis and tumour-node-metastasis stage (all P < .05) and was identified as an independent prognostic factor for ESCC patients. The expression levels of HMGA2 and miR-204-5p were negatively correlated (r²  = 0.609, P < .001). HMGA2 knockdown or miR-204-5p overexpression markedly inhibited ESCC cell growth, migration and invasion (P < .05). In addition, restoration of HMGA2 expression partly reversed the inhibitory effects of miR-204-5p overexpression on migration and invasion (P < .05). The luciferase reporter gene assay suggested that HMGA2 is a direct downstream target of miR-204-5p.

CONCLUSION

HMGA2 functions as an oncogene in the growth and metastasis of ESCC and is negatively regulated by miR-204-5p.

LncRNA SNHG6 promotes G1/S-phase transition in hepatocellular carcinoma by impairing miR-204-5p-mediated inhibition of E2F1

Emerging evidence suggests that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) function as competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) targeting proteins and genes; however, the role of lncRNAs in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is not well understood. We investigated the mechanism by which lncRNA SNHG6 promotes the development of HCC. RT-qPCR revealed upregulated lncRNA SNHG6 in the HCC setting. Elevated SNHG6 expression was indicative of poor prognosis in patients with HCC. SNHG6 overexpression resulted in increased cyclin D1, cyclin E1, and E2F1 expression both in vitro and in vivo. SNHG6 also promoted HCC cell proliferation by enhancing G1-S phase transition in vitro. Dual luciferase reporter assays, RIP, and RNA pull-down assays demonstrated SNHG6 competitively bound to miR-204-5p and inhibited its expression preventing miR-204-5p from targeting E2F1. Overexpression of miR-204-5p abolished the effect of SNHG6. Our data suggest that SNHG6 functions as a ceRNA that targets miR-204-5p resulting in an increased E2F1 expression and enhanced G1-S phase transition, thereby promoting the tumorigenesis of HCC.

NEAT1 promotes the repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms of endothelial progenitor cells via regulating miR-204-5p/Ang-1

PURPOSE

To clarify the regulatory effect of Nuclear-enriched abundant transcript 1 (NEAT1) on abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) model rats and isolated endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs).

METHODS

The AAA rat model was established by CaCl₂ stimulation, and overexpressed NEAT1 was injected into rats through tail vein. Abdominal aorta lesions and numbers of EPCs in tissues and peripheral blood were examined by hematoxylin-eosin, immunofluorescence and flow cytometry. The extracted EPCs were identified by microscopy, DiI-ac-LDL staining and flow cytometry. Effect of overexpressed/silencing NEAT1 on the viability, migration, tube formation and VEGF content of EPCs was investigated by MTT-, wound-healing, tube formation assays and ELISA, respectively. The expressions of NEAT1, miR-204-5p, Angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1)/ERK pathway were determined by qRT-PCR and Western blot as needed. The targeting relationships between NEAT1 and miR-204-5p, and miR-204-5p and Ang-1 were predicted on starBase, TargetScan and confirmed by dual-luciferase experiments. The mutual regulation effect was studied through rescue experiments.

RESULTS

Overexpressed NEAT1 not only reduced inflammatory infiltration and increased the number of EPCs in abdominal aorta and peripheral blood, but also promoted the viability, migration, tube formation of EPCs, increased VEGF content and upregulated the expression of the Ang-1/ERK pathway in EPCs. However, silencing NEAT1 produced opposite results. NEAT1 targeting miR-204-5p inhibited the functional effects of miR-204-5p on of EPCs. Overexpressed/silencing Ang-1 partially reversed the effects of NEAT1 or miR-204-5p on the characteristics of EPCs.

CONCLUSION

NEAT1 competitively binds with miR-204-5p and up-regulates Ang-1 expression in EPCs to effectively improve the proliferation, migration and angiogenesis of EPCs.

MiR-203a-3p regulates TGF-β1-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in asthma by regulating Smad3 pathway through SIX1

Asthma is a common chronic airway disease with increasing prevalence. MicroRNAs act as vital regulators in cell progressions and have been identified to play crucial roles in asthma. The objective of the present study is to clarify the molecular mechanism of miR-203a-3p in the development of asthma. The expression of miR-203a-3p and Sine oculis homeobox homolog 1 (SIX1) were detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The protein levels of SIX1, fibronectin, E-cadherin, vimentin, phosphorylated-drosophila mothers against decapentaplegic 3 (p-Smad3) and Smad3 were measured by Western blot. The interaction between miR-203a-3p and SIX1 was confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter assay and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay. MiR-203a-3p was down-regulated and SIX1 was up-regulated in asthma serums, respectively. Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) treatment induced the reduction of miR-203a-3p and the enhancement of SIX1 in BEAS-2B and 16HBE cells in a time-dependent manner. Subsequently, functional experiments showed the promotion of epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) induced by TGF-β1 treatment could be reversed by miR-203a-3p re-expression or SIX1 deletion in BEAS-2B and 16HBE cells. SIX1 was identified as a target of miR-203a-3p and negatively regulated by miR-203a-3p. Then rescue assay indicated that overexpressed miR-203a-3p ameliorated TGF-β1 induced EMT by regulating SIX1 in BEAS-2B and 16HBE cells. Moreover, miR-203a-3p/SIX1 axis regulated TGF-β1 mediated EMT process in bronchial epithelial cells through phosphorylating Smad3. These results demonstrated that MiR-203a-3p modulated TGF-β1-induced EMT in asthma by regulating Smad3 pathway through targeting SIX1.

Investigation the Role of Autophagy in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Objective:

Recent studies have shown the role of autophagy in different types of cancer including lung cancer. MicroRNAs are considered as key factors in regulation of autophagy related genes. miR-30d, miR-204-5p and miR-20a are regulatory markers which can suppress the expression of beclin1, LC3, bcl2 and ULK1 as their target genes and they lead to decrement of autophagy in human cancer cells. Moreover, epigenetic modifications DNA methylation has been indicated in regulation of autophagy in different stages of cancer.

Methods:

In this study, the expression levels of miR-30d, miR-204-5p and miR-20a as well as their target genes were analyzed in 30 non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs) patients sample and adjacent normal tissues by real-time qPCR. In addition, DNA methylation of beclin1, LC3, bcl2 and ULK1 genes were assessed by MS-HRM method.

Results:

MiR-30d (p value= 0.01) and miR-204-5p (P=0.048) significantly down-regulated in tumor samples compared to normal adjacent tissues, while there was no significant change in expression level of miR-20a. On the other hand, target genes expression level was significantly increased in NSCLC tissues, however methylation pattern of the target gene promoters, did not show any significant alteration.

Conclusion:

These results indicate roles for miR-30d, miR-204-5p as tumor suppressor genes as well as target genes as oncogenes in NSCLC patients. Although these factors may have a significant role in NSCLC progression, further studies are necessary to investigate the implications of these findings for treatment of lung cancer.

Long Noncoding RNA OIP5-AS1 Promotes the Disease Progression in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma by Targeting miR-203

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a kind of malignancy generated from the nasopharyngeal epithelium. Recently, long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) has been shown to be involved in the regulation of many signaling pathways and is closely associated with carcinogenesis and tumor progression. However, the precise role of lncRNA Opa-interacting protein 5 antisense RNA 1 (OIP5-AS1) in NPC is not well understood. Here, we find that OIP5-AS1 is overexpressed in NPC patient specimens and NPC cell lines. Further investigations reveal that knockdown of OIP5-AS1 significantly inhibits the proliferation, migration, and invasion and accelerates the apoptosis of NPC cells in vitro. Consistent with these findings, NPC progression is significantly slowed in mice when OIP5-AS1 is knocked down. Interestingly, there is a functional link between OIP5-AS1 and microRNA-203 (miR-203), a tumor suppressor, in NPC cells. In conclusion, our data demonstrate that OIP5-AS1 plays an important role in the development and progression of NPC by targeting miR-203 and therefore provide a promising target for the treatment of NPC.

Up-regulation of miR-204 inhibits proliferation, invasion and apoptosis of gallbladder cancer cells by targeting Notch2

Gallbladder carcinoma (GC) is an extremely malignant gastrointestinal tumor, but relevant mechanisms are still under investigation. MicroRNA (miR) is differentially expressed in a variety of tumors. Here we explored miR-204 in patients with GC and related mechanisms. A GSE104165 chip was downloaded from the gene expression omnibus (GEO) for analysis. The qRT-PCR assay was used for quantifying miR-204 and Notch2 in the serum and tissues of the patients, and the patients were followed up for 3 years to analyze independent factors of prognosis. The CCK8, transwell, and flow cytometry assays were applied for analyzing proliferation, invasion, as well as apoptosis of cells, and the dual luciferase reporter (DLR) assay was adopted for determining the association of miR-204 with Notch2. MiR-204 was low in patients with GC, and it might serve as a diagnostic indicator for GC. In addition, patients with low e MiR-204 usually faced high rates of III+IV stage, distant metastasis, and low differentiation, and also showed a poor prognosis. DLR assay verified the targeted binding of miR-204 to Notch2 mRNA.

DYRK1A: a down syndrome-related dual protein kinase with a versatile role in tumorigenesis

Dual-specificity tyrosine phosphorylation-regulated kinase 1A (DYRK1A) is a dual kinase that can phosphorylate its own activation loop on tyrosine residue and phosphorylate its substrates on threonine and serine residues. It is the most studied member of DYRK kinases, because its gene maps to human chromosome 21 within the Down syndrome critical region (DSCR). DYRK1A overexpression was found to be responsible for the phenotypic features observed in Down syndrome such as mental retardation, early onset neurodegenerative, and developmental heart defects. Besides its dual activity in phosphorylation, DYRK1A carries the characteristic of duality in tumorigenesis. Many studies indicate its possible role as a tumor suppressor gene; however, others prove its pro-oncogenic activity. In this review, we will focus on its multifaceted role in tumorigenesis by explaining its participation in some cancer hallmarks pathways such as proliferative signaling, transcription, stress, DNA damage repair, apoptosis, and angiogenesis, and finally, we will discuss targeting DYRK1A as a potential strategy for management of cancer and neurodegenerative disorders.

Hepigenetics: A Review of Epigenetic Modulators and Potential Therapies in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma is the fifth most common cancer worldwide and the second most lethal, following lung cancer. Currently applied therapeutic practices rely on surgical resection, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, or a combination thereof. These treatment options are associated with extreme adversities, and risk/benefit ratios do not always work in patients' favor. Anomalies of the epigenome lie at the epicenter of aberrant molecular mechanisms by which the disease develops and progresses. Modulation of these anomalous events poses a promising prospect for alternative treatment options, with an abundance of felicitous results reported in recent years. Herein, the most recent epigenetic modulators in hepatocellular carcinoma are recapitulated on.

miR‑204‑5p promotes apoptosis and inhibits migration of gastric cancer cells by targeting HER‑2

Gastric cancer is one of the most common types of cancer worldwide, with a high incidence and mortality rate. MicroRNAs (miRs) play an important role in tumorigenesis, cell proliferation, migration, apoptosis and metastasis of cancer. The present study aimed to investigate the role and potential mechanism of miR‑204‑5p in gastric cancer. The mRNA expression levels of miR‑204‑5p in gastric cancer were determined by reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR. Cell proliferation was determined using Cell Counting Kit‑8 and colony formation assays. Flow cytometry analysis was performed to detect the cell apoptosis rate. Wound healing and Transwell assays were carried out to determine the cell migration and invasion rates, respectively. A putative binding site of miR‑204‑5p in the 3' untranslated region of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER‑2) was predicted using a bioinformatics algorithm and confirmed using a dual‑luciferase reporter assay. miR‑204‑5p levels were downregulated in gastric cancer cells. Overexpression of miR‑204‑5p significantly inhibited cell proliferation and decreased cell colony formation. Additionally, miR‑204‑5p decreased the migration and invasion rates of gastric cancer cells. Furthermore, an increased apoptotic rate was detected following overexpression of miR‑204‑5p, along with increased expression levels of Bax and decreased expression levels of Bcl‑2. HER‑2 was a direct target of miR‑204‑5p, and inhibition of HER‑2 acted as a tumor suppressor by inhibiting cell proliferation, migration and invasion, and promoting cell apoptosis, which was reversed by the inhibition of miR‑204‑5p expression. These results suggested that miR‑204‑5p could exert its anti‑tumor function by inhibiting cell proliferation, migration and invasion, and promoting cell apoptosis via regulation of HER‑2, which may be a potential therapeutic target for gastric cancer.

LncRNA MCM3AP-AS1 promotes proliferation, migration and invasion of oral squamous cell carcinoma cells via regulating miR-204-5p/FOXC1

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a lethal malignancy. It is reportedly demonstrated that long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) participates in the development of OSCC. The purpose of this study was to clarify the function and possible molecular mechanisms of lncRNA MCM3AP antisense RNA 1 (lncRNA MCM3AP-AS1) in OSCC. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was adopted to investigate MCM3AP-AS1 expressions in OSCC tissues and cells. The proliferation, migration and invasion of HN-6 and SCC-9 cells were probed by cell counting kit-8 and Transwell assays, respectively. Dual luciferase reporter gene assay, Pearson's correlation analysis, qRT-PCR and western blot were used to detect the binding relationship among miR-204-5 p, MCM3AP-AS1 and forkheadbox C1 (FOXC1). MCM3AP-AS1 expression was elevated in OSCC tissues and cell lines. Overexpression of MCM3AP-AS1 facilitated the proliferation, migration and invasion of OSCC cells, while the knockdown of MCM3AP-AS1 suppressed these malignant phenotypes. Besides, MCM3AP-AS1 impeded miR-204-5 p by binding with it. MCM3AP-AS1 could also upregulate the expression of FOXC1 via repressing miR-204-5 p.MCM3AP-AS1 promotes the progression of OSCC cells by adsorbing miR-204-5 p and upregulating FOXC1 expressions.

Perillyle alcohol and Quercetin ameliorate monocrotaline-induced pulmonary artery hypertension in rats through PARP1-mediated miR-204 down-regulation and its downstream pathway

Background

Pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH) is a vascular disease in the lung characterized by elevated pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP). Many miRNAs play a role in the pathophysiology of PAH. Perillyle alcohol (PA) and Quercetin (QS) are plant derivatives with antioxidant and anti-proliferative properties. We investigated the effect of PA and QS on PAP, expression of PARP1, miR-204, and their targets, HIF1α and NFATc2, in experimental PAH.

Methods

Thirty rats were divided into control, MCT, MCT + Veh, MCT + PA and MCT + QS groups. MCT (60 mg/kg) was injected subcutaneously to induce PAH. PA (50 mg/kg daily) and QS (30 mg/kg daily) were administered for 3 weeks after inducing PAH. PAP, lung pathology, expression of miRNA and mRNA, and target proteins were evaluated through right ventricle cannulation, H&E staining, real-time qPCR, and western blotting, respectively.

Results

Inflammation and lung arteriole thickness in the MCT group increased compared to control group. PA and QS ameliorated inflammation and reduced arteriole thickness significantly. miR-204 expression decreased in PAH rats (p < 0.001). PA (p < 0.001) and QS (p < 0.01) significantly increased miR-204 expression. Expression of PARP1, HIF1α, NFATc2, and α-SMA mRNA increased significantly in MCT + veh rats (all p < 0.001), and these were reduced after treatment with PA and QS (both p < 0.01). PA and QS also decreased the expression of PARP1, HIF1α, and NFATc2 proteins that had increased in MCT + Veh group.

Conclusion

PA and QS improved PAH possibly by affecting the expression of PARP1 and miR-204 and their downstream targets, HIF1a and NFATc2. PA and QS may be therapeutic goals in the treatment of PAH.

LncRNA DSCAM-AS1 Promotes Colon Cancer Cells Proliferation and Migration via Regulating the miR-204/SOX4 Axis

Introduction

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) DSCAM-AS1 was reported to be aberrantly expressed and play pivotal roles in various human cancers. The aim of the present study was to investigate the expression and roles of DSCAM-AS1 in colon cancer (CC).

Methods

Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the expression of DSCAM-AS1, miR-204 and the mRNA level of SOX4. Cell proliferation and cell cycle were analyzed by MTT assay and flow cytometry, respectively. Transwell assay was used for migration capacity detection. Luciferase activity assay was conducted to verify the direct binding of DSCAM-AS1 and miR-204 or miR-204 and SOX4. The protein expression of SOX4 was determined by Western blot. Kaplan–Meier curves were calculated and the Log rank test was performed for the survival data analysis.

Results

DSCAM-AS1 was significantly upregulated in CC and high expression of DSCAM-AS1 was associated with poor prognosis in patients with colon cancer. Knockdown of DSCAM-AS1 significantly suppressed CC cells proliferation and migration. In addition, DSCAM-AS acted as a molecular sponge for miR-204 and SOX4 was identified as a direct target of miR-204 in CC. Moreover, the rescue assay revealed that miR-204 inhibition partly abolished the effects of DSCAM-AS1 knockdown on CC cells proliferation, migration and SOX4 expression.

Discussion

The present study demonstrated that DSCAM-AS1 acted as an oncogenic lncRNA in CC progression by regulating miR-204/SOX4 axis and DSCAM-AS1 may serve as a novel therapeutic target in the treatment of colon cancer.

MicroRNA-7 inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma cell invasion and metastasis by regulating Atg5-mediated autophagy

BACKGROUND

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors of the digestive system, with a low 5-year survival rate (5-9%). The abnormal expression of miRNA in liver cancer cells may play an important role in the pathophysiology of liver cancer. The ability of tumor invasion and metastasis is an important indicator to evaluate the degree of malignancy of HCC. Autophagy may affect the ability of tumor cells to invade and metastasize. Autophagy-related genes and proteins (Atg) are the core and key to regulating autophagy. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of microRNA-7 (miR-7) on targeting autophagy-related protein Atg5 to inhibit the effect of autophagy on the invasion and metastasis ability of liver cancer cells.

METHODS

The content of miR-7 and Atg5 in normal liver tissue and HCC tissues was detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain (qRT-PCR). SMMC-7721 hepatoma cells were cultured in vitro, a starvation environment was simulated to activate autophagy, and transfection of cells was carried out by using miR-7 mimic, inhibitor, and autophagic inhibitor 3-MA. The RFP-GFP-LC3 double-labeled adenovirus infected hepatoma cells, and autophagy was detected by fluorescence microscopy. Western blot was used to detect the expression of LC3, Atg5, and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related proteins (N-cadherin, vimentin, and snail). Transwell and plate cloning were used to detect the proliferation, invasion, and metastasis of hepatocarcinoma cells.

RESULTS

Expression of miR-7 (16.72±4.71, P<0.05) in HCC tissues was low, but the expression of Atg5 (13.70±2.80, P<0.05)was high. MiR-7 and Atg5 were highly negatively correlated in hepatoma tissues (r=-0.97). With the overexpression of hepatoma cells, the expression of Atg5 (0.49±0.07, F=395.26) and LC3II (0.51±0.06, F=23.58) was increased (P<0.05), and the autophagy was enhanced. As a result, the proliferation of hepatocarcinoma cells was decreased (t=3.22, P<0.05), the expression of EMT-related protein [N-cadherin (0.37±0.04), vimentin (0.60±0.07), snail (0.54±0.07)] was decreased (P<0.05), and hepatoma cell invasion and metastasis were decreased (n=6, F=162.28, P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

MiR-7 can inhibit the invasion and metastasis of hepatoma cells by targeting Atg5 to regulate autophagy.

Loss of miR-204-5p Promotes Tumor Proliferation, Migration, and Invasion Through Targeting YWHAZ/PI3K/AKT Pathway in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

PURPOSE

MicroRNAs dysregulation has been confirmed in multiple malignancies. This paper reported the molecular mechanism of miR-204-5p in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).

METHODS

miR-204-5p expression in 30 ESCC tumor tissues and 10 normal tissues was downloaded from RNA-seq data. ESCC tissues/normal tissues of 97 ESCC patients were collected. TE-1 and KYSE510 cells were transfected by miR-204-5p mimic, inhibitor, siYWHAZ or their corresponding controls. The phenotype of cells was detected by CCK-8 assay, transwell experiment, and flow cytometry. Luciferase reporter gene assay and RNA-binding protein immunoprecipitation (RIP) were performed to verify the targeting relationship between miR-204-5p and YWHAZ. miR-204-5p and YWHAZ expression in tissues/cells was detected by qRT-PCR and Western blot. Xenograft tumor experiment was performed.

RESULTS

miR-204-5p expression was declined in ESCC patients and cells, which was indicated the poor outcome of patients. Compared with siNC group, TE-1 cells in miR-204-5p inhibitor group had higher OD450 value, less cell percentage in G1 phase, and more cell percentage in S phase, lower apoptosis percentage, and higher migration and invasion cell numbers. Moreover, KYSE510 cells of miR-204-5p mimic group showed lower OD450 value, more cell percentage in G1 phase and less cell percentage in S phase, higher apoptosis percentage, and lower migration and invasion cell numbers than control. YWHAZ was directly inhibited by miR-204-5p. Relative to siNC group, TE-1 cells of miR-inhibitor group exhibited higher YWHAZ protein expression, higher OD450 value, less cell percentage in G1 phase and more cell percentage in S phase, lower apoptosis percentage, higher migration and invasion cell numbers, and higher p-PI3K/PI3K and p-AKT/AKT protein expression, while siYWHAZ rescued the effects of miR-inhibitor. miR-204-5p up-regulation inhibited ESCC growth in vivo.

CONCLUSION

miR-204-5p inhibits ESCC progression by targeted inhibition of YWHAZ/PI3K/AKT.

The long non-coding RNA LOC285758 promotes invasion of acute myeloid leukemia cells by down-regulating miR-204-5p

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is the second most common type of leukemia worldwide. It was previously reported that expression of the long noncoding RNA LOC285758 is positively associated with AML cell proliferation, but the underlying mechanisms have not previously been reported. Here, we report that LOC285758 expression is higher in clinical AML blood samples and cultured AML cells. miR‐204‐5p was confirmed to be a target gene of LOC285758 by bioinformatics analysis and luciferase assay. LOC285758 overexpression promoted AML cell viability and invasion abilities, which were effectively inhibited by miR‐204‐5p overexpression; moreover, miR‐204‐5p overexpression also regulated the expression of E‐cadherin, N‐cadherin and Twist1. The data also showed that increased LOC285758 expression could effectively suppress the earlier effects of miR‐204‐5p on AML cells. Our findings suggest that targeting of miR‐204‐5p by LOC285758 promotes the cell viability and invasion of AML cells, and thus LOC285758 may have potential as a therapeutic target for AML treatment.

Zinc Finger Protein 521, Negatively Regulated by MicroRNA-204-5p, Promotes Proliferation, Motility and Invasion of Gastric Cancer Cells

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to investigate the expression, role, and detailed mechanism of microRNA-204-5p and zinc finger protein 521 in gastric cancer.

METHODS

Immunohistochemistry was adopted to detect the expressions of zinc finger protein 521 in 82 cases of gastric cancer tissues. Western blot was used to detect the expressions of zinc finger protein 521 in gastric cancer cells and adjacent cells. Moreover, the correlation between zinc finger protein 521 and the prognosis of patients were also evaluated. Cell Counting Kit 8 assay and colony formation assay were performed to figure out the impact of zinc finger protein 521 on the proliferation of gastric cancer cells. By conducting flow cytometry, the effect of zinc finger protein 521 on the apoptosis of gastric cancer cells was determined. The scratch wound healing assay and transwell invasion assay were carried out to determine the effect of zinc finger protein 521 on regulating the motility and invasion of gastric cancer cells. Ultimately, the targeting relationship and interaction between microRNA-204-5p and zinc finger protein 521 were verified by real-time polymerase chain reaction, Western blot, and dual luciferase reporter gene assay.

RESULTS

Compared with adjacent cells, zinc finger protein 521 was highly expressed in gastric cancer cells, which was related to TNM stage (P = .0388), tumor size (P = .0168), and local lymph node metastasis (P = .0024). Overexpressed zinc finger protein 521 can promote the proliferation, migration, and invasion of gastric cancer cells and inhibit the apoptosis. Zinc finger protein 521 is a target gene of microRNA-106-5p, and there was a negative correlation between the expression of zinc finger protein 521 and microRNA-204-5p.

CONCLUSION

Zinc finger protein 521 can arrest the apoptosis and enhance the proliferation, migration, and invasion of gastric cancer cells via regulating microRNA-204-5p. Our study may provide novel clues for the treatment of patients with gastric cancer.

MiR-204-5p Inhibits Transforming Growth Factor-β1-Induced Proliferation and Extracellular Matrix Production of Airway Smooth Muscle Cells by Regulating Six1 in Asthma

BACKGROUND

Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)-in-duced proliferation of airway smooth muscle cells plays critical roles in the development of airway remodeling. Six1 (sine oculis homeobox homolog 1) has been demonstrated to be involved in airway inflammation and remodeling in asthmatic mice.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this work was to investigate the potential role of miR-204-5p in the proliferation and extracellular matrix (ECM) production of airway smooth muscle cells in asthma.

METHODS

Real-time PCR was used to measure the expression of miR-204-5p in asthmatic airway smooth muscle cells. Cell viability and apoptosis were detected to evaluate the effect of miR-204-5p on airway smooth muscle cells. Dual-luciferase reporter experiments were applied to identify the target genes of miR-204-5p.

RESULTS

MiR-204-5p was downregulated notably in asthmatic airway smooth muscle cells as well as cells stimulated with TGF-β1. Overexpression of miR-204-5p markedly suppressed the TGF-β1-induced proliferation of airway smooth muscle cells and the deposition of ECM, whereas the inhibition of miR-204-5p significantly enhanced the proliferation of airway smooth muscle cells and upregulated the level of fibronectin and collagen III. Furthermore, subsequent analyses demonstrated that Six1 was a direct target of miR-204-5p, and Western blot further indicated that miR-204-5p negatively regulated the expression of Six1. Most importantly, the restoration of Six1 expression reversed the inhibitory effect of miR-204-5p on TGF-β1-induced proliferation and ECM production.

CONCLUSIONS

MiR-204-5p inhibits TGF-β1-in-duced proliferation and ECM production of airway smooth muscle cells by regulating Six1, identifying a potential therapeutic target for preventing airway remodeling in asthma.

The correlation and role analysis of COL4A1 and COL4A2 in hepatocarcinogenesis

Liver fibrosis biomarker, Type IV collagen, may function as hepatocarcinogenesis niche. However, among the six isoforms, the isoforms providing tumor microenvironment and their regulatory network are still unclarified. Based on bioinformatics analysis of hundreds of HCC transcriptome datasets from public databases, we found that COL4A1/2 expressions were significantly correlated with hepatocarcinogenesis, progression, and prognosis. The expressions of COL4A1/2 were significantly upregulated in the preneoplastic and HCC tissues compared with normal tissues. Moreover, the overexpression of COL4A2 was highly correlated with shorter progression-free survival in HCC patients. Bioinformatics analysis also generates an interactive regulatory network in which COL4A1/2 directly binding to integrin alpha-2/beta-1 initiates a sequentially and complicated signaling transduction, to accelerate cell cycle and promote tumorigenesis. Among those pathways, the PI3K-Akt pathway is significantly enriched in cooperative mutations and correlation analysis. This suggests that the key activated signaling is PI3K-Akt pathway which severing as the centerline linked with other pathways (Wnt and MAPK signaling) and cell behaviors signaling (cell cycle control and cytoskeleton change). Switching extracellular matrix collagen isoform may establish pro-tumorigenic and metastatic niches. The findings of COL4A1/2 and related signaling networks are valuable to be further investigated that may provide druggable targets for HCC intervention.

miR-204-5p regulates cell proliferation, invasion, and apoptosis by targeting IL-11 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Esophageal cancer (EC) is the world's eighth most common malignant neoplasm and is ranked as the sixth leading cause of death related to cancer. Aberrant microRNA (miRNA) expression has been reported to be associated with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. However, the molecular mechanism of miR-204-5p in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is not clear. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the potential role of miR-204-5p in ESCC. In the present study, we found that miR-204-5p could affect ESCC proliferation, invasion, apoptosis, and cell cycle in cell and mouse models. A dual-luciferase reporter assay showed that miR-204-5p expression was negatively correlated with interleukin-11 (IL-11) expression. IL-11 overexpression reversed the suppressive effects of miR-204-5p in the cell lines. These results indicated that miR-204-5p functions as a tumor suppressor by directly targeting IL-11 in ESCC.

MicroRNA-204-5p Inhibits Ovarian Cancer Cell Proliferation by Down-Regulating USP47

Ovarian cancer (OC) is the most lethal gynecologic cancer, and the incidence of OC has risen steadily worldwide. Numerous microRNAs (miRNAs) have been found to be involved in the progression of OC. miR-204-5p is down-regulated and functions as a tumor suppressor in various types of human malignant tumors. However, the biological roles and molecular mechanisms of miR-204-5p in OC still remain unclear. In this study, the aberrant down-regulation of miR-204-5p was detected in OC tissues. We also observed that miR-204-5p overexpression represses OC cell proliferation. Ubiquitin-specific peptidase 47 (USP47) is verified as the functional target of miR-204-5p, through which it plays an important biological role in OC. Our results uncover new functions and mechanisms for miR-204-5p in the progression of OC, and provide a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of OC.

Identification of key candidate targets and pathways for the targeted treatment of leukemia stem cells of chronic myelogenous leukemia using bioinformatics analysis

Background

Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) is a myeloproliferative neoplasm that arises from the acquisition of constitutively active BCR‐ABL tyrosine kinase in hematopoietic stem cells. The persistence of bone marrow leukemia stem cells (LSCs) is the main cause of TKI resistance and CML relapse. Therefore, finding a key target or pathway to selectively target LSCs is of great significance for the thorough treatment of CML.

Methods

In this study, we aimed to identify key microRNAs, microRNA targets and pathways for the treatment of CML LSCs by integrating analyses of three microarray data profiles. We identified 51 differentially expressed microRNAs through integrated analysis of GSE90773 and performed functional gene predictions for microRNAs. Then, GSE11889 and GSE11675 were integrated to obtain differentially expressed genes (DEGs), and the overlapping DEGs were used as models to identify predictive functional genes. Finally, we identified 116 predictive functional genes. Clustering and significant enrichment analysis of 116 genes was based on function and signaling pathways. Subsequently, a protein interaction network was constructed, and module analysis and topology analysis were performed on the network.

Results

A total of 11 key candidate targets and 33 corresponding microRNAs were identified. The key pathways were mainly concentrated on the PI3K/AKT, Ras, JAK/STAT, FoxO and Notch signaling pathways. We also found that LSCs negatively regulated endogenous and exogenous apoptotic pathways to escape from apoptosis.

Conclusion

We identified key candidate targets and pathways for CML LSCs through bioinformatics methods, which improves our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of CML LSCs. These candidate genes and pathways may be therapeutic targets for CML LSCs.

Insight into the molecular mechanism of LINC00152/miR-215/CDK13 axis in hepatocellular carcinoma progression

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors in the world. Nevertheless, its underlying molecular mechanisms are largely unknown. LINC00152 are recently investigated in several cancer types. In our current investigation, we observed LINC00152 was obviously upregulated in HCC cells. LINC00152 was significantly downregulated by infecting LV-shLINC00152 in HepG2 and SNU449 cells. Loss of LINC00152 remarkably repressed HCC cell proliferation, cell colony formation, induced cell apoptosis, and restrained cell migration/invasion. Growing evidence has reported long noncoding RNAs can sponge microRNAs to modulate cancer process. Here, we indicated miR-215 was greatly decreased in HCC and LINC00152 regulated HCC development via sponging miR-215. For another, the binding association between LINC00152 and miR-215 was proved by a series of functional assays. CDK13 was predicted as the target of miR-215. Upregulation of miR-215 greatly depressed CDK13 in HCC cells. Subsequently, the in vivo results demonstrated that silence of LINC00152 restrained HCC development via modulating miR-215 to up-regulate CDK13. Therefore, it was revealed that LINC00152 contributed to the progression of HCC by the modulation of miR-215 and CDK13.

MiR-150-5p regulates melanoma proliferation, invasion and metastasis via SIX1-mediated Warburg Effect

Aerobic glycolysis is a hallmark of cancer. Sine oculis homeobox 1 (SIX1), a key transcription factor in terms of regulating aerobic glycolysis (the Warburg Effect), plays a critical role in tumorigenesis of various cancer types, including breast cancer, liver cancer, and lung cancer. However, the upstream regulating mechanisms of SIX1 in melanoma remain to be determined. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as key regulators in tumorigenesis and progression. Here, we initially showed that microRNA-150-5p (miR-150-5p) inhibits SIX1 expression by directly targeting its 3'-UTR in melanoma cells. miR-150-5p suppressed melanoma cell proliferation, migration, and invasion through inhibition of SIX1. Mechanistically, miR-150-5p dampens glycolysis by decreasing the glucose uptake, lactate production, ATP generation, and extracellular acidification rate (ECAR), and increasing oxygen consumption rate (OCR) by targeting SIX1. Importantly, glycolysis regulated by miR-150-5p/SIX1 axis is critical for its regulation of melanoma growth and metastasis both in vitro and in vivo. Collectively, our study demonstrates the importance of miR-150-5p/SIX1 axis in melanoma, which could be a promising therapeutic target in melanoma.

MiR-204 inhibits hepatocellular cancer drug resistance and metastasis through targeting NUAK1

Liver cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally. Tumor response rate of liver cancer patients towards systemic chemotherapy is low and chemoresistance can easily develop. Identifying novel molecules that can repress drug resistance and metastasis of liver cancer will facilitate the development of new therapeutic strategies. The aim of this study is to determine the roles of NUAK1 and miR-204 in the drug resistance and metastasis of liver cancer and to reveal their relationship. We found that NUAK1 was increased in the tumor of primary liver cancer. Knockdown of NUAK1 significantly inhibited cell growth and migration. Moreover, NUAK1 was the direct downstream target of miR-204, and there was clinical relevance between miR-204 down-regulation and NUAK1 up-regulation in liver cancer. Furthermore, we found that miR-204 increased drug sensitivity by down-regulating NUAK1 expression. Based on these results, we identified miR-204 as a tumor suppressor by inhibiting NUAK1 expression in liver cancer, indicating both miR-204 and NUAK1 may act as promising targets for liver cancer therapy.

Regulation of cancer stem cell properties by SIX1, a member of the PAX-SIX-EYA-DACH network

The PAX-SIX-EYA-DACH network (PSEDN) is a central developmental transcriptional regulatory network from Drosophila to humans. The PSEDN is comprised of four conserved protein families; including paired box (PAX), sine oculis (SIX), eyes absent (EYA), and dachshund (DACH). Aberrant expression of PSEDN members, particularly SIX1, has been observed in multiple human cancers, where SIX1 expression correlates with increased aggressiveness and poor prognosis. In conjunction with its transcriptional activator EYA, the SIX1 transcription factor increases cancer stem cell (CSC) numbers and induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). SIX1 promotes multiple hallmarks and enabling characteristics of cancer via regulation of cell proliferation, senescence, apoptosis, genome stability, and energy metabolism. SIX1 also influences the tumor microenvironment, enhancing recruitment of tumor-associated macrophages and stimulating angiogenesis, to promote tumor development and progression. EYA proteins are multifunctional, possessing a transcriptional activation domain and tyrosine phosphatase activity, that each contributes to cancer stem cell properties. DACH proteins function as tumor suppressors in solid cancers, opposing the actions of SIX-EYA and reducing CSC prevalence. Multiple mechanisms can lead to increased SIX1 expression, including loss of SIX1-targeting tumor suppressor microRNAs (miRs), whose expression correlates inversely with SIX1 expression in cancer patient samples. In this review, we discuss the major mechanisms by which SIX1 confers CSC and EMT features and other important cancer cell characteristics. The roles of EYA and DACH in CSCs and cancer progression are briefly highlighted. Finally, we summarize the clinical significance of SIX1 in cancer to emphasize the potential therapeutic benefits of effective strategies to disrupt PSEDN protein interactions and functions.

Significance of expression of SIX1 and CD147 in gastric adenocarcinoma

AIM

To detect the expression of SIX1 and CD147 and analyze their clinical significance in gastric adenocarcinoma.

METHODS

Seventy-nine cases of gastric adenocarcinoma were collected as an observation group, and 45 normal gastric mucosal samples were collected as a control group. Expression of SIX1 and CD147 in these samples was detected by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS

Expression of SIX1 and CD147 differed significantly between the two groups. Expression of SIX1 and CD147 was correlated with maximum tumor diameter and tumor infiltration. Expression of SIX1 was correlated with lymph node metastasis, and expression of CD147 was correlated with differentiation. There was a positive correlation between SIX1 and CD147 expression in the observation group. The expression of SIX1 and CD147 was correlated with survival time.

CONCLUSION

Higher expression of SIX1 and CD147 can promote tumor formation and progression in gastric adenocarcinoma. SIX1 and CD147 may have synergistic effects, and they correlate with prognosis in gastric adenocarcinoma.