MicroRNA-200 families and prognostic value in various carcinomas: A systematic review and meta-analysis

PrLZ regulates EMT and invasion in prostate cancer via the TGF-β1/p-smad2/miR-200 family/ZEB1 axis

BACKGROUND

Prostate leucine zipper (PrLZ) is a prostate-specific protein, and our previous study demonstrated that PrLZ enhances the malignant progression of prostate cancer (Pca). However, the roles of PrLZ in epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) remain unknown.

METHODS

Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), immunohistochemical (IHC) staining, hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, and western blotting were used to analyze the expression of protein and genes level in human PCa cell lines. Invasion assay was used to examine the effect of PrLZ, miR-200a, miR-200b, miR-200c, miR-141, miR-429, miR-205, and ZEB1 on PCa cell line invasion in vitro. Prostate cancer metastasis animal model was designed to assess the effect of PrLZ on PCa cell line invasion in vivo.

RESULTS

We proved that high PrLZ expression initiates EMT, which was shown by the downregulation of E-cadherin and upregulation of vimentin in PC-3/PrLZ and ARCaP-E/PrLZ cells. Mechanistic analysis revealed that PrLZ regulates EMT by activating TGF-β1/p-smad2 signaling and further inhibiting the expression of miR-200 family members, which negatively regulates ZEB1 expression and causes EMT in Pca. Moreover, using two of orthotopic mouse model and tail vein injection of human prostate cancer cells mouse model, we observed that PC-3/PrLZ cells led to the development of distant organ metastases in vivo.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results show the mechanism by which PrLZ regulates EMT and metastasis and suggest that PrLZ may be a potential therapeutic target for Pca metastasis.

Cell Behavior of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Is at EGFR and MicroRNAs Hands

Lung cancer is a complex disease associated with gene mutations, particularly mutations of Kirsten Rat Sarcoma Viral Oncogene Homolog (KRAS) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and small cell lung cancer (SCLC) are the two major types of lung cancer. The former includes most lung cancers (85%) and are commonly associated with EGFR mutations. Several EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs), including erlotinib, gefitinib, and osimertinib, are effective therapeutic agents in EGFR-mutated NSCLC. However, their effectiveness is limited by the development (acquired) or presence of intrinsic drug resistance. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are key gene regulators that play a profound role in the development and outcomes for NSCLC via their role as oncogenes or oncosuppressors. The regulatory role of miRNA-dependent EGFR crosstalk depends on EGFR signaling pathway, including Rat Sarcoma/Rapidly Accelerated Fibrosarcoma/Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase/Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase 1/2 (Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK1/2), Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription (STAT), Nuclear Factor Kappa-Light-Chain-Enhancer of Activated B Cells (NF-kB), phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT), Janus kinase 1 (JAK1), and growth factor receptor-bound protein 2 (GRB2). Dysregulated expression of miRNAs affects sensitivity to treatment with EGFR-TKIs. Thus, abnormalities in miRNA-dependent EGFR crosstalk can be used as diagnostic and prognostic markers, as well as therapeutic targets in NSCLC. In this review, we present an overview of miRNA-dependent EGFR expression regulation, which modulates the behavior and progression of NSCLC.

Mechanosensitive pathways are regulated by mechanosensitive miRNA clusters in endothelial cells

Shear stress is known to affect many processes in (patho-) physiology through a complex, multi-molecular mechanism, termed mechanotransduction. The sheer complexity of the process has raised questions how mechanotransduction is regulated. Here, we comprehensively evaluate the literature about the role of small non-coding miRNA in the regulation of mechanotransduction. Regulation of mRNA by miRNA is rather complex, depending not only on the concentration of mRNA to miRNA, but also on the amount of mRNA competing for a single mRNA. The only mechanism to counteract the latter factor is through overarching structures of miRNA. Indeed, two overarching structures are present miRNA families and miRNA clusters, and both will be discussed in details, regarding the latest literature and a previous conducted study focussed on mechanotransduction. Both the literature and our own data support a new hypothesis that miRNA-clusters predominantly regulate mechanotransduction, affecting 65% of signalling pathways. In conclusion, a new and important mode of regulation of mechanotransduction is proposed, based on miRNA clusters. This finding implicates new avenues for treatment of mechanotransduction and atherosclerosis.

The Diagnostic and Prognostic Value of miR-200c in Gastric Cancer: A Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

The role of miR-200c in gastric cancer remains controversial. This study is aimed at clarifying the diagnostic and prognostic value of miR-200c in gastric cancer through a meta-analysis.

METHODS

A comprehensive literature search of PubMed, Embase, and Ovid library databases was conducted. The studies included were those conducted before December 2017. The sensitivity and specificity, positive likelihood ratio (PLR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR), diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), and area under curve (AUC) were used to estimate the diagnostic value of miR-200c. Meanwhile, the pooled hazard ratio (HR) was used to estimate the prognostic value of miR-200c.

RESULTS

For the diagnostic value of miR-200c, six studies that included 202 patients with gastric cancer and 250 normal controls were analyzed. The sensitivity, specificity, PLR, NLR, DOR, and AUC were 0.74, 0.66, 2.20, 0.40, 5.34, and 0.75, respectively. Subgroup analysis showed no significant difference in the type of the sample, method for testing miR-200c, and ethnicity among the patients. Meanwhile, for the prognostic value of miR-200c, seven studies comprising 935 patients with gastric cancer were analyzed. The pooled results showed that miR-200c expression was associated with overall survival (HR = 2.19) and disease-free survival (HR = 1.73), but not with progression-free survival (HR = 1.64) in patients with gastric cancer. There was no publication bias across the studies.

CONCLUSIONS

Both serum and tissue miR-200c have moderate diagnostic accuracy in gastric cancer. miR-200c could also be used as a valuable indicator for predicting the prognosis of gastric cancer patients.