miR-204-5p targeting SIRT1 regulates hepatocellular carcinoma progression

The dual role of sirtuins in cancer: biological functions and implications

Sirtuins are pivotal in orchestrating numerous cellular pathways, critically influencing cell metabolism, DNA repair, aging processes, and oxidative stress. In recent years, the involvement of sirtuins in tumor biology has garnered substantial attention, with a growing body of evidence underscoring their regulatory roles in various aberrant cellular processes within tumor environments. This article delves into the sirtuin family and its biological functions, shedding light on their dual roles-either as promoters or inhibitors-in various cancers including oral, breast, hepatocellular, lung, and gastric cancers. It further explores potential anti-tumor agents targeting sirtuins, unraveling the complex interplay between sirtuins, miRNAs, and chemotherapeutic drugs. The dual roles of sirtuins in cancer biology reflect the complexity of targeting these enzymes but also highlight the immense therapeutic potential. These advancements hold significant promise for enhancing clinical outcomes, marking a pivotal step forward in the ongoing battle against cancer.

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.

A novel CircRNA Circ_0001722 regulates proliferation and invasion of osteosarcoma cells through targeting miR-204-5p/RUNX2 axis

BACKGROUND

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most prevalent primary fatal bone neoplasm in adolescents and children owing to limited therapeutic methods. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are identified as vital regulators in a variety of cancers. However, the roles of circRNAs in OS are still unclear.

METHODS

Firstly, we evaluate the differentially expressed circRNAs in 3 paired OS and corresponding adjacent nontumor tissue samples by circRNA microarray assay, finding a novel circRNA, circ_001722, significantly upregulated in OS tissues and cells. The circular structure of candidate circRNA was confirmed through Sanger sequencing, divergent primer PCR, and RNase R treatments. Proliferation of OS cells was evaluated in vitro and in vivo. The microRNA (miRNA) sponge mechanism of circRNAs was verified by dual-luciferase assay and RNA immunoprecipitation assay.

RESULTS

A novel circRNA, circ_001722, is significantly upregulated in OS tissues and cells. Downregulation of circ_0001722 can suppress proliferation and invasion of human OS cells in vitro and in vivo. Computational algorithms predict miR-204-5p can bind with circ_0001722 and RUNX2 mRNA 3'UTR, which is verified by Dual-luciferase assay and RNA immunoprecipitation assay. Further functional experiments show that circ_0001722 competitively binds to miR-204-5p and prevents it to decrease the level of RUNX2, which upregulates proliferation and invasion of human OS cells.

CONCLUSION

Circ_001722 is a novel tumor promotor in OS, and promotes the progression of OS via miR-204-5p/RUNX2 axis.

Circ_LRP6 facilitates osteosarcoma progression via the miR-122-5p/miR-204-5p/HMGB1 axis

Circ_LRP6 is participated in the occurrence and development of numerous tumors. Nevertheless, its roles and mechanism in osteosarcoma (OS) is unknown. This study aims to illustrate this point. With the use of qRT-PCR, the level of circ_LRP6, miR-122-5p, miR-204-5p and HMGB1 was identified. To observe cell proliferation, migration and invasion, we adopted CCK-8 and Transwell assays in the present study. Besides, to prove the existing interaction, bioinformatics analysis and dual luciferase reporting assays were employed. The influence of circ_LRP6 on osteosarcoma in vivo was evaluated by subcutaneous tumor formation model in nude mice. In osteosarcoma tissues, circ_LRP6 and HMGB1 are strongly denoted, whereas miR-122-5p and miR-204-5p are under-expressed. Circ_LRP6 knockdown could significantly hinder the proliferation, migration and invasion of osteosarcoma cells. Circ_LRP6 hindered the proliferation of osteosarcoma in vivo. Bioinformatics predicted that miR-122-5p and miR-204-5p functioned as direct targets of circ_LRP6, and HMGB1 were possible target genes of miR-122-5p and miR-204-5p. The findings indicated that the low level of miR-122-5p and miR-204-5p and the overexpression of HMGB1 could partially restore and reduce the inhibitory impact of circ_LRP6 on the proliferation, migration and invasion of osteosarcoma cells. Circ_LRP6 affects osteosarcoma progression via the miR-122-5p/miR-204-5p/HMGB1 axis, and is shown to be a molecular biomarker.

circKMT2E Protect Retina from Early Diabetic Retinopathy through SIRT1 Signaling Pathway via Sponging miR-204-5p

Objective

To explore the changes of circRNAs in the retina of diabetic patients without diabetic retinopathy (DR) to screen latent protective factor.

Methods

The sequencing data of the retina from three diabetic donors that possess no noticeable pathological feature of the retina at ultimate eye inspection and three healthy donative samples were involved in this study. Herein, we carried out bioinformatics analysis to disclose the expression pattern and characteristics of circRNAs on the basis of Gene Ontology as well as KEGG pathway analyses. Then, sequencing data were applied to infer the interaction between selected circRNAs and miR-204-5p. The potential miRNA response elements for the annotated circRNAs and their target gene were speculated using TargetScan as well as miRanda.

Results

RNA sequencing detected 28,978 alternative circRNAs. Thereinto, 1063 were expressed with significant difference. circKMT2E was upregulated more than two folds in alloxan-induced diabetic retinal tissues compared with normal retinal tissues, exhibiting an expression trend opposite to miR-204-5p. Bioinformatics analysis showed that circKMT2E have four seed sequences on hsa-miR-204-5p. Thus, circKMT2E was speculated to have function on the basis of sponging miR-204-5p in order to participate in the pathogenetic process of DR. Besides, miR-204-5p was speculated to be able to bind SIRT1, which can interact with its target proteins, and adjusts various cell functions including cellular inflammatory responses, proliferation, as well as apoptosis.

Conclusion

The upregulation of circKMT2E in the early stage of DR may be involved in its pathogenesis and may activate the SIRT1 signaling pathway to protect the retina by the sponge function to miR-204-5p.

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.

Maternal Exercise Programs Glucose and Lipid Metabolism and Modulates Hepatic miRNAs in Adult Male Offspring

Detrimental exposures in mothers are recognized as risk factors for the development of metabolic dysfunction in offspring. In contrast, maternal exercise has been reported to be an effective strategy to maintain offspring health. However, the mechanisms underlying the protective effects of maternal exercise on adult offspring metabolic homeostasis are largely unclear. This study aims to investigate whether maternal exercise before and during pregnancy could combat the adverse effects of maternal high-fat diet (HFD) on metabolism in 24-week-old male offspring and to explore the role of miRNAs in mediating the effects. Female C57BL/6 mice were fed with either control diet or HFD 3-week prior to breeding and throughout pregnancy and lactation, among whom half of the HFD-fed mice were submitted to voluntary wheel running training 3-week before and during pregnancy. Male offspring were sedentary and fed with a control diet from weaning to 24 weeks. Body weight, the content of inguinal subcutaneous adipose tissue and perirenal visceral adipose tissue, glucose tolerance, and serum insulin and lipids in offspring were analyzed. Hepatic tissues were collected for transcriptome and miRNA sequencing and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction validation. The results showed that maternal HFD resulted in significant glucose intolerance, insulin resistance, and dyslipidemia in adult offspring, which were negated by maternal exercise. Transcriptome sequencing showed that maternal exercise reversed perinatal HFD-regulated genes in adult offspring, which were enriched in glucose and lipid metabolic-related signaling pathways. At the same time, maternal exercise significantly rescued the changes in the expression levels of 3 hepatic miRNAs in adult offspring, and their target genes were involved in the regulation of cholesterol biosynthesis and epigenetic modification, which may play an important role in mediating the intergenerational metabolic regulation of exercise. Overall, our research pioneered the role of miRNAs in mediating the programming effects of maternal exercise on adult offspring metabolism, which might provide novel insight into the prevention and treatment of metabolic disorders in early life.

mir-204-5p Acts as a Tumor Suppressor by Targeting DNM2 in Osteosarcoma Cells

Osteosarcoma is a malignant bone tumor composed of interstitial cells. We aim to seek the function of mir-204-5p/DNM2 in osteosarcoma cells. From April 2017 to August 2019, 58 cases of cancer tissues and paracancer tissues were obtained from patients with osteosarcoma in our hospital. qPCR was used to detect mir-204-5p in excisional cancer tissues and paracarcinoma tissues of osteosarcoma patients. The overexpression vector of mir-204-5p was established and transfected into osteosarcoma cells, and the propagation, invasiveness, migration, and apoptosis of osteosarcoma cells were observed. StarBase was employed to forecast the binding site of mir-204-5p and DNM2. The targeting connection of mir-204-5p with DNM2 was detected via double luciferase reporter gene. mir-204-5p was lessened in osteosarcoma (p < 0.05). mir-204-5p overexpression suppressed propagation and accelerated apoptosis of osteosarcoma cells (p < 0.05). The results of double luciferase reporter gene revealed that the fluorescence activity of mir-204-5p was obviously declined when binding to DNM2 (p < 0.05). mir-204-5p functions as a tumor inhibitor by targeting DNM2 in osteosarcoma cells. Our research is helpful to provide new ideas for clinical treatment.

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.

The role of non-coding RNAs in chemotherapy for gastrointestinal cancers

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, including colorectal, gastric, hepatic, esophageal, and pancreatic tumors, are responsible for large numbers of deaths around the world. Chemotherapy is the most common approach used to treat advanced GI cancer. However, chemoresistance has emerged as a critical challenge that prevents successful tumor elimination, leading to metastasis and recurrence. Chemoresistance mechanisms are complex, and many factors and pathways are involved. Among these factors, non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are critical regulators of GI tumor development and subsequently can induce resistance to chemotherapy. This occurs because ncRNAs can target multiple signaling pathways, affect downstream genes, and modulate proliferation, apoptosis, tumor cell migration, and autophagy. ncRNAs can also induce cancer stem cell features and affect the epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Thus, ncRNAs could possibly act as new targets in chemotherapy combinations to treat GI cancer and to predict treatment response.

Berberine Potentiates Insulin Secretion and Prevents β-cell Dysfunction Through the miR-204/SIRT1 Signaling Pathway

Pancreatic β-cell dysfunction is a key link during the progression of type 2 diabetes (T2DM), and SIRT1 participates in the regulation of various physiological activities of islet β-cells. However, as a key link in signal transduction, it is not clear how SIRT1 is regulated. By TargetScan prediction, we found that miR-204, which is enriched in islets, has highly complementary binding sites with SIRT1. Therefore, we speculate that miR-204 may be the upstream regulatory target of SIRT1 in islets and thus participate in the occurrence of β-cell dysfunction. In this study, we explored the association between miR-204 and β-cell dysfunction, the therapeutic effects of berberine (BBR) on β-cell function and the possible mechanisms. We found that miR-204 increased and SIRT1 mRNA and protein levels decreased significantly in islets both in vivo and in vitro. MIN6 cells induced by palmitic acid exhibited increased apoptosis, and the accumulation of insulin and ATP in the supernatant decreased. Importantly, palmitic acid treatment combined with miR-204 silencing showed opposite changes. MiR-204 overexpression in MIN6 cells increased apoptosis and decreased insulin and ATP production and SIRT1 expression. SIRT1 overexpression reversed the damage to β-cells caused by miR-204. The BBR treatment effectively improved insulin synthesis, reduced miR-204 levels, and increased SIRT1 expression in islet tissue in diabetic mice. Overexpression of miR-204 reversed the protective effect of BBR on apoptosis and insulin secretion in MIN6 cells. Our study identifies a novel correlation between miR-204 and β-cell dysfunction in T2DM and shows that administration of BBR leads to remission of β-cell dysfunction by regulating the miR-204/SIRT1 pathway.

MicroRNA-Based Risk Score for Predicting Tumor Progression Following Radioactive Iodine Ablation in Well-Differentiated Thyroid Cancer Patients: A Propensity-Score Matched Analysis

Simple Summary

The three-tiered American Thyroid Association (ATA) risk stratification helps clinicians tailor decisions regarding follow-up modalities and the need for postoperative radioactive iodine (RAI) ablation and radiotherapy. However, a significant number of well-differentiated thyroid cancers (DTC) progress after treatment. Current follow-up modalities have also been proposed to detect disease relapse and recurrence but have failed to be sufficiently sensitive or specific to detect, monitor, or determine progression. Therefore, we assessed the predictive accuracy of the microRNA-based risk score in DTC with and without postoperative RAI. We confirm the prognostic role of triad biomarkers (miR-2f04, miR-221, and miR-222) with higher sensitivity and specificity for predicting disease progression than the ATA risk score. Compared to indolent tumors, a higher risk score was found in progressive samples and was associated with shorter survival. Consequently, our prognostic microRNA signature and nomogram provide a clinically practical and reliable ancillary measure to determine the prognosis of DTC patients.

Abstract

To identify molecular markers that can accurately predict aggressive tumor behavior at the time of surgery, a propensity-matching score analysis of archived specimens yielded two similar datasets of DTC patients (with and without RAI). Bioinformatically selected microRNAs were quantified by qRT-PCR. The risk score was generated using Cox regression and assessed using ROC, C-statistic, and Brier-score. A predictive Bayesian nomogram was established. External validation was performed, and causal network analysis was generated. Within the eight-year follow-up period, progression was reported in 51.5% of cases; of these, 48.6% had the T1a/b stage. Analysis showed upregulation of miR-221-3p and miR-222-3p and downregulation of miR-204-5p in 68 paired cancer tissues (p < 0.001). These three miRNAs were not differentially expressed in RAI and non-RAI groups. The ATA risk score showed poor discriminative ability (AUC = 0.518, p = 0.80). In contrast, the microRNA-based risk score showed high accuracy in predicting tumor progression in the whole cohorts (median = 1.87 vs. 0.39, AUC = 0.944) and RAI group (2.23 vs. 0.37, AUC = 0.979) at the cutoff >0.86 (92.6% accuracy, 88.6% sensitivity, 97% specificity) in the whole cohorts (C-statistics = 0.943/Brier = 0.083) and RAI subgroup (C-statistic = 0.978/Brier = 0.049). The high-score group had a three-fold increased progression risk (hazard ratio = 2.71, 95%CI = 1.86–3.96, p < 0.001) and shorter survival times (17.3 vs. 70.79 months, p < 0.001). Our prognostic microRNA signature and nomogram showed excellent predictive accuracy for progression-free survival in DTC.

Inhibition of protein PMP22 enhances etoposide-induced cell apoptosis by p53 signaling pathway in Gastric Cancer

Gastric Cancer (GC) is one of the main causes leading to death. PMP22, as a member of the GAS3 family of tetraspan proteins, it is associated with a variety of neurological diseases. Recently, more and more studies have shown that PMP22 play a great role in the physiological processes such as cells adhesion, migration, proliferation and tumorigenesis, but the involvement and functional mechanisms of PMP22 in Gastric carcinoma are not investigated clearly. In this study, we found that the PMP22 was overexpressed in the GC cells and tissue. Knockdown of PMP22 inhibits cell growth. Over-expressed PMP22 inhibits the etoposide-induced apoptosis, meanwhile knockdown of PMP22 promotes the etoposide-induced proliferation suppression, and increases cell apoptosis in GC cells. Furthermore, PMP22 enhanced the inhibition of the p53 transcriptional activities and down-regulated the p53 targeting genes, including p21, BAX and PUMA with or without treatment of etoposide. Finally, our results showed that PMP22 reduced the etoposide-induced tumor growth suppression in nude mice. Taken together, our research provided an anti-apoptotic properties alternative mechanism for PMP22 in gastric carcinoma and suggested PMP22 can be a potential target for the treatment of gastric cancer.

miR-181b and miR-204 suppress the VSMC proliferation and migration by downregulation of HCK

BACKGROUND

VSMC proliferation and migration pathways play important roles in plaque formation in the vessel stenosis and re-stenosis processes. The microRNAs affect the expression of many genes that regulate these cellular processes. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of miR-181b, miR-204, and miR-599 on the gene and protein expression levels of hematopoietic cell kinase (HCK) in VSMCs.

METHODS

miR-181b, miR-204 were predicted for the suppression of HCK in the chemokine signaling pathway using bioinformatics tools. Then, the VSMCs were transfected by PEI-containing microRNAs. The HCK gene and protein expression levels were evaluated using RT-qPCR and Western blotting techniques, respectively. Moreover, the cellular proliferation and migration were evaluated by MTT and scratch assay methods.

RESULTS

The miR-181b and miR-204 decreased significantly the HCK gene and (total and phosphorylated) protein expression levels. Also, the miR-599 did not show any significant effects on the HCK gene and protein levels. The data also showed that miR-181b, miR-204, and miR-599 prevent significantly the proliferation and migration of VSMCs.

CONCLUSION

The downregulation of HCK by miR-181b and miR-204 suppressed the VSMC proliferation and migration.

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.

The possible role of Sirtuins and microRNAs in hepatocellular carcinoma therapy

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver cancer. Sirtuins are NAD+-dependent histone deacetylases that regulate many cellular processes such as proliferation, apoptosis, and metabolism. SIRT (silent information regulator)-1, 5, 6 and 7, members of the mammalian Sirtuin family of proteins (SIRT1-SIRT7), are involved in carcinogenesis, prognosis, metastasis, and chemical resistant of HCC. These proteins act through the deacetylation of tumor suppressor or oncogenic factors. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a group of small non-coding RNAs that down regulate gene expression by targeting the 3'-untranslated region of miRNAs. MiRNAs can function as tumor suppressors or as oncogenes and are involved in progression, differentiation, apoptosis and drug resistance of tumor cells. The focus of this review is to delineate the relationship between some microRNAs and their target, Sirtuins, and to present an overview of their function in HCC as currently understood.

Construction and Analysis of Competing Endogenous RNA Networks for Breast Cancer Based on TCGA Dataset

Background

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) act as competing endogenous RNAs for microRNAs in cancer metastasis. However, the roles of lncRNA-mediated competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks for breast cancer (BC) are still unclear. Material and Methods. The expression profiles of mRNAs, lncRNAs, and miRNAs with BC were extracted from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. Weighted gene coexpression network analysis was conducted to extract differentially expressed mRNAs (DEmRNAs) that might be core genes. Through miRWalk, TargetScan, and miRDB to predict the target genes, an abnormal lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA ceRNA network with BC was constructed. The survival possibilities of mRNAs, miRNAs, and lncRNAs for patients with BC were determined by Kaplan-Meier survival curves and Oncomine.

Results

We identified 2134 DEmRNAs, 1059 differentially expressed lncRNAs (DElncRNAs), and 86 differentially expressed miRNAs (DEmiRNAs). We then compose a ceRNA network for BC, including 72 DElncRNAs, 8 DEmiRNAs, and 12 DEmRNAs. After verification, 2 lncRNAs (LINC00466, LINC00460), 1 miRNA (Hsa-mir-204), and 5 mRNAs (TGFBR2, CDH2, CHRDL1, FGF2, and CHL1) were meaningful as prognostic biomarkers for BC patients. In the ceRNA network, we found that three axes were present in 10 RNAs related to the prognosis of BC, namely, LINC00466-Hsa-mir-204-TGFBR2, LINC00466-Hsa-mir-204-CDH2, and LINC00466-Hsa-mir-204-CHRDL1.

Conclusion

This study highlighted lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA ceRNA related to the pathogenesis of BC, which might be used for latent diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for BC.

microRNA-204-5p Participates in Atherosclerosis Via Targeting MMP-9

The aim of the present study was to investigate the role and mechanism of microRNA-204-5p (miR-204-5p) in atherosclerosis (AS)-related abnormal human vascular smooth muscle cells (hVSMCs) function. Firstly, we analyzed the expression of miR-204-5p and found that the miR-204-5p expression level was clearly downregulated in atherosclerotic plaque tissues and blood samples compared to the normal controls. Then, matrix metallopeptidase-9 (MMP-9) was predicted to be the potential target of miR-204-5p by TargetScan and this prediction was confirmed by luciferase assays. Besides, we observed that miR-204-5p could negatively regulate the expression of MMP-9 in hVSMCs. Subsequently, Thiazolyl Blue Tetrazolium Bromide (MTT) assay, transwell assay and flow cytometry were performed to detect the proliferation, migration and apoptosis of hVSMCs. Down-expression of miR-204-5p led to the promotion of proliferation and migration accompanied with the suppression of apoptosis in hVSMCs, and these effects were reversed by MMP-9-siRNA. In addition, overexpressed miR-204-5p could inhibit hVSMC proliferation and migration and promote the apoptosis of hVSMCs. However, the effects were also abrogated by overexpressed MMP-9. Together, our findings showed that miR-204-5p plays an important role in the growth and migration of hVSMCs by targeting MMP-9, which might be a novel biomarker and promising therapeutic target for AS.

MiR-139-5p negatively regulates PMP22 to repress cell proliferation by targeting the NF-κB signaling pathway in gastric cancer

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common malignant tumors worldwide. Peripheral myelin protein 22 (PMP22) is a 22-kDa tetraspan glycoprotein that is predominantly expressed by myelinating Schwann cells. However, recent studies have shown that PMP22 is closely related to cell proliferation and tumorigenesis in different cancers. In this study, we discovered a new miRNA that regulates PMP22 and gastric cancer cell prolifration. Our bioinformatics analysis suggested that there is a conserved miRNA recognition site for miR-139-5p on the 3' UTR of PMP22. Interestingly, our results showed overexpression of miR-139-5p significantly suppressed growth and prolifration in GC cells and inhibited tumor growth in nude mice xenografted with GC cells. MiR-139-5p suppressed the activity of a luciferase reporter containing the PMP22-3' UTR, and the ectopic expression of PMP22 rescued the miR-139-5p-mediated inhibition of cell proliferation in GC cells. Mechanistically, miR-139-5p may negatively regulate PMP22 to repress cell proliferation by targeting the NF-κB signaling pathway in gastric cancer. Finally, overexpression of miR-139-5p significantly inhibited tumor growth in nude mice xenografted with GC cells.and the miR-139-5p levels were inversely correlated with PMP22 expression in nude mice tumor. Taken together, our data suggest an important regulatory role of miR-139-5p in gastric cancer, suggesting that miR-139-5p and PMP22 might be important diagnostic or therapeutic targets for gastric cancer and other human diseases.

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.

Long Noncoding RNA KCNQ1OT1 Promotes the Progression of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer via Regulating miR-204-5p/ATG3 Axis

Purpose

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the first leading cause of cancer-related death globally. Long noncoding RNA KCNQ1 overlapping transcript 1 (KCNQ1OT1) was involved in the progression of multiple cancers by sponging target miRNA. We aimed to explore the pathological mechanism of KCNQ1OT1 in NSCLC progression.

Methods

The expression of KCNQ1OT1, miR-204-5p and autophagy-related gene 3 (ATG3) was measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). 3-(4, 5-Dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2, 5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and flow cytometry assay were conducted for the detection of cell proliferation and apoptosis, respectively. Western blot assay was performed to examine the protein levels of B-cell lymphoma-2 (BCL-2), BCL2-Associated X (Bax), cleaved caspase-3, cleaved caspase-9 and LC3Ⅱ/LC3Ⅰ and P62. The interaction between miR-204-5p and KCNQ1OT1 or ATG3 was validated by dual-luciferase reporter system and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay. Murine xenograft assay was conducted to explore the function of KCNQ1OT1 in vivo. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining assay was used for the analysis of ki67-positive cell percentage.

Results

The expression of KCNQ1OT1 and ATG3 was up-regulated whereas miR-204-5p was down-regulated in NSCLC tumors and cells. MiR-204-5p was inversely correlated with KCNQ1OT1 or ATG3. In addition, KCNQ1OT1 knockdown facilitated apoptosis, inhibited autophagy and proliferation of NSCLC cells in vitro and blocked tumor growth in vivo. However, the miR-204-5p inhibitor reversed the effects. More importantly, ATG3 was a target gene of miR-204-5p and ATG3 overexpression restored the effect of miR-204-5p on NSCLC cell progression.

Conclusion

KCNQ1OT1 promotes cell proliferation and autophagy and inhibits cell apoptosis via regulating miR-204-5p/ATG3 axis, providing a promising target for NSCLC therapy.

Selective downregulation of distinct circRNAs in the tissues and plasma of patients with primary hepatic carcinoma

Multiple studies have indicated that circular RNAs (circRNAs) are closely associated with malignant tumor development and metastasis. However, the significance of circRNAs in primary hepatic carcinoma (PHC), particularly in the plasma, remains largely undetermined. In the current study, circRNA expression profiles in three pairs of tumor and adjacent normal samples from patients with PHC, were examined using circRNA chip screening. A total of 80 circRNAs were upregulated, while 75 circRNAs were downregulated in PHC tissues, relative to para-tumor tissues (fold change, ≥1.5). A total of two upregulated circRNAs and three downregulated circRNAs were selected as candidates for further validation of their differential expression. This was performed using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR with 11 pairs of PHC tissues and para-tumor tissues. The results indicated that hsa_circ_0003056 exhibited reduced expression in PHC tissues. Moreover, hsa_circ_0003056 and hsa_circ_0067127 were quantified in the plasma samples of 35 PHC patients and 32 healthy donors. The results revealed that hsa_circ_0067127 was significantly downregulated in the patients' plasma. Finally, a competing endogenous RNA network was constructed, which consisted of one circRNA (hsa_circ_0003056 or has_circ_0067127), five miRNAs and miRNA-targeted genes (mRNAs). Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis indicated that differentially expressed (DE) genes were significantly enriched in the pathway associated with ‘regulation of the pluripotency of stem cells’ for hsa_circ_0003056, and ‘ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis’ and ‘prostate cancer’ for hsa_circ_0067127. Gene ontology analysis revealed that DE genes were primarily associated with the ‘modulation of kinase activity’ and ‘intracellular and transmembrane-ephrin receptor activity’ for hsa_circ_0003056, ‘artery morphogenesis activity’, ‘HOPS complex and transferase activity’ and in ‘transferring acyl groups’ for hsa_circ_0067127. This approach indicated that hsa_circ_0003056 in PHC tissue, and hsa_circ_0067127 in PHC plasma, are downregulated and may be implicated in the tumorigenesis of PHC.

SIRT1 in the Development and Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common causes of cancer-related death worldwide. Current treatment options for inoperable HCCs have decreased therapeutic efficacy and are associated with systemic toxicity and chemoresistance. Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) is a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide–dependent enzyme that is frequently overexpressed in HCC, where it promotes tumorigenicity, metastasis, and chemoresistance. SIRT1 also maintains the tumorigenic and self-renewal proprieties of liver cancer stem cells. Multiple tumor-suppressive microRNAs (miRNAs) are downregulated in HCC and, as a consequence, permit SIRT1-induced tumorigenicity. However, either directly targeting SIRT1, combining conventional chemotherapy with SIRT1 inhibitors, or upregulating tumor-suppressive miRNAs may improve therapeutic efficacy and patient outcomes. Here, we present the interaction between SIRT1, miRNAs, and liver cancer stem cells and discuss the consequences of their interplay for the development and treatment of HCC.

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.

DSCAM-AS1 promotes tumor growth of breast cancer by reducing miR-204-5p and up-regulating RRM2

Breast cancer (BC) is a common malignancy worldwide. More than 3 700 000 women die of BC every year. DSCAM-AS1 was overexpressed several kinds of cancer and miR-204-5p was lowly expressed, which indicated that miR-204-5p had anti-tumor activity and DSCAM-AS1 had pro-tumor activity. We intended to analyze DSCAM-AS1, miR-204-5p, and ribonucleotide reductase M2 (RRM2). Microarray analysis and quantitative Real Time fluorescence Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) were employed to determine DSCAM-AS1 and miR-204-5p expression. Luciferase reporter assay was applied to examine the target relationship between DSCAM-AS1, miR-204-5p, and RRM2. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8 assay), transwell assay, and flow cytometry were used to detect cell proliferation, invasion, and apoptosis. The expression of DSCAM-AS1, miR-204-5p, and RRM2 were confirmed by Western blot. We also conducted in vivo assay to verify the effect of DSCAM-AS1. DSCAM-AS1 was up-regulated, while miR-204-5p was down-regulated in BC tissues and cells. DSCAM-AS1 directly targeted miR-204-5p. DSCAM-AS1 promoted the proliferation and invasion of BC cells by reducing miR-204-5p and inhibiting miR-204-5p expression. DSCAM-AS1 expression was related to the expression of RRM2, and miR-204-5p could reverse the function of DSCAM-AS1. RRM2 was up-regulated in BC cells, and miR-204-5p inhibited RRM2 expression by targeting RRM2. Overexpression of RRM2 stimulated proliferation and cell invasion and impeded apoptosis. In vivo experiments showed that knockdown of DSCAM-AS1 decreased the tumorigenesis of BC cells, increased the expression of miR-204-5p. DSCAM-AS1 promoted proliferation and impaired apoptosis of BC cells by reducing miR-204-5p and enhancing RRM2 expression. DSCAM-AS1/miR-204-5p/RRM2 may serve as novel therapeutic targets for BC.

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

Fewer than 30% of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are eligible to receive curative therapies, and so a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of HCC is needed to identify potential therapeutic targets. The role of microRNA (miRNA) in modulating tumour progression has been demonstrated, and therapies targeting miRNA appear promising. miR‐204‐5p has been shown to function in numerous types of cancer, but its role in HCC remains unclear. In this study, we found that miR‐204‐5p expression was downregulated in cancerous HCC tissues compared to nontumour tissues. Kaplan–Meier survival curve analysis also showed that low expression of miR‐204‐5p predicted worse outcomes of HCC patients. In addition, miR‐204‐5p expression was significantly lower in HCC cell lines. The function of miR‐204‐5p was also assessed both in vitro and in vivo. We demonstrated that ectopic expression of miR‐204‐5p in HCC cell lines inhibited HCC cell proliferation and clonogenicity using CCK8, BrdU and colony‐forming assays, while the inhibition of miR‐204‐5p enhanced proliferation and clonogenicity. Further in vivo studies in mice further confirmed the proliferation capacity of miR‐204‐5p. We also identified sine oculis homeobox homologue 1 (SIX1) as a direct target of miR‐204‐5p and showed that it was inversely correlated with miR‐204‐5p in both human and mouse HCC tissues. Transfection of miR‐204‐5p mimics in BEL‐7404 cells blocked the cell cycle by inhibiting the expression of cyclin‐D1 and cyclin‐A1, cell cycle‐related factors regulated by SIX1. More importantly, overexpression of the 3′UTR mutant SIX1 but not the wild‐type SIX1 abolished the suppressive effect of miR‐204‐5p, and downregulated SIX1 in BEL‐7402 cells that transfected with miR‐204 inhibitors could partly block the inhibitory effect of miR‐204‐5p on proliferation. Thus, we have demonstrated that miR‐204‐5p suppresses HCC proliferation by directly regulating SIX1 and its downstream factors.

The long non-coding RNA MALAT1 promotes the migration and invasion of hepatocellular carcinoma by sponging miR-204 and releasing SIRT1

Increasing evidence supports the significance of long non-coding RNA in cancer development. Several recent studies suggest the oncogenic activity of long non-coding RNA metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1) in hepatocellular carcinoma. In this study, we explored the molecular mechanisms by which MALAT1 modulates hepatocellular carcinoma biological behaviors. We found that microRNA-204 was significantly downregulated in sh-MALAT1 HepG2 cell and 15 hepatocellular carcinoma tissues by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis. Through bioinformatic screening, luciferase reporter assay, RNA-binding protein immunoprecipitation, and RNA pull-down assay, we identified microRNA-204 as a potential interacting partner for MALAT1. Functionally, wound-healing and transwell assays revealed that microRNA-204 significantly inhibited the migration and invasion of hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Notably, sirtuin 1 was recognized as a direct downstream target of microRNA-204 in HepG2 cells. Moreover, si-SIRT1 significantly inhibited cell invasion and migration process. These data elucidated, by sponging and competitive binding to microRNA-204, MALAT1 releases the suppression on sirtuin 1, which in turn promotes hepatocellular carcinoma migration and invasion. This study reveals a novel mechanism by which MALAT1 stimulates hepatocellular carcinoma progression and justifies targeting metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 as a potential therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Promising significance of the association of miR-204-5p expression with clinicopathological features of hepatocellular carcinoma

Decreased level of miR-204-5p has been documented in various malignancies. However, the expression and clinical significance of miR-204-5p in hepatocellular carcinoma has not been investigated. The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between miR-204-5p expression and clinicopathological features in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) as well as to predict the relevant signaling pathways. The miR-204-5p expression level was detected in HCC and in matched paraneoplastic liver from 95 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues by the real-time reverse transcription polymerized chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The association of miR-204-5p expression with clinicopathological features as well as the prognosis of HCC was examined. Public data portals including the Gene Expression Omnibus and The Cancer Genome Atlas were used to retrieve the HCC-related data in order to perform a comprehensive meta-analysis. Meanwhile, protein-protein interaction (PPI) and enrichment analyses were performed using predicted target genes. The relative expression of miR-204-5p was remarkably reduced in HCC than that in paraneoplastic hepatic tissues. In HCC, the miR-204-5p expression was downregulated in the metastasis, vasoinvasion, and advanced stage (III and IV) subgroups compared with their counterparts. Furthermore, the meta-analysis based on qRT-PCR data demonstrated that miR-204-5p was markedly downregulated in HCC with a standardized mean difference of -5.19 (P < .001). However, no significant association was observed between miR-204-5p and survival outcomes. The potential target genes of miR-204-5p were significantly enriched in several pathways which might be associated with HCC, such as "cell proliferation" from GO terms and "pathways in cancer" from the KEGG analysis. A PPI network of miR-204-5p potential target genes identified prospective core genes potentially involved in the regulation of HCC oncogenesis and progression. Our findings suggested that miR-204-5p might act as a tumor-suppressive gene in the tumorigenesis and progression of HCC via vital signaling pathways and that miR-204-5p could be regarded as a protective factor in HCC.

Butyrate induces ROS-mediated apoptosis by modulating miR-22/SIRT-1 pathway in hepatic cancer cells

Butyrate is one of the short chain fatty acids, produced by the gut microbiota during anaerobic fermentation of dietary fibres. It has been shown that it can inhibit tumor progression via suppressing histone deacetylase and can induce apoptosis in cancer cells. However, the comprehensive pathway by which butyrate mediates apoptosis and growth arrest in cancer cells still remains unclear. In this study, the role of miR-22 in butyrate-mediated ROS release and induction of apoptosis was determined in hepatic cells. Intracellular expression of miR-22 was increased when the Huh 7 cells were incubated with sodium butyrate. Over-expression of miR-22 or addition of sodium butyrate inhibited SIRT-1 expression and enhanced the ROS production. Incubation of cells with anti-miR-22 reversed the effects of butyrate. Butyrate induced apoptosis via ROS production, cytochrome c release and activation of caspase-3, whereas addition of N-acetyl cysteine or anti-miR-22 reversed these butyrate-induced effects. Furthermore, sodium butyrate inhibited cell growth and proliferation, whereas anti-miR-22 inhibited these butyrate-mediated changes. The expression of PTEN and gsk-3 was found to be increased while p-akt and β-catenin expression was decreased significantly by butyrate. These data showed that butyrate modulated both apoptosis and proliferation via miR-22 expression in hepatic cells.