MiR-892a Promotes Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells Proliferation and Invasion Through Targeting CD226

Trophoblast-specific knockdown of CSPG4 expression causes pregnancy complications with poor placentation in mice

The multifunctional molecule chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan 4 (CSPG4/NG2) plays key roles in organogenesis and tumorigenesis. However, its roles in placentation remain unclear. In this study, CSPG4 expression in human and mouse placentas was investigated through immunohistochemistry (IHC), qPCR and western blotting. The theoretical structure and function of CSPG4 were assessed using bioinformatic tools, and the functions of CSPG4 in fetal and placental development were investigated using a mouse model established by trophoblast-specific CSPG4 knockdown and a trophoblast cell line with CSPG4 knockout by lentivirus infection. The results showed that CSPG4 was mainly located in trophoblasts in both human placentas and mouse placentas, with a higher level in preeclampsia (PE) placentas than in healthy control placentas. Furthermore, there was a trend of increasing expression in mouse placentas during pregnancy. The 3D structure of CSPG4 was visualized using an M model composed of two chains, and the structure implied that CSPG4 was a multifunctional molecule containing multiple pockets with multiligand binding sites and enzyme active sites. Trophoblast-specific CSPG4 knockdown caused frequent fetal loss, and viable fetal development was restricted by poor placentation, with mice placentas having reduced weight and width. The proliferation and invasion of CSPG4-knockout trophoblasts were significantly inhibited, and as such, the molecular signaling of AKT and ERK phosphorylation was inhibited, and the expression of MMP2 and MMP9 was reduced. In summary, CSPG4 deficiency inhibited trophoblast proliferation and invasion, which was associated with AKT, ERK and MMP signaling. CSPG4 deficiency also caused pregnancy complications with poor placentation in mice.

miRNAs inspirations in hepatocellular carcinoma: Detrimental and favorable aspects of key performers

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. HCC initiation, progression, and therapy failure are all influenced by various variables, including microRNAs (miRNAs). miRNAs are short non-coding RNA sequences that modulate target mRNA expression by deteriorating or repressing translation. miRNAs play an imperative role in HCC pathogenesis by triggering the induction of cancer stem cells (CSCs) and their proliferation, while also delaying apoptosis, sustaining the cell cycle, and inspiring angiogenesis, invasion, and metastasis. Additionally, miRNAs modulate crucial HCC-related molecular pathways such as the p53 pathway, the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, VEGFR2, and PTEN/PI3K/AKT pathway. Consequently, the goal of this review was to give an up-to-date overview of oncogenic and tumor suppressor (TS) miRNAs, as well as their potential significance in HCC pathogenesis and treatment responses, highlighting their underpinning molecular pathways in HCC initiation and progression. Similarly, the biological importance and clinical application of miRNAs in HCC are summarized.

Genetic Investigation of Inverse Psoriasis

Inverse psoriasis is considered to be a rare variant of plaque-type psoriasis and is associated with significantly impaired quality of life. Clinical manifestations and treatment options are somewhat different for each subtype. Identifying genetic variants that contribute to the susceptibility of different types of psoriasis might improve understanding of the etiology of the disease. Since we have no current knowledge about the genetic background of inverse psoriasis, whole exome sequencing was used to comprehensively assess genetic variations in five patients with exclusively inverse lesions. We detected six potentially pathogenic rare (MAF < 0.01) sequence variants that occurred in all investigated patients. The corresponding mutated genes were FN1, FBLN1, MYH7B, MST1R, RHOD, and SCN10A. Several mutations identified in this study are known to cause disease, but roles in psoriasis or other papulosquamous diseases have not previously been reported. Interestingly, potentially causative variants of established psoriasis-susceptibility genes were not identified. These outcomes are in agreement with our hypothesis that the inverse subtype is a different entity from plaque-type psoriasis.

ChrXq27.3 miRNA cluster functions in cancer development

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate the expression of their target genes post-transcriptionally; thus, they are deeply involved in fundamental biological processes. miRNA clusters contain two or more miRNA-encoding genes, and these miRNAs are usually coexpressed due to common expression mechanisms. Therefore, miRNA clusters are effective modulators of biological pathways by the members coordinately regulating their multiple target genes, and an miRNA cluster located on the X chromosome q27.3 region has received much attention in cancer research recently. In this review, we discuss the novel findings of the chrXq27.3 miRNA cluster in various types of cancer.

The chrXq27.3 miRNA cluster contains 30 mature miRNAs synthesized from 22 miRNA-encoding genes in an ~ 1.3-Mb region. The expressions of these miRNAs are usually negligible in many normal tissues, with the male reproductive system being an exception. In cancer tissues, each miRNA is dysregulated, compared with in adjacent normal tissues. The miRNA-encoding genes are not uniformly distributed in the region, and they are further divided into two groups (the miR-506-514 and miR-888-892 groups) according to their location on the genome. Most of the miRNAs in the former group are tumor-suppressive miRNAs that are further downregulated in various cancers compared with normal tissues. miR-506-3p in particular is the most well-known miRNA in this cluster, and it has various tumor-suppressive functions associated with the epithelial–mesenchymal transition, proliferation, and drug resistance. Moreover, other miRNAs, such as miR-508-3p and miR-509-3p, have similar tumor-suppressive effects. Hence, the expression of these miRNAs is clinically favorable as prognostic factors in various cancers. However, the functions of the latter group are less understood. In the latter group, miR-888-5p displays oncogenic functions, whereas miR-892b is tumor suppressive. Therefore, the functions of the miR-888–892 group are considered to be cell type- or tissue-specific.

In conclusion, the chrXq27.3 miRNA cluster is a critical regulator of cancer progression, and the miRNAs themselves, their regulatory mechanisms, and their target genes might be promising therapeutic targets.

Decreased serum exosomal miR-320a expression is an unfavorable prognostic factor in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

Objective

Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) have promising potential as diagnostic or prognostic biomarkers for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study aimed to analyze the clinical significance of serum exosomal miR-320a expression in patients with HCC.

Methods

A total of 104 patients with HCC, 55 patients with chronic liver disease (CLD), and 50 healthy volunteers were enrolled. Serum exosomal miR-320a levels were measured by quantitative reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and compared among the groups. The relationships between exosomal miR-320a levels and clinicopathological factors in patients with HCC were also analyzed.

Results

Serum exosomal miR-320a levels were significantly lower in patients with HCC compared with patients with CLD and healthy controls. Receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis showed that serum exosomal miR-320a had good diagnostic value for distinguishing between HCC subjects and normal controls. Serum exosomal miR-320a levels were significantly elevated 1 month after surgery in patients with HCC. Moreover, serum exosomal miR-320a downregulation was strongly associated with positive lymph node metastasis, positive vein invasion, advanced TNM stage, and shorter survival. Serum exosomal miR-320a was confirmed as an independent prognostic marker for HCC.

Conclusions

Collectively, these results indicate that serum exosomal miR-320a might be a potential biomarker for the detection and prognosis of HCC.

MicroRNAs in the Pathogenesis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Review

Simple Summary

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most frequently occurring cancers, and the prognosis for late-stage HCC remains poor. A better understanding of the pathogenesis of HCC is expected to improve outcomes. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, noncoding, single-stranded RNAs that regulate the expression of various target genes, including those in cancer-associated genomic regions or fragile sites in various human cancers. We summarize the central roles of miRNAs in the pathogenesis of HCC and discuss their potential utility as valuable biomarkers and new therapeutic agents for HCC.

Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the seventh most frequent cancer and the fourth leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Despite substantial advances in therapeutic strategies, the prognosis of late-stage HCC remains dismal because of the high recurrence rate. A better understanding of the etiology of HCC is therefore necessary to improve outcomes. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, endogenous, noncoding, single-stranded RNAs that modulate the expression of their target genes at the posttranscriptional and translational levels. Aberrant expression of miRNAs has frequently been detected in cancer-associated genomic regions or fragile sites in various human cancers and has been observed in both HCC cells and tissues. The precise patterns of aberrant miRNA expression differ depending on disease etiology, including various causes of hepatocarcinogenesis, such as viral hepatitis, alcoholic liver disease, or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. However, little is known about the underlying mechanisms and the association of miRNAs with the pathogenesis of HCC of various etiologies. In the present review, we summarize the key mechanisms of miRNAs in the pathogenesis of HCC and emphasize their potential utility as valuable diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers, as well as innovative therapeutic targets, in HCC diagnosis and treatment.

Prognostic value of miR-892a in gastric cancer and its regulatory effect on tumor progression

BACKGROUND

Gastric cancer is a prevalent malignant around the world. Aberrantly expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) contributes to the progression of tumors. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression and role of miR-892a in gastric cancer.

METHODS

A total of 119 gastric cancer patients were enrolled in this study. And the expression of miR-892a in gastric cancer tissues and cells was measured using RT-qPCR analysis. Kaplan-Meier plotter and multivariate Cox regression analysis were used to explore the prognostic value of miR-892a in gastric cancer. The biological function of miR-892a in gastric cancer cells was evaluated using CCK-8 assays and Transwell assays.

RESULTS

The expression of miR-892a was high-expressed in gastric cancer tissues and cells. The miR-892a expression was associated with tumor size, differentiation, lymph node metastasis, and TNM stages. Gastric cancer patients with high miR-892a expression showed a short overall survival rate. Overexpression of miR-892a promoted cell proliferation, migration, and invasion of gastric cancer cells.

CONCLUSION

miR-892a was upregulated and predictor of poor prognosis in gastric cancer patients. The miR-892a in gastric cancer cells significantly promoted cell proliferative, migratory, and invasive properties. Furthermore, miR-892a may be served as a prognostic marker as well as a therapeutic target for gastric cancer.

Prognostic Significance and Related Mechanisms of Hexokinase 1 in Ovarian Cancer

Purpose

Ovarian cancer (OC) has the highest mortality among gynecological malignancies. Therefore, it is urgent to explore prognostic biomarkers to improve the survival of OC patients. One of the most prominent metabolic characteristics of cancer is effective glycolysis. Hexokinase 1 (HK1), as the first rate-limiting enzyme in glycolysis, is closely related to cancer progression. However, the role of HK1 in OC remains unclear.

Materials and Methods

The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database was used to detect the expression of HK1 in OC patients. The chi-squared test was performed to examine the correlations between HK1 and patients’ clinical characteristics. Survival analyses were undertaken to determine the relationship between HK1 and patient survival, while the univariate/multivariate Cox model was used to evaluate the role of HK1 in patient prognosis. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) was performed to ascertain the related signaling pathways of HK1. RT-qPCR was implemented to validate the mRNA expression of HK1 in OC cells. MTT was used to detect cell viability after adding 2DG and knocking down HK1 in OC cells. HK1 protein expression was examined by Western blotting. Glucose uptake, lactate production, and ATP assays were undertaken following knockdown of HK1 in OC cells. Colony formation assays were performed to determine OC cell proliferation after HK1 knockdown. Transwell and wound healing assays were carried out to detect the invasion and migration of OC cells after HK1 knockdown.

Results

We found that HK1 expression was increased in OC tissues and cells, and HK1 was related to the clinical characteristics of OC patients. Survival analysis revealed that OC patients in the HK1 overexpression group had poor survival. Moreover, univariant/multivariate analyses showed that HK1 may be an independent biomarker for the poor prognosis of OC patients. OC cell viability and proliferation decreased after knockdown of HK1. Consistently, glucose uptake, lactic acid production, ATP production, invasion, and migration were also decreased. Finally, GSEA enrichment analysis and Western blotting showed that HK1 was involved in MAPK/ERK signaling.

Conclusion

HK1 may be a biomarker for the poor prognosis of OC patients and a potential therapeutic target.

Molecular and Functional Roles of MicroRNAs in the Progression of Hepatocellular Carcinoma-A Review

Liver cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths globally, of which hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the major subtype. Viral hepatitis B and C infections, alcohol abuse, and metabolic disorders are multiple risk factors for liver cirrhosis and HCC development. Although great therapeutic advances have been made in recent decades, the prognosis for HCC patients remains poor due to late diagnosis, chemotherapy failure, and frequent recurrence. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous, non-coding RNAs that regulate various molecular biological phenomena by suppressing the translation of target messenger RNAs (mRNAs). miRNAs, which often become dysregulated in malignancy, control cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and development in HCC by promoting or suppressing tumors. Exploring the detailed mechanisms underlying miRNA-mediated HCC development and progression can likely improve the outcomes of patients with HCC. This review summarizes the molecular and functional roles of miRNAs in the pathogenesis of HCC. Further, it elucidates the utility of miRNAs as novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

MicroRNA-126-5p suppresses cell proliferation, invasion and migration by targeting EGFR in liver cancer

BACKGROUND

The expression status and potential mechanistic involvement of microRNA (miR)-126-5p in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are still elusive currently. Here we set out to address this issue both in cell lines and in patients' tissues.

METHODS

The relative expression levels of endogenous miR-126-5p and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) were quantified by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Cell viability and proliferation were measured by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide and clonogenic assays, respectively. Cell invasive and migrative capacities were determined by transwell and wound healing assays, respectively. The regulatory action of miR-126-5p on EGFR was interrogated by luciferase reporter assay. Translational level of EGFR was analyzed by Western blotting.

RESULTS

MiR-126-5p was significantly down-regulated in both HCC patients' tissues and cell lines. Forced expression of miR-126-5p greatly compromised cell viability, proliferation, invasion and migration, while miR-126-5p-specific inhibitor promoted these oncogenic phenotypes. MiR-126-5p mimics inhibited endogenous expression of EGFR and suppressed EGFR 3'-untranslated region-fused luciferase activity. Co-expression of EGFR in miR-126-5p-proficient cells completely restored cell migrative and invasive capacities, while co-transfection with EGFR siRNA significantly inhibited miR-126-5p inhibitor-induced cell invasion and migration.

CONCLUSION

MiR-126-5p was aberrantly decreased in HCC and subsequently relieved the suppression on EGFR expression, which consequently contributed to the tumor biology of HCC.

CD226: An Emerging Role in Immunologic Diseases

CD226, a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily, is a functional protein initially expressed on natural killer and T cells. In recent years, the function of CD226 has been increasingly realized and researched. Accumulating evidence shows that CD226 is closely related to the occurrence of autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, and tumors. Because of the CD226’s increasing importance, the author herein discusses the structure, mechanism of action, and role of CD226 in various pathophysiological environments, allowing for further understanding of the function of CD226 and providing the basis for further research in related diseases.

MicroRNA-892a regulates laryngocarcinoma cell proliferation via Dicer

IMPACT STATEMENT

This work expanded the knowledge of the molecular mechanisms underlying LC progression by exploring the role of miR-892a in the viability of TU212 and M4E cells. The results showed that miR-892a, which exhibited elevated expression in LC cells and tissue specimens of patients with LC, exerted an inhibitory effect on Dicer expression, whereas silencing of miR-892a in TU212 and M4E cells hindered cell proliferation and growth and promoted apoptosis. Furthermore, miR-892a was demonstrated to directly target Dicer 3'-UTR and inhibit its expression. These findings demonstrated that miR-892a acted as an LC oncogene via its action on Dicer, which further confirmed that miR-892a can serve as a diagnostic indicator or promising agent for LC treatment.

Identification and integrated analysis of hepatocellular carcinoma-related circular RNA signature

Background

Circular RNAs (circRNAs), a novel type of non-coding RNA, play a vital role in the pathogenesis and development of cancer. CircRNAs signatures may be useful as prognostic and predictive factors as well as clinical tools for evaluating disease status and prognosis. This study was carried out to explore novel circRNA signatures in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods

The expression profiles of circRNAs were retrieved from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). The expression profiles of miRNAs and mRNAs were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) database. The results of the microarray were validated by quantitative real-time RCR (qPCR). Based on circRNA-miRNA pairs and miRNA-mRNA pairs, a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network was constructed. Functional analysis was performed via Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA), and gene set variation analysis (GSVA). Furthermore, survival analysis was carried out using the Kaplan-Meier curve and the log-rank test.

Results

Differentially expressed circRNAs in HCC from GEO databases (GSE94508 and GSE97332) were screened and analyzed using the bioinformatics method. We detected a total of 26 differentially expressed circRNAs by qPCR and then selected 6 circRNAs to construct the circRNA-miRNA-mRNA networks. Through prognostic analysis, 3 target hub genes (AURKA, KIF5B, and RHOA) of circRNAs were discovered. Moreover, GSEA and GSVA were used to reveal the functions of AURKA, KIF5B, and RHOA in HCC.

Conclusions

We identified three hub genes, and our results suggest that the circHMGCS1/miR-581/AURKA, circHMGCS1/miR-892a/KIF5B, and circTMCO3/miR-577/RHOA axes may play a vital role in HCC progression.

MiR-942-3p Promotes the Proliferation and Invasion of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells by Targeting MBL2

MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a subgroup of small noncoding RNAs, play critical roles in tumor growth and metastasis. Accumulating evidence shows that the dysregulation of miRNAs is associated with the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the molecular mechanism by which miR-942-3p contributes to HCC remains undocumented. The association between miR-942-3p expression and the clinicopathological characteristics in HCC patients was analyzed by The Cancer Genome Atlas data set. The targets of miR-942-3p were identified by bioinformatic analysis and dual luciferase report assay. 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and Transwell assays were performed to assess the functional role of miR-942-3p in HCC cells. Consequently, we found that miR-942-3p expression level was elevated in HCC tissues and cell lines as compared with the normal tissues and was associated with the pathological stage and tumor node metastasis (TNM) stage, acting as an independent prognostic factor of poor survival in patients with HCC. Ectopic expression of miR-942-3p enhanced the proliferation and invasive potential of HCC cells, but inhibition of miR-942-3p expression had the opposite effects. Mannose-binding lectin 2 (MBL2) was further identified as a direct target of miR-942-3p and possessed a negative correlation with miR-942-3p expression and unfavorable survival in patients with HCC. Restoration of MBL2 inhibited the progression of HCC cells and attenuated the tumor-promoting effects induced by miR-942-3p. In conclusion, miR-942-3p may act as an oncogenic factor in HCC cells by targeting MBL2 and provide a potential marker for patients with HCC.

Somatic Mutations in miRNA Genes in Lung Cancer-Potential Functional Consequences of Non-Coding Sequence Variants

A growing body of evidence indicates that miRNAs may either drive or suppress oncogenesis. However, little is known about somatic mutations in miRNA genes. To determine the frequency and potential consequences of miRNA gene mutations, we analyzed whole exome sequencing datasets of 569 lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and 597 lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) samples generated in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) project. Altogether, we identified 1091 somatic sequence variants affecting 522 different miRNA genes and showed that half of all cancers had at least one such somatic variant/mutation. These sequence variants occurred in most crucial parts of miRNA precursors, including mature miRNA and seed sequences. Due to our findings, we hypothesize that seed mutations may affect miRNA:target interactions, drastically changing the pool of predicted targets. Mutations may also affect miRNA biogenesis by changing the structure of miRNA precursors, DROSHA and DICER cleavage sites, and regulatory sequence/structure motifs. We identified 10 significantly overmutated hotspot miRNA genes, including the miR-379 gene in LUAD enriched in mutations in the mature miRNA and regulatory sequences. The occurrence of mutations in the hotspot miRNA genes was also shown experimentally. We present a comprehensive analysis of somatic variants in miRNA genes and show that some of these genes are mutational hotspots, suggesting their potential role in cancer.

The Role of MicroRNAs in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers, leading to the second cancer-related death in the global. Although the treatment of HCC has greatly improved over the past few decades, the survival rate of patients is still quite low. Thus, it is urgent to explore new therapies, especially seek for more accurate biomarkers for early diagnosis, treatment and prognosis in HCC. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), small noncoding RNAs, are pivotal participants and regulators in the development and progression of HCC. Great progress has been made in the studies of miRNAs in HCC. The key regulatory mechanisms of miRNAs include proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, metastasis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), angiogenesis, drug resistance and autophagy in HCC. And exosomal miRNAs also play important roles in proliferation, invasion, metastasis, and drug resistance in HCC by regulating gene expression in the target cells. In addition, some miRNAs, including exosomal miRNAs, can be as potential diagnostic and prediction markers in HCC. This review summarizes the latest researches development of miRNAs in HCC in recent years.

Prognostic value of microRNAs in hepatocellular carcinoma: a meta-analysis

Background

Numerous articles reported that dysregulated expression levels of miRNAs correlated with survival time of HCC patients. However, there has not been a comprehensive meta-analysis to evaluate the accurate prognostic value of miRNAs in HCC.

Design

Meta-analysis.

Materials and Methods

Studies, published in English, estimating expression levels of miRNAs with any survival curves in HCC were identified up until 15 April, 2017 by performing online searches in PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews by two independent authors. The pooled hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used to estimate the correlation between miRNA expression and overall survival (OS).

Results

54 relevant articles about 16 miRNAs, with 6464 patients, were ultimately included. HCC patients with high expression of tissue miR-9 (HR = 2.35, 95% CI = 1.46–3.76), miR-21 (HR = 1.76, 95% CI = 1.29–2.41), miR-34c (HR = 1.64, 95% CI = 1.05–2.57), miR-155 (HR = 2.84, 95% CI = 1.46–5.51), miR-221 (HR = 1.76, 95% CI = 1.02–3.04) or low expression of tissue miR-22 (HR = 2.29, 95% CI = 1.63–3.21), miR-29c (HR = 1.35, 95% CI = 1.10–1.65), miR-34a (HR = 1.84, 95% CI = 1.30–2.59), miR-199a (HR = 2.78, 95% CI = 1.89–4.08), miR-200a (HR = 2.64, 95% CI = 1.86–3.77), miR-203 (HR = 2.20, 95% CI = 1.61–3.00) have significantly poor OS (P < 0.05). Likewise, HCC patients with high expression of blood miR-21 (HR = 1.73, 95% CI = 1.07–2.80), miR-192 (HR = 2.42, 95% CI = 1.15–5.10), miR-224 (HR = 1.56, 95% CI = 1.14–2.12) or low expression of blood miR-148a (HR = 2.26, 95% CI = 1.11–4.59) have significantly short OS (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

In conclusion, tissue miR-9, miR-21, miR-22, miR-29c, miR-34a, miR-34c, miR-155, miR-199a, miR-200a, miR-203, miR-221 and blood miR-21, miR-148a, miR-192, miR-224 demonstrate significantly prognostic value. Among them, tissue miR-9, miR-22, miR-155, miR-199a, miR-200a, miR-203 and blood miR-148a, miR-192 are potential prognostic candidates for predicting OS in HCC.