microRNA-130a suppresses breast cancer cell migration and invasion by targeting FOSL1 and upregulating ZO-1

Exosomal microRNA as a key regulator of PI3K/AKT pathways in human tumors

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are conserved non-protein-coding RNAs that are naturally present in organisms and can control gene expression by suppressing the translation of mRNA or causing the degradation of mRNA. MicroRNAs are highly concentrated in the PI3K/AKT pathway, and abnormal activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway plays a role in cancer progression. The AKT/PI3K pathway is critical for cellular functions and can be stimulated by cytokines and in normal situations. It is involved in regulating various intracellular signal transduction, including development, differentiation, transcriptional regulation, protein, and synthesis. There is a growing body of evidence indicating that miRNAs, which are abundant in exosomes released by different cells, can control cellular biological activities via modulating the PI3K/AKT pathway, hence influencing cancer progression and drug resistance. This article provides an overview of the latest research progress regarding the function and medical use of the PI3K/AKT pathway and exosomal miRNA/AKT/PI3K axis in the behaviors of cancer cells.

Transcription Factor FOSL1 Promotes Angiogenesis of Colon Carcinoma by Regulating the VEGF Pathway Through Activating TIMP1

Angiogenesis is the critical media for tumor growth and migration. Tissue Inhibitor Matrix Metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP1) acts as an oncogene in colon carcinoma (CC), but the biological effects of TIMP1 on angiogenesis remain an open issue. This study sought to explore the exact function and mechanism of TIMP1 in the angiogenesis of CC. Bioinformatics methods were utilized to analyze the expression of TIMP1 and its upstream transcription factor FOS-like antigen 1 (FOSL1) in the tumor tissue of CC. Meanwhile, in CC cell lines, real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot were utilized to verify the expression of TIMP1 and FOSL1. Cell counting kit-8 and tube formation assays were utilized to analyze the proliferation and angiogenesis abilities of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Western blot was used to detect the protein expression of VEGFA, VEGFR-2, and VEGFR-3. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and dual-luciferase reporter assays were carried out to explore the specific interaction between FOSL1 and TIMP1. The present study discovered that TIMP1 and FOSL1 were evidently up-regulated in CC tissue and cells. Meanwhile, TIMP1 was found to participate in regulating the signaling pathway of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Silenced TIMP1 conspicuously suppressed the proliferation and angiogenesis of HUVECs and reduced the protein expression of VEGFA, VEGFR-2, and VEGFR-3. Moreover, FOSL1 could promote TIMP1 transcription by binding with its promoter and the inhibition of TIMP1 expression obviously reversed the promotion effects of FOSL1 overexpression on the proliferation and angiogenesis of HUVECs. FOSL1 activated VEGF pathway by up-regulating TIMP1 expression, thereby advancing CC angiogenesis. We provided theoretical basis that the FOSL1/TIMP1/VEGF pathway might be a novel option for anti-angiogenesis therapy of CC.

Epigenomic signatures of sarcomatoid differentiation to guide the treatment of renal cell carcinoma

Renal cell carcinoma with sarcomatoid differentiation (sRCC) is associated with poor survival and a heightened response to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Two major barriers to improving outcomes for sRCC are the limited understanding of its gene regulatory programs and the low diagnostic yield of tumor biopsies due to spatial heterogeneity. Herein, we characterized the epigenomic landscape of sRCC by profiling 107 epigenomic libraries from tissue and plasma samples from 50 patients with RCC and healthy volunteers. By profiling histone modifications and DNA methylation, we identified highly recurrent epigenomic reprogramming enriched in sRCC. Furthermore, CRISPRa experiments implicated the transcription factor FOSL1 in activating sRCC-associated gene regulatory programs, and FOSL1 expression was associated with the response to ICIs in RCC in two randomized clinical trials. Finally, we established a blood-based diagnostic approach using detectable sRCC epigenomic signatures in patient plasma, providing a framework for discovering epigenomic correlates of tumor histology via liquid biopsy.

FOSL1's Oncogene Roles in Glioma/Glioma Stem Cells and Tumorigenesis: A Comprehensive Review

This review specifically examines the important function of the oncoprotein FOSL1 in the dimeric AP-1 transcription factor, which consists of FOS-related components. FOSL1 is identified as a crucial controller of invasion and metastatic dissemination, making it a potential target for therapeutic treatment in cancer patients. The review offers a thorough examination of the regulatory systems that govern the influence exerted on FOSL1. These include a range of changes that occur throughout the process of transcription and after the translation of proteins. We have discovered that several non-coding RNAs, such as microRNAs (miRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), play a significant role in regulating FOSL1 expression by directly interacting with its mRNA transcripts. Moreover, an investigation into the functional aspects of FOSL1 reveals its involvement in apoptosis, proliferation, and migration. This work involves a comprehensive analysis of the complex signaling pathways that support these diverse activities. Furthermore, particular importance is given to the function of FOSL1 in coordinating the activation of several cytokines, such as TGF-beta, and the commencement of IL-6 and VEGF production in tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) that migrate into the tumor microenvironment. There is a specific emphasis on evaluating the predictive consequences linked to FOSL1. Insights are now emerging on the developing roles of FOSL1 in relation to the processes that drive resistance and reliance on specific treatment methods. Targeting FOSL1 has a strong inhibitory effect on the formation and spread of specific types of cancers. Despite extensive endeavors, no drugs targeting AP-1 or FOSL1 for cancer treatment have been approved for clinical use. Hence, it is imperative to implement innovative approaches and conduct additional verifications.

MVNMDA: A Multi-View Network Combing Semantic and Global Features for Predicting miRNA-Disease Association

A growing body of experimental evidence suggests that microRNAs (miRNAs) are closely associated with specific human diseases and play critical roles in their development and progression. Therefore, identifying miRNA related to specific diseases is of great significance for disease screening and treatment. In the early stages, the identification of associations between miRNAs and diseases demanded laborious and time-consuming biological experiments that often carried a substantial risk of failure. With the exponential growth in the number of potential miRNA-disease association combinations, traditional biological experimental methods face difficulties in processing massive amounts of data. Hence, developing more efficient computational methods to predict possible miRNA-disease associations and prioritize them is particularly necessary. In recent years, numerous deep learning-based computational methods have been developed and have demonstrated excellent performance. However, most of these methods rely on external databases or tools to compute various auxiliary information. Unfortunately, these external databases or tools often cover only a limited portion of miRNAs and diseases, resulting in many miRNAs and diseases being unable to match with these computational methods. Therefore, there are certain limitations associated with the practical application of these methods. To overcome the above limitations, this study proposes a multi-view computational model called MVNMDA, which predicts potential miRNA-disease associations by integrating features of miRNA and diseases from local views, global views, and semantic views. Specifically, MVNMDA utilizes known association information to construct node initial features. Then, multiple networks are constructed based on known association to extract low-dimensional feature embedding of all nodes. Finally, a cascaded attention classifier is proposed to fuse features from coarse to fine, suppressing noise within the features and making precise predictions. To validate the effectiveness of the proposed method, extensive experiments were conducted on the HMDD v2.0 and HMDD v3.2 datasets. The experimental results demonstrate that MVNMDA achieves better performance compared to other computational methods. Additionally, the case study results further demonstrate the reliable predictive performance of MVNMDA.

Circulating ESR1, long non-coding RNA HOTAIR and microRNA-130a gene expression as biomarkers for breast cancer stage and metastasis

Breast cancer, the most prevalent cancer among women, has posed a significant challenge in identifying biomarkers for early diagnosis and prognosis. This study aimed to elucidate the gene expression profile of Estrogen Receptor-1 (ESR-1), long non-coding RNA HOTAIR, and microRNA-130a in the serum of Egyptian breast cancer patients, evaluating the potential of HOTAIR and miR-130a as biomarkers for predicting pathological parameters in BC. The study involved 45 patients with primary BC, with serum samples collected preoperatively and postoperatively twice. The expression levels of ESR-1, HOTAIR, and miR-130a were quantified using real-time PCR and analyzed for correlations with each other and with the clinical and pathological parameters of the patients. Serum HOTAIR levels exhibited a strong positive association with metastasis and demonstrated a significant increase after 6 months in all patients with locally advanced and stage IV BC. Conversely, tumors with advanced stages and metastatic lesions showed significantly lower expression levels of miR-130a. Notably, a significant positive correlation was observed between preoperative ESR-1 expression and both HOTAIR and miR-130a levels. Serum HOTAIR and miR-130a levels have emerged as promising non-invasive biomarkers with the potential to predict the pathological features of BC patients. HOTAIR, an oncogenic long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), and miR-130a, a tumor suppressor miRNA, play crucial roles in tumor progression. Further investigations are warranted to elucidate the intricate interplay between HOTAIR and miR-130a and to fully comprehend the contribution of HOTAIR to BC recurrence and its potential utility in early relapse prediction.

The emerging regulatory roles of non-coding RNAs associated with glucose metabolism in breast cancer

Altered energy metabolism is one of the hallmarks of tumorigenesis and essential for fulfilling the high demand for metabolic energy in a tumor through accelerating glycolysis and reprogramming the glycolysis metabolism through the Warburg effect. The dysregulated glucose metabolic pathways are coordinated not only by proteins coding genes but also by non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) during the initiation and cancer progression. The ncRNAs are responsible for regulating numerous cellular processes under developmental and pathological conditions. Recent studies have shown that various ncRNAs such as microRNAs, circular RNAs, and long noncoding RNAs are extensively involved in rewriting glucose metabolism in human cancers. In this review, we demonstrated the role of ncRNAs in the progression of breast cancer with a focus on outlining the aberrant expression of glucose metabolic pathways. Moreover, we have discussed the existing and probable future applications of ncRNAs to regulate energy pathways along with their importance in the prognosis, diagnosis, and future therapeutics for human breast carcinoma.

Downregulation of cancer-associated fibroblast exosome-derived miR-29b-1-5p restrains vasculogenic mimicry and apoptosis while accelerating migration and invasion of gastric cancer cells via immunoglobulin domain-containing 1/zonula occluden-1 axis

Background: Cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) exosomal miRNAs have gradually a hot spot in cancer therapy. This study mainly explores the effect of CAF-derived exosomal miR-29b-1-5p on gastric cancer (GC) cells.Methods: CAFs and exosomes were identified by Western blot and transmission electron microscopy. CAF-derived exosomes-GC cells co-culture systems were constructed. Effects of CAF-derived exosomal miR-29b-1-5p on GC cells were determined by cell counting kit-8, flow cytometry, wound healing, Transwell assays and Western blot. The relationship between miR-29b-1-5p and immunoglobulin domain-containing 1 (VSIG1) was assessed by TargetScan, dual-luciferase reporter and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) experiments. The interaction between VSIG1 and zonula occluden-1 (ZO-1) was detected by co-immunoprecipitation. Expressions of miR-29b-1-5p, VSIG1 and ZO-1 were determined by quantitative real-time PCR. Vascular mimicry (VM) was detected using immunohistochemistry and tube formation assays. Rescue experiments and xenograft tumor assays were used to further determine the effect of CAF-derived exosomal miR-29b-1-5p/VSIG1 on GC.Results: VM structure, upregulation of miR-29b-1-5p, and downregulation of VSIG1 and ZO-1 were shown in GC tissues. MiR-29b-1-5p targeted VSIG1, which interacted with ZO-1. CAF-derived exosomal miR-29b-1-5p inhibitor suppressed the viability, migration, invasion and VM formation, but promoted the apoptosis of GC cells. MiR-29b-1-5p inhibitor increased levels of VSIG1, ZO-1 and E-cadherin, whilst decreasing levels of VE-cadherin, N-cadherin and Vimentin in vitro and in vivo, which however was partially reversed by shVSIG1. Downregulation of CAF-derived exosomal miR-29b-1-5p impeded GC tumorigenesis and VM structure in vivo by upregulating VSIG1/ZO-1 expression.Conclusion: Downregulation of CAF-derived exosomal miR-29b-1-5p inhibits GC progression via VSIG1/ZO-1 axis.

A Novel Approach to Reducing Lung Metastasis in Osteosarcoma: Increasing Cell Stiffness with Carbenoxolone

AIM

Primary malignant bone tumor osteosarcoma can metastasize to the lung. Diminishing lung metastasis would positively affect the prognosis of patients. Our previous studies demonstrated that highly metastatic osteosarcoma cell lines are significantly softer than low-metastasis cell lines. We therefore hypothesized that increasing cell stiffness would suppress metastasis by reducing cell motility. In this study, we tested whether carbenoxolone (CBX) increases the stiffness of LM8 osteosarcoma cells and prevents lung metastasis in vivo.

METHODS

We evaluated the actin cytoskeletal structure and polymerization of CBX-treated LM8 cells using actin staining. Cell stiffness was measured using atomic force microscopy. Metastasis-related cell functions were analyzed using cell proliferation, wound healing, invasion, and cell adhesion assays. Furthermore, lung metastasis was examined in LM8-bearing mice administered with CBX.

RESULTS

Treatment with CBX significantly increased actin staining intensity and stiffness of LM8 cells compared with vehicle-treated LM8 cells (p < 0.01). In Young's modulus images, compared with the control group, rigid fibrillate structures were observed in the CBX treatment group. CBX suppressed cell migration, invasion, and adhesion but not cell proliferation. The number of LM8 lung metastases were significantly reduced in the CBX administration group compared with the control group (p < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

In this study, we demonstrated that CBX increases tumor cell stiffness and significantly reduces lung metastasis. Our study is the first to provide evidence that reducing cell motility by increasing cell stiffness might be effective as a novel anti-metastasis approach in vivo.

FRA-1 as a Regulator of EMT and Metastasis in Breast Cancer

Among FOS-related components of the dimeric AP-1 transcription factor, the oncoprotein FRA-1 (encoded by FOSL1) is a key regulator of invasion and metastasis. The well-established FRA-1 pro-invasive activity in breast cancer, in which FOSL1 is overexpressed in the TNBC (Triple Negative Breast Cancer)/basal subtypes, correlates with the FRA-1-dependent transcriptional regulation of EMT (Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition). After summarizing the major findings on FRA-1 in breast cancer invasiveness, we discuss the FRA-1 mechanistic links with EMT and cancer cell stemness, mediated by transcriptional and posttranscriptional interactions between FOSL1/FRA-1 and EMT-regulating transcription factors, miRNAs, RNA binding proteins and cytokines, along with other target genes involved in EMT. In addition to the FRA-1/AP-1 effects on the architecture of target promoters, we discuss the diagnostic and prognostic significance of the EMT-related FRA-1 transcriptome, along with therapeutic implications. Finally, we consider several novel perspectives regarding the less explored roles of FRA-1 in the tumor microenvironment and in control of the recently characterized hybrid EMT correlated with cancer cell plasticity, stemness, and metastatic potential. We will also examine the application of emerging technologies, such as single-cell analyses, along with animal models of TNBC and tumor-derived CTCs and PDXs (Circulating Tumor Cells and Patient-Derived Xenografts) for studying the FRA-1-mediated mechanisms in in vivo systems of EMT and metastasis.

Identification of miR-3182 and miR-3143 target genes involved in the cell cycle as a novel approach in TNBC treatment: A systems biology approach

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype of breast cancer with a poor prognosis, lacking therapeutic targets. miRNAs play crucial roles in TNBC through regulating various mechanisms, including cellular growth and proliferation. This study aims to identify critical target genes of two novel miRNAs (miR-3143 and miR-3182) involved in the cell cycle of TNBC as possible therapeutic targets and investigates their regulatory and therapeutic roles through a systems biology approach and in vitro experiment. Datasets related to the TNBC cell line (MDA-MB-231) were screened and retrieved, and Gene regulatory networks were constructed. Significant regulatory motifs were detected and analyzed using the FANMOD and Cytoscape analyzer, and the clusters and seeds were identified using the MCODE. Functional enrichment analysis was also performed using DAVID and STRING. The most critical genes were determined using the analysis of GRN motifs and PPI clusters. The essential genes involved in the cell cycle were selected and verified using the bc-GenExMiner v4.7. We overexpressed miR-3143 and miR-3182 in the MDA-MB-231 cell line using human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell (HUCMSC)-miRNA loaded exosomes, and the expression of the critical target genes was investigated using RT-qPCR. We identified eight critical genes as potential therapeutic targets. Their expression decreased by overexpression of miR-3143 and miR-3182 in RT-qPCR. The identified critical genes have probably significant roles in the pathogenesis of TNBC through the cell cycle. We suggest that the overexpression of miR-3143 and miR-3182 could be a new therapeutic candidate in TNBC and is worth more investigation.

LncRNA PRKCQ-AS1 regulates paclitaxel resistance in triple-negative breast cancer cells through miR-361-5p/PIK3C3 mediated autophagy

Paclitaxel (PTX) resistance is a key cause of chemotherapy failure in patients with triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). The aim of this study is to investigate the effect and mechanism of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) on the PTX resistance of TNBC cells through autophagy. MDA-MB-231 cells are used to induce the PTX-resistant TNBC cell line MDA-MB-231.PR (MDR) by increasing dose intermittently. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to validate the mRNA levels of phosphoinositide-3-kinase class 3 (PIK3C3), miR-361-5p and lncRNA PRKCQ-AS1 in the cells, and Western blot analysis was used to detect the protein expressions of PIK3C3, autophagy-related, drug-resistant and apoptosis-related genes. MDC staining detected the formation of autophagic vacuoles. The interactions between miR-361-5p and PIK3C3 and between lncRNA PRKCQ-AS1 and miR-361-5p were verified by dual-luciferase assay. Cell viability, apoptosis, migration and invasion were assessed by performing MTT, flow cytometry assay, and transwell assay. The mRNA level of miR-361-5p and the autophagy and drug resistance levels of TNBC PTX-resistant cells were significantly up-regulated. miR-361-5p could target autophagy-related gene PIK3C3, and overexpression of miR-361-5p could down-regulate PIK3C3 protein expression and autophagy level and PTX resistance of MDR cells. LncRNA PRKCQ-AS1 was selected through bioanalysis, and miR-361-5p could target lncRNA PRKCQ-AS1. In addition, lncRNA PRKCQ-AS1 level was up-regulated in TNBC PTX-resistant cells, and knockdown of lncRNA PRKCQ-AS1 could weaken autophagy and drug resistance level and could promote cell apoptosis. Overexpression of lncRNA PRKCQ-AS1 reversed the pro-apoptotic effect and down-regulation of autophagy and resistance levels was induced by miR-361-5p. In vivo experiments were performed to verify the role of lncRNA PRKCQ-AS1. We demonstrate that down-regulation of lncRNA PRKCQ-AS1 weakened PTX resistance and promoted cell apoptosis by miR-361-5p/PIK3C3 mediated autophagy.

The Role of microRNAs in Regulating Cancer Cell Response to Oxaliplatin-Containing Regimens

Oxaliplatin (cyclohexane-1,2-diamine; oxalate; platinum [2+]) is a third-generation chemotherapeutic drug with anticancer effects. Oxaliplatin has a role in the treatment of several cancers. It is one of the few drugs which can eliminate the neoplastic cells of colorectal cancer. Also, it has an influential role in breast cancer, lung cancer, bladder cancer, prostate cancer, and gastric cancer. Although oxaliplatin has many beneficial effects in cancer treatment, resistance to this drug is in the way to cure neoplastic cells and reduce treatment efficacy. microRNAs are a subtype of small noncoding RNAs with ∼22 nucleotides that exist among species. They have diverse roles in physiological processes, including cellular proliferation and cell death. Moreover, miRNAs have essential roles in resistance to cancer treatment and can strengthen sensitivity to chemotherapeutic drugs and regimens. In colorectal cancer, the co-treatment of oxaliplatin with anti-miR-19a can partially reverse the oxaliplatin resistance through the upregulation of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN). Moreover, by preventing the spread of gastric cancer cells and downregulating glypican-3 (GPC3), MiR-4510 may modify immunosuppressive signals in the tumor microenvironment. Treatment with oxaliplatin may develop into a specialized therapeutic drug for patients with miR-4510 inhibition and glypican-3-expressing gastric cancer. Eventually, miR-122 upregulation or Wnt/β-catenin signaling suppression boosted the death of HCC cells and made them more sensitive to oxaliplatin. Herein, we have reviewed the role of microRNAs in regulating cancer cells' response to oxaliplatin, with particular attention to gastrointestinal cancers. We also discussed the role of these noncoding RNAs in the pathophysiology of oxaliplatin-induced neuropathic pain.

New progress in the role of microRNAs in the diagnosis and prognosis of triple negative breast cancer

Triple negative breast cancer is distinguished by its high malignancy, aggressive invasion, rapid progression, easy recurrence, and distant metastases. Additionally, it has a poor prognosis, a high mortality, and is unresponsive to conventional endocrine and targeted therapy, making it a challenging problem for breast cancer treatment and a hotspot for scientific research. Recent research has revealed that certain miRNA can directly or indirectly affect the occurrence, progress and recurrence of TNBC. Their expression levels have a significant impact on TNBC diagnosis, treatment and prognosis. Some miRNAs can serve as biomarkers for TNBC diagnosis and prognosis. This article summarizes the progress of miRNA research in TNBC, discusses their roles in the occurrence, invasion, metastasis, prognosis, and chemotherapy of TNBC, and proposes a treatment strategy for TNBC by interfering with miRNA expression levels.

Progesterone modulates the DSCAM-AS1/miR-130a/ESR1 axis to suppress cell invasion and migration in breast cancer

BACKGROUND

A preoperative-progesterone intervention increases disease-free survival in patients with breast cancer, with an unknown underlying mechanism. We elucidated the role of non-coding RNAs in response to progesterone in human breast cancer.

METHODS

Whole transcriptome sequencing dataset of 30 breast primary tumors (10 tumors exposed to hydroxyprogesterone and 20 tumors as control) were re-analyzed to identify differentially expressed non-coding RNAs followed by real-time PCR analyses to validate the expression of candidates. Functional analyses were performed by genetic knockdown, biochemical, and cell-based assays.

RESULTS

We identified a significant downregulation in the expression of a long non-coding RNA, Down syndrome cell adhesion molecule antisense DSCAM-AS1, in response to progesterone treatment in breast cancer. The progesterone-induced expression of DSCAM-AS1 could be effectively blocked by the knockdown of progesterone receptor (PR) or treatment of cells with mifepristone (PR-antagonist). We further show that knockdown of DSCAM-AS1 mimics the effect of progesterone in impeding cell migration and invasion in PR-positive breast cancer cells, while its overexpression shows an opposite effect. Additionally, DSCAM-AS1 sponges the activity of miR-130a that regulates the expression of ESR1 by binding to its 3'-UTR to mediate the effect of progesterone in breast cancer cells. Consistent with our findings, TCGA analysis suggests that high levels of miR-130a correlate with a tendency toward better overall survival in patients with breast cancer.

CONCLUSION

This study presents a mechanism involving the DSCAM-AS1/miR-130a/ESR1 genomic axis through which progesterone impedes breast cancer cell invasion and migration. The findings highlight the utility of progesterone treatment in impeding metastasis and improving survival outcomes in patients with breast cancer.

miR-139 Protects Liver Tissue Damage and Oxidative Stress in Diabetic Mice by Up-Regulating (Silent Mating Type Information Regulation 2 Homolog-1) SIRT1

Diabetes affects human health. This study aimed to investigate the molecular regulation mechanism of miR-139 on liver injury and oxidative stress in diabetic mice. The diabetic mice were divided into miR-139 inhibitor group, si-SIRT group, miR-139 mimic group, and the mRNA expression and protein level of miR-139 and SIRT1 were analyzed, respectively. Bioinformatics revealed the relationship between miR-139 and SIRT1. In addition, histological analysis and oxidation reaction indicators were performed on mouse livers induced by high glucose. After induction, a mouse diabetes model was established with highly expressed ALT. Bioinformatics found that miR-139 negatively regulated SIRT1. Furthermore, markers of hepatic oxidative stress were increased and blood glucose levels decreased in mice overexpressing miR-139. Up-regulation of miR-139 can protect the liver tissue of diabetic mice from oxidative stress injury by inhibiting the expression of SIRT1, and si-SIRT treatment reversed the increased blood glucose level and oxidative stress injury caused by the reduction of miR-139.

A critical ETV4/Twist1/Vimentin axis in Ha-RAS-induced aggressive breast cancer

RAS oncogenes are major drivers of diverse types of cancer. However, they are largely not druggable, and therefore targeting critical downstream pathways and dependencies is an attractive approach. We have isolated a tumorigenic cell line (FE1.2), which exhibits mesenchymal characteristics, after inoculating Ha-Ras-expressing retrovirus into mammary glands of rats, and subsequently isolated a non-aggressive revertant cell line (FC5). This revertant has lost the rat Ha-Ras driver and showed a more epithelial morphology, slower proliferation in culture, and reduced tumorigenicity in vivo. Re-expression of human Ha-RAS in these cells (FC5-RAS) reinduced mesenchymal morphology, higher proliferation rate, and tumorigenicity that was still significantly milder than parental FE1.2 cells. RNA-seq analysis of FC5-RAS vs FC5-Vector cells identified multiple genes whose expressions were regulated by Ha-RAS. This analysis also identified many genes including those controlling cell growth whose expression was altered by loss of HA-Ras in FC5 cells but remained unchanged upon reintroduction of Ha-RAS. These results suggest that targeting the Ha-Ras driver oncogene induces partial tumor regression, but it still denotes strong efficacy for cancer therapy. Among the RAS-responsive genes, we identified Twist1 as a critical mediator of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition through the direct transcriptional regulation of vimentin. Mechanistically, we show that Twist1 is induced by the ETS gene, ETV4, downstream of Ha-RAS, and that inhibition of ETV4 suppressed the growth of breast cancer cells driven by the Ha-RAS pathway. Targeting the ETV4/Twist1/Vimentin axis may therefore offer a therapeutic modality for breast tumors driven by the Ha-RAS pathway.

Genomic Analyses of Non-Coding RNAs Overlapping Transposable Elements and Its Implication to Human Diseases

It is estimated that up to 80% of the human genome is transcribed into RNA molecules but less than 2% of the genome encodes the proteins, and the rest of the RNA transcripts that are not translated into protein are called non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). Many studies have revealed that ncRNAs have biochemical activities as epigenetic regulators at the post-transcriptional level. Growing evidence has demonstrated that transposable elements (TEs) contribute to a large percentage of ncRNAs’ transcription. The TEs inserted into certain parts of the genome can act as alternative promoters, enhancers, and insulators, and the accumulation of TEs increases genetic diversity in the human genome. The TEs can also generate microRNAs, so-called miRNA-derived from transposable elements (MDTEs), and are also implicated in disease progression, such as infectious diseases and cancer. Here, we analyzed the origin of ncRNAs and reviewed the published literature on MDTEs related to disease progression.

The functional significance and cross-talk of non-coding RNAs in triple negative and quadruple negative breast cancer

One of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide is breast cancer, among which triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most malignant and lethal subtype. This cancer accounts for 10-20% of all breast cancer deaths. Proliferation, tumorigenesis, and prognosis of TNBC are affected when the androgen receptor (AR) is not expressed, and it is classified as quadruple negative breast cancer (QNBC). Non-coding RNAs, such as microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs), play a significant role in tumorigenesis by virtue of their oncogenic and tumor-suppressive properties. To regulate tumorigenesis, miRNAs interact with their target mRNAs and modulate their expression, whereas lncRNAs can either act alone or interact with miRNAs or other molecules through various signaling pathways. Conversely, circRNAs regulate tumorigenesis by acting as miRNA sponges predominantly. Recently, non-coding RNAs were studied comprehensively for their roles in tumor proliferation, progression, and metastasis. As a result of existing studies and research progress, non-coding RNAs have been implicated in TNBC, necessitating their use as biomarkers for future diagnostic applications. In this review, the non-coding RNAs are explicitly implicated in the regulation of breast cancer, and their cross-talk between TNBC and QNBC is also discussed.

Down-Regulated miR-130a/b Attenuates Rhabdomyosarcoma Proliferation via PPARG

Background: Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is one of the most common types of soft-tissue sarcomas in children, and it exhibits a low 5-years survival rate. The survival outcome has shown no significant improvements in the past 30 years miRNA profiling of RMS might therefore provide a novel insight into uncovering new molecular targets for therapy.

Methods: We analyzed miRNA and RNA sequencing data from patients and the TARGET database to reveal the potential miRNA-mRNA axes and validated them in patients’ samples. After the miRNA antagomirs were used to silence the target miRNAs in the cell model, qRT-PCR, western immunoblotting analysis, and proliferation assays were performed to explore the interaction between miR-130a/b and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARG) and their effects.

Results: In RMS patients, the expression of miR-130a/b was augmented, and its related PPARG gene was suppressed. Bioinformatics analysis showed that miR-130a/b targeted the PPARG gene and inhibited the proliferation of human RMS cell lines. In addition, rosiglitazone maleate activated the expression of PPARG in human RMS cell lines to suppress proliferation.

Conclusion: miR-130a/b regulates the malignant process in RMS by targeting PPARG. Furthermore, the PPARG agonist rosiglitazone maleate attenuated the proliferation of RD cells and might therefore be of benefit to RMS patients.

MicroRNA and Alternative mRNA Splicing Events in Cancer Drug Response/Resistance: Potent Therapeutic Targets

Cancer is a multifaceted disease that involves several molecular mechanisms including changes in gene expression. Two important processes altered in cancer that lead to changes in gene expression include altered microRNA (miRNA) expression and aberrant splicing events. MiRNAs are short non-coding RNAs that play a central role in regulating RNA silencing and gene expression. Alternative splicing increases the diversity of the proteome by producing several different spliced mRNAs from a single gene for translation. MiRNA expression and alternative splicing events are rigorously regulated processes. Dysregulation of miRNA and splicing events promote carcinogenesis and drug resistance in cancers including breast, cervical, prostate, colorectal, ovarian and leukemia. Alternative splicing may change the target mRNA 3'UTR binding site. This alteration can affect the produced protein and may ultimately affect the drug affinity of target proteins, eventually leading to drug resistance. Drug resistance can be caused by intrinsic and extrinsic factors. The interplay between miRNA and alternative splicing is largely due to splicing resulting in altered 3'UTR targeted binding of miRNAs. This can result in the altered targeting of these isoforms and altered drug targets and drug resistance. Furthermore, the increasing prevalence of cancer drug resistance poses a substantial challenge in the management of the disease. Henceforth, molecular alterations have become highly attractive drug targets to reverse the aberrant effects of miRNAs and splicing events that promote malignancy and drug resistance. While the miRNA-mRNA splicing interplay in cancer drug resistance remains largely to be elucidated, this review focuses on miRNA and alternative mRNA splicing (AS) events in breast, cervical, prostate, colorectal and ovarian cancer, as well as leukemia, and the role these events play in drug resistance. MiRNA induced cancer drug resistance; alternative mRNA splicing (AS) in cancer drug resistance; the interplay between AS and miRNA in chemoresistance will be discussed. Despite this great potential, the interplay between aberrant splicing events and miRNA is understudied but holds great potential in deciphering miRNA-mediated drug resistance.

Silencing of FOS-like antigen 1 represses restenosis via the ERK/AP-1 pathway in type 2 diabetic mice

Restenosis is a major limiting factor for a successful outcome in type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The aim of this study is to explore the role and regulatory mechanism of FOS-like antigen 1 (FOSL1) in restenosis in T2D. A T2D with restenosis mouse model was established by the combination of high-fat diet and streptozotocin injection and by wire-injury. High glucose (HG)-treated vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) were used to mimic T2D in vitro. The results of quantitative real time PCR and western blotting demonstrated that the expression of FOSL1 was increased not only in T2D mice or HG-induced VSMCs, but also in T2D mice that underwent wire-injury. HE staining revealed that FOSL1 knockdown significantly reduced the intimal/media ratio of T2D mice after wire-injury. Silencing of FOSL1 reversed the promoting effects of HG treatment on viability, migration and inflammation reactions, and the inhibiting effect on the apoptosis of VSMCs. Inhibition of ERK/AP-1 pathway obtained similar patterns in HG-induced VSMCs. The activation of ERK/AP-1 pathway reversed the influence of FOSL1 knockdown on HG-induced VSMCs. Our findings indicate that silencing of FOSL1 may suppress restenosis via regulation of the ERK/AP-1 pathway in T2D mice, pointing out a potential therapeutic target to prevent restenosis in T2D.

RETRACTED: MiR-15a-5p targets FOSL1 to inhibit proliferation and promote apoptosis of keratinocytes via MAPK/ERK pathway

This article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (https://www.elsevier.com/about/our-business/policies/article-withdrawal). This article has been retracted at the request of the authors. According to the authors, concerns with the experimental conduct presented in the paper have been identified, in addition to the grounds that that ethical approval was not sought or confirmed for the research undertaken. After a review, the Editor has confirmed approval that this paper should be retracted as it presents a violation of the Journal’s publishing policies and publishing ethics standards.

A Novel TCGA-Validated, MiRNA-Based Signature for Prediction of Breast Cancer Prognosis and Survival

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer affecting women and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Compelling evidence indicates that microRNAs (miRNAs) are inextricably involved in the development of cancer. Here, we constructed a novel model, based on miRNA-seq and clinical data downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Data from a total of 962 patients were included in this study, and the relationships among their clinicopathological features, survival, and miRNA-seq expression levels were analyzed. Hsa-miR-186 and hsa-miR-361 were identified as internal reference miRNAs and used to normalize miRNA expression data. A five-miRNA signature, constructed using univariate and multivariate Cox regression, was significantly associated with disease-specific survival (DSS) of patients with BC. Kaplan–Meier (KM) and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses were conducted to confirm the clinical significance of the five-miRNA signature. Finally, a nomogram was constructed based on the five-miRNA signature to evaluate its clinical value. Cox regression analysis revealed that a five-miRNA signature was significantly associated with DSS of patients with BC. KM analysis demonstrated that the signature could efficiently distinguish high- and low-risk patients. Moreover, ROC analysis showed that the five-miRNA signature exhibited high sensitivity and specificity in predicting the prognosis of patients with BC. Patients in the high-risk subgroup who received adjuvant chemotherapy had a significantly lower incidence of mortality than those who did not. A nomogram constructed based on the five-miRNA signature was effective in predicting 5-year DSS. This study presents a novel five-miRNA signature as a reliable prognostic tool to predict DSS and provide theoretical reference significance for individualized clinical decisions for patients with BC.

MicroRNA-9 as a paradoxical but critical regulator of cancer metastasis: Implications in personalized medicine

Metastasis, is a development of secondary tumor growths at a distance from the primary site, and closely related to poor prognosis and mortality. However, there is still no effective treatment for metastatic cancer. Therefore, there is an urgent need to find an effective therapy for cancer metastasis. Plenty of evidence indicates that miR-9 can function as a promoter or suppressor in cancer metastasis and coordinate multistep of metastatic process. In this review, we summarize the different roles of miR-9 with the corresponding molecular mechanisms in metastasis of twelve common cancers and the multiple mechanisms underlying miR-9-mediated regulation of metastasis, benefiting the further research of miR-9 and metastasis, and hoping to bridge it with clinical applications.

High-Throughput In Vitro Gene Expression Profile to Screen of Natural Herbals for Breast Cancer Treatment

Breast cancer has surpassed lung cancer as the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women worldwide. Some therapeutic drugs and approaches could cause side effects and weaken the immune system. The combination of conventional therapies and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) significantly improves treatment efficacy in breast cancer. However, the chemical composition and underlying anti-tumor mechanisms of TCM still need to be investigated. The primary aim of this study is to provide unique insights to screen the natural components for breast cancer therapy using high-throughput transcriptome analysis. Differentially expressed genes were identified based on two conditions: single samples and groups were classified according to their pharmaceutical effect. Subsequently, the sample treated with E. cochinchinensis Lour. generated the most significant DEGs set, including 1,459 DEGs, 805 upregulated and 654 downregulated. Similarly, group 3 treatment contained the most DEGs (414 DEGs, 311 upregulated and 103 downregulated). KEGG pathway analyses showed five significant pathways associated with the inflammatory and metastasis processes in cancer, which include the TNF, IL−17, NF-kappa B, MAPK signaling pathways, and transcriptional misregulation in cancer. Samples were classified into 13 groups based on their pharmaceutical effects. The results of the KEGG pathway analyses remained consistent with signal samples; group 3 presents a high significance. A total of 21 genes were significantly regulated in these five pathways, interestingly, IL6, TNFAIP3, and BRIC3 were enriched on at least two pathways, seven genes (FOSL1, S100A9, CXCL12, ID2, PRS6KA3, AREG, and DUSP6) have been reported as the target biomarkers and even the diagnostic tools in cancer therapy. In addition, weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) was used to identify 18 modules. Among them, blue and thistle2 were the most relevant modules. A total of 26 hub genes in blue and thistle2 modules were identified as the hub genes. In conclusion, we screened out three new TCM (R. communis L., E. cochinchinensis Lour., and B. fruticosa) that have the potential to develop natural drugs for breast cancer therapy, and obtained the therapeutic targets.

Signature identification of relapse-related overall survival of early lung adenocarcinoma after radical surgery

Background

The widespread use of low-dose chest CT screening has improved the detection of early lung adenocarcinoma. Radical surgery is the best treatment strategy for patients with early lung adenocarcinoma; however, some patients present with postoperative recurrence and poor prognosis. Through this study, we hope to establish a model that can identify patients that are prone to recurrence and have poor prognosis after surgery for early lung adenocarcinoma.

Materials and Methods

We screened prognostic and relapse-related genes using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and the GSE50081 dataset from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The GSE30219 dataset was used to further screen target genes and construct a risk prognosis signature. Time-dependent ROC analysis, calibration degree analysis, and DCA were used to evaluate the reliability of the model. We validated the TCGA dataset, GSE50081, and GSE30219 internally. External validation was conducted in the GSE31210 dataset.

Results

A novel four-gene signature (INPP5B, FOSL2, CDCA3, RASAL2) was established to predict relapse-related survival outcomes in patients with early lung adenocarcinoma after surgery. The discovery of these genes may reveal the molecular mechanism of recurrence and poor prognosis of early lung adenocarcinoma. In addition, ROC analysis, calibration analysis and DCA were used to verify the genetic signature internally and externally. Our results showed that our gene signature had a good predictive ability for recurrence and prognosis.

Conclusions

We established a four-gene signature and predictive model to predict the recurrence and corresponding survival rates in patients with early lung adenocarcinoma after surgery. These may be helpful for reforumulating post-operative consolidation treatment strategies.

Roles of miRNA and lncRNA in triple-negative breast cancer

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is currently the most malignant subtype of breast cancer without effective targeted therapies, which makes its pathogenesis an important target for research. A growing number of studies have shown that non-coding RNA (ncRNA), including microRNA (miRNA) and long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), plays a significant role in tumorigenesis. This review summarizes the roles of miRNA and lncRNA in the progression, diagnosis, and neoadjuvant chemotherapy of TNBC. Aberrantly expressed miRNA and lncRNA are listed according to their roles. Further, it describes the multiple mechanisms that lncRNA shows for regulating gene expression in the nucleus and cytoplasm, and more importantly, describes lncRNA-regulated TNBC progression through complete combining with miRNA at the post-transcriptional level. Focusing on miRNA and lncRNA associated with TNBC can provide new insights for early diagnosis and treatment-they can be targeted in the future as a novel anticancer target of TNBC.

A Signature of Four Circulating microRNAs as Potential Biomarkers for Diagnosing Early-Stage Breast Cancer

Breast cancer (BC) is the most predominant type of cancer among women. The aim of this study is to find new biomarkers that can help in early detection of BC, especially for those who are too young to be screened using mammography as per guidelines. Using microRNA microarray, we previously showed dysregulation of 74 microRNAs in tumors from early BC patients as compared with normal adjacent tissues, which we were interested in studying in blood circulation. In this study, we investigated the expression of 12 microRNA (miR-21/miR-155/miR-23a/miR-130a/miR-145/miR-425-5p/miR-139-5p/miR-451/miR-195/miR-125b/miR-100, and miR-182) in the plasma of 41 newly diagnosed Lebanese BC patients with early invasive ductal carcinoma as compared with 32 healthy controls. Total RNA was extracted from plasma, and expression levels of miRNA of interest were measured using RT-qPCR followed by statistical analysis; miR-21, miR-155, miR-23a, miR-130a, miR-145, miR-425-5p, and miR-139-5p were significantly upregulated and miR-451 was significantly downregulated, in the plasma of BC patients as compared with healthy controls. The positively correlated miR-23a, miR-21, and miR-130a had a high diagnostic accuracy (86%). Importantly, the combination of miR-145/miR-425-5p/miR-139-5p/miR-130a scored the highest diagnostic accuracy of 95% with AUC = 0.97 (sensitivity 97% and specificity 91%). MicroRNAs are promising non-invasive diagnostic biomarkers for early-stage BC with the panel of miR-145/miR-425-5p/miR-139-5p/miR-130a having the highest diagnostic accuracy.

HDAC3 increases HMGB3 expression to facilitate the immune escape of breast cancer cells via down-regulating microRNA-130a-3p

OBJECTIVE

Histone deacetylase 3 (HDAC3) has been reported to repress the expression of various genes by eliminating acetyl group from histone. The objective of this study was to discuss the effect of HDAC3/microRNA-130a-3p (miR-130a-3p)/high-mobility group box 3 (HMGB3) on immune escape of breast cancer.

METHODS

HDAC3, miR-130a-3p and HMGB3 expression in breast cancer tissues and cells were tested, and the correlation between HDAC3, miR-130a-3p and HMGB3 was analyzed. CD8, CD69 and programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) expression was detected. MDA-MB-231 cells were treated with relative plasmid of HDAC3 or miR-130a-3p to test cell viability, migration, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 cells. The cytotoxicity of CD8+/CD69+/PD-1+T cells in MDA-MB-231 cells was tested, and CD8+/CD69+/PD-1+T cell proliferation and apoptosis before and after co-culture with MDA-MB-231 cells were detected.

RESULTS

HDAC3 and HMGB3 expression were raised and miR-130a-3p expression was diminished in breast cancer tissues and cells. HDAC3 was negatively correlated with miR-130a-3p while miR-130a-3p was negatively correlated with HMGB3. Down-regulating HDAC3 or up-regulating miR-130a-3p restrained cell viability, migration, EMT and anti-CD8+/CD69+/PD-1+T cytotoxicity and facilitated apoptosis of breast cancer cells. HDAC3 regulated HMGB3 by mediating miR-130a-3p expression. Down-regulating miR-130a-3p reversed the role of HDAC3 reduction on breast cancer cells. HDAC3 regulated CD8+/CD69+/PD-1+T cell proliferation and apoptosis by mediating miR-130a-3p.

CONCLUSION

This study provides evidence that HDAC3 increases HMGB3 expression to promote the immune escape of breast cancer cells via down-regulating miR-130a-3p.

The Anticancer Effects of Flavonoids through miRNAs Modulations in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Triple- negative breast cancer (TNBC) incidence rate has regularly risen over the last decades and is expected to increase in the future. Finding novel treatment options with minimum or no toxicity is of great importance in treating or preventing TNBC. Flavonoids are new attractive molecules that might fulfill this promising therapeutic option. Flavonoids have shown many biological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer effects. In addition to their anticancer effects by arresting the cell cycle, inducing apoptosis, and suppressing cancer cell proliferation, flavonoids can modulate non-coding microRNAs (miRNAs) function. Several preclinical and epidemiological studies indicate the possible therapeutic potential of these compounds. Flavonoids display a unique ability to change miRNAs' levels via different mechanisms, either by suppressing oncogenic miRNAs or activating oncosuppressor miRNAs or affecting transcriptional, epigenetic miRNA processing in TNBC. Flavonoids are not only involved in the regulation of miRNA-mediated cancer initiation, growth, proliferation, differentiation, invasion, metastasis, and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), but also control miRNAs-mediated biological processes that significantly impact TNBC, such as cell cycle, immune system, mitochondrial dysregulation, modulating signaling pathways, inflammation, and angiogenesis. In this review, we highlighted the role of miRNAs in TNBC cancer progression and the effect of flavonoids on miRNA regulation, emphasizing their anticipated role in the prevention and treatment of TNBC.

DriverGroup: a novel method for identifying driver gene groups

MOTIVATION

Identifying cancer driver genes is a key task in cancer informatics. Most existing methods are focused on individual cancer drivers which regulate biological processes leading to cancer. However, the effect of a single gene may not be sufficient to drive cancer progression. Here, we hypothesize that there are driver gene groups that work in concert to regulate cancer, and we develop a novel computational method to detect those driver gene groups.

RESULTS

We develop a novel method named DriverGroup to detect driver gene groups by using gene expression and gene interaction data. The proposed method has three stages: (i) constructing the gene network, (ii) discovering critical nodes of the constructed network and (iii) identifying driver gene groups based on the discovered critical nodes. Before evaluating the performance of DriverGroup in detecting cancer driver groups, we firstly assess its performance in detecting the influence of gene groups, a key step of DriverGroup. The application of DriverGroup to DREAM4 data demonstrates that it is more effective than other methods in detecting the regulation of gene groups. We then apply DriverGroup to the BRCA dataset to identify driver groups for breast cancer. The identified driver groups are promising as several group members are confirmed to be related to cancer in literature. We further use the predicted driver groups in survival analysis and the results show that the survival curves of patient subpopulations classified using the predicted driver groups are significantly differentiated, indicating the usefulness of DriverGroup.

AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION

DriverGroup is available at https://github.com/pvvhoang/DriverGroup.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Progress of non-coding RNAs in triple-negative breast cancer

Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) include miRNA, lncRNA, and circRNA. NcRNAs are involved in multiple biological processes, including chromatin remodeling, signal transduction, post-transcriptional modification, cell autophagy, carbohydrate metabolism, and cell cycle regulation. Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is notorious for high invasiveness and metastasis, poor prognosis, and high mortality, and it is the most malignant breast cancer, while the effective targets for TNBC treatment are still lacking. NcRNAs act as oncogenes or suppressor genes, as well as promote or inhibit the occurrence and development of TNBC. Here, we reviewed some important miRNAs, lncRNAs, circRNAs, their target(s) and molecular mechanisms in TNBC. It is benefited to understand the occurrence and development of TNBC, further some ncRNAs might be potential targets for TNBC treatment.

Unveiling Role of MicroRNAs as Treatment Strategy and Prognostic Markers in Triple Negative Breast Cancer

Triple negative breast cancer is the highly aggressive form of breast cancer with high reoccurrence rate and is short of effective treatment strategy. The prognostic markers of it are also not well understood. miRNAs are the global regulators of various cancers on the virtue of its ability to post transcriptional regulation of genes involved in various pathways involved in complicating TNBC. In this review we studied the expression of miRNAs at different stages of TNBC and the role of miRNAs as a tumor suppressor to inhibit cell proliferation, angiogenesis, invasion and metastasis and to induce apoptosis and thereby proposing these miRNAs as an effective treatment strategy against TNBC. miRNA also acts as chemosenstizer in enhancing chemosensitivity of conventional drugs against resistant TNBC cells. The present review emphasizes the importance of miRNAs as prognostic markers to determine the overall survival, disease free survival and distant metastasis free survival rate in TNBC patients. We speculate that miRNA can present themselves as an effective treatment strategy and prognostic marker against TNBC.

Phase separation as a therapeutic target in tight junction-associated human diseases

Tight junctions (TJs) play an important role in the maintenance of epithelial and endothelial barriers. Zonula occludens (ZO) proteins are scaffolding molecules essential for the formation of TJ complexes, and abnormalities in ZO proteins have been implicated in various TJ-associated human diseases such as tumor invasion and metastasis, and barrier dysfunction. Recent studies reveal that liquid–liquid phase separation of ZO proteins drives the polymerization of TJ proteins into a continuous belt, which then recruits various proteins to form the TJ complex to regulate selective paracellular permeability and signal transduction. Herein, we describe recent advances on how ZO phase separation contributes to TJ formation and discuss the potential of phase separation as a target for the treatment of TJ-associated diseases.

MicroRNA-Dependent Targeting of RSU1 and the IPP Adhesion Complex Regulates the PTEN/PI3K/AKT Signaling Pathway in Breast Cancer Cell Lines

(1) Background: The microRNA (miR)-directed control of gene expression is correlated with numerous physiological processes as well as the pathological features of tumors. The focus of this study is on the role of miRs in the regulation of RSU1 and proteins in the IPP (integrin linked kinase, PINCH and parvin) complex. Because the IPP adaptor proteins link β integrins to actin cytoskeleton, and the RSU1 signaling protein connects the complex to the activation of cJun, ATF2 and the transcription of PTEN, their reduction by miRs has the potential to alter both adhesion and survival signaling. (2) Methods: Multiple database analyses were used to identify miRs that target RSU1 and PINCH1. miR transfection validated the effects of miRs on RSU1, PINCH1 and downstream targets in breast cancer cell lines. (3) Results: The miRs targeting RSU1 mRNA include miR-182-5p, -409-3p, -130a-3p, -221-3p, -744-5p and -106b-5p. Data show that miR-182-5p and -409-3p reduce RSU1, PINCH1 and inhibit the ATF2 activation of PTEN expression. miR-221-3p and miR-130a-3p target RSU1 and PINCH1 and, conversely, RSU1 depletion increases miR-221-3p and miR-130a-3p. (4) Conclusions: miRs targeting RSU1 and PINCH1 in mammary epithelial or luminal breast cancer cell lines reduced RSU1 signaling to p38 MAP kinase and ATF2, inhibiting the expression of PTEN. miR-221-3p, known to target PTEN and cell cycle regulators, also targets RSU1 and PINCH1 in luminal breast cancer cell lines.

AR-induced long non-coding RNA LINC01503 facilitates proliferation and metastasis via the SFPQ-FOSL1 axis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Increasing evidence indicates that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play vital roles in the tumorigenesis and progression of cancers. However, the functions and regulatory mechanisms of lncRNAs in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) are still largely unknown. Our previous lncRNA expression profiles identified that LINC01503 was overexpressed in NPC. Here, we verified that LINC01503 was highly expressed in NPC and correlated with poor prognosis. LINC01503 promoted NPC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro, and facilitated tumor growth and metastasis in vivo. Mechanistically, LINC01503 recruited splicing factor proline-and glutamine-rich (SFPQ) to activate Fos like 1 (FOSL1) transcription, and ectopic expression of FOSL1 reversed the suppressive effect of LINC01503 knockdown on NPC progression. Moreover, androgen receptor (AR)-mediated transcription activation was responsible for the overexpression of LINC01503, and AR ligand-dependent cell growth, migration, and invasion in NPC cells. Taken together, our findings reveal that AR-induced LINC01503 can promote NPC progression through the SFPQ-FOSL1 axis, which represents a novel prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for NPC patients.

Potential miRNAs for miRNA-Based Therapeutics in Breast Cancer

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that can post-transcriptionally regulate the genes involved in critical cellular processes. The aberrant expressions of oncogenic or tumor suppressor miRNAs have been associated with cancer progression and malignancies. This resulted in the dysregulation of signaling pathways involved in cell proliferation, apoptosis and survival, metastasis, cancer recurrence and chemoresistance. In this review, we will first (i) provide an overview of the miRNA biogenesis pathways, and in vitro and in vivo models for research, (ii) summarize the most recent findings on the roles of microRNAs (miRNAs) that could potentially be used for miRNA-based therapy in the treatment of breast cancer and (iii) discuss the various therapeutic applications.

Effects of CORO2A on Cell Migration and Proliferation and Its Potential Regulatory Network in Breast Cancer

Coronin 2A (CORO2A) is a novel component of the N-CoR (nuclear receptor co-repressor) complex. Abnormal CORO2A expression is associated with carcinogenesis. We used databases from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), and analyzed CORO2A expression and gene regulation networks in breast cancer. Expression was analyzed using GEO and TCGA database and further validated in breast cancer samples collected in our clinic. The prognostic value of CORO2A was explored by using the Kaplan–Meier survival analysis and Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. LinkedOmics was used to identify coexpressed genes associated with CORO2A. After analyzing the intersection of coexpressed genes correlated with CORO2A and differentially expressed genes after CORO2A silencing, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses of the intersecting genes were conducted by using FunRich software. Transwell assays were performed in breast cancer cells to determine the effect of CORO2A on cell migration. MTS, colony formation, and cell cycle distribution assays were performed in breast cancer cells to determine the effect of CORO2A on cell proliferation. Gene enrichment analysis was employed to explore the target networks of transcription factors and miRNAs. We found that CORO2A was upregulated and that the elevated expression of CORO2A was associated with poor overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS) in TNBC patients. Further bioinformatics analysis of public sequencing data and our own RNA-Seq data revealed that CORO2A was probably involved in the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition process and might have a significant effect on the migration of breast cancer cells, which might be mediated via pathways involving several miRNAs and MYC transcription factors. Functionally, the knockdown of CORO2A inhibited cell migration, decreased viability, and colony formation and induced cell cycle arrest in the G0/G1 phase in breast cancer cells. These results demonstrate that bioinformatics-based analysis efficiently reveals information about CORO2A expression and its potential regulatory networks in breast cancer, laying a foundation for further mechanistic research on the role of CORO2A in carcinogenesis. Moreover, CORO2A promotes the migration and proliferation of breast cancer cells and may have an important function in breast cancer progression. CORO2A is a potential prognostic predictor for TNBC patients. Targeting CORO2A may provide promising therapy strategies for breast cancer treatment.

IGF2BP3 and miR191-5p synergistically increase HCC cell invasiveness by altering ZO-1 expression

Early studies have indicated that insulin-like growth factor II mRNA binding protein 3 (IGF2BP3/IMP3) may affect the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); however, the detailed underlying mechanisms, particularly its linkage to tight junction protein-mediated cell invasion, remain unclear. The present study revealed that IGF2BP3 increased HCC cell invasiveness by suppressing zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) expression, via direct binding to the 3′ untranslated region (3′-UTR). Analysis of the molecular mechanisms demonstrated that IGF2BP3 binds to the overlapping targets of IGF2BP3-RNA cross-linkage and microRNA (miR)191-5p targeting sites, and promotes the formation of an miR191-5p-induced RNA-induced silencing complex. The knockdown of IGF2BP3 or the addition of a miR-191-5p inhibitor decreased cellular invasiveness and increased ZO-1 expression. Analysis of the human HCC database also confirmed the association between IGF2BP3 and HCC progression. Collectively, these preclinical findings suggest that IGF2BP3 increases HCC cell invasiveness by promoting the miR191-5p-induced suppression of ZO-1 signaling. This newly identified signaling effect on small molecule targeting may aid in the development of novel strategies with which to inhibit HCC progression more effectively.

microRNAs Orchestrate Pathophysiology of Breast Cancer Brain Metastasis: Advances in Therapy

Brain metastasis (BM) predominantly occurs in triple-negative (TN) and epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer (BC) patients, and currently, there is an unmet need for the treatment of these patients. BM is a complex process that is regulated by the formation of a metastatic niche. A better understanding of the brain metastatic processes and the crosstalk between cancer cells and brain microenvironment is essential for designing a novel therapeutic approach. In this context, the aberrant expression of miRNA has been shown to be associated with BM. These non-coding RNAs/miRNAs regulate metastasis through modulating the formation of a metastatic niche and metabolic reprogramming via regulation of their target genes. However, the role of miRNA in breast cancer brain metastasis (BCBM) is poorly explored. Thus, identification and understanding of miRNAs in the pathobiology of BCBM may identify a novel candidate miRNA for the early diagnosis and prevention of this devastating process. In this review, we focus on understanding the role of candidate miRNAs in the regulation of BC brain metastatic processes as well as designing novel miRNA-based therapeutic strategies for BCBM.

Silencing lncRNA AGAP2-AS1 Upregulates miR-195-5p to Repress Migration and Invasion of EC Cells via the Decrease of FOSL1 Expression

The interaction of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), microRNAs (miRNAs), and mRNAs has been implicated in various types of cancers, including esophageal cancer (EC). The current study aimed to investigate the role of AGAP2-AS1/miR-195-5p/Fos-like antigen-1 (FOSL1) in EC progression. The expression of AGAP2-AS1, miR-195-5p, and FOSL1 in tumor tissues isolated from EC patients and EC cell lines was determined by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), the results of which illustrated that AGAP2-AS1 and FOSL1 were increased while miR-195-5p was reduced in EC. Next, the ectopic expression, knockdown, and reporter assay experiments were all employed to elucidate the mechanism of AGAP2-AS1/miR-195-5p/FOSL1 in the processes of EC cell proliferation, cell cycle, apoptosis, invasion, and migration as well as tumor growth. Knockdown of AGAP2-AS1 or overexpression of miR-195-5p reduced EC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, blocked cell cycle entry, and elevated apoptosis. FOSL1 was found to be specifically targeted by miR-195-5p. AGAP2-AS1 was observed to upregulate FOSL1 by binding to miR-195-5p. Silencing of AGAP2-AS1 was observed to restrain the development of EC both in vitro and in vivo through upregulating miR-195-5p and downregulating FOSL1. Taken together, AGAP2-AS1 knockdown exercises suppressive effects on the development of EC through miR-195-5p-dependent downregulation of FOSL1. Therefore, targeting AGAP2-AS1 could be a future direction to develop a novel molecule-targeted therapeutic strategy for EC.

MicroRNAs and Metastasis

Metastasis, the development of secondary malignant growths at a distance from the primary site of a cancer, is associated with almost 90% of all cancer deaths, and half of all cancer patients present with some form of metastasis at the time of diagnosis. Consequently, there is a clear clinical need for a better understanding of metastasis. The role of miRNAs in the metastatic process is beginning to be explored. However, much is still to be understood. In this review, we present the accumulating evidence for the importance of miRNAs in metastasis as key regulators of this hallmark of cancer.

CBNA: A control theory based method for identifying coding and non-coding cancer drivers

A key task in cancer genomics research is to identify cancer driver genes. As these genes initialise and progress cancer, understanding them is critical in designing effective cancer interventions. Although there are several methods developed to discover cancer drivers, most of them only identify coding drivers. However, non-coding RNAs can regulate driver mutations to develop cancer. Hence, novel methods are required to reveal both coding and non-coding cancer drivers. In this paper, we develop a novel framework named Controllability based Biological Network Analysis (CBNA) to uncover coding and non-coding cancer drivers (i.e. miRNA cancer drivers). CBNA integrates different genomic data types, including gene expression, gene network, mutation data, and contains a two-stage process: (1) Building a network for a condition (e.g. cancer condition) and (2) Identifying drivers. The application of CBNA to the BRCA dataset demonstrates that it is more effective than the existing methods in detecting coding cancer drivers. In addition, CBNA also predicts 17 miRNA drivers for breast cancer. Some of these predicted miRNA drivers have been validated by literature and the rest can be good candidates for wet-lab validation. We further use CBNA to detect subtype-specific cancer drivers and several predicted drivers have been confirmed to be related to breast cancer subtypes. Another application of CBNA is to discover epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) drivers. Of the predicted EMT drivers, 7 coding and 6 miRNA drivers are in the known EMT gene lists.

Cancer is a disease of cells in human body and it causes a high rate of deaths worldwide. There has been evidence that coding and non-coding RNAs are key players in the initialisation and progression of cancer. These coding and non-coding RNAs are considered as cancer drivers. To design better diagnostic and therapeutic plans for cancer patients, we need to know the roles of cancer drivers in cancer development as well as their regulatory mechanisms in the human body. In this study, we propose a novel framework to identify coding and non-coding cancer drivers (i.e. miRNA cancer drivers). The proposed framework is applied to the breast cancer dataset for identifying drivers of breast cancer. Comparing our method with existing methods in predicting coding cancer drivers, our method shows a better performance. Several miRNA cancer drivers predicted by our method have already been validated by literature. The predicted cancer drivers by our method could be a potential source for further wet-lab experiments to discover the causes of cancer. In addition, the proposed method can be used to detect drivers of cancer subtypes and drivers of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition in cancer.

MicroRNAs Involved in Carcinogenesis, Prognosis, Therapeutic Resistance and Applications in Human Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive, prevalent, and distinct subtype of breast cancer characterized by high recurrence rates and poor clinical prognosis, devoid of both predictive markers and potential therapeutic targets. MicroRNAs (miRNA/miR) are a family of small, endogenous, non-coding, single-stranded regulatory RNAs that bind to the 3′-untranslated region (3′-UTR) complementary sequences and downregulate the translation of target mRNAs as post-transcriptional regulators. Dysregulation miRNAs are involved in broad spectrum cellular processes of TNBC, exerting their function as oncogenes or tumor suppressors depending on their cellular target involved in tumor initiation, promotion, malignant conversion, and metastasis. In this review, we emphasize on masses of miRNAs that act as oncogenes or tumor suppressors involved in epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), maintenance of stemness, tumor invasion and metastasis, cell proliferation, and apoptosis. We also discuss miRNAs as the targets or as the regulators of dysregulation epigenetic modulation in the carcinogenesis process of TNBC. Furthermore, we show that miRNAs used as potential classification, prognostic, chemotherapy and radiotherapy resistance markers in TNBC. Finally, we present the perspective on miRNA therapeutics with mimics or antagonists, and focus on the challenges of miRNA therapy. This study offers an insight into the role of miRNA in pathology progression of TNBC.

RNA-Seq analysis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells reveals unique transcriptional signatures associated with radiotherapy response of nasopharyngeal carcinoma and prognosis of head and neck cancer

Radiotherapy is the main treatment for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC); however, radioresistance limits the therapeutic efficacy and prognosis of patients with NPC. Here, we plan to identify the genes involved in radiotherapy response. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from three paired NPC patients with pre-radiotherapy and post-radiotherapy were extracted. Next-generation deep sequencing was then performed to identify the PBMCs transcripts profiles in response to radiotherapy. Data of gene chip GSE48501 was obtained from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The gene integration of differentially expressed genes identified from RNA-Seq data and gene chip was performed using "RobustRankAggreg" package. RNA-Seq data from 44 normal and 519 Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) tissues (downloaded from TCGA) was integrated into the analysis to further support our study. Cox regression was used to identify risk factors impacting survival. Total of 45 genes were identified to be associated with radiotherapy response. Significantly enriched Gene Ontology (GO) terms and pathways were enriched. Univariate and multivariate analysis suggested the dysregulated genes, CHAC2, CLEC9A, GNG10, JCHAIN, KLRB1, NOG, OLR1, PRELID2, SYT1, VWCE, ZNF443 were associated with survival in HNSCC patients. Our data provide an overview of the profiles of radiotherapy-associated genes, which will facilitate future investigations into the function of radiotherapy resistance.

Prognostic values of microRNA-130 family expression in patients with cancer: a meta-analysis and database test

BACKGROUND

Emerging evidence shows that microRNA-130 (miRNA-130) family may be useful as prognostic biomarkers in cancer. However, there is no confirmation in an independent validation study. The aim of this study was to summarize the prognostic value of miRNA-130 family (miRNA-130a and miRNA-130b) for survival in patients with cancer.

METHODS

The pooled hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to estimate the association strength between miRNA-130 family expression and prognosis. Kaplan-Meier plotters were used to verify the miRNA-130b expression and overall survival (OS).

RESULTS

A total of 2141 patients with OS and 1159 patients with disease-free survival (DFS)/progression-free survival (PFS) were analyzed in evidence synthesis. For the miRNA-130a, the overall pooled effect size (HR) was HR 1.58 (95% CI: 1.21-2.06, P < 0.001). Tissue and serum expression of miRNA-130a was significantly associated with the OS (HR = 1.54, 95% CI: 1.11-2.14, P = 0.009; HR = 1.65, 95% CI: 1.14-2.38, P = 0.008), and in gastric cancer (HR = 1.81, 95% CI: 1.34-2.45, P < 0.001). For the miRNA-13b, a statistical correlation was observed between high miRNA-130b expression and poor OS in patients with cancer (HR = 1.95, 95% CI: 1.47-2.59, P < 0.001), especially in tissue sample (HR = 2.01, 95% CI: 1.39-2.91, P < 0.001), Asian (HR = 2.55, 95% Cl: 1.77-3.69, P < 0.001) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HR = 1.87, 95% CI: 1.23-2.85, P = 0.004). The expression of miRNA-130b was significantly correlated with DFS/PFS (HR = 1.53, 95% CI: 1.31-1.77, P < 0.001), in tissue (HR = 1.98, 95% CI: 1.50-2.62, P < 0.001) and serum (HR = 1.37, 95% CI: 1.15-1.64, P < 0.001), especially in HCC (HR = 1.98, 95% CI: 1.50, 2.62, P < 0.001). In database test, a significant correlation between high miRNA-130b expression and poor OS for HCC patients was observed (HR = 1.55, 95% CI: 1.01, 2.35, P = 0.0045).

CONCLUSION

The high expression of miRNA-130 family might predict poor prognosis in cancer patients. Prospectively, combining miRNA-130a and miRNA-130b may be considered as powerful prognostic predictor for clinical application.

Expression and function of FRA1 protein in tumors

AP-1 is a dimeric complex that is composed of JUN, FOS, ATF and MAF protein families. FOS-related antigen 1 (FRA1) which encoded by FOSL1 gene, belongs to the FOS protein family, and mainly forms an AP-1 complex with the protein of the JUN family to exert an effect. Regulation of FRA1 occurs at levels of transcription and post-translational modification, and phosphorylation is the major post-translational modification. FRA1 is mainly regulated by the mitogen-activated protein kinases signaling pathway and is degraded by ubiquitin-independent proteasomes. FRA1 can affect biological functions, such as tumor proliferation, differentiation, invasion and apoptosis. Studies have demonstrated that FRA1 is abnormally expressed in many tumors and plays a relevant role, but the specific condition varies from the target organs. FRA1 is overexpressed in breast cancer, lung cancer, colorectal cancer, prostate cancer, nasopharyngeal cancer, thyroid cancer and other tumors. However, the expression of FRA1 is decreased in cervical cancer, and the expression of FRA1 in ovarian cancer and oral squamous cell carcinoma is still controversial. In this review, we present a detailed description of the regulatory factors and functions of FRA1, also, the expression of FRA1 in various tumors and its function in relative tumor.

MicroRNAs and Epigenetics Strategies to Reverse Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is a sporadic disease with genetic and epigenetic components. Genomic instability in breast cancer leads to mutations, copy number variations, and genetic rearrangements, while epigenetic remodeling involves alteration by DNA methylation, histone modification and microRNAs (miRNAs) of gene expression profiles. The accrued scientific findings strongly suggest epigenetic dysregulation in breast cancer pathogenesis though genomic instability is central to breast cancer hallmarks. Being reversible and plastic, epigenetic processes appear more amenable toward therapeutic intervention than the more unidirectional genetic alterations. In this review, we discuss the epigenetic reprogramming associated with breast cancer such as shuffling of DNA methylation, histone acetylation, histone methylation, and miRNAs expression profiles. As part of this, we illustrate how epigenetic instability orchestrates the attainment of cancer hallmarks which stimulate the neoplastic transformation-tumorigenesis-malignancy cascades. As reversibility of epigenetic controls is a promising feature to optimize for devising novel therapeutic approaches, we also focus on the strategies for restoring the epistate that favor improved disease outcome and therapeutic intervention.