MiR-490-5p inhibits the metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma by down-regulating E2F2 and ECT2

Non-coding RNAs in hepatocellular carcinoma metastasis: Remarkable indicators and potential oncogenic mechanism

Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), as key regulators involving in intercellular biological processes, are more prominent in many malignancies, especially for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Herein, we conduct a comprehensive review to summarize diverse ncRNAs roles in HCC metastatic mechanism. We focus on four signaling pathways that predominate in HCC metastatic process, including Wnt/β-catenin, HIF-1α, IL-6, and TGF-β pathways. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs) employed different mechanisms to participate in the regulation of the key genes in these pathways, typical as interaction with DNA to control transcription, with RNA to control translation, and with protein to control stability. Therefore, ncRNAs may become potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for HCC metastasis.

The role of E2F2 in cancer progression and its value as a therapeutic target

The E2F family of transcription factors plays a crucial role in the regulation of cell cycle progression and cell proliferation. Accumulative evidence indicates that aberrant expression or activation of E2F2 is a common phenomenon in malignances. E2F2 has emerged as a key player in the development and progression of various types of tumors. A wealth of research has substantiated that E2F2 could contribute to the enhancement of tumor cell proliferation, angiogenesis, and invasiveness. Moreover, E2F2 exerts its influence on a myriad of cellular processes by engaging with a spectrum of auxiliary factors and downstream targets, including apoptosis and DNA repair. The dysregulation of E2F2 in the context of carcinogenesis may be attributable to a multitude of mechanisms, which encompass modifications in upstream regulatory elements or epigenetic alterations. This review explores the function of E2F2 in cancer progression and both established and emerging therapeutic strategies aiming at targeting this oncogenic pathway, while also providing a strong basis for further research on the biological function and clinical applications of E2F2.

CircPVT1 promotes migration and invasion by regulating miR-490-5p/HAVCR2 axis in osteosarcoma cells

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) play an important role in the progression of osteosarcoma. However, the precise function of circPVT1 in osteosarcoma remains elusive. This study aims to explore the molecular mechanism underlying the involvement of circPVT1 in osteosarcoma cells. We quantified circPVT1 expression using qRT-PCR in both control and osteosarcoma cell lines. To investigate the roles of circPVT1, miR-490-5p and HAVCR2 in vitro, we separately conducted overexpression and inhibition experiments for circPVT1, miR-490-5p and HAVCR2 in HOS and U2OS cells. Cell migration was assessed through wound healing and transwell migration assays, and invasion was measured via the Matrigel invasion assay. To elucidate the regulatory mechanism of circPVT1 in osteosarcoma, a comprehensive approach was employed, including fluorescence in situ hybridization, qRT-PCR, Western blot, bioinformatics, dual-luciferase reporter assay and rescue assay. CircPVT1 expression in osteosarcoma cell lines surpassed that in control cells. The depletion of circPVT1 resulted in a notable reduction in the in vitro migration and invasion of osteosarcoma cells. Mechanism experiments revealed that circPVT1 functioned as a miR-490-5p sequester, and directly targeted HAVCR2. Overexpression of miR-490-5p led to a significant attenuation of migration and invasion of osteosarcoma cells, whereas HAVCR2 overexpression had the opposite effect, promoting these abilities. Additionally, circPVT1 upregulated HAVCR2 expression via sequestering miR-490-5p, thereby orchestrating the migration and invasion in osteosarcoma cells. CircPVT1 orchestrates osteosarcoma migration and invasion by regulating the miR-490-5p/HAVCR2 axis, underscoring its potential as a promising therapeutic target for osteosarcoma.

Systematic analysis of the prognosis and immune infiltration of E2Fs in thyroid carcinoma

Purpose: To evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic utility of E2F transcription factors (E2Fs) in thyroid carcinoma (THCA) and their association with immune infiltration. Methods: The transcription and protein levels of E2Fs in THCA tissues were examined using the R language and the Human Protein Atlas (HPA) database in this research. We utilized the UALCAN and GEPIA2 databases to analyze the association between the level of E2Fs and the clinicopathological features of THCA. The prognostic utility of E2F expression in THCA was studied using the R language and the Gene Set Cancer Analysis (GSCA) database. Over-representation analysis (ORA) and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) were employed to analyze the effect of E2F family members. The TISIDB database and Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER) database were utilized to investigate the relationship between E2F expression and the level of immune infiltration in thyroid cancer. Results: E2Fs are highly conserved in thyroid carcinoma and rarely mutated. E2Fs are strongly expressed in THCA and are highly related with the clinicopathological stage of THCA. Patients with THCA have a poor prognosis when E2Fs are highly expressed. The function of E2Fs in THCA may be closely related to the renin-angiotensin system (Ras) signaling pathway, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) signaling pathway, apoptosis, and immune response. With regard to the immune infiltration, E2F expression and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes exhibited a positive connection. Conclusion: The level of E2Fs is connected with the prognosis and immune infiltration level in THCA, revealing that E2Fs may be a prognostic and immune infiltration cell marker in THCA patients.

miR-125b-5p, miR-155-3p, and miR-214-5p and Target E2F2 Gene in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

It is known that E2F2 (E2F transcription factor 2) plays an important role as controller in the cell cycle. This study aimed to analyse the expression of the E2F2 gene and E2F2 protein and demonstrate E2F2 target microRNAs (miRNAs) candidates (miR-125b-5p, miR-155-3p, and miR-214-5p) in oral squamous cell carcinoma tumour and margin samples. The study group consisted 50 patients. The E2F2 gene and miRNAs expression levels were assessed by qPCR, while the E2F2 protein was assessed by ELISA. When analysing the effect of miRNAs expression on E2F2 gene expression and E2F2 protein level, we observed no statistically significant correlations. miR-125b-5p was downregulated, while miR-155-3p, and miR-214-5p were upregulated in tumour samples compared to margin. We observed a difference between the miR-125b-5p expression level in smokers and non-smokers in margin samples. Furthermore, HPV-positive individuals had a significantly higher miR-125b-5p and miR-214-5p expression level compared to HPV-negative patients in tumour samples. The study result showed that the E2F2 gene is not the target for analysed miRNAs in OSCC. Moreover, miR-155-3p and miR-125b-5p could play roles in the pathogenesis of OSCC. A differential expression of the analysed miRNAs was observed in response to tobacco smoke and HPV status.

miRNA-223-3p regulates ECT2 to promote proliferation, invasion, and metastasis of gastric cancer through the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

PURPOSE

Expression of the guanine nucleotide exchange factor epithelial cell transforming 2 (ECT2) is elevated in gastric cancer (GC) but its biological function in GC is poorly understood. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have great potential as therapeutic targets for GC through their ability to modulate gene expression. In the present study, we sought to identify potential miRNA-mRNA-protein regulatory pathways that might control ECT2 expression and function in GC.

METHODS

ECT2 expression was examined in clinical GC specimens by immunohistochemical staining, and protein levels were correlated with clinicopathological features and prognosis. TargetScan was used to identify potential ECT2 mRNA-complementary miRNAs, and the roles of ECT2 and miRNA-223-3p (miR-223-3p) in GC cell biology and signaling pathway activation were examined by targeted knockdown (KD) or overexpression (OE) of ECT2 and miR-223-3p in GC cell lines. A murine GC xenograft model was developed to explore the impact of ECT2 OE on tumor growth in vivo.

RESULTS

ECT2 expression was significantly elevated in GC specimens compared with normal gastric tissues and the level correlated positively with depth of invasion, ulceration, vascular tumor thrombus, neural invasion, and lymph node metastasis (p < 0.05). ECT2 was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival of GC patients (high ECT2 expression v.s. low ECT2 expression: χ² = 29.831, p < 0.001). ECT2 KD or miR-223-3p OE markedly suppressed the proliferation, migration, and invasion of GC cells in vitro, whereas ECT2 OE had the opposite effects. ECT2 OE also promoted the growth of GC tumors in vivo. Tumor expression of Wnt2, β-catenin, and several downstream target proteins in GC cells were decreased by ECT2 KD or miR-223-3p OE but increased by ECT2 OE.

CONCLUSIONS

miR-223-3p regulates ECT2 expression to promote tumorigenic behavior of GC via activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, suggesting that ECT2 and miR-223-3p as potential therapeutic targets for GC.

Hsa_circ_0092887 targeting miR-490-5p/UBE2T promotes paclitaxel resistance in non-small cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND

Chemoresistance is a major contributing factor to cancer treatment failure. Emerging research reveals that circular RNA (circRNA) dysregulation is implicated in chemoresistance. Our current study aimed to investigate the involvement of hsa_circ_0092887 in paclitaxel (PTX) resistance in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

METHODS

RT-qPCR as well as western blotting were used for the analysis of hsa_circ_0092887, miR-490-5p and UBE2T expression in PTX-resistant NSCLC tumor tissues and cells. CCK-8 assay was done to determine the IC50 value of PTX. CCK-8 assay, wound healing assay, analysis of apoptosis related proteins (Bax and Bcl-2), and xenograft mouse models were utilized to investigate the role of hsa_circ_0092887 in PTX-resistance in NSCLC. The binding sites of miR-490-5p to hsa_circ_0092887 or UBE2T were predicted by bioinformatics tools and were verified by RIP and dual-luciferase assays.

RESULTS

Expression of hsa_Circ_0092887 was upregulated in NSCLC tumor samples/cell lines, and its expression was also higher in PTX-resistant tumor samples/cell lines when compared with their respective controls. Silencing of hsa_circ_0092887 in PTX-treated NSCLC cells inhibited cell proliferation and migration, induced apoptosis, and suppressed tumor growth in xenograft mouse models in vivo. MiR-490-5p was a direct target of hsa_circ_0092887, and UBE2T was a functional downstream target of hsa_circ_0092887/miR-490-5p axis. Hsa_circ_0092887 depletion-induced anti-cancer effects in PTX-treated NSCLC cells were reversed by miR-490-5p inhibitor. Furthermore, inhibition of miR-490-5p strengthened UBE2T expression, thereby attenuating the anti-cancer effects caused by UBE2T knockdown.

CONCLUSION

Hsa_circ_0092887 depletion alleviated PTX-resistance in NSCLC cells via modulating the miR-490-5p/UBE2T axis, and the targeted management of hsa_circ_0092887-mediated signaling axis might contribute to PTX-resistance intervention in NSCLC.

Expression Profiles of CDKN2A, MDM2, E2F2 and LTF Genes in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the most commonly detected neoplasms worldwide. Not all mechanisms associated with cell cycle disturbances are known in OSCC. Examples of genes involved in the control of the cell cycle are CDKN2A, MDM2, E2F2 and LTF. The aim of this study was to examine the possible association between CDKN2A, MDM2, E2F2 and LTF mRNA expression and influence on clinical variables.

METHODS

The study group consisted of 88 Polish patients. The gene expression levels were assessed by quantitative reverse transcription PCR.

RESULTS

We found no statistically significant differences in the expression level of CDKN2A, MDM2, E2F2 and LTF genes in tumour samples compared to margin samples. No association was found between the gene expression levels and clinical parameters, except E2F2. The patients with G2 tumours had a significantly higher gene expression level of E2F2 than patients with low-grade G1 tumours.

CONCLUSIONS

We have not demonstrated that a change in expression profiles of genes has a significant impact on the pathogenesis of OSCC. It may also be useful to conduct further studies on the use of E2F2 expression profile changes as a factor to describe the invasiveness and dynamics of OSCC development.

Perfluorooctanoic acid-induced developmental cardiotoxicity in chicken embryo: Roles of miR-490-5p

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) could induce developmental toxicities, affecting various organs, including the heart. Although peroxisome-proliferation activated receptor alpha (PPARα) had been identified as a major target of PFOA, PPARα-independent effects are frequently reported. To further elucidate the mechanism of toxicity in PFOA-induced developmental cardiotoxicity, RNA-seq analysis was performed in hatchling chicken hearts developmentally exposed to vehicle or 2 mg/kg (egg weight) PFOA. RT-PCR and western blotting were then performed to confirm the identified potential targets. Furthermore, lentivirus was designed to overexpress and silence identified target miRNA in developing chicken embryo, and the resulting phenotypes were investigated. 21 miRNAs and 1142 mRNAs were identified to be affected by developmental exposure to PFOA in chicken embryo hearts. Among the identified differentially expressed miRNAs, miR-490-5p was confirmed to be significantly affected by PFOA exposure, along with its downstream targets, Synaptosome associated protein 91 (SNAP91) and LY6/PLAUR domain containing 6 (LYPD6), as indicated by RT-PCR and western blotting results. Lentivirus overexpressing miR-490-5p mimicked the phenotype induced by PFOA exposure, while lentivirus silencing miR-490-5p alleviated PFOA-induced changes. Similar patterns were also observed in the expression of downstream target genes, SNAP91 and LYPD6. In summary, miR-490-5p and its downstream genes, SNAP91 and LYPD6 are associated with PFOA-induced developmental cardiotoxicity in chicken embryo, which might help to further elucidate the mechanism of PFOA-induced developmental cardiotoxicity.

Exosomal circRNA FNDC3B promotes the progression of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma by sponging miR-490-5p and regulating thioredoxin reductase 1 expression

Exosomal circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been reported to play critical roles in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). We aimed to investigate the function of exosomal circRNA FNDC3B (circFNDC3B). The RNA levels and protein levels were examined using RT-qPCR and western blot (WB) assays. Colony formation and EdU assays were used to assess cell proliferative ability. Cell migratory and invasive abilities were detected by wound healing and transwell assays. Cell apoptosis was measured by flow cytometry. Glycolysis was measured using commercial kits. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) were applied to examine the morphology and size of exosomes. Dual-luciferase reporter, RIP and RNA pull-down assays assessed the interaction of miR-490-5p with circFNDC3B or thioredoxin reductase 1 (TXNRD1). Xenograft tumor model determined the role of exosomal circFNDC3B in vivo. We observed that circFNDC3B was upregulated in ESCC samples and cells, as well as ESCC-derived exosomes. CircFNDC3B could be delivered via exosomes in tumor cells, and the colony formation, proliferation, migration, invasion, glycolysis, and in vivo growth ability of recipient cells were weakened after co-incubation with exosomal circFNDC3B-knockdown donor cells. CircFNDC3B was a miR-490-5p sponge, and miR-490-5p inhibition reversed the role of exosomal circFNDC3B-downregulating in ESCC cells. TXNRD1 was a miR-490-5p target, and TXNRD1 elevation weakened the anti-cancer function of miR-490-5p upregulation in ESCC cells. CircFNDC3B mediated TXNRD1 expression by interacting with miR-490-5p. In conclusion, exosomal circFNDC3B drove ESCC progression via regulating the miR-490-5p/TXNRD1 axis.AbbreviationsEC: esophageal cancer; ESCC: esophageal squamous cell carcinoma; circRNA: circular RNA; WB: western blot; TEM: transmission electron microscopy; NTA: nanoparticle tracking analysis; TXNRD1: thioredoxin reductase 1; IHC: immunohistochemistry; RT-qPCR: reverse transcription-polymerase quantitative chain reaction; GLUT1: glucose transport protein type 1; LDHA: lactate dehydrogenase A.

A Cell Cycle-Related 13-mRNA Signature to Predict Prognosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

We aimed to propose a cell cycle-related multi/mRNA signature (CCS) for prognosis prediction and uncover new tumor-driver genes for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Cell cycle-related gene sets and HCC samples with mRNA-Seq data were retrieved from public sources. The genes differentially expressed in HCCs relative to normal peritumoral tissues were extracted through statistical analysis. The CCS was constructed by Cox regression analyses. Predictive capacity and clinical practicality of the signature were evaluated and validated. The expression of the function-unknown genes in the CCS was determined by RT-qPCR. Candidate gene TICRR was selected for subsequent validation through functional experiments. A cell cycle-related 13-mRNA signature was generated from the exploratory cohort [The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), n = 371)]. HCC cases were classified as high- vs. low-risk groups per overall survival (OS) [hazard ratio (HR) = 2.699]. Significantly, the CCS exhibited great predictive value for prognosis in three independent cohorts, particularly in GSE76427 cohort [area under the curve (AUC) = 0.835/0.822/0.808/0.821/0.826 at 1/2/3/4/5 years]. The nomogram constructed by integrating clinicopathological features with the CCS indicated high accuracy and practicability. Significant enrichment of tumorigenesis-associated pathways was observed in the high-risk patients by Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA). RT-qPCR revealed that TICRR was overexpressed in HCC samples. Increased TICRR expression implied poor prognosis in HCC patients. Furthermore, depletion of TICRR in HCC cells decreased cell proliferation and the G1/S transition. In conclusion, the established 13-CCS had efficacy in prognostic prediction of HCC patients. Additionally, TICRR was demonstrated as a tumor-driver gene for this deadly disease.

Identification of the Expression and Clinical Significance of E2F Family in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma

Background

Multiple studies have identified that E2F transcriptions act as important regulators for the tumorigenesis and progression of several human cancers. However, little is known about the function of E2Fs in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC).

Methods

We firstly investigated the expression levels, genetic alteration, and biological function of E2Fs in patients with ccRCC and the connections between the immune cell infiltration and the overall survivals of ccRCC patients with the E2Fs expression levels based on UALCAN, The Cancer Genome Atlas database, Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis, TIMER, STRING, GSCALite and cBioPortal databases.

Results

Results revealed that the expression levels of E2F1/2/3/4/6/7/8 were markedly upregulated in patients with ccRCC, while the expression of E2F5 displayed an opposite trend. We also experimentally validated the overexpression of E2F3/4/7 in human ccRCC tissues and ccRCC cell lines. Furthermore, the high E2F1/2/3/4/7/8 expression levels were clearly associated with worse pathological characteristics of ccRCC, including high pathological stage, poor molecular subtypes and high tumor grade. Meanwhile, high expression levels of E2F1/2/4/7/8 were evidently associated with worse overall survivals (OSs) and progression-free survivals (PFSs) of patients harboring ccRCC. Univariate and multivariate analyses illustrated that the expressions of E2F4/5/7 were independent factors associated with the OSs and PFSs of patients with ccRCC. Meanwhile, the mutations in E2Fs were also significantly related to poor OSs and PFSs of patients with ccRCC. Mechanically, the E2Fs genes synergistically promoted the progression of ccRCC by accelerating the cell cycle and inhibiting DNA damage response and apoptosis after performing the protein structure, functional enrichment, and PPI network analyses. In addition, E2Fs genes were also significantly associated with tumor immune cells infiltration and the drug sensitivity in ccRCC.

Conclusion

As a result, E2F4/7 were highly expressed in ccRCC and significantly associated with worse pathological characteristics of ccRCC, including high pathological stage, poor molecular subtypes and high tumor grade, tumor immune cell infiltration, and drug sensitivity, consequently translating into poor OSs and PFSs of patients with ccRCC. Our results indicated that E2F4/7 could be potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets of ccRCC patients.

MIMRDA: A Method Incorporating the miRNA and mRNA Expression Profiles for Predicting miRNA-Disease Associations to Identify Key miRNAs (microRNAs)

Identifying cancer-related miRNAs (or microRNAs) that precisely target mRNAs is important for diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Creating novel methods to identify candidate miRNAs becomes an imminent Frontier of researches in the field. One major obstacle lies in the integration of the state-of-the-art databases. Here, we introduce a novel method, MIMRDA, which incorporates the miRNA and mRNA expression profiles for predicting miRNA-disease associations to identify key miRNAs. As a proof-of-principle study, we use the MIMRDA method to analyze TCGA datasets of 20 types (BLCA, BRCA, CESE, CHOL, COAD, ESCA, HNSC, KICH, KIRC, KIRP, LIHC, LUAD, LUSC, PAAD, PRAD, READ, SKCM, STAD, THCA and UCEC) of cancer, which identified hundreds of top-ranked miRNAs. Some (as Category 1) of them are endorsed by public databases including TCGA, miRTarBase, miR2Disease, HMDD, MISIM, ncDR and mTD; others (as Category 2) are supported by literature evidences. miR-21 (representing Category 1) and miR-1258 (representing Category 2) display the excellent characteristics of biomarkers in multi-dimensional assessments focusing on the function similarity analysis, overall survival analysis, and anti-cancer drugs’ sensitivity or resistance analysis. We compare the performance of the MIMRDA method over the Limma and SPIA packages, and estimate the accuracy of the MIMRDA method in classifying top-ranked miRNAs via the Random Forest simulation test. Our results indicate the superiority and effectiveness of the MIMRDA method, and recommend some top-ranked key miRNAs be potential biomarkers that warrant experimental validations.

Cell division cycle associated 8: A novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for hepatocellular carcinoma

The cell division cycle associated 8 (CDCA8) is a crucial component of the chromosome passenger complex (CPC). It has been implicated in the regulation of cell dynamic localization during mitosis. However, its role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is not clearly known. In this study, data of 374 patients with HCC were retrieved from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Pan analysis of Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) database was performed to profile the mRNA expression of CDCA8 in HCC. Then, the Kaplan‐Meier plotter database was analysed to determine the prognostic value of CDCA8 in HCC. In addition, samples of tumour and adjacent normal tissues were collected from 88 HCC patients to perform immunohistochemistry (IHC), reverse transcription‐quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR) and Western blotting. The results obtained from bioinformatic analyses were validated through CCK‐8 assay, EdU assay, colony formation assay, cell cycle assays and Western blotting experiments. Analysis of the Kaplan‐Meier plotter database showed that high expression of CDCA8 may lead to poor overall survival (OS, p = 4.06e‐05) in patients with HCC. For the 88 patients with HCC, we found that stages and grades appeared to be strongly linked with CDCA8 expression. Furthermore, the high expression of CDCA8 was found to be correlated with poor OS (p = 0.0054) and progression‐free survival (PFS, p = 0.0009). In vitro experiments revealed that inhibition of CDCA8 slowed cell proliferation and blocked the cell cycle at the G0/G1 phase. In vivo experiments demonstrated that inhibition of CDCA8 inhibited tumour growth. Finally, blockade of CDCA8 reduced the expression levels of cyclin A2, cyclin D1, CDK4, CDK6, Ki67 and PCNA. And, there is an interaction between CDCA8 and E2F1. In conclusion, this research demonstrates that CDCA8 may serve as a biomarker for early diagnosis and prognosis prediction of HCC patients. In addition, CDCA8 could be an effective therapeutic target in HCC.

[CDK1, CCNB1 and NDC80 are associated with prognosis and progression of hepatitis B virus-associated hepatocellular carcinoma: a bioinformatic analysis]

OBJECTIVE

To identify the key genes involved in the transformation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) into hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and explore the underlying molecular mechanisms.

METHODS

We analyzed the mRNA microarray data of 119 HBV-related HCC tissues and 252 HBV-related non-tumor tissues in GSE55092, GSE84044 and GSE121248 from the GEO database, and the "sva" R package was used to remove the batch effects. Integration analysis was performed to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in HBV-related liver cancer and liver tissues with HBV infection. The significant DEGs were functionally annotated using GO and KEGG analyses, and the most important modules and hub genes were explored with STRING analysis. Kaplan-Meier and Oncomine databases were used to verify the HCC gene expression data in the TCGA database to explore the correlations of the hub genes with the occurrence, progression and prognosis of HCC. We also examined the expressions of the hub genes in 17 pairs of surgical specimens of HCC and adjacent tissues using RT-qPCR.

RESULTS

We identified a total of 121 DEGs and 3 genetic markers in HCC (P < 0.01). These DEGs included cyclin1 (CDK1), cyclin B1 (CCNB1), and nuclear division cycle 80 (NDC80), which participated in cell cycle, pyrimidine metabolism and DNA replication and were highly correlated (P < 0.05). Analysis of the UALCAN database confirmed high expressions of these 3 genes in HCC tissues, which were correlated with a low survival rate of the patients, as shown by Kaplan-Meier analysis of the prognostic data from the UALCAN database. CDK1, CCNB1 and NDC80 were all correlated with the clinical grading of HCC (P < 0.05). The results of RT-qPCR on the surgical specimens verified significantly higher expressions of CDK1, CCNB1 and NDC80 mRNA in HCC tissues than in the adjacent tissues.

CONCLUSION

CDK1, CCNB1 and NDC80 genes can be used as prognostic markers of HBV-related HCC and may serve as potential targets in preclinical studies and clinical treatment of HCC.

MiR-490-5p Restrains Progression of Gastric cancer through DTL Repression

Gastric cancer (GC) accounts for a main cause of cancer-related deaths. This study sought for molecular mechanism of miR-490-5p/DTL axis in affecting GC progression, thus bringing new hope for treatment of GC. Expression data of differentially expressed miRNAs and mRNAs in GC tissue from TCGA database were analyzed. MiR-490-5p and DTL mRNA expression levels in GC were evaluated with qRT-PCR. Cell viability was confirmed with CCK-8 method. Cell cycle distribution and apoptosis were analyzed with flow cytometry. Cell migratory and invasive potential was proved with Transwell assay. The targeted relationship between DTL and miR-490-5p was analyzed with dual-luciferase assay. The results indicated a decreased miR-490-5p level in GC cells. MiR-490-5p upregulation hampered proliferation, migration, invasion and promote cell apoptosis. DTL was the target of and inversely associated with miR-490-5p, and it could remarkably induce the carcinogenesis of GC. MiR-490-5p mediated GC cell progression by DTL repression. In conclusion, miR-490-5p and DTL may be valuable in diagnosis and treatment for GC.

Long Noncoding RNA MIR100HG Knockdown Attenuates Hepatocellular Carcinoma Progression by Regulating MicroRNA-146b-5p/Chromobox 6

Purpose

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounts for approximately ninety percent of primary liver cancer. This study attempted to investigate the effects of the long noncoding RNA MIR100HG (MIR100HG) in HCC and the underlying molecular mechanism.

Materials and Methods

qRT-PCR was implemented to analyze the expression of MIR100HG, microRNA-146b-5p (miR-146b-5p), and Chromobox 6 (CBX6). The correlation between MIR100HG and clinicopathological features of HCC patients was assessed. Additionally, the effects of MIR100HG knockdown on HCC cell viability, migration, and invasion were explored. The interactions among MIR100HG, miR-146b-5p, and CBX6 were confirmed. Furthermore, rescue experiments were conducted to investigate whether MIR100HG knockdown modulates HCC cell behaviors through modulating the miR-146b-5p/CBX6 axis.

Results

The expression of MIR100HG and CBX6 was enhanced, while miR-146b-5p was inhibited in HCC cells. High MIR100HG expression was positively associated with the TNM tumor stage and Edmondson-Steiner grading in HCC patients. MIR100HG knockdown considerably reduced the HCC cell viability, migration, and invasion. In addition, MIR100HG directly targeted miR-146b-5p, and miR-146b-5p directly targeted CBX6 in HCC cells. Moreover, miR-146b-5p suppression or CBX6 elevation evidently rescued the suppressed viability, migration, and invasion of HCC cells caused by MIR100HG knockdown.

Conclusions

Knockdown of MIR100HG inhibited the viability, migration, and invasion of HCC cells by targeting the miR-146b-5p/CBX6 axis, offering a potential therapeutic target for HCC therapy.

MicroRNA-490-3p and -490-5p in carcinogenesis: Separate or the same goal?

MicroRNA (miR)-490-3p and miR-490-5p, located on chromosome 7q33, are two independent mature products of miR-490 exerting distinct effects on tumor progression. miR-490-3p and miR-490-5p possess antitumor properties. miR-490-3p dysfunction has been associated with malignancies including colorectal cancer, while the abnormal function of miR-490-5p has been more considerably associated with bladder cancer (for example). At present, there are 30 and 11 target genes of miR-490-3p and miR-490-5p, respectively, that have been experimentally verified, of which the cyclin D1 (CCND1) gene is a common target. Through these target genes, miR-490-3p and miR-490-5p are involved in 7 and 3 signaling pathways, respectively, of which only 2 are shared regulatory signaling pathways. The present review introduces two competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) regulatory networks centered on miR-490-3p and miR-490-5p. These networks may be important promoters of tumor cell proliferation, invasiveness, metastatic potential and apoptosis. Unlike miR-490-5p, miR-490-3p plays a unique role in promoting cancer. However, both are promising molecular markers for early cancer diagnosis and prognosis. In addition, miR-490-3p was also found to be associated with the chemical resistance of cisplatin and paclitaxel. The present review focuses on the abnormal expression of miR-490-3p and miR-490-5p in different tumor types, and their complex ceRNA regulatory networks. The clinical value of miR-490-3p and miR-490-5p in cancer diagnosis, prognosis and treatment is also clarified, and an explanation for the opposing effects of miR-490-3p in tumor research is provided.

LncRNA RCAT1 promotes tumor progression and metastasis via miR-214-5p/E2F2 axis in renal cell carcinoma

Renal cell carcinoma is the second malignant tumors in the urinary system with high mortality and morbidity. Increasing evidence suggests that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play critical roles in tumor development and progression. In the current study, based on the publicly available data obtained from GEO and TCGA database, we identified five prognosis-related lncRNAs with the ability to predict the prognosis of patients with renal cell carcinoma. Among them, the uncharacterized and upregulated lncRNA RCAT1 (renal cancer-associated transcript 1) was identified as the key lncRNA. Our data further revealed that the expression of lncRNA RCAT1 was significantly upregulated in renal cell carcinoma tissues and cells. Gain-of-function and loss-of-function studies showed that lncRNA RCAT1 promoted cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, we verified that lncRNA RCAT1 could abundantly sponge miR-214-5p, which served as a tumor suppressor in renal cell carcinoma. Significantly, miR-214-5p overexpression could attenuate the promotion of cell proliferation and metastasis induced by lncRNA RCAT1. Moreover, we found that E2F2 was a direct target of miR-214-5p, and lncRNA RCAT1 could protect E2F2 from miR-214-5p-mediated degradation. Taken together, our findings suggested that lncRNA RCAT1 could enhance the malignant phenotype of renal cell carcinoma cells by modulating miR-214-5p/E2F2 axis, and lncRNA RCAT1 might be a novel prognostic biomarker and a potential therapeutic target for renal cell carcinoma.

miR-30a-5p Regulates Viability, Migration, and Invasion of Lung Adenocarcinoma Cells via Targeting ECT2

OBJECTIVE

The abnormal expression of epithelial cell transforming sequence 2 (ECT2) is often considered the driving factor for the growth and invasion of tumors. This study was performed to investigate the regulatory effect of miR-30a-5p and ECT2 on lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), which provides a basis for the effective clinical treatment of LUAD.

METHODS

The mature miRNAs, expression data of mRNAs, and clinical data of LUAD were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). The expression levels of ECT2 mRNA and miR-30a-5p in cancer cell lines were detected by qRT-PCR. Western blot was performed to test the expression of ECT2 protein. The targeting relationship between miR-30a-5p and ECT2 was verified by dual-luciferase assay. The CCK-8 method and Transwell assay were conducted to test the viability, migratory, and invasive abilities of cells.

RESULTS

ECT2 expression was upregulated in LUAD and was significantly correlated with the LUAD clinical stage and pathologic T stage, and the expression of its upstream regulatory gene miR-30a-5p was downregulated. miR-30a-5p targeted ECT2 in LUAD. Downregulation of ECT2 could inhibit the viability, migration, and invasion of LUAD cells, which could be reversed by simultaneously suppressing the expression of miR-30a-5p.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggested that miR-30a-5p repressed the malignant progression of LUAD via downregulating ECT2. miR-30a-5p and ECT2 may be effective targets for LUAD patients.

HCV Proteins Modulate the Host Cell miRNA Expression Contributing to Hepatitis C Pathogenesis and Hepatocellular Carcinoma Development

Simple Summary

According to the last estimate by the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 71 million individuals have chronic hepatitis C worldwide. The persistence of HCV infection leads to chronic hepatitis, which can evolve into liver cirrhosis and ultimately into hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Although the pathogenic mechanisms are not fully understood, it is well established that an interplay between host cell factors, including microRNAs (miRNA), and viral components exist in all the phases of the viral infection and replication. Those interactions establish a complex equilibrium between host cells and HCV and participate in multiple mechanisms characterizing hepatitis C pathogenesis. The present review aims to describe the role of HCV structural and non-structural proteins in the modulation of cellular miRNA during HCV infection and pathogenesis.

Abstract

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) genome encodes for one long polyprotein that is processed by cellular and viral proteases to generate 10 polypeptides. The viral structural proteins include the core protein, and the envelope glycoproteins E1 and E2, present at the surface of HCV particles. Non-structural (NS) proteins consist of NS1, NS2, NS3, NS4A, NS4B, NS5a, and NS5b and have a variable function in HCV RNA replication and particle assembly. Recent findings evidenced the capacity of HCV virus to modulate host cell factors to create a favorable environment for replication. Indeed, increasing evidence has indicated that the presence of HCV is significantly associated with aberrant miRNA expression in host cells, and HCV structural and non-structural proteins may be responsible for these alterations. In this review, we summarize the recent findings on the role of HCV structural and non-structural proteins in the modulation of host cell miRNAs, with a focus on the molecular mechanisms responsible for the cell re-programming involved in viral replication, immune system escape, as well as the oncogenic process. In this regard, structural and non-structural proteins have been shown to modulate the expression of several onco-miRNAs or tumor suppressor miRNAs.

lncRNA PRR34-AS1 promotes HCC development via modulating Wnt/β-catenin pathway by absorbing miR-296-5p and upregulating E2F2 and SOX12

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) belongs to the most frequent cancer with a high death rate worldwide. Thousands of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been confirmed to influence the development of human cancers, including HCC. Nevertheless, the biological role of PRR34 antisense RNA 1 (PRR34-AS1) in HCC remains obscure. Here, we observed via quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (quantitative real-time RT-PCR) that PRR34-AS1 was highly expressed in HCC cells. Functional assays revealed that PRR34-AS1 promoted HCC cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process in vitro and facilitated tumor growth in vivo. In addition, western blot analysis and TOP Flash/FOP Flash reporter assays verified that PRR34-AS1 stimulated Wnt/β-catenin pathway in HCC cells. Furthermore, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), RNA pull-down, and luciferase reporter assays uncovered that PRR34-AS1 sequestered microRNA-296-5p (miR-296-5p) to positively modulate E2F transcription factor 2 (E2F2) and SRY-box transcription factor 12 (SOX12) in HCC cells. Importantly, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and luciferase reporter assays uncovered that E2F2 transcriptionally activated PRR34-AS1 in turn. Further, rescue experiments reflected that PRR34-AS1 affected HCC progression through targeting miR-296-5p/E2F2/SOX12/Wnt/β-catenin axis. Our findings found that PRR34-AS1 elicited oncogenic functions in HCC, which indicated that PRR34-AS1 might be a novel therapeutic target for HCC.

Apigenin Inhibits the Growth of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells by Affecting the Expression of microRNA Transcriptome

Background

Apigenin, as a natural flavonoid, has low intrinsic toxicity and has potential pharmacological effects against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the molecular mechanisms involving microRNAs (miRNAs) and their target genes regulated by apigenin in the treatment of HCC have not been addressed.

Objective

In this study, the molecular mechanisms of apigenin involved in the prevention and treatment of HCC were explored in vivo and in vitro using miRNA transcriptomic sequencing to determine the basis for the clinical applications of apigenin in the treatment of HCC.

Methods

The effects of apigenin on the proliferation, cell cycle progression, apoptosis, and invasion of human hepatoma cell line Huh7 and Hep3B were studied in vitro, and the effects on the tumorigenicity of Huh7 cells were assessed in vivo. Then, a differential expression analysis of miRNAs regulated by apigenin in Huh7 cells was performed using next-generation RNA sequencing and further validated by qRT-PCR. The potential genes targeted by the differentially expressed miRNAs were identified using a curated miRTarBase miRNA database and their molecular functions were predicted using Gene Ontology and KEGG signaling pathway analysis.

Results

Compared with the control treatment group, apigenin significantly inhibited Huh7 cell proliferation, cell cycle, colony formation, and cell invasion in a concentration-dependent manner. Moreover, apigenin reduced tumor growth, promoted tumor cell necrosis, reduced the expression of Ki67, and increased the expression of Bax and Bcl-2 in the xenograft tumors of Huh7 cells. Bioinformatics analysis of the miRNA transcriptome showed that hsa-miR-24, hsa-miR-6769b-3p, hsa-miR-6836-3p, hsa-miR-199a-3p, hsa-miR-663a, hsa-miR-4739, hsa-miR-6892-3p, hsa-miR-7107-5p, hsa-miR-1273g-3p, hsa-miR-1343, and hsa-miR-6089 were the most significantly up-regulated miRNAs, and their key gene targets were MAPK1, PIK3CD, HRAS, CCND1, CDKN1A, E2F2, etc. The core regulatory pathways of the up-regulated miRNAs were associated with the hepatocellular carcinoma pathway. The down-regulated miRNAs were hsa-miR-181a-5p and hsa-miR-148a-3p, and the key target genes were MAPK1, HRAS, STAT3, FOS, BCL2, SMAD2, PPP3CA, IFNG, MET, and VAV2, with the core regulatory pathways identified as proteoglycans in cancer pathway.

Conclusion

Apigenin can inhibit the growth of HCC cells, which may be mediated by up-regulation or down-regulation of miRNA molecules and their related target genes.

ECT2 overexpression promotes the polarization of tumor-associated macrophages in hepatocellular carcinoma via the ECT2/PLK1/PTEN pathway

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common high-mortality cancer, mainly due to diagnostic difficulties during its early clinical stages. In this study, we aimed to identify genes that are important for HCC diagnosis and treatment, and we investigated the underlying mechanism of prognostic differences. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by using the limma package, and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to identify diagnostic markers for HCC. Bioinformatics and clinical specimens were used to assess epithelial cell transforming 2 (ECT2) in terms of expression, prognostic value, pathways, and immune correlations. In vitro experiments were used to investigate the underlying mechanism and function of ECT2, and the results were confirmed through in vivo experiments. The integrated analysis revealed 53 upregulated DEGs, and one candidate biomarker for diagnosis (ECT2) was detected. High expression of ECT2 was found to be an independent prognostic risk factor for HCC. ECT2 expression showed a strong correlation with tumor-associated macrophages. We found that ECT2 overexpression increased the migration and proliferation of HCC cells. It also promoted the expression of PLK1, which subsequently interacted with PTEN and interfered with its nuclear translocation, ultimately enhancing aerobic glycolysis and promoting M2 macrophage polarization. M2 macrophages suppress the functions of NK cells and T cells, and this was confirmed in the in vivo experiments. Overall, ECT2 may promote the polarization of M2 macrophages by enhancing aerobic glycolysis and suppressing the functions of immune cells. ECT2 could serve as a candidate diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for HCC.

Identification of an 11-lncRNA signature with high performance for predicting the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma using bioinformatics analysis

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common primary liver cancer with a high incidence and mortality. This study was conducted to identify a long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) signature that may serve as a predictor for HCC prognosis.RNA-seq data were extracted from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. Differentially expressed genes, lncRNAs, and miRNAs were identified in HCC (n = 374) and control samples (n = 50) and used to screen prognosis-associated lncRNA signatures. The association of the lncRNA signature with HCC prognosis was analyzed and a competitive endogenous RNA regulatory network involving the lncRNA signature was constructed.A total of 199 mRNAs, 1092 lncRNAs, and 251 miRNAs were differentially expressed between HCC and control samples. Among these lncRNAs, 11 prognosis-associated lncRNAs were used to construct a lncRNA signature. Cox regression analysis showed that patients with higher risk scores of the lncRNA signature were at risk of poor prognosis. Four lncRNAs (including LINC01517, DDX11-AS1, LINC01136, and RP11-20J15.2) and 7 miRNAs (including miR-195, miR-199b, miR-326, miR-424, and let-7c) in the ceRNA network interacted with the upregulated gene E2F2, which was associated with the overall prognosis of patients with HCC.The 11-lncRNA signature might be useful for predicting the prognosis of patients with HCC.

Long non-coding RNA CCAT1 sponges miR-490 to enhance cell proliferation and migration of non-small cell lung cancer

Background

Non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for 85% of lung cancer which is the most frequently diagnosed malignancy in China. Colon cancer associated transcript 1 (CCAT1) acts as an oncogene in enhancing tumor progression. However, the effects of CCAT1 in NSCLC remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to explore the role of CCAT1 in NSCLC.

Methods

Wound healing and transwell assays were performed to measure cell migration. RT‐qPCR was employed to calculate the mRNA level of CCAT1 and miR‐490.

Results

High expression of CCAT1 was observed in NSCLC tissues and cells, with low expression of miR‐490. CCAT1 promoted the proliferation and metastasis of H1299 and A549 cells, while miR‐490 had the opposite effect. CCAT1 could specifically bind to miR‐490 and regulate its expression. MiR‐490 partially reversed the inhibitory effect of CCAT1 on cell proliferation and metastasis.

Conclusions

The CCAT1/miR‐490 molecular axis has been shown to be important for the treatment of NSCLC.

Inhibition of miR-490-5p Promotes Human Adipose-Derived Stem Cells Chondrogenesis and Protects Chondrocytes via the PITPNM1/PI3K/AKT Axis

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a pivotal role in cartilage development and homeostasis in osteoarthritis (OA). While the fundamental roles of miRNAs in cartilage degeneration have been extensively studied, their effects on chondrogenic differentiation induced by human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSCs) and the underlying mechanisms remain largely elusive. Here, we investigated the roles and mechanisms of miRNAs in hADSC chondrogenic differentiation and chondrocyte homeostasis. Using microarray analysis, we screened miRNAs expressed in the chondrogenic differentiated hADSCs and identified miR-490-5p as the most significantly down-regulated miRNA. We analyzed its expression patterns during chondrogenesis in vivo and in vitro. Our study showed that miR-490-5p overexpression promoted the transition of hADSCs from chondrogenesis to osteogenesis. In addition, based on miRNA-mRNA prediction analysis and dual-luciferase reporter assay, we proposed and proved that miR-490-5p targeted PITPNM1 by binding to its 3'-UTR and inhibiting its translation. Moreover, loss- and gain-of-function experiments identified the involvement of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, and a rescue experiment determined the effect and specific mechanism of the miR-490-5p/PITPNM1/PI3K/AKT axis in hADSC chondrogenic differentiation and chondrocyte homeostasis. Inhibition of miR-490-5p alleviated cartilage injury in vivo as demonstrated using the destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM) OA model. We identified miR-490-5p as a novel modulator of hADSC-mediated chondrogenesis and chondrocyte phenotype. This study highlighted that miR-490-5p attenuated hADSC chondrogenesis and accelerated cartilage degradation through activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway by targeting PITPNM1. Inhibition of miR-490-5p facilitated hADSC chondrogenic differentiation and protected chondrocyte phenotype via the PITPNM1/PI3K/AKT axis, thus providing a novel stem cell potential therapeutic target for OA treatment.

Increased E2F2 predicts poor prognosis in patients with HCC based on TCGA data

Background

The E2F family of transcription factor 2 (E2F2) plays an important role in the development and progression of various tumors, but its association with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unknown. Our study aimed to investigate the role and clinical significance of E2F2 in HCC.

Methods

HCC raw data were extracted from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Wilcoxon signed-rank test, Kruskal-Wallis test and logistic regression were applied to analyze the relationship between the expression of E2F2 and clinicopathologic characteristics. Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier were employed to evaluate the correlation between clinicopathologic features and survival. The biological function of E2F2 was annotated by Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA).

Results

The expression of E2F2 was increased in HCC samples. The expression of elevated E2F2 in HCC samples was prominently correlated with histologic grade (OR = 2.62 for G3–4 vs. G1–2, p = 1.80E-05), clinical stage (OR = 1.74 for III-IV vs. I-II, p = 0.03), T (OR = 1.64 for T3–4 vs.T1–2, p = 0.04), tumor status (OR = 1.88 for with tumor vs. tumor free, p = 3.79E-03), plasma alpha fetoprotein (AFP) value (OR = 3.18 for AFP ≥ 400 vs AFP<20, p = 2.16E-04; OR = 2.50 for 20 ≤ AFP<400 vs AFP<20, p = 2.56E-03). Increased E2F2 had an unfavorable OS (p = 7.468e− 05), PFI (p = 3.183e− 05), DFI (p = 0.001), DSS (p = 4.172e− 05). Elevated E2F2 was independently bound up with OS (p = 0.004, hazard ratio [HR] = 2.4 (95% CI [1.3–4.2])), DFI (P = 0.029, hazard ratio [HR] = 2.0 (95% CI [1.1–3.7])) and PFI (P = 0.005, hazard ratio [HR] = 2.2 (95% CI [1.3–3.9])). GSEA disclosed that cell circle, RNA degradation, pyrimidine metabolism, base excision repair, aminoacyl tRNA biosynthesis, DNA replication, p53 signaling pathway, nucleotide excision repair, ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis, citrate cycle TCA cycle were notably enriched in E2F2 high expression phenotype.

Conclusions

Elevated E2F2 can be a promising independent prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for HCC. Additionally, cell cycle, pyrimidine metabolism, DNA replication, p53 signaling pathway, ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis, the citrate cycle TCA cycle may be the key pathway by which E2F2 participates in the initial and progression of HCC.

Pseudogene DUXAP8 Promotes Cell Proliferation and Migration of Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Sponging MiR-490-5p to Induce BUB1 Expression

Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) currently remains one of the most lethal malignancies worldwide. Recently, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) had been demonstrated to play a crucial role in the progression of multiple human cancers, including HCC. In this study, we found that lncRNA DUXAP8 was upregulated in tumor samples and served as an oncogene in HCC. Bioinformatics analysis showed that DUXAP8 was significantly associated with the regulation of centrosome organization, homologous recombination, meiotic cell cycle process, sister chromatid segregation, nuclear chromosome segregation, and RNA export from the nucleus. The knockdown of DUXAP8 significantly suppresses cell proliferation and the cell cycle but induces cell apoptosis in HCC. Mechanically, the present study showed that DUXAP8 serves as a sponge of MiR-490-5p to promote the expression of BUB1 in HCC. Although the underlying regulatory mechanisms of DUXAP8 in HCC require further investigation, this study, for the first time, showed that DUXAP8 can serve as a new therapeutic target for HCC.

Circular RNA circ_0091579 Promotes Hepatocellular Carcinoma Proliferation, Migration, Invasion, and Glycolysis Through miR-490-5p/CASC3 Axis

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignancies with high invasion and metastasis capacities. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) were evidenced to take part in the progression of multifarious cancers, including HCC. However, the role of circ_0091579 in HCC progression has not been fully described. This study aimed to explore the function of circ_0091579 and its potential regulatory mechanism in the progression of HCC. Materials and Methods: The expression of circ_0091579, microRNA-490-5p (miR-490-5p), and cancer susceptibility candidate 3 (CASC3) in HCC tissues and cells was detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The circular characteristic and stability of circ_0091579 were verified by RNase R digestion and actinomycin D reaction assays. Cell proliferation, migration, and invasion were determined by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium assay and Transwell assay, respectively. The level of glycolysis was evaluated by glucose consumption and lactate production. The levels of proteins were examined by Western blot. The interaction between miR-490-5p and circ_0091579 or CASC3 was certified by Dual-luciferase reporter assay. Results: circ_0091579 and CASC3 were upregulated, while miR-490-5p was downregulated in HCC tissues and cells. Silencing of either circ_0091579 or CASC3 suppressed cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and glycolysis in HCC cells. Moreover, miR-490-5p was verified to directly bind to circ_0091579 and CASC3. Circ_0091579 upregulated CASC3 by sponging miR-490-5p in HCC cells to promote cell proliferation, invasion, and migration. Conclusion: circ_0091579 promoted cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and glycolysis partially through miR-490-5p/CASC3 axis in HCC cells.

Clinicopathological and prognostic significance of epithelial cell transforming sequence 2 expression in cancers: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Numerous studies have investigated the prognostic significance of ECT2 (epithelial cell transforming sequence 2) expression in patients with cancer. Nevertheless, conflicting results have been obtained. We thus performed a meta-analysis to systematically assess the prognostic significance of ECT2 in cancer. Electronic databases (PubMed and EMBASE) were searched for eligible studies. Hazard ratios (HR) and odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to estimate effect sizes. A total of 5,305 patients from 19 articles and 21 studies were included. The pooled results revealed that high ECT2 expression was correlated with advanced TNM stage (OR = 2.17; 95% CI: 1.42-3.32), positive lymph node metastasis (OR = 2.98; 95% CI: 2.28-3.89), distant metastasis (OR = 2.25; 95% CI: 1.03-4.92), and poor tumour differentiation (OR = 2.25; 95% CI: 1.03-4.92). More importantly, high ECT2 expression was significantly associated with poor overall survival (HR = 2.26; 95% CI, 1.84-2.78) and recurrence-free survival (HR = 1.52; 95% CI, 1.24-1.86). Our results suggested that ECT2 is a promising prognostic indicator and therapeutic target for cancer.

miR‑490‑5p regulates the proliferation, migration, invasion and epithelial‑mesenchymal transition of pharyngolaryngeal cancer cells by targeting mitogen‑activated protein kinase kinasekinase 9

MicroRNA (miRNA/miR) has been identified to be a promising tool in treating pharyngolaryngeal cancer. The present study aimed to investigate the role of miR‑490‑5p in the regulation of proliferation, migration, invasion and epithelial‑mesenchymal transition (EMT) of pharyngolaryngeal cancer cells. The data of miR‑490‑5p expression levels of 45 cases were obtained from the People's Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, and the prediction of the target of miR‑490‑5p was conducted by bioinformatics and verified using a luciferase assay. Cell viability was determined by cell counting kit‑8. Migration and invasion rates were measured by wound healing test and Transwell apparatus, respectively. Colony formation rate was measured by plate colony formation assay. mRNA and protein levels were determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blotting, respectively. miR‑490‑5p expression was significantly depressed in primary pharyngolaryngeal cancer tissues and cell lines, leading to an unfavorable prognosis. Evidently, miR‑490‑5p overexpression decreased the cell viabilities of BICR 18 and FaDu cells. Mechanically, miR‑490‑5p could target mitogen‑activated protein kinase kinasekinase 9 (MAP3K9). The overexpression of MAP3K9 could promote cell viability, migration and invasion rates, EMT process and ability of cloning, miR‑490‑5p could target MAP3K9 and further modulate the proliferation, migration, invasion and EMT of pharyngolaryngeal cancer cells. The results of the present study provide a novel entry point to the treatment of pharyngolaryngeal cancer.

Integrated analysis of lncRNA-associated ceRNA network reveals potential biomarkers for the prognosis of hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma

Background

There is evidence that abnormal expression of lncRNAs is associated with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection-induced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the mechanisms remain not fully elucidated. The study aimed to identify novel lncRNAs and explore their underlying mechanisms based on the ceRNA hypothesis.

Methods

The RNA and miRNA expression profiling in 20 tumor and matched adjacent tissues from HBV–HCC patients were retrieved from the Gene Expression Omnibus database under accession numbers GSE77509 and GSE76903, respectively. Differentially expressed lncRNAs (DELs), miRNAs (DEMs), and genes (DEGs) were identified using the EdgeR package. Protein–protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed for DEGs followed by module analysis. The ceRNA network was constructed based on interaction relationships between miRNAs and mRNAs/lncRNAs. The functions of DEGs were predicted using DAVID and BinGO databases. The prognosis values (overall survival [OS] and recurrence-free survival [RFS]) of ceRNA network genes were determined using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data with Cox regression analysis and Kaplan–Meier method.

Results

The present study screened 643 DELs, 83 DEMs, and 1,187 DEGs. PPI network analysis demonstrated that CDK1 and CCNE1 were hub genes and extracted in functionally related modules. E2F2, CDK1, and CCNE1 were significantly enriched into cell cycle pathway. FAM182B-miR-125b-5p-E2F2 and LINC00346-miR-10a-5p-CDK1/CCNE1 ceRNA axes were obtained by constructing the ceRNA network. Patients with high expressions of DELs and DEGs in the above ceRNA axes had poor OS, while patients with the high expression of DEMs possessed excellent OS. CDK1 was also an RFS-related biomarker, with its high expression predicting poor RFS. The upregulation of LINC00346 and CDK1 but the downregulation of miR-10a-5p in HCC was validated in other microarray datasets and TCGA database.

Conclusion

The LINC00346-miR-10a-5p-CDK1 axis may be an important mechanism for HBV-related HCC, and genes in this ceRNA axis may be potential prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets.