BLACAT1 predicts poor prognosis and serves as oncogenic lncRNA in small-cell lung cancer

From diagnosis to therapy: The critical role of lncRNAs in hepatoblastoma

According to findings, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) serves an integral part in growth and development of a variety of human malignancies, including Hepatoblastoma (HB). HB is a rare kind of carcinoma of the liver that mostly affects kids and babies under the age of three. Its manifestations include digestive swelling, abdominal discomfort, and losing weight. This thorough investigation digs into the many roles that lncRNAs serve in HB, giving views into their varied activities as well as possible therapeutic consequences. The function of lncRNAs in HB cell proliferation, apoptosis, migratory and penetrating capacities, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and therapy tolerance is discussed. Various lncRNA regulatory roles are investigated in depth, yielding information on their effect on essential cell processes such as angiogenesis, apoptosis, immunity, and growth. Circulating lncRNAs are currently acknowledged as potential indications for the initial stages of identification of cancer, with the ability to diagnose as well as forecast. In addition to their diagnostic utility, lncRNAs provide curative opportunities as locations and actors, contributing to the expanding landscape of cancer research. Several HB-linked lncRNAs have been demonstrated to exhibit abnormal expression and are involved in tumor-like characteristics via DNA, RNA, or protein binding or encoding short peptides. As a result, a better knowledge of lncRNA instability might bring fresh perspectives into HB etiology as well as innovative strategies for HB early diagnosis and therapy. We describe the abnormalities of lncRNA expression in HB and their tumor-suppressive or carcinogenic activities during HB carcinogenesis in this study. Furthermore, we explore lncRNAs' diagnostic and therapeutic possibilities in HB.

The prognostic significance of LncRNA BLACAT1 overexpression in various tumors: a meta-analysis

Objective

Recent studies have revealed increasing evidence that the long non-coding RNA bladder cancer associated transcript 1 (LncRNA BLACAT1) plays an essential role in the emergence of different malignancies. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the prognostic significance of LncRNA BLACAT1 in various cancers.

Methods

Six electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, Medline, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and the Chinese WanFang database) were comprehensively searched for relevant studies. The analysis of overall survival (OS) and clinicopathological characteristics was conducted.

Results

Nineteen studies with 1,559 patients were eventually eligible to be included in this meta-analysis. High expression level of LncRNA BLACAT1 was identified to be linked with shorter OS (HR: 2.02, 95% CI: 1.66-2.46, p < 0.001) and PFS (HR: 2.424, 95% CI: 1.827-3.020, p < 0.001) in cancer patients as opposed to low expression levels. Subgroup analysis showed that analysis model (multivariate or univariate), cut-off value (mean or median), sample size (more or fewer than 100), and cancer type had little effect on OS in multiple tumors. Moreover, high LncRNA BLACAT1 expression was associated with positive lymph node metastasis (HR: 2.29, 95% CI: 1.66-3.16, p < 0.00001), advanced clinical stage (HR: 2.29, 95% CI: 1.65-3.19, p < 0.00001) and worse differentiation status (HR: 0.58, 95% CI: 0.37-0.92, p = 0.02), compared to low LncRNA BLACAT1 expression.

Conclusion

The findings highlight that high LncRNA BLACAT1 expression might be detrimental and induce a worse prognosis for cancer patients.

Long non-coding RNAs in non-small cell lung cancer: implications for preventing therapeutic resistance

Lung cancer has the highest mortality and morbidity rates among all cancers worldwide. Despite many complex treatment options, including radiotherapy, chemotherapy, targeted drugs, immunotherapy, and combinations of these treatments, efficacy is low in cases of resistance to therapy, metastasis, and advanced disease, contributing to low overall survival. There is a pressing need for the discovery of novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets for the early diagnosis of lung cancer and to determine the efficacy and outcomes of drug treatments. There is now substantial evidence for the diagnostic and prognostic value of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). This review briefly discusses recent findings on the roles and mechanisms of action of lncRNAs in the responses to therapy in non-small cell lung cancer.

Long non-coding RNAs in lung cancer: Unraveling the molecular modulators of MAPK signaling

Lung cancer (LC) continues to pose a significant global medical burden, necessitating a comprehensive understanding of its molecular foundations to establish effective treatment strategies. The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling system has been scientifically associated with LC growth; however, the intricate regulatory mechanisms governing this system remain unknown. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are emerging as crucial regulators of diverse cellular activities, including cancer growth. LncRNAs have been implicated in LC, which can function as oncogenes or tumor suppressors, and their dysregulation has been linked to cancer cell death, metastasis, spread, and proliferation. Due to their involvement in critical pathophysiological processes, lncRNAs are gaining attention as potential candidates for anti-cancer treatments. This article aims to elucidate the regulatory role of lncRNAs in MAPK signaling in LC. We provide a comprehensive review of the key components of the MAPK pathway and their relevance in LC, focusing on aberrant signaling processes associated with disease progression. By examining recent research and experimental findings, this article examines the molecular mechanisms through which lncRNAs influence MAPK signaling in lung cancer, ultimately contributing to tumor development.

The uprise of RNA biology in neuroendocrine neoplasms: altered splicing and RNA species unveil translational opportunities

Neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) comprise a highly heterogeneous group of tumors arising from the diffuse neuroendocrine system. NENs mainly originate in gastrointestinal, pancreatic, and pulmonary tissues, and despite being rare, show rising incidence. The molecular mechanisms underlying NEN development are still poorly understood, although recent studies are unveiling their genomic, epigenomic and transcriptomic landscapes. RNA was originally considered as an intermediary between DNA and protein. Today, compelling evidence underscores the regulatory relevance of RNA processing, while new RNA molecules emerge with key functional roles in core cell processes. Indeed, correct functioning of the interrelated complementary processes comprising RNA biology, its processing, transport, and surveillance, is essential to ensure adequate cell homeostasis, and its misfunction is related to cancer at multiple levels. This review is focused on the dysregulation of RNA biology in NENs. In particular, we survey alterations in the splicing process and available information implicating the main RNA species and processes in NENs pathology, including their role as biomarkers, and their functionality and targetability. Understanding how NENs precisely (mis)behave requires a profound knowledge at every layer of their heterogeneity, to help improve NEN management. RNA biology provides a wide spectrum of previously unexplored processes and molecules that open new avenues for NEN detection, classification and treatment. The current molecular biology era is rapidly evolving to facilitate a detailed comprehension of cancer biology and is enabling the arrival of personalized, predictive and precision medicine to rare tumors like NENs.

Urinary BLACAT1 as a non-invasive biomarker for bladder cancer

BACKGROUND

Bladder cancer (BC) is recorded as the fifth most common cancer worldwide with high morbidity and mortality. The most urgent problem in BCs is the high recurrence rate as two-thirds of non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) will develop into muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC), which retains a feature of rapid progress and metastasis. In addition, only a limited number of biomarkers are available for diagnosing BC compared to other cancers. Hence, finding sensitive and specific biomarkers for predicting the diagnosis and prognosis of patients with BC is critically needed. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the expression and clinical significance of urinary lncRNA BLACAT1 as a non-invasively diagnostic and prognostic biomarker to detect and differentiate BCs stages.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The expression levels of urinary BLACAT1 were detected by qRT-PCR assay in seventy (70) BC patients with different TNM grades (T0-T3) and twelve (12) healthy subjects as control. BLACAT1 was downregulated in superficial stages (T0 = 0.09 ± 0.02 and T1 = 0.5 ± 0.1) compared to healthy control. Furthermore, in the invasive stages, its levels started to elevate in the T2 stage (1.2 ± 0. 2), and higher levels were detected in the T3 stage with a mean value of (5.2 ± 0.6). This elevation was positively correlated with disease progression. Therefore, BLACAT1 can differentiate between metastatic and non-metastatic stages of BCs. Furthermore, its predictive values are not like to be influenced by schistosomal infection.

CONCLUSIONS

Upregulation of BLACAT1 in invasive stages predicted an unfavorable prognosis for patients with BCs, as it contributes to the migration and metastasis of BCs. Therefore, we can conclude that urinary BLACAT1 may be considered a non-invasive promising metastatic biomarker for BCs.

Upregulation of lncRNA PINK1-AS Predicts the Distant Metastasis of Patients with Small Cell Lung Cancer

PINK1-AS has been shown to participate in gastric cancer, while its role in other tumors is unclear. This study was carried out to explore the participation of PINK1-AS in small cell lung cancer (SCLC). In this study, the expression of PINK1-AS in SCLC and paired non-cancer tissues from 60 SCLC patients and in plasma samples from 60 SCLC patients and 60 healthy controls was analyzed with RT-qPCR. Chi-squared t test was applied to analyze the associations between plasma expression levels of PINK1-AS and the clinical factors of the patients. Patients were followed up for 5 years to explore the role of PINK1-AS in the prognosis of SCLC. ROC curve analysis was applied to explore the role of PINK1-AS in the prediction of distant metastasis. Transwell assays were performed to evaluate the role of silencing and overexpression of PINK1-AS in the invasion and migration of SCLC cells. We found that PINK1-AS was upregulated in SCLC tissues compared to that in non-cancer tissues. Plasma expression levels of PINK1-AS were increased in SCLC patients compared to that in the controls. High plasma expression levels of PINK1-AS were closely associated with worse survival. Plasma expression of PINK1-AS was only closely correlated with distant tumor metastasis, but not other factors. High plasma expression levels of PINK1-AS effectively separated patients with distant metastasis from non-metastatic patients. Moreover, PINK1-AS positively regulated the migration and invasion of SCLC cells. Therefore, the upregulation of PINK1-AS predicts the distant metastasis of patients with SCLC.

Non-coding genome in small cell lung cancer between theoretical view and clinical applications

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a highly aggressive cancer of the neuroendocrine system, characterized by poor differentiation, rapid growth, and poor overall survival (OS) of patients. Despite the recent advances in the treatment of SCLC recently, the 2-year survival rate of patients with the cancer is only 14-15%, occasioned by the acquired resistance to drugs and serious off-target effects. In humans, the coding region is only 2% of the total genome, and 20% of that is associated with human diseases. Beyond the coding genome are RNAs, promoters, enhancers, and other intricate elements. The non-coding regulatory regions, mainly the non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), regulate numerous biological activities including cell proliferation, metastasis, and drug resistance. As such, they are potential diagnostic or prognostic biomarkers, and also potential therapeutic targets for SCLC. Therefore, understanding how non-coding elements regulate SCLC development and progression holds significant clinical implications. Herein, we summarized the recent discoveries on the relationship between the non-coding elements including long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA), microRNAs (miRNAs), circular RNA (circRNA), enhancers as well as promotors, and the pathogenesis of SCLC and their potential clinical applications.

New Insights into the Importance of Long Non-Coding RNAs in Lung Cancer: Future Clinical Approaches

In mammals, a large part of the gene expression products come from the non-coding ribonucleotide sequences of the protein. These short and long sequences are within the range of tens to hundreds of nucleotides, encompassing more than 200 RNA molecules, and their function is known as the molecular structure of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA). LncRNA molecules are unique nucleotides that have a substantial role in epigenetic regulation, transcription, and post-transcriptional modifications in different ways. According to the results of recent studies, lncRNAs have been shown to assume various roles, including tumor suppression or oncogenic functions in common types of cancer such as lung and breast cancer. These non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) play a pivotal role in activating transcription factors, managing the ribonucleoproteins, the framework for collecting co-proteins, intermittent processing regulations, chromatin status alterations, and maintaining the control within the cell. Cutting-edge technologies have been introduced to disclose several types of lncRNAs within the nucleus and the cytoplasm, which have accomplished important achievements that are applicable in medicine. Due to these efforts, various data centers have been created to facilitate and modify scientific information related to these molecules, including detection, classification, biological evolution, gene status, spatial structure, status, and location of these small molecules. In the present study, we attempt to present the impacts of these ncRNAs on lung cancer with an emphasis on their mechanisms and functions.

Downregulation of lncRNA XR_429159.1 Linked to Brain Metastasis in Patients With Limited-Stage Small-Cell Lung Cancer

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify aberrant long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and explore the predictive value of lncRNA expression patterns on the risk of brain metastases (BMs) in patients with limited-stage small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). Patients and Methods: We executed an array of lncRNA and mRNA chip assays to examine the expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells obtained from SCLC patients with BMs and compared the expression patterns against those from patients without BMs to identify lncRNAs associated with BMs. Validation was performed against clinical data to further confirm the relationship between lncRNAs and BM. Kaplan-Meier analysis was applied to estimate the cumulative incidence of BMs, and differences between the groups were analyzed using the log-rank test. Results: The expression of 67 lncRNAs (27 upregulated and 40 downregulated) and 47 mRNAs (20 upregulated and 27 downregulated) was significantly different between the BM and non-BM groups (fold change ≥ 2.0, p-value ≤ 0.05), based on the lncRNA and mRNA chip assays. Four lncRNAs were verified by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) to confirm the accuracy of the microarray data, and the results of 11 patient pairs (11 patients with BM and 11 patients without BM) revealed that low LncRNA XR_429159.1 expression was a high-risk factor for BM. Further clinical data showed that the incidence of BM among 25 patients with low-level LncRNA XR_429159.1 expression was 31% at 1 year, compared with 14.3% among the 18 patients with high-level LncRNA XR_429159.1 expression (p = 0.035). Conclusion: Our present study identified the low-level expression of lncRNA XR_429159.1 as a high-risk factor among BM in patients with limited-stage SCLC. LncRNA XR_429159.1 is a critical molecule that regulates SCLC metastasis, involved in the neuroepithelial transforming gene 1 (NET1) pathway, and serum levels of this lncRNA are significantly associated with the risk of BM.

LncRNA BLACAT1 Accelerates Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Through Up-Regulating the Activation of Sonic Hedgehog Pathway

Recently, increasing evidence has displayed that lncRNAs can exhibit crucial function in cancer progression, including lung cancer. LncRNA bladder cancer-associated transcript 1 (BLACAT1) is reported to participate in various cancers. The aim of our current study was to investigate the function of BLACAT1 in non-small cell lung cancer progression and study the functional pathway. Here, we reported BLACAT1 was significantly up-regulated in lung cancer tissues in comparison to the adjacent normal tissues, which suggested BLACAT1 might act as an oncogene in lung cancer. Then, A549 and PC9 cells were infected with BLACAT1 overexpression plasmid and shRNA. As shown, we proved up-regulation of BLACAT1 greatly induced the growth of non-small cell lung cancer cells. Reversely, knockdown of BLACAT1 reduced A549 and PC9 cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Sonic hedgehog (shh) signaling is able to exert a significant role in carcinogenesis, including lung cancer. Currently, we proved that up-regulation of BLACAT1 activated shh signaling pathway, via inducing shh, Gli-1 and Smo expression. shh pathway inhibitor GANT-61 reversed the effect of overexpression of BLACAT1 on non-small cell lung cancer. Moreover, we manifested that loss of BLACAT1 remarkably reduced the in vivo growth and metastasis of A549 cells via enhancing infiltrating CD3+ T cells. In conclusion, our research revealed a critical role of BLACAT1 in the modulation of non-small cell lung cancer via modulating shh pathway.

Inhibiting proliferation and metastasis of osteosarcoma cells by downregulation of long non-coding RNA colon cancer-associated transcript 2 targeting microRNA-143

Osteosarcoma is a malignant bone tumor, which has a high incidence in children and adolescents. However, the pathogenesis of osteosarcoma remains unclear. Long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) is a new potential therapeutic target and diagnostic biomarker for osteosarcoma. Hence, the present study aimed to explore the effect of lncRNA colon cancer-associated transcript (CCAT2) on osteosarcoma and its potential underlying mechanisms. For this purpose, the proliferation of osteosarcoma cells was measured using the CCK-8 assay. The scratch-wound and cell invasion assays were used to determine the migration and invasion of osteosarcoma cells, respectively. LncRNA CCAT2 and microRNA (miR)-143 binding sites were identified by the dual-luciferase reporter assay. RNA and protein expression levels were detected by reverse-transcription quantitative PCR and western blotting, respectively. Downregulation of lncRNA CCAT2 inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of osteosarcoma cells. The findings also revealed that miR-143 bound directly to lncRNA CCAT2. The expression of miR-143 was upregulated by the knockdown of lncRNA CCAT2. Downregulation of the FOS-like antigen 2 was also observed after knockdown of lncRNA CCAT2. The function of lncRNA CCAT2 in osteosarcoma cells was attenuated by co-transfection with anti-miR-143 oligodeoxyribonucleotide. In conclusion, downregulation of lncRNA CCAT2 inhibited the proliferation and metastasis of osteosarcoma cells by targeting miR-143. lncRNA CCAT2 was identified as a potential target for osteosarcoma treatment.

LncRNA BLACAT1 Promotes Proliferation, Migration and Invasion of Prostate Cancer Cells via Regulating miR-29a-3p/DVL3 Axis

Background:

Long non-coding RNA bladder cancer associated transcript 1 (BLACAT1) is oncogenic in several types of cancers. However, little is known concerning its expression and function in prostate cancer.

Methods:

Paired prostate cancer samples were collected, and the expression levels of BLACAT1, miR-29a-3p and disheveled segment polarity protein 3 (DVL3) were examined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR); BLACAT1 shRNAs were transfected into PC-3 and LNCaP cell lines, and proliferative ability was detected by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay; qRT-PCR and Western blot were used to analyze the changes of miR-29a-3p and DVL3; dual-luciferase reporter gene assay was used to determine the regulatory relationships between miR-29a-3p and BLACAT1, and miR-29a-3p and DVL3.

Results:

BLACAT1 expression was significantly up-regulated in cancerous tissues of prostate cancer samples and positively correlated with the expression of DVL3, while negatively associated with miR-29a-3p. After the transfection of BLACAT1 shRNAs into prostate cancer cells, the proliferative ability and metastatic ability of cancer cells were significantly inhibited; BLACAT1 shRNAs could reduce the expression of DVL3 on both mRNA and protein expressions levels, the luciferase activity of BLACAT1 reporter was inhibited by miR-29a-3p, and DVL3 was validated as a target gene of miR-29a-3p.

Conclusion:

BLACAT1 expression is abnormally up-regulated in prostate cancer tissues. BLACAT1 can modulate the proliferative and metastatic ability of prostate cancer cells and have the potential to be the “ceRNA” to regulate the expression of DVL3 by sponging miR-29a-3p.

The LINC00477/miR-128 axis promotes the progression of polycystic ovary syndrome by regulating ovarian granulosa cell proliferation and apoptosis

BACKGROUND

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) participate in the pathogenesis of various human diseases. This study aims to investigate the roles of lncRNA LINC00477 in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), especially the impacts of LINC00477 on the proliferation and migration of human granulosa cells and the related mechanisms.

METHODS

qRT-PCR analysis was performed to examine the expression pattern of LINC00477 in serum samples of PCOS patients as well as PCOS animal models. The effect of LINC00477 on the viability and apoptosis of ovarian granulosa cells was detected by MTT and flow cytometry assays. The correlation between LINC00477 and miR-128 was verified by bioinformatics analysis and dual-luciferase reporter and RNA pull-down assays. Finally, rescue assays were performed to analyze the effects of the LINC00477-miR-128 axis on the biological behaviors of granulosa cells.

RESULTS

LINC00477 was significantly upregulated in the serum of PCOS patients as well as PCOS mouse models. LINC00477 overexpression inhibited the proliferation and promoted the apoptosis of granulosa cells, whereas knockdown of LINC00477 yielded the opposite effects. Moreover, miR-128 mimics partially abrogated the effect of LINC00477 on granulosa cells.

CONCLUSION

LINC00477 may function as a ceRNA to inhibit proliferation and apoptosis of granulosa cells by modulating miR-128 expression.

Biological functions of long noncoding RNAs and circular RNAs in small-cell lung cancer

We aim to discuss comprehensively the role of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs) in small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) biology and their clinical utility as cancer biomarkers. We searched the scientific literature to select articles related to the role of lncRNAs and circRNAs in SCLC biology or as cancer biomarkers. We identified that a number of lncRNAs and circRNAs can regulate key biological processes involved in SCLC development, including cell proliferation, metastasis and chemoresistance mainly acting as miRNA sponges. Also, the expression of a few lncRNAs and circRNAs predicted survival outcome depicting their utility as prognostic biomarkers. Further investigations on the role of lncRNAs and circRNAs in SCLC tumors may yield novel therapeutic targets for SCLC.

Long Non-Coding RNA BLACAT1 in Human Cancers

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a cluster of RNAs with more than 200 nucleotides in length, which lack protein-coding capacity. They are important regulators of numerous cellular processes, including gene transcription, translation, and posttranslational modification, especially in tumor initiation and progression. Aberrant expression of lncRNA bladder cancer-associated transcript 1 (BLACAT1) has been reported in various human cancers and was usually associated with unfavorable prognosis. Previous studies have revealed that dysregulation of BLACAT1 could promote the proliferation and metastasis of cancer cells. In this review, we summarize the present understanding of the functions and underlying mechanisms of BLACAT1 in the occurrence and development of various human cancers and discuss the roles of this lncRNA in cancers, including its promising application as a prognostic biomarker or a novel therapeutic target for malignancies.

Long noncoding RNAs, ENST00000598996 and ENST00000524265, are correlated with favorable prognosis and act as potential tumor suppressors in bladder cancer

Bladder cancer (BC) is a serious malignancy worldwide due to its distant metastasis and high recurrence rates. Increasing evidence has indicated that dysregulated long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in tumorigenesis and progression in multiple malignancies. However, their clinical significances, biological functions and molecular mechanisms in BC remain poorly understood. Hence, the present study investigated the expression profile of lncRNAs and mRNAs in five BC tissues and the corresponding adjacent normal specimens using high-throughput RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). A total of 103 differentially expressed (DE) lncRNAs were identified, including 35 upregulated and 68 downregulated ones in BC tissues. Similarly, a total of 2,756 DE-mRNAs were detected, including 1,467 upregulated and 1,289 downregulated. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analyses, and lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA network analyses suggested that these dysregulated lncRNAs are potentially implicated in the onset and progression of BC. Subsequently, four lncRNAs (upregulated ENST00000433108; downregulated ENST00000598996, ENST00000524265 and ENST00000398461) and two mRNAs (upregulated CCNB1 and CDK1) in 64 pairs of BC and adjacent normal tissues and four BC cell lines were detected using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and these results were consistent with the sequencing data. Additionally, Fisher's exact test, Kaplan-Meier plots, and Cox regression analyses were used for elucidating the clinical values of ENST00000598996 and ENST00000524265. Furthermore, a receiver operating characteristic curve was constructed to assess their diagnostic values. The low expression level of ENST00000598996 and ENST00000524265 was correlated with unfavorable clinicopathological parameters, and shorter progression-free and overall survival time, whereas, ENST00000433108 was not associated with either. The in vitro functional experiments also revealed that the overexpression of ENST00000598996 and ENST00000524265 decreased the proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities of BC cells. Collectively, the results of the present study provide a novel landscape of lncRNA and mRNA expression profiles in BC. In addition, the results also indicated that ENST00000598996 and ENST00000524265 may serve as tumor suppressors, potential diagnostic biomarkers and prognostic predictors for patients with BC.

Long Non-Coding RNA BLACAT1 Promotes the Tumorigenesis of Gastric Cancer by Sponging microRNA-149-5p and Targeting KIF2A

Objective

Gastric cancer (GC) is a gastrointestinal tumor. This study is aimed to explore the regulatory mechanism of long non-coding RNA BLACAT1 (BLACAT1)/microRNA-149-5p (miR-149-5p)/KIF2A cascade on GC.

Methods

The expression of BLACAT1, miR-149-5p and KIF2A in GC was detected by qRT-PCR. The proliferation, migration and invasion of GC cells in vitro were analyzed by MTT, wound-healing and transwell assay, respectively. The xenograft tumor model was constructed in nude mice to confirm the inhibition effect of BLACAT1 knockdown on GC in vivo. Then, dual-luciferase reporter assay was used to detect the interactions among BLACAT1, miR-149-5p and KIF2A. Western blot assay was performed to determine the protein expression of KIF2A.

Results

The expression of BLACAT1 and KIF2A was up-regulated in GC, but miR-149-5p expression was down-regulated. Silencing of BLACAT1 retarded the proliferation, migration and invasion of GC cells in vitro and the growth of tumor xenograft in vivo. Moreover, BLACAT1 acted as the molecular sponge of miR-149-5p to up-regulate KIF2A expression. At last, feedback experiments suggested that BLACAT1 accelerated the proliferation, migration and invasion of GC cells by regulating miR-149-5p/KIF2A axis.

Conclusion

BLACAT1 facilitated the tumorigenesis of GC through regulating miR-149-5p/KIF2A axis, which indicated BLACAT1/miR-149-5p/KIF2A cascade may be a new therapeutic target.

Knockdown of lncRNA BLACAT1 enhances radiosensitivity of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cells by regulating PSEN1

OBJECTIVE

This work focused on the function role and underlying mechanism of BLACAT1 in regulating the radiosensitivity of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cells via PSEN1.

METHODS

BLACAT1 and PSEN1 expression in HNSCC tissues and cells were measured by qRT-PCR. Kaplan-Meier method and Spearman's correlation analysis determined the prognostic roles and association of BLCAT1 and PSEN1 in HNSCC. The impacts of BLACAT1 and PSEN1, alone and in combination, on radiosensitivity of HNSCC cells were separately assessed through CCK-8, colony formation, flow cytometry, western blot and γH2AX foci staining assays.

RESULTS

Our study disclosed that BLACAT1 and PSEN1 were both in association with poor prognosis and radioresistance of HNSCC cells. BLACAT1 knockdown improved the radiosensitivity of HNSCC cells by changing cellular activities containing repressed cell viability, accelerated cell apoptosis, induced cell cycle arrest, and stimulated DNA damage response. Further, we found that PSEN1 was positively correlated with BLACAT1. Rescue assays confirmed that BLACAT1 regulated the radiosensitivity of HNSCC cells by modulating PSEN1.

CONCLUSION

We revealed that BLACAT1 knockdown enhanced radioresistance of HNSCC cells via regulating PSEN1, exposing the probable target role of BLACAT1 in HNSCC.

ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE

This was the first time that the pivotal role of BLACAT1 was investigated in HNSCC, which provided a novel therapeutic direction for HNSCC patients.

LncRNA-BLACAT1 Facilitates Proliferation, Migration and Aerobic Glycolysis of Pancreatic Cancer Cells by Repressing CDKN1C via EZH2-Induced H3K27me3

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the role of lncRNA-BLACAT1 in promoting H3K27 trimethylation of CDKN1C gene by recruiting EZH2 to regulate CCNE on glycolysis and mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation of pancreatic cancer (PC) cells.

METHODS

Following bioinformatic prediction, EZH2 and BLACAT1 in PC cells were interfered, and cells proliferation, migration and invasion in each group were detected. Western blotting detected the expression of key proteins of mitochondrial complex. The sub-cellular localization of BLACAT1 was tested, followed by testing the binding of CDKN1C and BLACAT1 with EZH2, followed by in vivo verification.

RESULTS

Based on bioinformatic prediction, EZH2 and BLACAT1 were highly expressed in PC, while CDKN1C was lowly expressed (all P < 0.05). Interference with EZH2 and BLACAT1 inhibited cell proliferation, migration and aerobic glycolysis, and promoted mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (all P < 0.05). BLACAT1 promoted H3K27 trimethylation of CDKN1C through recruiting EZH2 (all P < 0.05). In vivo results showed that BLACAT1 interference inhibited tumor formation (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Interference with BLACAT1 inhibits H3K27 trimethylation of CDKN1C gene by blocking EZH2 recruitment to promote CDKN1C expression and inhibit CCNE expression, thus suppressing PC cell proliferation, migration and aerobic glycolysis, and promoting mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation.

Upregulation of Long Non-Coding RNA ENST00000429227.1 Is Correlated with Poor Prognosis in Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma

BACKGROUND Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been shown to play an important regulatory role in many tumors. This study was designed to investigate the expression of lncRNA ENST00000429227.1 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to determine whether the expression of lncRNA ENST00000429227.1 affects the prognosis of HCC. MATERIAL AND METHODS lncRNA ENST00000429227.1 showing differences in expression between M1 and M2 was screened by microarray expression measurements. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the expression of lncRNA ENST00000429227.1 in 161 HCC patients. The chi-square test was used to evaluate the relationship between the expression of ENST00000429227.1 and clinicopathological parameters. A survival curve was drawn and analyzed by Kaplan-Meier method. Cox regression was used for univariate and multivariate analysis to determine whether lncRNA ENST00000429227.1 is an independent factor of the occurrence and prognosis of HCC. RESULTS A total of 3703 differentially expressed lncRNAs were obtained, of which 1777 were upregulated and 1926 were downregulated, with multiple change >1.5. The expression of lncRNA ENST00000429227.1 was upregulated in M2 cells. The expression of lncRNA ENST00000429227.1 in HCC tissues was higher than that in adjacent normal tissues (p<0.05), which was correlated with pathological parameters such as surgical margin (p=0.042), AFP (p=0.022) and Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage (p=0.008). Survival analysis showed that high expression of lncRNA ENST00000429227.1 was associated with a decrease in overall survival (OS) rate of HCC patients. Cox regression analysis showed that high expression of ENST00000429227.1 may be an independent risk factor affecting the prognosis of HCC patients. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that upregulation of ENST00000429227.1 is associated with poor prognosis of HCC patients, and may be a new biomarker for the diagnosis of HCC.

Knockdown of LINC00511 promotes radiosensitivity of thyroid carcinoma cells via suppressing JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway

Thyroid carcinoma is the most widespread malignancy in endocrine system with the increasing incidence. Despite of the advanced approaches to the management of thyroid carcinoma, the therapeutic effects remain unpleasant largely due to the radiosensitivity of thyroid carcinoma cells. LncRNAs play important part in the tumorigenesis and development, especially in the radiosensitivity of tumor cells. However, their roles in thyroid carcinoma still needed to be explored deeply. The purpose of our research is to inspect the possible biological role and regulation mechanism of LINC00511 desirable for therapies of thyroid carcinoma patients. In the present study, LINC00511 was significantly overexpressed in thyroid carcinoma and its silencing boosted radiosensitivity of thyroid carcinoma cells. Then we unveiled that LINC00511 regulated JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway which was resistant to radiation treatment. Besides, TAF1 modulated JAK2 at transcriptional level. Moreover, LINC00511 bound to TAF1 and further promoted JAK2 expression. In conclusion, rescue experiments verified that the radiosensitivity of thyroid carcinoma cells was attributed to LINC00511/TAF1/JAK2/STAT3 axis. The current paper investigated the underlying mechanism of LINC00511 and set a new therapeutic direction for the therapy of thyroid carcinoma.

LncRNA BLACAT1 May Serve as a Prognostic Predictor in Cancer: Evidence from a Meta-Analysis

Background

As a newly discovered lncRNA, bladder cancer-associated transcript 1 (BLACAT1) has been reported to correlate with poor clinical outcomes in several different cancers. This study aimed to evaluate its generalized predictive value for cancer prognosis.

Materials and Methods

We thoroughly searched PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases for eligible studies published until November 11, 2018, in which the relationship between BLACAT1 expression and cancer prognosis was explored. The analyses were performed using Review Manager Version 5.3 and Stata SE 12.0. The primary endpoints included overall survival (OS), pathological characteristics (TNM stage and tumor grade), lymph node metastasis (LNM), and distant metastasis.

Results

Ten studies containing 861 patients with 7 different cancerous diseases were eventually included. The results demonstrated that patients with high lncRNA BLACAT1 expression had a significantly shorter OS (HR: 1.82, 95% CI: 1.44-2.30, p < 0.00001) than patients with low lncRNA BLACAT1 expression. Moreover, elevated BLACAT1 expression was significantly associated with advanced TNM stage (OR: 2.29, 95% CI: 1.15-4.56, p = 0.005), high tumor grade (OR: 1.67, 95% CI: 1.11-2.53, p = 0.01), and lymph node metastasis (OR: 2.53, 95% CI: 1.80-3.57, p < 0.00001). Meanwhile, the expression of BLACAT1 had no significant association with age (p = 0.92), gender (p = 0.55), and smoking (p = 0.62).

Conclusion

High expression of lncRNA BLACAT1 may predict a poor prognosis in OS, TNM stage, tumor grade, and LNM. Its predictive roles were not significantly affected by age, gender, or smoking. Therefore, lncRNA BLACAT1 may serve as a promising predictor in cancer prognosis.

Are there any theranostic biomarkers in small cell lung carcinoma?

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC), an aggressive lung tumour with a poor prognosis, has a high load of somatic mutations, mainly induced by tobacco carcinogens given the strong association with smoking. Advances in genomic, epigenetic and proteomic profiling have significantly improved our understanding of the molecular and cellular biology of SCLC. Given the high mutational burden of SCLC the immune microenvironment is another exciting area under investigation even if it seems to be quite distinct from that of other solid tumours. In this review we will outline the current progress in molecular etiology of SCLC mentioning some key markers considered promising theranostic biomarkers.