H19 suppresses the growth of hepatoblastoma cells by promoting their apoptosis via the signaling pathways of miR-675/FADD and miR-138/PTK2

Focal adhesion kinase and its epigenetic interactors as diagnostic and therapeutic hints for pediatric hepatoblastoma

Background

Hepatoblastoma (HB) is the most common pediatric hepatic malignancy. Despite the progress in HB treatment, investigating HB pathomechanisms to optimize stratification and therapies remains a focal point to improve the outcome for high-risk patients.

Methods

Here, we pointed to explore the impact of these mechanisms in HB. An observational study was performed on liver samples from a cohort of 17 patients with a diagnosis of HB and two normal liver samples. The in vitro experiments were executed on the Huh6 human HB cell line treated with the FAK inhibitor TAE226.

Results

Our results highlight a significant up-regulation of mRNA and protein expression of FAK in livers from HB with respect to normal livers. The increased protein expression of total and Tyr397 phosphorylated FAK (pTyr397FAK) was significantly correlated with the expression of some epigenetic regulators of histone H3 methylation and acetylation. Of note, the expression of pTyr397FAK, N-methyltransferase enzyme (EZH2) and tri-methylation of the H3K27 residue correlated with tumor size and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels. Finally, TAE226 caused a significant reduction of pTyr397FAK, epigenetic regulators, AFP, EPCAM, OCT4, and SOX2, in association with anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects on HB cells.

Conclusion

Our results suggest a role of FAK in HB that requires further investigations mainly focused on the exploration of its effective diagnostic and therapeutic translatability.

Long noncoding RNA H19: functions and mechanisms in regulating programmed cell death in cancer

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a group of noncoding RNAs with transcript lengths of >200 nucleotides. Mounting evidence suggests that lncRNAs are closely associated with tumorigenesis. LncRNA H19 (H19) was the first lncRNA to function as an oncogene in many malignant tumors. Apart from the established role of H19 in promoting cell growth, proliferation, invasion, migration, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and metastasis, it has been recently discovered that H19 also inhibits programmed cell death (PCD) of cancer cells. In this review, we summarize the mechanisms by which H19 regulates PCD in cancer cells through various signaling pathways, molecular mechanisms, and epigenetic modifications. H19 regulates PCD through the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and the PI3K-Akt-mTOR pathway. It also acts as a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) in PCD regulation. The interaction between H19 and RNA-binding proteins (RBP) regulates apoptosis in cancer. Moreover, epigenetic modifications, including DNA and RNA methylation and histone modifications, are also involved in H19-associated PCD regulation. In conclusion, we summarize the role of H19 signaling via PCD in cancer chemoresistance, highlighting the promising research significance of H19 as a therapeutic target. We hope that our study will contribute to a broader understanding of H19 in cancer development and treatment.

Long non-coding RNA NRSN2-AS1 promotes ovarian cancer progression through targeting PTK2/β-catenin pathway

As a common malignant tumor among women, ovarian cancer poses a serious threat to their health. This study demonstrates that long non-coding RNA NRSN2-AS1 is over-expressed in ovarian cancer tissues using patient sample and tissue microarrays. In addition, NRSN2-AS1 is shown to promote ovarian cancer cell proliferation and metastasis both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, NRSN2-AS1 stabilizes protein tyrosine kinase 2 (PTK2) to activate the β-catenin pathway via repressing MG-53-mediated ubiquitinated degradation of PTK2, thereby facilitating ovarian cancer progression. Rescue experiments verify the function of the NRSN2-AS1/PTK2/β-catenin axis and the effects of MG53 on this axis in ovarian cancer cells. In conclusion, this study demonstrates the key role of the NRSN2-AS1/PTK2/β-catenin axis for the first time and explores its potential clinical applications in ovarian cancer.

Dysregulated microRNAs as a biomarker for diagnosis and prognosis of hepatitis B virus-associated hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a malignancy with a high incidence and fatality rate worldwide. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is one of the most important risk factors for its occurrence and development. Early detection of HBV-associated HCC (HBV-HCC) can improve clinical decision-making and patient outcomes. Biomarkers are extremely helpful, not only for early diagnosis, but also for the development of therapeutics. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a subset of non-coding RNAs approximately 22 nucleotides in length, have increasingly attracted scientists' attention due to their potential utility as biomarkers for cancer detection and therapy. HBV profoundly impacts the expression of miRNAs potentially involved in the development of hepatocarcinogenesis. In this review, we summarize the current progress on the role of miRNAs in the diagnosis and treatment of HBV-HCC. From a molecular standpoint, we discuss the mechanism by which HBV regulates miRNAs and investigate the exact effect of miRNAs on the promotion of HCC. In the near future, miRNA-based diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic applications will make their way into the clinical routine.

Lovastatin promotes the self-renewal of murine and primate spermatogonial stem cells

The spermatogonial stem cell (SSC) niche is critical for SSC maintenance and subsequent spermatogenesis. Numerous reproductive hazards impair the SSC niche, thereby resulting in aberrant SSC self-renewal and male infertility. However, promising agents targeting the impaired SSC niche to promote SSC self-renewal are still limited. Here, we screen out and assess the effects of Lovastatin on the self-renewal of mouse SSCs (mSSCs). Mechanistically, Lovastatin promotes the self-renewal of mSSCs and inhibits its inflammation and apoptosis through the regulation of isoprenoid intermediates. Remarkably, treatment by Lovastatin could promote the proliferation of undifferentiated spermatogonia in the male gonadotoxicity model generated by busulfan injection. Of note, we demonstrate that Lovastatin could enhance the proliferation of primate undifferentiated spermatogonia. Collectively, our findings uncover that lovastatin could promote the self-renewal of both murine and primate SSCs and have implications for the treatment of certain types of male infertility using small compounds.

FADD as a key molecular player in cancer progression

Cancer is a leading disease-related cause of death worldwide. Despite advances in therapeutic interventions, cancer remains a major global public health problem. Cancer pathogenesis is extremely intricate and largely unknown. Fas-associated protein with death domain (FADD) was initially identified as an adaptor protein for death receptor-mediated extrinsic apoptosis. Recent evidence suggests that FADD plays a vital role in non-apoptotic cellular processes, such as proliferation, autophagy, and necroptosis. FADD expression and activity of are modulated by a complicated network of processes, such as DNA methylation, non-coding RNA, and post-translational modification. FADD dysregulation has been shown to be closely associated with the pathogenesis of numerous types of cancer. However, the detailed mechanisms of FADD dysregulation involved in cancer progression are still not fully understood. This review mainly summarizes recent findings on the structure, functions, and regulatory mechanisms of FADD and focuses on its role in cancer progression. The clinical implications of FADD as a biomarker and therapeutic target for cancer patients are also discussed. The information reviewed herein may expand researchers’ understanding of FADD and contribute to the development of FADD-based therapeutic strategies for cancer patients.

Long noncoding RNAs in hepatitis B virus replication and oncogenesis

Several diverse long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been identified to be involved in hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication and oncogenesis, especially those dysregulated in HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Most of these dysregulated lncRNAs are modulated by the HBV X protein. The regulatory mechanisms of some lncRNAs in HBV replication and oncogenesis have been characterized. Genetic polymorphisms of several lncRNAs affecting HBV replication or oncogenesis have also been studied. The prognosis of HCC remains poor. It is important to identify novel tumor markers for early diagnosis and find more therapeutic targets for effective treatments of HCC. Some dysregulated lncRNAs in HBV-related HCC may become biomarkers for early diagnosis and/or the therapeutic targets of HCC. This mini-review summarizes these findings briefly, focusing on recent developments.

Long Noncoding RNA H19: A Novel Therapeutic Target Emerging in Oncology Via Regulating Oncogenic Signaling Pathways

Long noncoding RNA H19 (H19) is an imprinting gene with only maternal expression that is involved in regulating different processes in various types of cells. Previous studies have shown that abnormal H19 expression is involved in many pathological processes, such as cancer, mainly through sponging miRNAs, interacting with proteins, or regulating epigenetic modifications. Accumulating evidence has shown that several oncogenic signaling pathways lead to carcinogenesis. Recently, the regulatory relationship between H19 and oncogenic signaling pathways in various types of cancer has been of great interest to many researchers. In this review, we discussed the key roles of H19 in cancer development and progression via its regulatory function in several oncogenic signaling pathways, such as PI3K/Akt, canonical Wnt/β-catenin, canonical NF-κB, MAPK, JAK/STAT and apoptosis. These oncogenic signaling pathways regulated by H19 are involved in cell proliferation, proliferation, migration and invasion, angiogenesis, and apoptosis of various cancer cells. This review suggests that H19 may be a novel therapeutic target for cancers treatment by regulating oncogenic signaling pathways.

Current State and Progress of Research on the Role of lncRNA in HBV-Related Liver Cancer

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a malignant tumor with the highest mortality rate in the world, and hepatitis B virus (HBV) plays an important role in its development. Long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) is highly related to the inactivation of tumor suppressor genes and the activation of oncogenes in HCC. Researchers have used high-throughput sequencing technology to identify many noncoding transcripts related to the development of HCC and have studied the interaction between these transcripts and DNA, RNA, or protein to determine the relevant mechanism in the development of HCC. In general, the research on lncRNA represents a new field of cancer research, and the imbalance in lncRNA plays an pivotal role in the occurrence of liver cancer. In this review, we summarize some of the dysfunctional lncRNAs in human HCC associated with HBV infection. Their regulatory pathways, functions, and potential molecular mechanisms in the occurrence and development of HCC are discussed.

Oncogenic role of early growth response-1 in liver cancer through the regulation of the microRNA-675/sestrin 3 and the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

Early growth response-1 (EGR1) is a multi-domain protein and an immediate early transcription factor that is induced during liver injury and controls the expression of a variety of genes implicated in metabolism, cell proliferation, and tumorigenesis. Liver cancer (LC) is a highly malignant disease with high mortality worldwide. This study focused on the function of EGR1 in LC development and the mechanism of action. Two LC-related datasets GSE101728 and GSE138178 downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database were used for identification of key genes involved in cancer progression. A microarray analysis was conducted to identify differentially expressed microRNAs (miRNAs) after EGR1 knockdown. The target gene of miR-675 was identified by integrated analysis. EGR1 and miR-675 were highly expressed, whereas sestrin 3 (SESN3) was poorly expressed in LC tissues and cells. High EGR1 expression was associated with poor liver function and disease severity in patients with LC. Knockdown of EGR1 weakened proliferation and invasiveness of LC cells. EGR1 bound to the miR-675 promoter and increased its transcription, and miR-675 bound to SESN3 mRNA to induce its downregulation. miR-675 upregulation promoted the malignance of LC cells, but further upregulation of SESN3 reduced invasiveness of cells. SESN3 was enriched in the Wnt/β-catenin signaling. EGR1 and miR-675 activated the Wnt/β-catenin through downregulating SESN3. This study demonstrated that EGR1 promotes the malignant behaviors of LC cells through mediating the miRNA-675/SESN3/Wnt/β-catenin axis.

MiR-520d-5p functions as a tumor-suppressor gene in cervical cancer through targeting PTK2

OBJECTIVE

PTK2 has been reported to be involved in tumor progression, but its regulating mechanisms in cervical cancer (CC) remain to be elusive. MiRNA-520d-5p was demonstrated to regulate the expression of many genes and inhibit the development of human tumors. However, the functional mechanisms of miRNA-520d-5p in the regulation of cervical cancer are not fully understood.

METHODS

RT-qPCR was employed to detect the expression levels of miR-520d-5p and PTK2. Western blot was performed to detect the expression levels of proteins. Dual-luciferase reporter assay was utilized to investigate the associations between miR-520d-5p and PTK2. CCK-8 assay was carried out to measure cell proliferation. In addition, transwell assay and scratch assay were used for cell invasion and migration analysis. Flow cytometry was used to detect cell apoptosis of cervical cancer.

RESULTS

The expression levels of PTK2 were elevated in CC tissues and cells lines. It was found that PTK2 was a target gene of miR-520d-5p. The expression of miR-520d-5p was down-regulated in CC tissues, which was negatively correlated with the expression of PTK2. MiR-520d-5p inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of CC cells. In addition, overexpression of miR-520d-5p resulted in apoptosis of CC cells. Finally, we demonstrated that miR-520d-5p inhibited the activation of PI3K/AKT signaling.

CONCLUSION

MiR-520d-5p suppressed the proliferation, invasion, and migration of CC cells via targeting PTK2.