MicroRNA-590-5p functions as a tumor suppressor in breast cancer conferring inhibitory effects on cell migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition by downregulating the Wnt-β-catenin signaling pathway

CircWHSC1 serves as a prognostic biomarker and promotes malignant progression of non-small-cell lung cancer via miR-590-5p/SOX5 axis

Dysregulated circWHSC1 has been shown to play potential roles in diverse cancer types, including ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The objective of this study was to investigate its expression, underlying role and regulatory mechanism in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The expression of circWHSC1 was determined by real-time PCR. After knockdown of circWHSC1 expression in NSCLC cells, the proliferation, migration, and invasion were detected using CCK-8, colony formation, and Transwell assays, and the effects of circWHSC1 on NSCLC tumorigenesis in vivo was also investigated. With the help of luciferase reporter and pull-down assays, we further explored the downstream mechanism of circWHSC1 in NSCLC cells. CircWHSC1 was highly expressed in NSCLC tissues and cell lines. The inhibition of circWHSC1 suppressed the malignant properties of NSCLC cells, as evidenced by the reduction of proliferation, migration and invasion. CircWHSC1 sponged miR-590-5p and functioned as an oncogene in NSCLC by increasing sex determining region Y-boxprotein 5 (SOX5) expression. CircWHSC1 may contribute to the oncogenicity of NSCLC via the regulation of miR-590-5p/SOX5 axis, which might be a novel therapeutic target in NSCLC.

CircDUS2L (circ_0039908) promotes lung adenocarcinoma progression by upregulating PGAM1 by acting as a miR-590-5p molecular sponge

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is usually found at the metastatic stage. Circular RNA dihydrouridine synthase 2-like (DUS2L) (circDUS2L) has been discovered to be upregulated in LUAD. Nevertheless, the function of circDUS2L in LUAD has not been verified. Levels of circDUS2L, microRNA-590-5p (miR-590-5p), and phosphoglycerate mutase 1 (PGAM1) mRNA were analyzed using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Cell proliferation, apoptosis, metastasis, and invasion were assessed by 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-Diphenyltetrazolium Bromide (MTT), colony formation, 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (Edu), flow cytometry, and transwell assays. Protein levels were detected by western blotting. Cell glycolysis was analyzed by measuring cell glucose consumption, lactate production, and extracellular acidification rate (ECAR). The regulatory mechanism of circDUS2L in LUAD cells was analyzed by bioinformatics analysis, dual-luciferase reporter, RNA pull-down, and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assays. Xenograft assay was conducted to confirm the function of circDUS2L in vivo. CircDUS2L was highly expressed in LUAD tissues and cells. CircDUS2L silencing constrained xenograft tumor growth in vivo. CircDUS2L knockdown induced apoptosis, repressed viability, colony formation, proliferation, metastasis, invasion, and glycolysis of LUAD cells in vitro by releasing miR-590-5p via functioning as a miR-590-5p sponge. MiR-590-5p was lowly expressed in LUAD tissues and cells, and miR-590-5p mimic curbed malignant behaviors and glycolysis of LUAD cells by targeting PGAM1. PGAM1 was overexpressed in LUAD tissues and cells, and circDUS2L sponged miR-590-5p to regulate PGAM1 expression. CircDUS2L elevated PGAM1 expression through functioning as a miR-590-5p sponge, thus driving malignant behaviors and glycolysis of LUAD cells.

Identification of potential microRNA diagnostic panels and uncovering regulatory mechanisms in breast cancer pathogenesis

Early diagnosis of breast cancer (BC), as the most common cancer among women, increases the survival rate and effectiveness of treatment. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) control various cell behaviors, and their dysregulation is widely involved in pathophysiological processes such as BC development and progress. In this study, we aimed to identify potential miRNA biomarkers for early diagnosis of BC. We also proposed a consensus-based strategy to analyze the miRNA expression data to gain a deeper insight into the regulatory roles of miRNAs in BC initiation. Two microarray datasets (GSE106817 and GSE113486) were analyzed to explore the differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) in serum of BC patients and healthy controls. Utilizing multiple bioinformatics tools, six serum-based miRNA biomarkers (miR-92a-3p, miR-23b-3p, miR-191-5p, miR-141-3p, miR-590-5p and miR-190a-5p) were identified for BC diagnosis. We applied our consensus and integration approach to construct a comprehensive BC-specific miRNA-TF co-regulatory network. Using different combination of these miRNA biomarkers, two novel diagnostic models, consisting of miR-92a-3p, miR-23b-3p, miR-191-5p (model 1) and miR-92a-3p, miR-23b-3p, miR-141-3p, and miR-590-5p (model 2), were obtained from bioinformatics analysis. Validation analysis was carried out for the considered models on two microarray datasets (GSE73002 and GSE41922). The model based on similar network topology features, comprising miR-92a-3p, miR-23b-3p and miR-191-5p was the most promising model in the diagnosis of BC patients from healthy controls with 0.89 sensitivity, 0.96 specificity and area under the curve (AUC) of 0.98. These findings elucidate the regulatory mechanisms underlying BC and represent novel biomarkers for early BC diagnosis.

Review article epithelial to mesenchymal transition‑associated microRNAs in breast cancer

Despite major advances, breast cancer (BC) is the most commonly diagnosed carcinoma and remains a deadly disease among women worldwide. Many researchers point toward an important role of an epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) in BC development and promoting metastasis. Here, will be discussed that how functional changes of transcription factors, signaling pathways, and microRNAs (miRNA) in BC promote EMT. A thorough understanding the EMT biology can be important to determine reversing the process and design treatment approaches. There are frequent debates as to whether EMT is really relevant to BC in vivo, in which due to the intrinsic heterogeneity and tumor microenvironment. Nevertheless, given the importance of EMT in cancer progression and metastasis, the implementation of therapies against cancer-associated EMT will continue to help us develop and test potential treatments.

miR-590-5p: A double-edged sword in the oncogenesis process

Accumulating evidence suggests the critical role of miR-590-5p in various aspects of cellular homeostasis, including cancer. Furthermore, we and others have recently demonstrated that miRNA-590-5p acts as an oncogene in some cancers while it acts as a tumor-suppressor in others. However, the role of miR-590-5p in oncogenesis is more complex, like a double-edged sword. Thus, this systematic review introduces the concept, mechanism, and biological function of miR-590-5p to resolve this apparent paradox. We have also described the involvement of miR-590-5p in crucial cancer-hallmarks processes like proliferation, invasion, metastasis, and chemo radioresistance. Finally, we have presented the possible genes/pathways targets of miR-590-5p through bioinformatics analysis. This review may help in designing better biomarkers and therapeutic targets for cancers.

PITX2 regulates steroidogenesis in granulosa cells of dairy goat by the WNT/β-catenin pathway

Paired-like homeodomain transcription factor 2 (PITX2), a major driver of multiple tissue development, is a transcription factor that regulates gene expression in organisms. However, it is unknown if PITX2 regulates goat granulosa cell (GC) steroidogenesis. Therefore, we investigated the role and mechanism of PITX2 in GC steroidogenesis. In our study, PITX2 significantly facilitated the secretion level of estrogen and progesterone through increasing CYP11A1, CYP19A1, and STAR mRNA and protein expressions in GCs. Furthermore, PITX2 participated in the WNT pathway, enhancing the production of E₂ and P₄ in GCs. PITX2 in GCs increased the DVL-1 and CTNNB1 expression, involved in the WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway related to steroidogenesis. Moreover, GC steroidogenesis-related gene translation was decreased by CTNNB1-siRNA but enhanced when transfected with PITX2. PITX2 regulates secretion of E₂ and P₄ from GCs via the WNT/β-catenin pathway and alters GC proliferation and steroidogenesis. These findings will help understand the role of PITX2 in goat ovarian follicular development and oocyte maturation.

The Wnt/β-catenin pathway in breast cancer therapy: a pre-clinical perspective of its targeting for clinical translation

INTRODUCTION

Despite various treatments available, there is still a high mortality rate in breast cancer patients. Thus, there exists an unmet need for new therapeutic interventions. Studies show that the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is involved in breast cancer metastasis because of its transcriptional control on epithelial to mesenchymal transition.

AREAS COVERED

This comprehensive review explores the Wnt signaling pathway as a potential target for treating breast cancer and other breast cancer subtypes. We discuss the Wnt signaling pathway, its role in breast cancer metastasis, and its effect on breast cancer stem cells. Further, endogenous agents that cause Wnt pathway inactivation are outlined. Finally, various natural and chemical compounds modulating the Wnt pathway used in pre-clinical or clinical trials for breast cancer treatment are discussed.

EXPERT OPINION

In vitro and in vivo studies indicate an immense potential of agents targeting the Wnt signaling pathway to prevent and manage breast cancer. Still, more clinical studies are required to support their use in humans. Apart from the agents already in clinical trials, several drug combinations discussed may be translated into clinical practice in a few years.

Beta-Caryophyllene Exhibits Anti-Proliferative Effects through Apoptosis Induction and Cell Cycle Modulation in Multiple Myeloma Cells

Cannabinoid receptors, which are widely distributed in the body, have been considered as possible pharmacological targets for the management of several tumors. Cannabinoid type 2 receptors (CB2Rs) belong to the G protein-coupled receptor family and are mainly expressed in hematopoietic and immune cells, such as B-cells, T-cells, and macrophages; thus, CB2R activation might be useful for treating cancers affecting plasma cells, such as multiple myeloma (MM). Previous studies have shown that CB2R stimulation may have anti-proliferative effects; therefore, the purpose of the present study was to explore the antitumor effect of beta-caryophyllene (BCP), a CB2R agonist, in an in vitro model of MM. Dexamethasone-resistant (MM.1R) and sensitive (MM.1S) human multiple myeloma cell lines were used in this study. Cells were treated with different concentrations of BCP for 24 h, and a group of cells was pre-incubated with AM630, a specific CB2R antagonist. BCP treatment reduced cell proliferation through CB2R stimulation; notably, BCP considerably increased the pro-apoptotic protein Bax and decreased the anti-apoptotic molecule Bcl-2. Furthermore, an increase in caspase 3 protein levels was detected following BCP incubation, thus demonstrating its anti-proliferative effect through apoptosis activation. In addition, BCP regulated AKT, Wnt1, and beta-catenin expression, showing that CB2R stimulation may decrease cancer cell proliferation by modulating Wnt/β-catenin signaling. These effects were counteracted by AM630 co-incubation, thus confirming that BCP's mechanism of action is mainly related to CB2R modulation. A decrease in β-catenin regulated the impaired cell cycle and especially promoted cyclin D1 and CDK 4/6 reduction. Taken together, these data revealed that BCP might have significant and effective anti-cancer and anti-proliferative effects in MM cells by activating apoptosis, modulating different molecular pathways, and downregulating the cell cycle.

Long non-coding RNA (LncRNA) CASC9/microRNA(miR)-590-3p/sine oculis homeobox 1 (SIX1)/NF-κB axis promotes proliferation and migration in breast cancer

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA)–microRNA–mRNA signaling axes have recently been shown to have a key role in the development of breast cancer (BC). In this study, we investigated how the cancer susceptibility candidate 9 (CASC9) gene affects the cell growth, invasion, migration, and apoptosis of BC cells. The levels of microRNA-590-3p (miR-590-3p), CASC9, and the sine oculis homeobox 1 (SIX1) gene were determined through qRT-PCR. We conducted cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assays to assess cell proliferation, transwell assays to detect cell migration/invasion, and flow cytometry to evaluate cell apoptosis. StarBase v2.0 was used to predict interactions between miR-590-3p and SIX1 or CASC9, and dual-luciferase reporter assays were used to verify these predictions. CASC9 protein was overexpressed in BC cells and tissues, while CASC9 knockdown inhibited BC cell growth, invasion, and migration and promoted apoptosis. Additionally, we verified that CASC9 competes for binding with miR-590-3p. Moreover, SIX1 was determined to be a target of miR-590–3p, and SIX1 expression was inhibited by miR-590-3p overexpression. CASC9 enhanced BC development by downregulating miR-590-3p and upregulating SIX1 during the activation of the NF-κB pathway. These data suggest that the CASC9/miR-590-3p/SIX1/NF-κB axis is involved in breast cancer progression, providing insight into the function of CASC9 in breast cancer development.

Circ_0069718 promotes the progression of breast cancer by up-regulating NFIB through sequestering miR-590-5p

Researches indicate that circular RNAs are dysregulated in breast cancer (BC) and play a critical role in regulating the malignant phenotype of cancer cells. Herein, the goal of this work was to investigate the role and mechanism of circ_0069718 in BC development. Levels of genes and proteins were detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blot. In vitro experiments were performed using cell counting kit-8 assay, colony formation assay, EdU (5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine) assay, flow cytometry, western blot, and transwell assay, respectively. The dual-luciferase reporter and RNA immunoprecipitation assays were used to identify the target relationship between miR-590-5p and circ_0069718 or nuclear factor I/B (NFIB). In vivo experiments were conducted using Xenograft model in mice. Circ_0069718 was up-regulated in BC tissues and cells. Knockdown of circ_0069718 suppressed BC cell apoptosis, migration, and invasion in vitro effectively. Mechanistically, circ_0069718 directly targeted miR-590-5p to up-regulate its target NFIB. Rescue experiments showed that miR-590-5p inhibition reversed the inhibitory effects of circ_0069718 knockdown on BC cell-aggressive oncogenic phenotypes; moreover, miR-590-5p re-expression restrained BC cell proliferation and mobility, which were abolished by NFIB up-regulation. Besides that, circ_0069718 silencing hindered tumor growth via miR-590-5p/NFIB axis in vivo. Circ_0069718 promotes BC progression by up-regulating NFIB through sequestering miR-590-5p, suggesting a potential therapeutic strategy in BC.

miR-590-5p targets RMND5A and promotes migration in pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell lines

Required for meiotic nuclear division 5 homolog A (RMND5A) functions as an E3 ubiquitin ligase. To date, few studies have investigated the role of RMND5A in cancer. In the present study, the expression levels of RMND5A in multiple types of cancer were analyzed using the Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis platform. The results revealed that RMND5A was highly expressed and associated with overall survival in patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD). A wound-healing assay revealed that RMND5A overexpression significantly increased cell migration in the PAAD cell lines AsPC-1 and PANC-1. In silico analysis predicted that RMND5A was a potential target of microRNA(miR)-590-5p. Further in vitro experiments demonstrated that overexpression of miR-590-5p downregulated the expression levels of RMND5A and decreased the migratory ability of the AsPC-1 and PANC-1 cell lines. In addition, overexpression of miR-590-5p attenuated the promoting effects of RMND5A on the migration of AsPC-1 and PANC-1 cells. The results of the present study may further elucidate the mechanisms underlying PAAD progression and provide novel targets for the treatment of PAAD.

Regulatory MicroRNAs in T2DM and Breast Cancer

MicroRNAs orchestrate the tight regulation of numerous cellular processes and the deregulation in their activities has been implicated in many diseases, including diabetes and cancer. There is an increasing amount of epidemiological evidence associating diabetes, particularly type 2 diabetes mellitus, to an elevated risk of various cancer types, including breast cancer. However, little is yet known about the underlying molecular mechanisms and even less about the role miRNAs play in driving the tumorigenic potential of the cell signaling underlying diabetes pathogenesis. This article reviews the role of miRNA in bridging the diabetes–breast cancer association by discussing specific miRNAs that are implicated in diabetes and breast cancer and highlighting the overlap between the disease-specific regulatory miRNA networks to identify a 20-miRNA signature that is common to both diseases. Potential therapeutic targeting of these molecular players may help to alleviate the socioeconomic burden on public health that is imposed by the type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM)–breast cancer association.

Exosomal miR-590-5p in Serum as a Biomarker for the Diagnosis and Prognosis of Gastric Cancer

The purpose of this study is to explore the expression of miRNA-590-5p, an exosome of gastric cancer (GC), and to evaluate the suitability of miR-590-5p, an exosome with its own clinical characteristics. Serum samples from 168 gastric cancer patients and 50 matched controls were collected and exosomal RNAs were extracted. After that, miR-590-5p is analyzed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), which is more related to clinical and pathological parameters and patient monitoring data. MGC-803 and HGC-27 cells were treated by miR-590-5p mimics, and then the changes of cell fluidity and invasiveness were monitored. The results showed that the expression level of miR-590-5p in exosomes of healthy observation group, early (I and II) stage group, and late stage (III) group was 30.34 ± 6.35, 6.19 ± 0.81, and 2.9 ± 0.19, respectively (all p < 0.05). ROC (receiver-operating characteristic curve) showed that the AUC (area under the curve) of exosomal miR-590-5p was 0.810 with 63.7% sensitivity and 86% specificity. The expression of exosomal miR-590-5p in serum was related to clinical stage (p = 0.008), infiltration depth, and the expression level of ki-67 (p < 0.001). In addition, Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the decrease of explicit level of exosomal miR-590-5p was related to the decrease of overall survival rate (p < 0.001). Cox regression analysis showed that miR-590-5p can be used as an independent predictor. Furthermore, upregulation of miR-590-5p inhibited cell migration and invasion in MGC-803 cells and HGC-27 cells. The serum expression level of exosomal miR-590-5p may be a biomarker, which is potentially useful and noninvasive for early detection and prediction of GC. In addition, miR-590-5p can play a role in eliminating carcinogens by actively regulating the malignant potential of gastric cancer.

New Advances in Canonical Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling in Cancer

Wnt/β-catenin-mediated signaling is a key pathway regulating tissue growth and development, and tumorigenesis, and has received increasing attention in recent years. In addition to participating in healthy tissue and organ development, ectopic activation of the pathway can cause a variety of tumors and other pathologies. The pathway plays a critical role in many processes such as proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, migration, invasion, epithelial–mesenchymal transition and cancer cell stemness. The importance of the Wnt signal is self-evident. This review describes the underlying mechanism of Wnt signaling pathway and highlights the latest findings on the relationship between Wnt signaling pathway and tumorigenesis. In addition, the potential relationship between miRNAs and Wnt signaling is presented. Furthermore, we discuss the intrinsic link between Wnt signaling and cancer cell stemness, which shed light on the malignant progression of tumor cells. Finally, cancer treatment strategies based on the canonical Wnt signaling pathway are summarized, hoping to help clinical development.

Circulating microRNA-590-5p functions as a liquid biopsy marker in non-small cell lung cancer

Despite the availability of various diagnostic procedures, a tissue biopsy is still indispensable for the routine diagnosis of lung cancer. However, inaccurate diagnoses can occur, leading to inefficient cancer management. In this context, use of circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) may serve as diagnostic tools as liquid biopsies, and as biomarkers to better understand the molecular mechanisms involved in the progression of cancer. We identified miR‐590‐5p as a potential prognostic marker in the progression of non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We were able to detect this miRNA in blood plasma samples of NSCLC patients through quantitative real‐time PCR. Our data showed an ~7.5‐fold downregulation of miR‐590‐5p in NSCLC patients compared to healthy controls, which correlated with several clinicopathological features. Further, overexpression of miR‐590‐5p led to decreased cell viability, proliferation, colony formation, migration, and invasion potential of lung cancer cells, whereas its knockdown showed the opposite effect. In addition, the levels of several proteins involved in the epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition negatively correlated with miR‐590‐5p levels in lung adenocarcinoma cells and tumors of NSCLC patients. Further, dual‐luciferase reporter assays identified STAT3 as a direct target of miR‐590‐5p, which negatively regulated STAT3 activation and its downstream signaling molecules (eg, Cyclin D1, c‐Myc, Vimentin, and β‐catenin) involved in tumorigenesis. Taken together, our study suggests that miR‐590‐5p functions as a tumor suppressor in NSCLC through regulating the STAT3 pathway, and may serve as a useful biomarker for the diagnosis/prognosis of NSCLC, and as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of NSCLC.

Targeting Wnt/β-catenin and PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathways in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia

T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is an aggressive hematological disorder that results from the clonal transformation of T-cell precursors. Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt/mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) and canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways play a crucial role in T-cell development and in self-renewal of healthy and leukemic stem cells. Notably, β-catenin is a transcriptional regulator of several genes involved in cancer cell proliferation and survival. In this way, aberrations of components belonging to the aforementioned networks contribute to T-ALL pathogenesis. For this reason, inhibition of both pathways could represent an innovative strategy in this hematological malignancy. Here, we show that combined targeting of Wnt/β-catenin pathway through ICG-001, a CBP/β-catenin transcription inhibitor, and of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR axis through ZSTK-474, a PI3K inhibitor, downregulated proliferation, survival, and clonogenic activity of T-ALL cells. ICG-001 and ZSTK-474 displayed cytotoxic effects, and, when combined together, induced a significant increase in apoptotic cells. This induction of apoptosis was associated with the downregulation of Wnt/β-catenin and PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathways. All these findings were confirmed under hypoxic conditions that mimic the bone marrow niche where leukemic stem cells are believed to reside. Taken together, our findings highlight potentially promising treatment consisting of cotargeting Wnt/β-catenin and PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathways in T-ALL settings.

MicroRNAs and Epigenetics Strategies to Reverse Breast Cancer

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

Reciprocal regulatory mechanism between miR-214-3p and FGFR1 in FGFR1-amplified lung cancer

MicroRNA (miRNA) and fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1) dysregulation are considered to play an important role in tumor proliferation, invasion, and metastasis. However, the regulatory mechanism between miRNAs and FGFR1 in lung cancer remains unclear and extremely critical. miR-214-3p was sharply decreased and showed a significantly negative correlation with FGFR1 in lung cancer patients (n = 30). Luciferase reporter assay confirmed that miR-214-3p could downregulate FGFR1 by directly targeting 3′-untranslated region (UTR). miR-214-3p inhibited the processes of epithelial–mesenchymal transition and Wnt/MAPK/AKT (Wnt/mitogen-activated protein kinase/AKT) signaling pathway by targeting FGFR1. Moreover, miR-214-3p not only established a negative feedback regulation loop with FGFR1 through ERK (extracellular signal-regulated kinase) but also developed a synergism with FGFR1 inhibitor AZD4547. In conclusion, our study demonstrated the regulatory mechanism between miR-214-3p and FGFR1 in lung cancer. miR-214-3p acts as a vital target in FGFR1-amplified lung cancer by forming a miR-214-3p-FGFR1-Wnt/MAPK/AKT signaling pathway network. Co-targeting miR-214-3p and FGFR1 could provide greater benefits to patients with FGFR1-amplified lung cancer.

GDNFOS1 knockdown decreases the invasion and viability of glioblastoma cells

Glioblastoma multiforme is the most aggressive primary brain cancer in adults. Therefore, it is important to investigate the mechanisms associated with cell viability and invasion ability of the cells in glioblastoma multiforme. The opposite strand of the glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) gene is used to transcribe the cis-antisense GDNF opposite strand (GDNFOS) gene, which belongs to the long noncoding RNAs. The current study assessed the effects of GDNFOS1 overexpression and interference on GDNF expression, cell viability and invasion ability in U87 and U251 MG glioblastoma cells. Overexpression and interference were performed using constructed lentiviral vectors, including long non-coding RNA GDNFOS1 overexpression vector, pL-short hairpin RNA (shRNA)-GDNFOS1-9, pL-shRNA-GDNFOS1-49, pL-shRNA-GDNFOS1-248, pL-shRNA-GDNFOS1-9+49, pL-shRNA-GDNFOS1-9+248 and pL-shRNA-GDNFOS1-49+248. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR was used to determine the efficiency of interference and overexpression of GDNFOS1 in U87 and U251 MG cells. GDNF protein expression in U87 and U251 MG cells was detected using western blot analysis. In addition, cell viability was detected using a cell counting kit-8 assay at 24, 48 and 72 h after GDNFOS1 overexpression or interference. A transwell invasion assay was used to detect invasion ability. Different shRNA sequences were tested and the results revealed that a combination (pL-shRNA-GDNFOS1-49+248) was most effective in the knock-down GDNFOS1. Compared with the control group, GDNF expression in U87 MG cells was significantly increased in the GDNFOS1 overexpression group and decreased in the shRNA-GDNFOS1-248 group. U87 MG cell viability was significantly increased in the GDNFOS1 overexpression group at 24, 48 and 72 h compared with the negative control group. The viability of U87 MG cells was decreased in the GDNFOS1 interference group at 72 h when compared with the control group. The relative invasive ability was significantly increased in the GDNFOS1 overexpression group when compared with the negative control group. The invasive ability was significantly decreased in the GDNFOS1 interference group when compared with the negative control group. Similar results were exhibited by the U251 MG cells. Overall, GDNF expression, cell viability and invasion ability of glioblastoma cells significantly increased with GDNFOS1 overexpression and decreased with GDNFOS1 interference.

A comprehensive overview of oncogenic pathways in human cancer

Alterations of biological pathways can lead to oncogenesis. An overview of these oncogenic pathways would be highly valuable for researchers to reveal the pathogenic mechanism and develop novel therapeutic approaches for cancers. Here, we reviewed approximately 8500 literatures and documented experimentally validated cancer-pathway associations as benchmarking data set. This data resource includes 4709 manually curated relationships between 1557 paths and 49 cancers with 2427 upstream regulators in 7 species. Based on this resource, we first summarized the cancer-pathway associations and revealed some commonly deregulated pathways across tumor types. Then, we systematically analyzed these oncogenic pathways by integrating TCGA pan-cancer data sets. Multi-omics analysis showed oncogenic pathways may play different roles across tumor types under different omics contexts. We also charted the survival relevance landscape of oncogenic pathways in 26 tumor types, identified dominant omics features and found survival relevance for oncogenic pathways varied in tumor types and omics levels. Moreover, we predicted upstream regulators and constructed a hierarchical network model to understand the pathogenic mechanism of human cancers underlying oncogenic pathway context. Finally, we developed `CPAD’ (freely available at http://bio-bigdata.hrbmu.edu.cn/CPAD/), an online resource for exploring oncogenic pathways in human cancers, that integrated manually curated cancer-pathway associations, TCGA pan-cancer multi-omics data sets, drug–target data, drug sensitivity and multi-omics data for cancer cell lines. In summary, our study provides a comprehensive characterization of oncogenic pathways and also presents a valuable resource for investigating the pathogenesis of human cancer.

LINC00612 enhances the proliferation and invasion ability of bladder cancer cells as ceRNA by sponging miR-590 to elevate expression of PHF14

Background

Bladder cancer (BC) is a common type of cancer that involves tumors of the urinary system and poses a serious threat to human health. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as crucial biomarkers and regulators in many cancers. Novel lncRNA biomarkers in BC urgently need to be investigated in regard to its function and regulatory mechanisms.

Methods

Identification of differentially expressed lncRNAs in BC tissue was performed via microarray analysis. To investigate the biological functions of LINC00612, loss-of-function and gain-of-function experiments were performed in vitro and in vivo. Bioinformatics analysis, dual-luciferase reporter assays, AGO2-RIP assays, RNA pull-down assays, real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) arrays, fluorescence in situ hybridization assays, and western blot assays were conducted to explore the underlying mechanisms of competitive endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs).

Results

LINC00612 was upregulated in BC tissues and cell lines. Functionally, downregulation of LINC00612 inhibited cell proliferation and invasion in vitro and in vivo, whereas overexpression of LINC00612 resulted in the opposite effects. Bioinformatics analysis and luciferase assays revealed that miR-590 was a direct target of LINC0061, which was validated by dual-luciferase reporter assays, AGO2-RIP assays, RNA pull-down assays, RT-qPCR arrays, and rescue experiments. Additionally, miR-590 was shown to directly target the PHD finger protein 14 (PHF14) gene. LNIC00612 modulated the expression of E-cadherin and vimentin by competitively sponging miR-590 to elevate the expression of PHF14, thus affecting BC cellular epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT).

Conclusions

Our results indicate that LINC00612 enhances the proliferation and invasion ability of BC cells by sponging miR-590 to upregulate PHF14 expression and promote BC cellular EMT, suggesting that LINC00612 may act as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for BC.

Overexpression of miR-664 is associated with poor overall survival and accelerates cell proliferation, migration and invasion in hepatocellular carcinoma

Introduction

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide. This study aimed to investigate the expression patterns of microRNA-664 (miR-664) in HCC tissues and cells, and assess its clinical significance and functional role in HCC.

Patients and methods

One hundred and thirty-four paired HCC and non-cancerous tissues were collected from patients who underwent surgery in Qianfoshan Hospital affiliated to Shandong University (Shandong, China) between 2009 and 2012. Expression of miR-664 was measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Prognostic value of miR-664 in HCC was evaluated using Kaplan–Meier survival analysis and Cox regression analysis. Cell proliferation was analyzed using the CCK-8 assay, and cell migration and invasion of HCC cells was evaluated by the Transwell assay.

Results

Expression of miR-664 was significantly upregulated in HCC tissues and cells when compared with the normal controls (all P<0.05). MiR-664 expression was associated with lymph node metastasis, TNM stage and differentiation (all P<0.05) in the HCC patients. High miR-664 expression predicted poor overall survival (log-rank P=0.004) and acted as an independent prognostic factor (HR =1.945, 95% CI=1.078–3.508, P=0.027). According to cell experiments, the upregulation of miR-664 could promote, whereas the downregulation of miR-664 could inhibit proliferation, migration and invasion of HCC cells (all P<0.05). SIVA1 was predicted as a direct target gene of miR-664 in HCC.

Conclusion

All data indicated that overexpression of miR-664 is associated with poor prognosis of HCC patients, and may enhance tumor progression of HCC by targeting SIVA1. MiR-664 may be a candidate therapeutic target for HCC treatment.

Effects of genetic variations within goat PITX2 gene on growth traits and mRNA expression

Paired-like homeodomain 2 (PITX2), a key gene in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrena axis, influences animal growth and development. The objective of this study was to identify the association of the functional genetic variations within goat PITX2 gene with growth traits and mRNA expression levels. According to the reported single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) information in Guanzhong dairy goat (GZDG), we identified genotypes of the known SNPs in Hainan black goat (HNBG). Association analysis uncovered that the SNPs of AC_000163: g.18117T > C, g.18161C > G and g.18353T > C loci were significantly associated with several growth traits (e.g., body height and body length) in HNBG and GZDG breeds. According to the quantitative real-time PCR assay, β-Actin and ribosomal protein L19 (RPL19) were the most stable expressed housekeeping genes in heart and skeletal muscle, respectively; meanwhile, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) was the most stable expressed housekeeping gene in the other tissues. Based on the best housekeeping gene of varied tissues, we found the different genotypes of above loci were significantly associated with PITX2 mRNA expression in heart, muscle and small intestine. Briefly, the genetic variants of goat PITX2 associating with mRNA expression affected growth traits significantly, which would benefit for goat breeding in the future.