Increased long noncoding RNA LASP1-AS is critical for hepatocellular carcinoma tumorigenesis via upregulating LASP1

Decoding hepatocarcinogenesis from a noncoding RNAs perspective

Being a leading lethal malignancy worldwide, the pathophysiology of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has gained a lot of interest. Yet, underlying mechanistic basis of the liver tumorigenesis is poorly understood. The role of some coding genes and their respective translated proteins, then later on, some noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) such as microRNAs have been extensively studied in context of HCC pathophysiology; however, the implication of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs) in HCC is indeed less investigated. As a subclass of the ncRNAs which has been elusive for long time ago, lncRNAs was found to be involved in plentiful cellular functions such as DNA, RNA, and proteins regulation. Hence, it is undisputed that lncRNAs dysregulation profoundly contributes to HCC via diverse etiologies. Accordingly, lncRNAs represent a hot research topic that requires prime focus in HCC. In this review, the authors discuss breakthrough discoveries involving lncRNAs and circRNAs dysregulation that have contributed to the contemporary concepts of HCC pathophysiology and how these concepts could be leveraged as potential novel diagnostic and prognostic HCC biomarkers. Further, this review article sheds light on future trends, thereby discussing the pathological roles of lncRNAs and circRNAs in HCC proliferation, migration, and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. Along this line of reasoning, future recommendations of how these targets could be exploited to achieve effective HCC-related drug development is highlighted.

Making Sense of Antisense lncRNAs in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Transcriptome complexity is emerging as an unprecedented and fascinating domain, especially by high-throughput sequencing technologies that have unveiled a plethora of new non-coding RNA biotypes. This review covers antisense long non-coding RNAs, i.e., lncRNAs transcribed from the opposite strand of other known genes, and their role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Several sense-antisense transcript pairs have been recently annotated, especially from mammalian genomes, and an understanding of their evolutionary sense and functional role for human health and diseases is only beginning. Antisense lncRNAs dysregulation is significantly involved in hepatocarcinogenesis, where they can act as oncogenes or oncosuppressors, thus playing a key role in tumor onset, progression, and chemoradiotherapy response, as deduced from many studies discussed here. Mechanistically, antisense lncRNAs regulate gene expression by exploiting various molecular mechanisms shared with other ncRNA molecules, and exploit special mechanisms on their corresponding sense gene due to sequence complementarity, thus exerting epigenetic, transcriptional, post-transcriptional, and translational controls. The next challenges will be piecing together the complex RNA regulatory networks driven by antisense lncRNAs and, ultimately, assigning them a function in physiological and pathological contexts, in addition to defining prospective novel therapeutic targets and innovative diagnostic tools.

The Roles of Antisense Long Noncoding RNAs in Tumorigenesis and Development through Cis-Regulation of Neighbouring Genes

Antisense long noncoding RNA (as-lncRNA) is a lncRNA transcribed in reverse orientation that is partially or completely complementary to the corresponding sense protein-coding or noncoding genes. As-lncRNAs, one of the natural antisense transcripts (NATs), can regulate the expression of their adjacent sense genes through a variety of mechanisms, affect the biological activities of cells, and further participate in the occurrence and development of a variety of tumours. This study explores the functional roles of as-lncRNAs, which can cis-regulate protein-coding sense genes, in tumour aetiology to understand the occurrence and development of malignant tumours in depth and provide a better theoretical basis for tumour therapy targeting lncRNAs.

MiR-206 suppresses the deterioration of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and promotes sensitivity to chemotherapy by inhibiting interactions with stromal CAFs

Background: Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) is a highly malignant subtype of cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) with poor prognosis. In iCCA, the interplay between the stroma and tumor cells results in resistance to adjuvant chemotherapy. Increasing evidence indicates that miR-206 participates in tumor progression, but its role in iCCA is still unclear. The aim of this study was to identify dysregulated miR-206 expression in iCCA and to further explore the underlying mechanism.

Methods: MiR-206 expression was proven to be downregulated in iCCA tissues by qPCR, and its correlation with clinical characteristics and prognosis was investigated. iCCA-derived cancer-associated fibroblast cells (CAFs) and normal fibroblast cells (NFs) were isolated and identified. MiR-206 was knocked in or down in CAFs and CCA cells, respectively, to explore the role of miR-206, and coculture of these treated CCAs and CAFs was conducted to explore the effects of miR-206 on their mutual promoting effects. Exosomes carrying miR-206 and an orthotopic mouse model were used to determine the inhibitory effects of miR-206 on iCCA deterioration in vivo.

Results: We confirmed that miR-206 is a suppressor of iCCA. Overexpressing miR-206 in CCA cells inhibited cell proliferation, migration and invasion. When cocultured with CCA cells, NFs downregulated miR-206 expression, and NFs were susceptible to transforming into CAFs. Moreover, CAFs promoted CCA cell malignant behaviors and gemcitabine resistance. Overexpressing miR-206 in CAFs or CCA cells inhibited this mutual promoting effect. Additionally, when delivered by exosomes, miR-206 suppressed tumor deterioration. And combined with gemcitabine, this treatment resulted in a longer survival time.

Conclusion: Our study explained that the interaction between CCA cells and CAFs promoted iCCA deterioration. As a suppressive factor, miR-206 inhibited aggressive characteristics and gemcitabine resistance by interfering with this mutual promoting effect. This research elucidated the molecular mechanism underlying the unfavorable chemotherapeutic response of patients with iCCA, which provided a promising target for iCCA treatment.

MiR-665 suppresses the progression of diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) through targeting LIM and SH3 protein 1 (LASP1)

Diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL), the most common type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma worldwide, is aggressive and highly heterogeneous. MiR-665 was found to be lowly expressed in serum exosomes of DLBCL patients and in DLBCL cell lines, but its function in DLBCL progression remains unclear. In this study, miR-665 was overexpressed in SU-DHL-4 cells via miR-665 mimics and knocked down in FARAGE cells via miR-665 inhibitor. Knockdown of miR-665 promoted DLBCL cell proliferation and invasion and decreased cell apoptosis, whereas miR-665 overexpression showed opposite effects on DLBCL cell malignant behaviors. Luciferase reporter assay confirmed LIM and SH3 protein 1 (LASP1) and MYC as target genes of miR-665. Moreover, the expression of LASP1 was negatively correlated with that of miR-665 in LDLBCL cells. LASP1 has tumor-promoting property and its inhibition abolished the effect of miR-665 knockdown on DLBCL cell proliferation, invasion, and apoptosis. SU-DHL-4 cells were inoculated into the flank of nude mice, followed by orthotopic injection with miR-665 agomir. MiR-665 overexpression restricted tumor growth in vivo. Thus, we demonstrates that miR-665 suppresses DLBCL cell malignant behaviors by inhibiting cell proliferation and invasion and inducing apoptosis via targeting LASP1 and MYC, suggesting the importance of miR-665 in DLBCL progression.

Regulating of LncRNA2264/miR-20b-5p/IL17RD axis on hydrogen sulfide exposure-induced inflammation in broiler thymus by activating MYD88/NF-κB pathway

Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) is an environmental pollutant. Chronic exposure to H₂S can damage the immune system of birds, but the detailed mechanisms of H₂S-induced thymus toxicity have not been determined. Competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) mechanism participates in many pathophysiological processes by regulating gene expression, including environmental pollutant-induced injury. Therefore, we investigate the specific mechanisms of ceRNA in the process of H₂S-induced thymic immune damage in broiler chickens. In the current study, 120 one-day-old male Ross 308 broilers were randomly divided into two groups (n = 60 chickens/group), raising in the control chamber (0.5 ± 0.5 ppm) or H₂S-exposed chamber (4.0 ± 0.5 ppm at 0-3 weeks of age and 20.0 ± 0.5 ppm at 4-6 weeks of age groups) to replicate the H₂S-exposed broilers. NaHS (3 mM or 6 mM) was used to treat chicken macrophages (HD11) to establish an in vitro. Histopathology and ultrastructural changes of thymus were assessed by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Gene expression profiles were analyzed by using transcriptomics. The underlying mechanisms of thymic injury were further revealed by dual luciferase reporter gene assay, qRT-PCR and Western blotting. Research results showed that H₂S exposure induced an inflammatory response in thymus, with the expression of LncRNA2264 was significantly down-regulated. LncRNA2264 could competitively bind to miR-20b-5p and caused downregulation of the IL17RD. H₂S could activate inflammatory factors through the LncRNA2264/miR-20b-5p/IL17RD axis. In summary, this study suggested that LncRNA2264 acted as a miR-20b-5p molecular sponge to regulate the expression of IL17RD involved in H₂S exposure-induced thymic inflammation, which has positive implications for guiding the prevention and control of H₂S gas poisoning in livestock housing and ensuring animal welfare.

lncRNA TPT1‑AS1 knockdown inhibits liver cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) tumor protein translationally controlled 1 antisense RNA 1 (TPT1-AS1) serves as an oncogene in several tumors, including ovarian and cervical cancer. However, the functional role of TPT1-AS1 in liver cancer (LC) is not completely understood. The present study aimed to explore the role of TPT1-AS1 in LC. In this study, the reverse transcription-quantitative PCR results demonstrated that TPT1-AS1 expression was significantly upregulated in LC tissues and cell lines compared with adjacent paracancerous tissues and THLE-3 cells, respectively. Elevated TPT1-AS1 expression was significantly associated with TNM stage lymph node metastasis and poor prognosis in patients with LC, as determined via χ² and Kaplan-Meier survival analyses. By constructing TPT1-AS1 knockdown LC cell lines (HepG2 and SNU-182), loss-of-function experiments, including Cell Counting Kit-8, colony formation, flow cytometry, wound healing and Transwell assays, were performed to explore the function role of TPT1-AS1 in LC in vitro. The results demonstrated that TPT1-AS1 knockdown inhibited LC cell proliferation, G₁/S transition, migration and invasion compared with the small interfering RNA (si)-negative control (NC) group. Mechanistically, TPT1-AS1 knockdown markedly decreased CDK4, N-cadherin and Vimentin expression levels, but notably increased p21 and E-cadherin expression levels compared with the si-NC group. Therefore, the results of the present study suggested that TPT1-AS1 might serve as a promising therapeutic target for LC treatment.

Long non‑coding RNA H19 regulates LASP1 expression in osteosarcoma by competitively binding to miR‑29a‑3p

A prevalent type of bone tumor, osteosarcoma (OS) is prone to pulmonary metastasis, which results in a high relapse risk and poor prognosis for patients. The progression of OS is significantly associated with the expression of long non‑coding (lnc)RNA H19. To the best of our knowledge, however, the exact molecular mechanism of this lncRNA has not been fully investigated. The present study verified the effect of H19 on the proliferation and invasion of osteosarcoma cells via in vivo and in vitro experiments, including Cell Counting Kit‑8, western blot, reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR, wound healing and Transwell assays. H19 was found to be overexpressed in OS compared with corresponding normal adjacent tissue. In addition, H19 served as a competing endogenous ncRNA targeting microRNA‑29a‑3p and activating LIM and SH3 domain protein 1 and modulating the OS cell phenotype. The results of the present study may improve understanding of OS pathogenesis.

Long Non-Coding RNAs: Potential Biomarkers and Targets for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Therapy and Diagnosis

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide. Increasing studies showed that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), a novel class of RNAs that are greater than 200 nucleotides in length but lack the ability to encode proteins, exert crucial roles in the occurrence and progression of HCC. LncRNAs promote the proliferation, migration, invasion, autophagy, and apoptosis of tumor cells by regulating downstream target gene expression and cancer-related signaling pathways. Meanwhile, lncRNA can be used as biomarkers to predict the efficacy of HCC treatment strategies, such as surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy, and as a potential individualized tool for HCC diagnosis and treatment. In this review, we overview up-to-date findings on lncRNAs as potential biomarkers for HCC surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy resistance, target therapy, and immunotherapy, and discuss the potential clinical application of lncRNA as tools for HCC diagnosis and treatment.

LncUBE2R2-AS1 acts as a microRNA sponge of miR-302b to promote HCC progression via activation EGFR-PI3K-AKT signaling pathway

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a main cause of cancer-related deaths globally. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in diverse cancers. LncRNA-UBE2R2-AS1 has been reported to promote apoptosis in glioma cell. However, the expressions, functions, and mechanisms of action of UBE2R2-AS1 in HCC are still unclear. UBE2R2-AS1 is increased in HCC tissues and cell lines. Increased expression of UBE2R2-AS1 is associated with large tumor size, multiple tumor number, advanced TNM stage, and poor survival of HCC patients. Functional experiments showed that knockdown UBE2R2-AS1 inhibited HCC growth and metastasis through in vitro and in vivo experiments. Regarding the mechanism, UBE2R2-AS1/miR-302b/EGFR established the ceRNA network involved in the modulation of cell progression of HCC cells via activation of PI3K-AKT signaling pathway. Overall, UBE2R2-AS1 may exhibit an oncogenic function in HCC via acting as a sponge for miR-302b to up-regulate EGFR, and may serve as a potential therapeutic target and a prognostic biomarker for HCC patients.

Cyclovirobuxine D inhibits colorectal cancer tumorigenesis via the CTHRC1‑AKT/ERK‑Snail signaling pathway

Cyclovirobuxine D (CVB-D) is an alkaloid, which is mainly derived from Buxus microphylla. It has been reported that CVB-D has positive effects on breast cancer, gastric cancer and other malignant tumors. However, to the best of our knowledge, there are no reports regarding the effects of CVB-D on colorectal cancer (CRC). The purpose of the present study was to determine the anticancer effects of CVB-D and further elucidate its molecular mechanism(s). DLD-1 and LoVo cell lines were selected to evaluate the antitumor effect of CVB-D. Cytotoxicity, viability and proliferation were evaluated by the MTT and colony formation assays. Flow cytometry was used to detect the effects on apoptosis and the cell cycle in CVB-D-treated CRC cells. The migration and invasion abilities of CRC cells were examined by wound healing and Transwell assays. In addition, RNA sequencing, bioinformatics analysis and western blotting were performed to investigate the target of drug action and clarify the molecular mechanisms. A xenograft model was established using nude mice, and ultrasound was employed to assess the preclinical therapeutic effects of CVB-D in vivo. It was identified that CVB-D inhibited the proliferation, migration, stemness, angiogenesis and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of CRC cells, and induced apoptosis and S-phase arrest. In addition, CVB-D significantly inhibited the growth of xenografts. It is notable that CVB-D exerted anticancer effects in CRC cells partly by targeting collagen triple helix repeat containing 1 (CTHRC1), which may be upstream of the AKT and ERK pathways. CVB-D exerted anticancer effects through the CTHRC1-AKT/ERK-Snail signaling pathway. Targeted therapy combining CTHRC1 with CVB-D may offer a promising novel therapeutic approach for CRC treatment.

LncRNA ASB16-AS1 Promotes Growth And Invasion Of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Through Regulating miR-1827/FZD4 Axis And Activating Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway

Background

To date, although several long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are reported to regulate hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development, their relationship still remains elusive. ASB16-AS1 is a poorly researched novel lncRNA. We aimed to investigate its function in HCC progression.

Methods

qRT-PCR and in situ hybridization (ISH) were used to analyze ASB16-AS1 expression in HCC tissues. CCK8, Edu incorporation and colony formation were used to determine cell proliferation. Transwell assay was used to examine migration and invasion. Luciferase reporter assay was used to analyze the interactions among ASB16-AS1, miR-1827 and FZD4.

Results

Bioinformatics analysis identified ASB16-AS1 was overexpressed in HCC tissues, which was further validated by qRT-PCR and in situ hybridization (ISH). Besides, ASB16-AS1 was demonstrated to be a potential indicator for HCC prognosis. Functional studies showed ASB16-AS1 knockdown attenuated proliferation, migration and invasion of HCC cells. Mechanistically, ASB16-AS1 directly interacted with miR-1827 and promoted FZD4 expression by sponging miR-1827. Overexpressed FZD4 eventually activated Wnt/β-catenin pathway and contributed to HCC progression.

Conclusion

Our work is the first to identify ASB16-AS1 as an oncogene that enhances HCC progression by modulating miR-1827/FZD4/Wnt/β-catenin pathways.