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Zhang X, Han P, Qiu J, Huang F, Luo Q, Cheng J, Shan K, Yang Y, Zhang C. Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals the complex cellular niche of pterygium. Ocul Surf 2024; 32:91-103. [PMID: 38290663 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtos.2024.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Pterygium is a vision-threatening conjunctival fibrovascular degenerated disease with a high global prevalence up to 12 %, while no absolute pharmacotherapy has been applied in clinics. In virtue of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) technique, our study investigated underlying pathogeneses and potential therapeutic targets of pterygium from the cellular transcriptional level. METHODS A total of 45605 cells from pterygium of patients and conjunctiva of normal controls (NC) were conducted with scRNA-seq, and then analyzed via integrated analysis, pathway enrichment, pseudotime trajectory, and cell-cell communications. Besides, immunofluorescence and western blot were performed in vivo and in vitro to verify our findings. RESULTS In brief, 9 major cellular types were defined, according to canonical markers. Subsequently, we further determined the subgroups of each major cell lineages. Several newly identified cell sub-clusters could promote pterygium, including immuno-fibroblasts, epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT)-epithelial cells, and activated vascular endothelial cells (activated-vEndo). Besides, we also probed the enrichment of immune cells in pterygium. Particularly, macrophages, recruited by ACKR1+activated-vEndo, might play an important role in the development of pterygium by promoting angiogenesis, immune suppression, and inflammation. CONCLUSION An intricate cellular niche was revealed in pterygium via scRNA-seq analysis and the interactions between macrophages and ACKR1+ activated-vEndo might be the key part in the development of pterygia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueling Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Eye Ear Nose and Throat Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China; Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia (Fudan University), Laboratory of Myopia, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, China
| | - Peizhen Han
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jini Qiu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Eye Ear Nose and Throat Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China; Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia (Fudan University), Laboratory of Myopia, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, China
| | - Feifei Huang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Eye Ear Nose and Throat Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China; Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia (Fudan University), Laboratory of Myopia, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, China
| | - Qiting Luo
- Department of Ophthalmology, Eye Ear Nose and Throat Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China; Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia (Fudan University), Laboratory of Myopia, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, China
| | - Jingyi Cheng
- Department of Ophthalmology, Eye Ear Nose and Throat Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China; Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia (Fudan University), Laboratory of Myopia, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, China
| | - Kun Shan
- Department of Ophthalmology, Eye Ear Nose and Throat Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China; Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia (Fudan University), Laboratory of Myopia, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, China.
| | - Yujing Yang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Eye Ear Nose and Throat Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China; Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia (Fudan University), Laboratory of Myopia, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, China.
| | - Chaoran Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Eye Ear Nose and Throat Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China; Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia (Fudan University), Laboratory of Myopia, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, China.
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Zhong Z, Wang J, Tian J, Deng X, Balayan A, Sun Y, Xiang Y, Guan J, Schimelman J, Hwang H, You S, Wu X, Ma C, Shi X, Yao E, Deng SX, Chen S. Rapid 3D bioprinting of a multicellular model recapitulating pterygium microenvironment. Biomaterials 2022; 282:121391. [PMID: 35101743 PMCID: PMC10162446 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2022.121391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Pterygium is an ocular surface disorder with high prevalence that can lead to vision impairment. As a pathological outgrowth of conjunctiva, pterygium involves neovascularization and chronic inflammation. Here, we developed a 3D multicellular in vitro pterygium model using a digital light processing (DLP)-based 3D bioprinting platform with human conjunctival stem cells (hCjSCs). A novel feeder-free culture system was adopted and efficiently expanded the primary hCjSCs with homogeneity, stemness and differentiation potency. The DLP-based 3D bioprinting method was able to fabricate hydrogel scaffolds that support the viability and biological integrity of the encapsulated hCjSCs. The bioprinted 3D pterygium model consisted of hCjSCs, immune cells, and vascular cells to recapitulate the disease microenvironment. Transcriptomic analysis using RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) identified a distinct profile correlated to inflammation response, angiogenesis, and epithelial mesenchymal transition in the bioprinted 3D pterygium model. In addition, the pterygium signatures and disease relevance of the bioprinted model were validated with the public RNA-seq data from patient-derived pterygium tissues. By integrating the stem cell technology with 3D bioprinting, this is the first reported 3D in vitro disease model for pterygium that can be utilized for future studies towards personalized medicine and drug screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Zhong
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Jing Tian
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Xiaoqian Deng
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Alis Balayan
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA; School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Yazhi Sun
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Yi Xiang
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Jiaao Guan
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Jacob Schimelman
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Henry Hwang
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Shangting You
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Xiaokang Wu
- School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Chao Ma
- Stein Eye Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Xiaoao Shi
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Emmie Yao
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Sophie X Deng
- Stein Eye Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Shaochen Chen
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
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Daneshforouz A, Nazemi S, Gholami O, Kafami M, Amin B. The cytotoxicity and apoptotic effects of verbascoside on breast cancer 4T1 cell line. BMC Pharmacol Toxicol 2021; 22:72. [PMID: 34844644 PMCID: PMC8628474 DOI: 10.1186/s40360-021-00540-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite significant advancements in breast cancer therapy, novel drugs with lower side effects are still being demanded. In this regard, we investigated the anti-cancer features of verbascoside in 4 T1 mouse mammary tumor cell. METHODS First, MTT assay was performed with various concentrations (ranging between 5 to 200 μM) of verbascoside and IC50 was calculated. Then the expression of Bax, Bcl-2, and caspase-3 was evaluated in treated 4 T1 cells. In addition, we investigated the expression of TLR4, MyD88, and NF-κB to ascertain the underlying mechanism of the anti-proliferative feature of verbascoside. Also, flow cytometry followed by double PI and Annexin V was conducted to confirm the apoptosis-inducing effect of verbascoside. RESULTS Our results from MTT assay showed verbascoside inhibits proliferation of 4 T1 cancer cells (IC50 117 μM) while is safe for normal HEK293T cells. By qRT-PCR, we observed that verbascoside treatment (100, 117 and, 130 μM) increases the expression of caspase-3 and Bax while reduces the expression of Bcl-2. Also, verbascoside (100, 117 and, 130 μM) increased the expression of TLR4 only at 130 μM dose and the expression of MyD88 whereas reduced the expression of NF-κB at mRNA level. Flow cytometry analysis also confirmed verbascoside induces apoptosis in 4 T1 cells at 117 μM. CONCLUSION Taken together, our data showed verbascoside is a safe natural compound for normal cells while has apoptosis-inducing feature through TLR4 axis on 4 T1 cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atena Daneshforouz
- Student Research Center, Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences, Sabzevar, Iran
| | - Samad Nazemi
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences, Sabzevar, Iran
| | - Omid Gholami
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences, Sabzevar, Iran
| | - Marzieh Kafami
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences, Sabzevar, Iran. .,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences, Sabzevar, Iran.
| | - Bahareh Amin
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences, Sabzevar, Iran.
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Xie J, Ning Q, Zhang H, Ni S, Ye J. RhoA/ROCK Signaling Regulates TGF-β1-Induced Fibrotic Effects in Human Pterygium Fibroblasts through MRTF-A. Curr Eye Res 2021; 47:196-205. [PMID: 34323621 DOI: 10.1080/02713683.2021.1962363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The overexpression of transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-β1) after surgical excision often leads to excessive fibrosis, indicating the recurrence of pterygium. The aims of the present in vitro study were to investigate the role of RhoA/ROCK signaling in regulating fibrotic effects of primary human pterygium fibroblasts (HPFs), as well as to explore the possible mechanisms of these effects. METHODS Pterygium samples were obtained from surgery, and profibrotic activation was induced by TGF-β1. Cell proliferation was detected by CCK-8 assay; cell migration was detected by wound healing assay; quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot were used to detect the effects of TGF-β1 and the role of RhoA/ROCK signaling in the synthesis of alpha-smooth muscle actin (a-SMA), type I and III collagen (COL1 and COL3), and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9) in HPFs. The changes of signaling pathways were detected by Western blot; and pharmaceutical inhibition of RhoA/ROCK signaling and its downstream MRFT-A/SRF transcription pathway were used to assess their possible mechanism in HPFs fibrosis. RESULTS ROCK inhibitor Y-27632 decreased TGF-β1-induced cell proliferation and migration, reduced the TGF-β1-induced expression of profibrotic markers in HPFs, and suppressed TGF-β1-induced nuclear accumulation of Myocardin-related transcription factor A (MRTF-A) as well as accompanied elevation of F/G-actin ratio in HPFs. MRTF-A/Serum response factor (SRF) inhibitor CCG-100602 attenuated the TGF-β1-induced α-SMA expression and reduced myofibroblast activation in HPFs. CONCLUSIONS RhoA/ROCK signaling played a pivotal role in TGF-β1-induced fibrosis and myofibroblast activation in HPFs at least in part by inactivating the downstream MRTF-A/SRF transcriptional pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiajun Xie
- Eye Center of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qingyao Ning
- Eye Center of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Huina Zhang
- Eye Center of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shuang Ni
- Eye Center of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Juan Ye
- Eye Center of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
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Jiang Y, Zhang X, Zhang X, Zhao K, Zhang J, Yang C, Chen Y. Comprehensive Analysis of the Transcriptome-Wide m6A Methylome in Pterygium by MeRIP Sequencing. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:670528. [PMID: 34249924 PMCID: PMC8267473 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.670528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Aim Pterygium is a common ocular surface disease, which is affected by a variety of factors. Invasion of the cornea can cause severe vision loss. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is a common post-transcriptional modification of eukaryotic mRNA, which can regulate mRNA splicing, stability, nuclear transport, and translation. To our best knowledge, there is no current research on the mechanism of m6A in pterygium. Methods We obtained 24 pterygium tissues and 24 conjunctival tissues from each of 24 pterygium patients recruited from Shanghai Yangpu Hospital, and the level of m6A modification was detected using an m6A RNA Methylation Quantification Kit. Expression and location of METTL3, a key m6A methyltransferase, were identified by immunostaining. Then we used m6A-modified RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing (MeRIP-seq), RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), and bioinformatics analyses to compare the differential expression of m6A methylation in pterygium and normal conjunctival tissue. Results We identified 2,949 dysregulated m6A peaks in pterygium tissue, of which 2,145 were significantly upregulated and 804 were significantly downregulated. The altered m6A peak of genes were found to play a key role in the Hippo signaling pathway and endocytosis. Joint analyses of MeRIP-seq and RNA-seq data identified 72 hypermethylated m6A peaks and 15 hypomethylated m6A peaks in mRNA. After analyzing the differentially methylated m6A peaks and synchronously differentially expressed genes, we searched the Gene Expression Omnibus database and identified five genes related to the development of pterygium (DSP, MXRA5, ARHGAP35, TMEM43, and OLFML2A). Conclusion Our research shows that m6A modification plays an important role in the development of pterygium and can be used as a potential new target for the treatment of pterygium in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaping Jiang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Yangpu Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Yangpu Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaoyan Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Kun Zhao
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Chuanxi Yang
- Department of Cardiology, Yangpu Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yihui Chen
- Department of Ophthalmology, Yangpu Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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Van Acker SI, Van den Bogerd B, Haagdorens M, Siozopoulou V, Ní Dhubhghaill S, Pintelon I, Koppen C. Pterygium-The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. Cells 2021; 10:cells10071567. [PMID: 34206333 PMCID: PMC8305200 DOI: 10.3390/cells10071567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Pterygium is a multifaceted pathology that displays apparent conflicting characteristics: benign (e.g., self-limiting and superficial), bad (e.g., proliferative and potentially recurrent) and ugly (e.g., signs of preneoplastic transformation). The natural successive question is: why are we lacking reports showing that pterygium lesions become life-threatening through metastasis, especially since pterygium has considerable similarities with UV-related malignancies on the molecular level? In this review, we consider how our pathophysiological understanding of the benign pterygium pathology overlaps with ocular surface squamous neoplasia and skin cancer. The three UV-related disorders share the same initial insult (i.e., UV radiation) and responsive repair mechanisms to the ensuing (in)direct DNA damage. Their downstream apoptotic regulators and other cellular adaptations are remarkably alike. However, a complicating factor in understanding the fine line between the self-limiting nature of pterygium and the malignant transformation in other UV-related diseases is the prominent ambiguity in the pathological evaluation of pterygium biopsies. Features of preneoplastic transformation (i.e., dysplasia) are used to define normal cellular reactions (i.e., atypia and metaplasia) and vice versa. A uniform grading system could help in unraveling the true nature of this ancient disease and potentially help in identifying the earliest intervention point possible regarding the cellular switch that drives a cell’s fate towards cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara I. Van Acker
- Antwerp Research Group for Ocular Science (ARGOS), Translational Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium; (B.V.d.B.); (M.H.); (S.N.D.); (C.K.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +32-3-265-2851
| | - Bert Van den Bogerd
- Antwerp Research Group for Ocular Science (ARGOS), Translational Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium; (B.V.d.B.); (M.H.); (S.N.D.); (C.K.)
| | - Michel Haagdorens
- Antwerp Research Group for Ocular Science (ARGOS), Translational Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium; (B.V.d.B.); (M.H.); (S.N.D.); (C.K.)
| | - Vasiliki Siozopoulou
- Department of Pathology, Antwerp University Hospital, University of Antwerp, 2650 Edegem, Belgium;
- Center for Oncological Research (CORE), Integrated Personalized and Precision Oncology Network (IPPON), University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Sorcha Ní Dhubhghaill
- Antwerp Research Group for Ocular Science (ARGOS), Translational Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium; (B.V.d.B.); (M.H.); (S.N.D.); (C.K.)
- Department of Ophthalmology, Antwerp University Hospital, 2650 Edegem, Belgium
| | - Isabel Pintelon
- Laboratory of Cell Biology and Histology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical, Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium;
| | - Carina Koppen
- Antwerp Research Group for Ocular Science (ARGOS), Translational Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium; (B.V.d.B.); (M.H.); (S.N.D.); (C.K.)
- Department of Ophthalmology, Antwerp University Hospital, 2650 Edegem, Belgium
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Liu X, Zhang J, Nie D, Zeng K, Hu H, Tie J, Sun L, Peng L, Liu X, Wang J. Comparative Transcriptomic Analysis to Identify the Important Coding and Non-coding RNAs Involved in the Pathogenesis of Pterygium. Front Genet 2021; 12:646550. [PMID: 33790949 PMCID: PMC8005612 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.646550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Pterygium is a common ocular surface disease characterized by abnormal fibrovascular proliferation and invasion, similar to tumorigenesis. The formation of tumors is related to a change in the expression of various RNAs; however, whether they are involved in the formation and development of pterygium remains unclear. In this study, transcriptome analysis of messenger RNAs (mRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs) of paired pterygium and normal conjunctiva was performed to explore key genes regulating the development of pterygium. In total, 579 mRNAs, 275 lncRNAs, and 21 circRNAs were differentially expressed (DE) in pterygium compared with paired conjunctival tissues. Functional enrichment analysis indicated that DE RNAs were associated with extracellular matrix organization, blood vessel morphogenesis, and focal adhesion. Furthermore, through protein-protein interaction network and mRNA-lncRNA co-expression network analysis, key mRNAs including FN1, VCAM1, and MMP2, and key lncRNAs including MIR4435-2HG and LINC00968 were screened and might be involved in the pathogenesis of pterygium. In addition, several circRNAs including hsa_circ_0007482 and hsa_circ_001730 were considered to be involved in the pterygium development. This study provides a scientific basis for elucidating the pathogenesis of pterygium and will be beneficial for the development of preventive and therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Liu
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Affiliated Shenzhen Eye Hospital of Jinan University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Affiliated Shenzhen Eye Hospital of Jinan University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Danyao Nie
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Affiliated Shenzhen Eye Hospital of Jinan University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Kun Zeng
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Affiliated Shenzhen Eye Hospital of Jinan University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Huiling Hu
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Affiliated Shenzhen Eye Hospital of Jinan University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jinjun Tie
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Liangnan Sun
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Affiliated Shenzhen Eye Hospital of Jinan University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Ling Peng
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Affiliated Shenzhen Eye Hospital of Jinan University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xinhua Liu
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Affiliated Shenzhen Eye Hospital of Jinan University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jiantao Wang
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Affiliated Shenzhen Eye Hospital of Jinan University, Shenzhen, China
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MicroRNA-361-5p Inhibits Tumorigenesis and the EMT of HCC by Targeting Twist1. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2020; 2020:8891876. [PMID: 33381597 PMCID: PMC7762665 DOI: 10.1155/2020/8891876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2020] [Revised: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
MicroRNA-361-5p (miR-361-5p) is a tumor suppressor miRNA that is dysregulated in several types of human cancer. However, the functional significance of miR-361-5p in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is unclear. This study explored the biological function of miR-361-5p in regulating the progression of HCC and the underlying molecular mechanism. RT-qPCR analysis showed that miR-361-5p was downregulated in HCC tissues and cell lines. Functional analysis revealed that miR-361-5p acted as a tumor suppressor, inhibiting cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in HCC cell lines. Bioinformatics analyses identified Twist1 as a direct target of miR-361-5p, which was validated by dual-luciferase reporter assays, RT-qPCR, and western blotting. Rescue experiments indicated that Twist1 may mediate the tumor-suppressive effect of miR-361-5p in HCC cells, and this was supported by the effect of miR-361-5p on inhibiting the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) by targeting Twist1. This study is the first to suggest that miR-361-5p inhibits tumorigenesis and EMT in HCC by targeting Twist1. These findings are valuable for the diagnosis and clinical management of HCC.
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Wu SQ, Xu QB, Sheng WY, Su LY, Zhu LW. A novel role for Livin in the response to ultraviolet B radiation and pterygium development. Int J Mol Med 2020; 45:1103-1111. [PMID: 32124942 PMCID: PMC7053875 DOI: 10.3892/ijmm.2020.4481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2019] [Accepted: 12/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
A pterygium is an inflammatory, invasive and proliferative lesion on the ocular surface, which can decrease visual acuity, damage the ocular surface and affect the appearance of the eye. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of the pathogenesis remain unclear. In the present study, the role of apoptosis-associated protein Livin in the occurrence and development of pterygium was investigated. Primary samples from quiescent or advanced clinical stages of pterygium and normal human conjunctival tissues were used to assess mRNA and protein expression levels of Livin using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and immunohistochemistry, respectively. Livin was knocked down in pterygium epithelial cells (PECs) using small interfering RNA (siRNA), to investigate the role of Livin in PEC viability, migration, invasion ability and apoptosis. The cell viability, invasion ability and apoptosis of PECs following ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation alone or in combination with Livin silencing were also analyzed. Expression levels of Livin increased in the pterygium tissues compared with those in the normal conjunctiva at both the mRNA and protein levels. Livin expression levels in advanced pterygium were significantly higher compared with those in quiescent pterygium samples. Knockdown of Livin expression levels significantly reduced cell migration, invasion ability and cell viability, and induced apoptosis of PECs. Inhibition of Livin expression in PECs increased the expression levels of caspase-7, caspase-3 and E-cadherin, whereas expression levels of Snail were downregulated. Cell viability and invasion ability in PECs was enhanced following UVB radiation and Livin expression upregulated. UVB irradiation induced cell invasion ability of PECs and this was attenuated by Livin-silencing. Transfection with Livin siRNA also partially recovered the apoptosis rate of PECs, which was reduced by UVB irradiation. In conclusion, Livin was upregulated in pterygium, and UVB radiation functions in the development of pterygium by inducing Livin expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang-Qing Wu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Zhejiang Medicine and Western Medicine Integrated Hospital (Hangzhou Red‑Cross Hospital), Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, P.R. China
| | - Qi-Bin Xu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Zhejiang Medicine and Western Medicine Integrated Hospital (Hangzhou Red‑Cross Hospital), Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, P.R. China
| | - Wen-Yan Sheng
- Department of Ophthalmology, Zhejiang Medicine and Western Medicine Integrated Hospital (Hangzhou Red‑Cross Hospital), Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, P.R. China
| | - Lin-Ya Su
- Department of Ophthalmology, Zhejiang Medicine and Western Medicine Integrated Hospital (Hangzhou Red‑Cross Hospital), Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, P.R. China
| | - Li-Wei Zhu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Zhejiang Medicine and Western Medicine Integrated Hospital (Hangzhou Red‑Cross Hospital), Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, P.R. China
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Zhong X, Tang J, Li H, Shi X, Wu Y, Xia D, Zhang H, Ye J, Wu H. MiR-3175 promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition by targeting Smad7 in human conjunctiva and pterygium. FEBS Lett 2019; 594:1207-1217. [PMID: 31774554 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.13698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2019] [Revised: 11/17/2019] [Accepted: 11/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in the post-transcriptional regulation of mRNAs. However, the function of miRNAs is unclear in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of pterygium, a disease characterized by abnormal fibrovascular proliferation and invasion on the ocular surface. Since MiR-3175 is upregulated in pterygium tissues compared to normal conjunctival tissues, in this study, we investigated the role of MiR-3175 in EMT of a cultured human conjunctival epithelium cell line (CCL) and further validated the findings in pterygium tissues from patients. Our study demonstrates that MiR-3175 promotes proliferation, migration, invasion, and EMT of CCL cells by directly inhibiting Smad7. In conclusion, our data suggested that the MiR-3175-Smad7 axis may play a critical role in pathogenesis and development of pterygium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xincao Zhong
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jinlong Tang
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hongyi Li
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xin Shi
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yihua Wu
- Department of Toxicology of School of Public Health, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,Department of Gynecologic Oncology of Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Dajing Xia
- Department of Toxicology of School of Public Health, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,Department of Gynecologic Oncology of Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Huina Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Juan Ye
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Han Wu
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
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