ANLN Serves as an Oncogene in Bladder Urothelial Carcinoma via Activating JNK Signaling Pathway

INTRODUCTION

To understand the significance of ANLN (anillin, actin-binding protein)-mediated c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signal pathway on the progression of bladder urothelial carcinoma (BLCA).

METHODS

The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database was utilized to perform the clinical significance of ANLN in BLCA. Then, ANLN expression was determined in human normal primary bladder epithelial cells (BdEC) and BLCA cells. Later, ANLN knockdown was performed in BLCA cells, where the expression of MAPK8, MAPK9, and p-JNK/JNK was detected. BLCA cells were divided into the Mock, siNC, siANLN, SP600125 (a selective JNK inhibitor), and ANLN + SP600125 group, followed by measurements of real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, 3-4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide, Annexin V-FITC/PI, Wound-healing, Transwell, and immunofluorescence assays.

RESULTS

ANLN was upregulated in the BLCA tissues, which showed a relation with the stage of patients. Besides, BLCA patients with high expression of ANLN had a worse prognosis than those with low expression of ANLN. Besides, the expression of ANLN in the BLCA tissues was positively correlated with MAPK8 and MAPK9. SP600125 suppressed the JNK signal pathway, reduced the proliferation, and increased BLCA cell apoptosis, with the reductions in the invasion and migration and the upregulation of phospho-histone H3 Ser-10 (pHH3), which was abolished by the overexpression of ANLN.

CONCLUSION

ANLN, as an oncogene of BLCA, may associate with the activation of JNK signal pathway. Inhibiting ANLN could deactivate the JNK signal pathway, thereby suppressing the proliferation, invasion, and migration while promoting the apoptosis of BLCA cells.

Biological functions and clinical significance of long noncoding RNAs in bladder cancer

Bladder cancer (BCa) is one of the 10 most common cancers with high morbidity and mortality worldwide. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), a large class of noncoding RNA transcripts, consist of more than 200 nucleotides and play a significant role in the regulation of molecular interactions and cellular pathways during the occurrence and development of various cancers. In recent years, with the rapid advancement of high-throughput gene sequencing technology, several differentially expressed lncRNAs have been discovered in BCa, and their functions have been proven to have an impact on BCa development, such as cell growth and proliferation, metastasis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), angiogenesis, and drug-resistance. Furthermore, evidence suggests that lncRNAs are significantly associated with BCa patients' clinicopathological characteristics, especially tumor grade, TNM stage, and clinical progression stage. In addition, lncRNAs have the potential to more accurately predict BCa patient prognosis, suggesting their potential as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for BCa patients in the future. In this review, we briefly summarize and discuss recent research progress on BCa-associated lncRNAs, while focusing on their biological functions and mechanisms, clinical significance, and targeted therapy in BCa oncogenesis and malignant progression.

Circular RNA CircPPP1CB Suppresses Tumorigenesis by Interacting With the MiR-1307-3p/SMG1 Axis in Human Bladder Cancer

Circular RNA (circRNA) is a newly discovered endogenous non-coding RNA (ncRNA), which is characterized with a closed circular structure. A growing body of evidence has verified the vital roles of circRNAs in human cancer. In this research, we selected circPPP1CB as a study object by circRNA sequencing and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) validation in human bladder cancer (BC). CircPPP1CB is downregulated in BC and is negatively correlated with clinical stages and histological grades. Functionally, circPPP1CB modulated cell growth, metastasis, and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process in vitro and in vivo. Mechanically, we performed various experiments to verify the circPPP1CB/miR-1307-3p/SMG1 regulatory axis. Taken together, our results demonstrated that circPPP1CB participates in tumor growth, metastasis, and EMT process by interacting with the miR-1307-3p/SMG1 axis, and that circPPP1CB might be a novel therapeutic target and diagnostic biomarker in human BC.

A novel 13 RNA binding proteins (RBPs) signature could predict prostate cancer biochemical recurrence

BACKGROUND

Cancer precision medicine requires biomarkers or signatures to predict prognosis and therapeutic benefits. Driven by this, we established a biochemical recurrence (BCR) predictive model for prostate cancer (PCA) patients based on RNA-binding proteins (RBPs).

METHODS

RNA-sequencing and corresponding clinicopathological data were downloaded from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Univariate COX, LASSO and multivariate COX regression analyses were carried out to develop the BCR predictive riskScore model. Survival analysis, ROC curve, independent prognostic analysis, nomogram were also performed to evaluate this signature internally and externally.

RESULTS

A total of 13 RBPs including TRMT1L, WBP4, MBNL3, SMAD9, NSUN7, ENG9, PIWIL4, PEG10, CSDC2, HELZ2, CELF2, YBX2 and ESRP2 were eventually identified as BCR-related hub biomarkers and utilized to establish a riskScore. Further analysis including external and internal verification indicated that the patients with high riskScores had shorter time to BCR compared to those with low riskScores in both TCGA and GSE116918. The area under the curve (AUC) of the time-dependent receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC) of the predictive model exhibited a good predictive performance. The signature was also proven to be a valuable independent prognostic factor (all P < 0.05). We also established a nomogram based on the 13 RBPs to visualize the relationships between individual predictors and 1-, 3- and 5-year BCR for PCA.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results successfully screened out 13 RBPs as a robust BCR-predictive signature in PCA by external and internal verification, helping clinician predict patients' cancer progression status and promoting the specific individualized treatment than original clinical parameters.

Long Non-Coding RNA Paternally Expressed Imprinted Gene 10 (PEG10) Elevates Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma Progression by Regulating Kinesin Family Member 2A (KIF2A) via Targeting MiR-101-3p

Background

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a common malignant tumor in the immune system with high mortality. We investigated the functional effects of long non-coding RNA paternally expressed imprinted gene 10 (PEG10) on DLBCL progression.

Material/Methods

Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to measure the level of PEG10, kinesin family member 2A (KIF2A) and microRNA-101-3p (miR-101-3p) in DLBCL tissues and cell lines. The relative protein level was detected by western blot analysis. The biological behaviors including cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion were determined by MTT assay, flow cytometry analysis, and Transwell assays, respectively. Bioinformatics analysis and dual-luciferase reporter assay were performed to evaluate the interaction among PEG10, miR-101-3p, and KIF2A.

Results

PEG10 and KIF2A level were significantly upregulated, while miR-101-3p was downregulated in DLBCL tissues and cells. PEG10 positively regulated KIF2A level in DLBCL. PEG10, or KIF2A deletion significantly inhibited the proliferative, migratory, and invasive abilities of DLBCL cells and elevated cell apoptosis in DLBCL cells. KIF2A upregulation partially reversed the effects of PEG10 downregulation on cell growth, metastasis, and apoptosis in DLBCL. Moreover, PEG10 negatively regulated miR-101-3p level and miR-101-3p upregulation exerted inhibition effects on the progression of DLBCL. Besides, miR-101-3p was a target of PEG10 and miR-101-3p could directly target KIF2A. PEG10 promoted KIF2A level by sponging miR-101-3p.

Conclusions

Our findings revealed that PEG10 played an oncogenic role in DLBCL progression, which might be a potential target for the treatment of DLBCL.

The AMPK pathway triggers autophagy during CSF1-induced microglial activation and may be implicated in inducing neuropathic pain

The development and maintenance of neuropathic pain is now given far more attention in the clinic work. Increasing evidence has shown that colony-stimulating factor 1 (CSF1) is involved in microglial activation and may further induce pain. Here, we observed the signaling events that link the CSF1-induced microglial activated and consequences for pain processing. For the in vitro study, flow cytometry showed the microglial activity was markedly increased after CSF1 stimulation. Western blot showed the increased expression of p-PRKAA1/PRKAA1, p-AMPK/AMPK, p-ULK1/ULK1, p-S6k/S6k and LC3-II/LC3-I. QRT-PCR showed the IL-1, TNF-α and BDNF were simultaneously upregulated in the activated microglia cells, whereas the specific AMPK inhibitor compound C exhibited reverse effects in microglia. Using immunofluorescence staining and electron microscopy, we found CSF1 decreased microglial p62 expression and induced the number of autophagosomes, whereas compound C significantly exhibited the reverse effects. For the in vivo study, compared with the control and AMPK-siRNA transfection, the mice under CSF1 intrathecal injection increased CSF1 receptor and LC3 expressed in the activated spinal microglia. More importantly, qRT-PCR showed CSF1 intrathecal injection substantially upregulated BDNF and c-Fos mRNA expression as well as the ensuing neuropathic pain. Our findings demonstrated that CSF1 induced a significant upregulation of microglial activation via the AMPK signaling pathway and resulted in an increasing microglial autophagic level. An increasing CSF1 level in the central nervous system can mimic and cause pain syndromes by up-regulation of AMPK-depended autophagy, thus offering a new target for the therapy of neuropathic pain.

microRNA-324 plays an oncogenic role in bladder cancer cell growth and motility

Background

Despite advances in the treatment of bladder cancer (BC), patients with late-stage BC have a high mortality rate. microRNA is a small, nonprotein coding RNA, and a dysfunction in its expression is frequently strongly correlated with the prognosis of patients with cancer. Aberrant expression of miR-324 has been reported to contribute to human carcinogenesis. However, the role of miR-324 in BC remains unclear.

Methods

The expression levels of miR-324-5p and miR-324-3p were analyzed by analyzing The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) approach. The biological role of miR-324-5p and miR-324-3p were assessed in BFTC950 cells with miR-324-5p or miR-324-3p mimics transfection, respectively.

Results

In this study, we demonstrated that high expression levels of miR-324-5p and miR-324-3p were significantly correlated with poor survival of patients with BC. Furthermore, miR-324-5p expression significantly accelerated BC cell proliferation, colony formation ability, and invasion ability, whereas miR-324-3p expression slightly increased BC cell growth and motility.

Conclusion

Our data indicated that miR-324-5p and miR-324-3p play oncogenic roles in BC cells. This finding provides a new insight into potential therapeutic targets or putative biomarkers of BC.

Long non-coding RNA in bladder cancer

Bladder cancer (BC) is the ninth most common malignant disease and ranks fourteenth in cancer mortality worldwide. Moreover, among cancers, the incidence and mortality of BC in males increased to the 6th and 9th place, respectively. The overall survival (OS) declines dramatically as the cancer progresses, especially when urothelial cells transition from noninvasive to invasive. It is well known that epithelial cells can acquire invasive properties and a propensity to metastasize through the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process in tumourigenesis and progression. However, the potential molecular mechanisms and key pathways are still unclear. As the sequencing technology advances, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been proven to play an important role in regulating biological processes and cellular pathways. Here, we reviewed important lncRNAs, such as H19, UCA1 and MALAT1, that participate in the malignant phenotype of BC and regulate EMT signalling networks in the invasion-metastasis cascade during BC development. We further discuss MALAT1, PCAT-1 and SPRY4-IT1, and also urine and blood exosomal H19 and PTENP as potential noninvasive biomarkers. Moreover, antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) and a double-stranded DNA plasmid (BC-819) have been designed for use in preclinical cancer models and clinical trials in patients. Therefore, the results of investigations have gradually prompted the utility of lncRNAs.

LncRNA MBNL1-AS1 represses cell proliferation and enhances cell apoptosis via targeting miR-135a-5p/PHLPP2/FOXO1 axis in bladder cancer

LncRNAs have been shown to play essential roles in bladder cancer (BC) progress. Our microarrays of clinical samples firstly screened that lncRNA muscleblind‐like 1 antisense RNA 1 (MBNL1‐AS1) was poorly expressed in BC tissues. However, its biological function in BC remains not well understood. Here we examined the clinical correlations with MBNL1‐AS1 in BC patients. Then, 5673 and T24 cell lines were employed to investigate the role of MBNL1‐AS1 in the proliferation and apoptosis of BC cells in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, miR‐135a‐5p (miR‐135a)/PHLPP2/FOXO1 axis was focused to explore its regulatory mechanism in BC. The results showed that MBNL1‐AS1 was significantly downregulated in bladder tumor tissues, and associated with BC progression. In vitro, MBNL1‐AS1 knockdown increased the number of viable cells and bromodeoxyuridine‐positive cells, accelerated cell cycle, and dysregulated proliferative regulators (Ki67, p21, p27, and Cyclin D1) in BC cells. The apoptotic cells and the cleavages of caspase‐3/9 were reduced in MBNL1‐AS1‐silenced BC cells. Overexpression of MBNL1‐AS1 had opposite effects on BC cell proliferation and apoptosis. Moreover miR‐135a was demonstrated to interact with MBNL1‐AS1, and inhibiting miR‐135a reversed the effects of shMBNL1‐AS1 on BC cells. The downstream effectors (PHLPP2 and FOXO1) were positively regulated by MBNL1‐AS1, but negatively regulated by miR‐135a. Similar results were also observed in xenograft tumors. In conclusion, this study firstly suggests that MBNL1‐AS1 acts as a tumor suppressor of BC by targeting miR‐135a/PHLPP2/FOXO1 axis, providing a novel insight for BC diagnosis and treatment.