Relation between microRNA-21, transforming growth factor β and response to treatment among chronic hepatitis C patients

Differential effects of microRNAs miR-21, miR-99 and miR-145 on lung regeneration and inflammation during recovery from influenza pneumonia

In a mouse model of influenza pneumonia, we previously documented that proliferating alveolar type II (AT2) cells are the major stem cells involved in early lung recovery. Profiling of microRNAs revealed significant dysregulation of specific ones, including miR-21 and miR-99a. Moreover, miR-145 is known to exhibit antagonism to miR-21. This follow-up study investigated the roles of microRNAs miR-21, miR-99a, and miR-145 in the murine pulmonary regenerative process and inflammation during influenza pneumonia. Inhibition of miR-21 resulted in severe morbidity, and in significantly decreased proliferating AT2 cells due to impaired transition from innate to adaptive immune responses. Knockdown of miR-99a culminated in moderate morbidity, with a significant increase in proliferating AT2 cells that may be linked to PTEN downregulation. In contrast, miR-145 antagonism did not impact morbidity nor the proliferating AT2 cell population, and was associated with downregulation of TNF-alpha, IL1-beta, YM1, and LY6G. Hence, a complex interplay exists between expression of specific miRNAs, lung regeneration, and inflammation during recovery from influenza pneumonia. Inhibition of miR-21 and miR-99a (but not miR-145) can lead to deleterious cellular and molecular effects on pulmonary repair and inflammatory processes during influenza pneumonia.

Promising renoprotective effect of gold nanoparticles and dapagliflozin in diabetic nephropathy via targeting miR-192 and miR-21

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a worldwide issue that eventually leads to end-stage renal failure, with limited therapeutic options. Prior research has revealed that gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have a substantial antidiabetic impact. In addition, sodium-glucose cotransporter2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, including dapagliflozin (DAPA), had renoprotective impact on DN. Therefore, this research attempted to determine the potential AuNPs and DAPA impacts in ameliorating experimentally DN induction and the underlying mechanisms focusing on miR-192 and miR-21, correlating them with autophagy, apoptosis, fibrosis, and oxidative stress. Diabetes induction was through a single intraperitoneal streptozotocin (55 mg/kg) injection, and rats with diabetes received AuNPs (2.5 mg/kg/day) as well as DAPA (2 mg/kg/day) for 7 weeks as a treatment. AuNPs and DAPA treatment for 7 weeks substantially alleviated DN. AuNPs and DAPA significantly increased catalase (CAT) activity as well as serum total antioxidant capacity (TAC), along with a substantial decline in malondialdehyde (MDA). AuNPs and DAPA treatment alleviated renal fibrosis as they decreased transforming growth factorß1(TGF-ß1) as well as matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) renal expression, decreased apoptosis through alleviating the proapoptotic gene (caspase-3) renal expression and increased the antiapoptotic gene (Bcl-2) renal expression, and increased autophagy as they increased LC-3 as well as Beclin-1 renal expression. Autophagy activation, inhibition of apoptosis, and renal fibrosis could be due to their inhibitory impact on miR-192 and miR-21 renal expression. AuNPs and DAPA have a protective effect on DN in rats by targeting miR-192 and miR-21 and their downstream pathways, including fibrosis, apoptosis, autophagy, and oxidative stress.

Serum MicroRNAs as predictors for fibrosis progression and response to direct-acting antivirals treatment in hepatitis C virus genotype-4 Egyptian patients

BACKGROUND

MicroRNA (miRNAs) are small non-coding molecules that play an important role in hepatitis C virus (HCV) replication and liver diseases progression. The current study aimed to evaluate serum miRNAs as potential biomarkers for diagnosis, monitoring of fibrosis progression and prediction of responses to direct-acting antivirals (sofosbuvir + daclatasvir + ribavirin) in HCV genotype-4 patients.

METHODS

The serum levels of four miRNAs (miRNA-21, 199, 448 and 181c) were assessed in 150 HCV patients and 50 healthy controls using quantitative real-time PCR. The diagnostic accuracy was determined using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.

RESULTS

The four studied miRNAs showed significant upregulation in HCV patients compared with controls. There were significant upregulation of MiR-199 and significant downregulation of miR-448 in late stages of fibrosis with high diagnostic accuracy (area under the curve "AUC" = 0.989%; P < .001) and (AUC = 0.0.672; P > .001), respectively. Regarding response to treatment, only miR-199 showed a significant upregulation in non-responder patients with high diagnostic accuracy (AUC = 0.968; P < .001).

CONCLUSION

miR-199 and miR-448 could serve as valuable non-invasive biomarkers for assessment of liver fibrosis progression. Additionally, miR-199 could be also a potential biomarker for assessment of treatment efficacy among HCV patients. Therefore, miR-199 and miR-448 serum levels should be considered during the treatment of HCV genotype-4 patients in Egypt and the world.

microRNA-21: a key modulator in oncogenic viral infections

Oncogenic viruses are associated with approximately 15% of human cancers. In viral infections, microRNAs play an important role in host-pathogen interactions. miR-21 is a highly conserved non-coding RNA that not only regulates the development of oncogenic viral diseases, but also responds to the regulation of intracellular signal pathways. Oncogenic viruses, including HBV, HCV, HPV, and EBV, co-evolve with their hosts and cause persistent infections. The upregulation of host miR-21 manipulates key cellular pathways to evade host immune responses and then promote viral replication. Thus, a better understanding of the role of miR-21 in viral infections may help us to develop effective genetically-engineered oncolytic virus-based therapies against cancer.

The Role of MicroRNAs in Regulating Cytokines and Growth Factors in Coronary Artery Disease: The Ins and Outs

Coronary artery diseases (CAD), as a leading cause of mortality around the world, has attracted the researchers' attention for years to find out its underlying mechanisms and causes. Among the various key players in the pathogenesis of CAD cytokines, microRNAs (miRNAs) are crucial. In this study, besides providing a comprehensive overview of the involvement of cytokines, growth factors, and miRNAs in CAD, the interplay between miRNA with cytokine or growth factors during the development of CAD is discussed.