Long non-coding RNA-H19 promotes ovarian cancer cell proliferation and migration via the microRNA-140/Wnt1 axis

Long non-coding RNAs in cancer: multifaceted roles and potential targets for immunotherapy

Cancer remains a major global health concern with high mortality rates mainly due to late diagnosis and poor prognosis. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are emerging as key regulators of gene expression in human cancer, functioning through various mechanisms including as competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) and indirectly regulating miRNA expression. LncRNAs have been found to have both oncogenic and tumor-suppressive roles in cancer, with the former promoting cancer cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and poor prognosis. Recent research has shown that lncRNAs are expressed in various immune cells and are involved in cancer cell immune escape and the modulation of the tumor microenvironment, thus highlighting their potential as targets for cancer immunotherapy. Targeting lncRNAs in cancer or immune cells could enhance the anti-tumor immune response and improve cancer immunotherapy outcomes. However, further research is required to fully understand the functional roles of lncRNAs in cancer and the immune system and their potential as targets for cancer immunotherapy. This review offers a comprehensive examination of the multifaceted roles of lncRNAs in human cancers, with a focus on their potential as targets for cancer immunotherapy. By exploring the intricate mechanisms underlying lncRNA-mediated regulation of cancer cell proliferation, invasion, and immune evasion, we provide insights into the diverse therapeutic applications of these molecules.

The emerging roles of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) H19 in gynecologic cancers

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) H19 has gained significant recognition as a pivotal contributor to the initiation and advancement of gynecologic cancers, encompassing ovarian, endometrial, cervical, and breast cancers. H19 exhibits a complex array of mechanisms, demonstrating dualistic effects on tumorigenesis as it can function as both an oncogene and a tumor suppressor, contingent upon the specific context and type of cancer being investigated. In ovarian cancer, H19 promotes tumor growth, metastasis, and chemoresistance through modulation of key signaling pathways and interaction with microRNAs. Conversely, in endometrial cancer, H19 acts as a tumor suppressor by inhibiting proliferation, inducing apoptosis, and regulating epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Additionally, H19 has been implicated in cervical and breast cancers, where it influences cell proliferation, invasion, and immune evasion. Moreover, H19 has potential as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for gynecologic cancers, with its expression levels correlating with clinical parameters and patient outcomes. Understanding the functional roles of H19 in gynecologic cancers is crucial for the development of targeted therapeutic strategies and personalized treatment approaches. Further investigation into the intricate molecular mechanisms underlying H19's involvement in gynecologic malignancies is warranted to fully unravel its therapeutic potential and clinical implications. This review aims to elucidate the functional roles of H19 in various gynecologic malignancies.

Long noncoding RNA H19 in ovarian biology and placenta development

As the first long noncoding RNA to be discovered, H19 has gained substantial attention as a key regulator of several biological processes and its roles in female reproductive biology are gradually getting revealed. Herein, we have summarized the current evidence regarding H19 expression pattern and involvement in the developmental and pathological processes associated with the ovary and the placenta. The findings indicate that within the ovaries, H19 is expressed in the antral and cystic atretic follicles as well as in the corpora lutea but absent in the primordial, primary, and secondary follicles. Its normal expression promotes the maturation of antral follicles and prevents their premature selection for the ovulatory journey while its aberrant induction promotes polycystic ovary syndrome development and ovarian cancer metastasis. In the placenta, H19 is highly expressed in the cytotrophoblasts and extravillous trophoblasts but weakly expressed in the syncytiotrophoblast layer and potentially controls trophoblast cell fate decisions during placenta development. Abnormal expression of H19 is observed in the placental villi of pregnancies affected by pre-eclampsia and fetal growth restriction. Therefore, dysregulated H19 is a candidate biomarker and therapeutic target for the mitigation of ovarian and placenta-associated diseases.

Prognostic value of lncRNA LINC01018 in prostate cancer by regulating miR-182-5p (The role of LINC01018 in prostate cancer)

LncRNAs are abnormally expressed in a variety of cancers and play unique roles in therapy. Based on this, the prognostic value of lncRNA LINC01018 in prostate cancer was discussed in this study. LINC01018 was underexpressed in prostate cancer tissues and cells, while miR-182-5p was elevated (***p < 0.001). Overexpression of LINC01018 may inhibit the progression of prostate cancer by targeting miR-182-5p. This study revealed that upregulated LINC01018 may prolong the overall survival of patients with prostate cancer (log-rank p = 0.042), and LINC01018 may become a prognostic biomarker for patients with prostate cancer, which brings a new direction for the treatment of patients.

Efficacy and safety of intraperitoneal bevacizumab combined with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy in the treatment of patients with ovarian cancer and peritoneal effusion and the effect on serum lncRNA H19 and VEGF levels

Peritoneal effusion is a common event in ovarian cancer (OC) patients. LncRNA H19 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) are implicated in cancer progression. The study evaluated the curative effect and safety of bevacizumab combined with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) in OC patients with peritoneal effusion and the effect on serum lncRNA H19/VEGF levels. Totally 248 OC patients with peritoneal effusion were treated with intraperitoneal bevacizumab + HIPEC (observation group) or abdominal paracentesis without HIPEC (control group). The clinical efficacy, quality of life, and adverse reactions were evaluated after two treatment cycles. The serum lncRNA H19 and VEGF levels pre-/post-treatment were determined by RT-qPCR and ELISA. The observation group exhibited better clinical efficacy than the control group, evidenced by a higher partial response rate, response rate, and disease control rate. The observation group exhibited reduced physical/cognitive/role/social/emotional function scores and total adverse reactions. LncRNA H19/VEGF levels showed no significant difference between the two groups before treatment but were significantly downregulated in the observation group after treatment. Summarily, intraperitoneal bevacizumab + HIPEC has significant efficacy in treating peritoneal effusion, improves the quality of life, and reduces serum lncRNA H19 and VEGF levels in OC patients, with fewer adverse reactions and higher safety.Impact statementWhat is already known on this subject? The utilization of hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) as an emerging treatment option for abdominal malignancies has garnered the attention of numerous researchers over the years, which has significant clinical effects on peritoneal effusion in ovarian cancer and can control patients' conditions and improve their signs and symptoms to a certain extent.What do the results of this study add? In this paper, we investigated the efficacy and safety of intraperitoneal bevacizumab combined with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy in the treatment of peritoneal effusion in ovarian cancer. Meanwhile, we compared serum lncRNA H19 and VEGF levels before and after treatment.What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? Our findings may provide a clinically worthy method for the treatment of peritoneal effusion in ovarian cancer. The treatment method reduces serum lncRNA H19 and VEGF levels in patients, which provides a theoretical basis for further research.

Mechanisms of Regulation of the Expression of miRNAs and lncRNAs by Metformin in Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian cancer (OC) is one of the most lethal gynecological malignancies. The use of biological compounds such as non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) is being considered as a therapeutic option to improve or complement current treatments since the deregulation of ncRNAs has been implicated in the pathogenesis and progression of OC. Old drugs with antitumoral properties have also been studied in the context of cancer, although their antitumor mechanisms are not fully clear. For instance, the antidiabetic drug metformin has shown pleiotropic effects in several in vitro models of cancer, including OC. Interestingly, metformin has been reported to regulate ncRNAs, which could explain its diverse effects on tumor cells. In this review, we discuss the mechanism of epigenetic regulation described for metformin, with a focus on the evidence of metformin-dependent microRNA (miRNAs) and long non-coding RNA (lncRNAs) regulation in OC.

Mechanism and function of miR-140 in human cancers: A review and in silico study

MicroRNA-140 (miR-140) acts as a tumor suppressor and plays a vital role in cell biological functions such as cell proliferation, apoptosis, and DNA repair. The expression of this miRNA has been shown to be considerably decreased in cancer tissues and cell lines compared with normal adjacent tissues. Consequently, aberrant expression of some miR-140 target genes can lead to the initiation and progression of various human cancers, such as breast cancer, gastrointestinal cancers, lung cancer, and prostate cancer. The dysregulation of the miR-140 network also affects cell proliferation, invasion, metastasis, and apoptosis of cancer cells by affecting various signaling pathways. Besides, up-regulation of miR-140 could enhance the efficacy of chemotherapeutic agents in different cancer. We aimed to cover most aspects of miR-140 function in cancer development and address its importance in different stages of cancer progression.

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition-related long noncoding RNAs in gastric carcinoma

As an evolutionarily phenotypic conversion program, the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has been implicated in tumour deterioration and has facilitated the metastatic ability of cancer cells via enhancing migration and invasion. Gastric cancer (GC) remains a frequently diagnosed non-skin malignancy globally. Most GC-associated mortality can be attributed to metastasis. Recent studies have shown that EMT-related long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a critical role in GC progression and GC cell motility. In addition, lncRNAs are associated with EMT-related transcription factors and signalling pathways. In the present review, we comprehensively described the EMT-inducing lncRNA molecular mechanisms and functional perspectives of EMT-inducing lncRNAs in GC progression. Taken together, the statements of this review provided a clinical implementation in identifying lncRNAs as potential therapeutic targets for advanced GC.

LncRNA-miRNA axis in tumor progression and therapy response: An emphasis on molecular interactions and therapeutic interventions

Epigenetic factors are critical regulators of biological and pathological mechanisms and they could interact with different molecular pathways. Targeting epigenetic factors has been an idea approach in disease therapy, especially cancer. Accumulating evidence has highlighted function of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) as epigenetic factors in cancer initiation and development and has focused on their association with downstream targets. microRNAs (miRNAs) are the most well-known targets of lncRNAs and present review focuses on lncRNA-miRNA axis in malignancy and therapy resistance of tumors. LncRNA-miRNA regulates cell death mechanisms such as apoptosis and autophagy in cancers. This axis affects tumor metastasis via regulating EMT and MMPs. Besides, lncRNA-miRNA axis determines sensitivity of tumor cells to chemotherapy, radiotherapy and immunotherapy. Based on the studies, lncRNAs can be affected by drugs and genetic tools in cancer therapy and this may affect expression level of miRNAs as their downstream targets, leading to cancer suppression/progression. LncRNAs have both tumor-promoting and tumor-suppressor functions in cancer and this unique function of lncRNAs has complicated their implication in tumor therapy. LncRNA-miRNA axis can also affect other signaling networks in cancer such as PI3K/Akt, STAT3, Wnt/β-catenin and EZH2 among others. Notably, lncRNA/miRNA axis can be considered as a signature for diagnosis and prognosis in cancers.