Upregulation of miR-153 promotes cell proliferation via downregulation of the PTEN tumor suppressor gene in human prostate cancer

How MicroRNAs Command the Battle against Cancer

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small RNA molecules that regulate more than 30% of genes in humans. Recent studies have revealed that miRNAs play a crucial role in tumorigenesis. Large sets of miRNAs in human tumors are under-expressed compared to normal tissues. Furthermore, experiments have shown that interference with miRNA processing enhances tumorigenesis. Multiple studies have documented the causal role of miRNAs in cancer, and miRNA-based anticancer therapies are currently being developed. This review primarily focuses on two key points: (1) miRNAs and their role in human cancer and (2) the regulation of tumor suppressors by miRNAs. The review discusses (a) the regulation of the tumor suppressor p53 by miRNA, (b) the critical role of the miR-144/451 cluster in regulating the Itch-p63-Ago2 pathway, and (c) the regulation of PTEN by miRNAs. Future research and the perspectives of miRNA in cancer are also discussed. Understanding these pathways will open avenues for therapeutic interventions targeting miRNA regulation.

Correlation of PTEN signaling pathway and miRNA in breast cancer

Breast cancer (BC) is one of the most common cancers among women and can be fatal if not diagnosed and treated on time. Various genetic and environmental factors play a significant role in the development and progression of BC. Within the body, different signaling pathways have been identified that contribute to cancer progression, or conversely, cancer prevention. Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) is one of the proteins that prevent cancer by inhibiting the oncogenic PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are molecules with about 18 to 28 base pairs, which regulate about 30% of human genes after transcription. miRNAs play a key role in the progression or prevention of cancer through different signaling pathway and mechanisms, e.g., apoptosis, angiogenesis, and proliferation. miRNAs, which are upstream mediators of PTEN, can reinforce or suppress the effect of PTEN signaling on BC cells, and suppressing the PTEN signaling, linked to weakness of the cancer cells to chemotherapeutic drugs. However, the precise mechanism and function of miRNAs on PTEN in BC are not yet fully understood. Therefore, in the present study, has been focused on miRNAs regulating PTEN function in BC.

Regulation of gene expression by modulating microRNAs through Epigallocatechin-3-gallate in cancer

Cancer is an intricate ailment that has a higher death rate globally and is characterized by aberrant cell proliferation and metastasis in nature. Since the beginning of healthcare, natural products, especially those derived from plants, have been utilized to support human health. Green tea contains an essential catechin called epigallocatechin gallate, which has anti-proliferative, anti-mutagenic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidative properties. The anticancer properties of EGCG have been extensively studied using pre-clinical cell culture and animal model systems. Dysregulated miRNA may be a biomarker since it influences the different characteristics of cancer like upholding proliferative signaling, cell death, invasiveness, metastasis, and angiogenesis. EGCG either elevates or lowers the expression of dysregulated miRNAs in cancer. Nonetheless, due to its anticancer properties, greater attention has been paid towards the development of efficient strategies for utilizing EGCG in cancer chemotherapy. This review summarizes the modifying effect of EGCG on miRNAs in cancer after briefly discussing the anticancer mechanisms of EGCG and the function of miRNAs in cancer.

Exploring the role of PI3K/AKT/mTOR inhibitors in hormone-related cancers: A focus on breast and prostate cancer

Breast cancer (BC) and prostate cancer (PC) are at the top of the list when it comes to the most common types of cancers worldwide. The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway is important, in that it strongly influences the development and progression of these tumors. Previous studies have emphasized the key role of inhibitors of the PIK3/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway in the treatment of BC and PC, and it remains to be a crucial method of treatment. In this review, the inhibitors of these signaling pathways are compared, as well as their effectiveness in therapy and potential as therapeutic agents. The use of these inhibitors as polytherapy is evaluated, especially with the use of hormonal therapy, which has shown promising results.

A Systems Biology Approach for Investigating Significant Biomarkers and Drug Targets Common Among Patients with Gonorrhea, Chlamydia, and Prostate Cancer: A Pilot Study

Having a previous history of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) such as gonorrhea and chlamydia increases the chance of developing prostate cancer, the second most frequent malignant cancer among men. However, the molecular functions that cause the development of prostate cancer in persons with gonorrhea and chlamydia are yet unknown. In this study, we studied RNA-seq gene expression profiles using computational biology methods to find out potential biomarkers that could help us in understanding the patho-biological mechanisms of gonorrhea, chlamydia, and prostate cancer. Using statistical methods on the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) data sets, it was found that a total of 22 distinct differentially expressed genes were shared among these 3 diseases of which 14 were up-regulated (PGRMC1, TSC22D1, SH3BGRL, NNT, CTSC, FRMD3, CCR2, FAM210B, VCL, PTGS1, SLFN11, SLC40A1, PROS1, and DSE) and the remaining 8 genes were down-regulated (PRNP, HINT3, MARCKSL1, TMED10, SH3KBP1, ENSA, DERL1, and KMT2B). Investigation on these 22 unique dysregulated genes using Gene Ontology, BioCarta, KEGG, and Reactome revealed multiple altered molecular pathways, including regulation of amyloid precursor protein catabolic process, ferroptosis, effects on gene expression of Homo sapiens PPAR pathway, and innate immune system R-HSA-168249. Four significant hub proteins namely VCL, SH3KBP1, PRNP, and PGRMC1 were revealed by protein-protein interaction network analysis. By analyzing gene-transcription factors and gene-miRNAs interactions, significant transcription factors (POU2F2, POU2F1, GATA6, and HIVEP1) and posttranscriptional regulator microRNAs (hsa-miR-7-5p) were also identified. Three potential therapeutic compounds namely INCB3284, CCX915, and MLN-1202 were found to interact with up-regulated protein C-C chemokine receptor type 2 (CCR2) in protein-drug interaction analysis. The proposed biomarkers and therapeutic potential molecules could be investigated for potential pharmacological targets and activity in the fight against in patients with gonorrhea, chlamydia, and prostate cancer.

Circular RNA (circ)_0053277 Contributes to Colorectal Cancer Cell Growth, Angiogenesis, Metastasis and Glycolysis

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been found to be abnormally expressed in many cancers, including colorectal cancer (CRC). Circ_0053277 has been found to mediate CRC malignant processes and may be a key regulator for CRC progression. Therefore, its role and potential molecular mechanism in CRC process deserve further investigation. Quantitative real-time PCR was used to detect the expression levels of circ_0053277, microRNA-520 h (miR-520 h) and hexokinase 1 (HK1). Cell Counting Kit-8, 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine assay, flow cytometry, wound healing assay, transwell assay, and tube formation assay were used to detect CRC cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, invasion, and angiogenesis. The protein levels of apoptosis-related markers and HK1 were detected by western blot. The relationship between circ_0053277 and miR-520 h or miR-520 h and HK1 in CRC cells was verified by dual-luciferase reporter assay, RNA immunoprecipitation assay and RNA pull-down assay. Cell glycolysis was assessed by detecting glucose uptake and lactate production. The effect of silenced circ_0053277 on CRC tumor growth was evaluated by xenograft model in vivo. Our study found that circ_0053277 expression was elevated in CRC tissues and cells. Moreover, circ_0053277 knockdown suppressed CRC cell proliferation, angiogenesis, migration and invasion, while promoting apoptosis. In terms of mechanism, circ_0053277 sponged miR-520 h, and HK1 was the target of miR-520 h. Meanwhile, miR-520 h inhibitor reversed the inhibitory effect of circ_0053277 silencing on CRC cell progression, and HK1 overexpression also overturned the suppressive effect of miR-520 h on CRC cell growth, angiogenesis and metastasis. Moreover, circ_0053277 knockdown inhibited the glycolysis of CRC cells by regulating miR-520 h/HK1 pathway. In addition, knockdown of circ_0053277 reduced CRC tumor growth in vivo. Circ_0053277 promoted CRC cell growth, angiogenesis, metastasis and glycolysis by miR-520 h/HK1 pathway, confirming that circ_0053277 might be a potential clinical target for CRC treatment.

MicroRNAs as biomarkers for early diagnosis, targeting and prognosis of prostate cancer

Globally, prostate cancer (PC) is leading cause of cancer-related mortality in men worldwide. Despite significant advances in the treatment and management of this disease, the cure rates for PC remains low, largely due to late detection. PC detection is mostly reliant on prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and digital rectal examination (DRE); however, due to the low positive predictive value of current diagnostics, there is an urgent need to identify new accurate biomarkers. Recent studies support the biological role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the initiation and progression of PC, as well as their potential as novel biomarkers for patients' diagnosis, prognosis, and disease relapse. In the advanced stages, cancer-cell-derived small extracellular vesicles (SEVs) may constitute a significant part of circulating vesicles and cause detectable changes in the plasma vesicular miRNA profile. Recent computational model for the identification of miRNA biomarkers discussed. In addition, accumulating evidence indicates that miRNAs can be utilized to target PC cells. In this article, the current understanding of the role of microRNAs and exosomes in the pathogenesis and their significance in PC prognosis, early diagnosis, chemoresistance, and treatment are reviewed.

The regulation of PTEN: Novel insights into functions as cancer biomarkers and therapeutic targets

This review summarizes the implications of the primary tumor suppressor protein phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) in aggressive cancer development. PTEN interacts with other cellular proteins or factors suggesting the existence of an intricate molecular network that regulates their oncogenic function. Accumulating evidence has shown that PTEN exists and plays a role in the cytoplasmic organelles and in the nucleus. PTEN blocks phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3K)-protein kinase B-mammalian target of rapamycin signaling pathway by dephosphorylating phosphatidylinositol (PI)-3,4,5-triphosphate to PI-4,5-bisphosphate thus counteracting PI3K function. Studies have shown that PTEN expression is tightly regulated at transcriptional, posttranscriptional, and posttranslational levels (including protein-protein interactions and posttranslational modifications). Despite recent advances in PTEN research, the regulation and function of the PTEN gene remain largely unknown. How mutation or loss of specific exons in the PTEN gene occurs and involves in cancer development is not clear. This review illustrates the regulatory mechanisms of PTEN expression and discusses how PTEN participates in tumor development and/or suppression. Future prospects for the clinical applications are also highlighted.

The Role of Different Types of microRNA in the Pathogenesis of Breast and Prostate Cancer

Micro ribonucleic acids (microRNAs or miRNAs) form a distinct subtype of non-coding RNA and are widely recognized as one of the most significant gene expression regulators in mammalian cells. Mechanistically, the regulation occurs through microRNA binding with its response elements in the 3'-untranslated region of target messenger RNAs (mRNAs), resulting in the post-transcriptional silencing of genes, expressing target mRNAs. Compared to small interfering RNAs, microRNAs have more complex regulatory patterns, making them suitable for fine-tuning gene expressions in different tissues. Dysregulation of microRNAs is well known as one of the causative factors in malignant cell growth. Today, there are numerous data points regarding microRNAs in different cancer transcriptomes, the specificity of microRNA expression changes in various tissues, and the predictive value of specific microRNAs as cancer biomarkers. Breast cancer (BCa) is the most common cancer in women worldwide and seriously impairs patients' physical health. Its incidence has been predicted to rise further. Mounting evidence indicates that microRNAs play key roles in tumorigenesis and development. Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in men. Different microRNAs play an important role in PCa. Early diagnosis of BCa and PCa using microRNAs is very useful for improving individual outcomes in the framework of predictive, preventive, and personalized (3P) medicine, thereby reducing the economic burden. This article reviews the roles of different types of microRNA in BCa and PCa progression.

A comprehensive review on miR-153: Mechanistic and controversial roles of miR-153 in tumorigenicity of cancer cells

miRNAs play a crucial role in regulating genes involved in cancer progression. Recently, miR-153 has been mainly well-known as a tumor suppressive miRNA modulating genes in proliferation, metastasis, EMT, angiogenesis and drug resistance ability of a variety types of cancer. Mechanistic activity of miR-153 in tumorigenicity has not been fully reviewed. This manuscript presents a comprehensive review on the tumor suppressive activity of miR-153 as well as introducing the controversial role of miR-153 as an oncogenic miRNA in cancer. Furthermore, it summarizes all potential non-coding RNAs such as long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs), transcribed ultra-conserved regions (T-UCRs) and circular RNAs (CircRNAs) targeting and sponging miR-153. Understanding the critical role of miR-153 in cell growth, metastasis, angiogenesis and drug resistance ability of cancer cells, suggests miR-153 as a potential prognostic biomarker for detecting cancer as well as providing a novel treatment strategy to combat with several types of cancer.

Secreted miR-153 Controls Proliferation and Invasion of Higher Gleason Score Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer (PC) is a male common neoplasm and is the second leading cause of cancer death in American men. PC is traditionally diagnosed by the evaluation of prostate secreted antigen (PSA) in the blood. Due to the high levels of false positives, digital rectal examination and transrectal ultrasound guided biopsy are necessary in uncertain cases with elevated PSA levels. Nevertheless, the high mortality rate suggests that new PC biomarkers are urgently needed to help clinical diagnosis. In a previous study, we have identified a network of genes, altered in high Gleason Score (GS) PC (GS ≥ 7), being regulated by miR-153. Until now, no publication has explained the mechanism of action of miR-153 in PC. By in vitro studies, we found that the overexpression of miR-153 in high GS cell lines is required to control cell proliferation, migration and invasion rates, targeting Kruppel-like factor 5 (KLF5). Moreover, miR-153 could be secreted by exosomes and microvesicles in the microenvironment and, once entered into the surrounding tissue, could influence cellular growth. Being upregulated in high GS human PC, miR-153 could be proposed as a circulating biomarker for PC diagnosis.

Identification of microRNAs in the Lyme Disease Vector Ixodes scapularis

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small non-coding RNAs involved in many biological processes, including the immune pathways that control bacterial, parasitic, and viral infections. Pathogens probably modify host miRNAs to facilitate successful infection, so they might be useful targets for vaccination strategies. There are few data on differentially expressed miRNAs in the black-legged tick Ixodes scapularis after infection with Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease in the United States. Small RNA sequencing and qRT-PCR analysis were used to identify and validate differentially expressed I. scapularis salivary miRNAs. Small RNA-seq yielded 133,465,828 (≥18 nucleotides) and 163,852,135 (≥18 nucleotides) small RNA reads from Borrelia-infected and uninfected salivary glands for downstream analysis using the miRDeep2 algorithm. As such, 254 miRNAs were identified across all datasets, 25 of which were high confidence and 51 low confidence known miRNAs. Further, 23 miRNAs were differentially expressed in uninfected and infected salivary glands: 11 were upregulated and 12 were downregulated upon pathogen infection. Gene ontology and network analysis of target genes of differentially expressed miRNAs predicted roles in metabolic, cellular, development, cellular component biogenesis, and biological regulation processes. Several Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways, including sphingolipid metabolism; valine, leucine and isoleucine degradation; lipid transport and metabolism; exosome biogenesis and secretion; and phosphate-containing compound metabolic processes, were predicted as targets of differentially expressed miRNAs. A qRT-PCR assay was utilized to validate the differential expression of miRNAs. This study provides new insights into the miRNAs expressed in I. scapularis salivary glands and paves the way for their functional manipulation to prevent or treat B. burgdorferi infection.

circITGA7 Acts as a miR-370-3p Sponge to Suppress the Proliferation of Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer (PCa) refers to one of the most common tumors in male's genitourinary system. Emerging research has confirmed that circRNAs play an important role in the occurrence and development of tumors. However, the correlation between circular RNA circITGA7 and PCa still remains unclear. Here, the role of circITGA7 in PCa was explored and the underlying mechanism was investigated as well. The circRNA expression profiles in PCa and the paracancerous tissues were established by high-throughput sequencing. The expression levels of circITGA7 in PCa tissues and cells were detected by qRT-PCR. Cell Counting Kit-8, colony formation, EdU, and flow cytometry assays were used to detect the effects of circITGA7 on PCa cell proliferation. To further explore the underlying mechanisms, bioinformatics analysis on downstream target genes was carried out. RNA immunoprecipitation and dual-luciferase reporter assays were used to verify the direct relationship between miR-370-3p and circITGA7 or P21CIP1. The present results demonstrated that circITGA7 was downregulated in PCa tissues and cells. Gain- or loss-of-function assays showed that circITGA7 inhibited the proliferation of PCa cells in vivo and in vitro. Mechanically, circITGA7 served as a sponge for miR-370-3p, and miR-370-3p could target P21CIP1 in PCa cells. The inhibition of cell proliferation induced by circITGA7 could be reversed by transfecting miR-370-3p mimic. Collectively, our data indicated that circITGA7 played an important role in inhibiting tumor proliferation in PCa and might be a potential therapeutic target.

MicroRNA-382-5p inhibits osteosarcoma development and progression by negatively regulating VEZF1 expression

Human osteosarcoma is the most frequent malignant primary bone tumor that mainly occurs in young adults and children. MicroRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) are abnormally expressed in human osteosarcoma and contribute to osteosarcoma initiation and development. The present study aimed to investigate the role of miR-382-5p in the nosogenesis of osteosarcoma and to identify a novel target for osteosarcoma treatment. miR-382-5p expression was detected in human osteosarcoma clinical tissues and cell lines, including 143B, U2OS and MG63, via reverse transcription-quantitative PCR analysis. Multiple bioinformatic prediction toowe used to identify the potential target genes of miR-382-5p and vascular endothelial zinc finger 1 (VEZF1), which were validated via the dual-luciferase reporter assay. MG63 and U2OS cells were transfected with miR-382-5p mimics. The Cell Counting Kit-8 assay was performed to assess cell proliferation, while the Transwell assay was performed to assess migration and invasion. Cell colony formation was measured via crystal violet staining, and apoptosis was assessed via Annexin V/propidium iodide staining. The wound healing assay was performed to assess the migratory ability of U2OS and MG63 cells. Antitumor effects of miR-382-5p were evaluated in nude mice xenografts using U2OS cells. The results demonstrated that miR-382-5p expression was markedly downregulated in human osteosarcoma tissues and cell lines compared with adjacent normal tissues. Transfection of miR-382-5p mimics into MG63 and U2OS cells significantly inhibited the malignant behaviors of cells, including decreased proliferation, migration, diminished colony formation and invasion, and promoted osteosarcoma cell apoptosis. Bioinformatics prediction indicated that VEZF1 is a direct target gene of miR-382-5p. Overexpression of VEZF1 restored osteosarcoma tumor development inhibited by miR-382-5p in vivo. In addition, overexpression of miR-382-5p restrained the growth of xenograft osteosarcoma in nude mice following co-transfection, and overexpression of VEZF1 attenuated the inhibitory effect of miR-382-5p in nude mice. miR-382-5p acted as a tumor suppressor gene and inhibited the malignant biological behaviors of human osteosarcoma cells and functions associated with directly targeting VEZF1. Taken together, these results suggest that the miR-382-5p/VEZF1 interaction has an important role in osteosarcoma development and progression, and thus may be used as a diagnostic and therapeutic target for osteosarcoma.

Simultaneous learning of individual microRNA-gene interactions and regulatory comodules

BACKGROUND

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) function in post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression by binding to target messenger RNAs (mRNAs). Because of the key part that miRNAs play, understanding the correct regulatory role of miRNAs in diverse patho-physiological conditions is of great interest. Although it is known that miRNAs act combinatorially to regulate genes, precise identification of miRNA-gene interactions and their specific functional roles in regulatory comodules remains a challenge. We developed THEIA, an effective method for simultaneously predicting miRNA-gene interactions and regulatory comodules, which group functionally related miRNAs and genes via non-negative matrix factorization (NMF).

RESULTS

We apply THEIA to RNA sequencing data from breast invasive carcinoma samples and demonstrate its effectiveness in discovering biologically significant regulatory comodules that are significantly enriched in spatial miRNA clusters, biological pathways, and various cancers.

CONCLUSIONS

THEIA is a theoretically rigorous optimization algorithm that simultaneously predicts the strength and direction (i.e., up-regulation or down-regulation) of the effect of modules of miRNAs on a gene. We posit that if THEIA is capable of recovering known clusters of genes and miRNA, then the clusters found by our method not previously identified by literature are also likely to have biological significance. We believe that these novel regulatory comodules found by our method will be a springboard for further research into the specific functional roles of these new functional ensembles of miRNAs and genes,especially those related to diseases like breast cancer.

MiRNAs and radical prostatectomy: Current data, bioinformatic analysis and utility as predictors of tumour relapse

BACKGROUND

Studies of microRNAs (miRNAs) and genes have particular interest for cancer biology and medicine due to the discovery of new therapeutic targets and markers. These studies are extensively influenced by anticancer therapy, as miRNAs interfere with the therapy's efficacy in prostate cancer (PCa).

OBJECTIVES

In this article, we summarise the available data on the influence of radical prostatectomy (RP) and biochemical recurrence on miRNA expression.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Molecular targets of these miRNAs, as well as the reciprocal relations between different miRNAs and their targets, were studied using the DIANA, STRING and TransmiR databases. Special attention was dedicated to the mechanisms of PCa development, miRNA, and associated genes as tumour development mediators.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Combined analysis of the databases and available literature indicates that expression of four miRNAs that are associated with prostate cancer relapse and alter their expression after RP, combined with genes that closely interact with selected miRNAs, has high potential for the prediction of PCa relapse after RP. PCa tissues and biofluids, both immediately after RP for diagnostics/prognostics and in long-term (relapse) monitoring, may be used as sources of these miRNAs.

CONCLUSION

An overview of the usefulness of published data and bioinformatics resources looking for diagnostic markers and molecular targets is presented in this article. The selected miRNA and gene panels have good potential as prognostic and PCa relapse markers after RP and likely could also serve as markers for therapeutic efficiency on a broader scale.

MiR-153-3p Suppresses Cell Proliferation, Invasion and Glycolysis of Thyroid Cancer Through Inhibiting E3F3 Expression

PURPOSE

The aim was to research the role of miR-153-3p and E2F3 in the development of thyroid tumors.

METHODS

A total of 91 thyroid cancer patients were involved. The role of miR-153-3p in THCA cell lines and Nthy-ori3-1 cell line was researched. qPCR was used to detect miR-153-3p and E2F3 expression. MiR-153-3p mimic, inhibitor, siE2F3 or corresponding controls were transfected in cells. CCK8 was used to verify the proliferation. Cell cycle and apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry. Transwell assay was applied for migration and invasion, and glycolysis was monitored. The binding of miR-153-3p and E2F3 was predicted by targetscan database, and verified by luciferase reporter and RNA-pull down assay. Western blot was used to detect E2F3 expression. Rescue assay was undertaken to verify the effect of siE2F3 on miR-153-3p inhibitor. Moreover, the effect of miR-153-3p mimic on tumor volume and weight was measured. IHC assay was processed to E2F3 and Ki67 expression, and TUNEL assay was used for apoptosis.

RESULTS

MiR-153-3p expressed lower in thyroid tumors and cells. The level of miR-153-3p was negatively related with TNM stage. MiR-153-3p inhibited cell proliferation, invasion migration, and induced cycle arrest and apoptosis. Moreover, it negatively regulated E2F3. siE2F3 rescued effects of miR-153-3p inhibitor in all above biological processes in thyroid cancer cells. MiR-153-3p inhibited tumor growth. Moreover, it inhibited E2F3 and Ki67 expression, and also increased apoptosis in vivo.

CONCLUSION

MiR-153-3p suppresses cell proliferation, invasion and glycolysis of thyroid cancer through inhibiting E3F3 expression, which may be a biomarker for thyroid cancer diagnose.

Covid-19 pathogenesis in prostatic cancer and TMPRSS2-ERG regulatory genetic pathway

Members of Coronaviridae family have been the source of respiratory illnesses. The outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 that produced a severe lung disease in afflicted patients in China and other countries was the reason for the incredible attention paid toward this viral infection. It is known that SARS-CoV-2 is dependent on TMPRSS2 activity for entrance and subsequent infection of the host cells and TMPRSS2 is a host cell molecule that is important for the spread of viruses such as coronaviruses.

Different factors can increase the risk of prostate cancer, including older age, a family history of the disease. Androgen receptor (AR) initiates a transcriptional cascade which plays a serious role in both normal and malignant prostate tissues. TMPRSS2 protein is highly expressed in prostate secretory epithelial cells, and its expression is dependent on androgen signals. One of the molecular signs of prostate cancer is TMPRSS2-ERG gene fusion. In TMPRSS2-ERG-positive prostate cancers different patterns of changed gene expression can be detected. The possible molecular relation between fusion positive prostate cancer patients and the increased risk of lethal respiratory viral infections especially SARS-CoV-2 can candidate TMPRSS2 as an attractive drug target. The studies show that some molecules such as nicotinamide, PARP1, ETS and IL-1R can be studied deeper in order to control SARS-CoV-2 infection especially in prostate cancer patients.

This review attempts to investigate the possible relation between the gene expression pattern that is produced through TMPRSS2-ERG fusion positive prostate cancer and the possible influence of these fluctuations on the pathogenesis and development of viral infections such as SARS-CoV-2.

Prognostic and clinicopathological significance of MicroRNA-153 in human cancers: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Several studies have explored the prognostic value of MicroRNA-153 (miR-153) in various cancers, but obtained inconsistent results. Thus, we conducted a meta-analysis to assess the prognostic significance of miR-153 for patients with cancer.

METHODS

Eligible studies were identified by searching the online databases Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science, Medline,and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) up to March 2020. Hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% CIs and were calculated to clarify the correlation between miR-153 expression and prognosis of different cancers. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% CI were selected to appraise the correlation between miR-153 with clinicopathological characteristics of cancer patients.

RESULTS

In total, 933 patients from 11 articles were enrolled in our meta-analysis. The results revealed that low miR-153 expression was significantly correlated with poor overall survival (OS) (HR = 2.45, 95% CI = 1.66-3.63, P < .001), but not with disease-free survival (DFS) (HR = 1.67, 95% CI = 0.45-6.19, P = .442). Subgroup analysis found that low miR-153 expression was associated with worse OS in the reported directly from articles group (HR = 2.67, 95% CI: 1.32-5.37, P = .006), survival curves group (HR = 2.10, 95% CI: 1.56-2.84, P < .001), digestive system tumor (HR = 2.76, 95% CI: 1.73-4.41, P < .001), and breast cancer (HR = 4.01, 95% CI: 1.46-11.04, P = .007).Moreover, cancer patients with low miR-153 expression were prone to poor tumor differentiation(poor vs well+moderate, OR = 2.41, 95% CI = 1.52-3.82, P < .001), earlier lymph node metastasis (present vs absent, OR = 2.19, 95% CI = 1.12-4.25, P = .021) and earlier distant metastasis (present vs absent,OR = 8.24, 95% CI = 2.93-23.21, P < .001), but not associated with age,gender and TNM stage.

CONCLUSIONS

This meta-analysis indicated that low miR-153 expression is associated with poor prognosis. miR-153 may serve as an effective predictive biomarker for tumor prognosis, especially for digestive system tumor and breast cancer.

The PTEN Conundrum: How to Target PTEN-Deficient Prostate Cancer

Loss of the tumor suppressor phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN), which negatively regulates the PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway, is strongly linked to advanced prostate cancer progression and poor clinical outcome. Accordingly, several therapeutic approaches are currently being explored to combat PTEN-deficient tumors. These include classical inhibition of the PI3K-AKT-mTOR signaling network, as well as new approaches that restore PTEN function, or target PTEN regulation of chromosome stability, DNA damage repair and the tumor microenvironment. While targeting PTEN-deficient prostate cancer remains a clinical challenge, new advances in the field of precision medicine indicate that PTEN loss provides a valuable biomarker to stratify prostate cancer patients for treatments, which may improve overall outcome. Here, we discuss the clinical implications of PTEN loss in the management of prostate cancer and review recent therapeutic advances in targeting PTEN-deficient prostate cancer. Deepening our understanding of how PTEN loss contributes to prostate cancer growth and therapeutic resistance will inform the design of future clinical studies and precision-medicine strategies that will ultimately improve patient care.

Deregulated PTEN/PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling in prostate cancer: Still a potential druggable target?

Although the prognosis of patients with localized prostate cancer is good after surgery, with a favorable response to androgen deprivation therapy, about one third of them invariably relapse, and progress to castration-resistant prostate cancer. Overall, prostate cancer therapies remain scarcely effective, thus it is mandatory to devise alternative treatments enhancing the efficacy of surgical castration and hormone administration. Dysregulation of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase pathway has attracted growing attention in prostate cancer due to the highly frequent association of epigenetic and post-translational modifications as well as to genetic alterations of both phosphoinositide 3-kinase and PTEN to onset and/or progression of this malignancy, and to resistance to canonical androgen-deprivation therapy. Here we provide a summary of the biological functions of the major players of this cascade and their deregulation in prostate cancer, summarizing the results of preclinical and clinical studies with PI3K signaling inhibitors and the reasons of failure independent from genomic changes.

Silencing of PTEN inhibits the oxidative stress damage and hippocampal cell apoptosis induced by Sevoflurane through activating MEK1/ERK signaling pathway in infant rats

Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) is a suppressive player in tumor but its concrete role in oxidative stress (OS) damage and cell apoptosis remains much exploration. Thus, this study is conducted to explore the participation of PTEN and its mechanisms in OS damage and cell apoptosis in hippocampal cells.Infant rats were grouped into normal, Sevo, Sevo + si-negative control (NC), Sevo + si-PTEN and Sevo + si-PTEN + PD (MEK1/ERK signaling pathway inhibitor) groups. Infant hippocampal cells were grouped into blank, Sevo, Sevo + si-NC, Sevo + si-PTEN and Sevo + si-PTEN + PD groups. The expressions of PTEN and MEK1/ERK signaling pathway-related proteins were determined. OS-related indices in hippocampal tissues and cells were detected. Cell apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry.Sevoflurane up-regulated PTEN expression and silencing of PTEN activates MEK1/ERK signaling pathway in hippocampal tissues and cells of infant rats. Silencing of PTEN alleviated hippocampal tissue pathological status and inhibited sevoflurane-induced cell apoptosis in hippocampal tissues of infant rats. Silencing of PTEN alleviated OS damage in hippocampal tissues of infant rats. Silencing of PTEN inhibited sevoflurane-induced apoptosis after OS damage in hippocampal cells of infant rats. Silencing of PTEN reduced sevoflurane-induced OS damage in hippocampal cells of infant rats.Our study demonstrates that PTEN silencing inhibits the OS damage and cell apoptosis in hippocampal cells induced by Sevoflurane through activating MEK1/ERK signaling pathway in infant rats.

Upregulation Of miR-153 Inhibits Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Progression By Targeting ZEB2-Mediated EMT And Contributes To Better Prognosis

Background

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most malignant type of breast cancer. MicroRNAs (miRs) and their corresponding molecular targets are associated with the occurrence and development of various human malignancies. However, the roles of the microRNA-153 (miR-153) and zinc finger E-box-binding homeobox 2 (ZEB2)-induced epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) in TNBC and predictive effect of miR-153 on the prognosis of TNBC have not been fully elucidated.

Materials and methods

Relative miR-153 expression level was examined by RT-qPCR assay in TNBC tissues of 60 patients and TNBC cell lines (SKBR3, BT-549 and MDA-MB-231). Cell proliferation ability, invasion ability and migration ability were measured by CCK8 assay, Transwell invasion assay and wound healing assay, respectively. Luciferase reporting experiment was used to confirm that there was a miR-153-binding site in ZEB2 3ʹ-UTR. The expression of ZEB2 in tissues and its relationship with miR-153 were analyzed with immunohistochemistry method. Relative ZEB2, E-cadherin, N-cadherin and Vimentin mRNA and protein expression levels were observed with RT-qPCR and Western blot, respectively. Based on risk factors, a prognostic model was established according to the Cox proportional risk model, and the prognostic risk factors of TNBC patients were predicted and analyzed.

Results

The expression of miR-153 in TNBC tissues and cells was declined (all P<0.01), and upregulation of miR-153 inhibited proliferation, invasion and migration of TNBC cells (all P<0.01). In addition, miR-153 regulated ZEB2/EMT link in TNBC, and ZEB2 overexpression reversed the tumor-suppressive effect of miR-153 in TNBC. Moreover, miR-153 was an independent predictive factor that was associated with excellent prognosis in TNBC patients.

Conclusion

miR-153 may inhibit TNBC proliferation, invasion and migration by regulating ZEB2/EMT link. Therefore, miR-153 is expected to be a molecular target and prognostic marker for TNBC.

Exploring the Potential of MicroRNA Let-7c as a Therapeutic for Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide and often presents with aberrant microRNA (miRNA) expression. Identifying and understanding the unique expression profiles could aid in the detection and treatment of this disease. This review aims to identify miRNAs as potential therapeutic targets for PCa. Three bio-informatic searches were conducted to identify miRNAs that are reportedly implicated in the pathogenesis of PCa. Only hsa-Lethal-7 (let-7c), recognized for its role in PCa pathogenesis, was common to all three databases. Three further database searches were conducted to identify known targets of hsa-let-7c. Four targets were identified, HMGA2, c-Myc (MYC), TRAIL, and CASP3. An extensive review of the literature was undertaken to assess the role of hsa-let-7c in the progression of other malignancies and to evaluate its potential as a therapeutic target for PCa. The heterogeneous nature of cancer makes it logical to develop mechanisms by which the treatment of malignancies is tailored to an individual, harnessing specific knowledge of the underlying biology of the disease. Resetting cellular miRNA levels is an exciting prospect that will allow this ambition to be realized.

Increased expression of miR-153 predicts poor prognosis for patients with prostate cancer

Deregulation of miR-153 has recently been observed in several common human cancer, while miR-153 serves an oncogene or tumor suppressive role in different cancer types. Previously, miR-153 has been identified to be overexpressed in prostate cancer. miR-153 played an important role in promoting proliferation of human prostate cancer cells and presented a novel mechanism of microRNA-mediated direct suppression of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) expression in prostate cancer cells. Until now, little is known about the clinical significance of miR-153 expression in prostate cancer.The miR-153 expression in 143 pairs of prostate cancer and adjacent non-cancerous prostate tissues was measured by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis. Student t test was conducted for intergroup comparison. Pearson correlation test was used for correlation analysis. Survival curves were carried out by the Kaplan-Meier method and evaluated using the log-rank test. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard risk regression model was performed to screen the independent factor affected the prognosis of prostate cancer patients.qRT-PCR analysis showed that the expression of miR-153 was significantly increased in the prostate cancer tissues in comparison with the adjacent noncancerous prostate tissues (P < .001). The high expression of miR-153 in prostate cancer tissues is closely correlated with aggressive clinical pathological parameters such as lymph node metastasis (P = .001); bone metastasis (P < .001); Gleason score (P < .001); and tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage (P < .001). Prostate cancer patients with a high expression of miR-153 had an evidently lower 5-year overall survival as compared with those with a low expression of miR-153 (P = .019). Notably, the multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated that miR-153 expression was an independent factor for predicting the 5-year overall survival of prostate cancer patients (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.481, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.582-10.727; P = .018).Our study demonstrated that high miR-153 expression was significantly associated with a poor overall survival independently of other factors in prostate cancer. Therefore, miR-153 may be an available biomarker for prostate cancer prognosis.

MicroRNA-153 Decreases Tryptophan Catabolism and Inhibits Angiogenesis in Bladder Cancer by Targeting Indoleamine 2,3-Dioxygenase 1

Background: Metastasis is the primary cause of cancer deaths, warranting further investigation. This study assessed microRNA-153 (miR-153) expression in bladder cancer tissues and investigated the underlying molecular mechanism of miR-153-mediated regulation of bladder cancer cells.

Methods: Paired tissue specimens from 45 bladder cancer patients were collected for qRT-PCR. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset was used to identify associations of miR-153 with bladder cancer prognosis. Bladder cancer tissues and immortalized cell lines were used for the following experiments: miR-153 mimics and indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) siRNA transfection; Western blot, cell viability, colony formation, and Transwell analyses; nude mouse xenograft; and chicken embryo chorioallantoic membrane angiogenesis (CAM) assays. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were co-cultured with bladder cancer cells for the tube formation assay. The luciferase reporter assay was used to confirm miR-153-targeting genes.

Results: miR-153 expression was downregulated in bladder cancer tissues and cell lines, and reduced miR-153 expression was associated with advanced tumor stage and poor overall survival of patients. Moreover, miR-153 expression inhibited bladder cancer cell growth by promoting tumor cell apoptosis, migration, invasion, and endothelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) in vitro and tumor xenograft growth in vivo, while miR-153 expression suppressed HUVEC and CAM angiogenesis. At the gene level, miR-153 targeted IDO1 expression and inhibited bladder cancer cell tryptophan metabolism through inhibiting IL6/STAT3/VEGF signaling.

Conclusions: Collectively, our data demonstrate that miR-153 exerts anti-tumor activity in bladder cancer by targeting IDO1 expression. Future studies will investigate miR-153 as a novel therapeutic target for bladder cancer patients.

MicroRNA-153 promotes brain-derived neurotrophic factor and hippocampal neuron proliferation to alleviate autism symptoms through inhibition of JAK-STAT pathway by LEPR

Autism is known as a severe neurobehavioral syndrome, with males affected more often than females. Previous studies have revealed that microRNAs (miRNAs) play a critical role in the search for novel therapeutic strategies for autism. Therefore, we evaluate the ability of miR-153 to influence brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) of autism as well as proliferation and apoptosis of hippocampal neuron through the janus kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK-STAT) signaling pathway by targeting leptin receptor (LEPR). Firstly, the autistic mice models were established and Morris water maze was employed for the analysis of the learning ability and memory of the mice. Besides, in vitro experiments were conducted with the transfection of different mimic, inhibitor, or siRNA into the hippocampal neuron cells, after which the effect of miR-153 on LEPR and the JAK-STAT signaling pathway-related factors was investigated. Next, 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay and flow cytometry assay were conducted to evaluate cell proliferation, cell cycle, and apoptosis respectively following transfection. The results revealed that there was a significant decrease in learning ability and memory in the autistic mice along with a reduction in the positive expression rate of BDNF and serious inflammatory reaction. LEPR was confirmed as a target gene of miR-153 by the dual luciferase reporter gene assay. After transfection of overexpressed miR-153, LEPR and the JAK-STAT signaling pathway were inhibited followed by an increase in BDNF and enhancement of cell proliferation. In conclusion, the high expression of miR-153 can inhibit activation of JAK-STAT signaling pathway by LEPR, thus improving BDNF expression and the proliferative ability of hippocampal neurons.

Micromanaging aerobic respiration and glycolysis in cancer cells

BACKGROUND

Cancer cells possess a common metabolic phenotype, rewiring their metabolic pathways from mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation to aerobic glycolysis and anabolic circuits, to support the energetic and biosynthetic requirements of continuous proliferation and migration. While, over the past decade, molecular and cellular studies have clearly highlighted the association of oncogenes and tumor suppressors with cancer-associated glycolysis, more recent attention has focused on the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in mediating this metabolic shift. Accumulating studies have connected aberrant expression of miRNAs with direct and indirect regulation of aerobic glycolysis and associated pathways.

SCOPE OF REVIEW

This review discusses the underlying mechanisms of metabolic reprogramming in cancer cells and provides arguments that the earlier paradigm of cancer glycolysis needs to be updated to a broader concept, which involves interconnecting biological pathways that include miRNA-mediated regulation of metabolism. For these reasons and in light of recent knowledge, we illustrate the relationships between metabolic pathways in cancer cells. We further summarize our current understanding of the interplay between miRNAs and these metabolic pathways. This review aims to highlight important metabolism-associated molecular components in the hunt for selective preventive and therapeutic treatments.

MAJOR CONCLUSIONS

Metabolism in cancer cells is influenced by driver mutations but is also regulated by posttranscriptional gene silencing. Understanding the nuanced regulation of gene expression in these cells and distinguishing rapid cellular responses from chronic adaptive mechanisms provides a basis for rational drug design and novel therapeutic strategies.

MicroRNA-153 inhibits cell proliferation, migration, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in breast cancer via direct targeting of RUNX2

A number of microRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in the development and malignant progression of numerous types of human cancer including breast cancer. The underlying regulatory mechanism of miRNA-153 (miR-153) in breast cancer progression remains largely unknown. The present study demonstrated that miR-153 expression levels were significantly reduced in breast cancer tissue samples and cell lines, compared with adjacent healthy tissue samples and normal human breast cell line MCF-10A. In addition, low miR-153 expression was associated with advanced clinical staging and metastasis in patients with breast cancer. However, no association with age, subtype or differentiation was identified. Furthermore, patients with breast cancer with low miR-153 expression had poor prognosis, compared with patients with breast cancer with high miR-153 expression. Overexpression of miR-153 reduced proliferation, migration, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in breast cancer SK-BR-3 and BT-549 cells. Runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), which was revealed to be significantly upregulated in breast cancer, was verified as a target gene of miR-153 in SK-BR-3 and BT-549 cells by luciferase reporter gene assay. High RUNX2 expression was associated with advanced clinical staging as well as distant and lymph node metastasis in patients with breast cancer. However, no association with age, subtype or differentiation was identified. Additionally, an inverse correlation between miR-153 and RUNX2 mRNA expression levels was observed in breast cancer tissues. RUNX2 overexpression reduced the suppressive effects of miR-153 on the proliferation, migration, invasion and EMT of SK-BR-3 and BT-549 cells. The present study indicated that miR-153 may serve a role in breast tumor growth and metastasis via direct targeting of RUNX2. The miR-153/RUNX2 axis may be used as a potential therapeutic target in breast cancer treatment.

Estivation-responsive microRNAs in a hypometabolic terrestrial snail

When faced with extreme environmental conditions, the milk snail (Otala lactea) enters a state of dormancy known as estivation. This is characterized by a strong reduction in metabolic rate to <30% of normal resting rate that is facilitated by various behavioural, physiological, and molecular mechanisms. Herein, we investigated the regulation of microRNA in the induction of estivation. Changes in the expression levels of 75 highly conserved microRNAs were analysed in snail foot muscle, of which 26 were significantly upregulated during estivation compared with controls. These estivation-responsive microRNAs were linked to cell functions that are crucial for long-term survival in a hypometabolic state including anti-apoptosis, cell-cycle arrest, and maintenance of muscle functionality. Several of the microRNA responses by snail foot muscle also characterize hypometabolism in other species and support the existence of a conserved suite of miRNA responses that regulate environmental stress responsive metabolic rate depression across phylogeny.

Mechanisms of PTEN loss in cancer: It's all about diversity

PTEN is a phosphatase which metabolises PIP₃, the lipid product of PI 3-Kinase, directly opposing the activation of the oncogenic PI3K/AKT/mTOR signalling network. Accordingly, loss of function of the PTEN tumour suppressor is one of the most common events observed in many types of cancer. Although the mechanisms by which PTEN function is disrupted are diverse, the most frequently observed events are deletion of a single gene copy of PTEN and gene silencing, usually observed in tumours with little or no PTEN protein detectable by immunohistochemistry. Accordingly, with the exceptions of glioblastoma and endometrial cancer, mutations of the PTEN coding sequence are uncommon (<10%) in most types of cancer. Here we review the data relating to PTEN loss in seven common tumour types and discuss mechanisms of PTEN regulation, some of which appear to contribute to reduced PTEN protein levels in cancers.

Propofol alleviates hypoxia-induced nerve injury in PC-12 cells by up-regulation of microRNA-153

Background

Although the neuroprotective role of propofol has been identified recently, the regulatory mechanism associated with microRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) in neuronal cells remains to be poorly understood. We aimed to explore the regulatory mechanism of propofol in hypoxia-injured rat pheochromocytoma (PC-12) cells.

Methods

PC-12 cells were exposed to hypoxia, and cell viability and apoptosis were assessed by CCK-8 assay and flow cytometry assay/Western blot analysis, respectively. Effects of propofol on hypoxia-injured cells were measured, and the expression of miR-153 was determined by stem-loop RT-PCR. After that, whether propofol affected PC-12 cells under hypoxia via miR-153 was verified, and the downstream protein of miR-153 as well as the involved signaling cascade was finally explored.

Results

Hypoxia-induced decrease of cell viability and increase of apoptosis were attenuated by propofol. Then, we found hypoxia exposure up-regulated miR-153 expression, and the level of miR-153 was further elevated by propofol in hypoxia-injured PC-12 cells. Following experiments showed miR-153 inhibition reversed the effects of propofol on hypoxia-treated PC-12 cells. Afterwards, we found BTG3 expression was negatively regulated by miR-153 expression, and BTG3 overexpression inhibited the mTOR pathway and AMPK activation. Besides, hypoxia inhibited the mTOR pathway and AMPK, and these inhibitory effects could be attenuated by propofol.

Conclusion

Propofol protected hypoxia-injured PC-12 cells through miR-153-mediataed down-regulation of BTG3. BTG3 could inhibit the mTOR pathway and AMPK activation.

Expression profiling and microRNA regulation of the LKB1 pathway in young and aged lung adenocarcinoma patients

Lung cancer in young patients appears to have distinct clinicopathological features. The present study focused on the role of the serine/threonine kinase liver kinase B1 (LKB1), a known tumor suppressor gene, and its miRNA regulation in lung adenocarcinoma, particularly in young versus elderly patients. A total of 88 patients with lung adenocarcinoma were retrospectively analysed. A simultaneous quantification was performed of the expression of LKB1 mRNA and 15 microRNAs (miRNA/miRs; miRs −93, −96, −34a, −34c, −214, −33a, −30b, −145, −182, −30c, −183, −29b, −29c, −153 and −138) involved in the LKB1 pathway, as well as of 5 identified target mRNAs [cyclin D1 (CCND1), catenin β-1 (CTNNB1), lysyl oxidase (LOX), yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1) and survivin], using NanoString technology. KRAS mutations were investigated by pyrosequencing analysis. Patients ≤50 years were defined as a younger group, while patients >50 years old as an older group (n=44/group). No difference between the two groups was identified in terms of survival times analysed using the Kaplan-Meier method or KRAS mutations. Subsequently, the LKB1 signalling pathway was focused on, as a target for therapy in lung adenocarcinoma, and assessed with regards to clinicopathological features; we found that LOX levels in adenocarcinoma patients were significantly associated with histological subtype (P=0.03), stage (P<0.0001) and prognosis (P=0.02 for disease-free interval and P=0.005 for overall survival), but not with age. Furthermore, the miRNA target prediction model indicated that miR-93 and miR-30b appeared to have functional binding sites and downregulate the gene expression of LKB1 and LOX, respectively. In conclusion, young patients appeared have similar survival rates to elderly patients. The assessment of LKB1, its downstream genes and its regulation by miRNAs may have an impact on future research on lung adenocarcinoma in young and elderly patients. Further investigations will be necessary to elucidate the potential of this pathway as a novel target for therapy.

Anticancer Activity of Sulforaphane: The Epigenetic Mechanisms and the Nrf2 Signaling Pathway

Sulforaphane (SFN), a compound derived from cruciferous vegetables that has been shown to be safe and nontoxic, with minimal/no side effects, has been extensively studied due to its numerous bioactivities, such as anticancer and antioxidant activities. SFN exerts its anticancer effects by modulating key signaling pathways and genes involved in the induction of apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, and inhibition of angiogenesis. SFN also upregulates a series of cytoprotective genes by activating nuclear factor erythroid-2- (NF-E2-) related factor 2 (Nrf2), a critical transcription factor activated in response to oxidative stress; Nrf2 activation is also involved in the cancer-preventive effects of SFN. Accumulating evidence supports that epigenetic modification is an important factor in carcinogenesis and cancer progression, as epigenetic alterations often contribute to the inhibition of tumor-suppressor genes and the activation of oncogenes, which enables cells to acquire cancer-promoting properties. Studies on the mechanisms underlying the anticancer effects of SFN have shown that SFN can reverse such epigenetic alterations in cancers by targeting DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs), histone deacetyltransferases (HDACs), and noncoding RNAs. Therefore, in this review, we will discuss the anticancer activities of SFN and its mechanisms, with a particular emphasis on epigenetic modifications, including epigenetic reactivation of Nrf2.

Icariin regulates the osteoblast differentiation and cell proliferation of MC3T3-E1 cells through microRNA-153 by targeting Runt-related transcription factor 2

Osteoporosis has become one of the most serious public health problems. Icariin, miR-153 and Runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2) have been demonstrated to regulate cell proliferation and differentiation in multiple cells. The aim of the present experiments was to investigate the potential mechanism underlying osteoblast differentiation and cell proliferation of MC3T3-E1 cells treated with icariin. Cell Counting kit-8, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and alizarin red S assays, as well as reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis, were performed to examine whether icariin promoted osteoblast differentiation and cell proliferation in MC3T3-E1 cells. Subsequently, miR-153 target and pathway prediction, and functional analysis were assessed. The results demonstrated that icariin promoted proliferation, mineral content and ALP activity in MC3T3-E1 cells. In addition, miR-153 and Runx2 expression levels were increased following treatment with icariin. Luciferase assay revealed that miR-153 significantly upregulate the luciferase activity of wild-type (Wt) Runx2 3′-untranslated region. Furthermore, the group treated with a combination of miR-153 mimics and icariin exhibited a significantly higher expression of Runx2 in comparison with the miR-153 mimic-treated alone group. Finally, icariin reversed the potential effect of miR-153 inhibitor in MC3T3-E1 cells. In conclusion, icariin exerted a strong osteoblast differentiation effect in MC3T3-E1 cells through the miR-153/Runx2 pathway. The current study provided evidence suggesting that icariin should be considered as an effective candidate for the management of osteoporosis.

KCNQ1OT1 promotes melanoma growth and metastasis

Melanoma is the deadliest cutaneous neoplasm. To prevent metastasis, early diagnosis and surgical treatment is vital. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) may serve as biomarkers and therapeutic targets in tumors. We investigated the molecular mechanisms of lncRNA KCNQ1OT1 in melanoma. Real time PCR demonstrated that KCNQ1OT1 expression is up-regulated in melanoma tissues and cells. KCNQ1OT1 promoted cell proliferation and metastasis in melanoma. By directly bindin to miR-153, KCNQ1OT1 acted as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) to de-repress MET expression. Our results may provide the basis for a novel strategy for early detection and/or treatment of melanoma.

Involvement of miR-106b in tumorigenic actions of both prolactin and estradiol

Prolactin promotes a variety of cancers by an array of different mechanisms. Here, we have investigated prolactin's inhibitory effect on expression of the cell cycle-regulating protein, p21. Using a miRNA array, we identified a number of miRNAs upregulated by prolactin treatment, but one in particular that was strongly induced by prolactin and predicted to bind to the 3′UTR of p21 mRNA, miR-106b. By creating a p21 mRNA 3′UTR-luciferase mRNA construct, we demonstrated degradation of the construct in response to prolactin in human breast, prostate and ovarian cancer cell lines. Increased expression of miR-106b replicated, and anti-miR-106b counteracted, the effects of prolactin on degradation of the 3′UTR construct, p21 mRNA levels, and cell proliferation in breast (T47D) and prostate (PC3) cancer cells. Increased expression of miR-106b also stimulated migration of the very epithelioid T47D cell line. By contrast, anti-miR-106b dramatically decreased expression of the mesenchymal markers, SNAIL-2, TWIST-2, VIMENTIN, and FIBRONECTIN. Using signaling pathway inhibitors and the 3′UTR construct, induction of miR-106b by prolactin was determined to be mediated through the MAPK/ERK and PI3K/Akt pathways and not through Jak2/Stat5 in both T47D and PC3 cells. Prolactin activation of MAPK/ERK and PI3K/Akt also activates ERα in the absence of an ERα ligand. 17β-estradiol promoted degradation of the construct in both cell lines and pre-incubation in the estrogen antagonist, Fulvestrant, blocked the ability of both prolactin and 17β-estradiol to induce the construct-degrading activity. Together, these data support a convergence of the prolactin and 17β-estradiol miR-106b-elevating signaling pathways at ERα.

In-Silico Integration Approach to Identify a Key miRNA Regulating a Gene Network in Aggressive Prostate Cancer

Like other cancer diseases, prostate cancer (PC) is caused by the accumulation of genetic alterations in the cells that drives malignant growth. These alterations are revealed by gene profiling and copy number alteration (CNA) analysis. Moreover, recent evidence suggests that also microRNAs have an important role in PC development. Despite efforts to profile PC, the alterations (gene, CNA, and miRNA) and biological processes that correlate with disease development and progression remain partially elusive. Many gene signatures proposed as diagnostic or prognostic tools in cancer poorly overlap. The identification of co-expressed genes, that are functionally related, can identify a core network of genes associated with PC with a better reproducibility. By combining different approaches, including the integration of mRNA expression profiles, CNAs, and miRNA expression levels, we identified a gene signature of four genes overlapping with other published gene signatures and able to distinguish, in silico, high Gleason-scored PC from normal human tissue, which was further enriched to 19 genes by gene co-expression analysis. From the analysis of miRNAs possibly regulating this network, we found that hsa-miR-153 was highly connected to the genes in the network. Our results identify a four-gene signature with diagnostic and prognostic value in PC and suggest an interesting gene network that could play a key regulatory role in PC development and progression. Furthermore, hsa-miR-153, controlling this network, could be a potential biomarker for theranostics in high Gleason-scored PC.

miR-153-3p, a new bio-target, is involved in the pathogenesis of acute graft-versus-host disease via inhibition of indoleamine- 2,3-dioxygenase

Acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Therefore, seeking reliable biomarkers and delineating the potential biological mechanism are important for optimizing treatment strategies and improving their curative effect. In this study, using a microRNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based chip assay, microRNA-153-3p (miR-153-3p) was screened and selected as a potential biomarker of aGVHD. The elevated plasma miR-153-3p levels at +7 d after transplant could be used to predict the upcoming aGVHD. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for aGVHD+/aGVHD- patients receiving haploidentical transplant was 0.808 (95% confidence interval, 0.686-0.930) in a training set and 0.809 (95% confidence interval, 0.694-0.923) in a validation set. Interestingly, bioinformatics analysis indicated that indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) is a potential target of miR-153-3p. In vitro study confirmed that IDO could be directly inhibited by miR-153-3p. In a GVHD model, recipient mice injected with a miR-153-3p antagomir exhibited higher IDO expression levels at the early stage after transplantation, as well as delayed aGVHD and longer survival, indicating that the miR-153-3p level at +7 d post-transplant is a good predictor of aGVHD. miR-153-3p participates in aGVHD development by inhibiting IDO expression and might be a novel bio-target for aGVHD intervention.

The other face of miR-17-92a cluster, exhibiting tumor suppressor effects in prostate cancer

miR-17-92a cluster miRNAs are transcribed from a polycistronic transcription unit C13orf25 that generates six mature miRNAs, miR-17, miR-18a, miR-19a, miR-19b, miR-20a and miR-92a that are overexpressed in lung and colon cancers. Here we show that the expression of miR-17-92a miRNAs are reduced in cancerous prostate tissues compared to uninvolved areas and also in aggressive prostate cancer cells. Restoration of expression of all members of miR-17-92a cluster showed, decreased expression of cell cycle regulatory proteins cyclin D1 and SSH1; and LIMK1 and FGD4 of RhoGTPase signaling pathway. Expression of miR-17-92a miRNAs caused decreased cell proliferation, reduced activation of AKT and MAP kinases, delayed tumorigenicity and reduced tumor growth in animals. Expression of miR-17-92a miRNAs inhibited EMT via reduced cell migration and expression of mesenchymal markers while elevating expression and surface localization of the epithelial marker E-Cadherin. Expression of miR-17-92a miRNAs improved sensitivity of androgen dependent LNCaP 104-S prostate cancer cells to anti-androgen drug Casodex, AKT inhibitor MK-2206 2HCl, and docetaxel. The androgen refractory PC-3 cells also showed increased sensitivity to docetaxel, MK-2206 2HCl and Aurora kinase inhibitor VX680 upon ectopic expression of miR-17-92a cluster miRNAs. Our data demonstrate a tumor suppressor effect of miR-17-92a cluster miRNAs in prostate cancer cells and restoration of expression of these miRNAs has a therapeutic benefit for both androgen-dependent and -independent prostate cancer cells.

An artificial lncRNA targeting multiple miRNAs overcomes sorafenib resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma cells

Sorafenib resistance remains a major obstacle for the effective treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and a number of miRNAs contribute to this resistance. However, the regulatory networks of miRNAs are very complex, thus inhibiting a single miRNA may sequentially activate other compensatory pathways. In the present study, we generated an artificial long non-coding RNA (AlncRNA), which simultaneously targets multiple miRNAs including miR-21, miR-153, miR-216a, miR-217, miR-494 and miR-10a-5p. These miRNAs have been shown to be upregulated in sorafenib-resistant cells and participate in the mechanisms underlying sorafenib resistance. The AlncRNA contains tandem sequences of 6 copies of the complementary binding sequences to the target miRNAs and is expressed by an adenoviral vector (Ad5-AlncRNA). Infection of Ad5-AlncRNA into sorafenib-resistant HCC cells blocked the function of miRNAs, and sequentially inhibited the downregulation of PTEN and activation of AKT. Ad5-AlncRNA significantly inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis of sorafenib-resistant cells and enhanced the effects of sorafenib in vitro and in animal models. Inhibition of autophagy decreased the sensitivity of sorafenib-resistant cells to Ad5-AlncRNA, while its induction had the opposite effect. These results indicate that targeting multiple miRNAs by the artificial lncRNA could be a potential promising strategy for overcoming sorafenib resistance in the treatment of HCC.

Hypoxia induces miR-153 through the IRE1α-XBP1 pathway to fine tune the HIF1α/VEGFA axis in breast cancer angiogenesis

It is well documented that hypoxia activates the hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF1α)/vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) axis to promote angiogenesis in breast cancer. However, it is unclear how this axis is negatively regulated. In this study, we demonstrated that miR-153 directly inhibits expression of HIF1α by binding to the 3′UTR of HIF1A mRNA, as well as suppresses tube formation of primary human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and breast cancer angiogenesis by decreasing the secretion of VEGFA. Importantly, expression of miR-153 was induced by hypoxia-stimulated ER stress, which activates IRE1α and its downstream transcription factor X-box binding protein 1 (XBP1). X-box binding protein 1 directly binds to the promoter of the miR-153 host gene PTPRN and activates transcription. These results indicate that hypoxia induces miR-153 to fine tune the HIF1α/VEGFA axis in breast cancer angiogenesis and miR-153 could be used for breast cancer anti-angiogenesis therapy.

miRNAs as potential regulators of mTOR pathway in renal cell carcinoma

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the most commonly occurring solid cancer of the adult kidney with the majority of RCC cases being detected accidentally. The most aggressive subtype is clear cell RCC (ccRCC). miRNAs, a family of small noncoding RNAs regulating gene expression have been identified as key biological modulators. The von Hippel-Lindau pathway is one of the signaling pathways involved in the pathophysiology of ccRCC. Another oncogenic mechanism involves the activation of PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling and serves as a central regulator of cell metabolism, proliferation and survival. Several studies have described the involvement of miRNA dysregulation in the pathogenesis and progression of ccRCC. These molecules can be considered as potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers, allowing response to therapy to be monitored.

MicroRNA‑512‑3p is upregulated, and promotes proliferation and cell cycle progression, in prostate cancer cells

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in males worldwide. MicroRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) are small non‑coding RNAs that participate in the regulation of various biological processes by regulating post‑transcriptional gene expression. However, whether dysregulation of miRNA expression may be associated with the carcinogenesis of PCa remains to be elucidated. The present study identified differentially expressed miRNAs in PCa by analyzing two publicly available gene expression datasets, GSE14857 and GSE21036. The results demonstrated that miR‑512‑3p was significantly upregulated in PCa. Furthermore, the present study explored the molecular functions of miR‑512‑3p in PCa, and demonstrated that overexpression of miR‑512‑3p promoted PCa cell proliferation and reduced G1 phase cell cycle arrest in PCa. These results indicated that miR‑512‑3p may act as an oncogene in PCa. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study revealed the molecular functions of miR‑512‑3p in PCa. To obtain valuable insights into the potential mechanisms of miR‑512‑3p, bioinformatics analyses were performed to identify the targets of miR‑512‑3p. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway and Gene Ontology category analyses revealed that miR‑512‑3p may be associated with the mitogen‑activated protein kinase signaling pathway and numerous biological processes, including cell adhesion, cell proliferation, cell cycle and apoptosis. These results suggested that miR‑512‑3p may be considered a potential diagnostic and therapeutic target of PCa.

Small Non-coding RNA Abundance in Adrenocortical Carcinoma: A Footprint of a Rare Cancer

BACKGROUND: Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a relatively rare, but aggressive type of cancer, which affects both children and adults. OBJECTIVE: Small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs) play important roles and may serve as biomarkers for disease diagnosis, prognosis and treatment. METHODS: In our study, we sought to identify sncRNAs associated with malignant adrenal tumors. We obtained publicly available, small RNA sequencing data derived from 45 ACC and 30 benign tumors arising from the cortex of the adrenal gland, adrenocortical adenomas (ACA), and compared their sncRNA expression profiles. RESULTS: First, we remapped small RNA-seq to miRBase version 21 to check expression of miRNAs and found 147 miRNAs were aberrantly expressed (p<0.05) in ACC samples compared to ACA samples. Pathway analysis of differentially expressed miRNAs revealed p53 signaling pathways to be profoundly affected in ACC samples. Further examination for other types of small RNAs revealed 16 piRNAs, 48 lncRNAs and 19 sn/snoRNAs identified in ACC samples. Conclusions: Our data analysis suggests that publically available resources can be mined for biomarker development and improvements in-patient care; however, further research must be performed to correlate tumor grade with gene expression.

Involvement of Non-coding RNAs in the Signaling Pathways of Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common diagnosed cancers worldwide. The metastasis and development of resistance to anti-cancer treatment are major challenges in the treatment of CRC. Understanding mechanisms underpinning the pathogenesis is therefore critical in developing novel agents for CRC treatments. A large number of evidence has demonstrated that non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), including microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs have functional roles in both the physiological and pathological processes by regulating the expression of their target genes. These molecules are engaged in the pathobiology of neoplastic diseases and are targets for the diagnosis, prognosis and therapy of a variety of cancers, including CRC. In this regard, ncRNAs have emerged as one of the hallmarks of CRC pathogenesis and they also play key roles in metastasis, drug resistance and the stemness of CRC stem cell by regulating various signaling networks. Therefore, a better understanding the ncRNAs involved in the signaling pathways of CRC may lead to the development of novel strategy for diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of CRC. In this chapter, we summarize the latest findings on ncRNAs, with a focus on miRNAs and lncRNAs involving in signaling networks and in the regulation of pathogenic signaling pathways in CRC.

Significantly altered expression of miR-511-3p and its target AKT3 has negative prognostic value in human prostate cancer

PURPOSE

In this study, we assessed the expression and functions of microRNA-511-3p (miR-511-3p) in human prostate cancer (CaP).

METHODS

Gene expressions of miR-511-3p in CaP cells and human CaP tumors were assessed by qPCR. In VCaP and PC3 cells, miR-511-3p was overexpressed by lentivirus. The functions of miR-511-3p upregulation in regulating in vitro cancer proliferation, migration and in vivo cancer growth were assessed by MTT, transwell and transplantation assays, respectively. Downstream target gene of miR-511-3p, AKT3, was verified by dual-luciferase activity and qPCR assays. AKT3 was then overexpressed in miR-511-3p-upregulated CaP cells to assess its functions in miR-511-3p-mediated cancer regulation.

RESULTS

MiR-511-3p is significantly downregulated in CaP cell lines, and human CaP tumors. MiR-511-3p was further downregulated in T3/T4-staged CaP tumors and closely correlated with shorter overall survival among CaP patients. In VCaP and PC3 cells, lentiviral-induced miR-511-3p upregulation was acting as a tumor suppressor by inhibiting in vitro cancer proliferation, migration and in vivo transplantation. Human AKT3 gene was confirmed to be the downstream target of miR-511-3p in CaP. In miR-511-3p-upregulated VCaP and PC3 cells, forced-overexpression of AKT3 reversed the tumor suppressive effects of miR-511-3p in CaP.

CONCLUSION

MiR-511-3p may serve as a prognostic factor and tumor suppressor in CaP, very likely through inverse regulation of its downstream target gene of AKT3.

miR-153 enhances the therapeutic effect of gemcitabine by targeting Snail in pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is one of the most lethal cancers, with an overall 5 years survival rate of <5%. The clinical benefit of gemcitabine based chemotherapeutic strategy on PC was limited by its high drug resistance rate. Snail, one of the master regulators of epithelial-mesenchymal transition, has been implicated in the progression of various cancers. However, whether it is also linked to the development of chemosensitivity to gemcitabine in PC is unknown, and the regulatory pathways controlling Snail also need to be explored. Cell apoptosis analysis was performed using flow cytometry assay. Quantitative real-time PCR was used to investigate the level of microRNA and the mRNA expression of its target, Snail. Snail expression was measured by immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry. A xenografted tumor model was used to test the in vivo effects of miR-153 on chemosensitivity to gemcitabine. The results of this study demonstrated the decrease of miR-153 expression in PC tumor tissue, which is correlated with a poor prognosis. miR-153 mimic transfection enhanced gemcitabine sensitivity in gemcitabine-resistant PC cells, while downregulation of miR-153 decreased gemcitabine sensitivity. In addition, miR-153 was found to target the 3'-UTR of Snail mRNA. Furthermore, we found that the increase of apoptosis in gemcitabine-resistant PC cells resulted from miR-153 mimic transfection was reversed by overexpression of Snail. miR-153 reverses the resistance of PC cells to gemcitabine by directly targeting Snail, and it may be a potential novel therapeutic target for overcoming gemcitabine resistance in human PC.