MicroRNA-100 regulates pancreatic cancer cells growth and sensitivity to chemotherapy through targeting FGFR3

Functional and Potential Therapeutic Implication of MicroRNAs in Pancreatic Cancer

The alarmingly low five-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer presents a global health challenge, contributing to about 7% of all cancer-related deaths. Late-stage diagnosis and high heterogeneity are the biggest hurdles in treating pancreatic cancer. Thus, there is a pressing need to discover novel biomarkers that could help in early detection as well as improve therapeutic strategies. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a class of short non-coding RNA, have emerged as promising candidates with regard to both diagnostics and therapeutics. Dysregulated miRNAs play pivotal roles in accelerating tumor growth and metastasis, orchestrating tumor microenvironment, and conferring chemoresistance in pancreatic cancer. The differential expression profiles of miRNAs in pancreatic cancer could be utilized to explore novel therapeutic strategies. In this review, we also covered studies on recent advancements in various miRNA-based therapeutics such as restoring miRNAs with a tumor-suppressive function, suppressing miRNA with an oncogenic function, and combination with chemotherapeutic drugs. Despite several challenges in terms of specificity and targeted delivery, miRNA-based therapies hold the potential to revolutionize the treatment of pancreatic cancer by simultaneously targeting multiple signaling pathways.

A cellular regulator of the niche: telocyte

Interstitial cells are present in the environment of stem cells in order to increase stem cell proliferation and differentiation and they are important to increase the efficiency of their transplantation. Telocytes (TCs) play an important role both in the preservation of tissue organ integrity and in the pathophysiology of many diseases, especially cancer. They make homo- or heterocellular contacts to form the structure of 3D network through their telopodes and deliver signaling molecules via a juxtacrine and/or paracrine association by budding shed vesicles into the vascular, nervous and endocrine systems. During this interaction, along with organelles, mRNA, microRNA, long non-coding RNA, and genomic DNA are transferred. This review article not only specifies the properties of TCs and their roles in the tissue organ microenvironment but also gives information about the factors that play a role in the transport of epigenetic information by TCs.

Microbiome and MicroRNA or Long Non-Coding RNA-Two Modern Approaches to Understanding Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of humans' most common and fatal neoplasms. Nowadays, a number of PDAC studies are being conducted in two different fields: non-coding RNA (especially microRNA and long non-coding RNA) and microbiota. It has been recently discovered that not only does miRNA affect particular bacteria in the gut microbiome that can promote carcinogenesis in the pancreas, but the microbiome also has a visible impact on the miRNA. This suggests that it is possible to use the combined impact of the microbiome and noncoding RNA to suppress the development of PDAC. Nevertheless, insufficient research has focused on bounding both approaches to the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. In this article, we summarize the recent literature on the molecular basis of carcinogenesis in the pancreas, the two-sided impact of particular types of non-coding RNA and the pancreatic cancer microbiome, and possible medical implications of the discovered phenomenon.

Noncoding RNAs: an emerging modulator of drug resistance in pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer is the eighth leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Chemotherapy including gemcitabine, 5-fluorouracil, adriamycin and cisplatin, immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors and targeted therapy have been demonstrated to significantly improve prognosis of pancreatic cancer patients with advanced diseases. However, most patients developed drug resistance to these therapeutic agents, which leading to shortened patient survival. The detailed molecular mechanisms contributing to pancreatic cancer drug resistance remain largely unclear. The growing evidences have shown that noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), including microRNAs (miRNAs), long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs), are involved in pancreatic cancer pathogenesis and development of drug resistance. In the present review, we systematically summarized the new insight on of various miRNAs, lncRNAs and circRNAs on drug resistance of pancreatic cancer. These results demonstrated that targeting the tumor-specific ncRNA may provide novel options for pancreatic cancer treatments.

Identification of Three Circulating MicroRNAs in Plasma as Clinical Biomarkers for Breast Cancer Detection

The diagnostic value of microRNAs (miRNAs) for breast cancer (BC) is largely unknown. Here, our research aim was to explore new circulating miRNAs for BC diagnosis. First, we identified 14 common differentially expressed miRNAs in tissues by TCGA_BRCA and GSE97811 datasets and preliminarily validated them in serum by the GSE73002 dataset. Furthermore, we examined three plasma miRNAs in BC patients (n = 108) and healthy subjects (n = 103) by RT−PCR, namely, hsa-miR-100-5p, hsa-miR-191-5p and hsa-miR-342-3p. The levels of these three miRNAs in BC patients were higher than those in healthy controls (p < 0.05). The ROC curve analysis revealed that these three miRNAs had high diagnostic efficacy for BC and early-stage BC. The combination of hsa-miR-100-5p and hsa-miR-191-5p was the optimal combination for the diagnosis of BC and early-stage BC. Additionally, hsa-miR-100-5p was correlated with stage I−II, T1 stage, N0 stage and Luminal A subtype (p < 0.05). Hsa-miR-191-5p and hsa-miR-342-3p were irrelevant to TNM stage, T stage, N stage and molecular subtypes. Meanwhile, the biological function analysis indicated that these three miRNAs are mainly involved in the calcium signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway and microRNAs in cancer. In conclusion, these three miRNAs demonstrate a positive effect on detection and discovery in BC.

FGFR3 Nuclear Translocation Contributes to Proliferative Potential and Poor Prognosis in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

OBJECTIVES

Fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) was revealed to have divergent, even opposite roles in different neoplasms. In pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), its impact on biological behavior and prognosis was not well elucidated.

METHODS

Fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 was downregulated by RNA interference to explore its impact on cell proliferative proclivity in PDAC cells. Furthermore, tissue microarray-based immunohistochemistry for FGFR3 was performed in 326 patients with PDAC who underwent radical resection, and its clinicopathologic and prognostic implications were then evaluated.

RESULTS

First, successful FGFR3 knockdown remarkably decreased its expression, cell proliferation, and S-phase ratio in the cell cycle in 2 PDAC cell lines, BxPC-3 and AsPC-1. Meanwhile, alterations in p-Akt, cyclin D1, cyclin B1, and p21 were also observed. Subsequently, high nuclear FGFR3 expression, but not cytoplasmic, was significantly common in tumor tissues and positively associated with N stage and dismal overall survival in the entire cohort. In addition, nuclear FGFR3 expression was also prognostic in 10 of 14 subsets. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses identified nuclear expression of FGFR3 as an independent prognosticator in the entire cohort.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data showed that FGFR3 nuclear translocation contributes to cell proliferative potential and predicts poor long-term prognosis in PDAC after surgical resection.

The role of non-coding RNAs in chemotherapy for gastrointestinal cancers

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, including colorectal, gastric, hepatic, esophageal, and pancreatic tumors, are responsible for large numbers of deaths around the world. Chemotherapy is the most common approach used to treat advanced GI cancer. However, chemoresistance has emerged as a critical challenge that prevents successful tumor elimination, leading to metastasis and recurrence. Chemoresistance mechanisms are complex, and many factors and pathways are involved. Among these factors, non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are critical regulators of GI tumor development and subsequently can induce resistance to chemotherapy. This occurs because ncRNAs can target multiple signaling pathways, affect downstream genes, and modulate proliferation, apoptosis, tumor cell migration, and autophagy. ncRNAs can also induce cancer stem cell features and affect the epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Thus, ncRNAs could possibly act as new targets in chemotherapy combinations to treat GI cancer and to predict treatment response.

The Role of microRNA in Pancreatic Cancer

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small ribonucleic acid molecules that play a key role in regulating gene expression. The increasing number of studies undertaken on the functioning of microRNAs in the tumor formation clearly indicates their important potential in oncological therapy. Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest cancers. The expression of miRNAs released into the bloodstream appears to be a good indicator of progression and evaluation of the aggressiveness of pancreatic cancer, as indicated by studies. The work reviewed the latest literature on the importance of miRNAs for pancreatic cancer development.

Crosstalk between miRNAs and signaling pathways involved in pancreatic cancer and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is the seventh leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide with 5-year survival rates below 8%. Most patients with PC and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) die after relapse and cancer progression as well as resistance to treatment. Pancreatic tumors contain a high desmoplastic stroma that forms a rigid mass and has a potential role in tumor growth and metastasis. PC initiates from intraepithelial neoplasia lesions leading to invasive cancer through various pathways. These lesions harbor particular changes in signaling pathways involved in the tumorigenesis process. These events affect both the epithelial cells, including the tumor and the surrounding stroma, and eventually lead to the formation of complex signaling networks. Genetic studies of PC have revealed common molecular features such as the presence of mutations in KRAS gene in more than 90% of patients, as well as the inactivation or deletion mutations of some tumor suppressor genes including TP53, CDKN2A, and SMAD4. In recent years, studies have also identified different roles of microRNAs in PC pathogenesis as well as their importance in PC diagnosis and treatment, and their involvement in various signaling pathways. In this study, we discussed the most common pathways involved in PC and PDAC as well as their role in tumorigenesis and progression. Furthermore, the miRNAs participating in the regulation of these signaling pathways in PC progression are summarized in this study. Therefore, understanding more about pathways involved in PC can help with the development of new and effective therapies in the future.

Flavonoid display ability to target microRNAs in cancer pathogenesis

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are non-coding, conserved, single-stranded nucleotide sequences involved in physiological and developmental processes. Recent evidence suggests an association between miRNAs' deregulation with initiation, promotion, progression, and drug resistance in cancer cells. Besides, miRNAs are known to regulate the epithelial-mesenchymal transition, angiogenesis, autophagy, and senescence in different cancer types. Previous reports proposed that apart from the antioxidant potential, flavonoids play an essential role in miRNAs modulation associated with changes in cancer-related proteins, tumor suppressor genes, and oncogenes. Thus, flavonoids can suppress proliferation, help in the development of drug sensitivity, suppress metastasis and angiogenesis by modulating miRNAs expression. In the present review, we summarize the role of miRNAs in cancer, drug resistance, and the chemopreventive potential of flavonoids mediated by miRNAs. The potential of flavonoids to modulate miRNAs expression in different cancer types demonstrate their selectivity and importance as regulators of carcinogenesis. Flavonoids as chemopreventive agents targeting miRNAs are extensively studied in vitro, in vivo, and pre-clinical studies, but their efficiency in targeting miRNAs in clinical studies is less investigated. The evidence presented in this review highlights the potential of flavonoids in cancer prevention/treatment by regulating miRNAs, although further investigations are required to validate and establish their clinical usefulness.

Regulation of DNA break repair by RNA

Genomic stability is critical for cell survival and its effective repair when damaged is a vital process for preserving genetic information. Failure to correctly repair the genome can lead to the accumulation of mutations that ultimately drives carcinogenesis. Life has evolved sophisticated surveillance, repair pathways, and mechanisms to recognize and mend genomic lesions to preserve its integrity. Many of these pathways involve a cascade of protein effectors that act to identify the type of damage, such as double-strand (ds) DNA breaks, propagate the damage signal, and recruit an array of other protein factors to resolve the damage without loss of genetic information. It is now becoming increasingly clear that there are a number of RNA processing factors, such as the transcriptional machinery, and microRNA biogenesis components, as well as RNA itself, that facilitate the repair of DNA damage. Here, some of the recent work unravelling the role of RNA in the DNA Damage Response (DDR), in particular the dsDNA break repair pathway, will be reviewed.

Noncoding RNAs in drug-resistant pancreatic cancer: A review

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth-leading cause of cancer-related deaths and is expected to be the second-leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Europe and the United States by 2030. The high fatality rate of pancreatic cancer is ascribed to untimely diagnosis, early metastasis and limited responses to both chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Although gemcitabine, 5-fluorouracil and some other drugs can profoundly improve patient prognosis, most pancreatic cancer patients eventually develop drug resistance, leading to poor clinical outcomes. The underlying mechanisms of pancreatic cancer drug resistance are complicated and inconclusive. Interestingly, accumulating evidence has demonstrated that different noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), such as microRNAs (miRNAs), long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs), play a crucial role in pancreatic cancer resistance to chemotherapy reagents. In this paper, we systematically summarize the molecular mechanism underlying the influence of ncRNAs on the generation and development of drug resistance in pancreatic cancer and discuss the potential role of ncRNAs as prognostic markers and new therapeutic targets for pancreatic cancer.

Non-coding RNAs in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are reported to be expressed in human cancers, including pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). These ncRNAs affect the growth, migration and invasion of tumor cells by regulating cell cycle and apoptosis, as well as playing important roles in epigenetic processes, transcription and post-transcriptional regulation. It is still unclear whether alterations in ncRNAs influence PDAC development and progression. Because of this, analysis based on existing data on ncRNAs, which are crucial for modulating pancreatic tumorigenesis, will be important for future research on PDAC. Here, we summarize ncRNAs with tumor-promoting functions: HOTAIR, HOTTIP, MALAT1, lncRNA H19, lncRNA PVT1, circ-RNA ciRS-7, circ-0030235, circ-RNA_100782, circ-LDLRAD3, circ-0007534, circRHOT1, circZMYM2, circ-IARS, circ-RNA PDE8A, miR-21, miR-155, miR-221/222, miR-196b, miR-10a. While others including GAS5, MEG3, and lncRNA ENST00000480739, has_circ_0001649, miR-34a, miR-100, miR-217, miR-143 inhibit the proliferation and invasion of PDAC. Hence, we summarize the functions of ncRNAs in the occurrence, development and metastasis of PDAC, with the goal to provide guidance in the clinical diagnosis and treatment of PDAC.

miRNA and Gene Expression in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains a challenging disease that is mostly diagnosed late in the course of the illness. Unlike other cancers in which measurable successes have been achieved with traditional chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and, recently, immunotherapy, PDAC has proved to be poorly responsive to these treatments, with only marginal to modest incremental benefits using conventional cytotoxic therapy. There is, therefore, a great unmet need to develop better therapies based on improved understanding of biology and identification of predictive and prognostic biomarkers that would guide therapy. miRNAs are small noncoding RNAs that regulate the expression of some key genes by targeting their 3'-untranslated mRNA region. Aberrant expression of miRNAs has been linked to the development of various malignancies, including PDAC. A series of miRNAs have been identified as potential tools for early diagnosis, prediction of treatment response, and prognosis of patients with PDAC. In this review, we present a summary of the miRNAs that have been studied in PDAC in the context of disease biology.

Alteration in the expression of the renin-angiotensin system in the myocardium of mice conceived by in vitro fertilization

Epidemiological studies have revealed that offspring conceived by in vitro fertilization (IVF) have an elevated risk of cardiovascular malformations at birth, and are more predisposed to cardiovascular diseases. The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) plays an essential role in both the pathogenesis of congenital heart disease in fetuses and cardiovascular dysfunction in adults. This study aimed to assess the relative expression levels of genes in the RAS pathway in mice conceived using IVF, compared to natural mating with superovulation. Results demonstrated that expression of the angiotensin II receptor type 1 (AGTR1), connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), and collagen 3 (COL3), in the myocardial tissue of IVF-conceived mice, was elevated at 3 weeks, 10 weeks, and 1.5 years of age, when compared to their non-IVF counterparts. These data were supported by microRNA microarray analysis of the myocardial tissue of aged IVF-conceived mice, where miR-100, miR-297, and miR-758, which interact with COL3, AGTR1, and COL1 respectively, were upregulated when compared to naturally mated mice of the same age. Interestingly, bisulfite sequencing data indicated that IVF-conceived mice exhibited decreased methylation of CpG sites in Col1. In support of our in vivo investigations, miR-297 overexpression was shown to upregulate AGTR1 and CTGF, and increased cell proliferation in cultured H9c2 cardiomyocytes. These findings indicate that the altered expression of RAS in myocardial tissue might contribute to cardiovascular malformation and/or dysfunction in IVF-conceived offspring. Furthermore, these cardiovascular abnormalities might be the result of altered DNA methylation and abnormal regulation of microRNAs.

Generation and Validation of miR-100 Hepatocyte-Specific Knock-Out Mice

Background: Inactivation of microRNA-100 (miR-100) is involved in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and miR-100 behaves as a tumor suppressor. To understand miR-100 function in HCC genesis and development in vivo, we developed hepatocyte-specific miR-100 deficient mice.

Methods: Mice homozygous for floxed miR-100 allele that carried the Alb-Cre transgene (miR-100^flox/floxAlb -Cre⁺) were developed by mating miR-100^flox/flox mice with Alb-Cre^+/+mice. The mice tails DNA were genotyped using the primers for LoxP sites and Cre recombinase, respectively. The specific deletion of miR-100 in the livers was verified by quantitative Real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). HE-staining was performed for histology analysis. Liver function was assessed by transaminase activity. The metabolic profiles of the hepatocytes were detected using a Seahorse XFe24 extracellular flux analyzer. The direct targets of miR-100 (such as IGF1R-β, mTOR and CDC25A) and HCC related protein (SHP-2) were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blot in liver tissues.

Results: The resultant homozygous knockout mice with genotype of miR-100^flox/flox-Alb-Cre⁺ showed an 80% decrease in hepatic miR-100 expression. In adult mice, miR-100 knockout has no effect on the liver function and morphology. In aged mice, HE staining showed that miR-100 knockout caused infiltration of inflammatory cells and expansion of hepatocellular nuclei. Consistently, liver function was impaired in miR-100 knockout aged mice as indicated by increased serum AST and ALT levels. The metabolic analysis demonstrated that the miR-100 knockout hepatocytes tend to adopt glycolysis. The expressions of the miR-100 target genes, such as IGF1R-β, CDC25A and mTOR, were increased. In addition, the known HCC related protein, SHP-2 also was up-regulated in the knockout livers.

Conclusions: We successfully generated a miR-100 hepatocyte-specific knock-out mouse model. The malignant transformation related to HCC were observed in aged mice. Therefore, this model is suitable for investigating the mechanism of miR-100 inactivation contributing to HCC genesis in vivo.

miRNA Predictors of Pancreatic Cancer Chemotherapeutic Response: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

pancreatic cancer (PC) has increasing incidence and mortality in developing countries, and drug resistance is a significant hindrance to the efficacy of successful treatment. The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the association between miRNAs and response to chemotherapy in pancreatic cancer patients.

METHODS

the systematic review and meta-analysis was based on articles collected from a thorough search of PubMed and Science Direct databases for publications spanning from January 2008 to December 2018. The articles were screened via a set of inclusion and exclusion criteria based on the preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. Data was extracted, collated and tabulated in MS Excel for further synthesis. Hazard ratio (HR) was selected as the effect size metric to be pooled across studies for the meta-analysis, with the random effects model being applied. Subgroup analysis was also conducted, and the presence of publication bias in the selected studies was assessed. Publication bias of the included studies was quantified.

FINDINGS

of the 169 articles screened, 43 studies were included in our systematic review and 13 articles were included in the meta-analysis. Gemcitabine was observed to be the principal drug used in a majority of the studies. A total of 48 miRNAs have been studied, and 18 were observed to have possible contributions to chemoresistance, while 15 were observed to have possible contributions to chemosensitivity. 41 drug-related genetic pathways have been identified, through which the highlighted miRNA may be affecting chemosensitivity/resistance. The pooled HR value for overall survival was 1.603; (95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.2-2.143; p-value: 0.01), with the subgroup analysis for miR-21 showing HR for resistance of 2.061; 95% CI 1.195-3.556; p-value: 0.09.

INTERPRETATION

our results highlight multiple miRNAs that have possible associations with modulation of chemotherapy response in pancreatic cancer patients. Further studies are needed to discover the molecular mechanisms underlying these associations before they can be suggested for use as biomarkers of response to chemotherapeutic interventions in pancreatic cancer.

The role and mechanisms of action of microRNAs in cancer drug resistance

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs with a length of about 19–25 nt, which can regulate various target genes and are thus involved in the regulation of a variety of biological and pathological processes, including the formation and development of cancer. Drug resistance in cancer chemotherapy is one of the main obstacles to curing this malignant disease. Statistical data indicate that over 90% of the mortality of patients with cancer is related to drug resistance. Drug resistance of cancer chemotherapy can be caused by many mechanisms, such as decreased antitumor drug uptake, modified drug targets, altered cell cycle checkpoints, or increased DNA damage repair, among others. In recent years, many studies have shown that miRNAs are involved in the drug resistance of tumor cells by targeting drug-resistance-related genes or influencing genes related to cell proliferation, cell cycle, and apoptosis. A single miRNA often targets a number of genes, and its regulatory effect is tissue-specific. In this review, we emphasize the miRNAs that are involved in the regulation of drug resistance among different cancers and probe the mechanisms of the deregulated expression of miRNAs. The molecular targets of miRNAs and their underlying signaling pathways are also explored comprehensively. A holistic understanding of the functions of miRNAs in drug resistance will help us develop better strategies to regulate them efficiently and will finally pave the way toward better translation of miRNAs into clinics, developing them into a promising approach in cancer therapy.

The Network of Non-coding RNAs in Cancer Drug Resistance

Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) have been implicated in most cellular functions. The disruption of their function through somatic mutations, genomic imprinting, transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation, plays an ever-increasing role in cancer development. ncRNAs, including notorious microRNAs, have been thus proposed to function as tumor suppressors or oncogenes, often in a context-dependent fashion. In parallel, ncRNAs with altered expression in cancer have been reported to exert a key role in determining drug sensitivity or restoring drug responsiveness in resistant cells. Acquisition of resistance to anti-cancer drugs is a major hindrance to effective chemotherapy and is one of the most important causes of relapse and mortality in cancer patients. For these reasons, non-coding RNAs have become recent focuses as prognostic agents and modifiers of chemo-sensitivity. This review starts with a brief outline of the role of most studied non-coding RNAs in cancer and then highlights the modulation of cancer drug resistance via known ncRNAs based mechanisms. We identified from literature 388 ncRNA-drugs interactions and analyzed them using an unsupervised approach. Essentially, we performed a network analysis of the non-coding RNAs with direct relations with cancer drugs. Within such a machine-learning framework we detected the most representative ncRNAs-drug associations and groups. We finally discussed the higher integration of the drug-ncRNA clusters with the goal of disentangling effectors from downstream effects and further clarify the involvement of ncRNAs in the cellular mechanisms underlying resistance to cancer treatments.

Maternal undernutrition during early pregnancy inhibits postnatal growth of the tibia in the female offspring of rats by alteration of chondrogenesis

Epidemiological research has suggested that birth weights are correlated with adult leg lengths. However, the relationship between prenatal undernutrition (UN) and postnatal leg growth remains controversial. We investigated the effects of UN during early pregnancy on postnatal hindlimb growth and determined whether early embryonic malnutrition affects the functions of postnatal chondrocytes in rats. Undernourished Wistar dams were fed 40% of the daily intake of rats in the control groups from gestational days 5.5-11.5, and femurs, tibias, and trunks or spinal columns were morphologically measured at birth and at 16 weeks of age in control and undernourished offspring of both sexes. We evaluated cell proliferation and differentiation of cultured chondrocytes derived from neonatal tibias of female offspring and determined chondrocyte-related gene expression levels in neonatal epiphysis and embryonic limb buds. Tibial lengths of undernourished female, but not male, offspring were longer at birth and shorter at 16 weeks of age (p < .05) compared with those of control rats. In chondrocyte culture studies, stimulating effects of IGF-1 on cell proliferation (p < .01) were significantly decreased and levels of type II collagen were lower in female undernourished offspring (p < .05). These phenomena were accompanied by decreased expression levels of Col2a1 and Igf1r and increased expression levels of Fgfr3 (p < .05), which might be attributable to the decreased expression of specificity protein 1 (p < .05), a key transactivator of Col2a1 and Igf1r. In conclusion, UN stress during early pregnancy reduces postnatal tibial growth in female offspring by altering the function of chondrocytes, likely reflecting altered expression of gene transactivators.

The underlying mechanisms of non-coding RNAs in the chemoresistance of pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer, which is often asymptomatic, is currently one of the most common causes of cancer-related death. This phenomenon is most likely due to a lack of early diagnosis, a high metastasis rate and a disappointing chemotherapy outcome. Thus, improving treatment outcomes by overcoming chemotherapy resistance may be a useful strategy in pancreatic cancer. Various underlying mechanisms involved in the chemoresistance of pancreatic cancer have been investigated. Notably, non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), especially microRNAs (miRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), play a pivotal role in regulating sensitivity to chemotherapy in pancreatic cancer. In this review, we highlight recent evidence regarding the role of miRNAs and lncRNAs in the chemoresistance of pancreatic cancer, including their expression levels, targets, biological functions and the regulation of chemoresistance, and discuss the potential clinical application of miRNAs and lncRNAs in the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

Phenotypic and Signaling Consequences of a Novel Aberrantly Spliced Transcript FGF Receptor-3 in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) plays important roles in cell proliferation, differentiation, and angiogenesis. FGFR3 is abnormally upregulated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), where it correlates positively with clinicopathologic index, HCC differentiation, and advanced nuclear grade. In this study, we describe an aberrantly spliced transcript of FGFR3, termed FGFR3Δ7-9, was identified as a high frequency even in HCC. FGFR3Δ7-9 lacks exons encoding the immunoglobulin-like III domain and promoted the proliferation, migration, and metastasis of HCC cells both in vitro and in vivo Coimmunoprecipation and surface plasmon resonance assays demonstrated that the binding affinity of the aberrant FGFR3Δ7-9 receptor to FGFs was significantly higher than wild-type FGFR3IIIc Furthermore, FGFR3Δ7-9 could be self-activated by homodimerization and autophosphorylation even in the absence of ligand. Finally, FGFR3Δ7-9 more potently induced phosphorylation of the ERK and AKT kinases, leading to abnormal downstream signaling through the ERK and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathways. FGFR3Δ7-9 also upregulated the metastasis-associated molecules Snail, MMP-9, and downregulated E-cadherin, which associated directly with FGFR3Δ7-9 Thus, as a ligand-dependent or -independent receptor, FGFR3Δ7-9 exerted multiple potent oncogenic functions in HCC cells, including proliferation, migration, and lung metastatic capacity. Overall, FGFR3 mRNA missplicing in HCC contributes significantly to its malignant character, with implications for therapeutic targeting. Cancer Res; 76(14); 4205-15. ©2016 AACR.

miR-937 contributes to the lung cancer cell proliferation by targeting INPP4B

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide, microRNAs play critical role in the initiation and development of lung cancer. Here, we used MTT assay, colony formation assay, soft agar growth assay and BrdU incorporation assay to investigate miR-937's role in lung cancer. We found that miR-937 was upregulated in lung cancer tissues and cells. Overexpression of miR-937 in A549 promoted anchorage -dependent and -independent growth, whereas knockdown of miR-937 reduced this effect. Meanwhile, we also found miR-937 overexpression increased CCND1 and c-Myc levels in both mRNA and protein levels, knockdown of miR-937 reduced this effect, confirming miR-937 promoted cell proliferation. Mechanism analyses found polyphosphate 4-phosphatase type II (INPP4B) was the target of miR-937, miR-937 directly bound to the 3'UTR of INPP4B, knockdown of INPP4B in A549 with miR-937 inhibitor promoted anchorage -dependent and -independent growth, suggesting miR-937 contributed to cell proliferation of lung cancer by inhibiting INPP4B, it might be a valuable target for lung cancer therapy.

Transcriptomic changes associated with DKK4 overexpression in pancreatic cancer cells detected by RNA-Seq

The promotion of tumor development by Dickkopf 4 (DKK4) is receiving increased attention. However, the association between DKK4 and pancreatic cancer remains unclear. DKK4 expression was measured in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma tissues using qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. A DKK4-overexpressing pancreatic cancer cell line was established, and the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that were induced by DKK4 were identified using transcriptome sequencing. The association between the identified DEGs and pancreatic cancer was assessed using gene ontology (GO), pathway analysis, pathway interaction networks, differentially expressed gene interaction network analysis, and co-expression gene networks. Finally, the accuracy of the analyses was validated using serial paraffin and frozen sections of clinical samples. DKK4 is highly expressed in pancreatic cancer tissues. DEGs of overexpression DKK4 of PANC-1 are mostly upregulated. GO and pathway analysis showed that DKK4 are associated with tumor and organ development and immune inflammation. The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway was the main signal transduction pathway that showed significant enrichment in overexpression DKK4 of PANC-1. The results of GO, pathway analyses, and differentially expressed gene interaction network identified genes that are closely associated with tumor development, including MAPK3, PIK3R3, VAV3, JAG1, and Notch3. The immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence results suggested that DKK4 is co-expressed with MAPK3 and VAV3 in pancreatic cancer tissues. The results presented here show for the first time that DKK4 is highly expressed in pancreatic cancer tissues. Bioinformatics analysis of a DKK4-overexpressing of PANC-1 identified several oncogenes that are closely associated with tumors, and the MAPK signaling pathway is the core signal transduction pathway. DKK4 can be co-expressed with MAPK3 and VAV3 in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma tissues. Thus, DKK4 may have function on the development and progression of pancreatic cancer.

Overexpression of miR-100 inhibits cell proliferation, migration, and chemosensitivity in human glioblastoma through FGFR3

Background

Glioblastoma multiforme is one of the most deadly forms of brain cancer. We investigated the regulatory effects of microRNA-100 (miR-100) on cell proliferation, migration, and chemosensitivity in human glioblastoma.

Methods

miR-100 expression was assessed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction in both glioblastoma cells and human tumors. Lentiviruses of miR-100 mimics and inhibitors were transfected into U251 and T98G cells. The regulatory effects of either overexpressing or downregulating miR-100 on glioblastoma were evaluated by a viability assay, growth assay, migration assay, chemosensitivity assay, and an in vivo tumor transplantation assay. Expression of fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3), the bioinformatically predicted target of miR-100, was examined by Western blot in glioblastoma. FGFR3 was then ectopically overexpressed in U251 and T98G cells, and its effects on miR-100-mediated cancer regulation were evaluated by growth, migration, and chemosensitivity assays.

Results

MiR-100 was markedly downregulated in both glioblastoma cell lines and human tumors. Overexpressing miR-100 through lentiviral transfection in U251 and T98G cells significantly inhibited cancer growth (both in vitro and in vivo) and migration and increased chemosensitivity to cisplatin and 1, 3-bis (2-chloroethyl)-l-nitrosourea, whereas downregulation of miR-100 had no effects on development of cancer. FGFR3 was directly regulated by miR-100 in glioblastoma. Ectopically overexpressing FGFR3 was able to ameliorate the anticancer effects of upregulation of miR-100 on glioblastoma growth, migration, and chemosensitivity.

Conclusion

MiR-100 was generally downregulated in glioblastoma. Overexpressing miR-100 had anticancer effects on glioblastoma, likely through regulation of FGFR3. The MiR-100/FGFR3 signaling pathway might be a biochemical target for treatment in patients with glioblastoma.

MicroRNA-100 suppresses the migration and invasion of breast cancer cells by targeting FZD-8 and inhibiting Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway plays a major role in the cancer metastasis. Several microRNAs (miRNAs) are contributed to the inhibition of breast cancer metastasis. Here, we attempted to find novel targets and mechanisms of microRNA-100 (miR-100) in regulating the migration and invasion of breast cancer cells. In this study, we found that miR-100 expression was downregulated in human breast cancer tissues and cell lines. The overexpression of miR-100 inhibited the migration and invasion of MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Inversely, the downregulation of miR-100 increased the migration and invasion of MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Furthermore, FZD-8, a receptor of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, was demonstrated a direct target of miR-100. The overexpression of miR-100 decreased the expression levels not only FZD-8 but also the key components of Wnt/β-catenin pathway, including β-catenin, metalloproteniase-7 (MMP-7), T-cell factor-4 (TCF-4), and lymphoid enhancing factor-1 (LEF-1), and increased the protein expression levels of GSK-3β and p-GSK-3β in MDA-MB-231 cells, and the transfection of miR-100 inhibitor in MCF-7 cells showed the opposite effects. In addition, the expression of miR-100 was negatively correlated with the FZD-8 expression in human breast cancer tissues. Overall, these findings suggest that miR-100 suppresses the migration and invasion of breast cancer cells by targeting FZD-8 and inhibiting Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and manipulation of miR-100 may provide a promoting therapeutic strategy for cancer breast treatment.

Overexpression of miR-100 inhibits cancer growth, migration, and chemosensitivity in human NSCLC cells through fibroblast growth factor receptor 3

Nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a commonly occurring lung cancer. A combination of molecular biological treatments with regular chemotherapy may result in improved therapeutic outcome. Here, we reported significantly higher levels of fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) and significantly lower levels of miR-100 in the NSCLC specimen, compared to the paired NSCLC-adjacent normal lung tissues. Moreover, the levels of FGFR3 and miR-100 were inversely correlated. Bioinformatics analyses followed by luciferase reporter assay showed that miR-100 bound to the 3'-UTR of FGFR3 messenger RNA (mRNA) to inhibit its translation. Overexpression of miR-100 in NSCLC cells decreased FGFR3 protein levels, whereas inhibition of miR-100 increased FGFR3 protein levels, without affecting FGFR3 mRNA levels. Furthermore, overexpression of miR-100 suppressed cancer growth, migration, and chemosensitivity in NSCLC cells, while inhibition of miR-100 significantly facilitated them. Taken together, our data demonstrate that miR-100 may inhibit NSCLC through FGFR3.

The cnidarian origin of the proto-oncogenes NF-κB/STAT and WNT-like oncogenic pathway drives the ctenophores (Review)

The cell survival pathways of the diploblastic early multicellular eukaryotic hosts contain and operate the molecular machinery resembling those of malignantly transformed individual cells of highly advanced multicellular hosts (including Homo). In the present review, the STAT/NF-κB pathway of the cnidarian Nematostella vectensis is compared with that of human tumors (malignant lymphomas, including Reed-Sternberg cells) pointing out similarities, including possible viral initiation in both cases. In the ctenophore genome and proteome, β-catenin gains intranuclear advantages due to a physiologically weak destructive complex in the cytoplasm, and lack of natural inhibitors (the Dickkopfs). Thus, a scenario similar to what tumor cells initiate and achieve is presented through several constitutive loss-of-function type mutations in the destructive complex and in the elimination of inhibitors. Vice versa, malignantly transformed individual cells of advanced multicellular hosts assume pheno-genotypic resemblance to cells of unicellular or early multicellular hosts, and presumably to their ancient predecessors, by returning to the semblance of immortality and to the resumption of the state of high degree of resistance to physicochemical insults. Human leukemogenic and oncogenic pathways are presented for comparisons. The supreme bioengineers RNA/DNA complex encoded both the malignantly transformed immortal cell and the human cerebral cortex. The former generates molecules for the immortality of cellular life in the Universe. The latter invents the inhibitors of the process in order to gain control over it.

Review of microRNA in osteosarcoma and chondrosarcoma

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs, which play a complex role in posttranscriptional gene expression and can theoretically be used as a diagnostic or prognostic tool, or therapeutic target for neoplasia. Despite advances in the diagnosis and treatment of skeletal sarcomas, including osteosarcoma and chondrosarcoma, much remains unknown regarding their underpinning molecular mechanisms. Given the recent increasing knowledge base of miRNA roles in neoplasia, both as oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, this review will focus on the available literature regarding the expression profiles and potential roles of miRNA in skeletal sarcomas. Although this is an emerging field, miRNA profiling may be of use in clarifying competing diagnoses of skeletal sarcomas and possibly indicate patient risk of resistance to traditional chemotherapeutic agents. While detecting and targeting miRNAs is currently limited to experimental investigations, miRNA may be utilized for future clinical management of skeletal sarcomas.

Effect of siRNA-mediated FOXC1 gene silencing on proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells

AIM: To investigate small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated silencing of fork head box protein C1 (FOXC1) gene on the proliferation human pancreatic cancer Capan-2 and PANC-1 cells and to explore the possible underlying mechanisms.

METHODS: Quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to examine the expression of FOXC1 mRNA in pancreatic cancer cell lines and primary carcinoma tissues from human patients. The human pancreatic cancer cells were divided into two groups: an FOXC1 siRNA group (experimental group) and an NC siRNA group (negative control group). qRT-PCR and Western blot were used to detect FOXC1 mRNA and protein expression in pancreatic cancer cells and to determine proliferation rate after transfection with 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU). Flow cytometry was used to examine cell cycle distribution. Western blot analysis was used to detect the expression of cell cycle related proteins P21, P53, and Cyclin D1.

RESULTS: FOXC1 mRNA expression in pancreatic cancer cells and pancreatic cancer tissues were significantly higher than in normal epithelial cells and matched tumor adjacent pancreatic tissue, respectively (P < 0.05). qRT-PCR and Western blot analysis showed that FOXC1 siRNA effectively silenced the transcription and expression of FOXC1 in pancreatic cancer cells. EdU cell proliferation experiments showed that compared with the control group, silencing FOXC1 gene expression in pancreatic cancer cells significantly decreased cell proliferation (P < 0.05). FCM results showed that compared with the control group, FOXC1 silencing arrested the tumor cells in G₀/G₁ phase (P < 0.05). Western blot analysis showed that compared with the control group, Cyclin D1 expression was significantly decreased (P < 0.05), while P21 and P53 expression was unchanged.

CONCLUSION: FOXC1 siRNA can effectively silence the FOXC1 gene expression in human pancreatic cancer Capan-2 PANC-1 cells. FOXC1 silencing inhibits pancreatic cancer cell proliferation and arrests cell cycle in G₀/G₁ phase, suggesting that FOXC1 alters cell proliferation possibly by regulation of the cell cycle through, in part, regulating the expression of Cyclin D1.