Diverse roles of miR-335 in development and progression of cancers

Functions of LncRNAs, exosomes derived MSCs and immune regulatory molecules in preeclampsia disease

Modulatory signaling pathway such as T cell immunoreceptor with Ig and ITIM domains (TIGIT), Cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte Associated Protein 4 (CTLA-4), P53 signaling and TIM (T-cell immunoglobin and mucin domain) are important in normal pregnancy and loss of their functions or dysregulation of related genes can lead to some disorders. Inflammation is a process by which your body's white blood cells and the things they make protect you from infection from outside invaders, such as bacteria and viruses. Some cellular and molecular signaling have been categorized to demonstrate the mechanism that protects tolerance to antigens. lncRNAs significantly impact physiological processes like immunity and metabolism, and are linked to tumors, cardiovascular diseases, nervous system disorders, and nephropathy.In this review article, we summarized recent studies about the role of TIGIT, CTLA-4, P53 and TIM regulatory molecules and reviewed dysregulation of these pathway in diseases.We will also talk about the role of lncRNAs and mesenchymal stem cells.

The potential role of miRNAs in the pathogenesis of adrenocortical carcinoma - A focus on signaling pathways interplay

Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a highly malignant infrequent tumor with a dismal prognosis. microRNAs (miRNAs, miRs) are crucial in post-transcriptional gene expression regulation. Due to their ability to regulate multiple gene networks, miRNAs are central to the hallmarks of cancer, including sustained proliferative signaling, evasion of growth suppressors, resistance to cell death, replicative immortality, induction/access to the vasculature, activation of invasion and metastasis, reprogramming of cellular metabolism, and avoidance of immune destruction. ACC represents a singular form of neoplasia associated with aberrations in the expression of evolutionarily conserved short, non-coding RNAs. Recently, the role of miRNAs in ACC has been examined extensively despite the disease's rarity. Hence, the current review is a fast-intensive track elucidating the potential role of miRNAs in the pathogenesis of ACC besides their association with the survival of ACC.

miRNAs orchestration of adrenocortical carcinoma - Particular emphasis on diagnosis, progression and drug resistance

Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is an uncommon aggressive endocrine malignancy that is nonetheless associated with significant mortality and morbidity rates because of endocrine and oncological consequences. Recent genome-wide investigations of ACC have advanced our understanding of the disease, but substantial obstacles remain to overcome regarding diagnosis and prognosis. MicroRNAs (miRNAs, miRs) play a crucial role in the development and metastasis of a wide range of carcinomas by regulating the expression of their target genes through various mechanisms causing translational repression or messenger RNA (mRNA) degradation. Along with miRNAs in the adrenocortical cancerous tissue, circulating miRNAs are considered barely invasive diagnostic or prognostic biomarkers of ACC. miRNAs may serve as treatment targets that expand the rather-limited therapeutic repertoire in the field of ACC. Patients with advanced ACC still have a poor prognosis when using the available treatments, despite a substantial improvement in understanding of the illness over the previous few decades. Accordingly, in this review, we provide a crucial overview of the recent studies in ACC-associated miRNAs regarding their diagnostic, prognostic, and potential therapeutic relevance.

Cardiovascular disease in type 2 diabetes mellitus: progress toward personalized management

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the main cause of death among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), particularly in low- and middle-income countries. To effectively prevent the development of CVDs in T2DM, considerable effort has been made to explore novel preventive approaches, individualized glycemic control and cardiovascular risk management (strict blood pressure and lipid control), together with recently developed glucose-lowering agents and lipid-lowering drugs. This review mainly addresses the important issues affecting the choice of antidiabetic agents and lipid, blood pressure and antiplatelet treatments considering the cardiovascular status of the patient. Finally, we also discuss the changes in therapy principles underlying CVDs in T2DM.

Key factors and potential drug combinations of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis: Bioinformatic analysis and experimental validation-based study

BACKGROUND

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and its advanced stage, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), are the major cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and other end-stage liver disease. However, the potential mechanism and therapeutic strategies have not been clarified. This study aimed to identify potential roles of miRNA/mRNA axis in the pathogenesis and drug combinations in the treatment of NASH.

METHODS

Microarray GSE59045 and GSE48452 were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus and analyzed using R. Then we obtained differentially expressed genes (DE-genes). DAVID database was used for Gene Ontology (GO) analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment pathway analysis. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks were used for the identification of hub genes. We found upstream regulators of hub genes using miRTarBase. The expression and correlation of key miRNA and its targets were detected by qPCR. Drug Pair Seeker was employed to predict drug combinations against NASH. The expression of miRNA and hub genes in HCC was identified in the Cancer Genome Atlas database and Human Protein Atlas database.

RESULTS

Ninety-four DE-genes were accessed. GO and KEGG analysis showed that these predicted genes were linked to lipid metabolism. Eleven genes were identified as hub genes in PPI networks, and they were highly expressed in cells with vigorous lipid metabolism. hsa-miR-335-5p was the upstream regulator of 9 genes in the 11 hub genes, and it was identified as a key miRNA. The hub genes were highly expressed in NASH models, while hsa-miR-335-5p was lowly expressed. The correlation of miRNA-mRNA was established by qPCR. Functional verification indicated that hsa-miR-335-5p had inhibitory effect on the development of NASH. Finally, drug combinations were predicted and the expression of miRNA and hub genes in HCC was identified.

CONCLUSIONS

In the study, potential miRNA-mRNA pathways related to NASH were identified. Targeting these pathways may be novel strategies against NASH.

LncRNA DANCR regulates lymphatic metastasis of bladder cancer via the miR-335/VEGF-C axis

Background

Substantial evidence indicate that long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) and microRNA (miRNA) act as key role in bladder cancer. Differentiation antagonistic ncRNA (DANCR) could be used as a biomarker in the occurrence and development of cancer. This study aims to explore the mechanism of DANCR/miR-335/VEGF-C axis affecting lymphatic metastasis of bladder cancer.

Methods

qRT-PCR detects the expression of DANCR in bladder cancer cell lines (SW780, 5637, T24, UM-UC-3) and normal bladder cell lines (SV-HUC-1), and selects T24 cell lines for subsequent experiments. The expression levels of DANCR, miR-335 and VEGF were measured by qRT-PCR, and the dual luciferase reporter gene verified the targeted regulation of DANCR on miR-335 and miR-335 on VEGF. CCK-8, Transwell and Wound healing assay detect the proliferation, invasion and migration ability of bladder cancer cells, Endothelial cell adhesion assay and Western blot further prove the lymphatic metastasis of bladder cancer.

Results

In this study, DANCR was highly expressed in bladder cancer cell lines. Transfection of si-DANCR significantly inhibits the proliferation, migration, invasion and lymphatic metastasis of bladder cancer cells. Dual luciferase assay confirmed that DANCR targets miR-335/VEGF-C. Transfection of miR-335 mimic promotes the proliferation, migration, invasion and lymphatic metastasis of bladder cancer cells, overexpression of DANCR eliminates the promotion of miR-335 mimic on bladder cancer cells. Further experiments proved that inhibition of miR-335 and overexpression of VEGF-C can reverse the inhibitory effect of silencing DANCR on bladder cancer cells.

Conclusions

In bladder cancer, DARCR plays an important role, which regulates the proliferation, migration, invasion and lymphatic metastasis of bladder cancer cells through the miR-335/VEGF-C molecular axis.

Deciphering the role of microRNAs in mustard gas-induced toxicity

Mustard gas (sulfur mustard, SM), a highly vesicating chemical warfare agent, was first deployed in warfare in 1917 and recently during the Iraq-Iran war (1980s) and Syrian conflicts (2000s); however, the threat of exposure from stockpiles and old artillery shells still looms large. Whereas research has been long ongoing on SM-induced toxicity, delineating the precise molecular pathways is still an ongoing area of investigation; thus, it is important to attempt novel approaches to decipher these mechanisms and develop a detailed network of pathways associated with SM-induced toxicity. One such avenue is exploring the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in SM-induced toxicity. Recent research on the regulatory role of miRNAs provides important results to fill in the gaps in SM toxicity-associated mechanisms. In addition, differentially expressed miRNAs can also be used as diagnostic markers to determine the extent of toxicity in exposed individuals. Thus, in our review, we have summarized the studies conducted so far in cellular and animal models, including human subjects, on the expression profiles and roles of miRNAs in SM- and/or SM analog-induced toxicity. Further detailed research in this area will guide us in devising preventive strategies, diagnostic tools, and therapeutic interventions against SM-induced toxicity.

MicroRNA-182 Promotes Cell Migration by Targeting Programmed Cell Death 4 in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells

Purpose

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver tumor and the third greatest cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Programmed cell death 4 (PDCD4) was reported as a potential tumor-suppressor in hepatocarcinogenesis. However, relatively little is known about mechanisms that regulate PDCD4 expression in HCC. The aim of the present study is to investigate the expression of PDCD4 and miR-182 in human HCC cell lines and clinical HCC specimens and determine whether PDCD4 is a direct target of miR-182 in HCC cell lines.

Materials

The expression of miR-182 and PDCD4 in human HCC cell lines and HCC tissues were examined using qRT-PCR and Western blot method. Transwell and wound healing assays were carried out to explore the influence of miR-182 on hepatoma cells migration. A luciferase reporter assay was conducted to confirm target association.

Results

In our research, we found that PDCD4 was downregulated, whereas miR-182 was upregulated in liver cancer cell lines and HCC tissues. Transwell and wound healing assays illustrated that miR-182 contributed to migration activities of liver cancer cell lines. Loss or increase of miR-182 can lead to a negative expression of PDCD4 protein level. The luciferase reporter assay showed that PDCD4 is a direct target of miR-182.

Conclusion

All these findings suggest that miR-182 may act as an oncogenic role in liver cancer cells by directly and negatively regulating expression of PDCD4.

MicroRNA-335/ID4 dysregulation predicts clinical outcome and facilitates leukemogenesis by activating PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in acute myeloid leukemia

MircoRNA-335 (miR-335) has been reported as a significant cancer-associated microRNA, which was often epigenetically silenced and acted as a tumor suppressor gene in diverse human solid tumors. Conversely, recent studies show that miR-335 overexpression was identified in both adult and pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML), suggesting that it might play an oncogenic role of miR-335 in AML. However, the role of miR-335 during leukemogenesis remains to be elucidated. MiR-335/ID4 expression was detected by real-time quantitative PCR and/or western blot. Survival analysis was performed to explore the association between miR-335/ID4 expression and the prognosis, and further validated by public databases. Gain-of-function experiments determined by cell proliferation, apoptosis, and differentiation were conducted to investigate the biological functions of miR-335/ID4. Herein, we found that miR-335 expression, independent of its methylation, was significantly increased and negatively correlated with reduced ID4 expression in AML. Moreover, aberrant miR-335/ID4 expression independently affected chemotherapy response and leukemia-free/overall survival in patients with AML. Gain-of-function experiments in vitro showed the oncogenic role of miR-335 by affecting cell apoptosis and proliferation in AML, and could be rescued by ID4 restoration. Mechanistically, we identified and verified that miR-335/ID4 contributed to leukemogenesis through activating PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Collectively, aberrant miR-335/ID4 expression was an independent prognostic biomarker in AML. MiR-335/ID4 dysregulation facilitated leukemogenesis through the activation of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

MicroRNA expression in relation with clinical evolution of osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma is the most common malignant bone tumor. Early diagnosis remains a major challenge, mainly because of the lack of specific biomarkers. We performed miRNAs expression analysis through qPCR in affected and paired healthy bone derived from osteosarcoma patients. Hierarchical clustering using the top ten miRNAs with differential expression showed two main clusters. One integrated by patients with the presence of metastasis or relapse and the other without these complications. Further pathway enrichment analysis reduced to four main miRNAs, hsa-miR-486-3p, hsa-miR-355-5p, hsa-miR-34a-5p and hsa-miR-1228-3p. Afterwards, we compared patients with and without metastasis, the function enrichment analysis along with review of relevant literature, showed that hsa-miR-93-5p and hsa-miR-28-5p were associated with metastasis development. Our results support the relevance of miRNAs in the pathogenesis of osteosarcoma and contribute with evidence regarding the potential role of miRNAs as potential biomarkers. More studies are needed to define the most informative miRNAs in osteosarcoma patients.

LncRNA FOXD3-AS1 Mediates AKT Pathway to Promote Growth and Invasion in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Through Regulating RICTOR

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has high morbidity and mortality, but current therapeutic methods cannot effectively improve patient's prognosis. FOXD3-AS1, a new identified long noncoding RNA, is dysregulated in several cancers and functions as a carcinogenic or tumor-suppressor factor. However, the function of FOXD3-AS1 in HCC has not been reported. Materials and Methods: Quantitative real time-polymerase chain reaction was applied to evaluate the expression of FOXD3-AS1 in HCC tissues and cell lines. miRDB and TargetScan websites were utilized to predict the interaction network of FOXD3-AS1 as a competing endogenous RNA. The interaction was confirmed by luciferase reporter assay and RNA binding protein immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay. The effect of FOXD3-AS1 on HCC cells (Huh6) were measured by cell counting kit (CCK)-8, BrdU cell proliferation assay, Transwell invasion assay, and wound healing assay. Results: FOXD3-AS1 was overexpressed in HCC, and HCC patients with the high level of FOXD3-AS1 had a poor prognosis. In addition, FOXD3-AS1 knockdown considerably inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of Huh6 cells. Besides, FOXD3-AS1 functioned as a sponge of miR-335, and RICTOR was a direct target gene of miR-335. Furthermore, FOXD3-AS1 could enhance the level of RICTOR through sponging miR-335. Moreover, the knockdown of FOXD3-AS1 could competitively bind with miR-335 to suppress RICTOR expression, thereby inhibiting the growth of Huh6 cells through the deactivation of AKT signaling pathway. Conclusions: FOXD3-AS1 is crucial for the tumorigenesis and progression of HCC. The interaction among FOXD3-AS1, miR-335, and RICTOR provides a novel insight for understanding the molecular mechanism of HCC, and FOXD3-AS1, miR-335, and RICTOR can be regarded as the potential targets for HCC treatment.

Upregulation of the Coatomer Protein Complex Subunit beta 2 (COPB2) Gene Targets microRNA-335-3p in NCI-H1975 Lung Adenocarcinoma Cells to Promote Cell Proliferation and Migration

Background

The coatomer protein complex subunit beta 2 (COPB2) gene is upregulated and promotes cell proliferation in some cancer cells. This study aimed to investigate the role of microRNA (miRNA) targeting by COPB2 gene expression in human lung adenocarcinoma cell lines, including NCI-H1975 cells.

Material/Methods

COPB2 expression in normal human bronchial epithelial cells and lung adenocarcinoma cells was measured by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot. NCI-H1975 human lung adenocarcinoma cells were transfected with short-interfering COPB2 (siCOPB2). Cell apoptosis and cell proliferation were evaluated by flow cytometry and Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assays, respectively. The transwell assay evaluated cell migration. Targeting of miR-335-3p by COPB2 was predicted using TargetScan 7.2 and verified using a dual-luciferase reporter assay in NCI-H1975 cells. MiR-335-3p mimics were transfected into NCI-H1975 cells. The further functional analysis included detection of protein expression for cyclin D1, tissue inhibitor matrix metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1), matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP9), Bcl-2, and Bax, to verify the role of miR-335-3p targeting by COPB2 in lung adenocarcinoma cells.

Results

COPB2 was upregulated in lung adenocarcinoma cells and was a direct target of miR-335-3p mimics. COPB2 knockdown promoted cell apoptosis, inhibited cell migration and proliferation in NCI-H1975 cells. The effects of COPB2 knockdown on NCI-H1975 cells were increased by miR-335-3p mimics, which also further reduced the expression levels of cyclin D1, MMP9, and Bcl-2 and further increased TIMP-1 and Bax by siCOPB2.

Conclusions

This study showed that COPB2 was the functional target of miR-335-3p in NCI-H1975 human adenocarcinoma cells.

ROS/p53/miR‑335‑5p/Sp1 axis modulates the migration and epithelial to mesenchymal transition of JEG‑3 cells

Differential expression of microRNA (miR)-335-5p, a key tumor suppressor, has been detected in pre-eclampsia (PE) placentas. However, the role of miR-335-5p in the pathogenesis of PE and the factor modulating its aberrant expression remain unknown. The present study used JEG-3 cells in vitro to investigate these mechanisms. The role of miR-335-5p in proliferation, apoptosis and migration of JEG-3 cells was investigated using MTT, Annexin V-FITC/PI, Transwell migration and wound healing assays, respectively. miR-335-5p expression levels were analyzed using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR. The expression levels of E-cadherin, N-cadherin, Snail, specificity protein 1 (Sp1) and p53 were assessed using western blot analysis. Cell viability analysis was performed using the Cell Counting Kit-8 assay. The intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were detected using a 2,7-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate assay. The present results suggested that miR-335-5p did not affect the proliferation or apoptotic rate of JEG-3 cells. Overexpression of miR-335-5p significantly inhibited the migration of JEG-3 cells, decreased the expression levels of Sp1, N-cadherin and Snail, and increased E-cadherin expression. Sp1 silencing produced similar results in JEG-3 cells. H₂O₂ significantly increased the intracellular ROS levels and miR-335-5p expression, whereas N-acetyl-cysteine pretreatment prior to H₂O₂ treatment reversed the increases in miR-335-5p expression. Knockdown of p53 significantly decreased the expression levels of miR-335-5p in JEG-3 cells and in H₂O₂-treated cells. The present results suggested that miR-335-5p expression levels in trophoblast cells could be increased by ROS in a p53-dependent manner, leading to the downregulation of Sp1 and subsequent inhibition of epithelial to mesenchymal transition and cell migration. The present results may provide novel evidence on the etiology of PE.

miR-335-5p inhibits TGF-β1-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition in non-small cell lung cancer via ROCK1

BACKGROUND

Significant evidence has shown that the miRNA pathway is an important component in the downstream signaling cascades of TGF-β1 pathway. Our previous study has indicated that miR-335-5p expression was significantly down-regulated and acted as a vital player in the metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), however the underlying mechanism remained unclear.

METHODS

The differential expression level of miR-335-5p and ROCK1 were determined by qRT-PCR and IHC analysis in human tissue samples with or without lymph node metastasis. Transwell assay was conducted to determine cell ability of migration and invasion. SiRNA interference, microRNA transfection and western blot analysis were utilized to clarify the underlying regulatory mechanism.

RESULTS

We showed that down-regulated expression of miR-335-5p and up-regulated expression of ROCK1 in NSCLC tissues were associated with lymph node metastasis. Over-expresion of miR-335-5p significantly inhibited TGF-β1-mediated NSCLC migration and invasion. Furthermore, luciferase reporter assays proved that miR-335-5p can bind to 3'-UTR of ROCK1 directly. Moreover, we confirmed that siRNA-mediated silencing of ROCK1 significantly diminished TGF-β1-mediated EMT and migratory and invasive capabilities of A549 and SPC-A1 cells.

CONCLUSION

This is the first time to report that miR-335-5p regulates ROCK1 and impairs its functions, thereby playing a key role in TGF-β1-induced EMT and cell migration and invasion in NSCLC.

Epigenetic silencing of miR-335 induces migration by targeting insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor in multiple myeloma

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a common hematological malignancy and remains incurable. MiRNA-335 is a classic tumor suppressor, yet its expression pattern and biological role in MM is unclear. The aim of the present study was to determine the expression pattern, biological role, and mechanism of miR-335 in MM. In this study, we found that miR-335 expression was decreased in MM. The promoter of miR-335 was also hypermethylated in MM. It was found that over-expression of miR-335 or 5-azacytidine treatment suppressed migration of MM cells and down-regulated the expression of IGF-1R. MiR-335 thus acts as a metastatic suppressor by targeting IGF-1R in MM. Moreover, aberrant promoter hyper-methylation is critical for miR-335 silencing in MM. We also found that miR-335 assisted in predicting both the prognosis and progression of disease in MM patients. Observations might offer a new complementary diagnostic and therapeutic target in MM.

Overexpressing miR‑335 inhibits DU145 cell proliferation by targeting early growth response 3 in prostate cancer

MicroRNA-335 (miR-335) was reported to suppress cell proliferation in prostate cancer (PC), a common malignancy in males. The expression of early growth response 3 (EGR3) was determined to be elevated in human PC tissues; however, the possible effects and underlying mechanism of miR-335 on PC remains unknown. In the present study, miR-335 mimics and miR-335 inhibitors were respectively transfected into DU145 cells. Stable silencing of EGR3 was observed in DU145 cells following transfection with small interfering RNA. We also used Cell Counting Kit-8 and in vitro angiogenesis assays to determine the viability and revascularization potential of DU145 cells. The expression levels of EGR and caspase-3 activity were analyzed by immunohistochemistry and immunocytochemistry, respectively. We predicted the target of miR-335 by bioinformatics analysis and a dual-luciferase reporter gene assay. Western blot and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analyses were performed to determine the protein and mRNA expression of molecules. miR-335 expression was downregulated in PC tissues and cell lines. Overexpression of miR-335 significantly reduced the viability and the formation of regenerative tubes of DU145 cells, and inhibited the expression of inflammatory factors. EGR3 was proposed as a possible target of miR-335, and was negatively regulated by miR-335. Silencing EGR3 suppressed the viability and angiogenesis of DU145 cells, and reduced the activity of caspase-3 and inflammatory factor expression. miR-335 inhibition along with EGR3 silencing EGR3 inhibited the cell proliferation. Furthermore, miR-335 inhibited the formation of a PC solid tumor xenograft in vivo. Thus, miR-335 may exert an antitumor effect on DU145 cells by regulating the expression of EGR3. The findings of the present study may provide insight into a novel therapeutic strategy for the treatment of prostatic carcinoma.

Gene co-expression network approach for predicting prognostic microRNA biomarkers in different subtypes of breast cancer

New diagnostic miRNA biomarkers for different types of cancer have been studied extensively, particularly for breast cancer (BC), which is a leading cause of death among women and has many different subtypes. In the present study, a systems biology approach was used to find remarkable and novel miRNA biomarkers for five molecular subtypes of BC: luminal A, luminal B, ERBB2, basal-like and normal-like. The mRNA expression data from the five BC subtypes was used to reconstruct co-expression networks. The important mRNA-miRNA interactions were considered when reconstructing the bipartite networks from which the five bipartite sub-networks were reconstructed for further analysis. The novel biomarkers detected for each subtype are as follows: miRNAs 26b-5p and 124-3p for basal-like, 26b-5p, 124-3p and 5011-5p for ERBB2, 26b-5p and 5011-5p for LumA, 124-3p, 26b-5p and 7-5p for LumB and 26b-5p, 124-3p and 193b-3p for normal-like. The roles of the identified miRNAs in the occurrence or development of each subtype of BC remain unclear and should be investigated in future studies. In addition, the target genes of these miRNAs may be critical to the mechanisms underlying each subtype and should be analyzed as therapeutic targets in future studies.

The clinical significance of miR-335, miR-124, miR-218 and miR-484 downregulation in gastric cancer

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the leading types of malignancy worldwide, particularly in Asian populations. Although the exact molecular mechanism of GC development remains unknown, microRNA (miRNA) has recently been shown to be involved. The current study aims to investigate the expression levels of bioinformatically ranked miRNAs in gastric tissues. Using bioinformatics tools, we prioritized miRNAs thought to be implicated in GC. Furthermore, polyA-qPCR was used to validate bioinformatics findings in 40 GC, 31 normal gastric tissue (NG) and 45 gastric dysplasia (GD) samples. As identified by bioinformatics analysis, miR-335 was shown to be the top-ranked miRNA implicated in GC. Moreover, a significant downregulation of miR-335, miR-124, miR-218 and miR-484 was found in GC and GD compared to NG samples. We found bioinformatics to be an efficient approach to finding candidate miRNAs relevant to GC development. Finally, the findings show that downregulation of miRNAs such as miR-124 and miR-218 in gastric tissue can be a significant indicator for neoplastic transformation.

Deciphering splenic marginal zone lymphoma pathogenesis: the proposed role of microRNA

Splenic marginal zone lymphoma (SMZL) is a malignancy of mature B-cells that primarily involves the spleen, but can affect peripheral organs as well. Even though SMZL is overall considered an indolent malignancy, the majority of cases will eventually progress to be more aggressive. In recent years, the gene expression profile of SMZL has been characterized in an effort to identify: 1) the etiology of SMZL, 2) biological consequences of SMZL, and 3) putative therapeutic targets. However, due to the vast heterogeneity of the malignancy, no conclusive target(s) have been deciphered. However, the role of miRNA in SMZL, much as it has in chronic lymphocytic leukemia, may serve as a guiding light. As a result, we review the comprehensive expression profiling in SMZL to-date, as well as describe the miRNA (and potential mechanistic roles) that may play a role in SMZL transformation, particularly within the 7q region.

Discovery and Validation of Circulating Biomarkers of Colorectal Adenoma by High-Depth Small RNA Sequencing

Purpose: Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide, causing approximately 700,000 deaths each year. The majority of colorectal cancers begin as adenomas. Definitive screening for colorectal adenomas is currently accomplished through colonoscopy but, owing largely to costs and invasiveness, is typically limited to patient groups at higher risk by virtue of age or family history. We sought to determine if blood-based small RNA markers could detect colorectal adenoma.Experimental Design: We applied high-depth small RNA sequencing to plasma from a large (n = 189) cohort of patients, balanced for age, sex, and ancestry. Our analytical methodology allowed for the detection of both microRNAs and other small RNA species. We replicated sequencing results by qPCR on plasma samples from an independent cohort (n = 140).Results: We found several small RNA species with significant associations to colorectal adenoma, including both microRNAs and non-microRNA small RNAs. These associations were robust to correction for patient covariates, including age. Among the adenoma-associated small RNAs, two, a miR-335-5p isoform and an un-annotated small RNA, were validated by qPCR in an independent cohort. A classifier trained on measures of these two RNAs in the discovery cohort yields an AUC of 0.755 (0.775 with age) for adenoma detection in the independent cohort. This classifier accurately detects adenomas in patients under 50 and is robust to sex or ancestry.Conclusions: Circulating small RNAs (including but not limited to miRNAs) discovered by sequencing and validated by qPCR identify patients with colorectal adenomas effectively. Clin Cancer Res; 24(9); 2092-9. ©2018 AACR.