miR-1271 promotes non-small-cell lung cancer cell proliferation and invasion via targeting HOXA5

Circ_0011373 promotes papillary thyroid carcinoma progression by regulating miR-1271/LRP6 axis

PURPOSE

This research aimed to explore the regulatory molecular mechanism among circular RNA (circ)_0011373, microRNA (miR)-1271, and lipoprotein receptor-related protein 6 (LRP6) in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC).

METHODS

Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) assay was adopted to measure the expression of circ_0011373, miR-1271, and LRP6 mRNA. Furthermore, cell cycle distribution, apoptosis, migration and invasion were investigated by flow cytometry and transwell assay, respectively. The target relationship between miR-1271 and circ_0011373 or LRP6 was predicted by using the Starbase website and DIANA TOOL and verified by dual-luciferase reporter and RIP assay. Protein expression levels of LRP6, p-mTOR, mTOR, p-AKT, AKT, p-PI3K, and PI3K were tested by Western blot. The function of circ_0011373 on PTC tumor growth was validated by the xenograft tumor model in vivo.

RESULTS

Circ_0011373 and LRP6 were upregulated, while miR-1271 was downregulated in PTC tissues and cell lines. Moreover, knockdown of circ_0011373 inhibited cell cycle, migration, and invasion and promoted apoptosis. Of particular importance was the fact that circ_0011373 directly interacted with miR-1271 and miR-1271 inhibitor was able to reverse the effect of circ_0011373 knockdown on PTC cell progression. Meanwhile, LRP6 was directly targeted by miR-1271, and its expression was positively regulated by circ_0011373. We further confirmed that miR-1271 overexpression suppressed cell cycle, migration, and invasion and enhanced apoptosis by regulating LRP6. In addition, circ_0011373 knockdown restrained PTC tumor growth in vivo.

CONCLUSION

Circ_0011373 might be able to regulate PTC cell cycle, migration, invasion, and apoptosis by regulating the miR-1271/LRP6 axis.

HOXA5 inhibits adipocytes proliferation through transcriptional regulation of Ccne1 and blocking JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway in mice

The highly regulated proliferation of adipocytes plays a momentous role in fat development and obesity. Hoxa5 is an important member of Hox family, its encoded protein is an important transcription factor related to development. And its differential expression in different adipose tissues seems to indicate that Hoxa5 may be involved in the regulation of adipocyte proliferation. In order to evaluate the regulation mechanism of Hoxa5 on adipocyte proliferation, we constructed a variety of Hoxa5 expression vectors in vivo and in vitro to explore its mechanism on adipocyte proliferation and its potential impact on obesity. We have observed that the overexpression of Hoxa5 strongly reduces cell counts, and Hoxa5 can inhibit cell proliferation and block cell cycle progression by regulating the expression of genes such as Cyclin E, Cycling D1 and p53. Most importantly, we demonstrated that Hoxa5 exerts its effect by regulating the signaling pathway of Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) signal transduction and transcription 3 (STAT3) activator, as well as binding to the promoter region of Ccne1 and inhibiting the transcription of Ccne1.This study provides an in-depth understanding of the potential molecular mechanism of Hoxa5 inhibiting adipocyte proliferation. Our results suggest the importance of Hoxa5 in the treatment of obesity.

CTBP1-AS2 promoted non-small cell lung cancer progression via sponging the miR-623/MMP3 axis

Mounting evidence indicates that lncRNAs (long noncoding RNAs) are involved in the initiation and development of tumors, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the involvement of C-terminal binding protein-antisense RNA 2 (CTBP1-AS2) in NSCLC remains to be studied. RT-qPCR was carried out to detect CTBP1-AS2 and miR-623 expression in NSCLC cells and tissues. CCK-8 and flow cytometry were performed to measure cell proliferation and cell cycle progression. Luciferase reporter analysis was performed to study the potential target of CTBP1-AS2. We found that CTBP1-AS2 expression was upregulated in NSCLC cells (SPC-A1, A549, H23, and H1299) compared to 16HBE cells. We demonstrated that the CTBP1-AS2 level was higher in NSCLC specimens than in paired non-tumor specimens. Elevated expression of CTBP1-AS2 increased cell growth and induced cell cycle progression and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). We also found that ectopic expression of CTBP1-AS2 inhibited miR-623 expression. MMP3 was a direct target of miR-623, and luciferase reporter assays suggested that miR-623 overexpression suppressed the luciferase expression driven by the MMP3 wild-type reporter but not the mutant reporter. Overexpression of miR-623 suppressed MMP3 expression in A549 cells, and overexpression of CTBP1-AS2 increased MMP3 expression in A549 cells. Moreover, the miR-623 level was lower in NSCLC specimens than in paired non-tumor specimens, and CTBP1-AS2 expression was negatively correlated with miR-623 expression in NSCLC samples. Furthermore, overexpression of CTBP1-AS2 enhanced cell growth, cell cycle progression, and EMT progression by modulating MMP3 expression.

Long non-coding RNA HOTAIR promotes the progression of synovial sarcoma through microRNA-126/stromal cell-derived factor-1 regulation

The long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) HOTAIR is an oncogene, that has been reported to be aberrantly expressed in multiple types of malignant tumor tissues. However, its expression and association with synovial sarcoma (SS) remains unclear. The present study aimed to elucidate the expression level of HOTAIR in SS tissues and also identify its role. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR was used to detect the expression level of HOTAIR and microRNA (miR)-126 in 54 tissue samples from patients with SS, in 10 tissue samples from synovium tissues of normal patients, and in SW982 cells. The protein expression level was measured using western blot analysis and cellular immunofluorescence. Cellular proliferation, invasion and migration were assessed using MTT, Transwell and wound healing assays, respectively. HOTAIR was expressed at high levels in SS tissues. In contrast, miR-126 was expressed at low levels in SS tissues, and was negatively correlated with HOTAIR expression. HOTAIR knockdown in SW982 cells inhibited cellular proliferation in vitro, but also significantly increased the ratio of cells in the G1/G0 phase of the cell cycle, and decreased the ratio of cells in the G2/S phase. In addition, HOTAIR knockdown inhibited the invasion and migration of the SW982 cells, as observed in the Transwell and wound healing assays. Furthermore, HOTAIR knockdown increased miR-126 expression level and decreased the expression level of stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) at the protein level. On the other hand, while miR-126-mimic decreased the protein expression level of SDF-1, miR-126-inhibitor increased its expression level in SW982 cells. Notably, HOTAIR knockdown or SDF-1 knockout significantly decreased the protein expression levels of CDK1, CDK2, cyclin D1, MMP-9, vimentin and N-cadherin, and significantly increased the protein expression levels of p21, p53 and E-cadherin in SW982 cells. HOTAIR was highly expressed in SS tissues, wherein it could promote the proliferation, invasion and migration of SS cells by increasing the expression of SDF-1 via miR-126 inhibition.

Effect and Mechanism of Transthyretin over-Expression on Proliferation and Cell Cycle of Lung Cancer A549 Cells

Background

The effects of transthyretin (TTR) over-expression on the proliferation and cell cycle of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) A549 cells and its possible mechanism were verified.

Methods

A total of 196 LC patients and 20 healthy controls were enrolled at Tianjin Hospital, Tianjin, China between Apr 2017 and Oct 2017. The serum TTR content was detected by ELISA. Through lentiviral transfection method, NSCLC cells were divided into non-transfected group (group A), negative control group (group B) transfected with empty vector and experimental group (group C) transfected with TTR over-expression. Cell proliferation was detected by CCK-8 method, TTR mRNA expression was detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), and TTR protein expression was tested by Western blot (WB). Cell cycle was detected by flow cytometry, Wnt3a/β-catenin protein expression was detected by WB, and mRNA expression was detected by RT-qPCR.

Results

The serum TTR content in early, middle and late LC group was remarkably lower than that in healthy group (P<0.05). Compared with late stage, TTR content in early and middle stages of LC group was higher, and the difference was statistically marked (P < 0.05). The absorbance value of group C was lower than that of groups A and B, indicating that the cell proliferation activity dramatically decreased, with statistically marked difference (P<0.05). LC A549 cells in group C were obviously blocked in G2M, with statistical significance (P<0.05).

Conclusion

TTR over-expression can inhibit the proliferation of NSCLC A549 cells, and the expression is related to Wnt3a/β-catenin pathway. TTR in serum of patients was helpful for diagnosing LC and has certain clinical value.

Global identification and characterization of tRNA-derived RNA fragment landscapes across human cancers

Transfer RNA-derived RNA fragments (tRFs) are a class of small non-coding RNAs that are abundant in many organisms, but their role in cancer has not been fully explored. Here, we report a functional genomic landscape of tRFs in 8118 specimens across 15 cancer types from The Cancer Genome Atlas. These tRFs exhibited characteristics of widespread expression, high sequence conservation, cytoplasmic localization, specific patterns of tRNA cleavage and conserved cleavage in tissues. A cross-tumor analysis revealed significant commonality among tRF expression subtypes from distinct tissues of origins, characterized by upregulation of a group of tRFs with similar size and activation of cancer-associated signaling. One of the largest superclusters was composed of 22 nt 3'-tRFs upregulated in 13 cancer types, all of which share the activation of Ras/MAPK, RTK and TSC/mTOR signaling. tRF-based subgrouping provided clinically relevant stratifications and significantly improved outcome prediction by incorporating clinical variables. Additionally, we discovered 11 cancer driver tRFs using an effective approach for accurately exploring cross-tumor and platform trends. As a proof of concept, we performed comprehensive functional assays on a non-microRNA driver tRF, 5'-IleAAT-8-1-L20, and validated its oncogenic roles in lung cancer in vitro and in vivo. Our study also provides a valuable tRF resource for identifying diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers, developing cancer therapy and studying cancer pathogenesis.

microRNA-1271-5p/TIAM1 suppresses the progression of ovarian cancer through inactivating Notch signaling pathway

Objective

Ovarian cancer (OC) has been regarded as the most malignant gynecological neoplasm and often confers grave outcomes owing to the frequent metastasis and high recurrence. A previous study has demonstrated that miR-1271-5p is implicated in OC progression, however, the possible mechanism of it remains unknown. The purpose of this investigation was to explore how miR-1271-5p regulates the progression of OC.

Methods

Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) databases were employed to analyze the differentially expressed miRNAs or genes as well as their corresponding prognostic values. miR-1271-5p expression in OC cells was examined by qRT-PCR. Cell counting kit 8 (CCK-8), colony formation, and transwell tests were conducted to evaluate the proliferation, migration and invasion potentials. Bioinformatics prediction and luciferase activity analysis were utilized to predict and verify the target gene of miR-1271-5p. Western blot assay was carried out to measure protein expression.

Results

miR-1271-5p was significantly decreased in OC and its down-regulation was associated with the grave outcome of OC patients. Upregulation of miR-1271-5p inhibited cell viability, but miR-1271-5p knockdown promoted the proliferation of OC cells. TIAM1 was a direct target gene of miR-1271-5p and expressed in OC tissues at higher level. High expression of TIAM1 induced the poorer prognosis of patients with OC. Further functional analyses showed that the suppressive role of miR-1271-5p on OC cell malignant behaviors was overturned by the upregulation of TIAM1. The protein levels of Cyclin D1, HES1, NOTCH and NUMB were remarkably changed due to the abnormal expression of miR-1271-5p and TIAM1.

Conclusion

To sum up, miR-1271-5p inhibits proliferation, invasion and migration of OC cells by directly repressing TIAM1 to inactivate the Notch signaling pathway, which provides an alternative therapeutic candidate for the advancement of OC treatment.

MicroRNA-1271-5p inhibits the tumorigenesis of ovarian cancer through targeting E2F5 and negatively regulates the mTOR signaling pathway

BACKGROUND

MicroRNA-1271-5p (miR-1271-5p) has been reported to participate in the progression of many human cancers. However, the role of miR-1271-5p still remains unclear in ovarian cancer (OC). Therefore, we explored the effect of miR-1271-5p on the development of OC in present study.

METHODS

We measured the miR-1271-5p expression via the qRT-PCR assay. Then the function of miR-1271-5p was analyzed through MTT and Transwell assays. The relationship among miR-1271-5p and E2F5 was verified by dual luciferase assay. The protein expression levels were examined through western blot.

RESULTS

MiR-1271-5p was downregulated in OC tissues which predicted poor prognosis of OC patients. Moreover, E2F5 was a direct target of miR-1271-5p in OC. And miR-1271-5p suppressed cell proliferation, migration and invasion in OC through targeting E2F5. Furthermore, E2F5 was upregulated in OC tissues which predicted poor prognosis of OC patients. Besides that, miR-1271-5p suppressed EMT and mTOR pathway in OC.

CONCLUSIONS

MiR-1271-5p inhibited the tumorigenesis of OC through targeting E2F5 and negatively regulated the mTOR signaling pathway.

Downregulation of lncRNA UCA1 facilitates apoptosis and reduces proliferation in multiple myeloma via regulation of the miR-1271-5p/HGF axis

BACKGROUND

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are considered to be a novel prognostic and therapeutic target in many cancers. This study identified dysregulation of lncRNA urothelial carcinoma associated 1 (UCA1) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) mRNA via the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, which was traced to the mutual target miRNA, miR-1271-5p, and their effects were explored in multiple myeloma (MM).

METHODS

RNA expression profiles of MM were downloaded from the GEO database and analyzed using R packages. The expression of RNAs in MM tissue samples and cells was evaluated through quantificational real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). A luciferase reporter assay was utilized to confirm the binding relationships between UCA1/HGF and miR-1271-5p. To assess cell proliferation and apoptosis, CCK-8 assays and flow cytometry were conducted. Additionally, tumor progression was demonstrated in vivo.

RESULTS

LncRNA UCA1 and HGF expression was higher in the cells and samples of patients with MM than in normal plasma cells. miR-1271-5p was confirmed to be the target of lncRNA UCA1 and HGF and to be negatively correlated with them. Moreover, downregulation of lncRNA UCA1 and HGF inhibited cell proliferation and facilitated cell apoptosis in RPMI 8226 cells (human MM cell line). However, miR-1271-5p overexpression affected the proliferation decrease and apoptosis increase. Moreover, in vivo experiments indicated that down or upregulation of lncRNA UCA1 repressed or enhanced the tumor growth of MM, respectively, in xenograft models.

CONCLUSION

LncRNA UCA1 promoted proliferation and inhibited apoptosis by regulating miR-1271-5p and HGF in the human MM cell line RPMI 8226. Our investigations might contribute to a better understanding of the lncRNA UCA1/miR-1271-5p/HGF axis as a potential therapeutic strategy in MM.

IL-6 and miR-1271 expression levels in elderly and young gastric cancer patients and correlation analysis with prognosis

Differences in inflammatory factors IL-6 and miR-1271 expression levels between elderly and young gastric cancer patients were investigated. A retrospective analysis of 146 cases of gastric cancer tissue and normal fresh tissue specimens diagnosed in The First Hospital of Lanzhou University from January 2013 to January 2015, was performed. Patients aged ≥60 years were the elderly group (76 cases), and patients ≤40 years were the youth group (70 cases). RT-qPCR was used to detect the relative expression levels of IL-6 and miR-1271, and Kaplan-Meier for a postoperative 3-year survival analysis of young and elderly gastric cancer patients. The expression level of IL-6 and miR-1271 was significantly higher in young gastric cancer tissues than that in elderly gastric cancer tissues (P<0.001). The expression levels of IL-6 and miR-1271 were correlated with age, tumor size, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, clinical stage and differentiation degree of gastric cancer patients (P<0.05). The 3-year overall survival rate of patients with a low expression of IL-6 and miR-1271 was better than that of patients with a high expression in young and elderly gastric cancer (P<0.05). IL-6 was highly expressed but miR-1271 expression was low in gastric cancer tissues. The 3-year overall survival rate of patients with the low expression of IL-6 was better than that of patients with the high expression in young and elderly gastric cancer. The high expression of miR-1271 was better than that of patients with the low expression in young and elderly gastric cancer. Findings of the present study provide data support for the clinical evaluation of differences between young and elderly gastric cancer and their prognosis.

MicroRNA-1271 functions as a potential tumor suppressor in hepatitis B virus-associated hepatocellular carcinoma through the AMPK signaling pathway by binding to CCNA1

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is mainly associated with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and characterized by metastasizing and infiltrating adjacent and distant tissues. Notably, microRNA-1271 (miR-1271) is a tumor suppressor in various cancers. Therefore, we evaluate the ability of miR-1271 to influence cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis in HBV-associated HCC through the Adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathway via targeting CCNA1. HBV-associated HCC and adjacent normal tissues were collected to identify the expression of miR-1271 and CCNA1. To verify the relationship between miR-1271 and CCNA1, we used bioinformatics prediction and the dual-luciferase reporter gene assay. The effects of miR-1271 on HBV-associated HCC cell behaviors were investigated by treatment of the miR-1271 mimic, the miR-1271 inhibitor, or small interfering RNA against CCNA1. The HBV-DNA quantitative assay, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromid assay, scratch test, transwell assay, and flow cytometry were used to detect HBV-DNA replication, cell proliferation, invasion, migration, and apoptosis. MiR-1271 showed a low expression, whereas CCNA1 showed a high expression in HBV-associated HCC tissues. We identified that miR-1271 targeted and negatively regulated CCNA1. Upregulated miR-1271 and downregulated CCNA1 inhibited the HBV-associated HCC cell HBV-DNA replication, proliferation, migration, and invasion, while accelerating apoptosis by activating the AMPK signaling pathway. MiR-1271 promotes the activation of the AMPK signaling pathway by binding to CCNA1, whereby miR-1271 suppresses HBV-associated HCC progression. This study points to a potential therapeutic approach of downregulation of miR-1271 in HBV-associated HCC treatment.

MiR-21-5p promotes the progression of non-small-cell lung cancer by regulating the expression of SMAD7

Objective

The objective of this study was to detect the expression of MiR-21-5p in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tissues, and to investigate the effect of its expression on the progression of NSCLC.

Methods

Real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR was used to detect the relative expression of MiR-21-5p in 118 NSCLC tumor tissues to their adjacent normal tissues. The expressions of SMAD7, MMP-9, E-cadherin, and vimentin proteins were detected by Western blotting or immunohistochemistry. Cell colony formation, scratch, and Transwell assays were used to detect the proliferation, migration, and invasion ability of A549 cells, respectively.

Results

MiR-21-5p was highly expressed in the tumor tissues of NSCLC patients, and its expression was significantly correlated with the clinical classification of NSCLC patients (χ²=7.154, P=0.007), tumor size (χ²=4.372, P=0.037), differentiation (χ²=13.713, P=0.001), lymph node metastasis (χ²=5.101, P=0.024), distant metastasis (χ²=12.599, P=0.000), and TNM stage (χ²=6.344, P=0.012), whereas it was positively correlated with the expression of SMAD7 protein (r=0.669, P<0.05). The results of the luciferase gene reporter system showed that MiR-21-5p targeted and promoted the expression of SMAD7 gene, which enhanced NSCLC cell proliferation. Furthermore, MiR-21-5p promoted the expressions of MMP-9 and vimentin proteins as well as inhibited the expression of E-cadherin protein, which is associated with an elevated SMAD7 protein expression and enhanced the invasion/migration ability of NSCLC cells.

Conclusion

MiR-21-5p was highly expressed in NSCLC tumor tissues, and its high expression could promote NSCLC progression by targeting the expression of SMAD7.

HOXA5 inhibits tumor growth of gastric cancer under the regulation of microRNA-196a

Homeobox A5 (HOXA5) is a member of the HOX protein family which were implicated in serval critical process and was cancer-specific dysregulated in human cancers. However, its expression and function in human gastric cancer (GC) was still largely unknown. In this study, we confirmed for the first time that HOXA5 mRNA and protein was down-regulated in GC tissues and cell lines. Clinical data showed that low HOXA5 was significantly associated poor prognostic features, including large tumor size and advanced TNM stage. For 5-year survival, HOXA5 served as a potential prognostic marker of GC patients. Notably, HOXA5 inhibited cell viability, colony formation, proliferation, cell cycle progression and promoted apoptosis in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, we demonstrated that HOXA5 expression was regulated by miR-196a. In GC tissues, miR-196a has an inverse correlation with HOXA5 expression. Conclusively, our results demonstrated that HOXA5 functions as a tumor suppressor in regulating tumor growth of GC under regulation of miR-196a, supporting its potential utility as a therapeutic target for GC.

HOXA5 is a tumor suppressor gene that is decreased in gastric cancer

The abnormal expression of homeobox A5 (HOXA5) has been observed in breast and colon cancer; however, the clinical significance of HOXA5 in gastric cancer (GC) is not yet clear. In this study, we found that HOXA5 expression was decreased in GC tissues at the mRNA and protein level compared with paracancerous tissues using reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR (RT‑qPCR) and western blot analysis, respectively. Immunohistochemistry and Kaplan‑Meier survival analysis confirmed that the underexpression of HOXA5 was associated with GC progression and indicated a poor prognosis of patients with GC. Given that proliferation‑related genes may be potential target genes of HOXA5, we performed a series of experiments in vitro to examine the effects of HOXA5 on the proliferation of GC cells. A CCK‑8 assay, colony formation assay and flow cytometry revealed that HOXA5 inhibited the abnormal proliferation of GC cells, and this finding was further supported by a 5‑ethynyl‑2'‑deoxyuridine (EdU) assay. Further mechanistic investigation clarified that HOXA5 promoted the protein expression of p21 and inhibited the protein expression of c‑Myc and Ki67. Additionally, the use of nude mouse models also verified that HOXA5 suppressed the proliferation of GC cells in vivo. Collectively, the findings of this study demonstrate that HOXA5 acts as a tumor suppressor gene during the development and progresion of GC, possibly functioning by inhibiting the abnormal proliferation of cancer cells.

MiR-760 suppresses non-small cell lung cancer proliferation and metastasis by targeting ROS1

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been shown to be critical regulators in many types of tumors. The aim of our study was to investigate the role of miR-760 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We demonstrated that the expression of miR-760 was downregulated in NSCLC tissues compared with the adjacent normal tissues. We also demonstrated that the expression of miR-760 was downregulated in the NSCLC cell lines. Overexpression of miR-760 suppressed the NSCLC cell proliferation, cell cycle, and migration. Moreover, we identified that ROS1 was a direct target of miR-760 in the NSCLC cell. Elevated expression of miR-760 suppressed ROS1 expression in the NSCLC cell. We also demonstrated that the expression of ROS1 was higher in the NSCLC tissues than in the adjacent lung tissues. MiR-760 expression level was reversely associated with the expression level of ROS1 in the NSCLC tissues. In summary, we showed that miR-760 suppressed the NSCLC cell proliferation, cell cycle, and migration through regulating the ROS1 expression. These data suggested that miR-760 may act as a tumor suppressor gene in the NSCLC partly through regulating ROS1 expression.

Long intergenic noncoding RNA 00673 promotes non-small-cell lung cancer metastasis by binding with EZH2 and causing epigenetic silencing of HOXA5

Metastasis of cancer cells is a key impediment to favorable outcomes of cancer treatment. Functional roles of long noncoding RNAs in several biological processes, including metastasis, have recently been discovered. In our previous work, we reported a positive correlation of increased expression of linc00673 in NSCLC tissues with tumor size, lymph node metastasis, TNM stage, and increased proliferation of NSCLC cells, both, in vitro and in vivo. In this study, we demonstrate that ectopic expression of linc00673 promotes migration and invasion of NSCLC cells. Furthermore, our results indicate that linc00673 could silence HOXA5 expression by recruiting epigenetic repressor, EZH2, at its promoter regions. HOXA5 was identified as a tumor suppressor gene, which inhibited NSCLC cell metastasis by regulating cytoskeletal remodeling. To summarize, we for the first time identified the role of lin00673 in promoting invasion and migration of NSCLC cells. Insights from this study may help to identify novel therapeutic targets for NSCLC.

MicroRNA-1271 functions as a metastasis and epithelial-mesenchymal transition inhibitor in human HCC by targeting the PTP4A1/c-Src axis

MicroRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) have been shown to regulate hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) metastasis. In the present study, we focused on the functions of miR-1271 in HCC metastasis. The downregulation of miR-1271 was found to be associated with to venous infiltration, an advanced TNM stage (III+IV stage) and a shorter survival time. Our in vitro and in vivo data demonstrated that miR-1271 prevented HCC cell migration and invasion, as well as the formation of lung metastatic clusters. In addition, miR-1271 was demonstrated to markedly inhibit the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of HCC cells. Importantly, protein tyrosine phosphatase type IVA member 1 (PTP4A1) was identified as a direct downstream target of miR-1271 in HCC. Furthermore, we confirmed that the phosphorylation of c-Src at Tyr416 mediated by PTP4A1 was a potential anti-HCC mechanism of action of miR-1271. On the whole, our data indicate that miR-1271 inhibits HCC metastasis by targeting the PTP4A1/c-Src signaling pathway and may serve as a prospective cancer therapeutic target for HCC.

miR-1271 inhibits ERα expression and confers letrozole resistance in breast cancer

Attenuation of estrogen receptor α (ERα) expression via unknown mechanism(s) is a hallmark of endocrine-resistant breast cancer (BCa) progression. Here, we report that miR-1271 was significantly down-regulated in letrozole-resistant BCa tissues and in letrozole-resistant BCa cells. miR-1271 directly targeted the chromatin of DNA damage-inducible transcript 3 (DDIT3) gene. miR-1271 expression level was inversely correlated to DDIT3 mRNA level in BCa biopsies. Form a mechanistic standpoint, reintroduction of exogenous miR-1271 could effectively restore ERα level via inhibiting DDIT3 expression, thereby potentiating letrozole sensitivity in BCa cells. Moreover, DDIT3 deregulation promoted letrozole-resistance by acting as a potent corepressor of ESR1 transcription. Taken together, we have identified that disruption of the miR-1271/DDIT3/ERα cascade plays a causative role in the pathogenesis of letrozole resistance in BCa.

The BET-Bromodomain Inhibitor JQ1 synergized ABT-263 against colorectal cancer cells through suppressing c-Myc-induced miR-1271-5p expression

Colorectal cancer (CRC) cells undergo apoptosis in the presence of the small-molecule inhibitor ABT-263 by up-regulating antiapoptotic Bcl-2 family members. However, the resistance to ABT-263 gradually developed in most solid tumors due to its low affinity to Mcl-1. Here, we found the BET-Bromodomain inhibitor JQ1, when combined with ABT-263, synergistically reduced Mcl-1 protein level, induced apoptosis, and decreased cell viability in the CRC HCT-15, HT-29 and SW620 cells. The subsequent mechanism study revealed that a pathway of c-Myc/miR-1271-5p/Noxa/Mcl-1 underlies the synergistic effect of such combination treatment. We discovered that miR-1271-5p, the key mediator for the synergistic effect, is transcriptionally activated by c-Myc, and binds to the 3'-UTR of noxa to inhibit its protein production. The combination treatment of JQ1 and ABT-263 inhibited c-Myc protein level and also c-Myc-driven expression of miR-1271-5p, subsequently increased the protein level of Noxa, and finally promotes the degradation of Mcl-1. Our findings provide an alternative strategy to resolve the resistance during treatment of CRC by JQ1, and also discovered a novel miR-1271-5p-dependent regulatory mechanism for gene expression of noxa.

Depletion of HOXA5 inhibits the osteogenic differentiation and proliferation potential of stem cells from the apical papilla

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a prospective cell source for tissue regeneration due to their self-renewal abilities and potential to differentiate into different cell lineages, but the molecular mechanisms of the directed differentiation and proliferation are still unknown. Recently, multiple studies have indicated the crucial role of HOX genes in MSC differentiation and proliferation. However, the role of HOXA5 in MSCs remains unknown. Here, we investigated HOXA5 function in stem cells from the apical papilla (SCAPs). After HOXA5 depletion, the results showed a significant decrease in ALP activity and a weakened mineralization ability of SCAPs. The real-time RT-PCR results showed prominently lessened expression of OPN and BSP. The CCK8 and CFSE results displayed inhibited proliferation of SCAPs, and flow cytometry assays revealed arrested cell cycle progression at the S phase. Furthermore, we found that depletion of HOXA5 upregulated p16^INK4A and p18^INK4C and downregulated the Cyclin A. Our research demonstrated that depletion of HOXA5 inhibited osteogenic differentiation and repressed cell proliferation by arresting cell cycle progression at the S phase via p16^INK4A , p18^INK4C , and Cyclin A in SCAPs, indicating that HOXA5 has a significant role in maintaining the proliferation and differentiation potential of dental-tissue-derived MSCs.

miRNA‑1271 inhibits cell proliferation in neuroglioma by targeting fibronectin 1

miR-1271 is a multifunctional post-translational modulator, which is involved in several diseases. However, the association between microRNA (miR)-1271 and fibronectin 1 (FN1) remains to be fully elucidated in neuroglioma. In the present study, it was hypothesized that a post-translational mechanism of miR-1271 regulates the expression of FN1 in the progression of neuroglioma. The present study aimed to investigate the clinical significance and underlying molecular mechanisms of miRNA-1271 in the development of glioma. The miR-1271 levels in glioma tissues and cell lines were assessed using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). miR-1271 mimics and inhibitors were transfected to gain or loss of miR-1271 function. Cell proliferation was analyzed by using an MTT assay. The targeted genes were predicted by a bioinformatics algorithm and confirmed by a dual luciferase reporter assay. The mRNA and protein levels were assessed by RT-qPCR and western blotting. The results showed that miR-1271 was downregulated in glioma tumor tissues and cell lines. In addition, it was demonstrated that low levels of miR-1271 in patients with glioma were correlated with low survival rate. In vitro, the cell viability was significantly suppressed following transfection with miRNA-1271 mimics and increased following transfection with the miRNA-1271 inhibitor. The miRNA-1271 mimics induced cell apoptosis and the miRNA-1271 inhibitor suppressed cell apoptosis in H4 and U251 cell lines. Furthermore, the 3′-untranslated region of FN1 was bound by miR-1271. Therefore, it was concluded that miR-1271 inhibited glioma cell growth by targeting FN1, and a low level of miR-1271 in glioma tumor tissues was associated with lower survival rates in patients with glioma.

HOXA5 and p53 cooperate to suppress lung cancer cell invasion and serve as good prognostic factors in non-small cell lung cancer

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide and tumor metastasis is the major cause of cancer-related death. Our previous study suggested that Homeobox A5 (HOXA5) could inhibit lung cancer cell invasion via regulating cytoskeletal remodeling and involved in tumor metastasis. Recently, consensus HOX binding sites was found in the p53 gene promoter region. However, whether the HOXA5 could cooperate with p53 and contribute the inhibition of lung cancer cell invasion is still unclear. The aim of the current study is to elucidate the correlation of HOXA5 and p53 in tumor invasion and its prognostic influence in lung cancer patient specimens. Totally 71 cases of primary non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were collected. The median follow-up period is 6.8 years. Immunohistochemical stain for p53 and HOXA5 were performed. Kaplan-Meier plot was done for overall survival analysis. In addition, lung cancer cell lines transfected with wild-type or mutated p53 constructs were overexpressed with HOXA5 for invasion assay. In human specimens, HOXA5 expressed mainly in the cytoplasm (54.1%) rather than nuclei (14.6%) of the NSCLC tumor part. The HOXA5 expression is higher in adenocarcinoma than in squamous cell carcinoma (P < 0.001). In addition, poor prognosis is seen in group with both non-immunoreactive for p53 and HOXA5. HOXA5 and p53 could cooperate to inhibit tumor cell invasion significantly partly by decreasing MMP2 activity in a concentration-dependent manner. Our studies provide new insights into how HOXA5 and p53 cooperate to contribute to the suppression of lung cancer cell invasion and play good prognostic roles in NSCLC.

Long non-coding RNA 00312 regulated by HOXA5 inhibits tumour proliferation and promotes apoptosis in Non-small cell lung cancer

Non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most prevalent type of lung cancer. The abnormal expression of many long non‐coding RNAs (lncRNAs) has been reported involved in the progression of various tumours, which can be used as diagnostic indicators or antitumour targets. Here, we found that the long non‐coding RNA 00312 was down‐regulated in paired NSCLC tissues and correlated with poor clinical outcome; decreased linc00312 expression in NSCLC was associated with larger and later stage tumours. Functional experiments showed that linc00312 could inhibit cell proliferation and promote apoptosis in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, we found that HOXA5 could bind in the promoter of linc00312 and up‐regulated the expression of it. Moreover, linc00312 was down‐regulated in the plasma of NSCLC patients compared with that of healthy volunteers or other pulmonary diseases patients. Taken together, our findings indicated that linc00312 could be a novel diagnosis biomarker and a promising therapeutic target for NSCLC.

Foxk2 inhibits non-small cell lung cancer epithelial-mesenchymal transition and proliferation through the repression of different key target genes

Increasing evidence suggests that numerous fork-head transcription factors are required to repress the mammalian cells phenotype. Among them, Foxk2 is a ubiquitously expressed family member, but the role of Foxk2 in mediating tumor metastasis in non-small cell lung cancer has not been explored. In this investigation reduced Foxk2 expression was found in lung adenocarcinoma tissues compared with the adjacent non-tumor tissues, and was associated with better overall survival. Low expression was also found in the NSCLC cell lines such as A549, NCI-H520, H1299, H358 and H460 cells. Recombinant lentivirus expressing Foxk2 constructs or ShFoxk2 were developed and transfected into A549 cells or NCI-H520 cells, immunofluorescence assay, qRT-PCR, and western blot analysis were used to measure the change of the epithelial markers, E-cadherin and α-catenin, and mesenchymal markers N-cadherin and vimentin. Wound healing assay and Transwell assay were used to measure the relative cell invasion ability. MTT assay, Edu assay, and cell cycle distribution analysis were used to confirm the effect of Foxk2 on cell proliferation. ChIP-seq, qChIP, as well as luciferase reporter gene assays were used to detect the target genes regulated by Foxk2, Bioinformatics predicated the potential miRNAs that could target Foxk2. Our study demonstrated that Foxk2 played major roles in NSCLC EMT by directly targeting N-cadherin and Snail, we found that Foxk2 regulated NSCLC cell growth by suppressing the expression of cyclin D1 and CDK4, which suggested that Foxk2 might be a multifunctional regulator in NSCLC. The expression of Foxk2 may be regulated by miR-1271, which could serve as a promising therapeutic target for NSCLC.

Inhibition of DIXDC1 by microRNA-1271 suppresses the proliferation and invasion of prostate cancer cells

Disheveled-Axin domain containing 1 (DIXDC1) is involved in the development and progression of multiple cancers. However, the function significance of DIXDC1 in prostate cancer remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the function of DIXDC1 in prostate cancer and the regulation of DIXDC1 by microRNAs (miRNAs). We found that DIXDC1 was highly expressed in prostate cancer cells. Knockdown of DIXDC1 by small interfering RNAs markedly suppressed proliferation, invasion and Wnt signaling in prostate cancer cells. DIXDC1 was identified as a target gene of miR-1271 by bioinformatics analysis, dual-luciferase reporter assay, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis. Furthermore, DIXDC1 expression was inversely correlated with miR-1271 expression in prostate cancer tissues. The overexpression of miR-1271 significantly inhibited proliferation, invasion and Wnt signaling in prostate cancer cells. However, the inhibition of miR-1271 exhibits the opposite effects. Moreover, the overexpression of DIXDC1 significantly reversed the inhibitory effects of miR-1271 overexpression. Taken together, our results suggest that DIXDC1 plays an important role in regulating prostate cancer cell proliferation and invasion. Targeting DIXDC1 by miR-1271 may be a promising therapeutic strategy for prostate cancer.

Hoxa5: A Key Player in Development and Disease

A critical position in the developmental hierarchy is occupied by the Hox genes, which encode transcription factors. Hox genes are crucial in specifying regional identity along the embryonic axes and in regulating morphogenesis. In mouse, targeted mutations of Hox genes cause skeletal transformations and organ defects that can impair viability. Here, we present the current knowledge about the Hoxa5 gene, a paradigm for the function and the regulation of Hox genes. The phenotypic survey of Hoxa5-/- mice has unveiled its critical role in the regional specification of the skeleton and in organogenesis. Most Hoxa5-/- mice die at birth from respiratory distress due to tracheal and lung dysmorphogenesis and impaired diaphragm innervation. The severity of the phenotype establishes that Hoxa5 plays a predominant role in lung organogenesis versus other Hox genes. Hoxa5 also governs digestive tract morphogenesis, thyroid and mammary glands development, and ovary homeostasis. Deregulated Hoxa5 expression is reported in cancers, indicating Hoxa5 involvement in tumor predisposition and progression. The dynamic Hoxa5 expression profile is under the transcriptional control of multiple cis-acting sequences and trans-acting regulators. It is also modulated by epigenetic mechanisms, implicating chromatin modifications and microRNAs. Finally, lncRNAs originating from alternative splicing and distal promoters encompass the Hoxa5 locus.

Tumor Suppressor Role of miR-363-3p in Gastric Cancer

Background

Gastric cancer (GC) is the most common cancer in the world. Despite the advancement of the treatment of GC, the 5-year overall survival rate is still very low. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in the pathogenesis of GC. A recent study suggested that miR-363-3p plays a role in the development of GC. However, the function of miR-363-3p in GC is not fully understood.

Material/Methods

The network of NOTCH1 and the involved molecules was constructed by use of Cytoscape software. MiR-363-3p levels in GC tissues and cells were tested by qRT-PCR. Cells were miR-363-3p mimics or anti-miR-363-3p transfected by Lipofectamine. Bioinformatics algorithms from TargetScanHuman were used to predict the target genes of miR-363-3p. The NOTCH1 protein level was tested by Western blot. The interaction between miR-363-3p and NOTCH1 was confirmed by dual luciferase assays.

Results

MiR-363-3p showed low levels in GC tissues and cells. Enforced expression of miR-363-3p inhibited cell growth and migration of GC cells and vice versa. NOTCH1 is the targeted gene of miR-363-3p.

Conclusions

MiR-363-3p plays a tumor suppressor role in GC.

microRNA and Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide. microRNAs (miRNAs) have been established as players with a relevant role in lung cancer development, epithelial-mesenchymal transition and response to therapy. Additionally, in the last decade, miRNAs, measured in resected tumor samples or in fine-needle aspirate samples have emerged as compelling biomarkers for tumor diagnosis, prognosis, and prediction of response to treatment, due to the ease of their detection and in their extreme specificity. Moreover, miRNAs present in sputum, in plasma, in serum or in whole-blood have increasingly been explored in the last 5 years as less invasive biomarkers for the early detection of cancers.