MicroRNA-26b suppresses the metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer by targeting MIEN1 via NF-κB/MMP-9/VEGF pathways

Wedelolactone suppresses breast cancer growth and metastasis via regulating TGF-β1/Smad signaling pathway

OBJECTIVE

Breast cancer is a malignant tumor with high invasion and metastasis. TGF-β1-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is crucially involved in the growth and metastasis of breast cancer. Wedelolactone (Wed) is extracted from herbal medicine Ecliptae Herba, which is reported to have antineoplastic activity. Here, we aimed to elucidate the efficacy and mechanism of Wed against breast cancer.

METHODS

The effects of Wed on migration and invasion of 4T1 were detected. The expression of EMT-related markers was detected by Western blot and qPCR. The 4T1 orthotopic murine breast cancer model was established to evaluate the therapeutic effect of Wed on the growth and metastasis of breast cancer through TGF-β1/Smad pathway.

RESULTS

Wed inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of 4T1. It exhibited concentration-dependent inhibition of p-Smad2/3. Wed also reversed the expression of EMT-markers induced by TGF-β1. In addition, Wed suppressed the growth and metastasis of breast cancer in mice. It also affected p-Smad3 expression as well as EMT-related genes, suggesting that its anti-breast cancer effect may be related to the TGF-β1/Smad pathway.

CONCLUSION

Wed reverses EMT by regulating TGF-β1/Smad pathway, potentially serving as a therapeutic agent for breast cancer. Wed is expected to be a potential drug to inhibit TGF-β1/Smad pathway-related diseases.

Molecular detection of exosomal miRNAs of blood serum for prognosis of colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer affecting people. The discovery of new, non-invasive, specific, and sensitive molecular biomarkers for CRC may assist in the diagnosis and support therapeutic decision making. Exosomal miRNAs have been demonstrated in carcinogenesis and CRC development, which makes these miRNAs strong biomarkers for CRC. Deep sequencing allows a robust high-throughput informatics investigation of the types and abundance of exosomal miRNAs. Thus, exosomal miRNAs can be efficiently examined as diagnostic biomarkers for disease screening. In the present study, a number of 660 mature miRNAs were detected in patients diagnosed with CRC at different stages. Of which, 29 miRNAs were differentially expressed in CRC patients compared with healthy controls. Twenty-nine miRNAs with high abundance levels were further selected for subsequent analysis. These miRNAs were either highly up-regulated (e.g., let-7a-5p, let-7c-5p, let-7f-5p, let-7d-3p, miR-423-5p, miR-3184-5p, and miR-584) or down-regulated (e.g., miR-30a-5p, miR-99-5p, miR-150-5p, miR-26-5p and miR-204-5p). These miRNAs influence critical genes in CRC, leading to either tumor growth or suppression. Most of the reported diagnostic exosomal miRNAs were shown to be circulating in blood serum. The latter is a novel miRNA that was found in exosomal profile of blood serum. Some of the predicted target genes of highly expressed miRNAs participate in several cancer pathways, including CRC pathway. These target genes include tumor suppressor genes, oncogenes and DNA repair genes. Main focus was given to multiple critical signaling cross-talking pathways including transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) signaling pathways that are directly linked to CRC. In conclusion, we recommend further analysis in order to experimentally confirm exact relationships between selected differentially expressed miRNAs and their predicted target genes and downstream functional consequences.

Short peptides based on the conserved regions of MIEN1 protein exhibit anticancer activity by targeting the MIEN1 signaling pathway

Migration and invasion enhancer 1 (MIEN1) overexpression characterizes several cancers and facilitates cancer cell migration and invasion. Leveraging conserved immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif and prenylation motifs within MIEN1, we identified potent anticancer peptides. Among them, bioactive peptides LA3IK and RP-7 induced pronounced transcriptomic and protein expression changes at sub-IC50 concentrations. The peptides effectively inhibited genes and proteins driving cancer cell migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition pathways, concurrently suppressing epidermal growth factor-induced nuclear factor kappa B nuclear translocation in metastatic breast cancer cells. Specifically, peptides targeted the same signal transduction pathway initiated by MIEN1. Molecular docking and CD spectra indicated the formation of MIEN1-peptide complexes. The third-positioned isoleucine in LA3IK and CVIL motif in RP-7 were crucial for inhibiting breast cancer cell migration. This is evident from the limited migration inhibition observed when MDA-MB-231 cells were treated with scrambled peptides LA3IK SCR and RP-7 SCR. Additionally, LA3IK and RP-7 effectively suppressed tumor growth in an orthotopic breast cancer model. Notably, mice tolerated high intraperitoneal (ip) peptide doses of 90 mg/Kg well, surpassing significantly lower doses of 5 mg/Kg intravenously (iv) and 30 mg/Kg intraperitoneally (ip) used in both in vivo pharmacokinetic studies and orthotopic mouse model assays. D-isomers of LA3IK and RP-7 showed enhanced anticancer activity compared to their L-isomers. D-LA3IK remained stable in mouse plasma for 24 h with 75% remaining, exhibiting superior pharmacokinetic properties over D/L-RP-7. In summary, our findings mark the first report of short peptides based on MIEN1 protein sequence capable of inhibiting cancer signaling pathways, effectively impeding cancer progression both in vitro and in vivo.

ZLDI-8 suppresses angiogenesis and vasculogenic mimicry in drug-resistant NSCLC in vitro and in vivo

AIMS

The chemotherapy drugs for NSCLC often face the consequences of treatment failure due to acquired drug resistance. Tumor chemotherapy resistance is often accompanied by angiogenesis. Here, we aimed to investigate the effect and underlying mechanisms of ADAM-17 inhibitor ZLDI-8 we found before on angiogenesis and vasculogenic mimicry(VM) in drug-resistant NSCLC.

MAIN METHODS

The tube formation assay was used to evaluate angiogenesis and VM. Migration and invasion were assessed with transwell assays in the co-culture condition. To explore the underlying mechanisms of how ZLDI-8 inhibited tubes formation, ELISA assay and western blot assay were preformed. The effects of ZLDI-8 on angiogenesis in vivo were investigated in Matrigel plug, CAM and Rat aortic ring assays.

KEY FINDINGS

In the present study, ZLDI-8 significantly inhibited the tube formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in either normal medium or in tumor supernatants. Furthermore, ZLDI-8 also inhibited VM tubes formation of A549/Taxol cells. In the co-culture assay, the interaction between lung cancer cells and HUVECs promotes increased cell migration and invasion, while ZLDI-8 eliminates this promotion. Moreover, the VEGF secretion were decreased by ZLDI-8 and the expression of Notch1, Dll4, HIF1α and VEGF were inhibited by ZLDI-8. In addition, ZLDI-8 can inhibit blood vessel formation in the Matrigel plug, CAM and Rat aortic ring assays.

SIGNIFICANCE

ZLDI-8 inhibits angiogenesis and VM in drug-resistant NSCLC through suppressing Notch1-HIF1α-VEGF signaling pathway. This study lays the foundation for the discovery of drugs that inhibit angiogenesis and VM in drug resistant NSCLC.

HRD1 Promotes Non-small Cell Lung Carcinoma Metastasis by Blocking Autophagy-mediated MIEN1 Degradation

Dysregulation of autophagy has been implicated in the development of many diseases, including cancer. Here, we revealed a novel function of the E3 ubiquitin ligase HRD1 in non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) metastasis by regulating autophagy. Mechanistically, HRD1 inhibits autophagy by promoting ATG3 ubiquitination and degradation. Additionally, a pro-migratory and invasive factor, MIEN1 (migration and invasion enhancer 1), was found to be autophagically degraded upon HRD1 deficiency. Importantly, both HRD1 and MIEN1 expression are upregulated and positively correlated in lung tumors. Based on these results, we proposed a novel mechanism of HRD1 function that the degradation of ATG3 protein by HRD1 leads to autophagy inhibition and MIEN1 release, thus promoting NSCLC metastasis. Therefore, our findings provided new insights into the role of HRD1 in NSCLC metastasis and new therapeutic targets for lung cancer treatment.

Associations of selenoprotein expression and gene methylation with the outcome of clear cell renal carcinoma

Selenoproteins are a ubiquitous class of proteins defined by having a selenocysteine amino acid residue. While many of the selenoproteins have been well characterized with important roles in oxidation-reduction reactions and hormone synthesis among others, there exist some whose biological roles are not as well understood as denoted by the "SELENO" root. In this study, we explored associations between the reported RNA levels of "SELENO" proteins and clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), the most common subtype of renal carcinoma in the US. Utilizing The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) alongside other in silico tools, we discovered higher mRNA expression of Selenoprotein I, T, and P was associated with better overall survival outcomes and differential expression of other selenoproteins based on tumor stage. Additionally, we uncovered relative hypomethylation among selenoproteins in primary ccRCC tumor samples compared to normal tissue. Network and enrichment analysis showed numerous genes through which selenoproteins may modulate cancer progression and outcomes such as DERL1, PNPLA2/3, MIEN1, and FOXO1 which have been well-described in other cancers. In light of our findings highlighting an association of selenoprotein methylation and expression patterns with ccRCC outcome, further wet lab research is warranted.

ZDQ-0620, a Novel Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase Inhibitor, Inhibits Colorectal Carcinoma Cell Proliferation and Suppresses Angiogenesis by Attenuating PI3K/AKT/mTOR Pathway

The PI3K/AKT pathway plays a central role in human cancers, aberrant activation of this pathway is associated with tumorigenesis, cancer progression and angiogenesis. Based on the importance of the PI3K/AKT pathway in malignancies, we developed a 4-aminoquinazoline derivative, ZDQ-0620, initially envisioned as a novel pan-PI3K inhibitor. This study aimed to evaluate the potential target of ZDQ-0620 and its anticancer effect in human colorectal carcinoma (CRC). PI3K-kinase activity test showed IC50 of ZDQ-0620 against PI3Ka was 0.5 nM; molecular docking, CETSA assay and western blotting was further performed to predict ZDQ-0620 was a PI3K/AKT pathway inhibitor by targeting PI3K. To identify the effect of ZDQ-0620 on CRC cells, Sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay, flow cytometry, and Cell morphology analysis were conducted. The results showed that ZDQ-0620 inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of CRC cells, induced apoptosis through G0/G1 cell cycle arrest and mitochondrial pathway. Additionally, ZDQ-0620 inhibited the migration and tube formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). In vivo, neovascularization of rat aortic ring and chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) induced by VEGF was diminished when treated with ZDQ-0620. These results indicate that ZDQ-0620 induce apoptosis and anti-angiogenesis via inhibits the PI3K/AKT pathway. We suggest that the great potential of ZDQ-0620 as an effective treatment candidate against CRC.

Identification of Prognostic Gene Biomarkers in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Progression by Integrated Bioinformatics Analysis

The progression of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is linked to epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a biologic process that enables tumor cells to acquire a migratory phenotype and resistance to chemo- and immunotherapies. Discovery of novel biomarkers in NSCLC progression is essential for improved prognosis and pharmacological interventions. In the current study, we performed an integrated bioinformatics analysis on gene expression datasets of TGF-β-induced EMT in NSCLC cells to identify novel gene biomarkers and elucidate their regulation in NSCLC progression. The gene expression datasets were extracted from the NCBI Gene Expression Omnibus repository, and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between TGF-β-treated and untreated NSCLC cells were retrieved. A protein-protein interaction network was constructed and hub genes were identified. Functional and pathway enrichment analyses were conducted on module DEGs, and a correlation between the expression levels of module genes and survival of NSCLC patients was evaluated. Prediction of interactions of the biomarker genes with transcription factors and miRNAs was also carried out. We described four protein clusters in which DEGs were associated with ubiquitination (Module 1), regulation of cell death and cell adhesions (Module 2), oxidation-reduction reactions of aerobic respiration (Module 3) and mitochondrial translation (Module 4). From the module genes, we identified ten prognostic gene biomarkers in NSCLC. Low expression levels of KCTD6, KBTBD7, LMO7, SPSB2, RNF19A, FOXA2, DHTKD1, CDH1 and PDHB and high expression level of KLHL25 were associated with reduced overall survival of NSCLC patients. Most of these biomarker genes were involved in protein ubiquitination. The regulatory network of the gene biomarkers revealed their interaction with tumor suppressor miRNAs and transcription factors involved in the mechanisms of cancer progression. This ten-gene prognostic signature can be useful to improve risk prediction and therapeutic strategies in NSCLC. Our analysis also highlights the importance of deregulation of ubiquitination in EMT-associated NSCLC progression.

The effects of miR-26b-5p on fibroblast-like synovial cells in rheumatoid arthritis (RA-FLS) via targeting EZH2

OBJECTIVE

To study the possible effects of miR-26b-5p on fibroblast-like synovial cells in rheumatoid arthritis (RA-FLS) through targeting enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2).

METHODS

Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to detect miR-26b-5p and EZH2 expressions in synovial tissues of RA patients and healthy controls. Dual luciferase reporter assay was adopted to verify the targeting relationship between miR-26b-5p and EZH2. RA-FLS was divided into Blank, mimics NC, mimics, NC siRNA, EZH2 siRNA and inhibitors + EZH2 siRNA groups, followed by the assessment of proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion. The expression of genes and proteins in RA-FLS was tested by qRT-PCR and western blotting, respectively.

RESULTS

MiR-26b-5p expression was lower, while EZH2 expression was higher in synovial tissue of RA patients than healthy controls; and miR-26b-5p was negatively correlated with the EZH2 in synovial tissue of RA patients, which were both related with disease activities. MiR-26b-5p can target EZH2 in RA-FLS. In vitro, miR-26b-5p mimics down-regulated EZH2 expression in RA-FLS. Compared with EZH2 siRNA group, the miR-26b-5p expression in inhibitors + EZH2 siRNA group was reduced, but EZH2 expression was increased. EZH2 siRNA inhibited the proliferation, invasion and migration of RA-FLS, promoted cell apoptosis, and inhibited the expression of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-17, MMP-2, MMP-9, which were reversed by miR-26b-5p inhibitor.

CONCLUSION

MiR-26b-5p may affect the biological characteristics of RA-FLS via targeting EZH2, including proliferation, apoptosis, invasion and migration, as well as the secretion of cytokines, thus playing a potential therapeutic role in RA.

Interference of long non-coding RNA HAGLROS inhibits the proliferation and promotes the apoptosis of ovarian cancer cells by targeting miR-26b-5p

Ovarian cancer (OV) is the fifth most common type of cancer affecting women worldwide. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) serve essential roles in the progression of OV. As such, the present study aimed to investigate the specific role of HAGLR opposite strand lncRNA (HAGLROS) in OV and the underlying mechanism of action through which HAGLROS exerts its effects on OV cells. In the present study, the expression of HAGLROS in several OV cell lines was first detected using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR. HAGLROS was then silenced to evaluate cell viability, proliferation and apoptosis, which were determined using Cell Counting Kit-8, colony formation and TUNEL assays, respectively. Additionally, immunofluorescence staining and western blotting were used to confirm the expression profile of proliferation- and apoptosis-related proteins. Moreover, a dual luciferase reporter assay was used to verify the potential interactions between HAGLROS and microRNA (miR)-26b-5p. Subsequently, rescue assays were performed to investigate the effects of HAGLROS and miR-26b-5p on OV progression. The results indicated that HAGLROS was highly expressed in OV cells. Interference of HAGLROS led to a decrease in the proliferation, but an increase in the apoptosis of OV cells, accompanied by downregulated expression levels of Ki67 and Bcl-2, and upregulated expression levels of Bax and cleaved caspase-3. Further study revealed that HAGLROS acted as a sponge for miR-26b-5p and positively regulated its expression. miR-26b-5p inhibitor transfection partially reversed the effects of HAGLROS knockdown on the proliferation and apoptosis of OV cells. In conclusion, the results of the present study suggested that interference of HAGLROS suppressed the proliferation and promoted the apoptosis of OV cells through regulating miR-26b-5p, indicating that HAGLROS may be a promising biomarker in OV diagnosis and treatment.

Anti-angiogenesis and anti-metastasis effects of Polyphyllin VII on Hepatocellular carcinoma cells in vitro and in vivo

Background

Polyphyllin VII (PP7), a steroidal saponin from P. polyphylla has been found to exert strong anticancer activity. Little is known about the anti-angiogenesis and anti-metastasis properties of PP7. In this study, the anti-angiogenic and anti-metastatic effects of PP7 on HCC and the molecular mechanisms were evaluated.

Methods

Effect of PP7 on angiogenesis was assessed by tube formation assay and applied a transgenic Tg(fli1:EGFP) zebrafish model. Effects of PP7 on tumor metastasis and invasion were examined in cell migration and invasion assay, zebrafish tumor xenograft models and lung metastasis mouse models. The protein levels were examined by Western blotting.

Results

PP7 significantly decreased the tube formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells, the number and length of ISVs and SIVs of transgenic zebrafish, and the metastasis and invasion of cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. The anti-angiogenic and anti-metastatic effects of PP7 in HepG2 cells were attributable, at least partially, to downregulated NF-κB/MMP-9/VEGF signaling pathway.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates that PP7 possesses strong anti-angiogenesis and anti-metastasis activities, suggesting that PP7 could be a potential candidate agent for HCC treatment.

MSC-derived exosomes carrying a cocktail of exogenous interfering RNAs an unprecedented therapy in era of COVID-19 outbreak

BACKGROUND

The onset of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has resulted in ever-increasing casualties worldwide, and after 15 months, standard therapeutic regimens are yet to be discovered.

MAIN BODY

Due to the regenerative and immunomodulatory function of MSCs, they can serve as a suitable therapeutic option in alleviating major COVID-19 complications like acute respiratory distress syndrome. However, the superior properties of their cognate exosomes as a cell-free product make them preferable in the clinic. Herein, we discuss the current clinical status of these novel therapeutic strategies in COVID-19 treatment. We then delve into the potential of interfering RNAs incorporation as COVID-19 gene therapy and introduce targets involved in SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis. Further, we present miRNAs and siRNAs candidates with promising results in targeting the mentioned targets.

CONCLUSION

Finally, we present a therapeutic platform of mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes equipped with exogenous iRNAs, that can be employed as a novel therapeutic modality in COVID-19 management aiming to prevent further viral spread within the lung, hinder the virus life cycle and pathogenesis such as immune suppression, and ultimately, enhance the antiviral immune response.

KRT8 and KRT19, associated with EMT, are hypomethylated and overexpressed in lung adenocarcinoma and link to unfavorable prognosis

Background: Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the most common histological type of lung cancer. To date, the prognosis of patients with LUAD remains dismal. Methods: Three datasets were downloaded from the GEO database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were obtained. FunRich was used to perform pathway enrichment analysis. Protein–protein interaction (PPI) networks were established and hub genes were obtained by Cytoscape software. GEPIA was utilized to conduct correlation and survival analysis. Upstream miRNAs of DEGs were predicted via miRNet database, and methylation status of promoters of DEGs was determined through UALCAN database. Results: A total of 375 DEGs, including 105 and 270 up-regulated and down-regulated genes in LUAD, were commonly appeared in three datasets. These DEGs were significantly enriched in mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition (MET) and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). About 8 up-regulated and 5 down-regulated DEGs were commonly appeared in EMT/MET-related gene set and the top 50 hub gene set. Among the 13 genes, increased expression of KRT8 and KRT19 indicated unfavorable prognosis whereas high expression of DCN and CXCL12 suggested favorable prognosis in LUAD. Correlation analysis showed that KRT8 (DCN) expression was linked to KRT19 (CXCL12) expression. Further analysis displayed that KRT8 and KRT19 could jointly forecast poor prognosis in LUAD. About 42 and 2 potential miRNAs were predicted to target KRT8 and KRT19, respectively. Moreover, methylation level analysis demonstrated that KRT8 and KRT19 were significantly hypomethylated in LUAD compared with normal controls. Conclusions: All these findings suggest that KRT8 and KRT19 are hypomethylated and overexpressed in LUAD and associated with unfavorable prognosis.

Exploring Volatile Organic Compounds in Breath for High-Accuracy Prediction of Lung Cancer

(1) Background: Lung cancer is silent in its early stages and fatal in its advanced stages. The current examinations for lung cancer are usually based on imaging. Conventional chest X-rays lack accuracy, and chest computed tomography (CT) is associated with radiation exposure and cost, limiting screening effectiveness. Breathomics, a noninvasive strategy, has recently been studied extensively. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) derived from human breath can reflect metabolic changes caused by diseases and possibly serve as biomarkers of lung cancer. (2) Methods: The selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS) technique was used to quantitatively analyze 116 VOCs in breath samples from 148 patients with histologically confirmed lung cancers and 168 healthy volunteers. We used eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), a machine learning method, to build a model for predicting lung cancer occurrence based on quantitative VOC measurements. (3) Results: The proposed prediction model achieved better performance than other previous approaches, with an accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve (AUC) of 0.89, 0.82, 0.94, and 0.95, respectively. When we further adjusted the confounding effect of environmental VOCs on the relationship between participants' exhaled VOCs and lung cancer occurrence, our model was improved to reach 0.92 accuracy, 0.96 sensitivity, 0.88 specificity, and 0.98 AUC. (4) Conclusion: A quantitative VOCs databank integrated with the application of an XGBoost classifier provides a persuasive platform for lung cancer prediction.

MicroRNA-1911-3p targets mEAK-7 to suppress mTOR signaling in human lung cancer cells

Regulation of mTOR signaling depends on an intricate interplay of post-translational protein modification. Recently, mEAK-7 (mTOR associated protein, eak-7 homolog) was identified as a positive activator of mTOR signaling via an alternative mTOR complex. However, the upstream regulation of mEAK-7 in human cells is not known. Because microRNAs are capable of modulating protein translation of RNA in eukaryotes, we conducted a bioinformatic search for relevant mEAK-7 targeting microRNAs using the Exiqon miRSearch V3.0 algorithm. Based on the score obtained through miRSearch V3.0, the top predicted miRNA (miR-1911-3p) was studied. miR-1911-3p mimics decreased protein levels of both mEAK-7 and mTORC1 downstream effectors p-S6 and p-4E-BP1 in non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) cell lines H1975 and H1299. miR-1911-3p levels and MEAK7 mRNA/mEAK-7/mTOR signaling levels were negatively correlated between normal lung and NSCLC cells. miR-1911-3p directly interacted with MEAK7 mRNA at the 3′-UTR to negatively regulate mEAK-7 and significantly decreased mTOR localization to the lysosome. Furthermore, miR-1911-3p significantly decreased cell proliferation and migration in both H1975 and H1299 cells. Thus, miR-1911-3p functions as a suppressor of mTOR signaling through the regulation of MEAK7 mRNA translation in human cancer cells.

MiR-124-5p Inhibits the Progression of Gastric Cancer by Targeting MIEN1

Objective:

To observe the effect of miR-124-5p on progression of gastric cancer (GC) and explore the targeting mechanism.

Methods:

After collecting the specimens, we used real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR to detect the miR-124-5p level of GC tissue and corresponding adjacent tissue. Then MTT test and scratch wound-healing assay were hired to evaluate the influence of miR-124-5p in GC cell (SGC-803 and SGC7901) migration and proliferation ability. The binding of miR-124-5p to migration and invasion enhancer 1 (MIEN1) was detected through dual luciferase reporter gene experiment and western blot was utilized to assay the protein level of MIEN1.

Results:

Compared with adjacent tissues, miR-124-5p level in GC tissues was lower significantly. MiR-124-5p mimic inhibited the metastasis and proliferation ability of SGC7901 cells and miR-124-5p inhibitor promoted the migration and proliferation ability of SGC803 cells. In addition, miR-124-5p targeted MIEN1 and negatively modulated the MIEN1 expression in SGC-803 and SGC7901 cells. Silencing MIEN1 negatively regulated the metastasis and proliferation ability of SGC7901 cells.

Conclusion:

MiR-124-5p inhibited the GC cell proliferation and metastasis phenotypes through MIEN1, which probably becomes a novel molecular target for clinical GC treatment.

Emerging non-invasive detection methodologies for lung cancer

The potential for non-invasive lung cancer (LC) diagnosis based on molecular, cellular and volatile biomarkers has been attracting increasing attention, with the development of advanced techniques and methodologies. It is standard practice to tailor the treatments of LC for certain specific genetic alterations, including the epidermal growth factor receptor, anaplastic lymphoma kinase and BRAF genes. Despite these advances, little is known about the internal mechanisms of different types of biomarkers and the involvement of their related biochemical pathways during the development of LC. The development of faster and more effective techniques is essential for the identification of different biomarkers. The present review summarizes some of the latest methods used for detecting molecular, cellular and volatile biomarkers in LC and their potential use in clinical diagnosis and targeted therapy.

PDCD4 suppresses proliferation, migration, and invasion of endometrial cells by inhibiting autophagy and NF-κB/MMP2/MMP9 signal pathway

Endometriosis (EM) is a kind of estrogen-dependent disease in reproductive-age women. Ovarian EM is the most common type. Although EM is a benign disease, it shares many similar features with cancers. Programmed cell death 4 (PDCD4), a newly identified tumor suppressor, plays an important role in inhibiting tumorigenesis and tumor progression at the transcriptional and translational levels. To explore the roles of PDCD4 in EM, we detected the expression of PDCD4 in control endometrium and eutopic/ectopic endometrium of ovarian EM patients, and analyzed the effects of PDCD4 on the biological behaviors of endometrial cell lines and primary endometrial cells. The results demonstrated that PDCD4 was downregulated in eutopic and ectopic endometrium of EM patients compared with control endometrium. PDCD4 effectively inhibited the proliferation and colony-forming ability of endometrial cells maybe by inhibiting cell autophagy. In addition, PDCD4 also suppressed the migration and invasion ability of endometrial cells, the mechanism may be related to NF-κB/MMP2/MMP9 signal pathway. Taken together, these results suggest that PDCD4 could be involved in the pathogenesis of EM, and provide a novel approach to target the aberrant PDCD4 expression in EM.

Migration and Invasion Enhancer 1 Is an NF-ĸB-Inducing Gene Enhancing the Cell Proliferation and Invasion Ability of Human Prostate Carcinoma Cells In Vitro and In Vivo

Migration and invasion enhancer 1 (MIEN1) is a membrane-anchored protein and exists in various cancerous tissues. However, the roles of MIEN1 in prostate cancer have not yet been clearly addressed. We determined the expression, biological functions, and regulatory mechanisms of MIEN1 in the prostate. The results of immunohistochemical analysis indicated that MIEN1 was expressed specifically in epithelial cells and significantly higher in adenocarcinoma as compared to in normal tissues. MIEN1 enhanced in vitro cell proliferation, invasion, and in vivo tumorigenesis. Meanwhile, MIEN1 attenuated cisplatin-induced apoptosis in PC-3 cells. Overexpression of NF-ĸB-inducing kinase (NIK) enhanced MIEN1 expression, while overexpression of NF-ĸB inhibitor α (IĸBα) blocked MIEN1 expression in PC-3 cells. In prostate carcinoma cells, MIEN1 provoked Akt phosphorylation; moreover, MIEN1 downregulated N-myc downstream regulated 1 (NDRG1) but upregulated interleukin-6 (IL-6) gene expression. MK2206, an Akt inhibitor, impeded the modulation of MIEN1 on NDRG1 and IL-6 expressions. Our studies suggest that MIEN1 is an NF-ĸB downstream oncogene in the human prostate. Accordingly, the modulation of Akt signaling in the gene expressions of NDRG1 and IL-6 may account for the functions of MIEN1 in cell proliferation, invasion, and tumorigenesis in prostate carcinoma cells.

Emerging Role of Migration and Invasion Enhancer 1 (MIEN1) in Cancer Progression and Metastasis

Tumor metastasis is a sequential event accounting for numerous cancer-related fatalities worldwide. The process of metastasis serially involves invasion, intravasation, extravasation, and tumor growth at the secondary site. Migration and invasion enhancer 1 (MIEN1) is a membrane associated protein overexpressed in various human cancers. Biological activity of MIEN1 is driven by geranylgeranyltransferase-I mediated prenylation at CAAX motif and methylation of the prenylated protein that anchors MIEN1 into the cellular membrane. Post-translationally modified MIEN1 interacts with Syk kinase and Annexin A2 protein; polymerizes G-actin and stabilizes F-actin filament; induces focal adhesion kinase phosphorylation and decrease cofilin phosphorylation implicated in both invasion and metastasis of different cancer types. In the present review, we discuss the structure, function, and involvement of MIEN1 in cancer progression. We also highlight the future prospects of MIEN1 as an emerging molecule and novel target in cancer cell invasion and metastasis.

Downregulation of miR-136 promotes the progression of osteosarcoma and is associated with the prognosis of patients with osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common bone tumor in children and young adults, and is an aggressive tumor with poor prognosis. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are aberrantly expressed in various types of cancer, and contribute to cancer tumorigenesis and progression. In the present study, the potential prognostic value and biological function of miRNA-136 (miR-136) in OS was investigated. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis was used to evaluate the expression of miR-136 in OS tissues and cell lines. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox regression analysis were conducted to investigate the prognostic significance of miR-136. Various in vitro cell based assays were used to evaluate the effects of miR-136 on the biological behavior of OS cells. A luciferase assay was performed to determine the key miR-136 targets associated with OS. The expression of miR-136 was significantly downregulated in osteosarcoma tissues and cells compared with the normal controls (all P<0.05). Decreased miR-136 expression was significantly associated with Enneking staging (P=0.030) and distant metastasis (P=0.016). Decreased miR-136 expression in patients was associated with shorter overall survival compared with patients with increased expression levels (log-rank test; P<0.05). The expression of miR-136 was indicated as an independent prognostic factor for the patients (hazard ratio=0.496; 95% confidence interval=0.250-0.987; P=0.046). MTT, transwell and Matrigel assays demonstrated that upregulation of miR-136 decreased proliferation, migration and invasion of OS cells. Bioinformatics and luciferase assays demonstrated that migration and invasion enhancer 1 (MIEN1) is a direct target of miR-136. Together, the results suggested that miR-136 functions as a tumor suppressor gene to regulate proliferation, migration and invasion of OS cells. MIEN1 was a potential target of miR-136. Additionally, miR-136 may serve as a prognostic biomarker for OS.

Expression of miR-26b in ovarian carcinoma tissues and its correlation with clinicopathology

The expression of microRNA (miR)-26b in ovarian carcinoma tissues, its correlation with clinicopathology, and its effect on diagnostic value and prognosis of ovarian cancer was investigated. A total of 74 patients with ovarian cancer (the study group) and 30 patients with benign ovarian tumors (the control group) in the Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University from July 2011 to June 2013 were retrospectively analyzed. The expression of miR-26b in ovarian carcinoma tissues was detected by fluorescence reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), and the correlation between the expression of miR-26b and the pathological features of ovarian carcinoma tissues and prognosis of patients was analyzed. The expression level of miR-26b in the study group (0.28±0.07) was significantly lower than that in the control group (0.54±0.11; P<0.050). There was no significant correlation between miR-26b expression and age, tumor type, exercise habit, smoking habit of patients with ovarian cancer (P>0.050), but there was close correlation between the miR-26b expression and lymph node metastasis, differentiation degree and pathological stage of patients with ovarian cancer (P<0.001). ROC curve showed that the area under curve (AUC) was 0.839, and when the maximum cut-off value was 0.815, the sensitivity and specificity of miR-26b in diagnosing the ovary was 84.932% and 77.936%, respectively. The 5-year overall survival rate in the low-expression group (61.54%) was significantly lower than that in the high-expression group (84.85; P=0.028). miR-26b is under-expressed in the ovary and has a close relationship with pathological stage, differentiation degree, and lymph node metastasis of ovarian cancer, which indicates that miR-26b is involved in the occurrence and development of ovarian cancer and is expected to be an effective indicator for treatment and diagnosis of ovarian cancer and the prognosis of patients.

MicroRNA in lung cancer: role, mechanisms, pathways and therapeutic relevance

Lung cancer is the cardinal cause of cancer-related deaths with restricted recourse of therapy throughout the world. Clinical success of therapies is not very promising due to - late diagnosis, limited therapeutic tools, relapse and the development of drug resistance. Recently, small ∼20-24 nucleotides molecules called microRNAs (miRNAs) have come into the limelight as they play outstanding role in the process of tumorigenesis by regulating cell cycle, metastasis, angiogenesis, metabolism and apoptosis. miRNAs essentially regulate gene expression via post-transcriptional regulation of mRNA. Nevertheless, few studies have conceded the role of miRNAs in activation of gene expression. A large body of data generated by numerous studies is suggestive of their tumor-suppressing, oncogenic, diagnostic and prognostic biomarker roles in lung cancer. They have also been implicated in regulating cancer cell metabolism and resistance or sensitivity towards chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Further, miRNAs have also been convoluted in regulation of immune checkpoints - Programmed death 1 (PD-1) and its ligand (PD-L1). These molecules play a significant role in tumor immune escape leading to the generation of a microenvironment favouring tumor growth and progression. Therefore, it is imperative to explore the expression of miRNA and understand its relevance in lung cancer and development of anti-cancer strategies (anti - miRs, miR mimics and micro RNA sponges). In view of the above, the role of miRNA in lung cancer has been dissected and the associated mechanisms and pathways are discussed in this review.

MicroRNA-26b suppresses tumorigenicity and promotes apoptosis in small cell lung cancer cells by targeting myeloid cell leukemia 1 protein

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of microRNA-26b (miR-26b) in regulating the proliferation, migration, and apoptosis of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) cells. First, we examined the expression level of miR-26b in human normal fetal lung fibroblasts (NFLFs) and three SCLC cell lines NCI-H466, NCI-H1688, and NCI-H196. In the following experiments, the three SCLC cell lines were transfected with miR-26b mimic and inhibitor. Cell growth and survival, as well as migration and invasion capacities were determined by MTT, colony formation, Transwell migration and invasion, and wound healing assays. Cell apoptosis, production of reactive oxygen species, and mitochondrial membrane potential were also measured in the three cell lines following various treatments. As a result, we found that the level of miR-26b was significantly lower in SCLC cells than in NFLFs. Additionally, transfection with miR-26b mimic could inhibit proliferation, colony formation, and migration, as well as induce apoptosis in these SCLC cell lines; while miR-26b inhibitor showed the opposite effects. Further mechanistic experiment revealed that miR-26b could suppress the expression of myeloid cell leukemia 1 protein (Mcl-1) and the 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) of Mcl-1 may be the direct binding site of miR-26b, suggesting that the effect of miR-26b may be mediated by targeting Mcl-1. Collectively, our findings offer a new insight into the role of miR-26b in the pathogenesis of SCLC, and provide primary evidence supporting the potential of miR-26b-based therapy for the treatment of SCLC.

Lentiviral-mediated microRNA-26b up-regulation inhibits proliferation and migration of hepatocellular carcinoma cells

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a frequently occurred malignancy worldwide with a high mortality. The treatment for HCC is still controversial. Emerging evidences have demonstrated that microRNAs (miRs) play a role in HCC. This study aims to investigate the effects of lentiviral-mediated miRNA-26b (miR-26b) on the proliferation and metastasis of HCC cells. The normal hepatic cell line HL-7702 and HCC cell lines HepG2 (without metastatic potential), SMMC-7721 (with low metastatic potential) and MHCC97H (with high metastatic potential) were purchased for our experiment. The lentiviral-mediated miR-26b overexpression (miR-26b-LV) and low expression (sh-miR-26b) were constructed to transfect the cells. The miR-26b expression and expressions of Karyopherin α-2 (KPNA2), matrix metalloproteinase 1 (MMP-1), MMP-7 and MMP-14 were determined by RT-qPCR and western blot analysis. The proliferation and metastasis of transfected HCC cells were detected by MTT and Transwell assay respectively. The miR-26b expressions were decreased significantly in MHCC97H cells. With lentiviral-mediated miR-26b overexpression, the proliferation and migration of HepG2, MHCC97H and SMMC-7721 cells were decreased significantly. The RT-qPCR and western blot analysis results revealed that the mRNA and protein expressions of KPNA2, MMP-1, MMP-7 and MMP-14 were decreased by lentiviral-mediated miR-26b overexpression. All the above indexes in the HepG2, MHCC97H and SMMC-7721 cells treated by sh-miR-26b exhibited opposite trends. These results show that overexpressed miR-26b could inhibit the proliferation and metastasis of HCC cells significantly, which provides a novel target and theoretical foundation for the treatment of HCC.

MicroRNA-154 functions as a tumor suppressor in non-small cell lung cancer through directly targeting B-cell-specific Moloney murine leukemia virus insertion site 1

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-associated mortality in China and worldwide. Increasing numbers of studies have demonstrated that microRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) have vital functions in numerous developmental processes and tumorigenesis. The aim of the present study was to investigate miR-154 expression in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and to explore the roles of miR-154 in the carcinogenesis and progression of this cancer. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was performed to detect miR-154 expression in NSCLC tissues and cell lines. In addition, cell proliferation assay, migration and invasion assays were adopted to investigate the functional roles of miR-154 in NSCLC. Bioinformatics analysis, luciferase reporter assay, RT-qPCR and western blot analysis were used to explore the potential targets of miR-154 in NSCLC. According to the results, miR-154 was significantly downregulated in NSCLC tissues and cell lines. Restoration of miR-154 expression inhibited proliferation, migration and invasion of NSCLC cells. In addition, B-cell-specific Moloney murine leukemia virus insertion site 1 (BMI-1) was identified as a direct target gene of miR-154 in NSCLC. In conclusion, miR-154 may function as a tumor suppressor in NSCLC, partly by regulating BMI-1, and the modulation of miR-154 expression represents a potential strategy for the treatment of NSCLC patients.

Decoding the Emerging Patterns Exhibited in Non-coding RNAs Characteristic of Lung Cancer with Regard to their Clinical Significance

Lung cancer continues to be the leading topic concerning global mortality rate caused by can-cer; it needs to be further investigated to reduce these dramatic unfavorable statistic data. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) have been shown to be important cellular regulatory factors and the alteration of their expression levels has become correlated to extensive number of pathologies. Specifically, their expres-sion profiles are correlated with development and progression of lung cancer, generating great interest for further investigation. This review focuses on the complex role of non-coding RNAs, namely miR-NAs, piwi-interacting RNAs, small nucleolar RNAs, long non-coding RNAs and circular RNAs in the process of developing novel biomarkers for diagnostic and prognostic factors that can then be utilized for personalized therapies toward this devastating disease. To support the concept of personalized medi-cine, we will focus on the roles of miRNAs in lung cancer tumorigenesis, their use as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers and their application for patient therapy.

Blood and lung microRNAs as biomarkers of pulmonary tumorigenesis in cigarette smoke-exposed mice

Cigarette smoke (CS) is known to dysregulate microRNA expression profiles in the lungs of mice, rats, and humans, thereby modulating several pathways involved in lung carcinogenesis and other CS-related diseases. We designed a study aimed at evaluating (a) the expression of 1135 microRNAs in the lung of Swiss H mice exposed to mainstream CS during the first 4 months of life and thereafter kept in filtered air for an additional 3.5 months, (b) the relationship between lung microRNA profiles and histopathological alterations in the lung, (c) intergender differences in microRNA expression, and (d) the comparison with microRNA profiles in blood serum. CS caused multiple histopathological alterations in the lung, which were almost absent in sham-exposed mice. An extensive microRNA dysregulation was detected in the lung of CS-exposed mice. Modulation of microRNA profiles was specifically related to the histopathological picture, no effect being detected in lung fragments with non-neoplastic lung diseases (emphysema or alveolar epithelial hyperplasia), whereas a close association occurred with the presence and multiplicity of preneoplastic lesions (microadenomas) and benign lung tumors (adenomas). Three microRNAs regulating estrogen and HER2-dependent mechanisms were modulated in the lung of adenoma-bearing female mice. Blood microRNAs were also modulated in mice affected by early neoplastic lesions. However, there was a poor association between lung microRNAs and circulating microRNAs, which can be ascribed to an impaired release of mature microRNAs from the damaged lung. Studies in progress are evaluating the feasibility of analyzing blood microRNAs as a molecular tool for lung cancer secondary prevention.

High CXC Chemokine Ligand 16 (CXCL16) Expression Promotes Proliferation and Metastasis of Lung Cancer via Regulating the NF-κB Pathway

BACKGROUND CXC chemokine ligand 16 (CXCL16) is a soluble chemokine with a transmembrane domain, playing an important role in inflammatory regulation. NF-κB has a critical role in tumor progression. Recent studies focused on the effect of CXCL16 on tumor progression. However, few reports showed the influence of CXCL16 on lung cancer, especially in regulating NF-κB activity. Here we investigated CXCL16 expression and its clinical significance in lung cancer, as well as the effect on lung cancer cell biological characteristics by regulating NF-κB. MATERIAL AND METHODS CXCL16 expression in lung cancer was detected and its associations with clinical characteristics were analyzed. Proliferation and invasion of A549 and PC-9 cells was measured before and after silencing CXCL16 or inhibiting the NF-κB pathway, separately. RESULTS The positive rate of CXCL16 in lung cancer tissue was significantly higher than that in adjacent tissue, and that in patients with lymphatic metastasis was significantly higher than that in patients without (all, P<0.05). The positive rate of CXCL16 was significantly (P<0.05) positively corrected with poor prognosis of lung cancer. Silencing CXCL16 not only suppressed proliferation and invasion of A549 and PC-9 cells, but also significantly (P<0.05) inhibited c-Rel, p105, and Rel-B in the NF-κB pathway. Inhibiting NF-κB also suppressed proliferation and invasion of A549 and PC-9 cells, which was similar to the results after silencing CXCL16. CONCLUSIONS Enhanced CXCL16 expression in lung cancer tissue promoted the proliferation and invasion of lung cancer cells. CXCL16 might promote proliferation and invasion of lung cancer by regulating the NF-κB pathway.

MicroRNA-454 inhibits non‑small cell lung cancer cells growth and metastasis via targeting signal transducer and activator of transcription-3

Lung cancer is one of the most common type of cancers and the leading cause of cancer‑related mortality worldwide. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for >80% of lung cancer cases. Emerging studies have suggested that microRNAs are dysregulated in NSCLC and serve important roles in NSCLC initiation and development. However, to the best of our knowledge, the expression, roles and molecular mechanism of microRNA‑454 (miR‑454) have not been investigated in NSCLC. In the present study, miR‑454 was demonstrated to be significantly downregulated in NSCLC tissues and cell lines, as assessed by western blot analysis and reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Reduced miR‑454 expression was significantly correlated with aggressive clinicopathological features in NSCLC. In addition, upregulation of miR‑454 suppressed proliferation, migration and invasion NSCLC cells, as assessed by Cell Counting Kit‑8 and in vitro migration and invasion assays, respectively. Furthermore, bioinformatics analysis identified STAT3 as a direct target gene of miR‑454, and STAT3 knockdown was demonstrated to simulate the effects of miR‑454 overexpression in NSCLC. In conclusion, the present study provided convincing evidence that miR‑454 is downregulated in NSCLC, and regulates growth and metastasis by directly targeting STAT3, which suggests that miR‑454 may be an efficient therapeutic target for NSCLC.

miR-136 targets MIEN1 and involves the metastasis of colon cancer by suppressing epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition

MIEN1 is a novel oncogene, and it involves tumor progression in various cancer types, including colon cancer. However, the definite molecular mechanisms of MIEN1 in colon cancer progression remain to be completely elucidated. In the present study, bioinformatics prediction showed that miR-136 could be an upstream regulator of MIEN1; a luciferase assay and Western blot assay revealed that miR-136 negatively regulates MIEN1 expression via directly targeting its 3'-untranslated region sequence. Moreover, a functional assay using wound healing and transwell invasion showed that overexpressed miR-136 inhibited cell migration and invasion, and overexpression of MIEN1 partly rescued the above-mentioned effects of miR-136 in colon cancer cells. Additionally, a clinical sample assay showed that miR-136 expression was generally downregulated in colon cancer tissue, which was inversely correlated with MIEN1 expression. Furthermore, we found that miR-136 suppressed the Akt/NF-κB signaling pathway and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in colon cancer. These results suggest that miR-136, as a tumor suppressor, acts in tumor metastasis by suppressing MIEN1 expression in colon cancer, providing a novel target for the treatment of colon cancer.

Construction of C35 gene bait recombinants and T47D cell cDNA library

C35 is a novel tumor biomarker associated with metastasis progression. To investigate the interaction factors of C35 in its high expressed breast cancer cell lines, we constructed bait recombinant plasmids of C35 gene and T47D cell cDNA library for yeast two-hybrid screening. Full length C35 sequences were subcloned using RT-PCR from cDNA template extracted from T47D cells. Based on functional domain analysis, the full-length C35_1-348bp was also truncated into two fragments C351-153bp and C35154-348bp to avoid auto-activation. The three kinds of C35 genes were successfully amplified and inserted into pGBKT7 to construct bait recombinant plasmids pGBKT7-C351-348bp, pGBKT7-C351-153bp and pGBKT7-C35154-348bp, then transformed into Y187 yeast cells by the lithium acetate method. Auto-activation and toxicity of C35 baits were detected using nutritional deficient medium and X-α-Gal assays. The T47D cell ds cDNA was generated by SMART^TM technology and the library was constructed using in vivo recombination-mediated cloning in the AH109 yeast strain using a pGADT7-Rec plasmid. The transformed Y187/pGBKT7-C351-348bp line was intensively inhibited while the truncated Y187/pGBKT7-C35 lines had no auto-activation and toxicity in yeast cells. The titer of established cDNA library was 2 × 10⁷ pfu/mL with high transformation efficiency of 1.4 × 10⁶, and the insert size of ds cDNA was distributed homogeneously between 0.5-2.0 kb. Our research generated a T47D cell cDNA library with high titer, and the constructed two C35 "baits" contained a respective functional immunoreceptor tyrosine based activation motif (ITAM) and the conserved last four amino acids Cys-Ile-Leu-Val (CILV) motif, and therefore laid a foundation for screening the C35 interaction factors in a BC cell line.

MicroRNA-299-3p suppresses proliferation and invasion by targeting VEGFA in human colon carcinoma

Accumulating evidences have shown that microRNAs (miRNAs) are vital regulators and possess huge capabilities in post-transcriptional control. Although a large number of miRNAs have been identified to be dysregulated in human cancers especially in colon cancer, our understandings of the function of most miRNAs are still largely limited. In this study, we have demonstrated that miR-299-3p plays a critical role in suppressing colon carcinoma progression by targeting Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A (VEGFA). We observed that miR-299-3p was down-regulated in colon carcinoma tissues and colon cancer cell lines. The level of miR-299-3p was significantly negatively correlated with that of VEGFA mRNA level in colon carcinoma. More importantly, the low level of miR-299-3p predicted poor prognosis of colon cancer patients. Functionally, overexpression of miR-299-3p inhibited the proliferation and invasion of colon carcinoma cells and suppressed the growth of colon cancer xenografts in nude mice. Luciferase reporter assays showed that miR-299-3p could target VEGFA 3' UTR. In addition, up-regulation of miR-299-3p decreased VEGFA expression both in vitro and in vivo, showing that miR-299-3p plays a suppressive effect on VEGFA via post-transcriptional control. However, ectopical expression of VEGFA could abrogate this effect and also abolish miR-299-3p-induced inhibition of cell proliferation and invasion. Taken together, our study provides evidences showing that miR-299-3p functions as a suppressor in colon cancer by targeting VEGFA, suggesting that miR-299-3p might serve as a novel target for colon cancer therapy.

MiR-557 works as a tumor suppressor in human lung cancers by negatively regulating LEF1 expression

MicroRNAs play an important role in regulating post-transcriptional gene expression in the progression of various human cancers. In this study, we investigated the role of microRNA-557 in human lung cancer cells. The molecular mechanism of microRNA-557 was also clarified in the proliferation and invasion of human lung cancer cells. Our results showed microRNA-557 levels were obviously decreased in clinical lung cancer specimens and lung cancer cell lines. Cell viability of A549 and NCI-H460 cells transfected with microRNA-557 mimics was significantly decreased than those transfected with negative control mimics. MicroRNA-557 promoted cell death of A549 and NCI-H460 but did not affect the cell apoptosis of lung cancer cells. Overexpression of microRNA-557 inhibited cell invasion of A549 and NCI-H460 cells. TargetScan analysis showed that microRNA-557 might target 3' untranslated region of lymphocyte enhancement factor 1, and the western blotting results showed that transfection of microRNA-557 mimics significantly decreased the levels of lymphocyte enhancement factor 1 in A549 and H460 cells. MicroRNA-557 might work as a tumor suppressor by negatively regulating the expression of lymphocyte enhancement factor 1 in lung cancer cells.

Synthesis and Evaluation of New Oxadiazole, Thiadiazole, and Triazole Derivatives as Potential Anticancer Agents Targeting MMP-9

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are important proteases involved in tumor progression including angiogenesis, tissue invasion, and migration. Therefore, MMPs have been reported as potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in many types of cancer. New oxadiazole, thiadiazole, and triazole derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for their anticancer effects on A549 human lung adenocarcinoma and C6 rat glioma cell lines. In order to examine the relationship between their anticancer activity and MMP-9, the compounds were evaluated for their inhibitory effects on MMPs. N-(1,3-Benzodioxol-5-ylmethyl)-2-{[5-(((5,6,7,8-tetrahydronaphthalen-2-yl)oxy)methyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl]thio}acetamide (8) and N-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-ylmethyl)-2-[(5-phenyl-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl)thio]acetamide (9) revealed promising cytotoxic effects on A549 and C6 cell lines similar to cisplatin without causing any toxicity towards NIH/3T3 mouse embryonic fibroblast cell line. Compounds 8 and 9 were also the most effective MMP-9 inhibitors in this series. Moreover, docking studies pointed out that compounds 8 and 9 had good affinity to the active site of the MMP-9 enzyme. The molecular docking and in vitro studies suggest that the MMP-9 inhibitory effects of compounds 8 and 9 may play an important role in lung adenocarcinoma and glioma treatment.

Intermittent hypoxia caused cognitive dysfunction relate to miRNAs dysregulation in hippocampus

Intermittent hypoxia (IH) is a characteristic pathophysiological change of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a commonly diagnosed chronic sleep disorder. With the process of OSA, patients will suffer from the nervous system damage and appear to multiple cognitive dysfunction. The mechanism that how IH causes cognitive impairment is still unknown. Both control and experimental rats were placed in conditions absence and presence of intermittent hypoxia (IH) for 8h a day for a week, two weeks and four weeks, and then followed by behavioral assessments with Morris Water Maze (MWM) test. The results showed that the escape latency of the tested animals to IH significantly increased the escape latency on the last four training days in comparison to the control group. Consistent with this, the expressions of apoptosis/anti-apoptosis proteins were both changed in the hippocampus. Then we utilized the miRNA microarray assay to investigate the level of miRNA expression in rat hippocampus which suffered from intermittent hypoxia. It is noteworthy that the expressions of miR-26b and miR-207 were consistently dysregulated in all the experimental groups post IH. And we utilized qRT-PCR methods to verify the microarray results. Our results showed that microarray based analysis of microRNA expression in rat hippocampus after IH has shown that some microRNAs such as miR-26b and miR-207 could be involved in the OSA-induced cognitive impairments.

Regulation of PI3K signaling in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a novel PTEN/Ikaros/miR-26b mechanism reveals a critical targetable role for PIK3CD

T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is an aggressive hematologic malignancy, and T-ALL patients are prone to early disease relapse and suffer from poor outcomes. The PTEN, PI3K/AKT, and Notch pathways are frequently altered in T-ALL. PTEN is a tumor suppressor that inactivates the PI3K pathway. We profiled miRNAs in Pten-deficient mouse T-ALL and identified miR-26b as a potentially dysregulated gene. We validated decreased expression levels of miR-26b in mouse and human T-ALL cells. In addition, expression of exogenous miR-26b reduced proliferation and promoted apoptosis of T-ALL cells in vitro, and hindered progression of T-ALL in vivo. Furthermore, miR-26b inhibited the PI3K/AKT pathway by directly targeting PIK3CD, the gene encoding PI3Kδ, in human T-ALL cell lines. ShRNA for PIK3CD and CAL-101, a PIK3CD inhibitor, reduced the growth and increased apoptosis of T-ALL cells. Finally, we showed that PTEN induced miR-26b expression by regulating the differential expression of Ikaros isoforms that are transcriptional regulators of miR-26b. These results suggest that miR-26b functions as a tumor suppressor in the development of T-ALL. Further characterization of targets and regulators of miR-26b may be promising for the development of novel therapies.

Different levels of serum microRNAs in prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia: evaluation of potential diagnostic and prognostic role

Introduction

Diagnosis of prostate cancer (PCa) is based on prostate biopsy that is performed when prostate specific antigen (PSA) is persistently altered over time and/or abnormal digital rectal examination is found. Serum PSA levels increase in both PCa and benign prostatic hyperplasia, leading to an increased number of unnecessary biopsies. There is an urgent need to unravel PCa-specific molecular signatures.

Patients and methods

This study aimed at characterizing a panel of circulating micro RNAs (miRNAs) that could distinguish PCa from benign prostatic hyperplasia in a population of age-matched patients with increased PSA levels. Both miRNAs targeting genes involved in PCa onset and miRNAs whose role in PCa has been highlighted in other studies were included. For this purpose, let-7c, let-7e, let-7i, miR-26a-5p, miR-26b-5p, miR-24-3p, miR-23b-3p, miR-27-b-3p, miR-106a-5p, miR-20b-5p, miR-18b-5p, miR-19b-2-5p, miR-363-3p, miR-497, miR-195, miR-25-3p, miR-30c-5p, miR-622, miR-874-3p, miR-346 and miR-940 were assayed through real-time PCR in 64 patients with PCa and compared with 60 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia. The ability of miRNAs to predict the stage of disease was also analyzed.

Results

Let-7c, let-7e, let-7i, miR-26a-5p, miR-26b-5p, miR-18b-5p and miR-25-3p were able to discriminate patients with PCa from those harboring benign prostatic hyperplasia, both presenting altered PSA levels (>3 ng/mL). MiR-25-3p and miR-18b-5p showed the highest sensitivity and specificity to predict PCa, respectively. The combination of these two miRNAs improved the overall sensitivity. A correlation between pathological Gleason score and miRNA expression levels was reported; miR-363-3p, miR-26a-5p, miR-26b-5p, miR-106a-5p, miR-18b-5p, miR-25-3p and let-7i decreased in expression concomitantly with an increase in malignancy.

Conclusion

This study confirms serum miRNAs to be reliable candidates for the development of minimally invasive biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of PCa, particularly in those cases where PSA acts as a flawed marker.

microRNA-590 suppresses the tumorigenesis and invasiveness of non-small cell lung cancer cells by targeting ADAM9

microRNAs (miRNAs), a family of small non-coding RNA molecules, are implicated in cancer growth and progression. In the present study, we examined the expression and biological roles of miR-590 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Compared to normal lung tissues, miR-590 expression was downregulated in primary NSCLCs and, to a greater extent, in corresponding brain metastases. NSCLC cell lines with high metastatic potential had significantly (P < 0.05) lower levels of miR-590 than those with low metastatic potential. Re-expression of miR-590 suppressed NSCLC cell proliferation, colony formation, migration, and invasion in vitro and tumorigenesis in vivo. In contrast, inhibition of miR-590 enhanced the migration and invasion of NSCLC cells. Mechanistic studies revealed that a disintegrin and metalloproteinase 9 (ADAM9) was a direct target of miR-590. Delivery of miR-590 mimic was found to decrease endogenous ADAM9 expression in NSCLC cells. Enforced expression of a miRNA-resistant form of ADAM9 significantly restored the aggressive behaviors in miR-590-overexpressing NSCLC cells. Taken together, our data reveal miR-590 as a tumor suppressor in NSCLC, which is at least partially mediated through targeting of ADAM9. Restoration of miR-590 may provide a promising therapeutic strategy for NSCLC.

MicroRNAs in non-small cell lung cancer and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

In spite of advances in the diagnosis and current molecular target therapies of lung cancer, this disease remains the most common cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Approximately 80% of lung cancers is non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and 5-year survival rate of the disease is ~20%. On the other hand, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, progressive interstitial lung disease of unknown etiology. IPF is refractory to treatment and has a very low survival rate. Moreover, IPF is frequently associated with lung cancer. However, the common mechanisms shared by these two diseases remain poorly understood. In the post-genome sequence era, the discovery of noncoding RNAs, particularly microRNAs (miRNAs), has had a major impact on most biomedical fields, and these small molecules have been shown to contribute to the pathogenesis of NSCLC and IPF. Investigation of novel RNA networks mediated by miRNAs has improved our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of these diseases. This review summarizes our current knowledge on aberrantly expressed miRNAs regulating NSCLC and IPF based on miRNA expression signatures.