miR-542-3p suppresses invasion and metastasis by targeting the proto-oncogene serine/threonine protein kinase, PIM1, in melanoma

The role of microRNAs in brain metastasis

Brain metastasis (BM) is the most common type of brain tumor and frequently foreshadows disease progression and poor overall survival with patients having a median survival of 6 months. 70,000 new cases of BM are diagnosed each year in the United States (US) and the incidence rate for BM is increasing with improved detection. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that serve as critical regulators of gene expression and can act as powerful oncogenes and tumor suppressors. MiRNAs have been heavily implicated in cancer and proposed as biomarkers or therapeutic targets or agents. In this review, we summarize an extensive body of scientific work investigating the role of microRNAs in BM. We discuss miRNA dysregulation, functions, targets, and mechanisms of action in BM and present the current standing of miRNAs as biomarkers and potential therapeutics for BM. We conclude with future directions of miRNA basic and clinical research in BM.

Metastasis suppressor genes in clinical practice: are they druggable?

Since the identification of NM23 (now called NME1) as the first metastasis suppressor gene (MSG), a small number of other gene products and non-coding RNAs have been identified that suppress specific parameters of the metastatic cascade, yet which have little or no ability to regulate primary tumor initiation or maintenance. MSG can regulate various pathways or cell biological functions such as those controlling mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway mediators, cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix protein adhesion, cytoskeletal architecture, G-protein-coupled receptors, apoptosis, and transcriptional complexes. One defining facet of this gene class is that their expression is typically downregulated, not mutated, in metastasis, such that any effective therapeutic intervention would involve their re-expression. This review will address the therapeutic targeting of MSG, once thought to be a daunting task only facilitated by ectopically re-expressing MSG in metastatic cells in vivo. Examples will be cited of attempts to identify actionable oncogenic pathways that might suppress the formation or progression of metastases through the re-expression of specific metastasis suppressors.

Cutaneous Melanoma: A Review of Multifactorial Pathogenesis, Immunohistochemistry, and Emerging Biomarkers for Early Detection and Management

Cutaneous melanoma (CM) is an increasingly significant public health concern. Due to alarming mortality rates and escalating incidence, it is crucial to understand its etiology and identify emerging biomarkers for improved diagnosis and treatment strategies. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the multifactorial etiology of CM, underscore the importance of early detection, discuss the molecular mechanisms behind melanoma development and progression, and shed light on the role of the potential biomarkers in diagnosis and treatment. The pathogenesis of CM involves a complex interplay of genetic predispositions and environmental exposures, ultraviolet radiation exposure being the predominant environmental risk factor. The emergence of new biomarkers, such as novel immunohistochemical markers, gene mutation analysis, microRNA, and exosome protein expressions, holds promise for improved early detection, and prognostic and personalized therapeutic strategies.

The mechanisms, functions and clinical applications of miR-542-3p in human cancers

MicroRNAs, as a major type of noncoding RNAs, have crucial roles in various functions during development. Available data have shown that miR-542-3p decreased in various types of cancers. MiR-542-3p is engaged in various cancer-related behaviors like glycolysis, metastasis, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), cell cycle, apoptosis, and proliferation via targeting at least 18 genes and some important signaling pathways like Wnt/β-catenin, Extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) and Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) signaling, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT) signaling. Current studies have proposed that the level of miR-542-3p could be modulated by several upstream regulators like transcription factors, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs). In addition, the level of miR-542-3p or its related lncRNAs/circRNAs are correlated with poor prognosis and clinicopathological features of cancer-affected patients. Here, we have discussed the biogenesis, function, and regulation of miR-542-3p as well as its aberrant expression in various types of neoplastic cells. Moreover, we have discussed the prognostic value of miR-542-3p in cancer. Finally, we have added the underlying molecular mechanism of miR-542-3p in cancer pathogenesis.

The antioxidant, wound healing properties and proteomic analysis of water extracts from the tropical cyanobacteria, Nostoc NIES-2111_MUM004

Cyanobacteria bioactive compounds are chemical treasure troves for product discovery and development. The wound healing effects and antioxidant capacities of water extracts from Nostoc NIES-2111_MUM004 were evaluated via in vitro wound scratch assay and three antioxidant assays respectively. Results showed that the water extracts were protein-rich and exhibited good antioxidant properties in ABTS radical scavenging (11.27 ± 0.205 mg TAE g^-1 extract), Ferric reducing antioxidant power (1652.71 ± 110.71 mg TAE g^-1 extract) and β-carotene bleaching assay (354.90 ± 31.80 mg TAE g^-1 extract). Also, extracts were non-cytotoxic in concentrations up to 250 µg/mL as reflected in cytotoxicity assay. Importantly, water extracts showed considerable proliferation and migration activity at 125 µg/mL with wound closure rate as high as 42.67%. Statistical correlation revealed no significant relationship (p > 0.05) between protein fraction and the wound healing properties, confirming that phycobiliproteins were not solely responsible for wound healing activities. Subsequent Q-TOF-LCMS analysis identified six protein families involved in enhancing the proliferation and migration of epithelial cells. These findings are antecedent in the uncovering of continuous supplies of bioactive compounds from new and sustainable sources. Ultimately, enriching the microalgae menu for applications in pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and cosmeceuticals.

Targeting Pim kinases in hematological cancers: molecular and clinical review

Decades of research has recognized a solid role for Pim kinases in lymphoproliferative disorders. Often up-regulated following JAK/STAT and tyrosine kinase receptor signaling, Pim kinases regulate cell proliferation, survival, metabolism, cellular trafficking and signaling. Targeting Pim kinases represents an interesting approach since knock-down of Pim kinases leads to non-fatal phenotypes in vivo suggesting clinical inhibition of Pim may have less side effects. In addition, the ATP binding site offers unique characteristics that can be used for the development of small inhibitors targeting one or all Pim isoforms. This review takes a closer look at Pim kinase expression and involvement in hematopoietic cancers. Current and past clinical trials and in vitro characterization of Pim kinase inhibitors are examined and future directions are discussed. Current studies suggest that Pim kinase inhibition may be most valuable when accompanied by multi-drug targeting therapy.

The Significance of MicroRNAs in the Molecular Pathology of Brain Metastases

Brain metastases are the most frequent intracranial tumors in adults and the cause of death in almost one-fourth of cases. The incidence of brain metastases is steadily increasing. The main reason for this increase could be the introduction of new and more efficient therapeutic strategies that lead to longer survival but, at the same time, cause a higher risk of brain parenchyma infiltration. In addition, the advances in imaging methodology, which provide earlier identification of brain metastases, may also be a reason for the higher recorded number of patients with these tumors. Metastasis is a complex biological process that is still largely unexplored, influenced by many factors and involving many molecules. A deeper understanding of the process will allow the discovery of more effective diagnostic and therapeutic approaches that could improve the quality and length of patient survival. Recent studies have shown that microRNAs (miRNAs) are essential molecules that are involved in specific steps of the metastatic cascade. MiRNAs are endogenously expressed small non-coding RNAs that act as post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression and thus regulate most cellular processes. The dysregulation of these molecules has been implicated in many cancers, including brain metastases. Therefore, miRNAs represent promising diagnostic molecules and therapeutic targets in brain metastases. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the importance of miRNAs in brain metastasis, focusing on their involvement in the metastatic cascade and their potential clinical implications.

Ventilagolin Suppresses Migration, Invasion and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells by Downregulating Pim-1

Objective

Inhibition of tumor metastasis is a useful strategy to improve the efficacy of cancer therapy. Ventilagolin, a natural 1, 4-naphthoquinone derivative extracted from Ventilago leiocarpa Benth, has shown promising antitumor effects in previous studies. However, the effects and underlying mechanisms of Ventilagolin against migration, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain unclear. The present study has examined these effects and determined whether the proto-oncogene Pim-1 is involved.

Methods

The effects of Ventilagolin on migration, invasion, Pim-1 and EMT-related proteins (eg, E-cadherin, N-cadherin, Vimentin) expression were assessed by scratch wound healing, Transwell, qRT-PCR and Western blot assays, respectively. Pim-1 stably overexpressed HepG2 and SMMC-7721 cells were generated to explore whether Ventilagolin inhibited migration, invasion and EMT of HCC cells via regulating Pim-1. Subcutaneous xenograft tumor model in nude mice was established. Histopathological changes of tumor tissues were examined by H&E staining and expressions of Pim-1 and EMT-related proteins were detected by immunohistochemistry.

Results

Ventilagolin significantly (P < 0.01) reduced the expression of Pim-1 levels in HepG2 and SMMC-7721 cells. Compared with the control group, the migration and invasion abilities of Pim-1-overexpressing HepG2 and SMMC-7721 cells were significantly (P < 0.05, P < 0.01) enhanced, the expression of E-cadherin was decreased (P < 0.01), and the levels of N-cadherin and Vimentin were upregulated (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Ventilagolin treatment effectively reversed these effects of Pim-1 overexpression. In vivo experiments showed that Ventilagolin could effectively suppress HCC tumor growth, downregulate Pim-1, N-cadherin and Vimentin expression, and upregulate E-cadherin expression.

Conclusion

Ventilagolin suppresses HCC cell proliferation, migration and invasion and reverses EMT process by downregulating Pim-1, suggesting Ventilagolin is a potential therapeutic agent for treatment of HCC.

The Diagnostic, Prognostic and Therapeutic Role of miRNAs in Adrenocortical Carcinoma: A Systematic Review

Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare endocrine malignancy with a dismal prognosis and a high rate of recurrence and mortality. Therapeutic options are limited. In some cases, the distinction of ACCs from benign adrenal neoplasms with the existing widely available pathological and histopathological tools is difficult. Thus, new biomarkers have been tested. We conducted a review of the recent literature on the advances of the diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic role of miRNAs on ACC patients. More than 10 miRNAs validated by multiple studies were found to present a diagnostic and prognostic role for ACC patients, from which miR-483-5p and miR-195 were the most frequently met biomarkers. In particular, upregulation of miR-483-5p and downregulation of miR-195 were the most commonly validated molecular alterations. Unfortunately, data on the therapeutic role of miRNA are still scarce and limited mainly at the experimental level. Thus, the role of miRNA regulation in ACC remains an area of active research.

Micro RNAs Promoting Growth and Metastasis in Preclinical In Vivo Models of Subcutaneous Melanoma

During the last years a considerable therapeutic progress in melanoma patients with the RAF V600E mutation via RAF/MEK pathway inhibition and immuno-therapeutic modalities has been witnessed. However, the majority of patients relapse after therapy. Therefore, a deeper understanding of the pathways driving oncogenicity and metastasis of melanoma is of paramount importance. In this review, we summarize microRNAs modulating tumor growth, metastasis, or both, in preclinical melanoma-related in vivo models and possible clinical impact in melanoma patients as modalities and targets for treatment of melanoma. We have identified miR-199a (ApoE, DNAJ4), miR-7-5p (RelA), miR-98a (IL6), miR-219-5p (BCL2) and miR-365 (NRP1) as possible targets to be scrutinized in further target validation studies.

Xmrks the Spot: Fish Models for Investigating Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Signaling in Cancer Research

Studies conducted in several fish species, e.g., Xiphophorus hellerii (green swordtail) and Xiphophorus maculatus (southern platyfish) crosses, Oryzias latipes (medaka), and Danio rerio (zebrafish), have identified an oncogenic role for the receptor tyrosine kinase, Xmrk, a gene product closely related to the human epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), which is associated with a wide variety of pathological conditions, including cancer. Comparative analyses of Xmrk and EGFR signal transduction in melanoma have shown that both utilize STAT5 signaling to regulate apoptosis and cell proliferation, PI3K to modulate apoptosis, FAK to control migration, and the Ras/Raf/MEK/MAPK pathway to regulate cell survival, proliferation, and differentiation. Further, Xmrk and EGFR may also modulate similar chemokine, extracellular matrix, oxidative stress, and microRNA signaling pathways in melanoma. In hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), Xmrk and EGFR signaling utilize STAT5 to regulate cell proliferation, and Xmrk may signal through PI3K and FasR to modulate apoptosis. At the same time, both activate the Ras/Raf/MEK/MAPK pathway to regulate cell proliferation and E-cadherin signaling. Xmrk models of melanoma have shown that inhibitors of PI3K and MEK have an anti-cancer effect, and in HCC, that the steroidal drug, adrenosterone, can prevent metastasis and recover E-cadherin expression, suggesting that fish Xmrk models can exploit similarities with EGFR signal transduction to identify and study new chemotherapeutic drugs.

MicroRNA Signature in Melanoma: Biomarkers and Therapeutic Targets

Melanoma is the utmost fatal kind of skin neoplasms. Molecular changes occurring during the pathogenic processes of initiation and progression of melanoma are diverse and include activating mutations in BRAF and NRAS genes, hyper-activation of PI3K/AKT pathway, inactivation of p53 and alterations in CDK4/CDKN2A axis. Moreover, several miRNAs have been identified to be implicated in the biology of melanoma through modulation of expression of genes being involved in these pathways. In the current review, we provide a summary of the bulk of information about the role of miRNAs in the pathobiology of melanoma, their possible application as biomarkers and their emerging role as therapeutic targets for this kind of skin cancer.

Role of oncogene PIM-1 in the development and progression of papillary thyroid carcinoma: Involvement of oxidative stress

In this study, we aimed to clarify the role of PIM-1 in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) in vitro and investigate the relationship between PIM-1 and redox proteins (NOX4, SOD2, and GPX2) at the tissue and cellular levels. As a PIM-1 inhibitor, SGI-1776 inhibited cell proliferation, colony formation, migration and induced an increase in apoptosis and reactive oxygen species in two PTC cell lines (BCPAP and TPC-1). The expressions of PIM-1, SOD2 and GPX2 were downregulated after siNOX4 exposure. Immunohistochemistry in 120 PTC patients showed that all four proteins exhibited higher expression levels in PTC tissues than in adjacent normal tissues. PIM-1 expression was related to NOX4, SOD2, and GPX2 expressions. The Cancer Genome Atlas database analysis showed the significant correlation between the expression of NOX4 and PIM-1. Our results demonstrated that PIM-1 played an important oncogenic role in PTC carcinogenesis that may be related to oxidative stress.

Formononetin exhibits anticancer activity in gastric carcinoma cell and regulating miR-542-5p

Formononetin exhibits anti-neoplastic activities in specific types of cancers, such as colon carcinoma and breast cancer. Nevertheless, its role in suppressing gastric carcinoma (GC) growth and metastatic-associated phenotypes has not been fully understood. Here, we demonstrated that formononetin decreased the viability of GC cell line SGC-7901 and MGC-803. Furthermore, formononetin suppressed the migration and invasion abilities of GC cells. Consistent with the results in vitro, the anticancer effect of formononetin was verified using xenograft model. The expression of microRNA-542-5p (miR-542-5p), acted as an oncogene in many cancers, was identified to be upregulated in GC. Importantly, miR-542-5p might involve in formononetin exhibits anticancer activity in GC cells. Taken together, these results indicate that formononetin inhibits the growth and aggressiveness of GC cells in vitro and in vivo.

MiR-542-3p drives renal fibrosis by targeting AGO1 in vivo and in vitro

AIMS

Renal fibrosis is the typical manifestation of progressive kidney disease and causes a severe threat to human health. Surging evidence has illustrated that miRNA plays a core role in the genesis and development of kidney fibrosis. MiR-542-3p has been testified to function as a facilitator in hepatic stellate cell activation and fibrosis. The purpose of study is to investigate the potential of miR-542-3p in renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this study, to establish renal fibrosis model in vivo and in vitro, we first conducted unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) on rats and high glucose (HG) treatment on the HK-2 cells. Histological and western blot analyses were utilized for assessment of renal fibrosis model. Luciferase reporter assay was carried out to explore the regulatory mechanism underlying miR-542-3p in renal fibrosis.

KEY FINDINGS

MiR-542-3p was found to be highly expressed in renal fibrosis. Functional experiments revealed that overexpression of miR-542-3p accelerated the deterioration of kidney fibrosis and inhibition of miR-542-3p led to the opposite result. Through the aid of bioinformatics tool, the speculated miR-542-3p binding sites were uncovered in the 3'UTR of argonaute RISC component 1 (AGO1). Mechanism study elucidated that AGO1 was a direct target of miR-542-3p. Lastly, our findings suggested that miR-542-3p played a promoting role in renal fibrosis via repression of AGO1.

SIGNIFICANCE

We justified that miR-542-3p induced kidney fibrogenesis both in vivo and in vitro through targeting AGO1, unveiling that miR-542-3p might be a promising option for the treatment of patients with renal fibrosis.

MiR-542-3p Suppresses Neuroblastoma Cell Proliferation and Invasion by Downregulation of KDM1A and ZNF346

Neuroblastoma is one of the most common malignancies in infants and children. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been reported as significant regulators that play important roles in neuroblastoma development. This research aimed to analyze the functional mechanism of miR-542-3p in neuroblastoma. Here, we found that miR-542-3p was downregulated and KDM1A as well as ZNF346 were upregulated in neuroblastoma tissues and cells. Both overexpression of miR-542-3p and the knockdown of KDM1A suppressed cell proliferation and invasion in neuroblastomas. Moreover, miR-542-3p reduced the levels of KDM1A and ZNF346 through interaction. Both KDM1A overexpression and ZNF346 upregulation weakened the effect of miR-542-3p on neuroblastoma cells. Besides, miR-542-3p negatively regulated tumor growth in vivo. Our results suggested that miR-542-3p suppressed cell proliferation and invasion by targeting KDM1A and ZNF346 in neuroblastomas, providing a theoretical basis for the treatment of neuroblastoma.

miR-335 Acts as a Tumor Suppressor and Enhances Ionizing Radiation-Induced Tumor Regression by Targeting ROCK1

Recent development of integrative therapy against melanoma combines surgery, radiotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy; however, the clinical outcomes of advanced stage and recurrent melanoma are poor. As a skin cancer, melanoma is generally resistant to radiotherapy. Hence, there is an urgent need for evaluation of the mechanisms of radioresistance. The present study identified miR-335 as one of the differential expression of miRNAs in recurrent melanoma biopsies post-radiotherapy. The expression of miR-335 declined in melanoma tissues compared to the adjacent tissues. Moreover, miR-335 expression correlated with advanced stages of melanoma negatively. Consistent with the prediction of STARBASE and miRDB database, miR-335 targeted ROCK1 via binding with 3′-UTR of ROCK1 directly, resulting in attenuation of proliferation, migration, and radioresistance of melanoma cells. The authors validated that overexpression of miR-335 enhanced X-ray-induced tumor regression by B16 mouse models. Briefly, the present findings gained insights into miR-335/ROCK1-mediated radiosensitivity and provided a promising therapeutic strategy for improving radiotherapy against melanoma.

The miRNAs Role in Melanoma and in Its Resistance to Therapy

Melanoma is the less common but the most malignant skin cancer. Since the survival rate of melanoma metastasis is about 10–15%, many different studies have been carried out in order to find a more effective treatment. Although the development of target-based therapies and immunotherapeutic strategies has improved chances for patient survival, melanoma treatment still remains a big challenge for oncologists. Here, we collect recent data about the emerging role of melanoma-associated microRNAs (miRNAs) currently available treatments, and their involvement in drug resistance. We also reviewed miRNAs as prognostic factors, because of their chemical stability and resistance to RNase activity, in melanoma progression. Moreover, despite miRNAs being considered small conserved regulators with the limitation of target specificity, we outline the dual role of melanoma-associated miRNAs, as oncogenic and/or tumor suppressive factors, compared to other tumors.

MiR-376c-3p targets heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HBEGF) to inhibit proliferation and invasion in medullary thyroid carcinoma cells

INTRODUCTION

Aggressive medullary thyroid carcinomas (MTC) have a high mortality rate and the treatment for patients diagnosed with advanced MTC is comparatively ineffective. We hence aimed to test the effects of miR-376c-3p on MTC and to explore the relevant mechanism.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) and soft agar colony formation assay were applied to evaluate the proliferation of transfected MZ-CRC-1 cells. Wound healing and transwell assay were employed to evaluate MTC cell migration and invasion, respectively. Luciferase assay was performed to validate the downstream target of miR-376c-3p in MZ-CRC-1 cells. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to detect mRNA abundance of key genes. Western blot technique was used to analyze protein levels of HBEGF, E-cadherin, ZO-1, N-cadherin and vimentin.

RESULTS

MiR-376c-3p inhibited the viability, migration and invasion of MZ-CRC-1 cells. Moreover, miR-376c-3p mimic downregulated expression of N-cadherin and vimentin but upregulated that of E-cadherin and ZO-1 in MZ-CRC-1 cells. Results for the luciferase reporter assay showed that miR-376c-3p was able to bind the 3' untranslated region of heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HBEGF), of which overexpression nearly nullified the miR-376c-3p mimic-induced inhibitory effects in the MTC cells.

CONCLUSIONS

MiR-376c-3p showed suppressive effects on MZ-CRC-1 cells via targeting and downregulating HBEGF, suggesting that miR-376c-3p could potentially be targeted for the treatment of MTC.

MicroRNA‑542‑3p represses OTUB1 expression to inhibit migration and invasion of esophageal cancer cells

Dysregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) is involved in the pathogenesis of esophageal cancer. miRNA (miR)‑542‑3p is a tumor suppressor in multiple types of cancer. However, whether and how miR‑542‑3p contributes to the progression of esophageal cancer remains unknown, and this is the aim of the present study. In the current study, decreased expression of miR‑542‑3p was detected in tumor tissues compared with normal tissues from patients with esophageal cancer, and miR‑542‑3p expression was negatively correlated with mRNA expression levels of ovarian tumor domain‑containing ubiquitin aldehyde‑binding protein 1 (OTUB1) in tumor tissues from patients with esophageal cancer. In KYSE150 human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cells, overexpression of miR‑542‑3p significantly decreased OTUB1 at mRNA and protein levels, whereas downregulation of miR‑542‑3p significantly increased OTUB1 expression. Using a dual‑luciferase assay, OTUB1 was validated to be a target gene of miR‑542‑3p in KYSE150 cells. Functionally, miR‑542‑3p significantly inhibited the migration and invasion of KYSE150 cells by repression of OTUB1 expression. These results demonstrated that miR‑542‑3p may promote the metastasis of esophageal cancer cells, and indicated that miR‑542‑3p may be a treatment target for esophageal cancer.

PIM1 is responsible for IL-6-induced breast cancer cell EMT and stemness via c-myc activation

Background

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) has been demonstrated to be a critical factor for breast cancer malignancy. However, the molecular mechanisms by which IL-6 induce breast cancer cells epithelial–mesenchymal-transition (EMT) and stemness remain elusive.

Methods

Breast cancer cell lines T47D and MCF7 were exposed to IL-6, the expression of PIM1 was examined by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and western blot. Luciferase reporter assay was used to determine the transcriptional modulation of PIM1 by IL-6 and STAT3 inhibitor. Transwell assay was used to detect the invading ability of breast cancer cells induced by IL-6 or PIM1. The expressions of EMT and stemness markers were determined by qRT-PCR.

Results

IL-6 promoted PIM1 expression in a dose- and time-dependent manner, and this induction could be abrogated by inhibiting STAT3 activation, subsequently suppressing the transcriptional level of PIM1. Moreover, we noticed that knocking down of PIM1 in cells which was exposed to IL-6 significantly impaired the invasion ability and the expression of EMT and stemness markers. On the contrary, overexpression of PIM1 promoted cell invasion and upregulated the expression of EMT and stemness markers. In addition, we demonstrated that c-myc, the cofactor of PIM1, involved in the pro-oncogenic roles of PIM1. Knocking down of c-myc attenuated the PIM1-induced cell EMT and stemness.

Conclusion

This study proposed the upregulation of PIM1 by IL-6 contributed to breast cancer cell aggressiveness and targeting PIM1 or c-myc could be novel approaches for breast cancer treatment.

Interplay between small and long non-coding RNAs in cutaneous melanoma: a complex jigsaw puzzle with missing pieces

The incidence of cutaneous melanoma (CM) has increased in the past few decades. The biology of melanoma is characterized by a complex interaction between genetic, environmental and phenotypic factors. A greater understanding of the molecular mechanisms that promote melanoma cell growth and dissemination is crucial to improve diagnosis, prognostication, and treatment of CM. Both small and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been identified to play a role in melanoma biology; microRNA and lncRNA expression is altered in transformed melanocytes and this in turn has functional effects on cell proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, metastasis, and immune response. Moreover, specific dysregulated ncRNAs were shown to have a diagnostic or prognostic role in melanoma and to drive the establishment of drug resistance. Here, we review the current literature on small and lncRNAs with a role in melanoma, with the aim of putting into some order this complex jigsaw puzzle.

Expression of miR‑542‑3p in osteosarcoma with miRNA microarray data, and its potential signaling pathways

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common pediatric primary bone tumor, with high malignancy rates and a poor prognosis following metastasis. At present, the role of microRNA (miR)-542-3p in OS remains to be elucidated. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the expression level of miR-542-3p in OS, and its potential molecular mechanisms, via a bioinformatics analysis. First, the expression of miR-542-3p in OS based on the continuous variables of the Gene Expression Omnibus database and PubMed was studied. Subsequently, the potential target genes of miR-542-3p were predicted using gene expression profiles and bioinformatics software. On the basis of the Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery, version 6.8, a study of gene ontology (GO) enrichment and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway knowledge base was conducted to explore the biological value of miR-542-3p in OS. Finally, the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was completed using the STRING database. The expression of miR-542-3p in OS was revealed to be significantly higher compared with that in normal tissue. In total, 1,036 target genes of miR-542-3p were obtained. The results of the GO enrichment analysis revealed that the significant terms were ‘bone development’, ‘cell cycle arrest’ and ‘intracellular signal transduction’. The results of the KEGG analysis revealed the highlighted pathways that were targeted to miR-542-3p, including the sphingolipid signaling pathway (P=3.91×10⁻⁵), the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)-AKT serine/threonine kinase (AKT) signaling pathway (P=3.17×10⁻⁵) and the insulin signaling pathway (P=1.04×10⁻⁵). The PPI network revealed eight hub genes: Ubiquitin-60S ribosomal protein L40, Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate, mitogen-activated protein kinase 1, epidermal growth factor receptor, cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator, PI3K regulatory subunit 1, AKT1, and actin-related protein 2/3 complex subunit 1A, which may be the key target genes of miR-542-3p in OS. Taken together, these results have demonstrated that miR-542-3p was overexpressed in OS. The potential target genes and biological functions of miR-542-3p may provide novel insights into the differentially expressed genes that are involved in OS.

Antiproliferative potential of miR-33a in laryngeal cancer Hep-2 cells via targeting PIM1

BACKGROUND

Laryngeal cancer is a frequent cause of cancer-associated mortality worldwide with an overall poor prognosis along with high mortality rates. Therefore, comprehensive investigation of underlying molecular mechanisms of laryngeal carcinogenesis remains an important problem.

METHODS

In this study, proliferative and apoptotic features of Hep-2 cells overexpressing microRNA-33a (miR-33a) were evaluated and in silico analysis along with literature search was used to find putative targets of miR-33a. The potential of PIM1 (pim-1 oncogene) as a direct target of miR-33a was tested using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, Western blot, and luciferase assay.

RESULTS

Induced miR-33a expression significantly inhibited proliferation through inducing apoptosis of Hep-2 cells. Further in vitro tests showed downregulation of PIM1 in messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) and protein level upon miR-33a overexpression and confirmed PIM1 as a direct target of miR-33a.

CONCLUSIONS

Mir-33a was demonstrated to act as a tumor suppressor in larnygeal cancer via directly targeting the 3' untranslated region of PIM1.

Hispidulin suppresses cell growth and metastasis by targeting PIM1 through JAK2/STAT3 signaling in colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) accounts for over 600 000 deaths annually worldwide. The current study aims to evaluate the value of proto‐oncogene PIM1 as a therapeutic target in CRC and investigate the anticancer activity of hispidulin, a naturally occurring phenolic flavonoid compound, against CRC. Immunohistochemistry analysis showed that PIM1 was upregulated in CRC tissue. The role of PIM1 as an oncogene was evidenced by the fact that PIM1 knockdown inhibits cell growth, induces apoptosis, and suppresses invasion. Our results showed that hispidulin exerts antitumor activity in CRC through inhibiting the expression of PIM1. Moreover, our findings revealed that hispidulin downregulated the expression of PIM1 by inhibiting JAK2/STAT3 signaling by generating reactive oxygen species. Furthermore, our in vivo studies showed that hispidulin can significantly inhibit tumor growth and metastasis in CRC. Collectively, our results provide an experimental basis for trialing hispidulin in CRC treatment. PIM1 can be considered a potential therapeutic target in CRC.

miR-542-3p prevents ovariectomy-induced osteoporosis in rats via targeting SFRP1

Secreted frizzled-related protein-1 (SFRP1) is a negative regulatory molecule of the WNT signaling pathway and serves as a therapeutic target for bone formation in osteoporosis. In this study, we first established an ovariectomized (OVX) rat model to simulate postmenopausal osteoporosis and found significant changes in miR-542-3p and sFRP1 expression by RNA sequencing and qRT-PCR. In addition, there was a significant negative correlation between miR-542-3p and sFRP1 mRNA levels in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. We found that miR-542-3p inhibited the expression of sFRP1 mRNA by luciferase reporter assay. When the miR-542-3p binding site in sFRP1 3'UTR was deleted, it did not affect its expression. Western blot results showed that miR-542-3p inhibited the expression of SFRP1 protein. The expression of SFRP1 was significantly increased in osteoblast-induced mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), whereas the expression of miR-542-3p was significantly decreased. And miR-542-3p transfected MSCs showed a significant increase in osteoblast-specific marker expression, indicating that miR-542-3p is necessary for MSC differentiation. Inhibition of miR-542-3p reduced bone formation, confirmed miR-542-3p play a role in bone formation in vivo. In general, these data suggest that miR-542-3p play an important role in bone formation via inhibiting SFRP1 expression and inducing osteoblast differentiation.

Exosomal miRNAs species in the blood of small cell and non-small cell lung cancer patients

Lung cancer is a devastating disease with overall bleak prognosis. Current methods to diagnose lung cancer are rather invasive and are inadequate to detect the disease at an early stage when treatment is likely to be most effective. In this study, a shotgun sequencing approach was used to study the microRNA (miRNA) cargo of serum-derived exosomes of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) (n=9) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (n=11) patients, and healthy controls (n=10). The study has identified 17 miRNA species that are differentially expressed in cancer patients and control subjects. Furthermore, within the patient groups, a set of miRNAs were differentially expressed in exosomal samples obtained before and after chemotherapy treatment. This manuscript demonstrates the potential of exosomal miRNAs for developing noninvasive tests for disease differentiation and treatment monitoring in lung cancer patients.

Downregulation of miR-542-3p promotes cancer metastasis through activating TGF-β/Smad signaling in hepatocellular carcinoma

Introduction

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounts for more than 90% of primary liver cancer. Although great progress has been made on HCC molecular mechanism and therapy techniques, the prognosis of HCC patient is poor due to high metastasis and recurrence.

Materials and methods

Expression of miR-542-3p was quantified by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). The role of miR-542-3p in HCC metastasis was examined using transwell and 3D-culture assay. qRT-PCR, Western blotting and luciferase reporter assay were used to elucidate the mechanisms of miR-542-3p-mediated cancer metastasis.

Results and Conclusion

In the research, we found that miR-542-3p is decreased in HCC cell lines and tissues, and downregulation of miR-542-3p enhances, while upregulation suppresses HCC cell invasion ability. Further assay demonstrated that miR-542-3p can directly target TGF-β1 3′ untranslated region (3′UTR) to influence TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway, and suppression of miR-542-3p can hyperactivate TGF-β/Smad pathway and further to promote Epithelial-Mesenchyme Transition (EMT) and induce poor prognosis. Lastly, the clinical correlation analysis illustrated that miR-542-3p is negatively related with the activity of TGF-β1. In summary, our results find that miR-542-3p takes an important role on HCC progression and provide more evidence of microRNAs (miRNAs) for cancer therapy.

MicroRNA-542-3p suppresses tumor cell proliferation via targeting Smad2 inhuman osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma (OS) is an aggressive malignant neoplasm that arises from primitive transformed cells of mesenchymal origin, and that exhibits osteoblastic differentiation and produces malignant osteoid. MicroRNA (miR)-542-3p has been reported to serve a crucial role in the initiation and development of several types of human cancer. However, whether miR-542-3p is involved in tumorigenesis and tumor progression of OS remains unclear. In the present study, the expression of miR-542-3p in OS cells and patients with OS, and its functional mechanism in OS were investigated. The data demonstrated that expression of miR-542-3p was significantly decreased in OS tissues and cell lines, and that restoration of miR-542-3p expression in OS cells inhibited cell proliferation and induced cell apoptosis. Through bioinformatics analysis and luciferase reporter assays, the present study identified that miR-542-3p directly targeted Smad2 mRNA and negatively regulated the expression of Smad2 at the protein level in OS cells. Furthermore, it was confirmed that OS tumor tissues with a low expression of miR-542-3p exhibited markedly higher Smad2 expression. Finally, through the use of gain of function and rescue experiments, the present study demonstrated that restoration of miR-542-3p was able to suppress the growth and proliferation of OS cells through directly targeting Smad2. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate that decreased expression of miR-542-3p serves a role in tumor suppression in OS pathogenesis through targeting Smad2. These results will aid in elucidating the functions of miR-542-3p, and suggest that miR-542-3p may serve as a tumor suppressor gene and a promising therapeutic target of OS.

Ginsenoside G-Rh2 synergizes with SMI-4a in anti-melanoma activity through autophagic cell death

Background

Melanoma is a leading cause of cancer death worldwide, and SMI-4a and G-Rh2 exert anti-tumor activity in multiple cancer. However, SMI-4a as well as a synergistic relationship between SMI-4a and G-Rh2 in anti-melanoma capacity are still unknown. Therefore, we investigated the effects of SMI-4a and combined SMI-4a with G-Rh2 on the viability, apoptosis and autophagy of melanoma, and to preliminarily explore the underlying mechanism of SMI-4a and combined SMI-4a with G-Rh2 in inhibiting tumor growth.

Methods

Cell viability was examined with cell counting Kit 8 assay and colony formation assay; Apoptosis was evaluated by flow cytometry and Caspase 3/7 activity assay; Western blotting was used to test proteins related to autophagy and the AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway; Tumor xenograft model in BALB/c nude mice was performed to evaluate the effects of SMI-4a and combined SMI-4a with G-Rh2 in anti-melanoma in vivo.

Results

SMI-4a, a pharmacological inhibitor of PIM-1, could decrease cell viability, induce apoptosis, and promote Caspase 3/7 activity in both A375 and G361 melanoma cells, and SMI-4a inhibited tumor growth by inducing autophagy via down-regulating AKT/mTOR axis in melanoma cells. Furthermore, G-Rh2 amplified the anti-tumor activity of SMI-4a in melanoma cells via strengthening autophagy.

Conclusions

Our results suggested that SMI-4a could enhance autophagy-inducing apoptosis by inhibiting AKT/mTOR signaling pathway in melanoma cells, and G-Rh2 could enhance the effects of SMI-4a against melanoma cancer via amplifying autophagy induction. This study demonstrates that combined SMI-4a and G-Rh2 might be a novel alternative strategy for melanoma treatment.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s13020-018-0168-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Survivin-targeting miR-542-3p overcomes HER3 signaling-induced chemoresistance and enhances the antitumor activity of paclitaxel against HER2-overexpressing breast cancer

Elevated expression of HER3, which interacts with HER2 in breast cancer cells, confers chemoresistance via phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI-3K)/Akt-dependent upregulation of Survivin. However, the underlying mechanism is not clear. Ectopic expression or specific knockdown of HER3 in HER2-overexpressing breast cancer cells did not alter Survivin mRNA levels and Survivin protein stability, supporting the notion that HER3 signaling may regulate specific miRNAs that target Survivin to alter its protein translation. Here we showed that overexpression and specific knockdown of HER3 reduced and enhanced expression of two Survivin-targeting miRNAs, miR-203 and miR-542-3p, in breast cancer cells, respectively. While the specific inhibitor of either miR-203 or miR-542-3p attenuated an anti-HER3 antibody-induced downregulation of Survivin, inhibition of miR-542-3p exhibited a better efficacy than miR-203 inhibition did. Consistently, miR-542-3p mimic was much more effective than miR-203 mimic not only in inhibition of Survivin, but also in enhancement of paclitaxel-induced apoptosis in HER2-overexpressing breast cancer cells. Moreover, the combination of miR-542-3p mimic and paclitaxel, as compared with either agent alone, significantly inhibited in vivo tumor growth of HER2-overexpressing breast cancer cells. Collectively, our data indicated that the HER3/PI-3K/Akt signaling upregulates Survivin via suppression of miR-203 and miR-542-3p. Because miR-542-3p has three binding sites on the 3'-UTR of Survivin mRNA, its mimic was able to effectively downregulate Survivin in vitro and in vivo. Thus, miR-542-3p-replacement therapy is an excellent approach to overcome HER3-mediated paclitaxel resistance and significantly enhances the antitumor activity of paclitaxel against HER2-overexpressing breast cancer.

MicroRNAs miR-19, miR-340, miR-374 and miR-542 regulate MID1 protein expression

The MID1 ubiquitin ligase activates mTOR signaling and regulates mRNA translation. Misregulation of MID1 expression is associated with various diseases including midline malformation syndromes, cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. While this indicates that MID1 expression must be tightly regulated to prevent disease states specific mechanisms involved have not been identified. We examined miRNAs to determine mechanisms that regulate MID1 expression. MicroRNAs (miRNA) are small non-coding RNAs that recognize specific sequences in their target mRNAs. Upon binding, miRNAs typically downregulate expression of these targets. Here, we identified four miRNAs, miR-19, miR-340, miR-374 and miR-542 that bind to the 3'-UTR of the MID1 mRNA. These miRNAs not only regulate MID1 expression but also mTOR signaling and translation of disease associated mRNAs and could therefore serve as potential drugs for future therapy development.

miRNAs, Melanoma and Microenvironment: An Intricate Network

miRNAs are central players in cancer biology and they play a pivotal role in mediating the network communication between tumor cells and their microenvironment. In melanoma, miRNAs can impair or facilitate a wide array of processes, and here we will focus on: the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), the immune milieu, and metabolism. Multiple miRNAs can affect the EMT process, even at a distance, for example through exosome-mediated mechanisms. miRNAs also strongly act on some components of the immune system, regulating the activity of key elements such as antigen presenting cells, and can facilitate an immune evasive/suppressive phenotype. miRNAs are also involved in the regulation of metabolic processes, specifically in response to hypoxic stimuli where they can mediate the metabolic switch from an oxidative to a glycolytic metabolism. Overall, this review discusses and summarizes recent findings on miRNA regulation in the melanoma tumor microenvironment, analyzing their potential diagnostic and therapeutic applications.

Piceatannol induced apoptosis through up-regulation of microRNA-181a in melanoma cells

Background

Melanoma took top position among the lethal cancers and, despite there have been some great attempts made to increase the natural life of patients with metastatic disease, long-lasting and complete remissions are few. Piceatannol, owns the similar function as resveratrol, has been defined as an anti-cancer agent playing important role in inhibition of proliferation, migration and metastasis in various cancer. Thus, we aim to investigate the anti-cancer effect and mechanisms of piceatannol in melanoma cells.

Methods

Melanoma cell lines WM266-4 and A2058 were treated either with or without piceatannol. Cell viability and cell apoptosis were assessed by using MTT and Annexin V/PI assay, respectively. Cells were transfected with specific miRNA using Lipfectamine 2000. miRNA bingding ability to 3'-UTR region within specific gene was assed by firefly luciferase analysis. Gene and protein expression was eveluated by qRT-PCR and western blot analysis, respectively.

Results

Our study showed that piceatannol inhibited WM266-4 and A2058 cells growth and induced apoptosis. Totally, 16 differentially expressed miRNAs were screened out including 8 up-regulated and 8 down-regulated miRNAs. Expression level of miR-181a is significantly higher in piceatannol-treated cells than normal control and is lower in melanoma cancer tissues than its adjacent normal tissues. Bcl-2 is a target gene of miR-181a. Moreover, silencing of miR-181a reverses the decrease of cell viability induced by piceatannol in WM266-4 and A2058 cells. Taken together, present study uncovered the ability of piceatannol to repress melanoma cell growth and clarified the contribution of miR-181a in the anticancer role of piceatannol.

Conclusion

The present study proposes that piceatannol can be taken into account to be a hopeful anticancer agent for melanoma.

MicroRNA-455-3p promotes invasion and migration in triple negative breast cancer by targeting tumor suppressor EI24

Lacking of treatment methods for the patients with triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) underscores the pivotal needs to further understand its biology as well as to find better biomarkers and develop novel therapeutic strategies. Increasing evidences support that aberrantly expressed microRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in tumorigenesis and may serve as biomarkers for diagnostic and prognostic purposes of various cancers. In current study, we found that miR-455-3p and miR-196a-5p were intensively overexpressed in TNBC compared with the hormone receptor (HR) positive breast cancer whereas miR-425-5p was down-regulated by miRNA microarray analysis. qRT-PCR analysis confirmed that the expression of miR-455-3p in TNBC cell lines MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 was higher than that in HR positive breast cancer cell line MCF-7(p<0.01). Functional experiments in vitro showed that miR-455-3p enhanced cell proliferative, invasive and migrational abilities in TNBC cell lines. miRNA targets prediction showed SMAD2, LTBR and etoposide induced 2.4 (EI24) were potential target genes of miR-455-3p, and then it was confirmed by qRT-PCR assay. Dual luciferase reporter assay showed the specific binding of miR-455-3p to 3′ UTR of EI24 in TNBC. Then we found miR-455-3p inhibited the EI24 expression at the levels of mRNA and protein. Through small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting EI24 gene, there were strengthened capabilities of invasion and migration of TNBC cells, and increased expression of EI24 had the inverse effects. In conclusion, the data suggest that miRNA455-3p promotes invasion and migration by targeting tumor suppressor EI24 and might be a potential prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target in TNBC.

MicroRNA-542-3p inhibits oral squamous cell carcinoma progression by inhibiting ILK/TGF-β1/Smad2/3 signaling

In this study, we investigated the effects of microRNA-542-3p (miR-542-3p) on ILK/TGF-β1/Smad2/3 signaling and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) progression. Levels of miR-542-3p were lower in OSCC tissues (n=108) than adjacent normal tissues, whereas levels of ILK, TGF-β1 and Smad2/3 were higher. Patients with undifferentiated tumors, advanced TNM stage and lymph node metastasis showed low miR-542-3p levels. This was accompanied by high ILK expression and poor survival. Dual luciferase reporter assays of SCC-9 cells showed that miR-542-3p inhibited ILK gene expression by binding to its 3’UTR at 233-240 bp. SCC-9 cells transfected with miR-542-3p mimics exhibited elevated miR-542-3p and decreased ILK, TGF-β1 and Smad2/3 expression. They also showed reduced self-renewal (fewer CD44⁺ cells and tumor-spheres), invasiveness, migration, proliferation and survival. Conversely, miR-542-3p inhibitors promoted increased self-renewal (more CD44⁺ cells and tumor-spheres), invasiveness, migration, proliferation and survival. In xenograft experiments with nude mice, SCC-9 cells transfected with miR-542-3p mimics or siRNA-ILK yielded tumors with smaller volumes and weights than control tumors. These results demonstrate that miR-542-3p is a tumor suppressor that inhibits ILK/TGF-β1/Smad2/3 signaling, thereby inhibiting OSCC progression.

miR-33a is a tumor suppressor microRNA that is decreased in prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is one of the most frequently diagnosed neoplasms among men worldwide. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in numerous important cellular processes including proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. They have been found to be aberrantly expressed in many types of human cancers. They can act as either tumor suppressors or oncogenes, and changes in their levels are associated with tumor initiation, progression and metastasis. miR-33a is an intronic miRNA embedded within SREBF2 that has been reported to have tumor suppressive properties in some cancers but has not been examined in prostate cancer. SREBF2 increases cholesterol and lipid levels both directly and via miR-33a action. The levels of SREBF2 and miR-33a are correlated in normal tissues by co-transcription from the same gene locus. Paradoxically, SREBF2 has been reported to be increased in prostate cancer, which would be predicted to increase miR-33a levels potentially leading to tumor suppression. We show here that miR-33a has tumor suppressive activities and is decreased in prostate cancer. The decreased miR-33a increases mRNA for the PIM1 oncogene and multiple genes in the lipid β-oxidation pathway. Levels of miR-33a are not correlated with SREBF2 levels, implying posttranscriptional regulation of its expression in prostate cancer.

MiR-542-3p inhibits metastasis and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of hepatocellular carcinoma by targeting UBE3C

Accumulating evidence demonstrates that aberrant miRNAs contribute to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development and progression. However, the roles of various miRNAs in HCC remain to be determined. In present research, we confirmed that a reduced miR-542-3p expression was present in HCC tissues and cell lines. Our clinical analysis revealed that the down-regulated miR-542-3p expression was significantly correlated with poor prognostic features including advanced TNM stage and venous infiltration. Moreover, we confirmed that miR-542-3p was a novel independent prognostic marker for predicting 5-year survival of HCC patients. The ectopic overexpression of miR-542-3p inhibited cell migration, invasion and EMT progress, while down-regulated miR-542-3p reversed the effect. In addition, miR-542-3p could regulate UBE3C by directly binding to its 3'-UTR. In clinical samples of HCC, miR-542-3p inversely correlated with UBE3C, which was upregulated in HCC. Alternation of UBE3C expression at least partially abolished the migration, invasion and EMT progress effects of miR-542-3p on HCC cells. In conclusion, our results indicated that miR-542-3p functioned as a tumor suppressor gene in regulating the EMT and metastasis of HCC via targeting UBE3C, and may represent a novel potential therapeutic target and prognostic marker for HCC.

Downregulation of miR-493 promoted melanoma proliferation by suppressing IRS4 expression

Accumulating evidence indicated that aberrantly expressed microRNAs play critical roles in the initiation and progression of human cancers. However, the underlying functions of miR-493 in human melanoma remains unknown. Here, our study found that miR-493 expression was downregulated in human melanoma tissues and cells. Overexpression of miR-493 suppressed cell proliferation and cell cycle in human melanoma cell line A375. IRS4 was defined as a target for downregulation by miR-493 and was confirmed by luciferase assay. We also found that knockdown of IRS4 counteracted the proliferation promotion by miR-493 inhibitor. In summary, these results demonstrated that miR-493 acts as a tumor suppressor and inhibits cell proliferation and cell cycle in human melanoma by directly targeting IRS4.

Physcion 8-O-β-glucopyranoside suppresses tumor growth of Hepatocellular carcinoma by downregulating PIM1

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) presents one of leading causes of cancer-related mortality worldwidely. This study is aimed to investigate the anti-tumor activity of physcion 8-O-β-glucopyranoside (PG) in HCC. Our results have showed that PG significantly suppresses cell growth and induces apoptosis in vitro and in vivo. At molecular level, PG represses the expression of Pim family kinases 1 (PIM1), which is responsible for the anti-tumor effect of PG in HCC. Ectopic over-expression of PIM1 significantly abrogates the suppressing effect of PG on cell growth and inducing effect of PG on apoptosis. In contrast, knockdown of PIM1 by siRNA enhances the anti-tumor effect of PG in HCC cells.

Effects of miR-145-5p through NRAS on the cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion in melanoma by inhibiting MAPK and PI3K/AKT pathways

We aimed to detect the effects of miR-145-5p on the cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion in NRAS-mutant, BRAF-mutant, and wild-type melanoma cells, in order to figure out the potential mechanisms and provide a novel therapeutic target of melanoma. RT-qPCR and western blot were used to detect the expression of miR-145-5p and NRAS in melanoma tumor tissues and cells, respectively. Luciferase assay was performed to determine whether miR-145-5p directly targeted NRAS. After transfecting miR-145-5p mimics, miR-145-5p inhibitors, NRAS cDNA and NRAS siRNA into CHL-1, VMM917 and SK-mel-28 cells, functional assays were used to detect the proliferation, apoptosis, invasion and migration, including MTT, flow cytometry, Transwell and wound healing assays. In addition, xenograft models in nude mice were also conducted to verify the role of miR-145-5p in vivo. MiR-145-5p was able to suppress proliferation, invasion, and migration of VMM917 and CHL-1 cells and induce apoptosis by inhibiting MAPK and PI3K/AKT pathways. However, aberrant expression of miR-145-5p and NRAS has little impact on the viability and metastasis of BRAF-mutant melanoma. The higher expression of miR-145-5p in xenograft models repressed the VMM917-induced and CHL-1-induced tumor growth observably and has little effect on SK-mel-28-induced tumor growth which was consistent with the results in vitro. Through targeting NRAS, miR-145-5p could suppress cell proliferation, invasion, and migration and induce apoptosis of CHL-1 and VMM917 melanoma cells by inhibiting MAPK and PI3K/AKT pathways.

MicroRNA-542-3p inhibits the growth of hepatocellular carcinoma cells by targeting FZD7/Wnt signaling pathway

MicroRNAs (miRNA) are relevant regulators of the tumorigenesis of various cancers, such as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Recent studies have suggested that miR-542-3p is a tumor suppressor gene in numerous cancers. However, the role of miR-542-3p in HCC remains unclear. This study showed that miR-542-3p was downregulated in HCC tissues and cell lines. MTT, colony formation, and cell cycle assays revealed that miR-542-3p overexpression inhibited HCC cell growth, whereas miR-542-3p suppression promoted cell growth. Frizzled7 (FZD7), the most important Wnt receptor involved in cancer development and progression, was identified as a functional target of miR-542-3p through dual-luciferase reporter assay, RT-qPCR, and Western blot. The mRNA expression of FZD7 was inversely correlated with miR-542-3p expression in HCC tissues. miR-542-3p overexpression could significantly decrease the activation of Wnt signaling pathway in HCC cells. FZD7 overexpression could significantly reverse the inhibitory effect of miR-542-3p on HCC cell growth and Wnt signaling pathway. Taken together, our study suggests that miR-542-3p inhibits HCC cell growth by targeting FZD7 and inhibiting Wnt signaling pathway. The decreased miR-542-3p expression may also contribute to the progression of HCC and may represent a novel molecular therapeutic target for HCC.