miR-496 suppress tumorigenesis via targeting BDNF-mediated PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in non-small cell lung cancer

Circ_0027791 contributes to the growth and immune evasion of hepatocellular carcinoma via the miR-496/programmed cell death ligand 1 axis in an m6A-dependent manner

Emerging evidence indicates the critical roles of circular RNAs in the development of multiple cancers, containing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Herein, our present research reported the biological function and mechanism of circ_0027791 in HCC progression. Circ_0027791, microRNA-496 (miR-496), programmed cell death ligand 1 (PDL1), and methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3) levels were detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Cell viability, proliferation, invasion, and sphere formation ability were detected using 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide, 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine, transwell, and sphere formation assays. Macrophage polarization was detected using flow cytometry assay. To understand the role of circ_0027791 during the immune escape, HCC cells were cocultured with peripheral blood mononuclear cells or cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells in vitro. A xenograft mouse model was applied to assess the function of circ_0027791 in vivo. After prediction using circinteractome and miRDB, the binding between miR-496 and circ_0027791 or PDL1 was validated based on a dual-luciferase reporter assay. Interaction between METTL3 and circ_0027791 was determined using methylated RNA immunoprecipitation (MeRIP)-qPCR, RIP-qPCR, and RNA pull-down assays. Circ_0027791, PDL1, and METTL3 expression were upregulated, and miR-496 was decreased in HCC patients and cells. Moreover, circ_0027791 knockdown might repress proliferation, invasion, sphere formation, M2 macrophage polarization, and antitumor immune response. Circ_0027791 knockdown repressed HCC tumor growth in vivo. In mechanism, circ_0027791 functioned as a sponge for miR-496 to increase PDL1 expression. In addition, METTL3 mediated the m6A methylation of circ_0027791 and stabilized its expression. METTL3-induced circ_0027791 facilitated HCC cell progression partly regulating the miR-496/PDL1 axis, which provided a new prognostic and therapeutic marker for HCC.

BDNF Modulation by microRNAs: An Update on the Experimental Evidence

MicroRNAs can interfere with protein function by suppressing their messenger RNA translation or the synthesis of its related factors. The function of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is essential to the proper formation and function of the nervous system and is seen to be regulated by many microRNAs. However, understanding how microRNAs influence BDNF actions within cells requires a wider comprehension of their integrative regulatory mechanisms. Aim: In this literature review, we have synthesized the evidence of microRNA regulation on BDNF in cells and tissues, and provided an analytical discussion about direct and indirect mechanisms that appeared to be involved in BDNF regulation by microRNAs. Methods: Searches were conducted on PubMed.gov using the terms "BDNF" AND "MicroRNA" and "brain-derived neurotrophic factor" AND "MicroRNA", updated on 1 September 2023. Papers without open access were requested from the authors. One hundred and seventy-one papers were included for review and discussion. Results and Discussion: The local regulation of BDNF by microRNAs involves a complex interaction between a series of microRNAs with target proteins that can either inhibit or enhance BDNF expression, at the core of cell metabolism. Therefore, understanding this homeostatic balance provides resources for the future development of vector-delivery-based therapies for the neuroprotective effects of BDNF.

Low blood level of tumour suppressor miR-5193 as a target of immunotherapy to PD-L1 in gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

Recent studies have identified that low levels of some tumour suppressor microRNAs (miRNAs) in the blood contribute to tumour progression and poor outcomes in various cancers. However, no study has proved these miRNAs are associated with cancer immune mechanisms.

METHODS

From a systematic review of the NCBI and miRNA databases, four tumour suppressor miRNA candidates were selected (miR-5193, miR-4443, miR-520h, miR-496) that putatively target programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1).

RESULTS

Test-scale and large-scale analyses revealed that plasma levels of miR-5193 were significantly lower in gastric cancer (GC) patients than in healthy volunteers (HVs). Low plasma levels of miR-5193 were associated with advanced pathological stages and were an independent prognostic factor. Overexpression of miR-5193 in GC cells suppressed PD-L1 on the surface of GC cells, even with IFN-γ stimulation. In the coculture model of GC cells and T cells stimulated by anti-CD3/anti-CD28 beads, overexpression of miR-5193 increased anti-tumour activity of T cells by suppressing PD-L1 expression. Subcutaneous injection of miR-5193 also significantly enhanced the tumour-killing activity and trafficking of T cells in mice.

CONCLUSIONS

Low blood levels of miR-5193 are associated with GC progression and poor outcomes and could be a target of nucleic acid immunotherapy in GC patients.

Detailed role of microRNA-mediated regulation of PI3K/AKT axis in human tumors

The regulation of signal transmission and biological processes, such as cell proliferation, apoptosis, metabolism, migration, and angiogenesis are greatly influenced by the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Highly conserved endogenous non-protein-coding RNAs known as microRNAs (miRNAs) have the ability to regulate gene expression by inhibiting mRNA translation or mRNA degradation. MiRNAs serve key role in PI3K/AKT pathway as upstream or downstream target, and aberrant activation of this pathway contributes to the development of cancers. A growing body of research shows that miRNAs can control the PI3K/AKT pathway to control the biological processes within cells. The expression of genes linked to cancers can be controlled by the miRNA/PI3K/AKT axis, which in turn controls the development of cancer. There is also a strong correlation between the expression of miRNAs linked to the PI3K/AKT pathway and numerous clinical traits. Moreover, PI3K/AKT pathway-associated miRNAs are potential biomarkers for cancer diagnosis, therapy, and prognostic evaluation. The role and clinical applications of the PI3K/AKT pathway and miRNA/PI3K/AKT axis in the emergence of cancers are reviewed in this article.

Advances in the role of microRNAs associated with the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in lung cancer

Cancer has long been a topic of great interest in society and a major factor affecting human health. Breast, prostate, lung, and colorectal cancers are the top four tumor types with the greatest incidence rates in 2020, according to the most recent data on global cancer incidence. Among these, lung cancer had the highest fatality rate. Extensive research has shown that microRNAs, through different signaling pathways, play crucial roles in cancer development. It is considered that the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway plays a significant role in the development of lung cancer. MicroRNAs can act as a tumor suppressor or an oncogene by altering the expression of important proteins in this pathway, such as PTEN and AKT. In order to improve the clinical translational benefit of microRNAs in lung cancer research, we have generalized and summarized the way of action of microRNAs linked with the PI3/AKT signaling pathway in this review through literature search and data analysis.

Plasma microRNA Profiling in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Pilot Study

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) is a chronic metabolic disease characterized by insulin resistance and β-cell dysfunction and leading to many micro- and macrovascular complications. In this study we analyzed the circulating miRNA expression profiles in plasma samples from 44 patients with T2D and 22 healthy individuals using next generation sequencing and detected 229 differentially expressed miRNAs. An increased level of miR-5588-5p, miR-125b-2-3p, miR-1284, and a reduced level of miR-496 in T2D patients was verified. We also compared the expression landscapes in the same group of patients depending on body mass index and identified differential expression of miR-144-3p and miR-99a-5p in obese individuals. Identification and functional analysis of putative target genes was performed for miR-5588-5p, miR-125b-2-3p, miR-1284, and miR-496, showing chromatin modifying enzymes and apoptotic genes being among the significantly enriched pathways.

Regulation and therapeutic potentials of microRNAs to non-small cell lung cancer

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common type of lung cancer, accounting for 80%-85% of total cases and leading to millions of deaths worldwide. Drug resistance is the primary cause of treatment failure in NSCLC, which urges scientists to develop advanced approaches for NSCLC treatment. Among novel approaches, the miRNA-based method has emerged as a potential approach as it allows researchers to modulate target gene expression. Subsequently, cell behaviors are altered, which leads to the death and the depletion of cancer cells. It has been reported that miRNAs possess the capacity to regulate multiple genes that are involved in various signaling pathways, including the phosphoinositide 3-kinase, receptor tyrosine kinase/rat sarcoma virus/mitogen-activated protein kinase, wingless/integrated, retinoblastoma, p53, transforming growth factor β, and nuclear factor-kappa B pathways. Dysregulation of these signaling pathways in NSCLC results in abnormal cell proliferation, tissue invasion, and drug resistance while inhibiting apoptosis. Thus, understanding the roles of miRNAs in regulating these signaling pathways may enable the development of novel NSCLC treatment therapies. However, a comprehensive review of potential miRNAs in NSCLC treatment has been lacking. Therefore, this review aims to fill the gap by summarizing the up-to-date information on miRNAs regarding their targets, impact on cancer-associated pathways, and prospective outcomes in treating NSCLC. We also discuss current technologies for delivering miRNAs to the target cells, including virus-based, non-viral, and emerging extracellular vesicle-based delivery systems. This knowledge will support future studies to develop an innovative miRNA-based therapy and select a suitable carrier to treat NSCLC effectively.

Circ_0006324 regulates cell proliferation, cell-cycle progression, apoptosis, and glycolysis of non-small cell lung cancer cells through miR-496/TRIM59 axis

Increasing evidence suggests that circular RNA (circRNA) plays an important role in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) progression. This study aimed to investigate the role and potential molecular mechanism of circ_0006324 in NSCLC. The expression levels of circ_0006324, miR-496, miR-488-5p, and tripartite motif-containing 59 (TRIM59) mRNA were determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide assay, EdU assay, and flow cytometry were carried out to evaluate cell proliferation and apoptosis. The extracellular acidification rate and lactic acid production were examined to assess cell glycolysis. Western blot assay was used to detect protein levels. The target relationship of circ_0006324/miR-496/TRIM59 axis was validated by RNA pull-down assay, dual luciferase reporter assay, and radio immunoprecipitation assay. Xenograft tumor assay was performed to reveal the function of circ_0006324 in vivo. Circ_0006324 was upregulated in NSCLC and related to tumor node metastasis stage and distant metastasis. Knockdown of circ_00006324 impeded NSCLC cell proliferation, glycolysis, and promoted cell apoptosis. MiR-496 was verified as a target of circ_0006324 and circ_00006324 mediated the altering of cell proliferation, apoptosis, and glycolysis of NSCLC cells through targeting miR-496. TRIM59 was verified as a target of miR-496, and circ_0006324 positively regulated TRIM59 expression by targeting miR-496. Overexpression of TRIM59 could reverse the effects of circ_0006324 silencing on the proliferation, apoptosis, and glycolysis of NSCLC cells. Circ_0006324 knockdown impeded NSCLC tumor growth in vivo. Circ_0006324 functioned as a tumor promoter in NSCLC to promote cell proliferation, cell cycle progression, and glycolysis and inhibit cell apoptosis via miR-496/TRIM59 axis.

LncRNA KCNQ1OT1/miR-496/HMGB1 Signaling Axis Promotes Invasion and Migration of Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Cells

Enhanced invasion and migration of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells is the major cause of metastasis and poor prognosis in NSCLC. This study was conducted to investigate the role and mechanism of lncRNA KCNQ1OT1 in the proliferation, invasion, and migration of NSCLC cells. The expression of KCNQ1OT1 in NSCLC was analyzed in the StarBase database, and the target miRNA of KCNQ1OT1 as well as the target genes of the miRNA was predicted. Then, the mRNA expression levels of KCNQ1OT1, miR-496, and HMGB1 were detected in clinical tissue samples and cells by qRT-PCR assay. Besides, the protein levels of HMGB1 were detected by Western blot. MTT assay, transwell assay, and scratch assay were used to determine the proliferation, invasion, and migration ability of NSCLC cells, respectively. Correlation analysis was performed to assess the correlation between the expression of KCNQ1OT1, miR-496, and HMGB1 in clinical NSCLC samples. Dual-luciferase reporter gene assay was conducted to analyze the interaction between KCNQ1OT1 and miR-496 and between miR-496 and HMGB1. The database results showed that KCNQ1OT1 was highly expressed in NSCLC. Similarly, we found that the expression level of KCNQ1OT1 was significantly higher in NSCLC tissues and cells than that in the corresponding normal tissues and cells. The results of MTT assay, transwell assay, and scratch assay demonstrated that KCNQ1OT1 significantly enhanced the proliferation, invasion, and migration of NSCLC cells. Further mechanism exploration revealed that KCNQ1OT1 could sponge miR-496, and miR-496 directly targeted and regulated the expression of HMGB1. The expression of miR-496 and either KCNQ1OT1 or HMGB1 were negatively correlated in NSCLC, while the expression of KCNQ1OT1 and HMGB1 were positively correlated. Compared with normal paracancer tissues, miR-496 was much lower and HMGB1 was much higher expressed in NSCLC tissues. The results of cotransfection also further demonstrated that miR-496 inhibitor or sh-HMGB1 cotransfected with sh-KCNQ1OT1 could significantly decrease or increase the ability of sh-KCNQ1OT1 to inhibit the proliferation, invasion, and migration of H1299 cells, respectively. In conclusion, lncRNA KCNQ1OT1 promotes the invasion and migration of NSCLC cells through miR-496/HMGB1 signaling axis.

Amentoflavone attenuates cell proliferation and induces ferroptosis in human gastric cancer by miR-496/ATF2 axis

Amentoflavone (AF) is a natural multifunctional biflavonoid that has been revealed to possess multiple biological activities, including anticancer activity. Here, this work focused on exploring the functions and mechanism of AF in gastric cancer (GC). Levels of genes and proteins were examined by quantitative real-time PCR and western blotting. Cell proliferation and cell death were analyzed using cell counting kit-8, colony formation, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release assay, respectively. Cell ferroptosis was evaluated by detecting the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), Fe2+ , and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). The binding between miR-496 and activating transcription factor 2 (ATF2) was confirmed by using dual-luciferase reporter assay. Murine xenograft assay was conducted for in vivo experiments. The results showed that AF suppressed the proliferation and induced ferroptotic cell death in GC cells. MiR-496 expression was decreased in GC tissues and cells, and AF treatment increased miR-496 expression level in GC cells. Functionally, miR-496 inhibition reversed the inhibitory effects of AF on GC cell proliferation and promoting effects on ferroptotic cell death. Mechanistically, ATF2 was targeted by miR-496. ATF2 expression was increased in GC tissues and cells, which was decreased by AF treatment and subsequently rescued by miR-496 downregulation in GC cells. Moreover, miR-496 overexpression suppressed the proliferation and induced ferroptotic cell death in GC cells via targeting ATF2. In all, AF suppressed the proliferation and induced ferroptotic cell death in GC cells via miR-496/ATF2 axis, indicating a novel therapeutic approach for GC patients.

Circular RNA Ubiquitin-associated Protein 2 Silencing Suppresses Bladder Cancer Progression by Downregulating DNA Topoisomerase 2-alpha Through Sponging miR-496

Background

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been uncovered to be implicated in the malignant development of bladder cancer (BC).

Objective

Herein, this work aimed to investigate the role and mechanism of circRNA ubiquitin-associated protein 2 (circUBAP2) in BC progression.

Design setting and participants

Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting were used for the detection of genes and proteins.

Outcome measurements and statistical analysis

In vitro functional experiments were conducted using colony formation, 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU), Transwell, wound healing, and flow cytometry assays, respectively. A glycolysis analysis was conducted by assessing glucose uptake and lactate production. A murine xenograft model was established to perform in vivo experiments. The binding interaction between miR-496 and circUBAP2 or DNA topoisomerase 2-alpha (TOP2A) was verified using a dual-luciferase reporter assay.

Results and limitations

CircUBAP2 was highly expressed in BC patients, and high circUBAP2 expression showed a shorter survival rate. Functionally, knockdown of circUBAP2 could suppress BC cell growth, migration, invasion, and aerobic glycolysis in vitro, as well as impede BC growth in nude mice. Mechanistically, circUBAP2 acted as a sponge for miR-496, which targeted TOP2A. Moreover, circUBAP2 could indirectly regulate TOP2A expression through sequestering miR-496. Furthermore, a series of rescue experiments showed that miR-496 inhibition reversed the anticancer action of circUBAP2 knockdown on BC cells. Moreover, miR-496 could attenuate BC cell malignant phenotypes and aerobic glycolysis, which were abolished by TOP2A overexpression.

Conclusions

Silencing of circUBAP2 could suppress BC growth, invasion, migration, and aerobic glycolysis by the miR-496/TOP2A axis, suggesting a promising target for the molecular targeted therapies of BC.

Patient summary

Circular RNA ubiquitin-associated protein 2 (circUBAP2) was found to be associated with poor prognosis in bladder cancer (BC). Knockdown of circUBAP2 might suppress BC growth, invasion, migration, and aerobic glycolysis, indicating that it may be a new target for the development of molecular targeted therapy for BC.

Recent Developments and Challenges in Molecular-Targeted Therapy of Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer

Treatment of lung cancer with conventional therapies, which include radiation, surgery, and chemotherapy results in multiple undesirable adverse or side effects. The major clinical challenge in developing new drug therapies for lung cancer is resistance, which involves mutations and disturbance in various signaling pathways. Molecular abnormalities related to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), v-Raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B1 (B-RAF) Kirsten rat sarcoma virus (KRAS) mutations, translocation of the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene, mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor (MET) amplification have been studied to overcome the resistance and to develop new therapies for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). But, inevitable development of resistance presents limits the clinical benefits of various new drugs. Here, we review current progress in the development of molecularly targeted therapies, concerning six clinical biomarkers: EGFR, ALK, MET, ROS-1, KRAS, and B-RAF for NSCLC treatment.

Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking Analysis on Molecular Targets and Mechanisms of Aidi Injection Treating of Nonsmall Cell Lung Cancer

Background. Aidi injection (ADI) is a compound preparation injection of Chinese herbs used to treat patients of nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in China. This study aimed to reveal the mechanism of ADI in the treatment of NSCLC by using network pharmacology and molecular docking. Methods. The related targets of ADI and NSCLC were obtained from multiple databases. The network diagram of disease-drug-components-targets (DDCT) and protein-protein interaction (PPI) was constructed to screen key targets. Then, the key targets and main signaling pathways were screened by gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis. Next, in order to validate the results of network pharmacology, expression analysis and survival analysis of key genes were performed. Finally, we carried out the technology of molecular docking to further validate the accuracy of the above results. Results. A total of 207 targets of ADI and 5282 targets of NSCLC were obtained finally. Through the construction of DDCT and PPI network diagrams, 28 key targets were finally obtained. The results of the KEGG enrichment analysis indicated that multiple signaling pathways were associated with NSCLC, which included the MAPK signaling pathway, the IL-17 signaling pathway, and the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. The key genes in the signaling pathway mainly include TP53, CASP3, MMP9, AKT1, PTGS2, and MAPK1. The results of differently expressed analysis of key genes showed that TP53, CASP3, MMP9, AKT1, PTGS2, and MAPK1 had statistical differences in lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) compared with normal tissue $\left(p<0.001\right)$ . In lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), the expression of TP53, CASP3, MMP9, AKT1, and PTGS2 had statistical differences compared with normal tissue $\left(p<0.001\right)$ , while the expression of MAPK1 had no statistical difference $\left(p>0.05\right)$ . The results of survival analysis of key genes showed that AKT1, MAPK1, CASP3, MMP9, TP53, and PTGS2 had statistical differences in the OS or RFS of NSCLC patients $\left(p<0.05\right)$ . In addition, the results of molecular docking indicated that the key genes and the main components have good docking activity. Conclusions. This study revealed the potential mechanism of ADI in the treatment of NSCLC with multipathways and multitargets and provided a scientific basis for the in-depth study of ADI in the treatment of NSCLC.

Autoencoder Networks Decipher the Association between Lung Cancer and Alzheimer’s Disease

Lung cancer is the most common malignancy and is responsible for the largest cancer-related mortality worldwide. Alzheimer’s disease is a degenerative neurological disease that burdens healthcare worldwide. While the two diseases are distinct, several transcriptomic studies have demonstrated they are linked. However, no concordant conclusion on how they are associated has been drawn. Since these studies utilized conventional bioinformatics methods, such as the differentially expressed gene (DEG) analysis, it is naturally expected that the proportion of DEGs having either the same or inverse directions in lung cancer and Alzheimer’s disease is substantial. This raises the inconsistency. Therefore, a novel bioinformatics method capable of determining the direction of association is desirable. In this study, the moderated t-tests were first used to identify DEGs that are shared by the two diseases. For the shared DEGs, separate autoencoder (AE) networks were trained to extract a one-dimensional representation (pseudogene) for each disease. Based on these pseudogenes, the association direction between lung cancer and Alzheimer’s disease was inferred. AE networks based on 266 shared DEGs revealed a comorbidity relationship between Alzheimer’s disease and lung cancer. Specifically, Spearman’s correlation coefficient between the predicted values using the two AE networks for the Alzheimer’s disease test set was 0.825 and for the lung cancer test set was 0.316. Novel bioinformatics methods such as an AE network may help decipher how distinct diseases are associated by providing the refined representations of dysregulated genes.

BDNF and its signaling in cancer

PURPOSE

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) belongs to the family of neurotrophic factors that can potentially increase cancer cell growth, survival, proliferation, anoikis, and migration by tyrosine kinase receptors TrkB and the p75NTR death receptor. The activation of BDNF/TrkB pathways leads to several downstream signaling pathways, including PI3K/Akt, Jak/STAT, PLCγ, Ras-Raf-MEK-ERK, NF-kB, and transactivation of EGFR. The current review aimed to provide an overview of the role of BDNF and its signaling in cancer.

METHODS

We searched a major medical database, PubMed, to identify eligible studies for a narrative synthesis.

RESULTS

Pathological examinations demonstrate BDNF overexpression in human cancer, notably involving the prostate, lung, breast, and underlying tissues, associated with a higher death rate and poor prognosis. Therefore, measurement of BDNF, either for identifying the disease or predicting response to therapy, can be helpful in cancer patients. Expression profiling studies have recognized the role of microRNAs (miR) in modulating BDNF/TrkB pathways, such as miR-101, miR-107, miR-134, miR-147, miR-191, miR-200a/c, miR-204, miR-206, miR-210, miR-214, miR-382, miR-496, miR-497, miR-744, and miR-10a-5p, providing a potential biological mechanism by which targeted therapies may correlate with decreased BDNF expression in cancers. Clinical studies investigating the use of agents targeting BDNF receptors and related signaling pathways and interfering with the related oncogenic effect, including Entrectinib, Larotrectinib, Cabozantinib, Repotrectinib, Lestaurtinib, and Selitrectinib, are in progress.

CONCLUSION

The aberrant signaling of BDNF is implicated in various cancers. Well-designed clinical trials are needed to clarify the BDNF role in cancer progression and target it as a therapeutic method.

Circulating Tumor-Derived Endothelial Cells: An Effective Biomarker for Breast Cancer Screening and Prognosis Prediction

Background

Circulating tumor-derived endothelial cell (CTEC) is a new potential tumor biomarker to be associated with cancer development and treatment efficacy. However, few evidences are available for breast cancer.

Methods

Eighty-nine breast cancer patients were recruited, and preoperative and postoperative blood samples were collected. Besides, 20 noncancer persons were enrolled as controls. An improved subtraction enrichment and immunostaining-fluorescence in situ hybridization (SE-iFISH) method was adopted to codetect CD31+ aneuploid CTEC and CD31− aneuploid circulating tumor cell (CTC). Then, the clinical significance of CTCs and CTECs on breast cancer screening and prognosis prediction was evaluated and compared.

Results

The positive rate of CTCs and CTECs in newly diagnosed breast cancer patients was 68.75% and 71.88%. Among detected aneuploid circulating rare cells, CTEC accounts for a greater proportion than CTC in breast cancer patients. CTEC-positive rate and level were significantly higher in breast cancer patients with lymph node metastasis (LNM) than those without LNM (P=0.043), while there was no significant difference in CTC. CTEC (area under the curve, AUC = 0.859) had better performance than CTC (AUC = 0.795) to distinguish breast cancer patients from controls by receiver operator characteristic curve analysis. Preoperative CTEC count ≥ 2 was a significant risk factor for reducing PFS of breast cancer patients.

Conclusions

CTECs may function as a reliable supplementary biomarker in breast cancer screening and prognosis prediction.

The long noncoding RNA noncoding RNA activated by DNA damage (NORAD)-microRNA-496-Interleukin-33 axis affects carcinoma-associated fibroblasts-mediated gastric cancer development

Carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are one of the crucial parts of in the tumor microenvironment and contribute to tumor progression. Interleukin-33 (IL-33), a tissue-derived nuclear cytokine from the IL-1 family, has been found abnormally expressed in tumor cells and Fibroblast. However, the role and mechanism of IL-33 in the interaction between gastric cancer (GC) cells and CAFs need investigation. Presently, we inquire into the function of lncRNA NORAD-miR-496 axis-mediated IL-33 in modulating the GC-CAFs interaction. Real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was adopted to gauge the expression of NORAD, miR-496, and IL-33 in GC tissues and cells, and gain- or loss-of-function assays were conducted to investigate the role of them in GC. A GC cell-CAFs co-culture model was established to explore the interaction between CAFs and GCs. As exhibited, NORAD was up-regulated in GC tissues and cells, while miR-496 was remarkably down-regulated. Overexpressing NORAD substantially promoted the proliferation, migration, invasion, and EMT of GC cells and repressed cell death, while overexpressing miR-496 had the opposite effects. Additionally, NORAD enhanced the IL-33 expression and the release of IL-33 from GC cells. The dual-luciferase reporter assay confirmed that miR-496 was a target of NORAD and targeted IL-33. CAFs aggravated the malignant behaviors of GC cells as indicated by both experiments. However, NORAD knockdown in CAFs reversed CAFs-mediated promotive effects on GC cells. In conclusion, NORAD enhanced the promotive effect of CAFs in GC cells by up-regulating IL-33 and targeting miR-496, which provided new insights into the microenvironment of GC cells and CAFs.Abbreviation ANOVA: Analysis of Variance; BCA:Bicinchoninic acid; CAFs: carcinoma-associated fibroblasts; CCK-8: cell counting kit-8; ceRNA: competing endogenous RNA; DAPI: 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole; DMEM: Dulbecco's minimal essential medium/Ham's; ECL: enhanced chemiluminiscent; ELISA: Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; EMT: epithelial-mesenchymal transition; FBS: fetal bovine serum; FISH:Fluorescence in situ hybridization; FITC:fluorescein isothiocyanate; FSP:fibroblast-specific protein; GAPDH: glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase; GC: gastric cancer; IHC: immunohistochemistry; IL: Interleukin; lncRNA: long Noncoding RNA; miR-496: microRNA-496; MMP-14:matrix metalloproteinase-14; MUT:mutant; MYH9: myosin heavy chain 9; NFs: normal fibroblasts; NORAD: Noncoding RNA activated by DNA damage; ORF: open reading frame; PBS: phosphate-buffered saline; PMSF: Phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride; PVDF: polyvinylidene difluoride; RIPA: Radio-Immunoprecipitation Assay; RT-PCR: Real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction; S100A4:S100 calcium binding protein A4; SDS-PAGE: sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis; sh-NC: short-hairpin RNA negative control; sh-NORAD: short-hairpin RNA of NORAD; α-SMA: α-smooth muscle actin; TBST: Tris-buffered saline with Tween-20; TGF-β1: Transforming growth factor β1; TUNEL: TdT-mediated dUTP Nick-End Labeling; TWIST1: the twist-related protein 1; VEGF-C: vascular endothelial growth factor C; WT: Wildtype.

Identification of miRNAs and genes for predicting Barrett's esophagus progressing to esophageal adenocarcinoma using miRNA-mRNA integrated analysis

Barrett's esophagus (BE) is defined as any metaplastic columnar epithelium in the distal esophagus, which predisposes to esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). Yet, the mechanism through which BE develops to EAC still remain unclear. Moreover, the miRNA-mRNA regulatory network in distinguishing BE from EAC still remains poorly understood. To identify differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) and genes (DEGs) between EAC and BE from tissue samples, gene expression microarray datasets GSE13898, GSE26886, GSE1420 and miRNA microarray datasets GSE16456, GSE20099 were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. GEO2R was used to screen the DEMs and DEGs. Pathway and functional enrichment analysis were performed by DAVID database. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed by STRING and been visualized by Cytoscape software. Finnal, survival analysis was performed basing TCGA database. A total of 21 DEMs were identified. The enriched functions and pathways analysis inclued Epstein-Barr virus infection, herpesvirus infection and TRP channels. GART, TNFSF11, GTSE1, NEK2, ICAM1, PSMD12, CTNNB1, CDH1, PSEN1, IL1B, CTNND1, JAG1, CDH17, ITCH, CALM1 and ITGA6 were considered as the hub-genes. Hsa-miR-143 and hsa-miR-133b were the highest connectivity target gene. JAG1 was predicted as the largest number of target miRNAs. The expression of hsa-miR-181d, hsa-miR-185, hsa-miR-15b, hsa-miR-214 and hsa-miR-496 was significantly different between normal tissue and EAC. CDH1, GART, GTSE1, NEK2 and hsa-miR-496, hsa-miR-214, hsa-miR-15b were found to be correlated with survival.

miR-496/MMP10 Is Involved in the Proliferation of IL-1β-Induced Fibroblast-Like Synoviocytes Via Mediating the NF-κB Signaling Pathway

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common chronic autoimmune disease featured by synovial inflammation. miR-496 is closely involved in various pathologic conditions. However, its role in RA has not yet been elucidated. Expression of miR-496 and MMP10 was determined based on the clinical samples with RA retrieved from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets. In vitro model of RA was constructed in MH7A cells stimulated by IL-1β (10 ng/mL). Cell counting kit 8 (CCK-8) and flow cytometry experiments were implemented to investigate the cell viability and apoptosis rate of MH7A cells. TargetScan was applied to identify the targets of miR-496, and the regulation of miR-496 on MMP10 expression was validated by a dual-luciferase reporter gene assay. qRT-PCR and western blot analyses were conducted to examine the expression. miR-496 expression was decreased in RA tissues and MH7A cells after IL-1β treatment. Overexpression of miR-496 significantly inhibited IL-1β-treated MH7A cell viability. MMP10 was identified as a target of miR-496 and its expression was negatively regulated by miR-496. The effects of miR-496 on MH7A cell proliferation and apoptosis were reversed by MMP10. The activity of NF-κB pathway was associated with the miR-496/MMP10 axis in IL-1β-stimulated MH7A cells. To summarize, this study demonstrated that miR-496 can impair the proliferative ability and facilitate the apoptosis of IL-1β-treated MH7A through regulating MMP10 expression and NF-κB signaling pathway.

Serum long non‑coding RNA NNT‑AS1 protected by exosome is a potential biomarker and functions as an oncogene via the miR‑496/RAP2C axis in colorectal cancer

Increasing evidence has indicated that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) serve an essential role in carcinogenesis and cancer development. It has been reported that lncRNA nicotinamide nucleotide transhydrogenase antisense RNA 1 (NNT-AS1) serves a crucial role in several types of cancer. However, the clinical significance of circulating NNT-AS1 expression in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains to be elucidated. The current study aimed to investigate the potential role of NNT-AS1 and the clinical significance of its serum expression levels in patients with CRC. The expression of NNT-AS1 was measured in 40 pairs of tumor and adjacent normal tissues from patients with CRC via reverse transcription-quantitative PCR. The serum expression levels of NNT-AS1 were assayed in an independent cohort of healthy controls and patients with CRC. The levels of NNT-AS1 were also compared between paired preoperative and postoperative serum samples. In addition, the presence of exosomal NNT-AS1 in serum was explored. Furthermore, the biological roles of NNT-AS1 were investigated in CRC cells in vitro. The expression of NNT-AS1 was significantly upregulated in tumor tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues (P<0.05). A higher level of NNT-AS1 was associated with an advanced CRC stage. The serum levels of NNT-AS1 were significantly upregulated in patients with CRC compared with healthy subjects (P<0.05). Furthermore, the NNT-AS1 levels were significantly decreased in postoperative samples compared with preoperative samples (P<0.01). In addition, it was also identified that NNT-AS1 was upregulated in CRC exosomes (P<0.01), whereas no significant difference was observed in NNT-AS1 levels between serum and exosomes. Silencing of NNT-AS1 inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of CRC cells. It was also identified that NNT-AS1 exerted its effects via regulation of the microRNA-496/Ras-related protein Rap-2c axis. The present study demonstrated that circulating NNT-AS1, which may be protected by exosomes, could be a novel potential biomarker and therapeutic target in CRC.

TYK2 is a prognostic biomarker and associated with immune infiltration in the lung adenocarcinoma microenvironment

BACKGROUND

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remains a major disease with high morbidity and mortality. The Janus kinases (JAKs) play a significant part in cellular biological process, inflammation and immunity. The role of JAK family in LUAD is still ambiguous.

METHODS

Various bioinformatics web portals were applied to explore the prognostic value of JAK family and their correlation with immune infiltration in LUAD.

RESULTS

JAK1/2 was downregulated, whereas JAK3/TYK2 was upregulated in patients with LUAD compared with the healthy controls in subgroup analyses based on gender, age, smoking habits, cancer stage, TP53 mutation status, and nodal metastasis status. Drug sensitivity indicated that low expression of JAK3 and TYK2 were resistant to most of the small molecules or drugs. High TYK2 expression was associated with favorable overall survival and relapse free survival in LUAD. Moreover, univariate and multivariate analysis revealed that clinical stage, lymphatic node metastasis and TYK2 expression were the independent factors affecting the prognosis of LUAD patients. TYK2 expression in LUAD patients was positively associated with the abundance of immune cells (B cells, CD8+ T cells, CD4+ T cells, neutrophils, and dendritic cells) and immune biomarker sets. Moreover, TYK2 was mainly involved in RNA binding, transcriptional mis-regulation in cancer and cell cycles. We also identified several TYK2-associated miRNA or transcription factor targets in LUAD.

CONCLUSION

Our results indicated that TYK2 was a biomarker and associated with prognosis and immune infiltration in LUAD, laying a foundation for further study about the role of TYK2 in the carcinogenesis and progression of LUAD.

The emerging role of non-coding RNAs in the regulation of PI3K/AKT pathway in the carcinogenesis process

The PI3K/AKT pathway is an intracellular signaling pathway with an indispensable impact on cell cycle control. This pathway is functionally related with cell proliferation, cell survival, metabolism, and quiescence. The crucial role of this pathway in the development of cancer has offered this pathway as a target of novel anti-cancer treatments. Recent researches have demonstrated the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in controlling the PI3K/AKT pathway. Some miRNAs such as miR-155-5p, miR-328-3p, miR-125b-5p, miR-126, miR-331-3p and miR-16 inactivate this pathway, while miR-182, miR-106a, miR-193, miR-214, miR-106b, miR-93, miR-21 and miR-103/107 enhance activity of this pathway. Expression levels of PI3K/AKT-associated miRNAs could be used to envisage the survival of cancer patients. Numerous lncRNAs such as GAS5, FER1L4, LINC00628, PICART1, LOC101928316, ADAMTS9-AS2, SLC25A5-AS1, MEG3, AB073614 and SNHG6 interplay with this pathway. Identification of the impact of miRNAs and lncRNAs in the control of the activity of PI3K/AKT pathway would enhance the efficacy of targeted therapies against this pathway. Moreover, each of the mentioned miRNAs and lncRNAs could be used as a putative therapeutic candidate for the interfering with the carcinogenesis. In the current study, we review the role of miRNAs and lncRNAs in controlling the PI3K/AKT pathway and their contribution to carcinogenesis.

NNT-AS1 modulates prostate cancer cell proliferation, apoptosis and migration through miR-496/DDIT4 axis

Background

Emerging studies have disclosed long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) as pivotal modulators in the progression of prostate cancer (PCa). Current research planned to figure out the involvement of lncRNA nicotinamide nucleotide transhydrogenase antisense RNA 1 (NNT-AS1) in PCa.

Methods

RNA expression was examined using RT-qPCR in PCa cells. Functional assays assessed the viability, proliferation, apoptosis and migration of PCa cells. RNA pull down and luciferase reporter experiments detected the interplay between miRNA and lncRNA or mRNA.

Results

NNT-AS1 was apparently upregulated in PCa cells. NNT-AS1 deficiency abrogated PCa cell viability, proliferation and migration but promoted apoptosis. Besides, miR-496 could be sequestered by NNT-AS1 to elevate the expression of DNA damage inducible transcript 4 (DDIT4) in PCa. Rescue assays indicated that overexpressed DDIT4 or restrained miR-496 could reverse the influence of NNT-AS1 depletion on malignant processes in PCa cells.

Conclusion

NNT-AS1 contributes to the malignant phenotypes of PCa cells through targeting miR-496 to boost DDIT4 expression.

LINC00689 promotes prostate cancer progression via regulating miR-496/CTNNB1 to activate Wnt pathway

Background

Accumulating evidence has proved the significant influence of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in cancer formation and development, including PCa.

Methods

The role of LINC00689 in PCa was confirmed by RT-qPCR, MTT, colony formation, flow cytometry, western blot and transwell assays. Besides, the binding ability between LINC00689 and miR-496 was validated by using luciferase reporter assay. Then RT-qPCR, RIP and luciferase reporter and western blot assays were employed to verify the interactions among LINC00689, miR-496 and CTNNB1. Furthermore, the rescuing role of CTNNB1 in Wnt pathway was proved by RT-qPCR, TOP/FOP Flash and western blot assays.

Results

LINC00689 was upregulated in PCa tissues and cells as well as at the terminal stage. Further, knock down of LINC00689 repressed PCa cell proliferation, migration and invasion, and initiated PCa cell apoptosis. Additionally, miR-496 inhibitor and pcDNA3.1/CTNNB1 could neutralize the prohibitive effects of LINC00689 silencing on cell proliferation, migration and invasion, meanwhile, could offset the encouraging role of knocking down LINC00689 in cell apoptosis. Moreover, CTNNB1 upregulation exerted redemptive function in Wnt pathway inhibited by LINC00689 depletion.

Conclusions

To sum up, LINC00689 promotes PCa progression via regulating miR-496/CTNNB1 to activate Wnt pathway, which may contribute to research about new targets for PCa treatment.

Role of PI3K/AKT pathway in cancer: the framework of malignant behavior

Given that the PI3K/AKT pathway has manifested its compelling influence on multiple cellular process, we further review the roles of hyperactivation of PI3K/AKT pathway in various human cancers. We state the abnormalities of PI3K/AKT pathway in different cancers, which are closely related with tumorigenesis, proliferation, growth, apoptosis, invasion, metastasis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, stem-like phenotype, immune microenvironment and drug resistance of cancer cells. In addition, we investigated the current clinical trials of inhibitors against PI3K/AKT pathway in cancers and found that the clinical efficacy of these inhibitors as monotherapy has so far been limited despite of the promising preclinical activity, which means combinations of targeted therapy may achieve better efficacies in cancers. In short, we hope to feature PI3K/AKT pathway in cancers to the clinic and bring the new promising to patients for targeted therapies.

The Circular RNA circRNA124534 Promotes Osteogenic Differentiation of Human Dental Pulp Stem Cells Through Modulation of the miR-496/β-Catenin Pathway

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been found to be a crucial role in stem cell-associated bone regeneration. However, the functions and underlying mechanisms of circRNAs in the osteogenic differentiation of human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) remain largely unclear. We found that overexpression of circRNA124534 unexpectedly promoted DPSCs osteogenesis in vitro and in vivo. Our results confirmed circRNA124534, acting as a miRNA sponge, directly interacts with miR-496 and consequently regulates β-catenin, which in turn exerts osteogenesis of DPSCs. Enforced expression of miR-496 reversed the osteogenesis of circRNA124534, and suppression of miR-496 enhanced the osteogenic differentiation of DPSCs by promoting β-catenin. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate functions of circRNA124534 in modulating osteogenic differentiation through the miR-496/β-catenin pathway; thus, providing a novel potential target for therapy.

Long noncoding RNA NNT-AS1 enhances the malignant phenotype of bladder cancer by acting as a competing endogenous RNA on microRNA-496 thereby increasing HMGB1 expression

The long noncoding RNA nicotinamide nucleotide transhydrogenase antisense RNA 1 (NNT-AS1) is a key malignancy regulator in a variety of human cancers. In this study, we first measured the expression of NNT-AS1 in bladder cancer and examined its role in cancer progression. The mechanisms behind the oncogenic functions of NNT-AS1 in bladder cancer were explored. We found that NNT-AS1 was upregulated in bladder cancer tissues and cell lines. This increased expression demonstrated a significant correlation with advanced clinical stage, lymph node metastasis, and shorter overall survival. NNT-AS1 knockdown suppressed bladder cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion and facilitated apoptosis in vitro and hindered tumor growth in vivo. NNT-AS1 functioned as a competing endogenous RNA for microRNA-496 (miR-496), and the suppressive effects of NNT-AS1 knockdown on malignant characteristics were abrogated by miR-496 silencing. HMGB1 was identified as a direct target gene of miR-496 in bladder cancer, and HMGB1 expression was enhanced by NNT-AS1 via sponging of miR-496. In conclusion, the NNT-AS1–miR-496–HMGB1 pathway plays a significant role in the aggressive behavior of bladder cancer and may lead to new NNT-AS1–based diagnostics and therapeutics.