Systematic gene microarray analysis of the lncRNA expression profiles in human uterine cervix carcinoma

Integrated analysis of long non-coding RNAs and mRNAs associated with condyloma acuminatum

Condyloma acuminatum (CA) is a prevalent sexually transmitted disease caused by low-risk human papillomavirus infection, characterized by high transmission and recurrence rates. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a crucial role in regulating gene transcription and are involved in various biological processes. Although recent studies have demonstrated the involvement of lncRNAs in cervical cancer, their expression profile and function in CA remain poorly understood. In this study, we aimed to identify messenger RNA (mRNA) and lncRNA expression patterns in CA using high-throughput lncRNA sequencing. We found that 3033 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 1090 differentially expressed lncRNAs (DELs) were significantly altered in CA compared to healthy controls. The results from quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemical staining are in accordance with the observed trends in the sequencing data. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that upregulated DEGs in CA were involved in biological processes such as virus response, immune response, cell cycle regulation, the tumor necrosis factor signaling pathway, and the P53 signaling pathway. Co-expression network analysis identified potential target genes of DELs, with enrichment in biological processes such as cell differentiation, the intrinsic apoptotic signaling pathway, and pathways such as virus infection, pathways in cancer, T helper 17 cell differentiation, the mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway, and the Wnt signaling pathway. Collectively, our findings indicate significant changes in the transcriptome profile, including mRNAs and lncRNAs, in CA compared to healthy controls. Our study provides new insights into the potential functions of lncRNAs in the pathogenesis of CA and identifies potential therapeutic targets for this disease.

Hypoxia/inflammation-induced upregulation of HIF-1α and C/EBPβ promotes nephroblastoma cell EMT by improving HOXA11-AS transcription

Background

Homeobox (HOX) A11 antisense RNA (HOXA11-AS) has been identified as a cancer promoting lncRNA and is overexpressed in nephroblastoma. However, how HOXA11-AS is regulated in a hypoxic inflammatory environment has not been studied.

Methods

In this study, gene expression and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) ability were detected in the nephroblastoma cell line WiT49 under conditions of hypoxia and inflammation. Next, HOXA11-AS transcription factors were predicted by datasets and subsequently confirmed by CHIP-QPCR, EMSA, and dual-luciferase reporter assays. Moreover, the regulatory relationships of HOXA11-AS and its transcription factors were further confirmed by rescue experiments.

Results

Our results showed that a hypoxic microenvironment promoted HOXA11-AS expression and nephroblastoma progression, induced EMT, and activated the Wnt signaling pathway. Combined hypoxia and inflammation had a more substantial effect on nephroblastoma than either hypoxia or inflammation alone. HIF-1α and C/EBPβ were confirmed to be the transcription factors for HOXA11-AS. Silencing of HIF-1α or C/EBPβ downregulated HOXA11-AS expression and suppressed EMT and the Wnt signaling pathway in nephroblastoma cells exposed to a hypoxic or inflammatory microenvironment. HOXA11-AS overexpression partly reversed the effect of HIF-1α or C/EBPβ knockdown.

Conclusion

We demonstrated that hypoxia/inflammation-induced upregulation of HIF-1α and C/EBPβ promoted nephroblastoma EMT by improving HOXA11-AS transcription. HOXA11-AS might be a therapy target for nephroblastoma.

The minor allele of rs17427875 in long non-coding RNA-HOXA11-AS influences the prognosis of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) via modulating miR-15a and STAT3 expression

Background: HOAX11-AS was reported to promote the progression of liver cancer via the signaling pathway of miR-15a-3p/STAT3. In this study, we investigated the effect of rs17427875 on the prognosis of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and its underlying molecular mechanisms.

Methods: 158 SAH patients were recruited and grouped according to their genotypes rs17427875. Peripheral blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples were collected for subsequent analysis. Quantitative real-time PCR, luciferase assays, Western blot and ELISA were performed to analyze the correlations between the expression of lncRNA-HOXA11-AS, miR-15a, TNF-α and NF-κB.

Results: The survival rate was remarkably higher in SAH patients carrying the AA genotype of rs17427875 when compared with those carrying the AT genotype. The expression of miR-15a was significantly repressed in the peripheral blood and CSF of SAH patients carrying the AT allele when compared with that in patients carrying the AA allele. MiR-15a showed a remarkable efficacy in inhibiting the luciferase activity of wild type lncRNA-HOXA11-AS and STAT3 in THP-1 cells. P-HOXA11-AS-T showed a stronger ability to suppress the expression of miR-15a and activate the expression of STAT3, TNF-α and NF-κB in THP-1 cells when compared with P-HOXA11-AS-A.

Conclusions: The findings demonstrated that the presence of the minor allele of rs17427875 in lncRNA-HOXA11-AS could increase the expression level of lncRNA-HOXA11-AS, thus elevating the expression level of STAT3 via down-regulating miR-15a, and increased STAT3 expression could aggravate inflammation to cause poor prognosis of SAH. Therefore, the rs17427875 polymorphism can be used as a potential biomarker for the prognosis of SAH.

Predictive value of using plasma long non-coding RNAs ANRIL and HOXA11-AS for in-stent restenosis

In-stent restenosis (ISR) can pose serious challenges for cardiologists following coronary stent implantation. Early identification of patients at high risk of ISR is considered to be effective for its prevention. However, factors that can reliably predict the risk of ISR remain elusive at present. The present study aimed to investigate the possible association between plasma long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) levels and ISR. A total of 410 patients with single-vessel lesion who received drug-eluting stents (DES) were included in the present study. After 12-36 months of follow-up, coronary angiography was performed and ISR was defined as >50% diameter stenosis at follow-up. RT-qPCR was used to measure lncRNA expression. Expression of the lncRNA RNA antisense non-coding RNA at the INK4 locus (ANRIL) was found to be upregulated whereas the lncRNA homeobox A11 antisense (HOXA11-AS) was downregulated in the plasma of patients with ISR compared with that from patients without ISR (P<0.001). Logistic regression analysis revealed that ANRIL [odds ratio (OR)=2.95; 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.68-8.08] was an independent risk factor for ISR, whilst HOXA11-AS (OR=0.58; 95% CI=0.48-0.71) was found to be an independent protective factor for ISR. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis demonstrated that high ANRIL expression [area under the ROC (auROC)=0.755; 95% CI=0.702-0.803] and low HOXA11-AS levels (auROC=0.712; 95% CI=0.657-0.763) predicted a high risk for ISR, and the combined score of ANRIL and HOXA11-AS (auROC=0.844; 95% CI=0.798-0.884) was more efficient at predicting ISR than either ANRIL or HOXA11-AS alone (P<0.001). In conclusion, increased ANRIL and decreased HOXA11-AS expressions were associated with ISR. However, combined ANRIL and HOXA11-AS plasma levels proved to be more effective at predicting ISR compared with either ANRIL or HOXA11-AS alone, suggesting that the multiplex detection of lncRNAs could be used to predict ISR in the future.

Circular RNA ZNF609 functions as a competing endogenous RNA in regulating E2F transcription factor 6 through competitively binding to microRNA-197-3p to promote the progression of cervical cancer progression

Countless studies have demonstrated that Circular RNAs (circRNAs) exert vital effects in regulating tumorigenesis of various cancers. CircRNA ZNF609 (circ-ZNF609) has been reported as an oncogene in various human cancers. Nevertheless, its regulating effect in cervical cancer (CC) remains to be further explored. RT-qPCR was adopted to measure circ-ZNF609, miR-197-3p and E2F6 levels. CC cell proliferation, migration and invasion were analyzed via CCK-8 and transwell assays. Dual-luciferase reporter assay was adopted to confirm the interaction between miR-197-3p and circ-ZNF609 or E2F6. In the present study, it was found that circ-ZNF609 was elevated in CC tissues and cell lines, and circ-ZNF609 deletion repressed cell viability, migration and invasion in CC. Moreover, circ-ZNF609 was identified to negatively regulate miR-197-3p expression in CC cells. The inhibition of miR-197-3p abrogated the inhibitory effect on CC cell proliferation, migration and invasion induced by circ-ZNF609 knockdown. Additionally, we further demonstrated that circ-ZNF609 upregulated E2F6 by interacting with miR-197-3p. Finally, rescue assays indicated that E2F6 overexpression upended the suppression of CC progression induced by circ-ZNF609 deletion. In conclusion, circ-ZNF609 promoted CC progression through modulating the miR-197-3p/E2F6 axis as an oncogene. This finding offers a unique insight into CC molecular mechanism and suggests a potential target for CC therapy.

Dysregulated LncRNAs Act as Competitive Endogenous RNAs and Are Associated With Cervical Cancer Development in UYGHUR Women

Cervical cancer is one of the most malignant tumors in women, particularly those in rural and remote areas. Its underlying molecular mechanisms, including the functions of non-coding RNA (ncRNAs), require more extensive investigation. In this study, high throughput transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) was used to identify differentially expressed lncRNAs and mRNAs in normal, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and cervical cancer tissues from Uyghur women in western China. Dysregulated lncRNAs were found to extensively participate in cervical cancer development, including viral carcinogenesis, cell cycle and cytokine-cytokine receptor signaling. Two miRNA-host lncRNAs, LINC00925 and MIR155HG, showed elevated expression in cervical cancer samples, but prolonged the survival time of cervical cancer patients. The 2 mature miRNAs of the above 2 lncRNAs, miR-9 and miR-155, also showed similar features in cervical cancer. In addition, we identified 545 lncRNAs with potential functions in regulating these 2 miRNAs as competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs). In summary, our study demonstrated the dysregulated lncRNAs/miRNAs, particularly LINC00925/miR-9 and MIR155HG/miR-155, regulate the development of cervical cancer by forming a interaction network with mRNAs, highlighting the importance of elucidating the underlying mechanisms of ncRNAs in cervical cancer development.

The long non-coding RNA HOXA11-AS promotes epithelial mesenchymal transition by sponging miR-149-3p in Colorectal Cancer

Background: Metastasis is the primary cause of death in colorectal cancer (CRC); the underlying mechanisms remain partly unknown. In this study, we aim to investigate the value of HOXA11-AS in survival evaluation and the potential role of HOXA11-AS/miR-149-3p axis in the CRC metastasis.

Methods: The expressions of HOXA11-AS, both in obtained CRC samples and adjacent noncancerous tissues, were analyzed in survival evaluation. Competing endogenous RNAs (CeRNAs) Analysis were employed to reveal the potential relationship between HOXA11-AS and miR-149-3p. It was further confirmed by Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Dual-luciferase reporter assay. Migration and invasion assay were used to verify the potential role of HOXA11-AS and miR-149-3p in the regulation of CRC metastasis. The potential pathway was explored by Western blot analysis.

Results: The expression of HOXA11-AS in the CRC tissue is significantly higher than the expression in adjacent noncancerous tissue (p<0.0001). High expressions of HOXA11-AS were noticeably correlated with clinicopathologic characteristics including advanced clinical stage (p=0.021), larger tumor size (p<0.001) and frequent tumor recurrence (p=0.001). The overall survival in HOXA11-AS-High group was significantly shorter than the HOXA11-AS-Low group (p<0.001). Advanced clinical stage, tumor size and high expression of HOXA11-AS were showed as independent prognostic prediction factors for the 5-year tumor relapse of CRC patients (p<0.001). HOXA11-AS acts as a potential molecular sponge for miR-149-3p, in the promotion of CRC metastasis. In the miR-149-3p mimic-treated group, the expression of E-cadherin was increased, whereas the expression of N-cadherin, Snail, Slug, TGF-β1, Wnt2b, Twist and C/EBPβ was decreased.

Conclusion: This study demonstrates that high expression of HOXA11-AS is correlated with CRC progression and poor prognosis and may promote metastasis via EMT by modulating miR-149-3p.

Long Intervening Noncoding 00467 RNA Contributes to Tumorigenesis by Acting as a Competing Endogenous RNA against miR-107 in Cervical Cancer Cells

The functional roles of individual large intervening noncoding RNAs in carcinogenesis and progression of cervical cancer have been uncovered in previous studies. In this study, we aimed to identify the role of long intervening noncoding 00467 (LINC00467) in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), invasion and migration of cervical cancer cells by regulating miR-107 and kinesin family member 23 (KIF23). Microarray analyses were used to detect cervical cancer-related differentially expressed genes, followed by determination of LINC00467, miR-107, and KIF23 levels and subcellular location of LINC00467. Cervical cancer cells were treated with a series of siRNA and mimics to measure the regulatory role of LINC00467, miR-107, and KIF23 in EMT, cell invasion, migration and proliferation, and tumorigenic ability in vivo and in vitro. LINC00467 and KIF23 were highly expressed, whereas miR-107 was poorly expressed, in cervical cancer. LINC00467 was found to be primarily located in the cytoplasm and function as a competing endogenous RNA against miR-107 to suppress KIF23. Cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and EMT in vitro were inhibited as a result of lentiviral-mediated LINC00467 knockdown and miR-107 overexpression in cervical cancer. In addition, LINC00467 silencing or miR-107 up-regulation repressed tumorigenic ability in xenograft tumor-bearing nude mice in cervical cancer in vivo. LINC00467 silencing or miR-107 up-regulation may serve as novel potential strategies for the treatment of cervical cancer.

Long Non-Coding RNAs Link Oxidized Low-Density Lipoprotein With the Inflammatory Response of Macrophages in Atherogenesis

Atherosclerosis is characterized as a chronic inflammatory response to cholesterol deposition in arteries. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL), especially the oxidized form (ox-LDL), plays a crucial role in the occurrence and development of atherosclerosis by inducing endothelial cell (EC) dysfunction, attracting monocyte-derived macrophages, and promoting chronic inflammation. However, the mechanisms linking cholesterol accumulation with inflammation in macrophage foam cells are poorly understood. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a group of non-protein-coding RNAs longer than 200 nucleotides and are found to regulate the progress of atherosclerosis. Recently, many lncRNAs interfering with cholesterol deposition or inflammation were identified, which might help elucidate their underlying molecular mechanism or be used as novel therapeutic targets. In this review, we summarize and highlight the role of lncRNAs linking cholesterol (mainly ox-LDL) accumulation with inflammation in macrophages during the process of atherosclerosis.

The Polymorphisms of lncRNA HOXA11-AS and the risk of Lung Cancer in Northeastern Chinese population

Long non-coding RNAs (LncRNA) have been wildly explored in several malignant tumors. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of HOXA11-AS polymorphisms (rs17427875 and rs11564004) on lung cancer susceptibility and its interaction with smoking exposure. This hospital-based case-control study, which included 466 cases and 557 controls, was carried out in Shenyang City, Liaoning province. The genotyping method was TaqMan allelic discrimination assay and all statistical analysis were performed by SPSS 20.0 and R (3.5.3). The results demonstrated that HOXA11AS-rs17427875 polymorphisms were correlated with the susceptibility of lung adenocarcinoma. T alleles of rs17427875 played a portal role in increasing lung adenocarcinoma risk. HOXA11AS-rs11564004 polymorphisms had the significant association with lung cancer risks, as well as its subtypes like non-small cell lung cancer, adenocarcinoma. The allele G of rs11564004 acted as a protective factor for lung cancer. The similar results were observed in the homozygous model and recessive model of rs11564004. Nevertheless, interaction analysis of the additive and multiplicative model scales showed no statistical significance between HOXA11-AS polymorphisms and smoking exposure in the development of lung cancer.

Long non-coding RNA HOXA11-AS accelerates the progression of keloid formation via miR-124-3p/TGFβR1 axis

Emerging evidence reveals the importance of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the development and progression of keloid formation, whereas the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. In the present study, we investigated the biological effects and molecular mechanisms of lncRNA HOXA11-AS in keloid formation. First, the expression levels of HOXA11-AS, miR-124-3p, and transforming growth factor β receptor type I (TGFβR1) were measured in both keloid tissues and human keloid fibroblasts (HKFs) using qRT-PCR and western blot analysis, respectively. Next, we adopted both gain- and loss-of-function strategies to explore the significance of HOXA11-AS. TUNEL, flow cytometry, DNA ladder, and tube formation assays were performed to measure cell apoptosis and angiogenesis, respectively. Besides, the potential binding relationship between HOXA11-AS and miR-124-3p, as well as miR-124-3p and TGFβR1 was identified using bioinformatic screening and verified by luciferase reporter assay. Furthermore, we explored the importance of miR-124-3p in HOXA11-AS-induced phenotypes and regulations on TGFβ signaling or PI3K/Akt signaling. We found that HOXA11-AS and TGFβR1 were significantly up-regulated, while miR-124-3p was down-regulated both in keloid tissues or fibroblasts than in normal skin tissues or fibroblasts. Functionally, high expression of HOXA11-AS essentially inhibited cell apoptosis and promoted fibroblast-induced angiogenesis. Mechanistically, miR-124-3p was identified as a downstream effector to be involved in HOXA11-AS-mediated phenotypes through directly targeting TGFβR1, thus modulating PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Taken together, our findings revealed that HOXA11-AS inhibits cell apoptosis and promotes angiogenesis through miR-124-3p/TGFβR1 axis, contributing to the progression of keloid formation, which might provide a novel target for keloid therapy.

Long non-coding small nucleolar RNA host genes in digestive cancers

Although long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) do not have protein coding capacities, they are involved in the pathogenesis of many types of cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma, cervical cancer, and gastric cancer. Notably, the roles of lncRNAs are vital in nearly every aspect of tumor biology. Long non-coding small nucleolar RNA host genes (lnc-SNHGs) are abnormally expressed in multiple cancers, including urologic neoplasms, respiratory tumors, and digestive cancers, and play vital roles in these cancers. These host genes could participate in tumorigenesis by regulating proliferation, migration, invasion and apoptosis of tumor cells. This review focuses on the overview of the roles that lnc-SNHGs play in the formation and progression of digestive cancers.

Translated Long Non-Coding Ribonucleic Acid ZFAS1 Promotes Cancer Cell Migration by Elevating Reactive Oxygen Species Production in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Micropeptides (≤100 amino acids) are essential regulators of physiological and pathological processes, which can be encoded by small open reading frames (smORFs) derived from long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). Recently, lncRNA-encoded micropeptides have been shown to have essential roles in tumorigenesis. Since translated smORF identification remains technically challenging, little is known of their pathological functions in cancer. Therefore, we created classifiers to identify translated smORFs derived from lncRNAs based on ribosome-protected fragment sequencing and machine learning methods. In total, 537 putative translated smORFs were identified and the coding potential of five smORFs was experimentally validated via green fluorescent protein-tagged protein generation and mass spectrometry. After analyzing 11 lncRNA expression profiles of seven cancer types, we identified one validated translated lncRNA, ZFAS1, which was significantly up-regulated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Functional studies revealed that ZFAS1 can promote cancer cell migration by elevating intracellular reactive oxygen species production by inhibiting nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide dehydrogenase expression, indicating that translated ZFAS1 may be an essential oncogene in the progression of HCC. In this study, we systematically identified translated smORFs derived from lncRNAs and explored their potential pathological functions in cancer to improve our comprehensive understanding of the building blocks of living systems

FEZF1-AS1: a novel vital oncogenic lncRNA in multiple human malignancies

Long noncoding RNAs (LncRNAs) refer to the RNA with a length of >200 nucleotides, which lack or have no open reading coding frame and have higher tissue and organ specificity compared with the protein coding genes. A surging number of studies have shown that lncRNA is involved in numerous essential regulatory processes, such as X chromosome silencing, genomic imprinting, chromatin modification, transcriptional activation, transcriptional interference and nuclear transport, which are closely related to the occurrence and development of human malignancies. FEZ family Zinc Finger 1-Antisense RNA 1 (FEZF1-AS1) of FEZ family is a recently discovered lncRNA. FEZF1-AS1 is highly expressed in pancreatic cancer, colorectal cancer, lung adenocarcinoma and other human malignancies, and is associated with poor prognosis. As an oncogene, it plays crucial role in the proliferation, migration, invasion and Warburg effect of various tumor cells. In addition, FEZF1-AS1 is also involved in the regulation of multiple signal pathways such as epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) and Wnt/ β-catenin. In this paper, the recent research progress of FEZF1-AS1 in tumorigenesis and development is reviewed systematically.

The lncRNA HOXA11-AS regulates Rab3D expression by sponging miR-125a-5p promoting metastasis of osteosarcoma

Objective: Many studies have shown that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are closely related to various cancers. This study aims to explore the roles of lncRNA HOXA11-AS in the development and progression of osteosarcoma (OS).

Methods: The expression levels of HOXA11-AS and miR-125a-5p in tumor tissues and the adjacent tissues were detected by RT-PCR method. The proliferation, migration and invasion of MG-63 and KHOS cells were determined.

Results: It was found that HOXA11-AS expression levels in OS tissues and OS cell lines were higher than those in OS adjacent tissues and normal human osteoblast cell lines. The higher expression level of HOXA11-AS was positively correlated with more severe clinical stage, distant metastasis and poor prognosis of OS. Inhibition of HOXA11-AS expression could reduce metastasis and invasion of OS cell lines. In addition, HOXA11-AS was found to be an endogenous inhibitor of miR-125a-5p, it down regulated the expression level of miR-125a-5p, and this process could promote the expression of Rab3D, the target gene of miR-125a-5p.

Conclusion: Our study elucidated the role of a new HOXA11-AS/miR-125a-5p/Rab3D regulatory pathway in promoting OS metastasis.

Identification of long non-coding RNA-related and -coexpressed mRNA biomarkers for hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

While changes in mRNA expression during tumorigenesis have been used widely as molecular biomarkers for the diagnosis of a number of cancers, the approach has limitations. For example, traditional methods do not consider the regulatory and positional relationship between mRNA and lncRNA. The latter has been largely shown to possess tumor suppressive or oncogenic properties. The combined analysis of mRNA and lncRNA is likely to facilitate the identification of biomarkers with higher confidence.

RESULTS

Therefore, we have developed an lncRNA-related method to identify traditional mRNA biomarkers. First we identified mRNAs that are differentially expressed in Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) by comparing cancer and matched adjacent non-tumorous liver tissues. Then, we performed mRNA-lncRNA relationship and coexpression analysis and obtained 41 lncRNA-related and -coexpressed mRNA biomarkers. Next, we performed network analysis, gene ontology analysis and pathway analysis to unravel the functional roles and molecular mechanisms of these lncRNA-related and -coexpressed mRNA biomarkers. Finally, we validated the prediction and performance of the 41 lncRNA-related and -coexpressed mRNA biomarkers using Support Vector Machine model with five-fold cross-validation in an independent HCC dataset from RNA-seq.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggested that mRNAs expression profiles coexpressed with positionally related lncRNAs can provide important insights into early diagnosis and specific targeted gene therapy of HCC.

HOXA11-AS: a novel regulator in human cancer proliferation and metastasis

Multiple studies have demonstrated that lncRNAs extensively participate in human cancer proliferation and metastasis. Epigenetic modification, transcriptional and posttranscriptional regulatory mechanisms are involved in lncRNA-led tumorigenesis and transfer. Recently, a novel identified homeobox (HOX) A11 antisense lncRNA, HOXA11-AS, 1,628 bp in length, has been excessively highlighted to be an essential initiator and facilitator in the process of malignant tumor proliferation and metastasis. As found in many reports, HOXA11-AS can not only act as a molecular scaffold of PRC2, LSD1 and DNMT1 to epigenetically modify chromosomes in the nucleus but also occur as ceRNA competitively sponging miRNAs in the cytoplasm. Furthermore, HOXA11-AS may function as a potential biomarker for cancer diagnosis and prognosis. In this review, we summarize the evolvement and mechanisms of HOXA11-AS in proliferation and metastasis of various human cancers.

HOXA11 antisense long noncoding RNA (HOXA11-AS): A promising lncRNA in human cancers

The cancers are the leading cause of disease‐related deaths worldwide with a high risk of morbidity and mortality. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a critical role in a wide range of biological processes, including tumorigenesis. HOXA11‐AS (NCRNA00076), the antisense strands of HOXA11 gene, was initially revealed in a mouse embryonic cDNA library in 2009 and it was a fairly novel lncRNA. This review summarized the advanced research progression concerning the expression and role of HOXA11‐AS in different human malignancies. The expression of HOXA11‐AS is aberrantly altered in many cancers, either as a tumor suppressor or as a tumor accelerator. The different underlying mechanism of HOXA11‐AS in different cancers (including, nonsmall cell lung cancers, osteosarcoma, uveal melanoma, glioma, hepatocellular carcinoma, gastric cancer, breast cancer, cervical cancer, ovarian cancer, colorectal cancer, ovarian cancer, and glioblastoma) was also detailed. These findings lead us to conclude that HOXA11‐AS participate in the complex network of cancers and plays an important role in the tumorigenesis and progression. Functional HOXA11‐AS could be a promising biomarker for early detection as well as prognosis evaluation in cancer patients. Future HOXA11‐AS‐targeted intervention may become a valuable novel therapeutic tool, improving the clinical management of cancers.

Long non-coding RNA SNHG1 predicts a poor prognosis and promotes colon cancer tumorigenesis

Colon cancer is the main cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Its poor prognosis is mainly ascribed to high recurrence rates. Identifying novel prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic key points for management is crucial and important. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a class of RNAs, which have various roles in carcinogenicity and molecular mechanisms. The lncRNA small nucleolar RNA host gene 1 (SNHG1) contributes to the promotion of tumor development, however, the connections between SNHG1 and colon cancer are still unclear. The aim of the present study was to investigate the clinical significance, the biological functions, and the potential mechanism of SNHG1 in colon cancer. In the present study, we referred to the Oncomine database and used RT-qPCR to determine that SNHG1 expression was significantly higher both in colon cancer tissues and cancerous cell lines than in normal samples. Cell functional experiments were performed after knockdown of SNHG1, including Cell Counting Kit-8 assay, colony formation assay, Transwell^® assay, and flow cytometric analyses of cell apoptosis, which suggested that SNHG1 stimulated colon cancer cell proliferation, promoted cell invasion and migration, and inhibited apoptosis. Immunohistochemical staining and western blotting experiments revealed that in colon cancer cells with SNHG1 knockdown, β-catenin, c-Myc and cyclin D1 protein levels were decreased, while E-cadherin was increased, which suggested that SNHG1 promoted colon cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion through the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Our results indicated that SNHG1 and its interrelated components may be future therapeutic targets of carcinoma of the colon.

lncRNAs are novel biomarkers for differentiating between cisplatin-resistant and cisplatin-sensitive ovarian cancer

Cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer occurs in patients with ovarian cancer treated with cisplatin-based chemotherapy, which results in tumor progression during treatment, or recurrence of the tumor within 6 months of the treatment. It is vital that a novel biomarker for diagnosis, or an efficient therapeutic target of cisplatin-resistant ovarian is identified. Long non-coding (lnc)RNAs were determined to serve critical functions in a variety of distinct types of cancer, including ovarian cancer; however, there is limited knowledge regarding the differential expression levels of lncRNAs in cisplatin-resistant and cisplatin-sensitive ovarian cancer. Therefore, in the present study, the expression levels were determined for these cancer types. The lncRNA expression profile in cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer was analyzed and compared with the results for cisplatin-sensitive ovarian cancer; gene ontology and pathway analysis demonstrated that the dysregulated lncRNAs participated in important biological processes. Subsequently, it was identified that these dysregulated lncRNAs were present in other ovarian cancer tissues and in SKOV3 ovarian cancer cells, as well as its cisplatin-resistant clone, SKOV3/CDDP. In addition, it was revealed that 8 lncRNAs (Enst0000435726, Enst00000585612, Enst00000566734, Enst00000453783, NR_023915, RP11_697E22.2, uc010jub.1 and tcons_00008505) were associated with cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer. The present study may assist in improving understanding of the initiation and developmental mechanisms underlying cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer, which could aid future studies in discovering potential biomarkers for diagnosis or therapeutic targets that may be used in clinical treatment.

Identification of skin-related lncRNAs as potential biomarkers that involved in Wnt pathways in keloids

The long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) regulating encoding transcripts/genes involved in Wnt signalling pathway in keloids is largely unclear. We used a pathway-focused lncRNA microarray to detect the differentiated expression profiles of both lncRNAs and genes involved in Wnt pathway, thus a total of 116 Wnt-targeted genes and 69 Wnt-related lncRNAs aberrantly expressed in keloids were initially identified. A stepwise bioinformatics was further performed to find skin-related lncRNA/gene pairs in Wnt pathway in keloids. Firstly, an lncRNA/gene co-expression network with clustered functional modules was constructed; simultaneously, 114 Wnt-genes regarding to dermis were online enriched using Phenotype Enrichment. Secondly, 17 skin-related keloid-aberrant Wnt-genes were acquired by overlapping the 114 skin-related Wnt-genes with the 116 keloid-aberrant Wnt-genes. Thirdly, after co-expression coefficient of each lncRNA/gene profile being ranked respectively, 11 top co-expressed lncRNAs characterized with the highest co-expression coefficients to the 17 genes were identified. Fourthly, seven of the 11 top co-expressed lncRNAs exhibiting array-detected aberrant expression in keloids, together with their 12 most interactive Wnt-genes, were selected to undergo in-pair intracellularly quantitative PCR validation in keloids. As a result, four lncRNAs including CACNA1G-AS1, HOXA11-AS, LINC00312 and RP11-91I11.1 with their six paired Wnt-genes undergoing both array-and-qPCR as well as lncRNA-and-gene double validation were finally identified as skin-related lncRNA/gene pairs that involved in Wnt signalling pathway in keloids. In conclusion, in-depth exploration on these easily-accessible lncRNAs in keloids might aid to find the novel target on how to maintain highly recurrent tumours benign via Wnt-involved network regulation.

The mRNA, miRNA and lncRNA networks in hepatocellular carcinoma: An integrative transcriptomic analysis from Gene Expression Omnibus

Research advances and analysis in the non-protein coding part of the human genome have suggested that microRNAs (miRNAs) and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are associated with tumor initiation, growth and metastasis. Accumulating studies have demonstrated that a class of miRNAs and lncRNAs are dysregulated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and closely associated with tumorigenesis, diagnosis and prognosis. In the present study, integrative analysis of published data on multi-level Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and a bioinformatics computational approach were used to predict regulatory mechanism networks among differentially expressed mRNAs, miRNAs, and lncRNAs. Firstly, nine microarray expression data sets of mRNAs, miRNAs, and lncRNAs associated with HCC were collected from GEO datasets. Secondly, a total of 628 mRNAs, 15 miRNAs, and 49 lncRNAs were differentially expressed in this integrative analysis. Following this, mRNA, miRNA and lncRNA regulatory or co-expression networks were constructed. From the construction of the regulatory networks, five miRNAs and ten lncRNAs were identified as key differentially expressed noncoding RNAs associated with HCC progression. Finally, the regulatory effects of ten lncRNAs and miRNAs were validated. The study provides a novel insight into the understanding of the transcriptional regulation of HCC, and differentially expressed lncRNAs targeted and regulated by miRNAs were identified and validated in HCC specimens and cell lines.

The long noncoding RNA HOXA11 antisense induces tumor progression and stemness maintenance in cervical cancer

Recent research has focused on the impact of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) in cervical carcinogenesis. However, whether HOXA11 antisense (HOXA11-AS) is involved in cervical cancer remains to be elucidated. In the present study, we examined HOXA11-AS expression levels in cervical cancer patients and determined the relationships between HOXA11-AS expression and clinicopathological factors. We also investigated the bio-functional consequences of HOXA11-AS overexpression both in vitro and in vivo. HOXA11-AS expression was significantly greater in tissues from patients with cervical cancer than in control patients (P<0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that high HOXA11-AS was an independent prognosticator of overall survival (Hazard ratio=2.450, P=0.032). HOXA11-AS overexpression enhanced cell proliferation, migration, and tumor invasion in vitro, whereas HOXA11-AS knockdown inhibited these biologic aggressive features. These adverse changes were accompanied by characteristics of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). In vivo xenograft experiments using the siHOXA11-AS-transfected HeLa cells revealed that HOXA11-AS strongly induced tumor growth. Furthermore, we found that HOXA11-AS knockdown decreased cancer stemness and triggered the EMT program. In conclusion, HOXA11-AS overexpression correlated with poor survival in patients with cervical cancer. Thus, HOXA11-AS may be a pivotal target for exploring novel cervical cancer therapeutics.

Expression of the cervical carcinoma expressed PCNA regulatory (CCEPR) long noncoding RNA is driven by the human papillomavirus E6 protein and modulates cell proliferation independent of PCNA

Modulation of expression of noncoding RNAs is an important aspect of the oncogenic activities of high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) E6 and E7 proteins. While HPV E6/E7-mediated alterations of microRNAs (miRNAs) has been studied in detail there are fewer reports on HPV-mediated dysregulation of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). The cervical carcinoma expressed PCNA regulatory (CCEPR) lncRNA is highly expressed in cervical cancers and expression correlates with tumor size and patient outcome. We report that CCEPR is a nuclear lncRNA and that HPV16 E6 oncogene expression causes increased CCEPR expression through a mechanism that is not directly dependent on TP53 inactivation. CCEPR depletion in cervical carcinoma cell lines reduces viability, while overexpression enhances viability. In contrast to what was published and inspired its designation, there is no evidence for PCNA mRNA stabilization, and hence CCEPR likely functions through a different mechanism.

LncRNA and mRNA integration network reconstruction reveals novel key regulators in esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma

Many experimental and computational studies have identified key protein coding genes in initiation and progression of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). However, the number of researches that tried to reveal the role of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in ESCC has been limited. LncRNAs are one of the important regulators of cancers which are transcribed dominantly in the genome and in various conditions. The main goal of this study was to use a systems biology approach to predict novel lncRNAs as well as protein coding genes associated with ESCC and assess their prognostic values. By using microarray expression data for mRNAs and lncRNAs from a large number of ESCC patients, we utilized "Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis" (WGCNA) method to make a big coding-non-coding gene co-expression network, and discovered important functional modules. Gene set enrichment and pathway analysis revealed major biological processes and pathways involved in these modules. After selecting some protein coding genes involved in biological processes and pathways related to cancer, we used "LncTar", a computational tool to predict potential interactions between these genes and lncRNAs. By combining interaction results with Pearson correlations, we introduced some novel lncRNAs with putative key regulatory roles in the network. Survival analysis with Kaplan-Meier estimator and Log-rank test statistic confirmed that most of the introduced genes are associated with poor prognosis in ESCC. Overall, our study reveals novel protein coding genes and lncRNAs associated with ESCC, along with their predicted interactions. Based on the promising results of survival analysis, these genes can be used as good estimators of patients' survival, or even can be analyzed further as new potential signatures or targets for the therapy of ESCC disease.

A comprehensive genome-wide analysis of long noncoding RNA expression profile in hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignancies worldwide, especially in East Asia and China. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are emerging as critical regulators that may be involved in the development and progression of cancers in humans. However, the contributions of lncRNAs to HCC development, metastasis, and recurrence remain largely unknown. In this study, we comprehensively investigated lncRNA expression profile in HCC and normal tissues using TCGA RNA sequencing data, one RNA sequencing dataset, and two microarray datasets from GEO. By analyzing these four datasets, we identified hundreds of expression-dysregulated lncRNAs in HCC tissues compared with normal tissues. Genomic copy number variation analysis showed that many of those lncRNAs disorder are related to the copy number amplification or deletion. Moreover, several lncRNAs expression levels are associated with HCC patients' overall and recurrence-free survival, such as RP1-228H13.5, TMCC1-AS1, LINC00205, and RP11-307C12.11. Furthermore, we identified two lncRNAs termed PVT1 and SNHG7 that may be involved in HCC cells metastasis by comparing lncRNAs expression profiles between early recurrence HCC tissues with metastasis and late recurrence HCC tissues without metastasis. Finally, loss-of-function assays confirmed that knockdown of SNHG7 and PVT1 impaired HCC cells invasion. Taken together, these findings may provide a valuable resource for further identification of novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets for HCC patients.

Long non‑coding nuclear paraspeckle assembly transcript 1 acts as prognosis biomarker and increases cell growth and invasion in cervical cancer by sequestering microRNA‑101

Emerging studies have focused on the essential role of long non‑coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in cervical carcinogenesis. A recent study has indicated that nuclear paraspeckle assembly transcript 1 (NEAT1) is highly expressed in the human cervical tissue. However, whether NEAT1 is involved in cervical cancer remains to be elucidated. Reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction results demonstrated that the expression of NEAT1 was higher in cervical cancer cells/tissues compared with that in normal human keratinocytes/tissues. Patients with higher NEAT1 level had poorer clinical characteristics and a shorter survival time compared with those that exhibited lower NEAT1 expression levels. In vitro, flow cytometery analysis revealed that transfection with NEAT1 small interfering RNA retarded cervical cancer cell (Caski and HeLa) growth by decreasing the percentage of S phase in the cell cycle and inducing cell apoptosis. In addition, the colony formation assay, wound healing assay and matrigel invasion assay results indicated that downregulation of NEAT1 inhibited colony formation, cell migration and invasion. Further investigation using the luciferase reporter assay revealed that the expression of mircoRNA‑101 (miR‑101) target gene Fos was positively associated with NEAT1 expression due to NEAT1‑competitive molecular sequestering of miR‑101 via base pairing. Furthermore, reduction of miR‑101 expression by inhibitor transfection reversed the effect of NEAT1 siRNA on cervical cancer cells. To conclude, the present data indicated that NEAT1 promoted cervical cancer progression by targeting miR‑101.

Roles of Long Noncoding RNAs in Recurrence and Metastasis of Radiotherapy-Resistant Cancer Stem Cells

Radiotherapy is a well-established therapeutic regimen applied to treat at least half of all cancer patients worldwide. Radioresistance of cancers or failure to treat certain tumor types with radiation is associated with enhanced local invasion, metastasis and poor prognosis. Elucidation of the biological characteristics underlying radioresistance is therefore critical to ensure the development of effective strategies to resolve this issue, which remains an urgent medical problem. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) comprise a small population of tumor cells that constitute the origin of most cancer cell types. CSCs are virtually resistant to radiotherapy, and consequently contribute to recurrence and disease progression. Metastasis is an increasing problem in resistance to cancer radiotherapy and closely associated with the morbidity and mortality rates of several cancer types. Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that radiation induces epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) accompanied by increased cancer recurrence, metastasis and CSC generation. CSCs are believed to serve as the basis of metastasis. Previous studies indicate that CSCs contribute to the generation of metastasis, either in a direct or indirect manner. Moreover, the heterogeneity of CSCs may be responsible for organ specificity and considerable complexity of metastases. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a class of noncoding molecules over 200 nucleotides in length involved in the initiation and progression of several cancer types. Recently, lncRNAs have attracted considerable attention as novel critical regulators of cancer progression and metastasis. In the current review, we have discussed lncRNA-mediated regulation of CSCs following radiotherapy, their association with tumor metastasis and significance in radioresistance of cancer.

Long Noncoding RNA HOXA11-AS Functions as miRNA Sponge to Promote the Glioma Tumorigenesis Through Targeting miR-140-5p

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been proved as important regulators in many diseases, including cancers. HOXA11 antisense RNA (HOXA11-AS) is a novel identified lncRNA associated with cancer progression. However, the role of HOXA11-AS in glioma remains poorly understood and needs to be elucidated. The purpose of this study is to investigate the role and regulating mechanism of HOXA11-AS on gliomagenesis. Expression of HOXA11-AS was significantly upregulated in glioma tissue and cell lines compared with the adjacent normal tissue and cells. Moreover, patients with high HOXA11-AS expression had a shorter survival and poorer prognosis than that of lower expression. Loss-of-function experiments revealed that HOXA11-AS knockdown inhibited the proliferation, induced cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase, and enhanced the apoptosis. Bioinformatics prediction forecast that miR-140-5p directly targeted HOXA11-AS at 3'-UTR, which was confirmed by luciferase reporter assay. In vitro rescue experiment assays, miR-140-5p inhibitor transfection, could reverse the function of HOXA11-AS knockdown on the proliferation, cell cycle arrest, and apoptosis. Taken together, the present study illustrates that the pathway of HOXA11-AS sponging miR-140-5p might play a vital regulating role in the development and progression of glioma.

Long non-coding RNAs on the stage of cervical cancer (Review)

Cervical cancer is one of most malignant gynecological tumors. However, effective means for diagnosing and treating cervical cancer have yet to be identified. A few decades ago, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) were regarded as useless parts of the genome, however, increasing data have demonstrated the importance of lncRNAs in the diagnosis and treatment of cervical cancers. The aim of the present study is to summarize the role(s) of HOTAIR, MALAT1, CCAT2, SPRY4-IT1, RSU1P2, CCHE1, lncRNA-EBIC and PVT1. Approximately 14 lncRNAs are involved in cervical cancer and several important proteins, miRNAs and other molecules and play crucial roles in a few traditional signaling pathways that have been proven to be related to those lncRNAs. In conclusion, lncRNAs may be useful as exact treatment targets and diagnostic biomarkers for improving therapies in cervical cancer patients and lncRNAs may contribute to effective diagnosis and treatment methods for cervical cancer.

The lncRNA HOXA11-AS functions as a competing endogenous RNA to regulate PADI2 expression by sponging miR-125a-5p in liver metastasis of colorectal cancer

Several long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in the regulation of liver metastasis in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. We previously described the potential involvement of HOMEOBOX A11 (HOXA11) antisense RNA (HOXA11-AS), miR-125a-5p, and peptidyl arginine deiminase 2 (PADI2) in promoting liver metastasis in CRC patients. In the present study, we verified the significant upregulation of HOXA11-AS and PADI2, as well as the downregulation of miR-125a-5p, in CRC patients with liver metastasis. Overexpression and knockdown studies of HOXA11-AS or PADI2, as well as gain-/loss-of-function studies of miR-125a-5p, revealed a positive correlation between HOXA11-AS and PADI2 and a negative correlation with miR-125a-5p in the regulation of liver metastasis in CRC cell lines. Overall, we conclude that HOXA11-AS promotes liver metastasis in CRC by functioning as a miR-125a-5p sponge and describe a novel HOXA11-AS–miR-125a-5p–PADI2 regulatory network involved in CRC liver metastasis.

Long non‑coding RNA HOXA11‑AS promotes cell proliferation and metastasis in human breast cancer

Breast cancer is one of the most frequently occurring malignancies in female cancers worldwide, however, its detailed mechanism of tumorigenesis remains to be elucidated. Long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) have previously been demonstrated to be important in multiple cancers, including breast cancer. The present study aimed to elucidate the molecular mechanism of the effects of the novel Lnc RNA HOXA11‑AS, on cell proliferation and metastasis in breast cancer. The data revealed that the relative transcript level of HOXA11‑AS was upregulated in vivo and in vitro in models of breast cancer. Knockdown of HOXA11‑AS in MDA‑MB‑231 and MDA‑MB‑436 breast cancer cell lines inhibited the formation of cell colonies and arrested the cell cycle at the G0/G1 phase. Depletion of HOXA11‑AS using two specific short interfering (si)RNAs against HOXA11‑AS (siHOXA11‑AS‑1 and siHOXA11‑AS‑2) additionally suppressed the cell proliferative rate. Furthermore, transwell assays and wound‑healing analysis revealed that siRNA transfection inhibited cell migration and invasion by ~50% in the two cell lines. The results of the present study demonstrated the oncogenic role of HOXA11‑AS in breast cancer, providing novel clues for the future clinical diagnosis and treatment of early stage breast cancer patients.

Clinical Significance and Effect of lncRNA HOXA11-AS in NSCLC: A Study Based on Bioinformatics, In Vitro and in Vivo Verification

HOXA11 antisense RNA (HOXA11-AS) has been shown to be involved in tumorigenesis and development of different cancers. However, the role of HOXA11-AS in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains unclear. In this study, we firstly explored and confirmed the expression of HOXA11-AS in NSCLC tissues and cells. Cytometry, CCK-8, cell scratch, migration, Matrigel invasion and flow cytometry assays were performed to determine the biological impact of HOXA11-AS in vitro. Furthermore, a chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) model of NSCLC was constructed to explore the effect of HOXA11-AS on tumorigenicity and angiogenesis in vivo. Additionally, bioinformatics analyses were performed to investigate the prospective pathways of HOXA11-AS co-expressed genes. As results, HOXA11-AS was markedly highly expressed in NSCLC tissues and cells. Furthermore, the proliferation, migration, invasion, tumorigenic and angiogenic ability of NSCLC cells were all inhibited and apoptosis was induced after HOXA11-AS knock-down. HOXA11-AS RNAi also led to cell cycle arrest on G0/G1 or G2/M phase. In addition, the non-small cell lung cancer pathway might be involved in regulating the co-expressed genes of HOXA11-AS in NSCLC. These results indicate that HOXA11-AS plays pivotal roles in NSCLC and it can become a novel therapeutic direction for treating NSCLC.

Long noncoding RNA HEIH promotes melanoma cell proliferation, migration and invasion via inhibition of miR-200b/a/429

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are frequently dysregulated and have important roles in many diseases, particularly cancers. lncRNA-HEIH was first identified in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The expression, clinical significance and roles of lncRNA-HEIH in melanoma are still unknown. In the present study, we found that lncRNA-HEIH is highly expressed in melanoma tissues and cell lines, associated with advanced clinical stages, and predicts poor outcomes in melanoma patients. Functional assays showed that ectopic expression of lncRNA-HEIH promotes melanoma cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Knockdown of lncRNA-HEIH inhibits melanoma cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Mechanistically, we revealed that lncRNA-HEIH directly binds to miR-200b/a/429 promoter and represses miR-200b/a/429 transcription. The expression of miR-200b is inversely associated with lncRNA-HEIH in melanoma tissues. Furthermore, overexpression of miR-200b/a/429 abrogates melanoma cell proliferation, migration and invasion enhanced by lncRNA-HEIH. In conclusion, we identified lncRNA-HEIH as a key oncogene in melanoma via transcriptional inhibition of miR-200b/a/429. Our data suggested that lncRNA-HEIH may serve as a promising prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for melanoma.

Overexpression of lncRNA HOXA11-AS promotes cell epithelial-mesenchymal transition by repressing miR-200b in non-small cell lung cancer

Background

Recent studies have verified that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) involved in many biological functions and play crucial roles in human cancers progression, the study aimed to detect the association between long non-coding RNA HOXA11-AS and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) process in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods

The lncRNA HOXA11-AS expression levels were determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assays in 78 paired of tumor tissue and adjacent normal tissue samples in NSCLC patients. Kaplan–Meier survival curves and log-rank test was used to examine the association between lncRNA HOXA11-AS expression and the over survival time in NSCLC patients. Transwell invasion assay was performed to detect the cell invasion ability. QRT-PCR and western-blot analysis detected the mRNA and protein expression of EMT related transcription factors ZEB1/ZEB2, Snail1/2 and EMT marker E-cadherin and N-cadherin in NSCLC cells. RIP and Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays were performed to analyze the association between lncRNA HOXA11-AS and miR-200b expression in NSCLC cells.

Results

The lncRNA HOXA11-AS expression levels were significantly higher in NSCLC tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues and higher HOXA11-AS expression levels had a poor prognosis in NSCLC patients. Furthermore, knockdown of lncRNA HOXA11-AS in A549 and H1299 cells dramatically inhibited cell invasive abilities. Besides, the transcription levels and protein levels of EMT related transcription factors ZEB1/ZEB2, Snail1/2, and EMT maker N-cadherin were down-regulated after lncRNA HOXA11-AS was knocked down, but the mRNA and protein expression levels of EMT maker E-cadherin was increasing in A549 and H1299 cells. The mechanistic findings showed demonstrated that HOXA11-AS interacted with EZH2 and DNMT1 and recruited them to the miR-200b promoter regions to repress miR-200b expression in NSCLC cells, which promoted cell EMT in NSCLC.

Conclusions

Our results showed that up-regulation of lncRNA HOXA11-AS predicted a poor prognosis and lncRNA HOXA11-AS promoted cell epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) by inhibiting miR-200b expression in NSCLC.

Long Non-coding RNAs and Their Roles in Non-small-cell Lung Cancer

As a leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide, lung cancer is a collection of diseases with diverse etiologies which can be broadly classified into small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Lung cancer is characterized by genomic and epigenomic alterations; however, mechanisms underlying lung tumorigenesis remain to be elucidated. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a group of non-coding RNAs that consist of ⩾200 nucleotides but possess low or no protein-coding potential. Accumulating evidence indicates that abnormal expression of lncRNAs is associated with tumorigenesis of various cancers, including lung cancer, through multiple biological mechanisms involving epigenetic, transcriptional, and post-transcriptional alterations. In this review, we highlight the expression and roles of lncRNAs in NSCLC and discuss their potential clinical applications as diagnostic or prognostic biomarkers, as well as therapeutic targets.

LncRNAs as new biomarkers to differentiate triple negative breast cancer from non-triple negative breast cancer

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive type of breast cancer with high heterogeneity. To date, there is no efficient therapy for TNBC patients and the prognosis is poor. It is urgent to find new biomarkers for the diagnosis of TNBC or efficient therapy targets. As an area of focus in the post-genome period, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been found to play critical roles in many cancers, including TNBC. However, there is little information on differentially expressed lncRNAs between TNBC and non-TNBC. We detected the expression levels of lncRNAs in TNBC and non-TNBC tissues separately. Then we analyzed the lncRNA expression signature of TNBC relative to non-TNBC, and found dysregulated lncRNAs participated in important biological processes though Gene Ontology and Pathway analysis. Finally, we validated these lncRNA expression levels in breast cancer tissues and cells, and then confirmed that 4 lncRNAs (RP11-434D9.1, LINC00052, BC016831, and IGKV) were correlated with TNBC occurrence through receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. This study offers helpful information to understand the initiation and development mechanisms of TNBC comprehensively and suggests potential biomarkers for diagnosis or therapy targets for clinical treatment.

Long noncoding RNA SNHG1 predicts a poor prognosis and promotes hepatocellular carcinoma tumorigenesis

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the main cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Its poor prognosis is mainly ascribed to high recurrence rate. Identifying novel prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets would be vital for HCC management. Long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) is a class of RNA with various roles in tumorigenesis. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical significance and functions of lncRNA-small nucleolar RNA host gene 1 (SNHG1) in HCC. In this study, we found SNHG1 was upregulated in HCC tissues in comparison with adjacent liver tissues in both publicly available microarray data and our own cohort. High SNHG1 expression was correlated with large tumor size, poor differentiation, and aggressive BCLC stage. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis demonstrated that high SNHG1 expression predicts poor prognosis of HCC patients. Gain-of-function and loss-of function experiments showed that SNHG1 promotes HCC cells proliferation, cell cycle progression, and inhibits HCC cells apoptosis. Further experiments revealed that SNHG1 promotes HCC cells proliferation through inhibiting p53 and p53-target genes expression. Collectively, our results demonstrated the clinical prognostic significance and roles of SNHG1 in HCC, and suggested that SNHG1 may be considered as a prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for HCC.

LncRNAs: key players and novel insights into cervical cancer

Cervical cancer contributed the second highest number of deaths in female cancers, exceeded only by breast cancer, carrying high risks of morbidity and mortality. There was a great need and urgency in searching novel treatment targets and prognosis biomarkers to improve the survival rate of cervical cancer patients. Many long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) were emerging as pivotal regulators in various biological processes and took vitally an effect on the oncogenesis and progression of cervical cancer. In this review, we summarized the origin and overview function of lncRNAs; highlighted the roles of lncRNAs in cervical cancer in terms of prognosis and tumor progression, invasion and metastasis, apoptosis, and radio-resistance; and outlined the molecular mechanisms of lncRNAs in cervical cancer from the aspects of the interaction of lncRNAs with proteins/mRNAs (especially in HPV protein) and miRNAs, as well as RNA N-methyladenosine (m6A) methylation of lncRNAs. Meanwhile, the application of lncRNAs as biomarkers in cervical cancer prognosis and predictors for metastasis was also discussed. An overview of these researches will be valuable for broadening horizons into mechanisms, selection of meritorious biomarkers for diagnosis as well as prognosis, and future targeted therapy of cervical cancer.