microRNA-19a-3p promotes tumor metastasis and chemoresistance through the PTEN/Akt pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma

EV-miRNAs from breast cancer patients of plasma as potential prognostic biomarkers of disease recurrence

Background

Extracellular vesicles (EVs), ubiquitously released by blood cells, facilitate intercellular communication. In cancer, tumor-derived EVs profoundly affect the microenvironment, promoting tumor progression and raising the risk of recurrence. These EVs contain miRNAs (EV-miRNAs), promising cancer biomarkers. Characterizing plasma EVs and identifying EV-miRNAs associated with breast cancer recurrence are crucial aspects of cancer research since they allow us to discover new biomarkers that are effective for understanding tumor biology and for being used for early detection, disease monitoring, or approaches to personalized medicine. This study aimed to characterize plasma EVs in breast cancer (BC) patients and identify EV-miRNAs associated with BC recurrence.

Methods

This retrospective observational study included 24 BC patients divided into recurrence (n= 11) and non-recurrence (n= 13) groups. Plasma EVs were isolated and characterized. Total RNA from EVs was analyzed for miRNA expression using NanoString's nCounter® miRNA Expression Assays panel. MicroRNA target prediction used mirDIP, and pathway interactions were assessed via Reactome.

Results

A stronger presence of circulating EVs was found to be linked with a less favorable prognosis (p = 0.0062). We discovered a distinct signature of EV-miRNAs, notably including miR-19a-3p and miR-130b-3p, which are significantly associated with breast cancer recurrence. Furthermore, miR-19a-3p and miR-130b-3p were implicated in the regulation of PTEN and MDM4, potentially contributing to breast cancer progression.A notable association emerged, indicating a high concentration of circulating EVs predicts poor prognosis (p = 0.0062). Our study found a distinct EV-miRNA signature involving miR-19a-3p and miR-130b-3p, strongly associated with disease recurrence. We also presented compelling evidence for their regulatory roles in PTEN and MDM4 genes, contributing to BC development.

Conclusion

This study revealed that increased plasma EV concentration is associated with BC recurrence. The prognostic significance of EVs is closely tied to the unique expression profiles of miR-19a-3p and miR-130b-3p. These findings underscore the potential of EV-associated miRNAs as valuable indicators for BC recurrence, opening new avenues for diagnosis and treatment exploration.

The multifaceted role of PCSK9 in cancer pathogenesis, tumor immunity, and immunotherapy

Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), a well-known regulator of cholesterol metabolism and cardiovascular diseases, has recently garnered attention for its emerging involvement in cancer biology. The multifunctional nature of PCSK9 extends beyond lipid regulation and encompasses a wide range of cellular processes that can influence cancer progression. Studies have revealed that PCSK9 can modulate signaling pathways, such as PI3K/Akt, MAPK, and Wnt/β-catenin, thereby influencing cellular proliferation, survival, and angiogenesis. Additionally, the interplay between PCSK9 and cholesterol homeostasis may impact membrane dynamics and cellular migration, further influencing tumor aggressiveness. The central role of the immune system in monitoring and controlling cancer is increasingly recognized. Recent research has demonstrated the ability of PCSK9 to modulate immune responses through interactions with immune cells and components of the tumor microenvironment. This includes effects on dendritic cell maturation, T cell activation, and cytokine production, suggesting a role in shaping antitumor immune responses. Moreover, the potential influence of PCSK9 on immune checkpoints such as PD1/PD-L1 lends an additional layer of complexity to its immunomodulatory functions. The growing interest in cancer immunotherapy has prompted exploration into the potential of targeting PCSK9 for therapeutic benefits. Preclinical studies have demonstrated synergistic effects between PCSK9 inhibitors and established immunotherapies, offering a novel avenue for combination treatments. The strategic manipulation of PCSK9 to enhance tumor immunity and improve therapeutic outcomes presents an exciting area for further investigations. Understanding the mechanisms by which PCSK9 influences cancer biology and immunity holds promise for the development of novel immunotherapeutic approaches. This review aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the intricate connections between PCSK9, cancer pathogenesis, tumor immunity, and the potential implications for immunotherapeutic interventions.

Quercetin inhibits the epithelial-mesenchymal transition and reverses CDK4/6 inhibitor resistance in breast cancer by regulating circHIAT1/miR-19a-3p/CADM2 axis

Breast cancer (BC) cells have a high risk of metastasis due to epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Palbociclib (CDK4/6 inhibitor) is an approved drug for BC treatment. However, the drug resistance and metastasis can impair the treatment outcome of Palbociclib. Understanding the mechanisms of EMT and Palbociclib drug resistance in BC is conducive to the formulation of novel therapeutic strategy. Here, we investigated the role of circHIAT1/miR-19a-3p/CADM2 axis in modulating EMT and Palbociclib resistance in BC. circHIAT1 and CADM2 were down-regulated in BC tissues and cell lines, and miR-19a-3p showed an up-regulation. circHIAT1 could interact with miR-19a-3p and suppress its activity, while miR-19a-3p functioned to negatively regulate CADM2. Forced over-expression of circHIAT1 could impaired the EMT status and migratory ability of BC cells, and this effect was inhibited by miR-19a-3p mimic. In addition, we also generated Palbociclib resistant BC cells, and showed that circHIAT1 and CADM2 were down-regulated in the resistant BC cells while miR-19a-3p showed an up-regulation. Forced circHIAT1 over-expression re-sensitized BC cells to Palbociclib treatment. Quercetin, a bioactive flavonoid, could suppressed the migration and invasion of BC cells, and re-sensitized BC cells to Palbociclib. The anti-cancer effect of quercetin could be attributed to its regulatory effect on circHIAT1/miR-19a-3p/CADM2 axis. In vivo tumorigenesis experiment further revealed that quercetin administration enhanced the anti-cancer effect of Palbociclib, an effect was dependent on the up-regulation of circHIAT1 by quercetin. In summary, this study identified quercetin as a potential anti-cancer compound to reverse Palbociclib resistance and impair EMT in BC cells by targeting circHIAT1/miR-19a-3p/CADM2 axis.

Exploring non-coding RNA mechanisms in hepatocellular carcinoma: implications for therapy and prognosis

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a significant contributor to cancer-related deaths in the world. The development and progression of HCC are closely correlated with the abnormal regulation of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), such as microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs). Important biological pathways in cancer biology, such as cell proliferation, death, and metastasis, are impacted by these ncRNAs, which modulate gene expression. The abnormal expression of non-coding RNAs in HCC raises the possibility that they could be applied as new biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment targets. Furthermore, by controlling the expression of cancer-related genes, miRNAs can function as either tumor suppressors or oncogenes. On the other hand, lncRNAs play a role in the advancement of cancer by interacting with other molecules within the cell, which, in turn, affects processes such as chromatin remodeling, transcription, and post-transcriptional processes. The importance of ncRNA-driven regulatory systems in HCC is being highlighted by current research, which sheds light on tumor behavior and therapy response. This research highlights the great potential of ncRNAs to improve patient outcomes in this difficult disease landscape by augmenting the present methods of HCC care through the use of precision medicine approaches.

Epigenetic regulation of hepatocellular carcinoma progression: MicroRNAs as therapeutic, diagnostic and prognostic factors

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a significant challenge for public healthcare systems in developed Western countries including the USA, Canada, and the UK, is influenced by different risk factors including hepatitis virus infections, alcoholism, and smoking. The disruption in the balance of microRNAs (miRNAs) plays a vital function in tumorigenesis, given their function as regulators in numerous signaling networks. These miRNAs, which are mature and active in the cytoplasm, work by reducing the expression of target genes through their impact on mRNAs. MiRNAs are particularly significant in HCC as they regulate key aspects of the tumor, like proliferation and invasion. Additionally, during treatment phases such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy, the levels of miRNAs are key determinants. Pre-clinical experiments have demonstrated that altered miRNA expression contributes to HCC development, metastasis, drug resistance, and radio-resistance, highlighting related molecular pathways and processes like MMPs, EMT, apoptosis, and autophagy. Furthermore, the regulatory role of miRNAs in HCC extends beyond their immediate function, as they are also influenced by other epigenetic factors like lncRNAs and circular RNAs (circRNAs), as discussed in recent reviews. Applying these discoveries in predicting the prognosis of HCC could mark a significant advancement in the therapy of this disease.

Noncoding RNAs and programmed cell death in hepatocellular carcinoma: Significant role of epigenetic modifications in prognosis, chemoresistance, and tumor recurrence rate

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of liver cancer with a high death rate in the world. The molecular mechanisms related to the pathogenesis of HCC have not been precisely defined so far. Hence, this review aimed to address the potential cross-talk between noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) and programmed cell death in HCC. All related papers in the English language up to June 2023 were collected and screened. The searched keywords in scientific databases, including Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar, were HCC, ncRNAs, Epigenetic, Programmed cell death, Autophagy, Apoptosis, Ferroptosis, Chemoresistance, Tumor recurrence, Prognosis, and Prediction. According to the reports, ncRNAs, comprising long ncRNAs, microRNAs, circular RNAs, and small nucleolar RNAs can affect cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and metastasis, as well as cell death-related processes, such as autophagy, ferroptosis, necroptosis, and apoptosis in HCC by regulating cancer-associated genes and signaling pathways, for example, phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt, extracellular signal-regulated kinase/MAPK, and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways. It seems that ncRNAs, as epigenetic regulators, can be utilized as biomarkers in diagnosis, prognosis, survival and recurrence rates prediction, chemoresistance, and evaluation of therapeutic response in HCC patients. However, more scientific evidence is suggested to be accomplished to confirm these results.

The Role of microRNAs in Hepatocellular Cancer: A Narrative Review Focused on Tumor Microenvironment and Drug Resistance

Globally, hepatic cancer ranks fourth in terms of cancer-related mortality and is the sixth most frequent kind of cancer. Around 80% of liver cancers are hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC), which are the leading cause of cancer death. It is well known that HCC may develop resistance to the available chemotherapy treatments very fast. One of the biggest obstacles in providing cancer patients with appropriate care is drug resistance. According to reports, more than 90% of cancer-specific fatalities are caused by treatment resistance. By binding to the 3'-untranslated region of target messenger RNAs (mRNAs), microRNAs (miRNAs), a group of noncoding RNAs which are around 17 to 25 nucleotides long, regulate target gene expression. Moreover, they play role in the control of signaling pathways, cell proliferation, and cell death. As a result, miRNAs play an important role in the microenvironment of HCC by changing immune phenotypes, hypoxic conditions, and acidification, as well as angiogenesis and extracellular matrix components. Moreover, changes in miRNA levels in HCC can effectively resist cancer cells to chemotherapy by affecting various cellular processes such as autophagy, apoptosis, and membrane transporter activity. In the current work, we narratively reviewed the role of miRNAs in HCC, with a special focus on tumor microenvironment and drug resistance.

Decoding the interaction between miR-19a and CBX7 focusing on the implications for tumor suppression in cancer therapy

Cancer is a complex and multifaceted disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth, genetic alterations, and disruption of normal cellular processes, leading to the formation of malignant tumors with potentially devastating consequences for patients. Molecular research is important in the diagnosis and treatment, one of the molecular mechanisms involved in various cancers is the fluctuation of gene expression. Non-coding RNAs, especially microRNAs, are involved in different stages of cancer. MicroRNAs are small RNA molecules that are naturally produced within cells and bind to the 3'-UTR of target mRNA, repressing gene expression by regulating translation. Overexpression of miR-19a has been reported in human malignancies. Upregulation of miR-19a as a member of the miR-17-92 cluster is key to tumor formation, cell proliferation, survival, invasion, metastasis, and drug resistance. Furthermore. bioinformatics and in vitro data reveal that the miR-19a-3p isoform binds to the 3'UTR of CBX7 and was identified as the miR-19a-3p target gene. CBX7 is known as a tumor suppressor. This review initially describes the regulation of mir-19a in multiple cancers. Accordingly, the roles of miR-19 in affecting its target gene expression CBX7 in carcinoma also be discussed.

Circulating Extracellular Vesicle-Derived microRNAs as Novel Diagnostic and Prognostic Biomarkers for Non-Viral-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Extracellular vesicle-derived microRNAs (EV-miRNAs) are promising circulating biomarkers for chronic liver disease. In this study, we explored the potential significance of plasma EV-miRNAs in non-hepatitis B-, non-hepatitis C-related HCC (NBNC-HCC). We compared, using the NanoString method, plasma EV-miRNA profiles between NBNC-HCC and control groups including patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and healthy controls. The differentially expressed EV-miRNAs were validated in another set of plasma samples by qRT-PCR. A total of 66 significantly differentially expressed EV-miRNAs between the HCC and the control groups were identified in the discovery set. In the validation cohort, including plasma samples of 70 NBNC-HCC patients, 70 NAFLD patients, and 35 healthy controls, 5 plasma EV-miRNAs were significantly elevated in HCC, which included miR-19-3p, miR-16-5p, miR-223-3p, miR-30d-5p, and miR-451a. These miRNAs were found to participate in several cancer-related signaling pathways based on bioinformatic analysis. Among them, EV-miR-19-3p exhibited the best diagnostic performance and displayed a high sensitivity for detecting alpha-fetoprotein-negative HCC and early-stage HCC. In multivariate analysis, a high EV-miR-19-3p level was demonstrated as an independently unfavorable predictor of overall survival in patients with NBNC-HCC. In conclusion, our data have indicated, for the first time, that EV-miR-19-3p could serve as a novel circulating biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of NBNC-HCC.

CRISPR/Cas9 screens unravel miR-3689a-3p regulating sorafenib resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma via suppressing CCS/SOD1-dependent mitochondrial oxidative stress

AIMS

Therapeutic outcome of sorafenib in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is undermined by the development of drug resistance. This study aimed to identify the critical microRNA (miRNA) which is responsible for sorafenib resistance at the genomic level.

METHODS

CRISPR/Cas9 screen followed by gain- and loss-of-function assays both in vitro and in vivo were applied to identify the role of miR-3689a-3p in mediating sorafenib response in HCC. The upstream and downstream molecules of miR-3689a-3p and their mechanism of action were investigated.

RESULTS

CRISPR/Cas9 screening identified miR-3689a-3p was the most up-regulated miRNA in sorafenib sensitive HCC. Knockdown of miR-3689a-3p significantly increased sorafenib resistance, while its overexpression sensitized HCC response to sorafenib treatment. Proteomic analysis revealed that the effect of miR-3689a-3p was related to the copper-dependent mitochondrial superoxide dismutase type 1 (SOD1) activity. Mechanistically, miR-3689a-3p targeted the 3'UTR of the intracellular copper chaperone for superoxide dismutase (CCS) and suppressed its expression. As a result, miR-3689a-3p disrupted the intracellular copper trafficking and reduced SOD1-mediated scavenge of mitochondrial oxidative stress that eventually caused HCC cell death in response to sorafenib treatment. CCS overexpression blunted sorafenib response in HCC. Clinically, miR-3689a-3p was down-regulated in HCC and predicted favorable prognosis for HCC patients.

CONCLUSION

Our findings provide comprehensive evidence for miR-3689a-3p as a positive regulator and potential druggable target for improving sorafenib treatment in HCC.

NF1-Related MicroRNA Gene Polymorphisms and the Susceptibility to Soft Tissue Sarcomas: A Case-Control Study

Soft tissue sarcomas (STS) are rare malignant tumors of mesenchymal origin, which are easy to metastasize and relapse and are a great threat to human health. In our previous study, the abnormal expression of neurofibromin 1 (NF1) is observed in tumor tissue of STS, and the NF1 gene is regulated by miRNAs. The study aimed to assess the association between NF1-related miRNA gene polymorphisms and the risk of STS. In this case-control study, the information and peripheral blood were collected from 169 patients with STS and 170 healthy controls. Six single-nucleotide polymorphisms of the NF1-related miRNAs were investigated and genotyped using a Sequenom MassARRAY® matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry platform. The association between the polymorphisms and the risk of STS was estimated using unconditional logistic regression analysis. There was a significant statistical difference on genotype distribution of miR-199a2 rs12139213 between the case group and the control group (p = 0.026). Comparing with individuals with wild-type AA, individuals with the AT/TT genotype had a 1.753-fold (odds ratio [OR] = 1.753, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.090-2.819, p = 0.021) increased risk of STS and 1.907-fold (OR = 1.907, 95% CI = 1.173-3.102, p = 0.009) increased risk of STS adjusted for age and smoking status. Individuals with the AG/GG genotype for miR24-3p rs4743988 displayed a significantly reduced risk of STS compared with individuals with homozygous mutations AA (OR = 0.605, 95% CI = 0.376-0.973, p = 0.038). Individuals carrying the AT/TT genotype for miR-199a2 rs12139213 or the AA genotype for miR24-3p rs4743988 may be susceptible to STS, which could be potential biomarkers for the diagnosis of STS.

Overexpressed RBPMS-AS1 increased cell radiosensitivity by sponging miR-19a-3p in lung cancer cell lines (A549 and SK-MES-1) via regulating PTEN/AKT axis

PURPOSE

This paper intended to study RBPMS-AS1 in lung cancer (LC) radiosensitivity.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

LC cells were transfected with RBPMS-AS1 overexpression plasmid and miR-19a-3p mimic and treated with radiation. PTEN, AKT, p-AKT, RBPMS-AS1, and miR-19a-3p expressions were detected via Western blot and qRT-PCR. The localization of RBPMS-AS1 in cells was determined through fluorescence in situ hybridization assay. The targeting relationships of RBPMS-AS1 and miR-19a-3p/miR-19a-3p and PTEN were determined through RIP and dual luciferase reporter analysis. Cell survival, viability, and apoptosis were assessed through colony formation, CCK-8, and flow-cytometry assays.

RESULTS

RBPMS-AS1 was downregulated in LC and mainly distributed in cytoplasm. RBPMS-AS1 targeted miR-19a-3p in LC cells. Radiation suppressed LC cell survival, viability, and induced apoptosis, as overexpressed RBPMS-AS1 performed the similar effects and enhanced those effects induced by radiation. MiR-19a-3p mimic reversed the effect of overexpressed RBPMS-AS1 on enhancing radiation-induced LC cell apoptosis. MiR-19a-3p targeted PTEN and miR-19a-3p mimic reversed the effect of overexpressed RBPMS-AS1 on PTEN and phosphorylation of AKT in LC cells.

CONCLUSION

Overexpressed RBPMS-AS1 sponged miR-19a-3p to increase cell radiosensitivity in LC via regulating PTEN/AKT axis.

The Roles of Epigenetic Regulation and the Tumor Microenvironment in the Mechanism of Resistance to Systemic Therapy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Primary liver cancer is the sixth most common cancer and the third most common cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major histologic type with a poor prognosis owing to the difficulty in early detection, the chemotherapy resistance, and the high recurrence rate of the disease. Despite recent advancements in HCC prevention and diagnosis, over 50% of patients are diagnosed at Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer Stage B or C. Systemic therapies are recommended for unresectable HCC (uHCC) with major vascular invasion, extrahepatic metastases, or intrahepatic lesions that have a limited response to transcatheter arterial chemoembolization, but the treatment outcome tends to be unsatisfactory due to acquired drug resistance. Elucidation of the mechanisms underlying the resistance to systemic therapies and the appropriate response strategies to solve this issue will contribute to improved outcomes in the multidisciplinary treatment of uHCC. In this review, we summarize recent findings on the mechanisms of resistance to drugs such as sorafenib, regorafenib, and lenvatinib in molecularly targeted therapy, with a focus on epigenetic regulation and the tumor microenvironment and outline the approaches to improve the therapeutic outcome for patients with advanced HCC.

Systematic Investigation of the Diagnostic and Prognostic Impact of LINC01087 in Human Cancers

(1) Background: Long non-coding RNAs may constitute epigenetic biomarkers for the diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic response of a variety of tumors. In this context, we aimed at assessing the diagnostic and prognostic value of the recently described long intergenic non-coding RNA 01087 (LINC01087) in human cancers. (2) Methods: We studied the expression of LINC01087 across 30 oncological indications by interrogating public resources. Data extracted from the TCGA and GTEx databases were exploited to plot receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC) and determine the diagnostic performance of LINC01087. Survival data from TCGA and KM-Plotter directories allowed us to graph Kaplan-Meier curves and evaluate the prognostic value of LINC01087. To investigate the function of LINC01087, gene ontology (GO) annotation and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Gene and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses were performed. Furthermore, interactions between LINC01087 and both miRNA and mRNA were studied by means of bioinformatics tools. (3) Results: LINC01087 was significantly deregulated in 7 out of 30 cancers, showing a predominant upregulation. Notably, it was overexpressed in breast (BC), esophageal (ESCA), and ovarian (OV) cancers, as well as lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC), stomach adenocarcinoma (STAD), and uterine carcinosarcoma (UCS). By contrast, LINC01087 displayed downregulation in testicular germ cell tumors (TGCT). ROC curve analyses identified LINC01087 as a potential diagnostic indicator in BC, ESCA, OV, STAD, and TGCT. Moreover, high and low expression of LINC01087 predicted a favorable prognosis in BC and papillary cell carcinoma, respectively. In silico analyses indicated that deregulation of LINC01087 in cancer was associated with a modulation of genes related to ion channel, transporter, and peptide receptor activity. (4) Conclusions: the quantification of an altered abundance of LINC01087 in tissue specimens might be clinically useful for the diagnosis and prognosis of some hormone-related tumors, including BC, OV, and TGCT, as well as other cancer types such as ESCA and STAD. Moreover, our study revealed the potential of LINC01087 (and perhaps other lncRNAs) to regulate neuroactive molecules in cancer.

Molecular mechanism of circRNAs in drug resistance in renal cell carcinoma

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors with a poor response to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The advent of molecular targeted drugs has initiated great breakthroughs in the treatment of RCC. However, drug resistance to targeted drugs has become an urgent problem. Various studies across the decades have confirmed the involvement of circular RNAs (circRNAs) in multiple pathophysiological processes and its abnormal expression in many malignant tumors. This review speculated that circRNAs can provide a new solution to drug resistance in RCC and perhaps be used as essential markers for the early diagnosis and prognosis of RCC. Through the analysis and discussion of relevant recent research, this review explored the relationship of circRNAs to and their regulatory mechanisms in drug resistance in RCC. The results indicate an association between the expression of circRNAs and the development of RCC, as well as the involvement of circRNAs in drug resistance in RCC.

The diagnostic and prognostic value of the miR-17-92 cluster in hepatocellular carcinoma: A meta-analysis

Previous studies demonstrated that microRNAs (miRNAs) could serve as biomarkers in various cancers. This meta-analysis aimed to determine the roles of a miR-17-92 cluster in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Here, eligible included studies were searched through PubMed, Embase, and Wan Fang databases up to 1st February 2022. Relevant data were extracted from each eligible study to evaluate the relationship between miRNA-17-92 cluster miRNA expression and the diagnosis and prognosis of HCC. Finally, a total of 21 studies were pooled and included in the meta-analysis, of which four articles were used for diagnostic meta-analysis and eight articles were used for prognostic meta-analysis. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic odds ratios (DOR) of the miR17-92 cluster for diagnosis of HCC were 0.75 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.64–0.83], 0.73 (95% CI: 0.65–0.79), and 7.87 (95% CI: 5.36–11.54), respectively. Also, the area under the curve (AUC) for the miR-17-92 cluster when diagnosing HCC was 0.79 (95% CI: 0.76–0.83). For prognostic analysis, hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% CIs were extracted from the included studies and pooled HRs were determined to assess the associations. Patients with increased expression of miR17-92 cluster miRNA were associated with poor overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) (HR=1.86, 95% CI: 1.04–3.33; HR = 4.18, 95% CI: 3.02–5.77, respectively), but not progression-free survival (PFS) (HR = 0.43, 95% CI: 0.25–0.73), while no association of the miR-17-92 cluster high-expression was detected with disease-free survival (DFS) (HR: 0.95, 95% CI: 0.21–4.34). In short, current pieces of evidence suggested that the miR-17-92 cluster may serve as a novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for HCC. However, given the limited study number, larger-size, multi-center, and higher-quality studies are indispensable in the future.

S-palmitoylation of PCSK9 induces sorafenib resistance in liver cancer by activating the PI3K/AKT pathway

Sorafenib is currently the first-line treatment for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, sorafenib resistance remains a significant challenge. Aberrant AKT signaling activation is a crucial mechanism driving sorafenib resistance in HCC. Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) plays a vital role in antitumor immune responses. In this study, we demonstrate that aberrant PCSK9 upregulation promotes cell proliferation and sorafenib resistance in HCC by inducing AKT-S473 phosphorylation. After palmitoylation at cysteine 600, the binding affinity between PCSK9 and tensin homolog (PTEN) is dramatically increased, inducing lysosome-mediated PTEN degradation and subsequent AKT activation. We identify zinc finger DHHC-type palmitoyltransferase 16 (ZDHHC16) as a palmitoyltransferase that promotes PCSK9 palmitoylation at cysteine 600. We also develop a biologically active PCSK9-derived peptide that competitively inhibits PCSK9 palmitoylation, suppressing AKT phosphorylation and augmenting the antitumor effects of sorafenib in HCC.

Active ingredients and molecular targets of Taraxacum mongolicum against hepatocellular carcinoma: network pharmacology, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulation analysis

Background

Taraxacum mongolicum (TM) is a widely used herb. Studies have reported that TM exhibits growth-inhibitory and apoptosis-inducing on multiple tumors, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The active ingredients, targets, and molecular mechanisms of TM against HCC need to be further elucidated.

Methods

We identified the active ingredients and targets of TM via HERB, PubChem, SwissADME, SwissTargetPrediction, and PharmMapper. We searched HCC targets from GeneCards, Comparative Toxicogenomics Database (CTD), and DisGeNET. Then, the intersection of drug targets and disease targets was uploaded to the STRING database to construct protein-protein interactions (PPI) networking whose topology parameters were analyzed in Cytoscape software to screen hub targets. Next, we used Metascape for Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis, and we employed AutoDock vina, AMBER18 and PyMOL software along with several auxiliary tools for molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. Finally, based on the in silico findings, cellular experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of TM on HSP90AA1 gene expression.

Results

A total of 228 targets and 35 active ingredients were identified. Twenty two hub targets were selected through PPI networking construction for further investigation. The enrichment analysis showed that protein kinase binding, mitogenactivated protein kinase (MAPK) and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling pathways were mainly involved. Molecular docking and MD simulation results supported good interaction between HSP90 protein and Austricin/Quercetin. The in vitro assay showed that TM inhibited the proliferation of HepG2 cells and the expression of HSP90AA1 gene.

Conclusions

This study is the first to use network pharmacology, molecular docking, MD simulation and cellular experiments to elucidate the active ingredients, molecular targets, and key biological pathways responsible for TM anti-HCC, providing a theoretical basis for further research.

The Computational Analysis of Single Nucleotide Associated with MicroRNA Affecting Hepatitis B Infection

BACKGROUND

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have a pivotal role in Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) infection and its complications by targeting the cellular transcription factors required for gene expression or directly binding to HBV transcripts. Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) in miRNA genes affect their expression and the regulation of target genes, clinical course, diagnosis, and therapeutic interventions of HBV infection.

METHODS

Computational assessment and cataloging of miRNA gene polymorphisms targeting mRNA transcripts straightly or indirectly through the regulation of hepatitis B infection by annotating the functional impact of SNPs on mRNA-miRNA and miRNA-RBS (miRNA binding sites) interaction were screened by applying various universally available datasets such as the miRNA SNP3.0 software.

RESULTS

2987 SNPs were detected in 139 miRNAs affecting hepatitis B infection. Among them, 313 SNPs were predicted to have a significant role in the progression of hepatitis B infection. The computational analysis also revealed that 45 out of the 313 SNPs were located in the seed region and were more important than others. Has-miR-139-3p had the largest number of SNPs in the seed region (n=6). On the other hand, proteoglycans in cancer, adherens junction, lysine degradation, NFkappa B signaling cascade, ECM-receptor binding, viral carcinogenesis, fatty acid metabolism, TGF-beta signaling pathway, p53 signaling pathway, immune evasion related pathways, and fatty acid biosynthesis were the most important pathways affected by these 139 miRNAs.

CONCLUSION

The results revealed 45 SNPs in the seed region of 25 miRNAs as the catalog in miRNA genes that regulated the hepatitis B infection. The results also showed the most important pathways regulated by these miRNAs that can be targeted for therapeutic purposes.

Leonurus japonicus Houttuyn induces reactive oxygen species-mediated apoptosis via regulation of miR-19a-3p/PTEN/PI3K/AKT in U937 and THP-1 cells

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Leonurus japonicus Houttuyn is a medicinal ingredient in more than 300 prescriptions in traditional Korean medicine. It is especially important for women's health and blood-related diseases. Recent research revealed that Leonurus japonicus Houttuyn extracts have antioxidative, anticancer, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties.

AIM OF THE STUDY

However, its underlying anti-cancerous mechanisms remain unclear. This study elucidated the anticancer mechanism of Leonurus japonicus Houttuyn in U937 and THP-1 cancer cells.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used for detecting main compound of Leonurus japonicus Houttuyn, rutin. EZ-Cytox cell viability assay, Western blot analysis, live and dead cell assay, 2', 7' dichlorofluorescin diacetate (DCFDA) assay, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis, and microRNA (miR) mimic transfection assay were applied to further investigate anti-cancer efficacies and underlying mechanism in U937 and THP-1 cells.

RESULTS

The main compound of Leonurus japonicus Houttuyn, rutin was detected using HPLC. The cytotoxic effect of Leonurus japonicus Houttuyn was exerted in U937 and THP-1 cancer cells but not in MDBK and IEC-6 normal cells. Leonurus japonicus Houttuyn decreased mitochondria membrane potential (ΔΨm). Consistently, Leonurus japonicus Houttuyn reduced the expression of survivin and cleaved caspase-9, caspase-3, and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). Cell death was increased in Leonurus japonicus Houttuyn treated groups. Phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) and CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein homologous protein (CHOP) was increased and phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) and Protein kinase B (AKT) were decreased by Leonurus japonicus Houttuyn. Reactive oxygen speices generation was elevated by Leonurus japonicus Houttuyn and its cytotoxicity was reversed by N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC) pretreatment. Moreover, onco-microRNA (miR), miR-19a-3p was suppressed by Leonurus japonicus Houttuyn and transfection of miR-19a-3p mimic reversed the regulated PTEN, p-AKT, CHOP expression, attenuating Leonurus japonicus Houttuyn induced apoptosis.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings indicated that Leonurus japonicus Houttuyn has anti-cancer effects by regulation of PTEN/PI3K/AKT signal pathway and ROS-related ER stress-induced apoptosis via regulation of miR-19a-3p. Leonurus japonicus Houttuyn may be an effective candidate for triggering PTEN-dependent apoptosis of cancer cells related to acute myeloid leukemia.

miR-382-5p promotes cell invasion in hepatocellular carcinoma by targeting PTEN to activate PI3K/Akt signaling pathway

Purpose

This study aimed at investigating miR-382-5p expression in tissues and cell lines with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), its effects on the invasion of HCC cells, and related mechanisms.

Methods

miR-382-5p expression in HCC tissues, adjacent tissues, cell lines of normal hepatic cells, and HCC cells were detected by qRT-PCR, indicating its upregulation or downregulation in HCC cell lines (Hep3B and HCCLM3). The effect of miR-382-5p on cell invasion was observed by the Transwell experiment. The targeting relationship of miR-382-5p and the phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) was analyzed using bioinformatics tools and the luciferase reporter gene assay. The correlation between miR-382-5p and PTEN was analyzed with Spearman correlation analysis. PTEN expression was observed after upregulation and downregulation of miR-382-5p expression. The effect of miR-382-5p on the expression of key proteins in PI3K/Akt signaling pathway was determined by Western blot.

Results

miR-382-5p expression was upregulated in both HCC tissues and cell lines (both P<0.05). Upregulation or downregulation of miR-382-5p significantly promoted or inhibited the invasion of cell lines, Hep3B, and HCCLM3. The luciferase reporter gene assay confirmed that PTEN is a target of miR-382-5p. The expressions of miR-382-5p and PTEN were negatively correlated (r=−0.742, P<0.001). Upregulation of PTEN expression by plasmid transfection can reverse the invasive effect of miR-382-5p on HCC cells. Upregulation of miR-382-5p can activate PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, and downregulation of miR-382-5p can inhibit PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Conclusions

miR-382-5p can activate the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway by targeting PTEN and promote HCC cell invasion.

LINC00094/miR-19a-3p/CYP19A1 axis affects the sensitivity of ER positive breast cancer cells to Letrozole through EMT pathway

The endocrine therapy resistance of breast cancer is the difficulty and challenge to be urgently solved in the current treatment. In this study, we examined the effects of noncoding RNA LINC00094 and miR-19a-3p on breast cancer in vivo and in vitro by RT-QPCR, Western Blot, luciferase assay, immunofluorescence and drug sensitivity tests. The plasma level of CYP19A1 in patients with breast cancer resistance was lower than that in drug sensitive patients. Compared with normal subjects, miR-19a-3p was highly expressed in plasma of patients with breast cancer. miR-19a-3p is highly expressed in estrogen receptor positive breast cancer cells. The expression of miR-19a-3p promoted the migration and EMT of breast cancer cells and reduced the sensitivity of breast cancer to Letrozole. LINC00094 sponge adsorbed miR-19a-3p. LINC00094 promotes the expression of CYP19A1, the target gene of miR-19a-3p, and inhibits the EMT process of breast cancer, ultimately promoting the sensitivity of ER-positive breast cancer cells to Letrozole. This study found a new mechanism of Letrozole sensitivity in ER positive breast cancer.

Alcohol-induced inhibition of bone formation and neovascularization contributes to the failure of fracture healing via the miR-19a-3p/FOXF2 axis

Aims

Alcoholism is a well-known detrimental factor in fracture healing. However, the underlying mechanism of alcohol-inhibited fracture healing remains poorly understood.

Methods

MicroRNA (miR) sequencing was performed on bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). The effects of alcohol and miR-19a-3p on vascularization and osteogenic differentiation were analyzed in vitro using BMSCs and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). An in vivo alcohol-fed mouse model of femur fracture healing was also established, and radiological and histomorphometric analyses were used to evaluate the role of miR-19a-3p. The binding of miR-19a-3p to forkhead box F2 (FOXF2) was analyzed using a luciferase reporter assay.

Results

miR-19a-3p was identified as one of the key regulators in the osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs, and was found to be downregulated in the alcohol-fed mouse model of fracture healing. In vitro, miR-19a-3p expression was downregulated after ethanol administration in both BMSCs and HUVECs. Vascularization and osteogenic differentiation were independently suppressed by ethanol and reversed by miR-19a-3p. In addition, the luciferase reporter assay showed that FOXF2 is the direct binding target of miR-19a-3p. In vivo, miR-19a-3p agomir stimulated callus transformation and improved the alcohol-impaired fracture healing.

Conclusion

This study is the first to demonstrate that the miR-19a-3p/FOXF2 axis has a pivotal role in alcohol-impaired fracture healing, and may be a potential therapeutic target.

Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2022;11(6):386–397.

MicroRNA-19a-3p Acts as an Oncogene in Gastric Cancer and Exerts the Effect by Targeting SMOC2

MicroRNAs are reported to be involved in tumor development. This study aims to investigate the biological functions and molecular mechanisms of microRNA-19a-3p in gastric cancer cells. TCGA-based expression analysis and qRT-PCR assay illustrated that microRNA-19a-3p was overexpressed in gastric cancer. MTT and Transwell assays indicated that microRNA-19a-3p could strengthen the proliferation, migration, and invasion of gastric cancer cells. SMOC2 was bioinformatically predicted as the target of microRNA-19a-3p, followed by identified using a dual-luciferase assay. The effects of microRNA-19a-3p/SMOC2 regulatory axis on gastric cancer cells were examined by MTT and Transwell assays as well. Concludingly, this study demonstrated that microRNA-19a-3p could promote the aggressive cell phenotypes of gastric cancer cells by targeting SMOC2.

microRNA-106b-5p Promotes Cell Growth and Sensitizes Chemosensitivity to Sorafenib by Targeting the BTG3/Bcl-xL/p27 Signaling Pathway in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

microRNAs (miRNAs) and miRNA-mediated regulatory networks are promising candidates in the prevention and treatment of cancer, but the role of specific miRNAs involved in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains to be elusive. Herein, we found that miR-106b-5p is upregulated in both HCC patients' tumor tissues and HCC cell lines. The miR-106b-5p expression level was positively correlated with α-fetoprotein (AFP), hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), and tumor size. Overexpression of miR-106b-5p promoted cell proliferation, migration, cell cycle G1/S transition, and tumor growth, while decreased miR-106b-5p expression had opposite effects. Mechanistic studies showed that B-cell translocation gene 3 (BTG3), a known antiproliferative protein, was a direct target of miR-106b-5p, whose expression level is inversely correlated with miR-106b-5p expression. Moreover, miR-106b-5p positively regulates cell proliferation in a BTG3-dependent manner, resulting in upregulation of Bcl-xL, cyclin E1, and CDK2, as well as downregulation of p27. More importantly, we also demonstrated that miR-106b-5p enhances the resistance to sorafenib treatment in a BTG3-dependent manner. The in vivo findings showed that mice treated with a miR-106b-5p sponge presented a smaller tumor burden than controls, while the mice injected cells treated with miR-106b-5p had more considerable tumor burden than controls. Altogether, these data suggest that miR-106b-5p promotes cell proliferation and cell cycle and increases HCC cells' resistance to sorafenib through the BTG3/Bcl-xL/p27 signaling pathway.

MicroRNAs in Leukemias: A Clinically Annotated Compendium

Leukemias are a group of malignancies of the blood and bone marrow. Multiple types of leukemia are known, however reliable treatments have not been developed for most leukemia types. Furthermore, even relatively reliable treatments can result in relapses. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of short, noncoding RNAs responsible for epigenetic regulation of gene expression and have been proposed as a source of potential novel therapeutic targets for leukemias. In order to identify central miRNAs for leukemia, we conducted data synthesis using two databases: miRTarBase and DISNOR. A total of 137 unique miRNAs associated with 16 types of leukemia were retrieved from miRTarBase and 86 protein-coding genes associated with leukemia were retrieved from the DISNOR database. Based on these data, we formed a visual network of 248 miRNA-target interactions (MTI) between leukemia-associated genes and miRNAs associated with ≥4 leukemia types. We then manually reviewed the literature describing these 248 MTIs for interactions identified in leukemia studies. This manually curated data was then used to visualize a network of 64 MTIs identified in leukemia patients, cell lines and animal models. We also formed a visual network of miRNA-leukemia associations. Finally, we compiled leukemia clinical trials from the ClinicalTrials database. miRNAs with the highest number of MTIs were miR-125b-5p, miR-155-5p, miR-181a-5p and miR-19a-3p, while target genes with the highest number of MTIs were TP53, BCL2, KIT, ATM, RUNX1 and ABL1. The analysis of 248 MTIs revealed a large, highly interconnected network. Additionally, a large MTI subnetwork was present in the network visualized from manually reviewed data. The interconnectedness of the MTI subnetwork suggests that certain miRNAs represent central disease molecules for multiple leukemia types. Additional studies on miRNAs, their target genes and associated biological pathways are required to elucidate the therapeutic potential of miRNAs in leukemia.

Pre-mRNA processing factor 19 functions in DNA damage repair and radioresistance by modulating cyclin D1 in hepatocellular carcinoma

Pre-mRNA processing factor 19 (PRP19) is elevated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); however, little is known about its function in DNA damage repair in HCC. In this study, analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas data and our tumor models after ionizing radiation (IR) treatment indicated that increased expression of PRP19 was positively correlated with DNA damage repair. Gain of PRP19 expression induced by plasmids resulted in decreases in apoptosis and double-strand breaks (DSBs), and an increase in cell survival after IR. Loss of PRP19 expression induced by small interfering RNAs resulted in the accumulation of apoptosis and DSBs, and a decrease in cell survival. Mechanistically, the effect of PRP19 on DNA damage repair was mediated by the modulation of cyclin D1 expression in HCC. PRP19 controlled the translation of cyclin D1 by modulating eukaryotic initiation factor 4E. PRP19 affected the DNA damage repair ability of cyclin D1 by interacting with the WD40 domain. The combination of PRP19 and cyclin D1 was more valuable than each single marker for predicting the prognosis of patients. Taken together, the present results demonstrate that PRP19 promotes DNA damage repair by modulating cyclin D1 expression and function, thereby contributing to the radioresistance in HCC.

Pleckstrin homology-like domain family A, member 3, a miR-19a-3p-regulated gene, suppresses tumor growth in osteosarcoma by downregulating the Akt pathway

Pleckstrin homology-like domain family A, member 3 (PHLDA3), is emerging as a critical regulator for multiple cancers. Nevertheless, the expression and role of PHLDA3 in osteosarcoma remain unknown. Herein, we purposed to elucidate the role of PHLDA3 in the progression and chemoresistance of osteosarcoma. According to the bioinformatics analysis, PHLDA3 expression was low in osteosarcoma patients, and low content was linked to poor prognosis. Additionally, activation of PHLDA3 suppressed osteosarcoma cell proliferation, migration, and chemoresistance, whereas PHLDA3 inhibition caused the opposite effects. Mechanistically, our data revealed that PHLDA3 negatively regulates the Akt/GSK3β signaling cascade in osteosarcoma. Furthermore, we found that miR-19a-3p might exert its oncogenic function by inhibiting PHLDA3 expression in osteosarcoma. These results demonstrated miR-19a-3p/ PHLDA3/ Akt/GSK3β axis has a pivotal role in osteosarcoma, and PHLDA3 is a prospective therapeutic target for treating osteosarcoma.

Silencing lncRNA LINC01410 suppresses cell viability yet promotes apoptosis and sensitivity to temozolomide in glioblastoma cells by inactivating PTEN/AKT pathway via targeting miR-370-3p

BACKGROUND

Long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) are involved in glioblastoma (GBM), but the role of long intergenic non-protein coding RNA 01410 (lncRNA LINC01410) is poorly understood.

METHODS

The expression of LINC01410 in GBM tissues and cells was analyzed. After transfection or temozolomide (TMZ) treatment, the cell viability and apoptosis were detected using cell counting kit-8 assay and flow cytometry. The targeting relationship between LINC01410 and microRNA (miR)-370-3p was confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter assay. Expressions of LINC01410, miR-370-3p and drug resistance- and Phosphatase and Tensin Homolog (PTEN)/AKT pathway-related factors were evaluated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot.

RESULTS

LINC01410 expression was upregulated in GBM, and silencing of LINC01410 decreased cell viability. A slowed decreased trend in cell viability yet an increased half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50 for TMZ) value and increased expressions of drug resistance-related factors as well as LINC01410 were found in TMZ-resistant GBM cells. Silencing of LINC01410 also decreased the IC50 value yet promoted the sensitivity and apoptosis in TMZ-resistant cells, while upregulating the expression of PTEN and downregulating the phosphorylation of AKT. MiR-370-3p could competitively bind to LINC01410 and its expression was decreased in both parental and TMZ-resistant GBM cells. Downregulation of miR-370-3p reversed the effects of LINC01410 silencing on cell viability, apoptosis and the expressions of miR-370-3p and PTEN/AKT pathway-related factors.

CONCLUSION

Silencing of LINC01410 inhibits cell viability yet enhances apoptosis and sensitivity to TMZ in GBM cells by inactivating PTEN/AKT pathway via targeting miR-370-3p.

Changes in Methylation across Structural and MicroRNA Genes Relevant for Progression and Metastasis in Colorectal Cancer

MiRs are important players in cancer and primarily genetic/transcriptional means of regulating their gene expression are known. However, epigenetic changes modify gene expression significantly. Here, we evaluated genome-wide methylation changes focusing on miR genes from primary CRC and corresponding normal tissues. Differentially methylated CpGs spanning CpG islands, open seas, and north and south shore regions were evaluated, with the largest number of changes observed within open seas and islands. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis revealed several of these miRs to act in important cancer-related pathways, including phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-protein kinase B (Akt) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways. We found 18 miR genes to be significantly differentially methylated, with MIR124-2, MIR124-3, MIR129-2, MIR137, MIR34B, MIR34C, MIR548G, MIR762, and MIR9-3 hypermethylated and MIR1204, MIR17, MIR17HG, MIR18A, MIR19A, MIR19B1, MIR20A, MIR548F5, and MIR548I4 hypomethylated in CRC tumor compared with normal tissue, most of these miRs having been shown to regulate steps of metastasis. Generally, methylation changes were distributed evenly across all chromosomes with predominance for chromosomes 1/2 and protein-coding genes. Interestingly, chromosomes abundantly affected by methylation changes globally were rarely affected by methylation changes within miR genes. Our findings support additional mechanisms of methylation changes affecting (miR) genes that orchestrate CRC progression and metastasis.

MicroRNA 142-5p promotes tumor growth in oral squamous cell carcinoma via the PI3K/AKT pathway by regulating PTEN

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play an important role in carcinogenesis and cancer progression. The purpose of this study was to identify miRNAs associated with carcinoma function in OSCC and to investigate the potential role of the specific miRNAs. First, a comprehensive microarray analysis was performed, and miR-142-5p was identified as a candidate miRNA involved in OSCC. miR-142-5p has been reported to show high expression levels in cancer patients and to be involved in tumor growth and metastasis. However, the expression and function of miR-142-5p in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) are not fully characterized. We evaluated miR-142-5p expression in both OSCC-derived cell lines and primary OSCC tissues and performed functional analysis of miR-142-5p in OSCC-derived cell lines using mimics and inhibitors. miR-142-5p expression was up-regulated in OSCC tissues and OSCC cell lines. Overexpression of miR-142-5p significantly promoted the proliferation and invasion of OSCC cells. Bioinformatics analysis was performed using TargetScan to predict potential target sites that match the seed region of miR-142-5p. Phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromo-some 10 (PTEN) was identified as a potential target and selected for further analysis. PTEN expression levels were down-regulated and AKT expression levels were up-regulated in miR-142-5p-overexpressing cells. We have shown that miR-142-5p targets the PTEN gene and is involved in cancer progression. Our results suggest that miR-142-5p is involved in the progression of OSCC by controlling the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT pathway by targeting the PTEN gene. Our findings suggest that miR-142-5p may be a new target for the treatment of OSCC.

Upregulation of Nei-Like DNA Glycosylase 3 Predicts Poor Prognosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Background

Accumulating evidence has suggested that Nei-like DNA glycosylase 3 (NEIL3) is associated with human tumors. However, there are few studies on the role of NEIL3 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of this study was to investigate the expression profile of NEIL3 and its clinical relevance in HCC.

Materials and Methods

A total of 130 HCC and corresponding nontumor tissues were collected to perform immunohistochemistry (IHC). The clinical relevance and prognostic value of NEIL3 in HCC were analyzed by the chi-square test, Kaplan–Meier analysis, the Cox proportional hazard model, and nomogram.

Results

IHC showed that the NEIL3 protein level was remarkably upregulated in tumor tissues compared with nontumor tissues (fold change = 1.24; P < 0.001). High NEIL3 expression was significantly correlated with BCLC stage (P=0.004) and TNM stage (P=0.005). Overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) rates in the high NEIL3 expression group were significantly worse than those in the low NEIL3 expression group (P=0.007 and P=0.004, respectively). Furthermore, subgroup analysis showed that high NEIL3 expression predicted worse OS and DFS for HCC patients with advanced TNM stage, poorly differentiated tumor, HBsAg positive, or cirrhosis. Multivariate analysis and the prognostic nomograms revealed that tumor NEIL3 level may serve as a promising prognostic indicator for OS and DFS in HCC patients.

Conclusion

Our findings suggested that NEIL3 might be a potential prognosis assessment marker and therapeutic target for HCC patients.

Diagnostic and Prognostic Value of MicroRNAs in Metastasis and Recurrence of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

MicroRNAs have been proven to make remarkable differences in the clinical behaviors of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). This study aims to systematically analyze whether differential expression levels of microRNAs are related to recurrence or metastasis in patients with HNSCC. A comprehensive search of the PubMed, EMBASE, and CENTRAL was conducted up to July 24^th, 2021. Data were collected and combined from studies reporting recurrence-free survival (RFS) of HNSCC patients with high microRNA expression compared to those with low expression. Besides, studies providing necessary data for evaluating the diagnostic value of microRNAs for detecting recurrence and metastasis based on their expression levels were also included and combined. The pooled hazard ratio (HR) value for the outcomes of RFS in 1,093 HNSCC samples from 10 studies was 2.51 (95%CI: 2.13–2.96). A sensitivity of 0.79 (95% CI: 0.72–0.85) and specificity of 0.77 (95%CI: 0.68–0.83) were observed in three studies, of which 93 patients with recurrence and 82 nonrecurrence controls were included, and the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.85 (95% CI: 0.81–0.88). Additionally, high diagnostic accuracy of microRNAs in detecting lymph node metastasis (LNM) was also reported. In conclusion, two panels of microRNAs showed the potential to predict recurrence or diagnose recurrence in HNSCC patients, respectively, which could facilitate prognosis prediction and diagnosis of clinical behaviors in HNSCC patients.

A Set of 17 microRNAs Common for Brain and Cerebrospinal Fluid Differentiates Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma from Non-Malignant Brain Tumors

The diagnosis of primary central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma, which is predominantly of the diffuse large B-cell lymphoma type (CNS DLBCL), is challenging. MicroRNAs (miRs) are gene expression-regulating non-coding RNAs that are potential biomarkers. We aimed to distinguish miR expression patterns differentiating CNS DLBCL and non-malignant CNS diseases with tumor presentation (n-ML). Next generation sequencing-based miR profiling of cerebrospinal fluids (CSFs) and brain tumors was performed. Sample source-specific (CSF vs. brain tumor) miR patterns were revealed. Even so, a set of 17 miRs differentiating CNS DLBCL from n-ML, no matter if assessed in CSF or in a tumor, was identified. Along with the results of pathway analyses, this suggests their pathogenic role in CNS DLBCL. A combination of just four of those miRs (miR-16-5p, miR-21-5p, miR-92a-3p, and miR-423-5p), assessed in CSFs, discriminated CNS DLBCL from n-ML samples with 100% specificity and 67.0% sensitivity. Analyses of paired CSF-tumor samples from patients with CNS DLBCL showed significantly lower CSF levels of miR-26a, and higher CSF levels of miR-15a-5p, miR-15b-5p, miR-19a-3p, miR-106b-3p, miR-221-3p, and miR-423-5p. Noteworthy, the same miRs belonged to the abovementioned set differentiating CNS DLBCL from non-malignant CNS diseases. Our results not only add to the basic knowledge, but also hold significant translational potential.

Effect of the Hypoxia Inducible Factor on Sorafenib Resistance of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Sorafenib a multi-target tyrosine kinase inhibitor, is the first-line drug for treating advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Mechanistically, it suppresses tumor angiogenesis, cell proliferation and promotes apoptosis. Although sorafenib effectively prolongs median survival rates of patients with advanced HCC, its efficacy is limited by drug resistance in some patients. In HCC, this resistance is attributed to multiple complex mechanisms. Previous clinical data has shown that HIFs expression is a predictor of poor prognosis, with further evidence demonstrating that a combination of sorafenib and HIFs-targeted therapy or HIFs inhibitors can overcome HCC sorafenib resistance. Here, we describe the molecular mechanism underlying sorafenib resistance in HCC patients, and highlight the impact of hypoxia microenvironment on sorafenib resistance.

miR-19a/b-3p promotes inflammation during cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury via SIRT1/FoxO3/SPHK1 pathway

Background

Stroke affects 3–4% of adults and kills numerous people each year. Recovering blood flow with minimal reperfusion-induced injury is crucial. However, the mechanisms underlying reperfusion-induced injury, particularly inflammation, are not well understood. Here, we investigated the function of miR-19a/b-3p/SIRT1/FoxO3/SPHK1 axis in ischemia/reperfusion (I/R).

Methods

MCAO (middle cerebral artery occlusion) reperfusion rat model was used as the in vivo model of I/R. Cultured neuronal cells subjected to OGD/R (oxygen glucose deprivation/reperfusion) were used as the in vitro model of I/R. MTT assay was used to assess cell viability and TUNEL staining was used to measure cell apoptosis. H&E staining was employed to examine cell morphology. qRT-PCR and western blot were performed to determine levels of miR-19a/b-3p, SIRT1, FoxO3, SPHK1, NF-κB p65, and cytokines like TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β. EMSA and ChIP were performed to validate the interaction of FoxO3 with SPHK1 promoter. Dual luciferase assay and RIP were used to verify the binding of miR-19a/b-3p with SIRT1 mRNA.

Results

miR-19a/b-3p, FoxO3, SPHK1, NF-κB p65, and cytokines were elevated while SIRT1 was reduced in brain tissues following MCAO/reperfusion or in cells upon OGD/R. Knockdown of SPHK1 or FoxO3 suppressed I/R-induced inflammation and cell death. Furthermore, knockdown of FoxO3 reversed the effects of SIRT1 knockdown. Inhibition of the miR-19a/b-3p suppressed inflammation and this suppression was blocked by SIRT1 knockdown. FoxO3 bound SPHK1 promoter and activated its transcription. miR-19a/b-3p directly targeted SIRT1 mRNA.

Conclusion

miR-19a/b-3p promotes inflammatory responses during I/R via targeting SIRT1/FoxO3/SPHK1 axis.

MiR-19a-3p Suppresses M1 Macrophage Polarization by Inhibiting STAT1/IRF1 Pathway

Macrophages, an important type of immune cells, are generally polarized to classically activated macrophage (M1) or alternatively activated macrophage (M2) to respond to environmental stimuli. Signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1), a very important transcription factor, can promote M1 macrophage polarization. However, the mechanisms of regulating STAT1 in macrophage polarization remain unclear. In the present study, STAT1 was markedly elevated, however, miR-19a-3p was down-regulated in interferon (IFN)-γ and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treated RAW264.7 cells, and dual-luciferase reporter assay identified that miR-19a-3p directly targeted STAT1 by binding to its 3′UTR. Up-regulated miR-19a-3p inhibited M1 polarization by targeting STAT1/interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF1) and vice versa in vitro. Consistently, overexpression of miR-19a-3p in LPS treated mice by systemically administering agomiR-19a-3p effectively reduced the inflammation in mouse lung tissues, and inhibited M1 macrophage polarization via suppressing STAT1/IRF1 pathway. In summary, our study confirmed that miR-19a-3p, as a direct regulator of STAT1, inhibited M1 macrophages polarization. The miR-19a-3p/STAT1/IRF1 pathway can potentially be used to design novel immunotherapy for modulating macrophage polarization.

Role of miRNA-19a in Cancer Diagnosis and Poor Prognosis

Cancer is a multifactorial disease that affects millions of people every year and is one of the most common causes of death in the world. The high mortality rate is very often linked to late diagnosis; in fact, nowadays there are a lack of efficient and specific markers for the early diagnosis and prognosis of cancer. In recent years, the discovery of new diagnostic markers, including microRNAs (miRNAs), has been an important turning point for cancer research. miRNAs are small, endogenous, non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression. Compelling evidence has showed that many miRNAs are aberrantly expressed in human carcinomas and can act with either tumor-promoting or tumor-suppressing functions. miR-19a is one of the most investigated miRNAs, whose dysregulated expression is involved in different types of tumors and has been potentially associated with the prognosis of cancer patients. The aim of this review is to investigate the role of miR-19a in cancer, highlighting its involvement in cell proliferation, cell growth, cell death, tissue invasion and migration, as well as in angiogenesis. On these bases, miR-19a could prove to be truly useful as a potential diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic marker.

miR‑224‑5p regulates the proliferation, migration and invasion of pancreatic mucinous cystadenocarcinoma by targeting PTEN

Pancreatic mucinous cystadenocarcinoma (MCC) is a rare malignant tumor, with a limited number of studies. The present study aimed to investigate the function and mechanism of microRNA (miR)-224-5p on proliferation, migration and invasion of MCC of the pancreas. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR was used to explorethe expression of miR-224-5p and the PTEN gene. MTT, wound healing, Transwell and tumorigenesis assays were conducted to investigate the proliferation, migration and invasion of MCC1 cells in vitro and in vivo. Western blot analysis was employed to test the protein expression of PTEN. The target gene of miR-224-5p was assessed and verified by luciferase assay. miR-224-5p expression was notably higher, while PTEN expression was lower, in MCC1 cells compared with normal tissues and cells. Overexpression of miR-224-5p promoted the proliferation, migration and invasion of MCC and knockdown of miR-224-5p inhibited these functions. Bioinformatics analysis and luciferase assay indicated that PTEN was the direct target gene of miR-224-5p. The negative correlation between miR-224-5p and PTEN was confirmed both in vitro and in vivo. PTEN reversed the effects of miR-224-5p on proliferation, migration and invasion of MCC1 cells. The present study revealed for the first time, to the best of the authors' knowledge, that miR-224-5p was highly expressed and served an oncogenic role in MCC. miR-224-5p not only regulated the proliferation, migration and invasion of pancreatic MCC but may also be a potential therapeutic target for MCC.

An integrated workflow for biomarker development using microRNAs in extracellular vesicles for cancer precision medicine

EV-miRNAs are microRNA (miRNA) molecules encapsulated in extracellular vesicles (EVs), which play crucial roles in tumor pathogenesis, progression, and metastasis. Recent studies about EV-miRNAs have gained novel insights into cancer biology and have demonstrated a great potential to develop novel liquid biopsy assays for various applications. Notably, compared to conventional liquid biomarkers, EV-miRNAs are more advantageous in representing host-cell molecular architecture and exhibiting higher stability and specificity. Despite various available techniques for EV-miRNA separation, concentration, profiling, and data analysis, a standardized approach for EV-miRNA biomarker development is yet lacking. In this review, we performed a substantial literature review and distilled an integrated workflow encompassing important steps for EV-miRNA biomarker development, including sample collection and EV isolation, EV-miRNA extraction and quantification, high-throughput data preprocessing, biomarker prioritization and model construction, functional analysis, as well as validation. With the rapid growth of "big data", we highlight the importance of efficient mining of high-throughput data for the discovery of EV-miRNA biomarkers and integrating multiple independent datasets for in silico and experimental validations to increase the robustness and reproducibility. Furthermore, as an efficient strategy in systems biology, network inference provides insights into the regulatory mechanisms and can be used to select functionally important EV-miRNAs to refine the biomarker candidates. Despite the encouraging development in the field, a number of challenges still hinder the clinical translation. We finally summarize several common challenges in various biomarker studies and discuss potential opportunities emerging in the related fields.

Silencing of MEG3 attenuated the role of lipopolysaccharides by modulating the miR-93-5p/PTEN pathway in Leydig cells

BACKGROUND

Leydig cells reflect the activation of inflammation, decrease of androgen production, inhibition of cell growth and promotion of cell apoptosis under orchitis. Maternally expressed gene 3 (MEG3) exerts a crucial role in various human diseases, but under orchitis, the role and underlying molecular mechanism of MEG3 in Leydig cells remain unclear.

METHODS

Lipofectamine 2000 was used for the cell transfections. qPCR and western blots assay were applied to assess the gene expression. ELISA assay was used to measure the TNFα, IL6 and testosterone secretion. CCK8 and EdU assay was employ to test the cell viability and proliferation respectively. Luciferase reporter and RIP assay were introduced to detect the binding of miR-93-5p with MEG3 and PTEN.

RESULTS

Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) induced TNFα and IL6 secretion, lowered testosterone production, inhibited cell viability and proliferation, and induced cell apoptosis in Leydig cells. MEG3 was upregulated in Leydig cells treated with LPS and that knockdown of MEG3 inhibited the role of LPS in Leydig cells. MEG3 absorbed miR-93-5p and that suppression of miR-93-5p restored the role of silenced MEG3 in Leydig cells under LPS treatment. miR-93-5p inhibited PTEN expression and that over-expressed PTEN alleviated the effect of miR-93-5p in Leydig cells treated with LPS. LPS activated the MEG3/miR-93-5p/PTEN signalling pathway in Leydig cells.

CONCLUSIONS

This study revealed that MEG3 serves as a molecular sponge to absorb miR-93-5p, thus leading to elevation of PTEN expression in Leydig cells under LPS treatment, offering a theoretical basis on which to establish potential new treatment strategies for orchitis.

LncRNA LINC00342 contributes to the growth and metastasis of colorectal cancer via targeting miR-19a-3p/NPEPL1 axis

Background

Long intergenic non-protein coding RNA 00342 (LINC00342) has been identified as a novel oncogene. However, the functional role of LINC00342 in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains unclear.

Methods

The expression of LINC00342 is detected by real-time PCR (RT-PCR) analysis. Cell proliferation, migration and invasion and xenograft model are examined to analyze the biological functions of LINC00342 in vitro and in vivo using colony formation, would healing and transwell analyses. Dual-luciferase reporter and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assays are used to identify the target interactions between LINC00342, miR-19a-3p and aminopeptidase like 1 (NPEPL1).

Results

LINC00342 was highly expressed in CRC. Down-regulation of LINC00342 inhibited cell proliferation and metastasis of CRC cells. Moreover, knocking down LINC00342 inhibited the tumor growth in vivo. Mechanistic investigation revealed that LINC00342 might sponge miR-19a-3p to regulate NPEPL1 expression. Further investigation indicated that the ontogenesis facilitated by LINC00342 was inhibited due to the depletion of NPEPL1.

Conclusion

LINC00342 promotes CRC progression by competitively binding miR-19a-3p with NPEPL1.

Upregulated UCA1 contributes to oxaliplatin resistance of hepatocellular carcinoma through inhibition of miR-138-5p and activation of AKT/mTOR signaling pathway

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) inevitably developed oxaliplatin (OXA) resistance after long-term treatment, but the mechanism remains unclear. Here, we found that LncRNA UCA1 was upregulated in most of OXA-resistant HCC tissues and cells (HepG2/OXA and SMMC-7721/OXA). Follow-up analysis and online Kaplan-Meier Plotter revealed that HCC patients with high UCA1 level had a shorter survival compared with those with low expression. Overexpression of UCA1 increased OXA IC50 in HepG2 and SMMC-7721 cells, whereas knockdown of UCA1 decreased OXA IC50 in resistant counterparts. Moreover, dual luciferase reporter assay showed that co-transfection of UCA1-WT plasmid with miR-138-5p mimics enhanced fluorescence signals, whereas co-transfection of UCA1-Mut plasmid and miR-138-5p mimics did not induce any changes. Consistently, UCA1 levels in HepG2/OXA and SMMC-7721/OXA cells were downregulated after transfected with miR-138-5p mimics. UCA1 silencing or transfection of miR-138-5p mmics inhibited the activation of AKT and mTOR in HepG2/OXA and SMMC-7721/OXA cells, whereas UCA1 overexpression increased the phosphorylated AKT and mTOR levels in parental counterparts. Rapamycin or miR-138-5p mimics similarly suppressed the activation of AKT and mTOR, whereas UCA1 overexpression exert opposite roles. Interestingly, administration of rapamycin or miR-138-5p mimics apparently antagonized the effects of UCA1 on AKT and mTOR activation. Besides, depletion of UCA1 triggered more dramatic regression of HepG2 xenografts than that of HepG2/OXA xenografts with OXA treatment and impaired the p-AKT and p-mTOR levels in vivo. In conclusion, our findings provide the evidence that UCA1 may contribute to OXA resistance via miR-138-5p-mediated AK /mTOR activation, suggesting that UCA1 is a potential therapeutic target for HCC.

lncRNA MCM3AP-AS1 inhibits the progression of colorectal cancer via the miR-19a-3p/FOXF2 axis

BACKGROUND

Long non-coding RNA MCM3AP antisense RNA 1 (lncRNA MCM3AP-AS1) has a regulatory role in the development of diverse malignancies, whereas its role and mechanism in colorectal cancer (CRC) is not yet clear.

METHODS

The relative expression of MCM3AP-AS1, miR-19a-3p and forkhead box F2 (FOXF2) mRNA in 53 cases of CRC and its adjacent normal tissues, human normal colonic mucosal cells (FHC cells) and CRC cell lines was examined by a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, and the changes of cell multiplication and migration were examined by the cell counting kit-8 method, EdU test, and scratch-healing test, respectively. Bioinformatics, dual-luciferase reporter gene assay and a RNA immunoprecipitation experiment were adopted to predict and verify the relationship between MCM3AP-AS1 and miR-19a-3p; bioinformatics and dual-luciferase reporter gene assay were adopted to predict and verify the relationship between miR-19a-3p and FOXF2. Western blotting was executed to examine the effects of MCM3AP-AS1 overexpression or knockdown on FOXF2 protein expression.

RESULTS

MCM3AP-AS1 expression was down-modulated in CRC, and its dysregulation was linked to unfavorable pathological characteristics. MCM3AP-AS1 significantly impeded the multiplication and migration of CRC cells. MCM3AP-AS1 was recognized as a molecular sponge to suppress miR-19a-3p expression, and FOXF2 was a target gene of miR-19a-3p. MCM3AP-AS1 positively modulated FOXF2 expression, and its biological effect was dependent the on miR-19a-3p/FOXF2 axis.

CONCLUSIONS

MCM3AP-AS1 can inhibit CRC promoting by modulating the miR-19a-3p/FOXF2 axis.

microRNA-19a-3p and microRNA-376c-3p Promote Hepatocellular Carcinoma Progression Through SOX6-Mediated Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway

Background

Recent researches have suggested that microRNA (miR)-19a-3p and miR-376c-3p might function as initiators in diverse cancers. Based on which, in this current study, we aimed to probe into the combined effects and mechanisms of miR-19a-3p and miR-376c-3p in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells.

Methods

Tumor tissues and adjacent normal tissues from 21 cases of HCC patients, HCC cell lines, and human normal liver cell lines were used in this study. RT-qPCR and Western blot were implemented to detect the expression of miR-19a-3p, miR-376c-3p, SOX6, and Wnt/β-catenin pathway-associated factors in HCC tissues and cells. The direct relationships between miR-19a-3p or miR-376c-3p and SOX6 were confirmed by luciferase activity assay. HCC cells were treated with miR-19a-3p inhibitor, miR-376c-3p inhibitor, or oe-SOX-6 to figure out their functions in HCC malignancy. The in vivo assays were conducted for the confirmation of in vitro results.

Results

In both HCC tissues and cells, miR-19a-3p and miR-376c-3p were highly expressed, and SOX6 was poorly expressed. Depleted miR-19a-3p or miR-376c-3p was found to result in retarded HCC development. Bioinformatics analysis and luciferase activity assay revealed that SOX6 was the common target gene of miR-19a-3p and miR-376c-3p. Overexpressed SOX6 was demonstrated to block the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, thereby slowing down HCC progression. The in vivo assays showed that suppressed miR-19a-3p or miR-376c-3p and elevated SOX6 could reduce the tumor volume and weight of nude mice.

Conclusion

This study suggests that miR-19a-3p/miR-376c-3p activates the Wnt/β-catenin pathway via targeting SOX6, contributing to promoted biological functions of HCC cells.

Regulators at Every Step-How microRNAs Drive Tumor Cell Invasiveness and Metastasis

Tumor cell invasiveness and metastasis are the main causes of mortality in cancer. Tumor progression is composed of many steps, including primary tumor growth, local invasion, intravasation, survival in the circulation, pre-metastatic niche formation, and metastasis. All these steps are strictly controlled by microRNAs (miRNAs), small non-coding RNA that regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. miRNAs can act as oncomiRs that promote tumor cell invasion and metastasis or as tumor suppressor miRNAs that inhibit tumor progression. These miRNAs regulate the actin cytoskeleton, the expression of extracellular matrix (ECM) receptors including integrins and ECM-remodeling enzymes comprising matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), and regulate epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), hence modulating cell migration and invasiveness. Moreover, miRNAs regulate angiogenesis, the formation of a pre-metastatic niche, and metastasis. Thus, miRNAs are biomarkers of metastases as well as promising targets of therapy. In this review, we comprehensively describe the role of various miRNAs in tumor cell migration, invasion, and metastasis.

Regulators at Every Step—How microRNAs Drive Tumor Cell Invasiveness and Metastasis

Tumor cell invasiveness and metastasis are the main causes of mortality in cancer. Tumor progression is composed of many steps, including primary tumor growth, local invasion, intravasation, survival in the circulation, pre-metastatic niche formation, and metastasis. All these steps are strictly controlled by microRNAs (miRNAs), small non-coding RNA that regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. miRNAs can act as oncomiRs that promote tumor cell invasion and metastasis or as tumor suppressor miRNAs that inhibit tumor progression. These miRNAs regulate the actin cytoskeleton, the expression of extracellular matrix (ECM) receptors including integrins and ECM-remodeling enzymes comprising matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), and regulate epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), hence modulating cell migration and invasiveness. Moreover, miRNAs regulate angiogenesis, the formation of a pre-metastatic niche, and metastasis. Thus, miRNAs are biomarkers of metastases as well as promising targets of therapy. In this review, we comprehensively describe the role of various miRNAs in tumor cell migration, invasion, and metastasis.

Regulatory role of microRNAs on PTEN signaling

Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) gene encodes a tumor suppressor protein which is altered in several malignancies. This protein is a negative regulator of the PI3K/AKT signaling. Several transcription factors regulate the expression of PTEN in positive or negative directions. Moreover, numerous microRNAs (miRNAs) have functional interactions with PTEN and inhibit its expression. Suppression of PTEN can attenuate the response of cancer cells to chemotherapeutic agents. Based on the critical role of this tumor suppressor gene, the identification of negative regulators of its expression has practical significance particularly in the prevention and management of cancer. Meanwhile, the interaction between miRNAs and PTEN has functional consequences in non-malignant disorders including myocardial infarction, osteoporosis, cerebral ischemic stroke, and recurrent abortion. In the present review, we describe the role of miRNAs in the regulation of expression and activity of PTEN.

miRNA signature associated with R-CHOP refractoriness in patients diagnosed with diffuse large B cell lymphoma

Refractoriness remains as one of the challenges in patients with lymphoma under chemotherapy, and among biological regulators in cells driving this type of response are microRNAs (miRNAs). Different genes are constantly turned on or off according to the miRNAs expression profiles affecting the drug response in patients and their stability in serum and plasma makes them potential prognostic biomarkers in several diseases. Here we described a profile of miRNAs in plasma of diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients. miRNA expression arrays were carried using pre-treatment plasma samples of sixteen patients, followed by a comparison between the responder and the non-responders. After six cycles of R–CHOP treatment, twelve out of sixteen patients were clinically diagnosed with complete response while in four patients no clinical response was observed. Between these groups, a signature of fifteen differential expressed miRNAs was found. The circulating miRNAs in plasma of patients with no response were related to the drug resistance in other types of cancer, by targeting genes involved in cell proliferation and apoptosis, among other cell processes.

Bismuth-Based Mesoporous Nanoball Carrying Sorafenib for Computed Tomography Imaging and Synergetic Chemoradiotherapy of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Sorafenib (SOR), a multi-kinase inhibitor for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), reveals a limited therapeutic effect due to a lack of selectivity and evident drug resistance. In the present study, bismuth-based mesoporous nanomaterial (NBOF) is loaded with SOR and then coated with polyethylene glycol and folic acid conjugates (P-FA) to form an NBOF@SOR-P-FA nanocarrier system. The system achieves significantly enhanced anti-cancer efficacy by combining chemotherapy with radiotherapy. To evaluate the effect of synergistic treatment, cytotoxicity detection, Live/Dead staining, apoptotic assay, and Western blot analysis are performed. The results suggest that NBOF@SOR-P-FA significantly inhibits HCC cell proliferation and promotes cell apoptosis. Also, the NBOF@SOR-P-FA exhibits excellent biocompatibility by hemolysis and serum biochemical tests and produces a substantially enhanced contrast efficiency as compared to iohexol by computed tomography imaging. More importantly, the profound suppression of tumor growth and potentiation of apoptosis are observed in a mouse subcutaneous tumor model. Collectively, these results indicate that the bismuth-based nanotheranostic platform could enhance the therapeutic effect of sorafenib and serve as an innovative method for HCC treatment.