The down-regulation of microRNA-137 contributes to the up-regulation of retinoblastoma cell proliferation and invasion by regulating COX-2/PGE2 signaling

Meta-analysis of Circulatory mitomiRs in stress Response: Unveiling the significance of miR-34a and miR-146a

BACKGROUND

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short, noncoding RNAs with essential roles in cellular pathways and are often associated with various diseases and stress conditions. Recently, they have been discovered in mitochondria, termed "mitomiRs," with unique functions. Mitochondria, crucial organelles for energy production and stress responses, Dysregulated mitomiRs functions and expression has been evident in stress conditions such as cardiovascular and neurodegenerative. In this meta-analysis we have systematically identified miR-34a & miR-146a as possible potential biomarkers for affliction.

METHODS

A meta-analysis was conducted to assess the potential role of miR-34a and miR-146a, two specific mitomiRs, as biomarkers in stress-related conditions. The study followed PRISMA guidelines, involving comprehensive database searches in May and September 2023. Twelve studies meeting predefined inclusion criteria were selected, and data analysis included the evaluation of miR-34a and miR-146a expression levels in various stress conditions compared to control groups. We also performed Gene ontology (GO) and Pathway enrichment analysis to observe how mitomiRs affects our body.

RESULTS

The meta-analysis revealed a significant increase in overall mitomiRs (miR-34a and miR-146a) expression levels in experimental groups experiencing different stress conditions compared to control groups (Z = 3.54, p < 0.05 using RevMan software). miR-34a demonstrated more pronounced upregulation and exhibited potential as a specific biomarker in certain stress-related conditions (Z = 2.22, p < 0.05). However, miR-146a did not show a significant difference, requiring further investigation in various stress-related contexts. The Analysis indicated a high degree of heterogeneity among the studies.

CONCLUSION

This meta-analysis emphasises the importance of mitomiRs, especially miR-34a, as potential biomarkers in the intricate interplay between stress, mitochondrial function, and disease. The study opens new avenues for exploring miRNAs' diagnostic and therapeutic applications in stress-related diseases, highlighting their pivotal role at the crossroads of molecular biology, psychology, and medicine.

The impact of COVID-19 on microRNA and CD marker expression in AML patients

Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is an aggressive leukaemia characterised by uncontrolled blast cell proliferation. miRNAs and Clusters of Differentiation (CD) molecules play essential roles in AML progression. This study aims to investigate the effect of COVID-19 on the expression of circulating miRNA and CD molecules in AML. This cross-sectional study recruited 32 AML patients and 20 controls. Blood samples were collected and analysed using molecular cytogenetic, miRNA/mRNA expression, and flow cytometry techniques. The expression of miRNAs varied significantly between patients with AML and control individuals. The co-expression of these miRNAs was higher (P < 0.05), indicating that the presence of one miRNA led to increased expression of other miRNAs. A differential correlation was observed between miRNAs and CD markers. Additionally, miRNA 16, miRNA 21, and miRNA 221 showed significant downregulation (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively) in AML patients with COVID-19 infection compared to those without a disease. Interestingly, this study identified a higher expression level (P < 0.01) of miRNA 137 as a novel biomarker for AML patients. Moreover, the expression of miRNA 137 showed a high correlation (P < 0.05) with most of the CD markers examined in this study and FISH features data. Furthermore, a strong correlation (P < 0.01) was observed between CD markers and miRNA among AML patients with positive and negative COVID-19 infection. These data demonstrated that COVID-19 contributed to increased expression of microRNAs in AML patients. MicroRNA 137 was identified as a novel microRNA that exhibited significant differences between patients and healthy individuals, highlighting its role in AML pathogenesis.

miR-4529-3p Promotes the Progression of Retinoblastoma by Inhibiting RB1 Expression and Activating the ERK Signaling Pathway

Retinoblastoma (RB) is a malignant ocular cancer that affects children. Several microRNAs (miRNAs) have been implicated in RB regulation. The present study aimed to investigate the role of miR-4529-3p in RB pathogenesis. Scratch, Transwell, and Cell Counting Kit (CCK)-8 assays were conducted to assess the migratory, invasive, and proliferative abilities of RB cells. The expression levels of miR-4529-3p, RB1, and ERK pathway-related proteins were analyzed using western blotting and real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Target relationships were verified using dual-luciferase reporter experiments. A murine RB model was developed to analyze the effects of miR-4529-3p on RB tumor growth in vivo. Our experiments revealed high levels of miR-4529-3p and low levels of RB1 in RB tissues. Functional analyses revealed that the migratory, invasive, and proliferative abilities of RB cells were repressed by miR-4529-3p inhibition. Similarly, p-ERK 1/2 protein levels were suppressed by miR-4529-3p inhibition. Furthermore, downregulation of miR-4529-3p limited tumor growth in vivo. Mechanistically, miR-4259-3p targets RB1. Interestingly, RB1 silencing abrogated the alleviative effects of miR-4529-3p downregulation in RB cells. MiR-4529-3p promotes RB progression by inhibiting RB1 and activating the ERK pathway. This evidence suggests that the miR-4529-3p/RB1 regulatory axis may be a prospective target for RB treatment in clinical settings.

MicroRNA-495: a therapeutic and diagnostic tumor marker

Therapeutic and diagnostic progresses have significantly reduced the mortality rate among cancer patients during the last decade. However, there is still a high rate of mortality among cancer patients. One of the important reasons involved in the high mortality rate is the late diagnosis in advanced tumor stages that causes the failure of therapeutic strategies in these patients. Therefore, investigating the molecular mechanisms involved in tumor progression has an important role in introducing the efficient early detection markers. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) as stable factors in body fluids are always considered as non-invasive diagnostic and prognostic markers. In the present review, we investigated the role of miR-495 in tumor progression. It has been reported that miR-495 has mainly a tumor suppressor function through the regulation of transcription factors and tyrosine kinases as well as cellular processes such as multidrug resistance, chromatin remodeling, and signaling pathways. This review can be an effective step towards introducing the miR-495 as a non-invasive diagnostic/prognostic marker as well as a suitable target in tumor therapy.

Quercetin suppresses retinoblastoma cell proliferation and invasion and facilitates oxidative stress-induced apoptosis through the miR-137/FNDC5 axis

Retinoblastoma (RB) constitutes a prevalent malignancy in clinic and usually occurs in children under the age of 5 years old. The increased frequency of malignant tumor metastases and the delayed diagnosis and treatment caused unsatisfactory therapeutic efficiency. Quercetin was formerly identified to impede tumor growth in certain malignancies. Our study attempted to investigate the effects and mechanisms of quercetin in Rb development, in order to provide an effective clinical therapeutic approach. Rb cell lines (WER1-RB1 and Y79) were incubated with different concentrations of quercetin, and then cell proliferation, invasion, apoptosis, and oxidative stress were determined. It was showed that quercetin restrained Rb cell proliferation and invasion, and induced cell apoptosis and oxidative stress in a dose dependent manner. Moreover, we found that quercetin incubation upregulated miR-137 expression in Rb cells. MiR-137 inhibition abrogated quercetin-mediated inhibition of Rb cell progression. Furthermore, dual-luciferase reporter gene assay validated that fibronectin type III domain-containing protein 5 (FNDC5) was a target for miR-137. MiR-137 overexpression restrained proliferation and invasion, and enhanced apoptosis and oxidative stress in Rb cells, whereas FNDC5 overexpression abrogated these effects. Additionally, nude mice were injected with WER1-RB1 cells to establish a xenograft tumor model, and then treated with 50 or 100 mg/kg quercetin. Quercetin treatment mitigated xenograft tumor growth in nude mice. In conclusion, quercetin restrained proliferation and invasion, and induced apoptosis and oxidative stress in Rb cells through regulating the miR-137/FNDC5 pathway. We expected that our study could provide an effective approach for Rb treatment. However, quercetin and miR-137 may have off-target effects in Rb cells, and our study still has certain limitations. Therefore, we will investigate the effects of quercetin on other signaling pathways in Rb cells and explore the application of combination therapy in follow-up experiments, in order to provide a rigorous research basis for the treatment of Rb with quercetin.

Empowering the Potential of CAR-T Cell Immunotherapies by Epigenetic Reprogramming

T-cell-based, personalized immunotherapy can nowadays be considered the mainstream treatment for certain blood cancers, with a high potential for expanding indications. Chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR-Ts), an ex vivo genetically modified T-cell therapy product redirected to target an antigen of interest, have achieved unforeseen successes in patients with B-cell hematologic malignancies. Frequently, however, CAR-T cell therapies fail to provide durable responses while they have met with only limited success in treating solid cancers because unique, unaddressed challenges, including poor persistence, impaired trafficking to the tumor, and site penetration through a hostile microenvironment, impede their efficacy. Increasing evidence suggests that CAR-Ts' in vivo performance is associated with T-cell intrinsic features that may be epigenetically altered or dysregulated. In this review, we focus on the impact of epigenetic regulation on T-cell differentiation, exhaustion, and tumor infiltration and discuss how epigenetic reprogramming may enhance CAR-Ts' memory phenotype, trafficking, and fitness, contributing to the development of a new generation of potent CAR-T immunotherapies.

Role of non-coding RNAs and exosomal non-coding RNAs in retinoblastoma progression

Retinoblastoma (RB) is a rare aggressive intraocular malignancy of childhood that has the potential to affect vision, and can even be fatal in some children. While the tumor can be controlled efficiently at early stages, metastatic tumors lead to high mortality. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are implicated in a number of physiological cellular process, including differentiation, proliferation, migration, and invasion, The deregulation of ncRNAs is correlated with several diseases, particularly cancer. ncRNAs are categorized into two main groups based on their length, i.e. short and long ncRNAs. Moreover, ncRNA deregulation has been demonstrated to play a role in the pathogenesis and development of RB. Several ncRNAs, such as miR-491-3p, miR-613,and SUSD2 have been found to act as tumor suppressor genes in RB, but other ncRNAs, such as circ-E2F3, NEAT1, and TUG1 act as tumor promoter genes. Understanding the regulatory mechanisms of ncRNAs can provide new opportunities for RB therapy. In the present review, we discuss the functional roles of the most important ncRNAs in RB, their interaction with the genes responsible for RB initiation and progression, and possible future clinical applications as diagnostic and prognostic tools or as therapeutic targets.

MiR-1301-3p Inhibits Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition via Targeting RhoA in Pancreatic Cancer

Micro(mi)RNAs play an essential role in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process in human cancers. This study aimed to uncover the regulatory mechanism of miR-1301-3p on EMT in pancreatic cancer (PC). The miRNA profilings from Gene Expression Omnibus data sets (GSE31568, GSE41372, and GSE32688) demonstrated the downregulation of miR-1301-3p in PC tissues, which was validated with 72 paired PC tissue samples through qRT-PCR detection. The low level of miR-1301-3p was associated with a poor prognosis for PC patients from the PC cohort of The Cancer Genome Atlas and the validation cohort. Gene Ontology analyses indicated that the target genes of miR-1301-3p were involved in cell cycle and adherent junction regulation. In vitro assays revealed that miR-1301-3p suppressed the proliferation and migration abilities of PC cells. Western blotting and luciferase reporter assays suggested that miR-1301-3p inhibited RhoA expression by targeting its 3′-untranslated region; RhoA upregulated N-cadherin and vimentin levels; however, it downregulated the E-cadherin level. In conclusion, our study showed that miR-1301-3p could serve as a prognostic biomarker for PC and suppress PC cell malignancy by targeting the RhoA-induced EMT process.

Advances in Biomarkers for Detecting Early Cancer Treatment-Related Cardiac Dysfunction

With the gradual prolongation of the overall survival of cancer patients, the cardiovascular toxicity associated with oncology drug therapy and radiotherapy has attracted increasing attention. At present, the main methods to identify early cancer treatment-related cardiac dysfunction (CTRCD) include imaging examination and blood biomarkers. In this review, we will summarize the research progress of subclinical CTRCD-related blood biomarkers in detail. At present, common tumor therapies that cause CTRCD include: (1) Chemotherapy—The CTRCD induced by chemotherapy drugs represented by anthracycline showed a dose-dependent characteristic and most of the myocardial damage is irreversible. (2) Targeted therapy—Cardiovascular injury caused by molecular-targeted therapy drugs such as trastuzumab can be partially or completely alleviated via timely intervention. (3) Immunotherapy—Patients developed severe left ventricular dysfunction who received immune checkpoint inhibitors have been reported. (4) Radiotherapy—CTRCD induced by radiotherapy has been shown to be significantly associated with cardiac radiation dose and radiation volume. Numerous reports have shown that elevated troponin and B-type natriuretic peptide after cancer treatment are significantly associated with heart failure and asymptomatic left ventricular dysfunction. In recent years, a few emerging subclinical CTRCD potential biomarkers have attracted attention. C-reactive protein and ST2 have been shown to be associated with CTRCD after chemotherapy and radiation. Galectin-3, myeloperoxidas, placental growth factor, growth differentiation factor 15 and microRNAs have potential value in predicting CTRCD. In this review, we will summarize CTRCD caused by various tumor therapies from the perspective of cardio-oncology, and focus on the latest research progress of subclinical CTRCD biomarkers.

Cytokine storm in the pathophysiology of COVID-19: Possible functional disturbances of miRNAs

SARS-CoV-2, as the causative agent of COVID-19, is an enveloped positives-sense single-stranded RNA virus that belongs to the Beta-CoVs sub-family. A sophisticated hyper-inflammatory reaction named cytokine storm is occurred in patients with severe/critical COVID-19, following an imbalance in immune-inflammatory processes and inhibition of antiviral responses by SARS-CoV-2, which leads to pulmonary failure, ARDS, and death. The miRNAs are small non-coding RNAs with an average length of 22 nucleotides which play various roles as one of the main modulators of genes expression and maintenance of immune system homeostasis. Recent evidence has shown that Homo sapiens (hsa)-miRNAs have the potential to work in three pivotal areas including targeting the virus genome, regulating the inflammatory signaling pathways, and reinforcing the production/signaling of IFNs-I. However, it seems that several SARS-CoV-2-induced interfering agents such as viral (v)-miRNAs, cytokine content, competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs), etc. preclude efficient function of hsa-miRNAs in severe/critical COVID-19. This subsequently leads to increased virus replication, intense inflammatory processes, and secondary complications development. In this review article, we provide an overview of hsa-miRNAs roles in viral genome targeting, inflammatory pathways modulation, and IFNs responses amplification in severe/critical COVID-19 accompanied by probable interventional factors and their function. Identification and monitoring of these interventional elements can help us in designing the miRNAs-based therapy for the reduction of complications/mortality rate in patients with severe/critical forms of the disease.

MitomiRs: their roles in mitochondria and importance in cancer cell metabolism

Background

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short non-coding RNAs that play important roles in almost all biological pathways. They regulate post-transcriptional gene expression by binding to the 3’untranslated region (3’UTR) of messenger RNAs (mRNAs). MitomiRs are miRNAs of nuclear or mitochondrial origin that are localized in mitochondria and have a crucial role in regulation of mitochondrial function and metabolism. In eukaryotes, mitochondria are the major sites of oxidative metabolism of sugars, lipids, amino acids, and other bio-macromolecules. They are also the main sites of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production.

Conclusions

In the review, we discuss the role of mitomiRs in mitochondria and introduce currently well studied mitomiRs, their target genes and functions. We also discuss their role in cancer initiation and progression through the regulation of mRNA expression in mitochondria. MitomiRs directly target key molecules such as transporters or enzymes in cell metabolism and regulate several oncogenic signaling pathways. They also play an important role in the Warburg effect, which is vital for cancer cells to maintain their proliferative potential. In addition, we discuss how they indirectly upregulate hexokinase 2 (HK2), an enzyme involved in glucose phosphorylation, and thus may affect energy metabolism in breast cancer cells. In tumor tissues such as breast cancer and head and neck tumors, the expression of one of the mitomiRs (miR-210) correlates with hypoxia gene signatures, suggesting a direct link between mitomiR expression and hypoxia in cancer. The miR-17/92 cluster has been shown to act as a key factor in metabolic reprogramming of tumors by regulating glycolytic and mitochondrial metabolism. This cluster is deregulated in B-cell lymphomas, B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, and T-cell lymphomas, and is particularly overexpressed in several other cancers. Based on the current knowledge, we can conclude that there is a large number of miRNAs present in mitochondria, termed mitomiR, and that they are important regulators of mitochondrial function. Therefore, mitomiRs are important players in the metabolism of cancer cells, which need to be further investigated in order to develop a potential new therapies for cancer.

MiRNA-375 inhibits retinoblastoma progression through targeting ERBB2 and inhibiting MAPK1/MAPK3 signalling pathway

BACKGROUND

Increasing evidence has shown that the dysregulation of miRNAs is involved in the pathogenesis of retinoblastoma (RB). This present study was aimed to investigate the significance of miR-375 in RB progression, and the underlying mechanism.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The miR-375 expression was detected by RT-PCR. CCK-8 assay and transwell assays were used to measure RB cell viability, migration, and invasion. The downstream gene of miR-375 was verified by luciferase reporter assay. Western blot was applied to detect the related proteins of MAPK1/MAPK3 signalling pathway.

RESULTS

MiR-375 was decreased significantly in RB tissues, and its down-regulation was associated with the poor prognosis of RB patients. Over-expression of miR-375 inhibited RB cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. More importantly, miR-375 modulated ERBB2 expression negatively, and ERBB2 was confirmed as the target of miR-375. Moreover, ERBB2 overturned the inhibitory effect of miR-375 mimic on the progression of RB. MiR-375 mimic suppressed RB progression via inhibiting the activation of MAPK1/MAPK3 signalling pathway.

CONCLUSIONS

MiR-375 inhibited RB progression through targeting ERBB2 and suppressing MAPK1/MAPK3 signalling pathway, which might be a new target for the clinical treatment strategy.

MiR-142-5p serves as a tumor suppressor in retinoblastoma cells by regulating MYCN

Retinoblastoma is an intraocular malignant tumor and generally occurred in childhood. Here, we intended to appraise the functional influence of microRNA-142-5p (miR-142-5p) in retinoblastoma. MiR-142-5p was declined, and MYCN was upregulated in retinoblastoma tissues and cells. Moreover, miR-142-5p restricted cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and enhanced cell apoptosis in retinoblastoma cells. MYCN was adversely controlled by miR-142-5p. Besides, the inhibition of miR-142-5p-mediated effects on retinoblastoma progression were blocked by MYCN overexpression in retinoblastoma cells. This research illustrated that miR-142-5p restricted retinoblastoma progression via interacting with MYCN.

Epigenetic strategies to boost CAR T cell therapy

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy has led to a paradigm shift in cancer immunotherapy, but still several obstacles limit CAR T cell efficacy in cancers. Advances in high-throughput technologies revealed new insights into the role that epigenetic reprogramming plays in T cells. Mechanistic studies as well as comprehensive epigenome maps revealed an important role for epigenetic remodeling in T cell differentiation. These modifications shape the overall immune response through alterations in T cell phenotype and function. Here, we outline how epigenetic modifications in CAR T cells can overcome barriers limiting CAR T cell effectiveness, particularly in immunosuppressive tumor microenvironments. We also offer our perspective on how selected epigenetic modifications can boost CAR T cells to ultimately improve the efficacy of CAR T cell therapy.

The Role of Prostaglandins in Different Types of Cancer

The prostaglandins constitute a family of lipids of 20 carbon atoms that derive from polyunsaturated fatty acids such as arachidonic acid. Traditionally, prostaglandins have been linked to inflammation, female reproductive cycle, vasodilation, or bronchodilator/bronchoconstriction. Recent studies have highlighted the involvement of these lipids in cancer. In this review, existing information on the prostaglandins associated with different types of cancer and the advances related to the potential use of them in neoplasm therapies have been analyzed. We can conclude that the effect of prostaglandins depends on multiple factors, such as the target tissue, their plasma concentration, and the prostaglandin subtype, among others. Prostaglandin D2 (PGD₂) seems to hinder tumor progression, while prostaglandin E2 (PGE₂) and prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF_2α) seem to provide greater tumor progression and aggressiveness. However, more studies are needed to determine the role of prostaglandin I2 (PGI₂) and prostaglandin J2 (PGJ₂) in cancer due to the conflicting data obtained. On the other hand, the use of different NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), especially those selective of COX-2 (cyclooxygenase 2), could have a crucial role in the fight against different neoplasms, either as prophylaxis or as an adjuvant treatment. In addition, multiple targets, related to the action of prostaglandins on the intracellular signaling pathways that are involved in cancer, have been discovered. Thus, in depth research about the prostaglandins involved in different cancer and the different targets modulated by them, as well as their role in the tumor microenvironment and the immune response, is necessary to obtain better therapeutic tools to fight cancer.

Interplay between cyclooxygenase‑2 and microRNAs in cancer (Review)

Tumor‑associated inflammation and aberrantly expressed biomarkers have been demonstrated to play crucial roles in the cancer microenvironment. Cyclooxygenase‑2 (COX‑2), a prominent inflammatory factor, is highly expressed in tumor cells and contributes to tumor growth, recurrence and metastasis. Overexpression of COX‑2 may occur at both transcriptional and post‑transcriptional levels. Thus, an improved understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of COX‑2 can facilitate the development of novel antitumor therapies. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a group of small non‑coding RNAs that act as translation repressors of target mRNAs, and play vital roles in regulating cancer development and progression. The present review discusses the association between miRNAs and COX‑2 expression in different types of cancer. Understanding the regulatory role of miRNAs in COX‑2 post‑transcription can provide novel insight for suppressing COX‑2 expression via gene silencing mechanisms, which offer new perspectives and future directions for the development of novel COX‑2 selective inhibitors based on miRNAs.

MicroRNA-503 serves an oncogenic role in retinoblastoma progression by directly targeting PTPN12

Numerous studies have demonstrated that microRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) are abnormally expressed in retinoblastoma (RB). miRNAs may serve a role in oncogene or tumor-suppressor activity in RB genesis and development by modulating various biological processes. miRNAs therefore, may be effective therapeutic targets for miRNA-based therapy in patients with RB. Recently it has been revealed that miR-503 may serve a role in various types of human cancer. However, the expression and functional roles of miR-503 are rarely reported in RB. In the current study, the expression of miR-503 was significantly upregulated in RB tissues and cell lines. In addition, Cell Counting Kit-8 and in vitro invasion assays were performed to assess cell proliferation and invasion, respectively. The results of the present study revealed that miR-503 inhibition impeded RB in vitro cell proliferation and invasion. Furthermore, protein tyrosine phosphatase nonreceptor type 12 (PTPN12) was demonstrated to be a direct target gene of miR-503 in RB cells. PTPN12 overexpression also led to the downregulation of miR-503 in RB cell proliferation and invasion. PTPN12 knockdown could therefore abrogate the effects of miR-503 downregulation in RB cells. In conclusion, the results demonstrated that miR-503 may serve a role in RB oncogenic activity progression by directly targeting PTPN12. Therefore, miR-503 may be a target for effective therapy in patients with RB.

MiR-137 knockdown promotes the osteogenic differentiation of human adipose-derived stem cells via the LSD1/BMP2/SMAD4 signaling network

MicroRNAs are a group of endogenous regulators that participate in several cellular physiological processes. However, the role of miR-137 in the osteogenic differentiation of human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs) has not been reported. This study verified a general downward trend in miR-137 expression during the osteogenic differentiation of hASCs. MiR-137 knockdown promoted the osteogenesis of hASCs in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, inhibition of miR-137 activated the bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2)-mothers against the decapentaplegic homolog 4 (SMAD4) pathway, whereas repressed lysine-specific histone demethylase 1 (LSD1), which was confirmed as a negative regulator of osteogenesis in our previous studies. Furthermore, LSD1 knockdown enhanced the expression of BMP2 and SMAD4, suggesting the coordination of LSD1 in the osteogenic regulation of miR-137. This study indicated that miR-137 negatively regulated the osteogenic differentiation of hASCs via the LSD1/BMP2/SMAD4 signaling network, revealing a new potential therapeutic target of hASC-based bone tissue engineering.

MicroRNA-34 family: a potential tumor suppressor and therapeutic candidate in cancer

MicroRNA-34 (miR-34) has been reported to be dysregulated in various human cancers and regarded as a tumor suppressive microRNA because of its synergistic effect with the well-known tumor suppressor p53. Along with the application of MRX34, the first tumor-targeted microRNA drug which based on miR-34a mimics, on phase I clinical trial (NCT01829971), the significance of miR-34 is increasingly recognized. miR-34 plays a crucial role on repressing tumor progression by involving in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) via EMT- transcription factors, p53 and some important signal pathways. Not only that, numerous preclinical researches revealed the giant potential of miR-34a on cancer therapy through diversiform nano-scaled delivery systems. Here, we provide an overview about the function of miR-34 in various cancers and the mechanism of miR-34 in tumor-associated EMT. Furthermore, its potential role as a microRNA therapeutic candidate is also discussed. Notwithstanding some obstacles existed, the extensive application prospect of miR-34 on oncotherapy cannot be neglected.

Expression profiles and prognostic value of miRNAs in retinoblastoma

Current cure rates for retinoblastoma (RB) are very high in developed countries. Nonetheless, in less privileged places worldwide, delayed diagnosis and refusal to adhere to treatment still endure an obstacle to improve overall patient survival. Thus, the access to consistent biomarkers for diagnosis at an earlier stage may facilitate treatment and improve outcomes. Over recent years, much attention has been focused on miRNAs, key post-transcriptional regulators that when altered, largely contribute to carcinogenesis and tumor progression. Many of the ~ 2500 microRNAs described in humans have shown differential expression profiles in tumors. In this review, we summarize current data about the roles of miRNAs in RB along with their value as diagnostic/prognostic factors using electronic databases such as PubMed. We reviewed the importance of miRNA in RB biology and discussed their implications in clinic intervention. Several miRNAs have pointed out reliable diagnostic and prognostic molecular biomarkers. The emergence of targeted therapies has significantly improved cancer treatment. In the near future, the modulation of miRNAs will represent a good treatment strategy.