MicroRNA-504 functions as a tumor suppressor in hepatocellular carcinoma through inhibiting Frizzled-7-mediated-Wnt/β-catenin signaling

miR-504 knockout regulates tumor cell proliferation and immune cell infiltration to accelerate oral cancer development

miR-504 plays a pivotal role in the progression of oral cancer. However, the underlying mechanism remains elusive in vivo. Here, we find that miR-504 is significantly down-regulated in oral cancer patients. We generate miR-504 knockout mice (miR-504-/-) using CRISPR/Cas9 technology to investigate its impact on the malignant progression of oral cancer under exposure to 4-Nitroquinoline N-oxide (4NQO). We show that the deletion of miR-504 does not affect phenotypic characteristics, body weight, reproductive performance, and survival in mice, but results in changes in the blood physiological and biochemical indexes of the mice. Moreover, with 4NQO treatment, miR-504-/- mice exhibit more pronounced pathological changes characteristic of oral cancer. RNA sequencing shows that the differentially expressed genes observed in samples from miR-504-/- mice with oral cancer are involved in regulating cell metabolism, cytokine activation, and lipid metabolism-related pathways. Additionally, these differentially expressed genes are significantly enriched in lipid metabolism pathways that influence immune cell infiltration within the tumor microenvironment, thereby accelerating tumor development progression. Collectively, our results suggest that knockout of miR-504 accelerates malignant progression in 4NQO-induced oral cancer by regulating tumor cell proliferation and lipid metabolism, affecting immune cell infiltration.

The underlying mechanism and targeted therapy strategy of miRNAs cross-regulating EMT process through multiple signaling pathways in hepatocellular carcinoma

The consistent notion holds that hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) initiation, progression, and clinical treatment failure treatment failure are affected by the accumulation of various genetic and epigenetic alterations. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play an irreplaceable role in a variety of physiological and pathological states. meanwhile, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a crucial biological process that controls the development of HCC. miRNAs regulate the intermediation state of EMTor mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MTE)thereby regulating HCC progression. Notably, miRNAs regulate key HCC-related molecular pathways, including the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, PTEN/PI3K/AKT pathway, TGF-β pathway, and RAS/MAPK pathway. Therefore, we comprehensively reviewed how miRNAs produce EMT effects by multiple signaling pathways and their potential significance in the pathogenesis and treatment response of HCC. emphasizing their molecular pathways and progression in HCC initiation. Additionally, we also pay attention to regulatory mechanisms that are partially independent of signaling pathways. Finally, we summarize and propose miRNA-targeted therapy and diagnosis and defense strategies forHCC. The identification of the mechanism leading to the activation of EMT programs during HCC disease processes also provides a new protocol for the plasticity of distinct cellular phenotypes and possible therapeutic interventions. Consequently, we summarize the latest progress in this direction, with a promising path for further insight into this fast-moving field.

Breast cancer and its therapeutic targets: A comprehensive review

Breast cancer is a common and deadly disease, so there is a constant need for research to find efficient targets and therapeutic approaches. Breast cancer can be classified on a molecular and histological base. Breast cancer can be divided into ER (estrogen receptor)-positive and ER-negative, HER2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor2)-positive and HER2-negative subtypes based on the presence of specific biomarkers. Targeting hormone receptors, such as the HER2, progesterone receptor (PR), and ER, is very significant and plays a vital role in the onset and progression of breast cancer. Endocrine treatments and HER2-targeted drugs are examples of targeted therapies now being used against these receptors. Emerging immune-based medicines with promising outcomes in the treatment of breast cancer include immune checkpoint inhibitors, cancer vaccines, and adoptive T-cell therapy. It is also explored how immune cells and the tumor microenvironment affect breast cancer development and treatment response. The major biochemical pathways, signaling cascades, and DNA repair mechanisms that are involved in the development and progression of breast cancer, include the PI3K/AKT/mTOR system, the MAPK pathway, and others. These pathways are intended to be inhibited by a variety of targeted drugs, which are then delivered with the goal of restoring normal cellular function. This review aims to shed light on types of breast cancer with the summarization of different therapeutic approaches which can target different pathways for tailored medicines and better patient outcomes.

Differentially expressed non-coding RNAs and their regulatory networks in liver cancer

The vast majority of human transcriptome is represented by various types of small RNAs with little or no protein-coding capability referred to as non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). Functional ncRNAs include microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs), which are expressed at very low, but stable and reproducible levels in a variety of cell types. ncRNAs regulate gene expression due to miRNA capability of complementary base pairing with mRNAs, whereas lncRNAs and circRNAs can sponge miRNAs off their target mRNAs to act as competitive endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs). Each miRNA can target multiple mRNAs and a single mRNA can interact with several miRNAs, thereby creating miRNA-mRNA, lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA, and circRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory networks. Over the past few years, a variety of differentially expressed miRNAs, lncRNAs, and circRNAs (DEMs, DELs, and DECs, respectively) have been linked to cancer pathogenesis. They can exert both oncogenic and tumor suppressor roles. In this review, we discuss the recent advancements in uncovering the roles of DEMs, DELs, and DECs and their networks in aberrant cell signaling, cell cycle, transcription, angiogenesis, and apoptosis, as well as tumor microenvironment remodeling and metabolic reprogramming during hepatocarcinogenesis. We highlight the potential and challenges in the use of differentially expressed ncRNAs as biomarkers for liver cancer diagnosis and prognosis.

Downregulation of the long noncoding RNA DSCR9 (Down syndrome critical region 9) delays breast cancer progression by modulating microRNA-504-5p-dependent G protein-coupled receptor 65

Possible roles of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in cancer stem cells (CSCs) have often been reported. Here, we focused on the regulatory function of the lncRNA Down syndrome critical region 9 (DSCR9) in breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs). Through bioinformatics analysis, DSCR9, microRNA-504-5p (miR-504-5p), and G protein-coupled receptor 65 (GPR65) were identified as targets implicated in breast cancer development. Then, clinical tissue samples, breast cancer cells, and isolated BCSCs were used to determine the expression of DSCR9, miR-504-5p, and GPR65. The results confirmed the overexpression of DSCR9 and GPR65 but low expression of miR-504-5p in breast cancer tissues and cells as well as in BCSCs. Following mechanistic investigation, it was found that DSCR9 targeted miR-504-5p, and that silencing DSCR9 inhibited the proliferation of BCSCs by elevating the expression of miR-504-5p. Additionally, miR-504-5p targeted GPR65 and inhibited its expression. Moreover, GPR65 activated the MEK/ERK signaling pathway to regulate BCSC proliferation. Finally, animal study verified that depletion of DSCR9 inhibited the proliferation of BCSCs in vivo and that BCSC proliferation was restored by overexpression of GPR65. Altogether, our findings revealed that DSCR9 elevated GPR65 expression by targeting miR-504-5p to exacerbate breast cancer, highlighting a new treatment modality for breast cancer.

Construction of HBV gene-related prognostic and diagnostic models for hepatocellular carcinoma

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a main cause of malignancy-related death all over the world with a poor prognosis. The current research is focused on developing novel prognostic and diagnostic models of Hepatocellular carcinoma from the perspective of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related genes, and predicting its prognostic characteristics and potential reliable biomarkers for Hepatocellular carcinoma diagnosis. Methods: As per the information related to Hepatocellular carcinoma expression profile and the clinical data in multiple public databases, we utilized limma for assessing the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in HBV vs non- hepatitis B virus groups, and the gene set was enriched, analyzed and annotated by WebGestaltR package. Then, STRING was employed to investigate the protein interactions. A risk model for evaluating Hepatocellular carcinoma prognosis was built with Lasso Cox regression analysis. The effect patients receiving immunotherapy was predicted using Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion (TIDE). Additionally, pRRophetic was used to investigate the drug sensitivity. Lastly, the Support Vector Machine (SVM) approach was utilized for building the diagnostic model. Results: The Hepatocellular Carcinoma Molecular Atlas 18 (HCCDB18) data set was utilized for the identification of 1344 HBV-related differentially expressed genes, mainly associated with cell division activities. Five functional modules were established and then we built a prognostic model in accordance with the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. Five HBV-related genes affecting prognosis were identified for constructing a prognostic model. Then, the samples were assigned into RS-high and -low groups as per their relevant prognostic risk score (RS). High-risk group showed worse prognosis, higher mutation rate of TP53, lower sensitivity to immunotherapy but higher response to chemotherapeutic drugs than low-risk group. Finally, the hepatitis B virus diagnostic model of Hepatocellular carcinoma was established. Conclusion: In conclusion, the prognostic and diagnostic models of hepatitis B virus gene-related Hepatocellular carcinoma were constructed. ABCB6, IPO7, TIMM9, FZD7, and ACAT1, the five HBV-related genes that affect the prognosis, can work as reliable biomarkers for the diagnosis of Hepatocellular carcinoma, giving a new insight for improving the prognosis, diagnosis, and treatment outcomes of HBV-type Hepatocellular carcinoma.

MiR-504-3p Has Tumor-Suppressing Activity and Decreases IFITM1 Expression in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells

Objective: To analyze the impact of expression of miR-504-3p on the proliferation, migration, cell cycle transit and rate of apoptosis of NSCLC cells and explore the underlying mechanisms. Methods: The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database was used to compare the expression levels of miR-504 between NSCLC tissues and normal lung tissues. NSCLC cells were transfected with lentiviral vectors that either overexpressed or knocked down miR-504-3p to evaluate its effects on NSCLC biological behavior. Quantitative Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction was used to measure the levels of miR-504-3p and Interferon-Induced Transmembrane Protein 1 (IFITM1). A luciferase reporter array was used to reveal whether miR-504-3p directly targets IFITM1. Results: The expression of miR-504 was significantly down-regulated in lung cancer tissues compared to normal lung tissues. Overexpression of miR-504-3p in NSCLC cell lines inhibited cell proliferation, migration and promoted cell apoptosis. Meanwhile, changes in the expression level of miR-504-3p had no significant effect on NSCLC cell cycle progression. Moreover, over-expressed miR-504-3p following its transfection significantly decreased the expression of IFITM1 in NSCLC cell lines and suppressed the activity of the luciferase reporter containing wild type but not mutant IFITM1 3' -UTR. Conclusion: miR-504-3p inhibits cell proliferation and migration and promotes cell apoptosis in NSCLC cells. MiR-504-3p decreases IFITM1 expression in NSCLC cells, which may be a potential mechanism of its tumor-suppressive functions in NSCLC.

MicroRNA-582-3p targeting ribonucleotide reductase regulatory subunit M2 inhibits the tumorigenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma by regulating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an important cause of death worldwide. MicroRNA (miRNA)-mediated gene silencing is involved in tumor biology. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the function and mechanism of action of miR-582-3p in HCC. We performed reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blotting to detect the expression levels of miR-582-3p, ribonucleotide reductase regulatory subunit M2 (RRM2), and markers of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway (Wnt, Gsk-3β, β-catenin, and C-myc). The potential binding between miR-582-3p and RRM2 was confirmed using a dual-luciferase reporter assay. The proliferative and migratory capacities of the cells were evaluated using the cell counting kit-8 and wound-healing assays, respectively. Mouse models were used to validate the role of miR-582-3p in vivo. We observed the downregulation of miR-582-3p levels in HCC tumors and cell lines. Its upregulation in Huh7 and Hep 3B cells impaired their proliferation and migration, and the in vivo results showed suppressed tumor growth. Additionally, miR-582-3p upregulation also reduced the expression levels of Wnt, β-catenin, and C-myc, but enhanced the expression levels of glycogen synthase kinase-3β, both in vitro and in vivo. miR-582-3p targeted RRM2, and a negative correlation was observed in its expression patterns in HCC. Furthermore, RRM2 overexpression aggravated the proliferative and migratory capabilities of Hep3B and Huh7 cells and triggered Wnt/β-catenin signaling. However, miR-582-3p depleted RRM2 expression, thereby attenuating the oncogenic effects of RRM2. In conclusion, our results demonstrated that miR-582-3p binds to RRM2 to regulate the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, thereby blocking the progression of HCC.

Lysine Interacts with Frizzled7 to Activate β-Catenin in Satellite Cell-Participated Skeletal Muscle Growth

This work provided an interesting finding of lysine (Lys) control on skeletal muscle growth besides protein synthesis. According to the isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantitation and molecular docking analyses, we found both in in vivo skeletal muscle and in vitro muscle satellite cells (MuSCs) that the frizzled7 (FZD7) expression level was positively correlated with Lys levels and this was consistent with the activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. On the other hand, FZD7 inhibition suppressed the Lys-rescued Wnt/β-catenin pathway, FZD7 knockdown caused cell proliferation, and Wnt/β-catenin pathway restrictions could not be compensated for by Lys or Wnt3a. Furthermore, the combination between Lys and recombinant pig frizzled7 (rpFZD7) protein was confirmed by isothermal titration calorimetry. This finding displayed concrete evidence that Lys is not only a molecular block of protein synthesis but is also a ligand for FZD7 to activate β-catenin to stimulate MuSCs in promoting skeletal muscle growth.

MiR-126-5p Promotes Tumor Cell Proliferation, Metastasis and Invasion by Targeting TDO2 in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

TDO2 is a key enzyme in the kynurenine metabolic pathway, which is the most important pathway of tryptophan metabolism. It has been shown that miRNAs are involved in cell metastasis through interaction with target mRNAs. In this study, we found 645 miRNAs that could be immunoprecipitated with TDO2 through the RNA-immunoprecipitation experiment. miR-126-5p was selected as the research target, which was also confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter assay. Through qRT-PCR analysis, it was verified that the overexpression of miR-126-5p promoted the expression of TDO2, PI3K/AKT and WNT1. Meanwhile, it was verified that overexpression of miR-126-5p can promote intracellular tryptophan metabolism by HPLC. We also verified the effects of miR-126-5p on cell proliferation, migration, and invasion by cck-8, cell colony formation and trans-well assay in both HCCLM3 cells and HepG2 cells. In vivo experiments were also conducted to verify that miR-126-5p promoted tumor formation and growth via immunohistochemical detection of cell infiltration and proliferation to generate markers Ki-67, BAX, and VEGF. In conclusion, our results suggest that miR-126-5p is a biomarker and a potential new treatment target in the progression of HCC via promoting the expression of TDO2.

Non-Coding RNA and Frizzled Receptors in Cancer

Frizzled receptors have been long recognized for their role in Wnt/β-catenin signaling, a pathway known for its tumorigenic effects. More recent studies of frizzled receptors include efforts to understand non-coding RNA (ncRNA) regulation of these receptors in cancer. It has become increasingly clear that ncRNA molecules are important for regulating the expression of both oncogenic and tumor-suppressive proteins. The three most commonly described ncRNA molecules are microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs). Here, we review ncRNA molecules that directly or indirectly affect frizzled protein expression and downstream signaling. Exploring these interactions highlights the potential of incorporating ncRNA molecules into cancer prevention and therapy strategies that target frizzled receptors. Previous investigations of frizzled receptors and ncRNA have established strong promise for a role in cancer progression, but additional studies are needed to provide the substantial pre-clinical evidence required to translate findings to clinical applications.

MicroRNA regulation of the proliferation and apoptosis of Leydig cells in diabetes

BACKGROUND

The number of patients with diabetes is increasing worldwide. Diabetic testicular damage can cause spermiogenesis disorders and sexual dysfunction. We thus explored the role of miRNAs in diabetic testicular damage, and revealed that they could serve as effective prevention and treatment therapeutic targets.

METHODS

Streptozotocin (STZ) was used to generate a rat model of type 2 diabetes. Rat testicular tissues were used for miRNA and mRNA sequencing. Through bioinformatics analysis, we constructed an miRNA-mRNA diabetic testicular damage regulatory network and screened for key miRNAs. We also used Leydig cells to generate a diabetic cell model and detected the downstream target genes of miRNAs, secretion of testosterone, and proliferation and apoptotic levels to elucidate the role and mechanism of the selected miRNAs in diabetic testicular damage.

RESULTS

Using second-generation sequencing, we identified 19 differentially expressed miRNAs and 555 mRNAs in the testes of diabetic rats. Based on computational prediction of targets and negative regulation relationships, we constructed a miRNA-mRNA regulatory network, including 12 miRNAs and 215 mRNAs. KEGG enrichment analysis revealed that genes were more concentrated on the survival signalling pathway. Based on this, we screened 2 key miRNAs, miR-504 and miR-935. In vitro, glucose could induce an increase in miR-504 and miR-935, whereas a decrease in MEK5 and MEF2C in a dose-dependent manner. Overexpression of miR-504 and miR-935 led to the decreased expression of MEK5 and MEF2C, decreased proliferation rate of Leydig cells, increased apoptotic rate, and decreased secretion of testosterone. Whereas, knockdown of miR-504 and miR-935 displayed opposite tendencies.

CONCLUSIONS

miRNAs play important roles in diabetic testicular damage. miR-504 and miR-935 might regulate testicular damage through the classic survival pathway of MEK5-ERK5-MEF2C. Targeted inhibition of miR-504 and miR-935 could reverse the high-glucose-induced testicular complications, thus posing as a potential therapeutic approach in diabetic testicular injury.

lncRNA MSTRG.29039.1 Promotes Proliferation by Sponging hsa-miR-12119 via JAK2/STAT3 Pathway in Multiple Myeloma

Noncoding RNA (ncRNA) is involved in the occurrence, development, metastasis, and drug resistance of tumors and involves a variety of biological functions. In addition, miRNA can regulate proliferation and migration and even regulate epigenetics to promote the development of multiple myeloma (MM). However, the mechanism of ncRNA involved in MM is still unclear, and there are many unknown ncRNAs to be explored. This research is aimed at discovering the unknown lncRNA in MM through high-throughput sequencing and to study the mechanism and role of competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) involved in the pathogenesis of MM for the development of novel molecular markers and potential new targeted drugs. We screened out 262 new lncRNAs with statistical differences by RNA sequencing and selected the lncRNA MSTRG.29039.1 according to the expression and function of lncRNAs and their target genes in MM. We verified that MSTRG.29039.1 and its target gene OSMR were highly expressed in MM. After knockdown of MSTRG.29039.1 in MM cell lines, the expression of OSMR was decreased, and the expression of hsa-miR-12119 was upregulated which can also promote cell apoptosis and inhibit proliferation. Then, we knocked down hsa-miR-12119 and MSTRG.29039.1, we found that apoptosis of MM cells was reduced, and cell proliferation was increased compared with just knocking down hsa-miR-12119. We further verified the direct binding relationship between MSTRG.29039.1 and OSMR by the dual-luciferase reporter assay system. Thus, MSTRG.29039.1 can competitively bind with miRNA to counteract the inhibitory effect of miRNA on OSMR, which regulates cell proliferation and apoptosis through the JAK2/STAT3 pathway. In a conclusion, lncRNA MSTRG.29039.1 could promote proliferation by sponging hsa-miR-12119 via the JAK2/STAT3 pathway in multiple myeloma. This may be a molecular marker and a potential therapeutic target for MM.

Current Options and Future Directions for NAFLD and NASH Treatment

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease worldwide, with a broad spectrum ranging from simple steatosis to advanced stage of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Although there are many undergoing clinical trials for NAFLD treatment, there is no currently approved treatment. NAFLD accounts as a major causing factor for the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and its incidence rises accompanying the prevalence of obesity and diabetes. Reprogramming of antidiabetic and anti-obesity medicine is a major treatment option for NAFLD and NASH. Liver inflammation and cellular death, with or without fibrosis account for the progression of NAFLD to NASH. Therefore, molecules and signaling pathways involved in hepatic inflammation, fibrosis, and cell death are critically important targets for the therapy of NAFLD and NASH. In addition, the avoidance of aberrant infiltration of inflammatory cytokines by treating with CCR antagonists also provides a therapeutic option. Currently, there is an increasing number of pre-clinical and clinical trials undergoing to evaluate the effects of antidiabetic and anti-obesity drugs, antibiotics, pan-caspase inhibitors, CCR2/5 antagonists, and others on NAFLD, NASH, and liver fibrosis. Non-invasive serum diagnostic markers are developed for fulfilling the need of diagnostic testing in a large amount of NAFLD cases. Overall, a better understanding of the underlying mechanism of the pathogenesis of NAFLD is helpful to choose an optimized treatment.

Circulating microRNA‑135a‑3p in serum extracellular vesicles as a potential biological marker of non‑alcoholic fatty liver disease

Non‑alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a widespread threat to human health. However, the present screening methods for NAFLD are time‑consuming or invasive. The present study aimed to assess the potential of microRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) in serum extracellular vesicles (EVs) as a biomarker of NAFLD. C57BL/6J mice were fed either a 12‑week high‑fat diet (HFD) or standard chow to establish NAFLD and control groups, respectively. Serum samples were obtained from the mouse model of NAFLD, as well as 50 patients with NAFLD and 50 healthy individuals, and EVs were extracted and verified. Using reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR, the mRNA expression level of selected miRNAs in the serum and EVs was analyzed. In order to determine the diagnostic value, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used. The mice treated with HFD showed notable hepatic steatosis and higher concentrations of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT). There was also a significant decrease in the expression levels of miR‑135a‑3p, miR‑129b‑5p and miR‑504‑3p, and an increase in miR‑122‑5p expression levels in circulating EVs in mice treated with HFD and patients with NAFLD. There were also similar miR‑135a‑3p and miR‑122‑5p expression patterns in the serum. ROC analysis demonstrated that miR‑135a‑3p in circulating EVs was highly accurate in diagnosing NAFLD, with the area under the curve value being 0.849 (95% CI, 0.777‑0.921; P<0.0001). Bioinformatics analysis indicated that dysregulated miR‑135a‑3p was associated with 'platelet‑derived growth factor receptor signaling pathway' and 'AMP‑activated protein kinase signaling pathway'. In summary, circulating miR‑135a‑3p in EVs may serve as a potential non‑invasive biomarker to diagnose NAFLD. This miRNA was a more sensitive and specific biological marker for NAFLD compared with ALT.

lncRNA RBM5-AS1 promotes cell proliferation and invasion by epigenetically silencing miR-132/212 in hepatocellular carcinoma cells

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is regarded as one of the most common malignancies worldwide leading to cancer-related death. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a critical modulator affecting HCC progression. Whereas, the pathogenesis of lncRNA RBM5-AS1 in the development of HCC remains unclear. Quantitative RT-PCR or western blot assays were applied to detect the expression of genes and proteins, respectively. The proliferation and metastasis abilities were assessed using Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), EdU and transwell assays. RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) experiment was employed to validate the molecular interactions. RBM5-AS1 is highly expressed in HCC tissues and cell lines, especially in Hep3B and HepG2 cells. RBM5-AS1 knockdown dramatically restrains cell proliferation, invasion and migration of HCC cells. Importantly, RBM5-AS1 acts as an epigenetic regulator to elevate the H3K27me3 level of miR-132/212 promoter regions via recruiting PRC2 (EZH2, SUZ12, EED), and eventually reducing miR-132/212 expressions. The recovery experiments demonstrated that downregulation of miR-132/212 markedly eliminate the antitumor effects mediated by RBM5-AS1 silencing in HCC cells. The data of this work illustrate that RBM5-AS1 acts as an epigenetic regulator to promote the HCC progression by repressing miR-132/212 expressions, which would provide a new insight for understanding the action mechanism of RBM5-AS1 in HCC development.

Role of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in occurrence and development of hepatocellular carcinoma

Studies have shown that the occurrence and development of liver cancer are related to a variety of signaling pathways. The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is involved in all stages of liver disease progression, from initial liver damage to inflammation, fibrosis, and cirrhosis, as well as the occurrence and progression of tumors. Abnormal Wnt/β-catenin signaling promotes the development and progression of different liver diseases, including cancer. This review introduces the activation, biological function, and regulatory mechanism of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, discusses the role of ngthis pathway in the occurrence and progression of liver cancer, and describes factors that can inhibit the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, such as small molecule inhibitors, traditional Chinese medicine extracts, and microRNAs, with an aim to provide reference for the basic and clinical research of liver cancer.

Differential expression of microRNAs in the hippocampi of male and female rodents after chronic alcohol administration

Background

Women are more vulnerable than men to the neurotoxicity and severe brain damage caused by chronic heavy alcohol use. In addition, brain damage due to chronic heavy alcohol use may be associated with sex-dependent epigenetic modifications. This study aimed to identify microRNAs (miRNAs) and their target genes that are differentially expressed in the hippocampi of male and female animal models in response to alcohol.

Methods

After chronic alcohol administration (3~3.5 g/kg/day) in male (control, n = 10; alcohol, n = 12) or female (control, n = 10; alcohol, n = 12) Sprague-Dawley rats for 6 weeks, we measured body weights and doublecortin (DCX; a neurogenesis marker) concentrations and analyzed up- or downregulated miRNAs using GeneChip miRNA 4.0 arrays. The differentially expressed miRNAs and their putative target genes were validated by RT-qPCR.

Results

Alcohol attenuated body weight gain only in the male group. On the other hand, alcohol led to increased serum AST in female rats and decreased serum total cholesterol concentrations in male rats. The expression of DCX was significantly reduced in the hippocampi of male alcohol-treated rats. Nine miRNAs were significantly up- or downregulated in male alcohol-treated rats, including upregulation of miR-125a-3p, let-7a-5p, and miR-3541, and downregulation of their target genes (Prdm5, Suv39h1, Ptprz1, Mapk9, Ing4, Wt1, Nkx3-1, Dab2ip, Rnf152, Ripk1, Lin28a, Apbb3, Nras, and Acvr1c). On the other hand, 7 miRNAs were significantly up- or downregulated in alcohol-treated female rats, including downregulation of miR-881-3p and miR-504 and upregulation of their target genes (Naa50, Clock, Cbfb, Arih1, Ube2g1, and Gng7).

Conclusions

These results suggest that chronic heavy alcohol use produces sex-dependent effects on neurogenesis and miRNA expression in the hippocampus and that sex differences should be considered when developing miRNA biomarkers to diagnose or treat alcoholics.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13293-020-00342-3.

Role of long noncoding RNA-mediated competing endogenous RNA regulatory network in hepatocellular carcinoma

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) are noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) that occupy over 90% of the human genome, and their main function is to directly or indirectly regulate messenger RNA (mRNA) expression and participate in the tumorigenesis and progression of malignances. In particular, some lncRNAs can interact with miRNAs as competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) to modulate mRNA expression. Accordingly, these RNA molecules are interrelated and coordinate to form a dynamic lncRNA-mediated ceRNA regulatory network. Mounting evidence has revealed that lncRNAs that act as ceRNAs are closely related to tumorigenesis. To date, numerous studies have established many different regulatory networks in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and perturbations in these ceRNA interactions may result in the initiation and progression of HCC. Herein, we emphasize recent advances concerning the biological function of lncRNAs as ceRNAs in HCC, with the aim of elucidating the molecular mechanism underlying these HCC-related RNA molecules and providing novel insights into the diagnosis and treatment of HCC.

New Advances in Canonical Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling in Cancer

Wnt/β-catenin-mediated signaling is a key pathway regulating tissue growth and development, and tumorigenesis, and has received increasing attention in recent years. In addition to participating in healthy tissue and organ development, ectopic activation of the pathway can cause a variety of tumors and other pathologies. The pathway plays a critical role in many processes such as proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, migration, invasion, epithelial–mesenchymal transition and cancer cell stemness. The importance of the Wnt signal is self-evident. This review describes the underlying mechanism of Wnt signaling pathway and highlights the latest findings on the relationship between Wnt signaling pathway and tumorigenesis. In addition, the potential relationship between miRNAs and Wnt signaling is presented. Furthermore, we discuss the intrinsic link between Wnt signaling and cancer cell stemness, which shed light on the malignant progression of tumor cells. Finally, cancer treatment strategies based on the canonical Wnt signaling pathway are summarized, hoping to help clinical development.

Astragaloside IV suppresses development of hepatocellular carcinoma by regulating miR-150-5p/β-catenin axis

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a common malignant tumor, has been regarded as a leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally. Astragaloside IV (AS-IV) was reported to participate in the regulation of multiple tumors. However, the role of AS-IV in HCC was still unclear in HCC. Bioinformatics analysis and function or mechanism experiments including RT-qPCR, MTT assay, flow cytometry, Western blot, luciferase reporter assay and xenografts assays were applied to investigate the function of AS-IV, miR-150-5p and CTNNB1. We discovered that AS-IV treatment was supposed to significantly increase miR-150-5p level. In addition, AS-IV accelerated cell apoptosis by inducing miR-150-5p in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, AS-IV increased cell apoptosis rate through reducing β-catenin level in vitro and in vivo. In detail, AS-IV triggered a decline of Bax and a rise of Bcl-2 in HCC cells and xenograft tissues. In mechanism, we validated the combination between miR-150-5p and CTNNB1. Moreover, miR-150-5p could negatively regulate CTNNB1 level by binding to its3'UTR. Finally, rescue assay demonstrated that CTNNB1 overexpression partially rescued the inhibitive effect on tumor growth and promotive influence on cell apoptosis caused by miR-150-5p amplification. The up-regulation of miR-150-5p induced by AS-IV suppressed the progression of HCC by repressing β-catenin, providing a new molecular target for the utilization of AS-IV In the treatment of HCC.

Potential suppressive functions of microRNA-504 in cervical cancer cells malignant process were achieved by targeting PAICS and regulating EMT

PURPOSE

The present study aimed to investigate the effects of miR-504 in cervical cancer.

METHODS

Normal and cervical cancer tissue specimens derived from TCGA and GTEx databases were employed to analyze the miR-504 and PAICS (one of potential target gene of miR-504) expression. Kaplan-Meier strategy was applied to analyze the prognostic powers of miR-504 and PAICS. The proliferation, clonogenic ability, invasion, and migration of cervical cancer cells (C-33A and HeLa) were detected using Cell Counting Kit 8, colony formation, and transwell assays. Pearson correlation analysis was used to assess the correlation between miR-504 and PAICS, which was confirmed using luciferase reporter assay. The mRNA and protein levels were detected by qRT-PCR and western blot, respectively.

RESULTS

TCGA data revealed that miR-504 expression might be decreased in cervical cancer, which was correlated with unfavorable prognosis. Further experiments exhibited that abnormal miR-504 expression negatively affected malignant cellular behaviors in cervical cancer, including proliferation, colony formation, invasion, and migration. PAICS was identified as a putative target of miR-504, and negatively related with miR-504 expression. PAICS expression was increased in cervical cancer and its high-regulation-induced worse outcomes of patients with cervical cancer. Rescue experiments indicated that PAICS restricted the impacts of miR-504 in cervical cancer cells. Analysis of western blot suggested that overexpression of PAICS overturned the miR-504-induced EMT inactivation.

CONCLUSION

Our observations elucidated that miR-504, acting as a suppressor for the progression of cervical cancer, inhibits cell proliferation, invasion and migration, and mediates EMT via negatively regulating PAICS.

The mechanistic, diagnostic and therapeutic novel nucleic acids for hepatocellular carcinoma emerging in past score years

Despite The Central Dogma states the destiny of gene as 'DNA makes RNA and RNA makes protein', the nucleic acids not only store and transmit genetic information but also, surprisingly, join in intracellular vital movement as a regulator of gene expression. Bioinformatics has contributed to knowledge for a series of emerging novel nucleic acids molecules. For typical cases, microRNA (miRNA), long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) and circular RNA (circRNA) exert crucial role in regulating vital biological processes, especially in malignant diseases. Due to extraordinarily heterogeneity among all malignancies, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has emerged enormous limitation in diagnosis and therapy. Mechanistic, diagnostic and therapeutic nucleic acids for HCC emerging in past score years have been systematically reviewed. Particularly, we have organized recent advances on nucleic acids of HCC into three facets: (i) summarizing diverse nucleic acids and their modification (miRNA, lncRNA, circRNA, circulating tumor DNA and DNA methylation) acting as potential biomarkers in HCC diagnosis; (ii) concluding different patterns of three key noncoding RNAs (miRNA, lncRNA and circRNA) in gene regulation and (iii) outlining the progress of these novel nucleic acids for HCC diagnosis and therapy in clinical trials, and discuss their possibility for clinical applications. All in all, this review takes a detailed look at the advances of novel nucleic acids from potential of biomarkers and elaboration of mechanism to early clinical application in past 20 years.

miR-320/ELF3 axis inhibits the progression of breast cancer via the PI3K/AKT pathway

There is increasing evidence demonstrating that disorders affecting microRNAs (miRs) influence tumorigenesis and progression, which results in a poor prognosis in patients with breast cancer (BC). In the present study, the precise molecular mechanism underlying the role of miR-320 in the progression of BC was investigated. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR was conducted to determine mRNA expression, and western blot analysis was used to test protein levels. An MTT assay was conducted to detect cell viability and Transwell assays were used to analyze cell migration and invasion abilities. Furthermore, E74-like factor 3 (ELF3) protein density was tested via immunohistochemistry. Tumor volume was detected by xenograft tumor formation assay. The current results indicated that miR-320 expression was downregulated in BC tissues and cells, and was associated with a poor prognosis of patients with BC. Overexpression of miR-320 inhibited cell proliferation, migration and invasion via inhibition of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition and the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in BC cells. Furthermore, it was revealed that the tumor size and weight were smaller in nude mice that had been transfected to overexpress miR-320. The luciferase reporter assay demonstrated the direct binding of miR-320 to the 3′ untranslated region of ELF3 mRNA, which may further downregulate ELF3. Overall, the present results provided evidence that miR-320 may be a tumor suppressor in BC, and that the miR-320/ELF3 axis regulated tumor progression via the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, which may represent a novel treatment strategy for BC.

KIF18B promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progression through activating Wnt/β-catenin-signaling pathway

This study aimed to investigate the functional roles of kinesin family member 18B (KIF18B) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development, as well as the related molecular mechanisms. Tissue specimens were collected from 105 patients with HCC, and the messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein levels of KIF18B were detected using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry assays, respectively. The χ² test was performed to estimate the association of KIF18B with clinical characteristics of patients with HCC. Effects of KIF18B expression on biological behaviors of HCC cells were detected by clone formation, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide, and transwell assays. The expression patterns of proteins were investigated using Western blot analysis. HCC tissues and cell lines showed significant upregulation of KIF18B at both mRNA and protein levels (p > .05, for all). Furthermore, the elevated KIF18B expression was positively correlated with the tumor-node-metastasis stage (p = .015) and lymph node metastasis (p = .007). Knockdown of KIF18B might suppress HCC cell clone formation, proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro. Besides, the activity of Wnt/β-catenin pathway was also significantly inhibited after the KIF18B knockdown. However, the antitumor actions caused by KIF18B knockdown might be reversed by lithium chloride treatment, which was the inducer of Wnt/β-catenin-signaling pathway. KIF18B may serve as an oncogene in HCC through enhancing the activity of Wnt/β-catenin pathway.

Cell Surface Proteins in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: From Bench to Bedside

Cell surface proteins act as the go-between in carrying the information from the extracellular environment to the intracellular signaling proteins. However, these proteins are often deregulated in neoplastic diseases, including hepatocellular carcinoma. This review discusses several recent studies that have investigated the role of cell surface proteins in the occurrence and progression of HCC, highlighting the possibility to use them as biomarkers of the disease and/or targets for vaccines and therapeutics.

Upregulation of long non-coding RNA ROR1-AS1 promotes cell growth and migration in bladder cancer by regulation of miR-504

Background

Increasing evidence has suggested that multiple long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) act key regulatory functions in the pathogenesis of bladder cancer. This study aimed to determine the expression and clinical significance of lncRNA ROR1 antisense RNA 1 (ROR1-AS1) from patients with bladder cancer, and to explore the potential role and mechanism underlying ROR1-AS1-related cancer progression.

Methods

Real time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was conducted to detected the expression levels of ROR1-AS1 and miR-504 in bladder cancer samples and cell lines. Chi-square test was used for correlation analysis. 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) and wound scratch assays were applied to assesses the effects of ROR1-AS1 overexpression and knockdown on bladder cancer cell growth and migration in vitro, respectively. The prognosis of bladder cancer patients was evaluated by survival curves with Kaplan-Meier method. The regulatory mechanism of ROR1-AS1 on miR-504 was confirmed by bioinformatics analysis and luciferase reporter gene assay.

Results

ROR1-AS1 levels were obviously upregulated in bladder cancer tissues than matched normal bladder tissues. High expression of ROR1-AS1 was remarkably correlated with higher histological grade, advanced tumor stage, and positive lymph node metastasis. High ROR1-AS1 expression was markedly correlated with shorter overall survival of bladder cancer patients. Moreover, knockdown of ROR1-AS1 notably repressed T24 and 5637 cell growth and migration. ROR1-AS1 directly bound with miR-504 and act as a molecular sponge to decrease miR-504 expression. Silencing of miR-504 partly abrogated ROR1-AS1 knockdown-induced inhibitory effects on bladder cancer cell growth and migration.

Conclusions

Our data demonstrated that increased ROR1-AS1 promotes cell growth and migration of bladder cancer via regulation of miR-504, indicating ROR1-AS1 may be used as a prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for bladder cancer.

The expression of circulating miR-504 in plasma is associated with EGFR mutation status in non-small-cell lung carcinoma patients

MicroRNAs (miRNAs), key regulators of gene expression at the post-transcriptional level, are grossly misregulated in some human cancers, including non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). The aberrant expression of specific miRNAs results in the abnormal regulation of key components of signalling pathways in tumour cells. MiRNA levels and the activity of the gene targets, including oncogenes and tumour suppressors, produce feedback that changes miRNA expression levels and indicates the cell's genetic activity. In this study, we measured the expression of five circulating miRNAs (miR-195, miR-504, miR-122, miR-10b and miR-21) and evaluated their association with EPIDERMAL GROWTH FACTOR RECEPTOR (EGFR) mutation status in 66 NSCLC patients. Moreover, we examined the discriminative power of circulating miRNAs for EGFR mutant-positive and -negative NSCLC patients using two different data normalisation approaches. We extracted total RNA from the plasma of 66 non-squamous NSCLC patients (31 of whom had tumours with EGFR mutations) and measured circulating miRNA levels using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The miRNA expression levels were normalised using two endogenous controls: miR-191 and miR-16. We found significant associations between the expression of circulating miR-504 and EGFR-activating mutations in NSCLC patients regardless of the normalisation approach used (p = 0.0072 and 0.0236 for miR-16 and miR-191 normalisation, respectively). The greatest discriminative power of circulating miR-504 was observed in patients with EGFR exon 19 deletions versus wild-type EGFR normalised to miR-191 (area under the curve (AUC) = 0.81, p < 0.0001). Interestingly, circulating miR-504 levels were significantly reduced in the v-Ki-ras2 Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS)-mutated subgroup compared to EGFR-mutated patients (p < 0.0030) and those with EGFR/KRAS wild-type tumours (p < 0.0359). Our study demonstrated the feasibility and potential diagnostic value of plasma miR-504 expression analysis to distinguish between EGFR-mutated and wild-type NSCLC patients. However, quality control and normalisation strategies are very important and have a major impact on the outcomes of circulating miRNA analyses.

Current Status of Gene Therapy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer related deaths world-wide. Liver transplantation, surgical resection, trans-arterial chemoembolization, and radio frequency ablation are effective strategies to treat early stage HCC. Unfortunately, HCC is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage and there are not many treatment options for late stage HCC. First-line therapy for late stage HCC includes sorafenib and lenvatinib. However, these treatments provide only an approximate three month increase in survival. Besides, they cannot specifically target cancer cells that lead to a wide array of side effects. Patients on these drugs develop resistance within a few months and have to rely on second-line therapy that includes regorafenib, pembrolizumab, nivolumab, and cabometyx. These disadvantages make gene therapy approach to treat HCC an attractive option. The two important questions that researchers have been trying to answer in the last 2-3 decades are what genes should be targeted and what delivery systems should be used. The objective of this review is to analyze the changing landscape of HCC gene therapy, with a focus on these two questions.

miR-504 suppresses mesenchymal phenotype of glioblastoma by directly targeting the FZD7-mediated Wnt-β-catenin pathway

Background

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play crucial roles in tumor initiation and development. Previously, we indicated that miR-504 is downregulated and suppresses tumor proliferation in glioblastoma (GBM). However, the regulation and relevant mechanism of miR-504 in GBM mesenchymal (ME) transition remain unclear.

Methods

Transcriptome and clinical data were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. The potential functions of miR-504 were predicted using gene ontology analysis. GBM cell migration and invasion were examined using wound healing and Transwell assays. Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) progression in GBM cell lines was detected with immunofluorescence and western blotting. The stemness activity of glioma stem-like cells (GSCs) was assessed by sphere formation assay and tumor xenograft model. miR-504 binding to the FZD7 (frizzled class receptor 7) 3′ untranslated region (3′UTR) was validated using dual luciferase reporter assay. TOP/FOP Flash assays were conducted to determine the effects of miR-504 on Wnt/β-catenin signaling.

Results

Analysis of TCGA transcriptomic data showed that low miR-504 expression correlated with ME subtype transition and poor survival in patients with GBM. Functional experiments showed that miR-504 overexpression suppressed malignant behaviors of GBM cells, such as migration, invasion, EMT, and stemness activity. Furthermore, miR-504 was a negative regulator of the Wnt–β-catenin pathway by directly repressing FZD7 expression, and FZD7 overexpression reversed the EMT inhibition caused by miR-504. Moreover, the low miR-504/FZD7 expression ratio was a ME subtype marker and could serve as a significant prognostic indicator and predict the clinical outcome of chemotherapy and radiotherapy for patients with GBM in TCGA dataset.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that miR-504 suppresses the aggressive biological processes associated with the ME phenotype of GBM and could be a potential candidate for therapeutic applications in these malignant brain tumors.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s13046-019-1370-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.