Long non-coding RNA H19 increases bladder cancer metastasis by associating with EZH2 and inhibiting E-cadherin expression

Unraveling the ncRNA landscape that governs colorectal cancer: A roadmap to personalized therapeutics

Colorectal cancer (CRC) being one of the most common malignancies, has a significant death rate, especially when detected at an advanced stage. In most cases, the fundamental aetiology of CRC remains unclear despite the identification of several environmental and intrinsic risk factors. Numerous investigations, particularly in the last ten years, have indicated the involvement of epigenetic variables in this type of cancer. The development, progression, and metastasis of CRC are influenced by long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), which are significant players in the epigenetic pathways. LncRNAs are implicated in diverse pathological processes in CRC, such as liver metastasis, epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), inflammation, and chemo-/radioresistance. It has recently been determined that CRC cells and tissues exhibit dysregulation of tens of oncogenic and tumor suppressor lncRNAs. Serum samples from CRC patients exhibit dysregulated expressions of several of these transcripts, offering a non-invasive method of detecting this kind of cancer. In this review, we outlined the typical paradigms of the deregulated lncRNA which exert significant role in the underlying molecular mechanisms of CRC initiation and progression. We comprehensively discuss the role of lncRNAs as innovative targets for CRC prognosis and treatment.

Non-coding RNAs Function in Periodontal Ligament Stem Cells

Non-coding RNA has many types which has rich functions and plays an important role in the study of basic molecular mechanisms. Many non-coding RNA have important implications for pluripotent stem cells and embryonic stem cells. It has been found to affect the self-renewal and osteogenesis of many types of stem cells. They have also been found to regulate stem cell proliferation and induct bone differentiation. Periodontal ligament stem cells are essential for the regeneration of periodontal tissue. In recent years, in the field of stomatology, studies have found that many non-coding RNA also have significant regulatory effects on the proliferation and differentiation of periodontal stem cells and may become potential therapeutic targets for many common periodontal diseases such as periodontitis, bone/tooth/soft tissue loss and orthodontic treatment. Therefore, we summarized the current research status of non-coding RNA in the field of molecular mechanism of periodontal ligament stem cells and prospected its future progress.

Targeting Nrf2 signaling pathways in the role of bladder cancer: From signal network to targeted therapy

Bladder cancer (BC) is the most common malignancy of the urinary system and often recurs after tumor removal and/or is resistant to chemotherapy. In cancer cells, the activity of the signaling pathway changes significantly, affecting a wide range of cell activities from growth and proliferation to apoptosis, invasion and metastasis. Nrf2 is a transcription factor that plays an important role in cellular defense responses to a variety of cellular stresses. There is increasing evidence that Nrf2 acts as a tumor driver and that it is involved in the maintenance of malignant cell phenotypes. Abnormal expression of Nrf2 has been found to be common in a variety of tumors, including bladder cancer. Over-activation of Nrf2 can lead to DNA damage and the development of bladder cancer, and is also associated with various pathological phenomena of bladder cancer, such as metastasis, angiogenesis, and reduced toxicity and efficacy of therapeutic anticancer drugs to provide cell protection for cancer cells. However, the above process can be effectively inhibited or reversed by inhibiting Nrf2. Therefore, Nrf2 signaling may be a potential targeting pathway for bladder cancer. In this review, we will characterize this signaling pathway and summarize the effects of Nrf2 and crosstalk with other signaling pathways on bladder cancer progression. The focus will be on the impact of Nrf2 activation on bladder cancer progression and current therapeutic strategies aimed at blocking the effects of Nrf2. To better determine how to promote new chemotherapy agents, develop new therapeutic agents, and potential therapeutic targets.

Role of LncRNA H19 in tumor progression and treatment

As one of the earliest discovered lncRNA molecules, lncRNA H19 is usually expressed in large quantities during embryonic development and is involved in cell differentiation and tissue formation. In recent years, the role of lncRNA H19 in tumors has been gradually recognized. Increasing evidence suggests that its aberrant expression is closely related to cancer development. LncRNA H19 as an oncogene not only promotes the growth, proliferation, invasion and metastasis of many tumors, but also develops resistance to treatment, affecting patients' prognosis and survival. Therefore, in this review, we summarise the extensive research on the involvement of lncRNA H19 in tumor progression and discuss how lncRNA H19, as a key target gene, affects tumor sensitivity to radiotherapy, chemotherapy and immunotherapy by participating in multiple cellular processes and regulating multiple signaling pathways, which provides a promising prospect for further research into the treatment of cancer.

Epigenetic modulation of long noncoding RNA H19 in oral squamous cell carcinoma-A narrative review

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) showed a seemingly increasing incidence in the last decade. In India, despite the use of tobacco decreased rapidly, in the past five years, the incidence pattern of OSCC over gender and age showed a drastic shift. About 51 % of the head and neck cancers are not associated with habits. Studies exploring various contributing factors in the incidence of this malignancy have documented. Recently, the epigenetic factors associated with the induction and progression of OSCC were explored. More than 90 % of the human genome is made up of non-coding transcriptome, which believed to be noises. However, these non-coding RNAs were identified to be the major epigenetic modulators, which raises concern over incidence of carcinoma in non-habit patients. H19 is a long non coding RNA which proved to be an effective biomarker in various carcinoma. Its role in oral squamous cell cancer was not investigated in depth. This review discusses in detail the various epigenetic role of H19 in inducing oral carcinogenesis.

EPIC-0628 abrogates HOTAIR/EZH2 interaction and enhances the temozolomide efficacy via promoting ATF3 expression and inhibiting DNA damage repair in glioblastoma

The efficacy of temozolomide (TMZ) treatment in glioblastoma (GBM) is influenced by various mechanisms, mainly including the level of O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) and the activity of DNA damage repair (DDR) pathways. In our previous study, we had proved that long non-coding RNA HOTAIR regulated the GBM progression and mediated DDR by interacting with EZH2, the catalytic subunit of PRC2. In this study, we developed a small-molecule inhibitor called EPIC-0628 that selectively disrupted the HOTAIR-EZH2 interaction and promoted ATF3 expression. The upregulation of ATF3 inhibited the recruitment of p300, p-p65, p-Stat3 and SP1 to the MGMT promoter. Hence, EPIC-0628 silenced MGMT expression. Besides, EPIC-0628 induced cell cycle arrest by increasing the expression of CDKN1A and impaired DNA double-strand break repair via suppressing the ATF3-p38-E2F1 pathway. Lastly, EPIC-0628 enhanced TMZ efficacy in GBM in vitro and vivo. Hence, this study provided evidence for the combination of epigenetic drugs EPIC-0628 with TMZ for GBM treatment through the above mechanisms.

Critical roles of long noncoding RNA H19 in cancer

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a category of noncoding RNAs characterized by their length, often exceeding 200 nucleotides. There is a growing body of data that indicate the significant involvement of lncRNAs in a wide range of disorders, including cancer. lncRNA H19 was among the initial lncRNAs to be identified and is transcribed from the H19 gene. The H19 lncRNA exhibits significant upregulation in a diverse range of human malignancies, such as breast, colorectal, pancreatic, glioma, and gastric cancer. Moreover, the overexpression of H19 is frequently associated with a worse prognosis among individuals diagnosed with cancer. H19 has been shown to have a role in facilitating several cellular processes, including cell proliferation, invasion, migration, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, metastasis, and apoptosis. This article summarizes the aberrant upregulation of H19 in human malignancies, indicating promising avenues for future investigations on cancer diagnostics and therapeutic interventions.

Targeting of H19/cell adhesion molecules circuitry by GSK-J4 epidrug inhibits metastatic progression in prostate cancer

BACKGROUND

About 30% of Prostate cancer (PCa) patients progress to metastatic PCa that remains largely incurable. This evidence underlines the need for the development of innovative therapies. In this direction, the potential research focus might be on long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) like H19, which serve critical biological functions and show significant dysregulation in cancer. Previously, we showed a transcriptional down-regulation of H19 under combined pro-tumoral estrogen and hypoxia treatment in PCa cells that, in turn, induced both E-cadherin and β4 integrin expression. H19, indeed, acts as transcriptional repressor of cell adhesion molecules affecting the PCa metastatic properties. Here, we investigated the role of H19/cell adhesion molecules circuitry on in vivo PCa experimental tumor growth and metastatic dissemination models.

METHODS

H19 was silenced in luciferase-positive PC-3 and 22Rv1 cells and in vitro effect was evaluated by gene expression, proliferation and invasion assays before and after treatment with the histone lysine demethylase inhibitor, GSK-J4. In vivo tumor growth and metastasis dissemination, in the presence or absence of GSK-J4, were analyzed in two models of human tumor in immunodeficient mice by in vivo bioluminescent imaging and immunohistochemistry (IHC) on explanted tissues. Organotypic Slice Cultures (OSCs) from fresh PCa-explant were used as ex vivo model to test GSK-J4 effects.

RESULTS

H19 silencing in both PC-3 and 22Rv1 cells increased: i) E-cadherin and β4 integrin expression as well as proliferation and invasion, ii) in vivo tumor growth, and iii) metastasis formation at bone, lung, and liver. Of note, treatment with GSK-J4 reduced lesions. In parallel, GSK-J4 efficiently induced cell death in PCa-derived OSCs.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings underscore the potential of the H19/cell adhesion molecules circuitry as a targeted approach in PCa treatment. Modulating this interaction has proven effective in inhibiting tumor growth and metastasis, presenting a logical foundation for targeted therapy.

EZH2 as a potential therapeutic target for gastrointestinal cancers

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers continue to be a major cause of mortality and morbidity globally. Understanding the molecular pathways associated with cancer progression and severity is essential for creating effective cancer treatments. In cancer research, there is a notable emphasis on Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2), a key player in gene expression influenced by its irregular expression and capacity to attach to promoters and alter methylation status. This review explores the impact of EZH2 signaling on various GI cancers, such as colorectal, gastric, pancreatic, hepatocellular, esophageal, and cholangiocarcinoma. The primary function of EZH2 signaling is to facilitate the accelerated progression of cancer cells. Additionally, EZH2 has the capacity to modulate the reaction of GI cancers to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Numerous pathways, including long non-coding RNAs and microRNAs, serve as upstream regulators of EZH2 in these types of cancer. EZH2's enzymatic activity enables it to attach to target gene promoters, resulting in methylation that modifies their expression. EZH2 could be considered as an independent prognostic factor, with increased expression correlating with a worse disease prognosis. Additionally, a range of gene therapies including small interfering RNA, and anti-tumor agents are being explored to target EZH2 for cancer treatment. This comprehensive review underscores the current insights into EZH2 signaling in gastrointestinal cancers and examines the prospect of therapies targeting EZH2 to enhance patient outcomes.

Epigenetic Regulation in Urothelial Carcinoma

Urothelial carcinoma (UC) is a common malignancy that remains a clinical challenge: Non-muscle-invasive urothelial carcinoma (NMIUC) has a high rate of recurrence and risk of progression, while muscle-invasive urothelial carcinoma (MIUC) has a high mortality. Although some new treatments, such as immunotherapies, have shown potential effects on some patients, most cases of advanced UC remain incurable. While treatments based on epigenetic mechanisms, whether combined with traditional platinum-based chemotherapy or emerging immunotherapy, show therapeutic advantages. With the advancement of sequencing and bioinformatics, the study of epigenomics, containing DNA methylation, histone modifications, chromatin remodeling, and non-coding RNA, is increasingly linked with the occurrence and progression of UC. Since the epigenetics of UC is a constantly developing field of medicine, this review aims to summarize the latest research on epigenetic regulation of UC, generalize the mechanism of epigenetics in UC, and reveal the potential epigenetic therapies in the clinical setting, in order to provide some new clues on the discovery of new drugs based on the epigenetics.

Integrated bioinformatics and validation reveal SOX12 as potential biomarker in colon adenocarcinoma based on an immune infiltration-related ceRNA network

PURPOSE

The primary objective of this study was to construct competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks and evaluate the prognostic significance of tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TIICs) and key biomarkers within the ceRNA networks in colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) patients.

METHODS

Comprehensive bioinformatics tools were used to screen differentially expressed genes (DEGs), miRNAs (DEMs), and lncRNAs (DELs) related to COAD, leading to the creation of ceRNA networks. The CIBERSORT technique was employed to assess the significance of TIICs in COAD, and an immune-related prognosis prediction model was subsequently developed. Co-expression analyses were conducted to determine the relationship between key genes in ceRNA networks and immunologically significant TIICs. The study also utilized 5 GEO datasets and web-based databases to externally validate the findings.

RESULTS

The study revealed a statistically significant relationship between key hub genes and immune cells, as determined through co-expression analysis. Two hub regulators (SOX12 and H19) demonstrated significant prognostic value in the ceRNA-related prognostic model, and their elevated expression levels were verified across multiple CRC cell lines. Additionally, the knockdown of SOX12 led to a suppression of proliferation, migration, and invasion in colon cancer cells.

CONCLUSION

Through the construction of ceRNA networks and evaluation of TIICs, the study successfully established two risk score models and nomograms. These models serve as valuable tools for understanding the molecular processes and predicting the prognosis of COAD patients. Further validation of hub regulators SOX12 and H19 substantiates their potential role as key biomarkers in COAD.

Long non-coding RNA H19: a potential biomarker and therapeutic target in human malignant tumors

Long non-coding RNAs play important roles in cellular functions and disease development. H19, as a long non-coding RNA, is pervasively over-expressed in almost all kinds of human malignant tumors. Although many studies have reported that H19 is closely associated with tumor cell proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, metastasis, and chemoresistance, the role and mechanism of H19 in gene regulation and tumor development are largely unclear. In this review, we summarized the recent progress in the study of the major functions and mechanisms of H19 lncRNA in cancer development and progression. H19 possesses both oncogenic and tumor-suppressing activities, presumably through regulating target gene transcription, mRNA stability and splicing, and competitive inhibition of endogenous RNA degradation. Studies indicate that H19 may involve in cell proliferation and apoptosis, tumor initiation, migration, invasion, metastasis and chemoresistance and may serve as a potential biomarker for early diagnosis, prognosis, and novel molecular target for cancer therapy.

Molecular landscape of LncRNAs in bladder cancer: From drug resistance to novel LncRNA-based therapeutic strategies

Bladder cancer (BC) is a common and serious type of cancer that ranks among the top ten most prevalent malignancies worldwide. Due to the high occurrence rate of BC, the aggressive nature of cancer cells, and their resistance to medication, managing this disease has become a growing challenge in clinical care. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a group of RNA transcripts that do not code for proteins and are more than 200 nucleotides in length. They play a significant role in controlling cellular pathways and molecular interactions during the onset, development and progression of different types of cancers. Recent advancements in high-throughput gene sequencing technology have led to the identification of various differentially expressed lncRNAs in BC, which indicate abnormal expression. In this review, we summarize that these lncRNAs have been found to impact several functions related to the development of BC, including proliferation, cell growth, migration, metastasis, apoptosis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and chemo- and radio-resistance. Additionally, lncRNAs may improve prognosis prediction for BC patients, indicating a future use for them as prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers for BC patients. This review highlights that genetic tools and anti-tumor agents, such as CRISPR/Cas systems, siRNA, shRNA, antisense oligonucleotides, and vectors, have been created for use in preclinical cancer models. This has led to a growing interest in using lncRNAs based on positive research findings.

The cross-talk between LncRNAs and JAK-STAT signaling pathway in cancer

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are non-coding RNAs that were transcribed from the human genome and have become important regulators in a number of cellular activities, mostly via controlling gene expression. A growing body of evidence shows that lncRNAs regulate various factors to impact various biological activities that are related to tumorigenesis, including the Janus kinase (JAK)-signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) pathway. lncRNAs influence the JAK-STAT signaling pathway either by directly targeting or via indirectly modulating other upstream or downstream pathways' components like members of the suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS) family, and other genes that regulate cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Furthermore, lncRNAs can act as downstream effectors of the JAK-STAT pathway and mediates tumorigenesis. The relationship between JAK-STAT signaling and lncRNAs differs among various types of cancers. Besides, lncRNAs, as biological molecules, have been shown to play a dual role in either tumorigenesis or tumor suppression in various cancers. In this review, we focus on the reciprocated regulation and functions of lncRNAs and the JAK-STAT signaling pathway in cancer, as well as narrate the latest research progress on this association. A deeper understanding of this correlation may simplify the recognition of potential targets for clinical therapeutics.

Epigenetic and Immunological Features of Bladder Cancer

Bladder cancer (BLCA) is one of the most common types of malignant tumors of the urogenital system in adults. Globally, the incidence of BLCA is more than 500,000 new cases worldwide annually, and every year, the number of registered cases of BLCA increases noticeably. Currently, the diagnosis of BLCA is based on cystoscopy and cytological examination of urine and additional laboratory and instrumental studies. However, cystoscopy is an invasive study, and voided urine cytology has a low level of sensitivity, so there is a clear need to develop more reliable markers and test systems for detecting the disease with high sensitivity and specificity. Human body fluids (urine, serum, and plasma) are known to contain significant amounts of tumorigenic nucleic acids, circulating immune cells and proinflammatory mediators that can serve as noninvasive biomarkers, particularly useful for early cancer detection, follow-up of patients, and personalization of their treatment. The review describes the most significant advances in epigenetics of BLCA.

The EZH2-PRC2-H3K27me3 axis governs the endometrial cell cycle and differentiation for blastocyst invasion

Infertility occurs in 15% of couples worldwide. Recurrent implantation failure (RIF) is one of the major problems in in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) programs, and how to manage patients with RIF to achieve successful pregnancy outcomes remains unresolved. Here, a uterine polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2)-regulated gene network was found to control embryo implantation. Our RNA-seq analyses of the human peri-implantation endometrium obtained from patients with RIF and fertile controls revealed that PRC2 components, including its core enzyme enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2)-catalyzing H3K27 trimethylation (H3K27me3) and their target genes are dysregulated in the RIF group. Although fertility of uterine epithelium-specific knockout mice of Ezh2 (eKO mice) was normal, Ezh2-deleted mice in the uterine epithelium and stroma (uKO mice) exhibited severe subfertility, suggesting that stromal Ezh2 plays a key role in female fertility. The RNA-seq and ChIP-seq analyses revealed that H3K27me3-related dynamic gene silencing is canceled, and the gene expression of cell-cycle regulators is dysregulated in Ezh2-deleted uteri, causing severe epithelial and stromal differentiation defects and failed embryo invasion. Thus, our findings indicate that the EZH2-PRC2-H3K27me3 axis is critical to preparing the endometrium for the blastocyst invasion into the stroma in mice and humans.

Endocan Promotes Pro-Tumorigenic Signaling in Lung Cancer Cells: Modulation of Cell Proliferation, Migration and lncRNAs H19 and HULC Expression

Endocan is a circulating proteoglycan secreted by several cell lines and identified as a potential biomarker of inflammation and angiogenesis. Endocan-increased expression has been found in a broad spectrum of human tumors, including lung cancer, and is associated with a poor prognosis. To elucidate the possible mechanism, this study aimed to investigate the role of endocan in non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) using an in vitro model of cultured cells. Endocan expression was knocked down by using a specific small interfering RNA. The effects of endocan knockdown have been evaluated on VEGF-A, VEGFR-2, HIF-1α, the long non-coding RNAs H19 and HULC expression, and AKT and ERK 1/2 degree of activation. Cell migration and proliferation have been studied as well. VEGF-A, VEGFR-2, HIF-1α, and the long non-coding RNAs H19 and HULC expression were significantly affected by endocan knockdown. These effects correlated with a reduction of cell migration and proliferation and of AKT and ERK 1/2 activation. Our findings suggest that endocan promotes a more aggressive cancer cell phenotype in NSCLC.

Long non-coding RNAs: Fundamental regulators and emerging targets of cancer stem cells

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, primarily due to the dearth of efficient therapies that result in long-lasting remission. This is especially true in cases of metastatic cancer where drug resistance causes the disease to recur after treatment. One of the factors contributing to drug resistance, metastasis, and aggressiveness of the cancer is cancer stem cells (CSCs) or tumor-initiating cells. As a result, CSCs have emerged as a potential target for drug development. In the present review, we have examined and highlighted the lncRNAs with their regulatory functions specific to CSCs. Moreover, we have discussed the difficulties and various methods involved in identifying lncRNAs that can play a particular role in regulating and maintaining CSCs. Interestingly, this review only focuses on those lncRNAs with strong functional evidence for CSC specificity and the mechanistic role that allows them to be CSC regulators and be the focus of CSC-specific drug development.

Diabetic Polyneuropathy: New Strategies to Target Sensory Neurons in Dorsal Root Ganglia

Diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN) is the most common type of diabetic neuropathy, rendering a slowly progressive, symmetrical, and length-dependent dying-back axonopathy with preferential sensory involvement. Although the pathogenesis of DPN is complex, this review emphasizes the concept that hyperglycemia and metabolic stressors directly target sensory neurons in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG), leading to distal axonal degeneration. In this context, we discuss the role for DRG-targeting gene delivery, specifically oligonucleotide therapeutics for DPN. Molecules including insulin, GLP-1, PTEN, HSP27, RAGE, CWC22, and DUSP1 that impact neurotrophic signal transduction (for example, phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase/phosphorylated protein kinase B [PI3/pAkt] signaling) and other cellular networks may promote regeneration. Regenerative strategies may be essential in maintaining axon integrity during ongoing degeneration in diabetes mellitus (DM). We discuss specific new findings that relate to sensory neuron function in DM associated with abnormal dynamics of nuclear bodies such as Cajal bodies and nuclear speckles in which mRNA transcription and post-transcriptional processing occur. Manipulating noncoding RNAs such as microRNA and long-noncoding RNA (specifically MALAT1) that regulate gene expression through post-transcriptional modification are interesting avenues to consider in supporting neurons during DM. Finally, we present therapeutic possibilities around the use of a novel DNA/RNA heteroduplex oligonucleotide that provides more efficient gene knockdown in DRG than the single-stranded antisense oligonucleotide.

Emerging RNA-Based Therapeutic and Diagnostic Options: Recent Advances and Future Challenges in Genitourinary Cancers

Renal cell carcinoma, bladder cancer, and prostate cancer are the most widespread genitourinary tumors. Their treatment and diagnosis have significantly evolved over recent years, due to an increasing understanding of oncogenic factors and the molecular mechanisms involved. Using sophisticated genome sequencing technologies, the non-coding RNAs, such as microRNAs, long non-coding RNAs, and circular RNAs, have all been implicated in the occurrence and progression of genitourinary cancers. Interestingly, DNA, protein, and RNA interactions with lncRNAs and other biological macromolecules drive some of these cancer phenotypes. Studies on the molecular mechanisms of lncRNAs have identified new functional markers that could be potentially useful as biomarkers for effective diagnosis and/or as targets for therapeutic intervention. This review focuses on the mechanisms underlying abnormal lncRNA expression in genitourinary tumors and discusses their role in diagnostics, prognosis, and treatment.

Non-coding RNA and autophagy: Finding novel ways to improve the diagnostic management of bladder cancer

Major fraction of the human genome is transcribed in to the RNA but is not translated in to any specific functional protein. These transcribed but not translated RNA molecules are called as non-coding RNA (ncRNA). There are thousands of different non-coding RNAs present inside the cells, each regulating different cellular pathway/pathways. Over the last few decades non-coding RNAs have been found to be involved in various diseases including cancer. Non-coding RNAs are reported to function both as tumor enhancer and/or tumor suppressor in almost each type of cancer. Urothelial carcinoma of the urinary bladder is the second most common urogenital malignancy in the world. Over the last few decades, non-coding RNAs were demonstrated to be linked with bladder cancer progression by modulating different signalling pathways and cellular processes such as autophagy, metastasis, drug resistance and tumor proliferation. Due to the heterogeneity of bladder cancer cells more in-depth molecular characterization is needed to identify new diagnostic and treatment options. This review emphasizes the current findings on non-coding RNAs and their relationship with various oncological processes such as autophagy, and their applicability to the pathophysiology of bladder cancer. This may offer an understanding of evolving non-coding RNA-targeted diagnostic tools and new therapeutic approaches for bladder cancer management in the future.

Context-Dependent Function of Long Noncoding RNA PURPL in Transcriptome Regulation during p53 Activation

PURPL is a p53-induced lncRNA that suppresses basal p53 levels. Here, we investigated PURPL upon p53 activation in liver cancer cells, where it is expressed at significantly higher levels than other cell types. Using isoform sequencing, we discovered novel PURPL transcripts that have a retained intron and/or previously unannotated exons. To determine PURPL function upon p53 activation, we performed transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq) after depleting PURPL using CRISPR interference (CRISPRi), followed by Nutlin treatment to induce p53. Strikingly, although loss of PURPL in untreated cells altered the expression of only 7 genes, loss of PURPL resulted in altered expression of ~800 genes upon p53 activation, revealing a context-dependent function of PURPL. Pathway analysis suggested that PURPL is important for fine-tuning the expression of specific genes required for mitosis. Consistent with these results, we observed a significant decrease in the percentage of mitotic cells upon PURPL depletion. Collectively, these data identify novel transcripts from the PURPL locus and suggest that PURPL delicately moderates the expression of mitotic genes in the context of p53 activation to control cell cycle arrest.

Distinct binding pattern of EZH2 and JARID2 on RNAs and DNAs in hepatocellular carcinoma development

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most malignant cancers worldwide, with high mortality. However, the molecular regulatory mechanisms of liver cancer, especially transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms, should be further studied. Here we used chromatin and cross-linking immunoprecipitation with high throughput sequencing methods (ChIP-seq and CLIP-seq) to capture the global binding profiles on RNAs and DNAs of Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) and its partner Jumonji And AT-Rich Interaction Domain Containing 2 (JARID2) in liver carcinoma cell lines (HepG2) and normal liver cell line (THLE-2), respectively. We also integrated HCC transcriptome data from the TCGA to analyze the expression pattern of bound genes. We found that EZH2 and JARID2 both showed distinct binding profiles between HepG2 and THLE-2 cells. By binding to the primary RNAs, bound transcripts of EZH2 and JARID2 in HepG2 showed significantly increased transcriptional levels in HCC patients. By performing gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA), the bound transcripts were also highly related to HCC development. We also found EZH2 and JARID2 could specifically bind to several long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), including H19. By exploring the DNA binding profile, we detected a dramatically repressed DNA binding ability of EZH2 in HepG2 cells. We also found that the EZH2-bound genes showed slightly increased transcriptional levels in HepG2 cells. Integrating analysis of the RNA and DNA binding profiles suggests EZH2 and JARID2 shift their binding ability from DNA to RNA in HepG2 cells to promote cancer development in HCC. Our study provided a comprehensive and distinct binding profile on RNAs and DNAs of EZH2 and JARID2 in liver cancer cell lines, suggesting their potential novel functional manners to promote HCC development.

Identification and Functional Analysis of Long Non-Coding RNA (lncRNA) in Response to Seed Aging in Rice

Many lncRNAs have been shown to play a vital role in aging processes. However, how lncRNAs regulate seed aging remains unknown. In this study, we performed whole transcriptome strand-specific RNA sequencing of samples from rice embryos, analyzed the differences in expression of rice seed lncRNAs before and after artificial aging treatment (AAT), and systematically screened 6002 rice lncRNAs. During the AAT period, the expression levels of most lncRNAs (454) were downregulated and only four were upregulated among the 458 differentially expressed lncRNAs (DELs). Cis- or trans-regulated target genes of the four upregulated lncRNAs were mainly related to base repair, while 454 downregulated lncRNAs were related to plant-pathogen interaction, plant hormones, energy metabolism, and secondary metabolism. The pathways of DEL target genes were similar with those of differentially expressed mRNAs (DEGs). A competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network composed of 34 lncRNAs, 24 microRNAs (miRNA), and 161 mRNAs was obtained. The cDNA sequence of lncRNA LNC_037529 was obtained by rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) cloning with a total length of 1325 bp, a conserved 5' end, and a non-conserved 3' end. Together, our findings indicate that genome-wide selection for lncRNA downregulation was an important mechanism for rice seed aging. LncRNAs can be used as markers of seed aging in rice. These findings provide a future path to decipher the underlying mechanism associated with lncRNAs in seed aging.

Influence of Long Non-Coding RNA in the Regulation of Cancer Stem Cell Signaling Pathways

Over the past two decades, cancer stem cells (CSCs) have emerged as an immensely studied and experimental topic, however a wide range of questions concerning the topic still remain unanswered; in particular, the mechanisms underlying the regulation of tumor stem cells and their characteristics. Understanding the cancer stem-cell signaling pathways may pave the way towards a better comprehension of these mechanisms. Signaling pathways such as WNT, STAT, Hedgehog, NOTCH, PI3K/AKT/mTOR, TGF-β, and NF-κB are responsible not only for modulating various features of CSCs but also their microenvironments. Recently, the prominent roles of various non-coding RNAs such as small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in developing and enhancing the tumor phenotypes have been unfolded. This review attempts to shed light on understanding the influence of long non- coding RNAs in the modulation of various CSC-signaling pathways and its impact on the CSCs and tumor properties; highlighting the protagonistic and antagonistic roles of lncRNAs.

Mysterious long noncoding RNAs and their relationships to human disease

Increasingly studies have shown that the formation mechanism of many human diseases is very complex, which is determined by environmental factors and genetic factors rather than fully following Mendel's genetic law of inheritance. Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) is a class of endogenous non-protein coding RNA with a length greater than 200 nt, which has attracted much attention in recent years. Studies have shown that lncRNAs have a wide range of biological functions, such as roles in gene imprinting, cell cycle progression, apoptosis, senescence, cell differentiation, and stress responses, and that they regulate the life processes of mammals at various levels, such as epigenetic transcription, processing, modification, transport, translation and degradation. Analyzing the characteristics of lncRNAs and revealing their internal roles can not only deepen our understanding of human physiological and pathological processes, but also provide new ideas and solutions for the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of some diseases. This article mainly reviews the biological characteristics of lncRNAs and their relationship with some diseases, so as to provide references for the related research of lncRNAs.

The role of lncRNA H19 in tumorigenesis and drug resistance of human Cancers

Systemic therapy is one of the most significant cancer treatments. However, drug resistance often appears and has become the primary cause of cancer therapy failure. Regulation of drug target, drug metabolism and drug efflux, cell death escape (apoptosis, autophagy, et al.), epigenetic changes, and many other variables are complicatedly involved in the mechanisms of drug resistance. In various types of cancers, long non-coding RNA H19 (lncRNA H19) has been shown to play critical roles in tumor development, proliferation, metastasis, and multiple drug resistance as well. The efficacy of chemotherapy, endocrine therapy, and targeted therapy are all influenced by the expression of H19, especially in breast cancer, liver cancer, lung cancer and colorectal cancer. Here, we summarize the relationship between lncRNA H19 and tumorigenesis, and illustrate the drug resistance mechanisms caused by lncRNA H19 as well. This review may provide more therapeutic potential targets for future cancer treatments.

Targeting non-coding RNA H19: A potential therapeutic approach in pulmonary diseases

Non-coding RNA is still one of the most popular fields in biology research. In recent years, people paid more attention to the roles of H19 in lung diseases, which expressed abnormally in various pathological process. Therefore, this review focus on the regulatory role of H19 in asthma, pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), lung injury, pneumonia, lung cancer, etc. And the potential therapeutic agents and molecular treatments of H19 are collected. The aim is to demonstrate its underlying mechanism in pulmonary diseases and to guide the basic research targeting H19 into clinical drug translation.

Ginsenoside Rd inhibits migration and invasion of tongue cancer cells through H19/miR-675-5p/CDH1 axis

Objective

Tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) is an oral cancer, with high malignancy and frequent early migration and invasion. Only a few drugs can treat tongue cancer. Ginsenoside Rd is a ginseng extract with anti-cancer effects. Many noncoding RNAs are abnormally expressed in tongue cancer, thus influencing its occurrence and development. H19 and miR-675-5p can promote cancer cell growth. This study aimed to analyze the regulation effect of ginsenoside Rd on H19 and miR-675-5p in tongue cancer.

Methodology

We used CCK8 and flow cytometry to study the growth and apoptosis. Transwell assay was used to assess invasion; wound-healing assay to assess migration; and colony formation assays to test the ability of cells to form colonies. H19, miR-675-5p, and CDH1 expressions were analyzed by qPCR. E-cadherin expression was detected using western blot. CRISPR/cas9 system was used for CDH1 knockout.

Results

Ginsenoside Rd inhibited the growth and increased the apoptosis of SCC9 cells. Ginsenoside Rd also inhibited the migration and invasion of SCC9 cells. H19 and miR-675-5p were highly expressed, while CDH1 and E-cadherin expressions were low. H19 and miR-675-5p promoted SCC9 metastasis. In contrast, CDH1 and E-cadherin inhibited the metastasis of SCC9 cells. Bioinformatics analysis showed that miR-675-5p was associated with CDH1. H19 and miR-675-5p expressions decreased after ginsenoside Rd treatment, while CDH1 and E-cadherin expressions increased.

Conclusions

Ginsenoside Rd inhibits tongue cancer cell migration and invasion via the H19/miR-675-5p/CDH1 axis.

The Antigastric Cancer Effect of Triptolide is Associated With H19/NF-κB/FLIP Axis

Background and Objective: Triptolide (TP), one of the fat-soluble components extracted from the Chinese medicinal herb Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F. (TWHF), possesses strong antitumor bioactivities, but its dose-dependent side effects restrict its wide application. This study was designed to investigate whether inflammatory factors increased the antitumor effects of the nontoxic dose of TP on gastric cancer cells and tried to explore the possible molecular mechanisms.

Method: AGS and MKN45 cells were treated with different doses of TP and TNF-α. Cell viability and apoptosis were detected in vitro. In addition, NF-κB mediated prosurvival signals and cytoprotective proteins, especially FLICE-inhibitory protein (FLIP), were detected to determine their effects on TP/TNF-α–induced apoptosis. Moreover, the function of lncRNA H19/miR-204-5p/NF-κB/FLIP axis was investigated in vitro, and the antigastric cancer effect of TP plus TNF-α was proved in the mice xenograft model.

Result:In vitro experimental results showed that TP pretreatment promoted apoptosis in AGS and MKN45 cells upon TNF-α exposure. TP/TNF-α–mediated apoptosis was partly mediated by the inhibitory effect of NF-κB–mediated FLIP expression. Oncogene H19 lying in the upstream pathway of NF-κB played a vital role upon TNF-α exposure, and bioinformatics analysis proved that H19 participated in TP/TNF-α–induced apoptosis via binding of miR-204-5p. Lastly, a low dose of TP and TNF-α inhibited the tumor weight and tumor volume of AGS and MKN45 cells in vivo.

Conclusion: TP pretreatment increased apoptosis in TNF-α–stimulated gastric cancer cells, which are dependent on the disruption of the H19/miR-204-5p/NF-κB/FLIP axis. Cotreatment of TP and TNF-α is a better option for enhancing the anticancer effect and lowering the side effect of TP.

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) H19 in human cancer: From proliferation and metastasis to therapy

Initiation and development of cancer depend on multiple factors that mutations in genes and epigenetic level can be considered as important drivers. Epigenetic factors include a large family of members and understanding their function in cancer has been a hot topic. LncRNAs are RNA molecules with no capacity in synthesis of proteins, and they have regulatory functions in cells. LncRNAs are localized in nucleus and cytoplasm, and their abnormal expression is related to development of tumor. This manuscript emphasizes on the role of lncRNA H19 in various cancers and its association with tumor hallmarks. The function of lncRNA H19 in most tumors is oncogenic and therefore, tumor cells increase its expression for promoting their progression. LncRNA H19 contributes to enhancing growth and cell cycle of cancers and by EMT induction, it is able to elevate metastasis rate. Silencing H19 induces apoptotic cell death and disrupts progression of tumors. LncRNA H19 triggers chemo- and radio-resistance in cancer cells. miRNAs are dually upregulated/down-regulated by lncRNA H19 in increasing tumor progression. Anti-cancer agents reduce lncRNA H19 in impairing tumor progression and increasing therapy sensitivity. A number of downstream targets and molecular pathways for lncRNA H19 have been detected in cancers including miRNAs, RUNX1, STAT3, β-catenin, Akt2 and FOXM1. Clinical studies have revealed potential of lncRNA H19 as biomarker and its association with poor prognosis. LncRNA H19 can be transferred to cancer cells via exosomes in enhancing their progression.

Long Non-Coding RNA H19 Prevents Lens Fibrosis through Maintaining Lens Epithelial Cell Phenotypes

The integrity of lens epithelial cells (LECs) lays the foundation for lens function and transparency. By contrast, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of LECs leads to lens fibrosis, such as anterior subcapsular cataracts (ASC) and fibrotic forms of posterior capsule opacification (PCO). However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we aimed to explore the role of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) H19 in regulating TGF-β2-induced EMT during lens fibrosis, revealing a novel lncRNA-based regulatory mechanism. In this work, we identified that lncRNA H19 was highly expressed in LECs, but downregulated by exposure to TGF-β2. In both human lens epithelial explants and SRA01/04 cells, knockdown of H19 aggravated TGF-β2-induced EMT, while overexpressing H19 partially reversed EMT and restored lens epithelial phenotypes. Semi-in vivo whole lens culture and H19 knockout mice demonstrated the indispensable role of H19 in sustaining lens clarity through maintaining LEC features. Bioinformatic analyses further implied a potential H19-centered regulatory mechanism via Smad-dependent pathways, confirmed by in vitro experiments. In conclusion, we uncovered a novel role of H19 in inhibiting TGF-β2-induced EMT of the lens by suppressing Smad-dependent signaling, providing potential therapeutic targets for treating lens fibrosis.

Non-Coding RNAs and Prediction of Preeclampsia in the First Trimester of Pregnancy

Preeclampsia (PE) is a major cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. The only fundamental treatment for PE is the termination of pregnancy. Therefore, not only severe maternal complications but also perinatal complications due to immaturity of the infant associated with early delivery are serious issues. The treatment and prevention of preterm onset preeclampsia (POPE) are challenging. In 2017, the ASPRE trial showed that a low oral dose of aspirin administered to POPE high-risk women in early pregnancy reduced POPE by 62%. A prediction algorithm at 11–13 weeks of gestation identifies POPE with 75% sensitivity when the false positive rate is set at 10%. New biomarkers to increase the accuracy of the prediction model for POPE high-risk women in early pregnancy are needed. In this review, we focused on non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) as potential biomarkers for the prediction of POPE. Highly expressed ncRNAs in the placenta in early pregnancy may play crucial roles in placentation. Furthermore, placenta-specific ncRNAs have been detected in maternal blood. In this review, we summarized ncRNAs that were highly expressed in the primary human placenta in early pregnancy. We also presented highly expressed ncRNAs in the placenta that were associated with or predictive of the development of PE in an expression analysis of maternal blood during the first trimester of pregnancy. These previous studies showed that the chromosome 19 microRNA (miRNA) -derived miRNAs (e.g., miR-517-5p, miR-518b, and miR-520h), the hypoxia-inducible miRNA (miR-210), and long non-coding RNA H19, were not only highly expressed in the early placenta but were also significantly up-regulated in the blood at early gestation in pregnant women who later developed PE. These maternal circulating ncRNAs in early pregnancy are expected to be possible biomarkers for POPE.

SNHG20 promotes the development of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma via miR-342-3p/MTDH axis

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are important players in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). However, the function of the long noncoding RNA small nucleolar RNA host gene 20 (SNHG20) in LSCC is hardly known. We therefore analyzed the role of this lncRNA in LSCC. Our data showed that SNHG20 was significantly overexpressed in LSCC cell lines and human LSCC tissue. SNHG20 significantly promoted cell proliferation, migration and invasion of LSCC cells. The actions of SNHG20 are likely mediated by miR-342-3p expression, which results in increased expression of MTDH. Finally, the results of in vivo models confirmed that SNHG20 promotes LSCC progression through modulating miR-342-3p and MTDH expression. Taken together, our study demonstrates that SNHG20/miR-342-3p/MTDH axis participates in LSCC progression.

The long non-coding RNA LIMT inhibits metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma and is suppressed by EGF signaling

Background

The long non-coding RNA LIMT (lncRNA inhibiting metastasis) acts as a tumor suppressor factor in some cancers. However, the biological role of LIMT in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has not been explored.

Methods and Results

Quantitative real-time PCR was performed to evaluate the expression of LIMT in HCC tissue. The effects of LIMT on tumor growth and metastasis were assessed by in vitro experiments, including colony formation and transwell assays, and in vivo in nude mouse models. Western blot analysis was used to evaluate the expression levels of proteins associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). LIMT expression was significantly lower in HCC than in normal liver tissue. Functionally, overexpression of LIMT repressed the proliferation, invasion, and EMT of HCC cells, while LIMT knockdown increased proliferation, invasion, and EMT of HCC cells in vitro. Furthermore, LIMT overexpression suppressed HCC growth and metastasis while silencing of LIMT had an opposite effect in vivo. Finally, LIMT overexpression reversed EGF-induced EMT.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that LIMT could play an anti-cancer effect in HCC and might be a potential novel therapeutic target in HCC.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11033-022-07325-0.

The Value of Dysregulated LncRNAs on Clinicopathology and Survival in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: There is growing evidence that a number of lncRNAs are involved in the pathogenesis of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, studies on lncRNA expression in NSCLC patients are far from conclusive. Therefore, we performed a systematic review of such studies to collect and examine the evidence on the potential role of lncRNAs in the development of NSCLC.

Methods: We systematically searched seven literature databases to identify all published studies that evaluated the expression of one or more lncRNAs in human samples with NSCLC (cases) and without NSCLC (controls) from January 1, 1995 to May 24, 2021. Quality assessment of studies was conducted by using the “Quality in Prognosis Studies” (QUIPS) tool, and the heterogeneity across studies was analyzed with the I-squared statistic and chi-square-based Q-tests. Either fixed or random-effect meta-analysis was performed to summarize effect size to investigate the association between lncRNA expression and overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), progression-free survival (PFS), and clinicopathological features. The R statistical software program was used to conduct standard meta-analysis.

Results: We finally obtained 48 studies with 5,211 patients included in this review after screening. Among the 48 lncRNAs, 38 lncRNAs were consistently upregulated, and 10 were deregulated in patients with NSCLC compared with the control groups. The upregulated lncRNAs were positively associated with histological type: study number (n) = 18, odds ratio (OR) = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.65–0.95 and OR = 1.30, 95% CI: 1.08–1.57, p < 0.01; TNM stages: n = 20, OR = 0.41, 95% CI: 0.29–0.57 and OR = 2.44, 95% CI: 1.73–3.44, p < 0.01; lymph node metastasis: n = 29, OR = 0.49, 95% CI: 0.34–0.71 and OR = 2.04, 95% CI: 1.40–2.96, p < 0.01; differentiation grade: n = 6, OR = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.38–0.99 and OR = 1.63, 95% CI: 1.01–2.64, p < 0.01; distant metastasis: n = 9, OR = 0.37, 95% CI: 0.26–0.53 and OR = 2.72, 95% CI: 1.90–3.90, p < 0.01; tumor size: n = 16, OR = 0.52, 95% CI: 0.43–0.64 and OR = 1.92, 95% CI: 1.57–2.34, p < 0.01; and overall survival [n = 38, hazard ratio (HR) = 1.79, 95% CI = 1.59–2.02, p < 0.01]. Especially, five upregulated lncRNAs (linc01234, ZEB1-AS1, linc00152, PVT1, and BANCR) were closely associated with TNM Ⅲa stage (n = 5, OR = 4.07, 95% CI: 2.63–6.28, p < 0.01). However, 10 deregulated lncRNAs were not significantly associated with the pathogenesis and overall survival in NSCLC in the meta-analysis (p ≥ 0.05).

Conclusion: This systematic review suggests that the upregulated lncRNAs could serve as biomarkers for predicting promising prognosis of NSCLC. The prognostic value of downregulated lncRNA in NSCLC needs to be further explored.

Systematic Review Registration: (http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO).identifier CRD42021240635.

Gp130-Mediated STAT3 Activation Contributes to the Aggressiveness of Pancreatic Cancer through H19 Long Non-Coding RNA Expression

Simple Summary

The signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) activation correlate with the aggressiveness of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). We demonstrated that the autocrine/paracrine interleukin-6 (IL-6) or leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF)/glycoprotein 130 (gp130)/STAT3 pathway contributes to the maintenance of stemness features and membrane-type 1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) expression, and modulates transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1/Smad signaling-mediated epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and invasion through regulation of TGFβ-RII expression in PDAC cancer stem cell (CSC)-like cells. Furthermore, we demonstrated that p-STAT3 acts through the IL-6 or LIF/gp130/STAT3 pathway to access the active promoter region of metastasis-related long non-coding RNA H19 and contribute to its transcription in CSC-like cells. Therefore, the autocrine/paracrine IL-6 or LIF/gp130/STAT3 pathway in PDAC CSC-like cells exhibiting H19 expression is considered to be involved in the aggressiveness of PDAC, and inhibition of the gp130/STAT3 pathway is a promising strategy to target CSCs for the elimination of PDAC (146/150).

Abstract

Signaling pathways involving signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) play key roles in the aggressiveness of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), including their tumorigenesis, invasion, and metastasis. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been correlated with PDAC aggressiveness, and activation of STAT3 is involved in the regulation of CSC properties. Here, we investigated the involvement of interleukin-6 (IL-6) or the leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF)/glycoprotein 130 (gp130)/STAT3 pathway and their role in pancreatic CSCs. In PDAC CSC-like cells formed by culturing on a low attachment plate, autocrine/paracrine IL-6 or LIF contributes to gp130/STAT3 pathway activation. Using a gp130 inhibitor, we determined that the gp130/STAT3 pathway contributes to the maintenance of stemness features, the expression of membrane-type 1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP), and the invasion of PDAC CSC-like cells. The gp130/STAT3 pathway also modulates the transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1/Smad pathway required for epithelial-mesenchymal transition induction through regulation of TGFβ-RII expression in PDAC CSC-like cells. Furthermore, chromatin immunoprecipitation assays revealed that p-STAT3 can access the active promoter region of H19 to influence this metastasis-related long non-coding RNA and contribute to its transcription in PDAC CSC-like cells. Therefore, the autocrine/paracrine IL-6 or LIF/gp130/STAT3 pathway in PDAC CSC-like cells may eventually facilitate invasion and metastasis, two hallmarks of malignancy. We propose that inhibition of the gp130/STAT3 pathway provides a promising strategy for targeting CSCs for the treatment of PDAC.

The Emerging role of EMT-related lncRNAs in therapy resistance and their application as biomarkers

Cancer is the world's second largest cause of death. The most common cancer treatments are surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Drug resistance, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and metastasis are all pressing issues in cancer therapy today. Increasing evidence showed that drug-resistant and EMT are co-related with each other. Indeed, drug-resistant cancer cells possess enhanced EMT and invasive ability. Recent researches have demonstrated lncRNAs (long noncoding RNAs) are noncoding transcripts, which play an important role in the regulation of EMT, metastasis, and drug resistance in different cancers. However, the relationships among lncRNAs, EMT, and drug resistance are still unclear. These effects could be exerted via several signaling pathways such as TGF-β, PI3K-AKT, and Wnt/β-catenin. Identifying the crucial regulatory roles of lncRNAs in these pathways and processes leads to the development of novel targeted therapies. We review the key aspects of lncRNAs associated with EMT and therapy resistance. We focus on the crosstalk between lncRNAs and molecular signaling pathways affecting EMT and drug resistance. Moreover, each of the mentioned lncRNAs could be used as a potential diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic biomarker for cancer. Although, there are still many challenges to investigate lncRNAs for clinical applications.

Exosomal RNAs: Novel Potential Biomarkers for Diseases-A Review

Exosomes are a subset of nano-sized extracellular vesicles originating from endosomes. Exosomes mediate cell-to-cell communication with their cargos, which includes mRNAs, miRNAs, lncRNAs, and circRNAs. Exosomal RNAs have cell specificity and reflect the conditions of their donor cells. Notably, their detection in biofluids can be used as a diagnostic marker for various diseases. Exosomal RNAs are ideal biomarkers because their surrounding membranes confer stability and they are detectable in almost all biofluids, which helps to reduce trauma and avoid invasive examinations. However, knowledge of exosomal biomarkers remains scarce. The present review summarizes the biogenesis, secretion, and uptake of exosomes, the current researches exploring exosomal mRNAs, miRNAs, lncRNAs, and circRNAs as potential biomarkers for the diagnosis of human diseases, as well as recent techniques of exosome isolation.

Long non-coding RNAs as the critical regulators of epithelial mesenchymal transition in colorectal tumor cells: an overview

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most common cause of cancer mortality and a major health challenge worldwide. Despite advances in therapeutic and diagnostic methods, there is still a poor prognosis in CRC patients. Tumor recurrence and metastasis are the main causes of high mortality rate in these patients, which are due to late diagnosis in advanced tumor stages. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is known to be the most important cause of CRC metastasis, during which tumor cells obtain metastasis ability by losing epithelial features and gaining mesenchymal features. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are pivotal regulators of EMT process. Regarding the higher stability of lncRNAs compared with coding RNAs in body fluids, they can be used as non-invasive diagnostic markers for EMT process. In the present review, we summarized all of the lncRNAs involved in regulation of EMT process during CRC progression and metastasis. It was observed that lncRNAs mainly induced the EMT process in CRC cells by regulation of EMT-related transcription factors, Poly comb repressive complex (PRC), and also signaling pathways such as WNT, NOTCH, MAPK, and Hippo.

Function of BCLAF1 in human disease

Originally identified as a regulator of apoptosis and transcription, B-cell lymphoma-2-associated transcription factor 1 (BCLAF1) has since been shown to be associated with a multitude of biological processes, such as DNA damage response, splicing and processing of pre-mRNA, T-cell activation, lung development, muscle cell proliferation and differentiation, autophagy, ischemia-reperfusion injury, and viral infection. In recent years, an increasing amount of evidence has shown that BCLAF1 acts as either a tumor promoter or tumor suppressor in tumorigenesis depending on the cellular context and the type of cancer. Even in the same tumor type, BCLAF1 may have opposite effects. In the present review, the subcellular localization, structural features, mutations within BCLAF1 will be described, then the regulation of BCLAF1 and its downstream targets will be analyzed. Furthermore, the different roles and possible mechanisms of BCLAF1 in tumorigenesis will also be highlighted and discussed. Finally, BCLAF1 may be considered as a potential target for cancer therapy in the future.

LncRNA H19 modulates neuropathic pain through miR-141/GLI2 axis in chronic constriction injury (CCI) rats

BACKGROUND

The participation of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in progressions of chronic pain has been evaluated. We explored mechanisms of lncRNA H19 in chronic constriction injury (CCI)-induced neuropathic pain model in vivo.

METHODS

The expressions of lncRNA H19, microRNA-141, and GLI Family Zinc Finger 2 (GLI2) in CCI rats were determined by using RT-qPCR. Paw withdrawal threshold (PWT) and paw withdrawal latency (PWL) were used as neuropathic pain index implying mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia. The protein concentrations of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α in rats were examined by ELISA assay. RT-qPCR analyzed gene expression changes of lncRNA H19, miR-141 and GLI2. Online bioinformatics predictions supported that the bindings between miR-141 and GLI2 and dual luciferase reporter method, and RNA pull-down assays determined connections within lncRNA H19, miR-141 and GLI2 in HEK 293 cells.

RESULTS

LncRNA H19 was upregulated in the tissues of rats. Also, thermal hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia were inhibited by lncRNA H19 suppression in rats. Moreover, IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α protein concentrations were suppressed by the downregulation of lncRNA H19 in rats. Furthermore, miR-141 was reduced in CCI rats and restored by the lncRNA H19 knockdown, suggesting the potential negative associations of miR-141 with lncRNA H19. GLI2 targeted miR-141 and GLI2 was increased in CCI rats. Additionally, the neuropathic pain was inhibited by the inhibition of GLI2 in rats, which was reversed by the miR-141 inhibitors.

CONCLUSION

LncRNA H19 aggravated the neuropathic pain of CCI rats through miR-141/GLI2 axis, implying that lncRNA H19 might be a biomarker for the inflammation-related neuropathic pain.

The long noncoding RNA H19 regulates tumor plasticity in neuroendocrine prostate cancer

Neuroendocrine (NE) prostate cancer (NEPC) is a lethal subtype of castration-resistant prostate cancer (PCa) arising either de novo or from transdifferentiated prostate adenocarcinoma following androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). Extensive computational analysis has identified a high degree of association between the long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) H19 and NEPC, with the longest isoform highly expressed in NEPC. H19 regulates PCa lineage plasticity by driving a bidirectional cell identity of NE phenotype (H19 overexpression) or luminal phenotype (H19 knockdown). It contributes to treatment resistance, with the knockdown of H19 re-sensitizing PCa to ADT. It is also essential for the proliferation and invasion of NEPC. H19 levels are negatively regulated by androgen signaling via androgen receptor (AR). When androgen is absent SOX2 levels increase, driving H19 transcription and facilitating transdifferentiation. H19 facilitates the PRC2 complex in regulating methylation changes at H3K27me3/H3K4me3 histone sites of AR-driven and NEPC-related genes. Additionally, this lncRNA induces alterations in genome-wide DNA methylation on CpG sites, further regulating genes associated with the NEPC phenotype. Our clinical data identify H19 as a candidate diagnostic marker and predictive marker of NEPC with elevated H19 levels associated with an increased probability of biochemical recurrence and metastatic disease in patients receiving ADT. Here we report H19 as an early upstream regulator of cell fate, plasticity, and treatment resistance in NEPC that can reverse/transform cells to a treatable form of PCa once therapeutically deactivated.

Elevated expression of long noncoding RNA H19 is seen in clinical samples of neuroendocrine prostate cancer (PCa). Here the authors show H19 promotes plasticity from luminal to neuroendocrine by epigenetic reprogramming.

Long Noncoding RNA H19: A Novel Therapeutic Target Emerging in Oncology Via Regulating Oncogenic Signaling Pathways

Long noncoding RNA H19 (H19) is an imprinting gene with only maternal expression that is involved in regulating different processes in various types of cells. Previous studies have shown that abnormal H19 expression is involved in many pathological processes, such as cancer, mainly through sponging miRNAs, interacting with proteins, or regulating epigenetic modifications. Accumulating evidence has shown that several oncogenic signaling pathways lead to carcinogenesis. Recently, the regulatory relationship between H19 and oncogenic signaling pathways in various types of cancer has been of great interest to many researchers. In this review, we discussed the key roles of H19 in cancer development and progression via its regulatory function in several oncogenic signaling pathways, such as PI3K/Akt, canonical Wnt/β-catenin, canonical NF-κB, MAPK, JAK/STAT and apoptosis. These oncogenic signaling pathways regulated by H19 are involved in cell proliferation, proliferation, migration and invasion, angiogenesis, and apoptosis of various cancer cells. This review suggests that H19 may be a novel therapeutic target for cancers treatment by regulating oncogenic signaling pathways.

Tumor immune microenvironment lncRNAs

Long non-coding ribonucleic acids (RNAs) (lncRNAs) are key players in tumorigenesis and immune responses. The nature of their cell type-specific gene expression and other functional evidence support the idea that lncRNAs have distinct cellular functions in the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME). To date, the majority of lncRNA studies have heavily relied on bulk RNA-sequencing data in which various cell types contribute to an averaged signal, limiting the discovery of cell type-specific lncRNA functions. Single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) is a potential solution for tackling this limitation despite the lack of annotations for low abundance yet cell type-specific lncRNAs. Hence, updated annotations and further understanding of the cellular expression of lncRNAs will be necessary for characterizing cell type-specific functions of lncRNA genes in the TIME. In this review, we discuss lncRNAs that are specifically expressed in tumor and immune cells, summarize the regulatory functions of the lncRNAs at the cell type level and highlight how a scRNA-seq approach can help to study the cell type-specific functions of TIME lncRNAs.

Tumor metastasis: Mechanistic insights and therapeutic interventions

Cancer metastasis is responsible for the vast majority of cancer-related deaths worldwide. In contrast to numerous discoveries that reveal the detailed mechanisms leading to the formation of the primary tumor, the biological underpinnings of the metastatic disease remain poorly understood. Cancer metastasis is a complex process in which cancer cells escape from the primary tumor, settle, and grow at other parts of the body. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition and anoikis resistance of tumor cells are the main forces to promote metastasis, and multiple components in the tumor microenvironment and their complicated crosstalk with cancer cells are closely involved in distant metastasis. In addition to the three cornerstones of tumor treatment, surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, novel treatment approaches including targeted therapy and immunotherapy have been established in patients with metastatic cancer. Although the cancer survival rate has been greatly improved over the years, it is still far from satisfactory. In this review, we provided an overview of the metastasis process, summarized the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the dissemination and distant metastasis of cancer cells, and reviewed the important advances in interventions for cancer metastasis.

Long Non-Coding RNA H19 Regulates Glioma Cell Growth and Metastasis via miR-200a-Mediated CDK6 and ZEB1 Expression

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) serve essential roles on various biological functions. Previous studies have indicated that lncRNAs are involved in the occurrence, growth and infiltration of brain tumors. LncRNA H19 is key regulator in the pathogenesis of gliomas, but the underlying mechanisms of H19-regulated tumor progression remain unknown. Therefore, we investigated the effects and mechanism of action of lncRNA H19 on the homeostasis of glioma cells. As a novel oncogenic factor, up-regulation of H19 was able to promote the proliferation of glioma cells by targeting miR-200a. Furthermore, elevated miR-200a levels could reverse H19-induced cell growth and metastasis. Overexpression of miR-200a could significantly suppress the proliferation, migration and invasion of glioma cells. These biological behavior changes in glioma cells were dependent on the binding to potential target genes including CDK6 and ZEB1. CDK6 could promote cell proliferation and its expression was remarkably increased in glioma. In addition, up-regulation of miR-200a lead to reduction of CDK6 expression and inhibit the proliferation of glioma cells. ZEB1 could be a putative target gene of miR-200a in glioma cells. Thus, miR-200a might suppress cell invasion and migration through down-regulating ZEB1. Moreover, overexpression of miR-200a resulted in down-regulation of ZEB1 and further inhibited malignant phenotype of glioma cells. In summary, our findings suggested that the expression of H19 was elevated in glioma, which could promote the growth, invasion and migration of tumor cells via H19/miR-200a/CDK6/ZEB1 axis. This novel signaling pathway may be a promising candidate for the diagnosis and targeted treatment of glioma.

The Role of TGF-β in Bone Metastases

Complications associated with advanced cancer are a major clinical challenge and, if associated with bone metastases, worsen the prognosis and compromise the survival of the patients. Breast and prostate cancer cells exhibit a high propensity to metastasize to bone. The bone microenvironment is unique, providing fertile soil for cancer cell propagation, while mineralized bone matrices store potent growth factors and cytokines. Biologically active transforming growth factor β (TGF-β), one of the most abundant growth factors, is released following tumor-induced osteoclastic bone resorption. TGF-β promotes tumor cell secretion of factors that accelerate bone loss and fuel tumor cells to colonize. Thus, TGF-β is critical for driving the feed-forward vicious cycle of tumor growth in bone. Further, TGF-β promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), increasing cell invasiveness, angiogenesis, and metastatic progression. Emerging evidence shows TGF-β suppresses immune responses, enabling opportunistic cancer cells to escape immune checkpoints and promote bone metastases. Blocking TGF-β signaling pathways could disrupt the vicious cycle, revert EMT, and enhance immune response. However, TGF-β's dual role as both tumor suppressor and enhancer presents a significant challenge in developing therapeutics that target TGF-β signaling. This review presents TGF-β's role in cancer progression and bone metastases, while highlighting current perspectives on the therapeutic potential of targeting TGF-β pathways.

Identification and the potential roles of long non-coding RNAs in regulating acetyl-CoA carboxylase ACC transcription in spirotetramat-resistant Aphis gossypii

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) represent the largest class of non-coding transcripts. They act a pivotal part in various insect developmental processes and stress responses. However, the investigation of lncRNA functions in insecticide resistant remains at an early phase. Herein, we conducted whole-transcriptome RNA sequencing for two cotton aphid (Aphis gossypii Glover) strains, i.e., insecticide-susceptible (SS) and spirotetramat-resistant (SR). We discovered 6059 lncRNAs in the RNA-Seq data, and 874 lncRNAs showed differential expression. In addition, 5 lncRNAs among 874 lncRNAs were predicted as targets of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC). Reverse transcription real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) combined with RNA interference (RNAi) confirmed that selected ACC lncRNA was related to the expression of ACC. Moreover, we also identified two transcription factors, i.e., C/EBP and C/EBPzeta, that regulate the transcription level of ACC lncRNA. These results provide a good basis for the study of cotton aphid lncRNA functions in insecticide resistance development.