lncRNA DANCR promotes tumor progression and cancer stemness features in osteosarcoma by upregulating AXL via miR-33a-5p inhibition

LncRNA DANCR promotes macrophage lipid accumulation through modulation of membrane cholesterol transporters

The progression of atherosclerosis (AS), the pathological foundation of coronary artery disease (CAD), is featured by massive lipid deposition in the vessel wall. LncRNAs are implicated in lipid disorder and AS, whereas the specific role of lncRNA DANCR in atherogenesis remains unknown. Here, we demonstrated that DANCR promotes macrophage lipid accumulation by regulating the expression of membrane cholesterol transport proteins. qPCR showed that compared to control groups, CAD patients and atherosclerotic mice had higher DANCR levels. Treating human THP-1 macrophages and mouse RAW264.7 macrophages with ox-LDL significantly upregulated the expression levels of DANCR. Oil Red O staining showed that the silence of DANCR robustly reduced, while overexpression of DANCR significantly increased the numbers and size of lipid droplets in ox-LDL-treated THP-1 macrophages. In contrast, the opposite phenomena were observed in DANCR overexpressing cells. The expression of ABCA1, ABCG1, SR-BI, and NBD-cholesterol efflux was increased obviously by DANCR inhibition and decreased by DANCR overexpression, respectively. Furthermore, transfection with DANCR siRNA induced a robust decrease in the levels of CD36, SR-A, and Dil-ox-LDL uptake, while DANCR overexpression amplified the expression of CD36, SR-A and the uptake of Dil-ox-LDL in lipid-laden macrophages. Lastly, we found that the effects of DANCR on macrophage lipid accumulation and the expression of membrane cholesterol transport proteins were not likely related to miR-33a. The present study unraveled the adverse role of DANCR in foam cell formation and its relationship with cholesterol transport proteins. However, the competing endogenous RNA network underlying these phenomena warrants further exploration.

New evidence for a role of DANCR in cancers: a comprehensive review

Cancer remains a leading cause of mortality and poses a substantial threat to public health. Studies have revealed that Long noncoding RNA DANCR is a cytoplasmic lncRNA whose aberrant expression plays a pivotal role in various cancer types. Within tumour biology, DANCR exerts regulatory control over crucial processes such as proliferation, invasion, metastasis, angiogenesis, inflammatory responses, cellular energy metabolism reprogramming, and apoptosis. By acting as a competitive endogenous RNA for miRNAs and by interacting with proteins and mRNAs at the molecular level, DANCR contributes significantly to cancer progression. Elevated DANCR levels have also been linked to heightened resistance to anticancer drugs. Moreover, the detection of circulating DANCR holds promise as a valuable biomarker for aiding in the clinical differentiation of different cancer types. This article offers a comprehensive review and elucidation of the primary functions and molecular mechanisms through which DANCR influences tumours.

Emerging roles of long non-coding RNAs in osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma (OS) is a highly aggressive and lethal malignant bone tumor that primarily afflicts children, adolescents, and young adults. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying OS pathogenesis remain obscure. Mounting evidence implicates dysregulated long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in tumorigenesis and progression. These lncRNAs play a pivotal role in modulating gene expression at diverse epigenetic, transcriptional, and post-transcriptional levels. Uncovering the roles of aberrant lncRNAs would provide new insights into OS pathogenesis and novel tools for its early diagnosis and treatment. In this review, we summarize the significance of lncRNAs in controlling signaling pathways implicated in OS development, including the Wnt/β-catenin, PI3K/AKT/mTOR, NF-κB, Notch, Hippo, and HIF-1α. Moreover, we discuss the multifaceted contributions of lncRNAs to drug resistance in OS, as well as their potential to serve as biomarkers and therapeutic targets. This review aims to encourage further research into lncRNA field and the development of more effective therapeutic strategies for patients with OS.

LINC00887 regulates malignant progression and T-cell chemotaxis in clear cell renal cell carcinoma by activating CD70 via recruitment of SPI1

BACKGROUND

LINC00887 has been mentioned in several articles regarding its involvement in various cancers like nasopharyngeal carcinoma, lung cancer and glioma. However, the mechanism of LINC00887 in the malignant progression of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is still unclear. The topic of our study is mainly centered on exploring how LINC00887 exactly affects ccRCC malignant progression.

METHODS

The bioinformatics method predicted the downstream TF and target genes of LINC00887 by the "LncRNA-transcription factor (TF)-Gene" triplet model. RNA immunoprecipitation, chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis, and Dual-luciferase reporter assay determined the regulatory relationship between LINC00887 and its downstream genes. The LINC00887 expression and its downstream gene expression in ccRCC cells were examined by qRT-PCR and Western blot. The effect of LINC00887-SPI1-CD70 modulation axis on proliferative transfer, cell stemness and T cell chemotaxis of ccRCC cells was examined in cellular and animal experiments.

RESULTS

Our research demonstrated an upregulation of LINC00887 in ccRCC, which facilitated tumor growth and stemness in vivo. In addition, LINC00887 could upregulate the CD70 expression by recruiting transcriptional factor SPI1. The results of in vitro experiments illustrated that the LINC00887-SPI1-CD70 regulatory axis facilitated ccRCC malignant progression by promoting cell stemness and hindering T-cell chemotaxis.

CONCLUSION

LINC00887, by recruiting SPI1, activated CD70 transcription, thereby propelling malignant progression and cell stemness and suppressing T cell chemotaxis in ccRCC. Based on our findings, we believed that the LINC00887-SPI1-CD70 regulatory axis had the potential to be a critical breakthrough for treating ccRCC.

Predicting prognosis and immune status in sarcomas by identifying necroptosis-related lncRNAs

BACKGROUND

Sarcomas are a type of highly heterogeneous malignant tumors originating from mesenchymal tissues. Necroptosis is intricately connected to the oncogenesis and progression of tumors. The main goal of this research is to assess the prognostic value of necroptosis-related lncRNAs (NRlncRNAs) in sarcomas and to develop a risk model based on NRlncRNAs to evaluate prognostic and immune status of the sarcomas.

METHODS

We screened NRlncRNAs using the gene co-expression network, developed a prognostic risk model of sarcomas, and then verified the model. Following that, various bioinformatics analysis algorithms were employed to analyze the distinct characteristics of patients of the risk model. Furthermore, the function and regulatory mechanism of NRlncRNA SNHG6 in sarcomas were investigated through osteosarcoma cell experiments, such as qRT-PCR, Western blot, CCK-8, clone formation, and transwell assay.

RESULTS

We successfully developed a NRlncRNAs-related prognostic risk model and screened 5 prognosis-related NRlncRNAs, with SNGH6 being the most significant for prognosis of patients. According to results, the significant differences exist in prognosis, clinical characteristics, and tumor immune status among patients of the risk model. The experiments of osteosarcoma cells demonstrated that NRlncRNA SNHG6 knockdown significantly attenuated the cells' proliferation, migration, and invasion. qRT-PCR and WB results showed that SNHG6 regulated AXL and AKT signaling.

CONCLUSIONS

We have developed an innovative investigation on NRlncRNAs, which can serve as a reference for diagnosis, therapy, and prognosis of sarcomas. Additionally, we demonstrated that NRlncRNA SNHG6 regulated AXL and AKT signaling in osteosarcoma cells and the proliferation, migration, and invasion of tumor cells.

RANK ligand converts the NCoR/HDAC3 co-repressor to a PGC1β- and RNA-dependent co-activator of osteoclast gene expression

The nuclear receptor co-repressor (NCoR) complex mediates transcriptional repression dependent on histone deacetylation by histone deacetylase 3 (HDAC3) as a component of the complex. Unexpectedly, we found that signaling by the receptor activator of nuclear factor κB (RANK) converts the NCoR/HDAC3 co-repressor complex to a co-activator of AP-1 and NF-κB target genes that are required for mouse osteoclast differentiation. Accordingly, the dominant function of NCoR/HDAC3 complexes in response to RANK signaling is to activate, rather than repress, gene expression. Mechanistically, RANK signaling promotes RNA-dependent interaction of the transcriptional co-activator PGC1β with the NCoR/HDAC3 complex, resulting in the activation of PGC1β and inhibition of HDAC3 activity for acetylated histone H3. Non-coding RNAs Dancr and Rnu12, which are associated with altered human bone homeostasis, promote NCoR/HDAC3 complex assembly and are necessary for RANKL-induced osteoclast differentiation in vitro. These findings may be prototypic for signal-dependent functions of NCoR in other biological contexts.

USP14 Regulates ATF2/PIK3CD Axis to Promote Microvascular Endothelial Cell Proliferation, Migration, and Angiogenesis in Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is one of the leading causes of blindness in diabetic patients. However, the pathogenesis of DR is complex, and no firm conclusions have been drawn so far. It has become a hot spot in ophthalmology research to deeply study the mechanism of DR pathological changes and find effective treatment options. Human retinal microvascular endothelial cells (HRMECs) were induced by high glucose (HG) to construct DR cell model. CCK-8 assay was used to detect the viability of HRMECs. Transwell assay was used to detect the migration ability of HRMECs. Tube formation assay was used to identify the tube formation ability of HRMECs. The expressions of USP14, ATF2 and PIK3CD were detected by Western blot analysis and qRT-PCR assay. Immunoprecipitation (IP) was used to ascertain the relationship of USP14 and ATF2. To explore the regulatory relationship between ATF2 and PIK3CD by dual-luciferase reporter gene assay and Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay. High glucose treatment promoted the proliferation, migration, and tube formation of HRMEC, and the expressions of USP14, ATF2 and PIK3CD were significantly up-regulated. USP14 or ATF2 knockdown inhibited HG-induced HRMECs proliferation, migration, and tube formation. USP14 regulated the expression of ATF2, and ATF2 promoted PIK3CD expression. PIK3CD overexpression attenuated the inhibitory effectiveness of USP14 knockdown on proliferation, migration and tube formation of DR cell model. Here, we revealed that USP14 regulated the ATF2/PIK3CD axis to promote proliferation, migration, and tube formation in HG-induced HRMECs.

Ccrl2-centred immune-related lncRNA-mRNA co-expression network revealed the local skin immune activation mechanism of moxibustion on adjuvant arthritis mice

BACKGROUND

Moxibustion is an important external therapy of traditional medicine that operates on some acupoints on the skin and is usually used for immune-related diseases. However, whether the immune function of the skin, especially the immune-related lncRNAs, contributes to the mechanism of moxibustion remains unclear.

METHODS

Adjuvant arthritis (AA) was induced by injection of Complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) into the right hind paw of mice. Moxibustion was administered on the Zusanli (ST36) acupoint for 3 weeks. The alteration of foot volume and cytokine concentration in serum was used to evaluate the anti-inflammation effect of moxibustion. CD83 expression in the local skin of ST36 was measured by immunofluorescence staining. Transcriptome RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and lncRNA-mRNA network analysis were performed to construct a moxibustion-induced Immune-related lncRNA-mRNA co-expression network. qRT-PCR was used to validate the RNA-seq data.

RESULTS

Moxibustion at ST36 relieved the foot swelling, decreased the TNF-α and IL-1β concentrations in serum, and obviously increased the CD83 expression at the local skin of ST36. A total of 548 differentially expressed lncRNAs and 520 linked mRNAs were screened out. The significantly and predominately enriched Go term was inflammatory and immune response, and the main pathways related to inflammatory and immune responses include Toll-like receptor, cytokine-cytokine receptor, and MAPK signaling. The immune-related lncRNA-mRNA co-expression network showed 88 lncRNAs and 36 mRNAs, and Ccrl2 is the central hub of this network.

CONCLUSION

Local immune activation is significantly triggered by moxibustion in ST36 of AA mice. The Ccrl2-centered immune-related lncRNA-mRNA co-expression network would be a promising target for decoding the mechanism of moxibustion for immune-related diseases.

Deciphering the Signaling Mechanisms of Osteosarcoma Tumorigenesis

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the predominant primary bone tumor in the pediatric and adolescent populations. It has high metastatic potential, with the lungs being the most common site of metastasis. In contrast to many other sarcomas, OS lacks conserved translocations or genetic mutations; instead, it has heterogeneous abnormalities, including somatic DNA copy number alteration, ploidy, chromosomal amplification, and chromosomal loss and gain. Unfortunately, clinical outcomes have not significantly improved in over 30 years. Currently, no effective molecularly targeted therapies are available for this disease. Several genomic studies showed inactivation in the tumor suppressor genes, including p53, RB, and ATRX, and hyperactivation of the tumor promoter genes, including MYC and MDM2, in OS. Alterations in the major signaling pathways, including the PI3K/AKT/mTOR, JAK/STAT, Wnt/β-catenin, NOTCH, Hedgehog/Gli, TGF-β, RTKs, RANK/RANKL, and NF-κB signaling pathways, have been identified in OS development and metastasis. Although OS treatment is currently based on surgical excision and systematic multiagent therapies, several potential targeted therapies are in development. This review focuses on the major signaling pathways of OS, and we propose a biological rationale to consider novel and targeted therapies in the future.

New insights on the interplays between m6A modifications and microRNA or lncRNA in gastrointestinal cancers

N⁶-Methyladenosine (m⁶A) methylation is one of the most extremely examined RNA modifications. M⁶A modification evidently impacts cancer development by effecting RNA metabolism. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in multiple essential biological processes by regulating gene expression at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. Accumulated evidences indicated that m⁶A is involved in regulating the cleavage, stability, structure, transcription, and transport of lncRNAs or miRNAs. Additionally, ncRNAs also play significant roles in modulating m⁶A levels of malignant cells by participating in the regulation of m⁶A methyltransferases, the m⁶A demethylases and the m⁶A binding proteins. In this review, we systematically summarize the new insight on the interactions between m⁶A and lncRNAs or miRNAs, as well as their impacts on gastrointestinal cancer progression. Although there are still extensive studies on genome-wide screening of crucial lncRNAs or miRNAs involved in regulating m⁶A levels of mRNAs and disclosing differences on mechanisms of regulating m⁶A modification of lncRNAs, miRNAs or mRNAs in cancer cells, we believe that targeting m⁶A-related lncRNAs and miRNAs may provide novel options for gastrointestinal cancer treatments.

Cellular and Genetic Background of Osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma describes a tumor of mesenchymal origin with an annual incidence rate of four to five people per million. Even though chemotherapy treatment has shown success in non-metastatic osteosarcoma, metastatic disease still has a low survival rate of 20%. A targeted therapy approach is limited due to high heterogeneity of tumors, and different underlying mutations. In this review, we will summarize new advances obtained by new technologies, such as next generation sequencing and single-cell sequencing. These new techniques have enabled better assessment of cell populations within osteosarcoma, as well as an understanding of the molecular pathogenesis. We also discuss the presence and properties of osteosarcoma stem cells-the cell population within the tumor that is responsible for metastasis, recurrence, and drug resistance.

Cancer Stem Cells in Sarcomas: In Vitro Isolation and Role as Prognostic Markers: A Systematic Review

Sarcomas are a diverse group of neoplasms with an incidence rate of 15% of childhood cancers. They exhibit a high tendency to develop early metastases and are often resistant to available treatments, resulting in poor prognosis and survival. In this context, cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been implicated in recurrence, metastasis, and drug resistance, making the search for diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers of the disease crucial. The objective of this systematic review was to analyze the expression of CSC biomarkers both after isolation from in vitro cell lines and from the complete cell population of patient tumor samples. A total of 228 publications from January 2011 to June 2021 was retrieved from different databases, of which 35 articles were included for analysis. The studies demonstrated significant heterogeneity in both the markers detected and the CSC isolation techniques used. ALDH was identified as a common marker in various types of sarcomas. In conclusion, the identification of CSC markers in sarcomas may facilitate the development of personalized medicine and improve treatment outcomes.

DANCR Induces Cisplatin Resistance of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer by KLF5/p27 Signaling

An increasing body of evidence suggests that long noncoding RNAs play critical roles in human cancer. Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease and the potential involvement of long noncoding RNAs in breast cancer remains poorly understood. Herein, the study identified a long noncoding RNA, DANCR, which promotes cisplatin chemoresistance in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells. Mechanistically, binding of DANCR to Krüppel-like factor 5 (KLF5) induced acetylation of KLF5 at lysine 369 (K369), and DANCR knockdown resulted in down-regulation of KLF5 protein levels. Furthermore, DANCR/KLF5 signaling pathway induced hypersensitivity to cisplatin in chemoresistant patients by inhibiting p27 transcription. In summary, this study reinforced the potential presence of a growth regulatory network in TNBC cells, and documented a DANCR/KLF5/p27 signaling pathway mediating cisplatin chemoresistance in TNBC.

Oncogenic Long Noncoding RNAs in Prostate Cancer, Osteosarcoma, and Metastasis

Prostate cancer (PC) is a common malignancy and is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death in men worldwide. Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common bone cancer, representing 20-40% of all bone malignancy cases. Cancer metastasis is a process by which malignant tumor cells detach from the primary tumor site via a cascade of processes and migrate to secondary sites through the blood circulation or lymphatic system to colonize and form secondary tumors. PC has a specific affinity to the bone based on the "seed and soil" theory; once PC reach the bone, it becomes incurable. Several studies have identified long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) as potential targets for cancer therapy or as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. The dysregulation of various lncRNAs has been found in various cancer types, including PC, OS, and metastasis. However, the mechanisms underlying lncRNA oncogenic activity in tumor progression and metastasis are extremely complex and remain incompletely understood. Therefore, understanding oncogenic lncRNAs and their role in OS, PC, and metastasis and the underlying mechanism may help better manage and treat this malignancy. The aim of this review is to summarize current knowledge of oncogenic lncRNAs and their involvement in PC, OS, and bone metastasis.

The Role of Tumor Microenvironment in Regulating the Plasticity of Osteosarcoma Cells

Osteosarcoma (OS) is a malignancy that is becoming increasingly common in adolescents. OS stem cells (OSCs) form a dynamic subset of OS cells that are responsible for malignant progression and chemoradiotherapy resistance. The unique properties of OSCs, including self-renewal, multilineage differentiation and metastatic potential, 149 depend closely on their tumor microenvironment. In recent years, the likelihood of its dynamic plasticity has been extensively studied. Importantly, the tumor microenvironment appears to act as the main regulatory component of OS cell plasticity. For these reasons aforementioned, novel strategies for OS treatment focusing on modulating OS cell plasticity and the possibility of modulating the composition of the tumor microenvironment are currently being explored. In this paper, we review recent studies describing the phenomenon of OSCs and factors known to influence phenotypic plasticity. The microenvironment, which can regulate OSC plasticity, has great potential for clinical exploitation and provides different perspectives for drug and treatment design for OS.

Modulation of immunosuppressive cells and noncoding RNAs as immunotherapy in osteosarcoma

The most common bone cancer is osteosarcoma (OS), which mostly affects children and teenagers. Early surgical resection combined with chemotherapy significantly improves the prognosis of patients with OS. Existing chemotherapies have poor efficacy in individuals with distant metastases or inoperable resection, and these patients may respond better to novel immunotherapies. Immune escape, which is mediated by immunosuppressive cells in the tumour microenvironment (TME), is a major cause of poor OS prognosis and a primary target of immunotherapy. Myeloid-derived suppressor cells, regulatory T cells, and tumour-associated macrophages are the main immunosuppressor cells, which can regulate tumorigenesis and growth on a variety of levels through the interaction in the TME. The proliferation, migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of OS cells can all be impacted by the expression of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), which can also influence how immunosuppressive cells work and support immune suppression in TME. Interferon, checkpoint inhibitors, cancer vaccines, and engineered chimeric antigen receptor (CAR-T) T cells for OS have all been developed using information from studies on the metabolic properties of immunosuppressive cells in TME and ncRNAs in OS cells. This review summarizes the regulatory effect of ncRNAs on OS cells as well as the metabolic heterogeneity of immunosuppressive cells in the context of OS immunotherapies.

Whole-transcriptome analysis of periodontal tissue and construction of immune-related competitive endogenous RNA network

Background

In periodontitis, noncoding RNAs may play a regulatory role in the immune microenvironment through competitive endogenous RNA. We aimed to profile noncoding RNA expression and construct immune-related ceRNA network in periodontitis.

Methods

Five inflamed periodontal tissue and five healthy gingivae were collected for whole-transcriptome sequencing. Differential gene, functional enrichment, and protein–protein interaction network analysis were performed to explore the function of differentially expressed genes. CIBERSORTx was used to analyze level of immune cell infiltration in the periodontal tissue. An immune-related competitive endogenous RNA network was constructed and expression of key regulators in the network was validated.

Results

Compared with healthy gingiva, 200 mRNAs, 90 long noncoding RNAs, 65 microRNAs, and 518 circular RNAs were differentially expressed, and cell chemotaxis was significantly enhanced in inflamed periodontal tissue. Immune cell infiltration analysis showed that neutrophils, macrophages M1, T follicular helper cells, and naive B cells were significantly increased in periodontitis. Key regulators including JUN, FOS, THBS1, KLF2, WIF1, were identified and their expression was then validated.

Conclusion

We constructed an immune-related competitive endogenous RNA network in periodontal tissue, which provided new insights into immune homeostasis in periodontitis and laid a foundation for further study of noncoding RNAs. Key regulators in this network may be promising targets for future periodontitis treatment.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12903-022-02401-0.

A review on the role of DANCR in the carcinogenesis

DANCR is an RNA gene located on chr4. This gene has several splice variants. Up-regulation of DANCR has been reported in many types of cancers. This lncRNA is mainly located in the cytoplasm and regulates genes expression at post-transcriptional level. In fact, it acts as a molecular sponge for a variety of miRNAs, including miR-874-3P, miR-335, miR-149, miR-4319, miR-758-3p, miR-216a-5p, miR-874-3p, miR-33a-5p, miR-335-5p, miR-145-3p, miR-665, miR-345-5p and miR-125b-5p. DANCR also regulates activity of PI3K/AKT/NF-κB, Wnt/β-catenin, ERK/SMAD, MAPK, IL-6/JAK1/STAT3, Smad2/3, p53, FAK/PI3K/AKT/GSK3β/Snail pathways. In the current narrative review article, we summarize the roles of DANCR in the carcinogenesis, with an especial emphasis on its role in the development of osteosarcoma and lung, liver, pancreatic and colorectal cancers.

Discovery of New Therapeutic Targets for Osteosarcoma Treatment Based on Immune-Related lncRNAs in the Tumor Microenvironment

Background

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play an important role in osteosarcoma development, but their role in the tumor microenvironment (TME) is not fully understood. This study associated lncRNAs with immune-related genes and explored the mechanism of lncRNAs in osteosarcoma progression.

Methods

Unsupervised consensus clustering was applied to construct immune subtypes based on immune-related lncRNAs identified by Pearson's correlation analysis. A series of functional analysis was performed to reveal the links among lncRNAs, immune subtypes, TME, and osteosarcoma prognosis.

Results

We identified two immune subtypes C1 and C2 showing distinct overall survival. ECM-receptor interaction pathway was more activated in C2 subtype, while immune response pathways were more enriched in C2 subtype. Differential TME and response to chemotherapeutic drugs were observed between the two subtypes. Four metagenes of costimulation, cytolytic activity (CYT), immune score, and STAT1 were differentially enriched in the two subtypes. Based on 26-paired lncRNAs, we constructed a 4-paired lncRNA prognostic signature for predicting prognosis of osteosarcoma prognosis.

Conclusions

This study focused on immune-related lncRNAs and TME, showing the possible role and mechanisms of lncRNAs in tumor growth and metastasis. ECM may be the new therapeutic target for treating osteosarcoma, and 26-paired lncRNAs could serve as a basis for further studying the mechanisms of CYT and STAT1 in immune response, cancer cell proliferation, and migration. The two subtypes and prognostic signature could promote the design of personalized osteosarcoma treatment.

Zinc finger Asp-His-His-Cys palmitoyl -acyltransferase 19 accelerates tumor progression through wnt/β-catenin pathway and is upregulated by miR-940 in osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most frequent malignant primary bone tumor in children and young adults. Zinc finger Asp-His-His-Cys palmitoyl-acyltransferase 19 (ZDHHC19) is a key enzyme in protein palmitoylation and plays crucial roles in tumor progression. However, its expression profile and biological function in OS have been unclear. In the present study, the expression level of ZDHHC19 in OS cell lines was determined by qRT-PCR and Western blot. The effect of ZDHHC19 in cell growth, invasion and migration was analyzed by CCK8, EDU, transwell, wound healing assay in vitro, and xenograft tumor model in vivo. In addition, bioinformatics analysis was used to explore the potential mechanism of ZDHHC19 in OS. Furthermore, the luciferase reporter assay was conducted to determine the direct binding between miR-940 and ZDHHC19. We discovered that ZDHHC19 was overexpressed in OS cells compared with the normal cells. The functional investigation demonstrated that ZDHHC19 silencing could inhibit proliferation, invasion and migration of OS in vitro and suppress tumorigenicity and lung metastasis in a xenograft model in vivo. Mechanistically, we identified that ZDHHC19 was a direct target of miR-940 and forced ZDHHC19 expressions partially rescue the suppression of proliferation, migration and invasion induced by miR-940. Moreover, bioinformatics analysis combined with validation experiments revealed that activating wnt/β-catenin pathway contributed to the pro-oncogenic effect induced by ZDHHC19. Furthermore, rescue experiments further verified that miR-940/ZDHHC19 axis regulated wnt/β-catenin pathway. Overall, these findings indicated that miR-940/ZDHHC19 axis played a significant role in OS progression and might be considered as a novel target for OS treatment.Abbreviations: OS, osteosarcoma; miRNAs, microRNAs; 3'-UTR, 3'- untranslated region; TARGET, Therapeutically Applicable Research To Generate Effective Treatments; qRT-PCR, quantitative real-time PCR; IHC, Immunohistochemistry; GSVA, Gene Set Variation Analysis; GSEA, Gene Set Enrichment Analysis; KEGG, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes.

The Roles of Noncoding RNAs in the Development of Osteosarcoma Stem Cells and Potential Therapeutic Targets

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the common bone tumor in children and adolescents. Because of chemotherapy resistance, the OS patients have a poor prognosis. The one reason of chemotherapeutic resistance is the development of cancer stem cells (CSCs). CSCs represent a small portion of tumor cells with the capacity of self-renewal and multipotency, which are associated with tumor initiation, metastasis, recurrence and drug resistance. Recently, noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) have been reported to critically regulate CSCs. Therefore, in this review article, we described the role of ncRNAs, especially miRNAs, lncRNAs and circRNAs, in regulating CSCs development and potential mechanisms. Specifically, we discussed the role of multiple miRNAs in targeting CSCs, including miR-26a, miR-29b, miR-34a, miR-133a, miR-143, miR-335, miR-382, miR-499a, miR-1247, and let-7days. Moreover, we highlighted the functions of lncRNAs in regulating CSCs in OS, such as B4GALT1-AS1, DANCR, DLX6-AS1, FER1L4, HIF2PUT, LINK-A, MALAT1, SOX2-OT, and THOR. Due to the critical roles of ncRNAs in regulation of OS CSCs, targeting ncRNAs might be a novel strategy for eliminating CSCs for OS therapy.

Emerging Roles and Mechanisms of lncRNA FOXD3-AS1 in Human Diseases

Numerous long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been identified as powerful regulators of human diseases. The lncRNA FOXD3-AS1 is a novel lncRNA that was recently shown to exert imperative roles in the initialization and progression of several diseases. Emerging studies have shown aberrant expression of FOXD3-AS1 and close correlation with pathophysiological traits of numerous diseases, particularly cancers. More importantly, FOXD3-AS1 was also found to ubiquitously impact a range of biological functions. This study aims to summarize the expression, associated clinicopathological features, major functions and molecular mechanisms of FOXD3-AS1 in human diseases and to explore its possible clinical applications.

Long Noncoding RNA GAS5: A New Factor Involved in Bone Diseases

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), as an important type of RNA encoded in the human transcriptome, have shown to regulate different genomic processes in human cells, altering cell type and function. These factors are associated with carcinogenesis, cancer metastasis, bone diseases, and immune system diseases, among other pathologies. Although many lncRNAs are involved in various diseases, the molecular mechanisms through which lncRNAs contribute to regulation of disease are still unclear. The lncRNA growth arrest-specific 5 (GAS5) is a key player that we initially found to be associated with regulating cell growth, differentiation, and development. Further work has shown that GAS5 is involved in the occurrence and prognosis of bone diseases, such as osteoporosis, osteosarcoma, and postosteoporotic fracture. In this review, we discuss recent progress on the roles of GAS5 in bone diseases to establish novel targets for the treatment of bone diseases.

CircRNA ANXA2 Promotes Lung Cancer Proliferation and Metastasis by Upregulating PDPK1 Expression

Lung cancer is a common malignant tumor that seriously threatens human health. It has become the top malignant tumor in terms of morbidity and mortality. In recent years, circRNA, a special noncoding RNA molecule, has attracted considerable interest. This study focused on the role of circRNA ANXA2 (circANXA2) in lung cancer and the molecular mechanism of cancer promotion. Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-PCR) was used in detecting the expression abundance of circANXA2 in different lung cancer cells and tissues. The subcellular localization of circANXA2 was detected through fluorescence in situ hybridization. circANXA2 expression was knocked down through siRNA. CCK-8, clone formation assay, and TUNEL assay were used in evaluating the effects of circANXA2 on cell proliferation, clone formation ability, and apoptosis. The role of circANXA2 in tumor proliferation was further verified in vivo using the tumor transplantation model in nude mice. The molecular mechanism of circANXA2 was investigated with luciferase activity assay and RT-PCR. The expression abundance of circANXA2 is high in lung cancer cell lines and tissues. Knocking down of circANXA2 inhibits the proliferation and clonogenesis of the lung cancer cells. Knocking down circANXA2 promotes apoptosis. circANXA2 further affects downstream PDPK1 expression by regulating miR-33a-5p and thereby affecting the malignancy of the lung cancer cells. circANXA2 inhibits miR-33a-5p activity by directly interacting with miR-33a-5p. circANXA2 regulates the transcription of the miR-33a-5p downstream target gene PDPK1 and affects the malignant progression of lung cancer.

The Mechanisms of Current Platinum Anticancer Drug Resistance in the Glioma

Gliomas are the most common and malignant primary tumors of the central nervous system (CNS). Glioblastomas are the most malignant and aggressive form of primary brain tumors and account for the majority of brain tumor-related deaths. The current standard treatment for gliomas is surgical resection supplemented by postoperative chemotherapy. Platinum drugs are a class of chemotherapeutic drugs that affect the cell cycle, and the main site of action is the DNA of cells, which are common chemotherapeutic drugs in clinical practice. Chemotherapy with platinum drugs such as cisplatin, carboplatin, oxaliplatin, or a combination thereof is used to treat a variety of tumors. However, the results of gliomas chemotherapy are unsatisfactory, and resistance to platinum drugs is one of the important reasons. The resistance of gliomas to platinum drugs is the result of a combination of influencing factors. Decreased intracellular drug concentration, enhanced function of cell processing active products, enhanced repair ability of cellular DNA damage, and blockage of related apoptosis pathways play an important role in it. It is known that the pathogenic properties of glioma cells and the response of glioma towards platinum-based drugs are strongly influenced by non-coding RNAs, particularly, by microRNAs (miRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). miRNAs and lncRNAs control drug sensitivity and the development of tumor resistance towards platinum drugs. This mini-review summarizes the resistance mechanisms of gliomas to platinum drugs, as well as molecules and therapies that can improve the sensitivity of gliomas to platinum drugs.

Osteosarcoma and Metastasis

Osteosarcoma is the most common primary bone malignancy in adolescents. Its high propensity to metastasize is the leading cause for treatment failure and poor prognosis. Although the research of osteosarcoma has greatly expanded in the past decades, the knowledge and new therapy strategies targeting metastatic progression remain sparse. The prognosis of patients with metastasis is still unsatisfactory. There is resonating urgency for a thorough and deeper understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying osteosarcoma to develop innovative therapies targeting metastasis. Toward the goal of elaborating the characteristics and biological behavior of metastatic osteosarcoma, it is essential to combine the diverse investigations that are performed at molecular, cellular, and animal levels from basic research to clinical translation spanning chemical, physical sciences, and biology. This review focuses on the metastatic process, regulatory networks involving key molecules and signaling pathways, the role of microenvironment, osteoclast, angiogenesis, metabolism, immunity, and noncoding RNAs in osteosarcoma metastasis. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of current research advances, with the hope to discovery druggable targets and promising therapy strategies for osteosarcoma metastasis and thus to overcome this clinical impasse.

Long non-coding RNA HCG11 enhances osteosarcoma phenotypes by sponging miR-1245b-5p that directly inhibits plakophilin 2

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) HCG11 can regulate various cancers through the ceRNA network. However, its role in osteosarcoma (OS) remains unknown. The HOS and Saos-2 cell lines were used for in vitro analyses. HCG11 and plakophilin 2 (PKP2) silencers, a miR-1245b-5p mimic, and a miR-1245b-5p inhibitor were utilized for the regulation analysis of lncRNA HCG11, miR-1245b-5p, and PKP2. Cell Counting Kit-8, wound healing, and transwell assays were used for cell proliferation, migration, and invasion analyses, and caspase-3 activity assay was used to measure cell apoptosis. The expression levels of lncRNA HCG11, miR-1245b-5p, and PKP2 were evaluated by quantitative real-time PCR and Western blotting. The distribution of lncRNA HCG11 was assessed using the RNA-FISH assay. The sponging and targeting roles of HCG11 and PKP2 on miR-1245b-5p were confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter analysis. An RNA immunoprecipitation assay was used to assess the binding between lncRNA HCG11 and miRNA-1245b-5p. We found that the lncRNA HCG11 was significantly upregulated in OS. LncRNA HCG11 silencing inhibits OS progression by repressing cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, and promoting cell apoptosis. RNA-FISH analysis indicated that lncRNA HCG11 was located in the cytoplasm. Mechanistic experiments showed that lncRNA HCG11 sponges miR-1245b-5p and negatively regulates miR-1245b-5p expression. Upregulated lncRNA HCG11 promotes proliferation, migration, and invasion, and inhibits apoptosis by inhibiting miR-1245b-5p in OS cells. PKP2 was verified as a target gene of miR-1245b-5p. Upregulated PKP2 promotes proliferation, migration, and invasion, and inhibits apoptosis by inhibiting miR-1245b-5p in OS. In conclusion, the HCG11/miR-1245b-5p/PKP2 axis promotes OS expression by promoting cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, and inhibiting apoptosis.

Advances in the Research of Osteosarcoma Stem Cells and its Related Genes

Osteosarcoma is a malignant tumor that often occurs in adolescents. There is an urgent need of new treatment options for osteosarcoma due to its poor prognosis after metastasis. Cancer stem cell theory states that cancer stem cells represent a small proportion of cancer cells. These cancer stem cells have self-renewal ability and are closely associated with cancer growth and metastasis as well as chemotherapy resistance. Similarly, osteosarcoma stem cells (OSCs) play an important role in the growth, metastasis, and chemotherapy resistance of osteosarcoma cells. Targeting OSCs may represent a future treatment of osteosarcoma. Furthermore, some genes have shown to regulate the growth, metastasis, and chemotherapy resistance of osteosarcoma cells by altering the stemness of OSCs. Targeting these genes may help in the treatment of osteosarcoma. This review mainly discusses recent advances in the research of OSCs and its related genes. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Long Non-coding RNA DANCR in Cancer: Roles, Mechanisms, and Implications

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) DANCR (also known as ANCR)—differentiation antagonizing non-protein coding RNA, was first reported in 2012 to suppress differentiation of epithelial cells. Emerging evidence demonstrates that DANCR is a cancer-associated lncRNA abnormally expressed in many cancers (e.g., lung cancer, gastric cancer, breast cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma). Increasing studies suggest that the dysregulation of DANCR plays critical roles in cancer cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, invasion, and chemoresistance in vitro and tumor growth and metastasis in vivo. Mechanistic analyses show that DANCR can serve as miRNA sponges, stabilize mRNAs, and interact with proteins. Recent research reveals that DANCR can be detected in many body fluids such as serum, plasma, and exosomes, providing a quick and convenient method for cancer monitor. Thus DANCR can be used as a promising diagnostic and prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for various types of cancer. This review focuses on the role and mechanism of DANCR in cancer progression with an emphasis on the clinical significance of DANCR in human cancers.

lncRNA HIF1A-AS2: A potential oncogene in human cancers (Review)

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are transcripts that are >200 nucleotides, but with no open reading frame. An increasing number of lncRNAs have been identified following the development of second-generation sequencing technologies, and they have since become a research hotspot. Functionally, they play a vital role in tumor progression, including in tumor proliferation, migration, invasion, apoptosis and acquisition of drug resistance. They regulate gene expression primarily through interaction with DNA, RNA and proteins at the epigenetic, transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. Endogenous hypoxia-inducible factor 1α antisense RNA 2 (lncRNA HIF1A-AS2) is aberrantly expressed and involved the development/progression of various types of tumors, such as bladder cancer, glioblastoma, breast cancer and osteosarcoma. It plays a vital role in the proliferation, apoptosis, migration, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transformation of various tumor cells. This review summarizes the current body of knowledge on the biological functions and related molecular mechanisms of lncRNA HIF1A-AS2 in the development/progression of human tumors and other diseases.

Potential biomarkers and lncRNA-mRNA regulatory networks in invasive growth hormone-secreting pituitary adenomas

PURPOSE

Growth hormone-secreting pituitary adenomas (GH-PAs) are common subtypes of functional PAs. Invasive GH-PAs play a key role in restricting poor outcomes. The transcriptional changes in GH-PAs were evaluated.

METHODS

In this study, the transcriptome analysis of six different GH-PA samples was performed. The functional roles, co-regulatory network, and chromosome location of differentially expressed (DE) genes in invasive GH-PAs were explored.

RESULTS

Bioinformatic analysis revealed 101 DE mRNAs and 70 DE long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) between invasive and non-invasive GH-PAs. Functional enrichment analysis showed that epithelial cell differentiation and development pathways were suppressed in invasive GH-PAs, whereas the pathways of olfactory transduction, retinol metabolism, drug metabolism-cytochrome P450, and metabolism of xenobiotics by cytochrome P450 had an active trend. In the protein-protein interaction network, 11 main communities were characterized by cell- adhesion, -motility, and -cycle; transport process; phosphorus and hormone metabolic processes. The SGK1 gene was suggested to play a role in the invasiveness of GH-PAs. Furthermore, the up-regulated genes OR51B6, OR52E4, OR52E8, OR52E6, OR52N2, MAGEA6, MAGEC1, ST8SIA6-AS1, and the down-regulated genes GAD1-AS1 and SPINT1-AS1 were identified in the competing endogenous RNA network. The RT-qPCR results further supported the aberrant expression of those genes. Finally, the enrichment of DE genes in chromosome 11p15 and 12p13 regions were detected.

CONCLUSION

Our findings provide a new perspective for studies evaluating the underlying mechanism of invasive GH-PAs.

LINC01140 promotes the progression and tumor immune escape in lung cancer by sponging multiple microRNAs

BACKGROUND

Long intergenic non-protein coding RNA 1140 (LINC01140), a long non-coding RNA, is highly expressed in various cancers; however, its biological functions in lung cancer (LC) progression and immune escape are still unclear.

METHODS

Here, to elucidate LINC01140 function, 79 paired LC and paracancerous tissues were collected. LINC01140 expression levels were determined using fluorescence in situ hybridization and qPCR analysis. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay and transwell assays were performed. The interaction between microRNAs (miRNAs) and LINC01140 was confirmed using an RNA immunoprecipitation assay. Cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cell phenotypes were analyzed by flow cytometry. Cytokine secretion levels were determined by ELISA. CIK cytotoxicity was assessed by measuring lactate dehydrogenase release. Besides, xenograft tumor mouse models were used to unveil the in vivo function of LINC01140.

RESULTS

We found that LINC01140 was highly expressed in human LC tissues and cell lines. High LINC01140 levels were associated with poor survival in patients with LC. LINC01140 upregulation promoted the proliferation, migration, and invasion of LC cells through direct interaction with miR-33a-5p and miR-33b-5p, thereby contributing to c-Myc expression and also inhibited cisplatin-induced cell apoptosis. In subcutaneous tumor xenograft mice, LINC01140 knockdown markedly reduced tumor growth and lung metastasis. Additionally, LINC01140 directly repressed miR-377-3 p and miR-155-5 p expression levels, resulting in the upregulation of their common downstream target programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), a crucial target in LC immunotherapy. Notably, we proved that LINC01140 knockdown, along with CIK administration, suppressed the growth of subcutaneous LC xenografts by decreasing PD-L1 expression in severe combined immunodeficient mice.

CONCLUSIONS

Taken together, LINC01140 overexpression protects c-Myc and PD-L1 mRNA from miRNA-mediated inhibition and contributes to the proliferation, migration, invasion, and immune escape of LC cells. These results provide a theoretical basis that LINC01140 is a promising target for LC treatment.

miR-33a-5p inhibits the progression of esophageal cancer through the DKK1-mediated Wnt/β-catenin pathway

Esophageal cancer (EC) is one of the most lethal malignancies in humans, and multiple miRNAs have been identified to modulate EC progression by targeting different targets. However, the effect and related mechanism of microRNA-33a-5p (miR-33a-5p) on EC development remain elusive. In this study, we explored the clinical value, function, and possible mechanism of miR-33a-5p in EC. We uncovered that miR-33a-5p and DKK1 are involved in the progression of EC. Significantly, the expression levels of miR-33a-5p were reduced and DKK1 levels were elevated in serum and tissues of clinical EC samples and in EC cell lines. The downregulation of miR-33a-5p and DKK1 upregulation were related to high TNM staging and poor differentiation of patients. The area under the curves (AUCs) of miR-33a-5p and DKK1 for the occurrence of EC were 0.914 and 0.900, respectively. Down-regulation of miR-33a-5p or overexpression of DKK1 indicated a worse prognosis. The miR-33a-5p overexpression or DKK1 depletion induced apoptosis and repressed proliferation, migration, and invasion of EC cells. The repression of miR-33a-5p by inhibitor or DKK1 overexpression presented the conversed effects on EC cells. Mechanically, miR-33a-5p suppressed DKK1 expression, and miR-33a-5p targeted DKK1 to affect the biological behavior of EC through the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Meanwhile, miR-33a-5p inhibited the tumor growth of EC in vivo. Thus, we concluded that miR-33a-5p inhibited the progression of EC through the DKK1-mediated Wnt/β-catenin pathway. MiR-33a-5p and DKK1 can be used as potential therapeutic targets of EC.

Prognostic significance of lncRNA DANCR expression in human cancers: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Several studies demonstrated that lncRNA differentiation antagonizing non-protein coding RNA (lncRNA DANCR) expression might have the potential capacity to predict the cancer prognosis; however, definite conclusion has not been obtained. The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the prognostic value of lncRNA DANCR expression in cancers. PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Embase were comprehensively searched for relevant studies. Studies meeting all inclusion standards were included into this meta-analysis. The analysis of overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), or clinicopathological features was conducted. Total 11 studies containing 1154 cancer patients were analyzed in this meta-analysis. The results showed, compared with low lncRNA DANCR expression, high lncRNA DANCR expression was significantly associated with shorter OS (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.85; 95% CI = 1.52–2.26; P<0.01) and DFS (HR = 1.82; 95% CI = 1.43–2.32; P<0.01) in cancers. Besides, high lncRNA DANCR expression predicted deeper tumor invasion (P<0.01), earlier lymph node metastasis (P<0.01), earlier distant metastasis (P<0.01), and more advanced clinical stage (P<0.01) compared with low lncRNA DANCR expression in cancer populations. High lncRNA DANCR expression was associated with worse prognosis compared with low lncRNA DANCR expression in cancers. LncRNA DANCR expression could serve as a prognostic factor of human cancers.

Identification and Roles of miR-29b-1-3p and miR29a-3p-Regulated and Non-Regulated lncRNAs in Endocrine-Sensitive and Resistant Breast Cancer Cells

Despite improvements in the treatment of endocrine-resistant metastatic disease using combination therapies in patients with estrogen receptor α (ERα) primary tumors, the mechanisms underlying endocrine resistance remain to be elucidated. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), including microRNAs (miRNA) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA), are targets and regulators of cell signaling pathways and their exosomal transport may contribute to metastasis. Previous studies have shown that a low expression of miR-29a-3p and miR-29b-3p is associated with lower overall breast cancer survival before 150 mos. Transient, modest overexpression of miR-29b1-3p or miR-29a-3p inhibited MCF-7 tamoxifen-sensitive and LCC9 tamoxifen-resistant cell proliferation. Here, we identify miR-29b-1/a-regulated and non-regulated differentially expressed lncRNAs in MCF-7 and LCC9 cells using next-generation RNA seq. More lncRNAs were miR-29b-1/a-regulated in LCC9 cells than in MCF-7 cells, including DANCR, GAS5, DSCAM-AS1, SNHG5, and CRND. We examined the roles of miR-29-regulated and differentially expressed lncRNAs in endocrine-resistant breast cancer, including putative and proven targets and expression patterns in survival analysis using the KM Plotter and TCGA databases. This study provides new insights into lncRNAs in endocrine-resistant breast cancer.

Cancer Stem Cells as a Source of Drug Resistance in Bone Sarcomas

Bone sarcomas are commonly characterized by a high degree of intra-tumor heterogeneity, which in part is due to the presence of subpopulations of tumor cells presenting stem cell properties. Similar to normal stem cells, these cancer stem cells (CSCs) display a drug resistant phenotype and therefore are responsible for relapses and tumor dissemination. Drug resistance in bone sarcomas could be enhanced/modulated during tumor evolution though the acquisition of (epi)-genetic alterations and the adaptation to changing microenvironments, including drug treatments. Here we summarize findings supporting the involvement of pro-stemness signaling in the development of drug resistance in bone sarcomas. This include the activation of well-known pro-stemness pathways (Wnt/β-Cat, NOTCH or JAT/STAT pathways), changes in the metabolic and autophagic activities, the alteration of epigenetic pathways, the upregulation of specific non-coding RNAs and the crosstalk with different microenvironmental factors. This altered signaling is expected to be translated to the clinic in the form of biomarkers of response and new therapies able to overcome drug resistance.

Long non-coding RNAs in nasopharyngeal carcinoma: biological functions and clinical applications

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is one of the most common head and neck malignancies. It has obvious ethnic and regional specificity. Long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) are a class of non-protein coding RNA molecules. Emerging research shows that lncRNAs play a key role in tumor development, prognosis, and treatment. With the deepening of sequence analysis, a large number of functional LncRNAs have been found in NPC, which interact with coding genes, miRNAs, and proteins to form a complex regulatory network. However, the specific role and mechanism of abnormally expressed lncRNAs in the pathogenesis of NPC is not fully understood. This article briefly introduced the concept, classification, and functional mechanism of lncRNAs and reviewed their biological functions and their clinical applications in NPC. Specifically, we described lncRNAs related to the occurrence, growth, invasion, metastasis, angiogenesis, and cancer stem cells of NPC; discussed lncRNAs related to Epstein-Barr virus infection; and summarized the role of lncRNAs in NPC treatment resistance. We have also sorted out lncRNAs related to Chinese medicine treatment. We believe that with the deepening of lncRNAs research, tumor-specific lncRNAs may become a new target for the treatment and a biomarker for predicting prognosis.

Revisiting Platinum-Based Anticancer Drugs to Overcome Gliomas

Although there are many patients with brain tumors worldwide, there are numerous difficulties in overcoming brain tumors. Among brain tumors, glioblastoma, with a 5-year survival rate of 5.1%, is the most malignant. In addition to surgical operations, chemotherapy and radiotherapy are generally performed, but the patients have very limited options. Temozolomide is the most commonly prescribed drug for patients with glioblastoma. However, it is difficult to completely remove the tumor with this drug alone. Therefore, it is necessary to discuss the potential of anticancer drugs, other than temozolomide, against glioblastomas. Since the discovery of cisplatin, platinum-based drugs have become one of the leading chemotherapeutic drugs. Although many studies have reported the efficacy of platinum-based anticancer drugs against various carcinomas, studies on their effectiveness against brain tumors are insufficient. In this review, we elucidated the anticancer effects and advantages of platinum-based drugs used in brain tumors. In addition, the cases and limitations of the clinical application of platinum-based drugs are summarized. As a solution to overcome these obstacles, we emphasized the potential of a novel approach to increase the effectiveness of platinum-based drugs.

Analysis of LncRNA-mRNA Co-Expression Profiles in Patients With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Pilot Study

Purpose

This study aimed to investigate the profiles of messenger RNAs (mRNAs) and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in peripheral blood samples collected from polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients. In addition, an in-depth bioinformatics analysis regarding the lncRNA-mRNA co-expression network was performed.

Methods

High-throughput sequencing was used to measure the profiles of mRNAs and lncRNAs expressed in the peripheral blood samples isolated from six patients (three patients with PCOS and three normal women). In addition, five differentially expressed lncRNAs were chosen to validate the results of high-throughput sequencing by quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR). Furthermore, a lncRNA-mRNA co-expression network was constructed using the Cytoscape software.

Results

A total of 14,276 differentially expressed mRNAs and 4,048 differentially expressed lncRNAs were obtained from the RNA-seq analysis of PCOS patients and healthy controls (adjusted q-value < 0.05, Fold change >2.0).The qRT-PCR results were consistent with the data obtained through high-throughput sequencing. Gene ontology (GO) and KEGG pathway analyses showed that the differentially expressed mRNAs were enriched in the chemokine signaling pathway. In addition, the analysis of the lncRNA-mRNA co-expression network of the chemokine signaling pathway showed the involvement of 6 mRNAs and 42 lncRNAs.

Conclusion

Clusters of mRNAs and lncRNAs were aberrantly expressed in the peripheral blood of PCOS patients compared with the controls. In addition, several pairs of lncRNA-mRNAs in the chemokine signaling pathway may be related to PCOS genetically.

LncRNA KLK8 modulates stem cell characteristics in colon cancer

BACKGROUND

Colon cancer, one of the most common and aggressive human malignancies, is the third leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Despite advances in systemic therapy, the 5-year survival rate of colon cancer patients remains at 30 % due to recurrence and metastasis. The poor prognosis is related to the presence of cancer stem cells (CSCs), and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a significant role in CSCs. Thus, understanding of the correlation between CSCs and lncRNA in colon cancer is of it is of great clinical significance.

METHOD

The expression of KLK8 expression in colon cancer tissues was determined by qRT-PCR. Colon cancer-derived CSCs could form sphere-like cell aggregates after 10 days of culturing in a serum-free medium. In addition, qRT-PCR and Western blotting were performed to assess the expression of CD44, Sox2, Oct4, and Nanog.

RESULTS

KLK8 was markedly upregulated in colon cancer tissues in comparison with normal tissues, and its expression was related to tumor size, TNM stage, and metastasis, and positively correlated with the expression of CSCs-related genes in colon cancer tissues.

CONCLUSIONS

Thus, KLK8 may serve as a potential prognostic and diagnostic biomarker in colon cancer patients.

Long non-coding RNA ADAMTS9-AS2 inhibits liver cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) ADAM metallopeptidase with thrombospondin type 1 motif 9 antisense RNA 2 (ADAMTS9-AS2) is involved in various types of cancer, such as ovarian cancer, lung cancer and clear cell renal cell carcinoma. However, the roles of ADAMTS9-AS2 in liver cancer are not completely understood. The present study aimed to determine the functional role of ADAMTS9-AS2 in human liver cancer and investigate the potential underlying molecular mechanisms. The expression levels of ADAMTS9-AS2 and ADAMTS9 were determined following ADAMTS9-AS2 overexpression and knockdown. The results indicated that ADAMTS9-AS2 overexpression and knockdown increased and decreased ADAMTS9 mRNA and protein expression levels, respectively, indicating that alterations in ADAMTS9 expression corresponded with ADAMTS9-AS2 expression. Subsequently, the effects of ADAMTS9-AS2 on liver cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion were analyzed by performing Cell Counting Kit-8, wound healing and Transwell assays, respectively. The results demonstrated that ADAMTS9-AS2 inhibited liver cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Finally, the effect of ADAMTS9 on PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway-associated proteins [AKT, phosphorylated-AKT, phosphatidylinositol-4, 5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit β (PIK3CB), mTOR and phosphorylated-mTOR], several key autophagy-related proteins [light chain 3-I/II (LC3-I/II), beclin 1 (BECN1) and sequestosome 1 (SQSTM1)] and apoptosis-related proteins (Bax and Bcl-2) was detected via western blotting. The results suggested that ADAMTS9-AS2 downregulated the phosphorylation of AKT and mTOR, the protein expression level of PIK3CB, as well as the expression levels of autophagy protein SQSTM1 and antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2. By contrast, ADAMTS9-AS2 upregulated the expression levels of autophagy proteins LC3-II and BECN1, and the proapoptotic protein Bax. Collectively, ADAMTS9-AS2 inhibited liver cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion via inhibiting the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. The present study provided a novel insight into the role of ADAMTS9-AS2 in liver cancer.

The Role of the Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Axl in Carcinogenesis and Development of Therapeutic Resistance: An Overview of Molecular Mechanisms and Future Applications

Resistance to chemotherapeutic agents by cancer cells has remained a major obstacle in the successful treatment of various cancers. Numerous factors such as DNA damage repair, cell death inhibition, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and evasion of apoptosis have all been implicated in the promotion of chemoresistance. The receptor tyrosine kinase Axl, a member of the TAM family (which includes TYRO3 and MER), plays an important role in the regulation of cellular processes such as proliferation, motility, survival, and immunologic response. The overexpression of Axl is reported in several solid and hematological malignancies, including non-small cell lung, prostate, breast, liver and gastric cancers, and acute myeloid leukaemia. The overexpression of Axl is associated with poor prognosis and the development of resistance to therapy. Reports show that Axl overexpression confers drug resistance in lung cancer and advances the emergence of tolerant cells. Axl is, therefore, an important candidate as a prognostic biomarker and target for anticancer therapies. In this review, we discuss the consequence of Axl upregulation in cancers, provide evidence for its role in cancer progression and the development of drug resistance. We will also discuss the therapeutic potential of Axl in the treatment of cancer.

lncRNA‑CASC15 promotes osteosarcoma proliferation and metastasis by regulating epithelial‑mesenchymal transition via the Wnt/β‑catenin signaling pathway

Osteosarcoma (OS) is a rare type of tumor and mostly occurs in children and adolescents. Approximately 10–25% of patients with OS have lung metastases, and lung damage caused by lung metastasis is the main cause of mortality. Therefore, studying the growth and metastasis of OS is key in reducing OS mortality and improving prognosis. The expression of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) cancer susceptibility 15 (CASC15) in OS patients or OS cell lines were quantified by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The expression of vimentin, E-cadherin, N-cadherin, and cyclin D were detected by RT-qPCR and western blotting. Mice were injected with OS cell lines via the tail vein to observe tumor formation in the lung. CCK-8 and EdU assays were utilized to evaluate cell proliferation. Both Ttranswell assay and cell scratch test detected cell migration. The results revealed that lncRNA-CASC15 was highly expressed in clinical samples and OS cells. In vitro verification experiments revealed that CASC15 promoted the growth of OS cells. Rescue experiments demonstrated that CASC15 affected the cell cycle by activating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, thereby promoting cell proliferation. Furthermore, the transfection dose test indicated that lentiviruses expressing various doses of CASC15-overexpression (oe-CASC15) altered the proliferation and migration status of OS cells. CASC15 promoted OS cell metastasis both in vivo and in vitro. The overexpression of CASC15 revealed that the occurrence of metastasis was also related to the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. The western blotting results revealed that CASC15 could lead to β-catenin entering the nucleus via the Wnt pathway to promote the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of OS cells. To sum up, CASC15 promoted the proliferation of OS cells in vitro and the growth of OS xenograft tumors in vivo. Moreover, CASC15 promoted the entry of β-catenin into the nucleus, thus activating the Wnt pathway and subsequently promoting the EMT of OS cells.

LINC01614 promotes osteosarcoma progression via miR-520a-3p/SNX3 axis

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been reported as essential regulators in osteosarcoma (OS), the most malignant bone tumor usually observed in children and adolescents. In the present study, we detected differentially expressed lncRNAs among OS tissues through RNA-sequencing. Then through bioinformatics analysis, we constructed the aberrant lncRNAs regulatory networks, and detected the key-lncRNAs. We identified LINC01614 was most significantly up-regulated among OS tissues, which was positively correlated with the worse prognosis. Through related in vitro experiments, we confirmed that knockdown of LINC01614 could inhibit the proliferation, invasion, and metastasis activities of OS cells. Furthermore, we identified LINC01614 may promote the proliferation and invasion activities of OS cells, via binding miR-520a-3p and increase the expression of SNX3. In conclusion, we identified lncRNAs participate in various malignant behaviors in OS. We also proved that LINC01614 could function as competing endogenous RNAs and promote the proliferation, and invasion of OS cells through miR-520a-3p/SNX3 axis, and thus acts as a novel prognostic marker for OS in clinic.

The value of lncRNAs as prognostic biomarkers on clinical outcomes in osteosarcoma: a meta-analysis

Background

In recent years, emerging studies have demonstrated critical functions and potential clinical applications of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) in osteosarcoma. To further validate the prognostic value of multiple lncRNAs, we have conducted this updated meta-analysis.

Methods

Literature retrieval was conducted by searching PubMed, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library (last update by October 2, 2019). A meta-analysis was performed to explore association between lncRNAs expression and overall survival (OS) of osteosarcoma patients. Relationships between lncRNAs expression and other clinicopathological features were also analyzed respectively.

Results

Overall, 4351 patients from 62 studies were included in this meta-analysis and 25 lncRNAs were identified. Pooled analyses showed that high expression of 14 lncRNAs connoted worse OS, while two lncRNAs were associated with positive outcome. Further, analysis toward osteosarcoma clinicopathologic features demonstrated that overexpression of TUG1 and XIST indicated poor clinical parameters of patients.

Conclusions

This meta-analysis has elucidated the prognostic potential of 16 lncRNAs in human osteosarcoma. Evidently, desperate expression and functional targets of these lncRNAs offer new approaches for prognosis and therapy of osteosarcoma.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12885-021-07882-w.

The role of EMT-related lncRNA in the process of triple-negative breast cancer metastasis

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most malignant and fatal subtype of breast cancer, which has characterized by negativity expression of ER, PR, and HER2. Metastasis is the main factor affecting the prognosis of TNBC, and the process of metastasis is related to abnormal activation of epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT). Recent studies have shown that long non-coding RNA (LncRNA) plays an important role in regulating the metastasis and invasion of TNBC. Therefore, based on the metastasis-related EMT signaling pathway, great efforts have confirmed that LncRNA is involved in the molecular mechanism of TNBC metastasis, which will provide new strategies to improve the treatment and prognosis of TNBC. In this review, we summarized many signal pathways related to EMT involved in the transfer process. The advances from the most recent studies of lncRNAs in the EMT-related signal pathways of TNBC metastasis. We also discussed the clinical research, application, and challenges of LncRNA in TNBC.

The critical roles of lncRNAs in the development of osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma is rare malignancy of childhood and adolescence, with high morbidity and mortality despite accomplishment of diverse therapeutic modalities. Identification of the underlying mechanism of osteosarcoma evolution would help in better management of this rare malignancy. Lots of investigations have described abnormal regulation of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in clinical specimens of osteosarcoma and the established cell lines. This malignancy has been associated with over-expression of TUG1, LOXL1-AS1, MIR100HG, NEAT1, HULC, ANRIL and a number of other lncRNAs, while under-expression of lots of lncRNAs including LncRNA-p21, FER1L4, GAS5, LncRNA NR_136400 and LINC-PINT. Expression amounts of LUCAT1, LINC00922, SNHG12, FOXC2-AS1 and OIP5-AS1 lncRNAs have been associated with response to a number of chemotherapeutic agents. Taken together, lncRNAs are possible targets for proposing novel advanced therapeutic modalities for osteosarcoma.

LncRNA DANCR represses Doxorubicin-induced apoptosis through stabilizing MALAT1 expression in colorectal cancer cells

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) DANCR has been reported to participate in key processes such as stem cell differentiation and tumorigenesis. In a high throughput screening for lncRNAs involved in Doxorubicin-induced apoptosis, we found DANCR was suppressed by Doxorubicin and it acted as an important repressor of apoptosis in colorectal cancer. Further studies demonstrated that DANCR promoted the oncogenic lncRNA MALAT1 expression via enhancing the RNA stability of MALAT1 to suppress apoptosis. MALAT1 could efficiently mediate the suppressive function of DANCR on apoptosis. Mechanistic studies found the RNA-binding protein QK served as an interacting partner of both DANCR and MALAT1, and the protein level of QK was subjected to the regulation by DANCR. Furthermore, QK was able to modulate the RNA stability of MALAT1, and the interaction between QK and MALAT1 was controlled by DANCR. In addition, QK could mediate the function of DANCR in regulating the expression of MALAT1 and suppressing apoptosis. These results revealed DANCR played a critical role in Doxorubicin-induced apoptosis in colorectal cancer cells, which was achieved by the interaction between DANCR and QK to enhance the expression of MALAT1.

Overexpression of LncRNA SNHG1 Were Suitable for Oncolytic Adenoviruse H101 Therapy in Oral Squamous-Cell Carcinoma

Background

As the most prevalent type of head and neck cancer, oral squamous-cell carcinoma (OSCC) accounts for nearly 90% of all oral cancer cases. Despite great progress having been made in the diagnosis and treatment of OSCC recently, the survival rate of OSCC patients has not risen remarkably. Chemotherapy is commonly used for OSCC treatment; however, the emergence of chemoresistance limits its long-term curative effect. Therefore, identifying effective biomarkers and molecular mechanisms is essential to the development of therapeutic strategies for OSCC.

Methods

qRT-PCR assays were performed to detect SNHG1 expression in OSCC tissue and cells, and CCK8 assays and animal experiments used to examine cell proliferation. In addition, CCK8 assays were used to detect IC₅₀ values of cisplatin, 5Fu, Dox, and oncolytic adenovirus H101.

Results

We found that SNHG1 was overexpressed in OSCC tissue and cells and was associated with OSCC progression. In addition, knockdown of SNHG1 suppressed cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Importantly, we found that oncolytic adenovirus H101 showed better antitumor effects in OSCC with high SNHG1 expression, and chemotherapy showed worse anti-tumor effects in OSCC with high SNHG1 expression.

Conclusion

SNHG1 can act as a diagnostic biomarker for OSCC, and may be a biomarker for treatment options.

Differentiation Antagonizing Non-protein Coding RNA Knockdown Alleviates Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Inflammatory Injury and Apoptosis in Human Chondrocyte Primary Chondrocyte Cells Through Upregulating miRNA-19a-3p

Objective

To confirm the role of long noncoding RNA differentiation antagonizing non‐protein coding RNA (DANCR) in chondrocyte inflammatory injury in osteoarthritis (OA) in vitro, as well as its molecular mechanism.

Methods

Human primary chondrocytes were treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to construct a chondrocyte inflammatory injury in human OA cell model. Gene expression was detected using real‐time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Cell inflammatory injury was evaluated by Cell Counting Kit‐8 assay, flow cytometry, and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. The interplay between miRNA‐19a‐3p (miR‐19a) and DANCR was validated by dual‐luciferase reporter assay and RNA immunoprecipitation.

Results

Expression of DANCR was upregulated, and miR‐19a was downregulated in human OA cartilage and LPS‐treated primary chondrocytes in vitro. Moreover, DANCR expression was inversely correlated with miR‐19a in OA patients. LPS reduced cell viability and increased the apoptotic rate and secretion of interleukin (IL)‐1β, IL‐6, IL‐8, as well as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α in primary chondrocyte cells in vitro, suggesting an inflammatory injury model of OA. Functionally, knockdown of DANCR could attenuate LPS‐induced apoptosis and inflammatory response, as evidenced by improved cell viability, and reduced apoptotic rate and products of IL‐1β, IL‐6, IL‐8, and TNF‐α. Notably, DANCR negatively regulated miR‐19a expression, presumably via sponging. Furthermore, miR‐19a deletion eliminated the effect of DANCR knockdown on apoptosis and the inflammatory response of primary chondrocytes under LPS stress.

Conclusion

Differentiation antagonizing non‐protein coding RNA silencing could protect human chondrocyte cells against LPS‐induced inflammatory injury and apoptosis through targeting miR‐19a, suggesting a vital role of the DANCR/miR‐19a axis in OA.