Circulating miR-26a, miR-106b, miR-107 and miR-133b stratify hepatocellular carcinoma patients according to their response to transarterial chemoembolization

Emerging role of circulating cell-free RNA as a non-invasive biomarker for hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a severe neoplastic disease associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. HCC is often detected at advanced stages leading to ineffective curative treatments. Recently, liquid biopsy has emerged as a non-invasive method to identify highly specific HCC biomarkers in bodily fluids such as blood, serum, urine, and saliva. Circulating cell-free nucleic acids (cfNAs), particularly cell-free DNA (cfDNA) and cell-free RNA (cfRNA), have become promising candidates for biomarkers in liquid biopsy applications. While cfDNA presented significant challenges, researchers have turned their attention to cfRNA, which can be efficiently identified through various methods and is considered a potential biomarker for cancer diagnosis and prognosis. This review primarily focuses on studies related to detecting various cfRNA in body fluids as biomarkers. The aim is to provide a summary of available information to assist researchers in their investigations and the development of new diagnostic and prognostic tools.

Prognostic insights, immune infiltration, and therapeutic response: Cytoplasmic poly(A) tail regulators in hepatocellular carcinoma

The presence of a poly(A) tail is indispensable for the post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression in cancer. This dynamic and modifiable feature of transcripts is under the control of various nuclear and cytoplasmic proteins. This study aimed to develop a novel cytoplasmic poly(A)-related signature for predicting prognosis, clinical attributes, tumor immune microenvironment (TIME), and treatment response in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Utilizing RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), non-negative matrix factorization (NMF), and principal-component analysis (PCA) were employed to categorize HCC patients into three clusters, thus demonstrating the pivotal prognostic role of cytoplasmic poly(A) tail regulators. Furthermore, machine learning algorithms such as least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), survival analysis, and Cox proportional hazards modeling were able to distinguish distinct cytoplasmic poly(A) subtypes. As a result, a 5-gene signature derived from TCGA was developed and validated using International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) HCC datasets. This novel classification based on cytoplasmic poly(A) regulators has the potential to improve prognostic predictions and provide guidance for chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) in HCC.

A Hypoxia-Related miRNA-mRNA Signature for Predicting the Response and Prognosis of Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Purpose

Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) is commonly used in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, not all patients respond to this treatment. TACE typically leads to hypoxia in the tumor microenvironment. Therefore, we aimed to construct a prognostic model based on hypoxia-related differentially expressed microRNA (miRNAs) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to investigate the potential target mRNAs for predicting TACE response.

Methods

The hypoxia-related miRNAs (HRMs) were identified in liver cancer cells, then global test was performed to further select the miRNAs which were associated with recurrence and vascular invasion. A prognostic model was constructed based on multivariate Cox regression analysis; qRT-PCR analysis was used to validate the differentially expressed miRNAs in HCC cell lines under hypoxic condition. We further identified the putative target genes of the miRNAs and investigate the relationship between the target genes and TACE response, immune cells infiltration.

Results

We established a HRMs prognostic model for HCC patients, containing two miRNAs (miR-638, miR-501-5p), the patients with high-HRMs score showed worse survival in discovery and validation cohort; qRT-PCR analysis confirmed that these two miRNAs are up-regulated in hepatoma cells under hypoxic condition. Furthermore, four putative target genes of these two miRNAs were identified (ADH1B, CTH, FTCD, RCL1), which were significantly associated with TACE response, immune score, immunosuppressive immune cells infiltration, PDCD1 and CTLA4.

Conclusion

The HCC-HRMs signature may be utilized as a promising prognostic factor and may have implications for guiding TACE and immune therapy.

Identification of the key genes and mechanisms associated with transcatheter arterial chemoembolisation refractoriness in hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Transcatheter arterial embolisation (TACE) is the primary treatment for intermediate-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients while some HCC cases have shown resistance to TACE.

AIM

To investigate the key genes and potential mechanisms correlated with TACE refractoriness in HCC.

METHODS

The microarray datasets of TACE-treated HCC tissues, HCC and non-HCC tissues were collected by searching multiple public databases. The respective differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were attained via limma R package. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis was employed for identifying the significant modules related to TACE non-response. TACE refractoriness-related genes were obtained by intersecting up-regulated TACE-associated and HCC-associated DEGs together with the genes in significant modules related to TACE non-response. The key genes expression in the above two pairs of samples was compared respectively via Wilcoxon tests and standard mean differences model. The prognostic value of the key genes was evaluated by Kaplan-Meier curve. Multivariate analysis was utilised to investigate the independent prognostic factor in key genes. Single-cell RNA (scRNA) sequencing analysis was conducted to explore the cell types in HCC. TACE refractoriness-related genes activity was calculated via AUCell packages. The CellChat R package was used for the investigation of the cell-cell communication between the identified cell types.

RESULTS

HCC tissues of TACE non-responders (n = 66) and TACE responders (n = 81), HCC (n = 3941) and non-HCC (n = 3443) tissues were obtained. The five key genes, DLG associated protein 5 (DLGAP5), Kinesin family member 20A (KIF20A), Assembly factor for spindle microtubules (ASPM), Kinesin family member 11 (KIF11) and TPX2 microtubule nucleation factor (TPX2) in TACE refractoriness-related genes, were identified. The five key genes were all up-regulated in the TACE non-responders group and the HCC group. High expression of the five key genes predicted poor prognosis in HCC. Among the key genes, TPX2 was an independent prognostic factor. Four cell types, hepatocytes, embryonic stem cells, T cells and B cells, were identified in the HCC tissues. The TACE refractoriness-related genes expressed primarily in hepatocytes and embryonic stem cells. Hepatocytes, as the providers of ligands, had the strongest interaction with embryonic stem cells that provided receptors.

CONCLUSION

Five key genes (DLGAP5, KIF20A, ASPM, KIF11 and TPX2) were identified as promoting refractory TACE. Hepatocytes and embryonic stem cells were likely to boost TACE refractoriness.

Combating drug resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma: No awareness today, no action tomorrow

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the sixth most common cancer worldwide, is associated with a high degree of malignancy and poor prognosis. Patients with early HCC may benefit from surgical resection to remove tumor tissue and a margin of healthy tissue surrounding it. Unfortunately, most patients with HCC are diagnosed at an advanced or distant stage, at which point resection is not feasible. Systemic therapy is now routinely prescribed to patients with advanced HCC; however, drug resistance has become a major obstacle to the treatment of HCC and exploring purported mechanisms promoting drug resistance remains a challenge. Here, we focus on the determinants of drug resistance from the perspective of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), liver cancer stem cells (LCSCs), autophagy, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), exosomes, ferroptosis, and the tumor microenvironment (TME), with the aim to provide new insights into HCC treatment.

Research progress of circulating non-coding RNA in diagnosis and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly malignant tumor that carries a significant risk of morbidity and mortality. This type of cancer is prevalent in Asia due to the widespread presence of risk factors. Unfortunately, HCC often goes undetected until it has reached an advanced stage, making early detection and treatment critical for better outcomes. Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is commonly used in clinical practice for diagnosing HCC, but its sensitivity and specificity are limited. While surgery and liver transplantation are the main radical treatments, drug therapy and local interventions are better options for patients with advanced HCC. Accurately assessing treatment efficacy and adjusting plans in a timely manner can significantly improve the prognosis of HCC. Non-coding RNA gene transcription products cannot participate in protein production, but they can regulate gene expression and protein function through the regulation of transcription and translation processes. These non-coding RNAs have been found to be associated with tumor development in various types of tumors. Noncoding RNA released by tumor or blood cells can circulate in the blood and serve as a biomarker for diagnosis, prognosis, and efficacy assessment. This article explores the unique role of circulating noncoding RNA in HCC from various perspectives.

Cisplatin in Liver Cancer Therapy

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver tumor and is often diagnosed at an unresectable advanced stage. Systemic chemotherapy as well as transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) are used to treat advanced HCC. TACE and HAIC have long been the standard of care for patients with unresectable HCC but are limited to the treatment of intrahepatic lesions. Systemic chemotherapy with doxorubicin or chemohormonal therapy with tamoxifen have also been considered, but neither has demonstrated survival benefits. In the treatment of unresectable advanced HCC, cisplatin is administered transhepatic arterially for local treatment. Subsequently, for cisplatin-refractory cases due to drug resistance, a shift to systemic therapy with a different mechanism of action is expected to produce new antitumor effects. Cisplatin is also used for the treatment of liver tumors other than HCC. This review summarizes the action and resistance mechanism of cisplatin and describes the treatment of the major hepatobiliary cancers for which cisplatin is used as an anticancer agent, with a focus on HCC.

Effects of miR-107 on Breast Cancer Cell Growth and Death via Regulation of the PTEN/AKT Signaling Pathway

Objective

Investigate the influence of miR-107 on breast cancer cell growth and death through the PTEN/AKT signaling pathway.

Method

As study subjects, the human breast cancer cell line MCF-7 and the normal breast cell line Hs 578Bst were chosen, and MCF-7 cells were, respectively, transfected with control miRNA and miR-107 inhibitor. CCK-8, flow cytometry, scratch assay, and Transwell assay were used to analyze the proliferation, apoptosis, and invasion, and in order to identify the proteins associated with apoptosis in each of the three categories, we used western blot analysis. Bcl-2, cleaved caspase-3, and cleaved caspase-9 expression, as well as PTEN/AKT signaling pathway-associated protein expression, are correlated.

Result

The expression of miR-107 in MCF-7 cells was significantly greater than that in Hs 578Bst cells, with a P < 0.05 difference; compared to the blank and miRNA control groups, the miR-107 inhibitor group had a P < 0.05 difference. P < 0.05 showed a decrease in proliferation (42.52) but no difference in proliferation between the blank and miRNA control groups (P > 0.05); the miR-107 inhibitor group had higher apoptosis (38.96) with P < 0.05 than the blank group (4.85) and the miRNA control group (5.89); there was no difference in apoptosis between the blank and miRNA groups (P > 0.05). There was no significant difference between the blank group and the miRNA control group with P > 0.05; compared with the blank group, the miR-107 inhibitor group had a lower expression of Bcl-2 protein (0.18), in addition to the degraded paradigms (0.73) and caspase-9 protein concentrations (0.79), respectively.

Conclusion

The PTEN/AKT signaling pathway may be regulated by miR-107 to limit breast cancer cell growth and increase apoptosis, which suggests that miR-107 may be exploited as a tumor marker for therapeutic therapy.

Comprehensive analysis of the clinical significance, immune infiltration, and biological role of MARCH ligases in HCC

The membrane‐associated RING‐CH (MARCH) family, a member of the E3 ubiquitin ligases, has been confirmed by a growing number of studies to be associated with immune function and has been highlighted as a potential immunotherapy target. In our research, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients were divided into C1 and C2 MARCH ligase-related patterns by the non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) algorithm. Multiple analyses revealed that the MARCH ligase-related cluster was related to prognosis, clinicopathological characteristics, and the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME). Next, the signature (risk score) of the MARCH prognosis was constructed, including eight genes associated with the MARCH ligase (CYP2C9, G6PD, SLC1A5, SPP1, ANXA10, CDC20, PON1, and FTCD). The risk score showed accuracy and stability. We found that the correlations between risk score and TIME, tumor mutation burden (TMB), prognosis, and clinicopathological characteristics were significant. Additionally, the risk score also had important guiding significance for HCC treatment, including chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and transarterial chemoembolization (TACE).

miR-106b as an emerging therapeutic target in cancer

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) comprise short non-coding RNAs that function in regulating the expression of tumor suppressors or oncogenes and modulate oncogenic signaling pathways in cancer. miRNAs expression alters significantly in several tumor tissues and cancer cell lines. For example, miR-106b functions as an oncogene and increases in multiple cancers. The miR-106b directly targets genes involved in tumorigenesis, proliferation, invasion, migration, and metastases. This review has focused on the miR-106b function and its downstream target in different cancers and provide perspective into how miR-106 regulates cancer cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and metastases by regulating the tumor suppressor genes. Since miRNAs-based therapies are currently being developed to enhance cancer therapy outcomes, miR-106b could be an attractive and prospective candidate in different cancer types for detection, diagnosis, and prognosis assessment in the tumor.

MicroRNAs Related to TACE Treatment Response: A Review of the Literature from a Radiological Point of View

Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common cancer in the world. Patients with intermediate stage (Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer, B stage) hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have been able to benefit from TACE (transarterial chemoembolization) as a treatment option. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), i.e., a subclass of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), participate in post-transcriptional gene regulation processes and miRNA dysfunction has been associated with apoptosis resistance, cellular proliferation, tumor genesis, and progression. Only a few studies have investigated the role of miRNAs as biomarkers predicting TACE treatment response in HCC. Here, we review the studies’ characteristics from a radiological point of view, also correlating data with radiological images chosen from the cases of our institution.

Mechanisms of Pharmacoresistance in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: New Drugs but Old Problems

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a malignancy with poor prognosis when diagnosed at advanced stages in which curative treatments are no longer applicable. A small group of these patients may still benefit from transarterial chemoembolization. The only therapeutic option for most patients with advanced HCC is systemic pharmacological treatments based on tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and immunotherapy. Available drugs only slightly increase survival, as tumor cells possess additive and synergistic mechanisms of pharmacoresistance (MPRs) prior to or enhanced during treatment. Understanding the molecular basis of MPRs is crucial to elucidate the genetic signature underlying HCC resistome. This will permit the selection of biomarkers to predict drug treatment response and identify tumor weaknesses in a personalized and dynamic way. In this article, we have reviewed the role of MPRs in current first-line drugs and the combinations of immunotherapeutic agents with novel TKIs being tested in the treatment of advanced HCC.

Prognostic Value of Serum Apolipoprotein B to Apolipoprotein A-I Ratio in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients Treated with Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization: A Propensity Score-Matched Analysis

INTRODUCTION

The prognosis of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) varies in patients receiving transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE). In this study, we aimed to assess the prognostic value of serum apolipoprotein B (ApoB)/apolipoprotein A-I (ApoA-I) in this group of patients.

METHODS

The serum lipid levels of HCC patients undergoing TACE were obtained from routine preoperative blood lipid examination. A propensity score-matched (PSM) analysis was used to eliminate the imbalance of baseline characteristics of the high and low ApoB/ApoA-I groups. Then, univariate and multivariate analysis were conducted to evaluate the prognostic value of ApoB/ApoA-I.

RESULTS

In 455 HCC patients treated with TACE, ApoB/ApoA-I was positively correlated with AFP, T stage, distant metastasis, and TNM stage (p < 0.05). Patients with high ApoB/ApoA-I had a significantly shorter overall survival (OS) than those with low ApoB/ApoA-I (median OS, 21.7 vs. 39.6 months, p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis indicated that ApoB/ApoA-I was an independent prognostic index for OS (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.42, p = 0.008). After baseline characteristics were balanced, 288 patients were included in the PSM cohort. In this cohort, high ApoB/ApoA-I still predicted inferior OS in both univariate analysis (median OS, 27.6 vs. 39.3 months, p = 0.002) and multivariate analysis (HR = 1.58, p = 0.006).

CONCLUSION

Serum ApoB/ApoA-I is a useful biomarker in predicting aggressive clinicopathological characteristics and poor prognosis in HCC patients treated with TACE.

Liquid Biopsy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Where Are We Now?

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading causes of cancer related death worldwide. Diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive biomarkers are urgently needed in order to improve patient survival. Indeed, the most widely used biomarkers, such as alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), have limited accuracy as both diagnostic and prognostic tests. Liver biopsy provides an insight on the biology of the tumor, but it is an invasive procedure, not routinely used, and not representative of the whole neoplasia due to the demonstrated intra-tumoral heterogeneity. In recent years, liquid biopsy, defined as the molecular analysis of cancer by-products, released by the tumor in the bloodstream, emerged as an appealing source of new biomarkers. Several studies focused on evaluating extracellular vesicles, circulating tumor cells, cell-free DNA and non-coding RNA as novel reliable biomarkers. In this review, we aimed to provide a comprehensive overview on the most relevant available evidence on novel circulating biomarkers for early diagnosis, prognostic stratification, and therapeutic monitoring. Liquid biopsy seems to be a very promising instrument and, in the near future, some of these new non-invasive tools will probably change the clinical management of HCC patients.

Tumor Biomarkers and Interventional Oncology: Impact on Local Outcomes for Liver and Lung Malignancy

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Interventional oncology (IO) loco-regional treatments are widely utilized in clinical practice. However, local tumor control rates are still widely variable. There is a need to identify and develop novel biomarkers prognosticators following IO therapies. Here, we review the current literature on molecular tumor biomarkers in IO, mainly focusing on patients with liver and lung cancers.

RECENT FINDINGS

RAS mutation is a prognosticator for patients with colorectal liver metastases. Several promising serum metabolites, gene signatures, circulating tumor nucleotides, and peptides are being evaluated for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Ki-67 and RAS mutation are independent risk factors for local tumor progression in the ablation of lung cancer. The relevant interplay between specific tumor biomarkers and IO loco-regional therapies outcomes has brought a new vision in the management of cancer. Further evolution of personalized interventional oncology accordingly to tumor biomarkers should improve oncologic outcomes for patients receiving IO therapies.

Serum levels of circulating microRNA-107 are elevated in patients with early-stage HCC

Background

Early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common primary liver malignancy, is crucial to offer patients a potentially curative treatment strategy such as surgical resection or liver transplantation (LT). However, easily accessible biomarkers facilitating an early diagnosis of HCC as well as a reliable risk prediction are currently missing. The microRNA(miR)-107 has recently been described as a driver of HCC in both murine and human HCC but data on circulating miR-107 in HCC patients are scarce. In the present study, we evaluated a potential diagnostic and/or prognostic role of circulating miR-107 in patients undergoing tumor resection or LT for early-stage HCC.

Methods

The Kmplot bioinformatic tool was used to query publicly available databases (including TCGA, GEO and EGA) in order to analyse the prognostic value of tumoral miR-107 expression in HCC patients (n = 372). Serum levels of miR-107 were measured by qPCR in n = 45 HCC patients undergoing surgical tumor resection (n = 37) or LT (n = 8) as well as n = 18 healthy control samples. Results were correlated with clinical data.

Results

A high tumoral expression of miR-107 was associated with a significantly better overall survival compared to patients with low miR-107 expression levels (HR 0.69, 95% CI 0.48–0.99, p = 0.041). In addition, serum levels of miR-107 were significantly higher in HCC patients when compared to healthy controls. However, miR-107 serum levels in HCC patients were independent of different disease etiology, tumor stage or tumor grading. HCC patients with baseline miR-107 expression levels above a calculated ideal prognostic cut-off value (9.82) showed a clear trend towards an impaired overall survival (p = 0.119).

Conclusion

Tumoral miR-107 expression levels are a potential prognostic marker in early stage HCC. Furthermore, we describe a potential role of circulating miR-107 levels as a diagnostic biomarker in patients with early-stage HCC.

Effects of Atrial Fibrillation-Derived Exosome Delivery of miR-107 to Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells

The aim of this study was to explore the effects of atrial fibrillation (AF)-derived exosome delivery of miR-107 to human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and its related mechanisms. Exosomes were isolated from the plasma of patients with AF and healthy controls, followed by characterization. The expression levels of miR-320d, miR-103a-3p, and miR-107 were measured using real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). The dual-luciferase reporter gene was used to verify the downstream target of miR-107. Afterward, HUVECs were treated with AF-derived exosomes or transfected with miR-107 mimics. After cell culture, Cell Counting Kit-8, Transwell, and flow cytometry were used to determine cell viability, migration, and apoptosis and cell cycle phase. Finally, RT-qPCR was performed to examine the expression of related genes. NanoSight, transmission electron microscopy, and western blotting showed that exosomes were successfully isolated, and that AF-derived exosomes could be taken up by HUVECs. The expression of miR-107 was significantly higher in AF-derived exosomes than in normal exosomes (p < 0.05). USP14 was shown to be the direct target of miR-107. In addition, miR-107 mimics and AF-derived exosomes significantly suppressed cell viability and migration (p < 0.05) and enhanced cell apoptosis; they also increased G0/G1-phase cells and reduced S-phase cells. RT-qPCR showed that exosomal miR-107 overexpression significantly downregulated the expression of USP14 and Bcl2 (p < 0.05), whereas it markedly upregulated the expression of ERK2, FAK, and Bax (p < 0.05). AF-derived exosomes can deliver miR-107 to HUVECs, and exosomal miR-107 may regulate cell viability, migration, and apoptosis and cell cycle progression by mediating the miR-107/USP14 pathway.

Integration of transcriptomes analysis with spectral signature of total RNA for generation of affordable remote sensing of Hepatocellular carcinoma in serum clinical specimens

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major global health problem with about 841,000 new cases and 782,000 deaths annually, due to lacking early biomarker/s, and centralized diagnosis. Transcriptomes research despite its infancy has proved excellence in its implementation in identifying a coherent specific cancer RNAs differential expression. However, results are sometimes overlapped by other cancer types which negatively affecting specificity, plus the high cost of the equipment used. Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) is an advanced tool with unique, spectroscopic features, is an emerging tool that has widely been used in cancer detection. Herein, a pilot study has been performed for HCC diagnosis, by exploiting HIS properties and the analysis of the transcriptome for the development of non-invasive remote HCC sensing. HSI data cube images of the sera extracted total RNA have been analyzed in HCC, normal subject, liver benign tumor, and chronic HCV with cirrhotic/non-cirrhotic liver groups. Data analyses have revealed a specific spectral signature for all groups and can be easily discriminated; at the computed optimum wavelength. Moreover, we have developed a simple setup based on a commercial laser pointer for sample illumination and a Smartphone CCD camera, with HSI consistent data output. We hypothesized that RNA differential expression and its spatial organization/folding are the key players in the obtained spectral signatures. To the best of our knowledge, we are the first to use HSI for sensing cancer based on total RNA in serum, using a Smartphone CCD camera/laser pointer. The proposed biosensor is simple, rapid (2 min), and affordable with specificity and sensitivity of more than 98% and high accuracy.

Expression and function of Ndel1 during the differentiation of neural stem cells induced by hippocampal exosomesticle

BACKGROUND

In the brain of adult mammals, neural stem cells persist in the subventricular zone of the lateral ventricle and the subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus, which are specialized niches with proliferative capacity. Most neural stem cells are in a quiescent state, but in response to extrinsic stimuli, they can exit from quiescence and become reactivated to produce new neurons, so neural stem cells are considered to be a potential source for cell replacement therapy of many nervous system diseases. We characterized the expression of Ndel1 during the differentiation of neural stem cells induced by hippocampus exosomes, and assessed the effect of Ndel1 on neural stem cells differentiation.

METHODS

Hippocampal exosomes were isolated and extracted, and co-cultured exosomes with neural stem cells. Western blot, flow cytometry, and immunofluorescence analyses were used to analyze expression of neuronal markers. Further, utilizing high-throughput RNA sequencing technology, we found that nudE neurodevelopment protein 1-like 1 was significantly upregulated in exosomes derived from denervated hippocampus, and then characterized its mechanism and function during neural stem cells differentiation by qRT-PCR, western blot, flow cytometry, and immunofluorescence analyses.

RESULTS

Our results revealed that exosomes of denervated hippocampus promoted the differentiation of neural stem cells into neuron. Hence, we identified that nudE neurodevelopment protein 1-like 1 was significantly upregulated and highly expressed in the nervous system. In addition, we found that miR-107-3p may regulate neural stem cell differentiation by targeting Ndel1.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results revealed that deafferentation of the hippocampal exosomes co-cultured with neural stem cells could promote them to differentiate into neurons. Hence, we found that miR-107-3p may regulate neural stem cells differentiation by targeting Ndel1. Importantly, Ndel1 enhanced spatial learning and hippocampal neurogenesis in rats after fimbria fornix transection in vivo. These findings set the stage for a better understanding of neurogenesis, a process that 1 day may inspire new treatments for central nervous system diseases.

Liquid Biopsies in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Are We Winning?

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents the sixth most common cancer worldwide and the third most common cause of cancer-related death. One of the major problems faced by researchers and clinicians in this area is the lack of reliable disease biomarkers, which would allow for an earlier diagnosis, follow-up or prediction of treatment response, among others. In this regard, the “HCC circulome”, defined as the pool of circulating molecules in the bloodstream derived from the primary tumor, represents an appealing target, the so called liquid biopsy. Such molecules encompass circulating tumor proteins, circulating tumor cells (CTCs), extracellular vesicles (EVs), tumor-educated platelets (TEPs), and circulating tumor nucleic acids, namely circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) and circulating tumor RNA (ctRNA). In this article, we summarize recent findings highlighting the promising role of liquid biopsies as novel potential biomarkers in HCC, emphasizing on its clinical performance.

PEX5, a novel target of microRNA-31-5p, increases radioresistance in hepatocellular carcinoma by activating Wnt/β-catenin signaling and homologous recombination

Rationale: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide, with high recurrence and metastasis rates. Although radiation is an effective treatment for tumors, it is often limited by intrinsic radioresistance in HCC. The contributions of dysregulated microRNAs, including miR-31-5p, to HCC progression have been recently reported. However, the role of miR-31-5p in the radiation response of HCC is unknown. In this study, we aimed to investigate the impact of miR-31-5p on HCC radiosensitivity.

Methods: miR-31-5p expression in HCC tissues, paired adjacent tissues, and HCC cell lines was measured using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and in situ hybridization. Bioinformatic analyses, gain- and loss-of-function experiments, and luciferase reporter assays were performed to validate peroxisomal biogenesis factor 5 (PEX5) as a direct target of miR-31-5p. The biofunctions of PEX5 and miR-31-5p in HCC were determined by Transwell, wound-healing, and Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK8) assays. A colony formation assay was used to evaluate the radiosensitivity of HCC cells. The interaction among PEX5, β-catenin, Rac1, and JNK-2 was confirmed by coimmunoprecipitation. A xenograft tumor model was established to validate the effects of miR-31-5p and PEX5 on HCC progression and radiosensitivity in vivo.

Results: Low expression of miR-31-5p in HCC specimens, as observed in this study, predicted a poor clinical outcome. However, the expression pattern of PEX5, as a direct target of miR-31-5p, was opposite that of miR-31-5p, and high PEX5 expression indicated poor prognosis in HCC patients. Ectopic expression of PEX5 increased the proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities and enhanced the radioresistance of HCC cells in vitro and in vivo; however, these phenotypes were inhibited by miR-31-5p. Mechanistically, PEX5 stabilized cytoplasmic β-catenin and facilitated β-catenin nuclear translocation to activate Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Moreover, upon radiation exposure, PEX5 reduced excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and activated the homologous recombination (HR) pathway, which protected HCC cells from radiation-induced damage.

Conclusions: Our findings demonstrated a novel role for PEX5 as a miR-31-5p target and a mediator of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling and HR pathways, providing new insights into studying HCC radiation responses and implicating PEX5 and miR-31-5p as potential therapeutic targets in HCC.

Clinical value of LHPP-associated microRNAs combined with protein induced by vitamin K deficiency or antagonist-II in the diagnosis of alpha-fetoprotein-negative hepatocellular carcinoma

Background

Alpha‐fetoprotein (AFP) has received extensive attention in the differential diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), especially for AFP‐negative HCC (AFP‐NHCC). The current study aimed to explore the value of targeted regulation of LHPP expression‐related microRNAs (miRs) and protein induced by vitamin K deficiency or antagonist‐II (PIVKA‐II) in the differential diagnosis of AFP‐NHCC.

Methods

A retrospective study was conducted on a testing set—including 214 AFP‐NHCC patients, 200 cirrhosis, and 210 controls, and a validation set—including 140 AFP‐NHCC patients, 134 cirrhosis, and 128 controls recruited from The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Normal University. Serum miRs were examined using quantitative real‐time PCR method. Serum PIVKA‐II was measured by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay.

Results

Compared with adjacent tissues, LHPP protein levels in cancer tissues were significantly decreased (P < .05). Predictive software and dual‐luciferase reporter assays showed that miR‐363‐5p and miR‐765 can target LHPP expression. Serum miR‐363‐5p, miR‐765, and PIVKA‐II levels were significantly higher in AFP‐HCC patients than in cirrhosis and controls. A logistic regression model combining miR‐363‐5p, miR‐765, and PIVKA‐II was performed. This model presented a high discriminating value (AUC: 0.930, sensitivity/specificity: 79.4%/95.4%) than any single indicator. In the validation set, this model still showed a high discriminating value (AUC: 0.936, sensitivity/specificity: 83.6%/94.7%).

Conclusion

Current model combining serum miR‐363‐5p, miR‐765, and PIVKA‐II has potential significance for diagnosis of AFP‐NHCC.