LINC00673 exerts oncogenic function in cervical cancer by negatively regulating miR-126-5p expression and activates PTEN/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway

LncRNA SLNCR1 facilitates angiogenesis and tumor growth in melanoma via DNMT1-mediated epigenetically silencing SPRY2

BACKGROUND

The malignancy of melanoma is attributed to its pronounced invasiveness, extensive vascularization, and rapid tumor cell growth and metastasis. LncRNA SLNCR1 is closely associated with a variety of aggressive tumors. However, our understanding of SLNCR1 influences on malignant melanoma growth metastasis mechanism especially proangiogenic mechanism remains unclear.

METHODS

The expression of SLNCR1 was evaluated in melanoma tissues, adjacent tissues, melanoma cell lines. The abilities of SLNCR1 on proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis of HUVECs were detected by CCK-8, flow cytometry, and Western blot assays. The association between SLNCR1, DNMT1, and SPRY2 was assessed by ChIP, RIP, and Western blot assays. The effect of SLNCR1 on tumor growth was determined using a xenograft model in nude mice.

RESULTS

SLNCR1 was confirmed to be highly expressed in melanoma tissues and cells. CM from melanoma cells transfected with sh-SLNCR1 attenuated proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis of HUVECs. Moreover, loss of SLNCR1 hindered tumor growth and metastasis, as evidenced by reduced tumor size and weight, as well as angiogenesis. Mechanistic studies revealed that SLNCR1 silenced SPRY2 expression, likely through enhancing DNMT1-mediated DNA methylation of SPRY2 promoter.

CONCLUSION

SLNCR1 is an oncogene that interacts with DNMT1 to mediate SPRY2 methylation, thereby suppressing SPRY2 expression and promoting the angiogenesis and tumor growth in melanoma. SLNCR1 may serve as a potential target for melanoma treatment.

A novel long non-coding RNA SLNCR1 promotes proliferation, migration, and invasion of melanoma via transcriptionally regulating SOX5

Steroid receptor RNA activator (SRA)-like non-coding RNA (SLNCR1) has been implicated in various tumorigenic processes, but the precise regulatory role in melanoma progression remains uncertain. We performed a comprehensive analysis to investigate the prognostic value of SLNCR1 expression in patients with melanoma by TCGA database and melanoma tissue samples via the Kaplan-Meier method. Subsequently, we conducted qRT-PCR and Fluorescence in Situ Hybridization (FISH) assays to identify SLNCR1 expression levels and localization in tissues and cells, respectively. Loss-of-function assays utilizing shRNAs vectors were used to investigate the potential impact of SLNCR1. Our data showed that SLNCR1 is significantly up-regulated in human malignant melanoma tissues and cell lines and functions as an oncogene. Silencing of SLNCR1 suppressed melanoma cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and inhibited tumorigenesis in a mouse xenograft model. Additionally, we employed bioinformatic predictive analysis, combined with dual-luciferase reporter analysis and functional rescue assays, to elucidate the mechanistic target of the SLNCR1/SOX5 axis in melanoma. Mechanistically, we discovered that SLNCR1 promotes EMT of human melanoma by targeting SOX5, as downregulation of SLNCR1 expression leads to a decrease in SOX5 protein levels and inhibits melanoma tumorigenesis. Our research offers promising insights for more precise diagnosis and treatment of human melanoma.

Long noncoding RNA polymorphisms in gynecological cancers

Gynecological malignancies are one of the main causes of cancer-induced mortality. Despite remarkable recent therapeutic advances, current therapeutic options are not sufficient. Regarding the effect of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) on cell differentiation, proliferation and apoptosis, variations in their expression cause different anomalies, such as tumorigenesis. SNPs influence lncRNA function and expression. LncRNA polymorphisms can predict cancer risk and are effective for early diagnosis and customized therapy. In this literature review, we comprehensively investigate the effect of lncRNA polymorphisms on gynecological cancers. LncRNA-related variants are proposed to evaluate cancer incidence, early detection and management of personalized therapy. Nonetheless, more studies are required to validate the consistency of current findings in numerous samples and across various ethnic groups.

NPHS2-6 drives cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) progression via hsa-miR-1323/SMC1B axis to activate PI3K-Akt pathway

PURPOSE

A substantial amount of evidence demonstrates suggests that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a key role in the progression of various malignancies, cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) included. In our study, we deeply investigated the role and molecular mechanism of lncRNA NPHS2-6 in CSCC.

METHODS

The expression level of gene and protein expression were measured by qRT-PCR and western blot. To test the cell proliferation and cell metastasis ability, we carried out the CCK-8 experiment, clone formation assay, transwell assay and wound healing, respectively. The interactivity among NPHS2-6, miR-1323 and SMC1B were co demonstrated using the bioinformatics tool, dual-luciferase reporter system, and RNA pulldown assay. The subcutaneous tumor model of nude mice was established to verify the results of previous studies at the in vivo. NPHS2-6 was upregulated in CSCC tissues and cells.

RESULTS

NPHS2-6 deficiency significantly inhibited CSCC cell growth and EMT in vitro. In addition, NPHS2-6 deficiency also inhibited the growth of CSCC xenograft tumors in mice in vivo. Importantly, NPHS2-6 was a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) to increases SMC1B levels by binding to miR-1323, leading to activate the PI3K/Akt pathway, thereby exacerbating tumorigenesis of CSCC.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, NPHS2-6/miR-1323/SMC1B/PI3K/Akt signaling accelerates the progression of CSCC, providing a new direction for the treatment strategy of CSCC.

MicroRNAs, long non-coding RNAs, and circular RNAs and gynecological cancers: focus on metastasis

Gynecologic cancer is a significant cause of death in women worldwide, with cervical cancer, ovarian cancer, and endometrial cancer being among the most well-known types. The initiation and progression of gynecologic cancers involve a variety of biological functions, including angiogenesis and metastasis-given that death mostly occurs from metastatic tumors that have invaded the surrounding tissues. Therefore, understanding the molecular pathways underlying gynecologic cancer metastasis is critical for enhancing patient survival and outcomes. Recent research has revealed the contribution of numerous non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) to metastasis and invasion of gynecologic cancer by affecting specific cellular pathways. This review focuses on three types of gynecologic cancer (ovarian, endometrial, and cervical) and three kinds of ncRNAs (long non-coding RNAs, microRNAs, and circular RNAs). We summarize the detailed role of non-coding RNAs in the different pathways and molecular interactions involved in the invasion and metastasis of these cancers.

Comparison of Oncogenes, Tumor Suppressors, and MicroRNAs Between Schizophrenia and Glioma: The Balance of Power

The risk of cancer in schizophrenia has been controversial. Confounders of the issue are cigarette smoking in schizophrenia, and antiproliferative effects of antipsychotic medications. The author has previously suggested comparison of a specific cancer like glioma to schizophrenia might help determine a more accurate relationship between cancer and schizophrenia. To accomplish this goal, the author performed three comparisons of data; the first a comparison of conventional tumor suppressors and oncogenes between schizophrenia and cancer including glioma. This comparison determined schizophrenia has both tumor-suppressive and tumor-promoting characteristics. A second, larger comparison between brain-expressed microRNAs in schizophrenia with their expression in glioma was then performed. This identified a core carcinogenic group of miRNAs in schizophrenia offset by a larger group of tumor-suppressive miRNAs. This proposed "balance of power" between oncogenes and tumor suppressors could cause neuroinflammation. This was assessed by a third comparison between schizophrenia, glioma and inflammation in asbestos-related lung cancer and mesothelioma (ALRCM). This revealed that schizophrenia shares more oncogenic similarity to ALRCM than glioma.

The mechanisms and diagnostic potential of lncRNAs, miRNAs, and their related signaling pathways in cervical cancer

Cervical cancer (CC), the fourth most prevalent type of cancer among women worldwide, is associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Due to the long period of latency in CC, most patients are already in the middle to late stages when initially diagnosed, which greatly reduces the clinical cure rate and quality of survival, thus resulting in poor outcomes. In recent years, with continuous exploration in the fields of bioinformatics and molecules, it has been found that ncRNAs, including miRNAs and lncRNAs, without the ability to translate proteins are capable of activating or inhibiting certain signaling pathways by targeting and modulating the level of expression of proteins involved in these signaling pathways. ncRNAs play important roles in assisting with diagnosis, drug administration, and prediction of prognosis during CC progression. As an entry point, the mechanisms of interaction between miRNAs, lncRNAs, and signaling pathways have long been a focus in basic research relating to CC, and numerous experimental studies have confirmed the close relationship of miRNAs, lncRNAs, and signaling pathways with CC development. Against this background, we summarize the latest advances in the involvement of lncRNA- and miRNA-related signaling pathways in the development of CC to provide guidance for CC treatment.

linc00958/miR-185-5p/RSF-1 modulates cisplatin resistance and angiogenesis through AKT1/GSK3β/VEGFA pathway in cervical cancer

BACKGROUND

Chemoresistance is one of the major obstacles that lead to poor prognosis in cervical cancer. linc00958 was reported to be an oncogene in cervical cancer. However, its role in mediating chemoresistance remains to be revealed.

PURPOSE

To explore the regulatory mechanisms of linc00958 in cisplatin-resistant cervical cancer cells and further validate in xenograft mice.

METHODS

Online bioinformatic tools were used to conduct the pre-investigation of linc00958/miR-185-5p/RSF-1 and predict the associations between RSF-1 and AKT1/GSK3β/VEGFA in cervical cancer. RT-qPCR measured the RNA expression levels of linc00958/miR-185-5p/RSF-1 in SiHa and SiHa/DDP. Cell survival rates were evaluated by CCK8 methods after cells were exposed to differential concentrations of DDP. Dual-luciferase reporter methods were used to measure luciferase activity. Western blot measured RSF-1 protein and phosphorylated changes of AKT1/GSK3β. Immunofluorescence was employed to observe VEGFA secretion in vitro. Tube formation was applied to evaluate the in-vitro changes of angiogenesis. The SiHa/DDP cells stably transfected with pLKO-sh-NC or pLKO-sh-linc00958 plasmids, were injected into mice, establishing xenograft models. The changes in mice weight and tumor volumes were recorded. H&E staining and Immunohistochemistry (IHC) method was further performed.

RESULTS

linc00958 expression was higher in SiHa/DDP cells. High linc00958 expression was associated with low overall survival. In SiHa/DDP cells linc00958/miR-185-5p/RSF-1 axis inhibited the cellular resistance to cisplatin and suppressed VEGFA and the tube formation through AKT1/GSK3β/VEGFA pathway. The knockdown of linc00958 inhibited RSF-1 and Ki67, curbing tumor growth; it also inhibited VEGFA and CD34, decreasing angiogenesis in mice.

CONCLUSION

linc00958/miR-185-5p/RSF-1 modulates cisplatin resistance and angiogenesis through AKT1/GSK3β/VEGFA pathway in cervical cancer.

Genetic Polymorphisms in microRNA Genes Targeting PI3K/Akt Signal Pathway Modulate Cervical Cancer Susceptibility in a Chinese Population

Polymorphisms in microRNA (miRNA) genes could influence the expression of miRNAs that regulate the PI3K/Akt signalling pathway and play crucial roles in cancer susceptibility. To investigate the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in miRNA genes of PI3K/Akt with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and cervical cancer (CC), nine SNPs located in miRNA genes were selected for genotyping, and the association of these SNPs with CIN and CC risk was evaluated. A total of 1,402 participants were enrolled in the current study, including 698 healthy individuals in the control group, 431 patients with CC, and 273 patients with CIN. Nine SNPs in miRNA genes (rs107822 in miR-219a, rs10877887 in let-7i, rs2292832 in miR-149, rs353293 in miR-143, rs3746444 in miR-499, rs3803808 in miR-132, rs4078756 in miR-10b, rs629367 in let-7a, and rs7372209 in miR-26a) were genotyped using MassArray, and the association of these SNPs with CIN and CC were analysed. The results showed that the frequencies of rs107822 in miR-219a and rs2292832 in miR-149 were significantly different between the control and CC groups (p < 0.005). The C allele of rs107822 in miR-219a was associated with an increased risk of CC (OR = 1.29, 95%CI:1.09–1.54) whereas the C allele of rs2292832 in miR-149 was associated with a decreased risk of CC (OR = 0.77, 95%CI:0.64–0.92). The results of inheritance model analysis showed that the best-fit inheritance models for rs107822 and rs2292832 were log-additive. The 2CC + CT genotype of rs107822 could be a risk factor for CC when compared with the TT genotype (OR = 1.28, 95%CI:1.08–1.51). The 2CC + CT genotype of rs2292832 could be a protective factor against CC when compared with the TT genotype (OR = 0.76, 95%CI:0.64–0.92). However, no association of these SNPs with CIN was found in the current study. Our results suggest that rs107822 in the promoter region of miR-219a and rs2292832 in pre-miR-149 region are associated with the risk of CC.

The Regulatory Functions and the Mechanisms of Long Non-Coding RNAs in Cervical Cancer

Cervical cancer is one of the leading causes of death in gynecology cancer worldwide. High-risk human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are the major etiological agents for cervical cancer. Still, other factors also contribute to cervical cancer development because these cancers commonly arise decades after initial exposure to HPV. So far, the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of cervical cancer are still quite limited, and a knowledge gap needs to be filled to help develop novel strategies that will ultimately facilitate the development of therapies and improve cervical cancer patient outcomes. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been increasingly shown to be involved in gene regulation, and the relevant role of lncRNAs in cervical cancer has recently been investigated. In this review, we summarize the recent progress in ascertaining the biological functions of lncRNAs in cervical cancer from the perspective of cervical cancer proliferation, invasion, and metastasis. In addition, we provide the current state of knowledge by discussing the molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation and emerging role of lncRNAs in the pathogenesis of cervical cancer. Comprehensive and deeper insights into lncRNA-mediated alterations and interactions in cellular events will help develop novel strategies to treat patients with cervical cancer.

Clinicopathological and Prognostic Significance of LINC00673 in Human Malignancy: A Review and Meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

We conducted this research to investigate the relationship between linc00673 expression and prognosis and clinicopathological parameters in human malignancies.

METHODS

The PubMed, Embase, WOS and CNKI databases were used to collect eligible research data before January 4, 2021. Meta-analysis was performed using Stata 12.0 software. Pooled ORs (odds ratios) or HRs (hazard ratios) and their 95% CIs were calculated to evaluate the association of linc00673 expression with survival outcomes and clinical parameters.

RESULTS

We finally included 17 articles and a total of 1539 cases for the meta-analysis. The results indicated that linc00673 was significantly correlated with T stage (P=0.006), tumour stage (P<0.001), lymph node metastasis (P<0.001), and distant metastasis ( P<0.001). In addition, the results suggested that elevated linc00673 expression predicted a poor overall survival time (P=0.034) and acted as an independent prognostic factor (P<0.001) for OS in patients with malignancy. Although potential evidence of publication bias was found in the studies on OS in relation to tumour stage in the multivariate analysis, the trim-and-fill analysis confirmed that the results remained stable.

CONCLUSION

Overexpression of linc00673 was significantly correlated with shorter OS time in patients with malignant tumours. Moreover, the increased expression level of linc00673 was significantly correlated with T stage, tumour stage, lymph node metastasis, and distant metastasis. The results presented in this article revealed that linc00673 might be involved in the progression and invasion of malignancy and serve as a novel prognostic biomarker and potential therapeutic target for malignancy.

Long non-coding RNA KCNQ1OT1 promotes cell viability and migration as well as inhibiting degradation of CHON-001 cells by regulating miR-126-5p/TRPS1 axis

BACKGROUND

Osteoarthritis (OA) is defined as a degenerative disease. Pivotal roles of long non-coding RNA (lncRNAs) in OA are widely elucidated. Herein, we intend to explore the function and molecular mechanism of lncRNA KCNQ1OT1 in CHON-001 cells.

METHODS

Relative expression of KCNQ1OT1, miR-126-5p and TRPS1 was determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Cell viability was examined by MTT assay. The migratory ability of chondrocytes was assessed by transwell assay. Western blot was used to determine relative protein expression of collagen II, MMP13 and TRPS1. Dual-luciferase reporter (DLR) assay was applied to test the target of lncRNA KCNQ1OT1 or miR-126-5p.

RESULTS

Relative expression of KCNQ1OT1 and TRPS1 was reduced, whereas miR-126-5p was augmented in cartilage tissues of post-traumatic OA patients compared to those of subjects without post-traumatic OA. Increased KCNQ1OT1 or decreased miR-126-5p enhanced cell viability and migration, and repressed extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation in CHON-001 cells. MiR-126-5p was the downstream target of KCNQ1OT1, and it could directly target TRPS1. There was an inverse correlation between KCNQ1OT1 and miR-126-5p or between miR-126-5p and TRPS1. Meantime, there was a positive correlation between KCNQ1OT1 and TRPS1. The promoting impacts of KCNQ1OT1 on cell viability and migration as well as the suppressive impact of KCNQ1OT1 on ECM degradation were partially abolished by miR-126-5p overexpression or TRPS1 knockdown in CHON-001 cells.

CONCLUSIONS

Overexpression of KCNQ1OT1 attenuates the development of OA by sponging miR-126-5p to target TRPS1. Our findings may provide a possible therapeutic strategy for human OA in clinic.

Overexpression of LINC00673 Promotes the Proliferation of Cervical Cancer Cells

Objective

To study the expression of LINC00673 in cervical cancer and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and to explore the role of LINC00673 in the development of cervical cancer.

Methods

The expression of LINC00673 in serum from cervical cancer patients, CIN patients, and healthy participants was detected by RT-qPCR. The function of LINC00673 in cervical cancer cells was analyzed using in vitro and in vivo experiments.

Results

Our results revealed that serum LINC00673 levels were highest in cervical cancer patients, followed by patients with CIN and healthy controls. In vitro experiments demonstrated that overexpression of LINC00673 enhanced the proliferation and cell cycle progression of HeLa and SiHa cells. In vivo experiments showed that the tumor weight and volume of nude mice subcutaneously injected with LINC00673-overexpressing HeLa cells were larger than those of nude mice injected with control cells (P < 0.05). Western blotting showed that cell cycle-related proteins cyclin A2 and cyclin E and interstitial-associated proteins Snail and N-cadherin were upregulated and p53 signaling pathway-related proteins were downregulated in LINC00673-overexpressing HeLa and SiHa cells.

Conclusion

LINC00673 plays an important role in the development of cervical cancer and may serve as a new therapeutic target for cervical cancer.