Long non-coding RNAs as a determinant of cancer drug resistance: Towards the overcoming of chemoresistance via modulation of lncRNAs

LOC730101 improves ovarian cancer drug sensitivity by inhibiting autophagy-mediated DNA damage repair via BECN1

Drug resistance and recurrence are still the bottlenecks in the clinical treatment of ovarian cancer (OC), seriously affecting patients' prognosis. Therefore, it is an urgent challenge for OC to be overcome towards precision therapy by studying the mechanism of OC drug resistance, finding new drug resistance targets and developing new effective treatment strategies. In this study, we found that lncRNA LOC730101 played an essential role in attenuating drug resistance in OC. LOC730101 was significantly down-regulated in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer tissues, and ectopic overexpression of LOC730101 substantially increased chemotherapy-induced apoptosis. Mechanistically, LOC730101 specifically binds to BECN1 and inhibits the formation of autophagosome BECN1/VPS34 by reducing phosphorylation of BECN1, thereby inhibiting autophagy and promoting drug sensitivity in ovarian cancer cells following treatment with cisplatin and PARP inhibitors. Moreover, LOC730101 inhibits the expression and activity of RNF168 via p62, which in turn affects H2A ubiquitination-mediated DNA damage repair and promotes drug sensitivity in ovarian cancer cells. Our findings demonstrated that LOC730101 played an important role in regulating the formation of the autophagic complex and that inhibition of autophagy significantly enhances the drug sensitivity of OC. And LOC730101 may be used as a prognostic marker to predict the sensitivity of OC to platinum and PARP inhibitors.

Non-coding RNA: A key regulator in the Glutathione-GPX4 pathway of ferroptosis

Ferroptosis, a form of regulated cell death, has emerged as a crucial process in diverse pathophysiological states, encompassing cancer, neurodegenerative ailments, and ischemia-reperfusion injury. The glutathione (GSH)-dependent lipid peroxidation pathway, chiefly governed by glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), assumes an essential part in driving ferroptosis. GPX4, as the principal orchestrator of ferroptosis, has garnered significant attention across cancer, cardiovascular, and neuroscience domains over the past decade. Noteworthy investigations have elucidated the indispensable functions of ferroptosis in numerous diseases, including tumorigenesis, wherein robust ferroptosis within cells can impede tumor advancement. Recent research has underscored the complex regulatory role of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in regulating the GSH-GPX4 network, thus influencing cellular susceptibility to ferroptosis. This exhaustive review endeavors to probe into the multifaceted processes by which ncRNAs control the GSH-GPX4 network in ferroptosis. Specifically, we delve into the functions of miRNAs, lncRNAs, and circRNAs in regulating GPX4 expression and impacting cellular susceptibility to ferroptosis. Moreover, we discuss the clinical implications of dysregulated interactions between ncRNAs and GPX4 in several conditions, underscoring their capacity as viable targets for therapeutic intervention. Additionally, the review explores emerging strategies aimed at targeting ncRNAs to modulate the GSH-GPX4 pathway and manipulate ferroptosis for therapeutic advantage. A comprehensive understanding of these intricate regulatory networks furnishes insights into innovative therapeutic avenues for diseases associated with perturbed ferroptosis, thereby laying the groundwork for therapeutic interventions targeting ncRNAs in ferroptosis-related pathological conditions.

LncRNA-mediated regulation of cisplatin response in breast cancer

Breast cancer is a prevalent and aggressive disease characterized by high metastasis, recurrence, and mortality rates. While cisplatin is an effective chemotherapy drug, its use is limited by its toxic effects on the body. Despite advancements in therapeutic strategies, the therapeutic response is often unsatisfactory due to drug resistance, leading to poor prognosis. Recent studies have shown that cisplatin interacts with long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and accelerates the development of resistance in tumor cells to therapy. This interaction highlights the complex mechanisms involved in the response of cancer cells to chemotherapy. Several lncRNAs have been identified as key players in mediating cisplatin resistance in breast cancer. These lncRNAs include SNHG15, HULC, HCP5, MT1JP, LncMat2B, DLX6-ASL, Linc00665, CARMN, and Lnc-EinRP44-3:6. These lncRNAs have been shown to target microRNAs and mRNAs and modulate the expression of genes involved in cisplatin resistance, which is important in treating breast cancer.

MicroRNA-mediated regulation of Ferroptosis: Implications for disease pathogenesis and therapeutic interventions

Ferroptosis, a form of iron-dependent regulated cell death, is characterized by the accumulation of lipid peroxides and distinctive morphological features. Moreover, the reduction of intracellular antioxidant enzyme expression or activity, specifically glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) results in activation of the endogenous pathway of ferroptosis. In this review, we aimed to explore the intricate interplay between microRNAs (miRNAs) and ferroptosis, shedding light on its implications in various disease pathologies. This review delves into the role of miRNAs in modulating key regulators of ferroptosis, including genes involved in iron metabolism, lipid peroxidation, and antioxidant defenses. Furthermore, the potential of targeting miRNAs for therapeutic interventions in ferroptosis-related diseases, such as cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, and ischemia/reperfusion injury, is highlighted.

Critical role of non-coding RNA-mediated ferroptosis in urologic malignancies

Urologic malignancies, characterized by their high aggressiveness and metastatic potential, pose a significant public health challenge globally. Ferroptosis, a novel mode of cell death, typically arises from intracellular iron ion overload and the accumulation of lipid peroxides. This process has been shown to play a crucial regulatory role in various pathological conditions, particularly in cancer, including urologic cancers. However, the comprehensive regulatory mechanisms underlying ferroptosis remain poorly understood, which somewhat limits its broader application in cancer therapy. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), which encompass microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs), are non-coding transcripts that play pivotal roles in various physiological processes, such as proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, and cell cycle regulation, by modulating the expression of target genes. The biological functions and potential regulatory mechanisms of ncRNAs in the context of cancer-related ferroptosis have been partially elucidated. Research indicates that ncRNAs can influence the progression of urologic cancers by affecting cell proliferation, migration, and drug resistance through the regulation of ferroptosis. Consequently, this review aims to clarify the functions and mechanisms of the ncRNA-ferroptosis axis in urologic cancers and to evaluate the clinical significance of ferroptosis-related ncRNAs, thereby providing new insights into cancer biology and therapeutic strategies that may ultimately benefit a diverse range of cancer patients.

Exploring the interplay of natural products and long non-coding RNAs in colorectal cancer: pathogenesis, diagnosis, and overcoming drug resistance

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is recognized as one of the most prevalent malignancies, both in terms of incidence and mortality rates. Current research into CRC has shed light on the molecular mechanisms driving its development. Several factors, including lifestyle, environmental influences, genetics, and diet, play significant roles in its pathogenesis. Natural compounds such as curcumin, tanshinone, lycorine, sinomenine, kaempferol, verbascoside, quercetin, berberine, and fisetin have shown great promise in the prevention and treatment of CRC. Research has also highlighted the significance of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) as biomarkers and therapeutic targets in CRC. Among these, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been found to regulate the transcription of genes involved in cancer. LncRNAs contribute to cancer stem cell (CSC) proliferation, angiogenesis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and chemoresistance. Specific lncRNAs, including GAS5, LNC00337, HOTAIR, TPT1-AS1, cCSC1, BCAR4, TUG1, and Solh2, play crucial roles in these processes. They hold potential as novel biomarkers, detectable in bodily fluids and tissues, and could serve as therapeutic targets due to their involvement in drug resistance and sensitivity. These insights could improve CRC treatment strategies, addressing resistance to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. This review article aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the current knowledge regarding the effectiveness of natural anti-cancer agents in CRC treatment. Additionally, it offers an in-depth evaluation of lncRNAs in CRC, their role in the disease's progression, and their potential applications in its management.

Roles of LncRNA ARSR in tumor proliferation, drug resistance, and lipid and cholesterol metabolism

Cancer is one of the most serious diseases that threaten human life and health. Among all kinds of diseases, the mortality rate of malignant tumors is the second highest, second only to cardio-cerebrovascular diseases. Cancer treatment typically involves imaging, surgery, and pathological analysis. When patients are identified as carcinoma by the above means, there are often problems of distant metastasis, delayed treatment, and drug tolerance, indicating that patients have some poor prognosis and overall survival. Hence, the development of novel molecular biomarkers is of great clinical importance. In recent years, as an important mediator of material and information exchange between cells in the tumor microenvironment, lncRNA have attracted widespread attention for their roles in tumor development. In this review, we comprehensively summarize the up-to-date knowledge of lncARSR on diverse cancer types which mainly focuses on tumor proliferation, drug tolerance, and lipid and cholesterol metabolism, highlighting the potential of lncARSR as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker and even a therapeutic target. In our final analysis, we provide a synthesized overview of the directions for future inquiry into lncARSR, and we are eager to witness the advancement of research that will elucidate the multifaceted nature of this lncRNA.

Advancements in Understanding the Role of Circular RNA in Osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma, the most prevalent primary malignant bone tumor and the third most frequent cancer in children and adolescents worldwide, still poses a significant therapeutic challenge. Even though combined chemotherapy and surgical resection have improved survival rates up to 60%, the prognosis for most patients with metastatic osteosarcoma continues to be dismal. The specific pathogenesis and key regulators of tumor invasion and metastasis remain largely elusive. Circular RNAs (circRNAs), novel endogenous non-coding RNA molecules that form covalently closed continuous loops through splicing, play a crucial role in the development, progression, clinical diagnosis, and treatment of various diseases. Recently, an escalating number of circular structures have been identified in osteosarcoma. Understanding their role in osteosarcoma is advantageous for early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of this disease. The primary function of circRNA involves its unique ability to bind specifically to miRNA, although their biological functions also extend to interacting with proteins, regulating gene transcription, and serving as translation templates. In this review, we explore the mechanisms and clinical applications of circRNAs in the pathogenesis and progression of osteosarcoma, with a particular emphasis on the regulatory mechanisms and functions of circRNAs as miRNA sponges in osteosarcoma development.

LncRNA DYNLRB2-AS1 promotes gemcitabine resistance of nasopharyngeal carcinoma by inhibiting the ubiquitination degradation of DHX9 protein

Gemcitabine (GEM) based induction chemotherapy is a standard treatment for locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). However, approximately 15 % of patients are still resistant to GEM-containing chemotherapy, which leads to treatment failure. Nevertheless, the underlying mechanisms of GEM resistance remain poorly understood. Herein, based on a microarray analysis, we identified 221 dysregulated lncRNAs, of which, DYNLRB2-AS1 was one of the most upregulated lncRNAs in GEM-resistance NPC cell lines. DYNLRB2-AS1 was shown to function as contain an oncogenic lncRNA that promoted NPC GEM resistance, cell proliferation, but inhibited cell apoptosis. Mechanistically, DYNLRB2-AS1 could directly bind to the DHX9 protein and prevent its interaction with the E3 ubiquitin ligase PRPF19, and thus blocking PRPF19-mediated DHX9 degradation, which ultimately facilitated the repair of DNA damage in the presence of GEM. Clinically, higher DYNLRB2-AS1 expression indicated an unfavourable overall survival of NPC patients who received induction chemotherapy. Overall, this study identified the oncogenic lncRNA DYNLRB2-AS1 as an independent prognostic biomarker for patients with locally advanced NPC and as a potential therapeutic target for overcoming GEM chemoresistance in NPC.

Epigenetic modification of ferroptosis by non-coding RNAs in cancer drug resistance

The development of drug resistance remains a major challenge in cancer treatment. Ferroptosis, a unique type of regulated cell death, plays a pivotal role in inhibiting tumour growth, presenting new opportunities in treating chemotherapeutic resistance. Accumulating studies indicate that epigenetic modifications by non-coding RNAs (ncRNA) can determine cancer cell vulnerability to ferroptosis. In this review, we first summarize the role of chemotherapeutic resistance in cancer growth/development. Then, we summarize the core molecular mechanisms of ferroptosis, its upstream epigenetic regulation, and its downstream effects on chemotherapeutic resistance. Finally, we review recent advances in understanding how ncRNAs regulate ferroptosis and from such modulate chemotherapeutic resistance. This review aims to enhance general understanding of the ncRNA-mediated epigenetic regulatory mechanisms which modulate ferroptosis, highlighting the ncRNA-ferroptosis axis as a key druggable target in overcoming chemotherapeutic resistance.

Long non-coding RNAs; potential contributors in cancer chemoresistance through modulating diverse molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways

One of the mainstays of cancer treatment is chemotherapy. Drug resistance, however, continues to be the primary factor behind clinical treatment failure. Gene expression is regulated by long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in several ways, including chromatin remodeling, translation, epigenetic, and transcriptional levels. Cancer hallmarks such as DNA damage, metastasis, immunological evasion, cell stemness, drug resistance, metabolic reprogramming, and angiogenesis are all influenced by LncRNAs. Numerous studies have been conducted on LncRNA-driven mechanisms of resistance to different antineoplastic drugs. Diverse medication kinds elicit diverse resistance mechanisms, and each mechanism may have multiple contributing factors. As a result, several lncRNAs have been identified as new biomarkers and therapeutic targets for identifying and managing cancers. This compels us to thoroughly outline the crucial roles that lncRNAs play in drug resistance. In this regard, this article provides an in-depth analysis of the recently discovered functions of lncRNAs in the pathogenesis and chemoresistance of cancer. As a result, the current research might offer a substantial foundation for future drug resistance-conquering strategies that target lncRNAs in cancer therapies.

An update on the molecular mechanisms of ZFAS1 as a prognostic, diagnostic, or therapeutic biomarker in cancers

Zinc finger antisense 1 (ZFAS1), a newly discovered long noncoding RNA, is expressed in various tissues and organs and has been introduced an oncogenic gene in human malignancies. In various cancers, ZFAS1 regulates apoptosis, cell proliferation, the cell cycle, migration, translation, rRNA processing, and spliceosomal snRNP assembly; targets signaling cascades; and interacts with transcription factors via binding to key proteins and miRNAs, with conflicting findings on its effect on these processes. ZFAS1 is elevated in different types of cancer, like colorectal, colon, osteosarcoma, and gastric cancer. Considering the ZFAS1 expression pattern, it also has the potential to be a diagnostic or prognostic marker in various cancers. The current review discusses the mode of action of ZFAS1 in various human cancers and its regulation function related to chemoresistance comprehensively, as well as the potential role of ZFAS1 as an effective and noninvasive cancer-specific biomarker in tumor diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. We expected that the current review could fill the current scientific gaps in the ZFAS1-related cancer causative mechanisms and improve available biomarkers.

Long non-coding RNA NEAT1 promotes aerobic glycolysis and progression of cervical cancer through WNT/β-catenin/PDK1 axis

BACKGROUND

Cervical cancer is one of the most common gynecological cancers. Accumulated evidence shows that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play essential roles in cervical cancer occurrence and progression, but their specific functions and mechanisms remain to be further explored.

METHODS

The RT-qPCR assay was used to detect the expression of NEAT1 in cervical cancer tissues and cell lines. CCK-8, colony formation, flow cytometry, western blotting, and Transwell assays were used to evaluate the impact of NEAT1 on the malignant behavior of cervical cancer cells. Glucose consumption, lactate production, ATP levels, ROS levels, MMP levels, and the mRNA expressions of glycolysis-related genes and tricarboxylic acid cycle-related genes were detected to analyze the effect of NEAT1 on metabolism reprograming in cervical cancer cells. The expressions of PDK1, β-catenin and downstream molecules of the WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway in cervical cancer cells and tissues were detected by western blotting, RT-qPCR, immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry assays.

RESULTS

This study investigated the role and possible molecular mechanism of lncRNA nuclear paraspeckle assembly transcript 1 (NEAT1) in cervical cancer. Our results showed that NEAT1 was highly expressed in cervical cancer tissues and cell lines. Downregulation of NEAT1 inhibited the proliferation, migration, invasion and glycolysis of cervical cancer cells, while overexpression of NEAT1 led to the opposite effects. Mechanistically, NEAT1 upregulated pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDK1) through the WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway, which enhanced glycolysis and then facilitated cervical cancer metastasis. Furthermore, NEAT1 maintained the protein stability of β-catenin but did not affect its mRNA level. We also excluded the direct binding of NEAT1 to the β-catenin protein via RNA pull-down assay. The suppressive impact of NEAT1 knockdown on cell proliferation, invasion, and migration was rescued by β-catenin overexpression. The WNT inhibitor iCRT3 attenuated the carcinogenic effect induced by NEAT1 overexpression.

CONCLUSION

In summary, these findings indicated that NEAT1 may contribute to the progression of cervical cancer by activating the WNT/β-catenin/PDK1 signaling axis.

A combination of cuproptosis and lncRNAs predicts the prognosis and tumor immune microenvironment in cervical cancer

BACKGROUND

Cuproptosis induces proteotoxic stress and eventually leads to cell death. However, the relationship between cuproptosis and lncRNAs in cervical cancer has not been fully elucidated. Therefore, we aim to explore the association among lncRNAs, cuproptosis and clinical features in cervical cancer.

METHODS

RNA sequencing, genetic mutations, and clinical data of CESC patients were obtained from TCGA. Cuproptosis-associated genes were gathered. WGCNA was used to cluster important modules, and KEGG, GO, GSEA and GSVA were used to explore functional and pathway enrichment. The association between immune microenvironment and cuproptosis-related lncRNAs was performed by using cibersort algorithm and other platforms, including XCELL, TIMER, QUANTISEQ, MCPCOUNTER and EPIC. Fluorescence quantitative PCR was employed to detect the expression of LINC01833 and LINC02321, and CCK-8 and cell scratch assays were used to assess cell proliferation and migration capabilities after LINCRNA interference.

RESULTS

202 upregulated and 45 downregulated lncRNAs were selected. The survival analysis showed that there was a statistically significant difference in survival rates between the high-risk and low-risk groups. The prognosis of tumour mutation burden and the degree of immune infiltration were differed noticeably between the high-risk and low-risk groups. BHG712, TL-2-105, FR-180204, Masitinib, TAK-715, ODI-027, JW-7-24-2, and OSI-930 had substantially higher IC50 values in the high-risk group. Notably, we found AL360178.1 was associated with RNF44 E3 ubiquitin ligase expression. In cervical cancer cell lines, LINC01833 and LINC02321 displayed significant upregulation. Efficient siRNA transfection led to a decreased expression of LINC01833 and LINC02321. This knockdown significantly hindered both cell proliferation and migration capabilities in cervical cancer cells compared to the negative control.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, we constructed five cuprotosis-related lncRNA prognostic models, which may be new tumor therapeutic targets for the prevention and treatment of cervical cancer.

Long noncoding RNAs regulate intrauterine adhesion and cervical cancer development and progression

Intrauterine adhesion, one of reproductive system diseases in females, is developed due to endometrial injury, such as infection, trauma, uterine congenital abnormalities and uterine curettage. Intrauterine adhesion affects female infertility and causes several complications, including amenorrhoea, hypomenorrhoea, and recurrent abortion. Cervical cancer is one of the common gynecological tumors and the fourth leading cancer-related death in women worldwide. Although the treatments of cervical cancer have been improved, the advanced cervical cancer patients have a low survival rate due to tumor recurrence and metastasis. The molecular mechanisms of intrauterine adhesion and cervical tumorigenesis have not been fully elucidated. In recent years, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been known to participate in intrauterine adhesion and cervical carcinogenesis. Therefore, in this review, we will summarize the role of lncRNAs in regulation of intrauterine adhesion development and progression. Moreover, we will discuss the several lncRNAs in control of cervical oncogenesis and progression. Furthermore, we highlight that targeting lncRNAs could be used for treatment of intrauterine adhesion and cervical cancer.

Long noncoding RNA H19: functions and mechanisms in regulating programmed cell death in cancer

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a group of noncoding RNAs with transcript lengths of >200 nucleotides. Mounting evidence suggests that lncRNAs are closely associated with tumorigenesis. LncRNA H19 (H19) was the first lncRNA to function as an oncogene in many malignant tumors. Apart from the established role of H19 in promoting cell growth, proliferation, invasion, migration, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and metastasis, it has been recently discovered that H19 also inhibits programmed cell death (PCD) of cancer cells. In this review, we summarize the mechanisms by which H19 regulates PCD in cancer cells through various signaling pathways, molecular mechanisms, and epigenetic modifications. H19 regulates PCD through the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and the PI3K-Akt-mTOR pathway. It also acts as a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) in PCD regulation. The interaction between H19 and RNA-binding proteins (RBP) regulates apoptosis in cancer. Moreover, epigenetic modifications, including DNA and RNA methylation and histone modifications, are also involved in H19-associated PCD regulation. In conclusion, we summarize the role of H19 signaling via PCD in cancer chemoresistance, highlighting the promising research significance of H19 as a therapeutic target. We hope that our study will contribute to a broader understanding of H19 in cancer development and treatment.

Role of Epigenetics for the Efficacy of Cisplatin

The clinical utility of the chemotherapeutic agent cisplatin is restricted by cancer drug resistance, which is either intrinsic to the tumor or acquired during therapy. Epigenetics is increasingly recognized as a factor contributing to cisplatin resistance and hence influences drug efficacy and clinical outcomes. In particular, epigenetics regulates gene expression without changing the DNA sequence. Common types of epigenetic modifications linked to chemoresistance are DNA methylation, histone modification, and non-coding RNAs. This review provides an overview of the current findings of various epigenetic modifications related to cisplatin efficacy in cell lines in vitro and in clinical tumor samples. Furthermore, it discusses whether epigenetic alterations might be used as predictors of the platinum agent response in order to prevent avoidable side effects in patients with resistant malignancies. In addition, epigenetic targeting therapies are described as a possible strategy to render cancer cells more susceptible to platinum drugs.

Deciphering roles of protein post-translational modifications in IgA nephropathy progression and potential therapy

Immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN), one type of glomerulonephritis, displays the accumulation of glycosylated IgA in the mesangium. Studies have demonstrated that both genetics and epigenetics play a pivotal role in the occurrence and progression of IgAN. Post-translational modification (PTM) has been revealed to critically participate in IgAN development and progression because PTM dysregulation results in impaired degradation of proteins that regulate IgAN pathogenesis. A growing number of studies identify that PTMs, including sialylation, o-glycosylation, galactosylation, phosphorylation, ubiquitination and deubiquitination, modulate the initiation and progression of IgAN. Hence, in this review, we discuss the functions and mechanisms of PTMs in regulation of IgAN. Moreover, we outline numerous compounds that govern PTMs and attenuate IgAN progression. Targeting PTMs might be a useful strategy to ameliorate IgAN.

LINC00665: A Promising Biomarker in Gastrointestinal Tumors

An increasing volume of studies has reported that long non-codingRNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in the carcinogenesis of many different cancers. Especially in gastrointestinal tumors, lncRNAs are found to participate in various physiological and pathological processes. LncRNAs can regulate gene expression at multiple levels, including transcriptional, post-transcription, translational, and post-translational levels. Long intergenic non-protein coding RNA 665(LINC00665), a novel cancer-related lncRNA, is frequently dysregulated in multiple gastrointestinal tumors, including gastric and colorectal cancers, hepatocellular carcinoma, and so on. In this review, we analyzed the expression and prognostic value of LINC00665 in human gastrointestinal tumors, systematically summarized the current literature about the clinical significance of this lncRNA, and explored the regulatory mechanisms of LINC00665 as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) in tumor progression. Consequently, we concluded that LINC00665 might act as a prognostic biomarker and a potential target for gastrointestinal tumor diagnosis and treatment.

The role of circRNAs in regulation of drug resistance in ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer is one of the female reproductive system tumors. Chemotherapy is used for advanced ovarian cancer patients; however, drug resistance is a pivotal cause of chemotherapeutic failure. Hence, it is critical to explore the molecular mechanisms of drug resistance of ovarian cancer cells and to ameliorate chemoresistance. Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) have been identified to critically participate in drug sensitivity in a variety of human cancers, including ovarian cancer. Among ncRNAs, circRNAs sponge miRNAs and prevent miRNAs from regulation of their target mRNAs. CircRNAs can interact with DNA or proteins to modulate gene expression. In this review, we briefly describe the biological functions of circRNAs in the development and progression of ovarian cancer. Moreover, we discuss the underneath regulatory molecular mechanisms of circRNAs on governing drug resistance in ovarian cancer. Furthermore, we mention the novel strategies to overcome drug resistance via targeting circRNAs in ovarian cancer. Due to that circRNAs play a key role in modulation of drug resistance in ovarian cancer, targeting circRNAs could be a novel approach for attenuation of chemoresistance in ovarian cancer.

The emerging role of lncRNAs in osteoarthritis development and potential therapy

Osteoarthritis impairs the functions of various joints, such as knees, hips, hands and spine, which causes pain, swelling, stiffness and reduced mobility in joints. Multiple factors, including age, joint injuries, obesity, and mechanical stress, could contribute to osteoarthritis development and progression. Evidence has demonstrated that genetics and epigenetics play a critical role in osteoarthritis initiation and progression. Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) have been revealed to participate in osteoarthritis development. In this review, we describe the pivotal functions and molecular mechanisms of numerous lncRNAs in osteoarthritis progression. We mention that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) could be biomarkers for osteoarthritis diagnosis, prognosis and therapeutic targets. Moreover, we highlight the several compounds that alleviate osteoarthritis progression in part via targeting lncRNAs. Furthermore, we provide the future perspectives regarding the potential application of lncRNAs in diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of osteoarthritis.

Polyethylenimine-based iron oxide nanoparticles enhance cisplatin toxicity in ovarian cancer cells in the presence of a static magnetic field

Background

Drug resistance in cancer cells is a major concern in chemotherapy. Cisplatin (CIS) is one of the most effective chemotherapeutics for ovarian cancer. Here, we investigated an experimental approach to increase CIS cytotoxicity and overcome cell resistance using nanoparticle-based combination treatments.

Methods

Polyethylenimine (PEI)-based magnetic iron oxide nanocomplexes were used for drug delivery in genetically matched CIS-resistant (A2780/CP) and -sensitive (A2780) ovarian cancer cells in the presence of a 20 mT static magnetic field. Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) were synthesized and bonded to PEI cationic polymers to form binary complexes (PM). The binding of CIS to the PM binary complexes resulted in the formation of ternary complexes PM/C (PEI-MNP/CIS) and PMC (PEI-MNP-CIS).

Results

CIS cytotoxicity increased at different concentrations of CIS and PEI in all binary and ternary delivery systems over time. Additionally, CIS induced cell cycle arrest in the S and G2/M phases and reactive oxygen species production in both cell lines. Ternary complexes were more effective than binary complexes at promoting apoptosis in the treated cells.

Conclusion

PEI-based magnetic nanocomplexes can be considered novel carriers for increasing CIS cytotoxicity and likely overcoming drug resistance of ovarian cancer cells.

Integrated bioinformatics analysis of noncoding RNAs with tumor immune microenvironment in gastric cancer

In recent years, molecular and genetic research hotspots of gastric cancer have been investigated, including microRNAs, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and messenger RNA (mRNAs). The study on the role of lncRNAs may help to develop personalized treatment and identify potential prognostic biomarkers in gastric cancer. The RNA-seq and miRNA-seq data of gastric cancer were downloaded from the TCGA database. Differential analysis of RNA expression between gastric cancer samples and normal samples was performed using the edgeR package. The ceRNA regulatory network was visualized using Cytoscape. KEGG pathway analysis of mRNAs in the ceRNA network was performed using the clusterProfiler package. CIBERSORT was used to distinguish 22 immune cell types and the prognosis-related genes and immune cells were determined using Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazard analyses. To estimate these nomograms, we used receiver operating characteristic and calibration curve studies. The ceRNA regulation network of gastric cancer was built in this study, and the genes in the network were analyzed for prognosis. A total of 980 lncRNAs were differentially expressed, of which 774 were upregulated and 206 were downregulated. A survival study identified 15 genes associated with gastric cancer prognosis, including VCAN-AS1, SERPINE1, AL139002.1, LINC00326, AC018781.1, C15orf54, hsa-miR-145. Monocytes and Neutrophils were associated with the survival rate of gastric cancer. Our research uncovers new ceRNA network for the detection, treatment, and monitoring of gastric cancer.

The role of pyroptosis-related lncRNA risk signature in ovarian cancer prognosis and immune system

Ovarian cancer is a leading cause of death in females with gynecologic cancers. Pyroptosis is a relatively new discovered programmed cell death that is believed to be associated with inflammation. However, studies on pyroptosis-related lncRNAs in ovarian cancer are limited. In this study, we identified 29 pyroptosis-related genes and screened out 72 pyroptosis-related lncRNAs. Furthermore, the 72 lncRNAs were eliminated to 2 survival-related lncRNAs using Cox regression and Lasso regression to build an ovarian cancer prognostic prediction signature and were further validated on the test set. We adopted a riskscore from the two-gene signature, and the survival in low-risk group was higher than the high-risk group. Functional enrichment analysis indicated that the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between two risk groups were associated with tumor immunity. This study implies that pyroptosis-related genes are closely related to tumor immunity and could be potential therapeutic factors for ovarian cancer treatment.

The role of E3 ubiquitin ligases and deubiquitinases in bladder cancer development and immunotherapy

Bladder cancer is one of the common malignant urothelial tumors. Post-translational modification (PTMs), including ubiquitination, acetylation, methylation, and phosphorylation, have been revealed to participate in bladder cancer initiation and progression. Ubiquitination is the common PTM, which is conducted by E1 ubiquitin-activating enzyme, E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme and E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase. E3 ubiquitin ligases play a key role in bladder oncogenesis and progression and drug resistance in bladder cancer. Therefore, in this review, we summarize current knowledge regarding the functions of E3 ubiquitin ligases in bladder cancer development. Moreover, we provide the evidence of E3 ubiquitin ligases in regulation of immunotherapy in bladder cancer. Furthermore, we mention the multiple compounds that target E3 ubiquitin ligases to improve the therapy efficacy of bladder cancer. We hope our review can stimulate researchers and clinicians to investigate whether and how targeting E3 ubiquitin ligases acts a novel strategy for bladder cancer therapy.

Identification of associations between lncRNA and drug resistance based on deep learning and attention mechanism

Introduction

Abnormal lncRNA expression can lead to the resistance of tumor cells to anticancer drugs, which is a crucial factor leading to high cancer mortality. Studying the relationship between lncRNA and drug resistance becomes necessary. Recently, deep learning has achieved promising results in predicting biomolecular associations. However, to our knowledge, deep learning-based lncRNA-drug resistance associations prediction has yet to be studied.

Methods

Here, we proposed a new computational model, DeepLDA, which used deep neural networks and graph attention mechanisms to learn lncRNA and drug embeddings for predicting potential relationships between lncRNAs and drug resistance. DeepLDA first constructed similarity networks for lncRNAs and drugs using known association information. Subsequently, deep graph neural networks were utilized to automatically extract features from multiple attributes of lncRNAs and drugs. These features were fed into graph attention networks to learn lncRNA and drug embeddings. Finally, the embeddings were used to predict potential associations between lncRNAs and drug resistance.

Results

Experimental results on the given datasets show that DeepLDA outperforms other machine learning-related prediction methods, and the deep neural network and attention mechanism can improve model performance.

Dicsussion

In summary, this study proposes a powerful deep-learning model that can effectively predict lncRNA-drug resistance associations and facilitate the development of lncRNA-targeted drugs. DeepLDA is available at https://github.com/meihonggao/DeepLDA.

Nanocarriers overcoming biological barriers induced by multidrug resistance of chemotherapeutics in 2D and 3D cancer models

Multidrug resistance (MDR) is currently a big challenge in cancer therapy and limits its success in several patients. Tumors use the MDR mechanisms to colonize the host and reduce the efficacy of chemotherapeutics that are injected as single agents or combinations. MDR mechanisms are responsible for inactivation of drugs and formbiological barriers in cancer like the drug efflux pumps, aberrant extracellular matrix, hypoxic areas, altered cell death mechanisms, etc. Nanocarriers have some potential to overcome these barriers and improve the efficacy of chemotherapeutics. In fact, they are versatile and can deliver natural and synthetic biomolecules, as well as RNAi/DNAi, thus providing a controlled release of drugs and a synergistic effect in tumor tissues. Biocompatible and safe multifunctional biopolymers, with or without specific targeting molecules, modify the surface and interface properties of nanocarriers. These modifications affect the interaction of nanocarriers with cellular models as well as the selection of suitable models for in vitro experiments. MDR cancer cells, and particularly their 2D and 3D models, in combination with anatomical and physiological structures of tumor tissues, can boost the design and preparation of nanomedicines for anticancer therapy. 2D and 3D cancer cell cultures are suitable models to study the interaction, internalization, and efficacy of nanocarriers, the mechanisms of MDR in cancer cells and tissues, and they are used to tailor a personalized medicine and improve the efficacy of anticancer treatment in patients. The description of molecular mechanisms and physio-pathological pathways of these models further allow the design of nanomedicine that can efficiently overcome biological barriers involved in MDR and test the activity of nanocarriers in 2D and 3D models of MDR cancer cells.

LINC00173 blocks GATA6-mediated transcription of COL5A1 to affect malignant development of oral squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Aberrant expression of collagen type V alpha 1 chain (COL5A1) has been linked to several forms of human cancers. In this work, we focused on the interaction of the LINC00173/GATA binding protein 6 (GATA6)/COL5A1 axis in the malignant property of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells.

METHODS

We analyzed six publicly accessible datasets GSE160042, GSE74530, GSE138206, GSE23558, GSE31853 and GSE146483 to identify aberrantly expressed genes in OSCC. The expression of COL5A1 in OSCC tissues and cell lines was examined by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and/or immunohistochemistry. The regulatory mechanism responsible for COL5A1 transcription was predicted via bioinformatics systems, and the interactions of LINC00173, GATA6, and COL5A1 were identified by immunoprecipitation and luciferase assays. Overexpression or downregulation of COL5A1, GATA6, and LINC00173 were induced in OSCC cell lines to determine their roles in the malignant phenotype of the OSCC cells in vitro and in vivo.

RESULTS

COL5A1 showed elevated expression in OSCC tissues and cells. The COLA51 knockdown suppressed proliferation, migration and invasiveness, apoptosis resistance, and pro-angiogenic ability of OSCC cells, and it suppressed the growth and dissemination of xenograft tumors in vivo. GATA6 bound to COL5A1 promoter to activate its transcription, whereas LINC00173 bound to GATA6 to block this transcriptional activation. Overexpression of GATA6 or COL5A1 promoted the malignant phenotype of the OSCC cells, which were blocked upon LINC00173 upregulation.

CONCLUSION

This work demonstrates that LINC00173 blocks GATA6-mediated transcription of COL5A1 to affect malignant development of OSCC.

Long Non-Coding RNA and Chemoresistance in Bladder Cancer - A Mini Review

Bladder cancer is the 10th most common cancer worldwide. It is a heterogeneous disease, comprising several tumor subtypes with differences in histology, genomic aberrations, prognosis and sensitivity to anti-cancer treatments. Although the treatment of bladder cancer is based tumor classifications and gradings, patients have different clinical response. In recent years, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) were associated with bladder cancer chemoresistance. Thus, lncRNAs seem to be promising targets in treatment of bladder cancer. This review highlights the recent findings concerning lncRNAs and their relevance to the chemoresistance of bladder cancer. This may provide a basis for exploiting more robust therapeutic approaches in the future.

Loss of cancer-associated fibroblast-derived exosomal DACT3-AS1 promotes malignant transformation and ferroptosis-mediated oxaliplatin resistance in gastric cancer

AIMS

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), as one of the components of exosomes derived from cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), exhibit a crucial role in the pathogenesis and chemoresistance of gastric cancer (GC). Herein, we investigated the role and mechanism of a novel lncRNA disheveled binding antagonist of beta catenin3 antisense1 (DACT3-AS1) and its involvement in GC.

METHODS

DACT3-AS1 was identified by RNA-sequencing and verified by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The functional role of DACT3-AS1 in GC was evaluated using in vitro and in vivo experiments including Transwell assay, 5-Ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) assay, immunoblotting, and xenograft tumor mouse model. Dual-luciferase reporter assay was performed to assess the association between genes.

RESULTS

DACT3-AS1 was downregulated and involved in poor prognosis of patients with GC. The results from both in vitro and in vivo experiments showed that DACT3-AS1 suppressed cell proliferation, migration, and invasion through targeting miR-181a-5p/sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) axis. Additionally, DACT3-AS1 was transmitted from CAFs to GC cells mainly via exosomes. Exosomal DACT3-AS1 alleviated xenograft tumor growth. DACT3-AS1 conferred sensitivity of cancer cells to oxaliplatin through SIRT1-mediated ferroptosis both in vitro and in vivo.

CONCLUSIONS

CAFs-derived exosomal DACT3-AS1 is a suppressive regulator in malignant transformation and oxaliplatin resistance. DACT3-AS1 could be used for diagnosis and treatment of GC.

Nanotechnology-based approaches overcome lung cancer drug resistance through diagnosis and treatment

Lung cancer continues to be a malignant tumor with high mortality. Two obstacles interfere with curative therapy of lung cancer: (i) poor diagnosis at the early stages, as symptoms are not specific or asymptomatic; and (ii) invariably emerging drug resistance after treatment. Some factors contributing to drug resistance include preexisting genetic/genomic drug-resistant alteration(s); activation of adaptive drug resistance pathways; remodeling of the tumor microenvironment; and pharmacological mechanisms or activation of drug efflux pumps. Despite the mechanisms explored to better understand drug resistance, a gap remains between molecular understanding and clinical application. Therefore, facilitating the translation of basic science into the clinical setting is a great challenge. Nanomedicine has emerged as a promising tool for cancer treatment. Because of their excellent physicochemical properties and enhanced permeability and retention effects, nanoparticles have great potential to revolutionize conventional lung cancer diagnosis and combat drug resistance. Nanoplatforms can be designed as carriers to improve treatment efficacy and deliver multiple drugs in one system, facilitating combination treatment to overcome drug resistance. In this review, we describe the difficulties in lung cancer treatment and review recent research progress on nanoplatforms aimed at early diagnosis and lung cancer treatment. Finally, future perspectives and challenges of nanomedicine are also discussed.

Targeting immune cell types of tumor microenvironment to overcome resistance to PD-1/PD-L1 blockade in lung cancer

Lung cancer is the common malignant tumor with the highest mortality rate. Lung cancer patients have achieved benefits from immunotherapy, including immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) therapy. Unfortunately, cancer patients acquire adaptive immune resistance, leading to poor prognosis. Tumor microenvironment (TME) has been demonstrated to play a critical role in participating in acquired adaptive immune resistance. TME is associated with molecular heterogeneity of immunotherapy efficacy in lung cancer. In this article, we discuss how immune cell types of TME are correlated with immunotherapy in lung cancer. Moreover, we describe the efficacy of immunotherapy in driven gene mutations in lung cancer, including KRAS, TP53, EGFR, ALK, ROS1, KEAP1, ZFHX3, PTCH1, PAK7, UBE3A, TNF-α, NOTCH, LRP1B, FBXW7, and STK11. We also emphasize that modulation of immune cell types of TME could be a promising strategy for improving adaptive immune resistance in lung cancer.

Ferroptosis as a Potential Cell Death Mechanism Against Cisplatin-Resistant Lung Cancer Cell Line

Purpose: Drug resistance is a challenging issue in cancer chemotherapy. Cell death induction is one of the main strategies to overcome chemotherapy resistance. Notably, ferroptosis has been considered a critical cell death mechanism in recent years. Accordingly, in this study, the different cell death strategies focused on ferroptosis have been utilized to overcome cisplatin resistance in an in vitro lung cancer model. Methods: The physiological functions of Akt1 and GPX4, as critical targets for ferroptosis and apoptosis induction, were suppressed by siRNA or antagonistic agents in resistant A549 cells. Afterward, the interventions' impacts on cell viability and reactive oxygen species (ROS) amount were analyzed by flow cytometry. Moreover, the alteration in the relevant gene and protein expression levels were quantified using Real-time PCR and western blot methods. Results: The result showed that the treatment with Akt1 siRNA reversed the cisplatin resistance in the A549 cell line through the induction of apoptosis. Likewise, the combination treatment of the GPX4 siRNA or FIN56 as ferroptosis inducers alongside cisplatin elevated ROS's cellular level, reduced the cellular antioxidant genes level and increased the cisplatin cytotoxic effect. Conclusion: In conclusion, our study indicated that ferroptosis induction can be considered a promising cell death strategy in cisplatin-resistant cancer cells.

The role of extracellular vesicles and interleukin-8 in regulating and mediating neutrophil-dependent cancer drug resistance

Tumor drug resistance is a multifactorial and heterogenous condition that poses a serious burden in clinical oncology. Given the increasing incidence of resistant tumors, further understanding of the mechanisms that make tumor cells able to escape anticancer drug effects is pivotal for developing new effective treatments. Neutrophils constitute a considerable proportion of tumor infiltrated immune cells, and studies have linked elevated neutrophil counts with poor prognosis. Tumor-associated neutrophils (TANs) can acquire in fact immunoregulatory capabilities, thus regulating tumor progression and resistance, or response to therapy. In this review, we will describe TANs' actions in the tumor microenvironment, with emphasis on the analysis of the role of interleukin-8 (IL-8) and extracellular vesicles (EVs) as crucial modulators and mediators of TANs biology and function in tumors. We will then discuss the main mechanisms through which TANs can induce drug resistance, finally reporting emerging therapeutic approaches that target these mechanisms and can thus be potentially used to reduce or overcome neutrophil-mediated tumor drug resistance.

Targeting CSC-related transcription factors by E3 ubiquitin ligases for cancer therapy

Evidence has revealed that transcription factors play essential roles in regulation of multiple cellular processes, including cell proliferation, metastasis, EMT, cancer stem cells and chemoresistance. Dysregulated expression levels of transcription factors contribute to tumorigenesis and malignant progression. The expression of transcription factors is tightly governed by several signaling pathways, noncoding RNAs and E3 ubiquitin ligases. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been validated in regulation of tumor metastasis, reoccurrence and chemoresistance in human cancer. Transcription factors have been verified to participate in regulation of CSC formation, including Oct4, SOX2, KLF4, c-Myc, Nanog, GATA, SALL4, Bmi-1, OLIG2, POU3F2 and FOX proteins. In this review article, we will describe the critical role of CSC-related transcription factors. We will further discuss which E3 ligases regulate the degradation of these CSC-related transcription factors and their underlying mechanisms. We also mentioned the functions and mechanisms of EMT-associated transcription factors such as ZEB1, ZEB2, Snail, Slug, Twist1 and Twist2. Furthermore, we highlight the therapeutic potential via targeting E3 ubiquitin ligases for modulation of these transcription factors.

Implication of lncRNA ZBED3-AS1 downregulation in acquired resistance to Temozolomide and glycolysis in glioblastoma

Temozolomide (TMZ) is the recommended drug for glioblastoma (GBM) treatment, but its clinical effect is restricted due to drug resistance. This research studies the effects of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) ZBED3-AS1 and its related molecules on acquired TMZ resistance in glioblastoma (GBM). ZBED3-AS1 was identified to be downregulated in TMZ-resistant GBM cells by analyzing GSE113510 and GSE100736 datasets. ZBED3-AS1 downregulation was detected in TMZ-resistant GBM tissues and cell lines (U251/TMZ and U87/TMZ). ZBED3-AS1 knockdown promoted, whereas its overexpression suppressed TMZ resistance, viability and mobility, and glycolytic activity of TMZ-resistant cells. ZBED3-AS1 bound to Spi-1 proto-oncogene (SPI1) but did not affect its expression. Instead, it blocked SPI1-mediated transcriptional activation of thrombomodulin (THBD). SPI1 and THBD increased TMZ resistance and glycolysis in TMZ-resistant cells. Either ZBED3-AS1 overexpression or SPI1 knockdown in U87/TMZ cells blocked the growth of orthotopic and subcutaneous xenograft tumors in nude mice. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that ZBED3-AS1 downregulation and THBD activation is linked to increased TMZ resistance and glycolysis in GBM cells.

The role of long noncoding RNAs in therapeutic resistance in cervical cancer

Cervical cancer is one of the common tumors and often causes cancer-related death in women. Chemotherapy is a common cancer therapy, which displays a pivotal clinical benefit for cancer patients. However, chemoresistance becomes a big obstacle for failure of treatment in cancer patients. Recently, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been identified to regulate drug resistance in human cancers, including cervical cancer. In this review, we describe the role of lncRNAs in regulation of chemotherapeutic resistance in cervical cancer. We also discuss the molecular mechanisms of lncRNA-mediated drug resistance in cervical cancer. Moreover, we describe that targeting lncRNAs could reverse drug resistance in cervical cancer. Therefore, lncRNAs could become effective therapeutic targets and chemotherapeutic sensitizers for cervical cancer patients.

Comprehensive analysis of lncRNA-mediated ceRNA networkfor hepatocellular carcinoma

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a high-burden cancer. The molecular mechanism of HCC has not been fully elucidated. Notably, current research has revealed a significant function for long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the prognosis of patients with HCC. Here, this study aims to construct a regulated lncRNA-mediated ceRNA network and find biological targets for the treatment of HCC.

Methods

Based on the RNA expression patterns from the TCGA, we did an analysis to determine which genes were expressed differently between liver tumor tissues and noncancerous tissues. Then, using bioinformatic tools, we built a lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA ceRNA network and used GO and KEGG functional analyses on the DEmRNAs connected to ceRNA networks. The main lncRNAs in the subnetwork were chosen, and we next looked at the relationships between these lncRNAs and the clinical characteristics of patients with HCC. The prognosis-related genes and immune cells were identified using Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazard analyses, and CIBERSORT was utilized to separate the 22 immune cell types. CCK8 assay was performed to measure cell viability in HCC cells after lncRNA HOTTIP modulation.

Results

Differentially expressed mRNA and lncRNAs in HCC and paracancerous tissues were identified. There are 245 lncRNAs, 126 miRNAs, and 1980 mRNAs that are expressed differently in liver tumour tissues than in noncancerous cells. Function analysis showed that mRNAs in ceRNA network were significantly enriched in G1/S transition of mototiv cell cycle, positive regulation of cell cycle process, hepatocellular carcinoma, and cancer related pathways. CD8 T cells and T follicular helper cells had a favourable link with a 0.65 correlation coefficient. Additionally, there was a strong correlation between Eosinophils, activated NK cells, and B memory cells. Strikingly, depletion of lncRNA HOTTIP inhibited viability of HCC cells. In addition, miR-205 upregulation suppressed viability of HCC cells, while miR-205 downregulation repressed viability of HCC cells. Notably, miR-205 depletion rescued HOTTIP depletion-mediated suppression of cell viability in HCC.

Conclusion

A ceRNA network was created by examining the lncRNA, miRNA, and mRNA expression profiles of liver tumours from the TCGA database. LncRNA HOTTIP promoted cell viability via inhibition of miR-205 in HCC cells.

The role of lncRNAs in regulation of DKD and diabetes-related cancer

Diabetes mellitus often results in several complications, such as diabetic kidney disease (DKD) and end-stage renal diseases (ESRDs). Cancer patients often have the dysregulated glucose metabolism. Abnormal glucose metabolism can enhance the tumor malignant progression. Recently, lncRNAs have been reported to regulate the key proteins and signaling pathways in DKD development and progression and in cancer patients with diabetes. In this review article, we elaborate the evidence to support the function of lncRNAs in development of DKD and diabetes-associated cancer. Moreover, we envisage that lncRNAs could be diagnosis and prognosis biomarkers for DKD and cancer patients with diabetes. Furthermore, we delineated that targeting lncRNAs might be an alternative approach for treating DKD and cancer with dysregulated glucose metabolism.

APAF1-Binding Long Noncoding RNA Promotes Tumor Growth and Multidrug Resistance in Gastric Cancer by Blocking Apoptosome Assembly

Chemotherapeutics remain the first choice for advanced gastric cancers (GCs). However, drug resistance and unavoidable severe toxicity lead to chemotherapy failure and poor prognosis. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play critical roles in tumor progression in many cancers, including GC. Here, through RNA screening, an apoptotic protease-activating factor 1 (APAF1)-binding lncRNA (ABL) that is significantly elevated in cancerous GC tissues and an independent prognostic factor for GC patients is identified. Moreover, ABL overexpression inhibits GC cell apoptosis and promotes GC cell survival and multidrug resistance in GC xenograft and organoid models. Mechanistically, ABL directly binds to the RNA-binding protein IGF2BP1 via its KH1/2 domain, and then IGF2BP1 further recognizes the METTL3-mediated m6A modification on ABL, which maintains ABL stability. In addition, ABL can bind to the WD1/WD2 domain of APAF1, which competitively prevent cytochrome c from interacting with APAF1, blocking apoptosome assembly and caspase-9/3 activation; these events lead to resistance to cell death in GC cells. Intriguingly, targeting ABL using encapsulated liposomal siRNA can significantly enhance the sensitivity of GC cells to chemotherapy. Collectively, the results suggest that ABL can be a potential prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target in GC.

LncRNA MALAT1 regulates METTL3-mediated PD-L1 expression and immune infiltrates in pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the United States. The main methods of treating pancreatic cancer are surgery and chemotherapy, but the treatment efficacy is low with a poor prognosis. Immunotherapy represented by PD-1/PD-L1 has brought a milestone progress in the treatment of pancreatic cancer. However, the unique tumor microenvironment of pancreatic cancer presents challenges for immunotherapy. In addition, m6A is a common RNA modification and a potential molecular target in tumor therapy. The expression pattern of m6A in pancreatic cancer is still unclear. LncRNAs also play an essential role in pancreatic cancer development and treatment. In this study, we found that some m6A regulators were significantly elevated in pancreatic cancer and associated with the expression of PD-1/PD-L1. Moreover, we observed that METTL3 can increase the expression of PD-L1. Notably, METTL3 positively regulates the expression of lncRNA MALAT1 in pancreatic cancer cells. Strikingly, lncRNA MALAT1 increased the expression of PD-L1 in pancreatic cancer cells. This finding indicated that METTL3 regulated the expression of PD-L1 possibly via targeting lncRNA MALAT1 in pancreatic cancer cells. Lastly, MALAT1 governed the viability of pancreatic cancer cells. Taken together, lncRNA MALAT1 is involved in METTL3-mediated promotion of PD-L1 expression in pancreatic cancer.

LINC00467: A key oncogenic long non-coding RNA

The significance of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the development and progression of human cancers has attracted increasing attention in recent years of investigations. Having versatile interactions and diverse functions, lncRNAs can act as oncogenes or tumor-suppressors to actively regulate cell proliferation, survival, stemness, drug resistance, invasion and metastasis. LINC00467, an oncogenic member of long intergenic non-coding RNAs, is upregulated in numerous malignancies and its high expression is often related to poor clinicopathological features. LINC00467 facilitates the progression of cancer via sponging tumor-suppressive microRNAs, inhibiting cell death cascade, modulating cell cycle controllers, and regulating signalling pathways including AKT, STAT3, NF-κB and Wnt/β-catenin. A growing number of studies have revealed that LINC00467 may serve as a novel prognostic biomarker and its inhibitory targeting has a valuable therapeutic potential to suppress the malignant phenotypes of cancer cells. In the present review, we discuss the importance of LINC00467 and provide a comprehensive collection of its functions and molecular mechanisms in a variety of cancer types.

LINC01094/SPI1/CCL7 Axis Promotes Macrophage Accumulation in Lung Adenocarcinoma and Tumor Cell Dissemination

Objective

Infiltration of tumor-associated macrophages is closely linked to the malignant development of human cancers. This research studies the function of C-C motif chemokine ligand 7 (CCL7) in the macrophage accumulation in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and the underpinning mechanism.

Methods

The expression profile of CCL7 in LUAD and its correlations with patient's prognosis and macrophage infiltration were predicted via bioinformatics systems. Artificial up- or downregulation of CCL7 was induced in LUAD cells to explore its function in the mobility, EMT of cancer cells, and migration of M2 macrophages. Cancer cells were implanted in NOD/SCID mice to induce xenograft tumors. The CCL7-related transcription factors or factors were predicted by bioinformatic tools, and the molecular interactions were confirmed by immunoprecipitation or luciferase assays.

Results

CCL7 was highly expressed in LUAD and linked to increased TAM infiltration. Knockdown of CCL7 suppressed the chemotaxis and M2 skewing of macrophages, and it blocked the EMT and mobility of LUAD cells. CCL7 downregulation also suppressed macrophage infiltration in xenograft tumors in mice. Spi-1 proto-oncogene (SPI1) was confirmed as an upstream factor activating CCL7 transcription, and LINC01094 was found to bind to SPI1 to promote its nuclear translocation. Upregulation of SPI1 restored the chemotactic migration and M2 polarization of macrophages in LUAD cells.

Conclusion

This paper reveals that LINC01094 binds to SPI1 to promote its nuclear translocation, which further activates CCL7 transcription by binding to its promoter, leading to M2 macrophage accumulation and dissemination of tumor cells.

Novel Nanotechnology Approaches to Overcome Drug Resistance in the Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Glypican 3 as a Useful Target for Innovative Therapies

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the second most lethal tumor, with a 5-year survival rate of 18%. Early stage HCC is potentially treatable by therapies with curative intent, whereas chemoembolization/radioembolization and systemic therapies are the only therapeutic options for intermediate or advanced HCC. Drug resistance is a critical obstacle in the treatment of HCC that could be overcome by the use of targeted nanoparticle-based therapies directed towards specific tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) to improve drug delivery. Glypican 3 (GPC3) is a member of the glypican family, heparan sulfate proteoglycans bound to the cell surface via a glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor. The high levels of GPC3 detected in HCC and the absence or very low levels in normal and non-malignant liver make GPC3 a promising TAA candidate for targeted nanoparticle-based therapies. The use of nanoparticles conjugated with anti-GPC3 agents may improve drug delivery, leading to a reduction in severe side effects caused by chemotherapy and increased drug release at the tumor site. In this review, we describe the main clinical features of HCC and the common treatment approaches. We propose the proteoglycan GPC3 as a useful TAA for targeted therapies. Finally, we describe nanotechnology approaches for anti-GPC3 drug delivery systems based on NPs for HCC treatment.

CACNA1C-AS2 inhibits cell proliferation and suppresses cell migration and invasion via targeting FBXO45 and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathways in glioma

Glioma is the most common brain cancer with a poor prognosis, and its underlying molecular mechanisms still needs to be further explored. In the current study, we discovered that an antisense lncRNA, CACNA1C-AS2, suppressed growth, migration and invasion of glioma cells, suggesting that CACNA1C-AS2 functions as a tumor suppressor. Furthermore, we found that CACNA1C-AS2 negatively regulated Fbxo45 protein expression in glioma cells. Impressively, extensive experimental results revealed that Fbxo45 accelerated growth, migration and invasion of glioma cells. Clinically, increased Fbxo45 expression was observed in 75 human glioma tissue samples. Moreover, in vivo experiments also demonstrated that Fbxo45 overexpression enhanced tumor growth in mice. Especially, we further identified that Fbxo45 activated mTORC1 rather than mTORC2 through PI3K/AKT signaling to promote cell growth and motility in glioma cells. Rescue experiments also exhibited that CACNA1C-AS2 inhibited cell growth and motility partly through down-regulating Fbxo45 expression in glioma. Our results provide the novel insights into the critical role of CACNA1C-AS2/Fbxo45/mTOR axis involved in regulating glioma tumorigenesis and progression, and further indicate that CACNA1C-AS2 and Fbxo45 may be the potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for glioma.

Long noncoding RNAs as therapeutic targets to overcome chemoresistance in ovarian cancer

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been characterized to play an essential role in ovarian tumorigenesis via controlling a variety of cellular processes, such as cell proliferation, invasion, apoptotic death, metastasis, cell cycle, migration, metabolism, immune evasion, and chemoresistance. The one obstacle for the therapeutic efficacy is due to the development of drug resistance in ovarian cancer patients. Therefore, in this review article, we describe the role of lncRNAs in chemoresistance in ovarian cancer. Moreover, we discuss the molecular mechanism of lncRNAs-involved drug resistance in ovarian cancer. We conclude that lncRNAs could be useful targets to overcome chemoresistance and improve therapeutic outcome in ovarian cancer patients.

The functions of lncRNAs in the HPV-negative cervical cancer compared with HPV-positive cervical cancer

Cervical cancer is one of the most common female malignancies. Human papillomaviruses (HPV) are the main causative agents of virtually all cervical carcinomas. Nevertheless, emerging evidence has demonstrated that a small proportion of cervical cancer patients are HPV negative. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been identified to play a crucial role in cervical cancer development. Here, this review describes the incidence and development of HPV-negative cervical cancer. Moreover, HPV-negative cervical cancers are more likely diagnosed at non-squamous type, older ages, more advanced stage and metastases, and associated with poorer prognosis as compared to HPV-positive cervical cancer. Furthermore, the significant role and functions of lncRNAs underlying HPV-negative cervical cancer is clarified.

LncRNA SCAMP1 disrupts the balance between miR-26a-5p and ZEB2 to promote osteosarcoma cell viability and invasion

Osteosarcoma often occurs in children and adolescents and affects their health. The survival rate of osteosarcoma patients is unsatisfactory due to the lack of early detection and metastasis development and drug resistance. Hence, dissection of molecular insight into osteosarcoma initiation and progression is pivotal to provide the new therapeutic strategy. In recent years, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have burst into stage in osteosarcoma development and malignant behaviors. LncRNA SCAMP1 has been discovered to play an essential role in carcinogenesis and progression. However, the mechanisms of lncRNA SCAMP1-involved tumorigenesis have not been reported in human osteosarcoma. In this study, we utilized multiple cellular biological approaches to determine the function of lncRNA SCAMP1 in osteosarcoma cells. Moreover, we performed several molecular biological approaches to define the mechanism by which lncRNA SCAMP1 regulated cell viability and invasion in osteosarcoma. We dissected that lncRNA SCAMP1 promoted progression of osteosarcoma via modulation of miR-26a-5p/ZEB2 axis. In conclusion, targeting lncRNA SCAMP1 and its downstream targets, miR-26a-5p and ZEB2, might be a useful approach for osteosarcoma therapy.

Emerging roles of long noncoding RNAs in chemoresistance of pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most common causes of cancer death in the world due to the lack of early symptoms, metastasis occurrence and chemoresistance. Therefore, early diagnosis by detection of biomarkers, blockade of metastasis, and overcoming chemoresistance are the effective strategies to improve the survival of pancreatic cancer patients. Accumulating evidence has revealed that long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) and circular RNAs (circRNAs) play essential roles in modulating chemosensitivity in pancreatic cancer. In this review article, we will summarize the role of lncRNAs in drug resistance of pancreatic cancer cells, including HOTTIP, HOTAIR, PVT1, linc-ROR, GAS5, UCA1, DYNC2H1-4, MEG3, TUG1, HOST2, HCP5, SLC7A11-AS1 and CASC2. We also highlight the function of circRNAs, such as circHIPK3 and circ_0000284, in regulation of drug sensitivity of pancreatic cancer cells. Moreover, we describe a number of compounds, including curcumin, genistein, resveratrol, quercetin, and salinomycin, which may modulate the expression of lncRNAs and enhance chemosensitivity in pancreatic cancers. Therefore, targeting specific lncRNAs and cicrRNAs could contribute to reverse chemoresistance of pancreatic cancer cells. We hope this review might stimulate the studies of lncRNAs and cicrRNAs, and develop the new therapeutic strategy via modulating these noncoding RNAs to promote chemosensitivity of pancreatic cancer cells.

The functions of long noncoding RNAs on regulation of F-box proteins in tumorigenesis and progression

Accumulated evidence has revealed that F-box protein, a subunit of SCF E3 ubiquitin ligase complexes, participates in carcinogenesis and tumor progression via targeting its substrates for ubiquitination and degradation. F-box proteins could be regulated by cellular signaling pathways and noncoding RNAs in tumorigenesis. Long noncoding RNA (lncRNA), one type of noncoding RNAs, has been identified to modulate the expression of F-box proteins and contribute to oncogenesis. In this review, we summarize the role and mechanisms of multiple lncRNAs in regulating F-box proteins in tumorigenesis, including lncRNAs SLC7A11-AS1, MT1JP, TUG1, FER1L4, TTN-AS1, CASC2, MALAT1, TINCR, PCGEM1, linc01436, linc00494, GATA6-AS1, and ODIR1. Moreover, we discuss that targeting these lncRNAs could be helpful for treating cancer via modulating F-box protein expression. We hope our review can stimulate the research on exploration of molecular insight into how F-box proteins are governed in carcinogenesis. Therefore, modulation of lncRNAs is a potential therapeutic strategy for cancer therapy via regulation of F-box proteins.