miR-671 promotes prostate cancer cell proliferation by targeting tumor suppressor SOX6

Cisplatin-based miRNA delivery strategy inspired by the circCPNE1/miR-330-3p pathway for oral squamous cell carcinoma

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are ideal biomarkers of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) because of their highly stable closed-loop structure, and they can act as microRNA (miRNA) sponges to regulate OSCC progression. By analyzing clinical samples, we identified circCPNE1, a dysregulated circRNA in OSCC, and its expression level was negatively correlated with the clinical stage of OSCC patients. Gain-of-function assays revealed the tumor-suppressive effect of circCPNE1, which was then identified as a miR-330-3p sponge. MiR-330-3p was recognized as a tumor promoter in multiple studies, consistent with our finding that it could promote the proliferation, migration, and invasion of OSCC cells. These results indicated that selective inhibition of miR-330-3p could be an effective strategy to inhibit OSCC progression. Therefore, we designed cationic polylysine-cisplatin prodrugs to deliver antagomiR-330-3p (a miRNA inhibitory analog) via electrostatic interactions to form PP@miR nanoparticles (NPs). Paratumoral administration results revealed that PP@miR NPs effectively inhibited subcutaneous tumor progression and achieved partial tumor elimination (2/5), which confirmed the critical role of miR-330-3p in OSCC development. These findings provide a new perspective for the development of OSCC treatments.

Circular RNA circARHGEF28 inhibited the progression of prostate cancer via the miR-671-5p/LGALS3BP/NF-κB axis

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) play crucial roles in various biological processes, including prostate cancer (PCa). However, the precise roles and mechanism of circRNAs are complicated. Hence, we studied the function of a circRNA that might be involved in the progression of PCa. In this study, we found that circARHGEF28 was frequently downregulated in PCa tissues and cell lines. Furthermore, gain- and loss-of function experiments in vitro showed that circARHGEF28 inhibited proliferation, migration, and invasion of PCa. Additionally, circARHGEF28 suppressed PCa progression in vivo. Bioinformatics analysis and RNA pull-down and capture assay found that circARHGEF28 sponged miR-671-5p in PCa cells. Importantly, qRT-PCR and dual luciferase assays found that Lectin galactoside-binding soluble 3 binding protein (LGALS3BP) was downstream of miR-671-5p, and western blot analysis further confirmed that LGALS3BP negatively regulated the nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) pathway. These results demonstrated that circARHGEF28 abolished the degradation of LGALS3BP by sponging miR-671-5p, thus blocking the activation of the NF-κB pathway. Our findings revealed that circARHGEF28/miR-671-5p/LGALS3BP/NF-κB may be an important axis that regulates PCa progression.

Research progress on the role and mechanism of miR-671 in bone metabolism and bone-related diseases

Bone metabolism consists of bone formation and resorption and maintains a dynamic balance in vivo. When bone homeostasis is broken, it can manifest as osteoarthritis (OA), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), osteosarcoma (OS), etc. MiR-671, an important class of non-coding nucleotide sequences in vivo, is regulated by lncRNA and regulates bone metabolism balance by regulating downstream target proteins and activating various signaling pathways. Based on the structure and primary function of miR-671, this paper summarizes the effect and mechanism of miR-671 in bone-related inflammation and cancer diseases, and prospects the application possibility of miR-671, providing reference information for targeted therapy of bone-related disorders.

A review on the role of miR-671 in human disorders

miR-671 is encoded by a gene on 7q36.1 and contributes to the pathogenesis of a variety of disorders, including diverse types of cancers, atherosclerosis, ischemic stroke, liver fibrosis, osteoarthritis, Parkinson's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, acute myocardial infarction and Crohn's disease. In the context of cancer, different studies have revealed opposite roles for this miRNA. In brief, it has been shown to be down-regulated in pancreatic ductal carcinoma, ovarian cancer, gastric cancer, osteosarcoma, esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and myelodysplastic syndromes. Yet, miR-671 has been up-regulated in glioma, colorectal cancer, prostate cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma. Studies in breast, lung and renal cell carcinoma have reported inconsistent results. The current review aims at summarization of the role of miR-671 in these disorders focusing on its target mRNA in each context and dysregulated signaling pathways. We also provide a summary of the role of this miRNA as a prognostic factor in malignancies.

circZC3HAV1 Regulates TBC1D9 to Affect the Biological Behavior of Colorectal Cancer Cells

Background

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most frequently diagnosed cancers all over the world, which accounts for a large proportion of cancer-associated deaths. The regulatory function of circular RNAs (circRNAs) has been affirmed in diverse cancers. circ_0082628, named circRNA zinc finger CCCH-type containing antiviral 1 (circZC3HAV1), has been discovered to be significantly downregulated in CRC tissues. Nevertheless, the function and mechanism of circZC3HAV1 in CRC remain unclear.

Purpose

We targeted at studying the specific role and mechanism of circZC3HAV1 in CRC cells.

Methods

The expression of the genes was detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The binding relationship among different genes was verified by mechanism assays. Functional assays were carried out to reveal the role of different RNAs in CRC cell malignant behaviors.

Results

circZC3HAV1 was significantly downregulated in CRC cells. circZC3HAV1 overexpression hampered CRC cell migratory and invasive abilities. As for the mechanism, circZC3HAV1 competitively bound with microRNA-146b-3p (miR-146b-3p) to enhance the expression of TBC1 domain family member 9 (TBC1D9). Rescue assays demonstrated circZC3HAV1 sponged miR-146b-3p and upregulated TBC1D9 to restrict migration and invasion of CRC cells.

Conclusion

circZC3HAV1 could upregulate TBC1D9 via absorbing miR-146b-3p, consequently inhibiting migratory and invasive capabilities of CRC cells.

Dietary stilbenes as modulators of specific miRNAs in prostate cancer

Accumulated experimental data have suggested that natural plant products may be effective miRNA-modulating chemopreventive and therapeutic agents. Dietary polyphenols such as flavonoids, stilbenes, and lignans, among others, have been intensively studied for their miRNA-mediated cardioprotective, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties. The aim of this review is to outline known stilbene-regulated miRNAs in cancer, with a special focus on the interplay between various miRNAs and MTA1 signaling in prostate cancer. MTA1 is an epigenetic reader and an oncogenic transcription factor that is overexpressed in advanced prostate cancer and metastasis. Not surprisingly, miRNAs that are linked to MTA1 affect cancer progression and the metastatic potential of cells. Studies led to the identification of MTA1-associated pro-oncogenic miRNAs, which are regulated by stilbenes such as resveratrol and pterostilbene. Specifically, it has been shown that inhibition of the activity of the MTA1 regulated oncogenic miR-17 family of miRNAs, miR-22, and miR-34a by stilbenes leads to inhibition of prostatic hyperplasia and tumor progression in mice and reduction of proliferation, survival and invasion of prostate cancer cells in vitro. Taken together, these findings implicate the use of resveratrol and its analogs as an attractive miRNA-mediated chemopreventive and therapeutic strategy in prostate cancer and the use of circulating miRNAs as potential predictive biomarkers for clinical development.

Dual Targeting of Angipoietin-1 and von Willebrand Factor by microRNA-671-5p Attenuates Liver Angiogenesis and Fibrosis

Angipoietin-1 (Angpt1) and von Willebrand factor (VWF) are two important angiogenic molecules that can drive pathologic angiogenesis and progression of liver fibrosis in our previous study. MicroRNAs (miRs) participate in a variety of physiological and pathological processes, including angiogenesis. However, the critical miRs targeting Angpt1 or VWF and potential molecular mechanism underlying liver fibrosis-associated angiogenesis is not clear yet. Human liver tissues were obtained from patients with different chronic liver diseases. Mouse models of liver fibrosis were induced by injection of CCl₄ or bile duct ligation (BDL) operation. MiR-671-5p was predicted to target Angpt1 and VWF from three databases (miRanda, RNA22v2, and miRwalk). MiR-671-5p expression was decreased in the fibrotic liver of human and mice, with a negative correlation with the levels of Angpt1, VWF, sphingosine kinase-1 (SphK1, the rate-limiting enzyme for sphingosine 1-phosphate [S1P] formation), transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1), hypoxia inducible factor (Hif)1α, Hif2α, and fibrosis markers. Importantly, miR-671-5p expression was down-regulated in fluorescence-activated cell sorted liver sinusoidal endothelial cells and hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) in CCl₄ mice compared with control mice. In vitro miR-671-5p expression was also decreased in S1P-stimulated HSCs and TGFβ1-activated liver sinusoidal endothelial cells, negatively correlated with Angpt1 and VWF expression. MiR-671-5p directly targeted Angpt1 and VWF by luciferase reporter assays. In vivo administration of miR-671-5p agomir decreased the messenger RNA and protein levels of Anpgt1 and VWF, and attenuated CCl₄ -induced or BDL-induced liver angiogenesis and fibrosis. Conclusion: We identify the negative regulation of miR-671-5p on Angpt1 and VWF and liver fibrosis-associated angiogenesis, which may provide promising targets for the prevention and treatment of liver disease.

Identification of SOX6 and SOX12 as Prognostic Biomarkers for Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Retrospective Study Based on TCGA Database

Background

The SOX gene family has been proven to display regulatory effects on numerous diseases, particularly in the malignant progression of neoplasms. However, the molecular functions and action mechanisms of SOX genes have not been clearly elucidated in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). We aimed to explore the expression status, prognostic values, clinical significances, and regulatory actions of SOX genes in ccRCC.

Methods

RNA-sequence data and clinical information derived from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database was used for this study. Dysregulated SOX genes between the normal group and ccRCC group were screened using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The Kaplan-Meier analysis and univariate Cox analysis methods were used to estimate the overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS) differences between different groups. The independent prognostic factors were identified by the use of uni- and multivariate assays. Subsequently, the Wilcoxon signed-rank test or Kruskal-Wallis test and the chi-square test or Fisher exact probability methods were employed to explore the association between clinicopathological variables and SOX genes. Finally, CIBERSORT was applied to study the samples and examine the infiltration of immune cells between different groups.

Results

Herein, 12 dysregulated SOX genes in ccRCC were screened. Among them, two independent prognostic SOX genes (SOX6 and SOX12) were identified. Further investigation results showed that SOX6 and SOX12 were distinctly associated with clinicopathological features. Furthermore, functional enrichment analysis revealed that SOX6 and SOX12 were enriched in essential biological processes and signaling pathways. Finally, we found that the SOX6 and SOX12 expression levels were correlated with tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TIICs).

Conclusion

The pooled analyses showed that SOX6 and SOX12 could serve as promising biomarkers and therapeutic targets of patients with ccRCC.

miR-9-5p Mediates ABCC1 to Elevate the Sensitivity of Glioma Cells to Temozolomide

Chemotherapy combined with surgery is an important clinical treatment for glioma, but endogenous or acquired temozolomide (TMZ) resistance can lead to poor prognosis. microRNA (miR)-9-5p acts in biological function of glioma, but the drug resistance of miR-9-5p in glioma is under exploration. The study intended to test the molecular mechanism of miR-9-5p in glioma cells. MTT assay was applied to investigate the chemosensitivity enhancement of miR-9-5p on TMZ in glioma cells U87-TMZ and U251-TMZ, and in vivo experiments confirmed its role on tumor growth in nude mice. The results of double luciferase reporter gene assay, qRT-PCR and WB indicated that miR-9-5p directly targeted ABCC1 (ATP binding cassette subfamily C member 1) to reduce its expressions. MTT and flow cytometry indicated that elevation of miR-9-5p or down-regulation of ABCC1 could inhibit proliferation-induced apoptosis of drug-resistant cells, and the decrease of miR-9-5p could reverse the reduction of ABCC1 on proliferation-induced apoptosis of drug-resistant cells. In vivo experiments showed that miR-9-5p could promote the anti-tumor role of TMZ. To sum up, the increase of miR-9-5p directly targets ABCC1 and may make glioma cells sensitive to TMZ.

Circular RNA_0001946 is insufficiently expressed in tumor tissues, while its higher expression correlates with less lymph node metastasis, lower TNM stage, and improved prognosis in NSCLC patients

Objective

Circular RNA_0001946 (circ_0001946) inhibits tumor progression but promotes chemosensitivity in non‐small‐cell lung cancer (NSCLC); however, its correlation with tumor features and prognosis in NSCLC patients is still unclear; therefore, this study aimed to investigate these issues.

Methods

A total of 284 NSCLC patients were retrospectively analyzed. Circ_0001946 expression in tumor (n = 284) and adjacent (n = 125) tissues was detected by the reverse transcription‐quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Meanwhile, patients’ clinical characteristics, recurrence, and survival data were extracted from the electrical database.

Results

Circ_0001946 expression in adjacent tissues was over 3‐folds as that in tumor tissues (P < .001). Meanwhile, higher tumor circ_0001946 expression was correlated with less lymph node metastasis (P < .001) and decreased TNM stage (P = .001), but did not correlate with other clinicopathological features. Moreover, higher tumor circ_0001946 expression was associated with prolonged disease‐free survival (DFS) (P < .001) and overall survival (OS) (P < .001), respectively. Subgroup analyses revealed that higher tumor circ_0001946 was correlated with improved DFS in patients with TNM stage I, II, or III, respectively (all P < .05), while only correlated with prolonged OS in patients with TNM stage III (P = .037), but not in patients with TNM stage I or II. Further multivariate Cox's proportional hazard regression analyses suggested that higher tumor circ_0001946 expression could independently predict improved DFS (P < .001, hazard ratio (HR) = 0.719) and OS (P < .001, HR = 0.746), respectively.

Conclusion

Circ_0001946 is insufficiently expressed in tumor tissues, whereas its higher expression correlates with less lymph node metastasis, reduced TNM stage, and improved prognosis in NSCLC patients.

miR-182 modulates cell proliferation and invasion in prostate cancer via targeting ST6GALNAC5

Altered expression of miR-182 has been observed in various types of human cancer. The purpose of this study was to investigate the expression of miR-182 and its role in prostate cancer (PCa). Expression of miR-182 and ST6GALNAC5 in tumor tissues and the Du145 PCa cell line was analyzed. Cell proliferation assay, colony formation assay, transwell assay, and wound healing assay were performed. The impact of miR-182 on tumor growth was investigated using a xenograft model. The results indicated that expression of miR-182 was higher in PCa tissues and cell lines, while ST6GALNAC5 was decreased. Downregulating miR-182 significantly inhibited the capacities of proliferation and invasion of PC3 and Du145 cells. ST6GALNAC5 was demonstrated to be a target of miR-182 by luciferase assay, and western blot results indicated PI3K/Akt pathway was involved in miR-182 associated effects on PC3 and Du145 cells. The animal experiment suggested that knockdown of miR-182 inhibited tumor growth. Our study proved that miR-182 participated in the proliferation and invasion of PCa cells via mediating expression of ST6GALNAC5 and established a miR-182/ST6GALNAC5/PI3K/AKT axis in regulation of tumor progression. Our investigation provided a basis for further exploration of the application of miR-182 or ST6GALNAC5-associated therapies for PCa patients.

CircRNA circ_0092314 Induces Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition of Pancreatic Cancer Cells via Elevating the Expression of S100P by Sponging miR-671

Background

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) is a novel class of non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression during cancer progression. Circ_0092314 is a newly discovered circRNA that was upregulated in pancreatic cancer (PAAD) tissues. However, the detailed functions and underlying mechanisms of circ_0092314 in PAAD cells remain unclear.

Methods

We first determined the expression of circ_0092314 in PAAD and normal tissues and further investigated the functional roles of circ_0092314 in regulating epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of PAAD cells. We also assessed the regulatory action of circ_0092314 on the microRNA-671 (miR-671) and its target S100P.

Results

Circ_0092314 was markedly upregulated in PAAD tissues and cells, and its overexpression was closely correlated with worse prognosis of PAAD patients. Functionally, circ_0092314 promotes proliferation, invasion and EMT in vitro and tumor growth in vivo. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that circ_0092314 directly binds to miR-671 and relieve its suppression of the downstream target S100P, which induces EMT and activates the AKT signaling pathway. The tumor-promoting effects caused by overexpression of circ_0092314 could be revered by re-expression of miR-671 in PAAD cells.

Conclusions

Overall, our study demonstrates that circ_0092314 exerts critical roles in promoting the EMT features of PAAD cells, and provides insight into how elevated expression of circ_0092314 might influence PAAD progression.

Function of Deptor and its roles in hematological malignancies

Deptor is a protein that interacts with mTOR and that belongs to the mTORC1 and mTORC2 complexes. Deptor is capable of inhibiting the kinase activity of mTOR. It is well known that the mTOR pathway is involved in various signaling pathways that are involved with various biological processes such as cell growth, apoptosis, autophagy, and the ER stress response. Therefore, Deptor, being a natural inhibitor of mTOR, has become very important in its study. Because of this, it is important to research its role regarding the development and progression of human malignancies, especially in hematologic malignancies. Due to its variation in expression in cancer, it has been suggested that Deptor can act as an oncogene or tumor suppressor depending on the cellular or tissue context. This review discusses recent advances in its transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of Deptor. As well as the advances regarding the activities of Deptor in hematological malignancies, its possible role as a biomarker, and its possible clinical relevance in these malignancies.

MiRNA-671-5p Promotes prostate cancer development and metastasis by targeting NFIA/CRYAB axis

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second cause of death due to malignancy among men, and metastasis is the leading cause of mortality in patients with PCa. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play important regulatory roles in tumor development and metastasis. Here, we identified 13 miRNAs related to PCa metastasis by bioinformatics analysis. Moreover, we found that miR-671-5p was increased in metastatic PCa tissues, and its high expression indicated poor prognosis of PCa. MiR-671-5p could facilitate PCa cells proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro and vivo. We confirmed that miR-671-5p directly bound to the 3’ untranslated regions of NFIA mRNA, and NFIA directly bound to the CRYAB promoter. High expression of NFIA and CRYAB negatively correlated with the advanced clinicopathological characteristics and metastasis status of PCa patients. Our study demonstrated that miR-671-5p promoted PCa development and metastasis by suppressing NFIA/ CRYAB axis.

Identification of a Novel Cancer Stemness-Associated ceRNA Axis in Lung Adenocarcinoma via Stemness Indices Analysis

The aim of this study was to identify a novel cancer stemness-related ceRNA regulatory axis in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) via weighted gene coexpression network analysis of a stemness index. The RNA sequencing expression profiles of 513 cancer samples and 60 normal samples were obtained from the TCGA database. Differentially expressed mRNAs (DEmRNAs), lncRNAs (DElncRNAs), and miRNAs (DEmiRNAs) were identified with R software. Functional enrichment analysis was conducted using DAVID 6.8. The ceRNA network was constructed via multiple bioinformatics analyses, and the correlations between possible ceRNAs and prognosis were analyzed using Kaplan–Meier plots. WGCNA was then applied to distinguish key genes related to the mRNA expression-based stemness index (mRNAsi) in LUAD. After combining the weighted gene coexpression and ceRNA networks, a novel ceRNA regulatory axis was identified, and its biological functions were explored in vitro and vivo. In total, 1,825 DElncRNAs, 291 DEmiRNAs, and 3,742 DEmRNAs were identified. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that the DEmRNAs might be associated with LUAD onset and progression. The ceRNA network was constructed with 14 lncRNAs, 10 miRNAs, and 52 mRNAs. Kaplan–Meier analysis identified 2 DEmiRNAs, 5 DElncRNAs, and 41 DEmRNAs with remarkable prognostic power. One gene (MFAP4) in the ceRNA network was found to be closely related to mRNAsi by using WGCNA. Functional investigation further confirmed that the C8orf34-as1/miR-671-5p/MFAP4 regulatory axis has important functions in LUAD cell migration and stemness. This study provides a deeper understanding of the lncRNA–miRNA–mRNA ceRNA network and, more importantly, reveals a novel ceRNA regulatory axis, which may provide new insights into novel molecular therapeutic targets for inhibiting LUAD stem characteristics.

SRY-related high-mobility-group box 6 suppresses cell proliferation and is downregulated in breast cancer

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers endangering women's health. SRY-related high-mobility-group box 6 (SOX6) is associated with many cancers, though its role has not been reported in breast cancer. Here, we aimed to explore the expression and function of SOX6 in breast cancer. On the basis of the analysis of SOX6 in The Cancer Genome Atlas, Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia and Genotype-Tissue Expression databases, we revealed that SOX6 was downregulated in breast cancer, and we verified the results at the cellular level by means of western blotting and quantitative real-time PCR. When SOX6 was overexpressed, the proliferation of breast cancer cells was inhibited, and apoptosis was promoted. Moreover, the methylation level of the SOX6 promoter in breast cancer was significantly higher than that in normal tissues. 5'-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine reversed the high level of methylation that was caused by decreased expression of SOX6. This evidence suggests that SOX6 is a tumor suppressor gene associated with breast cancer. This study could provide a new target for breast cancer treatment.

[MicroRNA-671-3p suppresses proliferation and invasion of breast cancer cells by targeting DEPTOR]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effects of miR-671-3p on the proliferation and invasion of breast cancer cells and explore the possible mechanism.

METHODS

We examined the expressions of miR-671-3p in human normal epithelial cells (MCF-10A) and breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, and SK-BR3) using RT-PCR. The effects of transfection with a miR-671-3p mimic or inhibitor on the proliferation, migration and invasion of MCF-7 cells were evaluated using CCK-8 assay and Transwell chamber assay. The target gene of miR-671-3p was predicated with Targetscan and validated by a dual luciferase reporter system and Western blotting.

RESULTS

The expression of miR-671-3p was significantly lower in breast cancer cells than in normal breast epithelial cells. Compared with negative control group, MCF-7 cells with miR-671-3p overexpression exhibited significantly reduced proliferation and invasion, whereas inhibition of miR-671-3p obviously promoted the cell proliferation and invasion. Luciferase reporter assay demonstrated that DEPTOR was the target gene of miR-671-3p, and miR-671-3p overexpression caused significant down-regulation of the protein expression of DEPTOR.

CONCLUSIONS

MiR-671-3p suppresses the proliferation and invasion of breast cancer cell line MCF-7 by directly targeting DEPTOR protein.

miR-145 promotes miR-133b expression through c-myc and DNMT3A-mediated methylation in ovarian cancer cells

Ovarian cancer presents as malignant tumors in the female reproductive system with high mortality. MicroRNAs are involved in the progression of ovarian cancer; however, the regulatory relationship among miRs remains unclear. In our study, we verified that both miR-145 and miR-133b messenger RNA (mRNA) levels in ovarian cancer tissues were lower than in normal ovarian tissues, and their mRNA level in serum of patients with ovarian cancer was reduced. We demonstrated miR-145 targeted c-myc, and c-myc interacted physically with DNMT3A in ovarian cancer cells. We confirmed that c-myc recruited DNMT3A to the miR-133b promoter. miR-133b overexpression also inhibited target gene PKM2 expression along with the Warburg effect. Our results indicate that miR-145 inhibited the Warburg effect through miR-133b/PKM2 pathways, which may improve approaches to ovarian cancer diagnosis and treatment.

A Modified Magnified Analysis of Proteome (MAP) Method for Super-Resolution Cell Imaging that Retains Fluorescence

Biological systems consist of a variety of distinct cell types that form functional networks. Super-resolution imaging of individual cells is required for better understanding of these complex systems. Direct visualization of 3D subcellular and nano-scale structures in cells is helpful for the interpretation of biological interactions and system-level responses. Here we introduce a modified magnified analysis of proteome (MAP) method for cell super-resolution imaging (Cell-MAP) which preserves cell fluorescence. Cell-MAP expands cells more than four-fold while preserving their overall architecture and three-dimensional proteome organization after hydrogel embedding. In addition, Optimized-Cell-MAP completely preserves fluorescence and successfully allows for the observation of tagged small molecular probes containing peptides and microRNAs. Optimized-Cell-MAP further successfully applies to the study of structural characteristics and the identification of small molecules and organelles in mammalian cells. These results may give rise to many other applications related to the structural and molecular analysis of smaller assembled biological systems.

SOX6 suppresses the development of lung adenocarcinoma by regulating expression of p53, p21CIPI , cyclin D1 and β-catenin

The Sry‐related high‐mobility group box6 (SOX6) has been implicated in the development of cancer, but its role in lung cancer is incompletely understood. Here, we report that SOX6 expression is frequently down‐regulated in lung adenocarcinoma tissues. Moreover, SOX6 can inhibit the proliferation and invasion of lung adenocarcinoma cells, which may occur through cell cycle arrest at G1/S due to up‐regulation of p53 and p21^CIPI and down‐regulation of cyclin D1 and β‐catenin. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that the expression of SOX6 is significantly associated with patient disease‐related survival and is an independent prognostic factor for lung adenocarcinoma. These data suggest that SOX6 may act as a suppressor of lung adenocarcinoma.

Prognostic Value of Survival of MicroRNAs Signatures in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Introduction: Accumulating evidence showed that a large number of microRNAs (miRNAs) are abnormally expressed in lung cancer tissues and play critical roles in cancer development and progression. The aim of this study is to identify the differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) between non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and normal lung tissues, and evaluate the prognostic value and potential target gene functional enrichment of the DEMs. Materials and Methods: We first downloaded the high-throughput miRNA data from The Cancer Genome Atlas Project (TCGA) database, and subsequently analyzed the data using bioinformatics analysis including limma package in R, Kaplan-Meier curve and Log-rank method, and several online analysis tools. Results: A total of 125 DEMs and 138 DEMs were respectively identified in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) tissues and lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) tissues compared with their matched normal tissues. Moreover, we found that the prognostic function of the eight miRNAs (miR-375, miR-148a, miR-29b-1 and miR-584 for LUAD; miR-4746, miR-326, miR-93 and miR-671 for LUSC). Furthermore, the two four-miRNA signatures were constructed and found to be an independent prognostic factor for LUAD and LUSC patients, respectively. Additionally, our results indicated that the target genes of eight miRNAs may be involved in various pathways related to NSCLC, including PI3K-Akt, TGF-beta, FoxO, Ras, GPI-anchor biosynthesis and metabolic, Rap1, HIF-1 and proteasome. Conclusion: Overall, eight miRNAs were closely correlated with survival of NSCLC patients, and the constructed two four-miRNA signatures could be respectively used as prognostic markers in LUAD and LUSC patients.

MicroRNA biogenesis, gene silencing mechanisms and role in breast, ovarian and prostate cancer

Micro-ribonucleic acids (miRNAs) are important class of short regulatory RNA molecules involved in regulation of several essential biological processes. In addition to Dicer and Drosha, over the past few years several other gene products are discovered that regulates miRNA biogenesis pathways. Similarly, various models of molecular mechanisms underlying miRNA mediated gene silencing have been uncovered through which miRNA contribute in diverse physiological and pathological processes. Dysregulated miRNA expression has been reported in many cancers manifesting tumor suppressive or oncogenic role. In this review, critical overview of recent findings in miRNA biogenesis, silencing mechanisms and specifically the role of miRNA in breast, ovarian and prostate cancer will be described. Recent advancements in miRNA research summarized in this review will enhance the molecular understanding of miRNA biogenesis and mechanism of action. Also, role of miRNAs in pathogenesis of breast, ovarian and prostate cancer will provide the insights for the use of miRNAs as biomarker or therapeutic agents for the cancers.

Overexpression of miR-671-5p indicates a poor prognosis in colon cancer and accelerates proliferation, migration, and invasion of colon cancer cells

Purpose

Colon cancer is one of the common malignancies worldwide, and many genes, including microRNAs (miRNAs), have been demonstrated that associated with progression of various diseases, including cancers. The aim of this study is to investigate the potential role of miR-671-5p in colon cancer.

Patients and methods

Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was performed to detect the expression levels of miR-671-5p in 115 paired colon cancer tissues and adjacent normal tissues, as well as in colon cancer cells. Kaplan-Meier curve and Cox regression analyses were used to estimate the prognostic significance of miR-671-5p in colon cancer. CCK-8 assay, colony-formation assay, Transwell migration and invasion assays were used to evaluate the effects of miR-671-5p on cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in colon cancer.

Results

We found that miR-671-5p expression was increased in colon cancer tissues and cell lines. Overexpression of miR-671-5p was found associated with lymph node metastasis, TNM stage, and poor overall survival of patients with colon cancer. By exploiting miR-671-5p mimics and inhibitors, miR-671-5p overexpression significantly increased cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, while downregulation of miR-671-5p inhibited proliferation, migration, and invasion of colon cancer cells.

Conclusion

Taken together, miR-671-5p may act as an oncogene in colon cancer and promote proliferation, migration, and invasion of colon cancer cells by targeting TRIM67. And it may be a promising prognostic biomarker and therapeutic application for colon cancer treatment.

Novel role of the SRY-related high-mobility-group box D gene in cancer

The SRY-related high-mobility-group box (Sox) gene family encodes a set of transcription factors and is defined by the presence of highly conserved domains. The Sox gene can be divided into 10 groups (A-J). The SoxD subpopulation consists of Sox5, Sox6, Sox13 and Sox23, which are involved in the transcriptional regulation of developmental processes, including embryonic development, nerve growth and cartilage formation. Recently, the SoxD gene family was recognized as important transcriptional regulators associated with many types of cancer. In addition, Sox5 and Sox6 are representatives of the D subfamily, and there are many related studies; however, there are few reports on Sox13 and Sox23. In this review, we first introduce the structures of the SoxD genes. Next, we summarize the latest research progress on SoxD in various types of cancer. Finally, we discuss the potential direction of future SoxD research. In general, the information reviewed here may contribute to future experimental design and increase the potential of SoxD as a cancer treatment target.

Transcription factors in SOX family: Potent regulators for cancer initiation and development in the human body

Transcription factors (TFs) have a key role in controlling the gene regulatory network that sustains explicit cell states in humans. However, an uncontrolled regulation of these genes potentially results in a wide range of diseases, including cancer. Genes of the SOX family are indeed crucial as deregulation of SOX family TFs can potentially lead to changes in cell fate as well as irregular cell growth. SOX TFs are a conserved group of transcriptional regulators that mediate DNA binding through a highly conserved high-mobility group (HMG) domain. Accumulating evidence demonstrates that cell fate and differentiation in major developmental processes are controlled by SOX TFs. Besides; numerous reports indicate that both up- and down-regulation of SOX TFs may induce cancer progression. In this review, we discuss the involvement of key TFs of SOX family in human cancers.

Long non-coding RNA CHRF modulates the progression of cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury via miR-126/SOX6 signaling pathway

Ischemic stroke remains as a major cause for disability and death in the world. Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) cardiac hypertrophy-related factor (CHRF) has been suggested as a crucial modulator in cardiac injury and various human cancers. Nevertheless, its effects and mechanism on ischemic stroke remains unclear. In this study, we found that CHRF was significantly correlated with miR-126, and miR-126 expression was decreased in the ischemic core following ischemia, while CHRF expression was increased according to the in vivo and in vitro experiments. Additionally, miR-126 significantly reduced oxygen-glucose deprivation and reoxygenation (OGD/R)-triggered apoptosis using TUNEL and flow cytometry analysis. Moreover, CHRF played as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) and competed with Sex-determining region Y box 6 (SOX6) to direct binding with miR-126, subsequently regulating ischemic neuronal death. CHRF knockdown in vivo markedly prevented ischemic damage and alleviated neurological dysfunctions. Thereby, these results revealed a new molecular mechanism of lncRNA CHRF through targeting miR-126/SOX6 signaling to modulate ischemic neuronal injury, providing solid evidence to develop promising therapeutic strategies against cerebral ischemic stroke.

MicroRNA-765 is pregulated in multiple myeloma and serves an oncogenic role by directly targeting SOX6

Increasing evidence has revealed that microRNAs (miRNAs) are closely associated with multiple myeloma (MM) pathogenesis and progression. Therefore, an in-depth understanding of the biological functions of miRNAs in MM may be helpful for the identification of promising therapeutic techniques for patients with MM. miRNA-765 (miR-765) has been reported to be dysregulated in many types of human cancer. However, the expression pattern, specific roles and underlying mechanisms of miR-765 in MM remain largely unknown. In the present study, plasma miR-765 significantly increased in patients with MM and cell lines. The downregulation of miR-765 in MM cells attenuated proliferation and promoted apoptosis. Bioinformatics analysis predicted that SRY-Box 6 (SOX6) was a putative target of miR-765. This was experimentally verified using a luciferase reporter assay, reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and western blot analysis. Furthermore, plasma SOX6 was downregulated in patients with MM and the downregulation of SOX6 was inversely correlated with that of miR-765 expression. Furthermore, SOX6 knockdown markedly abrogated the effects of miR-765 underexpression on cell proliferation and apoptosis in MM. The current study demonstrated that miR-765 serves an oncogenic role in MM progression by directly targeting SOX6, suggesting that miR-765 may be a potential therapeutic target for MM prevention and treatment.

MicroRNAs and their target mRNAs as potential biomarkers among smokers and non-smokers with lung adenocarcinoma

Lung adenocarcinoma is one of the major causes of mortality. Current methods of diagnosis can be improved through identification of disease specific biomarkers. MicroRNAs are small non-coding regulators of gene expression, which can be potential biomarkers in various diseases. Thus, the main objective of this study was to gain mechanistic insights into genetic abnormalities occurring in lung adenocarcinoma by implementing an integrative analysis of miRNAs and mRNAs expression profiles in the case of both smokers and non-smokers. Differential expression was analysed by comparing publicly available lung adenocarcinoma samples with controls. Furthermore, weighted gene co-expression network analysis is performed which revealed mRNAs and miRNAs significantly correlated with lung adenocarcinoma. Moreover, an integrative analysis resulted in identification of several miRNA-mRNA pairs which were significantly dysregulated in non-smokers with lung adenocarcinoma. Also two pairs (miR-133b/Protein Kinase C Zeta (PRKCZ) and miR-557/STEAP3) were found specifically dysregulated in smokers. Pathway analysis further revealed their role in important signalling pathways including cell cycle. This analysis has not only increased the authors' understanding about lung adenocarcinoma but also proposed potential biomarkers. However, further wet laboratory studies are required for the validation of these potential biomarkers which can be used to diagnose lung adenocarcinoma.

Circular RNA circ_0001946 acts as a competing endogenous RNA to inhibit glioblastoma progression by modulating miR-671-5p and CDR1

OBJECTIVES

In many malignant tumors, circRNAs play an important role. However, the biological role and clinical significance of circRNAs remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the effects of circ_0001946 on the progression of glioblastoma (GBM) and the molecular mechanism of circ_0001946.

METHODS

Microarrays were applied to test the expression profiles of circRNAs and messenger RNAs (mRNAs). Coexpressed genes were identified by constructing differentially expressed circRNA-mRNA networks. The expression of circ_0001946, miR-671-5p, and cerebellar degeneration-related autoantigen 1 (CDR1) was detected by real-time quantitative PCR, and the protein expression of CDR1 was determined by western blotting. A dual-luciferase reporter assay was used to evaluate potential miR-671-5p target sites on circ_0001946 and CDR1. The proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion of GBM cells were assessed by a colony formation assay, flow cytometry assay, transwell migration assay, and transwell invasion assay. Xenograft mouse models were used to determine the role of circ_0001946 in vivo.

RESULTS

The expression of circ_0001946 and CDR1 was low and that of miR-671-5p was high in GBM cells. Circ_0001946 suppressed the expression of miR-671-5p, thus upregulating the expression of CDR1, the gene downstream of miR-671-5p. Circ_0001946 and CDR1 reduced proliferation, migration, and invasion and increased apoptosis in GBM cells, whereas miR-671-5p had an opposite effect. The xenograft mouse model and immunohistochemistry results indicated that circ_0001946 inhibited GBM growth as well as the expression of Ki67 in GBM cells.

CONCLUSION

Our study confirmed that the circ_0001946/miR-671-5p/ CDR1 pathway modulates the development of GBM, and this pathway might be a promising target for the development of therapeutics for GBM.

miR‑671‑3p is downregulated in non‑small cell lung cancer and inhibits cancer progression by directly targeting CCND2

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are implicated in the development and progression of non‑small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). A previous study suggested that miR‑671‑3p suppresses the development of breast cancer. However, the role of miR‑671‑3p in NSCLC remains largely unknown. In the present study, it was identified that miR‑671‑3p was significantly upregulated in NSCLC tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‑qPCR). Similarly, decreased levels of miR‑671‑3p in NSCLC cell lines were observed compared with those in the non‑tumorigenic human bronchial epithelial NL20 cell line. Cell Counting Kit‑8 and Transwell invasion assays indicated that miR‑671‑3p overexpression suppressed the proliferation and invasion of A549 cells, and vice versa. Mechanistically, it was demonstrated that CCND2 was a direct target of miR‑671‑3p. RT‑qPCR and western blot analysis indicated that miR‑671‑3p overexpression decreased the expression of CCND2 in A549 cells. Furthermore, rescue experiments demonstrated that the restoration of CCND2 may significantly reverse the suppressive roles of miR‑671‑3p overexpression on NSCLC cell proliferation and invasion. Taken together, the present study demonstrated that miR‑671‑3p exerted its tumor‑suppressive roles via directly targeting CCND2 in NSCLC.

Neural Transcription Factors in Disease Progression

Progression to the malignant state is fundamentally dependent on transcriptional regulation in cancer cells. Optimum abundance of cell cycle proteins, angiogenesis factors, immune evasion markers, etc. is needed for proliferation, metastasis or resistance to treatment. Therefore, dysregulation of transcription factors can compromise the normal prostate transcriptional network and contribute to malignant disease progression.The androgen receptor (AR) is considered to be a key transcription factor in prostate cancer (PCa) development and progression. Consequently, androgen pathway inhibitors (APIs) are currently the mainstay in PCa treatment, especially in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). However, emerging evidence suggests that with increased administration of potent APIs, prostate cancer can progress to a highly aggressive disease that morphologically resembles small cell carcinoma, which is referred to as neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC), treatment-induced or treatment-emergent small cell prostate cancer. This chapter will review how neuronal transcription factors play a part in inducing a plastic stage in prostate cancer cells that eventually progresses to a more aggressive state such as NEPC.

MicroRNA-671-3p promotes proliferation and migration of glioma cells via targeting CKAP4

Background and objective

Glioma is one of the most aggressive and malignant cancers originating from the human brain. Increasing evidence suggests that aberrant expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) frequently occurs in glioma and miRNAs are critical regulators of glioma. miR-671 has recently been revealed to be a novel miRNA that plays a vital role in human glioblastoma multiforme. However, the functional role and underlying mechanisms of miR-671-3p require further analysis.

Materials and methods

Western blot and fluorescence quantitative PCR were used to assess the expression of cytoskeleton-associated protein 4 (CKAP4) and miR-671-3p, respectively. A Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay and a Boyden chamber assay were used to detect the proliferative and migratory abilities of glioma cells. A luciferase assay was used to determine the target gene of miR-671-3p. Apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry.

Results

Our results revealed that overexpression of miR-671-3p promoted cell proliferation and migration in vitro. Meanwhile, forced expression of miR-671-3p reduced apoptosis. In contrast, inhibition of miR-671-3p had the opposite effects. We also identified CKAP4 to be a direct target of miR-671-3p. The expression levels of CKAP4 were decreased in clinical samples and inversely correlated with miR-671-3p expression levels. Ectopic expression of CKAP4 reversed the promotive activity of miR-671-3p in the proliferation and migration and enhanced apoptosis.

Conclusion

Our study demonstrates that miR-671-3p is a predominant positive regulator of glioma progression, thus providing new insights into the molecular mechanisms of glioma development. The findings suggest that the miR-6713p/CKAP4 axis may serve as a potential therapeutic target or biomarker in glioma.