MiR-30a attenuates immunosuppressive functions of IL-1β-elicited mesenchymal stem cells via targeting TAB3

Mesenchymal stromal cells with chimaeric antigen receptors for enhanced immunosuppression

Allogeneic mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are a safe treatment option for many disorders of the immune system. However, clinical trials using MSCs have shown inconsistent therapeutic efficacy, mostly owing to MSCs providing insufficient immunosuppression in target tissues. Here we show that antigen-specific immunosuppression can be enhanced by genetically modifying MSCs with chimaeric antigen receptors (CARs), as we show for E-cadherin-targeted CAR-MSCs for the treatment of graft-versus-host disease in mice. CAR-MSCs led to superior T-cell suppression and localization to E-cadherin+ colonic cells, ameliorating the animals' symptoms and survival rates. On antigen-specific stimulation, CAR-MSCs upregulated the expression of immunosuppressive genes and receptors for T-cell inhibition as well as the production of immunosuppressive cytokines while maintaining their stem cell phenotype and safety profile in the animal models. CAR-MSCs may represent a widely applicable therapeutic technology for enhancing immunosuppression.

The pathological and therapeutic roles of mesenchymal stem cells in preeclampsia

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have made progress in the treatment of ischemic and inflammatory diseases. Preeclampsia (PE) is characterized by placenta ischemic and inflammatory injury. Our paper summarized the new role of MSCs in PE pathology and its potency in PE therapy and analyzed its current limitations. Intravenously administered MSCs dominantly distributed in perinatal tissues. There may be additional advantages to using MSCs-based therapies for reproductive disorders. It will provide new ideas for future research in this field.

MicroRNA-30a contributes to pre-eclampsia through regulating the proliferation, apoptosis, and angiogenesis modulation potential of mesenchymal stem cells by targeting AVEN

Pre-eclampsia (PE) is a pregnancy-associated disease related to an unprecedented hypertension attack. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) play a crucial role in PE pathology. . Our research was designed to illustrate the functions of microRNA-30a (miR-30a) in proliferation, apoptosis, and the potential of regulating angiogenesis in MSCs, and to analyze its potential molecular mechanisms. TargetScan software and the luciferase reporter assay were used to forecast and verify the relationship between miR-30a and AVEN. MiR-30a and AVEN expression in the decidual tissue and decidua (d)MSCs of healthy pregnant women and PE patients were assessed using quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Cell proliferation, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2 H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT), flow cytometry, and transwell assays were used to evaluate cell proliferation, growth, the cell cycle, apoptosis, and migration. Furthermore, the tube formation ability was evaluated using the human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) tube formation assay. AVEN is the target gene of miR-30a. MiR-30a was upregulated in decidual tissues and dMSCs of PE patients. However, AVEN was weakly expressed, and AVEN expression was negatively related to miR-30a levels in decidual tissues and dMSCs of PE patients. Compared to the mimic control group, upregulation of miR-30a inhibited dMSC proliferation and cell growth, promoted G0/G1 phase arrest, and induced apoptosis. Furthermore, the miR-30a mimic transfected dMSC culture supernatant suppressed HTR-8/SVneo cell migration ability and HUVEC tube formation ability. However, AVEN reversed these changes. In conclusion, miR-30a/AVEN may serve as a new axis for PE treatment.

Characteristics and regulation of mesenchymal stem cell plasticity by the microenvironment — specific factors involved in the regulation of MSC plasticity

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), multipotent stromal cells, have attracted extensive attention in the field of regenerative medicine and cell therapy due to the capacity of self-renewal, multilineage differentiation, and immune regulation. MSCs have different cellular effects in different diseases, and even have markedly different curative effects with different tissue sources, indicating the plasticity of MSCs. The phenotypes, secreted factors, and proliferative, migratory, differentiating, and immunomodulatory effects of MSCs depend on certain mediators present in their microenvironment. Understanding microenvironmental factors and their internal mechanisms in MSC responses may help in subsequent prediction and improvement of clinical benefits. This review highlighted the recent advances in MSC plasticity in the physiological and pathological microenvironment and multiple microenvironmental factors regulating MSC plasticity. It also highlighted some progress in the underlying molecular mechanisms of MSC remodeling in the microenvironment. It might provide references for the improvement in vitro culture of MSCs, clinical application, and in vivo induction.

Myocardin/microRNA-30a/Beclin1 signaling controls the phenotypic modulation of vascular smooth muscle cells by regulating autophagy

Upon vascular injury, vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) change from a contractile phenotype to a synthetic phenotype, thereby leading to atherogenesis and arterial restenosis. Myocardin (MYOCD) is essential for maintaining the contractile phenotype of VSMCs. Deletion of MYOCD in VSMCs triggers autophagy. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the effect of MYOCD on autophagy is not clear. In this study, knockdown of MYOCD in human aortic VSMCs (HA-VSMCs) triggered autophagy and diminished the expression of SMC contractile proteins. Inhibition of autophagy in MYOCD-knockdown cells restored the expression of contractile proteins. MYOCD activated the transcription of miR-30a by binding to the CArG box present in its promoter, as confirmed by luciferase reporter and chromatin immune coprecipitation assays, while miR-30a decreased the expression of autophagy protein-6 (ATG6, also known as beclin1) by targeting its 3′UTR. Restoring the expression of miR-30a in MYOCD-knockdown cells upregulated the levels of contractile proteins. Treatment of VSMCs with platelet-derived growth factor type BB (PDGF-BB) resulted in the transformation of VSMCs to a proliferative phenotype. A low level of miR-30a was observed in PDGF-BB-treated HA-VSMCs, and re-expression of miR-30a led to a decrease in proliferative marker expression. Furthermore, using a wire injury mouse model, we found that miR-30a expression was significantly downregulated in the arterial tissues of mice and that restoration of miR-30a expression at the injured site abolished neointimal formation. Herein, MYOCD could inhibit autophagy by activating the transcription of miR-30a and that miR-30a-mediated autophagy defects could inhibit intimal hyperplasia in a carotid arterial injury model.

Preeclamptic Women Have Disrupted Placental microRNA Expression at the Time of Preeclampsia Diagnosis: Meta-Analysis

Introduction: Preeclampsia (PE) is a pregnancy-associated, multi-organ, life-threatening disease that appears after the 20th week of gestation. The aim of this study was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine whether women with PE have disrupted miRNA expression compared to women who do not have PE. Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies that reported miRNAs expression levels in placenta or peripheral blood of pregnant women with vs. without PE. Studies published before October 29, 2021 were identified through PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science. Two reviewers used predefined forms and protocols to evaluate independently the eligibility of studies based on titles and abstracts and to perform full-text screening, data abstraction and quality assessment. Standardized mean difference (SMD) was used as a measure of effect size. Results: 229 publications were included in the systematic review and 53 in the meta-analysis. The expression levels in placenta were significantly higher in women with PE compared to women without PE for miRNA-16 (SMD = 1.51,95%CI = 0.55-2.46), miRNA-20b (SMD = 0.89, 95%CI = 0.33-1.45), miRNA-23a (SMD = 2.02, 95%CI = 1.25-2.78), miRNA-29b (SMD = 1.37, 95%CI = 0.36-2.37), miRNA-155 (SMD = 2.99, 95%CI = 0.83-5.14) and miRNA-210 (SMD = 1.63, 95%CI = 0.69-2.58), and significantly lower for miRNA-376c (SMD = -4.86, 95%CI = -9.51 to -0.20). An increased level of miRNK-155 expression was found in peripheral blood of women with PE (SMD = 2.06, 95%CI = 0.35-3.76), while the expression level of miRNA-16 was significantly lower in peripheral blood of PE women (SMD = -0.47, 95%CI = -0.91 to -0.03). The functional roles of the presented miRNAs include control of trophoblast proliferation, migration, invasion, apoptosis, differentiation, cellular metabolism and angiogenesis. Conclusion: miRNAs play an important role in the pathophysiology of PE. The identification of differentially expressed miRNAs in maternal blood creates an opportunity to define an easily accessible biomarker of PE.

Temporal microRNA expression profile of pig peripheral blood during postnatal development

Gene expression profiles of blood can reflect the physiopathologic status of the immune system. The dynamic microRNA (miRNA) expression profiles of peripheral blood from pigs at different developmental stages, and how differential expression of miRNAs might relate to immune system development, are unknown. In this study, peripheral blood samples taken at five developmental stages were used to construct 15 miRNA libraries (three biological replicates/stage): 0 days (newborn), 30 days (weaning), 60 days (weaned), and 180 and 360 days (puberty). We identified 295 known mature miRNAs. Hierarchical clustering of the miRNA expression profile showed significant differences between individuals at the neonatal and postnatal stages. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that miRNAs differentially expressed between pairwise comparisons of the developmental stages were over-represented in immune-related pathways such as toll-like receptor signaling. The time-course of expression of the over-representated miRNAs exhibited a pattern of steady decline over time, for both the complete miRNA compendium and immune-related miRNAs. We identified six marker miRNAs that were highly negatively correlated with chronologic age and enriched for genes involved in immune-related pathways. This study of a peripheral blood miRNA transcriptome offers insight into immune system development in swine and provides a resource for pig genome annotation.

MicroRNA-301a inhibition enhances the immunomodulatory functions of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells by induction of macrophage M2 polarization

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of short non-coding RNAs that play a significant role in biological processes in various cell types, including mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). However, how miRNAs regulate the immunomodulatory functions of adipose-derived MSCs (AD-MSCs) remains unknown. Here, we showed that modulation of miR-301a in AD-MSCs altered macrophage polarization. Bone marrow (BM)-derived macrophages were stimulated with LPS (1 μg/ml) and co-cultured with miRNA transfected AD-MSCs for 24 h. The expression of M1 and M2 markers in macrophages was analyzed. Inhibition of miR-301a induced M2 macrophage with arginase-1, CD163, CD206, and IL-10 upregulation. Additionally, toll-like receptor (TLR)-4 mRNA expression in macrophages was downregulated in co-cultures with AD-MSCs transfected with a miR-301a inhibitor. Nitric oxide (NO) in the supernatant of AD-MSC/macrophage co-culture was also suppressed by inhibition of miR-301a in AD-MSCs. We further found that suppression of miR-301a in AD-MSCs increased prostaglandin E₂ (PGE2) concentration in the conditioned medium of the co-culture. Taken together, the results of our study indicate that miR-301a can modulate the immunoregulatory functions of AD-MSCs that favor the applicability as a potential immunotherapeutic agent.

A role for microRNAs in the epigenetic control of sexually dimorphic gene expression in the human placenta

Aim: The contribution of miRNAs as epigenetic regulators of sexually dimorphic gene expression in the placenta is unknown. Materials & methods: 382 placentas from the extremely low gestational age newborns (ELGAN) cohort were evaluated for expression levels of 37,268 mRNAs and 2,102 miRNAs using genome-wide RNA-sequencing. Differential expression analysis was used to identify differences in the expression based on the sex of the fetus. Results: Sexually dimorphic expression was observed for 128 mRNAs and 59 miRNAs. A set of 25 miRNA master regulators was identified that likely contribute to the sexual dimorphic mRNA expression. Conclusion: These data highlight sex-dependent miRNA and mRNA patterning in the placenta and provide insight into a potential mechanism for observed sex differences in outcomes.

MiR-30a-5p inhibits proliferation and metastasis of hydatidiform mole by regulating B3GNT5 through ERK/AKT pathways

Hydatidiform moles are gestational trophoblastic disease. They are abnormal proliferations of trophoblast cells that have the potential to become cancerous. miR-miR30a-5p is a tumour suppressor that participates in the development of numerous diseases. However, the role of miR-30a in hydatidiform moles and the mechanisms underlying its effects are presently unclear. This study explored the levels of miR-30a and B3GNT5 expression in human hydatidiform mole tissue. The results showed that miR-30a and B3GNT5 were differentially expressed in normal placenta and hydatidiform mole, and miR-30a decreased cell proliferation, invasion and migration in trophoblast cell lines. Upon further examination, it was confirmed that miR-30a directly targeted the 3'untranslated region of B3GNT5 using a dual-luciferase assay. The results of the present study also revealed that miR-30a reduced the proliferation, invasion and migration ability in JAR and BeWo cells by regulating B3GNT5, which may inactivate the ERK and AKT signalling pathways. This study demonstrated that miR-30a was a novel target B3GNT5 that serves an important role in the development of hydatidiform moles, suggesting that miR-30a may serve as a novel potential biomarker or useful diagnostic and therapeutic tool for hydatidiform moles in clinical settings.

The involving progress of MSCs based therapy in atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is a chronic progressive vascular inflammation characterized by lipid deposition and plaque formation, for which vascular cell dysfunction and impaired immune responses are involved. Up to now, lipid-lowering drugs remain the main therapy for treating atherosclerosis; however, the surgical or interventional therapy is often applied, and yet, morbidity and mortality of such cardiovascular disease remain high worldwide. Over the past decades, an anti-inflammatory approach has become an important therapeutic target for dealing with atherosclerosis, as altered immune responses have been regarded as an essential player in the pathological process of vascular abnormality induced by hyperlipidemia. Interestingly, mesenchymal stem cells, one type of stem cells with the capabilities of self-renewal and multi-potential, have demonstrated their unique immunomodulatory function in the various pathological process, especially in atherosclerosis. While some controversies remain regarding their therapeutic efficacy and working mechanisms, our present review aims to summarize the current research progress on stem cell-based therapy, focusing on its immunomodulatory effects on the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and how endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, and other immune cells are regulated by MSC-based therapy.

TAB3 upregulates PIM1 expression by directly activating the TAK1-STAT3 complex to promote colorectal cancer growth

Transforming growth factor-β-activated kinase 1 (TAK1)-binding protein 3 (TAB3) and the proviral integration site for Moloney murine leukaemia virus 1 (PIM1) are implicated in cancer development. In this study, we investigated the relationship between TAB3 and PIM1 in colorectal cancer (CRC) and determined the potential role and molecular mechanism of TAB3 in PIM1-mediated CRC growth. We found that TAB3 and PIM1 expression levels were positively correlated in CRC tissues. The knockdown of TAB3 significantly decreased PIM1 expression and inhibited CRC proliferation in vitro and in vivo. The upregulation of PIM1 rescued the decreased cell proliferation induced by TAB3 knockdown, whereas PIM1 knockdown decreased TAB3-enhanced CRC proliferation. Additionally, TAB3 regulates PIM1 expression through the STAT3 signalling pathway and confirmed a positive correlation between TAB3 and phosphorylated-STAT3 expression in CRC tissues. Patients with high expression of TAB3 and phosphorylated-STAT3 had the worst prognosis. Mechanistically, TAB3 regulates PIM1 expression by promoting STAT3 phosphorylation and activation through the formation of the TAB3-TAK1-STAT3 complex. Overall, a novel CRC regulatory circuit involving the TAB3-TAK1-STAT3 complex and PIM1 was identified, the dysfunction of which may contribute to CRC tumorigenesis.

Immunoregulatory properties of mesenchymal stem cells: Micro-RNAs

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent cells that are excellent candidates for different cellular therapies due to their physiological properties such as immunoregulatory function. whetheare currently utilized for regenerative medication and treatment of a number of inflammatory illnesses given their ability to considerably impact tissue microenvironments via extracellular vesicles or toll-like receptor pathway modulation. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that target the messenger RNA and play a critical role in different biological procedures, such as the development and reaction of the immune system. Moreover, miRNAs have recently been revealed to have serious functions in MSCs to regulate immunomodulatory properties. In this review, we study how the miRNAs pathway can modulate the immunoregulatory activity of MSCs by counting their interactions with immune cells and also discuss the possibility of using miRNA-based implications for MSC-based therapies.

Patterns of immune infiltration in lung adenocarcinoma revealed a prognosis-associated microRNA-mast cells network

Immune infiltration of tumor microenvironment is an important determinant for immune response and outcomes. To investigate the diversity and clinical relevance of immune infiltration in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), we performed a comprehensive analysis using the bulk tumor transcriptomes. The prognosis significance for immune infiltration was systematically evaluated and sufficient immune infiltration was associated with better outcomes. Resting mast cells emerged as the most strongly associated with better overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS), whereas the activated mast cells were correlated with adverse survival. Immune infiltration-based classification exhibited clinical relevance and provided a close link between cancer cell-intrinsic genetic events and immune landscape. The immune infiltration-miRNA functional network analysis showed that the resting mast cell-associated miRNAs are mainly involved in the enrichment of development, mRNA metabolic process, myeloid cell differentiation, Wnt, calcium modulating, interferon, p53 pathways. Additionally, we found one promoter (miR-30a) and one suppressor (miR-550a) of resting mast cells. Coupling the detailed analyses of the cellular immune infiltration and the implicated modulation role of miRNAs provides novel type of candidates for LUAD immunotherapy.

MicroRNA‑30a controls the instability of inducible CD4+ Tregs through SOCS1

Inducible regulatory T cells (iTregs) are an important subset of Tregs and play a role in the maintenance of peripheral tolerance, and the occurrence of a number of diseases, including tumors and autoimmune diseases. However, the instability of iTregs is a major obstacle for their potential application in clinical trials. The underlying mechanism of iTreg instability remains largely unknown. In the present study, the expression level of microRNA (miRNA/miR)‑30a in murine iTregs was evaluated using reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR. miR‑30a mimics and a miR‑negative control (NC) were transiently transfected into iTregs using Nucleofector technology. The effects of miR‑30a on the suppressive function of murine iTregs in vitro and in vivo were investigated using MTT, adoptive cell transfer (ACT) and flow cytometry assays, as well as a murine model of lung cancer. In the present study, it was identified that the expression level of miR‑30a was lower in murine iTregs in vitro compared with natural (n)Tregs. Furthermore, compared with miR‑NC, miR‑30a mimics impaired the suppressive function of murine iTregs on murine CD4+ T cell proliferation in vitro, which was accompanied by the altered expression of cytotoxic T lymphocyte‑associated antigen 4 and glucocorticoid induced tumor necrosis factor receptor, as well as transforming growth factor‑β and interleukin‑10. It was also observed that, compared with miR‑NC, miR‑30a mimics abrogated the suppressive effects of murine iTregs on murine CD8+ T cell function in vivo, producing an effective antitumor effect in mice bearing 3LL lung cancer cells in the ACT assay. From a mechanistic point, the expression level of suppressor of cytokine signaling 1, a putative target of miR‑30a, was elevated, altering the activation of the Akt and STAT1 pathway in the miR‑30a mimic transfected group compared with the miR‑NC group, reducing the suppressive function of murine iTregs. The present study identified a role for miR‑30a in the instability of iTregs and provided a novel insight into the development of therapeutic strategies for promoting T‑cell immunity via the regulation of iTreg instability by targeting specific miRNAs.

IL-1β-Mediated Activation of Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Results in PMN Reallocation and Enhanced Phagocytosis: A Possible Mechanism for the Reduction of Osteoarthritis Pathology

Background: Injection of adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (ASCs) into murine knee joints after induction of inflammatory collagenase-induced osteoarthritis (CiOA) reduces development of joint pathology. This protection is only achieved when ASCs are applied in early CiOA, which is characterized by synovitis and high S100A8/A9 and IL-1β levels, suggesting that inflammation is a prerequisite for the protective effect of ASCs. Our objective was to gain more insight into the interplay between synovitis and ASC-mediated amelioration of CiOA pathology.

Methods: CiOA was induced by intra-articular collagenase injection. Knee joint sections were stained with hematoxylin/eosin and immunolocalization of polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs) and ASCs was performed using antibodies for NIMP-R14 and CD271, respectively. Chemokine expression induced by IL-1β or S100A8/A9 was assessed with qPCR and Luminex. ASC-PMN co-cultures were analyzed microscopically and with Luminex for inflammatory mediators. Migration of PMNs through transwell membranes toward conditioned medium of non-stimulated ASCs (ASC_NS-CM) or IL-1β-stimulated ASCs (ASC_IL-1β-CM) was examined using flow cytometry. Phagocytic capacity of PMNs was measured with labeled zymosan particles.

Results: Intra-articular saline injection on day 7 of CiOA increased synovitis after 6 h, characterized by PMNs scattered throughout the joint cavity and the synovium. ASC injection resulted in comparable numbers of PMNs which clustered around ASCs in close interaction with the synovial lining. IL-1β-stimulation of ASCs in vitro strongly increased expression of PMN-attracting chemokines CXCL5, CXCL7, and KC, whereas S100A8/A9-stimulation did not. In agreement, the number of clustered PMNs per ASC was significantly increased after 6 h of co-culturing with IL-1β-stimulated ASCs. Also migration of PMNs toward ASC_IL-1β-CM was significantly enhanced (287%) when compared to ASC_NS-CM. Interestingly, association of PMNs with ASCs significantly diminished KC protein release by ASCs (69% lower after 24 h), accompanied by reduced release of S100A8/A9 protein by the PMNs. Moreover, phagocytic capacity of PMNs was strongly enhanced after priming with ASC_IL-1β-CM.

Conclusions: Local application of ASCs in inflamed CiOA knee joints results in clustering of attracted PMNs with ASCs in the synovium, which is likely mediated by IL-1β-induced up-regulation of chemokine release by ASCs. This results in enhanced phagocytic capacity of PMNs, enabling the clearance of debris to attenuate synovitis.

The effect of dietary ginseng polysaccharide supplementation on porcine milk-derived esRNAs involved in the host immune responses

Ginseng polysaccharides (GPS) have been well known as an immune modulator. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary supplemental GPS on the immune responses involved in sow's milk-derived exosomal shuttle RNAs (esRNAs) using RNA-Seq and miRNA-Seq. Of the 213 identified miRNA types, a total of 26 conserved miRNAs were differently expressed in response to GPS supplementation, including 10 up-regulated and 16 down-regulated miRNAs in GPS feeding group. In addition, exosomal transcriptome analysis identified 14,696 protein-coding genes in sow's milk exosomes, and 283 genes with 204 and 79 candidates showing up and down-regulation were significantly responded to GPS supplementation. Integrated analysis of each differently expressed miRNA with significantly expressed genes further revealed the presence of 51 highly conserved miRNA-gene interactions that were annotated to be related to immunoregulatory functions. This work provided an important advance in the functional identification of dietary GPS supplementation and more fundamental information about how GPS promoted the immune response and healthy growth of the infant from mothers at molecular levels.

Beta-hydroxybutyrate Promotes the Expression of BDNF in Hippocampal Neurons under Adequate Glucose Supply

Neurobiological evidence suggests that the ketone metabolite β-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA) exerts many neuroprotective functions for the brain. The previous study revealed that BHBA could promote the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) at glucose inadequate condition. Here we demonstrated that BHBA administration induced the expression of BDNF in the hippocampus of mice fed with normal diet. In vitro experiment results also showed that 0.02-2 mM BHBA significantly increased BDNF expression in both the primary hippocampal neurons and the hippocampus neuron cell line HT22 under adequate glucose supply. Bdnf transcription induced by BHBA stimulus was mediated through the cAMP/PKA-triggered phosphorylation of CREB (S133) and the subsequent up-regulation of histone H3 Lysine 27 acetylation (H3K27ac) binding at Bdnf promoters I, II, IV, and VI. Moreover, BHBA stimulus induced a decrease in tri-methylation of H3K27 (H3K27me3) binding at the Bdnf promoters II and VI and the elevation of H3K27me3-specific demethylase JMJD3, which also contributed to the activation of Bdnf transcription. These results demonstrated that BHBA within the physiological range could promote BDNF expression in neurons via a novel signaling function. Moreover, BHBA might possess more broad epigenetic regulatory activities, which affected both the acetylation and demethylation of H3K27. Our findings reinforce the beneficial effect of BHBA on the central nervous system (CNS) and suggest that BHBA administration with no need for energy restriction might also be a promising intervention to improve the neuronal activity and ameliorate the degeneration of CNS.

TAB3 upregulates Survivin expression to promote colorectal cancer invasion and metastasis by binding to the TAK1-TRAF6 complex

Transforming growth factor-β-activated kinase 1 (TAK1)-binding protein 3 (TAB3) is involved in cancer proliferation and metastasis, but its role in colorectal cancer remains unclear. In this study, we demonstrated that TAB3 is upregulated in colorectal cancer tissues and that high TAB3 levels correlated with tumor metastasis and a poor prognosis in colorectal cancer. In addition, TAB3 knockdown decreased Survivin expression and suppressed colorectal cancer cell migration and invasion in vitro, and reduced liver metastasis in vivo. Importantly, we found that TAB3 regulated Survivin expression by activating the NF-κB pathway through the formation of the TAK1-TAB3-TRAF6 complex. These findings suggest TAB3 may be a useful prognostic biomarker in colorectal cancer and a target for treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer.

Acute in utero exposure to lipopolysaccharide induces inflammation in the pre- and postnatal brain and alters the glial cytoarchitecture in the developing amygdala

Background

Maternal immune activation (MIA) is a risk factor for neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism and schizophrenia, as well as seizure development. The amygdala is a brain region involved in the regulation of emotions, and amygdalar maldevelopment due to infection-induced MIA may lead to amygdala-related disorders. MIA priming of glial cells during development has been linked to abnormalities seen in later life; however, little is known about its effects on amygdalar biochemical and cytoarchitecture integrity.

Methods

Time-mated C57BL6J mice were administered a single intraperitoneal injection of 50 μg/kg lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on embryonic day 12 (E12), and the effects of MIA were examined at prenatal, neonatal, and postnatal developmental stages using immunohistochemistry, real-time quantitative PCR, and stereological quantification of cytoarchitecture changes.

Results

Fetal brain expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, TNFα, and IL-6) was significantly upregulated at 4 h postinjection (E12) and remained elevated until the day of birth (P0). In offspring from LPS-treated dams, amygdalar expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines was also increased on day 7 (P7) and expression was sustained on day 40 (P40). Toll-like receptor (TLR-2, TLR-4) expression was also upregulated in fetal brains and in the postnatal amygdala in LPS-injected animals. Morphological examination of cells expressing ionized calcium-binding adaptor molecule 1 (Iba-1) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) suggested long-term microglial activation and astrogliosis in postnatal amygdalar regions.

Conclusions

Our results showed that LPS-induced MIA at E12 induces a pro-inflammatory cytokine profile in the developing fetal brain that continues up to early adulthood in the amygdala. Inflammation elicited by MIA may activate cells in the fetal brain and lead to alterations in glial (microglia and astrocyte) cells observed in the postnatal amygdala. Moreover, increased pro-inflammatory cytokines and their effects on glial subpopulations may in turn have deleterious consequences for neuronal viability. These MIA-induced changes may predispose offspring to amygdala-related disorders such as heightened anxiety and depression and also neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism spectrum disorders.

MiR-30a increases MDSC differentiation and immunosuppressive function by targeting SOCS3 in mice with B-cell lymphoma

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), including granulocytic (G)-MDSCs and monocytic (M)-MDSCs, play a critical role in tumor-induced T cell tolerance. MDSC immunosuppressive function and differentiation are significantly promoted in patients and B-cell lymphoma model mice. However, the mechanisms regulating these processes remain largely unclear. In the present study, we observed increased microRNA (miR)-30a expression both in G-MDSCs and in M-MDSCs from B cell lymphoma model mice. After transfection with miR-30a mimics, the differentiation and suppressive capacities of MDSCs were significantly increased via up-regulation of arginase-1. Moreover, we showed that the 3'-UTR of suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3) mRNA is a direct target of miR-30a. Decreased SOCS3 expression and activated Janus kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 signaling promote MDSC differentiation and suppressive activities. These findings provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying MDSC expansion and function during B cell lymphoma development.

Small Molecule, Big Prospects: MicroRNA in Pregnancy and Its Complications

MicroRNAs are small, noncoding RNA molecules that regulate target gene expression in the posttranscriptional level. Unlike siRNA, microRNAs are "fine-tuners" rather than "switches" in the regulation of gene expression; thus they play key roles in maintaining tissue homeostasis. The aberrant microRNA expression is implicated in the disease process. To date, numerous studies have demonstrated the regulatory roles of microRNAs in various pathophysiological conditions. In contrast, the study of microRNA in pregnancy and its associated complications, such as preeclampsia (PE), fetal growth restriction (FGR), and preterm labor, is a young field. Over the last decade, the knowledge of pregnancy-related microRNAs has increased and the molecular mechanisms by which microRNAs regulate pregnancy or its associated complications are emerging. In this review, we focus on the recent advances in the research of pregnancy-related microRNAs, especially their function in pregnancy-associated complications and the potential clinical applications. Here microRNAs that associate with pregnancy are classified as placenta-specific, placenta-associated, placenta-derived circulating, and uterine microRNA according to their localization and origin. MicroRNAs offer a great potential for developing diagnostic and therapeutic targets in pregnancy-related disorders.