Genetic variants in long non-coding RNAs UCA1 and NEAT1 were associated with the prognosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma

The Common LncRNAs of Neuroinflammation-Related Diseases

Spatio-temporal specific long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important regulatory roles not only in the growth and development of the brain but also in the occurrence and development of neurologic diseases. Generally, the occurrence of neurologic diseases is accompanied by neuroinflammation. Elucidation of the regulatory mechanisms of lncRNAs on neuroinflammation is helpful for the clinical treatment of neurologic diseases. This paper focuses on recent findings on the regulatory effect of lncRNAs on neuroinflammatory diseases and selects 10 lncRNAs that have been intensively studied to analyze their mechanism action. The clinical treatment status of lncRNAs as drug targets is also reviewed. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Gene therapies such as clustered regularly interspaced short palindrome repeats technology, antisense RNA technology, and RNAi technology are gradually applied in clinical treatment, and the development of technology is based on a large number of basic research investigations. This paper focuses on the mechanisms of lncRNAs regulation of neuroinflammation, elucidates the beneficial or harmful effects of lncRNAs in neurosystemic diseases, and provides theoretical bases for lncRNAs as drug targets.

Gene polymorphisms and prognosis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: a systematic review

Background

Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) are associated with variable prognosis even with similar clinical characteristics and treatments. Gene polymorphisms have been suggested as prognostic factors for HNSCC which can justified this variable prognosis. So, the aim was to review literatures on gene polymorphisms and prognosis of HNSCCs.

Materials and methods

A systematic search was conducted using PubMed, Web of science, SCOPUS, Google Scholar and Cochrane library databases to find all related articles published up to December 2021 in the field of gene polymorphisms and HNSCC prognosis.

Results

Of 1029 initial searched articles, 71 articles were selected for inclusion in this systematic review. About 93 genes and 204 polymorphisms have been discussed in these articles. Among the most studied polymorphisms, the XRCC1 Arg399Gln and Arg194Trp polymorphisms were not associated with survival in most studies; the ERCC1 C19007T polymorphism had no significant association in any of the studies. Different gene polymorphisms of glutathione s-transferase family, including GSTM1 deletion, GSTT1 deletion and GSTP1 A313G, were not associated with survival in included studies. There are conflicting results regarding the association between polymorphisms such as ERCC2 A35931C, Asp312Asn, ERCC5 rs1047768 and rs17655 with HNSCC prognosis. Less studied polymorphisms, such as hOGG1 rs1052133 or the VEGF rs699947, were generally not associated with HNSCC prognosis.

Conclusion

Reviewed articles reported varied and contradictory results regarding the association of gene polymorphisms and HNSCC prognosis, which necessitates further studies along with meta-analysis on the results of such studies.

Association Between Genetic Polymorphisms of lncRNA NEAT1 and Pulmonary Tuberculosis Risk, Clinical Manifestations in a Chinese Population

Background

Recent studies have shown that abnormal expression of lncRNA NEAT1 is associated with the progression of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). The aim of our study was to analyze the relationship between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of NEAT1 gene and susceptibility to PTB.

Methods

Four SNPs (rs2239895, rs3741384, rs3825071, rs512715) in NEAT1 gene were genotyped in 479 patients with PTB and 476 controls by improved multiple ligase detection reaction (iMLDR) in a Chinese population.

Results

We found no significant differences in allele and genotype frequencies of NEAT1 gene rs2239895, rs3741384, rs3825071, rs512715 between PTB patients and controls (all P > 0.05). There was no statistically significant association between genotype frequency distribution of dominant model, as well as recessive model, and genetic susceptibility to PTB patients (all P > 0.05). The TT genotype, T allele frequencies of rs3825071 were significantly increased in sputum smear-positive PTB patients when compared to sputum smear-negative PTB patients (P = 0.010, P = 0.003, respectively). Haplotype analysis shown that NEAT1 haplotype frequency was not associated with PTB susceptibility.

Conclusion

NEAT1 gene polymorphisms were not associated with the risk of PTB in Chinese population, and rs3825071 polymorphism might be related to sputum smear-positive in PTB patients.

The relation between NEAT1 expression level and survival rate in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma

Background/purpose

Numerous studies have shown that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in cancer progression and chemotherapy resistance. Nuclear enriched abundant transcript 1 (NEAT1) is an lncRNA. It affects tumor cell progression and drug resistance in various tumors. However, the relation of NEAT1 and survival rate in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) requires further study.

Materials and methods

One normal gingival epithelium cell line, SG, three oral cancer cell lines (HSC3, OEC-M1, and SAS), 34 paired non-cancerous matched tissues (NCMT), and OSCC tissues were used in this study. Tri-reagent was used for total RNA extraction. NEAT1 expression was assessed by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR).

Results

NEAT1 expression in oral cancer cell lines was lower than that in normal cells and was significantly downregulated in OSCC. NEAT1 upregulation reduced the survival rate of patients with OSCC. NEAT1 upregulation also reduced the survival rate of OSCC patients treated with chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Conclusion

These results indicate that NEAT1 expression is a valuable biomarker for the prediction and prognosis of oral cancer.

Assessing Long Non-coding RNAs in Tobacco-associated Oral Cancer

Cancer is one of the compelling and pegged diseases battled by clinicians and researchers worldwide. Among different types of cancer, oral cancer holds the sixth position globally. With an escalating prevalence in Asian countries, India, China, and Pakistan constitute a large proportion of total incidents of oral cancer patients in terms of new cases or deaths. This mounting prevalence is ascribed to poor oral hygiene and rampant use of substances earmarked as potential risk factors for the disease. Risk factors (dietary/lifestyle habits/occupational/environmental) trigger the activation of oncogenes, dysregulation of lncRNA and miRNA, and silence the tumor suppressor genes, which robustly contributes to the onset and progression of tumorigenesis in oral squamous cell carcinoma. Evidence suggests that specific carcinogens identified in tobacco and related products alter many cellular pathways predisposing to advanced stages of oral cancer. Long non-coding RNAs represent a broad group of heterogenous transcripts longer than 200 nucleotides which do not translate to form functional proteins. They regulate various cellular pathways by specifically interacting with other RNAs, DNA, and proteins. Their role in the pathogenesis of OSCC and other cancer is still being debated. In this review, we discuss the molecular insights of significant lncRNAs involved in some crucial deregulated pathways of tobacco-associated OSCC. The implications and challenges to harnessing the potential of lncRNAs as biomarkers in early diagnosis and targeted treatment have also been analyzed.