Clinical significance of the expression of miRNA-21, miRNA-31 and miRNA-let7 in patients with lung cancer

The diagnostic performance of micro-RNA and metabolites in lung cancer: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The diagnosis of lung cancer is based on the microscopic exam of tissue or liquid. During the recent decade, many biomarkers have been pointed to have a potential diagnostic role. These biomarkers may be assessed in blood, pleural effusion or sputum and they could avoid biopsies or other risky procedures. The authors aimed to assess the diagnostic performances of biomarkers focusing on micro-RNA and metabolites.

METHODS

This meta-analysis was conducted under the PRISMA guidelines during a nine-year-period (2013-2022). the Meta-Disc software 5.4 (free version) was used. Q test and I2 statistics were carried out to explore the heterogeneity among studies. Meta-regression was performed in case of significant heterogeneity. Publication bias was assessed using the funnel plot test and the Egger's test (free version JASP).

RESULTS

According to our inclusion criteria, 165 studies from 79 articles were included. The pooled SEN, SPE and dOR accounted, respectively, for 0.76, 0.79 and 13.927. The AUC was estimated to 0.859 suggesting a good diagnostic accuracy. The heterogeneity in the pooled SEN and SPE was statistically significant. The meta-regression analysis focusing on the technique used, the sample, the number of biomarkers, the biomarker subtype, the tumor stage and the ethnicity revealed the biomarker number (p  =  0.009) and the tumor stage (p  =  0.0241) as potential sources of heterogeneity.

CONCLUSION

Even if this meta-analysis highlighted the potential diagnostic utility of biomarkers, more prospective studies should be performed, especially to assess the biomarkers' diagnostic potential in early-stage lung cancers.

Interfacial Profiling of MicroRNAs at Patterned Nanogaps for an Integrated Microfluidic-SERS Liquid Biopsy

A versatile microfluidic-SERS barcoding system is developed for sensitive and multiplexed imaging of circulating microRNAs through interfacial probing of encoded nanorod aggregates at diverse patterned nanogaps. The use of a single-layer, vertically oriented nanorod array creates a plasmonic coupling-based electromagnetic field with enormously enhanced Raman outputs. The introduction of the herringbone micromixer with circulated microflow sampling accelerates the hybridization and capture of nanorod aggregates on the plasmonic substrate. The method is able to achieve ideal sensitivities at subfemtomolar levels for four miRNAs, with multiplexed assay capability for an integrated liquid biopsy. The on-chip digital profiling of serum miRNAs in mapping and barcoding formats enable both clear discrimination of untreated cancer patients from the healthy cohort and precise classification of tumor stages, metastatic conditions, and subtypes, with an overall accuracy of 94%. The SERS-based microfluidic barcoding system therefore holds great promise in early cancer screening, diagnosis, and prognosis.

miR-325-3p Reduces Proliferation and Promotes Apoptosis of Gastric Cancer Cells by Inhibiting Human Antigen R

Human antigen R (HuR), also known as ELAVL1, is a widely expressed RNA-binding protein (RBP) that has a significant impact on the development and advancement of tumors. Our previous study found that 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) may impede the proliferation and increase apoptosis in gastric cancer cells by reducing the nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of HuR. However, how posttranscriptional regulation influences HuR functions in gastric cancer remains to be elucidated. Here, we demonstrated that miR-325-3p has the potential to regulate the expression level of HuR by directly binding to its 3'UTR, which in turn led to a significant reduction in proliferation and an increase in apoptosis in gastric cancer cells. In addition, xenograft experiment showed that knockdown of HuR or overexpression of miR-325-3p group exhibited smaller tumor sizes after transplant of gastric cancer cells into zebrafish larvae. Thus, our findings offer new insights into the pathogenesis of gastric cancer and may potentially assist in identifying novel targets for drug therapy.

MicroRNA based combinatorial therapy against TKIs resistant CML by inactivating the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway: a review

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is characterized by presence of Philadelphia chromosome, which harbors BCR-ABL oncogene responsible for encoding BCR-ABL oncoprotein. This oncoprotein interferes with cellular signaling pathways, resulting in tumor progression. Among these pathways, PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway is significantly upregulated in CML. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are current standard therapy for CML, and they have shown remarkable efficacy. However, emergence of TKIs drug resistance has necessitated investigation of novel therapeutic approaches. Components of PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway have emerged as attractive targets in this context, as this pathway is known to be activated in TKIs-resistant CML cells/patients. Inhibiting this pathway may provide a complementary approach to improving TKIs' efficacy and treatment outcomes. Given previous research indicating that miRNAs play an inhibitory role in cancer, current study used computational tools to identify miRNAs that specifically target pathway's core components. A comprehensive analysis was performed, resulting in identification of 111 miRNAs that potentially target PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. From this extensive list, 7 miRNAs was selected for further investigation based on their consistent downregulation across leukemia subtypes. Except for hsa-miR-199a-3p, remaining six miRNAs have been extensively studied in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Given high similarity between AML and CML, it is believed that six miRNAs which are not studied in context of CML may also be advantageous for curing chemoresistance in CML. Building upon this knowledge, it is reasonable to speculate that a combination therapy approach involving use of miRNAs alongside TKIs may offer improved therapy for TKIs-resistant CML compared to TKIs monotherapy alone.

Label-Free, High-Throughput, Sensitive, and Logical Analysis Using Biomimetic Array Based on Stable Luminescent Copper Nanoclusters and Entropy-Driven Nanomachine

The development of an array for high-throughput and logical analysis of biomarkers is significant for disease diagnosis. DNA-templated copper nanoclusters (CuNCs) have a strong potential to serve as a label-free photoluminescence source in array platforms, but their luminescent stability and sensitivity need to be improved. Herein, we report a facile, sensitive, and robust biomimetic array assay by integrating with stable luminescent CuNCs and entropy-driven nanomachine (EDN). In this strategy, the luminescent stability of CuNCs was improved by adding fructose in CuNCs synthesis to offer a reliable label-free signal. Meanwhile, the DNA template for CuNCs synthesis was introduced into EDN with excellent signal amplification ability, in which the reaction triggered by target miRNA would cause the blunt/protruding conformation change of 3'-terminus accompanied by the production or loss of luminescence. In addition, a biomimetic array fabricated by photonic crystals (PCs) physically enhanced the emitted luminescent signal of CuNCs and achieved high-throughput signal readout by a microplate reader. The proposed assay can isothermally detect as low as 4.5 pM of miR-21. Moreover, the logical EDN was constructed to achieve logical analysis of multiple miRNAs by "AND" or "OR" logic gate operation. Therefore, the proposed assay has the advantages of label-free property, high sensitivity, flexible design, and high-throughput analysis, which provides ideas for developing a new generation of facile and smart platforms in the fields of biological analysis and clinical application.

Circulating noncoding RNAs: promising biomarkers in liquid biopsy for the diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy of NSCLC

As the second most common malignant tumor in the world, lung cancer is a great threat to human health. In the past several decades, the role and mechanism of ncRNAs in lung cancer as a class of regulatory RNAs have been studied intensively. In particular, ncRNAs in body fluids have attracted increasing attention as biomarkers for lung cancer diagnosis and prognosis and for the evaluation of lung cancer treatment due to their low invasiveness and accessibility. As emerging tumor biomarkers in lung cancer, circulating ncRNAs are easy to obtain, independent of tissue specimens, and can well reflect the occurrence and progression of tumors due to their correlation with some biological processes in tumors. Circulating ncRNAs have a very high potential to serve as biomarkers and hold promise for the development of ncRNA-based therapeutics. In the current study, there has been extensive evidence that circulating ncRNA has clinical significance and value as a biomarker. In this review, we summarize how ncRNAs are generated and enter the circulation, remaining stable for subsequent detection. The feasibility of circulating ncRNAs as biomarkers in the diagnosis and prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer is also summarized. In the current systematic treatment of non-small cell lung cancer, circulating ncRNAs can also predict drug resistance, adverse reactions, and other events in targeted therapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and radiotherapy and have promising potential to guide the systematic treatment of non-small cell lung cancer.

Size-Controlled DNA Tile Self-Assembly Nanostructures Through Caveolae-Mediated Endocytosis for Signal-Amplified Imaging of MicroRNAs in Living Cells

Signal-amplified imaging of microRNAs (miRNAs) is a promising strategy at the single-cell level because liquid biopsy fails to reflect real-time dynamic miRNA levels. However, the internalization pathways for available conventional vectors predominantly involve endo-lysosomes, showing nonideal cytoplasmic delivery efficiency. In this study, size-controlled 9-tile nanoarrays are designed and constructed by integrating catalytic hairpin assembly (CHA) with DNA tile self-assembly technology to achieve caveolae-mediated endocytosis for the amplified imaging of miRNAs in a complex intracellular environment. Compared with classical CHA, the 9-tile nanoarrays possess high sensitivity and specificity for miRNAs, achieve excellent internalization efficiency by caveolar endocytosis, bypassing lysosomal traps, and exhibit more powerful signal-amplified imaging of intracellular miRNAs. Because of their excellent safety, physiological stability, and highly efficient cytoplasmic delivery, the 9-tile nanoarrays can realize real-time amplified monitoring of miRNAs in various tumor and identical cells of different periods, and imaging effects are consistent with the actual expression levels of miRNAs, ultimately demonstrating their feasibility and capacity. This strategy provides a high-potential delivery pathway for cell imaging and targeted delivery, simultaneously offering a meaningful reference for the application of DNA tile self-assembly technology in relevant fundamental research and medical diagnostics.

A light-up fluorescence platform based DNA: RNA hybrid G-quadruplet for detecting single nucleotide variant of ctDNA and miRNA-21

The nucleic acid assay is an area of great concern in the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. Here, we developed a DNA: RNA hybrid G-quadruplet (HQ) detection platform based on strand displacement amplification (SDA) and Baby Spinach RNA aptamer for single nucleotide variant (SNV) of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) and miRNA-21. This was the first in vitro construction of HQ for the biosensor. It found that HQ had much stronger ability to switch on fluorescence of DFHBI-1T than Baby Spinach RNA alone. Taking advantage of the platform and the FspI enzyme with high specificity, the biosensor achieved ultra-sensitive detection of SNV of the ctDNA (PIK3CA ^H1047R gene) and miRNA-21. The light-up biosensor had high anti-interference ability in complex actual samples. Hence, the label-free biosensor provided a sensitive and accurate method for early diagnosis of breast cancer. Moreover, it opened a new application model for RNA aptamers.

Contributions of Circulating microRNAs for Early Detection of Lung Cancer

There is unmet need to develop circulating biomarkers that would enable earlier interception of lung cancer when more effective treatment options are available. Here, a set of 30 miRNAs, selected from a review of the published literature were assessed for their predictive performance in identifying lung cancer cases in the pre-diagnostic setting. The 30 miRNAs were assayed using sera collected from 102 individuals diagnosed with lung cancer within one year following blood draw and 212 controls matched for age, sex, and smoking status. The additive performance of top-performing miRNA candidates in combination with a previously validated four-protein marker panel (4MP) consisting of the precursor form of surfactant protein B (Pro-SFTPB), cancer antigen 125 (CA125), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and cytokeratin-19 fragment (CYFRA21-1) was additionally assessed. Of the 30 miRNAs evaluated, five (miR-320a-3p, miR-210-3p, miR-92a-3p, miR-21-5p, and miR-140-3p) were statistically significantly (Wilcoxon rank sum test p < 0.05) elevated in case sera compared to controls, with individual AUCs ranging from 0.57−0.62. Compared to the 4MP alone, the combination of 3-miRNAs + 4MP improved sensitivity at 95% specificity by 19.1% ((95% CI of difference 0.0−28.6); two-sided p: 0.006). Our findings demonstrate utility for miRNAs for early detection of lung cancer in combination with a four-protein marker panel.

MicroRNA-21 as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker of lung cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The relationship between microRNA-21 (miRNA-21) and pathogenesis of lung cancer is a considerable focus of research interest. However, to our knowledge, no in-depth meta-analyses based on existing evidence to ascertain the value of miRNA-21 in diagnosis and clinical prognosis of lung cancer have been documented.

METHODS

We comprehensively searched all the literature pertaining to 'miRNA-21' and 'lung cancer' from four databases from the period of inception of each database until May 2020. Using specific inclusion and exclusion criteria, the literature for inclusion was identified and the necessary data extracted.

RESULTS

In total, 46 articles were included in the meta-analysis, among which 31 focused on diagnostic value and 15 on prognostic value. Combined sensitivity (SEN) of miRNA-21 in diagnosis of lung cancer was 0.77 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.72-0.81), specificity (SPE) was 0.86 (95% CI: 0.80-0.90), diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) was (95% CI: 12-33), and area under the SROC curve (AUC) was 0.87 (95% CI: 0.84-0.90). No significant correlations were observed between abnormal expression of miRNA-21 and gender, smoking habits, pathological type and clinical stage of lung cancer (P>0.05). In terms of overall survival (OS), univariate analysis (hazards ratio (HR) = 1.49, 95% CI: 1.22-1.82) revealed high expression of miRNA-21 as an influencing factor for lung cancer. MiRNA-21 was confirmed as an independent risk factor for poor prognosis in multivariate analysis (HR = 1.65, 95% CI: 1.24-2.19).

CONCLUSION

MiRNA-21 has potential clinical value in the diagnosis and prognosis of lung cancer and may serve as an effective diagnostic marker and therapeutic target in the future.

Integration of bioinformatics analysis and experimental validation identifies plasma exosomal miR-103b/877-5p/29c-5p as diagnostic biomarkers for early lung adenocarcinoma

The aim of this study was to identify miRNAs in plasma exosomes as noninvasive biomarkers for the early diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). First, exosomal miRNA profiling of three patients with early LUAD and three patients with benign lung disease were screened by next-generation sequencing (NGS) method. Sequencing results showed that 154 exosomal miRNAs were differentially expressed in the plasma of LUAD patients, among which 68 miRNAs were up-regulated and 86 miRNAs were down-regulated. GSE137140 is a GEO database containing serum miRNAs sequencing data from 1566 lung cancer patients and 1774 non-cancer patients controls. When comparing the sequencing data, it was found that most miRNAs (37/68) up-regulated in our LUAD group were also significantly up-regulated in GSE137140, suggesting that circulating miRNAs in lung cancer patients may be enriched in plasma exosomes. In GSE137140, the AUC of the combination of hsa-miR-103b, hsa-miR-29c-5p and hsa-miR-877-5p was 0.873, showing great potential as new tumor markers. To our knowledge, these three exosomal miRNAs have not been reported in lung cancer research. Furthermore, bioinformatics tools were used to analyze the target genes of three candidate miRNAs, which were indeed closely related to the occurrence and development of lung cancer. Bioinformatics algorithms deduced a highly conserved sequence in the 3'-UTR of SFRP4, FOXM1 and TMEM98 that could be bound with miR-103b/877-5p/29c-5p. A luciferase assay indicated that miR-103b/877-5p/29c-5p directly targeted the 3'-UTR of SFRP4, FOXM1 and TMEM98, respectively. Finally, three candidate miRNAs were validated by qRT-PCR in 17 early LUAD samples and 17 control plasma samples. Integration of bioinformatics analysis and experimental validation identifies, this study provides novel insights into miRNA-related networks in LUAD. Hsa-miR-103b, hsa-miR-29c-5p, and hsa-miR-877-5p may be used as diagnostic biomarkers for early LUAD.

Expression Profile Analysis and Image Observation of miRNA in Serum of Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea-Hypopnea Syndrome

The expression profile and image observation of miRNA in serum of patients with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome were investigated. Bioinformatics methods were used to explore the molecular mechanism of obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS)-related hypertension and explore the differentially expressed core miRNAs and regulatory factors, providing a theoretical basis for seeking molecular targets for clinical diagnosis and treatment. The miRNA datasets of patients with OSAHS and those with hypertension were downloaded from the public database to obtain differentially expressed miRNAs and explore the biological processes and pathways involved in the target genes. The core miRNAs and competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) transcription factors (TFs) were obtained by database mining and Cytoscape network analysis. The results showed that 2,579 differentially expressed miRNAs were obtained from the GSE112093 dataset. Seven upregulated miRNAs (hsa-miR-7107-5p, hsa-miR-7110-5p, hsa-miR-595, hsa-miR-1268b, hsa-miR-3064-5p, hsa-miR-68565p, and hsa-miR-1180-3p) and one downregulated miRNA (hsa-miR-22-3p) were obtained from the GSE112093 dataset. It is proved that hsa-miR-22-3p, hsa-miR-595, hsa-miR-6856-5pKcnq1ot1, neat1, Tsix, ERG, kdm2b, and Runx1 may be involved in the pathogenesis of OSAHS-related hypertension, which provided a theoretical basis for the mechanism research and clinical treatment of OSAHS.

A sensing system constructed by combining a structure-switchable molecular beacon with nicking-enhanced rolling circle amplification for highly sensitive miRNA detection

A novel amplification assay strategy is developed for the highly sensitive detection of miRNA-21 based on a combination of a structure-switchable molecular beacon with nicking-enhanced rolling circle amplification.

High diagnostic value of miRNAs for NSCLC: quantitative analysis for both single and combined miRNAs in lung cancer

BACKGROUND

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are good candidates as biomarkers for Lung cancer (LC). The aim of this article is to figure out the diagnostic value of both single and combined miRNAs in LC.

METHODS

Normative meta-analysis was conducted based on PRISMA. We assessed the diagnostic value by calculating the combined sensitivity (Sen), specificity (Spe), positive likelihood ratio (PLR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR) and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) and the area under the curve (AUC) of single and combined miRNAs for LC and specific subgroups.

RESULTS

A total of 80 qualified studies with a total of 8971 patients and 10758 controls were included. In non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC), we involved 20 single-miRNAs and found their Sen, Spe and AUC ranged from 0.52-0.81, 0.66-0.88, and 0.68-0.90, respectively, specially, miR-19 with the maximum Sen, miR-20 and miR-10 with the highest Spe as well as miR-17 with the maximum AUC. Additionally, we detected miR-21 with the maximum Sen of 0.74 [95%CI: 0.62-0.83], miR-146 with the maximum Spe and AUC of 0.93 [95%CI: 0.79-0.98] and 0.89 [95%CI: 0.86-0.92] for early-stage NSCLC. We also identified the diagnostic power of available panel (miR-210, miR-31 and miR-21) for NSCLC with satisfying Sen, Spe and AUC of 0.82 [95%CI: 0.78-0.84], 0.87 [95%CI: 0.84-0.89] and 0.91 [95%CI: 0.88-0.93], and furtherly constructed 2 models for better diagnosis.

CONCLUSIONS

We identified several single miRNAs and combined groups with high diagnostic power for NSCLC through pooled quantitative analysis, which shows that specific miRNAs are good biomarker candidates for NSCLC and further researches needed.

Magnetic Property and Therapeutic Effect of a New Co(II) Complex on Liver Cancer by Regulating the Expression of miRNA31

Employing the flexible hexacarboxylate ligand of 1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6-triamine hexaacetic acid (H6TTHA) to assemble with Co(NO3)2·6H2O, we have acquired a novel coordination compound, i.e., [Co2(H2TTHA)(H2O)]n·6n(H2O) (1). The analysis of single X-ray diffraction indicated that the H2TTHA2- ligand μ5-bridges connected the Co(II) ions into a two-dimensional layered architecture. Moreover, the magnetic property of 1 was also investigated between 2 and 300 K under 1000 Oe applied magnetic field. The novel compound’s inhibitory activity against the viability of cancer cell was determined through CCK-8 assay, and the expression of miRNA31 in liver cancer cells was detected via the real-time RT-PCR.

[Research progress of microRNA in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma]

Laryngeal carcinoma is one of the most common malignant tumors in the area of head and neck, and the main pathological type is laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Due to the fact that the disease usually have no overt clinical symptoms at the early stage and easy to relapse, it has a poor prognosis and low five-year survival rate. microRNA is a class of endogenous, non-coding RNA with a length of 19-25 nucleotides. microRNAs, mainly regulate the expression of target genes at the post-transcriptional level after complementing and pairing with the 3'-UTR area of the target gene. Studies have shown that the abnormal expression of microRNA is closely related to the occurrence, development, metastasis and prognosis of various cancers including laryngeal carcinoma. In this article, the research progress of microRNA in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma is reviewed.

miR-21-5p/SMAD7 axis promotes the progress of lung cancer

Background

Lung cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors threatening human health. The aim of this study was to investigate the function of miR‐21‐5p in lung cancer progression.

Methods

We analyzed the expression levels of miR‐21‐5p in lung cancer tissues and cell lines. The qRT‐PCR and MTT assays were performed after transfection with miR‐21‐5p mimic, inhibitor and negative control into lung cancer cells.

Results

Luciferase reporter assays showed miR‐21‐5p directly target SMAD7. The miR‐21‐5p inhibitor significantly suppressed lung cancer cell proliferation, invasion and migration. We found that SMAD7 was upregulated in lung cancer tissue. In addition, we found that SMAD7 inhibited lung cancer cell proliferation and miR‐21‐5p mimic damaged the inhibitory effect of SMAD7.

Conclusions

miRNA‐21‐5p may promote cell proliferation, migration and invasion by spoiling SMAD7 expression in lung cancer cells.

miRNAs in lung cancer. A systematic review identifies predictive and prognostic miRNA candidates for precision medicine in lung cancer

Lung cancer (LC) is the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide and miRNAs play a key role in LC development. To better diagnose LC and to predict drug treatment responses we evaluated 228 articles encompassing 16,697 patients and 12,582 healthy controls. Based on the criteria of ≥3 independent studies and a sensitivity and specificity of >0.8 we found blood-borne miR-20a, miR-10b, miR-150, and miR-223 to be excellent diagnostic biomarkers for non-small cell LC whereas miR-205 is specific for squamous cell carcinoma. The systematic review also revealed 38 commonly regulated miRNAs in tumor tissue and the circulation, thus enabling the prediction of histological subtypes of LC. Moreover, theranostic biomarker candidates with proven responsiveness to checkpoint inhibitor treatments were identified, notably miR-34a, miR-93, miR-106b, miR-181a, miR-193a-3p, and miR-375. Conversely, miR-103a-3p, miR-152, miR-152-3p, miR-15b, miR-16, miR-194, miR-34b, and miR-506 influence programmed cell death-ligand 1 and programmed cell death-1 receptor expression, therefore providing a rationale for the development of molecularly targeted therapies. Furthermore, miR-21, miR-25, miR-27b, miR-19b, miR-125b, miR-146a, and miR-210 predicted response to platinum-based treatments. We also highlight controversial reports on specific miRNAs. In conclusion, we report diagnostic miRNA biomarkers for in-depth clinical evaluation. Furthermore, in an effort to avoid unnecessary toxicity we propose predictive biomarkers. The biomarker candidates support personalized treatment decisions of LC patients and await their confirmation in randomized clinical trials.

MiR-325-3p mediate the CXCL17/CXCR8 axis to regulate angiogenesis in hepatocellular carcinoma

INTRODUCTION

MicroRNA-325-3p (miR-325-3p) is involved in the progression of a great number of tumors. However, the regulatory mechanism of miR-325-3p on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unclear.

AIM

In this paper, we aim to investigate the underlying mechanism by which miR-325-3p regulate the progression of HCC.

METHODS

RT-qPCR was performed to detect the levels of miR-325-3p, CXCL17, and CXCR8. Western bolt was conducted to determine the levels of pro-angiogenic factors VEGF, FGF2, Ang-1 and PDGF-B. Immunohistochemistry was carried to detect the distribution and expression of Ki-67 and CD34 in HCC tissues. MTT and colony formation were carried to evaluate cell proliferation, endothelial tube-formation assay was used detect tubule formation, and transwell assay was performed to evaluate cell migration and invasion ability. Dual-luciferase activity assay was used to verify the relationship between miR-325-3p and CXCL17.

RESULTS

MiR-325-3p was down-regulated in HCC cells and tissues, miR-325-3p overexpression inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of HCC cells. Besides, miR-325-3p overexpression inhibited angiogenesis of HCC. CXCL17 is a direct target of miR-325-3p and partially mediates the effect of miR-325-3p on proliferation, migration, invasion and angiogenesis of HCC.

CONCLUSION

MiR-325-3p regulated angiogenesis of HCC via mediating CXCL17/CXCR8 axis, indicating miR-325-3p may serve as a promising therapy biomarker for HCC.

Knockdown of lncRNA PCAT1 Enhances Radiosensitivity of Cervical Cancer by Regulating miR-128/GOLM1 Axis

Purpose

Cervical cancer (CC) is the fourth most common cancer with high death rate in females. The study aims to detect the mechanism of long non-coding RNA (LncRNA) PCAT1 on radiosensitivity of CC.

Methods

The expression of PCAT1, miR-128 and GOLM1 in CC tissues and cells was measured by qRT-PCR. Different doses of X-ray were used for radiation treatment of CC cells and 6 Gy was chosen to perform the following experiments. The proliferation, migration and invasion of CC cells were measured by MTT assay, wound healing assay and transwell assay, respectively. The target relationships among PCAT1, miR-128 and GOLM1 were predicted by StarBase and TargetScan and verified by luciferase reporter assay. The protein level of GOLM1 was determined by Western blot. The xenograft tumor model was constructed in nude mice to verify the effect of PCAT1 on radiosensitivity of CC in vivo.

Results

The PCAT1 expression was upregulated in CC tissues and cells. PCAT1 silencing enhances radiosensitivity of CC cells on proliferation, migration and invasion. MiR-128 was the target of PCAT1 and was negatively regulated by PCAT1. Upregulation of miR-128 enhances radiosensitivity of CC cells on proliferation, migration and invasion. GOLM1 was a target of miR-128 and was negatively regulated by miR-128. Upregulation of GOLM1 and downregulation of miR-128 both reversed the enhanced effect of PCAT1 knockdown on radiosensitivity of CC cells, which partly promoted the proliferation, migration and invasion of CC cells.

Conclusion

Silencing of PCAT1 enhanced radiosensitivity of CC via targeting miR-128/GOLM1, which provided a new idea for treating CC.

miR‑379‑5p inhibits cell proliferation and promotes cell apoptosis in non‑small cell lung cancer by targeting β‑arrestin‑1

Lung cancer is the most common fatal type of cancer, demonstrating high incidence rates in both sexes. Therefore, it is of vital importance to devise more effective and targeted therapies to improve the treatment quality for patients. The present study aimed to determine the effects of microRNA (miR)-379-5p on cell proliferation and apoptosis, in addition to its underlying molecular mechanisms in lung cancer. Tumor and adjacent normal tissues were obtained from patients with NSCLC and transfection experiments in A549 cells were performed using miR-379-5p mimics and pcDNA3.1- β-arrestin-1 (ARRB1) overexpression plasmids. The cell proliferation rate was determined using a Cell Counting Kit-8 assay and the cell apoptotic rate was analyzed using flow cytometry. Additionally, the mRNA and protein expression levels of proliferation-related signaling (PI3K, p-PI3K, AKT and p-AKT) and apoptotic-related factors (Bcl-2, Bax and caspase-3) were detected using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and western blotting, respectively. The results of the present study revealed that miR-379-5p expression levels were downregulated, whereas ARRB1 expression levels were significantly upregulated in NSCLC tissues and cell lines. Following the successful transfection of the miR-379-5p mimic and ARRB1 overexpression plasmid, it was revealed that the overexpression of miR-379-5p inhibited cell proliferation and promoted cell apoptosis, whereas ARRB1 overexpression reversed this inhibition over proliferation and promotion of apoptosis. The increased cell apoptotic rate observed in the miR-379-5p mimics group was associated with a significant downregulation and upregulation of Bcl-2, and Bax and caspase-3 expression levels, respectively. Finally, ARRB1 was identified as a target gene of miR-379-5p. In conclusion, the expression levels of miR-379-5p were demonstrated to be significantly downregulated in lung cancer. In addition, miR-379-5p overexpression led to the decreased expression levels of Bcl-2, phosphorylated (p)-PI3K/PI3K and p-AKT/AKT, and the increased expression levels of Bax and caspase-3. Overall, this resulted in the inhibition of cell proliferation and promoted cell apoptosis by directly targeting ARRB1. Therefore, miR-379-5p may be a potential target for NSCLC treatment due to its ability to inhibit cell proliferation and accelerate the apoptotic process.