MicroRNA-185 regulates chemotherapeutic sensitivity in gastric cancer by targeting apoptosis repressor with caspase recruitment domain. Cell Death Dis. 2014;5:e1197. [PMID: 24763054 PMCID: PMC4001303 DOI: 10.1038/cddis.2014.148]

Role of apoptosis repressor with caspase recruitment domain in human health and chronic diseases

Apoptosis repressor with caspase recruitment domain (ARC) is a highly potent and multifunctional suppressor of various types of programmed cell death (PCD) (e.g. apoptosis, necroptosis, and pyroptosis) and plays a key role in determining cell fate. Under physiological conditions, ARC is predominantly expressed in terminally differentiated cells, such as cardiomyocytes and skeletal muscle cells. Its expression and activity are tightly controlled by a complicated system consisting of transcription factor (TF), non-coding RNA (ncRNA), and post-translational modification (PTM). ARC dysregulation has been shown to be closely associated with many chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and neurodegenerative disease. However, the detailed mechanisms of ARC involved in the progression of these diseases remain unclear to a large extent. In this review, we mainly focus on the regulatory mechanisms of ARC expression and activity and its role in PCD. We also discuss the underlying mechanisms of ARC in health and disease and highlight the potential implications of ARC in the clinical treatment of patients with chronic diseases. This information may assist in developing ARC-based therapeutic strategies for patients with chronic diseases and expand researchers' understanding of ARC.

The role of microRNAs in the gastric cancer tumor microenvironment

BACKGROUND

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the deadliest malignant tumors with unknown pathogenesis. Due to its treatment resistance, high recurrence rate, and lack of reliable early detection techniques, a majority of patients have a poor prognosis. Therefore, identifying new tumor biomarkers and therapeutic targets is essential. This review aims to provide fresh insights into enhancing the prognosis of patients with GC by summarizing the processes through which microRNAs (miRNAs) regulate the tumor microenvironment (TME) and highlighting their critical role in the TME.

MAIN TEXT

A comprehensive literature review was conducted by focusing on the interactions among tumor cells, extracellular matrix, blood vessels, cancer-associated fibroblasts, and immune cells within the GC TME. The role of noncoding RNAs, known as miRNAs, in modulating the TME through various signaling pathways, cytokines, growth factors, and exosomes was specifically examined. Tumor formation, metastasis, and therapy in GC are significantly influenced by interactions within the TME. miRNAs regulate tumor progression by modulating these interactions through multiple signaling pathways, cytokines, growth factors, and exosomes. Dysregulation of miRNAs affects critical cellular processes such as cell proliferation, differentiation, angiogenesis, metastasis, and treatment resistance, contributing to the pathogenesis of GC.

CONCLUSIONS

miRNAs play a crucial role in the regulation of the GC TME, influencing tumor progression and patient prognosis. By understanding the mechanisms through which miRNAs control the TME, potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets can be identified to improve the prognosis of patients with GC.

Vof16-miR-185-5p-GAP43 network improves the outcomes following spinal cord injury via enhancing self-repair and promoting axonal growth

INTRODUCTION

Self-repair of spinal cord injury (SCI) has been found in humans and experimental animals with partial recovery of neurological functions. However, the regulatory mechanisms underlying the spontaneous locomotion recovery after SCI are elusive.

AIMS

This study was aimed at evaluating the pathological changes in injured spinal cord and exploring the possible mechanism related to the spontaneous recovery.

RESULTS

Immunofluorescence staining was performed to detect GAP43 expression in lesion site after spinal cord transection (SCT) in rats. Then RNA sequencing and gene ontology (GO) analysis were employed to predict lncRNA that correlates with GAP43. LncRNA smart-silencing was applied to verify the function of lncRNA vof16 in vitro, and knockout rats were used to evaluate its role in neurobehavioral functions after SCT. MicroRNA sequencing, target scan, and RNA22 prediction were performed to further explore the underlying regulatory mechanisms, and miR-185-5p stands out. A miR-185-5p site-regulated relationship with GAP43 and vof16 was determined by luciferase activity analysis. GAP43-silencing, miR-185-5p-mimic/inhibitor, and miR-185-5p knockout rats were also applied to elucidate their effects on spinal cord neurite growth and neurobehavioral function after SCT. We found that a time-dependent increase of GAP43 corresponded with the limited neurological recovery in rats with SCT. CRNA chip and GO analysis revealed lncRNA vof16 was the most functional in targeting GAP43 in SCT rats. Additionally, silencing vof16 suppressed neurite growth and attenuated the motor dysfunction in SCT rats. Luciferase reporter assay showed that miR-185-5p competitively bound the same regulatory region of vof16 and GAP43.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data indicated miR-185-5p could be a detrimental factor in SCT, and vof16 may function as a ceRNA by competitively binding miR-185-5p to modulate GAP43 in the process of self-recovery after SCT. Our study revealed a novel vof16-miR-185-5p-GAP43 regulatory network in neurological self-repair after SCT and may underlie the potential treatment target for SCI.

Mechanism of cisplatin resistance in gastric cancer and associated microRNAs

Gastric cancer (GC) is a common malignant tumor with high morbidity and mortality rates that seriously affects human health worldwide. Although surgery is currently the preferred clinical treatment for GC, chemotherapy remains the first choice for perioperative treatment, adjuvant therapy, and palliative care for patients with advanced GC. Cisplatin (DDP) is an antineoplastic agent that has been used clinically for decades, and it is the first-line chemotherapy for many solid tumors. However, the therapeutic efficacy of DDP is often limited by resistance and the complexity of its resistance mechanisms, which involve multiple proteins and signaling pathways. It is well documented that a variety of microRNAs (miRNAs) differentially expressed in DDP-resistant GC cells play important roles in regulating or reversing DDP resistance via various pathways. In this review, we first provide an introduction to the cytotoxicity and major resistance mechanisms of DDP in GC and then discuss the role and mechanism of miRNAs in regulating the DDP resistance process in GC cells. This work demonstrates the potential of relevant miRNAs to become diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for gastric cancer and targets of action to enhance chemosensitivity and provides directions for future research.

Role of non-coding RNAs as new therapeutic targets in regulating the EMT and apoptosis in metastatic gastric and colorectal cancers

Colorectal cancer (CRC) and gastric cancer (GC), are the two most common cancers of the gastrointestinal tract, and are serious health concerns worldwide. The discovery of more effective biomarkers for early diagnosis, and improved patient prognosis is important. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), including microRNAs (miRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), can regulate cellular processes such as apoptosis and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) leading to progression and resistance of GC and CRC tumors. Moreover these pathways (apoptosis and EMT) may serve as therapeutic targets, to prevent metastasis, and to overcome drug resistance. A subgroup of ncRNAs is common to both GC and CRC tumors, suggesting that they might be used as biomarkers or therapeutic targets. In this review, we highlight some ncRNAs that can regulate EMT and apoptosis as two opposite mechanisms in cancer progression and metastasis in GC and CRC. A better understanding of the biological role of ncRNAs could open up new avenues for the development of personalized treatment plans for GC and CRC patients.

The role of microRNA-185 in the pathogenesis of human diseases: A focus on cancer

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a widely-studied class of non-coding RNAs characterized by their short length (18-25 nucleotides). The precise functions of miRNAs are not well-elucidated; however, an increasing number of studies suggest their involvement in various physiologic processes and deregulation in pathologic conditions. miRNA-185 (miR-185) is among the mostly-studied miRNAs in human diseases, which is found to play putative roles in conditions like metabolic disorders, asthma, frailty, schizophrenia, and hepatitis. Notably, many cancer studies report the downregulation of miR-185 in cell lines, tumor tissues, and plasma specimens of patients, while it demonstrates a suppressing role on the malignant properties of cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Accordingly, miR-185 can be considered a tumor suppressor miRNA in human malignancies, while a few studies also report inconsistent findings. Being suggested as a prognostic/diagnostic biomarker, mi-185 is also found to offer clinical potentials, particularly for early diagnosis and prediction of the prognosis of cancer patients. In this review, we have outlined the studies that have evaluated the functions and clinical significance of miR-185 in different human diseases with a particular focus on cancer.

Biological Activity of Selenium and Its Impact on Human Health

Selenium (Se) is a naturally occurring metalloid element essential to human and animal health in trace amounts but it is harmful in excess. Se plays a substantial role in the functioning of the human organism. It is incorporated into selenoproteins, thus supporting antioxidant defense systems. Selenoproteins participate in the metabolism of thyroid hormones, control reproductive functions and exert neuroprotective effects. Among the elements, Se has one of the narrowest ranges between dietary deficiency and toxic levels. Its level of toxicity may depend on chemical form, as inorganic and organic species have distinct biological properties. Over the last decades, optimization of population Se intake for the prevention of diseases related to Se deficiency or excess has been recognized as a pressing issue in modern healthcare worldwide. Low selenium status has been associated with an increased risk of mortality, poor immune function, cognitive decline, and thyroid dysfunction. On the other hand, Se concentrations slightly above its nutritional levels have been shown to have adverse effects on a broad spectrum of neurological functions and to increase the risk of type-2 diabetes. Comprehension of the selenium biochemical pathways under normal physiological conditions is therefore an important issue to elucidate its effect on human diseases. This review gives an overview of the role of Se in human health highlighting the effects of its deficiency and excess in the body. The biological activity of Se, mainly performed through selenoproteins, and its epigenetic effect is discussed. Moreover, a brief overview of selenium phytoremediation and rhizofiltration approaches is reported.

A double-edged sword: role of apoptosis repressor with caspase recruitment domain (ARC) in tumorigenesis and ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury

Apoptosis repressor with caspase recruitment domain (ARC) acts as a potent and multifunctional inhibitor of apoptosis, which is mainly expressed in postmitotic cells, including cardiomyocytes. ARC is special for its N-terminal caspase recruitment domain and caspase recruitment domain. Due to the powerful inhibition of apoptosis, ARC is mainly reported to act as a cardioprotective factor during ischaemia‒reperfusion (I/R) injury, preventing cardiomyocytes from being devastated by various catastrophes, including oxidative stress, calcium overload, and mitochondrial dysfunction in the circulatory system. However, recent studies have found that ARC also plays a potential regulatory role in tumorigenesis especially in colorectal cancer and renal cell carcinomas, through multiple apoptosis-associated pathways, which remains to be explored in further studies. Therefore, ARC regulates the body and maintains the balance of physiological activities with its interesting duplex. This review summarizes the current research progress of ARC in the field of tumorigenesis and ischaemia/reperfusion injury, to provide overall research status and new possibilities for researchers.

The Molecular Roles and Clinical Implications of Non-Coding RNAs in Gastric Cancer

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common malignancies in the world. It is also the fifth most common cancer in China. In recent years, a large number of studies have proved that non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) can regulate cell proliferation, invasion, metastasis, apoptosis, and angiogenesis. NcRNAs also influence the therapeutic resistance of gastric cancer. NcRNAs mainly consist of miRNAs, lncRNAs and circRNAs. In this paper, we summarized ncRNAs as biomarkers and therapeutic targets for gastric cancer, and also reviewed their role in clinical trials and diagnosis. We sum up different ncRNAs and related moleculars and signaling pathway in gastric cancer, like Bcl-2, PTEN, Wnt signaling. In addition, the potential clinical application of ncRNAs in overcoming chemotherapy and radiotherapy resistance in GC in the future were also focused on.

Mechanisms of Action And Clinical Implications of MicroRNAs in the Drug Resistance of Gastric Cancer

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common malignant tumors of digestive systems worldwide, with high recurrence and mortality. Chemotherapy is still the standard treatment option for GC and can effectively improve the survival and life quality of GC patients. However, with the emergence of drug resistance, the clinical application of chemotherapeutic agents has been seriously restricted in GC patients. Although the mechanisms of drug resistance have been broadly investigated, they are still largely unknown. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a large group of small non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) widely involved in the occurrence and progression of many cancer types, including GC. An increasing amount of evidence suggests that miRNAs may play crucial roles in the development of drug resistance by regulating some drug resistance-related proteins as well as gene expression. Some also exhibit great potential as novel biomarkers for predicting drug response to chemotherapy and therapeutic targets for GC patients. In this review, we systematically summarize recent advances in miRNAs and focus on their molecular mechanisms in the development of drug resistance in GC progression. We also highlight the potential of drug resistance-related miRNAs as biomarkers and therapeutic targets for GC patients.

The role of non-coding RNAs in chemotherapy for gastrointestinal cancers

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, including colorectal, gastric, hepatic, esophageal, and pancreatic tumors, are responsible for large numbers of deaths around the world. Chemotherapy is the most common approach used to treat advanced GI cancer. However, chemoresistance has emerged as a critical challenge that prevents successful tumor elimination, leading to metastasis and recurrence. Chemoresistance mechanisms are complex, and many factors and pathways are involved. Among these factors, non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are critical regulators of GI tumor development and subsequently can induce resistance to chemotherapy. This occurs because ncRNAs can target multiple signaling pathways, affect downstream genes, and modulate proliferation, apoptosis, tumor cell migration, and autophagy. ncRNAs can also induce cancer stem cell features and affect the epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Thus, ncRNAs could possibly act as new targets in chemotherapy combinations to treat GI cancer and to predict treatment response.

Advances in Intracellular Calcium Signaling Reveal Untapped Targets for Cancer Therapy

Intracellular Ca2+ distribution is a tightly regulated process. Numerous Ca2+ chelating, storage, and transport mechanisms are required to maintain normal cellular physiology. Ca2+-binding proteins, mainly calmodulin and calbindins, sequester free intracellular Ca2+ ions and apportion or transport them to signaling hubs needing the cations. Ca2+ channels, ATP-driven pumps, and exchangers assist the binding proteins in transferring the ions to and from appropriate cellular compartments. Some, such as the endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, and lysosomes, act as Ca2+ repositories. Cellular Ca2+ homeostasis is inefficient without the active contribution of these organelles. Moreover, certain key cellular processes also rely on inter-organellar Ca2+ signaling. This review attempts to encapsulate the structure, function, and regulation of major intracellular Ca2+ buffers, sensors, channels, and signaling molecules before highlighting how cancer cells manipulate them to survive and thrive. The spotlight is then shifted to the slow pace of translating such research findings into anticancer therapeutics. We use the PubMed database to highlight current clinical studies that target intracellular Ca2+ signaling. Drug repurposing and improving the delivery of small molecule therapeutics are further discussed as promising strategies for speeding therapeutic development in this area.

The expression of miRNA-152-3p and miRNA-185 in tumor tissues versus margin tissues of patients with chemo-treated breast cancer

OBJECTIVE

Breast cancer (BC) is the most significant and lethal type of cancer in women. Although there are many newly develop chemotherapy drugs for patients with BC treating at various stages, drug resistance is the most important obstacle in their effectiveness for BC treatment. On the other hand, microRNAs are considered key regulators of genes involved in carcinogenesis and chemoresistance in cancers. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of miR-152-3p and miR-185 in intrinsic chemoresistance and proliferation of BC. In addition, the potential role of these miRNAs during chemoresistance was evaluated through possible signaling pathways.

RESULTS

Here, miR-152-3p was significantly downregulated in tumor tissues compared to the corresponding margin tissues in patients with BC (p-value ≥ 0.04407 and fold change = - 2.0552). In contrast, no statistically significant difference was observed in the miR-185 expression between the two groups. Furthermore, no significant correlation was found between the expression of these two miRNAs and subfactors, including cancer family history, abortion, and age. Downregulation of miR-152-3p could be considered a promising regulator of BC chemoresistance.

miR-185-3p targets Annexin-A8 to inhibit proliferation in cervical cancer cells

Numerous studies have found that microRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in regulating various tumor-related biological functions. The downregulation of miR185-3p have been identified in various types of cancer but the effect and its underlying molecular mechanism in cervical cancer have not been elucidated. Therefore, it is important to investigate the role of miRNAs associated with cervical cancer and its corresponding molecular mechanism to develop new therapeutic targets. The cell counting kit (CCK-8) assay was performed to measure the cell viability. The quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and western blot analyses were carried out to identify mRNA and protein expression levels, respectively. Besides, a luciferase activity assay was conducted to confirm the target miRNA gene predictions. In this study, it is found that miR185-3p expression was potentially downregulated in cervical cancer tissues when compared with normal tissues. The CCK-8 results indicated that miR185-3p overexpression suppressed the cancer cell proliferation and the downregulation of miR185-3p enhanced the cancer cell growth. Further, enhanced miR185-3p expression led to a reduction in Annexin-A8 (Anx-A8) expression but miR185-3p inhibition promoted ANX-A8 levels in cervical cancer cells. The luciferase reporter assay indicated that ANX-A8 was a direct target of miR185-3p in cervical cancer cells.

The role of miRNAs and lncRNAs in conferring resistance to doxorubicin

Doxorubicin is a chemotherapeutic agent that inhibits topoisomerase II, intercalates within DNA base pairs and results in oxidative DNA damage, thus inducing cell apoptosis. Although it is effective in the treatment of a wide range of human cancers, the emergence of resistance to this drug can increase tumour growth and impact patients' survival. Numerous molecular mechanisms and signalling pathways have been identified that induce resistance to doxorubicin via stimulation of cell proliferation, cell cycle switch and preclusion of apoptosis. A number of microRNAs (miRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have also been identified that alter sensitivity to doxorubicin. Understanding the particular impact of these non-coding RNAs in conferring resistance to doxorubicin has considerable potential to improve selection of chemotherapeutic regimens for cancer patients. Moreover, modulation of expression of these transcripts is a putative strategy for combating resistance. In the current paper, the influence of miRNAs and lncRNAs in the modification of resistance to doxorubicin is discussed.

Identification of gene signatures and potential therapeutic targets for acquired chemotherapy resistance in gastric cancer patients

BACKGROUND

Gastric cancer (GC) is the most common type of gastrointestinal cancer, and has been studied extensively. However, resistance to chemotherapeutic agents has become a major problem, leading to treatment failure. This study aimed to investigate the molecular mechanisms mediating acquired resistance to cisplatin and fluorouracil (CF) combination-based chemotherapy in GC patients.

METHODS

The microarray datasets (GSE14209, GSE30070) were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) using the limma package in R/Bioconductor. Possible targets of the DEMs were predicted using miRWalk, and the putative miRNA-mRNA regulatory network was constructed using Cytoscape software. Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and protein-protein interaction (PPI) analyses were then conducted and visualized using the Search Tool for Retrieval of Interacting Genes (STRING) and Cytoscape. The prognostic value of hub genes was revealed by Kaplan-Meier Plotter. The causal relationships and interactions between proteins were displayed using DisNor. Finally, similarity analysis was conducted using the Connectivity Map (CMap) profiles to predict a group of small molecules in GC treatment.

RESULTS

A total of 394 DEGs and 31 DEMs were identified after analysis of pre- and post-treatment samples of clinical responders to CF therapy. TM9SF4, hsa-miR-185-5p, and hsa-miR-145-5p were found to be critical in the miRNA-mRNA regulatory network. The DEGs were found to be mainly enriched in the processes of ribonucleoprotein complex assembly, catalytic activity acting on RNA, mitochondrial matrix, and thermogenesis. The DEMs were predominantly found to be involved in single-stranded RNA binding and endoplasmic reticulum lumen. HDAC5, DDX17, ILF3, and SDHC were identified as hub genes in the PPI network. Of these, HDAC5, DDX17, and ILF3 were found to be closely related to the overall survival of GC patients. DisNor identified the first neighbors of the key genes. Furthermore, CMap profiles predicted a group of small molecules, including several histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACIs), menadione, and mibefradil, which could serve as promising therapeutic agents to reverse acquired resistance to CF therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings reveal new targets and alternative therapies to overcome the acquired resistance of GC patients to CF treatment.

Role of apoptosis repressor with caspase recruitment domain (ARC) in cell death and cardiovascular disease

Apoptosis repressor with caspase recruitment domain (ARC) is a highly effective and multifunctional inhibitor of apoptosis that is mainly expressed in postmitotic cells such as cardiomyocytes and skeletal muscle cells. ARC contains a C-terminal region rich in proline and glutamic acid residues and an N-terminal caspase recruitment domain (CARD). The CARD is originally described as a protein-binding motif that interacts with caspase through a CARD-CARD interaction. Initially, the inhibitory effect of ARC was only found in apoptosis, however, it was later found that ARC also played a regulatory role in other types of cell death. As a powerful cardioprotective factor, ARC can protect the heart by inhibiting the death of cardiomyocytes in various ways. ARC can reduce the cardiomyocyte apoptotic response to various stresses and injuries, including extrinsic apoptosis induced by death receptor ligands, cellular Ca2+ homeostasis and the dysregulation of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, oxidative stress and hypoxia. In addition, changes in ARC transcription and translation levels in the heart can cause a series of physiological and pathological changes, and ARC can also perform corresponding functions through interactions with other molecules. Although there has been much research on ARC, the functional redundancy among proteins shows that ARC still has much research value. This review summarizes the molecular characteristics of ARC, its roles in the various death modes in cardiomyocytes and the roles of ARC in cardiac pathophysiology. This article also describes the potential therapeutic effect and research prospects of ARC.

Non-coding RNAs underlying chemoresistance in gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

Gastric cancer (GC) is a major health issue in the Western world. Current clinical imperatives for this disease include the identification of more effective biomarkers to detect GC at early stages and enhance the prevention and treatment of metastatic and chemoresistant GC. The advent of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), particularly microRNAs (miRNAs) and long-non coding RNAs (lncRNAs), has led to a better understanding of the mechanisms by which GC cells acquire features of therapy resistance. ncRNAs play critical roles in normal physiology, but their dysregulation has been detected in a variety of cancers, including GC. A subset of ncRNAs is GC-specific, implying their potential application as biomarkers and/or therapeutic targets. Hence, evaluating the specific functions of ncRNAs will help to expand novel treatment options for GC.

CONCLUSIONS

In this review, we summarize some of the well-known ncRNAs that play a role in the development and progression of GC. We also review the application of such ncRNAs in clinical diagnostics and trials as potential biomarkers. Obviously, a deeper understanding of the biology and function of ncRNAs underlying chemoresistance can broaden horizons toward the development of personalized therapy against GC.

MiR-185-3p regulates epithelial mesenchymal transition via PI3K/Akt signaling pathway by targeting cathepsin D in gastric cancer cells

BACKGROUND

Recently research reported that miR-185-3p could serve as an independent prognosis factor in gastric cancer (GC). However, the functional role and underlying mechanism of miR-185-3p in GC and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) progression remains largely elusive.

METHODS

Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was carried out to analyze the expression of miR-185-3p and cathepsin D in patient-derived GC samples and various GC cell lines. Scratch assay and Transwell assay were used to evaluate the migration ability. The influence of miR-185-3p on the cell cycle distribution and cell apoptosis was evaluated using flow cytometry. Western blotting assay was performed to detect the expression of EMT associated proteins and the activity of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Furthermore, the interaction between miR-185-3p and cathepsin D was explored by dual-luciferase reporter assay.

RESULTS

Our data revealed that miR-185-3p was down-regulated, while cathepsin D was up-regulated in both patient-derived GC samples and GC cells. Apart from inducing apoptosis, overexpression of miR-185-3p also inhibited EMT process and migration of GC cells. Mechanically, we firstly verified that miR-185-3p directly targeted the cathepsin D. Furthermore, miR-185-3p exerted its function on EMT process and migration via inhibiting cathepsin D to mediated PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggested that miR-185-3p targeted cathepsin D inhibiting EMT process via PI3K/Akt signaling, which may serve as a potential prognosis factor and therapeutic target to reduce the malignancy of GCs.

Molecular Characterization and Clinical Relevance of RNA Binding Proteins in Colorectal Cancer

Abnormal expression of RNA binding proteins (RBPs) has been reported across various cancers. However, the potential role of RBPs in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains unclear. In this study, we performed a systematic bioinformatics analysis of RBPs in CRC. We downloaded CRC data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Our analysis identified 242 differentially expressed RBPs between tumor and normal tissues, including 200 upregulated and 42 downregulated RBPs. Next, we found eight RBPs (RRS1, PABPC1L, TERT, SMAD6, UPF3B, RP9, NOL3, and PTRH1) related to the prognoses of CRC patients. Among these eight prognosis-related RBPs, four RBPs (NOL3, PTRH1, UPF3B, and SMAD6) were selected to construct a prognostic risk score model. Furthermore, our results indicated that the prognostic risk score model accurately predicted the prognosis of CRC patients [area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC)for 3- and 5-year overall survival (OS) and was 0.645 and 0.672, respectively]. Furthermore, we developed a nomogram based on a prognostic risk score model. The nomogram was able to demonstrate the wonderful performance in predicting 3- and 5-year OS. Additionally, we validated the clinical value of four risk genes in the prognostic risk score model and identified that these risk genes were associated with tumorigenesis, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, clinical stage, and prognosis. Finally, we used the TIMER and Human Protein Atlas (HPA)database to validate the expression of four risk genes at the transcriptional and translational levels, respectively, and used a clinical cohort to validate the roles of NOL3 and UPF3B in predicting the prognosis of CRC patients. In summary, our study demonstrated that RBPs have an effect on CRC tumor progression and might be potential prognostic biomarkers for CRC patients.

Investigating potential molecular mechanisms of serum exosomal miRNAs in colorectal cancer based on bioinformatics analysis

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the most common malignant gastrointestinal tumor worldwide. Serum exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) play a critical role in tumor progression and metastasis. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are poorly understood.The miRNAs expression profile (GSE39833) was downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. GEO2R was applied to screen the differentially expressed miRNAs (DEmiRNAs) between healthy and CRC serum exosome samples. The target genes of DEmiRNAs were predicted by starBase v3.0 online tool. The gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genomes pathway (KEGG) enrichment analysis were performed using the Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) online tool. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was established by the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes (STRING) visualized using Cytoscape software. Molecular Complex Detection (MCODE) and cytohubba plug-in were used to screen hub genes and gene modules.In total, 102 DEmiRNAs were identified including 67 upregulated and 35 downregulated DEmiRNAs, and 1437 target genes were predicted. GO analysis showed target genes of upregulated DEmiRNAs were significantly enriched in transcription regulation, protein binding, and ubiquitin protein ligase activity. While the target genes of downregulated DEmiRNAs were mainly involved in transcription from RNA polymerase II promoter, SMAD binding, and DNA binding. The KEGG pathway enrichment analyses showed target genes of upregulated DEmiRNAs were significantly enriched in proteoglycans in cancer, microRNAs in cancer, and phosphatidylinositol-3 kinases/Akt (PI3K-Akt) signaling pathway, while target genes of downregulated DEmiRNAs were mainly enriched in transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) signaling pathway and proteoglycans in cancer. The genes of the top 3 modules were mainly enriched in ubiquitin mediated proteolysis, spliceosome, and mRNA surveillance pathway. According to the cytohubba plugin, 37 hub genes were selected, and 4 hub genes including phosphoinositide-3-kinase regulatory subunit 1 (PIK3R1), SRC, cell division cycle 42 (CDC42), E1A binding protein p300 (EP300) were identified by combining 8 ranked methods of cytohubba.The study provides a comprehensive analysis of exosomal DEmiRNAs and target genes regulatory network in CRC, which can better understand the roles of exosomal miRNAs in the development of CRC. However, these findings require further experimental validation in future studies.

The role of claudin-4 in the development of gastric cancer

Gastric cancer is one of most challenging cancers and a significant cause of death worldwide. Gastric cancer is, associated with a high incidence and recurrence rate of metastatic disease and poor survival for those with metastatic disease. Claudin-4 is a transmembrane protein that plays an important role in tight junctions. Increasing experimental research has demonstrated that claudin-4 plays an important role in the progression of gastric cancer, including the occurrence of epithelial to mesenchymal transition, intestinal metaplasia, and gastric cancer. In addition, claudin-4 regulates cell proliferation, invasion, migration and apoptosis. Claudin-4 may represent a potential biomarker for gastric cancer patient prognosis and is useful in the classification of gastric cancer. Therefore, in this review, we summarize current information on claudin-4 and gastric cancer, describing the role of claudin-4 in gastric cancer progression and its application in clinical treatment to provide a basis for further research and promote the claudin-4 gene as a potential target to diagnose and treat gastric cancer.

Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Prevents Mortality from Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome through the Induction of Apoptosis in Immune Cells, Leading to Cytokine Storm Suppression

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) causes up to 40% mortality in humans and is difficult to treat. ARDS is also one of the major triggers of mortality associated with coronavirus-induced disease (COVID-19). We used a mouse model of ARDS induced by Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB), which triggers 100% mortality, to investigate the mechanisms through which Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) attenuates ARDS. SEB was used to trigger ARDS in C3H mice. These mice were treated with THC and analyzed for survival, ARDS, cytokine storm, and metabolome. Additionally, cells isolated from the lungs were used to perform single-cell RNA sequencing and transcriptome analysis. A database analysis of human COVID-19 patients was also performed to compare the signaling pathways with SEB-mediated ARDS. The treatment of SEB-mediated ARDS mice with THC led to a 100% survival, decreased lung inflammation, and the suppression of cytokine storm. This was associated with immune cell apoptosis involving the mitochondrial pathway, as suggested by single-cell RNA sequencing. A transcriptomic analysis of immune cells from the lungs revealed an increase in mitochondrial respiratory chain enzymes following THC treatment. In addition, metabolomic analysis revealed elevated serum concentrations of amino acids, lysine, n-acetyl methionine, carnitine, and propionyl L-carnitine in THC-treated mice. THC caused the downregulation of miR-185, which correlated with an increase in the pro-apoptotic gene targets. Interestingly, the gene expression datasets from the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of human COVID-19 patients showed some similarities between cytokine and apoptotic genes with SEB-induced ARDS. Collectively, this study suggests that the activation of cannabinoid receptors may serve as a therapeutic modality to treat ARDS associated with COVID-19.

Signaling pathways and microRNAs, the orchestrators of NANOG activity during cancer induction

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a small part of cancer cells inside the tumor that have similar characteristics to normal stem cells. CSCs stimulate tumor initiation and progression in a variety of cancers. Several transcription factors such as NANOG, SOX2, and OCT4 maintain the characteristics of CSCs and their upregulation is seen in many malignancies resulting in increased metastasis, invasion, and recurrence. Among these factors, NANOG plays an important role in regulating the self-renewal and pluripotency of CSCs and the clinical significance of NANOG has been suggested as a marker of CSCs in many cancers. The up and down-regulation of NANOG is associated with several important signaling pathways, including JAK/STAT, Wnt/β-catenin, Notch, TGF-β, Hedgehog, and several microRNAs (miRNAs). In this review, we will investigate the function of NANOG in CSCs and the molecular mechanism of its regulation by signaling pathways and miRNAs. We will also investigate targeting NANOG with different techniques, which is a promising treatment strategy for cancer treatment.

Noncoding RNAs in gastric cancer: implications for drug resistance

Gastric cancer is the fourth most common malignancy and the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Advanced gastric cancer patients can notably benefit from chemotherapy including adriamycin, platinum drugs, 5-fluorouracil, vincristine, and paclitaxel as well as targeted therapy drugs. Nevertheless, primary drug resistance or acquisition drug resistance eventually lead to treatment failure and poor outcomes of the gastric cancer patients. The detailed mechanisms involved in gastric cancer drug resistance have been revealed. Interestingly, different noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), such as microRNAs (miRNAs), long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs), are critically involved in gastric cancer development. Multiple lines of evidences demonstrated that ncRNAs play a vital role in gastric cancer resistance to chemotherapy reagents and targeted therapy drugs. In this review, we systematically summarized the emerging role and detailed molecular mechanisms of ncRNAs impact drug resistance of gastric cancer. Additionally, we propose the potential clinical implications of ncRNAs as novel therapeutic targets and prognostic biomarkers for gastric cancer.

Colonic mucosal and serum expression of microRNAs in canine large intestinal inflammatory bowel disease

BACKGROUND

Canine inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a group of chronic gastrointestinal (GI) disorders of still largely unknown etiology. Canine IBD diagnosis is time-consuming and costly as other diseases with similar signs should be initially excluded. In human IBD microRNA (miR) expression changes have been reported in GI mucosa and blood. Thus, there is a possibility that miRs may provide insight into disease pathogenesis, diagnosis and even treatment of canine IBD. The aim of this study was to determine the colonic mucosal and serum relative expression of a miRs panel in dogs with large intestinal IBD and healthy control dogs.

RESULTS

Compared to healthy control dogs, dogs with large intestinal IBD showed significantly increased relative expression of miR-16, miR-21, miR-122 and miR-147 in the colonic mucosa and serum, while the relative expression of miR-185, miR-192 and miR-223 was significantly decreased. Relative expression of miR-146a was significantly increased only in the serum of dogs with large intestinal IBD. Furthermore, serum miR-192 and miR-223 relative expression correlated to disease activity and endoscopic score, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Our data suggest the existence of dysregulated miRs expression patterns in canine IBD and support the potential future use of serum miRs as useful noninvasive biomarkers.

Role of apoptosis repressor with caspase recruitment domain (ARC) in cancer

Apoptosis repressor with caspase recruitment domain (ARC) is a potent inhibitor of apoptosis. Under physiological conditions, ARC is abundantly expressed in terminally differentiated cells, including cardiomyocytes, skeletal muscles and neurons. ARC serves a key role in determining cell fate, and abnormal ARC expression has been demonstrated to be associated with abnormal cell growth. Previous studies have revealed that ARC was upregulated in several different types of solid tumor, where it suppressed tumor cell apoptosis. Furthermore, the increased expression levels of ARC in cancer cells contributed to the development of therapeutic resistance and adverse clinical outcomes in patients with leukemia. However, the exact role of ARC, as well as the underlying molecular mechanisms involved, remain poorly understood. The present review summarizes the characteristics of ARC and its cytoprotective role under different conditions and describes the potential ARC as a new target for cancer therapy.

Role of apoptosis repressor with caspase recruitment domain (ARC) in cancer

Apoptosis repressor with caspase recruitment domain (ARC) is a potent inhibitor of apoptosis. Under physiological conditions, ARC is abundantly expressed in terminally differentiated cells, including cardiomyocytes, skeletal muscles and neurons. ARC serves a key role in determining cell fate, and abnormal ARC expression has been demonstrated to be associated with abnormal cell growth. Previous studies have revealed that ARC was upregulated in several different types of solid tumor, where it suppressed tumor cell apoptosis. Furthermore, the increased expression levels of ARC in cancer cells contributed to the development of therapeutic resistance and adverse clinical outcomes in patients with leukemia. However, the exact role of ARC, as well as the underlying molecular mechanisms involved, remain poorly understood. The present review summarizes the characteristics of ARC and its cytoprotective role under different conditions and describes the potential ARC as a new target for cancer therapy.

Non-coding RNA in drug resistance of gastric cancer

Gastric cancer (GC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. The poorly prognosis and survival of GC are due to diagnose in an advanced, non-curable stage and with a limited response to chemotherapy. The acquisition of drug resistance accounts for the majority of therapy failure of chemotherapy in GC patients. Although the mechanisms of anticancer drug resistance have been broadly studied, the regulation of these mechanisms has not been completely understood. Accumulating evidence has recently highlighted the role of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), including long non-coding RNAs and microRNAs, in the development and maintenance of drug resistance due to their regulatory features in specific genes involved in the chemoresistant phenotype of GC. We review the literature on ncRNAs in drug resistance of GC. This review summarizes the current knowledge about the ncRNAs’ characteristics, their regulation of the genes involved in chemoresistance and their potential as targeted therapies for personalized treatment in resistant GC.

Role of MicroRNAs in Treatment Response in Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common non-skin cancer in men worldwide, resulting in significant mortality and morbidity. Depending on the grade and stage of the cancer, patients may be given radiation therapy, hormonal therapy, or chemotherapy. However, more than half of these patients develop resistance to treatment, leading to disease progression and metastases, often with lethal consequences. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short, non-coding RNAs, which regulate numerous physiological as well as pathological processes, including cancer. miRNAs mediate their regulatory effect predominately by binding to the 3'-untranslated region (UTR) of their target mRNAs. In this review, we will describe the mechanisms by which miRNAs mediate resistance to radiation and drug therapy (i.e. hormone therapy and chemotherapy) in PCa, including control of apoptosis, cell growth and proliferation, autophagy, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), invasion and metastasis, and cancer stem cells (CSCs). Furthermore, we will discuss the utility of circulating miRNAs isolated from different body fluids of prostate cancer patients as non-invasive biomarkers of cancer detection, disease progression, and therapy response. Finally, we will shortlist the candidate miRNAs, which may have a role in drug and radioresistance, that could potentially be used as predictive biomarkers of treatment response.

Inhibition of microRNA-327 ameliorates ischemia/reperfusion injury-induced cardiomyocytes apoptosis through targeting apoptosis repressor with caspase recruitment domain

Apoptosis is the major cause of cardiomyocyte death in myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury (MI/RI). Increasing evidence suggests that microRNAs (miRNAs) can contribute to the regulation of cardiomyocytes apoptosis by posttranscriptional modulation of gene expression networks. However, the effects of miR-327 in regulating MI/RI-induced cardiomyocytes apoptosis have not been extensively investigated. This study was performed to test whether miR-327 participate in cardiomyocytes apoptosis both in vitro and in vivo, and reveal the potential molecular mechanism of miR-327 regulated MI/RI through targeting apoptosis repressor with caspase recruitment domain (ARC). Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were subjected to MI/RI by left anterior descending coronary artery occlusion for 30 min and reperfusion for 3 hr. H9c2 cells were exposed to hypoxia for 4 hr and reoxygenation for 12 hr to mimic I/R injury. miRNA-327 recombinant adenovirus vectors were transfected into H9c2 cells for 48 hr and rats for 72 hr before H/R and MI/RI treatment, respectively. The apoptosis rate, downstream molecules of apoptotic pathway, and the target reaction between miRNA-327 and ARC were evaluated. Our results showed that miR-327 was upregulated and ARC was downregulated in the myocardial tissues of MI/RI rats and in H9c2 cells with H/R treatment. Inhibition of miR-327 decreased the expression levels of proapoptotic proteins Fas, FasL, caspase-8, Bax, cleaved caspase-9, cleaved caspase-3, and the release of cytochrome-C, as well as increasing the expression levels of antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2 via negative regulation of ARC both in vivo or vitro. In contrast, overexpression miR-327 showed the reverse effect. Moreover, the results of luciferase reporter assay indicated miR-327 targets ARC directly at the posttranscriptional level. Taken together, inhibition of miR-327 could attenuate cardiomyocyte apoptosis and alleviate I/R-induced myocardial injury via targeting ARC, which offers a new therapeutic strategy for MI/RI.

Store-Operated Ca2+ Entry in Tumor Progression: From Molecular Mechanisms to Clinical Implications

The remodeling of Ca²⁺ homeostasis has been implicated as a critical event in driving malignant phenotypes, such as tumor cell proliferation, motility, and metastasis. Store-operated Ca²⁺ entry (SOCE) that is elicited by the depletion of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Ca²⁺ stores constitutes the major Ca²⁺ influx pathways in most nonexcitable cells. Functional coupling between the plasma membrane Orai channels and ER Ca²⁺-sensing STIM proteins regulates SOCE activation. Previous studies in the human breast, cervical, and other cancer types have shown the functional significance of STIM/Orai-dependent Ca²⁺ signals in cancer development and progression. This article reviews the information on the regulatory mechanisms of STIM- and Orai-dependent SOCE pathways in the malignant characteristics of cancer, such as proliferation, resistance, migration, invasion, and metastasis. The recent investigations focusing on the emerging importance of SOCE in the cells of the tumor microenvironment, such as tumor angiogenesis and antitumor immunity, are also reviewed. The clinical implications as cancer therapeutics are discussed.

The miR155HG/miR-185/ANXA2 loop contributes to glioblastoma growth and progression

Background

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common and aggressive form of astrocytoma among adult brain tumors. Multiple studies have shown that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in acting as molecular sponge for competing with microRNAs (miRNAs) to regulate downstream molecules in tumor progression. We previously reported that miR155 host gene (miR155HG), an lncRNA, and its derivative miR-155 promote epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in glioma. However, the other biological functions and mechanisms of miR155HG sponging miRNAs have been unknown. Considering ANXA2 has been generally accepted as oncogene overexpressed in a vast of cancers correlated with tumorigenesis, which might be the target molecule of miR155HG sponging miRNA via bioinformatics analysis. We designed this study to explore the interaction of miR155HG and ANXA2 to reveal the malignancy of them in GBM development.

Methods

The expression of miR155HG was analyzed in three independent databases and clinical GBM specimens. Bioinformatics analysis was performed to assess the potential tumor-related functions of miR155HG. The interaction of miR155HG and miR-185 and the inhibition of ANXA2 by miR-185 were analyzed by luciferase reporter experiments, and biological effects in GBM were explored by colony formation assays, EDU cell proliferation assays, flow cytometric analysis and intracranial GBM mouse model. Changes in protein expression were analyzed using western blot. We examined the regulatory mechanism of ANXA2 on miR155HG in GBM by gene expression profiling analysis, double immunofluorescence staining, chromatin immunoprecipitation and luciferase reporter assays.

Results

We found that miR155HG was upregulated in GBM tissues and cell lines. Bioinformatic analyses of three GBM databases showed that miR155HG expression levels were closely associated with genes involved in cell proliferation and apoptosis. Knocking down miR155HG suppressed GBM cell proliferation in vitro, induced a G1/S-phase cell cycle arrest, and increased apoptosis. We also found that miR155HG functions as a competing endogenous RNA for miR-185. Moreover, miR-185 directly targets and inhibits ANXA2, which exhibits oncogenic functions in GBM. We also found that ANXA2 promoted miR155HG expression via STAT3 phosphorylation.

Conclusion

Our results demonstrated that overexpressed miR155HG in GBM can sponge miR-185 to promote ANXA2 expression, and ANXA2 stimulates miR155HG level through phosphorylated STAT3 binding to the miR155HG promoter. We establish the miR155HG/miR185/ANXA2 loop as a mechanism that underlies the biological functions of miR155HG and ANXA2 in GBM and further suggest this loop may serve as a therapeutic target and/or prognostic biomarker for GBM.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s13046-019-1132-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Induction/reversal of drug resistance in gastric cancer by non-coding RNAs (Review)

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most prevalent and malignant types of cancer worldwide. In China, it is the second most common type of cancer and the malignancy with the highest incidence and mortality rate. Chemotherapy for GC is not always effective due to the development of drug resistance. Drug resistance, which is frequently observed in GC, undermines the success rate of chemotherapy and the survival of patients with GC. The dysregulation of non‑coding RNAs (ncRNAs), primarily microRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) and long non‑coding RNAs (lncRNAs), is involved in the development of GC drug resistance via numerous mechanisms. These mechanisms contribute to the involvement of a large and complex network of ncRNAs in drug resistance. In this review, we focus on and summarize the latest research on the specific mechanisms of action of miRNAs and lncRNAs that modulate drug resistance in GC. In addition, we discuss future prospects and clinical applications of ncRNAs as potential targeted therapies against the chemoresistance of GC.

Huayu Tongmai Granules protects against vascular endothelial dysfunction via up-regulating miR-185 and down-regulating RAGE

Objective: Receptor of advanced glycation end products (RAGE) is a membrane protein that contributes to the initiation and progression of diabetic vascular complications, which is reported as a target of miR-185. Huayu Tongmai Granules is a Chinese herbal compound that is capable of treating diabetic angiopathy. The present study was designed to explore the molecular biological mechanism by which Huayu Tongmai Granules protects against diabetic angiopathy.Methods: The rat model of diabetes and hyperglucose cell model were established. The blood glucose was detected to verify whether the model was successfully established. Besides, serum nitric oxide (NO) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) concentrations of the rats in each group were determined. The quantitative real-time PCR analysis was performed to examine the mRNA expression levels of miR-185 and other miRNAs in femoral artery of rats or human umbilical vein endothelial cell line. Additionally, the protein levels of RAGE or Bax were determined using Western blotting. Cell apoptosis was determined by terminal dUTP nick-end labeling assay or flow cytometry.Results: In the present study, we found that Huayu Tongmai Granules significantly decreased blood glucose and serum ROS and up-regulated serum NO concentration. MiR-185 was low-expressed in diabetic rats; however, Huayu Tongmai Granules intervention up-regulated miR-185. Stable overexpression of miR-185 directly suppressed the expression of RAGE and further suppressed endothelial cell apoptosis.Conclusion: Huayu Tongmai Granules appears to have a therapeutic effect on diabetic angiopathy that is most probably mediated by miR-185/RAGE axis.

miR-185 suppresses progression of Ewing's sarcoma via inhibiting the PI3K/AKT and Wnt/β-catenin pathways

Background

miRNAs are confirmed to play essential roles in tumorigenesis and progression of cancers, including Ewing's sarcoma. miR-185 has been reported to be downregulated in some tumors, whereas the role of miR-185 in Ewing's sarcoma remains unclear.

Purpose

The objective of this study was to investigate the role of miR-185 in the progression and metastasis of Ewing's sarcoma and explore the associated mechanism.

Materials and methods

Ewing's sarcoma cell line RD-ES was transfected with pCMV-MIR-miR185 vector to upregulate the expression of miR-185. Cell Counting Kit 8 and colony formation assays were used to assess the effect of miR-185 on cell proliferation. The effect of miR-185 on cell migration and invasion was detected by transwell assay. Flow cytometry assay was performed to detect apoptosis rate of RD-ES cells. The protein levels of apoptosis-related proteins was determined using Western blot assay or immunohistochemistry assay. Dual-luciferase reporter assay was used to validate the regulation between miR-185 and its target gene.

Results

Upregulation of miR-185 caused significant inhibition on cell growth capacity, migration and invasion of Ewing's sarcoma cell RD-ES. Besides, upregulation of miR-185 was observed to accelerate cell apoptosis in a mitochondrial pathway through regulating Bcl-2/Bax, Caspase 3, and Caspase 9 in Ewing's sarcoma in vitro. Moreover, upregulation of miR-185 was found to suppress the PI3K/Akt/mTOR and Wnt/β-catenin pathways in RD-ES cells. Furthermore, we identified that E2F6 was a target gene for miR-185, and the suppression on cell proliferation caused by overexpression of miR-185 was significantly rescued by the upregulation of E2F6 in RD-ES cells.

Conclusion

miR-185 is involved in cell growth, motility and survival of Ewing's sarcoma as a tumor suppressor via suppressing PI3K/Akt/mTOR and Wnt/β-catenin pathways and targeting E2F6.

ZNF139 increases multidrug resistance in gastric cancer cells by inhibiting miR-185

It has been reported that the expression of zinc finger protein 139 (ZNF139) and microRNA-185 (miR-185) were associated with proliferation, drug resistance of gastric cancer (GC) cells. However, the detailed mechanisms have not been fully investigated. The expression of ZNF139 in both GC tissues and cell lines was tested, then SGC7901/ADR or SGC7901 cells were transfected with ZNF139-siRNA, miR-185 analog, or pcDNA-ZNF139. Cell activity was determined by MTT assay. Real-time PCR and Western blot were utilized to detect ZNF139, miR-185, and multidrug resistance (MDR) related genes including MDR1/P-gp, GST-π, MRP-1, Bcl-2, TS and Bax. ChIP and dual luciferase activity assay were used to investigate regulation between ZNF139 and miR-185 Increased ZNF139 and decreased miR-185 expression were detected in GC tissues and cell lines. Transfection with ZNF139-siRNA into SGC7901/ADR cells markedly increased expression of miR-185, and treating with chemotherapeutic drugs ADR, 5-FU, L-OHP, the survival rate of SGC7901/ADR cells obviously decreased after ZNF139-siRNA transfection. On the other hand, transfection with pcDNA-ZNF139 in GC cell line SGC7901 resulted in an increased expression level of ZNF139 and a decline in the expression level of miR-185, meanwhile drug resistance of GC cells was clearly enhanced to ADR, 5-FU, L-OHP. Dual luciferase activity assay demonstrated that ZNF139 inhibited transcriptional activities of miR-185's promoter in cells transfected with the reporter plasmid encompassing the upstream promoter region of miR-185 along with pcDNA-ZNF139. Our data reveal that ZNF139 might promote MDR gene MDR1/P-gp, MRP-1 and Bcl-2 by prohibiting miR-185.

MicroRNAs as potential biomarkers for diagnosis, therapy and prognosis of gastric cancer

Despite the widespread use of endoscopy and conventional tumor biomarkers, gastric cancer (GC) remains one of the most frequent causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide due to its late diagnosis and poor response to treatment. Valuable and practical biomarkers are urgently needed to screen patients with a high risk of GC that can complement endoscopic diagnosis. Such biomarkers will enable the efficient prediction of therapeutic response and prognosis of GC patients and favor the establishment of an effective treatment strategy for each and every patient. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small non-coding RNA sequences that play important roles in modulating key biological processes by regulating the expression of target genes. Expectedly, miRNAs are abnormally expressed within the tumor tissue and in associated biological fluids of GC patients including their blood, gastric juice, and urine. Accumulating evidence indicates that miRNAs are potential biomarkers with multiple diagnostic functions for GC. Here, we review recent advances and challenges in using miRNAs, particularly biofluid miRNAs, as GC biomarkers with potential clinical applications including diagnosing, clinically staging, and predicting malignant behaviors, therapy response, recurrence after surgery and survival time.

Role of non-coding RNAs in cardiotoxicity of chemotherapy

The long-time paradoxical situation of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) has been terminated for they emerge as executive at full spectrum of gene expression and translation. More recently, it has been demonstrated that some ncRNAs apparently are associated with chemotherapy, causing cardiotoxicity, which taint long-term recovery of patients in growing body of evidence. The current review focused on up-to-date knowledge on regulation change and molecular signaling of ncRNAs, at mean time evaluate their potentials as diagnostic biomarkers or therapeutic targets to monitor and protect cardio function.

Optimizing miRNA-module diagnostic biomarkers of gastric carcinoma via integrated network analysis

Several microRNAs (miRNAs) have been suggested as novel biomarkers for diagnosing gastric cancer (GC) at an early stage, but the single-marker strategy may ignore the co-regulatory relationships and lead to low diagnostic specificity. Thus, multi-target modular diagnostic biomarkers are urgently needed. In this study, a Z_summary and NetSVM-based method was used to identify GC-related hub miRNAs and activated modules from clinical miRNA co-expression networks. The NetSVM-based sub-network consisting of the top 20 hub miRNAs reached a high sensitivity and specificity of 0.94 and 0.82. The Z_summary algorithm identified an activated module (miR-486, miR-451, miR-185, and miR-600) which might serve as diagnostic biomarker of GC. Three members of this module were previously suggested as biomarkers of GC and its 24 target genes were significantly enriched in pathways directly related to cancer. The weighted diagnostic ROC AUC of this module was 0.838, and an optimized module unit (miR-451 and miR-185) obtained a higher value of 0.904, both of which were higher than that of individual miRNAs. These hub miRNAs and module have the potential to become robust biomarkers for early diagnosis of GC with further validations. Moreover, such modular analysis may offer valuable insights into multi-target approaches to cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Long noncoding RNA gastric cancer-related lncRNA1 mediates gastric malignancy through miRNA-885-3p and cyclin-dependent kinase 4

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common malignancy and the third leading cancer-related death in China. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been implicated in numerous tumors, including GC, however, the mechanism of many functional lncRNAs is still unclear. In this study, we identified the abundantly expressed lncRNA, RP11-290F20.3, in GC cells and patient tumor tissues. We named this lncRNA as GC-related lncRNA1 (GCRL1), which could regulate gastric cell proliferation and metastasis, both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, miRNA-885-3p (miR-885-3p) could inhibit the cell proliferation and metastasis in GC by negatively regulating the expression of cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4) at the post-transcriptional level. Further, GCRL1 promoted the cell proliferation and metastasis by sponging miR-885-3p and hence, positively regulating CDK4 in GC cells. Taken together, our results demonstrate a novel regulatory axis of malignant cell proliferation and invasion in GC, comprising GCRL1, miR-885-3p, and CDK4, which may serve as a potential therapeutic target in GC.

Upregulation of miR‑185 promotes apoptosis of the human gastric cancer cell line MGC803

MicroRNA (miR)-185, which has been reported to be abnormally expressed in some types of cancer, exerts significant effects on the proliferation, apoptosis, drug resistance and metastasis of cancer cells. The present study aimed to explore the effects and underlying molecular mechanisms of miR‑185 upregulation on the apoptosis of gastric cancer (GC) cells. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and western blotting were used to detect the expression levels of miR‑185 in GC and adjacent normal tissues. In addition, miR‑185 expression was detected in the following GC cell lines: MKN74, SGC7901, BGC823, MGC803, as well as in the gastric epithelial cell line GES‑1. Subsequently, miR‑185 mimics were transfected into MGC803 cells. Post‑transfection, the following experiments were conducted: MTT assay was applied to test cell viability; flow cytometry (FCM) was used to determine the apoptotic rate of the cells; and qPCR and western blotting were conducted to detect the expression levels of the following apoptosis‑associated factors: B‑cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl‑2), Bcl‑2‑associated X protein (Bax), survivin, X‑linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP), livin, caspase‑3 and caspase‑8. The results demonstrated that miR‑185 was downregulated in GC tissues compared with the adjacent tissues. In cell lines, miR‑185 expression was higher in GES‑1 cells compared with in the GC cell lines; in the 4 GC cell lines, the strongest miR‑185 expression was in MKN74 cells, followed by SGC7901 and BGC823 cells, and the weakest was in MGC803 cells (P<0.05). Expression of miR‑185 was associated with tumor size, differentiation and lymphatic metastasis. Post-transfection with miR‑185 mimics, miR‑185 expression was significantly increased in a time‑ and concentration‑dependent manner. MGC803 cell viability was significantly decreased following miR‑185 mimics transfection. The results of FCM demonstrated that post‑transfection with miR‑185 mimics, the apoptotic rate of MGC803 cells was significantly increased. Post‑transfection with miR‑185 mimics, the expression levels of Bcl‑2, survivin and XIAP were significantly decreased in MGC803 cells, whereas the expression levels of Bax and livin were not altered, and caspase‑3 and caspase‑8 expression was significantly increased. Spectrophotometry indicated that caspase‑3 and caspase‑8 activity was significantly increased in MGC803 cells following transfection with miR‑185 mimics. In conclusion, the present study suggested that miR‑185 upregulation in GC cells may promote apoptosis of tumor cells via gene expression regulation.

MicroRNA-421 regulated by HIF-1α promotes metastasis, inhibits apoptosis, and induces cisplatin resistance by targeting E-cadherin and caspase-3 in gastric cancer

Hypoxia and dysregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) have been identified as crucial factors in carcinogenesis. However, the potential mechanisms of HIF-1α and miR-421 in gastric cancer have not been well elucidated. In this study, we found that miR-421 was up-regulated by HIF-1α. Overexpression of miR-421 promoted metastasis, inhibited apoptosis, and induced cisplatin resistance in gastric cancer in vivo and in vitro. E-cadherin and caspase-3 were identified as targets of miR-421. Besides, relative mRNA expression of miR-421 was significantly increased in gastric cancer tumor tissues compared with non-tumor tissues in a cohort of gastric cancer specimens (n=107). The expression of miR-421 was higher in advanced gastric cancers compared with localized ones. Moreover, Kaplan–Meier analysis illustrated that those patients with low levels of miR-421 had a significant longer overall survival (p = 0.006) and time to relapse (p = 0.007). Therefore, miR-421 could serve as an important prognostic marker and a potential molecular target for therapy in gastric cancer.

Clinical value of peripheral blood microRNA detection in evaluation of SOX regimen as neoadjuvant chemotherapy for gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy has been widely applied in treating advanced gastric cancer (GC). However, little research has been conducted on evaluating the effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of SOX regimen as neoadjuvant chemotherapy by detecting some microRNAs.

METHODS

Total 120 GC patients who had received neoadjuvant chemotherapy (SOX regimen) were recruited with 100 healthy participants as control contemporarily. Age and gender have no significant difference in both groups (P > .05). The effect of chemotherapy was evaluated by the results of CT scan and surgery. Also, adverse effects of chemotherapy were documented. Peripheral blood of GC patients was collected twice: one day before chemotherapy and surgery, respectively, whereas healthy controls' peripheral blood was collected once. Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) was utilized to detect expression of miR-145, miR-185, miR-381, and miR-195 of peripheral blood in both groups.

RESULTS

One hundred and twenty patients with advanced GC completed a total of 386 cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy with effective rate at 84.17% (101 of 120). Expression of miR-145, miR-185, and miR-381 of patients with GC was lower than that in the control group before chemotherapy commence (all P < .05), while the expressions of miR-145 and miR-185 elevated noticeably in CG patients after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (P < .05). The differences in the expression of miR-145 and miR-185 in advanced GC patients with different chemotherapy outcomes were detected.

CONCLUSION

Patients with GC at advanced stages had aberrant miRs expressions. Detection of miR-145 and miR-185 expression may assist to predict effectiveness and adverse effects of SOX regimen as neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

A Summary of New Findings on the Biological Effects of Selenium in Selected Animal Species-A Critical Review

Selenium is an essential trace element important for many physiological processes, especially for the functions of immune and reproductive systems, metabolism of thyroid hormones, as well as antioxidant defense. Selenium deficiency is usually manifested by an increased incidence of retention of placenta, metritis, mastitis, aborts, lowering fertility and increased susceptibility to infections. In calves, lambs and kids, the selenium deficiency demonstrates by WMD (white muscle disease), in foals and donkey foals, it is associated with incidence of WMD and yellow fat disease, and in pigs it causes VESD (vitamin E/selenium deficiency) syndrome. The prevention of these health disorders can be achieved by an adequate selenium supplementation to the diet. The review summarizes the survey of knowledge on selenium, its biological significance in the organism, the impact of its deficiency in mammalian livestock (comparison of ruminants vs. non-ruminants, herbivore vs. omnivore) and possibilities of its peroral administration. The databases employed were as follows: Web of Science, PubMed, MEDLINE and Google Scholar.