MiR-106b and miR-93 regulate cell progression by suppression of PTEN via PI3K/Akt pathway in breast cancer

Harnessing natural compounds to modulate miRNAs in breast cancer therapy

Breast cancer's complexity and heterogeneity continue to present significant challenges in its treatment and management. Emerging research has underscored the pivotal role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in breast cancer pathogenesis, acting as crucial regulators of gene expression. This review delivers an in-depth analysis of miRNAs, highlighting their dual functions as both oncogenes and tumor suppressors, and detailing their impact on key biological processes, including cell proliferation, apoptosis, and metastasis. The mechanisms underlying miRNA action, particularly their interactions with target mRNAs and the factors influencing these dynamics, are thoroughly explored. Additionally, the review discusses the therapeutic prospects of miRNAs, with a focus on innovative delivery systems like nanoparticles that improve the stability and effectiveness of miRNA-based therapies. It also addresses the anticancer effects of natural compounds, such as genistein, hesperidin, quercetin, curcumin, resveratrol, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), and glyceollins, which modulate miRNA expression and contribute to tumor growth inhibition. These advances seek to address the limitations of conventional therapies, paving the way for targeted interventions in breast cancer. By integrating current insights on miRNA biology, therapeutic strategies, and the potential of natural products to regulate miRNA expression, this review aims to shed light on miRNA- and natural product-based approaches as promising avenues for enhancing breast cancer treatment outcomes.

IFN-treated macrophage-derived exosomes prevents HBV-HCC migration and invasion via regulating miR-106b-3p/PCGF3/PI3K/AKT signaling axis

Background

Studies revealed that exosomes from IFN-α-treated liver non-parenchymal cells (IFN-exo) mediate antiviral activity. MiR-106b-3p has been shown to play a paradoxical role in disease progressing from different studies. However, its specific role in HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HBV-HCC) and the underlying mechanism remains unclear.

Method

Huh7 cells transient transfected with plasmids of HBV-C2 and B3 were co-cultured with IFN-exo. Cell supernatants were collected to detect miR-106b-3p, HBsAg, HBeAg and HBV DNA levels. Cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion were analyzed. The putative targets of miR-106b-3p were identified by a dual-luciferase reporter system. The expression of PCGF3, migratory proteins(MMP2/9), and the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway-related proteins were assessed by western blot. The expression of PCGF3 mRNA was quantitative analyzed by using 52 pairs of paraffin-embedded tissues from HCC patients. siRNAs-PCGF3 were used to knocked-down PCGF3 expression.

Results

The expression of miR-106b-3p was significantly higher in THP-1 cells and supernatants treated with IFN-exo than those untreated. Significantly increased expression of miR-106b-3p and decreased expression of HBsAg and HBV DNA were observed in Huh7-C2/B3 cells treated with IFN-exo. In addition, miR-106b-3p was directly target to PCGF3. Scratch healing assay and transwell assay showed that either IFN-exo or miRNA-106-3p over-expression, or siRNAs-PCGF3 inhibited migration and invasion of Huh7-C2/B3 cells, and subsequently resulted in suppression of p-AKT/AKT and p-PI3K/PI3K. Notably, the expression level of PCGF3 was significantly lower in HBeAg (+)-HCC tumor tissues than HBeAg (-)-HCC tumor.

Conclusion

IFN-α-induced macrophage-derived miR-106b-3p inhibits HBV replication, HBV- Huh7 cells migration and invasion via regulating PCGF3/PI3K/AKT signaling axis. miR-106b-3p and PCGF3 were potential biomarkers in the prevention and treatment of HBV-HCC.

Tumor-derived EV miRNA signatures surpass total EV miRNA in supplementing mammography for precision breast cancer diagnosis

Background: With the rising global incidence and mortality rates of breast cancer, early diagnosis is becoming increasingly crucial. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends mammography as a primary screening tool. However, despite its clinical benefits, mammography has potential risks including radiation exposure, unnecessary follow-up, and overdiagnosis due to false positives, particularly in cases of early cancer or dense breast tissue. In this study, we aimed to address these concerns by introducing an innovative diagnostic method that employs circulating biomarkers to enhance the existing screening techniques Methods: Breast cancer-derived extracellular vesicles (BEVs) were isolated from the bloodstream using advanced immunoaffinity capture techniques. Subsequently, we analyzed the microRNA (miRNA) profiles of BEVs in plasma samples from 120 patients with breast cancer, 46 with benign tumors, and 45 healthy controls. Results: This retrospective study identified a distinct signature of five EV miRNAs (miR-21, miR-106b, miR-181a, miR-484, and miR-1260b) that effectively differentiated patients with breast cancer from healthy controls. This signature provides essential insights into tumor progression, metastasis, and the risk of recurrence. Notably, overexpression of this signature correlated with poorer survival outcomes. Conclusions: Our novel gene signature-based approach not only complements existing diagnostic methods with high accuracy but also provides a deeper understanding of the molecular aspects of breast cancer, heralding a significant advancement in precision medicine and personalized cancer care.

Isolation and Characterization of Exosomes from Cancer Cells Using Antibody-Functionalized Paddle Screw-Type Devices and Detection of Exosomal miRNA Using Piezoelectric Biosensor

Exosomes are small extracellular vesicles produced by almost all cell types in the human body, and exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNA molecules that are known to serve as important biomarkers for diseases such as cancer. Given that the upregulation of miR-106b is closely associated with several types of malignancies, the sensitive and accurate detection of miR-106b is important but difficult. In this study, a surface acoustic wave (SAW) biosensor was developed to detect miR-106b isolated from cancer cells based on immunoaffinity separation technique using our unique paddle screw device. Our novel SAW biosensor could detect a miR-106b concentration as low as 0.0034 pM in a linear range from 0.1 pM to 1.0 μM with a correlation coefficient of 0.997. Additionally, we were able to successfully detect miR-106b in total RNA extracted from the exosomes isolated from the MCF-7 cancer cell line, a model system for human breast cancer, with performance comparable to commercial RT-qPCR methods. Therefore, the exosome isolation by the paddle screw method and the miRNA detection using the SAW biosensor has the potential to be used in basic biological research and clinical diagnosis as an alternative to RT-qPCR.

The Contribution of Genetic and Epigenetic Factors: An Emerging Concept in the Assessment and Prognosis of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) represents heterogeneous and relapsing intestinal conditions with a severe impact on the quality of life of individuals and a continuously increasing prevalence. In recent years, the development of sequencing technology has provided new means of exploring the complex pathogenesis of IBD. An ideal solution is represented by the approach of precision medicine that investigates multiple cellular and molecular interactions, which are tools that perform a holistic, systematic, and impartial analysis of the genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, metabolomic, and microbiomics sets. Hence, it has led to the orientation of current research towards the identification of new biomarkers that could be successfully used in the management of IBD patients. Multi-omics explores the dimension of variation in the characteristics of these diseases, offering the advantage of understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms that affect intestinal homeostasis for a much better prediction of disease development and choice of treatment. This review focuses on the progress made in the field of prognostic and predictive biomarkers, highlighting the limitations, challenges, and also the opportunities associated with the application of genomics and epigenomics technologies in clinical practice.

miRNA‑mRNA network contributes to HBV‑related hepatocellular carcinoma via immune infiltration induced by GRB2

Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a critical causative factor in the tumorigenesis and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). MicroRNAs (miRNAs) serve a critical role in the process of viral infection. However, there has been insufficient evaluation of HBV-associated miRNA-mRNA regulatory networks in HCC. The differential expression levels of miRNAs were compared in HBV-associated HCC tumor and normal tissues using the Gene Expression Omnibus database. The present study evaluated potential target genes of differentially expressed miRNAs using protein-protein interaction network, hub gene, Gene Ontology, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes, gene set enrichment and immune infiltration analysis. A total of five miRNAs and seven target genes were identified in the HBV-associated miRNA-mRNA network. miRNA-93 could positively regulate the growth factor receptor bound protein 2 (GRB2) gene, while there was a positive correlation between GRB2 and cancer immune infiltrate function in Tumor Immune Estimation Resource. Collectively, the present study investigated the miRNA-mRNA regulatory network in HCC with HBV infection and showed that miRNA-93 positively regulated immune infiltration-related GRB2. Restoring GRB2 may be a candidate strategy for the treatment of HBV-related HCC.

How MicroRNAs Command the Battle against Cancer

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small RNA molecules that regulate more than 30% of genes in humans. Recent studies have revealed that miRNAs play a crucial role in tumorigenesis. Large sets of miRNAs in human tumors are under-expressed compared to normal tissues. Furthermore, experiments have shown that interference with miRNA processing enhances tumorigenesis. Multiple studies have documented the causal role of miRNAs in cancer, and miRNA-based anticancer therapies are currently being developed. This review primarily focuses on two key points: (1) miRNAs and their role in human cancer and (2) the regulation of tumor suppressors by miRNAs. The review discusses (a) the regulation of the tumor suppressor p53 by miRNA, (b) the critical role of the miR-144/451 cluster in regulating the Itch-p63-Ago2 pathway, and (c) the regulation of PTEN by miRNAs. Future research and the perspectives of miRNA in cancer are also discussed. Understanding these pathways will open avenues for therapeutic interventions targeting miRNA regulation.

Cardiovascular Disease and miRNAs: Possible Oxidative Stress-Regulating Roles of miRNAs

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been highlighted as key players in numerous diseases, and accumulating evidence indicates that pathological expressions of miRNAs contribute to both the development and progression of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), as well. Another important factor affecting the development and progression of CVD is reactive oxygen species (ROS), as well as the oxidative stress they may impose on the cells. Considering miRNAs are involved in virtually every biological process, it is not unreasonable to assume that miRNAs also play critical roles in the regulation of oxidative stress. This narrative review aims to provide mechanistic insights on possible oxidative stress-regulating roles of miRNAs in cardiovascular diseases based on differentially expressed miRNAs reported in various cardiovascular diseases and their empirically validated targets that have been implicated in the regulation of oxidative stress.

Red Blood Cell-Derived Exosomal Oncogenic MicroRNA Promote Cancer Development and Progression

The role of red blood cells (RBCs) in tumorigenesis is poorly understood. We previously identified RBC-microRNAs with aberrations linked to lung cancer, including miR-93-5p. Here we find that miR-93-5p levels are elevated in RBC-derived exosomes among lung cancer patients and are associated with their shorter survivals. RBC-derived miR-93-5p transfers to cancer cells primarily through the exosomal pathway. The transferred RBC-miR-93-5p can target PTEN in cancer cells, and hence increase cell proliferation, invasion, and migration. RBC-derived miR-93-5p accelerates, whereas targeting miR-93-5p diminishes tumor growth in xenograft models. These findings reveal a novel biological function of RBCs in tumorigenesis, where they facilitate cancer progression by transferring the oncomiR via exosomes, thereby offering new diagnostic and treatment strategies for lung cancer.

The PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway in breast cancer: Review of clinical trials and latest advances

Breast cancer (BC) is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer mortality in women. As the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling pathway is involved in a wide range of physiological functions of cells including growth, proliferation, motility, and angiogenesis, any alteration in this axis could induce oncogenic features; therefore, numerous preclinical and clinical studies assessed agents able to inhibit the components of this pathway in BC patients. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that analyzed all the registered clinical trials investigating safety and efficacy of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR axis inhibitors in BC. Of note, we found that the trends of PI3K inhibitors in recent years were superior as compared with the inhibitors of either AKT or mTOR. However, most of the trials entering phase III and IV used mTOR inhibitors (majorly Everolimus) followed by PI3K inhibitors (majorly Alpelisib) leading to the FDA approval of these drugs in the BC context. Despite favorable efficacies, our analysis shows that the majority of trials are utilizing PI3K pathway inhibitors in combination with hormone therapy and chemotherapy; implying monotherapy cannot yield huge clinical benefits, at least partly, due to the activation of compensatory mechanisms. To emphasize the beneficial effects of these inhibitors in combined-modal strategies, we also reviewed recent studies which investigated the conjugation of nanocarriers with PI3K inhibitors to reduce harmful toxicities, increase the local concentration, and improve their efficacies in the context of BC therapy.

Simultaneous Detection of Exosomal microRNAs Isolated from Cancer Cells Using Surface Acoustic Wave Sensor Array with High Sensitivity and Reproducibility

We present a surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensor array for microRNA (miRNA) detection that utilizes photocatalytic silver staining on titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles as a signal enhancement technique for high sensitivity with an internal reference sensor for high reproducibility. A sandwich hybridization was performed on working sensors of the SAW sensor array that could simultaneously capture and detect three miRNAs (miRNA-21, miRNA-106b, and miRNA-155) known to be upregulated in cancer. Sensor responses due to signal amplification varied depending on the concentration of synthetic miRNAs. It was confirmed that normalization (a ratio of working sensor response to reference sensor response) screened out background interferences by manipulating data and minimized non-uniformity in the photocatalytic silver staining step by suppressing disturbances to both working sensor signal and reference sensor signal. Finally, we were able to successfully detect target miRNAs in cancer cell-derived exosomal miRNAs with performance comparable to the detection of synthetic miRNAs.

Correlation of PTEN signaling pathway and miRNA in breast cancer

Breast cancer (BC) is one of the most common cancers among women and can be fatal if not diagnosed and treated on time. Various genetic and environmental factors play a significant role in the development and progression of BC. Within the body, different signaling pathways have been identified that contribute to cancer progression, or conversely, cancer prevention. Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) is one of the proteins that prevent cancer by inhibiting the oncogenic PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are molecules with about 18 to 28 base pairs, which regulate about 30% of human genes after transcription. miRNAs play a key role in the progression or prevention of cancer through different signaling pathway and mechanisms, e.g., apoptosis, angiogenesis, and proliferation. miRNAs, which are upstream mediators of PTEN, can reinforce or suppress the effect of PTEN signaling on BC cells, and suppressing the PTEN signaling, linked to weakness of the cancer cells to chemotherapeutic drugs. However, the precise mechanism and function of miRNAs on PTEN in BC are not yet fully understood. Therefore, in the present study, has been focused on miRNAs regulating PTEN function in BC.

CVD phenotyping in oncologic disorders: cardio-miRNAs as a potential target to improve individual outcomes in revers cardio-oncology

With the increase of aging population and prevalence of obesity, the incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer has also presented an increasing tendency. These two different diseases, which share some common risk factors. Relevant studies in the field of reversing Cardio-Oncology have shown that the phenotype of CVD has a significant adverse effect on tumor prognosis, which is mainly manifested by a positive correlation between CVD and malignant progression of concomitant tumors. This distal crosstalk and the link between different diseases makes us aware of the importance of diagnosis, prediction, management and personalized treatment of systemic diseases. The circulatory system bridges the interaction between CVD and cancer, which suggests that we need to fully consider the systemic and holistic characteristics of these two diseases in the process of clinical treatment. The circulating exosome-miRNAs has been intrinsically associated with CVD -related regulation, which has become one of the focuses on clinical and basic research (as biomarker). The changes in the expression profiles of cardiovascular disease-associated miRNAs (Cardio-miRNAs) may adversely affect concomitant tumors. In this article, we sorted and screened CVD and tumor-related miRNA data based on literature, then summarized their commonalities and characteristics (several important pathways), and further discussed the conclusions of Cardio-Oncology related experimental studies. We take a holistic approach to considering CVD as a risk factor for tumor malignancy, which provides an in-depth analysis of the various regulatory mechanisms or pathways involved in the dual attribute miRNAs (Cardio-/Onco-miRNAs). These mechanisms will be key to revealing the systemic effects of CVD on tumors and highlight the holistic nature of different diseases. Therefore, the Cardio-miRNAs should be given great attention from researchers in the field of CVD and tumors, which might become new targets for tumor treatment. Meanwhile, based on the principles of precision medicine (such as the predictive preventive personalized medicine, 3PM) and reverse Cardio-oncology to better improve individual outcomes, we should consider developing personalized medicine and systemic therapy for cancer from the perspective of protecting cardiovascular function.

The Gut-Brain Axis in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Diseases: The Catalytic Role of Mitochondria

Accumulating evidence suggests that gut inflammation is implicated in neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Despite the numerous connections it remains unclear how the gut and the brain communicate and whether gut dysbiosis is the cause or consequence of these pathologies. Importantly, several reports highlight the importance of mitochondria in the gut-brain axis, as well as in mechanisms like gut epithelium self-renewal, differentiation, and homeostasis. Herein we comprehensively address the important role of mitochondria as a cellular hub in infection and inflammation and as a link between inflammation and neurodegeneration in the gut-brain axis. The role of mitochondria in gut homeostasis and as well the crosstalk between mitochondria and gut microbiota is discussed. Significantly, we also review studies highlighting how gut microbiota can ultimately affect the central nervous system. Overall, this review summarizes novel findings regarding this cross-talk where the mitochondria has a main role in the pathophysiology of both Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease strengthen by cellular, animal and clinical studies.

EBV and 1q Gains Affect Gene and miRNA Expression in Burkitt Lymphoma

Abnormalities of the long arm of chromosome 1 (1q) represent the most frequent secondary chromosomal aberrations in Burkitt lymphoma (BL) and are observed almost exclusively in EBV-negative BL cell lines (BL-CLs). To verify chromosomal abnormalities, we cytogenetically investigated EBV-negative BL patient material, and to elucidate the 1q gain impact on gene expression, we performed qPCR with six 1q-resident genes and analyzed miRNA expression in BL-CLs. We observed 1q aberrations in the form of duplications, inverted duplications, isodicentric chromosome idic(1)(q10), and the accumulation of 1q12 breakpoints, and we assigned 1q21.2-q32 as a commonly gained region in EBV-negative BL patients. We detected MCL1, ARNT, MLLT11, PDBXIP1, and FCRL5, and 64 miRNAs, showing EBV- and 1q-gain-dependent dysregulation in BL-CLs. We observed MCL1, MLLT11, PDBXIP1, and 1q-resident miRNAs, hsa-miR-9, hsa-miR-9*, hsa-miR-92b, hsa-miR-181a, and hsa-miR-181b, showing copy-number-dependent upregulation in BL-CLs with 1q gains. MLLT11, hsa-miR-181a, hsa-miR-181b, and hsa-miR-183 showed exclusive 1q-gains-dependent and FCRL5, hsa-miR-21, hsa-miR-155, hsa-miR-155*, hsa-miR-221, and hsa-miR-222 showed exclusive EBV-dependent upregulation. We confirmed previous data, e.g., regarding the EBV dependence of hsa-miR-17-92 cluster members, and obtained detailed information considering 1q gains in EBV-negative and EBV-positive BL-CLs. Altogether, our data provide evidence for a non-random involvement of 1q gains in BL and contribute to enlightening and understanding the EBV-negative and EBV-positive BL pathogenesis.

Tumor-derived small extracellular vesicles promote breast cancer progression by upregulating PD-L1 expression in macrophages

BACKGROUND

The metastasis of breast cancer (BC) is a complex multi-step pathological process, strictly dependent on the intrinsic characteristics of BC cells and promoted by a predisposing microenvironment. Although immunotherapy has made important progress in metastasis BC, the heterogeneity of PD-L1 in tumor associated macrophages (TAMs) in BC and the underlying mechanisms in the metastasis development of BC are still not completely elucidated. Small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) represent essential interaction mediators between BC cells and TAMs. It is worth noting to explore the underlying mechanisms typical of sEVs and their role in the metastasis development of BC.

METHODS

The structure of sEVs was identified by TEM, while the particle size and amounts of sEVs were detected by BCA and NTA analysis. The specific PD-L1 + CD163 + TAM subpopulation in metastasis BC was identified by scRNA-seq data of GEO datasets and verified by IHC and IF. The function of TAMs and sEVs in metastasis BC was explored by RT-qPCR, WB, IF, flow cytometry and in vivo experiment. The expression profiles of plasma sEVs-miRNA in relation to BC metastasis was analyzed using next-generation sequencing. Further detailed mechanisms of sEVs in the metastasis development of BC were explored by bioinformatics analysis, RT-qPCR, WB and luciferase reporter assay.

RESULTS

In this study, we identified that the immunosuppressive molecule PD-L1 was more abundant in TAMs than in BC cells, and a specific PD-L1 + CD163 + TAM subpopulation was found to be associated with metastasis BC. Additionally, we found that BC cells-derived sEVs can upregulate the PD-L1 expression and induce the M2 polarization, enhancing the metastasis development both in vitro and in vivo. Also, Clinical data showed that sEV-miR-106b-5p and sEV-miR-18a-5p was in relation to BC metastasis development and poor prognosis of BC patients. Further mechanistic experiments revealed that BC-derived sEV-miR-106b-5p and sEV-miR-18a-5p could synergistically promoted the PD-L1 expression in M2 TAMs by modulating the PTEN/AKT and PIAS3/STAT3 pathways, resulting in the enhancement of the BC cells invasion and metastasis.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study demonstrated that BC-derived sEVs can induce metastasis in BC through miR-106b-5p/PTEN/AKT/PD-L1 and miR-18a-5p/PIAS3/STAT3/PD-L1 pathways in TAMs. Therefore, the inhibition of these specific interactions of signaling pathways would represent a promising target for future therapeutic strategies for treatment of BC.

Small RNA Profiling in an HTLV-1-Infected Patient with Acute Adult T-Cell Leukemia-Lymphoma at Diagnosis and after Maintenance Therapy: A Case Study

Small RNAs (sRNAs) are epigenetic regulators of essential biological processes associated with the development and progression of leukemias, including adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) caused by human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1), an oncogenic human retrovirus originally discovered in a patient with adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma. Here, we describe the sRNA profile of a 30-year-old woman with ATLL at the time of diagnosis and after maintenance therapy with the aim of correlating expression levels with response to therapy.

Autophagy in intestinal fibrosis: relevance in inflammatory bowel disease

Chronic inflammation is often associated with fibrotic disorders in which an excessive deposition of extracellular matrix is a hallmark. Long-term fibrosis starts with tissue hypofunction and finally ends in organ failure. Intestinal fibrosis is not an exception, and it is a frequent complication of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Several studies have confirmed the link between deregulated autophagy and fibrosis and the presence of common prognostic markers; indeed, both up- and downregulation of autophagy are presumed to be implicated in the progression of fibrosis. A better knowledge of the role of autophagy in fibrosis may lead to it becoming a potential target of antifibrotic therapy. In this review we explore novel advances in the field that highlight the relevance of autophagy in fibrosis, and give special focus to fibrosis in IBD patients.

MiRNA-93: a novel signature in human disorders and drug resistance

miRNA-93 is a member of the miR-106b-25 family and is encoded by a gene on chromosome 7q22.1. They play a role in the etiology of various diseases, including cancer, Parkinson's disease, hepatic injury, osteoarthritis, acute myocardial infarction, atherosclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and chronic kidney disease. Different studies have found that this miRNA has opposing roles in the context of cancer. Recently, miRNA-93 has been downregulated in breast cancer, gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, pancreatic cancer, bladder cancer, cervical cancer, and renal cancer. However, miRNA-93 is up-regulated in a wide variety of malignancies, such as lung, colorectal, glioma, prostate, osteosarcoma, and hepatocellular carcinoma. The aim of the current review is to provide an overview of miRNA-93's function in cancer disorder progression and non-cancer disorders, with a focus on dysregulated signaling pathways. We also give an overview of this miRNA's function as a biomarker of prognosis in cancer and emphasize how it contributes to drug resistance based on in vivo, in vitro, and human studies. Video Abstract.

MicroRNA-17 Family Targets RUNX3 to Increase Proliferation and Migration of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one common cancer in the world. Previous studies have shown that miR-17 family members are elevated in most tumors and promote tumor progression. However, there is no comprehensive analysis of the expression and functional mechanism of the microRNA-17 (miR-17) family in HCC. The aim of this study is to comprehensively analyze the function of the miR-17 family in HCC and the molecular mechanism of its role. Bioinfoimatics analysis of the miR-17 family expression profile and its relationship to clinical significance using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, and this result was confirmed using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. miR-17 family members were tested for functional effects through transfection of miRNA precursors and inhibitors, and monitoring cell viability and migration by cell count and wound healing assays. In addition, we using dual-luciferase assay and Western blot demonstrated the targeting relationship between the miRNA-17 family and RUNX3. These members of miR-17 family were highly expressed in HCC tissues, and the overexpression of the miR-17 family promoted the proliferation and migration of SMMC-7721 cells, whereas treatment with anti-miR17 inhibitors caused the opposite effects. Notably, we also found that inhibitors anti-each member of miR-17 can suppress the expression of the entire family member. In addition, they can bind to the 3' untranslated region of RUNX3 to regulate its expression at the translational level. Our results proved that miR-17 family has oncogenic characteristics, overexpression every member of the family contributed to HCC cell proliferation and migration by reducing the translation of RUNX3.

Multi-omics inference of differential breast cancer-related transcriptional regulatory network gene hubs between young Black and White patients

OBJECTIVE

Breast cancers (BrCA) are a leading cause of illness and mortality worldwide. Black women have a higher incidence rate relative to white women prior to age 40 years, and a lower incidence rate after 50 years. The objective of this study is to identify -omics differences between the two breast cancer cohorts to better understand the disparities observed in patient outcomes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Using Standard SQL, we queried ISB-CGC hosted Google BigQuery tables storing TCGA BrCA gene expression, methylation, and somatic mutation data and analyzed the combined multi-omics results using a variety of methods.

RESULTS

Among Stage II patients 50 years or younger, genes PIK3CA and CDH1 are more frequently mutated in White (W50) than in Black or African American patients (BAA50), while HUWE1, HYDIN, and FBXW7 mutations are more frequent in BAA50. Over-representation analysis (ORA) and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) results indicate that, among others, the Reactome Signaling by ROBO Receptors gene set is enriched in BAA50. Using the Virtual Inference of Protein-activity by Enriched Regulon analysis (VIPER) algorithm, putative top 20 master regulators identified include NUPR1, NFKBIL1, ZBTB17, TEAD1, EP300, TRAF6, CACTIN, and MID2. CACTIN and MID2 are of prognostic value. We identified driver genes, such as OTUB1, with suppressed expression whose DNA methylation status were inversely correlated with gene expression. Networks capturing microRNA and gene expression correlations identified notable microRNA hubs, such as miR-93 and miR-92a-2, expressed at higher levels in BAA50 than in W50.

DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION

The results point to several driver genes as being involved in the observed differences between the cohorts. The findings here form the basis for further mechanistic exploration.

Cancer resistance via the downregulation of the tumor suppressors RKIP and PTEN expressions: therapeutic implications

The Raf kinase inhibitor protein (RKIP) has been reported to be underexpressed in many cancers and plays a role in the regulation of tumor cells' survival, proliferation, invasion, and metastasis, hence, a tumor suppressor. RKIP also regulates tumor cell resistance to cytotoxic drugs/cells. Likewise, the tumor suppressor, phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), which inhibits the phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K)/AKT pathway, is either mutated, underexpressed, or deleted in many cancers and shares with RKIP its anti-tumor properties and its regulation in resistance. The transcriptional and posttranscriptional regulations of RKIP and PTEN expressions and their roles in resistance were reviewed. The underlying mechanism of the interrelationship between the signaling expressions of RKIP and PTEN in cancer is not clear. Several pathways are regulated by RKIP and PTEN and the transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulations of RKIP and PTEN is significantly altered in cancers. In addition, RKIP and PTEN play a key role in the regulation of tumor cells response to chemotherapy and immunotherapy. In addition, molecular and bioinformatic data revealed crosstalk signaling networks that regulate the expressions of both RKIP and PTEN. These crosstalks involved the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/PI3K pathways and the dysregulated nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB)/Snail/Yin Yang 1 (YY1)/RKIP/PTEN loop in many cancers. Furthermore, further bioinformatic analyses were performed to investigate the correlations (positive or negative) and the prognostic significance of the expressions of RKIP or PTEN in 31 different human cancers. These analyses were not uniform and only revealed that there was a positive correlation between the expression of RKIP and PTEN only in few cancers. These findings demonstrated the existence of signaling cross-talks between RKIP and PTEN and both regulate resistance. Targeting either RKIP or PTEN (alone or in combination with other therapies) may be sufficient to therapeutically inhibit tumor growth and reverse the tumor resistance to cytotoxic therapies.

Restoration of Altered Oncogenic and Tumor Suppressor microRNA Expression in Breast Cancer and Colorectal Cancer Cell using Epicatechin

BACKGROUND

MicroRNAs (miRNA) are small non-coding RNAs that regulate the function of mRNA post-transcriptionally in a tissue-specific manner. miRNA expressions are heavily dysregulated in human cancer cells through various mechanisms, including epigenetic changes, karyotype abnormalities, and miRNA biogenesis defects. miRNAs may act as either oncogenes or tumor suppressors under different conditions. Epicatechin is a natural compound found in green tea which possesses antioxidant and antitumor properties.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of epicatechin treatment on the expression level of several oncogenic and tumor suppressor miRNAs in breast and colorectal cancer cell lines (MCF7 and HT-29) and identify its mechanism of action.

METHODS

The MCF-7 and HT29 cells were treated with epicatechin for 24 hours and untreated cells were considered control cultures. miRNA was isolated and qRT-PCR was used to measure the expression profile changes of different oncogenic and tumor suppressor miRNAs. Furthermore, the mRNA expression profile was also screened at different concentrations of epicatechin.

RESULTS

Our results showed several-fold changes in miRNAs expression level, which is cell line specific. Also, epicatechin at different concentrations induces biphasic changes in mRNA expression levels in both cell lines.

CONCLUSION

Our findings first time demonstrated that epicatechin can reverse the expression of these miRNAs and may trigger the cytostatic effect at a lower concentration.

Deciphering the molecular mechanism and crosstalk between Parkinson's disease and breast cancer through multi-omics and drug repurposing approach

Epidemiological studies indicate a higher occurrence of breast cancer (BRCA) in patients with Parkinson's disease. However, the exact molecular mechanism is still not precise. Herein, we tested the hypothesis that this inverse comorbidity result from shared genetic and molecular processes. We conducted an integrated omics analysis to identify the common gene signatures associated with PD and BRCA. Secondly, several dysregulated biological processes in both indications were analyzed by functional enrichment methods, and significant overlapping processes were identified. To establish common regulatory mechanisms, information about transcription factors and miRNAs associated with both the disorders was extracted. Finally, disease-specific gene expression signatures were compared through LINCS L1000 analysis to identify potential repurposing drugs for PD. The potential repurposed drug candidates were then correlated with PD-specific gene signatures by Cmap analysis. In conclusion, this study highlights the shared genes, biological pathways and regulatory signatures associated with PD and BRCA with an improved understanding of crosstalk involved. Additionally, the role of therapeutics was investigated in context with their comorbid associations. These findings could help to explain the complex molecular patterns of associations between PD and BRCA.

Inhibition of the AKT/mTOR pathway negatively regulates PTEN expression via miRNAs

PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway plays important roles in cancer development, and the negative role of PTEN in the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway is well known, but whether PTEN can be inversely regulated by PI3K/AKT/mTOR has rarely been reported. Here we aim to investigate the potential regulatory relationship between PTEN and Akt/mTOR inhibition in MEFs. AKT1 ^E17K and TSC2 ^-/- MEFs were treated with the AKT inhibitor MK2206 and the mTOR inhibitors rapamycin and Torin2. Our results reveal that inhibition of AKT or mTOR suppresses PTEN expression in AKT1 ^E17K and TSC2 ^-/- MEFs, but the transcription, subcellular localization, eIF4E-dependent translational initiation or lysosome- and proteasome-mediated degradation of PTEN change little, as shown by the real time PCR, nucleus cytoplasm separation assay and immunofluorescence analysis. Moreover, mTOR suppression leads to augmentation of mouse PTEN-3'UTR-binding miRNAs, including miR-23a-3p, miR-23b-3p, miR-25-3p and miR-26a-5p, as shown by the dual luciferase reporter assay and miRNA array analysis, and miRNA inhibitors collaborately rescue the decline of PTEN level. Collectively, our findings confirm that inhibition of mTOR suppresses PTEN expression by upregulating miRNAs, provide a novel explanation for the limited efficacy of mTOR inhibitors in the treatment of mTOR activation-related tumors, and indicate that dual inhibition of mTOR and miRNA is a promising therapeutic strategy to overcome the resistance of mTOR-related cancer treatment.

RETRACTED: Overexpressed miR-106b-5p promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition in endometriosis by targeting PTEN

This article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (http://www.elsevier.com/locate/withdrawalpolicy). This article has been retracted at the request of the Editor-in-Chief. The journal was contacted by the corresponding author to claim that they were not aware of the submission of the article, do not own the email address listed by the paper, and did not participate in the study. When contacted by the journal, the co-authors Shan Liu and Haiying Ren also denied that they participated in the study and that they were aware of the article. The co-authors Fen Hu, Yonglian Wang and Xueqing Wu did not respond to the journal's request for clarifications. The uncertainty about the identity of the author who submitted the article also cast doubt on the data and the Editor decided to retract the paper.

Identification of Epigenetic Interactions between miRNA and Gene Expression as Potential Prognostic Markers in Bladder Cancer

Purpose: To identify the role of a set of microRNAs and their target genes and protein expression levels in the pathogenesis of bladder cancer with a muscular invasion (T2−T4) and non-muscular invasion (T1). Methods: In 157 patients, bladder specimen was examined for the expression of a set of miRNAs including let-7a-5p, miRNA-449a-5p, miRNA-145-3P, miRNA-124-3P, miRNA-138-5p, and miRNA-23a-5p and their targeted genes; β-catenin, WNT7A, IRS2, FZD4, SOS1, HDAC1, HDAC2, HIF1α, and PTEN using the qRT-PCR technique. The prognostic effect of miRNAs and their targeted genes on cancer-specific survival (CSS) was evaluated in pT2−pT4 stages. Results: pT1 was found in 40 patients while pT2−4 was found in 117 patients. The expression of let-7a-5P, miR-124-3P, miR-449a-5P, and miR-138-5P significantly decreased in pT2−4 compared with pT1 (p < 0.001), in contrast, miR-23a-5P increased significantly in pT2−pT4 compared with pT1 (p < 0.001). Moreover, the expression of miR-145 did not show a significant change (p = 0.31). Higher expression levels of WNT7A, β-catenin, IRS2, FZD4, and SOS1 genes were observed in pT2−pT4 compared with pT1, whereas HDAC1, HDAC2, HIF1α, and PTEN genes were downregulated in pT2−pT4 compared with pT1. Lower CSS was significantly associated with lower expression of let-7a-5P, miR-124-3P, miR-449a-5P, and miR-138-5P. Higher expression of β-catenin, FZD4, IRS2, WNT7a, and SOS1 was significantly associated with worse CSS. In contrast, lower levels of HDAC1, HDAC2, HIF1α, and PTEN were associated with lower CSS. Conclusion: Our results support let-7a-5P, miR-124-3P, miR-138-5P, and their target genes can be developed as accurate biomarkers for prognosis in bladder cancer with a muscular invasion.

Research Progress of PI3K/PTEN/AKT Signaling Pathway Associated with Renal Cell Carcinoma

Renal cell carcinoma is a common renal malignancy of the urinary system and the most malignant type of kidney cancer. Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) is an intracellular phosphatidylinositol kinase associated with oncogene products such as v-src and with serine/threonine kinase activity, and its increased activity correlates with the development of several cancers. Protein kinase B (AKT) is a cyclic guanosine phosphate-dependent protein kinase that plays an important role in cell survival and apoptosis. Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), a newly discovered oncogene in recent years, participates in tumorigenesis and development by competing with tyrosine kinases for common substrates. The product encoded by PTEN was found to negatively regulate the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, thereby inhibiting cell proliferation and promoting apoptosis. The PI3K/PTEN/AKT signaling pathway has also been identified in several studies as being involved in the development of several malignancies, including renal cell carcinoma. Radiotherapy is currently one of the most effective means of treatment for renal cell carcinoma, whereas it is predisposed to significant tolerance during the course of radiotherapy, thereby leading to treatment failure. Therefore, new treatment options may potentiate the efficiency of renal cell carcinoma treatment. With the development of tumor molecular biology, targeted biological therapy for malignant tumors has gradually become a research hotspot. Given the above research background, this study reviews the application of the PI3K/PTEN/AKT signaling pathway in renal cell carcinoma, aiming to provide more references for the treatment of clinical renal cell carcinoma.

The Role of PTEN in Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition

Simple Summary

The PTEN phosphatase is a ubiquitously expressed tumor suppressor, which inhibits the PI3K/AKT pathway in the cell. The PI3K/AKT pathway is considered to be one of the main signaling pathways that drives the proliferation of cancer cells. Furthermore, the same pathway controls the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT). EMT is an evolutionarily conserved developmental program, which, upon aberrant reactivation, is also involved in the formation of cancer metastases. Importantly, metastasis is the leading cause of cancer-associated deaths. In this review, we discuss the literature data that highlight the role of PTEN in EMT. Based on this knowledge, we speculate about new possible strategies for cancer treatment.

Abstract

Phosphatase and Tensin Homolog deleted on Chromosome 10 (PTEN) is one of the critical tumor suppressor genes and the main negative regulator of the PI3K pathway. PTEN is frequently found to be inactivated, either partially or fully, in various malignancies. The PI3K/AKT pathway is considered to be one of the main signaling cues that drives the proliferation of cells. Perhaps it is not surprising, then, that this pathway is hyperactivated in highly proliferative tumors. Importantly, the PI3K/AKT pathway also coordinates the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), which is pivotal for the initiation of metastases and hence is regarded as an attractive target for the treatment of metastatic cancer. It was shown that PTEN suppresses EMT, although the exact mechanism of this effect is still not fully understood. This review is an attempt to systematize the published information on the role of PTEN in the development of malignant tumors, with a main focus on the regulation of the PI3K/AKT pathway in EMT.

Downregulation of the enhancer of zeste homolog 1 transcriptional factor predicts poor prognosis of triple-negative breast cancer patients

Background

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most malignant subtype of breast cancer and lacks effective biomarkers. This study seeks to unravel the expression status and the prospective transcriptional mechanisms of EZH1/EZH2 in TNBC tissue samples. Moreover, another objective of this study is to reveal the prognostic molecular signatures for risk stratification in TNBC patients.

Methods

To determine the expression status of EZH1/EZH2 in TNBC tissue samples, microarray analysis and immunohistochemistry were performed on in house breast cancer tissue samples. External mRNA expression matrices were used to verify its expression patterns. Furthermore, the prospective transcriptional mechanisms of EZH1/EZH2 in TNBC were explored by performing differential expression analysis, co-expression analysis, and chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing analysis. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and univariate Cox regression analysis were utilized to detect the prognostic molecular signatures in TNBC patients. Nomogram and time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curves were plotted to predict the risk stratification ability of the prognostic-signatures-based Cox model.

Results

In-house TMAs (66 TNBC vs. 106 non-TNBC) and external gene microarrays, as well as RNA-seq datasets (1,135 TNBC vs. 6,198 non-TNBC) results, confirmed the downregulation of EZH1 at both the protein and mRNA levels (SMD = -0.59 [-0.80, -0.37]), as is opposite to that of EZH2 (SMD = 0.74 [0.40, 1.08]). The upregulated transcriptional target genes of EZH1 were significantly aggregated in the cell cycle pathway, where CCNA2, CCNB1, MAD2L1, and PKMYT1 were determined as key transcriptional targets. Additionally, the downregulated transcriptional targets of EZH2 were enriched in response to the hormone, where ESR1 was identified as the hub gene. The six-signature-based prognostic model produced an impressive performance in this study, with a training AUC of 0.753, 0.981, and 0.977 at 3-, 5-, and 10-year survival probability, respectively.

Conclusion

EZH1 downregulation may be a key modulator in the progression of TNBC through negative transcriptional regulation by targeting CCNA2, CCNB1, MAD2L1, and PKMYT1.

miR-106b as an emerging therapeutic target in cancer

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) comprise short non-coding RNAs that function in regulating the expression of tumor suppressors or oncogenes and modulate oncogenic signaling pathways in cancer. miRNAs expression alters significantly in several tumor tissues and cancer cell lines. For example, miR-106b functions as an oncogene and increases in multiple cancers. The miR-106b directly targets genes involved in tumorigenesis, proliferation, invasion, migration, and metastases. This review has focused on the miR-106b function and its downstream target in different cancers and provide perspective into how miR-106 regulates cancer cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and metastases by regulating the tumor suppressor genes. Since miRNAs-based therapies are currently being developed to enhance cancer therapy outcomes, miR-106b could be an attractive and prospective candidate in different cancer types for detection, diagnosis, and prognosis assessment in the tumor.

Anti-apoptosis effects of codonolactone on cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury

Codonolactone is the main biologically active ingredient in Atractylodes lancea. Studies have shown various functions of codonolactone, while its protective effect against neurotoxicity caused by ischemic stroke is unclear. This study investigated the roles of codonolactone in inflammation, oxidative stress and apoptosis after cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. Rats with codonolactone treatment, I/R treatment and the sham operation group were used in this study. After reperfusion for 24 hours, nerve damage was detected by nerve staining, and the neurological deficits of the rats were analyzed. The contents of superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in rat brain tissues were also determined. Western blot analysis was performed to determine the expression levels of Akt/Nrf2 pathway-associated proteins. Compared with the I/R group, the cerebral blood flow, infarct volume, brain water content, coronary blood flow and neurological deficits in the codonolactone treatment group, especially with the 80 mg/kg dosage, were significantly reduced. Codonolactone could significantly reduce the expression levels of caspase-3 and Bax, and significantly increase the expression levels of Bcl-2 after I/R. In addition, codonolactone could significantly reduce MDA content and the expression levels of TNF-α and IL-1β in ischemic brain tissues. It also significantly increased SOD activity, the expression levels of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and the phosphorylation of Akt and Nrf2. Codonolactone ameliorated the cerebral I/R injury by improving anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory activities and reducing apoptosis. Besides, the Akt/Nrf2 pathway was involved in the pharmacological action of the codonolactone.

MiR-106b-5p regulates esophageal squamous cell carcinoma progression by binding to HPGD

BACKGROUND

Several studies have documented the key role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Although the expression of the 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (HPGD) gene and miR-106b-5p are reportedly linked to cancer progression, their underlying mechanisms in ESCC remain unclear.

METHODS

mRNA and miRNA expression in ESCC tissues and cells were analyzed using RT-qPCR. Luciferase and RNA pull-down assays were used to identify the interaction between miR-106b-5p and HPGD. Xenograft and pulmonary metastasis models were used to assess tumor growth and metastasis. CCK-8, BrdU, colony formation, adhesion, cell wound healing, Transwell, and caspase-3/7 activity assays, and flow cytometry and western blot analyses were used to examine the function of miR-106-5p and HPGD in ESCC cell lines.

RESULTS

The findings revealed that miR-106b-5p expression was upregulated in ESCC tissues and cell lines. miR-106b-5p augmented cellular proliferation, colony formation, adhesion, migration, invasion, and proportion of cells in the S-phase, but reduced apoptosis and the proportion of cells in G1-phase. Silencing of miR-106-5p inhibited tumor growth in vivo and pulmonary metastasis. Although HPGD overexpression suppressed proliferation, colony formation, adhesion, migration, and invasion of ESCC cells, it promoted apoptosis and caused cell cycle arrest of the ESCC cells. The results also indicated a direct interaction of HPGD with miR-106b-5p in ESCC cells. Furthermore, miR-106b-5p inhibited HPGD expression, thereby suppressing ESCC tumorigenesis.

CONCLUSION

Our data suggest that miR-106b-5p enhances proliferation, colony formation, adhesion, migration, and invasion, and induces the cycle progression, but represses apoptosis of ESCC cells by targeting HPGD. This suggests that the miR-106b-5p/HPGD axis may serve as a promising target for the diagnosis and treatment of ESCC.

Involvement of microRNA modifications in anticancer effects of major polyphenols from green tea, coffee, wine, and curry

Epidemiological studies have shown that consumption of green tea, coffee, wine, and curry may contribute to a reduced risk of various cancers. However, there are some cancer site-specific differences in their effects; for example, the consumption of tea or wine may reduce bladder cancer risk, whereas coffee consumption may increase the risk. Animal and cell-based experiments have been used to elucidate the anticancer mechanisms of these compounds, with reactive oxygen species (ROS)-based mechanisms emerging as likely candidates. Chlorogenic acid (CGA), curcumin (CUR), epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), and resveratrol (RSV) can act as antioxidants that activate AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) to downregulate ROS, and as prooxidants to generate ROS, leading to the downregulation of NF-κB. Polyphenols can modulate miRNA (miR) expression, with these dietary polyphenols shown to downregulate tumor-promoting miR-21. CUR, EGCG, and RSV can upregulate tumor-suppressing miR-16, 34a, 145, and 200c, but downregulate tumor-promoting miR-25a. CGA, EGCG, and RSV downregulate tumor-suppressing miR-20a, 93, and 106b. The effects of miRs may combine with ROS-mediated pathways, enhancing the anticancer effects of these polyphenols. More precise analysis is needed to determine how the different modulations of miRs by polyphenols relate to the cancer site-specific differences found in epidemiological studies related to the consumption of foods containing these polyphenols.

Overexpression of miRNA-93-5p Promotes Proliferation and Migration of Bladder Urothelial Carcinoma via Inhibition of KLF9

We focused on studying the effects of a key miRNA-mRNA axis in bladder urothelial carcinoma (BUC). Firstly, miRNAs and mRNAs differentially expressed in BUC were analyzed. Clinical information in the TCGA database was used for survival analysis, and the regulator of miRNA-93-5p was predicted. miRNA-93-5p and KLF9 mRNA expression were detected by qRT-PCR. Protein level detection and targeting measurement were, respectively, achieved by western blot and dual-luciferase approaches. The proliferative, invasive, and migratory abilities were tested through CCK-8, Transwell, and wound healing methods. Cell apoptosis in each group was detected through flow cytometry. As discovered, miRNA-93-5p level was markedly high in BUC cells while KLF9 expression was remarkably low. miRNA-93-5p overexpression promoted BUC cell abilities. Besides, miRNA-93-5p inhibited KLF9 expression. Furthermore, KLF9 overexpression dramatically attenuated such promotion on cancer cell abilities. On the whole, miRNA-93-5p/KLF9 axis facilitated BUC progression, offering a new potential target for BUC patients.

The Role of microRNA in Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, Different Variants, Treatment and Prognosis of Mycosis Fungoides

Mycosis fungoides (MF) is the most common type of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL), accounting for approximately 50% of all CTCLs. Although various molecular changes in MF have been described in existing studies, no obvious disease-specific changes have been found thus far. microRNAs (miRs) are short, noncoding RNA molecules that play roles in the post-transcriptional regulation of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes in various diseases. Recently, there has been rapidly expanding experimental evidence for the role of miRs in the progression, early diagnosis, prognosis prediction for MF. Efforts to improve early diagnosis and develop personalized therapy options have become more important in recent years. Here, we provide an overview and update of recent advances regarding miRs associated with MF. Furthermore, we provide insights into future opportunities for miR-based therapies.

The biochemical and clinical implications of phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten in different cancers

Phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN) is widely known as a tumor suppressor gene. It is located on chromosome 10q23 with 200 kb, and has dual activity of both protein and lipid phosphatase. In addition, as a targeted gene in multiple pathways, PTEN has a variety of physiological activities, such as those regulating the cell cycle, inducing cell apoptosis, and inhibiting cell invasion, etc. The PTEN gene have been identified in many kinds of cancers due to its mutations, deletions and inactivation, such as lung cancer, liver cancer, and breast cancer, and they are closely connected with the genesis and progression of cancers. To a large extent, the tumor suppressive function of PTEN is realized through its inhibition of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway which controls cells apoptosis and development. In addition, PTEN loss has been associated with the prognosis of many cancers, such as lung cancer, liver cancer, and breast cancer. PTEN gene is related to many cancers and their pathological development. On the basis of a large number of related studies, this study describes in detail the structure, regulation, function and classical signal pathways of PTEN, as well as the relationship between various tumors related to PTEN. In addition, some drug studies targeting PTEN/PI3K/AKT/mTOR are also introduced in order to provide some directions for experimental research and clinical treatment of tumors.

Regulation of the Effect of Physical Activity Through MicroRNAs in Breast Cancer

Physical activity and exercise can induce beneficial molecular and biological regulations that have been associated with an incidence of various diseases, including breast cancer. Recent studies demonstrated that the potential links between physical activity-induced circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) and cancer risk and progression. Here, we investigated whether altered miRNAs by exercise could influence breast cancer progression. After primary searching in PubMed and reviewing the full-text papers, candidate miRNAs altered by exercise in breast cancer were identified. Analysis of expression profiles and clinical outcomes of altered miRNAs using The Cancer Genome Atlas datasets showed altered miRNAs expressions were significantly associated with the patient's prognosis, whereas prognostic values of each miRNA varied in different stages and subtypes. In addition, altered miRNAs profiles regulated various target genes and key signaling pathways in tumorigenesis, including pathways in cancer and the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway; however, miRNAs regulated the expression of target genes differently according to tumor stages and subtypes. These results indicate that circulating miRNAs are promising noninvasive stable biomarkers for early detection, diagnosis, prognosis, and monitoring the response to clinical therapies of breast cancer. Moreover, stages and subtype-stratified approaches for breast cancer progression would be needed to evaluate the prognostic value of miRNAs for biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

A novel panel of blood-based microRNAs capable of discrimination between benign breast disease and breast cancer at early stages

Breast cancer (BC) as a leading cause of cancer death among women, exhibits a wide range of genetic heterogeneity in affected individuals. Satisfactory management of BC depends on early diagnosis and proper monitoring of patients' response to therapy. In this study, we aimed to assess the relation between the expression patterns of blood-based microRNAs (miRNAs) with demographic characteristics of the patients with BC in an attempt to find novel diagnostic markers for BC with acceptable precision in clinical applications. To this end, we performed comprehensive statistical analysis of the data of the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and the blood miRNome dataset (GSE31309). As a result, 21 miRNAs were selected for experimental verification by quantitative RT-PCR on blood samples of 70 BC patients and 60 normal individuals (without any lesions or benign breast diseases). Statistical one-way ANOVA revealed no significant difference in the blood levels of the selected miRNAs in BC patients compared to any lesions or benign breast diseases. However, the multi-marker panel consisting of hsa-miR-106b-5p, -126-3p, -140-3p, -193a-5p, and -10b-5p could detect early-stages of BC with 0.79 sensitivity, 0.86 specificity and 0.82 accuracy. Furthermore, this multi-marker panel showed the potential of detecting benign breast diseases from BC patients with 0.67 sensitivity, 0.80 specificity, and 0.74 accuracy. In conclusion, these data indicate that the present panel might be considered an asset in detecting benign breast disease and BC.

Crosstalk between miRNA and PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway in cancer

Phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K)/AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway is one of the most important proliferative signaling pathways with critical undeniable function in various aspects of cancer initiation/progression, including proliferation, apoptosis, metastasis, angiogenesis, and drug resistance. On the other hand, numerous genetic alterations in the key genes involved in the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway have been identified in multiple solid and hematological tumors. In addition, accumulating recent evidences have demonstrated a reciprocal interaction between this signaling pathway and microRNAs, a large group of small non-coding RNAs. Therefore, in this review, it was attempted to discuss about the interaction between key components of PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway with various miRNAs and their importance in cancer biology.

Small molecules with huge impacts: the role of miRNA-regulated PI3K pathway in human malignancies

Along with evolution, a considerable number of signaling cascades have evolved within cells to meet their multifaceted needs. Among transmitting molecules, phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), Akt, and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) have teamed up to build a signaling axis that effectively regulates various cellular processes including cell proliferation and migration. Given the extensive output of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling axis, its aberrancy could subsequently lead to the formation of a wide range of human cancers spanning from hematologic malignancies to different types of solid tumors. Despite the high frequency of the PI3K pathway over-activation in most malignancies, mutations in the DNA sequence are not equally common. Such incompatibility sheds light on the possible effects of post-translational modification mechanisms that may take control of this pathway, some of the most important ones of which are through microRNAs (miRNAs or miRs). The present review is designed to take off the veil from the regulatory role of these small non-coding RNAs on the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling axis in carcinogenesis.

Comparative expression analysis of tRF-3001a and tRF-1003 with corresponding miRNAs (miR-1260a and miR-4521) and their network analysis with breast cancer biomarkers

BACKGROUND

MicroRNAs and tRFs (tRNA-derived fragments) are small non-coding RNAs that are promising breast cancer (BC) biomarkers. miRNA sequences are found within tRFs. For example, miR-1260a and miR-4521 sequences are found within tRF-3001a and tRF-1003, respectively. No study has addressed the biomarker potential of these tRF-miRNA pairs in BC or their association with other BC miRNA biomarkers.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Real-time PCR was performed to examine the expression of miR-1260a-tRF-3001a and miR-4521-tRF-1003 pairs in plasma of BC patients. miR-4521 and miR-1260a showed no change in plasma of breast cancer patients (n = 19). On the contrary, both the corresponding tRFs (tRF-1003 and tRF-3001a) were down-regulated. Also, we performed miRNA/mRNA network analysis for miR-1260a and miR-4521 with top degree BC biomarkers miR-16-5p and miR-93-5p. We found that they shared nine target genes. Moreover, miR-16-5p was down-regulated, and miR-93-5p was up-regulated in the same sample set. Survival analysis plotted using clinical data from Kaplan-Meier Plotter showed that all four miRNAs and 8/9 target gene expressions could predict the survival of BC patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Our cohort analyses suggest that tRF-3001a and tRF-1003 serve as better biomarkers than their miRNA counterparts in addition to miR-93-5p and miR-16-5p. Also, they form a significant miRNA/mRNA biomarker cluster.

Pan-Cancer Analysis Reveals Common and Specific Relationships between Intragenic miRNAs and Their Host Genes

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small endogenous non-coding RNAs that play important roles in regulating gene expression. Most miRNAs are located within or close to genes (host). miRNAs and their host genes have either coordinated or independent transcription. We performed a comprehensive investigation on co-transcriptional patterns of miRNAs and host genes based on 4707 patients across 21 cancer types. We found that only 11.6% of miRNA-host pairs were co-transcribed consistently and strongly across cancer types. Most miRNA-host pairs showed a strong coexpression only in some specific cancer types, demonstrating a high heterogenous pattern. For two particular types of intergenic miRNAs, readthrough and divergent miRNAs, readthrough miRNAs showed higher coexpression with their host genes than divergent ones. miRNAs located within non-coding genes had tighter co-transcription with their hosts than those located within protein-coding genes, especially exonic and junction miRNAs. A few precursor miRNAs changed their dominate form between 5' and 3' strands in different cancer types, including miR-486, miR-99b, let-7e, miR-125a, let-7g, miR-339, miR-26a, miR-16, and miR-218, whereas only two miRNAs with multiple host genes switched their co-transcriptional partner in different cancer types (miR-219a-1 with SLC39A7/HSD17B8 and miR-3615 with RAB37/SLC9A3R1). miRNAs generated from distinct precursors (such as miR-125b from miR-125b-1 or miR-125b-2) were more likely to have cancer-dependent main contributors. miRNAs and hosts were less co-expressed in KIRC than other cancer types, possibly due to its frequent VHL mutations. Our findings shed new light on miRNA biogenesis and cancer diagnosis and treatments.

Deciphering the Oncogenic Role of VPS28 Modulated by miR-491-5p in Breast Cancer Cells Using In Silico and Functional Analysis

Vacuolar protein sorting–associated protein 28 (VPS28), one of the four cytosolic proteins comprising the endosomal sorting complex required for the transport I (ESCRT-I) component, has been reported to be linked to various cancers. However, less evidence is available regarding the involvement of VPS28 in breast cancer. To this end, this study focused on exploring the function of VPS28 in breast cancer cells using the in silico analysis. VPS28 expression pattern data in breast cancer tissues were collected using the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium (CPTAC) databases and analyzed to assess the association of VPS28 with breast cancer prognosis. The elevated VPS28 expression was found in breast cancer tissues and was associated with a poor prognosis (p < 0.001). A higher VPS28 expression indicated a short survival duration (HR = 2.43; 95% CI: 1.44–4.1; p < 0.001). The CCLE database showed that VPS28 was expressed in breast cancer cell lines. The upstream targets of VPS28 were identified using the mirDIP, starBase, and TargetScan online tools. The correlation and binding relationship between miR-491-5p and VPS28 was analyzed. VPS28 or miR-491-5p gain and loss of function experiments were performed to verify their potential effect on the biological functions of breast cancer cells. Knockdown of VPS28 was shown to suppress the biological functions and enhance the apoptosis of breast cancer cell lines. Micro RNA-491-5p, identified as a posttranscriptional regulator of VPS28, was downregulated in breast cancer tissues. In contrast to the miR-491-5p inhibitor, the miR-491-5p mimic could suppress the migration, wound healing ability, and proliferation, while accelerating apoptosis. However, co-transfection of VPS28 and miR-491-5p counteracted the effect of the miR-491-5p mimic on breast cancer cell functions. Thus, our in silico analysis demonstrates that miR-491-5p can suppress breast cancer progression by attenuating the expression of VPS28.

MicroRNA-103a-3p Promotes Cell Proliferation and Invasion in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Cells through Akt Pathway by Targeting PTEN

Background

Increasing evidence has suggested that microRNA- (miR-) 103a-3p is crucial for cancer progression. However, the specific mechanism of miR-103a-3p in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains unclear until now. So, it is particularly urgent to clarify the mechanism between them.

Methods

qRT-PCR and western blot were used to measure the expression of miR-103a-3p, PTEN, Akt, and p-Akt. Cell biology experiment was applied to detect the biological function of miR-103a-3p in NSCLC cell lines. Moreover, bioinformatics analysis, luciferase reporter assay, and functional complementation analysis were carried out to investigate the target gene.

Results

miR-103a-3p was highly expressed in primary NSCLC samples and cell lines. miR-103a-3p mimics promoted the proliferation and invasion of NSCLC cells; miR-103a-3p inhibitor had the opposite effect. A double luciferase reporter gene experiment revealed that miR-103a-3p directly targets the PTEN mRNA 3'UTR region. siPTEN inhibited the proliferation and invasion of NSCLC cells. Further mechanistic studies showed that both overexpression of miR-103a-3p and PTEN knockdown reduced the expression of the p-Akt protein. Overexpression of PTEN partially reversed the cancer-promoting effect of miR-103a-3p.

Conclusion

miR-103a-3p promotes the progression of NSCLC via Akt signaling by targeting PTEN, highlighting the role of miR-103a-3p/PTEN/Akt signaling and suggesting miR-103a-3p as a novel therapeutic target for NSCLC.

Deletion of the miR-25/93/106b cluster induces glomerular deposition of immune complexes and renal fibrosis in mice

IgA nephropathy (IgAN), the most common form of primary glomerulonephritis, is caused by immune system dysfunction and affects only the kidneys. miRNA was involved in IgAN, in which their roles are still unknown. Herein, we found increased glomerular medulla size, proteinuria, kidney artery resistance, kidney fibrosis and immune complex deposition in 5‐month miR‐25/93/106b cluster knockout (miR‐TKO) mice. In vitro, the inhibition of miR‐25 cluster could promote cell proliferation and increase fibrosis‐related protein and transferrin receptor (TFRC) expression in human renal glomerular mesangial cell (HRMC). Luciferase assay revealed that inhibition of miR‐93/106b cluster could upregulate Ccnd1 expression through direct binding with the 3’UTR of Ccnd1. Conversely, inhibition of Ccnd1 expression prevented miR‐93/106b‐induced effect in HRMC. These findings suggested that miR‐25 cluster played an important role in the progression of IgAN, which provided new insights into the pathogenesis and treatment of IgAN.

Comprehensive Analysis of lncRNA and miRNA Regulatory Network Reveals Potential Prognostic Non-coding RNA Involved in Breast Cancer Progression

Breast cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in women and is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women. The tumorigenesis and progression of breast cancer are not well understood. The existing researches have indicated that non-coding RNAs, which mainly include long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) and microRNA (miRNA), have gradually become important regulators of breast cancer. We aimed to screen the differential expression of miRNA and lncRNA in the different breast cancer stages and identify the key non-coding RNA using TCGA data. Based on series test of cluster (STC) analysis, bioinformatics analysis, and negatively correlated relationships, 122 lncRNAs, 67 miRNAs, and 119 mRNAs were selected to construct the regulatory network of lncRNA and miRNA. It was shown that the miR-93/20b/106a/106b family was at the center of the regulatory network. Furthermore, 6 miRNAs, 10 lncRNAs, and 15 mRNAs were significantly associated with the overall survival (OS, log-rank P < 0.05) of patients with breast cancer. Overexpressed miR-93 in MCF-7 breast cancer cells was associated with suppressed expression of multiple lncRNAs, and these downregulated lncRNAs (MESTIT1, LOC100128164, and DNMBP-AS1) were significantly associated with poor overall survival in breast cancer patients. Therefore, the miR-93/20b/106a/106b family at the core of the regulatory network discovered by our analysis above may be extremely important for the regulation of lncRNA expression and the progression of breast cancer. The identified key miRNA and lncRNA will enhance the understanding of molecular mechanisms of breast cancer progression. Targeting these key non-coding RNA may provide new therapeutic strategies for breast cancer treatment and may prevent the progression of breast cancer from an early stage to an advanced stage.

The Role of Extracellular Vesicles as Shuttles of RNA and Their Clinical Significance as Biomarkers in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have attracted interest as mediators of intercellular communication following the discovery that EVs contain RNA molecules, including non-coding RNA (ncRNA). Growing evidence for the enrichment of peculiar RNA species in specific EV subtypes has been demonstrated. ncRNAs, transferred from donor cells to recipient cells, confer to EVs the feature to regulate the expression of genes involved in differentiation, proliferation, apoptosis, and other biological processes. These multiple actions require accuracy in the isolation of RNA content from EVs and the methodologies used play a relevant role. In liver, EVs play a crucial role in regulating cell-cell communications and several pathophysiological events in the heterogeneous liver class of cells via horizontal transfer of their cargo. This review aims to discuss the rising role of EVs and their ncRNAs content in regulating specific aspects of hepatocellular carcinoma development, including tumorigenesis, angiogenesis, and tumor metastasis. We analyze the progress in EV-ncRNAs' potential clinical applications as important diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for liver conditions.

Curcumin inhibits proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma cells through down regulation of DJ-1

PTEN exerts tumor suppressor role through inhibiting PI3K/AKT signaling. DJ-1 plays an oncogenic role through negatively regulation of PTEN expression. Curcumin (Cur) is a phenolic compound extracted from a variety of plant roots, with multiple anti-tumor pharmacological effects. This study aims to investigate whether Cur plays a role in the regulation of DJ-1-PENT/PI3K/AKT signaling as well as the proliferation and apoptosis of hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Normal human hepatocyte HL-7702 and hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines SMMC-7721 and HepG2 were cultured followed by analysis of the expression of DJ-1 and PTEN. SMMC-7721 and HepG2 cells were treated with different concentrations of Cur (0, 5, 10 μM) followed by measuring cell proliferation by CCK-8, caspase-3 activity as well as DJ-1 expression by western blot. In addition, SMMC-7721 or HepG2 cells were divided into two groups: Cur+pcDNA3.1-Blank and Cur+pcDNA3.1-DJ-1 for analysis of the expression of DJ-1, PTEN and p-AKT, cell apoptosis and proliferation. Compared with HL-7702, SMMC-7721 and HepG2 cells displayed significantly higher DJ-1 expression and lower PTEN expression. Cur treatment significantly inhibited proliferation of SMMC-7721 and HepG2 cells, increased caspase-3 activity and downregulated DJ-1 expression. Transfection of pcDNA3.1-DJ-1 significantly increased DJ-1 and p-AKT expression, promoted cell proliferation, but decreased PTEN expression and cell apoptosis. In conclusion, Cur inhibits proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma cells and PTEN/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway via the reduction of DJ-1 expression, which provides new insights to the anticancer effects of curcumin in hepatocellular carcinoma.