Increased miR-155-5p and reduced miR-148a-3p contribute to the suppression of osteosarcoma cell death

The fate and function of non-coding RNAs during necroptosis

Necroptosis is a novel form of cell death which is activated when apoptotic cell death signals are disrupted. Accumulating body of observations suggests that noncoding RNAs, which are the lately discovered mystery of the human genome, are significantly associated with necroptotic signaling circuitry. The fate and function of miRNAs have been well documented in human disease, especially cancer. Recently, lncRNAs have gained much attention due to their diverse regulatory functions. Although available studies are currently based on bioinformatic analysis, predicted interactions desires further attention, as these hold significant promise and should not be overlooked. In the light of these, here we comprehensively review and discuss noncoding RNA molecules that play significant roles during execution of necroptotic cell death.

An RNA-seq study in Friedreich ataxia patients identified hsa-miR-148a-3p as a putative prognostic biomarker of the disease

Friedreich ataxia (FRDA) is a life-threatening hereditary ataxia; its incidence is 1:50,000 individuals in the Caucasian population. A unique therapeutic drug for FRDA, the antioxidant Omaveloxolone, has been recently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). FRDA is a multi-systemic neurodegenerative disease; in addition to a progressive neurodegeneration, FRDA is characterized by hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, diabetes mellitus and musculoskeletal deformities. Cardiomyopathy is the predominant cause of premature death. The onset of FRDA typically occurs between the ages of 5 and 15. Given the complexity and heterogeneity of clinical features and the variability of their onset, the identification of biomarkers capable of assessing disease progression and monitoring the efficacy of treatments is essential to facilitate decision making in clinical practice. We conducted an RNA-seq analysis in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from FRDA patients and healthy donors, identifying a signature of small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs) capable of distinguishing healthy individuals from the majority of FRDA patients. Among the differentially expressed sncRNAs, microRNAs are a class of small non-coding endogenous RNAs that regulate posttranscriptional silencing of target genes. In FRDA plasma samples, hsa-miR-148a-3p resulted significantly upregulated. The analysis of the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve, combining the circulating expression levels of hsa-miR-148a-3p and hsa-miR-223-3p (previously identified by our group), revealed an Area Under the Curve (AUC) of 0.86 (95%, Confidence Interval 0.77-0.95; p-value < 0.0001). An in silico prediction analysis indicated that the IL6ST gene, an interesting marker of neuroinflammation in FRDA, is a common target gene of both miRNAs. Our findings support the evaluation of combined expression levels of different circulating miRNAs as potent epi-biomarkers in FRDA. Moreover, we found hsa-miR-148a-3p significantly over-expressed in Intermediate and Late-Onset Friedreich Ataxia patients' group (IOG and LOG, respectively) compared to healthy individuals, indicating it as a putative prognostic biomarker in this pathology.

miR-148a-3p regulates proliferation and apoptosis of idiopathic gingival fibroma by targeting NPTX1

OBJECTIVE

Idiopathic gingival fibromatosis (IGF) is a rare heterogeneous disease that results in the progressive and diffuse hyperplasia of gingival tissues. MicroRNAs are implicated in the development and progression of various tumors. The present study aimed to explore the potential roles and mechanisms of miR-148a-3p in IGF.

METHODS

Gingival fibroblasts (GFs) were transfected with miR-148a-3p mimics, miR-148a-3p inhibitors, or siNPTX1, and then, the proliferation and apoptosis of GFs and the expression of related genes were evaluated using Cell Counting Kit-8 assays, 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine assays, flow cytometry, reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and western blot analysis, respectively.

RESULTS

miR-148a-3p was highly expressed in GFs of IGF (IGF-GFs) as compared with normal GFs (N-GFs). Overexpression of miR-148a-3p promoted the proliferation and inhibited the apoptosis of N-GFs, whereas downregulation of miR-148a-3p had the opposite effect in IGF-GFs. Knockdown of NPTX1 reversed miR-148a-3p-mediated effects in IGF-GFs. Dual-luciferase reporter assay confirmed that NPTX1 is a direct target of miR-148a-3p.

CONCLUSION

These findings identify that miR-148a-3p could regulate cell proliferation and apoptosis by targeting NPTX1, providing new insights for the further study of the molecular mechanism and treatment of IGF.

Necroptosis in the sarcoma immune microenvironment: From biology to therapy

Apoptosis resistance remains a major obstacle to treatment failure in sarcoma. Necroptosis is a caspase-independent programmed cell death, investigated as a novel strategy to eradicate anti-apoptotic tumor cells. The process is mediated by the receptor-interacting proteins kinase family and mixed lineage kinase domain-like proteins, which is morphologically similar to necrosis. Recent studies suggest that necroptosis in the tumor microenvironment has pro- or anti-tumor effects on immune response and cancer development. Necroptosis-related molecules display a remarkable value in prognosis prediction and therapeutic response evaluation of sarcoma. Furthermore, the induction of tumor necroptosis has been explored as a feasible therapeutic strategy against sarcoma and to synergize with immunotherapy. This review discusses the dual roles of necroptosis in the immune microenvironment and tumor progression, and explores the potential of necroptosis as a new target for sarcoma treatment.

A1BG-AS1 promotes the biological functions of osteosarcoma cells via regulating the microRNA-148a-3p/USP22 axis and stabilizing the expression of SIRT1 through deubiquitinase function

BACKGROUND

The study aims to explore the role of A1BG antisense RNA 1 (A1BG-AS1), microRNA (miR)-148a-3p and ubiquitin-specific protease 22 (USP22) on osteosarcoma (OS) cell growth.

RESEARCH DESIGN & METHODS

A1BG-AS1, miR-148a-3p, USP22, and silent information regulator 2 homolog 1 (SIRT1) levels in OS tissues and cells were determined. The effects of A1BG-AS1, miR-148a-3p, and USP22 on the biological functions of OS cells were examined by functional assays. In vivo assay was conducted to observe the effect of A1BG-AS1 on OS growth in vitro. The relationship of A1BG-AS1, miR-148a-3p, and USP22 was analyzed by bioinformatics analysis, RNA-fluorescence in situ hybridization, luciferase activity, and RNA binding protein immunoprecipitation assays. The relation between USP22 and SIRT1 was evaluated by immunoprecipitation.

RESULTS

A1BG-AS1 and USP22 were highly expressed, and miR-148a-3p was lowly expressed in OS tissues and cells. Down-regulation of A1BG-AS1 and USP22 or up-regulation of miR-148a-3p impaired the malignant behaviors of OS cells. A1BG-AS1 sponged miR-148a-3p, and miR-148a-3p targeted USP22, thereby inhibiting USP22 expression. Up-regulating USP22 reversed the A1BG-AS1 suppression-induced phenotypic inhibition of OS cells. USP22 affected the biological functions of OS cells by deubiquitinating SIRT1.

CONCLUSION

A1BG-AS1 facilitates the biological functions of OS cells via mediating the miR-148a-3p/USP22 axis.

A Novel Defined PANoptosis-Related miRNA Signature for Predicting the Prognosis and Immune Characteristics in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma: A miRNA Signature for the Prognosis of ccRCC

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is one of the most prevalent cancers, and PANoptosis is a distinct, inflammatory-programmed cell death regulated by the PANoptosome. The essential regulators of cancer occurrence and progression are microRNAs (miRNAs). However, the potential function of PANoptosis-related microRNAs (PRMs) in ccRCC remains obscure. This study retrieved ccRCC samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas database and three Gene Expression Omnibus datasets. PRMs were recognized based on previous reports in the scientific literature. Regression analyses were used to identify the prognosis PRMs and construct a PANoptosis-related miRNA prognostic signature based on the risk score. We discovered that high-risk patients had poorer survival prognoses and were significantly linked to high-grade and advanced-stage tumors, using a variety of R software packages and web analysis tools. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the low-risk group had significant changes in their metabolic pathways. In contrast, the high-risk group was characterized by high immune cell infiltration, immune checkpoint expression, and low half-maximum inhibition concentration (IC50) values of chemotherapeutic agents. This suggests that high-risk patients may benefit more from immunotherapy and chemotherapy. In conclusion, we constructed a PANoptosis-related microRNA signature and revealed its potential significance in clinicopathological features and tumor immunity, thereby providing new precise treatment strategies.

A novel necroptosis-associated miRNA signature predicting prognosis of endometrial cancer and correlated with immune infiltration

OBJECTIVE

Necroptosis is a form of programmed cell death identified irrelevant to caspases, which plays an important role in the tumorigenesis and development of cancer. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are important regulators of both necroptosis and cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Expression of sixteen necroptosis-associated miRNAs were analyzed in 546 endometrial cancer (EC) tissues and 33 paracancerous samples from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Cox regression analysis was used to evaluate the correlations between miRNAs and overall survival. MiRNAs risk score (Mrs) and nomogram were established to assess the potential value of necroptosis-related miRNAs on prognosis. Expression of miRNA-148a-3p in endometrial cancer cells and endometrial epithelial cells was detected by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). The targets genes of miR-148a-3p were predicted using miRDB, miRTarBase and TargetScan and the prognostic-related genes were screened. Immune infiltration analysis was conducted to explore the potential mechanism of these target genes.

RESULTS

We identified fourteen differentially expressed miRNAs and selected seven miRNAs (miR-15a-5p, miR148a-3p, miR-7-5p, miR-141-3p, miR-200a-5p, miR-223-3p, miR-16-5p) for prognostic-model construction. The area under the curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for 1-, 2- and 5-year survival were 0.678, 0.652 and 0.656 respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that the Mrs was an independent prognostic factor considering other risk factors (HR = 1.928, 95% CI = 1.072-3.467, P = 0.028). Among these miRNAs, miRNA-148a-3p was up-regulated in cancer tissues and cells, and Kaplan-Meier analysis showed its significance in overall survival (OS). The target genes, DNAJB4 and PRNP, were associated with poor prognosis and correlated with tumor immune infiltration.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study constructed a novel necroptosis-associated miRNAs model for prognosis prediction, and DNAJB4 and PRNP may be therapeutic targets for EC.

Long noncoding RNA uc007nnj.1 mediates neuronal death induced by retinal ischemia/reperfusion in mice via the miR-155-5p/Tle4 axis

BACKGROUND

Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) apoptosis is a vital manifestation of retinal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury, yet the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. The contribution of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) to this cellular process is currently being explored. Based on a lncRNA chip assay, we aimed to investigate the role of lncRNA uc007nnj.1 in the pathological process of ischemia-induced RGCs apoptosis.

METHODS

Hank's balanced salt solution containing 10 µM antimycin A and 2 µM calcium ionophore for 2 h to construct an ischemic model in RGCs, and elevation of intraocular pressure to 120 mm Hg for 1 h was used to construct a mouse model of retinal I/R injury.

RESULTS

In this study, lncRNA uc007nnj.1 was highly upregulated in response to I/R injury in RGCs and mouse retinas. In addition, lncRNA uc007nnj.1 knockdown reduced retinal neuronal cell apoptosis in vitro and in vivo and significantly improved retinal function.

DISCUSSION

Mechanistically, the results demonstrated that lncRNA uc007nnj.1 acts as ceRNA competitively binding miR-155-5p, thereby enhancing the expression levels of Tle4, thus aggravating ischemia-related apoptosis in RGCs.

CONCLUSIONS

Finally, our study identifies the lncRNA uc007nnj.1/miR-155-5p/Tle4 axis as a potential target for the prevention of I/R-induced retinal neuronal death.

MiR-148a deletion protects from bone loss in physiological and estrogen-deficient mice by targeting NRP1

Bone metabolic homeostasis is largely dependent on the dynamic balance between osteoblasts and osteoclasts. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play critical roles in regulating bone metabolism. In this study, we explored the role of a new miRNA (miR-148a) in osteoporosis. We compared the bone phenotype between miR-148a knockout (KO) mice and the wild-type (WT) littermates. We found miR-148a KO mice exhibited an increased bone mass phenotype and decreased osteoclastogenesis compared to the WT group. In vitro, miR-148a overexpression promoted osteoclastogenesis and bone resorption function. Mechanistically, NRP1 was identified as a novel direct target of miR-148a, and NRP1 silencing reversed the effect of miR-148a knockout. In OVX and calvarial osteolysis models, miR-148a KO protects mice against excessive bone resorption, while miR-148a agomiR/AAV-shNRP1 accelerates pathologic bone loss. Finally, the miR-148a level was found to be positively correlated with β-CTX in postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP) serum specimens. In summary, our findings revealed that miR-148a genetic deletion ameliorates bone loss under physiological and pathological conditions by targeting NRP1. In osteoclast-related bone metabolic diseases such as PMOP, miR-148a may be an attractive therapeutic target in the future.

miR-155-5p can be involved in acquisition of osseointegration on titanium surface

Dental implants made of titanium are commonly used. Although titanium implants succeed by osseointegration with bone, the detailed molecular mechanism of osseointegration is unclear. To clarify the involvement of microRNA (miRNA) in the acquisition of osseointegration on titanium, here we compared the miRNA expression profiles of mouse osteoblast-like cells (MC3T3-E1) cultured on titanium-, gold-, and stainless steel-coating glass dishes by microarray analysis. Three kinds of metals, namely titanium, gold, and stainless steel, were coated on the surface of the glass dishes by sputtering with similar roughness and shape of their surface. After MC3T3-E1 cells were cultured on the dishes without coating or coating with titanium, gold, or stainless steel for 6 h, total RNA was extracted, and miRNA expression was analyzed by microarray. To confirm the expression of the selected miRNA during osteogenic differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells, real-time PCR analysis was performed. Furthermore, the effects of selected miRNA were examined by ectopic overexpression in MC3T3-E1 cells. The microarray analysis revealed that the expressions of miR-155-5p and miR-7023-3p were significantly increased in MC3T3-E1 cells cultured on titanium-coating glass dishes, compared to non-coating, gold-, and stainless steel-coating glass dishes. Interestingly, miR-155-5p was upregulated during osteogenic differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells. Furthermore, overexpression of miR-155-5p enhanced the expression of Runx2 and Col1a1. In this study, miR-155-5p may be involved in the acquisition of osseointegration on titanium implant via upregulating osteogenic differentiation-related genes.

A Novel Necroptosis-Related miRNA Signature for Predicting the Prognosis of Breast Cancer Metastasis

Objective

Necroptosis was recently identified as a form of programmed cell death that plays an essential role in breast cancer metastasis. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have long been recognized to affect cell death and tumor growth. In this study, we aimed to screen for necroptosis-associated miRNAs that predict breast cancer metastasis.

Method

This study used The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) public database to obtain miRNA expression data and associated clinical data from breast cancer patients and then retrieved miRNA data related to necrosis and apoptosis. Next, using Cox regression model analysis (univariate or multivariate) as well as a comparison analysis (differential analysis), a prognostic multi-miRNA molecular marker was established. Finally, prognosis-related miRNAs were utilized to identify target genes, and the functions of the target genes were analyzed for enrichment to investigate the probable mechanisms of the miRNAs.

Results

Ten miRNAs were screened through differential analysis to build models: hsa-miR-148a-3p, hsa-miR-223-3p, hsa-miR-331-3p, has-miR-181a-5p, hsa-miR-181b-5p, hsa-miR-181c-5p, hsa-miR-181d-5p, hsa-miR-200a-5p, hsa-miR-141-3p, and hsa-miR-425-5p. The multivariate Cox regression model was an independent prognostic factor (univariate Cox regression results: HR = 3.2642, 95%CI = 1.5773 − 6.7554, P = 0.0014; multivariate Cox regression results: HR = 3.1578, 95%CI = 1.5083 − 6, P = 0.0023). The survival curve of the risk score also revealed that patients with a high risk score had a poor prognosis (P = 2e − 04). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve showed that the model has a certain prediction ability. Batch survival analysis of the miRNAs in the model was conducted and showed that hsa-miR-331-3p (P = 0.0182) was strongly associated with prognosis. Twenty-three predicted target genes were obtained, and Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis showed that these target genes were strongly enriched in transcriptional initiation and cell membrane trafficking.

Conclusion

Our research identified a novel miRNA marker for predicting breast cancer patient prognosis and lays the groundwork for future research on necroptosis-related genes.

Ag/Au Bimetallic Nanoparticles Trigger Different Cell Death Pathways and Affect Damage Associated Molecular Pattern Release in Human Cell Lines

Simple Summary

Apoptosis is the goal of several therapeutic strategies for cancer. However, the apoptotic pathway is not always functional in many cancers and thus, alternative ways to destroy cancer cells are required. In this context, we investigated whether nanoparticles composed of a gold and silver alloy (AgAu NPs) can induce other programmed cell death pathways. These include necroptosis and pyroptosis, while their effects on the release of molecules that serve as danger signals, the damage associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) were also investigated. Our findings suggest that MDA-MB-231 cells, one of the cancer cell lines tested, experience mixed cell death (several cell death pathways are activated), while a second cell line, HCT116 cells, releases DAMPS. This is important, since necroptosis and pyroptosis have promising anticancer effects, while DAMPs trigger inflammation and current knowledge suggests a rather beneficial role in cancer.

Abstract

Apoptosis induction is a common therapeutic approach. However, many cancer cells are resistant to apoptotic death and alternative cell death pathways including pyroptosis and necroptosis need to be triggered. At the same time, danger signals that include HMGB1 and HSP70 can be secreted/released by damaged cancer cells that boost antitumor immunity. We studied the cytotoxic effects of AgAu NPs, Ag NPs and Au NPs with regard to the programmed cell death (apoptosis, necroptosis, pyroptosis) and the secretion/release of HSP70 and HMGB1. Cancer cell lines were incubated with 30, 40 and 50 μg/mL of AgAu NPs, Ag NPs and Au NPs. Cytotoxicity was estimated using the MTS assay, and mRNA fold change of CASP1, CASP3, BCL-2, ZPB1, HMGB1, HSP70, CXCL8, CSF1, CCL20, NLRP3, IL-1β and IL-18 was used to investigate the associated programmed cell death. Extracellular levels of HMGB1 and IL-1β were investigated using the ELISA technique. The nanoparticles showed a dose dependent toxicity. Pyroptosis was triggered for LNCaP and MDA-MB-231 cells, and necroptosis for MDA-MB-231 cells. HCT116 cells experience apoptotic death and show increased levels of extracellular HMGB1. Our results suggest that in a manner dependent of the cellular microenvironment, AgAu NPs trigger mixed programmed cell death in P53 deficient MDA-MB-231 cells, while they also trigger IL-1β release in MDA-MB-231 and LNCaP cells and release of HMGB1 in HCT116 cells.

Research Progress of Exosome-Loaded miRNA in Osteosarcoma

Currently, although the improvement of surgical techniques and the development of chemotherapy drugs have brought a certain degree of development to the treatment of osteosarcoma, the treatment of osteosarcoma has many shortcomings, and its treatment is limited. MiRNAs and exosomes can be used as diagnostic tools, and they play an important role in the occurrence and chemotherapy resistance of osteosarcoma. Therefore, providing a new method for the treatment of osteosarcoma is the key to solving this problem. To systematically summarize the research status of exoskeleton drug-loaded miRNA in osteosarcoma, we identified and evaluated 208 studies and found that exosome-carrying miRNA can be used as an index for the diagnosis and prognosis of osteosarcoma and share a certain relationship with chemosensitivity. In addition, exosomes can also be used as a carrier of genetic drugs able to regulate the progression of osteosarcoma. Based on the above findings, we propose suggestions for the future development of this field, aiming to bring new ideas for the early diagnosis and treatment of osteosarcoma.

Genome wide profiling of miRNAs relevant to the DNA damage response induced by hexavalent chromium exposure (DDR-related miRNAs in response to Cr (VI) exposure)

AIM

We aimed to explore the expression of miRNAs and their potential roles in the DNA damage response (DDR) induced by Cr (VI) exposure in human B lymphoblast cells (HMy2.CIR cells) and in a population of Cr (VI)-exposed humans.

METHODS

Differentially expressed miRNAs were found by a combination of miRNA sequencing and RT-qPCR validation in HMy2.CIR cells treated with K₂Cr₂O₇. Differentially expressed miRNAs related to DDR were selected for functional study. The expression levels of differential miRNAs were also investigated in chromate workers.

RESULTS

A total of 214 differentially expressed miRNAs were identified by sequencing, and the expression of 5 miRNAs among 25 associated with DDR was found to be consistent between sequencing and validation studies.Functional studies showed that miR-148a-3p, miR-21-5p, and miR-424-3p might be related to Cr (VI)-induced cell apoptosis, and miR-221-3p might participate in Cr (VI)-induced DDR. We also found that the expression of miR-21-5p and miR-424-3p was upregulated in chromate workers.

CONCLUSIONS

Cr (VI) exposure could significantly impact miRNAs expression in vitro and in chromate workers. Functional studies showed that miR-148a-3p, miR-21-5p and miR-221-3p might take a crucial role in the cellular DDR induced by Cr (VI) exposure.

Pyroptotic and Necroptotic Cell Death in the Tumor Microenvironment and Their Potential to Stimulate Anti-Tumor Immune Responses

Cancer remains the second most common cause of death worldwide affecting around 10 million patients every year. Among the therapeutic options, chemotherapeutic drugs are widely used but often associated with side effects. In addition, toxicity against immune cells may hamper anti-tumor immune responses. Some chemotherapeutic drugs, however, preserve immune functions and some can even stimulate anti-tumor immune responses through the induction of immunogenic cell death (ICD) rather than apoptosis. ICD stimulates the immune system by several mechanisms including the release of damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) from dying cells. In this review, we will discuss the consequences of inducing two recently characterized forms of ICD, i.e., pyroptosis and necroptosis, in the tumor microenvironment (TME) and the perspectives they may offer to increase the immunogenicity of the so-called cold tumors and to stimulate effective anti-tumor immune responses.

Long non-coding RNA XIST alleviates sepsis-induced acute kidney injury through inhibiting inflammation and cell apoptosis via regulating miR-155-5p/WWC1 axis

Sepsis is characterized by a severe inflammatory response throughout the whole body and can induce acute kidney injury (AKI). This research aimed to investigate the regulatory mechanisms underlying miR-155-5p in sepsis-induced AKI. CLP-treated mice were used as an in vivo model of sepsis-induced AKI, and LPS-treated HK-2 and TCMK-1 cells were used as in vitro models. Bioinformatics analyses and mechanistic assays were utilized to reveal the relationships between molecules. H&E staining was used to reveal morphological changes in kidney tissues. ELISAs were conducted to detect the concentrations of proinflammatory cytokines. We discovered that miR-155-5p was prominently upregulated in sepsis-induced AKI in vivo and in vitro. MiR-155-5p inhibition alleviated kidney injury in mice. Moreover, WWC1 served as a direct target of miR-155-5p and was negatively regulated by miR-155-5p. WWC1 upregulation inhibited the productions of inflammatory cytokines and suppressed apoptosis in vivo and in vitro. In addition, rescue assays demonstrated that WWC1 knockdown counteracted the inhibitory effect of anti-miR-155-5p on inflammation and apoptosis. Moreover, miR-155-5p could bind to XIST. XIST expression was downregulated in LPS-stimulated HK-2 and TCMK-1 cells. XIST could negatively regulate miR-155-5p expression and positively regulate WWC1 expression. Rescue assays revealed that miR-155-5p overexpression significantly reversed the suppressive effects of XIST upregulation on inflammation and apoptosis. In conclusion, our study revealed that the XIST/miR-155-5p/WWC1 axis modulated sepsis-induced AKI progression, providing promising insight into therapeutic targets for sepsis-induced AKI.

MicroRNA-148a-3p Directly Targets SERPINE1 to Suppress EMT-Mediated Colon Adenocarcinoma Progression

Aim

This research aimed at clarifying the intracellular effect of SERPINE1 in the progression of colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) and the underlying mechanism.

Methods

We obtained the expression profile of SERPINE1 in COAD via the Starbase database and verified it on COAD tissue samples through qRT-PCR and immunoblotting, respectively. Also, miRWalk, TargetScan and miRDB databases were adopted to generate the miRNA prediction that might target SERPINE1, and the gene target miR-148a-3p was confirmed using dual-luciferase assays. The effect of SERPINE1 and miR-148a-3p on COAD was further evaluated by cell experiments. MTT assay was used to detect the change of cell proliferation ability. The invasive and migratory capability of COAD cells was examined using transwell and would healing assays. Cell apoptosis was determined through flow cytometry. The expressions of genes and EMT-associated proteins were evaluated by qRT-PCR and immunoblotting. Further lucubration of the biological relevance of SERPINE1 and miR-148a-3p was conducted using rescue experiments.

Results

We found that the expression quantities of SERPINE1 in COAD tissues and cell lines were higher than those in corresponding non-cancerous tissues and normal cells. When SERPINE1 expression is reduced, EMT process is inhibited, invasion and proliferation ability of COAD cells are obviously reduced, and apoptosis level is increased. Moreover, SERPINE1 was identified as the target gene of miR-148a-3p. When the expression of miR-148a-3p was enhanced, it was found that the expression of SERPINE1 was reduced. miR-148a-3p played the similar effect of si-SERPINE1 that suppressed the COAD progression. Additionally, we found out that SERPINE1 is validated in hindering the tumor healing effect of miR148a-3p in COAD, including cell growth and invasion.

Conclusion

Our study suggests that SERPINE1/miR-148a-3p axis has potential as prognostic markers of COAD and provides reference for the development of new therapies.

Non-coding RNAs in necroptosis, pyroptosis and ferroptosis in cancer metastasis

Distant metastasis is the main cause of death for cancer patients. Recently, the newly discovered programmed cell death includes necroptosis, pyroptosis, and ferroptosis, which possesses an important role in the process of tumor metastasis. At the same time, it is widely reported that non-coding RNA precisely regulates programmed death and tumor metastasis. In the present review, we summarize the function and role of necroptosis, pyrolysis, and ferroptosis involving in cancer metastasis, as well as the regulatory factors, including non-coding RNAs, of necroptosis, pyroptosis, and ferroptosis in the process of tumor metastasis.

lncRNA NORAD promotes the progression of osteosarcoma via targeting of miR-155-5p

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common malignant bone tumor in teens. Non-coding RNA activated by DNA damage (NORAD), a long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), has been reported to be involved in cancer biology, although its role in OS remains largely unknown. In the present study reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was used to determine the expression levels of NORAD and miR-155-5p in samples from patients with OS. OS cell lines (Saos-2 and U2OS) were used as cell models. The biological influence of NORAD on OS cells was studied in vitro using Cell Counting Kit-8 and Transwell assays. The interaction between NORAD and miR-155-5p was clarified by bioinformatics analysis, RT-qPCR, luciferase reporter assay and RNA immunoprecipitation. NORAD was significantly increased in OS samples in comparison with controls, while miR-155-5p was reduced. Knockdown of NORAD and transfection of miR-155-5p mimics markedly inhibited the viability, migration and invasion of OS cells. There was a negative correlation between NORAD and miR-155-5p expression levels in OS samples. Taken together, the results of the present study indicated that the NORAD/miR-155-5p axis played a crucial role in regulating the proliferation, migration and invasion of OS cells. It is hypothesized that NORAD and miR-155-5p may serve as potential novel therapeutic targets for OS management.

Hypoxia-induced microRNA-155 overexpression in extracellular vesicles promotes renal cell carcinoma progression by targeting FOXO3

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a form of cancer arising from the renal epithelium, with high mortality rates that have reached stable levels over the past decade. The tumor microenvironment is an essential regulator of tumor progression and survival, and extracellular vesicles (EVs) are an important facet of this microenvironment. Herein, we explored the impact of hypoxia-induced miR-155 expression in EVs on FOXO3 expression in RCC cells and their associated oncogenic activity. We found that RCC patients exhibited elevated miR-155 expression in EVs relative to healthy controls, suggesting that this miRNA may be important in the context of RCC progression. We then characterized EVs produced from RCC cell lines (Caki-1 and 786-O) under normoxic and hypoxic conditions, revealing that hypoxia-induced EVs contained higher levels of miR-155 and promoted cell proliferation. Then, we identified FOXO3 as a miR-155 target. Lastly, hypoxia-induced EVs were found to be able to significantly inhibit FOXO3 activation via facilitating miR-155 up-regulation. Together, these findings indicate that hypoxia can promote the upregulation of miR-155 in EVs and that this miRNA can act in RCC cells to suppress FOXO3 expression, thereby enhancing cellular tumor progression.

MicroRNA-155-5p inhibits the invasion and migration of prostate cancer cells by targeting SPOCK1

The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of microRNA (miR)-155-5p on the expression of testican-1 (SPOCK1) and the invasion and migration of prostate cancer cells in vitro. Bioinformatics analysis and molecular biology assays revealed that SPOCK1 may be a direct target gene of miR-155-5p. In addition, a negative correlation was identified between SPCOK1 and miR-155-5p expression in prostate tumor tissues and cell lines. miR-155-5p mimic transfection inhibited SPOCK1 expression in PC3 cells and decreased cell migration and invasion abilities, while the expression of vimentin, N-cadherin, E-cadherin, β-catenin, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)3 and MMP9 was upregulated. In summary, SPOCK1 was found to be a target gene of miR155-5p in prostate cancer, and miR-155-5p acts as a tumor-suppressor gene and may inhibit SPOCK1-mediated prostate cancer progression.

The Role of Necroptosis in ROS-Mediated Cancer Therapies and Its Promising Applications

Over the past decades, promising therapies targeting different signaling pathways have emerged. Among these pathways, apoptosis has been well investigated and targeted to design diverse chemotherapies. However, some patients are chemoresistant to these therapies due to compromised apoptotic cell death. Hence, exploring alternative treatments aimed at different mechanisms of cell death seems to be a potential strategy for bypassing impaired apoptotic cell death. Emerging evidence has shown that necroptosis, a caspase-independent form of cell death with features between apoptosis and necrosis, can overcome the predicament of drug resistance. Furthermore, previous studies have also indicated that there is a close correlation between necroptosis and reactive oxygen species (ROS); both necroptosis and ROS play significant roles both under human physiological conditions such as the regulation of inflammation and in cancer biology. Several small molecules used in experiments and clinical practice eliminate cancer cells via the modulation of ROS and necroptosis. The molecular mechanisms of these promising therapies are discussed in detail in this review.

Docosahexaenoic acid inhibits vascular smooth muscle cell migration and proliferation by decreasing microRNA‑155 expression levels

Vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) hyperplasia is a common cause of carotid restenosis. In the present study, the potential protective effects of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in carotid restenosis and the underlying mechanism of its effects were examined. VSMCs were treated with DHA, a polyunsaturated ω-3 fatty acid. Cell migration and proliferation were assessed using wound healing and Cell Counting Kit-8 assays and by measuring Ki-67 protein levels. Additionally, the expression levels of microRNA-155 were determined by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). The involvement of microRNA-155 in the regulation of migration and proliferation was evaluated by transfecting VSMCs with microRNA mimics and inhibitors. Moreover, the reversal of migration and proliferation after transfection of VSMCs with the microRNA mimics and subsequent treatment with DHA was investigated. A target gene of microRNA-155 was identified using RT-qPCR and luciferase assays. The migration and proliferation of VSMCs, as well as the expression of microRNA-155 was inhibited by DHA stimulation. MicroRNA-155 regulated the migration and proliferation of VSMCs. Finally, proliferation and migration of VSMCs were reduced following DHA treatment, which was mediated by an increase in the expression levels of microRNA-155. Suppressor of cytokine signalling 1 (Socs1) was the target gene of microRNA-155. In conclusion, DHA inhibited VSMC migration and proliferation by reducing microRNA-155 expression. This effect may be caused by the microRNA-155 target gene Socs1.

miR‑148a‑3p regulates alcoholic liver fibrosis through targeting ERBB3

Alcoholic liver disease greatly affects human health. Previous studies have identified that microRNAs (miRNAs) are associated with the pathogenesis of alcoholic liver fibrosis (ALF). Therefore, the present study explored the regulatory mechanism of miR-148a-3p in ALF. An ALF model was established in rats by alcohol gavage, followed by treatment with miR-148a-3p. Reverse transcription-quantitative (RT-q) PCR was performed to detect miR-148a-3p expression in the rat liver tissues. The levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were determined by enzyme-labeled colorimetry. Liver damage was evaluated by liver indices and histology. The direct target gene of miR-148a-3p was predicted by a dual luciferase reporter assay. The effects of miR-148a-3p and miR-148a-3p in combination with receptor tyrosine-protein kinase erbB-3 (ERBB3) on HSC-T6 cell viability and apoptosis were detected by MTT and flow cytometry assays, respectively. Western blotting and RT-qPCR assays were performed to detect the expression levels of proteins and mRNA associated with fibrosis and apoptosis. The data showed that miR-148a-3p mimics inhibited the expression levels of AST, ALT, ALP, LDH, α-SMA and type I collagen in the model, decreased the liver indices, and improved the liver damage caused by alcohol. ERBB3, which was predicted as the direct target gene of miR-148a-3p, reversed the effects of ERBB3 on promoting cell viability and inhibiting apoptosis. Concomitantly, miR-148a-3p reversed the increased expression of Bcl-2 and inhibited the expression levels of Bax and c-cleaved-3 caused by ERBB3. These data suggested that miR-148a-3p regulated ALF and the viability and apoptosis of hepatic stellate cells through targeting ERBB3.

MiR-155-5p plays as a "janus" in the expression of inflammatory cytokines induced by T-2 toxin

Although many studies have shown that inflammatory response plays a crucial role in the various toxic effects of T-2 toxin, there are relatively few reports on the mechanism of this phenomenon. Meanwhile, accumulating evidence has shown that miR-155-5p is activated in the inflammatory response. As molecular pathways and mechanisms involved in T-2 toxin-induced inflammatory response are poorly elucidated, we assessed whether miR-155-5p is involved in the inflammation effects mediated by T-2 toxin. Treatment of RAW264.7 cells with T-2 toxin (14 nM and 12 h) resulted in inflammatory response and associated with alteration of the gene expression signature of miR-155-5p. Knockdown or overexpression of miR-155-5p both indicated that miR-155-5p positively regulated the expression of the inflammation factors. Moreover, bioinformatics prediction and luciferase assay indicated that atg3 and rheb are targets of miR-155-5p. However, atg3 and SOCS1 play positive roles in the inflammatory response regulated by miR-155-5p, while rheb plays a negative role. In addition, the in vivo study showed that single administration of T-2 toxin in mice enhances spleen immune response, which was accompanied by an overexpression of miR-155-5p. These findings indicate that miR-155-5p might have an important role associated with the inflammatory response induced by T-2 toxin. In conclusion, a dual character of miR-155-5p in inflammation response was revealed, which might exist in other reactions in which miR-155-5p is involved.

MiR-155-5p exerts tumor-suppressing functions in Wilms tumor by targeting IGF2 via the PI3K signaling pathway

BACKGROUND

MicroRNA-155-5p (miR-155-5p) has been reported to play an oncogenic role in different human malignancies; however, its role in Wilms tumor (WT) remains unclear.

METHODS

Differentially expressed miRNAs (DE-miRNAs) and mRNAs (DEGs) in WT blood and tissues were identified by using miRNA microarray and RNA-sequencing. Bioinformatics prediction and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses were used to predict the potential functions of DE-miRNAs. DE-miRNAs and DEGs in WT obtained from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and Therapeutically Applicable Research to Generate Effective Treatments (TARGET) were identified by using the "edgeR" package. RT-qPCR was used to explore miR-155-5p and IGF2 expression and their clinical significance in WT specimens. A rhabdoid cell line (G401) and Ewing sarcoma cell line (SK-NEP-1) were used. Immunohistochemical staining, western blotting and dual-luciferase reporter assays were performed to study the mechanisms involved. The CCK-8, flow cytometry, wound healing and transwell assays were performed to identify the effects of miR-155-5p and IGF2 knockdown on cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion, respectively.

RESULTS

MiR-155-5p was downregulated in both blood and tissues from WT patients who did not receive chemotherapy before surgery but was upregulated in tissues from WT patients who had received chemotherapy before surgery. IGF2, PI3K, AKT and mTOR were found to be upregulated in WT tissues. Additionally, miR-155-5p and IGF2 were significantly correlated with TNM stage and lymphatic metastasis in WT patients. Molecular mechanism exploration indicated that IGF2 was downregulated by miR-155-5p via direct binding to its 3' untranslated region in cell lines. Furthermore, IGF2, PI3K, AKT and mTOR expression was inversely correlated with miR-155-5p expression, and PI3K, AKT and mTOR expression was positively correlated with IGF2 expression in cell culture. Functional studies demonstrated that miR-155-5p upregulation and IGF2 knockdown suppressed cell proliferation, migration and invasion and induced cell apoptosis. Moreover, the tumor-suppressing effects of miR-155-5p in cells were abrogated by miR-155-5p inhibitor treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Taken together, these findings suggest that miR-155-5p functions as a tumor suppressor in WT through inactivating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway by directly targeting IGF2. Thus, miR-155-5p might be a novel therapeutic target for WT.

[Expression of miR-155-5p in Wilms tumor and its regulatory role in proliferation, migration and apoptosis of Wilms tumor cells in vitro]

OBJECTIVE

explore the expression of miR-155-5p in Wilms tumor and its effect in regulating the proliferation, migration and apoptosis of Wilms tumor cells.

METHODS

Specimens of tumor tissues and paired adjacent tissues were obtained from 40 patients with Wilms tumor for detection of the expression levels of miR-155-5p using RT-qPCR. Wilms tumor cell line G401 was transfected with miR-155-5p mimics and miR-155-5p inhibitor to induce miR-155-5p over-expression and its inhibition, respectively, and the changes in the cell proliferation, migration and apoptosis were assessed using cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), wound healing assay and fl ow cytometry.

RESULTS

RT-qPCR showed that the expression of miR-155-5p decreased significantly in Wilms tumor tissues as compared with normal kidney tissues and was significantly associated with TNM stage (P < 0.05). In G401 cells, over-expression of miR-155-5p significantly inhibited the cell proliferation and migration and promoted cell apoptosis (P < 0.05), and down-regulation of miR-155-5p obviously enhanced the proliferation and migration and suppressed apoptosis of the cells (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

miR-155-5p is down-regulated in Wilms tumor and its expression level is correlated with TNM stage. miR-155-5p participates in the progression of Wilms tumor by inhibiting the proliferation and migration and promoting apoptosis of the tumor cells, and may serve as a novel biomarker for diagnosis, therapy and prognostic evaluation of Wilms tumor.

Dexmedetomidine Regulates Proliferation, Apoptosis, Migration, and Invasion in Ovarian Cancer Cells via MiR-155-HIF-1α Axis

BACKGROUND Dexmedetomidine (DMED) is widely used as an adjuvant anesthetic, but how DMED regulates biological behavior of OC cells remains an area of active research. This study investigated the mechanism by which DMED regulates the proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion abilities of OC cells. MATERIAL AND METHODS We determined the optimal concentration of DMED for use in treating SKOV3 cells. The biological activities of DMED-treated SKOV3 cells following transfection with miR-155 inhibitor or si-HIF-1alpha were measured by CCK-8 assay, flow cytometry, wound healing assay, and Transwell assay. qRT-PCR and Western blot analysis were performed to assess the expression levels of apoptotic-related caspase-3 and Mcl-1. Luciferase reporter assay verified the targeting relationship of miR-155 and HIF-1alpha. RESULTS miR-155 was downregulated while HIF-1alpha was upregulated in SKOV3 cells. DMED dose-dependently reduced HIF-1alpha expression in SKOV3 cells, and upregulated the expression of miR-155. DMED inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion abilities of OC cells, but also contributed to apoptosis of SKOV3 cells, while transfection of miR-155 inhibitor inhibited the effect of DMED on SKOV3 cells. In contrast, transfection with si-HIF-1alpha enhanced the effects of DMED on SKOV3 cells. HIF-1alpha was found to be a target gene of miR-155. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that DMED blocks cell proliferation, migration, and invasion and accelerates cell apoptosis in OC.

miRNA signatures in childhood sarcomas and their clinical implications

Progresses in multimodal treatments have significantly improved the outcomes for childhood cancer. Nonetheless, for about one-third of patients with Ewing sarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, or osteosarcoma steady remission has remained intangible. Thus, new biomarkers to improve early diagnosis and the development of precision-targeted medicine remain imperative. Over the last decade, remarkable progress has been made in the basic understanding of miRNAs function and in interpreting the contribution of their dysregulation to cancer development and progression. On this basis, this review focuses on what has been learned about the pivotal roles of miRNAs in the regulation of key genes implicated in childhood sarcomas.

Clinical and Molecular Analysis of Pathologic Fracture-associated Osteosarcoma: MicroRNA profile Is Different and Correlates with Prognosis

BACKGROUND

MicroRNAs are small, noncoding RNAs that regulate the expression of posttranslational genes. The presence of some specific microRNAs has been associated with increased risk of both local recurrence and metastasis and worse survival in patients with osteosarcoma. Pathologic fractures in osteosarcoma are considered to be more the manifestation of a neoplasm with a more aggressive biological behavior than the cause itself of worse prognosis. However, this has not been proved at the biological or molecular level. Currently, there has not been a microRNA profiling study of patients who have osteosarcoma with and without pathologic fractures that has described differences in terms of microRNA profiling between these two groups and their correlation with biologic behavior.

QUESTIONS/PURPOSES

(1) In patients with osteosarcoma of the extremities, how do the microRNA profiles of those with and without pathologic fractures compare? (2) What relationship do microRNAs have with local recurrence, risk of metastasis, disease-specific survival, and overall survival in osteosarcoma patients with pathologic fractures?

METHODS

Between 1994 and 2013, 217 patients were diagnosed and treated at our institution for osteosarcoma of the extremities. Patients were excluded if (1) they underwent oncologic resection of the osteosarcoma at an outside institution (two patients) or (2) they were diagnosed with an extraskeletal osteosarcoma (29 patients) or (3) they had less than 1 year of clinical follow-up and no oncologic outcome (local recurrence, metastasis, or death) (four patients). A total of 182 patients were eligible. Of those, 143 were high-grade osteosarcomas. After evaluation of tumor samples before chemotherapy treatment, a total of 80 consecutive samples were selected for sequencing. Demographic and clinical comparison between the sequenced and non-sequenced patients did not demonstrate any differences, confirming that both groups were comparable. Diagnostic samples from the extremities of 80 patients with high-grade extremity osteosarcomas who had not yet received chemotherapy underwent microRNA sequencing for an ongoing large-scale osteosarcoma genome profiling project at our institution. Six samples were removed after a second look by a musculoskeletal pathologist who verified cellularity and quality of samples to be sequenced, leaving a total of 74 patients. Of these, two samples were removed as they were confirmed to be pelvic tumors in a second check after sequencing. The final study sample was 72 patients (11 patients with pathologic fractures and 61 without). Sequencing data were correlated with fractures and local recurrence, risk of metastasis, disease-specific survival, and overall survival through Kaplan-Meier analyses.

RESULTS

Several microRNAs were expressed differently between the two groups. Among the markers with the highest differential expression (edgeR and DESeq algorithms), Hsa-mIR 656-3p, hsa-miR 493-5p, and hsa-miR 381-3p were upregulated in patients with pathologic fractures, whereas hsa-miR 363, hsa-miR 885-5p, and has-miR 20b-5p were downregulated. The highest differential expression fracture and nonfracture-associated microRNA markers also distinguished groups of patients with different metastasis risk, a well as different disease-specific and overall survival. Furthermore, the profile of pathologic fractures demonstrated a higher differential expression for microRNA markers that were previously associated with a higher risk of metastasis and lower survival rates in patients with osteosarcoma.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients who have osteosarcoma, the microRNA profiles of those with pathologic fractures are different than of patients without pathologic fractures. The highest differential expression mircroRNA molecules in patients with pathologic fractures predict also higher risk of metastatic disease as well as worse disease-specific survival and overall survival. Furthermore, we found higher differential expression of microRNAs in the pathologic fracture group previously associated with poor prognosis. The higher risk of metastasis and poorer overall survival in patients with pathologic fractures is inherent to tumor aggressive biologic behavior. It is plausible that the fracture itself is not the direct cause of worse prognosis but another manifestation of tumor biologic aggressiveness. Identification of these molecules through liquid biopsies may help to determine which patients may benefit from surgery before fractures occur. The same technology can be applied to identify patterns of response to conventional chemotherapy, assisting in more specific and accurate systemic therapy.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE LEVEL

III, prognostic study.

NF-κB-regulation of miR-155, via SOCS1/STAT3, is involved in the PM2.5-accelerated cell cycle and proliferation of human bronchial epithelial cells

Air pollution, especially fine particulate matter (PM_2.5, particles <2.5 μm in size), induces adverse health effects on the respiratory system. Uncontrolled proliferation of bronchial epithelial cells, resulting from deregulated cell cycle progression, contributes to pulmonary homeostatic imbalance. Although dysregulation of miRNAs is involved in a variety of pathophysiologic processes, the role of miRNAs in lung injury caused by PM_2.5 is unclear. In the present study, we found that different concentrations of PM_2.5 caused a biphasic effect on proliferation of human bronchial epithelial (HBE) cells. PM_2.5 induced an aberrant cell cycle and proliferation of HBE cells, and up-regulated miR-155 levels with a concentration-dependent manner. High miR-155 expression, mediated by NF-κB activation, produced an accelerated G1/S phase and cell proliferation though the STAT3 pathway, which targeted SOCS1. These findings indicate that NF-κB-mediated miR-155 induces an altered cell cycle through epigenetic modulation of the SOCS1/STAT3 signaling pathway and provide a mechanism for the biphasic effect of different concentrations of PM_2.5 in inducing respiratory injury.

RETRACTED: Inhibition of miR-140-3p or miR-155-5p by antagomir treatment sensitize chordoma cells to chemotherapy drug treatment by increasing PTEN expression

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 authors and the Editor-in-Chief as the validity of the data cannot be guaranteed. The journal was initially contacted by the corresponding author to report that, when the authors verified post publication PTEN as their former target of miR-140-3p, they found that treatment with miR-140-3p or miR-155-5p antagomir increased PTEN protein levels in patient-derived chordoma cells without having a significant effect on the malignancy of the tumor cells. The journal further requested the author to provide more information about their post publication findings with regard to this article. However, the author was not able to fulfil this request.

miR-155 in cancer drug resistance and as target for miRNA-based therapeutics

Small non-coding microRNAs (miRNAs) are instrumental in physiological processes, such as proliferation, cell cycle, apoptosis, and differentiation, processes which are often disrupted in diseases like cancer. miR-155 is one of the best conserved and multifunctional miRNAs, which is mainly characterized by overexpression in multiple diseases including malignant tumors. Altered expression of miR-155 is found to be associated with various physiological and pathological processes, including hematopoietic lineage differentiation, immune response, inflammation, and tumorigenesis. Furthermore, miR-155 drives therapy resistance mechanisms in various tumor types. Therefore, miR-155-mediated signaling pathways became a potential target for the molecular treatment of cancer. In this review, we summarize the current findings of miR-155 in hematopoietic lineage differentiation, the immune response, inflammation, and cancer therapy resistance. Furthermore, we discuss the potential of miR-155-based therapeutic approaches for the treatment of cancer.

Inhibition of miR-148a-3p resists hepatocellular carcinoma progress of hepatitis C virus infection through suppressing c-Jun and MAPK pathway

Objectives

The present study was committed to investigate the role of miR‐148a‐3p in HCC infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and the regulatory mechanism of miR‐148a‐3p/c‐Jun/MAPK signalling pathway.

Methods

Differential analysis and GSEA analysis were performed with R packages. QRT‐PCR and Western blot were used to detect RNA or protein level, respectively. The targeted relationship between miR‐148a‐3p and c‐Jun was predicted by TargetScan database and determined by double luciferase reporter assay. MTT assay and flow cytometry were used to evaluate cell proliferation, cell cycle and cell apoptosis, respectively.

Results

C‐Jun was up‐regulated, and MAPK signalling pathway was activated in HCV‐infected HCC cells. C‐Jun expression regulated inflammation‐related gene expression and had an influence on cell proliferation, cell cycle and cell apoptosis. MiR‐148a‐3p, down‐regulated in HCV‐infected HCC cells, could target c‐Jun mRNA to suppress c‐Jun protein expression.

Conclusions

MiR‐148a‐3p suppressed the proliferation of HCC cells infected with HCV through targeting c‐Jun mRNA.

hsa-miR-500a-3P alleviates kidney injury by targeting MLKL-mediated necroptosis in renal epithelial cells

MLKL is a central mediator for necroptosis. Its knockout significantly relieves acute kidney injury (AKI). However, its upstream regulatory mechanism in AKI has not been fully elucidated. We recently reviewed how microRNAs (miRNAs), a type of well-studied epigenetic regulator, play critical roles in AKI. Here, we evaluated miRNAs that potentially target MLKL and evaluated their function in human tubular epithelial cells in response to toxic and ischemic insults. TargetScan analysis showed that miR-194-5P, miR-338-3P, miR-500a-3P, and miR-577 had MLKL binding sites. Although all 4 miRNAs are reduced in AKI, our data show that only hsa-miR-500a-3P was significantly suppressed in cisplatin-treated human tubular epithelial (HK2) cells. We further found that hsa-miR-500a-3P alleviated cisplatin-induced HK2 cell death, which was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy and flow cytometry. In addition, overexpression of hsa-miR-500a-3P decreased kidney injury molecule-1 mRNA and protein levels. Real-time PCR, ELISA, and immunofluorescence data show that hsa-miR-500a-3P protected against inflammatory response, evidenced by decreased monocyte chemotactic protein-1 and proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-8. Further, hsa-miR-500a-3P attenuated P65 NF-κB phosphorylation and promoter activity. Mechanistically, luciferase reporter assay showed that hsa-miR-500a-3P bound the 3'UTR of MLKL, thereby suppressing phosphorylation and membrane translocation of MLKL. In agreement with these findings, we identified that overexpression of hsa-miR-500a-3P attenuated cell injury and the inflammatory response in response to sodium azide treatment in an in vitro model. Results show that circulating exosomes from patients with AKI down-regulated miR-500a-3P, which suppressed cell injury and inflammation in HK2 cells. hsa-miR-500a-3P alleviated toxic and ischemic insults that were triggered by cell necroptosis and the inflammatory response in human HK2 cells by targeting MLKL. This may serve as a novel therapeutic target for treatment of AKI.-Jiang, L., Liu, X.-Q., Ma, Q., Yang, Q., Gao, L., Li, H.-D., Wang, J.-N., Wei, B., Wen, J., Li, J., Wu, Y.-G., Meng, X.-M. hsa-miR-500a-3P alleviates kidney injury by targeting MLKL-mediated necroptosis in renal epithelial cells.

MicroRNA-148a inhibits cell proliferation and cell cycle progression in lung adenocarcinoma via directly targeting transcription factor E2F3

MicroRNAs (miRs) serve important roles in various human cancers, including lung adenocarcinoma. Exploring the function and regulatory mechanism of miRs underlying lung adenocarcinoma progression may contribute to identifying novel therapeutic targets and candidates. The present study aimed to examine miR-148a expression and investigate the molecular mechanisms of miR-148a in lung adenocarcinomas. The data from the current study indicated that miR-148a was significantly downregulated in lung adenocarcinoma tissues and cell lines, and low miR-148a expression was significantly associated with advanced Tumor, Node, Metastasis stages and lymph node metastasis, as well as the shorter survival time of patients. Increased miR-148a expression markedly decreased the cell proliferation, colony formation and cell cycle progression of H23 and H1975 cells. Transcription factor E2F3 (E2F3) was identified as a target of miR-148a in H23 and H1975 cells. The expression of E2F3 was negatively mediated by miR-148a in H23 and H1975 cells. In addition, E2F3 was significantly upregulated in lung adenocarcinoma tissues and cell lines, and the expression of miR-148a was inversely correlated with E2F3 expression in lung adenocarcinoma tissues. Additional experiments demonstrated that increased E2F3 expression counteracted the inhibitory effects on lung adenocarcinoma cells caused by miR-148a overexpression. In summary, the findings of the current study suggest that miR-148a may have suppressive effects on the proliferation of lung adenocarcinoma cells at least in part through directly targeting E2F3. Therefore, miR-148a may be used as a potential candidate for the treatment of lung adenocarcinoma.

Deep RNA sequencing reveals the dynamic regulation of miRNA, lncRNAs, and mRNAs in osteosarcoma tumorigenesis and pulmonary metastasis

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common pediatric malignant bone tumor, and occurrence of pulmonary metastasis generally causes a rapid and fatal outcome. Here we aimed to provide clues for exploring the mechanism of tumorigenesis and pulmonary metastasis for OS by comprehensive analysis of microRNA (miRNA), long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), and mRNA expression in primary OS and OS pulmonary metastasis. In this study, deep sequencing with samples from primary OS (n = 3), pulmonary metastatic OS (n = 3), and normal controls (n = 3) was conducted and differentially expressed miRNAs (DEmiRNAs), lncRNAs (DElncRNAs), and mRNAs (DEmRNAs) between primary OS and normal controls as well as pulmonary metastatic and primary OS were identified. A total of 65 DEmiRNAs, 233 DElncRNAs, and 1405 DEmRNAs were obtained between primary OS and normal controls; 48 DEmiRNAs, 50 DElncRNAs, and 307 DEmRNAs were obtained between pulmonary metastatic and primary OS. Then, the target DEmRNAs and DElncRNAs regulated by the same DEmiRNAs were searched and the OS tumorigenesis-related and OS pulmonary metastasis-related competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks were constructed, respectively. Based on these ceRNA networks and Venn diagram analysis, we obtained 3 DEmiRNAs, 15 DElncRNAs, and 100 DEmRNAs, and eight target pairs including miR-223-5p/(CLSTN2, AC009951.1, LINC01705, AC090673.1), miR-378b/(ALX4, IGSF3, SULF1), and miR-323b-3p/TGFBR3 were involved in both tumorigenesis and pulmonary metastasis of OS. The TGF-β superfamily co-receptor TGFBR3, which is regulated by miR-323b-3p, acts as a tumor suppressor in OS tumorigenesis and acts as a tumor promoter in pulmonary metastatic OS via activation of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) program.In conclusion, the OS transcriptome (miRNA, lncRNA, and mRNA) is dynamically regulated. These analyses might provide new clues to uncover the molecular mechanisms and signaling networks that contribute to OS progression, toward patient-tailored and novel-targeted treatments.

TRIM44, a crucial target of miR-410, functions as a potential oncogene in osteosarcoma

Purpose

Mounting evidence highlights the essential role of TRIM44 in tumor initiation and malignant progression in several cancers; however, the function of TRIM44 in osteosarcoma (OS) remains unknown. In this study, we aim to investigate the role of TRIM44 and reveal its regulation by deregulated miRNAs in OS.

Materials and methods

The expression profiles of TRIM44 were examined by immunohistochemistry, Western blotting, and qRT-PCR. The biological functions of TRIM44 were investigated through siRNA-mediated knockdown experiments. The regulation of TRIM44 by miR-410 was confirmed by Western blotting, dual luciferase reporter assays, and rescue experiments.

Results

TRIM44 was upregulated in OS tissues and cell lines, and its overexpression was positively correlated with TNM stage, metastasis, and recurrence. Knockdown of TRIM44 in OS cells suppressed cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and epithelial–mesenchymal transition. In addition, we identified TRIM44 as a novel target gene of miR-410 and miR-410 was remarkably downregulated in OS. Moreover, overexpression of miR-410 suppressed proliferation, migration, invasion, and epithelial–mesenchymal transition of OS cells by directly targeting TRIM44 expression. Furthermore, reintroduction of TRIM44 partially reversed miR-410-induced inhibitory effects on OS cells.

Conclusion

Collectively, our findings indicate that the miR-410/TRIM44 link is critical in the control of OS progression.

The tumor suppressor role of miR-155-5p in gastric cancer

Gastric cancer (GC) is the fifth most common type of malignant tumor worldwide and the most common cause of cancer-associated mortality in China. Recent studies revealed that microRNAs (miRNAs) function in the pathogenesis of GC, and that miR-155-5p expression is downregulated in GC tissues. However, the function of miR-155-5p has not been fully identified. In the present study, it was demonstrated that overexpression of miR-155-5p inhibited GC-cell proliferation and promoted apoptosis, while downregulation of miR-155-5p promoted GC-cell proliferation and decreased the cisplatin sensitivity of GC cells. Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase 10 was demonstrated to be a potential target gene of miR-155-5p. In conclusion, an antitumor role of miR-155-5p in gastric cancer was suggested.

Non-viral based miR delivery and recent developments

miRNAs are promising therapeutic targets or tools for the treatment of numerous diseases, with most prominently, cancer. The inherent capacity of these short nucleic acids to regulate multiple cancer-related pathways simultaneously has prompted strong research on understanding miR functions and their potential use for therapeutic purposes. A key determinant of miR therapeutics' potential for treatment is their delivery. Viral and non-viral vectors attempt to address the major limitations associated with miR delivery, but several hurdles have been identified. Here, we present an overview on the general limitations of miR delivery, and the delivery strategies exploited to overcome them. We provide an introduction on the advantages and disadvantages of viral and non-viral vectors, and we go into detail to analyze the most prominently used non-viral systems. We provide with an update on the most recent research on this topic and we describe the mechanism and limitations of the lipid-, polymer- and inorganic material- based miR delivery systems.

Murine models of osteosarcoma: A piece of the translational puzzle

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common cancer of bone in children and young adults. Despite extensive research efforts, there has been no significant improvement in patient outcome for many years. An improved understanding of the biology of this cancer and how genes frequently mutated contribute to OS may help improve outcomes for patients. While our knowledge of the mutational burden of OS is approaching saturation, our understanding of how these mutations contribute to OS initiation and maintenance is less clear. Murine models of OS have now been demonstrated to be highly valid recapitulations of human OS. These models were originally based on the frequent disruption of p53 and Rb in familial OS syndromes, which are also common mutations in sporadic OS. They have been applied to significantly improve our understanding about the functions of recurrently mutated genes in disease. The murine models can be used as a platform for preclinical testing and identifying new therapeutic targets, in addition to testing the role of additional mutations in vivo. Most recently these models have begun to be used for discovery based approaches and screens, which hold significant promise in furthering our understanding of the genetic and therapeutic sensitivities of OS. In this review, we discuss the mouse models of OS that have been reported in the last 3-5 years and newly identified pathways from these studies. Finally, we discuss the preclinical utilization of the mouse models of OS for identifying and validating actionable targets to improve patient outcome.

Small animal models for the study of bone sarcoma pathogenesis:characteristics, therapeutic interests and limitations

Osteosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma and chondrosarcoma are the three main entities of bone sarcoma which collectively encompass more than 50 heterogeneous entities of rare malignancies. In contrast to osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma which mainly affect adolescents and young adults and exhibit a high propensity to metastasise to the lungs, chondrosarcoma is more frequently observed after 40 years of age and is characterised by a high frequency of local recurrence. The combination of chemotherapy, surgical resection and radiotherapy has contributed to an improved outcome for these patients. However, a large number of patients still suffer significant therapy related toxicities or die of refractory and metastatic disease. To better delineate the pathogenesis of bone sarcomas and to identify and test new therapeutic options, major efforts have been invested over the past decades in the development of relevant pre-clinical animal models. Nowadays, in vivo models aspire to mimic all the steps and the clinical features of the human disease as accurately as possible and should ideally be manipulable. Considering these features and given their small size, their conduciveness to experiments, their affordability as well as their human-like bone-microenvironment and immunity, murine pre-clinical models are interesting in the context of these pathologies. This chapter will provide an overview of the murine models of bone sarcomas, paying specific attention for the models induced by inoculation of tumour cells. The genetically-engineered mouse models of bone sarcoma will also be summarized.

The effects of TRAF6 on proliferation, apoptosis and invasion in osteosarcoma are regulated by miR-124

The present study aimed to verify tumor necrosis factor receptor‑associated factor 6 (TRAF6) as the target gene of microRNA-124 (miR-124). In addition, the expression of miR‑124 was investigated in osteosarcoma tissues and cells, and its effects on the biological characteristics of osteosarcoma cells were determined, in order to provide an experimental and theoretical basis for the application of TRAF6 in the treatment of osteosarcoma. A fluorescence reporter enzyme system was used to verify TRAF6 as a target gene of miR‑124, and western blotting was used to detect the effects of miR‑124 on the protein expression levels of TRAF6 in cells. The expression levels of miR‑124 were detected in osteosarcoma tissues and an osteosarcoma cell line (MG‑63) by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). In addition, a total of 48 h post‑transfection of MG‑63 cells with a miR‑124 mimic, qPCR was used to detect the expression levels of miR‑124, and the effects of miR‑124 on the viability of MG‑63 human osteosarcoma cells was determined using the MTT method. The effects of miR‑124 on the cell cycle progression and apoptosis of MG‑63 cells were analyzed by flow cytometry, whereas the effects of miR‑124 on the migration of MG‑63 cells was detected using the Transwell invasion chamber analysis method. A TRAF6 recombinant expression plasmid (pcDNA3.1‑TRAF6) was also constructed, and MG‑63 cells were transfected with the recombinant plasmid and a miR‑124 mimic, in order to further validate the biological role of miR‑124 via the regulation of TRAF6. The results of the present study indicated that, compared with in the normal control group, the expression levels of miR‑124 were significantly increased in MG‑63 cells transfected with a miR‑124 mimic (P<0.01). In addition, the luciferase reporter gene system demonstrated that, compared with in the control group, relative luciferase activity was significantly reduced in the miR‑124 mimic group (P<0.01). The results of MTT analysis indicated that cell viability was also significantly reduced in response to the overexpression of miR‑124 in MG‑63 cells (P<0.01). Flow cytometric analysis demonstrated that the proportion of cells in S phase and G2/M phase was significantly decreased (P<0.01) in cells overexpressing miR‑124, and the number of apoptotic cells was significantly increased (P<0.01). Furthermore, the results of the Transwell invasion assay suggested that the number of invasive cells was significantly decreased following enhanced expression of miR‑124 (P<0.01). In MG‑63 cells overexpressing miR‑124 and TRAF6, the results of MTT, flow cytometric and Transwell assay analyses demonstrated that the overexpression of TRAF6 had the opposite biological effects compared to miR‑124 overexpression. In conclusion, the present study indicated that the expression levels of miR‑124 were downregulated in human osteosarcoma tissues and cells, and that miR‑124 is associated with negative regulation of TRAF6 expression; therefore, the role of TRAF6 in primary osteosarcoma may be regulated by miR‑124. Therapeutic strategies that enhance miR‑124 expression or inhibit TRAF6 expression may be beneficial for the treatment of patients with osteosarcoma.

miR-19b-3p promotes colon cancer proliferation and oxaliplatin-based chemoresistance by targeting SMAD4: validation by bioinformatics and experimental analyses

Background

As a disease with extremely complex molecular mechanisms, many deregulated miRNAs have been identified in colon cancer. Few studies have been performed by using Ingenuity Pathways Analysis (IPA) to predict miRNAs specifically expressed in colon cancer.

Methods

A characteristic microRNA-target network of colon cancer was explored using IPA. Then the clinical significance of miR-19b-3p was evaluated in 211 colon cancer patients. The roles of miR-19b-3p and its candidate target gene, SMAD4, in colon cancer progression were examined both in vitro and in vivo.

Results

Bioinformatics analysis showed that 15 microRNAs screened by IPA were significantly correlated with malignant biological behaviors of colon cancer. miR-19b-3p was the most significantly upregulated candidate based on the validation experiment using 211 colon cancer samples. High expression of miR-19b-3p was significantly associated with high N stage (P < 0.001), high AJCC stage (P < 0.001), poor histologic grade (P = 0.032), frequent venous and lymphatic invasion (P = 0.027), and liver metastasis (P < 0.001). Survival analysis revealed that miR-19b-3p was an independent prognostic factor associated with colon cancer patient’s overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). miR-19b-3p promoted proliferation and chemoresistance of colon cancer cells, but had no effect on invasion in vitro, along with tumorigenesis in vivo. In addition, we confirmed that miR-19b-3p mediates resistance to oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy via SMAD4.

Conclusions

Our findings demonstrate the role of miR-19b-3p-SMAD4 axis in colon cancer progression, which may become a potential therapeutic target against chemotherapy resistance.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s13046-017-0602-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Integrated analysis of microRNA and gene expression profiles reveals a functional regulatory module associated with liver fibrosis

BACKGROUND

Liver fibrosis, characterized with the excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, represents the final common pathway of chronic liver inflammation. Ever-increasing evidence indicates microRNAs (miRNAs) dysregulation has important implications in the different stages of liver fibrosis. However, our knowledge of miRNA-gene regulation details pertaining to such disease remains unclear.

METHODS

The publicly available Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets of patients suffered from cirrhosis were extracted for integrated analysis. Differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) and genes (DEGs) were identified using GEO2R web tool. Putative target gene prediction of DEMs was carried out using the intersection of five major algorithms: DIANA-microT, TargetScan, miRanda, PICTAR5 and miRWalk. Functional miRNA-gene regulatory network (FMGRN) was constructed based on the computational target predictions at the sequence level and the inverse expression relationships between DEMs and DEGs. DAVID web server was selected to perform KEGG pathway enrichment analysis. Functional miRNA-gene regulatory module was generated based on the biological interpretation. Internal connections among genes in liver fibrosis-related module were determined using String database. MiRNA-gene regulatory modules related to liver fibrosis were experimentally verified in recombinant human TGFβ1 stimulated and specific miRNA inhibitor treated LX-2 cells.

RESULTS

We totally identified 85 and 923 dysregulated miRNAs and genes in liver cirrhosis biopsy samples compared to their normal controls. All evident miRNA-gene pairs were identified and assembled into FMGRN which consisted of 990 regulations between 51 miRNAs and 275 genes, forming two big sub-networks that were defined as down-network and up-network, respectively. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis revealed that up-network was prominently involved in several KEGG pathways, in which "Focal adhesion", "PI3K-Akt signaling pathway" and "ECM-receptor interaction" were remarked significant (adjusted p<0.001). Genes enriched in these pathways coupled with their regulatory miRNAs formed a functional miRNA-gene regulatory module that contains 7 miRNAs, 22 genes and 42 miRNA-gene connections. Gene interaction analysis based on String database revealed that 8 out of 22 genes were highly clustered. Finally, we experimentally confirmed a functional regulatory module containing 5 miRNAs (miR-130b-3p, miR-148a-3p, miR-345-5p, miR-378a-3p, and miR-422a) and 6 genes (COL6A1, COL6A2, COL6A3, PIK3R3, COL1A1, CCND2) associated with liver fibrosis.

CONCLUSIONS

Our integrated analysis of miRNA and gene expression profiles highlighted a functional miRNA-gene regulatory module associated with liver fibrosis, which, to some extent, may provide important clues to better understand the underlying pathogenesis of liver fibrosis.