MiR-4295 facilitates cell proliferation and metastasis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma by targeting NPTX1

Molecular characterization, clinical value, and cancer-immune interactions of genes related to disulfidptosis and ferroptosis in colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND

This research strived to construct a new signature utilizing disulfidptosis-related ferroptosis (SRF) genes to anticipate response to immunotherapy, prognosis, and drug sensitivity in individuals with colorectal cancer (CRC).

METHODS

The data for RNA sequencing as well as corresponding clinical information of individuals with CRC, were extracted from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset. SRF were constructed with the help of the random forest (RF), least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), and stepwise regression algorithms. To validate the SRF model, we applied it to an external cohort, GSE38832. Prognosis, immunotherapy response, drug sensitivity, molecular functions of genes, and somatic mutations of genes were compared across the high- and low-risk groups (categories). Following this, all statistical analyses were conducted with the aid of the R (version 4.23) software and various packages of the Cytoscape (version 3.8.0) tool.

RESULTS

SRF was developed based on five genes (ATG7, USP7, MMD, PLIN4, and THDC2). Both univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses established SRF as an independent, prognosis-related risk factor. Individuals from the high-risk category had a more unfavorable prognosis, elevated tumor mutational burden (TMB), and significant immunosuppressive status. Hence, they might have better outcomes post-immunotherapy and might benefit from the administration of pazopanib, lapatinib, and sunitinib.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, SRF can act as a new biomarker for prognosis assessment. Moreover, it is also a good predictor of drug sensitivity and immunotherapy response in CRC but should undergo optimization before implementation in clinical settings.

Long non-coding RNA LINC00491 accelerates head and neck squamous cell carcinoma progression through regulating miR-508-3p/SATB1 axis and activating Wnt signaling pathway

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the most common malignancy of the head and neck epidermis. Accumulating long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been proven to be involved in the occurrence and development of HNSCC. LncRNA long intergenic non-protein coding RNA 491 (LINC00491) has been confirmed to regulate the progression of some cancers. In our study, we aimed to explore the potential biological function of LINC00491 and expound the regulatory mechanism by which LINC00491 affects the progression of HNSCC. RT-qPCR was utilized to analyze the expression of LINC00491 in HNSCC cell lines and the normal cell line. Functionally, we carried out a series of assays to measure cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion, such as EdU assay, colony formation, wound healing and western blot assays. Also, mechanism assays including RNA pull down and RIP were also implemented to investigate the interaction of LINC00491 and RNAs. As a result, we discovered that LINC00491 was highly expressed in HNSCC cells. In addition, LINC00491 depletion suppressed cell proliferation, migration and EMT process. Furthermore, we discovered that LINC00491 could bind to miR-508-3p. MiR-508-3p overexpression can restrain HNSCC cell growth. Importantly, miR-508-3p can target SATB homeobox 1 (SATB1) in HNSCC cells. Further, Wnt signaling pathway was proved to be activated by LINC00491 through SATB1 in HNSCC cells. In a word, LINC00491 accelerated HNSCC progression through regulating miR-508-3p/SATB1 axis and activating Wnt signaling pathway.

RNA-Based Liquid Biopsy in Head and Neck Cancer

Head and neck cancer (HNC) is a prevalent and diverse group of malignancies with substantial morbidity and mortality rates. Early detection and monitoring of HNC are crucial for improving patient outcomes. Liquid biopsy, a non-invasive diagnostic approach, has emerged as a promising tool for cancer detection and monitoring. In this article, we review the application of RNA-based liquid biopsy in HNC. Various types of RNA, including messenger RNA (mRNA), microRNA (miRNA), long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), small nuclear RNA (snRNA), small nucleolar RNA (snoRNA), circular RNA (circRNA) and PIWI-interacting RNA (piRNA), are explored as potential biomarkers in HNC liquid-based diagnostics. The roles of RNAs in HNC diagnosis, metastasis, tumor resistance to radio and chemotherapy, and overall prognosis are discussed. RNA-based liquid biopsy holds great promise for the early detection, prognosis, and personalized treatment of HNC. Further research and validation are necessary to translate these findings into clinical practice and improve patient outcomes.

miRNAs as potential game-changers in head and neck cancer: Future clinical and medicinal uses

Head and neck cancers (HNCs) are a group of heterogeneous tumors formed most frequently from epithelial cells of the larynx, lips, oropharynx, nasopharynx, and mouth. Numerous epigenetic components, including miRNAs, have been demonstrated to have an impact on HNCs characteristics like progression, angiogenesis, initiation, and resistance to therapeutic interventions. The miRNAs may control the production of numerous genes linked to HNCs pathogenesis. The roles that miRNAs play in angiogenesis, invasion, metastasis, cell cycle, proliferation, and apoptosis are responsible for this impact. The miRNAs also have an impact on crucial HNCs-related mechanistic networks like the WNT/β-catenin signaling, PTEN/Akt/mTOR pathway, TGFβ, and KRAS mutations. miRNAs may affect how the HNCs respond to treatments like radiation and chemotherapy in addition to pathophysiology. This review aims to demonstrate the relationship between miRNAs and HNCs with a particular emphasis on how miRNAs impact HNCs signaling networks.

NPTX1 inhibits pancreatic cancer cell proliferation and migration and enhances chemotherapy sensitivity by targeting RBM10

Pancreatic cancer (PC), one of the deadliest diseases worldwide, has exhibited an increasing incidence rate in recent years. The present study aimed to explore the biological mechanism of PC. Therefore, the expression levels of neuronal pentraxin 1 (NPTX1) and RNA-binding protein 10 (RBM10) were detected in PC cell lines using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and western blot analyses prior to or following NPTX1 and RBM10 overexpression. Additionally, the proliferative ability of PANC-1 and BxPC-3 cells treated with or without gemcitabine (GEM) and cisplatin (DDP) was evaluated using Cell Counting Kit-8 assay. Cell apoptosis and the expression levels of apoptosis-related proteins were determined by TUNEL assay and western blot analysis, respectively. Furthermore, wound healing and Transwell assays were performed to measure the migration and invasion abilities of PANC-1 and BxPC-3 cells. The interaction between RBM10 and NPTX1 mRNA was detected by RNA binding protein immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay. Additionally, cells were treated with actinomycin D to verify the regulatory effect of RBM10 on NPTX1 expression. This effect was further confirmed by RT-qPCR analysis. The results showed that NPTX1 was downregulated in PC cell lines. In addition, NPTX1 overexpression inhibited the proliferation and promoted apoptosis in PC cells. The results from the wound healing and Transwell assays revealed that the migration and invasion abilities of PANC-1 and BxPC-3 cells were reduced following NPTX1 overexpression. However, treatment of NPTX1-overexpressing cells with GEM or DDP attenuated PC cell viability. In addition, the results of the RIP assay revealed that RBM10 could bind with NPTX1. Furthermore, RBM10 overexpression could regulate NPTX1 expression, as evidenced by actinomycin D experiments. Overall, the results of the present study suggested that NPTX1 could inhibit PC and enhance the sensitivity of PC cells to chemotherapy. Additionally, NPTX1 was found to interact with RBM10, indicating that NPTX1 could inhibit PC via targeting RBM10.

Advances in the Biological Functions and Mechanisms of miRNAs in the Development of Osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma is one of the most common primary malignant bone tumors, mainly occurring in children and adolescents, and is characterized by high morbidity and poor prognosis. MicroRNAs, a class of noncoding RNAs consisting of 19 to 25 nucleotides, are involved in cell proliferation, invasion, metastasis, and apoptosis to regulate the development and progression of osteosarcoma. Studies have found that microRNAs are closely related to the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of osteosarcoma patients and have an important role in improving drug resistance in osteosarcoma. This paper reviews the role of microRNAs in the pathogenesis of osteosarcoma and their clinical value, aiming to provide a new research direction for diagnosing and treating osteosarcoma and achieving a better prognosis.

MicroRNAs in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: a possible challenge as biomarkers, determinants for the choice of therapy and targets for personalized molecular therapies

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) are referred to a group of heterogeneous cancers that include structures of aerodigestive tract such as oral and nasal cavity, salivary glands, oropharynx, pharynx, larynx, paranasal sinuses, and local lymph nodes. HNSCC is characterized by frequent alterations of several genes such as TP53, PIK3CA, CDKN2A, NOTCH1, and MET as well as copy number increase in EGFR, CCND1, and PIK3CA. These genomic alterations play a role in terms of resistance to chemotherapy, molecular targeted therapy, and prediction of patient outcome. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small single-stranded noncoding RNAs which are about 19-25 nucleotides. They are involved in the tumorigenesis of HNSCC including dysregulation of cell survival, proliferation, cellular differentiation, adhesion, and invasion. The discovery of the stable presence of the miRNAs in all human body made them attractive biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis or as targets for novel therapeutic ways, enabling personalized treatment for HNSCC. In recent times the number of papers concerning the characterization of miRNAs in the HNSCC tumorigenesis has grown a lot. In this review, we discuss the very recent studies on different aspects of miRNA dysregulation with their clinical significance and we apologize for the many past and most recent works that have not been mentioned. We also discuss miRNA-based therapy that are being tested on patients by clinical trials.

Circ_0016760 Acts as a Sponge of MicroRNA-4295 to Enhance E2F Transcription Factor 3 Expression and Facilitates Cell Proliferation and Glycolysis in Nonsmall Cell Lung Cancer

Background: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been validated as important regulators of nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but the role and potential mechanism of circ_0016760 in NSCLC remain largely unclear. Materials and Methods: Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was performed to detect the levels of circ_0016760, microRNA-4295 (miR-4295), and E2F transcription factor 3 (E2F3). The cell proliferation was measured by methyl-thiazolyl diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide assay. The protein levels of proliferating cell nuclear antigen and E2F3 were examined by Western blot. Xenograft mice model was constructed to explore the effect of circ_0016760 on tumor growth in vivo. The relationship among circ_0016760, miR-4295, and E2F3 was evaluated using dual-luciferase reporter assay. Glucose consumption of NSCLC cells was assessed by the glucose assay kit. Results: Circ_0016760 and E2F3 expression levels were upregulated in NSCLC tissues and cells, while miR-4295 was downregulated. Circ_0016760 could bind to miR-4295, and negatively modulate its expression in NSCLC cells. Besides, miR-4295 directly targeted E2F3 and inversely regulated E2F3 expression. More importantly, Circ_0016760 facilitated proliferation and glycolysis of NSCLC cells by increasing E2F3 by sponging miR-4295 as well as promoted the tumor growth in vivo. Conclusion: Circ_0016760 served as a growth-promoting circRNA in NSCLC by facilitating cell proliferation and glycolysis by regulating the miR-4295/E2F3 axis, providing a novel potential target for NSCLC treatment.

MiR‐335‐5p inhibits the progression of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma by targeting MAP3K2

Mounting evidence has indicated that aberrantly expressed microRNAs (miRNAs) play key roles in tumorigenesis, including in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Previous studies have shown that miR‐335‐5p can serve as a tumor suppressor or an oncogene in cancer. However, the clinical importance and biological effects of miR‐335‐5p in HNSCC have not been determined. Here, we investigated the expression pattern, functional role, and mechanisms of miR‐335‐5p in HNSCC. We showed a decreased expression of miR‐335‐5p in HNSCC samples from the TCGA and GEO databases. Consistently, we detected a downregulation of miR‐335‐5p in HNSCC cell lines and patient tissues. The expression of miR‐335‐5p was inversely correlated with advanced clinical TNM stage and lymph node metastasis in HNSCC patients. miR‐335‐5p overexpression inhibited HNSCC cell proliferation and induced apoptosis, while miR‐335‐5p inhibition had the opposite effects. miR‐335‐5p overexpression suppressed tumor growth in mice. Bioinformatic analyses and functional assays identified MAP3K2 as a target of miR‐335‐5p, and we showed that miR‐335‐5p downregulated mitogen‐activated protein kinase kinase kinase 2 (MAP3K2) expression in HNSCC cells. We found an inverse association between MAP3K2 and miR‐335‐5p expression in 38 pairs of HNSCC tissues. Furthermore, the effect of miR‐335‐5p overexpression on growth and metastasis as well as cell apoptosis in HNSCC cells could be partially rescued by MAP3K2 expression. Collectively, our data show that miR‐335‐5p inhibits the development of HNSCC by regulating MAP3K2 expression. Thus, these findings offer novel insights into a potential therapeutic strategy for HNSCC patients.

Participation of MicroRNAs in the Treatment of Cancer with Phytochemicals

Cancer is a global health concern and one of the main causes of disease-related death. Even with considerable progress in investigations on cancer therapy, effective anti-cancer agents and regimens have thus far been insufficient. There has been compelling evidence that natural phytochemicals and their derivatives have potent anti-cancer activities. Plant-based anti-cancer agents, such as etoposide, irinotecan, paclitaxel, and vincristine, are currently being applied in medical treatments for patients with cancer. Further, the efficacy of plenty of phytochemicals has been evaluated to discover a promising candidate for cancer therapy. For developing more effective cancer therapy, it is required to apprehend the molecular mechanism deployed by natural compounds. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been realized to play a pivotal role in regulating cellular signaling pathways, affecting the efficacy of therapeutic agents in cancer. This review presents a feature of phytochemicals with anti-cancer activity, focusing mainly on the relationship between phytochemicals and miRNAs, with insights into the role of miRNAs as the mediators and the regulators of anti-cancer effects of phytochemicals.

MicroRNA-3666 Suppresses Cell Growth in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Through Inhibition of PFKFB3-Mediated Warburg Effect

Purpose

MicroRNA-3666 (miR-3666) is aberrantly expressed and plays critical roles in numerous human tumors. However, the expression pattern, biological role, and mechanisms of action of miR-3666 in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remain unknown. Therefore, we attempted to determine the expression status and function of miR-3666 in HNSCC and to explore the underlying mechanisms in detail.

Methods

In this study, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was carried out to measure the expression of miR-3666 HNSCC tissues. A series of experiments, including a Cell Counting Kit-8 assay, colony formation assay, BrdU incorporation and apoptosis analysis, were applied to test whether miR-3666 affects the growth of HNSCC cells. Glucose uptake and lactate production measurements and extracellular acidification and oxygen consumption rate assays were conducted to determine the effect of miR-3666 on glycolysis.

Results

We found that miR-3666 showed a decreased expression in HNSCC tissues. Further functional studies demonstrated that miR-3666 inhibited the growth of HNSCC cells by suppressing cell proliferation and promoting apoptosis. Bioinformatics analysis and luciferase reporter assays identified phosphofructokinase-2/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase 3 (PFKFB3), a key enzyme regulating glycolysis, as a direct target of miR-3666. Through inhibition of PFKFB3, miR-3666 decreased glycolysis in HNSCC cells by reducing the production of F2,6BP. Importantly, glycolysis suppression caused by miR-3666 was found to be required for its inhibitory effect on HNSCC cell growth.

Conclusion

Our data suggest that miR-3666 functions as a tumor suppressor by decreasing the rate of glycolysis through inhibition of PFKFB3 activity, and this miRNA may present a potential candidate for HNSCC therapy.

Multivariate gene expression-based survival predictor model in esophageal adenocarcinoma

Background

Despite the recent development of molecular‐targeted treatment and immunotherapy, survival of patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) with poor prognosis is still poor due to lack of an effective biomarker. In this study, we aimed to explore the ceRNA and construct a multivariate gene expression predictor model using data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) to predict the prognosis of EAC patients.

Methods

We conducted differential expression analysis using mRNA, miRNA and lncRNA transciptome data from EAC and normal patients as well as corresponding clinical information from TCGA database, and gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis of those unique differentially expressed mRNAs using the Integrate Discovery Database (DAVID) database. We then constructed the lncRNA‐miRNA‐mRNA competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network of EAC and used Cox proportional hazard analysis to generate a multivariate gene expression predictor model. We finally performed survival analysis to determine the effect of differentially expressed mRNA on patients' overall survival and discover the hub gene.

Results

We identified a total of 488 lncRNAs, 33 miRNAs, and 1207 mRNAs with differentially expressed profiles. Cox proportional hazard analysis and survival analysis using the ceRNA network revealed four genes (IL‐11, PDGFD, NPTX1, ITPR1) as potential biomarkers of EAC prognosis in our predictor model, and IL‐11 was identified as an independent prognostic factor.

Conclusions

In conclusion, we identified differences in the ceRNA regulatory networks and constructed a four–gene expression‐based survival predictor model, which could be referential for future clinical research.

Long non coding RNA SLC26A4-AS1 exerts antiangiogenic effects in human glioma by upregulating NPTX1 via NFKB1 transcriptional factor

Malignant gliomas are a heterogeneous group of brain tumors with a poor prognosis, which is largely due to its aggressive invasiveness and angiogenesis. In recent years, it has been found that multiple long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) participate in a wide range of biological functions including angiogenesis through the regulation of gene expression in cancers. In this study, we investigate and report the novel role of lncRNA SLC26A4-AS1 in gliomas, with a novel mechanism involving transcription factors NFKB1 and NPTX1. We determined that SLC26A4-AS1 was downregulated in human glioma tissues and cells. Furthermore, overexpression of SLC26A4-AS1 or NPTX1 restrained the aggressiveness of glioma cells and their pro-angiogenic ability. SLC26A4-AS1 was also found to upregulate NPTX1 by recruiting NFKB1 into the NPTX1 promoter. Moreover, silencing of either NPTX1 or NFKB1 restored the aggressive and pro-angiogenic properties of glioma cells in the presence of SLC26A4-AS1. Taken together, we demonstrate that SLC26A4-AS1 promotes NPTX1 transcriptional activity by recruiting NFKB1 and thus exerting antiangiogenic effects on glioma cells. This study provides an experimental basis for the intervention of SLC26A4-AS1 in the treatment of gliomas.

miR-762 Promotes Malignant Development of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma by Targeting PHLPP2 and FOXO4

Background

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is among the most common malignant tumors worldwide. This study, investigated the role of microRNA (miR)-762 in regulating HNSCC progression.

Materials and methods

The expression levels of miR-762 in HNSCC tissues were measured by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Statistical analyses were performed to investigate the association of miR-762 with clinicopathological features in patients with HNSCC. Cell proliferation and migration were examined by cell counting (CCK-8) and IncuCyte assays. Target genes of miR-762 were screened using bioinformatics tools and microarrays, and confirmed using a luciferase activity reporter assay, qRT-PCR and Western blot analysis. Recuse experiments were performed to detect whether target genes mediated the effects of miR-762 on HNSCC cells. The in vivo effects of miR-762 were verified using tumor xenografts.

Results

HNSCC clinical specimens showed high expression levels of miR-762, which positively correlated with tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage and poor prognosis of HNSCC. miR-762 overexpression promoted the proliferation and migration of HNSCC cells in vitro. In addition, overexpression of miR-762 upregulated the expression of phosphorylated AKT (p-AKT) and mesenchymal markers (N-cadherin and vimentin), but suppressed epithelial marker (E-cadherin) expression. miR-762 also promoted HNSCC tumor growth in vivo. PH domain and leucine-rich repeat protein phosphatase 2 (PHLPP2) and Forkhead box O4 (FOXO4) were direct target genes of miR-762. HNSCC tissues had low expression levels of PHLPP2 and FOXO4, showing a negative correlation with miR-762 expression. Moreover, silencing of PHLPP2 and FOXO4 mimicked the tumor-promotive effects of miR-762 on HNSCC cells. Notably, overexpression of PHLPP2 and FOXO4 abolished the pro-tumoral function of miR-762 on cell proliferation and migration.

Conclusion

miR-762 promotes HNSCC progression by targeting PHLPP2 and FOXO4. Therefore, miR-762 might be a potential diagnostic or therapeutic target for HNSCC.