miR-143-3p inhibits the proliferation, migration and invasion in osteosarcoma by targeting FOSL2

Biological functions and potential mechanisms of miR‑143‑3p in cancers (Review)

In recent years, microRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) have been increasingly studied for their role in cancer and have shown potential as cancer biomarkers. miR‑143‑3p and miR‑143‑5p are the mature miRNAs derived from pre‑miRNA‑143. At present, there are numerous studies on the function of miR‑143‑3p in cancer progression, but there are no systematic reviews describing the function of miR‑143‑3p in cancer. It is widely considered that miR‑143‑3p is downregulated in most malignant tumors and that upstream regulators can act on this gene, which in turn regulates the corresponding target to act on the tumor. In addition, miRNA‑143‑3p can regulate target genes to affect the biological process of tumors through various signaling pathways, such as the PI3K/Akt, Wnt/β‑catenin, AKT/STAT3 and Ras‑Raf‑MEK‑ERK pathways. The present review comprehensively described the biogenesis of miR‑143‑3p, the biological functions of miR‑143‑3p and the related roles and mechanisms in different cancer types. The potential of miR‑143‑3p as a biomarker for cancer was also highlighted and valuable future research directions were discussed.

Progress in the Study of Fra-2 in Respiratory Diseases

Fos-related antigen-2 (Fra-2) is a member of the activating protein-1 (AP-1) family of transcription factors. It is involved in controlling cell growth and differentiation by regulating the production of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and coordinating the balance of signals within and outside the cell. Fra-2 is not only closely related to bone development, metabolism, and immune system and eye development but also in the progression of respiratory conditions like lung tumors, asthma, pulmonary fibrosis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The increased expression and activation of Fra-2 in various lung diseases has been shown in several studies. However, the specific molecular mechanisms through which Fra-2 affects the development of respiratory diseases are not yet understood. The purpose of this research is to summarize and delineate advancements in the study of the involvement of transcription factor Fra-2 in disorders related to the respiratory system.

Long non-coding RNA MEG3 knockdown represses airway smooth muscle cells proliferation and migration via sponging miR-143-3p/FGF9 in asthma

BACKGROUND

Asthma is a respiratory disease characterized by airway remodeling. We aimed to find out the role and mechanism of lncRNA MEG3 in asthma.

METHODS

We established a cellular model of asthma by inducing human airway smooth muscle cells (HASMCs) with PDGF-BB, and detected levels of lncRNA MEG3, miR-143-3p and FGF9 in HASMCs through qRT-PCR. The functions of lncRNA MEG3 or miR-143-3p on HASMCs were explored by cell transfection. The binding sites of miR-143-3p and FGF9 were subsequently analyzed with bioinformatics software, and validated with dual-luciferase reporter assay. MTT, 5-Ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) assay, and Transwell were used to detect the effects of lncRNA MEG3 or miR-143-3p on proliferation and migration of HASMCs. QRT-PCR and western blot assay were used to evaluate the level of proliferation-related marker PCNA in HASMCs.

RESULTS

The study found that lncRNA MEG3 negatively correlated with miR-143-3p, and miR-143-3p could directly target with FGF9. Silence of lncRNA MEG3 can suppress migration and proliferation of PDGF-BB-induced HASMCs via increasing miR-143-3p. Further mechanistic studies revealed that miR-143-3p negatively regulated FGF9 expression in HASMCs. MiR-143-3p could inhibit PDGF-BB-induced HASMCs migration and proliferation through downregulating FGF9.

CONCLUSION

LncRNA MEG3 silencing could inhibit the migration and proliferation of HASMCs through regulating miR-143-3p/FGF9 signaling axis. These results imply that lncRNA MEG3 plays a protective role against asthma.

Stable Dual miR-143 and miR-506 Upregulation Inhibits Proliferation and Cell Cycle Progression

The mainstays of lung cancer pathogenesis are cell cycle progression dysregulation, impaired apoptosis, and unregulated cell proliferation. While individual microRNA (miR) targeting or delivering is a promising approach that has been extensively studied, combination of miR targeting can enhance therapeutic efficacy and overcome limitations present in individual miR regulations. We previously reported on the use of a miR-143 and miR-506 combination via transient transfections against lung cancer. In this study, we evaluated the effect of miR-143 and miR-506 under stable deregulations in A549 lung cancer cells. We used lentiviral transductions to either up- or downregulate the two miRs individually or in combination. The cells were sorted and analyzed for miR deregulation via qPCR. We determined the miR deregulations' effects on the cell cycle, cell proliferation, cancer cell morphology, and cell motility. Compared to the individual miR deregulations, the combined miR upregulation demonstrated a miR-expression-dependent G2 cell cycle arrest and a significant increase in the cell doubling time, whereas the miR-143/506 dual downregulation demonstrated increased cellular motility. Furthermore, the individual miR-143 and miR-506 up- and downregulations exhibited cellular responses lacking an apparent miR-expression-dependent response in the respective analyses. Our work here indicates that, unlike the individual miR upregulations, the combinatorial miR treatment remained advantageous, even under prolonged miR upregulation. Finally, our findings demonstrate potential advantages of miR combinations vs. individual miR treatments.

Regulation of Osteosarcoma Cell Proliferation, Migration, and Invasion by miR-143 and miR-199a Through COX-2 Targeting

Objective

To investigate the biological role of miR-143 and miR-199a in mediating the progression of osteosarcoma (OS) by targeting cyclooxygenase (COX-2).

Introduction

COX-2 plays a crucial role in the development and progression of OS. However, the specific regulatory mechanisms of COX-2 in OS are still not well understood.

Methods

The expression levels of COX-2, miR-143 and miR-199a in OS tissues were detected using immunohistochemistry, qPCR, or western blot assays. The targeting relationship between miRNAs and COX-2 was determined. The effect of miRNA and COX-2 on OS cells was evaluated in vitro and in vivo.

Results

COX-2 expression was upregulated while miR-143 and miR-199a were downregulated in OS tissues. miR-143 and miR-199a suppressed the proliferation, migration, and invasion of OS cells. The dual-luciferase reporter gene assay showed that COX-2 was a direct target of miR-143 and miR-199a. Genetic knockdown of COX-2 significantly suppressed cell proliferation, induced apoptosis, and inhibited migration and invasion of OS cells. The expression levels of COX-2 and PGE2 were decreased after the overexpression of miR-143 and miR-199a. Additionally, COX-2 silencing inhibited the tumorigenesis of OS and the synthesis of PGE2 in vivo.

Conclusions

miR-143 and miR-199a/COX-2 axis modulates the proliferation, invasion, and migration in osteosarcoma.

Role of Fra-2 in cancer

Fos-related antigen-2 (Fra-2) is the most recently discovered member of the Fos family and, by dimerizing with Jun proteins, forms the activator protein 1 (AP-1) transcription factor. By inducing or repressing the transcription of several target genes, Fra-2 is critically involved in the modulation of cell response to a variety of extracellular stimuli, stressors and intracellular changes. In physiological conditions, Fra-2 has been found to be ubiquitously expressed in human cells, regulating differentiation and homeostasis of bone, muscle, nervous, lymphoid and other tissues. While other AP-1 members, like Jun and Fos, are well characterized, studies of Fra-2 functions in cancer are still at an early stage. Due to the lack of a trans-activating domain, which is present in other Fos proteins, it has been suggested that Fra-2 might inhibit cell transformation, eventually exerting an anti-tumor effect. In human malignancies, however, Fra-2 activity is enhanced (or induced) by dysregulation of microRNAs, oncogenes and extracellular signaling, suggesting a multifaceted role. Therefore, Fra-2 can promote or prevent transformation, proliferation, migration, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, drug resistance and metastasis formation in a tumor- and context-dependent manner. Intriguingly, recent data reports that Fra-2 is also expressed in cancer associated cells, contributing to the intricate crosstalk between neoplastic and non-neoplastic cells, that leads to the evolution and remodeling of the tumor microenvironment. In this review we summarize three decades of research on Fra-2, focusing on its oncogenic and anti-oncogenic effects in tumor progression and dissemination.

Liquid Biopsy: A New Avenue for the Diagnosis of Kidney Disease: Diabetic Kidney Disease, Renal Cancer, and IgA Nephropathy

Kidney diseases are some of the most common healthcare problems. As the population of elderly individuals with concurrent health conditions continues to rise, there will be a heightened occurrence of these diseases. Due to the renal condition being one of the longevity predictors, early diagnosis of kidney dysfunction plays a crucial role. Currently, prevalent diagnostic tools include laboratory tests and kidney tissue biopsies. New technologies, particularly liquid biopsy and new detection biomarkers, hold promise for diagnosing kidney disorders. The aim of this review is to present modern diagnostic methods for kidney diseases. The paper focuses on the advances in diagnosing three common renal disorders: diabetic kidney disease, renal cancer, and immunoglobulin A nephropathy. We highlight the significance of liquid biopsy and epigenetic changes, such as DNA methylation, microRNA, piRNAs, and lncRNAs expression, or single-cell transcriptome sequencing in the assessment of kidney diseases. This review underscores the importance of early diagnosis for the effective management of kidney diseases and investigates liquid biopsy as a promising approach.

GABARAPL1 is essential in extracellular vesicle cargo loading and metastasis development

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Hypoxia is a common feature of tumours, associated with poor prognosis due to increased resistance to radio- and chemotherapy and enhanced metastasis development. Previously we demonstrated that GABARAPL1 is required for the secretion of extracellular vesicles (EV) with pro-angiogenic properties during hypoxia. Here, we explored the role of GABARAPL1+ EV in the metastatic cascade.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

GABARAPL1 deficient or control MDA-MB-231 cells were injected in murine mammary fat pads. Lungs were dissected and analysed for human cytokeratin 18. EV from control and GABARAPL1 deficient cells exposed to normoxia (21% O2) or hypoxia (O2 < 0.02%) were isolated and analysed by immunoblot, nanoparticle tracking analysis, high resolution flow cytometry, mass spectrometry and next-generation sequencing. Cellular migration and invasion were analysed using scratch assays and transwell-invasion assays, respectively.

RESULTS

The number of pulmonary metastases derived from GABARAPL1 deficient tumours decreased by 84%. GABARAPL1 deficient cells migrate slower but display a comparable invasive capacity. Both normoxic and hypoxic EV contain proteins and miRNAs associated with metastasis development and, in line, increase cancer cell invasiveness. Although GABARAPL1 deficiency alters EV content, it does not alter the EV-induced increase in cancer cell invasiveness.

CONCLUSION

GABARAPL1 is essential for metastasis development. This is unrelated to changes in migration and invasion and suggests that GABARAPL1 or GABARAPL1+ EV are essential in other processes related to the metastatic cascade.

Continuous Administration of Anti-VEGFA Antibody Upregulates PAI-1 Secretion from Ovarian Cancer Cells via miR-143-3p Downregulation

Although bevacizumab (BEV) plays a key role in ovarian cancer treatment, BEV resistance is often observed in clinical settings. This study aimed to identify the genes responsible for BEV resistance. C57BL/6 mice inoculated with ID-8 murine ovarian cancer cells were treated with anti-VEGFA antibody or IgG (control) twice weekly for 4 weeks. The mice were sacrificed, then, RNA was extracted from the disseminated tumors. qRT-PCR assays were performed to identify angiogenesis-related genes and miRNAs that were altered by anti-VEGFA treatment. SERPINE1/PAI-1 was found to be upregulated during BEV treatment. Therefore, we focused on miRNAs to elucidate the mechanism underlying the upregulation of PAI-1 during BEV treatment. Kaplan-Meier plotter analysis revealed that higher expression levels of SERPINE1/PAI-1 were associated with poor prognoses among BEV-treated patients, suggesting that SERPINE1/PAI may be involved in the acquisition of BEV resistance. miRNA microarray analysis followed by in silico and functional assays revealed that miR-143-3p targeted SERPINE1 and negatively regulated PAI-1 expression. The transfection of miR-143-3p suppressed PAI-1 secretion from ovarian cancer cells and inhibited in vitro angiogenesis in HUVECs. Next, miR-143-3p-overexpressing ES2 cells were intraperitoneally injected into BALB/c nude mice. ES2-miR-143-3p cells downregulated PAI-1 production, attenuated angiogenesis, and significantly inhibited intraperitoneal tumor growth following treatment with anti-VEGFA antibody. Continuous anti-VEGFA treatment downregulated miR-143-3p expression, which upregulated PAI-1 and activated an alternative angiogenic pathway in ovarian cancer. In conclusion, the substitution of this miRNA during BEV treatment may help overcome BEV resistance, and this may be used as a novel treatment strategy in clinical settings.

IMPLICATIONS

Continuous administration of VEGFA antibody upregulates SERPINE1/PAI-1 expression via the downregulation of miR-143-3p, which contributes to acquiring bevacizumab resistance in ovarian cancer.

Targeting of AKT1 by miR-143-3p Suppresses Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition in Prostate Cancer

An altered expression of miR-143-3p has been previously reported in prostate cancer where it is purported to play a tumor suppressor role. Evidence from other cancers suggests miR-143-3p acts as an inhibitor of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a key biological process required for metastasis. However, in prostate cancer the interaction between miR-143-3p and EMT-associated mechanisms remains unclear. Therefore, this paper investigated the link between miR-143-3p and EMT in prostate cancer using in vitro and in silico analyses. PCR detected that miR-143-3p expression was significantly decreased in prostate cancer cell lines compared to normal prostate cells. Bioinformatic analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas Prostate Adenocarcinoma (TCGA PRAD) data showed a significant downregulation of miR-143-3p in prostate cancer, correlating with pathological markers of advanced disease. Functional enrichment analysis confirmed the significant association of miR-143-3p and its target genes with EMT. The EMT-linked gene AKT1 was subsequently shown to be a novel target of miR-143-3p in prostate cancer cells. The in vitro manipulation of miR-143-3p levels significantly altered the cell proliferation, clonogenicity, migration and expression of EMT-associated markers. Further TCGA PRAD analysis suggested miR-143-3p tumor expression may be a useful predictor of disease recurrence. In summary, this is the first study to report that miR-143-3p overexpression in prostate cancer may inhibit EMT by targeting AKT1. The findings suggest miR-143-3p could be a useful diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for prostate cancer.

Stem cell therapy for acute myocardial infarction: Mesenchymal Stem Cells and induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

INTRODUCTION

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) remains a leading cause of death in the United States. The limited capacity of cardiomyocytes to regenerate and the restricted contractility of scar tissue after AMI are not addressed by current pharmacologic interventions. Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) have emerged as a promising therapeutic approach due to their low antigenicity, ease of harvesting, and efficacy and safety in preclinical and clinical studies, despite their low survival and engraftment rates. Other stem cell types, such as induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) also show promise, and optimizing cardiac repair requires integrating emerging technologies and strategies.

AREAS COVERED

This review offers insights into advancing cell-based therapies for AMI, emphasizing meticulously planned trials with a standardized definition of AMI, for a bench-to-bedside approach. We critically evaluate fundamental studies and clinical trials to provide a comprehensive overview of the advances, limitations and prospects for cell-based therapy in AMI.

EXPERT OPINION

MSCs continue to show potential promise for treating AMI and its sequelae, but addressing their low survival and engraftment rates is crucial for clinical success. Integrating emerging technologies such as pluripotent stem cells and conducting well-designed trials will harness the full potential of cell-based therapy in AMI management. Collaborative efforts are vital to developing effective stem cell therapies for AMI patients.

Identification of MicroRNA Expression Profiles Related to the Aggressiveness of Salivary Gland Adenoid Cystic Carcinomas

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) has been reported as the second most common carcinoma of the salivary glands. Few studies have associated miRNA expression with ACC aggressiveness. In this study, we evaluated the miRNA profile of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) samples of salivary gland ACC patients using the NanoString platform. We studied the miRNA expression levels associated with the solid growth pattern, the more aggressive histologic feature of ACCs, compared with the tubular and cribriform growth patterns. Moreover, the perineural invasion status, a common clinicopathological feature of the disease that is frequently associated with the clinical progression of ACC, was investigated. The miRNAs showing significant differences between the study groups were selected for target prediction and functional enrichment, which included associations with the disease according to dedicated databases. We observed decreased expression of miR-181d, miR-23b, miR-455, miR-154-5p, and miR-409 in the solid growth pattern compared with tubular and cribriform growth patterns. In contrast, miR-29c, miR-140, miR-195, miR-24, miR-143, and miR-21 were overexpressed in patients with perineural invasion. Several target genes of the miRNAs identified have been associated with molecular processes involved in cell proliferation, apoptosis, and tumor progression. Together, these findings allowed the characterization of miRNAs potentially associated with aggressiveness in salivary gland adenoid cystic carcinoma. Our results highlight important new miRNA expression profiles involved in ACC carcinogenesis that could be associated with the aggressive behavior of this tumor type.

A spotlight on the interplay of signaling pathways and the role of miRNAs in osteosarcoma pathogenesis and therapeutic resistance

Osteosarcoma (OS) is one of the most common bone cancers that constantly affects children, teenagers, and young adults. Numerous epigenetic elements, such as miRNAs, have been shown to influence OS features like progression, initiation, angiogenesis, and treatment resistance. The expression of numerous genes implicated in OS pathogenesis might be regulated by miRNAs. This effect is ascribed to miRNAs' roles in the invasion, angiogenesis, metastasis, proliferation, cell cycle, and apoptosis. Important OS-related mechanistic networks like the WNT/b-catenin signaling, PTEN/AKT/mTOR axis, and KRAS mutations are also affected by miRNAs. In addition to pathophysiology, miRNAs may influence how the OS reacts to therapies like radiotherapy and chemotherapy. With a focus on how miRNAs affect OS signaling pathways, this review seeks to show how miRNAs and OS are related.

Transfer of exosomal microRNAs confers doxorubicin resistance in osteosarcoma cells

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the commonest primary malignant bone tumor in children and adolescents. However, chemotherapy resistance is a major challenge for the treatment of OS. Exosomes have been reported to serve an increasingly important role in different stages of tumor progression and chemotherapy resistance. The present study investigated whether exosomes derived from doxorubicin‑resistant OS cells (MG63/DXR) could be taken up in doxorubicin‑sensitive OS cells (MG63) and induce a doxorubicin‑resistant phenotype. MDR‑1, as the specific mRNA of chemoresistance, can be transferred by exosomes from MG63/DXR cells to MG63 cells. In addition, the present study identified 2,864 differentially expressed miRNAs (456 upregulated and 98 downregulated with fold‑change >2.0, P<5x10^‑2, and FDR<0.05) in all three sets of exosomes from MG63/DXR cells and MG63 cells. The related miRNAs and pathways of exosomes involved in the doxorubicin resistance were identified by bioinformatic analysis. A total of 10 randomly selected exosomal miRNAs were dysregulated in exosomes from MG63/DXR cells relative to MG63 cells by reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR detection. As a result, miR‑143‑3p was found high expressed in exosomes from doxorubicin‑resistant OS cells compared with doxorubicin‑sensitive OS cells and upregulation of exosomal miR‑143‑3p abundance associated with the poor chemotherapeutic response to OS cells. Briefly, transfer of exosomal miR‑143‑3p confers doxorubicin resistance in osteosarcoma cells.

L1CAM promotes vasculogenic mimicry formation by miR-143-3p-induced expression of hexokinase 2 in glioma

In recent decades, antiangiogenic therapy, which blocks the supply of oxygen and nutrition to tumor cells, has become a promising clinical strategy for the treatment of patients with tumors. However, recent studies revealed that vasculogenic mimicry (VM), which is the process by which vascular morphological structures are formed by highly invasive tumor cells, has been considered a potential factor for the failure of antiangiogenic therapy in patients with tumors. Thus, inhibition of VM formation might be a potential target for improving the outcome of antiangiogenic strategies. However, the mechanism underlying VM formation is still incompletely elucidated. Herein, we report that L1CAM might be a critical regulator of VM formation in glioma, and might be associated with the resistance of glioma to antiangiogenic therapy. We found that the tumor-invasion and tube-formation capabilities of L1CAM-overexpressing cells were significantly enhanced in vitro and in vivo. In addition, the results indicated that miR-143-3p, which might directly target the 3'UTR of the hexokinase 2 (HK2) gene to regulate its protein expression, was subsequently involved in L1CAM-mediated VM formation by glioma cells. Further study revealed that the regulation of MMP2, MMP9, and VEGFA expression was involved in this process. Moreover, we identified that activation of the downstream PI3K/AKT signaling pathway of the L1CAM/HK2 cascade is critical for VM formation by glioma cells. Furthermore, we found that the combined treatment of anti-L1CAM neutralizing monoclonal antibody and bevacizumab increases efficacy beyond that of bevacizumab alone, and suppresses glioma growth in vivo, indicating that the inhibition of L1CAM-mediated VM formation might efficiently improve the effect of antiangiogenic treatment for glioma patients. Together, our findings demonstrated a critical role of L1CAM in regulating VM formation in glioma, and that L1CAM might be a potential target for ameliorating tumor resistance to antiangiogenic therapy in glioma patients.

The biological function of m6A methyltransferase KIAA1429 and its role in human disease

KIAA1429 is a major m6A methyltransferase, which plays important biological and pharmacological roles in both human cancer or non-cancer diseases. KIAA1429 produce a tumorigenic role in various cancers through regulating DAPK3, ID2, GATA3, SMC1A, CDK1, SIRT1 and other targets, promoting cell proliferation, migration, invasion, metastasis and tumor growth . At the same time, KIAA1429 is also effective in non-tumor diseases, such as reproductive system and cardiovascular system diseases. The potential regulatory mechanism of KIAA1429 dependent on m6A modification is related to mRNA, lncRNA, circRNA and miRNAs. In this review, we summarized the current evidence on KIAA1429 in various human cancers or non-cancer diseases and its potential as a prognostic target.

The clinical utility of dysregulated microRNA expression in paediatric solid tumours

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short, non-protein-coding genes that regulate the expression of numerous protein-coding genes. Their expression is dysregulated in cancer, where they may function as oncogenes or tumour suppressor genes. As miRNAs are highly resistant to degradation, they are ideal biomarker candidates to improve the diagnosis and clinical management of cancer, including prognostication. Furthermore, miRNAs dysregulated in malignancy represent potential therapeutic targets. The use of miRNAs for these purposes is a particularly attractive option to explore for paediatric malignancies, where the mutational burden is typically low, in contrast to cancers affecting adult patients. As childhood cancers are rare, it has taken time to accumulate the necessary body of evidence showing the potential for miRNAs to improve clinical management across this group of tumours. Here, we review the current literature regarding the potential clinical utility of miRNAs in paediatric solid tumours, which is now both timely and justified. Exploring such avenues is warranted to improve the management and outcomes of children affected by cancer.

Non-coding RNAs as potential biomarkers in osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma (OS) is a primary solid malignant tumor that occurs most frequently in the metaphysis of long bones. More likely to happen to children and adolescents. OS has high mortality and disability rate. However, the etiology and pathogenesis of OS have not been fully understood till now. Due to the lack of effective biomarkers, OS cannot be precisely detected in the early stage. With the application of next-generation and high-throughput sequencing, more and more abnormally expressed non-coding RNAs(ncRNAs) have been identified in OS. Growing evidences have suggested the ncRNAs, such as microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), circular RNAs (circRNAs), have played an important role in the tumorigenesis and progression of OS. Thus, they can be served as novel biomarkers for diagnosis, treatment and prognosis. This review summarized the application of ncRNA as biomarkers in OS in detail, and discussed the limitation and future improvement of the potential biomarkers.

Small Extracellular Vesicles and Their Involvement in Cancer Resistance: An Up-to-Date Review

In recent years, tremendous progress has been made in understanding the roles of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in cancer. Thanks to advancements in molecular biology, it has been found that the fraction of EVs called exosomes or small EVs (sEVs) modulates the sensitivity of cancer cells to chemotherapeutic agents by delivering molecularly active non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). An in-depth analysis shows that two main molecular mechanisms are involved in exosomal modified chemoresistance: (1) translational repression of anti-oncogenes by exosomal microRNAs (miRs) and (2) lack of translational repression of oncogenes by sponging of miRs through long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs). At the cellular level, these processes increase the proliferation and survival of cancer cells and improve their ability to metastasize and resist apoptosis. In addition, studies in animal models have shown enhancing tumor size under the influence of exosomal ncRNAs. Ultimately, exosomal ncRNAs are responsible for clinically significant chemotherapy failures in patients with different types of cancer. Preliminary data have also revealed that exosomal ncRNAs can overcome chemotherapeutic agent resistance, but the results are thoroughly fragmented. This review presents how exosomes modulate the response of cancer cells to chemotherapeutic agents. Understanding how exosomes interfere with chemoresistance may become a milestone in developing new therapeutic options, but more data are still required.

Differential MicroRNA Expression in Porcine Endometrium Related to Spontaneous Embryo Loss during Early Pregnancy

Litter size is an important indicator to measure the production capacity of commercial pigs. Spontaneous embryo loss is an essential factor in determining sow litter size. In early pregnancy, spontaneous embryo loss in porcine is as high as 20–30% during embryo implantation. However, the specific molecular mechanism underlying spontaneous embryo loss at the end of embryo implantation remains unknown. Therefore, we comprehensively used small RNA sequencing technology, bioinformatics analysis, and molecular experiments to determine the microRNA (miRNA) expression profile in the healthy and arresting embryo implantation site of porcine endometrium on day of gestation (DG) 28. A total of 464 miRNAs were identified in arresting endometrium (AE) and healthy endometrium (HE), and 139 differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) were screened. We combined the mRNA sequencing dataset from the SRA database to predict the target genes of these miRNAs. A quantitative real-time PCR assay identified the expression levels of miRNAs and mRNAs. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses were performed on differentially expressed target genes of DEMs, mainly enriched in epithelial development and amino acids metabolism-related pathways. We performed fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and the dual-luciferase report gene assay to confirm miRNA and predicted target gene binding. miR-205 may inhibit its expression by combining 3′-untranslated regions (3′ UTR) of tubulointerstitial nephritis antigen-like 1 (TINAGL1). The resulting inhibition of angiogenesis in the maternal endometrium ultimately leads to the formation of arresting embryos during the implantation period. This study provides a reference for the effect of miRNA on the successful implantation of pig embryos in early gestation.

Hsa-miR-143-3p inhibits Wnt-β-catenin and MAPK signaling in human corneal epithelial stem cells

Our previous study demonstrated hsa-miR-143-3p as one of the highly expressed miRNAs in enriched corneal epithelial stem cells (CESCs). Hence this study aims to elucidate the regulatory role of hsa-miR-143-3p in the maintenance of stemness in CESCs. The target genes of hsa-miR-143-3p were predicted and subjected to pathway analysis to select the targets for functional studies. Primary cultured limbal epithelial cells were transfected with hsa-miR-143-3p mimic, inhibitor or scrambled sequence using Lipofectamine 3000. The transfected cells were analysed for (i) colony forming potential, (ii) expression of stem cell (SC) markers/ transcription factors (ABCG2, NANOG, OCT4, KLF4, ΔNp63), (iii) differentiation marker (Cx43), (iv) predicted five targets of hsa-miR-143-3p (DVL3, MAPK1, MAPK14, KRAS and KAT6A), (v) MAPK signaling regulators and (vi) Wnt-β-catenin signaling regulators by qPCR, immunofluorescence staining and/or Western blotting. High expression of hsa-miR-143-3p increased the colony forming potential (10.04 ± 1.35%, p < 0.001) with the ability to form holoclone-like colonies in comparison to control (3.33 ± 0.71%). The mimic treated cells had increased expression of SC markers but reduced expression of Cx43 and hsa-miR-143-3p targets involved in Wnt-β-catenin and MAPK signaling pathways. The expression of β-catenin, active β-catenin and ERK2 in hsa-miR-143-3p inhibitor transfected cells were higher than the control cells and the localized nuclear expression indicated the activation of Wnt and MAPK signaling. Thus, the probable association of hsa-miR-143-3p in the maintenance of CESCs through inhibition of Wnt and MAPK signaling pathways was thus indicated.

Distinct power of bone marrow microRNA signatures and tumor suppressor genes for early detection of acute leukemia

BACKGROUND

Acute leukemia involving lymphocytic and myeloid cells is cancer with a high mortality rate. Swift and timely diagnosis might be a potential approach to improving patient prognosis and survival. The microRNA (miRNA) signatures are emerging nowadays for their promising diagnostic potential. MiRNA levels from bone marrow can be used as prognostic biomarkers.

METHODS

The current study was designed to evaluate if the microRNAs and tumor suppressor genes (TSGs) profiling of hematopoietic bone marrow could help in acute leukemia early detection. Also, we assessed the DNA methyltransferase 3A (DNMT3A) expression and its possible epigenetic effects on miRNAs plus TSGs expression levels. The expression levels of ten miRNAs and four TSGs involved in acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) as well as acute myeloid leukemia (AML) were quantified in 43 and 40 bone marrow samples of ALL and AML patients in comparison with cancer-free subjects via real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). The receiver-operating-characteristic (ROC) analysis of miRNAs was performed in the study groups. Further, the correlation between the DNMT3A and TSGs was calculated.

RESULTS

Significant differences were detected in the bone marrow expression of miRNAs and TSGs (P < 0.05) between acute leukemia patients and healthy group. ROC analysis confirmed the ability of miR-30a, miR-101, miR-132, miR-129, miR-124, and miR-143 to discriminate both ALL and AML patients with an area under the ROC curve of ≥ 0.80 (P < 0.001) and high accuracy. The correlation between DNMT3A and P15/P16 TSGs revealed that DNMT3A plays a vital role in epigenetic control of TSGs expression. Our findings indicated that the downregulation of bone marrow miRNAs and TSGs was accompanied by acute leukemia development.

CONCLUSIONS

The authors conclude that this study could contribute to introducing useful biomarkers for acute leukemia diagnosis.

Circular RNA circ_0006089 regulates the IGF1R expression by targeting miR-143-3p to promote gastric cancer proliferation, migration and invasion

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) figure prominently in regulating the progression of a variety of human malignancies. This study was performed to probe how circ_0006089 functioned in gastric cancer (GC). CircRNA expression profile GSE83521 was downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, and circRNAs and analyzed. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to measure circ_0006089, microRNA-143-3p (miR-143-3p) and insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R) mRNA expressions in GC tissues and cell lines. Kaplan-Meier curves were used to detect the relationship between circ_0006089 expression and overall survival time of GC patients. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) and 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine (BrdU) assays were employed to detect the proliferative ability of GC cells after circ_0006089 was overexpressed or knocked down. Wound healing assay and Transwell assay were executed to examine the migration and invasion ability of GC cells. Western blot was adopted to detect IGF1R protein expressions. Circ_0006089 expression was up-regulated in GC samples and cell lines. And high circ_0006089 expression was associated with shorter survival time in GC patients. Circ_0006089 overexpression in GC cells significantly accelerated GC cell proliferation, migration and invasion, whereas circ_0006089 knockdown resulted in the opposite effects. Additionally, miR-143-3p was validated as a downstream target of circ_0006089, and circ_0006089 could positively regulate IGF1R expression via repressing miR-143-3p. Circ_0006089 is highly expressed in GC, and it promotes the malignancy of GC cells via modulating miR-143-3p/IGF1R axis, suggesting that circ_0006089 may serve as a promising therapeutic target for GC.

In vitro elimination of EL4 cancer cells from spermatogonia stem cells by miRNA-143- and 206-loaded folic acid conjugated PLGA nanoparticles

Aim: MiRNA's-143 and -206 are powerful apoptotic regulators in cancer cells. This study aimed to use miRNA-143- and 206-loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) nanoparticles conjugated with folic acid to induce apoptosis in the EL4 cancer cells. Materials & methods: The therapy was conducted in six groups: Treatment with both miRNAs simultaneously (mixed miRNAs), miRNA-206 treatment, miRNA-143 treatment, blank PLGA, blank polyethylenimine (PEI) and complex PEI-miRNAs. Results: In terms of viability, in mixed miRNAs, no synergistic effect was observed on EL4 cell elimination. However, in the single miRNA-206 group, a stronger apoptotic effect was observed than the mixed miRNAs group and single miRNA-143 group alone. Conclusion: MiRNAs' apoptotic induction effects in cancer cells were found to be remarkable.

The Roles of Noncoding RNAs in the Development of Osteosarcoma Stem Cells and Potential Therapeutic Targets

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the common bone tumor in children and adolescents. Because of chemotherapy resistance, the OS patients have a poor prognosis. The one reason of chemotherapeutic resistance is the development of cancer stem cells (CSCs). CSCs represent a small portion of tumor cells with the capacity of self-renewal and multipotency, which are associated with tumor initiation, metastasis, recurrence and drug resistance. Recently, noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) have been reported to critically regulate CSCs. Therefore, in this review article, we described the role of ncRNAs, especially miRNAs, lncRNAs and circRNAs, in regulating CSCs development and potential mechanisms. Specifically, we discussed the role of multiple miRNAs in targeting CSCs, including miR-26a, miR-29b, miR-34a, miR-133a, miR-143, miR-335, miR-382, miR-499a, miR-1247, and let-7days. Moreover, we highlighted the functions of lncRNAs in regulating CSCs in OS, such as B4GALT1-AS1, DANCR, DLX6-AS1, FER1L4, HIF2PUT, LINK-A, MALAT1, SOX2-OT, and THOR. Due to the critical roles of ncRNAs in regulation of OS CSCs, targeting ncRNAs might be a novel strategy for eliminating CSCs for OS therapy.

The Biological Function of MicroRNAs in Bone Tumors

Micro ribonucleic acids (miRNAs) are small endogenous noncoding RNAs molecules that regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally. A single miRNA is able to target hundreds of specific messenger RNA (mRNAs) by binding to the 3′-untranslated regions. miRNAs regulate different biological processes such as cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. Altered miRNA expression is certainly related to the development of the most common human diseases, including tumors. Osteosarcoma (OS), Ewing’s Sarcoma (ES), and Chondrosarcoma (CS) are the most common primary bone tumors which affect mainly children and adolescents. A significant dysregulation of miRNA expression, in particular of mir-34, mir-21, mir-106, mir-143, and miR-100, has been revealed in OS, ES and CS. In this context, miRNAs can act as either tumor suppressor genes or oncogenes, contributing to the initiation and progression of bone tumors. The in-depth study of these small molecules can thus help to better understand their biological functions in bone tumors. Therefore, this review aims to examine the potential role of miRNAs in bone tumors, especially OS, ES and CS, and to suggest their possible use as potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of bone tumors and as biomarkers for early diagnosis.

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.

miR-143-3p represses leukemia cell proliferation by inhibiting KAT6A expression

The present study is designed to investigate the expressions of microRNA-143-3p (miR-143-3p) and Lysine acetyltransferase 6A (KAT6A) in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) samples and AML cell lines and to explore the possible effects and underlying mechanisms of miR-143-3p on the proliferation of AML cells. The expressions of miR-143-3p and KAT6A in AML samples and cell lines were detected by RT-qPCR assay. CCK-8 and flow cytometry were performed to evaluate the role of KAT6A in viability of AML cells. EdU assay was performed to determine the effects of KAT6A on proliferation of AML cells. Western blot analysis was utilized to assess the impacts of KAT6A on proliferation-related protein expressions of AML cells. ELISA assay was adopted to illustrate the influence of KAT6A on inflammatory responses of AML cells. In addition, the relationship between KAT6A and miR-143-3p was predicted by ENCORI and miRWalk, and confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter assay. Moreover, the effects of KAT6A on the proliferation of AML cells mediated with miR-143-3p were carried out by rescue experiment. The expression of KAT6A was significantly upregulated, while miR-134-4p was downregulated both in the AML tissues and in AML cell lines. In addition, the silence of KAT6A significantly inhibited the viability of AML cells. Besides, KAT6A silencing notably suppressed the proliferation of AML cells and reduced the protein expressions of Ki-67 and PCNA. Knockdown of KAT6A notably decreased the expression levels of IL-1β, TNF-α and IL-6, and increased the expression levels of TGF-β and IL-10. Moreover, overexpression of miR-143-3p repressed viability and proliferation of AML cells and overexpression of KAT6A partially reversed the inhibitory effects of miR-143-3p mimic on viability and proliferation of AML cells. miR-143-3p/KAT6A played an essential role in the viability and proliferation of AML cells.

miR-143 Targeting CUX1 to Regulate Proliferation of Dermal Papilla Cells in Hu Sheep

Wool curvature is the determining factor for lambskin quality of Hu lambs. However, the molecular mechanism of wool curvature formation is not yet known. miRNA has been proved to play an important role in hair follicle development, and we have discovered a differentially expressed miRNA, miR-143, in hair follicles of different curl levels. In this study, we first examined the effects of miR-143 on the proliferation and cell cycle of dermal papilla cells using CCK8, EdU and flow cytometry and showed that miR-143 inhibited the proliferation of dermal papilla cells and slowed down the cell cycle. Bioinformatics analysis was performed to predict the target genes KRT71 and CUX1 of miR-143, and both two genes were expressed at significantly higher levels in small waves than in straight lambskin wool (p < 0.05) as detected by qPCR and Western blot (WB). Then, the target relationships between miR-143 and KRT71 and CUX1 were verified through the dual-luciferase assay in 293T cells. Finally, after overexpression and suppression of miR-143 in dermal papilla cells, the expression trend of CUX1 was contrary to that of miR-143. Meanwhile, KRT71 was not detected because KRT71 was not expressed in dermal papilla cells. Therefore, we speculated that miR-143 can target CUX1 to inhibit the proliferation of dermal papilla cells, while miR-143 can target KRT71 to regulate the growth and development of hair follicles, so as to affect the development of hair follicles and ultimately affect the formation of wool curvature.

Identification of Circ-FNDC3B, an Overexpressed circRNA in Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm, as a Regulator of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been implicated in the dysfunction of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), which is linked with the development of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). Herein, we explored the precise action of circRNA fibronectin type III domain containing 3B (circ-FNDC3B) in VSMC injury triggered by angiotensin II (Ang-II).Circ-FNDC3B, microRNA (miR) -143-3p, and a disintegrin and metalloproteinase 10 (ADAM10) were quantified by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction or western blot assay. Ribonuclease R and subcellular localization assays were applied to characterize circ-FNDC3B. Cell viability, apoptosis, and proliferation were assessed by the Cell Counting Kit-8 assay, flow cytometry, and 5-Ethynyl-2' -Deoxyuridine assay, respectively. The levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin-6, superoxide dismutase, and malonaldehyde were estimated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Direct relationship miR-143-3p and circ-FNDC3B or ADAM10 was verified by dual-luciferase reporter and RNA immunoprecipitation assays.Circ-FNDC3B was highly expressed in AAA tissues and Ang-II-treated VSMCs. Knocking down circ-FNDC3B alleviated Ang-II-induced VSMC injury. Mechanistically, circ-FNDC3B directly targeted miR-143-3p, and miR-143-3p was a downstream mediator of circ-FNDC3B in regulating cell injury induced by Ang-II. ADAM10 was directly targeted and inhibited by miR-143-3p. MiR-143-3p-mediated inhibition of ADAM10 relieved Ang-II-induced VSMC injury. Furthermore, circ-FNDC3B acted as a competing endogenous RNA for miR-143-3p to modulate ADAM10 expression.Our findings suggested that circ-FNDC3B silencing ameliorated cytotoxicity triggered by Ang-II in VSMCs at least partially depending on the regulation of the miR-143-3p/ADAM10 axis.

The Roles of the Colon Cancer Associated Transcript 2 (CCAT2) Long Non-Coding RNA in Cancer: A Comprehensive Characterization of the Tumorigenic and Molecular Functions

Colon cancer-associated transcript 2 (CCAT2) is an intensively studied lncRNA with important regulatory roles in cancer. As such, cumulative studies indicate that CCAT2 displays a high functional versatility due to its direct interaction with multiple RNA binding proteins, transcription factors, and other species of non-coding RNA, especially microRNA. The definitory mechanisms of CCAT2 are its role as a regulator of the TCF7L2 transcription factor, enhancer of MYC expression, and activator of the WNT/β-catenin pathway, as well as a role in promoting and maintaining chromosome instability through the BOP1–AURKB pathway. Additionally, we highlight how the encompassing rs6983267 SNP has been shown to confer CCAT2 with allele-specific functional and structural particularities, such as the allelic-specific reprogramming of glutamine metabolism. Additionally, we emphasize CCAT2’s role as a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) for multiple tumor suppressor miRNAs, such as miR-4496, miR-493, miR-424, miR-216b, miR-23b, miR-34a, miR-145, miR-200b, and miR-143 and the pro-tumorigenic role of the altered regulatory axis. Additionally, due to its upregulation in tumor tissues, wide distribution across cancer types, and presence in serum samples, we outline CCAT2’s potential as a biomarker and disease indicator and its implications for the development of resistance against current cancer therapy regiments and metastasis.

Epigenetic Biomarkers of Renal Cell Carcinoma for Liquid Biopsy Tests

Renal cell carcinomas (RCC) account for 2–3% of the global cancer burden and are characterized by the highest mortality rate among all genitourinary cancers. However, excluding conventional imagining approaches, there are no reliable diagnostic and prognostic tools available for clinical use at present. Liquid biopsies, such as urine, serum, and plasma, contain a significant amount of tumor-derived nucleic acids, which may serve as non-invasive biomarkers that are particularly useful for early cancer detection, follow-up, and personalization of treatment. Changes in epigenetic phenomena, such as DNA methylation level, expression of microRNAs (miRNAs), and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), are observed early during cancer development and are easily detectable in biofluids when morphological changes are still undetermined by conventional diagnostic tools. Here, we reviewed recent advances made in the development of liquid biopsy-derived DNA methylation-, miRNAs- and lncRNAs-based biomarkers for RCC, with an emphasis on the performance characteristics. In the last two decades, a mass of circulating epigenetic biomarkers of RCC were suggested, however, most of the studies done thus far analyzed biomarkers selected from the literature, used relatively miniature, local, and heterogeneous cohorts, and suffered from a lack of sufficient validations. In summary, for improved translation into the clinical setting, there is considerable demand for the validation of the existing pool of RCC biomarkers and the discovery of novel ones with better performance and clinical utility.

The Role of lncRNA PCAT6 in Cancers

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) PCAT6 is a member of the Prostate Cancer Associated Transcripts family of molecules. In this review, we focus on the latest studies involving PCAT6 in the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of malignant tumors of the digestive, respiratory, urinary, reproductive, motion, and nervous systems. PCAT6 was found to be highly expressed in gastric cancer, colon cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, lung cancer, bladder cancer, ovarian cancer, breast cancer, cervical cancer, osteosarcoma, glioblastoma, and other tumors. PCAT6 can promote the development and progression of different types of malignant tumors through various mechanisms. Overall, these findings suggest that PCAT6 may play an increasingly vital role in the clinical assessment of these malignant tumors. It can function as an oncogene and may be used as a potential new prognostic biomarker of these tumors.

Identification of potential micro-messenger RNAs (miRNA-mRNA) interaction network of osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common primary malignant tumor in children and adolescents. Numerous studies have reported the importance of miRNA in OS. The purpose of this study is to predict potential biomarkers and new therapeutic targets for OS diagnosis and prognosis by analyzing miRNAs of OS plasma samples from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database.

Data-sets were downloaded from the GEO and analyzed using R software. Different expressions of miRNAs (DE-miRNAs) in plasma and mRNAs (DE-mRNAs) in OS patients were identified. Funrich was used to predict the transcription factors and target genes of miRNAs. By comparing the target mRNAs and DE-mRNAs, the intersection mRNAs were identified. The intersection mRNAs were imported to perform Gene Ontology (GO) functional annotation and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis. MiRNA-mRNA regulatory network and a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network were constructed by using Cytoscape. Finally, a total of 164 DE-miRNAs, 256 DE-mRNAs, and 76 intersection mRNAs were identified. The top 10 TF of up- and down-regulated DE-miRNAs were also predicted. In addition, GO and KEGG analyses further revealed the intersection mRNAs. By constructing the miRNA–mRNA networks, we found miR-30d-5p, miR-17-5p, miR-98-5p, miR-301a-3p, and miR-30e-5p were the central hubs. COL1A1, COL1A2, MMP2, CDH11, COL4A1 etc. were predicted to be the key mRNA by constructing the PPI networks. Through a comprehensive bioinformatics analysis of miRNAs and mRNAs in OS, we explored the potential effective biomarkers and novel therapeutic targets for the diagnosis and prognosis of OS.

Copy Number Variations of CEP63, FOSL2 and PAQR6 Serve as Novel Signatures for the Prognosis of Bladder Cancer

Background

Finding effective prognostic signatures is of great urgency due to the high risk of recurrence and progression of bladder cancer (BC). Although a lot of genetic alterations are involved in the carcinogenesis, none of them were referred in the current risk group stratifications. In this study, we aimed to find significant copy number variations (CNVs) to predict prognosis for BC patients.

Methods

CNVs with high aberration frequencies in BC were explored by array-based comparative genomic hybridization in 65 tumor samples. Candidates were validated in independent groups of BC tumor samples (n=219) and urine samples (n=123). 3D digital PCR was applied for detecting accurate gene copy numbers in BC urine. In order to explore the prognostic value of candidate CNVs, all enrolled patients were followed up for the disease-free survival (DFS). Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was performed to find the independent prognostic factors for DFS.

Results

CNVs of CEP63, FOSL2 and PAQR6 with high aberration frequencies (67.7%, 56.9% and 60.0%, respectively) were found in BC tumors. Copy numbers of CEP63, FOSL2 and PAQR6 were gained in 219 tumor samples. CNVs of CEP63 and FOSL2 were correlated with advanced tumor stage and high grade. Retrospective analysis (median follow-up time: 69 months) revealed that CNVs of CEP63 and FOSL2 were independent prognostic factors for DFS of non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) patients, while CNVs of FOSL2 and PAQR6 were independent prognostic factors for DFS of muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) patients. Models for predicting DFS were constructed based on CNVs of three genes. Patients with high prognostic indexes tended to have poor DFS. Prognostic index can also help to identify those with worse outcomes among high risk NMIBC patients. Copy number gains of CEP63 and FOSL2 in urine were found to be significantly correlated with poor DFS of NMIBC patients.

Conclusions

CNVs of CEP63, FOSL2 and PAQR6 were capable of predicting DFS and may serve as promising signatures for prognosis of BC.

Dexmedetomidine suppresses the progression of esophageal cancer via miR-143-3p/epidermal growth factor receptor pathway substrate 8 axis

Esophageal cancer is one of the fatal cancers around the world. Dexmedetomidine (DEX) is widely used during anesthesia of esophageal cancer surgery. Nevertheless, the role of DEX in the progression of esophageal cancer remains barely known. The proliferation, apoptosis and metastasis of esophageal cancer cells were detected by 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, flow cytometry, transwell migration and invasion assays and Western blot assay. The expression of miR-143-3p was measured by quantitative real-time PCR in esophageal cancer tissues and cells. The binding sites between miR-143-3p and epidermal growth factor receptor pathway substrate 8 (EPS8) were predicted by Starbase online software, and the combination was verified by dual-luciferase reporter assay. The murine xenograft model was established using KYSE150 cells to verify the function of DEX in vivo. DEX inhibited the proliferation and metastasis while accelerated the apoptosis of esophageal cancer cells. The abundance of miR-143-3p was lower in esophageal cancer tissues and cells than that in paring normal tissues and normal esophageal mucosal cells Het-1A. MiR-143-3p could be induced by DEX treatment in esophageal cancer cells, and miR-143-3p also suppressed the development of esophageal cancer. EPS8 was a functional target of miR-143-3p, and it played an oncogenic role in esophageal cancer. DEX inhibited the growth of tumor via miR-143-3p/EPS8 in vivo. DEX suppressed the growth and metastasis while facilitated the apoptosis of esophageal cancer cells through upregulating the abundance of miR-143-3p and reducing the level of EPS8 in vivo and in vitro, providing promising target for the treatment of esophageal cancer.

Cyclin D2 Overexpression Enhances the Efficacy of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes for Myocardial Repair in a Swine Model of Myocardial Infarction

BACKGROUND

Human induced pluripotent stem cells with normal (wild-type) or upregulated (overexpressed) levels of CCND2 (cyclin D2) expression were differentiated into cardiomyocytes (CCND2^WTCMs or CCND2^OECMs, respectively) and injected into infarcted pig hearts.

METHODS

Acute myocardial infarction was induced by a 60-minute occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery. Immediately after reperfusion, CCND2^WTCMs or CCND2^OECMs (3×10⁷ cells each) or an equivalent volume of the delivery vehicle was injected around the infarct border zone area.

RESULTS

The number of the engrafted CCND2^OECMs exceeded that of the engrafted CCND2^WTCMs from 6- to 8-fold, rising from 1 week to 4 weeks after implantation. In contrast to the treatment with the CCND2^WTCMs or the delivery vehicle, the administration of CCND2^OECM was associated with significantly improved left ventricular function, as revealed by magnetic resonance imaging. This correlated with reduction of infarct size, fibrosis, ventricular hypertrophy, and cardiomyocyte apoptosis, and increase of vascular density and arterial density, as per histologic analysis of the treated hearts. Expression of cell proliferation markers (eg, Ki67, phosphorylated histone 3, and Aurora B kinase) was also significantly upregulated in the recipient cardiomyocytes from the CCND2^OECM-treated than from the CCND2^WTCM-treated pigs. The cell proliferation rate and the hypoxia tolerance measured in cultured human induced pluripotent stem cell cardiomyocytes were significantly greater after treatment with exosomes isolated from the CCND2^OECMs (CCND2^OEExos) than from the CCND2^WTCMs (CCND2^WTExos). As demonstrated by our study, CCND2^OEExos can also promote the proliferation activity of postnatal rat and adult mouse cardiomyocytes. A bulk miRNA sequencing analysis of CCND2^OEExos versus CCND2^WTExos identified 206 and 91 miRNAs that were significantly upregulated and downregulated, respectively. Gene ontology enrichment analysis identified significant differences in the expression profiles of miRNAs from various functional categories and pathways, including miRNAs implicated in cell-cycle checkpoints (G2/M and G1/S transitions), or the mechanism of cytokinesis.

CONCLUSIONS

We demonstrated that enhanced potency of CCND2^OECMs promoted myocyte proliferation in both grafts and recipient tissue in a large mammal acute myocardial infarction model. These results suggest that CCND2^OECMs transplantation may be a potential therapeutic strategy for the repair of infarcted hearts.

MicroRNAs and Long Noncoding RNAs as Novel Therapeutic Targets in Estrogen Receptor-Positive Breast and Ovarian Cancers

Aromatase inhibitors (AIs) such as anastrozole, letrozole, and exemestane have shown to prevent metastasis and angiogenesis in estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast and ovarian tumors. They function primarily by reducing estrogen production in ER-positive post-menopausal breast and ovarian cancer patients. Unfortunately, current AI-based therapies often have detrimental side-effects, along with acquired resistance, with increased cancer recurrence. Thus, there is an urgent need to identify novel AIs with fewer side effects and improved therapeutic efficacies. In this regard, we and others have recently suggested noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), specifically microRNAs (miRNAs) and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), as potential molecular targets for utilization in modulating cancer hallmarks and overcoming drug resistance in several cancers, including ER-positive breast and ovarian cancer. Herein, we describe the disruptive functions of several miRNAs and lncRNAs seen in dysregulated cancer metabolism, with a focus on the gene encoding for aromatase (CYP19A1 gene) and estrogen synthesis as a novel therapeutic approach for treating ER-positive breast and ovarian cancers. Furthermore, we discuss the oncogenic and tumor-suppressive roles of several miRNAs (oncogenic miRNAs: MIR125b, MIR155, MIR221/222, MIR128, MIR2052HG, and MIR224; tumor-suppressive miRNAs: Lethal-7f, MIR27B, MIR378, and MIR98) and an oncogenic lncRNA (MIR2052HG) in aromatase-dependent cancers via transcriptional regulation of the CYP19A1 gene. Additionally, we discuss the potential effects of dysregulated miRNAs and lncRNAs on the regulation of critical oncogenic molecules, such as signal transducer, and activator of transcription 3, β-catenin, and integrins. The overall goal of this review is to stimulate further research in this area and to facilitate the development of ncRNA-based approaches for more efficacious treatments of ER-positive breast and ovarian cancer patients, with a slight emphasis on associated treatment–delivery mechanisms.

Inhibiting proliferation and metastasis of osteosarcoma cells by downregulation of long non-coding RNA colon cancer-associated transcript 2 targeting microRNA-143

Osteosarcoma is a malignant bone tumor, which has a high incidence in children and adolescents. However, the pathogenesis of osteosarcoma remains unclear. Long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) is a new potential therapeutic target and diagnostic biomarker for osteosarcoma. Hence, the present study aimed to explore the effect of lncRNA colon cancer-associated transcript (CCAT2) on osteosarcoma and its potential underlying mechanisms. For this purpose, the proliferation of osteosarcoma cells was measured using the CCK-8 assay. The scratch-wound and cell invasion assays were used to determine the migration and invasion of osteosarcoma cells, respectively. LncRNA CCAT2 and microRNA (miR)-143 binding sites were identified by the dual-luciferase reporter assay. RNA and protein expression levels were detected by reverse-transcription quantitative PCR and western blotting, respectively. Downregulation of lncRNA CCAT2 inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of osteosarcoma cells. The findings also revealed that miR-143 bound directly to lncRNA CCAT2. The expression of miR-143 was upregulated by the knockdown of lncRNA CCAT2. Downregulation of the FOS-like antigen 2 was also observed after knockdown of lncRNA CCAT2. The function of lncRNA CCAT2 in osteosarcoma cells was attenuated by co-transfection with anti-miR-143 oligodeoxyribonucleotide. In conclusion, downregulation of lncRNA CCAT2 inhibited the proliferation and metastasis of osteosarcoma cells by targeting miR-143. lncRNA CCAT2 was identified as a potential target for osteosarcoma treatment.

Circular RNA circCSNK1G3 induces HOXA10 signaling and promotes the growth and metastasis of lung adenocarcinoma cells through hsa-miR-143-3p sponging

BACKGROUND

In the last decade, a relatively novel, ubiquitous and highly stable subclass of non-coding RNAs, called circular (circ)-RNAs, has increasingly been implicated in cancer development, and several of them have been shown to act as microRNA sponges. As yet, however, the role of circRNAs in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) development has largely remained unexplored.

METHODS

Bioinformatics, microarray-based and qRT-PCR expression assays were used to assess circRNA, miRNA and mRNA expression in LUAD patient samples and cell lines. siRNA-mediated silencing was used to assess the effect of circCSNK1G3 on various LUAD-associated characteristics such as proliferation, migration, invasion and tumorigenesis, both in vitro and in vivo. Western blotting, immunohistochemistry, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and luciferase reporter activity assays were used to characterize relationships between circCSNK1G3, miR-143-3p and HOXA10 in LUAD cells.

RESULTS

By screening for differentially expressed circRNAs, we found that circCSNK1G3 was aberrantly expressed in primary LUAD tissues and cell lines. An oncogenic role of circCSNK1G3 was deduced from its aberrant expression and associated enhancement of LUAD A549 and H1299 cell proliferation, migration and invasion. We also found that circCSNK1G3 can directly interact with and suppress miR-143-3p expression by serving as a 'miR-143-3p sponge'. In addition, we found that circCSNK1G3 can modulate homeobox (HOX) A10 expression through miR-143-3p signaling and, thereby, affect LUAD tumorigenesis.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data indicate that circCSNK1G3 can induce HOXA10 expression and, thereby, promote the growth and metastasis of LUAD cells through hsa-miR-143-3p sponging. As such, our data highlight the targetability of the circCSNK1G3/miR-143-3p/HOXA10 signaling axis in patients with LUAD. Graphical abstract.

Large Scale Molecular Studies of Pituitary Neuroendocrine Tumors: Novel Markers, Mechanisms and Translational Perspectives

Simple Summary

Pituitary neuroendocrine tumors are non-cancerous tumors of the pituitary gland, that may overproduce hormones leading to serious health conditions or due to tumor size cause chronic headache, vertigo or visual impairment. In recent years pituitary neuroendocrine tumors are studied with the latest molecular biology methods that simultaneously investigate a large number of factors to understand the mechanisms of how these tumors develop and how they could be diagnosed or treated. In this review article, we have studied literature reports, compiled information and described molecular factors that could affect the development and clinical characteristics of pituitary neuroendocrine tumors, discovered factors that overlap between several studies using large scale molecular analysis and interpreted the potential involvement of these factors in pituitary tumor development. Overall, this study provides a valuable resource for understanding the biology of pituitary neuroendocrine tumors.

Abstract

Pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs) are non-metastatic neoplasms of the pituitary, which overproduce hormones leading to systemic disorders, or tumor mass effects causing headaches, vertigo or visual impairment. Recently, PitNETs have been investigated in large scale (exome and genome) molecular analyses (transcriptome microarrays and sequencing), to uncover novel markers. We performed a literature analysis on these studies to summarize the research data and extrapolate overlapping gene candidates, biomarkers, and molecular mechanisms. We observed a tendency in samples with driver mutations (GNAS, USP8) to have a smaller overall mutational rate, suggesting driver-promoted tumorigenesis, potentially changing transcriptome profiles in tumors. However, direct links from drivers to signaling pathways altered in PitNETs (Notch, Wnt, TGF-β, and cell cycle regulators) require further investigation. Modern technologies have also identified circulating nucleic acids, and pinpointed these as novel PitNET markers, i.e., miR-143-3p, miR-16-5p, miR-145-5p, and let-7g-5p, therefore these molecules must be investigated in the future translational studies. Overall, large-scale molecular studies have provided key insight into the molecular mechanisms behind PitNET pathogenesis, highlighting previously reported molecular markers, bringing new candidates into the research field, and reapplying traditional perspectives to newly discovered molecular mechanisms.

Inhibition of microRNA-143-3p Attenuates Cerebral Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury by Targeting FSTL1

MicroRNA (miRNA) miR-143-3p has been reported to participate in the progression of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury, but its function in cerebral I/R injury remains unclear. Mice were subjected to 60 min of cerebral ischemia followed by different times of reperfusion to construct an I/R injury model in vivo. Human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells were treated with oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) for 2 h followed by different times of re-oxygenation to establish I/R injury model in vitro. Neurological deficit was assessed by a five-point score. Infarct volume was detected using 2, 3, 5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining. The expression of miR-143-3p was evaluated by qRT-PCR. The expression levels of FSTL1, Bcl-2, Bax and cleaved caspase-3 proteins were detected by western blot. The relationship between miR-143-3p and FSTL1 was explored by luciferase reporter assay. Cell viability was measured by CCK-8 assay. Cell apoptosis was evaluated by TUNEL staining and flow cytometry. MiR-143-3p was significantly upregulated during cerebral I/R injury both in vivo and in vitro. Inhibition of miR-143-3p effectively reduced I/R-induced neurological deficit score and infarct volume in vivo, and enhanced cell viability, while decreased cell apoptosis and LDH release of OGD/R-treated SH-SY5Y cells in vitro. Meanwhile, inhibition of miR-143-3p obviously decreased the expression levels of Bax and cleaved caspase-3, while increased the expression levels of Bcl-2. In addition, these changes induced by miR-143-3p inhibition in vitro was effectively reversed by silencing of FSTL1. Our results demonstrated that inhibition of miR-143-3p protected against cerebral I/R injury through targeting FSTL1.

CPSF6 links alternative polyadenylation to metabolism adaption in hepatocellular carcinoma progression

BACKGROUND

Alternative polyadenylation (APA) is an important mechanism of gene expression regulation through generation of RNA isoforms with distinct 3' termini. Increasing evidence has revealed that APA is actively involved in development and disease, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, how APA functions in tumor formation and progression remains elusive. In this study, we investigated the role of cleavage factor I (CFIm) subunit CPSF6 in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODS

Expression levels of CPSF6 in clinical tissues and cell lines were determined by qRT-PCR and western blot. Functional assays, including the cell number, MTT, colony formation and transwell, were used to determine the oncogenic role of CPSF6 in HCC. Animal experiments were used to determine the role of CPSF6 in HCC tumorigenicity in vivo. Deep sequencing-based 3 T-seq was used to profile the transcriptome-wide APA sites in both HCC cells and CPSF6 knockdown HCC cells. The function of CPSF6-affected target NQO1 with distinct 3'UTRs was characterized by metabolism assays.

RESULTS

We observed CPSF6 was upregulated in HCC and the high expression of CPSF6 was associated with poor prognosis in patients. Overexpression of CPSF6 promoted proliferation, migration and invasion of HCC cells in vitro and in vivo. Transcriptome-wide APA profiling analysis indicated that high expression of CPSF6 promoted the favorable usage of the proximal poly(A) site in the 3'UTR of NQO1. We demonstrated CPSF6-induced tumorigenic activities were mediated by the NQO1 isoform with short 3'UTR. Furthermore, we found that CPSF6 induced metabolic alterations in liver cells through NQO1.

CONCLUSION

CPSF6 plays a critical role in HCC progression by upregulating NQO1 expression through APA. These findings provide evidence to demonstrate that APA of NQO1 contributes to HCC progression and may have implications for developing new therapeutic strategy against this disease.

miR-143 is implicated in growth plate injury by targeting IHH in precartilaginous stem cells

Precartilaginous stem cells (PCSCs) are able to initiate chondrocyte and bone development. The present study aimed to investigate the role of miR-143 and the underlying mechanisms involved in PCSC proliferation. In a rat growth plate injury model, tissue from the injury site was collected and the expression of miR-143 and its potential targets was determined. PCSCs were isolated from the rabbits' distal epiphyseal growth plate. Cell viability, DNA synthesis, and apoptosis were determined with MTT, BrdU, and flow cytometric analysis, respectively. Real time PCR and western blot were performed to detect the mRNA and protein expression of the indicated genes. Indian hedgehog (IHH) was identified as a target gene for miR-143 with luciferase reporter assay. Decreased expression of miR-143 and increased expression of IHH gene were observed in the growth plate after injury. miR-143 mimics decreased cell viability and DNA synthesis and promoted apoptosis of PCSCs. Conversely, siRNA-mediated inhibition of miR-143 led to increased growth and suppressed apoptosis of PCSCs. Transfection of miR-143 decreased luciferase activity of wild-type IHH but had no effect when the 3'-UTR of IHH was mutated. Furthermore, the effect of miR-143 overexpression was neutralized by overexpression of IHH. Our study showed that miR-143 is involved in growth plate behavior and regulates PCSC growth by targeting IHH, suggesting that miR-143 may serve as a novel target for PCSC-related diseases.

microRNA-143-3p contributes to inflammatory reactions by targeting FOSL2 in PBMCs from patients with autoimmune diabetes mellitus

AIM

Autoimmune diabetes mellitus (defined as ADM) comprises classical type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA). In this study, microRNAs (miRNAs) expression profiles and functions in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of ADM patients were mapped and used to explore epigenetic regulation of the pathogenesis of ADM.

METHODS

PBMCs samples from T1DM patients, LADA patients, and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients, as well as age- and sex-matched healthy controls for T1DM and T2DM, respectively, were collected and were sequenced to screen the miRNAs expression profiles. The target genes were verified by dual-luciferase reporter assay. Silencing or overexpressing of the differentially expressed miRNAs, or simultaneously silencing the miRNAs and it's target gene, and then levels of the mRNAs, protein and cytokines were detected.

RESULTS

miR-143-3p expression was upregulated in ADM patients. The target gene of miR-143-3p was identified as Fos-related antigen 2 (FOSL2). Transfection of a miR-143-3p inhibitor into PBMCs upregulated FOSL2 expression, resulting in a downregulated expression of the IL-2, TNF-α, and IFN-γ, and an upregulated expression of IL-6. Transfection of a miR-143-3p mimic into PBMCs downregulated FOSL2 expression, leading to an upregulation of IL-2 and TNF-α expression and a downregulation of IL-6 expression. When silencing FOSL2 while inhibiting miR-143-3p in PBMCs, there was no significant change in expression of the FOSL2 mRNA, protein and cytokines.

CONCLUSION

The expression of miR-143-3p in PBMCs from ADM patients is upregulated. miR-143-3p could function in the pathogenesis of ADM by modulating the inflammatory reaction through FOSL2.

LncRNA OIP5‑AS1 aggravates house dust mite‑induced inflammatory responses in human bronchial epithelial cells via the miR‑143‑3p/HMGB1 axis

Bronchial asthma poses a serious threat to human health. Previous studies have documented the role of long non‑coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in asthma. However, the molecular mechanism underlying bronchial asthma remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the role of the lncRNA Opa‑interacting protein 5 antisense RNA1 (OIP5‑AS1) in the house dust mite‑induced inflammatory response in human bronchial epithelial cells. BEAS‑2B cells were treated with Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus peptidase 1 (Der p1) to establish an in vitro model of asthma. OIP5‑AS1 expression levels increased in BEAS‑2B cells following Der p1 treatment, while microRNA (miR)‑143‑3p was downregulated. Additionally, the levels of the pro‑inflammatory factors tumor necrosis factor‑α, interleukin (IL)‑6 and IL‑8 were measured, and apoptosis was evaluated following OIP5 silencing. OIP5‑AS1 knockdown reduced the inflammatory response and apoptosis in BEAS‑2B cells. Furthermore, using dual luciferase reporter assays and co‑transfection experiments, it was demonstrated that the function of OIP5‑AS1 was mediated by miR‑143‑3p. miR‑143‑3p overexpression attenuated the Der p1‑induced inflammatory response and apoptosis of BEAS‑2B cells by targeting high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1). In summary, OIP5‑AS1 exacerbated Der p1‑induced inflammation and apoptosis in BEAS‑2B cells by targeting miR‑143‑3p via HMGB1.

Overexpression of miR-451a in sepsis and septic shock patients is involved in the regulation of sepsis-associated cardiac dysfunction and inflammation

The purpose of this study was to investigate the expression and clinical value of microRNA-451a (miR-451a) in septic patients and analyze its effect on sepsis-associated cardiac dysfunction and inflammation response. A rat model of sepsis was constructed by cecal ligation and puncture. The expression of miR-451a was measured by quantitative real-time PCR. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to assess the diagnostic value of serum miR-451a. The cardiac function and inflammatory responses in septic rats were measured to explore the functional role of miR-451a. Serum expression of miR-451a was increased in septic patients compared with healthy controls, and had the ability to distinguish septic patients from healthy volunteers with a sensitivity and specificity of 87.8% and 81.5%, respectively. Elevated serum miR-451a was associated with sepsis severity, as evidenced by the increased expression of miR-451a in septic shock patients and its correlation with key clinical indicators. Significantly upregulated expression of miR-451a was found in septic patients with cardiac dysfunction, and the knockdown of miR-451a in sepsis rats improved cardiac function and inhibited inflammatory responses. All the data revealed that serum miR-451a serves as a candidate diagnostic biomarker of sepsis and a potential parameter to indicate disease severity. The reduction of miR-451a may mitigate sepsis-induced cardiac dysfunction and inflammatory responses.

Hsa_circ_0001869 promotes NSCLC progression via sponging miR-638 and enhancing FOSL2 expression

Accumulating studies suggest that circular RNAs (circRNAs) function as key regulators in human cancers. We found that hsa_circ_0001869 participated in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) progression. However, its expression and function during NSCLC remain unknown. The data advised that hsa_circ_0001869 expression was increased in NSCLC cell lines and tissues. High hsa_circ_0001869 expression had negatively correlation with the NSCLC patients prognosis. Bioinformatics and luciferase report analyses confirmed that miR-638 and FOSL2 were hsa_circ_0001869 downstream target. hsa_circ_0001869 downregulation decreased tumor proliferation, invasion and migration by promoting miR-638 expression and decreasing FOSL2 expression. As a result of overexpression of FOSL2 or silencing of miR-638, the recovery of proliferation, migration, and invasion after hsa_circ_0001869 silencing. Overexpression of FOSL2 also led to recovery of migration, invasion and proliferation after upregulation of miR-638. In vivo studies confirmed that overexpression of FOSL2 or silencing of miR-638 led to the recovery of tumor growth ability regarding A549 cells after hsa_circ_0001869 knockdown. Present investigation discovered that hsa_circ_0001869 enhanced NSCLC progression via sponging miR-638 and promoting FOSL2 expression. hsa_circ_0001869 downregulation suppressed tumor growth and invasion ability.

Synthetic MIR143-3p Suppresses Cell Growth in Rhabdomyosarcoma Cells by Interrupting RAS Pathways Including PAX3-FOXO1

Simple Summary

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a soft tissue sarcoma with embryonal (ERMS) and alveoral (ARMS) features, most frequently found in children. ARMS has the worse prognosis due to the formation of the chimeric PAX3–FOXO1 gene. New therapies are needed for the treatment of ARMS. The aim of this study is to evaluate the anticancer effect of chemically-modified MIR143-3p#12 (CM-MIR143#12) on RMS. The ectopic expression of CM-MIR143#12 induced a cell growth suppression by silencing not only KRAS, AKT, and ERK but also the PAX3–FOXO1 chimeric gene, and KRAS networks could control the expression of chimeric PAX3–FOXO1 in ARMS cells. Moreover, CM-MIR143#12 also silenced NRAS mutant in ERMS RD cells. CM-MIR143#12 can be a new nucleic acid medicine for the treatment of RMS by impairing the RAS networks including PAX3–FOXO1.

Abstract

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a soft tissue sarcoma most frequently found in children. In RMS, there are two major subtypes, embryonal RMS (ERMS) and alveolar RMS (ARMS). ARMS has the worse prognosis of the two owing to the formation of the chimeric PAX3–FOXO1 gene. A novel therapeutic method is required for treating ARMS. In our previous study, we found that the ectopic expression of chemically modified MIR143-3p#12 (CM-MIR143#12), which is RNase-resistant and shows the highest anti-proliferation activity among the synthesized MIR143 derivatives that were tested, induces significant cell growth suppression by targeting KRAS, AKT, and ERK in colorectal cancer cells. The expression of MIR143-3p in RMS was dramatically downregulated compared with that of normal tissue. Ectopic expression of CM-MIR143#12 in RMS cells resulted in a significant growth inhibitory effect through the induction of apoptosis and autophagy. Interestingly, we found that CM-MIR143#12 also silenced the expression of chimeric PAX3–FOXO1 directly and, using siR-KRAS or siR-AKT, that KRAS networks regulated the expression of PAX3–FOXO1 in ARMS cells. In ERMS harboring NRAS mutation, CM-MIR143#12 silenced mutated NRAS. These findings indicate that CM-MIR143#12 efficiently perturbed the RAS signaling pathway, including the ARMS-specific KRAS/PAX3–FOXO1 networks.