The role of miR-26a and miR-30b in HER2+ breast cancer trastuzumab resistance and regulation of the CCNE2 gene

Mapping the function of MicroRNAs as a critical regulator of tumor-immune cell communication in breast cancer and potential treatment strategies

Among women, breast cancer ranks as the most prevalent form of cancer, and the presence of metastases significantly reduces prognosis and diminishes overall survival rates. Gaining insights into the biological mechanisms governing the conversion of cancer cells, their subsequent spread to other areas of the body, and the immune system's monitoring of tumor growth will contribute to the advancement of more efficient and targeted therapies. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a critical role in the interaction between tumor cells and immune cells, facilitating tumor cells' evasion of the immune system and promoting cancer progression. Additionally, miRNAs also influence metastasis formation, including the establishment of metastatic sites and the transformation of tumor cells into migratory phenotypes. Specifically, dysregulated expression of these genes has been associated with abnormal expression of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, thereby facilitating tumor development. This study aims to provide a concise overview of the significance and function of miRNAs in breast cancer, focusing on their involvement as tumor suppressors in the antitumor immune response and as oncogenes in metastasis formation. Furthermore, miRNAs hold tremendous potential as targets for gene therapy due to their ability to modulate specific pathways that can either promote or suppress carcinogenesis. This perspective highlights the latest strategies developed for miRNA-based therapies.

miR-26a-5p inhibits the proliferation of psoriasis-like keratinocytes in vitro and in vivo by dual interference with the CDC6/CCNE1 axis

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory proliferative dermatological ailment that currently lacks a definitive cure. Employing data mining techniques, this study identified a collection of substantially downregulated miRNAs (top 10). Notably, 32 targets were implicated in both the activation of the IL-17 signaling pathway and cell cycle dysregulation. In silico analysis revealed that one of these miRNAs, miR-26a-5p, is a highly conserved cross-species miRNA. Strikingly, the miR-26a-5p sequences in humans and mice are identical, and mmu-miR-26a-5p was found to target the same 7 cell cycle targets as its human counterpart, hsa-miR-26a-5p. Among these targets, CDC6 and CCNE1 were the most effective targets of miR-26a-5p, which was further validated in vitro using a dual luciferase reporter system and qPCR assay. The therapeutic assessment of miR-26a-5p revealed its remarkable efficacy in inhibiting the proliferation and G1/S transition of keratinocytes (HaCaT and HEKs) in vitro. In vivo experiments corroborated these findings, demonstrating that miR-26a-5p effectively suppressed imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriasis-like skin lesions in mice over an 8-day treatment period. Histological analysis via H&E staining revealed that miR-26a-5p treatment resulted in reduced keratinocyte thickness and immune cell infiltration into the spleens of IMQ-treated mice. Mechanistic investigations revealed that miR-26a-5p induced a cascade of downregulated genes associated with the IL-23/IL-17A axis, which is known to be critical in psoriasis pathogenesis, while concomitantly suppressing CDC6 and CCNE1 expression. These findings were corroborated by qPCR and Western blot analyses. Collectively, our study provides compelling evidence supporting the therapeutic potential of miR-26a-5p as a safe and reliable endogenous small nucleic acid for the treatment of psoriasis.

miRNAs as biomarkers of therapeutic response to HER2-targeted treatment in breast cancer: A systematic review

Breast cancer is the most common type of lethal cancer in women globally. Women have a 1 in 8 chance of developing breast cancer in their lifetime. Among the four primary molecular subtypes (luminal A, luminal B, HER2+, and triple-negative), HER2+ accounts for 20-25 % of all breast cancer and is rather aggressive. Although the treatment outcome of HER2+ breast cancer patients has been significantly improved with anti-HER2 agents, primary and acquired drug resistance present substantial clinical issues, limiting the benefits of HER2-targeted treatment. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a central role in regulating acquired drug resistance. miRNA are single-stranded, non-coding RNAs of around 20-25 nucleotides, known for essential roles in regulating gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. Increasing evidence has demonstrated that miRNA-mediated alteration of gene expression is associated with tumorigenesis, metastasis, and tumor response to treatment. Comprehensive knowledge of miRNAs as potential markers of drug response can help provide valuable guidance for treatment prognosis and personalized medicine for breast cancer patients.

Exploring the Potential Role of Circulating microRNAs as Biomarkers for Predicting Clinical Response to Neoadjuvant Therapy in Breast Cancer

Breast cancer (BC) is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women worldwide. Neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) is increasingly being used to reduce tumor burden prior to surgical resection. However, current techniques for assessing tumor response have significant limitations. Additionally, drug resistance is commonly observed, raising a need to identify biomarkers that can predict treatment sensitivity and survival outcomes. Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression and have been shown to play a significant role in cancer progression as tumor inducers or suppressors. The expression of circulating miRNAs has been found to be significantly altered in breast cancer patients. Moreover, recent studies have suggested that circulating miRNAs can serve as non-invasive biomarkers for predicting response to NAT. Therefore, this review provides a brief overview of recent studies that have demonstrated the potential of circulating miRNAs as biomarkers for predicting the clinical response to NAT in BC patients. The findings of this review will strengthen future research on developing miRNA-based biomarkers and their translation into medical practice, which could significantly improve the clinical management of BC patients undergoing NAT.

miR-146a-5p Promotes Angiogenesis and Confers Trastuzumab Resistance in HER2+ Breast Cancer

Trastuzumab treatment has significantly improved the prognosis of HER2-positive breast cancer patients. Despite this, resistance to therapy still remains the main clinical challenge. In order to evaluate the implication of microRNAs in the trastuzumab response, we performed a microRNA array in parental and acquired trastuzumab-resistant HER2-positive breast cancer cell lines. Our results identified miR-146a-5p as the main dysregulated microRNA. Interestingly, high miR-146a-5p expression in primary tumor tissue significantly correlated with shorter disease-free survival in HER2-positive breast cancer patients. The gain- and loss-of-function of miR-146a-5p modulated the response to trastuzumab. Furthermore, the overexpression of miR-146a-5p increased migration and angiogenesis, and promoted cell cycle progression by reducing CDKN1A expression. Exosomes from trastuzumab-resistant cells showed a high level of miR-146a-5p expression compared with the parental cells. In addition, the co-culture with resistant cells’ exosomes was able to decrease in sensitivity and increase the migration capacities in trastuzumab-sensitive cells, as well as angiogenesis in HUVEC-2 cells. Collectively, these data support the role of miR-146a-5p in resistance to trastuzumab, and demonstrate that it can be transferred by exosomes conferring resistance properties to other cells.

pPe Op inhibits HGC-27 cell proliferation, migration and invasion by upregulating miR-30b-5p and down-regulating the Rac1/Cdc42 pathway

Gastric cancer is the fifth most frequently occurring and the fourth most lethal malignant cancer worldwide. A bioactive protein (pPe Op) from Omphalia lapidescens exhibits significant inhibitory effects on gastric cancer cells. miRNA deep sequencing analysis shows that miR-30b-5p is significantly upregulated in HGC-27 cells treated with pPe Op. Verification results show that the expression level of miR-30b-5p is significantly increased in HGC-27 cells after pPe Op treatment. Additionally, miR-30b-5p is significantly downregulated in clinical gastric cancer tissues compared to that in adjacent normal tissues. Following pPe Op treatment and/or transfection with miR-30b-5p mimic, the proliferation, migration, and invasion of HGC-27 cells are significantly impaired. Immunofluorescence microscopy shows that pPe Op and/or miR-30b-5p destroy(s) microfilaments and microstructures and inhibit(s) the formation of pseudopodia. Bioinformatics analysis, dual-luciferase reporter assay, and western blot analysis confirm that miR-30b-5p downregulates Rac1/Cdc42 expression and activation by targeting RAB22A. Available data indicate that miR-30b-5p plays an anti-gastric cancer role in mediating pPe Op. pPe Op upregulates miR-30b-5p expression, which in turn inhibits RAB22A expression, resulting in a reduction in the expression and activation of Rac1 and Cdc42 and their downstream targets, thus destroying the cytoskeletal structure and inhibiting the proliferation, migration, and invasion of cancer cells.

Spotlight on Exosomal Non-Coding RNAs in Breast Cancer: An In Silico Analysis to Identify Potential lncRNA/circRNA-miRNA-Target Axis

Breast cancer (BC) has recently become the most common cancer type worldwide, with metastatic disease being the main reason for disease mortality. This has brought about strategies for early detection, especially the utilization of minimally invasive biomarkers found in various bodily fluids. Exosomes have been proposed as novel extracellular vesicles, readily detectable in bodily fluids, secreted from BC-cells or BC-tumor microenvironment cells, and capable of conferring cellular signals over long distances via various cargo molecules. This cargo is composed of different biomolecules, among which are the novel non-coding genome products, such as microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and the recently discovered circular RNA (circRNA), all of which were found to be implicated in BC pathology. In this review, the diverse roles of the ncRNA cargo of BC-derived exosomes will be discussed, shedding light on their primarily oncogenic and additionally tumor suppressor roles at different levels of BC tumor progression, and drug sensitivity/resistance, along with presenting their diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive biomarker potential. Finally, benefiting from the miRNA sponging mechanism of action of lncRNAs and circRNAs, we established an experimentally validated breast cancer exosomal non-coding RNAs-regulated target gene axis from already published exosomal ncRNAs in BC. The resulting genes, pathways, gene ontology (GO) terms, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis could be a starting point to better understand BC and may pave the way for the development of novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers and therapeutics.

MicroRNA expression in male infertility

Male infertility is a multifactorial disorder that involves different physiopathological mechanisms and multiple genes. In this sense, we analyse the role of miRNAs in this pathology. Gene expression analysis can provide relevant information to detect biomarkers, signalling pathways, pathologic mechanisms, and potential therapeutic targets for the disease. In this review, we describe four miRNA microarrays related to patients who present infertility diseases, including azoospermia, asthenozoospermia, and oligoasthenozoospermic. We selected 13 miRNAs with altered expressions in testis tissue (hsa-miR-122-5p, hsa-miR-145-5p, hsa-miR-16-5p, hsa-miR-193a-3p, hsa-miR-19a-3p, hsa-miR-23a-3p, hsa-miR-30b-5p, hsa-miR-34b-5p, hsa-miR-34c-5p, hsa-miR-374b-5p, hsa-miR-449a, hsa-miR-574-3p and hsa-miR-92a-3p), and systematically examine the mechanisms of four relevant miRNAs (hsa-miR-16-5p, hsa-miR-19a-3p, hsa-miR-92a-3p and hsa-miR-30b-5p) which we found that regulated a large number of proteins. An interaction network was generated, and its connections allowed us to identify signalling pathways and interactions between proteins associated with male infertility. In this way, we confirm that the most affected and relevant pathway is the PI3K-Akt signalling.

Baseline Mutations and Up-Regulation of PI3K-AKT Pathway Serve as Potential Indicators of Lack of Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Stage II/III Breast Cancer

Background

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) has been expanded to hormone receptor (HR) positive breast cancer (BC) patients with operable disease, to increase the likelihood of breast-conserving surgery. Genomic profiling at baseline would reveal NAC response relevant genomic features and signaling pathways, guiding clinical NAC utilization based on patients’ genomic characteristics.

Methods

We prospectively studied stage II/III BC patients who were eligible for breast-conserving surgery. Patients received epirubicin and cyclophosphamide for 4 cycles, followed by another 4-cycle docetaxel, and human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER2) positive patients were additionally treated with herceptin when using docetaxel (EC-T(H)). NAC responses were evaluated as pathologic complete response (pCR) or non-pathologic complete response (non-pCR). Genomic features related to NAC responses were identified by profiling baseline tumor tissues sampled one day before NAC, using whole-exome sequencing. Differentially expressed genes and up-/down-regulated pathways were investigated by performing RNA-sequencing.

Results

A total of 25 stage II/III BC patients were enrolled, including 5 patients ultimately evaluated as pCR and 20 patients evaluated as non-pCR. PIK3CA (48%) and TP53 (40%) mutations were enriched in patients not achieving pCR. Mutated phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase-AKT (PI3K-AKT) pathway and homologous recombinational repair pathway were also more frequently observed in patients evaluated as non-pCR. Significant arm-level amplifications (8q24.23 and 17q12) and deletions (1p32.2, 4p14, 7q11.23, 10q21.3, 11q23.3, etc.) were identified among patients not achieving pCR, while patients achieving pCR displayed no significant copy number alterations. Significantly up-regulated expression of PI3K-AKT pathway genes was also detected among patients failed to achieve pCR, compared to patients achieving pCR.

Conclusion

Compared to BC patients achieving pCR to NAC, aberrant activation of PI3K-AKT pathway genes were more frequently observed in patients not achieving pCR, consistent with the significant up-regulation of PI3K-AKT pathway gene expression in the non-pCR subgroup. Together, these findings indicate that upregulated PI3K-AKT pathway serves as a potential indicator of lack of response to NAC in stage II/III BC patients, and other effective therapeutic options are urgently needed for those resistant patients.

Regulation of miR-30b in cancer development, apoptosis, and drug resistance

miR-30b, which is encoded by the gene located on chromosome 8q24.22, plays an important role in a variety of diseases. In most types of tumors, miR-30b significantly inhibits the proliferation, migration, and invasion of cancer cells through the regulation of target genes. Moreover, miR-30b can inhibit the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway through the regulation of EGFR, AKT, Derlin-1, GNA13, SIX1, and other target genes, thus inhibiting the EMT process of tumor cells and promoting apoptosis. In addition, miR-30 plays a significant role in alleviating drug resistance in tumor cells. Although the use of miR-30b as a clinical diagnostic indicator or anticancer drug is still facing great difficulties in the short term, with the deepening of research, the potential application of miR-30b is emerging.

Contribution of miRNAs in the Pathogenesis of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer among females. Gene expression profiling methods have shown the deregulation of several genes in breast cancer samples and have confirmed the heterogeneous nature of breast cancer at the genomic level. microRNAs (miRNAs) are among the recently appreciated contributors in breast carcinogenic processes. These small-sized transcripts have been shown to partake in breast carcinogenesis through modulation of apoptosis, autophagy, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Moreover, they can confer resistance to chemotherapy. Based on the contribution of miRNAs in almost all fundamental aspects of breast carcinogenesis, therapeutic intervention with their expression might affect the course of this disorder. Moreover, the presence of miRNAs in the peripheral blood of patients potentiates these transcripts as tools for non-invasive diagnosis of breast cancer.

Circulating and Intracellular miRNAs as Prognostic and Predictive Factors in HER2-Positive Early Breast Cancer Treated with Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy: A Review of the Literature

MicroRNAs (miRNA) are small noncoding RNAs that can act as both oncogene and tumor suppressors. Deregulated miRNA expression has been detected in human cancers, including breast cancer (BC). Considering their important roles in tumorigenesis, miRNAs have been investigated as potential prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers. Neoadjuvant setting is an optimal model to investigate in vivo the mechanism of treatment resistance. In the management of human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2)-positive early BC, the anti-HER2-targeted therapies have drastically changed the survival outcomes. Despite this, growing drug resistance due to the pressure of therapy is relatively frequent. In the present review, we focused on the main miRNAs involved in HER2-positive BC tumorigenesis and discussed the recent evidence on their predictive and prognostic value.

MicroRNAs as a clue to overcome breast cancer treatment resistance

Breast cancer is the most frequent cancer in women worldwide. Despite the improvement in diagnosis and treatments, the rates of cancer relapse and resistance to therapies remain higher than desirable. Alterations in microRNAs have been linked to changes in critical processes related to cancer development and progression. Their involvement in resistance or sensitivity to breast cancer treatments has been documented by different in vivo and in vitro experiments. The most significant microRNAs implicated in modulating resistance to breast cancer therapies are summarized in this review. Resistance to therapy has been linked to cellular processes such as cell cycle, apoptosis, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, stemness phenotype, or receptor signaling pathways, and the role of microRNAs in their regulation has already been described. The modulation of specific microRNAs may modify treatment response and improve survival rates and cancer patients' quality of life. As a result, a greater understanding of microRNAs, their targets, and the signaling pathways through which they act is needed. This information could be useful to design new therapeutic strategies, to reduce resistance to the available treatments, and to open the door to possible new clinical approaches.

Silencing the lncRNA NORAD inhibits EMT of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma stem cells via miR‑26a‑5p

Cancer stem cells are closely associated with tumor metastasis or recurrence. According to previous literature reports, microRNA (miR)‑26a has an inhibitory effect on head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), and the long non‑coding RNA (lncRNA) non‑coding RNA activated by DNA damage (NORAD) has been found to interact with miR‑26a‑5p. The present study aimed to investigate the regulation and mechanism of NORAD and miR‑26a‑5p in the epithelial‑mesenchymal transition (EMT) of HNSCC stem cells. An ALDEFLUOR stem cell detection kit, a flow cytometer, a self‑renewal ability test and western blotting were used to sort and identify HNSCC stem cells. The ENCORI website and a dual‑luciferase assay were used to assess the relationship between genes. The mRNA and protein expression levels of NORAD, miR‑26a‑5p and EMT‑related genes were detected via reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR and western blotting. Functional experiments (MTT assay, flow cytometry, wound healing assay and Transwell assay) were conducted to analyze the effects of NORAD and miR‑26a‑5p on HNSCC stem cells. The successfully sorted aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH)⁺ cells had a self‑renewal capacity and displayed upregulated expression levels of CD44, Oct‑4 and Nanog. NORAD knockdown, achieved using small interfering (si)RNA, downregulated the expression levels of tumor markers in ALDH⁺ cells. siNORAD inhibited cell vitality, migration and invasion, as well as promoted apoptosis, increased the expression of epithelial cell markers and decreased the expression of interstitial cell markers in HNSCC stem cells. miR‑26a‑5p was a downstream gene of NORAD, and knockdown of miR‑26a‑5p partially offset the regulatory effect of siNORAD on HNSCC stem cells. Collectively, the present study demonstrated that NORAD knockdown attenuated the migration, invasion and EMT of HNSCC stem cells via miR‑26a‑5p.

Knockdown circular RNA circGFRA1 inhibits glioma cell proliferation and migration by upregulating microRNA-99a

Glioma is the most widespread and malignant brain tumor in the central nervous system of adult, causing multiple cancer-associated deaths worldwide. Here, we identified the impact of circGFRA1 on glioma, and aimed to uncover the underlying molecular mechanism. The expression of circGFRA1 of glioma specimens was evaluated by using quantitative reverse transcription PCR. Cell viability, proliferation, colony formation, apoptosis and migration were estimated utilizing CCK-8, EdU staining, colony formation assay, TUNEL staining and Transwell assay, respectively. Bioinformatics analysis, luciferase assay and RNA co-immunoprecipitation was utilized for verification of direct binding between circGFRA1 and miR-99a. Western blot was applied to investigate protein expression in U251 cells. The results showed that circGFRA1 expression was overexpressed in glioma specimens. Knockdown circGFRA1 declined viability, colony formation, proliferation and migrative potential, but enhanced U251 cell apoptosis. Moreover, circGFRA1 acts as a microRNA sponge for miR-99a. Furthermore, miR-99a was involved in the circGFRA1-regulated glioma cell behaviors. Silencing circGFRA1 reduced p/t-AKT, p/t-FOXO1 and p/t-mTOR expression levels via upregulating miR-99a expression. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that knockdown circGFRA1 inhibits glioma cell proliferation and migration by upregulating microRNA-99a.

Identification of a Two-MicroRNA Signature in Plasma as a Novel Biomarker for Very Early Diagnosis of Breast Cancer

Simple Summary

Breast cancer diagnosis at the initial stage of the disease considerably improves prognosis and survival rates. This retrospective study aimed to develop and validate a plasma microRNA signature as a non-invasive biomarker for early-stage breast cancer diagnosis. We confirmed in a testing cohort of 54 BC patients and 89 healthy volunteers the value of a signature based on miR-30b and miR-99a levels in plasma samples for stage I breast cancer detection. Furthermore, our results were blindly validated in a second cohort of 74 breast cancer and 74 healthy samples. The proposed microRNA signature presented high value as a fast, cost-effective, and non-invasive biomarker for early-stage breast cancer detection, which will lead to a better prognosis for breast cancer patients.

Abstract

The early diagnosis of breast cancer is essential to improve patients’ survival rate. In this context, microRNAs have been described as potential diagnostic biomarkers for breast cancer. Particularly, circulating microRNAs have a strong value as non-invasive biomarkers. Herein, we assessed the potential of a microRNA signature based on miR-30b-5p and miR-99a-5p levels in plasma as a diagnostic biomarker for breast cancer. This two-microRNA signature was constructed by Principal Component Analysis and its prognostic value was assessed in a discovery cohort and blindly validated in a second cohort from an independent institution. ROC curve analysis and biomarker performance parameter evaluation demonstrated that our proposed signature presents a high value as a non-invasive biomarker for very early detection of breast cancer. In addition, pathway enrichment analysis identified three of the well-known pathways involved in cancer as targets of the two microRNAs.

Genetic co-expression networks contribute to creating predictive model and exploring novel biomarkers for the prognosis of breast cancer

Genetic co-expression network (GCN) analysis augments the understanding of breast cancer (BC). We aimed to propose GCN-based modeling for BC relapse-free survival (RFS) prediction and to discover novel biomarkers. We used GCN and Cox proportional hazard regression to create various prediction models using mRNA microarray of 920 tumors and conduct external validation using independent data of 1056 tumors. GCNs of 34 identified candidate genes were plotted in various sizes. Compared to the reference model, the genetic predictors selected from bigger GCNs composed better prediction models. The prediction accuracy and AUC of 3 ~ 15-year RFS are 71.0-81.4% and 74.6-78% respectively (rfm, ACC 63.2-65.5%, AUC 61.9-74.9%). The hazard ratios of risk scores of developing relapse ranged from 1.89 ~ 3.32 (p < 10^-8) over all models under the control of the node status. External validation showed the consistent finding. We found top 12 co-expressed genes are relative new or novel biomarkers that have not been explored in BC prognosis or other cancers until this decade. GCN-based modeling creates better prediction models and facilitates novel genes exploration on BC prognosis.

Nanoporous Anodic Alumina-Based Sensor for miR-99a-5p Detection as an Effective Early Breast Cancer Diagnostic Tool

Circulating microRNAs have emerged as potential diagnostic biomarkers. The deregulation of the microRNA miR-99a-5p has been previously described as an effective biomarker of early breast cancer. Herein, we present a new nanoporous anodic alumina (NAA)-based biosensor that can detect plasma miR-99a-5p with high sensitivity and selectivity. NAA pores are loaded with rhodamine B and capped with a specific oligonucleotide that is able to block cargo release until the target is present. In the presence of miR-99a-5p, the capping oligonucleotide recognizes the miR-99a-5p sequence and displaces it allowing the release of the encapsulated dye. This method is able to successfully distinguish healthy controls from breast cancer patients, even at early stages with high efficiency, showing the presented system as a promising tool for breast cancer detection.

Induction of Apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 Cells Treated with the Methanol Extract of Lichen Physconia hokkaidensis

Physconia hokkaidensis methanol extract (PHE) was studied to identify anticancer effects and reveal its mechanism of action by an analysis of cytotoxicity, cell cycles, and apoptosis biomarkers. PHE showed strong cytotoxicity in various cancer cells, including HL-60, HeLa, A549, Hep G2, AGS, MDA-MB-231, and MCF-7. Of these cell lines, the growth of MDA-MB-231 was concentration-dependently suppressed by PHE, but MCF-7 was not affected. MDA-MB-231 cells, triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells, do not express estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2), whereas MCF-7 cells are ER-positive, PR-positive, and HER-2-negative breast cancer cells. The number of cells in sub-G1 phase was increased after 24 h of treatment, and annexin V/PI staining showed that the population size of apoptotic cells was increased by prolonged exposure to PHE. Moreover, PHE treatment downregulated the transcriptional levels of Bcl-2, AMPK, and p-Akt, whereas it significantly upregulated the levels of cleaved caspase-3, cleaved caspase-9, and cleaved-PARP. In conclusion, it was confirmed that the PHE exhibited selective cytotoxicity toward MDA-MB-231, not toward MCF-7, and its cytotoxic activity is based on induction of apoptosis.

miRNAs as biomarkers for early cancer detection and their application in the development of new diagnostic tools

Over the last decades, microRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as important molecules associated with the regulation of gene expression in humans and other organisms, expanding the strategies available to diagnose and handle several diseases. This paper presents a systematic review of literature of miRNAs related to cancer development and explores the main techniques used to quantify these molecules and their limitations as screening strategy. The bibliographic research was conducted using the online databases, PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and Science Direct searching the terms "microRNA detection", "miRNA detection", "miRNA and prostate cancer", "miRNA and cervical cancer", "miRNA and cervix cancer", "miRNA and breast cancer", and "miRNA and early cancer diagnosis". Along the systematic review over 26,000 published papers were reported, and 252 papers were returned after applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, which were considered during this review. The aim of this study is to identify potential miRNAs related to cancer development that may be useful for early cancer diagnosis, notably in the breast, prostate, and cervical cancers. In addition, we suggest a preliminary top 20 miRNA panel according to their relevance during the respective cancer development. Considering the progressive number of new cancer cases every year worldwide, the development of new diagnostic tools is critical to refine the accuracy of screening tests, improving the life expectancy and allowing a better prognosis for the affected patients.

Circulating miR-30b-5p levels in plasma as a novel potential biomarker for early detection of breast cancer

BACKGROUND

Recently, microRNAs have been demonstrated to be potential non-invasive biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis assessment or prediction of response to treatment in cancer. In this study, we evaluate the potential of miR-30b-5p as a biomarker for early diagnosis of breast cancer (BC) in tissue and plasma.

METHODS

Expression of miR-30b-5p was determined in a series of 112 BC and 40 normal breast tissues. Circulating miR-30b-5p levels in plasma samples were determined in a discovery cohort of 38 BC patients and 40 healthy donors and in a validation cohort of 83 BC patients and 83 healthy volunteers. miR-30b-5p expression was measured by quantitative real-time PCR and receiver operating characteristics curve analysis was carried out.

RESULTS

The miR-30b-5p expression was significantly lower in BC tissue than in healthy breast samples. In contrast, circulating miR-30b-5p levels were significantly higher in BC patients compared with healthy donors. Furthermore, circulating miR-30b-5p levels were significantly higher in patients with positive axillary lymph node and de novo metastatic patients. Receiver operating characteristics curve analysis demonstrated a good diagnostic potential of miR-30b-5p to detect BC even at an early stage of the disease.

CONCLUSION

Thus, we highlight the potential of miR-30b-5p as a non-invasive, fast, reproducible and cost-effective diagnostic biomarker of BC.

GPER1 and microRNA: Two Players in Breast Cancer Progression

Breast cancer is the main cause of morbidity and mortality in women worldwide. However, the molecular pathogenesis of breast cancer remains poorly defined due to its heterogeneity. Several studies have reported that G Protein-Coupled Estrogen Receptor 1 (GPER1) plays a crucial role in breast cancer progression, by binding to estrogens or synthetic agonists, like G-1, thus modulating genes involved in diverse biological events, such as cell proliferation, migration, apoptosis, and metastasis. In addition, it has been established that the dysregulation of short sequences of non-coding RNA, named microRNAs (miRNAs), is involved in various pathophysiological conditions, including breast cancer. Recent evidence has indicated that estrogens may regulate miRNA expression and therefore modulate the levels of their target genes, not only through the classical estrogen receptors (ERs), but also activating GPER1 signalling, hence suggesting an alternative molecular pathway involved in breast tumor progression. Here, the current knowledge about GPER1 and miRNA action in breast cancer is recapitulated, reporting recent evidence on the liaison of these two players in triggering breast tumorogenic effects. Elucidating the role of GPER1 and miRNAs in breast cancer might provide new tools for innovative approaches in anti-cancer therapy.

LncRNA MALAT1 promotes breast cancer progression and doxorubicin resistance via regulating miR-570–3p

Background

Metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1) is a long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) that regulates disease progression in various types of cancers. The aim of this study was to explore the role of MALAT1 in breast cancer (BC) progression and doxorubicin resistance.

Methods

Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to determine the expression of MALAT1 in BC tissues and cells; MTT and Transwell assay were used to detect the proliferation, migration and invasion of BC cells, respectively; drug resistance test was performed to assess the sensitivity of BC cells to doxorubicin; dual-luciferase reporter gene assay was conducted to verify the interaction between MALAT1 and miR-570–3p.

Results

MALAT1 was highly expressed in BC tissues compared with normal tissues adjacent to cancer as well as in BC cells. In addition, inhibition the expression of MALAT1 could significantly suppress the proliferation, migration and invasion of BC cells. Meanwhile, down-regulation of MALAT1 sensitized BC cells to doxorubicin. Moreover, bioinformatics analysis suggested that miR-570–3p was the potential downstream target of MALAT1. Dual-luciferase reporter gene assay confirmed that MALAT1 could directly target miR-570–3p. Additionally, miR-570–3p was lowly expressed in BC tissues and cells. Up-regulation of miR-570–3p not only significantly inhibited the proliferation, metastasis, and invasion of BC cells, but also increased the sensitivity of BC cells to doxorubicin.

Conclusion

MALAT1 functions as a novel oncogenic lncRNA in regulating the progression and doxorubicin resistance of BC by targeting miR-570–3p.

Circulating miR-99a-5p Expression in Plasma: A Potential Biomarker for Early Diagnosis of Breast Cancer

MicroRNAs have emerged as new diagnostic and therapeutic biomarkers for breast cancer. Herein, we analysed miR-99a-5p expression levels in primary tumours and plasma of breast cancer patients to evaluate its usefulness as a minimally invasive diagnostic biomarker. MiR-99a-5p expression levels were determined by quantitative real-time PCR in three independent cohorts of patients: (I) Discovery cohort: breast cancer tissues (n = 103) and healthy breast tissues (n = 26); (II) Testing cohort: plasma samples from 105 patients and 98 healthy donors; (III) Validation cohort: plasma samples from 89 patients and 85 healthy donors. Our results demonstrated that miR-99a-5p was significantly downregulated in breast cancer tissues compared to healthy breast tissues. Conversely, miR-99a-5p levels were significantly higher in breast cancer patients than in healthy controls in plasma samples from both testing and validation cohorts, and ROC curve analysis revealed that miR-99a-5p has good diagnostic potential even to detect early breast cancer. In conclusion, miR-99a-5p’s deregulated expression distinguished healthy patients from breast cancer patients in two different types of samples (tissues and plasma). Interestingly, expression levels in plasma were significantly lower in healthy controls than in early-stage breast cancer patients. Our findings suggest circulating miR-99a-5p as a novel promising non-invasive biomarker for breast cancer detection.

Clinical significance of CCNE2 protein and mRNA expression in thyroid cancer tissues

PURPOSE

Thyroid carcinoma (TC) is the most common endocrinal malignancy worldwide. Cyclin E2 (CCNE2), a member of the cyclin family, acts as a regulatory subunit of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs). It controls the transition of quiescent cells into the cell cycle, regulates the G1/S transition, promotes DNA replication, and activates CDK2. This study explored the role and potential molecular mechanisms of CCNE2 expression in TC tissues.

MATERIAL/METHODS

Immunohistochemistry was used to evaluate the CCNE2 protein expression levels in TC. High-throughput data on CCNE2 in TC were obtained from RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), microarray, and literature data. The CCNE2 expression levels in TC were comprehensively assessed through an integrated analysis. Analyses of Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and protein-protein interaction (PPIs) data facilitated the investigation of the relative molecular mechanisms of CCNE2 in TC.

RESULTS

The immunohistochemical experiment showed a significant increase in the expression of CCNE2 in the TC tissues. For 505 TC and 59 non-cancerous samples from RNA-seq data, the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.8016 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.742-0.8612; p<0.001). With another 14 microarrays, the pool standard mean difference [SMD] was 1.01 (95% CI [0.82-1.19]). The pooled SMD of CCNE2 was 1.12 (95% CI [0.60-1.64]), and the AUC was 0.87 (95% CI [0.84-0.90]) for 1157 TC samples and 366 non-cancerous thyroid samples from all possible sources. Nine hub genes were upregulated in TC.

CONCLUSIONS

A high expression of CCNE2 may lead to carcinogenesis and the development of TC.

miR‑135b‑5p enhances the sensitivity of HER‑2 positive breast cancer to trastuzumab via binding to cyclin D2

Trastuzumab has led to a marked improvement in the outcomes of patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2)-positive breast cancer. However, the effects of trastuzumab on HER-2-positive breast cancer are limited by the emergence of its cardiotoxicside effects. MicroRNA (miR)-135b-5p has been shown to inhibit tumor metastasis in breast cancer. The present study aimed to explore the effects of miR-135b-5p overexpression on the efficacy of trastuzumab in HER-2-positive breast cancer. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR was performed to detect the levels of miR-135b-5p. Cell viability was evaluated with a Cell Counting Kit-8 assay. Annexin V/propidium iodide staining was employed to detect the number of apoptotic cells. Flow cytometry assay was performed to investigate the cell cycle. Western blotting was used to detect the expression levels of Bax, cleaved caspase-3, Bcl-2, cyclin D2, p27^Kip1 and cyclin E1. Cell migration and invasion were detected by Transwell assay. Luciferase assays were conducted to identify the target gene of miR-135b-5p. In addition, an in vivo tumor xenograft model was established. miR-135b-5p agomir significantly enhanced the anti-proliferative effect of trastuzumab on HER-2-positive breast cancer cells via the induction of apoptosis, whereas the anti-metastatic effect of trastuzumab was enhanced by miR-135b-5p agomir treatment. Subsequently, luciferase assays indicated that cyclin D2 was the direct target of miR-135b-5p, whereas overexpression of the latter arrested cell cycleduring the G₀/G₁ phase. Moreover, miR-135b-5p agomir notably increased the antitumor effect of trastuzumab in vivo. The data demonstrated that miR-135b-5p sensitized HER-2-positive breast cancer cells to trastuzumab in vitro and in vivo by directly binding to cyclin D2. These results suggested that the combination of miR-135b-5p with trastuzumab may be a therapeutic strategy for patients with HER-2-positive breast cancer.

Potential miRNAs for miRNA-Based Therapeutics in Breast Cancer

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that can post-transcriptionally regulate the genes involved in critical cellular processes. The aberrant expressions of oncogenic or tumor suppressor miRNAs have been associated with cancer progression and malignancies. This resulted in the dysregulation of signaling pathways involved in cell proliferation, apoptosis and survival, metastasis, cancer recurrence and chemoresistance. In this review, we will first (i) provide an overview of the miRNA biogenesis pathways, and in vitro and in vivo models for research, (ii) summarize the most recent findings on the roles of microRNAs (miRNAs) that could potentially be used for miRNA-based therapy in the treatment of breast cancer and (iii) discuss the various therapeutic applications.

Dissecting miRNA facilitated physiology and function in human breast cancer for therapeutic intervention

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are key epigenomic regulators of biological processes in animals and plants. These small non coding RNAs form a complex networks that regulate cellular function and development. MiRNAs prevent translation by either inactivation or inducing degradation of mRNA, a major concern in post-transcriptional gene regulation. Aberrant regulation of gene expression by miRNAs is frequently observed in cancer. Overexpression of various 'oncomiRs' and silencing of tumor suppressor miRNAs are associated with various types of human cancers, although overall downregulation of miRNA expression is reported as a hallmark of cancer. Modulations of the total pool of cellular miRNA by alteration in genetic and epigenetic factors associated with the biogenesis of miRNA machinery. It also depends on the availability of cellular miRNAs from its store in the organelles which affect tumor development and cancer progression. Here, we have dissected the roles and pathways of various miRNAs during normal cellular and molecular functions as well as during breast cancer progression. Recent research works and prevailing views implicate that there are two major types of miRNAs; (i) intracellular miRNAs and (ii) extracellular miRNAs. Concept, that the functions of intracellular miRNAs are driven by cellular organelles in mammalian cells. Extracellular miRNAs function in cell-cell communication in extracellular spaces and distance cells through circulation. A detailed understanding of organelle driven miRNA function and the precise role of extracellular miRNAs, pre- and post-therapeutic implications of miRNAs in this scenario would open several avenues for further understanding of miRNA function and can be better exploited for the treatment of breast cancers.

Mir-30b-5p Promotes Proliferation, Migration, and Invasion of Breast Cancer Cells via Targeting ASPP2

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive subtypes of breast cancer, which has few effective targeted therapies. Various sources of evidence confirm that microRNAs (miRNAs) contribute to the progression and metastasis of human breast cancer. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the changes in miRNAs expression and the regulation of miRNAs functions have not been well clarified. In this study, we found that the expression of miR-30b-5p was upregulated in breast cancer tissues and breast cancer cell lines, compared to paracancer tissues and normal breast cell lines. Moreover, induced overexpression of miR-30b-5p promoted the MDA-MB-231 and HCC 1937 cell growth, migration, and invasion and reduced the cellular apoptosis. Further studies confirmed that miR-30b-5p could directly target ASPP2 and then activate the AKT signaling pathway. Our results suggested that miR-30b-5p could act as a tumor promoter in TNBC. The newly identified miR-30b-5p/ASPP2/AKT axis represents a novel therapeutic strategy for treating TNBC.

An update review of deregulated tumor suppressive microRNAs and their contribution in various molecular subtypes of breast cancer

BACKGROUND

Breast cancer (BC) is histologically classified into hormone-receptor+ (ER+, PR + ), human epidermal growth factor receptor-2+ (Her2 + ), and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) types. The important contribution of tumor-suppressive (TS) microRNAs (miRs) in BC development and treatment have been well-acknowledged in the literature.

OBJECTIVE

The present review focused on the contribution of recently examined TS miRs in the progression and treatment of various histological subtypes of BC.

RESULTS

In summary, various miRs have tumor-suppressive roles in BC, so that their aberrant expression leads to the abnormality in the cellular processes such as enhanced cell growth, decreased apoptosis, cell migration and metastasis, and decreased sensitivity to chemotherapy through deregulated expression of oncogene targets of TS miRs.

CONCLUSION

TS miRs could be regarded as a proper molecular target for target therapy of BC. However, further in vitro and in vivo investigations are required to confirm the exact molecular functions of TS miRs in BC cells to offer more efficient targeted therapies.

In vitro cytotoxicity of Auger electron-emitting [67Ga]Ga-trastuzumab

Introduction

Molecular radiotherapy exploiting short-range Auger electron-emitting radionuclides has potential for targeted cancer treatment and, in particular, is an attractive option for managing micrometastatic disease. Here, an approach using chelator-trastuzumab conjugates to target radioactivity to breast cancer cells was evaluated as a proof-of-concept to assess the suitability of ⁶⁷Ga as a therapeutic radionuclide.

Methods

THP-trastuzumab and DOTA-trastuzumab were synthesised and radiolabelled with Auger electron-emitters ⁶⁷Ga and ¹¹¹In, respectively. Radiopharmaceuticals were tested for HER2-specific binding and internalisation, and their effects on viability (dye exclusion) and clonogenicity of HER2-positive HCC1954 and HER2–negative MDA-MB-231 cell lines was measured. Labelled cell populations were studied by microautoradiography.

Results

Labelling efficiencies for [⁶⁷Ga]Ga-THP-trastuzumab and [¹¹¹In]In-DOTA-trastuzumab were 90% and 98%, respectively, giving specific activities 0.52 ± 0.16 and 0.61 ± 0.11 MBq/μg (78–92 GBq/μmol). At 4 nM total antibody concentration and 200 × 10³ cells/mL, [⁶⁷Ga]Ga-THP-trastuzumab showed higher percentage of cell association (10.7 ± 1.3%) than [¹¹¹In]In-DOTA-trastuzumab (6.2 ± 1.6%; p = 0.01). The proportion of bound activity that was internalised did not differ significantly for the two tracers (62.1 ± 1.4% and 60.8 ± 15.5%, respectively). At 100 nM, percentage cell binding of both radiopharmaceuticals was greatly reduced compared to 4 nM and did not differ significantly between the two (1.2 ± 1.0% [⁶⁷Ga]Ga-THP-trastuzumab and 0.8 ± 0.9% for [¹¹¹In]In-DOTA-trastuzumab). Viability and clonogenicity of HER2-positive cells decreased when each radionuclide was incorporated into cells by conjugation with trastuzumab, but not when the same level of radioactivity was confined to the medium by omitting the antibody conjugation, suggesting that ⁶⁷Ga needs to be cell-bound or internalised for a therapeutic effect. Microautoradiography showed that radioactivity bound to individual cells varied considerably within the population.

Conclusions

[⁶⁷Ga]Ga-THP-trastuzumab reduced cell viability and clonogenicity only when cell-bound, suggesting ⁶⁷Ga holds promise as a therapeutic radionuclide as part of a targeted radiopharmaceutical. The causes and consequences of non-homogeneous uptake among the cell population should be explored.

Circulating non‑coding RNA‑biomarker potential in neoadjuvant chemotherapy of triple negative breast cancer?

Due to the positive association between neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) and the promising early response rates of patients with triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), including probabilities of pathological complete response, NACT is increasingly used in TNBC management. Liquid biopsy-based biomarkers with the power to diagnose the early response to NACT may support established monitoring tools, which are to a certain extent imprecise and costly. Simple serum- or urine-based analyses of non-coding RNA (ncRNA) expression may allow for fast, minimally-invasive testing and timely adjustment of the therapy regimen. The present study investigated breast cancer-related ncRNAs [microRNA (miR)-7, -9, -15a, -17, -18a, -19b, -21, -30b, -222 and -320c, PIWI-interacting RNA-36743 and GlyCCC2] in triple positive BT-474 cells and three TNBC cell lines (BT-20, HS-578T and MDA-MB-231) treated with various chemotherapeutic agents using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR. Intracellular and secreted microvesicular ncRNA expression levels were analysed using a multivariable statistical regression analysis. Chemotherapy-driven effects were investigated by analysing cell cycle determinants at the mRNA and protein levels. Serum and urine specimens from 8 patients with TNBC were compared with 10 healthy females using two-sample t-tests. Samples from the patients with TNBC were compared at two time points. Chemotherapeutic treatments induced distinct changes in ncRNA expression in TNBC cell lines and the BT-474 cell line in intra- and extracellular compartments. Serum and urine-based ncRNA expression analysis was able to discriminate between patients with TNBC and controls. Time point comparisons in the urine samples of patients with TNBC revealed a general rise in the level of ncRNA. Serum data suggested a potential association between piR-36743, miR-17, -19b and -30b expression levels and an NACT-driven complete clinical response. The present study highlighted the potential of ncRNAs as liquid biopsy-based biomarkers in TNBC chemotherapy treatment. The ncRNAs tested in the present study have been previously investigated for their involvement in BC or TNBC chemotherapy responses; however, these previous studies were restricted to patient tissue or in vitro models. The data from the present study offer novel insight into ncRNA expression in liquid samples from patients with TNBC, and the study serves as an initial step in the evaluation of ncRNAs as diagnostic biomarkers in the monitoring of TNBC therapy.

miR- 26a Sensitizes Melanoma Cells To Dabrafenib Via Targeting HMGB1-Dependent Autophagy Pathways

Background

Melanoma is known as the most aggressive and lethal type of cutaneous cancer due to its rapid development of drug resistance to chemotherapy drugs.

Methods

In our study, we conducted a variety of studies, including quantitative PCR, Western blot, and autophagy and apoptosis assays to investigate the involvement of miR-26a and HMGB1 in modulation of dabrafenib sensitivity in human melanoma cell lines.

Results

Our studies revealed that the expressions of miR-26a and HMGB1 were altered in two melanoma cell lines after dabrafenib treatment. Additionally, dabrafenib caused autophagy in melanoma and this autophagic process was regulated by miR-26a via modifying HMGB1 expression. Furthermore, silencing HMGB1-inhibited autophagy induced by dabrafenib in melanoma cells. Last, we verified that treatment with a miR-26a mimic and HMGB1 shRNA could increase the efficacy of dabrafenib in melanoma cells.

Conclusion

Taken together, we showed that miR-26a is involved in the regulation of dabrafenib efficacy via a HMGB1-dependent autophagy pathway in melanoma cells. These results shed light on a novel treatment for conventional dabrafenib-based chemotherapy for melanoma.

Significant prognostic values of differentially expressed-aberrantly methylated hub genes in breast cancer

Introduction: Abnormal status of gene expression plays an important role in tumorigenesis, progression and metastasis of breast cancer. Mechanisms of gene silence or activation were varied. Methylation of genes may contribute to alteration of gene expression. This study aimed to identify differentially expressed hub genes which may be regulated by DNA methylation and evaluate their prognostic value in breast cancer by bioinformatic analysis. Methods: GEO2R was used to obtain expression microarray data from GSE54002, GSE65194 and methylation microarray data from GSE20713, GSE32393. Differentially expressed-aberrantly methylated genes were identified by FunRich. Biological function and pathway enrichment analysis were conducted by DAVID. PPI network was constructed by STRING and hub genes was sorted by Cytoscape. Expression and DNA methylation of hub genes was validated by UALCAN and MethHC. Clinical outcome analysis of hub genes was performed by Kaplan Meier-plotter database for breast cancer. IHC was performed to analyze protein levels of EXO1 and Kaplan-Meier was used for survival analysis. Results: 677 upregulated-hypomethylated and 361 downregulated-hypermethylated genes were obtained from GSE54002, GSE65194, GSE20713 and GSE32393 by GEO2R and FunRich. The most significant biological process, cellular component, molecular function enriched and pathway for upregulated-hypomethylated genes were viral process, cytoplasm, protein binding and cell cycle respectively. For downregulated-hypermethylated genes, the result was peptidyl-tyrosine phosphorylation, plasma membrane, transmembrane receptor protein tyrosine kinase activity and Rap1 signaling pathway (All p< 0.05). 12 hub genes (TOP2A, MAD2L1, FEN1, EPRS, EXO1, MCM4, PTTG1, RRM2, PSMD14, CDKN3, H2AFZ, CCNE2) were sorted from 677 upregulated-hypomethylated genes. 4 hub genes (EGFR, FGF2, BCL2, PIK3R1) were sorted from 361 downregulated-hypermethylated genes. Differential expression of 16 hub genes was validated in UALCAN database (p<0.05). 7 in 12 upregulated-hypomethylated and 2 in 4 downregulated-hypermethylated hub genes were confirmed to be significantly hypomethylated or hypermethylated in breast cancer using MethHC database (p<0.05). Finally, 12 upregulated hub genes (TOP2A, MAD2L1, FEN1, EPRS, EXO1, MCM4, PTTG1, RRM2, PSMD14, CDKN3, H2AFZ, CCNE2) and 3 downregulated genes (FGF2, BCL2, PIK3R1) contributed to significant unfavorable clinical outcome in breast cancer (p<0.05). High expression level of EXO1 protein was significantly associated with poor OS in breast cancer patients (p=0.03). Conclusion: Overexpression of TOP2A, MAD2L1, FEN1, EPRS, EXO1, MCM4, PTTG1, RRM2, PSMD14, CDKN3, H2AFZ, CCNE2 and downregulation of FGF2, BCL2, PIK3R1 might serve as diagnosis and poor prognosis biomarkers in breast cancer by more research validation. EXO1 was identified as an individual unfavorable prognostic factor. Methylation might be one of the major causes leading to abnormal expression of those genes. Functional analysis and pathway enrichment analysis of those genes would provide novel ideas for breast cancer research.

SSTR5‑AS1 functions as a ceRNA to regulate CA2 by sponging miR‑15b‑5p for the development and prognosis of HBV‑related hepatocellular carcinoma

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been implicated in the development and progression of cancer. However, the mechanisms of lncRNAs in hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection-induced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain unclear. The study aimed to reveal the roles of lncRNAs for HBV-HCC based on the hypothesis of competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA). The lncRNA (GSE27462), miRNA (GSE76903) and mRNA (GSE121248) expression profiles were collected from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. Differentially expressed lncRNAs (DELs), genes (DEGs) and miRNAs (DEMs) were identified using the LIMMA or EdgeR package, respectively. The ceRNA network was constructed based on interaction pairs between miRNAs and mRNAs/lncRNAs. The functions of DEGs in the ceRNA network were predicted using the DAVID database, which was overlapped with the known HCC pathways of Comparative Toxicogenomics Database (CTD) to construct the HCC-related ceRNA network. The prognosis values [overall survival, (OS); recurrence-free survival (RFS)] of genes were validated using the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data with Cox regression analysis. The present study screened 38 DELs, 127 DEMs and 721 DEGs. A ceRNA network was constructed among 17 DELs, 12 DEMs and 173 DEGs, including the FAM138B-hsa-miR-30c-CCNE2/RRM2 and SSTR5-AS1-hsa-miR-15b-5p-CA2 ceRNA axes. Function enrichment analysis revealed the genes in the ceRNA network that participated in the p53 signaling pathway [cyclin E2 (CCNE2), ribonucleotide reductase M2 subunit (RRM2)] and nitrogen metabolism [carbonic anhydrase 2 (CA2)], which were also included in the pathways of the CTD. Univariate Cox regression analysis revealed that six RNAs (2 DELs: FAM138B, SSTR5-AS1; 2 DEMs: hsa-miR-149, hsa-miR-7; 2 DEGs: CCNE2, RRM2) were significantly associated with OS; while seven RNAs (1 DEL: LINC00284; 3 DEMs: hsa-miR-7, hsa-miR-15b, hsa-miR-30c-2; and 3 DEGs: RRM2, CCNE2, CA2) were significantly associated with RFS. In conclusion, FAM138B-hsa-miR-30c-CCNE2/RRM2 and the SSTR5-AS1-hsa-miR-15b-5p-CA2 ceRNA axes may be important mechanisms for HBV-related HCC.

The Regulatory Role of MicroRNAs in Breast Cancer

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNA molecules which function as critical post-transcriptional gene regulators of various biological functions. Generally, miRNAs negatively regulate gene expression by binding to their selective messenger RNAs (mRNAs), thereby leading to either mRNA degradation or translational repression, depending on the degree of complementarity with target mRNA sequences. Aberrant expression of these miRNAs has been linked etiologically with various human diseases including breast cancer. Different cellular pathways of breast cancer development such as cell proliferation, apoptotic response, metastasis, cancer recurrence and chemoresistance are regulated by either the oncogenic miRNA (oncomiR) or tumor suppressor miRNA (tsmiR). In this review, we highlight the current state of research into miRNA involved in breast cancer, with particular attention to articles published between the years 2000 to 2019, using detailed searches of the databases PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus. The post-transcriptional gene regulatory roles of various dysregulated miRNAs in breast cancer and their potential as therapeutic targets are also discussed.

Heparan sulfate proteoglycans as trastuzumab targets in anoikis-resistant endothelial cells

Anoikis is a form of programmed cell death induced by loss of contact from neighboring cells or from their extracellular matrix (ECM). Many tumorigenic cells are anoikis resistant, facilitating cancer progression and metastasis. Trastuzumab is a monoclonal antibody used for the treatment of breast and gastric cell cancer, but its mechanism of action is not well elucidated and its target molecules not well defined. Heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) play important roles in tumor development and in response of cancer cells to drugs. This study investigates the effect of trastuzumab on the expression of HSPGs and sulfated glycosaminoglycans (SGAGs) in anoikis-resistant endothelial cells. After trastuzumab treatment, endothelial cells resistant to anoikis show an increase in adhesion to fibronectin followed by a decrease in invasion, proliferation, and angiogenic capacity. In addition, a significant increase in the number of cells in the S phase of the cell cycle was also observed. In relation to HSPGs and SGAGs expression, we observed a decrease in syndecan-4 and perlecan expression, as well as in the heparan sulfate biosynthesis in anoikis-resistant endothelial cells after exposure to trastuzumab. Our results suggest that trastuzumab interacts with GAGs and proteoglycans of the cell surface and ECM and through this interaction controls cellular events in anoikis-resistant endothelial cells.

An eight-lncRNA signature predicts survival of breast cancer patients: a comprehensive study based on weighted gene co-expression network analysis and competing endogenous RNA network

PURPOSE

To identify a lncRNA signature to predict survival of breast cancer (BRCA) patients.

METHODS

A total of 1222 BRCA case and control datasets were downloaded from the TCGA database. The weighted gene co-expression network analysis of differentially expressed mRNAs was performed to generate the modules associated with BRCA overall survival status and further construct a hub on competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network. LncRNA signatures for predicting survival of BRCA patients were generated using univariate survival analyses and a multivariate Cox hazard model analysis and validated and characterized for prognostic performance measured using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves.

RESULTS

A prognostic score model of eight lncRNAs signature was identified as Prognostic score = (0.121 × EXP_AC007731.1) + (0.108 × EXP_AL513123.1) + (0.105 × EXP_C10orf126) + (0.065 × EXP_WT1-AS) + (- 0.126 × EXP_ADAMTS9-AS1) + (- 0.130 × EXP_SRGAP3-AS2) + (0.116 × EXP_TLR8-AS1) + (0.060 × EXP_HOTAIR) with median score 1.088. Higher scores predicted higher risk. The lncRNAs signature was an independent prognostic factor associated with overall survival. The area under the ROC curves (AUC) of the signature was 0.979, 0.844, 0.99 and 0.997 by logistic regression, support vector machine, decision tree and random forest models, respectively, and the AUCs in predicting 1- to 10-year survival were between 0.656 and 0.748 in the test dataset from TCGA database.

CONCLUSIONS

The eight-lncRNA signature could serve as an independent biomarker for prediction of overall survival of BRCA. The lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA ceRNA network is a good tool to identify lncRNAs that is correlated with overall survival of BRCA.

miR-30b suppresses the progression of breast cancer through inhibition of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway by targeting Derlin-1

Background

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play an essential role in the initiation, progression and metastasis of breast cancer. It has been confirmed that miR-30b is involved in various cancers. However, the specific involvement of miR-30b on breast cancer metastasis remains unknown. In the current study, we aimed to investigate the role of miR-30b in the progression and metastasis of breast cancer in vitro.

Methods

We up-regulated the expression of miR-30b in breast cancer cell lines SKBR3 and MDA-MB-231 by transfecting pCMV-miR-30b vector. CCK8, colony formation, Transwell, and flow cytometry assays were used to examine cell proliferation, migration, invasion and apoptosis, respectively. A dual-luciferase reporter assay was performed to identify the relationship between miR-30b and the target gene. Western blot assay was used to detect related proteins.

Results

Our data showed that the overexpression of miR-30b significantly inhibited proliferation, migration and invasion abilities in SKBR3 and MDA-MB-231 cells. Meanwhile, overexpression of miR-30b induced cell apoptosis for both SKBR3 and MDA-MB-231 cells by regulating the expression of apoptosis-related proteins (Bcl-2, Bax, active Caspase-3, and Caspase-9). Moreover, miR-30b inhibited the activation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway by decreasing the phosphorylation levels of Akt and mTOR. Furthermore, we determined that miR-30b could down-regulate the expression of Derlin-1 in a post-transcriptional manner by employing the dual-luciferase reporter and western blot assays. Further analysis demonstrated that depletion of Derlin-1 inhibited Akt phosphorylation, and Derlin-1 could restore the effect of miR-30b on Akt. In addition, the CCK8 assay showed that Derlin-1 could partly reverse the inhibition of cell proliferation of SKBR3 and MDA-MB-231 cells mediated by miR-30b.

Conclusions

Our data demonstrated that miR-30b suppresses the progression and metastasis of breast cancer via inhibition of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway by targeting Derlin-1 in vitro. This suggests that miR-30b might be a novel potent target for breast cancer therapy.

Current Updates on Trastuzumab Resistance in HER2 Overexpressing Breast Cancers

Trastuzumab represents the predominant therapy to target breast cancer subtype marked by HER2 amplification. It has been in use for two decades and its continued importance is underlined by recent FDA approvals of its biosimilar and conjugated versions. Progression to an aggressive disease with acquisition of resistance to trastuzumab remains a major clinical concern. In addition to a number of cellular signaling pathways being investigated, focus in recent years has also shifted to epigenetic and non-coding RNA basis of acquired resistance against trastuzumab. This article provides a succinct discussion on the most recent advances in our understanding of such factors.

LncRNA SNHG5 promotes growth and invasion in melanoma by regulating the miR-26a-5p/TRPC3 pathway

INTRODUCTION

Melanoma has been reported as the most common malignancy in skin cancer. The small nucleolar RNA host gene 5 (SNHG5), an lncRNA, has been proven as a vital regulator in several types of carcinoma. This study was designed to investigate the detailed roles and possible mechanisms of SNHG5 in melanoma progression.

METHODS

Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis was conducted to detect the expression levels of SNHG5, miR-26a-5p and transient receptor potential, canonical 3 (TRPC3) mRNA in melanoma tissues and cells. CCK-8 assay was used to measure the cell viability. Flow cytometry assays were performed to determine the cell cycle distribution and apoptosis. The invasive ability was assessed by a 24-well Transwell insert. Western blot analysis was employed to evaluate the protein expression of TRPC3. Dual luciferase reporter assay, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay, and RNA pull-down assay were applied to identify the interactions among SNHG5, miR-26a-5p and TRPC3.

RESULTS

The results showed that SNHG5 expression was increased in melanoma tumor tissues and cell lines. Higher SNHG5 expression was correlated with advanced pathogenic status. Moreover, SNHG5 could serve as a molecular sponge of miR-26a-5p. SNHG5 downregulation repressed proliferation, promoted apoptosis, and decreased invasion in melanoma cells, while these effects were greatly counteracted by miR-26a-5p inhibitor. Furthermore, miR-26a-5p directly targeted TRPC3 to suppress its expression, and this effect was aggravated following SNHG5 downregulation. Also, TRPC3 depletion exerted similar tumor-suppressive functions as SNHG5 knockdown.

CONCLUSION

SNHG5 promoted melanoma development by inhibiting miR-26a-5p and facilitating TRPC3 expression, highlighting the potential of SNHG5 as a novel target therapy for melanoma.

LDR-Induced miR-30a and miR-30b Target the PAI-1 Pathway to Control Adverse Effects of NSCLC Radiotherapy

Radiotherapy has been a central part in curing non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, it is possible that not all of the tumor cells are destroyed by radiation; therefore, it is important to effectively control residual tumor cells that could become aggressive and resistant to radiotherapy. In this study, we aimed to investigate the molecular mechanism of decreased NSCLC radioresistance by low-dose radiation (LDR) pretreatment. The results indicated that miR-30a and miR-30b, which effectively inhibited plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), were overexpressed by treatment of LDR to NSCLC cells. Phosphorylation of Akt and ERK, the downstream survival signals of PAI-1, was decreased by PAI-1 inhibition. Reduced cell survival and epithelial-mesenchymal transition by PAI-1 inhibition were confirmed in NSCLC cells. Moreover, in vivo orthotopic xenograft mouse models with 7C1 nanoparticles to deliver miRNAs showed that tumor growth and aggressiveness were efficiently decreased by LDR treatment followed by radiotherapy. Taken together, the present study suggested that PAI-1, whose expression is regulated by LDR, was critical for controlling surviving tumor cells after radiotherapy.

Direct Transfection of Fatty Acid Conjugated siRNAs and Knockdown of the Glucose-Regulated Chaperones in Prostate Cancer Cells

The emerging field of RNAi nanotechnology has led to rapid advances in the applications of siRNAs in chemical biology, medicinal chemistry, and biotechnology. In our RNAi approach, bioconjugation of linear, V-, and Y-shaped RNA templates were designed using a series of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids to improve cell uptake and knockdown efficacy of the oncogenic glucose regulated proteins (GRPs) in prostate (PC-3) cancer cells. An optimized HCTU-coupling procedure was developed for tagging variable saturated and unsaturated fatty acids onto the 5'-ends of linear and V-shaped RNA templates that were constructed by semiautomated solid phase RNA synthesis. Hybridization and self-assembly of complementary strands yielded linear, V-, and Y-shaped fatty acid-conjugated siRNAs which were characterized by native PAGE. CD spectroscopy confirmed their A-type helix conformations. RP IP HPLC provided trends in amphiphilic properties, whereas DLS and TEM confirmed multicomponent self-assembled structures that were prone to aggregation. Subsequently, the fatty acid conjugated siRNA bioconjugates were tested for their RNAi activity by direct transfection within PC-3 cells known to overexpress oncogenic GRP activity. The siRNA bioconjugates with sense strand modifiers provided more potent GRP knockdown relative to the antisense modified siRNAs, but to a lesser extent when compared to the unconjugated siRNA controls that were transfected with the commercial Trans-IT X2 dynamic delivery system. Flow cytometry revealed that the latter may be at least in part attributed to limited cell uptake of the fatty acid conjugated siRNAs. Nonetheless, these new constructs represent an entry point in modifying higher-order siRNA constructs that may lead to the generation of more efficient siRNA bioconjugates for screening important oncogene targets and for cancer gene therapy applications.

Different signatures of miR-16, miR-30b and miR-93 in exosomes from breast cancer and DCIS patients

Loading of microRNAs (miRNAs) into exosomes that are involved in cellular communication is a selective process. The current study investigates whether the enrichment of miRNAs in exosomes reflects the pathogenesis of breast cancer (BC) and ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). The levels of miRNAs were quantified in exosomes from plasma of 32 BC patients, 8 DCIS patients and 8 healthy women by TaqMan real-time PCR-based miRNA array cards containing 47 different miRNAs. Then, exosomal miR-16, miR-30b and miR-93 that displayed deregulation in the arrays were selected and analyzed in 111 BC patients, 42 DCIS patients and 39 healthy women by TaqMan real-time PCR. Identification of exosomes was performed by Western blot. The levels of exosomal miR-16 were higher in plasma of BC (p = 0.034) and DCIS (p = 0.047) patients than healthy women, and were associated with estrogen (p = 0.004) and progesterone (p = 0.008) receptor status. Particularly, in estrogen-positive patients miR-16 was significantly enriched in exosomes (p = 0.0001). Lower levels of exosomal miR-30b were associated with recurrence (p = 0.034). Exosomal miR-93 was upregulated in DCIS patients (p = 0.001). Our findings suggest that different signatures of miR-16, miR-30b and miR-93 in exosomes from BC and DCIS patients are associated with a particular biology of breast tumors.

MicroRNAs in cancer drug resistance: Basic evidence and clinical applications

Development of drug resistance has considerably limited the efficacy of cancer treatments, including chemotherapy and targeted therapies. Hence, understanding the molecular mechanisms underpinning the innate or the acquired resistance to these therapies is critical to improve drug efficiency and clinical outcomes. Several studies have implicated microRNAs (miRNA) in this process. MiRNAs repress gene expression by specific binding to complementary sequences in the 3' region of target messenger RNAs (mRNAs), followed by target mRNA degradation or blocked translation. By targeting molecules specific to a particular pathway within tumor cells, the new generation of cancer treatment strategies has shown significant advantages over conventional chemotherapy. However, the long-term efficacy of targeted therapies often remains poor, because tumor cells develop resistance to such therapeutics. Targeted therapies often involve monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), such as those blocking the ErB/HER tyrosine kinases, epidermal growth factor receptor (cetuximab) and HER2 (trastuzumab), and those inhibiting vascular endothelial growth factor receptor signaling (e.g., bevacizumab). Even though these are among the most used agents in tumor medicine, clinical response to these drugs is reduced due to the emergence of drug resistance as a result of toxic effects in the tumor microenvironment. Research on different types of human cancers has revealed that aberrant expression of miRNAs promotes resistance to the aforementioned drugs. In this study, we review the mechanisms of tumor cell resistance to mAb therapies and the role of miRNAs therein. Emerging treatment strategies combine therapies using innovative miRNA mimics or antagonizers with conventional approaches to maximize outcomes of patients with cancer.

MiR-29b inhibits the growth of glioma via MYCN dependent way

MiR-29b is widely involved in diverse cancers. We plan to study its role in glioma. The expression of miR-29b was detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and we found the expression of miR-29b was decreased in glioma. Cell proliferation was evaluated by cell counting kit (CCK8) and 5-Ethynyl-2'- deoxyuridine (EdU) and cell apoptosis was assayed with flow cytometry assay (FCA), which indicated miR-29b can inhibit the proliferation and promote the apoptosis of glioma cells. The target of miR-29b was predicted using miRanda, TargetScan and PicTar sofeware and we also found MYCN was a direct target of miR-29b in glioma cells and miR-29b inhibited the proliferation of glioma cells via MYCN dependent way. Subcutaneous xenotransplantation model was designed to investigate the affection of miR-29b on glioma growth. The effectiveness of miR-29b for glioma prediction was also performed and we determined miR-29b can stably exist and may act as a biomarker for the diagnosis of glioma. As a conclusion, miR-29b inhibits the growth of glioma via MYCN dependent way and can be a biomarker for the diagnosis of glioma.

Genome-wide Discovery and Identification of a Novel miRNA Signature for Recurrence Prediction in Stage II and III Colorectal Cancer

Purpose: The current tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) staging system is inadequate at identifying patients with high-risk colorectal cancer. Using a systematic and comprehensive biomarker discovery and validation approach, we aimed to identify an miRNA recurrence classifier (MRC) that can improve upon the current TNM staging as well as is superior to currently offered molecular assays.Experimental Design: Three independent genome-wide miRNA expression profiling datasets were used for biomarker discovery (N = 158) and in silico validation (N = 109 and N = 40) to identify an miRNA signature for predicting tumor recurrence in patients with colorectal cancer. Subsequently, this signature was analytically trained and validated in retrospectively collected independent patient cohorts of fresh-frozen (N = 127, cohort 1) and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE; N = 165, cohort 2 and N = 139, cohort 3) specimens.Results: We identified an 8-miRNA signature that significantly predicted recurrence-free interval (RFI) in the discovery (P = 0.002) and two independent publicly available datasets (P = 0.00006 and P = 0.002). The RT-PCR-based validation in independent clinical cohorts revealed that MRC-derived high-risk patients succumb to significantly poor RFI in patients with stage II and III colorectal cancer [cohort 1: hazard ratio (HR), 3.44 (1.56-7.45), P = 0.001; cohort 2: HR, 6.15 (3.33-11.35), P = 0.001; and cohort 3: HR, 4.23 (2.26-7.92), P = 0.0003]. In multivariate analyses, MRC emerged as an independent predictor of tumor recurrence and achieved superior predictive accuracy over the currently available molecular assays. The RT-PCR-based MRC risk score = (-0.1218 × miR-744) + (-3.7142 × miR-429) + (-2.2051 × miR-362) + (3.0564 × miR-200b) + (2.4997 × miR-191) + (-0.0065 × miR-30c2) + (2.2224 × miR-30b) + (-1.1162 × miR-33a).Conclusions: This novel MRC is superior to currently used clinicopathologic features, as well as National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) criteria, and works regardless of adjuvant chemotherapy status in identifying patients with high-risk stage II and III colorectal cancer. This can be readily deployed in clinical practice with FFPE specimens for decision-making pending further model testing and validation. Clin Cancer Res; 24(16); 3867-77. ©2018 AACRSee related commentary by Rodriguez et al., p. 3787.

MicroRNA-192-5p suppresses the initiation and progression of osteosarcoma by targeting USP1

Osteosarcoma is the most frequent primary malignant bone tumor. An increasing body of evidence has suggested that microRNAs (miRNA/miRs) have emerged as critical regulators in the initiation and progression of osteosarcoma. The present study explored the biological function of miR-192-5p and ubiquitin-specific protease 1 (USP1), and investigated whether miR-192-5p could directly interact with USP1 in osteosarcoma. The results revealed that miR-192-5p was significantly downregulated in osteosarcoma tissues and cell lines, while a reverse expression profile of USP1 was observed. Ectopic expression of miR-192-5p restrained cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion. In addition, it increased the sensitivity of osteosarcoma cells to cisplatin. USP1 was also observed to be a direct target gene of miR-192-5p in osteosarcoma. Overexpression of USP1 promoted cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion, and decreased cell chemo-sensitivity; however, it could be partially reversed via the overexpression of miR-192-5p in osteosarcoma cell lines. Taken together, the present study demonstrated that miR-192-5p suppressed the initiation and progression of osteosarcoma by targeting USP1. Therefore, miR-192-5p may serve as a valuable biomarker and the miR-192-5p/USP1 axis may function as a novel therapeutic target for osteosarcoma.