miR-182-5p improves the viability, mitosis, migration, and invasion ability of human gastric cancer cells by down-regulating RAB27A

Overview of role of survivin in cancer: expression, regulation, functions, and its potential as a therapeutic target

Survivin holds significant importance as a member of the inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP) family due to its predominant expression in tumours rather than normal terminally differentiated adult tissues. The high expression level of survivin in tumours is closely linked to chemotherapy resistance, heightened tumour recurrence, and increased tumour aggressiveness and serves as a negative prognostic factor for cancer patients. Consequently, survivin has emerged as a promising therapeutic target for cancer treatment. In this review, we delve into the various biological characteristics of survivin in cancers and its pivotal role in maintaining immune system homeostasis. Additionally, we explore different therapeutic strategies aimed at targeting survivin.

MicroRNA-183 cluster: a promising biomarker and therapeutic target in gastrointestinal malignancies

Small non-coding RNAs (microRNA, miR), powerful epigenetic regulators, were found involved in the regulation of most biological functions via post-translational inhibition of protein expression. Increased expression of pro-oncogenic miRs (known as miR cancer biomarkers) and inhibition of pro-apoptotic miR expression have been demonstrated in different tumors. The recently identified miR-183 was found implicated in gastrointestinal tumor metabolism regulation. Elevated miR-183 expression and cancer-promoting effects were reported in esophageal and colorectal cancers, which was partially contradicted by controversial data observed in gastric cancers. Anti-cancer effect of miR-183 in gastric cancer cells was associated with the Bim-1 and Ezrin genes regulation. Many studies indicated that miR-183 can inhibit tumor suppressor genes in most cell lines, promoting tumor cell proliferation and migration. Increased miR-183 level results in the downregulation of FOXO1, PDCD4, and other tumor suppressor genes in gastrointestinal tumor cells. MiR-183 also influences the signaling of PI3K/AKT/mTOR, Wnt/β-catenin, and Bcl-2/p53 signaling pathways. Mir-183 inhibits apoptosis and autophagy, and promotes epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, cancer cell proliferation, and migration. Accordingly, gastrointestinal cancer occurrence, development of chemoradiotherapy resistance, recurrence/metastasis, and prognosis were associated with miR-183 expression. The current study assessed reported miR-183 functions and signaling, providing new insights for the diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal malignancies.

Oncogenic miR-1825 promotes head and neck carcinogenesis via targeting FREM1

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most common malignant cancer type worldwide. Although the therapeutic modalities currently used for patients with HNSCC improved in recent decades, HNSCC prognosis is still poor. Therefore, it is an urgent necessity to understand the pathogenesis of HNSCC, to develop novel and effective treatment strategies, and to characterize and identify the oncogenes that are responsible for an aggressive HNSCC phenotype. In this study, we aimed to better understand the roles of miR-1825 in the pathogenesis of HNSCC. We examined the impacts of miR-1825 deregulation on the cancer-associated phenotypes using in vitro tests evaluating cell viability, clonogenicity, cell migration, invasion, apoptosis, and stem cell characteristics. In addition, we investigated the effects of miR-1825 overexpression on the tumor formation capacity of head and neck cancer cells in vivo using nude mice. We searched for potential targets of miR-1825 using microarray analysis and luciferase assay. We found that miR-1825 expression is upregulated in head and neck cells and clinical tumor samples in comparison to corresponding controls, where it potentially acts as an oncogene. We, then, showed that ectopic miR-1825 overexpression promotes cellular phenotypes related to head and neck cancer progression in vitro and has a stimulating potential on cancer formation in vivo. We also identified FREM1 as a direct target of miR-1825 and demonstrated its reduced expression in HNSCC samples using immunohistochemistry analysis. Collectively, we suggest that the miR-1825/FREM1 axis serves as an important mediator of HNSCC development, where miR-1825 acts as an oncogene.

The emerging role of MicroRNA-182 in tumorigenesis; a promising therapeutic target

A wide range of studies have indicated that microRNAs (miRNAs), a type of small single-stranded regulatory RNAs, are dysregulated in a different variety of human cancers. Therefore, they are expected to play important roles in tumorigenesis by functioning as oncogenic (oncomiRs) or tumor-suppressive miRNAs. Subsequently, their potential as diagnostic and therapeutic targets for malignancies has attracted attention in recent years. In particular, studies have revealed the aberrant expression of miR-182 through tumorigenesis and its important roles in various aspects of malignancies, including proliferation, metastasis, and chemoresistance. Accumulating reports have illustrated that miR-182, as a dual-role regulator, directly or indirectly regulates the expression of a wide range of genes and modulates the activity of various signaling pathways involved in tumor progression, such as JAK / STAT3, Wnt / β-catenin, TGF-β, and P13K / AKT. Therefore, considering the high therapeutic and diagnostic potential of miR-182, this review aims to point out the effects of miR-182 dysregulation on the signaling pathways involved in tumorigenesis.

Inhibition of miR-182-5p attenuates ROS and protects against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury by targeting STK17A

Reperfusion therapy for acute myocardial infarction inevitably leads to ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. A number of miRNAs are reported to be involved in I/R injury. This study aims to investigate the role and underlying mechanism of miR-182-5p in I/R injury. An in vivo model of I/R-induced rat myocardial injury and an in vitro model of H/R H9c2 cells were established to investigate the role and mechanism of miR-182-5p in I/R injury. The myocardial infarct size was determined by TTC staining. The serum CK-MB level was determined by ELISA kit. The miR-182-5p inhibitors or mimics were used to down-regulate or up-regulate its expression. The apoptosis and ROS were detected by flow cytometry. The expression of the proteins was detected by western blot. The binding of STK17A and miR-182-5p was validated by dual-luciferase reporter assay. The miR-182-5p was confirmed to be highly expressed in I/R injury rats and H/R H9c2 cells. Inhibition of miR-182-5p significantly reduced the infarct size and decreased the serum CK-MB level of I/R rats, and significantly reduced the ROS level but increased the level of MnSOD and catalase. While, an opposite effect was observed in the miR-182-5p mimics group. Furthermore, our results suggested that miR-182-5p targeted STK17A, and TK17A knockdown significantly increased the apoptotic rate and ROS level. The inhibitory effect of miR-182-5p inhibitors on apoptotic rate, ROS, MnSOD, and catalase levels were abrogated by siSTK17A. These results indicate that miR-182-5p regulates the apoptosis and ROS and protects against myocardial I/R injury by targeting STK17A.

miR-182-5p Serves as an Oncogene in Lung Adenocarcinoma through Binding to STARD13

Lung cancer as one of the commonest invasive malignancies is featured by high morbidity and mortality, wherein lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the most prevalent subtype. Accumulating evidence exhibited that microRNAs are involved in LUAD occurrence and progression. In this study, miR-182-5p was observed to increase in both LUAD tissue and cell lines. Overexpression of miR-182-5p could prominently facilitate cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in LUAD. Through bioinformatics analysis, STARD13 was theorized as the target gene of miR-182-5p, which was lowly expressed in LUAD. Further molecular experiments manifested that miR-182-5p bound to the 3'-untranslated region of STARD13, and there was an inverse correlation between STARD13 and miR-182-5p in LUAD. Rescue experiments demonstrated that silencing STARD13 conspicuously restored the inhibitory effect of decreased miR-182-5p on cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in LUAD. Together, our findings revealed novel roles of the miR-182-5p/STARD13 axis in LUAD progression.

Down regulation of miR-30a-5p and miR-182-5p in gastric cancer: Clinical impact and survival analysis

Background and aim

Gastric Cancer (GC) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, particularly in developing nations, only a few suitable gastric cancer serum biomarkers with acceptable sensitivity and specificity exist. This work aims to highlight and uncover miR-30a-5p and miR-182-5p's diagnostic roles regarding gastric cancer and their roles in predicting prognosis.

Methods

148 patients participated in this study. Groups I, II, and III had 47 patients with GC, 54 patients with benign gastric lesions, and 47 apparently healthy subjects of coincided age and gender as controls, respectively. All participants were clinically evaluated and subjected to CBC, serum CEA, and CA19-9 by ELISA, and real-time PCR tests of miR-30a-5p and miR-182-5p.

Results

MiR30a-5p and miR-182-5p were down regulated in gastric cancer patients in Group I more than Groups II and III (P < 0.001). ROC curve analysis revealed that miR30a-5p had better AUC, sensitivity, and specificity (0.961%, 93.62%, and 90.74%respectively). When miR-182-5p was gathered with CEA and CA19-9, specificity raised to 98.15% and PPV to 97.6%. Lower miR-30a-5p levels are linked with the presence of distant metastases, advanced TNM stage, and degree of pathological differentiation of tumors in GC patients (p = 0.034, 0.019, 0.049) respectively. According to the multivariate analysis, miR30a-5p expression level could be an independent predictor of GC.

Conclusion

Our results exhibited that miRNAs, miR-30a-5p and miR182-5p, gene expression have a diagnostic power and can identify patients with GC. MiR-30a-5p displayed the highest diagnostic specificity and sensitivity. Besides other known tumor markers, they could offer simple noninvasive biomarkers that predict gastric cancer.

Circ_002059 suppresses cell proliferation and migration of gastric cancer via miR-182/MTSS1 axis

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) play either oncogenic or tumor suppressive roles in gastric cancer (GC). A previous study demonstrated that circ_002059, a typical circRNA, was downregulated in GC tissues. However, the role and mechanism of circ_002059 in GC development are still unknown. In this study, the levels of circ_002059, miR-182, and metastasis suppressor-1 (MTSS1) were examined by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis. Cell proliferation and migration were evaluated by MTT assay and Transwell migration assay, respectively. The interactions between miR-182 and circ_002059 or MTSS1 were analyzed by dual-luciferase reporter assay. A GC xenograft model was established to validate the role of circ_002059 in GC progression in vivo. Overexpression of circ_002059 significantly inhibited, whereas knockdown of circ_002059 notably facilitated, cell proliferation and migration in GC cells. MTSS1 was found to be a direct target of miR-182 and circ_002059 upregulated MTSS1 expression by competitively sponging miR-182. Transfection with miR-182 mimic and MTSS1 silencing abated the inhibitory effect of circ_002059 on GC progression. Circ_002059 inhibited GC cell xenograft tumor growth by regulating miR-182 and MTSS1 expression. Collectively, Circ_002059 inhibited GC cell proliferation and migration in vitro and xenograft tumor growth in mice, by regulating the miR-182/MTSS1 axis.

Flavonoid display ability to target microRNAs in cancer pathogenesis

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are non-coding, conserved, single-stranded nucleotide sequences involved in physiological and developmental processes. Recent evidence suggests an association between miRNAs' deregulation with initiation, promotion, progression, and drug resistance in cancer cells. Besides, miRNAs are known to regulate the epithelial-mesenchymal transition, angiogenesis, autophagy, and senescence in different cancer types. Previous reports proposed that apart from the antioxidant potential, flavonoids play an essential role in miRNAs modulation associated with changes in cancer-related proteins, tumor suppressor genes, and oncogenes. Thus, flavonoids can suppress proliferation, help in the development of drug sensitivity, suppress metastasis and angiogenesis by modulating miRNAs expression. In the present review, we summarize the role of miRNAs in cancer, drug resistance, and the chemopreventive potential of flavonoids mediated by miRNAs. The potential of flavonoids to modulate miRNAs expression in different cancer types demonstrate their selectivity and importance as regulators of carcinogenesis. Flavonoids as chemopreventive agents targeting miRNAs are extensively studied in vitro, in vivo, and pre-clinical studies, but their efficiency in targeting miRNAs in clinical studies is less investigated. The evidence presented in this review highlights the potential of flavonoids in cancer prevention/treatment by regulating miRNAs, although further investigations are required to validate and establish their clinical usefulness.

Bioinformatics Analysis of Key Genes and circRNA-miRNA-mRNA Regulatory Network in Gastric Cancer

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common malignancies in the world, with morbidity and mortality ranking second among all cancers. Accumulating evidences indicate that circular RNAs (circRNAs) are closely correlated with tumorigenesis. However, the mechanisms of circRNAs still remain unclear. This study is aimed at determining hub genes and circRNAs and analyzing their potential biological functions in GC. Expression profiles of mRNAs and circRNAs were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) data sets of GC and paracancer tissues. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and differentially expressed circRNAs (DE-circRNAs) were identified. The target miRNAs of DE-circRNAs and the bidirectional interaction between target miRNAs and DEGs were predicted. Functional analysis was performed, and the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and the circRNA-miRNA-mRNA network were established. A total of 456 DEGs and 2 DE-circRNAs were identified with 3 mRNA expression profiles and 2 circRNA expression profiles. GO analysis indicated that DEGs were mainly enriched in extracellular matrix and cell adhesion, and KEGG confirmed that DEGs were mainly associated with focal adhesion, the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, extracellular matrix- (ECM)- receptor interaction, and gastric acid secretion. 15 hub DEGs (BGN, COL1A1, COL1A2, FBN1, FN1, SPARC, SPP1, TIMP1, UBE2C, CCNB1, CD44, CXCL8, COL3A1, COL5A2, and THBS1) were identified from the PPI network. Furthermore, the survival analysis indicate that GC patients with a high expression of the following 9 hub DEGs, namely, BGN, COL1A1, COL1A2, FBN1, FN1, SPARC, SPP1, TIMP1, and UBE2C, had significantly worse overall survival. The circRNA-miRNA-mRNA network was constructed based on 1 circRNA, 15 miRNAs, and 45 DEGs. In addition, the 45 DEGs included 5 hub DEGs. These results suggested that hub DEGs and circRNAs could be implicated in the pathogenesis and development of GC. Our findings provide novel evidence on the circRNA-miRNA-mRNA network and lay the foundation for future research of circRNAs in GC.

Circular RNA MTO1 Inhibits the Proliferation and Invasion of Ovarian Cancer Cells Through the miR-182-5p/KLF15 Axis

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a novel class of endogenous noncoding RNAs and have been shown to play important roles in a variety of physiological processes. Recently, dysregulation of circRNAs has been identified in many types of cancers. In this study, we analyzed the expression profile and biological functions of circMTO1 in ovarian cancer. We demonstrated that circMTO1 was downregulated in ovarian cancer tissues and cell lines. Upregulation of circMTO1 inhibited proliferation and invasion of ovarian cancer cells while downregulation of circMTO1 promoted these processes. Mechanistically, we showed that circMTO1 sponged miR-182-5p to support KLF15 expression, eventually leading to inhibition of ovarian cancer progression. In conclusion, our study suggested circMTO1 as a novel biomarker and therapeutic target for ovarian cancer treatment.

Targeting TRAF3IP2, Compared to Rab27, is More Effective in Suppressing the Development and Metastasis of Breast Cancer

Here we investigated the roles of Rab27a, a player in exosome release, and TRAF3IP2, an inflammatory mediator, in development and metastasis of breast cancer (BC) in vivo. Knockdown (KD) of Rab27a (MDA_KDRab27a) or TRAF3IP2 (MDA_KDTRAF3IP2) in triple negative MDA-MB231 cells reduced tumor growth by 70-97% compared to wild-type tumors (MDA_w). While metastasis was detected in MDA_w-injected animals, none was detected in MDA_KDRab27a- or MDA_KDTRAF3IP2-injected animals. Interestingly, micrometastasis was detected only in the MDA_KDRab27a-injected group. In addition to inhibiting tumor growth and metastasis, silencing TRAF3IP2 disrupted inter-cellular inflammatory mediator-mediated communication with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) injected into contralateral mammary gland, evidenced by the lack of tumor growth at MSC-injected site. Of translational significance, treatment of pre-formed MDA_w-tumors with a lentiviral-TRAF3IP2-shRNA not only regressed their size, but also prevented metastasis. These results demonstrate that while silencing Rab27a and TRAF3IP2 each inhibited tumor growth and metastasis, silencing TRAF3IP2 is more effective; targeting TRAF3IP2 inhibited tumor formation, regressed preformed tumors, and prevented both macro- and micrometastasis. Silencing TRAF3IP2 also blocked interaction between tumor cells and MSCs injected into the contralateral gland, as evidenced by the lack of tumor formation on MSCs injected site. These results identify TRAF3IP2 as a novel therapeutic target in BC.

CircPSMC3 Suppresses Migration and Invasion of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells via miR-182-5p/NME2 Axis

Background

CircPSMC3 has been reported to play important roles in the occurrence and development of cancer. However, the role of circPSMC3 in NSCLC (non-small cell lung cancer) and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear.

Material/Methods

The expression of circPSMC3 in NSCLC tissues was measured through qRT-PCR (quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction). The effect of circPSMC3 on the invasion and migration of NSCLC cell line H1299 was determined through transwell invasion assay and wound healing assay. Dual-luciferase reporter assay was performed for exploring the regulatory interaction between circPSMC3, miR-182-5p, and NME2.

Results

Compared with adjacent normal tissues, the expression of circPSMC3 in NSCLC tissues was decreased. Lower circPSMC3 expression was closely associated with lymph node metastasis and higher TNM stage in NSCLC patients. Biological function analysis suggested that circPSMC3 inhibits the invasion and migration of H1299 cells through upregulating the expression of NME2. Mechanistically, circPSMC3 sponges miR-182-5p to suppress the invasion and migration of NSCLC cells via upregulating NME2 expression.

Conclusions

CircPSMC3 inhibits the invasion and migration of NSCLC cells through the miR-182-5p/NME2 signaling pathway.

Hypoxic Cancer-Secreted Exosomal miR-182-5p Promotes Glioblastoma Angiogenesis by Targeting Kruppel-like Factor 2 and 4

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most lethal primary brain tumor and has a complex molecular profile. Hypoxia plays a critical role during tumor progression and in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Exosomes released by tumor cells contain informative nucleic acids, proteins, and lipids involved in the interaction between cancer and stromal cells, thus leading to TME remodeling. Accumulating evidence indicates that exosomes play a pivotal role in cell-to-cell communication. However, the mechanism by which hypoxia affects tumor angiogenesis via exosomes derived from tumor cells remains largely unknown. In our study, we found that, compared with the parental cells under normoxic conditions, the GBM cells produced more exosomes, and miR-182-5p was significantly upregulated in the exosomes from GBM cells under hypoxic conditions. Exosomal miR-182-5p directly suppressed its targets Kruppel-like factor 2 and 4, leading to the accumulation of VEGFR, thus promoting tumor angiogenesis. Furthermore, exosome-mediated miR-182-5p also inhibited tight junction-related proteins (such as ZO-1, occludin, and claudin-5), thus enhancing vascular permeability and tumor transendothelial migration. Knockdown of miR-182-5p reduced angiogenesis and tumor proliferation. Interestingly, we found elevated levels circulating miR-182-5p in patient blood serum and cerebrospinal fluid samples, and its expression level was inversely related to the prognosis. IMPLICATIONS: Overall, our data clarify the diagnostic and prognostic value of tumor-derived exosome-mediated miR-182-5p and reveal the distinctive cross-talk between tumor cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells mediated by tumor-derived exosomes that modulate tumor vasculature.

The comprehensive upstream transcription and downstream targeting regulation network of miRNAs reveal potential diagnostic roles in gastric cancer

Evidence has shown that miRNAs can be regulated by multiple mechanisms and can participate in tumorigenesis and progression through binding to 3'-UTRs of target mRNAs. The present study identified differentially expressed miRNAs, mRNAs, and TFs by analyzing miRNA-Seq and mRNA-Seq data to construct a TFs/miRNAs/mRNAs regulation network for GC. We found five miRNAs (miR-18a-5p, miR-21-5p, miR-96-5p, miR-182-5p, and miR-196b-5p) that were significantly overexpressed in GC tissues. Clinical analyses indicated that higher miR-21-5p expression was associated with T3 + T4 and stage III + IV. The expression of miR-96-5p, miR-182-5p, and miR-196b-5p were positively correlated with the patients' ages. The five miRNAs had diagnostic efficacy in distinguishing GC from normal tissues. The gene interaction network showed that the five miRNAs were transcriptionally regulated by 11 TFs and negatively regulated 53 mRNA expressions through binding to the 3'-UTRs. Biological pathway analysis suggested that these TFs and target genes were involved in the p53 pathway, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, ErbB receptor, mTOR, VEGF, and VEGFR signaling networks. KEGG pathway analysis indicated that these genes were enriched in some cancer-associated pathways, including in GC. The five miRNAs may act as potential diagnostic markers and the TFs/miRNAs/mRNAs network could suggest a regulation mechanism of miRNAs.

Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell-Derived Exosomal MicroRNAs Regulate Endothelial Cell Migration Under PDGF Stimulation

Intercellular communication between vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and endothelial cells (ECs) is essential for the maintenance of vascular homeostasis. The presence of exosomes, a recently discovered player in vascular cell communication, has been associated with vascular disease progression. However, the detailed mechanism of how the signal mediated by exosomes affects the function of vascular cells during vascular pathogenesis is yet to be further understood. In this study, we investigated the expression of exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) secreted by VSMCs and their functional relevance to ECs in pathogenesis, including their role in processes such as platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) stimulation. We observed that PDGF stimulation contributes to a change in exosomal miRNA release from VSMCs; specifically, miR-1246, miR-182, and miR-486 were deficient in exosomes derived from PDGF-stimulated VSMCs. The reduced miRNA expression in these exosomes is associated with an increase in EC migration. These findings increase our understanding of exosome-mediated crosstalk between vascular cells under a pathological condition.

Long non-coding RNA UCA1 promotes malignant phenotypes of renal cancer cells by modulating the miR-182-5p/DLL4 axis as a ceRNA

Background

Accumulating literatures have indicated that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are potential biomarkers that play key roles in tumor development and progression. Urothelial cancer associated 1 (UCA1) is a novel lncRNA that acts as a potential biomarker and is involved in the development of cancers. However, the molecular mechanism of UCA1 in renal cancer is still needed to further explore.

Methods

The relative expression level of UCA1 was determined by Real-Time qPCR in a total of 88 patients with urothelial renal cancer and in different renal cancer cell lines. Loss-of-function experiments were performed to investigate the biological roles of UCA1 and miR-182-5p on renal cancer cell proliferation, migration, apoptosis and tumorigenicity. Comprehensive transcriptional analysis, dual-luciferase reporter assay and western blot etc. were performed to explore the molecular mechanisms underlying the functions of UCA1.

Results

In this study, we found that UCA1 was significantly up-regulated in renal cancer. Moreover, increased UCA1 expression was positively correlated with differentiation and advanced TNM stage. Further experiments demonstrated that knockdown of UCA1 inhibited malignant phenotypes and Notch signal path of renal cancer cells, and miR-182-5p was reverse function as UCA1. UCA1 functioned as a miRNA sponge to positively regulate the expression of Delta-like ligand 4(DLL4) through sponging miR-182-5p and subsequently promoted malignant phenotypes of renal cancer cells, thus UCA1 playing an oncogenic role and miR-182-5p as an antioncogenic one in renal cancer pathogenesis.

Conclusion

UCA1-miR-182-5p-DLL4 axis is involved in proliferation and progression of renal cancer. Thus, this study demonstrated that UCA1 plays a critical regulatory role in renal cancer cell and UCA1 may serve as a potential diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic target of renal cancer.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12943-020-1132-x.

MiR-182 promotes glioma progression by targeting FBXW7

OBJECTIVE

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are widely considered to play an important role in the tumor progression. In this study, we aimed to investigate the potential biological effects of miR-182 and its target FBXW7 on glioma development.

METHODS

Expression data of glioma were procured from TCGA database. Differential analysis was performed to identify the potential differentially expressed miRNA (DEmiRNA), and bioinformatics databases were utilized for target genes prediction. qRT-PCR was conducted to detect miR-182 and western blot was performed to test FBXW7 in protein level. Then the cells were processed for proliferation determination by CCK-8, migration test through wound healing assay, invasion detection via Transwell and apoptosis measurement by flow cytometry. In addition, dual-luciferase reporter gene assay was carried out for evaluation of the targeted relationship between the miR-182 and FBXW7.

RESULTS

MiR-182 was found to be up-regulated in glioma cells while FBXW7 was down-regulated. Besides, miR-182 was predicted to targeted bind with FBXW7 on 3'UTR via bioinformatics methods, and their targeted relationship was further validated by dual-luciferase assay. MiR-182 mimic could significantly promote cell proliferation, migration, invasion and inhibit cell apoptosis, while miR-182 inhibitor had the negative effect. Moreover, FBXW7 knockdown could reverse the inhibitory effect of miR-182 inhibitor on glioma cells.

CONCLUSION

MiR-182 promotes cell proliferation, migration, invasion and inhibits cell apoptosis in glioma by targeting FBXW7.

Knockdown of Rab9 Suppresses the Progression of Gastric Cancer Through Regulation of Akt Signaling Pathway

Rabs have been reported to be involved in the carcinogenesis process and in the progression of cancer. However, it is unclear whether or not Rab9 is associated with the development of cancer. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the role of Rab9 in the biological functions of gastric cancer cells. The gastric cancer cell lines AGS and MKN45 were transfected with siRNA-Rab9 to block the expression of Rab9. The cell viability, proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis were examined using Cell Count Kit-8, colony formation, wound healing, Transwell, and flow cytometry assays, respectively. Our data showed that silencing of Rab9 significantly inhibited the viability, proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities of AGS and MKN45 cells. Moreover, transfection with siRab9 promoted the rate of apoptosis in AGS and MKN45 cells through regulating the Bcl-2-Bax axis and the Caspase cascade. We also found that silencing of Rab9 inhibited activation of the Akt signaling pathway by downregulating the phosphorylation level of Akt. In conclusion, our data suggest that Rab9 plays an oncogenic role in the progression of gastric cancer, providing a potential target for the treatment of gastric cancer.

Identification of Potentially Functional CircRNA-miRNA-mRNA Regulatory Network in Gastric Carcinoma using Bioinformatics Analysis

Background

As all we know, gastric cancer (GC) is a highly aggressive disease. Recently, circular RNA (circRNA) was found to play a vital role in regulation of GC. Some circRNAs could regulate messenger RNA (mRNA) expression by functioning as a microRNA (miRNA) sponge. Nevertheless, the circRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory network involved GC rarely has been explored and researched.

Material/Methods

All the differentially expressed circRNAs, miRNAs, and mRNA were derived from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) microarray data (GSE78092, GSE89143, GSE93415, and GSE54129). GC level 3 miRNA-sequencing data and clinical information were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Furthermore, a circRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory network was constructed by Cytoscape (version 3.6.1). Gene Ontology (GO) analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway revealed the functions and signaling pathways associated with these target genes. Hub genes of protein-protein interaction (PPI) network were identified by STRING database and cytoHubba.

Results

The regulatory network consists of 3 circRNAs, 22 miRNAs, and 128 mRNAs. Only 3 miRNAs of the network were consistent with the expression of TCGA and were associated with some clinical features. The results of the functional analysis of 128 mRNAs showed that GO analysis and KEGG pathways of inclusion criteria were 49 and 24, respectively. PPI network and Cytoscape showed that the top 10 hub genes were MYC, CTGF, TGFBR2, TGFBR1, SERPINE1, KRAS, ZEB1, THBS1, CDK6, and TNS1; 4 of which were verified by GEPIA based on TCGA. Highly expressed SERPINE1 had a poor OS (over survival) and DFS (disease-free survival), and TGFBR1 expression increased along with the increase of clinical stages.

Conclusions

This study looked at a circRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory network associated with GC and explored the potential functions of mRNA in the network, then identified a new molecular marker for prediction, prognosis, and therapeutic targets for clinical patients.

Prognostic values and prospective pathway signaling of MicroRNA-182 in ovarian cancer: a study based on gene expression omnibus (GEO) and bioinformatics analysis

BACKGROUND

Ovarian carcinoma (OC) is a common cause of death among women with gynecological cancer. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are believed to have vital roles in tumorigenesis of OC. Although miRNAs are broadly recognized in OC, the role of has-miR-182-5p (miR-182) in OC is still not fully elucidated.

METHODS

We evaluated the significance of miR-182 expression in OC by using analysis of a public dataset from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and a literature review. Furthermore, we downloaded three mRNA datasets of OC and normal ovarian tissues (NOTs), GSE14407, GSE18520 and GSE36668, from GEO to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Then the targeted genes of hsa-miR-182-5p (TG_miRNA-182-5p) were predicted using miRWALK3.0. Subsequently, we analyzed the gene overlaps integrated between DEGs in OC and predicted target genes of miR-182 by Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis. STRING and Cytoscape were used to construct a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and the prognostic effects of the hub genes were analyzed.

RESULTS

A common pattern of up-regulation for miR-182 in OC was found in our review of the literature. A total of 268 DEGs, both OC-related and miR-182-related, were identified, of which 133 genes were discovered from the PPI network. A number of DEGs were enriched in extracellular matrix organization, pathways in cancer, focal adhesion, and ECM-receptor interaction. Two hub genes, MCM3 and GINS2, were significantly associated with worse overall survival of patients with OC. Furthermore, we identified covert miR-182-related genes that might participate in OC by network analysis, such as DCN, AKT3, and TIMP2. The expressions of these genes were all down-regulated and negatively correlated with miR-182 in OC.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study suggests that miR-182 is essential for the biological progression of OC.

Expression of miR-182 and Foxo3a in patients with bladder cancer correlate with prognosis

OBJECTIVE

FoxO3a is a specific tumor suppressor gene in the forkhead transcription factor O subfamily (FoxO). Studies show that its expression plays a role in bladder cancer. The abnormal expression of miR-182 in bladder cancer suggests that miR-182 may be an oncogene in bladder cancer. Bioinformatic analysis showed that there is a target complementary binding site between miR-182 and Foxo3a. In this study, the expression of miR-182 and Foxo3a in cancer tissues of patients with bladder cancer was detected. The expression of miR-182 and Foxo3a in bladder cancer tissues and their relationship with the prognosis of the patients were analyzed, and the role of miR-182 in regulating the expression of Foxo3a and the biologic process of cell proliferation and apoptosis in bladder cancer cells was explored.

METHODS

Tumor tissues of patients with bladder cancer were collected and the normal bladder mucosa was used as a control. The expression of Foxo3a was detected by western blot. The expression of miR-182 and Foxo3a mRNA was detected by qRT-PCR. The relationship between miR-182, Foxo3a mRNA and the clinical features of patients was analyzed. The median expression of miR-182 and Foxo3a mRNA was bounded, and Log Rank test was used to compare the survival rate of low and high expression of miR-182 and Foxo3a mRNA. The double luciferase reporter gene assay was used to confirm a target regulatory effect between miR-182 and Foxo3a. In vitro, RT112 and T24 cells were divided into 2 groups: group miR-NC, and group miR-182 inhibitor. qRT-PCR and western blot were used to detect the expression of Foxo3a, flow cytometry was used to detect cell apoptosis, and EdU staining was used to detect cell proliferation.

RESULTS

Compared with normal bladder tissue, the expression of miR-182 in bladder cancer tissue was significantly increased, and it was related to tumor size, TNM stage, and lymph node metastasis (P < 0.05). The expression of Foxo3a mRNA was significantly decreased, and was related to tumor size, TNM stage, histopathologic classification, and lymph node metastasis (P < 0.05). There was a significant negative correlation between the expression of miR-182 and Foxo3a mRNA in bladder cancer (r = -0.602, P < 0.05). The prognosis of patients with high expression of miR-182 was significantly worse than that of those with low miR-182 expression. The prognosis of patients with low expression of Foxo3a was significantly better than those with high Foxo3a. Double luciferase reporter gene experiments confirmed that there was a target regulatory relationship between miR-182 and Foxo3a. Transfection of miR-182 inhibitor significantly increased the expression of Foxo3a in RT112 and T24 cells, significantly reducing cell proliferation, and significantly increasing apoptosis.

CONCLUSION

The expression of miR-182 was increased and the expression of Foxo3a was decreased in bladder cancer, which is related to prognosis. Downregulation of the expression of miR-182 can increase the expression of Foxo3a, inhibiting the proliferation of bladder cancer cells and inducing apoptosis.

Long Noncoding RNA SNHG16 Sponges miR-182-5p And miR-128-3p To Promote Retinoblastoma Cell Migration And Invasion By Targeting LASP1

Background

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are dysregulated and play an important role in the tumorigenesis and progression of cancers. However, the potential roles of SNHG16 in retinoblastoma progression still remain largely unclear.

Materials and methods

The expression levels of SNHG16, miR-182-5p, miR-128-3p and LASP1 in retinoblastoma tissues and cell lines were detected using qRT-PCR. The migratory and invasive abilities of retinoblastoma cells were assessed using Transwell assay. The regulatory relationships among SNHG16, miR-182-5p, miR-128-3p and LASP1 were analyzed through bioinformatics prediction and validated by luciferase reporter assay and Western blot.

Results

Here, we demonstrated that SNHG16 was frequently up-regulated in retinoblastoma tissue samples and cell lines. Clinicopathological features showed that high levels of SNHG16 were significantly associated with retinoblastoma metastasis and predicted poor overall survival. Functional studies demonstrated that knockdown of SNHG16 suppressed retinoblastoma cell migration and invasion. Mechanistic investigation revealed that SNHG16 exerted its oncogenic activity through increasing LASP1 expression and sponging miR-182-5p and miR-128-3p.

Conclusion

Taken together, our findings suggest SNHG16 as a novel biomarker and therapeutic target against retinoblastoma.

Assessment of miR-182, miR-183, miR-184, and miR-221 Expressions in Primary Pterygium and Comparison With the Normal Conjunctiva

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to investigate the expression levels of miR-126-3p, miR-182-5p, miR-183-5p, miR-184, miR-221-3p, and miR-205-5p in primary pterygium tissue and compare these levels with those in healthy conjunctiva tissue.

METHODS

Twenty-four patients who were diagnosed with grade 3 primary pterygium and scheduled for surgery between January 2014 and January 2016 and had no systemic disease or other ocular pathology were included in the study. The control group comprised nasal interpalpebral conjunctival tissue specimens from 24 age- and sex-matched patients with no history of systemic disease or ocular pathology other than cataract. Expression levels of miR-126-3p, miR-182-5p, miR-183-5p, miR-184, miR-221-3p, and miR-205-5p were determined and compared between the pterygium and conjunctiva specimens.

RESULTS

Expression levels of miR-182-5p, miR-183-5p, and miR-184 were significantly higher in pterygium tissue compared with normal conjunctival specimens (P<0.0001, P=0.01, and P=0.01, respectively), whereas expression of miR-221-3p was significantly lower (P=0.02). Expression levels of miR-126-3p and miR-205-5p did not differ significantly between the 2 groups (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Expression levels of miR-182-5p, miR-183-5p, and miR-184 are increased, whereas expression of miR-221-3p is decreased in primary pterygium tissue, and these miRNAs may play a role in the pathogenesis of pterygium.

The role of dietary phytochemicals in the carcinogenesis via the modulation of miRNA expression

PURPOSE

Phytochemicals are naturally occurring plant-derived compounds and some of them have the potential to serve as anticancer drugs. Based on recent evidence, aberrantly regulated expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) is closely associated with malignancy. MicroRNAs are characterized as small non-coding RNAs functioning as posttranscriptional regulators of gene expression. Accordingly, miRNAs regulate various target genes, some of which are involved in the process of carcinogenesis.

RESULTS

This comprehensive review emphasizes the anticancer potential of phytochemicals, either isolated or in combination, mediated by miRNAs. The ability to modulate the expression of miRNAs demonstrates their importance as regulators of tumorigenesis. Phytochemicals as anticancer agents targeting miRNAs are widely studied in preclinical in vitro and in vivo research. Unfortunately, their anticancer efficacy in targeting miRNAs is less investigated in clinical research.

CONCLUSIONS

Significant anticancer properties of phytochemicals as regulators of miRNA expression have been proven, but more studies investigating their clinical relevance are needed.

MicroRNA-182-5p Modulates Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Migration and Invasion Via Targeting MTSS1 Gene

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) characterized with invasive growth, local metastasis and later stage diagnosis was a common malignancy in head and neck region. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between miR-182-5p and OSCC, which will contribute to find potential biomarker for OSCC metastasis. MiR-182-5p expression level was detected by the quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Cell migration and invasion ability were examined by scratch and transwell assay. Loss-of function together with luciferase reporter assay were used to verify the miR-182-5p modulated OSCC cells migration and metastasis was mediated by MTSS1. The expression of MTSS1 protein was examined by western blotting. MiR-182-5p up-regulated in OSCC, was involved in the migration and invasion of OSCC and the increased miR-182-5p expression was correlated with lower OSCC differentiation grade, higher T and N stage. Bioinformatics analysis predicted MTSS1 gene was a potential target of miR-182-5p. Following co-transfection, qRT-PCR, luciferase activities assay and western blotting confirmed that MTSS1 gene was a direct target of miR-182-5p and silence of MTSS1 could reverse the effects of miR-182-5p on OSCC migration and invasion. MiR-182-5p was up-regulated in OSCC and the ability of miR-182-5p to promote MTSS1 repression may precipitate in the OSCC through bypassing cell migration and invasion control.

MiR-182-5p Knockdown Targeting PTEN Inhibits Cell Proliferation and Invasion of Breast Cancer Cells

PURPOSE

Breast cancer (BC) is one of the most common malignant tumors, affecting a significant number of women worldwide. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been reported to play important roles in tumorigenesis. The aim of this study was to determine the roles of miR-182-5p in BC progression.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The expressions of miR-182-5p and phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) were measured in BC tissues and cells by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction or Western blot. Cell proliferation and invasion were detected by cell counting kit-8 assay and trans-well assay, respectively. The interaction between miR-182-5p and PTEN was probed by bioinformatics analysis, luciferase activity, and RNA immunoprecipitation. A murine xenograft model was established to investigate the role of miR-182-5p in BC progression in vivo.

RESULTS

An abundance of miR-182-5p was noted in BC tissues and cells. High expression of miR-182-5p was associated with poor survival. Abrogation of miR-182-5p inhibited cell proliferation and invasion in BC cells. Interestingly, PTEN was indicated as a target of miR-182-5p, and its restoration reversed miR-182-5p-mediated promotion of proliferation and invasion of BC cells. Moreover, depletion of miR-182-5p suppressed tumor growth via up-regulating PTEN expression in the murine xenograft model.

CONCLUSION

MiR-182-5p exhaustion blocked cell proliferation and invasion by regulating PTEN expression, providing a novel therapeutic avenue for treatment of BC.

miR-182-5p Attenuates High-Fat -Diet-Induced Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis in Mice

INTRODUCTION AND AIM

Patients with NASH have increased risk for sepsis or cardiovascular disease after Liver transplantation. An important role of Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 in the pathogenesis of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) was demonstrated. Here, we study the role of miR-182-5p in TLR4 expression and high-fat-diet (HFD)-induced NASH in vitro and in vivo Material and methods. Following transfection with a miR-182-5p mimic, the effect of miR-182-5p on TLR4 in RAW264.7 and HepG2 cells was investigated. Following administration of the miR-182-5p mimic into the livers of HFD-induced NASH mice, we determined the in vivo expression of TLR4, TNFa, and IL-6 and assessed the histologic features of the livers. Results Following lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment of RAW264.7 cells, real-time RT-PCR and western blot results indicated decreases levels of TLR4 mRNA and protein in the miR-182-5p group as compared with levels observed in controls, with similar trends were observed in TNFa and IL-6 protein levels. Following oleic acid (OA) treatment of HepG2 cells, TLR4, TNFa, and IL-6 levels were significantly decreased in the miR-182-5p group as compared with levels observed in controls. Following miR-182-5p administration, TLR4 mRNA and protein levels decreased along with those of TNFa and IL-6 proteins, and the liver weight/body weight ratio of treated mice was less than that observed in controls. Furthermore, hematoxylin and eosin staining showed that the miR-182-5p-treated group exhibited low adiposecell cross-sectional areas, and Oil Red O staining showed decreases in the size of lipid droplets in the miR-182-5p-treated group.

CONCLUSIONS

miR-182-5p ameliorated HFD-induced NASH by suppressing TLR4.

High RASEF expression is associated with a significantly better prognosis in colorectal cancer

This study mainly studied the correlation of RASEF expression and the clinical index of colorectal cancer by tissue microarray (TMAs, HCol-Adel180sur-06) containing tissue samples of 90 colorectal cancers. The results showed that RASEF was significantly highly expressed both in nuclei (3.07±1.95 vs 1.83±1.74, P=0.000) and cytoplasm (7.74±2.08 vs 5.83±1.97, P=0.000) compared to their para-carcinoma tissues, which was in line with the data of the Oncomine database. The correlation between RASEF expression and microsatellite instability, analyzed by Spearman's correlation analysis showed that RASEF expression in colorectal cancer cytoplasm was correlated significantly with the mismatch repair genes MLH1 (P=0.037; r=0.227) and MSH6 (P=0.038; r=0.224). Additionally, high RASEF expression was associated with a significantly better prognosis (45.3% vs 8%, P=0.041), which was consistent with the data of the Human Protein Atlas. Subsequently, Cox analysis of multi-factor survival showed that RASEF expression was an independent predictive factor for colorectal cancer (P=0.001). Thus, we speculated that RASEF may be a suppressor gene, and may inhibit the development of colorectal cancer through participating in DNA repair processes.

Consequences of Rab GTPase dysfunction in genetic or acquired human diseases

Rab GTPases are important regulators of intracellular membrane trafficking in eukaryotes. Both activating and inactivating mutations in Rab genes have been identified and implicated in human diseases ranging from neurological disorders to cancer. In addition, altered Rab expression is often associated with disease prognosis. As such, the study of diseases associated with Rabs or Rab-interacting proteins has shed light on the important role of intracellular membrane trafficking in disease etiology. In this review, we cover recent advances in the field with an emphasis on cellular mechanisms.

Consequences of Rab GTPase dysfunction in genetic or acquired human diseases

Rab GTPases are important regulators of intracellular membrane trafficking in eukaryotes. Both activating and inactivating mutations in Rab genes have been identified and implicated in human diseases ranging from neurological disorders to cancer. In addition, altered Rab expression is often associated with disease prognosis. As such, the study of diseases associated with Rabs or Rab-interacting proteins has shed light on the important role of intracellular membrane trafficking in disease etiology. In this review, we cover recent advances in the field with an emphasis on cellular mechanisms.