MicroRNAs: a new class of gene regulators

miR-185-5p May Modulate the Chemosensitivity of LUSC to Cisplatin via Targeting PCDHA11: Multi-omics Analysis and Experimental Validation

Drug resistance is the major difficulty in treatment of lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC). This study aims to explore drug response-related miRNAs (DRmiRNAs) based on multi-omics research. We identified DRmiRNAs of LUSC with a multi-omics integrated system that combines expression data of microRNA, lncRNA, mRNA, methylation levels, somatic mutations. After identifying DRmiRNAs, we screened and validated of the target mRNAs of DRmiRNAs through Targetscan and the miRDB database. Then, Real-time PCR and Western blot assays were used to estimate the expression of DRmiRNAs and target protein, and the dual-luciferase assays were used to confirm the interaction of DRmiRNAs and target mRNA. Furthermore, CCK-8 (Cell Counting Kit-8) assays were used to evaluate cell proliferation and drug sensitivity. After integrated analysis, hsa-miR-185-5p was identified as DRmiRNA based on multi-omics data. Through Targetscan and miRDB database, the possible target mRNAs were obtained and PCDHA11 was validated as a target mRNA of miR-185-5p by real-time PCR, Western blot assays and dual-luciferase assays. CCK-8 assays and clone formation assays showed that the proliferation of miR-185-5p mimics was significantly slower than that of miR-185-5p inhibitors, which means overexpression of miR-185-5p enhanced the anticancer effects of cisplatin, whereas the downregulation of miR-185-5p reduced the effects. Furthermore, the proliferation of silencing PCDHA11 was significantly slower than that of overexpression of PCDHA11, which means PCDHA11 overexpression weakened the anticancer effects of cisplatin, and silencing PCDHA11 enhanced the effects. This study demonstrated that miR-185-5p was involved in chemoresistance of LUSC cells to cisplatin partly via down-regulating PCDHA11, which may promote understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms of drug response.

Overexpression of miR-204-5p Alleviates Osteogenic Differentiation and Calcification of Human Aortic Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells by Targeting Calcium/Calmodulin-dependent Protein Kinase 1

ABSTRACT

Vascular calcification (VC), a major complication in chronic kidney disease (CKD), is predominantly driven by osteoblastic differentiation. Recent studies have highlighted the crucial role of microRNAs in CKD's pathogenesis. Here, our research focused on the effects of miR-204-5p and its molecular mechanisms within VC. We initially found a notable decrease in miR-204-5p levels in human aortic vascular smooth muscle cells stimulated with inorganic phosphate, using this as a VC model in vitro. Following the overexpression of miR-204-5p, a decrease in VC was observed, as indicated by alizarin red S staining and measurements of calcium content. This decrease was accompanied by lower levels of the osteogenic marker, runt-related transcription factor 2, and higher levels of α-smooth muscle actin, a marker of contractility. Further investigation showed that calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase 1 (CAMK1), which is a predicted target of miR-204-5p, promotes VC. Conversely, overexpressing miR-204-5p reduced VC by suppressing CAMK1 activity. Overexpressing miR-204-5p also effectively mitigated aortic calcification in an in vivo rat model. In summary, our research indicated that targeting the miR-204-5p/CAMK1 pathway could be a viable strategy for mitigating VC in CKD patients.

miR-4529-3p Promotes the Progression of Retinoblastoma by Inhibiting RB1 Expression and Activating the ERK Signaling Pathway

Retinoblastoma (RB) is a malignant ocular cancer that affects children. Several microRNAs (miRNAs) have been implicated in RB regulation. The present study aimed to investigate the role of miR-4529-3p in RB pathogenesis. Scratch, Transwell, and Cell Counting Kit (CCK)-8 assays were conducted to assess the migratory, invasive, and proliferative abilities of RB cells. The expression levels of miR-4529-3p, RB1, and ERK pathway-related proteins were analyzed using western blotting and real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Target relationships were verified using dual-luciferase reporter experiments. A murine RB model was developed to analyze the effects of miR-4529-3p on RB tumor growth in vivo. Our experiments revealed high levels of miR-4529-3p and low levels of RB1 in RB tissues. Functional analyses revealed that the migratory, invasive, and proliferative abilities of RB cells were repressed by miR-4529-3p inhibition. Similarly, p-ERK 1/2 protein levels were suppressed by miR-4529-3p inhibition. Furthermore, downregulation of miR-4529-3p limited tumor growth in vivo. Mechanistically, miR-4259-3p targets RB1. Interestingly, RB1 silencing abrogated the alleviative effects of miR-4529-3p downregulation in RB cells. MiR-4529-3p promotes RB progression by inhibiting RB1 and activating the ERK pathway. This evidence suggests that the miR-4529-3p/RB1 regulatory axis may be a prospective target for RB treatment in clinical settings.

A micro-nano interface integrated SERS-based microfluidic sensor for miRNA detection using DNAzyme walker amplification

BACKGROUND

Precise and specific miRNA detection plays a vital role in exploring development mechanisms of cancer disease, thereby it can significantly improve relevant prevention and treatment strategies.

RESULTS

In this work, a surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS)-based microfluidic chip has been devised with a microcone array SERS substrate (MCASS) for the miR-141 detection. This substrate excels in unique SERS activity and large surface area for DNA oligonucleotide modification. As the presence of miR-141, the DNAzyme walker induced cleavage reaction took place on the finely designed and prepared dual DNA conjugated SERS nanoprobes. The SERS nanoprobes can anchor on MCASS by the DNA hybridization that achieved an impressive detection limit in the femtomolar level.

SIGNIFICANCE

With this integrated SERS-based microfluidic chip, we provided a miRNA detection strategy using DNAzyme walker amplification technology. It is believed that this strategy could be a powerful tool for miRNA detection and related cancer screening test.

Expansion of plasma MicroRNAs over the first month following human stroke

Few have characterized miRNA expression during the transition from injury to neural repair and secondary neurodegeneration following stroke in humans. We compared expression of 754 miRNAs from plasma samples collected 5, 15, and 30 days post-ischemic stroke from a discovery cohort (n = 55) and 15-days post-ischemic stroke from a validation cohort (n = 48) to healthy control samples (n = 55 and 48 respectively) matched for age, sex, race and cardiovascular comorbidities using qRT-PCR. Eight miRNAs remained significantly altered across all time points in both cohorts including many described in acute stroke. The number of significantly dysregulated miRNAs more than doubled from post-stroke day 5 (19 miRNAs) to days 15 (50 miRNAs) and 30 (57 miRNAs). Twelve brain-enriched miRNAs were significantly altered at one or more time points (decreased expression, stroke versus controls: miR-107; increased expression: miR-99-5p, miR-127-3p, miR-128-3p, miR-181a-3p, miR-181a-5p, miR-382-5p, miR-433-3p, miR-491-5p, miR-495-3p, miR-874-3p, and miR-941). Many brain-enriched miRNAs were associated with apoptosis over the first month post-stroke whereas other miRNAs suggested a transition to synapse regulation and neuronal protection by day 30. These findings suggest that a program of decreased cellular proliferation may last at least 30 days post-stroke, and points to specific miRNAs that could contribute to neural repair in humans.

Insulin-like growth factors and aging: lessons from Laron syndrome

The growth hormone (GH)-insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF1) signaling pathway emerged in recent years as a key determinant of aging and longevity. Disruption of this network in different animal species, including flies, nematodes and mouse, was consistently associated with an extended lifespan. Epidemiological analyses have shown that patients with Laron syndrome (LS), the best-characterized disease under the umbrella of the congenital IGF1 deficiencies, seem to be protected from cancer. While aging and cancer, as a rule, are considered diametrically opposite processes, modern lines of evidence reinforce the notion that aging and cancer might, as a matter of fact, be regarded as divergent manifestations of identical biochemical and cellular underlying processes. While the effect of individual mutations on lifespan and health span is very difficult to assess, genome-wide screenings identified a number of differentially represented aging- and longevity-associated genes in patients with LS. The present review summarizes recent data that emerged from comprehensive analyses of LS patients and portrays a number of previously unrecognized targets for GH-IGF1 action. Our article sheds light on complex aging and longevity processes, with a particular emphasis on the role of the GH-IGF1 network in these mechanisms.

Down-Regulation of miRNA-1303 Promotes the Angiogenesis of HUVECs via Targeting THSD7A

Angiogenesis promotes neurological recovery after acute ischemic stroke (AIS), and microRNAs play crucial roles in cerebral angiogenesis. This study found that Homo sapiens-microRNA-1303(miR-1303) was reduced in blood specimens of AIS patients and human umbilical vein endothelial cells after suffering from oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion. The experiment detected the effect of miR-1303 on angiogenesis by wound healing assay, tube formation assay, and transwell assay. Down-regulation of miRNA-1303 promotes angiogenesis in vitro experiments, while miR-1303 over-expression reverses this effect. Based on bioinformatics analyses and dual-luciferase reporter assay, the thrombospondin type 1 domain containing 7A (THSD7A) was investigated and further validated as the downstream gene of miR-1303. Furthermore, the knockdown of miR-1303 decreased the protein translation and mRNA transcript levels of THSD7A. Our results reveal a novel miR-1303/THSD7A pathway for angiogenesis and further imply that miR-1303 can be a promising biomarker and therapeutic target for AIS.

Expression Signature of Immune-Related MicroRNAs in Autoimmune Skin Disease: Psoriasis and Vitiligo Insights

BACKGROUND

Psoriasis and vitiligo are both chronic, skin-specific diseases classified as autoimmune diseases due to the involvement of several biochemical pathways in their pathogenesis, similar to those altered in other autoimmune diseases. The role of miRNAs in regulating skin autoimmune function has yet to be fully characterized.

AIM

The aim of this study was to assess the expression profile of a panel of 11 circulating immune-related miRNAs in patients with autoimmune skin diseases, specifically psoriasis and vitiligo, and correlate their expression signature with the clinicopathological features of the diseases.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

Relative gene expression quantification for 11 immune-related circulating miRNAs in plasma was done for 300 subjects-100 patients with psoriasis, 100 patients with vitiligo and 100 normal healthy volunteers-followed by different modalities of bioinformatics analysis for the results.

RESULTS

The expression levels of all the studied immune-related miRNAs were elevated in both autoimmune skin disorders, with much higher levels of expression in psoriasis than in vitiligo patients. There was a significant correlation between most of the studied miRNAs, suggesting shared target genes and/or pathways. Moreover, all the studied miRNAs showed significant results as biomarkers for autoimmune skin disease, with miRNA-145 being the best candidate. Regarding the clinicopathological data, miRNA-7, miRNA-9, miRNA-145, miRNA-148a, and miRNA-148b were positively correlated with age. All the miRNAs were inversely correlated with obesity and disease duration.

CONCLUSION

This study highlights the critical role of miRNAs in skin-specific autoimmune diseases that proved to be potential biomarkers for autoimmune skin disorders, warranting their exploration as therapeutic targets.

A three-plasma miRNA panel predicts the risk of colorectal cancer: a community-based nested case‒control study

Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) have been considered potential markers for the early detection of malignant colorectal cancer (CRC). We aimed to identify a group of miRNAs for the early detection of CRC and assess their predictive ability in a community-based population in China. A nested case‒control study consisting of 97 incident colorectal cancer cases and 103 frequency-matched healthy controls was conducted. The data were randomly assigned into a training set (60%) and a test set (40%). We selected and detected 10 kinds of miRNAs in plasma samples. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify miRNAs associated with colorectal cancer risk in the training set and test set. Then, we evaluated the predictive ability of the identified miRNAs by the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC). In this study, three miRNAs (miRNA-29a, miRNA-125b, miRNA-145) were significantly associated with colorectal cancer risk in both the training set and test set. The sensitivity of the identified miRNAs ranged from 0.854 to 0.961. After adding the identified miRNAs, the AUC (area under the curve) value significantly increased from 0.61 to 0.71 compared with the basic model consisting of only basic demographic information. We identified a three-plasma miRNA signature that may serve as a novel non-invasive biomarker in early CRC detection and in predicting individual CRC risk in the generation population.

microRNA as a therapeutic for ischemic stroke

microRNA (miRNA) are important regulators of gene expression. miRNA have the potential as a treatment to modulate genes, pathways and cells involved in ischemic stroke. In this review, we specifically present miRNA in stroke as a treatment to decrease thrombosis, reduce blood brain barrier (BBB) disruption and hemorrhagic transformation (HT), modulate inflammation, and modify angiogenesis. miRNA as a treatment for stroke is an emerging area with evidence from animal studies demonstrating its potential. While no miRNA is currently approved for human use, several have shown promise in clinical trials to treat medical conditions, such as miR-122 for hepatitis C. The role of miRNA as a treatment for specific applications in ischemic stroke is presented including a discussion of the benefits and barriers of miRNA as a treatment, and directions for future advancement.

Role of non-coding RNAs and exosomal non-coding RNAs in retinoblastoma progression

Retinoblastoma (RB) is a rare aggressive intraocular malignancy of childhood that has the potential to affect vision, and can even be fatal in some children. While the tumor can be controlled efficiently at early stages, metastatic tumors lead to high mortality. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are implicated in a number of physiological cellular process, including differentiation, proliferation, migration, and invasion, The deregulation of ncRNAs is correlated with several diseases, particularly cancer. ncRNAs are categorized into two main groups based on their length, i.e. short and long ncRNAs. Moreover, ncRNA deregulation has been demonstrated to play a role in the pathogenesis and development of RB. Several ncRNAs, such as miR-491-3p, miR-613,and SUSD2 have been found to act as tumor suppressor genes in RB, but other ncRNAs, such as circ-E2F3, NEAT1, and TUG1 act as tumor promoter genes. Understanding the regulatory mechanisms of ncRNAs can provide new opportunities for RB therapy. In the present review, we discuss the functional roles of the most important ncRNAs in RB, their interaction with the genes responsible for RB initiation and progression, and possible future clinical applications as diagnostic and prognostic tools or as therapeutic targets.

miR-124: A Promising Therapeutic Target for Central Nervous System Injuries and Diseases

Central nervous system injuries and diseases, such as ischemic stroke, spinal cord injury, neurodegenerative diseases, glioblastoma, multiple sclerosis, and the resulting neuroinflammation often lead to death or long-term disability. MicroRNAs are small, non-coding, single-stranded RNAs that regulate posttranscriptional gene expression in both physiological and pathological cellular processes, including central nervous system injuries and disorders. Studies on miR-124, one of the most abundant microRNAs in the central nervous system, have shown that its dysregulation is related to the occurrence and development of pathology within the central nervous system. Herein, we review the molecular regulatory functions, underlying mechanisms, and effective delivery methods of miR-124 in the central nervous system, where it is involved in pathological conditions. The review also provides novel insights into the therapeutic target potential of miR-124 in the treatment of human central nervous system injuries or diseases.

Extracellular vesicles in respiratory disease

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membranous nanoparticles secreted by nearly all cell types and play a critical role in cell-to-cell crosstalk. EVs can be categorized based on their size, surface markers, or the cell type from which they originate. EVs carry "cargo," including but not limited to, RNA, DNA, proteins, and small signaling molecules. To date, many methods have been developed to isolate EVs from biological fluids, such as blood plasma, urine, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and urine. Once isolated, EVs can be characterized by dynamic light scattering, nanotracking analysis, nanoscale flow cytometry, and transmission electron microscopy. Given the ability of EVs to transport cargo between cells, research has recently focused on understanding their role in various human diseases. As understanding of their significance to disease processes grows, insight into the mechanisms behind the physiological role of their cargo in target cells can facilitate the development of a new type of biomarker and therapeutic target for diseases in future. In addition, their ability to deliver their cargo selectively to target cells within the human body means that they could serve as therapeutic agents or methods of drug delivery. In this review, we will first introduce EVs and the cargo they carry, outline current methods for EV isolation and characterization, and discuss their potential use as biomarkers and therapeutic agents in the near future.

Microvesicle-Derived miRNAs Regulate Proinflammatory Macrophage Activation in the Lung Following Ozone Exposure

Ozone is a ubiquitous air pollutant that causes lung damage and altered functioning. Evidence suggests that proinflammatory macrophages contribute to ozone toxicity. Herein, we analyzed the role of extracellular vesicles (EVs) and microRNA (miRNA) cargo in ozone-induced macrophage activation. Exposure of mice to ozone (0.8 ppm, 3 h) resulted in increases in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid EVs, which were comprised predominantly of microvesicles (MVs). NanoFACS analysis revealed that MVs generated following both air and ozone exposure was largely from CD45+ myeloid cells; these MVs were readily taken up by macrophages. Functionally, MVs from ozone, but not air treated mice, upregulated mRNA expression of inflammatory proteins in macrophages including inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), CXCL-1, CXCL-2, and interleukin (IL)-1β. The miRNA profile of MVs in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was altered after ozone exposure; thus, increases in miR-21, miR-145, miR320a, miR-155, let-7b, miR744, miR181, miR-17, miR-92a, and miR-199a-3p were observed, whereas miR-24-3p and miR-20 were reduced. Ingenuity pathway analysis revealed that these miRNAs regulate pathways that promote inflammatory macrophage activation, and predicted that let-7a-5p/let-7b, miR-24-3p, miR-21-5p, miR-17, and miR-181a-5p are key upstream regulators of inflammatory proteins. After ozone exposure, miR-199a-3p, but not precursor miR-199a-3p, was increased in lung macrophages, indicating that it is derived from MV-mediated delivery. Furthermore, lung macrophage mRNA expression of IL-1β was upregulated after administration of MVs containing miR-199a-3p mimic but downregulated by miR-199a-3p inhibitor. Collectively, these data suggest that MVs generated following ozone exposure contribute to proinflammatory macrophage activation via MV-derived miRNAs including miR-199a-3p. These findings identify a novel pathway regulating macrophage inflammatory responses to inhaled ozone.

Non-coding RNAs in the regulation of blood–brain barrier functions in central nervous system disorders

The blood–brain barrier (BBB) is an essential component of the neurovascular unit that controls the exchanges of various biological substances between the blood and the brain. BBB damage is a common feature of different central nervous systems (CNS) disorders and plays a vital role in the pathogenesis of the diseases. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), such as microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNA (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs), are important regulatory RNA molecules that are involved in almost all cellular processes in normal development and various diseases, including CNS diseases. Cumulative evidences have demonstrated ncRNA regulation of BBB functions in different CNS diseases. In this review, we have summarized the miRNAs, lncRNAs, and circRNAs that can be served as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for BBB injuries, and demonstrated the involvement and underlying mechanisms of ncRNAs in modulating BBB structure and function in various CNS diseases, including ischemic stroke, hemorrhagic stroke, traumatic brain injury (TBI), spinal cord injury (SCI), multiple sclerosis (MS), Alzheimer's disease (AD), vascular cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID), brain tumors, brain infections, diabetes, sepsis-associated encephalopathy (SAE), and others. We have also discussed the pharmaceutical drugs that can regulate BBB functions via ncRNAs-related signaling cascades in CNS disorders, along with the challenges, perspective, and therapeutic potential of ncRNA regulation of BBB functions in CNS diseases.

Diagnostic Potential of Exosomal HypoxamiRs in the Context of Hypoxia-Sumoylation-HypoxamiRs in Early Onset Preeclampsia at the Preclinical Stage

As the search for non-invasive preclinical markers of preeclampsia (PE) expands, the number of studies on the diagnostic potential of exosomes is growing. Changes in the partial pressure of oxygen caused by impaired uteroplacental perfusion in PE are a powerful inducer of increased production and release of exosomes from cells, which also determine their cargo. At the same time, the expression pattern of oxygen-dependent microRNAs (miRNAs), called "hypoxamiRs", is modulated, and their packing into exosomes is strictly regulated by sumoylation. In connection therewith, we emphasize the evaluation of exosomal hypoxamiR expression (miR-27b-3p, miR-92b-3p, miR-181a-5p, and miR-186-5p) using quantitative RT-PCR, as well as SUMO 1-4 and UBC9 (by Western blotting), in pregnant women with early-onset PE. The findings show that miR-27b-3p and miR-92b-3p expression was significantly changed at 11-14 and 24-26 weeks of gestation in the blood plasma of pregnant women with early-onset PE, which subsequently manifested. High sensitivity and specificity (AUC = 1) were demonstrated for these miRNAs in the first trimester, and significant correlations with a decrease in hemoglobin (r = 0.71, p = 0.002; r = -0.71, p = 0.002) were established. In mid-pregnancy, the miR-27b-3p expression was found to correlate with an increase in platelets (r = -0.95, p = 0.003), and miR-92b-3p was associated with a decrease in the prothrombin index (r = 0.95, p = 0.003). Specific exomotifs of studied miRNAs were also identified, to which the sumoylated ribonucleoprotein hnRNPA2/B1 binds, carrying out their packaging into exosomes. The expression of conjugated SUMO 1 (p = 0.05), SUMO 2/3/4 (p = 0.03), and UBC9 (p = 0.1) was increased in exosomes at early-onset PE, and the expression of free SUMO 1 (p = 0.03) and SUMO 2/3/4 (p = 0.01) was significantly increased in the placenta, as an adaptive response to hypoxia. Moreover, SUMO 2/3/4 was negatively correlated with miR-27b-3p expression in the placenta. In conclusion, the diagnostic potential of exosomal hypoxamiRs mediated by sumoylation may form the basis for the development of combined specific targets for the treatment of early-onset PE, as hnRNPA2/B1 is a target of miR-27b-3p, and its sumoylation creates miR-27b-3p-hnRNPA2/B1-SUMO 1-4 cross-talk.

Integrated Analysis of Ulcerative Colitis Revealed an Association between PHLPP2 and Immune Infiltration

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a progressive intestine inflammatory disease that is prone to recur. Herein, we utilize microarray technology and bioinformatics to reveal the underlying pathogenesis of UC and provide novel markers. Colonic biopsies were taken from eight UC patients and eight healthy controls. Three differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMIs) and 264 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened using mRNA and miRNA microarray. Most DEGs were significantly associated with immune response and were markedly enriched in the IL-17 signaling pathway. Among the target genes of DEMIs, PHLPP2 overlapped with DEGs and the downregulation of PHLPP2 group was mainly involved in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition. PHLPP2 was downregulated in UC patients, which was validated in 5 GEO datasets and qRT-PCR. The ROC curve demonstrated that PHLPP2 has a perfect ability to distinguish UC patients from healthy controls. Moreover, PHLPP2 was low expression in patients with active UC. CIBERSORT algorithm indicated that the abundance of gamma delta T cells (P = 0.04), M0 macrophages (P = 0.01), and activated mast cells (P < 0.01) was significantly greater than that of the control group. The Spearman correlation analysis showed that PHLPP2 was positively correlated with the proportion of activated NK cells (rho = 0.62, P = 0.013) and Tregs (rho = 0.55, P = 0.03), but negatively correlated with those of activated mast cells (rho = -0.8, P < 0.01) and macrophages (rho = -0.73, P < 0.01). These results indicate that PHLPP2 is associated with immune cells in the pathogenesis of UC, as well as provide new prospects and future directions of investigation.

Knockdown of long non-coding RNA LINC01006 represses the development of hepatocellular carcinoma by modulating the miR-194-5p/CADM1 axis

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have great potential as therapeutic targets in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this study, we aimed to uncover the function and molecular mechanism of long intergenic non-protein coding RNA 1006 (LINC01006) in HCC.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Mice were injected with HCC cells in order to establish the HCC model. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was used to determine the expression levels of LINC01006, cell adhesion molecule 1 (CADM1), and microRNA (miR)-194-5p in HCC tissues and cells. The cell proliferation, invasion, and migration abilities were assessed by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide, transwell, and wound healing assays. The interrelation between LINC01006, miR-194-5p, and CADM1 was confirmed by a dual-luciferase reporter assay. Western blotting was employed to assess the relative protein expression level of CADM1.

RESULTS

LINC01006 and CADM1 displayed upregulation, but miR-194-5p exhibited downregulation in HCC cells and tissues. Short hairpin (sh)-LINC01006 and miR-194-5p mimics repressed the proliferative, migratory, and invasive capacities of HCC cells, and injection of sh-LINC01006 restrained the growth of HCC tumours in mice. LINC01006 served as a competing endogenous RNA of miR-194-5p and was inversely correlated with miR-194-5p. CADM1 was targeted by miR-194-5p, inversely correlated with miR-194-5p, and positively associated with LINC01006. Furthermore, transfection of pcDNA-CADM1 or the miR-194-5p inhibitor reversed the suppressive effects of sh-LINC01006 on the proliferation, invasion, and migration abilities of HCC cells.

CONCLUSIONS

Downregulation of LINC01006 repressed the development of HCC by sponging miR-194-5p to modulate the expression of CADM1, implying its potential as a therapeutic target for HCC.

MicroRNA 132-3p Is Upregulated in Laron Syndrome Patients and Controls Longevity Gene Expression

The growth hormone (GH)–insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF1) endocrine axis is a central player in normal growth and metabolism as well as in a number of pathologies, including cancer. The GH–IGF1 hormonal system, in addition, has emerged as a major determinant of lifespan and healthspan. Laron syndrome (LS), the best characterized entity under the spectrum of the congenital IGF1 deficiencies, results from mutation of the GH receptor (GHR) gene, leading to dwarfism, obesity and other defects. Consistent with the key role of IGF1 in cellular proliferation, epidemiological studies have shown that LS patients are protected from cancer development. While reduced expression of components of the GH-IGF1 axis is associated with enhanced longevity in animal models, it is still unknown whether LS is associated with an increased lifespan. MicroRNAs (miRs) are endogenous short non-coding RNAs that regulate the expression of complementary mRNAs. While a number of miRs involved in the regulation of IGF components have been identified, no previous studies have investigated the differential expression of miRs in congenital IGF1 deficiencies. The present study was aimed at identifying miRs that are differentially expressed in LS and that might account for the phenotypic features of LS patients, including longevity. Our genomic analyses provide evidence that miR-132-3p was highly expressed in LS. In addition, we identified SIRT1, a member of the sirtuin family of histone deacetylases, as a target for negative regulation by miR-132-3p. The data was consistent with the notion that low concentrations of IGF1 in LS lead to elevated miR-132-3p levels, with ensuing reduction in SIRT1 gene expression. The impact of the IGF1-miR-132-3p-SIRT1 loop on aging merits further investigation.

miR-513b-5p inhibits the proliferation and promotes apoptosis of retinoblastoma cells by targeting TRIB1

MicroRNAs are involved in the pathogenesis of various human malignant tumors. This study aims to explore the role of miR-513b-5p in the malignant proliferation of retinoblastoma (RB) cells and its potential molecular mechanisms. The function-gain and function-loss experiments were performed in Weri-RB1 cells using miR-513b-5 mimics and inhibitors. miR-513b-5p mimics inhibited the proliferation and clone formation and promoted apoptosis of Weri-RB1 cells. In contrast, the miR-513b-5p inhibitor promoted the proliferation and clone formation of Weri-RB1 cells and inhibited cell apoptosis. miR-513b-5p can directly bind to the 3'UTR region of TRIB1 mRNA, and inhibit its protein expression. Overexpression of TRIB1 promoted the proliferation and cloning of Weri-RB1 cells but inhibited their apoptosis. The knockdown of TRIB1 inhibited the proliferation and clone formation of Weri-RB1 cells and promoted cell apoptosis. In addition, miR-513b-5p mimics neutralized the effects of TRIB1 overexpression on the proliferation and apoptosis of Weri-RB1 cells. Finally, miR-513b-5p can inhibit the phosphorylation level of AKT, mTOR, and p70, while TRIB1 played the opposite role. miR-513b-5p inhibits the malignant proliferation of Weri-RB1 cells by repressing the expression of TRIB1. miR-513b-5p and TRIB1 may be the biomarkers and/or key targets for clinical diagnosis and treatment of RB.

Alkylating Agents, the Road Less Traversed, Changing Anticancer Therapy

Cancer is considered one of the gruelling challenges and poses a grave health hazard across the globe. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), new cancer diagnoses increased to 18.1 million in 2018, with 9.6 million deaths, bringing the global cancer rate to 23.6 million by 2030. In 1942, the discovery of nitrogen mustard as an alkylating agent was a tremendous breakthrough in cancer chemotherapy. It acts by binding to the DNA, and creating cross linkages between the two strands, leading to arrest of DNA replication and eventual cell death. Nitrogen lone pairs of 'nitrogen mustard' produce an intermediate 'aziridinium ion' at molecular level, which is very reactive towards DNA of tumour cells, resulting in multiple side effects with therapeutic consequences. Owing to its high reactivity and peripheral cytotoxicity, several improvements have been made with structural modifications for the past 75 years to enhance its efficacy and improve the direct transport of drugs to the tumour cells. Alkylating agents were among the first non-hormonal substances proven to be active against malignant cells and also, the most valuable cytotoxic therapies available for the treatment of leukaemia and lymphoma patients. This review focus on the versatile use of alkylating agents and the structure activity relationship (SAR) of each class of these compounds. This could provide an understanding for design and synthesis of new alkylating agents having enhanced target specificity and adequate bioavailability.

Circulating microRNAs from the Molecular Mechanisms to Clinical Biomarkers: A Focus on the Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma

microRNAs (miRNAs) are emerging as relevant molecules in cancer development and progression. MiRNAs add a post-transcriptional level of control to the regulation of gene expression. The deregulation of miRNA expression results in changing the molecular circuitry in which miRNAs are involved, leading to alterations of cell fate determination. In this review, we describe the miRNAs that are emerging as innovative molecular biomarkers from liquid biopsies, not only for diagnosis, but also for post-surgery management in cancer. We focus our attention on renal cell carcinoma, in particular highlighting the crucial role of circulating miRNAs in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) management. In addition, the functional deregulation of miRNA expression in ccRCC is also discussed, to underline the contribution of miRNAs to ccRCC development and progression, which may be relevant for the identification and design of innovative clinical strategies against this tumor.

Cell type-specific and cross-population polygenic risk score analyses of MIR137 gene pathway in schizophrenia

Cell type-specific pathway-based polygenic risk scores (PRSs) may better inform disease biology and improve the precision of PRS-based clinical prediction. For microRNA-137 (MIR137), a leading neuropsychiatric risk gene and a post-transcriptional master regulator, we conducted a cell type-specific gene set PRS analysis in both European and Han Chinese schizophrenia (SZ) samples. We found that the PRS of neuronal MIR137-target genes better explains SZ risk than PRS derived from MIR137-target genes in iPSC or from the reported gene sets showing MIR137-altered expression. Compared with the PRS derived from the whole genome or the target genes of TCF4, the PRS of neuronal MIR137-target genes explained a disproportionally larger (relative to SNP number) SZ risk in the European sample, but with a more modest advantage in the Han Chinese sample. Our study demonstrated a cell type-specific polygenic contribution of MIR137-target genes to SZ risk, highlighting the value of cell type-specific pathway-based PRS analysis for uncovering disease-relevant biological features.

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PRS of neural MIR137 target genes better explains schizophrenia (SZ) risk variance

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SZ risk and SNP heritability explained by MIR137 target genes is cell type-specific

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MIR137 target genes explain a disproportionally larger SZ risk than genomic control

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PRS of MIR137 target genes better explains SZ risk in Europeans than in Han Chinese

MiR-124 and Small Molecules Synergistically Regulate the Generation of Neuronal Cells from Rat Cortical Reactive Astrocytes

Irreversible neuron loss caused by central nervous system injuries usually leads to persistent neurological dysfunction. Reactive astrocytes, because of their high proliferative capacity, proximity to neuronal lineage, and significant involvement in glial scarring, are ideal starting cells for neuronal regeneration. Having previously identified several small molecules as important regulators of astrocyte-to-neuron reprogramming, we established herein that miR-124, ruxolitinib, SB203580, and forskolin could co-regulate rat cortical reactive astrocyte-to-neuron conversion. The induced cells had reduced astroglial properties, displayed typical neuronal morphologies, and expressed neuronal markers, reflecting 25.9% of cholinergic neurons and 22.3% of glutamatergic neurons. Gene analysis revealed that induced neuron gene expression patterns were more similar to that of primary neurons than of initial reactive astrocytes. On the molecular level, miR-124-driven neuronal differentiation of reactive astrocytes was via targeting of the SOX9-NFIA-HES1 axis to inhibit HES1 expression. In conclusion, we present a novel approach to inducing endogenous rat cortical reactive astrocytes into neurons through co-regulation involving miR-124 and three small molecules. Thus, our research has potential implications for inhibiting glial scar formation and promoting neuronal regeneration after central nervous system injury or disease.

MicroRNAs in central nervous system disorders: current advances in pathogenesis and treatment

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of short, non-coding, regulatory RNA molecules that function as post transcriptional regulators of gene expression. Altered expression of multiple miRNAs was found to be extensively involved in the pathogenesis of different neurological disorders including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Huntington’s disease. miRNAs are implicated in the pathogenesis of excitotoxicity, apoptosis, oxidative stress, inflammation, neurogenesis, angiogenesis, and blood–brain barrier protection. Consequently, miRNAs can serve as biomarkers for different neurological disorders. In recent years, advances in the miRNA field led to identification of potentially novel prospects in the development of new therapies for incurable CNS disorders. MiRNA-based therapeutics include miRNA mimics and inhibitors that can decrease or increase the expression of target genes. Better understanding of the mechanisms by which miRNAs are implicated in the pathogenesis of neurological disorders may provide novel targets to researchers for innovative therapeutic strategies.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of the prognostic significance of microRNAs related to metastatic and EMT process among prostate cancer patients

The ability of tumor cells to spread from their origin place and form secondary tumor foci is determined by the epithelial-mesenchymal transition process. In epithelial tumors such as prostate cancer (PCa), the loss of intercellular interactions can be observed as a change in expression of polarity proteins. Epithelial cells acquire ability to migrate, what leads to the formation of distal metastases. In recent years, the interest in miRNA molecules as potential future treatment options has increased. In tumor microenvironment, miRNAs have the ability to regulate signal transduction pathways, where they can act as suppressors or oncogenes. MiRNAs are secreted by cancer cells, and the changes in their expression levels are closely related to a cancer progression, including epithelial-mesenchymal transition. These molecules offer new diagnostic and therapeutic possibilities. Therapeutics which make use of synthesized RNA fragments and mimic or block miRNAs affected in PCa, may lead to inhibition of tumor progression and even disease re-emission. Based on appropriate qualification criteria, we conducted a selection process to identify scientific articles describing miRNAs and their relation to epithelial-mesenchymal transition in PCa patients. The studies were published in English on Pubmed, Scopus and the Web of Science before August 08, 2019. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) as well as total Gleason score were used to assess the concordance between miRNAs and presence of metastases. A total of 13 studies were included in our meta-analysis, representing 1608 PCa patients and 15 miRNA molecules. Our study clarifies a relationship between the clinicopathological features of PCa and the aberrant expression of several miRNA as well as the complex mechanism of miRNA molecules involvement in the induction and promotion of the metastatic mechanism in PCa.

Expression of miR-146a and miR-155 in Egyptian patients with Behçet’s disease: clinical significance and relationship with disease activity

Background

Behçet’s disease (BD) is a systemic vasculitis disorder with multifactorial immunopathogenesis and associated with significant morbidity and mortality. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases. MiR-146 and miR-155 are known key regulators of immune response. This study was conducted to determine the expression of miRNA-146a and miRNA-155 in patients with BD and to link their possible association with the clinical manifestations and activity of this disease to evaluate their role as diagnostic or prognostic markers. A total of 60 patients with BD and 25 age- and gender-matched healthy controls were examined in a case-control study from October 2017 to September 2018 for the expression levels of miR-146a and miR-155 using singleplexTaqMan two-step stem loop quantitative reverse transcription real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR).

Results

Patients with BD had significantly lower miR-146a levels than control subjects (P < 0.001). Regarding the miR-155 expression level, no statistically significant differences were detected between patients and healthy controls (P = 0.736). The expression level of miR-146a showed no significant association with the different clinical manifestations of patients with BD.

Conclusion

This study suggests the possibility that miR-146a expression in patients with BD is involved in the pathogenesis of disease. Furthermore, it can be used as a diagnostic biomarker and a therapeutic target for BD in the future.

microRNAs in liver and kidney ischemia reperfusion injury: insight to improve transplantation outcome

Ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI) is a condition that occurs wherever blood flow and oxygen is reduced or absent, such as trauma, vascular disease, stroke, and solid organ transplantation. This condition can lead to tissue damage, especially during organ transplantation. Under such circumstances, some signaling pathways are activated, leading to up- or down- regulation of several genes such as microRNAs (miRNAs) that might attenuate or ameliorate this status. Therefore, by manipulating miRNAs level, they can be used as a biomarker for early diagnosis of IRI or suggestive to be therapeutic agents in clinical situation in future.

MiR155 modulates vascular calcification by regulating Akt-FOXO3a signalling and apoptosis in vascular smooth muscle cells

microRNA‐155 (miR155) is pro‐atherogenic; however, its role in vascular calcification is unknown. In this study, we aim to examine whether miR155 regulates vascular calcification and to understand the underlying mechanism. Quantitative real‐time PCR showed that miR155 is highly expressed in human calcific carotid tissue and positively correlated with the expression of osteogenic genes. Wound‐healing assay and TUNEL staining showed deletion of miR155 inhibited vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) migration and apoptosis. miR155 deficiency attenuated calcification of cultured mouse VSMCs and aortic rings induced by calcification medium, whereas miR155 overexpression promoted VSMC calcification. Compared with wild‐type mice, miR155^−/− mice showed significant resistance to vitamin D3 induced vascular calcification. Protein analysis showed that miR155 deficiency alleviated the reduction of Rictor, increased phosphorylation of Akt at S473 and accelerated phosphorylation and degradation of FOXO3a in cultured VSMCs and in the aortas of vitamin D3‐treated mice. A PI3K inhibitor that suppresses Akt phosphorylation increased, whereas a pan‐caspase inhibitor that suppresses apoptosis reduced VSMC calcification; and both inhibitors diminished the protective effects of miR155 deficiency on VSMC calcification. In conclusion, miR155 deficiency attenuates vascular calcification by increasing Akt phosphorylation and FOXO3a degradation, and thus reducing VSMC apoptosis induced by calcification medium.

AZIN1-AS1, A Novel Oncogenic LncRNA, Promotes the Progression of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer by Regulating MiR-513b-5p and DUSP11

Background

Emerging researches have demonstrated that aberrantly expressed long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have great significance in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) progression. The aim of this study was to explore the role of lncRNA AZIN1 antisense RNA 1 (AZIN1-AS1) in NSCLC and the related mechanism.

Methods

Expressions of AZIN1-AS1 and miR-513b-5p in NSCLC samples were detected by qRT-PCR. NSCLC cell lines (H1299 and HCC827) were used in vitro assays. CCK-8 assay, EdU assay, wound healing test and Transwell assay were carried out to test the biological influence of AZIN1-AS1 on NSCLC cells. Subcutaneous xenotransplanted tumor model and tail vein injection model were established to test the role of AZIN1-AS1 in vivo. Interactions between AZIN1-AS1 and miR-513b-5p, miR-513b-5p and dual-specificity phosphatase 11 (DUSP11) were determined by bioinformatic analysis, qRT-PCR, Western blot, and luciferase reporter assay.

Results

AZIN1-AS1 was up-regulated in NSCLC cells and tissues, while miR-513b-5p was significantly down-regulated. Silencing of AZIN1-AS1 or overexpression of miR-513b-5p markedly inhibited proliferation, migration and invasion of NSCLC cells, while overexpression of AZIN1-AS1 or inhibition of miR-513b-5p functioned oppositely. Importantly, AZIN1-AS1 mediated the promotion of malignancy of NSCLC cells was reversed by miR-513b-5p mimics. What’s more, AZIN1-AS1 could down-regulate miR-513b-5p via sponging it, and there existed a negative correlation between AZIN1-AS1 expression and miR-513b-5p expression in NSCLC samples. AZIN1-AS1 also enhanced the expression levels of DUSP11, which was proved as a target gene of miR-513b-5p. Further in vivo experiments showed that silencing of AZIN1-AS1 decreased tumor growth and metastasis, which was accompanied by overexpression of miR-513b-5p and inhibition of DUSP11 in tumor tissues.

Conclusion

AZIN1-AS1 acts as a tumor promoter in NSCLC, which is ascribed to the regulation of miR-513b-5p and DUSP11.

Preeclampsia: The Interplay Between Oxygen-Sensitive miRNAs and Erythropoietin

Changes in the oxygen partial pressure caused by a violation of uteroplacental perfusion are considered a powerful inducer of a cascade of reactions leading to the clinical manifestation of preeclampsia (PE). At the same time, the induction of oxygen-dependent molecule expression, in particular, miRNA and erythropoietin, is modulated. Therefore, the focus of our study was aimed at estimating the miRNA expression profile of placental tissue and blood plasma in pregnant women with preeclampsia using deep sequencing and quantitative RT-PCR, as well as determining the concentration of erythropoietin. The expression of miR-27b-3p, miR-92b-3p, miR-125b-5p, miR-181a-5p, and miR-186-5p, as regulated by hypoxia/reoxygenation, was significantly increased in blood plasma during early-onset preeclampsia. The possibility of detecting early PE according to the logistic regression model (miR-92b-3p, miR-125b-5p, and miR-181a-5p (AUC = 0.91)) was evaluated. Furthermore, the erythropoietin level, which is regulated by miR-125b-5p, was significantly increased. According to PANTHER14.1, the participation of these miRNAs in the regulation of pathways, such as the hypoxia’s response via HIF activation, oxidative stress response, angiogenesis, and the VEGF signaling pathway, were determined.

Exosomal miRNAs: novel players in viral infection

Exosomes are secreted nanovesicles that are able to transfer their cargo (such as miRNAs) between cells. To determine to what extent exosomes and exosomal miRNAs are involved in the pathogenesis, progression and diagnosis of viral infections. The scientific literature (PubMed and Google Scholar) was searched from 1970 to 2019. The complex biogenesis of exosomes and miRNAs was reviewed. Exosomes contain both viral and host miRNAs that can be used as diagnostic biomarkers for viral diseases. Viral proteins can alter miRNAs, and conversely miRNAs can alter the host response to viral infections in a positive or negative manner. It is expected that exosomal miRNAs will be increasingly used for diagnosis, monitoring and even treatment of viral infections.

Host-Induced Gene Silencing of an Adenylate Kinase Gene Involved in Fungal Energy Metabolism Improves Plant Resistance to Verticillium dahliae

Verticillium wilt, caused by the ascomycete fungus Verticillium dahliae (Vd), is a devastating disease of numerous plant species. However, the pathogenicity/virulence-related genes in this fungus, which may be potential targets for improving plant resistance, remain poorly elucidated. For the study of these genes in Vd, we used a well-established host-induced gene silencing (HIGS) approach and identified 16 candidate genes, including a putative adenylate kinase gene (VdAK). Transiently VdAK-silenced plants developed milder wilt symptoms than control plants did. VdAK-knockout mutants were more sensitive to abiotic stresses and had reduced germination and virulence on host plants. Transgenic Nicotiana benthamiana and Arabidopsis thaliana plants that overexpressed VdAK dsRNAs had improved Vd resistance than the wild-type. RT-qPCR results showed that VdAK was also crucial for energy metabolism. Importantly, in an analysis of total small RNAs from Vd strains isolated from the transgenic plants, a small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting VdAK was identified in transgenic N. benthamiana. Our results demonstrate that HIGS is a promising strategy for efficiently screening pathogenicity/virulence-related genes of Vd and that VdAK is a potential target to control this fungus.

MicroRNA‑936 inhibits the malignant phenotype of retinoblastoma by directly targeting HDAC9 and deactivating the PI3K/AKT pathway

MicroRNA-936 (miR-936) has been reported to play important roles in the progression of non-small cell lung cancer and glioma. However, the expression and functions of miR-936 in retinoblastoma (RB) remain elusive and need to be further elucidated. Herein, the aims were to measure miR-936 expression in RB, identify the functional importance of miR-936 in the oncogenicity of RB, and investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms. Reverse-transcription quantitative PCR was carried out to determine miR-936 expression in RB tissues and cell lines. Cell proliferation, colony formation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion in vitro and tumor growth in vivo were examined respectively by Cell Counting Kit-8, colony formation, flow cytometric, and Transwell migration and invasion assays and a subcutaneous heterotopic xenograft experiment. The potential target of miR-936 was predicted by bioinformatic analysis and was subsequently validated by luciferase reporter assay, reverse-transcription quantitative PCR, and western blotting. miR-936 expression was weak in both RB tissues and cell lines and was correlated with differentiation, lymph node metastasis and TNM staging in RB. RB cell proliferation, colony formation, migration, and invasion in vitro and tumor growth in vivo were attenuated by exogenous miR-936, whereas apoptosis was enhanced by miR-936 overexpression. Further molecular investigation identified histone deacetylase 9 (HDAC9) as a direct target gene of miR-936 in RB cells. HDAC9 depletion had effects similar to those of miR-936 overexpression in RB cells. Recovery of HDAC9 expression counteracted the tumor-suppressive action of miR-936 on the oncogenicity of RB cells. Ectopic miR-936 expression deactivated the PI3K/AKT pathway in RB cells in vitro and in vivo by decreasing HDAC9 expression. Downregulated miR-936 is related to poor prognosis in RB, and its upregulation inhibits RB aggressiveness via direct targeting of HDAC9 mRNA and thereby inactivation of the PI3K/AKT pathway.

Alkylating anticancer agents and their relations to microRNAs

Alkylating agents represent an important class of anticancer drugs. The occurrence and emergence of tumor resistance to the treatment with alkylating agents denotes a severe problem in the clinics. A detailed understanding of the mechanisms of activity of alkylating drugs is essential in order to overcome drug resistance. In particular, the role of non-coding microRNAs concerning alkylating drug activity and resistance in various cancers is highlighted in this review. Both synthetic and natural alkylating agents, which are approved for cancer therapy, are discussed concerning their interplay with microRNAs.

MicroRNA expression in the hippocampal CA1 region under deep hypothermic circulatory arrest

Using deep hypothermic circulatory arrest, thoracic aorta diseases and complex heart diseases can be subjected to corrective procedures. However, mechanisms underlying brain protection during deep hypothermic circulatory arrest are unclear. After piglet models underwent 60 minutes of deep hypothermic circulatory arrest at 14°C, expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) was analyzed in the hippocampus by microarray. Subsequently, TargetScan 6.2, RNA22 v2.0, miRWalk 2.0, and miRanda were used to predict potential targets, and gene ontology enrichment analysis was carried out to identify functional pathways involved. Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was conducted to verify miRNA changes. Deep hypothermic circulatory arrest altered the expression of 35 miRNAs. Twenty-two miRNAs were significantly downregulated and thirteen miRNAs were significantly upregulated in the hippocampus after deep hypothermic circulatory arrest. Six out of eight targets among the differentially expressed miRNAs were enriched for neuronal projection (cyclin dependent kinase, CDK16 and SLC1A2), central nervous system development (FOXO3, TYRO3, and SLC1A2), ion transmembrane transporter activity (ATP2B2 and SLC1A2), and interleukin-6 receptor binding (IL6R) – these are the key functional pathways involved in cerebral protection during deep hypothermic circulatory arrest. Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction confirmed the results of microarray analysis. Our experimental results illustrate a new role for transcriptional regulation in deep hypothermic circulatory arrest, and provide significant insight for the development of miRNAs to treat brain injuries. All procedures were approved by the Animal Care Committee of Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, China on March 1, 2017 (approval No. XW-INI-AD2017-0112).

Correlation analysis between SNPs in microRNA-machinery genes and tuberculosis susceptibility in the Chinese Uygur population

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by a mycobacterial infection, with high morbidity and mortality worldwide. The pathogenesis of TB is still unclear; however, a growing body of evidence suggests that host genetic factors may play important roles in susceptibility to TB, and different gene polymorphisms in different ethnic and genetic backgrounds may lead to different effects. In view of the above theories, our research group used bioinformatics to screen for 12 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), including rs1045481, rs1045491, rs2740349, rs10719, rs642321, rs3744741, rs7813, rs3742330, rs3757, rs14035, rs720012, and rs4961280, which are derived from 6 main genes (i.e., GEMIN4, DICER1, DROSHA, DGCR8, AGO2, and RAN) acting in the microRNA-machinery pathway. We then analyzed the correlations between TB patients of Uygur in Xinjiang China and the above SNPs using a case-control study. The results showed that the genotypic distributions of rs720012 (from gene DGCR8) and rs4961280 (from gene AGO2) were not in accordance with the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (P < .05), so they were deleted. Subjects carrying the rs3742330 AG/GG genotype, rs1045481 GA genotype, rs1045491 CT genotype, and rs7813 AG genotype, respectively, had an increased risk of TB than individuals carrying rs3742330 AA genotype, rs1045481 GG/AA genotype, rs1045491 CC/TT genotype, and rs7813 AA/GG genotype between different groups. Expression quantitative trait loci analysis found that rs3744741 and rs2740349 from gene GEMIN4 had a regulatory effect, while rs3742330 from gene DICER1 had a reverse regulatory effect. Finally, according to the results of Linkage Disequilibrium between SNPs, the haplotype analysis showed that the haplotype of GCTAC from gene GEMIN4 had statistical differences when compared with active and inactive TB. The current experimental results provide a direction for our future research, and the research team will conduct more in-depth studies on the correlation between miRNA and TB.

Cytoprotective Effects of Natural Compounds against Oxidative Stress

Oxidative stress, an imbalance between reactive oxygen species and antioxidants, has been witnessed in pathophysiological states of many disorders. Compounds identified from natural sources have long been recognized to ameliorate oxidative stress due to their inherent antioxidant activities. Here, we summarize the cytoprotective effects and mechanisms of natural or naturally derived synthetic compounds against oxidative stress. These compounds include: caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) found in honey bee propolis, curcumin from turmeric roots, resveratrol abundant in grape, and 1-[2-cyano-3,12-dioxooleana-1,9(11)-dien-28-oyl] imidazole (CDDO-Im), a synthetic triterpenoid based on naturally occurring oleanolic acid. Cytoprotective effects of these compounds in diseases conditions like cardiovascular diseases and obesity to decrease oxidative stress are discussed.

MicroRNA-based therapeutics in central nervous system injuries

Central nervous system (CNS) injuries, such as stroke, traumatic brain injury (TBI) and spinal cord injury (SCI), are important causes of death and long-term disability worldwide. MicroRNA (miRNA), small non-coding RNA molecules that negatively regulate gene expression, can serve as diagnostic biomarkers and are emerging as novel therapeutic targets for CNS injuries. MiRNA-based therapeutics include miRNA mimics and inhibitors (antagomiRs) to respectively decrease and increase the expression of target genes. In this review, we summarize current miRNA-based therapeutic applications in stroke, TBI and SCI. Administration methods, time windows and dosage for effective delivery of miRNA-based drugs into CNS are discussed. The underlying mechanisms of miRNA-based therapeutics are reviewed including oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis, blood-brain barrier protection, angiogenesis and neurogenesis. Pharmacological agents that protect against CNS injuries by targeting specific miRNAs are presented along with the challenges and therapeutic potential of miRNA-based therapies.

gga-miR-142-5p attenuates IRF7 signaling and promotes replication of IBDV by directly targeting the chMDA5's 3' untranslated region

Chicken melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (chMDA5) is a key pattern recognition receptor (PRR) that recognizes RNA viral infections and initiates an antiviral innate immune response in chickens. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in the regulation of chMDA5 to sense RNA virus infection, but how it exerts antiviral activity against infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) infection and regulates chMDA5 in chicken cells is unclear. Thus, we measured the expression of chMDA5 in IBDV-infected DT40 cells and found it significantly increased. Overexpression of chMDA5 activated the IFN-β and Mx promoters via IRF7-dependent pathways and inhibited replication of IBDV in DT40 cells. The opposite effect occurred after chMDA5 knockdown using siRNA. Also, gga-miR-142-5p regulated chMDA5 according to bioinformatic analysis and data from a dual-luciferase reporter system. Overexpression of gga-miR-142-5p reduced the expression of the chMDA5 protein, promoting IBDV replication, and decreased the activity of the IFN-β and Mx promoters via an IRF7-dependent pathway; however, it had no effect on the NF-κB-dependent pathway in DT40 cells. Thus, gga-miR-142-5p is a negative regulator of chMDA5 and promotes IBDV replication in DT40 cells through an IRF7-dependent pathway.

MicroRNA-508 suppresses epithelial-mesenchymal transition, migration, and invasion of ovarian cancer cells through the MAPK1/ERK signaling pathway

Ovarian cancer (OC) is the sixth most common cancer in women worldwide. Despite advances in detection and therapies, it still represents the most lethal gynecologic malignancy in the industrialized countries. Unfortunately, the molecular events that lead to the development of this highly aggressive disease remain largely unknown. The study explored the ability of microRNA-508 (miR-508) to influence proliferation, migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in OC cells. We quantified the level of miR-508 cancer tissues with corresponding adjacent normal tissues collected from 84 patients with OC. Human OC cells SKOV3 and A2780 were treated with negative control (NC), miR-508 mimics, miR-508 inhibitors, and miR-508 inhibitors + a specific MAPK/ERK kinase inhibitor (PD98059) to validate the interaction between miR-508 and MAPK/ERK signaling. The miR-508 expression level was lower while MAPK1 and ERK expression levels were higher in the cancer tissues than in the adjacent normal tissues. Dual-luciferase reporter assay indicated MAPK1 as a target gene of miR-508. The miR-508 mimics reduced the expression of MAPK1, p-MAPK1, ERK, p-ERK and Vimentin, inhibited cell proliferation, migration and invasion, and increased the expression of E-cadherin, while the miR-508 inhibitors resulted in an opposed trend in OC cells. The effects of miR-508 inhibitors on OC cells were lost when the MAPK1/ERK signaling pathway was inhibited by PD98059. Collectively, our data indicate that miR-508 plays a tumor suppressor role in the development and progression of OC and may be a novel therapeutic target against OC.

microRNA-3129 promotes cell proliferation in gastric cancer cell line SGC7901 via positive regulation of pRb

Several microRNAs (miRNAs) have been reported as oncogenes or tumor suppressors in many cancers, including gastric cancer (GC). However, the role and molecular mechanism of miR-3129 in GC is largely unknown. We aimed to explore the function and the underlying molecular mechanism of miR-3129 in GC. Cancer tissues and corresponding adjacent tissues were collected from 50 patients with GC, and the expression of miR-3129 was detected by RT-qPCR. The expression of miR-3129 and pRb in human GC cell line SCG7091 was altered by transient transfection. Thereafter, MTT and flow cytometry assays were used to analyze cell viability and cell cycle. The expression of cyclin E, CDK2, CDK2 inhibitors (p16 and 21), and pRb were detected by RT-qPCR and western blot. A significant up-regulation of miR-3129 was observed in GC tissues compared to adjacent tissues. Overexpression of miR-3129 significantly improved cell viability after 4 days of post-transfection. Flow cytometry assay results showed that the miR-3129 overexpression arrested more SGC7901 cells at S phase. Moreover, overexpression of miR-3129 down-regulated the expression of CDK2 inhibitors while it up-regulated the expression levels of cyclin E, CDK2, and pRb. Interestingly, we found that pRb inhibition reversed the effect of miR-3129 inhibitor on cell proliferation in SGC7901 cells, increased cell viability, reduced cells at G0/1 phase, and modulated the expression of proliferation-related factors. Our results revealed that miR-3129 functioned as an oncogene through positive regulation of pRb and may prove to be a promising option for molecular therapy of GC.

Serum miRNA-27a and miRNA-18b as potential predictive biomarkers of hepatitis C virus-associated hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection remains the main risk factor for chronic hepatitis (CHC), liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Changes in microRNA (miRNA) profiles can be associated with HCV infection and may either favor or inhibit the virus and/or its complication. Moreover, miRNAs have emerged as key regulators of various cancers including HCC. The aim of this work was to investigate the potentail role of miRNA-27a and miRNA-18b expression levels as non-invasive predictive biomarkers of hepatitis C virus-associated HCC. Furthermore, we aimed to explore potential association of these miRNAs expressions with HCC clinicopathological features' in Egyptian cases. This case control study included 200 participants [60 CHC patients, 39 post-HCV cirrhosis patients, 51 HCC cases], and 50 healthy volunteers. The serum miRNA-27a and miRNA-18b expression profiles were measured using quantitative real time-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). miRNA-27a and miRNA-18b expression levels were significantly increased in post-hepatitis C cirrhosis cases compared to control and CHC groups. In HCC group, only miRNA-27a expression levels were significantly increased. Moreover, miRNA-27a and miRNA-18b expression levels were positively correlated with distant metastasis, Child-Pugh grade, and lymph node metastasis. Logistic regression analysis revealed that miRNA-27a expression was an independent predictor of cirrhosis among CHC. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses showed that miRNA-27a and miRNA-18b expression levels were useful biomarkers discriminating cirrhosis from CHC (AUC were 0.672 and 0.487, respectively), and in differentiating HCC from post-hepatitis C cirrhosis (AUC were 0.897 and 0.723, respectively). By combined ROC analysis, power of miRNA-27a and miRNA-18b expression levels as discriminator between HCC from post-hepatitis C cirrhosis was high (AUC = 0.0.821). Serum microRNA-27a and miRNA-18b expression levels are promising diagnostic and non-invasive biomarkers of CHC, post-CHC cirrhosis, and HCC.

Association of MicroRNA Biogenesis Genes Polymorphisms with Ischemic Stroke Susceptibility and Post-Stroke Mortality

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

MicroRNA (miRNA) expression has been examined in multiple conditions, including various cancers, neurological diseases, and cerebrovascular diseases, particularly stroke. Existing evidence indicates that miRNA biosynthesis and function play crucial roles in ischemic stroke physiology and pathology. In this study, we selected six known polymorphisms in miRNA-biogenesis genes; DICER rs13078A>T, rs3742330A>G; DROSHA rs10719T>C, rs6877842G>C; Ran GTPase (RAN) rs14035C>T; exportin 5 (XPO5) rs11077A>C.

METHODS

We analyzed the associations between these polymorphisms and disease status and clinical factors in 585 ischemic stroke patients and 403 controls. Genotyping was performed with the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method.

RESULTS

The DICER rs3742330A>G (AA vs. AG+GG: adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.360; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.024 to 1.807; P=0.034) and DROSHA rs10719T>C polymorphisms (TT vs. CC: AOR, 2.038; 95% CI, 1.113 to 3.730; P=0.021) were associated with ischemic stroke prevalence. During a mean follow-up of 4.80±2.11 years, 99 (5.91%) of the stroke patients died. In multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression models, a significant association was found between RAN rs14035 and survival of large artery disease patients with ischemic stroke (CC vs. TT: adjusted hazard ratio, 5.978; P=0.015).

CONCLUSIONS

An association was identified between the DICER and DROSHA polymorphisms and ischemic stroke. Specifically, polymorphisms (rs3742330 and rs10719) were more common in stroke patients, suggesting that they may be associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke.

Current Research on Non-Coding Ribonucleic Acid (RNA)

Non-coding ribonucleic acid (RNA) has without a doubt captured the interest of biomedical researchers. The ability to screen the entire human genome with high-throughput sequencing technology has greatly enhanced the identification, annotation and prediction of the functionality of non-coding RNAs. In this review, we discuss the current landscape of non-coding RNA research and quantitative analysis. Non-coding RNA will be categorized into two major groups by size: long non-coding RNAs and small RNAs. In long non-coding RNA, we discuss regular long non-coding RNA, pseudogenes and circular RNA. In small RNA, we discuss miRNA, transfer RNA, piwi-interacting RNA, small nucleolar RNA, small nuclear RNA, Y RNA, single recognition particle RNA, and 7SK RNA. We elaborate on the origin, detection method, and potential association with disease, putative functional mechanisms, and public resources for these non-coding RNAs. We aim to provide readers with a complete overview of non-coding RNAs and incite additional interest in non-coding RNA research.

Genetic association analysis of microRNA137 and its target complex 1 with schizophrenia in Han Chinese

Recent genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified a strong association signal of microRNA137 host gene (MIR137) with schizophrenia. MIR137 dysfunction results in downregulation of presynaptic target gene complexin 1 (CPLX1) and impairs synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether the variants of MIR137 and CPLX1 confer susceptibility to schizophrenia in Han Chinese. This study employed 736 patients with schizophrenia patients and 751 well-matched healthy subjects for genetic analysis, and genotyped 12 SNPs within MIR137 and CPLX1. SZDB database was used to performed brain eQTL analysis. There were no significant differences of CPLX1 expression in hippocampus, prefrontal cortex or stratum between the schizophrenia patients and control subjects. No significant differences were observed in allele and genotype frequencies in studied SNPs between the case and control groups. Gene interaction analysis showed that MIR137 SNP rs1625579 did not affect schizophrenia susceptibility in interaction with the CPLX1 polymorphic variants. Our findings do not support MIR137 and CPLX1 conferring susceptibility to schizophrenia in Han Chinese.

Downregulation of microRNA‑155 by preoperative administration of valproic acid prevents postoperative seizures by upregulating SCN1A

The risk of seizure is increased following brain surgery such as cranioplasty. Patients with seizures that are treated with valproic acid (VPA) may have a decreased risk of further seizures. To verify microRNA (miR)‑155 as a potential biomarker for the occurrence of seizures, reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‑qPCR) was used. Computational analysis and luciferase reporter assay was performed to identify the putative target of miR‑155. RT‑qPCR and western blot analyses were used to determine the expression level of miR‑155, sodium voltage‑gated channel α subunit 1 (SCN1A) mRNA and protein. RT‑qPCR analysis indicated that miR‑155 levels in patients who experienced seizures increased 2.45‑fold compared with patient who did not experience seizures, indicating miR‑155 may be a potential biomarker for the occurrence of seizures. SCN1A was identified as a target gene of miR‑155; the luciferase reporter assay revealed a negative regulatory relationship between miR‑155 and SCN1A. The expression of SCN1A mRNA of patients receiving VPA was higher compared with the control group patients. Furthermore, the expression levels of SCN1A mRNA and protein were reduced or elevated following transfection with miR‑155 mimics or inhibitors, respectively, compared with the scramble control. Furthermore, a concentration‑dependent effect of miR‑155 on the expression of SCN1A was observed. In conclusion, miR‑155 may be associated with the risk of seizure and SCN1A may be a target gene of miR‑155. Downregulation of microRNA‑155 by preoperative administration of VPA may prevent postoperative seizure by upregulating the expression of SCN1A.