MiR-122-5p inhibits cell migration and invasion in gastric cancer by down-regulating DUSP4

MiR-122-5p regulates erastin-induced ferroptosis via CS in nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a tumor that occurs in the nasopharynx. Although advances in detection and treatment have improved the prognosis of NPC the treatment of advanced NPC remains challenging. Here, we explored the effect of microRNA (miR)-122-5p on erastin-induced ferroptosis in NPC cells and the role of ferroptosis in the development of NPC. The effect of miR-122-5p silencing and overexpression and the effect of citrate synthase on erastin-induced lipid peroxidation in NPC cells was analyzed by measuring the amounts of malondialdehyde, Fe2+, glutathione, and reactive oxygen species and the morphological alterations of mitochondria. The malignant biological behavior of NPC cells was examined by cell counting kit-8, EDU, colony formation, Transwell, and wound healing assays. The effects of miR-122-5p on cell proliferation and migration associated with ferroptosis were examined in vivo in a mouse model of NPC generated by subcutaneous injection of NPC cells. We found that erastin induced ferroptosis in NPC cells. miR-122-5p overexpression inhibited CS, thereby promoting erastin-induced ferroptosis in NPC cells and decreasing NPC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion.

DUSP4 maintains the survival and LSD1 protein stability in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cells by inhibiting JNK signaling-dependent autophagy

DUSP4 is a biomarker of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), which is responsible for the prognosis in ESCC. However, the underlying mechanism of DUSP4-regulated ESCC carcinogenesis is unknown. As a negative regulator of JNK, DUSP4 can inhibit autophagy, which contributes to tumorigenesis. This study aimed to explore the role of autophagy in DUSP4-regulated ESCC carcinogenesis. Our results showed that DUSP4 overexpression inhibited autophagy and promoted LSD1 protein expression in ESCC cells, while DUSP4 silencing showed the opposite effects. However, DUSP4 overexpression and silencing did not affect LSD1 mRNA expression. But the regulatory ability of DUSP4 overexpression on autophagy, death level, and LSD1 protein was reversed by rapamycin. In addition, DUSP4 overexpression inhibited JNK and Bcl2 phosphorylation and the dissociation of Bcl2-Beclin1 complex, while DUSP4 silencing promoted JNK and Bcl2 phosphorylation. Moreover, the regulatory ability of DUSP4 overexpression on autophagy, death, and LSD1 protein was reversed by JNK activator anisomycin. The xenograft assays also showed that DUSP4 overexpression-promoted ESCC tumor growth in vivo and LC3II and LSD1 protein expression in tumor tissues were reversed by rapamycin or anisomycin. Overall, DUSP4 inhibits Bcl2-Beclin1-autophagy signal transduction through the negative regulation of JNK, thus suppressing autophagic death and the autophagic degradation of LSD1 in ESCC, by which DUSP4 promotes ESCC carcinogenesis.

Exosome-derived miR-23a-5p inhibits HCC proliferation and angiogenesis by regulating PRDX2 expression: MiR-23a-5p/PRDX2 axis in HCC progression

microRNAs (miRNAs) are closely related to the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Cancer-derived exosomes play an essential role in the establishment of the HCC microenvironment. However, the possible effects and underlying mechanisms of exosome (exo) microRNA-23a-5p (miR-23a-5p) in the progression of HCC remain unknown. In this study, we aimed to determine the role and specific molecular mechanism of exo miR-23a-5p in regulating HCC progression and to investigate whether exo miR-23a-5p levels can serve as an indicator of the prognosis of transarterial chemoembolization in patients with HCC. Our findings illustrated that miR-23a-5p was downregulated in exosomes separated from the serum of HCC patients and that miR-23a-5p carried by exosomes inhibited HCC cell proliferation and angiogenesis. Mechanistically, miR-23a-5p negatively targeted peroxiredoxin-2 (PRDX2). Functionally, PRDX2 overexpression relieved exosome-induced inhibition of HCC cell proliferation and angiogenesis by promoting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression. In conclusion, Exo miR-23a-5p inhibited HCC proliferation and angiogenesis by regulating PRDX2 expression. Our results revealed the role and specific molecular mechanism of exo miR-23a-5p in regulating HCC progression.

The role and mechanism of action of microRNA-122 in cancer: Focusing on the liver

microRNA-122 (miR-122) is a highly conserved microRNA that is predominantly expressed in the liver and plays a critical role in the regulation of liver metabolism. Recent studies have shown that miR-122 is involved in the pathogenesis of various types of cancer, particularly liver cancer. In this sense, The current findings highlighted the potential role of miR-122 in regulating many vital processes in cancer pathophysiology, including apoptosis, signaling pathway, cell metabolism, immune system response, migration, and invasion. These results imply that miR-122, which has been extensively studied for its biological functions and potential therapeutic applications, acts as a tumor suppressor or oncogene in cancer development. We first provide an overview and summary of the physiological function and mode of action of miR-122 in liver cancer. We will examine the various signaling pathways and molecular mechanisms through which miR-122 exerts its effects on cancer cells, including the regulation of oncogenic and tumor suppressor genes, the modulation of cell proliferation and apoptosis, and the regulation of metastasis. Most importantly, we will also discuss the potential diagnostic and therapeutic applications of miR-122 in cancer, including the development of miRNA-based biomarkers for cancer diagnosis and prognosis, and the potential use of miR-122 as a therapeutic target for cancer treatment.

Inhibition of microRNA-122 alleviates pyroptosis by targeting dual-specificity phosphatase 4 in myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury

Pyroptosis is a type of programmed cell death that induces myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (I/RI), which leads to cardiac dysfunction and even lethal reperfusion injury. MiR-122 is a liver-specific miRNA associated with coronary heart disease, but its role in pyroptosis activation in myocardial I/RI remains unclear. Thus, this study aimed to determine whether miR-122 inhibition exerts myocardial I/RI protection in in vivo and in vitro models. An I/RI model was established in vivo using C57BL/J6 male mice. MiR-122 expression was upregulated in the heart tissues from the I/RI group. Quantitative results of echocardiography parameters showed that miR-122 inhibition improved cardiac function and downregulated interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-18, caspase 1, and caspase 11. However, pretransfection with recombinant adeno-associated virus type 9 encoding a DUSP4-specific siRNA (AAV9-siDUSP4) blocked the protective effects of miR-122 inhibition. A hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) model was established to mimic the I/R condition in vitro using H9C2 cells. Results showed that miR-122 inhibition increased superoxide dismutase activity (SOD) and cell viability and decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) level, IL-1β, IL-18, caspase 1, caspase 11, and cell death. These protective effects were abolished by transfection with DUSP4-specific siRNA. In summary, miR-122 expression is upregulated in I/RI, and miR-122 inhibition alleviates I/RI by suppressing pyroptosis through targeting DUSP4. Thus, miR-122 may be a novel therapeutic target for treating myocardial I/RI.

HOXB9 a miR-122-5p regulated gene, suppressed the anticancer effects of brassaol by upregulating SCD1 expression in melanoma

Brusatol (Bru), a Chinese medicine Brucea javanica extract, has a variety of antitumour effects. However, its role and underlying mechanism in melanoma have not been fully elucidated. In this study, we found that brusatol inhibited melanoma cell proliferation and migration and promoted cell apoptosis in vitro, in addition to suppressing melanoma cell tumorigenesis in vivo. Further studies on the mechanism revealed that brusatol significantly downregulated the expression of stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1). Increased SCD1 expression could impair the antitumour effects of brusatol on melanoma cells. Subsequently, we found that HOXB9, an important transcription factor, was directly bound to the promoter of SCD1, facilitating its transcription. Overexpression of HOXB9 inhibited brusatol-induced SCD1 reduction and promoted cell survival. Furthermore, our results revealed that miR-122-5p was significantly increased in response to brusatol treatment and led to a decrease in HOXB9 in melanoma. Collectively, our data suggested that the miR-122-5p/HOXB9/SCD1 axis might play an important role in the antitumour effects of brusatol and that brusatol might have potential clinical implications in melanoma therapy.

The circCDK17/miR-122-5p/ASF1B axis regulates the progression of cervical cancer

BACKGROUND

Cervical cancer (CC) ranks fourth in terms of incidence and fourth in mortality overall in women worldwide. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been shown to be involved in the development of CC. However, the function of circRNA cyclin dependent kinase 17 (circCDK17, hsa_circ_0002762) in CC pathogenesis has not been studied.

METHODS

Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the expression of related genes. MTT, thymidine analog 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU), flow cytometry, transwell and wound-healing assays were designed to analyze cell proliferation, cell cycle progression, migration and invasion, respectively. Western blot was utilized to examine the protein levels of Cyclin D1, E-cadherin and Vimentin. The relationship between miR-122-5p and circCDK17 or ASF1B was verified by dual-luciferase reporter assay. The xenograft model was established to study the role of circCDK17 in vivo.

RESULTS

CircCDK17 and anti-silencing function 1B histone chaperone (ASF1B) were highly expressed in CC tissues and cells. Silencing circCDK17 reduced the proliferation, migration and invasion of CC cells. MiR-122-5p was a target of circCDK17. Silencing circCDK17 inhibited the malignant behaviors of CC cells by releasing miR-122-5p. Moreover, ASF1B was a target of miR-122-5p. Overexpression of ASF1B partially restored the inhibitory effects of circCDK17 silencing on cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Animal experiments confirmed the anti-tumor effect of circCDK17 knockdown in vivo.

CONCLUSION

Our study demonstrates that circCDK17 regulates the expression of ASF1B by miR-122-5p competition and thus promotes the development of CC, providing a novel targeted therapy for CC.

MicroRNA-122 in human cancers: from mechanistic to clinical perspectives

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous short non-coding RNAs that can regulate the expression of target genes post-transcriptionally and interact with mRNA-coding genes. MiRNAs play vital roles in many biological functions, and abnormal miRNA expression has been linked to various illnesses, including cancer. Among the miRNAs, miR-122, miR-206, miR-21, miR-210, miR-223, and miR-424 have been extensively studied in various cancers. Although research in miRNAs has grown considerably over the last decade, much is yet to be discovered, especially regarding their role in cancer therapies. Several kinds of cancer have been linked to dysregulation and abnormal expression of miR-122, indicating that miR-122 may serve as a diagnostic and/or prognostic biomarker for human cancer. Consequently, in this review literature, miR-122 has been analyzed in numerous cancer types to sort out the function of cancer cells miR-122 and enhance patient response to standard therapy.

TAT-Beclin 1 represses the carcinogenesis of DUSP4-positive PTC by enhancing autophagy

BACKGROUND

DUSP4 is a pro-tumorigenic molecule of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). DUSP4 also exists as an autophagic regulator. Moreover, DUSP4, as a negative regulator of MAPK, can prevent Beclin 1 from participating in autophagic response. This study aimed to explore whether TAT-Beclin 1, a recombinant protein of Beclin 1, could inhibit the tumorigenesis of DUSP4-positive PTC by regulating autophagy.

METHODS

First, we divided PTC tissues into three groups according to DUSP4 expression levels by immunohistochemical analyses, and evaluated the relationship between autophagic molecules (Beclin 1 and LC3II) and DUSP4 using Western blotting assays. After overexpression of DUSP4 by lentiviral transduction, the in vitro and in vivo roles of TAT-Beclin 1 on DUSP4-overexpressed PTC cells were assessed (including autophagic activity, cell survival and function, and tumor growth). The roles of TAT-Beclin 1 in the survival of DUSP4-silenced PTC cells were also evaluated.

RESULTS

Our results showed that the expression levels of autophagic proteins decreased with the increase of DUSP4 expression in PTC tissues. In PTC cells, DUSP4 overexpression-inhibited autophagic activity (including Beclin 1 expression, LC3 conversion rate and LC3-puncta formation) and -promoted cell proliferation and migration were reversed by TAT-Beclin 1 administration. In vivo assays also showed that DUSP4-overexpressed PTC cells had stronger tumorigenic ability and weaker autophagic activity, which was blocked by TAT-Beclin 1 administration.

CONCLUSION

TAT-Beclin 1, as an autophagic promoter, could repress the carcinogenesis of DUSP4-positive PTC, which implies that the use of TAT-Beclin 1 for the PTC patients' treatment might be determined according to the DUSP4 level in their tumors.

DUSP4 inhibits autophagic cell death and apoptosis in colorectal cancer by regulating BCL2-Beclin1/Bax signaling

BACKGROUND

The DUSP4 gene plays an important role in the carcinogenesis of colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the underlying mechanism of DUSP4-regulated colorectal carcinogenesis is unknown. DUSP4 is a negative regulator of the MAP kinase (MAPK) JNK, and JNK-mediated BCL2 phosphorylation is associated with apoptosis and autophagic cell death. Our study aimed to explore the significance of BCL2 phosphorylation-dependent autophagy and apoptosis in DUSP4-promoted colorectal carcinogenesis.

METHODS

We first investigated the roles of DUSP4 in the survival of HCT116 and SW480 CRC cell lines using gene-silencing and -overexpression techniques. Next, we explored the effects of DUSP4 on the BCL2 phosphorylation, autophagy and apoptosis of HCT116 and SW480 cells. Ultimately, with the help of pharmacological inhibitors of Beclin1 and BCL2 (spautin-1 and ABT-737), the relationship between BCL2-Beclin1/Bax signaling and DUSP4-regulated autophagy, apoptosis, survival and migration in HCT116 cells was clarified.

RESULTS

Our results first confirmed the contribution of DUSP4 to the survival of HCT116 and SW480 cells. In addition, DUSP4 silencing resulted in BCL2 phosphorylation and the enhancement in autophagy and apoptosis in HCT116 and SW480 cells, while DUSP4 overexpression showed the opposite effect. Moreover, DUSP4 silencing inhibited the protein interaction between BCL2 and Beclin1 or Bax in HCT116 cells. Moreover, the survival and migration of HCT116 cells inhibited by DUSP4 silencing were blocked by autophagy inhibition with spautin-1. Notably, the survival and migration of HCT116 cells promoted by DUSP4 overexpression were reversed by ABT-737.

CONCLUSIONS

It was indicated that DUSP4 can maintain the survival and function of CRC cells by inhibiting BCL2 phosphorylation-dependent autophagic cell death and apoptosis.

Investigating the Role of DUSP4 in Uveal Melanoma

Purpose

Dual-specificity phosphatase 4 (DUSP4) inactivates factors in the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling cascade, activated in uveal melanoma (UM) by mutations in upstream G-protein α subunits GNAQ/11 in >90% cases. This study examined whether DUSP4 (1) protein expression in primary UM (pUM) was a biomarker of metastatic risk and (2) knockdown sensitized UM cells to therapeutic agents, selumetinib or doxorubicin.

Methods

DUSP4 mRNA data from The Cancer Genome Atlas and DUSP4 protein expression examined using immunohistochemistry in 28 cases of pUM were evaluated for association with clinical, genetic, and histological features. In vitro cytotoxic drug assays tested the efficacy of selumetinib and doxorubicin in UM cell lines with/without small interfering RNA DUSP4 gene silencing.

Results

DUSP4 protein expression was observed in 93% of cases, with strong nuclear positivity in 79%. Despite higher DUSP4 messenger RNA levels in disomy 3/wild-type BAP1 UM, there was no significant association of nDUSP4 protein with these metastatic risk predictors or outcome. DUSP4 expression in UM cell lines varied. DUSP4 silencing in Mel202, MP46, and MP41 cells did not affect ERK1/2 or phospho-ERK levels. Despite increased phospho-ERK levels in Mel285, no cell line showed enhanced sensitivity to selumetinib/doxorubicin.

Conclusions

DUSP4 protein expression is not a biomarker of UM metastatic risk. DUSP4 plays a complex role in oncogenesis, as reported in other cancers, and further work is required to fully understand its functional role in the MAPK pathway.

Translational Relevance

Understanding the role of phosphatases, such as DUSP4, in the control of intracellular signaling cascades will facilitate our ability to identify successful treatment options.

Circulation microRNA expression profiles in patients with complete responses to chemoradiotherapy in nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Background

Aims

Methods

Results

Conclusion

miRNA Expression May Have Implications for Immunotherapy in PDGFRA Mutant GISTs

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) harboring mutations in the PDGFRA gene occur in only about 5-7% of patients. The most common PDGFRA mutation is exon 18 D842V, which is correlated with specific clinico-pathological features compared to the other PDGFRA mutated GISTs. Herein, we present a miRNA expression profile comparison of PDGFRA D842V mutant GISTs and PDGFRA with mutations other than D842V (non-D842V). miRNA expression profiling was carried out on 10 patients using a TLDA miRNA array. Then, miRNA expression was followed by bioinformatic analysis aimed at evaluating differential expression, pathway enrichment, and miRNA-mRNA networks. We highlighted 24 differentially expressed miRNAs between D842V and non-D842V GIST patients. Pathway enrichment analysis showed that deregulated miRNAs targeted genes that are mainly involved in the immune response pathways. The miRNA-mRNA networks highlighted a signature of miRNAs/mRNA that could explain the indolent behavior of the D842V mutated GIST. The results highlighted a different miRNA fingerprint in PDGFRA D842V GISTs compared to non-D842Vmutated patients, which could explain the different biological behavior of this GIST subset.

Silencing circFTO inhibits malignant phenotype through modulating DUSP4 expression in clear cell renal cell carcinoma

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the most diagnosed malignancy in kidney. Studies on the role of circular RNAs in kidney cancer are increasing. In this study, we employed high throughput sequencing and tissue micro array to detect and verify one of the key circular RNAs, circFTO, in ccRCC. The effect of circFTO on the proliferation and invasiveness of ccRCC cells and the corresponding mechanism were studied both in vitro and in vivo via multiple methods. We confirmed that circFTO was up regulated in ccRCC and correlated with a more aggressive phenotype. The up regulated circFTO could sponge and block the function of miR-514b-3p, a reported tumor suppressor, and caused overexpression of DUSP4. DUSP4 was found to lead to KRAS/ERK pathway activation, increased epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and inhibition of autophagy in ccRCC cells, which in the end boosted the proliferation and invasiveness of ccRCC. We thus concluded that circFTO/miR-514b-3p/DUSP4 axis may play an important role in ccRCC development and could be a potential biomarker and therapeutic target.

LncRNA Meg3 promotes oxygen and glucose deprivation injury by decreasing angiogenesis in hBMECs by targeting the miR‑122‑5p/NDRG3 axis

Oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) is widely used as an in vitro model for stroke. The present study aimed to explore the mechanisms of action of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) maternally expressed gene 3 (Meg3) in angiogenesis following OGD. The human brain microvascular endothelial cell line, hCMEC/D3, was used to establish the OGD model. lncRNA Meg3 was highly expressed in hCMEC/D3 cells subjected to OGD. Furthermore, it was found that the overexpression of lncRNA Meg3 decreased the proliferation, migration and angiogenesis of hCMEC/D3 cells subjected to OGD, and increased cell apoptosis. Meg3 silencing exerted the opposite effects. Subsequently, lncRNA Meg3 increased the expression of NDRG family member 3 (NDRG3) by directly binding to miR-122-5p. The overexpression of miR-122-5p and the knockdown of NDRG3 reversed the inhibitory effects of Meg3 overexpression on the proliferation, migration and angiogenesis of hCMEC/D3 cells subjected to OGD, as well as the promoting effects of Meg3 overexpression on cell apoptosis. The present study demonstrated that lncRNA Meg3 functions as a competing endogenous RNA by targeting the miR-122-5p/NDRG3 axis in regulating OGD injury.

Acute Myeloid Leukemia: New Multiomics Molecular Signatures and Implications for Systems Medicine Diagnostics and Therapeutics Innovation

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a common, complex, and multifactorial malignancy of the hematopoietic system. AML diagnosis and treatment outcomes display marked heterogeneity and patient-to-patient variations. To date, AML-related biomarker discovery research has employed single omics inquiries. Multiomics analyses that reconcile and integrate the data streams from multiple levels of the cellular hierarchy, from genes to proteins to metabolites, offer much promise for innovation in AML diagnostics and therapeutics. We report, in this study, a systems medicine and multiomics approach to integrate the AML transcriptome data and reporter biomolecules at the RNA, protein, and metabolite levels using genome-scale biological networks. We utilized two independent transcriptome datasets (GSE5122, GSE8970) in the Gene Expression Omnibus database. We identified new multiomics molecular signatures of relevance to AML: miRNAs (e.g., mir-484 and miR-519d-3p), receptors (ACVR1 and PTPRG), transcription factors (PRDM14 and GATA3), and metabolites (in particular, amino acid derivatives). The differential expression profiles of all reporter biomolecules were crossvalidated in independent RNA-Seq and miRNA-Seq datasets. Notably, we found that PTPRG holds important prognostication potential as evaluated by Kaplan-Meier survival analyses. The multiomics relationships unraveled in this analysis point toward the genomic pathogenesis of AML. These multiomics molecular leads warrant further research and development as potential diagnostic and therapeutic targets.

LncRNA CRART16/miR-122-5p/FOS axis promotes angiogenesis of gastric cancer by upregulating VEGFD expression

Background: We previously identified a novel lncRNA, CRART16, that could induce cetuximab resistance in colorectal cancer cells. This study explored the relationship of CRART16 expression to gastric cancer progression and the molecular mechanisms involved.

Methods: We evaluated CRART16 expression in gastric cancer tissues and adjacent normal tissues from the TCGA database and our hospital. Besides, we assessed its relationship with the overall survival (OS) of patients with gastric cancer. The effects of CRART16 on gastric cancer angiogenesis were determined by endothelial tube formation assay, spheroid sprouting assay, HUVEC invasion assay, and chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay. The involvement of the lncRNA CRART16/miR-122-5p/FOS axis was analyzed by western blotting and dual-luciferase reporter assay. The functions of CRART16 were confirmed in xenograft mouse models.

Results: We found that CRART16 was substantially overexpressed in gastric cancer tissues compared with normal tissues, based on the TCGA database and our clinical samples. High expression of CRART16 correlated with more advanced tumor stages and poor prognosis. Overexpression of CRART16 in gastric cancer cells promoted proliferation, colony formation, angiogenesis, and bevacizumab resistance in vitro, and it promoted tumor growth and angiogenesis in vivo, and vice versa. CRART16 was found to downregulate miR-122-5p by acting as a sponge, upregulating the target oncogene FOS. Afterward, the increased FOS expression led to the upregulation of VEGFD.

Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate that CRART16 promotes angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo, and CRART16 is a prognostic marker and therapeutic target in gastric cancer.

Circ_MTM1 knockdown inhibits the progression of HBV-related liver fibrosis via regulating IL7R expression through targeting miR-122-5p

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is the main reason for liver cirrhosis. The purpose of this research was to probe into the role and underlying mechanism of circ_myotubularin 1 (circ_MTM1) in HBV-related liver fibrosis (LF).

METHODS

HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) and e antigen (HBeAg), as well as the levels of HBV DNA and HBV covalently closed circular DNA were measured by HBsAg and HBeAg ELISA kits or RT-qPCR. Western blot or immunohistochemistry assays were conducted to measure protein levels. The expression of circ_MTM1, microRNA-122-5p (miR-122-5p) and interleukin 7 receptor (IL7R) were measured using RT-qPCR. MTT and cell colony formation assays were performed to detect cell proliferation. In vivo assays were carried out to reveal the effect of circ_MTM1 silencing on the tumor growth in HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

RESULTS

Circ_MTM1 and IL7R were highly expressed, whereas miR-122-5p was lowly expressed in HBV-infected LX-2 cells. Circ_MTM1 knockdown inhibited the progression of HBV-related LF. Circ_MTM1 could target miR-122-5p to regulate the expression of IL7R by adsorbing miR-122-5p, thus mediating the progression of HBV-related LF. Circ_MTM1 silencing repressed cell proliferation of HepG2.2.15 cells and growth of HCC.

CONCLUSION

Circ_MTM1 could serve as a promoter in HBV-related LF through miR-122-5p/IL7R axis.

Identification of key miRNAs in prostate cancer progression based on miRNA-mRNA network construction

Prostate cancer (PC) is one of the major male cancers. Differential diagnosis of PC is indispensable for the individual therapy, i.e., Gleason score (GS) that describes the grade of cancer can be used to choose the appropriate therapy. However, the current techniques for PC diagnosis and prognosis are not always effective. To identify potential markers that could be used for differential diagnosis of PC, we analyzed miRNA-mRNA interactions and we build specific networks for PC onset and progression. Key differentially expressed miRNAs for each GS were selected by calculating three parameters of network topology measures: the number of their single regulated mRNAs (NSR), the number of target genes (NTG) and NSR/NTG. miRNAs that obtained a high statistically significant value of these three parameters were chosen as potential biomarkers for computational validation and pathway analysis. 20 miRNAs were identified as key candidates for PC. 8 out of 20 miRNAs (miR-25-3p, miR-93-3p, miR-122-5p, miR-183-5p, miR-615-3p, miR-7-5p, miR-375, and miR-92a-3p) were differentially expressed in all GS and proposed as biomarkers for PC onset. In addition, "Extracellular-receptor interaction", "Focal adhesion", and "microRNAs in cancer" were significantly enriched by the differentially expressed target genes of the identified miRNAs. miR-10a-5p was found to be differentially expressed in GS 6, 7, and 8 in PC samples. 3 miRNAs were identified as PC GS-specific differentially expressed miRNAs: miR-155-5p was identified in PC samples with GS 6, and miR-142-3p and miR-296-3p in PC samples with GS 9. The efficacy of 20 miRNAs as potential biomarkers was revealed with a Random Forest classification using an independent dataset. The results demonstrated our 20 miRNAs achieved a better performance (AUC: 0.73) than miRNAs selected with Boruta algorithm (AUC: 0.55), a method for the automated feature extraction. Studying miRNA-mRNA associations, key miRNAs were identified with a computational approach for PC onset and progression. Further experimental validations are needed for future translational development.

Phytochemicals mediated modulation of microRNAs and long non-coding RNAs in cancer prevention and therapy

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are two main categories of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) that can influence essential biological functions in various ways, as well as their expression and function are tightly regulated in physiological homeostasis. Additionally, the dysregulation of these ncRNAs seems to be crucial to the pathogenesis of human diseases. The latest findings indicate that ncRNAs execute vital roles in cancer initiation and progression, and the cancer phenotype can be reversed by modulating their expression. Available scientific discoveries suggest that phytochemicals such as polyphenols, alkaloids, terpenoids, and organosulfur compounds can significantly modulate multiple cancer-associated miRNAs and lncRNAs, thereby inhibiting cancer initiation and development. However, despite promising outcomes of experimental research, only a few clinical trials are currently being conducted to evaluate the therapeutic effectiveness of these compounds. Nevertheless, understanding phytochemical-mediated ncRNA regulation in cancer and the underlying molecular mechanisms on tumor pathophysiology can aid in the development of novel therapeutic strategies to combat this deadly disease.

Lysine-Specific Histone Demethylase 1 Promotes Oncogenesis of the Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma by Upregulating DUSP4

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a predominant subtype of esophageal cancer (EC) and has a poor prognosis due to its aggressive nature. Accordingly, it is necessary to find novel prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for ESCC. Lysine-specific histone demethylase 1 (LSD1) plays a core role in the regulation of ESCC oncogenesis. However, the detailed mechanism of LSD1-regulated ESCC growth has not been elucidated. This study aims to explore molecular mechanism underlying the LSD1-regulated ESCC's oncogenesis. After LSD1 silencing, we detected differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in human ESCC cell line, TE-1, by transcriptome sequencing. Subsequently, we investigated expression pattern of the selected molecules in the ESCC tissues and cell lines by qRT-PCR and Western blotting. Furthermore, we explored the roles of selected molecules in ESCC using gene silencing and overexpression assays. Transcriptome sequencing showed that the expression of dual specificity phosphatase 4 (DUSP4) in TE-1 was significantly attenuated after the LSD1 silencing. In addition, the DUSP4 mRNA expression level was significantly higher in the ESCC tissues, especially in those derived from patients with invasion or metastasis. Moreover, the DUSP4 expression was positively associated with the LSD1 expression in the ESCC tissues. DUSP4 overexpression promoted proliferation, invasion, and migration of the ESCC cells, while DUSP4 silencing had an opposite effect. DUSP4 overexpression also enhanced tumorigenicity of the ESCC cells in vivo, while DUSP4 silencing inhibited tumor growth. Importantly, inhibition of cell proliferation, invasion, and migration by the LSD1 inhibitor (ZY0511) was reversed by DUSP4 overexpression. Conclusively, we found that LSD1 promotes ESCC's oncogenesis by upregulating DUSP4, the potential therapeutic and diagnostic target in ESCC.

hnRNPA2B1-Mediated Extracellular Vesicles Sorting of miR-122-5p Potentially Promotes Lung Cancer Progression

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) released by tumor cells play important roles on the remodeling of the tumor–stromal environment and on promoting tumor metastasis. Our earlier studies revealed that miR-122-5p, a type of small non-coding RNA, was dysregulated in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell-derived EVs. In this study, we found that miR-122-5p was selectively sorted and secreted into lung cancer EVs through binding to RNA-binding protein hnRNPA2B1. In addition, we found that hnRNPA2B1 interacted with miR-122-5p through the EXO-motif. The delivering of lung cancer EVs-miR-122-5p promoted the migration of liver cells, which may play roles in establishing a pre-metastatic micro-environment and hepatic metastasis of lung cancer. Importantly, our findings revealed the molecular mechanism that RNA-binding protein controls the selective sorting of tumor-derived EV miR-122-5p, which potentially promotes lung cancer progression.

A critical appraisal of the circulating levels of differentially expressed microRNA in endometriosis†

Endometriosis is a common gynecological condition characterized by estrogen dependence, chronic pelvic pain, infertility, and diagnostic delay of between 5.4 and 12 years. Despite extensive study, no biomarker, either alone or in combination with other markers, has proven superior to laparoscopy for the diagnosis of endometriosis. Recent studies report that circulating levels of differentially expressed microRNA (miRNA) in women with endometriosis compared with controls are potential diagnostic tools. However, the lack of replication and absence of validated differential expression in novel study populations have led some to question the diagnostic value of miRNA. To elucidate potential reasons for the lack of replication of study results and explore future directions to enhance replicability of circulating miRNA results, we carried out an electronic search of the miRNA literature published between 2000 and 2020. Eighteen studies were identified in which 63 different miRNAs were differentially expressed in the circulation of women with endometriosis compared with controls. However, the differential expressions of only 14 miRNAs were duplicated in one or more studies. While individual miRNAs lacked diagnostic value, miRNA panels yielded sensitivity and specificity equal to or better than laparoscopy in five studies. Important differences in study design, sample processing, and analytical methods were identified rendering direct comparisons across studies problematic and could account for the lack of reproducibility of study results. We conclude that while the results of miRNA studies to date are encouraging, refinements to study design and analytical methods should enhance the reliability of circulating miRNA for the diagnosis of endometriosis.

Loss of DUSP4 Expression as a Prognostic Biomarker in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma

Dual-specificity protein phosphatase 4 (DUSP4) is a negative regulator of mitogen-activated protein kinases. The prognostic impact of DUSP4 expression in renal cell carcinoma is not well studied. Therefore, we evaluated the clinicopathological implications of DUSP4 expression in clear cell renal cell carcinoma by performing immunohistochemistry (IHC). The clinical outcome according to DUSP4 expression was evaluated through survival analyses, and the association between mRNA expression and prognosis was confirmed by online analysis (Kaplan-Meier plotter). Loss of DUSP4 expression was noted in most histological subtypes of renal cell carcinoma. Loss of DUSP4 expression in clear cell renal cell carcinoma was significantly correlated with old age (p = 0.033), high histologic grade (p < 0.001), tumor necrosis (p < 0.001), and high pT category (p < 0.001). In survival analysis, loss of DUSP4 expression was associated with poor clinical outcomes in cancer-specific survival and recurrence-free survival (p = 0.010 and p = 0.007, respectively). Upon TCGA data analysis, patients with low DUSP4 mRNA expression showed a shorter overall survival (p = 0.023). These results suggest that loss of DUSP4 expression can be used as a potential biomarker for predicting clinical outcomes in clear cell renal cell carcinoma patients.

Long non-coding RNA AFAP1-AS1 promotes thyroid cancer progression by sponging miR-204-3p and upregulating DUSP4

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) actin filament-associated protein 1-antisense RNA 1 (AFAP1-AS1), shows crucial regulatory function in tumor progression. Nonetheless, the biological function and underlying mechanism of AFAP1-AS1 in the progression of thyroid cancer is still unclear. Expressions of AFAP1-AS1, miR-204-3p, and DUSP4 were quantified utilizing qRT-PCR and/or Western blot. In loss-of-function and gain-of-function assays, cell proliferation, migration and invasion were appraised by CCK-8 assay, wound healing assay, Transwell migration and invasion assays, respectively. Luciferase reporter assay was employed for validating the interaction between miR-204-3p and AFAP1-AS1 or the 3'UTR of dual specificity phosphatase 4 (DUSP4). AFAP1-AS1 was highly expressed in thyroid cancer tissues and cell lines. Highly expressed AFAP1-AS1 was in association with advanced TNM stage and positive lymph node metastasis. Knockdown of AFAP1-AS1 suppressed the proliferation, migration and invasion of thyroid cancer cells, and overexpression of AFAP1-AS1 induced a reversed effect. MiR-204-3p was targetedly repressed by AFAP1-AS1, and miR-204-3p could negatively regulate DUSP4 expression. AFAP1-AS1 augmented the expression of DUSP4 via repressing miR-204-3p, and the effects of AFAP1-AS1 overexpression on thyroid cancer cells were also partly abolished by miR-204-3p restoration. In summary, AFAP1-AS1 facilitates thyroid cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion by regulating miR-204-3p/DUSP4 axis.

The Role and Application of Salivary Exosomes in Malignant Neoplasms

The study of salivary exosomes in malignant neoplasms has attracted widespread attention in the clinical setting. Although a variety of diagnostic and treatment approaches have been proposed, there are some limitations to their application. In recent years, the role of salivary exosomes in cancer has been increasingly studied. Salivary exosomes not only renew and regulate the biological behavior of tumor cells, such as malignant proliferation, migration, and invasion, but they also serve as ideal markers for early diagnosis of diseases and may represent an effective therapeutic target. This article reviews the current research on salivary exosomes in malignant neoplasms.

DUSP4 promotes the carcinogenesis of CCRCC via negative regulation of autophagic death

DUSP4 is considered as an oncogenic gene. However, the effect of DUSP4 on the carcinogenesis of clear cell Renal cell carcinoma (CCRCC) is still unclear. In this study, DUSP4 mRNA levels were significantly increased in CCRCC tissues and cell lines. Furthermore, DUSP4 overexpression promotes the proliferation, migration, and tumorigenicity of CCRCC cells while DUSP4 silencing showed the opposite effects. Importantly, both autophagic activity (LC3 conversion rate and LC3 puncta formation) and total death level promoted by DUSP4 silencing were reversed by treatment with 3-MA in CCRCC cells. Moreover, the proliferation and migration of CCRCC cells inhibited by DUSP4 silencing were also recovered by suppression of autophagy with 3-MA. In conclusion, DUSP4 serves as an oncogenic gene in CCRCC carcinogenesis due to its inhibitory effect on autophagic death, indicating the potential value of DUSP4 in the diagnosis and treatment of CCRCC.

Low DUSP4 Expression Is Associated With Aggressive Phenotypes and Poor Prognosis in Gastric Cancer

BACKGROUND/AIM

Dual-specificity protein phosphatase 4 (DUSP4) negatively regulates MAPK signaling and is involved in various cellular processes. We herein evaluated the relationship between DUSP4 expression and clinicopathological characteristics in a large series of gastric cancer samples.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

DUSP4 expression was examined by immunohistochemistry in 508 gastric cancer samples. Cases were classified according to the TCGA molecular classification and HER2 amplification. Kaplan-Meier plots were used to predict the relationship between mRNA expression of DUSP4 and survival.

RESULTS

Low expression of DUSP4 was significantly correlated with larger tumor size, higher pT category, positive nodal status, higher stage, lymphovascular invasion, perineural invasion, worse overall survival, and worse recurrence-free survival. No correlation was observed between DUSP4 expression and molecular characteristics. Bioinformatics analysis showed that low mRNA expression was associated with a poor prognosis.

CONCLUSION

Low expression of DUSP4 is associated with aggressive phenotypes of gastric cancer and a poor prognosis.

Circ_0072995 Promotes Ovarian Cancer Progression Through Regulating miR-122-5p/SLC1A5 Axis

Ovarian cancer is a common cancer affecting women with high morbidity and mortality globally. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been found play vital roles in multifarious cancers, including OC. This study aims to explore the biological role and underlying mechanism of circ_0072995 in OC progression. Circ_0072995 was upregulated in OC tissues and cells in a stable structure. Functional experiments indicated that circ_0072995 knockdown suppressed cell proliferation, migration, invasion and accelerated cell apoptosis of OC cells. Mechanistically, miR-122-5p was a direct target of circ_0072995, and its knockdown reversed the effects of circ_0072995 silence on inhibition of OC cell progression. Meanwhile, SLC1A5 was a downstream target gene of miR-122-5p, and miR-122-5p overexpression inhibited the progression of OC cells by targeting SLC1A5. Moreover, circ_0072995 positively regulated SLC1A5 expression via sponging miR-122-5p. Circ_0072995 could play oncogenic role in tumorigenesis and malignant development of OC by regulating miR-122-5p/SLC1A5 axis, providing a novel approach for OC treatment.

Exosomal lncRNA UCA1 modulates cervical cancer stem cell self-renewal and differentiation through microRNA-122-5p/SOX2 axis

Background

There is growing evidence discussing the role of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in cervical cancer (CC). We performed this study to explore the impact of exosomal lncRNA urothelial cancer-associated 1 (UCA1) in CC stem cells by sponging microRNA-122-5p (miR-122-5p) and regulating SOX2 expression.

Methods

CC stem cells (CD133⁺CaSki) and exosomes were extracted and identified. The synthesized UCA1- and miR-122-5p-related sequences were transfected into CaSki cells, CaSki cells-derived exosomes were extracted and then co-cultured with CD133⁺CaSki cells. The functional roles of UCA1 and miR-122-5p in self-renewal and differentiation ability of CC stem cells were determined using ectopic expression, knockdown/depletion and reporter assay experiments. An in vivo experiment was performed to verify the in vitro results.

Results

Up-regulated UCA1 and SOX2 and down-regulated miR-122-5p were found in CaSki-Exo. Exosomes promoted invasion, migration, proliferation and restrained apoptosis of CD133⁺CaSki cells. Silencing UCA1 or up-regulating miR-122-5p degraded SOX2 expression, and reduced invasion, migration and proliferation of CD133⁺CaSki cells while advanced apoptosis and suppressed the tumor volume and weight in nude mice.

Conclusion

Our study provides evidence that CaSki-Exo can promote the self-renewal and differentiation ability of CC stem cells while silencing UCA1 or up-regulating miR-122-5p restrains self-renewal and differentiation of CC stem cells.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12967-021-02872-9.

Long non-coding RNA PART1 predicts a poor prognosis and promotes the malignant progression of pancreatic cancer by sponging miR-122

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) prostate androgen-regulated transcript 1 (PART1) was previously shown to exert an oncogenic role in several human cancers. However, whether PART1 is associated with the malignant progression of pancreatic cancer remains unclear. In the current study, we aimed to identify the role and potential mechanism of PART1 in pancreatic cancer.

METHODS

qRT-PCR was applied to detect PART1 expression in 45 cases of pancreatic cancer patients. The chi-square test was performed to assess the association between PART1 expression and clinicopathologic features, and Kaplan-Meier method was applied to evaluate overall survival. In vitro CCK-8, transwell invasion, and flow cytometry assays were applied to detect the effects of PART1 on cell proliferation, invasion, and apoptosis, respectively. Luciferase reporter and RNA immunoprecipitation assays were used to identify the regulatory mechanism between PART1 and miR-122.

RESULTS

PART1 expression was upregulated in pancreatic cancer tissues and cell lines. High PART1 expression was closely correlated with tumor size, T classification, clinical stage, and vascular invasion, and predicted a poor overall survival. PART1 knockdown significantly suppressed cell proliferation and invasion abilities of pancreatic cancer but promoted cell apoptosis. PART1 was found to serve as a molecular sponge of miR-122, and miR-122 inhibition partially reversed the inhibitory phenotypes of PART1 knockdown on pancreatic cancer cells.

CONCLUSIONS

PART1 promotes the malignant progression of pancreatic cancer by sponging miR-122. The PART1/miR-122 axis might be a promising target for anticancer therapy in patients with pancreatic cancer.

Single-cell RNA-seq reveals dynamic change in tumor microenvironment during pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma malignant progression

Background

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is most aggressive among all gastrointestinal tumors. The complex intra-tumor heterogeneity and special tumor microenvironment in PDAC bring great challenges for developing effective treatment strategies. We aimed to delineate dynamic changes of tumor microenvironment components during PDAC malignant progression utilizing single-cell RNA sequencing.

Methods

A total of 11 samples (4 PDAC I, 4 PDAC II, 3 PDAC III) were used to construct expression matrix. After identifying distinct cell clusters, subcluster analysis for each cluster was performed. New cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs) subset was validated by weighted gene co-expression network analysis, RNA in situ hybridization and immunofluorescence.

Findings

We found that ductal cells were not dominant component while tumor infiltrating immune cells and pancreatic stellate cells gradually accumulated during tumor development. We defined several new Treg and exhausted T cell signature genes, including DUSP4, FANK1 and LAIR2. The analysis of TCGA datasets showed that patients with high expression of DUSP4 had significantly worse prognosis. In addition, we identified a new CAFs subset (complement-secreting CAFs, csCAFs), which specifically expresses complement system components, and constructed csCAFs-related module by weighted gene co-expression network analysis. The csCAFs were located in the tissue stroma adjacent to malignant ductal cells only in early PDAC.

Interpretation

We systematically explored PDAC heterogeneity and identified csCAFs as a new CAFs subset special to PDAC, which may be valuable for understanding the crosstalk inside tumor.

Funding

This study was supported by The Natural Science Foundation of China (NO.81572339, 81672353, 81871954) and the Youth Clinical Research Project of Peking University First Hospital (2018CR28).

MiR-122-5p suppresses neuropathic pain development by targeting PDK4

The complex pathogenesis and limited efficacy of available treatment make neuropathic pain difficult for long periods of time. Several findings suggested the regulatory role of microRNA in the development of neuropathic pain. This study aims to investigate the functional role of miR-122-5p in the development of neuropathic pain. Down-regulation of miR-122-5p was observed in spinal cords of rats with neuropathic pain. We also found that overexpressing miR-122-5p by intrathecal injection of miR-122-5p lentivirus in a mouse model of chronic sciatic nerve injury (CCI) prevented neuropathic pain behavior. In HEK-293 T cells, luciferase activity was significantly decreased in the transfection group with mimic-miR-122-5p in wild-type PDK4 reporter, compared with mutant PDK4 reporter. Increased PDK4 expression was also observed during the progression of neuropathic pain. Intrathecal injection of both mimic-miR-122-5p and shPDK4 in CCI mice downregulated PDK4 expression to a lower level when compared with injected with shPDK4. In CCI mice, transfection of shPDK4 suppressed mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia, while co-transfection of shPDK4 and LV-miR-122-5p resulted in stronger levels of mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia inhibition. Taken together, the data suggest that miR-122-5p inhibits PDK4 expression, attenuating neuropathic pain. This result suggests the potential role of miR-122-5p acting as a target for the treatment of neuropathic pain.

miR‑122‑5p suppresses the oncogenesis of PTC by inhibiting DUSP4 expression

MicroRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) play an important role in regulating the occurrence and development of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). miR‑122‑5p is widely considered a tumour inhibitor, which has not been fully explored in PTC. Bioinformatics analysis identified dual specificity phosphatase 4 (DUSP4), a tumour promoter gene for PTC, as a downstream target of miR‑122‑5p. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role and molecular mechanism of miR‑122‑5p in PTC oncogenesis. In this study, the expression pattern of miR‑122‑5p in PTC cancer tissues and PTC cell lines was investigated via reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR. Furthermore, the roles of miR‑122‑5p in PTC were explored using gain‑of‑function and loss‑of‑function assays. The results revealed that the expression of miR‑122‑5p was significantly lower in PTC cancer tissues, especially in cancer tissues with significant invasion or metastasis. Overexpression of miR‑122‑5p caused by miR‑122‑5p mimics inhibited the proliferation, invasion, and migration of the PTC cell line K1, while knockdown of miR‑122‑5p by miR‑122‑5p inhibitors exhibited the opposite effect. Furthermore, in vivo assays revealed that miR‑122‑5p overexpression inhibited tumour growth. In addition, miR‑122‑5p was negatively correlated with DUSP4 expression in PTC cancer tissues. miR‑122‑5p overexpression inhibited DUSP4 expression in K1 cells, while miR‑122‑5p downregulation produced the inverse effect. Specifically, a luciferase reporter assay confirmed the binding sites of miR‑122‑5p on the 3'‑UTR of DUSP4, demonstrating the targeting effect of miR‑122‑5p on DUSP4. miR‑122‑5p inhibited the oncogenesis of PTC by targeting DUSP4, revealing the potential application value of miR‑122‑5p in the diagnosis and treatment of PTC.

Exosomal miR-122-5p inhibits tumorigenicity of gastric cancer by downregulating GIT1

BACKGROUND

microRNAs (miRNAs) are non-coding RNAs with important roles in the progression of human cancers, including gastric cancer. Exosomes are extracellular vesicles, which could transfer numerous noncoding RNAs, such as miRNAs. Here, in our study, we intended to investigate the role of exosomal miR-122-5p in gastric cancer progression.

METHODS

Exosomes were isolated utilizing commercial kit or ultracentrifugation. Biomarkers of exosomes or epithelia-mesenchymal transition (EMT) were monitored by western blot. Expression levels of miR-122-5p and G-protein-coupled receptor kinase interacting protein-1 (GIT1) were evaluated by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) or western blot. Cell proliferation and apoptosis were assessed by colony formation assay, methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium assay and flow cytometry. Cell metastasis was evaluated via Transwell assay. The interaction between miR-122-5p and GIT1 was validated by dual-luciferase reporter assay. Furthermore, tumor growth in vivo was detected by xenograft assay.

RESULTS

Exosomes were successfully isolated. MiR-122-5p was downregulated in exosomes derived from the serum of gastric cancer patients. Exosomal miR-122-5p could hinder gastric cancer cell proliferation and metastasis in vitro and tumor growth in vivo. Knockdown of GIT1 also inhibited gastric cancer cell proliferation and metastasis. Exosomal miR-122-5p targeted GIT1 to alter cellular behaviors of gastric cancer cells.

CONCLUSION

Exosomal miR-122-5p suppressed gastric cancer progression by targeting GIT1.

The LINC01410/miR-122-5p/NDRG3 axis is involved in the proliferation and migration of osteosarcoma cells

PURPOSE

It is generally accepted that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) function as vital regulators of tumor development and progression. Long intergenic non-coding RNA 1410 (LINC01410) is a newly discovered lncRNA, and its role in osteosarcoma (OS) is yet to be determined.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The expression of LINC01410, microRNA-122-5p (miR-122-5p), and N-myc downstream-regulated gene 3 (NDRG3) in OS tissues was determined using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR. Interactions between LINC01410, miR-122-5p, and NDRG3 were predicted and verified using bioinformatics tools and luciferase assays. Cell proliferation, migration, and invasion were detected using cell counting Kit-8 and Transwell assays.

RESULTS

LINC01410 was overexpressed in OS tissues. Furthermore, it was confirmed that LINC01410 facilitated OS cell proliferation and migration. Our studies also showed that LINC01410 binds to miR-122-5p, and miR-122-5p binds to NDRG3. Finally, we observed that LINC01410 knockdown inhibited the proliferation, invasion, and migration of OS cells. Knockdown of LINC01410 resulted in the upregulation of miR-122-5p and downregulation of NDRG3.

CONCLUSION

Our results demonstrated that the LINC01410/miR-122-5p/NDRG3 axis is involved in the progression of OS.

DUSP4 inhibits autophagic cell death in PTC by inhibiting JNK-BCL2-Beclin1 signaling

Dual specificity phosphatase 4 (DUSP4) is a prognostic marker and potential target of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC); however, the molecular mechanism underlying DUSP4-regulated PTC carcinogenesis is unknown. DUSP4 is a negative regulator of the autophagy promoter, JNK. This study explored the relationship between DUSP4 and JNK-mediated autophagic cell death in PTC, and the roles of DUSP4 in PTC using gain-of-function and loss-of-function assays. In addition, we further identified the significance of the JNK-BCL2-Beclin1-autophagy signaling pathway on DUSP4-regulated PTC carcinogenesis by combining knockdown of DUSP4 with a JNK-specific inhibitor (SP600125). We found that knockdown of DUSP4 promoted the phosphorylation of JNK and BCL2 in PTC cells, and enhanced the release of Beclin1 from the BCL2-Beclin1 complex. Knockdown of DUSP4 promoted autophagy and the death of PTC cells. The death and autophagy enhanced by knockdown of DUSP4 was reversed by the JNK inhibitor. We further extended the in-vitro experiments by subcutaneously injecting nude mice with K1 cells transfected with DUSP4-silencing vector. In-vivo assays showed that knockdown of DUSP4 not only inhibited tumor growth, but also promoted the phosphorylation of JNK and BCL2 and the expression of LC3II. In conclusion, DUSP4 inhibits BCL2-Beclin1-autophagy signaling by negatively regulating JNK activity, thus inhibiting PTC oncogenesis. The data from this study contribute to the prevention and cure of PTC.

A comprehensive review on the role of protein tyrosine phosphatases in gastric cancer development and progression

The main post-translational reversible modulation of proteins is phosphorylation and dephosphorylation, catalyzed by protein kinases (PKs) and protein phosphatases (PPs) which is crucial for homeostasis. Imbalance in this crosstalk can be related to diseases, including cancer. Plenty of evidence indicates that protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) can act as tumor suppressors and tumor promoters. In gastric cancer (GC), there is a lack of understanding of the molecular aspects behind the tumoral onset and progression. Here we describe several members of the PTP family related to gastric carcinogenesis. We discuss the associated molecular mechanisms which support the down or up modulation of different PTPs. We emphasize the Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) virulence which is in part associated with the activation of PTP receptors. We also explore the involvement of intracellular redox state in response to H. pylori infection. In addition, some PTP members are under influence by genetic mutations, epigenetics mechanisms, and miRNA modulation. The understanding of multiple aspects of PTPs in GC may provide new targets and perspectives on drug development.

Identification of key miRNA-gene pairs in gastric cancer through integrated analysis of mRNA and miRNA microarray

Nowadays, the current bioinformatic methods have been increasingly applied in the field of oncological research. In this study, we expect a better understanding of the molecular mechanism of gastric cancer from the bioinformatic methods. By systematically addressing the differential expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) and mRNAs between gastric cancer specimens and normal gastric specimens with the application of bioinformatics tools, A total of 206 DEGs and 38 DEMs were identified. The Gene Ontology (GO) analysis of Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) database revealed that the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were significantly enriched in biological process, molecular function and cellular component, while Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) database showed DEGs were significantly enriched in 8 signal pathways. The miRNA-gene regulatory network was constructed based on 385 miRNA-gene (DEM-DEG) pairs, consisting of 35 miRNAs and 107 target genes. In the regulatory network, the top 5 up-regulated genes were Transmembrane Protease, Serine 11B (TMPRSS11B), regulator of G protein signaling 1 (RGS1), cysteine rich angiogenic inducer 61 (CYR61), inhibin subunit beta A (INHBA), syntrophin gamma 1 (SNTG1), and the top 5 down-regulated genes were tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily, member 19 (TNFRSF19), pleckstrin homology domain containing B2 (PLEKHB2), Tax1 binding protein 3 (TAX1BP3), presenilin enhancer, gamma-secretase subunit (PSENEN), NME/NM23 nucleoside diphosphate kinase 3 (NME3). Based on the gastric cancer patient database from Kaplan-Meier Plotter tools, we found that 8 of 10 genes with most significant changes in the miRNA-gene regulatory network possessed a prognostic value for survival time of gastric cancer patients. Patients with higher level of RGS1, PLEKHB2, TAX1BP3 and PSENEN in gastric cancer had a longer survival time compared with the patients with lower level of these genes. On the contrary, patients with higher level of INHBA, SNTG1, TNFRSF19 and NME3 were found associated with a shorter survival time. In conclusion, our findings provided several potential targets regarding gastric cancer, which may result in a new strategy to treat gastric cancer from a system rather than a single-gene perspective.

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.

Inhibition of miR-122 reduced atherosclerotic lesion formation by regulating NPAS3-mediated endothelial to mesenchymal transition

AIMS

Endothelial to mesenchymal transition (EndMT) is closely related to atherosclerosis. Herein, we aim to determine whether miR-122 is involved in EndMT and the underlying mechanism in atherosclerosis.

MAIN METHODS

qRT-PCR was performed to detect miR-122 expression in ApoE^-/- mice and cellular EndMT model induced by H₂O₂. MiR-122 expression in vivo was modulated by lenti-virus injection and by genetic manipulation. Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) and Oil-red O staining were used to observe the plaque size and lipid accumulation in the aortic roots. F4/80 staining, elastin staining, and masson staining were used to observe the components of atherosclerotic lesions. MiR-122 expression in endothelial cells was modulated by transfection of miR-122 mimic and inhibitor. Western blotting and co-localization of endothelial markers (VE-cadherin, CD31) and mesenchymal markers (Vimentin, α-SMA) were carried out to determine EndMT.

KEY FINDINGS

MiR-122 was upregulated in the aortic intima and serum of ApoE^-/- mice induced by HFD and in cellular EndMT model. Inhibition of miR-122 repressed the atherosclerotic plaque progression and vulnerable plaque formation in ApoE^-/- mice. In vitro, endothelial cells acquired a spindle-shaped morphology accompanying decrease of the endothelial markers (VE-cadherin, CD31) and increase of the mesenchymal markers (Vimentin, α-SMA) in the presence of H₂O₂, which was inhibited by miR-122 inhibitor. Furthermore, NPAS3 functions as a target of miR-122, and NPAS3 silencing abolished the anti-EndMT effect of miR-122 inhibitor.

SIGNIFICANCE

Inhibition of miR-122 prevents atherosclerosis and regulates NPAS3-mediated EndMT, suggesting that miR-122 may be a novel target in the treatment of EndMT-associated diseases including atherosclerosis.

EIF3J-AS1 promotes glioma cell growth via up-regulating ANXA11 through sponging miR-1343-3p

Background

Glioma is one prevalent malignant tumor originates from the central nervous system. Dysregulation of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) has been found to be a molecular signature behind the pathology of a variety of cancers, including glioma. EIF3J antisense RNA 1 (EIF3J-AS1) is a novel lncRNA, whose performance in carcinogenesis has been unfolded. Nevertheless, the role of EIF3J-AS1 has never been investigated in glioma.

Methods

qRT-PCR analysis was adopted to evaluate the relative levels of RNAs. In vitro functional assays, including colony formation, EdU, TUNEL and caspase-3/8/9 activity assays were conducted to study the impacts of EIF3J-AS1 on glioma. Dual-luciferase activity assays, RNA pull down assay and RIP assay were performed to elucidate molecular interplay among genes.

Results

EIF3J-AS1 was overexpressed in glioma cell lines. Knockdown of EIF3J-AS1 hampered glioma malignant phenotypes. MiR-1343-3p could bind to EIF3J-AS1. Moreover, miR-1343-3p targeted Annexin A11 (ANXA11) in its 3′UTR region. Mechanistically, EIF3J-AS1 relieved ANXA11 from miR-1343-3p silencing in the EIF3J-AS1/miR-1343-3p/ANXA11 RNA induced silencing complex (RISC), thus eliciting promoting effects on glioma progression. MiR-1343-3p inhibitor and ANXA11 overexpression offset the inhibitory impacts of EIF3J-AS1 silencing on glioma development.

Conclusion

EIF3J-AS1/miR-1343-3p/ANXA11 axis significantly affected biological behaviors in glioma, suggesting new therapeutic target for glioma treatment.

The role of microRNA in cisplatin resistance or sensitivity

INTRODUCTION

Cisplatin is a chemotherapy drug that has been used to treat a number of cancers for decades, and is still one of the most commonly used anti-cancer agents. However, some patients do not respond to cisplatin while other patients who were originally sensitive to cisplatin eventually develop chemoresistance, leading to treatment failure or/and tumor recurrence.

AREAS COVERED

Different mechanisms contribute to cisplatin resistance or sensitivity, involving multiple pathways or/and processes such as DNA repair, DNA damage response, drug transport, and apoptosis. Among the various mechanisms, it appears that microRNAs play an important role in determining the resistance or sensitivity. In this article, we analyzed and summarized recent findings in this area, with the aim that these data can aid further research and understanding, leading to the eventual reduction of cisplatin resistance.

EXPERT COMMENTARY

microRNAs can positively or negatively regulate cisplatin resistance by acting on molecules or/and pathways related to apoptosis, autophagy, hypoxia, cancer stem cells, NF-κB, and Notch1. It appears that the modulation of relevant microRNAs can effectively re-sensitize cancer cells to cisplatin regimen in certain types of cancers including breast, colorectal, gastric, liver, lung, ovarian, prostate, testicular, and thyroid cancers.

MicroRNAs in gastric cancer: Biomarkers and therapeutic targets

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a group of non-coding RNAs that have critical roles in regulation of expression of genes. They can inhibit or decrease expression of target genes mostly via interaction with 3' untranslated region of their targets. Their crucial roles in the regulation of expression of tumor suppressor genes and oncogenes have potentiated them as contributors in tumorigenesis. Moreover, their stability in body fluids has enhanced their potential as cancer biomarkers. In the present review article, we describe the role of miRNAs in the pathogenesis of gastric cancer and advances in application of miRNAs as biomarkers and therapeutic targets in this kind of malignancy.

DUSP4 is involved in the enhanced proliferation and survival of DUSP4-overexpressing cancer cells

Dual-specificity phosphatase 4 (DUSP4), a MAP kinase phosphatase, has been regarded as a tumor suppressor gene in several cancers. However, high-level expression of DUSP4 is occasionally observed in specific cancers and its functional significance in carcinogenesis is not fully understood. In the present study, we showed that downregulation of DUSP4 suppressed the proliferation of cancer cell lines exhibiting high expression of DUSP4 by inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase. Expression microarray analyses and pathway analyses revealed that downregulation of DUSP4 activated the p53 signaling pathway, and might be involved in cell growth suppression. Aberrant accumulation of p53 and induction of p53 downstream target genes were further investigated. Furthermore, cell growth suppression following downregulation of DUSP4 was markedly attenuated in p53-deleted cells established using the CRISPR/Cas9 system. These findings suggest that constitutive expression of DUSP4 in cancer cells contributes to enhanced proliferation through escape from apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. We propose that DUSP4 could be a novel therapeutic target for cancers overexpressing it.

MiR-122-5p protects against acute lung injury via regulation of DUSP4/ERK signaling in pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells

AIMS

The aim of this study was to explore the role of miR-122-5p in acute lung injury.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Mice were subjected to intratracheal injection of lipopolysaccharide to establish an acute lung injury model. The mice also received miR-122-5p antagonist and mimic via injection to inhibit or overexpress miR-122-5p in the lung tissue, respectively. In an in vitro experiment, we isolated primary mouse lung microvascular endothelial cells and established a cell injury model via lipopolysaccharide treatment.

KEY FINDINGS

Mice injected with an miR-122-5p antagonist exhibited reduced lung injury, inflammation and oxidative stress, while mice injected with a miR-122-5p mimic exhibited exaggerated lung injury, inflammation and oxidative stress. In an in vitro experiment, we found that the miR-122-5p antagonist suppressed lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation, apoptosis and oxidative stress. Moreover, miR-122-5p regulated the promoter activity of DUSP4, which negatively regulated ERK1/2 signaling. The use of DUSP4 siRNA counteracted the effects of the miR-122-5p antagonist.

SIGNIFICANCE

Taken together, these results show that miR-122-5p protected against acute lung injury via regulation of DUSP4/ERK signaling in pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells. MiR-122-5p antagonism may be a promising treatment method for acute lung injury.

Circular RNA circ_0007142 Facilitates Colorectal Cancer Progression by Modulating CDC25A Expression via miR-122-5p

Background

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common malignant tumor in digestive system. Circular RNA (circRNA) circ_0007142 has been identified as an oncogene in CRC. However, the mechanism of circ_0007142 in CRC was rarely reported.

Materials and Methods

The levels of circ_0007142, dedicator of cytokinesis 1 (DOCK1), microRNA-122-5p (miR-122-5p), and cell division cycle 25A (CDC25A) in CRC tissues (n=31) and cells were examined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The cell viability and colony-forming ability were evaluated via 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and colony-formation assay, respectively. The migrated and invaded abilities were monitored by Transwell assay. The dual-luciferase reporter assay was performed to validate the interactions between miR-122-5p and circ_0007142 or CDC25A. The protein level of CDC25A was detected via Western blot assay. The biological role of circ_0007142 was examined by xenograft tumor model in vivo.

Results

The levels of circ_0007142 and CDC25A were enhanced and the level of miR-122-5p was declined in CRC tissues and cells, while the level of DOCK1 had no fluctuation. Circ_0007142 sponged miR-122-5p and CDC25A was a target of miR-122-5p. Circ_0007142 knockdown impeded cell proliferation, colony formation, migration, and invasion in CRC cells by regulating miR-122-5p. Besides, miR-122-5p inhibitor promoted cell proliferation, colony formation, migration, and invasion in CRC cells by modulating CDC25A. Circ_0007142 regulated CDC25A expression in CRC cells by sponging miR-122-5p. Moreover, circ_0007142 knockdown blocked CRC tumor growth in vivo.

Conclusion

Circ_0007142 modulated CDC25A expression to promote CRC progression by sponging miR-122-5p.

Karyopherin α 2 promotes proliferation, migration and invasion through activating NF-κB/p65 signaling pathways in melanoma cells

AIMS

Melanoma is a fatal malignancy. Karyopherin α 2 (KPNA2) plays an important role in many carcinogenesis. This study was aimed to study the role of KPNA2 in cellular functions and molecular mechanisms of melanoma.

MAIN METHODS

We investigated the expression and prognosis of KPNA2 in melanoma using the GEPIA database (http://gepia.cancer-pku.cn/). The effect of KPNA2 on melanoma cells was determined using real-time PCR, western blot, immunofluorescence assay, CCK-8, colony formation, wound healing assay, transwell assay, EMSA, and immunohistochemistry. The influence of KPNA2 on the tumorigenicity of melanoma cells was evaluated in a nude mice model in vivo.

KEY FINDINGS

Our results showed that KPNA2 expression is relatively high in melanoma tissues and cells, and melanoma patients with higher expression of KPNA2 had lower overall survival rate and disease free survival rate. KPNA2 promoted proliferation ability and increased the expression of PCNA, Ki67, and C-MYC in melanoma cells. Further, KPNA2 could promote migration and invasion and increase the expression of MMP2 and MMP9. Mechanism studies showed that KPNA2 activated NF-κB/p65 signaling pathways, as evidenced by the nuclear translocation of p65 and increased the expression of COX-2, ICAM-1, iNOS, and MCP1 in melanoma cells. NF-κB inhibitor JSH-23 could reverse the pro-tumor effects of KPNA2 on melanoma cells. Moreover, upregulation of KPNA2 facilitated the tumorigenicity of melanoma cells.

SIGNIFICANCE

KPNA2 promotes proliferation, migration and invasion through enhancing NF-κB/p65 signaling pathways in melanoma cells. Our study suggests KPNA2 as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of melanoma.

Up-Regulation of FSTL3, Regulated by lncRNA DSCAM-AS1/miR-122-5p Axis, Promotes Proliferation and Migration of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells

Background

Follistatin-like 3 (FSTL3) binds and inactivates activin, a growth factor with cell growth and differentiation. Previous studies reported that it is overexpressed in invasive breast cancers, and its expression and function in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remain unclear.

Materials and Methods

Immunohistochemistry was employed to probe the expression of FSTL3 in NSCLC tissues. Real-time PCR (RT-PCR) was applied to detect the expression of lncRNA DSCAM-AS1 and miR-122-5p. A549 cells and H1299 cells were used as cell models. The biological influence of FSTL3 on cells was studied using CCK-8 assay, wound healing assay and transwell assay in vitro, respectively. In vivo subcutaneous xenotransplanted tumor model and tail vein injection model in mice were also constructed to validate the roles of FSTL3. Interactions between miR-122-5p and FSTL3, DSCAM-AS1 and miR-122-5p were determined by bioinformatics analysis, RT-PCR, and dual-luciferase reporter assay.

Results

FSTL3 and DSCAM-AS1 were remarkably up-regulated in NSCLC samples, and miR-122-5p was down-regulated. FSTL3 was associated with worse prognosis of NSCLC patients. FSTL3 knockdown markedly inhibited the viability, migration and invasion of NSCLCs in vitro and in vivo. DSCAM-AS1 could down-regulate miR-122-5p via sponging it, and FSTL3 was a target gene of miR-122-5p.

Conclusion

Taken together, our study identified that FSTL3 was a new oncogene of NSCLC, which was regulated by DSCAM-AS1 and miR-122-5p. These findings suggested that FSTL3, DSCAM-AS1 and miR-122-5p might serve as a new valuable therapeutic target for NSCLC.