Epigenetic in medullary thyroid cancer: the role of microRNA in tumorigenesis and prognosis

Advances and challenges in thyroid cancer: The interplay of genetic modulators, targeted therapies, and AI-driven approaches

Thyroid cancer continues to exhibit a rising incidence globally, predominantly affecting women. Despite stable mortality rates, the unique characteristics of thyroid carcinoma warrant a distinct approach. Differentiated thyroid cancer, comprising most cases, is effectively managed through standard treatments such as thyroidectomy and radioiodine therapy. However, rarer variants, including anaplastic thyroid carcinoma, necessitate specialized interventions, often employing targeted therapies. Although these drugs focus on symptom management, they are not curative. This review delves into the fundamental modulators of thyroid cancers, encompassing genetic, epigenetic, and non-coding RNA factors while exploring their intricate interplay and influence. Epigenetic modifications directly affect the expression of causal genes, while long non-coding RNAs impact the function and expression of micro-RNAs, culminating in tumorigenesis. Additionally, this article provides a concise overview of the advantages and disadvantages associated with pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapeutic interventions in thyroid cancer. Furthermore, with technological advancements, integrating modern software and computing into healthcare and medical practices has become increasingly prevalent. Artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques hold the potential to predict treatment outcomes, analyze data, and develop personalized therapeutic approaches catering to patient specificity. In thyroid cancer, cutting-edge machine learning and deep learning technologies analyze factors such as ultrasonography results for tumor textures and biopsy samples from fine needle aspirations, paving the way for a more accurate and effective therapeutic landscape in the near future.

Modulatory role of miRNAs in thyroid and breast cancer progression and insights into their therapeutic manipulation

Over the past few decades, thyroid cancer has become one of the most common types of endocrine cancer, contributing to an increase in prevalence. In the year 2020, there were 586,202 newly diagnosed cases of thyroid cancer around the world. This constituted approximately 3.0% of all patients diagnosed with cancer. The World Health Organization reported that there will be 2.3 million women receiving treatment for breast cancer in 2020, with 685,000. Despite the fact that carcinoma is one of the world's leading causes of death, there is still a paucity of information about its biology. MicroRNAs (miRNAs; miRs) are non-coding RNAs that can reduce gene expression by cleaving the 3' untranslated regions of mRNA. These factors make them a potential protein translation inhibitor. Diverse biological mechanisms implicated in the genesis of cancer are modulated by miRNA. The investigation of global miRNA expression in cancer showed regulatory activity through up regulation and down-regulation in several cancers, including thyroid cancer and breast cancer. In thyroid cancer, miRNA influences several cancers related signaling pathways through modulating MAPK, PI3K, and the RAS pathway. In breast cancer, the regulatory activity of miRNA was played through the cyclin protein family, protein kinases and their inhibitors, and other growth promoters or suppressors, which modulated cell proliferation and cell cycle progression. This article's goal is to discuss key miRNA expressions that are involved in the development of thyroid and breast cancer as well as their therapeutic manipulation for these two specific cancer types.

miR-137 represses migration and cell motility by targeting COX-2 in non-small cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND

Lung cancer is a common malignant tumor, with, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounting for about 80-85% of cases. This study investigated the expression of miR-137 in NSCLC tissues and cells and its effects on the migration and invasion of NSCLC cells and related mechanisms.

METHODS

We collected the neoplastic and paracancerous tissues of NSCLC patients, detected the expression of miR-137 in NSCLC tissues and cell lines by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), and analyzed the correlation between miR-137 expression and the clinicopathological features and survival of NSCLC. Following transfection with miR-137 mimic or inhibitor in NSCLC cell lines (A549 or H1299) to upregulate or downregulate the expression of miR-137, transwell assay was employed to detect the effects of miR-137 on migration or invasion. Online software was employed to predict and analyze the target gene of miR-137, and luciferase reporter gene system was adopted to validate it. The effects of miR-137 on the expressions of COX-2 and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) related proteins were investigated by Western blot.

RESULTS

Compared to paracancerous tissues and BEAS-2B cells, the expressions of miR-137 in NSCLC tissues, A549 and H1299 cells were dramatically down-regulated (P<0.01). After transfection with miR-137 mimic or inhibitor in A549 and H1299 cells, the miR-137 expressions were markedly up-regulated or down-regulated (P<0.01), respectively. The number of migrating or invading cells was observably decreased or increased (P<0.01) after transfected with mimic or inhibitor, respectively, while relative luciferase activity was evidently decreased in cells co-transfected with miR-137 mimic and wild type recombined vector of 3'UTR of COX-2. While the expressions of COX-2 and E-cadherin were both substantially reduced in A549 cells treated with miR-137 mimic, that of vimentin was substantially raised. The expression of miR-137 correlated with smoking history, lymph node metastasis, and TNM clinical stage, and patients with high miR-137 expression had apparent longer survival.

CONCLUSIONS

The expression of miR-137 was significantly down-regulated in NSCLC tissues and cells, and correlated with NSCLC progress. miR-137 suppressed the migration and invasion of NSCLC cells through regulating EMT relative proteins by targeting COX-2. miR-137 is expected to become a novel biomarker and therapeutic target of NSCLC.

Anticancer mechanisms of phytochemical compounds: focusing on epigenetic targets

It has recently been proven that epigenetic dysregulation is importantly involved in cell transformation and therefore induces cancerous diseases. The development of molecules called epidrugs, which target specifically different epigenetic modifications to restore cellular memory and therefore the treatment, became a real challenge currently. Currently, bioactive compounds of medicinal plants as epidrugs have been can identified and explored in cancer therapy. Indeed, these molecules can target specifically different epigenetic modulators including DNMT, HDAC, HAT, and HMT. Moreover, some compounds exhibit stochastic epigenetic actions on different pathways regulating cell memory. In this work, pharmacodynamic actions of natural epidrugs belonging to cannabinoids, carotenoids, chalcones, fatty acids, lignans, polysaccharides, saponins, secoiridoids, steroids, tannins, tanshinones, and other chemical classes we reported and highlighted. In this review, the effects of several natural bioactive compounds of epigenetic medications on cancerous diseases were highlighted. Numerous active molecules belonging to different chemical classes such as cannabinoids, carotenoids, fatty acids, lignans, polysaccharides, saponins, secoiridoids, steroids, tannins, and tanshinones are discussed in this review.

Identification of the transcription factor, AFF4, as a new target of miR-203 in CNS

MiR-203 was identified as a hub of a potential regulatory miRNA network in central nervous system. Overexpressing of miR-203 in the frontal cortex of C57BL/6J wild type mouse induced neurodegeneration by increasing the apoptotic pathway and neuron death. AFF4, a transcription factor, was identified as a new bona fida protein target of miR-203 in CNS. The miRNA:mRNA interaction of miR-203 and AFF4 was verified using Dural-luciferase assay. Down-regulated expression of AFF4 was induced by overexpressing miR-203 both in vitro and in vivo. Open field test, Y maze and Morris water maze test were conducted for the behavioral assessment of the mice with stereotactic injection of lentiviral vector overexpressing miR-203 in the hippocampus. No anxiety-like behavior or impaired cognition was noticed in these mice. Consistent with the results of the behavioral assessment, the electron micrograph and Nissl staining revealed no significant change in the synaptic density and no neuron injuries in the hippocampus of mice overexpressing miR-203, respectively. Our results indicated that instead of promoting neurodegenerative phenotype, a more profound function should be ascribed to miR-203 in regulating neuron behavioral activities and cognition. Neuron-type specific functions of miR-203 are likely to be executed via its various downstream protein interactors.

Serum miR-375 for Diagnostic and Prognostic Purposes in Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma

PURPOSE

Having previously demonstrated that tissue miR-375 expression in medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) tissues is linked to prognosis, the aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic and prognostic value of circulating miR-375 levels in MTC patients.

METHODS

A series of 68 patients with MTC was retrospectively retrieved and assessed in terms of their clinicopathological characteristics. MiR-375 levels were measured in all patients' presurgical blood samples. Both serum and tissue levels were tested prior to surgery in a subgroup of 57 patients. Serum miR-375 levels were also measured in serum from 49 patients with non-C-cell thyroid nodular diseases (non-CTN), 14 patients with pheochromocytoma, and 19 healthy controls.

RESULTS

Circulating miR-375 levels were 101 times higher in the serum of patients with MTC than in all other patients and controls, with no overlap (P < 0.01). No correlation emerged between serum and tissue miR-375 levels. Serum miR-375 levels were higher in MTC patients with N0 than in those with N1 disease (P = 0.01), and also in patients who were biochemically cured than in those who were not (P = 0.02). In the whole series of patients and controls, calcitonin (CT) and serum miR-375 levels were correlated at diagnosis (R² = 0.40, P < 0.01), but in a U-shaped manner: a positive correlation was found with low CT levels, then the correlation turns negative as CT rises (in MTC patients). A negative correlation was indeed found in MTC patients between serum miR-375 and CT (R² = -0.10, P = 0.01). On ROC curve analysis, a cut-off of 2.1 for serum miR-375 proved capable of distinguishing between MTC patients and the other patients and controls with a 92.6% sensitivity and a 97.6% specificity (AUC: 0.978, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Serum miR-375 levels can serve as a marker in the diagnosis of MTC, with a remarkable specificity. Serum miR-375 also proved a novel marker of prognosis in this disease. Further in vitro experiments to corroborate our results are currently underway.