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Li S, Huang Q, Yang Q, Peng X, Wu Q. MicroRNAs as promising therapeutic agents: A perspective from acupuncture. Pathol Res Pract 2023; 248:154652. [PMID: 37406378 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2023.154652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Revised: 06/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are gaining recognition as potential therapeutic agents due to their small size, ability to target a wide range of genes, and significant role in disease progression. However, despite their promising potential, nearly half of the miRNA drugs developed for therapeutic purposes have been discontinued or put on hold, and none have advanced to phase III clinical trials. The development of miRNA therapeutics has faced obstacles such as difficulties in validating miRNA targets, conflicting evidence regarding competition and saturation effects, challenges in miRNA delivery, and determining appropriate dosages. These hurdles primarily arise from the intricate functional complexity of miRNAs. Acupuncture, a distinct, complementary therapy, offers a promising avenue to overcome these barriers, particularly by addressing the fundamental issue of preserving functional complexity through acupuncture regulatory networks. The acupuncture regulatory network consists of three main components: the acupoint network, the neuro-endocrine-immune (NEI) network, and the disease network. These networks represent the processes of information transformation, amplification, and conduction that occur during acupuncture. Notably, miRNAs serve as essential mediators and shared biological language within these interconnected networks. Harnessing the therapeutic potential of acupuncture-derived miRNAs can help reduce the time and economic resources required for miRNA drug development and alleviate the current developmental challenges miRNA therapeutics face. This review provides an interdisciplinary perspective by summarizing the interactions between miRNAs, their targets, and the three acupuncture regulatory networks mentioned earlier. The aim is to illuminate the challenges and opportunities in developing miRNA therapeutics. This review paper presents a comprehensive overview of miRNAs, their interactions with acupuncture regulatory networks, and their potential as therapeutic agents. By bridging the miRNA research and acupuncture fields, we aim to offer valuable insights into the obstacles and prospects of developing miRNA therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sihui Li
- Acupuncture and Moxibustion College, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 610075, China
| | - Qianhui Huang
- Acupuncture and Moxibustion College, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 610075, China
| | - Qingqing Yang
- Acupuncture and Moxibustion College, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 610075, China
| | - Xiaohua Peng
- Acupuncture and Moxibustion College, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 610075, China
| | - Qiaofeng Wu
- Acupuncture and Moxibustion College, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 610075, China; Acupuncture & Chronobiology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan 610075, China; Institute of Acupuncture and Homeostasis Regulation, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 610075, China.
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MicroRNA: Crucial modulator in purinergic signalling involved diseases. Purinergic Signal 2023; 19:329-341. [PMID: 35106737 PMCID: PMC9984628 DOI: 10.1007/s11302-022-09840-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Both microRNAs (miRNAs) and purinergic signalling are widely and respectively expressed in various tissues of different organisms and play vital roles in a variety of physiological and pathological processes. Here, we reviewed the current publications contributed to the relationship of miRNAs and purinergic signalling in cardiovascular diseases, gastrointestinal diseases, neurological diseases, and ophthalmic diseases. We tried to decode the miRNAs-purinergic signalling network of purinergic signalling involved diseases. The evidence indicated that more than 30 miRNAs (miR-22, miR-30, miR-146, miR-150, miR-155, miR-187, etc.) directly or indirectly modulate P1 receptors (A1, A2A, A2B, A3), P2 receptors (P2X1, P2X3, P2X4, P2X7, P2Y2, P2Y6, P2Y12), and ecto-enzymes (CD39, CD73, ADA2); P2X7 and CD73 could be modulated by multiple miRNAs (P2X7: miR-21, miR-22, miR-30, miR-135a, miR-150, miR-186, miR-187, miR-216b; CD73: miR-141, miR-101, miR-193b, miR-340, miR-187, miR-30, miR-422a); miR-187 would be the common miRNA to modulate P2X7 and CD73.
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Mao Q, Tian L, Wei J, Zhou X, Cheng H, Zhu X, Li X, Gao Z, Zhang X, Liang L. Transcriptome analysis of microRNAs, circRNAs, and mRNAs in the dorsal root ganglia of paclitaxel-induced mice with neuropathic pain. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:990260. [PMID: 36117915 PMCID: PMC9470859 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.990260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The microtubule-stabilizing drug paclitaxel (PTX) is a chemotherapeutic agent widely prescribed for the treatment of various tumor types. The main adverse effect of PTX-mediated therapy is chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) and neuropathic pain, which are similar to the adverse effects associated with other chemotherapeutic agents. Dorsal root ganglia (DRG) contain primary sensory neurons; any damage to these neurons or their axons may lead to neuropathic pain. To gain molecular and neurobiological insights into the peripheral sensory system under conditions of PTX-induced neuropathic pain, we used transcriptomic analysis to profile mRNA and non-coding RNA expression in the DRGs of adult male C57BL/6 mice treated using PTX. RNA sequencing and in-depth gene expression analysis were used to analyze the expression levels of 67,228 genes. We identified 372 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the DRGs of vehicle- and PTX-treated mice. Among the 372 DEGs, there were 8 mRNAs, 3 long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), 16 circular RNAs (circRNAs), and 345 microRNAs (miRNAs). Moreover, the changes in the expression levels of several miRNAs and circRNAs induced by PTX have been confirmed using the quantitative polymerase chain reaction method. In addition, we compared the expression levels of differentially expressed miRNAs and mRNA in the DRGs of mice with PTX-induced neuropathic pain against those evaluated in other models of neuropathic pain induced by other chemotherapeutic agents, nerve injury, or diabetes. There are dozens of shared differentially expressed miRNAs between PTX and diabetes, but only a few shared miRNAs between PTX and nerve injury. Meanwhile, there is no shared differentially expressed mRNA between PTX and nerve injury. In conclusion, herein, we show that treatment with PTX induced numerous changes in miRNA expression in DRGs. Comparison with other neuropathic pain models indicates that DEGs in DRGs vary greatly among different models of neuropathic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingxiang Mao
- Department of Anesthesiology, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Lixia Tian
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, China
- Institute of Neuroscience, Translational Medicine Institute, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, China
| | - Jianxiong Wei
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, China
- Institute of Neuroscience, Translational Medicine Institute, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, China
| | - Xiaoqiong Zhou
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, China
- Institute of Neuroscience, Translational Medicine Institute, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, China
| | - Hong Cheng
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, China
- Institute of Neuroscience, Translational Medicine Institute, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, China
| | - Xuan Zhu
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, China
- Institute of Neuroscience, Translational Medicine Institute, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, China
| | - Xiang Li
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, China
| | - Zihao Gao
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, China
| | - Xi Zhang
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, China
| | - Lingli Liang
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, China
- Institute of Neuroscience, Translational Medicine Institute, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, China
- *Correspondence: Lingli Liang,
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Tribute to Prof. Geoffrey Burnstock: his contribution to acupuncture. Purinergic Signal 2020; 17:71-77. [PMID: 33034832 PMCID: PMC7954886 DOI: 10.1007/s11302-020-09729-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
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MicroRNA in Acupuncture Studies: Does Small RNA Shed Light on the Biological Mechanism of Acupuncture? EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2019; 2019:3051472. [PMID: 31118954 PMCID: PMC6500616 DOI: 10.1155/2019/3051472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2018] [Accepted: 03/31/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are the main regulators of diverse physiological processes. Recently, miRNAs have emerged as significant players related to the effect of acupuncture although the biological mechanisms connecting the function of these miRNAs with the effect of acupuncture are not well understood. In animal models of various diseases, such as neurological disease, cardiovascular disease, myopathy, and pain, a number of miRNAs were altered after administration of electroacupuncture or manual acupuncture. Nonetheless, there are a limited number of studies published so far. This paper reviewed and discussed whether miRNAs could elucidate potential biological mechanism of acupuncture in the future studies.
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Borea PA, Gessi S, Merighi S, Varani K. Adenosine as a Multi-Signalling Guardian Angel in Human Diseases: When, Where and How Does it Exert its Protective Effects? Trends Pharmacol Sci 2016; 37:419-434. [PMID: 26944097 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2016.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 203] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2015] [Revised: 02/08/2016] [Accepted: 02/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The importance of adenosine for human health cannot be overstated. Indeed, this ubiquitous nucleoside is an integral component of ATP, and regulates the function of every tissue and organ in the body. Acting via receptor-dependent and -independent mechanisms [the former mediated via four G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), A1, A2A, A2B, and A3,], it has a significant role in protecting against cell damage in areas of increased tissue metabolism, and combating organ dysfunction in numerous pathological states. Accordingly, raised levels of adenosine have been demonstrated in epilepsy, ischaemia, pain, inflammation, and cancer, in which its behaviour can be likened to that of a guardian angel, even though there are instances in which overproduction of adenosine is pathological. In this review, we condense the current body of knowledge on the issue, highlighting when, where, and how adenosine exerts its protective effects in both the brain and the periphery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pier Andrea Borea
- Department of Medical Sciences, Pharmacology Section, University of Ferrara, Via Fossato di Mortara, 17-19, 44121 Ferrara, Italy.
| | - Stefania Gessi
- Department of Medical Sciences, Pharmacology Section, University of Ferrara, Via Fossato di Mortara, 17-19, 44121 Ferrara, Italy.
| | - Stefania Merighi
- Department of Medical Sciences, Pharmacology Section, University of Ferrara, Via Fossato di Mortara, 17-19, 44121 Ferrara, Italy.
| | - Katia Varani
- Department of Medical Sciences, Pharmacology Section, University of Ferrara, Via Fossato di Mortara, 17-19, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
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