Gelsolin inhibits malignant phenotype of glioblastoma and is regulated by miR-654-5p and miR-450b-5p

MicroRNA-450b-5p modulated RPLP0 promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progression via activating JAK/STAT3 pathway

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is distinguished by its insidious onset, difficult treatment, and poor prognosis. Ribosomal Protein Lateral Stalk Subunit P0 (RPLP0) is implicated in numerous tumor progression processes. Nevertheless, the regulatory mechanism of RPLP0 in HCC progression remains unclear. Our study suggested that RPLP0 exhibits high expression levels in HCC and possesses promising diagnostic capabilities, as indicated by its area under the curve (AUC) of 0.908. Further analysis showed that RPLP0 was a significant independent prognostic factor, and elevated expression levels of RPLP0 were linked with poorer overall survival (OS) and progression-free interval (PFI) outcomes. Additionally, reducing RPLP0 levels led to a decrease in HCC cell proliferation, clonality, invasion, migration, and xenograft tumor growth, as well as an increase in apoptosis. Furthermore, our findings indicated that microRNA(miR)-450b-5p induced downregulation of RPLP0, leading to the suppression of the JAK/STAT3 pathway and consequently hindering the advancement of HCC. The study indicates that RPLP0 plays a role as a carcinogenic factor in HCC and carries important diagnostic and prognostic implications. Targeting the miR-450b-5p/RPLP0/JAK/STAT3 axis has potential clinical value in treating HCC.

Silencing of lncRNA NEAT1 alleviates acute myocardial infarction by suppressing miR-450-5p/ACSL4-mediated ferroptosis

Ferroptosis is principally initiated by dysregulation of iron metabolism and excessive accumulation of ROS, which exacerbates myocardial injury during acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Previous studies have indeed demonstrated the significant involvement of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) nuclear paraspeckle assembly transcript 1 (NEAT1) exerts its pleiotropic effects in the pathophysiology of myocardial infarction, heart failure and atherosclerosis by modulating inflammation, apoptosis, and oxidative stress. However, whether and how NEAT1 mediates myocardial ferroptosis remain unknown. In this study, we found that NEAT1 expression was significantly elevated in hypoxic HL-1 cells and AMI mice, while silencing of NEAT1 alleviated lipid peroxidation and myocardial ferroptosis both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, NEAT1 directly sponged miR-450b-5p and negatively regulated its expression. In addition, miR-450b-5p directly targeted Acyl-CoA synthase long-chain family member 4 (ACSL4). Notably, inhibition of miR-450b-5p reversed the role of NEAT1 in AMI mice. Collectively, these findings newly illustrated that NEAT1 acts as a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) of miR-450-5p in AMI. Especially, silencing of NEAT1 effectively ameliorated myocardium ischemia by suppression of ferroptosis via miR-450-5p/ACSL4 pathway, which providing a brand-new therapeutic strategy for myocardial ischemia injury.

Upregulation of miRNA-450b-5p targets ACTB to affect drug resistance and prognosis of ovarian cancer via the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway

Background

Ovarian cancer (OC) is the most malignant gynecologic cancer, and chemoresistance is a major cause of treatment failure in patients with OC. The understanding of microRNA (miRNA) in cancer is limited, and the role of miRNA (miR)-450b-5p in cancer drug resistance is unknown. In this study, we aim to evaluate the role of miR-450b-5p in drug-resistant OC and its underlying mechanisms.

Methods

MiR-450b-5p expression was assessed in drug-sensitive and resistant OC cells via quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Cell viability was evaluated using the Cell Counting Kit-8 assay. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) curves were generated using the Kaplan-Meier method and the log-rank test. Target genes of miR-450b-5p were identified from the Cancer MIRNome database. Co-expressed genes were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas and Cancer Genome cBioportal for pathway enrichment and functional clustering analysis.

Results

The miRNA-450b-5p expression was significantly increased in A2780 and SKOV3 OC-resistant cells and significantly increased by 17-fold in the A2780-CBP-Lv-miR-450b-5p cells compared to A2780-CBP and A2780-CBP-Lv-NC cells. The up-regulated expression of miR-450b-5p increased the cell viability and half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of A2780 platinum-resistant cells and was associated with poor OS. We obtained 33 potential target genes of miR-450b-5p and beta-actin (ACTB) might be a potential target of miR-450b-5p. Low expression of ACTB predicted poor OS and PFS. We obtained 362 common genes co-expressed with ACTB, which involved 4 critical pathways. PI3K acted as an upstream pathway of the other three pathways, which ultimately responded to drug resistance regulation in OC. The genes enriched in four pathways were cross-analyzed and 13 overlapping genes were obtained. These 13 genes were also significantly and positively co-expressed with ACTB at both protein and mRNA levels.

Conclusions

High expression of miRNA-450b-5p might affect drug resistance and prognosis in OC by targeting 13 co-expressed genes of ACTB directly through the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Thus, miR-450b-5p might provide a new therapeutic target for drug resistance in OC.

Zhuang-Gu-Fang promotes osteoblast differentiation via myoblasts and myoblast-derived exosomal miRNAs:miR-5100, miR-126a-3p, miR-450b-5p, and miR-669a-5p

BACKGROUND

Senile osteoporosis (SOP) is an age-related systemic metabolic bone disorder. Previous studies have proved that Zhuang-Gu-Fang (ZGF) modulates myokines, stimulates osteogenic differentiation, and mitigates osteoporosis.

OBJECTIVE

To elucidate the mechanism by which ZGF promotes osteogenic differentiation via myoblast and myoblast exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) and investigate its potential implications in senile osteoporosis.

METHODS

Characterization of ZGF and ZGF serum using UHPLC-MS/MS. An alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity assay and staining techniques were employed to corroborate the impacts of ZGF on the osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) via myoblasts. Subsequently, exosomes derived from myoblasts were isolated through ultracentrifugation. The effects of ZGF on the BMSCs' osteogenic differentiation were substantiated through ALP activity, alizarin red staining, and a quantitative real-time polymerase reaction system (qRT-PCR). Selected miRNAs were identified via high-throughput sequencing and subjected to differential expression analysis, and subsequently validated through qRT-PCR. The senescence-accelerated (SAMP6) mice were selected as the SOP models. qRT-PCR analyses were further conducted to confirm the expression levels of these selected miRNAs in the muscle and bone tissues of the SAMP6 mice, and the protein expression of osteogenesis-related transcription factors OCN and Osterix in its bone tissue was evaluated by immunofluorescence staining analysis (IF).

RESULTS

ZGF may enhance the osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs through myoblasts and myoblast-derived exosomes. High-throughput sequencing, differential expression analysis, and subsequent qRT-PCR validation identified four miRNAs that stood out due to their significant differential expression: miR-5100, miR-142a-3p, miR-126a-3p, miR-450b-5p and miR-669a-5p. Moreover, the mice experiment corroborated these findings, which revealed that ZGF not only up-regulated the expression of miR-5100, miR-450b-5p and miR-126a-3p in muscle and bone tissues but also concurrently down-regulated the expression of miR-669a-5p in these tissues. IF staining analysis indicated that ZGF can significantly increase the protein expression of the osteogenic transcription factors OCN and Osterix in the bone tissue of mice with SOP.

CONCLUSIONS

ZGF can promote osteogenic differentiation of osteoblasts, regulate bone metabolism, and thereby delay the process of SOP. Perhaps, its mechanism is to upregulate myoblast-derived exosomes miR-5100, miR-126a-3p, and miR-450b-5p or downregulate miR-669a-5p. This study reports for the first time that myoblast exosomes miR-669a-5p and miR-450b-5p are novel targets for the regulation of osteoblastic differentiation and the treatment of SOP.

Exploring the microRNA-mRNA regulatory network associated with solasonine in bladder cancer

Background

Solasonine has been demonstrated to exert an inhibitory effect on bladder cancer (BC), but the potential mechanisms remain unclear. Therefore, the aim of this study is to explore the association between microRNAs (miRNAs)-mediated regulation and the anti-tumor activities of solasonine in BC.

Methods

MiRNA sequencing was performed to identify the differentially expressed microRNAs (DE-miRNAs) associated with solasonine in BC cells. Functional enrichment analyses of the DE-miRNAs activated and inhibited by solasonine were then conducted. The DE-miRNAs with prognostic value for BC and those differentially expressed in the BC samples were subsequently identified as the hub DE-miRNAs. After identifying the messenger RNAs (mRNAs) that were targeted by the hub DE-miRNAs and those differentially expressed in the BC samples, a protein-protein interaction analysis was performed to identify the core downstream genes, which were then used to construct a solasonine-miRNA-mRNA regulatory network.

Results

A total of 27 activated and 19 inhibited solasonine-mediated DE-miRNAs were identified that were found to be associated with several tumor-related biological functions and pathways. After integrating the results of the survival analysis and expression assessment, the following nine hub DE-miRNAs were identified: hsa-miR-127-3p, hsa-miR-450b-5p, hsa-miR-99a-5p, hsa-miR-197-3p, hsa-miR-423-3p, hsa-miR-4326, hsa-miR-625-3p, hsa-miR-625-5p, and hsa-miR-92a-3p. The DE-mRNAs targeted by the hub DE-miRNAs were predicted, and 30 core downstream genes were used to construct the solasonine-miRNA-mRNA regulatory network. miR-450b-5p was shown to be associated with the most mRNAs in this network, which suggests that it plays a crucial role in the solasonine-mediated anti-BC effect.

Conclusions

A regulatory network, including solasonine, miRNAs, and mRNAs related to BC, was constructed. This network provides extensive insights into the molecular regulatory mechanisms that underlie the anti-cancer efficacy of solasonine in BC.

Gelsolin knockdown confers radiosensitivity to glioblastoma cells

OBJECTIVE

Radiotherapy (RT) is a cornerstone of the glioblastoma (GBM) treatment. However, the resistance of tumour cells to radiation results in early recurrence. The mechanisms underlying GBM radioresistance remain unclear. Screening for differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to radiation might be a potential solution to this problem.

METHOD

RT-associated DEGs were screened based on the RNA sequencing of 15 paired primary and recurrent GBMs. The mRNA and protein expression of candidate genes were validated in RNA sequencing of The Chinese Genome Atlas (CGGA) dataset and 18 cases of GBM samples. The relationship between the candidate gene and radiation was confirmed in irradiated GBM cells. The association of candidate gene with clinical characteristics and survival was investigated in the CGGA and TCGA dataset. Biological function and pathway analysis were explored by gene ontology analysis. The association of the candidate gene with radiosensitivity was verified using cell counting Kit-8, comet, and colony formation assays in vitro and subcutaneous tumour xenograft experiments in vivo.

RESULTS

Gelsolin (GSN) was selected for further study. GSN expression was significant elevated in recurrent GBM and up-regulated in irradiated GBM cell lines. High expression of GSN was enriched in malignant phenotype of glioma. Moreover, high expression of GSN was associated with poor prognosis. Further investigation demonstrated that GSN-knockdown (GSN-KD) combined with RT significantly inhibited cell proliferation and enhanced radiosensitivity in vivo and in vitro. Mechanistically, GSN-KD could lead to more serious DNA damage and promotes apoptosis after RT.

CONCLUSION

Radiation induced up-regulated of GSN. GSN-KD could enhance the radiosensitivity of GBM.

Cerebrospinal Fluid Liquid Biopsies in the Evaluation of Adult Gliomas

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This review aims to discuss recent research regarding the biomolecules explored in liquid biopsies and their potential clinical uses for adult-type diffuse gliomas.

RECENT FINDINGS

Evaluation of tumor biomolecules via cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is an emerging technology in neuro-oncology. Studies to date have already identified various circulating tumor DNA, extracellular vesicle, micro-messenger RNA and protein biomarkers of interest. These biomarkers show potential to assist in multiple avenues of central nervous system (CNS) tumor evaluation, including tumor differentiation and diagnosis, treatment selection, response assessment, detection of tumor progression, and prognosis. In addition, CSF liquid biopsies have the potential to better characterize tumor heterogeneity compared to conventional tissue collection and CNS imaging. Current imaging modalities are not sufficient to establish a definitive glioma diagnosis and repeated tissue sampling via conventional biopsy is risky, therefore, there is a great need to improve non-invasive and minimally invasive sampling methods. CSF liquid biopsies represent a promising, minimally invasive adjunct to current approaches which can provide diagnostic and prognostic information as well as aid in response assessment.

The regulation of plasma gelsolin by DNA methylation in ovarian cancer chemo-resistance

BACKGROUND

Ovarian cancer (OVCA) is the most lethal gynecologic cancer and chemoresistance remains a major hurdle to successful therapy and survival of OVCA patients. Plasma gelsolin (pGSN) is highly expressed in chemoresistant OVCA compared with their chemosensitive counterparts, although the mechanism underlying the differential expression is not known. Also, its overexpression significantly correlates with shortened survival of OVCA patients. In this study, we investigated the methylation role of Ten eleven translocation isoform-1 (TET1) in the regulation of differential pGSN expression and chemosensitivity in OVCA cells.

METHODS

Chemosensitive and resistant OVCA cell lines of different histological subtypes were used in this study to measure pGSN and TET1 mRNA abundance (qPCR) as well as protein contents (Western blotting). To investigate the role of DNA methylation specifically in pGSN regulation and pGSN-induced chemoresistance, DNMTs and TETs were pharmacologically inhibited in sensitive and resistant OVCA cells using specific inhibitors. DNA methylation was quantified using EpiTYPER MassARRAY system. Gain-and-loss-of-function assays were used to investigate the relationship between TET1 and pGSN in OVCA chemoresponsiveness.

RESULTS

We observed differential protein and mRNA expressions of pGSN and TET1 between sensitive and resistant OVCA cells and cisplatin reduced their expression in sensitive but not in resistant cells. We observed hypomethylation at pGSN promoter upstream region in resistant cells compared to sensitive cells. Pharmacological inhibition of DNMTs increased pGSN protein levels in sensitive OVCA cells and decreased their responsiveness to cisplatin, however we did not observe any difference in methylation level at pGSN promoter region. TETs inhibition resulted in hypermethylation at multiple CpG sites and decreased pGSN protein level in resistant OVCA cells which was also associated with enhanced response to cisplatin, findings that suggested the methylation role of TETs in the regulation of pGSN expression in OVCA cells. Further, we found that TET1 is inversely related to pGSN but positively related to chemoresponsiveness of OVCA cells.

CONCLUSION

Our findings broaden our knowledge about the epigenetic regulation of pGSN in OVCA chemoresistance and reveal a novel potential target to re-sensitize resistant OVCA cells. This may provide a future therapeutic strategy to improve the overall OVCA patient survival.

CD204-positive M2-like tumor-associated macrophages increase migration of gastric cancer cells by upregulating miR-210 to reduce NTN4 expression

BACKGROUND

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are the predominant immune cells in the tumor microenvironment and portend poor prognosis. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the tumor promotion of TAMs have not been fully elucidated.

METHODS

Coculture of gastric cancer cells with U937 cells was performed to investigate the impact of TAMs on cancer cell behavior. MicroRNA (miRNA) microarray and bioinformatics were applied to identify the involved miRNAs and the functional target genes. The regulation of the miRNA on its target gene was studied using anti-miRNA and miRNA mimic.

RESULTS

Coculture with CD204+ M2-like TAMs increased proliferation, migration, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of gastric cancer cells. MiR-210 was the most upregulated miRNA in cancer cells identified by miRNA microarray after coculture. In gastric cancer tissues, miR-210 expression was positively correlated with CD204+ M2-like TAM infiltration. Inactivation of miR-210 by antimir attenuated CD204+ M2-like TAMs-induced cancer cell migration. Using pharmacological inhibitors and neutralizing antibodies, CD204+ M2-like TAMs-secreted TNFα was found to upregulate miR-210 through NF-κB/HIF-1α signaling. Bioinformatics analysis showed netrin-4 (NTN4) as a potential target of miR-210 to suppress gastric cancer cell migration. We also found an inverse expression between miR-210 and NTN4 in cancer cells after coculture or in tumor xenografts. Anti-miR-210 increased NTN4 expression, while miR-210 mimics downregulated NTN4 in cancer cells. Reporter luciferase assays showed that MiR-210 mimics suppressed NTN4 3' untranslated region-driven luciferase activity in cancer cells, but this effect was blocked after mutating miR-210 binding site.

CONCLUSIONS

CD204+ M2-like TAMs can utilize the TNF-α/NF-κB/HIF-1α/miR-210/NTN4 pathway to facilitate gastric cancer progression.

In silico and computational analysis of zinc finger motif-associated homeodomain (ZF-HD) family genes in chilli (Capsicum annuum L)

Zinc finger-homeodomain (ZHD) proteins are mostly expressed in plants and are involved in proper growth and development and minimizing biotic and abiotic stress. A recent study identified and characterized the ZHD gene family in chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) to determine their probable molecular function. ZHD genes with various physicochemical characteristics were discovered on twelve chromosomes in chilli. We separated ZHD proteins into two major groups using sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis. These groups differ in gene structure, motif distribution, and a conserved ZHD and micro-zinc finger ZF domain. The majority of the CaZHDs genes are preserved, early duplication occurred recently, and significant pure selection took place throughout evolution, according to evolutionary study. According to expression profiling, the genes were found to be equally expressed in tissues above the ground, contribute to plant growth and development and provide tolerance to biotic and abiotic stress. This in silico analysis, taken as a whole, hypothesized that these genes perform distinct roles in molecular and phytohormone signaling processes, which may serve as a foundation for subsequent research into the roles of these genes in other crops.

Proteomic Analysis on Sequential Samples of Cystic Fluid Obtained from Human Brain Tumors

Cystic formation in human primary brain tumors is a relatively rare event whose incidence varies widely according to the histotype of the tumor. Composition of the cystic fluid has mostly been characterized in samples collected at the time of tumor resection and no indications of the evolution of cystic content are available. We characterized the evolution of the proteome of cystic fluid using a bottom-up proteomic approach on sequential samples obtained from secretory meningioma (SM), cystic schwannoma (CS) and cystic high-grade glioma (CG). We identified 1008 different proteins; 74 of these proteins were found at least once in the cystic fluid of all tumors. The most abundant proteins common to all tumors studied derived from plasma, with the exception of prostaglandin D2 synthase, which is a marker of cerebrospinal fluid origin. Overall, the protein composition of cystic fluid obtained at different times from the same tumor remained stable. After the identification of differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) and the protein-protein interaction network analysis, we identified the presence of tumor-specific pathways that may help to characterize tumor-host interactions. Our results suggest that plasma proteins leaking from local blood-brain barrier disruption are important contributors to cyst fluid formation, but cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and the tumor itself also contribute to the cystic fluid proteome and, in some cases, as with immunoglobulin G, shows tumor-specific variations that cannot be simply explained by differences in vessel permeability or blood contamination.

Liquid biomarkers in glioma

An ideal biomarker must meet several parameters to enable its successful adoption; however, the nature of glioma makes it challenging to discover valuable biomarkers. While biomarkers require simplicity for clinical implementation, anatomical features and the complexity of the brain make it challenging to perform histological examination. Therefore, compared to biomarkers from general histological examination, liquid biomarkers for brain disease offer many more advantages in these minimally invasive methods. Ideal biomarkers should have high sensitivity and specificity, especially in malignant tumors. The heterogeneous nature of glioma makes it challenging to determine useful common biomarkers, and no liquid biomarker has yet been adopted clinically. The low incidence of brain tumors also hinders research progress. To overcome these problems, clinical applications of new types of specimens, such as extracellular vesicles and comprehensive omics analysis, have been developed, and some candidate liquid biomarkers have been identified. As against previous reviews, we focused on and reviewed the sensitivity and specificity of each liquid biomarker for its clinical application. Perusing an ideal glioma biomarker would help uncover the common underlying mechanism of glioma and develop new therapeutic targets. Further multicenter studies based on these findings will help establish new treatment strategies in the future.

Gelsolin: A comprehensive pan-cancer analysis of potential prognosis, diagnostic, and immune biomarkers

Introduction: Gelsolin (GSN), a calcium-regulated actin-binding protein, is out of balance in various cancers. It can mediate cytoskeletal remodeling and regulate epithelial-mesenchymal conversion (EMT), but the studies on GSN function in pan-cancer are limited. Methods: We studied the transcription level, prognostic impact, diagnostic value, genetic, epigenetic modification, methylation level and immune significance of GSN in pan-cancer to fully comprehend the function of GSN in various malignancies based on multiple databases like The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). Results: Pan-cancer research showed that GSN was downregulated in most tumors and expressed differently in immunological and molecular subtypes of many cancers. GSN had varying impacts on the prognosis of various tumor types. However, all had moderate to high diagnostic efficiency, and serum GSN had good diagnostic value in breast cancer patients (AUC = 0.947). Moreover, GSN was a distinguishing prognosis factor for some specific cancer types. The GSN protein was hypophosphorylated, and its promoter was hypermethylated in most cancers. GSN was linked to the infiltration level of several immunity cells and was essential in anti-tumor immune cell infiltration. KEGG and GSEA analyses showed that GSN was vital in the functions and proteoglycans processes in cancer, chemokine signaling pathway and other immune-related pathways, DNA methylation and cell cycle. Discussion: In conclusion, GSN possesses the ability to be a predictive, diagnostic, and immune indicator in pan-cancer.

A Signaling Crosstalk Links SNAIL to the 37/67 kDa Laminin-1 Receptor Ribosomal Protein SA and Regulates the Acquisition of a Cancer Stem Cell Molecular Signature in U87 Glioblastoma Neurospheres

Background: Three-dimensional in vitro neurospheres cultures recapitulate stemness features associated with poor clinical outcome in glioblastoma patients. They are commonly used to address brain cancer stem cell (CSC) signal transducing biology that regulates spheroids formation and stemness phenotype, and to assess the in vitro pharmacological impact of chemotherapeutic drugs. Objective: Here, we addressed the role of a new signaling axis involved in the regulation of in vitro spheroids formation and assessed the chemopreventive ability of diet-derived epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) to impact the processes that govern the acquisition of spheroids CSC stemness traits. Methods: Neurospheres were generated from adherent human U87 glioblastoma cancer cell cultures under conditions that recapitulate stemness features. Total RNA and protein lysates were isolated for gene expression by RT-qPCR and protein expression by immunoblot. Transcriptomic analysis was performed through RNA-Seq. Results: Compared to their parental adherent cells, tumorspheres expressed increased levels of the CSC markers NANOG, SOX2, PROM1 (CD133), as well as of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers Fibronectin, SNAI1, and 37/67 kDa laminin-1 receptor ribosomal protein SA (RPSA). Increased PROM1, SOX2, Fibronectin, and RPSA transcripts level were also observed in clinical grade IV glioblastoma tissues compared to normal tissue. EGCG treatment reduced dose-dependently tumorspheres size and inhibited the transcriptional regulation of those genes. An apoptotic signature was also found in spheroids with increased signal transducing events involving GSK3α/β, RSK, and CREB. These were repressed upon RPSA gene silencing and partially by SNAI1 silencing. Conclusion: This work highlights a signaling axis linking RPSA upstream of SNAIL in neurospheres genesis and supports the chemopreventive impact that diet-derived EGCG may exert on the acquisition of CSC traits.

Emerging roles of plasma gelsolin in tumorigenesis and modulating the tumor microenvironment

The protein expression of gelsolin, an actin scavenger controlling cytoskeletal remodeling, cell morphology, differentiation, movement, and apoptosis, has been found to be significantly decreased in several pathological conditions including neurodegenerative diseases, inflammatory disorders, and cancers. Its extracellular isoform, called plasma gelsolin (pGSN), is one of the most abundant plasma proteins in the circulation, and has emerged as a novel diagnostic biomarker for early disease detection. Current evidence reveals that gelsolin can function as either an oncoprotein or a tumor suppressor depending on the carcinoma type. Interestingly, recent studies have shown that pGSN is also involved in immunomodulation, revealing the multifunctional roles of pGSN in tumor progression. In this review, we discuss the current knowledge focusing on the roles of gelsolin in inflammation and wound healing, cancers, and tumor microenvironment. Future prospects of pGSN related studies and clinical application are also addressed.

Methylation of HBP1 by PRMT1 promotes tumor progression by regulating actin cytoskeleton remodeling

HBP1 is a sequence-specific transcription factor which generally considered as a crucial growth inhibitor. Posttranslational modification of HBP1 is vital for its function. In this study, we demonstrate that HBP1 is methylated at R378 by PRMT1, which decreases HBP1 protein stability by promoting its ubiquitination and proteasome-mediated degradation. PRMT1-mediated methylation of HBP1 alleviates the repressive effects of HBP1 on tumor metastasis and growth. GSN is identified as a novel target gene of HBP1. Methylation of HBP1 promotes actin cytoskeleton remodeling, glycolysis and tumor progression by downregulating GSN (a vital actin-binding protein) levels. The methylated HBP1-GSN axis is associated with the clinical outcomes of cancer patients. This investigation elucidates the mechanism of how methylated HBP1 facilitates actin cytoskeleton remodeling, thus attenuates its tumor-suppressive function and promotes tumor progression. Targeting methylated HBP1-GSN axis may provide a therapeutic strategy for cancer.

Integrated analysis using ToppMiR uncovers altered miRNA- mRNA regulatory networks in pediatric hepatocellular carcinoma-A pilot study

BACKGROUND

Pediatric hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a group of liver cancers whose mechanisms behind their pathogenesis and progression are poorly understood.

AIM

We aimed to identify alterations in the expression of miRNAs and their putative target mRNAs in not only tumor tissues of patients with pediatric HCC but also in corresponding non-tumorous background livers by using liver tissues without underlying liver disease as a control.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We performed a small-scale miRNA and mRNA profiling of pediatric HCC (consisting of fibrolamellar carcinoma [FLC] and non-FLC HCC) and paired liver tissues to identify miRNAs whose expression levels differed significantly from control livers without underlying liver disease. ToppMiR was used to prioritize both miRNAs and their putative target mRNAs in a gene-annotation network, and the mRNA profile was used to refine the prioritization. Our analysis generated prioritized lists of miRNAs and mRNAs from the following three sets of analyses: (a) pediatric HCC versus control; (b) FLC versus control; and (c) corresponding non-tumorous background liver tissues from the same patients with pediatric HCC versus control. No liver disease liver tissues were used as the control group for all analyses. Many miRNAs whose expressions were deregulated in pediatric HCC were consistent with their roles in adult HCC and/or other non-hepatic cancers. Our gene ontology analysis of target mRNAs revealed enrichment of biological processes related to the sustenance and propagation of cancer and significant downregulation of metabolic processes.

CONCLUSION

Our pilot study indicates that alterations in miRNA-mRNA networks were detected in not only tumor tissues but also corresponding non-tumorous liver tissues from patients with pediatric HCC, suggesting multi-faceted roles of miRNAs in disease progression. Our results may lead to novel hypotheses for future large-scale studies.

Tumor Microenvironment in Glioma Invasion

A major malignant trait of gliomas is their remarkable infiltration capacity. When glioma develops, the tumor cells have already reached the distant part. Therefore, complete removal of the glioma is impossible. Recently, research on the involvement of the tumor microenvironment in glioma invasion has advanced. Local hypoxia triggers cell migration as an environmental factor. The transcription factor hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) -1α, produced in tumor cells under hypoxia, promotes the transcription of various invasion related molecules. The extracellular matrix surrounding tumors is degraded by proteases secreted by tumor cells and simultaneously replaced by an extracellular matrix that promotes infiltration. Astrocytes and microglia become tumor-associated astrocytes and glioma-associated macrophages/microglia, respectively, in relation to tumor cells. These cells also promote glioma invasion. Interactions between glioma cells actively promote infiltration of each other. Surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy transform the microenvironment, allowing glioma cells to invade. These findings indicate that the tumor microenvironment may be a target for glioma invasion. On the other hand, because the living body actively promotes tumor infiltration in response to the tumor, it is necessary to reconsider whether the invasion itself is friend or foe to the brain.

miR-654-5p Contributes to the Activation and Proliferation of Hepatic Stellate Cells by Targeting RXRα

Liver fibrosis (LF) is a major disease that threatens human health. Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) contribute directly to LF via extracellular matrix (ECM) secretion. Moreover, RXRα is an important nuclear receptor that plays a key regulatory role in HSC activation. Meanwhile, microRNAs (miRNAs) have been identified as significant regulators of LF development. In particular, miR-654-5p is involved in cellular migration and proliferation, and via bioinformatics analysis, has been identified as a potential factor that targets RXRα in humans and in mice. However, the precise relationship between miR-654-5p and RXRα in the context of LF, remains unknown and is the primary focus of the current study. To establish in vitro activated cell model human primary HSCs were cultured in vitro and LX-2 cells were stimulated with recombinant human TGF-β1. mRNA and protein levels of RXRα, miR-654-5p and fibrogenic genes were compared in quiescent and activated HSCs. Moreover, after transfected with miR-654-5p mimics, the expression changes of above related genes in LX-2 cells were estimated. Meanwhile, cell proliferation and apoptosis were detected in miR-654-5p overexpressed LX-2 cells. Simultaneously, the targeted binding between miR-654-5p and RXRα was verified in LX-2 cells. Carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)-induced mouse model with liver fibrosis was use to research the role of the miR-654-5p in vitro. Our results show that miR-654-5p expression levels increased in activated human HSCs and TGFβ-treated LX-2 cells. Moreover, miR-654-5p mimics markedly promoted LX-2 cell proliferation while inhibiting their apoptosis. Accordingly, the expression levels of RXRα are decreased in activated HSCs and LX-2 cells. Additionally, dual-luciferase reporter assay results reveal direct targeting of RXRα by miR-654-5p. Similarly, in vivo miR-654-5p overexpression aggravates LF in mice that are intraperitoneally injected with CCl₄. Taken together, our findings elucidated a novel molecular mechanism with potential use for treatment of LF.

LINC00261 relieves the progression of sepsis-induced acute kidney injury by inhibiting NF-κB activation through targeting the miR-654-5p/SOCS3 axis

Sepsis is a life-threatening disease, which can cause the dysfunction of multiple organs, including kidney. Recently, a number of studies found that the long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) is closely associated with the development and progression of sepsis; however, the role of long intergenic non-protein coding RNA 261 (LINC00261) in sepsis-induced acute kidney injury is poorly understood. In this study, we found the expression of LINC00261 was significantly decreased in the serum of patients with sepsis than healthy controls. A similar result was also observed in the mouse model of sepsis induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Further investigations revealed that overexpression of LINC00261 improved the viability, suppressed the apoptosis and reduced the generation of inflammatory cytokines in LPS-treated HK-2 cells. Mechanistically, we confirmed that LINC00261 could function as a sponge to combine with microRNA-654-5p (miR-654-5p) which inhibits nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activity by targeting suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3). In conclusion, our results demonstrate that LINC00261 may regulate the progression of sepsis-induced acute kidney injury via the miR-654-5p/SOCS3/NF-κB pathway and therefore provides a new insight into the treatment of this disease.

miRNA signature in glioblastoma: Potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are transcripts with sizes of about 22 nucleotides, which are produced through a multistep process in the nucleus and cytoplasm. These transcripts modulate the expression of their target genes through binding with certain target regions, particularly 3' suntranslated regions. They are involved in the pathogenesis of several kinds of cancers, such as glioblastoma. Several miRNAs, including miR-10b, miR-21, miR-17-92-cluster, and miR-93, have been up-regulated in glioblastoma cell lines and clinical samples. On the other hand, expression of miR-7, miR-29b, miR-32, miR-34, miR-181 family members, and a number of other miRNAs have been decreased in this type of cancer. In the current review, we explain the role of miRNAs in the pathogenesis of glioblastoma through providing a summary of studies that reported dysregulation of these epigenetic effectors in this kind of brain cancer.

Intracellular Fate and Impact on Gene Expression of Doxorubicin/Cyclodextrin-Graphene Nanomaterials at Sub-Toxic Concentration

The graphene road in nanomedicine still seems very long and winding because the current knowledge about graphene/cell interactions and the safety issues are not yet sufficiently clarified. Specifically, the impact of graphene exposure on gene expression is a largely unexplored concern. Herein, we investigated the intracellular fate of graphene (G) decorated with cyclodextrins (CD) and loaded with doxorubicin (DOX) and the modulation of genes involved in cancer-associated canonical pathways. Intracellular fate of GCD@DOX, tracked by FLIM, Raman mapping and fluorescence microscopy, evidenced the efficient cellular uptake of GCD@DOX and the presence of DOX in the nucleus, without graphene carrier. The NanoString nCounter™ platform provided evidence for 34 (out of 700) differentially expressed cancer-related genes in HEp-2 cells treated with GCD@DOX (25 µg/mL) compared with untreated cells. Cells treated with GCD alone (25 µg/mL) showed modification for 16 genes. Overall, 14 common genes were differentially expressed in both GCD and GCD@DOX treated cells and 4 of these genes with an opposite trend. The modification of cancer related genes also at sub-cytotoxic G concentration should be taken in consideration for the rational design of safe and effective G-based drug/gene delivery systems. The reliable advantages provided by NanoString^® technology, such as sensibility and the direct RNA measurements, could be the cornerstone in this field.

Gelsolin inhibits malignant phenotype of glioblastoma and is regulated by miR-654-5p and miR-450b-5p

We have previously shown that gelsolin (GSN) levels are significantly lower in the blood of patients with glioblastoma (GBM) than in healthy controls. Here, we analyzed the function of GSN in GBM and examined its clinical significance. Furthermore, microRNAs involved in GSN expression were also identified. The expression of GSN was determined using western blot analysis and found to be significantly lower in GBM samples than normal ones. Gelsolin was mainly localized in normal astrocytes, shown using immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. Higher expression of GSN was correlated with more prolonged progression‐free survival and overall survival. Gelsolin knockdown using siRNA and shRNA markedly accelerated cell proliferation and invasion in GBM in vitro and in vivo. The inactive form of glycogen synthase kinase‐3β was dephosphorylated by GSN knockdown. In GBM tissues, the expression of GSN and microRNA (miR)‐654‐5p and miR‐450b‐5p showed an inverse correlation. The miR‐654‐5p and miR‐450b‐5p inhibitors enhanced GSN expression, resulting in reduced proliferation and invasion. In conclusion, GSN, which inhibits cell proliferation and invasion, is suppressed by miR‐654‐5p and miR‐450b‐5p in GBM, suggesting that these miRNAs can be targets for treating GBM.