STAT3-induced upregulation of lncRNA ABHD11-AS1 promotes tumour progression in papillary thyroid carcinoma by regulating miR-1301-3p/STAT3 axis and PI3K/AKT signalling pathway

Imaging Techniques and Biochemical Biomarkers: New Insights into Diagnosis of Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer (PaC) incidence is increasing, but our current screening and diagnostic strategies are not very effective. However, screening could be helpful in the case of PaC, as recent evidence shows that the disease progresses gradually. Unfortunately, there is no ideal screening method or program for detecting PaC in its early stages. Conventional imaging techniques, such as abdominal ultrasound, CT, MRI, and EUS, have not been successful in detecting early-stage PaC. On the other hand, biomarkers may be a more effective screening tool for PaC and have greater potential for further evaluation compared to imaging. Recent studies on biomarkers and artificial intelligence (AI)-enhanced imaging have shown promising results in the early diagnosis of PaC. In addition to proteins, non-coding RNAs are also being studied as potential biomarkers for PaC. This review consolidates the current literature on PaC screening modalities to provide an organized framework for future studies. While conventional imaging techniques have not been effective in detecting early-stage PaC, biomarkers and AI-enhanced imaging are promising avenues of research. Further studies on the use of biomarkers, particularly non-coding RNAs, in combination with imaging modalities may improve the accuracy of PaC screening and lead to earlier detection of this deadly disease.

Progress in long non-coding RNAs as prognostic factors of papillary thyroid carcinoma

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is generally recognized as a slow-growing tumor. However, a small subset of patients may still experience relapse or metastasis shortly after therapy, leading to a poor prognosis and raising concerns about excessive medical treatment. One major challenge lies in the inadequacy of effective biomarkers for accurate risk stratification. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), which are closely related to malignant characteristics and poor prognosis, play a significant role in the genesis and development of PTC through various pathways. The objective of this review is to provide a comprehensive summary of the biological functions of lncRNAs in PTC, identify prognosis-relevant lncRNAs, and explore their potential mechanisms in drug resistance to BRAF kinase inhibitors, tumor dedifferentiation, and lymph node metastasis. By doing so, this review aims to offer valuable references for both basic research and the prediction of PTC prognosis.

Long noncoding RNA ABHD11-AS1 interacts with SART3 and regulates CD44 RNA alternative splicing to promote lung carcinogenesis

Hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] is a common environmental pollutant and chronic exposure to Cr(VI) causes lung cancer in humans, however, the mechanism of Cr(VI) carcinogenesis has not been well understood. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death, although the mechanisms of how lung cancer develops and progresses have been poorly understood. While long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are found abnormally expressed in cancer, how dysregulated lncRNAs contribute to carcinogenesis remains largely unknown. The goal of this study is to investigate the mechanism of Cr(VI)-induced lung carcinogenesis focusing on the role of the lncRNA ABHD11 antisense RNA 1 (tail to tail) (ABHD11-AS1). It was found that the lncRNA ABHD11-AS1 expression levels are up-regulated in chronic Cr(VI) exposure-transformed human bronchial epithelial cells, chronically Cr(VI)-exposed mouse lung tissues, and human lung cancer cells as well. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that ABHD11-AS1 levels are up-regulated in lung adenocarcinomas (LUADs) tissues and associated with worse overall survival of LUAD patients but not in lung squamous cell carcinomas. It was further determined that up-regulation of ABHD11-AS1 expression plays an important role in chronic Cr(VI) exposure-induced cell malignant transformation and tumorigenesis, and the stemness of human lung cancer cells. Mechanistically, it was found that ABHD11-AS1 directly binds SART3 (spliceosome associated factor 3, U4/U6 recycling protein). The interaction of ABHD11-AS1 with SART3 promotes USP15 (ubiquitin specific peptidase 15) nuclear localization. Nuclear localized USP15 interacts with pre-mRNA processing factor 19 (PRPF19) to increase CD44 RNA alternative splicing activating β-catenin and enhancing cancer stemness. Together, these findings indicate that lncRNA ABHD11-AS1 interacts with SART3 and regulates CD44 RNA alternative splicing to promote cell malignant transformation and lung carcinogenesis.

LncRNA STAT3-AS regulates endometrial receptivity via the STAT3 signaling pathway

Endometrial receptivity is critical for the successful establishment of pregnancy in ruminants. Interferon tau (IFNT) plays a key role in promoting embryo attachment by activating the Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription pathway, which induces the expression of a series of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs). In our previous study, sequencing analysis of goat endometrial epithelial cells (gEECs) treated with 20 ng/mL IFNT revealed a differentially expressed long non-coding RNA located on the STAT3 antisense chain, which we designated STAT3-AS. The aim of this study was to investigate the role and mechanism of STAT3-AS in establishing endometrial receptivity in goats. The results showed that STAT3-AS was expressed in both the nucleus and cytoplasm of gEECs, and its expression increased significantly in the uterus on day 15 of pregnancy. STAT3-AS expression was upregulated in gEECs treated with IFNT alone or in combination with progesterone and estradiol. Knockdown of STAT3-AS using specific short interfering RNA significantly inhibited the expression of classical ISGs such as interferon-stimulated gene 15 and 2',5'-oligodenylate synthetase 2, as well as uterine endometrial receptivity-related genes including homeobox gene A11, integrin beta 3, and vascular endothelial growth factor. Moreover, gEEC proliferation and the STAT3 pathway were suppressed in the absence of STAT3-AS. However, pretreatment with the STAT3 activator RO8191 restored the effect of silencing STAT3-AS on endometrial receptivity. Overall, these results suggest that STAT3-AS is an important regulator of endometrial receptivity in goats and that it regulates endometrial receptivity through the STAT3 pathway.

METTL3-deficiency Suppresses Neural Apoptosis to Induce Protective Effects in Cerebral I/R Injury via Inhibiting RNA m6A Modifications: A Pre-clinical and Pilot Study

N6-Methyladenosine (m6A) RNA methylation involves in regulating the initiation, progression and aggravation of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury, however, the detailed functions and mechanisms by which m6A drives cerebral I/R injury are not fully understood. This study found that methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3) m6A-dependently regulated cerebral I/R injury trough regulating a novel LncRNA ABHD11-AS1/miR-1301-3p/HIF1AN/HIF-1α axis. Specifically, the middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO)/reperfusion mice models and glucose deprivation (OGD)/reoxygenation (RX) astrocyte cell models were respectively established, and we verified that METTL3, ABHD11-AS1 and HIF1AN were upregulated, whereas miR-1301-3p and HIF-1α were downregulated in both MCAO/reperfusion mice tissues and OGD/RX astrocytes. Mechanical experiments confirmed that METTL3 m6A dependently increased stability and expression levels of ABHD11-AS1, and elevated ABHD11-AS1 sponged miR-1301-3p to upregulate HIF1AN, resulting in the downregulation of HIF-1α. Moreover, silencing of METTL3 rescued MCAO/reperfusion and OGD/RX-induced oxidative stress-associated cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in both mice brain tissues in vivo and the mouse primary astrocytes in vitro, which were abrogated by overexpressing ABHD11-AS1 and downregulating miR-1301-3p. Taken together, our study firstly reported a novel METTL3/m6A/ ABHD11-AS1/miR-1301-3p/HIF1AN/HIF-1α signaling cascade in regulating the progression of cerebral I/R injury, and future work will focus on investigating whether the above genes can be used as biomarkers for the treatment of cerebral I/R injury by performing clinical studies.

Differential microRNA expression for diagnosis and prognosis of papillary thyroid cancer

Papillary thyroid cancer accounts for 85% of thyroid cancer. The diagnosis is based on ultrasound methods and tumor biopsies (FNA). In recent years, research has revealed the importance of miRNAs, non-coding RNA molecules that regulate gene expression and are involved in many diseases. The present mini review describes upregulated and downregulated miRNAs expression in papillary thyroid cancer patient samples (tissue, serum, plasma) and the genes regulated by these non-coding molecules. In addition, a bibliographic search was performed to identify the expression of miRNAs that are common in tumor tissue and blood. The miRNAs miR-146b, miR-221-3p, miRNA 222, miR-21, miR-296-5p, and miR-145 are common in both tissue and bloodstream of PTC patient samples. Furthermore, these miRNAs regulate genes involved in biological processes such as cell differentiation, proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis. In conclusion, miRNAs could potentially become valuable biomarkers, which could help in the early diagnosis and prognosis of papillary thyroid cancer.

SNRPB promotes cell cycle progression in thyroid carcinoma via inhibiting p53

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) accounts for more than 80% of all thyroid carcinoma cases. Small nuclear ribonucleoprotein polypeptides B and B1 (SNRPB) has been indicated to be carcinogenic in several cancers; however, its function and mechanism in PTC are unclarified. Real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blotting revealed the upregulation of SNRPB and downregulation of tumor protein p53 in PTC tissues compared with the normal tissues. Flow cytometry and western blotting displayed that SNRPB silencing induced cell cycle arrest at G1 phase and suppressed the expression levels of Cyclin family proteins in PTC cells. In vivo experiments suggested that SNRPB silencing inhibited PTC tumor growth in mice. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that the expression of SNRPB and cell cycle-associated genes in thyroid carcinoma tissues is positively correlated. Immunofluorescence staining and co-immunoprecipitation demonstrated that SNRPB directly interacted with p53 and suppressed its expression in PTC cells. In conclusion, SNRPB facilitates cell cycle progression in PTC by inhibiting p53 expression.

STAT3-mediated upregulation of LINC00520 contributed to temozolomide chemoresistance in glioblastoma by interacting with RNA-binding protein LIN28B

A considerable number of glioblastoma (GBM) patients developed drug resistance to Temozolomide (TMZ) during chemotherapy, resulting in therapeutic failure and tumor recurrence. However, the exact mechanism of TMZ chemoresistance in GBM is still poorly clarified. As a novel identified lncRNA, LINC00520 was located on chromosome 14 and overexpressed in multiple human cancers. This study was designed and conducted to investigate the role and underlying mechanism of LINC00520 in GBM chemoresistance to TMZ. The qRT-PCR assay demonstrated that LINC00520 was significantly overexpressed in TMZ-sensitive and/or TMZ-resistant GBM cells (P < 0.001). The silencing of LINC00520 markedly reduced the cell viability, suppressed colony formation, induced cell apoptosis and G1/S phase arrest in TMZ-resistant cells (P < 0.001). In contrast, overexpression of LINC00520 conferred TMZ-resistant phenotype of GBM cells in vitro (P < 0.001). The orthotopic xenograft model was established and the results indicated that the volume of tumor xenografts in vivo was markedly inhibited by TMZ treatment after the silencing of LINC00520 (P < 0.001). Luciferase reporter assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay revealed a strong affinity of transcription factor STAT3 to the promoter regions of LINC00520, suggesting that STAT3 mediated the aberrant expression of LINC00520 in GBM. Further experiments demonstrated that LINC00520 could interact with RNA-binding protein LIN28B to inhibit autophagy and reduce DNA damage, thereby contributing to TMZ chemoresistance in GBM. These findings suggested that STAT3/LINC00520/LIN28B axis might be a promising target to improve TMZ chemoresistance of GBM.

Kukoamine A Improves Mycoplasma pneumoniae Pneumonia by Regulating miR-222-3p/Superoxide Dismutase 2

Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP) represents a common respiratory disease in children patients. Kukoamine A (KuA) is a spermine alkaloid found in the Chinese herb Cortex Lycii radices, which has a variety of pharmacological properties. However, no study has been reported on the role of KuA in MPP. Exosomes, a type of lipid bilayer-enclosed extracellular vesicles, can be delivered to the target cells, where they regulate function and physiology. With the use of human alveolar basal epithelial cells (HABECs) as an in vitro model, in this study, we sought to characterize the changes in levels of superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2) and proinflammatory cytokines including IL-6 and TNF-α in HABECs in response to exosomes, which were isolated from peripheral blood serum of MPP patients. We found that, compared to normal, MPP patients exhibited a significant up-regulated miR-222-3p. Further, exosomal miR-222-3p downregulated SOD2 activity but promoted nuclear NF-κB activity and expression of IL-6 and TNF-α in HABECs, ultimately leading to an oxidative stress condition. Interestingly, such stimulating effects were attenuated by the pretreatment of KuA. This study suggests a critical role possessed by KuA in MPP by regulating the miR-222-3p/SOD2 axis, which represents a promising strategy for the treatment of MPP.

LncRNA ABHD11-AS1 promotes tumor progression in papillary thyroid carcinoma by regulating EPS15L1/EGFR signaling pathway

OBJECTIVES

lncRNA ABHD11 antisense RNA 1 (ABHD11-AS1) acts as an oncogene involved in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) occurrence and progression. ABHD11-AS1 exerts biologic functions by some miRNAs and proteins to regulate multiple targets. Identification of novel mechanism of ABHD11-AS1 could be helpful in therapeutic targeting for PTC treatment.

METHODS

Differentially expressed lncRNAs were selected from TCGA database. qRT-PCR analysis was applied to examine the expression of ABHD11-AS1 in PTC cell lines and tissues. The relationship of ABHD11-AS1 expression and clinicopathological features was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier analysis. Two PTC cell lines (TPC-1 and KTC-1) were transfected with pcDNA 3.1, pcDNA3.1-ABHD11-AS1, si-NC and si-ABHD11-AS1, respectively, to verify the ABHD11-AS1 oncogene-regulating capacity to promote tumor progression. The cell metastasis and proliferation had been evaluated both in vitro and in vivo.

RESULTS

High expression of ABHD11-AS1 was found in PTC tissues (P < 0.01), which was significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis (P < 0.05). ABHD11-AS1 overexpression noticeably promoted cell proliferation, migration, and invasion capabilities, which were obviously decreased upon ABHD11-AS1 knockdown. ABHD11-AS1 positively regulated EGFR/EPS15L1 pathway, as EGFR, EPS15L1, STAT3, and p-STAT3 were activated.

CONCLUSION

ABHD11-AS1 promotes tumor progression in PTC by regulating EPS15L1/EGFR pathway.

Transcription Factor E2F1 Exacerbates Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma Cell Growth and Invasion via Upregulation of LINC00152

Background

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most common thyroid neoplasm, whereas transcription factor E2F1 has been previously implicated in PTC progression. The current study sought to elucidate the underlying mechanism of E2F1 in PTC cell biological activities via regulation of long intergenic noncoding RNA 152 (LINC00152).

Methods

Firstly, the expression patterns of LINC00152 and E2F1 in PTC were determined. Besides, TPC-1 and IHH-4 cells were adopted to carry out a series of experiments. Cell proliferation was detected by means of a cell counting kit-8 assay and colony formation assay, while cell migration and invasion abilities were assessed using a Transwell assay. Next, the interaction between E2F1 and LINC00152 was certified. Lastly, xenograft transplantation was carried out to validate the effects of E2F1 depletion on PTC.

Results

Both LINC00152 and E2F1 were highly expressed in PTC cells. Knockdown of LINC00152 led to reduced cell activity, while LINC00152 overexpression brought about the opposing trends. Likewise, E2F1 knockdown quenched cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. However, the combination of E2F1 knockdown and LINC00152 overexpression resulted in augmented cell growth. In addition, E2F1 induced LINC00152 overexpression, which accelerated cell proliferation, migration, and invasion by activating the PI3K/AKT axis, whereas the administration of LY294002, the inhibitor of PI3K, led to reversal of the same. Finally, xenograft transplantation validated that E2F1 inhibition could suppress LY294002, thereby discouraging tumor growth.

Conclusion

Our findings highlighted that E2F1 augmented PTC cell proliferation and invasion by upregulating LINC00152 and the PI3K/AKT axis. Our discovery provides therapeutic implications for PTC alleviation.

Identification of Long Noncoding RNAs Associated With the Clinicopathological Features of Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma Complicated With Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a significant role in cancer biology. This study aimed to determine the roles of lncRNAs in establishing the differences in clinical features between patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) without Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) and patients with PTC and HT. In the present study, we detected the differentially expressed lncRNAs between tumor tissues of patients with PTC with or without HT through lncRNA microarrays. The data were verified and analyzed through qRT-PCR, cell viability, cell cycle and bioinformatics analyses. We found that 1031 lncRNAs and 1338 mRNAs were abnormally expressed in 5 tissue samples of PTC complicated with HT [PTC/HT (+)] compared with 5 samples of PTC without HT [PTC/HT (-)]. Gene Ontology and pathway analyses of the mRNAs suggested that several biological processes and pathways, particularly immune system processes, were induced in the PTC/HT (+) tissues. Twenty lncRNAs were verified in 31 PTC/HT (+) and 64 PTC/HT (-) specimens by qRT-PCR, and the results were consistent with the microarray data. Specifically, ENST00000452578, a downregulated lncRNA in PTC/HT(+), was negatively correlated with the tumor size. Cell viability assays revealed that ENST00000452578 could inhibit cell proliferation. Our results indicate that lncRNAs and mRNAs play an important role in establishing the different clinical characteristics between patients with PTC/HT(+) and patients with PTC/HT(-), and might provide new insights from the perspective of RNA for obtaining a further understanding of the clinical features related to PTC with HT.

ABHD11-AS1: An Emerging Long Non-Coding RNA (lncRNA) with Clinical Significance in Human Malignancies

The aberrant expression of lncRNAs has been linked to the development and progression of different cancers. One such lncRNA is ABHD11 antisense RNA 1 (ABHD11-AS1), which has recently gained attention for its significant role in human malignancies. ABHD11-AS1 is highly expressed in gastric, lung, breast, colorectal, thyroid, pancreas, ovary, endometrium, cervix, and bladder cancers. Several reports highlighted the clinical significance of ABHD11-AS1 in prognosis, diagnosis, prediction of cancer progression stage, and treatment response. Significantly, the levels of ABHD11-AS1 in gastric juice had been exhibited as a clinical biomarker for the assessment of gastric cancer, while its serum levels have prognostic potential in thyroid cancers. The ABHD11-AS1 has been reported to exert oncogenic effects by sponging different microRNAs (miRNAs), altering signaling pathways such as PI3K/Akt, epigenetic mechanisms, and N6-methyladenosine (m⁶A) RNA modification. In contrast, the mouse homolog of AHD11-AS1 (Abhd11os) overexpression had exhibited neuroprotective effects against mutant huntingtin-induced toxicity. Considering the emerging research reports, the authors attempted in this first review on ABHD11-AS1 to summarize and highlight its oncogenic potential and clinical significance in different human cancers. Lastly, we underlined the necessity for future mechanistic studies to unravel the role of ABHD11-AS1 in tumor development, prognosis, progression, and targeted therapeutic approaches.

MiR-1301-3p Inhibits Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition via Targeting RhoA in Pancreatic Cancer

Micro(mi)RNAs play an essential role in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process in human cancers. This study aimed to uncover the regulatory mechanism of miR-1301-3p on EMT in pancreatic cancer (PC). The miRNA profilings from Gene Expression Omnibus data sets (GSE31568, GSE41372, and GSE32688) demonstrated the downregulation of miR-1301-3p in PC tissues, which was validated with 72 paired PC tissue samples through qRT-PCR detection. The low level of miR-1301-3p was associated with a poor prognosis for PC patients from the PC cohort of The Cancer Genome Atlas and the validation cohort. Gene Ontology analyses indicated that the target genes of miR-1301-3p were involved in cell cycle and adherent junction regulation. In vitro assays revealed that miR-1301-3p suppressed the proliferation and migration abilities of PC cells. Western blotting and luciferase reporter assays suggested that miR-1301-3p inhibited RhoA expression by targeting its 3′-untranslated region; RhoA upregulated N-cadherin and vimentin levels; however, it downregulated the E-cadherin level. In conclusion, our study showed that miR-1301-3p could serve as a prognostic biomarker for PC and suppress PC cell malignancy by targeting the RhoA-induced EMT process.

Monitoring Clinical-Pathological Grading of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Using MicroRNA-Guided Semiconducting Polymer Dots

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small, noncoding RNAs involved in nearly all genetic central dogma processes and human biological behavior, which also play a significant role in the pathological activity of tumors, such as gene transcription, protein translation, and exosome secretion. Therefore, through the navigation of certain specific miRNAs, we can trace the specific physiological processes or image some specific tissues. Designing and accurately positioning microRNA (miRNA)-sensitive fluorescent nanoprobes with benign specificity and recognition in cells or tissues are a challenging research field. To solve the difficulties, we introduce four semiconducting polymer dots (Pdots) as nanoprobes linked by specific miRNA antisense sequences for monitoring the pathological grading by the variation in miRNA expression. Based on the base pairing principle, these miRNA-sensitive Pdots could bind to specific miRNAs within the cancerous cells. As impacted by the background of different pathology gradings, the proportions of the four hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)-specific miRNAs within the cancerous cell are different, and the pathological grading of the patient tissues can be determined by comparing the palette combinations. The short single-stranded RNA-functionalized Pdots, which have excellent microRNA sensitivity, are observed in an experimental cell model and a series of tissue specimens from HCC patients for the first time. Using the Förster (or fluorescence) resonance energy transfer (FRET) model of Pdots and Cy3dt tag to simulate in vivo miRNA detection, the superior sensitivity and specificity of these nanoprobes are verified. The interference of subjective factors in traditional single/bis-dye emission intensity detection is abandoned, and multiple label staining is used to enhance sensitivity further and reduce the false-positive rate. The feasibility exhibited by this novel staining method is verified in normal hepatocellular HCC cell lines and 16 frozen ultrathin tissue sections, which are employed to quantify pathological grading-related color presentation systems for clinical doctors and pathologists' use. The intelligently designed miRNA-guided Pdots will emerge as an ideal platform with promising biological imaging.

MicroRNAs in Papillary Thyroid Cancer: What Is New in Diagnosis and Treatment

Introduction

Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) accounts for up to 80% of thyroid malignancies. New diagnostic and therapeutic options are suggested including innovative molecular methods. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are nonprotein coding single-stranded RNAs that regulate many cell processes. The aim of the present study is to review the deregulated miRNAs associated with PTCs.

Methods

A bibliographic research was conducted, resulting in 272 articles referred to miRNAs and PTC. Regarding our exclusion criteria, 183 articles were finally included in our review.

Results

A remarkably large number of miRNAs have been found to be deregulated during PTC manifestation in the literature. The deregulated miRNAs are detected in tissue samples, serum/plasma, and FNA samples of patients with PTC. These miRNAs are related to several molecular pathways, involving genes and proteins responsible for important biological processes. MiRNA deregulation is associated with tumor aggressiveness, including larger tumor size, multifocality, extrathyroidal extension, lymphovascular invasion, lymph node and distant metastasis, and advanced tumor node metastasis stage.

Conclusion

MiRNAs are proposed as new diagnostic and therapeutic tools regarding PTC. They could be essential biomarkers for PTC diagnosis applied in serum and FNA samples, while their contribution to prognosis is of great importance.

Aberrant Expression of miR-1301 in Human Cancer

miR-1301 is a newly discovered miRNA, which is abnormally expressed in 14 types of tumors. miR-1301 inhibits 23 target genes, forms a ceRNA network with 2 circRNAs and 8 lncRNAs, and participates in 6 signaling pathways, thereby affecting tumor cell proliferation, invasion, metastasis, apoptosis, angiogenesis, etc. Abnormal expression of miR-1301 is often associated with poor prognosis of cancer patients. In addition, miR-1301 is related to the anti-tumor effect of epirubicin on osteosarcoma and imatinib on chronic myeloid leukemia(CML) and can enhance the cisplatin sensitivity of ovarian cancer. This work systematically summarizes the abnormal expression and prognostic value of miR-1301 in a variety of cancers, depicts the miR-1301-related signaling pathways and ceRNA network, and provides potential clues for future miR-1301 research.

Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms Promote Dysregulation Activation by Essential Gene Mediated Bio-Molecular Interaction in Breast Cancer

Background

Breast cancer (BRCA) is a malignant tumor with a high mortality rate and poor prognosis in patients. However, understanding the molecular mechanism of breast cancer is still a challenge.

Materials and Methods

In this study, we constructed co-expression networks by weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). Gene-expression profiles and clinical data were integrated to detect breast cancer survival modules and the leading genes related to prognostic risk. Finally, we introduced machine learning algorithms to build a predictive model aiming to discover potential key biomarkers.

Results

A total of 42 prognostic modules for breast cancer were identified. The nomogram analysis showed that 42 modules had good risk assessment performance. Compared to clinical characteristics, the risk values carried by genes in these modules could be used to classify the high-risk and low-risk groups of patients. Further, we found that 16 genes with significant differential expressions and obvious bridging effects might be considered biological markers related to breast cancer. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms on the CYP24A1 transcript induced RNA structural heterogeneity, which affects the molecular regulation of BRCA. In addition, we found for the first time that ABHD11-AS1 was significantly highly expressed in breast cancer.

Conclusion

We integrated clinical prognosis information, RNA sequencing data, and drug targets to construct a breast cancer–related risk module. Through bridging effect measurement and machine learning modeling, we evaluated the risk values of the genes in the modules and identified potential biomarkers for breast cancer. The protocol provides new insight into deciphering the molecular mechanism and theoretical basis of BRCA.

Saponins of Momordica charantia increase insulin secretion in INS-1 pancreatic β-cells via the PI3K/Akt/FoxO1 signaling pathway

Saponins are the main bioactive substances with anti-hyperglycemic activities of Momordica charantia. This study aimed to verify the effects of M. charantia saponins on insulin secretion and explore the potential underlying mechanisms in INS-1 pancreatic β-cells. We injured INS-1 cells with 33.3mM glucose and then treated them with saponins. Saponins improved cell morphology and viability as demonstrated by inverted microscopy and CCK8 detection and significantly increased insulin secretion in a concentration-dependent manner as shown by ELISA. Thus, we obtained the optimal concentration for the subsequent experiments. Potential mechanisms were explored by immunofluorescence, western blotting, and RT-qPCR techniques. First, saponins increased the mRNA and protein levels of IRS-2 but decreased the serine 731 phosphorylation level of IRS-2. Moreover, saponins increased the phosphorylation of Akt protein and decreased the protein level of FoxO1, which were both reversed by the PI3K inhibitor ly294002. Furthermore, saponins increased the protein level of the downstream molecule and insulin initiating factor PDX-1, which was also reversed by ly294002. Saponins also increased Akt and PDX-1 mRNA and decreased FoxO1 mRNA, which were both reversed by ly294002. Saponins increased glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) and intracellular insulin content, which were reversed by ly294002, as determined by ELISA. The immunofluorescence results also confirmed this tendency. In conclusion, our findings improve our understanding of the function of saponins in INS-1 pancreatic β-cells and suggest that saponins may increase insulin secretion via the PI3K/Akt/FoxO1 signaling pathway.

Expression profiles and functional prediction of long non-coding RNAs LINC01133, ZEB1-AS1 and ABHD11-AS1 in the luminal subtype of breast cancer

Background

Luminal breast cancer (BC) is the most frequent subtype accounting for more than 70% of BC. LncRNAs, a class of non-coding RNAs with more than 200 nucleotides, are involved in a variety of cellular processes and biological functions. Abberant expression is related to the development of various cancers, such as breast cancer. LINC01133, ZEB1-AS1, and ABHD11-AS1 were reported to be dysregulated in different cancers. However, their expression level in luminal BC remains poorly known. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the potential roles of these lncRNAs in BC, especially in luminal subtypes.

Methods

A comprehensive analysis was performed using the Lnc2Cancer database to identify novel cancer-associated lncRNA candidates. After conducting a literature review, three novel lncRNAs named LINC01133, ZEB1-AS1, and ABHD11-AS1 were chosen as target genes of the present study. Quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to evaluate the expression level of the mentioned lncRNAs in both luminal BC tissues and cell lines. Then, the correlation of the three mentioned lncRNAs expression with clinicopathological characteristics of the patients was studied. Moreover, several datasets were used to discover the potential roles and functions of LINC01133, ZEB1-AS1 and ABHD11-AS1 in luminal subtype of BC.

Results

According to the qRT-PCR assay, the expression levels of LINC01133 and ZEB1-AS1 were decreased in luminal BC tissues and cell lines. On the other hand, ABHD11-AS1 was upregulated in the above-mentioned samples. The expression levels of LINC01133, ZEB1-AS1, and ABHD11-AS1 were not associated with any of the clinical features. Also, the results obtained from the bioinformatics analyses were consistent with qRT-PCR data. Functional annotation of the co-expressed genes with the target lncRNAs, protein–protein interactions and significantly enriched Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways across luminal BC were also obtained using bioinformatics analysis.

Conclusions

Taken together, our findings disclosed the dysregulation of LINC01133, ZEB1-AS1, and ABHD11-AS1 in luminal BC. It was revealed that LINC01133 and ZEB1-AS1 expression was significantly downregulated in luminal BC tissues and cell lines, while ABHD11-AS1 was upregulated considerably in the mentioned tissues and cell lines. Also, bioinformatics and systems biology analyses have helped to identify the possible role of these lncRNAs in luminal BC. However, further analysis is needed to confirm the current findings.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12967-021-03026-7.

The Emerging Landscapes of Long Noncoding RNA in Thyroid Carcinoma: Biological Functions and Clinical Significance

Thyroid carcinoma (TC) is one of the most prevalent primary endocrine tumors, and its incidence is steadily and gradually increasing worldwide. Accumulating evidence has revealed the critical functions of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the tumorigenesis and development of TC. Many TC-associated lncRNAs have been documented to be implicated in TC malignant behaviors, including abnormal cell proliferation, enhanced stem cell properties and aggressiveness, and resistance to therapeutics, through interaction with proteins, DNA, or RNA or encoding small peptides. Therefore, further elucidating the lncRNA dysregulation sheds additional insights into TC tumorigenesis and progression and opens new avenues for the early diagnosis and clinical therapy of TC. In this review, we summarize the abnormal expression of lncRNA in TC and the fundamental characteristics in TC tumorigenesis and development. Additionally, we introduce the potential prognostic and therapeutic significance of lncRNAs in TC.

Long non-coding RNA ABHD11-AS1 promotes colorectal cancer progression and invasion through targeting the integrin subunit alpha 5/focal adhesion kinase/phosphoinositide 3 kinase/Akt signaling pathway

Long non-coding (lnc)RNA ABHD11-AS1 participates in the development and progress of various cancers, but its role in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains poorly known. In the present study, public database analysis and quantitative reverse transcription PCR of CRC and normal tissues showed that ABHD11-AS1 was overexpressed in CRC and associated with poor prognosis in CRC patients. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated that loss-of-function of ABHD11-AS1 attenuated the proliferation, migration, and invasion of CRC cells and induced their apoptosis. Transcriptome sequencing and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis indicated that the phosphoinositide 3 kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling pathway is a potential target of ABHD11-AS1. Additionally, we noted that ABHD11-AS1 deficiency reduced integrin subunit alpha (ITGA)5 expression, and impaired the phosphorylation of P85, focal adhesion kinase (FAK), and Akt1 in CRC cell lines and tumor tissues of nude mice. Furthermore, we observed that ITGA5 overexpression abrogated the effect of ABHD11-AS1 knockdown on the proliferation and invasion abilities of CRC cells. Taken together, our studies suggest that lncRNA ABHD11-AS1 promotes proliferation, migration, and invasion in CRC by activating the ITGA5/Fak/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, and that the ITGA5/Fak/PI3K/Akt axis is a promising target for CRC therapy.

Childhood Obesity-Related Mechanisms: MicroRNome and Transcriptome Changes in a Nested Case-Control Study

Childhood obesity could contribute to adulthood obesity, leading to adverse health outcomes in adults. However, the mechanisms for how obesity is developed are still unclear. To determine the epigenome-wide and genome-wide expression changes related with childhood obesity, we compared microRNome and transcriptome levels as well as leptin protein levels in whole bloods of 12 obese and 24 normal children aged 6 years. miR-328-3p, miR-1301-3p, miR-4685-3p, and miR-6803-3p were negatively associated with all obesity indicators. The four miRNAs were also associated with 3948 mRNAs, and separate 475 mRNAs (185 among 3948 mRNAs) were associated with all obesity indicators. The 2533 mRNAs (64.2%) among the 3948 mRNAs and 286 mRNAs (60.2%) among the 475 mRNAs were confirmed as targets of the four miRNAs in public databases through miRWalk 2.0. Leptin protein was associated with miR-6803-3p negatively and all obesity indicators positively. Using DAVID bioinformatics resources 6.8, top three pathways for obesity-related gene set were metabolic pathways, pathways in cancer, and PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. The top three obesity-related disease classes were metabolic, cardiovascular, and chemdependency. Our results support that childhood obesity could be developed through miRNAs-related epigenetic mechanism and, further, these obesity-related epigenetic changes could control the pathways related with the development of various diseases.

Aberrant expression of five miRNAs in papillary thyroid carcinomas

BACKGROUND

The miRNAs play critical roles in the progression of various tumors. Our study aimed to screen and identify miRNAs to investigate their diagnostic and prognostic value for papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC).

METHODS

miRNAs were evaluated in PTC (n = 30) tissues, A-PTC (n = 30), benign nodules (n = 35) and A-benign nodules (n = 35). The expression levels of five miRNAs were quantified using real-time, quantitative PCR. ROC analysis was used to evaluate the miRNA diagnostic value.

RESULTS

The expression of miR-1296-5p, miR-1301-3p, and miR-532-5p was significantly downregulated (p = 0.0001, p = 0.0006, p = 0.0024, respectively), while miR-551b-3p and miR-455-3p were significantly upregulated in PTC tissues compared to A-PTC tissues (p = 0.0005, p = 0.0046, respectively). Interestingly, the expression of miR-1296-5p was downregulated, while miR-551b-3p and miR-455-3p were upregulated in the A-PTC group compared to the A-benign group. Moreover, the miR-1296-5p expression level was associated with tumor size, the number of foci and the TNM stage; the miR-455-3p expression level was correlated with patient age, tumor size, and TNM stage; and the miR-532-5p expression level was correlated with patient age, lymph node metastasis and TNM stage correspondingly. ROC analysis revealed that the AUCs for miR-1301-3p, miR-1296-5p, miR-455-3p, miR-532-5p, and miR-551b-3p were 0.773, 0.790, 0.783, 0.744, and 0.650, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicated that miR-1296-5p, miR-1301-3p, miR-532-5p, miR-551b-3p, and miR-455-3p are aberrantly expressed in papillary thyroid carcinomas and correlated with clinicopathological features. ROC curve analysis indicated that these five miRNAs have a potential diagnostic value. Consequently, we speculate that the five altered miRNAs may serve as potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for PTC.

miR-4443 targets TRIM14 to suppress metastasis and energy metabolism of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) in vitro

Tripartite motif-containing protein 14 (TRIM14) is a tumor-promoter in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). We found that miR-4443 expression was significantly downregulated in PTC tumor tissue, and was negatively associated with TRIM14. This study was designed to investigate the relationship between miR-4443 and TRIM14 on metastasis and energy metabolism in PTC and the underlying mechanisms. To this end, human PTC cells (SW1736 and MZ-CRC-1) were transfected with a miR-4443 mimic or miR-4443 inhibitor + siRNA-TRIM14, and then dual-luciferase assay, Transwell, Seahorse, and western blot analyses were performed to assess the function of miR-4443 and the underlying mechanism. We found that ectopic expression of miR-4443 inhibited PTC cell migration, invasion, ATP production, and aerobic glycolysis, while inhibition of miR-4443 had the opposite effect. miR-4443 directly targeted TRIM14 and reduced both TRIM14 mRNA and protein levels. Silencing TRIM14 significantly reversed miR-4443 inhibition-induced PTC cell migration, invasion, ATP production, aerobic glycolysis, and phosphorylation of the transcription factor STAT3. These findings suggest that miR-4443 is a tumor suppressor in PTC and inhibits metastasis and energy metabolism via the suppression of TRIM14 signaling.

Long noncoding RNA LINC00284 facilitates cell proliferation in papillary thyroid cancer via impairing miR-3127-5p targeted E2F7 suppression

Accumulating evidence has suggested that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) exert crucial modulation roles in the biological behaviors of multiple malignancies. Nonetheless, the specific function of lncRNA LINC00284 in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) remains not fully understood. The objective of this research was to explore the influence of LINC00284 in PTC and elucidate its potential mechanism. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), gene expression omnibus (GEO) datasets were used to analyze LINC00284 expression differences in thyroid cancer and normal samples, followed by the verification of qRT-PCR in our own PTC and adjacent non-tumor tissues. The impacts of LINC00284 on PTC cell growth were detected in vitro via CCK-8, colony formation, EdU assays, and in vivo via a xenograft tumor model. Bioinformatics analyses and biological experiments were conducted to illuminate the molecular mechanism. We found that LINC00284 expression was remarkably increased in PTC tissues and its overexpression was closely correlated with larger tumor size. In addition, silencing LINC00284 could effectively attenuate PTC cell proliferation, induce apoptosis and G1 arrest in vitro, as well as suppress tumorigenesis in mouse xenografts. Mechanistic investigations showed that LINC00284 acted as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) for miR-3127-5p, thus resulting in the disinhibition of its endogenous target E2F7. In short, our findings indicated that LINC00284–miR-3127-5p–E2F7 axis exerted oncogenic properties in PTC and may offer a new promising target for the diagnosis and therapy of PTC.

LncRNA FGD5-AS1 Facilitates the Radioresistance of Breast Cancer Cells by Enhancing MACC1 Expression Through Competitively Sponging miR-497-5p

Background

LncRNA-FGD5-AS1, as an oncogene, participates in the development and progress of various cancers. However, the exact role and the molecular mechanisms by which FGD5-AS1 regulates radiosensitivity in breast cancer (BC) remains largely unknown.

Methods

We used X-Ray weekly-dose-increase method to establish radiation-resistance cell lines. Bioinformatics tools analyze the expression of FGD5-AS1 in breast cancer tissue and evaluated the relationship between FGD5-AS1 and clinic-pathological features. CCK-8 and colony formation were used to analyze cell proliferation. Western blotting and qPCR were applied to detect protein and gene expression, respectively. RNA interference was used to knock down the endogenous gene expression. Luciferase reporter system and immunoprecipitates were applied to verify the target of FGD5-AS1.

Result

FGD5-AS1 was overexpressed in BC tissues and radiation-resistance cell lines. Higher levels of FGD5-AS1 predicted poorer clinical characteristics and prognosis. Loss-of-function FGD5-AS1 sensitized BC cells to X-ray, meanwhile, the cell gained radiation-resistance when exogenous FGD5-AS1 was expressed. FGD5-AS1 depletion arrested cells at G0/G1 and triggers cell apoptosis. The starBase database (ENCORI), predicted binding site of miR-497-5p in FGD5-AS1 sequence, and luciferase reporter system and immunoprecipitates verified miR-497-5p was the target of FGD5-AS1. Furthermore, MACC1 was predicted and verified as the target of miR-497-5p. Loss-of-function FGD5-AS1 sensitized ionizing radiation was rescued by the up-regulation of MACC1 and the inhibition of miR-497.

Conclusion

FGD5-AS1 displays an oncogene profile in CRC; patients with high expression of FGD5-AS1 should benefit less from radiotherapy and need a more frequent follow-up. Besides, FGD5-AS1 may be a potential therapeutic target for CRC.

Identifying prognostic lncRNAs based on a ceRNA regulatory network in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma

Purpose

Growing evidence demonstrates that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a crucial role as competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) in tumor occurrence. The lncRNAs’ functions and clinical significance in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) remain unclear. The study aims to reveal the lncRNA-associated ceRNA regulatory network of LSCC and clarify its clinical relevance.

Methods

Here, we obtained LSCC transcriptome data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and identified the differential expression profile of lncRNAs, miRNAs, and mRNAs by the EdgeR R package. The function enrichment analysis of mRNAs was performed using clusterProfiler R package and GSEA3.0. Then, we constructed a ceRNA network and prognosis model based on lncRNAs through bioinformatic methods. Moreover, we explored the functions of prognosis-related lncRNA in LSCC by CCK-8 and transwell assay.

Results

1961 lncRNAs, 69 miRNAs, and 2224 mRNAs were identified as differentially expressed genes in LSCC tissues. According to the transcriptome differential expression profile, a ceRNA network containing 61 lncRNAs, 21 miRNAs, and 77 mRNAs was established. Then, four lncRNAs (AC011933.2, FAM30A, LINC02086, LINC02575) were identified from the ceRNA network to build a prognosis model for LSCC patients. And we found that LINC02086 and LINC02575 promoted the proliferation, migration, and invasion of LSCC cells while AC011933.2 and FAM30A inhibited these biological functions in vitro. Furthermore, we validated that LINc02086/miR-770-5p/SLC26A2 axis promoted migration in LSCC.

Conclusion

Four lncRNAs of the ceRNA network were abnormally expressed and related to patient prognosis in LSCC. They played a significant role in the progress of LSCC via affecting the proliferation and metastasis of tumor cells.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12885-021-08422-2.

Curcumin inhibits the viability, migration and invasion of papillary thyroid cancer cells by regulating the miR-301a-3p/STAT3 axis

Thyroid cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors, and the mortality rate associated with thyroid cancer has been increasing annually. Curcumin has been reported to exert an antitumor effect on papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), and the identification of additional mechanisms underlying the anticancer effect of curcumin on PTC requires further investigation. The present study aimed to explore the effects of curcumin on the viability, migration and invasion of PTC cells. TPC-1 cells were incubated with different concentrations of curcumin, and then, cell viability, migration and invasion, and wound healing were examined by CCK-8, Transwell and wound healing assays, respectively. Subsequently, microRNA (miR)-301a-3p mimics, miR-301a-3p inhibitors and signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)3 overexpression vector were transfected into TPC-1 cells, and cell viability, migration, and invasion were reassessed in these transfected cells. Matrix metallopeptidase (MMP)-2, MMP-9, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related markers, and Janus kinase (JAK)/STAT signaling pathway components were assessed by western blot analysis. Curcumin significantly inhibited cell viability, migration and invasion and downregulated MMP-2, MMP-9 and EMT marker expression. Additionally, curcumin decreased STAT3 expression by upregulating miR-301a-3p expression, and the inhibition of miR-301a-3p and the overexpression of STAT3 reversed the effects of curcumin on cell viability, migration and invasion, and MMP-2, MMP-9 and EMT marker expression in TPC-1 cells. Furthermore, curcumin suppressed the JAK/STAT signaling pathway through the miR-301a-3p/STAT3 axis. The data of the present study indicated that curcumin could inhibit the viability, migration and invasion of TPC-1 cells by regulating the miR-301a-3p/STAT3 axis. These findings may provide a possible strategy for the clinical treatment of PTC.

Overexpression of serum lncRNA-ABHD11-AS1 as poor prognosis of patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma

This paper was aimed at exploring the correlation of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA)-ABHD11 Antisense RNA1 (ABHD11-AS1) with the poor prognosis of patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and at investigating its effects on the survival of PTC cells. Serum was respectively collected from 64 PTC patients who were admitted to our hospital (PTC group) and from 50 healthy controls who underwent physical examinations (HC group) both from April 2011 to April 2015. The expression levels of ABHD11-AS1 in the serum were detected, and the values of it for diagnosis and prognosis (5-year follow-ups) were analyzed. The knockdown and overexpression models of ABHD11-AS1 in were constructed to explore the effects of the models on their proliferation, cycles and apoptosis. According to the data, the expression levels of serum ABHD11-AS1 in the PTC patients were remarkably higher than those in the healthy controls, and the area under the curve (AUC) for distinguishing the patients from the controls was 0.920. In the analysis of prognosis, the levels in patients with a poor prognosis were remarkably higher than those in patients with a good prognosis. According to the curves of overall survival rates (OSRs), the high levels of ABHD11-AS1 were remarkably correlated with the poor prognosis (a lower 5-year OSR). COX analysis showed that TNM staging, lymph node metastasis and ABHD11-AS1 were the independent prognostic factors of PTC patients. In the cell experiments, knocking down ABHD11-AS1 remarkably inhibited PTC cells from proliferation, arrested them in G0/G1 phase, and induced their apoptosis, negatively affecting their survival indices. Overexpressing this RNA had positive effects on the survival indices. Taken together, high levels of serum ABHD11-AS1 are related to the poor prognosis of PTC patients, and knocking down its expression can inhibit the survival of PTC cells.

Dysregulation of long non-coding RNAs and their mechanisms in Huntington's disease

Extensive alterations in gene regulatory networks are a typical characteristic of Huntington's disease (HD); these include alterations in protein-coding genes and poorly understood non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), which are associated with pathology caused by mutant huntingtin. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are an important class of ncRNAs involved in a variety of biological functions, including transcriptional regulation and post-transcriptional modification of many targets, and likely contributed to the pathogenesis of HD. While a number of changes in lncRNAs expression have been observed in HD, little is currently known about their functions. Here, we discuss their possible mechanisms and molecular functions, with a particular focus on their roles in transcriptional regulation. These findings give us a better insight into HD pathogenesis and may provide new targets for the treatment of this neurodegenerative disease.

Decreased level of miR-1301 promotes colorectal cancer progression via activation of STAT3 pathway

The molecular pathogenesis of colorectal cancer (CRC) has been widely investigated in recent years. Accumulating evidence has indicated that microRNA (miRNA) dysregulation participates in the processes of driving CRC initiation and progression. Aberrant expression of miR-1301 has been found in various tumor types. However, its role in CRC remains to be elucidated. In the present study, we identified miR-1301 was enriched in normal colorectal tissues and significantly down-regulated in CRC. Decreased level of miR-1301 strongly correlated with aggressive pathological characteristics, including advanced stage and metastasis. Bioinformatics and dual luciferase assay demonstrated that STAT3 is a direct target of miR-1301. Gain and loss-of-function assays showed that miR-1301 had no effect on cell proliferation. Overexpression of miR-1301 suppressed cell migration and invasion capacity of pSTAT3-positive LoVo cells, but not pSTAT3-negative SW480 cells, while inhibition of miR-1301 consistently promoted cell migration and invasion in both cell lines. Additionally, miR-1301 inhibition restored the suppressed migration and invasion of STAT3-knockdown LoVo cells. MiR-1301 functioned as a tumor suppressor to modulate the IL6/STAT3 signaling pathway. In summary, this study highlights the significant role of miR-1301/STAT3 axis in CRC metastasis.

SP1-induced lncRNA DANCR contributes to proliferation and invasion of ovarian cancer

Transcription factor SP1 could manipulate pathways involved in ovarian cancer progression. LncRNAs are involved in SP1-mediated tumorigenesis. LncRNA DANCR could promote metastasis of ovarian cancer. However, the regulatory function and involvement of SP1-induced lncRNA DANCR in ovarian cancer remain elusive. Data from this study showed that SP1 was up-regulated in ovarian cancer tissues and cells (CAOV3, SKOV3, A2780), and SP1 could bind to the promoter region of DANCR through chromatin immunoprecipitation and leuciferase activity assays. Therefore, DANCR was transcriptionally induced by SP1 in ovarian cancer tissues and cells (CAOV3, SKOV3, A2780). Functionally, reduced expression of DANCR suppressed cell viability, migration and invasion of CAOV3, while enhanced DANCR expression contributed to SKOV3 growth. Over-expression of SP1 reversed the suppressive effects of DANCR interference on ovarian cancer progression. In conclusion, SP1-induced DANCR contributed to oncogenic potential of ovarian cancer, suggesting a promising therapeutic target for ovarian cancer.

SNHG16 promotes cell proliferation and inhibits cell apoptosis via regulation of the miR-1303-p/STARD9 axis in clear cell renal cell carcinoma

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is a common subtype of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and causes many deaths. Numerous medical studies have suggested that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) exert their biological functions on ccRCC. Herein, functions of lncRNA SNHG16 in ccRCC cells and the mechanism mediated by SNHG16 were investigated. The expression levels of SNHG16 and its downstream genes in ccRCC cells and RCC tissues were examined utilizing reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction analyses. Cell counting kit-8 and 5-Ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine assays were performed to evaluate the proliferation of ccRCC cells, and flow cytometry analyses were employed to determine the apoptosis of ccRCC cells. Western blot analysis was applied to examine protein levels associated with cell proliferation and apoptosis. The combination between SNHG16 and miRNA as well as miRNA and its target gene were explored by luciferase reporter, RNA pull down, and RNA immunoprecipitation assays. The significant upregulation of SNHG16 was observed in RCC tissues and ccRCC cells. SNHG16 downregulation inhibited the proliferation and promoted the apoptosis of ccRCC cells. In addition, SNHG16 served as a competing endogenous RNA for miR-1301-3p, and STARD9 was a target gene of miR-1301-3p in ccRCC cells. SNHG16 upregulated STARD9 expression by binding with miR-1301-3p in ccRCC cells. Rescue assays validated that SNHG16 promoted ccRCC cell promotion and induced ccRCC cell apoptosis by upregulating STARD9 expression. In conclusions, SNHG16 promotes ccRCC cell proliferation and suppresses ccRCC cell apoptosis via interaction with miR-1301-3p to upregulate STARD9 expression in ccRCC cells.

Epigenetic regulation of papillary thyroid carcinoma by long non-coding RNAs

Thyroid cancer is the most common primary endocrine malignancy with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) its most common subtype. The jump in diagnoses over last many years has prompted re-assessment of molecularly targeted therapies and the discovery of novel targets. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are increasingly being assessed for their expression in various PTC models. Interestingly, in addition to cell line models, a large proportion of the reported studies have evaluated lncRNA levels in PTC patient samples providing an immediate clinical relevance of their findings. While most lncRNAs either promote or suppress PTC pathogenesis, data on individual lncRNAs is not very clear. As expected, lncRNAs function in PTC through sponging of microRNAs as well as modulation of several signaling pathways. The process of epithelial-mesenchymal transition and the PI3K/Akt and wnt signaling pathways have emerged as the primary targets of lncRNAs in PTC. This comprehensive review discusses all the information that is available on lncRNAs in PTC, ranging from in vitro and in vivo findings to the possible role of lncRNAs as diagnostic and/or prognostic biomarkers.

Long non-coding RNA ABHD11-AS1 boosts gastric cancer development by regulating miR-361-3p/PDPK1 signalling

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common cancers in gastrointestinal malignant tumours. Long non-coding RNAs were widely reported to play a significant role in the regulation of occurrence or development of tumours. Bioinformatics analysis and a wide range of experiments were conducted to explore the expression status, specific function and molecular mechanism of long non-coding RNA ABHD11 antisense RNA 1 (ABHD11-AS1). ABHD11-AS1 knockdown repressed cell proliferation but enhanced cell apoptosis in function. We proved that miR-361-3p directly combines with the 3'wUTR of PDPK2 and ABHD11-AS1 cooperated with miR-361-3p to modulate PDPK2 mRNA and protein levels. Rescue assays confirmed that the miR-361-3p silence reversed the suppressive effect of ABHD11-AS1 deficiency. In summary, ABHD11-AS1 boosts GC development by regulating miR-361-3p/PDPK1 signalling.

Long non-coding RNA DANCR modulates osteogenic differentiation by regulating the miR-1301-3p/PROX1 axis

The balance of osteoblasts and marrow adipocytes from bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) maintains bone health. Under aging or other pathological stimuli, BM-MSCs will preferentially differentiate into marrow adipocytes and reduce osteoblasts, leading to osteoporosis. Long non-coding RNA differentiation antagonizing non-protein coding RNA (DANCR) participates in the osteogenic differentiation of human BM-MSCs, but the mechanism by which DANCR regulates the osteogenic differentiation of human BM-MSCs has not been fully explained. We observed that DANCR and prospero homeobox 1 (PROX1) were downregulated during osteogenic differentiation of human BM-MSCs, while miR-1301-3p had an opposite trend. DANCR overexpression decreased the levels of alkaline phosphatase, RUNX2, osteocalcin, Osterix in BM-MSCs after osteogenic induction, but DANCR silencing had the opposite result. Moreover, DANCR sponged miR-1301-3p to regulate PROX1 expression. miR-1301-3p overexpression reversed the suppressive role of DANCR elevation on the osteogenic differentiation of human BM-MSCs. Also, PROX1 elevation abolished the promoting role of miR-1301-3p overexpression on the osteogenic differentiation of human BM-MSCs. In conclusion, DANCR suppressed the osteogenic differentiation of human BM-MSCs through the miR-1301-3p/PROX1 axis, offering a novel mechanism by which DANCR is responsible for the osteogenic differentiation of human BM-MSCs.

MicroRNA-1301-3p promotes the progression of non-small cell lung cancer by targeting Thy-1 and predicts poor prognosis of patients

The role of microRNA (miR)-1301-3p has been investigated in breast cancer and colorectal cancer. Dysregulation of miR-1301-3p expression in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is speculated to be associated with tumor progression, which was systemically investigated in the present study. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR analysis was performed to detect miR-1301-3p expression in 124 paired tissue samples and cultured cell lines. The results demonstrated that miR-1301-3p expression was regulated by transfection with miR-1301-3p mimic or inhibitor, and the proliferation, migration and invasion of the transfected cells were assessed via the Cell Counting Kit-8 and Transwell assays. In addition, miR-1301-3p expression was significantly upregulated in NSCLC tissues and cells compared with normal tissues and normal cells, respectively. Notably, upregulated miR-1301-3p expression in NSCLC tissues was significantly associated with the TNM stage, lymph node metastasis and poor prognosis of patients with NSCLC. Furthermore, upregulated miR-1301-3p expression in NSCLC cells promoted cell proliferation, migration and invasion, the effects of which were reversed following miR-1301-3p knockdown. Thy-1 was identified as a direct target of miR-1301-3p, which serves as a tumor promoter in the progression of NSCLC. Taken together, the results of the present study suggest that upregulated miR-1301-3p expression in NSCLC acts as an independent prognostic factor and a tumor promoter by targeting thy-1, thus provides a potential therapeutic target for NSCLC.

The emerging role of non-coding RNAs in the regulation of PI3K/AKT pathway in the carcinogenesis process

The PI3K/AKT pathway is an intracellular signaling pathway with an indispensable impact on cell cycle control. This pathway is functionally related with cell proliferation, cell survival, metabolism, and quiescence. The crucial role of this pathway in the development of cancer has offered this pathway as a target of novel anti-cancer treatments. Recent researches have demonstrated the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in controlling the PI3K/AKT pathway. Some miRNAs such as miR-155-5p, miR-328-3p, miR-125b-5p, miR-126, miR-331-3p and miR-16 inactivate this pathway, while miR-182, miR-106a, miR-193, miR-214, miR-106b, miR-93, miR-21 and miR-103/107 enhance activity of this pathway. Expression levels of PI3K/AKT-associated miRNAs could be used to envisage the survival of cancer patients. Numerous lncRNAs such as GAS5, FER1L4, LINC00628, PICART1, LOC101928316, ADAMTS9-AS2, SLC25A5-AS1, MEG3, AB073614 and SNHG6 interplay with this pathway. Identification of the impact of miRNAs and lncRNAs in the control of the activity of PI3K/AKT pathway would enhance the efficacy of targeted therapies against this pathway. Moreover, each of the mentioned miRNAs and lncRNAs could be used as a putative therapeutic candidate for the interfering with the carcinogenesis. In the current study, we review the role of miRNAs and lncRNAs in controlling the PI3K/AKT pathway and their contribution to carcinogenesis.

EZH2-mediated lncRNA ABHD11-AS1 promoter regulates the progression of ovarian cancer by targeting miR-133a-3p

Long-chain noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in a wide range of biological and pathological processes in ovarian cancer. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of EZH2-mediated ABHD11-AS1 promoter on the pathogenesis of ovarian cancer. The expression levels of EZH2, ABHD11-AS1 and miR-133a-3p were examined in ovarian cancer tissues using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR. Cell proliferation was evaluated using cell counting kit 8 assay, and cell invasion/migration was determined using a Transwell assay. Cell apoptosis was evaluated using flow cytometry. Dual luciferase assay was performed to confirm the interaction between ABHD11-AS1 and miR-133a-3p. The binding site of H3K27me3 on ABHD11-AS1 promoter was confirmed by ChIP. The expression of ABHD11-AS1 was significantly upregulated in ovarian cancer samples, and its levels were closely associated with lymph node metastasis, tumor stage and 3-year survival rate. Furthermore, interference of ABHD11-AS1 suppressed the proliferation, migration and invasion of ovarian cancer cells, while cell apoptosis was promoted. Additionally, miR-133a-3p could be a novel target of ABHD11-AS1, and EZH2-mediated H3K27me3 protein might bind to ABHD11-AS1 promoter directly. Moreover, rescue experiments indicated that the effects caused by ABHD11-AS1 knockdown on the malignant characteristics of ovarian cancer cells were notably enhanced by miR-133a-3p mimics, whereas the influences on cell growth and metastasis induced by overexpressed ABHD11-AS1 were abrogated by the restoration of miR-133a-3p expression. In summary, EZH2-mediated enrichment of H3K27me3 on ABHD11-AS1 promoter could regulate the progression of ovarian cancer via miR-133a-3p. Therefore, EZH2/ABHD11-AS1/miR-133a-3p axis might be a putative candidate for targeted treatment of ovarian cancer.

Dual relationship between long non-coding RNAs and STAT3 signaling in different cancers: New insight to proliferation and metastasis

Uncontrolled growth and metastasis of cancer cells is an increasing challenge for overcoming cancer, and improving survival of patients. Complicated signaling networks account for proliferation and invasion of cancer cells that need to be elucidated for providing effective cancer therapy, and minimizing their malignancy. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are RNA molecules with a length of more than 200 nucleotides. They participate in cellular events, and their dysregulation in a common phenomenon in different cancers. Noteworthy, lncRNAs can regulate different molecular pathways, and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is one of them. STAT3 is a tumor-promoting factors in cancers due to its role in cancer proliferation (cell cycle progression and apoptosis inhibition) and metastasis (EMT induction). LncRNAs can function as upstream mediators of STAT3 pathway, reducing/enhancing its expression. This dual relationship is of importance in affecting proliferation and metastasis of cancer cells. The response of cancer cells to therapy such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy is regulated by lncRNA/STAT3 axis. Tumor-promoting lncRNAs including NEAT1, SNHG3 and H19 induces STAT3 expression, while tumor-suppressing lncRNAs such as MEG3, PTCSC3 and NKILA down-regulate STAT3 expression. Noteworthy, upstream mediators of STAT3 such as microRNAs can be regulated by lncRNAs. These complicated signaling networks are mechanistically described in the current review.

Identification of long non-coding RNA signatures for squamous cell carcinomas and adenocarcinomas

Studies have demonstrated that both squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) and adenocarcinomas (ACs) possess some common molecular characteristics. Evidence has accumulated to support the theory that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) serve as novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets in complex diseases such as cancer.

In this study, we aimed to identify pan lncRNA signatures that are common to squamous cell carcinomas or adenocarcinomas with different tissues of origin. With the aid of elastic-net regularized regression models, a 35-lncRNA pan discriminative signature and an 11-lncRNA pan prognostic signature were identified for squamous cell carcinomas, whereas a 6-lncRNA pan discriminative signature and a 5-lncRNA pan prognostic signature were identified for adenocarcinomas. Among them, many well-known cancer relevant genes such as MALAT1 and PVT1 were included.

The identified pan lncRNA lists can help experimental biologists generate research hypotheses and adopt existing treatments for less prevalent cancers. Therefore, these signatures warrant further investigation.

LncRNA HCG11/miR-26b-5p/QKI5 feedback loop reversed high glucose-induced proliferation and angiogenesis inhibition of HUVECs

Acute coronary syndrome caused by the rupture of atherosclerotic plaques is one of the primary causes of cerebrovascular and cardiovascular events. Neovascularization within the plaque is closely associated with its stability. Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) serves a crucial role in regulating vascular endothelial cells (VECs) proliferation and angiogenesis. In this study, we identified lncRNA HCG11, which is highly expressed in patients with vulnerable plaque compared with stable plaque. Then, functional experiments showed that HCG11 reversed high glucose-induced vascular endothelial injury through increased cell proliferation and tube formation. Meanwhile, vascular-related RNA-binding protein QKI5 was greatly activated. Luciferase reporter assays and RNA-binding protein immunoprecipitation (RIP) assays verified interaction between them. Interestingly, HCG11 can also positively regulated by QKI5. Bioinformatics analysis and luciferase reporter assays showed HCG11 can worked as a competing endogenous RNA by sponging miR-26b-5p, and QKI5 was speculated as the target of miR-26b-5p. Taken together, our findings revered that the feedback loop of lncRNA HCG11/miR-26b-5p/QKI-5 played a vital role in the physiological function of HUVECs, and this also provide a potential target for therapeutic strategies of As.

Knockdown of lncRNA ABHD11-AS1 Suppresses the Tumorigenesis of Pancreatic Cancer via Sponging miR-1231

Background

Pancreatic cancer ranks first among the most aggressive malignancies. Long non-coding RNA (LncRNA) ABHD11-AS1 is known to be upregulated in pancreatic cancer. However, the mechanism by which ABHD11-AS1 mediates the tumorigenesis of pancreatic cancer remains unclear.

Methods

Gene and protein expressions in pancreatic cancer cells were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blot, respectively. Cell viability was measured by CCK-8 assay. Cell apoptosis and cycle were tested by flow cytometry. In addition, cell migration and invasion were tested by wound healing and transwell assay, respectively. The correlation between ABHD11-AS1, miR-1231 and cyclin E1 was confirmed by dual-luciferase report and RNA pull-down. Finally, xenograft mice model was established to investigate the role of ABDH-AS1 in pancreatic cancer in vivo.

Results

ABHD11-AS1 was found to be negatively correlated with the survival rate of patients with pancreatic cancer. ABHD11-AS1 silencing significantly inhibited the proliferation and induced the apoptosis of pancreatic cancer cells. Additionally, knockdown of ABHD11-AS1 greatly inhibited the migration and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells. Meanwhile, ABHD11-AS1 bound to miR-1231 and cyclin E1 was found to be the target of miR-1231. Moreover, ABHD11-AS1 knockdown-induced G1 arrest in pancreatic cancer cells was reversed by miR-1231 antagomir. Finally, knockdown of ABHD11-AS1 obviously inhibited the tumor growth of pancreatic cancer in vivo.

Conclusion

ABHD11-AS1 silencing significantly inhibited the tumorigenesis of pancreatic cancer in vitro and in vivo. Thus, ABHD11-AS1 may serve as a potential target for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

MicroRNA in Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma: A Systematic Review from 2018 to June 2020

Simple Summary

The most common form of endocrine cancer - papillary thyroid carcinoma, has an increasing incidence. Although this disease usually has an indolent behavior, there are cases when it can evolve more aggressively. It has been known for some time that it is possible to use microRNAs for the diagnosis, prognosis and even treatment monitoring of papillary thyroid cancer. The purpose of this study is to summarize the latest information provided by publications regarding the involvement of microRNAs in papillary thyroid cancer, underling the new clinical perspectives offered by these publications.

Abstract

The involvement of micro-ribonucleic acid (microRNAs) in metabolic pathways such as regulation, signal transduction, cell maintenance, and differentiation make them possible biomarkers and therapeutic targets. The purpose of this review is to summarize the information published in the last two and a half years about the involvement of microRNAs in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). Another goal is to understand the perspective offered by the new findings. Main microRNA features such as origin, regulation, targeted genes, and metabolic pathways will be presented in this paper. We interrogated the PubMed database using several keywords: “microRNA” + “thyroid” + “papillary” + “carcinoma”. After applying search filters and inclusion criteria, a selection of 137 articles published between January 2018–June 2020 was made. Data regarding microRNA, metabolic pathways, gene/protein, and study utility were selected and included in the table and later discussed regarding the matter at hand. We found that most microRNAs regularly expressed in the normal thyroid gland are downregulated in PTC, indicating an important tumor-suppressor action by those microRNAs. Moreover, we showed that one gene can be targeted by several microRNAs and have nominally described these interactions. We have revealed which microRNAs can target several genes at once.

Saponins of Momordica charantia increase insulin secretion in INS-1 pancreatic β-cells via the PI3K/Akt/FoxO1 signaling pathway

Saponins are the main bioactive substances with anti-hyperglycemic activities of Momordica charantia. This study aimed to verify the effects of M. charantia saponins on insulin secretion and explore the potential underlying mechanisms in INS-1 pancreatic β-cells. We injured INS-1 cells with 33.3mM glucose and then treated them with saponins. Saponins improved cell morphology and viability as demonstrated by inverted microscopy and CCK8 detection and significantly increased insulin secretion in a concentration-dependent manner as shown by ELISA. Thus, we obtained the optimal concentration for the subsequent experiments. Potential mechanisms were explored by immunofluorescence, western blotting, and RT-qPCR techniques. First, saponins increased the mRNA and protein levels of IRS-2 but decreased the serine 731 phosphorylation level of IRS-2. Moreover, saponins increased the phosphorylation of Akt protein and decreased the protein level of FoxO1, which were both reversed by the PI3K inhibitor ly294002. Furthermore, saponins increased the protein level of the downstream molecule and insulin initiating factor PDX-1, which was also reversed by ly294002. Saponins also increased Akt and PDX-1 mRNA and decreased FoxO1 mRNA, which were both reversed by ly294002. Saponins increased glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) and intracellular insulin content, which were reversed by ly294002, as determined by ELISA. The immunofluorescence results also confirmed this tendency. In conclusion, our findings improve our understanding of the function of saponins in INS-1 pancreatic β-cells and suggest that saponins may increase insulin secretion via the PI3K/Akt/FoxO1 signaling pathway.

Long non-coding RNA CTBP1-AS2 enhances cervical cancer progression via up-regulation of ZNF217 through sponging miR-3163

Background

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play significant roles in tumorigenesis and can contribute to identification of novel therapeutic targets for cancers. This paper was aimed at exploring the role of CTBP1 divergent transcript (CTBP1-AS2) in cervical cancer (CC) progression.

Methods

qRT-PCR and western blot assays were used to detect relevant RNA and protein expressions. In vitro functional assays, including CCK8, EdU, TUNEL and transwell assays were applied to explore the functions of CTBP1-AS2 in CC cell proliferation, apoptosis and migration. In vivo animal study was utilized to investigate the role of CTBP1-AS2 in tumor growth. Luciferase reporter, RNA pull down and RIP assays were performed to determine the specific mechanical relationship between CTBP1-AS2, miR-3163 and ZNF217.

Results

CTBP1-AS2 was significantly overexpressed in CC cell lines. Knockdown of CTBP1-AS2 curbed cell proliferation, migration and invasion, while stimulated cell apoptosis in vitro. CTBP1-AS2 facilitated xenograft tumor growth in vivo. Cytoplasmic CTBP1-AS2 was found to be a miR-3163 sponge in CC cells. MiR-3163 inhibition abolished the anti-tumor effects of CTBP1-AS2 knockdown. Additionally, Zinc finger protein 217 (ZNF217) was identified as a direct target of miR-3163. CTBP1-AS2 acted as a miR-3163 sponge to elevate ZNF217 expression. ZNF217 up-regulation abrogated the tumor suppressing effects of CTBP1-AS2 knockdown.

Conclusion

CTBP1-AS2 regulates CC progression via sponging miR-3163 to up-regulate ZNF217.

The Changing Face of in vitro Culture Models for Thyroid Cancer Research: A Systematic Literature Review

Background: Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine malignancy worldwide. Primary treatment with surgery and radioactive iodine is usually successful, however, there remains a small proportion of thyroid cancers that are resistant to these treatments, and often represent aggressive forms of the disease. Since the 1950s, in vitro thyroid culture systems have been used in thyroid cancer research. In vitro culture models have evolved from 2-dimensional thyrocyte monolayers into physiologically functional 3-dimensional organoids. Recently, research groups have utilized in vitro thyroid cancer models to identify numerous genetic and epigenetic factors that are involved with tumorigenesis as well as test the efficacy of cytotoxic drugs on thyroid cancer cells and identify cancer stem cells within thyroid tumors.

Objective of Review: The objective of this literature review is to summarize how thyroid in vitro culture models have evolved and highlight how in vitro models have been fundamental to thyroid cancer research.

Type of Review: Systematic literature review.

Search Strategy: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Healthcare and Databases Advanced Search (HDAS) tool was used to search EMBASE, Medline and PubMed databases. The following terms were included in the search: “in vitro” AND “thyroid cancer”. The search period was confined from January 2008 until June 2019. A manual search of the references of review articles and other key articles was also performed using Google Scholar.

Evaluation Method: All experimental studies and review articles that explicitly mentioned the use of in vitro models for thyroid cancer research in the title and/or abstract were considered. Full-text versions of all selected articles were evaluated. Experimental studies were reviewed and grouped according to topic: genetics/epigenetics, drug testing/cancer treatment, and side populations (SP)/tumor microenvironment (TME).

Results: Three thousand three hundred and seventy three articles were identified through database and manual searches. One thousand two hundred and sixteen articles remained after duplicates were removed. Five hundred and eighty nine articles were excluded based on title and/or abstract. Of the remaining 627 full-text articles: 24 were review articles, 332 related to genetic/epigenetics, 240 related to drug testing/treatments, and 31 related to SP/TME.

Conclusion:In vitro cell culture models have been fundamental in thyroid cancer research. There have been many advances in culture techniques- developing complex cellular architecture that more closely resemble tumors in vivo. Genetic and epigenetic factors that have been identified using in vitro culture models can be used as targets for novel drug therapies. In the future, in vitro systems will facilitate personalized medicine, offering bespoke treatments to patients.

Role of PI3K/AKT pathway in cancer: the framework of malignant behavior

Given that the PI3K/AKT pathway has manifested its compelling influence on multiple cellular process, we further review the roles of hyperactivation of PI3K/AKT pathway in various human cancers. We state the abnormalities of PI3K/AKT pathway in different cancers, which are closely related with tumorigenesis, proliferation, growth, apoptosis, invasion, metastasis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, stem-like phenotype, immune microenvironment and drug resistance of cancer cells. In addition, we investigated the current clinical trials of inhibitors against PI3K/AKT pathway in cancers and found that the clinical efficacy of these inhibitors as monotherapy has so far been limited despite of the promising preclinical activity, which means combinations of targeted therapy may achieve better efficacies in cancers. In short, we hope to feature PI3K/AKT pathway in cancers to the clinic and bring the new promising to patients for targeted therapies.

Identification of long non-coding RNA SCARNA9L as a novel molecular target for colorectal cancer

The aim of the present study was to analyze the microarray data of human colorectal cancer (CRC) tissues and identify novel therapeutic targets for CRC. Microarray analysis from the GSE73360 and GSE84984 datasets was performed to identify novel long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) that were differentially expressed in human CRC tissues. Additionally, small interfering RNAs were used to deplete the expression of the indicated lncRNAs in cells. Colony-formation, wound-closure, and transwell assays were performed on CRC cells to assess their proliferation and migration capacities. Through microarray analysis, SCARNA9L, SLMO2-ATP5E and LOC100132062 were identified as differentially expressed lncRNAs in CRC tissues. The present study demonstrated that the ablation of SCARNA9L inhibited cell proliferation and arrested the cell cycle of SW480 and SW620 CRC cells. Additionally, depletion of SCARNA9L restrained the migration of CRC cells in vitro. Overall, the present study investigated the potential involvement of SCARNA9L in CRC and suggests SCARNA9L as a potential biomarker.