Long noncoding RNA KCNQ1OT1 promotes apoptosis in neuroblastoma cells by regulating miR-296-5p/Bax axis

LncRNA KCNQ1OT1 promotes NLRP3 inflammasome activation in Parkinson's disease by regulating pri-miR-186/mature miR-186/NLRP3 axis

Increasing evidence indicated that neuroinflammation was involved in progression of Parkinson's disease (PD). Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) played important roles in regulating inflammatory processes in multiple kinds of human diseases such as cancer diabetes, cardiomyopathy, and neurodegenerative disorders. The mechanisms by which lncRNAs regulated PD related inflammation and dopaminergic neuronal loss have not yet been fully elucidated. In current study, we intended to explore the function and potential mechanism of lncRNA KCNQ1 opposite strand/antisense transcript 1 (KCNQ1OT1) in regulating inflammasome activation in PD. Functional assays confirmed that knockdown of KCNQ1OT1 suppress microglial NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation and attenuated dopaminergic neuronal loss in PD model mice. As KCNQ1OT1 located in both cytoplasm and nucleus of microglia, we demonstrated that KCNQ1OT1 promoted microglial NLRP3 inflammasome activation by competitive binding with miR-186 in cytoplasm and inhibited pri-miR-186 mediated NLRP3 silencing through recruitment of DiGeorge syndrome critical region gene 8 (DGCR8) in nucleus, respectively. Our study found a novel lncRNA-pri-miRNA/mature miRNA-mRNA regulatory network in microglia mediated NLRP3 inflammasome activation and dopaminergic neuronal loss, provided further insights for the treatment of Parkinson's disease.

A review on the role of KCNQ1OT1 lncRNA in human disorders

KCNQ1OT1 is an lncRNA located within KCNQ1 gene on chromosome 11p15.5. This lncRNAs participates in the pathogenesis of a diversity of cancers as well as non-cancerous conditions. In most types of cancers, KCNQ1OT1 is regarded as an oncogene. In a wide array of cancers, high level of KCNQ1OT1 is associated with lower overall survival time. This lncRNA has been found to adsorb a variety of miRNAs, namely miR-15a, miR-211-5p, hsa-miR-107, miR-145, miR-34a, miR-204-5p, miR-129-5p, miR-372-3p, miR-491-5p, miR-153, miR-185-5p, miR-124-3p, miR-211-5p, miR-149, miR-148a-3p, miR-140-5p, miR-125b-5p, miR-9, miR-329-3p, miR-760, miR-296-5p, miR-3666 and miR-129-5p, thus regulating the downstream targets of these miRNAs. In this manuscript, our attention is on this lncRNA and its biomolecular roles in human cancers and other disorders. KCNQ1OT1 plays significant roles in the tumorigenesis and may function as a prospective target for cancer therapy.

Biological role of long non-coding RNA KCNQ1OT1 in cancer progression

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a type of RNAs that are more than 200 nucleotides without protein-coding potential. In recent years, more and more attention has been paid to the role of lncRNAs in cancer pathogenesis. LncRNA KCNQ1 overlapping transcript 1 (KCNQ1OT1) is located on chromosome 11p15.5 with a total length of 91 kb and is highly expressed in various malignancies, which is closely related to tumor growth, lymph node metastasis, survival cycle and recurrence rate. In addition, KCNQ1OT1 is involved in the regulation of PI3K/AKT and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways. In this review, the mechanism and related progress of KCNQ1OT1 in different cancers were reviewed. It was found that KCNQ1OT1 can stabilize mRNA expression through sponging miRNA, which not only induced tumor cell proliferation, migration, invasion, drug resistance, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and inhibited cell apoptosis in vitro, but also promoted tumor growth and metastasis in vivo. Therefore, as a new biomarker and therapeutic target, KCNQ1OT1 has broad prospects for the diagnosis and treatment of different cancers.

Therapeutic advancements in targeting BCL-2 family proteins by epigenetic regulators, natural, and synthetic agents in cancer

Cancer is amongst the deadliest and most disruptive disorders, having a much higher death rate than other diseases worldwide. Human cancer rates continue to rise, thereby posing the most significant concerns for medical health professionals. In the last two decades, researchers have gone past several milestones in tackling cancer while gaining insight into the role of apoptosis in cancer or targeting various biomarker tools for prognosis and diagnosis. Apoptosis which is still a topic full of complexities, can be controlled considerably by B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2) and its family members. Therefore, targeting proteins of this family to prevent tumorigenesis, is essential to focus on the pharmacological features of the anti-apoptotic and pro-apoptotic members, which will help to develop and manage this disorder. This review deals with the advancements of various epigenetic regulators to target BCL-2 family proteins, including the mechanism of several microRNAs (miRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). Similarly, a rise in natural and synthetic molecules' research over the last two decades has allowed us to acquire insights into understanding and managing the transcriptional alterations that have led to apoptosis and treating various neoplastic diseases. Furthermore, several inhibitors targeting anti-apoptotic proteins and inducers or activators targeting pro-apoptotic proteins in preclinical and clinical stages have been summarized. Overall, agonistic and antagonistic mechanisms of BCL-2 family proteins conciliated by epigenetic regulators, natural and synthetic agents have proven to be an excellent choice in developing cancer therapeutics.

MetBil as a novel molecular regulator in ischemia-induced cardiac fibrosis via METTL3-mediated m6A modification

Cardiac fibrosis is a common pathological manifestation in multiple cardiovascular diseases and often results in myocardial stiffness and cardiac dysfunctions. LncRNA (long noncoding RNA) participates in a number of pathophysiological processes. However, its role in cardiac fibrosis remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role and molecular mechanism of MetBil in regulating cardiac fibrosis. Our data showed that METTL3 binding lncRNA (MetBil) was significantly increased both in fibrotic tissue following myocardial infarction (MI) in mice and in cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) exposed to TGF-β1 (20 ng/mL) or 20% FBS. Overexpression of MetBil augmented collagen deposition, CF proliferation and activation while silencing MetBil exhibited the opposite effects. Importantly, heterozygous knockout of MetBil alleviated cardiac fibrosis and improved cardiac function after MI. RNA pull-down and RNA-binding protein immunoprecipitation assay showed that METTL3 is a direct downstream target of MetBil; consistently, MetBil and METTL3 were co-localized in both the nucleus and cytoplasm of CFs. Interestingly, MetBil regulated METTL3 expression at protein level, but not mRNA level, in ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. Enforced expression of METTL3 canceled the antifibrotic effects of silencing MetBil reflected by increased collagen production, CF proliferation and activation. Most notably, the m6A-modified fibrosis-regulated genes mediated by METTL3 are profoundly involved in the regulation of MetBil in the cardiac fibrosis following MI. Our study reveals that MetBil as a novel regulator of fibrosis promotes cardiac fibrosis via interacting with METTL3 and regulating the expression of the methylated fibrosis-associated genes, providing a new intervening target for fibrosis-associated cardiac diseases.

Upregulation of the long non-coding RNA, LIPCAR promotes proliferation, migration, and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) early diagnosis remains a challenge to date. Alpha-feto protein, though less sensitive remains widely used for both diagnosis and prognosis. Recently however, a number of molecular biomarkers have been suggested as alternatives to Alpha feto protein, especially for early diagnosis. OBJECTIVE: To determine the role of the long non-coding RNA, LIPCAR in the pathogenesis and early diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma. METHODS: Quantitative real-time PCR, and Fluorescence in situ hybridization assays were conducted to determine LIPCAR expression in HCC vs normal blood samples, and HCC cell lines vs normal liver cell lines. Transfection was done to upregulate LIPCAR in one HCC cell line, and used to study cell proliferation, migration, apoptosis and epithelial-mesenchymal transformation. Animal experiment was finally done to determine its effect on metastasis. RESULTS: LIPCAR was significantly upregulated in HCC blood samples and HCC cell lines compared to their respective normal ones. Its overexpression promoted hepatocellular carcinoma cell proliferation, and migration, while inhibiting apoptosis. Its overexpression also promoted epithelial-mesenchymal transformation in hepatocellular carcinoma cells, and metastasis in vivo. CONCLUSION: The study demonstrated that the lncRNA, LIPCAR is significantly upregulated in hepatocellular carcinoma patients and that its upregulation promotes HCC proliferation, migration, and metastases.

CTB-193M12.5 Promotes Hepatocellular Carcinoma Progression via Enhancing NSD1-Mediated WNT10B/Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Activation

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Silencing of long chain noncoding RNA paternally expressed gene (PEG10) inhibits the progression of neuroblastoma by regulating microRNA-449a (miR-449a)/ribosomal protein S2 (RPS2) axis

To investigate the mechanism of paternally expressed gene (PEG10) in regulating neuroblastoma (NB) progression. PEG10 expression was detected using quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase-chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The interaction of miR-449a and PEG10 or ribosomal protein S2 (RPS2) was employed by starBase, and then proved through RIP and dual-luciferase reporter assays. The NB cell viability, proliferation, invasion, and migration were evaluated by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), colony formation, and Transwell assay. The mRNA and protein levels were determined by qRT-PCR and Western blotting, respectively. The levels of PEG10 and RPS2 were remarkably increased in NB tissues and cells, nevertheless the expression of miR-449a was conspicuously declined in NB tissues and cells. Silencing of PEG10 inhibited proliferation, migration, and invasion in SK-N-BE (2) cells, while overexpression of PEG10 promoted proliferation, migration, and invasion in SH-SY5Y cells. We affirmed that PEG10 interacted with miR-449a, and miR-449a could target the 3'UTR of RPS2 and negatively regulate its expression in NB cells. The upregulation of miR-449a inhibited proliferation, migration, and invasion in SK-N-BE (2) cells, while downregulation of miR-449a promoted proliferation, migration, and invasion in SH-SY5Y cells. Moreover, miR-449a overexpression weaken the function of PEG10-mediated on promoting proliferation, migration, and invasion in SH-SY5Y cells, while RPS2 overexpression rescued the effects of miR-449a-mediated on inhibiting those behaviors of SH-SY5Y cells. In conclusion, Silencing of PEG10 could inhibit proliferation, migration, and invasion via the miR-449a/RPS2 axis in NB cells.

LncRNA KCNQ1OT1 promotes apoptosis and oxidative stress of human lens epithelial cells through epigenetic regulation of WRN

PURPOSE

Long non-coding RNA KCNQ1OT1 is fundamental to age-related cataract (ARC), whereas the underlying mechanism is still unknown. Here, we explored the possible mechanism of KCNQ1OT1 in ARC.

METHODS

The expression of KCNQ1OT1 in ARC patients and H₂O₂-treated human lens epithelial cell line SRA01/04 was detected. Gene and protein expression were examined by quantitative real-time PCR and western blot. Cell viability and apoptosis were detected by CCK-8 assay and flow cytometry. The content of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was assessed by fluorescent probe DCFH-DA. The relationship among KCNQ1OT1, G9a, H3K9me1/2 and WRN was verified by RNA pull down and Chromatin immunoprecipitation.

RESULTS

KCNQ1OT1 was up-regulated in the anterior lens capsule tissues of ARC patients and H₂O₂-treated SRA01/04 cells. KCNQ1OT1 overexpression suppressed cell viability and facilitated apoptosis in H₂O₂-treated SRA01/04 cells. KCNQ1OT1 up-regulation enhanced the levels of ROS and malondialdehyde (MDA), and reduced the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in H₂O₂-treated SRA01/04 cells. WRN up-regulation led to a result opposite to KCNQ1OT1 overexpression. The influence of WRN up-regulation on cell viability, apoptosis and oxidative stress of SRA01/04 cells was rescued by KCNQ1OT1 overexpression. Additionally, KCNQ1OT1 interacted with G9a. Both G9a and H3K9me1/2 interacted with WRN promoter. G9a deficiency significantly enhanced WRN expression and repressed H3K9me1/2 expression in SRA01/04 cells, which was abrogated by KCNQ1OT1 up-regulation.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrated that KCNQ1OT1 promoted apoptosis and oxidative stress of human LECs through G9a-driven epigenetic regulation of WRN. This work highlights a novel lncRNA involving key regulators of ARC.

Long non-coding RNA PAARH promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progression and angiogenesis via upregulating HOTTIP and activating HIF-1α/VEGF signaling

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading lethal malignancies and a hypervascular tumor. Although some long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been revealed to be involved in HCC. The contributions of lncRNAs to HCC progression and angiogenesis are still largely unknown. In this study, we identified a HCC-related lncRNA, CMB9-22P13.1, which was highly expressed and correlated with advanced stage, vascular invasion, and poor survival in HCC. We named this lncRNA Progression and Angiogenesis Associated RNA in HCC (PAARH). Gain- and loss-of function assays revealed that PAARH facilitated HCC cellular growth, migration, and invasion, repressed HCC cellular apoptosis, and promoted HCC tumor growth and angiogenesis in vivo. PAARH functioned as a competing endogenous RNA to upregulate HOTTIP via sponging miR-6760-5p, miR-6512-3p, miR-1298-5p, miR-6720-5p, miR-4516, and miR-6782-5p. The expression of PAARH was significantly positively associated with HOTTIP in HCC tissues. Functional rescue assays verified that HOTTIP was a critical mediator of the roles of PAARH in modulating HCC cellular growth, apoptosis, migration, and invasion. Furthermore, PAARH was found to physically bind hypoxia inducible factor-1 subunit alpha (HIF-1α), facilitate the recruitment of HIF-1α to VEGF promoter, and activate VEGF expression under hypoxia, which was responsible for the roles of PAARH in promoting angiogenesis. The expression of PAARH was positively associated with VEGF expression and microvessel density in HCC tissues. In conclusion, these findings demonstrated that PAARH promoted HCC progression and angiogenesis via upregulating HOTTIP and activating HIF-1α/VEGF signaling. PAARH represents a potential prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for HCC.

KB-68A7.1 Inhibits Hepatocellular Carcinoma Development Through Binding to NSD1 and Suppressing Wnt/β-Catenin Signalling

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most lethal malignancies with extremely poor prognosis. Therefore, revealing the critical molecules involved in HCC progression and prognosis is urgently needed. In this study, through combining public dataset and our cohort, we found a novel prognosis-related long non-coding RNA KB-68A7.1 in HCC. KB-68A7.1 was lowly expressed in HCC, whose low expression was associated with large tumour size, aggressive clinical characteristic, and poor survival. Gain- and loss-of-function assays demonstrated that KB-68A7.1 restricted HCC cellular proliferation, induced HCC cellular apoptosis, and suppressed HCC cellular migration and invasion in vitro. Xenograft assays demonstrated that KB-68A7.1 suppressed HCC tumour growth and metastasis in vivo. These functional assays suggested KB-68A7.1 as a tumour suppressor in HCC. Histone methyltransferase nuclear receptor binding SET domain-containing protein 1 (NSD1) was found to bind to KB-68A7.1. KB-68A7.1 was mainly distributed in the cytoplasm. The binding of KB-68A7.1 to NSD1 sequestrated NSD1 in the cytoplasm, leading to the reduction in nuclear NSD1 level. Through decreasing nuclear NSD1 level, KB-68A7.1 reduced di-methylation of histone H3 at lysine 36 (H3K36me2) and increased tri-methylation of histone H3 at lysine 27 (H3K27me3) at the promoter of WNT10B, a target of NSD1. Thus, KB-68A7.1 repressed WNT10B transcription. The expression of WNT10B was negatively correlated with that of KB-68A7.1 in HCC tissues. Through repressing WNT10B, KB-68A7.1 further repressed Wnt/β-catenin signalling. Functional rescue assays showed that overexpression of WNT10B reversed the tumour-suppressive roles of KB-68A7.1, whereas the oncogenic roles of KB-68A7.1 depletion were abolished by Wnt/β-catenin signalling inhibitor. Overall, this study identified KB-68A7.1 as a lowly expressed and prognosis-related lncRNA in HCC, which suppressed HCC progression through binding to NSD1 and repressing Wnt/β-catenin signalling.

ADORA2A-AS1 Restricts Hepatocellular Carcinoma Progression via Binding HuR and Repressing FSCN1/AKT Axis

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most aggressive malignancies. Increasing evidence revealed that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) were frequently involved in various malignancies. Here, we explored the clinical significances, roles, and mechanisms of lncRNA ADORA2A antisense RNA 1 (ADORA2A-AS1) in HCC.

Methods

The clinical significances of ADORA2A-AS1 in HCC were analyzed using RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) project. The expressions of ADORA2A-AS1, Fascin Actin-Bundling Protein 1 (FSCN1), Matrix Metallopeptidase 2 (MMP2), and Baculoviral IAP Repeat Containing 7 (BIRC7) in HCC tissues and cells were measured by qRT-PCR. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), 5-ethynyl-2’-deoxyuridine (EdU), caspase-3 activity assay, transwell migration and invasion assays, and xenograft growth and metastasis experiments were performed to evaluate the roles of ADORA2A-AS1 in HCC. RNA pull-down, RNA immunoprecipitation, qRT-PCR, Western blot, and RNA stability assay were performed to elucidate the mechanisms of ADORA2A-AS1 in HCC.

Results

ADORA2A-AS1 was identified as an HCC-related lncRNA, whose low expression was correlated with advanced stage and poor outcome in HCC. Gain- and loss-of functional experiments demonstrated that ADORA2A-AS1 inhibited HCC cell proliferation, induced cell apoptosis, repressed cell migration and invasion, and repressed xenograft growth and metastasis in vivo. Mechanistically, ADORA2A-AS1 competitively bound HuR (Hu Antigen R), repressed the binding of HuR to FSCN1 transcript, decreased FSCN1 transcript stability, and downregulated FSCN1 expression. The expression of FSCN1 was negatively correlated with ADORA2A-AS1 in HCC tissues. Through downregulating FSCN1, ADORA2A-AS1 repressed AKT pathway activation. Functional rescue assays showed that blocking of FSCN1/AKT axis abrogated the roles of ADORA2A-AS1 in HCC.

Conclusion

Low-expression ADORA2A-AS1 is correlated with poor survival of HCC patients. ADORA2A-AS1 exerts tumor-suppressive roles in HCC via binding HuR and repressing FSCN1/AKT axis.

KCNQ1OT1: An Oncogenic Long Noncoding RNA

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are transcripts greater than 200 nucleotides that do not code for proteins but regulate gene expression. Recent studies indicate that lncRNAs are involved in the modulation of biological functions in human disease. KCNQ1 Opposite Strand/Antisense Transcript 1 (KCNQ1OT1) encodes a lncRNA from the opposite strand of KCNQ1 in the CDKN1C/KCNQ1OT1 cluster that is reported to play a vital role in the development and progression of cancer. KCNQ1OT1 regulates cancer cell proliferation, cell cycle, migration and invasion, metastasis, glucose metabolism, and immune evasion. The aberrant expression of KCNQ1OT1 in cancer patients is associated with poor prognosis and decreased survival. This review summarizes recent literature related to the biological functions and molecular mechanisms of KCNQ1OT1 in various human cancers, including colorectal, bladder, breast, oral, melanoma, osteosarcoma, lung, glioma, ovarian, liver, acute myeloid leukemia, prostate, and gastric. We also discuss the role of KCNQ1OT1 as a promising diagnostic biomarker and a novel therapeutic target in human cancers.

Long non-coding RNA KCNQ1OT1 facilitates the progression of cervical cancer and tumor growth through modulating miR-296-5p/HYOU1 axis

Literature reports that lncRNA KCNQ1OT1 is markedly up-regulated in cervical cancer (CC) tissues and cell lines, and KCNQ1OT1 can promote the proliferation and metastasis of CC cells. This current work was designed to investigate the molecular mechanism underlying the participation of KCNQ1OT1 in CC progression. Herein, RT-qPCR was utilized for determining the levels of KCNQ1OT1, miR-296-5p and HYOU1 in clinical tumor tissue specimens and CC cell lines. Then, starBase predicted the complementary binding sites of KCNQ1OT1 and miR-296-5p or miR-296-5p and HYOU1. Dual-luciferase reporter assay/RIP assay validated the interplays among KCNQ1OT1/miR-296-5p/HYOU1. In addition, CCK-8, wound healing and transwell assays were employed to assess the proliferative, migrative and invasive properties of CC cells. Moreover, nude mice xenograft model was established by subcutaneously injection with SiHa cells in order to validate the precise functions of KCNQ1OT1/miR-296-5p/HYOU1 axis in CC in vivo. Besides, Immunohistochemical staining examined Ki-67 expression in xenograft tumors and western blotting analysis detected expressions of MMP2/9 and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in CC cells and xenograft tumors. Elevated KCNQ1OT1 and HYOU1 as well as reduced miR-296-5p were observed in clinical tumor tissue specimens and CC cell lines. Results revealed that upregulation of miR-296-5p counteracted the enhancing effects of overexpressed KCNQ1OT1 on the proliferative, migrative and invasive abilities of CC cells. Additionally, HYOU1 overexpression abolished the suppressing effects of silenced KCNQ1OT1 on the malignant behaviors of CC cells and tumor growth. To conclude, KCNQ1OT1 could aggravate the malignant behaviors of CC and facilitate tumor growth through modulating miR-296-5p/HYOU1 axis.

KCNQ1OT1 Exacerbates Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury Through Targeted Inhibition of miR-140-3P

Potassium voltage-gated channel subfamily Q member 1 opposite strand 1 (KCNQ1OT1), a long non-coding RNA found in the KCNQ1 locus, has been evidenced to play important roles in the aggravation of inflammatory and oxidative stresses under hypoxia, but whether and how KCNQ1OT1 contributes to neuronal damages in the cerebral ischemic stroke remains unknown. In the present study, we found a dominant upregulation of KCNQ1OT1 both in the plasma of cerebral ischemia patients and in an oxygen-glucose deprivation and reperfusion (OGD/R) model in PC12 cells. KCNQ1OT1 knocking-down significantly ameliorated the inflammation, oxidative stress, and cell apoptosis induced by OGD/R. We further demonstrated that KCNQ1OT1 directly bound to and suppressed the expression of miR-140-3p. Overexpressing miR-140-3p significantly alleviated both the inflammation, oxidative stress, and cell apoptosis in OGD/R, while all those cytoprotective effects of miR-140-3p-overexpression were hindered by the co-overexpression of KCNQ1OT1. Furthermore, we found a direct interaction between miR-140-3p and the hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), which was suppressed by the upregulation of KCNQ1OT1 in OGD/R. Our results indicate that KCNQ1OT1 exacerbates cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury by targeted binding to miR-140-3p, thus interfering its direct interaction with HIF-1α. These data provide novel therapeutic targets in the cerebral ischemic stroke.

Circular RNA hsa_circ_0000511 Improves Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition of Cervical Cancer by Regulating hsa-mir-296-5p/HMGA1

As the second largest gynecological cancer, cervical cancer has been widely reported in recent years in which circular RNA is involved in the disease process. We earlier found that the expression of hsa_circ_0000511 in cervical cancer cells increased significantly, but its role in the process of cervical cancer is not clear. The purpose of this study is to explore its possible mechanisms in cervical cancer. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), cell counting kit-8 assay, Transwell test, cell transfection, RNA pull-down assay and dual-luciferase reporter assay, and Western blot analysis were used to detect the expression and distribution of hsa_circ_0000511 in SiHa and HeLa cells, the ability of invasion and proliferation, and the modulated relationships between hsa_circ_0000511 and hsa-mir-296-5p, hsa-mir-296-5p, and HMGA1. hsa_circ_0000511 had the highest expression in SiHa and HeLa cells, and the expression in the cytoplasm was significantly higher than that in the nucleus, and its expression was not affected by RNase R. When hsa_circ_0000511 was silenced, its expression in SiHa and HeLa cells was significantly decreased; the proliferation, invasion, and migration abilities of the two kinds of cells were significantly enhanced; and the protein expression of E-cadherin was significantly upregulated, while the protein expression of N-cadherin was significantly downregulated. The expression of hsa-mir-296-5p was lower in SiHa and HeLa cells; however, its expression was increased when hsa_circ_0000511 was inhibited and decreased when hsa_circ_0000511 was overexpressed, so did the ability of proliferation, invasion, and migration and the protein expression of E-cadherin. Interestingly, the protein expression of HMGA1 also changed in these two cells when hsa-mir-296-5p was inhibited or overexpressed. Our results indicate that the upregulated hsa_circ_0000511 can inhibit the proliferation, invasion, and migration of SiHa and HeLa cells by regulating hsa-mir-296-5p/HMGA1, suggesting that the hsa_circ_0000511/hsa-mir-296-5p/HMGA1 pathway may be a potential target for the treatment of cervical cancer.

Dysregulation of miR-15a-5p, miR-497a-5p and miR-511-5p Is Associated with Modulation of BDNF and FKBP5 in Brain Areas of PTSD-Related Susceptible and Resilient Mice

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a neuropsychiatric disorder occurring in susceptible individuals following a traumatic event. Understanding the mechanisms subserving trauma susceptibility/resilience is essential to develop new effective treatments. Increasing evidence suggests that non-coding RNAs, such as microRNAs (miRNAs), may play a prominent role in mediating trauma susceptibility/resilience. In this study, we evaluated the transcriptional expression of two key PTSD-related genes (FKBP5 and BDNF) and the relative targeting miRNAs (miR-15a-5p, miR-497a-5p, miR-511-5p, let-7d-5p) in brain areas of PTSD-related susceptible and resilient mice identified through our recently developed mouse model of PTSD (arousal-based individual screening (AIS) model). We observed lower transcript levels of miR-15a-5p, miR-497a-5p, and miR-511a-5p in the hippocampus and hypothalamus of susceptible mice compared to resilient mice, suggesting that the expression of these miRNAs could discriminate the two different phenotypes of stress-exposed mice. These miRNA variations could contribute, individually or synergically, to the inversely correlated transcript levels of FKBP5 and BDNF. Conversely, in the medial prefrontal cortex, downregulation of miR-15a-5p, miR-511-5p, and let-7d-5p was observed both in susceptible and resilient mice, and not accompanied by changes in their mRNA targets. Furthermore, miRNA expression in the different brain areas correlated to stress-induced behavioral scores (arousal score, avoidance-like score, social memory score and PTSD-like score), suggesting a linear connection between miRNA-based epigenetic modulation and stress-induced phenotypes. Pathway analysis of a miRNA network showed a statistically significant enrichment of molecular processes related to PTSD and stress. In conclusion, our results indicate that PTSD susceptibility/resilience might be shaped by brain-area-dependent modulation of miRNAs targeting FKBP5, BDNF, and other stress-related genes.

Non-Coding RNAs Participate in the Pathogenesis of Neuroblastoma

Neuroblastoma is one of the utmost frequent neoplasms during the first year of life. This pediatric cancer is believed to be originated during the embryonic life from the neural crest cells. Previous studies have detected several types of chromosomal aberrations in this tumor. More recent studies have emphasized on expression profiling of neuroblastoma samples to identify the dysregulated genes in this type of cancer. Non-coding RNAs are among the mostly dysregulated genes in this type of cancer. Such dysregulation has been associated with a number of chromosomal aberrations that are frequently detected in neuroblastoma. In this study, we explain the role of non-coding transcripts in the malignant transformation in neuroblastoma and their role as biomarkers for this pediatric cancer.

A Potential Autophagy-Related Competing Endogenous RNA Network and Corresponding Diagnostic Efficacy in Schizophrenia

Competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) and autophagy were related to neurological diseases. But the relationship among ceRNA, autophagy and Schizophrenia (SZ) was not clear. In this study, we obtained gene expression profile of SZ patients (GSE38484, GSE54578, and GSE16930) from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Then we screened the autophagy-related differentially expressed lncRNA, miRNA, and mRNA (DElncRNA, DEmiRNA, and DEmRNA) combined with Gene database from The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). In addition, we performed enrichment analysis. The result showed that biological processes (BPs) mainly were associated with cellular responses to oxygen concentration. The enriched pathways mainly included ErbB, AMPK, mTOR signaling pathway and cell cycle. Furthermore, we constructed autophagy-related ceRNA network based on the TargetScan database. Moreover, we explored the diagnostic efficiency of lncRNA, miRNA and mRNA in ceRNA, through gene set variation analysis (GSVA). The result showed that the diagnostic efficiency was robust, especially miRNA (AUC = 0.884). The miRNA included hsa-miR-423-5p, hsa-miR-4532, hsa-miR-593-3p, hsa-miR-618, hsa-miR-4723-3p, hsa-miR-4640-3p, hsa-miR-296-5p, and hsa-miR-3943. The result of this study may be helpful for deepening the pathophysiology of SZ. In addition, our finding may provide a guideline for the clinical diagnosis of SZ.

Regulation of melanoma malignancy by the RP11-705C15.3/miR-145-5p/NRAS/MAPK signaling axis

Melanoma is a common lethal skin cancer. Dissecting molecular mechanisms driving the malignancy of melanoma may uncover potential therapeutic targets. We previously identified miR-145-5p as an important tumor-suppressive microRNA in melanoma. Here, we further investigated the roles of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in melanoma. We identified RP11-705C15.3, a regulator of miR-145-5p, as an oncogenic lncRNA in melanoma. RP11-705C15.3 competitively bound miR-145-5p, relieved the repressive roles of miR-145-5p on its target NRAS, upregulated NRAS expression, and activated MAPK signaling. In vitro functional assays revealed that ectopic expression of RP11-705C15.3 promoted melanoma cell proliferation, inhibited apoptosis, and promoted migration and invasion. Silencing of RP11-705C15.3 repressed melanoma cell proliferation, induced apoptosis, and repressed migration and invasion. Notably, the roles of RP11-705C15.3 in melanoma cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion are reversed by miR-145-5p overexpression. In vivo functional assays revealed that RP11-705C15.3 promoted melanoma tumor growth and metastasis, which were also reversed by miR-145-5p overexpression. Furthermore, we investigated the expression of RP11-705C15.3 in clinical melanoma tissues and found that RP11-705C15.3 was increased in melanoma tissues. High expression of RP11-705C15.3 was positively correlated with thickness, ulceration, metastasis, and inferior overall survival. Taken together, our findings suggest RP11-705C15.3 as a novel oncogene in melanoma, and highlight that the RP11-705C15.3/miR-145-5p/NRAS/MAPK signaling axis may be potential therapeutic targets for melanoma.

Silencing of long non-coding RNA DLX6-AS1 weakens neuroblastoma progression by the miR-513c-5p/PLK4 axis

Emerging evidence has demonstrated the crucial roles of long noncoding RNAs in human cancers, including neuroblastoma (NB). DLX6 antisense RNA 1 (DLX6-AS1) has been identified as an oncogenic driver in NB. However, the mechanisms of DLX6-AS1 in NB progression are not fully understood. Our data showed that DLX6-AS1 was significantly overexpressed in NB tissues and cells. Moreover, DLX6-AS1 silencing repressed NB cell viability, colony formation, migration, and invasion, and promoted cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in vitro, as well as decreased tumor growth in vivo. Mechanistically, DLX6-AS1 operated as a miR-513c-5p sponge. MiR-513c-5p mediated the regulation of DLX6-AS1 on NB cell malignant progression in vitro. PLK4 was a target of miR-513c-5p- and DLX6-AS1-controlled PLK4 expression via sponging miR-513c-5p. Furthermore, the suppressive effect of miR-513c-5p overexpression on NB cell malignant progression in vitro was reversed by PLK4 upregulation. Our findings identified a novel regulatory mechanism, the DLX6-AS1/miR-513c-5p/PLK4 axis, in NB progression, highlighting a strong rationale for developing DLX6-AS1 as a new target for NB management.

lncRNA PART1 and MIR17HG as ΔNp63α direct targets regulate tumor progression of cervical squamous cell carcinoma

Cervical cancer (CC) remains one of the leading causes of mortality of female cancers worldwide, with more than 90% being cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC). ΔNp63α is the predominant isoform expressed in cervical epithelial tissues and exerts its antitumor function in CSCC. In this study, we have identified 39 long noncoding RNAs as ΔNp63α targets in CSCC through RNA sequencing and chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing, in which we further confirmed and focused on the two tumor‐related long noncoding RNAs, PART1 (lncPART1) and MIR17HG (lncMIR17HG). Experiments from stable overexpression/knockdown cell lines revealed that lncPART1 and lncMIR17HG regulated cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. In vivo experiments further showed that lncPART1 suppresses tumor growth in CSCC‐derived tumors. Examinations of clinical tissues indicated that the expression of lncPART1 was positively correlated with ΔNp63α expression, while lncMIR17HG was negatively correlated with ΔNp63α expression, suggesting that ΔNp63α plays a central role via regulating its direct targets in the progression of CSCC. These findings provide novel insights in targeted therapy of cervical cancers.

Knockdown of circ_0000512 Inhibits Cell Proliferation and Promotes Apoptosis in Colorectal Cancer by Regulating miR-296-5p/RUNX1 Axis

Background

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide. Increasing evidence showed that circular RNAs (circRNAs) played critical roles in the progression of CRC. However, the effects and underlying mechanisms of circ_0000512 in CRC progression remain unclear.

Methods

The expression levels of circ_0000512, microRNA-296-5p (miR-296-5p) and runt-related transcription factor 1 (RUNX1) were analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Cell viability, colony formation, cell cycle distribution and cell apoptosis were detected by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, colony formation assay and flow cytometry analysis, respectively. Western blot assay was utilized to measure the protein expression of Cyclin D1, Cleaved Caspase-3 and RUNX1. The interaction between miR-296-5p and circ_0000512 or RUNX1 was predicted by starBase and verified by dual-luciferase reporter assay, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay and RNA pull-down assay. The mice xenograft model was established to explore the function of circ_0000512 in vivo.

Results

The expression of circ_0000512 was increased in CRC tissues and cells. Knockdown of circ_0000512 suppressed cell viability and colony formation and arrested the cells at the G0/G1 phase while it accelerated apoptosis in CRC cells. Mechanistically, circ_0000512 could increase RUNX1 expression by acting as a molecular sponge of miR-296-5p in CRC cells. Furthermore, miR-296-5p downregulation or RUNX1 overexpression reversed the anti-proliferation and pro-apoptosis effects caused by circ_0000512 knockdown in CRC cells. In addition, circ_0000512 interference inhibited tumor growth by upregulating miR-296-5p and downregulating RUNX1 in vivo.

Conclusion

Knockdown of circ_0000512 inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis in CRC cell by regulating miR-296-5p/RUNX1 axis, which might provide a potential therapeutic target for CRC treatment.

Long Non-Coding KCNQ1OT1 Promotes Oxygen-Glucose-Deprivation/Reoxygenation-Induced Neurons Injury Through Regulating MIR-153-3p/FOXO3 Axis

BACKGROUND

Long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) have been reported to play important roles in the pathogenesis and development of many diseases, including cerebral ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) injury. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of LncRNA-Potassium Voltage-Gated Channel Subfamily Q Member 1 opposite strand/antisense transcript 1 (KCNQ1OT1) in cerebral I/R induced neuronal injury, and its underlying mechanisms.

METHODS

Primary mouse cerebral cortical neurons treated with oxygen-glucose deprivation and reoxygenation (OGD/R) in vitro and mice subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) and reperfusion were used to mimic cerebral I/R injury. Small inference RNA (siRNA) was used to knockdown KCNQ1OT1 or microRNA-153-3p (miR-153-3p). Dual-luciferase assay was performed to detect the interaction between KCNQ1OT1 and miR-153-3p and interaction between miR-153-3p and Fork head box O3a (Foxo3). Flow cytometry analysis was performed to detect neuronal apoptosis. qRT-PCR and Western blotting were performed to detect RNA and protein expressions.

RESULTS

KCNQ1OT1 and Foxo3 expressions were significantly increased in neurons subjected to I/R injury in vitro and in vivo, and miR-153-3p expression were significantly decreased. Knockdown of KCNQ1OT1 or overexpression of miR-153-3p weakened OGD/R-induced neuronal injury and regulated Foxo3 expressions. Dual-luciferase analysis showed that KCNQ1OT1 directly interacted with miR-153-3p and Foxo3 is a direct target of miR-153-3p.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicate that LncRNA-KCNQ1OT1 promotes OGD/R-induced neuronal injury at least partially through acting as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) for miR-153-3p to regulate Foxo3a expression, suggesting LncRNA-KCNQ1OT1 as a potential therapeutic target for cerebral I/R injury.

LncRNA KCNQ1OT1 contributes to cardiomyocyte apoptosis by targeting FUS in heart failure

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have recently been recognized as the important regulators in cardiac diseases. This study was aimed to investigate the role and molecular mechanism of lncRNA KCNQ1OT1 in regulating cardiomyocyte apoptosis in heart failure (HF). The mouse model of HF was induced by doxorubicin (ADR). Cell apoptosis was detected by Hoechst and TUNEL staining. Molecule expressions were determined by qRT-PCR and western blot. The interaction between KCNQ1OT1 and Fused in sarcoma (FUS) was assessed by RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) and RNA pull-down assays. KCNQ1OT1 was up-regulated in the myocardial tissues of HF mice and the ADR-stimulated mouse myocardial cell line (HL-1). KCNQ1OT1 overexpression promoted apoptosis of ADR-stimulated HL-1 cells, while KCNQ1OT1 knockdown caused the opposite effect. The RIP and RNA pull-down results showed that KCNQ1OT1 - bound to FUS and negatively regulated its protein level. Knockdown of FUS inhibited apoptosis of ADR-stimulated HL-1 cells and reversed the effect of KCNQ1OT1 overexpression on cardiomyocyte apoptosis. In vivo experiment showed that KCNQ1OT1 ovexpression improved myocardial histopathological changes, reduced myocardial fibrosis areas, down-regulated FUS expression, and inhibited cell apoptosis of HF mice. In conclusion, KCNQ1OT1 facilitates cardiomyocyte apoptosis by - targeting FUS in ADR-induced HF.

Effect of lncRNA‑BC200 on proliferation and migration of liver cancer cells in vitro and in vivo

In recent years, the important role of long non‑​coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the development of liver cancer has received increasing attention. The abnormal expression level of long non‑coding RNAs has been associated with the occurrence and development of liver cancer. However, the role and molecular mechanisms of lncRNAs in the development and progression of liver cancer are not fully understood. The present study aimed to clarify the function and molecular mechanism of lncRNA brain cytoplasmic 200 (BC200) in liver cancer. In the present study, it was found that BC200 expression level was higher in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues than that in adjacent tissues. Cell function was examined by constructing BC200 knockout (KO) and BC200‑overexpression in vitro models. It was found that BC200 affected the proliferation and migration of HepG2 cells. Interestingly, it was found that BC200 affected the expression of c‑Myc protein but did not affect the mRNA expression level of c‑MYC. BC200 KO cells exhibited a reduced protein expression level of Bax protein and an increased protein expression level of Bcl‑xL. Conversely, BC200 overexpression reduced the expression of Bcl‑xL protein and increased the expression of Bax protein. Importantly, it was found that BC200 affected the formation of subcutaneous tumors in nude mice. In conclusion, the present results suggested that lncRNA BC200 may play an important role in liver cancer.

LncRNA RMST-mediated miR-107 transcription promotes OGD-induced neuronal apoptosis via interacting with hnRNPK

The long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) rhabdomyosarcoma 2-associated transcript (RMST) silencing has been demonstrated to protect against ischemic brain injury in vivo and neuron injury in vitro. However, its underlying mechanisms in the progression of ischemic stroke have not been well explored. The expression of RMST in oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD)-treated HT-22 hippocampal neuron cell line was examined using quantitative Real-Time PCR (qRT-PCR). CCK-8 cell viability and apoptotic cell detection using Annexin V-FITC and PI staining coupled with flow cytometry were performed to determine the pro-apoptotic role of RMST in HT-22 hippocampal neuron cell line. Furthermore, RNA pull-down, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), coimmunoprecipitation (Co-IP), chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and dual-Luciferase reporter assays were performed to determine the mechanism of RMST in OGD-induced HT-22 cell apoptosis. In the results, RMST was highly expressed in OGD-treated HT-22 cells. Altered RMST expression led to marked changes in HT-22 cell proliferation and apoptosis. Mechanistically, RMST indirectly activated p53/miR-107 signaling pathway via interacting with heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K (hnRNPK) and fulfilled its pro-apoptotic function in HT-22 cells. In conclusion, our data indicated that the RMST/hnRNPK/p53/miR-107/Bcl2l2 axis plays an important role in regulating neuronal apoptosis.

LncRNA EPIC1 downregulation mediates hydrogen peroxide-induced neuronal cell injury

Excessive oxidative stress causes neuronal cell injury. Long non-coding RNA (LncRNA) EPIC1 (Lnc-EPIC1) is a MYC-interacting LncRNA. Its expression and potential functions in hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)-stimulated neuronal cells are studied. In SH-SY5Y neuronal cells and primary human neuron cultures, H₂O₂ downregulated Lnc-EPIC1 and key MYC targets (Cyclin A1, CDC20 and CDC45). Ectopic overexpression of Lnc-EPIC1 increased expression of MYC targets and significantly attenuated H₂O₂-induced neuronal cell death and apoptosis. Contrarily, Lnc-EPIC1 siRNA potentiated neuronal cell death by H₂O₂. MYC knockout by CRISPR/Cas9 method also facilitated H₂O₂-induced SH-SY5Y cell death. Significantly, MYC knockout abolished Lnc-EPIC1-induced actions in H₂O₂-stimulated neuronal cells. Together, these results suggest that Lnc-EPIC1 downregulation mediates H₂O₂-induced neuronal cell death.