miR-4732-5p promotes breast cancer progression by targeting TSPAN13

Tspan protein family: focusing on the occurrence, progression, and treatment of cancer

The Tetraspanins (Tspan) protein family, also known as the tetraspanin family, contains 33 family members that interact with other protein molecules such as integrins, adhesion molecules, and T cell receptors by forming dimers or heterodimers. The Tspan protein family regulates cell proliferation, cell cycle, invasion, migration, apoptosis, autophagy, tissue differentiation, and immune response. More and more studies have shown that Tspan proteins are involved in tumorigenesis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, thrombosis, tumor stem cell, and exosome signaling. Some drugs and microRNAs can inhibit Tspan proteins, thus providing new strategies for tumor therapy. An in-depth understanding of the functions and regulatory mechanisms of the Tspan protein family, which can promote or inhibit tumor development, will provide new strategies for targeted interventions in the future.

Unlocking Overexpressed Membrane Proteins to Guide Breast Cancer Precision Medicine

Breast cancer (BC) is a prevalent form of cancer affecting women worldwide. However, the effectiveness of current BC drugs is limited by issues such as systemic toxicity, drug resistance, and severe side effects. Consequently, there is an urgent need for new therapeutic targets and improved tumor tracking methods. This study aims to address these challenges by proposing a strategy for identifying membrane proteins in tumors that can be targeted for specific BC therapy and diagnosis. The strategy involves the analyses of gene expressions in breast tumor and non-tumor tissues and other healthy tissues by using comprehensive bioinformatics analysis from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), UALCAN, TNM Plot, and LinkedOmics. By employing this strategy, we identified four transcripts (LRRC15, EFNA3, TSPAN13, and CA12) that encoded membrane proteins with an increased expression in BC tissue compared to healthy tissue. These four transcripts also demonstrated high accuracy, specificity, and accuracy in identifying tumor samples, as confirmed by the ROC curve. Additionally, tissue microarray (TMA) analysis revealed increased expressions of the four proteins in tumor tissues across all molecular subtypes compared to the adjacent breast tissue. Moreover, the analysis of human interactome data demonstrated the important roles of these proteins in various cancer-related pathways. Taken together, these findings suggest that LRRC15, EFNA3, TSPAN13, and CA12 can serve as potential biomarkers for improving cancer diagnosis screening and as suitable targets for therapy with reduced side effects and enhanced efficacy.

PIN1P1 is activated by CREB1 and promotes gastric cancer progression via interacting with YBX1 and upregulating PIN1

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play critical roles in the carcinogenesis and progression of cancers. However, the role and mechanism of the pseudogene lncRNA PIN1P1 in gastric carcinoma remain unclear. The expression and effects of lncRNA PIN1P1 in gastric cancer were investigated. The transcriptional regulation of CREB1 on PIN1P1 was determined by ChIP and luciferase assays. The mechanistic model of PIN1P1 in gastric cancer was further explored by RNA pull-down, RIP and western blot analysis. PIN1P1 was overexpressed in gastric cancer tissues, and upregulated PIN1P1 predicted poor prognosis in patients. CREB1 was directly combined with the promoter region of PIN1P1 to promote the transcription of PIN1P1. CREB1-mediated enhanced proliferation, migration and invasion could be partially reversed by downregulation of PIN1P1. Overexpressed PIN1P1 promoted the proliferation, migration and invasion of gastric cancer cells, whereas decreased PIN1P1 showed the opposite effects. PIN1P1 directly interacted with YBX1 and promoted YBX1 protein expression, leading to upregulation of PIN1, in which E2F1 may be involved. Silencing of YBX1 during PIN1P1 overexpression could partially rescue PIN1 upregulation. PIN1, the parental gene of PIN1P1, was elevated in gastric cancer tissues, and its upregulation was correlated with poor patient outcomes. PIN1 facilitated gastric cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion. To sum up, CREB1-activated PIN1P1 could promote gastric cancer progression through YBX1 and upregulating PIN1, suggesting that it is a potential target for gastric cancer.

TMEM189 as a target gene of MiR-499a-5p regulates breast cancer progression through the ferroptosis pathway

MicroRNA (miR)-499a-5p has been reported to regulate the progression of various tumours. However, the role of miR-499a-5p in breast cancer is unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role and mechanism of miR-499a-5p in breast cancer. The growth effect of miR-499a-5p on breast cancer cells was investigated by the CCK-8 assay, wound healing assay and Transwell invasion assay. The luciferase activity assay was used to verify the downstream targets of miR-499a-5p. The levels of GSH, MDA, and ROS were detected by kits. Quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot were used to determine the expression levels of TMEM189, COX-2, GPX4, and other related genes in cells. miR-499a-5p was down-regulated in MDA-MB-231 cells and was shown to reduced the viability, migration and invasion of MDA-MB-231 cells. Further studies revealed that TMEM189 is a target of miR-499a-5p. miR-499a-5p inhibited breast cancer cell growth by downregulating TMEM189. Furthermore, the down-regulation of TMEM189 promotes ferroptosis in breast cancer cells. The low expression of TMEM189 inhibited the development of breast cancer through the ferroptosis pathway. We have demonstrated for the first time that miR-499a-5p inhibits breast cancer progression by targeting the TMEM189-mediated ferroptosis pathway.

Prognostic model for hepatocellular carcinoma based on anoikis-related genes: immune landscape analysis and prediction of drug sensitivity

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents a complex ailment characterized by an unfavorable prognosis in advanced stages. The involvement of immune cells in HCC progression is of significant importance. Moreover, metastasis poses a substantial impediment to enhanced prognostication for HCC patients, with anoikis playing an indispensable role in facilitating the distant metastasis of tumor cells. Nevertheless, limited investigations have been conducted regarding the utilization of anoikis factors for predicting HCC prognosis and assessing immune infiltration. This present study aims to identify hepatocellular carcinoma-associated anoikis-related genes (ANRGs), establish a robust prognostic model for HCC, and delineate distinct immune characteristics based on the anoikis signature. Cell migration and cytotoxicity experiments were performed to validate the accuracy of the ANRGs model.

Methods

Consensus clustering based on ANRGs was employed in this investigation to categorize HCC samples obtained from both TCGA and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) cohorts. To assess the differentially expressed genes, Cox regression analysis was conducted, and subsequently, prognostic gene signatures were constructed using LASSO-Cox methodology. External validation was performed at the International Cancer Genome Conference. The tumor microenvironment (TME) was characterized utilizing ESTIMATE and CIBERSORT algorithms, while machine learning techniques facilitated the identification of potential target drugs. The wound healing assay and CCK-8 assay were employed to evaluate the migratory capacity and drug sensitivity of HCC cell lines, respectively.

Results

Utilizing the TCGA-LIHC dataset, we devised a nomogram integrating a ten-gene signature with diverse clinicopathological features. Furthermore, the discriminative potential and clinical utility of the ten-gene signature and nomogram were substantiated through ROC analysis and DCA. Subsequently, we devised a prognostic framework leveraging gene expression data from distinct risk cohorts to predict the drug responsiveness of HCC subtypes.

Conclusion

In this study, we have established a promising HCC prognostic ANRGs model, which can serve as a valuable tool for clinicians in selecting targeted therapeutic drugs, thereby improving overall patient survival rates. Additionally, this model has also revealed a strong connection between anoikis and immune cells, providing a potential avenue for elucidating the mechanisms underlying immune cell infiltration regulated by anoikis.

miR‑4732‑5p promotes ovarian cancer mobility by targeting MCUR1

MicroRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) play critical roles in tumor progression. However, the role of miR-4732 and its underlying molecular mechanism in ovarian cancer (OC) remain unclear. In the present study, the high expression of miR-4732 was confirmed to be associated with the mortality of patients with OC following surgery, according to The Cancer Genome Atlas Ovarian Cancer database (TCGA-OV). Additionally, the expression of miR-4732 was positively associated with an increased tendency to exhibit an early TNM stage (IIA, IIB and IIC) of OC, indicating its promotional role in the early stages of tumorigenesis. By performing in vitro gain-of-function experiments, the transient transfection of IGROV1 cells with miR-4732-5p mimics enhanced cell viability according to Cell Counting Kit-8 assay, and cell migration and invasion in Transwell assays. However, though the application of loss-of-function experiments, the transient transfection of IGROV1 cells with miR-4732-5p inhibitors hindered cell viability, cell migration and invasion in vitro. Mitochondrial calcium uniporter regulator 1 (MCUR1) was validated as a downstream direct target of miR-4732-5p through bioinformatics analysis, western blotting and luciferase assays. Therefore, the results of the present study provide evidence that miR-4732-5p may promote OC cell mobility through the direct targeting of the tumor suppressor, MCUR1.

Induction of tetraspanin 13 contributes to the synergistic anti-inflammatory effects of parasympathetic and sympathetic stimulation in macrophages

The autonomic nervous system plays an important role in the regulation of peripheral inflammation. Sympathetic nervous activation stimulates inflammatory gene expression and cytokines, whereas parasympathetic nervous activation suppresses the production of inflammatory cytokines by immune cells. However, most studies on the relationship between the autonomic nervous system and immune processes have analyzed a single branch of the autonomic nerves in isolation. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the effects of sympathetic and parasympathetic stimulation on macrophages, which are controlled by autonomic regulation. Macrophages were stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to induce TNF-α. Then, the effects of β2 adrenergic receptor and α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor activation on TNF-α production were assessed using concentration-dependent assays. RNA-seq data were also used to identify genes whose expression was enhanced by parasympathetic and sympathetic stimulation. The simultaneous activation of β2 adrenergic receptors and α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors suppressed LPS-induced TNF-α production in a concentration-dependent manner. Moreover, simultaneous activation of these receptors had synergistic anti-inflammatory effects and induced Tspan13 expression, thereby contributing to anti-inflammatory mechanisms in macrophages. Our study revealed the synergistic anti-inflammatory effects of the parasympathetic and sympathetic stimulation of macrophages. Our results suggest that targeting both sympathetic and parasympathetic signaling is a promising therapeutic approach for inflammatory diseases.

miR-4732-3p prevents lung cancer progression via inhibition of the TBX15/TNFSF11 axis

Aim: Possible roles of miRNAs in cancer treatment have been highly studied. This study aimed to elucidate the role of miR-4732-3p in lung cancer. Methods: Bioinformatics analysis was conducted to predict miR-4732-3p-related mRNA targets in lung cancer. Following interaction determination between miR-4732-3p and TBX15 as well as between TBX15 and TNFSF11, their in vitro and in vivo roles were assayed. Results: miR-4732-3p negatively targeted TBX15, which upregulated TNFSF11 by enhancing the activity of the TNFSF11 promoter. Overexpression of miR-4732-3p or silencing of TBX15 or TNFSF11 inhibited the malignant phenotype of lung cancer cells and reduced tumorigenicity in vivo. Conclusion: Overall, this study highlighted the inhibitory role of miR-4732-3p in lung cancer progression through the TBX15/TNFSF11 axis.

Knockdown circTRIM28 enhances tamoxifen sensitivity via the miR-409-3p/HMGA2 axis in breast cancer

BACKGROUND

Tamoxifen (TAM) is a frequently-used treatment for breast cancer (BC). But the TAM resistance seriously affects the patient therapeutic effect. Previous research indicated that circular RNAs (circRNAs) might participate in the regulatory processes of BC. Here, we discovered the parts of circular RNA tripartite motif-containing 28 (circTRIM28) in BC.

METHODS

CircTRIM28, microRNA-409-3p (miR-409-3p), and high mobility group AT-hook 2 (HMGA2) levels were perceived by qRT-PCR and western blot. Moreover, the biological functions of the cells were examined. Furthermore, dual-luciferase report was employed to reconnoiter the targeted relationship between miR-409-3p and circTRIM28 or HMGA2.

RESULTS

CircTRIM28 and HMGA2 were augmented, and the miR-409-3p was repressed in BC. Silencing circTRIM28 enhanced tamoxifen sensitivity and cell apoptosis, whereas hampered cell development in BC cells. In mechanism, circTRIM28 could sponge miR-409-3p to increase HMGA2. In addition, silencing circTRIM28 impeded tumor growth.

CONCLUSION

CircTRIM28 facilitated the BC via miR-409-3p/HMGA2.

The miR-4732-5p/XPR1 axis suppresses the invasion, metastasis, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of lung adenocarcinoma via the PI3K/Akt/GSK3β/Snail pathway

The roles of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the occurrence, metastasis, and prognosis of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) have been drawing extensive attention from researchers. The aim of this study is to identify the effects of miR-4732-5p on the migration, invasion, and metastasis of LUAD. In this study, we found that the expression of miR-4732-5p was decreased in LUAD based on the data derived from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, tissues, and cell lines. LUAD patients with a low expression of miR-4732-5p exhibited a lower survival rate. Meanwhile, miR-4732-5p could directly target xenotropic and polytropic retrovirus receptor 1 (XPR1), and elevated XPR1 was observed in LUAD mRNA microarrays, Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), and The Human Protein Atlas (HPA) database. Overexpression of miR-4732-5p significantly inhibits the migration, invasion, and metastasis of LUAD in vitro and in vivo, which can be reversed by overexpression of XPR1. We also found that the PI3K/Akt/GSK3β/Snail pathway induced by EGF induced EMT could be inhibited by miR-4732-5p overexpression and XPR1 knockdown. The migration and invasion of LUAD could be converted by cytoskeletal rearrangements, and the polymerization of EGF induced F-actin in A549 cells could be inhibited by elevated miR-4732-5p. Our results suggest that miR-4732-5p exerts anti-tumor effects on the invasion and metastasis of LUAD by regulating XPR1 in vivo and in vitro, indicating that the miR-4732-5p/XPR1 axis may be a potential target for LUAD therapeutic intervention.

Expression pattern and prognostic significance of CDKs in breast cancer: An integrated bioinformatic study

BACKGROUND: Globally, breast cancer (BC) has become one of the most prevalent malignancies and the leading cause of tumor-related deaths among women. Dysregulation of the cell cycle is a well-known hallmark of cancer development and metastasis. CDKs are essential components of the cell-cycle regulatory system with aberrant expression in a variety of cancers, including BC. In the development of targeted cancer treatment, reestablishing the regulation of the cell cycle by modulation of CDKs has emerged as a promising approach. METHODS: Herein, we used a bioinformatic approach to assess the expression pattern, prognostic and diagnostic importance, and clinical relevance of CDKs in BC. Additionally, we conducted a functional enrichment analysis of deregulated CDKs using the STRING and KEGG databases to delineate the role of CDKs in breast tumorigenesis. RESULTS: Gene expression analysis revealed substantial deregulation of CDKs in BC, with CDK1, CDK11A, and CDK18 showing a fold change of >± 1.5. Also, metastatic tumors showed high expression of CDK1 in the single cell RNA sequencing analysis of primary and metastatic breast tumors. Additionally, it was found that dysregulated CDK expression affects overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS) of BC patients. CONCLUSION: The study’s multimodal analytical methodologies imply that modulating CDKs for BC treatment is a promising approach.

MicroRNA-4732 is downregulated in non-small cell lung cancer and inhibits tumor cell proliferation, migration, and invasion

BACKGROUND

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the leading cause of cancer death with increasing morbidity and mortality. MicroRNA-4732-5p (miR-4732-5p) has been reported to be dysregulated in various cancers and identified as a tumor suppressor. This study aims to explore the expression and role of miR-4732-5p in NSCLC.

METHODS

Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assay was employed to detect the expression of miR-4732-5p in NSCLC. With the help of Kaplan-Meier survival and Cox regression, the prognostic significance of miR-4732-5p was investigated. Meanwhile, the effects of miR-4732-5p on cell proliferation, migration, and invasion were also studied.

RESULTS

The expression of miR-4732-5p decreased in NSCLC tissues and cells. The downregulation of miR-4732-5p was closely associated with lymph node metastasis, TNM stage, and poor prognosis. Multivariate Cox regression analysis results showed that miR-4732-5p was an independent prognosis factor for NSCLC. In addition, the overexpression of miR-4732-5p inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of NSCLC cells through modulating TSPAN13.

CONCLUSIONS

These data showed that miR-4732-5p might be involved in the development of NSCLC, which can act as an independent prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target.

Hsa_circ_0001982 promotes the progression of breast cancer through miR-1287-5p/MUC19 axis under hypoxia

Background

Breast cancer (BC) is the most commonly malignant tumor among women worldwide. Many studies have reported that circular RNAs (circRNAs) were participated in the regulation of multiple cancers development. However, the mechanism underlying hsa_circ_0001982 in breast cancer development is still unclear.

Methods

Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the levels of circ_0001982, microRNA-1287-5p (miR-1287-5p), and mucin 19 (MUC19) in BC tissues and cells under hypoxia. Moreover, glycolysis was evaluated by glucose consumption, lactic acid production, and hexokinase II (HK2) protein levels. The protein levels of cyclin D1, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and HK2 were determined by western blot assay. Cell proliferation, migration, and invasion were assessed by 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-h-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) and transwell assays, respectively. The relationship between miR-1287-5p and circ_0001982 or MUC19 was predicted using starbase v3.0 or Targetscan, and verified by dual-luciferase reporter assay and RNA binding protein immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay. The xenograft model in nude mice was established to examine the effect of circ_0001982 in vivo.

Results

The levels of circ_0001982 and MUC19 were upregulated, while miR-1287-5p was downregulated in BC tissues and cells under hypoxia. Knockdown of circ_0001982 hindered glycolysis, cell viability, migration, and invasion of BC cells under hypoxia. Mechanistic studies discovered that circ_0001982 could act as a sponge for miR-1287-5p to enhance MUC19 expression in BC cells. In addition, circ_0001982 silencing reduced xenograft tumor growth by regulating miR-1287-5p/MUC19 axis.

Conclusion

Circ_0001982 affected BC cells glycolysis, proliferation, migration, and invasion through miR-1287-5p/MUC19 axis under hypoxia.

Regulatory MicroRNAs in T2DM and Breast Cancer

MicroRNAs orchestrate the tight regulation of numerous cellular processes and the deregulation in their activities has been implicated in many diseases, including diabetes and cancer. There is an increasing amount of epidemiological evidence associating diabetes, particularly type 2 diabetes mellitus, to an elevated risk of various cancer types, including breast cancer. However, little is yet known about the underlying molecular mechanisms and even less about the role miRNAs play in driving the tumorigenic potential of the cell signaling underlying diabetes pathogenesis. This article reviews the role of miRNA in bridging the diabetes–breast cancer association by discussing specific miRNAs that are implicated in diabetes and breast cancer and highlighting the overlap between the disease-specific regulatory miRNA networks to identify a 20-miRNA signature that is common to both diseases. Potential therapeutic targeting of these molecular players may help to alleviate the socioeconomic burden on public health that is imposed by the type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM)–breast cancer association.

Plasma-derived exosomal miR-4732-5p is a promising noninvasive diagnostic biomarker for epithelial ovarian cancer

BACKGROUND

Exosomal miRNAs regulate gene expression and play important roles in several diseases. We used exosomal miRNA profiling to investigate diagnostic biomarkers of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC).

METHODS

In total, 55 individuals were enrolled, comprising healthy (n = 21) and EOC subjects (n = 34). Small mRNA (smRNA) sequencing and real-time PCR (RT-PCR) were performed to identify potential biomarkers. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were conducted to determine biomarker sensitivity and specificity.

RESULTS

Using smRNA sequencing, we identified seven up-regulated (miR-4732-5p, miR-877-5p, miR-574-3p, let-7a-5p, let-7b-5p, let-7c-5p, and let-7f-5p) and two down-regulated miRNAs (miR-1273f and miR-342-3p) in EOC patients when compared with healthy subjects. Of these, miR-4732-5p and miR-1273f were the most up-regulated and down-regulated respectively, therefore they were selected for RT-PCR analysis. Plasma derived exosomal miR-4732-5p had an area under the ROC curve of 0.889, with 85.7% sensitivity and 82.4% specificity in distinguishing EOC patients from healthy subjects (p<0.0001) and could be a potential biomarker for monitoring the EOC progression from early stage to late stage (p = 0.018).

CONCLUSIONS

Plasma derived exosomal miR-4732-5p may be a promising candidate biomarker for diagnosing EOC.

The Osteoporosis/Microbiota Linkage: The Role of miRNA

Hundreds of trillions of bacteria are present in the human body in a mutually beneficial symbiotic relationship with the host. A stable dynamic equilibrium exists in healthy individuals between the microbiota, host organism, and environment. Imbalances of the intestinal microbiota contribute to the determinism of various diseases. Recent research suggests that the microbiota is also involved in the regulation of the bone metabolism, and its alteration may induce osteoporosis. Due to modern molecular biotechnology, various mechanisms regulating the relationship between bone and microbiota are emerging. Understanding the role of microbiota imbalances in the development of osteoporosis is essential for the development of potential osteoporosis prevention and treatment strategies through microbiota targeting. A relevant complementary mechanism could be also constituted by the permanent relationships occurring between microbiota and microRNAs (miRNAs). miRNAs are a set of small non-coding RNAs able to regulate gene expression. In this review, we recapitulate the physiological and pathological meanings of the microbiota on osteoporosis onset by governing miRNA production. An improved comprehension of the relations between microbiota and miRNAs could furnish novel markers for the identification and monitoring of osteoporosis, and this appears to be an encouraging method for antagomir-guided tactics as therapeutic agents.

Expression and function of transmembrane 4 superfamily proteins in digestive system cancers

Background

Although the medical level is constantly improving, cancer is still a major disease that threatens human health, and very effective treatments have not been found. In recent years, studies have found that four-transmembrane superfamily proteins are involved in multiple stages of tumorigenesis and development, but their expression and function in tumors have not been systematically studied.

Methods

We used the Oncomine database to analyze the mRNA expression levels of TSPAN family in various cancers. Then differentially expressed genes were screened out and verified by liver cancer, colorectal cancer, and gastric cancer cells by q-PCR and Western blot analysis. CCK8 and EDU analysis are used to detect cell proliferation, Cell wound scrape assay and Cell invasion assay are used to analyze cell invasion and metastasis. Nude tumor formation test used to verify the tumor suppressive effect of TSPAN7 in vivo.

Results

Differential analysis of 33 TSPAN proteins revealed that a total of 11 proteins showed differential expression in 10% of independent analyses, namely TSPAN1, TSPAN3, TSPAN5, TSPAN6, TSPAN7, TSPAN8, TSPAN13, TSPAN25, TSPAN26, TSPAN29, TSPAN30. TSPAN7 is the only four-transmembrane protein with reduced expression in three types of digestive tract tumors, so we chose TSPAN7 to be selected for cellular and molecular level verification. We found that compared with normal cells, the expression of TSPAN7 in liver cancer cells was significantly reduced, while the expression of gastric and colon cancer was not significantly different from that of normal cells. In addition, we also found that the high expression of Tspan7 not only inhibited the proliferation of HCC-LM3 cells, but also inhibited its invasion and metastasis.

Conclusions

Our study evaluated the expression and function of the TSPANs family in digestive cancers and explored TSPAN7 in hepatoma cells in detail. We found some members of the TSPAN family show significant expression differences between cancer and normal tissues, of which TSPAN7 may be a potential biomarker for liver cancer.

TSPAN8 as a Novel Emerging Therapeutic Target in Cancer for Monoclonal Antibody Therapy

Tetraspanin 8 (TSPAN8) is a member of the tetraspanin superfamily that forms TSPAN8-mediated protein complexes by interacting with themselves and other various cellular signaling molecules. These protein complexes help build tetraspanin-enriched microdomains (TEMs) that efficiently mediate intracellular signal transduction. In physiological conditions, TSPAN8 plays a vital role in the regulation of biological functions, including leukocyte trafficking, angiogenesis and wound repair. Recently, reports have increasingly shown the functional role and clinical relevance of TSPAN8 overexpression in the progression and metastasis of several cancers. In this review, we will highlight the physiological and pathophysiological roles of TSPAN8 in normal and cancer cells. Additionally, we will cover the current status of monoclonal antibodies specifically targeting TSPAN8 and the importance of TSPAN8 as an emerging therapeutic target in cancers for monoclonal antibody therapy.

Identification of biomarkers in common chronic lung diseases by co-expression networks and drug-target interactions analysis

Background

asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) are three serious pulmonary diseases that contain common and unique characteristics. Therefore, the identification of biomarkers that differentiate these diseases is of importance for preventing misdiagnosis. In this regard, the present study aimed to identify the disorders at the early stages, based on lung transcriptomics data and drug-target interactions.

Methods

To this end, the differentially expressed genes were found in each disease. Then, WGCNA was utilized to find specific and consensus gene modules among the three diseases. Finally, the disease-disease similarity was analyzed, followed by determining candidate drug-target interactions.

Results

The results confirmed that the asthma lung transcriptome was more similar to COPD than IPF. In addition, the biomarkers were found in each disease and thus were proposed for further clinical validations. These genes included RBM42, STX5, and TRIM41 in asthma, CYP27A1, GM2A, LGALS9, SPI1, and NLRC4 in COPD, ATF3, PPP1R15A, ZFP36, SOCS3, NAMPT, and GADD45B in IPF, LRRC48 and CETN2 in asthma-COPD, COL15A1, GIMAP6, and JAM2 in asthma-IPF and LMO7, TSPAN13, LAMA3, and ANXA3 in COPD-IPF. Finally, analyzing drug-target networks suggested anti-inflammatory candidate drugs for treating the above mentioned diseases.

Conclusion

In general, the results revealed the unique and common biomarkers among three chronic lung diseases. Eventually, some drugs were suggested for treatment purposes.

miR-4732-5p promotes breast cancer progression by targeting TSPAN13

MiR‐4732‐5p was previously found to be dysregulated in nipple discharge of breast cancer. However, the expression and function of miR‐4732‐5p in breast cancer remain largely unknown. Here, the expression of miR‐4732‐5p was detected using quantitative real‐time PCR in breast cancer tissues and cell lines. Cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion assays were performed to examine the effects of miR‐4732‐5p in breast cancer. In addition, mRNA sequencing, bioinformatics analysis, Western blot and luciferase assays were performed to identify the target of miR‐4732‐5p. Overall, miR‐4732‐5p was significantly down‐regulated in breast cancer tissues, especially in lymph node metastasis (LNM)‐negative tissues, compared with adjacent normal tissues. However, it was more highly expressed in LNM‐positive breast cancer tissues, compared with LNM‐negative ones. Expression of miR‐4732‐5p was positively correlated with lymph node metastasis, larger tumour size, advanced clinical stage, high Ki‐67 levels and poor prognosis. MiR‐4732‐5p promoted cell proliferation, migration and invasion in breast cancer. MiR‐4732‐5p directly targeted the 3′‐UTR of tetraspanin 13 (TSPAN13) and suppressed TSPAN13 expression at the mRNA and protein levels. These results suggested that miR‐4732‐5p may serve as a tumour suppressor in the initiation of breast cancer, but as a tumour promoter in breast cancer progression by targeting TSPAN13.