Neuropilin-1 regulated by miR-320 contributes to the growth and metastasis of cholangiocarcinoma cells

Circular RNA-circPan3 attenuates cardiac hypertrophy via miR-320-3p/HSP20 axis

BACKGROUND

Circular RNAs are enriched in cardiac tissue and play important roles in the pathogenesis of heart diseases. In this study, we aimed to investigate the regulatory mechanism of a conserved heart-enriched circRNA, circPan3, in cardiac hypertrophy.

METHODS

Cardiac hypertrophy was induced by isoproterenol. The progression of cardiomyocyte hypertrophy was assessed by sarcomere organization staining, cell surface area measurement, and expression levels of cardiac hypertrophy markers. RNA interactions were detected by RNA pull-down assays, and methylated RNA immunoprecipitation was used to detect m6A level.

RESULTS

The expression of circPan3 was downregulated in an isoproterenol-induced cardiac hypertrophy model. Forced expression of circPan3 attenuated cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, while inhibition of circPan3 aggravated cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. Mechanistically, circPan3 was an endogenous sponge of miR-320-3p without affecting miR-320-3p levels. It elevated the expression of HSP20 by endogenously interacting with miR-320-3p. In addition, circPan3 was N6-methylated. Stimulation by isoproterenol downregulated the m6A eraser ALKBH5, resulting in N6-methylation and destabilization of circPan3.

CONCLUSIONS

Our research is the first to report that circPan3 has an antihypertrophic effect in cardiomyocytes and revealed a novel circPan3-modulated signalling pathway involved in cardiac hypertrophy. CircPan3 inhibits cardiac hypertrophy by targeting the miR-320-3p/HSP20 axis and is regulated by ALKBH5-mediated N6-methylation. This pathway could provide potential therapeutic targets for cardiac hypertrophy.

Tumor Microenvironment Remodeling in Gastrointestinal Cancer: Role of miRNAs as Biomarkers of Tumor Invasion

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers are the most frequent neoplasm, responsible for half of all cancer-related deaths. Metastasis is the leading cause of death from GI cancer; thus, studying the processes that regulate cancer cell migration is of paramount importance for the development of new therapeutic strategies. In this review, we summarize the mechanisms adopted by cancer cells to promote cell migration and the subsequent metastasis formation by highlighting the key role that tumor microenvironment components play in deregulating cellular pathways involved in these processes. We, therefore, provide an overview of the role of different microRNAs in promoting tumor metastasis and their role as potential biomarkers for the prognosis, monitoring, and diagnosis of GI cancer patients. Finally, we relate the possible use of nutraceuticals as a new strategy for targeting numerous microRNAs and different pathways involved in GI tumor invasiveness.

The interplay of signaling pathways with miRNAs in cholangiocarcinoma pathogenicity and targeted therapy

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), the second most frequent liver cancer after hepatocellular carcinoma, has been rising worldwide in recent epidemiological research. This neoplasia's pathogenesis is poorly understood. Yet, recent advances have illuminated the molecular processes of cholangiocyte malignancy and growth. Late diagnosis, ineffective therapy, and resistance to standard treatments contribute to this malignancy's poor prognosis. So, to develop efficient preventative and therapy methods, the molecular pathways that cause this cancer must be better understood. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are non-coding ribonucleic acids (ncRNAs) that influence gene expression. Biliary carcinogenesis involves abnormally expressed miRNAs that act as oncogenes or tumor suppressors (TSs). The miRNAs regulate multiple gene networks and are involved in cancer hallmarks like reprogramming of cellular metabolism, sustained proliferative signaling, evasion of growth suppressors, replicative immortality, induction/access to the vasculature, activation of invasion and metastasis, and avoidance of immune destruction. In addition, numerous ongoing clinical trials are demonstrating the efficacy of therapeutic strategies based on miRNAs as powerful anticancer agents. Here, we will update the research on CCA-related miRNAs and explain their regulation involved in the molecular pathophysiology of this malignancy. Eventually, we will disclose their potential as clinical biomarkers and therapeutic tools in CCA.

Dysregulated ceRNA network modulated by copy number variation-driven lncRNAs in breast cancer: A comprehensive analysis

Breast cancer is a malignancy harmful to physical and mental health in women, with quite high mortality. Copy number variations (CNVs) are vital factors affecting the progression of breast cancer. Detecting CNVs in breast cancer to predict the prognosis of patients has become a promising approach to accurate treatment in recent years. The differential analysis was performed on CNVs of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) as well as the expression of lncRNAs, microRNAs (miRNAs) and mRNAs in normal tissue and breast tumor tissue based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. The CNV-driven lncRNAs were identified by the Kruskal-Wallis test. Meanwhile, a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network regulated by CNV-driven lncRNA was constructed. As the Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses revealed, the mRNAs in the dysregulated ceRNA network were mainly enriched in the biological functions and signaling pathways, including the Focal Adhesion-PI3K-Akt-mTOR-signaling pathway, the neuronal system, metapathway biotransformation Phase I and II and blood circulation, etc. The relationship between the CNVs of five lncRNAs and their gene expression in the ceRNA network was analyzed via a chi-square test, which confirmed that except for LINC00243, the expression of four lncRNAs was notably correlated with the CNVs. The survival analysis revealed that only the copy number gain of LINC00536 was evidently related to the poor prognosis of patients. The CIBERSORT algorithm showed that five lncRNAs were correlated with the abundance of immune cell infiltration and immune checkpoints. In a word, by analyzing CNV-driven lncRNAs and the ceRNA network regulated by these lncRNAs, this study explored the mechanism of breast cancer and provided novel insights into new biomarkers.

Criteria for preclinical models of cholangiocarcinoma: scientific and medical relevance

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a rare malignancy that develops at any point along the biliary tree. CCA has a poor prognosis, its clinical management remains challenging, and effective treatments are lacking. Therefore, preclinical research is of pivotal importance and necessary to acquire a deeper understanding of CCA and improve therapeutic outcomes. Preclinical research involves developing and managing complementary experimental models, from in vitro assays using primary cells or cell lines cultured in 2D or 3D to in vivo models with engrafted material, chemically induced CCA or genetically engineered models. All are valuable tools with well-defined advantages and limitations. The choice of a preclinical model is guided by the question(s) to be addressed; ideally, results should be recapitulated in independent approaches. In this Consensus Statement, a task force of 45 experts in CCA molecular and cellular biology and clinicians, including pathologists, from ten countries provides recommendations on the minimal criteria for preclinical models to provide a uniform approach. These recommendations are based on two rounds of questionnaires completed by 35 (first round) and 45 (second round) experts to reach a consensus with 13 statements. An agreement was defined when at least 90% of the participants voting anonymously agreed with a statement. The ultimate goal was to transfer basic laboratory research to the clinics through increased disease understanding and to develop clinical biomarkers and innovative therapies for patients with CCA.

MicroRNA-320-3p promotes the progression of acute pancreatitis by blocking DNMT3a-mediated MMP8 methylation in a targeted manner

In this research, we screened out two genes upregulated in mice with acute pancreatitis (AP) by gene sequencing: microRNA (miR)-320-3p and matrix metalloprotease 8 (MMP8). This study was designed to determine whether miR-320-3p and MMP8 participate in AP development and explore the mechanisms, with a new idea for clinical diagnosis and treatment of AP. Expression of miR-320-3p, DNA methyltransferase 3a (DNMT3a), and MMP8 in mouse pancreatic tissues and AR42J cells was tested by RT-qPCR and western blot assays. Pancreatic pathological changes, serum amylase and lipase, and inflammatory factors in mouse serum and cell supernatant were measured by hematoxylin-eosin staining, automation analyzer, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. Cell proliferation and apoptosis were determined by CCK-8 assay and flow cytometry. The interaction between miR-320-3p, DNMT3a, and MMP8 was verified by luciferase activity assay, ChIP-qPCR, and MSP assay. High expression of miR-320-3p and MMP8, and low expression of DNMT3a were observed in pancreatic tissues of AP mice and caerulein-induced AP cellular model. Downregulation of miR-320-3p alleviated injury of mouse pancreas, reduced the levels of serum amylase and lipase, and blocked inflammatory factor levels in AP mice. In caerulein-induced AP cellular models, inhibiting miR-320-3p facilitated proliferation and inhibited apoptosis. Upregulation of MMP8 resulted in the opposite results, which could be reversed by simultaneous inhibition of miR-320-3p. miR-320-3p targeted DNMT3a, and downregulating miR-320-3p promoted DNMT3a expression. Moreover, DNMT3a promoted DNA methylation in MMP8 promoter region, thereby inhibiting MMP8 expression in AP mouse and cellular models. This research suggests that miR-320-3p inhibits DNMT3a to reduce MMP8 methylation and increase MMP8 expression, thereby promoting AP progression.

Tumor pH-functionalized and charge-tunable nanoparticles for the nucleus/cytoplasm-directed delivery of oxaliplatin and miRNA in the treatment of head and neck cancer

Prospective tumor pH-responsive and charge-convertible nanoparticles have been utilized to reduce side effects and improve the active tumor-targeting ability and nuclear/cytoplasmic localization of chemo- and gene therapeutics for the treatment of head and neck cancer (HNC). Oxaliplatin (Oxa) is a third-generation platinum compound that prevents DNA replication. miR-320 may regulate cancer cell apoptosis, resistance, and progression. Innovative nanoparticles incorporating miR-320 and Oxa were modified with a ligand, cell-penetrating peptide, and nucleus-targeted peptide. The nanoparticles were coated with a charge/size-tunable shield to prevent peptide degradation and decoated at acidic tumor sites to expose peptides for active targeting. Results indicated that the designed nanoparticles exhibited a uniform size and satisfactory drug encapsulation efficiency. The nanoparticles displayed the pH-responsive release and uptake of Oxa and miR-320 into human tongue squamous carcinoma SAS cells. The nanoparticles successfully delivered Oxa and miR-320 to the nucleus and cytoplasm, respectively. This work is the first to demonstrate the concurrent intracellular modulation of the NRP1/Rac1, PI3K/Akt/mTOR, GSK-3β/FOXM1/β-catenin, P-gp/MRPs, KRAS/Erk/Oct4/Yap1, and N-cadherin/Vimentin/Slug pathways to inhibit the growth, progression, and multidrug resistance of cancer cells. In SAS-bearing mice, co-treatment with Oxa- and miR-320-loaded nanoparticles exhibited superior antitumor efficacy and remarkably decreased Oxa-associated toxicities. The nucleus/cytoplasm-localized nanoparticles with a tumor pH-sensitive and size/charge-adjustable coating may be a useful combinatorial spatiotemporal nanoplatform for nucleic acids and chemotherapeutics to achieve maximum therapeutic safety and efficacy against HNC. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Innovative nanoparticles incorporating miR-320 and oxaliplatin were modified with a ligand, cell-penetrating peptide, and nucleus-targeted peptide. The tumor pH-sensitive and charge/size-adjustable shield of polyglutamic acid-PEG protected against peptide degradation during systemic circulation. This work represents the first example of the concurrent intracellular modulation of the NRP1/Rac1, PI3K/Akt/mTOR, GSK-3β/FOXM1/β-catenin, P-gp/MRPs, KRAS/Erk/Oct4/Yap1, and N-cadherin/Vimentin/Slug pathways to inhibit cancer cell growth, cancer cell progression, and multidrug resistance simultaneously. The versatile nanoparticles with a tumor pH-functionalized coating could deliver chemotherapeutics and miRNA to the nucleus/cytoplasm. The nanoparticles successfully reduced chemotherapy-associated toxicities and maximized the antitumor efficacy of combinatorial therapy against head and neck cancer.

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

BACKGROUND

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

AIM

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

METHODS AND RESULTS

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

CONCLUSION

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

Micro-RNA in Cholangiocarcinoma: Implications for Diagnosis, Prognosis, and Therapy

Bile-duct cancers (BDC) are a group of solid tumors arising from the biliary tree. Despite their classification as rare cancers, the incidence of BDC is increasing worldwide. Poor prognosis is a common feature of this type of cancer and is mainly determined by the following factors: late diagnosis, lack of effective therapeutic approaches, and resistance to conventional treatments. In the past few years, next-generation sequencing technologies has allowed us to study the genome, exome, and transcriptome of BDC deeper, revealing a previously underestimated class of RNA: the noncoding RNA (ncRNA). MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small ncRNAs that play an important regulatory role in gene expression. The aberrant expression of miRNAs and their pivotal role as oncogenes or tumor suppressors in biliary carcinogenesis has been widely described in BDC. Due to their ability to regulate multiple gene networks, miRNAs are involved in all cancer hallmarks, including sustaining proliferative signaling, evading growth suppressors, resisting cell death, enabling replicative immortality, inducing/accessing vasculature, activating invasion and metastasis, reprogramming cellular metabolism, and avoiding immune destruction. Their use as diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive biomarkers has been widely explored in several human cancers, including BDC. Furthermore, miRNA-based therapeutic strategies are currently the subject of numerous clinical trials that are providing evidence of their efficacy as potent anticancer agents. In this review, we will provide a detailed update of miRNAs affecting BDC, discussing their regulatory function in processes underlying the molecular pathology of BDC. Finally, an overview of their potential use as biomarkers or therapeutic tools in BDC will be further addressed.

miRNA-320 inhibits colitis-associated colorectal cancer by regulating the IL-6R/STAT3 pathway in mice

BACKGROUND

Colitis-associated colorectal cancer (CAC) is a serious complication of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). microRNA-320 (miRNA-320) promotes intestinal mucosal barrier repair in IBD and inhibits tumor progression. However, the role of miRNA-320 in the progression of CAC remains to be defined. We studied the mechanisms of miRNA-320 in the progression of CAC in mice.

METHODS

CAC was induced in mice (C57BL/B6) by the administration of azoxymethane (AOM) and dextran sulfate sodium (DSS), and the mice were given a lentiviral vector (LV) overexpressing mmu-miRNA-320. The level of miRNA-320 was analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Colonic inflammation, histological analysis, and tumorigenesis were evaluated. Ki-67 in colonic tissues was examined by immunohistochemistry. B-cell lymphoma-extra large (BCL-xl) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) expression was examined by Western blot. Furthermore, the proliferation, migration, and invasion of colorectal cancer (CRC) cells were evaluated. The levels of interleukin-6 receptor (IL-6R), signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), and phosphorylated-signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (p-STAT3) were examined by Western blot and qPCR.

RESULTS

miRNA-320 was downregulated in CAC mice (0.57±0.13 vs. 1.00±0.12, t=-5.95, P<0.001). miRNA-320 decreased the disease activity index (DAI) scores, improved colonic inflammation, and inhibited tumor formation (tumor number: 8.00±2.90 vs. 13.67±2.73, t=-3.49, P<0.01) in mice with CAC. miRNA-320 suppressed the expression of BCL-xl, PCNA, and Ki-67 (0.38±0.07 vs. 0.69±0.08, t=-7.30, P<0.001). miRNA-320 inhibited colon cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. miRNA-320 significantly inhibited the levels of IL-6R [colon tissue messenger RNA (mRNA): 4.06±1.44 vs. 10.05±1.55, t=-6.94, P<0.001], STAT3, and p-STAT3 in vivo and in vitro. Silencing IL-6R expression partially reversed the IL-6R/STAT3-suppressing and tumor-inhibiting effect of miRNA-320.

CONCLUSIONS

miRNA-320 inhibits tumorigenesis in mice with CAC by suppressing IL-6R/STAT3 expression, and IL-6R is a target gene of miRNA-320.

lncRNA TMPO antisense RNA 1 promotes the malignancy of cholangiocarcinoma cells by regulating let-7g-5p/ high-mobility group A1 axis

Cholangiocarcinoma (CHOL) is often diagnosed at an advanced stage; therefore, exploring its key regulatory factors is important for earlier diagnosis and treatment. This study aimed to identify the mechanisms of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) TMPO Antisense RNA 1 (TMPO-AS1), microRNA let-7 g-5p, and high-mobility group A1 (HMGA1) proteins in CHOL. Our results, through quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot detection, showed that TMPO-AS1 and HMGA1 were overexpressed while let-7 g-5p was underexpressed in CHOL. Cell function experiments in CHOL cells revealed that TMPO-AS1 knockdown inhibited cell proliferation, colony formation, and cell migration, but induced apoptosis. TMPO-AS1 knockdown also suppressed tumor growth in vivo. Together with luciferase assay and Western blotting, we found that TMPO-AS1 could sponge let-7 g-5p to promote HMGA1 expression. Moreover, HMGA1 overexpression attenuated the effect of TMPO-AS1 downregulation in CHOL cells. Overall, our findings identified the oncogenic effect of TMPO-AS1 on CHOL cells, which may put forward a novel methodology for CHOL diagnosis and therapy.

Placental growth factor promotes tumour desmoplasia and treatment resistance in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

OBJECTIVE

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC)-a rare liver malignancy with limited therapeutic options-is characterised by aggressive progression, desmoplasia and vascular abnormalities. The aim of this study was to determine the role of placental growth factor (PlGF) in ICC progression.

DESIGN

We evaluated the expression of PlGF in specimens from ICC patients and assessed the therapeutic effect of genetic or pharmacologic inhibition of PlGF in orthotopically grafted ICC mouse models. We evaluated the impact of PlGF stimulation or blockade in ICC cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) using in vitro 3-D coculture systems.

RESULTS

PlGF levels were elevated in human ICC stromal cells and circulating blood plasma and were associated with disease progression. Single-cell RNA sequencing showed that the major impact of PlGF blockade in mice was enrichment of quiescent CAFs, characterised by high gene transcription levels related to the Akt pathway, glycolysis and hypoxia signalling. PlGF blockade suppressed Akt phosphorylation and myofibroblast activation in ICC-derived CAFs. PlGF blockade also reduced desmoplasia and tissue stiffness, which resulted in reopening of collapsed tumour vessels and improved blood perfusion, while reducing ICC cell invasion. Moreover, PlGF blockade enhanced the efficacy of standard chemotherapy in mice-bearing ICC. Conclusion PlGF blockade leads to a reduction in intratumorous hypoxia and metastatic dissemination, enhanced chemotherapy sensitivity and increased survival in mice-bearing aggressive ICC.

LncRNA NONHSAT114552 Sponges miR-320d to Promote Proliferation and Invasion of Chordoma Through Upregulating NRP1

Chordoma is a relatively rare malignant bone tumor with high local recurrence. To date, the mechanism remains unclear. lncRNAs play a pivotal role in tumorigenesis by acting as competitive endogenous RNAs of microRNAs. However, the biological role of lncRNA is still unclear in chordoma. In this research, our aim is to investigate the roles and regulation mechanisms of lncRNA NONHSAT114552 in chordoma development. The expression level of NONHSAT114552 and miR-320d in chordoma tissues was determined by qRT-PCR. Meantime, the correlation between NONHSAT114552 and clinical prognosis was also studied. Bioinformatics analysis and luciferase reporter assays were used to verify the relationship between NONHSAT114552 and miR-320d, and between miR-320d and Neuropilin 1 (NRP1). In addition, effects of NONHSAT114552 on chordoma cells (U-CH1 and U-CH2) proliferation and invasion and its regulation on miR-320d were also evaluated. Furthermore, the influences of NONHSAT114552/miR-320d/NRP1 axis on chordoma tumorigenesis were investigated in vivo. NONHSAT114552 was overexpressed while miR-320d was down-regulated in chordoma tissue compared to fetal nucleus pulposus. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that NONHSAT114552 overexpression was associated with patients’ poor prognosis. Knockdown of NONHSAT114552 significantly suppressed chordoma cell proliferation and invasion. In vitro studies confirmed that NONHSAT114552 acted as ceRNA to regulate NRP1 by directly sponging miR-320d, thus facilitating chordoma cell proliferation and invasion. In vivo study demonstrated that NONHSAT114552 moderated chordoma growth by sponging miR-320d to regulating NRP1. Our findings indicate that lncRNA NONHSAT114552 exhibits a critical role in the tumorigenesis and development of chordoma and it may become one potential prognostic marker and therapeutic target for this disease. .

The Role of microRNAs in Cholangiocarcinoma

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), an aggressive malignancy, is typically diagnosed at an advanced stage. It is associated with dismal 5-year postoperative survival rates, generating an urgent need for prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of non-coding RNAs that are associated with cancer regulation, including modulation of cell cycle progression, apoptosis, metastasis, angiogenesis, autophagy, therapy resistance, and epithelial–mesenchymal transition. Several miRNAs have been found to be dysregulated in CCA and are associated with CCA-related risk factors. Accumulating studies have indicated that the expression of altered miRNAs could act as oncogenic or suppressor miRNAs in the development and progression of CCA and contribute to clinical diagnosis and prognosis prediction as potential biomarkers. Furthermore, miRNAs and their target genes also contribute to targeted therapy development and aid in the determination of drug resistance mechanisms. This review aims to summarize the roles of miRNAs in the pathogenesis of CCA, their potential use as biomarkers of diagnosis and prognosis, and their utilization as novel therapeutic targets in CCA.

Neuropilin-1: A feasible link between liver pathologies and COVID-19

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has a tremendous impact on the health of millions of people worldwide. Unfortunately, those suffering from previous pathological conditions are more vulnerable and tend to develop more severe disease upon infection with the new SARS-CoV-2. This coronavirus interacts with the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptor to invade the cells. Recently, another receptor, neuropilin-1 (NRP-1), has been reported to amplify the viral infection. Interestingly, NRP-1 is expressed in nonparenchymal liver cells and is related to and upregulated in a wide variety of liver-related pathologies. It has been observed that SARS-CoV-2 infection promotes liver injury through several pathways that may be influenced by the previous pathological status of the patient and liver expression of NRP-1. Moreover, coronavirus disease 2019 causes an inflammatory cascade called cytokine storm in patients with severe disease. This cytokine storm may influence liver sinusoidal-cell phenotype, facilitating viral invasion. In this review, the shreds of evidence linking NRP-1 with liver pathologies such as hepatocellular carcinoma, liver fibrosis, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and inflammatory disorders are discussed in the context of SARS-CoV-2 infection. In addition, the involvement of the infection-related cytokine storm in NRP-1 overexpression and the subsequent increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection are also analyzed. This review aims to shed some light on the involvement of liver NRP-1 during SARS-CoV-2 infection and emphasizes the possible involvement this receptor with the observed liver damage.

The miR-124-3p/Neuropilin-1 Axis Contributes to the Proliferation and Metastasis of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells and Co-Activates the TGF-β Pathway

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) accounts for 90% of breast cancer-associated mortality. Neuropilin-1 (NRP-1) acts as a non-tyrosine kinase receptor for several cellular signaling pathways involved in the proliferation and metastasis of cancer cells. However, the miRNAs that regulate NRP-1 expression and the underlying mechanisms in TNBC cells remain unclear. In the present study, we found that TNBC cells expressed higher levels of NRP-1 than non-TNBC cells. Stable transfectants depleted of NRP-1 were generated from two TNBC cell lines, human MDA-MB-231 and mouse 4T1 cells. NRP-1 depletion significantly suppressed the proliferation of TNBC cells by arresting the cell cycle at phase G0/G1 by upregulating p27 and downregulating cyclin E and cyclin-dependent kinase 2. NRP-1 depletion also repressed cell migration and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) by inducing the upregulation of E-cadherin and the downregulation of N-cadherin, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9, and reducing MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities as detected by gelatin zymography assay. By applying multiple miRNA-target prediction tools, we screened potential miRNAs with binding sites with the 3’-untranslated region of the NRP-1 gene and selected 12 miRNA candidates, among which miR-124-3p displayed the most vigorous activity to downregulate NRP-1 as validated by luciferase assay and miRNA transfection assay. By downregulating NRP-1, miR-124-3p mimics inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of TNBC cells, and antagomiR-124-3p could partially abolish the effects of NRP-1 depletion. In the animal experiments, NRP-1 depletion inhibited tumorigenesis and liver metastasis of TNBC cells, while miR-124-3p mimics inhibited the growth of established TNBC tumors. In the mechanistic exploration, we revealed that NRP-1 co-interacted with transforming growth factor (TGF)-β to activate the TGF-β pathway, which regulates EMT-related molecules. In summary, the present results indicate that the miR-124-3p/NRP-1 axis contributes to the proliferation and metastasis of TNBC cells and co-activates the TGF-β pathway, suggesting that these molecules may present as potential therapeutic targets and valuable biomarkers for TNBC.

Field Cancerization in NSCLC: A New Perspective on MicroRNAs in Macrophage Polarization

Lung cancer is currently the first cause of cancer-related death. The major lung cancer subtype is non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC), which accounts for approximatively 85% of cases. The major carcinogenic associated with lung cancer is tobacco smoke, which produces long-lasting and progressive damage to the respiratory tract. The progressive and diffuse alterations that occur in the respiratory tract of patients with cancer and premalignant lesions have been described as field cancerization. At the level of tumor cells, adjacent tumor microenvironment (TME) and cancerized field are taking place dynamic interactions through direct cell-to-cell communication or through extracellular vesicles. These molecular messages exchanged between tumor and nontumor cells are represented by proteins, noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs). In this paper, we analyze the miRNA roles in the macrophage polarization at the level of TME and cancerized field in NSCLC. Identifying molecular players that can influence the phenotypic states at the level of malignant cells, tumor microenvironment and cancerized field can provide us new insights into tumor regulatory mechanisms that can be further modulated to restore the immunogenic capacity of the TME. This approach could revert alterations in the cancerized field and could enhance currently available therapy approaches.

microRNAs Biogenesis, Functions and Role in Tumor Angiogenesis

microRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNA molecules, evolutionary conserved. They target more than one mRNAs, thus influencing multiple molecular pathways, but also mRNAs may bind to a variety of miRNAs, either simultaneously or in a context-dependent manner. miRNAs biogenesis, including miRNA transcription, processing by Drosha and Dicer, transportation, RISC biding, and miRNA decay, are finely controlled in space and time. miRNAs are critical regulators in various biological processes, such as differentiation, proliferation, apoptosis, and development in both health and disease. Their dysregulation is involved in tumor initiation and progression. In tumors, they can act as onco-miRNAs or oncosuppressor-miRNA participating in distinct cellular pathways, and the same miRNA can perform both activities depending on the context. In tumor progression, the angiogenic switch is fundamental. miRNAs derived from tumor cells, endothelial cells, and cells of the surrounding microenvironment regulate tumor angiogenesis, acting as pro-angiomiR or anti-angiomiR. In this review, we described miRNA biogenesis and function, and we update the non-classical aspects of them. The most recent role in the nucleus, as transcriptional gene regulators and the different mechanisms by which they could be dysregulated, in tumor initiation and progression, are treated. In particular, we describe the role of miRNAs in sprouting angiogenesis, vessel co-option, and vasculogenic mimicry. The role of miRNAs in lymphoma angiogenesis is also discussed despite the scarcity of data. The information presented in this review reveals the need to do much more to discover the complete miRNA network regulating angiogenesis, not only using high-throughput computational analysis approaches but also morphological ones.

LncRNA TTN-AS1 promotes the progression of cholangiocarcinoma via the miR-320a/neuropilin-1 axis

Neuropilin-1 regulated by miR-320a participates in the progression of cholangiocarcinoma by serving as a co-receptor that activates multiple signaling pathways. The present study sought to investigate upstream lncRNAs that control the expression of miR-320a/neuropilin-1 axis and dissect some of the underlying mechanisms. Here we report lncRNA TTN-AS1 (titin-antisense RNA1) acts as a sponging ceRNA to downregulate miR-320a and is highly expressed in human cholangiocarcinoma tissues and cells. The expression of the above three molecules is correlated with the clinicopathologic parameters of cholangiocarcinoma patients. In this study, multiple bioinformatics tools and databases were employed to seek potential lncRNAs that have binding sites with miR-320a and TTN-AS1 was identified because it exhibited the largest folds of alteration between cholangiocarcinoma and normal bile duct epithelial cells. The regulatory role of TTN-AS1 on miR-320a was further evaluated by luciferase reporter and RNA pulldown assays, coupled with in situ hybridization and RNA immunoprecipitation analyses, which showed that TTN-AS1 bound to miR-320a through an argonaute2-dependent RNA interference pathway in the cytoplasm of cholangiocarcinoma cells. Knockdown and overexpression assays showed that the regulatory effect between TTN-AS1 and miR-320 was in a one-way manner. TTN-AS1 promoted the proliferation and migration of cholangiocarcinoma cells via the miR-320a/ neuropilin-1 axis. The function of TTN-AS1 on tumor growth and its interaction with miR-320a were confirmed in animal models. Further mechanistic studies revealed that TTA-AS1, through downregulating miR-320a, promoted cell cycle progression, epithelial–mesenchymal transition, and tumor angiogenesis by upregulating neuropilin-1, which co-interacted with the hepatocyte growth factor/c-Met and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β/TGF-β receptor I pathways. In conclusion, the present results demonstrate that lncRNA TTA-AS1 is a sponging ceRNA for miR-320a, which in turn downregulates neuropilin-1 in cholangiocarcinoma cells, indicating these three molecules represent potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets in the management of cholangiocarcinoma.

NRP1 is a Prognostic Factor and Promotes the Growth and Migration of Cells in Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma

Background

Neuropilin-1 (NRP-1) participates in cancer cell proliferation and metastasis as a multifunctional co-receptor by interacting with multiple signaling pathways. However, few studies have addressed the precise function and prognosis analysis of NRP1 in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). We aimed to study the correlations between NRP1 and clinicopathological characteristics and NRP1 effect on ICC cell line functions.

Methods

NRP1 mRNA and its protein levels in human ICC tissues and cell lines were detected by IHC, qRT-PCR, and WB method. Transwell, wound healing, and CCK-8 assays were performed to verify the effects of NRP1 knockdown and overexpression on cell migration and proliferation capability.

Results

NRP1 proteins and mRNA levels increased in ICC tissues compared to those in paired adjacent non-tumor tissues. High NRP1 expression of ICC tissues was related to poor prognosis. NRP1 expression level was expected to be an independent prognosticator for overall survival and cumulative tumor recurrence, and was closely related to tumor number (P=0.047). Knockdown of NRP1 inhibited cell proliferation and migration capability of RBE cells in vitro, and NRP1 overexpression in 9810 cells accelerated proliferation and migration. Additionally, NRP1 may promote cell proliferation and migration in ICC via the FAK/PI3-K/AKT pathway.

Conclusion

As an oncogene, NRP1 may function as a candidate target and prognostic biomarker of value for ICC therapy.

Plasmacytoid dendritic cells in the eye

Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) are a unique subpopulation of immune cells, distinct from classical dendritic cells. pDCs are generated in the bone marrow and following development, they typically home to secondary lymphoid tissues. While peripheral tissues are generally devoid of pDCs during steady state, few tissues, including the lung, kidney, vagina, and in particular ocular tissues harbor resident pDCs. pDCs were originally appreciated for their potential to produce large quantities of type I interferons in viral immunity. Subsequent studies have now unraveled their pivotal role in mediating immune responses, in particular in the induction of tolerance. In this review, we summarize our current knowledge on pDCs in ocular tissues in both mice and humans, in particular in the cornea, limbus, conjunctiva, choroid, retina, and lacrimal gland. Further, we will review our current understanding on the significance of pDCs in ameliorating inflammatory responses during herpes simplex virus keratitis, sterile inflammation, and corneal transplantation. Moreover, we describe their novel and pivotal neuroprotective role, their key function in preserving corneal angiogenic privilege, as well as their potential application as a cell-based therapy for ocular diseases.

ErBb Family Proteins in Cholangiocarcinoma and Clinical Implications

The erythroblastic leukemia viral oncogene homolog (ErBb) family consists of the receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK) epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR; also called ERBB1), ERBB2, ERBB3, and ERBB4. This family is closely associated with the progression of cholangiocarcinoma (CC) through the regulation of cellular networks, which are enhanced during tumorigenesis, metastasis, and chemoresistance. Additionally, the constitutive activation of cellular signaling by the overexpression and somatic mutation-mediated alterations conferred by the ErBb family on cholangiocarcinoma and other cancers enhances tumor aggressiveness and chemoresistance by contributing to the tumor microenvironment. This review summarizes the recent findings on the molecular functions of the ErBb family and their mutations during the progression of cholangiocarcinoma. It also discusses the developments and applications of various devising strategies for targeting the ErBb family through different inhibitors in various stages of clinical trials, which are essential for improving targeted clinical therapies.

In Vivo Models for Cholangiocarcinoma-What Can We Learn for Human Disease?

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) comprises a heterogeneous group of primary liver tumors. They emerge from different hepatic (progenitor) cell populations, typically via sporadic mutations. Chronic biliary inflammation, as seen in primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), may trigger CCA development. Although several efforts were made in the last decade to better understand the complex processes of biliary carcinogenesis, it was only recently that new therapeutic advances have been achieved. Animal models are a crucial bridge between in vitro findings on molecular or genetic alterations, pathophysiological understanding, and new therapeutic strategies for the clinic. Nevertheless, it is inherently difficult to recapitulate simultaneously the stromal microenvironment (e.g., immune-competent cells, cholestasis, inflammation, PSC-like changes, fibrosis) and the tumor biology (e.g., mutational burden, local growth, and metastatic spread) in an animal model, so that it would reflect the full clinical reality of CCA. In this review, we highlight available data on animal models for CCA. We discuss if and how these models reflect human disease and whether they can serve as a tool for understanding the pathogenesis, or for predicting a treatment response in patients. In addition, open issues for future developments will be discussed.

miR‑320‑3p is involved in morphine pre‑conditioning to protect rat cardiomyocytes from ischemia/reperfusion injury through targeting Akt3

Morphine pre-conditioning (MPC) can significantly reduce myocardial ischemic injury and inhibit cardiomyocyte apoptosis, but the underlying mechanism still remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to investigate the protective mechanism of MPC in myocardial hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) injury at the microRNA (miR) level. H9c2 cells were used as a model of H/R and subjected to morphine pre-treatment. The protective effects of MPC on H/R injury in cardiomyocytes were evaluated using MTT and colorimetric assay, as well as flow cytometry. In addition, reverse transcription-quantitative PCR, western blotting and dual-luciferase reporter assay experiments were performed to determine the relationship between MPC, miR-320-3p and Akt3, and their effects on H/R injury. The present study demonstrated that MPC enhanced cell activity, decreased LDH content, and reduced apoptosis in rat cardiomyocytes, suggesting that MPC could protect these cells from H/R injury. Moreover, MPC partially reversed the increase in miR-320-3p expression and the decrease in Akt3 levels caused by H/R injury. Inhibition of miR-320-3p expression also attenuated the effects of H/R on cardiomyocyte activity, LDH content and apoptosis. Furthermore, Akt3 was predicted to be a target gene of miR-320-3p, and overexpression of miR-320-3p inhibited the expression of Akt3, blocking the protective effects of MPC on the cells. The current findings revealed that MPC could protect cardiomyocytes from H/R damage through targeting miR-320-3p to regulate the PI3K/Akt3 signaling pathway.

Bone-targeted lncRNA OGRU alleviates unloading-induced bone loss via miR-320-3p/Hoxa10 axis

Unloading-induced bone loss is a threat to human health and can eventually result in osteoporotic fractures. Although the underlying molecular mechanism of unloading-induced bone loss has been broadly elucidated, the pathophysiological role of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in this process is unknown. Here, we identified a novel lncRNA, OGRU, a 1816-nucleotide transcript with significantly decreased levels in bone specimens from hindlimb-unloaded mice and in MC3T3-E1 cells under clinorotation-unloading conditions. OGRU overexpression promoted osteoblast activity and matrix mineralization under normal loading conditions, and attenuated the suppression of MC3T3-E1 cell differentiation induced by clinorotation unloading. Furthermore, this study found that supplementation of pcDNA3.1(+)–OGRU via (DSS)₆–liposome delivery to the bone-formation surfaces of hindlimb-unloaded (HLU) mice partially alleviated unloading-induced bone loss. Mechanistic investigations demonstrated that OGRU functions as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) to facilitate the protein expression of Hoxa10 by competitively binding miR-320-3p and subsequently promote osteoblast differentiation and bone formation. Taken together, the results of our study provide the first clarification of the role of lncRNA OGRU in unloading-induced bone loss through the miR-320-3p/Hoxa10 axis, suggesting an efficient anabolic strategy for osteoporosis treatment.

MicroRNAs and Long Non-coding RNAs in c-Met-Regulated Cancers

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are components of many signaling pathways associated with tumor aggressiveness and cancer metastasis. Some lncRNAs are classified as competitive endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) that bind to specific miRNAs to prevent interaction with target mRNAs. Studies have shown that the hepatocyte growth factor/mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor (HGF/c-Met) pathway is involved in physiological and pathological processes such as cell growth, angiogenesis, and embryogenesis. Overexpression of c-Met can lead to sustained activation of downstream signals, resulting in carcinogenesis, metastasis, and resistance to targeted therapies. In this review, we evaluated the effects of anti-oncogenic and oncogenic non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) on c-Met, and the interactions among lncRNAs, miRNAs, and c-Met in cancer using clinical and tissue chromatin immunoprecipition (ChIP) analysis data. We summarized current knowledge of the mechanisms and effects of the lncRNAs/miR-34a/c-Met axis in various tumor types, and evaluated the potential therapeutic value of lncRNAs and/or miRNAs targeted to c-Met on drug-resistance. Furthermore, we discussed the functions of lncRNAs and miRNAs in c-Met-related carcinogenesis and potential therapeutic strategies.

LINC00174 is an oncogenic lncRNA of hepatocellular carcinoma and regulates miR-320/S100A10 axis

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the deadliest cancers. Multiple long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are recently identified as crucial oncogenic factors or tumour suppressors. In this study, we explored the effects of LINC00174 on the progression of HCC. Expression levels of LINC00174 and microRNA-320 (miR-320) in HCC tissue samples were measured using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The association between pathological indices and LINC00174 was also analysed. Human HCC cell lines Hep3B and Huh7 were used as cell models. CCK-8 and bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) assays were used to assess the effect of LINC00174 on HCC cell line proliferation. Flow cytometry was used to study the effect of LINC00174 on HCC apoptosis. Transwell assay was conducted to detect the effect of LINC00174 on migration and invasion. Furthermore, luciferase reporter assay and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay were used to confirm the binding relationship between miR-320 and LINC00174. Additionally, western blot was used to detect the regulatory function of LINC00174 on oncogene S100 calcium binding protein A10 (S100A10). We demonstrated that LINC00174 expression in HCC clinical samples was significantly increased and this was correlated with higher T stage. Its overexpression remarkably accelerated proliferation and metastasis of HCC cells while reduced apoptosis. Accordingly, knockdown of it suppressed the malignant phenotypes of HCC cells. Overexpression of LINC00174 significantly reduced the expression of miR-320 by sponging it, in turn enhanced the expression of S100A10. In conclusion, LINC00174 is a sponge of tumour suppressor miR-320, enhances the expression of S100A10 indirectly and functions as an oncogenic lncRNA in HCC. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY: LINC00174 is a novel lncRNA, whose function is rarely investigated. It is reported that it is oncogenic in colorectal cancer, while its role in HCC remains unclear. Herein, we report that LINC00174 is significantly up-regulated in HCC tissues and promotes the malignant phenotypes. We demonstrate that LINC00174 functions as a sponge for miR-320, increases the expression level of oncogene S100A10 in HCC. This study helps clarify the mechanism of HCC tumorigenesis and progression, and uncover the role of LINC00174 in human disease.

Neuropilin: Handyman and Power Broker in the Tumor Microenvironment

Neuropilin-1 and neuropilin-2 form a small family of transmembrane receptors, which, due to the lack of a cytosolic protein kinase domain, act primarily as co-receptors for various ligands. Performing at the molecular level both the executive and organizing functions of a handyman as well as of a power broker, they are instrumental in controlling the signaling of various receptor tyrosine kinases, integrins, and other molecules involved in the regulation of physiological and pathological angiogenic processes. In this setting, the various neuropilin ligands and interaction partners on various cells of the tumor microenvironment, such as cancer cells, endothelial cells, cancer-associated fibroblasts, and immune cells, are surveyed. The suitability of various neuropilin-targeting substances and the intervention in neuropilin-mediated interactions is considered as a possible building block of tumor therapy.

Upregulated microRNA-194 impairs stemness of cholangiocarcinoma cells through the Rho pathway via inhibition of ECT2

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is devastating for its delayed presence, difficulty in diagnosis, and high mortality. Other studies have supported the important role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the pathogenesis of CCA, and the role of miR-194 was investigated in several human cancers, though, the molecular mechanism of miR-194 in CCA stem cells remains largely unknown. We aimed to identify the functional significance of miR-194 in CCA. The microarray-based analysis was applied to detect the epithelial cell transforming sequence 2 (ECT2) expression and predict the miRNA-regulated ECT2, followed by the identification of relationship between ECT2 and obtained miRNA by dual-luciferase reporter gene assay. The effects of depletion or ectopic expression of miR-194 on Rho pathway and the biological characteristics of CCA were assessed by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction, immunoblotting, 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide, scratch test, Transwell, and flow cytometry. Lastly, tumor growth was assessed by xenograft tumor in nude mice. ECT2 was highly expressed while miR-194 was poorly expressed in CCA stem cells, and the targeting relation between ECT2 and miR-194 was proved. More important, the elevated expression of miR-194 or ECT2 silencing inhibited the Rho pathway, and further promoted the apoptosis and suppressed the stem cell proliferation, migration, and invasion of CCA in vitro. miR-194 inhibited the tumor growth in vivo. In a word, miR-194 inhibits ECT2 and blocks the activation of Rho signaling pathway, thus promoting apoptosis, inhibiting proliferation and migration of CCA stem cells, and suppressing tumor growth. The mechanism can be regarded as a target for treating CCA.

Expression and clinical significance of neuropilin-1 in Epstein-Barr virus-associated lymphomas

BACKGROUND

The expression of neuropilin-1 (NRP-1) in Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated lymphomas and its relationships with clinicopathological parameters was investigated.

METHODS

The researchers compared 111 cases of patients with lymphoma to 20 cases of reactive lymphoid hyperplasia. In situ hybridization was applied to observe the expression of EBV-encoded RNA (EBER) in lymphomas, and immunohistochemistry was used to detect the NRP-1 expression in lymphoma tissues and lymph node tissues with reactive hyperplasia.

RESULTS

In these 111 cases, the EBER of 62 cases (55.9%) appeared positive. NRP-1 was relatively highly expressed in lymphomas (P= 0.019). Further, NRP-1 showed higher expression in lymphomas with positive EBER than in negative ones. A comprehensive analysis revealed that NRP-1 was differently expressed in NK/T-cell lymphoma, Hodgkin's lymphoma, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, and anaplastic large cell lymphoma (P= 0.027). Moreover, highly expressed NRP-1 was found to be a useful independent prognostic factor in assessing overall survival and progression-free survival rates in cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL).

CONCLUSIONS

NRP-1 exhibited higher expression in lymphomas, and it was positively expressed in EBV-positive lymphomas. Moreover, highly expressed NRP-1 can be used as an undesirable independent prognostic factor in NHL.

MiR-200c sensitizes Olaparib-resistant ovarian cancer cells by targeting Neuropilin 1

BACKGROUND

Ovarian cancer (OC) is the most lethal gynecological malignancy and the second leading cause of cancer-related death in women. Treatment with PARP inhibitors (PARPi), such as Olaparib, has been recently introduced for OC patients, but resistance may occur and underlying mechanisms are still poorly understood. The aim of this study is to identify target genes within the tumor cells that might cause resistance to Olaparib. We focused on Neuropilin 1 (NRP1), a transmembrane receptor expressed in OC and correlated with poor survival, which has been also proposed as a key molecule in OC multidrug resistance.

METHODS

Using three OC cell lines (UWB, UWB-BRCA and SKOV3) as model systems, we evaluated the biological and molecular effects of Olaparib on OC cell growth, cell cycle, DNA damage and apoptosis/autophagy induction, through MTT and colony forming assays, flow cytometry, immunofluorescence and Western blot analyses. We evaluated NRP1 expression in OC specimens and cell lines by Western blot and qRT-PCR, and used RNA interference to selectively inhibit NRP1. To identify miR-200c as a regulator of NRP1, we used miRNA target prediction algorithms and Pearsons' correlation analysis in biopsies from OC patients. Then, we used a stable transfection approach to overexpress miR-200c in Olaparib-resistant cells.

RESULTS

We observed that NRP1 is expressed at high levels in resistant cells (SKOV3) and is upmodulated in partially sensitive cells (UWB-BRCA) upon prolonged Olaparib treatment, leading to poor drug response. Our results show that the selective inhibition of NRP1 is able to overcome Olaparib resistance in SKOV3 cells. Moreover, we demonstrated that miR-200c can target NRP1 in OC cells, causing its downmodulation, and that miR-200c overexpression is a valid approach to restore Olaparib sensitivity in OC resistant cells.

CONCLUSIONS

These data demonstrate that miR-200c significantly enhanced the anti-cancer efficacy of Olaparib in drug-resistant OC cells. Thus, the combination of Olaparib with miRNA-based therapy may represent a promising treatment for drug resistant OC, and our data may help in designing novel precision medicine trials for optimizing the clinical use of PARPi.

High-Expression of Neuropilin 1 Correlates to Estrogen-Induced Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition of Endometrial Cells in Adenomyosis

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) induced by estrogen contributes to the development of adenomyosis. However, the exact underlying mechanism remains mostly obscure. We hypothesized that a transmembrane glycoprotein neuropilin 1 (NRP1) was critical in the EMT induced by estrogen, accelerating the development of adenomyosis. We firstly investigated the expression pattern of NRP1 in endometrium samples from women with adenomyosis. We found that NRP1 expression was significantly increased in the endometrium of uterine adenomyosis, especially in the ectopic endometrium. To determine the role of NRP1 in the EMT in endometrial cells, we used an NRP1 overexpression retrovirus to up-regulate the NPR1 expression in human endometrial cells (HEC-1-A). Endometrial cells infected with NRP1 retroviruses showed a high expression of NRP1 and exerted a mesenchymal phenotype, characterized by down-regulation of E-cadherin and Occludin, up-regulation of α-SMA and N-cadherin, and enhanced migration. Then, we found that 17β-estradiol (E2) up-regulated the expression of NRP1 in endometrial cells in a dose-dependent manner, which was eliminated by raloxifene, a selective estrogen receptor inhibitor. Importantly, NRP1 shRNA significantly suppressed the EMT induced by E2 in endometrial cells. And NRP1 shRNA significantly inhibited the phosphorylation of Smad3 and restored the expressions of Slug and Snail1 mRNA. Collectively, these data highlight the possible role of NRP1 in the EMT in the development of adenomyosis and provide a potential therapeutic target for adenomyosis patients.

LINC00680 and TTN-AS1 Stabilized by EIF4A3 Promoted Malignant Biological Behaviors of Glioblastoma Cells

Glioblastomas are the most common and malignant intracranial tumors with a low survival rate. Dysregulation of long non-coding RNAs and RNA-binding protein causes various diseases, including cancers. However, the function of LINC00680 and TTN-AS1 in the progression of glioblastomas is still elusive. In this study, we detected that LINC00680 and TTN-AS1 were upregulated in glioblastoma cells. RNA-binding protein EIF4A3 could prolong the half-life of LINC00680 and TTN-AS1. Knockdown of EIF4A3, LINC00680, and TTN-AS1 impaired proliferation, migration, and invasion and inhibited the growth of tumor in vivo and promoted apoptosis of glioblastoma cells. miR-320b was proven to be a target of LINC00680 and TTN-AS1. They interacted with miR-320b as competing endogenous RNAs, which resulted in the reduction of binding between transcriptional factor EGR3 (early growth response 3) mRNA and miR-320b. The accumulation of EGR3 promoted expression of plakophilin (PKP)2, which could activate the epidermal growth factor receptor (EFGR) pathway, leading to the malignant biological behaviors of glioblastoma cells. In summary, LINC00680 and TTN-AS1 promoted glioblastoma cell malignant biological behaviors via the miR-320b/EGR3/PKP2 axis by being stabilized by EIF4A3, which may provide a novel strategy for glioblastoma therapy.

Upregulation of miR‑132‑3p in cholangiocarcinoma tissues: A study based on RT‑qPCR, The Cancer Genome Atlas miRNA sequencing, Gene Expression Omnibus microarray data and bioinformatics analyses

MicroRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) have been reported to be closely associated with numerous human diseases, including cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). However, the number of miRNAs known to be involved in CCA is limited, and the association between miR-132-3p and CCA remains unknown. In the present study, the clinical role of miR-132-3p and its potential signaling pathways were investigated by multiple approaches. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), CCA-associated Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), ArrayExpress and Sequence Read Archive (SRA) miRNA-microarray or miRNA-sequencing data were screened, and meta-analyses were conducted, in order to calculate the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and standardized mean difference (SMD). The predicted target genes of miR-132-3p were obtained from 12 online databases and were combined with the downregulated differentially expressed genes identified in the RNA-sequencing data of CCA. Gene Ontology annotation and pathway analysis were performed in WebGestalt. Protein-protein interaction analyses were conducted in STRING. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) mRNA expression profiles were used to validate the expression levels of hub genes at the mRNA level. The Human Protein Atlas was used to identify the protein expression levels of hub genes in CCA tissues and non-tumor biliary epithelium. The meta-analyses comprised 10 groups of RT-qPCR data, eight GEO microarray datasets and one TCGA miRNA-sequencing dataset. The SMD of miR-132-3p in CCA was 0.75 (95% CI: 0.25, 1.24), which indicated that miR-132-3p was overexpressed in CCA tissues. This finding was supported by a summary ROC value of 0.80 (95% CI: 0.76, 0.83). The pooled sensitivity and specificity were 0.81 (95% CI: 0.59, 0.93) and 0.71 (95% CI: 0.58, 0.81), respectively. The relative expression level of miR-132-3p in the early stage of CCA (stages I–II) was 6.8754±0.5279, which was markedly lower than that in the advanced stage (stages III–IVB), 7.3034±0.3267 (P=0.003). Consistently, the miR-132-3p level in low-grade CCA (grades G1-G2) was 6.7581±0.5297, whereas it was 7.1191±0.4651 in patients with high-grade CCA (grades G3-G4) (P=0.037). Furthermore, 555 potential target genes of miR-132-3p in CCA were mainly enriched in the ‘Focal Adhesion-PI3K-Akt-mTOR-signaling pathway’. In conclusion, upregulation of miR-132-3p may serve a pivotal role in the tumorigenesis and progression of CCA by targeting different pathways. Further in vitro and in vivo studies are required to support the current findings.

The miR-141/neuropilin-1 axis is associated with the clinicopathology and contributes to the growth and metastasis of pancreatic cancer

Background

Neuropilin-1 (NRP-1) is a non-tyrosine kinase receptor interacting with multiple signaling pathways that underpin the biological behavior and fate of cancer cells. However, in pancreatic cancer, the mechanisms underlying the function of NRP-1 in cell proliferation and metastasis and the involvement of regulatory upstream miRNAs remain unclear.

Methods

Potential miRNAs were mined by using multiple bioinformatics prediction tools and validated by luciferase assays. The expression of NRP-1 and miRNA-141 (miR-141) in pancreatic tissues and cells was examined by immunohistochemistry, immunoblotting and/or real-time RT-PCR. Stable transfected cells depleted of NRP-1 were generated, and regulatory effects of miR-141 were investigated by transfecting cells with miR-141 mimics and anti-miR-141. Assays of cell viability, proliferation, cell cycle distribution, transwell migration and cell scratch were employed. Xenograft tumor models were established to assess the effects of NRP-1 depletion on tumorigenesis and liver metastasis, and therapeutic effects of miR-141 on tumor growth. The role of miR-141/NRP-1 axis in regulating epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) by co-interacting the TGF-β pathway was examined.

Results

In this study, of 12 candidate miRNAs identified, miR-141 showed the strongest ability to regulate NRP-1. In pancreatic cancer tissues and cells, the expression level of NRP-1 was negatively correlated with that of miR-141. NRP-1 was highly expressed in pancreatic cancer tissues compared with normal pancreatic tissues, and its expression levels were positively correlated with tumor grade, lymph metastasis and AJCC staging. NRP-1 depletion inhibited cell proliferation by inducing cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase through upregulating p27 and downregulating cyclin E and cyclin-dependent kinase 2, and reduced cell migration by inhibiting EMT through upregulating E-cadherin and downregulating Snail and N-cadherin. Through downregulating NRP-1, miR-141 mimics showed a similar effect as NRP-1 depletion on cell proliferation and migration. NRP-1 depletion suppressed tumor growth and liver metastasis and miR-141 mimics inhibited the growth of established tumors in mice. NRP-1 depletion and/or miR-141 mimics inhibited the activation of the TGF-β pathway stimulated by TGF-β ligand.

Conclusions

The present results indicate that NRP-1 is negatively regulated by miR-141 and the miR-141/NRP-1 axis may serve as potentially valuable biomarkers and therapeutic targets for pancreatic cancer.

Diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic target applications of miR-326 in cancers: A systematic review

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous mediators of RNA interference and have key roles in the modulation of gene expression under healthy, inflamed, stimulated, carcinogenic, or other cells, and tissues of a pathological state. Many studies have proved the association between miRNAs and cancer. The role of miR-326 as a tumor suppressor miRNA in much human cancer confirmed. We will explain the history and the role of miRNAs changes, especially miR-326 in cancers and other pathological conditions. Attuned with these facts, this review highlights recent preclinical and clinical research performed on miRNAs as novel promising diagnostic biomarkers of patients at early stages, prediction of prognosis, and monitoring of the patients in response to treatment. All related publications retrieved from the PubMed database, with keywords such as epigenetic, miRNA, microRNA, miR-326, cancer, diagnostic biomarker, and therapeutic target similar terms from 1899 to 2018 with limitations in the English language. Recently, researchers have focused on the impacts of miRNAs and their association in inflammatory, autoinflammatory, and cancerous conditions. Recent studies have suggested a major pathogenic role in cancers and autoinflammatory diseases. Investigations have explained the role of miRNAs in cancers, autoimmunity, and autoinflammatory diseases, and so on. The miRNA-326 expression has an important role in cancer conditions and other diseases.

Animal models of cholangiocarcinoma

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is an aggressive biliary tract malignancy with a poor overall prognosis. There is a critical need to develop effective targeted therapies for the treatment of this lethal disease. In an effort to address this challenge, preclinical in vivo studies have become paramount in understanding CCA carcinogenesis, progression, and therapy. Various CCA animal models exist including carcinogen-based models in which animals develop CCA after exposure to a carcinogen, genetically engineered mouse models in which genetic changes are induced in mice leading to CCA, murine syngeneic orthotopic models, as well as xenograft tumors derived from xenotransplantation of CCA cells, organoids, and patient-derived tissue. Each type has distinct advantages as well as shortcomings. In the ideal animal model of CCA, the tumor arises from the biliary tract in an immunocompetent host with a species-matched tumor microenvironment. Such a model would also be time-efficient, recapitulate the genetic and histopathological features of human CCA, and predict therapeutic response in humans. Recently developed biliary tract transduction and orthotopic syngeneic transplant mouse models encompass several of these elements. Herein, we review the different animal models of CCA, their advantages and deficiencies, as well as features which mimic human CCA.

Neuropilins in the Context of Tumor Vasculature

Neuropilin-1 and Neuropilin-2 form a small family of plasma membrane spanning receptors originally identified by the binding of semaphorin and vascular endothelial growth factor. Having no cytosolic protein kinase domain, they function predominantly as co-receptors of other receptors for various ligands. As such, they critically modulate the signaling of various receptor tyrosine kinases, integrins, and other molecules involved in the regulation of physiological and pathological angiogenic processes. This review highlights the diverse neuropilin ligands and interacting partners on endothelial cells, which are relevant in the context of the tumor vasculature and the tumor microenvironment. In addition to tumor cells, the latter contains cancer-associated fibroblasts, immune cells, and endothelial cells. Based on the prevalent neuropilin-mediated interactions, the suitability of various neuropilin-targeted substances for influencing tumor angiogenesis as a possible building block of a tumor therapy is discussed.

Circulating mir-320a promotes immunosuppressive macrophages M2 phenotype associated with lung cancer risk

miRNAs play a central role in the complex signaling network of cancer cells with the tumor microenvironment. Little is known on the origin of circulating miRNAs and their relationship with the tumor microenvironment in lung cancer. Here, we focused on the cellular source and relative contribution of different cell types to circulating miRNAs composing our risk classifier of lung cancer using in vitro/in vivo models and clinical samples. A cell‐type specific expression pattern and topography of several miRNAs such as mir‐145 in fibroblasts, mir‐126 in endothelial cells, mir‐133a in skeletal muscle cells was observed in normal and lung cancer tissues. Granulocytes and platelets are the major contributors of miRNAs release in blood. miRNAs modulation observed in plasma of lung cancer subjects was consistent with de‐regulation of the same miRNAs observed during immunosuppressive conversion of immune cells. In particular, activated neutrophils showed a miRNA profile mirroring that observed in plasma of lung cancer subjects. Interestingly mir‐320a secreted by neutrophils of high‐risk heavy‐smokers promoted an M2‐like protumorigenic phenotype through downregulation of STAT4 when shuttled into macrophages. These findings suggest a multifactorial and nonepithelial cell‐autonomous origin of circulating miRNAs associated with risk of lung cancer and that circulating miRNAs may act in paracrine signaling with causative role in lung carcinogenesis and immunosuppression.

What's new?

microRNAs play a central role in the complex signaling network of cancer cells with the tumor microenvironment. However, little is known on the origin of circulating miRNAs and their mechanisms of action. This study found a multifactorial and non‐epithelial cell‐autonomous origin of circulating miRNAs associated with lung cancer risk. The findings also suggest a link between an immunosuppressive and pro‐tumorigenic microenvironment and modulation of circulating miRNAs associated with lung cancer risk. The authors propose a novel mechanism whereby miRNA released by neutrophils induce macrophage polarization to support lung cancer growth, highlighting the potential for reprogramming macrophages toward an anti‐tumor polarization.

MicroRNA-320 targeting neuropilin 1 inhibits proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells and neointimal formation

This study shows that microRNA-320 (miR-320) is associated with many important cell functions, including cell differentiation, proliferation, migration, and apoptosis. However, the role of miR-320 in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and proliferative vascular diseases is still completely unclear. In our study, we found that the expression of miR-320 in human VSMCs after PDGF stimulation was significantly down-regulated in time- and dose-dependent manner. Function analyses identified that miR-320 could inhibit the proliferation and migration of VSMCs in both basal and PDGF-stimulated conditions. Furthermore, Neuropilin 1 (NRP1) was demonstrated as a direct target of miR-320 in Luciferase reporter assays and miR-320 overexpression inhibited the expression of NRP1 with or without PDGF treatment. Finally, miR-320 was markedly decreased in mice carotid arteries after ligated injury, while the restoration of miR-320 via Ad-miR-320 attenuated neointimal hyperplasia by declining the NRP1 expression. The results confirmed that miR-320 regulated proliferation and migration of VSMCs and neointimal formation by targeting NRP1. These novel findings implied that the regulation of NRP1 expression by miR-320 has important significance in the early diagnosis and treatment of proliferation vascular diseases.

MicroRNAs in cancer metastasis and angiogenesis

Cancer metastasis is a malignant process by which tumor cells migrate from their primary site of origin to other organs. It is the main cause of poor prognosis in cancer patients. Angiogenesis is the process of generating new blood capillaries from pre-existing vasculature. It plays a vital role in primary tumor growth and distant metastasis. MicroRNAs are small non-coding RNAs involved in regulating normal physiological processes as well as cancer pathogenesis. They suppress gene expression by specifically binding to the 3′-untranslated region (3′-UTR) of their target genes. They can thus act as oncogenes or tumor suppressors depending on the function of their target genes. MicroRNAs have shown great promise for use in anti-metastatic cancer therapy. In this article, we review the roles of various miRNAs in cancer angiogenesis and metastasis and highlight their potential for use in future therapies against metastatic cancer.

LncRNA SNHG12 regulates gastric cancer progression by acting as a molecular sponge of miR‑320

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common malignancies worldwide. Previous studies have focused on long non‑coding RNAs (lncRNAs), which have important roles in the development and progression of GC. The present study aimed to clarify the expression and function of lncRNA small nucleolar RNA host gene 12 (SNHG12) in GC. The expression and the clinical characteristics of GC were analyzed in the samples from patients with GC and matched adjacent normal tissues. The present study determined that SNHG12 was significantly overexpressed in GC and its expression level was highly associated with tumor size, tumor‑node‑metastasis stage, distant metastasis, lymphatic metastasis. Patients with high SNHG12 expression had a short survival period. Additionally, inhibition of SNHG12 in GC cell lines SGC‑7901 and AGS suppressed cell growth, colony formation, proliferation and invasion. MicroRNA (miR)‑320, a putative target gene of SNHG12, was inversely correlated with SNHG12 expression in GC tissues and cell lines. In addition, the present study determined that miR‑320 was directly regulated by SNHG12 and suppression of miR‑320 expression reversed the inhibitory effects of SNHG12 siRNA on GC cell proliferation and invasion. These findings revealed that SNHG12 acts as a tumor promoter by directly targeting miR‑320 in GC, suggesting a potential novel biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of GC.