lncRNA KCNQ1OT1 promotes the proliferation, migration and invasion of retinoblastoma cells by upregulating HIF-1α via sponging miR-153-3p

The Traces of Dysregulated lncRNAs-Associated ceRNA Axes in Retinoblastoma: A Systematic Scope Review

PURPOSE

Long non-coding RNAs are an essential component of competing endogenous RNA regulatory axes and play their role by sponging microRNAs and interfering with the regulation of gene expression. Because of the broadness of competing endogenous RNA interaction networks, they may help investigate treatment targets in complicated disorders.

METHODS

This study performed a systematic scoping review to assess verified loops of competing endogenous RNAs in retinoblastoma, emphasizing the competing endogenous RNAs axis related to long non-coding RNAs. We used a six-stage approach framework and the PRISMA guidelines. A systematic search of seven databases was done to locate suitable papers published before February 2022. Two reviewers worked independently to screen articles and collect data.

RESULTS

Out of 363 records, fifty-one articles met the inclusion criteria, and sixty-three axes were identified in desired articles. The majority of the research reported several long non-coding RNAs that were experimentally verified to act as competing endogenous RNAs in retinoblastoma: XIST/NEAT1/MALAT1/SNHG16/KCNQ1OT1, respectively. At the same time, around half of the studies investigated unique long non-coding RNAs.

CONCLUSIONS

Understanding the many features of this regulatory system may aid in elucidating the unknown etiology of Retinoblastoma and providing novel molecular targets for therapeutic and clinical applications.

LncRNA NEAT1 promotes angiogenesis of retinoblastoma cells through regulation of the miR-106a/HIF-1α axis

Objective

To explore the role and mechanisms of lncRNA nuclear enriched abundant transcript 1 (NEAT1) in angiogenesis of retinoblastoma (RB) cells.

Methods

This study investigated the roles of NEAT1 in RB progression. The RNA expression levels of NEAT1, miR-106a, and hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1α) examined by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) were compared between RB cells and normal retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells. The binding sites between NEAT1 and miR-106a, and between miR-106a and HIF-1α were predicted by the TargetScan database and verified using the dual-luciferase reporter assay. By transfection of overexpression plasmid or shRNA of NEAT1, and/or treatment of miR-106a inhibitor or mimics, proliferation, invasion, and angiogenesis of RB cells (measured by the MTT assay, the Transwell assay, and the tube formation assay, respectively) were compared between groups. Group comparisons were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Tukey's post-hoc test was employed for further statistical assessment. P-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

The RNA expression levels of NEAT1 and HIF-1α were upregulated in RB cells, whereas the expression level of miR-106a was downregulated compared with RPE cells. NEAT1 overexpression or miR-106a knockdown advanced proliferation, invasion, and tube formation of RB cells. As a target of NEAT1, miR-106a could sponge HIF-1α to downregulate HIF-1α expression level. Functional analyses indicated that miR-106a knockdown reversed the inhibitory effects of NEAT1 silencing on the proliferation, invasion, and tube formation of RB cells. Furthermore, miR-106a overexpression suppressed RB cell angiogenesis by downregulating HIF-1α expression level.

Conclusion

NEAT1 promoted proliferation, invasion, and angiogenesis of RB cells through upregulation of HIF-1α expression level by sponging miR-106a, demonstrating that NEAT1 may be a novel target for RB treatment.

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

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

Sevoflurane Confers Protection Against the Malignant Phenotypes of Lung Cancer Cells via the microRNA-153-3p/HIF1α/KDM2B Axis

Sevoflurane is shown to curtail lung cancer (LC) development. Herein, this research sought to investigate the underlying mechanism of sevoflurane in regard to its repressive effects on LC. Expression levels of microRNA (miR)-153-3p, HIF1α, and KDM2B in LC tissues and cells were determined with qRT-PCR. Following sevoflurane pretreatment and/or ectopic expression and knockdown experiments, the malignant phenotypes, and levels of miR-153-3p, HIF1α, and KDM2B in LC A549 cells were detected using Transwell, scratch, EdU, CCK-8, Western blot, and qRT-PCR assays. Relationship between HIF1α and miR-153-3p was verified with a dual-luciferase reporter assay. The interaction between HIF1α and KDM2B was verified with a ChIP assay. LC tissues and cells presented low miR-153-3p expression and high HIF1α and KDM2B expression. Sevoflurane pretreatment, miR-153-3p upregulation, HIF1α downregulation, or KDM2B downregulation impeded the malignant phenotypes of A549 cells. Sevoflurane pretreatment augmented miR-153-3p expression, while miR-153-3p negatively targeted HIF1α. HIF1α bound to the KDM2B promoter to upregulate KDM2B. HIF1α or KDM2B overexpression counteracted the inhibitory effects of sevoflurane pretreatment on A549 cell malignant behaviors. Sevoflurane decreased HIF1α expression through upregulation of miR-153-3p, thereby reducing KDM2B transcription to restrict the malignant phenotypes of LC A549 cells.

KCNQ1OT1 promotes retinoblastoma progression by targeting miR-339-3p that suppresses KIF23

BACKGROUND

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in tumor formation and development. KCNQ1OT1 regulates the malignant proliferation of retinoblastoma (RB), but the specific mechanism remains to be further investigated.

METHODS

The KCNQ1OT1, miR-339-3p and KIF23 expression levels in RB were detected by qRT-PCR and western blotting. The cell viability, proliferation, migration ability and caspase-3 activity of RB cells were evaluated by CCK-8, BrdU, transwell and caspase-3 activity analysis. Western blot was used to detect the Bax and Bcl-2 protein expression in RB cells. The binding relationship between KCNQ1OT1, miR-339-3p and KIF23 was detected by luciferase, RIP and RNA pull-down assay.

RESULTS

KCNQ1OT1 and KIF23 were up-regulated frequently in RB, and miR-339-3p was down-regulated. Functional studies showed that downregulation of KCNQ1OT1 or KIF23 inhibited the survival and migration of RB cells, and facilitated apoptosis. Interference with miR-339-3p showed the opposite effect. Mechanisms suggested that KCNQ1OT1 exited its oncogenic activity by positively regulating the expression of KIF23 and sponging miR-339-3p.

CONCLUSION

KCNQ1OT1/miR-339-3p/KIF23 may be a new biomarker for the diagnosis and treatment of RB.

Long non-coding RNAs involved in retinoblastoma

INTRODUCTION

Retinoblastoma (RB) is the most common childhood tumor that can occur in the retina and develop in a sporadic or heritable form. Although various traditional treatment options have been used for patients with RB, identifying novel strategies for childhood cancers is necessary.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Recently, molecular-based targeted therapies have opened a greater therapeutic window for RB. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) presented a potential role as a biomarker for the detection of RB in various stages.

CONCLUSION

LncRNAs by targeting several miRNA/transcription factors play critical roles in the stimulation or suppression of RB. In this review, we summarized recent progress on the functions of tumor suppressors or oncogenes lncRNAs in RB.

Role of non-coding RNAs and exosomal non-coding RNAs in retinoblastoma progression

Retinoblastoma (RB) is a rare aggressive intraocular malignancy of childhood that has the potential to affect vision, and can even be fatal in some children. While the tumor can be controlled efficiently at early stages, metastatic tumors lead to high mortality. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are implicated in a number of physiological cellular process, including differentiation, proliferation, migration, and invasion, The deregulation of ncRNAs is correlated with several diseases, particularly cancer. ncRNAs are categorized into two main groups based on their length, i.e. short and long ncRNAs. Moreover, ncRNA deregulation has been demonstrated to play a role in the pathogenesis and development of RB. Several ncRNAs, such as miR-491-3p, miR-613,and SUSD2 have been found to act as tumor suppressor genes in RB, but other ncRNAs, such as circ-E2F3, NEAT1, and TUG1 act as tumor promoter genes. Understanding the regulatory mechanisms of ncRNAs can provide new opportunities for RB therapy. In the present review, we discuss the functional roles of the most important ncRNAs in RB, their interaction with the genes responsible for RB initiation and progression, and possible future clinical applications as diagnostic and prognostic tools or as therapeutic targets.

A comprehensive review on miR-153: Mechanistic and controversial roles of miR-153 in tumorigenicity of cancer cells

miRNAs play a crucial role in regulating genes involved in cancer progression. Recently, miR-153 has been mainly well-known as a tumor suppressive miRNA modulating genes in proliferation, metastasis, EMT, angiogenesis and drug resistance ability of a variety types of cancer. Mechanistic activity of miR-153 in tumorigenicity has not been fully reviewed. This manuscript presents a comprehensive review on the tumor suppressive activity of miR-153 as well as introducing the controversial role of miR-153 as an oncogenic miRNA in cancer. Furthermore, it summarizes all potential non-coding RNAs such as long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs), transcribed ultra-conserved regions (T-UCRs) and circular RNAs (CircRNAs) targeting and sponging miR-153. Understanding the critical role of miR-153 in cell growth, metastasis, angiogenesis and drug resistance ability of cancer cells, suggests miR-153 as a potential prognostic biomarker for detecting cancer as well as providing a novel treatment strategy to combat with several types of cancer.

KCNQ1OT1: An Oncogenic Long Noncoding RNA

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

Circular RNA PIP5K1A (circPIP5K1A) accelerates endometriosis progression by regulating the miR-153-3p/Thymosin Beta-4 X-Linked (TMSB4X) pathway

As a common gynecologic disease, endometriosis (EM) poses a threat to the reproductive health of about 10% women globally. Recent studies have revealed that circular RNAs (circRNAs) are deeply implicated in EM pathogenesis. However, the functions of circPIP5K1A in EM have not been studied yet. Our study intended to uncover the molecular mechanism of circPIP5K1A in EM. In this work, gene and protein expressions were determined by RT-qPCR or Western blotting. CCK-8, wound healing, transwell, and flow cytometry assays were conducted to analyze cell viability, migration, invasion, cell cycle, and apoptosis. Additionally, bioinformatics analysis, dual-luciferase reporter assay, as well as RIP assay were performed to investigate the combination between miR-153-3p and circPIP5K1A or TMSB4X. Herein, we found remarkable high circPIP5K1A expression in EM tissues and cells. Silencing of circPIP5K1A suppressed proliferation, restrained cell cycle, increased cell apoptosis, and decreased migration and invasion in EM cells. In addition, miR-153-3p inhibition could abrogate the impacts of circPIP5K1A knockdown on EM progression in vitro. Also, we found that circPIP5K1A regulated TMSB4X level via interaction with miR-153-3p in EM cells. Besides, circPIP5K1A promoted EM progression via TMSB4X. Moreover, TMSB4X could activate the TGF-β signaling in hEM15A cells. To sum up, our study elucidated that circPIP5K1A accelerated EM progression in vitro by activating the TGF-β signaling pathway via the miR-153-3p/TMSB4X axis, providing a potential clinical target for EM treatment.

Overexpression of mm9_circ_013935 alleviates renal inflammation and fibrosis in diabetic nephropathy via the miR-153-3p/NFIC axis

BACKGROUND

Circ-RBM4 (mm9_circ_013935) has been revealed to be low-expressed in the renal tissues of diabetic nephropathy (DN) mice while its underlying regulatory mechanism remains unexplored.

METHODS

The high glucose (HG)-treated mouse podocytes were used to establish the DN cell models. A CCK-8 assay was used to examine the viability of mouse podocytes. The expression of proteins related to fibrosis (Collagen I, Collagen III, fibronectin) was detected using western blot. The concentration of inflammation cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-8) in mouse podocytes was assessed by ELISA. The interaction between genes was explored by luciferase reporter assays.

RESULTS

HG treatement decreased the viability and elevated the expression of fibrosis and inflammation factors in mouse podocytes. Circ-RBM4 expression was downregulated in HG-treated mouse podocytes. Circ-RBM4 overexpression reversed HG-induced increase in levels of proteins related to fibrosis and the concentration of inflammation factors. MiR-153-3p was revealed to bind with circ-RBM4 and directly targeted nuclear factor I/C (NFIC) in mouse podocytes. Rescue assays indicated that circ-RBM4 attenuated HG-induced fibrosis and inflammation response in mouse podocytes by inhibiting miR-153-3p expression or upregulating NFIC expression.

CONCLUSION

Circ-RBM4 alleviated the renal inflamation and renal fibrosis in DN by targeting the miR-153-3p/NFIC axis.

Long non-coding RNA KCNQ1OT1 promotes proliferation, migration and invasion via targeting miR-134 in retinoblastoma

BACKGROUND

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) exert a significant role in carcinogenesis. lncRNA KCNQ1OT1 is detected in many tumors and is considered as an oncogene. The expression and mechanism of KCNQ1OT1 in retinoblastoma (Rb) are not clearly elucidated.

METHODS

KCNQ1OT1, miR-134 and TRIM44 mRNA expression were examined by a quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Proliferation, migration and invasion of Weri-Rb1 and Y79 cells were tested by cell counting kit-8, colony formation, scratch and transwell assays. Meanwhile, the regulatory relationships among KCNQ1OT1, miR-134 and TRIM44 were clarified by several biological experiments, including dual-luciferase reporter assay, RNA immunoprecipitation, subcellular distribution, qRT-PCR and western blotting.

RESULTS

lncRNA KCNQ1OT1 was up-regulated in Rb tissues and Rb cell lines. In addition, the expression of KCNQ1OT1 was negatively correlated with the disease-free survival rate of RB patients. Silencing KCNQ1OT1 could significantly inhibit the RB progression in vivo and in vitro. The analysis of the mechanism of KCNQ1OT1 showed that KCNQ1OT1 can sponge miR-134, and miR-134 may inhibit TRIM44 expression. Moreover, the rescue assays showed that KCNQ1OT1 promoted RB progression by regulating the miR-134/TRIM44 pathway.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study indicates that a new KCNQ1OT1/miR-134/TRIM44 pathway regulates Rb progression. It may be used as a potential prognostic marker for Rb.