The Ratio of Toxic-to-Nontoxic miRNAs Predicts Platinum Sensitivity in Ovarian Cancer

A review of RNA nanoparticles for drug/gene/protein delivery in advanced therapies: Current state and future prospects

Nanotechnology involves the utilization of materials with exceptional properties at the nanoscale. Over the past few years, nanotechnologies have demonstrated significant potential in improving human health, particularly in medical treatments. The self-assembly characteristic of RNA is a highly effective method for designing and constructing nanostructures using a combination of biological, chemical, and physical techniques from different fields. There is great potential for the application of RNA nanotechnology in therapeutics. This review explores various nano-based drug delivery systems and their unique features through the impressive progress of the RNA field and their significant therapeutic promises due to their unique performance in the COVID-19 pandemic. However, a significant hurdle in fully harnessing the power of RNA drugs lies in effectively delivering RNA to precise organs and tissues, a critical factor for achieving therapeutic effectiveness, minimizing side effects, and optimizing treatment outcomes. There have been many efforts to pursue targeting, but the clinical translation of RNA drugs has been hindered by the lack of clear guidelines and shared understanding. A comprehensive understanding of various principles is essential to develop vaccines using nucleic acids and nanomedicine successfully. These include mechanisms of immune responses, functions of nucleic acids, nanotechnology, and vaccinations. Regarding this matter, the aim of this review is to revisit the fundamental principles of the immune system's function, vaccination, nanotechnology, and drug delivery in relation to the creation and manufacturing of vaccines utilizing nanotechnology and nucleic acids. RNA drugs have demonstrated significant potential in treating a wide range of diseases in both clinical and preclinical research. One of the reasons is their capacity to regulate gene expression and manage protein production efficiently. Different methods, like modifying chemicals, connecting ligands, and utilizing nanotechnology, have been essential in enabling the effective use of RNA-based treatments in medical environments. The article reviews stimuli-responsive nanotechnologies for RNA delivery and their potential in RNA medicines. It emphasizes the notable benefits of these technologies in improving the effectiveness of RNA and targeting specific cells and organs. This review offers a comprehensive analysis of different RNA drugs and how they work to produce therapeutic benefits. Recent progress in using RNA-based drugs, especially mRNA treatments, has shown that targeted delivery methods work well in medical treatments.

PAMAM/miR-144 nanocarrier system inhibits the migration of gastric cancer by targeting mTOR signal transduction pathway

Exogenous microRNA-144 (miR-144) is considered as a potential biological drug for gastric cancer because of its biological activity to inhibit the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). However, the specific molecular mechanisms have not been fully revealed. In addition, their vulnerability to degradation by RNA enzymes in the blood limits their bioavailability. In this paper, a polyamidoamine (PAMAM)-wrapped miR-144 (PAMAM/miR-144) is prepared as a nanocarrier system to protect miR-144 from nuclease degradation. The PAMAM/miR-144 nanocarrier system achieves the optimal antitumor activity against gastric cancer migration and reduce mTOR protein expression by transferring miR-144 into human gastric cancer HGC-27 cells. At the same time, the PAMAM/miR-144 nanocarrier system significantly decreases the EMT via targeting mTOR signal pathway in HGC-27 cells and noticeably inhibited the growth of subcutaneous gastric cancer xenografts in nude mice. PAMAM/miR-144 nanocarrier system has effectively improved the bioavailability of miR-144, thus providing a promising combination modality for anticancer therapy.

Circ_0001068 accelerates the development of ovarian cancer by promoting FXYD5 expression through inhibiting mir-149-5p activity

BACKGROUND

Ovarian cancer (OC) is one of the common malignancies of the female reproductive organs. Microarray analysis shows that circ_0001068 is upregulated in OC patients, however, its carcinogenic effect on OC development has not yet been revealed.

METHODS

In this study, qRT-PCR and western blotting were used to determine the expression of circ_0001068, microRNA-149-5p (miR-149-5p) and domain containing ion transport regulator 5 (FXYD5). Clone formation was used to assess cell proliferation, and transwell assays were performed to analyze cell migration and invasion. Dual-luciferase reporter and pull down assays were used to verify the binding relationship between circ_0001068 and miR-149-5p or FXYD5. Mouse xenograft tumor formation was performed to validate the role of circ_0001068 in vivo.

RESULTS

We found that the expression levels of circ_0001068 and FXYD5 were significantly increased in OC tissues and cell lines. Circ_0001068 knockdown significantly inhibited cell proliferation, migration, invasion, glycolysis, and glutamine metabolism. Circ_0001068 directly interacted with miR-149-5p, and the introduction of miR-149-5p mimics in OC cells partially reversed circ_0001068 knockdown-mediated effects. MiR-149-5p directly interacted with the 3'untranslated region (3'UTR) of FXYD5, and FXYD5 overexpression partially counteracted circ_0001068 knockdown-mediated effects in OC cells. Circ_0001068 knockdown inhibited xenograft tumor growth in vivo.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that circ_0001068 promotes the malignant properties of OC cells by targeting the miR-149-5p/FXYD5 axis.

The biomedical application of inorganic metal nanoparticles in aging and aging-associated diseases

Aging and aging-associated diseases (AAD), including neurodegenerative disease, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes, are inevitable process. With the gradual improvement of life style, life expectancy is gradually extended. However, the extended lifespan has not reduced the incidence of disease, and most elderly people are in ill-health state in their later years. Hence, understanding aging and AAD are significant for reducing the burden of the elderly. Inorganic metal nanoparticles (IMNPs) predominantly include gold, silver, iron, zinc, titanium, thallium, platinum, cerium, copper NPs, which has been widely used to prevent and treat aging and AAD due to their superior properties (essential metal ions for human body, easily synthesis and modification, magnetism). Therefore, a systematic review of common morphological alternations of senescent cells, altered genes and signal pathways in aging and AAD, and biomedical applications of IMNPs in aging and AAD is crucial for the further research and development of IMNPs in aging and AAD. This review focus on the existing research on cellular senescence, aging and AAD, as well as the applications of IMNPs in aging and AAD in the past decade. This review aims to provide cutting-edge knowledge involved with aging and AAD, the application of IMNPs in aging and AAD to promote the biomedical application of IMNPs in aging and AAD.

Death Induced by Survival gene Elimination (DISE) correlates with neurotoxicity in Alzheimer's disease and aging

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by progressive neurodegeneration, but the specific events that cause cell death remain poorly understood. Death Induced by Survival gene Elimination (DISE) is a cell death mechanism mediated by short (s) RNAs acting through the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC). DISE is thus a form of RNA interference, in which G-rich 6mer seed sequences in the sRNAs (position 2-7) target hundreds of C-rich 6mer seed matches in genes essential for cell survival, resulting in the activation of cell death pathways. Here, using Argonaute precipitation and RNAseq (Ago-RP-Seq), we analyze RISC-bound sRNAs to quantify 6mer seed toxicity in several model systems. In mouse AD models and aging brain, in induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons from AD patients, and in cells exposed to Aβ42 oligomers, RISC-bound sRNAs show a shift to more toxic 6mer seeds compared to controls. In contrast, in brains of "SuperAgers", humans over age 80 who have superior memory performance, RISC-bound sRNAs are shifted to more nontoxic 6mer seeds. Cells depleted of nontoxic sRNAs are sensitized to Aβ42-induced cell death, and reintroducing nontoxic RNAs is protective. Altogether, the correlation between DISE and Aβ42 toxicity suggests that increasing the levels of nontoxic miRNAs in the brain or blocking the activity of toxic RISC-bound sRNAs could ameliorate neurodegeneration.

Targeting materials and strategies for RNA delivery

RNA-based therapeutics have shown great promise in various medical applications, including cancers, infectious diseases, and metabolic diseases. The recent success of mRNA vaccines for combating the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the medical value of RNA drugs. However, one of the major challenges in realizing the full potential of RNA drugs is to deliver RNA into specific organs and tissues in a targeted manner, which is crucial for achieving therapeutic efficacy, reducing side effects, and enhancing overall treatment efficacy. Numerous attempts have been made to pursue targeting, nonetheless, the lack of clear guideline and commonality elucidation has hindered the clinical translation of RNA drugs. In this review, we outline the mechanisms of action for targeted RNA delivery systems and summarize four key factors that influence the targeting delivery of RNA drugs. These factors include the category of vector materials, chemical structures of vectors, administration routes, and physicochemical properties of RNA vectors, and they all notably contribute to specific organ/tissue tropism. Furthermore, we provide an overview of the main RNA-based drugs that are currently in clinical trials, highlighting their design strategies and tissue tropism applications. This review will aid to understand the principles and mechanisms of targeted delivery systems, accelerating the development of future RNA drugs for different diseases.

Analysis of the Contribution of 6-mer Seed Toxicity to HIV-1-Induced Cytopathicity

HIV-1 (HIV) infects CD4+ T cells, the gradual depletion of which can lead to AIDS in the absence of antiretroviral therapy (ART). Some cells, however, survive HIV infection and persist as part of the latently infected reservoir that causes recurrent viremia after ART cessation. Improved understanding of the mechanisms of HIV-mediated cell death could lead to a way to clear the latent reservoir. Death induced by survival gene elimination (DISE), an RNA interference (RNAi)-based mechanism, kills cells through short RNAs (sRNAs) with toxic 6-mer seeds (positions 2 to 7 of sRNA). These toxic seeds target the 3' untranslated region (UTR) of mRNAs, decreasing the expression of hundreds of genes critical for cell survival. In most cells under normal conditions, highly expressed cell-encoded nontoxic microRNAs (miRNAs) block access of toxic sRNAs to the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) that mediates RNAi, promoting cell survival. HIV has been shown to inhibit the biogenesis of host miRNAs in multiple ways. We now report that HIV infection of cells deficient in miRNA expression or function results in enhanced RISC loading of an HIV-encoded miRNA HIV-miR-TAR-3p, which can kill cells by DISE through a noncanonical (positions 3 to 8) 6-mer seed. In addition, cellular RISC-bound sRNAs shift to lower seed viability. This also occurs after latent HIV provirus reactivation in J-Lat cells, suggesting independence of permissiveness of cells to viral infection. More precise targeting of the balance between protective and cytotoxic sRNAs could provide new avenues to explore novel cell death mechanisms that could be used to kill latent HIV. IMPORTANCE Several mechanisms by which initial HIV infection is cytotoxic to infected cells have been reported and involve various forms of cell death. Characterizing the mechanisms underlying the long-term survival of certain T cells that become persistent provirus reservoirs is critical to developing a cure. We recently discovered death induced by survival gene elimination (DISE), an RNAi-based mechanism of cell death whereby toxic short RNAs (sRNAs) containing 6-mer seed sequences (exerting 6-mer seed toxicity) targeting essential survival genes are loaded into RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) complexes, resulting in inescapable cell death. We now report that HIV infection in cells with low miRNA expression causes a shift of mostly cellular RISC-bound sRNAs to more toxic seeds. This could prime cells to DISE and is further enhanced by the viral microRNA (miRNA) HIV-miR-TAR-3p, which carries a toxic noncanonical 6-mer seed. Our data provide multiple new avenues to explore novel cell death mechanisms that could be used to kill latent HIV.

CD95/Fas ligand mRNA is toxic to cells through more than one mechanism

CD95/Fas ligand (CD95L) induces apoptosis through protein binding to the CD95 receptor. However, CD95L mRNA also induces toxicity in the absence of CD95 through induction of DISE (Death Induced by Survival Gene Elimination), a form of cell death mediated by RNA interference (RNAi). We now report that CD95L mRNA processing generates a short (s)RNA nearly identical to shL3, a commercial CD95L-targeting shRNA that led to the discovery of DISE. Neither of the miRNA biogenesis proteins Drosha nor Dicer are required for this processing. Interestingly, CD95L toxicity depends on the core component of the RISC, Ago2, in some cell lines, but not in others. In the HCT116 colon cancer cell line, Ago 1-4 appear to function redundantly in RNAi. In fact, Ago 1/2/3 knockout cells retain sensitivity to CD95L mRNA toxicity. Toxicity was only blocked by mutation of all in-frame start codons in the CD95L ORF. Dying cells exhibited an enrichment of RISC bound (R)-sRNAs with toxic 6mer seed sequences, while expression of the non-toxic CD95L mutant enriched for loading of R-sRNAs with nontoxic 6mer seeds. However, CD95L is not the only source of these R-sRNAs. We find that CD95L mRNA may induce DISE directly and indirectly, and that alternate mechanisms may underlie CD95L mRNA processing and toxicity.

CD95/Fas ligand induced toxicity

The role of CD95/Fas ligand (CD95L/FasL) in the induction of CD95-mediated extrinsic apoptosis is well characterized. Trimerized, membrane-bound CD95L ligates the CD95 receptor activating downstream signaling resulting in the execution of cells by caspase proteins. However, the expression of CD95L has been reported to induce cell death in contexts in which this pathway is unlikely to be activated, such as in cell autonomous activation induced cell death (AICD) and in CD95-resistant cancer cell lines. Recent data suggests that the CD95L mRNA exerts toxicity through death induced by survival gene elimination (DISE). DISE results from the targeting of networks of survival genes by toxic short RNA (sRNA)s in the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC). CD95L mRNA contributes to this death directly, through the processing of its mRNA into toxic sRNAs that are loaded into the RISC, and indirectly, by promoting the loading of other toxic sRNAs. Interestingly, CD95L is not the only mRNA that is processed and loaded into the RISC. Protein-coding mRNAs involved in protein translation are also selectively loaded. We propose a model in which networks of mRNA-derived sRNAs modulate DISE, with networks of genes providing non-toxic RISC substrate sRNAs that protect against DISE, and opposing networks of stress-activated genes that produce toxic RISC substrate sRNAs that promote DISE.

The length of uninterrupted CAG repeats in stem regions of repeat disease associated hairpins determines the amount of short CAG oligonucleotides that are toxic to cells through RNA interference

Extended CAG trinucleotide repeats (TNR) in the genes huntingtin (HTT) and androgen receptor (AR) are the cause of two progressive neurodegenerative disorders: Huntington's disease (HD) and Spinal and Bulbar Muscular Atrophy (SBMA), respectively. Anyone who inherits the mutant gene in the complete penetrance range (>39 repeats for HD and 44 for SBMA) will develop the disease. An inverse correlation exists between the length of the CAG repeat and the severity and age of onset of the diseases. Growing evidence suggests that it is the length of uninterrupted CAG repeats in the mRNA rather than the length of poly glutamine (polyQ) in mutant (m)HTT protein that determines disease progression. One variant of mHTT (loss of inhibition; LOI) causes a 25 year earlier onset of HD when compared to a reference sequence, despite both coding for a protein that contains an identical number of glutamines. Short 21-22 nt CAG repeat (sCAGs)-containing RNAs can cause disease through RNA interference (RNAi). RNA hairpins (HPs) forming at the CAG TNRs are stabilized by adjacent CCG (in HD) or CUG repeats (in SBMA) making them better substrates for Dicer, the enzyme that processes CAG HPs into sCAGs. We now show that cells deficient in Dicer or unable to mediate RNAi are resistant to the toxicity of the HTT and AR derived HPs. Expression of a small HP that mimics the HD LOI variant is more stable and more toxic than a reference HP. We report that the LOI HP is processed by Dicer, loaded into the RISC more efficiently, and gives rise to a higher quantity of RISC-bound 22 nt sCAGs. Our data support the notion that RNAi contributes to the cell death seen in HD and SBMA and provide an explanation for the dramatically reduced onset of disease in HD patients that carry the LOI variant.

Integrating single-cell RNA sequencing and prognostic model revealed the carcinogenicity and clinical significance of FAM83D in ovarian cancer

Background

Ovarian cancer (OC) is a fatal gynecological tumor with high mortality and poor prognosis. Yet, its molecular mechanism is still not fully explored, and early prognostic markers are still missing. In this study, we assessed carcinogenicity and clinical significance of family with sequence similarity 83 member D (FAM83D) in ovarian cancer by integrating single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and a prognostic model.

Methods

A 10x scRNA-seq analysis was performed on cells from normal ovary and high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) tissue. The prognostic model was constructed by Lasso-Cox regression analysis. The biological function of FAM83D on cell growth, invasion, migration, and drug sensitivity was examined in vitro in OC cell lines. Luciferase reporter assay was performed for binding analysis between FAM83D and microRNA-138-5p (miR-138-5p).

Results

Our integrative analysis identified a subset of malignant epithelial cells (C1) with epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and potential hyperproliferation gene signature. A FAM83D⁺ malignant epithelial subcluster (FAM83D⁺ MEC) was associated with cell cycle regulation, apoptosis, DNA repair, and EMT activation. FAM83D resulted as a viable prognostic marker in a prognostic model that efficiently predict the overall survival of OC patients. FAM83D downregulation in SKOV3 and A2780 cells increased cisplatin sensitivity, reducing OC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. MiR-138-5p was identified to regulate FAM83D's carcinogenic effect in OC cells.

Conclusions

Our findings highlight the importance of miR-138 -5p/FAM83D/EMT signaling and may provide new insights into therapeutic strategies for OC.

SPOROS: A pipeline to analyze DISE/6mer seed toxicity

microRNAs (miRNAs) are (18-22nt long) noncoding short (s)RNAs that suppress gene expression by targeting the 3’ untranslated region of target mRNAs. This occurs through the seed sequence located in position 2-7/8 of the miRNA guide strand, once it is loaded into the RNA induced silencing complex (RISC). G-rich 6mer seed sequences can kill cells by targeting C-rich 6mer seed matches located in genes that are critical for cell survival. This results in induction of Death Induced by Survival gene Elimination (DISE), through a mechanism we have called 6mer seed toxicity. miRNAs are often quantified in cells by aligning the reads from small (sm)RNA sequencing to the genome. However, the analysis of any smRNA Seq data set for predicted 6mer seed toxicity requires an alternative workflow, solely based on the exact position 2–7 of any short (s)RNA that can enter the RISC. Therefore, we developed SPOROS, a semi-automated pipeline that produces multiple useful outputs to predict and compare 6mer seed toxicity of cellular sRNAs, regardless of their nature, between different samples. We provide two examples to illustrate the capabilities of SPOROS: Example one involves the analysis of RISC-bound sRNAs in a cancer cell line (either wild-type or two mutant lines unable to produce most miRNAs). Example two is based on a publicly available smRNA Seq data set from postmortem brains (either from normal or Alzheimer’s patients). Our methods (found at https://github.com/ebartom/SPOROS and at Code Ocean: https://doi.org/10.24433/CO.1732496.v1) are designed to be used to analyze a variety of smRNA Seq data in various normal and disease settings.

We recently discovered a kill code embedded in the genome with powerful anti-cancer activity. It is based on only 6 nucleotides (comprised of A, G, C, or U) that when present in the sequence of a small double stranded RNA allows it to act like a microRNA (miRNA). miRNAs are important regulators of many cell functions. The ~2,300 known miRNAs in the human genome function through their business end, the seed sequence. When this seed sequence is 6 nucleotides long (6mer seed) and is comprised of mostly Gs, then these small RNAs can kill all cancer cells. Hence, this code is found in a number of miRNAs that have anti-cancer activities. However, the code is not limited to miRNAs and may also affect normal tissue under certain conditions. We have now developed SPOROS, a semi-automated bioinformatics pipeline that allows one to analyze any data set of sequenced small RNAs with a focus on their 6mer seed content and their potential to kill cells. We present two examples of such an analysis: the first example is a data set we generated on the expression of all small RNAs in a human colon cancer cell line compared to matching mutant cell lines that cannot produce most miRNAs; the second example is a publicly available data set of small RNAs isolated from normal brains and from brains of patients with Alzheimer’s disease.

Identification of the toxic 6mer seed consensus for human cancer cells

6mer seed toxicity is a novel cell death mechanism that kills cancer cells by triggering death induced by survival gene elimination (DISE). It is based on si- or shRNAs with a specific G-rich nucleotide composition in position 2-7 of their guide strand. An arrayed screen of 4096 6mer seeds on two human and two mouse cell lines identified G-rich 6mers as the most toxic seeds. We have now tested two additional cell lines, one human and one mouse, identifying the GGGGGC consensus as the most toxic average 6mer seed for human cancer cells while slightly less significant for mouse cancer cells. RNA Seq and bioinformatics analyses suggested that an siRNA containing the GGGGGC seed (siGGGGGC) is toxic to cancer cells by targeting GCCCCC seed matches located predominantly in the 3' UTR of a set of genes critical for cell survival. We have identified several genes targeted by this seed and demonstrate direct and specific targeting of GCCCCC seed matches, which is attenuated upon mutation of the GCCCCC seed matches in these 3' UTRs. Our data show that siGGGGGC kills cancer cells through its miRNA-like activity and points at artificial miRNAs, si- or shRNAs containing this seed as a potential new cancer therapeutics.

Dexmedetomidine Can Reduce the Level of Oxidative Stress and Serum miR-10a in Patients with Lung Cancer after Surgery

OBJECTIVE

 Lung cancer is a primary cause of cancer death. This study assessed the action of dexmedetomidine (DEX) on oxidative stress (OS) and microRNA 10a (miR-10a) in patients with lung cancer.

METHODS

 Patients were given 1 µg/kg DEX before anesthesia and control patients were given saline. The duration of intraoperative one-lung ventilation (OLV) and fluid intake were determined, and mean arterial pressure, heart rate and bispectral index were observed at the time of before anesthesia (T0), immediately after endotracheal intubation (T1), 1 hour after OLV (T2), and 10 minutes before the end of surgery (T3). The expressions and correlations of miR-10a, inflammation and OS levels in the serum were analyzed. The effects of DEX intervention and miR-10a level on pulmonary complications were analyzed.

RESULTS

 Patients with DEX intervention had lower levels of inflammation and OS during perioperative period than the controls. DEX intervention reduced miR-10a levels in patients during perioperative period. miR-10a in serum of patients with DEX intervention after surgery was positively-correlated with the concentrations of malondialdehyde, and inflammatory factors, while negatively-correlated with superoxide dismutase. The total incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications after DEX intervention was lowered. Patients with high miR-10a expression had a higher cumulative incidence of pulmonary complications than those with low miR-10a expression.

CONCLUSION

 DEX can reduce postoperative OS and plasma miR-10a level in patients with lung cancer, and high expression of miR-10a predicts a high incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications.

DISE/6mer seed toxicity-a powerful anti-cancer mechanism with implications for other diseases

micro(mi)RNAs are short noncoding RNAs that through their seed sequence (pos. 2-7/8 of the guide strand) regulate cell function by targeting complementary sequences (seed matches) located mostly in the 3' untranslated region (3' UTR) of mRNAs. Any short RNA that enters the RNA induced silencing complex (RISC) can kill cells through miRNA-like RNA interference when its 6mer seed sequence (pos. 2-7 of the guide strand) has a G-rich nucleotide composition. G-rich seeds mediate 6mer Seed Toxicity by targeting C-rich seed matches in the 3' UTR of genes critical for cell survival. The resulting Death Induced by Survival gene Elimination (DISE) predominantly affects cancer cells but may contribute to cell death in other disease contexts. This review summarizes recent findings on the role of DISE/6mer Seed Tox in cancer; its therapeutic potential; its contribution to therapy resistance; its selectivity, and why normal cells are protected. In addition, we explore the connection between 6mer Seed Toxicity and aging in relation to cancer and certain neurodegenerative diseases.