MiR-106a directly targets LIMK1 to inhibit proliferation and EMT of oral carcinoma cells

Exploring the impact of circRNAs on cancer glycolysis: Insights into tumor progression and therapeutic strategies

Cancer cells exhibit altered metabolic pathways, prominently featuring enhanced glycolytic activity to sustain their rapid growth and proliferation. Dysregulation of glycolysis is a well-established hallmark of cancer and contributes to tumor progression and resistance to therapy. Increased glycolysis supplies the energy necessary for increased proliferation and creates an acidic milieu, which in turn encourages tumor cells' infiltration, metastasis, and chemoresistance. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have emerged as pivotal players in diverse biological processes, including cancer development and metabolic reprogramming. The interplay between circRNAs and glycolysis is explored, illuminating how circRNAs regulate key glycolysis-associated genes and enzymes, thereby influencing tumor metabolic profiles. In this overview, we highlight the mechanisms by which circRNAs regulate glycolytic enzymes and modulate glycolysis. In addition, we discuss the clinical implications of dysregulated circRNAs in cancer glycolysis, including their potential use as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. All in all, in this overview, we provide the most recent findings on how circRNAs operate at the molecular level to control glycolysis in various types of cancer, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), prostate cancer (PCa), colorectal cancer (CRC), cervical cancer (CC), glioma, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), breast cancer, and gastric cancer (GC). In conclusion, this review provides a comprehensive overview of the significance of circRNAs in cancer glycolysis, shedding light on their intricate roles in tumor development and presenting innovative therapeutic avenues.

Molecular and Therapeutic Roles of Non-Coding RNAs in Oral Cancer-A Review

Oral cancer (OC) is among the most common malignancies in the world. Despite advances in therapy, the worst-case scenario for OC remains metastasis, with a 50% survival rate. Therefore, it is critical to comprehend the pathophysiology of the condition and to create diagnostic and treatment plans for OC. The development of high-throughput genome sequencing has revealed that over 90% of the human genome encodes non-coding transcripts, or transcripts that do not code for any proteins. This paper describes the function of these different kinds of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in OC as well as their intriguing therapeutic potential. The onset and development of OC, as well as treatment resistance, are linked to dysregulated ncRNA expression. These ncRNAs' potentially significant roles in diagnosis and prognosis have been suggested by their differing expression in blood or saliva. We have outlined every promising feature of ncRNAs in the treatment of OC in this study.

Systems biology approach to identify biomarkers and therapeutic targets for colorectal cancer

Background

Colorectal cancer (CRC), is the third most prevalent cancer across the globe, and is often detected at advanced stage. Late diagnosis of CRC, leave the chemotherapy and radiotherapy as the main options for the possible treatment of the disease which are associated with severe side effects. In the present study, we seek to explore CRC gene expression data using a systems biology framework to identify potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for earlier diagnosis and treatment of the disease.

Methods

The expression data was retrieved from the gene expression omnibus (GEO). Differential gene expression analysis was conducted using R/Bioconductor package. The PPI network was reconstructed by the STRING. Cystoscope and Gephi software packages were used for visualization and centrality analysis of the PPI network. Clustering analysis of the PPI network was carried out using k-mean algorithm. Gene-set enrichment based on Gene Ontology (GO) and KEGG pathway databases was carried out to identify the biological functions and pathways associated with gene groups. Prognostic value of the selected identified hub genes was examined by survival analysis, using GEPIA.

Results

A total of 848 differentially expressed genes were identified. Centrality analysis of the PPI network resulted in identification of 99 hubs genes. Clustering analysis dissected the PPI network into seven interactive modules. While several DEGs and the central genes in each module have already reported to contribute to CRC progression, survival analysis confirmed high expression of central genes, CCNA2, CD44, and ACAN contribute to poor prognosis of CRC patients. In addition, high expression of TUBA8, AMPD3, TRPC1, ARHGAP6, JPH3, DYRK1A and ACTA1 was found to associate with decreased survival rate.

Conclusion

Our results identified several genes with high centrality in PPI network that contribute to progression of CRC. The fact that several of the identified genes have already been reported to be relevant to diagnosis and treatment of CRC, other highlighted genes with limited literature information may hold potential to be explored in the context of CRC biomarker and drug target discovery.

An extended wave of global mRNA deadenylation sets up a switch in translation regulation across the mammalian oocyte-to-embryo transition

Without new transcription, gene expression across the oocyte-to-embryo transition (OET) relies instead on regulation of mRNA poly(A) tails to control translation. However, how tail dynamics shape translation across the OET in mammals remains unclear. We perform long-read RNA sequencing to uncover poly(A) tail lengths across the mouse OET and, incorporating published ribosome profiling data, provide an integrated, transcriptome-wide analysis of poly(A) tails and translation across the entire transition. We uncover an extended wave of global deadenylation during fertilization in which short-tailed, oocyte-deposited mRNAs are translationally activated without polyadenylation through resistance to deadenylation. Subsequently, in the embryo, mRNAs are readenylated and translated in a surge of global polyadenylation. We further identify regulation of poly(A) tail length at the isoform level and stage-specific enrichment of mRNA sequence motifs among regulated transcripts. These data provide insight into the stage-specific mechanisms of poly(A) tail regulation that orchestrate gene expression from oocyte to embryo in mammals.

Unraveling the role of miRNAs in the diagnosis, progression, and drug resistance of oral cancer

Oral cancer (OC) is a widely observed neoplasm on a global scale. Over time, there has been an increase in both its fatality and incidence rates. Oral cancer metastasis is a complex process that involves a number of cellular mechanisms, including invasion, migration, proliferation, and escaping from malignant tissue through either lymphatic or vascular channels. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a crucial class of short non-coding RNAs recognized as significant modulators of diverse cellular processes and exert a pivotal influence on the carcinogenesis pathway, functioning either as tumor suppressors or as oncogenes. It has been shown that microRNAs (miRNAs) have a role in metastasis at several stages, including epithelial-mesenchymal transition, migration, invasion, and colonization. This regulation is achieved by targeting key genes involved in these pathways by miRNAs. This paper aims to give a contemporary analysis of OC, focusing on its molecular genetics. The current literature and emerging advancements in miRNA dysregulation in OC are thoroughly examined. This project would advance OC diagnosis, prognosis, therapy, and therapeutic implications.

Ameliorative effect of Odontonema cuspidatum extract against testicular damage induced by sodium nitrite in rats

Background

Sodium nitrite (NaNO2) is a chemical substance used to enhance taste, add color, and keep food products fit for consumption for a longer time. NaNO2 gives rise to a negative adverse effect on male reproductive function. Odontonema cuspidatum (OC) is a natural plant that possesses antioxidant capacity.

Aim

Our research evaluates the potential beneficial effect of OC extract on the harmful effects caused by NaNO2 on the testicular tissue and sperm characteristics of male rats.

Methods

Four groups with a total of forty rats: the control, the NaNO2-received group, the OC-administered group, and the fourth group received both NaNO2 and OC. All groups were administered daily for two months. Sperm characteristics, testicular antioxidant status, qRT-PCR, and histopathological changes were evaluated.

Results

Coadministration of NaNO2 and OC, in comparison with NaNO2 alone, contributed to a notable enhancement in acrosomal integrity, decreasing sperm abnormalities and restoring serum testosterone levels. Moreover, such coadministration reduced the oxidative stress marker, malondialdehyde (MDA), and increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) in testicular tissue, lowering TNF-α gene expression, and increasing the expression of P450scc and StAR genes. In addition, the NaNO2 and OC combination decreased the testicular histopathological changes and the Caspase-3 and Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) immunoexpression in seminiferous tubules compared with the NaNO2 group.

Conclusion

The extract of OC exhibited the ability to decrease oxidative stress and ameliorate the detrimental effects caused by NaNO2.

LINC00662 promotes melanoma progression by competitively binding miR-107 and activating the β-catenin signaling pathway

Melanoma is a highly malignant tumor in the body. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been reported to be involved in the development of various tumors. Emerging evidence demonstrates the critical role of lncRNAs in melanoma development. In this study, we aimed to investigate the expression, biological function and regulatory mechanism of LINC00662 in melanomas. First, we found that LINC00662 was up-regulated in melanoma tissues and cell lines. High expression of LINC00662 in melanomas was associated with a poor patient prognosis. Silencing of LINC00662 suppressed the proliferation, migration, and invasion of melanoma cells in vitro and in vivo, while overexpression of LINC00662 promoted melanoma cell proliferation in vitro. Bioinformatics analysis, dual-luciferase assay, and RIP assay confirmed that LINC00662 competitively regulated miR-107. Silencing of LINC00662 upregulated miR-107 expression in a melanoma cell line. Inhibition of miR-107 significantly reversed the inhibitory effect of LINC00662 silencing on cell proliferation and migration. Furthermore, POU3F2 was validated as a downstream target of LINC00662/miR107 and was downregulated when LINC00662 was silenced. Overexpressing POU3F2 attenuated the effect of si-LINC00662 on cellular functions. In addition, the results also showed that the β-catenin pathway was involved in a si-LINC00662-induced function in melanoma. Overall, our results confirmed that LINC00662 promoted melanoma progression by sponging miR107 and inducing POU3F2, highlighting the mechanism of the LINC00662/miR-107/POU3F2 axis in melanoma cell proliferation and invasion.

"Salivary LINC00657 and miRNA-106a as diagnostic biomarkers for oral squamous cell carcinoma, an observational diagnostic study"

BACKGROUND

Early detection and diagnosis of malignant tumors is critical for improving the survival rate and treatment outcomes of oral cancer. Thus, the current prospective investigation was designed to verify the role, sensitivity, and specificity of salivary LINC00657 and miRNA-106a as diagnostic markers in oral squamous cell carcinoma patients as compared to oral lichen planus (as an example of oral potentially malignant disorders) and normal individuals, and to show LINC00657 relation to miR-106a.

METHODS

A total of 36 participants were included, subdivided into 3 groups: Group I: 12 patients diagnosed with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Group II: 12 patients diagnosed with oral lichen planus (OLP). Group III: 12 systemically free individuals with no oral mucosal lesions. Unstimulated salivary samples were collected from all participants to evaluate level of LINC00657 and miR-106a in different groups using quantitative real-time PCR.

RESULTS

OSCC showed the highest LINC00657 and lowest miR-106a fold change among included groups. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis of the two biomarkers for detecting OSCC revealed that LINC00657 had higher diagnostic accuracy (DA) (83.3%) compared to miR-106a (80.4%). As for detecting OLP, ROC analysis showed that miR-106a had higher (DA) (61%) compared to LINC00657 (52.5%). To discriminate OSCC from OLP, the diagnostic accuracy of both markers is the same (75%). Moreover, differentiating OSCC grades II and III, ROC analysis showed that miR-106a had lower (DA) (60%) compared to LINC00657 (DA) (83.3%).

CONCLUSIONS

Salivary LINC00657 and miR-106a could be promising diagnostic markers for oral squamous cell carcinoma. Salivary LINC00657 may differentiate oral squamous cell carcinoma from oral potentially malignant disorders with considerable diagnostic accuracy. Moreover, low levels of salivary miR-106a could have the potential to indicate malignancy.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

The study was retrospectively registered on clinicaltrial.gov with NCT05821179 (first trial registration in 26/3/2023), date of registration: 19/4/2023.

PDZ and LIM Domain-Encoding Genes: Their Role in Cancer Development

PDZ-LIM family proteins (PDLIMs) are a kind of scaffolding proteins that contain PDZ and LIM interaction domains. As protein-protein interacting molecules, PDZ and LIM domains function as scaffolds to bind to a variety of proteins. The PDLIMs are composed of evolutionarily conserved proteins found throughout different species. They can participate in cell signal transduction by mediating the interaction of signal molecules. They are involved in many important physiological processes, such as cell differentiation, proliferation, migration, and the maintenance of cellular structural integrity. Studies have shown that dysregulation of the PDLIMs leads to tumor formation and development. In this paper, we review and integrate the current knowledge on PDLIMs. The structure and function of the PDZ and LIM structural domains and the role of the PDLIMs in tumor development are described.

Non-Coding RNAs in Oral Cancer: Emerging Roles and Clinical Applications

Oral cancer (OC) is among the most prevalent cancers in the world. Certain geographical areas are disproportionately affected by OC cases due to the regional differences in dietary habits, tobacco and alcohol consumption. However, conventional therapeutic methods do not yield satisfying treatment outcomes. Thus, there is an urgent need to understand the disease process and to develop diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for OC. In this review, we discuss the role of various types of ncRNAs in OC, and their promising clinical implications as prognostic or diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets. MicroRNA (miRNA), long ncRNA (lncRNA), circular RNA (circRNA), PIWI-interacting RNA (piRNA), and small nucleolar RNA (snoRNA) are the major ncRNA types whose involvement in OC are emerging. Dysregulated expression of ncRNAs, particularly miRNAs, lncRNAs, and circRNAs, are linked with the initiation, progression, as well as therapy resistance of OC via modulation in a series of cellular pathways through epigenetic, transcriptional, post-transcriptional, and translational modifications. Differential expressions of miRNAs and lncRNAs in blood, saliva or extracellular vesicles have indicated potential diagnostic and prognostic importance. In this review, we have summarized all the promising aspects of ncRNAs in the management of OC.

MiR-145 inhibits cell migration and increases paclitaxel chemosensitivity in prostate cancer cells

Objectives

Prostate cancer (PC) is one of the most commonly diagnosed malignancies among men worldwide. Paclitaxel is a chemotherapeutic agent widely used to treat different types of cancer. Recent studies revealed miRNAs control various genes that influence the regulation of many biological and pathological processes such as the formation and development of cancer, chemotherapy resistance, etc.

Materials and Methods

Between three PC cell lines (PC3, DU-145, LNCAP), PC3 showed the lowest miR-145 expression and was chosen for experiments. PC3 cells were treated with paclitaxel and miR-145 separately or in combination. To measure the cell viability, migratory capacity, autophagy, cell cycle progression, and apoptosis induction, the MTT assay, wound-healing assay, and Annexin V/PI apoptosis assay were used, respectively. Moreover, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was employed to measure the expression level of genes involved in apoptosis, migration, and stemness properties.

Results

Obtained results illustrated that miR-145 transfection could enhance the sensitivity of PC3 cells to paclitaxel and increase paclitaxel-induced apoptosis by modulating the expression of related genes, including Caspase-3, Caspase-9, Bax, and Bcl-2. Also, results showed combination therapy increased cell cycle arrest at the sub-G1 phase. miR-145 and paclitaxel cooperatively reduced migration ability and related-metastatic and stemness gene expression, including MMP-2, MMP-9, CD44, and SOX-2. In addition, combination therapy can suppress MDR1 expression.

Conclusion

These results confirmed that miR-145 combined with paclitaxel cooperatively could inhibit cell proliferation and migration and increase the chemosensitivity of PC3 cells compared to mono treatment. So, miR-145 combination therapy may be used as a promising approach for PC treatment.

MF-094 nanodelivery inhibits oral squamous cell carcinoma by targeting USP30

BACKGROUND

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a common head and neck cancer, and the incidence of OSCC is increasing. As the mortality of OSCC keeps increasing, it is crucial to clarify its pathogenesis and develop new therapeutic strategies.

METHODS

Confocal laser scanning microscopy was used to evaluate the uptake of nanoparticles (NPs). The potential functions of USP30 were evaluated by cell counting kit (CCK)-8, flow cytometry, biochemical assay, coimmunoprecipitation, qRT-PCR, and immunoblotting. The antitumor effect of NP-loaded USP30 inhibitor MF-094 was evaluated in vitro and in vivo.

RESULTS

In this study, increased USP30 expression was found in OSCC specimens and cell lines through qRT-PCR and immunoblotting. CCK-8, flow cytometry, and biochemical assay revealed that the deubiquitylated catalytic activity of USP30 contributed to cell viability and glutamine consumption of OSCC. Subsequently, USP30 inhibitor MF-094 was loaded in ZIF-8-PDA and PEGTK to fabricate ZIF-8-PDA-PEGTK nanoparticles, which exhibited excellent inhibition of cell viability and glutamine consumption of OSCC, both in vitro and in vivo.

CONCLUSION

The results indicated the clinical significance of USP30 and showed that nanocomposites provide a targeted drug delivery system for treating OSCC.

Comprehensive landscape and future perspectives of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in colorectal cancer (CRC): Based on a bibliometric analysis

This review aimed to use bibliometric analysis to sort out, analyze and summarize the knowledge foundation and hot topics in the field of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in colorectal cancer (CRC), and point out future trends to inspire related research and innovation. We used CiteSpace to analyze publication outputs, countries, institutions, authors, journals, references, and keywords. Knowledge foundations, hotspots, and future trends were then depicted. The overall research showed the trend of biomedical-oriented multidisciplinary. Much evidence indicates that lncRNA plays the role of oncogene or tumor suppressor in the occurrence and development of CRC. Besides, many lncRNAs have multiple mechanisms. lncRNAs and metastasis of CRC, lncRNAs and drug resistance of CRC, and the clinical application of lncRNAs in CRC are current research hotspots. Through insight into the development trend of lncRNAs in CRC, this study will help researchers extract hidden valuable information for further research.

Strategy of a cell-derived extracellular matrix for the construction of an osteochondral interlayer

Osteochondral defects pose an enormous challenge due to the lack of an effective repair strategy. To tackle this issue, the importance of a calcified cartilage interlayer (CCL) in modulating osteochondral regeneration should be valued. Herein, we proposed that an extracellular matrix (ECM) derived from a suitable cell source might efficiently promote the formation of calcified cartilage. To the end, cell sheets from four kinds of cells, including bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), pre-osteoblasts (MC3T3), chondrocytes (Cho), and artificially induced hypertrophic chondrocytes (HCho), were obtained by seeding the cells on electrospun fibrous meshes, followed by decellularization to prepare decellularized ECMs (D-ECMs) for BMSC re-seeding and differentiation studies. For cell proliferation, the BMSC-derived D-ECM exhibited the strongest promotion effect. For inducing the hypertrophic phenotype of re-seeded BMSCs, both the BMSC-derived and HCho-derived D-ECMs demonstrated stronger capacity in up-regulating the depositions of related proteins and the expressions of marker genes, as compared to the MC3T3-derived and Cho-derived D-ECMs. Accordingly, from the histological results of their subcutaneous implantation in rats, both the BMSC-derived and HCho-derived D-ECMs displayed obvious Masson's trichrome and Safranin-O/Fast-Green staining colors simultaneously, representing the characteristics related to osteogenesis and chondrogenesis. Differently, MC3T3-derived and Cho-derived D-ECMs were mainly detected during the osteogenic or chondrogenic expression, respectively. These findings confirmed that the BMSC-derived D-ECM could induce hypertrophic chondrocytes, though being a little inferior to the HCho-derived D-ECM. Overall, the BMSC-derived D-ECM could be a potential material in constructing the interlayer for osteochondral tissue engineering scaffolds to improve the regeneration efficiency.

Exosome application in treatment and diagnosis of B-cell disorders: leukemias, multiple sclerosis, and arthritis rheumatoid

Exosomes, known as a type of extracellular vesicles (EVs), are lipid particles comprising heterogeneous contents such as nucleic acids, proteins, and DNA. These bi-layered particles are naturally released into the extracellular periphery by a variety of cells such as neoplastic cells. Given that exosomes have unique properties, they can be used as vectors and carriers of biological and medicinal particles like drugs for delivering to the desired areas. The proteins and RNAs being encompassed by the circulating exosomes in B-cell malignancies are deemed as the promising sources for diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers, as well as therapeutic agents. Exosomes can also provide a "snapshot" view of the tumor and metastatic landscape at any particular time. Further, clinical research has shown that exosomes are produced by immune cells such as dendritic cells can stimulate the immune system, so these exosomes can be used in antitumor vaccines. Despite the great potential of exosomes in the fields of diagnostic and treatment, further studies are in need for these purposes to reach a convergence notion. This review highlights the applications of exosomes in multiple immune-related diseases, including chronic lymphocytic leukemia, multiple sclerosis, and arthritis rheumatoid, as well as explaining sundry aspects of exosome therapy and the function of exosomes in diagnosing diseases.

Research progress and clinical application prospects of miRNAs in oral cancer

Oral cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors worldwide, and it is also one of the most important and difficult clinical problems to be solved. Due to the regional differences in diet culture, some areas have taken the 'hardest hit' of oral cancer cases. However, the existing clinical treatment methods (surgery as the main treatment method, radiotherapy and chemotherapy as the auxiliary ones) do not have satisfactory treatment effects; therefore, new diagnosis and treatment methods need to be developed and utilized. Micro RNAs (miRNAs), as a class of substances that play an important regulatory role in the development of tumors, have an important value in the diagnosis and treatment of various tumors. At the same time, many miRNAs have obvious expression differences in oral cancer tissues compared to normal tissues. Therefore, they may have diagnostic and therapeutic effects on oral cancer. In this review, we evaluate the miRNAs that play a regulatory role in the development of oral cancer and those that are expected to be applied in the diagnosis and treatment of oral cancer. At the same time, we summarize the important challenges that need to be addressed, aiming to provide evidence and suggestions for the application of miRNAs in the diagnosis and treatment of oral cancer.

CRISPR/Cas9 application in cancer therapy: a pioneering genome editing tool

The progress of genetic engineering in the 1970s brought about a paradigm shift in genome editing technology. The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR associated protein 9 (CRISPR/Cas9) system is a flexible means to target and modify particular DNA sequences in the genome. Several applications of CRISPR/Cas9 are presently being studied in cancer biology and oncology to provide vigorous site-specific gene editing to enhance its biological and clinical uses. CRISPR's flexibility and ease of use have enabled the prompt achievement of almost any preferred alteration with greater efficiency and lower cost than preceding modalities. Also, CRISPR/Cas9 technology has recently been applied to improve the safety and efficacy of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapies and defeat tumor cell resistance to conventional treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The current review summarizes the application of CRISPR/Cas9 in cancer therapy. We also discuss the present obstacles and contemplate future possibilities in this context.

Potential anticancer properties and mechanisms of thymoquinone in osteosarcoma and bone metastasis

Despite great advances, therapeutic approaches of osteosarcoma, the most prevalent class of preliminary pediatric bone tumors, as well as bone-related malignancies, continue to demonstrate insufficient adequacy. In recent years, a growing trend toward applying natural bioactive compounds, particularly phytochemicals, as novel agents for cancer treatment has been observed. Bioactive phytochemicals exert their anticancer features through two main ways: they induce cytotoxic effects against cancerous cells without having any detrimental impact on normal cell macromolecules such as DNA and enzymes, while at the same time combating the oncogenic signaling axis activated in tumor cells. Thymoquinone (TQ), the most abundant bioactive compound of Nigella sativa, has received considerable attention in cancer treatment owing to its distinctive properties, including apoptosis induction, cell cycle arrest, angiogenesis and metastasis inhibition, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, along with inducing immune system responses and reducing side effects of traditional chemotherapeutic drugs. The present review is focused on the characteristics and mechanisms by which TQ exerts its cytotoxic effects on bone malignancies.

The emerging role non-coding RNAs in B cell-related disorders

Long non-coding RNAs and microRNAs have recently attained much attention regarding their role in the development of B cell lineage as well as participation in the lymphomagenesis. These transcripts have a highly cell type specific signature which endows them the potential to be used as biomarkers for clinical situations. Aberrant expression of several non-coding RNAs has been linked with B cell malignancies and immune related disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematous, asthma and graft-versus-host disease. Moreover, these transcripts can alter response of immune system to infectious conditions. miR-7, miR-16-1, miR-15a, miR-150, miR-146a, miR-155, miR-212 and miR-132 are among microRNAs whose role in the development of B cell-associated disorders has been investigated. Similarly, SNHG14, MALAT1, CRNDE, AL133346.1, NEAT1, SMAD5-AS1, OR3A4 and some other long non-coding RNAs participate in this process. In the current review, we describe the role of non-coding RNAs in B cell malignancies.

MicroRNA let-7 and viral infections: focus on mechanisms of action

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are fundamental post-transcriptional modulators of several critical cellular processes, a number of which are involved in host defense mechanisms. In particular, miRNA let-7 functions as an essential regulator of the function and differentiation of both innate and adaptive immune cells. Let-7 is involved in several human diseases, including cancer and viral infections. Several viral infections have found ways to dysregulate the expression of miRNAs. Extracellular vesicles (EV) are membrane-bound lipid structures released from many types of human cells that can transport proteins, lipids, mRNAs, and miRNAs, including let-7. After their release, EVs are taken up by the recipient cells and their contents released into the cytoplasm. Let-7-loaded EVs have been suggested to affect cellular pathways and biological targets in the recipient cells, and can modulate viral replication, the host antiviral response, and the action of cancer-related viruses. In the present review, we summarize the available knowledge concerning the expression of let-7 family members, functions, target genes, and mechanistic involvement in viral pathogenesis and host defense. This may provide insight into the development of new therapeutic strategies to manage viral infections.

Protective and therapeutic role of melatonin against tunicamycin-induced ER stress in testicular tissue of rats

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to investigate the possible consequences of administering exogenous melatonin as prevention or treatment against tunicamycin-induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in the testicular tissue of rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this study, 42 adult Sprague Dawley rats, randomly divided into seven equal groups, were administered intraperitoneal tunicamycin to induce ER stress. Both prophylactic (PMel) and therapeutic melatonin (TMel) groups were administered melatonin for seven days. ER stress in the cell was detected through immunohistochemical and molecular analyses using GPR78 expression.

RESULTS

Increased oxidant levels and apoptosis rates were shown in testicular tissue because of ER stress. The sections in the melatonin-administered and control groups were similar, with melatonin-administered groups showing an increase in the antioxidant ratio. Histometric examinations revealed both TMel and melatonin applications reduced the diameter of the tubules. However, immunohistochemical and molecular analyses showed that PMel administration decreased the concentration of GRP78 more effectively than TMel.

CONCLUSION

Applying melatonin prior to cell damage occurrence can be recommended for its effectiveness in protecting from tunicamycin-induced ER stress.

Molecular targets and therapeutics in chemoresistance of triple-negative breast cancer

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a specific subtype of breast cancer (BC), which shows immunohistochemically negative expression of hormone receptor i.e., Estrogen receptor and Progesterone receptor along with the absence of Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor-2 (HER2/neu). In Indian scenario the prevalence of BC is 26.3%, whereas, in West Bengal the cases are of 18.4%. But the rate of TNBC has increased up to 31% and shows 27% of total BC. Conventional chemotherapy is effective only in the initial stages but with progression of the disease the effectivity gets reduced and shown almost no effect in later or advanced stages of TNBC. Thus, TNBC patients frequently develop resistance and metastasis, due to its peculiar triple-negative nature most of the hormonal therapies also fails. Development of chemoresistance may involve various factors, such as, TNBC heterogeneity, cancer stem cells (CSCs), signaling pathway deregulation, DNA repair mechanism, hypoxia, and other molecular factors. To overcome the challenges to treat TNBC various targets and molecules have been exploited including CSCs modulator, drug efflux transporters, hypoxic factors, apoptotic proteins, and regulatory signaling pathways. Moreover, to improve the targets and efficacy of treatments researchers are emphasizing on targeted therapy for TNBC. In this review, an effort has been made to focus on phenotypic and molecular variations in TNBC along with the role of conventional as well as newly identified pathways and strategies to overcome challenge of chemoresistance.

Inferring miRNA-disease associations using collaborative filtering and resource allocation on a tripartite graph

BACKGROUND

Developing efficient and successful computational methods to infer potential miRNA-disease associations is urgently needed and is attracting many computer scientists in recent years. The reason is that miRNAs are involved in many important biological processes and it is tremendously expensive and time-consuming to do biological experiments to verify miRNA-disease associations.

METHODS

In this paper, we proposed a new method to infer miRNA-disease associations using collaborative filtering and resource allocation algorithms on a miRNA-disease-lncRNA tripartite graph. It combined the collaborative filtering algorithm in CFNBC model to solve the problem of imbalanced data and the method for association prediction established multiple types of known associations among multiple objects presented in TPGLDA model.

RESULTS

The experimental results showed that our proposed method achieved a reliable performance with Area Under Roc Curve (AUC) and Area Under Precision-Recall Curve (AUPR) values of 0.9788 and 0.9373, respectively, under fivefold-cross-validation experiments. It outperformed than some other previous methods such as DCSMDA and TPGLDA. Furthermore, it demonstrated the ability to derive new associations between miRNAs and diseases among 8, 19 and 14 new associations out of top 40 predicted associations in case studies of Prostatic Neoplasms, Heart Failure, and Glioma diseases, respectively. All of these new predicted associations have been confirmed by recent literatures. Besides, it could discover new associations for new diseases (or miRNAs) without any known associations as demonstrated in the case study of Open-angle glaucoma disease.

CONCLUSION

With the reliable performance to infer new associations between miRNAs and diseases as well as to discover new associations for new diseases (or miRNAs) without any known associations, our proposed method can be considered as a powerful tool to infer miRNA-disease associations.

Targeting long non coding RNA by natural products: Implications for cancer therapy

In spite of achieving substantial progress in its therapeutic strategies, cancer-associated prevalence and mortality are persistently rising globally. However, most malignant cancers either cannot be adequately diagnosed at the primary phase or resist against multiple treatments such as chemotherapy, surgery, radiotherapy as well as targeting therapy. In recent decades, overwhelming evidences have provided more convincing words on the undeniable roles of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in incidence and development of various cancer types. Recently, phytochemical and nutraceutical compounds have received a great deal of attention due to their inhibitory and stimulatory effects on oncogenic and tumor suppressor lncRNAs respectively that finally may lead to attenuate various processes of cancer cells such as growth, proliferation, metastasis and invasion. Therefore, application of phytochemicals with anticancer characteristics can be considered as an innovative approach for treating cancer and increasing the sensitivity of cancer cells to standard prevailing therapies. The purpose of this review was to investigate the effect of various phytochemicals on regulation of lncRNAs in different human cancer and evaluate their capabilities for cancer treatment and prevention.

MiR-32-5p promoted epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition of oral squamous cell carcinoma cells via regulating the KLF2/CXCR4 pathway

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the most common carcinomas of the oral cavity. However, the regulatory mechanisms on miR-32-5p remain poorly understood in OSCC. The expression of miR-32-5p, Krüppel-like factor 2 (KLF2), C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4), and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related proteins (E-cadherin, Vimentin, N-cadherin, and Snail) were evaluated were assessed using RT-qPCR and Western blot. 3-(4, 5-Dimethylthiazolyl2)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, wound healing assay, and transwell assay were employed to detect cell proliferation, migration, and invasion of OSCC cells. Finally, dual-luciferase reporter assay was performed to verify the binding relationship between KLF2 and miR-32-5p. MiR-32-5p was highly expressed while KLF2 was lowly expressed in OSCC cells, and miR-32-5p knockdown or KLF2 overexpression could markedly reduce cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and EMT of OSCC cells. What is more, KLF2 was the target of miR-32-5p, and knockdown of KLF2 abolished the inhibitory effect of miR-32-5p inhibitor on progression of OSCC. Finally, CXCR4 expression was negatively regulated by KLF2, and inhibition of CXCR4 obviously alleviated the biological effects of si-KLF2 on the progression of OSCC. MiR-32-5p could enhance cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and EMT of OSCC cells, and the discovery of miR-32-5p/KLF2/CXCR4 axis might provide potential therapeutic targets for OSCC.

MiR-199b-5p Promotes Gastric Cancer Progression by Regulating HHIP Expression

Objectives

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common malignant tumors. More and more evidences support the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in tumor progression. However, the role of miRNAs in human GC remains largely unknown.

Methods

Based on the published gastric cancer expression profile data, combined with bioinformatics analysis, potential miRNAs in the process of GC were screened. The expression of miR-199b-5p in GC cells and patients’ plasma was detected by RT-PCR. The effects of miR-199b-5p on GC in vitro were detected by EdU proliferation assay, colony formation assay, Transwell assay and wound healing assay. Western blot was used to detect epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) related proteins. The subcutaneous tumorigenesis model and metastatic tumor model of mice were used to study its effect in vivo. Bioinformatics and Dual luciferase reporter assay were used to verify the effect of miR-199b-5p and its target gene.

Results

Through bioinformatics analysis, we screened a novel miRNA miR-199b-5p that was significantly up-regulated in GC tissue and associated with poor prognosis of GC patients. RT-PCR results showed that its expression was also up-regulated in GC cell lines and patients’ plasma. MiR-199b-5p can significantly promote GC cell proliferation and migration in vitro and in vivo. Western blot showed that miR-199b-5p could promote the EMT process of GC. HHIP has been proved to be a target of miR-199b-5p, and the recovery of HHIP can weaken the effect of miR-199b-5p.

Conclusion

MiR-199b-5p may play an oncogene role in GC by targeting HHIP, suggesting that miR-199b-5p may be a potential therapeutic target for GC.

Circ-SFMBT2 drives the malignant phenotypes of esophageal cancer by the miR-107-dependent regulation of SLC1A5

Background

Increasing studies focused on the regulatory roles of circular RNAs (circRNAs) in diverse cancers. This study was to evaluate the function and mechanism of circRNA Scm-like with four malignant brain tumor domains 2 (circ-SFMBT2) in esophageal cancer (EC).

Methods

The circ-SFMBT2, microRNA-107 (miR-107) and solute-linked carrier family A1 member 5 (SLC1A5) levels were analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Cell proliferation was evaluated by 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-y1)-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, colony formation assay and EdU assay. Cell apoptosis and invasion were detected by flow cytometry and transwell assay. Glutamine metabolism was assessed by the corresponding kits for glutamine consumption, α-ketoglutarate production and glutamate production. Western blot was used for protein quantification. The binding analysis was performed using dual-luciferase reporter assay, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) and pull-down assays. The functional research of circ-SFMBT2 in vivo was performed by xenograft tumor assay. Exosomes were identified by morphological observation and protein detection.

Results

Circ-SFMBT2 was overexpressed in EC samples and cells. Circ-SFMBT2 downregulation inhibited EC cell proliferation, invasion and glutamine metabolism. Circ-SFMBT2 targeted miR-107 and the regulation of circ-SFMBT2 was achieved by sponging miR-107. SLC1A5 was a target of miR-107, and it worked as an oncogene in EC cells. MiR-107 retarded the EC progression by downregulating SLC1A5. Circ-SFMBT2 could affect the SLC1A5 expression by targeting miR-107. Circ-SFMBT2 regulated EC progression in vivo by miR-107/SLC1A5 axis. Circ-SFMBT2 was transferred by exosomes in EC cells.

Conclusion

These results suggested that circ-SFMBT2 upregulated the SLC1A5 expression to promote the malignant development of EC by serving as a miR-107 sponge.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12935-021-02156-8.

MicroRNA-151a-3p Functions in the Regulation of Osteoclast Differentiation: Significance to Postmenopausal Osteoporosis

BACKGROUND

Studies have found the pivotal role of miRNAs in the progression of postmenopausal osteoporosis (OP). However, the function of miRNAs in OP is unclear. This study aimed to explore the biological functions of microRNA-151a-3p in OP.

METHODS

RT-qPCR was employed to assess the expression of microRNA-151a-3p in serum isolated from OP patients and healthy controls. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) was used to measure the bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumbar spine. The expression levels of c-Fos, NFATc1, and TRAP were tested by Western blot. Ovariectomized (OVX) rats were treated with antago microRNA-151a-3p or antago NC, and then serum and lumbar vertebrae were collected for ELISA and bone histomorphology analysis.

RESULTS

The expression of microRNA-151a-3p in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis was significantly up-regulated, and microRNA-151a-3p level was negatively correlated with BMD. During osteoclastogenesis, microRNA-151a-3p level was obviously increased. Overexpression of microRNA-151a-3p promoted the differentiation of RANKL-induced THP-1 and RAW264.7 cells into osteoclasts, whereas silencing of microRNA-151a-3p resulted in the opposite results. Silencing of microRNA-151a-3p in OVX rats altered osteoclastogenesis-related factors and raised BMD.

CONCLUSION

MicroRNA-151a-3p could partly regulate osteoporosis by promoting osteoclast differentiation, and miRNA-151a-3p could be a potential therapeutic target for postmenopausal osteoporosis.

MicroRNA-367 directly targets PIK3R3 to inhibit proliferation and invasion of oral carcinoma cells

Recently, microRNA-367 (miR-367) has been reported to function as both tumor suppressor and oncogene in several cancer types, including gastric cancer, hepatocellular cancer and lung cancer. However, the biological function of miR-367 and its precise mechanisms in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) have not been well clarified. The aim of the present study was to study the roles of miR-367/PIK3R3 axis in OSCC. The levels of PIK3R3 and miR-367 were detected by quantitative PCR assay in OSCC tissues and cell lines. Moreover, the biological roles of miR-367 and PIK3R3 in OSCC cells were assessed by cell proliferation and invasion. The mRNA and protein levels of PIK3R3 were determined by using quantitative PCR and Western blotting assays. Luciferase assays were used to confirm that PIK3R3 was one target of miR-367. In the present study, the miR-367 level was dramatically reduced in OSCC tissues and cell lines, and the PIK3R3 expression was significantly enhanced. What’s more, the PIK3R3 expression was negatively related to the miR-367 level in OSCC tissues. Furthermore, up-regulation of miR-367 obviously restrained OSCC cells proliferation and invasion. We confirmed that miR-367 could directly target PIK3R3 by luciferase reporter assay. Besides, knockdown of PIK3R3 also could markedly inhibit the proliferation and invasion of OSCC cells. Finally, overexpression of miR-367 in OSCC cells partially reversed the promoted effects of PIK3R3 up-regulation. Overexpression of miR-367 restrained OSCC cells proliferation and invasion via regulation of PIK3R3.

MicroRNA-125a-5p targets LIM kinase 1 to inhibit cisplatin resistance of cervical cancer cells

Cervical cancer (CC), also known as invasive cervical carcinoma, is one of the most common gynecologic malignancies. The aim of the present study was to investigate the function of microRNA (miR)-125a-5p on CC progression and cisplatin (DDP) resistance. For this purpose, reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was used to assess the expression of miR-125a-5p and LIMK1 in CC tissues, corresponding normal tissues and cells (human CC cell lines: C-33A, CaSKi; human cervical epithelial cells: HUCEC). Cisplatin (DDP) resistant cervical cancer cell lines were established (C-33A/DDP and CaSKi/DDP cell lines). RT-qPCR results demonstrated that miR-125a-5p or LIM kinase 1 (LIMK1) expression was downregulated or upregulated in C-33A/DDP and CaSKi/DDP cells, respectively. MTT assay, flow cytometry analysis and Western blotting were employed to detect the proliferation, apoptosis rate, IC₅₀ of DDP and the expression of drug resistance-related proteins (P-glycoprotein and glutathione S-transferase-π). The targeting relationship between miR-125a-5p and LIMK1 was confirmed by the TargetScan database and dual-luciferase reporter gene assay. In CC tissues and cell lines, compared with normal tissues or HUCEC, miR-125a-5p expression was downregulated and LIMK1 expression was upregulated. The transfection with miR-125a-5p mimics decreased the proliferation of CaSKi/DDP cells, increased the apoptosis rate, reduced the IC₅₀ of DDP, and downregulated the expression of drug resistance-related proteins; conversely, LIMK1 overexpression decreased the apoptosis rate, increased the IC₅₀ of DDP, and upregulated the expression of drug resistance-related proteins. The luciferase reporter gene assay demonstrated that miR-125a-5p targeted and negatively regulated LIMK1. miR-125a-5p could partially reverse the effect of LIMK1 on the proliferation, apoptosis, IC₅₀ of DDP and the expressions of drug resistance-related proteins. The findings of the present study indicated that miR-125a-5p sensitizes CC cells to DDP by targeting LIMK1, hence increasing the anticancer efficacy of cisplatin.

MicroRNAs as Modulators of Oral Tumorigenesis-A Focused Review

Oral cancers constitute the majority of head and neck tumors, with a relatively high incidence and poor survival rate in developing countries. While the five-year survival rates of the oral cancer patients have increased to 65%, the overall survival for advanced stages has been at 27% for the past ten years, emphasizing the necessity for further understanding the etiology of the disease, diagnosis, and formulating possible novel treatment regimens. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a family of small non-coding RNA, have emerged as master modulators of gene expression in various cellular and biological process. Aberrant expression of these dynamic molecules has been associated with many human diseases, including oral cancers. The deregulated miRNAs have been shown to control various oncogenic processes, including sustaining proliferative signaling, evading growth suppressors, resisting cell death activating invasion and metastasis, and inducing angiogenesis. Hence, the aberrant expression of miRNAs associated with oral cancers, makes them potential candidates for the investigation of functional markers, which will aid in the differential diagnosis, prognosis, and development of novel therapeutic regimens. This review presents a holistic insight into our understanding of the role of miRNAs in regulating various hallmarks of oral tumorigenesis.

MiR-509-3p Induces Apoptosis and Affects the Chemosensitivity of Cervical Cancer Cells by Targeting the RAC1/PAK1/LIMK1/Cofilin Pathway

Chemoresistance is one of the main factors of treatment failure of cervical cancer (CC). Here, we intended to discover the role and mechanism of miR-509-5p in the paclitaxel chemoresistance of CC cells. RT-PCR was conducted to verify miR-509-3p expression. HCC94 and C-33A paclitaxel-resistant CC cell models were constructed. Additionally, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and flow cytometry were performed to verify the viability and apoptosis of HCC94 and C-33A cells after upregulating miR-509-3p. Besides, the downstream target of miR-509-3p was analyzed by bioinformatics, and the targeted relationship between miR-509-3p and RAC1 was identified by the dual-luciferase reporter assay and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay. Further, the expression of apoptotic proteins (Bcl2, Bax, and Caspase3) and the RAC1/PAK1/LIMK1/Cofilin pathway was monitored by Western blot. The result showed that upregulating miR-509-3p markedly inhibited the viability and promoted the apoptosis of CC cells. On the other hand, miR-509-3p was distinctly downregulated in paclitaxel-resistant HCC94 and C-33A cells (vs. normal cells). The transfection of miR-509-3p mimics notably increased their sensitivity to paclitaxel. Meanwhile, RAC1 was found as the potential target of miR-509-3p in bioinformatics analysis. Moreover, the RAC1/p21 (RAC1) activated kinase 1 (PAK1)/LIM kinase 1 (LIMK1)/Cofilin pathway was significantly activated in paclitaxel-resistant HCC94 and C-33A cells, while miR-509-3p overexpression significantly inactivated this pathway. Additionally, downregulation of RAC1 also partly reversed the paclitaxel-resistance of CC cells and inhibited PAK1/LIMK1/Cofilin. All in all, miR-509-3p enhances the apoptosis and chemosensitivity of CC cells by regulating the RAC1/PAK1/LIMK1/Cofilin pathway.

Melatonin Inhibits the Progression of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma via Inducing miR-25-5p Expression by Directly Targeting NEDD9

Melatonin exerts anti-cancer roles in various types of cancers. However, to the best of our knowledge, its role in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is unknown. The present study aimed to investigate the role of melatonin and its underlying mechanism in OSCC. MTT, colony formation, wound healing, and transwell invasion assays proved that melatonin played anti-tumor effects in OSCC cells by inhibiting cell viability, proliferation, migration, and invasion in a concentration-dependent manner. The RT-qPCR analysis showed that miR-25-5p was significantly upregulated after melatonin treatment. Further, miR-25-5p might be involved in melatonin-induced inhibitory effects on the biological behavior of OSCC. The expression of miR-25-5p was decreased in tumor tissues and OSCC cells detected by RT-qPCR. MTT assay, colony formation assay, and TUNEL staining indicated miR-25-5p overexpression inhibited OSCC cell viability, proliferation, and induced OSCC cell apoptosis. Furthermore, wound healing, transwell invasion assay, and animal experiments suggested that miR-25-5p might exert suppressive effects on the migration, invasion, and tumor formation of OSCC cells, while miR-25-5p knockdown exhibited the opposite effects in OSCC cells. Bioinformatics analysis, western blot analysis, and luciferase reporter assay suggested that neural precursor cell expressed developmentally downregulated protein 9 (NEDD9) was proved to be a putative target for miR-25-5p. The role of NEDD9 in inhibiting OSCC cell proliferation, invasion, and migration was verified with NEDD9 siRNA transfection. Thus, melatonin exerted anti-proliferative, anti-invasive, and anti-migrative effects on OSCC via miR-25-5p/NEDD9 pathway. Melatonin could be applied as a potential novel drug on treating OSCC.

miR-106a Targets Anoctamin 1 (ANO1) to Regulate Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-Induced Inflammatory Response in Macrophages

Background

Sepsis is an organ dysfunction characterized by systemic inflammatory response. Micro(mi)ribonucleic acids take part in the regulation of the inflammatory response in many conditions. However, the role and mechanism of miR-106a and anoctamin 1 (ANO1) in the inflammatory response in sepsis remain largely unknown.

Material/Methods

The serum samples were collected from 31 sepsis patients and healthy volunteers. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated RAW264.7 cells were used for the study in vitro. The inflammatory response was investigated via interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha levels using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The expression abundances of miR-106a and ANO1 were detected via qRT-PCR or western blot. The target association between miR-106a and ANO1 was explored using dual-luciferase reporter analysis.

Results

The inflammatory response was trigged in sepsis and LPS-treated RAW264.7 cells. miR-106a expression was enhanced and ANO1 declined in sepsis and LPS-treated RAW264.7 cells. Overexpression of ANO1 suppressed the inflammatory response and knockdown of ANO1 promoted the inflammatory response in RAW264.7 cells. ANO1 was directly targeted via miR-106a, and miR-106a reversed ANO1-mediated inflammatory inhibition in LPS-treated RAW264.7 cells.

Conclusions

MiR-106a regulated LPS-induced inflammatory response by targeting ANO1 in RAW264.7 cells, indicating the potential value of miR-106a for treatment of inflammatory diseases, including sepsis.

LncRNA NEAT1 mediates progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma via VEGF-A and Notch signaling pathway

BACKGROUND

lncRNAs and VEGF have been shown to have close connections with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). We explored the interaction between lncRNA NEAT1 and VEGF-A in OSCC.

METHODS

RT-qPCR was implemented to measure levels of lncRNA NEAT1 and VEGF-A in OSCC cell lines and normal cell lines. Cell functions then were checked after regulating the expressions of lncRNA NEAT1 and VEGF-A separately. Cell viabilities were examined with CCK-8 and apoptosis rate was checked with flow cytometry. Meanwhile, EMT-related genes E-cadherin, N-cadherin, Vimentin, and Snail and Notch signaling genes Notch1, Notch2, and Jagged were evaluated by RT-qPCR. IMR-1 was applied for impeding Notch signaling pathway. Later, cell viabilities, apoptosis, and EMT were assessed.

RESULTS

Expressions of lncRNA NEAT1 and VEGF-A were both increased significantly in OSCC cell lines especially in TSCC1 cell line. Suppression of lncNRA NEAT1 was associated with lower cell viabilities and EMT and higher apoptosis rate in the TSCC1 cell line. Meanwhile, knockdown of VEGF-A significantly repressed cell viabilities and EMT in the TSCC1 cell line. Magnifying functions of inhibited lncRNA NEAT1 Notch signaling pathway was obviously activated with overexpressions of lncRNA NEAT1 and VEGF-A. Adding IMR-1 significantly downregulated cell viabilities and EMT and sharply increased apoptosis in the context of lncRNA NEAT1 and VEGF-A overexpression.

CONCLUSION

LncRNA NEAT1 may upregulate proliferation and EMT and repress apoptosis through activating VEGF-A and Notch signaling pathway in vitro, suggesting an underlying regulatory factor in OSCC. Nevertheless, further research is necessary to gain a greater understanding of lncRNA NEAT1 and connections with VEGF-A in vivo and in clinical study.

The roles of microRNAs in the stemness of oral cancer cells

Oral cancer (OC), which is the most common form of head and neck cancers, has one of the lowest (~50%) overall 5-year survival rates. The main reasons for this high mortality rate are diagnosis of OC in advanced stages in most patients and spread to distant organs via lymph node metastasis. Many studies have shown that a small population of cells within the tumor plays vital roles in the initiation, progression, and metastasis of the tumor, resistance to chemotherapeutic agents, and recurrence. These cells, identified as cancer stem cells (CSCs), are the main reasons for the failure of current treatment modalities. Deregulated expressions of microRNAs are closely related to tumor prognosis, metastasis and drug resistance. In addition, microRNAs play important roles in regulating the functions of CSCs. Until now, the roles of microRNAs in the acquisition and maintenance of OC stemness have not been elucidated in detail yet. Here in this review, we summarized significant findings and the latest literature to better understand the involvement of CSCs in association with dysregulated microRNAs in oral carcinogenesis. Possible roles of these microRNAs in acquisition and maintenance of CSCs features during OC pathogenesis were summarized.

Circ-PVT1/miR-106a-5p/HK2 axis regulates cell growth, metastasis and glycolytic metabolism of oral squamous cell carcinoma

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most commonly diagnosed oral cavity malignancy. A handful of circular RNAs (circRNAs) have recently shown to act as crucial regulators in OSCC, including circRNA plasmacytoma variant translocation 1 (circ-PVT1). However, further exploration is still needed for the underlying functional mechanism behind circ-PVT1 in OSCC. The levels of circ-PVT1, microRNA-106a-5p (miR-106a-5p) and hexokinase II (HK2) were all examined applying with quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Cellular analyses (cell viability, apoptosis, metastasis and glycolysis) in vitro were performed via cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), flow cytometry, transwell migration/invasion assays and glycolysis-related indications (glucose consumption, lactate production and ATP/ADP ratio). HK2 protein level was measured through western blot. Dual-luciferase reporter assay was conducted to study the interplay between miR-106a-5p and circ-PVT1 or HK2. Xenografts in mice were used for analyzing circ-PVT1 in vivo. Circ-PVT1 was expressed with abnormal high level while miR-106a-5p was down-regulated in OSCC tissues and cells. Circ-PVT1 knockdown reduced OSCC cell growth, metastasis and glycolysis. Moreover, circ-PVT1 acted in OSCC by functioning as a miR-106a-5p sponge. HK2 was a target of miR-106a-5p and miR-106a-5p played an anti-tumor role in OSCC by inhibiting HK2. Furthermore, HK2 could be regulated by circ-PVT1 via targeting miR-106a-5p. In xenograft models of mice, down-regulation of circ-PVT1 retarded tumorigenesis via the miR-106a-5p/HK2 axis. Our works suggested that circ-PVT1 directly combined with miR-106a-5p to mediate HK2 level, consequently regulating cellular behaviors in OSCC as a tumor promoter.

Silibinin suppresses epithelial-mesenchymal transition in human non-small cell lung cancer cells by restraining RHBDD1

Background

Rhomboid domain containing 1 (RHBDD1) plays a crucial role in tumorigenesis. Silibinin, which is a natural extract from milk thistle, has shown anti-tumor effects against various tumors. Here, we investigate whether silibinin affects the function of RHBDD1 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell proliferation, migration and invasion.

Methods

The Oncomine database and an immunohistochemistry (IHC) assay were used to determine the RHBDD1 expression levels in lung cancer tissues. The associations between RHBDD1 and overall survival rate or clinicopathological parameters were respectively assessed using the Kaplan-Meier overall survival analysis or Chi-squared test. CCK-8 and Transwell assays were applied to analyze cell proliferation, migration and invasion. A549 cells were incubated with increasing concentrations of silibinin. RHBDD1 knockdown and overexpression were achieved via transfection with si-RHBDD1 or RHBDD1 overexpression plasmid, respectively. Western blotting was performed to measure the expressions of epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers.

Results

We found that overexpression of RHBDD1 in lung cancer tissues correlates with a poor prognosis of survival. Clinical specimen analysis showed that upregulation of RHBDD1 correlates remarkably well with TNM stage and lymph node metastasis. Silibinin suppresses A549 cell proliferation, migration, invasion and EMT in a dose-dependent manner. Importantly, RHBDD1 was downregulated in silibinin-treated A549 cells. RHBDD1 overexpression reversed the suppressive effects of silibinin on A549 cell proliferation, migration, invasion and EMT expression, while its knockdown enhanced them.

Conclusions

These findings shown an anti-tumor impact of silibinin on NSCLC cells via repression of RHBDD1.

miR-106a Regulates Cell Proliferation and Autophagy by Targeting LKB1 in HPV-16-Associated Cervical Cancer

miR-106a is aberrantly regulated in various tumors and plays an important role in carcinogenesis. However, the biological role and molecular mechanism by which miR-106a contributes to cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) remains elusive. In this study, we verified that miR-106a was elevated in both human papilloma virus (HPV) 16-positive CSCC tissues and cell lines. ROC curve analysis showed that miR-106a could well distinguish HPV-16-positive CSCC tissues from normal cervical squamous epithelium tissues. High expression of miR-106a was associated with malignant clinicopathologic parameters in CSCC tissues. Exogenous expression of miR-106a greatly promoted cervical cancer cell proliferation while attenuated autophagy. Furthermore, a novel target of miR-106a, liver kinase B1 (LKB1), a proven tumor suppressor in cervical cancer was verified. Here we confirmed LKB1 was negatively correlated with malignant clinicopathologic parameters in CSCC tissues. Overexpression of LKB1 neutralized the effect of miR-106a on proliferation and autophagy in cervical cancer cell lines. In addition, the role of miR-106a in cell proliferation and autophagy was via LKB1 and its downstream pathway AMP-activated protein kinase-mammalian target of rapamycin. Of note, miR-106a was upregulated by HPV-16 E7 protein. The function of HPV-16 E7 to cell proliferation was suppressed when knockdown miR-106a in HPV-16 E7-expressing cells. IMPLICATIONS: Our study highlights the tumorigenic role and regulatory mechanism of miR-106a in CSCC. miR-106a may be a potential therapeutic target in HPV-associated cervical cancer.

Up-regulation of miR-106a targets LIMK1 and contributes to cognitive impairment induced by isoflurane anesthesia in mice

BACKGROUND

Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) had a great relationship with anesthesia during surgery, and miRNAs have been found involved in anesthesia-induced cognitive impairment.

OBJECTIVE

To explore the role and potential mechanism of miR-106a in isoflurane anesthesia-induced cognitive impairment.

METHODS

Adult male mice were treated with isoflurane anesthesia; Morris water maze tests and fear conditioning tests were performed; and expression levels of miR-106a and LIMK1 were determined by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and western blot. Dual luciferase reporter assay was used to determine the binding of miR-106a and 3'UTR of LIMK1. To verify the role of miR-106a, antagomir of miR-106a were intrahippocampally injected. Finally, expression of BCL2 apoptosis regulator (Bcl-2), LIM domain kinase 1 (LIMK1), BCL2-associated X, apoptosis regulator (Bax) and cleaved caspase3 was determined by western blot.

RESULTS

In isoflurane anesthesia-treated group (IS), the percentage of target quadrant dwell time was significantly lower and the escape latency was significantly higher than in the control group (sham), and the freezing behavior of IS was significantly less in contextual fear conditioning tests. Expression levels of miR-106a were increased and those of LIMK1 were decreased in response to IS. Dual luciferase reporter assay showed that miR-106a could bind with the 3'UTR of LIMK1. Decreased expression levels of miR-106a improved the cognitive impairment of the mice treated with isoflurane. Intrahippocampally injected antagomir of miR-106a also increased LIMK1 and Bcl-2 levels, decreased the BAX and cleaved caspase3 expression levels in the mice treated with isoflurane.

CONCLUSION

Decrease of LIMK1 expression by miR-106a played an important role in isoflurane anesthesia-induced cognitive impairment.

LncRNA SNHG16 Aggravates High Glucose-Induced Podocytes Injury in Diabetic Nephropathy Through Targeting miR-106a and Thereby Up-Regulating KLF9

INTRODUCTION

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is one of the major complications of diabetes and podocyte injury plays an important role in the DN pathogenesis. MicroRNA (miR)-106a is predicated to be a target of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) SNHG16 and has been identified as a therapeutic biomarker for diabetic kidney diseases. However, the role of SNHG16/miR-106a axis in DN has not been illustrated. This study aimed to investigate whether SNHG16 could regulate podocyte injury via miR-106a in DN and uncover the underlying mechanism.

METHODS

MPC5 podocytes were treated with control or high glucose (HG) medium, and then miR-106a level was measured. MPC5 cells that exposed to HG were overexpressed with miR-106a or not, following by overexpression with or without KLF9 or SNHG16. Then, cell viability, apoptosis, reactive oxygen species and the protein expression of synaptopodin and podocin were evaluated.

RESULTS

MiR-106a was down-regulated in the serum of DN patients and HG-induced MPC5 podocytes. Overexpression of miR-106a suppressed HG-induced decrease in cell viability, Bcl-2, synaptopodin and podocin expression, increase in ROS, apoptotic cells, Bax and cleaved-caspase 3 expression. MiR-106a could bind to both KLF9 and lncRNA SNHG16, which were up-regulated in the serum of DN patients and HG-induced MPC5 podocytes. The level of miR-106a was decreased by SNHG16 overexpression and miR-106a overexpression reduced KLF9 expression. Furthermore, overexpression of KLF9 or SNHG16 blunted the protective effects of miR-106a on HG-induced MPC5 injury.

DISCUSSION

LncRNA SNHG16 could promote HG-stimulated podocytes injury via targeting miR-106a to enhance KLF9 expression. The intervention of SNHG16/miR-106a/KLF9 may be a therapeutic treatment for DN.

Editorial focus: understanding off-target effects as the key to successful RNAi therapy

With the first RNA interference (RNAi) drug (ONPATTRO (patisiran)) on the market, we witness the RNAi therapy field reaching a critical turning point, when further improvements in drug candidate design and delivery pipelines should enable fast delivery of novel life changing treatments to patients. Nevertheless, ignoring parallel development of RNAi dedicated in vitro pharmacological profiling aiming to identify undesirable off-target activity may slow down or halt progress in the RNAi field. Since academic research is currently fueling the RNAi development pipeline with new therapeutic options, the objective of this article is to briefly summarize the basics of RNAi therapy, as well as to discuss how to translate basic research into better understanding of related drug candidate safety profiles early in the process.