lncRNA CRNDE promotes the proliferation and metastasis by acting as sponge miR-539-5p to regulate POU2F1 expression in HCC

miR‑576‑3p/M‑phase phosphoprotein 8 axis regulates the malignant progression of hepatocellular carcinoma cells via the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a fatal digestive system cancer with unclear pathogenesis. M-phase phosphoprotein 8 (MPP8) has been shown to play a vital role in several cancer types, such as non-small cell lung cancer, gastric cancer and melanoma; however, there have been no studies into its role in HCC. The present study aimed to evaluate the role of MPP8 in regulating malignant phenotypes of liver cancer cells, and to further investigate the underlying mechanism. Bioinformatics analysis was performed to analyze related data from a public database, and to predict the potential microRNAs (miRNAs) that might target MPP8 mRNA; reverse transcription-quantitative PCR was used to measure the levels of mRNA and miRNA; western blotting was employed to detect protein levels; Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) and plate colony formation assays, wound healing assay and Transwell invasion assay were performed to evaluate the ability of cell proliferation, migration and invasion, respectively; dual-luciferase reporter gene assay was performed to identify the target association. The results showed that MPP8 was a risk factor for the survival of patients with HCC, and was up-regulated in HCC tissue samples and cell lines; MPP8 knockdown inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of liver cancer cells; MPP8 knockdown suppressed the PI3K/Akt pathway, and activation of this pathway reversed the inhibited liver cancer cell phenotypes by down-regulating MPP8; miR-576-3p, which was low in liver cancer cells, negatively regulated MPP8 expression by directly targeting its mRNA; up-regulating MPP8 expression reversed the inhibited signaling pathway and malignant phenotypes of liver cancer cells by miR-576-3p overexpression. In conclusion, the miR-576-3p/MPP8 axis regulates the proliferation, migration, and invasion of liver cancer cells through the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. These findings lead novel insights into HCC progression, and propose MPP8 as a potential therapeutic target for HCC.

HOPEXGB: A Consensual Model for Predicting miRNA/lncRNA-Disease Associations Using a Heterogeneous Disease-miRNA-lncRNA Information Network

Predicting disease-related microRNAs (miRNAs) and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) is crucial to find new biomarkers for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of complex human diseases. Computational predictions for miRNA/lncRNA-disease associations are of great practical significance, since traditional experimental detection is expensive and time-consuming. In this paper, we proposed a consensual machine-learning technique-based prediction approach to identify disease-related miRNAs and lncRNAs by high-order proximity preserved embedding (HOPE) and eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGB), named HOPEXGB. By connecting lncRNA, miRNA, and disease nodes based on their correlations and relationships, we first created a heterogeneous disease-miRNA-lncRNA (DML) information network to achieve an effective fusion of information on similarities, correlations, and interactions among miRNAs, lncRNAs, and diseases. In addition, a more rational negative data set was generated based on the similarities of unknown associations with the known ones, so as to effectively reduce the false negative rate in the data set for model construction. By 10-fold cross-validation, HOPE shows better performance than other graph embedding methods. The final consensual HOPEXGB model yields robust performance with a mean prediction accuracy of 0.9569 and also demonstrates high sensitivity and specificity advantages compared to lncRNA/miRNA-specific predictions. Moreover, it is superior to other existing methods and gives promising performance on the external testing data, indicating that integrating the information on lncRNA-miRNA interactions and the similarities of lncRNAs/miRNAs is beneficial for improving the prediction performance of the model. Finally, case studies on lung, stomach, and breast cancers indicate that HOPEXGB could be a powerful tool for preclinical biomarker detection and bioexperiment preliminary screening for the diagnosis and prognosis of cancers. HOPEXGB is publicly available at https://github.com/airpamper/HOPEXGB.

LncRNA CRNDE is downregulated and associated with poor prognostic markers in chronic lymphocytic leukemia

INTRODUCTION

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is characterized by a very heterogeneous clinical outcome. Thus, a plethora of prognostic factors and systems has been identified to place patients into different risk categories and to guide therapy decisions. The classic clinical staging models by Rai and Binet have been the cornerstone of patient management for several years. The greater insight into the molecular biology of CLL facilitated the advent of prognostic genetic biomarkers that are expected to impact clinical practice soon in the future. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the expression of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) CRNDE in patients with CLL, and to analyze its relationship with the clinicopathological parameters of CLL.

METHODS

In this study, 40 untreated CLL patients and 30 age- and gender-matched controls were enrolled. The analysis of lncRNA CRNDE expression was determined using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction technique.

RESULTS

Our result confirmed the downregulated expression of LncRNA CRNDE in CLL patients compared to controls (p < 0.001). The low expression of CRNDE was significantly associated with poor prognostic markers including advanced stage of CLL, high levels of serum beta-2 microglobulin and lactic dehydrogenase, and the presence of del17p (p = 0.029, p = 0.013, p = 0.003, p = 0.028; respectively).

CONCLUSION

Our study demonstrated that LncRNA CRNDE is significantly downregulated and associated with poor prognostic markers in CLL. It provides a rationale to assess its biological and prognostic impact in CLL.

lncRNA GPRC5D-AS1 as a ceRNA inhibits skeletal muscle aging by regulating miR-520d-5p

Sarcopenia induced by muscle aging is associated with negative outcomes in a variety of diseases. Long non-coding RNAs are a class of RNAs longer than 200 nucleotides with lower protein coding potential. An increasing number of studies have shown that lncRNAs play a vital role in skeletal muscle development. According to our previous research, lncRNA GPRC5D-AS1 is selected in the present study as the target gene to further study its effect on skeletal muscle aging in a dexamethasone-induced human muscle atrophy cell model. As a result, GPRC5D-AS1 functions as a ceRNA of miR-520d-5p to repress cell apoptosis and regulate the expression of muscle regulatory factors, including MyoD, MyoG, Mef2c and Myf5, thus accelerating myoblast proliferation and differentiation, facilitating development of skeletal muscle. In conclusion, lncRNA GPRC5D-AS1 could be a novel therapeutic target for treating sarcopenia.

The pivotal role of EMT-related noncoding RNAs regulatory axes in hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a major health problem worldwide, being the leading cause of cancer-related deaths, with limited treatment options, especially in its advanced stages. Tumor resistance is closely associated with the activation of the EMT phenomenon and its reversal, being modulated by different molecules, including noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs). Noncoding RNAs have the potential to function as both tumor suppressors and oncogenic molecules, controlling the malignant potential of HCC cells. Basically, these molecules circulate in the tumor microenvironment, encapsulated in exosomes. Their impact on cell biology is more significant than originally expected, which makes related research rather complex. The temporal and spatial expression patterns, precise roles and mechanisms of specific ncRNAs encapsulated in exosomes remain primarily unknown in different stages of the disease. This review aims to highlight the recent advances in ncRNAs related to EMT and classifies the described mechanism as direct and indirect, for a better summarization. Moreover, we provide an overview of current research on the role of ncRNAs in several drug resistance-related pathways, including the emergence of resistance to sorafenib, doxorubicin, cisplatin and paclitaxel therapy. Nevertheless, we comprehensively discuss the underlying regulatory mechanisms of exosomal ncRNAs in EMT-HCC via intercellular communication pathways.

NONHSAT098487.2 protects cardiomyocytes from oxidative stress injury by regulating the Notch pathway

Acute myocardial infarction has increasingly become a global health problem and is a primary cause of cardiovascular disease-related death. Although long noncoding RNAs have been reported to play an important role in various cardiovascular diseases, their protective effects on cardiomyocytes against reactive oxygen species-induced oxidative injury have nonetheless been poorly studied. The present study aims to explore the effect of a novel long noncoding RNA, NONHSAT098487.2, on cardiomyocyte injury induced by H2O2. The expression of NONHSAT098487.2 and pathway-related genes was evaluated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Cell viability, release of lactate dehydrogenase, and apoptosis levels were detected by cell counting kit-8, lactate dehydrogenase release assay, and flow cytometry analysis, respectively. The protein levels were estimated by western blotting. The results showed that NONHSAT098487.2 was expressed at a high level in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from acute myocardial infarction patients, which showed a positive correlation with the HS-TnT and CK-MB levels of patients. Furthermore, it is also upregulated in human AC16 cardiomyocytes treated with H2O2 or exposed to hypoxia/reoxygenation conditions. Knockdown of NONHSAT098487.2 restrained the Notch signalling pathway and aggravated H2O2-induced cardiomyocyte oxidative stress injury. In contrast, overexpression of NONHSAT098487.2 activated the Notch signalling pathway and suppressed H2O2-induced oxidative stress injury. However, the Notch inhibitor DAPT weakened the protective effects of NONHSAT098487.2. Therefore, the novel lncRNA NONHSAT098487.2 may play a role in protecting cardiomyocytes from oxidative stress injury by regulating the Notch pathway.

E2F1-mediated KDM4A-AS1 up-regulation promotes EMT of hepatocellular carcinoma cells by recruiting ILF3 to stabilize AURKA mRNA

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a gastrointestinal tumor with high clinical incidence. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play vital roles in modulating the growth and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of HCC. However, the underlying mechanism of lncRNA KDM4A antisense RNA 1 (KDM4A-AS1) in HCC remains elusive. In our study, the role of KDM4A-AS1 in HCC was systematically investigated. The levels of KDM4A-AS1, interleukin enhancer-binding factor 3 (ILF3), Aurora kinase A (AURKA), and E2F transcription factor 1 (E2F1) were determined by RT-qPCR or western blot. ChIP and dual luciferase reporter experiments were performed to detect the binding relationship between E2F1 and KDM4A-AS1 promoter sequence. RIP and RNA-pull down confirmed the interaction of ILF3 with KDM4A-AS1/AURKA. Cellular functions were analyzed by MTT, flow cytometry, wound healing and transwell assays. IHC was performed to detect Ki67 in vivo. We found that KDM4A-AS1 was increased in HCC tissues and cells. Elevated KDM4A-AS1 level was correlated to poor prognosis of HCC. Knockdown of KDM4A-AS1 inhibited the proliferation, migration, invasion and EMT of HCC cells. ILF3 bound to KDM4A-AS1 and AURKA. KDM4A-AS1 maintained the stability of AURKA mRNA by recruiting ILF3. E2F1 transcriptionally activated KDM4A-AS1. Overexpressed KDM4A-AS1 reversed the contribution of E2F1 depletion to AURKA expression and EMT in HCC cells. KDM4A-AS1 promoted tumor formation in vivo through the PI3K/AKT pathway. These results revealed that E2F1 transcriptionally activated KDM4A-AS1 to regulate HCC progression via the PI3K/AKT pathway. E2F1 and KDM4A-AS1 may serve as good prognostic targets for HCC treatment.

Contribution of CRNDE lncRNA in the development of cancer and the underlying mechanisms

Colorectal Neoplasia Differentially Expressed (CRNDE) is an lncRNA with crucial roles in cancer development. It is located on chromosome 16 on the opposite strand to the adjacent IRX5 gene, implying the presence of a shared bidirectional promoter for these two genes. Expression of CRNDE has been assessed in a diverse array of hematological malignancies and solid tumors, representing its potential as a therapeutic target in these conditions. This lncRNA has a regulatory effect on activity of several pathways and axes that are involved in the regulation of cell apoptosis, immune responses and tumorigenesis. The current review is an updated review about the role of CRNDE in the development of cancers.

LncRNA LINC01207 Could Positively Regulate the Development of Colorectal Cancer

Background

LINC01207 expression is associated with colorectal cancer progression. However, the exact role of LINC01207 in colorectal cancer (CRC) is not clear, and further exploration is needed.

Methods

Gene expression data of the GSE34053 database were used to explore the differential expressed genes (DEGs) between colon cancer cells and normal cells. The gene expression profiling interactive analysis (GEPIA) was used to determine the differential expression of LINC01207 between CRC and normal tissues and the association between the expression of LINC01207 and survival in patients with CRC. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene Ontology (GO) analysis were performed to obtain the biological processes and pathways associated with DEGs and LINC01207 coexpressed genes in CRC. The qRT-PCR was used to determine the LINC01207 level in CRC cell lines and tissue samples. CCK-8 assay was employed to measure cell viability and Transwell assay to assess cell invasion and migration.

Results

In this study, a total of 954 DEGs were identified, including 282 upregulated and 672 downregulated genes. LINC01207 was significantly upregulated in CRC samples with a poor prognosis. LINC01207 was also associated with pathways such as ECM-receptor interaction, O-glycan processing, and TNF signaling pathway in CRC. Knockdown of LINC01207 inhibited the migration, invasion, and proliferation of CRC cells.

Conclusion

LINC01207 might act as an oncogene and promote the progression of CRC. Our study suggested that LINC01207 had the potential to be a novel biomarker for CRC detection and a therapeutic target for CRC treatment.

CRNDE: A valuable long noncoding RNA for diagnosis and therapy of solid and hematological malignancies

Colorectal neoplasia differentially expressed (CRNDE) is an oncogenic long noncoding RNA (lncRNA). Increased CRNDE expression was initially discovered in colorectal cancer and then in a variety of solid tumors and hematological malignancies. CRNDE participates in multiple biological processes, such as cell proliferation, differentiation, migration, and apoptosis. CRNDE has been shown to modulate target gene expression through multiple mechanisms, including transcriptional regulation, post-transcriptional regulation, and competition for microRNA (miRNA) binding. In this review, we summarize the evidence that supports CRNDE in the diagnosis and prognosis predicting of cancers. The functional roles and molecular mechanisms of CRNDE are further described for major types of solid tumors and hematological malignancies. The therapeutic potential of CRNDE as a target for research and development is also discussed.

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells-derived exosomes containing miR-539-5p inhibit pyroptosis through NLRP3/caspase-1 signalling to alleviate inflammatory bowel disease

BACKGROUND

Exosomes derived from bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) are potential candidates for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) treatment. The present study investigated the therapeutic effect and potential mechanism of BMSCs-derived exosomes on pyroptosis in IBD.

METHODS

We induced IBD in mice and cell models through dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) and LPS, respectively. The mRNA and protein expression levels were assessed by qRT-PCR, Western blotting, IF and IHC. The concentrations of IL-1β, IL-18 and TNFα were assessed using ELISA. ROS levels were determined using DCFH-DA staining. Cell proliferation of mIECs was analysed using an MTT assay. In addition, a flow cytometry assay was performed to detect pyroptosis. Finally, the binding relationship between miR-539-5p and NLRP3 was verified by a dual luciferase reporter gene assay.

RESULTS

Our results revealed that intraperitoneal injection of BMSCs-derived exosomes inhibited DSS-induced pyroptosis as well as IBD symptoms in mice. In addition, BMSCs-derived exosome treatment suppressed pyroptosis, ROS levels and the concentrations of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-18 and TNFα) in LPS-treated mIECs in a miR-539-5p-dependent manner. Further research found that miR-539-5p suppressed NLRP3 expression in mIECs by directly targeting NLRP3. As expected, pyroptosis in LPS-treated mIECs was significantly reduced by NLRP3 knockdown. In addition, NLRP3 silencing restored the inhibitory effect of exosomes derived from BMSCs transfected with miR-539-5p inhibitor on pyroptosis in LPS-treated mIECs.

CONCLUSION

The present study demonstrated that BMSCs-derived exosomal miR-539-5p suppresses pyroptosis through NLRP3/caspase-1 signalling to inhibit IBD progression.

Silencing of lncRNA CRNDE attenuates nonsmall-cell lung cancer progression by mediating the miR-455-3p/HDAC2 axis

Nonsmall-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) is one of the deadliest malignancies in the world. LncRNAs are confirmed to be involved in the progression of NSCLC. Meanwhile, lncRNA CRNDE is known to be upregulated in NSCLC; however, the mechanism by which CRNDE regulates the tumourigenesis of NSCLC remains unclear. To test the function of CRNDE in NSCLC, cell proliferation, invasion, and migration were investigated by colony formation and Transwell assays, respectively. qPCR and Western blotting were applied to test gene and protein levels. In addition, the relationship among CRNDE, miR-455-3p, and HDAC2 was explored by dual-luciferase and RIP assays. The data revealed that the expression of CRNDE was upregulated in NSCLC tissues, while miR-455-3p was downregulated. CRNDE knockdown inhibited the viability, migration and invasion of NSCLC cells or epidermal growth factor receptor gene (EGFR)-mutant NSCLC cells. Moreover, inhibition of miR-455-3p exhibited the opposite effect. CRNDE bound with miR-455-3p, and HDAC2 was found to be targeted by miR-455-3p. Meanwhile, miR-455-3p downregulation reversed the effect of CRNDE knockdown on NSCLC cell function. Furthermore, miR-455-3p notably inhibited the growth and invasion of NSCLC cells via downregulation of HDAC2. Knockdown of CRNDE attenuated NSCLC progression via modulation of the miR-455-3p/HDAC2 axis. Thus, those findings might provide a novel strategy against NSCLC.

Expression of colorectal neoplasia differentially expressed in anaplastic thyroid carcinoma and its effect on cancer cell proliferation

Background

The incidence of anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is high among human cancers. Colorectal neoplasia differentially expressed (CRNDE) is highly expressed in common tumors, and is therefore a potential molecular target for anti-tumor therapy. However, the function of CRNDE in ATC remains elusive.

Methods

The Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database was used to screen the differential expression of long-noncoding RNA (lncRNA) in ATC tissues. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database was used to analyze the expression of CRNDE in thyroid cancer (THCA) tissues and its impact on patient prognosis. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to determine the expression level of CRNDE in tumor and control tissues. The biological function of CRNDE in THCA was explored using TCGA RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data analysis. ATC cell lines with low and high CRNDE expression were selected for CRNDE siRNA transfection, and the proliferation of cells was detected in each group.

Results

The GEO and TCGA databases analysis results showed that CRNDE was highly expressed in ATC tissues, which is related to the poor prognosis of THCA patients. Also, the expression of CRNDE in the ATC cell line, ARO (human thyroid cancer cell line), was relatively high, while the expression in sw579 is relatively low. Therefore, ARO and sw579 were chosen for CRNDE small interfering RNA (siRNA) transfection. Compared with negative control (si-NC), the expression of CRNDE in si-CRNDE-1, si-CRNDE-2, and si-CRNDE-3 was reduced, indicating that the inhibitory effect was significantly enhanced and the cell proliferation ability was reduced, and the cell cycle is arrested in the G0/G1 phase. Finally, it was found that the wnt3a, β-catenin, and cyclinD1 protein expressions of si-CRNDE-1 and si-CRNDE-2 were significantly reduced.

Conclusions

The high expression of CRNDE in ATC tissues may promote the proliferation of ATC cells by regulating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. CRNDE may be a potential molecular target for the treatment of ATC.

Transcriptomic analysis of bladder tissue in a rat model of ketamine-induced bladder fibrosis

INTRODUCTION

Ketamine-induced cystitis (KIC) is a disease caused by ketamine that can cause lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). Its end-stage is bladder contracture, which is related to bladder fibrosis and poses a serious burden to patient lives.

METHODS

We established a KIC model in female Sprague Dawley rats and verified bladder fibrosis in the model by Masson trichrome staining and western blot analysis. The bladders of the rats from the ketamine and control groups were used to perform transcriptome analysis. In particular, association analysis with metabolomics was also used to determine the potential mechanisms of ketamine-induced bladder fibrosis.

RESULTS

A total of 685 differentially expressed messenger RNAs, 71 differentially expressed long noncoding RNAs, 23 differentially expressed microRNAs, and 68 differentially expressed circular RNAs were identified. We found that ribosome, Wnt signaling, vascular endothelial growth factor signaling, cytoskeleton organization, and cytoskeletal protein binding may be potential pathways in ketamine-induced bladder fibrosis as identified by Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analyses. In addition, the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway appeared to be closely related to the development of ketamine-induced bladder fibrosis according to association analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, using transcriptomic and correlation analyses of metabolomics, we identified pathways that may be potential targets for the prevention and treatment of ketamine-induced bladder fibrosis.

Long non-coding RNA CRNDE exacerbates NPC advancement mediated by the miR-545-5p/CCND2 axis

BACKGROUND

Previous studies indicated CRNDE to have a pivotal part within tumorigenesis. Notwithstanding, precise details on CRNDE activities within NPC are still uncertain. The investigation described in this article served to focus in greater depth on the mechanistics regarding CRNDE, together with all associated regulatory networks, on nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and its treatment possibilities.

METHODS

Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) analyzed CRNDE, miR-545-5p and CCND2 expression within NPCs and representative cell lineages. CCK-8 cell counting-, EdU-, wound-healing-/transwell-assays analyzed cellular proliferation, migrative, together with invasive properties. Apoptosis/cell cycle progression were scrutinized through flow cytometry. Dual-luciferase reporter assays validated CRNDE/miR-545-5p/CCND2 interplay. Proteomic expression of apoptosis-related protein, EMT-related protein and CCND2 protein were evaluated through Western blotting. In addition, Ki67 expression was evaluated through immunohistochemical staining. The effect of CRNDE in vivo was assessed by nude murine xenograft model studies.

RESULTS

This study demonstrated up-regulated expression of CRNDE and CCND2 within NPC tissues/cell lines. Meanwhile, miR-545-5p was down-regulated. CRNDE knock-down or miR-545-5p over-expression drastically reduced NPC proliferative, migrative and invasive properties, promoted apoptosis/altered cell cycle, and inhibited CCND2 expression. However, miR-545-5p down-regulation had opposing effects. All inhibiting functions generated by CRNDE down-regulation upon NPC progression could be counterbalanced or synergistically exacerbated, depending on miR-545-5p down-regulation or up-regulation, respectively. Multiple-level investigations revealed CRNDE to serve as a sponge for miR-545-5p, and can target CCND2 within NPCs.

CONCLUSIONS

CRNDE increases CCND2 expression by competitive binding with miR-545-5p, thus accelerating the development of NPC. This provides potential therapeutic targets and prognostic markers against NPC.

LINC01087 indicates a poor prognosis of glioma patients with preoperative MRI

Long intergenic non-coding RNA 01,087 (LINC01087) has been concerned as an oncogene in breast cancer, while its mechanism in glioma has been little surveyed. Thus, we searched the prognostic value and functional action of LINC01087 in glioma. Glioma patients after preoperative MRI diagnosis were enrolled, and LINC01087, microRNA (miR)-1277-5p, and alkaline ceramidase 3 (ACER3) levels were tested in glioma cancer tissue. The correlation between LINC01087 expression and the survival of patients were analyzed. LINC01087, miR-1277-5p, and ACER3 levels in U251 cells were altered via transfection, and cell malignant phenotypes were monitored. The relationship between miR-1277-5p and LINC01087 or ACER3 was detected. The LINC01087 and ACER3 expression was in up-regulation and the miR-1277-5p expression was in down-regulation in clinical glioma samples. High expression of LINC01087 was associated with poor prognosis of glioma patients with preoperative MRI. LINC01087 silencing restrained tumor malignancy in glioma cells. Mechanistically, LINC01087 directly interacted with miR-1277-5p. ACER3 was a known target of miR-1277-5p. Moreover, rescue assays reveal that miR-1277-5p overexpression (or ACER3 overexpression) reversed the effects of LINC01087 upregulation (or miR-1277-5p upregulation) on glioma cells. LINC01087 has prognostic significance in glioma and silencing LINC01087 deters glioma development through elevating miR-1277-5p to reduce ACER3 expression.

The Crosstalk Between Regulatory Non-Coding RNAs and Nuclear Factor Kappa B in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly lethal type of malignancies that possesses great loss of life safety to human beings worldwide. However, few effective means of curing HCC exist and its specific molecular basis is still far from being fully elucidated. Activation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), which is often observed in HCC, is considered to play a significant part in hepatocarcinogenesis and development. The emergence of regulatory non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), particularly microRNAs (miRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), is a defining advance in cancer biology, and related research in this branch has yielded many diagnostic and therapeutic opportunities. Recent studies have suggested that regulatory ncRNAs act as inhibitors or activators in the initiation and progression of HCC by targeting components of NF-κB signaling or regulating NF-κB activity. In this review, we attach importance to the role and function of regulatory ncRNAs in NF-κB signaling of HCC and NF-κB-associated chemoresistance in HCC, then propose future research directions and challenges of regulatory ncRNAs mediated-regulation of NF-κB pathway in HCC.

The Role of Long Non-Coding RNA and microRNA Networks in Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Its Tumor Microenvironment

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common liver malignancy with high morbidity and poor prognosis. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in crucial biological processes of tumorigenesis and progression, and play four major regulatory roles, namely signal, decoy, guide, and scaffold, to regulate gene expression. Through these processes, lncRNAs can target microRNAs (miRNAs) to form lncRNA and miRNA networks, which regulate cancer cell proliferation, metastasis, drug resistance, and the tumor microenvironment. Here, we summarize the multifaceted functions of lncRNA and miRNA networks in the pathogenesis of HCC, the potential use of diagnostic or prognostic biomarkers, and novel therapeutic targets in HCC. This review also highlights the regulatory effects of lncRNA and miRNA networks in the tumor microenvironment of HCC.

Exosomes secreted by M2 macrophages promote cancer stemness of hepatocellular carcinoma via the miR-27a-3p/TXNIP pathways

OBJECTIVE

Accumulating evidence has suggested that microRNAs (miRNAs) derived from M2 macrophage-derived exosomes (M2 exosomes) can regulate the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Nevertheless, the effect of miR-27a-3p derived from M2 exosomes on HCC has not been reported. We aim to explore the role of M2 exosomal miR-27a-3p in the cancer stemness of HCC via regulating thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP).

METHODS

Exosomes were extracted from transfected M2 macrophages and were then co-cultured with HCC cells. Expression of miR-27a-3p and TXNIP, stemness, proliferation, drug resistance, migration, invasion and in vivo tumorigenicity of HCC cells were determined to assess the role of M2 exosomal miR-27a-3p in HCC. The binding relationship between miR-27a-3p and TXNIP was detected.

RESULTS

MiR-27a-3p was upregulated and TXNIP was downregulated in HCC cells, and M2 exosomes further upregulated miR-27a-3p. The upregulated M2 exosomal miR-27a-3p promoted stemness, proliferation, drug resistance, migration, invasion and in vivo tumorigenicity of HCC cells. TXNIP was confirmed as a target gene of miR-27a-3p.

CONCLUSION

M2 macrophages-derived exosomal miR-27a-3p promotes cancer stemness of HCC via downregulating TXNIP.

LncRNA CRNDE Promotes ATG4B-Mediated Autophagy and Alleviates the Sensitivity of Sorafenib in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells

Autophagy is closely related to the growth and drug resistance of cancer cells, and autophagy related 4B (ATG4B) performs a crucial role in the process of autophagy. The long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) colorectal neoplasia differentially expressed (CRNDE) promotes the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but it is unclear whether the tumor-promoting effect of CRNDE is associated with the regulation of ATG4B and autophagy. Herein, we for the first time demonstrated that CRNDE triggered autophagy via upregulating ATG4B in HCC cells. Mechanistically, CRNDE enhanced the stability of ATG4B mRNA by sequestrating miR-543, leading to the elevation of ATG4B and autophagy in HCC cells. Moreover, sorafenib induced CRNDE and ATG4B as well as autophagy in HCC cells. Knockdown of CRNDE sensitized HCC cells to sorafenib in vitro and in vivo. Collectively, these results reveal that CRNDE drives ATG4B-mediated autophagy, which attenuates the sensitivity of sorafenib in HCC cells, suggesting that the pathway CRNDE/ATG4B/autophagy may be a novel target to develop sensitizing measures of sorafenib in HCC treatment.

Long non-coding RNAs regulated NF-κB signaling in cancer metastasis: Micromanaging by not so small non-coding RNAs

Cancer metastasis is a major reason for the cancer-associated deaths and a role of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in cancer metastasis is increasingly being realized. Among the many oncogenic pathways, NF-κB signalling's involvement in cancer metastasis as a key inflammation-regulatory transcription factor has been a subject of interest for long time. Accumulating data from in vitro as well as in vivo studies along with analysis of clinical cancer tissues points to regulation of NF-κB signalling by lncRNAs with implications toward the onset of cancer metastasis. LncRNAs FOXD2-AS1, KRT19P3 and the NF-κB interacting lncRNA (NKILA) associate with lymph node metastasis and poor prognosis of individual cancers. The role of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in cancer metastasis is well known. EMT is regulated by NF-κB and regulation of NF-κB/EMT-induced metastasis by lncRNAs remains a hot topic of research with indications for such roles of lncRNAs MALAT1, SNHG15, CRNDE and AC007271.3. Among the many lncRNAs, NKILA stands out as the most investigated lncRNA for its regulation of NF-κB. This tumor suppressive lncRNA has been reported downregulated in clinical samples representing different human cancers. Mechanistically, NKILA has been consistently shown to inhibit NF-κB activation via inhibition of IκBα phosphorylation and the resulting suppression of EMT. NKILA is also a target of natural anticancer compounds. Given the importance of NF-κB as a master regulatory transcription factor, lncRNAs, as the modulators of NF-κB signaling, can provide alternate targets for metastatic cancers with constitutively active NF-κB.

POU2F1 Promotes Cell Viability and Tumor Growth in Gastric Cancer through Transcriptional Activation of lncRNA TTC3-AS1

POU domain, class 2, transcription factor 1 (POU2F1) is involved in the development of gastric cancer (GC). However, the molecular mechanism has not been fully elucidated. Here, we identified a novel lncRNA named TTC3-AS1 that was potentially regulated by POU2F1 and investigated their roles in GC progression. Bioinformatics analysis suggested that high expression of POU2F1 predicted poor prognosis in patients with GC. We further screened out an lncRNA TTC3-AS1 that may be transcriptionally activated by POU2F1 according to the JASPAR database, and POU2F1 and TTC3-AS1 were highly expressed in GC cells and tissues compared with normal controls (NCs). Function analysis revealed that both POU2F1 and TTC3-AS1 played oncogenic roles by promoting cell viability, migration, and invasion in GC. qRT-PCR analysis showed that POU2F1 improved the expression of TTC3-AS1 in GC cells, while TTC3-AS1 knockdown or overexpression had no effect on POU2F1 expression. The results of chromatin immunoprecipitation and DNA-affinity precipitation assays indicated that POU2F1 directly bound to the promoter region of TTC3-AS1 and activated its transcription. TTC3-AS1 knockdown neutralized the protumor effects of POU2F1 overexpression in GC cell lines as well as mouse models of GC, which suggested that TTC3-AS1 mediates the oncogenic function of POU2F1. In summary, POU2F1 promoted GC progression by transcriptionally activating TTC3-AS1; thus, this study provided a new perspective for the mechanism of GC progression.

GAERF: predicting lncRNA-disease associations by graph auto-encoder and random forest

Predicting disease-related long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) is beneficial to finding of new biomarkers for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of complex human diseases. In this paper, we proposed a machine learning techniques-based classification approach to identify disease-related lncRNAs by graph auto-encoder (GAE) and random forest (RF) (GAERF). First, we combined the relationship of lncRNA, miRNA and disease into a heterogeneous network. Then, low-dimensional representation vectors of nodes were learned from the network by GAE, which reduce the dimension and heterogeneity of biological data. Taking these feature vectors as input, we trained a RF classifier to predict new lncRNA-disease associations (LDAs). Related experiment results show that the proposed method for the representation of lncRNA-disease characterizes them accurately. GAERF achieves superior performance owing to the ensemble learning method, outperforming other methods significantly. Moreover, case studies further demonstrated that GAERF is an effective method to predict LDAs.

Paeonol inhibits the progression of intracerebral haemorrhage by mediating the HOTAIR/UPF1/ACSL4 axis

Intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) is a devastating subtype of stroke with high morbidity and mortality. It has been reported that paeonol (PAN) inhibits the progression of ICH. However, the mechanism by which paeonol mediates the progression of ICH remains unclear. To mimic ICH in vitro, neuronal cells were treated with hemin. An in vivo model of ICH was established to detect the effect of paeonol on ferroptosis in neurons during ICH. Cell viability was tested by MTT assay. Furthermore, cell injury was detected by GSH, MDA and ROS assays. Ferroptosis was examined by iron assay. RT-qPCR and western blotting were used to detect gene and protein expression, respectively. The correlation among HOTAIR, UPF1 and ACSL4 was explored by FISH, RNA pull-down and RIP assays. Paeonol significantly inhibited the ferroptosis of neurons in ICH mice. In addition, paeonol significantly reversed hemin-induced injury and ferroptosis in neurons, while this phenomenon was notably reversed by HOTAIR overexpression. Moreover, paeonol notably inhibited ferroptosis in hemin-treated neuronal cells via inhibition of ACSL4. Additionally, HOTAIR bound to UPF1, and UPF1 promoted the degradation of ACSL4 by binding to ACSL4. Furthermore, HOTAIR overexpression reversed paeonol-induced inhibition of ferroptosis by mediating the UPF1/ACSL4 axis. Paeonol inhibits the progression of ICH by mediating the HOTAIR/UPF1/ACSL4 axis. Therefore, paeonol might serve as a new agent for the treatment of ICH.

LncRNA HOXA-AS3 promotes the malignancy of glioblastoma through regulating miR-455-5p/USP3 axis

Our objective was to determine the molecular mechanisms by which lncRNA HOXA‐AS3 regulates the biological behaviour of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). We used an lncRNA microarray assay to identify GBM‐related lncRNA expression profiles. Qrt‐PCR was used to survey the levels of expression of long non‐coding RNA (lncRNA) HOXA‐AS3 and the target gene. Dual‐luciferase reporter assays were used to investigate the interaction of lncRNA HOXA‐AS3, the target gene and miRNA. Western blot analysis was used to examine the expression of USP3 and epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) genes. The MTT assay, transwell assay and wound healing assay were used to analyse the effects of lncRNA HOXA‐AS3 on GBM cell viability, mobility and invasiveness, respectively. Our results showed that lncRNA HOXA‐AS3 was significantly up‐regulated in GBM cells and could promote GBM cell proliferation, invasion and migration in vitro and in vivo. HOXA‐AS was found to be associated with poor survival prognosis in glioma patients. The dual‐luciferase reporter assay also revealed that lncRNA HOXA‐AS3 acts as a mir‐455‐5p sponge by up‐regulating USP3 expression to promote GBM progression. Western blot analysis showed that lncRNA HOXA‐AS3 could up‐regulate EMT‐related gene expression in GBM. Experiments showed mir‐455‐5p could rescue the effect of lncRNA HOXA‐AS3 on cell proliferation and invasion. The newly identified HOXA‐AS3/mir‐455‐5p/USP3 pathway offers important clues to understanding the key mechanisms underlying the action of lncRNA HOXA‐AS3 in glioblastoma.

Overexpressed microRNA-539-5p inhibits inflammatory response of neurons to impede the progression of cerebral ischemic injury by histone deacetylase 1

Several microRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) regulate cerebral ischemic injury outcomes; however, little is known about the role of miR-539-5p during cerebral ischemic injury or the postischemic state. Cerebral ischemic injury was modeled in vitro by exposing human cortical neurons to oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) and in vivo by occluding the middle cerebral artery (MCAO) in a rat model. The effects of miR-539-5p, histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1), and early growth response 2 (EGR2) on cerebral ischemia were investigated using gain- and loss-of-function experiments. We identified changes in miR-539-5p, HDAC1, EGR2, and phosphorylated c-Jun NH₂-terminal kinase (JNK). The interaction among miR-539-5p, HDAC1, and EGR2 was determined by dual luciferase reporter gene assay, chromatin immunoprecipitation, and coimmunoprecipitation. We also investigated the effects on cell viability and apoptosis and changes in inflammatory cytokine expression and spatial memory on MCAO rats. miR-539-5p and EGR2 were poorly expressed, while HDAC1 was highly expressed in OGD-treated HCN-2 cells. miR-539-5p targeted HDAC1, while HDAC1 prevented acetylation of EGR2 resulting in its downregulation and subsequent activation of the JNK pathway. Overexpression of miR-539-5p or EGR2 or silencing HDAC1 improved viability and reduced apoptosis of OGD-treated HCN-2 cells in vitro. Furthermore, overexpression of miR-539-5p improved spatial memory, while decreasing cell apoptosis and inflammation in MCAO rats. Collectively, these data suggest that miR-539-5p targets HDAC1 to upregulate EGR2, thus blocking the JNK signaling pathway, by which cerebral ischemic injury is alleviated.