MicroRNA-93-5p promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition in gastric cancer by repressing tumor suppressor AHNAK expression

Silencing AHNAK promotes nasopharyngeal carcinoma progression by upregulating the ANXA2 protein

PURPOSE

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is an aggressive head and neck disease with a high incidence of distant metastases. Enlargeosomes are cytoplasmic organelles marked by, desmoyokin/AHNAK. This study aimed to evaluate the expression of AHNAK in NPC and its effect on enlargeosomes and to investigate the correlation between AHNAK expression levels and clinical NPC patient characteristics.

METHODS

Primary nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and NPC specimens were evaluated by analyzing public data, and immunohistochemistry. Systematic in vitro and in vivo experiments were performed using different NPC-derived cell lines and mouse models.

RESULTS

In this study, we detected AHNAK and Annexin A2(ANXA2), a protein coating the surface of enlargeosomes, in NPC samples. We found that AHNAK was down-regulated. Down-regulation of AHNAK was associated with poor overall survival in NPC patients. Moreover, transcription factor FOSL1-mediated transcriptional repression was responsible for the low expression of AHNAK by recruiting EZH2. Whereas Annexin A2 was upregulated in human NPC tissues. Upregulation of Annexin A2 was associated with lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis in NPC patients. Functional studies confirmed that silencing of AHNAK enhanced the growth, invasion, and metastatic properties of NPC cells both in vitro and in vivo. In terms of mechanism, loss of AHNAK led to an increase of annexin A2 protein level in NPC cells. Silencing ANXA2 restored NPC cells' migrative and invasive ability upon loss of AHNAK.

CONCLUSION

Here, we report AHNAK as a tumor suppressor in NPC, which may act through annexin A2 oncogenic signaling in enlargeosome, with potential implications for novel approaches to NPC treatment.

AHNAKs roles in physiology and malignant tumors

The AHNAK family currently consists of two members, namely AHNAK and AHNAK2, both of which have a molecular weight exceeding 600 kDa. Homologous sequences account for approximately 90% of their composition, indicating a certain degree of similarity in terms of molecular structure and biological functions. AHNAK family members are involved in the regulation of various biological functions, such as calcium channel modulation and membrane repair. Furthermore, with advancements in biological and bioinformatics technologies, research on the relationship between the AHNAK family and tumors has rapidly increased in recent years, and its regulatory role in tumor progression has gradually been discovered. This article briefly describes the physiological functions of the AHNAK family, and reviews and analyzes the expression and molecular regulatory mechanisms of the AHNAK family in malignant tumors using Pubmed and TCGA databases. In summary, AHNAK participates in various physiological and pathological processes in the human body. In multiple types of cancers, abnormal expression of AHNAK and AHNAK2 is associated with prognosis, and they play a key regulatory role in tumor progression by activating signaling pathways such as ERK, MAPK, Wnt, and MEK, as well as promoting epithelial-mesenchymal transition.

Blood Plasma Small Non-Coding RNAs as Diagnostic Molecules for the Progesterone-Receptor-Negative Phenotype of Serous Ovarian Tumors

The expression level of the progesterone receptor (PGR) plays a crucial role in determining the biological characteristics of serous ovarian carcinoma. Low PGR expression is associated with chemoresistance and a poorer outcome. In this study, our objective was to explore the relationship between tumor progesterone receptor levels and RNA profiles (miRNAs, piwiRNAs, and mRNAs) to understand their biological characteristics and behavior. To achieve this, we employed next-generation sequencing of small non-coding RNAs, quantitative RT-PCR, and immunohistochemistry to analyze both FFPE and frozen tumor samples, as well as blood plasma from patients with benign cystadenoma (BSC), serous borderline tumor (SBT), low-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (LGSOC), and high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC). Our findings revealed significant upregulation of MMP7 and MUC16, along with downregulation of PGR, in LGSOC and HGSOC compared to BSC. We observed significant correlations of PGR expression levels in tumor tissue with the contents of miR-199a-5p, miR-214-3p, miR-424-3p, miR-424-5p, and miR-125b-5p, which potentially target MUC16, MMP7, and MMP9, as well as with the tissue content of miR-16-5p, miR-17-5p, miR-20a-5p, and miR-93-5p, which are associated with the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of cells. The levels of EMT-associated miRNAs were significantly correlated with the content of hsa_piR_022437, hsa_piR_009295, hsa_piR_020813, hsa_piR_004307, and hsa_piR_019914 in tumor tissues. We developed two optimal logistic regression models using the quantitation of hsa_piR_020813, miR-16-5p, and hsa_piR_022437 or hsa_piR_004307, hsa_piR_019914, and miR-93-5p in the tumor tissue, which exhibited a significant ability to diagnose the PGR-negative tumor phenotype with 93% sensitivity. Of particular interest, the blood plasma levels of miR-16-5p and hsa_piR_022437 could be used to diagnose the PGR-negative tumor phenotype with 86% sensitivity even before surgery and chemotherapy. This knowledge can help in choosing the most effective treatment strategy for this aggressive type of ovarian cancer, such as neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by cytoreduction in combination with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy and targeted therapy, thus enhancing the treatment's effectiveness and the patient's longevity.

Bladder Cancer Progression Is Suppressed Through the Heart and Neural Crest Derivatives Expressed 2-Antisense RNA 1/microRNA-93-5p/Defective in Cullin Neddylation 1 Domain Containing 3 Axis

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are critical in progression of bladder cancer (BCa). miRNA-93-5p is increased in cancers and is positively correlated with an unfavorable prognosis. But its effects on BCa remain rarely understood. This investigation aimed to dig out miRNA-93-5p affecting biological behaviors of BCa. In this research, mRNA and protein expression in cancer cells were assessed via quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blot. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), colony formation, scratch healing, and transwell assays were utilized to analyze cancer cell viability, colony-forming, migration, and invasion, respectively. Bioinformatics analysis predicted upstream regulatory genes and downstream target genes of miRNA-93-5p, with the targeting relationship being verified through a dual-luciferase assay. The BCa xenograft model in nude mice further investigated the effect of miRNA-93-5p and AND2-AS1 on tumor size and quality, and validated the relationship between HAND2-AS1/miRNA-93-5p/DCUN1D3. Our results displayed that miRNA-93-5p was increased in BCa cell lines. Knockdown miRNA-93-5p constrained BCa cell malignant phenotypes. HAND2-AS1 targeted miRNA-93-5p, thus restraining malignant progression of BCa cells. DCUN1D3 was found downstream of miRNA-93-5p. miRNA-93-5p modulated proliferation, migration, and invasion of BCa cells by targeting DCUN1D3. In vivo experiments disclosed that forced expression of lncRNA HAND2-AS1, and inhibited miRNA-93-5p regressed tumor growth. Meanwhile, the same as the results of cell experiments, the expression of miRNA-93-5p was downregulated, and DCUN1D3 expression was advanced in tumor tissues. To conclude, lncRNA HAND2-AS1 exerted anti-tumor effects and regulated BCa cell proliferation, invasion, and migration by targeting miRNA-93-5p/DCUN1D3.

A comprehensive insight into the correlation between ncRNAs and the Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathway in gastric cancer pathogenesis

During the past decades, gastric cancer (GC) has emerged as one of the most frequent malignancies with a growing rate of prevalence around the world. Despite considerable advances in therapeutic methods, the prognosis and management of patients with gastric cancer (GC) continue to be poor. As one of the candidate molecular targets in the treatment of many types of cancer, the Wnt/β-catenin pathway includes a family of proteins that have important functions in adult tissue homeostasis and embryonic development. The aberrant regulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling is strongly correlated with the initiation and development of numerous cancers, including GC. Therefore, Wnt/β-catenin signaling has been identified as one of the main targets for extending therapeutic approaches for GC patients. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), including microRNAs and long ncRNAs, are important components of epigenetic mechanisms in gene regulation. They play vital roles in various molecular and cellular processes and regulate many signaling pathways, such as Wnt/β-catenin pathways. Insights into these regulatory molecules involved in GC development may lead to the identification of potential targets for overcoming the limitations of current therapeutic approaches. Consequently, this review aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of ncRNAs interactions involved in Wnt/β-catenin pathway function in GC with diagnostic and therapeutic perspectives. Video Abstract.

circDYRK1A tethers biological behaviors of gastric carcinoma using novel bioinformatics analysis and experimental validations

Gastric cancer has been one of the wide public health burdens with its high morbidity and mortality over several decades. As the unconventional modules among RNA families, circular RNAs present their blazing biological effects during gastric carcinogenesis. Though diverse hypothetical mechanisms were reported, further tests were necessitated for authentication. Herein, this study pinpointed a representative circDYRK1A which screened from vast amounts of public data sets using surprisingly novel bioinformatics approaches together with validations from the in vitro findings and then concluded that circDYRK1A tethered the biological behavior and swayed the clinicopathological features with gastric cancer patients thus providing an in-depth awareness for gastric carcinoma.

MiRNA-93: a novel signature in human disorders and drug resistance

miRNA-93 is a member of the miR-106b-25 family and is encoded by a gene on chromosome 7q22.1. They play a role in the etiology of various diseases, including cancer, Parkinson's disease, hepatic injury, osteoarthritis, acute myocardial infarction, atherosclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and chronic kidney disease. Different studies have found that this miRNA has opposing roles in the context of cancer. Recently, miRNA-93 has been downregulated in breast cancer, gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, pancreatic cancer, bladder cancer, cervical cancer, and renal cancer. However, miRNA-93 is up-regulated in a wide variety of malignancies, such as lung, colorectal, glioma, prostate, osteosarcoma, and hepatocellular carcinoma. The aim of the current review is to provide an overview of miRNA-93's function in cancer disorder progression and non-cancer disorders, with a focus on dysregulated signaling pathways. We also give an overview of this miRNA's function as a biomarker of prognosis in cancer and emphasize how it contributes to drug resistance based on in vivo, in vitro, and human studies. Video Abstract.

Silencing effects of mutant RAS signalling on transcriptomes

Mutated genes of the RAS family encoding small GTP-binding proteins drive numerous cancers, including pancreatic, colon and lung tumors. Besides the numerous effects of mutant RAS gene expression on aberrant proliferation, transformed phenotypes, metabolism, and therapy resistance, the most striking consequences of chronic RAS activation are changes of the genetic program. By performing systematic gene expression studies in cellular models that allow comparisons of pre-neoplastic with RAS-transformed cells, we and others have estimated that 7 percent or more of all transcripts are altered in conjunction with the expression of the oncogene. In this context, the number of up-regulated transcripts approximates that of down-regulated transcripts. While up-regulated transcription factors such as MYC, FOSL1, and HMGA2 have been identified and characterized as RAS-responsive drivers of the altered transcriptome, the suppressed factors have been less well studied as potential regulators of the genetic program and transformed phenotype in the breadth of their occurrence. We therefore have collected information on downregulated RAS-responsive factors and discuss their potential role as tumor suppressors that are likely to antagonize active cancer drivers. To better understand the active mechanisms that entail anti-RAS function and those that lead to loss of tumor suppressor activity, we focus on the tumor suppressor HREV107 (alias PLAAT3 [Phospholipase A and acyltransferase 3], PLA2G16 [Phospholipase A2, group XVI] and HRASLS3 [HRAS-like suppressor 3]). Inactivating HREV107 mutations in tumors are extremely rare, hence epigenetic causes modulated by the RAS pathway are likely to lead to down-regulation and loss of function.

CircAHNAK upregulates EIF2B5 expression to inhibit the progression of ovarian cancer by modulating the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway

Recent studies highlighted non-coding RNAs as potential therapeutic targets in ovarian cancer. We aimed to investigate the roles of circAHNAK in ovarian cancer pathogenesis. Here, RNA immunoprecipitation, dual-luciferase reporter assay and RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization were adopted to determine circAHNAK, miR-28 or EIF2B5 interaction. CCK-8 assay was used to detect cell proliferation. Wound healing and Transwell assays were employed to assess cell migration and invasion, respectively. Flow cytometry was performed to measure cell apoptosis. The roles of circAHNAK on tumor growth in vivo were evaluated using subcutaneous xenograft model. The expression levels of circAHNAK, miR-28, EIF2B5, markers of EMT and JAK2/STAT3 pathway were measured by qRT-PCR, western blotting or immunohistochemistry staining. We reported that circAHNAK was decreased in ovarian cancer tissues. Forced expression of circAHNAK promoted apoptosis and inhibited cell proliferation, migration, invasion, EMT and JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway. Mechanistically, circAHNAK acted as a miR-28 sponge. CircAHNAK deficiency resulted in the amassing of miR-28, which was elevated in ovarian cancer and promoted cancer cell malignancy. MiR-28 in turn inhibited EIF2B5 expression. Silence of EIF2B5 abolished the anticancer effects of miR-28 inhibitor. CircAHNAK overexpression retarded tumor growth in vivo, along with the decreased miR-28 and increased EIF2B, as well as EMT inhibition. In conclusion, circAHNAK targets miR-28 to upregulate EIF2B5 expression, thus inhibits progression of ovarian cancer by suppressing JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway.

Decorin mediated biomimetic PCL-gelatin nano-framework to impede scarring

Scars occur as a result of fibrosis after tissue damage or surgery and reports suggest that excessive Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) activity during the process of wound healing leads to progressive fibrosis. Decorin is an extracellular matrix (ECM) protein which regulates collagen fibrillogenesis. However, targeted delivery and effective protein therapy remains a challenge owing to degradation byproteases. Hence, we aimed to deliver Decorin in a sustainable mode for the reduction of TGF-β levels and subsequent scar formation. Herein, we have fabricated PCL-Gelatin bio-mimetic scaffolds to optimize the bio-activity and provide localized delivery of recombinant Decorin. The degradation and drug release patterns reveals that this biomaterial is biodegradable and offers sustained release of the recombinant Decorin. Decorin loaded nanofiber displayed lower adhesion and proliferation rates in in-vitro conditions. Moreover, Decorin loaded scaffolds demonstrated morphological changes in cells, specifically targeting the myofibroblast. The expression of TGF-β was also scrutinized to understand the effect of Decorin loaded nanofibers. Besides, in the in-vitro fibrotic model, Decorin loaded nanofibers efficiently reduced the expression of ECM related proteins. Therefore, we report the sustained delivery of the recombinant Decorin from nanofiber dressing to potentially obstruct scar formation during the process of wound healing.

Integrated Analysis and Identification of Critical RNA-Binding Proteins in Bladder Cancer

Simple Summary

The role of RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) in bladder cancer (BC) remains unclear. Therefore, we analyzed the clinical information and RNA sequencing data from patients with BC and identified RBPs that may be promising predictors of BC.

Abstract

RBPs in the development and progression of BC remains unclear. Here, we elucidated the role of RBPs in predicting the survival of patients with BC. Clinical information and RNA sequencing data of the training and validation cohorts were downloaded from the Cancer Genome Atlas and Gene Expression Omnibus databases, respectively. Survival-related differentially expressed RBPs were identified using Cox regression analyses. A total of 113 upregulated and 54 downregulated RBPs were observed, with six showing prognostic values (AHNAK, MAP1B, LAMA2, P4HB, FASN, and GSDMB). In both the GSE32548 and GSE31684 datasets, patients with low-risk scores in survival-related six RBPs-based prognostic model showed longer overall survival than those with high-risk scores. AHNAK, MAP1B, P4HB, and FASN expression were significantly upregulated in both BC tissues and cell lines. BC tissues from high-risk group showed higher proportions of naive CD4+ T cells, M0 and M2 macrophages, and neutrophils and lower proportions of plasma cells, CD8+ T cells, and T-cell follicular helper compared to low-risk group. AHNAK knockdown significantly inhibited the proliferation, invasion, and migration of BC cells in vitro and inhibited the growth of subcutaneous tumors in vivo. We thus developed and functionally validated a novel six RBPs-based prognostic model for BC.

The Role and Interactions of Programmed Cell Death 4 and its Regulation by microRNA in Transformed Cells of the Gastrointestinal Tract

Data from GLOBOCAN 2020 estimates that there were 19.3 million new cases of cancer and 10.0 million cancer-related deaths in 2020 and that this is predicted to increase by 47% in 2040. The combined burden of cancers of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, including oesophageal-, gastric- and colorectal cancers, resulted in 22.6% of the cancer-related deaths in 2020 and 18.7% of new diagnosed cases. Understanding the aetiology of GI tract cancers should have a major impact on future therapies and lessen this substantial burden of disease. Many cancers of the GI tract have suppression of the tumour suppressor Programmed Cell Death 4 (PDCD4) and this has been linked to the expression of microRNAs which bind to the untranslated region of PDCD4 mRNA and either inhibit translation or target the mRNA for degradation. This review highlights the properties of PDCD4 and documents the evidence for the regulation of PDCD4 expression by microRNAs in cancers of the GI tract.

METTL3 Is Associated With the Malignancy of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Serves as a Potential Immunotherapy Biomarker

Methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3) is an RNA methyltransferase mediating N6 methyladenosine (m6A) modification. Its role in cancer pathogenesis and progression has attracted increasing attention. However, the immunological role, possible immune mechanism, and clinical significance of METTL3 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remain to be confirmed. The Tumor Genome Atlas (TCGA) provided clinical and transcriptome sequencing data for this study (162 tumor tissue samples and 11 normal tissue samples), while the Immunology Database and Analysis Portal (immport, https://www.immport.org/home) provided 2483 immune-related genes. METTL3 was substantially expressed in ESCC and linked to poor prognosis in ESCC, according to the findings. Functional analysis revealed that METTL3 is mainly involved in chromosomal homologous recombination and DNA mismatch repair processes, which could be potential mechanisms for tumor disease development and progression. Analysis on the TISIDB website shows that effector memory CD8 T cells, NK cells, neutrophils and other cells are highly correlated with METTL3 expression. We screened immune genes associated with METTL3 by Spearman’s analysis and performed functional analysis. These immune genes were mostly linked with immune processes, such as cytokine receptors, the MAPK signaling pathway, and natural killer cell-mediated cytotoxicity, indicating that METTL3 is a key molecule in the immune regulation of esophageal cancer. In addition, based on METTL3-related immune genes, we separated the patients into several subgroups and constructed a prognostic prediction model consisting of six immune genes. As an independent prognostic indicator for ESCC, the risk score of this model can be employed. A nomogram was also developed to accurately evaluate individual prognoses based on clinical indicators and risk scores. In summary, this study suggests that METTL3 is not only a potential pathogenic molecule for esophageal carcinogenesis and progression but also a potential biological marker for forecasting ESCC patient prognosis and could serve as a basis for clinical decision making.

An Overview of Autophagy in Helicobacter pylori Infection and Related Gastric Cancer

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is considered a class I carcinogen in the pathogenesis of gastric cancer. In recent years, the interaction relationship between H. pylori infection and autophagy has attracted increasing attention. Most investigators believe that the pathogenesis of gastric cancer is closely related to the formation of an autophagosome-mediated downstream signaling pathway by H. pylori infection-induced cells. Autophagy is involved in H. pylori infection and affects the occurrence and development of gastric cancer. In this paper, the possible mechanism by which H. pylori infection affects autophagy and the progression of related gastric cancer signaling pathways are reviewed.

Deleterious AHNAK2 Mutation as a Novel Biomarker for Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have exhibited promising efficacy in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but the response occurs in only a minority of patients. In clinic, biomarkers such as TMB (tumor mutation burden) and PD-L1 (programmed cell death 1 ligand 1) still have their limitations in predicting the prognosis of ICI treatment. Hence, reliable predictive markers for ICIs are urgently needed. A public immunotherapy dataset with clinical information and mutational data of 75 NSCLC patients was obtained from cBioPortal as the discovery cohort, and another immunotherapy dataset of 249 patients across multiple cancer types was collected as the validation. Integrated bioinformatics analysis was performed to explore the potential mechanism, and immunohistochemistry studies were used to verify it. AHNAK nucleoprotein 2 (AHNAK2) was reported to have pro-tumor growth effects across multiple cancers, while its role in tumor immunity was unclear. We found that approximately 11% of the NSCLC patients harbored AHNAK2 mutations, which were associated with promising outcomes to ICI treatments (ORR, p = 0.013). We further found that AHNAK2 deleterious mutation (del-AHNAK2^mut) possessed better predictive function in NSCLC than non-deleterious AHNAK2 mutation (PFS, OS, log-rank p < 0.05), potentially associated with stronger tumor immunogenicity and an activated immune microenvironment. This work identified del-AHNAK2^mut as a novel biomarker to predict favorable ICI response in NSCLC.

Identification of a Novel PPAR Signature for Predicting Prognosis, Immune Microenvironment, and Chemotherapy Response in Bladder Cancer

Background

Mounting evidence has confirmed that peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) played a crucial role in the development and progression of bladder cancer (BLCA). The purpose of this study is to comprehensively investigate the function and prognostic value of PPAR-targeted genes in BLCA.

Methods

The RNA sequencing data and clinical information of BLCA patients were acquired from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). The differentially expressed PPAR-targeted genes were investigated. Cox analysis and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) analysis were performed for screening prognostic PPAR-targeted genes and constructing the prognostic PPAR signature and then validated by GSE13507 cohort and GSE32894 cohort. A nomogram was constructed to predict the outcomes of BLCA patients in combination with PPAR signature and clinical factors. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) and immune cell infiltration were implemented to explore the molecular characteristics of the signature. The Genomics of Drug Sensitivity in Cancer (GDSC) database was used to predict the chemotherapy responses of the prognostic signature. The candidate small molecule drugs targeting PPAR-targeted genes were screened by the CMAP database.

Results

We constructed and validated the prognostic signature comprising of 4 PPAR-targeted genes (CPT1B, CALR, AHNAK, and FADS2), which was an independent prognostic biomarker in BLCA patients. A nomogram based on the signature and clinical factors was established in the TCGA set, and the calibration plots displayed the excellent predictive capacity. GSEA analysis indicated that PPAR signature was implicated in multiple oncogenic signaling pathways and correlated with tumor immune cell infiltration. Patients in the high-risk groups showed greater sensitivity to chemotherapy than those in the low-risk groups. Moreover, 11 candidate small molecule drugs were identified for the treatment of BLCA.

Conclusion

We constructed and validated a novel PPAR signature, which showed the excellent performance in predicting prognosis and chemotherapy sensitivity of BLCA patients.

A scoping review on the potentiality of PD-L1-inhibiting microRNAs in treating colorectal cancer: Toward single-cell sequencing-guided biocompatible-based delivery

Tumoral programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) has been implicated in the immune evasion and development of colorectal cancer. Although monoclonal immune checkpoint inhibitors can exclusively improve the prognosis of patients with microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) and tumor mutational burden-high (TMB-H) colorectal cancer, specific tumor-suppressive microRNAs (miRs) can regulate multiple oncogenic pathways and inhibit the de novo expression of oncoproteins, like PD-L1, both in microsatellite stable (MSS) and MSI-H colorectal cancer cells. This scoping review aimed to discuss the currently available evidence regarding the therapeutic potentiality of PD-L1-inhibiting miRs for colorectal cancer. For this purpose, the Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed databases were systematically searched to obtain peer-reviewed studies published before 17 March 2021. We have found that miR-191-5p, miR-382-3p, miR-148a-3p, miR-93-5p, miR-200a-3p, miR-200c-3p, miR-138-5p, miR-140-3p, and miR-15b-5p can inhibit tumoral PD-L1 in colorectal cancer cells. Besides inhibiting PD-L1, miR-140-3p, miR-382-3p, miR-148a-3p, miR-93-5p, miR-200a-3p, miR-200c-3p, miR-138-5p, and miR-15b-5p can substantially reduce tumor migration, inhibit tumor development, stimulate anti-tumoral immune responses, decrease tumor viability, and enhance the chemosensitivity of colorectal cancer cells regardless of the microsatellite state. Concerning the specific, effective, and safe delivery of these miRs, the single-cell sequencing-guided biocompatible-based delivery of these miRs can increase the specificity of miR delivery, decrease the toxicity of traditional nanoparticles, transform the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment into the proinflammatory one, suppress tumor development, decrease tumor migration, and enhance the chemosensitivity of tumoral cells regardless of the microsatellite state.

Identification of Lymph Node Metastasis-Related Key Genes and Prognostic Risk Model in Bladder Cancer by Co-Expression Analysis

Background: Lymph node metastasis (LNM) is an important pathological characteristic of bladder cancer (BCa). However, the molecular mechanism underlying LNM was not thoroughly elaborated. Identification for LNM-related biomarkers may contribute to making suitable therapies. So, the current study was aimed to identify key genes and construct a prognostic signature. Methods: Based on the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, gene expression and clinical information were obtained. Then, the weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was performed to identify the key modules and hub genes. A function analysis and a gene set enrichment analysis were applied to explore biological functions and pathways of interested genes. Furthermore, a prognostic model based on LNM-related genes was constructed by using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression analysis. Results: Finally, nine co-expression modules were constructed, and two modules (turquoise and green) were significantly associated with LNM. Three hub genes were identified as DACT3, TNS1, and MSRB3, which were annotated in actin binding, actin cytoskeleton, adaptive immune response, and cell adhesion molecular binding by the GSEA method. Further analysis demonstrated that three hub genes were associated with the overall survival of BCa patients. In addition, we built a prognostic signature based on the genes from LNM-related modules and evaluated the prognostic value of this signature. Conclusion: In general, this study revealed the key genes related to LNM and prognostic signature, which might provide new insights into therapeutic target of BCa.

Discovery of Spatial Peptide Signatures for Neuroblastoma Risk Assessment by MALDI Mass Spectrometry Imaging

Simple Summary

The childhood tumor, neuroblastoma, has a broad clinical presentation. Risk assessment at diagnosis is particularly difficult in molecularly heterogeneous high-risk cases. Here we investigate the potential of imaging mass spectrometry to directly detect intratumor heterogeneity on the protein level in tissue sections. We show that this approach can produce discriminatory peptide signatures separating high- from low- and intermediate-risk tumors, identify 8 proteins aassociated with these signatures and validate two marker proteins using tissue immunostaining that have promise for further basic and translational research in neuroblastoma. We provide proof-of-concept that mass spectrometry-based technology could assist early risk assessment in neuroblastoma and provide insights into peptide signature-based detection of intratumor heterogeneity.

Abstract

Risk classification plays a crucial role in clinical management and therapy decisions in children with neuroblastoma. Risk assessment is currently based on patient criteria and molecular factors in single tumor biopsies at diagnosis. Growing evidence of extensive neuroblastoma intratumor heterogeneity drives the need for novel diagnostics to assess molecular profiles more comprehensively in spatial resolution to better predict risk for tumor progression and therapy resistance. We present a pilot study investigating the feasibility and potential of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-MSI) to identify spatial peptide heterogeneity in neuroblastoma tissues of divergent current risk classification: high versus low/intermediate risk. Univariate (receiver operating characteristic analysis) and multivariate (segmentation, principal component analysis) statistical strategies identified spatially discriminative risk-associated MALDI-based peptide signatures. The AHNAK nucleoprotein and collapsin response mediator protein 1 (CRMP1) were identified as proteins associated with these peptide signatures, and their differential expression in the neuroblastomas of divergent risk was immunohistochemically validated. This proof-of-concept study demonstrates that MALDI-MSI combined with univariate and multivariate analysis strategies can identify spatially discriminative risk-associated peptide signatures in neuroblastoma tissues. These results suggest a promising new analytical strategy improving risk classification and providing new biological insights into neuroblastoma intratumor heterogeneity.

Lysine Acetyltransferase 2B predicts favorable prognosis and functions as anti-oncogene in cervical carcinoma

Lysine Acetyltransferase 2B (KAT2B) functions pivotally in regulating chromatin organization as well as function, and is a key regulator of signal transduction during development of many diseases, like tumors. This research intends to exploit expression, clinical significance as well as how KAT2B functions in cervical cancer. Our study showed that the KAT2B expression in cervical carcinoma tissues was inferior to that in normal tissues; decreased KAT2B expression was signally related to increased T staging, lymph node metastasis together with tissue differentiation; patients with high KAT2B expression had better prognosis. After knocking down KAT2B, cell proliferation diminished with decreased cell migration and invasion. Additionally, knocking down KAT2B made for increasing EMT-related proteins N-cadherin and Vimentin expression, while ZO-1 expression decreased; overexpression had the opposite effect. Dual luciferase analysis affirmed that miR-93-5p could in specifical bind to KAT2B, and thus reducing its expression and activity. KAT2B may be a new cervical tumor-suppressor gene, which is closely concerned with poor prognosis of patients, and under negative regulation by miR-93-5p.

Identification of MicroRNAs as Viable Aggressiveness Biomarkers for Prostate Cancer

MiRNAs play a relevant role in PC (prostate cancer) by the regulation in the expression of several pathways’ AR (androgen receptor), cellular cycle, apoptosis, MET (mesenchymal epithelium transition), or metastasis. Here, we report the role of several miRNAs’ expression patterns, such as miR-93-5p, miR-23c, miR-210-3p, miR-221-3p, miR-592, miR-141, miR-375, and miR-130b, with relevance in processes like cell proliferation and MET. Using Trizol^® extraction protocol and TaqMan™ specific probes for amplification, we performed miRNAs’ analysis of 159 PC fresh tissues and 60 plasmas from peripheral blood samples. We had clinical data from all samples including PSA, Gleason, TNM, and D’Amico risk. Moreover, a bioinformatic analysis in TCGA (The Cancer Genome Atlas) was included to analyze the effect of the most relevant miRNAs according to aggressiveness in an extensive cohort (n = 531). We found that miR-210-3p, miR-23c, miR-592, and miR-93-5p are the most suitable biomarkers for PC aggressiveness and diagnosis, respectively. In fact, according with our results, miR-93-5p seems the most promising non-invasive biomarker for PC. To sum up, miR-210-3p, miR-23c, miR-592, and miR-93-5p miRNAs are suggested to be potential biomarkers for PC risk stratification that could be included in non-invasive strategies such as liquid biopsy in precision medicine for PC management.

Clinical crosstalk between microRNAs and gastric cancer (Review)

Globally, there were over 1 million new gastric cancer (GC) patients in 2018 and GC has become the sixth most common cancer worldwide. GC caused 783,000 deaths worldwide in 2018, making it the third most deadly cancer type. miRNAs are short (~22 nucleotides in length) non‑coding RNA molecules, which can regulate gene expression passively at a post‑transcriptional level. There are more and more in‑depth studies on miRNAs. There are numerous conclusive evidences that there is an inseparable link between miRNAs and GC. miRNAs can affect the entire process of GC, including the oncogenesis, development, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of GC. Although many miRNAs have been linked to GC, few can be applied to clinical practice. This review takes the clinical changes of GC as a clue and summarizes the miRNAs related to GC that have confirmed the mechanism of action in the past three years. Through in‑depth study and understanding of the mechanism of those miRNAs, we predict their possible clinical uses, and suggest some new insights to overcome GC.

NSE, positively regulated by LINC00657-miR-93-5p axis, promotes small cell lung cancer (SCLC) invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process

Background: Neuron specific enolase (NSE) is a specific biomarker for SCLC. However, the biological roles and aberrant expression of NSE in SCLC have not been well illustrated. Methods: The expression of NSE, miR-93-5p and LINC00657 in SCLC tissues and cell lines were detected using real time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) or immunohistochemistry. CCK8 assay was performed to detect cell proliferation. Cell migration and invasion capabilities were investigated by transwell assay. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process was verified by detecting epithelial marker E-cadherin and mesenchymal marker N-cadherin. The direct interactions between miR-93-5p and NSE or LINC00657 were predicted by bioinformatics tools and verified using dual luciferase reporter assay. Results: Upregulated expression of NSE in SCLC tumor tissues were positively associated with advanced tumor stage, distant metastasis and poor overall survival. Overexpression of NSE promoted cell proliferation, migration, invasion and EMT in SCLC cells, while silence of NSE inhibited these effects. Mechanically, NSE expression was positively correlated with LINC00657, and negatively correlated with miR-93-5p. Moreover, NSE was positively regulated by LINC00657 through sponging of miR-93-5p. LINC00657 and miR-93-5p promoted SCLC cell migration, invasion and EMT by NSE-mediated manner. Conclusion: Overall, our study revealed a novel role of NSE in SCLC. NSE was positively regulated by LINC00657 through competitively interacting with miR-93-5p, which may be potential targets for SCLC patients.

Construction of an Immune-Associated Gene-Based Signature in Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer

Background

In recent years, immune-associated genes (IAGs) have been documented as having critical roles in the occurrence and progression of muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). Novel immune-related biomarkers and a robust prognostic signature for MIBC patients are still limited. The study is aimed at developing an IAG-based signature to predict the prognosis of MIBC patients.

Methods

In the present study, we identified differentially expressed IAGs in MIBC by using transcriptomics data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and proteomics data from our samples. We further constructed an IAG-based signature and evaluated its prognostic and predictive value by survival analysis and nomogram. Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER) was applied to explore the correlation between the IAG-based signature and immune cell infiltration in the microenvironment of MIBC.

Results

A total of 22 differentially expressed IAGs were identified, and 2 IAGs (NR2F6 and AHNAK) were used to establish a prognostic signature. Subsequently, survival analysis showed that high-risk scores were significantly correlated with poor overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and disease-free survival (DFS) of MIBC patients. A prognostic nomogram was constructed by integrating clinical factors with the IAG-based signature risk score. In addition, the IAG-based signature risk score was positively associated with the infiltration of macrophages and dendritic cells in MIBC.

Conclusions

We constructed and verified a novel IAG-based signature, which could predict the prognosis of MIBC and might reflect the status of the immune microenvironment of MIBC. Further studies in more independent clinical cohorts and further experimental exploration of the prognostic IAG-based signature are still needed.

Participation of MicroRNAs in the Treatment of Cancer with Phytochemicals

Cancer is a global health concern and one of the main causes of disease-related death. Even with considerable progress in investigations on cancer therapy, effective anti-cancer agents and regimens have thus far been insufficient. There has been compelling evidence that natural phytochemicals and their derivatives have potent anti-cancer activities. Plant-based anti-cancer agents, such as etoposide, irinotecan, paclitaxel, and vincristine, are currently being applied in medical treatments for patients with cancer. Further, the efficacy of plenty of phytochemicals has been evaluated to discover a promising candidate for cancer therapy. For developing more effective cancer therapy, it is required to apprehend the molecular mechanism deployed by natural compounds. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been realized to play a pivotal role in regulating cellular signaling pathways, affecting the efficacy of therapeutic agents in cancer. This review presents a feature of phytochemicals with anti-cancer activity, focusing mainly on the relationship between phytochemicals and miRNAs, with insights into the role of miRNAs as the mediators and the regulators of anti-cancer effects of phytochemicals.