Sunitinib-suppressed miR-452-5p facilitates renal cancer cell invasion and metastasis through modulating SMAD4/SMAD7 signals

MicroRNA-452-5p regulates fibrogenesis via targeting TGF-β/SMAD4 axis in SCN5A-knockdown human cardiac fibroblasts

The mutated SCN5A gene encoding defective Nav1.5 protein causes arrhythmic ailments and is associated with enhanced cardiac fibrosis. This study investigated whether SCN5A mutation directly affects cardiac fibroblasts and explored how defective SCN5A relates to cardiac fibrosis. SCN5A knockdown (SCN5AKD) human cardiac fibroblasts (HCF) had higher collagen, α-SMA, and fibronectin expressions. Micro-RNA deep sequencing and qPCR analysis revealed the downregulation of miR-452-5p and bioinformatic analysis divulged maladaptive upregulation of transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) signaling in SCN5AKD HCF. Luciferase reporter assays validated miR-452-5p targets SMAD4 in SCN5AKD HCF. Moreover, miR-452-5p mimic transfection in SCN5AKD HCF or AAV9-mediated miR-452-5p delivery in isoproterenol-induced heart failure (HF) rats, resulted in the attenuation of TGF-β signaling and fibrogenesis. The exogenous miR-452-5p significantly improved the poor cardiac function in HF rats. In conclusion, miR-452-5p regulates cardiac fibrosis progression by targeting the TGF-β/SMAD4 axis under the loss of the SCN5A gene.

Radix Actinidiae chinensis induces the autophagy and apoptosis in renal cell carcinoma cells

BACKGROUND

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a malignant tumor. Radix Actinidiae chinensis (RAC) is the root of Actinidia arguta (Sieb. et Zucc) Planch. ex Miq. In clinical research, RAC was confirmed to have a certain anti-tumor effect, including liver cancer and cholangiocarcinoma. This study investigated the anticancer effect and mechanism of RAC in RCC cells.

METHODS

The 786-O and A498 cells were intervened with varying concentrations of RAC (0-100 mg/mL) to detect the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of RAC. The cells were then co-cultured with 0-50 mg/mL RAC for 0-72 h to assess the effect of RAC on cell viability using the cell counting kit-8. The effects on cell proliferation, cell cycle or apoptosis, migration or invasion, and autophagy were detected using cloning, flow cytometry, Transwell, AOPI assay and Western blot. The number of autophagolysosomes was quantified using a transmission electron microscope. PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway-related proteins were detected by Western blot. Additionally, an autophagy inhibitor 3-MA was used to explore the underlying mechanism of RAC.

RESULTS

IC50 values of RAC in 786-O and A498 were 14.76 mg/mL and 13.09 mg/mL, respectively. RAC demonstrated the ability to reduce the cell malignant phenotype of RCC cells, blocked the S phase of cells, promoted apoptosis and autophagy in cells. Furthermore, RAC was observed to increase autophagy-related proteins LC3II/I and Beclin-1, while decreasing the level of P62. The expression of apoptosis-related proteins was increased, while the ratios of p-PI3K/PI3K, p-AKT/AKT, p-mTOR/mTOR, p-P38/P38 and p-ERK/ERK were reduced by RAC. However, the addition of 3-MA reduced the apoptosis and autophagy- promotion effects of RAC on RCC cells.

CONCLUSION

RAC induced the apoptosis and autophagy, to inhibit the progression of RCC cells. This study may provide a theoretical and experimental basis for clinical anti-cancer application of RAC for RCC.

Prediction of miRNA-disease associations based on strengthened hypergraph convolutional autoencoder

Most existing graph neural network-based methods for predicting miRNA-disease associations rely on initial association matrices to pass messages, but the sparsity of these matrices greatly limits performance. To address this issue and predict potential associations between miRNAs and diseases, we propose a method called strengthened hypergraph convolutional autoencoder (SHGAE). SHGAE leverages multiple layers of strengthened hypergraph neural networks (SHGNN) to obtain robust node embeddings. Within SHGNN, we design a strengthened hypergraph convolutional network module (SHGCN) that enhances original graph associations and reduces matrix sparsity. Additionally, SHGCN expands node receptive fields by utilizing hyperedge features as intermediaries to obtain high-order neighbor embeddings. To improve performance, we also incorporate attention-based fusion of self-embeddings and SHGCN embeddings. SHGAE predicts potential miRNA-disease associations using a multilayer perceptron as the decoder. Across multiple metrics, SHGAE outperforms other state-of-the-art methods in five-fold cross-validation. Furthermore, we evaluate SHGAE on colon and lung neoplasms cases to demonstrate its ability to predict potential associations. Notably, SHGAE also performs well in the analysis of gastric neoplasms without miRNA associations.

The crosstalk between miRNAs and signaling pathways in human cancers: Potential therapeutic implications

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are increasingly recognized as central players in the regulation of eukaryotic physiological processes. These small double stranded RNA molecules have emerged as pivotal regulators in the intricate network of cellular signaling pathways, playing significant roles in the development and progression of human cancers. The central theme in miRNA-mediated regulation of signaling pathways involves their ability to target and modulate the expression of pathway components. Aberrant expression of miRNAs can either promote or suppress key signaling events, influencing critical cellular processes such as proliferation, apoptosis, angiogenesis, and metastasis. For example, oncogenic miRNAs often promote cancer progression by targeting tumor suppressors or negative regulators of signaling pathways, thereby enhancing pathway activity. Conversely, tumor-suppressive miRNAs frequently inhibit oncogenic signaling by targeting key components within these pathways. This complex regulatory crosstalk underscores the significance of miRNAs as central players in shaping the signaling landscape of cancer cells. Furthermore, the therapeutic implications of targeting miRNAs in cancer are substantial. miRNAs can be manipulated to restore normal signaling pathway activity, offering a potential avenue for precision medicine. The development of miRNA-based therapeutics, including synthetic miRNA mimics and miRNA inhibitors, has shown promise in preclinical and clinical studies. These strategies aim to either enhance the activity of tumor-suppressive miRNAs or inhibit the function of oncogenic miRNAs, thereby restoring balanced signaling and impeding cancer progression. In conclusion, the crosstalk between miRNAs and signaling pathways in human cancers is a dynamic and influential aspect of cancer biology. Understanding this interplay provides valuable insights into cancer development and progression. Harnessing the therapeutic potential of miRNAs as regulators of signaling pathways opens up exciting opportunities for the development of innovative cancer treatments with the potential to improve patient outcomes. In this chapter, we provide an overview of the crosstalk between miRNAs and signaling pathways in the context of cancer and highlight the potential therapeutic implications of targeting this regulatory interplay.

MiR-452-5p facilitates retinoblastoma cell growth and invasion via the SOCS3/JAK2/STAT3 pathway

Retinoblastoma (RB) is an intraocular tumor in children. Accumulated evidence confirms that microRNAs (miRNAs) exert critical functions in RB. This research aimed to investigate the miR-452-5p function in RB. MiR-452-5p expressions in RB were tested with quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). MiR-452-5p functions in RB were evaluated via Cell Counting Kit-8, 5-Ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine assay, flow cytometry, Western blot, and Transwell. MiR-452-5p mechanism in RB was assessed using bioinformatics software Starbase and dual-luciferase reporter gene assay. Meanwhile, miR-452-5p function in RB in vivo was examined by constructing tumor xenografts in nude mice, immunohistochemistry, and Western blot assays. MiR-452-5p was overexpressed in RB tissues and cells, and miR-452-5p expression was positively correlated with RB clinicopathology including the Largest tumor base (mm) and Differentiation. Functionally, miR-452-5p knockdown restrained RB cell proliferation, invasion, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and facilitated cell apoptosis. Mechanistically, suppressors of cytokine signaling (SOCS3) knockdown restored the inhibitory effects of miR-452-5p knockdown on RB cells. Meanwhile, in vivo studies further corroborated that miR-452-5p knockdown reduced RB tumor growth, EMT, and accelerated apoptosis in vivo. Also, miR-452-5p knockdown increased SOCS3 protein levels, and decreased phosphorylated Janus kinase 2/Janus kinase 2 (JAK2), phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription 3/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) in vivo. MiR-452-5p accelerated RB cell growth and invasion by SOCS3/JAK2/STAT3.

Chemotherapy-induced metastasis: molecular mechanisms and clinical therapies

Chemotherapy, the most widely accepted treatment for malignant tumors, is dependent on cell death induced by various drugs including antimetabolites, alkylating agents, mitotic spindle inhibitors, antitumor antibiotics, and hormonal anticancer drugs. In addition to causing side effects due to non-selective cytotoxicity, chemotherapeutic drugs can initiate and promote metastasis, which greatly reduces their clinical efficacy. The knowledge of how they induce metastasis is essential for developing strategies that improve the outcomes of chemotherapy. Herein, we summarize the recent findings on chemotherapy-induced metastasis and discuss the underlying mechanisms including tumor-initiating cell expansion, the epithelial-mesenchymal transition, extracellular vesicle involvement, and tumor microenvironment alterations. In addition, the use of combination treatments to overcome chemotherapy-induced metastasis is also elaborated.

Role of Mir-452-5p Overexpression in Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) in Early-stage Colorectal Cancer

BACKGROUND/AIM

The microRNA miR-452-5p holds a critical role in the progression of multiple tumor formations, but there is limited understanding regarding the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) progression and its underlying mechanisms in the early-stage colorectal cancer (CRC). We aimed to explore the change in miRNA expression in early-stage CRC and examine the role of these miRNAs in CRC.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The expression levels of miR-452-5p in tissues and cells of early-stage CRC were determined by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Additionally, the biological effects of miR-452-5p on CRC were investigated by in vitro functional experiments.

RESULTS

The expression levels of miR-452-5p were found increased in early-stage CRC tissue. We found that miR-452-5p promoted CRC cell proliferation but inhibited epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Furthermore, miR-452-5p promoted cell proliferation through activation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathway, and inhibited cell invasion through suppression of Slug (Snail2) expression and up-regulation of E-cadherin expression.

CONCLUSION

The expression of miR-452-5p is up-regulated in early CRC and suppresses epithelial-mesenchymal transition in CRC. These discoveries suggest that miR-452-5p has the potential to serve as a viable therapeutic target for CRC.

Ginsenoside Rh2: A shining and potential natural product in the treatment of human nonmalignant and malignant diseases in the near future

BACKGROUND

Ginseng is well-known as one of the most valuable and commonly used Chinese medicines not only in ancient China but also worldwide including East, Russia, Southeast Asia, North America and some Western European countries. Ginsenosides, as one of the main high active components of Ginseng, have various pharmacological activities, such as anti-inflammatory, antianaphylaxis, anti-depression, and anticancer activities. Ginsenoside Rh2 (Rh2), one of the major bioactive ginsenosides in Panax ginseng, also exhibits versatile pharmacological activities, such as increasing non-specific resistance and specific immune response, improving cardiac function and fibrosis, anti-inflammatory effects and antitumor effects, which may serve as an excellent medicinal potential.

PURPOSE

As one of hundreds of ginsenosides being identified from ginseng, Rh2 exerts a markedly pharmacological effect on various diseases without severe toxicity, it has attracted many researchers 'attention. Although Rh2 plays important roles in some animal models and cell lines to simulate human diseases, its underlying molecular mechanisms have yet to be determined. During the past ten years, nearly 450 studies on Rh2 in the treatment of complex disease have been reported, however, up to now, no comprehensive reviews about the roles of Rh2 in animal models and cellular lines of human nonmalignant and malignant diseases have been conducted.

METHOD

We searched articles on ginsenoside-related diseases from December 2010 to February 2023 in peer-reviewed and nonclinical databases, which include Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, China national knowledge internet and Medline, and using the following keywords: Ginsenoside Rh2, Human diseases, Cancer, Mechanisms, Chinese herbal medicine, Natural products and Signaling pathway.

RESULTS

Therefore, in this review, we make a comprehensive summary on the roles of Rh2 and support the potential mechanisms of Rh2 according to the disease classification, including nonmalignant disease such as ulcerative colitis, neuropathic pain, Asthma, myocardial injury, depression and malignant disease such as breast cancer, colorectal cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma and gastric cancer. Finally, the combination therapy of Rh2 and other medications in human diseases are summarized, apart from that, there are other problems such as the bioavailability of oral administration Rh2 to be overcome in following research.

CONCLUSION

These findings provide strong evidence that Ginsenoside Rh2 plays important roles in the treatment of nonmalignant and malignant diseases.

NF-κB Signaling Modulates miR-452-5p and miR-335-5p Expression to Functionally Decrease Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Progression in Tumor-Initiating Cells

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) remains the fifth leading cause of cancer-related death in women worldwide, partly due to the survival of chemoresistant, stem-like tumor-initiating cells (TICs) that promote disease relapse. We previously described a role for the NF-κB pathway in promoting TIC chemoresistance and survival through NF-κB transcription factors (TFs) RelA and RelB, which regulate genes important for the inflammatory response and those associated with cancer, including microRNAs (miRNAs). We hypothesized that NF-κB signaling differentially regulates miRNA expression through RelA and RelB to support TIC persistence. Inducible shRNA was stably expressed in OV90 cells to knockdown RELA or RELB; miR-seq analyses identified differentially expressed miRNAs hsa-miR-452-5p and hsa-miR-335-5p in cells grown in TIC versus adherent conditions. We validated the miR-seq findings via qPCR in TIC or adherent conditions with RELA or RELB knocked-down. We confirmed decreased expression of hsa-miR-452-5p when either RELA or RELB were depleted and increased expression of hsa-miR-335-5p when RELA was depleted. Either inhibiting miR-452-5p or mimicking miR-335-5p functionally decreased the stem-like potential of the TICs. These results highlight a novel role of NF-κB TFs in modulating miRNA expression in EOC cells, thus opening a better understanding toward preventing recurrence of EOC.

Identification of Diagnostic Markers in Infantile Hemangiomas

Background

Infantile Hemangiomas (IHs) are common benign vascular tumors of infancy that may have serious consequences. The research on diagnostic markers for IHs is scarce.

Methods

The "limma" R package was applied to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in developing IHs. Plugin ClueGO in Cytoscape software performed functional enrichment of DEGs. The Search Tool for Retrieving Interacting Genes (STRING) database was utilized to construct the PPI network. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression model and support vector machine recursive feature elimination (SVM-RFE) analysis were used to identify diagnostic genes for IHs. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve evaluated diagnostic genes' discriminatory ability. Single-gene based on Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) was conducted by Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA). The chemicals related to the diagnostic genes were excavated by the Comparative Toxicogenomics Database (CTD). Finally, the online website Network Analyst was used to predict the transcription factors targeting the diagnostic genes.

Results

A total of 205 DEGs were singled out from IHs samples of 6-, 12-, and 24-month-old infants. These genes principally participated in vasculogenesis and development-related, endothelial cell-related biological processes. Then we mined 127 interacting proteins and created a network with 127 nodes and 251 edges. Furthermore, LASSO and SVM-RRF algorithms identified five diagnostic genes, namely, TMEM2, GUCY1A2, ISL1, WARS, and STEAP4. ROC curve analysis results indicated that the diagnostic genes had a powerful ability to distinguish IHs samples from normal samples. Next, the results of GSEA for a single gene illustrated that all five diagnostic genes inhibited the "valine, leucine, and isoleucine degradation" pathway in the development of IHs. WARS, TMEM2, and STEAP4 activated the "blood vessel development" and "vasculature development" in IHs. Subsequently, inhibitors targeting TMEM2, GUCY1A2, ISL1, and STEAP4 were mined. Finally, 14 transcription factors regulating GUCY1A2, 14 transcription factors regulating STEAP4, and 26 transcription factors regulating ISL1 were predicted.

Conclusion

This study identified five diagnostic markers for IHs and further explored the mechanisms and targeting drugs, providing a basis for diagnosing and treating IHs.

Ginsenoside Rh2 sensitizes the anti-cancer effects of sunitinib by inducing cell cycle arrest in renal cell carcinoma

Sunitinib, a VEGF blockade, is used to treat clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). However, the anti-cancer treatment effects of sunitinib do not last long in ccRCC patients. Ginsenoside, a natural medicine extracted from ginseng, has been studied in cancer treatment and shown to have anti-tumor effects and low toxicity. We assessed cell viability and cell cycle analysis in ccRCC cell lines after treatment with ginsenoside and sunitinib. DNA damage was evaluated by measuring 8-OHdG levels and comet assay. ROS levels, reflecting the cause of oxidative stress, were also measured. Ginsenoside significantly enhanced the inhibition of cell viability by sunitinib, a result that was also confirmed in the xenograft model. In cell cycle analysis, combination treatment of ginsenoside and sunitinib enhanced G2M arrest in comparison with single-treatment groups. In addition, DNA damage was increased by ginsenoside and sunitinib according to the comet assay, and the level of 8-OHdG, which reflects oxidative DNA damage, also increased. We verified that ginsenoside enhances the efficacy of sunitinib to inhibit the proliferation of ccRCC cells via induction of oxidative DNA damage. The combination therapy of sunitinib and ginsenoside suggested the possibility of effectively treating ccRCC patients.

LINC00589-dominated ceRNA networks regulate multiple chemoresistance and cancer stem cell-like properties in HER2+ breast cancer

Resistance to human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-targeted therapy (trastuzumab), cancer stem cell (CSC)-like properties and multiple chemoresistance often concur and intersect in breast cancer, but molecular links that may serve as effective therapeutic targets remain largely unknown. Here, we identified the long noncoding RNA, LINC00589 as a key regulatory node for concurrent intervention of these processes in breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. We demonstrated that the expression of LINC00589 is clinically valuable as an independent prognostic factor for discriminating trastuzumab responders. Mechanistically, LINC00589 serves as a ceRNA platform that simultaneously sponges miR-100 and miR-452 and relieves their repression of tumor suppressors, including discs large homolog 5 (DLG5) and PR/SET domain 16 (PRDM16, a transcription suppressor of mucin4), thereby exerting multiple cancer inhibitory functions and counteracting drug resistance. Collectively, our results disclose two LINC00589-initiated ceRNA networks, the LINC00589-miR-100-DLG5 and LINC00589-miR-452-PRDM16- mucin4 axes, which regulate trastuzumab resistance, CSC-like properties and multiple chemoresistance of breast cancer, thus providing potential diagnostic and prognostic markers and therapeutic targets for HER2-positive breast cancer.

Exosomal miR-452-5p Induce M2 Macrophage Polarization to Accelerate Hepatocellular Carcinoma Progression by Targeting TIMP3

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell-derived exosomes have shown effects on inducing M2 macrophage polarization and promoting HCC progression. MiR-452-5p was reported by recent studies to promote malignancy progression as an exosomal microRNA that secreted by HCC cells, of which the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Here, we further explored how miR-452-5p functions in HCC.

Methods

MiR-452-5p expressions in HCC cells was examined by in situ hybridization. Next, HCC cell lines were transfected with the mimics or the inhibitor of miR-452-5p. Transfected cells' biological behavior were analyzed by CCK-8, flow cytometry, and Transwell assay. Then, exosomes were purified from miR-452-5p inhibited or overexpressed HCC cells and cocultured with macrophages to examine the role of miR-452-5p in macrophage polarization. To examine the role of exosomal miR-452-5p on macrophage polarization and tumor growth. We also performed the dual-luciferase assay to explore the targeting relationship between miR-452-5p and TIMP3.

Results

The upregulation of miR-452-5p was identified in HCC. The effects of HCC cell-derived exosomes on accelerating HCC migration and invasion and inducing M2 macrophage polarization were confirmed, which were further enhanced after overexpressing miR-452-5p but neutralized after silencing miR-452-5p. In addition, in vivo experiments demonstrated the effect of miR-452-5p on accelerating HCC growth and metastasis. Also, we identified that TIMP3 overexpression inhibited the promoted cell invasion and migration by HCC cell-derived exosomes.

Conclusion

Exosomal miR-452-5p secreted from HCC cells could induce polarization of M2 macrophage and therefore stimulating HCC progression by targeting TIMP3. Thus, miR-452-5p might be a potential biomarker for HCC prognosis.

MiR-4461 Inhibits Tumorigenesis of Renal Cell Carcinoma by Targeting PPP1R3C

Background: Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is one of the most common and malignant tumors in the urinary system. The aim of this research was to investigate the mechanism and clinical significance of miR-4461 in the RCC progression. Materials and Methods: Twenty-eight (28) paired RCC tissue samples and adjacent nontumor tissue samples, as well as RCC cell lines were used to measure the expression of miR-4461 and protein phosphatase 1 regulatory subunit 3C (PPP1R3C) transcript by real-time quantitative PCR. The target relationship between miR-4461 and PPP1R3C was predicted by TargetScan and further verified by dual-luciferase reporter gene assay and RNA pull-down assay. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay and BrdU ELISA assay were performed to measure RCC cell viability and proliferation. In addition, caspase-3 activity assay and cell adhesion assay were implemented to measure RCC cell apoptosis and adhesion. Results: MiR-4461 was lowly expressed both in RCC tissues and cells, while upregulated PPP1R3C was tested in RCC tissues and cells. In addition, miR-4461 was validated to directly target PPP1R3C, thereby negatively regulating PPP1R3C. Particularly, miR-4461 exerted a clear inhibitory effect on the malignant phenotypes of RCC cells by binding and inhibiting PPP1R3C. Conclusion: MiR-4461, which served as a tumor suppressor, inhibited RCC progression by targeting and downregulating PPP1R3C.

Micro-RNAs Predict Response to Systemic Treatments in Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Patients: Results from a Systematic Review of the Literature

Locally advanced or metastatic renal cell carcinomas (mRCCs) account for up to 15% of all kidney cancer diagnoses. Systemic therapies (with or without surgery) represent gold standard treatments, mostly based on tyrosine kinase inhibitors in association with immunotherapy. We provide an overview of the current knowledge of miRNAs as predictors of treatment resistance. A systematic review of the literature was carried out in January 2022 following the PICO methodology. Overall, we included seven studies—four testing plasmatic miRNAs, two exosomal miRNAs, and one urinary miRNA. A total of 789 patients were included (354 for plasmatic miRNAs, 366 for urinary miRNAs, and 69 for exosomal miRNAs). Several miRNAs were tested within the included studies, but six plasmatic (miR9-5-p¸ miR-192, miR193-3p, miR-501-3p¸ miR-221, miR-376b-3p) one urinary (miR-30a-5p), and three exosomal (miR-35-5p, miR-301a-3p, miR-1293) were associated with resistance to systemic treatments or treatment failure in mRCC patients. Results showed a fair accuracy of these biomarkers in predicting treatment resistance and overall survival. However, to date, the biomarkers tested have not been validated and their clinical uses are not recommended. Nevertheless, the literature results are encouraging; future large clinical trials are warranted to validate the effectiveness of these tools in clinical decision-making.

The Overexpression of TOB1 Induces Autophagy in Gastric Cancer Cells by Secreting Exosomes

We previously confirmed that transducer of ERBB2, 1 (TOB1) gene, can induce autophagy in gastric cancer cells. Studies have shown the biogenesis of exosomes overlaps with different autophagy processes, which helps to maintain the self-renewal and homeostasis of body cells. This study is aimed at verifying whether overexpressing TOB1 induces autophagy by secreting exosomes in gastric cancer cells and its underlying mechanisms. Differential ultracentrifugation was used to extracted the exosomes from the culture medium of gastric cancer cell line AGS-TOB1 ectopically overexpressing TOB1 (exo-AGS-TOB1, experimental group) and AGS-empty-vector cell line with low expression of endogenous TOB1 (exo-AGS-Vector, control group). Exosomal markers CD9 and TSG101 were determined in both the cell supernatants of exo-AGS-TOB1 and exo-AGS-Vector by Western blot. Under the transmission electron microscope (TEM), the exosomes were round and saucer-like vesicles with double-layer membrane structure, and the vesicles showed different translucency due to different contents. The peak size of exosomes detected by nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) was about 100 nm. When the exosomes of exo-AGS-TOB1 and exo-AGS-Vector were cocultured with TOB1 knockdown gastric cancer cell line HGC-27-TOB1-6E12 for 48 hours, the conversion of autophagy-related protein LC3-I to LC3-II in HGC-27-TOB1-6E12 gastric cancer cells cocultured with exo-AGS-TOB1 was significantly higher than that in the control group, and the ratio of LC3-II/LC3-I was statistically different (P < 0.05). More autophagosomes in HGC-27-TOB1-6E12 cells cocultured with exo-AGS-TOB1 for 48 hours were observed under TEM, while fewer autophagosomes were found in the control group. Lastly, miRNAs were differentially expressed by cell supernatant-exosomal whole transcriptome sequencing. Thus, our results provide new insights into TOB1-induced autophagy in gastric cancer.

miR-96-5p targets PTEN to mediate sunitinib resistance in clear cell renal cell carcinoma

A multiple receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor, sunitinib, is a first-line therapy for clear cell renal cell carcinoma (CCRCC). Unfortunately, it has the major challenges of low initial response rate and resistance after about one year of treatment. Here we evaluated a microRNA (miRNA) and its target responsible for sunitinib resistance. Using miRNA profiling, we identified miR-96-5p upregulation in tumors from sunitinib-resistant CCRCC patients. By bioinformatic analysis, PTEN was selected as a potential target of miR-96-5p, which showed low levels in tumors from sunitinib-resistant CCRCC patients. Furthermore, PTEN and miR-96-5p levels were negatively correlated in a large The Cancer Genome Atlas kidney renal clear cell carcinoma cohort and high miR-96 and low PTEN represented poor prognosis in this cohort. Additionally, four-week sunitinib treatment increased miR-96-5p and decreased PTEN only in tumors from a sunitinib-resistant patient-derived xenograft model. We found a novel miR-96-5p binding site in the PTEN 3′ UTR and confirmed direct repression by luciferase reporter assay. Furthermore, we demonstrated that repression of PTEN by miR-96-5p increased cell proliferation and migration in sunitinib-treated cell lines. These results highlight the direct suppression of PTEN by miR-96-5p and that high miR-96-5p and low PTEN are partially responsible for sunitinib resistance and poor prognosis in CCRCC.

Construction of an Immune-Autophagy Prognostic Model Based on ssGSEA Immune Scoring Algorithm Analysis and Prognostic Value Exploration of the Immune-Autophagy Gene in Endometrial Carcinoma (EC) Based on Bioinformatics

BACKGROUND

Endometrial carcinoma (EC) is a malignant cancer spreading worldwide and in the fourth position among all other types of cancer in women. The purpose of this paper is to explore the prognostic value of the immune-autophagy gene in endometrial carcinoma (EC) based on bioinformatics, construct an immune-autophagy prognostic model of endometrial carcinoma, search for independent prognostic markers, and finally predict the potential therapeutic drugs of TCGA subgroup.

METHODS

The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database was used to extract transcriptome sequencing data of patients suffering from EC; 28 kinds of immune cells were scored by ssGSEA, and the immune subtypes were grouped by consistency cluster analysis. The accuracy and effectiveness of the grouping were verified by the analysis of differential gene expression and survival rate of immune checkpoints in the two groups to provide the premise and basis for the establishment of independent prognostic factors. The expression of different genes in high and low immune groups was analyzed. The analysis of various genes' expression in immune groups (high and low) has been performed. Go function annotation and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis were used to evaluate the difference of immune infiltration between high and low immune groups. The immune and autophagy genes were crossed, the key (hub) genes were selected, the risk was scored, the prognosis model was constructed, and the independent prognostic markers were established. CAMP and CTRP 2.0 were used to test the drug sensitivity.

RESULTS

According to the level of immune cell enrichment, the results have been subcategorized into two immune subtypes: high immunity group_ H and low immunity group_ L. Two immune subtypes, CD274, PDCD1, and CTLA4, were detected in the immune system_ H and immunity_L. A significant difference was detected between these two groups in the expression and survival rate. Few more differences were also detected between the two groups through the evaluation of immune infiltration, which proved the grouping's accuracy and effectiveness. Differential gene expression analysis showed that there were 721 DEGs and 3 hub genes. DEGs are mainly involved in lymphocyte activation, proliferation, differentiation, leukocyte proliferation, and other biological processes, mediate chemokines' activities, chemokine receptor binding, and other molecular functions, and are enriched in the outer plasma membrane, endoplasmic reticulum, and T cell receptor complex. The enriched pathways are allograft, complex, inflammatory, interferon-alpha, interferon-gamma, E2F, G2M, mitotic, etc.

CONCLUSION

Through bioinformatics analysis, we successfully constructed the immuno-autophagy prognosis model of endometrial cancer and identified three high-risk immunoautophagy genes, including VEGFA, CCL2, and Ifng. Four potential therapeutic drugs were predicted as sildenafil, sunitinib, TPCA-1, and etoposide.

TGF‑β1 affects the renal cancer miRNome and regulates tumor cells proliferation

TGF-β1 is a pleiotropic cytokine that can either promote or inhibit cancer development and progression. It was previously found that TGF-β1 can regulate the expression of several microRNAs (miR or miRNA) involved in the progression of renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Therefore, the present study aimed to analyze the effects of TGF-β1 on the global RCC miRNome. It was found that TGF-β1 can regulate a complex network consisting of miRNAs and mRNAs involved in RCC transformation. In particular, TGF-β1 was revealed to regulate the proliferation of RCC cells while concomitantly modifying the expression of oncogenic regulators, including avian erythroblastosis virus E26 (V-Ets) oncogene homolog-1 (ETS1). In addition, TGF-β1 was demonstrated to regulate the expression of a number of miRNAs including miR-30c-5p, miR-155-5p, miR-181a-5p and miR-181b-5p. By contrast, TGF-β1 reciprocally modified the expression of genes encoding TGF-β1 receptors and SMADs, indicating a novel regulatory feedback mechanism mediated through the miRNAs. These data suggested that ETS1 served different roles in different subtypes of RCC tumors, specifically by functioning as an oncogene in clear cell RCC while as a tumor suppressor in papillary RCC.

miR-6769b-5p targets CCND-1 to regulate proliferation in cadmium-treated placental trophoblasts: Association with the impairment of fetal growth

Environmental cadmium (Cd) is positively associated with placental impairment and fetal growth retardation. Nevertheless, its potential mechanisms remain unclear. microRNAs (miRNAs) are known to influence placental development and fetal growth. This work was aimed to determine which miRNAs are involved in Cd-impaired placental and fetal development based on the mRNA and miRNA expression profiles analysis. As a result, gestational Cd exposure deceased fetal and placental weight, and reduced the protein level of PCNA in human and mouse placentae. Furthermore, the results of mRNA microarray showed that Cd-downregulated mRNAs were predictively correlated with several biological processes, including cell proliferation, differentiation and motility. In addition, the results of miRNA microarray and qPCR assay demonstrated that Cd significantly increased the level of miR-6769b-5p, miR-146b-5p and miR-452-5p. Integrated analysis of Cd-upregulated miRNAs predicted target genes and Cd-downregulated mRNAs found that overlapping mRNAs, such as CCND1, CDK13, RINT1 and CDC26 were also significantly associated with cell proliferation. Further experiments showed that miR-6769b-5p inhibitor, but not miR-146b-5p and miR-452-5p, markedly reversed Cd-downregulated the expression of proliferation-related mRNAs, and thereby restored Cd-decreased the proteins level of CCND1 and PCNA in human placental trophoblasts. Dual luciferase reporter assay further revealed that miR-6769b-5p directly targets CCND1. Finally, the case-control study demonstrated that increased miR-6769b-5p level and impaired cell proliferation were observed in small-for-gestational-age human placentae. In conclusion, miR-6769b-5p targets CCND-1 to regulate proliferation in Cd-treated placental trophoblasts, which is associated with the impairment of fetal growth. Our findings imply that placental miR-6769b-5p may be used as an epigenetic marker for environmental pollutants-caused fetal growth restriction and its late-onset chronic diseases.

PBX2-Mediated circTLK1 Activates JAK/STAT Signaling to Promote Gliomagenesis via miR-452-5p/SSR1 Axis

Glioma is considered one of the most lethal brain tumors, as the aggressive blood vessel formation leads to high morbidity and mortality rates. However, the mechanisms underlying the initiation and progression of glioma remain unclear. Here, we aimed to reveal the role of circTLK1 in glioma development. Our results revealed that circTLK1 is highly expressed in glioma tumor tissues and glioma cell lines. We then conducted a series of experiments that showed that circTLK1 was involved in the progression of gliomas. Mechanistically, investigation of the factors downstream of circTLK1 revealed that circTLK1 activated JAK/STAT signaling in glioma cells. Furthermore, AGO2-RIP, RNA-pull down, and luciferase reporter gene assays led to the identification of the novel circTLK1/miR-452-5p/SSR1 axis. Moreover, we investigated the upstream regulator of circTLK1 and found that circTLK1 expression in glioma cells could be regulated by the transcriptional factor PBX2. Taken together, our findings show that circTLK1 mediated by PBX2 activates JAK/STAT signaling to promote glioma progression through the miR-452-5p/SSR1 pathway. These results provide new insights into glioma diagnosis and therapy.

SMAD7 and SMAD4 expression in colorectal cancer progression and therapy response

Inhibitory SMAD7 and common mediator SMAD4 play crucial roles in SMAD-dependent TGF-β signaling that is often disrupted in colorectal cancer (CRC). This study aimed to profile the expression of SMAD7 and SMAD4 in primary and metastatic CRC and to evaluate their significance in disease progression and therapy response. The expression of SMAD7 and SMAD4 genes was analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR in tissues from 35 primary and metastatic CRC patients and in vitro in 7 human cell lines originating from colon tissue. Expression levels of SMAD7 and SMAD4, as well as their ratio, were determined and their association with tumor characteristics and response to therapy were evaluated. SMAD4 level was significantly lower in tumors compared to non-tumor tissues in both primary (p = 0.001) and metastatic (p = 0.001) CRC patients, while tumor expression of SMAD7 was significantly lower from non-tumor tissue only in metastatic patients (p = 0.017). SMAD7/SMAD4 ratio was elevated in CRC primary tumor tissues and cell lines compared to corresponding non-tumor tissues and cell line, respectively (p = 0.003). SMAD7 expression was significantly elevated in primary tumor tissues obtained from responders to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) compared to non-responders (p = 0.014). Alterations of expression and ratio of SMAD7 and SMAD4 in CRC cell lines, primary rectal cancer, and liver metastasis emphasize the importance of these genes in different stages of disease progression. Differential expression of SMAD7 in responders versus non-responders to nCRT should be further investigated for its potential predictive value.

Therapeutic exploration of uncommon EGFR exon 20 insertion mutations in advanced non-small cell lung cancer: breaking through brambles and thorns

BACKGROUND

EGFR exon 20 insertion (EGFR ex20ins) mutations account for about 10-12% of all EGFR-mutated tumors, which are usually associated with primary drug resistance to conventional EGFR-TKI therapy and worse survival outcomes, and are currently a major problem for clinicians in clinical management. In recent years, with the rapid improvement of sequencing technology and careful review of clinical data, investigators have gained a deeper understanding and clearer cognition of the clinicopathological features and molecular mechanisms of these EGFR ex20ins mutations.

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to systemically review the molecular structure and clinical characteristics of EGFR ex20ins mutations, and focus on summarizing the latest data of emerging therapies (including novel small-molecule EGFR-TKI drugs, specific monoclonal antibodies, novel drugs targeting other mechanisms, and immunotherapy) for those patients.

CONCLUSION

Advances in overcoming these systemic challenges have greatly accelerated the development of new drugs targeting EGFR ex20ins, and are committed to designing more rational combination therapies to overcome or delay the emergence of drug resistance, ultimately improve the prognosis of such uncommon mutant populations.

MicroRNA-501-3p inhibits the proliferation of kidney cancer cells by targeting WTAP

BACKGROUND

Emerging evidence suggests that miR-501-3p plays an important role in the pathogenesis and progression of various carcinomas. However, its role and underlying mechanisms in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) remain to be elucidated.

METHODS

Quantitative RT-PCR, western blot, and bioinformatics methods were used to evaluate the expression of miR-501-3p and Wilms' tumor 1-associating protein (WTAP) in RCC cell lines and clinical tissues. The effects of miR-501-3p on the proliferation of RCC cells were investigated using flow cytometric, colony formation, and CCK8 assays. The target gene of miR-501-3p was confirmed by western blotting, qRT-PCR, and dual-luciferase reporter assays. The levels of RNA methylation with N6-methyladenosine (m⁶ A) following miR-501-3p overexpression or knockdown of its target gene were quantified using a dot-blot assay.

RESULTS

miR-501-3p expression was significantly downregulated in human RCC cell lines and tissues. In contrast, its overexpression markedly inhibited cancer cell proliferation in vitro by inducing G1 phase arrest. Moreover, WTAP was verified as a direct target gene of miR-501-3p. WTAP gene knockdown alone efficiently produced the same cancer-inhibiting effects as miR-501-3p overexpression, with the level of m⁶ A in RCC cells being decreased under both scenarios. The intermolecular interaction between miR-501-3p and WTAP was further substantiated by rescue experiments.

CONCLUSION

RCC progression is regulated via the miR-501-3p/WTAP/CDK2 axis and is inhibited by the overexpression of miR-501-3p.

The Construction and Analysis of ceRNA Network and Immune Infiltration in Kidney Renal Clear Cell Carcinoma

Background: Kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC) has the highest invasion, mortality and metastasis of the renal cell carcinomas and seriously affects patient’s quality of life. However, the composition of the immune microenvironment and regulatory mechanisms at transcriptomic level such as ceRNA of KIRC are still unclear.

Methods: We constructed a ceRNA network associated with KIRC by analyzing the long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), miRNA and mRNA expression data of 506 tumor tissue samples and 71 normal adjacent tissue samples downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. In addition, we estimated the proportion of 22 immune cell types in these samples through “The Cell Type Identification by Estimating Relative Subsets of RNA Transcripts.” Based on the ceRNA network and immune cells screened by univariate Cox analysis and Lasso regression, two nomograms were constructed to predict the prognosis of patients with KIRC. Receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC) and calibration curves were employed to assess the discrimination and accuracy of the nomograms. Consequently, co-expression analysis was carried out to explore the relationship between each prognostic gene in a Cox proportional hazards regression model of ceRNA and each survival-related immune cell in a Cox proportional hazards regression model of immune cell types to reveal the potential regulatory mechanism.

Results: We established a ceRNA network consisting of 12 lncRNAs, 25 miRNAs and 136 mRNAs. Two nomograms containing seven prognostic genes and two immune cells, respectively, were successfully constructed. Both ROC [area under curves (AUCs) of 1, 3, and 5-year survival in the nomogram based on ceRNA network: 0.779, 0.747, and 0.772; AUCs of 1, 3, and 5-year survivals in nomogram based on immune cells: 0.603, 0.642, and 0.607] and calibration curves indicated good accuracy and clinical application value of both models. Through co-correlation analysis between ceRNA and immune cells, we found both LINC00894 and KIAA1324 were positively correlated with follicular helper T (Tfh) cells and negatively correlated with resting mast cells.

Conclusion: Based on the ceRNA network and tumor-infiltrating immune cells, we constructed two nomograms to predict the survival of KIRC patients and demonstrated their value in improving the personalized management of KIRC.

Transcription Factors and Methylation Drive Prognostic miRNA Dysregulation in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Many dysregulated microRNAs (miRNAs) have been suggested to serve as oncogenes or tumor suppressors to act as diagnostic and prognostic factors for HCC patients. However, the dysregulated mechanisms of miRNAs in HCC remain largely unknown. Herein, we firstly identify 114 disordered mature miRNAs in HCC, 93 of them are caused by dysregulated transcription factors, and 10 of them are driven by the DNA methylation of their promoter regions. Secondly, we find that seven up-regulated miRNAs (miR-9-5p, miR-452-5p, miR-452-3p, miR-1180-3p, miR-4746-5p, miR-3677-3 and miR-4661-5p) can promote tumorigenesis via inhibiting multiple tumor suppressor genes participated in metabolism, which may act as oncogenes, and seven down-regulated miRNAs (miR-99-5p, miR-5589-5p, miR-5589-3p, miR-139-5p, miR-139-3p, miR-101-3p and miR-125b-5p) can suppress abnormal cell proliferation via suppressing a number of oncogenes involved in cancer-related pathways, which may serve as tumor suppressors. Thirdly, our findings reveal a mechanism that transcription factor and miRNA interplay can form various regulatory loops to synergistically control the occurrence and development of HCC. Finally, our results demonstrate that this key transcription factor FOXO1 can activate a certain number of tumor suppressor miRNAs to improve the survival of HCC patients, suggesting FOXO1 as an effective therapeutic target for HCC patients. Overall, our study not only reveals the dysregulated mechanisms of miRNAs in HCC, but provides several novel prognostic biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets for HCC patients.

CAIX-specific CAR-T Cells and Sunitinib Show Synergistic Effects Against Metastatic Renal Cancer Models

Treatment with chimeric antigen receptor-modified T cell (CAR-T) has demonstrated promising therapeutic efficacy in hematologic malignancies. However, the therapeutic efficacy is still very limited for solid tumors. An immunosuppressive microenvironment is one of the main reasons for the limited efficacy. Some chemotherapeutic agents exhibit immune microenvironment modulation. Therefore, combination with chemotherapeutic agents may be one of the promising strategies to enhance the therapeutic efficacy of CAR-T against solid tumors. Sunitinib modulates the antitumor immune response by improving T-cell infiltration and function while reducing immunosuppressive factors. The authors constructed a second-generation CAR targeting human renal cell carcinoma (RCC)-specific antigen carbonic anhydrase IX (CAIX) with the costimulatory domain of 4-1BB. The results of cytokine releasing and cell killing assays showed that the CAIX-CAR-T cells have specific effector functions against CAIX renal cancer cells in vitro. Combination therapy with CAIX-CAR-T and sunitinib showed synergistic efficacy against a mouse lung metastasis model of human RCC. CAIX-CAR-T cells in the mice of the combination therapy group showed stronger proliferation and tumor infiltration than that in the mice of the CAIX-CAR-T monotherapy group. The possible mechanisms of the synergistic efficacy are: (1) sunitinib caused upregulation of CAIX in tumor cells; (2) sunitinib decreased frequency of myeloid-derived suppressor cells in the tumor microenvironment. Our study supplied an innovative immunotherapeutic approach whereby combining CAIX-CAR-T with sunitinib induces a potent antitumor response in an experimental model of metastatic RCC. The combination strategy should be considered as a potential approach to augment adoptive CAR-T cell immunotherapy.

miR-452-5p regulates the responsiveness of intestinal epithelial cells in inflammatory bowel disease through Mcl-1

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are chronic immune disorders that occur in the intestinal tract. Previous studies have revealed that intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) play critical roles in the development of IBDs, and therapies targeting IECs hold great potential for the treatment of IBDs. However, the roles of microRNAs (miRs) in the regulation of IEC properties and whether they can be used as targets for IEC regulation and IBD treatment are largely unknown. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of the miR-452-5p/Mcl-1 axis in the regulation of the properties of IECs during the pathology of IBD. A dextran sulfate sodium-induced mouse model of ulcerative colitis (UC) and an in vitro lipopolysaccharide-stimulated IEC-6 cell model were investigated. The results revealed that miR-452-5p expression in the IECs of the mice increased significantly upon UC induction, and the knockdown of miR-452-5p alleviated the IBD symptoms. Furthermore, the suppression of miR-452-5p downregulated the expression of the inflammatory cytokines IL-6, IL-8 and TNFα, and upregulated the expression of intestinal barrier-associated molecules, namely occludin, zona occludens 1 and mucin-2 in IECs in vitro and in vivo. Notably, the results indicated that miR-452-5p modulated the responses of IECs by negatively regulating the expression of Mcl-1, as the knockdown of Mcl-1 abrogated the effects of miR-452-5p suppression on IECs. The present study suggested that miR-452-5p regulated the responsiveness of IECs to influence the development of UC in an Mcl-1-dependent manner. These observations provide important information to improve the understanding of IBD pathogenesis and indicate that targeting the miR-452-5p-Mcl-1 signaling axis in IECs holds potential for IBD treatment.

A Review of Recent Research on the Role of MicroRNAs in Renal Cancer

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a most common type of urologic neoplasms; it accounts for 3% of malignant tumors, with high rates of relapse and mortality. The most common types of renal cancer are clear cell carcinoma (ccRCC), papillary renal cell carcinoma (pRCC), and chromophobe renal carcinoma (chRCC), which account for 90%, 6–15%, and 2–5%, respectively, of all renal malignancies. Although surgical resection, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy are the most common treatment method for those diseases, their effects remain dissatisfactory. Furthermore, recent research shows that the treatment efficacy of checkpoint inhibitors in advanced RCC patients is widely variable. Hence, patients urgently need a new molecular biomarker for early diagnosis and evaluating the prognosis of RCC. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) belong to a family of short, non-coding RNAs that are highly conserved, have long half-life evolution, and post-transcriptionally regulate gene expression; they have been predicted to play crucial roles in tumor metastasis, invasion, angiogenesis, proliferation, apoptosis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, differentiation, metabolism, cancer occurrence, and treatment resistance. Although some previous papers demonstrated that miRNAs play vital roles in renal cancer, such as pathogenesis, diagnosis, and prognosis, the roles of miRNAs in kidney cancer are still unclear. Therefore, we reviewed studies indexed in PubMed from 2017 to 2020, and found several studies suggesting that there are more than 82 miRNAs involved in renal cancers. The present review describes the current status of miRNAs in RCC and their roles in progression, diagnosis, therapy targeting, and prognosis of RCC.

Anti-Angiogenic Therapy: Albumin-Binding Proteins Could Mediate Mechanisms Underlying the Accumulation of Small Molecule Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors in Normal Tissues with Potential Harmful Effects on Health

Anti-angiogenics currently used in cancer therapy target angiogenesis by two major mechanisms: (i) neutralizing angiogenic factors or their receptors by using macromolecule anti-angiogenic drugs (e.g., therapeutic antibodies), and (ii) blocking intracellularly the activity of receptor tyrosine kinases with small molecule (M_r < 1 kDa) inhibitors. Anti-angiogenics halt the growth and spread of cancer, and significantly prolong the disease-free survival of the patients. However, resistance to treatment, insufficient efficacy, and toxicity limit the success of this antivascular therapy. Published evidence suggests that four albumin-binding proteins (ABPs) (gp18, gp30, gp60/albondin, and secreted protein acidic and cysteine-rich (SPARC)) could be responsible for the accumulation of small molecule receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (RTKIs) in normal organs and tissues and therefore responsible for the side effects and toxicity associated with this type of cancer therapy. Drawing attention to these studies, this review discusses the possible negative role of albumin as a drug carrier and the rationale for a new strategy for cancer therapy based on follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR) expressed on the luminal endothelial cell surface of peritumoral blood vessels associated with the major human cancers. This review should be relevant to the audience and the field of cancer therapeutics and angiogenesis/microvascular modulation-based interventions.

The Ambivalent Role of miRNAs in Carcinogenesis: Involvement in Renal Cell Carcinoma and Their Clinical Applications

The analysis of microRNA (miRNAs), small, non-coding endogenous RNA, plays a crucial role in oncology. These short regulatory sequences, acting on thousands of messenger RNAs (mRNAs), modulate gene expression at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional level leading to translational repression or degradation of target molecules. Although their function is required for several physiological processes, such as proliferation, apoptosis and cell differentiation, miRNAs are also responsible for development and/or progression of several cancers, since they may interact with classical tumor pathways. In this review, we highlight recent advances in deregulated miRNAs in cancer focusing on renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and provide an overview of the potential use of miRNA in their clinical settings, such as diagnostic and prognostic markers.

The Impact of Non-coding RNAs in the Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition

Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a course of action that enables a polarized epithelial cell to undertake numerous biochemical alterations that allow it to adopt features of mesenchymal cells such as high migratory ability, invasive properties, resistance to apoptosis, and importantly higher-order formation of extracellular matrix elements. EMT has important roles in implantation and gastrulation of the embryo, inflammatory reactions and fibrosis, and transformation of cancer cells, their invasiveness and metastatic ability. Regarding the importance of EMT in the invasive progression of cancer, this process has been well studies in in this context. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) have been shown to exert critical function in the regulation of cellular processes that are involved in the EMT. These processes include regulation of some transcription factors namely SNAI1 and SNAI2, ZEB1 and ZEB2, Twist, and E12/E47, modulation of chromatin configuration, alternative splicing, and protein stability and subcellular location of proteins. In the present paper, we describe the influence of ncRNAs including microRNAs and long non-coding RNAs in the EMT process and their application as biomarkers for this process and cancer progression and their potential as therapeutic targets.

MiR-452-5p promotes colorectal cancer progression by regulating an ERK/MAPK positive feedback loop

BACKGROUND

MiR-452-5p plays an essential role in the development of a variety of tumors, but little is known about its biological function and mechanism in colorectal cancer (CRC).

METHODS

The expression levels of miR-452-5p in CRC tissues and cells were detected by real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR). Besides, the biological effects of miR-452-5p on CRC were investigated by functional experiments in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, bioinformatics analysis, dual-luciferase reporter assay, chromatin immunecipitation assay, western blotting and recovery experiments were implemented to investigate the underlying molecular mechanism.

RESULTS

The expression level of miR-452-5p was up-regulated in CRC tissues. MiR-452-5p promoted CRC cell proliferation, cell cycle transition and chemoresistance, and inhibited cell apoptosis. Moreover, miR-452-5p directly targeted PKN2 and DUSP6 and subsequently activated the ERK/MAPK signaling pathway, and it was transcriptionally regulated by c-Jun.

CONCLUSION

To conclude, miR-452-5p expression is up-regulated in CRC, which promotes the progression of CRC by activating the miR-452-5p-PKN2/DUSP6-c-Jun positive feedback loop. These findings indicate that miR-452-5p may act as a potential therapeutic target and clinical response biomarker for CRC.

MiR-452-5p mediates the proliferation, migration and invasion of hepatocellular carcinoma cells via targeting COLEC10

Objective: This study explored the potential function of miR-452-5p in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and clarified the mechanism underlying HCC progression. Materials & methods: Real-time quantitative PCR was used to detect miR-452-5p and COLEC10 mRNA expression in HCC, western blot was performed to test COLEC10 protein expression. The regulatory mechanism of miR-452-5p/COLEC10 in HCC cells was explored using CCK-8, wound healing assay, Transwell and dual-luciferase reporter assay. Results: MiR-452-5p was greatly upregulated in HCC cells, and it served as an oncogene playing an active role in HCC cell proliferation, migration and invasion. COLEC10 was identified as the target of miR-452-5p in HCC attenuating the promoting effect of miR-452-5p on HCC cells upon overexpression. Conclusion: MiR-452-5p can promote the progression of HCC via targeting COLEC10.

Circ-CCDC66 upregulates REXO1 expression to aggravate cervical cancer progression via restraining miR-452-5p

Background

Cervical cancer is one most common cancer types among females over the world. While its underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Circ-CCDC66 has been revealed to participate in multiple biological functions, and contribute to various diseases’ progression. In the current study, we aimed to demonstrate the role of circ-CCDC66 in cervical cancer progression.

Methods

Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was conducted to measure the expression of circ-CCDC66, miR-452-5p, and REXO1 mRNA. Cell fractionation assay and RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) were performed to locate circ-CCDC66 in cells. Cell account kit 8 (CCK-8) was used to detect cell proliferation ability. Transwell assay was applied to evaluate cell migration or invasion ability. Bioinformatics analysis, biotinylated RNA pull-down, RNA immunoprecipitation, and dual-luciferase reporter assays were conducted to assess the association between miR-452 and circ-CCDC66 or REXO1. Western blot was applied to measure the protein expression of REXO1. The animal tumor model was used to assess the effect of circ-CCDC66 in vivo.

Results

The expression of circ-CCDC66 was upregulated in cervical cancer tumor tissues in comparison with normal tissues, and correlated with later tumor stage and larger tumor size. Downregulated circ-CCDC66 inhibited cervical cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Circ-CCDC66 was an efficient molecular sponge for miR-452-5p, and negatively regulated miR-452-5p expression. MiR-452-5p directly targeted to REXO1. Circ-CCDC66 regulated REXO1 expression to modulate cervical cancer progression via miR-452-5p. Moreover, downregulated circ-CCDC66 was found to suppress tumor growth in vivo.

Conclusion

Our results demonstrated the role of circ-CCDC66/miR-452-5p/REXO1 axis in cervical cancer progression, we might provide novel therapeutic targets for cervical cancer clinical intervention.

MicroRNA-362 negatively and positively regulates SMAD4 expression in TGF-β/SMAD signaling to suppress cell migration and invasion

Cell migration and invasion are modulated by epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and the reverse MET process. Despite the detection of microRNA-362 (miR-362, both the miR-362-5p and -3p species) in cancers, none of the identified miR-362 targets is a mesenchymal or epithelial factor to link miR-362 with EMT/MET and metastasis. Focusing on the TGF-β/SMAD signaling pathway in this work, luciferase assays and western blot data showed that miR-362 targeted and negatively regulated expression of SMAD4 and E-cadherin, but not SNAI1, which is regulated by SMAD4. However, miR-362 knockdown also down-regulated SMAD4 and SNAI1, but up-regulated E-cadherin expression. Wound-healing and transwell assays further showed that miR-362 knockdown suppressed cell migration and invasion, effects which were reversed by over-expressing SMAD4 or SNAI1, or by knocking down E-cadherin in the miR-362 knockdown cells. In orthotopic mice, miR-362 knockdown inhibited metastasis, and displayed the same SMAD4 and E-cadherin expression profiles in the tumors as in the in vitro studies. A scheme is proposed to integrate miR-362 negative regulation via SMAD4, and to explain miR-362 positive regulation of SMAD4 via miR-362 targeting of known SMAD4 suppressors, BRK and DACH1, which would have resulted in SMAD4 depletion and annulment of subsequent involvement in TGF-β signaling actions. Hence, miR-362 both negatively and positively regulates SMAD4 expression in TGF-β/SMAD signaling pathway to suppress cell motility and invasiveness and metastasis, and may explain the reported clinical association of anti-miR-362 with suppressed metastasis in various cancers. MiR-362 knockdown in miR-362-positive cancer cells may be used as a therapeutic strategy to suppress metastasis.

Long noncoding RNA GAS5 ameliorates chronic constriction injury induced neuropathic pain in rats by modulation of the miR-452-5p/CELF2 axis

Neuropathic pain is a type of spontaneous pain that causes damage to the central nervous system. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) participate in the progression of various nervous system diseases, including neuropathic pain. However, the biological function of GAS5 in neuropathic pain remains unclear. Our findings revealed that GAS5 was downregulated in chronic constriction injury (CCI) rats. Besides, ELISA showed that the concentration of IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β were reduced by overexpressed GAS5 in spinal cord homogenates of CCI rats. Moreover, mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia in CCI rats were inhibited by GAS5 overexpression, suggesting that GAS5 overexpression attenuated neuropathic pain. Subsequently, we found that GAS5 served as a sponge for miR-452-5p in CCI rats and CELF2 was the downstream target of miR-452-5p. Finally, through a rescue assay, we found that GAS5 ameliorated neuropathic pain in CCI rats by sponging miR-452-5p to regulate CELF2 expression. Our study confirmed that GAS5 ameliorated neuropathic pain in rats by modulation of the miR-452-5p/CELF2 axis, which may provide some clues for neuropathic pain treatment.

Low expression of miR-99b promotes progression of clear cell renal cell carcinoma by up-regulating IGF1R/Akt/mTOR signaling

OBJECTIVE

Dysfunctions of microRNAs have been implicated in the progression of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). Here, we investigated the roles of miR-99b and miR-99b* in ccRCC development.

METHODS

The expression levels of miR-99b and miR-99b* in tumor and tumor-adjacent tissues from ccRCC patients were quantified by quantitative Real-Time PCR (qRT-PCR). MicroRNA mimics and inhibitors were employed to evaluate the functions of miR-99b and miR-99b*. The effects of miR-99b on the proliferation and migration of ccRCC cells were analyzed by MTT and wound-healing assays, respectively. The effect of miR-99b on the expression of its target gene IGF1R and mTOR was determined by western blotting and qRT-PCR.

RESULTS

The abundances of miR-99b and miR-99b* were lower in ccRCC tissues than in the tumor-adjacent tissues from patients. Similarly, the expression of these two microRNAs was higher in the normal kidney HK-2 cells than in the ccRCC cell lines. Moreover, miR-99b and miR-99b* inhibited the proliferation and migration of ccRCC cells. MiR-99b was found to down-regulate IGF1R and mTOR expression, likely through targeting their mRNAs to induce degradation. Consistently, the mRNA levels of IGF1R and mTOR were higher in ccRCC tissues than in the tumor-adjacent tissues, and Akt, a downstream factor of IGF1R, was highly activated correspondingly in ccRCC tissues.

CONCLUSION

The low expression of miR-99b and miR-99b* contributes to ccRCC development and miR-99b acts as an onco-suppressor by suppressing IGF1R and mTOR expression to down-regulate IGF1R/AKT/mTOR signaling.

Discovery and validation of miR-452 as an effective biomarker for acute kidney injury in sepsis

Rationale: Sepsis is the cause of nearly half of acute kidney injury (AKI) and, unfortunately, AKI in sepsis is associated with unacceptably high rates of mortality. Early detection of AKI would guide the timely intervention and care of sepsis patients. Currently, NephroCheck, based on urinary [TIMP2]*[IGFBP7], is the only FDA approved test for early detection of AKI, which has a relatively low sensitivity for sepsis patients.

Methods:In vitro, BUMPT (Boston University mouse proximal tubular cell line) cells were treated with lipopolysaccharides (LPS). In vivo, sepsis was induced in mice by LPS injection or cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). To validate the biomarker potential of miR-452, serum and urinary samples were collected from 47 sepsis patients with AKI, 50 patients without AKI, and 10 healthy subjects.

Results: miR-452 was induced in renal tubular cells in septic AKI, and the induction was shown to be mediated by NF-κB. Notably, serum and urinary miR-452 increased early in septic mice following LPS or CLP treatment, prior to detectable renal dysfunction or tissue damage. Sepsis patients with AKI had significantly higher levels of serum and urinary miR-452 than the patients without AKI. Spearman's test demonstrated a remarkable positive correlation between urinary miR-452 and serum creatinine in sepsis patients (r=0.8269). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was 0.8985 for urinary miR-452. Logistic regression analysis showed a striking 72.48-fold increase of AKI risk for every 1-fold increase of urinary miR-452 in sepsis patients. The sensitivity of urinary miR-452 for AKI detection in sepsis patients reached 87.23%, which was notably higher than the 61.54% achieved by urinary [TIMP2]*[IGFBP7], while the specificity of urinary miR-452 (78.00%) was slightly lower than that of [TIMP2]*[IGFBP7] (87.18%).

Conclusions: miR-452 is induced via NF-κB in renal tubular cells in septic AKI. The increase of miR-452, especially that in urine, may be an effective biomarker for early detection of AKI in sepsis patients.

Current perspectives on inhibitory SMAD7 in health and disease

Transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) family members play an extensive role in cellular communication that orchestrates both early development and adult tissue homeostasis. Aberrant TGF-β family signaling is associated with a pathological outcome in numerous diseases, and in-depth understanding of molecular and cellular processes could result in therapeutic benefit for patients. Canonical TGF-β signaling is mediated by receptor-regulated SMADs (R-SMADs), a single co-mediator SMAD (Co-SMAD), and inhibitory SMADs (I-SMADs). SMAD7, one of the I-SMADs, is an essential negative regulator of the pleiotropic TGF-β and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling pathways. In a negative feedback loop, SMAD7 inhibits TGF-β signaling by providing competition for TGF-β type-1 receptor (TβRI), blocking phosphorylation and activation of SMAD2. Moreover, SMAD7 recruits E3 ubiquitin SMURF ligases to the type I receptor to promote ubiquitin-mediated proteasomal degradation. In addition to its role in TGF-β and BMP signaling, SMAD7 is regulated by and implicated in a variety of other signaling pathways and functions as a mediator of crosstalk. This review is focused on SMAD7, its function in TGF-β and BMP signaling, and its role as a downstream integrator and crosstalk mediator. This crucial signaling molecule is tightly regulated by various mechanisms. We provide an overview of the ways by which SMAD7 is regulated, including noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) and post-translational modifications (PTMs). Finally, we discuss its role in diseases, such as cancer, fibrosis, and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Targeted drug therapy in non-small cell lung cancer: Clinical significance and possible solutions-Part I

INTRODUCTION

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) comprises of 84% of all lung cancer cases. The treatment options for NSCLC at advanced stages are chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Chemotherapy involves conventional nonspecific chemotherapeutics, and targeted-protein/receptor-specific small molecule inhibitors. Biologically targeted therapies such as an antibody-based immunotherapy have been approved in combination with conventional therapeutics. Approved targeted chemotherapy is directed against the kinase domains of mutated cellular receptors such as epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), anaplastic lymphoma kinases (ALK), neurotrophic receptor kinases (NTRK) and against downstream signaling molecules such as BRAF (v-raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B1). Approved biologically targeted therapy involves the use of anti-angiogenesis antibodies and antibodies against immune checkpoints.

AREAS COVERED

The rationale for the employment of targeted therapeutics and the resistance that may develop to therapy are discussed. Novel targeted therapeutics in clinical trials are also included.

EXPERT OPINION

Molecular and histological profiling of a given tumor specimen to determine the aberrant onco-driver is a must before deciding a targeted therapeutic regimen for the patient. Periodic monitoring of the patients response to a given therapeutic regimen is also mandatory so that any semblance of resistance to therapy can be deciphered and the regimen may be accordingly altered.

MiR-581/SMAD7 Axis Contributes to Colorectal Cancer Metastasis: A Bioinformatic and Experimental Validation-Based Study

Metastasis is a well-known poor prognostic factor and primary cause of mortality in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Recently, with the progress of high through-put sequencing, aberrantly expressed non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) were found to participate in the initiation and development of cancer. However, the mechanisms of ncRNA-mediated regulation of metastasis in CRC remain largely unknown. In this study, we systematically analyzed the expression network of microRNAs (miRNAs) and genes in CRC metastasis using bioinformatics, and discovered that the miR-581/SMAD7 axis could be a potential factor that drives CRC metastasis. A dual luciferase report assay and protein analysis confirmed the binding relationship between miR-581 and SMAD7. Further functional assays revealed that miR-581 inhibition could suppress cell proliferation and induce apoptosis in SW480 cells. Up-regulation or down-regulation of miR-581 could both affect cell invasion capacity and modulate epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) via a SMAD7/TGFβ signaling pathway. In conclusion, our findings elucidated that miR-581/SMAD7 could be essential for CRC metastasis, and may serve as a potential therapeutic target for CRC patients.

Zinc finger and BTB domain-containing 7C (ZBTB7C) expression as an independent prognostic factor for colorectal cancer and its relevant molecular mechanisms

Currently, colorectal cancer (CRC) predictions are based on an early diagnosis and the tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage, but the outcomes of patients with the same cancer type are difficult to predict. Novel molecular tests for the early diagnosis and stratification of CRC patients must be devised. After our initial bioinformatics screen, we examined zinc finger and BTB domain-containing 7C (ZBTB7C). To date, few studies have investigated ZBTB7C in CRC, necessitating further analyses of its expression and regulatory mechanism in CRC. ZBTB7C mRNA and protein expression was detected in CRC and corresponding non-CRC tissues. We evaluated the relationship between clinical prognosis and ZBTB7C protein levels using Cox regression analysis and Kaplan-Meier curves. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was generated to verify the diagnostic performance of ZBTB7C levels in CRC. Several bioinformatics techniques were applied to analyze the potential molecular mechanism of ZBTB7C. Low mRNA and protein levels of ZBTB7C were detected in tumor tissues from CRC patients. The survival curve predicted a poor prognosis for CRC patients exhibiting low ZBTB7C expression (P=0.001). According to the univariate Cox regression analysis, older age, a high TNM stage and low ZBTB7C expression were responsible for poor outcomes in CRC patients. The multivariate analysis further revealed ZBTB7C as an independent prognostic factor for CRC (P=0.015). The area under the curve of ZBTB7C expression for CRC diagnosis was 0.970 (95% confidence interval, 0.9447-0.9946; P < 0.0001). According to in silico analyses, genes coexpressed with ZBTB7C are associated mainly with the Ras and Wnt signaling pathways. Overall, ZBTB7C is downregulated in CRC and represents an early diagnostic marker and independent prognostic factor for CRC. ZBTB7C may be functionally mediated by different pathways or targeting miRNAs.

Renal Cell Tumors: Uncovering the Biomarker Potential of ncRNAs

Renal cell tumors (RCT) remain as one of the most common and lethal urological tumors worldwide. Discrimination between (1) benign and malignant disease, (2) indolent and aggressive tumors, and (3) patient responsiveness to a specific therapy is of major clinical importance, allowing for a more efficient patient management. Nonetheless, currently available tools provide limited information and novel strategies are needed. Over the years, a putative role of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) as disease biomarkers has gained relevance and is now one of the most prolific fields in biological sciences. Herein, we extensively sought the most significant reports on ncRNAs as potential RCTs' diagnostic, prognostic, predictive, and monitoring biomarkers. We could conclude that ncRNAs, either alone or in combination with currently used clinical and pathological parameters, might represent key elements to improve patient management, potentiating the implementation of precision medicine. Nevertheless, most ncRNA biomarkers require large-scale validation studies, prior to clinical implementation.

RASA1 inhibits the progression of renal cell carcinoma by decreasing the expression of miR-223-3p and promoting the expression of FBXW7

RAS p21 protein activator 1 (RASA1), also known as p120-RasGAP, is a RasGAP protein that functions as a signaling scaffold protein, regulating pivotal signal cascades. However, its biological mechanism in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) remains unknown. In the present study, RASA1, F-box/WD repeat-containing protein 7 (FBXW7), and miR-223-3p expression were assessed via quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot. Then, the targeted correlations of miR-223-3p with FBXW7 and RASA1 were verified via a dual-luciferase reporter gene assay. CCK-8, flow cytometry, and Transwell assays were implemented independently to explore the impact of RASA1 on cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and cell cycle progression. Finally, the influence of RASA1 on tumor formation in RCC was assessed in vivo through the analysis of tumor growth in nude mice. Results showed that FBXW7 and RASA1 expression were decreased in RCC tissues and cell lines, while miR-223-3p was expressed at a higher level. Additionally, FBXW7 and RASA1 inhibited cell proliferation but facilitated the population of RCC cells in the G0/G1 phase. Altogether, RASA1 may play a key role in the progression of RCC by decreasing miR-223-3p and subsequently increasing FBXW7 expression.

miR-5089-5p suppresses castration-resistant prostate cancer resistance to enzalutamide and metastasis via miR-5089-5p/SPINK1/ MAPK/MMP9 signaling

Whether serine protease inhibitor Kazal type 1 (SPINK1) being associated with enzalutamide (Enz) resistance and metastasis of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) has not been clear. SPINK1 promoted Enz resistance by upregulating Androgen receptor splicing variant 7 (ARv7), and enhanced the invasion/migration of Enz-resistant cells via ERK/p38/ MMP9 signaling. Furthermore, miR-5089-5p suppressed SPINK1 mRNA through direct binding to its 3'UTR, and reversed its pro-proliferative and pro-metastatic effects. Mice bearing SPINK1-knockdown Enz-resistant PCa tumors showed significantly longer survival compared with those bearing wild-type tumors, while treatment with miR-5089-5p inhibitor abrogated the protective effects of SPINK1 knockdown. Taken together, SPINK1 can be used as a biomarker of resistance to Enz, and the miR-5089-5p/SPINK1/MAPK/MMP9 axis is a suitable therapeutic target against Enz-resistant and metastatic CRPC.

Methods: The expression of SPINK1 in Enz-resistant prostate cancer (PCa) cell lines was detected through next-generation sequencing data and metastatic PCa patients. In vivo and in vitro experiments were performed to investigate the role of SPINK1 in Enz-resistance and metastasis.

miR-452-5p and miR-215-5p expression levels in colorectal cancer tissues and their relationship with clinicopathological features

The aim of the study was to investigate the expression levels of miR-452-5p and miR-215-5p in colorectal cancer tissues and their relationship with clinicopathological features. A total of 50 specimens of cancerous and adjacent normal tissues were collected from patients with colorectal cancer who underwent surgical resection at the Xingtai People's Hospital from March 2012 to February 2014. All specimens were confirmed by the Department of Pathology. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to measure the expression levels of miR-452-5p and miR-215-5p in cancerous and adjacent normal tissues. Moreover, the relationship of the expression levels of miR-452-5p and miR-215-5p with the clinicopathological features of patients with colorectal cancer was explored. The expression levels of both miR-452-5p and miR-215-5p in colorectal cancer tissues were significantly lower than those in adjacent normal tissues (P<0.05). miR-452-5p expression was related to tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) staging and differentiation degree in colorectal cancer tissues, and the expression of miR-215-5p was associated with TNM staging, lymph node metastasis and infiltration depth (P<0.05). The 5-year overall survival (OS) rate in the miR-452-5p high-expression group was significantly higher than that in the low-expression group (P<0.05). The 5-year OS rates in the miR-215-5p high- and low-expression groups were 53.57% (15/28) and 40.91% (9/22), respectively, indicating that the 5-year OS rate in the miR-215-5p high-expression group was significantly higher than that in the low-expression group. Cox proportional hazards regression model showed that TNM staging, lymph node metastasis, as well as miR-452-5p and miR-215-5p expression levels were independent risk factors affecting colorectal cancer prognosis (P<0.05), whereas the differentiation degree and infiltration depth were not (P>0.05). In conclusion, the expression levels of miR-452-5p and miR-215-5p were significantly downregulated in colorectal cancer tissues promoting the occurrence, progression, invasion and metastasis of colorectal cancer, which suggests that miR-452-5p and miR-215-5p could be used as prognostic indicators for patients with colorectal cancer.

Whole-Transcriptome Sequencing Identifies Key Differentially Expressed mRNAs, miRNAs, lncRNAs, and circRNAs Associated with CHOL

To systematically evaluate the whole-transcriptome sequencing data of cholangiocarcinoma (CHOL) to gain more insights into the transcriptomic landscape and molecular mechanism of this cancer, we performed whole-transcriptome sequencing based on the tumorous (C) and their corresponding non-tumorous adjacent to the tumors (CP) from eight CHOL patients. Subsequently, differential expression analysis was performed on the C and CP groups, followed by functional interaction prediction analysis to investigate gene-regulatory circuits in CHOL. In addition, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) for CHOL data was used to validate the results. In total, 2,895 differentially expressed messenger RNAs (dif-mRNAs), 56 differentially expressed microRNAs (dif-miRNAs), 151 differentially expressed long non-coding RNAs (dif-lncRNAs), and 110 differentially expressed circular RNAs (dif-circRNAs) were found in CHOL samples compared with controls. Enrichment analysis on those differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to miRNA, lncRNA, and circRNA also identified the function of spliceosome. The downregulated hsa-miR-144-3p were significantly enriched in the competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) complex network, which also included 7 upregulated and 13 downregulated circRNAs, 7 upregulated lncRNAs, and 90 upregulated and 40 downregulated mRNAs. Moreover, most of the DEGs and a few of the miRNAs (such as hsa-miR-144-3p) were successfully validated by TCGA data. The genes involved in RNA splicing and protein degradation processes and miR-144-3p may play fundamental roles in the pathogenesis of CHOL.