MicroRNA-330-3p promotes cell invasion and metastasis in non-small cell lung cancer through GRIA3 by activating MAPK/ERK signaling pathway

Targeting JUNB to modulate M2 macrophage polarization in preeclampsia

Preeclampsia (PE) is a complex disorder affecting pregnant women, leading to significant maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Understanding the cellular dynamics and molecular mechanisms underlying PE is crucial for developing effective therapeutic strategies. This study utilized single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to delineate the cellular landscape of the placenta in PE, identifying 11 distinct cell subpopulations, with macrophages playing a pivotal role in mediating cell-cell communication. Specifically, the transcription factor JUNB was found to be a key gene in macrophages from PE samples, influencing the interaction between macrophages and both epithelial and endothelial cells. Functional experiments indicated that interference with JUNB expression promoted macrophage polarization towards an M2 phenotype, which facilitated trophoblast invasion, migration, and angiogenesis. Mechanistically, JUNB regulated the MIIP/PI3K/AKT pathway, as evidenced by gene expression analysis following JUNB knockdown. The study further demonstrated that targeting JUNB could activate the PI3K/AKT pathway by transcriptionally activating MIIP, thus promoting M2 polarization and potentially delaying the onset of PE. These findings present new insights into the pathogenesis of PE and suggest a novel therapeutic approach by modulating macrophage polarization.

PTGR1-mediated immune evasion mechanisms in late-stage triple-negative breast cancer: mechanisms of M2 macrophage infiltration and CD8+ T cell suppression

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a heterogeneous disease characterized by metabolic dysregulation. Tumor cell immune escape plays an indispensable role in the development of TNBC tumors. Furthermore, in the abstract, we explicitly mention the techniques used and enhance the clarity and impact of our findings. "Based on bioinformatics analysis results, we utilized CRISPR/Cas9 technology to knockout the target gene and established a mouse model of breast cancer. Through experiments such as CCK8, scratch assay, and Transwell assay, we further investigated the impact of target gene knockout on the malignant behavior of tumor cells. Subsequently, we conducted immunohistochemistry and Western Blot experiments to study the expression of macrophage polarization and infiltration-related markers and evaluate the effect of the target gene on macrophage polarization. Next, through co-culture experiments, we simulated the tumor microenvironment and used immunohistochemistry staining to observe and analyze the distribution and activation status of M2 macrophages and CD8+ T cells in the co-culture system. We validated in vivo experiments the molecular mechanism by which the target gene regulates immune cell impact on TNBC progression.

A novel microRNA miR-4433a-3p as a potential diagnostic biomarker for lung adenocarcinoma

Background

Lung adenocarcinoma is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths because of the lack of early specific clinical indicators. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have become the focus in lung cancer diagnosis. Further studies are required to explore miRNA expression in the serum of lung adenocarcinoma patients and their correlation with therapy and analyse specific messenger RNA targets to improve the specificity and sensitivity of early diagnosis.

Methods

The Toray 3D-Gene miRNA array was used to compare the expression levels of various miRNAs in the sera of patients with lung adenocarcinoma and healthy volunteers. Highly expressed miRNAs were selected for further analysis. To verify the screening results, serum and pleural fluid samples were analysed using qRT-PCR. Serum levels of the miRNAs and their correlation with the clinical information of patients with lung adenocarcinoma were analysed. The functions of miRNAs were further analysed using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Gene and Genomes and Gene Ontology databases.

Results

Microarray analysis identified 60 and 50 miRNAs with upregulated and downregulated expressions, respectively, in the serum of patients with lung adenocarcinoma compared to those in healthy individuals. Using qRT-qPCR to detection of miRNAs expression in the serum or pleural effusion of patients with early and advanced lung adenocarcinoma, we found that miR-4433a-3p could be used as a diagnostic marker and therapeutic evaluation indicator for lung adenocarcinoma. Serum of miR-4433a-3p levels significantly correlated with the clinical stage. miR-4433a-3p may be more suitable than other tumour markers for the early diagnosis and evaluation of therapeutic effects in lung adenocarcinoma. miR-4433a-3p may affect tumour growth and metastasis by acting on target genes (PIK3CD, UBE2J2, ICMT, PRDM16 and others) and regulating tumour-related signalling pathways (MAPK signal pathway, Ras signalling pathway and others).

Conclusion

miR-4433a-3p may serve as a biomarker for the early diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma and monitoring of therapeutic effects.

Therapeutic potential of ADSC-EV-derived lncRNA DLEU2: A novel molecular pathway in alleviating sepsis-induced lung injury via the miR-106a-5p/LXN axis

This study investigates the molecular mechanisms by which extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADSCs) promote M2 polarization of macrophages and thus reduce lung injury caused by sepsis. High-throughput sequencing was used to identify differentially expressed genes related to long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) in ADSC-derived EVs (ADSC-EVs) in sepsis lung tissue. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was employed to predict the downstream target genes of the lncRNA DLEU2. The RNAInter database predicted miRNAs that interact with DLEU2 and LXN. Functional and pathway enrichment analyses were performed using GO and KEGG analysis. A mouse model of sepsis was established, and treatment with a placebo or ADSC-EVs was administered, followed by RT-qPCR analysis. ADSC-EVs were isolated and identified. In vitro cell experiments were conducted using the mouse lung epithelial cell line MLE-12, mouse macrophage cell line RAW264.7, and mouse lung epithelial cell line (LEPC). ADSC-EVs were co-cultured with RAW264.7 and MLE-12/LEPC cells to study the regulatory mechanism of the lncRNA DLEU2. Cell viability, proliferation, and apoptosis of lung injury cells were assessed using CCK-8, EdU, and flow cytometry. ELISA was used to measure the levels of inflammatory cytokines in the sepsis mouse model, flow cytometry was performed to determine the number of M1 and M2 macrophages, lung tissue pathology was evaluated by H&E staining, and immunohistochemistry was conducted to examine the expression of proliferation- and apoptosis-related proteins. High-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics analysis revealed enrichment of the lncRNA DLEU2 in ADSC-EVs in sepsis lung tissue. Animal and in vitro cell experiments showed increased expression of the lncRNA DLEU2 in sepsis lung tissue after treatment with ADSC-EVs. Furthermore, ADSC-EVs were found to transfer the lncRNA DLEU2 to macrophages, promoting M2 polarization, reducing inflammation response in lung injury cells, and enhancing their viability, proliferation, and apoptosis inhibition. Further functional experiments indicated that lncRNA DLEU2 promotes M2 polarization of macrophages by regulating miR-106a-5p/LXN, thereby enhancing the viability and proliferation of lung injury cells and inhibiting apoptosis. Overexpression of miR-106a-5p could reverse the biological effects of ADSC-EVs-DLEU2 on MLE-12 and LEPC in vitro cell models. Lastly, in vivo animal experiments confirmed that ADSC-EVs-DLEU2 promotes high expression of LXN by inhibiting the expression of miR-106a-5p, further facilitating M2 macrophage polarization and reducing lung edema, thus alleviating sepsis-induced lung injury. lncRNA DLEU2 in ADSC-EVs may promote M2 polarization of macrophages and enhance the viability and proliferation of lung injury cells while inhibiting inflammation and apoptosis reactions, thus ameliorating sepsis-induced lung injury in a mechanism involving the regulation of the miR-106a-5p/LXN axis.

OVOL2 induces autophagy-mediated epithelial-mesenchymal transition by the ERK1/2 MAPK signaling in lung adenocarcinoma

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays an important role in malignant tumor progression. Recently, accumulating evidence has shown that autophagy is involved in the regulation of EMT-induced migration. Therefore, the exploration of targets to inhibit EMT by targeting autophagy is important. In this study, we found that OVO-like zinc finger 2 (OVOL2) may be a key target for regulating autophagy-induced EMT. Firstly, we found that OVOL2 expression was dramatically downregulated in LUAD. Low expression of OVOL2 is an indicator of poor prognosis in LUAD. In vitro experiments have shown that downregulation of OVOL2 expression induces EMT, thereby promoting malignant biological behavior, such as proliferation, migration, and invasion of LUAD cells. Interestingly, autophagy is a key step in regulating OVOL2 and inducing EMT. Furthermore, OVOL2 regulates autophagy through the MAPK signaling pathway, ultimately inhibiting the malignant progression of LUAD.

Single-cell transcriptome sequencing reveals spatial distribution of IL34+ cancer-associated fibroblasts in hepatocellular carcinoma tumor microenvironment

We utilized scRNA-seq, a well-established technology, to uncover the gene expression characteristics of IL34+ CAFs within HCC. We analyzed the related mechanisms through in vitro and in vivo assays. To begin, we acquired scRNA-seq datasets about HCC, which enabled us to identify distinct cell subpopulations within HCC tissues. We conducted a differential analysis to pinpoint DEGs associated with normal fibroblasts (NFs) and CAFs. Subsequently, we isolated NFs and CAFs, followed by the sorting of IL34+ CAFs. These IL34+ CAFs were then co-cultured with T cells and HCC cells to investigate their potential role in Tregs infiltration, CD8+ T cell toxicity, and the biological processes of HCC cells. We validated our findings in vivo using a well-established mouse model. Our analysis of HCC tissues revealed the presence of seven primary cell subpopulations, with the most significant disparities observed within fibroblast subpopulations. Notably, high IL34 expression was linked to increased expression of receptor proteins and enhanced proliferative activity within CAFs, with specific expression in CAFs. Furthermore, we identified a substantial positive correlation between IL34 expression and the abundance of Tregs. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated that IL34+ CAFs promoted Tregs infiltration while suppressing CD8+ T cell toxicity. Consequently, this promoted the growth and metastasis of HCC. In summary, our study affirms that IL34+ CAFs play a pivotal role in augmenting the proliferative activity of CAFs, facilitating Tregs infiltration, and inhibiting CD8+ T cell toxicity, ultimately fostering the growth and metastasis of HCC.

ANKRD49 promotes the metastasis of NSCLC via activating JNK-ATF2/c-Jun-MMP-2/9 axis

BACKGROUND

Ankyrin repeat domain 49 (ANKRD49) has been found to be highly expressed in multiple cancer including lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and lung squamous carcinoma (LUSC). However, the function of ANKRD49 in the pathogenesis of NSCLC still remains elusive. Previously, ANKRD49 has been demonstrated to promote the invasion and metastasis of A549 cells, a LUAD cell line, via activating the p38-ATF-2-MMP2/MMP9 pathways. Considering the heterogeneity of tumor cells, the function and mechanism of ANKRD49 in NSCLC need more NSCLC-originated cells to clarify.

METHODS

Real-time qPCR was employed to test ANKRD49 expression levels in nine pairs of fresh NSCLC tissues and the corresponding adjacent normal tissues. The function of ANKRD49 was investigated using overexpression and RNA interference assays in lung adenocarcinoma cell line (NCI-H1299) and lung squamous carcinoma cell line (NCI-H1703) through gelatin zymography, cell counting kit-8, colony formation, wound healing, migration and invasion assays mmunoprecipitation was performed to in vitro. Immunoprecipitation was performed to test the interaction of c-Jun and ATF2. Chromatin immunoprecipitation was conducted to assess the transcriptional regulation of ATF2/c-Jun on MMP-2/9. Moreover, the tumorigenicity of ANKRD49 was evaluated in nude mice models and the involved signal molecular was also measured by immunohistochemical method.

RESULTS

We found that the levels of ANKRD49 in cancerous tissues were higher than those in adjacent normal tissues. in vitro assay showed that ANKRD49 promoted the migration and invasion of NCI-H1299 and NCI-H1703 cells via enhancing the levels of MMP-2 and MMP-9. Furthermore, ANKRD49 elevated phosphorylation of JNK and then activated c-Jun and ATF2 which interact in nucleus to promote the binding of ATF2:c-Jun with the promoter MMP-2 or MMP-9. In vivo assay showed that ANKRD49 promoted lung metastasis of injected-NSCLC cells and the high metastatic rate was positively correlated with the high expression of ANKRD49, MMP-2, MMP-9, p-JNK, p-c-Jun and p-ATF2.

CONCLUSION

The present study indicated that ANKRD49 accelerated the invasion and metastasis of NSCLC cells via JNK-mediated transcription activation of c-Jun and ATF2 which regulated the expression of MMP-2/MMP-9. The molecular mechanisms of ANKRD49's function is different from those found in A549 cells. The current study is a supplement and improvement to the previous research.

Decidual derived exosomal miR-99a-5p targets Ppp2r5a to inhibit trophoblast invasion in response to CeO2NPs exposure

BACKGROUND

The biological effects of cerium dioxide nanoparticles (CeO₂NPs), a novel material in the biomedical field, have attracted widespread attention. Our previous study confirmed that exposure to CeO₂NPs during pregnancy led to abnormal trophoblast invasion during early placental development, thereby impairing placental development. The potential mechanisms may be related to low-quality decidualization triggered by CeO₂NPs exposure, such as an imbalance in trophoblast invasion regulators secreted by decidual cells. However, the intermediate link mediating the "dialogue" between decidual cells and trophoblasts during this process remains unclear. As an important connection between cells, exosomes participate in the "dialogue" between endometrial cells and trophoblasts. Exosomes transfer bioactive microRNA into target cells, which can target and regulate the level of mRNA in target cells.

RESULTS

Here, we constructed a mice primary uterine stromal cell-induced decidualization model in vitro, and detected the effect of CeO₂NPs exposure on the expression of decidual-derived exosomal miRNAs by high-throughput sequencing. Bioinformatics analysis and dual-luciferase reporter assays were performed to identify target genes of the screened key miRNAs in regulating trophoblast invasion. Finally, the role of the screened miRNAs and their target genes in regulating trophoblast (HTR-8/SVneo cells) invasion was confirmed. The results showed that CeO₂NPs exposure inhibited trophoblast invasion by promoting miR-99a-5p expression in decidual-derived exosomes, and Ppp2r5a is a potential target gene for miR-99a-5p to inhibit trophoblast invasion.

CONCLUSIONS

This study revealed the molecular mechanism by which CeO₂NPs exposure inhibits trophoblast invasion from the perspective of decidual derived exosomal miRNAs. These results will provide an experimental basis for screening potential therapeutic targets for the negative biological effects of CeO₂NPs exposure and new ideas for studying the mechanism of damage to trophoblast cells at the decidual-foetal interface by harmful environmental or occupational factors.

miR-330 targeting BCO2 is involved in carotenoid metabolism to regulate skin pigmentation in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

BACKGROUND

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a critical role in regulating skin pigmentation. As a key economic trait, skin color directly affects the market value of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), however, the regulatory mechanism of most miRNAs in fish skin color is still unclear.

RESULTS

In this study, the full-length cDNA sequence of β-carotene oxygenase 2 (BCO2, a key regulator of carotenoid metabolism) from the rainbow trout was obtained using rapid-amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) technology, and qRT-PCR was used to investigate the differential expression of miR-330 and BCO2 in 14 developmental stages and 13 tissues between wild-type rainbow trout (WTrt) and yellow mutant rainbow trout (YMrt). Additionally, the function of miR-330 was verified by overexpression and silencing in vitro and in vivo. The results showed that the complete cDNA sequence of BCO2 was 2057 bp with a 1707 bp ORF, encoding a 568 amino acid protein having a molecular weight of 64.07 kD. Sequence alignment revealed that higher conservation of BCO2 protein amongst fishes than amongst other vertebrates, which was further confirmed by phylogenetic analysis. The analysis of spatial and temporal expression patterns suggested that BCO2 and miR-330 were abundantly expressed from fertilized-stage to multi-cell as well as in the dorsal and ventral skin of WTrt and YMrt, and their expression patterns were opposite in most of the same periods and tissues. In vitro, luciferase reporter assay confirmed that BCO2 was a direct target of miR-330, and transfection of miR-330 mimics into rainbow trout liver cells resulted in a decrease in the expression of BCO2; conversely, miR-330 inhibitor had the opposite effect to the miR-330 mimics. In vivo, miR-330 agomir significantly decreased BCO2 expression in dorsal skin, tail fin, and liver. Furthermore, overexpression of miR-330 could suppress cell proliferation and induce apoptosis.

CONCLUSION

Our results showed that miR-330 is involved in the regulation of skin pigmentation in rainbow trout by targeting BCO2 and shows its promise as a potential molecular target to assist the selection of rainbow trout with better skin color patterns.

LncRNA-NEF suppressed oxaliplatin resistance and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in colorectal cancer through epigenetically inactivating MEK/ERK signaling

A major cause of oxaliplatin chemoresistance in colorectal cancer (CRC) is acquired epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in cancer cells, making the cancer cells easy to metastasis and recurrence. LncRNA Neighboring Enhancer of FOXA2 (lncRNA-NEF) has been characterized as a tumor suppressor to mediate cancer metastasis in multiple cancer types. However, whether it mediated the drug resistance remains unknown. In the present study, an oxaliplatin-resistant CRC cell line (SW620R) was established and lncRNA-NEF was obviously down-regulated in this resistant cell line. The further loss and gain-of-function studies demonstrated that this lncRNA suppressed oxaliplatin resistance as well as EMT programme in vitro and inhibited metastasis in vivo. Mechanistically, lncRNA-NEF epigenetically promoted the expression of DOK1 (Downstream of Tyrosine kinase 1), a negative regulator of MEK/ERK signaling, by disrupting DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs)-mediated DNA methylation. DOK1, in turn, induced the inactivation of MEK/ERK signaling, forming the lncRNA-NEF/DOK1/MEK/ERK regulatory axis to mediate oxaliplatin resistance in CRC. Collectively, our work reveals the critical function of lncRNA-NEF in mediating the oxaliplatin chemotherapy resistance in CRC, and provides a promising therapeutic strategy for CRC patients with oxaliplatin resistance.

Inhibition of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 by acriflavine renders glioblastoma sensitive for photodynamic therapy

BACKGROUND

photodynamics therapy (PDT) induces tumor cell death through oxidative stress and is closely associated with the expression of hypoxia inducible factor-1a (HIF1a), which activates multiple downstream survival signaling pathways. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the expression levels of HIF1a proteins in PDT-treated GBM cells and to determine whether inhibition of HIF1a reduces survival signals to enhance the efficacy of PDT.

RESULTS

PDT combined with Acriflavine (ACF, PA) decreased the expression of HIF1a and regulated the downstream expression of GLUT-1, GLUT-3, HK2 and other gluconeogenic pathway proteins. PA group significantly suppressed tumor growth to improve the efficacy of PDT.

METHODS

We first performed the correlation of HIF1a, GLUT-1, GLUT-3, and HK2, and quantified the expression of HIF1a on tumor grades and IDH mutation classification by TCGA and CGGA databases. Then, we used immunohistochemistry method to detect four gene expression levels in human GBM tissues. Besides, we examined the effects of different treatments on the proliferation, migration and invasion ability of GBM cell lines by CCK8, wound healing and transwell assays. ACF, a HIF1a/HIF1β dimerization inhibitor, was used to evaluate its adjuvant effect on the efficacy of PDT.

CONCLUSION

HIF1a is activated in GBM cell lines and contributes to the survival of tumor cells after PDT in vitro and in vivo. PA group inhibited HIF1a expression and improved PDT efficacy in the treatment of recalcitrant GBM.

Using biological information to analyze potential miRNA-mRNA regulatory networks in the plasma of patients with non-small cell lung cancer

Background

Lung cancer is the most common malignant tumor, and it has a high mortality rate. However, the study of miRNA-mRNA regulatory networks in the plasma of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is insufficient. Therefore, this study explored the differential expression of mRNA and miRNA in the plasma of NSCLC patients.

Methods

The Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database was used to download microarray datasets, and the differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) were analyzed. We predicted transcription factors and target genes of the DEMs by using FunRich software and the TargetScanHuman database, respectively. The Database for Annotation, Visualization, and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) was used for GO annotation and KEGG enrichment analysis of downstream target genes. We constructed protein-protein interaction (PPI) and DEM-hub gene networks using the STRING database and Cytoscape software. The GSE20189 dataset was used to screen out the key hub gene. Using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and UALCAN databases to analyze the expression and prognosis of the key hub gene and DEMs. Then, GSE17681 and GSE137140 datasets were used to validate DEMs expression. Finally, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to verify the ability of the DEMs to distinguish lung cancer patients from healthy patients.

Results

Four upregulated candidate DEMs (hsa-miR199a-5p, hsa-miR-186-5p, hsa-miR-328-3p, and hsa-let-7d-3p) were screened from 3 databases, and 6 upstream transcription factors and 2253 downstream target genes were predicted. These genes were mainly enriched in cancer pathways and PI3k-Akt pathways. Among the top 30 hub genes, the expression of KLHL3 was consistent with the GSE20189 dataset. Except for let-7d-3p, the expression of other DEMs and KLHL3 in tissues were consistent with those in plasma. LUSC patients with high let-7d-3p expression had poor overall survival rates (OS). External validation demonstrated that the expression of hsa-miR-199a-5p and hsa-miR-186-5p in peripheral blood of NSCLC patients was higher than the healthy controls. The ROC curve confirmed that the DEMs could better distinguish lung cancer patients from healthy people.

Conclusion

The results showed that miR-199a-5p and miR-186-5p may be noninvasive diagnostic biomarkers for NSCLC patients. MiR-199a-5p-KLHL3 may be involved in the occurrence and development of NSCLC.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12885-022-09281-1.

Long non-coding RNA HCG18 promotes gastric cancer progression by regulating miRNA-146a-5p/tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 axis

Although long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been demonstrated to be dysregulated in gastric cancer (GC), the function of lncRNA HCG18 (HCG18) in GC is elusive. Therefore, the study was designed to evaluate the underlying mechanism of HCG18 in GC. HCG18 and microRNA 146a-5p (miR-146a-5p) levels in GC were evaluated by RT-qPCR. The effects of miR-146a-5p and HCG18 on GC cell function were examined using Transwell assay, colony formation, and CCK-8 assays. Tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6) and p65 expression levels were detected by Western blot. HCG18 and miR-146a-5p target genes were identified using luciferase reporter and bioinformatics assays. HCG18 expression was increased in GC. HCG18 overexpression significantly increased GC cell proliferation, invasion, and migration. Furthermore, HCG18 overexpression inhibited miR-146a-5p and upregulated TRAF6 and p65 expression. Finally, miR-146a-5p/TRAF6 was found to be involved in the role of HCG18 in GC progression in vivo. Altogether, HCG18 promotes GC progression via the miR-146a-5p/TRAF6 axis and could be a GC treatment target.

LINC00891 regulated by miR-128-3p/GATA2 axis impedes lung cancer cell proliferation, invasion and EMT by inhibiting RhoA pathway

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) LINC00891 knockdown is associated with poor prognosis of lung adenocarcinoma, but the underlying mechanism remains to be further explored. Here, we found that LINC00891 expression is downregulated in lung cancer tissues and cell lines compared with that in adjacent normal tissues and normal lung epithelial cells. LINC00891 overexpression impedes cell proliferation, invasion, migration and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process in lung cancer cells. Mechanistic research showed that GATA2 directly binds to LINC00891 promoter and transcriptionally regulates LINC00891 expression. Meanwhile, GATA2 was identified as a target of miR-128-3p, and it is negatively regulated by miR-128-3p. Moreover, overexpression of GATA2 suppresses lung cancer cell proliferation, invasion, migration, and EMT process. Furthermore, LINC00891 restrains the RhoA pathway activity, and treatment with CCG-1423 (a specific RhoA pathway inhibitor) antagonizes the promoting effect of LINC00891 knockdown on cell malignant behaviors. Additionally, silencing of LINC00891 promotes xenograft tumor growth, which can be reversed by administration with CCG-1423. In summary, LINC00891 regulated by the miR-128-3p/GATA2 axis restrains lung cancer cell malignant progression and hinders xenograft tumor growth by suppressing the RhoA pathway.

Modifications to the Transwell Migration/Invasion Assay Method That Eases Assay Performance and Improves the Accuracy

Migration is a key property of live cells and critical for normal development, immune response, and disease processes such as cancer metastasis and inflammation. Methods to examine cell migration are especially useful and important for a wide range of biomedical research such as cancer biology, immunology, vascular biology, cell biology, and developmental biology. In vitro assays are excellent approaches to extrapolate to in vivo situations and study live cells behavior. The aim of this article is to discuss the existing methods for transwell migration/invasion studies, the problems associated with this assay, and proposed modifications to this methodological approach that makes it simple to perform and improve the assay accuracy. Results of our studies demonstrated that the count of cells that had grown on top of the membrane is important to accurately evaluate the percentage of migrated/invaded cells. The results also showed that the transparent transwell insert with 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) stained cells is the best approach to ease the analysis of cell numbers on top of the membranes. In addition, the overlay of bright light (representing membrane pores) and DAPI images can further improve the accuracy of cell count. All these modifications in combination simplify the assay performance and improve the accuracy of the transwell migration assay method.

GTP-binding protein Di-RAS3 diminishes the migration and invasion of non-small cell lung cancer by inhibiting the RAS/extracellular-regulated kinase pathway

The GTP-binding protein Di-Ras3 (DIRAS3) has been established as a maternally imprinted tumor suppressor gene. Growing evidence has correlated the DIRAS3 gene with tumor progression, but its role in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is rarely reported. Accordingly, the current study sought to evaluate the role and mechanism of DIRAS3 in NSCLC cell progression. First, we uncovered that DIRAS3 was poorly expressed in NSCLC tissues and cells. Subsequently, we examined the effect of DIRAS3 over-expression or knockdown in different lung cancer cells on their malignant phenotypes, with the help of transwell cell migration and invasion assays, and Western blot analyses. It was found that the over-expression of DIRAS3 inhibited the migration and invasion of A549 cells or H520 cells, whereas knockdown of DIRAS3 led to opposing trends. In addition, over-expression of DIRAS3 attenuated the tumor growth and reduced the number of lung tumor nodules. Mechanistically, DIRAS3 may inhibit the migration and invasion of NSCLC cells by inhibiting the RAS/extracellular-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathway. Collectively, our findings indicate that DIRAS3 could serve as a potential therapeutic target biomarker for NSCLC.

Zebrafish xenograft model for studying mechanism and treatment of non-small cell lung cancer brain metastasis

Background

Brain metastasis (BM) is thought to be related to the mortality and poor prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Despite promising development of NSCLC treatment, the treatment of NSCLC BM is still not optimistic due to the existence of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) that prevent drug penetration, as well as the short median survival time of the patients left for treatment. In this context, further development of quick and effective pre-clinical models is needed in NSCLC BM treatment. Here, we report a model system using zebrafish to promote the development of drugs for patients with NSCLC BM.

Methods

Three different NSCLC cell lines (H1975, A549 and H1299) were used to establish zebrafish BM models. The embryo age and cell number for injection were first optimized. Metastatic cells were observed in the brain blood vessels of zebrafish and were verified by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. Then, the metastasis potentials of H1975 and A549 with manipulated microRNA-330-3p (miR-330-3p) expression were also investigated. Finally, sensitivities of H1975 and A549 to osimertinib and gefitinib were tested.

Results

This zebrafish BM model could distinguish NSCLC cell lines with different BM potential. Over-expressed miR-330-p significantly improved the BM potential of the A549 cells while knockdown miR-330-p reduced the BM ability of the H1975 cells. Both osimertinib and gefitinib showed inhibition effect in zebrafish BM model with the inhibition rate higher than 50 %. H1975 cell showed much higher sensitivity to osimertinib rather than gefitinib both in vivo and in vitro.

Conclusions

We established zebrafish brain metastasis model for studying mechanism and treatment of NSCLC BM. This study provided a useful model for NSCLC brain metastasis that could be used to study the mechanism that drive NSCLC cells to the brain as well as identify potential therapeutic options.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13046-021-02173-5.

A Novel Model Based on Genomic Instability-Associated Long Non-Coding RNAs for Predicting Prognosis and Response to Immunotherapy in Patients With Lung Adenocarcinoma

Background: Emerging scientific evidence has shown that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) exert critical roles in genomic instability (GI), which is considered a hallmark of cancer. To date, the prognostic value of GI-associated lncRNAs (GI-lncRNAs) remains largely unexplored in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAC). The aims of this study were to identify GI-lncRNAs associated with the survival of LUAC patients, and to develop a novel GI-lncRNA-based prognostic model (GI-lncRNA model) for LUAC.

Methods: Clinicopathological data of LUAC patients, and their expression profiles of lncRNAs and somatic mutations were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. Pearson correlation analysis was conducted to identify the co-expressed mRNAs of GI-lncRNAs. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analyses were conducted to determine the main biological function and molecular pathways of the differentially expressed GI-lncRNAs. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analyses were performed to identify GI-lncRNAs significantly related to overall survival (OS) for construction of the GI-lncRNA model. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis were performed to evaluate the predictive accuracy. The performance of the newly developed GI-lncRNA model was compared with the recently published lncRNA-based prognostic index models.

Results: A total of 19 GI-lncRNAs were found to be significantly associated with OS, of which 9 were identified by multivariate analysis to construct the GI-lncRNA model. Notably, the GI-lncRNA model showed a prognostic value independent of key clinical characteristics. Further performance evaluation indicated that the area under the curve (AUC) of the GI-lncRNA model was 0.771, which was greater than that of the TP53 mutation status and three existing lncRNA-based models in predicting the prognosis of patients with LUAC. In addition, the GI-lncRNA model was highly correlated with programed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression and tumor mutational burden in immunotherapy for LUAC.

Conclusion: The GI-lncRNA model was established and its performance was found to be superior to existing lncRNA-based models. As such, the GI-lncRNA model holds promise as a more accurate prognostic tool for the prediction of prognosis and response to immunotherapy in patients with LUAC.

Acetylation of H3K27 activated lncRNA NEAT1 and promoted hepatic lipid accumulation in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease via regulating miR-212-5p/GRIA3

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) was a world-wide health burden. H3K27 acetylation, long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), and miRNA were all implicated in NAFLD regulation, yet the detailed regulatory mechanism was not well understood. LncRNA NEAT1, miR-212-5p, and GRIA3 expression were detected both in high fatty acid-treated hepatocytes cells and NAFLD patients. Lipid droplets were stained and analyzed by oil red O staining. Expression of fatty acid synthase (FASN), acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), and GRIA3 was detected by qRT-PCR and western blot. RNA level of lncRNA NEAT1 and miR-212-5p was analyzed by qRT-PCR. The binding sequences of lncRNA NEAT1/miR-212-5p and miR-212-5p/GRIA3 were predicted bioinformatically and validated through luciferase assay. ChIP was performed to analyze H3K27 acetylation on the promoter of lncRNA NEAT1. LncRNA NEAT1 and GRIA3 was upregulated, while miR-212-5p was downregulated in NAFLD patients. FFA promoted lncRNA NEAT1 and GRIA3 expression while suppressing miR-212-5p and promoted lipid accumulation as indicated by increased oil red O staining and FAS and ACC expression. ChIP indicated enrichment of H3K27 on NEAT1 promoter. Inhibition of H3K27 acetylation suppressed lncRNA NEAT1 level. Luciferase results indicated direct interaction of NEAT1/miR-212-5p (which was confirmed by RIP) and miR-212-5p/GRIA3. LncRNA NEAT1 knockdown upregulated miR-212-5p level and inhibited FFA-induced lipid accumulation while suppressing GRIA3 expression. Such function was antagonized by miR-212-5p inhibition and GRIA3 knockdown counteracted with miR-212-5p inhibition. H3K27 acetylation was enriched within the promoter of lncRNA NEAT1 and promoted lncRNA NEAT1 transcription. LncRNA NEAT1 could then interact with miR-212-5p and suppress its cellular concentration.

Cancer driver gene and non-coding RNA alterations as biomarkers of brain metastasis in lung cancer: A review of the literature

Brain metastasis (BM) is the most common event in patients with lung cancer. Despite multimodal treatments and advances in systemic therapies, development of BM remains one of the main factors associated with poor prognosis and mortality in patients with lung cancer. Therefore, better understanding of mechanisms involved in lung cancer brain metastasis (LCBM) is of great importance to suppress cancer cells and to improve the overall survival of patients. Several cancer-related genes such as EGFR and KRAS have been proposed as potential predictors of LCBM. In addition, there is ample evidence supporting crucial roles of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in mediating LCBM. In this review, we provide comprehensive information on risk assessment, predictive, and prognostic panels for early detection of BM in patients with lung cancer. Moreover, we present an overview of LCBM molecular mechanisms, cancer driver genes, and ncRNAs which may predict the risk of BM in lung cancer patients. Recent clinical studies have focused on determining mechanisms involved in LCBM and their association with diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment outcomes. These studies have shown that alterations in EGFR, KRAS, BRAF, and ALK, as the most frequent coding gene alterations, and dysregulation of ncRNAs such as miR-423, miR-330-3p, miR-145, piR-651, and MALAT1 can be considered as potential biomarkers of LCBM.

Identification of differentially expressed genes using microarray analysis and COL6A1 induction of bone metastasis in non-small cell lung cancer

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a major cause of cancer-associated mortality worldwide, and bone metastasis is the most prevalent event observed in patients with advanced NSCLC. However, the pathogenesis of bone metastases has not been fully elucidated. In the present study, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by gene expression microarray analysis of NSCLC tissue samples with or without bone metastases. Subsequently, collagen type 6A1 (COL6A1) was chosen as the target gene through Ingenuity Pathway Analysis and reverse transcription-quantitative (RT-q) PCR validation of the top eight DEGs. COL6A1 was overexpressed or knocked down, and the proliferation and invasion of NSCLC cells was assessed using Cell Counting Kit-8, colony formation and Transwell invasion assays. Additionally, the osteogenic capacity of HOB and hES-MP 002.5 cells was assessed using RT-qPCR, western blotting, Alizarin Red and alkaline phosphatase staining. A total of 364 DEGs were identified in NSCLC tissues with bone metastases compared with NSCLC tissues without bone metastases, including 140 upregulated and 224 downregulated genes. Gene Ontology analysis results demonstrated that the upregulated and downregulated genes were primarily enriched in 'cellular process', 'metabolic process' and 'biological regulation'. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis revealed that the upregulated genes were primarily enriched in 'cysteine and methionine metabolism', 'oxidative phosphorylation' and 'ribosome', whereas the downregulated genes were primarily enriched in the 'transcriptional misregulation in cancer', 'ribosome' and 'mitophagy-animal' pathways. COL6A1 was highly expressed in NSCLC tissue samples with bone metastases. Functionally, COL6A1 overexpression induced the proliferation and invasion of HARA cells, and its knockdown inhibited the proliferation and invasion of HARA-B4 cells. Finally, it was demonstrated that HOB and hES-MP 002.5 cells exhibited osteogenic capacity, and overexpression of COL6A1 in HARA cells increased the adhesion of these cells to the osteoblasts, whereas knockdown of COL6A1 in HARA-B4 cells reduced their adhesive ability. In conclusion, COL6A1 may serve as a potential diagnostic marker and therapeutic target for bone metastasis in NSCLC.

hsa-miR-199b-3p Prevents the Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition and Dysfunction of the Renal Tubule by Regulating E-cadherin through Targeting KDM6A in Diabetic Nephropathy

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease. The association between epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and fibrosis is quite ascertained, but its link to eventual tubule dysfunction is missing. Here, we show that human microRNA- (hsa-miR-) 199b-3p protects renal tubules from diabetic-induced injury by repressing KDM6A, a histone lysine demethylase regulating E-cadherin expression. Lower E-cadherin expression is related to a higher level of KDM6A, while E-cadherin is promoted upon treatment with the KDM6A inhibitor GSK-J4 in both high glucose- (HG-) induced HK2 cells and the kidneys from streptozotocin- (STZ-) induced type 1 diabetic mice. However, overexpression or RNA silencing of E-cadherin fails to alter KDM6A expression. We also show that the upregulation of KDM6A is associated with the increased methylation level of the E-cadherin promoter. Then, the target prediction results and a dual-luciferase assay show that hsa-miR-199b-3p is a new miRNA that targets KDM6A. Overexpression of hsa-miR-199b-3p increases E-cadherin expression and prevents EMT through repressing KDM6A expression in HG-induced HK2 cells. In contrast, inhibitor-induced hsa-miR-199b-3p knockdown has opposite effects, as it decreases E-cadherin level and worsens EMT, accompanied by increased levels of KDM6A. Besides, Mir199b-knockout mice without mmu-miR-119b-3p expression exhibit more renal tubule dysfunction and more serious kidney tissue damage upon treatment with STZ. These results demonstrate that hsa-miR-199b-3p improves E-cadherin expression and prevents the progression of DN through targeting KDM6A. miR-199b-3p could be a future biomarker or target for the diagnosis or treatment of DN.

Systems Pharmacology-Based Dissection of Anti-Cancer Mechanism of Traditional Chinese Herb Saussurea involucrata

Cancer has the highest mortality in humans worldwide, and the development of effective drugs remains a key issue. Traditional Chinese medicine Saussurea involucrata (SI) exhibits a series of effects, such as anti-cancer, but the action mechanisms are still unclear. Here, systems pharmacology was applied to reveal its anti-cancer mechanism. First, we screened the active compounds of SI. Then, the compound–target network, target–disease network, and target–pathway network were constructed. DAVID was applied for GOBP analysis and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis on cancer-related targets. Seven potential compounds and 187 targets were identified. The target–disease classification network showed that compounds mainly regulated proteins related to cancer, nervous system diseases, and cardiovascular system diseases. Also, SI anti-tumor effect mainly associated with the regulation of NO production, angiogenesis, MAPK, and PKB from GOBP enrichment. Additionally, KEGG pathway enrichment indicated that targets involved in anti-inflammatory action, inhibiting angiogenesis and anti-proliferation or inducing apoptosis. Experimental validation showed that four active compounds could inhibit cell proliferation and promote apoptosis in A549 (except for kaempferol), PC-3, and C6 cells. This study not only provides experimental evidence for further research on SI in cancer treatment but also promotes the development of potential drugs of SI in modern medicine.

Stem Cells as a Source of Pancreatic Cells for Production of 3D Bioprinted Bionic Pancreas in the Treatment of Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is the third most common autoimmune disease which develops due to genetic and environmental risk factors. Often, intensive insulin therapy is insufficient, and patients require a pancreas or pancreatic islets transplant. However, both solutions are associated with many possible complications, including graft rejection. The best approach seems to be a donor-independent T1D treatment strategy based on human stem cells cultured in vitro and differentiated into insulin and glucagon-producing cells (β and α cells, respectively). Both types of cells can then be incorporated into the bio-ink used for 3D printing of the bionic pancreas, which can be transplanted into T1D patients to restore glucose homeostasis. The aim of this review is to summarize current knowledge about stem cells sources and their transformation into key pancreatic cells. Last, but not least, we comment on possible solutions of post-transplant immune response triggered stem cell-derived pancreatic cells and their potential control mechanisms.

MicroRNAs as Therapeutic Targets for Anticancer Drugs in Lung Cancer Therapy

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short, non-coding RNA molecules that regulate gene expression by translational repression or deregulation of messenger RNAs. Accumulating evidence suggests that miRNAs play various roles in the development and progression of lung cancers. Although their precise roles in targeted cancer therapy are currently unclear, miRNAs have been shown to affect the sensitivity of tumors to anticancer drugs. A large number of recent studies have demonstrated that some anticancer drugs exerted antitumor activities by affecting the expression of miRNAs and their targeted genes. These studies have elucidated the specific biological mechanism of drugs in tumor suppression, which provides a new idea or basis for their clinical application. In this review, we summarized the therapeutic mechanisms of drugs in lung cancer therapy through their effects on miRNAs and their targeted genes, which highlights the roles of miRNAs as targets in lung cancer therapy.

The RNA-Binding Protein CELF2 Inhibits Ovarian Cancer Progression by Stabilizing FAM198B

An increasing number of studies have clarified the functional roles of RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) in driving post-transcriptional mechanisms of cancer progression. In this study, we integrated data from the RBP database and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) data with RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data from 10 ovarian cancer tissues and 8 normal ovarian tissues and identified an RBP, CUGBP- and ETR-3-like family 2 (CELF2). We found that CELF2 expression was downregulated in ovarian cancer and positively correlated with the overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) of patients with ovarian cancer. Altered CELF2 expression led to changes in the proliferation, migration, and invasion of ovarian cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. CELF2 expression increased the stability of its target, FAM198B, by binding to AU/U-rich elements (AREs) in the 3' untranslated region (3' UTR). FAM198B knockdown restored the CELF2-mediated suppression of proliferation and migration. We also found that CELF2/FAM198B may repress ovarian cancer progression by inhibiting the mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular-regulated protein kinase (MAPK/ERK) signaling pathway. Finally, a curcumin-induced increase in CELF2 expression resulted in increased ovarian cancer cell sensitivity to cisplatin. Our study elucidated a novel mechanism by which the CELF2/FAM198B axis regulates proliferation and metastasis in ovarian cancer, providing novel, potential therapeutic targets for ovarian cancer.

MicroRNA-1301-3p promotes the progression of non-small cell lung cancer by targeting Thy-1 and predicts poor prognosis of patients

The role of microRNA (miR)-1301-3p has been investigated in breast cancer and colorectal cancer. Dysregulation of miR-1301-3p expression in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is speculated to be associated with tumor progression, which was systemically investigated in the present study. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR analysis was performed to detect miR-1301-3p expression in 124 paired tissue samples and cultured cell lines. The results demonstrated that miR-1301-3p expression was regulated by transfection with miR-1301-3p mimic or inhibitor, and the proliferation, migration and invasion of the transfected cells were assessed via the Cell Counting Kit-8 and Transwell assays. In addition, miR-1301-3p expression was significantly upregulated in NSCLC tissues and cells compared with normal tissues and normal cells, respectively. Notably, upregulated miR-1301-3p expression in NSCLC tissues was significantly associated with the TNM stage, lymph node metastasis and poor prognosis of patients with NSCLC. Furthermore, upregulated miR-1301-3p expression in NSCLC cells promoted cell proliferation, migration and invasion, the effects of which were reversed following miR-1301-3p knockdown. Thy-1 was identified as a direct target of miR-1301-3p, which serves as a tumor promoter in the progression of NSCLC. Taken together, the results of the present study suggest that upregulated miR-1301-3p expression in NSCLC acts as an independent prognostic factor and a tumor promoter by targeting thy-1, thus provides a potential therapeutic target for NSCLC.

MicroRNAs: Emerging oncogenic and tumor-suppressive regulators, biomarkers and therapeutic targets in lung cancer

Lung cancer is one of the most common solid tumors worldwide and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths, causing a devastating impact on human health. The clinical prognosis of lung cancer is usually restricted by delayed diagnosis and resistance to anticancer therapies. MicroRNAs, a range of small endogenous noncoding RNAs 22 nucleotides in length, have emerged as one of the most important players in cancer initiation and progression in recent decades. Current evidence reveals pivotal roles of microRNAs in regulating cell proliferation, migration, invasion and metastasis in lung cancer. An increasing number of preclinical and clinical studies have also explored the potential of microRNAs as promising biomarkers and new therapeutic targets for lung cancer. The current review summarizes the most recent progress on the functional mechanisms of microRNAs involved in lung cancer development and progression and further discusses the clinical application of miRNAs as putative therapeutic targets for molecular diagnosis and prognostic prediction in lung cancer.

The underlying molecular mechanism and drugs for treatment in adrenal cortical carcinoma

Purpose: The study aimed to predict and explore the possible clinical value and mechanism of genetic markers in adrenal cortical carcinoma using a bioinformatics analysis method. Methods: The RNA-seqs and miRNAs data were downloaded from TCGA database to identify the differentially expressed genes and differentially expressed miRNAs. The hub-genes were screened by building protein-protein interaction sub-networks with 12 topological analysis methods. We conducted the receiver operating characteristic curve to elevate the diagnostic value of hub-genes in distinguishing the death and alive groups. The survival analysis of hub-genes and key miRNAs were conducted using Kaplan-Meier curves. Furthermore, most significant small molecules were identified as therapeutic candidates for adrenal cortical carcinoma by the CMap analysis. Results: Compared to survival group, we found 475 up-regulated genes and 354 genes and the key pathways leading to the death of different ACC individual patients. Then we used 12 topological analysis methods to found the most possible 22 hub-genes. Among these hub-genes, nine hub-genes (C3, CXCL5, CX3CR1, GRM8, HCAR2, HTR1B, SUCNR1, PTGER3 and SSTR1) could be used to distinguish the death and survival groups for patients. We also revealed that mRNA expressions of 12 genes (C3, CXCL8, CX3CR1, GNAT3, GNGT1, GRM8, HCAR2, HTR1B, HTR1D, PTGER3, SSTR1 and SUCNR1) and four key miRNAs (hsa-mir-330, hsa-mir-489, hsa-mir-508 and hsa-mir-513b) were related to survival. Three most small molecules were identified (H-9, AZ-628 and phensuximide) as potential therapeutic drugs for adrenal cortical carcinoma. Conclusion: The hub-genes expression was significant useful in adrenal cortical carcinoma, provide new diagnostic, prognosis and therapeutic approaches for adrenal cortical carcinoma. Furthermore, we also explore the possible miRNAs involved in regulation of hub-genes.

Connexins in Lung Cancer and Brain Metastasis

Connexins (Cxs) are involved in the brain metastasis of lung cancer cells. Thus, it is necessary to determine whether gap junction-forming Cxs are involved in the communication between lung cancer cells and the host cells, such as endothelial cells, forming the brain-blood-barrier, and cells in the central nervous system. Data from multiple studies support that Cxs function as tumor suppressors during lung cancer occurrence. However, recent evidence suggests that during metastasis to the brain, cancer cells establish communication with the host. This review discusses junctional or non-junctional hemichannel studies in lung cancer development and brain metastasis, highlighting important unanswered questions and controversies.

Identification of LINC02310 as an enhancer in lung adenocarcinoma and investigation of its regulatory network via comprehensive analyses

BACKGROUND

Lung adenocarcinoma (LADC) is a major subtype of non-small cell lung cancer and has one of the highest mortality rates. An increasing number of long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) were reported to be associated with the occurrence and progression of LADC. Thus, it is necessary and reasonable to find new prognostic biomarkers for LADC among LncRNAs.

METHODS

Differential expression analysis, survival analysis, PCR experiments and clinical feature analysis were performed to screen out the LncRNA which was significantly related to LADC. Its role in LADC was verified by CCK-8 assay and colony. Furthermore, competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) regulatory network construction, enrichment analysis and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network construction were performed to investigate the downstream regulatory network of the selected LncRNA.

RESULTS

A total of 2431 differentially expressed LncRNAs (DELncRNAs) and 2227 differentially expressed mRNAs (DEmRNAs) were from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. Survival analysis results indicated that lnc-YARS2-5, lnc-NPR3-2 and LINC02310 were significantly related to overall survival. Their overexpression indicated poor prognostic. PCR experiments and clinical feature analysis suggested that LINC02310 was significantly correlated with TNM-stage and T-stage. CCK-8 assay and colony formation assay demonstrated that LINC02310 acted as an enhancer in LADC. In addition, 3 targeted miRNAs of LINC02310 and 414 downstream DEmRNAs were predicted. The downstream DEmRNAs were then enriched in 405 Gene Ontology terms and 11 Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways, which revealed their potential functions and mechanisms. The PPI network showed the interactions among the downstream DEmRNAs.

CONCLUSIONS

This study verified LINC02310 as an enhancer in LADC and performed comprehensive analyses on its downstream regulatory network, which might benefit LADC prognoses and therapies.

TP53-Associated Ion Channel Genes Serve as Prognostic Predictor and Therapeutic Targets in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

TP53 mutations are the most occurred mutation in HNSCC which might affect the ion channel genes. We aim to investigate the ion channel gene alteration under TP53 mutation and their prognostic implication. The overall mutation status of HNSCC were explored. By screening the TP53-associated ion channel genes (TICGs), an ion channel prognostic signature (ICPS) was established through a series of machine learning algorithms. The ICPS was then evaluated and its clinical significance was explored. 82 TICGs differentially expressed between TP53WT and TP53MUT were screened. Using univariate regression analysis and LASSO regression analysis and multivariate regression analysis, an ICPS containing 7 ion channel genes was established. A series of evaluation was carried out which proved the predictive ability of ICPS. Functional analysis of ICPS revealed that cancer-related pathways were enriched in high-risk group. Next, for clinical application, a nomogram was constructed based on ICPS and other independent clinicopathological factors. TP53 mutation status strongly affects the expression of ion channel genes. The ICPM we have identified is a strong indicator for HNSCC prognosis and could help with patient stratification as well as identification of novel drug targets.

Propofol Inhibits Proliferation and Invasion of Stomach Cancer Cells by Regulating miR-205/YAP1 Axis

Background

Propofol is a common clinical intravenous anesthetic. In the last few years, studies have revealed that propofol not only has good anesthetic effect but also has certain anticancer effect. However, its role in stomach cancer (SC) and related mechanisms are still under investigation.

Objective

This study was designed to determine the effect of propofol on SC and its related mechanisms.

Methods

Purchased SC cells were treated with propofol at different concentrations (5, 10, and 20 μg/mL), miR-205 overexpression, and YAP1 inhibition. Then, the Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK8), Transwell, and flow cytometry were carried out to determine the biological behavior changes of treated cells and the expression of miR-205 and YAP1 after treatment.

Results

Propofol (10 μg/mL and 20 μg/mL) inhibited the growth of SC cells and promoted their apoptosis, and overexpressing miR-205 or inhibiting YAP1 can exert the same effects. In addition, propofol (10μg/mL and 20μg/mL) up-regulated miR-205 in SC cells. The dual-luciferase reporter assay revealed that YAP1 could be targeted and regulated by miR-205, and the rescue assay revealed that inhibiting miR-205 or overexpressing YAP1 could weaken the effect of propofol on the biological behaviors of SC cells.

Conclusion

Propofol can strongly suppress the proliferation and invasion of SC cells and induce their apoptosis via the miR-205/YAP1 axis.

Retraction Note to: MicroRNA-330-3p promotes cell invasion and metastasis in non-small cell lung cancer through GRIA3 by activating MAPK/ERK signaling pathway

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.

MicroRNAs as regulators of ERK/MAPK pathway: A comprehensive review

The ERK/MAPK cascade is one the four distinctive MAPK cascades which transmit extracellular signals to intracellular targets. This cascade has an important role in the regulation of several fundamental processes such as proliferation, differentiation and cell response to diverse extrinsic stresses. Moreover, several studies have shown participation of this cascade in the pathogenesis of cancer. Recent investigations have unraveled interaction between microRNAs (miRNAs) and ERK/MAPK cascade. These transcripts reside in both upstream and downstream of this cascade, regulating or being regulated by ERK/MAPK proteins. In the current review, we summarize the role of miRNAs in the regulation of ERK/MAPK and their contribution in the pathogenesis of human disorders with particular focus on cancers.

Expression profile of SYNE3 and bioinformatic analysis of its prognostic value and functions in tumors

Background

Spectrin repeat containing nuclear envelope family member 3 (SYNE3) encodes an essential component of the linker of the cytoskeleton and nucleoskeleton (LINC) complex, namely nesprin-3. In a tumor, invasiveness and metastasis rely on the integrity of the LINC complex, while the role of SYNE3/nesprin-3 in cancer is rarely studied.

Methods

Here, we explored the expression pattern, prognostic value, and related mechanisms of SYNE3 through both experimental and bioinformatic methods. We first detected SYNE3 in BALB/c mice, normal human tissues, and the paired tumor tissues, then used bioinformatics databases to verify our results. We further analyzed the prognostic value of SYNE3. Next, we predicted miRNA targeting SYNE3 and built a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network and a transcriptional network by analyzing data from the cancer genome atlas (TCGA) database. Interacting genes of SYNE3 were predicted, and we further performed GO and KEGG enrichment analysis on these genes. Besides, the relationship between SYNE3 and immune infiltration was also investigated.

Results

SYNE3 exhibited various expressions in different tissues, mainly located on nuclear and in cytoplasm sometimes. SYNE3 expression level had prognostic value in tumors, possibly by stabilizing nucleus, promoting tumor cells apoptosis, and altering tumor microenvironment. Additionally, we constructed a RP11-2B6.2-miR-149-5p-/RP11-67L2.2-miR-330-3p-SYNE3 ceRNA network and a SATB1-miR-149-5p-SYNE3 transcriptional network in lung adenocarcinoma to support the tumor-suppressing role of SYNE3.

Conclusions

Our study explored novel anti-tumor functions and mechanisms of SYNE3, which might be useful for future cancer therapy.

Circular RNA circ-0016068 Promotes the Growth, Migration, and Invasion of Prostate Cancer Cells by Regulating the miR-330-3p/BMI-1 Axis as a Competing Endogenous RNA

Prostate cancer is a common neoplasm worldwide, and the sixth most common cause of cancer-related mortality. Biomarkers for earlier diagnosis and improved treatment alternatives are critical. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) can promote the growth and progression of various cancers; however, prostate cancer-specific circRNAs have not been found. We identified circ-0016068, a circRNA that was expressed more strongly in prostate cancer tumors vs. normal paired tissue, and confirmed its relatively high expression in prostate cancer tissues and cell lines. We also discerned that circ-0016068 promotes the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and the growth, migration, and invasion of prostate cancer cells in vitro; and promotes the growth and metastasis of tumors in a mouse model of prostate cancer. Moreover, we found that circ-0016068 competes with the B-lymphoma Moloney murine leukemia virus insertion region-1 (BMI-1) for binding to miR-330-3p. In so doing, circ-0016068 sequesters miR-330-3p and frees BMI-1 to enhance the proliferation, migration, and invasion of prostate cancer cells, and the metastasis of xenograft tumors. These results suggest that circ-0016068 may be a promising diagnostic biomarker for early stage prostate cancer and a potential target for novel cancer therapeutics.

The role of monoamine oxidase A in HPV-16 E7-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition and HIF-1α protein accumulation in non-small cell lung cancer cells

Our previous studies have found that human papillomavirus (HPV)-16 E7 oncoprotein promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) protein accumulation in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells and monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) is highly expressed in NSCLC tissues. Here, we further explored the role of MAOA in HPV-16 E7-induced EMT and HIF-1α protein accumulation in A549 and NCI-H460 NSCLC cells. Our results showed that HPV-16 E7 enhanced MAOA expression in NSCLC cells. Additionally, MAOA knockout inhibited HPV-16 E7-induced migration, invasion, and EMT, and significantly reduced HPV-16 E7-induced ROS generation and HIF-1α protein accumulation via promoting its degradation. Furthermore, MAOA knockout suppressed HPV-16 E7-induced ERK1/2 activation. In vivo, MAOA knockout inhibited tumor growth, metastasis, and the expression of EMT-related markers and HIF-1α proteins induced by HPV-16 E7 in NCI-H460 NSCLC subcutaneous xenograft and in situ intrapulmonary models of nude mice. Taken together, our findings provide evidence that MAOA plays a key role in EMT and HIF-1α protein accumulation induced by HPV-16 E7 in NSCLC cells, suggesting that MAOA may be a potential therapeutic target for HPV-related NSCLC.

Upregulation of long non-coding RNA FOXD2-AS1 promotes progression and predicts poor prognosis in tongue squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Accumulating evidences suggest that lncRNA FOXD2-AS1 plays an important role in tumor progression, however, its function in tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) remains unknown. This research aims to investigate the function and mechanism of FOXD2-AS1 in the modulation of tongue squamous cell carcinoma progression.

METHODS

Expression of FOXD2-AS1 was detected in TSCC tissues and TCGA data. Receiver operating characteristic curves (ROCs) analysis and bioinformatic analysis of TCGA data were performed to investigate the role of FOXD2-AS1 in TSCC prognosis. After siRNA-mediated downregulation of FOXD2-AS1, wound healing assay, Transwell migration and invasion assays, and MTS proliferation assay were conducted to explore the effects that FOXD2-AS1 exerted on SCC-9 and CAL-27 cell lines. Western blotting was performed to detect the downstream protein changes.

RESULTS

Compared to the normal tissues and samples, FOXD2-AS1 significantly highly expressed in TSCC tissues and in TSCC samples of TCGA data, and high expression of FOXD2-AS1 was associated with lymphatic metastasis and poor TNM stages. ROC analysis and bioinformatic analysis of TCGA data further suggested that high expression of FOXD2-AS1 was associated with TSCC poor prognosis. Downregulation of FOXD2-AS1 inhibited the migration and invasion of SCC-9 and CAL-27 cell lines. Western blotting showed that the expression of p-p44 and p-p65 downregulated after FOXD2-AS1 knockdown.

CONCLUSION

High expression of FOXD2-AS1 promotes TSCC progression through modulating NF-kB and ERK MAPK signaling pathways and is associated with TSCC poor prognosis, it could be a novel therapeutic target and prognostic biomarker for TSCC.

Evaluation of Exosomal miRNA in Blood as a Potential Diagnostic Biomarker for Human Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Background

Tumor-derived exosomes have been used as diagnostic biomarkers to discriminate between tumor patients and healthy people. This study explored the roles of exosomal miRNAs in lung adenocarcinoma metastasis by microarray and developed a novel method for diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma.

Material/Methods

Four lung adenocarcinoma patients’ peripheral blood, including 2 metastasis and 2 N-metastasis, were used for exosomes miRNA microarray analysis. Exosomes were extracted by ultracentrifugation and identified by transmission electron microscopy. All the raw data were normalized by R software with limma packet. qRT-PCR was used to validate the microarray results. A549 cells were used to identify the functions of miR-4448. Western blot, qRT-PCR, RNAi, CCK8, and transwell invasion assay were used to verify the metastasis and proliferation abilities.

Results

miR-4436a and miR-4687-5p were upregulated between the metastasis and N-metastasis group, while miR-22-3p, miR-3666, miR-4448, miR-4449, miR-6751-5p and miR-92a-3p were downregulated. miR-4448 was also downregulated between the metastasis and control group, whereas there was no significant difference between the N-metastasis group and control group. qRT-PCR confirmed the downregulation of miR-4448 in exosomes from lung adenocarcinoma patients compared with N-metastasis patients and healthy people. CCK8 and transwell invasion assay showed that A549 cells transfected with miR-4448 inhibitor had higher proliferation and metastasis ability. qRT-PCR and Western blot confirmed the high expression of MMP2 and MMP9 in A549 cells transfected with miR-4448 inhibitor.

Conclusions

miR-4448 can inhibit A549 cell proliferation and metastasis. miR-4448 in exosomes has the potential to serve as a diagnostic marker of patients with adenocarcinoma metastasis.

LINC00958 Accelerates Cell Proliferation and Migration in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Through JNK/c-JUN Signaling

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) denotes the most common type of lung cancers with high mortality globally. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) with differential expression have been indicated to be participants in the pathogenesis and development of cancer. However, the precise role of lncRNAs in NSCLC is still largely obscure. In this study, we explored a newly discovered intergenic lncRNA LINC00958 in NSCLC. First of all, the online databases suggested that LINC00958 was slightly expressed in human normal lung tissues but upregulated in LUSC tissues. Besides, the upregulation of LINC00958 in both lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and LUSC cell lines was easily found when compared with the normal BEAS-2B cells. In addition, we elucidated that knockdown of LINC00958 led to impaired proliferation, induced apoptosis, and hampered migration in LUAD cells. Moreover, a typical oncogenic pathway, JNK signaling, was verified to be involved in LINC00958-contributed LUAD development. Of note, we explained that LINC00958 exerted the tumor-promoting function in LUAD by enhancing the transactivation of p-c-JUN through activating JNK signaling. Meanwhile, we also revealed that LINC00958 was transcriptionally regulated by c-JUN. In addition, earlier findings were also suitable for LUSC cells. By and large, our work illustrated that LINC00958 facilitates tumorigenesis in NSCLC by activating the JNK/c-JUN signaling pathway, indicating a new road for diagnosis and treatment of both LUAD and LUSC.

Effects of miR-330-3p on Invasion, Migration and EMT of Gastric Cancer Cells by Targeting PRRX1-Mediated Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway

BACKGROUND

miRNA, as a biological marker, had more and more attention in recent years due to the important role it plays in cancer. Currently, there are extensive studies on miRNAs, among which miR-330-3p is reported to be implicated in the pathophysiological processes of various cancers. However, little progress has been made in the mechanism of miR-330-3p in gastric cancer.

OBJECTIVE

To explore the expression and relevant mechanism of miR-330-3p and PRRX1 in gastric cancer (GC).

METHODS

Forty-five GC patients (study group), from whom paired GC and paracancerous tissues were collected, and another 45 healthy subjects (control group) who underwent physical examination during the same period were enrolled. In addition, GC cells and human gastric mucosa cells were purchased, and miR-330-3p-mimics, miR-330-3p-inhibitor, miR-NC, si-PRRX1, and sh-PRRX1 were transfected into MKN45, SGC7901 cell. QRT-PCR was employed to assess the miR-330-3p and PRRX1 expressions in the samples, and the cell expressions of PRRX1, GSK-3β, p-GSK-3β, β-catenin, p-β-catenin, cyclin D1, N-cadherin, E-cadherin and vimentin were evaluated by Western blot (WB). MTT, Transwell and wound-healing experiments were adopted to detect cell proliferation, invasion and migration.

RESULTS

MiR-330-3p was under-expressed, while PRRX1 was highly expressed in the serum of patients, both of which had an area under the curve (AUC) of more than 0.9. MiR-330-3p and PRRX1 were associated with tumor diameter, TNM staging, lymph node metastasis and differentiation of GC patients. Overexpression of miR-330-3p and inhibition of PRRX1 expression could suppress epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), proliferation, invasion and apoptosis of cells. What is more, WB assay showed that overexpressed miR-330-3p and inhibited PRRX1 could inhibit the expression levels of p-GSK-3β, β-catenin, cyclin D1, N-cadherin and vimentin proteins, while elevating GSK-3β, p-β-catenin and E-cadherin protein expressions. Dual-luciferase reporter assay confirmed that there was a targeting relation between miR-330-3p and PRRX1. Furthermore, rescue experiments revealed that the cell proliferation, invasion, migration did not differ significantly between co-transfected miR-330-3p-mimics+sh-PRRX1, miR-330-3p-inhibitor+si-PRRX1 groups of MKN45 and SGC7901 and the miR-NC group (without transfected sequences).

CONCLUSION

Overexpressed miR-330-3p can promote cell EMT, proliferation, invasion and apoptosis through inhibiting PRRX1-mediated Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, which is expected to be a potential therapeutic target for GC.

NF-κB-Induced Upregulation of miR-548as-3p Increases Invasion of NSCLC by Targeting PTEN

BACKGROUND

Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) is an aggressive cancer type due to high metastatic capacity. Nuclear Factor Kappa B (NF-κB) is a consistently active transcription factor in malignant lung cancer cells and has crucial significance in NSCLC progression. It is also implicated in the transcriptional regulation of many genes including microRNAs (miRNAs) that function as tumor suppressor or oncogene. It has been increasingly reported that several miRNAs defined as gene members are induced by NF-κB. The present study aimed to find novel miRNAs that are regulated by NF-κB.

METHODS

Chromatin İmmunoprecipitation Sequencing (ChIP-Seq) experiment and bioinformatic analysis were used to determine NF-κB-dependent miRNAs. Western blot analysis, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), luciferase reporter gene assays were carried out to investigate the target genes of miRNAs. To determine biologic activity, transwell invasion and MTT assay were carried out on H1299 NSCLC cell line. miRNA expression level was evaluated in metastatic and non-metastatic tissue samples of NSCLC patients.

RESULTS

ChIP-Seq and qRT-PCR experiments showed that miR-548as-3p is transcriptionally regulated by NF- κB in response to Tumor Necrosis Factor-α (TNF-α) treatment. Then, we found that tumor suppressor Phosphatase and Tension homolog (PTEN) is a direct target of miR-548as-3p. Furthermore, miR-548as-3p mediates phosphatidylinositol-3-OH kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway and NF-κB-implicated genes including Matrix Metalloproteinases 9 (MMP9), Slug and Zeb1. We further showed that miR-548as-3p increased invasiveness of NSCLC cells and was upregulated in metastatic tumor tissues compared to non-metastatic ones.

CONCLUSION

All these findings provide a miRNAs-mediated novel mechanism for NF-κB signaling and that miR-548as-3p could be a biomarker for NSCLC metastasis.

Extracellular Vesicle lincRNA-p21 Expression in Tumor-Draining Pulmonary Vein Defines Prognosis in NSCLC and Modulates Endothelial Cell Behavior

Hypoxia-induced upregulation of lincRNA-p21 in tumor tissue was previously shown by our group to be related to poor prognosis in resected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. In the present study, we have evaluated the presence of lincRNA-p21 in extracellular vesicles (EVs) from NSCLC patients and assessed its potential as a prognostic biomarker. High EV lincRNA-p21 levels in blood from the tumor-draining vein were associated with shorter time to relapse and shorter overall survival. Moreover, the multivariate analysis identified high lincRNA-p21 levels as an independent prognostic marker. In addition, lincRNA-p21 was overexpressed in H23 and HCC44 NSCLC cell lines and their derived EVs under hypoxic conditions. Functional assays using human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) showed that tumor-derived EVs enriched in lincRNA-p21 affected endothelial cells by promoting tube formation and enhancing tumor cell adhesion to endothelial cells. Additionally, the analysis of selected EV microRNAs related to angiogenesis and metastasis showed that the microRNAs correlated with EV lincRNA-p21 levels in both patients and cell lines. Finally, EV co-culture with HUVEC cells increased the expression of microRNAs and genes related to endothelial cell activation. In conclusion, EV lincRNA-p21 acts as a novel prognosis marker in resected NSCLC patients, promoting angiogenesis and metastasis.

Osteopontin Mediates Cetuximab Resistance via the MAPK Pathway in NSCLC Cells

Background

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common type of lung cancer. The high expression of osteopontin (OPN) is an important factor that aggravates drug resistance and causes a poor prognosis in this disease. Therefore, understanding the molecular mechanism of OPN is critical for the treatment and prognosis of NSCLC.

Methods

We used bioinformatics analysis to verify the expression of OPN in normal lung tissues and lung cancer tissues. Then we overexpressed and knocked down OPN in cell lines to detect cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and effects on signaling pathways. Finally, malignant progression and drug resistance induced by OPN were investigated by the wound healing assay, transwell assay, clone formation assay, and Western blot analysis.

Results

We verified that OPN was upregulated in NSCLC tissues, and its overexpression induced NSCLC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion via the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. Furthermore, overexpression of OPN reduced the sensitivity of NSCLC cells to cetuximab by upregulating MAPK pathway-related proteins. These results suggested that OPN promoted malignant progression and mediated drug resistance via the MAPK signaling pathway in NSCLC cells.

Conclusion

This study reveals the important role of OPN in NSCLC cells, making it a potential target for improving chemotherapy efficiency in patients with NSCLC.

HLA-F-AS1/miR-330-3p/PFN1 axis promotes colorectal cancer progression

OBJECTIVE

Accumulating Studies implies that long-chain non-coding RNA (lncRNA) plays a vital regulatory role in the occurrence and progression of tumors. This study aimed to explore the function and mechanism of lncRNA HLA-F antisense RNA 1 (HLA-F-AS1) in colorectal cancer (CRC).

METHODS

Expressions of HLA-F-AS1, miR-330-3p and profilin 1 (PFN1) mRNA in CRC tissues were detected by RT-PCR. MTT assay was used to detect cell proliferation, and Transwell assay was used to detect cell migration and invasion. In addition, PFN1 and apoptosis-related protein Bcl-2 associated X (Bax) and B cell lymphoma/leukmia-2 (Bcl2) were detected by western blot. Interactions between miR-330-3p and HLA-F-AS1 or the 3'UTR of PFN1 were predicted and determined by bioinformatics analysis and luciferase reporter assay.

RESULTS

Expressions of HLA-F-AS1 and PFN1 were significantly up-regulated while miR-330-3p was significantly down-regulated in CRC tissues and cell lines. Over-expressions of HLA-F-AS1 or transfection of miR-330-3p inhibitors could promote the proliferation, migration and invasion and block apoptosis of CRC cells, whereas knockdown of HLA-F-AS1 or transfection of miR-330-3p mimics led to the opposite effects. Additionally, HLA-F-AS1 could down-regulate miR-330-3p via sponging it. HLA-F-AS1 also enhanced the expressions of PFN1, which was validated as a target gene of miR-330-3p.

CONCLUSION

HLA-F-AS1 promoted CRC progression via regulating miR-330-3p/PFN1 axis.

Long noncoding RNA LINC00337 accelerates the non-small-cell lung cancer progression through inhibiting TIMP2 by recruiting DNMT1

Accumulating evidence reveals the essential roles of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tumorigenesis. Here, our research investigated the biological roles of novel lncRNA LINC00337 in the NSCLC tumorigenesis and discover the potential mechanism. In the NSCLC tissue and cell lines, LINC00337 was found to be remarkedly up-regulated, and the ectopic LINC00337 overexpression indicated the poor survival of NSCLC patients. In vitro, gain and loss of functional assays showed that LINC00337 promoted the progression of NSCLC cells, including proliferation and invasion. In vivo, LINC00337 knockdown inhibited the tumor growth of NSCLC cells. Mechanically, LINC00337 could recruit the epigenetic repressor DNMT1 to the promoter region of TIMP2 to silence its expression. In conclusion, our study found the critical regulation of lncRNA LINC00337 for the NSCLC through epigenetic regulation, which may serve as a predictive biomarker and potential therapeutic target.

MicroRNA-330-3p promotes brain metastasis and epithelial-mesenchymal transition via GRIA3 in non-small cell lung cancer

Brain metastasis (BM) is associated with poor prognosis in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We sought to identify microRNAs (miRNAs) that could serve as biomarkers to differentiate NSCLC patients with and without BM. Logistic regression was conducted with 122 NSCLC patients (60 without BM, 62 with BM) to assess the association between miRNAs and BM. We confirmed several risk factors for BM and revealed that serum miR-330-3p levels are higher in NSCLC patients with BM than that without BM. Overexpression of miR-330-3p promoted proliferation, migration, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of NSCLC cells in vitro and NSCLC tumorigenesis in vivo. Knocking down miR-330-3p suppressed this metastatic phenotype. We identified putative miR-330-3p target genes by comparing mRNA microarray analysis data from A549 cells after miR-330-3p knockdown with candidate miR-330-3p target genes predicted by public bioinformatic tools and luciferase reporter assays. We found that GRIA3 is a target of miR-330-3p and that miR-330-3p stimulates EMT progress by mediating GRIA3-TGF-β1 interaction. Our results provide novel insight into the role of miR-330-3p in NSCLC metastasis, and suggest miR-330-3p may be a useful biomarker for identifying NSCLC with metastatic potential.