Long noncoding RNA TINCR facilitates hepatocellular carcinoma progression and dampens chemosensitivity to oxaliplatin by regulating the miR-195-3p/ST6GAL1/NF-κB pathway

Epigenetic regulation of hepatocellular carcinoma progression: MicroRNAs as therapeutic, diagnostic and prognostic factors

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a significant challenge for public healthcare systems in developed Western countries including the USA, Canada, and the UK, is influenced by different risk factors including hepatitis virus infections, alcoholism, and smoking. The disruption in the balance of microRNAs (miRNAs) plays a vital function in tumorigenesis, given their function as regulators in numerous signaling networks. These miRNAs, which are mature and active in the cytoplasm, work by reducing the expression of target genes through their impact on mRNAs. MiRNAs are particularly significant in HCC as they regulate key aspects of the tumor, like proliferation and invasion. Additionally, during treatment phases such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy, the levels of miRNAs are key determinants. Pre-clinical experiments have demonstrated that altered miRNA expression contributes to HCC development, metastasis, drug resistance, and radio-resistance, highlighting related molecular pathways and processes like MMPs, EMT, apoptosis, and autophagy. Furthermore, the regulatory role of miRNAs in HCC extends beyond their immediate function, as they are also influenced by other epigenetic factors like lncRNAs and circular RNAs (circRNAs), as discussed in recent reviews. Applying these discoveries in predicting the prognosis of HCC could mark a significant advancement in the therapy of this disease.

The role of competing endogenous RNA network in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma: potential therapeutic targets

The current situation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) management is challenging due to its high incidence, mortality, recurrence and metastasis. Recent advances in gene genetic and expression regulation have unveiled the significant role of non-coding RNA (ncRNA) in various cancers. This led to the formulation of the competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) hypothesis, which posits that both coding RNA and ncRNA, containing miRNA response elements (MRE), can share the same miRNA sequence. This results in a competitive network between ncRNAs, such as lncRNA and mRNA, allowing them to regulate each other. Extensive research has highlighted the crucial role of the ceRNA network in HCC development, impacting various cellular processes including proliferation, metastasis, cell death, angiogenesis, tumor microenvironment, organismal immunity, and chemotherapy resistance. Additionally, the ceRNA network, mediated by lncRNA or circRNA, offers potential in early diagnosis and prevention of HCC. Consequently, ceRNAs are emerging as therapeutic targets for HCC. The complexity of these gene networks aligns with the multi-target approach of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), presenting a novel perspective for TCM in combating HCC. Research is beginning to show that TCM compounds and prescriptions can affect HCC progression through the ceRNA network, inhibiting proliferation and metastasis, and inducing apoptosis. Currently, the lncRNAs TUG1, NEAT1, and CCAT1, along with their associated ceRNA networks, are among the most promising ncRNAs for HCC research. However, this field is still in its infancy, necessitating advanced technology and extensive basic research to fully understand the ceRNA network mechanisms of TCM in HCC treatment.

A comprehensive review on the emerging role of long non-coding RNAs in the regulation of NF-κB signaling in inflammatory lung diseases

Public health globally faces significant risks from conditions like acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and various inflammatory lung disorders. The NF-κB signaling system partially controls lung inflammation, immunological responses, and remodeling. Non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are crucial in regulating gene expression. They are increasingly recognized for their involvement in NF-κB signaling and the development of inflammatory lung diseases. Disruption of lncRNA-NF-κB interactions is a potential cause and resolution factor for inflammatory respiratory conditions. This study explores the therapeutic potential of targeting lncRNAs and NF-κB signaling to alleviate inflammation and restore lung function. Understanding the intricate relationship between lncRNAs and NF-κB signaling could offer novel insights into disease mechanisms and identify therapeutic targets. Regulation of lncRNAs and NF-κB signaling holds promise as an effective approach for managing inflammatory lung disorders. This review aims to comprehensively analyze the interaction between lncRNAs and the NF-κB signaling pathway in the context of inflammatory lung diseases. It investigates the functional roles of lncRNAs in modulating NF-κB activity and the resulting inflammatory responses in lung cells, focusing on molecular mechanisms involving upstream regulators, inhibitory proteins, and downstream effectors.

Cell Membrane Sialome: Sialic Acids as Therapeutic Targets and Regulators of Drug Resistance in Human Cancer Management

A cellular sialome is a physiologically active and dynamically changing component of the cell membrane. Sialylation plays a crucial role in tumor progression, and alterations in cellular sialylation patterns have been described as modulators of chemotherapy effectiveness. However, the precise mechanisms through which altered sialylation contributes to drug resistance in cancer are not yet fully understood. This review focuses on the intricate interplay between sialylation and cancer treatment. It presents the role of sialic acids in modulating cell-cell interactions, the extracellular matrix (ECM), and the immunosuppressive processes within the context of cancer. The issue of drug resistance is also discussed, and the mechanisms that involve transporters, the tumor microenvironment, and metabolism are analyzed. The review explores drugs and therapeutic approaches that may induce modifications in sialylation processes with a primary focus on their impact on sialyltransferases or sialidases. Despite advancements in cellular glycobiology and glycoengineering, an interdisciplinary effort is required to decipher and comprehend the biological characteristics and consequences of altered sialylation. Additionally, understanding the modulatory role of sialoglycans in drug sensitivity is crucial to applying this knowledge in clinical practice for the benefit of cancer patients.

The potential roles of lncRNA TINCR in triple negative breast cancer

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive intrinsic breast cancer subtype characterized by the lack of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and low levels of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). The complex nature of TNBC has resulted in little therapeutic progress for the past several decades. The standard of care remains the FEC cocktail (5-fluorouracil (5-FU), epirubicin and cyclophosphamide). However, early relapse and metastasis in TNBC patients persists in causing dismal clinical outcomes. Due to complex heterogeneity features of TNBC, identifying the biomarker associated to the chemoresistance remains a challenge. The emergence of the long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) as a potential signature may have proven to be a new deterrent to diagnostic and treatment options. Previous studies unveiled the associations of lncRNA in the development of TNBCs whereby the aggressiveness and response to therapies may be associated by the abrogation of the molecular mechanism lncRNA. Terminal differentiation induced ncRNA (TINCR) is a lncRNA which have been linked with many cancers including TNBC. The expression and behavior of TINCR may exert unfavorable outcome in TNBCs. Nevertheless, the underlying molecular mechanism of TINCR in driving chemoresistance in TNBC is not well understood. This review will highlight the potential molecular mechanisms of TINCR in TNBC chemoresistance and how it can serve as a future potential prognostic and therapeutic target for a better treatment intervention.

An epigenetic modulator with promising therapeutic impacts against gastrointestinal cancers: A mechanistic review on microRNA-195

Due to their high prevalence, gastrointestinal cancers are one of the key causes of cancer-related death globally. The development of drug-resistant cancer cell populations is a major factor in the high mortality rate, and it affects about half of all cancer patients. Because of advances in our understanding of cancer molecular biology, non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) have emerged as critical factors in the initiation and development of gastrointestinal cancers. Gene expression can be controlled in several ways by ncRNAs, including through epigenetic changes, interactions between microRNAs (miRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and proteins, and the function of lncRNAs as miRNA precursors or pseudogenes. As lncRNAs may be detected in the blood, circulating ncRNAs have emerged as a promising new class of non-invasive cancer biomarkers for use in the detection, staging, and prognosis of gastrointestinal cancers, as well as in the prediction of therapy efficacy. In this review, we assessed the role lncRNAs play in the progression, and maintenance of colorectal cancer, and how they might be used as therapeutic targets in the future.

Multifaceted role of NF-κB in hepatocellular carcinoma therapy: Molecular landscape, therapeutic compounds and nanomaterial approaches

The predominant kind of liver cancer is hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) that its treatment have been troublesome difficulties for physicians due to aggressive behavior of tumor cells in proliferation and metastasis. Moreover, stemness of HCC cells can result in tumor recurrence and angiogenesis occurs. Another problem is development of resistance to chemotherapy and radiotherapy in HCC cells. Genomic mutations participate in malignant behavior of HCC and nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) has been one of the oncogenic factors in different human cancers that after nuclear translocation, it binds to promoter of genes in regulating their expression. Overexpression of NF-κB has been well-documented in increasing proliferation and invasion of tumor cells and notably, when its expression enhances, it induces chemoresistance and radio-resistance. Highlighting function of NF-κB in HCC can shed some light on the pathways regulating progression of tumor cells. The first aspect is proliferation acceleration and apoptosis inhibition in HCC cells mediated by enhancement in expression level of NF-κB. Moreover, NF-κB is able to enhance invasion of HCC cells via upregulation of MMPs and EMT, and it triggers angiogenesis as another step for increasing spread of tumor cells in tissues and organs. When NF-κB expression enhances, it stimulates chemoresistance and radio-resistance in HCC cells and by increasing stemness and population of cancer-stem cells, it can provide the way for recurrence of tumor. Overexpression of NF-κB mediates therapy resistance in HCC cells and it can be regulated by non-coding RNAs in HCC. Moreover, inhibition of NF-κB by anti-cancer and epigenetic drugs suppresses HCC tumorigenesis. More importantly, nanoparticles are considered for suppressing NF-κB axis in cancer and their prospectives and results can also be utilized for treatment of HCC. Nanomaterials are promising factors in treatment of HCC and by delivery of genes and drugs, they suppress HCC progression. Furthermore, nanomaterials provide phototherapy in HCC ablation.

The interplay between noncoding RNAs and drug resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma: the big impact of little things

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the leading cause of cancer-related death in people, and a common primary liver cancer. Lacking early diagnosis and a high recurrence rate after surgical resection, systemic treatment is still an important treatment method for advanced HCC. Different drugs have distinct curative effects, side effects and drug resistance due to different properties. At present, conventional molecular drugs for HCC have displayed some limitations, such as adverse drug reactions, insensitivity to some medicines, and drug resistance. Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), including microRNAs (miRNAs), long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs), have been well documented to be involved in the occurrence and progression of cancer. Novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets, as well as research into the molecular basis of drug resistance, are urgently needed for the management of HCC. We review current research on ncRNAs and consolidate the known roles regulating drug resistance in HCC and examine the potential clinical applications of ncRNAs in overcoming drug resistance barriers in HCC based on targeted therapy, cell cycle non-specific chemotherapy and cell cycle specific chemotherapy.

Protein glycosylation alterations in hepatocellular carcinoma: function and clinical implications

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Understanding the cancer mechanisms provides novel diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic markers for the management of HCC disease. In addition to genomic and epigenomic regulation, post-translational modification exerts a profound influence on protein functions and plays a critical role in regulating various biological processes. Protein glycosylation is one of the most common and complex post-translational modifications of newly synthesized proteins and acts as an important regulatory mechanism that is implicated in fundamental molecular and cell biology processes. Recent studies in glycobiology suggest that aberrant protein glycosylation in hepatocytes contributes to the malignant transformation to HCC by modulating a wide range of pro-tumorigenic signaling pathways. The dysregulated protein glycosylation regulates cancer growth, metastasis, stemness, immune evasion, and therapy resistance, and is regarded as a hallmark of HCC. Changes in protein glycosylation could serve as potential diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic factors in HCC. In this review, we summarize the functional importance, molecular mechanism, and clinical application of protein glycosylation alterations in HCC.

Overexpression of ST7-AS1 Enhances Apoptosis and Inhibits Proliferation of Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma Cells Via microRNA-181b-5p-Dependent Inhibition Tripartite Motif Containing 3

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are of great significance in the pathogenesis and progression of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). LncRNA tumorigenicity 7 antisense RNA 1 (ST7-AS1) is a newly identified lncRNA serving as an oncogene or tumor suppressor in different tumors; however, the role of ST7-AS1 in PTC remains completely unknown. In this study, ST7-AS1 was mainly distributed in the cytoplasm of PTC cells and presented reduced expression in THCA tumors and PTC cell lines. Functional experiments revealed that overexpressed ST7-AS1 inhibited the viability and proliferation of PTC cells, whereas accelerated the apoptosis of PTC cells. The expression of miR-181b-5p was upregulated and it bound with ST7-AS1 in PTC cells. Moreover, TRIM3 exhibited downregulated expression level in PTC cells and ST7-AS1 elevated TRIM3 expression via harboring miR-181b-5p. Rescue experiments illuminated that knockdown of TRIM3 reversed ST7-AS1 overexpression-induced promotion on PTC cell proliferation and suppression on PTC cell apoptosis. Overall, overexpression of ST7-AS1 enhances apoptosis and represses proliferation of PTC cells via targeting the miR-181b-5p/TRIM3 axis, which may help broaden the horizon and establish the foundation to develop therapeutic strategies for PTC in the future.

LncRNA DICER1-AS1 promotes colorectal cancer progression by activating the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway through sponging miR-650

BACKGROUND

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a disease with high morbidity and mortality rates globally. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a fundamental role in tumor progression, and increasing attention has been paid to their role in CRC. This study aimed to determine the function of lncRNA DICER1 antisense RNA 1 (DICER1-AS1) in CRC and confirm its potential regulatory mechanisms in CRC.

METHODS

The publicly available dataset was used to assess DICER1-AS1 function and expression in CRC. RT-qPCR or western blot assays were performed to verify DICER1-AS1, miR-650, and mitogen-activated protein kinase 1 (MAPK1) expression in CRC cells or tissues. To determine the function of DICER1-AS1, we performed CCK-8, colony formation, transwell, cell cycle, and in vivo animal assays. Using RNA sequence analysis, luciferase reporter assays, and bioinformatics analysis, the connection between DICER1-AS1, MAPK1, and miR-650 was investigated.

RESULTS

DICER1-AS1 was significantly upregulated in CRC tissue compared to normal colon tissue. High DICER1-AS1 expression suggested a poor prognosis in CRC patients. Functionally, upregulation of DICER1-AS1 effectively promoted CRC proliferation, migration, and invasion ex vivo and tumor progression in vivo. Mechanistically, DICER1-AS1 functions as a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) that sponges miR-650 to upregulate MAPK1, promotes ERK1/2 phosphorylation, and sequentially activates the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway.

CONCLUSION

Our investigations found that upregulation of DICER1-AS1 activates the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway by sponging miR-650 to promote CRC progression, revealing a possible clinically significant biomarker and therapeutic target.

Modulating multidrug resistance to drug-based antitumor therapies through NF-κB signaling pathway: mechanisms and perspectives

INTRODUCTION

Despite the advances made in cancer treatment in the past decades, therapeutic efficacy is still quite challenging, partially due to the emergence of multidrug resistance (MDR). It is crucial to decipher the underlying mechanisms of resistance in order to develop new therapeutic strategies for cancer patients. Previous studies have shown that activation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) plays key roles in various cellular processes including proliferation, anti-apoptosis, metastasis, invasion, and chemoresistance.

AREAS COVERED

In this review, we conduct an integrated analysis of the evidence suggesting the vital roles of the NF-κB signaling pathway in MDR during chemotherapy, immunotherapy, endocrine, and targeted therapy. A literature search was performed on NF-κB and drug resistance in PubMed up to February 2023.

EXPERT OPINION

This review summarizes that the NF-κB signaling pathway exhibits a crucial role in enhancing drug resistance in chemotherapy, immunotherapy, endocrine, and targeted therapy. The application of combination therapy with existing antineoplastic drugs and a safe NF-κB inhibitor could become a promising strategy in cancer treatment. A better understanding of the pathway and mechanisms of drug resistance may help exploit safer and more effective NF-κB-targeting agents for clinical use in the future.

lncRNA ENST00000585827 Contributes to the Progression of Endometrial Carcinoma via Regulating miR-424/E2F6/E2F7 Axis

Endometrial cancer (EC) ranks fourth among the most common gynecologic malignancies. Despite advances in medical technology, the pathogenesis is still unclear. Numerous reports have identified the involvement of lncRNA in the malignant progression of endometrial cancer. The aim of the study was to investigate the expression level of lncRNA ENST00000585827 (lncRNA E27) in endometrial cancer and the molecular mechanism that regulates the development of endometrial cancer. Combined with the results of the previous study, PCR analysis confirmed that lncRNA E27 was significantly upregulated in endometrial cancer cell lines. The results of CCK-8, wound healing assay, and transwell experiments showed that lncRNA E27 could significantly inhibit cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Flow cytometry results confirmed that lncRNA E27 could promote apoptosis. Furthermore, based on bioinformatics predictions, dual-luciferase assay and RT-qPCR analysis confirmed that miR-424, as its downstream molecule, competitively regulates the expression of E2F6/E2F7. Rescue experiments further supported that lncRNA E27 inhibited proliferation, migration, invasion, and promoted apoptosis of endometrial cancer through miR-424/E2F6/E2F7 signaling axis. Conclusively, our findings revealed the role of lncRNA E27 in regulating the miR-424/E2F6/E2F7 signaling axis during EC progression, opening up new strategies for the treatment of endometrial cancer.

The Mutual Relationship between Glycosylation and Non-Coding RNAs in Cancer and Other Physio-Pathological Conditions

Glycosylation, which consists of the enzymatic addition of sugars to proteins and lipids, is one of the most important post-co-synthetic modifications of these molecules, profoundly affecting their activity. Although the presence of carbohydrate chains is crucial for fine-tuning the interactions between cells and molecules, glycosylation is an intrinsically stochastic process regulated by the relative abundance of biosynthetic (glycosyltransferases) and catabolic (glycosidases) enzymes, as well as sugar carriers and other molecules. Non-coding RNAs, which include microRNAs, long non-coding RNAs and circRNAs, establish a complex network of reciprocally interacting molecules whose final goal is the regulation of mRNA expression. Likewise, these interactions are stochastically regulated by ncRNA abundance. Thus, while protein sequence is deterministically dictated by the DNA/RNA/protein axis, protein abundance and activity are regulated by two stochastic processes acting, respectively, before and after the biosynthesis of the protein axis. Consequently, the worlds of glycosylation and ncRNA are closely interconnected and mutually interacting. In this paper, we will extensively review the many faces of the ncRNA-glycosylation interplay in cancer and other physio-pathological conditions.

Genetic predisposition to papillary thyroid carcinoma is mediated by a long non-coding RNA TINCR enhancer polymorphism

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the enhancer region have been demonstrated to confer to altered enhancer activities, aberrant gene expression, and cancer susceptibility. In this study, we aimed to examine the association between an SNP, rs8101923, within terminal differentiation-induced non-coding RNA (TINCR) and the risk of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). Blood samples from 559 patients with PTC and 445 healthy individuals were collected. The rs8101923 was genotyped by using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism assay. The impact of the rs8101923 on TINCR expression and enhancer activity was evaluated by quantitative real-time PCR and dual-luciferase reporter assay. The binding of AP-2α to TINCR enhancer was determined by chromatin immunoprecipitation. The rs8101923 G allele was significantly associated with a higher risk of PTC (adjusted OR = 1.37; 95% CI: 1.15-1.64). Mechanistically, the rs8101923 was related to increased transcriptional levels and enhancer activities (P < 0.05). Transcription factor AP-2α binds to the enhancer region of TINCR containing the rs8101923 locus, and promotes cell proliferation in PTC. These findings suggest the rs8101923 as a risk factor in the pathogenesis of PTC, which provides evidence for explaining the mechanism of the rs8101923 risk allele predisposing to PTC.