Decreased expression and clinical significance of miR-148a in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues

MicroRNA-148a-3p suppresses the glycolysis and Cell proliferation by targeting transmembrane protein 54 in liver cancer

Liver cancer is the fourth most lethal cancer, but the treatment options for liver cancer are usually limited. Metabolic reprogramming is a hallmark of malignancy, ensuring activated cell glycolysis and increased macromolecular precursors required for the proliferation and migration of exuberant cancer cells. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been reported to participate in cancer metabolic shifts mainly by directly silencing the expression of specific genes. Here, we identified miR-148a-3p as a negative regulator for glycometabolism and cell proliferation in liver cancer. miR-148a-3p directly targets the 3'UTR of transmembrane protein 54 (TMEM54), leading to the significant inhibition of lactate production, glucose consumption, intracellular ATP level and extracellular acidification rate (ECAR), as well as the repression of the proliferation and colony formation ability of liver cancer cells. miR-148a-3p expression is often down-regulated in liver cancer tissues. In addition, there was a negative correlation between the expression levels of miR-148a-3p and TMEM54 in liver cancer tissues. Moreover, the low miR-148a-3p expression levels or high TMEM54 expression levels were associated with poorer prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. Together, these findings support that the miR-148a-3p/TMEM54 regulatory pathway regulates the glycometabolism and cell proliferation in liver cancer, which is a possible target for the diagnosis and treatment of liver cancer.

An Insight into the Arising Role of MicroRNAs in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Future Diagnostic and Therapeutic Approaches

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) constitutes a frequent highly malignant form of primary liver cancer and is the third cause of death attributable to malignancy. Despite the improvement in the therapeutic strategies with the exploration of novel pharmacological agents, the survival rate for HCC is still low. Shedding light on the multiplex genetic and epigenetic background of HCC, such as on the emerging role of microRNAs, is considered quite promising for the diagnosis and the prediction of this malignancy, as well as for combatting drug resistance. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) constitute small noncoding RNA sequences, which play a key role in the regulation of several signaling and metabolic pathways, as well as of pivotal cellular functions such as autophagy, apoptosis, and cell proliferation. It is also demonstrated that miRNAs are significantly implicated in carcinogenesis, either acting as tumor suppressors or oncomiRs, while aberrations in their expression levels are closely associated with tumor growth and progression, as well as with local invasion and metastatic dissemination. The arising role of miRNAs in HCC is in the spotlight of the current scientific research, aiming at the development of novel therapeutic perspectives. In this review, we will shed light on the emerging role of miRNAs in HCC.

Reassessing the Abundance of miRNAs in the Human Pancreas and Rodent Cell Lines and Its Implication

miRNAs are critical for pancreas development and function. However, we found that there are discrepancies regarding pancreatic miRNA abundance in published datasets. To obtain a more relevant profile that is closer to the true profile, we profiled small RNAs from human islets cells, acini, and four rodent pancreatic cell lines routinely used in diabetes and pancreatic research using a bias reduction protocol for small RNA sequencing. In contrast to the previous notion that miR-375-3p is the most abundant pancreatic miRNA, we found that miR-148a-3p and miR-7-5p were also abundant in islets. In silico studies using predicted and validated targets of these three miRNAs revealed that they may work cooperatively in endocrine and exocrine cells. Our results also suggest, compared to the most-studied miR-375, that both miR-148a-3p and miR-7-5p may play more critical roles in the human pancreas. Moreover, according to in silico-predicted targets, we found that miR-375-3p had a much broader target spectrum by targeting the coding sequence and the 5' untranslated region, rather than the conventional 3' untranslated region, suggesting additional unexplored roles of miR-375-3p beyond the pancreas. Our study provides a valuable new resource for studying miRNAs in pancreata.

Non-Coding RNA-Dependent Regulation of Mitochondrial Dynamics in Cancer Pathophysiology

Mitochondria are essential organelles which dynamically change their shape and number to adapt to various environmental signals in diverse physio-pathological contexts. Mitochondrial dynamics refers to the delicate balance between mitochondrial fission (or fragmentation) and fusion, that plays a pivotal role in maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis and quality control, impinging on other mitochondrial processes such as metabolism, apoptosis, mitophagy, and autophagy. In this review, we will discuss how dysregulated mitochondrial dynamics can affect different cancer hallmarks, significantly impacting tumor growth, survival, invasion, and chemoresistance. Special emphasis will be given to emerging non-coding RNA molecules targeting the main fusion/fission effectors, acting as novel relevant upstream regulators of the mitochondrial dynamics rheostat in a wide range of tumors.

Analysis of a miR-148a Targetome in B Cell Central Tolerance

A microRNA (miRNA) often regulates the expression of hundreds of target genes. A fundamental question in the field of miRNA research is whether a miRNA exerts its biological function through regulating a small number of key targets or through small changes in the expression of hundreds of target genes. We addressed this issue by performing functional analysis of target genes regulated by miR-148a. We previously identified miR-148a as a critical regulator of B cell central tolerance and found 119 target genes that may mediate its function. We selected 4 of them for validation and demonstrated a regulatory role for Bim, Pten, and Gadd45a in this process. In this study, we performed functional analysis of the other miR-148a target genes in in vitro and in vivo models of B cell central tolerance. Our results show that those additional target genes play a minimal role, if any, in miR-148a-mediated control of B cell central tolerance, suggesting that the function of miRNAs is mediated by a few key target genes. These findings have advanced our understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying miRNA regulation of gene expression and B cell central tolerance.

Hepatocellular Carcinoma: The Role of MicroRNAs

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. HCC is diagnosed in its advanced stage when limited treatment options are available. Substantial morphologic, genetic and epigenetic heterogeneity has been reported in HCC, which poses a challenge for the development of a targeted therapy. In this review, we discuss the role and involvement of several microRNAs (miRs) in the heterogeneity and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma with a special emphasis on their possible role as a diagnostic and prognostic tool in the risk prediction, early detection, and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Role of circulating microRNAs to predict hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence in patients treated with radiofrequency ablation or surgery

BACKGROUND

Loco-regional treatments have improved the survival of patients with early hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but tumor relapse is a frequent event and survival rates remain low. Moreover, conflicting evidences address early HCC patients to surgery or radiofrequency ablation (RFA), with the clinical need to find predictive non-invasive biomarkers able to guide treatment choice and define patients survival.

METHODS

Two independent case series of treatment-naïve HCC patients treated with local RFA, and a cohort of 30 HCC patients treated with liver surgery were enrolled. On the basis of literature evidence, we customized a panel of 21 miRNAs correlated with relapse and prognosis after local curative treatment of HCC.

RESULTS

Expression levels of let-7c predict tumor relapse after RFA; we also investigated the same panel in a small cohort of HCC patients undergoing surgery, finding no statistically significance in predicting tumor relapse or survival. Moreover, interaction test indicated that let-7c expression levels are predictive for identifying a subset of patients that should be addressed to surgery.

CONCLUSION

Results from this study could predict prognosis of early HCC patients, helping to address early HCC patients to surgery or RFA treatment.

MicroRNAs: Important Players in Breast Cancer Angiogenesis and Therapeutic Targets

The high incidence of breast cancer (BC) is linked to metastasis, facilitated by tumor angiogenesis. MicroRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) are small non-coding RNA molecules that have an essential role in gene expression and are significantly linked to the tumor development and angiogenesis process in different types of cancer, including BC. There's increasing evidence showed that various miRNAs play a significant role in disease processes; specifically, they are observed and over-expressed in a wide range of diseases linked to the angiogenesis process. However, more studies are required to reach the best findings and identify the link among miRNA expression, angiogenic pathways, and immune response-related genes to find new therapeutic targets. Here, we summarized the recent updates on miRNA signatures and their cellular targets in the development of breast tumor angiogenetic and discussed the strategies associated with miRNA-based therapeutic targets as anti-angiogenic response.

Inverse relationship between the level of miRNA 148a-3p and both TGF-β1 and FIB-4 in hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major health burden globally. Dysregulation of miRNA 148a-3p is engaged in carcinogenesis. TGF-β is a profibrogenic cytokine. This study assesses the expression level of miRNA 148a-3p and its relationship with serum TGF-β1 and fibrosis index based on four factors (FIB-4) in Egyptian patients with HCV-associated HCC.

SUBJECTS

and Methods: The study included 72 HCC patients with HCV, 48 HCV cirrhotic patients, and 47 healthy controls. Serum TGF-β1 was assessed by ELISA and the expression of miRNA 148a-3p was measured by RT-PCR.

RESULTS

Patients with HCC had lower plasma miRNA 148a-3p, higher serum TGF-β1, and higher FIB-4 levels than patients with cirrhosis and controls. miRNA 148a-3p discriminated HCC either from control (AUC: 0.997, 95.83% sensitivity, 85.11% specificity) or from cirrhosis (AUC: 0.943, 91.67% sensitivity, 81.25% specificity). Moreover, it distinguished metastatic from nonmetastatic patients (AUC: 0.800, 88.89% sensitivity, 60.0% specificity). The decreased miRNA 148a-3p and the increased TGF-β1 levels were related to distant metastasis, multinodular lesions, advanced TNM stage, and BCLC score (C). A negative correlation between miRNA 148a-3p and each of FIB-4 and TGF-β1 was detected. The decreased miRNA 148a-3p was associated with poor overall survival and poor progression-free survival.

CONCLUSION

An inverse relationship between miRNA 148a-3p and both TGF-β1 and FIB-4 was observed, which could be involved in HCC pathogenesis. Moreover, this miRNA is a potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for HCC.

microRNA-148a-3p enhances the effects of sevoflurane on hepatocellular carcinoma cell progression via ROCK1 repression

BACKGROUND

Sevoflurane (SEVO) inactivates the aggressiveness of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells by mediating microRNAs (miRNAs). Hence, we delved into the functional role of miR-148a-3p mediated by SEVO in HCC.

METHODS

Liver cells (L02) and HCC cells (HCCLM3 and Huh7) were exposed to SEVO to detect cell viability in HCC. HCCLM3 and Huh7 cells were treated with restored miR-148a-3p or depleted Rho-associated protein kinase 1 (ROCK1) to elucidate their roles in HCC cells' biological characteristics. HCCLM3 and Huh7 cells were treated with SEVO, and/or vectors that changed miR-148a-3p or ROCK1 expression to identify their combined functions in HCC cell progression. Tumor xenograft in nude mice was performed to determine growth ability of tumor. The target relationship between miR-148a-3p and ROCK1 was verified.

RESULTS

SEVO inhibited proliferation, invasion and migration and enhanced apoptosis of HCCLM3 and Huh7 cells. MiR-148a-3p up-regulation or ROCK1 down-regulation inhibited HCCLM3 and Huh7 cell progression. ROCK1 was determined to be target gene of miR-148a-3p. Down-regulating miR-148a-3p or overexpressing ROCK1 mitigated cell aggressiveness inhibition caused by SEVO.

CONCLUSION

Our study elucidates that microRNA-148a-3p enhances the effects of sevoflurane on inhibiting proliferation, invasion and migration and enhancing apoptosis of HCC cells through suppression of ROCK1.

MicroRNA-148a-3p inhibits progression of hepatocelluar carcimoma by repressing SMAD2 expression in an Ago2 dependent manner

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most prevalent common cancer worldwide with high mortality. Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling pathway was reported dysregulated during liver cancer formation and progression. As a key component of TGF-β signaling, the role of SMAD2 and its regulatory mechanisms in HCC remain unclear.

Methods

SMAD2 expression in paired HCC specimens were determined by western blot and immunohistochemistry (IHC). quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to measure mRNA and microRNA (miRNA) expression level. Cell migration, invasion and proliferation ability were evaluated by transwell, CCK8 and EdU assay. In silico websites were used to manifest overall survival rates of HCC patients or to predict miRNAs targeting SMAD2. Dual luciferase reporter assay and anti-Ago2 immunoprecipitation assay were performed to confirm the binding between SMAD2 mRNA and miRNA-148a-3p (miR-148a). Tumorigenesis and lung metastasis mouse model were used to explore the role of miR-148a in vivo. In situ hybridization (ISH) was conducted to determine the expression of miR-148a in liver tissues.

Results

In this study, we found that SMAD2 was highly expressed in HCC and elevated SMAD2 expression predicted shorter overall survival (OS) time for HCC patients. SMAD2 promoted mobility and proliferation of HCC cells in vitro. We further revealed that the expression of miR-148a was negatively correlated with SMAD2 and found that miR-148a repressed SMAD2 expression by downregulating its mRNA through binding with Argonaute 2 (Ago2) in HCC. Transwell, CCK8 and animal experiments exhibited miR-148a inhibited metastasis and proliferation of HCC in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, the phenotype changes caused by miR-148a manipulation were recovered by rescuing SMAD2 expression in HCC cells. ISH assay indicated miR-148a was downregulated in HCC and low expression of miR-148a associated with more aggressive clinic features and poor prognosis.

Conclusion

miR-148a was identified as a repressor of HCC progression by downregulating SMAD2 in an Ago2 dependent manner.

miR‑148a‑3p regulates alcoholic liver fibrosis through targeting ERBB3

Alcoholic liver disease greatly affects human health. Previous studies have identified that microRNAs (miRNAs) are associated with the pathogenesis of alcoholic liver fibrosis (ALF). Therefore, the present study explored the regulatory mechanism of miR-148a-3p in ALF. An ALF model was established in rats by alcohol gavage, followed by treatment with miR-148a-3p. Reverse transcription-quantitative (RT-q) PCR was performed to detect miR-148a-3p expression in the rat liver tissues. The levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were determined by enzyme-labeled colorimetry. Liver damage was evaluated by liver indices and histology. The direct target gene of miR-148a-3p was predicted by a dual luciferase reporter assay. The effects of miR-148a-3p and miR-148a-3p in combination with receptor tyrosine-protein kinase erbB-3 (ERBB3) on HSC-T6 cell viability and apoptosis were detected by MTT and flow cytometry assays, respectively. Western blotting and RT-qPCR assays were performed to detect the expression levels of proteins and mRNA associated with fibrosis and apoptosis. The data showed that miR-148a-3p mimics inhibited the expression levels of AST, ALT, ALP, LDH, α-SMA and type I collagen in the model, decreased the liver indices, and improved the liver damage caused by alcohol. ERBB3, which was predicted as the direct target gene of miR-148a-3p, reversed the effects of ERBB3 on promoting cell viability and inhibiting apoptosis. Concomitantly, miR-148a-3p reversed the increased expression of Bcl-2 and inhibited the expression levels of Bax and c-cleaved-3 caused by ERBB3. These data suggested that miR-148a-3p regulated ALF and the viability and apoptosis of hepatic stellate cells through targeting ERBB3.

Role of MicroRNA in the Diagnosis and Management of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

INTRODUCTION

Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors in the world and comes third in cancer-induced mortality. The need for improved and more specific diagnostic methods that can detect early-stage disease is immense, as it is amenable to curative modalities, while advanced HCC is associated with low survival rates. microRNA (miRNA) expression is deregulated in HCC and this can be implemented both diagnostically and therapeutically.

OBJECTIVE

To provide a concise review on the role of miRNA in diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of HCC.

METHODS

We conducted a comprehensive review of the PubMed bibliographic database.

RESULTS

Multiple miRNAs are involved in the pathogenesis of HCC. Measurement of the levels of these miRNAs either in tumor tissue or in the blood constitutes a promising diagnostic, as well as prognostic tool. OncomiRs are miRNAs that promote tumorigenesis, thus inhibiting them by administering antagomiRs is a promising treatment option. Moreover, replacement of the depleted miRNAs is another potential therapeutic approach for HCC. Modification of miRNA levels may also regulate sensitivity to chemotherapeutic agents.

CONCLUSION

miRNA play a pivotal role in HCC pathogenesis and once the underlying mechanisms are elucidated, they will become part of everyday clinical practice against HCC.

MicroRNA-148a/b-3p regulates angiogenesis by targeting neuropilin-1 in endothelial cells

MicroRNAs (miRs) are crucial regulators of vascular endothelial cell (EC) functions, including migration, proliferation, and survival. However, the role of most miRs in ECs remains unknown. Using RNA sequencing analysis, we found that miR-148a/b-3p expression was significantly downregulated during the differentiation of umbilical cord blood mononuclear cells into outgrowing ECs and that decreased miR-148a/b-3p levels were closely related to EC behavior. Overexpression of miR-148a/b-3p in ECs significantly reduced migration, filamentous actin remodeling, and angiogenic sprouting. Intriguingly, the effects of decreased miR-148a/b-3p levels were augmented by treatment with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Importantly, we found that miR-148a/b-3p directly regulated neuropilin-1 (NRP1) expression by binding to its 3′-untranslated region. In addition, because NRP1 is the coreceptor for VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR2), overexpression of miR-148a/b-3p inhibited VEGF-induced activation of VEGFR2 and inhibited its downstream pathways, as indicated by changes to phosphorylated focal adhesion kinase (FAK), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase. Collectively, our results demonstrate that miR-148a/b-3p is a direct transcriptional regulator of NRP1 that mediates antiangiogenic pathways. These data suggest that miR-148a/b-3p is a therapeutic candidate for overcoming EC dysfunction and angiogenic disorders, including ischemia, retinopathy, and tumor vascularization.

A small regulatory RNA molecule helps prevent the development of new blood vessels, a finding that could have implications for the treatment of vascular disease and cancer. Young-Guen Kwon from Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea, and colleagues cataloged all the microRNAs expressed during the differentiation of umbilical cord blood stem cells into precursors of the cells that line the inside of blood vessels. One microRNA in particular stood out for its association with cellular differentiation. The authors showed that this microRNA, called miR-148a/b-3p, directly binds part of the gene transcript encoding neuropilin-1, thereby blocking the production of this receptor for growth factors involved in new blood vessel formation. Modulating the activity of miR-148a/b-3p could have therapeutic value for disorders marked by aberrant blood vessel growth.

Dysregulated MicroRNA Fingerprints and Methylation Patterns in Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Cancer Stem Cells, and Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the top causes of cancer mortality worldwide. Although HCC has been researched extensively, there is still a need for novel and effective therapeutic interventions. There is substantial evidence that initiation of carcinogenesis in liver cirrhosis, a leading cause of HCC, is mediated by cancer stem cells (CSCs). CSCs were also shown to be responsible for relapse and chemoresistance in several cancers, including HCC. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) constitute important epigenetic markers that regulate carcinogenesis by acting post-transcriptionally on mRNAs, contributing to the progression of HCC. We have previously shown that co-culture of cancer cells with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) could induce the reprogramming of MSCs into CSC-like cells. In this review, we evaluate the available data concerning the epigenetic regulation of miRNAs through methylation and the possible role of this regulation in stem cell and somatic reprogramming in HCC.

Up-regulation of miRNA-148a inhibits proliferation, invasion, and migration while promoting apoptosis of cervical cancer cells by down-regulating RRS1

The purpose of the present study is to figure out the role of miRNA-148a (miR-148a) in growth, apoptosis, invasion, and migration of cervical cancer cells by binding to regulator of ribosome synthesis 1 (RRS1). Cervical cancer and adjacent normal tissues, as well as cervical cancer cell line Caski, HeLa, C-33A, and normal cervical epithelial cell line H8 were obtained to detect the expression of miR-148a and RRS1. Relationship between miR-148a and RRS1 expression with clinicopathological characteristics was assessed. The selected Caski and HeLa cells were then transfected with miR-148a mimics, miR-148a inhibitors or RRS1 siRNA to investigate the role of miR-148a and RRS1 on proliferation, apoptosis, colony formation, invasion, and migration abilities of cervical cancer cells. Bioinformatics information and dual luciferase reporter gene assay was for used to detect the targetting relationship between miR-148a and RRS1. Down-regulated miR-148a and up-regulated RRS1 were found in cervical cancer tissues and cells. Down-regulated miR-148a and up-regulated RRS1 are closely related with prognostic factors of cervical cancer. RRS1 was determined as a target gene of miR-148a and miR-148a inhibited RRS1 expression in cervical cancer cells. Up-regulation of miR-148a inhibited cell proliferation, migration, and invasion while promoting apoptosis in Caski and HeLa cells. Our study suggests that miR-148a down-regulates RRS1 expression, thereby inhibiting the proliferation, migration, and invasion while promoting cell apoptosis of cervical cancer cells.

miR-148a regulates expression of the transferrin receptor 1 in hepatocellular carcinoma

Transferrin receptor 1 (TFR1) is a transmembrane glycoprotein that allows for transferrin-bound iron uptake in mammalian cells. It is overexpressed in various cancers to satisfy the high iron demand of fast proliferating cells. Here we show that in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) TFR1 expression is regulated by miR-148a. Within the TFR1 3′UTR we identified and experimentally validated two evolutionarily conserved miRNA response elements (MREs) for miR-148/152 family members, including miR-148a. Interestingly, analyses of RNA sequencing data from patients with liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) revealed a significant inverse correlation of TFR1 mRNA levels and miR-148a. In addition, TFR1 mRNA levels were significantly increased in the tumor compared to matched normal healthy tissue, while miR-148a levels are decreased. Functional analysis demonstrated post-transcriptional regulation of TFR1 by miR-148a in HCC cells as well as decreased HCC cell proliferation upon either miR-148a overexpression or TFR1 knockdown. We hypothesize that decreased expression of miR-148a in HCC may elevate transferrin-bound iron uptake, increasing cellular iron levels and cell proliferation.

Role of microRNA-141-3p in the progression and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma cell

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer related death worldwide. However, the mechanisms underlying HCC progression and metastasis are still in obscure. Here, we used bioinformatic analysis to identify miRNAs that regulate GP73, a specific marker for HCC diagnosis and prognosis. The correlations between miR-141-3p and clinic-pathological factors were analyzed in HCC patient samples; proliferation, migration, invasion, and colony formation were studied using established HCC cell lines. Expression levels of target genes (miR-141-3p, GP73, E-cadherin, N-cadherin, occludin, vimentin, and cytokeratin 18) were detected by either Western blot or qRT-PCR analysis. Xenograft models were established to evaluate tumor growth and metastasis. MiR-141-3p was significantly reduced in HCC tumors and cell lines, highly correlated with tumor progression. In contrast, GP73 was negatively correlated with miR-141-3p in HCC tumors. MiR-141-3p overexpression significantly decreased HCC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion by inhibiting epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). GP73 overexpression partially restored the inhibitory effects of miR-141-3p, while miR-141-3p overexpression markedly inhibited tumor growth and pulmonary metastasis, which were partially reversed by GP73 overexpression. Our findings suggest that miR-141-3p targets GP73 to reverse EMT, subsequently inhibiting HCC progression and metastasis. Thus, overexpression of miR-141-3p could serve as a therapeutic strategy to arrest HCC.

Clinical Impact of Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition Regulating MicroRNAs in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most aggressive carcinoma entities worldwide with early and rapid dissemination. Recently, we discussed the role of microRNAs as epigenetic regulators of Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) in PDAC. In this study, we investigated their value as diagnostic and prognostic markers in tissue and blood samples of 185 patients including PDAC, non-malignant pancreatic disorders, and age-matched healthy controls. Expression of the microRNA-200-family (microRNAs -141, -200a, -200b, -200c, -429) and microRNA-148a was significantly downregulated in tissue of PDAC Union internationale contre le cancer (UICC) Stage II. Correspondingly, stromal PDAC tissue showed strong expression of Fibronectin, Vimentin, and ZEB-1 (Zinc finger E-box-binding homeobox) versus low expression of E-cadherin. Transient transfection of microRNA-200b and microRNA-200c mimics resulted in the downregulation of their key target ZEB-1. Inversely, blood serum analyses of patients with PDAC UICC Stages II, III, and IV showed a significant over-expression of microRNA-200-family members, microRNA-148a, microRNA-10b, and microRNA-34a. Correspondingly, Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) analyses revealed a significant over-expression of soluble E-cadherin in serum samples of PDAC patients versus healthy controls. The best diagnostic accuracy to distinguish between PDAC and non-PDAC in this patient collective could be achieved in tissue by microRNA-148a with an area under the receiver-operating-characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) of 0.885 and in blood serum by a panel of microRNA-141, -200b, -200c, and CA.19-9 with an AUC of 0.890. Both diagnostic tools outreach the diagnostic performance of the currently most common diagnostic biomarker CA.19-9 (AUC of 0.834). Kaplan Meier survival analysis of this patient collective revealed an improved overall survival in PDAC patients with high expression of tissue-related microRNA-34a, -141, -200b, -200c, and -429. In conclusion, EMT-regulating microRNAs have great potential as liquid and solid biopsy markers in PDAC patients. Their prognostic and therapeutic benefits remain important tasks for future studies.

Molecular pathogenesis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: Impact of passenger strand of pre-miR-148a on gene regulation

We previously used RNA sequencing to establish the microRNA (miRNA) expression signature of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). We found that both strands of pre-miR-148a (miR-148a-5p: the passenger strand and miR-148a-3p: the guide strand) were downregulated in cancer tissues. Ectopic expression of miR-148a-5p and miR-148a-3p significantly inhibited cancer cell migration and invasion, indicating that both strands of pre-miR-148a had tumor-suppressive roles in PDAC cells. In silico database and genome-wide gene expression analyses identified a total of 15 genes that were putative targets regulated by these miRNAs. High expression of miR-148a-5p targets (PHLDA2, LPCAT2 and AP1S3) and miR-148a-3p targets (SMA, ENDOD1 and UHMK1) was associated with poor prognosis of patients with PDAC. Moreover, knockdown of PHLDA2 expression inhibited cancer cell aggressiveness, suggesting PHLDA2 acted as an oncogene in PDAC cells. Involvement of the passenger strand of pre-miR-148a (miR-148-5p) is a new concept in cancer research. Novel approaches that identify tumor-suppressive miRNA regulatory networks in lethal PDAC might provide new prognostic markers and therapeutic targets for this disease.

Clinical value of miR-182-5p in lung squamous cell carcinoma: a study combining data from TCGA, GEO, and RT-qPCR validation

BACKGROUND

MiR-182-5p, as a member of miRNA family, can be detected in lung cancer and plays an important role in lung cancer. To explore the clinical value of miR-182-5p in lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) and to unveil the molecular mechanism of LUSC.

METHODS

The clinical value of miR-182-5p in LUSC was investigated by collecting and calculating data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Twelve prediction platforms were used to predict the target genes of miR-182-5p. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks and gene ontology (GO), and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses were used to explore the molecular mechanism of LUSC.

RESULTS

The expression of miR-182-5p was significantly over-expressed in LUSC than in non-cancerous tissues, as evidenced by various approaches, including the TCGA database, GEO microarrays, RT-qPCR, and a comprehensive meta-analysis of 501 LUSC cases and 148 non-cancerous cases. Furthermore, a total of 81 potential target genes were chosen from the union of predicted genes and the TCGA database. GO and KEGG analyses demonstrated that the target genes are involved in pathways related to biological processes. PPIs revealed the relationships between these genes, with EPAS1, PRKCE, NR3C1, and RHOB being located in the center of the PPI network.

CONCLUSIONS

MiR-182-5p upregulation greatly contributes to LUSC and may serve as a biomarker in LUSC.

The protective value of miR-204-5p for prognosis and its potential gene network in various malignancies: a comprehensive exploration based on RNA-seq high-throughput data and bioinformatics

Purpose

The prognostic role of miR-204-5p (previous ID: miR-204) is varied and inconclusive in diverse types of malignant neoplasm. Therefore, the purposes of the study comprehensively explore the overall prognostic role of miR-204-5p based on high-throughput microRNA sequencing data, and to investigate the potential role of miR-204-5p via bioinformatics approaches.

Materials and Methods

The data of microRNA sequencing and survival were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), and the prognostic value of miR-204-5p was analyzed by using Kaplan-Meier and univariate cox regressions. Then a meta-analysis was conducted with all TCGA data and relevant studies collected from literature. Pooled hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. The prospective molecular mechanism of miR-204-5p was also assessed at a functional level with Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and protein-to-protein interactions (PPI) network.

Results

From TCGA data, the prognostic value of miR-204-5p obviously varied among 20 types of cancers. The pooled HR was 0.928 (95% CI: 0.774-1.113, P = 0.386, 6203 cases of malignancies). For the meta-analysis based on 15 studies from literature, the pooled HR was 0.420 (95% CI: 0.306-0.576, P < 0.001, 1783 cases of malignancies) for overall survival (OS). Furthermore, the combined HR from both TCGA and literature was 0.708 (95% CI: 0.600-0.834, P < 0.001, 7986 cases of malignancies). Subgroup analyses revealed that miR-204-5p could act as a prognostic marker in cancers of respiratory system and digestive system. Functional analysis was conducted on genes predicted as targets (n = 2057) after the overlay genes from six out of twelve software were extracted. Two significant KEGG pathways were enriched (hsa04360: Axon guidance and hsa04722: Neurotrophin signaling pathway). PPI network revealed some hub genes/proteins (CDC42, SOS1, PIK3R1, MAPK1, PLCG1, ESR1, MAPK11, and AR).

Conclusions

The current study demonstrates that over-expression of miR-204-5p could be a protective factor for a certain group of cancers. Clinically, the low miR-204-5p level could gain a predictive value for a poor survival in cancers of respiratory system and digestive system. The detailed molecular mechanisms of miR-204-5p remain to be verified.

Crosstalk between liver-related microRNAs and Wnt/β-catenin pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma patients

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide with highest incidence in Asia and Africa. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a class of non-coding single stranded RNA, which not only post transcriptionally regulate gene expression but also respond to signaling molecules to affect cell functions such as Wnt/β-catenin signaling specifically in HCC. The goal of this study is to investigate the crosstalk between Wnt/β-catenin signaling proteins and microRNAs expression in HCC patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Fresh tissue samples of 30 primary HCC patients and 10 control subjects were included. Expression level of 13 different miRNAs (miR-10a- miR-106b- miR-99a- miR-148a- miR-125b- miR-30e- miR-183- miR-155- miR-199a- miR-199a3p- miR-24- miR-122 and miR-215) were examined using real-time PCR assay. Five proteins involved in the Wnt/β-catenin pathway (β-catenin, APC, c-myc, survivin and cyclin D1) were analysed by immunohistochemistry technique. The correlation between miRNAs expression levels with protein expressions was assessed.

RESULTS

Up-regulation of miR-155 and miR-183 was reported in HCC patients compared to normal controls and this up-regulation was significantly correlated with liver cirrhosis in the case of miR-155 (p<0.05) referring to their oncogenic activity. Down-regulation was observed for 11 miRNAs in HCC indicating their tumour suppression activity. MiRNA-10a, miR-30e, miR-215, miR-125b and miR-148a were significantly correlated with the expression of important players in Wnt/β-catenin pathway including β-catenin, APC and c-myc (p<0.05). Detailed analysis revealed that miR-215 is associated with the grade of the disease and miR-125b is associated with HCV infection.

CONCLUSION

Collectively, our data showed potential role of miR-10a, miR-30e, miR-215, miR-125b and miR-148a as important mediators in HCC progression. Furthermore, their association with Wnt/β-catenin cascade proteins could be exploited to develop new therapeutic target strategies in HCC.

Prognostic value of microRNAs in hepatocellular carcinoma: a meta-analysis

Background

Numerous articles reported that dysregulated expression levels of miRNAs correlated with survival time of HCC patients. However, there has not been a comprehensive meta-analysis to evaluate the accurate prognostic value of miRNAs in HCC.

Design

Meta-analysis.

Materials and Methods

Studies, published in English, estimating expression levels of miRNAs with any survival curves in HCC were identified up until 15 April, 2017 by performing online searches in PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews by two independent authors. The pooled hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used to estimate the correlation between miRNA expression and overall survival (OS).

Results

54 relevant articles about 16 miRNAs, with 6464 patients, were ultimately included. HCC patients with high expression of tissue miR-9 (HR = 2.35, 95% CI = 1.46–3.76), miR-21 (HR = 1.76, 95% CI = 1.29–2.41), miR-34c (HR = 1.64, 95% CI = 1.05–2.57), miR-155 (HR = 2.84, 95% CI = 1.46–5.51), miR-221 (HR = 1.76, 95% CI = 1.02–3.04) or low expression of tissue miR-22 (HR = 2.29, 95% CI = 1.63–3.21), miR-29c (HR = 1.35, 95% CI = 1.10–1.65), miR-34a (HR = 1.84, 95% CI = 1.30–2.59), miR-199a (HR = 2.78, 95% CI = 1.89–4.08), miR-200a (HR = 2.64, 95% CI = 1.86–3.77), miR-203 (HR = 2.20, 95% CI = 1.61–3.00) have significantly poor OS (P < 0.05). Likewise, HCC patients with high expression of blood miR-21 (HR = 1.73, 95% CI = 1.07–2.80), miR-192 (HR = 2.42, 95% CI = 1.15–5.10), miR-224 (HR = 1.56, 95% CI = 1.14–2.12) or low expression of blood miR-148a (HR = 2.26, 95% CI = 1.11–4.59) have significantly short OS (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

In conclusion, tissue miR-9, miR-21, miR-22, miR-29c, miR-34a, miR-34c, miR-155, miR-199a, miR-200a, miR-203, miR-221 and blood miR-21, miR-148a, miR-192, miR-224 demonstrate significantly prognostic value. Among them, tissue miR-9, miR-22, miR-155, miR-199a, miR-200a, miR-203 and blood miR-148a, miR-192 are potential prognostic candidates for predicting OS in HCC.

Down-regulation of MiR-365 as a novel indicator to assess the progression and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in the pathogenesis of diverse types of malignancies, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, miR-365 has rarely been reported in HCC. The purpose of the current study was to identify the clinical relevance of miR-365 in HCC and examine the potential downstream signaling effectors.Using real-time RT-qPCR, we confirmed that miR-365 expression was markedly decreased in HCC tissues (3.5138 ± 2.2527) compared to that in paraneoplastic liver tissues (6.5950 ± 4.1230, P<0.001). Receiver operating characteristic curves to assess the diagnostic value of miR-365 in HCC demonstrated that the area under the curve was 0.757. Furthermore, down-regulation of miR-365 was remarkably correlated to the number of tumor nodes, status of metastasis, clinical TNM stage, portal vein tumor embolus and vaso-invasion. In addition to the clinical value of miR-365, a total of 238 downstream direct targets selected by online predictive algorithms and key genes generated from natural language processing and the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were pooled for bioinformatics analysis. These potential targets were mainly enriched in the Ras Pathway using PANTHER analysis and the 'Pathways in Cancer' using Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis. In conclusion, down-regulated miR-365 may contribute to the progression and metastasis of HCC via targeting multiple signaling pathways, and miR-365 may act as a novel biomarker for HCC.

Clinical value and potential targets of miR-224-5p in hepatocellular carcinoma validated by a TCGA- and GEO- based study

OBJECTIVE

to explore clinical value and potential targets of MicroRNA-224-5p in the tumorigenesis and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODS

We evaluated the clinical value of MicroRNA-224-5p from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). Meanwhile, target genes of MicroRNA-224-5p were predicted by bioinformatics method. The target genes of MicroRNA-224-5p were finally analyzed in Gene Ontology (GO) terms, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway annotation, and Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) network annotation.

RESULTS

MicroRNA-224-5p expression level in HCC was higher than in non-tumor tissues (SMD=1.24; 95% CI, 0.68 to 1.81; P<0.0001) and MicroRNA-224-5p might represent a diagnostic marker (overall AUC=0.92; 95% CI, 0.90 to 0.94). 262 target genes were acquired by overlapping 4927 genes predicted by more than four computational prediction tools with 1,123 down-regulated DEGs in HCC. Furthermore, gene sets enrichment analysis of the 262 overlapping genes was implemented. The mostly significant GO terms within the overlapping target genes of MicroRNA-224-5p were cellular response to chemical stimulus, plasma membrane part and coenzyme binding. KEGG pathway annotation showed the overlapping genes mostly took part in metabolic pathways. In PPI analysis, one hub gene, GNA14, stood out cause for the significant negative correlation with MicroRNA-224.

CONCLUSION

MicroRNA-224-5p is upregulated in HCC and may be a prospective biomarker for diagnosis. Moreover, MicroRNA-224-5p might play an oncogenic role in HCC by targeting GNA14.

From big data to diagnosis and prognosis: gene expression signatures in liver hepatocellular carcinoma

Background

Liver hepatocellular carcinoma accounts for the overwhelming majority of primary liver cancers and its belated diagnosis and poor prognosis call for novel biomarkers to be discovered, which, in the era of big data, innovative bioinformatics and computational techniques can prove to be highly helpful in.

Methods

Big data aggregated from The Cancer Genome Atlas and Natural Language Processing were integrated to generate differentially expressed genes. Relevant signaling pathways of differentially expressed genes went through Gene Ontology enrichment analysis, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes and Panther pathway enrichment analysis and protein-protein interaction network. The pathway ranked high in the enrichment analysis was further investigated, and selected genes with top priority were evaluated and assessed in terms of their diagnostic and prognostic values.

Results

A list of 389 genes was generated by overlapping genes from The Cancer Genome Atlas and Natural Language Processing. Three pathways demonstrated top priorities, and the one with specific associations with cancers, ‘pathways in cancer,’ was analyzed with its four highlighted genes, namely, BIRC5, E2F1, CCNE1, and CDKN2A, which were validated using Oncomine. The detection pool composed of the four genes presented satisfactory diagnostic power with an outstanding integrated AUC of 0.990 (95% CI [0.982–0.998], P < 0.001, sensitivity: 96.0%, specificity: 96.5%). BIRC5 (P = 0.021) and CCNE1 (P = 0.027) were associated with poor prognosis, while CDKN2A (P = 0.066) and E2F1 (P = 0.088) demonstrated no statistically significant differences.

Discussion

The study illustrates liver hepatocellular carcinoma gene signatures, related pathways and networks from the perspective of big data, featuring the cancer-specific pathway with priority, ‘pathways in cancer.’ The detection pool of the four highlighted genes, namely BIRC5, E2F1, CCNE1 and CDKN2A, should be further investigated given its high evidence level of diagnosis, whereas the prognostic powers of BIRC5 and CCNE1 are equally attractive and worthy of attention.

miR-148a suppresses human renal cell carcinoma malignancy by targeting AKT2

MicroRNA-148a (miR-148a) has been reported to be deregulated in different tumor types, whereas the biological function of miR-148a in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) largely remains unexplored. In the present study we investigated the clinical significance, biological effects, and the underlying molecular mechanisms of miR-148 in RCC. Here, we showed that miR-148a was significantly downregulated in RCC tissues and cell lines. Low expression of miR-148a in RCC tissues was associated with large tumor size, advanced TNM stage, and lymph node metastasis. Functional assays revealed that overexpression of miR-148a significantly inhibited RCC cell proliferation, colony formation, migration and invasion in vitro and suppressed RCC xenograft tumor growth in vivo. In addition, using quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR), western blot analysis and luciferase reporter assays, AKT2 was confirmed to be a direct target of miR-148a. AKT2 expression was upregulated, and was negatively correlated with miR-148a expression in RCC tissues (r=-0.641, P<0.001). Silencing of AKT2 phenotypically copied miR-148a-induced phenotypes, whereas re-expression of AKT2 reversed the suppressive effects of miR-148a in RCC cells. Further mechanistic investigations showed that miR-148a exerted its antitumor activity via inhibition of the AKT pathway in vitro and in vivo. Taken together, these findings suggest that miR-148a functions as tumor suppressor in RCC by targeting AKT2.

MicroRNA-1225-5p inhibits proliferation and metastasis of gastric carcinoma through repressing insulin receptor substrate-1 and activation of β-catenin signaling

Emerging evidence has linked aberrantly expressed microRNAs (miRNAs) with oncogenesis and malignant development in various human cancers. However, their specific roles and functions in gastric carcinoma (GC) remain largely undefined. In this study we identify and report a novel miRNA, miR-1225-5p, as tumor suppressor in GC development and progression. Microarray analysis revealed that there were fifty-six differentially expressed miRNAs (thirty-two upregulated and twenty-four downregulated) in GC tumor samples compared to their corresponding nontumorous tissues. Downregulation of miR-1225-5p was frequently detected in GC and strongly correlated with more aggressive phenotypes and poor prognosis. Functional assays demonstrated that ectopic overexpression of miR-1225-5p could inhibit cell proliferation, colony formation, migration and invasion in vitro, as well as suppress tumor growth and metastasis in nude mice. Further integrative and functional studies suggested insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS1) as a downstream effector of miR-1225-5p which acted through β-catenin signaling pathway. These results demonstrate that miR-1225-5p serves to constrain GC growth and metastatic potential via inhibition of IRS1 and β-catenin signaling. Therefore, downregulation of miR-1225-5p is likely to be one of major molecular mechanisms accounting for the development and progression of GC.

miR-148a inhibits self-renewal of thyroid cancer stem cells via repressing INO80 expression

Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is aggressive and lethal with extrathyroidal invasion, distant metastasis, and resistance to conventional therapies. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are proposed to be responsible for high recurrence rate in ATC. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have recently been found as an important class of cellular regulators of ATC carcinogenesis. Identification of CSC-related miRNAs and targets is therefore a priority for the development of new therapeutic paradigms. Patient-derived ATC cells were cultured in conditional media on poly-hema-treated dish. ATC CSCs were isolated and enriched through as a series of steps including initial isolation of sphere-forming CSC population, subsequent amplification of this CSC population in a xenograft model treated with cisplatin, and purification of CSCs from xenograft tumors followed by final enrichment using sphere-forming assays. Expression of CSC markers was measured by flow cytometry, immunofluorescence staining, qPCR and western blot analyses. Expression of miRNAs in ATC-CSCs was profiled by microarray analysis. Proliferation and differentiation rates were determined based on the size of spheres formed in vitro and tumors formed in vivo. We successfully isolated and enriched an ATC-CSC population. We identified 17 miRNAs differentially expressed in primary ATC cells vs. ATC-CSCs, among which miRNA-148a was significantly downregulated in ATC-CSCs. Overexpression of miRNA148a in ATC-CSCs induced cell cycle arrest and loss of stem cell characteristics. In addition, we identified INO80 as a target gene of miR-148a. The expression of INO80 was upregulated in ATC-CSCs and downregulated upon miRNA-148 overexpression. Overexpression of miRNA-148a and knockdown of INO80 acted synergistically to decrease the expression of stem cell marker genes as well as to attenuate stem cell-specific properties including the ability to form tumors. This study identified novel contrasting roles for miR-148a and INO80 in the regulation of the stemness of ATC-CSCs and their capacity to initiate tumor formation. Our findings may open a new avenue for therapeutic development against ATC that targets INO80 in the CSCs through enhancing miRNA-148a levels.

Downregulation of microRNA-132 indicates progression in hepatocellular carcinoma

Although miR-132 has been studied in various human tumors, few studies have investigated the role of miR-132 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The present study aimed to evaluate the associations between miR-132 and clinicopathological parameters, including recurrence, in patients with HCC. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis was used to detect the expression levels of miR-132 in 95 cases of HCC and their corresponding non-cancerous liver tissues. Th e associations between miR-132 expression levels and clinicopathological characteristics, including recurrence, were investigated in patients with HCC. miR-132 expression levels were significantly reduced in HCC tissues, as compared with adjacent non-cancerous tissues (1.9245±0.7564 vs. 2.7326±1.1475; P<0.001). The area under curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) used to distinguish cancerous and non-cancerous tissues was 0.711 for miR-132 expression (95% confidence interval, 0.637-0.785; P<0.001) and the optimal cut-off value was 2.25. Expression levels of miR-132 were significantly reduced in the distant metastasis (P=0.031), advanced clinical TNM stage (P=0.022), hepatitis B virus-positive (P<0.001), NM23-expressed (P=0.034), high Ki-67 labeling index (LI; P=0.005) and tumor infiltration or no capsule groups (P=0.026). Spearman correlation analysis demonstrated that miR-132 was significantly correlated with hepatitis B virus infection (r=-0.351; P<0.001), NM23 (r=-0.220; P=0.032), Ki-67 LI (r=-0.264; P=0.010) and tumor capsule (r=-0.207; P=0.044). Kaplan-Meier analysis with the log-rank test indicated an approximate difference of 8 months, although miR-132 may exhibit inferior values for the prediction of recurrence in HCC patients (50.95 vs. 58.68 months; P=0.512). Therefore, the findings of the present study indicated that miR-132 is downregulated in HCC and may serve as a tumor suppressor in its progression.

Clinicopathological role of miR-30a-5p in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues and prediction of its function with bioinformatics analysis

BACKGROUND

It has been reported that deregulation or dysfunction of microRNAs (miRNAs) plays an essential part in the hepatocarcinogenesis. However, the contribution and mechanism of microRNA-30a-5p (miR-30a-5p) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains largely unknown. Therefore, our aim was to investigate the clinicopathological role of miR-30a-5p in HCC tissues and explore its potential pathways in this study.

METHODS

The expression of miR-30a-5p was measured in 95 HCC and adjacent noncancer tissues by real-time reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The relationship between miR-30a-5p expression levels and clinicopathological parameters was also analyzed. Furthermore, the potential target genes of miR-30a-5p were collected via online prediction and literature searching. Gene ontology and pathway enrichment analyses were used to identify the possible function of miR-30a-5p in HCC.

RESULTS

Compared with adjacent noncancer tissues (2.23±0.77), expression level of miR-30a-5p was significantly lower in HCC tissues (1.26±0.66, P<0.001). MiR-30a-5p expression was evidently correlated with tumor nodes, metastasis, tumor-node-metastasis stage, portal vein tumor embolus, vascular invasion, and status of tumor capsule (all P<0.05). A total of 878 genes were finally used for the biological informatics analyses. These prospective target genes were highly enriched in various key pathways, for instance, Ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis, Axon guidance, Neurotrophin signaling pathway, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and ErbB signaling pathway.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, this study clarifies that the downregulation of miRNA-30a-5p might play a vital part in the incidence and progression of HCC via targeting various prospective genes and pathways. Future validation is required to further explore the prospective molecular mechanism of miR-30a-5p in HCC.

MiR-148a Functions as a Tumor Suppressor by Targeting CCK-BR via Inactivating STAT3 and Akt in Human Gastric Cancer

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been widely accepted as a class of gene expression regulators which post-translationally regulate protein expression. These small noncoding RNAs have been proved closely involved in the modulation of various pathobiological processes in cancer. In this research, we demonstrated that miR-148a expression was significantly down-regulated in gastric cancer tissues in comparison with the matched normal mucosal tissues, and its expression was statistically associated with lymph node metastasis. Ectopic expression of miR-148a inhibited tumor cell proliferation and migration in vitro, and inhibited tumor formation in vivo. Subsequently, we identified cholecystokinin B receptor (CCK-BR) as a direct target of miR-148a using western blot and luciferase activity assay. More importantly, siRNA-induced knockdown of CCK-BR elicited similar anti-oncogenic effects (decreased proliferation and migration) as those induced by enforced miR-148a expression. We also found that miR-148a-mediated anti-cancer effects are dependent on the inhibition of STAT3 and Akt activation, which subsequently regulates the pathways involved in cell proliferation and migration. Taken together, our results suggest that miR-148a serves as a tumor suppressor in human gastric carcinogenesis by targeting CCK-BR via inactivating STAT3 and Akt.

Decreased expression of microRNA-148a predicts poor prognosis in ovarian cancer and associates with tumor growth and metastasis

OBJECTIVE

MicroRNA-148a (MiR-148a) had been reported to take part in some cancer progresses, but its clinical significance in ovarian cancer had been rarely reported. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of miR-148a as well as its roles in ovarian cancer progression.

METHODS

Relative expression of miR-148a in the plasma specimens of ovarian cancer patients was detected by qRT-PCR. Chi-square test was used to analyze the relationship between miR-148a expression and clinical characteristics. The overall survival was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression analysis was used to evaluate the prognostic value of miR-148a. In addition, the ovarian cancer cell line SKOV-3 was separately transfected with pcDNA3-microRNA-148a over-expression vector and pcDNA3 empty vector to detect the functional roles of miR-148a in ovarian cancer progression.

RESULTS

Decreased level of plasma miR-148a was observed in ovarian cancer patients compared with healthy controls. The expression level was associated with histopathologic grade, TNM stage and lymph node metastasis (P<0.05 for all). Besides, patients with high level of miR-148a had a longer survival time than those with low level (40.3 months vs 31.6 months, log rank test, P=0.002). Cox regression analysis indicated that miR-148a might be a potential biomarker for ovarian cancer prognosis (HR=1.699, 95%CI=1.175-2.456, P=0.005). Moreover, cell experiments confirmed that miR-148a could inhibit proliferation, migration and invasion of ovarian cancer cells.

CONCLUSION

MiR-148a may be a potential prognostic factor for ovarian cancer and it can suppress tumor progression.

The Role of Mir-148a in Cancer

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are highly conserved noncoding RNAs of about 19-25 nucleotides. Through specifically pairing with complementary sites in 3' untranslated regions (UTRs) of target mRNAs, they mediate post-transcriptional silencing. MicroRNAs have been implicated in many physiological processes including proliferation, differentiation, development, apoptosis, and metabolism. In recent years many studies have revealed that the aberrant expression of miRNA is closely related to oncogenesis and is now an intense field of study. Mir-148a is aberrantly expressed in various cancers and has been identified as an oncogenic or tumor suppressor with crucial roles in the molecular mechanisms of oncogenesis. In this review, we have summarized the role of mir-148a in the oncogenic pathways of gastric, liver, breast and urogenital cancers, and in neurogliocytoma oncogenesis. Studying the functional role of mir-148a is crucial in discovering novel tumor molecular markers and identifying potential therapeutic targets.

microRNA changes in liver tissue associated with fibrosis progression in patients with hepatitis C

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Accumulating evidence indicates that microRNAs play a role in a number of disease processes including the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis in hepatitis C infection. Our goal is to add to the accruing information regarding microRNA deregulation in liver fibrosis to increase our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of pathology and progression.

METHODS

We used next generation sequencing to profile all detectable microRNAs in liver tissue and serum from patients with hepatitis C, stages F1-F4 of fibrosis.

RESULTS

We found altered expression of several microRNAs, in particular, miR-182, miR199a-5p, miR-200a-5p and miR-183 were found to be significantly upregulated in tissue from liver biopsies of hepatitis C patients with advanced fibrosis, stage F3 and F4, when compared with liver biopsies from patients with early fibrosis, stages F1 and F2. We also found miR-148-5p, miR-1260b, miR-122-3p and miR-378i among the microRNAs most significantly down-regulated from early to advanced fibrosis of the liver. We also sequenced the serum microRNAs; however, we were not able to detect significant changes in circulating microRNAs associated with fibrosis stage after adjusting for multiple tests.

CONCLUSIONS

Adding measurements of tissue microRNAs acquired during routine biopsies will continue to increase our knowledge of underlying mechanisms of fibrosis. Our goal is that these data, in combination with studies from other researchers and future long-term studies, could be used to enhance the staging accuracy of liver biopsies and expand the surveillance of patients at increased risk for cancer and progression to advanced fibrosis.

Circulating miR-148/152 family as potential biomarkers in hepatocellular carcinoma

Aberrant expressions of the miR-148/152 family (miR-148a, miR-148b, and miR-152) have been documented in many tumor tissues, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the expression pattern and clinical significance of circulating miR-148/152 family in HCC remain elusive. In this study, we conducted quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) to examine the levels of serum miR-148a, miR-148b, and miR-152 in 76 HCC cases, as well as 62 controls with benign liver diseases and 55 healthy volunteers. Our results showed that serum levels of three microRNAs (miRNAs) were significantly decreased in HCC cases than those in benign and healthy controls (all P < 0.05). Moreover, they showed strong correlations with each other in HCC group (r = 0.6716, 0.5381, and 0.7712; all P < 0.001). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis revealed that the combination of circulating miR-148/152 family had an increased area under the curve (AUC) = 0.940 (95 % confidence interval (CI), 0.886-0.973) with the sensitivity of 96.1 % and the specificity of 91.9 %, which were significantly higher than those of serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and three miRNAs alone in differentiating HCC from benign liver diseases. In addition, serum miR-148a and miR-148b were significantly associated with tumor size (P = 0.011 and 0.037) and tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage (P < 0.001 and P = 0.034), yet serum miR-152 was only correlated with TNM stage (P = 0.009). Also, dynamic monitoring three miRNAs can help us predict recurrence or metastasis in HCC cases after surgical resection. Besides, Kaplan-Meier analyses demonstrated that the decreased serum miR-148a (P < 0.001) and miR-152 (P = 0.012) was closely correlated with shorten overall survival of HCC patients. Additionally, Cox regression model further indicated that serum miR-148a was strongly associated with the prognosis of HCC patients. Our study suggests that downregulated circulating miR-148/152 family can provide positive diagnostic value for HCC. Moreover, serum miR-148a might be as independent prognostic factor for HCC patients.

MicroRNAs as biomarkers for hepatocellular carcinoma diagnosis and prognosis

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common cancer in the world, and it is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Despite improvements in HCC therapy, the overall survival rate is still very low because of the late detection of the tumors. Thus, early detection of HCC offers the best chance of survival for patients. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are evolutionarily conserved small noncoding RNAs involved in the regulation of gene expression and protein translation. Many studies have shown that they played a very important role in cancer progresses and outcomes. The aberrant expression of miRNAs is common in various human malignancies and it modulates cancer-associated genomic regions or fragile sites. As for the relationship between miRNAs and HCC, several studies have demonstrated that the aberrant expression of specific miRNAs can be detected in HCC patients' serum and plasma or HCC cells and tissues, and miRNAs have shown great promise as diagnostic and prognostic markers for HCC. In the present review, we discussed the applications of miRNAs as biomarkers for HCC diagnosis and prognosis, and the association between miRNAs polymorphisms and the risk of HCC as well.

MicroRNA-148a inhibits migration of breast cancer cells by targeting MMP-13

Breast cancer is a threat to the health of women, and metastasis of breast cancer cells plays an important role in the deterioration of breast cancer. MicroRNAs play a critical role in the tumorigenesis and development of breast cancer. MicroRNA-148a (miR-148a) is associated with the growth and metastasis of tumor cells. In the present study, we investigated the role of miR-148a in migration of breast cancer cells as well as the underlying mechanism. MiR-148a was found to inhibit the proliferation and migration of breast cancer cells. To further explore the mechanism through which miR-148a plays its antitumor role, matrix metalloproteinase-13 (MMP-13) was identified as a target of miR-148a by western blot and luciferase reporter assay. Moreover, silence of MMP-13 mimicked the effect of miR-148a, whereas overexpression of MMP-13 rescued the impaired migration caused by miR-148a. Our study demonstrates that miR-148a inhibits the migration of breast cancer cells by targeting MMP-13 and also lays theoretical foundation for further exploration for the function of miR-148a.

MicroRNAs: Emerging Novel Clinical Biomarkers for Hepatocellular Carcinomas

The discovery of small non-coding RNAs known as microRNAs has refined our view of the complexity of gene expression regulation. In hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the fifth most frequent cancer and the third leading cause of cancer death worldwide, dysregulation of microRNAs has been implicated in all aspects of hepatocarcinogenesis. In addition, alterations of microRNA expression have also been reported in non-cancerous liver diseases including chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis. MicroRNAs have been proposed as clinically useful diagnostic biomarkers to differentiate HCC from different liver pathologies and healthy controls. Unique patterns of microRNA expression have also been implicated as biomarkers for prognosis as well as to predict and monitor therapeutic responses in HCC. Since dysregulation has been detected in various specimens including primary liver cancer tissues, serum, plasma, and urine, microRNAs represent novel non-invasive markers for HCC screening and predicting therapeutic responses. However, despite a significant number of studies, a consensus on which microRNA panels, sample types, and methodologies for microRNA expression analysis have to be used has not yet been established. This review focuses on potential values, benefits, and limitations of microRNAs as new clinical markers for diagnosis, prognosis, prediction, and therapeutic monitoring in HCC.