Long Non-Coding RNA Taurine Upregulated Gene 1 (TUG1) Downregulation Constrains Cell Proliferation and Invasion through Regulating Cell Division Cycle 42 (CDC42) Expression Via MiR-498 in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells

MicroRNAs: A novel signature in the metastasis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a malignant epithelial tumor, characterized by squamous cell differentiation, it is the sixth leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally. The increased mortality rate of ESCC patients is predominantly due to the advanced stage of the disease when discovered, coupled with higher risk of metastasis, which is an exceedingly malignant characteristic of cancer, frequently leading to a high mortality rate. Unfortunately, there is currently no specific and effective marker to predict and treat metastasis in ESCC. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small non-coding RNA molecules, approximately 22 nucleotides in length. miRNAs are vital in modulating gene expression and serve pivotal regulatory roles in the occurrence, progression, and prognosis of cancer. Here, we have examined the literature to highlight the intimate correlations between miRNAs and ESCC metastasis, and show that ESCC metastasis is predominantly regulated or regulated by genetic and epigenetic factors. This review proposes a potential role for miRNAs as diagnostic and therapeutic biomarkers for metastasis in ESCC metastasis, with the ultimate aim of reducing the mortality rate among patients with ESCC.

The roles and mechanisms of the lncRNA-miRNA axis in the progression of esophageal cancer: a narrative review

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Esophageal cancer is one of the most common malignant digestive tract tumors. Despite various treatment methods, the prognosis of patients remains unsatisfactory, largely due to an insufficient understanding of the mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis and progression of esophageal cancer. More than 98% of the nucleotide sequences in the human genome do not encode proteins, and their transcription products are noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), mainly long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs). Experiments have shown that lncRNAs and miRNAs play crucial roles in the occurrence and progression of various human malignancies. These ncRNAs influence the progression of esophageal cancer through an intricate regulatory network. We herein summarized the roles and mechanisms of the lncRNA-miRNA axis in esophageal cancer cell proliferation, apoptosis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), invasion and metastasis, drug resistance, radiotherapy resistance, and angiogenesis. This review provides a rationale for anticancer therapy that targets the lncRNA-miRNA axis in esophageal cancer.

METHODS

Related articles published in the PubMed database between 05/30/2008 to 09/10/2022 were identified using the following terms: "lncRNA AND miRNA AND esophageal cancer", "lncRNA AND miRNA AND cell proliferation", "lncRNA AND miRNA AND apoptosis", "lncRNA AND miRNA AND EMT", "lncRNA AND miRNA AND invasion and metastasis", "lncRNA AND miRNA AND drug resistance", and "lncRNA AND miRNA AND radiotherapy resistance". Published articles written in English available to readers were considered.

KEY CONTENT AND FINDINGS

We summarized the roles of the lncRNA-miRNA axis in the progression of esophageal cancer, including cell proliferation, apoptosis, EMT, invasion and metastasis, drug resistance, radio resistance, and other progressions, and determined that the lncRNA-miRNA axis may serve as a potential clinical treatment target for esophageal cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

The lncRNA-miRNA axis is closely related to the progression of esophageal cancer and may act as a potential biological target for the clinical treatment of patients with esophageal cancer.

The relationship of blood CDC42 level with Th1 cells, Th17 cells, inflammation markers, disease risk/activity, and treatment efficacy of rheumatoid arthritis

BACKGROUND

Cell division control protein 42 (CDC42) is reported to be involved in multiple inflammation processes by regulating T cell differentiation, maintaining immune cell homeostasis, and altering their function, while no relevant studies explored its clinical role in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Therefore, this study aimed to explore the correlation of CDC42 with Th1 and Th17 cells and its association with disease risk, activity, and treatment outcomes of RA.

METHODS

After the enrollment of 95 active RA patients and 50 healthy subjects (HC), their CDC42, Th1 cells, and Th17 cells were assayed by RT-qPCR and flow cytometry, accordingly. For RA patients only, CDC42 was also detected at W6, and W12 after treatment. The treatment response and remission status were evaluated at W12.

RESULTS

Compared to HC, CDC42 was reduced (P < 0.001), while Th1 cells (P = 0.021) and Th17 cells (P < 0.001) were increased in RA patients. Besides, CDC42 was negatively correlated with Th17 cells (P < 0.001), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (P = 0.012), C-reactive protein (P = 0.002), and disease activity score in 28 joints (DAS28) (P = 0.007), but did not relate to Th1 cells or other disease features (all P > 0.05) in RA patients. Furthermore, CDC42 was elevated during treatment in RA patients (P < 0.001). Moreover, CDC42 increment at W12 correlated with treatment response (P = 0.004). Besides, CDC42 elevation at W0 (P = 0.038), W6 (P = 0.001), and W12 (P < 0.001) also linked with treatment remission.

CONCLUSION

CDC42 has the potential to serve as a biomarker to monitor disease activity and treatment efficacy in patients with RA.

RHO GTPase-Related Long Noncoding RNAs in Human Cancers

RHO GTPases are critical signal transducers that regulate cell adhesion, polarity, and migration through multiple signaling pathways. While all these cellular processes are crucial for the maintenance of normal cell homeostasis, disturbances in RHO GTPase-associated signaling pathways contribute to different human diseases, including many malignancies. Several members of the RHO GTPase family are frequently upregulated in human tumors. Abnormal gene regulation confirms the pivotal role of lncRNAs as critical gene regulators, and thus, they could potentially act as oncogenes or tumor suppressors. lncRNAs most likely act as sponges for miRNAs, which are known to be dysregulated in various cancers. In this regard, the significant role of miRNAs targeting RHO GTPases supports the view that the aberrant expression of lncRNAs may reciprocally change the intensity of RHO GTPase-associated signaling pathways. In this review article, we summarize recent advances in lncRNA research, with a specific focus on their sponge effects on RHO GTPase-targeting miRNAs to crucially mediate gene expression in different cancer cell types and tissues. We will focus in particular on five members of the RHO GTPase family, including RHOA, RHOB, RHOC, RAC1, and CDC42, to illustrate the role of lncRNAs in cancer progression. A deeper understanding of the widespread dysregulation of lncRNAs is of fundamental importance for confirmation of their contribution to RHO GTPase-dependent carcinogenesis.

Role of long noncoding RNA taurine-upregulated gene 1 in cancers

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a group of non-protein coding RNAs with a length of more than 200 bp. The lncRNA taurine up-regulated gene 1 (TUG1) is abnormally expressed in many human malignant cancers, where it acts as a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA), regulating gene expression by specifically sponging its corresponding microRNAs. In the present review, we summarised the current understanding of the role of lncRNA TUG1 in cancer cell proliferation, metastasis, angiogenesis, chemotherapeutic drug resistance, radiosensitivity, cell regulation, and cell glycolysis, as well as highlighting its potential application as a clinical biomarker or therapeutic target for malignant cancer. This review provides the basis for new research directions for lncRNA TUG1 in cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

LncRNA Taurine Upregulated Gene 1 as a Potential Biomarker in the Clinicopathology and Prognosis of Multiple Malignant Tumors: A Meta-Analysis

Background

The lncRNA taurine upregulated gene 1 (TUG1) is a recently identified potential biomarker in cancer. However, its prognostic role in various cancers is inconsistent among published data. We conducted this meta-analysis to comprehensively confirm the prognostic effect of TUG1 in malignant tumors.

Methods

We systemically analyzed the prognostic-predictive capacity of TUG1 through amplifying sample sizes and cancer types. STATA 12.0 was applied for this meta-analysis.

Results

A total of 57 eligible studies were included in our meta-analysis. The pooled results suggested that overexpression of TUG1 was significantly correlated with unfavorable overall survival (OS) (HR = 1.70, p < 0.001), shorter recurrence-free survival (RFS) (HR = 2.40, p ≤ 0.001), and shorter event-free survival (EFS) (HR = 1.88, p < 0.001) in patients with cancer. In the subgroup analysis by cancer type, elevated TUG1 expression was associated with poorer survival in patients with gastrointestinal cancer, urinary tumors, gynecological tumors, hematological tumors, and osteosarcoma. However, high expression of TUG1 in respiratory tumors indicated a better prognosis. There was no correlation between high TUG1 expression and OS in patients with head and neck neoplasms or melanoma. Additionally, overexpression of TUG1 was found to be correlated with low-grade tumor differentiation, advanced tumor stage, positive lymphatic metastasis, and positive distant metastasis.

Conclusions

High TUG1 expression correlates with poor prognosis and advanced clinicopathological features, verifying the prognostic-predictive capacity of TUG1 in tumors, especially in gastrointestinal cancer, urinary tumors, gynecological tumors, hematological tumors, and osteosarcoma. Meanwhile, the prognostic role of TUG1 in respiratory tumor may be opposite to other tumors.

LncRNA HOTAIRM1 knockdown inhibits cell glycolysis metabolism and tumor progression by miR-498/ABCE1 axis in non-small cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a major contributor of cancer-related mortality. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are indicated to participate in the pathogenesis of NSCLC.

OBJECTIVE

In this research, the effects of lncRNA HOXA transcript antisense RNA, myeloid-specific 1 (HOTAIRM1) on NSCLC progression and underlying mechanism were revealed.

METHODS

The expression levels of HOTAIRM1 and microRNA-498 (miR-498) were detected by quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) in NSCLC tissues, cells or exosomes. The protein expression of CD63, CD81, hexokinase 2 (HK2) and ATP binding cassette subfamily E member 1 (ABCE1) was determined by western blot. Cell viability, apoptosis, migration and invasion were investigated by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), flow cytometry, transwell migration and invasion assays, respectively. Cell glycolysis metabolism was revealed by glucose uptake and lactate production assays and western blot analysis. The binding relationship between miR-498 and HOTAIRM1 or ABCE1 was predicted by DIANA-LncBase v2 and starBase online database, and identified by dual-luciferase reporter assay. The effects of HOTAIRM1 on NSCLC growth in vivo were revealed by in vivo tumor formation assay.

RESULTS

HOTAIRM1 expression was dramatically upregulated, whereas miR-498 expression was significantly downregulated in NSCLC tissues cells or exosomes as compared to control groups. Mechanistically, HOTAIRM1 knockdown repressed cell viability, migration, invasion and glycolysis metabolism, whereas induced cell apoptosis in NSCLC; however, miR-498 inhibitor hindered these effects. Functionally, HOTAIRM1 functioned as a sponge of miR-498 and miR-498 targeted ABCE1. In addition, HOTAIRM1 silencing inhibited NSCLC growth in vivo by downregulating ABCE1 and upregulating miR-498 expression.

CONCLUSIONS

HOTAIRM1 knockdown repressed cell glycolysis metabolism and tumor development by reducing ABCE1 expression through sponging miR-498 in NSCLC, which provided a theoretical basis for further studying NSCLC progression.

LncRNA MAFG-AS1 Accelerates Cell Migration, Invasion and Aerobic Glycolysis of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells via miR-765/PDX1 Axis

Background

LncRNA dysregulation is implicated in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) progression; However, the precise role and function of lncRNA MAFG-AS1 in ESCC remains unknown.

Materials and Methods

Expressions of MAFG-AS1, miR-765, PDX1, GLUT1 and LDH-A were detected via qRT-PCR or/and Western blot in ESCC tissues and cell lines. CCK-8, transwell and glycolysis assays were used to investigate the effects of MAFG-AS1 on ESCC cell proliferation, migration, invasion and aerobic glycolysis after knockdown or overexpression of MAFG-AS1, and bioinformatics analyses, RNA pull-down and dual luciferase reporter systems were applied to investigate the interaction between MAFG-AS1, miR-765 and PDX1.

Results

MAFG-AS1 was significantly up-modulated in ESCC tissues and cell lines. MAFG-AS1 significantly accelerated ESCC cell proliferation, migration, invasion and aerobic glycolysis. MAFG-AS1 competitively adsorbed miR-765, while miR-765 negatively modulated the expression of PDX1. miR-765 and PDX1 participated in the promotive effects of MAFG-AS1 on cell migration, invasion and aerobic glycolysis in ESCC cells.

Conclusion

Our research indicates that the MAFG-AS1/miR-765/PDX1 axis accelerates ESCC cell proliferation, migration, invasion and aerobic glycolysis.

Silencing lncRNA AFAP1-AS1 Inhibits the Progression of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells via Regulating the miR-498/VEGFA Axis

Purpose

In view of the continuous increase of the mortality rate, esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) develops into a major health concern. In this study, we aimed to investigate the underlying mechanism of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) actin filament-associated protein 1 antisense RNA (AFAP1-AS1)/microRNA-498 (miR-498)/vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) in ESCC cells.

Methods

The expression levels of AFAP1-AS1, miR-498 and VEGFA in ESCC tissues and cells were detected using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The effects of AFAP1-AS1 on ESCC cells proliferation and apoptosis were measured by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) and flow cytometry, respectively. Transwell assay was carried out to determine cell migration. In addition, VEGFA and cell behaviors-related proteins were determined by Western blot analysis. The targeted relationships of AFAP1-AS1 were verified by dual-luciferase reporter and RNA pull-down assays.

Results

The expression levels of lncRNA AFAP1-AS1 and VEGFA mRNA were upregulated, but miR-498 was downregulated in ESCC tissues and cells. Moreover, miR-498 was directly targeted by AFAP1-AS1 and there was a negative correlation between miR-498 and AFAP1-AS1. Functionally, AFAP1-AS1 silencing inhibited the proliferation and migration and induced apoptosis of ESCC cells. Interestingly, miR-498 inhibition rescued the effects of AFAP1-AS1 knockdown on cell proliferation, apoptosis and migration and restored the expression levels of tumor-developing marker proteins of AFAP1-AS1 silencing in Eca109 and KYSE-30 cells. Furthermore, VEGFA was verified as a direct target of miR-498 and reversed the effects of miR-498 overexpression on cell behaviors of ESCC in vitro.

Conclusion

Downregulation of AFAP1-AS1 impeded the proliferation and migration and induced apoptosis of ESCC cells by regulating miR-498/VEGFA axis, which might serve as a novel biomarker for the diagnosis and treatment of ESCC.

LncRNA TUG1 promotes the progression of colorectal cancer via the miR-138-5p/ZEB2 axis

To explore the role of long-chain non-coding RNA (lncRNA) taurine up-regulated gene 1 (TUG1) in the development of colorectal cancer (CRC) via the miR-138-5p/zinc finger E-box-binding homeobox 2 (ZEB2) axis. Eighty-four CRC tissue specimens and 84 corresponding paracancerous tissue specimens were sampled from 84 patients with CRC admitted to the First Hospital of Jilin University from January 2018 to September 2019. The TUG1 expression in the specimens was determined, and its value in diagnosis and prognosis of CRC was analyzed. Additionally, constructed stable and transient overexpresison vectors and inhibition vectors were transfected into CRC cells. The MTT, transwell, and flow cytometry were adopted for analysis on the proliferation, invasion, and apoptosis of transfected cells, respectively, and a dual luciferase reporter (DLR) assay was carried out for correlation determination between TUG1 and miR-138-5p and between miR-138-5p and ZEB2. TUG1 was up-regulated in CRC, and serum TUG1 could be adopted as a diagnostic marker of CRC, with area-under-the-curve (AUC) larger than 0.8. In addition, siRNA-TUG1, shRNA-TUG1, miR-138-5p-mimics, and miR-138-5p-inhibitor were transfected into cells, and it turned out that overexpressing miR-138-5p and inhibiting ZEB2 exerted the same effects. The DLR assay revealed that TUG1 was able to targetedly regulate miR-138-5p, and miR-138-5p could targetedly regulate ZEB2, and in vitro experiments revealed that TUG1 could affect the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of CRC via the miR-138-5p/ZEB2 axis. TUG1 could promote the development of CRC via the miR-138-5p/ZEB2 axis.