Inhibition of PTEN gene expression by oncogenic miR-23b-3p in renal cancer

Plasma microRNA-195, -34c, and - 1246 as novel biomarkers for the diagnosis of trastuzumab-resistant HER2-positive breast cancer patients

Recently, miRNAs have been regarded as potential candidates for mediating therapeutic functions by targeting genes related to drug response. In this study, we suggested that plasma miRNAs may be correlated with response to trastuzumab in HER2-positive breast cancer patients. To determine whether miR-195, miR-23b-3p, miR-1246, and miR-34c-3p are involved in trastuzumab resistance, we screened their expressions in the BT-474 cell line, which was followed by plasma analysis from 20 trastuzumab-resistant HER2-positive breast cancer patients and 20 nonresistance subjects. Then, TargetScan, Pictar, and miRDB were applied to find the possible targets of the selected miRNAs. In addition, the expression status of admitted targets was evaluated. Our results showed that in resistant BT-474 cells, miR-1246, and miR-23b-3p were significantly upregulated, and miR-195-5p and miR-34c-3p were downregulated. In plasma analysis, we found miR-195-5p, miR-34c-3p, and miR-1246 meaningfully diminished in the resistant group, while the expression of miR-23b-3p was not statistically different. The expression levels of confirmed targets by qRT-PCR showed that the expression of RAF1, AKT3, c-MET, CCND1, PHLPP2, MYB, MAP2K1, and PTEN was significantly upregulated, while the expression of CCNG2 was significantly downregulated. The networks of miRNAs with their confirmed targets improved comprehension of miRNA-mediated therapeutic responses to trastuzumab and might be proposed for more characterization of miRNA functions. Moreover, these data indicated that miR-195-5p, miR-34c-3p, and miR-1246 could be possible biomarkers for prognosis and early detection of the trastuzumab-resistant group from the sensitive group of HER2-positive breast cancer patients.

Natural Compounds Derived from Plants on Prevention and Treatment of Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Literature Review

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) accounts for roughly 85% of all malignant kidney cancer. Therapeutic options for RCC have expanded rapidly over the past decade. Targeted therapy and immunotherapy have ushered in a new era of the treatment of RCC, which has facilitated the outcomes of RCC. However, the related adverse effects and drug resistance remain an urgent issue. Natural compounds are optional strategies to reduce mobility. Natural compounds are favored by clinicians and researchers due to their good tolerance and low economic burden. Many studies have explored the anti-RCC activity of natural products and revealed relevant mechanisms. In this article, the chemoprevention and therapeutic potential of natural compounds is reviewed and the mechanisms regarding natural compounds are explored.

Contribution of Non-Coding RNAs to Anticancer Effects of Dietary Polyphenols: Chlorogenic Acid, Curcumin, Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate, Genistein, Quercetin and Resveratrol

Growing evidence has been accumulated to show the anticancer effects of daily consumption of polyphenols. These dietary polyphenols include chlorogenic acid, curcumin, epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate, genistein, quercetin, and resveratrol. These polyphenols have similar chemical and biological properties in that they can act as antioxidants and exert the anticancer effects via cell signaling pathways involving their reactive oxygen species (ROS)-scavenging activity. These polyphenols may also act as pro-oxidants under certain conditions, especially at high concentrations. Epigenetic modifications, including dysregulation of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) such as microRNAs, long noncoding RNAs, and circular RNAs are now known to be involved in the anticancer effects of polyphenols. These polyphenols can modulate the expression/activity of the component molecules in ROS-scavenger-triggered anticancer pathways (RSTAPs) by increasing the expression of tumor-suppressive ncRNAs and decreasing the expression of oncogenic ncRNAs in general. Multiple ncRNAs are similarly modulated by multiple polyphenols. Many of the targets of ncRNAs affected by these polyphenols are components of RSTAPs. Therefore, ncRNA modulation may enhance the anticancer effects of polyphenols via RSTAPs in an additive or synergistic manner, although other mechanisms may be operating as well.

Spermine synthase (SMS) serves as a prognostic biomarker in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: a bioinformatics analysis

Background

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSC) is an aggressive type of cancer that lacks early detection, and therefore, has a low 5-year survival rate. The spermine synthase (SMS) gene has been shown to be associated with Snyder-Robinson syndrome and poor prognosis of multiple cancers; however, its regulatory role in HNSC has never been investigated. Therefore, we explored the potential predictive value of SMS in HNSC.

Methods

We explored the association between SMS expression and clinicopathological parameters of HNSC patients by using data from The Cancer Genome Atlas datasets (TCGA). The prognostic value of SMS was evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier plotter, Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) 2 and univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses. We further used gene set enrichment analysis (GESA) to investigate the potential roles of SMS in HNSC prognosis and Tumor Immunity Estimation Resource 2.0 (TIMER2.0) to analyze the correlation between immune cell infiltration and SMS expression. Finally, starBase was used to screen out prognosis-associated non-coding RNA genes to constructed the competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network. Co-expression and survival analyses were used to identify the ceRNA network's effect on HNSC prognosis.

Results

We found that SMS expression was increased in HNSC compared with normal tissues (P<0.05). In addition, SMS expression was associated with tumor grade (P=0.006), N stage (P=0.001), and prognosis. Survival analysis revealed that high expression of SMS showed worse overall survival (OS) (HR =1.4, P=0.01) and worse disease-free survival (DFS) (HR =1.5, P=0.014). Multivariate Cox analysis further supported the prognostic value of SMS in HNSC (HR =1.006636, P=0.0056). GESA showed that SMS was involved in metabolism- and immune-related pathways. The immune infiltration analyses results showed a decrease in the landscape of immune cell infiltration with high SMS expression and SMS deletion in HNSC. Finally, a ceRNA network (SMS/hsa-miR-23b-3p/KTN1-AS1 and VPS9D1-AS axis) was constructed based on the co-expression and survival analyses in HNSC.

Conclusions

Our findings first revealed that SMS functioned as a potential prognostic biomarker and provide insights into the molecular mechanisms of its function in HNSC. The use of SMS may be powerful for determining worse prognosis HNSC patients.

Identification of Epigenetic Interactions between miRNA and Gene Expression as Potential Prognostic Markers in Bladder Cancer

Purpose: To identify the role of a set of microRNAs and their target genes and protein expression levels in the pathogenesis of bladder cancer with a muscular invasion (T2−T4) and non-muscular invasion (T1). Methods: In 157 patients, bladder specimen was examined for the expression of a set of miRNAs including let-7a-5p, miRNA-449a-5p, miRNA-145-3P, miRNA-124-3P, miRNA-138-5p, and miRNA-23a-5p and their targeted genes; β-catenin, WNT7A, IRS2, FZD4, SOS1, HDAC1, HDAC2, HIF1α, and PTEN using the qRT-PCR technique. The prognostic effect of miRNAs and their targeted genes on cancer-specific survival (CSS) was evaluated in pT2−pT4 stages. Results: pT1 was found in 40 patients while pT2−4 was found in 117 patients. The expression of let-7a-5P, miR-124-3P, miR-449a-5P, and miR-138-5P significantly decreased in pT2−4 compared with pT1 (p < 0.001), in contrast, miR-23a-5P increased significantly in pT2−pT4 compared with pT1 (p < 0.001). Moreover, the expression of miR-145 did not show a significant change (p = 0.31). Higher expression levels of WNT7A, β-catenin, IRS2, FZD4, and SOS1 genes were observed in pT2−pT4 compared with pT1, whereas HDAC1, HDAC2, HIF1α, and PTEN genes were downregulated in pT2−pT4 compared with pT1. Lower CSS was significantly associated with lower expression of let-7a-5P, miR-124-3P, miR-449a-5P, and miR-138-5P. Higher expression of β-catenin, FZD4, IRS2, WNT7a, and SOS1 was significantly associated with worse CSS. In contrast, lower levels of HDAC1, HDAC2, HIF1α, and PTEN were associated with lower CSS. Conclusion: Our results support let-7a-5P, miR-124-3P, miR-138-5P, and their target genes can be developed as accurate biomarkers for prognosis in bladder cancer with a muscular invasion.

Using ncRNAs as Tools in Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment-The Way towards Personalized Medicine to Improve Patients' Health

Although the first discovery of a non-coding RNA (ncRNA) dates back to 1958, only in recent years has the complexity of the transcriptome started to be elucidated. However, its components are still under investigation and their identification is one of the challenges that scientists are presently facing. In addition, their function is still far from being fully understood. The non-coding portion of the genome is indeed the largest, both quantitatively and qualitatively. A large fraction of these ncRNAs have a regulatory role either in coding mRNAs or in other ncRNAs, creating an intracellular network of crossed interactions (competing endogenous RNA networks, or ceRNET) that fine-tune the gene expression in both health and disease. The alteration of the equilibrium among such interactions can be enough to cause a transition from health to disease, but the opposite is equally true, leading to the possibility of intervening based on these mechanisms to cure human conditions. In this review, we summarize the present knowledge on these mechanisms, illustrating how they can be used for disease treatment, the current challenges and pitfalls, and the roles of environmental and lifestyle-related contributing factors, in addition to the ethical, legal, and social issues arising from their (improper) use.

MiRNAs in renal cell carcinoma

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small RNA sequences that act as post-transcriptional regulatory genes to control many cellular processes through pairing bases with a complementary messenger RNA (mRNA). A single miRNA molecule can regulate more than 200 different transcripts and the same mRNA can be regulated by multiple miRNAs. In this review, we highlight the importance of miRNAs and collect the existing evidence on their relationship with kidney cancer.

Exosomal microRNA-23b-3p promotes tumor angiogenesis and metastasis by targeting PTEN in Salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma

MicroRNA(miR)-23b-3p is known to target various genes that are involved in cancer-related pathways. Exosomes are emerging intercellular communication agents. Exosomes secreted by cancer cells can deliver active molecules to the surrounding stromal cells, thereby influencing the recipient cells and promoting the development of cancers. However, the role of exosomal miR-23b-3p in salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma (SACC) is not yet clear. In this study, we set out to investigate the potential role of cancer-derived exosomal miR-23b-3p-related PTEN in the alteration of angiogenesis and vascular permeability in SACC. We investigated the effect of exosomal miR-23b-3p on the progression of SACC. In vitro experiments indicated that exosomal miR-23b-3p led to an up-regulation of vascular permeability, and reduced expression of tight junction proteins. In addition, exosomal miR-23b-3p also enhanced angiogenesis and migration. Next, the angiogenic effect of exosomal miR-23b-3p was validated in vivo, as it led to an increase in the tumor microvasculature. Furthermore, the growth rate of SACC was faster after injection of exosomes loaded with cholesterol- modified miR-23b-3p in mice. In conclusion, these results revealed that SACC cells-derived exosomes play an important role in promoting angiogenesis and local vascular microleakage of SACC by transporting miR-23b-3p, which suggests that miR-23b-3p in the exosomes may be a potential biomarker for distant metastasis of SACC. This suggests the potential of a novel therapeutic target by delivering anti-miR-23b-3p that focuses on exosomes.

Screening and analysis of RNAs associated with activated memory CD4 and CD8 T cells in liver cancer

Background

Liver cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in the world. T cell-mediated antitumor immune response is the basis of liver cancer immunotherapy.

Objective

To screen and analyze the RNAs associated with activated memory CD4 T cells and CD8 T cells in liver cancer.

Methods

ESTIMATE was used to calculate the stromal and immune scores of tumor samples, which were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in high and low stromal and immune scores were screened, followed by functional enrichment of overlapped DEGs. We then conducted a survival analysis to identify immune-related prognostic indicators and constructed protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks and ceRNA networks. Finally, chemical small-molecule–target interaction pairs associated with liver cancer were screened.

Results

A total of 55,955 stromal-related DEGs and 1811 immune-related DEGs were obtained. The 1238 overlapped DEGs were enriched in 1457 biological process terms and 74 KEGG pathways. In addition, a total of 120 activated memory CD4 T cell-related genes and 309 CD8 T cell-related genes were identified. The survival analysis revealed that upregulated expression of T cell-related genes including EOMES, CST7, and CD5L indicated the favorable prognosis of liver cancer. EOMES was regulated by has-miR-23b-3p and has-miR-23b-3p was regulated by lncRNA AC104820.2 in the ceRNA network of activated memory CD4 T cell-related genes. In addition, EOMES was regulated by has-miR-23a-3p and has-miR-23a-3p was regulated by lncRNA AC000476.1 in the ceRNA network of CD8 T cells.

Conclusion

T cell-related RNAs EOMES, CST7, CD5L, has-miR-23b-3p, and has-miR-23a-3p may be associated with the prognosis of liver cancer. And the molecular characteristics of these T cell-related genes were plotted.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12957-021-02461-6.

A total of 309 CD8 T cell-related genes and 120 activated memory CD4 T cell-related genes were screened in liver cancer tumor samples.

Forty-four chemical small-molecule–target interaction pairs associated with activated memory CD4 T cells and 276 pairs associated with CD8 T cells were screened.

Upregulated expression of T cell-related genes including EOMES, CST7, and CD5L indicated the favorable prognosis of liver cancer.

miR-23b-3p regulates differentiation of osteoclasts by targeting PTEN via the PI3k/AKT pathway

INTRODUCTION

Osteoblasts and osteoclasts are cells of osteoblastic origin, and are vital in homeostasis of the skeleton. miRs are important for functioning, survival and differentiation of osteoclasts. It has been reported previously that miR-23b-3p is involved in osteoporosis and in regulation of differentiation of osteoblasts. It is also involved in the process of bone formation. However, the role of miR-23b-3p in differentiation of osteoclasts remains unexplored.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

CSF-1 and ODF induced osteoclasts were used for the study. RNA isolation was done from TIB-71 cells. TRAP staining was done for TRAP-positive osteoclast formation. PIT assay for bone resorption was performed. For in vivo studies osteoclast-specific miR-23b-3p transgenic mice were developed.

RESULTS

The levels of miR-23b-3p were upregulated in bone marrow monocytes during osteoclastogenesis with colony stimulating factor-1 and osteoclast differentiation factor induction, which suggests that miR-23b-3p plays a crucial role in differentiation of osteoclasts. Over-expression of miR-23b-3p in bone marrow monocytes leads to osteoclastogenesis, whereas the inhibition ameliorates it. We further studied the function of miR-23b-3p via PI3K/AKT targeting the PTEN pathway. In vivo, osteoclast-specific miR-23b-3p transgenic mice showed suppressed PTEN and elevated osteoclast activity, and the mice showed decreased bone mineral density.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest that miR-23b-3p regulates the differentiation of osteoclasts by targeting PTEN through the PI3K/AKT cascade.

MicroRNA miR-23b-3p promotes osteosarcoma by targeting ventricular zone expressed PH domain-containing 1 (VEPH1)/phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) pathway

Increasing evidence suggests that dysregulated miRNA expression can lead to the tumorigenesis of osteosarcoma (OS). Nevertheless, the potential role of miR-23b-3p in OS is unclear and remains to be explored. Microarray analysis was performed to identify key genes involved in OS. Reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting were used to examine miR-23b-3p expression, ventricular zone expressed PH domain-containing 1 (VEPH1) transcript (as well as other transcripts as indicated), and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) signaling pathway-related protein expression. A luciferase reporter gene assay was performed to confirm the regulatory relationship between VEPH1 mRNA and miR-23b-3p. Cell viability was evaluated using the Cell Counting Kit-8 assay, cell growth was assessed using the bromodeoxyuridine enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and cell migration was tested using a wound healing assay. We found significant upregulation of miR-23b-3p in OS, which prominently promoted the viability, proliferation, and migration of OS cells. Additionally, VEPH1 was found to be a target of miR-23b-3p and its expression was decreased in OS. Lastly, VEPH1 alleviated the promotion effect of miR-23b-3p on the malignancy phenotypes of OS cells via the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Thus, miR-23b-3p augmented the viability, proliferation, and migration of OS cells by directly targeting and downregulating VEPH1, which inhibited the activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

MicroRNA-23b-3p targets non-SMC condensing I complex subunit G to promote proliferation and inhibit apoptosis of colorectal cancer cells via regulation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common types of malignancy worldwide and has a poor prognosis. Non-SMC condensing I complex subunit G (NCAPG) has been reported to be upregulated in numerous types of malignant tumor. However, to the best of our knowledge, its clinicopathological and biological significance in CRC remain to be elucidated. The results of the present study revealed that NCAPG expression levels were upregulated in human CRC tissues and cell lines. The upregulated expression of NCAPG was positively associated with patient clinicopathological characteristics, such as differentiation and tumor size, and independently associated with poor survival. Consistent with the clinical observations, NCAPG was discovered to promote the proliferation and inhibit the apoptosis of CRC cells. Moreover, NCAPG-knockdown inhibited CRC cell proliferation by regulating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Furthermore, NCAPG was identified as a potential target of microRNA (miR)-23b-3p, which was subsequently demonstrated to negatively regulate NCAPG expression. In conclusion, the findings of the current study indicated that the miR-23b-3p/NCAPG/PI3K/AKT signaling axis may play an important role in CRC carcinogenesis, and the status of the molecule may represent a promising prognostic marker for the disease.

Posttranscriptional inhibition of γ-adducin promotes the proliferation and migration of osteosarcoma cells

OBJECTIVE

The expression of cytoskeleton-related protein γ-adducin (ADD3) was abnormally reduced in some tumors. Functional experiments demonstrated that it could inhibit the malignant progression of lung cancer and glioma, whereas the involvement of ADD3 in osteosarcoma was not clear. This study aimed to investigate the role of ADD3 in osteosarcoma and its upstream regulatory mechanisms.

METHODS

ADD3 was knocked down by siRNA transfection and the expression level of ADD3 was determined using quantitative real-time PCR assay and Western blot. CCK-8 assay and colony formation were performed to detect the capacity of cell proliferation. Transwell assay and PI and Annexin V-FITC staining were used to determine cell migration and apoptosis, respectively. Luciferase reporter experiment was performed to investigate the interaction between ADD3 and miR-23b-3p.

RESULTS

Based on gene silencing assays, we showed that knockdown of ADD3 suppressed apoptosis and promoted the proliferation and migration of osteosarcoma cells, revealing inhibitory effects of ADD3 in osteosarcoma. Luciferase reporter gene assays confirmed that miR-23b-3p could bind to the 3'-UTR of ADD3. Upregulation of miR-23b-3p not only inhibited the expression of ADD3, but also released the tumor suppressive role of ADD3 on the proliferation and migration of osteosarcoma cells.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study found that ADD3 functioned as a tumor suppressor gene during osteosarcoma development. The abnormal upregulation of miR-23b-3p targeted the expression of ADD3 and resulted in accelerated osteosarcoma cell proliferation and migration. Thus, the miR-23b-3p/ADD3 axis contributes to the development of osteosarcoma and ADD3 is a key driver of malignancy.

Methylation and expression levels of microRNA-23b/-24-1/-27b, microRNA-30c-1/-30e, microRNA-301a and let-7g are dysregulated in clear cell renal cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Renal cell carcinoma is the most common form of kidney cancer in adults. DNA methylation of regulatory sequences at the genomic level and interaction between microRNAs and the messenger RNAs of target genes at the posttranscriptional level contribute to the dynamic regulation of gene activity. Aberrations in these mechanisms can result in impaired functioning of cell signaling pathways, such as that observed in malignant tumors. We hypothesized that microRNA genes methylation may be associated with renal cancer in patients.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We examined methylation levels of 22 microRNA genes in tumor and normal kidney tissue of 30 patients with TNM Stage III clear cell renal cell carcinoma using a pathway-specific real-time polymerase chain reaction array (EpiTect Methyl II PCR Arrays, Qiagen). MicroRNA expression analysis by quantitative polymerase chain reaction was also performed. Significant differences in methylation levels were found in two genes and in two clusters of microRNA genes. MicroRNA-23b/-24-1/-27b, microRNA -30c-1/-30e and let-7 g was hypermetylated in clear cell renal cell carcinoma tissue, microRNA -301a was hypomethylated in tumor compared with the adjacent normal tissues. Expression of microRNA-301a, microRNA-23b in the clear cell renal cell carcinoma tissues was significantly overexpressed when compared with the adjacent normal tissues and let-7 g was significantly downregulated in tumor.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results may indicate the contribution of microRNA-301a, microRNA-23b and let-7 g in the pathogenesis of renal cancer, but further studies are needed to determine the functional significance of the detected changes.

Integrative Analysis of miRNA and mRNA Expression Profiles in Mammary Glands of Holstein Cows Artificially Infected with Staphylococcus aureus

Staphylococcus aureus- induced mastitis is one of the most intractable problems for the dairy industry, which causes loss of milk yield and early slaughter of cows worldwide. Few studies have used a comprehensive approach based on the integrative analysis of miRNA and mRNA expression profiles to explore molecular mechanism in bovine mastitis caused by S. aureus. In this study, S. aureus (A1, B1 and C1) and sterile phosphate buffered saline (PBS) (A2, B2 and C2) were introduced to different udder quarters of three individual cows, and transcriptome sequencing and microarrays were utilized to detected miRNA and gene expression in mammary glands from the challenged and control groups. A total of 77 differentially expressed microRNAs (DE miRNAs) and 1625 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. Gene Ontology (GO) annotation and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis showed that multiple DEGs were enriched in significant terms and pathways associated with immunity and inflammation. Integrative analysis between DE miRNAs and DEGs proved that miR-664b, miR-23b-3p, miR-331-5p, miR-19b and miR-2431-3p were potential factors regulating the expression levels of CD14 Molecule (CD14), G protein subunit gamma 2 (GNG2), interleukin 17A (IL17A), collagen type IV alpha 1 chain (COL4A1), microtubule associated protein RP/EB family member 2 (MAPRE2), member of RAS oncogene family (RAP1B), LDOC1 regulator of NFKB signaling (LDOC1), low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) and S100 calcium binding protein A9 (S100A9) in bovine mastitis caused by S. aureus. These findings could enhance the understanding of the underlying immune response in bovine mammary glands against S. aureus infection and provide a useful foundation for future application of the miRNA–mRNA-based genetic regulatory network in the breeding cows resistant to S. aureus.

MicroRNA-548m Suppresses Cell Migration and Invasion by Targeting Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor in Breast Cancer Cells

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women and one of the leading causes of cancer mortality worldwide, in which the most severe form happens when it metastasizes to other regions of the body. Metastasis is responsible for most treatment failures in advanced breast cancer. Epithelialmesenchymal transition (EMT) plays a significant role in promoting metastatic processes in breast cancer. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are highly conserved endogenous short noncoding RNAs that play a role in regulating a broad range of biological processes, including cancer initiation and development, by functioning as tumor promoters or tumor suppressors. Expression of miR-548m has been found in various types of cancers, but the biological function and molecular mechanisms of miR-548m in cancers have not been fully studied. Here we demonstrated the role of miR-548m in modulating EMT in the breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7. Expression data for primary breast cancer obtained from NCBI GEO data sets showed that miR-548m expression was downregulated in breast cancer patients compared with healthy group. We hypothesize that miR-548m acts as a tumor suppressor in breast cancer. Overexpression of miR-548m in both cell lines increased E-cadherin expression and decreased the EMT-associated transcription factors SNAI1, SNAI2, ZEB1, and ZEB2, as well as MMP9 expression. Consequently, migration and invasion capabilities of both MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells were significantly inhibited in miR-548m-overexpressing cells. Analysis of 1,059 putative target genes of miR-548m revealed common pathways involving both tight junction and the mTOR signaling pathway, which has potential impacts on cell migration and invasion. Furthermore, this study identified aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) as a direct target of miR-548m in breast cancer cells. Taken together, our findings suggest a novel function of miR-548m in reversing the EMT of breast cancer by reducing their migratory and invasive potentials, at least in part via targeting AHR expression.

lncRNA MEG3 inhibits pituitary tumor development by participating in cell proliferation, apoptosis and EMT processes

Pituitary tumors do not pose a threat to life but can cause visual disturbances and serious clinical syndromes, such as infertility and metabolic syndrome. Therefore, screening of key genes involved in the occurrence and development of pituitary tumors can provide new targets for the treatment of pituitary tumors. The aim of the present study was to investigate the molecular mechanism of long non‑coding (lnc.) RNA maternally expressed 3 (MEG3) in cell proliferation, apoptosis and epithelial‑mesenchymal transition (EMT) processes of pituitary tumor. Tissue samples were obtained from 34 patients who underwent surgical treatment of pituitary tumors. Pituitary tumor cells (GH3 and MMQ) were transfected with pcDNA3.1(+)‑MEG3, short hairpin (sh)MEG3, microRNA (miR)‑23‑3p inhibitor or their controls using Lipofectamine^® 2000. Reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR and western blot analyses were used to detect the levels of MEG3, miR‑23b‑3p and FOXO4, as well as proliferation‑, apoptosis‑ and EMT‑associated genes and proteins. Cell Counting Kit‑8 and flow cytometry assays were performed to detect proliferation and apoptosis, and Transwell assay was undertaken to assess invasion and migration. Luciferase reporter and RNA pulldown assays were performed to verify the binding between lncRNA MEG3, miR‑23b‑3p and FOXO4. Pearson's correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between expression levels of MEG3, miR‑23b‑3p and FOXO4. lncRNA MEG3 was expressed at lower levels in pituitary tumor tissues and cells. Overexpression of lncRNA MEG3 inhibited proliferation, invasion and migration and accelerated apoptosis of pituitary tumor cells. lncRNA MEG3 negatively regulated miR‑23b‑3p expression levels, while miR‑23b‑3p negatively regulated FOXO4 expression levels. Overexpression of lncRNA MEG3 inhibited the EMT process in pituitary tumor cells. miR‑23‑3p inhibitor rescued the effect of shMEG3 on proliferation, invasion, migration, apoptosis and the EMT process in pituitary tumor cells. lncRNA MEG3 inhibited pituitary tumor development by participating in cell proliferation, apoptosis and the EMT process, which may present a novel target for pituitary tumor treatment.

miR-23b-3p Plays an Oncogenic Role in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Reports show miR-23b to be a cancer-related biomarker in various cancer types. Interestingly, it has a dual role of oncogenic and tumor-suppressive functions, depending on the cancer type. This study focused on the unknown association of miR-23b-3p with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODS

Expression of miR-23b-3p was measured in nine HCC cell lines and 125 resected human HCC samples by TaqMan microRNA assays. To detect its downstream target, miR-23b-3p mimic and inhibitor constructs were transfected and analyzed.

RESULTS

HepG2, a high miR-23b-3p-expressing cell line, was transfected with a miR-23b-3p inhibitor construct, whereas SK-Hep1, a low miR-23b-3p-expressing cell line, was transfected with a mimic construct. Proliferation of HCC cells was activated by miR-23b-3p overexpression and diminished by its knockdown. Then, 125 clinical HCC samples were examined to measure miR-23b-3p expression. Tumor expression of miR-23b-3p was upregulated in 48 cases (38%) and downregulated in 77 cases (62%). The upregulated cases were correlated with elderly patients (P = 0.015). These patients also showed significantly poor overall survival [hazard ratio (HR), 3.10; 95% conflidence interval (CI), 1.57-6.29; P = 0.001] in a multivariate analysis. Furthermore, mitochondrial metabolism-related genes (MICU3 and AUH) were detected as specific binding targets.

CONCLUSION

The study showed that miR-23b-3p functions as an oncogenic microRNA in HCC cell lines. Its overexpression in resected HCC tissues was a significant prognostic factor of overall survival. Both MICU3 and AUH may be candidate gene targets of miR-23b-3p.

Dietary molecules and experimental evidence of epigenetic influence in cancer chemoprevention: An insight

The world-wide rate of incidence of cancer disease has been only modestly contested by the past and current preventive and interventional strategies. Hence, the global effort towards novel ideas to contain the disease still continues. Constituents of human diets have in recent years emerged as key regulators of carcinogenesis, with studies reporting their inhibitory potential against all the three stages vis-a-vis initiation, promotion and progression. Unlike drugs which usually act on single targets, these dietary factors have an advantage of multi-targeted effects and pleiotropic action mechanisms, which are effective against cancer that manifest as a micro-evolutionary and multi-factorial disease. Since most of the cellular targets have been identified and their consumption considered relatively safe, these diet-derived agents often appear as molecules of interest in repurposing strategies. Currently, many of these molecules are being investigated for their ability to influence the aberrant alterations in cell's epigenome for epigenetic therapy against cancer. Targeting the epigenetic regulators is a new paradigm in cancer chemoprevention which acts to reverse the warped-up epigenetic alterations in a cancer cell, thereby directing it towards a normal phenotype. In this review, we discuss the significance of dietary factors and natural products as chemopreventive agents. Further, we corroborate the experimental evidence from existing literature, reflecting the ability of a series of such molecules to act as epigenetic modifiers in cancer cells, by interfering with molecular events that map the epigenetic imprints such as DNA methylation, histone acetylation and non-coding RNA mediated gene regulation.

Reprogramming of Amino Acid Transporters to Support Aspartate and Glutamate Dependency Sustains Endocrine Resistance in Breast Cancer

Endocrine therapy (ET) is the standard of care for estrogen receptor-positive (ER⁺) breast cancers. Despite its efficacy, ∼40% of women relapse with ET-resistant (ETR) disease. A global transcription analysis in ETR cells reveals a downregulation of the neutral and basic amino acid transporter SLC6A14 governed by enhanced miR-23b-3p expression, resulting in impaired amino acid metabolism. This altered amino acid metabolism in ETR cells is supported by the activation of autophagy and the enhanced import of acidic amino acids (aspartate and glutamate) mediated by the SLC1A2 transporter. The clinical significance of these findings is validated by multiple orthogonal approaches in a large cohort of ET-treated patients, in patient-derived xenografts, and in in vivo experiments. Targeting these amino acid metabolic dependencies resensitizes ETR cells to therapy and impairs the aggressive features of ETR cells, offering predictive biomarkers and potential targetable pathways to be exploited to combat or delay ETR in ER⁺ breast cancers.

MicroRNA-23b-3p promotes pancreatic cancer cell tumorigenesis and metastasis via the JAK/PI3K and Akt/NF-κB signaling pathways

MicroRNA (miR)-23b-3p plays an important role in tumor growth, proliferation, invasion and migration in pancreatic cancer (PC). However, the function and mechanistic role of miR-23b-3p in the development of PC remains largely unknown. In the present study, the miR-23b-3p levels in the serum of patients with PC were found to be elevated, and the phosphorylation levels of Janus kinase (JAK)2, PI3K, Akt and NF-κВ were found to be upregulated. In addition, miR-23b-3p was induced in response to interleukin-6 (IL-6), which is known to be involved in the progression of PC. Overexpression of miR-23b-3p, on the other hand, activated the JAK/PI3K and Akt/NF-κB signaling pathways in PC cells, as evidenced by miR-23b-3p-induced upregulation of phosphorylated (p-)JAK2, p-PI3K, p-Akt and p-NF-κВ, as well as the downregulation of PTEN; and these effects were found to be reversible by miR-23b-3p inhibition. Furthermore, miR-23b-3p was found to downregulate PTEN by directly targeting the 3′-untranslated region of PTEN mRNA. Notably, in an in vivo xenograft mouse model, overexpression of miR-23b-3p accelerated PC cell-derived tumor growth, activated the JAK/Akt/NF-κВ signaling pathway and promoted liver metastasis. In contrast, knockdown of miR-23b-3p suppressed tumor growth and metastasis as well as JAK/Akt/NF-κВ signaling activity. In vivo imaging of the mice further confirmed the metastasis promoting role of miR-23b-3p in PC. These results suggested that miR-23b-3p enhances PC cell tumorigenesis and metastasis, at least, partially via the JAK/PI3K and Akt/NF-κB signaling pathways. Therefore, targeting miR-23b-3p or the JAK/PI3K and Akt/NF-κB signalings may be potential therapeutic strategy against PC.

MicroRNA profile in stage I clear cell renal cell carcinoma predicts progression to metastatic disease

OBJECTIVE

This study sought to identify microRNA (miRNA) profiles of small, pathologically confirmed stage 1 clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) tumors that are associated with progression to metachronous metastatic disease.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Fifty-five pathologic stage 1 ccRCC tumors ≤5cm, from 2 institutions, were examined in a miRNA screening, followed by a validation study. For the screening phase 752 miRNA were evaluated on each sample to identify those with differential expression between tumors that subsequently did (n = 10) or did not (n = 10) progress to metastatic disease. For the validation, 35 additional samples (20 nonprogressors and 15 with distant progression) were utilized to investigate 20 miRNA to determine if a miRNA panel could differentiate aggressive tumors: associations of miRNA expression with cancer specific survival was also investigated.

RESULTS

In the screening analysis, 35 miRNA were differentially expressed (P < 0.05, FDR < 0.1) between the groups. In the validation, 11 miRNA were confirmed to have differential expression. The miRNA -10a-5p, -23b-3p, and -26a-5p differentiated nonprogressive and distant progressive disease with a sensitivity of 73.3% and a specificity of 85% (AUC=0.893). In addition, levels of miR-30a-3p and -145-5p were identified as independent prognostic factors of cancer specific survival.

CONCLUSIONS

This investigation identified miRNA biomarkers that may differentiate between non-progressive ccRCC tumors and those that progress to metastatic disease in this group of stage I tumors. The miRNA profiles determined in this study have the potential to identify patients with small renal masses who are likely to have progressive ccRCC. Such information may be valuable to incorporate into predictive models.

The Complex Landscape of PTEN mRNA Regulation

Phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) is a key tumor suppressor in the development and progression of different tumor types. Emerging data indicate that small reductions in PTEN protein levels can promote cancer. PTEN protein levels are tightly controlled by a plethora of mechanisms beginning with epigenetic and transcriptional regulation and ending with control of protein synthesis and stability. PTEN messenger RNA (mRNA) is also subject to exquisite regulation by microRNAs, coding and long noncoding RNAs, and RNA-binding proteins. Additionally, PTEN mRNA is markedly influenced by alternative splicing and variable polyadenylation. Herein we provide a synoptic description of the current understanding of the complex regulatory landscape of PTEN mRNA regulation including several specific processes that modulate its stability and expression, in the context of PTEN loss-associated cancers.

Significance of PI3K signalling pathway in clear cell renal cell carcinoma in relation to VHL and HIF status

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) includes diverse tumour types characterised by various genetic abnormalities. The genetic changes, like mutations, deletions and epigenetic alterations, play a crucial role in the modification of signalling networks, tumour pathogenesis and prognosis. The most prevalent RCC type, clear cell RCC (ccRCC), is asymptomatic in the early stages and has a poorer prognosis compared with the papillary and the chromophobe types RCCs. Generally, ccRCC is refractory to chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Loss of von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) gene and upregulation of hypoxia-inducible factors (HIF), the signature of most sporadic ccRCC, promote multiple growth factors. Hence, VHL/HIF and a variety of pathways, including phosphatase and TEnsin homolog on chromosome 10/phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT, are closely connected and contribute to the ontogeny of ccRCC. In the recent decade, multiple targeting agents have been developed based on blocking major signalling pathways directly or indirectly involved in ccRCC tumour progression, metastasis, angiogenesis and survival. However, most of these drugs have limitations; either metastatic ccRCC develops resistance to these agents, or despite blocking receptors, tumour cells use alternate signalling pathways. This review compiles the state of knowledge about the PI3K/AKT signalling pathway confined to ccRCC and its cross-talks with VHL/HIF pathway.

MicroRNA‑28 promotes the proliferation of non‑small‑cell lung cancer cells by targeting PTEN

Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the fundamental form of lung cancer and the leading cause of cancer‑related mortality in humans. Numerous studies have identified a role for microRNAs (miRs) in cell proliferation, invasion and metastasis in numerous types of cancer, including lung cancer. In the present study, the functional roles and molecular mechanisms of miR‑28 in NSCLC tumorigenesis were investigated. Reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR (RT‑qPCR) was used to measure miR‑28 expression levels in NSCLC tumor tissues and cell lines. A dual‑luciferase assay was performed to observe the direct interaction between miR‑28 and PTEN in A549 cells. Furthermore, the effect of miR‑28 on the mRNA and protein expression levels of PTEN was examined by RT‑qPCR and western blotting, respectively. A Cell Counting kit‑8 assay was performed to identify the relationship between the miR‑28/PTEN axis and tumor cell proliferation using cells infected with lentivirus (LV)‑anti‑miR‑28 or LV‑anti‑miR‑28 + short hairpin RNA‑PTEN. miR‑28 expression was upregulated in NSCLC tumor tissues and cell lines compared with the control groups. PTEN was identified as the downstream gene of miR‑28 in NSCLC and was negatively regulated by miR‑28. In addition, miR‑28 knockdown suppressed the proliferation of A549 and H292 cells. Cells infected with LV‑anti‑miR‑28 + short hairpin RNA‑PTEN promoted tumor cell proliferation in A549 and H292 cells compared with cells infected with LV‑anti‑miR‑28. Taken together, the present study suggested that miR‑28 might serve as the promoter in the development of NSCLC by targeting PTEN. Therefore, the miR‑28/PTEN axis may serve as a potential diagnostic and therapeutic target for NSCLC.

Modification of miRNA Expression through plant extracts and compounds against breast cancer: Mechanism and translational significance

BACKGROUND

Cancer is hyper-proliferative, multi-factorial and multi-step, heterogeneous group of molecular disorders. It is the second most reported disease after heart diseases. Breast carcinoma is the foremost death causing disease in female population worldwide. Cancer can be controlled by regulating the gene expression. Current therapeutic options are associated with severe side effects and are expensive for the people living in under-developed countries. Plant derived substances have potential application against different diseases like cancer, inflammation and viral infections.

HYPOTHESIS

The mechanism of action of the medicinal plants is largely unknown. Targeting gene network and miRNA using medicinal plants could help in improving the therapeutic options against cancer.

METHODS

The literature from 135 articles was reviewed by using PubMed, google scholar, Science direct to find out the plants and plant-based compounds against breast cancer and also the studies reporting their mechanistic route of action both at coding and noncoding RNA levels.

RESULTS

Natural products act as selective inhibitors of the cancerous cells by targeting oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes or altering miRNA expression. Natural compounds like EGCG from tea, Genistein from fava beans, curcumin from turmeric, DIM found in cruciferous, Resveratrol a polyphenol and Quercetin a flavonoid is found in various plants have been studied for their anticancer activity. The EGCG was found to inhibit proliferative activity by modulating miR-16 and miR-21. Similarly, DIM was found to down regulate miR-92a which results to modulate NFkB and stops cancer development. Another plant-based compound Glyceollins found to upregulate miR-181c and miR-181d having role in tumor suppression. It also found to regulate miR-22, 29b and c, miR-30d, 34a and 195. Quercetin having anti-cancer activity induce the apoptosis through regulating miR-16, 26b, 34a, let-7g, 125a and miR-605 and reduce the miRNA expression like miR-146a/b, 503 and 194 which are involved in metastasis.

CONCLUSION

Targeting miRNA expression using natural plant extracts can have a reverse effect on cell proliferation; turning on and off tumor-inducing and suppressing genes. It can be efficiently adopted as an adjuvant with the conventional form of therapies to increase their efficacy against cancer progression.

Hydrophobic sand is a viable method of urine collection from the rat for extracellular vesicle biomarker analysis

Previously we have shown in rats a new method of urine collection, hydrophobic sand, to be an acceptable alternate in place of the traditional method using metabolic cages. Hydrophobic sand is non-toxic, induces similar or lower levels of stress in the rat, and does not contaminate clinical urine markers nor metal concentrations in collected samples (Hoffman et al., 2017 and 2018). Urine is often used in humans and many animal models as a readily-attainable biosample which contains proteins and microRNAs (miRNAs) within extracellular vesicles (EVs) that can be isolated to indicate changes in health. In order to ensure hydrophobic sand did not in any way contaminate or disrupt the extraction and analysis of these EVs and miRNAs, we used urine samples from the same 8 rats in the within-subjects crossover experiment comparing hydrophobic sand and metabolic cage collection methods. We isolated EVs and miRNAs from the urine set and examined their quantity and quality between the urine collection methods. We found no significant differences in particle size, particle concentration, total RNA, or the type and abundance of miRNAs contained within the urine EVs due to urine collection method, suggesting hydrophobic sand represents an easy-to-use, non-invasive method to collect rodent urine for EVs and biomarker studies.

MicroRNA-23b-3p promotes the proliferation, migration, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of lens epithelial cells by targeting Sprouty2

Cataract, opacification of the lens, is one of the most important reasons of visual impairment and blindness. Though microRNAs (miRNAs) have been demonstrated to play important roles in cataractogenesis, the underlying molecular mechanisms in this progress remain obscure. In the present study, microRNA-23b-3p (miR-23b) overexpression promoted the proliferation, migration and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), whereas miR-23b knockdown markedly inhibited the proliferation, migration and TGF-β-induced EMT of lens epithelial cells (LECs). In TGF-β-induced LECs, the expression of miR-23b was markedly upregulated and the expression of Sprouty2 (SPRY2) was markedly downregulated, furthermore the mRNA and protein levels of SPRY2 were markedly decreased in miR-23b inhibitor-transfected LECs. We then performed a Dual-luciferase reporter assay to confirm that miR-23b directly targeted SPRY2. The promoted migration and EMT of LECs by enforced expression of miR-23b were suppressed by SPRY2 overexpression. The findings present the first evidence indicating that miR-23b can promote the proliferation, migration, and EMT of LECs by targeting SPRY2 and the inhibition of miR-23b may possess the therapeutic potential for cataract.

Alternative polyadenylation confers Pten mRNAs stability and resistance to microRNAs

Fine regulation of the phosphatase and tensin homologue (PTEN) phosphatase dosage is critical for homeostasis and tumour suppression. The 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) of Pten mRNA was extensively linked to post-transcriptional regulation by microRNAs (miRNAs). In spite of this critical regulatory role, alternative 3'-UTRs of Pten have not been systematically characterized. Here, we reveal an important diversity of Pten mRNA isoforms generated by alternative polyadenylation sites. Several 3'-UTRs are co-expressed and their relative expression is dynamically regulated. In spite of encoding multiple validated miRNA-binding sites, longer isoforms are largely refractory to miRNA-mediated silencing, are more stable and contribute to the bulk of PTEN protein and signalling functions. Taken together, our results warrant a mechanistic re-interpretation of the post-transcriptional mechanisms involving Pten mRNAs and raise concerns on how miRNA-binding sites are being validated.

miR-23b-3p suppressing PGC1α promotes proliferation through reprogramming metabolism in osteosarcoma

Metabolic shift from oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) to glycolysis is a hallmark of osteosarcoma (OS). However, the mechanisms of the metabolic switch have not been completely elucidated. Here we reported that the miR-23b-3p was significantly upregulated in OS cells. Functional studies suggested that knockdown of miR-23b-3p could inhibit OS cell proliferation in vitro or in vivo. In addition, suppression of miR-23b-3p could lead to upregulation of OXPHOS and suppression of glycolysis. Mechanistically, miR-23b-3p promoted OS cell proliferation and inhibited OXPHOS in OS, at least in part, by directly targeting peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1 alpha (PGC1α) and inhibiting its expression. Our data highlights important roles of miR-23b-3p and PGC1α in glucose metabolism reprogram of OS. The suppression of miR-23b-3p may provide effective therapeutic strategies for the treatment of OS.

Prenatal epigenetics diets play protective roles against environmental pollution

It is thought that germ cells and preimplantation embryos during development are most susceptible to endogenous and exogenous environmental factors because the epigenome in those cells is undergoing dramatic elimination and reconstruction. Exposure to environmental factors such as nutrition, climate, stress, pathogens, toxins, and even social behavior during gametogenesis and early embryogenesis has been shown to influence disease susceptibility in the offspring. Early-life epigenetic modifications, which determine the expression of genetic information stored in the genome, are viewed as one of the general mechanisms linking prenatal exposure and phenotypic changes later in life. From atmospheric pollution, endocrine-disrupting chemicals to heavy metals, research increasingly suggests that environmental pollutions have already produced significant consequences on human health. Moreover, mounting evidence now links such pollution to relevant modification in the epigenome. The epigenetics diet, referring to a class of bioactive dietary compounds such as isothiocyanates in broccoli, genistein in soybean, resveratrol in grape, epigallocatechin-3-gallate in green tea, and ascorbic acid in fruits, has been shown to modify the epigenome leading to beneficial health outcomes. This review will primarily focus on the causes and consequences of prenatal environment pollution exposure on the epigenome, and the potential protective role of the epigenetics diet, which could play a central role in neutralizing epigenomic aberrations against environmental pollutions.

Molecular Mechanisms in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma: Role of miRNAs and Hypermethylated miRNA Genes in Crucial Oncogenic Pathways and Processes

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the third most common urological cancer, and it has the highest mortality rate. The increasing drug resistance of metastatic ccRCC has resulted in the search for new biomarkers. Epigenetic regulatory mechanisms, such as genome-wide DNA methylation and inhibition of protein translation by interaction of microRNA (miRNA) with its target messenger RNA (mRNA), are deeply involved in the pathogenesis of human cancers, including ccRCC, and may be used in its diagnosis and prognosis. Here, we review oncogenic and oncosuppressive miRNAs, their putative target genes, and the crucial pathways they are involved in. The contradictory behavior of a number of miRNAs, such as suppressive and anti-metastatic miRNAs with oncogenic potential (for example, miR-99a, miR-106a, miR-125b, miR-144, miR-203, miR-378), is examined. miRNAs that contribute mostly to important pathways and processes in ccRCC, for instance, PI3K/AKT/mTOR, Wnt-β, histone modification, and chromatin remodeling, are discussed in detail. We also separately consider their participation in crucial oncogenic processes, such as hypoxia and angiogenesis, metastasis, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). The review also considers the interactions of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and miRNAs of significance in ccRCC. Recent advances in the understanding of the role of hypermethylated miRNA genes in ccRCC and their usefulness as biomarkers are reviewed based on our own data and those available in the literature. Finally, new data and perspectives concerning the clinical applications of miRNAs in the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of ccRCC are discussed.

Concise Review: Therapeutic Potential of the Mesenchymal Stem Cell Derived Secretome and Extracellular Vesicles for Radiation-Induced Lung Injury: Progress and Hypotheses

Radiation-induced lung injury (RILI) is a common complication in radiotherapy of thoracic tumors and limits the therapeutic dose of radiation that can be given to effectively control tumors. RILI develops through a complex pathological process, resulting in induction and activation of various cytokines, infiltration by inflammatory cells, cytokine-induced activation of fibroblasts, and subsequent tissue remodeling by activated fibroblasts, ultimately leading to impaired lung function and respiratory failure. Increasing evidence shows that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) may play a main role in modulating inflammation and immune responses, promoting survival and repair of damaged resident cells and enhancing regeneration of damaged tissue through soluble paracrine factors and therapeutic extracellular vesicles. Therefore, the use of the MSC-derived secretome and exosomes holds promising potential for RILI therapy. Here, we review recent progress on the potential mechanisms of MSC therapy for RILI, with an emphasis on soluble paracrine factors of MSCs. Hypotheses on how MSC derived exosomes or MSC-released exosomal miRNAs could attenuate RILI are also proposed. Problems and translational challenges of the therapies based on the MSC-derived secretome and exosomes are further summarized and underline the need for caution on rapid clinical translation. Stem Cells Translational Medicine 2019;8:344-354.

MiR-23a-3p acts as an oncogene and potential prognostic biomarker by targeting PNRC2 in RCC

BACKGROUND

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a most common kidney malignancy, with atypical symptoms in the early stage and poor outcome in the late stage. Recently, emerging evidence revealed that some miRNAs play an essential role in the tumorigenesis and progression of RCC. Therefore, the aim of this study is that understand the detailed molecular mechanism of miR-23a-3p in RCC and identify its potential clinical value.

METHODS

In this study, RT-qPCR, wound scratch assay, cell proliferation assay, transwell assay and flow cytometry assay were performed to detect miR-23a-3p expression and its proliferation, migration and apoptosis in RCC. The bioinformatics analysis, RT-qPCR, western blot and luciferase reporter assay were performed to discern and examine the relationship between miR-23a-3p and its potential targets. Moreover, we analyzed the relationship between miR-23a-3p expression and clinicopathological variables or overall survival (OS) from 118 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded RCC samples.

RESULTS

miR-23a-3p is significantly up-regulated in RCC tissue samples, RCC cell lines and the TCGA database. Upregulating miR-23a-3p enhances, while silencing miR-23a-3p suppresses cell viability, proliferation and mobility in ACHN and 786-O cell lines. Besides, overexpression of miR-23a-3p inhibits the cell apoptosis. Then our study further reveals that miR-23a-3p regulates tumorigenesis by targeting Proline-Rich Nuclear Receptor Coactivator 2 (PNRC2). Also, the cox proportional hazard regression analysis indicates that low expression of miR-23a-3p patients has a remarkable longer OS.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results reveals that miR-23a-3p may not only serve as a new biomarker for prognosis but also serve as a new therapeutic strategy in the RCC treatment.

Involvement of the Dysregulation of miR-23b-3p, miR-195-5p, miR-656-5p, and miR-340-5p in Trastuzumab Resistance of HER2-Positive Breast Cancer Cells and System Biology Approach to Predict Their Targets Involved in Resistance

Resistance to trastuzumab has become a limiting factor for therapeutic efficacy of human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer. Different expression levels of miRNAs in cancer cells have been associated with poor prognosis and response to chemotherapy. The aim of this study was to evaluate miRNAs that were thought to be associated with HER2-positive breast cancer chemoresistance. In this study, the relative expression of candidate miRNAs to U6 RNA was evaluated in trastuzumab-resistant and trastuzumab-sensitive cells using relative real-time PCR. Our results demonstrated that miR-23b-3p, miR-195-5p, miR-656-5p, and miR-340-5p were significantly dysregulated. For the first time in this study, these miRNAs were identified to be involved in trastuzumab resistance. TargetScan and miRDB were then used for predicting the potential targets of the candidate miRNAs. Our results also revealed that the predicted potential targets of these miRNAs were strongly associated with drug resistance pathways. As a relative expression of candidate miRNAs was statistically different in trastuzumab-resistant and trastuzumab-sensitive cells, their potential targets were involved in drug resistance pathways. We strongly hypothesized the dysregulation of miRNAs as a possible mechanism of trastuzumab resistance. We also assumed that the strategic manipulation of these regulatory networks might be a possible therapeutic strategy to improve the results of chemotherapy for this resistance. However, more research is needed to evaluate the role of these miRNAs in the acquisition of trastuzumab resistance.

Long noncoding RNA DGCR5 suppresses gastric cancer progression by acting as a competing endogenous RNA of PTEN and BTG1

Long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) DiGeorge syndrome critical region gene 5 (DGCR5) has been reported to correlate with a variety of cancers, with its expression pattern and potential mechanism not clarified in gastric cancer (GC). In this study, we demonstrated that DGCR5 was downregulated in cancerous tissues and plasma samples from patients with GC, and its downregulation was associated with advanced TNM stage and positive lymphatic metastasis. Plasma DGCR5 had an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.722 for diagnosis of GC. Gain- and loss-of-function of DGCR5 revealed that DGCR5 functioned as a competing endogenous RNA for miR-23b to suppress GC cell proliferation, invasion and migration, and facilitate apoptosis by regulating PTEN and BTG1 in vitro. Furthermore, the overexpression of DGCR5 suppressed tumor growth, and inhibited the expression of miR-23b and proliferation antigen Ki-67, but increased the expression of PTEN and BTG1 in vivo. In conclusion, our results show that DGCR5 is a tumor-suppressive lncRNA that regulates PTEN and BTG1 expression through directly binding to miR-23b. This mechanism may contribute to a better understanding of GC pathogenesis and provide a potential therapeutic strategy for GC.

CircRNA ZNF609 functions as a competitive endogenous RNA to regulate FOXP4 expression by sponging miR-138-5p in renal carcinoma

Circular RNA (circRNA) play important roles in the pathological processes of many diseases. By analyzing the results of the GSE100186 chip, we found that the expression of circRNA ZNF609 (circ-ZNF609) was significantly increased in renal cell carcinoma. Recently, there are studies showing that circ-ZNF609 can regulate cell proliferation and invasion ability of various cells. In this study, we investigated whether circ-ZNF609 may affect cell invasion and proliferation in renal carcinoma. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was performed to detect the expression of circ-ZNF609 in renal carcinoma cell lines and renal epithelial cells. The direct interaction between microRNA-138-5p (miR-138-5p) and forkhead box P4 (FOXP4) or circ-ZNF609 was confirmed by luciferase reporter assay and RNA immunoprecipitation assay. We use Cell Counting Kit-8, 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine, and Matrigel assays to assess the effect of miR-138-5p or circ-ZNF609 on cell proliferation or invasion ability. And we found that circ-ZNF609 is significantly increased in renal carcinoma cell lines. In addition, the high expression of circ-ZNF609 promotes cell proliferation and invasion ability. In short, our current study reveals the role of the circ-ZNF609/miR-138-5p/FOXP4 regulatory network in renal carcinoma and provides a new perspective for the pathogenesis of renal carcinoma.

The Biology and Role of Interleukin-32 in Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis, caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally, with nearly 10.4 million new cases of incidence and over 1.7 million deaths annually. Drug-resistant M. tuberculosis strains, especially multidrug-resistant or extensively drug-resistant strains, have further intensified the problem associated with tuberculosis control. Host-directed therapy is a promising alternative for tuberculosis control. IL-32 is increasingly recognized as an important host molecule against tuberculosis. In this review, we highlight the proinflammatory properties of IL-32 and the mode of action of IL-32 in mycobacterial infections to inspire the development of novel immunity-based countermeasures and host-directed therapies against tuberculosis.

Role of interleukin-32 in cancer biology

Interleukin-32 (IL-32), a novel proinflammatory cytokine, is highly expressed in various cancer tissues and in established cancer cell lines. IL-32 has been revealed to serve a crucial role in human cancer development, including tumour initiation, proliferation and maintenance. The expression of IL-32 is regulated by numerous factors, including genetic variations, hypoxia and acidosis in the tumour microenvironment. Understanding the underlying mechanisms of IL-32 expression and its function are critical for the discovery of novel therapeutic strategies that target IL-32. This is a review of the current literature on the regulation and function of IL-32 in cancer progression, focusing on the molecular pathways linking IL-32 and tumour development.

MiR-23b-3p induces the proliferation and metastasis of esophageal squamous cell carcinomas cells through the inhibition of EBF3

MicroRNAs (miRNAs), some small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression at the posttranscriptional level, are always aberrantly expressed in carcinomas. In this study, we found that miR-23b-3p was remarkably up-regulated in human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cells and tissues. Moreover, miR-23b-3p could induce the proliferation, invasion, and metastasis in vitro. EBF3 was identified as the direct downstream target gene of miR-23b-3p and ectogenic EBF3 could strongly inhibit the proliferation, invasion, and metastasis in vitro. Furthermore, it was found that miR-23b-3p could regulate epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition progress by blocking EBF3. Therefore, it was concluded that miR-23b-3p targeted EBF3 to accelerate the proliferation, invasion, and metastasis in ESCC.

Dysregulation of microRNA‑23b‑3p contributes to the development of intracranial aneurysms by targeting phosphatase and tensin homolog

MicroRNA‑23b‑3p (miR‑23b‑3p) has been reported to be involved in the pathogenesis of a number of diseases, including non‑small cell lung cancer and gastric cancer, by acting on different signaling pathways. The present study aimed to understand the association between the miR‑23b‑3p level of intracranial aneurysms (IAs) and the mechanism involved. Computational analysis was used to search for the target of miR‑23b‑3p, and luciferase assay was used to validate the miRNA/target association. Western blot analysis and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) were used to determine the expression of miR‑23b‑3p and phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), and their expression in smooth muscle cells (SMCs) treated with miRNA mimic or inhibitor. Firstly, an online miRNA database (www.mirdb.org) was searched using the 'seed sequence' located within the 3'‑untranslated region of the target gene, and then PTEN was validated as the direct target gene via a luciferase reporter assay system. The negative regulatory association between miR‑23b‑3p and PTEN was determined through the analysis of the relative luciferase activity. Additionally, RT-qPCR and western blot analysis was performed in order to assess the mRNA and protein expression levels of PTEN among IA (n=32) and control (n=17) groups or cells treated with scramble control, miR‑23b‑3p mimics, PTEN siRNA and miR‑23b‑3p inhibitors to verify the negative regulatory association between miR‑23b‑3p and PTEN. Experiments were then performed to investigate the effect of miR‑23b‑3p and PTEN on the viability and apoptosis of pulmonary artery SMCs (PASMCs). The results showed that cells transfected with miR‑23b‑3p inhibitors suppressed the viability of SMCs by promoting the apoptosis of the cells compared with that of the scramble controls, while cells transfected with miR‑23b‑3p mimics and PTEN siRNA enhanced the viability of VSMCs by inducing apoptosis. This indicated that miR‑23b‑3p negatively interfered with the viability of the cells, while PTEN positively interfered with the viability of the cells. In conclusion, PTEN was found to be a virtual target of miR‑23b‑3p, and a negative regulatory association existed between miR‑23b‑3p and PTEN. miR‑23b‑3p and PTEN interfered with the viability and apoptosis of SMCs.

Detection of Serum microRNAs From Department of Defense Serum Repository: Correlation With Cotinine, Cytokine, and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Levels

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to investigate whether serum samples from the Department of Defense Serum Repository (DoDSR) are of sufficient quality to detect microRNAs (miRNAs), cytokines, immunoglobulin E (IgE), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).

METHODS

MiRNAs were isolated and quantified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) array. Cytokines and chemokines related to inflammation were measured using multiplex immunoassays. Cotinine and IgE were detected by enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) and PAHs were detected by Liquid Chromatography/Mass Spectroscopy.

RESULTS

We detected miRNAs, cytokines, IgE, and PAHs with high sensitivity. Eleven of 30 samples tested positive for cotinine suggesting tobacco exposure. Significant associations between serum cotinine, cytokine, IgE, PAHs, and miRNA were discovered.

CONCLUSION

We successfully quantified over 200 potential biomarkers of occupational exposure from DoDSR samples. The stored serum samples were not affected by hemolysis and represent a powerful tool for biomarker discovery and analysis in retrospective studies.

Chronic hyperinsulinemia induced miR-27b is linked to adipocyte insulin resistance by targeting insulin receptor

Defect in insulin signaling leads to the development of insulin resistance followed by type 2 diabetes. Exploiting our previously developed physiological chronic hyperinsulinemia (CI)-mediated insulin resistance (IR) model, we wanted to understand how miRNAs contribute to the development of IR. Amongst the identified and validate miRNAs, the expression of miR-27b was found to be highly upregulated during CI-induced IR in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. We also validated the expression of miR-27b in CI-induced IR in human mesenchymal stem cell (hMSC)-derived adipocytes and in vivo high fat diet (HFD)-induced IR mice model. Bioinformatics target prediction softwares and luciferase reporter assay identified insulin receptor (INSR) as one of a prime target of miR-27b. Lentiviral mediated overexpression of miR-27b impairs insulin signaling by modulating INSR expression that in turn led to decreased glucose uptake in both 3T3-L1 and hMSC-derived adipocytes. Conversely, inhibition of miR-27b reversed CI-mediated suppression of target protein INSR and improved phosphorylation of Akt, a nodal protein of insulin signaling that is impaired by CI treatment. Lentiviral mediated overexpression of miR-27b in in vivo C57BL/6 mice impaired whole body glucose tolerance and adipose tissue insulin sensitivity. Furthermore, inhibition of miR-27b in HFD-induced insulin resistance mice model improved glucose tolerance and adipose tissue insulin sensitivity by increasing the expression of its target gene INSR in eWAT. Thus, our results indicate that miR-27b functions as a prime modulator of CI-induced IR via regulating the expression of INSR. KEY MESSAGES: miR-27b is upregulated in different in vitro and in vivo models of insulin resistance. miR-27b directly suppresses the expression of INSR by targeting 3'UTR of INSR. Modulation of miR-27b expression regulates insulin sensitivity by targeting INSR.

Post-transcriptional regulation of microRNAs in cancer: From prediction to validation

MicroRNA (miRNA) is a small non-coding RNA with an established function to regulate genes at the post-transcriptional level leading to suppression or degradation of its messenger RNA expression (mRNA). Its dysregulation plays a vital role in a variety of biological and pathological processes including cancer. A lot of algorithms have been established to predict the target sites of miRNA, but experimentally identifying and validating its target region is still lacking. Guidance in experimental procedures is really needed to find genuine miRNA targets. Therefore, in this review, we provide an outline on the workflow in predicting and validating the targeted sites of miRNA using several methods as a guideline for the scientists. The final outcome of this type of experiment is essential to explore the major impact of miRNAmRNA interaction involved in the biological processes and to assist miRNA-based drug development in the future.

miRNAs as potential regulators of mTOR pathway in renal cell carcinoma

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the most commonly occurring solid cancer of the adult kidney with the majority of RCC cases being detected accidentally. The most aggressive subtype is clear cell RCC (ccRCC). miRNAs, a family of small noncoding RNAs regulating gene expression have been identified as key biological modulators. The von Hippel-Lindau pathway is one of the signaling pathways involved in the pathophysiology of ccRCC. Another oncogenic mechanism involves the activation of PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling and serves as a central regulator of cell metabolism, proliferation and survival. Several studies have described the involvement of miRNA dysregulation in the pathogenesis and progression of ccRCC. These molecules can be considered as potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers, allowing response to therapy to be monitored.