microRNA-10b Is Overexpressed and Critical for Cell Survival and Proliferation in Medulloblastoma

Targeting long non-coding RNAs in cancer therapy using CRISPR-Cas9 technology: A novel paradigm for precision oncology

Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide, despite recent advances in its identification and management. To improve cancer patient diagnosis and care, it is necessary to identify new biomarkers and molecular targets. In recent years, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have surfaced as important contributors to various cellular activities, with growing proof indicating their substantial role in the genesis, development, and spread of cancer. Their unique expression profiles within specific tissues and their wide-ranging functionalities make lncRNAs excellent candidates for potential therapeutic intervention in cancer management. They are implicated in multiple hallmarks of cancer, such as uncontrolled proliferation, angiogenesis, and immune evasion. This review article explores the innovative application of CRISPR-Cas9 technology in targeting lncRNAs as a cancer therapeutic strategy. The CRISPR-Cas9 system has been widely applied in functional genomics, gene therapy, and cancer research, offering a versatile platform for lncRNA targeting. CRISPR-Cas9-mediated targeting of lncRNAs can be achieved through CRISPR interference, activation or the complete knockout of lncRNA loci. Combining CRISPR-Cas9 technology with high-throughput functional genomics makes it possible to identify lncRNAs critical for the survival of specific cancer subtypes, opening the door for tailored treatments and personalised cancer therapies. CRISPR-Cas9-mediated lncRNA targeting with other cutting-edge cancer therapies, such as immunotherapy and targeted molecular therapeutics can be used to overcome the drug resistance in cancer. The synergy of lncRNA research and CRISPR-Cas9 technology presents immense potential for individualized cancer treatment, offering renewed hope in the battle against this disease.

Therapeutic advancements in targeting BCL-2 family proteins by epigenetic regulators, natural, and synthetic agents in cancer

Cancer is amongst the deadliest and most disruptive disorders, having a much higher death rate than other diseases worldwide. Human cancer rates continue to rise, thereby posing the most significant concerns for medical health professionals. In the last two decades, researchers have gone past several milestones in tackling cancer while gaining insight into the role of apoptosis in cancer or targeting various biomarker tools for prognosis and diagnosis. Apoptosis which is still a topic full of complexities, can be controlled considerably by B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2) and its family members. Therefore, targeting proteins of this family to prevent tumorigenesis, is essential to focus on the pharmacological features of the anti-apoptotic and pro-apoptotic members, which will help to develop and manage this disorder. This review deals with the advancements of various epigenetic regulators to target BCL-2 family proteins, including the mechanism of several microRNAs (miRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). Similarly, a rise in natural and synthetic molecules' research over the last two decades has allowed us to acquire insights into understanding and managing the transcriptional alterations that have led to apoptosis and treating various neoplastic diseases. Furthermore, several inhibitors targeting anti-apoptotic proteins and inducers or activators targeting pro-apoptotic proteins in preclinical and clinical stages have been summarized. Overall, agonistic and antagonistic mechanisms of BCL-2 family proteins conciliated by epigenetic regulators, natural and synthetic agents have proven to be an excellent choice in developing cancer therapeutics.

The Role, Significance, and Association of MicroRNA-10a/b in Physiology of Cancer

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that regulate the translation of mRNA and protein, mainly at the posttranscriptional level. Global expression profiling of miRNAs has demonstrated a broad spectrum of aberrations that correlated with several diseases, and miRNA- 10a and miRNA-10b were the first examined miRNAs to be involved in abnormal activities upon dysregulation, including many types of cancers and progressive diseases. It is expected that the same miRNAs behave inconsistently within different types of cancer. This review aims to provide a set of information about our updated understanding of miRNA-10a and miRNA-10b and their clinical significance, molecular targets, current research gaps, and possible future applications of such potent regulators.

Non-Coding RNAs and Brain Tumors: Insights Into Their Roles in Apoptosis

A major terrifying ailment afflicting the humans throughout the world is brain tumor, which causes a lot of mortality among pediatric and adult solid tumors. Several major barriers to the treatment and diagnosis of the brain tumors are the specific micro-environmental and cell-intrinsic features of neural tissues. Absence of the nutrients and hypoxia trigger the cells' mortality in the core of the tumors of humans' brains: however, type of the cells' mortality, including apoptosis or necrosis, has been not found obviously. Current studies have emphasized the non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) since their crucial impacts on carcinogenesis have been discovered. Several investigations suggest the essential contribution of such molecules in the development of brain tumors and the respective roles in apoptosis. Herein, we summarize the apoptosis-related non-coding RNAs in brain tumors.

Spectrum of microRNAs and their target genes in cancer: intervention in diagnosis and therapy

Till date, several groups have studied the mechanism of microRNA (miRNA) biogenesis, processing, stability, silencing, and their dysregulation in cancer. The miRNA coding genes recurrently go through abnormal amplification, deletion, transcription, and epigenetic regulation in cancer. Some miRNAs function as tumor promoters while few others are tumor suppressors based on the transcriptional regulation of target genes. A review of miRNAs and their target genes in a wide range of cancers is attempted in this article, which may help in the development of new diagnostic tools and intervention therapies. The contribution of miRNAs for drug sensitivity or resistance in cancer therapy and opportunities of miRNAs in cancer prognosis or diagnosis and therapy is also presented in detail.

Role of MicroRNAs in the Development and Progression of the Four Medulloblastoma Subgroups

Medulloblastoma is the most frequent malignant brain tumour in children. Medulloblastoma originate during the embryonic stage. They are located in the cerebellum, which is the area of the central nervous system (CNS) responsible for controlling equilibrium and coordination of movements. In 2012, medulloblastoma were divided into four subgroups based on a genome-wide analysis of RNA expression. These subgroups are named Wingless, Sonic Hedgehog, Group 3 and Group 4. Each subgroup has a different cell of origin, prognosis, and response to therapies. Wingless and Sonic Hedgehog medulloblastoma are so named based on the main mutation originating these tumours. Group 3 and Group 4 have generic names because we do not know the key mutation driving these tumours. Gene expression at the post-transcriptional level is regulated by a group of small single-stranded non-coding RNAs. These microRNA (miRNAs or miRs) play a central role in several cellular functions such as cell differentiation and, therefore, any malfunction in this regulatory system leads to a variety of disorders such as cancer. The role of miRNAs in medulloblastoma is still a topic of intense clinical research; previous studies have mostly concentrated on the clinical entity of the single disease rather than in the four molecular subgroups. In this review, we summarize the latest discoveries on miRNAs in the four medulloblastoma subgroups.

Noncoding RNAs in pediatric brain tumors: Molecular functions and pathological implications

Brain tumors are common solid pediatric malignancies and the main reason for cancer-related death in the pediatric setting. Recently, evidence has revealed that noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), including microRNAs (miRNAs), long ncRNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs), play a critical role in brain tumor development and progression. Therefore, in this review article, we describe the functions and molecular mechanisms of ncRNAs in multiple types of cancer, including medulloblastoma, pilocytic astrocytoma, ependymoma, atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor, glioblastoma, diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, and craniopharyngioma. We also mention the limitations of using ncRNAs as therapeutic targets because of the nonspecificity of ncRNA targets and the delivery methods of ncRNAs. Due to the critical role of ncRNAs in brain oncogenesis, targeting aberrantly expressed ncRNAs might be an effective strategy to improve the outcomes of pediatric patients with brain tumors.

The mechanism of non-coding RNAs in medulloblastoma

Medulloblastoma (MB) is one of the most common malignant tumors of the central nervous system in children. Although surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy have resulted in considerable progress in the treatment of this disease, the prognosis of patients with MB remains very poor. Therefore, highly specific molecular targeted treatment, which can improve the therapeutic efficacy and reduce the side effects of MB, has become a research hotspot. In recent years, non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), which were initially considered to be transcriptional noise, have been shown to possess regulatory functions. A series of ncRNAs have been identified, including microRNAs and circular RNAs, which affect the expression of specific genes in a variety of tumors. These genes lead to the formation of a specific complex of proteins or they directly participate in protein synthesis in order to regulate the occurrence and development of tumors. The aim of the present review article was to summarize the recent research studies that have explored the ability of ncRNAs to regulate the occurrence and development of MB.

Association between microRNA-527 and glypican-3 in hepatocellular carcinoma

The present study aimed to identify the specific microRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) and their corresponding target genes involved in hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs). Microarray analysis was performed to examine the miRNA expression profiles of four paired HCC and corresponding non-cancerous (N) liver tissues using 985 miRNA probes. The Human miRNA Target database was used to identify the target genes of differentially expressed miRNAs between the HCC and N tissues. The protein expression levels of target genes in the HCC tissues and cell lines were evaluated using western blotting. miRNA-mediated suppression of target gene expression was evaluated by transiently transfecting the miRNA into the HCC cell lines. Of the 985 miRNAs evaluated, four miRNAs were differentially expressed (three upregulated and one downregulated miRNAs). Of these four miRNAs, miRNA-527 was highly downregulated in the HCC tissues. Glypican-3 (GPC-3) was predicted as a target gene of miRNA-527. Western blotting revealed that GPC-3 protein is highly expressed in the HCC tissues and HCC cell lines compared with N and normal cell lines. Transfection with miR-527 resulted in suppression of GPC-3 protein expression in the Cos7 cells. Furthermore, transfection with miR-527 also inhibited the intrinsic expression of GPC-3 in the Huh-7 cell line. This indicated that miR-527 in the HCC tissues may be an important novel miRNA that targets the GPC-3 gene expression. GPC-3, whose expression is regulated by miR-527, may be involved in the development and progression of HCC.

MicroRNA Alterations in Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Neurons from Bipolar Disorder Patients: Pathways Involved in Neuronal Differentiation, Axon Guidance, and Plasticity

Bipolar disorder (BP) is a complex psychiatric condition characterized by severe fluctuations in mood for which underlying pathological mechanisms remain unclear. Family and twin studies have identified a hereditary component to the disorder, but a single causative gene (or set of genes) has not been identified. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, noncoding RNAs ∼20 nucleotides in length, that are responsible for the posttranslational regulation of multiple genes. They have been shown to play important roles in neural development as well as in the adult brain, and several miRNAs have been reported to be dysregulated in postmortem brain tissue isolated from bipolar patients. Because there are no viable cellular models to study BP, we have taken advantage of the recent discovery that somatic cells can be reprogrammed to pluripotency then directed to form the full complement of neural cells. Analysis of RNAs extracted from Control and BP patient-derived neurons identified 58 miRNAs that were differentially expressed between the two groups. Using quantitative polymerase chain reaction we validated six miRNAs that were elevated and two miRNAs that were expressed at lower levels in BP-derived neurons. Analysis of the targets of the miRNAs indicate that they may regulate a number of cellular pathways, including axon guidance, Mapk, Ras, Hippo, Neurotrophin, and Wnt signaling. Many are involved in processes previously implicated in BP, such as cell migration, axon guidance, dendrite and synapse development, and function. We have validated targets of several different miRNAs, including AXIN2, BDNF, RELN, and ANK3 as direct targets of differentially expressed miRNAs using luciferase assays. Identification of pathways altered in patient-derived neurons suggests that disruption of these regulatory networks that may contribute to the complex phenotypes in BP.

Medulloblastoma epigenetics and the path to clinical innovation

INTRODUCTION

In the last decade, a number of genomic and pharmacological studies have demonstrated the importance of epigenetic dysregulation in medulloblastoma initiation and progression. High throughput approaches including gene expression array, next-generation sequencing (NGS), and methylation profiling have now clearly identified at least four molecular subgroups within medulloblastoma, each with distinct clinical and prognostic characteristics. These studies have clearly shown that despite the overall paucity of mutations, clinically relevant events do occur within the cellular epigenetic machinery. Thus, this review aims to provide an overview of our current understanding of the spectrum of epi-oncogenetic perturbations in medulloblastoma.

METHODS

Comprehensive review of epigenetic profiles of different subgroups of medulloblastoma in the context of molecular features. Epigenetic regulation is mediated mainly by DNA methylation, histone modifications and microRNAs (miRNA). Importantly, epigenetic mis-events are reversible and have immense therapeutic potential.

CONCLUSION

The widespread epigenetic alterations present in these tumors has generated intense interest in their use as therapeutic targets. We provide an assessment of the progress that has been made towards the development of molecular subtypes-targeted therapies and the current status of clinical trials that have leveraged these recent advances.

The Non-coding Side of Medulloblastoma

Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most common pediatric brain tumor and a primary cause of cancer-related death in children. Until a few years ago, only clinical and histological features were exploited for MB pathological classification and outcome prognosis. In the past decade, the advancement of high-throughput molecular analyses that integrate genetic, epigenetic, and expression data, together with the availability of increasing wealth of patient samples, revealed the existence of four molecularly distinct MB subgroups. Their further classification into 12 subtypes not only reduced the well-characterized intertumoral heterogeneity, but also provided new opportunities for the design of targets for precision oncology. Moreover, the identification of tumorigenic and self-renewing subpopulations of cancer stem cells in MB has increased our knowledge of its biology. Despite these advancements, the origin of MB is still debated, and its molecular bases are poorly characterized. A major goal in the field is to identify the key genes that drive tumor growth and the mechanisms through which they are able to promote tumorigenesis. So far, only protein-coding genes acting as oncogenic drivers have been characterized in each MB subgroup. The contribution of the non-coding side of the genome, which produces a plethora of transcripts that control fundamental biological processes, as the cell choice between proliferation and differentiation, is still unappreciated. This review wants to fill this major gap by summarizing the recent findings on the impact of non-coding RNAs in MB initiation and progression. Furthermore, their potential role as specific MB biomarkers and novel therapeutic targets is also highlighted.

miR-196B-5P and miR-200B-3P Are Differentially Expressed in Medulloblastomas of Adults and Children

Medulloblastoma is a highly aggressive brain tumor that typically affects children, while in adults it represents ~1% of all brain tumors. Little is known about microRNA expression profile of the rare adult medulloblastoma. The main aim of this study was to identify peculiar differences in microRNA expression between childhood and adult medulloblastoma. Medulloblastomas were profiled for microRNA expression using the Exiqon Human miRNome panel (I + II) analyzing 752 microRNAs in a training set of six adult and six childhood cases. Then, the most differentially expressed microRNAs were validated in a total of 21 adult and 19 childhood cases. Eight microRNAs (miR-196b-5p, miR-183-5p, miR-200b-3p, miR-196a-5p, miR-193a-3p, miR-29c-3p, miR-33b-5p, and miR-200a-3p) were differentially expressed in medulloblastoma of adults and children. Analysis of the validation set confirmed that miR-196b-5p and miR-200b-3p were significantly overexpressed in medulloblastoma of adults as compared with those of children. We followed an in silico approach to investigate direct targets and the pathways involved for the two microRNAs (miR-196b and miR-200b) differently expressed between adult and childhood medulloblastoma. Adult and childhood medulloblastoma have different miRNA expression profiles. In particular, the differential dysregulation of miR-196b-5p and miR-200b-3p characterizes the miRNA profile of adult medulloblastoma and suggests potential targets for novel diagnostic, prognostic, or therapeutic strategies.

Long noncoding RNA HOTAIR promotes medulloblastoma growth, migration and invasion by sponging miR-1/miR-206 and targeting YY1

PURPOSE

Long non-coding RNA (LncRNA) HOX transcript antisense RNA (HOTAIR) and Yin Yang 1 (YY1) are reported to be involved in tumorigenesis. However, the effect and molecular mechanism of HOTAIR on YY1 expression remains poorly understood. The study aimed to investigate the functions and molecular mechanism of LncRNA HOTAIR in medulloblastoma progression.

METHODS

qPCR was performed to detect HOTAIR and YY1 mRNA in tissues and cells, as well as that of miR-1 and miR-206 expression levels. Western blot assay was used to test YY1 and EMT-related biomarkers' protein levels. Cell proliferation was tested with CCK-8 assay and colony formation assay. Migration and invasion abilities were tested with Transwell migration and invasion assays. Tumor growth was tested with an in vivo animal study. Cell apoptosis was tested with an Annexin V-FITC/PI kit. Luciferase assay was used to test the luciferase intensity of YY1 and HOTAIR. RNA pull down assay was used to detect the combination between HOTAIR and miR-1/miR-206.

RESULTS

In this study, we found that HOTAIR and YY1 were up-regulated in medulloblastoma tissues and cell lines, and HOTAIR increased YY1 expression. The molecular mechanism demonstrated that HOTAIR negatively regulated miR-1 and miR-206 expression, which can directly target YY1 in medulloblastoma cells. Moreover, HOTAIR increased YY1 expression through binding to miR-1 and miR-206. The functional experiments showed that HOTAIR knockdown suppressed medulloblastoma cell proliferation, tumor growth, migration and invasion, and promoted cell apoptosis via the modulation of the miR-1/miR-206-YY1 axis, as well as epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT).

CONCLUSION

These data indicate that HOTAIR promotes medulloblastoma progression via acting as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) to regulate YY1 expression through binding to miR-1 and miR-206.

The therapeutic and diagnostic potential of regulatory noncoding RNAs in medulloblastoma

Medulloblastoma, a central nervous system tumor that predominantly affects children, always requires aggressive therapy. Nevertheless, it frequently recurs as resistant disease and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. While recent efforts to subclassify medulloblastoma based on molecular features have advanced our basic understanding of medulloblastoma pathogenesis, optimal targets to increase therapeutic efficacy and reduce side effects remain largely undefined. Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) with known regulatory roles, particularly long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs), are now known to participate in medulloblastoma biology, although their functional significance remains obscure in many cases. Here we review the literature on regulatory ncRNAs in medulloblastoma. In providing a comprehensive overview of ncRNA studies, we highlight how different lncRNAs and miRNAs have oncogenic or tumor suppressive roles in medulloblastoma. These ncRNAs possess subgroup specificity that can be exploited to personalize therapy by acting as theranostic targets. Several of the already identified ncRNAs appear specific to medulloblastoma stem cells, the most difficult-to-treat component of the tumor that drives metastasis and acquired resistance, thereby providing opportunities for therapy in relapsing, disseminating, and therapy-resistant disease. Delivering ncRNAs to tumors remains challenging, but this limitation is gradually being overcome through the use of advanced technologies such as nanotechnology and rational biomaterial design.

Enhanced Inhibition of Tumorigenesis Using Combinations of miRNA-Targeted Therapeutics

The search for effective strategies to inhibit tumorigenesis remains one of the most relevant scientific challenges. Among the most promising approaches is the direct modulation of the function of short non-coding RNAs, particularly miRNAs. These molecules are propitious targets for anticancer therapy, since they perform key regulatory roles in a variety of signaling cascades related to cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion. The development of pathological states is often associated with deregulation of miRNA expression. The present review describes in detail the strategies aimed at modulating miRNA activity that invoke antisense oligonucleotide construction, such as small RNA zippers, miRNases (miRNA-targeted artificial ribonucleases), miRNA sponges, miRNA masks, anti-miRNA oligonucleotides, and synthetic miRNA mimics. The broad impact of developed miRNA-based therapeutics on the various events of tumorigenesis is also discussed. Above all, the focus of this review is to evaluate the results of the combined application of different miRNA-based agents and chemotherapeutic drugs for the inhibition of tumor development. Many studies indicate a considerable increase in the efficacy of anticancer therapy as a result of additive or synergistic effects of simultaneously applied therapies. Different drug combinations, such as a cocktail of antisense oligonucleotides or multipotent miRNA sponges directed at several oncogenic microRNAs belonging to the same/different miRNA families, a mixture of anti-miRNA oligonucleotides and cytostatic drugs, and a combination of synthetic miRNA mimics, have a more complex and profound effect on the various events of tumorigenesis as compared with treatment with a single miRNA-based agent or chemotherapeutic drug. These data provide strong evidence that the simultaneous application of several distinct strategies aimed at suppressing different cellular processes linked to tumorigenesis is a promising approach for cancer therapy.

Dysregulated circular RNAs in medulloblastoma regulate proliferation and growth of tumor cells via host genes

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been demonstrated to be involved in various biological processes. Nevertheless, the function of circRNAs in medulloblastoma (MB) is still unknown. The present study aimed to investigate the expression profiles of circRNAs and related mechanisms for regulating the proliferation and growth of tumor cells in MB. The expression profiles of circRNAs were screened from four normal cerebellum and four MB samples using a HiSeq Sequencer. Bioinformatic analysis was employed to predict the interaction between circRNAs and mRNAs in MB. Subsequently, the expression levels of eight differential circRNAs [circ-SKA3 (hsa_circ_0029696), circ-DTL (hsa_circ_0000179), circ-CRTAM, circ-MAP3K5 (hsa_circ_0006856), circ-RIMS1-1 (hsa_circ_0132250), circ-RIMS1-2 (hsa_circ_0076967), circ-FLT3-1 (hsa_circ_0100165), and circ-FLT3-2 (hsa_circ_0100168)] were validated using quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Moreover, circ-SKA3 and circ-DTL were silenced using small interfering RNAs and their host genes were overexpressed to investigate their role in the pathogenesis of MB. A total of 33 circRNAs were found to be differentially expressed in MB tissues (fold change ≥ 2.0, FDR <0.05), of which three were upregulated and 30 were downregulated; six circRNAs were experimentally validated successfully. Upregulated circ-SKA3 and circ-DTL promoted the proliferation migration and invasion in vitro by regulating the expression of host genes. This novel study exploited the profiling of circRNAs in MB and demonstrated that circ-SKA3 and circ-DTL were crucial in the tumorigenesis and development of MB and might be considered as novel and potential biomarkers for the diagnosis and new targets for the intervention of MB.

Post-Transcriptional Regulation of Anti-Apoptotic BCL2 Family Members

Anti-apoptotic B cell lymphoma 2 (BCL2) family members (BCL2, MCL1, BCLxL, BCLW, and BFL1) are key players in the regulation of intrinsic apoptosis. Dysregulation of these proteins not only impairs normal development, but also contributes to tumor progression and resistance to various anti-cancer therapies. Therefore, cells maintain strict control over the expression of anti-apoptotic BCL2 family members using multiple mechanisms. Over the past two decades, the importance of post-transcriptional regulation of mRNA in controlling gene expression and its impact on normal homeostasis and disease have begun to be appreciated. In this review, we discuss the RNA binding proteins (RBPs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) that mediate post-transcriptional regulation of the anti-apoptotic BCL2 family members. We describe their roles and impact on alternative splicing, mRNA turnover, and mRNA subcellular localization. We also point out the importance of future studies in characterizing the crosstalk between RBPs and miRNAs in regulating anti-apoptotic BCL2 family member expression and ultimately apoptosis.

MicroRNA-206 inhibits the viability and migration of medulloblastoma cells by targeting LIM and SH3 protein 1

MicroRNA (miR)-206 has been found to be deregulated in various types of human cancer, including medulloblastoma. However, the regulatory mechanism of miR-206 in medulloblastoma growth and metastasis remains largely unclear. In the present study, reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction data indicated that miR-206 was significantly downregulated in medulloblastoma tissues compared with adjacent non-tumor tissues (P<0.01). Furthermore, low expression of miR-206 was significantly associated with seeding at presentation and anaplastic histology (P<0.01), but not with sex, age, or residual tumors. Overexpression of miR-206 significantly reduced the viability and migration of medulloblastoma D341 cells (P<0.01). LIM and SH3 protein 1 (LASP1) was further identified as a novel target of miR-206 in D341 cells. mRNA levels of LASP1 were significantly higher in medulloblastoma tissues compared to adjacent non-tumor tissues (P<0.01), with an inverse correlation to the miR-206 levels in medulloblastoma tissues. In addition, protein expression levels of LASP1 ere negatively regulated by miR-206 in D341 cells. Further investigation showed that overexpression of LASP1 significantly eliminated the inhibitory effects of miR-206 on the migration and invasion of D341 cells (P<0.01). In conclusion, our study demonstrates that miR-206 has a suppressive role in medulloblastoma cell viability and invasion, partly at least, via the targeting of LASP1. Our study highlights the importance of the miR-206/LASP1 in medulloblastoma.

CRNDE Promotes Malignant Progression of Glioma by Attenuating miR-384/PIWIL4/STAT3 Axis

Colorectal neoplasia differentially expressed (CRNDE) is the most upregulated long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) in glioma. Herein, the function and potential molecular mechanisms of CRNDE and miR-384 were illustrated in glioma cells. CRNDE overexpression facilitated cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, while inhibited glioma cells apoptosis. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) demonstrated that miR-384 was downregulated in human glioma tissues and glioma cell lines. Moreover, restoration of miR-384 exerted tumor-suppressive functions. In addition, the expression of miR-384 was negatively correlated with CRNDE expression. A binding region between CRNDE and miR-384 was confirmed using luciferase assays. Moreover, CRNDE promoted cell malignant behavior by decreasing miR-384 expression. At the molecular level, treatment by CRNDE knockdown or miR-384 overexpression resulted in a decrease of piwi-like RNA-mediated gene silencing 4 (PIWIL4) protein. Besides, PIWIL4 was identified as a target of miR-384 and plays an oncogenic role in glioma. Similarly, downstream proteins of PIWIL4 such as STAT3, cyclin D1, VEGFA, SLUG, MMP-9, caspase 3, Bcl-2, and bcl-xL were modulated when treated with miR-384 and PIWIL4. Remarkably, CRNDE knockdown combined with miR-384 overexpression led to tumor regression in vivo. Overall, these results depicted a novel pathway mediated by CRNDE in glioma, which may be a potential application for glioma therapy.