miR-300/FA2H affects gastric cancer cell proliferation and apoptosis

Long-chain noncoding RNA LINC01569 upregulates filamin A-interacting protein 1-like to prevent metastasis of triple-negative breast cancer via sponging miR-300

BACKGROUND

Long-chain noncoding RNA (lncRNA), LINC01569, is important for regulating the extracellular matrix, which affects cell migration. However, its involvement in the occurrence and development of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) remains unclear.

OBJECTIVE

This study is aimed to investigate the role of LINC01569 on TNBC.

METHODS

Online database was used for clinical data analysis. Cell viability and migration capability were monitored using cell counting kit-8 and transwell assays, respectively. Luciferase reporter assay and RNA pull-down were used to confirm the binding capability between noncoding RNAs and filamin A-interacting protein 1-like (FILIP1L). Western blotting was used to determine the protein content.

RESULTS

Compared with normal breast tissue, LINC01569 was significantly reduced in patients with TNBC subtype, and LINC01569 expression gradually decreased with the progression of tumor stage. Patients with TNBC with high lncRNA LINC01569 levels had a better prognosis than did patients with low LINC01569 levels. LINC01569 overexpression inhibited the migration capability, whereas siRNA-mediated LINC01569 downregulation promoted the migration capability in TNBC cells. Using ENCORI and lncRNA SNP online databases, miR-300 was screened as the potential sponge of LINC01569. The binding of LINC01569 to miR-300 was confirmed using the dual-luciferase reporter and RNA pull-down assays. miR-300 was negatively correlated with LINC01569, and miR-300 mimics eliminated the anti-proliferation and anti-migration effects of LINC01569 on TNBC cells. Additionally, FILIP1L was further verified as the downstream target of miR-300. miR-300 mimics blocked LINC01569 upregulation-mediated elevation of FILIP1L. Importantly, the anti-tumor effects mediated by LINC01569 overexpression were abolished by miR-300 mimics and further restored by FILIP1L upregulation.

CONCLUSIONS

LINC01569 was expressed at a low level in TNBC and could sponge miR-300 to promote FILIP1L expression, reducing the proliferation and metastasis capability of TNBC. Thus, LINC01569 might be a useful biomarker in the diagnosis and prognosis of metastatic TNBC.

Expression Levels of MicroRNA-300/BCL2L11 in Papillary Thyroid Cancer and Their Clinical Diagnostic Values

INTRODUCTION

This research aims to explore the expression levels of microRNA (miRNA)-300/BCL-2-like protein 11 (BCL2L11) and their values in the clinical diagnosis of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC).

METHODS

Pathological tissues that were surgically removed for thyroid disease were selected. miR-300 and BCL2L11 expression levels in the samples were measured. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted to analyze miR-300 and BCL2L11 predictive values for PTC. Upon silencing miR-300 and silencing BCL2L11 in PTC cells, the corresponding miR-300 and BCL2L11 expression levels were tested, followed by examining PTC cell activities. The targeting relationship of miR-300 and BCL2L11 was detected by the bioinformatics website and luciferase activity assay.

RESULTS

miR-300 expression levels were elevated and BCL2L11 expression levels were reduced in PTC tissues. miR-300 and BCL2L11 expression levels in PTC tissues had a correlation with TNM stage and lymph node metastasis. The results of ROC curve revealed that both miR-300 and BCL2L11 had clinical predictive values for PTC. Mechanistically, miR-300 negatively regulated BCL2L11. The functional assays unveiled that silencing miR-300 impeded PTC cell activities, and silencing BCL2L11 induced PTC cell activities. In the rescue experiment, silencing BCL2L11 reversed the impacts of silencing miR-300 on PTC cell development.

CONCLUSION

This study underlines that miR-300 expression is increased and BCL2L11 expression is declined in PTC. miR-300 and BCL2L11 both have clinical predictive values for diagnosing PTC.

Fatty Acid 2-Hydroxylase and 2-Hydroxylated Sphingolipids: Metabolism and Function in Health and Diseases

Sphingolipids containing acyl residues that are hydroxylated at C-2 are found in most, if not all, eukaryotes and certain bacteria. 2-hydroxylated sphingolipids are present in many organs and cell types, though they are especially abundant in myelin and skin. The enzyme fatty acid 2-hydroxylase (FA2H) is involved in the synthesis of many but not all 2-hydroxylated sphingolipids. Deficiency in FA2H causes a neurodegenerative disease known as hereditary spastic paraplegia 35 (HSP35/SPG35) or fatty acid hydroxylase-associated neurodegeneration (FAHN). FA2H likely also plays a role in other diseases. A low expression level of FA2H correlates with a poor prognosis in many cancers. This review presents an updated overview of the metabolism and function of 2-hydroxylated sphingolipids and the FA2H enzyme under physiological conditions and in diseases.

PVT1/miR-16/CCND1 axis regulates gastric cancer progression

Long non-coding RNA plasmacytoma variant translocation 1 (PVT1) has been reported to be a vital modulator in tumorigenesis of gastric cancer (GC). However, the detailed regulatory mechanism of PVT1 in GC remains largely unclear. In this work, the expressions of PVT1 and microRNA-16 (miR-16) were detected by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) in GC tissues and cell lines. GC cell lines NCI-N87 and MKN45 cell lines were chosen for the following assays. After PVT1 was overexpressed or depleted, CCK-8 and Transwell assays were performed to examine the cell viability and invasive capacity. Cell cycle was analyzed by flow cytometry. The expression of cyclin D1 (CCND1) at mRNA and protein levels was measured by qRT-PCR and western blot. The competitive endogenous RNA molecular mechanism among PVT1, miR-16 and CCND1 was verified by bioinformatics analysis, luciferase-reporter gene assay and RNA immunoprecipitation assay. In the present study, it was revealed that PVT1 expression was remarkably evaluated in GC tissues and cell lines than that in the corresponding control group. PVT1 positively regulated the proliferation, migration and cell cycle progression of GC cells. Besides, miR-16 was identified as a target of PVT1, and CCND1 was identified as a target of miR-16. The depletion of PVT1 promoted the expression of miR-16 and suppressed CCND1 expression. Moreover, either miR-16 inhibitor or CCND1 overexpression plasmid could reverse the promoting effects of PVT1 on the malignant biological behaviors of GC cells. In conclusion, PVT1 promoted CCND1 expression by negatively regulating miR-16 expression to enhance the viability, invasion and cell cycle progression of GC cells.

MicroRNA-300 Inhibits the Proliferation and Metastasis of Cervical Cancer Cells via Posttranscriptional Suppression of G Protein-Coupled Receptor 34 (GPR34)

Cervical cancer is one of the dominant gynecological disorders which has poor prognosis and often diagnosed at advanced stages where it becomes nearly impossible to effectively manage this disorder. MicroRNA-300 (miR-300) has dual role in human tumorogenesis. However, characterization of its regulatory action has not been made in cervical cancer. The molecular role of miR-300 in cervical cancer was thus explored in the present study with prime focus on elucidating its mechanism of action. The results showed significant (P < 0.05) downregulation of miR-300 in cervical cancer. Overexpression of miR-300 in cervical cancer cells inhibited their proliferation in vitro by inducing apoptosis. Cervical cancer cells overexpressing miR-300 also showed decreased rates of migration and invasion. G protein-coupled receptor 34 (GPR34) was found to be the functional regulatory target of miR-300 in cervical cancer. GPR34 was found to be significantly (P < 0.05) overexpressed in cervical cancer tissues and cell lines. Silencing of GPR34 inhibited the growth of the cervical cancer cells. However, overexpression of GPR34 could prevent the tumor-suppressive effects of miR-300 on cervical cancer cells. Collectively, the results of the current study are indicative of the tumor-suppressive regulatory role of miR-300 in cervical cancer and suggestive of the potential therapeutic value of miR-300/GPR34 molecular axis.

Neurodegenerative Disorders: Spotlight on Sphingolipids

Neurodegenerative diseases are incurable diseases of the nervous system that lead to a progressive loss of brain areas and neuronal subtypes, which is associated with an increase in symptoms that can be linked to the affected brain areas. The key findings that appear in many neurodegenerative diseases are deposits of proteins and the damage of mitochondria, which mainly affect energy production and mitophagy. Several causative gene mutations have been identified in various neurodegenerative diseases; however, a large proportion are considered sporadic. In the last decade, studies linking lipids, and in particular sphingolipids, to neurodegenerative diseases have shown the importance of these sphingolipids in the underlying pathogenesis. Sphingolipids are bioactive lipids consisting of a sphingoid base linked to a fatty acid and a hydrophilic head group. They are involved in various cellular processes, such as cell growth, apoptosis, and autophagy, and are an essential component of the brain. In this review, we will cover key findings that demonstrate the relevance of sphingolipids in neurodegenerative diseases and will focus on neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation and Parkinson’s disease.

Therapeutic Potential of Natural Products in Treatment of Cervical Cancer: A Review

Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer among women worldwide. Though several natural products have been reported regarding their efficacies against cervical cancer, there has been no review article that categorized them according to their anti-cancer mechanisms. In this study, anti-cancerous natural products against cervical cancer were collected using Pubmed (including Medline) and google scholar, published within three years. Their mechanisms were categorized as induction of apoptosis, inhibition of angiogenesis, inhibition of metastasis, reduction of resistance, and regulation of miRNAs. A total of 64 natural products suppressed cervical cancer. Among them, Penicillium sclerotiorum extracts from Cassia fistula L., ethanol extracts from Bauhinia variegate candida, thymoquinone obtained from Nigella sativa, lipid-soluble extracts of Pinellia pedatisecta Schott., and 1'S-1'-acetoxychavicol extracted from Alpinia conchigera have been shown to have multi-effects against cervical cancer. In conclusion, natural products could be attractive candidates for novel anti-cancer drugs.