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Aria H, Azizi M, Nazem S, Mansoori B, Darbeheshti F, Niazmand A, Daraei A, Mansoori Y. Competing endogenous RNAs regulatory crosstalk networks: The messages from the RNA world to signaling pathways directing cancer stem cell development. Heliyon 2024; 10:e35208. [PMID: 39170516 PMCID: PMC11337742 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e35208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2024] [Revised: 07/08/2024] [Accepted: 07/24/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are one of the cell types that account for cancer heterogeneity. The cancer cells arrest in G0 and generate non-CSC progeny through self-renewal and pluripotency, resulting in tumor recurrence, metastasis, and resistance to chemotherapy. They can stimulate tumor relapse and re-grow a metastatic tumor. So, CSCs is a promising target for eradicating tumors, and developing an anti-CSCs therapy has been considered. In recent years competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) has emerged as a significant class of post-transcriptional regulators that affect gene expression via competition for microRNA (miRNA) binding. Furthermore, aberrant ceRNA expression is associated with tumor progression. Recent findings show that ceRNA network can cause tumor progression through the effect on CSCs. To overcome therapeutic resistance due to CSCs, we need to improve our current understanding of the mechanisms by which ceRNAs are implicated in CSC-related relapse. Thus, this review was designed to discuss the role of ceRNAs in CSCs' function. Targeting ceRNAs may open the path for new cancer therapeutic targets and can be used in clinical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamid Aria
- Noncommunicable Diseases Research Center, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Mahdieh Azizi
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Shima Nazem
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Behnam Mansoori
- Pediatrics Department, School of Medicine, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
| | - Farzaneh Darbeheshti
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Anoosha Niazmand
- Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Abdolreza Daraei
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Center, Health Research Institute, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
| | - Yaser Mansoori
- Noncommunicable Diseases Research Center, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
- Department of Medical Genetics, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
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Shen C, Bi Y, Chai W, Zhang Z, Yang S, Liu Y, Wu Z, Peng F, Fan Z, Hu H. Construction and validation of a metabolism-associated gene signature for predicting the prognosis, immune landscape, and drug sensitivity in bladder cancer. BMC Med Genomics 2023; 16:264. [PMID: 37880682 PMCID: PMC10601123 DOI: 10.1186/s12920-023-01678-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumor Metabolism is strongly correlated with prognosis. Nevertheless, the prognostic and therapeutic value of metabolic-associated genes in BCa patients has not been fully elucidated. First, in this study, metabolism-related differential expressed genes DEGs with prognostic value in BCa were determined. Through the consensus clustering algorithm, we identified two molecular clusters with significantly different clinicopathological features and survival prognosis. Next, a novel metabolism-related prognostic model was established. Its reliable predictive performance in BCa was verified by multiple external datasets. Multivariate Cox analysis exhibited that risk score were independent prognostic factors. Interestingly, GSEA enrichment analysis of GO, KEGG, and Hallmark gene sets showed that the biological processes and pathways associated with ECM and collagen binding in the high-risk group were significantly enriched. Notely, the model was also significantly correlated with drug sensitivity, immune cell infiltration, and immunotherapy efficacy prediction by the wilcox rank test and chi-square test. Based on the 7 immune infiltration algorithm, we found that Neutrophils, Myeloid dendritic cells, M2 macrophages, Cancer-associated fibroblasts, etc., were more concentrated in the high-risk group. Additionally, in the IMvigor210, GSE111636, GSE176307, or our Truce01 (registration number NCT04730219) cohorts, the expression levels of multiple model genes were significantly correlated with objective responses to anti-PD-1/anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy. Finally, the expression of interested model genes were verified in 10 pairs of BCa tissues and para-carcinoma tissues by the HPA and real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR. Altogether, the signature established and validated by us has high predictive power for the prognosis, immunotherapy responsiveness, and chemotherapy sensitivity of BCa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chong Shen
- Department of Urology, The Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, 23 Pingjiang Road, Jianshan Street, Hexi, Tianjin, 300211, People's Republic of China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Urology, Tianjin Institute of Urology, Tianjin, 300211, China
| | - Yuxin Bi
- Department of Urology, The Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, 23 Pingjiang Road, Jianshan Street, Hexi, Tianjin, 300211, People's Republic of China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Urology, Tianjin Institute of Urology, Tianjin, 300211, China
| | - Wang Chai
- Department of Urology, The Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, 23 Pingjiang Road, Jianshan Street, Hexi, Tianjin, 300211, People's Republic of China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Urology, Tianjin Institute of Urology, Tianjin, 300211, China
| | - Zhe Zhang
- Department of Urology, The Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, 23 Pingjiang Road, Jianshan Street, Hexi, Tianjin, 300211, People's Republic of China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Urology, Tianjin Institute of Urology, Tianjin, 300211, China
| | - Shaobo Yang
- Department of Urology, The Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, 23 Pingjiang Road, Jianshan Street, Hexi, Tianjin, 300211, People's Republic of China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Urology, Tianjin Institute of Urology, Tianjin, 300211, China
| | - Yuejiao Liu
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhu Xianyi Memorial Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhouliang Wu
- Department of Urology, The Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, 23 Pingjiang Road, Jianshan Street, Hexi, Tianjin, 300211, People's Republic of China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Urology, Tianjin Institute of Urology, Tianjin, 300211, China
| | - Fei Peng
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, the Peoples Hospital of Yuxi City, Yunnan, China
| | - Zhenqian Fan
- Department of Endocrinology, The Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, 23 Pingjiang Road, Jianshan Street, Hexi, Tianjin, 300211, People's Republic of China.
| | - Hailong Hu
- Department of Urology, The Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, 23 Pingjiang Road, Jianshan Street, Hexi, Tianjin, 300211, People's Republic of China.
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Urology, Tianjin Institute of Urology, Tianjin, 300211, China.
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Kamalabadi-Farahani M, Atashi A, Eslami MM. Downregulation of circ-Foxo3 in breast cancer stem-like cells. BMC Res Notes 2023; 16:132. [PMID: 37400900 DOI: 10.1186/s13104-023-06405-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/05/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Cancer cells having stem cell characteristics are linked to metastasis and relapse in breast cancer. Circ-Foxo3, as a circular RNA, has been linked to the breast cancer lethal traits. This study's objective was to assess circ-Foxo3 expression in breast cancer stem-like cells. After isolation from tumor mass, breast cancer cells were subjected to the reliable in vitro assay of spheroid formation to determine the presence cancer stem cells (CSCs). We used a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction to examine circ-Foxo3 expression in spheroids. RESULTS Circ-Foxo3 expression was significantly downregulated in spheroid-forming tumor cells, according to our data. This study demonstrated that breast CSCs have downregulated circ-Foxo3 expression, which may allow these cells to evade apoptosis. A precise analysis of this circRNA's role could be exploited to develop focused therapeutic approaches to fight breast CSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Amir Atashi
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Shahroud University of Medical Sciences, Shahroud, Iran
| | - Mohammad Masoud Eslami
- Department of Hematology, School of Medicine, Tarbiat Modares University (TMU), Tehran, Iran
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Liu Q, Li R, Wu H, Liang Z. A novel cuproptosis-related gene model predicts outcomes and treatment responses in pancreatic adenocarcinoma. BMC Cancer 2023; 23:226. [PMID: 36894917 PMCID: PMC9999523 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-023-10678-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cuproptosis is recently emerging as a hot spot in cancer research. However, its role in pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD) has not yet been clarified. This study aimed to explore the prognostic and therapeutic implications of cuproptosis-related genes in PAAD. METHODS Two hundred thirteen PAAD samples from the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) were split into training and validation sets in the ratio of 7:3. The Cox regression analyses generated a prognostic model using the ICGC cohort for training (n = 152) and validation (n = 61). The model was externally tested on the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) (n = 80) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) datasets (n = 176). The clinical characteristics, molecular mechanisms, immune landscape, and treatment responses in model-defined subgroups were explored. The expression of an independent prognostic gene TSC22D2 was confirmed by public databases, real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), western blot (WB), and immunohistochemistry (IHC). RESULTS A prognostic model was established based on three cuproptosis-related genes (TSC22D2, C6orf136, PRKDC). Patients were stratified into high- and low-risk groups using the risk score based on this model. PAAD patients in the high-risk group had a worse prognosis. The risk score was statistically significantly correlated with most clinicopathological characteristics. The risk score based on this model was an independent predictor of overall survival (OS) (HR = 10.7, p < 0.001), and was utilized to create a scoring nomogram with excellent prognostic value. High-risk patients had a higher TP53 mutation rate and a superior response to multiple targeted therapies and chemotherapeutic drugs, but might obtain fewer benefits from immunotherapy. Moreover, elevated TSC22D2 expression was discovered to be an independent prognostic predictor for OS (p < 0.001). Data from public databases and our own experiments showed that TSC22D2 expression was significantly higher in pancreatic cancer tissues/cells compared to normal tissues/cells. CONCLUSION This novel model based on cuproptosis-related genes provided a robust biomarker for predicting the prognosis and treatment responses of PAAD. The potential roles and underlying mechanisms of TSC22D2 in PAAD need further explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qixian Liu
- Molecular Pathology Research Center, Department of Pathology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Ruiyu Li
- Molecular Pathology Research Center, Department of Pathology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Huanwen Wu
- Molecular Pathology Research Center, Department of Pathology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
| | - Zhiyong Liang
- Molecular Pathology Research Center, Department of Pathology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
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Eptaminitaki GC, Zaravinos A, Stellas D, Panagopoulou M, Karaliota S, Baltsavia I, Iliopoulos I, Chatzaki E, Iliopoulos D, Baritaki S. Genome-Wide Analysis of lncRNA-mRNA Co-Expression Networks in CD133+/CD44+ Stem-like PDAC Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15041053. [PMID: 36831395 PMCID: PMC9954787 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15041053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), the second most prevalent gastrointestinal malignancy and the most common type of pancreatic cancer is linked with poor prognosis and, eventually, with high mortality rates. Early detection is seldom, while tumor heterogeneity and microarchitectural alterations benefit PDAC resistance to conventional therapeutics. Although emerging evidence suggest the core role of cancer stem cells (CSCs) in PDAC aggressiveness, unique stem signatures are poorly available, thus limiting the efforts of anti-CSC-targeted therapy. Herein, we report the findings of the first genome-wide analyses of mRNA/lncRNA transcriptome profiling and co-expression networks in PDAC cell line-derived CD133+/CD44+ cells, which were shown to bear a CSC-like phenotype in vitro and in vivo. Compared to CD133-/CD44- cells, the CD133+/CD44+ population demonstrated significant expression differences in both transcript pools. Using emerging bioinformatic tools, we performed lncRNA target coding gene prediction analysis, which revealed significant Gene Ontology (GO), pathway, and network enrichments in many dyregulated lncRNA nearby (cis or trans) mRNAs, with reported involvement in the regulation of CSC phenotype and functions. In this context, the construction of lncRNA/mRNA networks by ingenuity platforms identified the lncRNAs ATF2, CHEK1, DCAF8, and PAX8 to interact with "hub" SC-associated mRNAs. In addition, the expressions of the above lncRNAs retrieved by TCGA-normalized RNAseq gene expression data of PAAD were significantly correlated with clinicopathological features of PDAC, including tumor grade and stage, nodal metastasis, and overall survival. Overall, our findings shed light on the identification of CSC-specific lncRNA signatures with potential prognostic and therapeutic significance in PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giasemi C. Eptaminitaki
- Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, Division of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
| | - Apostolos Zaravinos
- Basic and Translational Cancer Research Center (BTCRC), Genomics and Systems Biology Laboratory, Cancer Genetics, Nicosia 1516, Cyprus
- Department of Life Sciences, School of Sciences, European University Cyprus, Nicosia 2404, Cyprus
| | - Dimitris Stellas
- Institute of Chemical Biology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, 11635 Athens, Greece
| | - Maria Panagopoulou
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Medical School, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece
- Institute of Agri-Food and Life Sciences, Hellenic Mediterranean University Research Centre, 71410 Heraklion, Greece
| | - Sevasti Karaliota
- Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, Division of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
| | - Ismini Baltsavia
- Laboratory of Computational Biology, Division of Basic Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
| | - Ioannis Iliopoulos
- Laboratory of Computational Biology, Division of Basic Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
| | - Ekaterini Chatzaki
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Medical School, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece
- Institute of Agri-Food and Life Sciences, Hellenic Mediterranean University Research Centre, 71410 Heraklion, Greece
| | | | - Stavroula Baritaki
- Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, Division of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +30-281-039-4727
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Liu J, Yang H, Deng J, Jiang R, Meng E, Wu H. CircRPPH1 promotes the stemness of gastric cancer cells by targeting miR-375/SLC7A11 axis. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY 2023; 38:115-125. [PMID: 36190453 DOI: 10.1002/tox.23668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Revised: 08/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
This study mainly focuses on revealing the role of circRPPH1 in gastric cancer cell stemness. In vitro and in vivo experiments were performed to evaluate the effects of circRPPH1 on gastric cancer cell stemness. Luciferase reporter and RIP assays were implemented to reveal the underlying mechanisms. MiR-375 directly bound to circRPPH1 in gastric cancer cells. And circRPPH1 acted as an miR-375 sponge to positively regulate SLC7A11 expression, which has been confirmed to be the direct target of miR-375 in gastric cancer, and thus regulated ferroptosis. Moreover, circRPPH1 promoted the stemness of gastric cancer cells dependent on the miR-375/SLC7A11. This study provides a potential target for gastric cancer progression based on the circRPPH1/miR-375/SLC7A11 regulatory axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayun Liu
- Department of Digestive Tumor Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Huanjuan Yang
- Department of Medical, Qinghai Provincial People's Hospital, Xining, People's Republic of China
| | - Jie Deng
- Department of Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Rongqi Jiang
- Department of Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Enqing Meng
- Department of Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Hao Wu
- Department of Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
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Circ-CREBBP inhibits sperm apoptosis via the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway by sponging miR-10384 and miR-143-3p. Commun Biol 2022; 5:1339. [PMID: 36476986 PMCID: PMC9729231 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-04263-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Male reproductive diseases are becoming increasingly prominent, and sperm quality is an important indicator to reflect these diseases. Seminal plasma extracellular vesicles (SPEVs) are involved in sperm motility. However, their effects on sperm remain unclear. Here, we identified 222 differentially expressed circRNAs in SPEVs between boars with high or low sperm motility. We found that circ-CREBBP promoted sperm motility and inhibited sperm apoptosis by sponging miR-10384 and miR-143-3p. In addition, miR-10384 and miR-143-3p can regulate the expression of MCL1, CREB1 and CREBBP. Furthermore, we demonstrated that MCL1 interacted directly with BAX and that CREBBP interacted with CREB1 in sperm. We showed that inhibition of circ-CREBBP can reduce the expression of MCL1, CREB1 and CREBBP and increase the expression of BAX and CASP3, thus promoting sperm apoptosis. Our results suggest that circ-CREBBP may be a promising biomarker and therapeutic target for male reproductive diseases.
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C-Fos-activated circRPPH1 contributes to glioma stemness. Clin Transl Oncol 2022; 25:1277-1286. [PMID: 36454517 DOI: 10.1007/s12094-022-03022-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Cancer stem cells or cancer stemness has been confirmed to a major obstacle for glioma progression and it has also been reported that circRNAs play an important part in cancer progression. This study mainly focuses on revealing the role of circRPPH1 and the underlying mechanisms in glioma cell stemness. METHODS In vitro experiment including RT-qPCR, Western blot, sphere-formation analysis, and ALDH1 activity, and in vivo tumorigenesis experiments were performed to evaluate the effects of circRPPH1 on glioma cell stemness. Luciferase reporter, ChIP, and DNA pull-down analysis were used to reveal the underlying mechanisms. RESULTS It was found that circRPPH1 level was upregulated in glioma cell spheres and facilitated the stemness of glioma cells; C-FOS transcriptionally activated circRPPH1 expression via directly binding to circRPPH1 promoter in glioma cells. Moreover, circRPPH1 promoted the stemness of glioma cells dependent on c-FOS-mediated transcriptional activation. CONCLUSIONS This study indicates that c-Fos-activated circRPPH1 contributes to glioma stemness and provides a potential target for glioma progression based on the c-FOS/circRPPH1 regulatory axis.
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Xiao J, Joseph S, Xia M, Teng F, Chen X, Huang R, Zhai L, Deng W. Circular RNAs Acting as miRNAs’ Sponges and Their Roles in Stem Cells. J Clin Med 2022; 11:jcm11102909. [PMID: 35629034 PMCID: PMC9145679 DOI: 10.3390/jcm11102909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Circular RNAs (circRNAs), a novel type of endogenous RNAs, have become a subject of intensive research. It has been found that circRNAs are important players in cell differentiation and tissue homeostasis, as well as disease development. Moreover, the expression of circRNAs is usually not correlated with their parental gene expression, indicating that they are not only a steady-state by-product of mRNA splicing but a product of variable splicing under novel regulation. Sequence conservation analysis has also demonstrated that circRNAs have important non-coding functions. CircRNAs exist as a covalently closed loop form in mammalian cells, where they regulate cellular transcription and translation processes. CircRNAs are built from pre-messenger RNAs, and their biogenesis involves back-splicing, which is catalyzed by spliceosomes. The splicing reaction gives rise to three different types of intronic, exotic and exon–intron circular RNAs. Due to higher nuclease stability and longer half lives in cells, circRNAs are more stable than linear RNAs and have enormous clinical advantage for use as diagnostic and therapeutic biomarkers for disease. In recent years, it has been reported that circRNAs in stem cells play a crucial role in stem cell function. In this article, we reviewed the general feature of circRNAs and the distinct roles of circRNAs in stem cell biology, including regulation of stem cell self-renewal and differentiation. CircRNAs have shown unique expression profiles during differentiation of stem cells and could serve as promising biomarkers of these cells. As circRNAs play pivotal roles in stem cell regulation as well as the development and progression of various diseases, we also discuss opportunities and challenges of circRNA-based treatment strategies in future effective therapies for promising clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Xiao
- School of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang 441053, China; (J.X.); (S.J.); (M.X.); (F.T.); (X.C.); (R.H.)
| | - Shija Joseph
- School of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang 441053, China; (J.X.); (S.J.); (M.X.); (F.T.); (X.C.); (R.H.)
| | - Mengwei Xia
- School of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang 441053, China; (J.X.); (S.J.); (M.X.); (F.T.); (X.C.); (R.H.)
| | - Feng Teng
- School of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang 441053, China; (J.X.); (S.J.); (M.X.); (F.T.); (X.C.); (R.H.)
| | - Xuejiao Chen
- School of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang 441053, China; (J.X.); (S.J.); (M.X.); (F.T.); (X.C.); (R.H.)
| | - Rufeng Huang
- School of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang 441053, China; (J.X.); (S.J.); (M.X.); (F.T.); (X.C.); (R.H.)
| | - Lihong Zhai
- School of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang 441053, China; (J.X.); (S.J.); (M.X.); (F.T.); (X.C.); (R.H.)
- Correspondence: (L.Z.); (W.D.)
| | - Wenbin Deng
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 510060, China
- Jiangxi Deshang Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Zhangshu 336000, China
- Correspondence: (L.Z.); (W.D.)
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Sun H, Liu F, Zhang H. Circ_0072008, an oncogene in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, contributes to tumour cell malignant progression and glycolysis by regulating miR-545-3p/SLC7A11 axis. Autoimmunity 2022; 55:203-213. [PMID: 35166634 DOI: 10.1080/08916934.2022.2027919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Revised: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The hsa_circRNA_103809 (circ_0072088) has been an emerging tumour regulator in human cancers, and is identified as one most aberrantly expressed circRNA in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). However, the role of circ_0072088 remains unclear in PDAC cells. METHODS Expression of circ_0072088, microRNA (miR)-545-3p and solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11) was detected by real-time quantitative PCR and western blotting. Cell progression was measured by cell counting kit (CCK)-8 assay, transwell assays and flow cytometry, as well as xenograft tumour models. Glycolysis was evaluated by commercial assay kits. The interaction among circ_0072088, miR-545-3p and SLC7A11 was confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter assay. RESULTS Circ_0072088 was upregulated in PDAC tumours and cells; besides, high circ_0072088 level was associated with high tumour-node-metastasis (TNM) stage. The circ_0072088 siRNA suppressed cell viability, migration, invasion, extracellular acidification rate (ECAR), lactate production, glucose uptake, and ATP generation, but promoted apoptosis rate and oxygen consumption rate (OCR) in SW1990 and PANC-1 cells. In vivo, circ_0072088 knockdown retarded tumour growth of PANC-1 cells. Overexpressing miR-545-3p mimicked circ_0072088 siRNA-induced actions, and inhibited cell progression and glycolysis of SW1990 and PANC-1 cells. Moreover, SLC7A11 downregulation could be mediated by both circ_0072008 siRNA and miR-545-3p mimic, and participating in suppressive role in cell progression and glycolysis of SW1990 and PANC-1 cells. In mechanism, miR-545-3p was targeted by circ_0072008, and SLC7A11 was target of miR-545-3p. CONCLUSION Circ_0072088 elicited oncogenic role in malignant cell progression and glycolysis of PDAC cells through circ_0072088/miR-545-3p/SLC7A11 pathway.HighlightsCirc_0072088 was upregulated in PDAC tumours and was associated with high tumour burden.Blocking circ_0072088 suppressed cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and glycolysis in PDAC cells.Circ_0072088 could directly regulate miR-545-3p, and SLC7A11 was a target of miR-545-3p.Restoring miR-545-3p mimicked the effects of circ_0072088 knockdown in PDAC cell in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Sun
- Department of Gastroenterology, Laiyang Central Hospital of Yantai City, Yantai, China
| | - Fang Liu
- Department of Oncology, Zaozhuang Mining Group Central Hospital, Zaozhuang, China
| | - Hongqing Zhang
- Department of Intensive Care Unit, Tengzhou Central People's Hospital of Shandong Province, Tengzhou City, China
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Zhou P, Chen X, Shi K, Qu H, Xia J. The characteristics, tumorigenicities and therapeutics of cancer stem cells based on circRNAs. Pathol Res Pract 2022; 233:153822. [DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2022.153822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Revised: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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Lu HJ, Li J, Yang G, Yi CJ, Zhang D, Yu F, Ma Z. Circular RNAs in stem cells: from basic research to clinical implications. Biosci Rep 2022; 42:BSR20212510. [PMID: 34908111 PMCID: PMC8738868 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20212510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a special class of endogenous RNAs with a wide variety of pathophysiological functions via diverse mechanisms, including transcription, microRNA (miRNA) sponge, protein sponge/decoy, and translation. Stem cells are pluripotent cells with unique properties of self-renewal and differentiation. Dysregulated circRNAs identified in various stem cell types can affect stem cell self-renewal and differentiation potential by manipulating stemness. However, the emerging roles of circRNAs in stem cells remain largely unknown. This review summarizes the major functions and mechanisms of action of circRNAs in stem cell biology and disease progression. We also highlight circRNA-mediated common pathways in diverse stem cell types and discuss their diagnostic significance with respect to stem cell-based therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui-Juan Lu
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Yangtze University, Health Science Center, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei 434023, China
- School of Basic Medicine, Health Science Center, Yangtze University, 1 Nanhuan Road, Jingzhou, Hubei 434023, China
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei 434023, China
| | - Juan Li
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Health, Ministry of Education, Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
| | - Guodong Yang
- Department of Oncology, Huanggang Central Hospital of Yangtze University, Huanggang, Hubei 438000, China
| | - Cun-Jian Yi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei 434023, China
| | - Daping Zhang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Yangtze University, Health Science Center, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei 434023, China
- School of Basic Medicine, Health Science Center, Yangtze University, 1 Nanhuan Road, Jingzhou, Hubei 434023, China
| | - Fenggang Yu
- Institute of Life Science, Yinfeng Biological Group, Jinan 250000, China
| | - Zhaowu Ma
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Yangtze University, Health Science Center, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei 434023, China
- School of Basic Medicine, Health Science Center, Yangtze University, 1 Nanhuan Road, Jingzhou, Hubei 434023, China
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13
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Cao Y, Tao Q, Kao X, Zhu X. Hsa-circRNA-103809 Promotes Hepatocellular Carcinoma Development via MicroRNA-1270/PLAG1 Like Zinc Finger 2 Axis. Dig Dis Sci 2021; 66:1524-1532. [PMID: 32683589 DOI: 10.1007/s10620-020-06416-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2019] [Accepted: 06/14/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the worldwide. A great number of reports manifested that circular RNA hsa-circRNA-103809 (circRNA-103809) could work in several cancers. AIMS This study aimed to explore the function and mechanism of circRNA-103809 in HCC. METHODS Gene expressions were detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Colony formation, cell counting kit-8, transwell and wound healing assays were implemented to check the role of circRNA-103809 in HCC. Subcellular fractionation analysis was designed to figure out the cellular location of circRNA-103809. Luciferase reporter assay and RNA pull down assay were employed to verify the relationships among RNAs. RESULTS CircRNA-103809 was highly expressed in HCC cell lines. After interfering circRNA-103809, the proliferation, migration, invasion and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition process were all hindered in HCC cells. Significantly, circRNA-103809 competed with PLAG1 like zinc finger 2 (PLAGL2) for binding with microRNA-1270 (miR-1270), which formulated a competing endogenous RNA network in HCC. Thereafter, we verified the tumor-facilitating effect of circRNA-103809/miR-1270/PLAGL2 axis on biological behaviors of HCC cells. CONCLUSION Hsa-circRNA-103809 promoted development of HCC via sequestering miR-1270 and up-regulating PLAGL2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajuan Cao
- Department of General Surgery, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, No. 321 Zhongshan Road, Nanjing, 210000, Jiangsu, China
| | - Qingsong Tao
- Department of General Surgery, Zhongda Hospital, Clinical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, 210000, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiaoming Kao
- Department of General Surgery, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210000, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xinhua Zhu
- Department of General Surgery, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, No. 321 Zhongshan Road, Nanjing, 210000, Jiangsu, China.
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Chen S, Chen C, Hu Y, Song G, Shen X. The diverse roles of circular RNAs in pancreatic cancer. Pharmacol Ther 2021; 226:107869. [PMID: 33895187 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2021.107869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Revised: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is one of the malignant tumors with poor prognosis. The molecular mechanisms of pancreatic oncogenesis and malignant progression are not fully elucidated. Several key signaling pathways, such as Notch, Wnt and hedgehog pathways, are important to drive pancreatic carcinogenesis. Recently, noncoding RNAs, especially circular RNAs (circRNAs), have been characterized to participate into pancreatic cancer development. Therefore, in this review article, we describe the association between circRNAs and pancreatic cancer prognosis. Moreover, we discuss how circRNAs are involved in regulation of cellular processes in pancreatic cancer, including proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle, migration, invasion, EMT, metastasis, angiogenesis, drug resistance and immune escape. Furthermore, we mention that several compounds could regulate the expression of circRNAs, indicating that targeting circRNAs by compounds might be helpful for treating pancreatic cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sian Chen
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, China
| | - Chenbin Chen
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, China
| | - Yuanbo Hu
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, China
| | - Gendi Song
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, China
| | - Xian Shen
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, China.
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Circ_03955 promotes pancreatic cancer tumorigenesis and Warburg effect by targeting the miR-3662/HIF-1α axis. Clin Transl Oncol 2021; 23:1905-1914. [PMID: 33864618 DOI: 10.1007/s12094-021-02599-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Former studies found that circRNAs play an important part in the occurrence of a variety of malignant biological characteristics that are critical for cancer progression. It has been shown that circ_03955 is highly expressed and implicated with quantities of biological processes in solid tumor. However, whether circ_03955 regulates the tumorigenesis and Warburg effect of pancreatic cancer (PC) remains largely unknown. MATERIALS AND METHODS The level of circ_03955 in PC tissues and cell lines was determined by real-time qPCR (RT-qPCR). Loss-of-function and gain-of-function assays were employed to investigate the biological role of circ_03955 in cell proliferation, apoptosis, and glycolysis. RT-qPCR, western blotting, bioinformatics analysis, luciferase reporter assay, and in vivo tumorigenicity assay were employed to determine the underlying mechanisms. RESULTS In this study, it was investigated that circ_03955 was up-regulated in PC clinical samples as well as PC cell lines and associated with poor clinical outcomes of PC patients. Functional assays revealed that circ_03955 exerts a certain stimulative effect on the growth of PC cells in vitro and in vivo. Circ_03955 also inhibited apoptosis and promotes Warburg effect in PC cells. Mechanistically, bioinformatics analysis indicated that circ_03955 acts as a sponge for microRNA (miR)-3662, and hypoxia-inducible factor 1ɑ (HIF-1ɑ) was one of the transcriptional targets of miR-3662. Importantly, genetic promoting of HIF-1ɑ or downregulation of miR-3662 largely compromised circ_03955 depletion mediated tumor-inhibiting effects. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, circ_03955 functions as a tumor promoter through miR-3662/HIF-1α axis, which might provide a novel sight for PC treatment.
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Yang L, Zou X, Zou J, Zhang G. Functions of circular RNAs in bladder, prostate and renal cell cancer (Review). Mol Med Rep 2021; 23:307. [PMID: 33649838 PMCID: PMC7974260 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2021.11946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a class of non-coding RNAs formed by covalently closed loops through back-splicing and exon-skipping. circRNAs have been confirmed to play a vital role in various biological functions, acting as microRNA sponges and reservoirs, as well as combining with RNA-binding proteins during the progression of multiple cancer types. Therefore, the present review evaluated recent research articles in PubMed that were published between November 2017 and September 2020. Key word search strings included: ‘Circular RNA (circRNA) AND bladder cancer (BC)’, ‘circular RNA (circRNA) AND prostate cancer (PCa)’ and ‘circular RNA (circRNA) AND renal cell cancer (RCC)’. In total, >58 circRNAs were found to be implicated in urological cancers, with several of the circRNAs targeting common carcinogenic pathways, such as the AKT, TGF-β, MAPK, VEGF and even metabolic pathways. circRNAs are important modulators of BC, PCa and RCC. circRNAs are functionally implicated in the pathogenesis of these cancer types, and have been found to act as biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of urological cancer. However, to the best of our knowledge, the functions of circRNAs in tumors of the urinary system remain largely unknown and require further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Longfei Yang
- First Clinical Medical College, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi 341000, P.R. China
| | - Xiaofeng Zou
- Department of Urology, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi 341000, P.R. China
| | - Junrong Zou
- Institute of Urology, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi 341000, P.R. China
| | - Guoxi Zhang
- Department of Urology, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi 341000, P.R. China
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Yang X, Ye T, Liu H, Lv P, Duan C, Wu X, Jiang K, Lu H, Xia D, Peng E, Chen Z, Tang K, Ye Z. Expression profiles, biological functions and clinical significance of circRNAs in bladder cancer. Mol Cancer 2021; 20:4. [PMID: 33397425 PMCID: PMC7780637 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-020-01300-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Circular RNAs (circRNAs), which are single-stranded closed-loop RNA molecules lacking terminal 5′ caps and 3′ poly(A) tails, are attracting increasing scientific attention for their crucial regulatory roles in the occurrence and development of various diseases. With the rapid development of high-throughput sequencing technologies, increasing numbers of differentially expressed circRNAs have been identified in bladder cancer (BCa) via exploration of the expression profiles of BCa and normal tissues and cell lines. CircRNAs are critically involved in BCa biological behaviours, including cell proliferation, tumour growth suppression, cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, invasion, migration, metastasis, angiogenesis, and cisplatin chemoresistance. Most of the studied circRNAs in BCa regulate cancer biological behaviours via miRNA sponging regulatory mechanisms. CircRNAs have been reported to be significantly associated with many clinicopathologic characteristics of BCa, including tumour size, grade, differentiation, and stage; lymph node metastasis; tumour numbers; distant metastasis; invasion; and recurrence. Moreover, circRNA expression levels can be used to predict BCa patients’ survival parameters, such as overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), and progression-free survival (PFS). The abundance, conservation, stability, specificity and detectability of circRNAs render them potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for BCa. Additionally, circRNAs play crucial regulatory roles upstream of various signalling pathways related to BCa carcinogenesis and progression, reflecting their potential as therapeutic targets for BCa. Herein, we briefly summarize the expression profiles, biological functions and mechanisms of circRNAs and the potential clinical applications of these molecules for BCa diagnosis, prognosis, and targeted therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoqi Yang
- Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Tao Ye
- Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Haoran Liu
- Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Peng Lv
- Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Chen Duan
- Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaoliang Wu
- Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Kehua Jiang
- Department of Urology, Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Guiyang, China
| | - Hongyan Lu
- Department of Urology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Ding Xia
- Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Ejun Peng
- Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhiqiang Chen
- Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Kun Tang
- Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
| | - Zhangqun Ye
- Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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Wang C, Ding S, Wang S, Shi Z, Pandey NK, Chudal L, Wang L, Zhang Z, Wen Y, Yao H, Lin L, Chen W, Xiong L. Endogenous tumor microenvironment-responsive multifunctional nanoplatforms for precision cancer theranostics. Coord Chem Rev 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ccr.2020.213529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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Cai Z, Li H. Circular RNAs and Bladder Cancer. Onco Targets Ther 2020; 13:9573-9586. [PMID: 33061440 PMCID: PMC7535116 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s268859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Bladder cancer (BC) is the most common urinary system malignancy and is a serious threat to human health. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are members of a newly defined class of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) that can regulate gene expression at the transcriptional or posttranscriptional level. Studies have shown that circRNAs are related to the clinicopathological characteristics, prognosis, and chemosensitivity of BC, and basic research has further confirmed that changes in the expression of circRNAs in BC are closely related to various tumor biological functions. CircRNAs promote tumor development by interacting with miRNAs to regulate transcription factors and both classical and nonclassical tumor signaling pathways. The nonclassical signaling pathways are related to cell cycle progression, epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), extracellular matrix maintenance, and tumor stem cell maintenance. In this article, the relationships between circRNAs and the clinical characteristics of BC are reviewed, and the molecular mechanisms by which circRNAs promote tumor development are explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhonglin Cai
- Department of Urology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongjun Li
- Department of Urology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
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Kyriazi AA, Papiris E, Kitsos Kalyvianakis K, Sakellaris G, Baritaki S. Dual Effects of Non-Coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in Cancer Stem Cell Biology. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21186658. [PMID: 32932969 PMCID: PMC7556003 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21186658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Revised: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The identification of cancer stem cells (CSCs) as initiators of carcinogenesis has revolutionized the era of cancer research and our perception for the disease treatment options. Additional CSC features, including self-renewal and migratory and invasive capabilities, have further justified these cells as putative diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic targets. Given the CSC plasticity, the identification of CSC-related biomarkers has been a serious burden in CSC characterization and therapeutic targeting. Over the past decades, a compelling amount of evidence has demonstrated critical regulatory functions of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) on the exclusive features of CSCs. We now know that ncRNAs may interfere with signaling pathways, vital for CSC phenotype maintenance, such as Notch, Wnt, and Hedgehog. Here, we discuss the multifaceted contribution of microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs), as representative ncRNA classes, in sustaining the CSC-like traits, as well as the underlying molecular mechanisms of their action in various CSC types. We further discuss the use of CSC-related ncRNAs as putative biomarkers of high diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic value.
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Affiliation(s)
- Athina A. Kyriazi
- Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, Division of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71500 Heraklion, Greece; (A.A.K.); (E.P.); (K.K.K.)
| | - Efstathios Papiris
- Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, Division of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71500 Heraklion, Greece; (A.A.K.); (E.P.); (K.K.K.)
| | - Konstantinos Kitsos Kalyvianakis
- Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, Division of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71500 Heraklion, Greece; (A.A.K.); (E.P.); (K.K.K.)
| | - George Sakellaris
- Surgery Unit, University General Hospital, 71500 Heraklion (PAGNH), Greece;
| | - Stavroula Baritaki
- Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, Division of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71500 Heraklion, Greece; (A.A.K.); (E.P.); (K.K.K.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +30-2810394727
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