MicroRNA miR-125a-3p modulates molecular pathway of motility and migration in prostate cancer cells

miRNAs as potential game-changers in bone diseases: Future medicinal and clinical uses

MicroRNAs (miRNAs), short, highly conserved non-coding RNA, influence gene expression by sequential mechanisms such as mRNA breakdown or translational repression. Many biological processes depend on these regulating substances, thus changes in their expression have an impact on the maintenance of cellular homeostasis and result in the emergence of a variety of diseases. Relevant studies have shown in recent years that miRNAs are involved in many stages of bone development and growth. Additionally, abnormal production of miRNA in bone tissues has been closely associated with the development of numerous bone disorders, such as osteonecrosis, bone cancer, and bone metastases. Many pathological processes, including bone loss, metastasis, the proliferation of osteosarcoma cells, and differentiation of osteoblasts and osteoclasts, are under the control of miRNAs. By bringing together the most up-to-date information on the clinical relevance of miRNAs in such diseases, this study hopes to further the study of the biological features of miRNAs in bone disorders and explore their potential as a therapeutic target.

FYN: emerging biological roles and potential therapeutic targets in cancer

Src family protein kinases (SFKs) play a key role in cell adhesion, invasion, proliferation, survival, apoptosis, and angiogenesis during tumor development. In humans, SFKs consists of eight family members with similar structure and function. There is a high level of overexpression or hyperactivity of SFKs in tumor, and they play an important role in multiple signaling pathways involved in tumorigenesis. FYN is a member of the SFKs that regulate normal cellular processes. Additionally, FYN is highly expressed in many cancers and promotes cancer growth and metastasis through diverse biological functions such as cell growth, apoptosis, and motility migration, as well as the development of drug resistance in many tumors. Moreover, FYN is involved in the regulation of multiple cancer-related signaling pathways, including interactions with ERK, COX-2, STAT5, MET and AKT. FYN is therefore an attractive therapeutic target for various tumor types, and suppressing FYN can improve the prognosis and prolong the life of patients. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of FYN's structure, expression, upstream regulators, downstream substrate molecules, and biological functions in tumors.

Exosome-Derived miRNAs as Potential Biomarkers for Prostate Bone Metastasis

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to identify the potential exosome-derived microRNAs (miRNAs) related to prostate cancer (Pca) bone metastasis.

Methods

Two datasets were collected. One dataset was from the authors’ institute, for which two groups of 10 patients each were designed: in the first one, the patients had early-stage localised Pca without bone metastasis, and in the other, the patients presented with Pca with bone metastasis. Then, the miRNA expression profiles of the blood exosomes were obtained and analysed. The other dataset was a public dataset of the miRNA expression transcriptome (GSE26964), which was downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). The results of both datasets were jointly analysed and the most bone-metastatic-related differentially expressed miRNAs (diff-miRNAs) were identified and further validated. Finally, a series of bioinformatics analyses were performed and the relationship between target genes of the diff-miRNAs and the pathogenesis and progression of bone metastasis of Pca were studied.

Results

From the authors’ dataset, in all, 313 diff-miRNAs were identified, of which 205 were up-regulated while 108 were down-regulated. From the GSE26964 dataset, 107 diff-miRNAs were found, of which 44 were up-regulated and 63 were down-regulated. Taking the intersection of the results of both datasets, four diff-miRNAs were identified: hsa-miR-125a-3p, hsa-miR-330-3p, hsa-miR-339-5p and hsa-miR-613. In all, 94 target genes of the four diff-miRNAs were predicted. After considering the intersection of the results from the GSE32269 dataset, we obtained 25 target genes. Although either positive or negative correlations were found among the diff-miRNAs with some of the target genes, there is a lack of evidence on how such correlations regulate the development and promotion of Pca bone metastasis.

Conclusion

Hsa-miR-125a-3p, hsa-miR-330-3p, hsa-miR-339-5p and hsa-miR-613 are potential biomarkers for Pca bone metastasis.

MicroRNA-1297 inhibits proliferation and promotes apoptosis in gastric cancer cells by downregulating CDC6 expression

Gastric cancer (GC), one of the most common malignant tumors and the second most common leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide, is a biologically heterogeneous disease accompanied by various genetic and epigenetic alterations. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this disease are complex and not completely understood. Increasing studies have shown that aberrant microRNA (miRNA) expression is associated with GC tumorigenesis and growth. MiR-1297 has been confirmed to be a cancer suppressor in diverse tumors in humans. However, to date, the function and mechanism of miR-1297 in GC have not been determined. Here, we found that the expression of miR-1297 was significantly reduced in GC tissues or GC cell lines compared with paracarcinoma normal tissue or normal cell lines. Exogenic overexpression of miR-1297 in GC cell lines can inhibit cell proliferation and colony formation and induce apoptosis, and inhibition of miR-1297 in GC cell lines can promote cell proliferation and colony formation, and reduce apoptosis in vitro. We further confirmed that miR-1297 acted as a tumor suppressor through targeting cell division control protein 6 (CDC6) in GC. Moreover, the inverse relationship between miR-1297 and CDC6 was verified in GC cell lines. Our results indicated that miR-1297 is a potent tumor suppressor in GC, and its antiproliferative and gene-regulatory effects are, in part, mediated through its downstream target gene, CDC6. These findings implied that miR-1297 might be used as a novel therapeutic target of GC.

miR-125a Induces HER2 Expression and Sensitivity to Trastuzumab in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Lines

The EGFR/HER2 signaling network is an effective therapeutic target for HER2-positive cancers, which are known for their aggressive biological course. Evidence indicates that the EGFR/HER2 network plays a role in the aggressive basal-like subtype as well. Here, we studied the potential role of miR-125a-3p as a modulator of the EGFR/HER2 pathway in basal-like breast cancer. Over-expression of miR-125a-3p reduced the migratory capability of MDA-MB-231 cells and led to an increase in the expression of ErbB2 transcript and protein. The induced ErbB2 responded to trastuzumab and underwent internalization and subsequent intra-lysosomal degradation. Trastuzumab treatment further reduced the migratory capability and induced the apoptosis of the cells. An in-vivo mouse model, which supported the in-vitro findings, showed a synergistic effect for miR-125a-3p and trastuzumab. Trastuzumab-treated miR-125a-3p-induced tumors were significantly smaller than control induced tumors. Our findings indicate that, in the basal-like subtype of breast cancer, miR-125a-3p may act as a tumor suppressor. miR-125a-3p induces an increase in the expression of ErbB2 that may render the cells suitable for treatment with anti-HER2 therapies.

MiRNA-Based Inspired Approach in Diagnosis of Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is one of the most encountered cancer diseases in men worldwide and in consequence it requires the improvement of therapeutic strategies. For the clinical diagnosis, the standard approach is represented by solid biopsy. From a surgical point of view, this technique represents an invasive procedure that may imply several postoperative complications. To overcome these impediments, many trends are focusing on developing liquid biopsy assays and on implementing them in clinical practice. Liquid samples (blood, urine) are rich in analytes, especially in transcriptomic information provided by genetic markers. Additionally, molecular characterization regarding microRNAs content reveals outstanding prospects in understanding cancer progression mechanisms. Moreover, these analytes have great potential for prostate cancer early detection, more accurate prostate cancer staging and also for decision making respecting therapy schemes. However, there are still questionable topics and more research is needed to standardize liquid biopsy-based techniques.

The permissive role of TCTP in PM2.5/NNK-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition in lung cells

Background

Translationally controlled tumor protein (TCTP) is linked to lung cancer. However, upon lung cancer carcinogens stimulation, there were no reports on the relationship between TCTP and lung cell carcinogenic epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT). This study was designed to investigate the molecular mechanism of regulation of TCTP expression and its role in lung carcinogens-induced EMT.

Methods

To study the role of TCTP in lung carcinogens [particulate matter 2.5 (PM_2.5) or 4-methylnitrosamino-l-3-pyridyl-butanone (NNK)]-induced EMT, PM_2.5/NNK-treated lung epithelial and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells were tested. Cell derived xenografts, human lung cancer samples and online survival analysis were used to confirm the results. MassArray assay, Real-time PCR and Reporter assays were performed to elucidate the mechanism of regulation of TCTP expression. All statistical analyses were performed using GraphPad Prism version 6.0 or SPSS version 20.0.

Results

Translationally controlled tumor protein and vimentin expression were up-regulated in PM_2.5/NNK-treated lung cells and orthotopic implantation tumors. TCTP expression was positively correlated with vimentin in human NSCLC samples. Patients with high expression of TCTP displayed reduced overall and disease-free survival. TCTP overexpression could increase vimentin expression and promote cell metastasis. Furthermore, PM_2.5/NNK stimulation brought a synergistic effect on EMT in TCTP-transfected cells. TCTP knockdown blocked PM_2.5/NNK carcinogenic effect. Mechanically, PM_2.5/NNK-induced TCTP expression was regulated by one microRNA, namely miR-125a-3p, but not by methylation on TCTP gene promoter. The level of TCTP was regulated by its specific microRNA during the process of PM_2.5/NNK stimulation, which in turn enhanced vimentin expression and played a permissive role in carcinogenic EMT.

Conclusions

Our results provided new insights into the mechanisms of TCTP regulatory expression in lung carcinogens-induced EMT. TCTP and miR-125a-3p might act as potential prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for NSCLC.

MicroRNA-125a-3p participates in odontoblastic differentiation of dental pulp stem cells by targeting Fyn

Fyn is a member of the protein tyrosine kinase family and its overexpression is associated with various types of inflammation. MicroRNAs can regulate the expression of target genes and play an important role in varied physiological and pathological processes. Based on the important role of Fyn and microRNA-125a-3p (miR-125a-3p) in inflammation, and combined with the bioinformatics studies, we performed in this study and chose miR-125a-3p as the focus of our research. During the progression of inflammation, we found that the expression of miR-125a-3p was decreased while the expression of Fyn was up-regulated. Fyn formed a complex with Neuropilin-1, which inhibited odontoblastic differentiation and expanded inflammatory responses through nuclear factor-κB signal pathways in dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs). These findings suggested that miR-125a-3p plays an important role in odontoblastic differentiation of DPSCs by targeting Fyn, implying its therapeutic potential in dental caries.

miR-125a suppresses malignancy of multiple myeloma by reducing the deubiquitinase USP5

miR-125a is a microRNA that is frequently diminished in various human malignancies. However, the mechanism by which impaired miR-125a promotes cancer growth remains undefined. In this study, we investigated the role of miR-125a in the proliferation and apoptosis of multiple myeloma (MM). To do this, we used MM tissue samples (from 40 anonymous patients), normal matched control samples, and five MM-derived cell lines. We also established a mouse model of MM xenograft to explore the effect of overexpression of miR-125a on the MM growth in vivo. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction revealed that the miR-125a expression was broadly reduced in MM tissues and cell lines. The impairment of miR-125a in MM tissues was functionally relevant because the overexpression of miR-125a remarkably decreased the cell viability and colony-forming activity, at least in part, by promoting apoptosis in two miR-125a-deficient MM cell lines: NCI-H929 and U266. Interestingly, we also discovered that the human gene encoding the ubiquitin-specific peptidase 5 (USP5), which is known to promote cellular deubiquitination and ubiquitin/proteasome-dependent proteolysis, was a direct transcriptional target for miR-125a to repress. More importantly, the heterologous expression of USP5 significantly reversed the growth-inhibitory effects of miR-125a on MM cells in vitro. In the mouse xenograft model, overexpressed miR-125a prominently inhibited the growth of MM tumors and concomitantly reduced the expression of USP5 in tumor tissues. These results suggest that miR-125a inhibits the expression of USP5, thereby mitigating the proliferation and survival of malignant MM cells. We propose that USP5 acts as an oncoprotein in miR-125a-missing cancers.

Polymorphisms in miRNA genes play roles in the initiation and development of cervical cancer

MicroRNA deregulation is crucial for cancer development. Studies showed that polymorphisms in miRNA genes could affect miRNA expression, which might be associated with cancer development. In the current study, we investigated the association of seven single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in seven miRNA genes with the initiation and development of cervical cancer in a Chinese Han population. The SNPs of 358 cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) patients, 547 cervical cancer patients and 567 healthy individuals were genotyped using TaqMan assays. Moreover, we evaluated the association of the seven SNPs with the different stages of cervical cancer. Our results showed that rs4636297 in miR-126 was associated with susceptibility to CIN and cervical cancer (P=0.019 and 0.019, respectively) and that the T allele was associated with a higher risk of CIN (OR=1.334, 95% CI: 1.049-1.698) and cervical cancer (OR=1.296, 95% CI: 1.044-1.609). Similarly, rs11614913 in miR-125a was associated with CIN and cervical cancer (P=0.025 and 0.015, respectively), and the T allele might be the protective factor for CIN (OR=0.807, 95% CI: 0.669-0.974) and cervical cancer (OR=0.814, 95% CI: 0.689-0.961). Our results indicated that rs4636297 in miR-126 and rs11614913 in miR-196a2 play an important role only in the initiation of cervical cancer not in the development of CIN to cervical cancer.

HULC functions as an oncogene in ovarian carcinoma cells by negatively modulating miR-125a-3p

The aberrant expression of highly upregulated in liver cancer (HULC) has been reported to participate in ovarian cancer development. A recent research has revealed that HULC-modulated microRNAs (miRNAs) in tumorigenesis. To confirm the functions of HULC on tumorigenesis of ovarian, we explored the effects of HULC expression on ovarian cancer cell development, as well as the underlying mechanism. We transfected SKOV3 cells with pEX-HULC, sh-HULC, and miR-125a-3p mimic as well as their corresponding negative controls (pEX-3, sh-NC, and NC) to alter the expression of HULC and miR-125a-3p, which were analyzed by quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR). Expression of proteins associated with cell cycle, apoptosis, and signaling pathways was determined by Western blot assay. The proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion were explored by bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation assay, Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)/propidium iodide (PI) method, and transwell migration and invasion assays, respectively. HULC overexpression promoted proliferation, migration, and invasion, while inhibited apoptosis of SKOV3 cells. In addition, HULC negatively regulated the expression of miR-125a-3p. Besides, miR-125a-3p mimic reversed the effects of HULC on proliferation, migration, and invasion as well as apoptosis of SKOV3 cells. Moreover, we found that HULC enhanced phosphorylated expression of regulatory factors in phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian targets of rapamycin (PI3K/AKT/mTOR) signaling pathway by downregulating expression of miR-125a-3p. Overexpression of HULC promoted ovarian carcinoma development by activating PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway via downregulating miR-125a-3p.

lncRNA CASC9 regulates cell migration and invasion in hemangioma endothelial cells by targeting miR-125a-3p/Nrg1

Background

Despite being one of the most common benign tumors, the prevalence and pathogenesis of hemangiomas (HAs) are poorly understood. We aimed to identify the biological role of the long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) CASC9 in the HA-derived endothelial cell (HDECs) phenotype as well as elucidate the mechanism involved.

Methods

The expression of CASC9 was identified by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). the effect of CASC9 on cell proliferation, migration and invasion of HDECs were examined by CCK8, wound healing, and transwell assay, respectively. Bioinformatics analysis and a luciferase reporter assay were utilized to investigated the mechanisms involved. The in vivo tumorigenesis capability of CASC9 on HA was also evaluated.

Results

The expression of CASC9 was significantly elevated in HA tissue compared to normal tissue. Down-regulation of CASC9 inhibited proliferation, migration, and invasion of HDECs. The translation of cyclinD1, N-cadherin, Twist, and MMP2 was also decreased by CASC9 knockdown treatment. Furthermore, CASC9 over-expression exerted the opposite effect of proliferation, migration, and invasion of HDECs. We also found that CASC9 interacts with miR-125a-3p/Nrg1 to regulate cellular functions. Interestingly, miR-125a-3p can reverse the effect of CASC9 on proliferation, migration, and invasion of HDECs. Together, the clinical data showed that CASC9 expression is negatively correlated with miR-125a-3p expression and positively correlated with Nrg1 expression. CASC9 also exerted anti-tumorigenesis capability in vivo.

Conclusion

Our study indicates that CASC9 accelerates cell growth and invasion of HDECs and provides new insights for the diagnosis and molecular therapy of HA.

Downregulation of hypermethylated in cancer-1 by miR-4532 promotes adriamycin resistance in breast cancer cells

Background

MicroRNAs are small RNAs (~ 22 nt) that modulate the expression of thousands of genes in tumors and play important roles in the formation of multidrug resistance. In this study, we firstly investigated that miR-4532 involved in the multidrug resistance formation of breast cancer by targeting hypermethylated in cancer 1 (HIC-1), a tumor-suppressor gene.

Methods

To identify and characterize the possible miRNAs in regulating multidrug resistance, we employed the transcriptome sequencing approach to profile the changes in the expression of miRNAs and their target mRNAs were obtained by bioinformatics prediction. Then the molecular biology experiments were conducted to confirm miR-4532 involved in multidrug resistance formation of breast cancer.

Results

The luciferase reporter assay experiment was employed to confirm that HIC-1 was the target of miR-4532. Transfection with an miR-4532 mimic indicated miR-4532 mimic significantly increased breast cancer cell resistance to adriamycin. Cell proliferation and invasion assay experiments showed overexpression of HIC-1 inhibited the invasion and metastasis of breast cancer cells. Meanwhile, the interleukin (IL)-6/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling pathway was confirmed to be involving in multidrug resistance by western blotting experiments.

Conclusions

These results suggest that downregulation of hypermethylated in cancer-1 by miR-4532 could promote adriamycin resistance in breast cancer cells, in which the IL-6/STAT3 pathway was regulated by the HIC-1. This finding might contribute to new therapeutic target for reversal of tumor resistance.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12935-018-0616-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Suppression of metastasis through inhibition of chitinase 3-like 1 expression by miR-125a-3p-mediated up-regulation of USF1

Rationale: Chitinase 3-like 1 (Chi3L1) protein is up-regulated in various diseases including solid cancers. According to Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS)/Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM)/Differentially Expressed Gene (DEG) analyses, Chi3L1 is associated with 38 cancers, and more highly associated with cancer compared to other oncogenes such as EGFR, TNFα, etc. However, the mechanisms and pathways by which Chi3L1 is associated with cancer are not clear. In current study, we investigated the role of Chi3L1 in lung metastasis. Methods: We performed the differentially expressed gene analysis to explore the genes which are associated with Chi3L1 using the web-based platform from Biomart. We investigated the metastases in lung tissues of C57BL/6 mice injected with B16F10 melanoma following treatment with Ad-shChi3L1. We also investigated the expression of USF1 and Chi3L1 in Chi3L1 KD mice lung tissues by Western blotting and IHC. We also analyzed lung cancer cells metastases induced by Chi3L1 using migration and cell proliferation assay in human lung cancer cell lines. The involvement of miR-125a-3p in Chi3L1 regulation was determined by miRNA qPCR and luciferase reporter assay. Results: We showed that melanoma metastasis in lung tissues was significantly reduced in Chi3L1 knock-down mice, accompanied by down-regulation of MMP-9, MMP-13, VEGF, and PCNA in Chi3L1 knock-down mice lung tissue, as well as in human lung cancer cell lines. We also found that USF1 was conversely expressed against Chi3L1. USF1 was increased by knock-down of Chi3L1 in mice lung tissues, as well as in human lung cancer cell lines. In addition, knock-down of USF1 increased Chi3L1 levels in addition to augmenting metastasis cell migration and proliferation in mice model, as well as in human cancer cell lines. Moreover, in human lung tumor tissues, the expression of Chi3L1 was increased but USF1 was decreased in a stage-dependent manner. Finally, Chi3L1 expression was strongly regulated by the indirect translational suppressing activity of USF1 through induction of miR-125a-3p, a target of Chi3L1. Conclusion: Metastases in mice lung tissues and human lung cancer cell lines were decreased by KD of Chi3L1. USF1 bound to the Chi3L1 promoter, however, Chi3L1 expression was decreased by USF1, despite USF1 enhancing the transcriptional activity of Chi3L1. We found that USF1 induced miR-125a-3p levels which suppressed Chi3L1 expression. Ultimately, our results suggest that lung metastasis is suppressed by knock-down of Chi3L1 through miR-125a-3p-mediated up-regulation of USF1.

Circular RNA expression profiles of mouse ovaries during postnatal development and the function of circular RNA epidermal growth factor receptor in granulosa cells

PURPOSE

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a class of noncoding RNAs that can regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. The contribution of circRNAs in the regulation of granulosa cells (GCs) functions is not yet clear. The aim of this study was to analyze circRNA expression in adult and neonate ovaries, uncover the biological roles of circ_0002861 (circEGFR) and identify the mechanism by which it modulates follicular development.

BASIC PROCEDURES

The circRNA expression profiles of adult and neonatal mouse ovaries were explored by high-throughput sequencing. The function of circEGFR was measured by RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization, overexpression, knockdown, RNA immunoprecipitation and luciferase reporter assays in GCs.

MAIN FINDINGS

Numerous differentially expressed circRNAs were identified in adult and neonatal ovaries. Through circRNAs expression patterns and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis, estrogen signaling was found to be upregulated in adult ovaries compared with neonate ovaries. Further analysis revealed that the expression of circEGFR (circ_0002861, ID: mmu_circ_0002861 in circBase) was increased in adult ovaries compared with neonate ovaries. circEGFR is formed by splicing from exons 14 and 15 of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene to produce a covalently linked 249-nucleotide circRNA. Overexpression of circEGFR increased estradiol (E₂) production and GCs growth, whereas circEGFR knockdown enhanced progesterone production and inhibited (E₂) secretion by GCs. Bioinformatic screening identified several binding sites for miR-125a-3p in the circEGFR sequence. RNA immunoprecipitation and luciferase reporter assays demonstrated that circEGFR may act as a sponge for miR-125a-3p, thus modulating Fyn expression.

PRINCIPAL CONCLUSIONS

These findings illustrate that circEGFR may play a vital role in ovarian GCs by modulating Fyn via competitive binding with miR-125a-3p. Our results suggest potential applications of circEGFR in reproductive and steroid-related disorder therapy.

miR-125a-3p is responsible for chemosensitivity in PDAC by inhibiting epithelial-mesenchymal transition via Fyn

BACKGROUND

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most lethal cancers and resistance to cytotoxic chemotherapy is the major cause of mortality in PDAC patients. miR-125a-3p was found to be down-regulated in PDAC cells; however, the function of miR-125a-3p in PDAC has been elusive. Here, we explored the role of miR-125a-3p in chemosensitivity in PDAC cells.

METHODS

We used qRT-PCR to detect miR-125a-3p expression in two PDAC cell lines. And we measured cell viability and apoptosis by MTT assay and flow cytometry, respectively. Scratch wound healing assay and transwell invasion assay were used to test the effects of miR-125a-3p and Fyn on cell EMT process. In addition, we validated the interaction of miR-125a-3p and Fyn by dual luciferase reporter assay. qRT-PCR and western blot were used to detect the mRNA and protein expressions of E-cadhrein, N-cadhrein, Snail and Fyn.

RESULTS

We found that miR-125a-3p was down-regulated in a time-dependent manner following treatment with gemcitabine in PDAC cells. Meanwhile, we found that overexpression of miR-125a-3p significantly increased chemosensitivity to gemcitabine and suppressed epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of PDAC cells. Mechanistically, miR-125a-3p directly targeted Fyn and decreased the expression of Fyn that functions to promote EMT process in PDAC. Furthermore, overexpression of Fyn could partially reverse the effects of miR-125a-3p on chemosensitivity to gemcitabine.

CONCLUSION

Our study is the first to show that miR-125a-3p is responsible for chemosensitivity in PDAC and could inhibit epithelial-mesenchymal transition by directly targeting Fyn. This provides a novel potential therapeutic strategy to overcome chemoresistance in PDAC.

Genetic Polymorphisms in miR-146a, miR-196a2 and miR-125a Genes and its Association in Prostate Cancer

The increase in incidence of prostate cancer in the Indian Population stresses the need to identify genetic markers for susceptibility and prognosis. Recent studies show that microRNAs play an important role in tumorigenesis by altering proliferation, differentiation and cell death. Gene polymorphisms not only in promoter region but also within miRNA gene have been shown to affect expression. The present study was aimed to analyze the role of miR-146a, miR-196a2 and miR-125a gene polymorphisms in prostate cancer. Genotyping of three SNPs rs73318382, rs57095329, rs2910164 in miRNA146a, rs11614913 in miR-196a2 and rs41275794, rs12976445, rs10404453 and rs1297533 in miR-125a was performed in 100 cases and 100 controls. Statistical analysis revealed the heterozygous AG genotype of the rs57095329 was significantly decreased in the cases when compared to the controls (OR-0.45, CI -0.24 to 0.85, p value-0.02) indicating an inverse association of this genotype with prostate cancer. Further the heterozygous CT of miR-196a2 (rs11614913) (OR-1.88, CI-1.06 to 3.35, p-0.02) and homozygous CC of miR-125a (rs12976445) (OR-2.55, CI -1.15 to 4.65, p-0.03) showed increased risk for prostate cancer. Combined analysis of all the genotypes revealed that the haplotype combination AGGCGTGG (OR = 0.09 at CI 95% (0.01-0.65) showed an inverse association with prostate cancer. Stratified analysis based on the age and tumor grade revealed no significant association.

miR-125a-3p inhibits ERα transactivation and overrides tamoxifen resistance by targeting CDK3 in estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer

Tamoxifen (TAM) is a major adjuvant therapy for patients who are diagnosed with estrogen receptor-α (ER)-positive breast cancer; however, TAM resistance occurs often during treatment and the underlying mechanism is unclear. Here, we report that miR-125a-3p inhibits ERα transcriptional activity and, thus, ER⁺ breast cancer cell proliferation, which causes cell-cycle arrest at the G₁/S stage, inducing apoptosis and suppressing tumor growth by targeting cyclin-dependent kinase 3 (CDK3) in vitro and in vivo. In addition, CDK3 and miR-125a-3p expression levels were measured in 37 cancerous tissues paired with noncancerous samples, and their expression levels were negatively associated with miR-125a-3p level. Of interest, miR-125a-3p level is down-regulated in MCF-7 TAM-resistant (TamR) cells. Of more importance, up-regulation of miR-125a-3p resensitizes MCF-7 TamR cells to TAM, which is dependent on CDK3 expression. These results suggest that miR-125a-3p can function as a novel tumor suppressor in ER⁺ breast cancer by targeting CDK3, which may be a potential therapeutic approach for TamR breast cancer therapy.-Zheng, L., Meng, X., Li, X., Zhang, Y., Li, C., Xiang, C., Xing, Y., Xia, Y., Xi, T. miR-125a-3p inhibits ERα transactivation and overrides tamoxifen resistance by targeting CDK3 in estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer.

Long noncoding RNA NORAD, a novel competing endogenous RNA, enhances the hypoxia-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition to promote metastasis in pancreatic cancer

Background

Pancreatic cancer, one of the top two most fatal cancers, is characterized by a desmoplastic reaction that creates a dense microenvironment, promoting hypoxia and inducing the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) to facilitate invasion and metastasis. Recent evidence indicates that the long noncoding RNA NORAD may be a potential oncogenic gene and that this lncRNA is significantly upregulated during hypoxia. However, the overall biological role and clinical significance of NORAD remains largely unknown.

Methods

NORAD expression was measured in 33 paired cancerous and noncancerous tissue samples by real-time PCR. The effects of NORAD on pancreatic cancer cells were studied by overexpression and knockdown in vitro. Insights into the mechanism of competitive endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) were gained from bioinformatics analyses and luciferase assays. In vivo, metastatic potential was identified using an orthotopic model of PDAC and quantified using bioluminescent signals. Alterations in RhoA expression and EMT levels were identified and verified by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting.

Results

NORAD is highly expressed in pancreatic cancer tissues and upregulated in hypoxic conditions. NORAD upregulation is correlated with shorter overall survival in pancreatic cancer patients. Furthermore, NORAD overexpression promoted the migration and invasion of pancreatic carcinoma cells, while NORAD depletion inhibited EMT and metastasis in vitro and in vivo. In particular, NORAD may function as a ceRNA to regulate the expression of the small GTP binding protein RhoA through competition for hsa-miR-125a-3p, thereby promoting EMT.

Conclusions

Elevated expression of NORAD in pancreatic cancer tissues is linked to poor prognosis and may confer a malignant phenotype upon tumor cells. NORAD may function as a ceRNA to regulate the expression of the small GTP binding protein RhoA through competition for hsa-miR-125a-3p. This finding may contribute to a better understanding of the role played by lncRNAs in hypoxia-induced EMT and provide a potential novel diagnostic and therapeutic target for pancreatic cancer.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12943-017-0738-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Inhibition of PRDM14 expression in pancreatic cancer suppresses cancer stem-like properties and liver metastasis in mice

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal types of cancer, with aggressive properties characterized by metastasis, recurrence and drug resistance. Cancer stem cells are considered to be responsible for these properties. PRDM14, a transcriptional regulator that maintains pluripotency in embryonic stem cells, is overexpressed in some cancers. Here, we assessed PRDM14 expression and the effects of PRDM14 knockdown on cancer stem-like phenotypes in pancreatic cancer. We observed that PRDM14 protein was overexpressed in pancreatic cancer tissues compared with normal pancreatic tissues. Using lentiviral shRNA-transduced pancreatic cancer cells, we found that PRDM14 knockdown decreased sphere formation, number of side population and cell surface marker-positive cells and subcutaneous xenograft tumors and liver metastasis in mice. This was accompanied by upregulation of some microRNAs (miRNAs), including miR-125a-3p. miR-125a-3p, a tumor suppressor that is down-regulated in pancreatic cancer, has been suggested to regulate the expression of the Src-family kinase, Fyn. In PRDM14-knockdown cells, Fyn was expressed at lower levels and downstream proteins were less activated. These changes were considered to cause suppression of the above cancer phenotypes. In addition, we used small interfering RNA (siRNA)-based therapy targeting PRDM14 in a mouse model of liver metastasis induced using MIA-PaCa2 cells, and this treatment significantly decreased metastasis and in vitro migration. Taken together, these results suggest that targeting the overexpression of PRDM14 suppresses cancer stem-like phenotypes, including liver metastasis, via miRNA regulation and siRNA-based therapy targeting it shows promise as a treatment for patients with pancreatic cancer.

MicroRNA-125a-3p downregulation correlates with tumorigenesis and poor prognosis in patients with non-small cell lung cancer

MicroRNA (miR)-125a-3p is derived from the 3'-end of pre-miR-125a, which is associated with several types of cancer, such as gastric and prostate cancer, and glioma. The aim of the present study was to identify the prognostic significance of miR-125a-3p expression levels in patients with NSCLC. The gene expression omnibus database was used to analyze miR-125a-3p expression in NSCLC in silico, and 148 NSCLC samples and 30 adjacent normal lung tissue specimens were analyzed for the expression of miR-125a-3p by qPCR. The results showed that the expression levels of miR-125a-3p in the adjacent normal tissues was higher than the expression level in the NSCLC tissues. There were several clinical parameters demonstrated to be associated with miR-125a-3p expression, such as lymph node metastasis, tumor node metastasis classification of malignant tumor stage and tumor diameter. Furthermore, high expression levels of miR-125a-3p with chemotherapy prolonged the overall survival rate and disease free survival rate compared with untreated patients with low expression of miR-125a-3p. Thus, miR-125a-3p is a significant prognostic biomarker for patients with NSCLC, from which a novel therapeutic strategy to combat NSCLC may be derived.

Regulation of Docetaxel Sensitivity in Prostate Cancer Cells by hsa-miR-125a-3p via Modulation of Metastasis-Associated Protein 1 Signaling

OBJECTIVE

To identify the potential downstream targets of hsa-miR-125a-3p, a mature form of miR-125a, during the pathogenesis of chemoresistance in prostate cancer (PCa).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The expression levels of hsa-miR-125a-3p were assessed in chemoresistant PCa tissues and experimentally established chemoresistant cells using quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The effect of hsa-miR-125a-3p knockdown or hsa-miR-125a-3p overexpression on the Dox-induced cell death was evaluated using apoptosis ELISA in chemosensitive PC-3 cells or in chemoresistant PC-3 cells (PC-3R). Finally, using multiple assays, the regulation of metastasis-associated protein 1 (MTA1), an essential component of the Mi-2-nucleosome remodeling deacetylation complex, by hsa-miR-125a-3p was studied at both molecular and functional levels.

RESULTS

The expression of hsa-miR-125a-3p was significantly downregulated in chemoresistant PCa tissues and cells. Inhibition of hsa-miR-125a-3p significantly increased docetaxel (Dox) resistance in PC-3 cells, whereas upregulation of hsa-miR-125a-3p effectively reduced Dox resistance in PC-3R, suggesting that this microRNA (miRNA) may act as a tumor suppressor along the pathogenesis of drug resistance. Mechanistically, hsa-miR-125a-3p induced apoptosis and Dox sensitivity in PCa cells through regulating MTA1.

CONCLUSION

Our results collectively indicate that miRNA-MTA1 can form a delicate regulatory loop to maintain a bistable state in the Dox chemosensitivity, and future endeavor in this filed should provide important clues to develop miRNA-based therapies that benefit advanced PCa patients through modulating the functional status of MTA1.

Circulating exosomal miR-125a-3p as a novel biomarker for early-stage colon cancer

Circulating exosome holds great potentials as biomarker for diagnosis and prognosis of human cancers. Previously, we have applied small RNA sequencing to identify aberrantly expressed exosomal miRNAs as candidates for diagnostic markers in colon cancer patients. In this validation cohort, plasma derived exosomal miRNA was isolated from 50 early-stage colon cancer patients and 50 matched healthy volunteers. Real-time qRT-PCR revealed that miR-125a-3p, miR-320c were significantly up-regulated in plasma exosomes of the patients with early stage colon cancer. ROC curve showed that miR-125a-3p abundant level may predict colon cancer with an area of under the curve (AUC) of 68.5%, in comparison to that of CEA at 83.6%. Combination of miR-125a-3P and CEA improved the AUC to 85.5%. In addition, plasma exosome level of miR-125a-3p and miR-320c showed significant correlation with nerve infiltration (P < 0.01), but not with tumor size, infiltration depth, and differentiation degree (P > 0.05). On the contrary, plasma CEA level is correlated with tumor size, infiltration depth, and differentiation degree (P < 0.05, r = 0.3009–0.7270), but not with nerve infiltration (P = 0.744). In conclusion, this follow-up study demonstrated circulating plasma exosomal miR-125a-3p is readily accessible as diagnosis biomarker for early-stage colon cancer. When combined with conventional diagnostic markers, miR-125a-3p can improve the diagnostic power.

Regulation of GVBD in mouse oocytes by miR-125a-3p and Fyn kinase through modulation of actin filaments

Meiotically arrested oocytes are characterized by the presence of the nuclear structure known as germinal-vesicle (GV), the breakdown of which (GVBD) is associated with resumption of meiosis. Fyn is a pivotal factor in resumption of the first meiotic division; its inhibition markedly decreases the fraction of oocytes undergoing GVBD. Here, we reveal that in mouse oocytes Fyn is post-transcriptionally regulated by miR-125a-3p. We demonstrate that in oocytes resuming meiosis miR-125a-3p and Fyn exhibit a reciprocal expression pattern; miR-125a-3p decreases alongside with an increase in Fyn expression. Microinjection of miR-125a-3p inhibits GVBD, an effect that is markedly reduced by Fyn over-expression, and impairs the organization of the actin rim surrounding the nucleus. Lower rate of GVBD is also observed in oocytes exposed to cytochalasin-D or blebbistatin, which interfere with actin polymerization and contractility of actin bundles, respectively. By down-regulating Fyn in HEK-293T cells, miR-125a-3p reduces the interaction between actin and A-type lamins, which constitute the nuclear-lamina. Our findings suggest a mechanism, by which a decrease in miR-125a-3p during oocyte maturation facilitates GVBD by allowing Fyn up-regulation and the resulting stabilization of the interaction between actin and A-type lamins.

MiR-129-5p suppresses gastric cancer cell invasion and proliferation by inhibiting COL1A1

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most lethal cancers worldwide. In this study, we aimed to explore the role of miR-129-5p, a newly identified miR-129 member, in GC cells as well as the potential mechanism of action. The results of reverse transcription - qualitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and Western Blot showed that miR-129 was downregulated in GC cells compared with normal ones. Using MTT, colony formation, wound healing assay, and a Transwell assay, we evaluated the proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities of transfected cells, and confirmed miR-129-5p as a tumor suppressor in GC. After a microarray analysis comparing different gene expressions in miR-129-5p transfected SGC-7901 cells, COL1A1 was selected for biggest fold-change and potential target of miR-129-5p predicted by TargetScan. Measured by RT-qPCR and Western blot, COL1A1 turned out to be upregulated in GC tissues and cells. We further confirmed the targeting relationship between miR-129-5p and COL1A1 by dual luciferase assay. By manipulating the expression of COL1A1 in SGC-7901 cells, cell proliferation, migration, and invasion were examined and the tumor-promoting function of COL1A1 was validated. Moreover, co-transfection of miR-129-5p mimics and COL1A1 attenuated the tumor-promoting effects induced by a single-transfection of COL1A1, and miR-129-5p inhibitor counteracted the tumor-suppressing effects of COL1A1 siRNA. Collectively, the data demonstrate the important functions of the miR-129-5p-COL1A1 axis in GC: miR-129-5p suppresses GC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, by selectively inhibiting COL1A1. This study provides new therapeutic targets for the clinical treatment of GC.

microRNA-125a-3p is regulated by MyD88 in Legionella pneumophila infection and targets NTAN1

Background

Legionella pneumophila (L. pneumophila) is a causative agent of severe pneumonia. It is highly adapted to intracellular replication and manipulates host cell functions like vesicle trafficking and mRNA translation to its own advantage. However, it is still unknown to what extent microRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in the Legionella-host cell interaction.

Methods

WT and MyD88^-/- murine bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMM) were infected with L. pneumophila, the transcriptome was analyzed by high throughput qPCR array (microRNAs) and conventional qPCR (mRNAs), and mRNA-miRNA interaction was validated by luciferase assays with 3´-UTR mutations and western blot.

Results

L. pneumophila infection caused a pro-inflammatory reaction and significant miRNA changes in murine macrophages. In MyD88^-/- cells, induction of inflammatory markers, such as Ccxl1/Kc, Il6 and miR-146a-5p was reduced. Induction of miR-125a-3p was completely abrogated in MyD88^-/- cells. Target prediction analyses revealed N-terminal asparagine amidase 1 (NTAN1), a factor from the n-end rule pathway, to be a putative target of miR-125a-3p. This interaction could be confirmed by luciferase assay and western blot.

Conclusion

Taken together, we characterized the miRNA regulation in L. pneumophila infection with regard to MyD88 signaling and identified NTAN1 as a target of miR-125a-3p. This finding unravels a yet unknown feature of Legionella-host cell interaction, potentially relevant for new treatment options.

Abituzumab Targeting of αV-Class Integrins Inhibits Prostate Cancer Progression

Integrins that contain an integrin αV subunit contribute to multiple functions that promote cancer progression. The goal of this study was to determine whether abituzumab (DI17E6, EMD 525797), a humanized monoclonal antibody (mAb) against integrin αV impacts, prostate cancer progression. To evaluate this, prostate cancer cells were treated with DI17E6 and its effects on proliferation, apoptosis, cell-cycle, adhesion, detachment, migration, invasion and phosphorylation of downstream targets, including FAK, Akt, and ERK, were determined. DI17E6 promoted detachment and inhibited adhesion of prostate cancer cells to several extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins and cells found in the bone microenvironment but had no impact on cell viability, cell-cycle, and caspase-3/7 activity. DI17E6 inhibited migration and invasion of prostate cancer cells. In addition, DI7E6 decreased phosphorylation of FAK, Akt, and ERK. These results indicate that inhibition of integrin αV with DI17E6 inhibits several prometastatic phenotypes of prostate cancer cells and therefore provide a rationale for further evaluation of DI17E6 for diminishing prostate cancer progression.Implications: This work identifies that therapeutic targeting of integrins containing an αV integrin unit inhibits cancer progression and thus may be of clinical benefit. Mol Cancer Res; 15(7); 875-83. ©2017 AACR.

miR-454 functions as an oncogene by inhibiting CHD5 in hepatocellular carcinoma

Previous studies showed that miR-454 acted as an oncogene or tumor suppressor in cancer. However, its function in HCC remains unknown. In this study, we found that miR-454 expression was upregulated in HCC cell lines and tissues. Knockdown of miR-454 inhibited HCC cell proliferation and invasion and epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT), whereas overexpression of miR-454 promoted HCC cell proliferation and invasion and EMT. Furthermore, we identified the CHD5 as a direct target of miR-454. CHD5 was downregulated in HCC tissues and cell lines and the expression level of CHD5 was inversely correlated with the expression of miR-454 in HCC tissues. In addition, knockdown of miR-454 inhibited the growth of HepG2-engrafted tumors in vivo. Taken together, these results indicated that miR-454 functioned as an oncogene in HCC.

The miR-125a-3p Inhibits TIM-3 Expression in AML Cell Line HL-60 In Vitro

Acute Myeloid Leukemia is a cancer of leukemic stem cells (LSCs) with a rapid progression. It is characterized by overproduction of immature myeloid cells in bone marrow which crowds out normal hematopoietic stem cells (HSC). TIM-3, an immune regulatory molecule, is an LSC specific surface marker in AML with high expression on these cells compared to HSCs. Studies have indicated that micro RNAs (miRNAs) may play an important role in either cancer progression or suppression. Based on bioinformatics assessments, we have predicted that miR-125a-3p could be a miRNA with high suppressive activity on TIM-3 expression. The purpose of this study was to investigate the inhibitory effect of miR-125a-3p on TIM-3 gene expression in an AML cell line, HL-60, in vitro. HL-60 cells were cultured in RPMI 1640 supplied with 10 % FBS. TIM-3 expression was induced on the cells using phorbol miristate acetate. The cells were transfected with miR-125-3p for 24 h and the gene and protein expression of TIM-3 were measured using q-RT-PCR and flow-cytometery methods, respectively. The results of this study showed that miR-125a-3p has a strong silencing effect on TIM-3 gene and protein expression on HL-60 cell line. Based to our results, miR125a-3p can strongly silence TIM-3 expression in AML cell line. Thus, our results have confirmed the bioinformatics prediction of suppressive effect of miR-125a-3p on TIM-3with Mirwalk and Target Scan softwares.

Altered Expressions of miR-1238-3p, miR-494, miR-6069, and miR-139-3p in the Formation of Chronic Brucellosis

Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease that is still endemic in developing countries. Despite early diagnosis and treatment of patients, chronic infections are seen in 10–30% of patients. In this study, we aimed to investigate the immunological factors that play roles in the transition of brucellosis from acute infection into chronic infection. Here, more than 2000 miRNAs were screened in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients with acute or chronic brucellosis and healthy controls by using miRNA array, and the results of the miRNA array were validated through qRT-PCR. Findings were evaluated using GeneSpring GX (Agilent) 13.0 software and KEGG pathway analysis. Four miRNAs were expressed in the chronic group but were not expressed in acute and control groups. Among these miRNAs, the expression level of miR-1238-3p was increased while miR-494, miR-6069, and miR-139-3p were decreased (p < 0.05, fold change > 2). These miRNAs have the potential to be markers for chronic cases. The differentially expressed miRNAs and their predicted target genes involved in endocytosis, regulation of actin cytoskeleton, MAPK signaling pathway, and cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction and its chemokine signaling pathway indicate their potential roles in chronic brucellosis and its progression. It is the first study of miRNA expression analysis of human PBMC to clarify the mechanism of inveteracy in brucellosis.

IWR-1 inhibits epithelial-mesenchymal transition of colorectal cancer cells through suppressing Wnt/β-catenin signaling as well as survivin expression

Aberrant activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling is frequently observed in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) and is considered a major determinant of CRC pathogenesis. CRC pathogenesis is particularly accompanied by epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and survivin expression. Here, we investigated the potential and mechanism of a novel Wnt/β-catenin inhibitor IWR-1 to suppress tumor metastasis in relation with EMT and survivin expression. We first determined the EMT reversal effects of IWR-1 in in vitro (HCT116 and HT29 cells) and ex vivo (specimens of CRC patients) CRC models. It was shown that IWR-1 inhibited cell proliferation and EMT even in the presence of TNF-α-induced cancer cell stimulation. IWR-1 also significantly suppressed cell migration, invasion, and matrix metalloproteinase activities of CRC cell lines. Furthermore, we showed the evidence that IWR-1 provides EMT reversal effects by directly suppressing survivin expression by the followings: 1) IWR-1 could not completely inhibit EMT in survivin-overexpressing HCT116 cells, 2) EMT reversal effects of IWR-1 were more pronounced in survivin-suppressed cells, and 3) Survivin promoter assay directly identified the survivin promoter region responsible for inhibition of survivin transcription by IWR-1. Taken altogether, our results demonstrate that IWR-1 has the potential to suppress tumor metastasis by inhibiting Wnt/β-catenin pathway as well as survivin expression. Therefore, IWR-1 could be considered for future clinical use as a therapeutic agent to treat CRC.

By inhibiting snail signaling and miR-23a-3p, osthole suppresses the EMT-mediated metastatic ability in prostate cancer

Here we showed that Osthole, 7-methoxy-8-(3-methyl-2-butenyl) coumarin, a bioactive coumarin derivative extracted from medicinal plants, inhibited migration, invasion, epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) in androgen-independent prostate cancer (AIPC) cells in vitro and metastasis of AIPC in vivo. In patients, high Snail levels were correlated with a higher histological Gleason sum and poor survival rates. Osthole inhibited the TGF-β/Akt/MAPK pathways, reduced Snail-DNA-binding activity and induced E-cadherin. We found that osthole decreased miR-23a-3p. Ectopic miR-23a-3p suppressed E-cadherin 3′ untranslated region reporter activity and E-cadherin expression, and relieved the motility suppression caused by osthole treatment.

By downregulating TIAM1 expression, microRNA-329 suppresses gastric cancer invasion and growth

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common malignant tumors worldwide. Emerging evidence has shown that abnormal microRNAs (miRNAs) expression is involved in tumorigenesis. MiR-329 was previously reported to act as a tumor suppressor or oncogene in some types of cancer. However, its function in gastric cancer (GC) is unclear. Here, we found that miR-329 was down-regulated in GC compared with adjacent controls. Enforced expression of miR-329 inhibited proliferation, migration and invasion of gastric cancer cells in vitro. We identified T lymphoma invasion and metastasis 1 (TIAM1) gene as potential target of miR-329. MiR-329 levels inversely correlated with TIAM1 expression in GC. Importantly, TIAM1 rescued the miR-329-mediated inhibition of cell invasion and proliferation. Finally, reintroduction of miR-329 significantly inhibited tumor formation of GC in the xenograft mice. Our findings suggest that miR-329 is a tumor suppressor and potential therapeutic target of GC

MiR-125a promotes paclitaxel sensitivity in cervical cancer through altering STAT3 expression

Cervical cancer (CC) is one of the most common malignancies in women. Paclitaxel is the front-line chemotherapeutic agent for treating CC. However, its therapeutic efficacy is limited because of chemoresistance, the mechanism of which remains poorly understood. Here, we used microRNA (miRNA) arrays to compare miRNA expression levels in the CC cell lines, HeLa and CaSki, with their paclitaxel resistance counterparts, HeLa/PR and CaSki/PR. We demonstrate that miR-125a was one of most significantly downregulated miRNAs in paclitaxel-resistant cells, which also acquired cisplatin resistance. And that the upregulation of miR-125a sensitized HeLa/PR and CaSki/PR cells to paclitaxel both in vitro and in vivo and to cisplatin in vitro. Moreover, we determined that miR-125a increased paclitaxel and cisplatin sensitivity by downregulating STAT3. MiR-125a enhanced paclitaxel and cisplatin sensitivity by promoting chemotherapy-induced apoptosis. Clinically, miR-125a expression was associated with an increased responsiveness to paclitaxel combined with cisplatin and a more favorable outcome. These data indicate that miR-125a may be a useful method to enable treatment of chemoresistant CC and may also provide a biomarker for predicting paclitaxel and cisplatin responsiveness in CC.

MicroRNAs in apoptosis, autophagy and necroptosis

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous 22 nt non-coding RNAs that target mRNAs for cleavage or translational repression. Numerous miRNAs regulate programmed cell death including apoptosis, autophagy and necroptosis. We summarize how miRNAs regulate apoptotic, autophagic and necroptotic pathways and cancer progression. We also discuss how miRNAs link different types of cell death.

A Role of MicroRNAs in Cell Differentiation During Gonad Development

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a group of small noncoding RNA molecules that play a major role in posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression and are expressed in an organ-specific manner. One miRNA can potentially regulate the expression of several genes, depending on cell type and differentiation stage. miRNAs are differentially expressed in the male and female gonads and have an organ-specific reproductive function. Exerting their affect through germ cells and gonadal somatic cells, miRNAs regulate key proteins necessary for gonad development. The role of miRNAs in the testes is only starting to emerge though they have been shown to be required for adequate spermatogenesis. Widely explored in the ovary, miRNAs were suggested to play a fundamental role in follicles' assembly, growth, differentiation, and ovulation. In this chapter, we focus on data obtained from mice in which distinct proteins that participate in the biosynthesis of miRNAs were conditionally knocked out from germ cells (spermatogonial cells or oocytes) or gonadal somatic cells (Sertoli or granulosa cells). We detail recent advances in identification of particular miRNAs and their significance in the development and function of male and female gonads. miRNAs can serve as biomarkers and therapeutic agents of pathological conditions; thus, elucidating the branched and complex network of reproduction-related miRNAs will aid understanding of gonads' physiology and managing reproduction disorders.

MicroRNA expression profiles differentiate chronic pain condition subtypes

Chronic pain is a significant health care problem, ineffectively treated because of its unclear etiology and heterogeneous clinical presentation. Emerging evidence demonstrates that microRNAs (miRNAs) regulate the expression of pain-relevant genes, yet little is known about their role in chronic pain. Here, we evaluate the relationship among pain, psychological characteristics, plasma cytokines, and whole blood miRNAs in 22 healthy controls (HCs); 33 subjects with chronic pelvic pain (vestibulodynia, VBD); and 23 subjects with VBD and irritable bowel syndrome (VBD + IBS). VBD subjects were similar to HCs in self-reported pain, psychological profiles, and remote bodily pain. VBD + IBS subjects reported decreased health and function; and an increase in headaches, somatization, and remote bodily pain. Furthermore, VBD subjects exhibited a balance in proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines, whereas VBD + IBS subjects failed to exhibit a compensatory increase in anti-inflammatory cytokines. VBD subjects differed from controls in expression of 10 miRNAs of predicted importance for pain and estrogen signaling. VBD + IBS subjects differed from controls in expression of 11 miRNAs of predicted importance for pain, cell physiology, and insulin signaling. miRNA expression was correlated with pain-relevant phenotypes and cytokine levels. These results suggest that miRNAs represent a valuable tool for differentiating VBD subtypes (localized pain with apparent peripheral neurosensory disruption vs widespread pain with a central sensory contribution) that may require different treatment approaches.

PRK1/PKN1 controls migration and metastasis of androgen-independent prostate cancer cells

The major threat in prostate cancer is the occurrence of metastases in androgen-independent tumor stage, for which no causative cure is available. Here we show that metastatic behavior of androgen-independent prostate tumor cells requires the protein-kinase-C-related kinase (PRK1/PKN1) in vitro and in vivo. PRK1 regulates cell migration and gene expression through its kinase activity, but does not affect cell proliferation. Transcriptome and interactome analyses uncover that PRK1 regulates expression of migration-relevant genes by interacting with the scaffold protein sperm-associated antigen 9 (SPAG9/JIP4). SPAG9 and PRK1 colocalize in human cancer tissue and are required for p38-phosphorylation and cell migration. Accordingly, depletion of either ETS domain-containing protein Elk-1 (ELK1), an effector of p38-signalling or p38 depletion hinders cell migration and changes expression of migration-relevant genes as observed upon PRK1-depletion. Importantly, a PRK1 inhibitor prevents metastases in mice, showing that the PRK1-pathway is a promising target to hamper prostate cancer metastases in vivo.

Novel roles of androgen receptor, epidermal growth factor receptor, TP53, regulatory RNAs, NF-kappa-B, chromosomal translocations, neutrophil associated gelatinase, and matrix metalloproteinase-9 in prostate cancer and prostate cancer stem cells

Approximately one in six men will be diagnosed with some form of prostate cancer in their lifetime. Over 250,000 men worldwide die annually due to complications from prostate cancer. While advancements in prostate cancer screening and therapies have helped in lowering this statistic, better tests and more effective therapies are still needed. This review will summarize the novel roles of the androgen receptor (AR), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), the EGFRvIII variant, TP53, long-non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), microRNAs (miRs), NF-kappa-B, chromosomal translocations, neutrophil associated gelatinase, (NGAL), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), the tumor microenvironment and cancer stem cells (CSC) have on the diagnosis, development and treatment of prostate cancer.

miRNA-99b-3p functions as a potential tumor suppressor by targeting glycogen synthase kinase-3β in oral squamous cell carcinoma Tca-8113 cells

Dysregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) has been associated with carcinogenesis in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). In the present study, we investigated the expression and function of miR-99b-3p in human OSCC. We found that the expression levels of miR-99b-3p decreased in 21 clinical OSCC samples (84%). Furthermore, ectopic expression of miR-99b-3p inhibited OSCC cell proliferation by downregulating glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK3β), an miR-99b-3p' target gene, at the mRNA and protein levels, both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, the silencing of GSK3β recapitulated the cellular and molecular effects in a similar manner to the overexpression of miR-99b-3p, which included inhibition of OSCC cell proliferation and suppression of p65 (RelA) and G1 regulators (cyclin D1, CDK4 and CDK6) in vitro. Our data suggest that miR-99b-3p functions as a tumor suppressor in OSCC via GSK3β downregulation.

Effect of Cnidium Lactone on Serum Mutant P53 and BCL-2/BAX Expression in Human Prostate Cancer Cells PC-3 Tumor-Bearing BALB/C Nude Mouse Model

Background

Cnidium lactone is a natural coumarin compound that can inhibit a variety of cancer cell proliferation and induce cancer cell apoptosis. This experiment investigated the effect of cnidium lactone on molecular marker expression in prostate cancer nude mice to study its effect in inducing apoptosis.

Material/Methods

We randomly and equally divided 30 male BALB/C nude mice inoculated with human prostate cancer cells PC-3 into a negative control group, a cyclophosphamide group (500 mg/Kg), and cnidium lactone groups at 3 doses (280 mg/Kg, 140 mg/Kg, and 70 mg/Kg). The mice were weighed at 2 weeks after administration. Tunnel assay was applied to test the nude mice tumor cell apoptosis. ELISA was performed to detect serum AMACR, CD147, mutant P53, BCL-2, AND BAX expression levels. Tumor tissue was separated and weighed.

Results

Mice weight did not change significantly in the groups receiving 3 different doses of cnidium lactone(p>0.05), while it decreased obviously in the cyclophosphamide group (p<0.05). Tumor weight, CD147, mutant P53, and BCL-2 levels were significantly lower in the groups receiving 3 different doses of cnidium lactone than in the negative control group (p<0.05). Among them, the abovementioned indexes decreased markedly in the 280 mg/Kg and 140 mg/Kg dose groups than in the cyclophosphamide group (p<0.05). AMACR and BAX levels showed no significant difference in the cnidium lactone group or the cyclophosphamide group (p>0.05).

Conclusions

Cnidium lactone may induce prostate cancer cell apoptosis and inhibit its proliferation through regulating CD147, mutant P53, and BCL-2 expression in nude mice.

miR-125a-3p targets MTA1 to suppress NSCLC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion

Metastasis-associated gene 1 (MTA1) is associated with cell growth, metastasis, and survival in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Several previous reports have demonstrated that microRNAs affect gene expression through interaction between their seed region and the 3'-untranslated region of the target mRNA, resulting in post-transcriptional regulation. The aim of this study was to identify miRNAs that suppress malignancy in NSCLC cells by targeting MTA1. Two human NSCLC cell lines were analyzed for the expression of MTA1 by quantitative RT-PCR and western blotting after transfection with MTA1 mimics. A luciferase reporter assay was established to test the direct connection between MTA1 and its upstream miRNAs. Cell proliferation was assessed by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine analysis, and colony formation assay. Cell migration and invasive capacity were evaluated by wound-healing assay and transwell assay. The miRNA/MTA1 axis was also probed by quantitative RT-PCR and western blotting in samples from eight NSCLC patients. Among the candidate miRNAs, miR-125a-3p was shown to post-transcriptionally regulate MTA1 in NSCLC cells. These data were reinforced by the luciferase reporter assay, in addition to the demonstration that MTA1 is inversely correlated with miR-125a-3p in NSCLC tissues. Furthermore, miR-125a-3p was found to inhibit NSCLC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, through the same mechanisms of down-regulated MTA1. Our report demonstrates that miR-125a-3p inhibits the proliferation, migration, and invasion of NSCLC cells through down-regulation of MTA1, indicating the role of the miR-125a-3p/MTA1 axis in NSCLC, and may provide novel insight into the molecular mechanisms underpinning the disease and potential therapeutic targets.

MicroRNA expression and its implications for diagnosis and therapy of gallbladder cancer

Gallbladder cancer is the most common biliary tract malignancy with poor prognosis. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small, endogenous, non-coding RNAs of 19-23 nucleotides in length, which regulate gene expression at post-transcriptional and translational levels. Several studies have demonstrated aberrant expression of miRNAs in gallbladder cancer tissues. Recent evidences also demonstrated that specific miRNAs are functionally involved in gallbladder cancer development through modulating cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, invasion and metastasis. In this review, we explore the possibilities of using miRNAs as prognostic, diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets in gallbladder cancer.

Gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonists for fertility preservation: unraveling the enigma?

STUDY QUESTION

Can gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonists (GnRH-a) preserve long-term fertility when administered prior to and concomitantly with chemotherapy?

SUMMARY ANSWER

GnRH-a display a differential protective effect on fertility, depending upon the specific chemotherapy-induced mechanism of ovarian injury.

WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY

The role of GnRH-a in fertility preservation has been constantly debated and their use is considered experimental due to conflicting clinical evidence and paucity of data regarding their mechanism for ovarian protection.

STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION

In vivo model: 7-8 weeks old imprinting control region (ICR) mice were injected with GnRH-a (Leuprolide-acetate) or saline prior to and concomitantly with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin or saline and sacrificed at various time-points on a longitudinal follow-up; 24 h (n = 36), 1 week (n = 40), 1 month (n = 36) and 9 months (n = 66) post chemotherapy treatment. Blood samples were drawn on Day 0 and on a monthly basis after chemotherapy treatment. On the day of sacrifice, blood samples were drawn and ovaries excised and processed for either immunohistochemistry (IHC), protein or RNA extraction. In vitro model: 21-23 days old Wistar-derived rats were sacrificed, their ovaries excised and primary granulosa cells (PGC) were either isolated for in vitro culture, or processed for immunofluorescence (IF) as well as for protein or RNA extraction.

MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS

Ovarian reserve was estimated by serial measurements of serum anti-mullerian hormone (AMH), quantified by the AMH Gen II ELISA assay. Ovarian AMH and phosphorylated Akt (pAkt) were detected by immunoblotting. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was measured by quantitative PCR. Ovarian GnRH receptor (GnRHR), AMH and CD34 were visualized by IHC, and apoptosis was evaluated using TdT (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase)-mediated dUDP nick-end labeling (TUNEL).

MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE

Cyclophosphamide-induced ovarian injury caused a prompt decrease in AMH level (P < 0.01) and a further long-term decline in serum AMH (P = 0.017), indicating damage to the ovarian reserve. Pretreatment with GnRH-a diminished AMH-decrease (P < 0.05) and maintained serum AMH level in the long run (P < 0.05). Doxorubicin-exerted ovarian-vascular-injury is also displayed by an acute increase in ovarian VEGF level (P < 0.05) and a sustained decrease in serum AMH level (P < 0.001). This was followed by ovarian recovery manifested by increased neovascularization. GnRH-a delayed the recovery in AMH level and decreased the level of VEGF (P < 0.001), thus interfering with the vascular recovery subsequent to doxorubicin-induced vascular damage.

LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION

To portray the differential mechanism of each chemotherapy, cyclophosphamide and doxorubicin were given separately, whereas most of the clinical protocols include several types of chemotherapies. Thus, future study should explore a prospective evaluation of various chemotherapies, as well as combined chemotherapeutic protocols.

WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS

Our study demonstrates that different chemotherapy agents affect the ovary via diverse mechanisms and thus the administration of GnRH-a concomitantly, could be beneficial to a subpopulation of patients treated with cyclophosphamide-based protocols.

STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTERESTS

This work was partially supported by a grant from the Israel Science Foundation (ISF) to I.B.-A. The authors have no conflict of interest to disclose.

MicroRNA dysregulation in uveal melanoma: a new player enters the game

Uveal melanoma is the second most common form of melanoma and a predominant intraocular malignant tumor in adults. The development of uveal melanoma is a multistep process involving genetic and epigenetic alteration of proto-oncogenes and tumor-suppressor genes. Recent discoveries have shed a new light on the involvement of a class of noncoding RNA known as microRNAs (miRNAs) in uveal melanoma. A lot of miRNAs show differential expressions in uveal melanoma tissues and cell lines. Genes coding for these miRNAs have been characterized as novel oncogene and tumor-suppressor genes based on findings that these miRNAs control malignant phenotypes of uveal melanoma cells. Several studies have confirmed that dysregulation of miRNAs promotes cell-cycle progression, confers resistance to apoptosis, and enhances invasiveness and metastasis. Moreover, several miRNAs have also been shown to correlate with uveal melanoma initiation and progression, and thus may be used as biomarkers for early diagnosis and prognosis. Elucidating the biological aspects of miRNA dysregulation may help us better understand the pathogenesis of uveal melanoma and promote the development of miRNA directed-therapeutics against this disease.