Identification of a sixteen-microRNA signature as prognostic biomarker for stage II and III colon cancer

miR-23a-3p promotes the development of colon cancer by inhibiting the expression of NDRG4

PURPOSE

Previous studies have found that miR-23a-3p, a diagnostic marker for colon cancer (CC), is upregulated in primary CC from stage I/II patients. Nevertheless, the specific functions and molecular mechanisms of miR-23a-3p in colon cancer remain unclear.

METHODS

The expression levels of miR-23a-3p and NDRG4 were analyzed by western blot and RT‒qPCR assays. Cell viability and proliferation were measured by CCK8 and colony formation assays. Cell apoptosis was assessed by flow cytometry. Cell migration and invasion were detected by transwell assay. Target binding was detected by luciferase reporter assay.

RESULTS

miR-23a-3p was dramatically elevated in CC tissues and cells. In HT29 and SW480 cells, downregulation of miR-23a-3p hampered cell proliferation, migration, and invasion while increasing cell apoptosis. The effects of miR-23a-3p silencing on CC progression were slowed by NDRG4 downregulation.

CONCLUSIONS

miR-23a-3p promoted CC progression by modulating the expression of NDRG4. This study demonstrated the mechanism of miR-23a-3p in CC, which may offer a new target for CC therapy.

Stage-dependent prognostic shift in mismatch repair-deficient tumors: Assessing patient outcomes in stage II and III colon cancer

Introduction

Deficient mismatch repair (dMMR) or high microsatellite instability (MSI-H) is associated with an improved prognosis in colon cancer stage II but poor prognosis in stage IV colon cancer. The clinical significance of dMMR in colon cancer stage III is not established.

Methods

Tissue microarrays (TMAs) from 544 patients with colon cancer stage II and III with clinicopathological and survival data were stained for mismatch repair (MMR) proteins, CD3, CD8, and programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1), and programmed death ligand- 1 (PD-L1). Patient outcomes were reviewed.

Results

In stage III colon cancer, dMMR was a marker of poor disease-free survival (DFS) (Kaplan–Meier, mean survival in months: dMMR: 28.76 (95% CI 18.46–39.05) vs. pMMR 40.91 (37.20–44.63), p=0.014, multivariate Cox regression: hazard ratio (HR) 4.17 (95% CI 2.02–8.61), p<0.001). In stage II colon cancer, there was a tendency toward improved DFS for dMMR patients (dMMR: 57.14 (95% CI 54.66–59.62) vs. pMMR 53.54 (95% CI 51.48–55.60), p=0.015, multivariate Cox regression HR 0.24 (95% CI 0.06-1.04), p=0.057). CD3, CD8, and PD-L1 expression was not associated with prognosis of dMMR patients. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed a significant interaction between the MMR phenotype and stage (p=0.001).

Conclusion

dMMR is associated with an improved prognosis in stage II colon cancer but is no longer associated with a favorable prognosis in stage III colon cancer.

A microRNA panel that regulates proinflammatory cytokines as diagnostic and prognosis biomarkers in colon cancer

Colon cancer (CC) is the third most common neoplasm and the fourth cause of cancer-related death worldwide in both sexes. It has been established that inflammation plays a critical role in tumorigenesis and progression of CC. Immune, stromal and tumor cells supply the tumor microenvironment with pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin 1β, TNFα, IL-6 and IL-11, to hyperactivate signaling pathways linked to cancerous processes. Recent findings suggest a putative role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the progression and management of the inflammatory response in intestinal diseases. Moreover, miRNAs are able to regulate expression of molecular mediators that are linking inflammation and cancer. In this work a miRNA panel differentially expressed between healthy, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and CC tissue was established. Identified miRNAs regulate signaling pathways related to inflammation and cancer progression. An inflammation associated-miRNA panel composed of 11-miRNAs was found to be overexpressed in CC but not in inflamed or normal tissues (miR-21-5p, miR-304-5p, miR-577, miR-335-5p, miR-21-3p, miR-27b-5p, miR-335-3p, miR-215-5p, miR-30b-5p, miR-192-5p, miR-3065-5p). The association of top hit miRNAs, miR-3065-5p and miR-30b-5p expression with overall survival of CC patients was demonstrated using Kaplan-Meier tests. Finally, differential miRNA expression was validated using an inflammation-associated CC model induced by Azoxymethane/Dextran Sodium Sulfate (AOM/DSS) to compare miRNA expression in normal and inflamed tissue versus CC tissues. Based on these findings we propose the identified inflammatory miRNA panel as a potent diagnostic tool for CC determination.

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A miRNA group distinguishes colon cancer tissues, since early stages, from inflamed or healthy colon tissues.

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The miRNA panel regulates signaling pathways related to cancer progression.

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The levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines are regulated by the miRNAs of the panel.

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Inflammation-related miRNAs are colon cancer prognosis biomarkers.

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A miRNA signature is specific biomarker for colitis-associated colon carcinogenesis.

Immunomodulatory Properties of Human Breast Milk: MicroRNA Contents and Potential Epigenetic Effects

Infants who are exclusively breastfed in the first six months of age receive adequate nutrients, achieving optimal immune protection and growth. In addition to the known nutritional components of human breast milk (HBM), i.e., water, carbohydrates, fats and proteins, it is also a rich source of microRNAs, which impact epigenetic mechanisms. This comprehensive work presents an up-to-date overview of the immunomodulatory constituents of HBM, highlighting its content of circulating microRNAs. The epigenetic effects of HBM are discussed, especially those regulated by miRNAs. HBM contains more than 1400 microRNAs. The majority of these microRNAs originate from the lactating gland and are based on the remodeling of cells in the gland during breastfeeding. These miRNAs can affect epigenetic patterns by several mechanisms, including DNA methylation, histone modifications and RNA regulation, which could ultimately result in alterations in gene expressions. Therefore, the unique microRNA profile of HBM, including exosomal microRNAs, is implicated in the regulation of the genes responsible for a variety of immunological and physiological functions, such as FTO, INS, IGF1, NRF2, GLUT1 and FOXP3 genes. Hence, studying the HBM miRNA composition is important for improving the nutritional approaches for pregnancy and infant's early life and preventing diseases that could occur in the future. Interestingly, the composition of miRNAs in HBM is affected by multiple factors, including diet, environmental and genetic factors.

Hotair promotes the migration and proliferation in ovarian cancer by miR-222-3p/CDK19 axis

Previous studies in our laboratory have reported that miR-222-3p was a tumor-suppressive miRNA in OC. This study aims to further understand the regulatory role of miR-222-3p in OC and provide a new mechanism for its prevention and treatment. We first found that miR-222-3p inhibited the migration and proliferation of OC cells. Then, we observed CDK19 was highly expressed in OC and inversely correlated with miR-222-3p. Besides, we observed that miR-222-3p directly binds to the 3′-UTR of CDK19 and inhibits CDK19 translation, thus inhibiting OC cell migration and proliferation in vitro and repressed tumor growth in vivo. We also observed the inhibitory effect of Hotair on miR-222-3p in OC. In addition, Hotair could promote the proliferation and migration of OC cells in vitro and facilitate the growth and metastasis of tumors in vivo. Moreover, Hotair was positively correlated with CDK19 expression. These results suggest Hotair indirectly up-regulates CDK19 through sponging miR-222-3p, which enhances the malignant behavior of OC. This provides a further understanding of the mechanism of the occurrence and development of OC.

An Integrative Analysis Framework for Identifying the Prognostic Markers from Multidimensional RNA Data of Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma

The altered regulatory status of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA), miRNA, and mRNA and their interactions play critical roles in tumor proliferation, metastasis, and progression, which ultimately influence cancer prognosis. However, there are limited studies of comprehensive identification of prognostic biomarkers from combined data sets of the three RNA types in the highly metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). The current study employed an integrative analysis framework of functional genomics approaches and machine learning methods to the lncRNA, miRNA, and mRNA data and identified 16 RNAs (3 lncRNAs, 6 miRNAs, and 7 mRNAs) of prognostic value, with 9 of them novel. A 16 RNA-based score was established for prognosis prediction of ccRCC with significance (P < 0.0001). The area under the curve for the score model was 0.868 to 0.870 in the training cohort and 0.714 to 0.778 in the validation cohort. Construction of the lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA interaction network showed that the downstream mRNAs and upstream lncRNAs in the network initiated from the miRNA or lncRNA markers exhibit significant enrichment in functional classifications associated with cancer metastasis, proliferation, progression, or prognosis. The functional analysis provided clear support for the role of the RNA biomarkers in predicting cancer prognosis. This study provides promising biomarkers for predicting prognosis of ccRCC using multidimensional RNA data, and these findings are expected to facilitate potential clinical applications of the biomarkers.

The Value of Serum miR-139-3p Expression Level in Predicting Postoperative Survival of Colon Cancer Patients

Background

To explore the value of serum miR-139-3p expression level in predicting postoperative survival of colon cancer patients.

Methods

We selected 158 cases enrolled in our hospital from January 2017 to December 2019. Using real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR, the expression extents of serum miR-139-3p among patients suffering from colon cancer were detected. The enrollment of patients was performed in the high or low miR-139-3p group on the basis of the cutoff value determined by ROC curve analysis. The risk elements influencing the postoperative survival of colon cancer patients were analyzed by the Kaplan–Meier approach and univariate and multivariate Cox regression models.

Results

Compared with control group, significantly lower expression level of serum miR-139-3p was shown in colon cancer group (P < 0.05). Its low expression of miR-139-3p was associated with TNM stage, degree of differentiation, tumor sizes, lymph node metastasis and vascular infiltration in patients with colon cancer (all P < 0.05), which was also significantly associated with short survival time of colon cancer patients (P < 0.05). Multivariate Cox regression model analysis displayed that TNM phase, lymph node metastasis and miR-139-3p <2.17 were independent risk elements affecting postoperative survival (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

The low expression level of miR-139-3p is related to the short survival time of colon cancer patients, and it is expected to be used as a biological indicator to predict the postoperative survival of colon cancer.

Expression and Clinical Values of Serum miR-155 and miR-224 in Chinese Patients with HCV Infection

Background

To investigate the expression of serum miR-155 and miR-224 among patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and analyze their clinical values.

Methods

A total of 116 patients suffering from HCV infection admitted to our hospital and 70 healthy subjects were selected. According to the diagnostic results, patients with HCV infection were divided into 48 cases of chronic hepatitis C (CHC), 43 cases of liver cirrhosis and 25 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The expression signature for miR-155 and miR-224 was detected in serum samples. ROC curve and Pearson correlation test were conducted to investigate their diagnostic value and correlation.

Results

The expression extent for serum miR-155 and miR-224 increased along with the increase of malignancy (all P < 0.05). According to ROC curve, the area under the curve (0.918, 95% CI: 0.856–0.974) of miR-155 and miR-224 combined in the diagnosis of HCC was the largest, and its sensitivity and specificity were 93.0% and 86.2%. There is a positive relationship for expression level between miR-155 and miR-224 in CHC and HCC group (all P < 0.001).

Conclusion

miR-155 and miR-224 are remarkably increased in patients suffering from HCV infection. The combination of miR-155 and miR-224 has a good diagnostic value for HCC caused by HCV infection.

miR-30d-5p: A Non-Coding RNA With Potential Diagnostic, Prognostic and Therapeutic Applications

Cancer is a great challenge facing global public health. Scholars have made plentiful efforts in the research of cancer therapy, but the results are still not satisfactory. In relevant literature, the role of miRNA in cancer has been widely concerned. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a non-coding, endogenous, single-stranded RNAs that regulate a variety of biological functions. The abnormal level of miR-30d-5p, a type of miRNAs, has been associated with various human tumor types, including lung cancer, colorectal cancer, esophageal cancer, prostate cancer, liver cancer, cervical cancer, breast cancer and other types of human tumors. This reflects the vital function of miR-30d-5p in tumor prognosis. miR-30d-5p can be identified either as an inhibitor hindering the development of, or a promoter accelerating the occurrence of tumors. In addition, the role of miR-30d-5p in cell proliferation, motility, apoptosis, autophagy, tumorigenesis, and chemoresistance are also noteworthy. The multiple roles of miR-30d-5p in human cancer suggest that it has broad feasibility as a biomarker and therapeutic target. This review describes the connection between miR-30d-5p and the clinical indications of tumors, and summarizes the mechanisms by which miR-30d-5p mediates cancer progression.

MicroRNA-148a/152 cluster restrains tumor stem cell phenotype of colon cancer via modulating CCT6A

Accumulating evidence has presented that microRNA-148a/152 (miR-148a/152) acts as the tumor inhibitor in various cancers. In this article, we aimed to probe the inhibition of colon cancer stem cells by miR-148a/152 cluster via regulation of CCT6A. miR-148a/152 and CCT6A expression in colon cancer tissues and cells was detected. The relationship between miR-148a/152 expression and the clinicopathological features of patients with colon cancer was analyzed. Colon cancer stem cells (CD44+/CD133+) were selected and high/low expression of miR-148a/152 plasmids were synthesized to intervene CD44+/CD133+ colon cancer stem cells to investigate the function of miR-148a/152 in invasion, migration, proliferation, colony formation and apoptosis of cells. The growth status of nude mice was observed to verify the in-vitro results. The relationship between miR-148a/152 and CCT6A was analyzed. CCT6A upregulated and miR-148a/152 downregulated in colon cancer tissues. MiR-148a/152 expression was correlated with tumor node metastasis stage, lymph node metastasis and differentiation degree. Upregulated miR-148a/152 depressed CCT6A expression and restrained invasion and migration ability, colony formation and proliferation, induced cell apoptosis, depressed OCT4, Nanog and SOX2 mRNA expression of colon cancer stem cells, and descended tumor weight and volume in nude mice. CCT6A was a target gene of miR-148a/152. Overexpression of CCT6A protected colon cancer stem cells. Functional studies showed that upregulation of miR-148a/152 can suppress the migration, invasion and proliferation of CD44+/CD133+ colon cancer stem cells, advance its apoptosis via inhibition of CCT6A expression.

Extracellular Vesicles in Osteosarcoma: Antagonists or Therapeutic Agents?

Osteosarcoma (OS) is a skeletal tumor affecting mainly children and adolescents. The presence of distance metastasis is frequent and it is localized preferentially to the lung, representing the main reason for death among patients. The therapeutic approaches are based on surgery and chemotherapeutics. However, the drug resistance and the side effects associated with the chemotherapy require the identification of new therapeutic approaches. The understanding of the complex biological scenario of the osteosarcoma will open the way for the identification of new targets for its treatment. Recently, a great interest of scientific community is for extracellular vesicles (EVs), that are released in the tumor microenvironment and are important regulators of tumor proliferation and the metastatic process. At the same time, circulating extracellular vesicles can be exploited as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers, and they can be loaded with drugs as a new therapeutic approach for osteosarcoma patients. Thus, the characterization of OS-related EVs could represent a way to convert these vesicles from antagonists for human health into therapeutic and/or diagnostic agents.

Overview of microRNAs as liquid biopsy biomarkers for colorectal cancer sub-type profiling and chemoresistance

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer worldwide. It has also been demonstrated that over the last ten years the incidence of CRC among younger people below the age of 50 is also increasing. Screening for colorectal cancer is of utmost importance; the rationale behind screening is to target the malignancy and reduce the incidence and mortality of the disease. Diagnostic methods to screen for incidence or relapse are therefore a requisite to detect cancer as early as possible. Scientific findings demonstrate that many deaths are due to lack of screening and therefore early identification will lead to greater survivability. In colorectal cancer, diagnostic tests include liquid biopsy biomarkers. Since the discovery of microRNAs (miRNAs), many studies have demonstrated the relationship between miRNAs and the various sub-types of CRC. Several miRNAs have been identified after analysing serum or plasma samples in patients, and such miRNAs were found to be significantly dysregulated. Such findings place the possibility of miRNAs to be at the epicentre of novel diagnostic techniques for CRC identification and sub-type stratification, including other characteristics associated with CRC development such as patient prognosis. The following review serves to underline the latest findings for miRNAs with such potential for routine diagnostic employment in CRC diagnostics and treatments.

MicroRNA-148a-3p Directly Targets SERPINE1 to Suppress EMT-Mediated Colon Adenocarcinoma Progression

Aim

This research aimed at clarifying the intracellular effect of SERPINE1 in the progression of colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) and the underlying mechanism.

Methods

We obtained the expression profile of SERPINE1 in COAD via the Starbase database and verified it on COAD tissue samples through qRT-PCR and immunoblotting, respectively. Also, miRWalk, TargetScan and miRDB databases were adopted to generate the miRNA prediction that might target SERPINE1, and the gene target miR-148a-3p was confirmed using dual-luciferase assays. The effect of SERPINE1 and miR-148a-3p on COAD was further evaluated by cell experiments. MTT assay was used to detect the change of cell proliferation ability. The invasive and migratory capability of COAD cells was examined using transwell and would healing assays. Cell apoptosis was determined through flow cytometry. The expressions of genes and EMT-associated proteins were evaluated by qRT-PCR and immunoblotting. Further lucubration of the biological relevance of SERPINE1 and miR-148a-3p was conducted using rescue experiments.

Results

We found that the expression quantities of SERPINE1 in COAD tissues and cell lines were higher than those in corresponding non-cancerous tissues and normal cells. When SERPINE1 expression is reduced, EMT process is inhibited, invasion and proliferation ability of COAD cells are obviously reduced, and apoptosis level is increased. Moreover, SERPINE1 was identified as the target gene of miR-148a-3p. When the expression of miR-148a-3p was enhanced, it was found that the expression of SERPINE1 was reduced. miR-148a-3p played the similar effect of si-SERPINE1 that suppressed the COAD progression. Additionally, we found out that SERPINE1 is validated in hindering the tumor healing effect of miR148a-3p in COAD, including cell growth and invasion.

Conclusion

Our study suggests that SERPINE1/miR-148a-3p axis has potential as prognostic markers of COAD and provides reference for the development of new therapies.

CDX2 inducible microRNAs sustain colon cancer by targeting multiple DNA damage response pathway factors

Meta-analysis of transcripts in colon adenocarcinoma patient tissues led to the identification of a DNA damage responsive miR signature called DNA damage sensitive miRs (DDSMs). DDSMs were experimentally validated in the cancerous colon tissues obtained from an independent cohort of colon cancer patients and in multiple cellular systems with high levels of endogenous DNA damage. All the tested DDSMs were transcriptionally upregulated by a common intestine-specific transcription factor, CDX2. Reciprocally, DDSMs were repressed via the recruitment of HDAC1/2-containing complexes onto the CDX2 promoter. These miRs downregulated multiple key targets in the DNA damage response (DDR) pathway, namely BRCA1, ATM, Chk1 (also known as CHEK1) and RNF8. CDX2 directly regulated the DDSMs, which led to increased tumor volume and metastasis in multiple preclinical models. In colon cancer patient tissues, the DDSMs negatively correlated with BRCA1 levels, were associated with decreased probability of survival and thereby could be used as a prognostic biomarker. This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.

MicroRNA-934 promotes colorectal cancer cell proliferation by directly targeting Dickkopf-related protein 2

Increasing evidence demonstrates that dysregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) is implicated in the development of colorectal cancer. However, the biological functions of several differentially expressed miRNAs remain unknown. In the present study, a bioinformatic analysis of a previously published microarray data and reverse transcription-quantitative PCR analysis demonstrated that miR-934 expression was upregulated in colorectal cancer samples collected from patients. Mechanistically, Dickkopf-related protein 2 (DDK2) was identified as a novel target gene of miR-934 in colorectal cancer cells. Knockdown of DDK2 reversed the inactivation of Wnt signaling pathway induced using miR-934 inhibitor in colorectal cancer cells. In addition, DDK2 silencing reversed miR-934 inhibitor-induced cell proliferation inhibition and elevation of cell apoptosis. The results demonstrated that DDK2 mRNA expression was negatively associated with miR-934 expression in colorectal tumors. Collectively, the results of the present study demonstrated that the miR-934/DDK2 axis regulated colorectal cancer cell proliferation, suggesting that miR-934 may be a biomarker for patients with colorectal cancer.

Propolis Extract Regulate microRNA Expression in Glioblastoma and Brain Cancer Stem Cells

BACKGROUND

Grade IV gliomas are classified as glioblastoma (GBM), which is the most malignant brain cancer type. Various genetic and epigenetic mechanisms play a role in the initiation and progression of GBM. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-coding RNA molecules that are the main epigenetic regulatory RNA class. They play variable roles in both physiological and pathological conditions, including GBM pathogenesis, by regulating expression levels of the target genes. Brain cancer stem cells (BCSCs) are subpopulations of brain cancer mass that are responsible for poor prognosis, including therapy resistance and relapse. Epigenetic regulation mediated by miRNAs is also a critical component of BCSC self-renewal and differentiation properties. Propolis is a resinous substance that is collected by honey bees from various plant sources. The flavonoids content of propolis varies, depending on the region collected andthe extraction method. Although the effects of propolis that have been collected from different sources on the miRNA expression levels in the glioblastoma cells have been shown, the effects on the BCSCs are not known yet.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of Aydın, a city in western Turkey, propolis, on miRNA expression levels of BCSCs and GBM cells.

METHODS

Aydin propolis was dissolved in 60% ethanol, and after evaporation, distilled water was added to prepare the propolis stock solution. The flavonoids content of the Aydin propolis was determined by MS Q-TOF analysis. Commercially obtained U87MG, GBM cell line, and BCSCs were used as in vitro brain cancer models. The cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of Aydın propolis were determined via WST-1 assay and Annexin V test, respectively. The miRNA expression profile was investigated via the real-time qRT-PCR method, and fold changes were calculated by using the 2-^∆∆Ct method compared to untreated control cells. The miRNA-mRNA-pathway interactions, including significantly altered miRNAs, were determined using different bioinformatics tools and databases.

RESULTS

Quercetin 3-methyl ether was determined as the major component of the Aydin propolis. Aydin propolis did not show significant cytotoxic and apoptotic effects on both GBM and BCSCs up to 2mg/ml concentration. Aydin propolis treatment decreased the expression of nine and five miRNAs in the U87MG 2.13 to 5.65 folds and BCSCs 2.02 to 12.29 folds, respectively. Moreover, 10 miRNAs 2.22 to 10.56 folds were upregulated in propolis treated GBM cells compared to the control group, significantly (p<0.05). In the study, the potential roles of two new miRNAs, whose regulations in glioma were not previously defined, were identified. One of these miR-30d-5p, a novel potential oncomiR in GBM was 2.46 folds downregulated in Aydin propolis treated GBM cells. The other one is miR-335-5p which is a potential tumor suppressor miR in GBM, was 5.66 folds upregulated in Aydin propolis treated GBM cells. FOXO pathway and its upstream and downstream regulators and critically neuronal developmental regulators NOTCH and WNT pathways were determined as the most deregulated pathways in Aydin propolis treated cells.

CONCLUSION

The determination of the anti-cancer effect of Aydın propolis on the miRNA expression of GBM, especially on cancer stem cells, may contribute to the elucidation of brain cancer genetics by supporting further analyses.

Emerging roles and mechanisms of microRNA‑222‑3p in human cancer (Review)

MicroRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) are a class of small non‑coding RNAs that maintain the precise balance of various physiological processes through regulating the function of target mRNAs. Dysregulation of miRNAs is closely associated with various types of human cancer. miR‑222‑3p is considered a canonical factor affecting the expression and signal transduction of multiple genes involved in tumor occurrence and progression. miR‑222‑3p in human biofluids, such as urine and plasma, may be a potential biomarker for the early diagnosis of tumors. In addition, miR‑222‑3p acts as a prognostic factor for the survival of patients with cancer. The present review first summarizes and discusses the role of miR‑222‑3p as a biomarker for diverse types of cancers, and then focuses on its essential roles in tumorigenesis, progression, metastasis and chemoresistance. Finally, the current understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of miR‑222‑3p at the molecular level are summarized. Overall, the current evidence highlights the crucial role of miR‑222‑3p in cancer diagnosis, prognosis and treatment.

Biomarkers Associated with Regorafenib First-Line Treatment Benefits in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Patients: REFRAME Molecular Study

Simple Summary

Biomarkers able to predict response and toxicity upon regorafenib therapy for colorectal cancer (CRC) are critical for treatment choice, particularly relevant in fragile patients. Here, we validated for the first time 18 distinct microRNAs (miRNAs) detected in serum and primary tumor samples, three germline single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) genes, and low levels of Notch 1 expression in the primary tumor as predictive biomarkers of different features. Specifically, these markers were associated with a favorable response to treatment, disease stage, and relapse, as well as the appearance of asthenia. Therefore, these markers can be potentially useful biomarkers for patient stratification and for providing a more personalized and effective therapeutic strategy in fragile patients, while limiting the appearance of adverse effects.

Abstract

First-line treatment with regorafenib in frail metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients has shown some benefit. To accurately identify such patients before treatment, we studied blood biomarkers and primary tumor molecules. We unveiled serum microRNAs (miRNAs), single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in angiogenic-related genes, and Notch 1 expression as biomarkers associated with response or toxicity. MicroRNA array profiling and genotyping of selected SNPs were performed in the blood of fragile mCRC patients treated with regorafenib. Notch 1 and CRC-associated miRNA expression was also analyzed in tumors. High levels of miR-185-5p in serum, rs7993418 in the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 (VEGFR1) gene, and Notch 1 expression in biopsies were associated with a favorable response to treatment. Serum levels of miR-126-3p and miR-152-3p and tumor expression of miR-92a-1-5p were associated with treatment toxicity, particularly interesting in patients exhibiting comorbidities, and high levels of miR-362-3p were associated with asthenia. Additionally, several miRNAs were associated with the presence of metastasis, local recurrence, and peritoneal metastasis. Besides, miRNAs determined in primary tumors were associated with tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) staging. The rs2305948 and rs699947 SNPs in VEGFR2 and VEGFA, respectively, were markers of poor prognosis correlating with locoregional relapse, a higher N stage, and metastatic shedding. In conclusion, VEGF and VEGFR SNPs, miRNAs, and Notch 1 levels are potential useful biomarkers for the management of advanced CRC under regorafenib treatment.

IL-6 promotes PD-L1 expression in monocytes and macrophages by decreasing protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type O expression in human hepatocellular carcinoma

Background

We have previously discovered a relationship between the low expression of protein tyrosine phosphatase, receptor type O (PTPRO) in tumor-infiltrating T cells and immunosuppression. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between decreased PTPRO and increased programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) in both the peripheral monocytes and tumor-infiltrating macrophages of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods

The expression and correlation of all the indices were explored in monocytes and tumor-infiltrating macrophages within both human and mice HCC. The mechanic regulations were studied by using both in vitro and in vivo studies.

Results

We found a significant decrease in PTPRO in HCC peripheral monocytes that was associated with increased PD-L1 expression in peripheral monocytes and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in HCC. Monocyte PD-L1 and PTPRO therefore could serve as valuable prognostic indicators for post-surgery patients with HCC and were associated with increased T-cell exhaustion (Tim3+T cells). A depletion of PTPRO promoted PD-L1 secretion in both monocytes and macrophages through the JAK2/STAT1 and JAK2/STAT3/c-MYC pathways. Increased IL-6 expression was associated with activation of JAK2/STAT3/c-MYC and with decreased PTPRO expression through the STAT3/c-MYC/miR-25–3 p axis. Monocytes and TAMs showed significantly increased miR-25–3 p expression, which could target the 3′ untranslated region of PTPRO. The miR-25–3 p expression positively correlated with serum IL-6 levels, but inversely correlated with PTPRO in HCC monocytes. IL-6/STAT3/c-MYC activation enhanced in vitro miR-25–3 p transcription and decreased PTPRO, while further promoting PD-L1 secretion. Adoptive cell transfer of c-MYC/miR-25–3 p–modified monocytes promoted tumor growth by downregulating PTPRO and causing a PD-L1–induced immunosuppression in an orthotopic tumor transplantation model.

Conclusions

Increased serum IL-6 downregulated PTPRO expression in HCC monocytes and macrophages by activating STAT3/c-MYC/miR-25–3 p and by further enhancing PD-L1 expression through JAK2/STAT1 and JAK2/STAT3/c-MYC signaling.

Prognostic Value of MicroRNAs in Stage II Colorectal Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify and underline multiple microRNAs (miRNAs) as biomarkers of disease prognosis in stage II colorectal cancer (CRC) patients.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

This systematic review and meta-analysis study was conducted according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The required articles were collected from online bibliographic databases from January 2011 to November 2019 with multiple permutation keywords. Quantitative data synthesis was based on a meta-analysis with pooled data to observe and analyse the outcome measures and effect estimates by using the random effect model. The subgroup analysis was performed from demographic characteristics and the available data.

RESULTS

Eighteen articles were included in this study, 16 of which were incorporated for meta-analysis to examine the stage II CRC prognosis with up- and downregulated miRNA expressions. The pooled hazard ratio (HR) for death in stage II CRC patients was 1.90 (95% confidence interval 1.63-2.211), with a significant p value. A subgroup analysis based on up- or downregulated miRNA expression individually and any deregulated miRNA was also associated with a worse prognosis. The subgroup analysis included parameters such as age, gender, stage II and III combined patients' survival and the repetitive miRNAs (miR21, miR215, miR143-5p, miR106a and miR145) individually.

CONCLUSION

MicroRNAs play a significant role in determining prognosis in stage II CRC patients, with upregulation of miR21, miR215, miR143-5p and miR106a, in particular, portending a worse prognosis. These miRNAs could be considered for further evaluation as biomarkers of prognosis and to guide the decision to administer adjuvant chemotherapy.

Mismatch repair phenotype determines the implications of tumor grade and CDX2 expression in stage II-III colon cancer

Mismatch repair (MMR) deficiency is an indicator of good prognosis in localized colon cancer but also associated with lack of expression of caudal-type homeobox transcription factor 2 (CDX2) and high tumor grade; markers that in isolation indicate a poor prognosis. Our study aims to identify clinically relevant prognostic subgroups by combining information about tumor grade, MMR phenotype, and CDX2 expression. Immunohistochemistry for MMR proteins and CDX2 was performed in 544 patients with colon cancer stage II-III, including a cohort from a randomized trial. In patients with proficient MMR (pMMR) and CDX2 negativity, hazard ratio (HR) for cancer death was 2.93 (95% CI 1.23-6.99, p = 0.015). Cancer-specific survival for pMMR/CDX2-negative cases was 35.8 months (95% CI 23.4-48.3) versus 52.1-53.5 months (95% CI 45.6-58.6, p = 0.001) for the remaining cases (CDX2-positive tumors or deficient MMR (dMMR)/CDX2-negative tumors). In our randomized cohort, high tumor grade was predictive of response to adjuvant fluorouracil-levamisole in pMMR patients, with a significant interaction between tumor grade and treatment (p = 0.036). For pMMR patients, high tumor grade was a significant marker of poor prognosis in the surgery-only group (HR 4.60 (95% CI 1.68-12.61), p = 0.003) but not in the group receiving chemotherapy (HR 0.66 (95% CI 0.15-3.00), p = 0.587). To conclude, patients with pMMR and CDX2 negativity have a very poor prognosis. Patients with pMMR and high-graded tumors have a poor prognosis but respond well to adjuvant chemotherapy. CDX2 expression and tumor grade did not impact prognosis in patients with dMMR.

Downregulation of miR-30c-5p expression in colorectal cancer tissue is sex-dependent

We report that decreased expression of miR-30c in tumor compared to adjacent tissue is sex-dependent in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. High expression of miR-30c was associated with better survival in the whole cohort. When the cohort was split into male and female subcohorts, decreased miR-30c expression in tumor compared to adjacent tissue was observed only in males. Expression of miR-30c was decreased in CRC tumor tissue in male patients with nodes involvement compared to those without metastases in nodes and this difference was not observe in females. Next dependency of miR-30c expression on oestrogen receptor beta (ERbeta) mRNA levels in tumor was tested. In males with low expression of ERbeta, we observed a significant decrease in miR-30c levels in patients with nodes involvement compared to those without nodes involvement. This difference was not observed in males with high ERbeta mRNA levels and in females. Accordingly, males with low expression of ERbeta and high expression of miR-30c showed a better survival that those with low expression ERbeta and low expression of miR-30c. It is possible to conclude that whole cohort survival dependence on miR-30c is mostly generated by a subcohort of males with low expression of ERbeta mRNA in tumor tissue.

Identification of miRNA Biomarkers for Diverse Cancer Types Using Statistical Learning Methods at the Whole-Genome Scale

Genome-wide analysis of miRNA molecules can reveal important information for understanding the biology of cancer. Typically, miRNAs are used as features in statistical learning methods in order to train learning models to predict cancer. This motivates us to propose a method that integrates clustering and classification techniques for diverse cancer types with survival analysis via regression to identify miRNAs that can potentially play a crucial role in the prediction of different types of tumors. Our method has two parts. The first part is a feature selection procedure, called the stochastic covariance evolutionary strategy with forward selection (SCES-FS), which is developed by integrating stochastic neighbor embedding (SNE), the covariance matrix adaptation evolutionary strategy (CMA-ES), and classifiers, with the primary objective of selecting biomarkers. SNE is used to reorder the features by performing an implicit clustering with highly correlated neighboring features. A subset of features is selected heuristically to perform multi-class classification for diverse cancer types. In the second part of our method, the most important features identified in the first part are used to perform survival analysis via Cox regression, primarily to examine the effectiveness of the selected features. For this purpose, we have analyzed next generation sequencing data from The Cancer Genome Atlas in form of miRNA expression of 1,707 samples of 10 different cancer types and 333 normal samples. The SCES-FS method is compared with well-known feature selection methods and it is found to perform better in multi-class classification for the 17 selected miRNAs, achieving an accuracy of 96%. Moreover, the biological significance of the selected miRNAs is demonstrated with the help of network analysis, expression analysis using hierarchical clustering, KEGG pathway analysis, GO enrichment analysis, and protein-protein interaction analysis. Overall, the results indicate that the 17 selected miRNAs are associated with many key cancer regulators, such as MYC, VEGFA, AKT1, CDKN1A, RHOA, and PTEN, through their targets. Therefore the selected miRNAs can be regarded as putative biomarkers for 10 types of cancer.

A Distinctive microRNA (miRNA) Signature in the Blood of Colorectal Cancer (CRC) Patients at Surgery

Background: Liquid biopsy (LB) provides an examination of the peripheral blood of cancer patients for circulating tumor cells, cell-free nucleic acids and microRNAs (miRNAs) and is an established tool of precision medicine. Unlike most previous LB studies that focused on advanced metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC), we assessed miRNA dysregulation in blood samples obtained on the day of surgery from patients with primary CRC lesions but no clinical evidence of extra-colonic diffusion. In this study, plasma preparation included miRNAs associated to exosomes, but excluded large macrovesicles from the preparation. Methods: The miRNA profile in plasma isolated from a cohort of 35 CRC patients at the day of surgery was analyzed by Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) and further confirmed by droplet digital RT-PCR (dd-RT-PCR). Results: A miR-141-3p/miR-221-3p/miR-222-3p upregulation signature previously described in advanced CRC did not discriminate the analyzed early-CRC cohort from six tumor-free donors (Tf-D). In contrast, NGS-based miRNome analysis of a training cohort of five CRC and three tumor-free donors identified a novel, distinct nine miRNA signature comprising five up-regulated and four down-regulated miRNAs, six of which could be confirmed in the full CRC and tumor-free donor validation dataset by dd-RT-PCR. Additionally, a KRAS (Kirsten Rat Sarcoma Viral Oncogene Homolog) mutant status was correlated with the plasma content of three identified miRNAs. Conclusions: When the data obtained were comparatively evaluated, at least one of the miRNAs belonging to the signature list was found to be dysregulated in 34/35 (97.1%) of our early-CRC plasma samples. The miRNA list provides diagnostic markers as well as possible molecular targets for protocols focusing on “microRNA therapeutics”.

miRNA-based biomarkers, therapies, and resistance in Cancer

MicroRNAs (miRNAs), small non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) of about 22 nucleotides in size, play important roles in gene regulation, and their dysregulation is implicated in human diseases including cancer. A variety of miRNAs could take roles in the cancer progression, participate in the process of tumor immune, and function with miRNA sponges. During the last two decades, the connection between miRNAs and various cancers has been widely researched. Based on evidence about miRNA, numerous potential cancer biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis have been put forward, providing a new perspective on cancer screening. Besides, there are several miRNA-based therapies among different cancers being conducted, advanced treatments such as the combination of synergistic strategies and the use of complementary miRNAs provide significant clinical benefits to cancer patients potentially. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that many miRNAs are engaged in the resistance of cancer therapies with their complex underlying regulatory mechanisms, whose comprehensive cognition can help clinicians and improve patient prognosis. With the belief that studies about miRNAs in human cancer would have great clinical implications, we attempt to summarize the current situation and potential development prospects in this review.

The Pervasive Role of the miR-181 Family in Development, Neurodegeneration, and Cancer

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs playing a fundamental role in the regulation of gene expression. Evidence accumulating in the past decades indicate that they are capable of simultaneously modulating diverse signaling pathways involved in a variety of pathophysiological processes. In the present review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the function of a highly conserved group of miRNAs, the miR-181 family, both in physiological as well as in pathological conditions. We summarize a large body of studies highlighting a role for this miRNA family in the regulation of key biological processes such as embryonic development, cell proliferation, apoptosis, autophagy, mitochondrial function, and immune response. Importantly, members of this family have been involved in many pathological processes underlying the most common neurodegenerative disorders as well as different solid tumors and hematological malignancies. The relevance of this miRNA family in the pathogenesis of these disorders and their possible influence on the severity of their manifestations will be discussed. A better understanding of the miR-181 family in pathological conditions may open new therapeutic avenues for devasting disorders such as neurodegenerative diseases and cancer.

Development of a prognostic index of colon adenocarcinoma based on immunogenomic landscape analysis

Background

Colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers, and it is closely related to the immune microenvironment. Considering that immunotherapy is not effective for all COAD patients, it is necessary to identify the effective population before administering treatment. In this study, we established an independent prognostic index based on immune-related genes (IRGs), in order to evaluate the clinical outcome of COAD.

Methods

The gene expression profiles and IRGs taken from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Immunology Database and Analysis Portal (ImmPort), respectively, were integrated in order to identify the differentially expressed IRGs. Functional enrichment analysis was conducted and the prognostic value of survival-related IRGs was determined. Based on Cox regression analysis, the IRG-based prognostic index (IRGPI) was established, and the model was evaluated and applied.

Results

A total of 51 differentially expressed survival-related IRGs were identified. The most significant signaling pathway was "cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction". The index established herein was based on 12 survival-related IRGs, and it was highly accurate in monitoring prognosis. Moreover, the IRGPI was significantly correlated with multiple clinicopathologic factors, as well as with the infiltration of immune cells.

Conclusions

An independent IRGPI was established in order to assess the immune status and tumor prognosis in COAD patients. This index can serve as a robust biomarker in clinical prognosis applications, including cancer immunotherapy.

MicroRNA-30b-5p functions as a metastasis suppressor in colorectal cancer by targeting Rap1b

Colorectal liver metastasis (CRLM) is the leading cause of death in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). MiR-30b-5p can function as an oncogene or tumor suppressor in cancers, but its role in CRLM is still unknown. Here, we found that miR-30b-5p overexpression suppressed the invasion, migration, adhesion, and motility of HCT116 and LoVo cells. The expression of EMT (Zeb1, Snail, and vimentin) and adhesion-related proteins (p-paxillin and p-Src) was decreased. We validated Rap1b, a Ras family small GTPase that regulates cell adhesion and mobility, as the direct and functional target of miR-30b-5p. Rap1b overexpression rescued the aggressive characteristics of CRC cells that were inhibited by miR-30b-5p. Rap1b knockdown suppressed invasion and migration and decreased CRC cell-matrix adhesion and spreading, which was consistent with the results of miR-30b-5p overexpression. Further in vivo experiments demonstrated that miR-30b-5p overexpression inhibited CRLM, but Rap1b rescue attenuated the inhibitory effect of miR-30b-5p. In addition, miR-30b-5p was downregulated in CRC specimens, and Rap1b showed a negative correlation with miR-30b-5p expression in primary CRC and LM tissues. These results indicate that miR-30b-5p functions as a metastasis suppressor by targeting Rap1b and may provide a new target for the treatment of CRLM.

Identifying a new microRNA signature as a prognostic biomarker in colon cancer

BACKGROUND

The aim was to identify a novel prognostic miRNA signature for colon cancer (CC) in silico.

METHODS

Data on the expression of miRNAs and relevant clinical information for 407 patients were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), and the samples were randomly split into a validation set (n = 203) and training set (n = 204). The differential expression of miRNAs between normal tissues and patients with CC was analyzed. We detected a miRNA expression signature in the training dataset by using a Cox proportional hazard regression model. Then, we verified the signature in the validation set. Association of the miRNA signature with overall survival was assessed in the validation cohort and combined cohort by log-rank test and based on Kaplan-Meier curves. The receiver operating characteristic and disease-free survival analyses were performed to evaluate the miRNA signature of CC in the combined cohort. Multivariate and univariate Cox analyses related to survival for the miRNA signature were performed, and a nomogram was built as a prognostic model for CC. To explore the function of target genes of the miRNA signature, Gene Ontology analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis were used.

RESULTS

Between the matched normal tissues and colon cancer tissues, 267 differentially expressed miRNAs were detected, and a single-factor CoxPH model showed that 13 miRNAs were related to overall survival in the training cohort. Then, a five-miRNA signature was identified using a CoxPH regression model with multiple factors. The five-miRNA signature had significant prognostic value in the training cohort and was validated in the validation cohort and combined cohort. A total of 193 target genes of the miRNA signature were identified. According to the results of functional analysis of the target genes, the signaling pathways MAPK, AMPK and PI3K-Akt, focal adhesion, and microRNAs in cancer were remarkably enriched.

CONCLUSION

A five-miRNA signature had increased prognostic value for CC, which may provide important biological insights for the discovery and development of molecular predictors to improve the prognosis of patients with CC.

A Triple-Regulated Oncolytic Adenovirus Carrying MicroRNA-143 Exhibits Potent Antitumor Efficacy in Colorectal Cancer

The cancer-targeting gene virotherapy might be a useful strategy for the treatment of cancer, because it could combine the advantages of both gene therapy and virotherapy. This study aimed to construct a triple-regulated oncolytic adenovirus, Ad-RGD-Survivin-ZD55-miR-143, carrying the therapeutic gene miR-143 and evaluate its possible antitumor effect in colorectal cancer. We observed that miR-143 was lowly expressed in patients with colorectal cancer. The upregulation of miR-143 could inhibit cell proliferation and induce cell apoptosis by targeting KRAS in colorectal cancer cells. Then, Ad-RGD-Survivin-ZD55-miR-143 was successfully constructed in this study. Cells infected with Ad-RGD-Survivin-ZD55-miR-143 could inhibit cell proliferation, suppress cell migration and invasion, arrest cells at the G1 phase, and induce cellular apoptosis. At the same time, Ad-RGD-Survivin-ZD55-miR-143 decreased the expression of PARP-1 and KRAS protein in vitro. In a HCT116 xenograft model, intratumoral injection of Ad-RGD-Survivin-ZD55-miR-143 resulted in reduced tumor growth. Furthermore, Ad-RGD-Survivin-ZD55-miR-143 induced apoptosis and decreased the expression level of KRAS in HCT116 xenograft cells. Our results suggested that Ad-RGD-Survivin-ZD55-miR-143 produced a strong antitumor effect by targeting KRAS and that this strategy could broaden the therapeutic options for treating colorectal cancer.

ZMYND8 expression combined with pN and pM classification as a novel prognostic prediction model for colorectal cancer: Based on TCGA and GEO database analysis

BACKGROUND

Zinc finger MYND (Myeloid, Nervy and DEAF-1)-type containing 8 (ZMYND8) is closely correlated with tumor proliferation and invasiveness. However, its prognostic value has not been estimated in colorectal cancer (CRC).

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to elucidate the prognostic significance of ZMYND8 expression and the pN and pM classification supplemented by its expression in CRCs.

METHODS

The candidate gene ZMYND8 is identified by TCGA database and GEO database, and then we retrospectively evaluated the status and prognostic significance of ZMYND8 expression of 174 patients with CRC.

RESULTS

Online data showed high expression of ZMYND8 is closely correlated with worse overall survival. Our study revealed high expression of ZMYND8 in CRC patients was significantly associated with worse overall and disease-free survival (P< 0.05), and was an independently adverse prognostic factor for overall survival (P< 0.001) and disease-free survival (P= 0.001) by univariate and multivariate analysis. C-index to combined prognostic model containing the pN, pM classification supplemented by the status of ZMYND8 expression showed improved predictive ability comparing with the pN and pM classification model (C-index of 0.597 vs. 0.545, respectively).

CONCLUSION

The combined prognostic model could improve the ability to determine the clinical outcome of patients with CRC.

Comparison of Mono-dopaminergic and Multi-target Pharmacotherapies in Primary Parkinson Syndrome and Assessment Tools to Evaluate Motor and Non-motor Symptoms

Background:

Primary Parkinson syndrome is mostly treated by dopaminergic drugs, while the progression of the disease is not altered. Some non-dopaminergic are available, which are administered only after the Parkinsonian symptoms get worse.

Objective:

The objective of this review is to give basic results in order to compare a dopaminergic and non-dopaminergic pharmacotherapy in Parkinson’s disease and to control whether the add-on pharmacotherapy with non-dopaminergic drugs can inhibit the progression of the disease.

Methods:

In primary Parkinson syndrome, the altered activity of classical neurotransmitters and neuropeptides in the extrapyramidal system is summarized and up-dated. Anatomical studies on neural networks in the basal ganglia are mentioned. The direct, motor facilitatory pathway (D1 dopaminergic neurons) from the substantia nigra to the thalamus, via the internal globus pallidus, and the indirect, motor inhibitory pathway via D2 dopaminergic neurons have been considered. These established anatomical pathways have been brought in line with the neural interactions derived from neurotransmitter balances or imbalances. Besides, preclinical and clinical studies of effective non-dopaminergic anti-Parkinsonian drugs are reviewed.

Results:

It can be hypothesized that glutamatergic neurons enhance dopamine deficiency in the substantia nigra and putamen through an increased presynaptic inhibition mediated by NMDA receptors. In the putamen, 5-HT2A serotonergic neurons counteract D2 dopaminergic neurons and A2A adenosine neurons antagonize D2 dopaminergic neurons by activating glutamatergic neurons, which presynaptically inhibit via subtype 5 of metabotropic glutamatergic receptors, D2 dopaminergic neurons. In the extrapyramidal system, an up-dated neural network, which harmonizes established anatomical pathways with derived neural interactions, is presented. In Parkinson’s disease, a question should be answered, whether a combination of dopaminergic and non-dopaminergic drugs can promote an increased motor and non-motor functioning.

Conclusion:

A mono-target pharmacotherapy (using only dopaminergic drugs) and a multi-target pharmacotherapy (i.e. by combining dopaminergic and non-dopaminergic drugs) are compared. The alternate administration of dopaminergic and non-dopaminergic anti-Parkinsonian drugs, administered at different times during the day, must be tested in order to inhibit the progression of the disease. Assessment tools can be used to evaluate motor and cognitive functions. Moreover, imaging examination techniques can be also applied to control the course of the disease.

Identification of microRNA-181 as a promising biomarker for predicting the poor survival in colorectal cancer

Background

A series of studies have investigated the vital role of microRNA‐181 (miR‐181) in the initiation and development of colorectal cancer (CRC), and demonstrated that it might be associated with the prognosis of CRC. However, inconsistent findings have hindered its clinical application.

Methods

A comprehensive meta‐analysis and an integrative bioinformatics analysis were carried out for concluding current available evidence, clarifying the preliminary prognostic value and unfolding the underlying biological function of miR‐181 in CRC patients.

Results

The findings revealed that elevated expression levels of miR‐181 were associated with significantly poorer overall survival rates (HR = 1.75, 95% CI: 1.26‐2.43, P < .05). Meanwhile, the target genes of miR‐181 were identified and enriched into several important gene ontology (GO) categories and signaling pathways including miRNAs in cancer, pathways in cancer, proteoglycans in cancer, colorectal cancer, FoxO signaling pathway, PI3K‐Akt signaling pathway, VEGF signaling pathway, HIF‐1 signaling pathway, mTOR signaling pathway, and cAMP signaling pathway, which were confirmed highly involved in the initiation and progression of CRC. In addition, the protein‐protein interaction (PPI) networks were set up by miR‐181 targets to screen hub nodes and significant modules, which were also considerably associated with the molecular pathogenesis of CRC.

Conclusions

The present study demonstrated that miR‐181 could be a promising biomarker with predictive value for prognosis for CRC patients. However, future studies comprising large cohorts from multicenter are warranted to further investigate the biomarker value of miR‐181.

EV-associated miRNAs from peritoneal lavage as potential diagnostic biomarkers in colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Current systematic methods for diagnosing have inherent limitations so development of a minimally-invasive diagnosis, based on the identification of sensitive biomarkers in liquid biopsies could therefore facilitate screening among population at risk.

METHODS

In this study, we aim to develop a novel approach to identify highly sensitive and specific biomarkers by investigating the use of extracellular vesicles (EVs) isolated from the peritoneal lavage as a source of potential miRNA diagnostic biomarkers. We isolated EVs by ultracentrifugation from 25 ascitic fluids and 25 peritoneal lavages from non-cancer and CRC patients, respectively. Analysis of the expression of EV-associated miRNAs was performed using Taqman OpenArray technology through which we could detect 371 miRNAs.

RESULTS

210 miRNAs were significantly dysregulated (adjusted p value < 0.05 and abs(logFC) ≥ 1). The top-10 miRNAs, which had the AUC value higher than 0.95, were miRNA-199b-5p, miRNA-150-5p, miRNA-29c-5p, miRNA-218-5p, miRNA-99a-3p, miRNA-383-5p, miRNA-199a-3p, miRNA-193a-5p, miRNA-10b-5p and miRNA-181c-5p.

CONCLUSIONS

This finding opens the avenue to the use of EV-associated miRNA of peritoneal lavages as an untapped source of biomarkers for CRC.

Post-transcriptional Gene Regulation in Colitis Associated Cancer

Colitis-associated cancer (CAC) has been linked to microRNA (miRNA) aberrant expression elicited by inflammation. In this study, we used the AOM/DSS-induced CAC mice model to explore the ectopic expression of miRNAs in the precancerous stage of CAC. As a result, we found that miR-31-5p, miR-223-3p, and let-7f-5p were dysregulated during the development of intestinal dysplasia. Subsequently, we first identified the role of these three miRNAs in CAC. Adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) was revealed as a new target of miR-223-3p, and solute carrier family 9- subfamily A-member 9 (SLC9A9) and APC membrane recruitment protein 3 (AMER3) were suggested as two new targets for let-7f-5p. For miR-31-5p, we proved that it can target LATS2 mRNA so as to modulate Hippo pathway in Caco2 cells. Second, to examine if targeting these three miRNAs would lead to CAC prevention, pedunculoside, a natural triterpene glycoside capable of rescuing the down-regulation of LATS2 and APC caused by either miR-31-5p or miR-223-3p overexpression, respectively, was used in the in vivo AOM/DSS-induced CAC model. The results showed that pedunculoside (25 mg/kg) substantially mitigated the damage to mice intestine caused by DSS/AOM. These results suggested that miRNAs-elicited post-transcriptional regulation is involved in the pathogenesis of CAC, and CAC can be prevented through targeting key miRNAs that are ectopically expressed in CAC.

Extracellular vesicles from osteosarcoma cell lines contain miRNAs associated with cell adhesion and apoptosis

Osteosarcoma is the most common primary bone tumor during childhood and adolescence. Several reports have presented data on serum biomarkers for osteosarcoma, but few reports have analyzed circulating microRNAs (miRNAs). In this study, we used next generation miRNA sequencing to examine miRNAs isolated from microvesicle-depleted extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from six different human osteosarcoma or osteoblastic cell lines with different degrees of metastatic potential (i.e., SAOS2, MG63, HOS, 143B, U2OS and hFOB1.19). EVs from each cell line contain on average ~300 miRNAs, and ~70 of these miRNAs are present at very high levels (i.e., >1000 reads per million). The most prominent miRNAs are miR-21-5p, miR-143-3p, miR-148a-3p and 181a-5p, which are enriched between 3 and 100 fold and relatively abundant in EVs derived from metastatic SAOS2 cells compared to non-metastatic MG63 cells. Gene ontology analysis of predicted targets reveals that miRNAs present in EVs may regulate the metastatic potential of osteosarcoma cell lines by potentially inhibiting a network of genes (e.g., MAPK1, NRAS, FRS2, PRCKE, BCL2 and QKI) involved in apoptosis and/or cell adhesion. Our data indicate that osteosarcoma cell lines may selectively package miRNAs as molecular cargo of EVs that could function as paracrine agents to modulate the tumor micro-environment.

High expression of MMP19 is associated with poor prognosis in patients with colorectal cancer

Background

Matrix metalloproteinase 19 (MMP19) is a member of zinc-dependent endopeptidases, which have been involved in various physiological and pathological processes. Its expression has been demonstrated in some types of cancers, but the clinical significance of MMP19 in colorectal cancer (CRC) has not been reported. Thus, we aimed to analyze the clinical significance of MMP19 in CRC in present study.

Methods

The expression of MMP19 was first explored in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) cohort, and then validated in the GSE39582 cohort and our own database. Clinicopathological features and survival rate were also investigated.

Results

MMP19 was found to be a predictor for overall survival (OS) in both univariate (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.449, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.108–1.893, P = 0.007) and multivariate survival analyses (HR: 1.401, 95% CI: 1.036–1.894, P = 0.028) in the TCGA database. MMP19 was further validated as an independent factor for recurrence free survival in the GSE39582 database by both univariate analysis (HR: 2.061, 95%CI: 1.454–2.921, P < 0.001) and multivariate analysis (HR = 1.470, 95% CI: 1.025–2.215, P = 0.032). In an in-house cohort, MMP19 was significantly upregulated in CRC tissues when compared with their adjacent normal controls (P < 0.001). Ectopic MMP19 expression was positively associated with lymph node metastases (P = 0.029), intramural vascular invasion (P = 0.015) and serum carcinoembryonic antigen levels (P = 0.045). High MMP19 expression correlated with a shorter OS (HR = 5.595; 95% CI: 2.573–12.164; P < 0.001) and disease free survival (HR = 4.699; 95% CI: 2.461–8.974; P < 0.001) in multivariate cox regression analysis.

Conclusions

Expression of MMP19 was upregulated in CRC. High expression of MMP19 was determined to be an independent and poor prognostic factor in CRC. These results suggest that MMP19 may be a good biomarker for CRC.

Long Non-coding RNA CASC2 Enhances the Antitumor Activity of Cisplatin Through Suppressing the Akt Pathway by Inhibition of miR-181a in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells

Background: Long non-coding RNA CASC2 (lncRNA CASC2) has been found to be down-regulated in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). However, the effect of CASC2 on cisplatin-treated ESCC was unclear. The present study aimed to evaluate the role of CASC2 in cisplatin-treated ESCC cells. Methods: The expression levels of CASC2 and miR-181a were detected by qRT-PCR. Cell viability was measured by MTT assay. The cytotoxicity effect was detected by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release assay. Cell apoptosis was tested by flow cytometry. The protein levels of protein kinase B (Akt) and p-Akt were detected by western blotting. Results: The results showed that CASC2 was low-expressed in ESCC cell lines. Overexpression of CASC2 enhanced the inhibitory effect of cisplatin on cell viability and promoted cisplatin-induced LDH release and apoptosis. We also found that miR-181a expression levels were increased in ESCC cell lines. MiR-181a inhibitor enhanced the antitumor activity of cisplatin, which was similar with the effect of CASC2. CASC2 directly interacted with miR-181a and inhibited the miR-181a expression. MiR-181a reversed the effects of CASC2 on antitumor activity of cisplatin. In addition, we also found that CASC2 suppressed the Akt pathway by inhibiting miR-181a. Conclusions: CASC2 promoted the antitumor activity of cisplatin through inhibiting Akt pathway via negatively regulating miR-181a in ESCC cells. The results provide a new insight for ESCC therapy.

miRNA and mRNA Integration Network Construction Reveals Novel Key Regulators in Left-Sided and Right-Sided Colon Adenocarcinoma

Background

The distinction between right-sided and left-sided colon adenocarcinoma has recently received considerable. This study aims to identify key MicroRNA (miRNA) and mRNAs in right-sided colon adenocarcinoma (RSCOAD) and left-sided colon adenocarcinoma (LSCOAD) by TCGA integration analysis.

Methods

The miRNA and mRNA expression profiles of a large group of patients with RSCOAD and LSCOAD were obtained from TCGA. The differentially expressed miRNAs (DEmiRNAs) and mRNAs (DEmRNAs) were identified by TCGA integration analysis. The optimal diagnostic miRNA biomarkers for RSCOAD and LSCOAD were identified by Boruta algorithm. We established classification models to distinguish RSCOAD and LSCOAD. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis, DEmiRNA-DEmRNA interaction analysis, and functional annotation were performed. The expression of selected DEmiRNAs and DEmRNAs was validated by qRT-PCR.

Results

A total of 2534 DEmRNAs (940 downregulated and 1594 upregulated mRNAs) and 54 DEmiRNAs (22 downregulated and 32 upregulated miRNAs) between RSCOAD and LSCOAD were identified. The feature selection procedure was to obtain 22 optimal diagnostic miRNAs biomarkers in RSCOAD compared to LSCOAD. The AUC of the random forests model was 0.869 and the specificity and sensitivity of this model were 79% and 84.6%, respectively. Three DEmiRNAs (hsa-miR-224-5p, hsa-miR-155-5p, and hsa-miR-31-5p) and five DEmRNAs (CXCR4, SMAD4, KRAS, FITM2, and PLAGL2) were identified key DEmiRNAs and DEmRNAs in RSCOAD compared to LSCOAD. The qRT-PCR results of CXCR4, FITM2, TFAP2A, ULBP2, hsa-miR-224-5p, and hsa-miR-155-5p were consistent with our integrated analysis.

Conclusion

A total of three DEmiRNAs (hsa-miR-224-5p, hsa-miR-155-5p, and hsa-miR-31-5p) and five DEmRNAs (CXCR4, SMAD4, KRAS, FITM2, and PLAGL2) may be involved in the pathogenesis of RSCOAD and LSCOAD which may make a contribution for understanding mechanisms and developing therapeutic strategies for RSCOAD and LSCOAD.

Prognostic roles of microRNA 143 and microRNA 145 in colorectal cancer: A meta-analysis

Background:

A systematic analysis was conducted to clarify the relationship between miR-143/145 and the prognosis of colorectal cancer.

Materials and methods:

We searched four databases: PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library. We extracted and estimated the hazard ratios for survival outcomes, which compared low and high expression levels of miR-143/145 in colorectal cancer patients in the available studies. Each individual hazard ratio was used to calculate the pooled hazard ratio.

Results:

A total of 17 articles including 5128 patients were ultimately included. The results showed that there was no significant difference between low expression and high expression of miR-143 in the overall survival of colon cancer patients. However, low expression of miR-143 was significantly associated with high event-free survival (hazard ratio (HR) 0.6; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.40, 0.88). Low expression of miR-145 was associated with poor prognosis of patients (HR 1.92; 95% CI 1.45, 2.54); those with low expression of miR-145 were at 1.92-fold higher risk for short-term overall survival than those with high expression of miR-145. MiR-145 was an unfavorable factor for the prognosis of colorectal cancer. There were no significant differences between low expression of miR-145 and high expression of miR-143 in event-free survival.

Conclusion:

miR-143 and miR-145 have promising prognostic value for colorectal cancer. Low expression of miR-143 can predict high event-free survival, and low expression of miR-145 can predict poor overall survival.

Long noncoding RNAs predict the survival of patients with colorectal cancer as revealed by constructing an endogenous RNA network using bioinformation analysis

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are aberrantly expressed in various cancers types and can function as competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs), which promote and maintain tumor initiation and progression. In this study, we explored the functional roles and regulatory mechanisms of lncRNAs as ceRNAs in colorectal cancer and their clinical potential as biomarkers. The RNA sequencing profiles of patients with colorectal cancer were downloaded from TCGA database, and 62 lncRNAs, 30miRNAs, and 59 mRNAs were identified to comprise the ceRNA network (fold change > 2, P < 0.01). Functional enrichment analysis suggested that the target genes of the ceRNA network may be involved in the pathways related to cancer, including the signaling pathway that regulates the pluripotency of stem cells, wnt signaling pathway, hippo signaling pathway, basal cell carcinoma, and colorectal cancer. Univariate and multivariate Cox's proportional hazard regression model revealed that five (H19, MIR31HG, HOTAIR, WT1‐AS, and LINC00488) out of 62 lncRNAs were closely related to the overall survival (OS) (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the five‐lncRNA model could be an independent prognostic model in colorectal cancer. We computed for the risk function and constructed a risk score based on the five lncRNAs. Results showed that patients with high‐risk scores have poor survival rates. Additionally, combing the risk score and other clinicopathological features, we can better predict the patient's survival probabilities. Furthermore, we validate our model in the GSE38832 dataset. Collectively, our study has provided a deeper understanding of the lncRNA‐related ceRNA regulatory mechanism in CRC and identified five‐lncRNA model, which could be considered as candidate prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

MicroRNA-23a-3p Inhibits Mucosal Melanoma Growth and Progression through Targeting Adenylate Cyclase 1 and Attenuating cAMP and MAPK Pathways

Mucosal melanoma (MM) is the second most common melanoma subtype in Asian populations. Deregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) has been extensively investigated in various cancers, including cutaneous melanoma. However, the roles of miRNAs in MM are unclear. In this study, we carried out miRNA profiling in MM, and we investigated the clinical and biological roles of miR-23a-3p in MM.

Methods: miRNA expression in MM was profiled by miRNA microarray analysis. The expression of miR-23a-3p was quantitated by qRT-PCR in a cohort of 117 patients with MM, and its prognostic significance was evaluated. The biological effect of miR-23a-3p was demonstrated by both in vitro and in vivo studies through ectopic expression of miR-23a-3p. The target gene of miR-23a-3p and molecular pathway influenced by it was characterized using in silico target prediction tools, dual luciferase reporter assays, knockdown, and rescue experiments.

Results: Microarray and qRT-PCR results showed that the miR-23a-3p level was substantially lower in MM, and low miR-23a-3p expression was significantly associated with poor outcomes. Ectopic expression of miR-23a-3p suppressed MM cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and tumorigenicity, indicating that miR-23a-3p has a tumor-suppressive role in MM. Mechanistic investigations identified adenylate cyclase 1 (ADCY1) as a direct target of miR-23a-3p in MM, and knockdown of ADCY1 recapitulated all the phenotypic characteristics of miR-23a-3p overexpression. Targeting of ADCY1 by miR-23a-3p resulted in the suppression of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways.

Conclusions: Our data highlight the molecular etiology and clinical significance of miR-23a-3p in MM and reveal its major target and biological function. miR-23a-3p may represent a new prognostic biomarker or therapeutic target in MM.

GAS5 functions as a ceRNA to regulate hZIP1 expression by sponging miR-223 in clear cell renal cell carcinoma

Several studies have shown that low expression of hZIP1 is closely associated with many human cancers, including clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). In this study, we aimed to explore the potential mechanism responsible for hZIP1 silencing and revealed a novel regulatory pathway in the pathogenesis of ccRCC. Here, miR-223 was predicted and experimentally validated to be a regulator of hZIP1, and its expression was negatively correlated with the mRNA levels of hZIP1 in primary tumors. Upregulation of hZIP1 inhibited cell proliferation, cell cycle progression, and invasion and induced apoptosis, while inhibition of miR-223 showed the opposite effect on cellular processes. Moreover, GAS5 interacted with miR-223 and was markedly downregulated in tumors. Knockdown of GAS5 partially reversed the effect of the miR-223 inhibitor on cell proliferation, cell cycle distribution, apoptosis and invasion. In addition, GAS5 acted as a molecular sponge to positively regulate the mRNA and protein levels of hZIP1 via regulating miR-223. The tumorigenicity of ccRCC cells was enhanced by silencing GAS5 but diminished by overexpression of hZIP1 in vivo. Clinically, the low expression of hZIP1 was significantly correlated with advanced clinical stage and Fuhrman stage. Downregulation of GAS5 indicated tumor progression and recurrence and was independently associated with disease-free survival of patients. Taken together, our results suggest that GAS5 may act as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) to regulate hZIP1 by sponging miR-223 in the progression of ccRCC and that targeting the GAS5/miR-223/hZIP1 axis may serve as a therapeutic strategy for patients.

Genome‑scale analysis to identify potential prognostic microRNA biomarkers for predicting overall survival in patients with colon adenocarcinoma

The aim of the present study was to identify potential prognostic microRNA (miRNA) biomarkers for colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) prognostic prediction using the dataset of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). The genome‑wide miRNA sequencing dataset and corresponding COAD clinical information were downloaded from TCGA. Prognosis‑related miRNA screening was performed by genome‑wide multivariable Cox regression analysis and used for prognostic signature construction. Ten miRNAs (hsa‑mir‑891a, hsa‑mir‑6854, hsa‑mir‑216a, hsa‑mir‑378d‑1, hsa‑mir‑92a‑1, hsa‑mir‑4709, hsa‑mir‑92a‑2, hsa‑mir‑210, hsa‑mir‑940 and hsa‑mir‑887) were identified as prognostic miRNAs and used for further prognostic signature construction. The 10‑miRNA prognostic signature showed good performance in prognosis prediction (adjusted P<0.0001; adjusted hazard ratio, 4.580; 95% confidence interval, 2.783‑7.538). In the time‑dependent receiver operating characteristic analysis, the area under the curve was 0.735, 0.788, 0.806, 0.806, 0.775 and 0.900 for 1‑, 2‑, 3‑, 4‑, 5‑ and 10‑year COAD overall survival prediction, respectively. Comprehensive survival analysis suggested that the 10‑miRNA prognostic signature is an independent prognostic factor in COAD, with a better performance in COAD overall survival prediction than other traditional clinical parameters. Functional enrichment indicated that the corresponding target genes were significantly enriched in multiple biological processes and pathways, including regulation of cell proliferation, cell cycle, cell growth, and Wnt and transforming growth factor‑β signaling pathways. In conclusion, our present study identified a 10‑miRNA expression signature that may serve as a potential prognostic biomarker in COAD patients.

A four-microRNA classifier as a novel prognostic marker for tumor recurrence in stage II colon cancer

About 20 percent of TNM-stage II colon cancer patients who are treated by surgical resection develop recurrence, and adjuvant chemotherapy in this group is still debated among researchers and clinicians. Currently, adverse histopathological and clinical factors are used to select patients for adjuvant chemotherapy following surgery. However, additional biomarkers to classify patients at risk of recurrence are needed. We have conducted a study using fresh frozen tumor tissue from 54 TNM-stage II colon cancer patients and performed microRNA profiling using next-generation sequencing. For the selection of the prognostic microRNAs, a LASSO Cox Regression model was employed. For the validation, we used the publically available TCGA-COAD cohort (n = 122). A prognostic panel of four micorRNAs (hsa-miR-5010-3p, hsa-miR-5100, hsa-miR-656-3p and hsa-miR-671-3p) was identified in the study cohort and validated in the TCGA-COAD cohort. The four-microRNA classifier successfully identified high-risk patients in the study cohort (P < 0.001) and the validation cohort (P = 0.005). Additionally, a number of established risk factors and the four-miRNA classifier were used to construct a nomogram to evaluate risk of recurrence. We identified a four-microRNA classifier in patients with TNM-stage II colon cancer that can be used to discriminate between patients at low- and high risk of recurrence.

Identification of potential prognostic microRNA biomarkers for predicting survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

Background

The aim of the present study was to identify potential prognostic microRNA (miRNA) biomarkers for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) prognosis prediction based on a dataset from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA).

Materials and methods

A miRNA sequencing dataset and corresponding clinical parameters of HCC were obtained from TCGA. Genome-wide univariate Cox regression analysis was used to screen prognostic differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs), and multivariable Cox regression analysis was used for prognostic signature construction. Comprehensive survival analysis was performed to evaluate the prognostic value of the prognostic signature.

Results

Five miRNAs were regarded as prognostic DEMs and used for prognostic signature construction. The five-DEM prognostic signature performed well in prognosis prediction (adjusted P < 0.0001, adjusted hazard ratio = 2.249, 95% confidence interval =1.491-3.394), and time-dependent receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis showed an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.765, 0.745, 0.725, and 0.687 for 1-, 2-, 3-, and 5-year HCC overall survival (OS) prediction, respectively. Comprehensive survival analysis of the prognostic signature suggests that the risk score model could serve as an independent factor of HCC and perform better in prognosis prediction than other traditional clinical indicators. Functional assessment of the target genes of hsa-mir-139 and hsa-mir-5003 indicates that they were significantly enriched in multiple biological processes and pathways, including cell proliferation and cell migration regulation, pathways in cancer, and the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) signaling pathway.

Conclusion

Our study indicates that the novel miRNA expression signature may be a potential prognostic biomarker for HCC patients.