Long non-coding RNA GAS5 and ZFAS1 are prognostic markers involved in translation targeted by miR-940 in prostate cancer

An update on the molecular mechanisms of ZFAS1 as a prognostic, diagnostic, or therapeutic biomarker in cancers

Zinc finger antisense 1 (ZFAS1), a newly discovered long noncoding RNA, is expressed in various tissues and organs and has been introduced an oncogenic gene in human malignancies. In various cancers, ZFAS1 regulates apoptosis, cell proliferation, the cell cycle, migration, translation, rRNA processing, and spliceosomal snRNP assembly; targets signaling cascades; and interacts with transcription factors via binding to key proteins and miRNAs, with conflicting findings on its effect on these processes. ZFAS1 is elevated in different types of cancer, like colorectal, colon, osteosarcoma, and gastric cancer. Considering the ZFAS1 expression pattern, it also has the potential to be a diagnostic or prognostic marker in various cancers. The current review discusses the mode of action of ZFAS1 in various human cancers and its regulation function related to chemoresistance comprehensively, as well as the potential role of ZFAS1 as an effective and noninvasive cancer-specific biomarker in tumor diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. We expected that the current review could fill the current scientific gaps in the ZFAS1-related cancer causative mechanisms and improve available biomarkers.

Exploring GAS5's impact on prostate cancer: Recent discoveries and emerging paradigms

Novel treatment targets must be discovered to improve the results for patients with prostate cancer, which continues to be a significant worldwide health problem. Growth Arrest-Specific 5 (GAS5) is a long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) that has emerged as a promising target. GAS5 is a non-coding RNA that is a tumour suppressor in many different cancers by reducing cell proliferation and increasing apoptosis. GAS5 influences cell cycle control and apoptosis via interactions with important signalling pathways and microRNAs, as has been shown by recent studies. Furthermore, GAS5 has attracted interest for its diagnostic and prognostic potential in prostate cancer. GAS5 expression is a promising biomarker for disease classification and individualized treatment approaches because of its association with clinicopathological characteristics such as tumour stage, Gleason score, and metastatic potential. Preclinical models have revealed encouraging anticancer benefits from experimental techniques employing GAS5 overexpression or synthetic analogues, indicating the possibility of translational treatments. Whether GAS5 can be used as a diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic target might lead to more effective and individualized ways to fight prostate cancer, improving patient outcomes and quality of life. To utilize its potential for therapy and establish it as a useful addition to the clinical arsenal against this pervasive malignancy, more investigation into the complex molecular pathways of GAS5 in prostate cancer is essential. This review highlights the recent advancements and insights into the role of GAS5 in prostate cancer pathogenesis and progression.

LncRNA weighted gene co-expression network analysis reveals novel biomarkers related to prostate cancer metastasis

BACKGROUND

Most prostate cancer patients die from metastasis and lack accurate efficacious biomarkers to monitor the disease behavior, optimize treatment and assess prognosis. Herein, we aimed to identify meaningful lncRNA biomarkers associated with prostate cancer metastatic progression.

METHODS

By repurposing microarray probes, 11,624 lncRNAs in prostate cancer were obtained from Gene Expression Omnibus  database (GSE46691, N = 545; GSE29079, N = 235; GSE94767, N = 130). Weighted gene co-expression network analysis was applied to determine the co-expression lncRNA network pertinent to metastasis. Hub lncRNAs were screened. RNA-seq and clinical data from the Cancer Genome Atlas prostate cancer (TCGA-PRAD) cohort (N = 531) were analyzed. Transwell assay and bioinformatic analysis were performed for mechanism research.

RESULTS

The high expression levels of nine hub lncRNAs (FTX, AC005261.1, NORAD, LINC01578, AC004542.2, ZFAS1, EBLN3P, THUMPD3-AS1, GAS5) were significantly associated with Gleason score and increased probability of metastatic progression. Among these lncRNAs, ZFAS1 had the consistent trends of expression in all of the analysis from different cohorts, and the Kaplan-Meier survival analyses showed higher expression of ZFAS1 was associated with shorter relapse free survival. In-vitro studies confirmed that downregulation of ZFAS1 decreased prostate cancer cell migration.

CONCLUSION

We offered some new insights into discovering lncRNA markers correlated with metastatic progression of prostate cancer using the WGCNA. Some may serve as potential prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for advanced metastatic prostate cancer.

LncRNA ZFAS1: Role in tumorigenesis and other diseases

Residing on chromosome 20q13.13, Zinc Finger NFX1-Type Containing 1 (ZNFX1) antisense RNA 1 (ZFAS1) is a transcript which has been primarily recognized as a modulator of differentiation of alveolar and epithelial cell in the mammary gland. This long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) partakes in the molecular cascades leading to several non-neoplastic conditions such as osteoarthritis, epilepsy, rheumatoid arthritis, atherosclerosis, pulmonary fibrosis, myocardial infarction, and cardiac dysfunction. More importantly, ZFAS1 is considered as an oncogene in almost all types of cancers. Using expression amounts of ZFAS1, it is possible to forecast the clinical outcome of patients with different neoplasms such as colorectal cancer, gastric cancer, cholangiocarcinoma, hepatoblastoma, and other types of cancer. We describe the role of ZFAS1 in the development of neoplastic and non-neoplastic disorders.

Identification of a three-gene-based prognostic model in multiple myeloma using bioinformatics analysis

Background

Multiple myeloma (MM), the second most hematological malignancy, has high incidence and remains incurable till now. The pathogenesis of MM is poorly understood. This study aimed to identify novel prognostic model for MM on gene expression profiles.

Methods

Gene expression datas of MM (GSE6477, GSE136337) were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in GSE6477 between case samples and normal control samples were screened by the limma package. Meanwhile, enrichment analysis was conducted, and a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of these DEGs was established by STRING and cytoscape software. Co-expression modules of genes were built by Weighted Correlation Network Analysis (WGCNA). Key genes were identified both from hub genes and the DEGs. Univariate and multivariate Cox congression were performed to screen independent prognostic genes to construct a predictive model. The predictive power of the model was evaluated by Kaplan–Meier curve and time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Finally, univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyse were used to investigate whether the prognostic model could be independent of other clinical parameters.

Results

GSE6477, including 101 case and 15 normal control, were screened as the datasets. A total of 178 DEGs were identified, including 59 up-regulated and 119 down-regulated genes. In WGCNA analysis, module black and module purple were the most relevant modules with cancer traits, and 92 hub genes in these two modules were selected for further analysis. Next, 47 genes were chosen both from the DEGs and hub genes as key genes. Three genes (LYVE1, RNASE1, and RNASE2) were finally screened by univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses and used to construct a risk model. In addition, the three-gene prognostic model revealed independent and accurate prognostic capacity in relation to other clinical parameters for MM patients.

Conclusion

In summary, we identified and constructed a three-gene-based prognostic model that could be used to predict overall survival of MM patients.

miR-940 is a new biomarker with tumor diagnostic and prognostic value

miR-940 is a microRNA located on chromosome 16p13.3, which has varying degrees of expression imbalance in many diseases. It binds to the 3′ untranslated region (UTR) and affects the transcription or post-transcriptional regulation of target protein-coding genes. For a diversity of cellular processes, including cell proliferation, migration, invasion, apoptosis, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), cell cycle, and osteogenic differentiation, miR-940 can affect them not only by regulating protein-coding genes but also long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs) in pathways. Intriguingly, miR-940 participates in four pathways that affect cancer development, including the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, PD-1 pathway, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-Akt pathway. Importantly, the expression of miR-940 is intimately correlated with the diagnosis and prognosis of tumor patients, as well as to the efficacy of tumor chemotherapy drugs. In conclusion, our main purpose is to outline the expression of miR-940 in various diseases and the molecular biological and cytological functions of target genes in order to reveal its potential diagnostic and prognostic value as well as its predictive value of drug efficacy.

Cancer evolution: A means by which tumors evade treatment

Although various methods have been tried to study and treat cancer, the cancer remains a major challenge for human medicine today. One important reason for this is the presence of cancer evolution. Cancer evolution is a process in which tumor cells adapt to the external environment, which can suppress the human immune system's ability to recognize and attack tumors, and also reduce the reproducibility of cancer research. Among them, heterogeneity of the tumor provides intrinsic motivation for this process. Recently, with the development of related technologies such as liquid biopsy, more and more knowledge about cancer evolution has been gained and interest in this topic has also increased. Therefore, starting from the causes of tumorigenesis, this paper introduces several tumorigenesis processes and pathways, as well as treatment options for different targets.

The Non-Coding RNA GAS5 and Its Role in Tumor Therapy-Induced Resistance

The growth arrest-specific transcript 5 (GAS5) is a >200-nt lncRNA molecule that regulates several cellular functions, including proliferation, apoptosis, invasion and metastasis, across different types of human cancers. Here, we reviewed the current literature on the expression of GAS5 in leukemia, cervical, breast, ovarian, prostate, urinary bladder, lung, gastric, colorectal, liver, osteosarcoma and brain cancers, as well as its interaction with various miRNAs and its effect on therapy-related resistance in these malignancies. The general consensus is that GAS5 acts as a tumor suppressor across different tumor types and that its up-regulation results in tumor sensitization to chemotherapy or radiotherapy. GAS5 seems to play a previously unappreciated, but significant role in tumor therapy-induced resistance.

Association of long-chain non-coding RNA GAS5 gene polymorphisms with prostate cancer risk and prognosis in Chinese Han population

BACKGROUND

To investigate the correlation between growth arrest-specific transcript 5 (GAS5) gene polymorphism and the risk and prognosis of prostate cancer in Chinese Han population.

METHODS

Sanger sequencing was used to analyze genotypes at the rs17359906 and rs1951625 loci of the GAS5 gene in 218 prostate cancer patients and 220 healthy controls. The follow-up period was from August 2016 to August 2019, and the relationships between GAS5 gene polymorphisms at the rs17359906 and rs1951625 loci and the recurrence-free survival rate of prostate cancer patients were analyzed.

RESULTS

GAS5 A-allele carriers at the rs17359906 locus were 3.44 times more likely to develop prostate cancer than G-allele carriers (95% confidence interval (CI): 2.38-4.96, P < .001). Carriers of the GAS5 A allele at the rs1951625 locus had a 1.40-fold higher risk of prostate cancer than carriers of the G allele (95% CI: 1.05-1.86, P = .027). Plasma prostate-specific antigen (PSA), body mass index (BMI), and rs17359906 and rs1951625 loci were independent risk factors for prostate cancer. GAS5 AA genotype and A-allele carriers (GA + AA) at the rs1951625 locus were significantly correlated with Gleason scores ≤7 (P < .05). GAS5 genes rs17359906 G > A and rs1951625 G > A were associated with high plasma PSA levels. The recurrence-free survival rate of patients with prostate cancer with AA genotype at the rs17359906 locus of GAS5 (66.67%) was significantly lower than that of the GA genotype (76.47%), whereas the GG genotype was the highest (91.96%), and the difference was statistically significant (P = .002). The recurrence-free survival rate of patients with prostate cancer with the AA genotype at the rs1951625 locus of GAS5 (75.00%) was significantly lower than that of the GA genotype (81.82%), whereas the GG genotype was the highest (87.76%) with a statistically significant difference (P = .025).

CONCLUSION

GAS5 rs17359906 G > A and rs1951625 G > A are significantly associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer and a reduction in three-year relapse-free survival.

Identification of Prostate Cancer-Related Circular RNA Through Bioinformatics Analysis

Background

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most common malignant tumors worldwide. Accumulating evidence has suggested that circular RNAs (circRNAs) are involved in the development and progression of various cancers, and they show great potential as novel biomarkers. However, the underlying mechanisms and specific functions of most circRNAs in PCa remain unknown. Here, we aimed to identify circRNAs with potential roles in PCa from the PCa expression profile.

Methods

We used data downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus to identify circRNAs that were differentially expressed between PCa samples and adjacent non-tumor samples. Relative expression levels of identified circRNAs were validated by quantitative real-time PCR. Micro (mi)RNA response elements were predicted by the CircInteractome database, and miRNA target genes were predicted by miRDB, miRTarBase, and TargetScan databases. Gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis and pathway analysis revealed the potential biological and functional roles of these target genes. A circRNA–miRNA–mRNA interaction network was constructed by Cytoscape. The interaction between circRNAs and miRNAs in PCa was thoroughly reviewed in the PubMed. Finally, the mRNA expression of these genes was validated by the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) databases. The expression of proteins encoded by these genes was further validated by the Human protein Atlas (HPA) database.

Results

A total of 60 circRNAs that were differentially expressed between PCa and healthy samples were screened, of which 15 were annotated. Three circRNAs (hsa_circ_0024353, hsa_circ_0085494, hsa_circ_0031408) certified the criteria were studied. The results of quantitative real-time PCR demonstrated that the expression of hsa_circ_0024353 was significantly downregulated in PC-3 cells when compared with RWPE-1 cells, while the expression of hsa_circ_0031408 and hsa_circ_0085494 was significantly upregulated in PC-3 cells when compared with RWPE-1 cells. GO and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analyses found that target genes were mainly enriched in metabolic processes and pathways involving phosphoinositide 3-kinase-Akt signaling, hypoxia-inducible factor-1 signaling, p53 signaling, and the cell cycle. A total of 11 miRNA target genes showing differential expression between PCa and healthy samples were selected, and their mRNA and protein expression were validated by GEPIA and HPA databases, respectively. Of these, PDE7B, DMRT2, and TGFBR3 were identified as potentially playing a role in PCa progression. Finally, three circRNA–miRNA–mRNA interaction axes were predicted by bioinformatics: hsa_circ_0024353–hsa-miR-940–PDE7B, hsa_circ_0024353–hsa-miR-1253–DMRT2, and hsa_circ_0085494–hsa-miR-330-3p–TGFBR3.

Conclusion

This study identified three circRNA–miRNA–mRNA interaction axes that might provide novel insights into the potential mechanisms underlying PCa development.

Long Non-Coding Small Nucleolar RNA Host Genes (SNHGs) in Endocrine-Related Cancers

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are emerging regulators of a diverse range of biological processes through various mechanisms. Genome-wide association studies of tumor samples have identified several lncRNAs, which act as either oncogenes or tumor suppressors in various types of cancers. Small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) are predominantly found in the nucleolus and function as guide RNAs for the processing of transcription. As the host genes of snoRNAs, lncRNA small nucleolar RNA host genes (SNHGs) have been shown to be abnormally expressed in multiple cancers and can participate in cell proliferation, tumor progression, metastasis, and chemoresistance. Here, we review the biological functions and emerging mechanisms of SNHGs involved in the development and progression of endocrine-related cancers including thyroid cancer, breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, ovarian cancer and prostate cancer.

Knockdown of lncRNA ZFAS1-suppressed non-small cell lung cancer progression via targeting the miR-150-5p/HMGA2 signaling

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the main type of lung malignancy. Early diagnosis and treatments for NSCLC are far from satisfactory due to the limited knowledge of the molecular mechanisms regarding NSCLC progression. Long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) ZNFX1 antisense RNA1 (ZFAS1) has been implicated for its functional role in the progression of malignant tumors. This study aimed to determine the ZFAS1 expression from lung cancer clinical samples and to explore the molecular mechanisms underlying ZFAS1-modulated NSCLC progression. Experimental assays revealed that clinical samples and cell lines of lung malignant tumors showed an upregulation of ZFSA1. ZFAS1 expression was markedly upregulated in the lung tissues from patients with advanced stage of this malignancy. The loss-of-function assays showed that knockdown of ZFAS1-suppressed NSCLC cell proliferative, as well as invasive potentials, increased NSCLC cell apoptotic rates in vitro and also attenuated tumor growth of NSCLC cells in the nude mice. Further experimental evidence showed that ZFAS1 inversely affected miR-150-5p expression and positively affected high-mobility group AT-hook 2 (HMGA2) expression in NSCLC cell lines. MiR-150-5p inhibition or HMGA2 overexpression counteracted the effects of ZFAS1 knockdown on NSCLC cell proliferative, invasive potentials and apoptotic rates. In light of examining the clinical lung cancer samples, miR-150-5p expression was downregulated and the HMGA2 expression was highly expressed in the lung cancer tissues compared with normal ones; the ZFAS1 expression showed a negative correlation with miR-150-5p expression but a positive correlation with HMGA2 expression in lung cancer tissues. To summarize, we, for the first time, demonstrated the inhibitory effects of ZFAS1 knockdown on NSCLC cell progression, and the results from mechanistic studies indicated that ZFAS1-mediated NSCLC progression cells via targeting miR-150-5p/HMGA2 signaling.

Long noncoding RNA ZFAS1 promotes tumorigenesis through regulation of miR-150-5p/RAB9A in melanoma

Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer and one of the most aggressive cancers. ZFAS1 is a newly identified lncRNA, playing an oncogenic role in several types of cancer. The present study aimed to investigate the function and mechanism of ZFAS1-induced regulation of melanoma. ZFAS1 expression was increased in melanoma tissues and cells compared with normal controls. ZFAS1 expression in metastatic tissues was higher than that in nonmetastatic subjects. Higher expression of ZFAS1 predicted lower survival rates. Knockdown of ZFAS1 decreased proliferation, increased apoptosis, decreased migration and invasion, and reduced epithelial-mesenchymal transition potential in melanoma cells. Moreover, ZFAS1 knockdown inhibited tumor growth in nude mice. There was a direct binding between ZFAS1 and miR-150-5p. ZFAS1 negatively regulated miR-150-5p expression and upregulation of miR-150-5p was involved in ZFAS1 knockdown-induced effect on proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion. Using bioinformatics, we predicted the binding between RAB9A and miR-150-5p, and the direct interaction between RAB9A and miR-150-5p was confirmed by luciferase reporter and RNA immunoprecipitation assays. We also showed that RAB9A expression was regulated negatively by miR-150-5p, but was regulated positively by ZFAS1. Downregulation of RAB9A significantly inhibited the increase in proliferation, decrease in apoptosis, and increase in migration and invasion induced by miR-150-5p inhibitors. Moreover, RAB9A knockdown decreased proliferation, increased apoptosis, and decreased migration and invasion in melanoma cells. In summary, we confirmed the tumor-promoting role of ZFAS1 in melanoma and provide evidence for the role and mechanism of the ZFAS1/miR-150-5p/RAB9A axis. These findings may lead to novel therapeutic strategies for melanoma.

Long non-coding RNA ZFAS1 promotes the expression of EPAS1 in gastric cardia adenocarcinoma

LncRNA (Long non-coding RNA) ZFAS1 (zinc finger antisense 1) functions as the oncogene in multiple cancers, including gastric cancer. However, its function and underlying mechanism in the GCA (gastric cardia adenocarcinoma), the most aggressive type of gastric cancer, remain unknown. We demonstrated here that the LncRNA ZFAS1 was up-regulated in GCA tissues. Furthermore, the elevated level of ZFAS1 was significantly associated with the GCA metastasis and cancer recurrence. It was also demonstrated to be an independent prognostic indicator of disease-free survival and overall survival for GCA patients. RNA sequencing showed that the up-regulated ZFAS1 was tightly associated with the down-regulated hypoxia inducible factor 1 (HIF1) and up-regulated EPAS1 (Endothelial PAS domain protein 1, also known as HIF2). In vitro studies showed that the ZFAS1 could bind to EPAS1, enhance its abilities to epigenetically silence the HIF1, and promote its own expression in GCA cell lines. In the animal model, co-delivering the EPAS1 and the ZFAS1 antisense oligos could significantly boost up their therapeutic effects on tumor growth. Thus, targeting ZFAS1 and EPAS1 might be an alternative therapeutic option in GCA.

Identification of four hub genes as promising biomarkers to evaluate the prognosis of ovarian cancer in silico

BACKGROUND

Ovarian cancer (OvCa) is one of the most fatal cancers among females in the world. With growing numbers of individuals diagnosed with OvCa ending in deaths, it is urgent to further explore the potential mechanisms of OvCa oncogenesis and development and related biomarkers.

METHODS

The gene expression profiles of GSE49997 were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was applied to explore the most potent gene modules associated with the overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) events of OvCa patients, and the prognostic values of these genes were exhibited and validated based on data from training and validation sets. Next, protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks were built by GeneMANIA. Besides, enrichment analysis was conducted using DAVID website.

RESULTS

According to the WGCNA analysis, a total of eight modules were identified and four hub genes (MM > 0.90) in the blue module were reserved for next analysis. Kaplan-Meier analysis exhibited that these four hub genes were significantly associated with worse OS and PFS in the patient cohort from GSE49997. Moreover, we validated the short-term (4-years) and long-term prognostic values based on the GSE9891 data, respectively. Last, PPI networks analysis, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis revealed several potential mechanisms of four hub genes and their co-operators participating in OvCa progression.

CONCLUSION

Four hub genes (COL6A3, CRISPLD2, FBN1 and SERPINF1) were identified to be associated with the prognosis in OvCa, which might be used as monitoring biomarkers to evaluate survival time of OvCa patients.

The associations of hub gene polymorphisms in PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway and Schistosomiasis Japonica infection and hepatic fibrosis

INTRODUCTION

Increasing evidence shows that the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway can be activated by a variety of stimulus in immune cells. Schistosomiasis Japonica is a serious threat to human health in some lakes of China.

METHODS

We analyzed the potential associations between the hub gene (PTEN, mTOR, AKT1 and AKT2) polymorphisms of PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway and S. japonica risk, including infection risk, as well as immunological hepatic fibrosis risk. An immune database named Database of Immune Cell Expression, Expression quantitative trait loci and Epigenomics (DICE) was used to analyze the expression profiles of the hub genes in 15 types of immune cells.

RESULTS

Of them, two SNPs rs2295080 (mTOR) and rs7254617 (AKT2) were found associated with the risk of infection and fibrosis. We also performed a multivariant Cox regression analysis and found that HBV infection may increase hepatic fibrosis in chronic schistosomiasis patients, instead of genetic polymorphisms on PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway or any other factors. We also found the expressions of mTOR (RICTOR) and AKT2 in T cells were higher than those in monocyte cells. And, the expressions of PTEN, mTOR (RICTOR) and AKT1 reduced both in activated CD4 T cells and activated CD8 T cells.

CONCLUSIONS

We concluded that rs2295080 may be an important marker in the diagnosis of susceptibility to schistosomiasis infection. But HBV infection not rs2295080 could promote immunological liver damage with fibrosis in patients with chronic schistosomiasis infection.

LncRNA ZFAS1 confers inflammatory responses and reduces cholesterol efflux in atherosclerosis through regulating miR-654-3p-ADAM10/RAB22A axis

PURPOSE

Atherosclerosis is the leading cause of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) with high incidence rate and mortality rate. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are important functional molecules in atherosclerosis. Present study aimed to explore the functional role and underlying mechanism of ZFAS1 in atherosclerosis.

METHODS

The in-vitro cell model of atherosclerosis was established by using oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) to induce THP-1 macrophage-derived foam cells. qRT-PCR measured the mRNA levels of ZFAS1, miR-654-3p, ADAM10 and RAB22A. Western blot detected the protein levels of ADAM10 and RAB22A. The levels of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-ɑ (inflammatory biomarkers) were tested with ELISA assay. Detection of cholesterol efflux rate was experimented. The interaction between RNAs was affirmed with luciferase reporter and RNA pull-down experiments.

RESULTS

The expression of ZFAS1 was significantly up-regulated in in-vitro cell model of atherosclerosis at a dose- and time-dependent manner. Knockdown of ZFAS1 impaired inflammatory responses and promoted cholesterol efflux rate. Overexpression of ZFAS1 accelerated inflammatory responses and hampered cholesterol efflux rate. Then, the cytoplasmic role of ZFAS1 was revealed. By bio-informatics analysis and mechanism assays, miR-654-3p was identified to bind with ZFAS1. Moreover, ADAM10 and RAB22A were targeted and suppressed by miR-654-3p. ZFAS1 served as a ceRNA to positively regulate ADAM10 and RAB22A expression through endogenously sponging miR-654-3p.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, ZFAS1 elevated ADAM10/RAB22A expression to reduce cholesterol efflux rate and facilitate inflammatory responses in atherosclerosis at a miR-654-3p-dependent way, suggesting a prospective treatment method for amelioration of atherosclerosis.

ZNFX1 anti-sense RNA 1 promotes the tumorigenesis of prostate cancer by regulating c-Myc expression via a regulatory network of competing endogenous RNAs

ZNFX1 anti-sense RNA 1 (ZFAS1) has been indicated in the tumorigenesis of various human cancers. However, the role of ZFAS1 in prostate cancer (PCa) progression and the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood. In the present study, we discovered that ZFAS1 is upregulated in PCa and that ZFAS1 overexpression predicted poor clinical outcomes. ZFAS1 overexpression notably promoted the proliferation, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of PCa cells. Furthermore, we not only discovered that miR-27a/15a/16 are targeted by ZFAS1, which binds to their miRNA-response elements, but also revealed their tumor suppressor roles in PCa. We also identified that the Hippo pathway transducer YAP1, as well as its cooperator, TEAD1, are common downstream targets of miR-27a/15a/16. In addition, H3K9 demethylase KDM3A was found to be another target gene of miR-27a. Importantly, YAP1, TEAD1, and KDM3A all act as strong c-Myc inducers in an androgen-independent manner. Taken together, we suggest a regulatory network in which ZFAS1 is capable of enhancing c-Myc expression by inducing the expression of YAP1, TEAD1, and KDM3A through crosstalk with their upstream miRNAs, thereby globally promoting prostate cancer tumorigenesis.

A comprehensive review of the role of long non-coding RNAs in organs with an endocrine function

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are transcripts with sizes larger than 200 nucleotides and no/ small open reading frame that cannot produce functional proteins. The number of these transcripts surpasses the number of coding genes. LncRNAs regulate many aspects of cell functions such as proliferation, cell cycle transition and differentiation; so their dysregulation has pervasive effects on cell phenotype. Increasing numbers of these transcripts have been shown to participate in the pathogenesis of cancer. In the current review, we summarize recent findings regarding the role of lncRNAs in tumors originated from organs which have an endocrine function. We mostly focused on adrenal, pancreas and pituitary gland as prototypes of these organs. Moreover, we presented the obtained data of the role of lncRNAs in prostate, ovarian and testicular cancers. Recent data highly supports the role of lncRNAs in the pathogenesis of cancers originated from these organs. Moreover, certain genomic loci within lncRNAs have been shown to be associated with risk of these cancers. Diagnostic and prognostic role of some lncRNAs in these cancers have been evaluated recently. Taken together, lncRNAs are putative biomarkers for cancers originated from organs which have an endocrine function.

lncRNA ZFAS1 Is Involved in the Proliferation, Invasion and Metastasis of Prostate Cancer Cells Through Competitively Binding to miR-135a-5p

Background

Prostate cancer (PCa) is a common malignant tumor in men. lncRNA ZFAS1 plays a carcinogenic role in many types of cancer; however, its potential role in PCa remains unclear. The current study aimed to determine the expression and function of ZFAS1 in PC.

Methods

The ZFAS1 expression in PC tissues and cells was determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). SiZFAS1, miR-135a-5p mimic and miR-135a-5p inhibitor were transfected into PCa cells. The direct target of ZFAS1 was predicted by Starbase and verified by dual-luciferase reporter. Cell viability, proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion of the PCa cells were determined by cell counting kit-8, clone formation assay, flow cytometer, scratch and Transwell assay, respectively. The expression levels of related proteins and mRNAs were determined by Western blotting and qPCR.

Results

ZFAS1 expression was up-regulated in PCa cells and tissues. ZFAS1 could competitively bind to miR-135a-5p in PCa cells, and down-regulation of ZFAS1 inhibited cell viability, proliferation, migration, invasion of PCa cells and the occurrence of epithelial-mesenchymal transformation (EMT) and promoted apoptosis of PCa cells and increased the miR-135a-5p expression. Moreover, the function of miR-135a-5p mimic in PCa cells was consistent with ZFAS1 knockdown, while the function of miR-135a-5p inhibitor was opposite to that of miR-135a-5p mimic in PCa cells. The results showed that knocking down ZFAS1 could attenuate the effects of miR-135a-5p inhibitor on cell proliferation, invasion and EMT of PCa cells.

Conclusion

Knocking down ZFAS1 could inhibit the proliferation, invasion and metastasis of PCa cells through regulating miR-135a-5p expression.

LncRNA ZFAS1 serves as a prognostic biomarker to predict the survival of patients with ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer (OC) is one of the most fatal types of gynecological malignancy. Certain long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) have been reported to have crucial roles in cancer progression. Zinc finger nuclear transcription factor, X-box binding 1-type containing 1 antisense RNA 1 (ZFAS1) is a novel regulator lncRNA in various cancer types. The expression pattern of most lncRNAs, including ZFAS1, in OC remains to be determined. In the present study, it was demonstrated that ZFAS1 was overexpressed in OC vs. normal cell lines. However, ZFAS1 was downregulated in OC compared with normal samples in the GEPIA dataset. Furthermore, OC samples of higher stages (stage III/IV) had higher levels of ZFAS1 compared with those in early-stage OC (stage I/II) samples. Of note, higher ZFAS1 expression was associated with shorter overall survival time and disease-free survival time of OC patients. Protein-protein interaction networks of proteins co-expressed with ZFAS1 in OC were constructed. Furthermore, Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis of genes co-expressed with ZFAS1 indicated that ZFAS1 is associated with translation, mRNA splicing, cell-cell adhesion, DNA repair, protein sumoylation, positive regulation of GTPase activity and DNA replication. The present study may provide novel clues to validate ZFAS1 as a biomarker in OC.

Long Non-coding RNA Zinc Finger Antisense 1 (ZFAS1) Regulates Proliferation, Migration, Invasion, and Apoptosis by Targeting MiR-7-5p in Colorectal Cancer

Background

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common tumors, the causes of which remain unclear. Recently, many kinds of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been identified to have an important role in the biological function of CRC. However, the effect of lncRNA zinc finger antisense 1 (ZFAS1) on development of CRC is still incompletely clear.

Material/Methods

Firstly, the expression of ZFAS1 and microRNA (miR)-7-5p in 40 CRC tissues and adjacent tissues was measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Then, we detected the cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis in CRC cell lines by using Cell Counting Kit-8 assay, colony formation assay, flow analysis, and Transwell assay, respectively. Then, the relationship between ZFAS1 and miR-7-5p was verified by luciferase reporter assay. Finally, rescue experiments were conducted to confirmed that interaction of ZFAS1 and miR-7-5p in vitro.

Results

Our results showed that ZFAS1 was upregulated in CRC tissues, correlated with overall survival rates, and negatively related to the expression of miR-7-5p. It was verified that miR-7-5p was a direct target of ZFAS1 by bioinformatics analysis and luciferase reporter assay. In addition, knockdown of miR-7-5p inhibited proliferation, migration, and invasion, and promoted apoptosis in CRC cell lines, which could be rescue by miR-7-5p inhibitor.

Conclusions

Our study indicated that ZFAS1 directly targeted miR-7-5p, and knockdown of it could inhibit tumor growth, migration, invasion, and induce apoptosis in CRC. These data might provide a potent treatment mechanism or promising biomarker for CRC.

Long Non-Coding RNA ZFAS1 as a Novel Potential Biomarker for Predicting the Prognosis of Thyroid Cancer

Background

Thyroid cancer is a type of endocrine cancers with rapidly increased incidence. Recent studies have indicated long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) played crucial roles in thyroid cancer tumorigenesis and progression. However, the roles of most lncRNAs in thyroid cancer were still unclear.

Material/Methods

We used TCGA (The Cancer Genome Atlas), GSE50901, GSE29265, and GSE33630 datasets to analyze the expression pattern of ZFAS1 (ZNFX1 antisense RNA 1). The correlation between ZFAS1 and clinicopathological features in thyroid cancer was analyzed. Cell proliferation and cell cycle assays were used to validate the roles of ZFAS1 in thyroid cancer cell lines. DAVID (the database for annotation, visualization and integrated discover) system was used to perform GO (Gene Ontology) and KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) pathway analysis. The starBase datasets and Cytoscape was used to perform ceRNA (competitive endogenous RNA) network.

Results

We demonstrated ZFAS1 was highly expressed in thyroid cancer compared to normal samples. Moreover, upregulation of ZFAS1 was positively correlated with clinicopathological features and poor prognosis in thyroid cancer. Functional validation showed knockdown of ZFAS1 suppressed cell proliferation and cell cycle in thyroid cancer cells. Bioinformatics analysis showed ZFAS1 was associated with translation, rRNA processing, intra-Golgi vesicle-mediated transport, ribosome, and ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis.

Conclusions

Our study suggested ZFAS1 could serve as a biomarker for thyroid cancer.

Long non-coding RNA SNHG6 is upregulated in prostate cancer and predicts poor prognosis

Certain long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been reported to be differentially expressed in various human cancer types, including prostate cancer (PCa). PCa is the most commonly diagnosed cancer type in men and lacks sensitive and accurate biomarkers. Emerging studies have indicated that certain lncRNAs are dysregulated and have crucial roles in PCa progression. The present study reported that the novel lncRNA small nucleolar RNA host gene 6 (SNHG6) is overexpressed in PCa compared with that in normal prostate tissues. In The Cancer Genome Atlas and Taylor datasets, high expression of SNHG6 in PCa tissues was identified to be significantly associated with shorter disease-free survival. In order to reveal the potential mechanisms of the role of SNHG6 in PCa, SNHG6-associated protein-protein interaction networks were constructed. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that these SNHG6-interacting genes were associated with translation, nuclear-transcribed mRNA catabolic process, ribosomal RNA processing and mRNA splicing. Although further functional validation is warranted, the present study suggests that SNHG6 is a potential novel therapeutic target and prognostic biomarker for PCa.

Expression of the lncRNA ZFAS1 in cervical cancer and its correlation with prognosis and chemosensitivity

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the expression of the lncRNA ZFAS1 in cervical cancer and its relationship with patient prognosis and cervical cancer cell chemosensitivity.

METHODS

The expression of ZFAS1 in cervical cancer tissues and cell lines was detected by qRT-PCR. The cervical cancer CaSki and the HeLa cell lines were transfected to be divided into Blank, siR-Control, and siR-ZFAS1 groups. MTT, wound-healing, and transwell assays were used to evaluate cell biological function. Cisplatin with different concentrations was used to treat cells in different transfection groups, and MTT assays were used to detect the cell growth inhibition rate and the half-inhibitory concentration (IC50) of cisplatin was measured. Cell apoptosis was determined by flow cytometry. A xenograft mouse model was used to investigate the effects of siR-ZFAS1 on the chemosensitivity to cisplatin.

RESULTS

ZFAS1 was significantly upregulated in cervical cancer tissues and cell lines, and increased ZFAS1 levels led to poor prognoses in patients. In addition, cells in the siR-ZFAS1 group showed remarkably reduced ZFAS1 expression as well as cell proliferation, invasion and migration. After being treated with cisplatin at different concentrations, cells in the siR-ZFAS1 group had dramatically increased cell growth inhibition and apoptosis but lower cisplatin IC50s. In addition, siR-ZFAS1 reduced the volumes and weights of tumors in nude mice treated with cisplatin and enhanced the chemosensitivity of cervical cancer cells to cisplatin.

CONCLUSION

The lncRNA ZFAS1 was upregulated in cervical cancer tissues, and its high expression indicated a poor prognosis. Silencing ZFAS1 may inhibit cell proliferation, migration and invasion and enhance cisplatin chemosensitivity.

An AR-ERG transcriptional signature defined by long-range chromatin interactomes in prostate cancer cells

The aberrant activities of transcription factors such as the androgen receptor (AR) underpin prostate cancer development. While the AR cis-regulation has been extensively studied in prostate cancer, information pertaining to the spatial architecture of the AR transcriptional circuitry remains limited. In this paper, we propose a novel framework to profile long-range chromatin interactions associated with AR and its collaborative transcription factor, erythroblast transformation-specific related gene (ERG), using chromatin interaction analysis by paired-end tag (ChIA-PET). We identified ERG-associated long-range chromatin interactions as a cooperative component in the AR-associated chromatin interactome, acting in concert to achieve coordinated regulation of a subset of AR target genes. Through multifaceted functional data analysis, we found that AR-ERG interaction hub regions are characterized by distinct functional signatures, including bidirectional transcription and cotranscription factor binding. In addition, cancer-associated long noncoding RNAs were found to be connected near protein-coding genes through AR-ERG looping. Finally, we found strong enrichment of prostate cancer genome-wide association study (GWAS) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at AR-ERG co-binding sites participating in chromatin interactions and gene regulation, suggesting GWAS target genes identified from chromatin looping data provide more biologically relevant findings than using the nearest gene approach. Taken together, our results revealed an AR-ERG-centric higher-order chromatin structure that drives coordinated gene expression in prostate cancer progression and the identification of potential target genes for therapeutic intervention.

Clinicopathological and prognostic significance of zinc finger antisense 1 overexpression in cancers: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

An increasing number of studies have recently highlighted the role of zinc finger antisense 1(ZFAS1) as a prognostic marker in cancers. However, these results remain controversial. Hence, a meta-analysis was conducted to further investigate the effects of ZFAS1 expression on clinicopathological features and survival outcomes.

METHOD

All eligible studies were searched from PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library. All included articles evaluated the relationship between the expression levels of ZFAS1 and survival, or the range of pathological features in cancer patients. Pooled hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were computed to evaluate the effect of ZFAS1 expression on overall survival (OS), relapse-free survival (RFS), and disease-free survival (DFS). The relationship between ZFAS1 expression and clinicopathological features was determined through pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs.

RESULTS

In total 8 studies, which comprised of 820 patients, were qualified for analysis. Results revealed that the overexpression of ZFAS1 was significantly associated with poor OS (HR = 1.97, 95% CI: 1.53-2.54), worse RFS (HR = 1.95, 95% CI: 1.24-3.04) and worse DFS (HR = 2.35, 95% CI: 1.43-3.88) in cancers. Further subgroup analysis revealed that ZFAS1 overexpression was significantly correlated with poor OS in different cancer types, HR obtain methods and sample sizes. In addition, this meta-analysis revealed that the upregulated expression of ZFAS1 was significantly associated with lymph node metastasis, Tumor Node Metastasis (TNM) stage, and tumor size.

CONCLUSIONS

This meta-analysis revealed that the expression of ZFAS1 was associated with tumor prognosis. ZFAS1 could be used as a predictor for tumor progression in various cancers.

Zinc finger antisense 1: A long noncoding RNA with complex roles in human cancers

Zinc finger antisense 1 (ZFAS1), a newly identified long non-coding RNA, is a transcript antisense to the 5' end of the protein-coding gene zinc finger NFX1-type containing 1 which hosts three C/D-box small nucleolar RNAs (SNORDs) within sequential introns: Snord12, Snord12b, and Snord12c. ZFAS1 is dysregulated and acts as either an oncogene or a tumor suppressor in different human malignancies. ZFAS1 has been implicated in many aspects of carcinogenesis, including proliferation, invasion, metastasis, apoptosis, cell cycle, and drug resistance. The mechanisms underlying the effects of ZFAS1 are complex and involve multiple signaling pathways. In this review, the multiple pathological functions of ZFAS1 in diverse malignancies are systematically reviewed to elucidate the molecular basis of its biological roles and to provide new directions for future research.

ZFAS1 functions as an oncogenic long non-coding RNA in bladder cancer

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) ZFAS1 (zinc finger antisense 1) has been suggested to have an oncogenic role in the tumorigenesis of human malignant tumors. However, the expression status and biological function of ZFAS1 in bladder cancer is still unknown. Thus, the purpose of the present study is to explore the clinical value of ZFAS1 in bladder cancer patients, and the biological function of ZFAS1 in bladder cancer cell. In the present study, we found ZFAS1 expression was increased in bladder cancer tissues compared with paired adjacent normal tissues through analyzing the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Furthermore, we confirmed that levels of ZFAS1 expression were elevated in bladder cancer tissues and cell lines compared with normal bladder tissues and normal uroepithelium cell line, respectively. Then, we observed that the expression level of ZFAS1 was positively associated with clinical stag, muscularis invasion, lymph node metastasis, and distant metastasis in bladder cancer patients. The experiments in vitro suggested that knockdown of ZFAS1 repressed bladder cancer cell proliferation via up-regulating KLF2 and NKD2 expression, and inhibited cell migration and invasion via down-regulating ZEB1 and ZEB2 expression. In conclusion, ZFAS1 is overexpressed in bladder cancer, and functions as an oncogenic lncRNA in regulating bladder cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion.