miR-193b and miR-30c-1* inhibit, whereas miR-576-5p enhances melanoma cell invasion in vitro

A novel pyroptosis-related gene signature exhibits distinct immune cells infiltration landscape in Wilms' tumor

BACKGROUND

Wilms' tumor (WT) is the most common renal tumor in childhood. Pyroptosis, a type of inflammation-characterized and immune-related programmed cell death, has been extensively studied in multiple tumors. In the current study, we aim to construct a pyroptosis-related gene signature for predicting the prognosis of Wilms' tumor.

METHODS

We acquired RNA-seq data from TARGET kidney tumor projects for constructing a gene signature, and snRNA-seq data from GEO database for validating signature-constructing genes. Pyroptosis-related genes (PRGs) were collected from three online databases. We constructed the gene signature by Lasso Cox regression and then established a nomogram. Underlying mechanisms by which gene signature is related to overall survival states of patients were explored by immune cell infiltration analysis, differential expression analysis, and functional enrichment analysis.

RESULTS

A pyroptosis-related gene signature was constructed with 14 PRGs, which has a moderate to high predicting capacity with 1-, 3-, and 5-year area under the curve (AUC) values of 0.78, 0.80, and 0.83, respectively. A prognosis-predicting nomogram was established by gender, stage, and risk score. Tumor-infiltrating immune cells were quantified by seven algorithms, and the expression of CD8( +) T cells, B cells, Th2 cells, dendritic cells, and type 2 macrophages are positively or negatively correlated with risk score. Two single nuclear RNA-seq samples of different histology were harnessed for validation. The distribution of signature genes was identified in various cell types.

CONCLUSIONS

We have established a pyroptosis-related 14-gene signature in WT. Moreover, the inherent roles of immune cells (CD8( +) T cells, B cells, Th2 cells, dendritic cells, and type 2 macrophages), functions of differentially expressed genes (tissue/organ development and intercellular communication), and status of signaling pathways (proteoglycans in cancer, signaling pathways regulating pluripotent of stem cells, and Wnt signaling pathway) have been elucidated, which might be employed as therapeutic targets in the future.

LINC-PINT suppresses breast cancer cell proliferation and migration via MEIS2/PPP3CC/NF-κB pathway by sponging miR-576-5p

BACKGROUND

Breast cancer (BCa) is the most frequent malignant tumor in women. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been acknowledged to exert critical regulating functions in various cancers. Long intergenic non-protein coding RNA, p53 induced transcript (LINC-PINT) has been reported to be a chemosensitizer and a tumor suppressor in BCa. However, its downstream molecular mechanism contributing to its tumor-suppressing role remains to be explored in BCa.

METHODS

LINC-PINT expression in BCa tissues and cells was measured using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The proliferation of transfected BCa cells was examined by counting kit-8 (CCK-8) and EdU assay. The migrating ability of indicate BCa cells was assessed by wound healing assays. Bioinformatics analysis and mechanism experiments such as RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), RNA pull down assay, and luciferase reporter assay, were applied to demonstrate the downstream targets of LINC-PINT.

RESULTS

LINC-PINT was downregulated in BCa tissues and cell lines. Overexpression of LINC-PINT suppressed BCa cell proliferation and migration. LINC-PINT could interact with miR-576-5p to upregulate Meis homeobox 2 (MEIS2) that positively regulated protein phosphatase 3 catalytic subunit gamma (PPP3CC) by inactivating the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathway.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings elucidated the anti-tumor role of LINC-PINT in BCa via the miR-576-5p/MEIS2/PPP3CC/NF-κB axis, which suggested that LINC-PINT might serve as a potential therapeutic target for BCa.

Interleukin-1 receptor accessory protein (IL-1RAP): A magic bullet candidate for immunotherapy of human malignancies

IL-1, plays a role in some pathological inflammatory conditions. This pro-inflammatory cytokine also has a crucial role in tumorigenesis and immune responses in the tumor microenvironment (TME). IL-1 receptor accessory protein (IL-1RAP), combined with IL-1 receptor-1, provides a functional complex for binding and signaling. In addition to the direct role of IL-1, some studies demonstrated that IL1-RAP has essential roles in the progression, angiogenesis, and metastasis of solid tumors such as gastrointestinal tumors, lung carcinoma, glioma, breast and cervical cancers. This molecule also interacts with FLT-3 and c-Kit tyrosine kinases and is involved in the pathogenesis of hematological malignancies such as acute myeloid lymphoma. Additionally, IL-1RAP interacts with solute carrier family 3 member 2 (SLC3A2) and thereby increasing the resistance to anoikis and metastasis in Ewing sarcoma. This review summarizes the role of IL-1RAP in different types of cancers and discusses its targeting as a novel therapeutic approach for malignancies.

The Potential of Circulating miR-193b, miR-146b-3p and miR-483-3p as Noninvasive Biomarkers in Cutaneous Melanoma Patients

Melanoma is a destructive skin disease with few therapeutic options in the developed stage and therefore there is a critical need for reliable biomarkers for early diagnosis. In this context, microRNAs could play an important role as diagnostic biomarkers. Three datasets with accession numbers GSE31568, GSE61741 and GSE20994 were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. MATLAB software was used to analyze differentially expressed miRNAs between cutaneous melanoma plasma samples and normal plasma samples (control). Plasma levels of miR-193b, miR-146b-3p and miR-483-3p were evaluated by the RT-PCR method. Furthermore, linear regression followed by receiver operating characteristic analyses was performed to estimate whether selected plasma miRNAs were able to distinguish between cases and controls. Finally, the data were analyzed by unpaired Mann-Whitney U test using Graph pad prism 8 computer software. Specifically, miR-193b and miR-146b-3p were downregulated in the plasma of melanoma patients compared with control groups which were decreased 5 × [Formula: see text]-fold in miR-193b and 58-fold in miR-146b-3p, while miR-483-3p was upregulated 3.5-fold. After receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, miR-193b with the most area under the curve (AUC: 1.00, 95% confidence interval 1.00-1.00, p < 0.0001) had the best discriminatory power, and miR-146b-3p had the large area under the curve (AUC: 0.96, 95% confidence interval 0.96-1.00, p < 0.0001) and consequently the high discriminatory power. Between these three miRNAs, miR-193b and miR-146b-3p had a high capacity to distinguish between melanoma patients and control groups that are appropriate to be applied in melanoma diagnosis as an early and noninvasive method.

MicroRNAs affecting the susceptibility of melanoma cells to CD8+ T cell-mediated cytolysis

BACKGROUND

The regulatory functions of microRNAs (miRNAs) in anti-tumour immunity have been mainly described in immune effector cells. Since little is known about miRNA effects on the susceptibility of target cells during T cell-target cell interaction, this study focused on the identification of miRNAs expressed in tumour cells controlling their susceptibility to CD8+ T cell-mediated cytotoxicity.

METHODS

Luciferase expressing B16F10 melanoma (B16F10 Luci+ ) cells transfected with individual miRNAs covering a comprehensive murine miRNA library were screened for their susceptibility to lysis by an established cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) line (5a, clone Nβ) specific for the melanoma-associated antigen tyrosinase-related protein 2. miRNAs with the most pronounced effects on T cell-mediated lysis were validated and stably expressed in B16F10 cells. In silico analyses identified common targets of miRNA sets determined by the screen, which were further confirmed by small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated silencing experiments modulating immune surveillance. The Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) software and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data from miRNA-overexpressing cell lines were applied to investigate the underlying mechanisms. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)-derived miRNA sequencing data were used to assess the correlation of miRNA expression with melanoma patients' survival.

RESULTS

The miRNA screen resulted in the selection of seven miRNAs enhancing CTL-mediated melanoma cell killing in vitro. Upon stable overexpression of selected miRNAs, hsa-miR-320a-3p, mmu-miR-7037-5p and mmu-miR-666-3p were determined as most effective in enhancing susceptibility to CTL lysis. In silico analyses and subsequent siRNA-mediated silencing experiments identified Psmc3 and Ndufa1 as common miRNA targets possibly involved in the functional effects observed. The analyses of RNA-seq data with IPA showed pathways, networks, biological functions and key molecules potentially involved in the miRNA-mediated functional effects. Finally, based on TCGA data analysis, a positive correlation of the conserved miRNAs among the panel of the seven identified miRNAs with overall survival of melanoma patients was determined.

CONCLUSIONS

For the first time, this study uncovered miRNA species that affect the susceptibility of melanoma cells to T cell-mediated killing. These miRNAs might represent attractive candidates for novel therapy approaches against melanoma and other tumour entities.

Selecting optimum miRNA panel for miRNA signature-based companion diagnostic model to predict the response of R-CHOP treatment in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common type of malignant lymphoma. Although the first-line treatment, R-CHOP treatment, shows efficacy in approximately 80% of patients with DLBCL, some patients have refractory disease or relapse after the initial response to therapy, resulting in a significantly poorer prognosis. In this study, we developed a microRNA (miRNA) signature-based companion diagnostic model to predict the response of patients with DLBCL to R-CHOP treatment by integrating two clinical study datasets. To select the optimum miRNA combination as a panel, we examined three feature selection methods (p-value-based ranking, stepwise method, and Boruta), together with 11 types of classifiers systematically. Boruta selection enabled a higher area under the curve (AUC) with a lower number of miRNAs compared with other feature selection methods, leading to an AUC of 0.751 via the random forest classifier using 36 miRNAs. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis suggested that Boruta avoided multiple selection of miRNAs with similar functions, thereby preventing the decrease in diagnostic ability via collinearity. The AUC value first increased with an increasing number of miRNAs and then became almost constant at approximately 30 miRNAs, suggesting the existence of the optimum number of miRNAs as a panel for future clinical translation of multiple miRNA-based diagnostics.

miRNA-576-5p promotes endometrial cancer cell growth and metastasis by targeting ZBTB4

PURPOSE

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have already been shown to have a strong correlation with the invasion and metastasis capacity of tumor cells. The present research examined the function of miRNA-576-5p (miR-576-5p) in the development of endometrial cancer (EC).

METHODS

miR-576-5p and ZBTB4 expression in EC and benign endometrial tissues was measured using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and western blot. To evaluate the proliferation ability of tumor cells in vitro, 2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) and colony formation assays were carried out. The effect of miR-576-5p on the proliferation ability of EC cells in vivo was measured by the tumor formation in nude mice. The migration and invasion ability of tumor cells was determined using the transwell assay. To confirm the association between expressions of miR-576-5p and zinc finger and BTB domain containing four (ZBTB4), western blot, qRT-PCR, and luciferase assay were carried out.

RESULTS

miR-576-5p expression increased significantly in EC samples than in benign endometrial tissues. The level of miR-576-5p was significantly higher in the polymerase ε (POLE) ultramutated subgroup compared to the other three subgroups. High levels of miR-576-5p expression were linked to a shorter progression-free interval time in the copy number high subgroup. Furthermore, upregulated miR-576-5p facilitated EC cell invasion and migration in vitro and promoted the proliferation of EC tumor cell lines both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, this study showed that the expression of ZBTB4 decreased in patients with EC, and the dual-luciferase reporter assay confirmed that miR-576-5p binds directly to the 3'-UTR of ZBTB4 and inhibits the expression of ZBTB4. An increase in miR-576-5p expression leads to a decrease in the mRNA and protein expression level of ZBTB4. The effects of miR-576-5p can be reversed by overexpression of ZBTB4.

CONCLUSION

miR-576-5p promoted proliferation and metastasis capacity of EC cells by inhibiting ZBTB4 expression. We hypothesized that miR-576-5p could be a prospective therapeutic target for EC.

miR-576-5p Promotes the Proliferation of Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma through the MAPK4-AKT Pathway

Background

MicroRNA-576-5p (miR-576-5p) plays an important role in different human cancers. However, the biological function of miR-576-5p in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is still unclear. In this study, we explored the function and specific role of miR-576-5p in PTC.

Methods

Expression levels of miR-576-5p in PTC patient tissues and cell lines were determined by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT‒PCR). Cell counting using cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), wound healing, and Transwell assays were performed to evaluate the effect of miR-576-5p on the proliferation, migration, and invasion of TPC-1 cells. Expression levels of mitogen-activated protein kinase 4 (MAPK4) and phosphorylation levels of protein kinase B (AKT), extracellular regulated protein kinase (ERK), and P38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (P38) were detected by western blotting or immunohistochemistry (IHC).

Results

The expression level of miR-576-5p in PTC tissues and TPC-1 cells was significantly increased. In vitro, overexpression of miR-576-5p promoted the proliferation, migration, and invasion of TPC-1 cells. In addition, MAPK4 was highly expressed in PTC tissues, and miR-576-5p could upregulate the expression of MAPK4. Interestingly, MAPK4 knockdown reversed cell proliferation but not migration and invasion in TPC-1 cells after miR-576-5p was overexpressed. Moreover, overexpression of miR-576-5p induced activation of the AKT pathway in TPC-1 cells, and MAPK4 gene knockout reversed this AKT pathway activation.

Conclusion

In this study, we found that miR-576-5p was significantly overexpressed in PTC tissues and TPC-1 cells. In addition, miR-576-5p promoted the proliferation of TPC-1 cells by enhancing expression of MAPK4 and activating the AKT pathway.

Frailty in Aging and the Search for the Optimal Biomarker: A Review

In the context of accelerated aging of the population worldwide, frailty has emerged as one of the main risk factors that can lead to loss of self-sufficiency in older people. This syndrome is defined as a reduced state of physiological reserve and functional capacity. The main diagnostic tools for frailty are based on scales that show deficits compared to their clinical application, such as the Fried frailty phenotype, among others. In this context, it is important to have one or more biomarkers with clinical applicability that can objectively and precisely determine the degree or risk of frailty in older people. The objective of this review was to analyze the biomarkers associated with frailty, classified according to the pathophysiological components of this syndrome (inflammation, coagulation, antioxidants, and liver function, among others). The evidence demonstrates that biomarkers associated with inflammation, oxidative stress, skeletal/cardiac muscle function, and platelet function represent the most promising markers of frailty due to their pathophysiological association with this syndrome. To a lesser extent but with the possibility of greater innovation, biomarkers associated with growth factors, vitamins, amino acids, and miRNAs represent alternatives as markers of this geriatric syndrome. Likewise, the incorporation of artificial intelligence represents an interesting approach to strengthening the diagnosis of frailty by biomarkers.

METTL14-Mediated miR-30c-1-3p Maturation Represses the Progression of Lung Cancer via Regulation of MARCKSL1 Expression

Lung cancer (LC) is a pulmonary malignant tumor with extremely low 5-year survival rate. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is confirmed to regulate diverse pathophysiological processes including cancers. Methyltransferase-like 14 (METTL14) is an important RNA methyltransferase in m6A modification. However, researches on the regulatory mechanism of METTL14 on LC progression are relatively rare. Tumor xenograft experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of METTL14 on LC in vivo. The relative expression of METTL14, miR-30c-1-3p, and myristoylated alanine-rich C kinase substrate-like protein-1 (MARCKSL1) in LC tissues and/or cell lines was determined using qRT-PCR. Western blot assay was used to measure the protein levels of METTL14 and MARCKSL1 in tumor xenograft model and/or LC cell lines. MTT, wound healing, and transwell assays were performed to detect LC cell viability and metastasis. RNA immunoprecipitation assay and qRT-PCR were used to verify the effects of METTL14 on pri-miR-30c-1-3p. The relationship between miR-30c-1-3p and MARCKSL1 was confirmed by the dual-luciferase reporter assay. METTL14 was remarkably downregulated in LC tissues and cell lines. METTL14 mediated the maturation of miR-30c-1-3p. The overexpressed METTL14 and overexpressed miR-30c-1-3p suppressed the cell viability and metastasis in LC. Meanwhile, the increased METTL14 also repressed the growth of tumor xenograft in vivo. In addition, MARCKSL1 was confirmed to be the target gene of miR-30c-1-3p. High expression of MARCKSL1 and low expression of miR-30c-1-3p reversed the suppressive effects of METTL14 overexpression on cell viability and metastasis. METTL14 promoted the maturation of miR-30c-1-3p and mediated MARCKSL1 expression to inhibit the progression of LC. This study may provide a new insight for the LC clinical therapy.

MicroRNA Alterations Induced in Human Skin by Diesel Fumes, Ozone, and UV Radiation

Epigenetic alterations are a driving force of the carcinogenesis process. MicroRNAs play a role in silencing mutated oncogenes, thus defending the cell against the adverse consequences of genotoxic damages induced by environmental pollutants. These processes have been well investigated in lungs; however, although skin is directly exposed to a great variety of environmental pollutants, more research is needed to better understand the effect on cutaneous tissue. Therefore, we investigated microRNA alteration in human skin biopsies exposed to diesel fumes, ozone, and UV light for over 24 h of exposure. UV and ozone-induced microRNA alteration right after exposure, while the peak of their deregulations induced by diesel fumes was reached only at the end of the 24 h. Diesel fumes mainly altered microRNAs involved in the carcinogenesis process, ozone in apoptosis, and UV in DNA repair. Accordingly, each tested pollutant induced a specific pattern of microRNA alteration in skin related to the intrinsic mechanisms activated by the specific pollutant. These alterations, over a short time basis, reflect adaptive events aimed at defending the tissue against damages. Conversely, whenever environmental exposure lasts for a long time, the irreversible alteration of the microRNA machinery results in epigenetic damage contributing to the pathogenesis of inflammation, dysplasia, and cancer induced by environmental pollutants.

Circ_0037078 promotes trophoblast cell proliferation, migration, invasion and angiogenesis by miR-576-5p/IL1RAP axis

BACKGROUND

Preeclampsia (PE) is a common hypertensive disorder of pregnancy. Recent studies have suggested that circular RNAs (circRNAs) play a pathological role in PE. Herein, this study aimed to investigate the action and mechanism of circ_0037078 in PE process.

METHODS

The quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blot were used to determine the expression levels of RNAs and genes. Cell proliferation, migration, invasion and angiogenesis were evaluated by using cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), colony formation, transwell, and tube formation assays, respectively. The target relation between miR-576-5p and IL1RAP (Interleukin-1 receptor accessory protein) and circ_0037078 was predicted by bioinformatics analysis and verified by dual-luciferase reporter and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assays.

RESULTS

Circ_0037078 expression was higher in placental tissues of patients with PE than that of normal control. Knockdown of circ_0037078 led to an enhancement of the proliferation, migration, invasion, and angiogenesis in trophoblast cells. Mechanistically, circ_0037078 acted as a sponge for miR-576-5p, thus elevating the expression of IL1RAP, which was targeted by IL1RAP. Further rescue experiments suggested that miR-576-5p inhibition reversed the effects of circ_0037078 knockdown on above behaviors of trophoblast cells. Moreover, miR-576-5p overexpression enhanced the proliferative, migratory, invasive, angiogenic phenotypes of trophoblast cells, which were attenuated by IL1RAP up-regulation.

CONCLUSION

Circ_0037078 knockdown promotes trophoblast cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and angiogenesis in vitro by miR-576-5p/IL1RAP axis, providing a novel insight into the etiology of PE.

FTO promotes tumour proliferation in bladder cancer via the FTO/miR-576/CDK6 axis in an m6A-dependent manner

The aberrant expression of fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO) has been confirmed to be associated with a variety of cancers and participates in the regulation of multiple biological behaviours. FTO plays an oncogenic role in bladder cancer, but few studies have focused on how FTO promotes bladder cancer progression by regulating miRNA synthesis. Here, we confirmed that FTO expression was significantly increased in bladder cancer and was associated with a poor prognosis. FTO overexpression promoted bladder cancer cell proliferation, whereas FTO knockdown inhibited bladder cancer cell proliferation. We also demonstrated that FTO promoted bladder cancer cell proliferation via the FTO/miR-576/CDK6 pathways. Taken together, our work revealed that FTO plays a critical role in bladder cancer and could be a potential diagnostic or prognostic biomarker for this disease.

miR‑576‑5p promotes epithelial‑to‑mesenchymal transition in colorectal cancer by targeting the Wnt5a‑mediated Wnt/β‑catenin signaling pathway

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common types of malignancy and the third most commonly diagnosed form of cancer worldwide, ranking as the fourth leading cause of cancer‑associated mortality. MicroRNA (miR)‑576‑5p has been reported to be highly expressed in patients with CRC; however, its biological role remains unclear. The present study aimed therefore to investigate the biological role and underlying mechanism of miR‑576‑5p in CRC cell line SW480. The viability of SW480 cells following transfection with miR‑576‑5p mimic or inhibitor was analyzed using MTT assay. Wound healing and Transwell assays were performed to determine the cell migratory and invasive abilities, respectively. A dual luciferase reporter assay was used to verify the predicted binding site between miR‑576‑5p and Wnt5a. Reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR and western blotting were used to analyze the expression levels of miR‑576‑5p, E‑cadherin, N‑cadherin, vimentin, Snail1, Wnt5a, β‑catenin, c‑myc, cyclin D1 and p/t‑c‑Jun. Using bioinformatics analysis, high expression of miR‑576‑5p was found not only in tumor tissues, compared with the normal tissue, but also in CRC cells, compared with NCM460 cells. Furthermore, the inhibition of miR‑576‑5p expression significantly decreased the cell viability and the migratory and invasive abilities of SW480 cells, and suppressed the epithelial‑to‑mesenchymal transition (EMT). In addition, miR‑576‑5p could interact with Wnt5a and regulate the expression level of Wnt5a in order to influence the activity of Wnt/β‑catenin signaling. The results from rescue experiments further demonstrated that the effect of miR‑576‑5p overexpression on cell metastasis and EMT was reversed by Wnt5a overexpression or treatment with XAV‑939, which is an inhibitor of the Wnt/β‑catenin signaling pathway. In conclusion, the findings from the present study suggested that inhibition of miR‑576‑5p may suppress SW480 cell metastasis and EMT by targeting Wnt5a and regulating the Wnt5a‑mediated Wnt/β‑catenin signaling pathway, providing a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of CRC.

The miRNAs Role in Melanoma and in Its Resistance to Therapy

Melanoma is the less common but the most malignant skin cancer. Since the survival rate of melanoma metastasis is about 10–15%, many different studies have been carried out in order to find a more effective treatment. Although the development of target-based therapies and immunotherapeutic strategies has improved chances for patient survival, melanoma treatment still remains a big challenge for oncologists. Here, we collect recent data about the emerging role of melanoma-associated microRNAs (miRNAs) currently available treatments, and their involvement in drug resistance. We also reviewed miRNAs as prognostic factors, because of their chemical stability and resistance to RNase activity, in melanoma progression. Moreover, despite miRNAs being considered small conserved regulators with the limitation of target specificity, we outline the dual role of melanoma-associated miRNAs, as oncogenic and/or tumor suppressive factors, compared to other tumors.

MicroRNA-576-5p enhances the invasion ability of trophoblast cells in preeclampsia by targeting TFAP2A

Background

Preeclampsia (PE) is a common pregnancy‐related syndrome characterized by hypertension and proteinuria, and a major cause of maternal mortality. Therefore, there is an urgent need to identify early biomarkers of PE. The aim of the present study was to identify the functions of miR‐576‐5p in PE.

Methods

Effects of miR‐576‐5p and transcription factor AP‐2α (TFAP2A) on invasion of human trophoblast HTR8/SVneo cells were investigated. Real‐time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‐qPCR) and western blotting were used to assess the expression of miR‐576‐5p, TFAP2A, E‐cad, and Vimentin in PE tissues and cells. Additionally, immunofluorescence was used to detect the expression of TFAP2A in PE trophoblastic tissue. Subsequently, constructed miR‐576‐5p mimics, miR‐576‐5p inhibitor, and siRNA‐TFAP2A plasmids were transfected into HTR8/SVneo cells for further experiments, including a CCK‐8 assay for cell proliferation, Transwell assay for cell invasion and the luciferase reporter gene system was employed for target verification.

Results

A lower expression of miR‐576‐5p and a higher expression of TFAP2A were identified in PE rats. E‐cadherin was highly expressed while Vimentin was downregulated. Further statistical analysis indicated that cell proliferation of HTR8/SVneo cells decreased in the miR‐576‐5p inhibitor group and increased in the miR‐576‐5p mimics and siRNA‐TFAP2A groups. miR‐576‐5p inhibitor suppressed cell invasion, and miR‐576‐5p mimics and siRNA‐TFAP2A improved cell invasion. The analysis of luciferase reporter demonstrated a decreased luciferase activity in miR‐576‐5p mimics group compared with control group, which indicates that TFAP2A may be a target of miR‐576‐5p. Interference of TFAP2A could downregulate E‐cadherin and upregulate Vimentin expression.

Conclusion

Overexpression of miR‐576‐5p and knockdown of TFAP2A may elevate cell proliferation and invasion of human trophoblast cells in vitro. Therefore, miR‐576‐5p may be used as a notable biomarker for the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of PE. miR‐576‐5p targeting TFAP2A deserve further investigation in order to explore their potential role in PE.

Linc-PINT acted as a tumor suppressor by sponging miR-543 and miR-576-5p in esophageal cancer

This manuscript aimed to investigate linc-PINT's role as a tumor suppressor and its downstream microRNAs (miRNAs) in esophageal cancer. Log-rank, Cox, and nomogram were used for survival analysis. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to evaluate the expression. Cell counting kit-8 was used for proliferation tests. As for in vivo experiments, low expression of linc-PINT was associated with better prognosis; besides, the nomogram indicated that linc-PINT, miR-543, and miR-576-5p served well in predicting the survival rate. As for the in vitro experiments, linc-PINT could directly regulate miR-543 and miR-576-5p to inhibit the proliferation of Eca-109 cell line. In conclusion, linc-PINT-miR-543/miR-576-5p pathway could predict the prognosis and provide novel therapeutic targets for esophageal cancer.

miR-197-5p inhibits sarcomagenesis and induces cellular senescence via repression of KIAA0101

The abnormal expressions of microRNAs (miRNAs) are known to be associated with various pathophysiological processes that lead to the development of a plethora of diseases including cancer. Among several miRNAs studied so far, miR-197 has been reported to play a vital role either as an oncogene or tumor suppressor in different cancers. However, its role in carcinogenesis of fibrosarcoma has not yet been elucidated. Therefore, the current study investigated the role of miR-197-5p, which is significantly downregulated in HT1080 fibrosarcoma cells compared to IMR90-tert fibroblast cells. The transient overexpression of miR-197-5p causes a significant decrease in viability and proliferation of fibrosarcoma cells in both concentration- and time-dependent manners. Interestingly, we did not observe any significant changes in cell cycle pattern or apoptotic cell populations, but rather noticed cellular senescence of fibrosarcoma cells upon overexpression of miR-197-5p. Further, this miRNA suppresses the metastatic properties, such as migration, invasion, and anchorage-independent growth of fibrosarcoma possibly through targeting KIAA0101, which is a proliferating cell nuclear antigen-associated factor and overexpressed in the malignancy. In nutshell, our result revealed that miR-197-5p acts as an oncosuppressor miRNA in fibrosarcoma through target regulation of KIAA0101, which can be exploited for developing RNA-based therapeutic strategies for the cure of this malignancy.

Circular RNA EIF6 (Hsa_circ_0060060) sponges miR-144-3p to promote the cisplatin-resistance of human thyroid carcinoma cells by autophagy regulation

Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) responds for the majority of death of thyroid carcinoma and often causes chemotherapy resistance. We investigated the influence of circEIF6 (Hsa_circ_0060060) on the cisplatin-sensitivity in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and ATC cells, and explored its regulation to downstream molecules miR-144-3p and Transforming Growth Factor α (TGF-α). Differentially expressed circRNAs in PTC were analyzed using the GSE93522 data downloaded. Expressions of circEIF6, miR-144-3p, TGF-α, autophagy-related proteins and apoptosis-related proteins were determined using qRT-PCR or western blot. RNA pull-down assay and dual luciferase report assay were applied to reveal the target relationships. Autophagy marker LC3 and cell proliferation marker ki67 were evaluated by immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry. Cell viability was evaluated with MTT assay and cell apoptosis was assessed by flow cytometric analysis. CircEIF6, could promote autophagy induced by cisplatin, thus inhibiting cell apoptosis and enhancing the resistance of PTC and ATC cells to cisplatin. Has-miR-144-3p was the target of circEIF6 and was regulated by circEIF6. Besides, circEIF6 promoted autophagy by regulating miR-144-3p/TGF-α axis, enhancing the cisplatin-resistance in PTC and ATC cells. CircEIF6 promoted tumor growth by regulating miR-144-3p/TGF-α and circEIF6 knock-down enhanced cisplatin sensitivity in vivo. CircEIF6 could provide a target for therapy of cisplatin-resistance in thyroid carcinoma.