Long Non-Coding RNA TMPO-AS1 Promotes Cervical Cancer Cell Proliferation, Migration, and Invasion by Regulating miR-143-3p/ZEB1 Axis

Biological functions and potential mechanisms of miR‑143‑3p in cancers (Review)

In recent years, microRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) have been increasingly studied for their role in cancer and have shown potential as cancer biomarkers. miR‑143‑3p and miR‑143‑5p are the mature miRNAs derived from pre‑miRNA‑143. At present, there are numerous studies on the function of miR‑143‑3p in cancer progression, but there are no systematic reviews describing the function of miR‑143‑3p in cancer. It is widely considered that miR‑143‑3p is downregulated in most malignant tumors and that upstream regulators can act on this gene, which in turn regulates the corresponding target to act on the tumor. In addition, miRNA‑143‑3p can regulate target genes to affect the biological process of tumors through various signaling pathways, such as the PI3K/Akt, Wnt/β‑catenin, AKT/STAT3 and Ras‑Raf‑MEK‑ERK pathways. The present review comprehensively described the biogenesis of miR‑143‑3p, the biological functions of miR‑143‑3p and the related roles and mechanisms in different cancer types. The potential of miR‑143‑3p as a biomarker for cancer was also highlighted and valuable future research directions were discussed.

Deciphering the oncogenic landscape: Unveiling the molecular machinery and clinical significance of LncRNA TMPO-AS1 in human cancers

The in-depth exploration of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) reveals their pivotal and diverse roles in various disorders, particularly cancer. Within this intricate landscape, thymopoietin-antisense RNA-1 (TMPO-AS1) emerges as a noteworthy instigator of oncogenesis in humans. This exhaustive review seeks to intricately unravel the present understanding of TMPO-AS1, emphasizing its molecular foundations and highlighting its clinical applications in the realm of cancer research. TMPO-AS1 consistently exhibits heightened expression across a spectrum of cancer types, encompassing lung, colorectal, breast, cervical, bladder, pancreatic, hepatocellular, gastric, ovarian, and osteosarcoma. Elevated levels of TMPO-AS1 are intricately linked to unfavorable prognoses, accompanied by distinctive clinical and pathological characteristics. Functionally, TMPO-AS1 showcases its prowess in enhancing cancer cell migration, invasion, proliferation, and orchestrating epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) through a myriad of molecular mechanisms. These mechanisms entail intricate interactions with proteins, microRNAs, and intricate signaling pathways. Furthermore, TMPO-AS1 is intricately involved in regulating critical cellular processes, including apoptosis and the cell cycle. The mounting evidence converges towards the potential of TMPO-AS1 serving as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker, further entwined with its potential role in influencing chemoresistance in cancer. This potential is underscored by its consistent associations with clinical outcomes and treatment responses. This comprehensive investigation not only consolidates our existing knowledge of TMPO-AS1's multifaceted roles but also sheds illuminating insights on its profound significance in the intricate landscape of cancer biology, paving the way for potential applications in clinical practice.

LncRNA LINC00667 gets involved in clear cell renal cell carcinoma development and chemoresistance by regulating the miR-143-3p/ZEB1 axis

BACKGROUND

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is identified as a malignant tumor in the urinary tract. The research was an attempt to probe the biological function and molecular mechanism of lncRNA LINC00667 in ccRCC development.

METHODS

qRT-PCR monitored LINC00667, miR-143-3p, and ZEB1 levels. The models of LINC00667, miR-143-3p, and ZEB1 overexpression or knockdown were constructed in ccRCC cells. Cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion of the cells were detected. The levels of apoptosis-associated proteins and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related proteins, and ZEB1 were detected by WB. Dual-luciferase reporter assay and RNA pull-down assay identified the binding association between LINC00667 and miR-143-3p, miR-143-3p and ZEB1. Moreover, a xenograft tumor model in nude mice was used for evaluating tumor growth in vivo.

RESULTS

LINC00667 and ZEB1 displayed high expression in ccRCC tissues and cells. miR-143-3p was lowly expressed in ccRCC tissues and cells. LINC00667 targeted and repressed miR-143-3p, which inhibited ZEB1 expression in a targeted manner. Overexpression of LINC00667 facilitated ccRCC cell proliferation, migration, invasion and EMT and retarded apoptosis, whereas LINC00667 knockdown or miR-143-3p overexpression exerted reverse effects. The rescue experiments indicated that overexpressing miR-143-3p dampened LINC00667-mediated oncogenic effects. Overexpressing ZEB1 diminished miR-143-3p-mediated tumor-suppressive effects. In-vivo experiments displayed that overexpression of LINC00667 contributed to the tumor growth of ccRCC cells, in contrast to miR-143-3p overexpression, which restrained the tumor growth.

CONCLUSIONS

LINC00667 is up-regulated in ccRCC and enhances the ZEB1 expression by targeting miR-143-3p, which in turn accelerates ccRCC progression and induces chemoresistance.

Targeting of AKT1 by miR-143-3p Suppresses Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition in Prostate Cancer

An altered expression of miR-143-3p has been previously reported in prostate cancer where it is purported to play a tumor suppressor role. Evidence from other cancers suggests miR-143-3p acts as an inhibitor of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a key biological process required for metastasis. However, in prostate cancer the interaction between miR-143-3p and EMT-associated mechanisms remains unclear. Therefore, this paper investigated the link between miR-143-3p and EMT in prostate cancer using in vitro and in silico analyses. PCR detected that miR-143-3p expression was significantly decreased in prostate cancer cell lines compared to normal prostate cells. Bioinformatic analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas Prostate Adenocarcinoma (TCGA PRAD) data showed a significant downregulation of miR-143-3p in prostate cancer, correlating with pathological markers of advanced disease. Functional enrichment analysis confirmed the significant association of miR-143-3p and its target genes with EMT. The EMT-linked gene AKT1 was subsequently shown to be a novel target of miR-143-3p in prostate cancer cells. The in vitro manipulation of miR-143-3p levels significantly altered the cell proliferation, clonogenicity, migration and expression of EMT-associated markers. Further TCGA PRAD analysis suggested miR-143-3p tumor expression may be a useful predictor of disease recurrence. In summary, this is the first study to report that miR-143-3p overexpression in prostate cancer may inhibit EMT by targeting AKT1. The findings suggest miR-143-3p could be a useful diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for prostate cancer.

miRNAs role in cervical cancer pathogenesis and targeted therapy: Signaling pathways interplay

Cervical cancer (CC) is the primary cause of cancer deaths in underdeveloped countries. The persistence of infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) is a significant contributor to the development of CC. However, few women with morphologic HPV infection develop invasive illnesses, suggesting other mechanisms contribute to cervical carcinogenesis. MicroRNAs (miRNAs, miRs) are small chain nucleic acids that can regulate wide networks of cellular events. They can inhibit or degrade their target protein-encoding genes. They had the power to regulate CC's invasion, pathophysiology, angiogenesis, apoptosis, proliferation, and cell cycle phases. Further research is required, even though novel methods have been developed for employing miRNAs in the diagnosis, and treatment of CC. We'll go through some of the new findings about miRNAs and their function in CC below. The function of miRNAs in the development of CC and its treatment is one of these. Clinical uses of miRNAs in the analysis, prediction, and management of CC are also covered.

A novel necroptosis-related lncRNA based signature predicts prognosis and response to treatment in cervical cancer

Background: Necroptosis has been demonstrated to play a crucial role in the prognosis prediction and assessment of treatment outcome in cancers, including cervical cancer. The purpose of this study was to explore the potential prognostic value of necroptosis-related lncRNAs and their relationship with immune microenvironment and response to treatment in cervical cancer. Methods: Data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were collected to obtain synthetic data matrices. Necroptosis-related lncRNAs were identified by Pearson Correlation analysis. Univariate Cox and multivariate Cox regression analysis and Lasso regression were used to construct a necroptosis-related LncRNAs signature. Kaplan-Meier analysis, univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, nomogram, and calibration curves analysis were performed to validate this signature. Gene set enrichment analyses (GSEA), immunoassays, and the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) were also analyzed. Results: Initially, 119 necroptosis-related lncRNAs were identified based on necroptosis-related genes and differentially expressed lncRNAs between normal and cervical cancer samples. Then, a prognostic risk signature consisting of five necroptosis-related lncRNAs (DDN-AS1, DLEU1, RGS5, RUSC1-AS1, TMPO-AS1) was established by Cox regression analysis, and LASSO regression techniques. Based on this signature, patients with cervical cancer were classified into a low- or high-risk group. Cox regression confirmed this signature as an independent prognostic predictor with an AUC value of 0.789 for predicting 1-year OS. A nomogram including signature, age, and TNM stage grade was then established, and showed an AUC of 0.82 for predicting 1-year OS. Moreover, GSEA analysis showed that immune-related pathways were enriched in the low-risk group; immunoassays showed that most immune cells, ESTIMAT scores and immune scores were negatively correlated with risk score and that the expression of immune checkpoint-proteins (CD27, CD48, CD200, and TNFRSF14) were higher in the low-risk group. In addition, patients in the low-risk group were more sensitive to Rucaparib, Navitoclax and Crizotinib than those in the high-risk group. Conclusion: We established a novel necroptosis-related lncRNA based signature to predict prognosis, tumor microenvironment and response to treatment in cervical cancer. Our study provides clues to tailor prognosis prediction and individualized immunization/targeted therapy strategies.

A long non-coding RNA with important roles in the carcinogenesis

Long non-coding RNAs are demonstrated to contribute to carcinogenesis. TMPO Antisense RNA 1 (TMPO-AS1) is an example of lncRNAs with crucial roles in this process. This lncRNA serves as a sponge for miR-320a, miR-383-5p, miR-329-3p, miR-126, miR-329, miR-199a-5p, miR-577, miR-4731-5p, miR-140-5p, miR-1179, miR-143-3p, miR-326, miR-383-5p, let-7c-5p, let-7g-5p, miR-199a-5p, miR-200c, miR-204-3p, miR-126-5p, miR-383-5p, miR-498, miR-143-3p, miR-98-5p, miR-140 and miR-143. It can also affect activity of PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. The current review summarizes the role of TMPO-AS1 in the carcinogenesis and assessment of its potential as a marker for certain types of cancers.

The functions of lncRNAs in the HPV-negative cervical cancer compared with HPV-positive cervical cancer

Cervical cancer is one of the most common female malignancies. Human papillomaviruses (HPV) are the main causative agents of virtually all cervical carcinomas. Nevertheless, emerging evidence has demonstrated that a small proportion of cervical cancer patients are HPV negative. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been identified to play a crucial role in cervical cancer development. Here, this review describes the incidence and development of HPV-negative cervical cancer. Moreover, HPV-negative cervical cancers are more likely diagnosed at non-squamous type, older ages, more advanced stage and metastases, and associated with poorer prognosis as compared to HPV-positive cervical cancer. Furthermore, the significant role and functions of lncRNAs underlying HPV-negative cervical cancer is clarified.

Unraveling diverse roles of noncoding RNAs in various human papillomavirus negative cancers

Human papillomavirus (HPV)-negative tumors distinguish from cancers associated with HPV infection. Due to its high rate of lymph node metastasis and difficulty in inchoate discover and diagnosis, the treatment efficacy of HPV-negative cancers is unsatisfactory. Epidemiological evidence suggests that HPV-negative tumor patients have a poor prognosis, and the mortality is higher than that of cancer patients caused by HPV infection. Evidence has demonstrated that noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) play a crucial role in regulation of physiological and developmental processes. Therefore, dysregulated ncRNAs are involved in the occurrence of diversified diseases, including cancer. In cumulative studies, ncRNAs are concerned with pathogenetic mechanisms of HPV-negative tumors via regulating gene expression and signal transduction. It is important to decipher the functions of ncRNAs in HPV-negative cancers and identify the potential biomarkers, which will bring new treatment strategies for improving outcome of cancer therapy. In this review, we demonstrated the effects of ncRNAs via regulating the development and progression of HPV- negative tumors by directly or indirectly acting on target molecules, which provide a basis for future tumor targeted therapy by targeting ncRNAs for HPV-negative cancers.

Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in Cardiovascular Diseases and Cancer: Role of Non-coding RNAs

High oxidative stress, Th1/Th17 immune response, M1 macrophage inflammation, and cell death are associated with cardiovascular diseases. Controlled oxidative stress, Th2/Treg anti-tumor immune response, M2 macrophage inflammation, and survival are associated with cancer. MiR-21 protects against cardiovascular diseases but may induce tumor growth by retaining the anti-inflammatory M2 macrophage and Treg phenotypes and inhibiting apoptosis. Down-regulation of let-7, miR-1, miR-9, miR-16, miR-20a, miR-22a, miR-23a, miR-24a, miR-26a, miR-29, miR-30a, miR-34a, miR-124, miR-128, miR-130a, miR-133, miR-140, miR-143-145, miR-150, miR-153, miR-181a, miR-378, and miR-383 may aid cancer cells to escape from stresses. Upregulation of miR-146 and miR-223 may reduce anti-tumor immune response together with miR-21 that also protects against apoptosis. MiR-155 and silencing of let-7e, miR-125, and miR-126 increase anti-tumor immune response. MiR expression depends on oxidative stress, cytokines, MYC, and TGF-β, and expression of silencing lncRNAs and circ-RNAs. However, one lncRNA or circ-RNA may have opposite effects by targeting several miRs. For example, PVT1 induces apoptosis by targeting miR-16a and miR-30a but inhibits apoptosis by silencing miR-17. In addition, levels of a non-coding RNA in a cell type depend not only on expression in that cell type but also on an exchange of microvesicles between cell types and tumors. Although we got more insight into the function of a growing number of individual non-coding RNAs, overall, we do not know enough how several of them interact in functional networks and how their expression changes at different stages of disease progression.

Long non-coding RNA TMPO-AS1 promotes cell proliferation, migration, invasion and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in gallbladder carcinoma by regulating the microRNA-1179/E2F2 axis

Gallbladder carcinoma (GBC), which is a common tumor of the biliary system, poses a serious threat to human life and health. The present study aimed to investigate the molecular mechanism of the long non-coding (lnc)RNA thymopoietin antisense transcript 1 (TMPO-AS1)/microRNA (miRNA/miR)-1179/E2F transcription factor 2 (E2F2) axis in GBC. The viability, proliferation, migration, invasion and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of GBC cell lines were assessed via the Cell Counting Kit-8, colony formation, Transwell migration and invasion, immunofluorescence and western blot assays. In the present study, lncRNA TMPO-AS1 was significantly upregulated in clinical GBC tissues and cell lines, and was highly expressed in stage III+IV patients with GBC compared with stage I+II patients with GBC. In addition, the overall survival rate of patients with low TMPO-AS1 expression levels was higher than those with high TMPO-AS1 expression levels. Furthermore, TMPO-AS1 knockdown inhibited the viability, proliferation, migration, invasion and EMT of GBC cell lines. In addition, miR-1179 expression was downregulated in clinical GBC tissues and cell lines, and negatively correlated with TMPO-AS1 expression. The results revealed that miR-1179 is a target of TMPO-AS1, which was confirmed via the dual-luciferase reporter assay and RNA pull-down analysis. Overexpression of miR-1179 inhibited the viability, proliferation, migration, invasion and EMT of GBC cell lines. Furthermore, E2F2 was verified as a direct target of miR-1179 by binding to its 3'-untranslated region. E2F2 expression was significantly upregulated in clinical GBC tissues and cell lines, and negatively correlated with miR-1179 expression. Notably, E2F2 knockdown partially hindered the effects of TMPO-AS1/miR-1179 on the proliferation and metastasis of GBC cell lines. Taken together, the results of the present study suggest that TMPO-AS1 potentially plays a tumor-promoting role in the occurrence and development of GBC, which may be achieved by regulating the miR-1179/E2F2 axis.

The Biological Significance of Long noncoding RNAs Dysregulation and their Mechanism of Regulating Signaling Pathways in Cervical Cancer

Despite the remarkable decrease in cervical cancer incidence due to the availability of the HPV vaccine and implementation of screening programs for early detection in developed countries, this cancer remains a major health problem globally, especially in developing countries where most of the cases and mortality occur. Therefore, more understanding of molecular mechanisms of cervical cancer development might lead to the discovery of more effective diagnosis and treatment options. Research on long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) demonstrates the important roles of these molecules in many physiological processes and diseases, especially cancer. In the present review, we discussed the significance of lncRNAs altered expression in cervical cancer, highlighting their roles in regulating highly conserved signaling pathways, such as mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), Wnt/β-catenin, Notch, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) pathways and their association with the progression of cervical cancer in order to bring more insight and understanding of this disease and their potential implications in cancer diagnosis and therapy.

Long Noncoding RNA LINC01554 as a Novel Biomarker for Diagnosis and Prognosis Prediction of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

Objective

This study was aimed at exploring the diagnostic and prognostic value of long noncoding RNA LINC01554 (LINC01554) in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) patients. Patients and Methods. The expressions of LINC01554 in 161 EOC patients were analyzed using RT-PCR. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) was used to estimate the effectiveness of LINC01554 for prediction. The chi-square test was performed to explore the association between LINC01554 expressions and clinical characteristics in EOC patients. Kaplan-Meier assays were conducted for the examination of the influence of LINC01554 expression on the overall survival of EOC patients. Multivariate analyses were carried out to further determine prognostic values of LINC01554 expression in EOC patients.

Results

LINC01554 expressions were strongly downregulated in EOC specimens compared with matched nontumor specimens (p < 0.01). Importantly, LINC01554 provided a high diagnostic performance for the detection of EOC specimens (AUC = 0.7827; p < 0.001). Low expression of LINC01554 was distinctly associated with the FIGO stage (p = 0.034) and distant metastasis (p = 0.007). The assays of survival data (five years) revealed that the 5-year overall survival of the low LINC01554 expression group was distinctly shorter than that of the high LINC01554 expression group (p = 0.0017). Finally, in the multivariate Cox model, LINC01554 expression (RR = 2.863, 95% CI: 1.185-4.421, p = 0.014) was demonstrated to be an independent prognostic factor for overall survival of EOC patients.

Conclusions

Our findings suggested that LINC01554 is an important EOC-related lncRNA, providing a potential diagnostic, prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for EOC patients.

MiR-495-3p and miR-143-3p co-target CDK1 to inhibit the development of cervical cancer

PURPOSE

The GEO database and KEGG database-based analyses identified the differential expression of cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1) in cervical cancer and its involvement in the cell cycle pathway. In the present study, we aim to clarify the role of CDK1 in cervical cancer and the function of upstream microRNA (miR)-143-3p/miR-495-3p.

METHODS

The expression of miR-143-3p, miR-495-3p, and CDK1 in cervical cancer tissues and cells was determined using RT-qPCR. Cell bioactivities were examined by CCK-8 and flow cytometry. The binding affinity between CDK1 and miR-143-3p/miR-495-3p was investigated using dual luciferase gene reporter assay. A xenograft mouse model of cervical cancer was then established to explore their effect on the tumorigenicity of cervical cancer cells in vivo.

RESULTS

CDK1 was found to be the common target gene of miR-143-3p and miR-495-3p. CDK1 overexpression occurred in cervical cancer tissues and cells, while expression of miR-495-3p and miR-143-3p was down-regulated. The viability was inhibited while the apoptosis was promoted in cervical cancer cells in response to miR-143-3p or miR-495-3p overexpression, or CDK1 silencing. Further, miR-143-3p or miR-495-3p overexpression was also substantiated to inhibit the tumorigenicity of cervical cancer cells in vivo, while CDK1 overexpression counteracted their effect.

CONCLUSION

Taken together, miR-143-3p and miR-495-3p co-target CDK1, thereby inhibiting the occurrence and development of cervical cancer.

The Emerging Role of Thymopoietin-Antisense RNA 1 as Long Noncoding RNA in the Pathogenesis of Human Cancers

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play essential roles in the occurrence and development of multiple human cancers. An accumulating body of researches have investigated thymopoietin antisense RNA 1 (TMPO-AS1) as a newly discovered lncRNA, which functions as an oncogenic lncRNA that is upregulated in various human malignancies and associated with poor prognosis. Many studies have detected abnormally high expression levels of TMPO-AS1 in multiple cancers, such as lung cancer, breast cancer, colorectal cancer (CRC), hepatocellular carcinoma, CRC, gastric cancer, ovarian cancer, thyroid cancer, esophageal cancer, Wilms tumor, cervical cancer, retinoblastoma, bladder cancer, osteosarcoma, and prostate cancer. TMPO-AS1 has been subsequently demonstrated to play a pivotal role in tumorigenesis and progression. The aberrantly expressed TMPO-AS1 acts as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) that inhibits miRNA expression, thus activating the expression of downstream oncogenes. This study comprehensively summarizes the aberrant expressions of TMPO-AS1 as reported in the current literature and explains the relevant biological regulation mechanisms in carcinogenesis and tumor progression. Corresponding studies have indicated that TMPO-AS1 has a potential value as a promising biomarker or a target for cancer therapy.

Long non-coding RNA TMPO-AS1 facilitates chemoresistance and invasion in breast cancer by modulating the miR-1179/TRIM37 axis

Breast cancer has become the most common female tumor in the world. Although great progress has been made in the past decade, the treatment of advanced breast cancer remains unsatisfactory. An increasing number of reports have indicated that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have a pivotal role in chemoresistance as potential oncogenes in numerous types of cancer. However, the precise mechanisms underlying the action of lncRNAs in breast cancer resistance to chemotherapy have yet to be fully elucidated. In the present study, the function and molecular mechanisms of the lncRNA TMPO-antisense RNA 1 (AS1) in terms of its resistance to docetaxel (DOC) were explored in the MDA-MB-231 and MCF7 breast cancer cell lines. The results obtained suggested that TMPO-AS1 was markedly upregulated in DOC-resistant breast cancer cells compared with the sensitive breast cancer cells. Functionally, TMPO-AS1-knockdown sensitized MDA-231/DOC and MCF-7/DOC cells to DOC and suppressed cell invasion, with increased rates of DOC-induced apoptosis. Mechanistically, TMPO-AS1-downregulation induced DOC-sensitivity in breast cancer cells via depleting tripartite motif-containing protein 37 (TRIM37) by sponging microRNA (miR)-1179. Taken together, the present study has revealed the existence of a novel TMPO-AS1/miR-1179/TRIM37 molecular axis conferring DOC resistance of breast cancer cells, thereby suggesting a promising novel therapeutic target for breast cancer.

TMPO-AS1 Regulates the Aggressiveness-Associated Traits of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Cells Through Sponging miR-320a

Background

Previous evidence demonstrates that the long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) TMPO antisense RNA 1 (TMPO-AS1) is involved in the aggressiveness of several cancers. Nevertheless, its functions in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) are unclear.

Methods

qRT-PCR was used to evaluate the levels of TMPO-AS1 and miR-320a in NPC tissues. Furthermore, the growth and invasiveness of NPC cells were evaluated by colony formation and Transwell assays. The protein expression ofSRY-Box Transcription Factor 4 (SOX4) was observed by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. Bioinformatic prediction and luciferase reporter assays were used to explore the interaction between miR-320a and TMPO-AS1. The transplanted model was employed to disclose the interference of TMPO-AS1 in the tumor growth of NPC cells in vivo.

Results

We found that TMPO-AS1 was distinctly upregulated in NPC. Downregulation of TMPO-AS1 restrained aggressiveness-associated traits in NPC cells. Nevertheless, upregulation of TMPO-AS1 yielded the opposite results. Further studies revealed that lncRNA TMPO-AS1 acts as a “sponge” for miR-320a, resulting in increased levels of SOX4 in NPC cells. Finally, TMPO-AS1 silencing suppressed tumor growth of NPC cells in vivo.

Conclusion

Collectively, these results reveal the presence of a novel TMPO-AS1/miR-320a/SOX4 pathway associated with NPC progression, suggesting that lncRNA TMPO-AS1 may be a potential therapeutic target for NPC.

Long Non-Coding RNA PCED1B-AS1 Promotes the Progression of Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma Through miR-484/ZEB1 Axis

Background

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) has been recognized as the new regulator and biomarker for cancers. However, in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), the functions of lncRNAs are not well characterized. This research aimed to probe the function of lncRNA PCED1B-AS1 in the progression of ccRCC.

Materials and Methods

Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was conducted to detect the expression levels of PCED1B-AS1, microRNA-484 (miR-484), and zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1 (ZEB1) in 40 pairs of human ccRCC tissues and corresponding adjacent kidney tissue samples. Chi-square test was employed to evaluate the association between PCED1B-AS1 expression level and clinicopathological characteristics. The effects of PCED1B-AS1, miR-484 and ZEB1 on the cell proliferation, migration and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process of ccRCC cells were studied by CCK-8 assay, EdU cell proliferation assay, wound healing test and Western blotting. The regulatory relationships among PCED1B-AS1, miR-484, ZEB1 were examined by luciferase reporter gene assay and RNA immunoprecipitation assay.

Results

PCED1B-AS1 was remarkably up-regulated in ccRCC tissues and cell lines. High expression of PCED1B-AS1 was associated with poor prognosis of the patients. Loss-of-function experiments showed that PCED1B-AS1 could regulate the proliferation, migration and EMT of ccRCC cells. PCED1B-AS1 sponged miR-484 to suppress its expression, and miR-484 targeted the 3ʹ-UTR of ZEB1 to repress the expression of ZEB1. MiR-484 counteracted the functions of PCED1B-AS1 in promoting the proliferation, migration and EMT of ccRCC cells, and PCED1B-AS1 promotes the expression of ZEB1 via repressing miR-484.

Conclusion

PCED1B-AS1/miR-484/ZEB1 axis is involved in regulating the progression of ccRCC.

DLEU2 participates in lymphovascular invasion and inhibits cervical cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion

AIMS

To investigate the roles of deleted in lymphocytic leukemia-2 (DLEU2) in the pathology of cervical cancer.

METHODS

Differentially expressed long non-coding RNAs between cervical cancerous and para-cancerous tissues were examined in 26 clinical specimens by microarray analysis and quantitative real-time PCR. DLEU2 expression was correlated with clinical features in 108 patients with cervical cancer. The effects of DLEU2 on growth, proliferation, migration, and invasion were examined in cervical cancer cells.

RESULTS

DLEU2 was correlated with lymphovascular invasion in patients with cervical cancer. DLEU2 overexpression inhibited cell proliferation, migration, and proliferation, and colony formation in cervical cancer cells.

CONCLUSION

DLEU2 is involved in the pathology of cervical cancer, and it may be a target for clinical therapy.

MIR31HG exhibits oncogenic property and acts as a sponge for miR-361-3p in cervical carcinoma

The long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) MIR31 Host Gene (MIR31HG) is a crucial regulator in malignant cancers. In this work, I examined the potential function and molecular mechanism of MIR31HG in cervical carcinoma progression. MIR31HG was strikingly upregulated in clinical cervical carcinoma specimens compared with that in adjacent samples. Functionally, knockdown of MIR31HG noticeably repressed cervical carcinoma cell growth and invasiveness in vitro and inhibited cervical carcinoma cell growth in vivo. Mechanistically, MIR31HG was identified as an endogenous 'sponge' through competing for miR-361-3p binding to modulate the miRNA target, epithelial membrane protein 1 (EMP1). Lastly, I verified that overexpression of EMP1 or miR-361-3p silencing effectively offset the impacts of MIR31HG knockdown on cervical carcinoma cell progression. In brief, these experimental results validate that MIR31HG is an oncogenic lncRNA that facilities cervical cancer progression.