Upregulated lncRNA HCG18 in Patients with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Its Regulatory Effect on Insulin Resistance

LncRNA HCG18 affects aortic dissection through the miR-103a-3p/HMGA2 axis by modulating proliferation and apoptosis of vascular smoothing muscle cells

BACKGROUND

Aortic Dissection (AD) is a vascular disease with a high mortality rate and limited treatment strategies. The current research analyzed the function and regulatory mechanism of lncRNA HCG18 in AD.

METHODS

HCG18, miR-103a-3p, and HMGA2 levels in the aortic tissue of AD patients were examined by RT-qPCR. After transfection with relevant plasmids, the proliferation of rat aortic Vascular Smoothing Muscle Cells (VSMCs) was detected by CCK-8 and colony formation assay, Bcl-2 and Bax was measured by Western blot, and apoptosis was checked by flow cytometry. Then, the targeting relationship between miR-103a-3p and HCG18 or HMGA2 was verified by bioinformation website analysis and dual luciferase reporter assay. Finally, the effect of HCG18 was verified in an AD rat model induced by β-aminopropionitrile.

RESULTS

HCG18 and HMGA2 were upregulated and miR-103a-3p was downregulated in the aortic tissues of AD patients. Downregulating HCG18 or upregulating miR-103a-3p enhanced the proliferation of VSMCs and limited cell apoptosis. HCG18 promoted HMGA2 expression by competing with miR-103a-3p and restoring HMGA2 could impair the effect of HCG18 downregulation or miR-103a-3p upregulation in mediating the proliferation and apoptosis of VSMCs. In addition, down-regulation of HCG18 could improve the pathological injury of the aorta in AD rats.

CONCLUSION

HCG18 reduces proliferation and induces apoptosis of VSMCs through the miR-103a-3p/HMGA2 axis, thus aggravating AD.

Identification and analysis of MSC-Exo-derived LncRNAs related to the regulation of EMT in hypospadias

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to screen the differentially expressed long non-coding RNAs (DELncRNAs) related to the regulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in hypospadias in mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes (MSC-Exons) and explore the potential mechanism of these lncRNAs for the EMT in hypospadias.

METHODS

In this study, the microarray data related to MSC-Exos and hypospadias were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). Besides, the lncRNAs highly expressed in MSC-Exos and the differentially expressed mRNAs and lncRNAs in children with hypospadias were screened, respectively. In addition, the lncRNAs enriched in MSC-Exos and differentially expressed lncRNAs in hypospadias were intersected to obtain the final DElncRNAs. Moreover, the co-expression interaction pairs of differentially expressed lncRNAs and mRNAs were analyzed to construct a Competing Endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network. Finally, the candidate lncRNAs in exosomes were subjected to in vitro cell function verification.

RESULTS

In this study, a total of 4 lncRNAs were obtained from the microarray data analysis. Further, a ceRNA regulatory network of MSC-Exo-derived lncRNAs related to the regulation of EMT in hypospadias was constructed, including 4 lncRNAs, 2 mRNAs, and 6 miRNAs. The cell function verification results indicated that the exosomes secreted by MSCs may transport HLA complex group 18 (HCG18) into target cells, which promoted the proliferation, migration, and EMT of these cells.

CONCLUSION

MSC-Exo-derived lncRNA HCG18 can enter target cells, and it may be involved in the regulation of EMT in hypospadias through the ceRNA network.

The role of lncRNA HCG18 in human diseases

A substantial number of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been identified as potent regulators of human disease. Human leukocyte antigen complex group 18 (HCG18) is a new type of lncRNA that has recently been proven to play an important role in the occurrence and development of various diseases. Studies have found that abnormal expression of HCG18 is closely related to the clinicopathological characteristics of many diseases. More importantly, HCG18 was also found to promote disease progression by affecting a series of cell biological processes. This article mainly discusses the expression characteristics, clinical characteristics, biological effects and related regulatory mechanisms of HCG18 in different human diseases, providing a scientific theoretical basis for its early clinical application.

LncRNA HCG18 affects diabetic cardiomyopathy and its association with miR-9-5p/IGF2R axis

This paper aimed to investigate the role of lncRNA HCG18 (HCG18) in the progression of diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) and potential mechanisms. Streptozocin (STZ) was used to induce DCM model in rats, which was confirmed by blood glucose concentration, body weight, and HE staining. Myocardial apoptosis was detected by TUNEL. H9c2 cardiomyocytes were used to construct cell models of DCM through treatment of high glucose. The results showed that HCG18 was overexpressed in STZ induced DCM rat model and high glucose induced H9c2 cardiomyocytes. Si-HCG18 significantly increased cell viability, reduced cell apoptosis, attenuated activities of myocardial enzymes and enhanced activities of antioxidant enzymes in STZ induced DM model and high glucose induced H9c2 cardiomyocytes, while the results of upregulation of HCG18, in high glucose induced H9c2 cardiomyocytes, were opposite with that of si-HCG18. MiR-9-5p was a target of HCG18, and which was down-regulated in cardiomyocytes of DCM. The overexpression of miR-9-5p could neutralize the high glucose induced cardiomyocyte injury, and the silence of miR-9-5p could reverse the effect of si-HCG18 on high glucose induced cardiomyocytes. MiR-9-5p could directly target to IGF2R, and IGF2R was overexpressed in cardiomyocytes of DCM. Up-regulation of IGF2R can reverse the protective effect of si-HCG18 on cardiomyocytes. Taken together, HCG18 is significantly increased in cardiomyocytes of DCM. Down-regulation of HCG18 can improve cardiomyocyte injury through miR-9-5p/IGF2R axis in DCM.

[Overexpression of lncRNA HEM2M alleviates liver injury in mice with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease]

OBJECTIVE

To explore the effects of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) HEM2M overexpression on liver injury in mice with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

METHODS

Wild-type C57BL/6 (WT) mice and myeloid cell-specific HEM2M knock-in (MYKI) mice were fed normal (ND) or high-fat diet (HFD) for 12 weeks. After intraperitoneal glucose tolerance and insulin tolerance tests, the mice were euthanized for detection of liver function indicators in the serum and liver tissue. HE staining and F4/80 immunohistochemical staining were used to examine liver pathologies, and the levels of IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α in the liver tissues were determined with ELISA. The mRNA expressions of HEM2M and the markers of M1 macrophages (TNF-α, iNOS, and IL-6) and M2 macrophages (Arg-1, YM-1, and IL-10) were detected using qRT-PCR, and the protein expressions of P-AKT, T-AKT, NLRC4, caspase-1 and GSDMD were assayed using immunoblotting. Caspase-1 activity in the liver tissues was determined with colorimetric measurement and immunofluorescence assay.

RESULTS

Compared with HFD-fed WT mice, MYKI mice with HFD feeding showed milder liver function damage (P < 0.01), alleviated hepatic steatosis, and reduced liver macrophage infiltration, glucose tolerance impairment and insulin resistance (P < 0.01). The levels of IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α and mRNA expressions of M1 type macrophage markers were significantly decreased (P < 0.01) and those of M2 type markers increased (P < 0.01) in the liver tissues of HFD-fed MYKI mice, which also showed reduced NLRC4 inflammasome activity, caspase-1 activation, and GSDMD-N protein expression compared with their WT counterparts (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Overexpression of HEM2M reduces the production of hepatic inflammatory factors, improves insulin resistance and inhibits hepatic NLRC4 inflammasome activation, which leads to reduced hepatic pyroptosis and liver injury in NAFLD mice.

LncRNA and circRNA in Patients with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Systematic Review

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is currently the most common cause of chronic liver disease worldwide. Early identification and prompt treatment are critical to optimize patient management and improve long-term prognosis. Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) and circular RNA (circRNA) are recently emerging non-coding RNAs, and are highly stable and easily detected in the circulation, representing a promising non-invasive approach for predicting NAFLD. A literature search of the Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases was performed and 36 eligible studies were retrieved, including 18 on NAFLD, 13 on nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and 11 on fibrosis and/or cirrhosis. Dynamic changes in lncRNA expression were associated with the occurrence and progression of NAFLD, among which lncRNA NEAT1, MEG3, and MALAT1 exhibited great potential as biomarkers for NAFLD. Moreover, mitochondria-located circRNA SCAR can drive metaflammation and its inhibition might be a promising therapeutic target for NASH. In this systematic review, we highlight the great potential of lncRNA/circRNA for early diagnosis and progression assessment of NAFLD. To further verify their clinical value, large-cohort studies incorporating lncRNA and circRNA expression both in liver tissue and blood should be conducted. Additionally, detailed studies on the functional mechanisms of NEAT1, MEG3, and MALAT1 will be essential for elucidating their roles in diagnosing and treating NAFLD, NASH, and fibrosis.

The role of long non-coding RNA HCG18 in cancer

The incidence of cancer is increasing worldwide and is becoming the most common cause of death. Identifying new biomarkers for cancer diagnosis and prognosis is important for developing cancer treatment strategies and reducing mortality. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are non-coding, single-stranded RNAs that play an important role as oncogenes or tumor suppressors in the occurrence and development of human tumors. Abnormal expression of human leukocyte antigen complex group 18 (HCG18) is observed in many types of cancer, and its imbalance is closely related to cancer progression. HCG18 regulates cell proliferation, invasion, metastasis, and anti-apoptosis through a variety of mechanisms. Therefore, HCG18 is a potential tumor biomarker and therapeutic target. However, the therapeutic significance of HCG18 has not been well studied, and future research may develop new intervention strategies to combat cancer. In this study, we reviewed the biological function, mechanism, and potential clinical significance of HCG18 in various cancers to provide a reference for future research.

Association between Inflammatory Factors, Vitamin D, Long Non-Coding RNAs, MALAT1, and Adiponectin Antisense in Individuals with Metabolic Syndrome

BACKGROUND

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a common clustering of cardiovascular risk factors associated with increased inflammation. Long non-coding RNA (LncRNA) are involved in many of the body's metabolic activities, including inflammation. Vitamin D may play a vital role in preventing metabolic syndrome risk factors. This study aimed to evaluate the status of inflammation and expression of LncRNA and their relationship with serum vitamin D levels in patients with metabolic syndrome.

METHOD

This cross-sectional study included staff and Mashhad University of Medical Sciences students between 30 and 50 years old who met the International Diabetes Federation criteria for Mets. Total RNA was extracted from both frozen clinical samples using the Trizol reagent.

RESULTS

A total of eighty people were recruited into the two groups, with and without MetS. Inflammatory markers were higher in the individuals in the MetS group, and linear regression showed an inverse association between serum vitamin D and LncRNAs. There was a positive association between inflammatory biomarkers, lipid profiles and Adiponectin Antisense (APQ AS) expression.

CONCLUSION

APQ AS and MALAT1 levels are positively associated with inflammatory biomarkers and inverse relation between MALAT1 and serum 25 (OH) D concentration.

Key circRNAs from goat: discovery, integrated regulatory network and their putative roles in the differentiation of intramuscular adipocytes

BACKGROUND

The procession of preadipocytes differentiation into mature adipocytes involves multiple cellular and signal transduction pathways. Recently. a seirces of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), including circular RNAs (circRNAs) were proved to play important roles in regulating differentiation of adipocytes.

RESULT

In this study, we aimed to identificate the potential circRNAs in the early and late stages of goat intramuscular adipocytes differentiation. Using bioinformatics methods to predict their biological functions and map the circRNA-miRNA interaction network. Over 104 million clean reads in goat intramuscular preadipocytes and adipocytes were mapped, of which16 circRNAs were differentially expressed (DE-circRNAs). Furthermore, we used real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) technology to randomly detect the expression levels of 8 circRNAs among the DE-circRNAs, and our result verifies the accuracy of the RNA-seq data. From the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis of the DE-circRNAs, two circRNAs, circ_0005870 and circ_0000946, were found in Focal adhesion and PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. Then we draw the circRNA-miRNA interaction network and obtained the miRNAs that possibly interact with circ_0005870 and circ_0000946. Using TargetScan, miRTarBase and miR-TCDS online databases, we further obtained the mRNAs that may interact with the miRNAs, and generated the final circRNA-miRNA-mRNA interaction network. Combined with the following GO (Gene Ontology) and KEGG enrichment analysis, we obtained 5 key mRNAs related to adipocyte differentiation in our interaction network, which are FOXO3(forkhead box O3), PPP2CA (protein phosphatase 2 catalytic subunit alpha), EEIF4E (eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4), CDK6 (cyclin dependent kinase 6) and ACVR1 (activin A receptor type 1).

CONCLUSIONS

By using Illumina HiSeq and online databases, we generated the final circRNA-miRNA-mRNA interaction network that have valuable functions in adipocyte differentiation. Our work serves as a valuable genomic resource for in-depth exploration of the molecular mechanism of ncRNAs interaction network regulating adipocyte differentiation.

LncRNA ZFAS1 ameliorates injury led by non-alcoholic fatty liver disease via suppressing lipid peroxidation and inflammation

BACKGROUND

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is known to aggravate metabolic disturbance and increase the risk of complications. The purpose of the present study was to explore the mechanism underlying the clinical effects of ZFAS1 on NAFLD.

METHODS

Expression of the ZFAS1 RNA was quantified in patients with NAFLD through reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The correlations were assessed using Pearson's correlation coefficient test. The receiver operating characteristic curve was used to evaluate the identification of ZFAS1. Commercial kits were purchased to detect the pertinent parameters to establish mice models. Luciferase report assay was used to identify and confirm the presence of ZFAS1 ceRNA.

RESULTS

The increase of ZFAS1 expression in patients with NAFLD was noted and the high expression level may be considered a risk factor for NAFLD. In mouse models fed with high-fat diet (HFD), the expression levels of ZFAS1 were increased; furthermore, sh-ZFAS1 reversed ZFAS1 overexpression. HFD administration resulted in liver injury, which was indicated by increased lipid deposition, aggressive oxidative stress, and imbalanced inflammatory reaction. However, sh-ZFAS1 attenuated the abovementioned adverse effects of HFD. MiR-144-5p was a ceRNA of ZFAS1; in addition, the expression of miR-144-5p was reduced in HFD-managed models and patients with NAFLD. ZFAS1 could successfully regulate the expression levels of miR-144-5p. In the present study, the negative relationship between ZFAS1 and miR-144-5p was documented.

CONCLUSION

Excessive expression of ZFAS1 and its diagnostic potential was noted in patients with NAFLD. It was evident that ZFAS1 may be responsible for exacerbating the worsening of liver function.

NUP160 knockdown inhibits the progression of diabetic nephropathy in vitro and in vivo

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a severe diabetic complication and podocyte damage is a hallmark of DN. The Nucleoporin 160 (NUP160) gene was demonstrated to regulate cell proliferation and apoptosis in mouse podocytes. This study explored the possible role and mechanisms of NUP160 in high glucose-triggered podocyte injury. A rat model of DN was established by intraperitoneal injection of 60 mg/kg streptozotocin (STZ). Podocytes were treated with 33 mM high glucose. The effects of the Nup160 on DN and its mechanisms were assessed using MTT, flow cytometry, Western blot, ELISA, RT-qPCR, and luciferase reporter assays. The in vivo effects of NUP160 were analyzed by HE, PAS, and MASSON staining assays. The NUP160 level was significantly upregulated in podocytes treated with 33 mM high glucose. Functionally, NUP160 knockdown alleviated high glucose-induced apoptosis and inflammation in podocytes. Mechanistically, miR-495-3p directly targeted NUP160, and lncRNA HCG18 upregulated NUP160 by sponging miR-495-3p by acting as a ceRNA. Additionally, NUP160 overexpression reversed the effects of HCG18 knockdown in high glucose treated-podocytes. The in vivo assays indicated that NUP160 knockdown alleviated the symptoms of DN rats. NUP160 knockdown plays a key role in preventing the progression of DN, suggesting that targeting NUP160 may be a potential therapeutic strategy for DN treatment.

Identification of repurposed drugs targeting significant long non-coding RNAs in the cross-talk between diabetes mellitus and Alzheimer's disease

The relationship between diabetes mellitus (DM) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) is so strong that scientists called it "brain diabetes". According to several studies, the critical factor in this relationship is brain insulin resistance. Due to the rapid global spread of both diseases, overcoming this cross-talk has a significant impact on societies. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), on the other hand, have a substantial impact on complex diseases due to their ability to influence gene expression via a variety of mechanisms. Consequently, the regulation of lncRNA expression in chronic diseases permits the development of innovative therapeutic techniques. However, developing a new drug requires considerable time and money. Recently repurposing existing drugs has gained popularity due to the use of low-risk compounds, which may result in cost and time savings. in this study, we identified drug repurposing candidates capable of controlling the expression of common lncRNAs in the cross-talk between DM and AD. We also utilized drugs that interfered with this cross-talk. To do this, high degree common lncRNAs were extracted from microRNA-lncRNA bipartite network. The drugs that interact with the specified lncRNAs were then collected from multiple data sources. These drugs, referred to as set D, were classified in to positive (D⁺) and negative (D^-) groups based on their effects on the expression of the interacting lncRNAs. A feature selection algorithm was used to select six important features for D. Using a random forest classifier, these features were capable of classifying D⁺ and D^- with an accuracy of 82.5%. Finally, the same six features were extracted for the most recently Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved drugs in order to identify those with the highest likelihood of belonging to D⁺ or D^-. The most significant FDA-approved positive drugs, chromium nicotinate and tapentadol, were presented as repurposing candidates, while cefepime and dihydro-alpha-ergocryptine were recommended as significant adverse drugs. Moreover, two natural compounds, curcumin and quercetin, were recommended to prevent this cross-talk. According to the previous studies, less attention has been paid to the role of lncRNAs in this cross-talk. Our research not only did identify important lncRNAs, but it also suggested potential repurposed drugs to control them.

The Implications of Noncoding RNAs in the Evolution and Progression of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)-Related HCC

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most prevalent liver pathology worldwide. Meanwhile, liver cancer represents the sixth most common malignancy, with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) as the primary, most prevalent subtype. Due to the rising incidence of metabolic disorders, NAFLD has become one of the main contributing factors to HCC development. However, although NAFLD might account for about a fourth of HCC cases, there is currently a significant gap in HCC surveillance protocols regarding noncirrhotic NAFLD patients, so the majority of NAFLD-related HCC cases were diagnosed in late stages when survival chances are minimal. However, in the past decade, the focus in cancer genomics has shifted towards the noncoding part of the genome, especially on the microRNAs (miRNAs) and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), which have proved to be involved in the regulation of several malignant processes. This review aims to summarize the current knowledge regarding some of the main dysregulated, noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) and their implications for NAFLD and HCC development. A central focus of the review is on miRNA and lncRNAs that can influence the progression of NAFLD towards HCC and how they can be used as potential screening tools and future therapeutic targets.

Identifying Autophagy-Related lncRNAs and Potential ceRNA Networks in NAFLD

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common chronic disease with complex pathogenesis, which brings economic burden to the society, and there is still no effective therapy. Impaired autophagy has been implicated in the development of NAFLD. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are also reported to play a role in the pathogenesis of NAFLD. However, the role of autophagy-related lncRNAs in NAFLD disease has not been elucidated. Here, we mined GSE135251, GSE160016, GSE130970 and GSE185062 datasets from the Gene Expression Omnibus database (GEO) and obtained the human autophagy-related gene list from the Human Autophagy Database (HADb) for in-depth bioinformatic analysis. Following differential expression analysis and intersection of the datasets, Pearson correlation analysis was performed on DElncRNAs and autophagy-related DEmRNAs to obtain autophagy-related lncRNAs, and then Starbase3.0 and TargetScan7.2 were used to construct competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNA) regulatory networks. We constructed four lncRNA-dominated ceRNA regulatory networks (PSMG3-AS1, MIRLET7BHG, RP11-136K7.2, LINC00925), and visualized with Cytoscape. Then we performed co-expression analysis of the ceRNA networks and autophagy-related genes, and functionally annotated them with Metascape. Finally, we performed receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis on lncRNAs and mRNAs within the ceRNA networks. Conclusively, our project is the first to study autophagy-related lncRNAs in NAFLD and finally mined four autophagy-related lncRNAs (PSMG3-AS1, MIRLET7BHG, RP11-136K7.2, LINC00925). We suggested that the four autophagy-related lncRNAs may be closely associated with the occurrence and development of NAFLD through the corresponding ceRNA regulatory networks. This research brings new horizons to the study of NAFLD.