miR-195 is a key regulator of Raf1 in thyroid cancer

Targeting CRAF kinase in anti-cancer therapy: progress and opportunities

The RAS/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling cascade is commonly dysregulated in human malignancies by processes driven by RAS or RAF oncogenes. Among the members of the RAF kinase family, CRAF plays an important role in the RAS-MAPK signaling pathway, as well as in the progression of cancer. Recent research has provided evidence implicating the role of CRAF in the physiological regulation and the resistance to BRAF inhibitors through MAPK-dependent and MAPK-independent mechanisms. Nevertheless, the effectiveness of solely targeting CRAF kinase activity remains controversial. Moreover, the kinase-independent function of CRAF may be essential for lung cancers with KRAS mutations. It is imperative to develop strategies to enhance efficacy and minimize toxicity in tumors driven by RAS or RAF oncogenes. The review investigates CRAF alterations observed in cancers and unravels the distinct roles of CRAF in cancers propelled by diverse oncogenes. This review also seeks to summarize CRAF-interacting proteins and delineate CRAF's regulation across various cancer hallmarks. Additionally, we discuss recent advances in pan-RAF inhibitors and their combination with other therapeutic approaches to improve treatment outcomes and minimize adverse effects in patients with RAF/RAS-mutant tumors. By providing a comprehensive understanding of the multifaceted role of CRAF in cancers and highlighting the latest developments in RAF inhibitor therapies, we endeavor to identify synergistic targets and elucidate resistance pathways, setting the stage for more robust and safer combination strategies for cancer treatment.

SKP2 Contributes to AKT Activation by Ubiquitination Degradation of PHLPP1, Impedes Autophagy, and Facilitates the Survival of Thyroid Carcinoma

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most common subtype of thyroid carcinoma. Despite a good prognosis, approximately a quarter of PTC patients are likely to relapse. Previous reports suggest an association between S-phase kinase-associated protein 2 (SKP2) and the prognosis of thyroid cancer. SKP1 is related to apoptosis of PTC cells; however, its role in PTC remains largely elusive. This study aimed to understand the expression and molecular mechanism of SKP2 in PTC. SKP2 expression was upregulated in PTC tissues and closely associated with clinical diagnosis. In vitro and in vivo knockdown of SKP2 expression in PTC cells suppressed cell growth and proliferation and induced apoptosis. SKP2 depletion promoted cell autophagy under glucose deprivation. SKP2 interacted with PH domain leucine-rich repeat protein phosphatase-1 (PHLPP1), triggering its degradation by ubiquitination. Furthermore, SKP2 activates the AKT-related pathways via PHLPP1, which leads to the cytoplasmic translocation of SKP2, indicating a reciprocal regulation between SKP2 and AKT. In conclusion, the upregulation of SKP2 leads to PTC proliferation and survival, and the regulatory network among SKP2, PHLPP1, and AKT provides novel insight into the molecular basis of SKP2 in tumor progression.

Exploring the Mechanisms of Arsenic Trioxide (Pishuang) in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Based on Network Pharmacology

Objective

Arsenic trioxide (Pishuang, Pishi, arsenolite, As₂O₃, and CAS 1327-53-3), a naturally occurring and toxic mineral as a drug for more than 2000 years in China, has been found to have a valuable function in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in recent years. However, its exact mechanism remains to be elucidated. Therefore, this study was intended to explore the potential anti-HCC mechanism of arsenic trioxide through network pharmacology.

Methods

The potential targets of arsenic trioxide were collected from PubChem and TargetNet. HCC targets were obtained from the GeneCards database. Then, a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of arsenic trioxide and HCC common targets was established using STRING. GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses were performed by the Database for Annotation, Visualization, and Integrated Discovery (DAVID). Finally, an arsenic trioxide-target-pathway-HCC network was built by Cytoscape 3.2.1, and network topological analysis was carried out to screen the key candidate targets.

Results

A total of 346 corresponding targets of arsenic trioxide and 521 HCC-related targets were collected. After target mapping, a total of 52 common targets were obtained. GO analysis showed that the biological process was mainly involved in the negative regulation of cellular senescence, response to tumor necrosis factor, and cellular response to hypoxia. Molecular functions included NF-kappa B binding, enzyme binding, p53 binding, and transcription factor binding. Cellular components mainly were replication fork, ESC/E(Z) complex, RNA polymerase II transcription factor complex, and organelle membrane. KEGG pathways were mainly enriched in the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, VEGF signaling pathway, p53 signaling pathway, HIF-1 signaling pathway, TNF signaling pathway, AMPK signaling pathway, NF-kappa B signaling pathway, FoxO signaling pathway, ErbB signaling pathway, and MAPK signaling pathway. In the arsenic trioxide-target-pathway-HCC network, targets such as AKT1, RAF1, RELA, TP53, and PTEN had a higher degree. Conclusions. Our study showed that key targets of arsenic trioxide were mainly involved in multiple biological processes and pathways. It provided a theoretical basis for the screening of drug targets.

Proteomic and phosphoproteomic profiling of shammah induced signaling in oral keratinocytes

Shammah is a smokeless tobacco product often mixed with lime, ash, black pepper and flavorings. Exposure to shammah has been linked with dental diseases and oral squamous cell carcinoma. There is limited literature on the prevalence of shammah and its role in pathobiology of oral cancer. In this study, we developed a cellular model to understand the effect of chronic shammah exposure on oral keratinocytes. Chronic exposure to shammah resulted in increased proliferation and invasiveness of non-transformed oral keratinocytes. Quantitative proteomics of shammah treated cells compared to untreated cells led to quantification of 4712 proteins of which 402 were found to be significantly altered. In addition, phosphoproteomics analysis of shammah treated cells compared to untreated revealed hyperphosphorylation of 36 proteins and hypophosphorylation of 83 proteins (twofold, p-value ≤ 0.05). Bioinformatics analysis of significantly altered proteins showed enrichment of proteins involved in extracellular matrix interactions, necroptosis and peroxisome mediated fatty acid oxidation. Kinase-Substrate Enrichment Analysis showed significant increase in activity of kinases such as ROCK1, RAF1, PRKCE and HIPK2 in shammah treated cells. These results provide better understanding of how shammah transforms non-neoplastic cells and warrants additional studies that may assist in improved early diagnosis and treatment of shammah induced oral cancer.

Suppression of long noncoding RNA LINC00324 restricts cell proliferation and invasion of papillary thyroid carcinoma through downregulation of TRIM29 via upregulating microRNA-195-5p

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are identified as novel regulators of carcinogenesis. To date, the precise functions of lncRNAs in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) remains poorly understood. The purposes of this work were to explore the potential relevance of lncRNA 00324 (LINC00324) in PTC. Levels of LINC00324 were markedly up-regulated in PTC. Silencing of LINC00324 significantly repressed the proliferation and invasion of PTC cells. LINC00324 was documented as a sponge of microRNA-195-5p (miR-195-5p). Decreased levels of miR-195-5p were detected in PTC. The up-regulation of miR-195-5p suppressed PTC cellular proliferation and invasion. Suppression of miR-195-5p partially reversed the LINC00324-knockdown-mediated effects in PTC cells. We identified tripartite motif-containing 29 (TRIM29) as a target gene of miR-195-5p. TRIM29 overexpression partially reversed the LINC00324-knockdown- or miR-195-5p-overexpression-mediated effects in PTC cells. In short, this work demonstrates that LINC00324 knockdown inhibits the proliferation and invasion of PTC cells by decreasing TRIM29 expression via up-regulating miR-195-5p expression.

CircRNA CDR1as/miR-1287/Raf1 Axis Modulates Hepatocellular Carcinoma Progression Through MEK/ERK Pathway

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common lethal malignant tumor worldwide. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been reported to affect the development of human cancers, including HCC. In this project, we aim to clarify the functional effect of circular CDR1as (circ_CDR1as) on HCC progression.

Methods

Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) or Western blot is implemented to detect the expression of circ_CDR1as, microRNA (miR)-1287 and Raf-1 proto-oncogene, serine/threonine kinase (Raf1). Cell proliferation is assessed via colony formation and 3-(4, 5)-dimethylthiazole-2-y1)-2, 5-biphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays. Cell migration and invasion are measured by Transwell assay. The target relationship between miR-1287 and circ_CDR1as or Raf1 is validated through dual-luciferase reporter assay. The levels of epithelia–mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers and the MEK/ERK signal pathway-related proteins are examined by Western blot. Model in nude mice is constructed to determine the role of circ_CDR1as in vivo.

Results

Expression of circ_CDR1as and Raf1 is elevated, while miR-1287 expression is decreased in HCC. Depletion of circ_CDR1as or Raf1 could inhibit proliferation and metastasis of HCC cells. Besides, circ_CDR1as regulates Raf1 expression by targeting miR-1287. MiR-1287 upregulation or Raf1 depletion could partially counterbalance circ_CDR1as depletion-mediated inhibitory effects on HCC cell behaviors. Moreover, circ_CDR1as depletion represses HCC progression through inactivating MEK/ERK pathway. In addition, circ_CDR1as depletion suppresses tumor growth in vivo via regulating miR-1287/Raf1 pathway.

Conclusion

Circ_CDR1as depletion inhibits HCC cell proliferation and metastasis by miR-1287/Raf1 and MEK/ERK pathways, highlighting a promising molecular target for HCC treatment.

Interactions of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and p53 with miR-195 in Thyroid Carcinoma: Possible Therapeutic Targets in Aggressive Thyroid Cancers

BACKGROUND

The clinical pathological features, as well as the cellular mechanisms of miR-195, have not been investigated in thyroid carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to identify the interactions of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), p53 and miR-195 in thyroid carcinoma. The clinical and pathological features of miR-195 were also investigated.

METHODS

The expression levels of miR-195 were identified in 123 primary thyroid carcinomas, 40 lymph nodes with metastatic papillary thyroid carcinomas and seven non-neoplastic thyroid tissues (controls) as well as two thyroid carcinoma cell lines, B-CPAP (from metastasizing human papillary thyroid carcinoma) and MB-1 (from anaplastic thyroid carcinoma), by the real-time polymerase chain reaction. Using Western blot and immunofluorescence, the effects of exogenous miR-195 on VEGF-A and p53 protein expression levels were examined. Then, cell cycle and apoptosis assays were performed to evaluate the roles of miR-195 in cell cycle progression and apoptosis.

RESULTS

The expression of miR-195 was downregulated in majority of the papillary thyroid carcinoma tissue as well as in cells. Introduction of exogenous miR-195 resulted in downregulation of VEGF-A and upregulation of p53 protein expressions. Upregulation of miR-195 in thyroid carcinoma cells resulted in cell cycle arrest. Moreover, we demonstrated that miR-195 inhibits cell cycle progression by induction of apoptosis in the thyroid carcinoma cells.

CONCLUSION

Our findings showed for the first time that miR-195 acts as a tumour suppressor and regulates cell cycle progression and apoptosis by targeting VEGF-A and p53 in thyroid carcinoma. The current study exhibited that miR-195 might represent a potential therapeutic target for patients with thyroid carcinomas having aggressive clinical behaviour.

hsa-miR-195-5p inhibits cell proliferation of human thyroid carcinoma cells via modulation of p21/cyclin D1 axis

Background

Based on existing evidence, microRNAs (miRs) are gene regulators that undertake key functions in the oncogenesis and tumor progression of every single human malignant disease, such as thyroid carcinoma (TC). Previous clinical findings showed that expression of miR-195 is down-regulated in TC, which implies that miR-195 may be practically involved in TC pathogenesis. Nevertheless, the function of hsa-miR-195-5p in TC is still largely unclear. Herein, we detected the conceivable involvement of hsa-miR-195-5p in TC cell proliferation.

Methods

Real time PCR examination was performed to assess the expression level of hsa-miR-195-5p in TC cell lines TPC-1 and B-CPAP. TPC-1 cells were transfected with either hsa-miR-195-5p mimics or hsa-miR-195-5p inhibitor. After confirmation of transfection efficiency, the effect of hsa-miR-195-5p on proliferation and cell cycle of TPC-1 cells was assessed. The expression of cyclin D1 and p21 was simultaneously detected by western blotting. Moreover, targetScan 6.2 was used to predict hsa-miR-195-5p target genes. Subsequently, luciferase reporter was performed to examine whether there is a possible binding of hsa-miR-195-5p to 3’-UTR of cyclin D1 mRNA. Furthermore, cyclin D1 mRNA and protein levels were measured to check whether hsa-miR-195-5p exerts its function at the post-transcriptional level. In addition, to explore the function of cyclin D1 in TPC-1 cells overexpressing hsa-miR-195-5p, cyclin D1 siRNA was used to silence the expression of cyclin D1 in TPC-1 cells overexpressing hsa-miR-195-5p.

Results

We quantified the expression of hsa-miR-195-5p in TC cells and normal thyroid cells and found a remarkable decrease in hsa-miR-195-5p expression in TC cells. Over-expression of hsa-miR-195-5p obviously resulted in downgraded proliferation of TC cells. Moreover, hsa-miR-195-5p caused cell arrest at the GO/G1 phase. Further in silico analyses and the dual-luciferase reporter assay confirmed that 3’-UTR of cyclin D1 is a direct target of hsa-miR-195-5p. Western blot analysis uncovered that hsa-miR-195-5p over-expression led to decreased levels of cyclin D1 and p21. In mechanistic analyses, we found that silencing of cyclin D1 reversed the inhibitory effect of hsa-miR-195-5p on the proliferation of TC cells, which indicates that hsa-miR-195-5p suppresses TC cell proliferation by adversely regulating cyclin D1.

Conclusions

We concluded that hsa-miR-195-5p is a candidate tumor-suppressor miRNA in TC and that the hsa-miR-195-5p/p21/cyclin D1 pathway could be a potential therapeutic target for TC.

Circ_LDLR promoted the development of papillary thyroid carcinoma via regulating miR-195-5p/LIPH axis

Background

Emerging studies have demonstrated that circular RNAs (circRNAs) are key regulators for tumorigenesis in cancers, including papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). In this study, we aimed to explore the effects of circ_LDLR on PTC.

Methods

Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was performed to determine the levels of circ_LDLR, miR-195-5p and lipase H (LIPH). RNase R digestion assay and Actinomycin D assay were utilized to analyze the characteristics of circ_LDLR. Colony formation assay and 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2, 5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay were conducted to evaluate cell proliferation. Western blot assay was used for the determination of protein levels. Flow cytometry analysis was applied to determine cell apoptosis. Transwell assay was performed to determine cell migration and invasion. Dual-luciferase reporter assay was used to verify the associations among circ_LDLR, miR-195-5p and LIPH. The murine xenograft model was constructed to explore the roles of circ_LDLR in vivo.

Results

Compared to normal tissues and cells, circ_LDLR was upregulated in PTC tissues and cells. Silencing of circ_LDLR suppressed PTC cell colony formation, proliferation, migration and invasion and promoted apoptosis in vitro and hampered tumor growth in vivo. For mechanism investigation, circ_LDLR could regulate LIPH expression via sponging miR-195-5p. Moreover, miR-195-5p inhibition restored the effects of circ_LDLR knockdown on the malignant behaviors of PTC cells. MiR-195-5p overexpression inhibited PTC cell colony formation, proliferation, migration and invasion and facilitated apoptosis by targeting LIPH.

Conclusion

Circ_LDLR knockdown decelerated PTC progression by regulating miR-195-5p/LIPH axis, which might provide a novel therapeutic target for PTC.

Hydrogen sulfide upregulates miR-16-5p targeting PiK3R1 and RAF1 to inhibit neutrophil extracellular trap formation in chickens

Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) is a toxic air pollutant that causes immune damage. Recent studies have found that neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation is one way in which neutrophils exert immune functions. In addition, the formation of NETs is also related to thrombosis and autoimmune diseases. Recent studies have shown that miRNAs are involved in the regulation of a variety of pathophysiological processes. Here, we investigated the role of H₂S in regulating the formation of NETs by affecting miR-16-5p. Our study established an in vitro H₂S exposure model for neutrophils using phorbol-myristate-acetate (PMA) to induce NET formation. We observed the morphological changes of cells with scanning electron microscopy and fluorescence microscopy. Then, the content of extracellular DNA and the expression of MPO and NE in each group were detected. The results showed that H₂S inhibited the formation of NETs. The expression of miR-16-5p and its target genes PiK3R1 and RAF1 was then measured by qRT-PCR. H₂S upregulated miR-16-5p and inhibited expression of the target genes PiK3R1 and RAF1, and it subsequently inhibited the Pi3K/AKT and ERK pathways and decreased respiratory burst levels. Furthermore, H₂S attenuated inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (IP3R)-mediated endoplasmic reticulum calcium outflow as well as autophagy caused by PMA. This study enriches H₂S immunotoxicity research and provides a possible solution for the treatment of NET-related diseases.

miR-4510 blocks hepatocellular carcinoma development through RAF1 targeting and RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK signalling inactivation

BACKGROUND

Therapeutic outcomes using the multikinase inhibitors, sorafenib and regorafenib, remain unsatisfactory for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Thus, new drug modalities are needed. We recently reported the remarkable capacity of miR-4510 to impede the growth of HCC and hepatoblastoma through Glypican-3 (GPC3) targeting and Wnt pathway inactivation.

METHODS

To identify new targets of miR-4510, we used a label-free proteomic approach and reported down-regulation of RAF proto-oncogene serine/threonine-protein kinase (RAF1) by miR-4510. Because the tumourigenic role of RAF1 in HCC is controversial, we further studied RAF1:miR-4510 interactions using cellular, molecular as well as functional approaches and a chicken chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) xenograft model.

RESULTS

We found an increase in RAF1 protein in 59.3% of HCC patients and a specific up-regulation of its transcript in proliferative tumours. We showed that miR-4510 inactivates the RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK pathway and reduces the expression of downstream targets (ie c-Fos proto-oncogene [FOS]) through RAF1 direct targeting. At a cellular level, miR-4510 inhibited HCC cell proliferation and migration and induced senescence in part by lowering RAF1 messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein expression. Finally, we confirmed the pro-tumoural function of RAF1 protein in HCC cells and its ability to sustain HCC tumour progression in vitro and in vivo.

CONCLUSIONS

In this work, we confirm that RAF1 acts as an oncogene in HCC and further demonstrate that miR-4510 acts as a strong tumour suppressor in the liver by targeting many proto-oncogenes, including GPC3 and RAF1, and subsequently controlling key biological and signalling pathways among which Wnt and RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK signals.

LncRNA LINC00460 promotes the papillary thyroid cancer progression by regulating the LINC00460/miR-485-5p/Raf1 axis

Background

Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is the most common malignancy of all thyroid cancers. LncRNA LINC00460 has been proved to play roles in the oncogenesis and progression of various tumors, including papillary thyroid cancer. However, the potential molecular mechanism of LINC00460 in PTC is poorly investigated.

Results

LINC00460 was upregulated in PTC tissues and cells. Raf1 was upregulated in PTC tissues, but miR-485-5p was down-regulated. High LINC00460 expression was associated with poor prognosis. LINC00460 knockdown suppressed proliferation, migration, invation and EMT of PTC cells. Bioinformatics prediction revealed that LINC00460 had binding sites with miR-485-5p, which was validated by luciferase reporter assay. In addition, miR-485-5p was confirmed to directly target Raf1 3′-UTR. Moreover, LINC00460 promoted PTC progression by sponging miR-485-5p to elevate the expression of Raf1. Knockdown of LINC00460 restrained tumor growth in vivo.

Conclusion

LINC00460 induced proliferation, migration, invation and EMT of PTC cells by regulating the LINC00460/miR-485-5p/Raf1 axis, which indicated that LINC00460 may be a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for PTC.

miR‑148a modulates the viability, migration and invasion of oral squamous cell carcinoma cells by regulating HLA‑G expression

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a common malignancy of the oral and maxillofacial regions. MicroRNAs (miRs) are a group of endogenous small noncoding RNAs that inhibit gene expression by binding to the mRNA of target genes, and serve important roles in numerous biological processes. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blotting were used to detect gene and protein expression levels, respectively. Cell proliferation, migration and invasion were detected using MTT, wound healing and Matrigel assays, respectively. The association between miR-148a and human leukocyte antigen-G (HLA-G) was analyzed using Targetscan and Luciferase reporter assays. In the present study, miR-148a was revealed to be significantly downregulated in OSCC cells. To further investigate the functions of miR-148a in OSCC, the viability, migration, and invasive abilities of SCC-9 cells were investigated following transfection with miR-148a mimics or miR-148a inhibitor. It was revealed that transfection with miR-148a mimics significantly reduced the viability, migration and invasion of cells, whereas miR-148a inhibitor significantly enhanced these properties. In addition, HLA-G was identified as a direct target of miR-148a and demonstrated to be downregulated in OSCC cells. Furthermore, it was revealed that transfection with miR-148a mimics decreased the expression levels of HLA-G mRNA and protein in SCC-9 cells, whereas transfection with miR-148a inhibitor increased the expression of HLA-G mRNA and protein. The results indicated that there was an association between miR-148a and HLA-G expression, and suggested that miR-148a may be a potential target in the treatment of OSCC.

Small molecule inhibitor agerafenib effectively suppresses neuroblastoma tumor growth in mouse models via inhibiting ERK MAPK signaling

Neuroblastoma (NB) is the most common extracranial solid tumor in early childhood. Despite intensive multimodal therapy, nearly half of children with high-risk disease will relapse with therapy-resistant tumors. Dysregulation of MAPK pathway has been implicated in the pathogenesis of relapsed and refractory NB patients, which underscores the possibility of targeting MAPK signaling cascade as a novel therapeutic strategy. In this study, we found that high expressions of RAF family kinases correlated with advanced tumor stage, high-risk disease, tumor progression, and poor overall survival. Targeted inhibition of RAF family kinases with the novel small molecule inhibitor agerafenib abrogated the activation of ERK MAPK pathway in NB cells. Agerafenib significantly inhibited the cell proliferation and colony formation ability of NB cells in vitro, and its combination with traditional chemotherapy showed a synergistic pro-apoptotic effect. More importantly, agerafenib exhibited a favorable toxicity profile, potently suppressed tumor growth, and prolonged survival in NB mouse models. In conclusion, our preclinical data suggest that agerafenib might be an effective therapeutic agent for NB treatment, both as a single-agent and in combination with chemotherapy.

Analysis of the role of the Hippo pathway in cancer

Cancer is a serious health issue in the world due to a large body of cancer-related human deaths, and there is no current treatment available to efficiently treat the disease as the tumor is often diagnosed at a serious stage. Moreover, Cancer cells are often resistant to chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and molecular-targeted therapy. Upon further knowledge of mechanisms of tumorigenesis, aggressiveness, metastasis, and resistance to treatments, it is necessary to detect the disease at an earlier stage and for a better response to therapy. The hippo pathway possesses the unique capacity to lead to tumorigenesis. Mutations and altered expression of its core components (MST1/2, LATS1/2, YAP and TAZ) promote the migration, invasion, malignancy of cancer cells. The biological significance and deregulation of it have received a large body of interests in the past few years. Further understanding of hippo pathway will be responsible for cancer treatment. In this review, we try to discover the function of hippo pathway in different diversity of cancers, and discuss how Hippo pathway contributes to other cellular signaling pathways. Also, we try to describe how microRNAs, circRNAs, and ZNFs regulate hippo pathway in the process of cancer. It is necessary to find new therapy strategies for cancer.

miRNA-Directed Regulation of the Main Signaling Pathways in Thyroid Cancer

In the last two decades, great strides have been made in the study of microRNAs in development and in diseases such as cancer, as reflected in the exponential increase in the number of reviews on this topic including those on undifferentiated and well-differentiated thyroid cancer. Nevertheless, few reviews have focused on understanding the functional significance of the most up- or down-regulated miRNAs in thyroid cancer for the main signaling pathways hyperactivated in this tumor type. The aim of this review is to discuss the major miRNAs targeting proteins of the MAPK, PI3K, and TGFβ pathways, to define their mechanisms of action through the 3'UTR regions of their target genes, and to describe how they affect thyroid tumorigenesis through their actions on cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Given the importance of miRNAs in cancer as diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic candidates, a better understanding of this cross-talk might shed new light on the biomedical treatment of thyroid cancer.

WITHDRAWN: MicroRNA-18a promotes proliferation and metastasis in oral squamous cell carcinoma via targeting KLF4

Ahead of Print article withdrawn by publisher.

Up-regulation of microRNA-497 inhibits the proliferation, migration and invasion but increases the apoptosis of multiple myeloma cells through the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway by targeting Raf-1

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a cancer that occurs in plasma cells, which fall under the category of white blood cells that are in charge of antibody production. According to previous studies, microRNA-497 (miR-497) functions as a tumor suppressor in several types of cancer, including gastric cancer and colorectal cancer. Therefore, the present study aims to investigate the effects of miR-497 on cellular function of human MM cells through the mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (MAPK/ERK) signaling pathway by targeting Raf-1. The differentially expressed genes and miRs in MM, and the relationship between the miR and gene were verified. It was found that Raf-1 was a target gene of miR-497. The data obtained from MM tissues showed increased Raf-1 level and decreased miR-497 level. MM cells were treated with mimic, inhibitor and siRNA in order to evaluate the role of miR-497, Raf-1 and MAPK/ERK in MM. The expression pattern of miR-497, Raf-1, ERK1/2, survivin, B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) and BCL2-Associated X (Bax) as well as the extent of ERK1/2 phosphorylation were determined. Retored miR-497 and si-Raf-1 resulted in increases in the Bax expression and cell apoptosis and decreases in the expressions of Raf-1, MEK-2, survivin, Bcl-2, along with the extent of ERK1/2 phosphorylation. In addition, the biological function evaluations of MM cells revealed that miR-497 mimic or si-Raf-1 led to suppression in cell proliferation, invasion and migration. In conclusion, our results have demonstrated that miR-497 targets Raf-1 in order to inhibit the progression of MM by blocking the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway.

MicroRNA-195: a review of its role in cancers

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small and highly conserved noncoding RNAs that regulate gene expression at the posttranscriptional level by binding to the 3′-UTR of target mRNAs. Recently, increasing evidence has highlighted their profound roles in various pathological processes, including human cancers. Deregulated miRNAs function as either oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes in multiple cancer types. Among them, miR-195 has been reported to significantly impact oncogenicity in various neoplasms by binding to critical genes and signaling pathways, enhancing or inhibiting the progression of cancers. In this review, we focus on the expression of miR-195 in regulatory mechanisms and tumor biological processes and discuss the future potential therapeutic implications of diverse types of human malignancies.

miR-199b-5p-Stonin 2 axis regulates metastases and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition of papillary thyroid carcinoma

Papillary thyroid carcinoma is one of the most fatal malignant endocrine tumors, and the prognosis remains poor because of the lack of effective therapeutic targets. In this study, we demonstrated that the level of miR-199b-5p was markedly downregulated in papillary thyroid carcinoma. The ectopic expression level of miR-199b-5p in papillary thyroid carcinoma cell B-CPAP could inhibit growth, migration, and invasion as well as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and decreased cell metastasis in vivo, but silencing miR-199b-5p caused a contradictory outcome. Additionally, Stonin 2 (STON2) was identified as a direct target gene of miR-199b-5p. Consistent with the downregulation of miR-199b-5p, the overexpression of STON2 induced the growth, migration and invasion of B-CPAP cells. It was also demonstrated that miR-199b-5p suppressed papillary thyroid carcinoma cell aggressiveness by targeting STON2. Furthermore, the overexpression of miR-199b-5p inhibited cell proliferation, promoted apoptosis, and increased the chemo-sensitivity of thyroid carcinoma B-CPAP cells toward the chemotherapy drug paclitaxel. Finally, in vivo experiments further demonstrated that miR-199b-5p suppressed tumor growth in nude mice. Thus, this study revealed that miR-199b-5p functions as antioncogene miRNA in papillary thyroid carcinoma cells and that the miR-199b-5p/STON2 axis might be a potential treatment option for papillary thyroid carcinoma. © 2018 IUBMB Life, 71(1):28-40, 2019.

MicroRNA-195 as a diagnostic biomarker in human cancer detection: A meta-analysis

MicroRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) show great promise as novel cancer biomarkers. Several studies have revealed an association between abnormal miRNA expression and the risk of various cancer types. However, the diagnostic accuracy and reliability of miRNAs remains unclear. The present meta-analysis was performed to summarize the overall diagnostic performance of miR-195 for cancer. The PubMed, Cochrane Library, Wanfang and China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases were searched for associated literature published until December 10, 2017. Eligible studies were selected using multiple search strategies based on study selection criteria. Measures, including sensitivity and specificity, of the performance of miR-195 as a cancer diagnostic tool were pooled using bivariate meta-analysis models. All analyses were performed using Stata 14.0. The pooled analysis included 8 studies comprising 735 cases and 547 controls. The pooled diagnostic results calculated from all studies were as follows: Sensitivity, 0.79 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.69–0.87]; specificity, 0.84 (95% CI, 0.68–0.93); positive likelihood ratio, 4.9 (95% CI, 2.50–9.50); negative likelihood ratio, 0.25 (95% CI, 0.18–0.35); diagnostic odds ratio, 20 (95% CI, 10.00–38.00); and area under the curve, 0.87 (95% CI, 0.84–0.90). Deeks' funnel plot asymmetry test suggested no potential publication bias (P=0.53). The present meta-analysis indicated that miR-195 could be a reliable non-invasive biomarker for the diagnosis of cancer. Further large-scale prospective studies are necessary to confirm the present findings and the clinical value of miR-195 for future diagnostics.

Melatonin Inhibits the Progression of Hepatocellular Carcinoma through MicroRNA Let7i-3p Mediated RAF1 Reduction

Melatonin is the main pineal hormone that relays light/dark-cycle information to the circadian system. Recent studies have examined the intrinsic antitumor activity of melatonin in various cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the primary life-threatening malignancy in both sexes in Taiwan. However, the detailed regulatory mechanisms underlying melatonin’s anti-HCC activity remain incompletely understood. Here, we investigated the mechanisms by which the anti-HCC activity of melatonin is regulated. Human hepatoma cell lines were treated with 1 and 2 mM melatonin, and functional assays were used to dissect melatonin’s antitumor effect in HCC; small-RNA sequencing was performed to identify the microRNAs (miRNAs) involved in the anti-HCC activity of melatonin; and quantitative RT-PCR and Western blotting were used to elucidate how miRNAs regulate melatonin-mediated HCC suppression. Melatonin treatment at both doses strongly inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion capacities of Huh7 and HepG2 cell lines, and melatonin treatment markedly induced the expression of the miRNA let7i-3p in cells. Notably, transfection of cells with a let7i-3p mimic drastically reduced RAF1 expression and activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling downstream from RAF1, and rescue-assay results demonstrated that melatonin inhibited HCC progression by modulating let7i-3p-mediated RAF1 suppression. Our findings support the view that melatonin treatment holds considerable promise as a therapy for HCC.

Diagnostic and prognostic relevance of serum miR-195 in pediatric acute myeloid leukemia

BACKGROUND

MicroRNA-195 acts as a tumor suppressor in a variety of cancers. However, its clinical significance in pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML) remains largely undefined.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the diagnostic and prognostic relevance of miR-195 in this malignancy.

METHODS

Expression levels of miR-195 in peripheral blood and bone marrow samples of patients with pediatric AML and normal controls were detected by real-time quantitative PCR. Then, receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, Kaplan-Meier method, and Cox regression analysis were performed to evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic relevance of serum miR-195 in pediatric AML.

RESULTS

Compared to normal controls, the expression levels of miR-195 in both bone marrow and patients' sera were significantly decreased (both P< 0.001). In addition, serum miR-195 had an optimal diagnostic cut-off point (2.09) for pediatric AML with sensitivity of 68.87% and specificity of 96.23%. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) based on serum miR-195 was 0.910. Moreover, patients with low serum miR-195 level more often had French-American-British classification subtype M7 (P= 0.02), unfavorable karyotypes (P= 0.01), and shorter relapse-free and overall survivals (both P= 0.001) than those with high serum miR-195 level. Furthermore, the multivariate analysis identified serum miR-195 level as an independent prognostic factor for both relapse-free and overall survivals.

CONCLUSION

The findings of this study suggest that the aberrant expression of miR-195 may play crucial roles in the development and progression of pediatric AML patients. Serum miR-195 may serve as a promising marker for monitoring the occurrence of this disease and predicting the clinical outcome of patients.

Downregulation of castor zinc finger 1 predicts poor prognosis and facilitates hepatocellular carcinoma progression via MAPK/ERK signaling

Background

Castor zinc finger 1 (CASZ1) plays critical roles in various biological processes and pathologic conditions, including cancer. However, the prognostic importance and biologic functions of CASZ1 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are still unclear.

Methods

qRT-PCR, western blot and immunohistochemistry analyses were used to determine CASZ1 expression in HCC samples and cell lines. The clinical significance of CASZ1 was assessed in two independent study cohorts containing 232 patients with HCC. A series of in vitro and in vivo experiments were performed to explore the role and molecular mechanism of CASZ1 in HCC progression.

Results

Here we report that CASZ1 expression was downregulated in HCC tissues and cell lines. Low CASZ1 expression was closely correlated with aggressive clinicopathological features, poor clinical outcomes and early recurrence of HCC patients. Moreover, overexpression of CASZ1 in HCCLM3 cells significantly inhibited cell proliferation, migration, invasion in vitro and tumor growth and metastasis in vivo, whereas silencing CASZ1 significantly enhanced the above abilities of PLC/PRF/5 cells. Further mechanism study indicated that these phenotypic changes were mediated by MAPK/ERK signaling pathway and involved altered expression of MMP2, MMP9 and cyclinD1. Finally, we proved that CASZ1 exerted its tumor-suppressive effect by directly interacting with RAF1 and reducing the protein stability of RAF1.

Conclusions

Our study for the first time demonstrated that CASZ1 is a tumor suppressor in HCC, which may serve as a novel prognostic predictor and therapeutic target for HCC patients.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s13046-018-0720-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

miR-195-5p Suppresses the Proliferation, Migration, and Invasion of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma by Targeting TRIM14

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play an essential role in tumor biological processes through interacting with specific gene targets. The involvement of miR-195-5p in cell proliferation, invasion, and migration has been demonstrated in several cancer cell lines, while its function in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) remains unclear. Here we find that miR-195-5p expression is lower in OSCC than in nontumor tissues, while its overexpression in cell lines can lead to the promotion of apoptosis and the reduction of cell growth, migration, and invasion. Moreover, we identify the tripartite motif-containing protein (TRIM14) as a target of miR-195-5p. Therefore, we reason that the tumor suppressor role of miR-195-5p in OSCC is dependent on the interaction with TRIM14.

miR-1908 as a novel prognosis marker of glioma via promoting malignant phenotype and modulating SPRY4/RAF1 axis

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are reported to be involved in the development of glioma. However, study on miRNAs in glioma is limited. The present study aimed to identify miRNAs which can act as potential novel prognostic markers for glioma and analyze its possible mechanism. We show that miR-1908 correlates with shorter survival time of glioma patients via promoting cell proliferation, invasion, anti-apoptosis and regulating SPRY4/RAF1 axis. Analysis of GEO and TCGA database found that miR-1908 was significantly upregulated in glioma tissues, and strongly associated with shorter survival time of glioma patients. Further Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis revealed that miR-1908 is mainly involved in regulating cell proliferation, invasion and apoptosis. To further confirm the above results, in vitro, glioma U251 cells were transfected with miR-1908 mimics or inhibitor, and upregulated miR-1908 promoted U251 cell proliferation, and enhanced the ability of invasion by Transwell assay. In addition, upregulated miR-1908 also enhanced anti-apoptosis ability of U251 cells through decreasing pro-apoptosis protein Bax expression. Since miRNAs regulate numerous biological processes by targeting broad set of messenger RNAs, validated target genes of miR-1908 in glioma were analyzed by TargetScan and miRTarBase databases. Among them SPRY4 was significantly decreased in glioma tissues and associated with short survival time, which was selected as the key target gene of miR-1908. Moreover, protein-protein interaction (PPI) showed that SPRY4 could interacted with pro-oncogene RAF1 and negatively correlated with RAF1 expression. Consistent with above analysis, in vitro, western blot analysis identified that miR-1908 upregulated significantly decreased SPRY4 expression and increased RAF1 expression. Hence, miR-1908 was correlated with poor prognosis of glioma via promoting cell proliferation, invasion, anti-apoptosis and regulating SPRF4/RAF1 axis. Our results elucidated the tumor promoting role of miR-1908 and established miR-1908 as a potential novel prognostic marker for glioma.

MiR-195 suppresses the metastasis and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of hepatocellular carcinoma by inhibiting YAP

MiR-195, a novel cancer-related microRNA, was previously reported to play an important role in many malignancies. This study aimed to investigate the role of miR-195 mediated epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) as well as the underlying mechanisms. Our result demonstrated that miR-195 were significantly down regulated in HCC and its decreased expression is associated with poor clinical features of HCC patients. Oppositely, expression level of YAP was significantly higher in HCC tissues, and the level of YAP in metastatic tissues was significantly higher. We also found that a strong inversely association between low level expression of miR-195 and high level of YAP in HCC tissues. Notably, this study confirmed that miR-195, YAP and their combination were valuable predictors for the prognosis of HCC patients. We also explored that miR-195 inhibits HCC growth and metastatic capacity. Mechanistically, we confirm that miR-195 inhibits the migration, invasion and EMT of HCC cells by suppressing YAP. Lastly, we revealed YAP was not only the downstream of miR-195 in HCC, but also mediated the promoting effects of miR-195 on the metastasis and EMT of HCC cells. Taken together, miR-195 inhibits the metastasis and EMT in HCC by targeting YAP. MiR-195/YAP pathway may potentially act as novel biomarker and attractive therapeutic target in HCC.

Small Non-coding RNA Abundance in Adrenocortical Carcinoma: A Footprint of a Rare Cancer

BACKGROUND: Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a relatively rare, but aggressive type of cancer, which affects both children and adults. OBJECTIVE: Small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs) play important roles and may serve as biomarkers for disease diagnosis, prognosis and treatment. METHODS: In our study, we sought to identify sncRNAs associated with malignant adrenal tumors. We obtained publicly available, small RNA sequencing data derived from 45 ACC and 30 benign tumors arising from the cortex of the adrenal gland, adrenocortical adenomas (ACA), and compared their sncRNA expression profiles. RESULTS: First, we remapped small RNA-seq to miRBase version 21 to check expression of miRNAs and found 147 miRNAs were aberrantly expressed (p<0.05) in ACC samples compared to ACA samples. Pathway analysis of differentially expressed miRNAs revealed p53 signaling pathways to be profoundly affected in ACC samples. Further examination for other types of small RNAs revealed 16 piRNAs, 48 lncRNAs and 19 sn/snoRNAs identified in ACC samples. Conclusions: Our data analysis suggests that publically available resources can be mined for biomarker development and improvements in-patient care; however, further research must be performed to correlate tumor grade with gene expression.

Association of microRNA-related gene XPO5 rs11077 polymorphism with susceptibility to thyroid cancer

Exportin 5 (XPO5) is a microRNA (miRNA)-related nuclear export protein, and its disorder may lead to the dysregulation of miRNAs. Recent studies have demonstrated that the aberrant expression of XPO5 might participate in carcinogenesis in certain cancers. However, there is only limited information of XPO5 in thyroid cancer (TC) development. In our study, we quantified the expression level of XPO5 by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in 64 TC patients' cancer tissues and adjacent normal tissues. After confirming the XPO5 expression, we evaluated the association between XPO5 potential functional single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and risk of TC in a Chinese population (1140 cases vs 1230 controls). Finally, luciferase assays were performed to investigate the function of the SNP in XPO5 3' untranslation region. The message ribonucleic acid (RNA) levels of XPO5 were significantly lower in cancer tissues than normal tissues (P = 0.004). In SNPs screening, only 1 noble SNP rs11077 was identified in XPO5 functional region. The results in our case-control study also confirmed that XPO5 rs11077 was significantly associated with onset of TC (GT/GG vs TT P = 0.035, adjusted odds ratio = 1.25, 95% confidence interval = 1.02-1.54). The adverse influence of this polymorphism was mainly observed in age >45 years (P = 0.028), female (P = 0.020), T1 staging (P = 0.026), N1 (P = 0.038), metastasis (P = 0.031 M0, and P = 0.035 for M1), and early stage (I + II) (P = 0.021). A following luciferase test revealed the critical role of rs11077 for triggering the XPO5 expression. Furthermore, patients with G allele of rs11077 showed lower XPO5 expression level. XPO5 SNP rs11077 influences the expression of XPO5, and this SNP could also be a potential biomarker for the diagnosis of TC in clinical, especially in Chinese population.

Integrated analysis identifies microRNA-195 as a suppressor of Hippo-YAP pathway in colorectal cancer

Background

With persistent inconsistencies in colorectal cancer (CRC) miRNAs expression data, it is crucial to shift toward inclusion of a “pre-laboratory” integrated analysis to expedite effective precision medicine and translational research. Aberrant expression of hsa-miRNA-195 (miR-195) which is distinguished as a clinically noteworthy miRNA has previously been observed in multiple cancers, yet its role in CRC remains unclear.

Methods

In this study, we performed an integrated analysis of seven CRC miRNAs expression datasets. The expression of miR-195 was validated in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) datasets, and an independent validation sample cohort. Colon cancer cells were transfected with miR-195 mimic and inhibitor, after which cell proliferation, colony formation, migration, invasion, and dual luciferase reporter were assayed. Xenograft mouse models were used to determine the role of miR-195 in CRC tumorigenicity in vivo.

Results

Four downregulated miRNAs (hsa-let-7a, hsa-miR-125b, hsa-miR-145, and hsa-miR-195) were demonstrated to be potentially useful diagnostic markers in the clinical setting. CRC patients with a decreased level of miR-195-5p in tumor tissues had significantly shortened survival as revealed by the TCGA colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) dataset and our CRC cohort. Overexpression of miR-195-5p in DLD1 and HCT116 cells repressed cell growth, colony formation, invasion, and migration. Inhibition of miR-195-5p function contributed to aberrant cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT). We identified miR-195-5p binding sites within the 3’-untranslated region (3′-UTR) of the human yes-associated protein (YAP) mRNA. YAP1 expression was downregulated after miR-195-5p treatment by qRT-PCR analysis and western blot.

Conclusions

Four downregulated miRNAs were shown to be prime candidates for a panel of biomarkers with sufficient diagnostic accuracy for CRC in a clinical setting. Our integrated microRNA profiling approach identified miR-195-5p independently associated with prognosis in CRC. Our results demonstrated that miR-195-5p was a potent suppressor of YAP1, and miR-195-5p-mediated downregulation of YAP1 significantly reduced tumor development in a mouse CRC xenograft model. In the clinic, miR-195-5p can serve as a prognostic marker to predict the outcome of the CRC patients.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13045-017-0445-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Expressions of miRNAs in papillary thyroid carcinoma and their associations with the clinical characteristics of PTC

BACKGROUND

The sensitivity and specificity of biomarkers which have been used in clinical practice for diagnosis of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) are low, it is essential to develop novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for PTC.

OBJECTIVE

To explore the expressions of miR-940, miR-15a, miR-16 and IL-23 in PTC tissues and plasma and their associations with the clinical characteristics of PTC.

METHODS

We investigated the expressions of miR-940, miR-15a, miR-16 and IL-23 in plasma and thyroid tissues of PTC, nodular goiter and healthy people with qRT-PCR, and further analyzed the associations between their levels and the clinical characteristics of PTC.

RESULTS

Level of IL-23 expression was higher while levels of miR-940, miR-15a and miR-16 expression in the PTC tissues were lower compared with the nodular goiter tissues and perineoplastic thyroid tissues. And the levels of miR-940, miR-15a, miR-16 and IL-23 expression in the PTC tissues were associated with some clinical characteristics of PTC, including bilateral tumor, multicentricity, extrallyroidal invasion, cervical lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis and clinical advanced stages (III/IV).

CONCLUSIONS

Expressions of miR-940, miR-15a, miR-16 and IL-23 in PTC tissues might be useful biomarkers and promising targets in the diagnosis of papillary thyroid carcinoma.

Regulatory Axis of miR-195/497 and HMGA1-Id3 Governs Muscle Cell Proliferation and Differentiation

Myocytes withdraw from the cell cycle to differentiate during muscle development. Given the capacity of microRNAs (miRNAs) to regulate gene expression during development, we screened for miRNAs that were associated with muscle development. S-Poly(T) Plus analysis of 273 miRNAs in porcine longissimus dorsi muscles revealed 14 miRNAs that were strongly upregulated with age of postnatal muscle development in vivo, including miR-195 and miR-497. These two miRNAs were also strongly upregulated at late differentiation stages of mouse skeletal myoblast C2C12 cells, and demethylation treatment induced significant upregulation of miR-195/497. Manipulation of miR-195/497 expression resulted in dramatic changes in the proliferation and differentiation of C2C12 cells. We identified high-mobility group AT-hook 1 (Hmga1) mRNA as a highly conserved target of miR-195/497 in C2C12 myoblasts. Overexpression of miR-195/497 or Hmga1 silencing in C2C12 cells promoted myogenic differentiation. Moreover, we showed that miR-195/497 repressed Hmga1, which in turn downregulated one of the HMGA1 downstream targets Id3, whose inhibitory effect on myogenic differentiation is well established. Our study revealed a subset of potential development-associated miRNAs and suggests a novel regulatory axis for myogenesis in which miR-195/497 promote myogenic differentiation by repressing the HMGA1-Id3 pathway.

MiR-639 promoted cell proliferation and cell cycle in human thyroid cancer by suppressing CDKN1A expression

Accumulating evidence has indicated that aberrantly expressed microRNAs (miRs) are extensively involved in cancer development and progression. MiR-639 has been reported to act as tumor promoter in various types of cancer. However, the biological function and underlying molecular mechanism of miR-639 in thyroid carcinoma (TC) have not been intensively investigated. Herein the present study aimed to investigate the functional role of miR-639 in TC. We found that miR-639 expression was upregulated in TC cells and clinical tissues. Overexpression of miR-639 promoted TC cell proliferation and cell cycle, with increased expression of CyclinE and c-myc, whereas miR-639-in reverses the function. Using prediction software and luciferase reporter assay, we found that CDKN1A was a target of miR-639. CDKN1A small interfering RNA (siRNA) abrogated the role of miR-639-in on cell proliferation of TC. In summary, our data demonstrated that miR-639 upregulation was associated with development of TC, miR-639 promoted cell proliferation and cell cycle by targeting CDKN1A in TC.

High expression of miR-16 and miR-451 predicating better prognosis in patients with gastric cancer

PURPOSE

To investigate the expression pattern of miR-16 and miR-451 and evaluate their prognostic value in 180 GC patients undergoing surgery.

METHODS

In our previous study, a panel of five circulating miRNAs (miR-16, miR-25, miR-92a, miR-451 and miR-486-5p) can be used as a potential biomarker for detecting of early-stage gastric carcinoma (GC). Tissue microarrays were constructed from 180 patients with GC after surgery. MiR-16 and miR-451 expression was detected by miRNA-locked nucleic acid in situ hybridization, and their relationship with clinicopathological parameters and overall survival was analyzed.

RESULTS

MiR-16 expression was decreased in 30.6 % (55/180) of GC, increased in 54.4 % (98/180) and unchanged in 15.0 % (27/180), compared with paracancerous normal tissue (P < 0.001). MiR-451 expression was decreased in 17.8 % (32/180), increased in 62.8 % (113/180) and unchanged in 19.4 % (35/180) of GC, compared with paracancerous normal tissue (P < 0.001).Univariate analysis indicated that low miR-16 and miR-451 expression, tumor stage, tumor status, node status and tumor size were significant negative prognostic predictors for overall survival in patients with GC (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, P = 0.002, P < 0.001 and P = 0.001, respectively). Multivariate regression analysis demonstrated that stage [hazard ratio (HR) 1.80; 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.0-3.26; P = 0.05], low expression of miR-16 (HR 2.26; 95 % CI 1.51-3.40; P < 0.001) and miR-451 (HR 2.01; 95 % CI 1.36-2.96; P < 0.001) predicted shorter OS, while tumor status (HR 1.59; 95 % CI 0.73-3.48 P = 0.242), lymph node metastasis (HR 1.41; 95 % CI 0.71-2.82; P = 0.326) and tumor size (HR 1.53; 95 % CI 0.92-2.55; P = 0.099) were not. Moreover, patients with both miR-16 and miR-451 high expression have better OS than those with two miRNAs unchanged or low expression in GC tissues. Patients with both miR-16 and miR-451 high have better OS than patients with single miR-451 high expression.

CONCLUSIONS

High expression of miR-16 and miR-451 was associated with longer OS in GC patients. Especially patients with miR-16 and miR-451 double high expression will predict better OS. MiR-16 and miR-451 may be used as novel makers to evaluate prognosis and provide a new treatment target in GC.

Diagnostic and prognostic value of plasma microRNA-195 in patients with non-small cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND

Recently, circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) have been reported to be stably detectable in plasma/serum and to function as potent biomarkers in various cancers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression level of plasma miRNA-195 in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and investigate its diagnostic and prognostic value.

METHODS

Quantitative real-time PCR was performed to evaluate plasma miRNA-195 levels in 100 NSCLC patients and 100 healthy volunteers. The association between miRNA-195 expression and clinicopathological factors as well as the overall survival was analyzed. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was carried out to assess the potential value of plasma miRNA-195 for NSCLC diagnosis.

RESULTS

Plasma miRNA-195 was downregulated in NSCLC patients compared with healthy controls (P < 0.001). Decreased plasma miRNA-195 expression was significantly associated with lymph node metastasis and advanced clinical stage. ROC curve analysis showed that plasma miRNA-195 was a useful marker for NSCLC diagnosis. Multivariate Cox regression analysis confirmed low plasma miRNA-195 expression as an independent unfavorable prognostic factor for NSCLC patients.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings indicate that plasma miRNA-195 might serve as a promising biomarker for the early detection and prognosis evaluation of NSCLC.