MicroRNA-21 contributes to the discrimination of chemoresistance in metastatic gastric cancer

An emphasis on the interaction of signaling pathways highlights the role of miRNAs in the etiology and treatment resistance of gastric cancer

Gastric cancer (GC) is 4th in incidence and mortality rates globally. Several genetic and epigenetic factors, including microRNAs (miRNAs), affect its initiation and progression. miRNAs are short chains of nucleic acids that can regulate several cellular processes by controlling their gene expression. So, dysregulation of miRNAs expressions is associated with GC initiation, progression, invasion capacity, apoptosis evasions, angiogenesis, promotion and EMT enhancement. Of important pathways in GC and controlled by miRNAs are Wnt/β-catenin signaling, HMGA2/mTOR/P-gp, PI3K/AKT/c-Myc, VEGFR and TGFb signaling. Hence, this review was conducted to review an updated view of the role of miRNAs in GC pathogenesis and their modulatory effects on responses to different GC treatment modalities.

Tumor microenvironment responsive Mn3O4 nanoplatform for in vivo real-time monitoring of drug resistance and photothermal/chemodynamic synergistic therapy of gastric cancer

Background

Postoperative chemotherapy for gastric cancer often causes multidrug resistance (MDR), which has serious consequences for therapeutic effects. Individualized treatment based on accurate monitoring of MDR will greatly improve patient survival.

Results

In this article, a self-enhanced Mn₃O₄ nanoplatform (MPG NPs) was established, which can react with glutathione to produce Mn²⁺ to enhance T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and mediate in vivo real-time MDR monitoring. In vitro MRI results showed that MRI signals could be enhanced in the presence of hydrogen peroxide and glutathione and at acidic pH. In vivo MRI results indicated that MPG NPs could specifically target MDR cells, thereby realizing real-time monitoring of MDR in gastric cancer. Furthermore, MPG NPs have good chemodynamic activity, which can convert the endogenous hydrogen peroxide of tumor cells into highly toxic hydroxyl radical through Fenton-like reaction at acidic pH to play the role of chemodynamic therapy. In addition, Mn₃O₄ can significantly enhance the chemodynamic therapy effect because of its good photothermal conversion effect. Furthermore, in situ photothermal/chemodynamic synergistic therapy obtained remarkable results, the tumors of the mice in the synergistic therapy group gradually became smaller or even disappeared.

Conclusions

MPG NPs have good biocompatibility, providing a good nanoplatform for real-time monitoring and precise diagnosis and treatment of MDR in gastric cancer.

Graphical Abstract

Supplementary information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12951-022-01441-6.

Contribution of MicroRNAs in Chemoresistance to Cisplatin in the Top Five Deadliest Cancer: An Updated Review

Cisplatin (DDP) is a well-known anticancer drug used for the treatment of numerous human cancers in solid organs, including bladder, breast, cervical, head and neck squamous cell, ovarian, among others. Its most important mode of action is the DNA-platinum adducts formation, inducing DNA damage response, silencing or activating several genes to induce apoptosis; these mechanisms result in genetics and epigenetics modifications. The ability of DDP to induce tumor cell death is often challenged by the presence of anti-apoptotic regulators, leading to chemoresistance, wherein many patients who have or will develop DDP-resistance. Cancer cells resist the apoptotic effect of chemotherapy, being a problem that severely restricts the successful results of treatment for many human cancers. In the last 30 years, researchers have discovered there are several types of RNAs, and among the most important are non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), a class of RNAs that are not involved in protein production, but they are implicated in gene expression regulation, and representing the 98% of the human genome non-translated. Some ncRNAs of great interest are long ncRNAs, circular RNAs, and microRNAs (miRs). Accumulating studies reveal that aberrant miRs expression can affect the development of chemotherapy drug resistance, by modulating the expression of relevant target proteins. Thus, identifying molecular mechanisms underlying chemoresistance development is fundamental for setting strategies to improve the prognosis of patients with different types of cancer. Therefore, this review aimed to identify and summarize miRs that modulate chemoresistance in DDP-resistant in the top five deadliest cancer, both in vitro and in vivo human models.

Targeting non-coding RNAs to overcome cancer therapy resistance

It is now well known that non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), rather than protein-coding transcripts, are the preponderant RNA transcripts. NcRNAs, particularly microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs), are widely appreciated as pervasive regulators of multiple cancer hallmarks such as proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, metastasis, and genomic instability. Despite recent discoveries in cancer therapy, resistance to chemotherapy, radiotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy continue to be a major setback. Recent studies have shown that ncRNAs also play a major role in resistance to different cancer therapies by rewiring essential signaling pathways. In this review, we present the intricate mechanisms through which dysregulated ncRNAs control resistance to the four major types of cancer therapies. We will focus on the current clinical implications of ncRNAs as biomarkers to predict treatment response (intrinsic resistance) and to detect resistance to therapy after the start of treatment (acquired resistance). Furthermore, we will present the potential of targeting ncRNA to overcome cancer treatment resistance, and we will discuss the challenges of ncRNA-targeted therapy—especially the development of delivery systems.

The Molecular Roles and Clinical Implications of Non-Coding RNAs in Gastric Cancer

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common malignancies in the world. It is also the fifth most common cancer in China. In recent years, a large number of studies have proved that non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) can regulate cell proliferation, invasion, metastasis, apoptosis, and angiogenesis. NcRNAs also influence the therapeutic resistance of gastric cancer. NcRNAs mainly consist of miRNAs, lncRNAs and circRNAs. In this paper, we summarized ncRNAs as biomarkers and therapeutic targets for gastric cancer, and also reviewed their role in clinical trials and diagnosis. We sum up different ncRNAs and related moleculars and signaling pathway in gastric cancer, like Bcl-2, PTEN, Wnt signaling. In addition, the potential clinical application of ncRNAs in overcoming chemotherapy and radiotherapy resistance in GC in the future were also focused on.

Mechanisms of Action And Clinical Implications of MicroRNAs in the Drug Resistance of Gastric Cancer

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common malignant tumors of digestive systems worldwide, with high recurrence and mortality. Chemotherapy is still the standard treatment option for GC and can effectively improve the survival and life quality of GC patients. However, with the emergence of drug resistance, the clinical application of chemotherapeutic agents has been seriously restricted in GC patients. Although the mechanisms of drug resistance have been broadly investigated, they are still largely unknown. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a large group of small non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) widely involved in the occurrence and progression of many cancer types, including GC. An increasing amount of evidence suggests that miRNAs may play crucial roles in the development of drug resistance by regulating some drug resistance-related proteins as well as gene expression. Some also exhibit great potential as novel biomarkers for predicting drug response to chemotherapy and therapeutic targets for GC patients. In this review, we systematically summarize recent advances in miRNAs and focus on their molecular mechanisms in the development of drug resistance in GC progression. We also highlight the potential of drug resistance-related miRNAs as biomarkers and therapeutic targets for GC patients.

Plasma microRNA profiles: identification of miR-1229-3p as a novel chemoresistant and prognostic biomarker in gastric cancer

This study aimed to explore novel microRNAs in plasma for predicting chemoresistance in adjuvant chemotherapy for patients with gastric cancer (GC). We used the Toray 3D-Gene microRNA array-based approach to compare preoperative plasma microRNA levels between GC patients with and without recurrences after curative gastrectomy. All patients underwent adjuvant chemotherapy with S-1, an oral fluoropyrimidine. Of 2566 candidates, six candidate microRNAs (miR-1229-3p, 1249-5p, 762, 711, 1268a and 1260b), which were highly expressed in the preoperative plasma of patients with subsequent recurrences, were selected. In a large-scale validation analysis by quantitative RT-PCR, we focused on high plasma levels of miR-1229-3p, which was an independent poor prognostic factor for recurrence free survival (P = 0.009, HR = 3.71). Overexpression of miR-1229-3p in GC cells induced significant chemoresistance to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), up-regulation of thymidylate synthase (TS) and dihydroprimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) and down-regulation of SLC22A7 both in vitro and in vivo. Intraperitoneal injection of miR-1229-3p in mice induced significant chemoresistance to 5-FU, accompanied by high levels of miR-1229-3p in plasma and tumor tissue. These findings suggest that plasma miR-1229-3p might be a clinically useful biomarker for predicting chemoresistance to S-1 and selecting other or combined intensive chemotherapy regimens in GC patients.

Non-coding RNA in drug resistance of gastric cancer

Gastric cancer (GC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. The poorly prognosis and survival of GC are due to diagnose in an advanced, non-curable stage and with a limited response to chemotherapy. The acquisition of drug resistance accounts for the majority of therapy failure of chemotherapy in GC patients. Although the mechanisms of anticancer drug resistance have been broadly studied, the regulation of these mechanisms has not been completely understood. Accumulating evidence has recently highlighted the role of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), including long non-coding RNAs and microRNAs, in the development and maintenance of drug resistance due to their regulatory features in specific genes involved in the chemoresistant phenotype of GC. We review the literature on ncRNAs in drug resistance of GC. This review summarizes the current knowledge about the ncRNAs’ characteristics, their regulation of the genes involved in chemoresistance and their potential as targeted therapies for personalized treatment in resistant GC.

Role of microRNAs in drug resistance of gastric cancer cells

Drug therapy is an important component of comprehensive treatments for gastric cancer (GC), but drug resistance of cancer cells often leads to treatment failure. It is significant to explore the drug resistance mechanism of GC cells. It has been reported that microRNAs (miRNAs) are closely related to drug resistance in GC. However, there are many kinds of microRNAs, which possess complex mechanisms and are not widely applied in clinical patients, so there are still many areas to be investigated about the relationship between microRNAs and drug resistance in GC. In this review, we review the role of miRNAs in the formation of drug resistance and discuss the existing problems and future directions.

MicroRNA‑543 inhibits proliferation, invasion and induces apoptosis of glioblastoma cells by directly targeting ADAM9

Glioma is the most common type of malignant brain tumor in humans and accounts for 81% of all malignant brain tumor cases in adults. The abnormal expression of microRNAs (miRs) has been reported to be important in the formation and progression of various types of human cancer, including glioblastoma (GBM). Therefore, studies into the expression, and roles of microRNAs as diagnostic and prognostic markers, as well as their therapeutic value for patients with GBM are warranted. The expression and roles of miR‑543 have been reported in several types of human cancer. However, the role of miR‑543 in GBM remains unclear. In the current study, the expression pattern of miR‑543 in GBM, the effects of miR‑543 on GBM cells and the underlying molecular mechanism was determined. The results of the present study demonstrated that miR‑543 was significantly downregulated in GBM tissue samples and cell lines. Furthermore, the upregulation of miR‑543 inhibited GBM cell proliferation and invasion, as well as promoted cell apoptosis. In addition, a disintegrin and metalloproteinase 9 (ADAM9) was identified to be a direct target gene of miR‑543. Furthermore, ADAM9 was significantly upregulated in GBM tissue samples and its expression was inversely correlated with miR‑543 expression in GBM tissue, suggesting that miR‑543 downregulation may contribute to ADAM9 upregulation in GBM. Finally, the results of the rescue experiment indicated that ADAM9 overexpression significantly reversed the effects of miR‑543 on the proliferation, invasion and apoptosis of GBM cells, suggesting that miR‑543 serves as a tumor suppressor in GBM through ADAM9 regulation. Overall, these findings indicate that the miR‑543/ADAM9 signaling pathway may provide as a potential therapeutic strategy for GBM.

Exposure to Concentrated Ambient Fine Particulate Matter Induces Vascular Endothelial Dysfunction via miR-21

Vascular endothelial permeability transition does not cause significant lesions, but enhanced permeability may contribute to the development of vascular and other diseases, including atherosclerosis, hypertension, heart failure and cancer. Therefore, elucidating the effect of Particulate Matter 2.5 (PM_2.5) on vascular endothelial permeability could help prevent disease that might be caused by PM_2.5. Our previous study and the present one revealed that PM_2.5 significantly increased the permeability of vascular endothelial cells and disrupted the barrier function of the vascular endothelium in Sprague Dawley (SD) rats. We found that the effect occurred mainly through induction of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) phosphorylation, further transcriptional regulation of microRNA21 (miR-21) and promotion of miR-21 expression. These changes post-transcriptionally repress tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 3 (TIMP3) and promote matrix metalloproteinases 9 (MMP9) expression. This work provides evidence that PM_2.5 exerts direct inhibitory action on vascular endothelial barrier function and might give rise to a number of vascular diseases.