miR-146a-5p Plays an Oncogenic Role in NSCLC via Suppression of TRAF6

LINC00092 Enhances LPP Expression to Repress Thyroid Cancer Development via Sponging miR-542-3p

LINC00092 is poorly expressed in Thyroid cancer (TC), while its role in TC tumorigenesis is still elusive. This study aimed to reveal the role and regulatory mechanism of LINC00092 in TC.RNA immunoprecipitation and dual luciferase reporter assays were employed to ascertain the relationships among lipoma preferred partner (LPP), miR-542-3p, and LINC00092. qRT-PCR analysis was performed to detect their expression levels in TC. LPP protein productions were evaluated via western blotting. CCK-8, transwell, and colony formation assays were done to estimate TC cells' biological functions. A murine xenograft model was built to observe tumor formation in vivo.LINC00092 overexpression decreased the expression levels of miR-542-3p, and LPP was targeted by miR-542-3p. In TC cells and tissues, the elevation of miR-542-3p, and low amounts of LINC00092 and LPP can be observed. Both LINC00092 and SPAG6 were considered as the antineoplastic factors in TC since their overexpression dramatically repressed TC cells' invasive and proliferative potentials, while miR-542-3p exerted the opposite functions in TC. The ectopic expression of LINC00092 also suppressed tumor growth in vivo. In addition, it revealed that miR-542-3p upregulation reversed LINC00092 overexpression-mediated effects on TC cells. At the same time, the enhanced influences of TC cells caused by miR-542-3p upregulation could be attenuated by the enforced LPP.This study innovatively reveals that LINC00092 acts as an antineoplastic lncRNA to restrain the development of TC via regulating miR-542-3p/LPP. The findings of this study may provide a prospective drug target on LINC00092/miR-542-3p/LPP axis for the treatment of TC.

CVD phenotyping in oncologic disorders: cardio-miRNAs as a potential target to improve individual outcomes in revers cardio-oncology

With the increase of aging population and prevalence of obesity, the incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer has also presented an increasing tendency. These two different diseases, which share some common risk factors. Relevant studies in the field of reversing Cardio-Oncology have shown that the phenotype of CVD has a significant adverse effect on tumor prognosis, which is mainly manifested by a positive correlation between CVD and malignant progression of concomitant tumors. This distal crosstalk and the link between different diseases makes us aware of the importance of diagnosis, prediction, management and personalized treatment of systemic diseases. The circulatory system bridges the interaction between CVD and cancer, which suggests that we need to fully consider the systemic and holistic characteristics of these two diseases in the process of clinical treatment. The circulating exosome-miRNAs has been intrinsically associated with CVD -related regulation, which has become one of the focuses on clinical and basic research (as biomarker). The changes in the expression profiles of cardiovascular disease-associated miRNAs (Cardio-miRNAs) may adversely affect concomitant tumors. In this article, we sorted and screened CVD and tumor-related miRNA data based on literature, then summarized their commonalities and characteristics (several important pathways), and further discussed the conclusions of Cardio-Oncology related experimental studies. We take a holistic approach to considering CVD as a risk factor for tumor malignancy, which provides an in-depth analysis of the various regulatory mechanisms or pathways involved in the dual attribute miRNAs (Cardio-/Onco-miRNAs). These mechanisms will be key to revealing the systemic effects of CVD on tumors and highlight the holistic nature of different diseases. Therefore, the Cardio-miRNAs should be given great attention from researchers in the field of CVD and tumors, which might become new targets for tumor treatment. Meanwhile, based on the principles of precision medicine (such as the predictive preventive personalized medicine, 3PM) and reverse Cardio-oncology to better improve individual outcomes, we should consider developing personalized medicine and systemic therapy for cancer from the perspective of protecting cardiovascular function.

Involvement of FAM170B-AS1, hsa-miR-1202, and hsa-miR-146a-5p in breast cancer

BACKGROUND

FAM170B-AS1 is usually expressed low in all organs except for testicular tissues. No study was performed to explore its role in breast cancer (BC). Contradictory results were reported about hsa-miR-1202 and hsa-miR-146a-5p in BC.

OBJECTIVE

The present study aimed to explore the involvement of FAM170B-AS1 in BC using bioinformatics predictive tools, followed by a practical validation besides exploring the impact of hsa-miR-1202 and hsa-miR-146a-5p in BC.

METHODS

This study enrolled 96 female patients with BC, 30 patients with benign breast diseases (BBD), and 25 control subjects. The expressions of circulating FAM170B-AS1, hsa-miR-1202, and hsa-miR-146a-5p were quantified using qRT-PCR. These ncRNAs' associations, predictive, and diagnostic roles in BC were statistically tested. The underlying miRNA/mRNA targets of FAM170B-AS1 in BC were bioinformatically predicted followed by confirmation based on the GEPIA and TCGA databases.

RESULTS

The expression of FAM170B-AS1 was upregulated in sera of BC patients and hsa-miR-1202 was upregulated in sera of BBD and BC patients while that of hsa-miR-146a-5p was downregulated in BC. These FAM170B-AS1 was significantly associated with BC when compared to BBD. FAM170B-AS1 and hsa-miR-1202 were statistically associated with the BC's stage, grade, and LN metastasis. FAM170B-AS1 and hsa-miR-146a-5p gave the highest specificity and sensitivity for BC. KRAS and EGFR were predicted to be targeted by FAM170B-AS1 through interaction with hsa-miR-143-3p and hsa-miR-7-5p, respectively. Based on the TCGA database, cancer patients having mutations in FAM170B show good overall survival.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study reported that for the first time, FAM170B-AS1 may be a potential risk factor, predictive, and diagnostic marker for BC. In addition, FAM170B-AS1 might be involved in BC by interacting with hsa-miR-143-3p/KRAS and hsa-miR-7-5p/EGFR through enhancement or repression that may present a new therapeutic option for BC.

RRM2‑mediated Wnt/β‑catenin signaling pathway activation in lung adenocarcinoma: A potential prognostic biomarker

The present study aimed to investigate the role and mechanism of action of ribonucleotide reductase M2 (RRM2) in lung adenocarcinoma and its potential as a therapeutic target. Data of patients with lung adenocarcinoma from The Cancer Genome Atlas database were collected and analyzed to evaluate the potential of RRM2 as a biomarker. The expression of RRM2 was evaluated in the A549 cell line and its cisplatin-resistant A549/DDP cell line derivative by western blot and reverse transcription-quantitative PCR. The study also investigated cell proliferation and the mechanism by which RRM2 controls cellular cisplatin resistance using CCK-8 and colony-formation assays. In addition, cell migration was assessed using Transwell assays, and the cell cycle and apoptosis were examined using flow cytometry. RRM2 was highly expressed in lung adenocarcinoma and was associated with the clinical TMN stage. Functional enrichment analysis showed that RRM2 was enriched in the cell cycle. Immune cell infiltration analysis identified 12 types of immune cell that exhibited differences between patients expressing different levels of RRM2. Cellular assays revealed higher levels of RRM2 expression in A549/DDP cells than A549 cells, and its expression was induced by cisplatin. RRM2 knockdown decreased cell proliferation and migration, accelerated apoptosis and caused cell cycle arrest in the S-phase, increasing the sensitivity of A549 and A549/DDP cells to cisplatin through the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Overexpression of β-catenin reduced the effects of RRM2 knockdown on A549 cells. Lung adenocarcinoma growth may be influenced by RRM2 through the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, suggesting a potential pathway for cancer progression.

Differential Expression Profile of Salivary oncomiRNAs among Smokeless Tobacco Users

OBJECTIVE

 The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of selected salivary oncomiRNAs among smokeless tobacco users and nonsmokers.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

 Twenty-five subjects with chronic smokeless tobacco habit (> 1 year) and 25 nonsmokers were selected for this study. MicroRNA was extracted from saliva samples using the miRNeasy Kit (Qiagen, Hilden, Germany). The forward primers used in the reactions include hsa-miR-21-5p, hsa-miR-146a-3p, hsa-miR-155-3p, and hsa-miR-199a-3p. Relative expression of miRNAs was calculated using the 2-ΔΔCt method. Fold change is calculated by raising 2 to the power of the negative ΔΔCT value.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

 Statistical analysis was carried out using GraphPad Prism 5 software. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

 The four tested miRNAs were found overexpressed in saliva of subjects with smokeless tobacco habit when compared with saliva from nontobacco users. miR-21 expression was 3.74 ± 2.26 folds higher among subjects with smokeless tobacco habit compared to nontobacco users (p < 0.01). The expression for miR-146a (5.56 ± 8.3 folds; p < 0.05), miR-155 (8.06 ± 23.4 folds; p < 0.0001) and miR-199a (14.39 ± 30.3 folds; p < 0.05) was significantly higher among subjects with smokeless tobacco habit.

CONCLUSION

 Smokeless tobacco leads to salivary overexpression of the miRs 21, 146a, 155, and 199a. Monitoring the levels of these four oncomiRs may provide insight about the future development of oral squamous cell carcinoma, especially in patients with smokeless tobacco habits.

MiRNA-423 rs6505162 and miRNA-6811 rs2292879 SNP associated with lung cancer in Hainan, China

BACKGROUND

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are known to exert significant influence on various physiological processes and diseases, including cancers. The primary objective of this present study was to examine the impact of eight single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in miRNA on the susceptibility to lung cancer (LC) within the Chinese Southern population.

METHODS

The genotypes of these eight polymorphisms were determined in 132 LC patients and 214 cancer-free controls.

RESULTS

In overall analyses, GG genotype of miRNA-6811 rs2292879 polymorphism was significantly correlated with increased risk of LC (GG vs. AA, adjusted OR = 5.10, 95% CI = 1.02-25.43, P=0.047), yet the genotype frequencies of rs2292879 SNP in controls did not met the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) (P=0.001) in present study. Stratified analyses by smoking revealed that miRNA-423 rs6505162 variants significantly decreased the LC risk in heterozygous (CA vs. CC, adjusted OR = 0.14, 95% CI = 0.03-0.81, P=0.028) and recessive (AA vs. CA + CC, adjusted OR = 0.17, 95% CI = 0.03-0.90, P=0.038) genetic models in smoking population. However, miRNA-196A2 rs11614913, miRNA-196A2 rs12304647, miRNA-146A rs2910164, miRNA-16-1 rs1022960, miRNA-608 rs4919510, and miRNA-27a rs895819 polymorphisms were not significantly associated with LC.

CONCLUSION

The findings of our study indicate a potential decrease in LC risk among smokers with the miRNA-423 rs6505162 variants, while an increase in risk is associated with miRNA-6811 rs2292879 polymorphisms in the population of Southern Chinese. However, further well-designed research is necessary to fully understand the precise impact of these two SNPs on the development of LC.

The Importance of the Immune System and Molecular Cell Signaling Pathways in the Pathogenesis and Progression of Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is a disease that in recent years has become one of the greatest threats to modern society. Every year there are more and more new cases and the percentage of deaths caused by this type of cancer increases. Despite many studies, scientists are still looking for answers regarding the mechanisms of lung cancer development and progression, with particular emphasis on the role of the immune system. The aim of this literature review was to present the importance of disorders of the immune system and the accompanying changes at the level of cell signaling in the pathogenesis of lung cancer. The collected results showed that in the process of immunopathogenesis of almost all subtypes of lung cancer, changes in the tumor microenvironment, deregulation of immune checkpoints and abnormalities in cell signaling pathways are involved, which contribute to the multistage and multifaceted carcinogenesis of this type of cancer. We, therefore, suggest that in future studies, researchers should focus on a detailed analysis of tumor microenvironmental immune checkpoints, and to validate their validity, perform genetic polymorphism analyses in a wide range of patients and healthy individuals to determine the genetic susceptibility to lung cancer development. In addition, further research related to the analysis of the tumor microenvironment; immune system disorders, with a particular emphasis on immunological checkpoints and genetic differences may contribute to the development of new personalized therapies that improve the prognosis of patients.

A literature review of microRNA and gene signaling pathways involved in the apoptosis pathway of lung cancer

BACKGROUND

Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the world and the deadliest of all cancers. Apoptosis is a key pathway in regulating the cell growth rate, proliferation, and occurrence of lung cancer. This process is controlled by many molecules, such as microRNAs and their target genes. Therefore, finding new medical approaches such as exploring diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers involved in apoptosis is needed for this disease. In the present study, we aimed to identify key microRNAs and their target genes that could be used in the prognosis and diagnosis of lung cancer.

METHODS

Signaling pathways, genes, and microRNAs involved in the apoptotic pathway were identified by bioinformatics analysis and recent clinical studies. Bioinformatics analysis was performed on databases including NCBI, TargetScan, UALCAN, UCSC, KEGG, miRPathDB, and Enrichr, and clinical studies were extracted from PubMed, web of science, and SCOPUS databases.

RESULTS

NF-κB, PI3K/AKT, and MAPK pathways play critical roles in the regulation of apoptosis. MiR-146b, 146a, 21, 23a, 135a, 30a, 202, and 181 were identified as the involved microRNAs in the apoptosis signaling pathway, and IRAK1, TRAF6, Bcl-2, PTEN, Akt, PIK3, KRAS, and MAPK1 were classified as the target genes of the mentioned microRNAs respectively. The essential roles of these signaling pathways and miRNAs/target genes were approved through both databases and clinical studies. Moreover, surviving, living, BRUCE, and XIAP was the main inhibitor of apoptosis which act by regulating the apoptosis-involved genes and miRNAs.

CONCLUSION

Identifying the abnormal expression and regulation of miRNAs and signaling pathways in apoptosis of lung cancer can represent a novel class of biomarkers that can facilitate the early diagnosis, personalized treatment, and prediction of drug response for lung cancer patients. Therefore, studying the mechanisms of apoptosis including signaling pathways, miRNAs/target genes, and the inhibitors of apoptosis are advantageous for finding the most practical approach and reducing the pathological demonstrations of lung cancer.

miR‑146a‑5p protects against renal injury in MRL/lpr mice via improvement of the Treg/Th17 imbalance by targeting the TRAF6/NF‑κB axis

Dysregulated microRNA (miRNA or miR) expression is an important cause of immune homeostasis disorder in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and lupus nephritis (LN). The present study evaluated the possibility of using miR-146a-5p as a therapeutic target for treating LN. The effects of miR-146a-5p on lupus syndrome in MRL/lpr mice were evaluated. MRL/lpr mice were injected with miR-146a-5p agomir (M146AG) or agomir negative control (NC). Renal function index, pathology and protein expression levels of inflammatory factors in MRL/lpr mice were evaluated after M146AG or agomir NC treatment. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR, western blotting and immunofluorescence were used to assess the effect of M146AG on mRNA and protein expression levels of (tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6) TRAF6/NF-κB axis components. A luciferase dual reporter system was used to assess the mechanism of regulation of TRAF6/NF-κB axis expression. Finally, flow cytometry was used to assess the regulatory effect of M146AG on regulatory T cell (Treg)/T helper 17 (Th17) balance. The findings demonstrated that M146AG ameliorated renal lesions and the inflammatory response in MRL/lpr mice. TRAF6 was demonstrated to be targeted and significantly negatively regulated by miR-146a-5p. M146AG intervention significantly increased expression of miR-146a-5p and significantly downregulated the mRNA and protein expression levels of TRAF6 and NF-κB in CD4+ T cells of MRL/lpr mice. Furthermore, M146AG intervention alleviated Treg/Th17 imbalance in MRL/lpr mice peripheral blood. The present findings demonstrated that M146AG improved Treg/Th17 imbalance and alleviated renal lesions in MRL/lpr mice by targeting the TRAF6/NF-κB axis. This may provide a new theoretical basis for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of LN.

Role of Cardiomyocyte-Derived Exosomal MicroRNA-146a-5p in Macrophage Polarization and Activation

Myocardial infarction arises from an excessive or prolonged inflammatory response, leading to ventricular remodeling or impaired cardiac function. Macrophages exhibit different polarization types associated with inflammation both at steady state and after myocardial infarction. Exosomal miR-146a-5p has been identified as an important molecule in the cardiovascular field in recent years. However, the effect of cardiomyocyte-derived exosomal miR-146a-5p on macrophages has not yet been elucidated. Initially, we found that exosomes with low expression of miR-146a-5p derived from myocardial infarction tissues modulated macrophage polarization. To determine whether cardiomyocyte-derived exosomal miR-146a-5p mediated macrophage polarization, we treated macrophages with exosomes rich in miR-146a-5p collected from neonatal mouse cardiomyocytes. The effects of exosomal miR-146a-5p on macrophage polarization were measured using RT-qPCR, transwell assays, and western blotting. The results showed that the increased expression of miR-146a-5p promoted M1 macrophage polarization, inhibited M2 macrophage polarization, and increased the expression of VEGFA. However, the decreased expression of exosomalmiR-146a-5p showed the opposite trends. Interestingly, in contrast to treatment with the solitary miR-146a-5p mimic, exosomal miR-146a-5p derived from neonatal mouse cardiomyocytes reduced TNFα and iNOS expression. In addition, when macrophages were activated by the miR-146a-5p mimic or exosomal miR-146a-5p, the expression of TNF receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6), a target gene of miR-146a-5p, was reduced significantly. Taken together, these findings indicate that exosomal miR-146a-5p derived from cardiomyocytes could stimulate M1 macrophage polarization to induce an inflammatory reaction, while targeting TRAF6, exerting an anti-inflammatory effect. Exosomal miR-146a-5p plays important roles in macrophages, illuminating a novel potential therapeutic target in myocardial infarction.

The miR-4732-5p/XPR1 axis suppresses invasion, metastasis and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of lung adenocarcinoma by PI3K/Akt/GSK3β/Snail pathway

With the development in research, the importance of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the occurrence, metastasis, and prognosis of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) had received extensive attention. The aim of this study was...

DNA-methylation-induced silencing of DIO3OS drives non-small cell lung cancer progression via activating hnRNPK-MYC-CDC25A axis

DNA methylation is a class of epigenetic modification manner, which is responsible for the inactivation of various tumor suppressors. Recently, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) were revealed to be implicated in a variety of malignancies, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the contributions of lncRNAs to DNA-methylation-induced oncogenic effects in NSCLC remain largely unknown. In this study, we identified a DNA-methylation-repressed lncRNA DIO3 opposite strand upstream RNA (DIO3OS) in NSCLC. DIO3OS is downregulated in NSCLC, and its low expression is related to poor prognosis. Ectopic expression of DIO3OS repressed NSCLC cell growth and motility and promoted NSCLC cell apoptosis in vitro. DIO3OS also repressed NSCLC tumorigenesis and metastasis in vivo. DIO3OS knockdown exhibited opposite biological effects. DIO3OS competitively bound heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K (hnRNPK), repressed the binding of hnRNPK to MYC DNA and MYC mRNA, reduced the promoting roles of hnRNPK on MYC transcription and translation, led to the repression of MYC transcription and translation, and therefore remarkably decreased the expression of MYC and CDC25A, a downstream target of MYC. Additionally, depletion of hnRNPK blocked the tumor-suppressive roles of DIO3OS in NSCLC. In conclusion, these findings identified DIO3OS as an important protective factor against NSCLC via modulating hnRNPK-MYC-CDC25A axis.

Evaluation Expression of miR-146a and miR-155 in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Patients

Background

Non−small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the major type of lung cancer. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are novel markers and targets in cancer therapy and can act as both tumor suppressors and oncogenes and affect immune function. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of miR146a and miR155 in linked to blood immune cell phenotypes and serum cytokines in NSCLC patients.

Methods

Thirty-three NSCLC patients and 30 healthy subjects were enrolled in this study. The allele frequencies of potential DNA polymorphisms were studied using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)–restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis in peripheral blood samples. Quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to measure the expression of miR-146a and miR-155 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Serum cytokine (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, TGF-β, IL-4, IFN-γ) levels were determined by ELISA. The frequency of circulating CD3+CTLA-4+ and CD4+CD25+FOXP3+ (T regulatory cells/Treg) expression was measured by flow cytometry.

Results

miR-146a was significantly downregulated in PBMC of NSCLC patients (P ≤ 0.001). Moreover, IL-6 and TGF-β levels were elevated in NSCLC patients (P ≤ 0.001, P ≤ 0.018, respectively). CD3+ CTLA-4+ and Treg cells frequencies were higher in patients than in control subjects (P ≤ 0.0001, P ≤ 0.0001, respectively). There was a positive correlation between miR-155 and IL-1β levels (r=0.567, p ≤ 0.001) and a negative correlation between miR-146a and TGF-β levels (r=-0.376, P ≤ 0.031) in NSCLC patients. No significant differences were found in the relative expression of miR-146a and miR-155, cytokine levels or immune cell numbers according to miR-146a and miR-155 (GG/GC/CC, TT/AT/AA) genotypes. However, there was a positive correlation between miR-146a and IL-1β levels (r=0.74, P ≤ 0.009) in GG subjects and a positive correlation between miR-146a expression and CD3+CTLA4+ cell frequency (r=0.79, P ≤ 0.01) in CC genotyped subjects. Conversely, a negative correlation between miR-146a expression and Treg cell frequency (r=−0.87, P ≤ 0.05) was observed with the GG genotype. A positive correlation between miR-155 and IL-1β expression (r=0.58, p ≤ 0.009) in the TT genotype and between miR-155 expression and CD3+CTLA-4 cell frequency (r=0.75, P ≤ 0.01) was observed in the AT genotype.

Conclusions

The current data suggest that the miR-146a expression in PBMC and serum TGF-β and IL-1β levels may act as blood markers in NSCLC patients. Further study is needed to elucidate the link between immune cells and serum miR146 at early disease stages.

miR-1293 acts as a tumor promotor in lung adenocarcinoma via targeting phosphoglucomutase 5

Background

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the most common histologic subtype of lung cancer. Studies have found that miR-1293 is related to the survival of LUAD patients. Unfortunately, its role in LUAD remains not fully clarified.

Methods

miR-1293 expression and its association with LUAD patients’ clinical characteristics were analyzed in TCGA database. Also, miR-1293 expression was detected in LUAD cell lines. Cell viability, migration, invasion and expression of MMP2 and MMP9 were measured in LUAD cells following transfection with miR-1293 mimic or antagomir. Phosphoglucomutase (PGM) 5 was identified to be negatively related to miR-1293 in LUAD patients in TCGA database, and their association was predicated by Targetscan software. Hence, we further verified the relationship between miR-1293 and PGM5. Additionally, the effect and mechanism of miR-1293 were validated in a xenograft mouse model.

Results

We found miR-1293 expression was elevated, but PGM5 was decreased, in LUAD patients and cell lines. Higher miR-1293 expression was positively related to LUAD patients’ pathologic stage and poor overall survival. miR-1293 mimic significantly promoted, whereas miR-1293 antagomir suppressed the viability, migration, invasion, and expression of MMP2 and MMP9 in LUAD cells. PGM5 was a target of miR-1293. Overexpression of PGM5 abrogated the effects of miR-1293 on the malignant phenotypes of LUAD cells. Administration of miR-1293 antagomir reduced tumor volume and staining of Ki-67 and MMP9, but elevated PGM5 expression in vivo.

Conclusions

miR-1293 promoted the proliferation, migration and invasion of LUAD cells via targeting PGM5, which indicated that miR-1293 might serve as a potential therapeutic target for LUAD patients.

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes induce the Th17/Treg imbalance in immune thrombocytopenia through miR-146a-5p/IRAK1 axis

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) are associated with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), the underlying mechanism has not been fully elucidated. Here, we attempted to investigate whether BMSCs can regulate Th17/Treg imbalance in ITP through the exosome pathway. We first assessed the proportions of Th17 cells and Tregs in ITP patients, showing that ITP patients exhibited an evident imbalance of Th17/Treg. BMSCs-exosomes' treatment significantly reduced Th17/Treg ratio in the CD4⁺ T cells of ITP patients. Moreover, miR-146a-5p was highly expressed in BMSCs-exosomes. The expression of miR-146a-5p was obviously increased in CD4⁺ T cells following the treatment of BMSCs-exosomes. BMSCs-exosomal miR-146a-5p silencing promoted the proportions of Th17 cells and repressed the proportions of Tregs in CD4⁺ T cells. In addition, miR-146a-5p directly interacted with IL-1R-associated kinase-1 (IRAK), and repressed IRAK1 expression. IRAK1 overexpression promoted Th17/Treg ratio in CD4⁺ T cells, which was abolished by BMSCs-exosomal miR-146a-5p. In conclusion, these findings demonstrate that BMSC-derived exosomal miR-146a-5p regulates Th17/Treg imbalance in ITP by repressing IRAK1 expression. Thus, this work suggests that BMSCs-exosomal miR-146a-5p may be a potential therapeutic target for ITP.

Regulation of Nuclear Factor-KappaB (NF-κB) signaling pathway by non-coding RNAs in cancer: Inhibiting or promoting carcinogenesis?

The nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) signaling pathway is considered as a potential therapeutic target in cancer therapy. It has been well established that transcription factor NF-κB is involved in regulating physiological and pathological events including inflammation, immune response and differentiation. Increasing evidences suggest that deregulated NF-κB signaling can enhance cancer cell proliferation, metastasis and also mediate radio-as well as chemo-resistance. On the contrary, non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) have been found to modulate NF-κB signaling pathway under different settings. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) can dually inhibit/induce NF-κB signaling thereby affecting the growth and migration of cancer cells. Furthermore, the response of cancer cells to radiotherapy and chemotherapy may also be regulated by miRNAs. Regulation of NF-κB by miRNAs may be mediated via binding to 3^/-UTR region. Interestingly, anti-tumor compounds can increase the expression of tumor-suppressor miRNAs in inhibiting NF-κB activation and the progression of cancers. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs) can also effectively modulate NF-κB signaling thus affecting tumorigenesis. It is noteworthy that several studies have demonstrated that lncRNAs and circRNAs can affect miRNAs in targeting NF-κB activation. They can act as competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) thereby reducing miRNA expression to induce NF-κB activation that can in turn promote cancer progression and malignancy.

Use of cucurbitacins for lung cancer research and therapy

As the main substance in some traditional Chinese medicines, cucurbitacins have been used to treat hepatitis for decades in China. Currently, the use of cucurbitacins against cancer and other diseases has achieved towering popularity among researchers worldwide, as detailed in this review with summarized tables. Numerous studies have reported the potential tumor-killing activities of cucurbitacins in multiple aspects of human malignancies. Continuous research on its anticancer activity mechanisms also brings a glimmer of light to the treatment of patients with lung cancer. In line with the promising roles of cucurbitacins against cancer, through various molecular signaling pathways, it is justifiable to propose the use of cucurbitacins as a potential mainline chemotherapy before the onset and after the diagnosis of lung cancers. Here, this article mainly summarized the findings about the biological functions and underlying mechanisms of cucurbitacins on lung cancer pathogenesis and treatment. In addition, we also discussed the safety and efficacy of their application for further research and even clinical practice.

Serum Exosomes and Their miRNA Load-A Potential Biomarker of Lung Cancer

Early detection of lung cancer in screening programs is a rational way to reduce mortality associated with this malignancy. Low-dose computed tomography, a diagnostic tool used in lung cancer screening, generates a relatively large number of false-positive results, and its complementation with molecular biomarkers would greatly improve the effectiveness of such programs. Several biomarkers of lung cancer based on different components of blood, including miRNA signatures, were proposed. However, only a few of them have been positively validated in the context of early cancer detection yet, which imposes a constant need for new biomarker candidates. An emerging source of cancer biomarkers are exosomes and other types of extracellular vesicles circulating in body fluids. Hence, different molecular components of serum/plasma-derived exosomes were tested and showed different levels in lung cancer patients and healthy individuals. Several studies focused on the miRNA component of these vesicles. Proposed signatures of exosome miRNA had promising diagnostic value, though none of them have yet been clinically validated. These signatures involved a few dozen miRNA species overall, including a few species that recurred in different signatures. It is worth noting that all these miRNA species have cancer-related functions and have been associated with lung cancer progression. Moreover, a few of them, including known oncomirs miR-17, miR-19, miR-21, and miR-221, appeared in multiple miRNA signatures of lung cancer based on both the whole serum/plasma and serum/plasma-derived exosomes.

Plasma miR-1247-5p, miR-301b-3p and miR-105-5p as potential biomarkers for early diagnosis of non-small cell lung cancer

Background

Accumulating evidence shows that microRNAs are aberrantly expressed and exert essential roles in the tumorigenesis and tumor progression of non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods

The plasma miRNAs from five healthy donors and four NSCLC patients were profiled by miRNA microarray. The differentially expressed miRNAs from 154 primary NSCLC patients and 146 healthy donors were subjected to RNA isolation and verified by quantitative PCR (qPCR).

Results

The miRNA microarray analysis revealed that 40 differential miRNAs between NSCLC patients and healthy donors were selected. We found that the plasma miR‐1247‐5p, miR‐301b‐3p and miR‐105‐5p levels of patients were significantly higher than those of healthy controls. The receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analyses revealed higher area under the ROC curve (AUC) values and higher sensitivity/specificity of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in combination with miR‐1247‐5p, miR‐301b‐3p, or miR‐105‐5p were superior to that of CEA alone.

Conclusions

High miR‐1247‐5p, miR‐301b‐3p and miR‐105‐5p expression have been demonstrated to accelerate tumorigenesis, and these three miRNAs in plasma act as novel biomarkers for the early diagnosis of NSCLC patients.

Key points

Plasma miR‐1247‐5p, miR‐301b‐3p and miR‐105‐5p act as novel biomarkers for early NSCLC and NSCLC.

Tumor cell endogenous HIF-1α activity induces aberrant angiogenesis and interacts with TRAF6 pathway required for colorectal cancer development

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Findings provide evidence that hypoxia response deficient tumors show more functionally perfused vasculature and that TRAF6, an upstream effector of NF-κB, is directly interacting with HIF-1α thereby contributing to enhanced angiogenesis.

Hypoxia and inflammation are key factors for colorectal cancer tumorigenesis. The colonic epithelium belongs to the tissues with the lowest partial pressure of oxygen in the body, and chronic inflammation is associated with an increased chance to develop colon cancer. How the colonic epithelium responds to hypoxia and inflammation during tumorigenesis remains to be elucidated. Here we show, that murine colon adenocarcinoma cells with attenuated response to hypoxia, due to a knock-down (KD) of HIF-1α, produce smaller and less hypoxic tumors in an orthotopic mouse model when compared to tumors induced with control cells. HIF-1α-KD tumors showed more functional perfused vasculature associated with increased levels of vessel-stabilizing factors and reduced levels of proangiogenic factors, including extracellular matrix protein Cyr61/CCN1. Intratumoral injection of Cyr61 in HIF-1α-KD tumors revealed an in increased vessel permeability and tumor hypoxia. Further bioinformatics analysis identified a possible interaction between HIF-1α and TRAF6, an upstream effector of the NF-κB pathway that was confirmed by coimmunoprecipitation in MC-38 and CT26 colon adenocarcinoma cells and in situ by proximity ligation assay. Down-regulation of TRAF6 resulted in virtual abrogation of orthotopic tumor growth. Subcutaneous TRAF6-KD tumors were smaller and contained reduced vessel size and differently polarized macrophages. These data demonstrate that the tumor cell response to increased hypoxia in the colon leads to promotion of nonfunctional angiogenesis, regulated by both hypoxia and TRAF6 pathways.