MiRNA-128-3p Restrains Malignant Melanoma Cell Malignancy by Targeting NTRK3

Development of a prognostic model to predict BLCA based on anoikis-related gene signature: preliminary findings

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of bladder urothelial carcinoma (BLCA) is significant on a global scale. Anoikis is a type of procedural cell death that has an important role in tumor invasion and metastasis. The advent of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) approaches has revolutionized the genomics field by providing unprecedented opportunities for elucidating cellular heterogeneity. Understanding the mechanisms associated with anoikis in BLCA is essential to improve its survival rate.

METHODS

Data on BLCA and clinical information were acquired from the databases of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). ARGs were obtained from Genecards and Harmonizome databases. According to univariate Cox regression analysis, the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) algorithm was utilized to select the ARGs associated with the overall rate (OS). A multivariate Cox regression analysis was carried out to identify eight prognostic ARGs, leading to the establishment of a risk model. The OS rate of BLCA patients was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. To explore the molecular mechanism in low- and high-risk groups, we employed Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSVA). Immune infiltration landscape estimation was performed using ESTIMATE, CIBERSOT, and single sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) algorithms. Patients were categorized into different subgroups through consensus clustering analysis. We employed biological functional enrichment analysis and conducted immune infiltration analysis to examine the disparities in potential biological functions, infiltration of immune cells, immune activities, and responses to immunotherapy.

RESULTS

We identified 647 ARGs and 37 survival-related genes. We further developed a risk scoring model to quantitatively assess the predictive capacity of ARGs. The high-risk score group exhibited an unfavorable prognosis, whereas the low-risk score group demonstrated a converse effect. We also found that the two groups of patients might respond differently to immune targets and anti-tumor drugs.

CONCLUSION

The nomogram with 8 ARGs may help guide treatment of BLCA. The systematic assessment of risk scores can help to design more individualized and precise treatment strategies for BLCA patients.

[miRNA-128-3p inhibits malignant behavior of glioma cells by downregulating KLHDC8A expression]

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether miRNA-128-3p regulates malignant biological behavior of glioma cells by targeting KLHDC8A.

METHODS

Dual-luciferase reporter assays, qRT-PCR and Western blotting were used to verify the targeting of miRNA-128-3p to KLHDC8A. Edu assay, flow cytometry, Transwell assay and would healing assay were used to determine the effects of changes in miRNA-128-3p and KLHDC8A expression levels on malignant behavior of glioma cells. Rescue experiment was carried out to verify that miRNA-128-3p regulated glioma cell proliferation, apoptosis, invasion and migration by targeting KLHDC8A.

RESULTS

The expression level of KLHDC8A was significantly increased in high-grade glioma tissue and was closely related to a poor survival outcome of the patients. Overexpression of KLHDC8A promoted glioma cell proliferation, migration and invasion, and miRNA-128-3p overexpression inhibited proliferative and metastatic capacities of glioma cells. Mechanistically, KLHDC8A expression was directly modulated by miRNA-128-3p, which, by targeting KLHDC8A, inhibited malignant behavior of glioma cells.

CONCLUSION

Upregulation of miRNA-128-3p inhibits uncontrolled growth of glioma cells by negatively regulating KLHDC8A expression and its downstream effectors, suggesting that the miRNA-128-3p-KLHDC8A axis may serve as a potential prognostic indicator and a therapeutic target for developing new strategies for glioma treatment.

MicroRNA as a Diagnostic Tool, Therapeutic Target and Potential Biomarker in Cutaneous Malignant Melanoma Detection—Narrative Review

Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer, causing a large majority of deaths but accounting for only ~1% of all skin cancer cases. The worldwide incidence of malignant melanoma is increasing, causing a serious socio-economic problem. Melanoma is diagnosed mainly in young and middle-aged people, which distinguishes it from other solid tumors detected mainly in mature people. The early detection of cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM) remains a priority and it is a key factor limiting mortality. Doctors and scientists around the world want to improve the quality of diagnosis and treatment, and are constantly looking for new, promising opportunities, including the use of microRNAs (miRNAs), to fight melanoma cancer. This article reviews miRNA as a potential biomarker and diagnostics tool as a therapeutic drugs in CMM treatment. We also present a review of the current clinical trials being carried out worldwide, in which miRNAs are a target for melanoma treatment.

miRNome-transcriptome analysis unveils the key regulatory pathways involved in the tumorigenesis of tongue squamous cell carcinoma

Tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) is considered the most common malignant tumor among the oral squamous cell carcinomas with a poor prognosis. Understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms that underpin TSCC and its treatments is the focus of the research. Deregulated expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) has recently been implicated in various biological processes linked to cancer. Therefore, in this study, we attempted to investigate miRNAs and their targets expressed in TSCC, which could be involved in its oncogenesis. We performed next-generation sequencing of small RNAs and transcriptomes in H357 TSCC cell line and human oral keratinocytes as a control to find miRNAs and mRNAs that are differentially expressed (DE), which were then supplemented with additional expression datasets from databases, yielding 269 DE miRNAs and 2094 DE genes. The target prediction followed by pathway and disease function analysis revealed that the DE targets were significantly associated with the key processes and pathways, such as apoptosis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, endocytosis and vascular endothelial growth factor signaling pathways. Furthermore, the top 12 DE targets were chosen based on their involvement in more than one cancer-related pathway, of which 6 genes are targeted by miR-128-3p. Real-time quantitative PCR validation of this miRNA and its targets in H357 and SCC9 TSCC cells confirmed their possible targeting from their reciprocal expression, with MAP2K7 being a critical target that might be involved in oncogenesis and progression of TSCC by acting as a tumor suppressor. Further research is underway to understand how miR-128-3p regulates oncogenesis in TSCC via MAP2K7 and associated pathways.