The lncRNA CASC2 Modulates Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cell Sensitivity and Resistance to TRAIL Through Apoptotic and Non-Apoptotic Signaling

The role of competing endogenous RNA network in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma: potential therapeutic targets

The current situation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) management is challenging due to its high incidence, mortality, recurrence and metastasis. Recent advances in gene genetic and expression regulation have unveiled the significant role of non-coding RNA (ncRNA) in various cancers. This led to the formulation of the competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) hypothesis, which posits that both coding RNA and ncRNA, containing miRNA response elements (MRE), can share the same miRNA sequence. This results in a competitive network between ncRNAs, such as lncRNA and mRNA, allowing them to regulate each other. Extensive research has highlighted the crucial role of the ceRNA network in HCC development, impacting various cellular processes including proliferation, metastasis, cell death, angiogenesis, tumor microenvironment, organismal immunity, and chemotherapy resistance. Additionally, the ceRNA network, mediated by lncRNA or circRNA, offers potential in early diagnosis and prevention of HCC. Consequently, ceRNAs are emerging as therapeutic targets for HCC. The complexity of these gene networks aligns with the multi-target approach of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), presenting a novel perspective for TCM in combating HCC. Research is beginning to show that TCM compounds and prescriptions can affect HCC progression through the ceRNA network, inhibiting proliferation and metastasis, and inducing apoptosis. Currently, the lncRNAs TUG1, NEAT1, and CCAT1, along with their associated ceRNA networks, are among the most promising ncRNAs for HCC research. However, this field is still in its infancy, necessitating advanced technology and extensive basic research to fully understand the ceRNA network mechanisms of TCM in HCC treatment.

Inhibition of hepatocellular carcinoma growth via modulation of the miR-221/SOX11 axis by curcumin and berberine

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a fatal malignancy that has limited treatment options. This study focused on the potential therapeutic effects of curcumin (CUR) and berberine (BBR) on the miR-221/SRY-box transcription factor 11 (SOX11) axis in HCC. We investigated the combined effects of CUR and BBR on HEPG2 and Huh7 cell survival and miR-221 expression using Cell Counting Kit-8 assays and RT-qPCR, respectively. Western blotting was used to detect changes in the apoptosis-related caspase-3/9 protein levels. We performed bioinformatics analysis and dual-luciferase assays and measured apoptotic protein levels to assess the role of the miR-221/SOX11 axis in mediating the effects of CUR-BBR. Both CUR and BBR suppressed HCC cell growth in a dose-dependent manner, with the most potent combined effect observed at a 2:1 ratio. CUR-BBR treatment significantly downregulated miR-221 expression, and miR-221 overexpression partially reversed the CUR-BBR-mediated decrease in cell survival. In addition, SOX11 was found to be a direct target of miR-221. CUR-BBR treatment upregulated SOX11 expression, and overexpression of SOX11 restored the inhibitory effects of CUR-BBR on cell growth, migration, and invasion and promoted apoptosis in the presence of miR-221. Furthermore, CUR-BBR activated pro-apoptotic proteins caspase-3/9 through the miR-221/SOX11 axis. The combined effect of CUR-BBR played an important role in inhibiting the growth of HCC cells. This combined effect was achieved by regulating the miR-221/SOX11 axis and activating the synthesis of pro-apoptotic proteins. Our findings highlight a promising combined therapeutic approach for HCC and underscore the importance of targeting the miR-221/SOX11 axis.

LncRNA CASC2 Regulate Cell Proliferation and Invasion by Targeting miR-155/SOCS1 Axis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been reported to be involved in the development and progression of various human malignancies. However, the role of lncRNA CASC2 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains mostly unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential roles and underlying mechanisms of CASC2 in HCC progression. We found that CASC2 expressions were downregulated in HCC tissue samples and cell lines. The clinical assays revealed that lower levels of CASC2 were associated with the TNM stage, lymph node metastasis, and a poorer prognosis specific to HCC patients. Overexpression of CASC2 inhibited the proliferating, migratory, and invasion capacity of HCC cells. Bioinformatics analysis and the luciferase reporter assay revealed that CASC2 worked as a molecular sponge for miR-155. And CASC2 could upregulate SOCS1 expression by inhibiting miR-155 expression in HCC cells. Furthermore, SOCS1 inhibition partially inverses the suppression effect of cell proliferation, migration, and invasion regulated by CASC2 in Huh7 and HepG2 cells. Taken together, our findings identified CASC2 as a tumor suppressor to inhibit HCC development by regulating the miR-155/SOCS1 axis, and CASC2 might be a potential therapeutic target of HCC for future clinical treatment.

The Prognostic Value of a lncRNA Risk Model Consists of 9 m6A Regulator-Related lncRNAs in Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC)

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary malignancy of the liver. Although the RNA modification N6-methyladenine (m6A) has been reported to be involved in HCC carcinogenesis, early diagnostic markers and promising personalized therapeutic targets are still lacking. In this study, we identified that 19 m6A regulators and 34 co-expressed lncRNAs were significantly upregulated in HCC samples; based on these factors, we established a prognostic signal of HCC associated with 9 lncRNAs and 19 m6A regulators using LASSO Cox regression analysis. Kaplan-Meier survival estimate revealed correlations between the risk scores and patients' OS in the training and validation dataset. The ROC curve demonstrated that the risk score-based curve has satisfactory prediction efficiency for both training and validation datasets. Multivariate Cox's proportional hazard regression analysis indicated that the risk score was an independent risk factor within the training and validation dataset. In addition, the risk score could distinguish HCC patients from normal non-cancerous samples and HCC samples of different pathological grades. Eventually, 232 mRNAs were co-expressed with these 9 lncRNAs according to GSE101685 and GSE112790; these mRNAs were enriched in cell cycle and cell metabolic activities, drug metabolism, liver disease-related pathways, and some important cancer related pathways such as p53, MAPK, Wnt, RAS and so forth. The expression of the 9 lncRNAs was significantly higher in HCC samples than that in the neighboring non-cancerous samples. Altogether, by using the Consensus Clustering, PCA, ESTIMATE algorithm, LASSO regression model, Kaplan-Meier survival assessment, ROC curve analysis, and multivariate Cox's proportional hazard regression model analysis, we established a prognostic marker consisting of 9 m6A regulator-related lncRNAs that markers may have prognostic and diagnostic potential for HCC.

The functions of long noncoding RNAs on regulation of F-box proteins in tumorigenesis and progression

Accumulated evidence has revealed that F-box protein, a subunit of SCF E3 ubiquitin ligase complexes, participates in carcinogenesis and tumor progression via targeting its substrates for ubiquitination and degradation. F-box proteins could be regulated by cellular signaling pathways and noncoding RNAs in tumorigenesis. Long noncoding RNA (lncRNA), one type of noncoding RNAs, has been identified to modulate the expression of F-box proteins and contribute to oncogenesis. In this review, we summarize the role and mechanisms of multiple lncRNAs in regulating F-box proteins in tumorigenesis, including lncRNAs SLC7A11-AS1, MT1JP, TUG1, FER1L4, TTN-AS1, CASC2, MALAT1, TINCR, PCGEM1, linc01436, linc00494, GATA6-AS1, and ODIR1. Moreover, we discuss that targeting these lncRNAs could be helpful for treating cancer via modulating F-box protein expression. We hope our review can stimulate the research on exploration of molecular insight into how F-box proteins are governed in carcinogenesis. Therefore, modulation of lncRNAs is a potential therapeutic strategy for cancer therapy via regulation of F-box proteins.