Enhanced Inhibition of Tumorigenesis Using Combinations of miRNA-Targeted Therapeutics

Investigation of the regulation of EGF signaling by miRNAs, delving into the underlying mechanism and signaling pathways in cancer

The EGF receptors (EGFRs) signaling pathway is essential for tumorigenesis and progression of cancer. Emerging evidence suggests that miRNAs are essential regulators of EGF signaling, influencing various pathway components and tumor behavior. This article discusses the underlying mechanisms and clinical implications of miRNA-mediated regulation of EGF signaling in cancer. miRNAs utilize multiple mechanisms to exert their regulatory effects on EGF signaling. They can target EGF ligands, including EGF and TGF-directly, inhibiting their expression and secretion. In addition, miRNAs can modulate EGF signaling indirectly by targeting EGF receptors, downstream signaling molecules, and transcription factors implicated in regulating the EGF pathway. These miRNAs can disrupt the delicate equilibrium of EGF signaling, resulting in aberrant activation and fostering tumor cell proliferation, survival, angiogenesis, and metastasis. The dysregulation of the expression of specific miRNAs has been linked to clinical outcomes in numerous types of cancer. Specific profiles of miRNA expression have been identified as prognostic markers, reflecting tumor characteristics, invasiveness, metastatic potential, and therapeutic response. These miRNAs can serve as potential therapeutic targets for interventions that modulate EGF signaling and improve patient outcomes. Understanding the intricate relationship between miRNAs and EGF signaling in cancer can transform cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. The identification of specific miRNAs involved in the regulation of the EGF pathway opens the door to the development of targeted therapies and personalized medicine approaches. In addition, miRNA-based interventions promise to overcome therapeutic resistance and improve the efficacy of existing treatments. miRNAs are crucial regulators of EGF signaling in cancer, affecting tumor behavior and clinical outcomes. Further research is required to decipher the complex network of miRNA-mediated EGF signaling regulation and translate these findings into clinically applicable strategies for enhanced cancer treatment.

Detailed pathological role of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in regulating drug resistance of glioblastoma, and update

Glioma is a kind of brain tumor that develops in the central nervous system and is classified based on its histology and molecular genetic features. The lifespan of patients does not exceed 22 months. One of the motives for the low effectiveness of glioma treatment is its radioresistance and chemoresistance. Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) are a diverse set of transcripts that do not undergo translation to become proteins in glioma. The ncRNAs have been identified as significant regulators of several biological processes in different cell types and tissues, and their abnormal function has been linked to glioma. They are known to impact important occurrences, including carcinogenesis, progression, and enhanced treatment resistance in glioma cells. The ncRNAs control cell proliferation, migration, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), invasion, and drug resistance in glioma cells. The main focus of this study is to inspect the involvement of ncRNAs in the drug resistance of glioma.

Engineering supramolecular dynamics of self-assembly and turnover of oncogenic microRNAs to drive their synergistic destruction in tumor models

Rationally-engineered functional biomaterials offer the opportunity to interface with complex biology in a predictive, precise, yet dynamic way to reprogram their behaviour and correct shortcomings. Success here may lead to a desired therapeutic effect against life-threatening diseases, such as cancer. Here, we engineered "Crab"-like artificial ribonucleases through coupling of peptide and nucleic acid building blocks, capable of operating alongside and synergistically with intracellular enzymes (RNase H and AGO2) for potent destruction of oncogenic microRNAs. "Crab"-like configuration of two catalytic peptides ("pincers") flanking the recognition oligonucleotide was instrumental here in providing increased catalytic turnover, leading to ≈30-fold decrease in miRNA half-life as compared with that for "single-pincer" conjugates. Dynamic modeling of miRNA cleavage illustrated how such design enabled "Crabs" to drive catalytic turnover through simultaneous attacks at different locations of the RNA-DNA heteroduplex, presumably by producing smaller cleavage products and by providing toeholds for competitive displacement by intact miRNA strands. miRNA cleavage at the 5'-site, spreading further into double-stranded region, likely provided a synergy for RNase H1 through demolition of its loading region, thus facilitating enzyme turnover. Such synergy was critical for sustaining persistent disposal of continually-emerging oncogenic miRNAs. A single exposure to the best structural variant (Crab-p-21) prior to transplantation into mice suppressed their malignant properties and reduced primary tumor volume (by 85 %) in MCF-7 murine xenograft models.

Exosomes-based immunotherapy for cancer: Effective components in the naïve and engineered forms

Today, cancer treatment is one of the main challenges for researchers. The main cause of tumor cell formation is mutations that lead to uncontrolled proliferation and inhibition of apoptosis in malignant cells. Tumor cells also create a microenvironment that can suppress the immune system cells' responses through various methods, including producing soluble factors and cell-to-cell communication. After being produced from tumor cells, exosomes can also affect the functions of other cells in this microenvironment. Various studies have shown that exosomes from different sources, including tumor cells and immune cells, can be used to treat cancers due to their characteristics. Since tumor cells are rich sources of various types of tumor peptides, they can induce anti-tumor responses. Immune cells also produce exosomes that mimic the functions of their cells of origin, such that exosomes derived from NK cells and CTLs can directly lead to their apoptosis after merging with tumor cells. However, many researchers have pointed out that naïve exosomes have a limited therapeutic function, and their therapeutic potential can be increased by manipulating and engineering them. There are various methods to modify exosomes and improve their therapeutic potential. In general, these methods are divided into two parts, which include changing the cell of origin of the exosome and encapsulating the exosome to carry different drugs. In this review, we will discuss the studies on the therapeutic use of naive and engineered exosomes and provide an update on new studies in this field.

Joint masking and self-supervised strategies for inferring small molecule-miRNA associations

Inferring small molecule-miRNA associations (MMAs) is crucial for revealing the intricacies of biological processes and disease mechanisms. Deep learning, renowned for its exceptional speed and accuracy, is extensively used for predicting MMAs. However, given their heavy reliance on data, inaccuracies during data collection can make these methods susceptible to noise interference. To address this challenge, we introduce the joint masking and self-supervised (JMSS)-MMA model. This model synergizes graph autoencoders with a probability distribution-based masking strategy, effectively countering the impact of noisy data and enabling precise predictions of unknown MMAs. Operating in a self-supervised manner, it deeply encodes the relationship data of small molecules and miRNA through the graph autoencoder, delving into its latent information. Our masking strategy has successfully reduced data noise, enhancing prediction accuracy. To our knowledge, this is the pioneering integration of a masking strategy with graph autoencoders for MMA prediction. Furthermore, the JMSS-MMA model incorporates a node-degree-based decoder, deepening the understanding of the network's structure. Experiments on two mainstream datasets confirm the model's efficiency and precision, and ablation studies further attest to its robustness. We firmly believe that this model will revolutionize drug development, personalized medicine, and biomedical research.

A novel therapeutic strategy: the significance of exosomal miRNAs in acute myeloid leukemia

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a fast-growing blood cancer that interferes with the normal growth of blood cells in the bone marrow and blood. It is characterized by its unpredictable outlook and high death rate. The main treatment for AML is chemotherapy, but this often results in drug resistance and the possibility of the disease returning. For this reason, new biomarkers are necessary to diagnose, predict, and treat this disease. Research has demonstrated that cells responsible for AML release exosomes that interact with the disease's microenvironment. These exosomes have significant roles in promoting leukemia growth, suppressing normal hematopoiesis, facilitating angiogenesis, and contributing to drug resistance in AML. Further investigations have shown that these exosomes contain miRNAs, which are transferred to target cells and have functional roles. Biomarkers are utilized to assess various aspects of tumor cell behavior, including proliferation, apoptosis, angiogenesis, changes in the microenvironment, transfer of drug resistance, and stability in serum and blood plasma. In this research, we showed that exosomal miRNAs and exosomes have the potential to be used as indicators for detecting various phases of AML and can aid in its medical treatment. Furthermore, they can be specifically targeted for therapeutic purposes in addressing this condition.

The emerging role of miRNAs in myocardial infarction: From molecular signatures to therapeutic targets

Globally, myocardial infarction (MI) and other cardiovascular illnesses have long been considered the top killers. Heart failure and mortality are the results of myocardial apoptosis, cardiomyocyte fibrosis, and cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, all of which are caused by MI. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a crucial regulatory function in the progression and advancement of heart disease following an MI. By consolidating the existing data on miRNAs, our aim is to gain a more comprehensive understanding of their role in the pathological progression of myocardial injury after MI and to identify potential crucial target pathways. Also included are the primary treatment modalities and their most recent developments. miRNAs have the ability to regulate both normal and pathological activity, including the key signaling pathways. As a result, they may exert medicinal benefits. This review presents a comprehensive analysis of the role of miRNAs in MI with a specific emphasis on their impact on the regeneration of cardiomyocytes and other forms of cell death, such as apoptosis, necrosis, and autophagy. Furthermore, the targets of pro- and anti-MI miRNAs are comparatively elucidated.

Exploring the Relationship between Fusion Genes and MicroRNAs in Cancer

Fusion genes are key cancer driver genes that can be used as potential drug targets in precision therapies, and they can also serve as accurate diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. The fusion genes can cause microRNA (miRNA/miR) aberrations in many types of cancer. Nevertheless, whether fusion genes incite miRNA aberrations as one of their many critical oncogenic functionalities for driving carcinogenesis needs further investigation. Recent discoveries of miRNA genes that are present within the regions of genomic rearrangements that initiate fusion gene-based intronic miRNA dysregulation have brought the fusion genes into the limelight and revealed their unexplored potential in the field of cancer biology. Fusion gene-based 'promoter-switch' event aberrantly activate the miRNA-related upstream regulatory signals, while fusion-based coding region alterations disrupt the original miRNA coding loci. Fusion genes can potentially regulate the miRNA aberrations regardless of the protein-coding capability of the resultant fusion transcript. Studies on out-of-frame fusion and nonrecurrent fusion genes that cause miRNA dysregulation have attracted the attention of researchers on fusion genes from an oncological perspective and therefore could have potential implications in cancer therapies. This review will provide insights into the role of fusion genes and miRNAs, and their possible interrelationships in cancer.

MiR-662 is associated with metastatic relapse in early-stage breast cancer and promotes metastasis by stimulating cancer cell stemness

BACKGROUND

Breast cancer (BC) metastasis, which often occurs in bone, contributes substantially to mortality. MicroRNAs play a fundamental role in BC metastasis, although microRNA-regulated mechanisms driving metastasis progression remain poorly understood.

METHODS

MiRome analysis in serum from BC patients was performed by TaqMan™ low-density array. MiR-662 was overexpressed following MIMIC-transfection or lentivirus transduction. Animal models were used to investigate the role of miR-662 in BC (bone) metastasis. The effect of miR-662-overexpressing BC cell conditioned medium on osteoclastogenesis was investigated. ALDEFLUOR assays were performed to study BC stemness. RNA-sequencing transcriptomic analysis of miR-662-overexpressing BC cells was performed to evaluate gene expression changes.

RESULTS

High levels of hsa-miR-662 (miR-662) in serum from BC patients, at baseline (time of surgery), were associated with future recurrence in bone. At an early-stage of the metastatic disease, miR-662 could mask the presence of BC metastases in bone by inhibiting the differentiation of bone-resorbing osteoclasts. Nonetheless, metastatic miR-662-overexpressing BC cells then progressed as overt osteolytic metastases thanks to increased stem cell-like traits.

CONCLUSIONS

MiR-662 is involved in BC metastasis progression, suggesting it may be used as a prognostic marker to identify BC patients at high risk of metastasis.

Epigenetic control of cell signalling in cancer stem cells

The self-renewing cancer stem cells (CSCs) represent one of the distinct cell populations occurring in a tumour that can differentiate into multiple lineages. This group of sparsely abundant cells play a vital role in tumour survival and resistance to different treatments during cancer. The lack of exclusive markers associated with CSCs makes diagnosis and prognosis in cancer patients extremely difficult. This calls for the identification of unique regulators and markers for CSCs. Various signalling pathways like the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, Hedgehog pathway, Notch pathway, and TGFβ/BMP play a major role in the regulation and maintenance of CSCs. Epigenetic regulatory mechanisms add another layer of complexity to control these signalling pathways. In this chapter, we discuss about the role of epigenetic mechanisms in regulating the cellular signalling pathways in CSCs. The epigenetic regulatory mechanisms such as DNA methylation, histone modification and microRNAs can modulate the diverse effectors of signalling pathways and consequently the growth, differentiation and tumorigenicity of CSCs. In the end, we briefly discuss the therapeutic potential of targeting these epigenetic regulators and their target genes in CSCs.

The potential role of miRNAs in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases - A focus on signaling pathways interplay

For the past two decades since their discovery, scientists have linked microRNAs (miRNAs) to posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression in critical cardiac physiological and pathological processes. Multiple non-coding RNA species regulate cardiac muscle phenotypes to stabilize cardiac homeostasis. Different cardiac pathological conditions, including arrhythmia, myocardial infarction, and hypertrophy, are modulated by non-coding RNAs in response to stress or other pathological conditions. Besides, miRNAs are implicated in several modulatory signaling pathways of cardiovascular disorders including mitogen-activated protein kinase, nuclear factor kappa beta, protein kinase B (AKT), NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3), Jun N-terminal kinases (JNKs), Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and apoptotic protease-activating factor 1 (Apaf-1)/caspases. This review highlights the potential role of miRNAs as therapeutic targets and updates our understanding of their roles in the processes underlying pathogenic phenotypes of cardiac muscle.

Interactions between circRNAs and miR-141 in Cancer: From Pathogenesis to Diagnosis and Therapy

The function of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in the pathogenesis and development of cancer is indisputable. Molecular mechanisms underlying carcinogenesis involve the aberrant expression of ncRNAs, including circular RNAs (circRNAs), and microRNAs (miRNAs). CircRNAs are a class of single-stranded, covalently closed RNAs responsible for maintaining cellular homeostasis through their diverse functions. As a part of the competing endogenous RNA (ceRNAs) network, they play a central role in the regulation of accessibility of miRNAs to their mRNA targets. The interplay between these molecular players is based on the primary role of circRNAs that act as miRNAs sponges, and the circRNA/miRNA imbalance plays a central role in different pathologies including cancer. Herein, we present the latest state of knowledge about interactions between circRNAs and miR-141, a well-known member of the miR-200 family, in malignant transformation, with emphasis on the biological role of circRNA/miR-141/mRNA networks as a future target for novel anti-cancer therapies.

Effect of miR-4270 Suppression on Migration in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cell Line (HepG2)

Background

Liver transplantation and surgical resection are two major strategies for treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. One approach to treating HCC is the suppression of metastasis to other tissues. Herein, we aimed to study the effect of miR-4270 inhibitor on migration of HepG2 cells as well as activity of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) these cells in order to find a strategy to suppress metastasis in future.

Methods

HepG2 cells were treated with 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, and 90 nM of miR-4270 inhibitor, and then the cell viability was measured by trypan blue staining. Afterwards, cell migration and MMP activity of HepG2 cells were assessed by wound healing assay and zymography, respectively. The MMP gene expression was determined by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction.

Results

Results showed that miR-4270 inhibitor decreased the cell viability of HepG2 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Also, inhibition of the miR-4270 reduced invasion, MMP activity, and expression of MMP genes in HepG2 cells, respectively.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that miR-4270 inhibitor decreases in vitro migration, which could help find a new approach for HCC therapy patients.

Effect of miR-4270 Suppression on Migration in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cell Line (HepG2)

Background

Liver transplantation and surgical resection are two major strategies for treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. One approach to treating HCC is the suppression of metastasis to other tissues. Herein, we aimed to study the effect of miR-4270 inhibitor on migration of HepG2 cells as well as activity of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) these cells in order to find a strategy to suppress metastasis in future.

Methods

HepG2 cells were treated with 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, and 90 nM of miR-4270 inhibitor, and then the cell viability was measured by trypan blue staining. Afterwards, cell migration and MMP activity of HepG2 cells were assessed by wound healing assay and zymography, respectively. The MMP gene expression was determined by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction.

Results

Results showed that miR-4270 inhibitor decreased the cell viability of HepG2 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Also, inhibition of the miR-4270 reduced invasion, MMP activity, and expression of MMP genes in HepG2 cells, respectively.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that miR-4270 inhibitor decreases in vitro migration, which could help find a new approach for HCC therapy patients.

The potential role of miRNAs in the pathogenesis of salivary gland cancer - A Focus on signaling pathways interplay

Salivary gland cancer (SGC) is immensely heterogeneous, both in terms of its physical manifestation and its aggressiveness. Developing a novel diagnostic and prognostic detection method based on the noninvasive profiling of microribonucleic acids (miRs) could be a goal for the clinical management of these specific malignancies, sparing the patients' valuable time. miRs are promising candidates as prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets or factors that can advance the therapy of SGC due to their ability to posttranscriptionally regulate the expression of various genes involved in cell proliferation, differentiation, cell cycle, apoptosis, invasion, and angiogenesis. Depending on their biological function, many miRs may contribute to the development of SGC. Therefore, this article serves as an accelerated study guide for SGC and the biogenesis of miRs. Here, we shall list the miRs whose function in SGC pathogenesis has recently been determined with an emphasis on their potential applications as therapeutic targets. We will also offer a synopsis of the current state of knowledge about oncogenic and tumor suppressor miRs in relation to SGC.

HIF-1-Induced hsa-miR-429: Understanding Its Direct Targets as the Key to Developing Cancer Diagnostics and Therapies

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a critical role in the regulation of mRNA stability and translation. In spite of our present knowledge on the mechanisms of mRNA regulation by miRNAs, the utilization and translation of these ncRNAs into clinical applications have been problematic. Using hsa-miR-429 as an example, we discuss the limitations encountered in the development of efficient miRNA-related therapies and diagnostic approaches. The miR-200 family members, which include hsa-miR-429, have been shown to be dysregulated in different types of cancer. Although these miR-200 family members have been shown to function in suppressing epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, tumor metastasis, and chemoresistance, the experimental results have often been contradictory. These complications involve not only the complex networks involving these noncoding RNAs, but also the problem of identifying false positives. To overcome these limitations, a more comprehensive research strategy is needed to increase our understanding of the mechanisms underlying their biological role in mRNA regulation. Here, we provide a literature analysis of the verified hsa-miR-429 targets in various human research models. A meta-analysis of this work is presented to provide better insights into the role of hsa-miR-429 in cancer diagnosis and any potential therapeutic approach.

Deciphering hERG Mutation in Long QT Syndrome Type 2 Using Antisense Oligonucleotide-Mediated Techniques: Lessons from Cystic Fibrosis

Long QT syndrome type 2 (LQT2) is a genetic disorder caused by mutations in the KCNH2 gene, also known as the human ether-a-go-go-related gene (hERG). Over 30% of hERG mutations result in a premature termination codon (PTC) that triggers a process called nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD), where the mRNA transcript is degraded. NMD is a quality control mechanism that removes faulty mRNA to prevent the translation of truncated proteins. Recent advances in antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) technology in the field of cystic fibrosis (CF) have yielded significant progress, including the ASO-mediated comprehensive characterization of key NMD factors and exon-skipping therapy. These advances have contributed to our understanding of the role of PTC-containing mutations in disease phenotypes and have also led to the development of potentially useful therapeutic strategies. Historically, studies of CF have provided valuable insights for the research on LQT2, particularly concerning increasing the expression of hERG. In this article, we outline the current state of knowledge regarding ASO, NMD, and hERG and discuss the introduction of ASO technology in the CF to elucidate the pathogenic mechanisms through targeting NMD. We also discuss the potential clinical therapeutic benefits and limitations of ASO for the management of LQT2. By drawing on lessons learned from CF research, we explore the potential translational values of these advances into LQT2 studies.

Combined Treatment of Cancer Cells Using Allyl Palladium Complexes Bearing Purine-Based NHC Ligands and Molecules Targeting MicroRNAs miR-221-3p and miR-222-3p: Synergistic Effects on Apoptosis

Combined treatments employing lower concentrations of different drugs are used and studied to develop new and more effective anticancer therapeutic approaches. The combination therapy could be of great interest in the controlling of cancer. Regarding this, our research group has recently shown that peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) that target miR-221 are very effective and functional in inducing apoptosis of many tumor cells, including glioblastoma and colon cancer cells. Moreover, in a recent paper, we described a series of new palladium allyl complexes showing a strong antiproliferative activity on different tumor cell lines. The present study was aimed to analyze and validate the biological effects of the most active compounds tested, in combination with antagomiRNA molecules targeting two miRNAs, miR-221-3p and miR-222-3p. The obtained results show that a "combination therapy", produced by combining the antagomiRNAs targeting miR-221-3p, miR-222-3p and the palladium allyl complex 4d, is very effective in inducing apoptosis, supporting the concept that the combination treatment of cancer cells with antagomiRNAs targeting a specific upregulated oncomiRNAs (in this study miR-221-3p and miR-222-3p) and metal-based compounds represents a promising therapeutic strategy to increase the efficacy of the antitumor protocol, reducing side effects at the same time.

Pituitary Tumorigenesis-Implications for Management

Pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs), the third most common intracranial tumor, are mostly benign. However, some of them may display a more aggressive behavior, invading into the surrounding structures. While they may rarely metastasize, they may resist different treatment modalities. Several major advances in molecular biology in the past few years led to the discovery of the possible mechanisms involved in pituitary tumorigenesis with a possible therapeutic implication. The mutations in the different proteins involved in the Gsa/protein kinase A/c AMP signaling pathway are well-known and are responsible for many PitNETS, such as somatotropinomas and, in the context of syndromes, as the McCune-Albright syndrome, Carney complex, familiar isolated pituitary adenoma (FIPA), and X-linked acrogigantism (XLAG). The other pathways involved are the MAPK/ERK, PI3K/Akt, Wnt, and the most recently studied HIPPO pathways. Moreover, the mutations in several other tumor suppressor genes, such as menin and CDKN1B, are responsible for the MEN1 and MEN4 syndromes and succinate dehydrogenase (SDHx) in the context of the 3PAs syndrome. Furthermore, the pituitary stem cells and miRNAs hold an essential role in pituitary tumorigenesis and may represent new molecular targets for their diagnosis and treatment. This review aims to summarize the different cell signaling pathways and genes involved in pituitary tumorigenesis in an attempt to clarify their implications for diagnosis and management.

An Insight into the Arising Role of MicroRNAs in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Future Diagnostic and Therapeutic Approaches

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) constitutes a frequent highly malignant form of primary liver cancer and is the third cause of death attributable to malignancy. Despite the improvement in the therapeutic strategies with the exploration of novel pharmacological agents, the survival rate for HCC is still low. Shedding light on the multiplex genetic and epigenetic background of HCC, such as on the emerging role of microRNAs, is considered quite promising for the diagnosis and the prediction of this malignancy, as well as for combatting drug resistance. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) constitute small noncoding RNA sequences, which play a key role in the regulation of several signaling and metabolic pathways, as well as of pivotal cellular functions such as autophagy, apoptosis, and cell proliferation. It is also demonstrated that miRNAs are significantly implicated in carcinogenesis, either acting as tumor suppressors or oncomiRs, while aberrations in their expression levels are closely associated with tumor growth and progression, as well as with local invasion and metastatic dissemination. The arising role of miRNAs in HCC is in the spotlight of the current scientific research, aiming at the development of novel therapeutic perspectives. In this review, we will shed light on the emerging role of miRNAs in HCC.

Role of Different Types of miRNAs in Some Cardiovascular Diseases and Therapy-Based miRNA Strategies: A Mini Review

The role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease has been extensively studied. miRNAs have been highlighted as an important physiological regulator for activities like cardiac protection. miRNAs are present in the circulation, and they have been investigated as physiological markers, especially in the condition of heart failure. However, there is less compelling verification that miRNAs can outperform traditional biomarkers. However, clinical evidence is still required. In this review article, we explored the feasibility of miRNAs as diagnostic biomarkers for heart failure in a systematic study. Searching in the PubMed database to identify miRNA molecules that are differentially expressed between groups of patients with heart failure or heart disease and controls, throughout the investigation, we discovered no significant overlap in differentially expressed miRNAs. Only four miRNAs (“miR-126,” “miR-150-5p,” “hsa-miR-233,” and “miR-423-5p”) were differentially expressed. Results from our review show that there is not enough evidence to support the use of miRNAs as biomarkers in clinical settings.

Single Shot vs. Cocktail: A Comparison of Mono- and Combinative Application of miRNA-Targeted Mesyl Oligonucleotides for Efficient Antitumor Therapy

Simple Summary

Current approaches to the treatment of oncological diseases are still suffering from a lack of efficiency and selectivity and are accompanied by pronounced non-specific toxic effects. This study evaluated the antitumor potential of highly selective multitarget antisense downregulation of small non-coding RNA molecules—microRNAs—where dysregulation in cells frequently triggers oncotransformation and tumor development. We report herein that combinations of recently developed mesyl phosphoramidate oligonucleotides, targeted to multifunctional miRNA regulators miR-17, miR-21 and miR-155, exhibited potent synergistic antiproliferative and antimigrative effects on highly aggressive tumor cells. Furthermore, the significant antitumor activity of a cocktail of three antisense oligonucleotides targeted to miR-21, miR-17, and miR-155 almost completely suppressed lymphosarcoma RLS₄₀ tumor growth and exerted prominent antimetastatic effects in a melanoma B16 model. Such treatment elicited no sign of in vivo toxicity and even exhibited remedial effects on the liver of tumor-bearing mice.

Abstract

Rational combinations of sequence-specific inhibitors of pro-oncogenic miRNAs can efficiently interfere with specific tumor survival pathways, offering great promise for targeted therapy of oncological diseases. Herein, we uncovered the potential of multicomponent therapy by double or triple combinations of highly potent mesyl phosphoramidate (µ) antisense oligodeoxynucleotides targeted to three proven pro-oncogenic microRNAs—miR-17, miR-21, and miR-155. A strong synergism in the inhibition of proliferation and migration of B16 melanoma cells was demonstrated in vitro for pairs of µ-oligonucleotides, which resulted in vivo in profound inhibition (up to 85%) of lung metastases development after intravenous injection of µ-oligonucleotide-transfected B16 cells in mice. A clear benefit of µ-21-ON/µ-17-ON and µ-17-ON/µ-155-ON/µ-21-ON combination antitumor therapy was shown for the lymphosarcoma RLS₄₀ solid tumor model. In vivo administration of the µ-17-ON/µ-155-ON/µ-21-ON cocktail into RLS₄₀-bearing mice elicited fourfold delay of tumor growth as a result of strong inhibition of tumor mitotic activity. It was discovered that the cocktail of µ-21-ON/µ-17-ON/µ-155-ON led to a twofold decrease in total destructive changes in murine liver, which indicates both the reduction in toxic tumor burden and the absence of specific toxicity of the proposed therapy.

MicroRNAs and Their Big Therapeutic Impacts: Delivery Strategies for Cancer Intervention

Three decades have passed from the initial discovery of a microRNA (miRNA) in Caenorhabditis elegans to our current understanding that miRNAs play essential roles in regulating fundamental physiological processes and that their dysregulation can lead to many human pathologies, including cancer. In effect, restoration of miRNA expression or downregulation of aberrantly expressed miRNAs using miRNA mimics or anti-miRNA inhibitors (anti-miRs/antimiRs), respectively, continues to show therapeutic potential for the treatment of cancer. Although the manipulation of miRNA expression presents a promising therapeutic strategy for cancer treatment, it is predominantly reliant on nucleic acid-based molecules for their application, which introduces an array of hurdles, with respect to in vivo delivery. Because naked nucleic acids are quickly degraded and/or removed from the body, they require delivery vectors that can help overcome the many barriers presented upon their administration into the bloodstream. As such, in this review, we discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the current state-of-the-art delivery systems, encompassing viral- and nonviral-based systems, with a specific focus on nonviral nanotechnology-based miRNA delivery platforms, including lipid-, polymer-, inorganic-, and extracellular vesicle-based delivery strategies. Moreover, we also shed light on peptide carriers as an emerging technology that shows great promise in being a highly efficacious delivery platform for miRNA-based cancer therapeutics.

Generation of MiRNA sponge constructs targeting multiple MiRNAs

Background

MicroRNAs(miRNAs) are key regulators of gene expression in plants, animals and some viruses. Hence, alteration of miRNA levels in cells or tissues is common for miRNA studies. Loss‐of‐function of miRNA can be achieved using antisense oligonucleotides, sponges and gene knockout models.

Methods

Here, we showed an efficient, rational and economical way to construct multi‐targeted miRNA sponges with desired copies. Four copies of miRNA sponge are used as “building‐blocks”.

Results

These building‐blocks, which can target same miRNA or different miRNAs, are linked together through ligation. Each time of ligation can double the number of sponge copies.

Conclusions

In this way, we constructed lentivirus vectors harboring sponges targeting miR‐21, miR‐31 and miR‐155 and the combination of two miRNA sponges can inhibit cancer cell growth significantly.

The Role of microRNAs in Multidrug Resistance of Glioblastoma

Glioblastoma (GBM) is an aggressive brain tumor that develops from neuroglial stem cells and represents a highly heterogeneous group of neoplasms. These tumors are predominantly correlated with a dismal prognosis and poor quality of life. In spite of major advances in developing novel and effective therapeutic strategies for patients with glioblastoma, multidrug resistance (MDR) is considered to be the major reason for treatment failure. Several mechanisms contribute to MDR in GBM, including upregulation of MDR transporters, alterations in the metabolism of drugs, dysregulation of apoptosis, defects in DNA repair, cancer stem cells, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a large class of endogenous RNAs that participate in various cell events, including the mechanisms causing MDR in glioblastoma. In this review, we discuss the role of miRNAs in the regulation of the underlying mechanisms in MDR glioblastoma which will open up new avenues of inquiry for the treatment of glioblastoma.

Decoding microRNA drivers in Atherosclerosis

An estimated 97% of the human genome consists of non-protein-coding sequences. As our understanding of genome regulation improves, this has led to the characterization of a diverse array of non-coding RNAs (ncRNA). Among these, micro-RNAs (miRNAs) belong to the short ncRNA class (22–25 nucleotides in length), with approximately 2500 miRNA genes encoded within the human genome. From a therapeutic perspective, there is interest in exploiting miRNA as biomarkers of disease progression and response to treatments, as well as miRNA mimics/repressors as novel medicines. miRNA have emerged as an important class of RNA master regulators with important roles identified in the pathogenesis of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Atherosclerosis is characterized by a chronic inflammatory build-up, driven largely by low-density lipoprotein cholesterol accumulation within the artery wall and vascular injury, including endothelial dysfunction, leukocyte recruitment and vascular remodelling. Conventional therapy focuses on lifestyle interventions, blood pressure-lowering medications, high-intensity statin therapy and antiplatelet agents. However, a significant proportion of patients remain at increased risk of cardiovascular disease. This continued cardiovascular risk is referred to as residual risk. Hence, a new drug class targeting atherosclerosis could synergise with existing therapies to optimise outcomes. Here, we review our current understanding of the role of ncRNA, with a focus on miRNA, in the development and progression of atherosclerosis, highlighting novel biological mechanisms and therapeutic avenues.

Synergistic Effects of A Combined Treatment of Glioblastoma U251 Cells with An Anti-miR-10b-5p Molecule and An AntiCancer Agent Based on 1-(3',4',5'-Trimethoxyphenyl)-2-Aryl-1H-Imidazole Scaffold

(1) Background: In the development of new and more effective anticancer approaches, combined treatments appear of great interest. Combination therapy could be of importance in the management of glioblastoma (GBM), a lethal malignancy that accounts for 42% of cancer of the central nervous system, with a median survival of 15 months. This study aimed to verify the activity on a glioblastoma cancer cell line of one of the most active compounds of a novel series of tubulin polymerization inhibitors based on the 1-(3′,4′,5′-trimethoxyphenyl)-2-aryl-1H-imidazole scaffold, used in combination with a miRNA inhibitor molecule targeting the oncomiRNA miR-10b-5p. This microRNA was selected in consideration of the role of miR-10b-5p on the onset and progression of glioblastoma. (2) Methods: Apoptosis was analyzed by Annexin-V and Caspase 3/7 assays, efficacy of the anti-miR-10b-5p was assessed by determining the miR-10b-5p content by RT-qPCR. (3) Results: The results obtained show that a “combination therapy” performed by combining the use of an anti-miR-10b-5p and a 1-(3′,4′,5′-trimethoxyphenyl)-2-aryl-1H-imidazole derivative is an encouraging strategy to boost the efficacy of anticancer therapies and at the same time to reduce side effects.

Suppression of microRNA 124-3p and microRNA 340-5p ameliorates retinoic acid-induced cleft palate in mice

The etiology of cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CL/P), a common congenital birth defect, is complex, with genetic and epigenetic, as well as environmental, contributing factors. Recent studies suggest that fetal development is affected by maternal conditions through microRNAs (miRNAs), a group of short noncoding RNAs. Here, we show that miR-129-5p and miR-340-5p suppress cell proliferation in both primary mouse embryonic palatal mesenchymal cells and O9-1 cells, a neural crest cell line, through the regulation of Sox5 and Trp53 by miR-129-5p, and the regulation of Chd7, Fign and Tgfbr1 by miR-340-5p. Notably, miR-340-5p, but not miR-129-5p, was upregulated following all-trans retinoic acid (atRA; tretinoin) administration, and a miR-340-5p inhibitor rescued the cleft palate (CP) phenotype in 47% of atRA-induced CP mice. We have previously reported that a miR-124-3p inhibitor can also partially rescue the CP phenotype in atRA-induced CP mouse model. In this study, we found that a cocktail of miR-124-3p and miR-340-5p inhibitors rescued atRA-induced CP with almost complete penetrance. Taken together, our results suggest that normalization of pathological miRNA expression can be a preventive intervention for CP.

Cardiac Remodeling After Myocardial Infarction: Functional Contribution of microRNAs to Inflammation and Fibrosis

After an ischemic injury, the heart undergoes a complex process of structural and functional remodeling that involves several steps, including inflammatory and fibrotic responses. In this review, we are focusing on the contribution of microRNAs in the regulation of inflammation and fibrosis after myocardial infarction. We summarize the most updated studies exploring the interactions between microRNAs and key regulators of inflammation and fibroblast activation and we discuss the recent discoveries, including clinical applications, in these rapidly advancing fields.

Cross-kingdom regulation by dietary plant miRNAs: an evidence-based review with recent updates

As non-coding RNA molecules, microRNAs (miRNAs) are widely known for their critical role in gene regulation. Recent studies have shown that plant miRNAs obtained through dietary oral administration can survive in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, enter the circulatory system and regulate endogenous mRNAs. Diet-derived plant miRNAs have 2'-O-methylated modified 3'ends and high cytosine and guanine (GC) content, as well as exosomal packaging, which gives them high stability even in the harsh environment of the digestive system and circulatory system. The latest evidence shows that dietary plant miRNAs can not only be absorbed in the intestine, but also be absorbed and packaged by gastric epithelial cells and then secreted into the circulatory system. Alternatively, these biologically active plant-derived miRNAs may also affect the health of the host by affecting the function of the microbiome, while not need to be taken into the host's circulatory system and transferred to remote tissues. This cross-kingdom regulation of miRNAs gives us hope for exploring their therapeutic potential and as dietary supplements. However, doubts have also been raised about the cross-border regulation of miRNAs, suggesting that technical flaws in the experiments may have led to this hypothesis. In this article, we summarize the visibility of dietary plant miRNAs in the development of human health and recent research data on their use in therapeutics. The regulation of plant miRNAs across kingdoms is a novel concept. Continued efforts in this area will broaden our understanding of the biological role of plant miRNAs and will open the way for the development of new approaches to prevent or treat human diseases.

miR-552 promotes the proliferation and metastasis of cervical cancer cells through targeting MUC15 pathway

Accumulating evidence shows that microRNAs (miRNAs) play key roles in tumorigenesis, progression, recurrence and drug resistance of malignant tumors. The tumor-promoting role of miR-552 has been evidenced in multiple tumors. Yet, the relevance of miR-552 in cervical cancer remains undetermined. This study aimed to investigate the role of miR-552 in cervical cancer proliferation and metastasis. Herein, we for first found that miR-552 expression was upregulated in cervical cancer tissues compared with their normal controls. Functional assays revealed that miR-552 promoted the proliferation and metastasis of cervical cancer cells. Mechanically, bioinformatics and luciferase reporter analysis identified MUC15 as a direct target of miR-552. Reduced MUC15 expression was detected in cervical cancer, and MUC15 overexpression exhibited a tumor-suppressive effect. MUC15 restoration partially abolished the discrepancy of growth and metastasis capacity between miR-552 overexpression cervical cancer cells and control cells. Taken together, these data demonstrate that miR-552 acts as a potential oncogene miRNA in cervical cancer, which exerts its function through targeting MUC15.

Synergistic effects of the combined treatment of U251 and T98G glioma cells with an anti‑tubulin tetrahydrothieno[2,3‑c]pyridine derivative and a peptide nucleic acid targeting miR‑221‑3p

In the development of novel and more effective anti-cancer approaches, combined treatments appear to be of great interest, based on the possibility of obtaining relevant biological or therapeutic effects using lower concentrations of single drugs. Combination therapy may prove to be of utmost significance in the management of glioblastoma (GBM), a lethal malignancy that accounts for 42% of cancer cases of the central nervous system, with a median survival rate of 15 months. As regards novel therapeutic approaches, the authors have recently demonstrated that peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) that target microRNA (miRNA/miR)-221 are very active in inducing the apoptosis of glioma cells. Furthermore, in a recent study, the authors described two novel series of tubulin polymerization inhibitors based on the 4,5,6,7-tetrahydrothieno[2,3-c]pyridine and 4,5,6,7-tetrahydrobenzo[b]thiophene scaffold, which exerted a potent anti-proliferative effect on a variety of tumor cell lines. The present study aimed to verify the activity on glioblastoma cancer cell lines of one of the most active compounds tested, corresponding to 2-(3′, 4′, 5′-trimethoxyanilino)-3-cyano/alkoxycarbonyl-6-substituted-4 5,6,7-tetrahydrothiene[2,3-c] pyridine (compound 3b), used in combination with an anti-miR-221-3p PNA, already demonstrated to be able to induce high levels of apoptosis. To the best of our knowledge, the results obtained herein demonstrate for the first time a 'combination therapy' performed by the combined use of a PNA targeting miR-221 and the tetrahydrothiene[2,3-c]pyridine derivative 3b, supporting the concept that the combined treatment of GBM cells with a PNA against a specific upregulated oncomiRNA (in the present study a PNA targeting miR-221-3p was used) and anti-tubulin agents (in the present study derivative 3b was used) is an encouraging strategy which may be used to enhance the efficacy of anticancer therapies and at the same time, to reduce side-effects.

miR-4486 enhances cisplatin sensitivity of gastric cancer cells by restraining the JAK3/STAT3 signalling pathway

Along with the occurrence of cisplatin resistance, treatment on gastric cancer (GC) becomes difficult. Therefore, researches on new therapeutic methods to revert cisplatin resistance are becoming increasingly urgent. qRT-PCR was used to quantify the expression of miR-4486, JAK3 in SGC-7901 or SGC-7901/DDP cell lines. WB was utilized to analyze the expression of JAK3, STAT3 and p-STAT3 in SGC-7901/DDP cell lines. CCK-8 assay was used to determine the IC₅₀ of cisplatin on both cell lines and cell viability of SGC-7901/DDP cell lines. The target relationship between miR-4486 and JAK3 was determined by luciferase assay. MiR-4486 expression on apoptosis of SGC-7901/DDP cell lines was determined by flow cytometry. qRT-PCR testified that miR-4486 decreased in SGC-7901/DDP cells, and the expression of miR-4486 mimic increased significantly compared with miR-4486 NC. By CCK-8 assay, the IC₅₀ of cisplatin on both cell lines were 9 μg/mL and 81.3 μg/mL, and overexpression of miR-4486 decreased the viability of SGC-7901/DDP cells. Compared with DDP group, the expression of miR-4486 accelerated SGC-7901/DDP cells apoptosis. Dual-luciferase assay suggested that JAK3 was the target gene of miR-4486. qRT-PCR and WB proved that miR-4486/JAK3 axis inhibit the activation of JAK3/STAT3 pathway, and JAK3 overexpression can partly reverse this. As shown by CCK-8 and flow cytometry, miR-4486 overexpression decreased viability and stimulated apoptosis of SGC-7901/DDP cells. However, JAK3 overexpression can also partly revert this. miR-4486 overexpression could decrease viability and improve apoptosis of SGC-7901/DDP cells to revert its cisplatin-resistance, and the mechanism may be related to JAK3/STAT3 signalling pathway.

Tumor Immune Microenvironment and Its Related miRNAs in Tumor Progression

MiRNA is a type of small non-coding RNA, by regulating downstream gene expression that affects the progression of multiple diseases, especially cancer. MiRNA can participate in the biological processes of tumor, including proliferation, invasion and escape, and exhibit tumor enhancement or inhibition. The tumor immune microenvironment contains numerous immune cells. These cells include lymphocytes with tumor suppressor effects such as CD8+ T cells and natural killer cells, as well as some tumor-promoting cells with immunosuppressive functions, such as regulatory T cells and myeloid-derived suppressor cells. MiRNA can affect the tumor immune microenvironment by regulating the function of immune cells, which in turn modulates the progression of tumor cells. Investigating the role of miRNA in regulating the tumor immune microenvironment will help elucidate the specific mechanisms of interaction between immune cells and tumor cells, and may facilitate the use of miRNA as a predictor of immune disorders in tumor progression. This review summarizes the multifarious roles of miRNA in tumor progression through regulation of the tumor immune microenvironment, and provides guidance for the development of miRNA drugs to treat tumors and for the use of miRNA as an auxiliary means in tumor immunotherapy.

Systematic identification of clinically relevant miRNAs for potential miRNA-based therapy in lung adenocarcinoma

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), the most common histological type of non-small cell lung cancer, is one of the most malignant and deadly diseases. Current treatments for advanced LUAD patients are far from ideal and require further improvements. Here, we utilized a systematic integrative analysis of LUAD microRNA sequencing (miRNA-seq) and RNA-seq data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) to identify clinically relevant tumor suppressor miRNAs. Three miRNA candidates (miR-195-5p, miR-101-3p, and miR-338-5p) were identified based on their differential expressions, survival significance levels, correlations with targets, and an additive effect on survival among them. We further evaluated mimics of the three miRNAs to determine their therapeutic potential in inhibiting cancer progression. The results showed not only that each of the miRNA mimics alone but also the three miRNA mimics in combination were efficient at inhibiting tumor growth and progression with equal final concentrations, meaning that the three miRNA mimics in combination were more effective than the single miRNA mimics. Moreover, the combined miRNA mimics provided significant therapeutic effects in terms of reduced tumor volume and metastasis nodules in lung tumor animal models. Hence, our findings show the potential of using the three miRNAs in combination to treat LUAD patients with poor survival outcomes.

Site-Selective Artificial Ribonucleases: Renaissance of Oligonucleotide Conjugates for Irreversible Cleavage of RNA Sequences

RNA-targeting therapeutics require highly efficient sequence-specific devices capable of RNA irreversible degradation in vivo. The most developed methods of sequence-specific RNA cleavage, such as siRNA or antisense oligonucleotides (ASO), are currently based on recruitment of either intracellular multi-protein complexes or enzymes, leaving alternative approaches (e.g., ribozymes and DNAzymes) far behind. Recently, site-selective artificial ribonucleases combining the oligonucleotide recognition motifs (or their structural analogues) and catalytically active groups in a single molecular scaffold have been proven to be a great competitor to siRNA and ASO. Using the most efficient catalytic groups, utilising both metal ion-dependent (Cu(II)-2,9-dimethylphenanthroline) and metal ion-free (Tris(2-aminobenzimidazole)) on the one hand and PNA as an RNA recognising oligonucleotide on the other, allowed site-selective artificial RNases to be created with half-lives of 0.5-1 h. Artificial RNases based on the catalytic peptide [(ArgLeu)₂Gly]₂ were able to take progress a step further by demonstrating an ability to cleave miRNA-21 in tumour cells and provide a significant reduction of tumour growth in mice.

Inhibition of microRNA-155 Protects Retinal Function Through Attenuation of Inflammation in Retinal Degeneration

Although extensively investigated in inflammatory conditions, the role of pro-inflammatory microRNAs (miRNAs), miR-155 and miR-146a, has not been well-studied in retinal degenerative diseases. We therefore aimed to explore the role and regulation of these miRNA in the degenerating retina, with a focus on miR-155. C57BL/6J mice were subjected to photo-oxidative damage for up to 5 days to induce focal retinal degeneration. MiR-155 expression was quantified by qRT-PCR in whole retina, serum, and small-medium extracellular vesicles (s-mEVs), and a PrimeFlow™ assay was used to identify localisation of miR-155 in retinal cells. Constitutive miR-155 knockout (KO) mice and miR-155 and miR-146a inhibitors were utilised to determine the role of these miRNA in the degenerating retina. Electroretinography was employed as a measure of retinal function, while histological quantification of TUNEL+ and IBA1+ positive cells was used to quantify photoreceptor cell death and infiltrating immune cells, respectively. Upregulation of miR-155 was detected in retinal tissue, serum and s-mEVs in response to photo-oxidative damage, localising to the nucleus of a subset of retinal ganglion cells and glial cells and in the cytoplasm of photoreceptors. Inhibition of miR-155 showed increased function from negative controls and a less pathological pattern of IBA1+ cell localisation and morphology at 5 days photo-oxidative damage. While neither dim-reared nor damaged miR-155 KO animals showed retinal histological difference from controls, following photo-oxidative damage, miR-155 KO mice showed increased a-wave relative to controls. We therefore consider miR-155 to be associated with the inflammatory response of the retina in response to photoreceptor-specific degeneration.

MiR-9-1 Suppresses Cell Proliferation and Promotes Apoptosis by Targeting UHRF1 in Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is listed as the most common reason for cancer-related death all over the world despite diagnostic improvements and the development of chemotherapy and targeted therapies. MicroRNAs control both physiological and pathological processes including development and cancer. A microRNA-9 to 1 (miR-9 to 1) overexpression model in lung cancer cell lines was established and miR-9 to 1 was found to significantly suppress the proliferation rate in lung cancer cell lines, colony formation in vitro, and tumorigenicity in nude mice of A549 cells. Ubiquitin-like containing PHD and RING finger domains 1 (UHRF1) was then identified to direct target of miR-9 to 1. The inhibition of UHRF1 by miR-9 to 1 causes G1 arrest and p15, p16, and p21 were re-expressed in miR-9 to 1 group in mRNA level and protein level. Silence of UHRF1 expression in A549 cells resulted in the similar re-expression of p15, p16, p21 which is similar with miR-9 to 1 infection. Therefore, we concluded that UHRF1 is a new target for miR-9 to 1 to suppress cell proliferation by re-expression of tumor suppressors p15, p16, and p21 mediated by UHRF1.

Characterization of microRNAs expressed in the cystic legion of the liver of Mus musculus perorally infected with Echinococcus multilocularis Nemuro strain

Alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is a zoonosis caused by the metacestode of Echinococcus multilocularis. The published genome of E. multilocularis showed that approximately 86% of its genome is non-coding. Micro RNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding regulatory RNAs, and recent studies on parasitic helminths expect miRNAs as a promising target for drug development and diagnostic markers. Prior to this study, only a few studies reported the E. multilocularis miRNA profiles in the intermediate host. The primary objective of this study was to characterize miRNA profiles via small RNA-seq in E. multilocularis Nemuro strain, a laboratory strain of Asian genotype, using mice perorally infected with the parasite eggs. The data were then compared with two previously published small RNA-seq data. We identified 44 mature miRNAs as E. multilocularis origin out of the 68 mature miRNA sequences registered in the miRNA database miRbase. The highest quantities of miRNAs detected were miR-10-5p, followed by bantam-3p, let-7-5p, miR-61-3p, and miR-71-5p. The top two most abundant miRNAs (miR-10-5p and bantam-3p) accounted for approximately 80.9% of the total parasite miRNAs. The highly expressed miRNA repertoire is mostly comparable to that obtained from the previous experiment using secondary echinococcosis created by an intraperitoneal administration of metacestodes. A detailed characterization and functional annotations of these shared miRNAs will lead to a better understanding of parasitic dynamics, which could provide a basis for the development of novel diagnostic and treatment methods for AE.

MicroRNA: Promising Roles in Cancer Therapy

MicroRNAs (miRNA) are small non-coding RNAs that act as one of the main regulators of gene expression. They are involved in maintaining a proper balance of diverse processes, including differentiation, proliferation, and cell death in normal cells. Cancer biology can also be affected by these molecules by modulating the expression of oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes. Thus, miRNA based anticancer therapy is currently being developed either alone or in combination with chemotherapy agents used in cancer management, aiming at promoting tumor regression and increasing cure rate. Access to large quantities of RNA agents can facilitate RNA research and development. In addition to currently used in vitro methods, fermentation-based approaches have recently been developed, which can cost-effectively produce biological RNA agents with proper folding needed for the development of RNA-based therapeutics. Nevertheless, a major challenge in translating preclinical studies to clinical for miRNA-based cancer therapy is the efficient delivery of these agents to target cells. Targeting miRNAs/anti-miRNAs using antibodies and/or peptides can minimize cellular and systemic toxicity. Here, we provide a brief review of miRNA in the following aspects: biogenesis and mechanism of action of miRNAs, the role of miRNAs in cancer as tumor suppressors or oncogenes, the potential of using miRNAs as novel and promising therapeutics, miRNA-mediated chemo-sensitization, and currently utilized methods for the in vitro and in vivo production of RNA agents. Finally, an update on the viral and non-viral delivery systems is addressed.

Identification of an 8-miRNA signature as a potential prognostic biomarker for glioma

Background

Glioma is the most common form of primary malignant intracranial tumor.

Methods

In the current study, miRNA matrix were obtained from the Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA), and then univariate Cox regression analysis and Lasso regression analysis were utilized to select candidate miRNAs and multivariate Cox regression analysis was applied to establish a miRNA signature for predicting overall survival (OS) of glioma. The signature was assessed with the area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) and validated by data from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO).

Results

Eight miRNAs (miR-1246, miR-148a, miR-150, miR-196a, miR-338-3p, miR-342-5p, miR-548h and miR-645) were included in the miRNA signature. The AUC of ROC analysis for 1- and 3-year OS in the CGGA dataset was 0.747 and 0.905, respectively. In the GEO dataset, The AUC for 1- and 3-year was 0.736 and 0.809, respectively. The AUC in both the CGGA and GEO datasets was similar to that based on WHO 2007 classification (0.736 and 0.799) and WHO 2016 classification (0.663 and 0.807). Additionally, Kaplan–Meier plot revealed that high-risk score patients had a poorer clinical outcome. Multivariate Cox regression analysis suggested that the miRNA signature was an independent prognosis-related factor [HR: 6.579, 95% CI [1.227−35.268], p = 0.028].

Conclusion

On the whole, in the present study, based on eight miRNAs, a novel prognostic signature was developed for predicting the 1- and 3- year survival rate in glioma. The results may be conducive to predict the precise prognosis of glioma and to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms. However, further experimental researches of miRNAs are needed to validate the findings of this study.

Progress in systemic co-delivery of microRNAs and chemotherapeutics for cancer treatment by using lipid-based nanoparticles

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) hold the potential to boost therapeutic efficacy and/or reverse drug resistance associated with traditional cancer chemotherapy. Both miRNA mimics and inhibitors have been explored in cancer therapy. Systemic co-delivery of chemotherapeutics and miRNA therapeutics represents an attractive treatment approach, but safe and efficient delivery systems are greatly needed. The regulatory approval of Onpattro^® paved the way for lipid-based nanoparticles to deliver RNA therapeutics in different settings, including in combination with chemotherapeutics to treat cancer. In this Special Report, we discuss the significance of systemic co-delivery of chemotherapeutics and miRNA therapeutics for cancer therapy and highlight the representative examples of this strategy using lipid-based nanoparticles. We also present outstanding roadblocks to clinical translation and provide the latest perspectives.

The Effects of Combination of Mimic miR-155-5p and Antagonist miR-324-5p Encapsulated Chitosan in Ovarian Cancer SKOV3

Objective:

Ovarian cancer is a malignant tumor that attacks reproductive organs of women. MicroRNA is known to have an involvement in the prognosis of ovarian cancer. One of them is miR-155-5p which is down regulated and miR-324-5p which is up regulated. Chitosan is used as microRNA delivery system. The aims of this study is to find out the effects of combination microRNA encapsulated chitosan in cell line SKOV3.

Methods:

Cell line SKOV3 obtained from Stem Cell and Cancer Institute (Kalbe). Mimic miR-155-5p and Antagonist miR-324-5p formulated with chitosan. Total RNA was extracted from nine samples (three as control and six as treatment), and prepared for cDNA synthesis. Expression of RNA and mRNA target was measured using q-PCR Biorad CFX96 C.100 and Gen Ex 7 software. Statistics analysis was measured using SPSS 16.0.

Results:

The administration of combination microRNA encapsulated with chitosan affect the expression of miR-155-5p and miR-324-5p endogen (P<0.05). The expression of mRNA target HIF1α and GLI1 was down regulated after treatment. The correlation between expression of microRNA and mRNA target was strongly (P<0.05).

Conclusion:

This study successfully presented effects of combination of mimic miR-155-5p and antagonist miR-324-5p encapsulated chitosan which be considered as a potential therapy targets for ovarium cancer.

A Distinctive microRNA (miRNA) Signature in the Blood of Colorectal Cancer (CRC) Patients at Surgery

Background: Liquid biopsy (LB) provides an examination of the peripheral blood of cancer patients for circulating tumor cells, cell-free nucleic acids and microRNAs (miRNAs) and is an established tool of precision medicine. Unlike most previous LB studies that focused on advanced metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC), we assessed miRNA dysregulation in blood samples obtained on the day of surgery from patients with primary CRC lesions but no clinical evidence of extra-colonic diffusion. In this study, plasma preparation included miRNAs associated to exosomes, but excluded large macrovesicles from the preparation. Methods: The miRNA profile in plasma isolated from a cohort of 35 CRC patients at the day of surgery was analyzed by Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) and further confirmed by droplet digital RT-PCR (dd-RT-PCR). Results: A miR-141-3p/miR-221-3p/miR-222-3p upregulation signature previously described in advanced CRC did not discriminate the analyzed early-CRC cohort from six tumor-free donors (Tf-D). In contrast, NGS-based miRNome analysis of a training cohort of five CRC and three tumor-free donors identified a novel, distinct nine miRNA signature comprising five up-regulated and four down-regulated miRNAs, six of which could be confirmed in the full CRC and tumor-free donor validation dataset by dd-RT-PCR. Additionally, a KRAS (Kirsten Rat Sarcoma Viral Oncogene Homolog) mutant status was correlated with the plasma content of three identified miRNAs. Conclusions: When the data obtained were comparatively evaluated, at least one of the miRNAs belonging to the signature list was found to be dysregulated in 34/35 (97.1%) of our early-CRC plasma samples. The miRNA list provides diagnostic markers as well as possible molecular targets for protocols focusing on “microRNA therapeutics”.

MicroRNA-154-5p regulates the HPV16 E7-pRb pathway in Cervical Carcinogenesis by targeting CUL2

Cervical cancer, induced by persistent HPV infection, has a high mortality rate. The E3 ubiquitin ligase Cullin 2 (CUL2) is critical for HPV16 E7-mediated degradation of retinoblastoma protein (pRb). Dysregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) is induced during tumorigenesis; however, the association between miRNA networks and CUL2, specific to cervical cancer, remains unknown. Herein, we determined miRNA profiles in cervical cancer tissues using an Affymetrix miRNA array. We found that miR-154-5p was downregulated during cancer progression using real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR in 130 biopsy specimens. Bioinformatics analysis and dual-luciferase reporter assays indicated that miR-154-5p directly targets the CUL2 3'UTR. To determine the functional consequences of modulating miR-154-5p and CUL2 levels, HPV16-positive cervical cancer cell line (SiHa) was transfected with miR-154-5p mimic, miR-154-5p inhibitor, or CUL2 siRNA. The proliferation, migration, and invasion of transfected cells were evaluated using CCK8 cell counting kit, wound-healing assay, and Transwell invasion assay. Increased miR-154-5p expression promoted significantly reduced SiHa cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, whereas the miR-154-5p inhibitor had the opposite effect. CUL2 silencing had similar effects to those of the miR-154-5p mimic. Consistent with the inverse correlation between miR-154-5p and CUL2 levels, CUL2 silencing also increased pRb expression. To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate that miR-154-5p regulates pRb expression by targeting CUL2 3'UTR, thereby playing a tumor-suppressive role in HPV16 E7-induced cervical carcinogenesis.

Dual miRNases for Triple Incision of miRNA Target: Design Concept and Catalytic Performance

Irreversible destruction of disease-associated regulatory RNA sequences offers exciting opportunities for safe and powerful therapeutic interventions against human pathophysiology. In 2017, for the first time we introduced miRNAses–miRNA-targeted conjugates of a catalytic peptide and oligonucleotide capable of cleaving an miRNA target. Herein, we report the development of Dual miRNases against oncogenic miR-21, miR-155, miR-17 and miR-18a, each containing the catalytic peptide placed in-between two short miRNA-targeted oligodeoxyribonucleotide recognition motifs. Substitution of adenines with 2-aminoadenines in the sequence of oligonucleotide “shoulders” of the Dual miRNase significantly enhanced the efficiency of hybridization with the miRNA target. It was shown that sequence-specific cleavage of the target by miRNase proceeded metal-independently at pH optimum 5.5–7.5 with an efficiency varying from 15% to 85%, depending on the miRNA sequence. A distinct advantage of the engineered nucleases is their ability to additionally recruit RNase H and cut miRNA at three different locations. Such cleavage proceeds at the central part by Dual miRNase, and at the 5′- and 3′-regions by RNase H, which significantly increases the efficiency of miRNA degradation. Due to increased activity at lowered pH Dual miRNases could provide an additional advantage in acidic tumor conditions and may be considered as efficient tumor-selective RNA-targeted therapeutic.

Research Progress in microRNA-Based Therapy for Gastric Cancer

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the leading causes of tumor-related mortality. In addition to surgery and endoscopic resection, systemic therapy remains the main treatment option for GC, especially for advanced-stage disease and for cases not suitable for surgical therapy. Hence, improving the efficacy of systemic therapy is still an urgent problem to overcome. In the past decade, the essential roles of microRNAs (miRNAs) in tumor treatment have been increasingly recognized. In particular, miRNAs were recently shown to reverse the resistance to chemotherapy drugs such as 5-fluorouracil, cisplatin, and doxorubicin. Synthesized nanoparticles loaded with mimics or inhibitors of miRNAs can directly target tumor cells to suppress their growth. Moreover, exosomes may serve as promising safe carriers for mimics or inhibitors of miRNAs to treat GC. Some miRNAs have also been shown to play roles in the mechanism of action of other anti-tumor drugs. Therefore, in this review, we highlight the research progress on microRNA-based therapy in GC and discuss the challenges and prospects associated with this strategy. We believe that microRNA-based therapy has the potential to offer a clinical benefit to GC patients, and this review would contribute to and motivate further research to promote this field toward this ultimate goal.