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Saha S, Mukherjee B, Banerjee P, Das D. The 'Not-So-Famous Five' in tumorigenesis: tRNAs, tRNA fragments, and tRNA epitranscriptome in concert with AARSs and AIMPs. Biochimie 2024; 222:45-62. [PMID: 38401639 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2024.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024]
Abstract
RNA profiling studies have revealed that ∼75% of the human genome is transcribed to RNA but only a meagre fraction of it is translated to proteins. Majority of transcribed RNA constitute a specialized pool of non-coding RNAs. Human genome contains approximately 506 genes encoding a set of 51 different tRNAs, constituting a unique class of non-coding RNAs that not only have essential housekeeping functions as translator molecules during protein synthesis, but have numerous uncharted regulatory functions. Intriguing findings regarding a variety of non-canonical functions of tRNAs, tRNA derived fragments (tRFs), esoteric epitranscriptomic modifications of tRNAs, along with aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (AARSs) and ARS-interacting multifunctional proteins (AIMPs), envision a 'peripheral dogma' controlling the flow of genetic information in the backdrop of qualitative information wrung out of the long-live central dogma of molecular biology, to drive cells towards either proliferation or differentiation programs. Our review will substantiate intriguing peculiarities of tRNA gene clusters, atypical tRNA-transcription from internal promoters catalysed by another distinct RNA polymerase enzyme, dynamically diverse tRNA epitranscriptome, intricate mechanism of tRNA-charging by AARSs governing translation fidelity, epigenetic regulation of gene expression by tRNA fragments, and the role of tRNAs and tRNA derived/associated molecules as quantitative determinants of the functional proteome, covertly orchestrating the process of tumorigenesis, through a deregulated tRNA-ome mediating selective codon-biased translation of cancer related gene transcripts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sutapa Saha
- Department of Life Sciences, Presidency University, 86/1, College Street, Kolkata, 700073, WB, India.
| | - Biyas Mukherjee
- Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, 1/AF, Bidhannagar, Kolkata, 700064, India
| | - Proma Banerjee
- Department of Life Sciences, Presidency University, 86/1, College Street, Kolkata, 700073, WB, India
| | - Debadrita Das
- Department of Life Sciences, Presidency University, 86/1, College Street, Kolkata, 700073, WB, India
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2
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Soureas K, Papadimitriou MA, Malandrakis P, Papanota AM, Adamopoulos PG, Ntanasis-Stathopoulos I, Liacos CI, Gavriatopoulou M, Sideris DC, Kastritis E, Dimopoulos MA, Scorilas A, Terpos E, Avgeris M. Small RNA-seq and clinical evaluation of tRNA-derived fragments in multiple myeloma: Loss of mitochondrial i-tRF HisGTG results in patients' poor treatment outcome. Br J Haematol 2024; 204:1790-1800. [PMID: 38414235 DOI: 10.1111/bjh.19332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Revised: 01/21/2024] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
Despite the substantial progress in multiple myeloma (MM) therapy nowadays, treatment resistance and disease relapse remain major clinical hindrances. Herein, we have investigated tRNA-derived fragment (tRF) profiles in MM and precursor stages (smoldering MM/sMM; monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance/MGUS), aiming to unveil potential MM-related tRFs in ameliorating MM prognosis and risk stratification. Small RNA-seq was performed to profile tRFs in bone marrow CD138+ plasma cells, revealing the significant deregulation of the mitochondrial internal tRFHisGTG (mt-i-tRFHisGTG) in MM versus sMM/MGUS. The screening cohort of the study consisted of 147 MM patients, and mt-i-tRFHisGTG levels were quantified by RT-qPCR. Disease progression was assessed as clinical end-point for survival analysis, while internal validation was performed by bootstrap and decision curve analyses. Screening cohort analysis highlighted the potent association of reduced mt-i-tRFHisGTG levels with patients' bone disease (p = 0.010), osteolysis (p = 0.023) and with significantly higher risk for short-term disease progression following first-line chemotherapy, independently of patients' clinical data (HR = 1.954; p = 0.036). Additionally, mt-i-tRFHisGTG-fitted multivariate models led to superior risk stratification of MM patients' treatment outcome and prognosis compared to disease-established markers. Notably, our study highlighted mt-i-tRFHisGTG loss as a powerful independent indicator of post-treatment progression of MM patients, leading to superior risk stratification of patients' treatment outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantinos Soureas
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
- Laboratory of Clinical Biochemistry-Molecular Diagnostics, Second Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, "P. & A. Kyriakou" Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Maria-Alexandra Papadimitriou
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Panagiotis Malandrakis
- Department of Clinical Therapeutics, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Alexandra General Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Aristea-Maria Papanota
- Department of Clinical Therapeutics, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Alexandra General Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Panagiotis G Adamopoulos
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Ioannis Ntanasis-Stathopoulos
- Department of Clinical Therapeutics, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Alexandra General Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Christine-Ivy Liacos
- Department of Clinical Therapeutics, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Alexandra General Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Maria Gavriatopoulou
- Department of Clinical Therapeutics, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Alexandra General Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Diamantis C Sideris
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Efstathios Kastritis
- Department of Clinical Therapeutics, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Alexandra General Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Meletios-Athanasios Dimopoulos
- Department of Clinical Therapeutics, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Alexandra General Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Andreas Scorilas
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Evangelos Terpos
- Department of Clinical Therapeutics, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Alexandra General Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Margaritis Avgeris
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
- Laboratory of Clinical Biochemistry-Molecular Diagnostics, Second Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, "P. & A. Kyriakou" Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece
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Strømme O, Heck KA, Brede G, Lindholm HT, Otterlei M, Arum CJ. tRNA-Derived Fragments as Biomarkers in Bladder Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:1588. [PMID: 38672670 PMCID: PMC11049458 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16081588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2024] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Bladder cancer (BC) diagnosis is reliant on cystoscopy, an invasive procedure associated with urinary tract infections. This has sparked interest in identifying noninvasive biomarkers in body fluids such as blood and urine. A source of biomarkers in these biofluids are extracellular vesicles (EVs), nanosized vesicles that contain a wide array of molecular cargo, including small noncoding RNA such as transfer RNA-derived fragments (tRF) and microRNA. Here, we performed small-RNA next-generation sequencing from EVs from urine and serum, as well as from serum supernatant. RNA was extracted from 15 non-cancer patients (NCPs) with benign findings in cystoscopy and 41 patients with non-muscle invasive BC. Urine and serum were collected before transurethral resection of bladder tumors (TUR-b) and at routine post-surgery check-ups. We compared levels of tRFs in pre-surgery samples to samples from NCPs and post-surgery check-ups. To further verify our findings, samples from 10 patients with stage T1 disease were resequenced. When comparing tRF expression in urine EVs between T1 stage BC patients and NCPs, 14 differentially expressed tRFs (DEtRFs) were identified. In serum supernatant, six DEtRFs were identified among stage T1 patients when comparing pre-surgery to post-surgery samples and four DEtRFs were found when comparing pre-surgery samples to NCPs. By performing a blast search, we found that sequences of DEtRFs aligned with genomic sequences pertaining to processes relevant to cancer development, such as enhancers, regulatory elements and CpG islands. Our findings display a number of tRFs that may hold potential as biomarkers for the diagnosis and recurrence-free survival of BC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olaf Strømme
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7034 Trondheim, Norway; (K.A.H.); (G.B.); (H.T.L.); (M.O.); (C.-J.A.)
| | - Kathleen A. Heck
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7034 Trondheim, Norway; (K.A.H.); (G.B.); (H.T.L.); (M.O.); (C.-J.A.)
| | - Gaute Brede
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7034 Trondheim, Norway; (K.A.H.); (G.B.); (H.T.L.); (M.O.); (C.-J.A.)
| | - Håvard T. Lindholm
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7034 Trondheim, Norway; (K.A.H.); (G.B.); (H.T.L.); (M.O.); (C.-J.A.)
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Marit Otterlei
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7034 Trondheim, Norway; (K.A.H.); (G.B.); (H.T.L.); (M.O.); (C.-J.A.)
| | - Carl-Jørgen Arum
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7034 Trondheim, Norway; (K.A.H.); (G.B.); (H.T.L.); (M.O.); (C.-J.A.)
- Department of Urology, St. Olav’s University Hospital, 7030 Trondheim, Norway
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Cabrelle C, Giorgi FM, Mercatelli D. Quantitative and qualitative detection of tRNAs, tRNA halves and tRFs in human cancer samples: Molecular grounds for biomarker development and clinical perspectives. Gene 2024; 898:148097. [PMID: 38128792 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2023.148097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Transfer RNAs (tRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs playing a central role during protein synthesis. Besides translation, growing evidence suggests that in many contexts, precursor or mature tRNAs can also be processed into smaller fragments playing many non-canonical regulatory roles in different biological pathways with oncogenic relevance. Depending on the source, these molecules can be classified as tRNA halves (also known as tiRNAs) or tRNA-derived fragments (tRFs), and furtherly divided into 5'-tRNA and 3'-tRNA halves, or tRF-1, tRF-2, tRF-3, tRF-5, and i-tRF, respectively. Unlike DNA and mRNA, high-throughput sequencing of tRNAs is challenging, because of technical limitations of currently developed sequencing methods. In recent years, different sequencing approaches have been proposed allowing the quantification and identification of an increasing number of tRNA fragments with critical functions in distinct physiological and pathophysiological processes. In the present review, we discussed pros and cons of recent advances in different sequencing methods, also introducing the expanding repertoire of bioinformatics tool and resources specifically focused on tRNA research and discussing current issues in the study of these small RNA molecules. Furthermore, we discussed the potential value of tRNA fragments as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for different types of cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Cabrelle
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy.
| | | | - Daniele Mercatelli
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy.
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5
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Salehi M, Kamali MJ, Rajabzadeh A, Minoo S, Mosharafi H, Saeedi F, Daraei A. tRNA-derived fragments: Key determinants of cancer metastasis with emerging therapeutic and diagnostic potentials. Arch Biochem Biophys 2024; 753:109930. [PMID: 38369227 DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2024.109930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Metastasis is a significant clinical challenge responsible for cancer mortality and non-response to treatment. However, the molecular mechanisms driving metastasis remain unclear, limiting the development of efficient diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. Recent breakthroughs in cancer biology have discovered a group of small non-coding RNAs called tRNA-derived fragments (tRFs), which play a critical role in the metastatic behavior of various tumors. tRFs are produced from cleavage modifications of tRNAs and have different functional classes based on the pattern of these modifications. They perform post-transcriptional regulation through microRNA-like functions, displacing RNA-binding proteins, and play a role in translational regulation by inducing ribosome synthesis, translation initiation, and epigenetic regulation. Tumor cells manipulate tRFs to develop and survive the tumor mass, primarily by inducing metastasis. Multiple studies have demonstrated the potential of tRFs as therapeutic, diagnostic, and prognostic targets for tumor metastasis. This review discusses the production and function of tRFs in cells, their aberrant molecular contributions to the metastatic environment, and their potential as promising targets for anti-metastasis treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Salehi
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran; Student Research Committee, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran
| | - Mohammad Javad Kamali
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
| | - Aliakbar Rajabzadeh
- Department of Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
| | - Shima Minoo
- Department of Dentistry, Khorasgan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran
| | | | - Fatemeh Saeedi
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Center, Health Research Institute, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
| | - Abdolreza Daraei
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran.
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6
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Diamantopoulos MA, Georgoulia KK, Levis P, Kotronopoulos G, Stravodimos K, Kontos CK, Avgeris M, Scorilas A. 28S rRNA-Derived Fragments Represent an Independent Molecular Predictor of Short-Term Relapse in Prostate Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 25:239. [PMID: 38203408 PMCID: PMC10779029 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25010239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Prostate cancer (PCa) is a global health concern, being a leading cause of cancer-related mortality among males. Early detection and accurate prognosis are crucial for effective management. This study delves into the diagnostic and prognostic potential of 28S rRNA-derived fragments (rRFs) in PCa. Total RNA extracted from 89 PCa and 53 benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) tissue specimens. After 3'-end polyadenylation, we performed reverse transcription to create first-strand cDNA. Using an in-house quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) assay, we quantified 28S rRF levels. Post-treatment biochemical relapse served as the clinical endpoint event for survival analysis, which we validated internally through bootstrap analysis. Our results revealed downregulated 28S rRF levels in PCa compared to BPH patients. Additionally, we observed a significant positive correlation between 28S rRF levels and higher Gleason scores and tumor stages. Furthermore, PCa patients with elevated 28S rRF expression had a significantly higher risk of post-treatment disease relapse independently of clinicopathological data. In conclusion, our study demonstrates, for the first time, the prognostic value of 28S rRF in prostate adenocarcinoma. Elevated 28S rRF levels independently predict short-term PCa relapse and enhance risk stratification. This establishes 28S rRF as a potential novel molecular marker for PCa prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marios A. Diamantopoulos
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, 15701 Athens, Greece; (M.A.D.); (K.K.G.); (C.K.K.); (M.A.)
| | - Konstantina K. Georgoulia
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, 15701 Athens, Greece; (M.A.D.); (K.K.G.); (C.K.K.); (M.A.)
| | - Panagiotis Levis
- First Department of Urology, “Laiko” General Hospital, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece; (P.L.); (G.K.); (K.S.)
| | - Georgios Kotronopoulos
- First Department of Urology, “Laiko” General Hospital, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece; (P.L.); (G.K.); (K.S.)
| | - Konstantinos Stravodimos
- First Department of Urology, “Laiko” General Hospital, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece; (P.L.); (G.K.); (K.S.)
| | - Christos K. Kontos
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, 15701 Athens, Greece; (M.A.D.); (K.K.G.); (C.K.K.); (M.A.)
| | - Margaritis Avgeris
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, 15701 Athens, Greece; (M.A.D.); (K.K.G.); (C.K.K.); (M.A.)
- Laboratory of Clinical Biochemistry-Molecular Diagnostics, Second Department of Pediatrics, “P. & A. Kyriakou” Children’s Hospital, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Andreas Scorilas
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, 15701 Athens, Greece; (M.A.D.); (K.K.G.); (C.K.K.); (M.A.)
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7
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Zhang L, Liu J, Hou Y. Classification, function, and advances in tsRNA in non-neoplastic diseases. Cell Death Dis 2023; 14:748. [PMID: 37973899 PMCID: PMC10654580 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-023-06250-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 10/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
tRNA-derived small RNAs (tsRNAs) are non-coding small RNAs produced by specific endonucleases following the processing and splicing of precursor or mature tRNAs upon starvation, oxidative stress, hypoxia, and other adverse conditions. tRNAs are classified into two major categories, tRNA fragments (tRFs) and tRNA-derived stress-induced small RNAs (tiRNAs), based on differences in splice sites. With the development of high-throughput sequencing technologies in recent years, tsRNAs have been found to have important biological functions, including inhibition of apoptosis, epigenetic regulation, cell-cell communication, translation, and regulation of gene expression. Additionally, these molecules have been found to be aberrantly expressed in various diseases and to be involved in several pathological processes. In this article, the classification and nomenclature, biological functions, and potential use of tsRNAs as diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets in non-neoplastic diseases are reviewed. Although tsRNA research is at its infancy, their potential in the treatment of non-tumor diseases warrants further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liou Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Jie Liu
- Translational Research Experiment Department, Science Experiment Center, China Medical University, Shenyang, China.
| | - Yang Hou
- Department of Radiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110004, China.
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Pinzaru AM, Tavazoie SF. Transfer RNAs as dynamic and critical regulators of cancer progression. Nat Rev Cancer 2023; 23:746-761. [PMID: 37814109 DOI: 10.1038/s41568-023-00611-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023]
Abstract
Transfer RNAs (tRNAs) have been historically viewed as non-dynamic adaptors that decode the genetic code into proteins. Recent work has uncovered dynamic regulatory roles for these fascinating molecules. Advances in tRNA detection methods have revealed that specific tRNAs can become modulated upon DNA copy number and chromatin alterations and can also be perturbed by oncogenic signalling and transcriptional regulators in cancer cells or the tumour microenvironment. Such alterations in the levels of specific tRNAs have been shown to causally impact cancer progression, including metastasis. Moreover, sequencing methods have identified tRNA-derived small RNAs that influence various aspects of cancer progression, such as cell proliferation and invasion, and could serve as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers or putative therapeutic targets in various cancers. Finally, there is accumulating evidence, including from genetic models, that specific tRNA synthetases - the enzymes responsible for charging tRNAs with amino acids - can either promote or suppress tumour formation. In this Review, we provide an overview of how deregulation of tRNAs influences cancer formation and progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra M Pinzaru
- Laboratory of Systems Cancer Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Sohail F Tavazoie
- Laboratory of Systems Cancer Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA.
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McCabe A, Zaheed O, Derlipanska M, Merrin G, Dean K. The copious capabilities of non-coding RNAs in cancer regulation, diagnosis and treatment. Cancer Treat Res Commun 2023; 37:100768. [PMID: 37852123 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctarc.2023.100768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
Globally, cancer is one of the leading causes of mortality, accounting for 10 million deaths per year. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) play integral and diverse roles in cancer, possessing the ability to both promote oncogenesis and impede tumor formation. This review discusses the various roles of microRNAs, transfer RNA-derived small RNAs, long non-coding RNAs and lncRNA-derived microproteins in cancer progression and prevention. We highlight the diagnostic and therapeutic potential of these ncRNAs, with a particular focus on detection in liquid biopsies and targeting of ncRNAs with small inhibitory molecules. Ultimately, the biological functions of cancer-associated ncRNAs, as well as the development of ncRNA-based technologies, are compelling areas for further research, holding the possibility of revolutionizing cancer treatment and diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aideen McCabe
- School of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, College of Science, Engineering and Food Science, University College Cork, Ireland; The SFI Centre for Research Training in Genomics Data Science, Ireland
| | - Oza Zaheed
- School of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, College of Science, Engineering and Food Science, University College Cork, Ireland; The SFI Centre for Research Training in Genomics Data Science, Ireland
| | - Magdalina Derlipanska
- School of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, College of Science, Engineering and Food Science, University College Cork, Ireland
| | - George Merrin
- School of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, College of Science, Engineering and Food Science, University College Cork, Ireland
| | - Kellie Dean
- School of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, College of Science, Engineering and Food Science, University College Cork, Ireland.
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Zhao R, Yang Z, Zhao B, Li W, Liu Y, Chen X, Cao J, Zhang J, Guo Y, Xu L, Wang J, Sun Y, Liu M, Tian L. A novel tyrosine tRNA-derived fragment, tRF Tyr, induces oncogenesis and lactate accumulation in LSCC by interacting with LDHA. Cell Mol Biol Lett 2023; 28:49. [PMID: 37365531 DOI: 10.1186/s11658-023-00463-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Transfer (t)RNA-derived small RNA (tsRNA), generated from precursor or mature tRNA, is a new type of small non-coding RNA (sncRNA) that has recently been shown to play a vital role in human cancers. However, its role in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) remains unclear. METHODS We elucidated the expression profiles of tsRNAs in four paired LSCC and non-neoplastic tissues by sequencing and verified the sequencing data by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) of 60 paired samples. The tyrosine-tRNA derivative tRFTyr was identified as a novel oncogene in LSCC for further study. Loss-of-function experiments were performed to evaluate the roles of tRFTyr in tumorigenesis of LSCC. Mechanistic experiments including RNA pull-down, parallel reaction monitoring (PRM) and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) were employed to uncover the regulatory mechanism of tRFTyr in LSCC. RESULTS tRFTyr was significantly upregulated in LSCC samples. Functional assays showed that knockdown of tRFTyr significantly suppressed the progression of LSCC. A series of mechanistic studies revealed that tRFTyr could enhance the phosphorylated level of lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA) by interacting with it. The activity of LDHA was also activated, which induced lactate accumulation in LSCC cells. CONCLUSIONS Our data delineated the landscape of tsRNAs in LSCC and identified the oncogenic role of tRFTyr in LSCC. tRFTyr could promote lactate accumulation and tumour progression in LSCC by binding to LDHA. These findings may aid in the development of new diagnostic biomarkers and provide new insights into therapeutic strategies for LSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Zhao
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Zhenming Yang
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Bo Zhao
- School of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Wenjing Li
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Yaohui Liu
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Xiaoxue Chen
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Jing Cao
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Jiarui Zhang
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Yan Guo
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Licheng Xu
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Jinpeng Wang
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Yanan Sun
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Ming Liu
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
| | - Linli Tian
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
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Gong M, Deng Y, Xiang Y, Ye D. The role and mechanism of action of tRNA-derived fragments in the diagnosis and treatment of malignant tumors. Cell Commun Signal 2023; 21:62. [PMID: 36964534 PMCID: PMC10036988 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-023-01079-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer is a leading cause of morbidity and death worldwide. While various factors are established as causing malignant tumors, the mechanisms underlying cancer development remain poorly understood. Early diagnosis and the development of effective treatments for cancer are important research topics. Transfer RNA (tRNA), the most abundant class of RNA molecules in the human transcriptome, participates in both protein synthesis and cellular metabolic processes. tRNA-derived fragments (tRFs) are produced by specific cleavage of pre-tRNA and mature tRNA molecules, which are highly conserved and occur widely in various organisms. tRFs were initially thought to be random products with no physiological function, but have been redefined as novel functional small non-coding RNA molecules that help to regulate RNA stability, modulate translation, and influence target gene expression, as well as other biological processes. There is increasing evidence supporting roles for tRFs in tumorigenesis and cancer development, including the regulation of tumor cell proliferation, invasion, migration, and drug resistance. Understanding the regulatory mechanisms by which tRFs impact these processes has potential to inform malignant tumor diagnosis and treatment. Further, tRFs are expected to become new biological markers for early diagnosis and prognosis prediction in patients with tumors, as well as a targets for precision cancer therapies. Video abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengdan Gong
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Affiliated Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315040, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yongqin Deng
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Affiliated Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315040, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yizhen Xiang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Affiliated Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315040, Zhejiang, China
| | - Dong Ye
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Affiliated Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315040, Zhejiang, China.
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12
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Magesh S, Gande P, Yalamarty R, John D, Chakladar J, Li WT, Ongkeko WM. Characterization of tRNA-Derived Fragments in Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma with Respect to Tobacco Smoke. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24065501. [PMID: 36982573 PMCID: PMC10057801 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) is a highly heterogeneous cancer that is influenced by etiological agents such as tobacco smoke. Accordingly, transfer RNA-derived fragments (tRFs) are implicated in both cancer onset and development and demonstrate the potential to act as targets for cancer treatments and therapies. Therefore, we aimed to characterize tRF expression with respect to LUSC pathogenesis and clinical outcomes. Specifically, we analyzed the effect of tobacco smoke on tRF expression. In order to do so, we extracted tRF read counts from MINTbase v2.0 for 425 primary tumor samples and 36 adjacent normal samples. We analyzed the data in three primary cohorts: (1) all primary tumor samples (425 samples), (2) smoking-induced LUSC primary tumor samples (134 samples), and (3) non-smoking-induced LUSC primary tumor samples (18 samples). Differential expression analysis was performed to examine tRF expression in each of the three cohorts. tRF expression was correlated to clinical variables and patient survival outcomes. We identified unique tRFs in primary tumor samples, smoking-induced LUSC primary tumor samples, and non-smoking-induced LUSC primary tumor samples. In addition, many of these tRFs demonstrated correlations to worse patient survival outcomes. Notably, tRFs in the smoking-induced LUSC and non-smoking-induced LUSC primary tumor cohorts were significantly correlated to clinical variables pertaining to cancer stage and treatment efficacy. We hope that our results will be used to better inform future LUSC diagnostic and therapeutic modalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shruti Magesh
- Department of Surgery, Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, UC San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
- Research Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA 92161, USA
| | - Pranava Gande
- Department of Surgery, Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, UC San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
- Research Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA 92161, USA
| | - Rishabh Yalamarty
- Department of Surgery, Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, UC San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
- Research Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA 92161, USA
| | - Daniel John
- Department of Surgery, Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, UC San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
- Research Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA 92161, USA
| | - Jaideep Chakladar
- Department of Surgery, Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, UC San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
- Research Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA 92161, USA
| | - Wei Tse Li
- Department of Surgery, Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, UC San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
- Research Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA 92161, USA
- School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Weg M. Ongkeko
- Department of Surgery, Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, UC San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
- Research Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA 92161, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-858-552-8585 (ext. 7165)
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13
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Pekarsky Y, Balatti V, Croce CM. tRNA-derived fragments (tRFs) in cancer. J Cell Commun Signal 2023; 17:47-54. [PMID: 36036848 PMCID: PMC10030754 DOI: 10.1007/s12079-022-00690-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/07/2022] [Indexed: 10/15/2022] Open
Abstract
tRNA fragments (tRNA derived fragments or tRFs) are small single stranded RNA molecules derived from pre-tRNAs and mature tRNAs. tRFs have been known for a number of years, but previously they were believed to be not important products of tRNA degradation. tRFs can be unique, like tRF-1 s, or redundant, like tRF-3 s and tRF-5 s. Scientific interest in tRFs has drastically increased in the last 5 years. Many studies have found that tRFs are differentially expressed in many normal cellular processes as well as in transformed cancer cells. Dysregulation of tRFs expression have been reported in multiple major types of cancer including solid cancers and lymphoid malignancies. However the exact molecular role of these molecules is not entirely clear. A number of studies proposed that tRFs can work as microRNAs by targeting gene expression. Here we discuss recent studies showing differential expression of tRFs in many cancers as well as what is currently known about tRFs biological functions in cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuri Pekarsky
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Biomedical Research Tower, Room 1082, 460 West 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA.
| | - Veronica Balatti
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Biomedical Research Tower, Room 1082, 460 West 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Carlo M Croce
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Biomedical Research Tower, Room 1082, 460 West 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA.
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Fu M, Gu J, Wang M, Zhang J, Chen Y, Jiang P, Zhu T, Zhang X. Emerging roles of tRNA-derived fragments in cancer. Mol Cancer 2023; 22:30. [PMID: 36782290 PMCID: PMC9926655 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-023-01739-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
tRNA-derived fragments (tRFs) are an emerging category of small non-coding RNAs that are generated from cleavage of mature tRNAs or tRNA precursors. The advance in high-throughput sequencing has contributed to the identification of increasing number of tRFs with critical functions in distinct physiological and pathophysiological processes. tRFs can regulate cell viability, differentiation, and homeostasis through multiple mechanisms and are thus considered as critical regulators of human diseases including cancer. In addition, increasing evidence suggest the extracellular tRFs may be utilized as promising diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for cancer liquid biopsy. In this review, we focus on the biogenesis, classification and modification of tRFs, and summarize the multifaceted functions of tRFs with an emphasis on the current research status and perspectives of tRFs in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Fu
- grid.452247.2Institute of Digestive Diseases, The Affiliated People’s Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212002 Jiangsu China ,grid.440785.a0000 0001 0743 511XJiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013 Jiangsu China
| | - Jianmei Gu
- grid.260483.b0000 0000 9530 8833Departmemt of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Nantong Tumor Hospital/Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, 226361 Jiangsu China
| | - Maoye Wang
- grid.440785.a0000 0001 0743 511XJiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013 Jiangsu China
| | - Jiahui Zhang
- grid.440785.a0000 0001 0743 511XJiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013 Jiangsu China
| | - Yanke Chen
- grid.440785.a0000 0001 0743 511XJiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013 Jiangsu China
| | - Pengcheng Jiang
- grid.452247.2Institute of Digestive Diseases, The Affiliated People’s Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212002 Jiangsu China
| | - Taofeng Zhu
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Yixing Hospital Affiliated to Jiangsu University, Yixing, 214200, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Xu Zhang
- Institute of Digestive Diseases, The Affiliated People's Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212002, Jiangsu, China. .,Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, Jiangsu, China.
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15
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Panoutsopoulou K, Magkou P, Dreyer T, Dorn J, Obermayr E, Mahner S, van Gorp T, Braicu I, Magdolen V, Zeillinger R, Avgeris M, Scorilas A. tRNA-derived small RNA 3'U-tRF ValCAC promotes tumour migration and early progression in ovarian cancer. Eur J Cancer 2023; 180:134-145. [PMID: 36599181 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2022.11.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Despite recent advances in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) management, the highly heterogenous histological/molecular tumour background and patients' treatment response obstructs personalised prognosis and therapeutics. Herein, we have studied the role and clinical utility of the novel subclass of tRNA-derived small RNA fragments emerging via 3'-trailer processing of pre-tRNAs (3'U-tRFs) in EOC. METHODS SK-OV-3 and OVCAR-3 cells were used for in vitro study. Following transfection, cell growth and migration were assessed by CCK8 and wound healing assays, respectively. 3'U-tRFs levels were assessed by reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), following 3'-end RNA polyadenylation. A screening (OVCAD, n = 100) and institutionally independent validation (TU Munich, n = 103) cohorts were employed for survival analysis using disease progression and patients' death as clinical end-points. Bootstrap analysis was performed for internal validation, and decision curve analysis was used to evaluate clinical benefit on disease prognosis. RESULTS Following primary clinical assessment, target prediction and gene ontology analyses, the 3'U-tRFValCAC (derived from pre-tRNAValCAC) was highlighted to regulate cell proliferation and adhesion, and to correlate with inferior patients' outcome. 3'U-tRFValCAC transfection of SK-OV-3 and OVCAR-3 cells resulted in significantly increased cell growth and migration, in a dose-dependent manner. Elevated tumour 3'U-tRFValCAC levels were associated with significantly higher risk for early progression and worse survival following first-line platinum-based chemotherapy, independently of patients' clinicopathological data, chemotherapy response, and residual tumour. Interestingly, 3'U-tRFValCAC-fitted multivariate models improved risk stratification and provided superior clinical net benefit in prediction of treatment outcome compared to disease established markers. CONCLUSIONS 3'U-tRFValCAC promotes tumour cell growth and migration and supports modern risk stratification and prognosis in EOC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantina Panoutsopoulou
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Paraskevi Magkou
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Tobias Dreyer
- Clinical Research Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Julia Dorn
- Clinical Research Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Eva Obermayr
- Molecular Oncology Group, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Comprehensive Cancer Center-Gynecologic Cancer Unit, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sven Mahner
- Department of Gynecology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Toon van Gorp
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, University Hospital Leuven, Leuven Cancer Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ioana Braicu
- Department of Gynecology, Charité University Medicine, Campus Virchow, Berlin, Germany
| | - Viktor Magdolen
- Clinical Research Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Robert Zeillinger
- Molecular Oncology Group, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Comprehensive Cancer Center-Gynecologic Cancer Unit, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Margaritis Avgeris
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece; Laboratory of Clinical Biochemistry - Molecular Diagnostics, Second Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, "P. & A. Kyriakou" Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece.
| | - Andreas Scorilas
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
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16
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Liu D, Wu C, Wang J, Zhang L, Sun Z, Chen S, Ding Y, Wang W. Transfer RNA-derived fragment 5'tRF-Gly promotes the development of hepatocellular carcinoma by direct targeting of carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 1. Cancer Sci 2022; 113:3476-3488. [PMID: 35879647 PMCID: PMC9530880 DOI: 10.1111/cas.15505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Transfer RNA-derived fragments are a group of small noncoding single-stranded RNA that play essential roles in multiple diseases. However, their biological functions in carcinogenesis are not well understood. In this study, 5'tRF-Gly was found to have significantly high expression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and the upregulation of 5'tRF-Gly was positively correlated with tumor size and tumor metastasis. Overexpression of 5'tRF-Gly induced increased growth rate and metastasis in HCC cells in vitro and in nude mice, while knockdown showed the opposite effect. Carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 1 (CEACAM1) was confirmed to be a direct target of 5'tRF-Gly in HCC. In addition, the cytological effect of CEACAM1 knockdown proved to be similar to the overexpression of 5'tRF-Gly. Moreover, attenuation of CEACAM1 expression rescued the 5'tRF-Gly-mediated promoting effects on HCC cells. These data show that 5'tRF-Gly is a new tumor-promoting factor and could be a potential diagnostic biomarker or new therapeutic target for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dekai Liu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The Second Affiliated HospitalZhejiang University School of MedicineHangzhouChina
- Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment for Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Tumor of Zhejiang ProvinceHangzhouChina
- Research Center of Diagnosis and Treatment Technology for Hepatocellular Carcinoma of Zhejiang ProvinceHangzhouChina
- Clinical Medicine Innovation Center of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment for Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Disease of Zhejiang UniversityHangzhouChina
- Clinical Research Center of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang ProvinceHangzhouChina
- Cancer CenterZhejiang UniversityHangzhouChina
| | - Chengdong Wu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The Second Affiliated HospitalZhejiang University School of MedicineHangzhouChina
- Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment for Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Tumor of Zhejiang ProvinceHangzhouChina
- Research Center of Diagnosis and Treatment Technology for Hepatocellular Carcinoma of Zhejiang ProvinceHangzhouChina
- Clinical Medicine Innovation Center of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment for Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Disease of Zhejiang UniversityHangzhouChina
- Clinical Research Center of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang ProvinceHangzhouChina
- Cancer CenterZhejiang UniversityHangzhouChina
| | - Jingjie Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The Second Affiliated HospitalZhejiang University School of MedicineHangzhouChina
- Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment for Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Tumor of Zhejiang ProvinceHangzhouChina
- Research Center of Diagnosis and Treatment Technology for Hepatocellular Carcinoma of Zhejiang ProvinceHangzhouChina
- Clinical Medicine Innovation Center of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment for Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Disease of Zhejiang UniversityHangzhouChina
- Clinical Research Center of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang ProvinceHangzhouChina
- Cancer CenterZhejiang UniversityHangzhouChina
| | - Lufei Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The Second Affiliated HospitalZhejiang University School of MedicineHangzhouChina
- Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment for Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Tumor of Zhejiang ProvinceHangzhouChina
- Research Center of Diagnosis and Treatment Technology for Hepatocellular Carcinoma of Zhejiang ProvinceHangzhouChina
- Clinical Medicine Innovation Center of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment for Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Disease of Zhejiang UniversityHangzhouChina
- Clinical Research Center of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang ProvinceHangzhouChina
- Cancer CenterZhejiang UniversityHangzhouChina
| | - Zhongquan Sun
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The Second Affiliated HospitalZhejiang University School of MedicineHangzhouChina
- Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment for Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Tumor of Zhejiang ProvinceHangzhouChina
- Research Center of Diagnosis and Treatment Technology for Hepatocellular Carcinoma of Zhejiang ProvinceHangzhouChina
- Clinical Medicine Innovation Center of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment for Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Disease of Zhejiang UniversityHangzhouChina
- Clinical Research Center of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang ProvinceHangzhouChina
- Cancer CenterZhejiang UniversityHangzhouChina
| | - Shihong Chen
- Department of Clinical MedicineWenzhou Medical CollegeWenzhouChina
| | - Yuan Ding
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The Second Affiliated HospitalZhejiang University School of MedicineHangzhouChina
- Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment for Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Tumor of Zhejiang ProvinceHangzhouChina
- Research Center of Diagnosis and Treatment Technology for Hepatocellular Carcinoma of Zhejiang ProvinceHangzhouChina
- Clinical Medicine Innovation Center of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment for Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Disease of Zhejiang UniversityHangzhouChina
- Clinical Research Center of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang ProvinceHangzhouChina
- Cancer CenterZhejiang UniversityHangzhouChina
| | - Weilin Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The Second Affiliated HospitalZhejiang University School of MedicineHangzhouChina
- Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment for Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Tumor of Zhejiang ProvinceHangzhouChina
- Research Center of Diagnosis and Treatment Technology for Hepatocellular Carcinoma of Zhejiang ProvinceHangzhouChina
- Clinical Medicine Innovation Center of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment for Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Disease of Zhejiang UniversityHangzhouChina
- Clinical Research Center of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang ProvinceHangzhouChina
- Cancer CenterZhejiang UniversityHangzhouChina
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Qin C, Chen ZH, Cao R, Shi MJ, Tian Y. A Novel tiRNA-Gly-GCC-1 Promotes Progression of Urothelial Bladder Carcinoma and Directly Targets TLR4. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14194555. [PMID: 36230476 PMCID: PMC9558499 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14194555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Revised: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Patients with urothelial bladder carcinoma (UBC) have a poor prognosis and a high risk of progression. Recently, tRNA-derived small RNAs (tsRNAs), a novel type of noncoding RNA, have been identified. In our previous study, we found differential expression profiles of tsRNAs in UBC. As a result, tiRNA-Gly-GCC-1 was significantly upregulated in UBC tissue and might target the predicted target gene toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) to play a regulatory role in UBC. Here, after lentiviral transfection in UBC cell lines, the results showed down-regulation of tiRNA-Gly-GCC-1 could inhibit cell proliferation, migration and invasion, promote cell apoptosis, and affect the cell cycle. Besides, tiRNA-Gly-GCC-1 was found to inhibit TLR4 expression by directly targeting its 3′UTR. In summary, our study demonstrated that tiRNA-Gly-GCC-1 promotes the progression of UBC and directly targets TLR4. This study provides novel insights for future investigations to explore the mechanisms and therapeutic targets for UBC. Abstract Background: Patients with urothelial bladder carcinoma (UBC) have a poor prognosis and a high risk of progression. Recently, tRNA-derived small RNAs (tsRNAs), a novel type of noncoding RNA, have been identified. In our previous study, we found tiRNA-Gly-GCC-1 was significantly upregulated in UBC tissue and might target the predicted target gene toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) to play a regulatory role in UBC. Thus, the aim of this study was to identify the functional roles of tiRNA-Gly-GCC-1 and the relationship between tiRNA-Gly-GCC-1 and TLR4. Methods: After lentiviral transfection in 5637 and T24 cell lines, quantitative reverse transcription-PCR, Cell Counting Kit-8, IncuCyte ZOOM™ live cell imaging, flow cytometry, Transwell assays, scratch assay, and luciferase assay were performed. Results: The results showed down-regulation of tiRNA-Gly-GCC-1 inhibits cell proliferation, migration and invasion, promotes cell apoptosis, and affects the cell cycle. Besides, tiRNA-Gly-GCC-1 was found to inhibit TLR4 expression by directly targeting its 3′UTR. Conclusions: Our study demonstrated that tiRNA-Gly-GCC-1 promotes the progression of UBC and directly targets TLR4. This study provides novel insights for future investigations to explore the mechanisms and therapeutic targets for UBC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Ye Tian
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-18810614607
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18
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You J, Yang G, Wu Y, Lu X, Huang S, Chen Q, Huang C, Chen F, Xu X, Chen L. Plasma tRF-1:29-Pro-AGG-1-M6 and tRF-55:76-Tyr-GTA-1-M2 as novel diagnostic biomarkers for lung adenocarcinoma. Front Oncol 2022; 12:991451. [PMID: 36203461 PMCID: PMC9530285 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.991451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective TRNA-derived fragments (tRFs) and tRNA-derived stress-induced RNAs (tiRNAs) are recognized as novel and potential types of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), and several tRF/tiRNA signatures are closely associated with tumor diagnosis. This study aimed to analyze the expression profiles of plasma tRFs/tiRNAs and to clarify their diagnostic value in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). Methods The differential expression profiles of plasma tRFs/tiRNAs in patients with four patients with early LUAD, four patients with advanced LUAD, and four healthy controls were analyzed using high-throughput sequencing technology. Then, plasma tRFs/tiRNAs were validated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), and their diagnostic efficiency was appraised by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. The correlation of candidate plasma tRFs/tiRNAs with clinicopathological features was also analyzed. Finally, bioinformatics analysis was performed to explore and identify the potential biological pathways induced by tRFs/tiRNAs. Results The sequencing results revealed that tRFs/tiRNAs from plasma samples in patients with LUAD were differently expressed, supporting the necessity of exploring their potential as biomarkers. The validation results of qRT-PCR demonstrated that the expression level of tRF-1:29-Pro-AGG-1-M6 was downregulated in LUAD, while that of tRF-55:76-Tyr-GTA-1-M2 was upregulated, which was consistent with the sequencing data. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve of tRF-1:29-Pro-AGG-1-M6 and tRF-55:76-Tyr-GTA-1-M2 were 0.882 and 0.896, respectively, which have significant values in the diagnosis of LUAD. The expressions of tRF-1:29-Pro-AGG-1-M6 and tRF-55:76-Tyr-GTA-1-M2 in LUAD were obviously correlated with various clinicopathological features such as tumor–node–metastasis stage, node stage, and the expression levels of carcinoembryonic antigen. In addition, their expression was significantly altered from before to after tumor resection in LUAD patients. The results of Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analyses further indicated that tRF-1:29-Pro-AGG-1-M6 and tRF-55:76-Tyr-GTA-1-M2 are widely distributed and apparently enriched in several tumor-related signaling pathways. Conclusions Plasma tRF-1:29-Pro-AGG-1-M6 and tRF-55:76-Tyr-GTA-1-M2 may be promising components in the development of highly sensitive and non-invasive biomarkers for LUAD diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianbin You
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Shengli Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Guoliu Yang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Shengli Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yi Wu
- Department of Basic Medical Science, Xiamen Medical College, Xiamen, China
| | - Xuan Lu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Zhangzhou Skin Disease Prevention and Treatment Hospital of Fujian Province, Zhangzhou, China
| | - Shuyu Huang
- Department of Blood Transfusion, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Qianshun Chen
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shengli Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Chen Huang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shengli Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Falin Chen
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Shengli Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Falin Chen, ; Xunyu Xu, ; Liangyuan Chen,
| | - Xunyu Xu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shengli Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Falin Chen, ; Xunyu Xu, ; Liangyuan Chen,
| | - Liangyuan Chen
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Shengli Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Falin Chen, ; Xunyu Xu, ; Liangyuan Chen,
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19
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George S, Rafi M, Aldarmaki M, ElSiddig M, Al Nuaimi M, Amiri KMA. tRNA derived small RNAs—Small players with big roles. Front Genet 2022; 13:997780. [PMID: 36199575 PMCID: PMC9527309 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.997780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In the past 2 decades, small non-coding RNAs derived from tRNA (tsRNAs or tRNA derived fragments; tRFs) have emerged as new powerful players in the field of small RNA mediated regulation of gene expression, translation, and epigenetic control. tRFs have been identified from evolutionarily divergent organisms from Archaea, the higher plants, to humans. Recent studies have confirmed their roles in cancers and other metabolic disorders in humans and experimental models. They have been implicated in biotic and abiotic stress responses in plants as well. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on tRFs including types of tRFs, their biogenesis, and mechanisms of action. The review also highlights recent studies involving differential expression profiling of tRFs and elucidation of specific functions of individual tRFs from various species. We also discuss potential considerations while designing experiments involving tRFs identification and characterization and list the available bioinformatics tools for this purpose.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suja George
- Khalifa Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Mohammed Rafi
- Khalifa Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Maitha Aldarmaki
- Khalifa Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Mohamed ElSiddig
- Khalifa Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Mariam Al Nuaimi
- Khalifa Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Khaled M. A. Amiri
- Khalifa Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
- Department of Biology, College of Science, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
- *Correspondence: Khaled M. A. Amiri,
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20
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Su Z, Monshaugen I, Klungland A, Ougland R, Dutta A. Characterization of novel small non-coding RNAs and their modifications in bladder cancer using an updated small RNA-seq workflow. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:887686. [PMID: 35923465 PMCID: PMC9340255 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.887686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Bladder cancer (BLCA) is one of the most common cancer types worldwide. The disease is responsible for about 200,000 deaths annually, thus improved diagnostics and therapy is needed. A large body of evidence reveal that small RNAs of less than 40 nucleotides may act as tumor suppressors, oncogenes, and disease biomarkers, with a major focus on microRNAs. However, the role of other families of small RNAs is not yet deciphered. Recent results suggest that small RNAs and their modification status, play a role in BLCA development and are promising biomarkers due to their high abundance in the exomes and body fluids (including urine). Moreover, free modified nucleosides have been detected at elevated levels from the urine of BLCA patients. A genome-wide view of small RNAs, and their modifications, will help pinpoint the molecules that could be used as biomarker or has important biology in BLCA development. Methods: BLCA tumor tissue specimens were obtained from 12 patients undergoing transurethral resection of non-muscle invasive papillary urothelial carcinomas. Genome-wide profiling of small RNAs less than 40 bases long was performed by a modified protocol with TGIRT (thermostable group II reverse transcriptase) to identify novel small RNAs and their modification status. Results: Comprehensive analysis identified not only microRNAs. Intriguingly, 57 ± 15% (mean ± S.D.) of sequencing reads mapped to non-microRNA-small RNAs including tRNA-derived fragments (tRFs), ribosomal RNA-derived fragments (rRFs) and YRNA-derived fragments (YRFs). Misincorporation (mismatch) sites identified potential base modification positions on the small RNAs, especially on tRFs, corresponding to m1A (N1-methyladenosine), m1G (N1-methylguanosine) and m2 2G (N2, N2-dimethylguanosine). We also detected mismatch sites on rRFs corresponding to known modifications on 28 and 18S rRNA. Conclusion: We found abundant non-microRNA-small RNAs in BLCA tumor samples. Small RNAs, especially tRFs and rRFs, contain modifications that can be captured as mismatch by TGIRT sequencing. Both the modifications and the non-microRNA-small RNAs should be explored as a biomarker for BLCA detection or follow-up.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhangli Su
- Department of Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - Ida Monshaugen
- Department of Microbiology, Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Surgery, Baerum Hospital Vestre Viken Hospital Trust, Gjettum, Norway
| | - Arne Klungland
- Department of Microbiology, Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Biosciences, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Rune Ougland
- Department of Microbiology, Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Surgery, Baerum Hospital Vestre Viken Hospital Trust, Gjettum, Norway
| | - Anindya Dutta
- Department of Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
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21
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Fu BF, Xu CY. Transfer RNA-Derived Small RNAs: Novel Regulators and Biomarkers of Cancers. Front Oncol 2022; 12:843598. [PMID: 35574338 PMCID: PMC9096126 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.843598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Transfer RNA-derived small RNAs (tsRNAs) are conventional non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) with a length between18 and 40 nucleotides (nt) playing a crucial role in treating various human diseases including tumours. Nowadays, with the use of high-throughput sequencing technologies, it has been proven that certain tsRNAs are dysregulated in multiple tumour tissues as well as in the blood serum of cancer patients. Meanwhile, data retrieved from the literature show that tsRNAs are correlated with the regulation of the hallmarks of cancer, modification of tumour microenvironment, and modulation of drug resistance. On the other side, the emerging role of tsRNAs as biomarkers for cancer diagnosis and prognosis is promising. In this review, we focus on the specific characteristics and biological functions of tsRNAs with a focus on their impact on various tumours and discuss the possibility of tsRNAs as novel potential biomarkers for cancer diagnosis and prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bi-Fei Fu
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Affiliated Jinhua Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Jinhua, China
| | - Chao-Yang Xu
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Affiliated Jinhua Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Jinhua, China
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22
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Karagiannis D, Rampias T. Cancer Evolution in Precision Medicine Era. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14081885. [PMID: 35454790 PMCID: PMC9032969 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14081885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 04/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent advances in our understanding of cancer, driven mainly by the emergence of new technologies have highlighted that heterogeneity shapes not only the genetic profile of tumors but also their epigenetic and gene expression profile [...]
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitris Karagiannis
- Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Correspondence: (D.K.); (T.R.); Tel.: +1-347-261-4743 (D.K.); +30-210-659-7459 (T.R.)
| | - Theodoros Rampias
- Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
- Correspondence: (D.K.); (T.R.); Tel.: +1-347-261-4743 (D.K.); +30-210-659-7459 (T.R.)
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23
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Qin C, Chen ZH, Cao R, Shi MJ, Tian Y. Differential Expression Profiles and Bioinformatics Analysis of tRNA-Derived Small RNAs in Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer in a Chinese Population. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13040601. [PMID: 35456407 PMCID: PMC9030102 DOI: 10.3390/genes13040601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Revised: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) leads to a large societal burden. Recently, tRNA-derived small RNAs (tsRNAs), a novel type of noncoding RNA (ncRNAs), have been identified. However, the expression patterns and functions of tsRNAs in MIBC have not yet been identified. Here, RNA sequencing, bioinformatics, and quantitative reverse transcription- polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) were used to screen the expression profiles and predict the potential roles of tsRNAs in MIBC. Of 406 tsRNAs differentially expressed in MIBC tissues, 91 tsRNAs were significantly differentially expressed. Then, four candidate tsRNAs, tiRNA-1:34-Val-CAC-2, tiRNA-1:33-Gly-GCC-1, tRF-1:32-Gly-GCC-1, and tRF-+1:T20-Ser-TGA-1, were selected. Next, a bioinformatics analysis showed the potential target genes and tsRNA–mRNA network. The most significant and meaningful terms of gene ontology were the positive regulation of the phosphate metabolic process, lamellipodium, and protein-cysteine S-acyltransferase activity in the biological process, cellular component, and molecular function, respectively. In addition, the top four pathways were predicted by the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes database (KEGG). Finally, qRT-PCR demonstrated a similar expression pattern compared to sequencing data for the candidate tsRNAs. In short, we find differential expression profiles and predict that tiRNA-1:33-Gly-GCC-1, tRF-1:32-Gly-GCC-1, and tRF-+1:T20-Ser-TGA-1 are very likely to engage in the pathophysiological process of MIBC via regulating the target genes in the key pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Ye Tian
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-010-63138377
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24
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Zhang Z, Liu Z, Zhao W, Zhao X, Tao Y. tRF-19-W4PU732S promotes breast cancer cell malignant activity by targeting inhibition of RPL27A (ribosomal protein-L27A). Bioengineered 2022; 13:2087-2098. [PMID: 35030975 PMCID: PMC8974017 DOI: 10.1080/21655979.2021.2023796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer (BC) is a serious threat to female health. tRNA-derived fragments (tRFs) are popular biomarkers for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. The purpose of this study was to identify tRFs related to BC and to explore the function and regulatory mechanism of crucial tRFs in BC cells. Small RNA database was used to detect the tRF profiles from BC patients and controls. Differentially expressed tRFs were determined by quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR), and a crucial tRF was evaluated through silence and overexpression experiments, and the target gene was investigated by luciferase reporter gene assay, Western blot and rescue experiment. We screened tRF-19-W4PU732S, which was processed from the mature tRNA-Ser-AGA, and significantly highlyexpressed in BC tissues and cells. Inhibition of tRF-19-W4PU732S weakened MDA-MB-231 cell proliferation, migration and invasion, while enhanced apoptosis. On the contrary, overexpression of tRF-19-W4PU732S promoted MCF-7 cell proliferation, migration and invasion, whereasreduced apoptosis. Furthermore, tRF-19-W4PU732S induced BC cell epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cancer stem-like cells (CSC) phenotypes, such as up-regulation of OCT-4A, SOX2 and Vimentin and down-regulation of E-cadherin. Ribosomal protein-L27A (RPL27A) was a downstream target of tRF-19-W4PU732S, which was lowly expressed in BC cells. The knockdown of RPL27A expression partially restored the promoting effects of tRF-19-W4PU732S on BC cell viability, invasion, migration, EMT and CSC phenotypes, and the suppression of apoptosis. In conclusion, our results manifested that tRF-19-W4PU732S promotes the malignant activity of BC cells by inhibiting RPL27A, which provides a new scientific basis for the treatment of BC.Abbreviations BC: breast cancer; tRNAs: transfer RNAs; tiRNAs: tRNA-derived stressinduced RNAs; tRFs: tRNA-derived fragments; CCK-8: Cell Counting Kit-8; PI: propidium iodide; EMT: epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition; CSC: cancer stem-like cells; RPL27A: ribosomal protein-L27A; RT-qPCR: quantitative reverse transcription PCR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengxiang Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Yijishan Hospital, First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, China
| | - Zhiping Liu
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The Affiliated Hefei Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - WeiDong Zhao
- Department of Oncology, Yijishan Hospital, First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, China
| | - Xiaohan Zhao
- Department of Oncology, Yijishan Hospital, First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, China
| | - Yunxiang Tao
- Department of Dermatology, Yijishan Hospital, First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, China
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25
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Hu Y, Cai A, Xu J, Feng W, Wu A, Liu R, Cai W, Chen L, Wang F. An emerging role of the 5' termini of mature tRNAs in human diseases: Current situation and prospects. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2022; 1868:166314. [PMID: 34863896 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2021.166314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Revised: 10/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The fundamental biological roles of a class of small noncoding RNAs (sncRNAs), derived from mature tRNAs or pre-tRNAs, in human diseases have received increasing attention in recent years. These ncRNAs are called tRNA-derived fragments (tRFs) or tRNA-derived small RNAs (tsRNAs). tRFs mainly include tRF-1, tRF-5, tRF-3 and tRNA halves (tiRNAs or tRHs), which are produced by enzyme-specific cleavage of tRNAs. Here, we classify tRF-5 and 5' tiRNAs into the same category: 5'-tRFs and review the biological functions and regulatory mechanisms of 5'-tRFs in cancer and other diseases (metabolic diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, pathological stress injury and virus infection) to provide a new theoretical basis for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhao Hu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Jiangsu, China
| | - Aiting Cai
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jing Xu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of public health, Nantong University, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wei Feng
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Jiangsu, China
| | - Anqi Wu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ruoyu Liu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Jiangsu, China
| | - Weihua Cai
- Department of Hepatology Laboratory, Nantong Third Hospital Affiliated to Nantong University, Jiangsu, China
| | - Lin Chen
- Department of Hepatology Laboratory, Nantong Third Hospital Affiliated to Nantong University, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Feng Wang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Jiangsu, China.
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26
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Wang Y, Weng Q, Ge J, Zhang X, Guo J, Ye G. tRNA-derived small RNAs: mechanisms and potential roles in cancers. Genes Dis 2022; 9:1431-1442. [PMID: 36157501 PMCID: PMC9485285 DOI: 10.1016/j.gendis.2021.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Transfer RNAs (tRNAs) are essential for protein synthesis. Mature or pre-tRNAs may be cleaved to produce tRNA-derived small RNAs (tsRNAs). tsRNAs, divided into tRNA-derived stress-induced RNA (tiRNAs) and tRNA-derived fragments (tRFs), play versatile roles in a number of fundamental biological processes. tsRNAs not only play regulatory roles in gene silencing, RNA stability, reverse transcription, and translation, but are also closely related to cell proliferation, migration, cell cycle, and apoptosis. Their abnormal expression is associated with the occurrence and development of various human diseases, especially cancer. This paper reviews the classification, biogenesis, and mechanism of action of tsRNAs, and the research progress to date on tsRNAs in cancers. These findings provide new opportunities for diagnostic biomarkers and treatment targets of several types of cancers including gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, hepatocellular carcinomas, pancreatic cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, renal cell carcinoma, ovarian cancer, lung cancer, bladder cancer, thyroid cancer, oral cancer, and leukemia.
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27
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tRNA GlyGCC-Derived Internal Fragment (i-tRF-GlyGCC) in Ovarian Cancer Treatment Outcome and Progression. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 14:cancers14010024. [PMID: 35008188 PMCID: PMC8750938 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14010024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Revised: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) remains a highly-lethal gynecological malignancy, characterized by frequent recurrence, chemotherapy resistance and poor 5-year survival. Identifying novel predictive molecular markers remains an overdue challenge in the disease's clinical management. Herein, in silico analysis of TCGA-OV highlighted the tRNA-derived internal fragment (i-tRF-GlyGCC) among the most abundant tRFs in ovarian tumors, while target prediction and gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis predicted its implication in key biological processes. Thereafter, i-tRF-GlyGCC levels were quantified in a screening EOC (n = 98) and an institutionally-independent serous ovarian cancer (SOC) validation cohort (n = 100, OVCAD multicenter study). Disease progression and patient death were used as clinical endpoints for the survival analysis. Internal validation was performed by bootstrap analysis and the clinical net benefit was estimated by decision curve analysis. The analysis highlighted the significant association of i-tRF-GlyGCC with advanced FIGO stages, suboptimal debulking and most importantly, with early progression and poor overall survival of EOC patients. The OVCAD validation cohort corroborated the unfavorable predictive value of i-tRF-GlyGCC in EOC. Ultimately, evaluation of i-tRF-GlyGCC with the established/clinically used prognostic markers offered superior patient risk-stratification and enhanced clinical benefit in EOC prognosis. In conclusion, i-tRF-GlyGCC assessment could aid towards personalized prognosis and support precision medicine decisions in EOC.
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28
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tRNA Derivatives in Multiple Myeloma: Investigation of the Potential Value of a tRNA-Derived Molecular Signature. Biomedicines 2021; 9:biomedicines9121811. [PMID: 34944627 PMCID: PMC8698603 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9121811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Revised: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Multiple myeloma (MM) is a hematologic malignancy arising from the clonal proliferation of malignant plasma cells. tRNA-derived RNA fragments (tRFs) constitute a class of small non-coding RNAs, deriving from specific enzymatic cleavage of tRNAs. To the best of our knowledge, this is one of few studies to uncover the potential clinical significance of tRFs in MM. Total RNA was extracted from CD138+ plasma cells of MM and smoldering MM patients, and in vitro polyadenylated. First-strand cDNA synthesis was performed, priming from an oligo-dT-adaptor sequence. Next, real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) assays were developed for the quantification of six tRFs. Biostatistical analysis was performed to assess the results and in silico analysis was conducted to predict the function of one of the tRFs. Our results showed that elevated levels of five out of six tRFs are indicators of favorable prognosis in MM, predicting prolonged overall survival (OS), while two of them constitute potential molecular biomarkers of favorable prognosis in terms of disease progression. Moreover, three tRFs could be used as surrogate prognostic biomarkers along with the R-ISS staging system to predict OS. In conclusion, tRFs show molecular biomarker utility in MM, while their mechanisms of function merit further investigation.
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29
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Sahlolbei M, Fattahi F, Vafaei S, Rajabzadeh R, Shiralipour A, Madjd Z, Kiani J. Relationship Between Low Expressions of tRNA-Derived Fragments with Metastatic Behavior of Colorectal Cancer. J Gastrointest Cancer 2021; 53:862-869. [PMID: 34837147 DOI: 10.1007/s12029-021-00773-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most commonly diagnosed malignant tumors and highly heterogeneous diseases. More recently, RNA expression profiles have been used as prognostic cancer markers. In this regard, the expression of small non-coding RNAs like tRNA-derived fragments (tRFs) in tumor tissue has potential diagnostic values in metastatic cancer. METHOD Sixty postoperative CRC tissue samples, consisting of 30 cancers and 30 adjacent normal tissues, were collected from cancer patients. We evaluated MINTbase database to select tRNA-derived fragments. The expression levels of miR-1280, miR1308, tRNA-ValAAC/CAC, and tRNA-AspGTC were measured by TaqMan quantitative reverse transcription PCR technology. Also, we have evaluated the correlation between the levels of tRFs gene expression and clinicopathological of CRC disease. RESULT The three tRFs derived from tRF/miR-1280, tRNA-ValAAC/CAC, and tRNA-AspGTC downregulated in tumor tissues (all, p < 0.0001). These tRFs have lower expression in stage IV in comparison with stage III. The tRFs derived from tRNA-ValAAC (p = 0.005) and tRNA-AspGTC (p = 0.034) showed the decreased expression in CRC patients with distant metastasis. CONCLUSION The present study demonstrated that low expression of tRF/miR-1280, tRNA-ValAAC/CAC, and tRNA-AspGTC was significantly associated with metastatic stage and more aggressive tumor behavior of CRC disease. Our finding promising the potential of using tRFs as biomarkers for cancer diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Sahlolbei
- Student Research Committee, Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran, Iran
| | - Fahimeh Fattahi
- Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran, Iran.,Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Somayeh Vafaei
- Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran, Iran.,Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Rezvan Rajabzadeh
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, Bojnurd, Iran
| | - Aref Shiralipour
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Zahra Madjd
- Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran, Iran
| | - Jafar Kiani
- Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran, Iran. .,Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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30
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Emerging Functions for snoRNAs and snoRNA-Derived Fragments. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms221910193. [PMID: 34638533 PMCID: PMC8508363 DOI: 10.3390/ijms221910193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The widespread implementation of mass sequencing has revealed a diverse landscape of small RNAs derived from larger precursors. Whilst many of these are likely to be byproducts of degradation, there are nevertheless metabolically stable fragments derived from tRNAs, rRNAs, snoRNAs, and other non-coding RNA, with a number of examples of the production of such fragments being conserved across species. Coupled with specific interactions to RNA-binding proteins and a growing number of experimentally reported examples suggesting function, a case is emerging whereby the biological significance of small non-coding RNAs extends far beyond miRNAs and piRNAs. Related to this, a similarly complex picture is emerging of non-canonical roles for the non-coding precursors, such as for snoRNAs that are also implicated in such areas as the silencing of gene expression and the regulation of alternative splicing. This is in addition to a body of literature describing snoRNAs as an additional source of miRNA-like regulators. This review seeks to highlight emerging roles for such non-coding RNA, focusing specifically on “new” roles for snoRNAs and the small fragments derived from them.
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31
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Li X, Liu X, Zhao D, Cui W, Wu Y, Zhang C, Duan C. tRNA-derived small RNAs: novel regulators of cancer hallmarks and targets of clinical application. Cell Death Discov 2021; 7:249. [PMID: 34537813 PMCID: PMC8449783 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-021-00647-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
tRNAs are a group of conventional noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) with critical roles in the biological synthesis of proteins. Recently, tRNA-derived small RNAs (tsRNAs) were found to have important biological functions in the development of human diseases including carcinomas, rather than just being considered pure degradation material. tsRNAs not only are abnormally expressed in the cancer tissues and serum of cancer patients, but also have been suggested to regulate various vital cancer hallmarks. On the other hand, the application of tsRNAs as biomarkers and therapeutic targets is promising. In this review, we focused on the basic characteristics of tsRNAs, and their biological functions known thus far, and explored the regulatory roles of tsRNAs in cancer hallmarks including proliferation, apoptosis, metastasis, tumor microenvironment, drug resistance, cancer stem cell phenotype, and cancer cell metabolism. In addition, we also discussed the research progress on the application of tsRNAs as tumor biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xizhe Li
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Xiangya Road 87th, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, P. R. China.,Hunan Engineering Research Center for Pulmonary Nodules Precise Diagnosis & Treatment, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, P. R. China
| | - Xianyu Liu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Xiangya Road 87th, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, P. R. China.,Hunan Engineering Research Center for Pulmonary Nodules Precise Diagnosis & Treatment, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, P. R. China
| | - Deze Zhao
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Xiangya Road 87th, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, P. R. China.,Hunan Engineering Research Center for Pulmonary Nodules Precise Diagnosis & Treatment, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, P. R. China
| | - Weifang Cui
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Xiangya Road 87th, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, P. R. China.,Hunan Engineering Research Center for Pulmonary Nodules Precise Diagnosis & Treatment, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, P. R. China
| | - Yingfang Wu
- Centre of Stomatology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Xiangya Road 87th, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, P. R. China
| | - Chunfang Zhang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Xiangya Road 87th, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, P. R. China. .,Hunan Engineering Research Center for Pulmonary Nodules Precise Diagnosis & Treatment, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, P. R. China. .,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, P. R. China.
| | - Chaojun Duan
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Xiangya Road 87th, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, P. R. China. .,Hunan Engineering Research Center for Pulmonary Nodules Precise Diagnosis & Treatment, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, P. R. China. .,Institute of Medical Sciences, Xiangya Lung Cancer Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, P. R. China.
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