Silencing of FRAT1 by siRNA inhibits the proliferation of SGC7901 human gastric adenocarcinoma cells

Advances in RNAi therapies for gastric cancer: Targeting drug resistance and nanoscale delivery

Gastric cancer poses a significant health challenge, and exploring innovative therapeutic strategies is imperative. RNA interference (RNAi) has employed as an important therapeutic strategy for diseases by selectively targeting key pathways involved in diseases pathogenesis. Small interfering RNA (siRNA), a potent RNAi tool, possesses the capability to silence genes and downregulate their expression. This review provides a comprehensive examination of the potential applications of small interfering RNA (siRNA) and short hairpin RNA (shRNA), supplemented by an in-depth analysis of nanoscale delivery systems, in the context of gastric cancer treatment. The potential of siRNA to markedly diminish the proliferation and invasion of gastric cancer cells through the modulation of critical molecular pathways, including PI3K, Akt, and EMT, is highlighted. Besides, siRNA demonstrates its efficacy in inducing chemosensitivity in gastric tumor cells, thus impeding tumor progression. However, the translational potential of unmodified siRNA faces challenges, particularly in vivo and during clinical trials. To address this, we underscore the pivotal role of nanostructures in facilitating the delivery of siRNA to gastric cancer cells, effectively suppressing their progression and enhancing gene silencing efficiency. These siRNA-loaded nanoparticles exhibit robust internalization into gastric cancer cells, showcasing their potential to significantly reduce tumor progression. The translation of these findings into clinical trials holds promise for advancing the treatment of gastric cancer patients.

FRAT1 promotes the angiogenic properties of human glioblastoma cells via VEGFA

Glioblastoma is a common central nervous system tumor and despite considerable advancements in treatment patient prognosis remains poor. Angiogenesis is a significant prognostic factor in glioblastoma, anti‑angiogenic treatments represent a promising therapeutic approach. Vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) is a predominant regulator of angiogenesis and mounting evidence suggests that the Wnt signaling pathway serves a significant role in tumor angiogenesis. As a positive regulator of the Wnt/β‑catenin signaling pathway, frequently rearranged in advanced T‑cell lymphomas‑1 (FRAT1) is highly expressed in human glioblastoma and is significantly associated with glioblastoma growth, invasion and migration, as well as poor patient prognosis. Bioinformatics analysis demonstrated that both VEGFA and FRAT1 were highly expressed in most tumor tissues and associated with prognosis. However, whether and how FRAT1 is involved in angiogenesis remains to be elucidated. In the present study, the relationship between FRAT1 and VEGFA in angiogenesis was investigated using the human glioblastoma U251 cell line. Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) were used to silence FRAT1 expression in U251 cells, and the mRNA and protein expression levels of VEGFA, as well as the concentration of VEGFA in U251 cell supernatants, were determined using reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR, western blotting and ELISA. A tube formation assay was conducted to assess angiogenesis. The results demonstrated that siRNA knockdown significantly decreased the protein expression levels of FRAT1 in U251 cells and markedly decreased the mRNA and protein expression levels of VEGFA. Furthermore, the concentration of VEGFA in the cell supernatant was significantly reduced and angiogenesis was suppressed. These results suggested that FRAT1 may promote VEGFA secretion and angiogenesis in human glioblastoma cells via the Wnt/β‑catenin signaling pathway, supporting the potential use of FRAT1 as a promising therapeutic target in human glioblastoma.

Long non-coding RNA DANCR promotes cervical cancer growth via activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

Background

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are implicated in many pathophysiological processes, including cancers. In particular, lncRNA DANCR is regarded as a cancer-associated lncRNA exerting various regulatory mechanisms. However, the expressions, functions, and mechanisms of action of DANCR in cervical cancer are still unclear.

Methods

The expressions of DANCR in cervical cancer tissues and cell lines were evaluated using qRT-PCR. Correlations between DANCR expression and clinicopathological features and prognosis were analyzed. The roles of DANCR in cervical cancer growth were evaluated by in vitro CCK-8 and EdU assay, and in vivo xenograft assay. The regulatory effects of DANCR on Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway were evaluated using nuclear proteins extraction, western blot, and qRT-PCR.

Results

DANCR is increased in cervical cancer tissues and cell lines. Increased expression of DANCR is associated with large tumor size, advanced FIGO stage, and poor overall survival of cervical cancer patients. Functional experiments showed that enhanced expression of DANCR promotes cervical cancer cell proliferation in vitro and xenograft growth in vivo. Conversely, DANCR knockdown inhibits cervical cancer cell proliferation in vitro and xenograft growth in vivo. Mechanistic investigation demonstrated that DANCR upregulates the expressions of FRAT1 and FRAT2 and activates the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Blocking the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway abolishes the pro-proliferative roles of DANCR overexpression and anti-proliferative roles of DANCR knockdown.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest DANCR as an oncogenic lncRNA in cervical cancer through activating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, and imply that DANCR may be a promising prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for cervical cancer.

FRAT1 Enhances the Proliferation and Tumorigenesis of CD133+Nestin+ Glioma Stem Cells In Vitro and In Vivo

Glioma stem cells (GSCs) are considered the source for development, recurrence, and poor prognosis of glioma, so treatment targeted GSCs is of great interest. The frequently rearranged in advanced T cell lymphomas-1 (FRAT1) gene is an important member of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling transduction pathway, and aberrantly activation of Wnt signaling has been identified to contribute to the tumorigenesis, proliferation, invasion of a variety kinds of cancer stem cells. However, correlations between FRAT1 and GSCs and the specific mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of FRAT1 on GSCs proliferation, colony formation, sphere formation and tumorigenesity in vitro and in vivo and its underlying mechanism. Lentiviral transfection was used to construct GSCs with low FRAT1 expression. The expression of FRAT1 on GSCs proliferation in vitro was assessed by cell counting kit-8(CCK-8). Colony formation and sphere formation assays were conducted to assess the colony and sphere formation ability of GSCs. Then, an intracranial glioma nude mouse model was built to measure the effect of low FRAT1 expression on GSCs proliferation and tumorigenesity in vivo. Real-time PCR, Western blot, and Immunohistochemistry were processed to detect the mRNA and protein expressions of FRAT1, β-catenin in the glioma tissue of xenograft mice to study their correlations. The functional assays verifed that low FRAT1 expression inhibited CD133⁺Nestin⁺ GSCs proliferation, colony formation, sphere formation ability in vitro. In vivo GSCs xenograft mice model showed that low FRAT1 expression suppressed the proliferation and tumorigenesity of CD133⁺Nestin⁺ GSCs and reduced β-catenin mRNA and protein expression. Furthermore, the expression of FRAT1 and β-catenin were positively correlated. Altogether, results indicate that FRAT1 enhances the proliferation, colony formation, sphere formation and tumorigenesity of CD133⁺Nestin⁺ glioma stem cells in vitro and in vivo as well as the expression of β-catenin. Therefore, inhibiting proliferation of GSCs and FRAT1 may be a molecular target to GSCs in treating human glioma in the future.

EZH2 inhibition promotes methyl jasmonate-induced apoptosis of human colorectal cancer through the Wnt/β-catenin pathway

Methyl jasmonate potentially induces the differentiation of human myeloid leukemia cells and inhibits their proliferation; it may induce the differentiation and apoptosis of human lymphocytic leukemia cells, but does not exert a damaging effect on normal lymphocytes. In the present study, the anticancer effect of methyl jasmonate on human colorectal cancer cells was investigated. Cell viability and apoptosis was assessed using a Cell Counting kit-8 assay and flow cytometry, respectively. Methyl jasmonate suppressed cell viability and induced apoptosis in human colorectal cancer cells. Additionally, methyl jasmonate increased the activation of caspase-3, inhibited the expression levels of enhancer of zeste 2 polycomb repressive complex 2 subunit (EZH2) and the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in human colorectal cancer. Downregulation of EZH2 expression enhanced the anticancer effect of methyl jasmonate on human colorectal cancer cells through suppression of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Thus, EZH2 downregulation promotes the anticancer effect of methyl jasmonate by inducing apoptosis in human colorectal cancer cells through the Wnt/β-catenin pathway.

MiR-34a-3p alters proliferation and apoptosis of meningioma cells in vitro and is directly targeting SMAD4, FRAT1 and BCL2

Micro (mi)RNAs are short, noncoding RNAs and deregulation of miRNAs and their targets are implicated in tumor generation and progression in many cancers. Meningiomas are mostly benign, slow growing tumors of the central nervous system with a small percentage showing a malignant phenotype.

Following in silico prediction of potential targets of miR-34a-3p, SMAD4, FRAT1, and BCL2 have been confirmed as targets by dual luciferase assays with co-expression of miR-34a-3p and reporter gene constructs containing the respective 3'UTRs. Disruption of the miR-34a-3p binding sites in the 3'UTRs resulted in loss of responsiveness to miR-34a-3p overexpression. In meningioma cells, overexpression of miR-34a-3p resulted in decreased protein levels of SMAD4, FRAT1 and BCL2, while inhibition of miR-34a-3p led to increased levels of these proteins as confirmed by Western blotting. Furthermore, deregulation of miR-34a-3p altered cell proliferation and apoptosis of meningioma cells in vitro.

We show that SMAD4, FRAT1 and BCL2 are direct targets of miR-34a-3p and that deregulation of miR-34a-3p alters proliferation and apoptosis of meningioma cells in vitro. As part of their respective signaling pathways, which are known to play a role in meningioma genesis and progression, deregulation of SMAD4, FRAT1 and BCL2 might contribute to the aberrant activation of these signaling pathways leading to increased proliferation and inhibition of apoptosis in meningiomas.