MicroRNA-373 promotes cell migration via targeting salt-inducible kinase 1 expression in melanoma

L-Carnitine augments probenecid anti-inflammatory effect in monoiodoacetate-induced knee osteoarthritis in rats: involvement of miRNA-373/P2X7/NLRP3/NF-κB milieu

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease, whereas the underlying molecular trails involved in its pathogenesis are not fully elucidated. Hence, the current study aimed to investigate the role of miRNA-373/P2X7/NLRP3/NF-κB trajectory in its pathogenesis as well as the possible anti-inflammatory effects of probenecid and l-carnitine in ameliorating osteoarthritis via modulating this pathway. In the current study, male Sprague Dawley rats were used and monoiodoacetate (MIA)-induced knee osteoarthritis model was adopted. Probenecid and/or L-carnitine treatments for 14 days succeeded in reducing OA knee size and reestablishing motor coordination and joint mobility assessed by rotarod testing. Moreover, different treatments suppressed the elevated serum levels of IL-1β, IL-18, IL-6, and TNF-α via tackling the miRNA-373/P2X7/NLRP3/NF-κB, witnessed as reductions in protein expressions of P2X7, NLRP3, cleaved caspase-1 and NF-κB. These were accompanied by increases in procaspase-1 and IκB protein expression and in miRNA-373 gene expression OA knee to various extents. In addition, different regimens reversed the abnormalities observed in the H and E as well as Safranin O-Fast green OA knees stained sections. Probenecid or l-carnitine solely showed comparable results on the aforementioned parameters, whereas the combination therapy had the most prominent effect on ameliorating the aforementioned parameters. In conclusion, l-carnitine augmented the probenecid's anti-inflammatory effect to attenuate MIA-induced osteoarthritis in rats by provoking the miRNA-373 level and inhibiting the P2X7/NLRP3/NF-κB milieu, leading to the suppression of serum inflammatory cytokines: IL-1β, IL-18, IL-6, and TNF-α. These findings suggest the possibility of using probenecid and l-carnitine as a useful therapeutic option for treatment of osteoarthritis.

Roles of salt‑inducible kinases in cancer (Review)

Salt inducible kinases (SIKs) with three subtypes SIK1, SIK2 and SIK3, belong to the AMP‑activated protein kinase family. They are expressed ubiquitously in humans. Under normal circumstances, SIK1 regulates adrenocortical function in response to high salt or adrenocorticotropic hormone stimulation, SIK2 is involved in cell metabolism, controlling insulin signaling and gluconeogenesis and SIK3 coordinates with the mTOR complex, promoting cancer. The dysregulation of SIKs has been widely detected in various types of cancers. Based on most of the existing studies, SIK1 is mostly considered a tumor inhibitor, SIK2 and SIK3 are usually associated with tumor promotion. However, the functions of SIKs have shown contradictory in certain tumors, suggesting that SIKs cannot be simply classified as oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes. The present review provided a comprehensive summary of the roles of SIKs in the initiation and progression of different cancers, aiming to elucidate their clinical value and discuss potential strategies for targeting SIKs in cancer therapy.

Pharmacoepigenomics circuits induced by a novel retinoid-polyamine conjugate in human immortalized keratinocytes

Retinoids are widely used in diseases spanning from dermatological lesions to cancer, but exhibit severe adverse effects. A novel all-trans-Retinoic Acid (atRA)-spermine conjugate (termed RASP) has shown previously optimal in vitro and in vivo anti-inflammatory and anticancer efficacy, with undetectable teratogenic and toxic side-effects. To get insights, we treated HaCaT cells which resemble human epidermis with IC₅₀ concentration of RASP and analyzed their miRNA expression profile. Gene ontology analysis of their predicted targets indicated dynamic networks involved in cell proliferation, signal transduction and apoptosis. Furthermore, DNA microarrays analysis verified that RASP affects the expression of the same categories of genes. A protein-protein interaction map produced using the most significant common genes, revealed hub genes of nodal functions. We conclude that RASP is a synthetic retinoid derivative with improved properties, which possess the beneficial effects of retinoids without exhibiting side-effects and with potential beneficial effects against skin diseases including skin cancer.

Integrated analysis of the expression, involved functions, and regulatory network of RUNX3 in melanoma

BACKGROUND

As a tumor suppressor or oncogenic gene, abnormal expression of RUNX family transcription factor 3 (RUNX3) has been reported in various cancers. <p> Introduction: This study aimed to investigate the role of RUNX3 in melanoma. <p> Methods: The expression level of RUNX3 in melanoma tissues was analyzed by immunohistochemistry and the Oncomine database. Based on microarray datasets GSE3189 and GSE7553, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in melanoma samples were screened, followed by functional enrichment analysis. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) was performed for RUNX3. DEGs that co-expressed with RUNX3 were analyzed, and the transcription factors (TFs) of RUNX3 and its co-expressed genes were predicted. The protein-protein interactions (PPIs) for RUNX3 were analyzed utilizing the GeneMANIA database. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) that could target RUNX3 expression, were predicted. <p> Results: RUNX3 expression was significantly up-regulated in melanoma tissues. GSEA showed that RUNX3 expression was positively correlated with melanogenesis and melanoma pathways. Eleven DEGs showed significant co-expression with RUNX3 in melanoma, for example, TLE4 was negatively co-expressed with RUNX3. RUNX3 was identified as a TF that regulated the expression of both itself and its co-expressed genes. PPI analysis showed that 20 protein-encoding genes interacted with RUNX3, among which 9 genes were differentially expressed in melanoma, such as CBFB and SMAD3. These genes were significantly enriched in transcriptional regulation by RUNX3, RUNX3 regulates BCL2L11 (BIM) transcription, regulation of I-kappaB kinase/NF-kappaB signaling, and signaling by NOTCH. A total of 31 miRNAs could target RUNX3, such as miR-326, miR-330-5p, and miR-373-3p. <p> Conclusion: RUNX3 expression was up-regulated in melanoma and was implicated in the development of melanoma.

Impact of circulating miRNA-373 on breast cancer diagnosis through targeting VEGF and cyclin D1 genes

Background

Breast cancer (BC) is the common primary tumor among females. Hence, there is an urgent need to improve the early prediction and diagnosis of BC. For that reason, the object of the current study is to analyze the expression levels of miRNA-373 and its target genes including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and cyclin D1 in women with BC.

Results

Upregulation of miRNA-373 and its target genes was observed in BC patients followed by patients with benign breast lesions compared to downregulation in controls. There was a significant association between the expression level of miRNA-373 and all clinical features. The same associations were observed between its target genes and all clinico-pathological features except hormonal status. The correlation between miRNA-373 and both genes was significant.

Conclusions

Our results prove that miRNA-373, as an oncomir, would be a vital biomarker for BC diagnosis and prognosis by targeting both VEGF and cyclin D1.

MicroRNA Signature in Melanoma: Biomarkers and Therapeutic Targets

Melanoma is the utmost fatal kind of skin neoplasms. Molecular changes occurring during the pathogenic processes of initiation and progression of melanoma are diverse and include activating mutations in BRAF and NRAS genes, hyper-activation of PI3K/AKT pathway, inactivation of p53 and alterations in CDK4/CDKN2A axis. Moreover, several miRNAs have been identified to be implicated in the biology of melanoma through modulation of expression of genes being involved in these pathways. In the current review, we provide a summary of the bulk of information about the role of miRNAs in the pathobiology of melanoma, their possible application as biomarkers and their emerging role as therapeutic targets for this kind of skin cancer.

The potent roles of salt-inducible kinases (SIKs) in metabolic homeostasis and tumorigenesis

Salt-inducible kinases (SIKs) belong to AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) family, and functions mainly involve in regulating energy response-related physiological processes, such as gluconeogenesis and lipid metabolism. However, compared with another well-established energy-response kinase AMPK, SIK roles in human diseases, especially in diabetes and tumorigenesis, are rarely investigated. Recently, the pilot roles of SIKs in tumorigenesis have begun to attract more attention due to the finding that the tumor suppressor role of LKB1 in non-small-cell lung cancers (NSCLCs) is unexpectedly mediated by the SIK but not AMPK kinases. Thus, here we tend to comprehensively summarize the emerging upstream regulators, downstream substrates, mouse models, clinical relevance, and candidate inhibitors for SIKs, and shed light on SIKs as the potential therapeutic targets for cancer therapies.

miR-21-5p promotes cell proliferation and G1/S transition in melanoma by targeting CDKN2C

Human melanoma is a highly malignant tumor originating from cutaneous melanocytes. The noncoding RNA microRNA (miR)‐21‐5p has been reported to be expressed at high levels in malignant melanocytic skin tissues, but its potential functional role in melanoma remains poorly understood. Here, we explored the cellular effects of miR‐21‐5p on melanoma in vitro and the underlying mechanisms. Quantitative real‐time PCR was used to show that miR‐21‐5p is significantly up‐regulated in clinical samples from patients with melanoma as compared with adjacent noncancerous tissues. Overexpression of miR‐21‐5p significantly enhanced, whereas knockdown attenuated, cell proliferation and G1/S transition in melanoma cell lines (A375 and M14). Luciferase reporter assays were used to show that the cyclin‐dependent kinase inhibitor 2C (CDKN2C) is a downstream target of miR‐21‐5p. Furthermore, miR‐21‐5p mimics resulted in a decrease in CDKN2C expression, and CDKN2C expression was observed to be inversely correlated with miR‐21‐5p expression in melanoma tissues. Rescue experiments were performed to show that overexpression of CDKN2C partially reversed the effects of miR‐21‐5p up‐regulation on A375 cells. Consistently, knockdown of CDKN2C abolished the effects of miR‐21‐5p down‐regulation on A375 cells. Overall, our studies demonstrate that miR‐21‐5p can promote the growth of melanoma cells by targeting CDKN2C, which may induce G0/G1 phase arrest of melanoma cells.

The miRNAs Role in Melanoma and in Its Resistance to Therapy

Melanoma is the less common but the most malignant skin cancer. Since the survival rate of melanoma metastasis is about 10–15%, many different studies have been carried out in order to find a more effective treatment. Although the development of target-based therapies and immunotherapeutic strategies has improved chances for patient survival, melanoma treatment still remains a big challenge for oncologists. Here, we collect recent data about the emerging role of melanoma-associated microRNAs (miRNAs) currently available treatments, and their involvement in drug resistance. We also reviewed miRNAs as prognostic factors, because of their chemical stability and resistance to RNase activity, in melanoma progression. Moreover, despite miRNAs being considered small conserved regulators with the limitation of target specificity, we outline the dual role of melanoma-associated miRNAs, as oncogenic and/or tumor suppressive factors, compared to other tumors.