Downregulation of microRNA-374a predicts poor prognosis in human glioma

Biochanin A Inhibits Glioblastoma Growth via Restricting Glycolysis and Mitochondrial Oxidative Phosphorylation

Abnormal metabolism serves a critical role in glioblastoma (GBM). Biochanin A (BCA), a flavonoid phenolic compound found in edible and herbal plants, has antioxidative and antitumor activities. However, it remains unclear whether BCA has an effect on energy metabolism. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the anticancer effects and molecular mechanism of the effect of BCA on energy metabolism. We observed that BCA inhibited the growth of U251 cells by the mitochondria-mediated intrinsic apoptotic pathway. BCA treatment reduced metabolic function, repressed mitochondrial membrane potential, and increased the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in GBM. In addition, we found that BCA decreased aerobic glycolysis by inactivation of the AKT/mTOR pathway. Taken together, the results demonstrate that treatment with BCA inhibited the proliferation of GBM by regulating metabolic reprogramming.

Gain of circBRAF Represses Glioma Progression by Regulating miR-1290/FBXW7 Axis

Dysregulated circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been confirmed to partake in the modulation of the glioma progression. Here, we intended to explore the role of circBRAF in glioma and the possible action mechanism. The expression levels of circBRAF, microRNA (miR)-1290 and F-box and WD repeat domain containing 7 (FBXW7) were analyzed by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) or western blot. Cell viability was assessed by 3-(4, 5)-dimethylthiazole-2-y1)-2, 5-biphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Cell cycle distribution was determined by flow cytometry. Cell migration and invasion were evaluated through Trans-well assay. Related protein levels were detected by western blot. Targeted relation among circBRAF, miR-1290 and FBXW7 was validated by dual-luciferase reporter, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) and pull-down assays. Xenograft model was constructed to explore the function of circBRAF in vivo. Expression of circBRAF and FBXW7 was decreased in glioma tissues and cells. Upregulation of circBRAF inhibited glioma cell proliferation and metastasis in vitro. MiR-1290 was upregulated in glioma, which was sponged by circBRAF. Besides, circBRAF elevated FBXW7 expression by targeting miR-1290. Introduction of miR-1290 or FBXW7 knockdown could counteract the inhibitory effects of circBRAF upregulation on the malignant phenotypes of glioma cells. Overexpression of circBRAF repressed the tumor growth in vivo. Upregulation of circBRAF suppressed glioma evolvement in vitro and in vivo by regulating miR-1290/FBXW7 axis, broadening the cognition of glioma progression.

lncRNA Signature for Predicting Cerebral Vasospasm in Patients with SAH: Implications for Precision Neurosurgery

Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) patients’ surgery is performed to prevent extravasation of blood into the subarachnoid space. Cerebral vasospasm (CVS; narrowing of cerebral arteries) occurs following SAH and represents a major cause of associated mortality and morbidity. To improve postsurgery care of SAH patients and their prognosis, the ability to predict CVS onset is critical. We report a long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) signature to distinguish SAH patients with CVS from SAH patients without CVS. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was obtained from SAH patients without CVS (n = 10) and SAH patients with CVS (n = 10). lncRNAs ZFAS1 and MALAT1 were significantly upregulated (p < 0.05), whereas lncRNAs LINC00261 and LINC01619 were significantly downregulated in SAH patients with CVS (p < 0.05) compared to SAH patients without CVS. We applied this lncRNA signature to retrospectively predict CVS in SAH patients (n = 38 for SAH patients without CVS, and n = 27 for SAH patients with CVS). The 4-lncRNA signature was found to be predictive in >40% of samples and the 2-lncRNA comprising MALAT1 and LINC01619 accurately predicted CVS in ∼90% cases. These results are initial steps toward personalized management of SAH patients in clinics and provide novel CSF biomarkers that can substantially improve the clinical management of SAH patients.

MicroRNA-1298-3p inhibits proliferation and invasion of glioma cells by downregulating Nidogen-1

Glioma is the most prevalent tumor of the central nervous system. To identify differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) in gliomas of different grades, bioinformatics analysis was performed. The DEMs between low-grade gliomas (LGGs) and high-grade gliomas (HGGs) were identified by screening the Gene Expression Omnibus and The Cancer Genome Atlas databases using the LIMMA package. Six overlapping DEMs were identified by comparing LGGs and HGGs. Downregulation of miR-1298-3p correlated with poor overall survival rates in glioma patients. Overexpression of miR-1298-3p induced apoptosis of glioma cells and inhibited glioma cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. The basement membrane protein Nidogen-1 (NID1) was identified as a direct binding target of miR-1298-3p in glioma cells. MiR-1298-3p agonist downregulated the NID1 and vimentin levels, but upregulated the level of E-cadherin in glioma cells. Importantly, overexpression of miR-1298-3p induced apoptosis and reduced tumor growth in a mouse xenograft model of glioma. Our results show that miR-1298-3p functions as a tumor suppressor in glioma cells, and suggest that it might serve as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target in glioma patients.