MiR-192 suppresses the tumorigenicity of prostate cancer cells by targeting and inhibiting nin one binding protein

Epigenetic Alterations from Barrett's Esophagus to Esophageal Adenocarcinoma

Barrett's esophagus (BE) is a disease entity that is a sequela of chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease that may result in esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) due to columnar epithelial dysplasia. The histological degree of dysplasia is the sole biomarker frequently utilized by clinicians. However, the cost of endoscopy and the fact that the degree of dysplasia does not progress in many patients with BE diminish the effectiveness of histological grading as a perfect biomarker. Multiple or more quantitative biomarkers are required by clinicians since early diagnosis is crucial in esophageal adenocancers, which have a high mortality rate. The presence of epigenetic factors in the early stages of this neoplastic transformation holds promise as a predictive biomarker. In this review, current studies on DNA methylations, histone modifications, and noncoding RNAs (miRNAs) that have been discovered during the progression from BE dysplasia to EAC were collated.

MALAT1-miRNAs network regulate thymidylate synthase and affect 5FU-based chemotherapy

Background

The active metabolite of 5-Fluorouracil (5FU), used in the treatment of several types of cancer, acts by inhibiting the thymidylate synthase encoded by the TYMS gene, which catalyzes the rate-limiting step in DNA replication. The major failure of 5FU-based cancer therapy is the development of drug resistance. High levels of TYMS-encoded protein in cancerous tissues are predictive of poor response to 5FU treatment. Expression of TYMS is regulated by various mechanisms, including involving non-coding RNAs, both miRNAs and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs).

Aim

To delineate the miRNAs and lncRNAs network regulating the level of TYMS-encoded protein.

Main body

Several miRNAs targeting TYMS mRNA have been identified in colon cancers, the levels of which can be regulated to varying degrees by lncRNAs. Due to their regulation by the MALAT1 lncRNA, these miRNAs can be divided into three groups: (1) miR-197-3p, miR-203a-3p, miR-375-3p which are downregulated by MALAT1 as confirmed experimentally and the levels of these miRNAs are actually reduced in colon and gastric cancers; (2) miR-140-3p, miR-330-3p that could potentially interact with MALAT1, but not yet supported by experimental results; (3) miR-192-5p, miR-215-5p whose seed sequences do not recognize complementary response elements within MALAT1. Considering the putative MALAT1-miRNAs interaction network, attention is drawn to the potential positive feedback loop causing increased expression of MALAT1 in colon cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma, where YAP1 acts as a transcriptional co-factor which, by binding to the TCF4 transcription factor/ β-catenin complex, may increase the activation of the MALAT1 gene whereas the MALAT1 lncRNA can inhibit miR-375-3p which in turn targets YAP1 mRNA.

Conclusion

The network of non-coding RNAs may reduce the sensitivity of cancer cells to 5FU treatment by upregulating the level of thymidylate synthase.

MicroRNA192 Promotes Metastasis and Invasion of Breast Cancer via Targeting Tensin1 and Enhancing Cell Division Control Protein 42 Homolog (CDC42) Expression

We aimed to dissect the biological impacts and mechanisms of MicroRNA192 in breast cancer metastasis and invasion. Tumor tissues from patients and breast cancer cells were used to measure miR-192 level via RT-PCR. The miR-192 mimics, miR-192 inhibitor, si-Tensin1 and corresponding negative controls were transfected into cells followed by analysis of cell invasion by transwell assay and CDC42 level by western blot. Afterwards, a tumor transplantation model was established to assess the malignancy progression and migration. The human miR-192 accounted for approximately 14% of those overexpressed miRNAs. Overexpression of miR-192 promoted malignant cell invasion, while knockdown of endogenous miR-192 significantly decreased cell invasion, which suggested that miR-192 could exert a promotive factor in the invasive characteristic of breast cancer cells in vitro. In contrast to control group, tumor metastasis was significantly provoked in the miR-192 overexpression group. miR-192 directly targeted and suppressed the expression of Tensin1. miR-192 enhanced the malignant invasiveness by regulating Cdc42 and was corrected with correlation with the survival of patients. High miR-192 level is related to the malignant invasiveness and metastatic behavior, as well as the poor prognosis of patients with breast cancer via activating Cdc42 and targeting Tensin1.

Nanofluorescence Probes to Detect miR-192/Integrin Alpha 1 and Their Correlations with Retinoblastoma

We developed a novel nanostructure DNA probe for the in situ detection of ITGA1 and miR-192 in retinoblastoma (RB) and to study the correlation between ITGA1 and miR-192 expression and RB development. ITGA1 and miR-192 nanostructure DNA probes were carried by silica particles and coated by dioleoyl-trimethy-lammonium-propane, which enhances their organizational compatibility and infiltration capacity. This probe has stable physicochemical properties and high specificity and sensitivity to detect ITGA1 and miR-192 in situ both in RB cell lines and RB tissues. Using ITGA1 and miR-192 nanostructure DNA probes in RB tissue and cell lines, we found that the expression of ITAG1 drastically increased, but to the contrary, miR-192 was not expressed. After transfection, ITGA1 and miR-192 were overexpressed or silenced in RB116 cells, and we found that ITGA1 could effectively increase the activity and invasion of this RB cell line and reduce its apoptosis level, while miR-192 antagonized this tumor-promoting effect. Therefore, miR-192 can be used as an early biomarker of RB, and ITGA1 may be a new prognostic marker and therapeutic target for the treatment of RB.

NOB1: A Potential Biomarker or Target in Cancer

Human NIN1/RPN12 binding protein 1 homolog (NOB1), an RNA binding protein, is expressed ubiquitously in normal tissues such as the lung, liver, and spleen. Its core physiological function is to regulate protease activities and participate in maintaining RNA metabolism and stability. NOB1 is overexpressed in a variety of cancers, including pancreatic cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, ovarian cancer, prostate carcinoma, osteosarcoma, papillary thyroid carcinoma, colorectal cancer, and glioma. Although existing data indicate that NOB1 overexpression is associated with cancer growth, invasion, and poor prognosis, the molecular mechanisms behind these effects and its exact roles remain unclear. Several studies have confirmed that NOB1 is clinically relevant in different cancers, and further research at the molecular level will help evaluate the role of NOB1 in tumors. NOB1 has become an attractive target in anticancer therapy because it is overexpressed in many cancers and mediates different stages of tumor development. Elucidating the role of NOB1 in different signaling pathways as a potential cancer treatment will provide new ideas for existing cancer treatment methods. This review summarizes the research progress made into NOB1 in cancer in the past decade; this information provides valuable clues and theoretical guidance for future anticancer therapy by targeting NOB1.

Functional mechanisms of miR-192 family in cancer

By growing research on the mechanisms and functions of microRNAs (miRNAs, miRs), the role of these noncoding RNAs gained more attention in healthcare. Due to the remarkable regulatory role of miRNAs, any dysregulation in their expression causes cellular functional impairment. In recent years, it has become increasingly apparent that these small molecules contribute to development, cell differentiation, proliferation, apoptosis, and tumor growth. In many studies, the miR-192 family has been suggested as a potential prognostic and diagnostic biomarker and even as a possible therapeutic target for several cancers. However, the mechanistic effects of the miR-192 family on cancer cells are still controversial. Here, we have reviewed each family member of the miR-192 including miR-192, miR-194, and miR-215, and discussed their mechanistic roles in various cancers.

MicroRNA-192 promotes the development of nasopharyngeal carcinoma through targeting RB1 and activating PI3K/AKT pathway

BACKGROUND

The dysregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) has been found in diseases and cancers, including microRNA-192 (miR-192). This study was designed to investigate the role of miR-192 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) progression.

METHODS

The expression levels of miR-192 and some genes were assessed by qRT-PCR and Western blot. The function of miR-192 was investigated through MTT, Transwell, and dual-luciferase reporter assays.

RESULTS

The expression of miR-192 was increased in NPC tissues, and high miR-192 expression predicted poor prognosis in NPC patients. Functionally, upregulation of miR-192 promoted NPC cell migration, invasion, and growth. Furthermore, miR-192 activated EMT and PI3K/AKT pathway to regulate NPC progression. In addition, miR-192 directly targeted RB1 and suppressed its expression in NPC. Moreover, overexpression of RB1 weakened the promoted effect of miR-192 in NPC.

CONCLUSION

miR-192 promoted cell viability and metastasis in NPC through suppressing RB1 expression and activating PI3K/AKT pathway.

MicroRNA‑192 inhibits cell proliferation and induces apoptosis in human breast cancer by targeting caveolin 1

It has been demonstrated that microRNA-192 (miR-192) serves important roles in different cancer types, including breast cancer, prostate cancer and colorectal cancer. However, its biological role and function in breast cancer remains largely unknown. The present study aimed to determine the role of miR-192 in breast cancer. In the present study, one normal breast and two breast tumor cells lines were used, which included the normal mammary fibroblast cell line Hs578Bst, a more aggressive breast tumor cell line MDA-MB-231 and a less aggressive breast tumor cell line MCF-7. The effect of miR-192 on proliferation of breast cancer cells was detected with an MTT assay. Western blot analysis was performed to determine protein expression of caveolin 1 (CAV1). A lentiviral vector that overexpresses pre-miR-192 and control lentiviral packaging plasmids were used in the present study. The Student's t-test was performed to analyze the significance of differences between samples. In the present study, it was determined that the expression of miR-192 is downregulated in breast cancer, compared with the adjacent normal tissues. Overexpression of miR-192 significantly inhibited cell proliferation, and induced cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in MCF7 and MDA-MB-231 cells. Using a bioinformatics method, CAV1 was considered a potential target of miR-192. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that CAV1 is a direct target of miR-192 and its protein expression is negatively regulated by miR-192. Therefore, the present study demonstrated that miR-192 serves an important role as a regulator in breast cancer and the miR-192/CAV1 axis has a potential as a therapeutic target for treatment of breast cancer.

Topologically inferring active miRNA-mediated subpathways toward precise cancer classification by directed random walk

Accurate predictions of classification biomarkers and disease status are indispensable for clinical cancer diagnosis and research. However, the robustness of conventional gene biomarkers is limited by issues with reproducibility across different measurement platforms and cohorts of patients. In this study, we collected 4775 samples from 12 different cancer datasets, which contained 4636 TCGA samples and 139 GEO samples. A new method was developed to detect miRNA‐mediated subpathway activities by using directed random walk (miDRW). To calculate the activity of each miRNA‐mediated subpathway, we constructed a global directed pathway network (GDPN) with genes as nodes. We then identified miRNAs with expression levels which were strongly inversely correlated with differentially expressed target genes in the GDPN. Finally, each miRNA‐mediated subpathway activity was integrated with the topological information, differential levels of miRNAs and genes, expression levels of genes, and target relationships between miRNAs and genes. The results showed that the proposed method yielded a more robust and accurate overall performance compared with other existing pathway‐based, miRNA‐based, and gene‐based classification methods. The high‐frequency miRNA‐mediated subpathways are more reliable in classifying samples and for selecting therapeutic strategies.

A study of circulating microRNAs identifies a new potential biomarker panel to distinguish aggressive prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men worldwide. Currently available diagnostic and prognostic tools for this disease, such as prostate specific antigen, suffer from lack of specificity and sensitivity, resulting in over- and misdiagnosis. Hence, there is an urgent need for clinically relevant biomarkers capable of distinguishing between aggressive and nonaggressive forms of prostate cancer to aid in stratification, management and therapeutic decisions. To address this unmet need, we investigated the patterns of expression of a panel of 68 plasma-derived microRNAs (miRNAs) in a cohort of African American (AA) and European American (EA) prostate cancer patients (n = 114). miRNA qPCR results were analyzed using in-depth statistical methods, and a bioinformatics analysis was conducted to identify potential targets of the differentially expressed miRNAs. Our data demonstrate that a new previously unreported circulating miRNA signature consisting of a combination of interacting miRNAs (miR-17/miR-192) and an independent miRNA (miR-181a) are capable of segregating aggressive and nonaggressive prostate cancer in both AA and EA patients. The interacting miRNAs outperformed independent miRNAs in identifying aggressiveness. Our results suggest that these circulating miRNAs may constitute novel biomarkers of prostate cancer aggressiveness in both races and warrant further investigation.

Profiling of circulating exosomal miRNAs in patients with Waldenström Macroglobulinemia

Waldenström Macroglobulinemia (WM) is a low-grade B-cell lymphoma characterized by disease progression from IgM MGUS to asymptomatic and then symptomatic disease states. We profiled exosomes from the peripheral blood of patients with WM at different stages (30 smoldering/asymptomatic WM, 44 symptomatic WM samples and 10 healthy controls) to define their role as potential biomarkers of disease progression. In this study, we showed that circulating exosomes and their miRNA content represent unique markers of the tumor and its microenvironment. We observed similar levels of miRNAs in exosomes from patients with asymptomatic (smoldering) and symptomatic WM, suggesting that environmental and clonal changes occur in patients at early stages of disease progression before symptoms occur. Moreover, we identified a small group of miRNAs whose expression correlated directly or inversely with the disease status of patients, notably the known tumor suppressor miRNAs let-7d and the oncogene miR-21 as well as miR-192 and miR-320b. The study of these miRNAs’ specific effect in WM cells could help us gain further insights on the mechanisms underlying WM pathogenesis and reveal their potential as novel therapeutic targets for this disease.

Blood-based microRNAs as diagnostic biomarkers to discriminate localized prostate cancer from benign prostatic hyperplasia and allow cancer-risk stratification

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most diagnosed malignancy, and the leading cause of cancer-associated mortality among males. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) has long been used for the detection of PCa. However, PSA levels increase in PCa and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and are associated with a poor disease outcome. Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) have been determined to be highly stable in the circulation, and could be utilized as biomarkers to improve disease diagnosis and management. In the present study, the effectiveness of four PCa-associated miRNAs in the discrimination of PCa from BPH and the risk-stratification of PCa was assessed. The study included 100 participants: 35 patients with localized PCa, 35 patients with BPH and 30 healthy subjects. Patients with PCa were categorized based on their tumor stage (T), PSA level and Gleason score (GS) into low-(T 1/2, PSA <10 ng/ml or GS ≤7) and high-risk groups (T 3/4, PSA >20 ng/ml or GS ≥8). Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction was employed to assess the miRNA expression in peripheral blood samples. Significantly reduced expression of miR-15a, miR-126, miR-192 and miR-377 was observed in patients with PCa compared with patients with BPH and healthy subjects. In addition, the expression of the four miRNAs was lower in high-risk PCa patients than in low-risk PCa patients, with miR-126 being the most downregulated. The expression of the four miRNAs was also significantly and independently associated with PCa. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed a significant ability of the miRNAs to distinguish patients with PCa from those with BPH, patients with PCa from controls and low-risk PCa from high-risk PCa. These data suggested that expression of these miRNAs in the blood circulation may be promising, non-invasive biomarkers for the early detection of localized PCa, and for PCa risk stratification. Further validations of the clinical implementation of these results are warranted in a larger cohort.

MicroRNA-192-5p suppresses the initiation and progression of osteosarcoma by targeting USP1

Osteosarcoma is the most frequent primary malignant bone tumor. An increasing body of evidence has suggested that microRNAs (miRNA/miRs) have emerged as critical regulators in the initiation and progression of osteosarcoma. The present study explored the biological function of miR-192-5p and ubiquitin-specific protease 1 (USP1), and investigated whether miR-192-5p could directly interact with USP1 in osteosarcoma. The results revealed that miR-192-5p was significantly downregulated in osteosarcoma tissues and cell lines, while a reverse expression profile of USP1 was observed. Ectopic expression of miR-192-5p restrained cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion. In addition, it increased the sensitivity of osteosarcoma cells to cisplatin. USP1 was also observed to be a direct target gene of miR-192-5p in osteosarcoma. Overexpression of USP1 promoted cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion, and decreased cell chemo-sensitivity; however, it could be partially reversed via the overexpression of miR-192-5p in osteosarcoma cell lines. Taken together, the present study demonstrated that miR-192-5p suppressed the initiation and progression of osteosarcoma by targeting USP1. Therefore, miR-192-5p may serve as a valuable biomarker and the miR-192-5p/USP1 axis may function as a novel therapeutic target for osteosarcoma.

miR-20b promotes cellular proliferation and migration by directly regulating phosphatase and tensin homolog in prostate cancer

MicroRNAs are small non-coding RNAs, which are critical regulators of carcinogenesis and tumor progression. Previous studies have identified that microRNA-20b (miR-20b) acts as an oncogene in numerous cancers. However, the role of miR-20b in prostate cancer remains unclear. The present study aimed to investigate the expression of miR-20b in prostate cancer and to examine whether modulating miR-20b expression impacts prostate cancer cellular proliferation and migration. It was revealed that miR-20b was strongly expressed in prostate cancer tissues compared with adjacent normal prostate tissues (P<0.05). Knockdown of miR-20b expression by miR-20b inhibitor inhibited VCaP and PC-3 cell growth and migration. Through bioinformatics analysis, phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) was predicted as a target gene of miR-20b in prostate cancer cells, which was validated by dual-luciferase reporter assay and western blot analysis. In addition, restoration of PTEN expression levels did not affect endogenous miR-20b expression in prostate cancer cells. In conclusion, the present study indicated that miR-20b promotes cellular proliferation and migration by directly regulating PTEN in prostate cancer.

Inhibition of NOB1 by microRNA-330-5p overexpression represses cell growth of non-small cell lung cancer

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play critical roles in the development and progression of various cancers, including non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Studies have suggested that miR-330-5p is involved in the progression of several cancers. However, the role of miR-330-5p in NSCLC remains unclear. We investigated the effect on and mechanism of miR-330-5p in the progression of NSCLC. We found that miR-330-5p was significantly downregulated in NSCLC tissues and cell lines as detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT), bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU), colony formation and cell cycle assays showed that overexpression of miR-330-5p markedly inhibited cell growth. Annexin V-FITC/PI and caspase-3 activity assays showed that overexpression of miR-330-5p significantly promoted cell apoptosis of NSCLC cells. Bioinformatics analysis and dual-luciferase reporter assays confirmed NIN/RPN12 binding protein 1 (NOB1) as a target gene of miR-330-5p. RT-qPCR and Western blot analysis showed that overexpression of miR-330-5p inhibited the expression of NOB1 as well as cyclin D1 and cyclin-dependent kinase 4 in NSCLC cells. Moreover, overexpression of NOB1 markedly reversed the miR‑330-5p-mediated inhibitory effect on NSCLC cell growth. Correlation analysis showed that miR‑330-5p expression was inversely correlated with NOB1 mRNA expression in NSCLC tissues. Taken together, our results indicate that miR-330-5p inhibits NSCLC cell growth through downregulation of NOB1 expression. Our study suggests that miR-330-5p may serve as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of NSCLC.

MicroRNA-192 suppresses cell proliferation and induces apoptosis in human rheumatoid arthritis fibroblast-like synoviocytes by downregulating caveolin 1

Fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLSs) play an important role in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This study was conducted to explore the role of microRNA (miR)-192 in the regulation of the biology of RA-FLSs. The expression of miR-192 in RA and healthy synovial tissues was measured. The effects of overexpression of miR-192 on RA-FLS proliferation and apoptosis were investigated. Luciferase reporter assay and Western blot analysis were performed to identify direct target genes of miR-192. RA synovial tissues had significantly lower levels of miR-192 than healthy controls (P = 0.004). Moreover, miR-192 levels were 2.9-fold lower in RA-FLSs relative to normal human FLSs (P < 0.05). Ectopic expression of miR-192 significantly inhibited the proliferation and caused a cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase in RA-FLSs. Moreover, miR-192 overexpression triggered apoptosis, which was accompanied by an increase in caspase-3 activity and Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. Caveolin 1 (CAV1) was identified to be a direct target of miR-192. Overexpression of miR-192 led to a reduction of endogenous CAV1 in RA-FLSs. Silencing of CAV1 significantly decreased cell proliferation and promoted apoptosis in RA-FLSs. Rescue experiments with a miR-192-resistant variant of CAV1 showed that enforced expression of CAV1 restored cell proliferation and attenuated apoptosis in miR-192-overexpressing RA-FLSs. In conclusion, miR-192 is downregulated in RA synovial tissues and restoration of its expression elicits growth-suppressive effects on RA-FLSs by targeting CAV1. The miR-192/CAV1 pathway may represent a novel target for prevention and treatment of RA.

SR-BI: Linking Cholesterol and Lipoprotein Metabolism with Breast and Prostate Cancer

Studies have demonstrated the significant role of cholesterol and lipoprotein metabolism in the progression of cancer. The SCARB1 gene encodes the scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-BI), which is an 82-kDa glycoprotein with two transmembrane domains separated by a large extracellular loop. SR-BI plays an important role in the regulation of cholesterol exchange between cells and high-density lipoproteins. Accordingly, hepatic SR-BI has been shown to play an essential role in the regulation of the reverse cholesterol transport pathway, which promotes the removal and excretion of excess body cholesterol. In the context of atherosclerosis, SR-BI has been implicated in the regulation of intracellular signaling, lipid accumulation, foam cell formation, and cellular apoptosis. Furthermore, since lipid metabolism is a relevant target for cancer treatment, recent studies have focused on examining the role of SR-BI in this pathology. While signaling pathways have initially been explored in non-tumoral cells, studies with cancer cells have now demonstrated SR-BI's function in tumor progression. In this review, we will discuss the role of SR-BI during tumor development and malignant progression. In addition, we will provide insights into the transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of the SCARB1 gene. Overall, studying the role of SR-BI in tumor development and progression should allow us to gain useful information for the development of new therapeutic strategies.

Low expression of miR-192 in NSCLC and its tumor suppressor functions in metastasis via targeting ZEB2

Objectives

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death, with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounting for more than 80% of all lung cancer cases. The aim of this study was to investigate the function and underlying mechanism of microRNA-192 (miR-192) in metastasis of NSCLC cells.

Methods

Real-time PCR was applied to quantify the expression of miR-192 in NSCLC tissues and cell lines, matched with their corresponding controls. The biological roles of miR-192 were studied in NSCLC cells using the wound healing and trans well invasion assays. Real-time PCR and western blot were used to evaluate the regulation of ZEB2 by miR- 192.

Results

MiR-192 was expressed significantly lower in NSCLC tissues/cells when compared with controls. Ectopic expression of miR-192 strongly inhibited cell migration and invasion in NSCLC A549 cells. Further investigation revealed ZEB2, an EMT regulator, was one of the downstream targets regulated by miR-192.

Conclusion

These results suggested that miR-192 inhibits the metastasis of NSCLC cells by targeting ZEB2, and thus is an important tumor suppressor.