The clinical significance of downregulation of mir-124-3p, mir-146a-5p, mir-155-5p and mir-335-5p in gastric cancer tumorigenesis

Research progress on miR-124-3p in the field of kidney disease

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are 18-25 nucleotides long, single-stranded, non-coding RNA molecules that regulate gene expression. They play a crucial role in maintaining normal cellular functions and homeostasis in organisms. Studies have shown that miR-124-3p is highly expressed in brain tissue and plays a significant role in nervous system development. It is also described as a tumor suppressor, regulating biological processes like cancer cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion by controlling multiple downstream target genes. miR-124-3p has been found to be involved in the progression of various kidney diseases, including diabetic kidney disease, calcium oxalate kidney stones, acute kidney injury, lupus nephritis, and renal interstitial fibrosis. It mediates these processes through mechanisms like oxidative stress, inflammation, autophagy, and ferroptosis. To lay the foundation for future therapeutic strategies, this research group reviewed recent studies on the functional roles of miR-124-3p in renal diseases and the regulation of its downstream target genes. Additionally, the feasibility, limitations, and potential application of miR-124-3p as a diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic target were thoroughly investigated.

MiR-124-3p mediates gastric cancer cell ferroptosis induced by an anti-cancer drug polyphyllin I

Background: Ferroptosis is an emerging type of regulated cell death and associated with antitumoral therapy, while some microRNAs have been shown to regulate the tumorigenesis and cancer progression. Meanwhile, polyphyllin I (PPI) has exhibited antitumoral effects by promoting cancer cell apoptosis and ferroptosis. However, it is unclear whether PPI induces cancer cell ferroptosis by regulating microRNAs. Methods: We used two gastric cancer cell lines (AGS and MKN-45) to set up a tumor model of the nude mice, which were then treated daily with PPI to measure the cancer growth in vitro and in vivo. Ferroptosis was measured using immunofluorescence staining and flow cytometric analysis according to levels of intracellular ROS, lipid ROS and ferrous ions. Moreover, NRF2 expression was measured by Western blotting. In some experiments, the mimics or inhibitors of miR-124-3p were used to further confirm its involvement in PPI-induced cancer cell ferroptosis. Results: Here we found that miR-124-3p mediated cancer ferroptosis and tumor repression induced by PPI since PPI increased miR-124-3p expression in gastric cancer cells and promoted their ferroptosis, whereas inhibition of miR-124-3p mostly abolished the effects of PPI on tumor growth, ferroptosis and NRF2 expression. Moreover, miR-124-3p mimics promoted cancer cell ferroptosis by downregulating NRF2 through directly targeting 3'-UTR region of NRF2, confirming a role for miR-124-3p in regulating PPI-induced ferroptosis. Conclusion: PPI exerts its antitumoral effects on the gastric cancer by promoting cell ferroptosis via regulating miR-124-3p. Our findings have clinical implications for cancer chemotherapy.

Neuroprotective effects of quercetin on the cerebellum of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnoNps)-exposed rats

Engineered nanomaterials induce hazardous effects at the cellular and molecular levels. We investigated different mechanisms underlying the neurotoxic potential of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) on cerebellar tissue and clarified the ameliorative role of Quercetin supplementation. Forty adult male albino rats were divided into control group (I), ZnONPs-exposed group (II), and ZnONPs and Quercetin group (III). Oxidative stress biomarkers (MDA & TOS), antioxidant biomarkers (SOD, GSH, GR, and TAC), serum interleukins (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) were measured. Serum micro-RNA (miRNA): miRNA-21-5p, miRNA-122-5p, miRNA-125b-5p, and miRNA-155-3p expression levels were quantified by real-time quantitative polymerase-chain reaction (RT-QPCR). Cerebellar tissue sections were stained with Hematoxylin & Eosin and Silver stains and examined microscopically. Expression levels of Calbindin D28k, GFAP, and BAX proteins in cerebellar tissue were detected by immunohistochemistry. Quercetin supplementation lowered oxidative stress biomarkers levels and ameliorated the antioxidant parameters that were decreased by ZnONPs. No significant differences in GR activity were detected between the study groups. ZnONPs significantly increased serum IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α which were improved with Quercetin. Serum miRNA-21-5p, miRNA-122-5p, miRNA-125b-5p, and miRNA-155-p expression levels showed significant increase in ZnONPs group, while no significant difference was observed between Quercetin-treated group and control group. ZnONPs markedly impaired cerebellar tissue structure with decreased levels of calbindin D28k, increased BAX and GFAP expression. Quercetin supplementation ameliorated cerebellar tissue apoptosis, gliosis and improved calbindin levels. In conclusion: Quercetin supplementation ameliorated cerebellar neurotoxicity induced by ZnONPs at cellular and molecular basis by different studied mechanisms.Abbreviations: NPs: Nanoparticles, ROS: reactive oxygen species, ZnONPs: Zinc oxide nanoparticles, AgNPs: silver nanoparticles, BBB: blood-brain barrier, ncRNAs: Non-coding RNAs, miRNA: Micro RNA, DMSO: Dimethyl sulfoxide, LPO: lipid peroxidation, MDA: malondialdehyde, TBA: thiobarbituric acid, TOS: total oxidative status, ELISA: enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, H2O2: hydrogen peroxide, SOD: superoxide dismutase, GR: glutathione reductase, TAC: total antioxidant capacity, IL-1: interleukin-1, TNF: tumor necrosis factor alpha, cDNA: complementary DNA, RT-QPCR: Real-time quantitative polymerase-chain reaction, ABC: Avidin biotin complex technique, DAB: 3', 3-diaminobenzidine, SPSS: Statistical Package for Social Sciences, ANOVA: One way analysis of variance, Tukey's HSD: Tukey's Honestly Significant Difference, GFAP: glial fiberillar acitic protein, iNOS: Inducible nitric oxide synthase, NO: nitric oxide, HO-1: heme oxygenase-1, Nrf2: nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2, NF-B: nuclear factor-B, SCI: spinal cord injury, CB: Calbindin.

Helicobacter pylori CagA Protein Regulating the Biological Characteristics of Gastric Cancer through the miR-155-5p/SMAD2/SP1 axis

Helicobacter pylori (Hp) is a grade Ι carcinogen of gastric cancer (GC), and its high infection rate seriously affects human health. Cytotoxin-associated gene A (CagA) plays a key role in the carcinogenesis of Hp as one of its main virulence factors. miR-155-5p is abnormally expressed in patients with GC, associated with the occurrence and development of cancer. However, little is known about the association between CagA and miR-155-5p. (1) Background: This study explored the association and mechanism of CagA and miR-155-5p in GC. (2) Methods: The CagA sequence was obtained from the NCBI. After sequence optimization, it was connected to the pcDNA3.1 vector to construct a CagA eukaryotic expression plasmid (pcDNA-CagA). Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to investigate the expression of miR-155-5p and CagA in GC cells. The function of CagA on GC cells was detected by CCK8, wound healing, and Transwell assays. Similarly, the function of miR-155-5p was also studied through the above functional experiments after the miR-155-5p overexpression and knockdown models had successfully been constructed. The associations among CagA, miR-155-5p, and SMAD2/SP1 were evaluated using RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) and rescue experiments. (3) Results: The expression of miR-155-5p was significantly reduced in GC cells, and the expression of miR-155-5p was further reduced after CagA induction. Both overexpressed CagA and knockdown miR-155-5p cell models enhanced malignant transformation, whereas overexpressed miR-155-5p inhibited malignant transformation in vitro. The function of miR-155-5p on GC cells could be influenced by CagA. We also found that the influence of miR-155-5p on SMAD2 and SP1 could be regulated by CagA. (4) Conclusions: CagA potentially regulates the biological function of GC cells through the miR-155-5p/SMAD2/SP1 axis. miR-155-5p could be a therapeutic target for GC related to CagA.

A Study to Investigate the Role of Noncoding RNA miR146 Alpha as a Potential Biomarker in Prostate Cancer

There is a need for additional biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of prostate cancer. MicroRNAs are a class of non-protein coding RNA molecules that are frequently dysregulated in different cancers including prostate cancer and show promise as diagnostic biomarkers and targets for therapy. Here we describe the role of micro RNA 146 a (miR-146a) which may serve as a diagnostic marker for prostate cancer, as indicated from the data presented in this report. Also, a pilot study indicated differential expression of miR-146a in prostate cancer cell lines and tissues from different racial groups. This report provides a novel insight into understanding the prostate carcinogenesis.

Can mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease be diagnosed by monitoring a miRNA triad in the blood?

Objectively diagnosing age‐related cognitive impairment (ACI), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and early‐stage Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a difficult task, as most cognitive impairment is clinically established via questionnaires, history, and physical examinations. A recent study has suggested that monitoring a miRNA triad, miR‐181a‐5p, miR‐146a‐5p, and miR‐148a‐3p can identify ACI and its progression to MCI and AD (Islam et al., EMBO Mol Med. 13: e14997, 2021). This commentary deliberates findings from this article, such as elevated levels of the miRNA triad in the brain impairing neural plasticity and cognitive function, the efficiency of measuring the miRNA triad in the circulating blood diagnosing MCI and AD, and the promise for improving cognitive function in MCI and AD by inhibiting this miRNA triad. Additional studies required prior to employing this miRNA triad in clinical practice are also discussed.

Long non-coding RNA HCG18 promotes gastric cancer progression by regulating miRNA-146a-5p/tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 axis

Although long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been demonstrated to be dysregulated in gastric cancer (GC), the function of lncRNA HCG18 (HCG18) in GC is elusive. Therefore, the study was designed to evaluate the underlying mechanism of HCG18 in GC. HCG18 and microRNA 146a-5p (miR-146a-5p) levels in GC were evaluated by RT-qPCR. The effects of miR-146a-5p and HCG18 on GC cell function were examined using Transwell assay, colony formation, and CCK-8 assays. Tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6) and p65 expression levels were detected by Western blot. HCG18 and miR-146a-5p target genes were identified using luciferase reporter and bioinformatics assays. HCG18 expression was increased in GC. HCG18 overexpression significantly increased GC cell proliferation, invasion, and migration. Furthermore, HCG18 overexpression inhibited miR-146a-5p and upregulated TRAF6 and p65 expression. Finally, miR-146a-5p/TRAF6 was found to be involved in the role of HCG18 in GC progression in vivo. Altogether, HCG18 promotes GC progression via the miR-146a-5p/TRAF6 axis and could be a GC treatment target.

Differential expression of miRNAs involved in biological processes responsible for inflammation and immune response in lichen sclerosus urethral stricture disease

Purpose

To better understand the pathophysiology of lichen sclerosus (LS) urethral stricture disease (USD), we aimed to investigate expression profiles of microRNAs (miRNAs) in tissue samples from men undergoing urethroplasty.

Methods

Urethral stricture tissue was collected from 2005–2020. Histologic features diagnostic of LS were the basis of pathologic evaluation. Foci of areas diagnostic for LS or non-LS strictures were chosen for RNA evaluation. In an initial screening analysis, 13 LS urethral strictures and 13 non-LS strictures were profiled via miRNA RT-qPCR arrays for 752 unique miRNA. A validation analysis of 23 additional samples (9 LS and 14 non-LS) was performed for 15 miRNAs. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS v25. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis was performed using DIANA-mirPath v. 3.0.

Results

In the screening analysis 143 miRNAs were detected for all samples. 27 were differentially expressed between the groups (false discovery p-value <0.01). 15 of these miRNAs individually demonstrated an area under the curve (AUC)>0.90 for distinguishing between between LS and non-LS strictures. 11-fold upregulation of MiR-155-5p specifically was found in LS vs. non-LS strictures (p<0.001, AUC = 1.0). In the validation analysis, 13 of the 15 miRNAs tested were confirmed to have differential expression (false discovery p-value <0.10).

Conclusions

To our knowledge this is the first study evaluating miRNA expression profiles in LS and non-LS USD. We identified several miRNAs that are differentially expressed in USD caused by LS vs other etiologies, which could potentially serve as biomarkers of LS USD. The top eight differentially expressed miRNAs have been linked to immune response processes as well as involvement in wound healing, primarily angiogenesis and fibrosis.

High-Throughput Sequencing Reveals the Differential MicroRNA Expression Profiles of Human Gastric Cancer SGC7901 Cell Xenograft Nude Mouse Models Treated with Traditional Chinese Medicine Si Jun Zi Tang Decoction

Objective. The present study aimed to investigate the potential mechanism underlying the antitumor effect of Si Jun Zi Tang (SJZT) decoction on gastric cancer. Methods. Twelve human gastric cancer SGC7901 cell xenograft nude mouse models were established. The mice were randomly divided into the Model group and SJZT group. SJZT exerted significant antitumor effects after 21 days of decoction administration. High-throughput sequencing was used to analyze the microRNA (miRNA) expression profiles of tumor tissues. Bioinformatics analysis was performed to provide further information regarding the differentially expressed miRNAs. Five representative differentially expressed miRNAs and four predicted target genes were further validated using quantitative real-time reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR). Results. We identified 33 miRNAs that were differentially expressed in the SJZT group compared with the Model group. Among them, 32 miRNAs were upregulated and 1 miRNA was downregulated. Bioinformatic analysis showed that most of miRNAs acted as tumor suppressors and their target genes participated in multiple signaling pathways, including the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, microRNAs in cancer, and Wnt signaling pathway. The qRT-PCR result confirmed that miR-223-3p, miR-205-5p, miR-147b-3p, and miR-223-5p were overexpressed and their respective paired target genes FUT9, POU2F1, MUC4, and RAB14 mRNA were obviously downregulated in the SJZT group compared with those in the Model group. Network analysis revealed that miR-223-3p and miR-205-5p shared two targets POU2F1 (encoding POU class 2 homeobox 1) and FUT9 (encoding fucosyltransferase 9), suggesting they have a common role in certain pathways. Conclusion. This study provided novel insights into the anticancer mechanism of SJZT against gastric cancer, which might be partly related to the modulation of miRNA expression and their target pathways in tumors.

MiR-335-5p Inhibits β-Amyloid (Aβ) Accumulation to Attenuate Cognitive Deficits Through Targeting c-jun-N-terminal Kinase 3 in Alzheimer's Disease

OBJECTIVE

Alzheimer's disease (AD), also known as senile dementia, is a common neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive cognitive impairment and personality changes. Numerous evidences have suggested that microRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in the pathogenesis and development of AD. However, the exact role of miR-335-5p in the progression of AD is still not clearly clarified.

METHODS

The protein and mRNA levels were measured by western blot and RNA extraction and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), respectively. The relationship between miR-335-5p and c-jun-N-terminal kinase 3 (JNK3) was confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter assay. SH-SY5Y cells were transfected with APP mutant gene to establish the in vitro AD cell model. Flow cytometry and western blot were performed to evaluate cell apoptosis. The APP/PS1 transgenic mice were used as an in vivo AD model. Morris water maze test was performed to assess the effect of miR- 335-5p on the cognitive deficits in APP/PS1 transgenic mice.

RESULTS

The JNK3 mRNA expression and protein levels of JNK3 and β-Amyloid (Aβ) were significantly up-regulated, and the mRNA expression of miR-335-5p was down-regulated in the brain tissues of AD patients. The expression levels of miR-335-5p and JNK3 were significantly inversely correlated. Further, the dual Luciferase assay verified the relationship between miR-335- 5p and JNK3. Overexpression of miR-335-5p significantly decreased the protein levels of JNK3 and Aβ and inhibited apoptosis in SH-SY5Y/APPswe cells, whereas the inhibition of miR-335-5p obtained the opposite results. Moreover, the overexpression of miR-335-5p remarkably improved the cognitive abilities of APP/PS1 mice.

CONCLUSION

The results revealed that the increased JNK3 expression, negatively regulated by miR-335-5p, may be a potential mechanism that contributes to Aβ accumulation and AD progression, indicating a novel approach for AD treatment.

Original Article: MicroRNA Dysregulation in the Gastric Carcinogenesis Cascade: Can We Anticipate Its Role in Individualized Care?

BACKGROUND

Gastric carcinogenesis progresses from normal mucosa, atrophic/metaplastic gastritis, and dysplasia to adenocarcinoma. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate DNA expression and have been implicated; however, their role is not fully established.

AIMS

The aim of this study was to characterize plasma and tissue expression of several miRNAs in gastric carcinogenesis stages.

METHODS

Single-center cross-sectional study in 64 patients: 19 controls (normal mucosa); 15 with extensive atrophic/metaplastic gastritis; and 30 with early gastric neoplasia (EGN). Seven miRNAs (miR-21, miR-146a, miR-181b, miR-370, miR-375, miR 181b, and miR-490) were quantified by real time-qPCR in peripheral blood and endoscopic biopsy samples.

RESULTS

We found a significant upregulation of miR-181b, miR-490, and miR-21 in the EGN mucosa (overexpression 2-14-times higher than controls). We observed a significant underexpression of miR-146a and miR-370 in atrophic/metaplastic gastritis (86 and 66% decrease, p = 0.008 and p = 0.001) and in EGN (89 and 62% reduction, p = 0.034 and p = 0.032) compared with controls. There were no differences between lesions and nonneoplastic mucosa and no dysregulation of plasma miRNAs.

CONCLUSION

We found significant dysregulation of 5 miRNAs in gastric carcinogenesis, suggesting a tumor suppressor role for miR-146a and miR-370 and oncogenic potential for miR-21, miR-181, and miR-490. These changes happen diffusely in the gastric mucosa, suggesting a high-risk field defect, which may influence these patients' surveillance.

LINC00963 regulates gastric cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion through miR-146a-5p/NFE2L1 axis

BACKGROUND

Long intergenic non-coding RNA 00963 (LINC00963) is up-regulated in tumors, but the function and mechanism of LINC00963 in gastric cancer have not been elucidated. It was predicted using Starbase that microRNA (miR)-146a-5p may be the target gene of LINC00963, and nuclear factor erythroid-2 like 1 (NFE2L1) may be the target gene of miR-146a-5p. We hypothesized that LINC00963 may affect the proliferation, migration and invasion of gastric cancer cells by regulating the miR-146a-5p/NFE2L1 axis.

AIM

To explore the effect of LINC00963 on the proliferation, migration, and invasion of gastric cancer cells and the underlying molecular mechanism.

METHODS

The cancer tissues and adjacent tissues of 42 patients with gastric cancer were collected, and real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was used to detect the expression level of LINC00963 in these tissues. RT-qPCR was also used to detect the expression of LINC00963, miR-146a-5p, and NFE2L1 mRNA in gastric cancer cell lines SNU-1, AGS, and HS-746T. SNU-1 cells were then divided into a normal control group (NC) group, si-LINC00963 group, si-NFE2L1 group, si-NC group, miR-146a-5p group, miR-NC group, si-LINC00963 + pcDNA-NC Group, and si-LINC00963 + pcDNA-NFE2L1 group; CCK-8 was used to detect cell viability, Transwell assay was used to detect cell migration and invasion, and dual luciferase reporter assay was used to detect the targeting relationship among LINC00963, miR-146a-5p, and NFE2L1.

RESULTS

The expression level of LINC00963 in gastric cancer tissues and gastric cancer cell lines SNU-1, AGS, and HS-746T was increased, the expression level of miR-146a-5p was decreased in gastric cancer cell lines, and the expression level of NFE2L1 mRNA was increased (P < 0.05). With low expression of LINC00963 and NFE2L1 or high expression of miR-146a-5p, the viability of SNU-1 cells was decreased, and the ability of cell migration and invasion was decreased (P < 0.05). High expression of NFE2L1 can reverse the effect of low expression of LINC00963 on SNU-1 cells. LINC00963 targets and regulates miR-146a-5p, while miR-146a-5p targets and regulates NFE2L1.

CONCLUSION

Low expression of LINC00963 inhibits the proliferation, migration, and invasion of gastric cancer cells by regulating the miR-146a-5p/NFE2L1 axis.

Urinary exosomal microRNA-96-5p and microRNA-183-5p expression as potential biomarkers of bladder cancer

Because of low sensitivity and specificity of the currently available urine biomarkers of bladder cancer (BC) detection and painful cystoscopy procedure. Our study aimed to evaluate expression of urinary exosomal miR-96-5p and miR-183-5p as probable non-invasive and accurate biomarkers for the diagnosis and follow up of BC. Using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction; expression of exosomal microRNA (miR)-96-5p and miR- 183-5p in the urine samples of 51 patients with BC, 21 patients with benign urinary bladder lesions and in 24 normal individuals as control group was done. Our study results showed higher expressions of both miR-96-5p and miR-183-5p in urine of BC patients in comparison with control group (P < 0.001 for each). Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis showed that each microRNA had good sensitivity and specificity to differentiate BC from non-BC patients miR-96-5p 80.4% and 91.8% and miR-183-5p 78.4% and 81.6% respectively compared to cytology (37.3% and 100%). In addition, it was obvious that the sensitivity of combined miR-96-5p and miR-183-5p for the diagnosis of BC reached 88.2%% and specificity reached 87.8%, which were higher than each one alone. We also found that expression of miR-96-5p and miR-183-5p with high grade, and pathological stage was significantly increased. After surgery, collected urine samples showed significantly lower expression of miR-96-5p-: P < 0.001; and miR-183-5p: P = 0.002. In conclusion, urine miR-96-5p and miR-183-5p are promising tumor biomarkers of BC diagnosis; particularly, when they combined with each other or with urinary cytology.

Functions and Targets of miR-335 in Cancer

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs (18~25 nt in length) that act as master regulators of eukaryotic gene expression. They might play an oncogenic or tumor-suppressive role in multiple cancers. In recent decades, several studies have focused on the functions and mechanisms of miR-335 in cancer. The expression level of miR-335 in tissues and cells varies with cancer types, and miR-335 has been proposed as a potential biomarker for the prognosis of cancer. Besides, miR-335 may serve as an oncogene or tumor suppressor via regulating different targets or pathways in tumor initiation, development, and metastasis. Furthermore, miR-335 also influences tumor microenvironment and drug sensitivity. MiR-335 is regulated by various factors such as lncRNAs and microRNAs. In this review, we reveal the functions and targets of miR-335 in various cancers and its potential application as a possible biomarker in prognostic judgment and treatment of malignant tumors.

Effects of miR-146a-5p on chondrocyte interleukin-1-induced inflammation and apoptosis involving thioredoxin interacting protein regulation

Objective

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic degenerative arthropathy characterized by articular cartilage degeneration, subchondral osteosclerosis, and hyperosteogeny. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play an important regulatory role in its pathological development, so this study explored the effect and potential mechanism of miR-146a-5p in interleukin (IL)-1β-induced OA cartilage injury.

Methods

The human chondrosarcoma cell line SW1353 and normal human chondrocytes C28/I2 were stimulated by IL-1β to construct the OA chondrocyte model. miR-146a-5p and thioredoxin interacting protein (TXNIP) expression levels were detected by quantitative real-time (qRT)-PCR and western blot. Their expression was modified by transfecting an miR-146a-5p inhibitor, mimic, and pcDNA-TXNIP. The relationship between miR-146a-5p and TXNIP was analyzed by the dual-luciferase assay, while cell viability, apoptosis, and inflammatory expression were determined by cell counting, TUNEL staining, and ELISA, respectively.

Results

miR-146a-5p expression was upregulated in SW1353 and C28/I2 cells stimulated by IL-1β. miR-146a-5p knockdown significantly enhanced cell activity, inhibited inflammatory factor expression, and reduced cell apoptosis. The dual-luciferase assay revealed TXNIP as a target gene of miR-146a-5p and suggested that miR-146a-5p promotion of OA damage could be reversed by upregulating TXNIP.

Conclusion

These results suggest that miR-146a-5p inhibits cell proliferation and promotes apoptosis and the inflammatory response in OA cartilage injury by modulating TXNIP.

MicroRNA-124-3p suppresses PD-L1 expression and inhibits tumorigenesis of colorectal cancer cells via modulating STAT3 signaling

Programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) plays a significant role in colorectal tumorigenesis through induction of regulatory T cells (Tregs) and suppression of antitumor immunity. Furthermore, microRNAs (miRNAs) as the posttranscriptional regulators of gene expression show considerable promise as a therapeutic target for colorectal cancer (CRC) treatment. Considering this, in vitro effects of miRNA-124 (miR-124-3p) on CRC cell tumorigenesis and Tregs differentiation via targeting PD-L1 were investigated in the current study. Functional analysis showed that miR-124 is significantly downregulated in CRC tissues as compared with marginal normal samples (p < .0001), and its downregulation was negatively correlated with PD-L1 expression. Moreover, a specific region in PD-L1 3'-untranslated region was predicted as the miR-124 target and validated using the luciferase assay. Further investigation showed that transfection of HT29 and SW480 cells with miR-124 mimics significantly reduced PD-L1 mRNA, protein, and cell surface expression, and inhibited Tregs in coculture models via modulating interleukin [IL]-10, IL-2, tumor necrosis factor α, transforming growth factor beta, and interferon gamma expression levels. Besides, miR-124 overexpression decreased CRC cell proliferation and arrested cell cycle at the G1 phase through downregulation of c-Myc and induced apoptosis in CRC cells via upregulation of both intrinsic and extrinsic pathways. Also, miR-124 exogenous overexpression could reduce colony and spheroid formation ability of CRC cells via downregulating CD44 mRNA expression. miR-124 also diminished MMP-9 expression and subsequently suppressed cell migration and invasion. We also illustrated that STAT3 signaling was repressed by miR-124 in CRC cells. Taken together, our findings imply that considering the involvement of miR-124 in the regulation of PD-L1 through colorectal tumorigenesis and its remarkable antitumor effects, this miRNA could be regarded as the promising target for the development of therapeutic approaches for colorectal cancer.

A colorimetric nano-biosensor for simultaneous detection of prevalent cancers using unamplified cell-free ribonucleic acid biomarkers

Early detection of cancer increases the chance of effective treatment and survival rates. The aim of this study is to develop a rapid and non-invasive nano-biosensing method to screen common lethal cancers in their early stages. In that regard, two circulating microRNA (miR-21, miR-155) biomarkers, which are upregulated in plasma in prevalent cancers, were targeted by a rapid and colorimetric nano-biosensor based on non-crosslinking Au-nanoprobes without amplification requirement. Multiple cancerous cell lines, including A549, MCF7, HT-29, A2780, AGS, MKN-45, and SW-1736 and the primary fibroblast were examined with naked eyes after the hybridization assay using exogenous biomarkers. The results were also confirmed by spectroscopy analysis. The upregulated miRNAs in cancerous cell lines caused a significant blue shift in the Au-nanoprobe absorbance spectrum while the samples isolated from normal cells remained intact red. The limit of detection (LOD) of the method was determined to be less than one ng/µL of total isolated miRNA using an instrument-free visual method. The developed geno-sensing method could serve as a simple, point-of-care platform for cancer prognosis and diagnosis, leading to operative nano-theranostics.

Circular RNA hsa_circ_0001829 promotes gastric cancer progression through miR-155-5p/SMAD2 axis

Background

Accumulating evidences have shown that circular RNAs (circRNAs) play important roles in regulating the pathogenesis of cancer. However, the role of circRNAs in gastric cancer (GC) remains largely unclear.

Methods

In this study, we identified a novel upregulated circRNA, hsa_circ_0001829, in chemically induced malignant transformed human gastric epithelial cells using RNA-seq. Subsequent qRT-PCR and ISH assays were performed to detect the expression level of hsa_circ_0001829 in GC cell lines and tissues. Functional roles of hsa_circ_0001829 in GC were then explored by loss- and gain-of- function assays. Bioinformatic prediction and luciferase assay were used to investigate potential mechanisms of hsa_circ_0001829. Finally, the mice xenograft and metastasis models were constructed to assess the function of hsa_circ_0001829 in vivo.

Results

We found that hsa_circ_0001829 was significantly upregulated in GC tissues and cell lines. Loss- and gain-of- function assays showed that hsa_circ_0001829 promotes GC cells proliferation, migration and invasion, and the affected cell cycle progression and apoptosis rates may account for the effect of hsa_circ_0001829 on GC proliferation. In addition, bioinformatic prediction and luciferase assay showed that hsa_circ_0001829 acts as a molecular sponge for miR-155-5p and that SMAD2 was a target gene of miR-155-5p; moreover, hsa_circ_0001829 sponges miR-155-5p to regulate SMAD2 expression and hsa_circ_0001829 promotes GC progression through the miR-155-5p–SMAD2 pathway. Finally, suppression of hsa_circ_0001829 expression inhibited tumor growth and aggressiveness in vivo.

Conclusion

Taken together, our findings firstly demonstrated a novel oncogenic role of hsa_circ_0001829 in GC progression through miR-155-5p–SMAD2 axis, and our study may offer novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets for GC.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13046-020-01790-w.

Involvement of miR-142 and miR-155 in Non-Infectious Complications of CVID

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is the most prevalent antibody impairment. It is characterized by failure in immunoglobulin and protective antibody generation and defined by an increased tendency toward bacterial infections, autoimmunity, and malignancy. Most CVID diagnoses do not follow a classical Mendelian pattern of inheritance. In recent years, CVID has been considered an epigenetic phenomenon in the majority of cases, overtaking previous monogenetic and/or polygenetic theories. The aim of this study was to review the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in CVID, focusing on the involvement of the same miRNAs in various non-infectious clinical complications of CVID, mainly autoimmunity and/or cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A bibliographic search of the scientific literature was carried out independently by two researchers in scientific databases and search engines. The MeSH terms "microRNAs" and "common variable immunodeficiency" were used. All research articles from inception to May 2020 were considered.

RESULTS

The literature data showed the involvement of two miRNAs in primary immunodeficiency: miR-142 and miR-155. Both of these miRNAs have been investigated through mice models, in which miR-142 and miR-155 were deleted. These knock-out (KO) mice models showed phenotypic analogies to CVID patients with hypogammaglobulinemia, adaptive immunodeficiency, polyclonal proliferation, lung disease, and enteric inflammation. miR-142 and miR-155 have been found to be involved in the following autoimmune and neoplastic clinical complications of CVID: Gastric cancer, gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma, natural killer/Tcell lymphoma (NKTCL), and immune thrombocytopenia.

CONCLUSIONS

miR-142 and miR-155 deregulation leads to similar CVID phenotypesin KO mice models. Although no data are available on the involvement of these miRNAs in human CVID, their dysregulation has been detected in human CVID comorbidities. The literature data show that miRNA sequences in murine models are comparable to those in humans; therefore, miR-142 and miR-155 involvement in human CVID could be hypothesized.

MicroRNA-155-5p inhibits the invasion and migration of prostate cancer cells by targeting SPOCK1

The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of microRNA (miR)-155-5p on the expression of testican-1 (SPOCK1) and the invasion and migration of prostate cancer cells in vitro. Bioinformatics analysis and molecular biology assays revealed that SPOCK1 may be a direct target gene of miR-155-5p. In addition, a negative correlation was identified between SPCOK1 and miR-155-5p expression in prostate tumor tissues and cell lines. miR-155-5p mimic transfection inhibited SPOCK1 expression in PC3 cells and decreased cell migration and invasion abilities, while the expression of vimentin, N-cadherin, E-cadherin, β-catenin, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)3 and MMP9 was upregulated. In summary, SPOCK1 was found to be a target gene of miR155-5p in prostate cancer, and miR-155-5p acts as a tumor-suppressor gene and may inhibit SPOCK1-mediated prostate cancer progression.

Circular RNA DOCK1 downregulates microRNA-124 to induce the growth of human thyroid cancer cell lines

BACKGROUND

Both circular RNA DOCK1 (circDOCK1) and microRNA-124 (miR-124) are implicated in carcinogenesis, but functional association between these two molecules remains uncharacterized. Here, we aimed to ascertain the role of circDOCK1-miR-124 node in thyroid cancer cells.

METHODS

circDOCK1 in thyroid cancer specimens from 25 patients was quantified by qRT-PCR. FTC-133 and TPC-1 cells were enforced to overproduce circDOCK1 and miR-124 which were confirmed by qRT-PCR. The alteration in viability, migration and invasion was monitored. Cellular lysis was subjected to Western blot for detecting cyclin D1, p53, matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP-9), and vimentin. The phosphorylation of JAK1, STAT3, and AMPK was determined by Western blot.

RESULTS

Results from qRT-PCR showed circDOCK1 was enriched in thyroid carcinoma tissues. circDOCK1 fortified the viability of FTC-133 and TPC-1 cells, as well as their activities to migrate and invade. circDOCK1 increased cyclin D1 and decreased p53, and meanwhile induced the accumulation of MMP-9 and vimentin. miR-124 conferred a reverse effect on the abovementioned alteration. Besides, miR-124 blockaded the phosphorylation of JAK1, STAT3, and AMPK which was induced by circDOCK1.

CONCLUSION

circDOCK1 contributed to thyroid carcinogenesis through inhibition of miR-124 in thyroid cancer cells with dampening signaling transduction of JAK/STAT/AMPK in virtue of miR-124 downregulation.

A health disparities study of MicroRNA-146a expression in prostate cancer samples derived from African American and European American patients

Considering the prevalence of prostate cancer all over the world, it is desired to have tools, technologies, and biomarkers which help in early detection of the disease and discriminate different races and ethnic groups. Genetic information from the single gene analysis and genome-wide association studies have identified few biomarkers, however, the drivers of prostate cancer remain unknown in the majority of prostate cancer patients. In those cases where genetic association has been identified, the genes confer only a modest risk of this cancer, hence, making them less relevant for risk counseling and disease management. There is a need for additional biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis of prostate cancer. MicroRNAs are a class of non-protein coding RNA molecules that are frequently dysregulated in different cancers including prostate cancer and show promise as diagnostic biomarkers and targets for therapy. Here we describe the role of micro RNA 146a (miR-146a) which may serve as a diagnostic and prognostic marker for prostate cancer, as indicated from the data presented in this report. Also, a pilot study indicated differential expression of miR-146a in prostate cancer cell lines and tissues from different racial groups. Reduced expression of miR-146a was observed in African American tumor tissues compared to those from European Whites This report provides a novel insight into understanding the prostate carcinogenesis.

Exosome miR-155 Derived from Gastric Carcinoma Promotes Angiogenesis by Targeting the c-MYB/VEGF Axis of Endothelial Cells

Exosomes, membranous nanovesicles, naturally carry proteins, mRNAs, and microRNAs (miRNAs) and play important roles in tumor pathogenesis. Here we showed that gastric cancer (GC) cell-derived exosomes can function as vehicles to deliver miR-155 to promote angiogenesis in GC. In this study, we first detected that the expression of miR-155 and c-MYB was negatively correlated in GC and that c-MYB was a direct target of miR-155. We next characterized the promotional effect of exosome-delivered miR-155 on angiogenesis and tumor growth in GC. We found that miR-155 could inhibit c-MYB but increase vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression and promote growth, metastasis, and tube formation of vascular cells, causing the occurrence and development of tumors. We also used a tumor implantation mouse model to show that exosomes containing miR-155 significantly augment the growth rate of the vasculature and tumors in vivo. Our results illustrate the potential mechanism between miR-155 and angiogenesis in GC. These findings contribute to our understanding of the function of miR-155 and exosomes for GC therapy.

Analysis of the relationship between MIR155HG variants and gastric Cancer susceptibility

Background

Gastric cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world and a major cause of cancer-related death. This study aims to determine whether genetic variations in MIR155HG could be associated with gastric cancer risk.

Materials & methods

A total of 506 gastric cancer patients and 500 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. Genotypes were examined with the MassARRAY platform and data management and analysis were conducted with the Typer Software. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated with logistic regression adjusting for age and gender to evaluate the associations between SNPs with gastric cancer in genetic model analysis.

Results

The “CC” genotype of rs4143370 decreased the risk of gastric cancer in genotype model (p = 0.020) and recessive model (p = 0.018). Inversely, the “CC” genotype of rs1893650 increased the risk of gastric cancer in genotype model (p = 0.023) and recessive model (p = 0.014). Stratified analysis showed that rs11911469 was associated with an increased risk of gastric cancer only among the male group in the dominant model (p = 0.039) and additive model (p = 0.030). The haplotype analysis showed a strong linkage disequilibrium among these six SNPs (rs4143370, rs77699734, rs11911469, rs1893650, rs34904192 and rs928883).

Conclusion

This study confirmed the relationship between SNPs of MIR155HG and the gastric cancer risk among the Chinese Han population. Our data may provide a new perspective to understand the aetiology of gastric cancer.

LINC00319 acts as a microRNA-335-5p sponge to accelerate tumor growth and metastasis in gastric cancer by upregulating ADCY3

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common cancers in the world and remains a heavy burden of health worldwide. Adenylate cyclase 3 (ADCY3) is a widely expressed membrane-associated protein in human tissues and has been identified to be a new molecular target of GC. Long noncoding RNAs have a substantial influence on tumorigenesis and progression of tumors by binding to microRNAs. Therefore, this study is to clarify the mechanism by which LINC00319 sponges micro RNA-335-5p (miR-335-5p) to influence the development of GC. Initially, microarray analysis identified GC-related differentially expressed LINC00319 and ADCY3 for this study. The interaction was confirmed that LINC00319 interacted with miR-335-5p to regulate ADCY3. Next, SGC-7901 cells presenting with the lowest LINC00319 expression and the highest miR-335-5p expression were transfected with LINC00319, miR-335-5p inhibitor, or ADCY3 vector to examine their roles in growth and metastasis of GC cells, which was further ascertained by in vivo experiments. LINC00319 was upregulated and miR-335-5p was downregulated in GC cells. LINC00319 overexpression, miR-335-5p inhibitor, or ADCY3 overexpression was shown to significantly elevate the expression of cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and metastasis associated 1, decrease that of growth arrest-specific 1, and promote tumor growth and metastasis by increasing proliferation and migration and reducing cell apoptosis. Importantly, it was found that overexpressed miR-335-5p exerted its tumor suppressive role in GC through downregulating ADCY3. Collectively, LINC00319 expedited growth and metastasis of GC by upregulating miR-335-5p-mediated ADCY3.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study is carried out based on in vivo and in vitro studies in mice and gastric cancer (GC) cells with the aim of clarifying the role of LINC00319 on GC growth and metastasis, which associated with micro RNA-335-5p-mediated adenylate cyclase 3. Altogether, we identified LINC00319 to be a potential therapy to treat GC.

The role of miR-146a in viral infection

Cellular microRNAs (miRNAs) were identified as a key player in the posttranscriptional regulation of cellular-genes regulatory pathways. They also emerged as a significant regulator of the immune response. In particular, miR-146a acts as an importance modulator of function and differentiation cells of the innate and adaptive immunity. It has been associated with disorder including cancer and viral infections. Given its significance in the regulation of key cellular processes, it is not surprising which virus infection have found ways to dysregulation of miRNAs. miR-146a has been identified in exosomes (exosomal miR-146a). After the exosomes release from donor cells, they are taken up by the recipient cell and probably the exosomal miR-146a is able to modulate the antiviral response in the recipient cell and result in making them more susceptible to virus infection. In this review, we discuss recent reports regarding miR-146a expression levels, target genes, function, and contributing role in the pathogenesis of the viral infection and provide a clue to develop the new therapeutic and preventive strategies for viral disease in the future.

Midazolam inhibits proliferation and accelerates apoptosis of hepatocellular carcinoma cells by elevating microRNA-124-3p and suppressing PIM-1

OBJECTIVE

Recently, the impact of microRNAs (miRNAs) has been identified in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), this study was designed to assess the effects of miR-124-3p and midazolam (MDZ) in HCC with the involvement of PIM-1.

METHODS

HepG₂ human HCC cells were selected for our study, which were treated with different concentrations of MDZ. The gain- and loss-of-function experiments were performed to elucidate the migration, invasion, proliferation, colony formation ability, cell cycle, and apoptosis of HepG₂ cells upon treatment of MDZ, miR-124-3p mimics, or miR-124-3p inhibitor. The expression levels of miR-124-3p, PIM-1, Bax, Bcl-2, P21, and Ki-67 in HepG₂ cells were assessed by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis. Moreover, HepG₂ cell growth in vivo was measured by subcutaneous tumorigenesis in nude mice, and the target relation between miR-124-3p and PIM-1 was evaluated using dual luciferase reporter gene assay.

RESULTS

We have found that after treated with overexpression of miR-124-3p and MDZ, there exhibited elevated miR-124-3p, declined expression of PIM-1, attenuated migration, invasion, proliferation and colony formation ability, and promoted apoptosis of HepG₂ cells. Additionally, it could be observed that the tumor volume and weight were all reduced upon treatment of overexpression of miR-124-3p and MDZ. Meanwhile, the results in the HepG₂ cells that treated with down-regulated miR-124-3p were the opposite. Furthermore, PIM-1 was found to be a target gene of miR-124-3p.

CONCLUSION

Our study found that MDZ could inhibit proliferation and accelerate apoptosis of HCC cells by elevation of miR-124-3p and suppressing PIM-1, which may be an effective method in the treatment of HCC.

Protective potential of miR-146a-5p and its underlying molecular mechanism in diverse cancers: a comprehensive meta-analysis and bioinformatics analysis

Background/aims

Studies have shown that miR-146a-5p was differentially expressed in diverse cancers, but the associations between miR-146a-5p expression and prognosis across multiple types of cancer as well its potential targets and downstream pathways have not been comprehensively analyzed. In this study, we performed the first meta-analysis of the prognostic value of miR-146a-5p expression in diverse malignancies and explored prospective targets of miR-146a-5p and related signaling pathways.

Methods

A thorough search for articles related to miR-146a-5p was performed, and RNA-seq data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and microarray data from gene expression omnibus profiles were used to collect information about the prognostic value of miR-146a-5p. A comprehensive meta-analysis was conducted. Twelve platforms in miRWalk 2.0 were applied to predict targets of miR-146a-5p. TCGA RNA-seq data were used to validate the inverse relationships between miR-146a-5p and its likely targets. Subsequently, gene ontology and pathway analyses were conducted using Funrich version 3.1.3. Potential protein–protein interaction (PPI) networks were constructed. Potential target genes of miR-146a-5p in lung cancer were validated by RT-qPCR.

Results

We included 10 articles in the meta-analysis. In a pooled analysis, the high miR-146a-5p expression group showed a better overall survival in solid cancers, particularly in reproductive system cancers and digestive system cancers. A total of 120 predicted target genes were included in a bioinformatics analysis. Five pathways involving phospholipase C (PLC) and aquaporins (AQPs) were the most significantly enriched Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways. Moreover, the PPI network displayed the related signaling pathways and interactions among proteins. AQP1 and FYN were validated by RT-qPCR to be potential targets of miR-146a-5p in lung cancer.

Conclusion

There is a close link between high miR-146a-5p expression and better overall survival in 21 types of solid cancer, especially in reproductive system and digestive system cancers. Furthermore, miR-146a-5p could inhibit diverse malignancies by modulating pathways linked to PLC or AQPs. In summary, miR-146a-5p is a potential prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for various cancers.

Expression of miR-124 in gastric adenocarcinoma and the effect on proliferation and invasion of gastric adenocarcinoma SCG-7901 cells

Expression of miR-124 in gastric adenocarcinoma cell line SGC-7901 and its effect on biological functions was investigated. Expression of miR-124 in cancer tissues and paracancerous tissues of gastric adenocarcinoma patients was detected by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). RT-qPCR was used to detect the expression of miR-124 in human normal gastric epithelial cells GES-1 and gastric adenocarcinoma SGC-7901 cells. Cells in miR-124 group were transfected with miR-124 agomir, cells in NC group were transfected with agomir-negative control sequence and cells in the control group were not transfected. MTT assay was used to detect cell proliferation, and Transwell invasion assay to detect cell invasion ability, and the effect of transfected miR-124 agonist on the proliferation and invasive ability of gastric adenocarcinoma cells was evaluated. RT-qPCR results showed that miR-124 expression was significantly downregulated in gastric adenocarcinoma tumor tissues compared with paracancerous tissues. Compared with cells of normal human gastric epithelial cell line GES-1, the expression of miR-124 human gastric adenocarcinoma SGC-7901 cells was significantly downregulated. At 12 h, there was no significant difference in OD at 490 nm in the three groups (P>0.05). OD (490) in the three groups showed a gradual upward trend. After transfection, proliferation curves of the three groups showed an upward trend, proliferation rate of miR-124 group was significantly lower than that of NC and control groups (P<0.05). The number of invading cells in miR-124 group was significantly lower than that in NC group and control group, but there was no significant difference in the number of cell invasion between the NC and control groups. miR-124 can inhibit the proliferation and invasion of gastric adenocarcinoma cells. Downregulation of miR-124 expression in gastric adenocarcinoma may be closely related to the development of gastric adenocarcinoma.

MicroRNA-494-3p Promotes Cell Growth, Migration, and Invasion of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma by Targeting Sox7

Background:

There is mounting evidence that microRNAs play an important role in nasopharyngeal carcinoma, which is widely prevalent in South China and is the most prevalent metastatic cancer among head and neck cancers. Recently, it has been shown that miR-494 is involved in the progression and prognosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. However, little is known about the function and mechanism of miR-494-3p in nasopharyngeal carcinoma. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effects of miR-494-3p on the migration and invasion of nasopharyngeal carcinoma and to further explore the underlying mechanisms of these processes.

Methods:

The expression levels of miR-494-3p and Sox7 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma specimens and nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell lines were measured using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Luciferase reporter assay, quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, and Western blotting were used to confirm whether Sox7 was a direct target of miR-494-3p. Additionally, the roles of miR-494-3p and Sox7 on cell proliferation, migration, and invasion of nasopharyngeal carcinoma were analyzed by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, wound healing assay, and Boyden chamber assay, respectively.

Results:

Our study demonstrated that miR-494-3p was commonly upregulated in nasopharyngeal carcinoma specimens and nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell lines compared with nontumor nasopharyngeal epithelial tissue or nasopharyngeal cells (NP69). Moreover, miR-494-3p negatively regulated Sox7 at the posttranscriptional level by binding to a specific site in the Sox7 3′-untranslated region. In addition, synthetic miR-494-3p mimics significantly promoted proliferation, migration, and invasion of S18 and S26 nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells, while a synthetic miR-494-3p inhibitor resulted in suppressed nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell migration and invasion.

Conclusion:

miR-494-3p promotes nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell growth, migration, and invasion by directly targeting Sox7. Our results suggest that miR-494-3p might be a potential therapeutic target for nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Differential expression of miRNA-146a and miRNA-155 in gastritis induced by Helicobacter pylori infection in paediatric patients, adults, and an animal model

Background

Helicobacter pylori is a major aetiologic agent associated with gastritis. H. pylori infections increase the expression of the Toll-like receptor (TLR), which in turn modulates the expression of microRNA (miRNA)-146a and miRNA-155. The objective of this study was to compare the expression of miRNA-146a and miRNA-155 in gastric lesions of paediatric and adult patients with different pathologies and in Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) infected with H. pylori 26,695.

Methods

Quantification of miRNA expression was performed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) of paraffin-embedded gastric lesions of children with or without an infection (n = 25), adults with follicular gastritis and metaplasia (n = 32) and eight-week-old M. unguiculatus males (Hsd:MON) infected with H. pylori 26,695 for 0, 3, 6, 12 and 18 months (n = 25). The genes RNU48 and RNU6 were used as endogenous controls for data normalization. Statistical analyses were performed using Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney, ANOVA and Student’s t-test.

Results

The expression of miRNA-146a and miRNA-155 in infected children increased by 247.6- and 79.4-fold (on average), respectively, compared to that observed in the control group. However, these results were not significant (p = 0.12 and p = 0.07 respectively). In some children a gradual increase in expression was observed, while in others, expression was very high. Additionally, the expression levels of miRNA-146a and miRNA-155 increased by an average of 21.7- and 62-fold, respectively, in adult patients with follicular gastritis when compared to those of the controls. In M. unguiculatus infected with H. pylori 26,695, the expression of both miRNAs increased as the infection progressed.

Conclusion

This is the first report to show differences in the expression of miRNA-146a and miRNA-155 in paediatric and adult patients with gastritis who were infected with H. pylori. In addition, in M. unguiculatus infected with H. pylori, miRNA expression was associated with the progression of infection and the ability of the bacteria to adapt to the host.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12879-018-3368-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The clinical significance of miR-335, miR-124, miR-218 and miR-484 downregulation in gastric cancer

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the leading types of malignancy worldwide, particularly in Asian populations. Although the exact molecular mechanism of GC development remains unknown, microRNA (miRNA) has recently been shown to be involved. The current study aims to investigate the expression levels of bioinformatically ranked miRNAs in gastric tissues. Using bioinformatics tools, we prioritized miRNAs thought to be implicated in GC. Furthermore, polyA-qPCR was used to validate bioinformatics findings in 40 GC, 31 normal gastric tissue (NG) and 45 gastric dysplasia (GD) samples. As identified by bioinformatics analysis, miR-335 was shown to be the top-ranked miRNA implicated in GC. Moreover, a significant downregulation of miR-335, miR-124, miR-218 and miR-484 was found in GC and GD compared to NG samples. We found bioinformatics to be an efficient approach to finding candidate miRNAs relevant to GC development. Finally, the findings show that downregulation of miRNAs such as miR-124 and miR-218 in gastric tissue can be a significant indicator for neoplastic transformation.

Competing endogenous RNA analysis reveals the regulatory potency of circRNA_036186 in HNSCC

This study aimed to characterize circular RNA (circRNA) expression profiles and biological functions in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Differentially expressed circRNAs were screened using an Arraystar Human CircRNA Array and verified by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Multiple bioinformatics methods and a hypergeometric test were employed to predict the interactions between RNAs and the functional circRNA-microRNA (miRNA)-mRNA axes in HNSCC. As a result, 287 circRNAs and 1,053 mRNAs were determined to be differentially expressed in HNSCC compared with the adjacent tissue. In addition, the expression levels of circRNA_036186 and tyrosine 3-monooxygenase/tryptophan 5-monooxygenase activation protein, ζ polypeptide (14-3-3ζ) were identified to be significantly different. A competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network was constructed, consisting of 5 circRNAs, 385 miRNAs and 96 mRNAs. Furthermore, we predicted that miR-193b-3p exerts a significant effect on 14-3-3ζ, and was significantly associated with the Hippo signaling pathway in HNSCC. On the whole, these findings suggest that circRNA_036186 likely regulates 14-3-3ζ expression by functioning as a ceRNA in the development and progression of HNSCC.

CPNE1 is a target of miR-335-5p and plays an important role in the pathogenesis of non-small cell lung cancer

Background

Despite advances in diagnosis and treatment, the survival of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients remains poor. There is therefore a strong need to identify potential molecular targets for the treatment of NSCLC. In the present study, we investigated the function of CPNE1 in the regulation of cell growth, migration and invasion.

Methods

Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the expression of CPNE1 and miR-335-5p. Western blot and immunohistochemical assays were used to investigate the levels of CPNE1 and other proteins. Flow cytometry was used to determine cell cycle stage and apoptosis. CCK-8 and clonogenic assays were used to investigate cell proliferation. Wound healing, migration and invasion assays were used to investigate the motility of cells. A lung carcinoma xenograft mouse model was used to investigate the in vivo effects of CPNE1 overexpression.

Results

We observed that knockdown of CPNE1 and increased expression of miR-335-5p inhibits cell proliferation and motility in NSCLC cells, and found that CPNE1 was a target of miR-335-5p. In addition, our data indicated that CPNE1 inhibition could improve the clinical effects of EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

Conclusions

The present results indicate that CPNE1 may be a promising molecular target in the treatment of NSCLC.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s13046-018-0811-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The tumor suppressor role of miR-155-5p in gastric cancer

Gastric cancer (GC) is the fifth most common type of malignant tumor worldwide and the most common cause of cancer-associated mortality in China. Recent studies revealed that microRNAs (miRNAs) function in the pathogenesis of GC, and that miR-155-5p expression is downregulated in GC tissues. However, the function of miR-155-5p has not been fully identified. In the present study, it was demonstrated that overexpression of miR-155-5p inhibited GC-cell proliferation and promoted apoptosis, while downregulation of miR-155-5p promoted GC-cell proliferation and decreased the cisplatin sensitivity of GC cells. Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase 10 was demonstrated to be a potential target gene of miR-155-5p. In conclusion, an antitumor role of miR-155-5p in gastric cancer was suggested.

miRNA-124-3p/neuropilin-1(NRP-1) axis plays an important role in mediating glioblastoma growth and angiogenesis

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most lethal brain malignancy which involves multi-gene abnormality. Unfortunately, effective therapy against GBM remains lacking. Previously, we found that NRP-1 and its downstream NRP-1/GIPC1 pathway played an important role in GBM. In our study, we further investigated the upstream signaling of NRP-1 to understand how it is regulated. First, we identified that hsa-miR-124-3p was miRNA differentially expressed in GBM and in normal brain tissues by high-throughput sequencing. Then, by dual luciferase reporter gene, we found miR-124-3p can specially bind to the 3'UTR region of the NRP-1 thus suppresses its expression. Moreover, miR-124-3p overexpression significantly inhibited GBM cell proliferation, migration and tumor angiogenesis which resulted in GBM apoptosis and cell cycle arrest, putatively via NRP-1 mediated PI3K/Akt/NFκB pathways activation in GBM cells. Meanwhile, miR-124-3p overexpression also suppressed tumor growth and reduced tumor angiogenesis when targeted by NRP-1 in a PDX model. Furthermore, NRP-1 mAb exerted synergistic inhibitory effects with miR-124-3p overexpression in GBM. Thus, we discovered that miR-124-3p acts as the upstream suppressor of NRP-1 which promotes GBM cell development and growth by PI3K/Akt/NFκB pathway. The miR-124-3p/NRP-1/GIPC1 pathway as a new pathway has a vital role in GBM, and it could be considered as the potential target for malignant gliomas in future.

Methylation-regulated miR-124-1 suppresses tumorigenesis in hepatocellular carcinoma by targeting CASC3

This study was to investigate the roles and mechanisms of miR-124-1 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We analyzed the expression of miR-124-1 in human HCC tissues and cell lines. Luciferase reporter assays were used to analyze the target of miR-124-1. Human HCC cell lines were transduced with lentiviruses expressing miR-124-1, and proliferation and colony formation were analyzed. The growth of human HCC cells overexpressing miR-124-1 was assessed in nude mice. The expression of p38-MAPK, JNK, ERK and related signaling molecules was detected by western blotting and immunohistochemistry. Our results showed that miR-124-1 levels were reduced in HCC tissues and cell lines compared with those in adjacent non-cancer tissues and normal liver cell lines respectively. Downregulation of miR-124-1 in HCC cell lines were attributed to hypermethylation of its promoter region. Overexpression of miR-124-1 inhibited HCC cell proliferation in vitro, whereas miR-124-1 was correlated with clinicopathological parameters of HCC patients. HCC cell-mediated overexpression of miR-124-1 in nude mice suppressed tumor growth. Cancer susceptibility candidate 3 (CASC3) was identified as a direct target of miR-124-1 by computational analysis and experimental assays. MiR-124-1-mediated downregulation of CASC3 resulted in the inactivation of p38-MAPK, JNK and ERK. Our findings provide potential new targets for the prevention or treatment of HCC.

MicroRNA-124-3p expression and its prospective functional pathways in hepatocellular carcinoma: A quantitative polymerase chain reaction, gene expression omnibus and bioinformatics study

The present study aimed to explore the potential clinical significance of microRNA (miR)-124-3p expression in the hepatocarcinogenesis and development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), as well as the potential target genes of functional HCC pathways. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction was performed to evaluate the expression of miR-124-3p in 101 HCC and adjacent non-cancerous tissue samples. Additionally, the association between miR-124-3p expression and clinical parameters was also analyzed. Differentially expressed genes identified following miR-124-3p transfection, the prospective target genes predicted in silico and the key genes of HCC obtained from Natural Language Processing (NLP) were integrated to obtain potential target genes of miR-124-3p in HCC. Relevant signaling pathways were assessed with protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks, Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Protein Annotation Through Evolutionary Relationships (PANTHER) pathway enrichment analysis. miR-124-3p expression was significantly reduced in HCC tissues compared with expression in adjacent non-cancerous liver tissues. In HCC, miR-124-3p was demonstrated to be associated with clinical stage. The mean survival time of the low miR-124-3p expression group was reduced compared with that of the high expression group. A total of 132 genes overlapped from differentially expressed genes, miR-124-3p predicted target genes and NLP identified genes. PPI network construction revealed a total of 109 nodes and 386 edges, and 20 key genes were identified. The major enriched terms of three GO categories included regulation of cell proliferation, positive regulation of cellular biosynthetic processes, cell leading edge, cytosol and cell projection, protein kinase activity, transcription activator activity and enzyme binding. KEGG analysis revealed pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer and non-small cell lung cancer as the top three terms. Angiogenesis, the endothelial growth factor receptor signaling pathway and the fibroblast growth factor signaling pathway were identified as the most significant terms in the PANTHER pathway analysis. The present study confirmed that miR-124-3p acts as a tumor suppressor in HCC. miR-124-3p may target multiple genes, exerting its effect spatiotemporally, or in combination with a diverse range of processes in HCC. Functional characterization of miR-124-3p targets will offer novel insight into the molecular changes that occur in HCC progression.

miRNA profiling identifies deregulated miRNAs associated with osteosarcoma development and time to metastasis in two large cohorts

Osteosarcoma (OS) is an aggressive bone tumor primarily affecting children and adolescents. The etiology of OS is not fully understood. Thus, there is a great need to obtain a better understanding of OS development and progression. Alterations in miRNA expression contribute to the required molecular alterations for neoplastic initiation and progression. This study is the first to investigate miRNA expression in OS in a large discovery and validation cohort comprising a total of 101 OS samples. We established the signature of altered miRNA expression in OS by profiling the expression level of 752 miRNAs in 23 OS samples using sensitive LNA-enhanced qPCR assays. The identified miRNA expression changes were correlated with gene expression in the same samples. Furthermore, miRNA expression changes were validated in a second independent cohort consisting of 78 OS samples. Analysis of 752 miRNAs in the discovery cohort led to the identification of 33 deregulated miRNAs in OS. Twenty-nine miRNAs were validated with statistical significance in the second cohort comprising 78 OS samples. miRNA/mRNA targets were determined, and 361 genes with an inverse expression of the target miRNA were identified. Both the miRNAs and the identified target genes were associated with multiple pathways related to cancer as well as bone cell biology, thereby correlating the deregulated miRNAs with OS tumorigenesis. An analysis of the prognostic value of the 29 miRNAs identified miR-221/miR-222 to be significantly associated with time to metastasis in both cohorts. This study contributes to a more profound understanding of OS tumorigenesis, by substantiating the importance of miRNA deregulation. We have identified and validated 29 deregulated miRNAs in the - to our knowledge - largest discovery and validation cohorts used so far for miRNA analyses in OS. Two of the miRNAs showed a promising potential as prognostic biomarkers for the aggressiveness of OS.

MicroRNA-124-3p inhibits cell growth and metastasis in cervical cancer by targeting IGF2BP1

MicroRNAs (miRs) serve a role in promoting and suppressing tumors in various types of malignant cancer, such as cervical cancer. However, the regulatory mechanism of miR-124-3p in cervical cancer remains unclear. In the present study, miR-124-3p was significantly downregulated in cervical cancer tissues and cell lines compared with matching adjacent non-tumor tissues and the normal cervical epithelial cell line End1/E6E7, respectively. Decreased expression of miR-124-3p was associated with advanced cervical cancer and the results of an in vitro study demonstrated that the ectopic expression of miR-124-3p significantly decreased the proliferation, migration and invasion of cervical cancer Caski cells. Furthermore, insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA binding protein 1 (IGF2BP1) was identified as a novel target of miR-124-3p. Overexpression of miR-124-3p decreased the expression of IGF2BP1, whereas miR-124-3p knockdown promoted IGF2BP1 expression at the post-transcriptional level in Caski cells. Additionally, overexpression of IGF2BP1 attenuated the suppressive effects of miR-124-3p on the proliferation, migration and invasion of Caski cells. IGF2BP1 was upregulated in cervical cancer tissues and cell lines compared with matching adjacent non-tumor tissues and the End1/E6E7 cell line, respectively. Therefore, the present study suggests that miR-124-3p suppresses the growth and metastasis of cervical cancer by directly targeting IGF2BP. Thus, miR-124-3p may be developed as a novel method of treating cervical cancer.

MicroRNA-124-3p directly targets PDCD6 to inhibit metastasis in breast cancer

Breast cancer (BC) is the leading cause of cancer-associated mortality among women worldwide, with a poor 5-year survival rate, particularly among patients with metastatic BC. Previous studies have indicated that the dysregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) is associated with carcinogenesis and metastasis. Thus, investigating the underlying molecular mechanisms by which miRNAs mediate their effects may aid in the improvement of BC treatment. In the present study, reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction analyses were performed to investigate miR-124-3p expression in BC tissues. The expression of miR-124-3p was significantly decreased in primary BC tissues compared with that in adjacent non-tumor tissues. Downregulated miR-124-3p was correlated with lymph node metastasis and a low overall survival time. Wound-healing and Transwell assays revealed that MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cell motility was inhibited by miR-124-3p, but was promoted by a miR-124-3p inhibitor. Overexpression of miR-124-3p increased levels of E-cadherin, and decreased levels of N-cadherin and Vimentin, indicating that miR-124-3p inhibits the epithelial-mesenchymal transition. In addition, a bioinformatics analysis and subsequent in vitro experiments identified programmed cell death protein 6 (PDCD6) as a direct target of miR-124-3p. Restoration of PDCD6 expression impaired the metastasis inhibitor role of miR-124-3p by promoting cell invasion. Furthermore, the expression of miR-124-3p was inversely associated with PDCD6 mRNA levels in clinical breast tumors. Taken together, these data suggest that miR-124-3p inhibits tumor metastasis by inhibiting PDCD6 expression, and that the miR-124-3p/PDCD6 signaling axis may be a potential target for novel treatments in patients with advanced BC.

Crosstalk between the Notch signaling pathway and non-coding RNAs in gastrointestinal cancers

The Notch signaling pathway is one of the main signaling pathways that mediates direct contact between cells, and is essential for normal development. It regulates various cellular processes, including cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, invasion, angiogenesis and metastasis. It additionally serves an important function in tumor progression. Non-coding RNAs mainly include small microRNAs, long non-coding RNAs and circular RNAs. At present, a large body of literature supports the biological significance of non-coding RNAs in tumor progression. It is also becoming increasingly evident that cross-talk exists between Notch signaling and non-coding RNAs. The present review summarizes the current knowledge of Notch-mediated gastrointestinal cancer cell processes, and the effect of the crosstalk between the three major types of non-coding RNAs and the Notch signaling pathway on the fate of gastrointestinal cancer cells.

MicroRNA-335-5p is a potential suppressor of metastasis and invasion in gastric cancer

Background

Multiple aberrant microRNA expression has been reported in gastric cancer. Among them, microRNA-335-5p (miR-335), a microRNA regulated by DNA methylation, has been reported to possess both tumor suppressor and tumor promoter activities.

Results

Herein, we show that miR-335 levels are reduced in gastric cancer and significantly associate with lymph node metastasis, depth of tumor invasion, and ultimately poor patient survival in a cohort of Amerindian/Hispanic patients. In two gastric cancer cell lines AGS and, Hs 746T the exogenous miR-335 decreases migration, invasion, viability, and anchorage-independent cell growth capacities. Performing a PCR array on cells transfected with miR-335, 19 (30.6%) out of 62 genes involved in metastasis and tumor invasion showed decreased transcription levels. Network enrichment analysis narrowed these genes to nine (PLAUR, CDH11, COL4A2, CTGF, CTSK, MMP7, PDGFA, TIMP1, and TIMP2). Elevated levels of PLAUR, a validated target gene, and CDH11 were confirmed in tumors with low expression of miR-335. The 3′UTR of CDH11 was identified to be directly targeted by miR-335. Downregulation of miR-335 was also demonstrated in plasma samples from gastric cancer patients and inversely correlated with DNA methylation of promoter region (Z = 1.96, p = 0.029). DNA methylation, evaluated by methylation-specific PCR assay, was found in plasma from 23 (56.1%) out of 41 gastric cancer patients but in only 9 (30%) out of 30 healthy donors (p = 0.029, Pearson’s correlation). Taken in consideration, our results of the association with depth of invasion, lymph node metastasis, and poor prognosis together with functional assays on cell migration, invasion, and tumorigenicity are in accordance with the downregulation of miR-335 in gastric cancer.

Conclusions

Comprehensive evaluation of metastasis and invasion pathway identified a subset of associated genes and confirmed PLAUR and CDH11, both targets of miR-335, to be overexpressed in gastric cancer tissues. DNA methylation of miR-335 may be a promissory strategy for non-invasive approach to gastric cancer.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s13148-017-0413-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

miR-146a promotes growth of osteosarcoma cells by targeting ZNRF3/GSK-3β/β-catenin signaling pathway

MicroRNA-146a-5p (miR-146a) functions as a tumor suppressor or oncogene involved in multiple biological processes. But, the underlying molecular mechanisms by which miR-146a contributes to osteosarcoma (OS) remain unclear. The correlation of miR-146a expression with clinicopathologic characteristics and prognosis of OS patients was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analysis. Cell growth in vitro and in vivo was assessed by MTT, cell colony formation and animal models. The target of miR-146a was identified by bioinformatics software and gene luciferase reporter. As a result, miR-146a expression was substantially elevated in OS tissues and was positively associated with the tumor size (P=0.001) and recurrence (P=0.027) of OS patients. Moreover, knockdown of miR-146a suppressed cell proliferation and colony formation in vitro and in vivo. In addition, zinc and ring finger 3 (ZNRF3) was identified as a direct target of miR-146a in OS cells, and was negatively correlated with miR-146a expression in OS tissues. Overexpression of ZNRF3 inhibited cell growth and rescued the tumor-promoting role of miR-146a via inhibition of GSK-3β/β-catenin signaling pathway. Taken together, miR-146a may function as an oncogene in OS cells by targeting ZNRF3/GSK-3β/β-catenin signaling pathway, and represent a promising biomarker for OS patients.

Analysis of microRNA expression and micronuclei frequency in workers exposed to vinyl chloride monomer in China

AIM

To identify differently expressed miRNAs associated with vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) and micronuclei (MN) frequency.

METHOD

In discovery stage, we used microarray to detect miRNAs expression in peripheral blood lymphocytes between six low and six high VCM-exposed workers grouped by medium cumulative exposure dose. Then we validated four miRNAs using real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) and detected the micronuclei frequencies using cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay in 94 VCM-exposed workers and 53 healthy control subjects.

RESULTS & CONCLUSION

We found eight miRNAs significantly downregulated and seven miRNAs upregulated (|Fold Change| >2; p < 0.05) in the high-exposure group through microarray. We validate that miR-222-3p, miR-146a-5p and miR-151a-5p were downregulated, while miR-22-3p was upregulated in VCM-exposed group (all p < 0.01). Furthermore, we found that expression of miR-22-3p was upregulated in the high micronuclei (MN) frequency subjects. In conclusion, our study suggested that these four miRNAs could be biomarkers of VCM exposure, and moreover miR-22-3p was correlated with MN frequency.

Expression of urinary miRNAs targeting NLRs inflammasomes in bladder cancer

AIM OF THE STUDY

Inflammasome, a large complex of NOD-like receptors (NLRs), drives tumor growth and progression. The present study aimed at exploring the alteration in expression of urinary inflammasome-related microRNAs (miRNAs) in bladder cancer (BC). Our previous report demonstrated the up-regulation of NLRs genes (NLRP3, NLRP4, NLRP9 and NAIP) in urine sediments of patients harboring BC. The expression levels of miRNAs targeting these NLRs (miR-146a-5p, miR-106a-5p, miR-17-5p, miR-223-3p, miR-141-3p, miR-19a-3p, miR-145-5p, miR-185-5p) were assayed in the same patient cohort.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Forty-six subjects affected by BC, 28 healthy controls (CTR0) and 31 subjects with histologically confirmed bladder inflammation (CTR1) were recruited. Total RNA was extracted from urine sediment and resulting cDNA was used for amplification by real-time polymerase chain reaction. MiRNA expression levels were evaluated and compared among selected groups. Patients were further stratified according to tumor stage, grade and risk of recurrence and progression. Moreover, non-muscle invasive low-grade and high-grade (HG) BC patients were compared.

RESULTS

MiR 141-3p and miR-19a-3p expression decreased in CTR1 with respect to both BC and CTR0. In contrast, miR-146a-5p was up-regulated in BC compared with CTR0. MiR106a-5p, miR17-5p and miR19a-5p were significantly up-regulated in HG, high-risk (HR) and non-muscle invasive HG BC patients, while miR-185-5p was significantly higher in muscle invasive tumors, according to T stage stratification.

CONCLUSION

The increased expression of miRNAs targeting NLRs in HG and HR BC patients is in accordance with the decrease in NLR mRNAs observed in our previous report. These data corroborate the direct role of NLR genes and respective regulatory miRNAs in BC making these inflammasome-related molecules a reliable non-invasive tool for BC diagnosis.