Tumor suppressor miR-149-5p is associated with cellular migration, proliferation and apoptosis in renal cell carcinoma

Bta-miR-149-3p suppresses inflammatory response in bovine Sertoli cells exposed to microcystin-leucine arginine (MC-LR) through TLR4/NF-kB signaling pathway

This study explored the regulatory role of bta-miR-149-3p in the inflammatory response induced by microcystin-leucine arginine (MC-LR) exposure in bovine Sertoli cells. The research endeavored to enhance the comprehension of the epigenetic mechanisms underlying MC-LR-induced cytotoxicity in Sertoli cells and establish a foundation for mitigating these effects in vitro. In this study, we elucidated the regulatory mechanism of bta-miR-149-3p in the MC-LR-induced inflammatory response by verifying the target gene of bta-miR-149-3p through luciferase assays and treating the cells with a bta-miR-149-3p inhibitor for 24 h. The results demonstrate that nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) acts as a downstream target gene of bta-miR-149-3p, which inhibits the MC-LR-induced inflammatory response in bovine Sertoli cells. This inhibition occurs by regulating the downregulation of tight junction constitutive proteins of the blood-testis barrier (BTB) through the suppression of the TLR-4/NF-κB signaling pathway (p < 0.05) and the up-regulation of the adhesion junction protein β-catenin (p < 0.05). Notably, MC-LR exposure resulted in the up-regulation (p < 0.05) of inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-1β, and NLRP3) and the down-regulation (p < 0.05) of BTB tight junction constitutive proteins (ZO-1, Occludin) in Sertoli cells. Furthermore, the BTB constitutive protein ZO-1 exhibited significant down-regulation in Sertoli cells pretreated with the bta-miR-149-3p inhibitor compared to controls (p < 0.05), while Occludin showed no significant difference from CTNNB1 (p > 0.05). In summary, our findings suggest that bta-miR-149-3p suppresses the MC-LR-induced inflammatory response and alterations in the expression of BTB proteins in bovine Sertoli cells by inhibiting the TLR-4/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Role and action mechanisms of miR-149 and miR-31 in regulating function of pig cumulus cells and oocytes

Understanding the mechanisms for oocyte maturation and optimizing the protocols for in vitro maturation (IVM) are greatly important for improving developmental potential of IVM oocytes. The miRNAs expressed in cumulus cells (CCs) play important roles in oocyte maturation and may be used as markers for selection of competent oocytes/embryos. Although a recent study from our group identified several new CCs-expressed miRNAs that regulate cumulus expansion (CE) and CC apoptosis (CCA) in mouse oocytes, validation of these findings and further investigation of mechanisms of action in other model species was essential before wider applications. By using both in vitro and in vivo pig oocyte models with significant differences in CE, CCA and developmental potential, the present study validated that miR-149 and miR-31 improved CE and developmental potential while suppressing CCA of pig oocytes. We demonstrated that miR-149 and miR-31 targeted SMAD family member 6 (SMAD6) and transforming growth factor β2 (TGFB2), respectively, in the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling. Furthermore, both miR-149 and miR-31 increased CE and decreased CCA via activating SMAD family member 2 (SMAD2) and increasing the expression of SMAD2 and SMAD family member 4. In conclusion, the present results show that miR-149 and miR-31 improved CE and developmental potential while suppressing CCA of pig oocytes by activating the TGF-β signaling, suggesting that they might be used as markers for pig oocyte quality.

The association between genetic variation rs2292832 and the processing efficiency of pre-mir-149 affects the risk of breast cancer

BACKGROUND

microRNAs (miRNAs) play key roles in regulating cancer development, including breast cancer. Variation in miRNA genes can associate with the risk of cancer by alterations in the miRNA's processing and maturation. Therefore, human blood samples and breast cancer cell line (MCF7) were analyzed to study any possible association between the genetic variant (rs2292832) in the miR-149 precursor and breast cancer susceptibility.

METHODS

To study the role of rs2292832 polymorphism in breast cancer, the miR-149 gene variant was genotyped using PCR-RFLP. For evaluating the effect of SNP on function and expression levels of mature miR-149, we inserted pre-miR-149 and flanking region with CC or TT genotype into a pEGFPN1 expression vector, and qPCR was accomplished. Cell survival, proliferation, and migration properties investigated by MTT and wound healing assay. Statistical analysis was carried out for data analysis.

RESULTS

T allele in variant rs2292832 is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. Such association was also obtained in co-dominant (OR = 2.5) and dominant (OR = 2.016) models. The variant allele led to reduced production of mature miR-149 and resulted in increased cell proliferation and migration of MCF7 cells.

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest that miR-149 suppresses tumor cell proliferation, and the pre-mir-149 polymorphism affects the processing of miR-149, causing an alteration in the abundance of the miRNA mature form, which can regulate tumor progression and metastasis.

The Role of Long Noncoding RNA (lncRNAs) Biomarkers in Renal Cell Carcinoma

Renal cell carcinoma is one of the common cancers whose incidence and mortality are continuously growing worldwide. Initially, this type of tumour is usually asymptomatic. Due to the lack of reliable diagnostic markers, one-third of ccRCC patients already have distant metastases at the time of diagnosis. This underlines the importance of establishing biomarkers that would enable the prediction of the disease's course and the risk of metastasis. LncRNA, which modulates genes at the epigenetic, transcriptional, and post-transcriptional levels, appears promising. The actions of lncRNA involve sponging and sequestering target miRNAs, thus affecting numerous biological processes. Studies have confirmed the involvement of RNAs in various diseases, including RCC. In this review, we focused on MALAT1 (a marker of serious pathological changes and a factor in the promotion of tumorigenesis), RCAT1 (tumour promoter in RCC), DUXAP9 (a plausible marker of localized ccRCC), TCL6 (exerting tumour-suppressive effects in renal cancer), LINC00342 (acting as an oncogene), AGAP2 Antisense1 (plausible predictor of RCC progression), DLEU2 (factor promoting tumours growth via the regulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition), NNT-AS1 (sponge of miR-22 contributing to tumour progression), LINC00460 (favouring ccRCC development and progression) and Lnc-LSG1 (a factor that may stimulate ccRCC metastasis).

Identification and validation of the molecular subtype and prognostic signature for clear cell renal cell carcinoma based on neutrophil extracellular traps

Background: Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is one of the most common cancers, with an annual incidence of nearly 400,000 cases worldwide. Increasing evidence has also demonstrated the vital role of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) in cancer progression and metastatic dissemination. Methods: Consensus cluster analysis was performed to determine the number of ccRCC subtypes. The Kruskal-Wallis test or Student t-test was performed to evaluate the difference of infiltrating immune cell and gene expression in different groups. The Kaplan-Meier (KM) method was used to draw the survival curve. LASSO cox regression analysis was conducted to construct a NET-related prognostic signature. We also constructed a lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory axis by several miRNA and lncRNA target databases. Results: A total of 23 differentially expressed NET-related genes were obtained in ccRCC. Three clusters of ccRCC cases with significant difference in prognosis, immune infiltration, and chemotherapy and targeted therapy were identified. LASSO Cox regression analysis identified a NET-related prognostic signature including six genes (G0S2, DYSF, MMP9, SLC22A4, SELP, and KCNJ15), and this signature had a good performance in predicting the overall survival of ccRCC patients. The expression of prognostic signature genes was significantly correlated with the pTMN stage, immune infiltration, tumor mutational burdens, microsatellite instability, and drug sensitivity of ccRCC patients. MMP9 was identified as the hub gene. We also identified the lncRNA UBA6-AS1/miR-149-5p/MMP9 regulatory axis for the progression of ccRCC. Conclusion: Collectively, the current study identified three molecular clusters and a prognostic signature for ccRCC based on neutrophil extracellular traps. Integrative transcriptome analyses plus clinical sample validation may facilitate the biomarker discovery and clinical transformation.

Tumor-Suppressive and Oncogenic Roles of microRNA-149-5p in Human Cancers

Malignant tumors are always a critical threat to human health, with complex pathogenesis, numerous causative factors, and poor prognosis. The features of cancers, such as gene mutations, epigenetic alterations, and the activation and inhibition of signaling pathways in the organism, play important roles in tumorigenesis and prognosis. MicroRNA (miRNA) enables the control of various molecular mechanisms and plays a variety of roles in human cancers, such as radiation sensitivity and tumor immunity, through the regulation of target genes. MiR-149-5p participates in the process and is closely related to lipogenesis, the migration of vascular endothelial cells, and the expression of stem-cell-related proteins. In recent years, its role in cancer has dramatically increased. In this review, we summarize the regular physiological roles of miRNAs, specifically miR-149-5p, in the organism and discuss the tumor-suppressive or oncogenic roles of miR-149-5p in different human cancers with respect to signaling pathways involved in regulation. Possible clinical applications of miR-149-5p in future targeted therapies and prognosis improvement in oncology are suggested.

MicroRNA-149-3p expression correlates with outcomes of adrenocortical tumor patients and affects proliferation and cell cycle progression of H295A adrenocortical cancer cell line

Pediatric adrenocortical tumor (ACT) is a rare and aggressive neoplasm, with incidence in southern and southeastern Brazil 10-15 times higher than worldwide. Although microRNAs (miRNAs) have been reported to act as tumor suppressors or oncogenes in several cancers, the role of miR-149-3p in ACT remains unknown. In this study, we evaluated the expression of miR-149-3p in 67 pediatric ACT samples and 19 non-neoplastic adrenal tissues. The overexpression of miR-149-3p was induced in H295A cell line, and cell viability, proliferation, colony formation, and cell cycle were assessed by in miR-149-3p mimic or mimic control. In silico analysis were used to predict miR-149-3p putative target genes. CDKN1A expression at the mRNA and protein levels was evaluated by qRT-PCR and western blot, respectively. Higher miR-149-3p expression was associated with unfavorable ACT outcomes. Compared to the mimic control, miR-149-3p overexpression increased cell viability and colony formation, and affected cell cycle progression. Also, we identified CDKN1A as a potential miR-149-3p target gene, with decreased expression at both the gene and protein levels in miR-149-3p mimic cells. Collectively, these findings suggest that miR-149-3p promotes H295A cell viability by downregulating CDKN1A and provide evidence that miR-149-3p may be useful as a novel therapeutic target for pediatric ACT.

HSSG: Identification of Cancer Subtypes Based on Heterogeneity Score of A Single Gene

Cancer is a highly heterogeneous disease, which leads to the fact that even the same cancer can be further classified into different subtypes according to its pathology. With the multi-omics data widely used in cancer subtypes identification, effective feature selection is essential for accurately identifying cancer subtypes. However, the feature selection in the existing cancer subtypes identification methods has the problem that the most helpful features cannot be selected from a biomolecular perspective, and the relationship between the selected features cannot be reflected. To solve this problem, we propose a method for feature selection to identify cancer subtypes based on the heterogeneity score of a single gene: HSSG. In the proposed method, the sample-similarity network of a single gene is constructed, and pseudo-F statistics calculates the heterogeneity score for cancer subtypes identification of each gene. Finally, we construct gene-gene networks using genes with higher heterogeneity scores and mine essential genes from the networks. From the seven TCGA data sets for three experiments, including cancer subtypes identification in single-omics data, the performance in feature selection of multi-omics data, and the effectiveness and stability of the selected features, HSSG achieves good performance in all. This indicates that HSSG can effectively select features for subtypes identification.

An Integrative Analysis Framework for Identifying the Prognostic Markers from Multidimensional RNA Data of Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma

The altered regulatory status of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA), miRNA, and mRNA and their interactions play critical roles in tumor proliferation, metastasis, and progression, which ultimately influence cancer prognosis. However, there are limited studies of comprehensive identification of prognostic biomarkers from combined data sets of the three RNA types in the highly metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). The current study employed an integrative analysis framework of functional genomics approaches and machine learning methods to the lncRNA, miRNA, and mRNA data and identified 16 RNAs (3 lncRNAs, 6 miRNAs, and 7 mRNAs) of prognostic value, with 9 of them novel. A 16 RNA-based score was established for prognosis prediction of ccRCC with significance (P < 0.0001). The area under the curve for the score model was 0.868 to 0.870 in the training cohort and 0.714 to 0.778 in the validation cohort. Construction of the lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA interaction network showed that the downstream mRNAs and upstream lncRNAs in the network initiated from the miRNA or lncRNA markers exhibit significant enrichment in functional classifications associated with cancer metastasis, proliferation, progression, or prognosis. The functional analysis provided clear support for the role of the RNA biomarkers in predicting cancer prognosis. This study provides promising biomarkers for predicting prognosis of ccRCC using multidimensional RNA data, and these findings are expected to facilitate potential clinical applications of the biomarkers.

CircRNA casein kinase 1 gamma 1 (circ-CSNK1G1) plays carcinogenic effects in thyroid cancer by acting as miR-149-5p sponge and relieving the suppression of miR-149-5p on mitogen-activated protein kinase 1 (MAPK1)

BACKGROUND

The initiation and development of thyroid cancer may be associated with the deregulation of circular RNAs (circRNAs). The purpose of this work was to explore the role of circRNA casein kinase 1 gamma 1 (circ-CSNK1G1) in thyroid cancer.

METHODS

The expression of circ-CSNK1G1, miR-149-5p, and mitogen-activated protein kinase 1 (MAPK1) was concluded using quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR), and the expression of MAPK1 protein was detected by Western blot assay. Cell viability was monitored by CCK-8 assay. Cell proliferation was determined by colony formation assay and EdU assay. Cell apoptosis and cycle were checked by flow cytometry assay. Cell invasion was determined by transwell assay. The predicted binding relationship between miR-149-5p and circ-CSNK1G1 or MAPK1 was verified by dual-luciferase reporter assay. The role of circ-CSNK1G1 in vivo was determined by establishing animal models.

RESULTS

The present work discovered the upregulation of circ-CSNK1G1 in tumor tissues of thyroid cancer. In function, circ-CSNK1G1 knockdown inhibited proliferation, survival, and invasion in cancer cells, and tumor growth in mouse models. MiR-149-5p was a target of circ-CSNK1G1, and the anti-tumor effects of circ-CSNK1G1 knockdown were abolished by miR-149-5p downregulation. In addition, miR-149-5p directly targeted MAPK1, and miR-149-5p restoration-inhibited cell proliferation and invasion were recovered by MAPK1 overexpression.

CONCLUSION

Circ-CSNK1G1 acted as miR-149-5p to relieve the inhibition of miR-149-5p on MAPK1, thus promoting the malignant development of thyroid cancer.

A Review on the Role of miR-149-5p in the Carcinogenesis

miR-149 is an miRNA with essential roles in carcinogenesis. This miRNA is encoded by the MIR149 gene on 2q37.3. The miR-149 hairpin produces miR-149-5p and miR-149-3p, which are the “guide” and the sister “passenger” strands, respectively. Deep sequencing experiments have shown higher prevalence of miR-149-5p compared with miR-149-3p. Notably, both oncogenic and tumor suppressive roles have been reported for miR-149-5p. In this review, we summarize the impact of miR-149-5p in the tumorigenesis and elaborate mechanisms of its involvement in this process in a variety of neoplastic conditions based on three lines of evidence, i.e., in vitro, in vivo and clinical settings.

Bioinformatics analysis of genes related to iron death in diabetic nephropathy through network and pathway levels based approaches

Diabetic nephropathy is one of the common microvascular complications of diabetes. Iron death is a recently reported way of cell death. To explore the effects of iron death on diabetic nephropathy, iron death score of diabetic nephropathy was analyzed based on the network and pathway levels. Furthermore, markers related to iron death were screened. Using RNA-seq data of diabetic nephropathy, samples were clustered uniformly and the disease was classified. Differentially expressed gene analysis was conducted on the typed disease samples, and the WGCNA algorithm was used to obtain key modules. String database was used to perform protein interaction analysis on key module genes for the selection of Hub genes. Moreover, principal component analysis method was applied to get transcription factors and non-coding genes, which interact with the Hub gene. All samples can be divided into two categories and principal component analysis shows that the two categories are significantly different. Hub genes (FPR3, C3AR1, CD14, ITGB2, RAC2 and ITGAM) related to iron death in diabetic nephropathy were obtained through gene expression differential analysis between different subtypes. Non-coding genes that interact with Hub genes, including hsa-miR-572, hsa-miR-29a-3p, hsa-miR-29b-3p, hsa-miR-208a-3p, hsa-miR-153-3p and hsa-miR-29c-3p, may be related to diabetic nephropathy. Transcription factors HIF1α, KLF4, KLF5, RUNX1, SP1, VDR and WT1 may be related to diabetic nephropathy. The above factors and Hub genes are collectively involved in the occurrence and development of diabetic nephropathy, which can be further studied in the future. Moreover, these factors and genes may be potential target for therapeutic drugs.

SLCO4A1-AS1 Facilitates the Malignant Phenotype via miR-149-5p/STAT3 Axis in Gastric Cancer Cells

Solute carrier organic anion transporter family member 4A1 (SLCO4A1-AS1), a newly discovered lncRNA, may exert effects in tumors. Since its role in gastric cancer remains obscure, we sought to explore the mechanism of SLCO4A1-AS1 in gastric cancer. The relationship among SLCO4A1-AS1, miR-149-5p, and STAT3 was detected by bioinformatics, dual luciferase analysis, and Pearson's test, and the expressions of these genes were determined by quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot. Moreover, CCK-8, flow cytometry, wound healing assay, and Transwell analysis were performed to verify the function of SLCO4A1-AS1 in gastric cancer. Rescue experiments were used to detect the role of miR-149-5p. The expressions of SLCO4A1-AS1 and STAT3 were increased, while the expression of miR-149-5p was suppressed in gastric cancer tissues and cell lines. In addition, STAT3 expression was negatively correlated with miR-149-5p expression but was positively correlated with SLCO4A1-AS1 expression. Overexpression of SLCO4A1-AS1 promoted cell viability, migration, invasion, and STAT3 expression but suppressed apoptosis, while knockdown of SLCO4A1-AS1 had the opposite effect. SLCO4A1-AS1 bound to miR-149-5p and targeted STAT3. Moreover, miR-149-5p mimic inhibited the malignant development of gastric cancer cells and obviously reversed the function of SLCO4A1-AS1 overexpression. Our research reveals that abnormally increased SLCO4A1-AS1 expression may be an important molecular mechanism in the development of gastric cancer.

MicroRNAs in Body Fluids: A More Promising Biomarker for Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the second most common cancer of the urinary system, accounting for approximately 10–15% of kidney cancers in the world. Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the most common RCC subtype with the highest mortality. Surgical resection or puncture of tumor tissue is still an important clinical treatment and diagnosis of ccRCC, but its high recurrence rate and poor prognosis often lead to the short survival period of patients. Hence, the development of novel molecular biomarkers is of great clinical importance. miRNAs are endogenous non-coding small RNAs with a length of 19–24 nt. A growing number of studies have reported that miRNAs, as proto-oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes, play a key role in the development of ccRCC and might be effective diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. In addition, miRNAs can also predict the efficacy of treatment drug, thus improving the accuracy of clinical medication. Furthermore, non-invasive detection of miRNAs or extracellular vesicles (EV) in body fluids has better convenience and repeatability, which shows remarkable advantages compared with tissue detection. In this review, we summarized the typical miRNAs reported in recent years and place emphasis on evaluating miRNAs in different body fluids to provide reference for the clinical diagnosis and prognosis of ccRCC in the future.

MiR-149-5p: An Important miRNA Regulated by Competing Endogenous RNAs in Diverse Human Cancers

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) consist of a large family of small, non-coding RNAs with the ability to result in gene silencing post-transcriptionally. With recent advances in research technology over the past several years, the physiological and pathological potentials of miRNAs have been gradually uncovered. MiR-149-5p, a conserved miRNA, was found to regulate physiological processes, such as inflammatory response, adipogenesis and cell proliferation. Notably, increasing studies indicate miR-149-5p may act as an important regulator in solid tumors, especially cancers in reproductive system and digestive system. It has been acknowledged that miR-149-5p can function as an oncogene or tumor suppressor in different cancers, which is achieved by controlling a variety of genes expression and adjusting downstream signaling pathway. Moreover, the levels of miR-149-5p are influenced by several newly discovered long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs). However, there is blank about systematic function and mechanism of miR-149-5p in human cancers. In this review, we firstly summarize the present comprehension of miR-149-5p at the molecular level, its vital role in tumor initiation and progression, as well as its potential roles in monitoring diverse reproductive and digestive malignancies.

Aberration of lncRNA LINC00460 is a Promising Prognosis Factor and Associated with Progression of Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma

Purpose

Long noncoding RNAs have been studied more and more as potential prognostic markers. However, the prognostic of LINC00460 in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) has not been explored. In this study, the potential role of LINC00460 was investigated in ccRCC.

Patients and Methods

One hundred thirteen pairs of ccRCC tissues and para-normal tissues were collected. The expressions of LINC00460 in these tissues and ccRCC cells were evaluated via qRT-PCR. The prognostic value of LINC00460 was accessed with the use of Kaplan–Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazards model analysis. The influence of LINC00460 on ccRCC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion was determined via cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) and Transwell assays.

Results

The results revealed that LINC00460 was significantly enhanced in ccRCC tissues, as well as in ccRCC cell lines. The overexpression of LINC00460 was significantly associated with lymph node metastasis and TNM stage, and lead to poor overall survival. Knockdown of LINC00460 reduces the cell ability of proliferation, migration, and invasion. LINC00460 could sponge to miR-149-5p.

Conclusion

LINC00460 may be developed as a prognostic biomarker and molecular therapy target for ccRCC.

Long non-coding RNA CDKN2B-AS1 enhances LPS-induced apoptotic and inflammatory damages in human lung epithelial cells via regulating the miR-140-5p/TGFBR2/Smad3 signal network

Background

Sepsis is a complicated disease with systemic inflammation or organ dysfunction, and it is the leading cause of acute lung injury (ALI). Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have played important roles in the pathogenesis of sepsis. This study was designed to explore the biological function and regulatory mechanism of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2B antisense RNA 1 (CDKN2B-AS1) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced lung injury.

Methods

ALI model was established after human lung epithelial cell line BEAS-2B was exposed to LPS. CDKN2B-AS1, microRNA-140-5p (miR-140-5p) and transforming Growth Factor Beta Receptor II (TGFBR2) levels were detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Cell viability was measured using Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8). Cell apoptosis was assessed by caspase3 activity and flow cytometry. Inflammatory cytokines were examined via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Protein analysis was performed through western blot. Dual-luciferase reporter, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) and pull-down assays were applied to validate the interaction between targets.

Results

CDKN2B-AS1 and TGFBR2 were abnormally upregulated in sepsis patients. Functionally, CDKN2B-AS1 or TGFBR2 knockdown promoted cell growth but inhibited cell apoptosis and inflammatory response in LPS-treated BEAS-2B cells. Moreover, the regulation of CDKN2B-AS1 in LPS-induced cell injury was achieved by increasing the TGFBR2 expression. CDKN2B-AS1 was identified as a miR-140-5p sponge and TGFBR2 was a target of miR-140-5p. Furthermore, CDKN2B-AS1 could regulate the TGFBR2/Smad3 pathway by sponging miR-140-5p.

Conclusions

These results suggested that CDKN2B-AS1 contributed to the LPS-mediated apoptosis and inflammation in BEAS-2B cells via the miR-140-5p/TGFBR2/Smad3 axis.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12890-021-01561-z.

Hsa-miR-149-5p Suppresses Prostate Carcinoma Malignancy by Suppressing RGS17

Background

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are key players in the progression of human cancers. While several miRNAs have been reported to regulate the development of tumors, the molecular mechanisms and roles of miR-149-5p in prostate carcinoma (PCa) remain unclear. Our aim was to investigate the interaction and functions of miR-149-5p and RGS17 in PCa.

Methods

Microarray analysis was performed to identify the key miRNA and gene involved in PCa progression. The expression levels of miRNA and mRNA in PCa tissues and cells were verified by qRT-PCR. MTT assay, BrdU proliferation assay and wound-healing assay were applied to assess the effect of miR-149-5p and RGS17 on PCa cells’ viability, proliferation, and migration ability. The association between RGS17 and miR-149-5p was identify using dual-luciferase reporter assay and Western blot assay.

Results

Data analysis indicated the reduction of miR-149-5p expression in PCa tissues and cells. Experimental investigations also showed that this miRNA suppressed the viability, proliferation and migration ability of PCa cells. RGS17 was found to be the target of miR-149-5p, and the low expression of miR-149-5p upregulated RGS17 in PCa tissues and cells. The results of the cell-function assays showed that RGS17 acted as an oncogene in PCa even though its promotive effect could be reversed by miR-149-5p.

Conclusion

This research confirmed that by targeting and inhibiting RGS17, miR-149-5p could suppress PCa development.

An Updated Focus on Quadruplex Structures as Potential Therapeutic Targets in Cancer

Non-canonical, four-stranded nucleic acids secondary structures are present within regulatory regions in the human genome and transcriptome. To date, these quadruplex structures include both DNA and RNA G-quadruplexes, formed in guanine-rich sequences, and i-Motifs, found in cytosine-rich sequences, as their counterparts. Quadruplexes have been extensively associated with cancer, playing an important role in telomere maintenance and control of genetic expression of several oncogenes and tumor suppressors. Therefore, quadruplex structures are considered attractive molecular targets for cancer therapeutics with novel mechanisms of action. In this review, we provide a general overview about recent research on the implications of quadruplex structures in cancer, firstly gathering together DNA G-quadruplexes, RNA G-quadruplexes as well as DNA i-Motifs.

Long Non-coding RNA MALAT1 Alleviates the Elevated Intraocular Pressure (Eiop)-induced Glaucoma Progression via Sponging miR-149-5p

Background: Glaucoma is an optic neuropathic disease and contributed to the irreversible blindness caused by the slow death of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) metastasis associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1) was reported to be aberrantly expressed in diverse diseases, including glaucoma. However, the mechanism of MALAT1 in glaucoma was still undefined.Methods: The levels of MALAT1, microRNA-149-5p (miR-149-5p) in RGCs cultured under elevated pressure were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The putative target of MALAT1 was predicted by starBase v2.0 online database, and dual luciferase reporter assay, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay and RNA pull-down assay were performed to verify this interaction. The cell viability of RGCs was measured by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. The apoptotic rate was evaluated via flow cytometry. The protein levels of apoptosis-related proteins (Bax, B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2)) and Cleaved caspase 3 were assessed by Western blot.Results: The level of MALAT1 was significantly down-regulated, and the level of miR-149-5p was distinctly up-regulated in RGCs under pressure in a dose-dependent manner. Functionally, MALAT1 overexpression or miR-149-5p inhibitor alleviated the inhibitory effect on cell viability and the promoted effect on apoptotic rate of RGCs in EIOP. The interaction between MALAT1 and miR-149-5p was predicted by starBase v2.0 online database, and dual luciferase reporter assay, RIP assay and RNA pull-down assay validated the interaction. Combined with the loss and gain experiment results, miR-149-5p was negatively interacted with MALAT1. Furthermore, miR-149-5p mimics mitigated the promoted impact on cell viability and the suppressive impact on apoptotic rate by targeting MALAT1.Conclusion: MALAT1 promoted cell proliferation and inhibited cell apoptosis of RGCs via targeting miR-149-5p in glaucoma in vitro, which might shed light on the mechanism of glaucoma pathogenesis.

Bioinformatics analysis of the microRNA-mRNA network in sebaceous gland carcinoma of the eyelid

Sebaceous gland carcinoma (SGC) of the eyelid is an uncommon aggressive tumor with a relatively high rate of local recurrence and a poor prognosis following metastasis. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of SGC remain unclear. The purpose of the present study was to clarify microRNA (miRNA) expression profiles in SGC and to explore novel miRNA-mRNA networks of SGC. A small RNA-sequencing analysis was performed to identify miRNAs differentially expressed between SGC and sebaceous adenoma control samples. Bioinformatics analyses were conducted to reveal biological functions, canonical pathways and molecular interaction networks using integrated miRNA-mRNA datasets, including mRNA expression profiles of SGC from our previous study. The present results demonstrated that 16 upregulated miRNAs and 516 downregulated mRNAs were associated with loss of lipid metabolism function and enriched in cholesterol biosynthesis pathways. By contrast, 29 downregulated miRNAs and 194 upregulated mRNAs were mainly associated with the promotion of cell survival and proliferation in addition to enrichment of DNA damage-induced cell cycle-regulation pathways. Furthermore, network analyses revealed that the upregulated miRNAs, miR-130a-3p and miR-939-5p, and the downregulated miRNAs, miR-146a-5p, miR-149-3p, miR-193a-3p, miR-195-5p and miR-4671-3p, could be upstream regulators related to these functional changes of SGC. These results improved the understanding of molecular mechanisms of SGC and may help to improve the diagnosis of SGC.

miR-149-5p Regulates Goat Hair Follicle Stem Cell Proliferation and Apoptosis by Targeting the CMTM3/AR Axis During Superior-Quality Brush Hair Formation

The Yangtze River Delta white goat is a unique goat species that can produce superior quality brush hair. CKLF-like MARVEL transmembrane domain-containing 3 (CMTM3), which influences the transcriptional activity of androgen receptor (AR), was identified as a candidate gene related to superior-quality brush hair formation. CMTM3 is generally expressed at low levels, but miR-149-5p is highly expressed in the skin tissues of these goats. The mechanism by which CMTM3 regulates the proliferation and apoptosis of goat hair follicle stem cells has not been elucidated. Here, RT-qPCR, western blotting, 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine (EdU), cell cycle, apoptosis, and dual-luciferase assays were used to investigate the role and regulatory mechanism of CMTM3 and miR-149-5p. Functional studies showed that CMTM3 overexpression inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis in cultured hair follicle stem cells, whereas silencing CMTM3 markedly facilitated cell proliferation and deterred apoptosis in cultured hair follicle stem cells. Then, using bioinformatic predictions and the aforementioned assays, including dual-luciferase assays, RT-qPCR, and western blotting, we confirmed that miR-149-5p targets CMTM3 and preliminarily investigated the interaction between CMTM3 and AR in goat hair follicle stem cells. Furthermore, miR-149-5p overexpression significantly accelerated the proliferation and attenuated the apoptosis of hair follicle stem cells. Conversely, miR-149-5p inhibition suppressed the proliferation and induced the apoptosis of hair follicle stem cells. These results reveal a miR-149-5p-related regulatory framework for the miR-149-5p/CMTM3/AR axis during superior quality brush hair formation, in which CMTM3 plays a negative role.

Hsa_circRNA_100146 Acts as a Sponge of miR-149-5p in Promoting Bladder Cancer Progression via Regulating RNF2

Background

Mounting evidence has demonstrated that circular RNAs (circRNAs) play indispensable roles in the progression of bladder cancer. Public database mining showed that hsa_circRNA_100146 (circRNA_100146) was highly expressed in bladder cancer. This study aimed to characterize the biological role of circRNA_100146 and clarify the underlying mechanism in bladder cancer.

Methods

We evaluated the relationship between circRNA_100146 expression and clinicopathological features. Furthermore, gain- and loss-of-function studies were conducted in bladder cancer cells via transfection with gene-carrying plasmids (over-expression) or specific short hairpin RNAs (knockdown). Moreover, computational algorithms and dual-luciferase reporter assays were performed to explore the possible mechanisms of action. Additionally, in vivo xenograft experiments were performed to further analyze the effect of circRNA_100146 on tumor growth.

Results

Our data showed that circRNA_100146 expression was increased in bladder cancer tissues and cell lines, and that high expression of circRNA_100146 was correlated with poor patient prognosis. Upregulation of circRNA_100146 promoted cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, and inhibited cell apoptosis, whereas knockdown of circRNA_100146 displayed opposite effects on bladder cancer cells. Notably, circRNA_100146 could combine with miR-149-5p and promote ring finger protein 2 (RNF2) expression, thereby facilitating the progression of bladder cancer. Furthermore, overexpression of RNF2 reversed the effects of circRNA_100146 knockdown on the biological behaviors of bladder cancer cells. The in vivo experiments revealed that downregulation of circRNA_100146 dramatically delayed tumor growth.

Conclusion

Our findings indicate that circRNA_100146 functions as a sponge of miR-149-5p in promoting bladder cancer progression by regulating RNF2 expression and that circRNA_100146 may serve as a novel biomarker in human bladder cancer.

circ_001504 promotes the development of renal cell carcinoma by sponging microRNA-149 to increase NUCB2

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) accounts for over 90% of primary renal tumors in adults. Although treatment approaches have steadily improved over the years, the prognosis outcome remains poor. With the aim of developing novel targets for RCC treatment, we explored the role of the circular RNA (circRNA) circ_001504 in the progression of RCC. We initially detected the expression of circ_001504 and microRNA (miRNA)-149 in RCC tissues and cells. RT-qPCR results showed that circ_001504 was highly expressed in RCC tissues, whereas miR-149 was poorly expressed. Interestingly, downregulation of circ_001504 suppressed malignant phenotypes in RCC cells, and upregulation of miR-149 exerted a similar effect. Bioinformatics analysis suggested potential binding sites between circ_001504 and miR-149, verified by a dual-luciferase reporter gene assay. Next, we identified nucleobindin 2 (NUCB2), a calcium-binding protein, as a target gene of miR-149. Furthermore, our data suggested that circ_001504 might serve as a competing endogenous RNA of miR-149, serving to elevate the expression of NUCB2. The silencing of circ_001504 resulted in decreased NUCB2 expression, which could be reversed by miR-149 inhibition. In addition, in vivo experiments demonstrated that circ_001504 depletion could suppress tumor growth in an established mouse RCC model. Collectively, reduced expression of circ_001504 lowered NUCB2 expression by sponging miR-149, thereby attenuating RCC progression, providing insight into circ_001504/miR-149/NUCB2 feedback loop into RCC treatment.

Expression profile of SYNE3 and bioinformatic analysis of its prognostic value and functions in tumors

Background

Spectrin repeat containing nuclear envelope family member 3 (SYNE3) encodes an essential component of the linker of the cytoskeleton and nucleoskeleton (LINC) complex, namely nesprin-3. In a tumor, invasiveness and metastasis rely on the integrity of the LINC complex, while the role of SYNE3/nesprin-3 in cancer is rarely studied.

Methods

Here, we explored the expression pattern, prognostic value, and related mechanisms of SYNE3 through both experimental and bioinformatic methods. We first detected SYNE3 in BALB/c mice, normal human tissues, and the paired tumor tissues, then used bioinformatics databases to verify our results. We further analyzed the prognostic value of SYNE3. Next, we predicted miRNA targeting SYNE3 and built a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network and a transcriptional network by analyzing data from the cancer genome atlas (TCGA) database. Interacting genes of SYNE3 were predicted, and we further performed GO and KEGG enrichment analysis on these genes. Besides, the relationship between SYNE3 and immune infiltration was also investigated.

Results

SYNE3 exhibited various expressions in different tissues, mainly located on nuclear and in cytoplasm sometimes. SYNE3 expression level had prognostic value in tumors, possibly by stabilizing nucleus, promoting tumor cells apoptosis, and altering tumor microenvironment. Additionally, we constructed a RP11-2B6.2-miR-149-5p-/RP11-67L2.2-miR-330-3p-SYNE3 ceRNA network and a SATB1-miR-149-5p-SYNE3 transcriptional network in lung adenocarcinoma to support the tumor-suppressing role of SYNE3.

Conclusions

Our study explored novel anti-tumor functions and mechanisms of SYNE3, which might be useful for future cancer therapy.

Long Non-Coding RNA BLACAT1 Promotes the Tumorigenesis of Gastric Cancer by Sponging microRNA-149-5p and Targeting KIF2A

Objective

Gastric cancer (GC) is a gastrointestinal tumor. This study is aimed to explore the regulatory mechanism of long non-coding RNA BLACAT1 (BLACAT1)/microRNA-149-5p (miR-149-5p)/KIF2A cascade on GC.

Methods

The expression of BLACAT1, miR-149-5p and KIF2A in GC was detected by qRT-PCR. The proliferation, migration and invasion of GC cells in vitro were analyzed by MTT, wound-healing and transwell assay, respectively. The xenograft tumor model was constructed in nude mice to confirm the inhibition effect of BLACAT1 knockdown on GC in vivo. Then, dual-luciferase reporter assay was used to detect the interactions among BLACAT1, miR-149-5p and KIF2A. Western blot assay was performed to determine the protein expression of KIF2A.

Results

The expression of BLACAT1 and KIF2A was up-regulated in GC, but miR-149-5p expression was down-regulated. Silencing of BLACAT1 retarded the proliferation, migration and invasion of GC cells in vitro and the growth of tumor xenograft in vivo. Moreover, BLACAT1 acted as the molecular sponge of miR-149-5p to up-regulate KIF2A expression. At last, feedback experiments suggested that BLACAT1 accelerated the proliferation, migration and invasion of GC cells by regulating miR-149-5p/KIF2A axis.

Conclusion

BLACAT1 facilitated the tumorigenesis of GC through regulating miR-149-5p/KIF2A axis, which indicated BLACAT1/miR-149-5p/KIF2A cascade may be a new therapeutic target.

microRNA in Extracellular Vesicles Released by Damaged Podocytes Promote Apoptosis of Renal Tubular Epithelial Cells

Tubular injury and fibrosis are associated with progressive kidney dysfunction in advanced glomerular disease. Glomerulotubular crosstalk is thought to contribute to tubular injury. microRNAs (miRNAs) in extracellular vesicles (EVs) can modulate distant cells. We hypothesized that miRNAs in EVs derived from injured podocytes lead to tubular epithelial cell damage. As proof of this concept, tubular epithelial (HK2) cells were cultured with exosomes from puromycin-treated or healthy human podocytes, and damage was assessed. Sequencing analysis revealed the miRNA repertoire of podocyte EVs. RNA sequencing identified 63 upregulated miRNAs in EVs from puromycin-treated podocytes. Among them, five miRNAs (miR-149, -424, -542, -582, and -874) were selected as candidates for inducing tubular apoptosis according to a literature-based search. To validate the effect of the miRNAs, HK2 cells were treated with miRNA mimics. EVs from injured podocytes induced apoptosis and p38 phosphorylation of HK2 cells. The miRNA-424 and 149 mimics led to apoptosis of HK2 cells. These results show that miRNAs in EVs from injured podocytes lead to damage to tubular epithelial cells, which may contribute to the development of tubular injury in glomerular disease.

Long non‑coding RNA BCYRN1 promotes glycolysis and tumor progression by regulating the miR‑149/PKM2 axis in non‑small‑cell lung cancer

Cancer cells use aerobic glycolysis to sustain their proliferation. Long non‑coding RNA brain cytoplasmic RNA 1 (BCYRN1) has been reported to act as an oncogene in non‑small‑cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The present study investigated the role of BCYRN1 in NSCLC glycolysis. BCYRN1 expression was detected in NSCLC cells and tissues using reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR. The effect of BCYRN1 on aerobic glycolysis was examined by measuring NSCLC cell glucose catabolism and lactate synthesis. The relationships between BCYRN1 and microRNA (miR)‑149, and between miR‑149 and pyruvate kinase M1/2 (PKM2) were measured using a dual‑luciferase reporter assay. Cell proliferation and invasion were analyzed by the Cell Counting kit‑8 assay and the Matrigel invasion assay, respectively. High BCYRN1 expression was observed in NSCLC tissues and cells compared with the corresponding controls. BCYRN1 induced glycolysis and upregulated the expression levels of PKM2 in NSCLC cells. In addition, BCYRN1 regulated miR‑149 expression levels, and miR‑149 inhibitor rescued the effects of si‑BCYRN1 on glucose consumption and lactate production. miR‑149 knockdown significantly enhanced the expression of PKM2. Furthermore, PKM2 inhibition significantly reversed the effects of miR‑149 inhibitor on glucose catabolism and lactate synthesis. Furthermore, PKM2 was involved in NSCLC cell proliferation and invasion, and BCYRN1 knockdown and miR‑149 overexpression inhibited both processes. The present study suggested that BCYRN1 was involved in cell glycolysis, proliferation and invasion during NSCLC via regulating miR‑149 and PKM2.

Up-regulation of Sirt1/miR-149-5p signaling may play a role in resveratrol induced protection against ischemia via p53 in rat brain

Micro-RNA(miRNA) are well studied small noncoding RNA, which plays a diverse role in the regulation of vital elements in cell survival and apoptosis. However, the functional significance of miRNAs after the pathogenesis of ischemic stroke remains unclear. The present study is designed to investigate the regulatory role of miR-149-5p on Sirtuin-1/p53 axis during ischemic-reperfusion-induced injury. Middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was performed by nylon monofilament for 60 min. Resveratrol was administered via intraperitoneal (IP) route, 30 min before the MCAO. Our study demonstrated that the miR-149-5p levels were markedly decreased at 24 h after ischemic-reperfusion (I/R) injury. Further, we observed decreased p53 protein expression and increased miR-149-5p activity on sirtuin1 (Sirt1) activation with resveratrol after 24 h following MCAO. Moreover, immunohistochemistry studies found that resveratrol treatment significantly decreased the immunoreactivity of p53 and caspase-3 on activation of Sirt1/miR149-5p axis. In conclusion, our findings suggest that miR-149-5p could play a regulatory role in neuronal cell death via Sirt1/p53 axis, which offers a new target for novel therapeutic interventions during acute ischemic stroke.

miR-149-5p Inhibits Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Proliferation, Invasion, and Migration by Targeting Histone Deacetylase 4 (HDAC4)

BACKGROUND Studies have demonstrated that microRNAs (miRNAs) have essential roles in biological functions of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). However, the function and related molecular mechanism of miR-149-5p in VSMCs remains unclear. MATERIAL AND METHODS We used MTT assay, Transwell assay, and wound-healing assay to measure the proliferation, invasion, and migration of VSMCs transfected with miR-149-5p mimics or inhibitors, respectively. Bioinformatics tools and luciferase assay were used to validate the relationship between miR-149-5p and histone deacetylase 4 (HDAC4). Rescue experiments were used to confirm the interaction of miR-149-5p and HDAC4 in regulating biological functions in VSMCs. RESULTS miR-149-5p was downregulated in PDGF-bb-induced VSMCs. It was also found that miR-149-5p overexpression suppressed proliferation, invasion, and migration of VSMCs, while miR-149-5p knockdown showed the opposite effects. Furthermore, HDAC4 was found to be a potential target of miR-149-5p, which rescued miR-149-5p-mediated proliferation, invasion, and migration in VSMCs. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrated that miR-149-5p can suppress biological functions of VSMCs by regulating HDAC4, which might provide a potent therapeutic target for VSMC growth-related diseases.

Effects of Qi Teng Xiao Zhuo granules on circRNA expression profiles in rats with chronic glomerulonephritis

Objectives: To screen and study circular RNA (circRNA) expression profiles in QTXZG-mediated treatment of chronic glomerulonephritis (CGN) induced by adriamycin in rats and to research the possible roles and molecular mechanisms of QTXZG. Materials and methods: Next-generation RNA sequencing was used to identify circRNA expression profiles in CGN after QTXZG treatment compared with a CGN model group and a control group. Bioinformatics analysis was performed to predict potential target miRNAs and mRNAs. GO and pathway analyses for potential target mRNAs were used to explore the potential roles of differentially expressed (DE) circRNAs. Results: We identified 31 and 21 significantly DE circRNAs between the model group vs the control group and the model group vs the QTXZG group, respectively. Four circRNAs that resulted from the establishment of the CGN model were reversed following treatment with QTXZG. Further analysis revealed that these four circRNAs may play important roles in the development of CGN. Conclusions: This study elucidated the comprehensive expression profile of circRNAs in CGN rats after QTXZG treatment for the first time. Analysis of the circRNA-miRNA-mRNA-ceRNA network to determine potential function provided a comprehensive understanding of circRNAs that may be involved in the development of CGN. The current study indicated that therapeutic effects of QTXZG on CGN may be due to regulation of circRNA expression.

LncRNA-PCAT-1 promotes non-small cell lung cancer progression by regulating miR-149-5p/LRIG2 axis

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are key players in the development and progression of human cancers. The lncRNA PCAT-1 has been shown to be upregulated in human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC); however, its role and molecular mechanisms in NSCLC cell progression remain unclear. Here, we found that the higher expression of PCAT-1 led to a significantly poorer survival time, and multivariate analysis revealed that PCAT-1 was an independent risk factor of prognosis in NSCLC. Furthermore, we also found that the knockdown of PCAT-1 remarkably suppressed cell growth by inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis promotion in NSCLC cells. Moreover, the bioinformatics analysis and luciferase reporter assay revealed that PCAT-1 directly bound to the miR-149-5p, which has been reported to act as a tumor suppressor in diverse cancers. In addition, our results confirmed that the tumor-promoting effects of PCAT-1 in NSCLC cells are at least partly through negative modulation of miR-149-5p. Finally, mechanistic investigations showed that PCAT-1 upregulated the expression of miR-149-5p target gene leucine-rich repeats and immunoglobulin (Ig)-like domains 2 (LRIG2) through competitively "spongeing" miR-149-5p. Therefore, we concluded that PCAT-1 may promote the development of NSCLC through the miR-149-5p/LRIG2 axis.

Long non-coding RNA LINC00461/miR-149-5p/LRIG2 axis regulates hepatocellular carcinoma progression

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been acknowledged as vital regulators in tumorigenesis of human cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). LINC00461 has been found to promote progression of glioma and breast cancer. Nevertheless, the function of LINC00461 in HCC is still unknown. Here, we found that LINC00461 was upregulated in HCC tissues and positively correlated with advanced stage and metastasis. Furthermore, LINC00461 overexpression in HCC patients predicts unfavorable prognosis. Loss-of-function assays showed that LINC00461 silencing suppressed the proliferation, migration and invasion of HCC cells in vitro, and impeded tumor growth in vivo. Mechanistically, LINC00461 inversely regulates miR-149-5p abundance in HCC. Further investigation indicated that LINC00461 was a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) by directly sponging miR-149-5p in HCC cells. Moreover, LRIG2 was identified as the downstream target of miR-149-5p and its expression was regulated by LINC00461/miR-149-5p axis. Restoration of LRIG2 reversed LINC00461 knockdown attenuated HCC cell proliferation, migration and invasion. In summary, our findings revealed that LINC00461 is an oncogene in HCC through regulating miR-149-5p/LRIG2 pathway.

Circular RNA circNRIP1 acts as a microRNA-149-5p sponge to promote gastric cancer progression via the AKT1/mTOR pathway

Background

CircRNA has emerged as a new non-coding RNA that plays crucial roles in tumour initiation and development. ‘MiRNA sponge’ is the most reported role played by circRNAs in many tumours. The AKT/mTOR axis is a classic signalling pathway in cancers that sustains energy homeostasis through energy production activities, such as the Warburg effect, and blocks catabolic activities, such as autophagy. Additionally, the AKT/mTOR axis exerts a positive effect on EMT, which promotes tumour metastasis.

Methods

We detected higher circNRIP1 expression in gastric cancer by performing RNA-seq analysis. We verified the tumour promotor role of circNRIP1 in gastric cancer cells through a series of biological function assays. We then used a pull-down assay and dual-luciferase reporter assay to identify the downstream miR-149-5p of circNRIP1. Western blot analysis and immunofluorescence assays were performed to demonstrate that the circNRIP1-miR-149-5p-AKT1/mTOR axis is responsible for the altered metabolism in GC cells and promotes GC development. We then adopted a co-culture system to trace circNRIP1 transmission via exosomal communication and RIP experiments to determine that quaking regulates circNRIP1 expression. Finally, we confirmed the tumour suppressor role of microRNA-133a-3p in vivo in PDX mouse models.

Results

We discovered that knockdown of circNRIP1 successfully blocked proliferation, migration, invasion and the expression level of AKT1 in GC cells. MiR-149-5p inhibition phenocopied the overexpression of circNRIP1 in GC cells, and overexpression of miR-149-5p blocked the malignant behaviours of circNRIP1. Moreover, it was proven that circNRIP1 can be transmitted by exosomal communication between GC cells, and exosomal circNRIP1 promoted tumour metastasis in vivo. We also demonstrated that quaking can promote circNRIP1 transcription. In the final step, the tumour promotor role of circNRIP1 was verified in PDX models.

Conclusions

We proved that circNRIP1 sponges miR-149-5p to affect the expression level of AKT1 and eventually acts as a tumour promotor in GC.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12943-018-0935-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Down-regulated miR-149-5p contributes to preeclampsia via modulating endoglin expression

OBJECTIVE

Endoglin is expressed in human placenta and plays an important role in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia. Dysregulation of microRNAs in placental tissues has been recently suggested to be involved in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia. Until now, few studies have shed light on the correlation between endoglin and microRNAs, the latter of which may regulate the expression of ENG, a gene encoding endoglin, in placenta. In this study, we aim to investigate the regulation of ENG by microRNAs.

STUDY DESIGN

We located the microRNAs that might regulate the expression of ENG. Candidate microRNAs were tested if they had an impact on trophoblast function.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

We compared endoglin expression between normotensive and preeclamptic placentas by using immunohistochemistry and real-time PCR. Downregulated microRNAs in preeclamptic placenta were revealed from a literature review. A bioinformatics assay was performed to predict those that might target ENG. Real-time PCR, Western blotting and dual luciferase assay were used to verify the targeting. The effects of the microRNAs on trophoblasts were evaluated by transwell invasion assay.

RESULTS

The endoglin level was significantly higher in preeclamptic placenta than in normotensive placenta. ENG was validated as the direct target of miR-149-5p and was inversely correlated with it. MiR-149-5p promoted the invasion of trophoblast cells, and this promotion was abrogated by the overexpression of ENG.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings highlight the importance of miR-149-5p in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia and provide new insight into the development of the disease.

Restoration of miRNA-149 Expression by TmPyP4 Induced Unfolding of Quadruplex within Its Precursor

Noncoding RNAs are functional RNA molecules that get transcribed from DNA but are not translated into proteins; yet, they can regulate gene expression at transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. Secondary structures present within these RNAs play a major role in determining their nature of function. In the case of miRNAs, the precursor miRNA have a hairpin stem loop structure which is required for Dicer recognition and further maturation. Alternately, it might assume a G-quadruplex structure. The transition from hairpin to G-quadruplex depends upon the nucleotide sequence as well as the cellular microenvironment, and this might affect the miRNA maturation and other downstream activity. Formation of the G-quadruplex within precursor miRNA-149 has been shown to inhibit Dicer processing activity followed by suppression of miRNA-149 maturation in cancer cells. In this report, we show that suppression of cell proliferation by the upregulated miRNA-149 could be rescued by unfolding the G-quadruplex present in pre-miRNA-149 by TmPyP4 (Porphyrin) treatment. Using UV-visible spectroscopy, circular dichroism, and isothermal titration calorimetry, we observed that TmPyP4 binds strongly to G-quadruplex and unfolds it, which was further verified by NMR spectroscopy. In cellulo, qRT-PCR measurements of miRNA-149 in MCF-7 breast cancer cells showed concentration dependent enhancement of mature miRNA-149 upon treatment of TmPyP4. As a consequence of enhanced miRNA-149 activity, we also observe the reduction in miRNA-149 target protein ZBTB2 that eventually leads to reduced cell proliferation.

miR-149-5p inhibits cell growth by regulating TWEAK/Fn14/PI3K/AKT pathway and predicts favorable survival in human osteosarcoma

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) as small non-coding RNAs act as either tumor suppressors or oncogenes in human cancers, of which miR-149-5p (miR-149) is involved in tumor growth and metastasis, but its role and molecular mechanisms underlying osteosarcoma growth are poorly understood. The correlation of miR-149 expression with clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis in patients with sarcoma was analyzed by The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) RNA-sequencing data. Osteosarcoma cell growth affected by miR-149 was evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and colony formation assays. As a result, we found that the expression level of miR-149 was markedly downregulated in human sarcoma samples and were negatively associated with tumor size, acting as an independent prognostic factor for overall survival of the sarcoma patients. Restoration of miR-149 expression suppressed osteosarcoma cell growth, while its knockdown reversed these effects. Furthermore, we identified TNFRSF12A (TNF receptor superfamily member 12A), also called fibroblast growth factor–inducible 14 (Fn14) as a direct target of miR-149, and TNFRSF12A and its ligand TNFSF12 (TNF superfamily member 12), also called tumor necrosis factor–related weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK), were both negatively correlated with miR-149 expression in sarcoma samples. Knockdown of TNFRSF12A suppressed cell growth, but its overexpression weakened the antiproliferative effects of miR-149 via the PI3K/AKT (AKT serine/threonine kinase) signaling pathway. Altogether, our findings show that miR-149 functions as a tumor suppressor in osteosarcoma via inhibition of the TWEAK–Fn14 axis and represents a potential therapeutic target in patients with osteosarcoma.

Oncogenic miR-663a is associated with cellular function and poor prognosis in renal cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

MicroRNA(miRNA) plays a key regulatory role in various stages of tumorigenesis, including cell growth, cell cycle control, apoptosis avoidance, tissue invasion, and metastasis. Several microRNAs are involved in the development of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and the malignant transformation process. However, the effects of miR-663a on RCC have rarely been reported.

METHODS

In the present study, the expression of miR-663a was examined in RCC using matched normal kidney tissues and four cell lines (786-O, Caki-1, ACHN and HK-2). MicroRNA mimics were transiently transfected into RCC cells and the effects of over expression on proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis was observed. In addition, the relationship between miR-663a expression in 42 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) clear cell renal carcinoma (ccRCC) samples and clinical pathological variables and overall survival was investigated. We evaluated the prognostic value of miR-663a expression in ccRCC by experimental results.

RESULTS

The results showed that the expression of miR-663a was up-regulated in RCC cells and tissues and miR-663a was associated with proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis of RCC. Cox proportional hazard regression analysis showed that a high expression of miR-663a patients had a significantly shorter overall survival in univariate and multivariate analysis. Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed that a high expression of miR-663a patients had a significantly shorter overall survival.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate that miR-663a can be used as an independent marker for the poor prognosis of ccRCC, and may also play an important role as a tumor oncogene in the occurrence and development of RCC.

Regulation and functions of MicroRNA-149 in human cancers

MicroRNAs are small non-coding RNAs that play critical roles in the regulatory mechanisms involving cell differentiation, proliferation, apoptosis and tumorigenesis. Recent research efforts have been conducted to apply these discoveries into clinical functions, including the early diagnosis and therapeutic outcome of patients with cancer. Previous studies have shown that microRNA-149 (miR-149) is dysregulated in various human cancers and exerts its effects on tumorigenesis and tumour progression. In this review, we summarized the potential roles of miR-149 dysregulation and its target genes during tumorigenesis and clinical treatment of human cancers.

A Novel lncRNA, LINC00460, Affects Cell Proliferation and Apoptosis by Regulating KLF2 and CUL4A Expression in Colorectal Cancer

Emerging evidence has proven that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in human colorectal cancer (CRC) biology, although few lncRNAs have been characterized in CRC. Therefore, the functional significance of lncRNAs in the malignant progression of CRC still needs to be further explored. In this study, through analyzing TCGA RNA sequencing data and other publicly available microarray data, we found a novel lncRNA, LINC00460, whose expression was significantly upregulated in CRC tissues compared to adjacent normal tissues. Consistently, real-time qPCR results also verified that LINC00460 was overexpressed in CRC tissues and cells. Furthermore, high LINC00460 expression levels in CRC specimens were correlated with larger tumor size, advanced tumor stage, lymph node metastasis and shorter overall survival. In vitro and in vivo assays of LINC00460 alterations revealed a complex integrated phenotype affecting cell growth and apoptosis. Mechanistically, LINC00460 repressed Krüppel-like factor 2 (KLF2) transcription by binding to enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2). LINC00460 also functioned as a molecular sponge for miR-149-5p, antagonizing its ability to repress cullin 4A (CUL4A) protein translation. Taken together, our findings support a model in which the LINC00460/EZH2/KLF2 and LINC00460/miR-149-5p/CUL4A crosstalk serve as critical effectors in CRC tumorigenesis and progression, suggesting new therapeutic directions in CRC.

Oncogenic miR-425-5p is associated with cellular migration, proliferation and apoptosis in renal cell carcinoma

An increasing number of studies have demonstrated the function of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the initiation and development of various types of cancer. Among them, miR-425-5p is proven to serve an important function in several types of cancer, including gastric, cervical cancer, and hepatocellular carcinoma. However, the function of miR-425-5p in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) remains unclear. In the present study, it was demonstrated that the expression level of miR-425-5p was upregulated in RCC tissues and cell lines compared with normal tissues and cell lines (P<0.05). Additionally, Cell Counting kit-8 and MTT assays were employed to assess cell viability and proliferation, whereas wound healing and Transwell assays were employed to examine migration and invasion. The results demonstrated that upregulation of miR-425-5p promoted cell viability and the invasion and migration of ACHN and 786O cells (P<0.05). Flow cytometric analysis confirmed that upregulation of miR-425-5p inhibited apoptosis of ACHN and 786O cells (P<0.05). Downregulation of miR-425-5p inhibited the viability and invasion and migration of ACHN and 786O cells (P<0.05). In the present study, upregulation of miR-425-5p inhibited apoptosis of ACHN and 786O cells whereas no differences in early apoptotic rate were observed between the inhibitor and inhibitor NC groups for 786O and ACHN cells. These results indicate that miR-425-5p may act as an oncogene in RCC.

miR-566 functions as an oncogene and a potential biomarker for prognosis in renal cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC), a heterogeneous type of cancer originating from the nephron, occupies approximately 3.9% of new carcinomas, with an increasing incidence in the past two decades. The most common subtype of renal cell carcinoma is clear cell RCC (ccRCC). Though surgery and other treatments are applied to RCC, it has the highest recurrence rate and mortality rate among the genitourinary cancers. As the study progressed, miRNAs are found to be the biomarkers for tumor diagnosis, prognosis and the targets for tumor management.

METHODS

In present study, RT-qPCR, wound scratch assay, cell proliferation assay, transwell assay and flow cytometry assay were performed to ascertain miR-566 expression level and its proliferation, migration and apoptosis in RCC. Moreover, we analyzed the relation between miR-566 expression and clinicopathological variables or overall survival from the 42 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) renal cancer samples. We further evaluate prognostic values of miR-566 expression.

RESULTS

miR-566 is up-regulated in RCC tissue samples and renal carcinoma cell lines. miR-566 promotes cell proliferation, mobility and inhibits cell apoptosis in 786-O and ACHN cell lines. Cox proportional hazard regression analysis indicates that low expression of miR-566 patients have a remarkable longer overall survival in the univariate and multivariate analysis. The Kaplan-Meier survival curves show that the low expression of miR-566 patients have a remarkable longer overall survival.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of the current study demonstrate that oncogene miR-566 is a potential biomarker not only for diagnosis but also for prognosis for RCC.

MicroRNA-149 suppresses the proliferation and increases the sensitivity of ovarian cancer cells to cisplatin by targeting X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis

Currently, ovarian cancer is identified as one of the leading causes of cancer-associated mortality in females. Despite numerous efforts that were made on developing novel treatments for ovarian cancer, the survival rate remains unsatisfactory. Considering the important regulatory role of miRNAs in different types of cancer, the present study aims to identify a novel therapeutic target for treatment of ovarian cancer. The expression of miR-149 was detected using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction in cancerous and normal cells. Furthermore, the effects of miR-149 on ovarian cancer cell activities were investigated using MTT assay, colony formation, flow cytometry and western blotting analysis. In the present study, it was revealed that microRNA (miR)-149 was significantly downregulated in ovarian cancer tissues and cell lines, and that the miR-149 expression was correlated with the patient prognosis. In addition, it was observed that forced expression of miR-149 increased the sensitivity of ovarian cancer cell to cisplatin. Based on bioinformatics analysis and luciferase assay, X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis (XIAP) was identified as a direct target gene of miR-149 in ovarian cancer cells. It was also demonstrated that XIAP expression was upregulated in the ovarian cancer tissues and cell lines, while it was negatively correlated with miR-149 in these tissues and cells. Furthermore, results revealed that ectopic expression of XIAP was able to abolish the miR-149-enhanced cell sensitivity to cisplatin. In conclusion, the present study revealed that miR-149 functioned as a tumor suppressor in the progression of ovarian cancer, increasing the sensitivity of ovarian cancer cells to cisplatin treatment.

Tumor suppressor miR-211-5p is associated with cellular migration, proliferation and apoptosis in renal cell carcinoma

Increasing evidence has demonstrated that microRNA (miRNA) serve an important role in the tumorigenesis of various types of cancer, such as renal cell carcinoma (RCC). The expression of miR-211-5p has been detected in RCC tissue by microarray profiling. However, studies regarding miR-211-5p and RCC remain rare. In the present study, the expression of miR-211-5p in RCC tissues and cell lines was revealed to be downregulated by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction analyses. The present results also revealed that the upregulation or downregulation of miR-211-5p inhibited or promoted, respectively, RCC cell proliferation, migration and invasion. In addition, the upregulation or downregulation of miR-211-5p induced or inhibited, respectively, RCC cell apoptosis. However, the present study only identified that downregulation of miR-211-5p promoted 786O and ACHN cell viability. The above results suggest that miR-211-5p may be a tumor suppressor in the tumorigenesis of RCC and may be a potential therapeutic target for RCC in the future. Further research should focus on the underlying mechanism of miR-211-5p in RCC and on investigating the possible use of miR-211-5p as a biomarker for RCC.

MicroRNA-149-5p regulates blood-brain barrier permeability after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion in rats by targeting S1PR2 of pericytes

Blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption caused by reperfusion injury after ischemic stroke is an intractable event conducive to further injury. Brain pericytes play a vital role in maintaining BBB integrity by interacting with other components of the BBB. In this study, we found that sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor (S1PR)2 expressed in pericytes was significantly up-regulated after ischemia in vivo and in vitro. By using a S1PR2 antagonist (JTE-013), we showed that S1PR2 plays a critical role in the induction of BBB permeability of transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO) rats and the in vitro BBB model. Furthermore, we discovered that S1PR2 may decrease N-cadherin expression and increase pericyte migration via NF-κB p65 signal and found that S1PR2 could be regulated by miR-149-5p negatively, which was decreased in the ischemic boundary zone and cultured pericytes after ischemia. Overexpression of miR-149-5p in cultured pericytes substantially increased N-cadherin expression and decreased pericyte migration, which decreased BBB leakage in the in vitro model. Up-regulating miR-149-5p by intracerebroventricular injection of agomir-149-5p attenuated BBB permeability and improved the outcomes of tMCAO rats significantly. Thus, our data suggest that miR-149-5p may serve as a potential target for treatment of BBB disruption after ischemic stroke.-Wan, Y., Jin, H.-J., Zhu, Y.-Y., Fang, Z., Mao, L., He, Q., Xia, Y.-P., Li, M., Li, Y., Chen, X., Hu, B. MicroRNA-149-5p regulates blood-brain barrier permeability after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion in rats by targeting S1PR2 of pericytes.

miR‑660‑5p is associated with cell migration, invasion, proliferation and apoptosis in renal cell carcinoma

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a common malignant tumor of the urinary system with poor prognosis. microRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small, non‑coding RNA molecules that serve important roles in biological and pathological processes in several types of human tumors. miRNA (miR)‑660‑5p is dysregulated in many human cancers; however, its role in renal cell carcinoma is currently unclear. In the present study, reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction was performed to examine the expression levels of miR‑660‑5p in RCC tissues and paired normal adjacent tissues (NATs). To determine the function of miR‑660‑5p in RCC cells, wound‑healing and Matrigel assays were performed to determine the effects of miR‑660‑5p on cell migration and invasion, respectively. MTT and Cell Counting kit‑8 assays were performed to determine the effects of miR‑660‑5p on RCC cell proliferation. In addition, flow cytometric analysis was performed to validate the effects of miR‑660‑5p on apoptosis. The results indicated that miR‑660‑5p expression was downregulated in RCC tissues compared with NATs. Restoration of miR‑660‑5p expression using synthetic mimics may suppress cell migration, invasion and proliferation, and induce cell apoptosis, while using synthetic inhibitors may promote cell migration, invasion and proliferation, and suppress cell apoptosis. These results suggested that miR‑660‑5p may serve a tumor suppressive role in RCC tumorigenesis.

miR-149 in Human Cancer: A Systemic Review

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that regulate post-transcriptional gene expression via binding to the 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) of targeted mRNAs. They are reported to play important roles in tumorigenesis and progression of various cancers. Among them, miR-149 was confirmed to be aberrantly regulated in various tumors. In this review, we provide a complex overview of miR-149, particularly summarize the critical roles of it in cancers and expect to lay the foundation for future works on this important microRNA.

MicroRNA-23a/24-2/27a as a potential diagnostic biomarker for cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

An increasing number of studies have proven that microRNAs play an important role in the occurrence, development and prognosis of various types of cancer. As a vital gene cluster, the microRNA (miR)-23a/24-2/27a cluster may be an important marker for predicting cancer prognosis and tumor progression. A search was conducted through PubMed, Medline and the Cochrane Library to identify studies investigating the association between the miR-23a/24-2/27a cluster and cancer, and the identified related studies were included in the present meta-analysis. The strength of the association was assessed by hazard ratio (HR) and its 95% confidence interval (95% CI). A total of 21 studies were included in this meta-analysis. The results indicated that a high level of miR-23a exerted a significant effect on overall survival (OS) (HR=2.33, 95% CI: 1.18-4.58; P=0.014), but not on disease-free survival (DFS)/recurrence-free survival (RFS) (HR=1.13, 95% CI: 0.37-3.44; P=0.836). There was an obvious statistically significant association between OS and the expression of miR-24 (HR=2.49, 95% CI: 1.84-3.37; P=0.000), particularly in the digestive system (pooled HR=2.99, 95% CI: 2.17-4.13, P=0.000). In addition, the result suggested a statistically significant association between the expression of miR-27a and OS (pooled HR=1.89, 95% CI: 1.32-2.69; P=0.001), as well as DFS/RFS/progression-free survival (HR=2.19, 95% CI: 1.29-3.70; P=0.003), particularly in renal cell carcinoma (HR=2.30, 95% CI: 1.16-4.67; P=0.017). A subgroup analysis by ethnicity, cancer type and statistical methodology was performed. There was no obvious publication bias. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that the miR-23a/24-2/27a cluster may be a useful marker for predicting cancer prognosis and tumor progression.

Screening circular RNA expression patterns following focal cerebral ischemia in mice

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been demonstrated to act as microRNA (miRNA) sponges and they play important roles in regulating gene expression through a circRNA-miRNA-gene pathway. The specific roles of circRNAs in the pathogenesis of cerebral ischemia, however, are still unclear. Thus, the aim of this study is to determine circRNA expression profiles in the ischemic brain after stroke, which was induced by 45 min of transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). The results from the circRNA microarrays revealed that 1027 circRNAs were significantly altered 48 hours after reperfusion in the ischemic brain compared with the sham group. Among them, 914 circRNAs were significantly upregulated, and the remaining 113 were significantly downregulated. In addition, the expressions of the three selected circRNAs, mmu_circRNA_40001, mmu_circRNA_013120, and mmu_circRNA_40806, were verified using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). After predicting their target genes, the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene Ontology (GO) analyses were further used to predict the associated significant cell signaling pathways and functions. The results show that the most enriched pathways are associated with the Rap1 signaling pathway and the Hippo signaling pathway, which regulate cell survival and death. Finally, we constructed an interaction network of circRNA-miRNA-target genes, including 13 miRNAs and their corresponding genes, indicating that changes in circRNA are associated with genes related with brain injury and recovery. In conclusion, circRNAs are complicated in the pathological development of brain injury after stroke, suggesting novel diagnostic and therapeutic targets for stroke therapy.