miR‑138 modulates prostate cancer cell invasion and migration via Wnt/β‑catenin pathway

Unlocking the role of non-coding RNAs in prostate cancer progression: exploring the interplay with the Wnt signaling pathway

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most common cancers in males, exhibiting a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations that pose challenges in its diagnosis and treatment. The Wnt signaling pathway, a conserved and complex pathway, is crucial for embryonic development, tissue homeostasis, and various physiological processes. Apart from the classical Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, there exist multiple non-classical Wnt signaling pathways, including the Wnt/PCP and Wnt/Ca2+ pathways. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are involved in the occurrence and development of PCa and the response to PCa treatment. ncRNAs are known to execute diverse regulatory roles in cellular processes, despite their inability to encode proteins. Among them, microRNAs, long non-coding RNAs, and circular RNAs play key roles in the regulation of the Wnt signaling pathway in PCa. Aberrant expression of these ncRNAs and dysregulation of the Wnt signaling pathway are one of the causes of cell proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, migration, and angiogenesis in PCa. Moreover, these ncRNAs affect the characteristics of PCa cells and hold promise as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. Herein, we summarize the role of ncRNAs in the regulation of the Wnt signaling pathway during the development of PCa. Additionally, we present an overview of the current progress in research on the correlation between these molecules and clinical features of the disease to provide novel insights and strategies for the treatment of PCa.

Comparative Pathobiology of Canine and Human Prostate Cancer: State of the Art and Future Directions

First described in 1817, prostate cancer is considered a complex neoplastic entity, and one of the main causes of death in men in the western world. In dogs, prostatic carcinoma (PC) exhibits undifferentiated morphology with different phenotypes, is hormonally independent of aggressive character, and has high rates of metastasis to different organs. Although in humans, the risk factors for tumor development are known, in dogs, this scenario is still unclear, especially regarding castration. Therefore, with the advent of molecular biology, studies were and are carried out with the aim of identifying the main molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways involved in the carcinogenesis and progression of canine PC, aiming to identify potential biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis, and targeted treatment. However, there are extensive gaps to be filled, especially when considering the dog as experimental model for the study of this neoplasm in humans. Thus, due to the complexity of the subject, the objective of this review is to present the main pathobiological aspects of canine PC from a comparative point of view to the same neoplasm in the human species, addressing the historical context and current understanding in the scientific field.

The role of miR-370 and miR-138 in the regulation of BMP2 suppressor gene expression in colorectal cancer: preliminary studies

PURPOSE

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the fourth-most common cancer worldwide and the second most common cancer cause of death in the world. The components of the TGFβ-signalling pathway, which are often affected by miRNAs, are involved in the regulation of apoptosis and cell cycle. Therefore, in the current study, the expression of BMP2 gene in CRC tissues at different clinical stages compared to the non-tumour tissues has been assessed. Moreover, the plasma BMP2 protein concentration in the same group of CRC patients has been validated. Due to the constant necessity to conduct further research of the correlation between specific miRNAs and mRNAs in CRC, in silico analysis has been performed to select miRNAs that regulate BMP2 mRNA.

METHODS

The cDNA samples from tumor and non-tumor tissue were used in a qPCR reaction to determine the mRNA expression of the BMP2 gene and the expression of selected miRNAs. The concentration of BMP2 protein in plasma samples was also measured.

RESULTS

It was indicated that BMP2 was downregulated in CRC tissue. Moreover, miR-370 and miR-138 expression showed an upward trend. Decreased BMP2 with accompanied increasing miR-370 and miR-138 expression was relevant to the malignant clinicopathological features of CRC and consequently poor patient prognosis.

CONCLUSION

Our data suggest that miR-370 with its clear expression in plasma samples may be a potential diagnostic marker to determine the severity of the disease in patients at a later stage of colorectal cancer.

Reduced MAGI3 level by HPV18E6 contributes to Wnt/β-catenin signaling activation and cervical cancer progression

Human papillomavirus type 18 (HPV18) has high carcinogenic power in invasive cervical cancer (ICC) development. However, the underlying mechanism remains elusive. The carcinogenic properties of HPV18 require the PDZ‐binding motif of its E6 oncoprotein (HPV18 E6) to degrade its target PSD95/Dlg/ZO‐1 (PDZ) proteins. In this study, we demonstrated that the PDZ protein membrane‐associated guanylate kinase, WW and PDZ domain containing 3 (MAGI3) inhibited the Wnt/β‐catenin pathway, and subsequently cervical cancer (CC) cell migration and invasion, via decreasing β‐catenin levels. By reducing MAGI3 protein levels, HPV18 E6 promoted CC cell migration and invasion through activation of Wnt/β‐catenin signaling. Furthermore, HPV18 rather than HPV16 was preferentially associated with the downregulation of MAGI3 and activation of the Wnt/β‐catenin pathway in CC. These findings shed light on the mechanism that gives HPV18 its high carcinogenic potential in CC progression.

MicroRNA mediated therapeutic effects of natural agents in prostate cancer

BACKGROUND

Several natural products, extensively studied for their anticancer activities, have been found to play an efficient role in preventing prostate cancer (PCa). Recently many natural agents have been reported to modulate microRNAs (miRNAs), that are involved in cancer cell growth. The microRNAs are endogenous small noncoding ribonucleic acid molecules that regulate various biological processes through an elegant mechanism of post-transcriptional control of gene expression. Besides being involved in cancer initiation, progression, angiogenesis, inflammation, they have been reported to be responsible for chemoresistance, and radioresistance of tumors. The dysregulated miRNA expression has been associated with many cancers including PCa. Over the past several years, it has been found that natural agents are good regulators of miRNAs and have a role in PCa also. Understanding the molecular mechanisms involving miRNAs by natural agents could result in developing useful strategies to combat this deadly disease.

METHODS

In order to collect research articles, the PubMed search engine was used with keywords 'prostate cancer' and 'natural agents' and 2007 papers were retrieved, further refinement with keywords 'phytochemical' and 'prostate cancer' showed 503 papers. Data was collected from research articles, published from 2010 to 2021. From these, research articles showing miRNA-mediated mechanisms were selected.

RESULTS

In this review, we have summarized the information available on the modulation of miRNAs by natural agents, their derivatives, and various combinatorial strategies with chemo/radiation therapy for the mitigation of PCa.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on the current review of literature, it has been found that the use of natural agents is a novel approach for altering miRNA expression strongly associated with PCa development, recurrence and resistance.

KDM3B-ETF1 fusion gene downregulates LMO2 via the WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway, promoting metastasis of invasive ductal carcinoma

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy for women, with invasive ductal carcinoma being the largest subtype of breast cancers, accounting for 75-80% of cases. However, the underlying mechanism of invasive ductal carcinoma remains unclear. In this study, we investigate the possible effects KDM3B-ETF1 fusion gene has on breast cancer cell metastasis, invasion and its downstream signaling mediators as revealed from RNA sequence data analysis. As predicted, KDM3B-ETF1 expression was increased in breast cancer tissues and cells. Overexpression of KDM3B-ETF1 in cancer cell lines promoted the growth and invasion of breast cancer cells, while KDM3B-ETF1 knockdown showed the opposite effects on malignant cell growth and invasion both in vivo and in vitro as evidenced by cell counting kit-8, Transwell assay and tumor xenograft in nude mice. On the contrary, LIM Domain Only 2 (LMO2) expression was significantly reduced in breast cancer tissues and cells. According to chromatin immunoprecipitation and Western blot analysis, KDM3B-ETF1 targets LMO2 and reduced the expression of LMO2, leading to an increase in WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway and thus promoting invasion. In conclusion, fusion gene KDM3B-ETF1 inhibits LMO2, activates the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway that leads to increased breast cancer cell invasion and metastasis, providing a novel insight into developing therapeutic strategies. These results provide novel insights into the molecular mechanism of invasive ductal carcinomas, which may lead to potential therapeutic targets.

MicroRNA-596 is epigenetically inactivated and suppresses prostatic cancer cell growth and migration via regulating Wnt/β-catenin signaling

OBJECTIVES

Although studies have reported that miR-596 extensively participates in multiple cancer progression, the biological mechanisms and effects of miR-596 in prostatic cancer remain unclear. The literature is aimed to reveal the function and possible molecular mechanisms of miR-596 in prostatic cancer carcinogenesis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

qRT-PCR was applied to examine miR-596 expression in prostatic cancer cell lines and samples, also methylation-specific PCR was used to detect the methylation status of the promoter CpG islands in prostatic cancer samples. Meanwhile, the tumor-related effects of miR-596 were detected via cell viability, clone formation assay, migration assay, flow cytometric and AO/EB assay. qRT-PCR and Western blots were applied to investigate the function of miR-596 on malignant behavior in prostatic cancer cells.

RESULTS

We found that miR-596 mRNA was decreased in prostatic cancer samples and cell lines. miR-596 mRNA level was also correlated to cancer stage, Gleason scores, while miR-596 promoter methylation was related to cancer tumor stage, Gleason score and preoperative PSA levels. miR-596 inhibited the cell growth and activity by causing cell apoptosis, and also suppressed the migration of prostatic cancer cells by revealing the epithelial-mesenchymal transition process. In addition, Western blot indicates that miR-596 overexpression deregulated Wnt/β-catenin signaling, by restraining phosphorylation levels of β-catenin and expression levels of downstream targets.

CONCLUSIONS

In summary, this research indicates that miR-596 overexpression could be potentially useful in the cell growth and migration of prostatic cancer and serves as a potential molecular marker in prostatic cancer.

TERF1 downregulation promotes the migration and invasion of the PC3 prostate cancer cell line as a target of miR‑155

Telomeric repeat binding factor 1 (TERF1) has been identified as a tumor suppressor gene in numerous types of human cancer. However, the expression of TERF1 and its mechanism in prostate cancer (PCa) remains unclear. The present study aimed to explore the expression and functions of TERF1 in PCa. The UALCAN database was used to analyze the differential expression of TERF1 between normal prostate tissue and primary PCa tissue. Cell apoptosis was analyzed by Annexin V/propidium iodide staining, and wound healing and Transwell assays were used to detect the cell migration and invasion abilities, respectively. The cell viability was analyzed using an MTT assay. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and western blotting were used to analyze the mRNA and protein expression levels, respectively, of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers following TERF1 knockdown in the PC3 cell line. A dual luciferase reporter assay was used to verify the association between TERF1 and microRNA (miR)-155 predicted by bioinformatics analysis. Rescue experiments were performed to determine the role of the miR-155/TERF1 axis in regulating the cellular behaviors of PCa. The results demonstrated that the expression levels of TERF1 in the primary prostate tumors were significantly downregulated compared with in prostate normal tissue. TERF1 silencing was discovered to significantly promote cell viability, migration and invasion, while suppressing cell apoptosis. The impact of TERF1 on PC3 cells was suggested to occur through the EMT pathway. TERF1 was confirmed to be the direct target of miR-155. The overexpression of miR-155 promoted the viability, migration and invasion, while suppressing the apoptosis of the PC3 cell line, while the knockdown of miR-155 in PC3 cells achieved the opposite trends. In addition, TERF1 overexpression reversed the promotive effects of upregulated miR-155 expression levels on the migration and apoptosis of PC3 cells. On the contrary, the knockdown of TERF1 reversed the migration and apoptosis abilities of the downregulated miR-155 expression levels on the cellular behaviors of PC3 cells. In conclusion, TERF1, as a direct target of miR-155, was discovered to be significantly downregulated in PCa, which was suggested to promote the migration and invasion of PCa via the EMT pathway.

MIR-138-5P inhibits the progression of prostate cancer by targeting FOXC1

Background

Studies have suggested that micro‐RNAs (miRNAs) can function as an oncogene or a tumor suppressor in cancers. However, the role of MIR‐138‐5P (613394) in prostate cancer (PCa) remains unclear.

Methods

Expression level of MIR‐138‐5P in PCa cell lines and normal cell line was analyzed with the quantitative real‐time PCR method. Cell counting kit‐8 assay, colony formation assay, wound‐healing assay, and transwell invasion assay were performed to analyze the biological functions of MIR‐138‐5P.

Results

We showed MIR‐138‐5P expression level was significantly decreased in PCa cell lines compared with the normal cell line. Overexpression of MIR‐138‐5P inhibits PCa cell proliferation, colony formation, cell migration, and cell invasion in vitro. Mechanistically, we showed Forkhead box C1 (FOXC1, 601090) was a direct target for MIR‐138‐5P in PCa. We confirmed that overexpression of FOXC1 partially reversed the effects of MIR‐138‐5P on PCa cell behaviors.

Conclusions

Collectively, we showed that MIR‐138‐5P functions as a tumor suppressor gene in PCa via targeting FOXC1.

MicroRNA-2053 overexpression inhibits the development and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) represent a class of small RNAs that participate in the regulation of tumor progression. However, the identification of functional miRNAs in tumors has not been thoroughly elucidated. In the present study we aim to investigate the impact of altered miR-2053 expression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. The results of the present study demonstrated that miR-2053 overexpression inhibited cell proliferation, migration and invasion, and promoted apoptosis in a HCC cell line, while miR-2053 knockdown induced the opposite cellular phenotypic changes. Mechanistically, it was found that overexpression of miR-2053 resulted in the downregulation of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways, which are aberrantly expressed in HCC. Collectively, the results indicate that miR-2053 serves as a tumor suppressor with a crucial role in inhibiting the proliferation, migration and invasion of HCC via targeting the PI3K and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways. These data indicate a potential application of miR-2053 in cancer therapy.

MicroRNA-138 Inhibits Osteogenic Differentiation and Mineralization of Human Dedifferentiated Chondrocytes by Regulating RhoC and the Actin Cytoskeleton

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are known to play critical roles in many cellular processes including those regulating skeletal development and homeostasis. A previous study from our group identified differentially expressed miRNAs in the developing human growth plate. Among those more highly expressed in hypertrophic chondrocytes compared to progenitor chondrocytes was miR‐138, therefore suggesting a possible role for this miRNA in regulating chondrogenesis and/or endochondral ossification. The goal of this study was to determine the function of miR‐ 138 in regulating osteogenesis by using human osteoarthritic dedifferentiated chondrocytes (DDCs) as source of inducible cells. We show that over‐expression of miR‐138 inhibited osteogenic differentiation of DDCs in vitro. Moreover, cell shape was altered and cell proliferation and possibly migration was also suppressed by miR‐138. Given alterations in cell shape, closer analysis revealed that F‐actin polymerization was also inhibited by miR‐138. Computational approaches showed that the small GTPase, RhoC, is a potential miR‐138 target gene. We pursued RhoC further given its function in regulating cell proliferation and migration in cancer cells. Indeed, miR‐138 over‐expression in DDCs resulted in decreased RhoC protein levels. A series of rescue experiments showed that RhoC over‐expression could attenuate the inhibitory actions of miR‐138 on DDC proliferation, F‐actin polymerization and osteogenic differentiation. Bone formation was also found to be enhanced within human demineralized bone scaffolds seeded with DDCs expressing both miR‐138 and RhoC. In conclusion, we have discovered a new mechanism in DDCs whereby miR‐138 functions to suppress RhoC which subsequently inhibits proliferation, F‐actin polymerization and osteogenic differentiation. To date, there are no published reports on the importance of RhoC in regulating osteogenesis. This opens up new avenues of research involving miR‐138 and RhoC pathways to better understand mechanisms regulating bone formation in addition to the potential use of DDCs as a cell source for bone tissue engineering. © 2018 The Authors. JBMR Plus is published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.