miR-199a-5p regulates HIF-1α and OSGIN2 and its expression is correlated to soft-tissue sarcoma patients' outcome

Regulation of the HIF switch in human endothelial and cancer cells

Hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) are transcription factors that reprogram the transcriptome for cells to survive hypoxic insults and oxidative stress. They are important during embryonic development and reprogram the cells to utilize glycolysis when the oxygen levels are extremely low. This metabolic change facilitates normal cell survival as well as cancer cell survival. The key feature in survival is the transition between acute hypoxia and chronic hypoxia, and this is regulated by the transition between HIF-1 expression and HIF-2/HIF-3 expression. This transition is observed in many human cancers and endothelial cells and referred to as the HIF Switch. Here we discuss the mechanisms involved in the HIF Switch in human endothelial and cancer cells which include mRNA and protein levels of the alpha chains of the HIFs. A major continuing effort in this field is directed towards determining the differences between normal and tumor cell utilization of this important pathway, and how this could lead to potential therapeutic approaches.

Clinical prognostic value of OSGIN2 in gastric cancer and its proliferative effect in vitro

This study explored the promoting effect of oxidative stress-induced growth inhibitor family member 2(OSGIN2) on gastric cancer (GC) through public databases and in vitro experiments. The potential relationship between OSGIN2 expression, prognosis, functional enrichment of associated differential genes, immune infiltration, and mutational information in gastric cancer were comprehensively investigated using bioinformatics analysis. OSGIN2 was knocked down using small interfering RNA (siRNA) transfection for subsequent cell function testing. The results showed that gastric carcinoma cells and tissues contained high levels of OSGIN2, which was associated with a poor prognosis for GC patients. It was important in the cell cycle, autophagy, etc., and was related to a variety of tumor-related signal pathways. Knockdown of OSGIN2 inhibited tumor cell proliferation and contributed to cell cycle arrest. It was also correlated with tumor immune infiltrating cells (TILs), affecting antitumor immune function. Our analysis highlights that OSING2, as a new biomarker, has diagnostic and prognostic value in gastric cancer and is a potentially effective target in GC treatment.

Non-coding RNAs in metabolic reprogramming of bone and soft tissue sarcoma: Fundamental mechanism and clinical implication

Sarcomas, comprising approximately 1% of human malignancies, show a poor response to treatment and easy recurrence. Metabolic reprogramming play an important role in tumor development in sarcomas. Accumulating evidence shows that non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) participate in regulating the cellular metabolism of sarcomas, which improves the understanding of the development of therapy-resistant tumors. This review addresses the regulatory roles of metabolism-related ncRNAs and their implications for sarcoma initiation and progression. Dysregulation of metabolism-related ncRNAs is common in sarcomas and is associated with poor survival. Emerging studies show that abnormal expression of metabolism-related ncRNAs affects cellular metabolism, including glucose, lipid, and mitochondrial metabolism, and leads to the development of aggressive sarcomas. This review summarizes recent advances in the roles of dysregulated metabolism-related ncRNAs in sarcoma development and stemness and describes their potential to serve as biological biomarkers for disease diagnosis and prognosis prediction, as well as therapeutic targets for treating refractory sarcomas.

OSGIN2 regulates osteogenesis of jawbone BMSCs in osteoporotic rats

Background

Augmentation of oxidative stress after estrogen deficiency leading to functional deficiency of jawbone bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) causes jawbone loss in osteoporosis. OSGIN2, an oxidative stress induced factor, has been found to be associated with skeletal diseases. This study aims to investigate the function of OSGIN2 in jawbone BMSCs of osteoporotic rats. Jawbone BMSCs were used.

Results

Oxidative stress was increased in jawbone BMSCs of osteoporotic rats, meanwhile OSGIN2 was also up-regulated. Osteogenesis of jawbone BMSCs was declined under oxidative stress, while silence of OSGIN2 ameliorated the osteogenic deficiency. RORα and its downstream osteogenic markers (BSP and OCN) decreased under oxidative stress, while knocking-down of OSGIN2 restored their expressions. Inhibition of OSGIN2 improved the osteogenesis of jawbone BMSCs under oxidative stress, whereas down-regulation of RORα offset the effect. Intra-jawbone infusion of si-OSGIN2 rescued jawbone loss and promoted new bone deposition of osteoporotic rats.

Conclusions

Oxidative stress is redundant in osteoporosis, which results in up-regulation of OSGIN2. OSGIN2 restricts osteogenic ability of jawbone BMSCs via regulating RORα, while silencing of OSGIN2 rescues the osteogenic deficiency of osteoporotic rats.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12860-022-00423-8.

LncRNA TMPO-AS1 up-regulates the expression of HIF-1α and promotes the malignant phenotypes of retinoblastoma cells via sponging miR-199a-5p

BACKGROUND

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) TMPO antisense RNA 1 (TMPO-AS1) is reported to be oncogenic in prostate cancer and lung cancer. This study aims to investigate the expression and biological function of it in retinoblastoma (RB), and explore its regulatory role for miR-199a-5p and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α).

METHODS

Paired RB samples were collected, and the expression levels of TMPO-AS1, miR-199a-5p and HIF-1α were examined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR); TMPO-AS1 overexpressing plasmids and TMPO-AS1 shRNA were transfected into HXO-RB44 and SO-Rb50 cell lines respectively, and then proliferation, migration and invasion of RB cells were detected by CCK-8 assay and Transwell method. qRT-PCR and western blot were used to analyze the regulatory function of TMPO-AS1 on miR-199a-5p and HIF-1α; luciferase reporter gene assay was used to determine the regulatory relationship between miR-199a-5p and TMPO-AS1.

RESULTS

TMPO-AS1 was significantly up-regulated in cancerous tissues of RB samples (relatively expression: 2.97 vs 3.93, p < 0.001), negatively correlated with miR-199a-5p (r=-0.4813, p < 0.01). There was one binding site on TMPO-AS1 for miR-199a-5p. After transfection of TMPO-AS1 shRNAs into RB cells, the proliferation, migration and invasion of cancer cells was significantly inhibited, while TMPO-AS1 had opposite effects; TMPO-AS1 was also demonstrated to regulate the expression of HIF-1α on both mRNA and protein levels via negatively regulating miR-199a-5p.

CONCLUSION

TMPO-AS1 is abnormally up-regulated in RB tissues, and it can modulate the proliferation and migration of RB cells. It has the potential to be the "ceRNA" to regulate HIF-1α expression by sponging miR-199a-5p.

HIF1α/miR-199a/ADM feedback loop modulates the proliferation of human dermal microvascular endothelial cells (HDMECs) under hypoxic condition

Hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF1α) plays a protective role in the hypoxia-induced cellular injury. In the present study, we attempted to investigate the role and mechanism of HIF1αin human dermal microvascular endothelial cells (hDMECs), a common-used cell model for researches on the hypoxia-induced injury during skin wounds healing. As revealed by ChIP and online tools prediction and confirmed by luciferase reporter and ChIP assays, HIF1A can bind to the promoter regions of ADM and miR-199a, while miR-199a directly binds to the 3'UTR of HIF1A and ADM. Hypoxia stress induces HIF1α and ADM expression while inhibits miR-199a expression. Under hypoxic condition, HIF1α knockdown increases the nucleus translocation of p65 and the release of TNF-α and IL-8, inhibits the proliferation and migration, while promotes the cellular permeability in HDMECs upon hypoxic stress, while ADM overexpression and miR-199a inhibition exerted an opposite effect on HDMECs. ADM overexpression or miR-199a inhibition could partially reverse the effect of HIF1A knockdown under hypoxia. In summary, we demonstrate a feedback loop consists of HIF1α, miR-199a, and ADM which protect HDMECs from hypoxia-induced cellular injury by modulating the inflammation response, cell proliferation, migration and permeability in HDMECs.

Hyperglycemia Associated Metabolic and Molecular Alterations in Cancer Risk, Progression, Treatment, and Mortality

Cancer and diabetes are amongst the leading causes of deaths worldwide. There is an alarming rise in cancer incidences and mortality, with approximately 18.1 million new cases and 9.6 million deaths in 2018. A major contributory but neglected factor for risk of neoplastic transformation is hyperglycemia. Epidemiologically too, lifestyle patterns resulting in high blood glucose level, with or without the role of insulin, are more often correlated with cancer risk, progression, and mortality. The two conditions recurrently exist in comorbidity, and their interplay has rendered treatment regimens more challenging by restricting the choice of drugs, affecting surgical consequences, and having associated fatal complications. Limited comprehensive literature is available on their correlation, and a lack of clarity in understanding in such comorbid conditions contributes to higher mortality rates. Hence, a critical analysis of the elements responsible for enhanced mortality due to hyperglycemia-cancer concomitance is warranted. Given the lifestyle changes in the human population, increasing metabolic disorders, and glucose addiction of cancer cells, hyperglycemia related complications in cancer underline the necessity for further in-depth investigations. This review, therefore, attempts to shed light upon hyperglycemia associated factors in the risk, progression, mortality, and treatment of cancer to highlight important mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets.

Vascular modulation through exercise improves chemotherapy efficacy in Ewing sarcoma

Recent studies in mouse models of cancer have shown that exercise improves tumor vascular function, thereby improving chemotherapy delivery and efficacy. However, the mechanisms underlying this improvement remain unclear and the effect of exercise on Ewing sarcoma (ES), a pediatric bone and soft tissue cancer, is unknown. The effect of exercise on tumor vascular hyperpermeability, which inversely correlates with drug delivery to the tumor, has also not been evaluated. We hypothesized that exercise improves chemotherapy efficacy by enhancing its delivery through improving tumor vascular permeability. We treated ES-bearing mice with doxorubicin with or without moderate treadmill exercise. Exercise did not significantly alter ES tumor vessel morphology. However, compared to control mice, tumors of exercised mice had significantly reduced hyperpermeability, significantly decreased hypoxia, and higher doxorubicin penetration. Compared to doxorubicin alone, doxorubicin plus exercise inhibited tumor growth more efficiently. We evaluated endothelial cell sphingosine-1-phosphate receptors 1 and 2 (S1PR1 and S1PR2) as potential mediators of the improved vascular permeability and increased function afforded by exercise. Relative to tumors from control mice, vessels in tumors from exercised mice had increased S1PR1 and decreased S1PR2 expression. Our results support a model in which exercise remodels ES vasculature to reduce vessel hyperpermeability, potentially via modulation of S1PR1 and S1PR2, thereby improving doxorubicin delivery and inhibiting tumor growth more than doxorubicin alone does. Our data suggest moderate aerobic exercise should be tested in clinical trials as a potentially useful adjuvant to standard chemotherapy for patients with ES.

Oncogenic and Tumor-Suppressive Roles of MicroRNAs with Special Reference to Apoptosis: Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Potential

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are the non-coding class of minute RNA molecules that negatively control post-transcriptional regulation of various functional genes. These miRNAs are transcribed from the loci present in the introns of functional or protein-coding genes, exons of non-coding genes, or even in the 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR). They have potential to modulate the stability or translational efficiency of a variety of target RNA [messenger RNA (mRNA)]. The regulatory function of miRNAs has been elucidated in several pathological conditions, including neurological (Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease) and cardiovascular conditions, along with cancer. Importantly, miRNA identification in cancer progression and invasion has evolved as an incipient era in cancer treatment. Several studies have shown the influence of miRNAs on various cancer processes, including apoptosis, invasion, metastasis and angiogenesis. In particular, apoptosis induction in tumor cells through miRNA has been extensively studied. The biphasic mode (up- and down-regulation) of miRNA expression in apoptosis and other cancer processes has already been determined. The findings of these studies could be utilized to develop potential therapeutic strategies for the management of various cancers. The present review critically describes the oncogenic and tumor suppressor role of miRNAs in apoptosis and other cancer processes, therapy resistance, and use of their presence in the body fluids as biomarkers.

Elevated HERV-K Expression in Soft Tissue Sarcoma Is Associated with Worsened Relapse-Free Survival

A wide variety of endogenous retroviral sequences has been demonstrated in the human genome so far, divided into several different families according to the sequence homology to viral strains. While increased expression of human endogenous retrovirus (HERV) elements has already been linked to unfavorable prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma, breast cancer, and ovarian carcinoma yet less is known about the impact of the expression of different HERV elements on sarcomagenesis in general as well as the outcome of soft tissue sarcoma (STS) patients. Therefore, in this study the association between expression of HERV-K and HERV-F and the clinicopathological characteristics in a cohort of STSs as well as the patients’ prognosis was evaluated. HERV-K and HERV-F expression was assessed by quantitative real-time PCR in 120 patient specimens. HERV-K and HERV-F expression was significantly correlated (r_S = 0.5; p = 6.4 × 10^-9; Spearman’s rank bivariate correlation). Also, tumor diameter exhibited a significant negative association to HERV-K and HERV-F expression. Levels of several hypoxia-related RNAs like HIF-1α and miR-210 showed a significant positive correlation with both HERV-K and HERV-F expression. Although in survival analyses no impact of HERV expression on disease-specific survival could be detected, patients with elevated HERV-K expression had a significantly shorter relapse-free survival (p = 0.014, log-rank analysis). In conclusion, we provide evidence for the first time that the increased expression of HERV-K in tumors is associated with STS patients’ prognosis.

CMG2 Expression Is an Independent Prognostic Factor for Soft Tissue Sarcoma Patients

The capillary morphogenesis gene 2 (CMG2), also known as the anthrax toxin receptor 2 (ANTXR2), is a transmembrane protein putatively involved in extracellular matrix (ECM) adhesion and tissue remodeling. CMG2 promotes endothelial cell proliferation and exhibits angiogenic properties. Its downregulation is associated with a worsened survival of breast carcinoma patients. Aim of this study was to analyze the CMG2 mRNA and protein expression in soft tissue sarcoma and their association with patient outcome. CMG2 mRNA was measured in 121 tumor samples of soft tissue sarcoma patients using quantitative real-time PCR. CMG2 protein was evaluated in 52 tumor samples by ELISA. CMG2 mRNA was significantly correlated with the corresponding CMG2 protein expression (r_s = 0.31; p = 0.027). CMG2 mRNA expression was associated with the mRNA expressions of several ECM and tissue remodeling enzymes, among them CD26 and components of the uPA system. Low CMG2 mRNA expression was correlated with a worsened patients’ disease-specific survival in Kaplan-Meier analyses (mean patient survival was 25 vs. 96 months; p = 0.013), especially in high-stage tumors. A decreased CMG2 expression is a negative prognostic factor for soft tissue sarcoma patients. CMG2 may be an interesting candidate gene for the further exploration of soft tissue sarcoma genesis and progression.

Downregulation of miR-199a-5p promotes prostate adeno-carcinoma progression through loss of its inhibition of HIF-1α

Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α) plays key roles in cell survival under both hypoxia and normoxia conditions. Regulation of HIF-1α is complex and involves numerous molecules and pathways, including post-transcriptional regulation by microRNAs (miRNAs). Although upregulation of HIF-1α has been shown to promote prostate adenocarcinoma (PCa) progression, the mechanism by which miRNAs modulate HIF-1α in prostate cancer has not been clarified. Here, we show that miR-199a-5p is underexpressed in prostate adenocarcinoma. Artificial overexpression of miR-199a-5p decreased cell proliferation, motility, and tumor angiogenesis and increased apoptosis in PCa cell liness PC-3 and DU145 by directly targeting the 3’-untranslated region (UTR) of HIF-1α mRNA, which reduced HIF-1α levels as well as downstream genes transactivated by HIF-1α (such as VEGF, CXCR4, BNIP3 and BCL-xL). Abnormalities of miR-199a-HIF regulation may contribute significantly to PCa pathogenesis and progression.