Expression, regulation and function of miR-495 in healthy and tumor tissues

miR-495 promotes intestinal epithelial cell apoptosis through downregulation of Sphingosine-1-phosphate

Many pathological conditions lead to defects in intestinal epithelial integrity and loss of barrier function; Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) has been shown to augment intestinal barrier integrity, though the exact mechanisms are not completely understood. We have previously shown that overexpression of Sphingosine Kinase 1 (SphK1), the rate limiting enzyme for S1P synthesis, significantly increased S1P production and cell proliferation. Here we show that microRNA 495 (miR-495) upregulation led to decreased levels of SphK1 resultant from a direct effect at the SphK1 mRNA. Increasing expression of miR-495 in intestinal epithelial cells resulted in decreased proliferation and increased susceptibility to apoptosis. Transgenic expression of miR-495 inhibited mucosal growth, as well as decreased proliferation in the crypts. The intestinal villi also expressed decreased levels of barrier proteins and exaggerated damage upon exposure to cecal ligation-puncture. These results implicate miR-495 as a critical negative regulator of intestinal epithelial protection and proliferation through direct regulation of SphK1, the rate limiting enzyme critical for production of S1P.

Mechanistic and therapeutic perspectives of non-coding RNA-modulated apoptotic signaling in diabetic retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy (DR), a significant and vision-endangering complication associated with diabetes mellitus, constitutes a substantial portion of acquired instances of preventable blindness. The progression of DR appears to prominently feature the loss of retinal cells, encompassing neural retinal cells, pericytes, and endothelial cells. Therefore, mitigating the apoptosis of retinal cells in DR could potentially enhance the therapeutic approach for managing the condition by suppressing retinal vascular leakage. Recent advancements have highlighted the crucial regulatory roles played by non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in diverse biological processes. Recent advancements have highlighted that non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), including microRNAs (miRNAs), circular RNAs (circRNAs), and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), act as central regulators in a wide array of biogenesis and biological functions, exerting control over gene expression associated with histogenesis and cellular differentiation within ocular tissues. Abnormal expression and activity of ncRNAs has been linked to the regulation of diverse cellular functions such as apoptosis, and proliferation. This implies a potential involvement of ncRNAs in the development of DR. Notably, ncRNAs and apoptosis exhibit reciprocal regulatory interactions, jointly influencing the destiny of retinal cells. Consequently, a thorough investigation into the complex relationship between apoptosis and ncRNAs is crucial for developing effective therapeutic and preventative strategies for DR. This review provides a fundamental comprehension of the apoptotic signaling pathways associated with DR. It then delves into the mutual relationship between apoptosis and ncRNAs in the context of DR pathogenesis. This study advances our understanding of the pathophysiology of DR and paves the way for the development of novel therapeutic strategies.

MicroRNA-495: a therapeutic and diagnostic tumor marker

Therapeutic and diagnostic progresses have significantly reduced the mortality rate among cancer patients during the last decade. However, there is still a high rate of mortality among cancer patients. One of the important reasons involved in the high mortality rate is the late diagnosis in advanced tumor stages that causes the failure of therapeutic strategies in these patients. Therefore, investigating the molecular mechanisms involved in tumor progression has an important role in introducing the efficient early detection markers. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) as stable factors in body fluids are always considered as non-invasive diagnostic and prognostic markers. In the present review, we investigated the role of miR-495 in tumor progression. It has been reported that miR-495 has mainly a tumor suppressor function through the regulation of transcription factors and tyrosine kinases as well as cellular processes such as multidrug resistance, chromatin remodeling, and signaling pathways. This review can be an effective step towards introducing the miR-495 as a non-invasive diagnostic/prognostic marker as well as a suitable target in tumor therapy.

Circulating microRNAs in young individuals with long-duration type 1 diabetes in comparison with healthy controls

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short non-coding RNAs that are involved in post-transcriptional control of gene expression and might be used as biomarkers for diabetes-related complications. The aim of this case-control study was to explore potential differences in circulating miRNAs in young individuals with long-duration type 1 diabetes (T1D) compared to healthy controls, and how identified miRNAs are expressed across different tissues. Twelve adolescents, age 15.0-17.9 years, with T1D duration of more than 8 years (mean 11.1 years), were enrolled from the Swedish diabetes quality registry. An age-matched control group was recruited. Circulating miRNAs (n = 187) were analyzed by quantitative PCR. We observed that 27 miRNAs were upregulated and one was downregulated in T1D. Six of these miRNAs were tissue-enriched (blood cells, gastrointestinal, nerve, and thyroid tissues). Six miRNAs with the largest difference in plasma, five up-regulated (hsa-miR-101-3p, hsa-miR-135a-5p, hsa-miR-143-3p, hsa-miR-223-3p and hsa-miR-410-3p (novel for T1D)) and one down-regulated (hsa-miR-495-3p), with P-values below 0.01, were selected for further in-silico analyses. AKT1, VEGFA and IGF-1 were identified as common targets. In conclusion, 28 of the investigated miRNAs were differently regulated in long-duration T1D in comparison with controls. Several associations with cancer were found for the six miRNAs with the largest difference in plasma.

The Intricate Interplay between Cancer Stem Cells and Oncogenic miRNAs in Breast Cancer Progression and Metastasis

Complex signaling interactions between cancer cells and their microenvironments drive the clonal selection of cancer cells. Opposing forces of antitumor and tumorigenic potential regulate the survival of the fittest clones, while key genetic and epigenetic alterations in healthy cells force them to transform, overcome cell senescence, and proliferate in an uncontrolled manner. Both clinical samples and cancer cell lines provide researchers with an insight into the complex structure and hierarchy of cancer. Intratumor heterogeneity allows for multiple cancer cell subpopulations to simultaneously coexist within tumors. One category of these cancer cell subpopulations is cancer stem cells (CSCs), which possess stem-like characteristics and are not easily detectable. In the case of breast cancer, which is the most prevalent cancer type among females, such subpopulations of cells have been isolated and characterized via specific stem cell markers. These stem-like cells, known as breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs), have been linked to major events during tumorigenesis including invasion, metastasis and patient relapse following conventional therapies. Complex signaling circuitries seem to regulate the stemness and phenotypic plasticity of BCSCs along with their differentiation, evasion of immunosurveillance, invasiveness and metastatic potential. Within these complex circuitries, new key players begin to arise, with one of them being a category of small non-coding RNAs, known as miRNAs. Here, we review the importance of oncogenic miRNAs in the regulation of CSCs during breast cancer formation, promotion and metastasis, in order to highlight their anticipated usage as diagnostic and prognostic tools in the context of patient stratification and precision medicine.

Downregulated miR-495-3p in colorectal cancer targets TGFβR1, TGFβR2, SMAD4 and BUB1 genes and induces cell cycle arrest

BACKGROUND

Hsa-miR-495 (miR-495) has been extensively investigated in cancer initiation and progression. On the other hand, our bioinformatics analysis suggested that miR-495 exerts its effects through targeting of TGFβ signaling components.

METHODS & RESULTS

In order to investigate such an effect, miR-495 precursor was overexpressed in HEK293T, SW480, and HCT116 cells, which was followed by downregulation of TGFβR1, TGFβR2, SMAD4, and BUB1 putative target genes, detected by RT-qPCR. Also, luciferase assay supported the direct interaction of miR-495 with 3'UTR sequences of TGFβR1, TGFβR2, SMAD4, and BUB1 genes. Furthermore, a negative correlation of expression between miR-495-3p and some of these target genes was deduced in a set of colorectal and breast cancer cell lines. Then, flow cytometry analysis showed that the overexpression of miR-495 in HCT116 and HEK293T resulted in an arrest at the G1 phase. Consistently, western blotting analysis showed a significant reduction of the Cyclin D1 protein in the cells overexpressing miR-495, pointing to downregulation of the TGFβ signaling pathway and cell cycle arrest. Finally, microarray data analysis showed that miR-495-3p is significantly downregulated in colorectal tumors, compared to the normal pairs.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, the results of the current study introduced miR-495-3p as a cell cycle progression suppressor, which may negatively regulate TGFβR1, TGFβR2, SMAD4, and BUB1 genes. This finding suggests miR-495-3p as a tumor suppressor candidate for further evaluation.

miR-495-3p sensitizes BCR-ABL1-expressing leukemic cells to tyrosine kinase inhibitors by targeting multidrug resistance 1 gene in T315I mutated cells

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a clonal hematopoietic malignancy driven by the BCR-ABL1 fusion oncoprotein. The development of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) has deeply increased long-term survival of CML patients. Nonetheless, one patient out of four will switch TKI off owing either to drug intolerance or resistance partly due to amplification or mutations of BCR-ABL1 oncogene and alteration in ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters. Increasing evidence suggests the involvement of the microRNA miR-495-3p in cancer-associated chemoresistance through multidrug resistance 1 (MDR1) gene, which encodes an ATP-dependent efflux pump. Our study aimed at investigating the potential role of miR-495-3p in CML TKI chemo-sensitivity and determining the underlying molecular circuitry involved. We first observed that miR-495-3p expression was lower in BCR-ABL1-expressing cellular models in vitro. Notably, loss-of-function experiments showed increased proliferation associated with a decreased number of nondividing cells (G0/G1) and resistance to Imatinib. Conversely, our data showed that miR-495-3p overexpression hindered leukemic cell growth and TKI resistance in Imatinib-resistant T315I-mutant cells, as well as drug efflux activity through MDR1 regulation. Further investigating the role of miR-495-3p in CML patients, we found that predicted miR-495-3p targets were upregulated in patients in blast crisis that were involved in protein phosphorylation and associated with the worst prognosis. Taken together, our results demonstrate that downregulation of miR-495-3p expression is important in the malignant phenotype of CML and TKI resistance mechanisms and could be a useful biomarker and a potential therapeutic target to eradicate CML.

MiR-495-3p regulates cell migration and invasion in papillary thyroid carcinoma

Background

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most prevalent histotype of thyroid cancer and the presence of BRAFV600E mutation in these tumors is related to the malignancy and prognosis of the disease. In recent years attention has been focused on the role of microRNAs in the biology of PTC cells, especially in their role in the modulation of pathways related to tumorigenesis. DLK1-DIO3-derived miRNAs have been shown to play important roles in tumor context and are globally downregulated in PTC.

Methods

Based on a previous in silico target prediction and gene enrichment analysis, we identified miR-495-3p as the candidate with the highest tumor suppressor potential role in PTC among DLK1-DIO3-derived miRNAs. We used bioinformatics and an in vitro model of miR-495-3p overexpression to further understand the influence of this molecule on the tumorigenic processes of PTC.

Results

Overexpression of miR-495-3p impaired cell migration and invasion of PTC cells harboring the BRAFV600E mutation and affected the expression of targets predicted in the bioinformatic analysis, such as TGFB2, EREG and CCND1.

Conclusion

Overall, our results indicate that the loss of miR-495-3p expression during PTC development might play an important role in its progression.

Estimating the Prognosis of Low-Grade Glioma with Gene Attention Using Multi-Omics and Multi-Modal Schemes

The prognosis estimation of low-grade glioma (LGG) patients with deep learning models using gene expression data has been extensively studied in recent years. However, the deep learning models used in these studies do not utilize the latest deep learning techniques, such as residual learning and ensemble learning. To address this limitation, in this study, a deep learning model using multi-omics and multi-modal schemes, namely the Multi-Prognosis Estimation Network (Multi-PEN), is proposed. When using Multi-PEN, gene attention layers are employed for each datatype, including mRNA and miRNA, thereby allowing us to identify prognostic genes. Additionally, recent developments in deep learning, such as residual learning and layer normalization, are utilized. As a result, Multi-PEN demonstrates competitive performance compared to conventional models for prognosis estimation. Furthermore, the most significant prognostic mRNA and miRNA were identified using the attention layers in Multi-PEN. For instance, MYBL1 was identified as the most significant prognostic mRNA. Such a result accords with the findings in existing studies that have demonstrated that MYBL1 regulates cell survival, proliferation, and differentiation. Additionally, hsa-mir-421 was identified as the most significant prognostic miRNA, and it has been extensively reported that hsa-mir-421 is highly associated with various cancers. These results indicate that the estimations of Multi-PEN are valid and reliable and showcase Multi-PEN's capacity to present hypotheses regarding prognostic mRNAs and miRNAs.

Improved prediction of radiation pneumonitis by combining biological and radiobiological parameters using a data-driven Bayesian network analysis

Grade 2 and higher radiation pneumonitis (RP2) is a potentially fatal toxicity that limits efficacy of radiation therapy (RT). We wished to identify a combined biomarker signature of circulating miRNAs and cytokines which, along with radiobiological and clinical parameters, may better predict a targetable RP2 pathway. In a prospective clinical trial of response-adapted RT for patients (n = 39) with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer, we analyzed patients' plasma, collected pre- and during RT, for microRNAs (miRNAs) and cytokines using array and multiplex enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively. Interactions between candidate biomarkers, radiobiological, and clinical parameters were analyzed using data-driven Bayesian network (DD-BN) analysis. We identified alterations in specific miRNAs (miR-532, -99b and -495, let-7c, -451 and -139-3p) correlating with lung toxicity. High levels of soluble tumor necrosis factor alpha receptor 1 (sTNFR1) were detected in a majority of lung cancer patients. However, among RP patients, within 2 weeks of RT initiation, we noted a trend of temporary decline in sTNFR1 (a physiological scavenger of TNFα) and ADAM17 (a shedding protease that cleaves both membrane-bound TNFα and TNFR1) levels. Cytokine signature identified activation of inflammatory pathway. Using DD-BN we combined miRNA and cytokine data along with generalized equivalent uniform dose (gEUD) to identify pathways with better accuracy of predicting RP2 as compared to either miRNA or cytokines alone. This signature suggests that activation of the TNFα-NFκB inflammatory pathway plays a key role in RP which could be specifically ameliorated by etanercept rather than current therapy of non-specific leukotoxic corticosteroids.

Multidrug Resistance in Cancer: Understanding Molecular Mechanisms, Immunoprevention and Therapeutic Approaches

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Several treatments are available for cancer treatment, but many treatment methods are ineffective against multidrug-resistant cancer. Multidrug resistance (MDR) represents a major obstacle to effective therapeutic interventions against cancer. This review describes the known MDR mechanisms in cancer cells and discusses ongoing laboratory approaches and novel therapeutic strategies that aim to inhibit, circumvent, or reverse MDR development in various cancer types. In this review, we discuss both intrinsic and acquired drug resistance, in addition to highlighting hypoxia- and autophagy-mediated drug resistance mechanisms. Several factors, including individual genetic differences, such as mutations, altered epigenetics, enhanced drug efflux, cell death inhibition, and various other molecular and cellular mechanisms, are responsible for the development of resistance against anticancer agents. Drug resistance can also depend on cellular autophagic and hypoxic status. The expression of drug-resistant genes and the regulatory mechanisms that determine drug resistance are also discussed. Methods to circumvent MDR, including immunoprevention, the use of microparticles and nanomedicine might result in better strategies for fighting cancer.

Administration of circRNA_0075932 shRNA exhibits a therapeutic effect on burn-associated infection in obese rats

miR-495 and miR-142-3p suppress inflammatory response. Circ_0075932 is overexpressed in the burned skin of obese individuals and is involved in the regulation of PUM2 and AuroraA kinase, thus activating the NF-kB pathway. Obesity significantly influences the length of hospital stay for paediatric burn patients, who present symptoms of slower healing or greater functional impairment. In this study, the relationship between the abovementioned genes was assessed using an obese rat burn model. Luciferase assays, real-time PCR, Western blotting and ELISA assays were performed to explore the regulatory relationships of circRNA_0075932/miR-142, circRNA_0075932/miR-495, miR-142/NLRP3, and miR-495/PUM2. Luciferase assays indicated that miR-142 effectively suppressed the expression of circRNA_0075932/NLRP3 while miR-495 inhibited the expression of circRNA_0075932/PUM2. Downregulation of circRNA_0075932 suppressed the expression of circRNA_0075932/NLRP3/PUM2 and activated the expression of miR-142/miR-495. Exosomes collected from lenti-circRNA_0075932 shRNA-treated ADSCs showed remarkable efficiency in maintaining the post heat stress (PHS)-induced dysregulation of circRNA_0075932, miR-142, miR-495, NLRP3, PUM2, AuroraB, Ika, NF-kB, TNF-α, IL-1β, and MCP-1 in THP-1 cells. Moreover, EXO-Lenti-circRNA_0075932 shRNA significantly restored burn-induced dysregulation of circRNA_0075932, miR-142, miR-495, NLRP3, PUM2, AuroraB, Ika, NF-kB, TNF-α, IL-1β, and MCP-1 in obese rats. In conclusion, this study confirmed that the expression of circ_0075932 in adipose tissue is evidently increased in burn-associated infection in obese rats. Moreover, the administration of circ_0075932 shRNA exhibited a therapeutic effect upon burn-associated infection in obese rats by suppressing the expression of circ_0075932.

CircTMTC1 contributes to nasopharyngeal carcinoma progression through targeting miR-495-MET-eIF4G1 translational regulation axis

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is the most common primary malignancy arising from the epithelial cells of nasopharynx. CircTMTC1 is upregulated in NPC patients, but its role and molecular mechanism in NPC are unknown. Normal nasopharyngeal epithelium and tumor tissues were collected. The expression of circTMTC1, miR-495, MET/eIF4G1 pathway-related molecules were examined. Colony formation and transwell assays were used to assess cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Cell apoptosis was analyzed by annexin V and propidium iodide (PI) staining. Gene interaction was examined by RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) and luciferase activity assays. Subcutaneous and intravenous xenograft mouse models were established to analyze NPC growth and metastasis in vivo. CircTMTC1 was highly expressed and miR-495 was downregulated in NPC, which were associated with poor prognosis of NPC. Both circTMTC1 knockdown and miR-495 overexpression inhibited NPC cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and promoted cell apoptosis. CircTMTC1 directly targeted miR-495 to promote the expression of its downstream target gene MET. miR-495 knockdown enhanced the expression of c-Myc, Cyclin D1, and survivin and accelerated NPC cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and EMT through targeting MET and activating the MET-eIF4G1 axis. CircTMTC1 silence inhibited NPC growth and lung metastasis by targeting the miR-495-MET-eIF4G1 translational regulation axis in vivo. CircTMTC1 accelerates NPC progression through targeting miR-495 and consequently activating the MET-eIF4G1 translational regulation axis, suggesting potential therapeutic targets for NPC treatment.

LncRNA UCA1 mediates Cetuximab resistance in Colorectal Cancer via the MiR-495 and HGF/c-MET Pathways

Background: Cetuximab is one of the most widely used monoclonal antibodies to treat patients with RAS/BRAF wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Unfortunately, cetuximab resistance often occurs during targeted therapy. However, the underlying epigenetic mechanisms remain unclear. Our previous study demonstrated that the exosomal transfer of urothelial carcinoma-associated 1 (UCA1) confers cetuximab resistance to CRC cells. The goal of this study was to elucidate the detailed role of UCA1 in cetuximab resistance in CRC and the underlying molecular mechanism.

Methods:In vitro and in vivo functional studies were performed to assess the role of UCA1 in cetuximab resistance in CRC cell lines and xenograft models. Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to examine UCA1 localization and expression. Bioinformatics analysis was performed to predict the potential mechanism of UCA1, which was further validated by the dual-luciferase reporter assay and the RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay. Cells treated with indicators were subjected to Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) and western blotting to investigate the role of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)/c-mesenchymal-epithelial transition (c-MET) signalling in UCA1-mediated cetuximab resistance.

Results: We showed that UCA1 decreased CRC cell sensitivity to cetuximab by suppressing apoptosis. Mechanistic studies revealed that UCA1 promoted cetuximab resistance by competitively binding miR-495 to facilitate HGF and c-MET expression in CRC cells. Moreover, HGF was shown to attenuate the cetuximab-induced inhibition of cell proliferation by activating the HGF/c-MET pathway in CRC cells.

Conclusion: We provide the first evidence of a UCA1-miR-495-HGF/c-MET regulatory network involved in cetuximab resistance in CRC. Therefore, UCA1 has potential as a predictor and therapeutic target for cetuximab resistance.

High-Throughput Sequencing of Circulating MicroRNAs in Plasma and Serum during Pregnancy Progression

Although circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) in maternal blood may play an important role in regulation of pregnancy progression and serve as non-invasive biomarkers for different gestation complications, little is known about their profile in blood during normally developing pregnancy. In this study we evaluated the miRNA profiles in paired plasma and serum samples from pregnant women without health or gestational abnormalities at three time points using high-throughput sequencing technology. Sequencing revealed that the percentage of miRNA reads in plasma and serum decreased by a third compared to first and second trimesters. We found two miRNAs in plasma (hsa-miR-7853-5p and hsa-miR-200c-3p) and 10 miRNAs in serum (hsa-miR-203a-5p, hsa-miR-495-3p, hsa-miR-4435, hsa-miR-340-5p, hsa-miR-4417, hsa-miR-1266-5p, hsa-miR-4494, hsa-miR-134-3p, hsa-miR-5008-5p, and hsa-miR-6756-5p), that exhibit level changes during pregnancy (p-value adjusted < 0.05). In addition, we observed differences for 36 miRNAs between plasma and serum (p-value adjusted < 0.05), which should be taken into consideration when comparing the results between studies performed using different biosample types. The results were verified by analysis of three miRNAs using qRT-PCR (p < 0.05). The present study confirms that the circulating miRNA profile in blood changes during gestation. Our results set the basis for further investigation of molecular mechanisms, involved in regulation of pregnancy, and the search for biomarkers of gestation abnormalities.

MicroRNA miR-495 regulates the development of Hepatocellular Carcinoma by targeting C1q/tumor necrosis factor-related protein-3 (CTRP3)

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents a type of lethal cancer in the world and its treatment options produce limited and unsatisfactory effectiveness. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) that play critical roles in tumorigenesis have shown promising clinical therapeutic potential. Here, we reported that miRNA-495 (miR-495) plays important roles in inhibiting HCC cell growth via its regulation of cell-cycle progression as well as senescence. MiR-495 showed low levels in human HCC tissues and cells. Overexpressing miR-495 in HCC cells caused strong cell growth inhibition, which results from cell-cycle arrest and senescence. CTRP3 functioned as a possible target of miR-495 in HCC cells by bioinformatics prediction and biological assay. By inhibiting the expression of CTRP3 with siRNA, HCC cells also showed similar growth inhibition as miR-495 overexpression. The re-expression of CTRP3 in HCC cells with high-level miR-495 abolished miR-495 and caused cell growth inhibition. These results strongly suggested that CTRP3 was the functional target that weakened the effects of miR-495 in HCC cells. The in vivo experiment demonstrated miR-495 overexpression had great therapeutic effects on HCC in xenograft. Above all, this research revealed that miR-495 is essential in suppressing HCC growth, and its application serves as a promising strategy for HCC treatment.

Construction of a microRNA-mRNA Regulatory Network in De Novo Cytogenetically Normal Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patients

Background: The association between dysregulated microRNAs (miRNAs) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is well known. However, our understanding of the regulatory role of miRNAs in the cytogenetically normal AML (CN-AML) subtype pathway is still poor. The current study integrated miRNA and mRNA profiles to explore novel miRNA-mRNA interactions that affect the regulatory patterns of de novo CN-AML. Methods: We utilized a multiplexed nanoString nCounter platform to profile both miRNAs and mRNAs using similar sets of patient samples (n = 24). Correlations were assessed, and an miRNA-mRNA network was constructed. The underlying biological functions of the mRNAs were predicted by gene enrichment. Finally, the interacting pairs were assessed using TargetScan and microT-CDS. We identified 637 significant negative correlations (false discovery rate <0.05). Results: Network analysis revealed a cluster of 12 miRNAs representing the majority of mRNA targets. Within the cluster, five miRNAs (miR-495-3p, miR-185-5p, let-7i-5p, miR-409-3p, and miR-127-3p) were posited to play a pivotal role in the regulation of CN-AML, as they are associated with the negative regulation of myeloid leukocyte differentiation, negative regulation of myeloid cell differentiation, and positive regulation of hematopoiesis. Conclusion: Three novel interactions in CN-AML were predicted as let-7i-5p:HOXA9, miR-495-3p:PIK3R1, and miR-495-3p:CDK6 may be responsible for regulating myeloid cell differentiation in CN-AML.

High expression of long noncoding RNA NORAD is associated with poor clinical outcomes in non-M3 acute myeloid leukemia patients

OBJECTIVE/BACKGROUND

Dysregulation of long noncoding RNA NORAD has been identified in human solid tumors. However, the expression profile of NORAD and its clinical implications in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is unclear. The current study aimed to explore the NORAD expression status and its clinical significance in non-M3 AML patients.

METHODS

NORAD expression was evaluated in 60 de novo non-M3 AML patients and 49 healthy individuals using quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction method. The correlation between NORAD transcription levels and clinicopathologic characteristics was statistically studied.

RESULTS

Compared with the healthy controls, NORAD was consistently higher in non-M3 AML patients (p = .01). Furthermore, initial NORAD upregulation occurred more frequently in patients with unfavorable cytogenetic risk (p = .02). The non-M3 AML patients were divided into NORAD high-expressing (NORADhigh) and NORAD low-expressing (NORADlow) groups based on the median NORAD expression level. Univariate analyses revealed that patients with high expression levels of NORAD had relatively poor overall survival (p = .03) and relapse-free survival (RFS) (p = .01). Additionally, multivariate analysis highlighted that NORAD upregulation was an independent risk factor for RFS.

CONCLUSION

Our observations indicate the fact that high expression of NORAD could be an unfavorable risk factor in non-M3 AML patients, and NORAD might be a novel therapeutic candidate for future treatments targeting AML.

Downregulation of MicroRNA-495 Alleviates IL-1β Responses among Chondrocytes by Preventing SOX9 Reduction

PURPOSE

Our previous work demonstrated that miRNA-495 targets SOX9 to inhibit chondrogenesis of mesenchymal stem cells. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether miRNA-495-mediated SOX9 regulation could be a novel therapeutic target for osteoarthritis (OA) using an in vitro cell culture model.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

An in vitro model mimicking the OA environment was established using TC28a2 normal human chondrocyte cells. Interleukin-1β (IL-1β, 10 ng/mL) was utilized to induce inflammation-related changes in TC28a2 cells. Safranin O staining and glycosaminoglycan assay were used to detect changes in proteoglycans among TC28a2 cells. Expression levels of COX-2, ADAMTS5, MMP13, SOX9, CCL4, and COL2A1 were examined by qRT-PCR and/or Western blotting. Immunohistochemistry was performed to detect SOX9 and CCL4 proteins in human cartilage tissues obtained from patients with OA.

RESULTS

miRNA-495 was upregulated in IL-1β-treated TC28a2 cells and chondrocytes from damaged cartilage tissues of patients with OA. Anti-miR-495 abolished the effect of IL-1β in TC28a2 cells and rescued the protein levels of SOX9 and COL2A1, which were reduced by IL-1β. SOX9 was downregulated in the damaged cartilage tissues of patients with OA, and knockdown of SOX9 abolished the effect of anti-miR-495 on IL-1β-treated TC28a2 cells.

CONCLUSION

We demonstrated that inhibition of miRNA-495 alleviates IL-1β-induced inflammatory responses in chondrocytes by rescuing SOX9 expression. Accordingly, miRNA-495 could be a potential novel target for OA therapy, and the application of anti-miR-495 to chondrocytes could be a therapeutic strategy for treating OA.

The regulation of microRNA in each of cancer stage from two different ethnicities as potential biomarker for breast cancer

miRNA has recently emerged as a potential biomarker for breast cancer. Even though many studies have identified ethnic variation affecting miRNA regulation, the effect of cancer stage within specific ethnicities on miRNA epigenetic remains unclear. The present study is designed to investigate miRNA regulation from two distinct ethnicities in specific cancer stages (non-Hispanic white and non-Hispanic black) using the TCGA dataset. Differentially expressed miRNAs were calculated by using the edgeR package. miRNAs with the highest or lowest log fold Change from each cancer stage were selected as a potential biomarker. miRNA-gene interaction was analyzed by using spearman correlation analysis, CLUEGO, and DIANA-mirpath. The association of biomarker candidates with diagnostic and prognostic performance was assessed using ROC and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. miRNA-gene interaction analysis revealed the involvement of selected miRNAs in cancer progression. From eleven selected aberrant miRNAs, four of the miRNAs (hsa-mir-495, hsa-mir-592, hsa-mir-6501, and hsa-mir-937) are significantly detrimental to breast cancer diagnosis and prognosis. Hence, our result provides valuable information to explore miRNA's role in each cancer stage between non-Hispanic white and non-Hispanic black.

CircSERPINE2 weakens IL-1β-caused apoptosis and extracellular matrix degradation of chondrocytes by regulating miR-495/TGFBR2 axis

The dysregulated circular RNAs (circRNAs) are relevant to the development of osteoarthritis (OA). The circRNA serpin family E member 2 (circSERPINE2) is dysregulated in OA, while the role and mechanism of circSERPINE2 in OA are largely unknown. The aim of our research is to explore how and whether circSERPINE2 regulates interleukin-1β (IL-1β)-caused chondrocyte damage in OA. In the present study, the chondrocytes (CHON-001 cells) were exposed to IL-1β to mimic the injury in OA. CircSERPINE2, microRNA-495 (miR-495) and transforming growth factor-β receptor 2 (TGFBR2) abundances were detected via quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) or Western blot. Cell apoptosis was assessed via viability, apoptotic rate and caspase-3 activity. Extracellular matrix was investigated by levels of Sry-type high-mobility-group box 9 (SOX9), collagen type II α 1 (COL2A1) and Aggrecan using Western blot. The interaction among circSERPINE2, miR-495 and TGFBR2 was assessed via dual-luciferase reporter analysis and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP). The results showed that circSERPINE2 expression was reduced in OA patients and IL-1β-treated chondrocytes. CircSERPINE2 overexpression mitigated IL-1β-caused apoptosis and extracellular matrix degradation. miR-495 was targeted by circSERPINE2 and up-regulated in OA patients and IL-1β-treated chondrocytes. miR-495 up-regulation reversed overexpression of circSERPINE2-mediated inhibition of apoptosis and extracellular matrix degradation. TGFBR2 was targeted by miR-495 and lowly expressed in OA patients and IL-1β-treated chondrocytes. CircSERPINE2 could mediate TGFBR2 expression by binding with miR-495. As a conclusion, circSERPINE2 attenuated IL-1β-caused apoptosis and extracellular matrix degradation of chondrocytes by regulating miR-495/TGFBR2 axis, indicating a new target for OA treatment.

LncRNA TP73-AS1 regulates miR-495 expression to promote migration and invasion of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells through junctional adhesion molecule A

The main obstacle to the treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is metastasis. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) are highly involved in the progression of NPC. In this study, we aimed to explore the regulatory role of lncRNA P73 antisense RNA 1 T (TP73-AS1) and miR-495 in migration and invasion of NPC cells. The expression levels of TP73-AS1, miR-495, and junctional adhesion molecule A (JAM-A) in NPC tissue samples and cell lines were examined by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and/or Western blot. NPC cells were transfected with vectors overexpressing TP73-AS1, short hairpin RNA (shRNA) against TP73-AS1, shRNA against JAM-A, miR-495 mimics, miR-495 inhibitor, and their corresponding negative controls as designated. The MTT assay, cell migration assay, and transwell assay were performed to detect cell viability, migration, and invasion, respectively. Dual-luciferase reporter assay was performed to confirm the binding of TP73-AS1 and miR-495, and miR-495 and JAM-A. TP73-AS1 and JAM-A were significantly upregulated while miR-495 was markedly downregulated in NPC tissues and cell lines compared to normal controls. The overexpression of TP73-AS1 promoted migration and invasion of NPC cell line CNE-2. TP73-AS1 targeted miR-495 and negatively regulated its expression. TP73-AS1 upregulated the expression of JAM-A through miR-495. TP73-AS1 mediated migration and invasion of CNE-2 cells via upregulating JAM-A. LncRNA TP73-AS1, miR-495, and JAM-A are involved in migration and invasion of NPC cells. The TP73-AS1/miR-495/JAM-A axis may serve as a therapeutic target for the treatment of NPC.

Synthetic Artificial Long Non-coding RNA Shows Higher Efficiency in Specific Malignant Phenotype Inhibition Compared to the CRISPR/Cas Systems

Objective: Both oncogenic transcription factors (TFs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) play an important regulator in human cancer by transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation, respectively. These phenomena raise questions about the ability of artificial device to regulate miRNAs and TFs simultaneously. In this study, we aimed to construct an artificial long non-coding RNA, “alncRNA,” which imitated CRISPR/Cas systems and to illuminate its therapeutic effects in bladder cancer cell lines. At the same time, we also compared the efficiency of alncRNA and CRISPR/Cas systems in regulating gene expression.

Study Design and Methods: Based on engineering principles of synthetic biology, we combined tandem arrayed cDNA sequences of aptamer for TFs with tandem arrayed cDNA copies of binding sites for the miRNAs to construct alncRNA. In order to prove the utility of this platform, we chose β -catenin, NF-κB, miR-940, and miR-495 as the functional targets and used the bladder cancer cell lines 5637 and T24 as the test models. Real-time Quantitative PCR (qPCR), dual-luciferase assay and relative phenotypic experiments were applied to severally test the expression of relative gene and therapeutic effects of our devices.

Result: Dual-luciferase assay indicated alncRNA could inhibit transcriptional activity of TFs. What’s more, the result of qPCR showed that expression levels of the relative TFs target genes and miRNAs were reduced by corresponding alncRNA and the inhibitory effect was better than CRIPSR dCas9-KRAB. By functional experiments, decreased cell proliferation, increased apoptosis, and motility inhibition were observed in alncRNA-infected bladder cells.

Conclusion: In summary, our synthetic devices indeed function as anti-tumor regulator, which synchronously accomplish transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation in bladder cancer cell and show higher efficiency in specific malignant phenotype inhibition compared to the CRISPR/Cas systems. Most importantly, Anti-cancer effects were induced by the synthetic alncRNA in the bladder cancer lines. Our devices, therefore, provides a novel strategy for cancer therapy and could be a useful “weapon” for cancer cell.

Analysis of molecular and clinical parameters of 4-year adalimumab therapy in psoriatic patients

Introdcution

Through interaction with receptors TNFR1 and TNFR2, TNF-α activates a signal path, which exacerbates an inflammatory process, constituting an inseparable element of psoriasis.

Aim

To evaluate changes in the expression of TNF-α, TNFR1, TNFR2 during the 4-year-long adalimumab therapy in psoriatic patients, searching for the correlation between molecular and clinical markers. In addition, the role of miRNAs was analysed.

Material and methods

Whole blood and serum samples of psoriatic patients treated with adalimumab constituted material for the study. Changes in the expression of TNF-α and its receptors were evaluated with the use of the RTqPCR method and MALDI ToF mass spectroscopy, PASI, BSA, DAS28 indexes were used for the clinical analysis of the patients, while the role of miRNA molecules was determined basing on microrna.org database.

Results

Different TNF-α expression patterns were determined in patients with observed resistance to the medicine. We found that there is a correlation between the molecular markers of an inflammatory process and the clinical indexes. The bioinformatic analysis indicates the potential role of miRNAs in the regulation of expression of the analysed genes. Changes in the profile of TNF-α during adalimumab therapy are significantly determined by the individual variability and susceptibility to the biological medicine or its loss.

Conclusions

TNF-α seems to be a useful marker to evaluate the efficacy of therapy and occurring resistance to the medicine. A complex mechanism for the regulation of the analysed gene expression was underlined, which involved the potential role of miRNAs.

Statin suppresses sirtuin 6 through miR-495, increasing FoxO1-dependent hepatic gluconeogenesis

Rationale: Statin, the most widely used medication in lowering cholesterol, is also associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes, but its molecular basis remains unclear.

Methods: Mice were injected intraperitoneally with statins alone or in combination with sirtuin (Sirt) 6 activator, and blood glucose levels were measured. Liver tissues from patients with statin use were analyzed for the expression of Sirt6.

Results: Statin treatment up-regulated the hepatic expression of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and glucose-6-phosphatase, which was prevented by Sirt6 overexpression. Mechanistically, statin directly repressed Sirt6 expression by induction of microRNA (miR)-495, a novel inhibitor of Sirt6. Pathway analysis for predicted target genes of miR-495 recognized forkhead box protein (Fox)O1 as a key downstream signaling of Sirt6. Statin treatment increased the acetylation and protein stability of FoxO1, which was suppressed by Sirt6 overexpression. Inhibiting miR-495 recovered Sirt6 levels, blocking the ability of statin to increase FoxO1 mediated gluconeogenesis, and thus confirming the role of the miR-495/Sirt6/FoxO1 pathway in controlling gluconeogenesis. Moreover, the Sirt6 activator MDL801 prevented gluconeogenesis and hyperglycemia induced by statin in mice. Equally noteworthy was that human liver tissues obtained from statin users showed a significant decrease in Sirt6 protein levels compared to those of non-users.

Conclusion: Statin induces miR-495 to suppress Sirt6 expression, which leads to enhancement of FoxO1-mediated hepatic gluconeogenesis. Thus, Sirt6 activation may offer a promising strategy for preventing statin-induced hyperglycemia.

Autophagy-mediating microRNAs in cancer chemoresistance

Chemoresistance is a complex phenomenon responsible for failure in response to chemotherapy agents and more than 90% of deaths in cancer patients. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), as a subgroup of non-coding RNAs with lengths between 21 and 25 nucleotides, are involved in various cancer processes like chemoresistance via interacting with their target mRNAs and suppressing their expression. Autophagy is a greatly conserved procedure involving the lysosomal degradation of cytoplasmic contents and organelles to deal with environmental stresses like hypoxia and starvation. Autophagy contributes to response to chemotherapy agents: autophagy can act as a protective mechanism for mediating the resistance in response to chemotherapy or can induce autophagic cell death and mediate the sensitivity to chemotherapy. On the other hand, one of the processes targeted by microRNAs in the regulation of chemoresistance is autophagy. Hence, we studied the literatures on chemoresistance mechanisms, the miRNAs' role in cancer, and the miRNAs' role in chemoresistance by modulating autophagy. Graphical Abstract.

Proteogenomic Characterization Reveals Therapeutic Vulnerabilities in Lung Adenocarcinoma

To explore the biology of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and identify new therapeutic opportunities, we performed comprehensive proteogenomic characterization of 110 tumors and 101 matched normal adjacent tissues (NATs) incorporating genomics, epigenomics, deep-scale proteomics, phosphoproteomics, and acetylproteomics. Multi-omics clustering revealed four subgroups defined by key driver mutations, country, and gender. Proteomic and phosphoproteomic data illuminated biology downstream of copy number aberrations, somatic mutations, and fusions and identified therapeutic vulnerabilities associated with driver events involving KRAS, EGFR, and ALK. Immune subtyping revealed a complex landscape, reinforced the association of STK11 with immune-cold behavior, and underscored a potential immunosuppressive role of neutrophil degranulation. Smoking-associated LUADs showed correlation with other environmental exposure signatures and a field effect in NATs. Matched NATs allowed identification of differentially expressed proteins with potential diagnostic and therapeutic utility. This proteogenomics dataset represents a unique public resource for researchers and clinicians seeking to better understand and treat lung adenocarcinomas.

Cholino-ncRNAs modulate sex-specific- and age-related acetylcholine signals

Acetylcholine (ACh) signaling orchestrates mammalian movement, mental capacities, and inflammation. Dysregulated ACh signaling associates with many human mental disorders and neurodegeneration in an individual‐, sex‐, and tissue‐related manner. Moreover, aged patients under anticholinergic therapy show increased risk of dementia, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are incompletely understood. Here, we report that certain cholinergic‐targeting noncoding RNAs, named Cholino‐noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), can modulate ACh signaling, agonistically or antagonistically, via distinct direct and indirect mechanisms and at different timescales. Cholino‐ncRNAs include both small microRNAs (miRNAs) and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). The former may attenuate translation and/or induce destruction of target mRNAs that code for either ACh‐signaling proteins or transcription factors controlling the expression of cholinergic genes. lncRNAs may block miRNAs via ‘sponging’ events or by competitive binding to the cholinergic target mRNAs. Also, single nucleotide polymorphisms in either Cholino‐ncRNAs or in their recognition sites in the ACh‐signaling associated genes may modify ACh signaling‐regulated processes. Taken together, both inherited and acquired changes in the function of Cholino‐ncRNAs impact ACh‐related deficiencies, opening new venues for individual, sex‐related, and age‐specific oriented research, diagnosis, and therapeutics.

miR-495 targets ROCK1 to inhibit lipopolysaccharides-induced WI-38 cells apoptosis and inflammation

Pneumonia is an inflammatory disease with leading mortality rate in children. It has been well established that microRNAs (miRNAs) have been regarded as critical regulator in acute lung injury. We intended to explore the effect and underlying mechanism of miR-495 on lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-induced WI-38 cells. Here, we first found that miR-495 was downregulated in serum of patients with acute stage pneumonia. To establish cell model of acute pneumonia, WI-38 cells were treated with 20 μg/mL LPS, and qRT-PCR analysis also confirmed the downregulation of miR-495 in LPS-induced WI-38 cells. Data from MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) and flow cytometry assays showed that the decreased cell viability and induced cell apoptosis by LPS treatment were also reversed by miR-495 over-expression. Moreover, miR-495 inhibited expression of associated inflammatory factors, which were induced by LPS treatment. Second, ROCK1 (rho-associated, coiled-coil-containing protein kinase 1) was identified as functional target gene of miR-495, whose expression was decreased by miR-495. Mechanically, combination of miR-495 and ROCK1 over-expression reversed the influence of miR-495 on LPS-induced inflammation, viability, and apoptosis. In conclusion, our findings indicated that miR-495 inhibited LPS-induced inflammation injury and apoptosis in WI-38 cells via targeting ROCK1, which would shed light on therapeutic schedule in acute pneumonia.

Detection of Extracellular Vesicle RNA Using Molecular Beacons

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have recently emerged as intercellular conveyors of biological information and disease biomarkers. Identification and characterization of RNA species in single EVs are currently challenging. Molecular beacons (MBs) represent an attractive means for detecting specific RNA molecules. Coupling the MBs to cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) provides a fast, effective, and membrane-type agnostic means to deliver MBs across the plasma membrane and into the cytosol. Here, we generated RBCs-derived EVs by complement activation and tested the ability of MBs coupled with CPP to detect miRNAs from RBC-EVs. Our results showed that RBC and RBC-EVs miRNA-451a can be detected using MB-CPP, and the respective fluorescence levels can be measured by nano-flow cytometry. MB-based detection of RNA via nano-flow cytometry creates a powerful new analytical framework in which a simple addition of a reagent allows profiling of specific RNA species present within certain EV subsets.

MicroRNA-495 serves as a diagnostic biomarker in patients with sepsis and regulates sepsis-induced inflammation and cardiac dysfunction

BACKGROUND

Sepsis leads to severe inflammatory and cardiac dysfunction. This study aimed to explore the clinical value of miR-495 in sepsis, as well as its role in sepsis-induced inflammation and cardiac dysfunction.

METHODS

105 sepsis patients were recruited; receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted to assess the diagnostic value of miR-495 in sepsis. A model of sepsis in rats was created via performing cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). After modeling, the cardiac function, including left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP), left ventricular end diastolic pressure (LVEDP) and maximum rate of rise/fall of left ventricle pressure (± dp/dtmax), and serum cardiac troponin I (CTn-I), creative kinase isoenzyme MB (CK-MB) were detected. The blood cytokines levels including TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β were also measured. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was used for the measurement of the expression level of miR-495.

RESULTS

MiR-495 was significantly downregulated in sepsis patients, especially patients who suffered from septic shock (SS). MiR-495 expression was negatively associated with Scr, WBC, CRP, PCT, APACHE II score and SOFA score. MiR-495 could distinguish patients with SS from non-SS patients. MiR-495 and SOFA score were better indictors for the occurrence of cardiac dysfunction in sepsis patients. In CLP-induced sepsis model. CLP rats experienced deterioration of LVSP, LVEDP, ± dp/dtmax, and had a rise in serum CTn-I, CK-MB, TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β, which were improved by miR-495 agomir injection.

CONCLUSIONS

MiR-495 might be a potential diagnostic biomarker for sepsis patients, and overexpression of miR-495 alleviated sepsis-induced inflammation and cardiac dysfunction.

MicroRNA-495 enhances chondrocyte apoptosis, senescence and promotes the progression of osteoarthritis by targeting AKT1

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common multifactorial degenerative articular disease among the aging population. The current investigation aimed to elucidate the function of microRNA-495 (miR-495) in the development of OA. We found that miR-495 was upregulated in the cartilage of OA patients. Transfection of a miR-495 mimic into rat primary chondrocytes, human chondrocytes (HC) and SW1353 chondrosarcoma cells inhibited AKT1 expression, proliferation and scratch wound closure and induced apoptosis. Transfection of a miR-495 inhibitor produced an opposite effect. Furthermore, the production of cartilage degeneration-related substances was modified by miR-495. Luciferase reporter gene assay revealed that AKT1 is directly repressed by miR-495. Moreover, the levels of AKT1, p-S6 and p-mTOR diminished in chondrocytes overexpressing miR-495. AKT1 overexpression amplified p-S6 and p-mTOR levels as well as abolished miR-495 mimic-induced apoptosis and inhibition of proliferation. In the surgically induced rat OA model, apoptosis of chondrocytes and cartilage degeneration were remedied by the administration of a miR-495 antagomir. Moreover, there was an increased expression of AKT1. These findings indicate that miR-495 induces OA by targeting AKT1 and regulating the AKT/mTOR pathway. Therefore, miR-495 may be a prospective target for OA treatment.

Overexpression of microRNA-495 improves the intestinal mucosal barrier function by targeting STAT3 via inhibition of the JAK/STAT3 signaling pathway in a mouse model of ulcerative colitis

We aim to investigate the role of microRNA-495 (miR-495) in the intestinal mucosal barrier by indirectly targeting signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) through the Janus kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK)/STAT3 signaling pathway in a mouse model of ulcerative colitis (UC). BALB/c mice were selected for establishing mice model of UC, and intestinal tissues of normal and UC mice were collected. ELISA was conducted for detecting levels of TNF-α, IL-6, IFN-γ and IL-10. The levels of SOD, MPO, MDA and NO were tested in the intestinal tissues. Dual luciferase reporter gene assay was applied to determine whether miR-495 directly targets STAT3. Cells were cultured, transfected and assigned into: normal group, blank group, NC group, miR-495 mimic group, miR-495 inhibitor group, siRNA-STAT3 group and miR-495 inhibitor+siRNA-STAT3 group. MTT was used for testing cell proliferation, flow cytometry for cell cycle and apoptosis. Northern blotting and Western blotting were performed to detect miR-495 expression and expressions of STAT3, JAK and Claudin-1. Results show that the UC group had higher expression levels of TNF-α, IL-6, IFN-γ, MPO, MDA, NO, STAT3 and JAK and lower expression levels of IL-10, SOD, miR-495 and Claudin-1, compared to the normal group. Dual luciferase reporter gene assay confirmed that STAT3 was the target gene of miR-495. The miR-495 mimic and siRNA-STAT3 groups had higher expressions of Claudin-1, higher cell proliferation and increased amount of cells in S phase, but lower expressions of STAT3 and JAK, decreased amount of cells in G0/G1 phase and cell apoptotic rate compared with the blank, NC groups. We also found that the miR-495 inhibitor+siRNA-STAT3 group had reduced miR-495 expression. No significant differences were found in mRNA and protein expressions of STAT3, JAK and Claudin-1, cell proliferation, apoptosis and cycle amongst the miR-495 inhibitor+siRNA-STAT3 groups. Our study provides evidence that miR-495 improves the intestinal mucosal barrier function by targeting STAT3 through inhibiting the JAK/STAT3 signaling pathway in UC mice.