MicroRNA-10a/b are regulators of myeloid differentiation and acute myeloid leukemia

Nucleic acid therapeutics as differentiation agents for myeloid leukemias

Differentiation therapy has proven to be a success story for patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia. However, the remaining subtypes of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are treated with cytotoxic chemotherapies that have limited efficacy and a high likelihood of resistance. As differentiation arrest is a hallmark of AML, there is increased interest in developing differentiation-inducing agents to enhance disease-free survival. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of current reports and future avenues of nucleic acid therapeutics for AML, focusing on the use of targeted nucleic acid drugs to promote differentiation. Specifically, we compare and discuss the precision of small interfering RNA, small activating RNA, antisense oligonucleotides, and aptamers to modulate gene expression patterns that drive leukemic cell differentiation. We delve into preclinical and clinical studies that demonstrate the efficacy of nucleic acid-based differentiation therapies to induce leukemic cell maturation and reduce disease burden. By directly influencing the expression of key genes involved in myeloid maturation, nucleic acid therapeutics hold the potential to induce the differentiation of leukemic cells towards a more mature and less aggressive phenotype. Furthermore, we discuss the most critical challenges associated with developing nucleic acid therapeutics for myeloid malignancies. By introducing the progress in the field and identifying future opportunities, we aim to highlight the power of nucleic acid therapeutics in reshaping the landscape of myeloid leukemia treatment.

Utilizing exosomes as sparking clinical biomarkers and therapeutic response in acute myeloid leukemia

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a malignant clonal tumor originating from immature myeloid hematopoietic cells in the bone marrow with rapid progression and poor prognosis. Therefore, an in-depth exploration of the pathogenesis of AML can provide new ideas for the treatment of AML. In recent years, it has been found that exosomes play an important role in the pathogenesis of AML. Exosomes are membrane-bound extracellular vesicles (EVs) that transfer signaling molecules and have attracted a large amount of attention, which are key mediators of intercellular communication. Extracellular vesicles not only affect AML cells and normal hematopoietic cells but also have an impact on the bone marrow microenvironment and immune escape, thereby promoting the progression of AML and leading to refractory relapse. It is worth noting that exosomes and the various molecules they contain are expected to become the new markers for disease monitoring and prognosis of AML, and may also function as drug carriers and vaccines to enhance the treatment of leukemia. In this review, we mainly summarize to reveal the role of exosomes in AML pathogenesis, which helps us elucidate the application of exosomes in AML diagnosis and treatment.

Extracellular Vesicles in Haematological Disorders: A Friend or a Foe?

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have emerged as important mediators of homeostasis, immune modulation and intercellular communication. They are released by every cell of the human body and accordingly detected in a variety of body fluids. Interestingly, their expression can be upregulated under various conditions, such as stress, hypoxia, irradiation, inflammation, etc. Their cargo, which is variable and may include lipids, proteins, RNAs and DNA, reflects that of the parental cell, which offers a significant diagnostic potential to EVs. In line with this, an increasing number of studies have reported the important contribution of cancer-derived EVs in altering the tumour microenvironment and allowing for cancer progression and metastasis. As such, cancer-derived EVs may be used to monitor the development and progression of disease and to evaluate the potential response to treatment, which has generated much excitement in the field of oncology and particularly in haemato-oncology. Finally, EVs are able to transfer their cargo to target cells, modifying the properties of the recipient cell, which offers great therapeutic potential for EVs (either by specific drug delivery or by delivery of siRNAs and other inhibitory proteins). In this manuscript, we review the potential diagnostic use and therapeutic options of EVs in the context of haematological malignancies.

Integrated mRNA and miRNA Expression Profile Analysis of Female and Male Gonads in Acrossocheilus fasciatus

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are regarded as key regulators in gonadal development and sex determination in diverse organisms. However, the functions of miRNAs in gonads of Acrossocheilus fasciatus, an economically important freshwater species in the south of China, are still unclear. Here, high-throughput sequencing was performed to investigate the mRNA and miRNAs on gonads of A. fasciatus. In total, 49,447 unigenes were obtained, including 11,635 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), among which 4147 upregulated genes and 7488 downregulated genes in the testis compared to the ovary, while 300 (237 known, and 63 novel) miRNAs with 36 differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) were identified, from which 17 upregulated and 19 downregulated DEMs. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis were performed to analyze the potential biological functions of DEGs and DEMs. Using qRT-PCR, 9 sex-related genes and 9 miRNAs were selected to verify the sequencing data. By dual-luciferase reporter assay, miR-22a-5p and miR-22b-5p interaction with piwil1, and miR-10d-5p interaction with piwil2 were identified. These findings could provide a reference for miRNA-regulated sex control of A. fasciatus and may reveal new insights into aquaculture and breeding concepts.

The Role, Significance, and Association of MicroRNA-10a/b in Physiology of Cancer

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that regulate the translation of mRNA and protein, mainly at the posttranscriptional level. Global expression profiling of miRNAs has demonstrated a broad spectrum of aberrations that correlated with several diseases, and miRNA- 10a and miRNA-10b were the first examined miRNAs to be involved in abnormal activities upon dysregulation, including many types of cancers and progressive diseases. It is expected that the same miRNAs behave inconsistently within different types of cancer. This review aims to provide a set of information about our updated understanding of miRNA-10a and miRNA-10b and their clinical significance, molecular targets, current research gaps, and possible future applications of such potent regulators.

Clinical Value of Serum miRNA in Patients with Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia

Objective

To explore the clinical value of specific miRNA in patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia.

Methods

129 patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia diagnosed in our hospital from January 2015 to January 2020 were selected as the observation group. At the same time, 74 patients with nonacute promyelocytic leukemia who underwent bone marrow aspiration were included as the control group. The expression levels of miR-126-5p and miR-13, different characteristic parameters, and prognosis were compared between the two groups, and the clinical significance of miR-126-5p and miR-13 in acute promyelocytic leukemia was analyzed.

Results

The expression of miR-126-5p (12.31 ± 2.25 versus 17.30 ± 3.28) and miR-13 (16.05 ± 3.47 versus 21.66 ± 2.18) in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05). The expression level of miR-126-5p was significantly correlated with lactate dehydrogenase level, HGB level, NPM1 mutant type, and complete remission (P < 0.05). The expression level of miR-13 was significantly correlated with HGB level, NPM1 mutant type, and complete remission (P < 0.05). Both expression levels of miR-126-5p and miR-13 were not correlated with sex, age, WBC, PLT, proportion of bone marrow primordial cells, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, lymph node enlargement, and FLT3-ITD (P > 0.05). Cox multivariate regression analysis showed that peripheral blood WBC, bone marrow blast cell count, and miR-126-5p and miR-13 were prognostic factors in patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (P < 0.05). The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and AUC of serum miR-126-5p prediction were 75.83%, 84.56%, 82.17%, and 0.729, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and AUC of serum miR-13 prediction were 78.64%, 88.49%, 86.20% and 0.882, respectively.

Conclusion

Serum miR-126-5p and miR-13 are closely related to the prognosis of patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia. Serum miR-126-5p and miR-13 can be used as reliable indexes to predict the prognosis of patients.

Extracellular Vesicles in Acute Leukemia: A Mesmerizing Journey With a Focus on Transferred microRNAs

Despite their small size, the membrane-bound particles named extracellular vesicles (EVs) seem to play an enormous role in the pathogenesis of acute leukemia. From oncogenic hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) to become leukemic cells to alter the architecture of bone marrow (BM) microenvironment, EVs are critical components of leukemia development. As a carrier of essential molecules, especially a group of small non-coding RNAs known as miRNA, recently, EVs have attracted tremendous attention as a prognostic factor. Given the importance of miRNAs in the early stages of leukemogenesis and also their critical parts in the development of drug-resistant phenotype, it seems that the importance of EVs in the development of leukemia is more than what is expected. To be familiar with the clinical value of leukemia-derived EVs, this review aimed to briefly shed light on the biology of EVs and to discuss the role of EV-derived miRNAs in the development of acute myeloid leukemia and acute lymphoblastic leukemia. By elaborating the advances and challenges concerning the isolation of EVs, we discuss whether EVs could have a prognostic value in the clinical setting for leukemia.

The emerging role of miR-10 family in gastric cancer

Evidence has demonstrated that miRNAs play an irreplaceable role in tumorigenesis and progression of a broad range of cancers, including gastric cancer. Among these miRNAs, miR-10a and miR-10b have been identified to critically participate in gastric carcinogenesis and malignant progression. In this review, we briefly describe the role of miR-10a and miR-10b in gastric cancer, especially in the regulation of cell proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle, migration, invasion and metastasis, drug resistance, and cancer stem cells. Furthermore, we highlight several compounds that target the miR-10 family and exhibit antitumor activity in cancer cells. Moreover, we conclude that targeting the miR-10 family might be a promising approach for the treatment of gastric cancer.

miR-10a as a therapeutic target and predictive biomarker for MDM2 inhibition in acute myeloid leukemia

Pharmacological inhibition of MDM2/4, which activates the critical tumor suppressor p53, has been gaining increasing interest as a strategy for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). While clinical trials of MDM2 inhibitors have shown promise, responses have been confined to largely molecularly undefined patients, indicating that new biomarkers and optimized treatment strategies are needed. We previously reported that the microRNA miR-10a is strongly overexpressed in some AML, and demonstrate here that it modulates several key members of the p53/Rb network, including p53 regulator MDM4, Rb regulator RB1CC1, p21 regulator TFAP2C, and p53 itself. The expression of both miR-10a and its downstream targets were strongly predictive of MDM2 inhibitor sensitivity in cell lines, primary AML specimens, and correlated to response in patients treated with both MDM2 inhibitors and cytarabine. Furthermore, miR-10a inhibition induced synergy between MDM2 inhibitor Nutlin-3a and cytarabine in both in vitro and in vivo AML models. Mechanistically this synergism primarily occurs via the p53-mediated activation of cytotoxic apoptosis at the expense of cytoprotective autophagy. Together these findings demonstrate that miR-10a may be useful as both a biomarker to identify patients most likely to respond to cytarabine+MDM2 inhibition and also a druggable target to increase their efficacy.

Deciphering the role of microRNAs in mustard gas-induced toxicity

Mustard gas (sulfur mustard, SM), a highly vesicating chemical warfare agent, was first deployed in warfare in 1917 and recently during the Iraq-Iran war (1980s) and Syrian conflicts (2000s); however, the threat of exposure from stockpiles and old artillery shells still looms large. Whereas research has been long ongoing on SM-induced toxicity, delineating the precise molecular pathways is still an ongoing area of investigation; thus, it is important to attempt novel approaches to decipher these mechanisms and develop a detailed network of pathways associated with SM-induced toxicity. One such avenue is exploring the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in SM-induced toxicity. Recent research on the regulatory role of miRNAs provides important results to fill in the gaps in SM toxicity-associated mechanisms. In addition, differentially expressed miRNAs can also be used as diagnostic markers to determine the extent of toxicity in exposed individuals. Thus, in our review, we have summarized the studies conducted so far in cellular and animal models, including human subjects, on the expression profiles and roles of miRNAs in SM- and/or SM analog-induced toxicity. Further detailed research in this area will guide us in devising preventive strategies, diagnostic tools, and therapeutic interventions against SM-induced toxicity.

Clinical significance of dysregulation of miR-381 in pediatric acute myeloid leukemia

Background

microRNA-381 is dysregulated in a variety of cancers. However, its clinical significance in pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is still unclear. The purpose of this study was to detect the expression level of miR-381 in pediatric AML patients and to explore its potential clinical significance.

Methods

The levels of miR-381 in bone marrow and serum of 102 pediatric AML patients were measured by quantitative real-time polymorperase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The diagnostic value of serum miR-381 in pediatric AML patients was evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. A Chi square test was used to analyze the relationship between serum miR-381 and the clinical characteristics of patients. Cox regression analysis and Kaplan–Meier evaluated the prognostic value of serum miR-381 in patients. Finally, the proliferation of the cells was analyzed by the CCK-8 assay.

Results

Compared with healthy controls, the levels of miR-381 in serum and bone marrow of pediatric AML patients were significantly decreased (P < 0.001). ROC curve showed that miR-381 could distinguish pediatric AML cases from normal controls. At the same time, the downregulation of miR-381 was associated with M7 in the French–American–British (FAB) classifications and unfavorable cytogenetic risks (P < 0.05). Low serum miR-381 levels were associated with poor overall survival of pediatric AML (log-rank test, P = 0.011) and poor relapse-free survival (log-rank test, P = 0.004). Cox regression analysis confirmed that reduced serum miR-381 was an independent predictor of poor prognosis in AML (HR = 3.794, 95% CI 1.3633–10.559, P = 0.011). In addition, low expression of miR-381 significantly reduced the proliferation of cells (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

All experimental results confirm that miR-381 has reduced bone marrow and serum expression in pediatric AML, and low levels of serum miR-381 have certain diagnostic and prognostic value in pediatric AML and may be a potential therapeutic target for AML.

LINC01128 resisted acute myeloid leukemia through regulating miR-4260/NR3C2

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a prevalent class of blood disease with a high occurrence rate and relapse rate. The role of dysregulated microRNAs (miRNAs) in AML is emerging. MiR-4260 was identified to be a carcinogenic miRNA in colorectal cancer, but never has it been reported in AML. We aimed to study the function and mechanism of miR-4260 in AML. The miR-4260 level was higher in AML cell lines than the normal cell lines. Inhibition of miR-4260 hindered proliferation and increased apoptosis of AML cells. Mechanistically, long intergenic non-protein coding RNA 1128 (LINC01128) competed with nuclear receptor subfamily 3 group C member 2 (NR3C2) for miR-4260 so as to upregulate NR3C2. We identified the reduced levels of LINC01128 and NR3C2 in AML and it was suggested through rescue assays that LINC01128 repressed AML progression through regulating miR-4260/NR3C2 axis. In conclusion, we firstly uncovered that LINC01128 resisted acute myeloid leukemia through regulating miR-4260/NR3C2, providing novel clues for the treatment improvement of AML.

Folate pathways mediating the effects of ethanol in tumorigenesis

Folate and alcohol are dietary factors affecting the risk of cancer development in humans. The interaction between folate status and alcohol consumption in carcinogenesis involves multiple mechanisms. Alcoholism is typically associated with folate deficiency due to reduced dietary folate intake. Heavy alcohol consumption also decreases folate absorption, enhances urinary folate excretion and inhibits enzymes pivotal for one-carbon metabolism. While folate metabolism is involved in several key biochemical pathways, aberrant DNA methylation, due to the deficiency of methyl donors, is considered as a common downstream target of the folate-mediated effects of ethanol. The negative effects of low intakes of nutrients that provide dietary methyl groups, with high intakes of alcohol are additive in general. For example, low methionine, low-folate diets coupled with alcohol consumption could increase the risk for colorectal cancer in men. To counteract the negative effects of alcohol consumption, increased intake of nutrients, such as folate, providing dietary methyl groups is generally recommended. Here mechanisms involving dietary folate and folate metabolism in cancer disease, as well as links between these mechanisms and alcohol effects, are discussed. These mechanisms include direct effects on folate pathways and indirect mediation by oxidative stress, hypoxia, and microRNAs.

Circulating Small Noncoding RNAs Have Specific Expression Patterns in Plasma and Extracellular Vesicles in Myelodysplastic Syndromes and Are Predictive of Patient Outcome

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are hematopoietic stem cell disorders with large heterogeneity at the clinical and molecular levels. As diagnostic procedures shift from bone marrow biopsies towards less invasive techniques, circulating small noncoding RNAs (sncRNAs) have become of particular interest as potential novel noninvasive biomarkers of the disease. We aimed to characterize the expression profiles of circulating sncRNAs of MDS patients and to search for specific RNAs applicable as potential biomarkers. We performed small RNA-seq in paired samples of total plasma and plasma-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) obtained from 42 patients and 17 healthy controls and analyzed the data with respect to the stage of the disease, patient survival, response to azacitidine, mutational status, and RNA editing. Significantly higher amounts of RNA material and a striking imbalance in RNA content between plasma and EVs (more than 400 significantly deregulated sncRNAs) were found in MDS patients compared to healthy controls. Moreover, the RNA content of EV cargo was more homogeneous than that of total plasma, and different RNAs were deregulated in these two types of material. Differential expression analyses identified that many hematopoiesis-related miRNAs (e.g., miR-34a, miR-125a, and miR-150) were significantly increased in MDS and that miRNAs clustered on 14q32 were specifically increased in early MDS. Only low numbers of circulating sncRNAs were significantly associated with somatic mutations in the SF3B1 or DNMT3A genes. Survival analysis defined a signature of four sncRNAs (miR-1237-3p, U33, hsa_piR_019420, and miR-548av-5p measured in EVs) as the most significantly associated with overall survival (HR = 5.866, p < 0.001). In total plasma, we identified five circulating miRNAs (miR-423-5p, miR-126-3p, miR-151a-3p, miR-125a-5p, and miR-199a-3p) whose combined expression levels could predict the response to azacitidine treatment. In conclusion, our data demonstrate that circulating sncRNAs show specific patterns in MDS and that their expression changes during disease progression, providing a rationale for the potential clinical usefulness of circulating sncRNAs in MDS prognosis. However, monitoring sncRNA levels in total plasma or in the EV fraction does not reflect one another, instead, they seem to represent distinctive snapshots of the disease and the data should be interpreted circumspectly with respect to the type of material analyzed.

Deficient Regulatory Innate Lymphoid Cells and Differential Expression of miRNAs in Acute Myeloid Leukemia Quantified by Next Generation Sequence

Background

A new regulatory subpopulation of ILCs, ILCreg has been identified in mouse and human intestines. ILCregs share characteristics with both innate lymphoid cells and regulatory cells; however, the significance of CD45⁺Lin^-CD127⁺IL-10⁺ ILCregs in patients with AML remains unclear. Intriguingly, ILCregs constitutively express id2, id3, sox4, tgfbr1, tgfbr2, il2rb and il2rg, but the significance of miRNAs associated with these genes has yet to be explored. In this study, we evaluate ILCreg frequency, ILCreg gene-associated miRNA quantification, and its significance in patients with AML and normal donors.

Methods

Using 4 color combinations of surface and intracellular antibody staining, the CD45⁺Lin^-CD127⁺IL-10⁺ ILCregs from 12 normal donors and 42 patients newly diagnosed with AML were measured by flow cytometry. Plasma samples and bone marrow cells from 6 normal donors and 9 patients with AML were studied by next-generation sequence miRNAs quantification.

Results

Our results showed that the frequency of ILCregs was 0.8924±1.3791% in bone marrow (BM) cells from normal donors and 0.2434±0.5344% in BM cells from AML patients. The frequency of ILCreg cells in AML patients was significantly lower than that in normal donors (P<0.01). Furthermore, the frequency of the CD45⁺Lin^-CD127⁺IL-10^- subset was 4.0869±6.7701% and 0.2769±0.2526% from normal donors and AML patients, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference of CD45⁺Lin^-CD127⁺IL-10^- cells between normal donors and AML patients (p<0.01). miRNA detection results showed 376 miRNAs from plasma and 182 miRNAs from BM cell samples with expression levels with a statistically significant difference between AML patients and normal donors (both Q and P-value < 0.001). Analysis of miRNAs from ILCregs associated genes including id2, id3, sox4, tgfbr1, tgfbr2, il2rb, and il3rg, from normal donors and AML patients demonstrated 34 miRNA from plasma samples and 14 miRNA segments from BM cell samples with a statistically significant difference between AML patients and normal donors (both Q and P-value <0.001). Among them, 4 miRNAs (hsa-miR-193b-3p, hsa-miR-1270, hsa-miR-210-3p, and hsa-miR-486-3p) were detected in both plasma and BM cell samples.

Conclusion

Our study enumerated ILCregs, then measured miRNAs from those ILCregs in AML samples for the first time. The results demonstrated the deficiency of ILCreg and differential expression of miRNAs in patients with AML.

Assessment of the Diagnostic Potential of miR-29a-3p and miR-92a-3p as Circulatory Biomarkers in Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Background:

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a set of Myeloproliferative neoplasms that are identified by excessive growth of myeloid blasts and production of abnormal blood cells. AML is the most common type of acute leukemia that occurs in adults. In addition, AML progresses rapidly and is considered a fatal disease. Thus, there is an urgent need to find new targets for molecularly designed therapies. In This study, we evaluated the circulatory levels of microRNA-29a-3p (miR-29a-3p) and miR-92a-3p beside exploring the expression pattern of their target gene myeloid cell leukemia sequence1 (MCL1) to investigate the role of these molecules in AML pathophysiology and to assess their ability to diagnose AML patients.

Methods:

40 adult AML patients along with 20 healthy subjects were enrolled in this study. Plasma were separated from venous blood samples, collected on EDTA, of all individuals were used to assess circulating miRNAs’ levels. In the meantime, total RNA was extracted from isolated leukocytes and was used to quantify target mRNA transcript levels.

Results:

Our data revealed that the circulating levels of miR-29a-3p and miR-92a-3p exhibited significant reduction in 90% and 100% of AML patients, respectively, when compared to the control group (p<0.001). On the other hand, the transcript level of the target gene of these miRNAs, MCL1, showed a sharp increase in 77.5% (p<0.001) of AML patients, along with a negative correlation with its regulatory miRNAs, miR-29a-3p and miR-92a-3p.

Conclusion:

Our data validates the negative regulatory role of miR-29a-3p and miR-92a-3p to the expression levels of MCL1 in peripheral blood and indicates that these miRNAs can be used as non-invasive diagnostic markers. Furthermore, our study highlights the therapeutic potential of miR-29a-3p and miR-92a-3p to target and downregulate a very important gene (MCL1), which is highly implicated in the pathogenesis of AML.

miR-10a-5p is increased in atopic dermatitis and has capacity to inhibit keratinocyte proliferation

BACKGROUND

miR-10a-5p has been shown to regulate cancer cell proliferation and invasiveness and endothelial cell inflammatory responses. The function of miR-10a-5p in the skin has not been previously studied. The aim of the current study was to examine miR-10a-5p expression, regulation, and function in keratinocytes (KCs) in association with atopic dermatitis (AD).

METHODS

The expression of miR-10a-5p and its target genes was analyzed using RT-qPCR, mRNA array analysis, in situ hybridization, and immunofluorescence. The transfection of miRNA mimics, cell cycle distribution analysis, and luciferase assays was used to study miR-10a-5p functions in human primary KCs.

RESULTS

miR-10a-5p was found to be upregulated in lesional skin from patients with AD and in proliferating KCs. Array and pathway analysis of IL-1β-stimulated KCs revealed that miR-10a-5p inhibited many genes that affect cell cycle progression and only a few inflammation-related genes. Accordingly, fewer cells in S-phase and reduced proliferation were detected as characteristics of miR-10a-5p-transfected KCs. The influence of miR-10a-5p on cell proliferation was also evident in KCs induced by AD-related cytokines, including IL-4, IL-17, and IL-1β, as measured by the capacity to strongly suppress the expression of the proliferation marker Ki-67. Among AD-related putative direct target genes, we verified hyaluronan synthase 3, a damage-associated positive regulator of KC migration and proliferation, as a direct target of miR-10a-5p.

CONCLUSIONS

miR-10a-5p inhibits KC proliferation and directly targets hyaluronan synthase 3 and thereby may modulate AD-associated processes in the skin.

Clinical Features and MicroRNA Expression Patterns Between AML Patients With DNMT3A R882 and Frameshift Mutations

Background: DNA methyltransferase 3A (DNMT3A) plays a unique role in hematopoiesis and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) pathogenesis. While the influences of DNMT3A mutation subtypes are still under debate. Purpose: Exploration of the clinical and molecular differences between AML patients carrying DNMT3A R882 mutations and DNMT3A frameshift mutations. Methods: Next generation of sequencing (NGS) and clinical data of 118 AML patients in our center were analyzed and compared. NGS, mRNA and miRNA profiling and clinical data from 12 patients in TCGA database were integrative analyzed. Results: Among all patients enrolled, 113 patients were positive for the variants of interest. Overall, a total of 295 variants were discovered, among which 24 DNMT3A mutations were detected, including 1 non-sense, 20 missense, 3 frameshift mutations. And 7 DNMT3A R882 mutations (3 R882H, 2 R882C, and 2 R882P) were found. Clinical analysis from our cohort and TCGA database indicated that patients carrying DNMT3A R882 mutation exhibited significantly higher levels of peripheral blood hemoglobin and non-significantly inferior prognosis compared with patients with DNMT3A frameshift mutations. Integrative analysis indicated that miR-10b, miR-143, and miR-30a were significantly decreased in the DNMT3A R882 group. High miR-143 expression is significantly associated with better prognosis in AML patients with DNMT3A mutations. Conclusion: Different molecular and clinical characteristics existed between patients with DNMT3A variant subtypes. The distinct microRNA expression pattern for DNMT3A R882 AML patients might not only act as markers to predict disease prognosis, but also could be further investigated to develop novel therapeutic targets for patients with DNMT3A mutations.

Preliminary study on microR-148a and microR-10a in dermal papilla cells of Hu sheep

Background

Hu sheep, a unique Chinese breed with high reproductive performance, are also well known for their rare white lambskin in China. The quality of lambskin is affected by hair follicles, and dermal papilla cells are an important component of hair follicles that plays a key role in hair follicle growth and development. This study helps elucidate the effect of miR-148a and miR-10a on hair follicle growth and development.

Results

Based on the results of gene chip and high-throughput sequencing, bone morphogenetic protein 7 (BMP7) was used as a research object. Bioinformatics analysis and the dual-luciferase reporter system indicated that, along with Western blot and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) that miR-148a and miR-10a target relationships with BMP7. BMP7 was the target gene both for miR-148a and miR-10a by the dual-luciferase reporter system and Western blot. Hu sheep dermal papilla cells were successfully isolated and purified, and after transfecting miR-148a/miR-10a mimics and inhibitors into dermal papilla cells, a Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) was used to determine that miR-148a/miR-10a inhibited the proliferation of Hu sheep dermal papilla cells. In addition, after the overexpression of miR-148a, the expression levels of Smad3 (P < 0.05), Smad6 (P < 0.05), Smad4 (P < 0.01), and Smad5 (P < 0.01) were significantly higher than those of the control groups. After the inhibition of miR-148a, the expression levels of Smad3 (P < 0.05), Smad4 (P < 0.05), and TGF-β (P < 0.01) were significantly lower than those of the control groups. After the overexpression of miR-10a, the expression levels of Smad1 (P < 0.01), Smad2 (P < 0.05), Smad4 (P < 0.01), Smad5 (P < 0.01), and TGF-β (P < 0.05) were significantly lower than those of the control groups. After the inhibition of miR-10a, the expression levels of Smad1 (P < 0.01) and Smad2 (P < 0.05) were significantly lower than those of the control groups.

Conclusions

These results revealed the target relationship between miR-148a, miR-10a and BMP7, and the effect of miR-148a and miR-10a on the proliferation of dermal papilla cells. They will provide the basis for a follow-up study on how miR-148a, and miR-10a mediate BMP7 regulation of hair follicle growth and development.

Role of microRNAs, circRNAs and long noncoding RNAs in acute myeloid leukemia

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a malignant tumor of the immature myeloid hematopoietic cells in the bone marrow (BM). It is a highly heterogeneous disease, with rising morbidity and mortality in older patients. Although researches over the past decades have improved our understanding of AML, its pathogenesis has not yet been fully elucidated. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), microRNAs (miRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs) are three noncoding RNA (ncRNA) molecules that regulate DNA transcription and translation. With the development of RNA-Seq technology, more and more ncRNAs that are closely related to AML leukemogenesis have been discovered. Numerous studies have found that these ncRNAs play an important role in leukemia cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. Some may potentially be used as prognostic biomarkers. In this systematic review, we briefly described the characteristics and molecular functions of three groups of ncRNAs, including lncRNAs, miRNAs, and circRNAs, and discussed their relationships with AML in detail.

Silencing long non-coding RNA HOTAIR exerts anti-oncogenic effect on human acute myeloid leukemia via demethylation of HOXA5 by inhibiting Dnmt3b

Background

As an aggressive hematological malignancy, acute myeloid leukemia (AML) remains a dismal disease with poor prognosis. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been widely reported to be involved in tumorigenesis of AML. Here, we define an important role of lncRNA HOTAIR in AML in relation to HOXA5 methylation.

Methods

Firstly, the expression of HOTAIR was examined in AML samples and cells collected. Next, gain- or loss-of function experiments were conducted in AML cells to explore the effect of HOTAIR on AML. Then, relationship among HOXA5 promoter methylation, HOTAIR and Dnmt3b was measured. Expression of HOXA5 and cell proliferation/apoptosis-related genes was also detected. A last, in vivo assay was performed to assess the tumor formation in nude mice in order to explore the roles of HOTAIR and HOXA5 in cell apoptosis and proliferation.

Results

LncRNA HOTAIR was found to be upregulated in AML cells and tissues. With silencing of HOTAIR and overexpression of HOXA5, AML cell proliferation was decreased while the apoptosis was induced. Furthermore, HOTAIR was observed to recruit Dnmt3b and to increase HOXA5 promoter methylation. Moreover, silencing HOTAIR and upregulating HOXA5 were found to induce apoptosis and reduce proliferation of AML cells in vivo.

Conclusion

Our findings highlight the anti-tumor ability of HOTAIR silencing in AML, suggesting that silencing HOTAIR was able to inhibit AML progression through HOXA5 promoter demethylation by decreasing Dnmt3b.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12935-019-0808-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Differential expression of miRNAs in acute myeloid leukemia quantified by Nextgen sequencing of whole blood samples

New approaches are needed for understanding and treating acute myeloid leukemia (AML). MicroRNAs (miRs) are important regulators of gene expression in all cells and disruption of their normal expression can lead to changes in phenotype of a cell, in particular the emergence of a leukemic clone. We collected peripheral blood samples from 10 adult patients with newly diagnosed AML, prior to induction chemotherapy, and 9 controls. Two and a half ml of whole blood was collected in Paxgene RNA tubes. MiRNA was purified using RNeasy mini column (Qiagen). We sequenced approximately 1000 miRs from each of 10 AML patients and 9 controls. In subset analysis, patients with NPM1 and FLT3 mutations showed the greatest number of miRNAs (63) with expression levels that differed from control with adjusted p-value of 0.05 or less. Some of these miRs have been described previously in association with leukemia, but many are new. Our approach of global sequencing of miRs as opposed to microarray analysis removes the bias regarding which miRs to assay and has demonstrated discovery of new associations of miRs with AML. Another strength of our approach is that sequencing miRs is specific for the 5p or 3p strand of the gene, greatly narrowing the proposed target genes to study further. Our study provides new information about the molecular changes that lead to evolution of the leukemic clone and offers new possibilities for monitoring relapse and developing new treatment strategies.

Inhibition of miR-10a-5p suppresses cholangiocarcinoma cell growth through downregulation of Akt pathway

Backgrounds

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is epithelial cell malignancy with very poor prognosis. A lot of patients were diagnosed at advanced stage of CCA and no risk factors were identified. There are limited treatment options available for the management of CCA patients. It is urgent to develop effective targeted therapies for the treatment of CCA. miRNAs are small noncoding RNAs that negatively regulate the target genes. In this study, we investigated the role and mechanism of miR-10a-5p in CCA.

Methods

Human CCA cell lines (CCLP1 and SG-231) were transfected with miR-10a-5p mimic or miR-10a-5p inhibitor. qRT-PCR was performed to detect the miR-10a-5p level. Proliferation, colony formation, and apoptosis were analyzed. Luciferase reporter assay was used to explore the targeting of miR-10a-5p on PTEN. For in vivo tumorigenesis assay, CCLP1 cells with stable knockdown of miR-10a-5p or control CCLP1 cells were injected subcutaneously into the flank of the SCID mice and animals were monitored for tumor growth.

Results

miR-10a-5p expression was significantly upregulated in human CCA cell lines (CCLP1 and SG-231). Inhibition of miR-10a-5p significantly suppressed the proliferation and induced apoptosis in CCLP1 and SG-231. PTEN is a direct target of miR-10a-5p in CCA cells.

Conclusion

Inhibition of miR-10a-5p can decrease CCA cells growth by downregulation of Akt pathway. These results indicate that miR-10a-5p may serve as a potential target for the treatment of CCA and help to develop effective therapeutic strategies.

Interplay between miRNAs and host genes and their role in cancer

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small endogenous non-coding functional RNAs that post-transcriptionally regulate gene expression. They play essential roles in nearly all biological processes including cell development and differentiation, DNA damage repair, cell death as well as intercellular communication. They are highly involved in cancer, acting as tumor suppressors and/or promoters to modulate cell proliferation, epithelial-mesenchymal transition and tumor invasion and metastasis. Recent studies have shown that more than half of miRNAs are located within protein-coding or non-coding genes. Intragenic miRNAs and their host genes either share the promoter or have independent transcription. Meanwhile, miRNAs work as partners or antagonists of their host genes by fine-tuning their target genes functionally associated with host genes. This review outlined the complicated relationship between intragenic miRNAs and host genes. Focusing on miRNAs known as oncogenes or tumor suppressors in specific cancer types, it studied co-expression relationships between these miRNAs and host genes in the cancer types using TCGA data sets, which validated previous findings and revealed common, tumor-specific and even subtype-specific patterns. These observations will help understand the function of intragenic miRNAs and further develop miRNA therapeutics in cancer.