Exosome-derived microRNA-433 inhibits tumorigenesis through incremental infiltration of CD4 and CD8 cells in non-small cell lung cancer

MicroRNA-based interventions in aberrant cell cycle diseases: Therapeutic strategies for cancers, central nervous system disorders and comorbidities

Malignant tumors and central nervous system (CNS) disorders are intricately linked to a process known as "aberrant cell cycle re-entry," which plays a critical role in the progression of these diseases. Addressing the dysregulation in cell cycles offers a promising therapeutic approach for cancers and CNS disorders. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a crucial role as regulators of gene expression in cell cycle transitions, presenting a promising therapeutic avenue for treating these disorders and their comorbidities. This review consolidates the progress made in the last three years regarding miRNA-based treatments for diseases associated with aberrant cell cycle re-entry. It encompasses exploring fundamental mechanisms and signaling pathways influenced by miRNAs in cancers and CNS disorders, particularly focusing on the therapeutic effects of exosome-derived miRNAs. The review also identifies specific miRNAs implicated in comorbidity of cancers and CNS disorders, discusses the future potential of miRNA reagents in managing cell cycle-related diseases.

MiRNAs and Microbiota in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC): Implications in Pathogenesis and Potential Role in Predicting Response to ICI Treatment

Lung cancer (LC) is one of the most prevalent cancers in both men and women and today is still characterized by high mortality and lethality. Several biomarkers have been identified for evaluating the prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients and selecting the most effective therapeutic strategy for these patients. The introduction of innovative targeted therapies and immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) for the treatment of NSCLC both in advanced stages and, more recently, also in early stages, has revolutionized and significantly improved the therapeutic scenario for these patients. Promising evidence has also been shown by analyzing both micro-RNAs (miRNAs) and the lung/gut microbiota. MiRNAs belong to the large family of non-coding RNAs and play a role in the modulation of several key mechanisms in cells such as proliferation, differentiation, inflammation, and apoptosis. On the other hand, the microbiota (a group of several microorganisms found in human orgasms such as the gut and lungs and mainly composed by bacteria) plays a key role in the modulation of inflammation and, in particular, in the immune response. Some data have shown that the microbiota and the related microbiome can modulate miRNAs expression and vice versa by regulating several intracellular signaling pathways that are known to play a role in the pathogenesis of lung cancer. This evidence suggests that this axis is key to predicting the prognosis and effectiveness of ICIs in NSCLC treatment and could represent a new target in the treatment of NSCLC. In this review, we highlight the most recent evidence and data regarding the role of both miRNAs and the lung/gut microbiome in the prediction of prognosis and response to ICI treatment, focusing on the link between miRNAs and the microbiome. A new potential interaction based on the underlying modulated intracellular signaling pathways is also shown.

Extracellular vesicles mediated gastric cancer immune response: tumor cell death or immune escape?

Gastric cancer (GC) is a major global health issue, being the fifth most prevalent cancer and the third highest contributor to cancer-related deaths. Although treatment strategies for GC have diversified, the prognosis for advanced GC remains poor. Hence, there is a critical need to explore new directions for GC treatment to enhance diagnosis, treatment, and patient prognosis. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have emerged as key players in tumor development and progression. Different sources of EVs carry different molecules, resulting in distinct biological functions. For instance, tumor-derived EVs can promote tumor cell proliferation, alter the tumor microenvironment and immune response, while EVs derived from immune cells carry molecules that regulate immune function and possess tumor-killing capabilities. Numerous studies have demonstrated the crucial role of EVs in the development, immune escape, and immune microenvironment remodeling in GC. In this review, we discuss the role of GC-derived EVs in immune microenvironment remodeling and EVs derived from immune cells in GC development. Furthermore, we provide an overview of the potential uses of EVs in immunotherapy for GC.

Prognostic significance of T lymphocyte subgroups (CD4 and CD8) in lung cancer patients after neoadjuvant chemotherapy

OBJECTIVE

The basis for current and future lung cancer immunotherapy depends on our knowledge of molecular mechanisms of interactions between tumor and immune system cells. Interactions that occur between different intratumoral populations of the same cells are important. In our study, we aimed to evaluate relationship between the clinical and prognostic features and T lymphocyte subgroups of patients with lung tumors after neoadjuvant treatment.

METHODS

A total of 72 patients were included in our study, including study group, 39 of whom received neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Clinical/radiological/pathological findings of patients and CD4/CD8 staining rates in peritumoral/intratumoral areas were recorded.

RESULTS

Our study revealed significantly lower intratumoral CD4 + T cell density and lower intratumoral CD4/CD8 ratio in primary tumor after neoadjuvant therapy (respectively, 0.012 and 0.016). Considering tumor types, when control-study groups were compared, inflammation was statistically significant only in adenocarcinoma subtype; intratumoral CD4/CD8 ratio was statistically significant only in squamous-cell carcinoma subtype (respectively, p = 0.0008 and p = 0.0139). When CD4 + T lymphocytes and CD8 + T lymphocytes and CD4/CD8 ratio were compared between control and study groups in low-stage patients according to clinical stages, only intratumoral CD4 + T lymphocyte values and intratumoral CD4/CD8 ratio were significant (respectively, p = 0.0291 ve p = 0.0154).

CONCLUSION

All cell types of innate and adaptive intratumoral immunity can affect lung cancer tissues simultaneously, and these interactions have a very complex structure. Understanding the tumor microenvironment and the different roles of associated cancer immune cells may lead to the discovery of new targets for immunological therapies and increased survival times in lung cancer.

Exosomal microRNAs in regulation of tumor cells resistance to apoptosis

Exosomes are a type of extracellular vesicle that contains bioactive molecules that can be secreted by most cells. Nevertheless, the content of these cells differs depending on the cell from which they originate. The exosome plays a crucial role in modulating intercellular communication by conveying molecular messages to neighboring or distant cells. Cancer-derived exosomes can transfer several types of molecules into the tumor microenvironment, including high levels of microRNA (miRNA). These miRNAs significantly affect cell proliferation, angiogenesis, apoptosis resistance, metastasis, and immune evasion. Increasing evidence indicates that exosomal miRNAs (exomiRs) are crucial to regulating cancer resistance to apoptosis. In cancer cells, exomiRs orchestrate communication channels between them and their surrounding microenvironment, modulating gene expression and controlling apoptosis signaling pathways. This review presents an outline of present-day knowledge of the mechanisms that affect target cells and drive cancer resistance to apoptosis. Also, our study looks at the regulatory role of exomiRs in mediating intercellular communication between tumor cells and surrounding microenvironmental cells, specifically stromal and immune cells, to evade therapy-induced apoptosis.

miRNAs and exosomal miRNAs in lung cancer: New emerging players in tumor progression and therapy response

Non-coding RNAs have shown key roles in cancer and among them, short RNA molecules are known as microRNAs (miRNAs). These molecules have length less than 25 nucleotides and suppress translation and expression. The functional miRNAs are produced in cytoplasm. Lung cancer is a devastating disease that its mortality and morbidity have undergone an increase in recent years. Aggressive behavior leads to undesirable prognosis and tumors demonstrate abnormal proliferation and invasion. In the present review, miRNA functions in lung cancer is described. miRNAs reduce/increase proliferation and metastasis. They modulate cell death and proliferation. Overexpression of oncogenic miRNAs facilitates drug resistance and radio-resistance in lung cancer. Tumor microenvironment components including macrophages and cancer-associated fibroblasts demonstrate interactions with miRNAs in lung cancer. Other factors such as HIF-1α, lncRNAs and circRNAs modulate miRNA expression. miRNAs have also value in the diagnosis of lung cancer. Understanding such interactions can pave the way for developing novel therapeutics in near future for lung cancer patients.

Potential roles of exosomes in the initiation and metastatic progression of lung cancer

Lung cancer (LC) incidence and mortality continue to increase annually worldwide. LC is insidious and readily metastasizes and relapses. Except for its early diagnosis and surgical resection, there is no effective cure for advanced metastatic LC, and the prognosis remains dismal. Exosomes, a class of nano-sized extracellular vesicles produced by healthy or diseased cells, are coated with a bilayer lipid membrane and contain various functional molecules such as proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. They can be used for intracellular or intercellular signaling or the transportation of biological substances. A growing body of evidence supports that exosomes play multiple crucial roles in the occurrence and metastatic progression of many malignancies, including LC. The elucidation of the potential roles of exosomes in the initiation, invasion, and metastasis of LC and their underlying molecular mechanisms may contribute to improved early diagnosis and treatment.

Extracellular circulating miRNAs as potential non-invasive biomarkers in non-small cell lung cancer patients

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) comprises 85% of all lung cancers and is a malignant condition resistant to advanced-stage treatment. Despite the advancement in detection and treatment techniques, the disease is taking a deadly toll worldwide, being the leading cause of cancer death every year. Current diagnostic methods do not ensure the detection of the disease at an early stage, nor can they predict the risk of its development. There is an urgent need to identify biomarkers that can help predict an individual's risk of developing NSCLC, distinguish NSCLC subtype, allow monitor disease and treatment progression which can improve patient survival. Micro RNAs (miRNAs) represent the class of small and non-coding RNAs involved in gene expression regulation, influencing many biological processes such as proliferation, differentiation, and carcinogenesis. Research reports significant differences in miRNA profiles between healthy and neoplastic tissues in NSCLC. Its abundant presence in biofluids, such as serum, blood, urine, and saliva, makes them easily detectable and does not require invasive collection techniques. Many studies support miRNAs' importance in detecting, predicting, and prognosis of NSCLC, indicating their utility as a promising biomarker. In this work, we reviewed up-to-date research focusing on biofluid miRNAs' role as a diagnostic tool in NSCLC cases. We also discussed the limitations of applying miRNAs as biomarkers and highlighted future areas of interest.

The immunomodulatory role of exosomal microRNA networks in the crosstalk between tumor-associated myeloid-derived suppressor cells and tumor cells

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are considered a heterogeneous group of immature myeloid cells engaging in aggressive tumor progression and metastasis in the tumor microenvironment (TME) of patients diagnosed with cancer, through downregulation of anti-tumor immune responses. Exosomes are small vesicles carrying specific cargos, including proteins, lipids, and MicroRNA (miRNAs). Such exosomal miRNAs delivered by MDSCs and tumor cells are short noncoding RNAs mediating some of the immunosuppressive characteristics of MDSCs in the TME. However, when it comes to cancer diseases, how these miRNAs interact with MDSCs and encourage MDSCs differentiation and function need further investigations. In this review, we discuss MDSC-derived exosomal miRNAs and those derived from tumor cells (TDE) could modulate anti-tumor immunity and regulate the interaction between tumor cells and MDSCs in the TME. Afterward, we focus on dividing miRNAs, as an important substance interacting with MDSCs and tumor cells in the TME, into those have an immunosuppressive or stimulating effect not only on MDSCs expansion, differentiation, and suppressive function but also on tumor evasion.

Exosomal microRNA Therapy for Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer

With the progress of molecular diagnosis research on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells, four identified categories of microRNAs have been found to be related to disease diagnosis, diagnosis of treatment resistance, prediction of prognosis, and drugs for treatment. To date, nine target mRNA/signal pathways have been confirmed for microRNA drug therapy both in vitro and in vivo. When microRNA drugs enter blood vessels, they target the tumor site and play a similar role to that of targeted drugs. However, whether they will produce serious off-target effects remains unknown, and further clinical research is needed. This review provides the first summary of microRNA therapy for NSCLC.

Exosomes─Nature's Lipid Nanoparticles, a Rising Star in Drug Delivery and Diagnostics

Exosomes are a subgroup of nanosized extracellular vesicles enclosed by a lipid bilayer membrane and secreted by most eukaryotic cells. They represent a route of intercellular communication and participate in a wide variety of physiological and pathological processes. The biological roles of exosomes rely on their bioactive cargos, including proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids, which are delivered to target cells. Their distinctive properties─innate stability, low immunogenicity, biocompatibility, and good biomembrane penetration capacity─allow them to function as superior natural nanocarriers for efficient drug delivery. Another notably favorable clinical application of exosomes is in diagnostics. They hold various biomolecules from host cells, which are indicative of pathophysiological conditions; therefore, they are considered vital for biomarker discovery in clinical diagnostics. Here, we use data from the CAS Content Collection and provide a landscape overview of the current state and delineate trends in research advancement on exosome applications in therapeutics and diagnostics across time, geography, composition, cargo loading, and development pipelines. We discuss exosome composition and pathway, from their biogenesis and secretion from host cells to recipient cell uptake. We assess methods for exosome isolation and purification, their clinical applications in therapy and diagnostics, their development pipelines, the exploration goals of the companies, the assortment of diseases they aim to treat, development stages of their research, and publication trends. We hope this review will be useful for understanding the current knowledge in the field of medical applications of exosomes, in an effort to further solve the remaining challenges in fulfilling their potential.

miR‑29a‑3p inhibits the malignant characteristics of non‑small cell lung cancer cells by reducing the activity of the Wnt/β‑catenin signaling pathway

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) can influence non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in a tumor-suppressive and oncogenic manner. The present study aimed to investigate the effects and underlying mechanisms of miR-29a-3p in NSCLC. NSCLC cell lines (A549, H1299, and H460) and a normal lung epithelial cell line (BEAS-2B) were used. Additionally, a mouse lung tumor xenograft model was established using A549 cells and used to determine the effects of miR-29a-3p on NSCLC in vivo. Tumor volumes were measured every week. The expression of miR-29a-3p in cells and lung tissues were detected by RT-qPCR. Cell proliferation was detected using Cell Counting Kit-8 and EdU assays. Migration and invasion were assessed using wound healing and Transwell invasion assays, respectively. Ki-67 expression was detected using immunohistochemical staining. The expression levels of Wnt3a and β-catenin were determined using western blotting. miR-29a-3p expression was significantly downregulated in NSCLC cells and mice. In contrast to miR-29a-3p knockdown, miR-29a-3p overexpression decreased NSCLC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion as well as tumor growth in in the NSCLC mouse model. Moreover, miR-29a-3p overexpression decreased the protein expression levels of Wnt3a and β-catenin. The inhibitory effects of miR-29a-3p on NSCLC cells were reversed by LiCl (an activator of the Wnt signaling pathway). In conclusion, miR-29a-3p prevented NSCLC tumor growth and cell proliferation, migration, and invasion by inhibiting the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. This finding offers novel insights into the prognosis and treatment of NSCLC.

The role of MiRNA ‐433 in malignant tumors of digestive tract as tumor suppressor

Background

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of short non‐coding RNAs with a length of approximate 22 nuclei acids that can be expressed both as an oncogene and tumor suppressor gene in human cancers. MiRNAs can participate in the post‐ transcriptional regulation of gene expression, and regulate the several cancer‐related processes, including proliferation, apoptosis, metastasis, etc.

Recent findings

Expression of miRNA‐433 has been reported to vary in different tumors and affected by various factors. We have summarized the different previous studies and found that miRNA‐433 can significantly inhibit the growth of the cancer cells not only in malignant tumors of the digestive tract, but also in lung cancer, breast cancer, cervical cancer, ovarian cancer, bladder cancer, renal carcinoma, glioma, retinoblastoma and osteosarcoma.

Conclusion

When the expression of miRNA‐433 was up‐regulated, the proliferation, metastasis and invasion abilities of the malignant tumor cells were significantly inhibited. At the same time, the potential mechanisms through which miRNA‐433 can suppress the growth and metastasis of the cancer cells were found to be basically the same, and involved modulation of the specific signaling pathways or target genes in the malignant tumors. Overall, it can be concluded that miRNA‐433 can serve as potential and valuable therapeutic target.

Liquid biopsy: Exosomal microRNAs as novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in cancer

BACKGROUND

Detecting cancer at an early stage before clinical manifestation could be an effective strategy to decrease cancer mortality. Thus, identifying liquid biopsy biomarkers with high efficacy could be a promising approach for non-invasive diagnosis of cancer.

MAIN TEXT

Liquid biopsies are increasingly used as a supplement to biopsy, as it enables disease progression to be detected months before clinical and radiographic confirmation. Many bodily fluids contain exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) which could provide a new class of biomarkers for early and minimally invasive cancer diagnosis due to the stability of miRNAs in exosomes. In this review, we mainly focused on the exosomal miRNAs (liquid biopsy) as biomarkers in the diagnosis and prognosis of various cancers.

CONCLUSION

Exosomal miRNAs can be used as diagnostic and prognosis biomarkers that provide unique insights and a more dynamic perspective of the progression and therapeutic responses in various malignancies. Therefore, the development of novel and more sensitive technologies that exploit exosomal miRNAs should be a priority for cancer management.