miR-29b negatively regulates MMP2 to impact gastric cancer development by suppress gastric cancer cell migration and tumor growth

An emphasis on the interaction of signaling pathways highlights the role of miRNAs in the etiology and treatment resistance of gastric cancer

Gastric cancer (GC) is 4th in incidence and mortality rates globally. Several genetic and epigenetic factors, including microRNAs (miRNAs), affect its initiation and progression. miRNAs are short chains of nucleic acids that can regulate several cellular processes by controlling their gene expression. So, dysregulation of miRNAs expressions is associated with GC initiation, progression, invasion capacity, apoptosis evasions, angiogenesis, promotion and EMT enhancement. Of important pathways in GC and controlled by miRNAs are Wnt/β-catenin signaling, HMGA2/mTOR/P-gp, PI3K/AKT/c-Myc, VEGFR and TGFb signaling. Hence, this review was conducted to review an updated view of the role of miRNAs in GC pathogenesis and their modulatory effects on responses to different GC treatment modalities.

Comparison of Oncogenes, Tumor Suppressors, and MicroRNAs Between Schizophrenia and Glioma: The Balance of Power

The risk of cancer in schizophrenia has been controversial. Confounders of the issue are cigarette smoking in schizophrenia, and antiproliferative effects of antipsychotic medications. The author has previously suggested comparison of a specific cancer like glioma to schizophrenia might help determine a more accurate relationship between cancer and schizophrenia. To accomplish this goal, the author performed three comparisons of data; the first a comparison of conventional tumor suppressors and oncogenes between schizophrenia and cancer including glioma. This comparison determined schizophrenia has both tumor-suppressive and tumor-promoting characteristics. A second, larger comparison between brain-expressed microRNAs in schizophrenia with their expression in glioma was then performed. This identified a core carcinogenic group of miRNAs in schizophrenia offset by a larger group of tumor-suppressive miRNAs. This proposed "balance of power" between oncogenes and tumor suppressors could cause neuroinflammation. This was assessed by a third comparison between schizophrenia, glioma and inflammation in asbestos-related lung cancer and mesothelioma (ALRCM). This revealed that schizophrenia shares more oncogenic similarity to ALRCM than glioma.

Expression of MiRNA-29b and MiRNA-31 and their diagnostic and prognostic values in Egyptian females with breast cancer

Breast cancer is a major health threat to women globally. Many circulating microRNAs are non-invasive cancer biomarkers. In this study, the expression of miR-29b and miR-31 was assessed in blood samples from 200 patients with breast cancer and wholesome volunteer women using quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR to evaluate their role in the disease. MiR-29b was significantly overexpressed in patients compared to controls. Multivariate regression analysis showed that it was an established risk factor for relapse and mortality. MiR-31 was significantly under-expressed in patients. It was an established risk factor for relapse and was strongly associated with mortality. For the prediction of relapse, miR-29b had a sensitivity of 81.25% and a specificity of 88.24% at a cutoff of > 30.09, while miR-31 had a sensitivity of 87.50% and a specificity of 79.41% at a cutoff of 0.12. The specificity was enhanced to 100% by combining the values of miR-29b and miR-31. In predicting mortality, miR-29b exhibited a sensitivity of 90% and a specificity of 97.5% at a cutoff of > 48.10. At a cutoff of 0.119, miR-31 exhibited a sensitivity of 87.50% and a specificity of 79.41%. High miR-29b expression and low miR-31 expression were linked with a low survival rate. MiR-29b and miR-31 could be useful markers for predicting breast cancer relapse and mortality.

The Role of miR-29s in Human Cancers—An Update

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that directly bind to the 3’ untranslated region (3’-UTR) of the target mRNAs to inhibit their expression. The miRNA-29s (miR-29s) are suggested to be either tumor suppressors or oncogenic miRNAs that are strongly dysregulated in various types of cancer. Their dysregulation alters the expression of their target genes, thereby exerting influence on different cellular pathways including cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion, thereby contributing to carcinogenesis. In the present review, we aimed to provide an overview of the current knowledge on the miR-29s biological network and its functions in cancer, as well as its current and potential applications as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker and/or a therapeutic target in major types of human cancer.

CEACAM5 targeted by miR-498 promotes cell proliferation, migration and epithelial to mesenchymal transition in gastric cancer

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CEACAM5 was upregulated in GC tissues and cells.

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CEACAM5 knockdown repressed GC cell migration, proliferation, and EMT.

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Knockdown of CEACAM5 suppressed the growth of GC cells in mice with transplanted tumor.

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CEACAM5 was predicted as a miR-498 target.

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MiR-498 reduced GC cell migration, proliferation, and EMT by inhibiting CEACAM5.

Objective

Recent studies have shown that carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 5 (CEACAM5) may serve as an independent predictor of advanced gastric cancer (GC). The purpose of this research is to explore the patterns of expression, functions, and upstream regulatory pathway of CEACAM5 in GC.

Methods

The levels of miR-498 and CEACAM5 expression in GC cells and tissues were measured via qRT-PCR. Wound-healing, CCK-8, and western blotting experiments were conducted for the evaluation of GC cell migration, proliferation, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), respectively. The targeting relationship between miR-498 and CEACAM5 was validated via pull-down and luciferase reporter assays. Xenograft tumor mouse models were established to observe CEACAM5’s influence on the growth of tumors in vivo.

Results

Elevated levels of CEACAM5 were detected among the GC cells and tissues. The results of the in vitro experiments revealed that the knockdown of CEACAM5 in GC cells significantly inhibited their proliferation, migration, and EMT. Moreover, CEACAM5 inhibition effectively hampered GC cell growth within the nude mice. Moreover, miR-498 directly targeted CEACAM5. MiR-498 downregulation had been observed among the cells and tissues of GC. The stimulation of GC cell proliferation, migration, and EMT, which had been engendered by CEACAM5 overexpression, was reversible through the overexpression of miR-498.

Conclusion

The outcomes of this research suggest that miR-498 is capable of repressing the proliferation, migration, and EMT of GC cells through CEACAM5 downregulation.

Ziyin Huatan Recipe, a Chinese herbal compound, inhibits migration and invasion of gastric cancer by upregulating RUNX3 expression

OBJECTIVES

Ziyin Huatan Recipe (ZYHT), a traditional Chinese medicine comprised of Lilii Bulbus, Pinelliae Rhizoma, and Hedyotis Diffusa, has shown promise in treating gastric cancer (GC). However, its potential mechanism has not yet been clearly addressed. This study aimed to predict targets and molecular mechanisms of ZYHT in treating GC by network pharmacology analysis and to explore the role of ZYHT in GC both in vitro and in vivo.

METHODS

Targets and molecular mechanisms of ZYHT were predicted via network pharmacology analysis. The effects of ZYHT on the expression of metastasis-associated targets were further validated by Western blot and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. To explore the specific molecular mechanisms of the effects of ZYHT on migration and invasion, the runt-related transcription factor 3 (RUNX3) gene was knocked out by clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/Cas9, and lentiviral vectors were transfected into SGC-7901 cells. Then lung metastasis model of GC in nude mice was established to explore the anti-metastasis effect of ZYHT. Western blot and immunohistochemistry were used to explore the impact of ZYHT on the expression of metastasis-related proteins with or without RUNX3 gene.

RESULTS

The network pharmacology analysis showed that ZYHT might inhibit focal adhesion, migration, invasion and metastasis of GC. ZYHT inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of GC cells in vitro via regulating the expression of metastasis-associated targets. Knocking out RUNX3 almost completely reversed the cell phenotypes (migration and invasion) and protein expression levels elicited by ZYHT. In vivo studies showed that ZYHT inhibited the metastasis of GC cells to the lung and prolonged the survival time of the nude mice. Knocking out RUNX3 partly reversed the metastasis of GC cells to the lung and the protein expression levels elicited by ZYHT.

CONCLUSION

ZYHT can effectively inhibit the invasion and migration of GC in vitro and in vivo, and its molecular mechanism may relate to the upregulation of RUNX3 expression.

miR-29b Derived from Bone Marrow Stromal Cell (BMSC) Exosomes Improves Laryngeal Carcinoma by Inhibiting Forkhead Box Protein P1 (FOXP1) to Decrease Cyclin E2 Transcription

This study intends to investigate whether miR-29b derived from BMSC exosomes (BMSC-exos) affects laryngeal cancer progression. RT-qPCR detected miR-29b level in BMSCs and BMSC-exos. After miR-29b was overexpressed in BMSCs, exos were extracted from BMSCs and used to treat laryngeal cancer cells, followed by CCK-8 assay and soft agar assay. When cells were treated with FOXP1 inhibitor or cyclin E2 vector, Western blot analyzed the expression of related proteins and flow cytometry assessed cell cycle distribution. In vivo experiment was conducted to assess miR-29b’s effect on tumor growth. miR-29b was upregulated in BMSC-exos, but lowly expressed in cancer cells. miR-29b upregulation inhibited the proliferation of laryngeal cancer cells and delayed tumor progression In vivo by inducing cell cycle arrest. Importantly, miR-29b bound 3′UTR of FXOP1 to inhibit its expression, and further reduced cyclin E2 level. sh-FXOP1 or cyclin E2 vector can restore the cell cycle and proliferation caused by miR-29b. In conclusion, miR-29b enriched in BMSC-exo can down-regulate cyclin E2 expression through targeted inhibition of FXOP1, thereby inhibiting the progression of laryngeal cancer.

Comparison between Heat-Clearing Medicine and Antirheumatic Medicine in Treatment of Gastric Cancer Based on Network Pharmacology, Molecular Docking, and Tumor Immune Infiltration Analysis

Background

Clinical research found that TCM is therapeutic in treating gastric cancer. Clearing heat is the most common method, while some antirheumatic medicines are widely used in treatment as well. To explore the pharmacological mechanism, we researched the comparison between heat-clearing medicine and antirheumatic medicine in treating gastric cancer.

Methods

First, related ingredients and targets were searched, respectively, and are shown in an active ingredient-target network. Combining the relevant targets of gastric cancer, we constructed a PPI network and MCODE network. Then, GO and KEGG enrichment analyses were conducted. Molecular docking experiments were performed to verify the affinity of targets and ligands. Finally, we analyzed the tumor immune infiltration on gene expression, somatic CNA, and clinical outcome.

Results

A total of 31 ingredients and 90 targets of heat-clearing medicine, 31 ingredients and 186 targets of antirheumatic medicine, and 12,155 targets of gastric cancer were collected. Antirheumatic medicine ranked the top in all the enrichment analyses. In the KEGG pathway, both types of medicines were related to pathways in cancer. In the KEGG map, AR, MMP2, ERBB2, and TP53 were the most crucial targets. Key targets and ligands were docked with low binding energy. Analysis of tumor immune infiltration showed that the expressions of AR and ERBB2 were correlated with the abundance of immune infiltration and made a difference in clinical outcomes.

Conclusions

Quercetin is an important ingredient in both heat-clearing medicine and antirheumatic medicine. AR signaling pathway exists in both types of medicines. The mechanism of the antitumor effect in antirheumatic medicine was similar to trastuzumab, a targeted drug aimed at ERBB2. Both types of medicines were significant in tumor immune infiltration. The immunology of gastric tumor deserves further research.

Large-Scale Gastric Cancer Susceptibility Gene Identification Based on Gradient Boosting Decision Tree

The early clinical symptoms of gastric cancer are not obvious, and metastasis may have occurred at the time of treatment. Poor prognosis is one of the important reasons for the high mortality of gastric cancer. Therefore, the identification of gastric cancer-related genes can be used as relevant markers for diagnosis and treatment to improve diagnosis precision and guide personalized treatment. In order to further reveal the pathogenesis of gastric cancer at the gene level, we proposed a method based on Gradient Boosting Decision Tree (GBDT) to identify the susceptible genes of gastric cancer through gene interaction network. Based on the known genes related to gastric cancer, we collected more genes which can interact with them and constructed a gene interaction network. Random Walk was used to extract network association of each gene and we used GBDT to identify the gastric cancer-related genes. To verify the AUC and AUPR of our algorithm, we implemented 10-fold cross-validation. GBDT achieved AUC as 0.89 and AUPR as 0.81. We selected four other methods to compare with GBDT and found GBDT performed best.

The Role of MiRNA in Cancer: Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, and Treatment

Cancer is also determined by the alterations of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. These gene expressions can be regulated by microRNAs (miRNA). At this point, researchers focus on addressing two main questions: "How are oncogenes and/or tumor suppressor genes regulated by miRNAs?" and "Which other mechanisms in cancer cells are regulated by miRNAs?" In this work we focus on gathering the publications answering these questions. The expression of miRNAs is affected by amplification, deletion or mutation. These processes are controlled by oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, which regulate different mechanisms of cancer initiation and progression including cell proliferation, cell growth, apoptosis, DNA repair, invasion, angiogenesis, metastasis, drug resistance, metabolic regulation, and immune response regulation in cancer cells. In addition, profiling of miRNA is an important step in developing a new therapeutic approach for cancer.

Circular RNA circ_0000517 Facilitates The Growth and Metastasis of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer by Sponging miR-326/miR-330-5p

OBJECTIVE

There is growing evidence showing that circular RNAs (circRNAs) are crucial regulators in modulating the biological behavior of tumors. This work is aimed to probe the role of circ_0000517 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and to elucidate its mechanism of action.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this experimental study, the differentially expressed circRNAs in NSCLC were screened using the GEO database (GSE158695). Circ_0000517, miR-326, miR-330-5p, and MMP2 expression levels were determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis and Western blot. The proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion of NSCLC cells were detected by CCK-8, flow cytometry, and transwell assays. RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), RNA pull-down, and dual-luciferase reporter gene assays were performed to clarify the association between the circ_0000517 and miR-326/miR-330-5p.

RESULTS

Circ_0000517 was shown to be up-regulated in NSCLC tissues and cell lines. The up-regulation of circ_0000517 is closely associated with advanced clinical stage of cancer, lymph node metastasis, and poor prognosis in NSCLC patients. Circ_0000517 knockdown impeded the proliferation, migration, and invasion of NSCLC cells and enhanced their apoptosis. Mechanistically, circ_0000517 was demonstrated to up-regulate MMP2 expression via decoying miR-326 and miR-330-5p to facilitate the malignant biological behaviors of NSCLC cells.

CONCLUSION

This work reveals that circ_0000517 is implicated in NSCLC cell growth and metastasis through the modulation of miR-326/miR-330-5p/MMP2, providing novel insights into the role of circRNAs in NSCLC progression.

MiR-622 acts as a tumor suppressor to induce cell apoptosis and inhibit metastasis in human prostate cancer

Growing evidence indicating the critical modulator roles of microRNAs (miRNAs) involved in prostate cancer (PCa) metastasis that holds great promise as therapeutic targets. Herein, we transfected the miR-622 mimic into PC3 cells and evaluated the effects of this interference on these tumour cells' growth and the expression of specific metastatic genes. Transfecting of miR-622 mimic and inhibitor, negative control (NC) inhibitor and NC was established using Lipofectamine 2000. The mRNA levels of miR-622 and metastatic genes were evaluated using the qRT-PCR and Western blot. Cytotoxic effects of miR-622 were assessed by MTT. Apoptosis was detected using an ELISA cell death assay kit. miR-622 is down-regulated in PC3 cells. As expected, cell viability effects after transfection were described as miR-622 inhibitor >NC and NC inhibitor >miR-622 mimic (p < .01). Importantly, we showed that transfected miR-622 mimic could enhance the apoptosis of PC3 cells, while transfected miR-622 inhibitor could decrease cell apoptosis (p < .01). Furthermore, miR-622 overexpression could increase significantly down-regulated the MMP2, MMP9, CXCR-4, c-Myc and K-Ras expression levels. Findings demonstrate a novel mechanism by which miR-622 modulates PCa cells' metastasis by targeting metastatic genes. These data confirm the tumour-suppressive function of miR-622 in PCa cells by enhancing apoptosis and reducing metastasis.

Dihydroartemisinin suppresses proliferation, migration, the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and EMT via TNKS in gastric cancer

Gastric cancer is a common malignancy worldwide. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this malignancy remain unclear and there are a lack of effective drugs. The present study aimed to investigate the antitumor effect of Dihydroartemisinin (DHA) or inhibition of Tankyrases (TNKS), and determine the underlying molecular mechanisms of gastric cancer. Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence analyses were performed to detect the expression levels of TNKS, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and Wnt/β-catenin pathway-related proteins in gastric cancer tissues and adjacent normal tissues. The Cell Counting Kit-8 assay was performed to assess the viability of HGC-27 and AGS cells following treatment with different concentrations of HLY78 (a Wnt activator) or DHA. Following treatment with HLY78, DHA or small interfering (si)-TNKS1/si-TNKS2, colony formation and migratory abilities were assessed via the colony formation, wound healing and Transwell assays. Furthermore, western blot and immunofluorescence analyses were performed to detect the expression levels of TNKS, EMT- and Wnt/β-catenin-related proteins. The results demonstrated that the expression levels of TNKS, AXI2, β-catenin, N-cadherin and Vimentin were upregulated, whereas E-cadherin expression was downregulated in gastric cancer tissues compared with normal tissues. Furthermore, HLY78 and DHA suppressed the viability of HGC-27 and AGS cells, in a concentration-independent manner. Notably, TNKS knockdown or treatment with DHA suppressed colony formation, migration, TNKS expression, EMT and the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Opposing effects were observed following treatment with HLY78, which were ameliorated following co-treatment with DHA. Taken together, these results suggest that DHA or inhibition of TNKS can suppress the proliferation and migration of gastric cancer cells, which is partly associated with inactivation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and EMT process.

The Impact of Single Nucleotide Polymorphism in the Long Non-coding MEG3 Gene on MicroRNA-182 and MicroRNA-29 Expression Levels in the Development of Breast Cancer in Egyptian Women

Early-stage detection of BC is a critical factor for effective treatment of the disease and can increase the survival rate of BC patients. Long non-coding RNAs can act as miRNA decoys by sequestering miRNAs, thus acting as competing endogenous RNAs and leading to re-expression of miRNA target genes. Maternally expressed 3 (MEG3) is LncRNA and it was reported to be tumor suppressor in breast cancer. The study aims to investigate the effect of MEG3 SNP (rs7158663 G/A) and its association with breast cancer risk in the Egyptian population. In addition, demonstrate the consequence of the MEG3 polymorphism on the expression levels of MEG3, miR-182, and miRNA-29. MEG3 rs7158663 G/A was genotyped and serum MEG3, miRNA-182, and miRNA-29 were measured in 180 breast cancer, 120 FA, and 150 controls by the qPCR. Frequencies of MEG3 rs7158663 GA/AA genotype and A allele were significantly higher in BC patients compared to the controls results showed that serum MEG3 levels were significantly lower, according to the presence of the A allele in different study groups while the expression of miR-182 and miRNA 29 were significantly elevated. MEG3, miR-182, and miRNA-29 are key genes involved in the development of BC, are considered as a novel potential non-invasive diagnostic biomarker for BC.

Oleanolic acid regulates the Treg/Th17 imbalance in gastric cancer by targeting IL-6 with miR-98-5p

BACKGROUND

Gastric cancer (GC) was a type of malignant tumor with a very high fatality rate. Oleanolic acid (OA) was a class of pentacyclic triterpenes which was proved to have anti-cancer activity. While the specific molecular mechanism of OA's role in inhibiting GC was not fully understood. This study aimed to explore how OA played an anti-cancer role in GC.

METHODS

Expression of miR-98-5p was examined using qPCR, and expression levels of Treg/Th17-related factors were evaluated using qPCR and western blot. Flow cytometry was conducted to assess the proportion of Treg cells and Th17 cells. Besides, dual luciferase reporter assay was performed to verify that IL-6 was a target of miR-98-5p.

RESULTS

Downregulation of miR-98-5p and upregulation of Treg/Th17-related factors were observed in GC tissues. What's more, the Treg/Th17 imbalance was found in PBMCs of GC patients. Overexpression of miR-98-5p promoted balance of Treg/Th17 cells via directly targeting IL-6 to downregulate expression of IL-6. Finally, OA could promote balance of Treg/Th17 cells by upregulating expression of miR-98-5p.

DISCUSSION

All our results proved that OA could promote balance of Treg/Th17 cells in GC by targeting IL-6 with miR-98-5p, indicating a potential drug for treatment of GC.

The effect of microRNA-330 replacement on inhibition of growth and migration in renal cancer cells

This study was conducted to scrutinize microRNA-330 (miR-330) role in growth, migration, and the expression of metastatic genes in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in vitro. Following transfection of the cells with miR-330 mimic, cell proliferation using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide, cell migration by wound healing assay, and apoptosis by flow cytometry were evaluated. Quantitative real-time PCR was conducted to assess expression levels of matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2), MMP9, a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs (ADAMTS), Kirsten rat sarcoma virus (K-Ras), cellular Myc (c-Myc), and C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR-4) as metastatic genes in the progression of RCC. Results showed that miR-330 was downregulated in the Caki-1 cells compared with HK-2 cells (p < 0.001). Upregulation of miR-330 obstructed in vitro expansion and migration, while it intensified apoptosis rate in the Caki-1 cells. Moreover, it was found that miR-330 transfection negatively modulated the expression of MMP2, MMP9, ADAMTS, K-Ras, c-Myc, and CXCR-4 in the Caki-1 cells. Our findings revealed that overexpression of miR-330 might provide an auxiliary treatment approach for overcoming invasion, progression, and metastasis in patients with RCC by enhancing cell apoptosis.

miR-29b restrains cholangiocarcinoma progression by relieving DNMT3B-mediated repression of CDKN2B expression

Numerous studies have reported the important role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in human cancers. Although abnormal miR-29b expression has been linked to tumorigenesis in several cancers, its role in cholangiocarcinoma remains largely unknown. We found that miR-29b expression is frequently downregulated in human cholangiocarcinoma QBC939 cells and in clinical tumor samples. In cholangiocarcinoma patients, low miR-29b expression predicts poor overall survival. Overexpression of miR-29b in QBC939 cells inhibited proliferation, induced G1 phase cycle arrest, and promoted apoptosis. Methylation-specific PCR (MSP) analysis revealed a decreased methylation imprint at the promoter of the cell cycle inhibitor gene CDKN2B in cells overexpressing miR-29b. After identifying the DNA methyltransferase DNMT3B as a putative miR-29b target, luciferase reporter assays confirmed a suppressive effect of miR-29b on DNMT3B expression. Accordingly, we detected an inverse correlation between miR-29b and DNMT3B expression in clinical cholangiocarcinoma specimens. In QBC939 cells, DNMT3B overexpression promoted proliferation and inhibited apoptosis. DNMT3B silencing, in turn, led to increased CDKN2B expression. We also observed significant growth arrest in subcutaneous tumors formed in nude mice by QBC939 cells overexpressing miR-29b. These findings suggest miR-29b functions as a tumor suppressor in cholangiocarcinoma by relieving DNMT3B-mediated repression of CDKN2B expression.

LINC01433 targets miR-506-3p to promote the biological progress of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells

PURPOSE

The current study aimed to investigate the role of long intergenic noncoding 01433 (LINC01433) in the proliferation, migration and invasion of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

METHODS

Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was performed to determine the expressions of LINC01433 and miR-506-3p in NPC samples and cell lines. The effects of LINC01433 on cell proliferation, migration and invasion were measured by CCK-8, wound healing assay and Transwell, respectively. In addition, Pearson correlation analysis, starBase, RNA immunoprecipitation, luciferase assay, Western blot and functional experiments were conducted to detect and confirm the relationship between LINC01433 and miR-506-3p.

RESULTS

LINC01433 level was noticeably elevated in NPC tissues and cell lines. As the expression of LINC01433 in 5-8F cells was the highest in NPC cell lines and the expression of LINC01433 in SUNE1 cells was the lowest, 5-8F and SUNE1 cells were therefore selected as the target cells for following experiments. Furthermore, miR-506-3p was predicted as the target of LINC01433, and the two were negatively correlated with each other. Interestingly, overexpression of LINC01433 promoted proliferation, migration and invasion of NPC cells, while miR-506-3p reversed such effects of LINC01433. Moreover, LINC01433 silencing had the opposite effects to LINC01433 overexpression. Furthermore, miR-506-3p overexpression inhibited the expressions of MMP2, N-cadherin, p-PI3K and p-Akt, and promoted the expressions of E-cadherin and TIMP-2, and partially reversed the role of LINC01433 in promoting cancer development.

CONCLUSION

The current findings reveal that LINC01433 regulates NPC cell biological progress through miR-506-3p.

A novel combination of serum microRNAs for the detection of early gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to identify serum miRNAs that discriminate early gastric cancer (EGC) samples from non-cancer controls using a large cohort.

METHODS

This retrospective case-control study included 1417 serum samples from patients with EGC (seen at the National Cancer Center Hospital in Tokyo between 2008 and 2012) and 1417 age- and gender-matched non-cancer controls. The samples were randomly assigned to discovery and validation sets and the miRNA expression profiles of whole serum samples were comprehensively evaluated using a highly sensitive DNA chip (3D-Gene^®) designed to detect 2565 miRNA sequences. Diagnostic models were constructed using the levels of several miRNAs in the discovery set, and the diagnostic performance of the model was evaluated in the validation set.

RESULTS

The discovery set consisted of 708 samples from EGC patients and 709 samples from non-cancer controls, and the validation set consisted of 709 samples from EGC patients and 708 samples from non-cancer controls. The diagnostic EGC index was constructed using four miRNAs (miR-4257, miR-6785-5p, miR-187-5p, and miR-5739). In the discovery set, a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis of the EGC index revealed that the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.996 with a sensitivity of 0.983 and a specificity of 0.977. In the validation set, the AUC for the EGC index was 0.998 with a sensitivity of 0.996 and a specificity of 0.953.

CONCLUSIONS

A novel combination of four serum miRNAs could be a useful non-invasive diagnostic biomarker to detect EGC with high accuracy. A multicenter prospective study is ongoing to confirm the present observations.

Current perspectives on the dysregulated microRNAs in gastric cancer

Since gastric cancer (GC) is diagnosed at advanced stages, the survival rate is low in affected people. In this regard, investigating the mechanisms underlying GC development, are so critical. MiRNAs, which are small non coding RNAs, as a post transcriptional repressor, regulate expression of target genes by stimulating breakage or transcription suppression of their targets therefore aberrant expression of miRNAs leading to GC carcinogenesis. In the last decades, there have been various studies approving the pivotal role of miRNAs in various phases of GC development including cancer initiation, proliferation, migration, invasion, metastasis, angiogenesis, apoptosis, and drug resistance. Therefore, the present review aimed at summarizing the dysregulated miRNAs which contribute to various cellular and developmental mechanisms such as, proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, migration, and angiogenesis. Moreover, it provides an overview on novel miRNAs involved in drug resistance and circular miRNAs as cancer biomarkers. Thereafter, it is hoped that the present study will shed more light on diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers of GC, and potential GC treatments based on miRNAs.

Prognostic significance of abnormal matrix collagen remodeling in colorectal cancer based on histologic and bioinformatics analysis

As the major component of the tumor matrix, collagen greatly influences tumor invasion and prognosis. The present study compared the remodeling of collagen and collagenase in 56 patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) using Sirius red stain and immunohistochemistry, exploring the relationship between collagen remodeling and the prognosis of CRC. Weak or strong changes in collagen fiber arrangement in birefringence were observed. With the exception of a higher density, weak changes equated to a similar arrangement in normal collagen, while strong changes facilitated cross-linking into bundles. Compared with normal tissues, collagen I (COL I) and III (COL III) deposition was significantly increased in CRC tissues, and was positively correlated with the metastasis status. In tissues without distant metastasis, collagen IV (COL IV) levels were higher than that in normal tissues, while in tissues with distant metastasis, collagen IV expression was significantly lower. Furthermore, the expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1, MMP-2, MMP-7, MMP-9 and lysyl oxidase-like 2 (LOXL2) was found to be elevated in the cancer stroma, which contributed to the hyperactive remodeling of collagen. The association between collagen-related genes and the occurrence and prognosis of CRC were analyzed using biometric databases. The results indicated that patients with upregulated expression of a combination of coding genes for collagen and collagenase exhibited poorer overall survival times. The coding genes COL1A1-2, COL3A1, COL4A3, COL4A6 and MMP2 may therefore be used as biomarkers to predict the prognosis of patients with CRC. Furthermore, the results of Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis suggest that collagen may promote tumor development by activating platelets. Collectively, the abnormal collagen remodeling, including associated protein and coding genes is associated with the tumorigenesis and metastasis, affecting the prognosis of patients with CRC.

The Biological Role of Sponge Circular RNAs in Gastric Cancer: Main Players or Coadjuvants?

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a new class of long noncoding RNAs able to perform multiple functions, including sponging microRNAs (miRNAs) and RNA-Binding Proteins (RBPs). They play an important role in gastric carcinogenesis, but its involvement during gastric cancer (GC) development and progression are not well understood. We gathered miRNA and/or RBPs sponge circRNAs present in GC, and accessed their biological roles through functional enrichment of their target genes or ligand RBPs. We identified 54 sponge circRNAs in GC that are able to sponge 51 miRNAs and 103 RBPs. Then, we evaluated their host gene expression using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and observed that COL1A2 is the most overexpressed gene, which may be due to circHIPK3/miR-29b-c/COL1A2 axis dysregulation. We identified 27 GC-related pathways that may be affected mainly by circPVT1, circHIPK3 and circNF1. Our results indicate that circHIPK3/miR-107/BDNF/LIN28 axis may mediate chemoresistance in GC, and that circPVT1, circHIPK3, circNF1, ciRS-7 and circ_0000096 appear to be involved in gastrointestinal cancer development. Lastly, circHIPK3, circNRIP1 and circSMARCA5 were identified in different ethnic populations and may be ubiquitous modulators of gastric carcinogenesis. Overall, the studied sponge circRNAs are part of a complex RBP-circRNA-miRNA-mRNA interaction network, and are involved in the establishment, chemoresistance and progression of GC.

MicroRNAs in gastric cancer: Biomarkers and therapeutic targets

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a group of non-coding RNAs that have critical roles in regulation of expression of genes. They can inhibit or decrease expression of target genes mostly via interaction with 3' untranslated region of their targets. Their crucial roles in the regulation of expression of tumor suppressor genes and oncogenes have potentiated them as contributors in tumorigenesis. Moreover, their stability in body fluids has enhanced their potential as cancer biomarkers. In the present review article, we describe the role of miRNAs in the pathogenesis of gastric cancer and advances in application of miRNAs as biomarkers and therapeutic targets in this kind of malignancy.

SRSF10 inhibits biogenesis of circ-ATXN1 to regulate glioma angiogenesis via miR-526b-3p/MMP2 pathway

Background

Angiogenesis plays an important role in the progress of glioma. RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs), dysregulated in various tumors, have been verified to mediate diverse biological behaviors including angiogenesis.

Methods

Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and western blot were performed to detect the expression of SRSF10, circ-ATXN1, miR-526b-3p, and MMP2/VEGFA. The potential function of SRSF10/circ-ATXN1/miR-526b-3p axis in glioma-associated endothelial cells (GECs) angiogenesis was further studied.

Results

SRSF10 and circ-ATXN1 were significantly upregulated in GECs compared with astrocyte-associated endothelial cells (AECs). Knockdown of SRSF10 or circ-ATXN1 significantly inhibited cell viability, migration and tube formation of GECs where knockdown of SRSF10 exerted its function by inhibiting the formation of circ-ATXN1. Moreover, the combined knockdown of SRSF10 and circ-ATXN1 significantly enhanced the inhibitory effects on cell viability, migration and tube formation of GECs, compared with knockdown of SRSF10 and circ-ATXN1, respectively. MiR-526b-3p was downregulated in GECs. Circ-ATXN1 functionally targeted miR-526b-3p in an RNA-induced silencing complex. Up-regulation of miR-526b-3p inhibited cell viability, migration and tube formation of GECs. Furthermore, miR-526b-3p affected the angiogenesis of GECs via negatively regulating the expression of MMP2/VEGFA.

Conclusion

SRSF10/circ-ATXN1/miR-526b-3p axis played a crucial role in regulating the angiogenesis of GECs. The above findings provided new targets for anti-angiogenic therapy in glioma.

miR-544a Stimulates endometrial carcinoma growth via targeted inhibition of reversion-inducing cysteine-rich protein with Kazal motifs

Endometrial carcinoma (EC) is a female-specific malignant tumor. Although current treatments can achieve good outcomes and improve patient survival, there remains a high incidence of treatment-induced infertility, a serious side effect that is unacceptable to those of childbearing age. Studies have demonstrated that micro ribonucleic acids (microRNAs or miRNAs) such as miR-544a regulate tumor-related gene expression. However, whether miR-544a is involved in the progression of EC is unknown. This study aimed to investigate the biological functions and underlying mechanisms of miR-544a in EC in vivo and in vitro. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) revealed miR-544a overexpression in EC tissue and cell lines, which was associated with a decreased in overall survival as revealed by Kaplan-Meier analysis. Functionally, the miR-544a inhibitor restricted the proliferation [detected by 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay], invasion, and migration (detected by transwell assay) of human endometrial adenocarcinoma cells (HEC-1B and Ishikawa) and facilitated cell apoptosis (detected by flow cytometry assay). Western blotting analysis revealed that the miR-544a inhibitor decreased the expressions of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 and elevated the levels of cleaved caspase3 and cleaved poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase. Furthermore, animal experiments indicated that the miR-544a antagonist (antagomir-544a) suppressed tumor growth significantly in a mouse xenograft model. The mechanistic, qRT-PCR, and immunohistochemical indications were that a reversion-inducing cysteine-rich protein with Kazal motifs (RECK) and miR-544a had inverse expression changes in EC. Bioinformatics analysis revealed RECK as a potential target for miR-544a, and this was verified by the dual-luciferase reporter assay. Subsequently, in vitro experiments, including transwell assay, MTT assay, flow cytometry assay, and Western blotting analysis, demonstrated that RECK exerted antitumor effects on EC, which were negatively regulated by miR-544a. Taken together, our study findings suggested miR-544a as a valuable target in EC therapy.

MKL1/miR-5100/CAAP1 loop regulates autophagy and apoptosis in gastric cancer cells

Purpose

miR-5100 participates in the proliferation of lung cancer and pancreatic cancer cells, and participates in the differentiation of osteoblasts. However, the regulation of gastric cancer cells in gastric cancer cells remains unclear.

Experimental design

The blood of patients was collected to detect the expression level of miR-5100, and the apoptosis and autophagy levels of cells were detected using western blot, flow cytometry, and confocal. At the same time, in vitro tumor formation experiments in nude mice were used to verify the results of in vitro experiments.

Results

The expression of miR-5100 is related to the prognosis of gastric cancer, miR-5100 can enhance the apoptosis level of gastric cancer cells and inhibit the occurrence of autophagy by targeting CAAP1. MKL1 can inhibit the apoptosis of gastric cancer cells and promote the occurrence of autophagy by targeting CAAP1. At the same time, MKL1 can also increase the expression of miR-5100.

Conclusions

Our research reveals the mechanism by which the MKL1/miR-5100/CAAP1 loop regulates apoptosis and autophagy levels in gastric cancer cells, and miR-5100 is expected to become a new potential target for gastric cancer treatment.

Long non-coding RNA PART1 promotes intervertebral disc degeneration through regulating the miR‑93/MMP2 pathway in nucleus pulposus cells

The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of the long non‑coding (lnc)RNA PART1 in nucleus pulposus (NP) cells derived from patients with intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD). The level of PART1 in degenerative NP tissues from patients with IDD, bulging and herniated discs was measured by reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR (RT‑qPCR) analysis. NP cells were isolated from patients with IDD and transfected with siPART1, after which time the growth ability of the NP cells was evaluated by Cell Counting Kit‑8 and colony formation assays, and cell apoptosis was measured by flow cytometry. The levels of the cell proliferation marker Ki‑67 and the apoptosis marker cleaved caspase‑3, and the levels of genes related to extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis and degradation, were also evaluated by western blotting and RT‑qPCR, as appropriate. Bioinformatics methods predicted that miR‑93 was sponged by PART1, and matrix metallopeptidase (MMP)2 was targeted by miR‑93, which was further confirmed by dual‑luciferase reporter assay. The levels of miR‑93 and MMP2 were also measured in NP tissues, and further rescue experiments were performed to confirm the role of the PART1/miR‑93/MMP2 pathway in NP cells. PART1 was found to be upregulated in degenerative NP tissues, and siPART1 caused an increase in cell growth ability and ECM synthesis, whereas it decreased cell apoptosis and ECM degradation in NP cells. miR‑93 was downregulated and MMP2 was upregulated in degenerative NP tissues. Rescue experiments indicated that the effects of miR‑93 inhibitor on NP cells were abolished by siPART1, and the effect of miR‑93 mimic on NP cells was rescued by MMP2 overexpression. Thus, the results of the present study demonstrated that PART1 may regulate NP cell degeneration through the miR‑93/MMP2 pathway. These findings indicate a novel signaling axis in NP cells that may be explored for the treatment of IDD.

Exosomal miR-29b from cancer-associated fibroblasts inhibits the migration and invasion of hepatocellular carcinoma cells

BACKGROUND

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is often characterized by poor prognosis, high invasiveness and chemotherapeutic resistance, and its migration is strongly dependent on the specific tumor microenvironment. Fibroblasts, such as cancer-associated stromal fibroblasts (CAFs), are the main supporting cells in the tumor microenvironment. Thus, an understanding of how these cells communicate is required for HCC treatment.

METHODS

CAFs and paracancerous fibroblasts (PAFs) were isolated from patients' surgical specimens, followed by exosome isolation and miRNA sequencing. The expression levels of miR-29b in different cell groups were detected by qPCR assay. Cell transfection with exogenous miRNAs was used to study whether the stromal cells could transfer miRNAs to HCC cells. Based on the preliminary results, a miR-29b mimic, inhibitor or miR-nonspecific mimic (miR-NSM) was further transfected into HepG2 and Huh7 cells prior to scratch wound healing and cell invasion experiments. Finally, the transfected cells were stained with Hoechst 33348.

RESULTS

The direct transfer of miR-29b from CAFs to HCC cells through an exosome was observed in this study. DNA methyltransferase 3b (DNMT3b) expression was directly inhibited by miR-29b, while metastasis suppressor 1 (MTSS1) expression was upregulated in HCC cells. Such changes further induced growth arrest and inhibited HCC cell invasion.

CONCLUSIONS

Exosomal miR-29b from CAFs can play a crucial role in the development, progression and metastasis of HCC. By functioning as a tumor suppressor that targets DNMT3b, miR-29b may serve as a potential therapeutic agent.

HANR Enhances Autophagy-Associated Sorafenib Resistance Through miR-29b/ATG9A Axis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignancies worldwide and chemoresistance is the main obstacle for effective treatments of HCC. Accumulating studies indicated that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) contribute to the chemoresistance of human carcinoma. However, the functional role of HANR in autophagy-mediated chemoresistance of HCC is unknown.

Methods

The expressions of HANR, miR-29b and ATG9A in tissues and cell lines were detected by real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). The expression of autophagy-related protein LC3-I and LC3-II was evaluated by Western blotting. The cell viability and apoptosis were examined by CCK-8 and flow cytometry, respectively. Bioinformatics analysis and luciferase activity assay were applied to determine the downstream target gene of HANR or miR-29b. Xenograft experiment was used to detect the effect of HANR on tumor growth.

Results

In the present study, we demonstrated that HANR was notably overexpressed in sorafenib-resistant HepG2 (HepG2/sora) and sorafenib-resistant Huh7 (Huh7/sora) cells, and HANR enhanced sorafenib resistance by facilitating autophagy in HepG2/sora and Huh7/sora cells. Furthermore, we demonstrated that miR‑29b could directly interact with HANR and abolished HANR-induced sorafenib resistance by suppressing autophagy in HepG2/sora and Huh7/sora cells. Moreover, ATG9A was validated as a target of miR-29b and its overexpression obviously reversed the inhibitory effect of miR-29b on sorafenib resistance and autophagy. In addition, HANR could act as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) to upregulate ATG9A expression by sponging miR-29b. Hence, HANR increased autophagy-related sorafenib resistance via inhibiting the miR-29b/ATG9A axis in HepG2/sora and Huh7/sora cells, indicating that it may be a potential target to prevent chemoresistance of HCC.

Conclusion

Our study revealed HANR enhanced sorafenib resistance by acting as an autophagy promoter by regulating miR-29b/ATG9A axis in sorafenib‑resistant HCC cells and might provide potential therapeutic strategies for HCC treatment.

miRNA-29b Inhibits Prostate Tumor Growth and Induces Apoptosis by Increasing Bim Expression

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers among men. Currently available therapies improve patient survival against local prostate cancer but have shown severe side effects. Advanced prostate cancer is still incurable. Studies have suggested the involvement of non-coding RNAs, especially micro-RNAs (miRNAs), in the regulation of multiple cellular events in cancer and thus several clinical trials are ongoing using miRNAs mimics or inhibitors. We previously demonstrated that miRNA-29b-3p (miR-29b) was downregulated in prostate cancer and that the overexpression of miR-29b limited prostate cancer metastasis. However, the therapeutic potential of the miR-29b against prostate cancer remains unknown. Here, we evaluated the therapeutic role of miR-29b in in vivo prostate tumors in a mouse model. Intratumoral injection of mimic miR-29b significantly inhibited prostate cancer xenograft tumor growth in nude mice. Subsequent study demonstrated that the overexpression of miR-29b reduced prostate cancer cell PC3 proliferation in a time dependent manner and induced cell death. Mechanistic study using a cancer pathway specific transcriptomic array revealed a significant overexpression of the pro-apoptotic gene BCL2L11 (Bim) in the miR-29b overexpressed PC3 cells, which was further verified in PC3 cells overexpressing miR-29b. We also observed a significant induction of Bim protein in miR-29b treated xenograft tumors. The induction of cytosolic accumulation of cytochrome C and PARP cleavage in miR-29b overexpressed PC3 cells was observed. Thus, our results suggest that miR-29b can be used as a potential molecule for prostate cancer therapy.

Serum miR-29b as a novel biomarker for glioblastoma diagnosis and prognosis

Altered expression of serum microRNAs (miRNA) has been reported to correlate with carcinogenesis and progression of glioblastoma (GBM). This study assessed the potential diagnostic and prognostic value of serum miR-29b for GBM. Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the expression levels of serum miR-29b in 107 patients with GBM patients, 40 patients with anaplastic astrocytoma (AA) and 80 healthy volunteers. The results showed that serum miR-29b levels were much lower in patients with GBM than in those with AA or healthy controls. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis revealed that serum exosomal miR-29b could effectively distinguish GBM patients from AA patients or normal controls. In addition, serum exosomal miR-29b level was significantly increased after treatment. Low serum exosomal miR-29b expression was strongly associated with aggressive clinical findings and shorter survival. Moreover, the Cox regression analysis demonstrated that serum exosomal miR-29b was an independent prognostic indicator. Collectively, serum exosomal miR-29b might be a promising biomarker for predicting prognosis of GBM.

Hypoxia-Regulated miRNAs in Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells: Exploring the Regulatory Effects in Ischemic Disorders

Human mesenchymal/stromal stem cells (hMSC) are the most promising cell source for adult cell therapies in regenerative medicine. Many clinical trials have reported the use of autologous transplantation of hMSCs in several disorders, but with limited results. To exert their potential, hMSCs could exhibit efficient homing and migration toward lesion sites among other effects, but the underlying process is not clear enough. To further increase the knowledge, we studied the co-regulation between hypoxia-regulated genes and miRNAs. To this end, we investigated the miRNA expression profile of healthy hMSCs in low oxygen/nutrient conditions to mimic ischemia and compared with cells of patients suffering from critical limb ischemia (CLI). miRNAs are small, highly conserved, non-coding RNAs, skilled in the control of the target’s expression level in a fine-tuned way. After analyzing the miRNOme in CLI-derived hMSC cells and healthy controls, and intersecting the results with the mRNA expression dataset under hypoxic conditions, we identified two miRNAs potentially relevant to the disease: miR-29b as a pathological marker of the disease and miR-638 as a therapeutic target. This study yielded a deeper understanding of stem cell biology and ischemic disorders, opening new potential treatments in the future.