MiR-188-5p regulates the proliferation and differentiation of goat skeletal muscle satellite cells by targeting calcium/calmodulin dependent protein kinase II beta

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to reveal the role and regulatory mechanism of miR-188-5p in the proliferation and differentiation of goat muscle satellite cells.

METHODS

Goat skeletal muscle satellite cells isolated in the pre-laboratory were used as the test material. First, the expression of miR-188-5p in goat muscle tissues at different developmental stages was detected by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). In addition, miR-188-5p was transfected into goat skeletal muscle satellite cells by constructing mimics and inhibitors of miR-188-5p, respectively. The changes of differentiation marker gene expression were detected by qPCR method.

RESULTS

It was highly expressed in adult goat latissimus dorsi and leg muscles, goat fetal skeletal muscle, and at the differentiation stage of muscle satellite cells. Overexpression and interference of miR-188-5p showed that miR-188-5p inhibited the proliferation and promoted the differentiation of goat muscle satellite cells. Target gene prediction and dual luciferase assays showed that miR-188-5p could target the 3'untranslated region of the calcium/calmodulin dependent protein kinase II beta (CAMK2B) gene and inhibit luciferase activity. Further functional studies revealed that CAMK2B promoted the proliferation and inhibited the differentiation of goat muscle satellite cells, whereas si-CAMK2B restored the function of miR-188-5p inhibitor.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that miR-188-5p inhibits the proliferation and promotes the differentiation of goat muscle satellite cells by targeting CAMK2B. This study will provide a theoretical reference for future studies on the molecular mechanisms of skeletal muscle development in goats.

miR-188-5p silencing improves cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury by targeting Lin28a

This report aimed to explore whether miR-188-5p regulated the pathological regulatory network of cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. We simulated the cerebral I/R injury model with MACO/R and OGD/R treatments. Neuronal viability and apoptosis were assessed. The contents of miR-188-5p and Lin 28a were evaluated. The abundances of apoptosis-related proteins (Bax, Bcl-2, and cleaved caspase-3) and pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6) were measured. The interaction of miR-188-5p and Lin28a was confirmed. Lin28a silencing was supplemented to determine the delicate regulation of miR-188-5p. We revealed that miR-188-5p was upregulated and Lin28a was downregulated in I/R rats and OGD/R-induced cells. miR-188-5p silencing remarkably reduced the cerebral infarction volume, neurobehavioral score, brain edema, and Evans blue leakage. miR-188-5p silencing enhanced neuronal viability and alleviated apoptosis. The abundance of Bax and cleaved caspase-3 was reduced by miR-188-5p silencing, while Bcl-2 was augmented. miR-188-5p silencing impeded the contents of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6. miR-188-5p interacted with Lin28a and negatively regulated its expression. Interestingly, extra Lin28a silencing reversed apoptosis and the content of inflammatory cytokines. Our studies confirmed that miR-188-5p silencing alleviated neuronal apoptosis and inflammation by mediating the expression of Lin28a. The crosstalk of miR-188-5p and Lin28a offered a different direction for ischemic stroke therapy.

Hsa_circ_0001741 Suppresses Ovarian Cancer Cell Proliferations Through Adsorption of miR-188-5p and Promotion of FOXN2 Expression

Ovarian cancer (OC) is among several general malignant gynecological cancers associated with high mortality rates on a global scale. Earlier investigations have revealed a critical role of circular RNAs (circRNAs) in OC development, which is a new class of endogenous non-coding RNA (ncRNA) that reported to mediate progression of diverse tumor types. At present, the precise involvement of circRNAs and associated regulatory mechanisms in OC remain unknown. In this study, hsa_circ_0001741 expression patterns in OC cells and tissues were tested. The underlying regulatory pathways and targets were further explored with the aid of bioinformatics, luciferase reporter, 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) and cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) analyses. Further investigation of the hsa_circ_0001741 effects on tumor growth in vivo revealed abnormal circRNA expression in OC. hsa_circ_0001741 expression reduced in OC cells and tissues, indicative of activity in OC progression. hsa_circ_0001741 upregulation resulted in OC proliferation inhibitions. The luciferase reporter outputs verified miR-188-5p and FOXN2 as hsa_circ_0001741 downstream targets. FOXN2 silencing or miR-188-5p upregulations reversed inhibitory effects regarding hsa_circ_0001741 on OC cell proliferation. Therefore our data suggested that hsa_circ_0001741 upregulation inhibited proliferation of OC through modulatory effects on miR-188-5p/FOXN2 signaling.

miR-188-5p and Host MALAT1 Regulate RBE Cell Migration, Invasion, and Apoptosis via Up-regulating PSMD10 in Cholangiocarcinoma

The study is designed to explore the regulatory network that MALAT1 competitively binds with miR-188-5p to up-regulate PSMD10 to facilitate cholangiocarcinoma cell migration and invasion and suppress apoptosis. qRT-PCR and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) were used to examine the expression and positive signal of MALAT1 and miR-188-5p in cholangiocarcinoma tissues and HIBEC, HCCC-9810, RBE, and QBC939 cells. Western blot, qRT-PCR, and immunohistochemistry were selected to detect PSMD10 expression in cholangiocarcinoma tissues and cell lines. Dual luciferase reporter gene assay was adopted to verify that miR-188-5p targeted MALAT1 and PSMD10. qRT-PCR, pull down, and western blot were used to examine the regulation of MALAT1-miR-188-5p-PSMD10 axis. Transwell, wound healing assay, and Tunel cell apoptosis were adopted to respectively detect the regulatory abilities of MALAT1-miR-188-5p-PSMD10 axis on cell invasion, migration, and apoptosis. Western blot was used to detect the regulation mechanism of MALAT1 on Bax, Bcl-2, and caspase-3 proteins. Nude mice subcutaneous xenograft model of cholangiocarcinoma was established to examine the impacts of MALAT1 on subcutaneous tumor growth. Immunohistochemistry was adopted to examine the positive indicator of Ki67 antibodies and SMD10 antibodies in each group. MALAT1 and PSMD10 were highly expressed in cholangiocarcinoma tissues and cell lines, while miR-188-5p was lowly expressed. MALAT1 could competitively bind to miR-188-5p, and miR-188-5p could negatively regulate PSMD10. MALAT1, In-miR-188-5p, and PSMD10 could facilitate cell invasion and migration and inhibit apoptosis, while siMALAT1, miR-188-5p, and siPSMD10 produced an opposite result. MALAT1-miR-188-5p-PSMD10 axis could promote RBE cell invasion and migration and inhibit apoptosis, whereas siMALAT1-In-miR-188-5p-siPSMD10 axis showed an opposite result. On the other hand, it was verified that up-regulation/down-regulation of MALAT1 can inhibit/promote Bax and caspase-3 proteins and promote/inhibit the expression of Bcl-2 protein. MALAT1 could facilitate subcutaneous tumor growth and enhance cell proliferation and positive signal of PSMD10, while miR-188-5p worked in an opposite direction. MALAT1 competitively binds to miR-188-5p to up-regulate mRNA translation and protein expression of PSMD10, thereby facilitating cholangiocarcinoma cell invasion and migration and inhibiting its apoptosis. However, interfering MALAT1-miR-188-5p-PSMD10 axis could inhibit the occurrence and development of cholangiocarcinoma.

LncRNA GNAS-AS1 knockdown inhibits keloid cells growth by mediating the miR-188-5p/RUNX2 axis

Keloid is a common dermis tumor, occurring repeatedly, affecting the quality of patients' life. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have crucial regulatory capacities in skin scarring formation and subsequent scar carcinogenesis. The intention of this study was to investigate the mechanism and function of GNAS antisense-1 (GNAS-AS1) in keloids. Clinical samples were collected to evaluate the expression of GNAS-AS1, RUNX2, and miR-188-5p by qRT-PCR. The proliferation, migration, and invasion of HKF cells were detected by CCK-8, wound healing, and Transwell assays. The expression levels of mRNA and protein were examined through qRT-PCR and Western blot assay. Luciferase reporter assay was used to identify the binding relationship among GNAS-AS1, miR-188-5p, and Runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2). GNAS-AS1 and RUNX2 expressions were remarkably enhanced, and miR-188-5p expression was decreased in keloid clinical tissues and HKF cells. GNAS-AS1 overexpression promoted cells proliferation, migration, and invasion, while GNAS-AS1 knockdown had the opposite trend. Furthermore, overexpression of GNAS-AS1 reversed the inhibitory effect of 5-FU on cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. MiR-188-5p inhibition or RUNX2 overexpression could enhance the proliferation, migration, and invasion of HKF cells. GNAS-AS1 targeted miR-188-5p to regulate RUNX2 expression. In addition, the inhibition effects of GNAS-AS1 knockdown on HKF cells could be reversed by inhibition of miR-188-5p or overexpression of RUNX2, while RUNX2 overexpression eliminated the suppressive efficaciousness of miR-188-5p mimics on HKF cells growth. GNAS-AS1 knockdown could regulate the miR-188-5p/RUNX2 signaling axis to inhibit the growth and migration in keloid cells. It is suggested that GNAS-AS1 may become a new target for the prevention and treatment of keloid.

HOXC6-Mediated miR-188-5p Expression Induces Cell Migration through the Inhibition of the Tumor Suppressor FOXN2

Homeobox C6 (HOXC6) is a transcription factor that plays a role in the malignant progression of various cancers. However, the roles of HOXC6 and its regulatory mechanism remain unclear. In this study, we used microRNA (miRNA) regulatory networks to identify key regulatory interactions responsible for HOXC6-mediated cancer progression. In microarray profiling of miRNAs, the levels of miRNAs such as hsa-miR-188-5p, hsa-miR-8063, and hsa-miR-8064 were significantly increased in HOXC6-overexpressing cells. Higher positive expression rates of HOXC6 and miR-188-5p were observed in malignant cancer. We also found that HOXC6 significantly upregulated miR-188-5p expression. The underlying function of HOXC6-mediated miR-188-5p expression was predicted through TargetScan and the MiRNA Database. Overexpression of mir-188-5p inhibited the expression of forkhead box N2 (FOXN2), a tumor suppressor gene. Furthermore, in the luciferase assay, miR-188-5p bound to the 3'-UTR of FOXN2 and was mainly responsible for the dysregulation of FOXN2 expression. Silencing FOXN2 induced cell migration, and the effect of FOXN2 silencing was enhanced when the HOXC6/miR-188-5p axis was induced. These results suggest that HOXC6/miR-188-5p may induce malignant progression in cancer by inhibiting the activation of the FOXN2 signaling pathway.

Endoplasmic reticulum stress promotes sorafenib resistance via miR-188-5p/hnRNPA2B1-mediated upregulation of PKM2 in hepatocellular carcinoma

Emerging evidence has shown that endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress promotes sorafenib resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to explore the mechanism by which ER stress promotes sorafenib resistance in HCC. We found that pyruvate kinase isoform M2 (PKM2) was highly expressed in human HCC tissues and co-related with worse clinicopathologic features and overall survival. Activation of ER stress positively correlated with PKM2 expression both in HCC tissue samples and tunicamycin (TM)-induced HCC cell lines. PKM2 knockdown increased sorafenib-induced apoptosis and decreased the ability of colony formation, while upregulation of PKM2 reverses this phenomenon. Furthermore, high-throughput sequencing identified that activation of ER stress significantly downregulated the expression of miR-188-5p in HCC cells. According to bioinformatics analysis and dual-luciferase assays, we further confirmed that hnRNPA2B1 is the target gene of miR-188-5p. Downregulating the expression of hnRNPA2B1 with siRNA could decrease the expression of PKM2 and enhance sorafenib-induced apoptosis in HepG2 cells. Our study demonstrated that ER stress could promote sorafenib resistance through upregulating PKM2 via miR-188-5p/hnRNPA2B1. Therefore, targeting the miR-188-5p/hnRNPA2B1/PKM2 pathway and ER stress may prove instrumental in overcoming sorafenib resistance in HCC treatment.

Potentiated lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) cell growth, migration and invasion by lncRNA DARS-AS1 via miR-188-5p/ KLF12 axis

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the most common histological type of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Due to the nonspecific early symptoms, the majority of the diagnosed LUAD patients are in the middle and late stages, with multiple metastases, and have missed the optimal period for treatment. Current studies have reported lncRNA DARS-AS1 as a cancer-promoting gene that expedites tumorigenesis. This is the first study demonstrating that DARS-AS1 is involved in the mediating process of LUAD. Cell functional experiments revealed that lncRNA DARS-AS1 participated in enhancing LUAD proliferation, invasion, and migration by inhibiting miR-188-5p. The investigation on DARS-AS1/miR-188-5p led to the discovery of KLF12 as a downstream target of miR-188-5p, and the regulatory pathway was established as DARS-AS1/miR-188-5p/KLF12. According to western blot results, DARS-AS1 promoted LUAD cell growth, migration, and invasion via stimulation of the PI3K/AKT pathway, activating the EMT process, and up-regulating the CyclinD1 and Bcl-2 proteins. This was the first report on the DARS-AS1/miR-188-5p/KLF12 axis and offered a novel strategy for early diagnosis, a new therapeutic method, and an improved prognosis for LUAD.

Validation of MicroRNA-188-5p Inhibition Power on Tumor Cell Proliferation in Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma

Given the crucial role of microRNAs in the cellular proliferation of various types of cancers, we aimed to analyze the expression and function of a cellular proliferation-associated miR-188-5p in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). Here we demonstrate that miR-188-5p is downregulated in PTC tumor tissues compared with the associated noncancerous tissues. We also validate that the miR-188-5p overexpression suppressed the PTC cancer cell proliferation. In addition, fibroblast growth factor 5 (FGF5) is observed to be downregulated in the PTC tumor tissues compared with the associated noncancerous tissues. Subsequently, FGF5 is identified as the direct functional target of miR-188-5p. Moreover, the silencing of FGF5 was found to inhibit PTC cell proliferation, which is the same pattern as miR-188-5p overexpression. These results suggest that miR-188-5p-associated silencing of FGF5 inhibits tumor cell proliferation in PTC. It also highlights the importance of further evaluating miR-188-5p as a potential biomarker and therapy target in PTC.

Circ-PRMT5 enhances the proliferation, migration and glycolysis of hepatoma cells by targeting miR-188-5p/HK2 axis

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

Circular RNA (circRNA) has been demonstrated as a critical regulator in human cancer, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Nevertheless, the role of circ-PRMT5 in HCC remains largely unknown.

PATIENTS OR MATERIALS AND METHODS

The real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was performed to assess the expression levels of circ-PRMT5, miR-188-5p and anti-Hexokinase II (HK2) in HCC tissues and cells. The cell proliferation, migration and glycolysis were determined by 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazol-3-ium bromide (MTT), transwell migration assay, and indicated kits, respectively. The interaction relationship between miR-188-5p and circ-PRMT5 or HK2 was analyzed by the bioinformatics database, dual-luciferase reporter assay, and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay. The western blot assay was used to analyze the expression level of HK2. The functional role of circ-PRMT5 in vivo was assessed by a xenograft experiment.

RESULTS

Circ-PRMT5 was elevated in HCC tissues and cells than matched control groups. Furthermore, loss-of-functional experiments revealed that the silencing of circ-PRMT5 could repress proliferation, migration, glycolysis in vitro and tumor growth in vivo. Moreover, we also confirmed that overexpression of circ-PRMT5 abolished the effects on HCC cells induced by upregulating miR-188-5p. In addition, overexpression of miR-188-5p could repress the development of HCC. More importantly, HK2 was a target gene of miR-188-5p, and miR-188-5p regulated proliferation, migration, glycolysis of HCC cells by specifically binding to HK2. Mechanistically, circ-PRMT5 could act as a sponge of miR-188-5p to regulate the expression of HK2.

CONCLUSION

In summary, circ-PRMT5 might play a key role in proliferation, migration, glycolysis of HCC cells via miR-188-5p/HK2 axis, which indicated that circ-PRMT5 might be a potential therapeutic target for HCC treatment.

Knockdown of HCG18 Inhibits Cell Viability, Migration and Invasion in Pediatric Osteosarcoma by Targeting miR-188-5p/FOXC1 Axis

Understanding the underlying mechanisms of pediatric osteosarcoma (OS) migration and invasion is important for prognosis and treatment. We tried to measure the expression of long non-coding RNA HLA complex group 18 (HCG18) in OS and reveal its function in the malignant behaviors of OS cells. This study detected the expression of HCG18, miR-188-5p and forkhead box C1 (FOXC1) in OS tissues and cell lines by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). The relevance between miR-188-5p and HCG18 or FOXC1 was affirmed by dual-luciferase reporter (DLR) assay. Cell viability was analyzed by MTT assay. Transwell assay was utilized to test cell invasion and migration. FOXC1 protein expression was detected by western blot. HCG18 expression was elevated in OS tissues, and enhanced HCG18 expression was related to metastasis. HCG18 silencing repressed the viability, migration and invasion of OS cells. Moreover, HCG18 interacted with miR-188-5p. MiR-188-5p up-regulation repressed cell viability, invasion and migration in OS cells. FOXC1, a known target of miR-188-5p, was negatively modulated by miR-188-5p. Furthermore, miR-188-5p inhibition or FOXC1 over-expression partially abolished the reduced of cell viability, invasion and migration mediated by HCG18 silencing in OS cell lines. This study revealed that HCG18 knockdown repressed the viability, invasion and migration of OS cells by targeting miR-188-5p and regulating FOXC1 expression. Thus, HCG18/ miR-188-5p/FOX may be a hopeful target for OS therapy.

miR-188-5p promotes oxaliplatin resistance by targeting RASA1 in colon cancer cells

The efficacy of chemotherapy for colon cancer is limited due to the development of chemoresistance. MicroRNA (miR)-188-5p is downregulated in various types of cancer. The aim of the present study was to explore the molecular role of miR-188 in oxaliplatin (OXA) resistance. An OXA-resistant colon cancer cell line, SW480/OXA, was used to examine the effects of miR-188-5p on the sensitivity of colon cancer cells to OXA. The target of miR-188-5p was identified using a luciferase assay. Cell cycle distribution was also assessed using flow cytometry. The measurement of p21 protein expression, Hoechst 33342 staining and Annexin V/propidium iodide staining was used to evaluate apoptosis. The expression of miR-188-5p significantly increased in SW480/OXA compared with wild-type SW480 cells. The luciferase assay demonstrated that miR-188-5p inhibited Ras GTPase-activating protein 1 (RASA1; also known as p120/RasGAP) luciferase activity by binding to the 3'-untranslated region of RASA1 mRNA, suggesting that miR-188-5p could target RASA1. In addition, miR-188-5p downregulation or RASA1 overexpression promoted the chemosensitivity of SW480/OXA, as evidenced by increased apoptosis and G₁/S cell cycle arrest. Moreover, RASA1 silencing abrogated the increase in cell apoptosis induced by the miR-188-5p inhibitor. The findings of the present study suggested that miR-188-5p could enhance colon cancer cell chemosensitivity by promoting the expression of RASA1.

SNHG15 facilitated malignant behaviors of oral squamous cell carcinoma through targeting miR-188-5p/DAAM1

BACKGROUND

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) small nucleolar RNA host gene 15 (SNHG15) has been discovered and demonstrated to have significant function in multiple cancers. Nevertheless, how it participates in the progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and its potential regulatory system are still unclear.

METHODS

RT-qPCR detected the expression of SNHG15, miR-188-5p, and DAAM1. RNA pull down, RT-qPCR, and bioinformatics were used for finding and selecting downstream targets of SNHG15.

RESULTS

SNHG15 presented a high expression in OSCC cells. Moreover, inhibition of SNHG15 exhibited repressive influence on proliferative, migrated, and invasive abilities but induce apoptosis of OSCC cells. Through the search of bioinformatics and RNA pull down assays, we confirmed that miR-188-5p was one target of SNHG15 in OSCC cells. Additionally, miR-188-5p could hamper the growth of OSCC cells. Moreover, it was manifested that DAAM1 was down-regulated by miR-188-5p. DAAM1 was up-regulated in OSCC cells. Furthermore, it exerted oncogenic function in the course of OSCC. Eventually, overexpression of DAAM1 offsets the effects of down-regulation of SNHG15 on the development of OSCC.

CONCLUSION

To summarize, our study certified that SNHG15 contributed to the process of OSCC via sponging miR-188-5p to elevate DAAM1 expression. SNHG15 might offer novel sight to improve the results of treatment for OSCC.

miR-188-5p inhibits proliferation, migration, and invasion in gallbladder carcinoma by targeting Wnt2b and Smad2

Gallbladder carcinoma (GBC) commonly occurs in gastrointestinal malignancy and has the fifth highest mortality rate among gastrointestinal malignancy. Recently, miR-188-5p, a small noncoding RNA, has been implicated in various types of cancer such as nasopharyngeal carcinoma, oral squamous cell carcinoma, liver cancer, and prostate cancer. However, the effect of miR-188-5p on GBC remains unclear. Here, we demonstrated that miR-188-5p was downregulated in GBC tissues, and downregulation of miR-188-5p correlated with larger tumor size, lymph node metastasis, and extensive metastasis. In addition, the overall survival time of patients with higher miR-188-5p expression was significantly longer than that of patients with low-miR-188-5p expression. Moreover, downregulation of miR-188-5p promoted the proliferation, migration, and invasion of GBC cells, while its overexpression inhibited cell invasion and induced cell apoptosis, and arrested GBC growth in vivo. Importantly, miR-188-5p-dependent tumorigenesis was correlated with Wnt/β-catenin signaling and p-38/JNK signaling. In conclusion, miR-188-5p plays a direct role in GBC tumorigenesis. Our study suggests that miR-188-5p could serve as a novel diagnosis marker and therapeutic target in GBC.

MMP1 3'UTR facilitates the proliferation and migration of human oral squamous cell carcinoma by sponging miR-188-5p to up-regulate SOX4 and CDK4

Growing evidence indicates that the non-coding 3'-untranslated region (3'UTR) of genes acts as competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) to exert their roles in a number of diseases, including cancer. In the present study, MMP1 messenger RNA was identified to be significantly up-regulated in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) tissues, and both MMP1 and its 3'UTR promoted tumor growth and cell motility. Further mechanism investigations indicated that MMP1 3'UTR was able to antagonize miR-188-5p; in addition, overexpression of MMP1 3'UTR up-regulated the expression level of SOX4 and CDK4, target genes of miR-188-5p, which have also been identified as oncogenic driver genes in OSCC. Therefore, a ceRNA regulatory network among MMP1, SOX4, and CDK4 mediated via competing for binding to miR-188-5p was proved. Taken together, the present study demonstrates for the first time that MMP1 mRNA participates in the development of OSCC via ceRNA regulatory mechanism and genes involved in the ceRNA network may provide a novel avenue for target therapy.

miR-188-5p inhibits apoptosis of neuronal cells during oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD)-induced stroke by suppressing PTEN

The miRNAs and mRNAs are found to play a crucial role in modulating different diseases including stroke, according to the recent evidence. The current study is aimed at assessing the functional role played by miR-188-5p in the regulation of cell apoptosis and viability in OGD-induced human neural cell line HNC. With the help of RT-qPCR, the authors determined miR-188-5p as well as its putative target PTEN among OGD-treated cells in different treatment times. The cell viability was assessed through CCK-8 assay while the cell transfection either upregulated or may have silenced the genes. Both Western Blot as well as RT-qPCR found the proliferation biomarkers such as Ki87 and PCNA in addition to apoptosis biomarkers such as caspase-8 and caspase-3. The luciferase activity was tracked by conducting luciferase assay. The researchers observed an elevation in the expression of miR-188-5p while the PTEN got downregulated in Human Neural Cell line HNC with increase in the time span. The expressions of miR-188-5p and PTEN got increased with increasing OGD treatment time while the Luciferase reassured the binding site. The cell viability was suppressed by the overexpression of miR-188-5p which further inhibited the apoptosis biomarkers too. Meanwhile, it was understood that the results could be reversed to some extent with the inhibition of PTEN. The study findings from in vitro investigations yielded promising results and provided excellent insights about the fundamental molecular mechanisms of miR-188-5p involved in stroke via PTEN. This could be considered as a potential therapeutic axis among stroke patients in the near future.

miR-188-5p Promotes Tumor Growth by Targeting CD2AP Through PI3K/AKT/mTOR Signaling in Children with Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia

PURPOSE

Pediatric acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) accounts for 10% of pediatric acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) case and is accompanied by a tendency to hemorrhage. miR-188-5p plays an important role in adult AML. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the effects of miR-188-5p on cell proliferation and apoptosis and tumor growth, and its mechanism in pediatric APL patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Survival-associated miRNAs or mRNAs from TCGA database associated with AML were identified via using the "survival R" package in R language. CCK8, clone formation, flow cytometry, RT-PCR, immunohistochemistry and Western blot assays were used to detect the viability, proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle, and related gene expression in APL cell lines. The prognostic value of miR-188-5p was evaluated using a ROC curve. The tumorigenic ability of APL cell lines was determined using a nude mouse transplantation tumor experiment. Tumor cell apoptosis was determined by TUNEL assay in vivo. The target genes of miR-188-5p were predicted using the miRDB, miRTarBase, and TargetScan databases. A PPI network was constructed using STRING database and the hub gene was identified using the MCODE plug-in of the Cytoscape software. The DAVID database was used to perform GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses. A luciferase reporter assay was used to demonstrate the binding of miR-188-5p to CD2AP.

RESULTS

miR-188-5p overexpression or CD2 associated protein (CD2AP) inhibition was significantly associated with poor survival in pediatric APL patients. Upregulation of miR-188-5p was identified in the blood of pediatric APL patients and cell lines. Increased expression of miR-188-5p also promoted the viability, proliferation, and cell cycle progression, and reduced the apoptosis of APL cells. Additionally, upregulation of miR-188-5p regulated the expressions of cyclinD1, p53, Bax, Bcl-2 and cleaved caspase-3. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of miR-188-5p was 0.661. miR-188-5p overexpression increased the tumorigenic ability of APL and Ki67 expression, and reduced cell apoptosis in vivo. CD2AP was identified as the only overlapping gene from the list of miR-188-5p target genes and survival-related mRNAs of the TCGA database. It was mainly enriched in the "biological process (BP)" and "cellular component (CC)" terms, and was downregulated in the blood of pediatric APL patients and cell lines. The luciferase reporter, RT-PCR, and Western blot assays demonstrated that the binding of miR-188-5p to CD2AP. CD2AP inhibition promoted the proliferation and inhibited the apoptosis of APL cells. Rescue experiments showed that inhibition of miR-188-5p inhibited cell proliferation, activated the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, induced G0/G1 phase arrest, regulated gene expression, and promoted cell apoptosis, which were reversed by CD2AP inhibition.

CONCLUSION

miR-188-5p, an oncogene, promoted tumor growth and progression of pediatric APL in vitro and in vivo via targeting CD2AP and activating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.

DSCAM-AS1 mediates pro-hypertrophy role of GRK2 in cardiac hypertrophy aggravation via absorbing miR-188-5p

Sustained cardiac hypertrophy, as previously clarified, serves as a critical initiator of heart failure and therefore is acknowledged as an important factor for heart failure treatment. The broadly demonstrated function and participation of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in tumors are well accepted. However, the underlying mechanism implicating lncRNAs in cardiac hypertrophy is mostly unexplored and deserves to be specifically studied. The devised work was aimed to disclose the function of lncRNA DS cell adhesion molecule antisense RNA 1 (DSCAM-AS1) in angiotensin II (AngII)-induced cardiac hypertrophy. In this study, we discovered the upregulation of DSCAM-AS1 in cardiomyocytes treated with AngII by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Western blot and qRT-PCR suggested that DSCAM-AS1 silencing attenuated the highly expressed hypertrophic biomarkers including β-myosin heavy chain (β-MHC), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) at mRNA and protein levels. The expanded cell surface in the presence of AngII treatment area was also shrunk by DSCAM-AS1 silencing. Mechanical analysis manifested that DSCAM-AS1 sponged microRNA-188-5p to boost the pro-hypertrophy gene G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2 (GRK2) expression. Rescue experiments unveiled miR-188-5p and GRK2 managed to reverse the anti-hypertrophy impact of DSCAM-AS1 silencing. In summary, DSCAM-AS1 was identified as a positive modulator in cardiac hypertrophy through miR-188-5p decoying and GRK2 augmentation, giving rise to an enriched theoretical basis for finding a promising target in cardiac hypertrophy regulation.

miR-188-5p suppresses cellular proliferation and migration via IL6ST: A potential noninvasive diagnostic biomarker for breast cancer

Previously, serum miR-188-5p is differentially expressed in breast cancer, but the diagnostic potential of circulating miR-188-5p as well as its regulatory mechanism in breast cancer remain uncertain. Herein, serum miR-188-5p was detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction in patients with breast cancer, breast fibroadenoma, and healthy subjects. Circulating miR-188-5p was abnormally elevated in patients with breast cancer as compared with these other two groups, and was reduced in patients with breast cancer following surgical treatment. Increased serum miR-188-5p corresponded to lymph node metastasis status and TNM stages of breast cancer. A receiver operating characteristic curve analysis of the ability to circulate miR-188-5p to distinguish between patients with breast cancer and either noncancerous patients or patients with breast fibroadenoma yielded corresponding areas under the curve of 0.894 and 8.814. miR-188-5p was downregulated in the highly malignant cancer line MDA-MB-231 relative to the less malignant MCF-7 cells. In vitro, functional analyses conducted via transfecting cells with mimics and inhibitors revealed miR-188-5p to suppress breast cancer cell proliferation and migration, which was mediated by its downstream target IL6ST. Comparison of intracellular and exosomal miR-188-5p levels indicated that miR-188-5p was selectively sorted into exosomes derived from MDA-MB-231 cells rather than those from MCF-7 cells. However, exosomal miR-188-5p levels in the serum of patients with breast cancer were reduced compared to healthy controls and did not differ relative to patients with breast fibroadenoma. In summary, miR-188-5p acts in a tumor-suppressive manner in breast cancer progression and may serve as a noninvasive early diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic target in breast cancer.

MicroRNA-188-5p promotes apoptosis and inhibits cell proliferation of breast cancer cells via the MAPK signaling pathway by targeting Rap2c

Breast cancer is a common malignancy that is highly lethal with poor survival rates and immature therapeutics that urgently needs more effective and efficient therapies. MicroRNAs are intrinsically involved in different cancer remedies, but their mechanism in breast cancer has not been elucidated for prospective treatment. The function and mechanism of microRNA-188-5p (miR-188) have not been thoroughly investigated in breast cancer. In our study, we found that the expression of miR-188 in breast cancer tissues was obviously reduced. Our findings also revealed the abnormal overexpression of miR-188 in 4T1 and MCF-7 cells significantly suppressed cell proliferation and migration and also enhanced apoptosis. miR-188 induced cell cycle arrest in the G1 phase. To illuminate the molecular mechanism of miR-188, Rap2c was screened as a single target gene by bioinformatics database analysis and was further confirmed by dual-luciferase assay. Moreover, Rap2c was found to be a vital molecular switch for the mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway in tumor progression by decreasing apoptosis and promoting proliferation and migration. In conclusion, our results revealed that miR-188 is a cancer progression suppressor and a promising future target for breast cancer therapy.

Long noncoding RNA SBF2-AS1 act as a ceRNA to modulate cell proliferation via binding with miR-188-5p in acute myeloid leukemia

LncRNA SBF2-AS1 has been reported to be implicated in the deterioration of multiple human cancers. However, the roles and underlying mechanisms of SBF2-AS1 in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are still unclear. In the present study, the online GEPIA database showed that SBF2-AS1 expression was significantly increased in AML samples. QRT-PCR results showed that SBF2-AS1 expression was upregulated in AML cells. CCK-8 assay revealed that SBF2-AS1 inhibition decreased AML cells proliferation ability in vitro. Flow cytometry assays showed that SBF2-AS1 inhibition induced AML cells apoptosis and arrested AML cells in G0/G1 phase. Mechanistically, miR-188-5p was identified as a direct target of SBF2-AS1. SBF2-AS1 upregulated the expression level of ZFP91 by sponging miR-188-5p. And the effects of SBF2-AS1 suppression on AML cells progression could be abolished by miR-188-5p inhibitors. Moreover, we found that SBF2-AS1 inhibition reduced tumor growth in vivo. Taken together, our findings elucidated that SBF2-AS1 could act as a miRNA sponge in AML progression, and provided a potential therapeutic strategy for AML treatment.

MiR-188-5p and MiR-141-3p influence prognosis of bladder cancer and promote bladder cancer synergistically

MicroRNA (miRNA) plays a significant role in suppressing the occurrence and development of tumor by inhibiting the translation of target proteins. Although previous researches have verified many miRNAs' functions in bladder cancer (BC), the function of miR-188-5p and miR-141-3p in BC still remains unknown. Our experiment manifested that miR-188-5p and miR-141-3p were highly expressed in BC tissues and cells, which indicated a poor prognosis. In vitro functional assays suggested that down-regulated miR-188-5p and miR-141-3p inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of BC cells, while a combination of half dose down-regulated miR-188-5p and half dose down-regulated miR-141-3p demonstrated a more obvious inhibition effect. All results indicated that miR-188-5p and miR-141-3p promoted BC respectively and synergistically. Therefore, miR-188-5p and miR-141-3p will not only assist the diagnosis of BC, but also serve as more effective joint markers to predict the progression of BC.

LncRNA CASC11 promotes cancer cell proliferation in hepatocellular carcinoma by inhibiting miRNA-188-5p

It is known that lncRNA CASC11 promotes the development of gastric cancer. Our study was carried out to investigate the possible involvement of ncRNA CASC11 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In the present study, we found that CASC11 was up-regulated, while miR-188-5p was down-regulated in tumor tissues of HCC patients. CASC11 and miR-188-5p were not affected by HBV and HCV infections. Follow-up study showed that high levels of CASC11 were significantly correlated with poor survival. Expression levels of CASC11 and miR-188-5p were inversely correlated in tumor tissues. CASC11 overexpression mediated the down-regulation of miR-188-5p, while miR-188-5p overexpression failed to affect CASC11 expression. CASC11 overexpression led to promoted, while miR-188-5p overexpression led to inhibited proliferation of cells of HCC cell lines. CASC11 overexpression showed no significant effects on cancer cell migration and invasion. In addition, miR-188-5p overexpression attenuated the enhancing effects of CASC11 overexpression on cancer cell proliferation. Therefore, LncRNA CASC11 promoted cancer cell proliferation in HCC possibly by inhibiting miR-188-5p.

miR-188-5p emerges as an oncomiRNA to promote gastric cancer cell proliferation and migration via upregulation of SALL4

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play pivotal roles in modulating key biological processes in gastric cancer (GC). As a newly identified miRNA, the function and potential mechanism of miR-188-5p in GC has not been thoroughly elucidated. Here, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction detection showed abnormally higher expression of miR-188-5p in GC cells and tissues. Gain-of-function analysis in vitro showed that miR-188-5p promoted GC cell proliferation and migration, while loss-of-function studies showed the reverse. Targetscan has predicted that phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) was a potential target gene of miR-188-5p. miR-188-5p suppressed PTEN messenger RNA and protein expression and activated downstream AKT/mTOR signaling in GC cells, but luciferase reporter analysis showed that PTEN was not regulated by miR-188-5p via the 3' untranslated region. Furthermore, we observed that miR-188-5p overexpression promoted Sal-like protein 4 (SALL4) protein expression, cellular nuclear translocation, and transcription. Knockdown of SALL4 eliminated the effect of miR-188-5p in GC cells as well as suppression of PTEN. Taken together, our results demonstrate that miR-188-5p promotes GC cell proliferation and migration while suppressing tumor suppressor gene PTEN expression via transcriptional upregulation of oncogene SALL4. We conclude that miR-188-5p acts as an oncomiRNA in GC and may be a promising therapeutic target for GC.

LncRNA PAPAS promotes hepatocellular carcinoma by interacting with miR-188-5p

It has been observed that long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) PAPAS regulates rRNA synthesis, but its role in human diseases is unclear. Our study was carried out to investigate the role of PAPAS in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In the present study, we found that PAPAS was upregulated both in plasma from patients with HCC and tumors compared with plasma from healthy people and tumor-adjacent healthy tissues. Expression levels of PAPAS in tumor tissues and plasma of patients with HCC were significantly and positively correlated. Plasma levels of PAPAS effectively distinguished stage I patients from healthy controls. MicroRNA (miR)-188-5p was downregulated in tumor tissues than in tumor-adjacent healthy tissues of patients with HCC, and was inversely correlated with PAPAS in tumor tissues but not in adjacent healthy tissues. PAPAS and miR-188-5p downregulated each other. PAPAS overexpression promoted, while miR-188-5p overexpression inhibited the HCC cell proliferation. Rescue experiment showed that miR-34a overexpression attenuated the effects of PAPAS overexpression. However, PAPAS overexpression failed to affect significantly cancer cell migration and invasion. Therefore, lncRNA PAPAS promotes HCC by interacting with miR-188-5p.

miR-188-5p regulates proliferation and invasion via PI3K/Akt/MMP-2/9 signaling in keloids

Keloids (KDs) and hypertrophic scars (HSs), two forms of pathological scars, seriously affect the physical and psychological health of patients. Despite many similarities with HSs, KDs are characterized by invasion and a high rate of recurrence after surgery, features they share in common with tumors. The underlying molecular mechanisms of this phenomenon have not been fully elucidated. In this study, we used microRNA (miRNA) array analysis to search for invasion-associated miRNAs in KDs. The expression of miR-188-5p in KDs, HSs, normal skin (NS) tissues, and cell lines was measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Furthermore, cell proliferation, migration, and invasion were detected in KD fibroblasts (KFs) and HS fibroblasts (HSFs), and interrelated proteins were ascertained by western blot analysis. It was found that miR-188-5p was significantly decreased in KD tissue compared with HS and NS tissues. Upregulated expression of miR-188-5p suppressed KF proliferation, migration, and invasion; and decreased expression of miR-188-5p also promoted HSF proliferation, migration, and invasion. The protein levels of MMP-2, MMP-9, PI3K, and p-Akt in miR-188-5p mimic-transfected KFs were repressed. In contrast, after transfection with miR-188-5p inhibitor, the protein levels of MMP-2, MMP-9, PI3K, and p-Akt were higher than the control in HSFs. Treatment with PI3K/Akt inhibitor LY294002 in KFs with miR-188-5p inhibitor did not further reduce their proliferation, migration, and invasion. The upregulation of MMP-2 and MMP-9 by miR-188-5p inhibitor could be abolished by LY294002. These findings together demonstrate a tumor-suppressive role of miR-188-5p in KD proliferation and invasion via PI3K/Akt/MMP-2/9 signaling, indicating that miR-188-5p may be a potential prognostic marker and therapeutic target for KDs.

miR-188-5p inhibits tumour growth and metastasis in prostate cancer by repressing LAPTM4B expression

Elucidation of the molecular targets and pathways regulated by the tumour-suppressive miRNAs can shed light on the oncogenic and metastatic processes in prostate cancer (PCa). Using miRNA profiling analysis, we find that miR-188-5p was significantly down-regulated in metastatic PCa. Down-regulation of miR-188-5p is an independent prognostic factor for poor overall and biochemical recurrence-free survival. Restoration of miR-188-5p in PCa cells (PC-3 and LNCaP) significantly suppresses proliferation, migration and invasion in vitro and inhibits tumour growth and metastasis in vivo. We also find overexpression of miR-188-5p in PC-3 cells can significantly enhance the cells' chemosensitivity to adriamycin. LAPTM4B is subsequently identified as a direct target of miR-188-5p in PCa, and is found to be significantly over-expressed in PCa. Knockdown of LAPTM4B phenotypically copies miR-188-5p-induced phenotypes, whereas ectopic expression of LAPTM4B reverses the effects of miR-188-5p. We also find that restoration of miR-188-5p can inhibit the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway via the suppression of LAPTM4B. Taken together, this is the first report unveils that miR-188-5p acts as a tumour suppressor in PCa and may therefore serve as a useful therapeutic target for the development of new anticancer therapy.

Dysregulated Serum MiRNA Profile and Promising Biomarkers in Dengue-infected Patients

OBJECTIVES

Pathological biomarkers and mechanisms of dengue infection are poorly understood. We investigated a new serum biomarker using miRNAs and performed further correlation analysis in dengue-infected patients.

METHODS

Expression levels of broad-spectrum miRNAs in serum samples from three patients with dengue virus type 1 (DENV-1) and three healthy volunteers were separately analyzed using miRNA PCR arrays. The expressions of the five selected miRNAs were verified by qRT-PCR in the sera of 40 DENV-1 patients and compared with those from 32 healthy controls. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and correlation analyses were performed to evaluate the potential of these miRNAs for the diagnosis of dengue infection.

RESULTS

MiRNA PCR arrays revealed that 41 miRNAs were upregulated, whereas 12 miRNAs were down-regulated in the sera of DENV-1 patients compared with those in healthy controls. Among these miRNAs, qRT-PCR validation showed that serum hsa-miR-21-5p, hsa-miR-590-5p, hsa-miR-188-5p, and hsa-miR-152-3p were upregulated, whereas hsa-miR-146a-5p was down-regulated in dengue-infected patients compared with healthy controls. ROC curves showed serum hsa-miR-21-5p and hsa-miR-146a-5p could distinguish dengue-infected patients with preferable sensitivity and specificity. Correlation analysis indicated that expression levels of serum hsa-miR-21-5p and hsa-miR-146a-5p were negative and positively correlated with the number of white blood cells and neutrophils, respectively. Functional analysis of target proteins of these miRNAs in silico indicated their involvement in inflammation and cell proliferation.

CONCLUSION

Dengue-infected patients have a broad "fingerprint" profile with dysregulated serum miRNAs. Among these miRNAs, serum hsa-miR-21-5p, hsa-miR-146a-5p, hsa-miR-590-5p, hsa-miR-188-5p, and hsa-miR-152-3p were identified as promising serum indicators for dengue infection.

Expression and function of microRNA-188-5p in activated rheumatoid arthritis synovial fibroblasts

Activated synovial fibroblasts in rheumatoid arthritis (RASF) play a critical role in the pathology of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Recent studies suggested that deregulation of microRNAs (miRs) affects the development and progression of RA. Therefore, we aimed to identify de-regulated miRs in RASF and to identify target genes that may contribute to the aggressive phenotype of RASF. Quantitative real-time PCR revealed a marked downregulation of miR-188-5p in synovial tissue samples of RA patients as well as in RASF. Exposure to the cytokine interleukine-1β lead to a further downregulation of miR-188-5p expression levels compared to control cells. Re-expression of miR-188-5p in RASF by transient transfection significantly inhibited cell migration. However, miR-188-5p re-expression had no effects on glycosaminoglycan degradation or expression of repellent factors, which have been previously shown to affect the invasive behavior of RASF. In search for target genes of miR-188-5p in RASF we performed gene expression profiling in RASF and found a strong regulatory effect of miR-188-5p on the hyaluronan binding protein KIAA1199 as well as collagens COL1A1 and COL12A1, which was confirmed by qRT-PCR. In silico analysis revealed that KIAA1199 carries a 3'UTR binding site for miR-188-5p. COL1A1 and COL12A1 showed no binding site in the mRNA region, suggesting an indirect regulation of these two genes by miR-188-5p. In summary, our study showed that miR-188-5p is down-regulated in RA in vitro and in vivo, most likely triggered by an inflammatory environment. MiR-188-5p expression is correlated to the activation state of RASF and inhibits migration of these cells. Furthermore, miR-188-5p is directly and indirectly regulating the expression of genes, which may play a role in extracellular matrix formation and destruction in RA. Herewith, this study identified potential novel therapeutic targets to inhibit the development and progression of RA.

Expression and function of microRNA-188-5p in activated rheumatoid arthritis synovial fibroblasts

Activated synovial fibroblasts in rheumatoid arthritis (RASF) play a critical role in the pathology of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Recent studies suggested that deregulation of microRNAs (miRs) affects the development and progression of RA. Therefore, we aimed to identify de-regulated miRs in RASF and to identify target genes that may contribute to the aggressive phenotype of RASF. Quantitative real-time PCR revealed a marked downregulation of miR-188-5p in synovial tissue samples of RA patients as well as in RASF. Exposure to the cytokine interleukine-1β lead to a further downregulation of miR-188-5p expression levels compared to control cells. Re-expression of miR-188-5p in RASF by transient transfection significantly inhibited cell migration. However, miR-188-5p re-expression had no effects on glycosaminoglycan degradation or expression of repellent factors, which have been previously shown to affect the invasive behavior of RASF. In search for target genes of miR-188-5p in RASF we performed gene expression profiling in RASF and found a strong regulatory effect of miR-188-5p on the hyaluronan binding protein KIAA1199 as well as collagens COL1A1 and COL12A1, which was confirmed by qRT-PCR. In silico analysis revealed that KIAA1199 carries a 3'UTR binding site for miR-188-5p. COL1A1and COL12A1 showed no binding site in the mRNA region, suggesting an indirect regulation of these two genes by miR-188-5p. In summary, our study showed that miR-188-5p is down-regulated in RA in vitro and in vivo, most likely triggered by an inflammatory environment. MiR-188-5p expression is correlated to the activation state of RASF and inhibits migration of these cells. Furthermore, miR-188-5p is directly and indirectly regulating the expression of genes, which may play a role in extracellular matrix formation and destruction in RA. Herewith, this study identified potential novel therapeutic targets to inhibit the development and progression of RA.