miR-218-5p, miR-124-3p and miR-23b-3p act synergistically to modulate the expression of NACC1, proliferation, and apoptosis in C-33A and CaSki cells

Background

In cervical cancer (CC), miR-218-5p, -124-3p, and -23b-3p act as tumor suppressors. These miRNAs have specific and common target genes that modulate apoptosis, proliferation, invasion, and migration; biological processes involved in cancer.

Methods

miR-218-5p, -124-3p, and -23b-3p mimics were transfected into C-33A and CaSki cells, and RT-qPCR was used to quantify the level of each miRNA and NACC1. Proliferation was assessed by BrdU and apoptosis by Annexin V/PI. In the TCGA and The Human Protein Atlas databases, the level of NACC1 mRNA and protein (putative target of the three miRNAs) was analyzed in CC and normal tissue. The relationship of NACC1 with the overall survival in CC was analyzed in GEPIA2. NACC1 mRNA and protein levels were higher in CC tissues compared with cervical tissue without injury.

Results

An increased expression of NACC1 was associated with lower overall survival in CC patients. The levels of miR-218-5p, -124-3p, and -23b-3p were lower, and NACC1 was higher in C-33A and CaSki cells compared to HaCaT cells. The increase of miR-218-5p, -124-3p, and -23b-3p induced a significant decrease in NACC1 mRNA. The transfection of the three miRNAs together caused more drastic changes in the level of NACC1, in the proliferation, and in the apoptosis with respect to the individual transfections of each miRNA.

Conclusion

The results indicate that miR-218-5p, -124-3p, and -23b-3p act synergistically to decrease NACC1 expression and proliferation while promoting apoptosis in C-33A and CaSki cells. The levels of NACC1, miR-218-5p, -124-3p, and -23b-3p may be a potential prognostic indicator in CC.

HucMSCs delay muscle atrophy after peripheral nerve injury through exosomes by repressing muscle-specific ubiquitin ligases

Cell therapy based on mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) alleviates muscle atrophy caused by diabetes and aging，however, the impact of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells on muscle atrophy following nerve injury and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we evaluated the therapeutic efficacy of human umbilical cord MSCs (hucMSCs) and hucMSC-derived exosomes (hucMSC-EXOs) for muscle atrophy following nerve injury and identified the underlying molecular mechanisms. Sciatic nerve crush injury in rats and the induction of myotubes in L6 cells were used to determine the ameliorating effect of hucMSCs and hucMSC-EXOs on muscle atrophy. Q-PCR and western blot analyses were used to measure the expression of muscle-specific ubiquitin ligases Fbxo32 (Atrogin1, MAFbx) and Trim63 (MuRF-1). Dual-luciferase reporter gene experiments were conducted to validate the direct binding of miRNAs to their target genes. Local injection of hucMSCs and hucMSC-EXOs mitigated atrophy in the rat gastrocnemius muscle following sciatic nerve crush injury. In vitro, hucMSC-EXOs alleviated atrophy in L6 myotubes. Mechanistic analysis indicated the upregulation of miR-23b-3p levels in L6 myotubes following hucMSC-EXOs treatment. MiR-23b-3p significantly inhibited the expression of its target genes, Fbxo32 and Trim63, and suppressed myotube atrophy. Notably, a miR-23b-3p inhibitor reversed the inhibitory effect of miR-23b-3p on myotube atrophy in vitro. These results suggest that hucMSCs and their exosomes alleviate muscle atrophy following nerve injury. MiR-23b-3p in exosomes secreted by hucMSCs contributes to this mechanism by inhibiting the muscle specific ubiquitination ligases Fbxo32 and Trim63.

Icariin Attenuates Human Renal Tubular Epithelial Cell Senescence by Targeting PAK2 via miR-23b-3p

BACKGROUND

Renal tubular epithelial cells (RTECs) senescence is crucial in kidney diseases. Icariin is shown to have protective effects against renal fibrosis, acute kidney injury, and proteinuria. We aimed to explore the role of icariin in protecting RTECs from senescence and the underlying mechanism involved.

METHODS

An in vitro model of RTEC senescence was established by incubating HK-2 cells with urine exosomes from patients with diabetic kidney disease. Stimulated cells were treated with icariin at various doses to evaluate the compound's therapeutic effects. After RNA transfection, cell cycle arrest and senescence, flow cytometry, and SA-β-Gal staining were analyzed. At the same time, quantitative real-time PCR examined microRNA expression. Biochemical assays.

RESULTS

Urine exosomes induced senescence and cell cycle arrest in the G1 stage in HK-2 cells, which were inhibited by icariin. Urine exosome stimulation up-regulated miR-23b-3p expression, which in turn suppressed PAK2 expression. Significantly, the induced and inhibited miR- 23b-3p expressions weakened and augmented the resistance of cells against urine exosome stimulation, respectively, while PAK2 overexpression provided additional protection. Icariin suppressed miR-23b-3p expression, and miR-23b-3p induction blocked the effects of icariin and promoted RTEC senescence.

CONCLUSION

miR-23b-3p and PAK2 form a signaling axis that regulates RTEC senescence upon urine exosome stimulation. Icariin can increase the resistance of RTECs against senescence via miR-23b-3p/PAK2. Our findings shed light on the mechanism of the clinical effects of icariin on renal diseases, which can be exploited to develop effective drugs targeting RTEC senescence in the future.

RCOR1 is targeted by miR-23b-3p to modulate growth, colony formation, migration, and invasion of prostate cancer cells

OBJECTIVES

Prostate cancer holds the second-highest incidence rate among all male malignancies, with a noticeable scarcity of effective treatment approaches. The REST Corepressor 1 (RCOR1) protein exhibits elevated expression across various tumors, acting as an oncogene. Nevertheless, its functions and mechanisms in prostate cancer have yet to be documented. While miR-23 demonstrates reduced expression in prostate cancer, the downstream genes it regulates remain unclear.

METHODS

RT-qPCR and Western blotting assays were utilized to elucidate the mRNA and protein levels of miR-23b-3p and RCOR1. The luciferase reporter assay was employed to unveil the targeting relationship between miR-23b-3p and RCOR1. Additionally, a CCK-8 assay demonstrated cell growth, while colony formation and Transwell assays were performed to observe clone formation, cell migration, and invasion.

RESULTS

In this study, we observed substantial mRNA and protein levels of RCOR1 in prostate cancer cells such as DU145, PC3, and LNCap. RCOR1 overexpression enhanced the growth, colony formation, migration, and invasion of prostate cancer cells, whereas genetic silencing of RCOR1 suppressed these processes. Bioinformatics analysis identified miR-23b-3p as a potential regulator of RCOR1, and luciferase assays validated RCOR1 as a downstream target of miR-23b-3p. Increasing miR-23b-3p mimics diminished RCOR1's mRNA and protein levels, while raising miR-23b-3p levels boosted RCOR1's expression. Moreover, the stimulatory impact of RCOR1 on prostate cancer cell development could be countered by elevating miR-23b-3p mimics.

CONCLUSION

In summary, our findings confirm that RCOR1 is indeed under the influence of miR-23, shedding light on the miR-23/RCOR1 pathway's role in prostate cancer development. This offers novel theoretical and experimental support for comprehending the underlying mechanisms of prostate cancer and for targeted therapeutic avenues.

Leaf Extract from European Olive (Olea europaea L.) Post-Transcriptionally Suppresses the Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition and Sensitizes Gastric Cancer Cells to Chemotherapy

The overall survival of patients with the advanced and recurrent gastric cancer (GC) remains unfavorable. In particular, this is due to cancer spreading and resistance to chemotherapy associated with the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of tumor cells. EMT can be identified by the transcriptome profiling of GC for EMT markers. Indeed, analysis of the TCGA and GTEx databases (n = 408) and a cohort of GC patients (n = 43) revealed that expression of the CDH2 gene was significantly decreased in the tumors vs. non-tumor tissues and correlated with the overall survival of GC patients. Expression of the EMT-promoting transcription factors SNAIL and ZEB1 was significantly increased in GC. These data suggest that targeting the EMT might be an attractive therapeutic approach for patients with GC. Previously, we demonstrated a potent anti-cancer activity of the olive leaf extract (OLE). However, its effect on the EMT regulation in GC remained unknown. Here, we showed that OLE efficiently potentiated the inhibitory effect of the chemotherapeutic agents 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and cisplatin (Cis) on the EMT and their pro-apoptotic activity, as was demonstrated by changes in the expression of the EMT markers (E- and N-cadherins, vimentin, claudin-1) in GC cells treated with the aforementioned chemotherapeutic agents in the presence of OLE. Thus, culturing GC cells with 5-FU + OLE or Cis + OLE attenuated the invasive properties of cancer cells. Importantly, upregulation of expression of the apoptotic markers (PARP cleaved form) and increase in the number of cells undergoing apoptosis (annexin V-positive) were observed for GC cells treated with a combination of OLE and 5-FU or Cis. Collectively, our data illustrate that OLE efficiently interferes with the EMT in GC cells and potentiates the pro-apoptotic activity of certain chemotherapeutic agents used for GC therapy.

miR-23b-3p Ameliorates LPS-Induced Pulmonary Fibrosis by Inhibiting EndMT via DPP4 Inhibition

Acute respiratory distress syndrome is a disease triggered by severe pulmonary and systemic inflammation that may lead to fibrosis and the decline of lung function. Lung capillary endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) is one of the primary sources of fibroblasts in pulmonary fibrosis. The role of miRNAs as molecular markers of pulmonary fibrosis, and miRNAs as nucleic acid drugs has attracted increasing attention. To mock EndMT process, Human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (HPMECs) were induced with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Similarly, LPS treatment was used to generate a mouse model of LPS-induced EndMT and pulmonary fibrosis. LPS-induced EndMT in HPMECs resulted in a significant reduction of miR-23b-3p. miR-23b-3p inhibited the interstitial transition of HPMECs, and miR-23b-3p could mediate this process via inhibiting dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4). Dual-luciferase assays confirmed the regulatory mechanism of miR-23b-3p. In our mouse model of LPS-induced pulmonary fibrosis, miR-23b-3p and a DPP4 inhibitor (sitagliptin) individually alleviated LPS-induced EndMT progression and pulmonary fibrosis, and their combined use achieved the strongest remission effect. To sum up, miR-23b-3p alleviates EndMT in pulmonary fibrosis by inhibiting the expression of DPP4.

[miR-23b-3p regulates the differentiation of goat intramuscular preadipocytes by targeting the PDE4B gene]

This study aimed to explore the effect of miR-23b-3p on the differentiation of goat intramuscular preadipocytes, and to confirm whether miR-23b-3p plays its roles via targeting the PDE4B gene. Based on the pre-transcriptome sequencing data obtained previously, the miR-23b-3p, which was differentially expressed in goat intramuscular adipocytes before and after differentiation, was used as an entry point. real-time quantitative-polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used to detect the expression pattern of miR-23b-3p during the differentiation of goat intramuscular preadipocytes. The effects of miR-23b-3p on adipose differentiation and adipose differentiation marker genes were determined at the morphological and molecular levels. The downstream target genes of miR-23b-3p were determined using bioinformatics prediction as well as dual luciferase reporter assay to clarify the targeting relationship between miR-23b-3p and the predicted target genes. The results indicated that overexpression of miR-23b-3p reduced lipid droplet accumulation in goat intramuscular adipocytes, significantly down-regulated the expression levels of adipogenic marker genes AP2, C/EBPα, FASN, and LPL (P < 0.01). In addition, the expressions of C/EBPβ, DGAT2, GLUT4 and PPARγ were significantly downregulated (P < 0.05). After interfering with the expression of miR-23b-3p, lipid droplet accumulation was increased in goat intramuscular adipocytes. The expression levels of ACC, ATGL, AP2, DGAT2, GLUT4, FASN and SREBP1 were extremely significantly up-regulated (P < 0.01), and the expression levels of C/EBPβ, LPL and PPARγ were significantly up-regulated (P < 0.05). It was predicted that PDE4B might be a target gene of miR-23b-3p. The mRNA expression level of PDE4B was significantly decreased after overexpression of miR-23b-3p (P < 0.01), and the interference with miR-23b-3p significantly increased the mRNA level of PDE4B (P < 0.05). The dual luciferase reporter assay indicated that miR-23b-3p had a targeting relationship with PDE4B gene. MiR-23b-3p regulates the differentiation of goat intramuscular preadipocytes by targeting the PDE4B gene.

Circulating plasma miR-23b-3p as a biomarker target for idiopathic Parkinson's disease: comparison with small extracellular vesicle miRNA

Background

Parkinson's disease (PD) is an increasingly common neurodegenerative condition, which causes movement dysfunction and a broad range of non-motor symptoms. There is no molecular or biochemical diagnosis test for PD. The miRNAs are a class of small non-coding RNAs and are extensively studied owing to their altered expression in pathological states and facile harvesting and analysis techniques.

Methods

A total of 48 samples (16 each of PD, aged-matched, and young controls) were recruited. The small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) were isolated and validated using Western blot, transmission electron microscope, and nanoparticle tracking analysis. Small RNA isolation, library preparation, and small RNA sequencing followed by differential expression and targeted prediction of miRNA were performed. The real-time PCR was performed with the targeted miRNA on PD, age-matched, and young healthy control of plasma and plasma-derived sEVs to demonstrate their potential as a diagnostic biomarker.

Results

In RNA sequencing, we identified 14.89% upregulated (fold change 1.11 to 11.04, p < 0.05) and 16.54% downregulated (fold change -1.04 to -7.28, p < 0.05) miRNAs in PD and controls. Four differentially expressed miRNAs (miR-23b-3p, miR-29a-3p, miR-19b-3p, and miR-150-3p) were selected. The expression of miR-23b-3p was "upregulated" (p = 0.002) in plasma, whereas "downregulated" (p = 0.0284) in plasma-derived sEVs in PD than age-matched controls. The ROC analysis of miR-23b-3p revealed better AUC values in plasma (AUC = 0.8086, p = 0.0029) and plasma-derived sEVs (AUC = 0.7278, p = 0.0483) of PD and age-matched controls.

Conclusion

We observed an opposite expression profile of miR-23b-3p in PD and age-matched healthy control in plasma and plasma-derived sEV fractions, where the expression of miR-23b-3p is increased in PD plasma while decreased in plasma-derived sEV fractions. We further observed the different miR-23b-3p expression profiles in young and age-matched healthy control.

A systematic framework for identifying prognostic necroptosis-related lncRNAs and verification of lncRNA CRNDE/miR-23b-3p/IDH1 regulatory axis in glioma

Glioma remains the most frequent malignancy of the central nervous system. Recently, necroptosis has been identified as a cell death process that mediates the proliferation and development of tumor cells. LncRNAs play a key role in the diagnosis and treatment of various diseases. However, the impact that necrosis-related lncRNAs (NRLs) have on glioma remains unclear. In our studies, we selected 9 NRLs to construct a prognostic model. Meanwhile, we assessed the survival curves of these 9 NRLs. Our findings found ADGRA1-AS1 and WAC-AS1 were protective lncRNAs, while MIR210HG, LINC01503, CRNDE, HOXC-AS1, ZIM2-AS1, MIR22HG and PLBD1-AS1 were risk lncRNAs. Specifically, 12 immune cells, 25 immune-correlated pathways, and TME score were differentially expressed in the both risk groups. Additionally, the study predicted and validated the necroptosis-related lncRNA CRNDE/miR-23b-3p/IDH1 axis. CRNDE was strongly expressed in glioma specimens and several cell lines. Inhibiting CRNDE resulted in a substantial reduction in the proliferation and migration of U-118MG and U251 cells. Furthermore, the study predicted that CRNDE may exhibit oncogenic features by adsorbing miR-23b-3p and positively regulating IDH1 expression. Overall, the study constructed a prognostic model in glioma, and predicted a lncRNA CRNDE/miR-23b-3p/IDH1 axis, which could potentially be useful for gene therapy of glioma.

Febuxostat alleviates Arsenic Trioxide-Induced renal injury in Rats: Insights on the crosstalk between NLRP3/TLR4, Sirt-1/NF-κB/TGF-β signaling Pathways, and miR-23b-3p, miR-181a-5b expression

Febuxostat (FBX), a xanthine oxidase inhibitor, is known to improve renal function and can show promise as a therapeutic agent for preventing drug-induced nephrotoxicity. This study aimed to explore the protective effect of FBX in preventing renal damage caused by arsenic trioxide (ATO) toxicity and uncover the underlying mechanisms. The researchers examined how FBX (10 mg/kg, orally) affected ATO-induced kidney injury (5 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) in rats. Kidney function and toxicity parameters in serum and oxidative stress biomarkers and inflammatory cytokine levels in renal tissue were measured. H&E staining was used to detect histopathological changes in the kidney. Network the molecular mechanisms of FBX in improving kidney injury were investigated using Western blotting and PCR techniques. The findings showed that FBX improved kidney function by inhibiting the pathological changes seen in H&E staining, decreasing levels of probed kidney function and toxicity measures in serum and tissue, and exhibiting antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. FBX decreased MDA, MPO, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, COX-II, and NADPH oxidase levels, while increased GSH, GPx, SOD, and IL-10 levels. FBX also reduced the expression of NLRP3, ASC, TLR4, and micro-RNA 181a-5b while increased the expression of IKBα, Sirt-1, and micro-RNA 23b-3p, according to Western blotting and PCR results. In conclusion, FBX can play a vital role in reducing kidney injury in cases of ATO-induced nephrotoxicity, though more clinical research needs to be conducted.

Lnc-PLA2G4A-4 facilitates the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma by inducing versican expression via sponging miR-23b-3p

Aberrant expression of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) is associated with progression of multiple human cancers including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the role of lncRNAs in HCC is not been fully understood. Our study aimed to investigate the biological function and potential molecular mechanism of Lnc-PAL2G4A-4 in HCC. In the current study, we show that Lnc-PLA2G4A-4 was significantly up-regulated in HCC tissues and high Lnc-PLA2G4A-4 expression was remarkably associated with tumor size, microvascular invasion and poor prognosis of HCC patients. Functionally, Lnc-PLA2G4A-4 positively regulated cell proliferation, invasion and migration in vitro, and facilitated lung metastasis of HCC in vivo. Mechanistically, Lnc-PLA2G4A-4 functioned as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) to bind to miR-23b-3p and subsequently facilitate miR-23b-3p's target gene versican (VCAN) expression in HCC cells. Over-expression of miR-23b-3p could reverse Lnc-PLA2G4A-4 induced cell phenotypes in HCC and suppress versican expression of by rescue analysis. Collectively, Lnc-PLA2G4A-4 promotes HCC progression by targeting the miR-23b-3p/versican axis, which may be a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for HCC.

A ROS/GAS5/SIRT1 reinforcing feedback promotes oxidative stress-induced adipogenesis in bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells during osteoporosis

BACKGROUND

LincGAS5 have been reported to regulate the progression of osteoporosis (OP). However, the relationship between LincGAS5 and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in osteoporosis were still unclear.

METHODS

Bilateral ovariectomy (OVX) rat were established as OP model and verified by the Micro-computed tomography. The ROS level of BMSCs derived from OVX and control rat were detected by Immunofluorescence (IF) and flow cytometry. The role of GAS5, miR-23b-3p and SIRT1 on the osteogenic differentiation were dectected by ARS saining and ALP staining, while the The Oil Red O staining and flow cytometry (FCM) were hired to determine adipogenic differentiation of BMSCs under different treatment. The expression of GAS5,miR-23b-3p and SIRT1 in BMSCs was detected by RT-qPCR and the correlation among them was analyzed. In addition, Luciferase activity was used to detect whether miR-23b-3p combined with GAS5 and SIRT1 in OP mice BMSCs.

RESULTS

We established the OVX rat model and found higher ROS level in BMSCs isolated from OVX rats. Meanwhile, GAS5 was down-regulated by ROS and remarkably lowly expressed in OVX rat comparing with the negative control. We confirmed GAS5 inhibited adipogenesis and promoted osteoporosis progression. Mechanically, GAS5 bound with miR-23b-3p and suppressed its biological function. We also identified that miR-23b-3p bound with Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) and decreased its stability. Furthermore, SIRT1 suppressed ROS production in BMSCs, which in turn un-regulated GAS5 expression through ROS-GAS5 axis.

CONCLUSION

We identified a negative feedback loop, ROS-GAS5-SIRT1, in osteoporosis progression. Our findings provided potential targets and biomarkers for osteoporosis prevention and treatment.

MiR-23b-3p suppresses epithelial-mesenchymal transition, migration, and invasion of hepatocellular carcinoma cells by targeting c-MET

Background

Aberrant expression of c-MET is known to be associated with tumor recurrence and metastasis by promoting cell proliferation, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and migration in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Recently, miR-23b-3p has been identified as a tumor suppressor, but detailed role of miR-23b-3p in HCC is still unclear. Our study aimed to investigate how miR-23b-3p is associated with the malignant potential of HCC cells.

Methods

HCC tissues and their adjacent non-tumor tissues were acquired from 30 patients with HCC. Expression of EMT- or stemness-related genes were examined in the two HCC cell lines. Migration of HCC cells was analyzed using transwell and wound healing assays.

Results

c-MET was overexpressed in HCC tissues compared to the adjacent non-tumor tissues. c-MET knockdown inhibited EMT and reduced migration and invasion of HCC cells. Furthermore, c-MET was a target of miR-23b-3p, and miR-23b-3p expression was decreased in HCC tissues compared to non-tumor tissues. Treatment of miR-23b-3p inhibitor in HCC cells promoted EMT, cell migration, and invasion. In contrast, miR-23b-3p overexpression suppressed EMT, cell migration, and invasion, concomitantly reducing c-MET expression. Transfection of miR-23b-3p inhibitor with concomitant c-MET knockdown mitigated the effects of miR-23b-3p inhibitor on EMT in HCC cells. In addition, transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-β1) stimulation after miR-23b-3p overexpression induced neither the mesenchymal phenotype nor migratory property of HCC cells.

Conclusion

In this study, we confirmed that miR-23b-3p downregulation significantly increased EMT, migration, and invasion of HCC cells. In addition, c-MET was confirmed to be a target of miR-23b-3p in HCC cells and regulated the functional effects of miR-23b-3p. These results suggest that miR-23b-3p can be used as a prognostic biomarker and candidate target for HCC treatment.

•

c-MET is a target of miR-23b-3p and overexpressed in HCC tissues.

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MiR-23b-3p expression was decreased in HCC tissues compared to non-tumor tissues.

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Inhibition of miR-23b-3p induced migration and invasion via EMT in HCC cells.

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MiR-23b-3p/c-MET axis may serve as a therapeutic target for HCC.

Circ_0060,144 inhibits the occurrence and development of age-related cataract via the miR-23b-3p/HIPK3 axis

Age-related cataract (ARC) is a common eye disease that occurs mostly in the elderly. Emerging evidence suggests that circular RNA (circRNA) plays an important role in disease development. However, there are few reports about the role of circRNA in cataract. Here, we investigated the function of circ_0060,144 in ARC. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to measure the expression of circ_0060,144, miR-23b-3p, and homeodomain interacting protein kinase 3 (HIPK3) mRNA. CCK-8 and flow cytometry analysis of cell proliferation and apoptosis. Western blot was performed to measure protein-associated proliferation and apoptosis. ELISA was used to detect cellular MDA and GSH-Px levels. Dual-luciferase reporter, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), and RNA pull-down assays were used to investigate the association between miR-23b-3p and circ_0060,144 or HIPK3. Circ_0060,144 and HIPK3 mRNA expression were decreased in ARC tissues, and miR-23b-3p was increased. Circ_0060,144 overexpression promoted proliferation and inhibited apoptosis of SRA01/04 cells. And proliferation-related and apoptosis-related proteins also confirmed this conclusion. In addition, circ_0060,144 overexpression reduced MDA level and increased GSH-Px level. In terms of mechanism, circ_0060,144 inhibited HIPK3 expression via sponging miR-23b-3p. Circ_0060,144 promoted ARC development via regulation of miR-23b-3p/HIPK3 axis.

Promotor Hypomethylation Mediated Upregulation of miR-23b-3p Targets PTEN to Promote Bronchial Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Chronic Asthma

Chronic asthma is characterized by airway inflammation and irreversible airway remodeling. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a typical pathological change of airway remodeling. Our previous research demonstrated miR-23b inhibited airway smooth muscle proliferation while the function of miR-23b-3p has not been reported yet. Besides, miRNA is regulated by many factors, including DNA methylation. The function of miR-23b-3p and whether it is regulated by DNA methylation are worth exploring. Balb/c mice were given OVA sensitization to develop the asthmatic model. Expression of miR-23b-3p and EMT markers were measured by RT-qPCR, WB and immunohistochemistry (IHC). DNA methylation was detected by methylation-specific PCR (MSP) and the MassARRAY System. Asthmatic mice and TGF-β1-stimulated bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B) showed EMT with increased miR-23b-3p. Overexpression of miR-23b-3p promoted EMT and migration, while inhibition of miR-23b-3p reversed these transitions. DNA methyltransferases were decreased in asthmatic mice. MSP and MassARRAY System detected the promotor of miR-23b showed DNA hypomethylation. DNA methyltransferase inhibitor 5’-AZA-CdZ increased the expression of miR-23b-3p. Meanwhile, PTEN was identified as a target gene of miR-23b-3p. Our results indicated that promotor hypomethylation mediated upregulation of miR-23b-3p targets PTEN to promote EMT in chronic asthma. miR-23b-3p and DNA methylation might be potential therapeutic targets for irreversible airway remodeling.

KCNQ1OT1 inhibition alleviates high glucose-induced podocyte injury by adsorbing miR-23b-3p and regulating Sema3A

BACKGROUND

Diabetic nephropathy (DN), a diabetic complication, is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease. KCNQ1 opposite strand/antisense transcript 1 (KCNQ1OT1), a long non-coding RNA, has been unmasked to participate in the pathogenesis of DN. However, the specific mechanism by which KCNQ1OT1 regulates podocyte injury remains unclear.

METHODS

Relative expression of KCNQ1OT1 was measured with quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The levels of inflammatory cytokines were analyzed by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The viability, proliferation, and apoptosis of high glucose (HG)-treated podocyte were analyzed by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT), 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU), and flow cytometry assays. Protein levels were analyzed by western blotting. The regulatory mechanism of KCNQ1OT1 was surveyed by bioinformatics analysis, dual-luciferase reporter, and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assays.

RESULTS

We observed an apparent upregulation in KCNQ1OT1 expression in serums of DN patients and HG-treated podocytes. Furthermore, KCNQ1OT1 downregulation alleviated HG-induced inflammation, proliferation repression, and apoptosis in podocytes. Notably, KCNQ1OT1 was identified as a miR-23b-3p sponge, and miR-23b-3p directly targeted Semaphorin-3A (Sema3A). Moreover, miR-23b-3p silencing reversed KCNQ1OT1 knockdown-mediated effects on inflammation, proliferation, and apoptosis of HG-induced podocytes. Also, Sema3A overexpression reversed the effects of miR-23b-3p mimic on inflammation, proliferation, and apoptosis of HG-induced podocytes. Importantly, KCNQ1OT1 regulated Sema3A expression by sponging miR-23b-3p.

CONCLUSIONS

HG-induced KCNQ1OT1 promoted inflammation, proliferation repression, and apoptosis of podocytes via increasing Sema3A expression through sponging miR-23b-3p. This study provided evidence to support the involvement of KCNQ1OT1 in the pathogenesis of DN.

miR-23b-3p inhibits chicken granulosa cell proliferation and steroid hormone synthesis via targeting GDF9

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are ∼22 nt RNAs that direct post-transcriptional repression of mRNA targets in diverse eukaryotic lineages. Granulosa cells (GCs) are the earliest differentiated follicular somatic cells. From the initiation of primordial follicles, their differentiation and growth are closely related to the development of follicles. The research on follicular development mostly focused on the granular layer, as well as the hormone synthesis induced by granulosa cell differentiation before and after follicular selection. In this study, we evaluated the effects of miR-23b-3p on chicken granulosa cells, including granulosa cell proliferation and steroid hormone synthesis. Elevated expression of miR-23b-3p significantly inhibited granulosa cell proliferation and steroid hormone synthesis, but did not affect apoptosis. Furthermore, it was observed that the forecast growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) is a target gene of miR-23b-3p and miR-23b-3p can down-regulate expression of GDF9. Overall, this study demonstrated that miR-23b-3p can regulate the proliferation and steroid hormone synthesis of chicken granulosa cells by inhibiting the expression of GDF9.

miR-23b-3p regulates differentiation of osteoclasts by targeting PTEN via the PI3k/AKT pathway

INTRODUCTION

Osteoblasts and osteoclasts are cells of osteoblastic origin, and are vital in homeostasis of the skeleton. miRs are important for functioning, survival and differentiation of osteoclasts. It has been reported previously that miR-23b-3p is involved in osteoporosis and in regulation of differentiation of osteoblasts. It is also involved in the process of bone formation. However, the role of miR-23b-3p in differentiation of osteoclasts remains unexplored.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

CSF-1 and ODF induced osteoclasts were used for the study. RNA isolation was done from TIB-71 cells. TRAP staining was done for TRAP-positive osteoclast formation. PIT assay for bone resorption was performed. For in vivo studies osteoclast-specific miR-23b-3p transgenic mice were developed.

RESULTS

The levels of miR-23b-3p were upregulated in bone marrow monocytes during osteoclastogenesis with colony stimulating factor-1 and osteoclast differentiation factor induction, which suggests that miR-23b-3p plays a crucial role in differentiation of osteoclasts. Over-expression of miR-23b-3p in bone marrow monocytes leads to osteoclastogenesis, whereas the inhibition ameliorates it. We further studied the function of miR-23b-3p via PI3K/AKT targeting the PTEN pathway. In vivo, osteoclast-specific miR-23b-3p transgenic mice showed suppressed PTEN and elevated osteoclast activity, and the mice showed decreased bone mineral density.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest that miR-23b-3p regulates the differentiation of osteoclasts by targeting PTEN through the PI3K/AKT cascade.

MicroRNA miR-23b-3p promotes osteosarcoma by targeting ventricular zone expressed PH domain-containing 1 (VEPH1)/phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) pathway

Increasing evidence suggests that dysregulated miRNA expression can lead to the tumorigenesis of osteosarcoma (OS). Nevertheless, the potential role of miR-23b-3p in OS is unclear and remains to be explored. Microarray analysis was performed to identify key genes involved in OS. Reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting were used to examine miR-23b-3p expression, ventricular zone expressed PH domain-containing 1 (VEPH1) transcript (as well as other transcripts as indicated), and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) signaling pathway-related protein expression. A luciferase reporter gene assay was performed to confirm the regulatory relationship between VEPH1 mRNA and miR-23b-3p. Cell viability was evaluated using the Cell Counting Kit-8 assay, cell growth was assessed using the bromodeoxyuridine enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and cell migration was tested using a wound healing assay. We found significant upregulation of miR-23b-3p in OS, which prominently promoted the viability, proliferation, and migration of OS cells. Additionally, VEPH1 was found to be a target of miR-23b-3p and its expression was decreased in OS. Lastly, VEPH1 alleviated the promotion effect of miR-23b-3p on the malignancy phenotypes of OS cells via the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Thus, miR-23b-3p augmented the viability, proliferation, and migration of OS cells by directly targeting and downregulating VEPH1, which inhibited the activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

Posttranscriptional inhibition of γ-adducin promotes the proliferation and migration of osteosarcoma cells

OBJECTIVE

The expression of cytoskeleton-related protein γ-adducin (ADD3) was abnormally reduced in some tumors. Functional experiments demonstrated that it could inhibit the malignant progression of lung cancer and glioma, whereas the involvement of ADD3 in osteosarcoma was not clear. This study aimed to investigate the role of ADD3 in osteosarcoma and its upstream regulatory mechanisms.

METHODS

ADD3 was knocked down by siRNA transfection and the expression level of ADD3 was determined using quantitative real-time PCR assay and Western blot. CCK-8 assay and colony formation were performed to detect the capacity of cell proliferation. Transwell assay and PI and Annexin V-FITC staining were used to determine cell migration and apoptosis, respectively. Luciferase reporter experiment was performed to investigate the interaction between ADD3 and miR-23b-3p.

RESULTS

Based on gene silencing assays, we showed that knockdown of ADD3 suppressed apoptosis and promoted the proliferation and migration of osteosarcoma cells, revealing inhibitory effects of ADD3 in osteosarcoma. Luciferase reporter gene assays confirmed that miR-23b-3p could bind to the 3'-UTR of ADD3. Upregulation of miR-23b-3p not only inhibited the expression of ADD3, but also released the tumor suppressive role of ADD3 on the proliferation and migration of osteosarcoma cells.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study found that ADD3 functioned as a tumor suppressor gene during osteosarcoma development. The abnormal upregulation of miR-23b-3p targeted the expression of ADD3 and resulted in accelerated osteosarcoma cell proliferation and migration. Thus, the miR-23b-3p/ADD3 axis contributes to the development of osteosarcoma and ADD3 is a key driver of malignancy.

Long noncoding RNA LINC00184 facilitates the proliferation, metastasis, and adenine metabolism of cholangiocarcinoma via modulating hsa-miR-23b-3p/ANXA2 axis

The purpose of this article was to probe the mechanism underlying long noncoding RNA (lncRNA)-LINC00184 in cholangiocarcinoma development and to investigate the effects of LINC00184 on cholangiocarcinoma. We used bioinformatics to analyze the expression of LINC00184, microRNA (miR)-23b-3p and ANXA2 in cholangiocarcinoma tissues. The levels of LINC00184, miR-23b-3p, and ANXA2 were detected by qRT-PCR. Cell proliferation was tested by CCK8. Transwell assay was used to detect cell invasion and migration. The target connection between LINC00184, miR-23b-3p, or ANXA2 was probed by luciferase reporter assay. RNA pull-down method was employed to test the relationship among LINC00184/miR-23b-3p/ANXA2 in cholangiocarcinoma cells. The Pearson correlation coefficient analyzed was applied to analyze the correlation among LINC00184, miR-23b-3p, and ANXA2. LC-MS/M analysis was used to explore whether the changes of adenine metabolism was affected by LINC00184 in cholangiocarcinoma cells. We discovered that LINC00184 expression was heightened in cholangiocarcinoma patients and cells. Knockdown of LINC00184 repressed cell proliferation, invasion, migration and adenine metabolism in cholangiocarcinoma cells. miR-23b-3p was regarded as a target of LINC00184 and its depletion perversed the inhibitive influence of LINC00184 silencing on cholangiocarcinoma cells. ANXA2 was a target of miR-23b-3p and was negatively modulated by miR-23b-3p. Moreover, ANXA2 was positively modulated by LINC00184 via sponging miR-23b-3p. In short, silencing of LINC00184 suppressed cell proliferation, invasion and migration through over-expression of miR-23b-3p and reducing of ANXA2 in cholangiocarcinoma cells. These findings contribute to understanding the influences of LINC00184, miR-23b-3p, and ANXA2 on cholangiocarcinoma and provide basis for cholangiocarcinoma treatment.

Longitudinal Circulating Levels of miR-23b-3p, miR-126-3p and lncRNA GAS5 in HCC Patients Treated with Sorafenib

Human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most frequent primary tumor of the liver and the third cause of cancer-related deaths. The multikinase inhibitor sorafenib is a systemic drug for unresectable HCC. The identification of molecular biomarkers for the early diagnosis of HCC and responsiveness to treatment are needed. In this work, we performed an exploratory study to investigate the longitudinal levels of cell-free long ncRNA GAS5 and microRNAs miR-126-3p and -23b-3p in a cohort of 7 patients during the period of treatment with sorafenib. We used qPCR to measure the amounts of GAS5 and miR-126-3p and droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) to measure the levels of miR-23b-3p. Patients treated with sorafenib displayed variable levels of GAS5, miR-126-3p and miR-23b-3p at different time-points of follow-up. miR-23b-3p was further measured by ddPCR in 37 healthy individuals and 25 untreated HCC patients. The amount of miR-23b-3p in the plasma of untreated HCC patients was significantly downregulated if compared to healthy individuals. The ROC curve analysis underlined its diagnostic relevance. In conclusion, our results highlight a potential clinical significance of circulating miR-23b-3p and an exploratory observation on the longitudinal plasmatic levels of GAS5, miR-126-3p and miR-23b-3p during sorafenib treatment.

RAI14 Regulated by circNFATC3/miR-23b-3p axis Facilitates Cell Growth and Invasion in Gastric Cancer

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been proved to act crucial roles in multiple malignancies including gastric cancer (GC). Retinoic acid induced 14 (RAI14) acts as an oncogene in human cancers, but the underlying mechanisms by which RAI14 is regulated by circRNA/miRNA axis remain elusive. The clinical value of RAI14, miR-23b-3p and circNFATC3 was estimated by The Cancer Genome Atlas and fluorescence in situ hybridization. The interplay between miR-23b-3p and RAI14 or circNFATC3 was determined by qRT-PCR, Western blot, luciferase gene report and RIP assays. Biological function assays and a subcutaneous xenograft model were executed to unveil the role of circNFATC3/miR-23b-3p/RAI14 axis in GC cells. As a consequence, upregulation of RAI14 and circNFATC3 or downregulation of miR-23b-3p was associated with poor prognosis in patients with GC. Restored miR-23b-3p depressed cell proliferation, colony formation, and cell invasion by targeting RAI14, whereas RAI14 facilitated cell progression and reversed the anti-tumor effects of miR-23b-3p in GC cells. Then, circNFATC3 had a co-localization with miR-23b-3p in the cytoplasm in GC tissue cells and could act as a sponge of miR-23b-3p in GC cell line. Silencing of circNFATC3 inhibited cell growth and in vivo tumorigenesis by upregulating miR-23b-3p and downregulating RAI14. In conclusion, our findings indicated that RAI14 facilitated cell growth and invasion and was regulated by circNFATC3/miR-23b-3p axis in GC.

LncRNA DLEU2 is activated by STAT1 and induces gastric cancer development via targeting miR-23b-3p/NOTCH2 axis and Notch signaling pathway

INTRODUCTION

Gastric cancer (GC) has severely affected the health of patients and caused high mortality around the world. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been validated to play significant roles in biological process of multiple cancers.

METHODS

Quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) and western blot analysis were conducted to evaluate the expression levels and protein levels of related genes in GC cells. Functional assays were implemented to explore the effect of deleted in lymphocytic leukemia 2 (DLEU2). The upstream and downstream mechanisms of DLEU2 were verified by mechanism investigations.

RESULTS

The expression of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) DLEU2 was observably high in GC cells and tissues. DLEU2 silence depressed the capacities of proliferation, migration and invasion but promoted apoptosis in GC cells. Moreover, DLEU2 was activated by signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) and sequestered microRNA-23b-3p (miR-23b-3p) to modulate the expression of notch receptor 2 (NOTCH2), thereby stimulating Notch signaling pathway. More importantly, DLEU2 contributed to GC progression via targeting miR-23b-3p/NOTCH2 axis.

CONCLUSIONS

In summary, our research identified the STAT1/DLEU2/miR-23b-3p/NOTCH2/Notch axis in GC development, indicating that DLEU2 might function as a novel biomarker in GC.

Improved Differentiation Ability and Therapeutic Effect of miR-23a-3p Expressing Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Mice Model with Acute Lung Injury

Background and Objectives

Implantation of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) has been recognized as an effective therapy for attenuating acute lung injury (ALI). This study aims to discover microRNA (miRNA)-mediated improvement of BMSCs-based therapeutic effects.

Methods and Results

Mice were treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for induction of ALI. BMSCs with lentivirus-mediated expression of miR-23b-3p or fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) were intratracheally injected into the mice with ALI. The expressions of miR-23b-3p, FGF2, Occludin, and surfactant protein C (SPC) in lung tissues were analyzed by immunoblot or quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Histopathological changes in lung tissues were observed via hematoxylin-eosin staining. Lung edema was assessed by the ratio of lung wet weight/body weight (LWW/BW). The levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-4, and IL-8 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were assessed by ELISA. LPS injection downregulated the expressions of miR-23b-3p, SPC and Occludin in the lung tissues, increased the LWW/BW ratio and aggravated histopathological abnormalities, while upregulating IL-1β, IL-6, IL-4, and IL-8 in the BALF. Upregulated miR-23b-3p counteracted LPS-induced effects, whereas downregulated miR-23b-3p intensified LPS-induced effects. FGF2, which was downregulated by miR-23b-3p upregulation, was a target gene of miR-23b-3p. Overexpressing FGF2 downregulated the expressions of miR-23b-3p, SPC and Occludin, increased the LWW/BW ratio and aggravated histopathological abnormalities, while upregulating IL-1β, IL-6, IL-4, and IL-8, and it offset miR-23b-3p upregulation-caused effects on the ALI mice.

Conclusions

Overexpression of miR-23b-3p in BMSCs strengthened BMSC-mediated protection against LPS-induced mouse acute lung injury via targeting FGF2.

MiR-23b-3p functions as a positive factor for osteoporosis progression by targeting CCND1 in MC3T3-E1 cells

MiRNAs have gained tremendous attention as studies have shown that miRNAs play important roles in osteoporosis (OP) progression. This study attempted to explore whether miR-23b-3p is involved in the pathogenesis of OP. We detected the miR-23b-3p and Cyclin D1 (CCND1) expressional patterns in the bone of patients with or without OP relying on the GEO database. β-Glycerophosphate disodium salt and L-ascorbic acid were utilized to stimulate differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells. Cell proliferative, apoptotic abilities, and cell cycle distribution were determined by CCK-8 and flow cytometry experiments. TargetScan and dual-luciferase reporter analysis were employed to predict and verify the targets of miR-23b-3p. Western blot was implemented to detect the expression of CCND1, apoptosis-related proteins, and cell osteogenesis-related proteins. ALP activity of MC3T3-E1 cells was measured using ALP kit. MiR-23b-3p was increased in OP specimens. Gain-/loss-of-function analysis indicated that the miR-23b-3p inhibited proliferation and differentiation and promoted apoptosis of MC3T3-E1 cells. The levels of Bax and cleaved caspase-3 were increased while those of Bcl-2 were decreased. ALP activity was reduced, and the levels of ALP, Runx2, Osterix, and OPN were declined in MC3T3-E1 cells relative to control. Further analyses demonstrated that CCND1 was a putative target gene of miR-23b-3p. Moreover, knockdown of CCND1 could reverse the impacts of miR-23b-3p inhibitor in MC3T3-E1 cells. MiR-23b-3p functioned as an O-positive factor through regulating cell cycle, proliferation, apoptosis, and differentiation via targeting CCND1.

Functional Implication of Exosomal miR-217 and miR-23b-3p in the Progression of Prostate Cancer

Objective

The microRNA expression profile of plasma exosomes in prostate cancer (PCa) is of critical importance in the disease exploration. This study aimed to explore the clinical application of exosomal miRNAs as biomarkers for PCa.

Methods

Exosome-like vesicles of PCa patients and healthy controls were purified by differential centrifugation. The purified vesicles within the ranges of 50 and 100 nm were classified as exosomes according to the results of transmission electron microscopy and Western blot. Both, in vitro and in vivo, validations were performed by small RNA sequencing, CCK8, RT-qPCR, flow cytometry, Western blot, transwell and immunofluorescent staining assays.

Results

High-throughput sequencing identified that 94 miRNAs were differentially expressed in PCa patients in comparison with healthy controls (P<0.01; fold change ≥2). Among them, 64 miRNAs were upregulated, and 30 miRNAs were downregulated. In comparison to the healthy controls, the expression levels of miR-217 were significantly upregulated, while miR-23b-3p were significantly downregulated in the exosomes and serum collected from PCa patients. Both, in vitro and in vivo, studies revealed that exosomes secreted by PCa cells with up-regulated miR-217 levels promoted cell proliferation and invasion; meanwhile, the exosomes with up-regulated miR-23b-3p levels inhibited cell proliferation and invasion. The epithelial–mesenchymal transition process may have been involved in the above-mentioned regulation.

Conclusion

This study identified the dysregulated expression of exosomal miRNAs in PCa patients, including miR-217 and miR-23b-3p, by validating their function on proliferation and invasion in PCa cells. This regulation may have been affected by the epithelial–mesenchymal transition process, suggesting that they can be used as potential targets in the diagnosis and treatment of PCa.

MiR-23b-3p promotes postmenopausal osteoporosis by targeting MRC2 and regulating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

Postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP) is one of the most common metabolic bone diseases in postmenopausal women. Increasing evidence has indicated that microRNAs (miRNAs) play vital regulatory roles during osteoporosis progression. This study aimed to investigate the potential function of miR-23b-3p in the osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). PMOP was induced in mice by bilateral ovariectomy. X-ray absorptiometry was applied to detect BMD and BMC in PMOP mice. Luciferase reporter assay and RIP assay were utilized to investigate the relationship between miR-23b-3p and MRC2. We found the upregulation of miR-23b-3p in bone tissues of PMOP mice. Silencing of miR-23b-3p relieved PMOP in mice. Moreover, miR-23b-3p knockdown facilitated the osteogenic differentiation of hMSCs by increasing the expression of Runx2, OCN, Osterix and promoting ALP activity. Mechanistically, MRC2 is a downstream target gene of miR-23b-3p. MRC2 knockdown significantly rescued the promoting effect of lenti-miR-23b-3p inhibitor on osteogenic differentiation of hMSCs. Furthermore, miR-23b-3p targeted MRC2 to inhibit the Wnt/β-catenin pathway during the osteogenic differentiation of hMSCs. In summary, inhibition of miR-23b-3p alleviates PMOP by targeting MRC2 to inhibit the Wnt/β-catenin signaling, which may provide a novel molecular insight for osteoporosis therapy.

Diagnostic value of urinary exosomal miR-23b-3p, miR-30a-5p, and miR-151-3p in children with primary nephrotic syndrome

Background

Primary nephrotic syndrome (NS) is a common disease of the urinary system with an unclear pathogenesis. We aimed to detect the levels of urinary exosomal miR-23b-3p, miR-30a-5p, and miR-151-3p in children with primary NS, and to explore their diagnostic value for NS.

Methods

A total of 115 patients with NS who were admitted to the hospital from June 2017 to June 2019 were selected as the observation group. According to the disease progression, they were divided into an active group (acute active phase, n=68) and remission group (remission phase, n=47). In all, 50 healthy children were selected as the control group. Levels of urinary exosomal miR-23b-3p, miR-30a-5p, and miR-151-3p of each group in different periods were detected.

Results

The 24-h urine protein, serum albumin (ALB), and serum total cholesterol (TC) levels were significantly higher in the observation group than in the control group (P<0.05), while those in the active group were significantly higher than those in the remission group (P<0.05). The levels of miR-23b-3p and miR-30a-5p were significantly higher in the observation group than in the control group, and significantly higher in the active group than in the remission group (P<0.05). No miR-151-3p was detected in the urinary exosomes of the two groups. After treatment, levels of exosomal miR-23b-3p and miR-30a-5p in the two groups both decreased significantly (P<0.05). Results of receiver operating curve (ROC) curve analysis showed that urinary exosomal miR-23b-3p and miR-30a-5p can be used to identify children with NS and healthy children. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) was 0.711 for miR-23b-3p and 0.844 for miR-30a-5p.

Conclusions

The levels of miR-23b-3p and miR-30a-5p in urinary exosomes of children with NS were significantly higher than those in healthy children, and decreased significantly after treatment, indicating that miR-23b-3p and miR-30a-5p in urinary exosomes are potential indicators for diagnosing the progression of NS and monitoring the treatment effect.

MicroRNA-23b-3p promotes pancreatic cancer cell tumorigenesis and metastasis via the JAK/PI3K and Akt/NF-κB signaling pathways

MicroRNA (miR)-23b-3p plays an important role in tumor growth, proliferation, invasion and migration in pancreatic cancer (PC). However, the function and mechanistic role of miR-23b-3p in the development of PC remains largely unknown. In the present study, the miR-23b-3p levels in the serum of patients with PC were found to be elevated, and the phosphorylation levels of Janus kinase (JAK)2, PI3K, Akt and NF-κВ were found to be upregulated. In addition, miR-23b-3p was induced in response to interleukin-6 (IL-6), which is known to be involved in the progression of PC. Overexpression of miR-23b-3p, on the other hand, activated the JAK/PI3K and Akt/NF-κB signaling pathways in PC cells, as evidenced by miR-23b-3p-induced upregulation of phosphorylated (p-)JAK2, p-PI3K, p-Akt and p-NF-κВ, as well as the downregulation of PTEN; and these effects were found to be reversible by miR-23b-3p inhibition. Furthermore, miR-23b-3p was found to downregulate PTEN by directly targeting the 3′-untranslated region of PTEN mRNA. Notably, in an in vivo xenograft mouse model, overexpression of miR-23b-3p accelerated PC cell-derived tumor growth, activated the JAK/Akt/NF-κВ signaling pathway and promoted liver metastasis. In contrast, knockdown of miR-23b-3p suppressed tumor growth and metastasis as well as JAK/Akt/NF-κВ signaling activity. In vivo imaging of the mice further confirmed the metastasis promoting role of miR-23b-3p in PC. These results suggested that miR-23b-3p enhances PC cell tumorigenesis and metastasis, at least, partially via the JAK/PI3K and Akt/NF-κB signaling pathways. Therefore, targeting miR-23b-3p or the JAK/PI3K and Akt/NF-κB signalings may be potential therapeutic strategy against PC.

Increased CXCL12 expression in endometrium of women with abnormal uterine bleeding is post-transcriptionally mediated via miR-23b-3p and is associated with decreased expression of the miR-23b-3p/24-3p/27b-3p cluster: a pilot study

OBJECTIVE

To study C-X-C motif chemokine 12 (CXCL12) and CXCR4 expression in endometrial tissue from both women with and without abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) of endometrial origin and evaluate their relationship with microRNA (miRNA).

DESIGN

Retrospective and laboratory study.

SETTING

University-based research laboratory.

PATIENT(S)

Nine women with and without abnormal uterine bleeding, all of whom were in the secretory stage of their menstrual cycle, who provided endometrial biopsy tissue.

INTERVENTION(S)

Immunohistochemical localization of CXCL12 and CXCR4 as well as quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assessment of mRNA expression in archived endometrial biopsy tissue and in vitro cell culture using the immortalized endometrial stromal cell line, t-HESC. Endometrial stromal cell line, t-HESC transfection with nontargeting, negative control miRNA mimics or miRNA mimics for miR-23b-3p and mRNA assessment miR-23b-3p expression confirmed by qRT-PCR and evaluation of impact on CXCL12 expression at the protein level by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and mRNA levels by qRT-PCR.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S)

Expression of CXCL12 and CXCR4 protein via immunohistochemistry and mRNA and miRNA levels of CXCL12 and CXCR4 as well as miR-23b-3p, miR-24b-3p, and miR-27b-3p, respectively, via qRT-PCR.

RESULT(S)

CXCL12 and its receptor CXCR4 expression were up-regulated in the endometrial tissue of women with AUB at the protein level, but this up-regulation of expression was only associated with increased CXCR4 mRNA expression. To evaluate whether CXCL12 may be post-transcriptionally regulated, we assessed expression of miR-23b-3p, a bona fide post-transcriptional regulator of CXCL12 expression. The expression of miR-23b-3p was statistically significantly lower in AUB endometrial tissue, as were fellow cluster members miR-24-3p and miR-27-3p. Transfection of t-HESC cells with pre-miR-23b-3p mimics statistically significantly reduced the levels of CXCL12 secreted protein but not mRNA levels, suggesting that miR-23b-3p retards protein translation independent of transcript degradation.

CONCLUSION(S)

Reduced expression of the miR-23b-3p/24-3p/27b-3p cluster is associated with elevated expression of CXCL12, which may contribute to the pathophysiology of AUB.

lncRNA UCA1 Contributes to 5-Fluorouracil Resistance of Colorectal Cancer Cells Through miR-23b-3p/ZNF281 Axis

Purpose

The chemoresistance of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) limited the application of chemotherapy in colorectal cancer (CRC) treatment. Herein, we aimed to uncover the potential mechanism behind the 5-FU resistance of CRC cells.

Methods

The abundance of long noncoding RNA urothelial carcinoma associated 1 (lncRNA UCA1), microRNA-23b-3p (miR-23b-3p) and zinc finger protein 281 (ZNF281) was measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) in CRC tissues and cells. Western blot was conducted to examine autophagy-related proteins, apoptosis-associated proteins and ZNF281 in CRC tissues and cells. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK8) assay was performed to detect the viability and inhibitory concentration 50% (IC50) value of 5-FU of CRC cells. The apoptosis of CRC cells was measured by flow cytometry. The binding sites between miR-23b-3p and UCA1 or ZNF281 were predicted by miRcode and Starbase software, respectively, and the combination was confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter assay and RIP assay. Murine xenograft model was established to verify the role of UCA1 on the 5-FU resistance of CRC in vivo.

Results

The 5-FU resistance of CRC was positively related to the level of UCA1 and autophagy. UCA1 accelerated the 5-FU resistance of CRC cells through facilitating autophagy and suppressing apoptosis. MiR-23b-3p was a target of UCA1 in 293T and CRC cells. The knockdown of miR-23b-3p reversed the inhibitory effects of UCA1 interference on the 5-FU resistance and autophagy and the promoting impact on the apoptosis of CRC cells. ZNF281 could bind to miR-23b-3p in 293T cells. MiR-23b-3p elevated the 5-FU sensitivity through down-regulating ZNF281 in CRC cells. UCA1 interference enhanced the 5-FU sensitivity of CRC through miR-23b-3p/ZNF281 axis in vivo.

Conclusion

UCA1 mediated 5-FU resistance of CRC cells through facilitating autophagy and inhibiting apoptosis via miR-23b-3p/ZNF281 axis in vivo and in vitro.

Long non-coding RNA SNHG17 promotes proliferation, migration and invasion of glioma cells by regulating the miR-23b-3p/ZHX1 axis

BACKGROUND

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) small nucleolar RNA host gene 17 (SNHG17) is a carcinogenic lncRNA in diverse cancers. The expression pattern and mechanisms of SNHG17 in glioma still await verification.

METHODS

Paired glioma samples were enrolled. SNHG17, miR-23b-3p, and zinc-fingers and homeoboxes 1 (ZHX1) mRNA expression were examined by a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). SNHG17 short hairpin RNA (shRNA) and miR-23b-3p mimics were transfected into LN229 and U251 cell lines to repress SNHG17 and up-regulate miR-23b-3p expression, respectively. Proliferation, migration and invasion of LN229 and U251 cells were probed by a cell counting kit-8 assay and a Transwell assay. Bioinformatics prediction, dual-luciferase reporter assay, RNA immunoprecipitation assay, qRT-PCR and western blotting were applied to determine the regulatory relationships among SNHG17, miR-23b-3p and ZHX1.

RESULTS

SNHG17 expression was markedly raised in glioma tissues, which was positively correlated with ZHX1 expression and negatively associated with the expression of miR-23b-3p. After transfection of SNHG17 shRNAs into glioma cells, the proliferation, migration and invasion of cancer cells was markedly restrained. miR-23b-3p mimics the function of SHNG17 knockdown. Furthermore, miR-23b-3p was shown to be negatively modulated by SNHG17, and ZHX1 was identified as a target of miR-23b-3p.

CONCLUSIONS

SNHG17 is a "competing endogenous RNA" with respect to modulating ZHX1 expression by adsorbing miR-23b-3p and thereby promoting glioma progression.

A novel tumor suppressor ZBTB1 regulates tamoxifen resistance and aerobic glycolysis through suppressing HER2 expression in breast cancer

Transcriptional repressor zinc finger and BTB domain containing 1 (ZBTB1) is required for DNA repair. Because DNA repair defects often underlie genome instability and tumorigenesis, we determined to study the role of ZBTB1 in cancer. In this study, we found that ZBTB1 is down-regulated in breast cancer and this down-regulation is associated with poor outcome of breast cancer patients. ZBTB1 suppresses breast cancer cell proliferation and tumor growth. The majority of breast cancers are estrogen receptor (ER) positive and selective estrogen receptor modulators such as tamoxifen have been widely used in the treatment of these patients. Unfortunately, many patients develop resistance to endocrine therapy. Tamoxifen-resistant cancer cells often exhibit higher HER2 expression and an increase of glycolysis. Our data revealed that ZBTB1 plays a critical role in tamoxifen resistance in vitro and in vivo To see if ZBTB1 regulates HER2 expression, we tested the recruitments of ZBTB1 on HER2 regulatory sequences. We observed that over-expressed ZBTB1 occupies the estrogen receptor α (ERα)-binding site of the HER2 intron in tamoxifen-resistant cells, suppressing tamoxifen-induced transcription. In an effort to identify potential microRNAs (miRNAs) regulating ZBTB1, we found that miR-23b-3p directly targets ZBTB1. MiR-23b-3p regulates HER2 expression and tamoxifen resistance via targeting ZBTB1. Finally, we found that miR-23b-3p/ZBTB1 regulates aerobic glycolysis in tamoxifen-resistant cells. Together, our data demonstrate that ZBTB1 is a tumor suppressor in breast cancer cells and that targeting the miR-23b-3p/ZBTB1 may serve as a potential therapeutic approach for the treatment of tamoxifen resistant breast cancer.

Expression of serum exosomal miR-23b-3p in non-small cell lung cancer and its diagnostic efficacy

The present study aimed to investigate the expression of serum exosomal miR-23b-3p in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and to determine its diagnostic efficacy for NSCLC. From October, 2017 to October, 2019, 80 patients with NSCLC, 60 patients with pneumonia and 30 healthy subjects undergoing physical examination were enrolled at the People's Hospital of Yangzhong City. Serum samples were collected from the 3 groups of patients. The expression of miR-23b-3p in exosomes was detected by RT-qPCR. The Chi-squared test was used to analyze the expression level of miR-23b-3p in exosomes, and the patients with NSCLC were divided into 2 groups according to the expression level. The association between the patient clinicopathological parameters and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves was used to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of serum exosomal miR-23b-3p in NSCLC. The expression level of serum exosomal miR-23b-3p in the patients with NSCLC was significantly higher than that in patients with pneumonia (t=10.332, P<0.001) and healthy subjects (t=12.810, P<0.001); serum exosomal miR-23b-3p was significantly associated with tumor size, depth of invasion, liver metastasis and TNM stage (P<0.05). The area under the curve (AUC) for miR-23b-3p was 0.915 (95% CI, 0.84-0.92), the optimal relative expression of miR-23b-3p was 3.46, the sensitivity of diagnosis was 87.4%, and the specificity was 93.8%, all higher than that of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). The ROC^AUC of NSCLC was 0.645 (95% CI, 0.641-0.772) and for Cyfra21-1 it was 0.745 (95% CI, 0.701-0.812). Compared with the patients with pneumonia and the healthy subjects, the patients with NSCLC exhibited a higher level of serum exosomal miR-23b-3p. On the whole, these findings indicate that miR-23b-3p has a higher clinical diagnostic efficacy and may thus be a potential biomarker for the early diagnosis of NSCLC.

FOXO3a-mediated long non-coding RNA LINC00261 resists cardiomyocyte hypoxia/reoxygenation injury via targeting miR23b-3p/NRF2 axis

Ischemia/reperfusion (I/R)‐mediated acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a major pathological factor implicated in the progression of ischemic heart disease (IHD). Long non‐coding RNA plays an important role in regulating the occurrence and development of cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the regulating role of LINC00261 in hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R)‐induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis. The relative expression of LINC00261, miR‐23b‐3p and NRF2 were determined in rats I/R myocardial tissues and H/R‐induced cardiomyocytes. The rat model and cell model of LINC00261 overexpression were established to investigate the biological function of LINC00261 on H9C2 cell. The interaction between LINC00261, miR‐23b‐3p, NRF2 and FOXO3a was identified using bioinformatics analysis, luciferase reporter assay, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay, chromatin immunoprecipitation (CHIP) assay and qRT‐PCR. The expression of LINC00261 was significantly down‐regulated in myocardial tissues and H9C2 cell. Overexpression of LINC00261 improves cardiac function and reduces myocardium apoptosis. Interestingly, transcription factor FOXO3a was found to promote LINC00261 transcription. Moreover, LINC00261 was confirmed as a spong of miR23b‐3p and thereby positively regulates NRF2 expression in cardiomyocytes. Our findings reveal a novel role for LINC00261 in regulating H/R cardiomyocyte apoptosis and the potency of the LINC00261/miR‐23b‐3p/NRF2 axis as a therapeutic target for the treatment of MIRI.

miR-23b-3p acts as a counter-response against skeletal muscle atrophy

To investigate the role of microRNA (miRNA) in muscle atrophy, we performed microarray analysis of miRNA expression in skeletal muscles of Sham, orchiectomized (ORX) mice, and ORX mice treated with androgen and identified that the expression of miR-23b-3p in ORX mice was significantly higher than that in Sham mice (P = 0.007); however, miR-23b-3p expression in ORX mice treated with androgen was lower (P = 0.001). We also investigated the mechanism by which overexpression or knockdown of miR-23b-3p influences the expression of myosin heavy chain, muscle protein synthesis, ATP activity, and glucose uptake in C2C12 myotube cells. Moreover, we examined the serum miR-23b-3p levels among male subjects with type 2 diabetes and whether the serum miR-23b-3p levels could be a biomarker for muscle atrophy. The overexpression of miR-23b-3p in C2C12 myotube cells significantly upregulated the expression of myosin heavy chain, protein synthesis, ATP activity, and glucose uptake. Reporter assays raised a possible direct post-transcriptional regulation involving miR-23b-3p and the 3'-UTR of PTEN mRNA. Among subjects with type 2 diabetes, serum miR-23b-3p levels in the subjects with decreased muscle mass were significantly higher compared to the levels in the subjects without. Our results indicate that miR-23b-3p downregulates the expression of PTEN in myotube cells and induces the growth of myosin heavy chain. In addition, the serum level of miR-23b-3p can be used as a diagnostic marker for muscle atrophy.

Knockdown of lncRNA PVT1 alleviates high glucose-induced proliferation and fibrosis in human mesangial cells by miR-23b-3p/WT1 axis

BACKGROUND

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a severe complication of diabetes with type 1 and 2. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are being found to be involved in the DN pathogenesis. In this study, we aimed to further explore the effect and underlying mechanism of plasmacytoma variant translocation 1 (PVT1) in DN pathogenesis.

METHODS

The expression levels of PVT1, miR-23b-3p, and Wilms tumor protein 1 (WT1) mRNA were assessed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Western blot analysis was performed to determine protein expression. Cell proliferation was detected using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetr-azolium (MTS) assay. The targeted correlation between miR-23b-3p and PVT1 or WT1 was verified by dual-luciferase reporter assay.

RESULTS

PVT1 and WT1 were highly expressed in the serum of DN patients and high glucose (HG)-induced mesangial cells (MCs). The knockdown of PVT1 or WT1 ameliorated HG-induced proliferation and fibrosis in MCs. Mechanistically, PVT1 modulated WT1 expression through acting as a molecular sponge of miR-23b-3p. The miR-23b-3p/WT1 axis mediated the protective effect of PVT1 knockdown on HG-induced proliferation and fibrosis in MCs. The NF-κB pathway was involved in the regulatory network of the PVT1/miR-23b-3p/WT1 axis in HG-induced MCs.

CONCLUSION

Our study suggested that PVT1 knockdown ameliorated HG-induced proliferation and fibrosis in MCs at least partially by regulating the miR-23b-3p/WT1/NF-κB pathway. Targeting PVT1 might be a potential therapeutic strategy for DN treatment.

LncRNA RP11-422N16.3 Inhibits Cell Proliferation and EMT, and Induces Apoptosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells by Sponging miR-23b-3p

Objective

This study investigated the mechanism of RP11-422N16.3 sponging miR-23b-3p in cell proliferation, apoptosis and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in liver cancer.

Methods

Expressions of RP11-422N16.3, miR-23b-3p and dimethylglycine dehydrogenase (DMGDH) were determined in liver cancer tissues, adjacent normal tissues, hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines and normal liver epithelial cell line. Up-regulation of RP11-422N16.3 and down-regulation of miR-23b-3p were conducted in hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Bioinformatics analysis, luciferase reporter assay and RNA-pull down assay were performed to verify the relationship among miR-23b-3p, DMGDH, as well as RP11-422N16.3. Cell proliferation and cell apoptosis were determined by CCK-8 and Flow Cytometry analysis, respectively.

Results

Expressions of RP11-422N16.3 and DMGDH were down-regulated while that of miR-23b-3p were up-regulated in hepatocellular carcinoma cancer tissues and cells. RP11-422N16.3 localized in cytoplasm and competitively bound to miR-23b-3p. Up-regulation of RP11-422N16.3 and down-regulation of miR-23b-3p contributed to increased expressions of DMGDH and E-cadherin, and decreased expressions of miR-23b-3p, ZEB1, Snail and Vimentin, resulting in inhibiting cell proliferation and promoting cell apoptosis. Inhibition of RP11-422N16.3 or overexpression of miR-23b-3p accelerated cell proliferation and slowed down cell apoptosis. miR-23b-3p inhibited the expression of DMGDH.

Conclusion

Our data suggested that LncRNA RP11-422N16.3, by competitively binding to miR-23b-3p, promoted DMGDH expression, contributing to inhibit cell proliferation and EMT, and induce cell apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

Down-Regulation of SIRT1 Expression by mir-23b Contributes to Lipid Accumulation in HepG2 Cells

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is one of the main causes of chronic liver disease and therefore is currently considered a major public health problem. Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) is an NAD-dependent deacetylase enzyme that contributes in the regulation of metabolic processes and protects against lipid accumulation in hepatocytes. Its expression is potentially regulated by microRNAs which attach to the 3' untranslated region (3'-UTR) of their target mRNA. HepG2 cells were incubated by glucose to induce lipid accumulation and were subsequently transfected with mir-23b mimic and inhibitor. Real-time PCR was used for measuring the expression of mir-23b and SIRT1 mRNA. Cell survival assay and intracellular triglyceride measurement were performed using colorimetric methods. Determination of SIRT1 protein level and activity were done by western blot and fluorometric analysis, respectively. The interaction of miR-23b with 3'-UTR of SIRT1 mRNA was confirmed by dual luciferase. miR-23b mimic inhibited gene and protein expression of SIRT1, while the inhibitor of miR-23b significantly elevated the expression levels of SIRT1 mRNA and protein. The results showed that the 3'-UTR of SIRT1 mRNA is a direct target for miR-23b. The intracellular triglyceride level was increased following the inhibition of SIRT1 in transfected HepG2 cell by miR-23b mimic. Cell viability was decreased in response to miR-23b upregulation compared to control cells. miR-23b reduces the expression and activity of SIRT1 and therefore may be a causative factor in the enhancement of lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells.

Biological Effect and Mechanism of the miR-23b-3p/ANXA2 Axis in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Accumulating evidence strongly suggests that microRNAs (miRNAs) modulate the expression of known tumor suppressor genes and oncogenes. In the present study, we found that the proliferation and invasion ability of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cells were significantly suppressed by the overexpression of miR-23b-3p. In addition, there are miR-23b-3p binding sites in annexin A2 (ANXA2). Here, we investigated whether miR-23b-3p had an impact on the progression and metastasis of PDAC by targeting ANXA2.

METHODS

Cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, and cell cycle assays were performed to explore the effect of miR-23b-3p on various malignant phenotypes of pancreatic cancer cells. The size of tumors was observed following miR-23b-3p overexpression in an in vivo chick chorioallantoic membrane assay. Dual-luciferase reporter, quantitative real-time PCR, western blot, and immunohistochemical analyses were used to validate the relationship between miR-23b-3p and ANXA2 in vitro.

RESULTS

We observed that miR-23b-3p could bind specifically to the 3' untranslated region of ANXA2 and inhibit its expression. MiR-23b-3p overexpression downregulated the expression of ANXA2 mRNA in PDAC cells and limited the size of tumors or even prevented tumor formation. In addition, there was a negative correlation between miR-23b-3p expression and ANXA2 protein expression in clinical specimens.

CONCLUSION

MiR-23b-3p inhibits the development and progression of PDAC by regulating ANXA2 directly.

Serum miRNAs miR-140-3p and miR-23b-3p as potential biomarkers for osteoporosis and osteoporotic fracture in postmenopausal Mexican-Mestizo women

Osteoporosis is a metabolic bone disorder characterized by low bone mineral density and decreased bone strength, leading to an increased risk of fractures with a consequent increase in morbidity and mortality. The current methods to estimate the fracture risk are very limited. microRNAs (miRNAs) have been considered as good biomarkers for many pathological processes, including osteoporosis. Some circulating miRNAs are associated with regulation of bone formation and differentiation of bone cells. The aim of this study, was to analyze the expression of miRNAs in serum of patients with osteoporosis (n = 20) and healthy controls (n = 20). Expression of 754 miRNAs was analyzed through quantitative real time RT-PCR arrays. Seven miRNAs showed significant differences between groups. The microRNAs miR-23b-3p, miR-140-3p and miR-885-5p were selected based on fold change and p-values (40.5, p = 0.038, 20.7, p = 0.045, and 2.2, p = 0.002; respectively) for validation in independent serum samples from patients with osteopenia (n = 28), osteoporosis (n = 26) and osteoporotic hip fracture (n = 21). After validation, we confirm differences across the groups for miR-23b-3p and miR-140-3p. Our data pointed miR-140-3p and miR-23b-3p as potential biomarkers candidates for osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.

LncRNA HOTAIR contributes to the malignancy of hepatocellular carcinoma by enhancing epithelial-mesenchymal transition via sponging miR-23b-3p from ZEB1

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common cancer around the world, along with high mortality and metastasis rate. Our present study aimed to explore the role of LncRNA HOTAIR in the progression of HCC. Our data showed that HOTAIR was overexpressed in HCC tissues and cell lines (Huh7, Hep3B, HepG2, MHCC97H). Overexpressed HOTAIR promoted invasion and migration of HCC cells (Huh7) by enhancing epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Besides that, miR-23b-3p was predicted to be a target of HOTAIR and decreased expression of miR-23b-3p was observed in HCC tissues and cell lines. The up-regulation of HOTAIR strongly decreased the expression of miR-23b-3p. The further luciferase report confirmed the targeting reaction between HOTAIR and miR-23b-3p, suggesting that the expression of miR-23b-3p was negatively regulated by HOTAIR. Moreover, the zinc-finger E-box-binding homeobox 1 (ZEB1) protein was predicted to be a target of miR-23b-3p. The expression of ZEB1 was negatively regulated by miR-23b-3p while positively regulated by HOTAIR. Besides that, transfection with miR-23b-3p mimic counteracted the promoting effects of HOTAIR on invasion, migration and EMT of HCC cells. Our in vitro experiments suggested that HOTAIR promoted invasion and migration of HCC cells through enhancing EMT via sponging miR-23b-3p from ZEB1. Finally, the in vivo experiments indicated that HOTAIR could promote metastasis of HCC by enhancing EMT in vivo. Taken together, our study demonstrated that the HOTAIR-miR-23b-3p-ZEB1 axis may provide a new perspective for treatment of HCC.

miR-23b-3p and miR-125b-5p downregulate apo(a) expression by targeting Ets1 in HepG2 cells

High concentrations of plasma lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] have been inferred to be an independent risk factor for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, such as coronary artery diseases, restenosis, and stroke. Apolipoprotein(a) [apo(a)] is one of the most important components of Lp(a) and contributes greatly to the increased concentration of plasma Lp(a). As a critical positive transacting factor of apo(a) gene, Ets1 has been proven as a target gene of several miRNAs, such as miR-193b, miR-125b-5p, miR-200b, miR-1, and miR-499. In this study, a series of experiments on miRNAs and relative miRNAs inhibitor delivered HepG2 cells were conducted, and two miRNAs that downregulate the apo(a) by targeting the 3'-UTR of Ets1 were identified. Results showed that apo(a) and Ets1 were differentially expressed in SMMC7721 and HepG2 cell lines. Meanwhile, apo(a) and Ets1 were inversely correlated with several hepatic endogenous miRNAs, such as miR-125b-5p, miR-23b-3p, miR-26a-5p, and miR-423-5p, which were predicted to bind to Ets1. Results show that miR-125b-5p and miR-23b-3p mimics could inhibit the synthesis of apo(a) by directly targeting Ets1 in HepG2, thereby reducing the plasma Lp (a) concentration.

miR-23b-3p induces the cellular metabolic memory of high glucose in diabetic retinopathy through a SIRT1-dependent signalling pathway

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS

The mechanisms underlying the cellular metabolic memory induced by high glucose remain unclear. Here, we sought to determine the effects of microRNAs (miRNAs) on metabolic memory in diabetic retinopathy.

METHODS

The miRNA microarray was used to examine human retinal endothelial cells (HRECs) following exposure to normal glucose (N) or high glucose (H) for 1 week or transient H for 2 days followed by N for another 5 days (H→N). Levels of sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) and acetylated-nuclear factor κB (Ac-NF-κB) were examined following transfection with miR-23b-3p inhibitor or with SIRT1 small interfering (si)RNA in the H→N group, and the apoptotic HRECs were determined by flow cytometry. Retinal tissues from diabetic rats were similarly studied following intravitreal injection of miR-23b-3p inhibitor. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) analysis was performed to detect binding of NF-κB p65 to the potential binding site of the miR-23b-27b-24-1 gene promoter in HRECs.

RESULTS

High glucose increased miR-23b-3p expression, even after the return to normal glucose. Luciferase assays identified SIRT1 as a target mRNA of miR-23b-3p. Reduced miR-23b-3p expression inhibited Ac-NF-κB expression by rescuing SIRT1 expression and also relieved the effect of metabolic memory induced by high glucose in HRECs. The results were confirmed in the retina using a diabetic rat model of metabolic memory. High glucose facilitated the recruitment of NF-κB p65 and promoted transcription of the miR-23b-27b-24-1 gene, which can be suppressed by decreasing miR-23b-3p expression.

CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION

These studies identify a novel mechanism whereby miR-23b-3p regulates high-glucose-induced cellular metabolic memory in diabetic retinopathy through a SIRT1-dependent signalling pathway.

MicroRNA-26a-5p and microRNA-23b-3p up-regulate peroxiredoxin III in acute myeloid leukemia

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small RNAs that regulate target gene expression. Using microarray-based miRNA expression profiling, we compared the miRNA expression in granulocytes from four patients with acute myeloid leukemia and four healthy controls. Thirty-four miRNAs were found to be differentially expressed, including 20 miRNAs that were up-regulated and 14 miRNAs that were down-regulated. The expression of selected miRNAs (miR-26a-5p and miR-23b-3p) was independently validated in 20 patients and 12 healthy controls. Notably, we demonstrated that peroxiredoxin III (PrxIII) is a common direct target of both miR-26a-5p and miR-23b-3p. Furthermore, these results indicate that the two decreased miRNAs could scavenge cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) by targeting the PrxIII gene. These findings are discussed with regard to the known function of PrxIII as a ROS scavenger and the high endogenous ROS levels required for hematopoietic stem cell differentiation. These findings may potentially offer insights into the pathological relationships between miR-26a-5p, miR-23b-3p and leukemogenesis.