miR-130a targets CiGadd45bb to modulate the inflammatory response to bacterial infection in Ctenopharyngodon idella kidney (CIK) cells

Septicemia is a systemic inflammatory response to bacterial infection that results in a hyper-inflammatory state, which could lead to septic shock and death in grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella). The aim of this study was to determine the underlying mechanism of microRNA (miR-130a) in bacteria-infected grass carp. Expression levels of miR-130a against Aeromonas hydrophila (A. hydrophila) infection in Ctenopharyngodon idella kidney cells (CIK) were analyzed. Luciferase reporter assay, quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction were performed to explore whether Ctenopharyngodon idella growth arrest and DNA damage-inducible 45 (CiGadd45bb) was a target of miR-130a. MiR-130a mimic, inhibitor and miR-control were transfected to CIK respectively. After transfection, the expression levels of proinflammatory genes were determined. Here we show that CiGadd45bb as a target of miR-130a. We also confirmed that miR-130a levels were significantly higher after being stimulated for 4 h and lower after 12 h (P < 0.01). Overexpressing miR-130a strikingly inhibited p38, JNK, ERK and TNF-a genes (P < 0.01) and silencing miR-130a activated p38, JNK, ERK, TNF-a, IFN and IL-8 (P < 0.01). Our results provide a theoretical basis for studying the molecular mechanism underlying the regulation of inflammation by miR-130a in grass carp.

Progesterone modulates the DSCAM-AS1/miR-130a/ESR1 axis to suppress cell invasion and migration in breast cancer

BACKGROUND

A preoperative-progesterone intervention increases disease-free survival in patients with breast cancer, with an unknown underlying mechanism. We elucidated the role of non-coding RNAs in response to progesterone in human breast cancer.

METHODS

Whole transcriptome sequencing dataset of 30 breast primary tumors (10 tumors exposed to hydroxyprogesterone and 20 tumors as control) were re-analyzed to identify differentially expressed non-coding RNAs followed by real-time PCR analyses to validate the expression of candidates. Functional analyses were performed by genetic knockdown, biochemical, and cell-based assays.

RESULTS

We identified a significant downregulation in the expression of a long non-coding RNA, Down syndrome cell adhesion molecule antisense DSCAM-AS1, in response to progesterone treatment in breast cancer. The progesterone-induced expression of DSCAM-AS1 could be effectively blocked by the knockdown of progesterone receptor (PR) or treatment of cells with mifepristone (PR-antagonist). We further show that knockdown of DSCAM-AS1 mimics the effect of progesterone in impeding cell migration and invasion in PR-positive breast cancer cells, while its overexpression shows an opposite effect. Additionally, DSCAM-AS1 sponges the activity of miR-130a that regulates the expression of ESR1 by binding to its 3'-UTR to mediate the effect of progesterone in breast cancer cells. Consistent with our findings, TCGA analysis suggests that high levels of miR-130a correlate with a tendency toward better overall survival in patients with breast cancer.

CONCLUSION

This study presents a mechanism involving the DSCAM-AS1/miR-130a/ESR1 genomic axis through which progesterone impedes breast cancer cell invasion and migration. The findings highlight the utility of progesterone treatment in impeding metastasis and improving survival outcomes in patients with breast cancer.

DNMT1/miR-130a/ZEB1 Regulatory Pathway Affects the Inflammatory Response in Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Sepsis

Sepsis is a global health care issue that affects millions of people. DNA methyltransferase I (DNMT1)-mediated DNA methylation is involved in a number of human diseases by affecting many types of cellular progression events. However, the role and underlying molecular mechanism of DNMT1 in development of sepsis remain largely unknown. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced lung fibrosis in the sepsis mouse model, and DNMT1 was upregulated in lung tissues of a sepsis mouse model compared with lung tissues from control mice. Then, this study demonstrated that LPS induced the production of interleukin (IL)-7 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and promoted DNMT1 expression in primary type II alveolar epithelial cells (AECII cells). Knockdown of DNMT1 inhibited IL-7 and TNF-α secretion in AECII cells exposed to LPS. Further study demonstrated that DNMT1 repressed the expression of miR-130a in AECII cells with or without LPS exposure. Next, this study demonstrated that miR-130a inhibited ZEB1 expression in AECII cells exposed to LPS. Ultimately, this study revealed the role of the DNMT1/miR-130a/ZEB1 regulatory pathway in AECII cells exposed to LPS. Overall, our data revealed that LPS induced the secretion of inflammatory factors by modulating the DNMT1/miR-130a/ZEB1 regulatory pathway in AECII cells, thus providing a novel theoretical basis that might be beneficial for establishment of diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for sepsis.

Antiapoptotic and anti-inflammatory effects of Pparγ agonist, pioglitazone, reversed Dox-induced cardiotoxicity through mediating of miR-130a downregulation in C57BL/6 mice

Doxorubicin (Dox) is an antitumor agent widely used in cancer therapy, with notable side effects of cardiac toxicity. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), is a transcriptional factor with antiapoptotic and anti-inflammatory properties. Recently we indicated that cardiac toxicity of Dox was due to upregulation of miR-130a and further suppressive effect on cardiac Pparγ in vitro. In this study, we extended our proposed hypothesis in vivo. To achieve this, pioglitazone (Pio) and GW9662 were used as the specific agonist and antagonist of Pparγ to treat Dox-injected mice. Heart function, apoptosis, and inflammation in heart tissue were studied. Pretreatment of Dox-injected mice with Pio resulted in elevated expression of Pparγ and suppression of miR-130a. However, GW9662 pretreatment was unable to increase miR-130a expression. Pio pretreatment led to partially cardiac toxicity limitation of Dox whereas GW9662 caused heart damage. Finally, our observation determined that activation of Pparγ was not adequate to reverse the Dox-induced toxicity completely.

MicroRNA-130a attenuates cardiac fibrosis after myocardial infarction through TGF-β/Smad signaling by directly targeting TGF-β receptor 1

Cardiac fibrosis is a common pathophysiological change associated with myocardial infarction (MI), and while there is evidence that miR-130a plays an important role in a variety of fibrotic diseases, its role in the cardiac fibrosis during MI is unclear. Our study aimed to assess miR-130a’s ability to modulate cardiac fibrosis post-MI and uncover its potential molecular mechanisms. miR-130a was significantly downregulated in infarcted myocardium and hypoxic cardiac fibroblasts (CFs), whereas TGF-β, α-SMA, collagen 1 (Col-1), and TGF-β receptor 1 (TGFBR1) were upregulated. We transfected mice with AAV-9 carrying miR-130a and found that miR-130a overexpression statistically improved cardiac function and reduced the area of cardiac fibrosis in mice post-MI. Eukaryotic transcriptome sequencing and dual-luciferase reporter assay results verified that Tgfbr1 was a target gene of miR-130a. miR-130a inhibition heightened Col-1, α-SMA, and TGFBR1 expressions and Smad3 phosphorylation levels in CFs; however, these increments were suppressed by the overexpression of miR-130a. Meanwhile, co-transfection with TGFBR1 weakened miR-130a’s ability to inhibit α-SMA and Col-1 expression. These findings suggest that miR-130a exerts antifibrotic properties by directly targeting TGFBR1 to regulate TGF-β/Smad signaling and inhibit the conversion of CFs to myofibroblasts. Thus, miR-130a is a promising therapeutic target for alleviating cardiac fibrosis.

Longitudinal change in microRNA-130a expression and its correlation with the risk of developing major adverse cardiovascular and cerebral events in patients undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis

BACKGROUND

MicroRNA-130a (miR-130a) regulates angio-cellular dysregulation, atherosclerosis, and cardiocerebral injuries, serving as a biomarker for major adverse cardiovascular and cerebral events (MACCE) in several chronic diseases. However, its clinical application in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD), who are at a high risk of developing MACCE, has not been reported. Therefore, this study aimed to explore this aspect.

METHODS

miR-130a expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells obtained from 50 healthy controls (HCs) at recruitment and 257 ESRD patients undergoing CAPD at month (M)0, M12, M24, and M36 was determined by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. ESRD patients undergoing CAPD were followed up until MACCE occurred or M36. Then, MACCE were recorded, and MACCE-free survival was calculated.

RESULTS

miR-130a expression was significantly lower in ESRD patients undergoing CAPD than in HCs (p < 0.001). In addition, miR-130a expression significantly decreased from M0 to M36 in ESRD patients undergoing CAPD (p < 0.001). Moreover, miR-130a expression at M0, M12, and M24 was significantly lower in patients with MACCE than in those without MACCE (all p < 0.05). Furthermore, high miR-130a expression at M0, M12, and M36 was significantly correlated with prolonged MACCE-free survival in ESRD patients undergoing CAPD (all p < 0.05), and high miR-130a expression at M0 was an independent factor for improved MACCE-free survival (p = 0.015; hazard ratio (HR) (95% confidential interval): 0.456 (0.243-0.857)).

CONCLUSION

miR-130a expression decreases continuously with disease progression in patients with ESRD undergoing CAPD. Additionally, this expression is negatively correlated with MACCE risk in these patients.

Kaempferol attenuates the effects of XIST/miR-130a/STAT3 on inflammation and extracellular matrix degradation in osteoarthritis

Aim: To investigate whether kaempferol exhibited protective effects on osteoarthritis chondrocytes by modulating the XIST/miR-130a/STAT3 axis. Methods: qRT-PCR and western blot assays were used for gene and protein determination. Dual luciferase reporter and RNA immunoprecipitation assays were employed to study the interaction between miRNA and lncRNA or genes. Results: Kaempferol decreased proinflammatory cytokine production and extracellular matrix degradation in C28/I2 cells. Additionally, kaempferol ameliorated XIST expression and enhanced miR-130a expression. XIST interacted with miR-130a, and STAT3 was identified as a target of miR-130a. Knockdown of XIST expression suppressed proinflammatory cytokine production and extracellular matrix degradation in C28/I2 cells. Overexpression of STAT3 rescued the effects of XIST knockdown. Conclusion: Kaempferol inhibited inflammation and extracellular matrix degradation by modulating the XIST/miR-130a/STAT3 axis in chondrocytes.

Voluntary wheel-running exercise attenuates brain aging of rats through activating miR-130a-mediated autophagy

Autophagy is a highly regulated intracellular process for the degradation of protein aggregates and damaged organelles. Recently, autophagy has been implicated in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and aging. Autophagy process is regulated by the recruitment and assembly of several autophagy-related genes (Atgs) such as, Atg7 and LC3, as the highly conserved and important markers involved in the regulation of autophagy. We recently reported the reduced LC3-II/LC3-I ratio, down-regulated ATG7, and increased p62 protein levels in hippocampal tissues of aging rats. MicroRNA-130a (miR-130a) plays a crucial role in physiological and pathological processes, but whether miR-130a affects the autophagy of brain is unknown. We aim to explore the regulatory role of miR-130a on the autophagy and cell senescence of SH-SY5Y, as well as LC3-II/LC3-I ratio, and the expression of p62, ATG7, Ac-p53 and p21 during exercise intervention of aging rats. In this study, miR-130a expression was markedly down-regulated in the hippocampal of aged rats companying with up-regulated expression of Ac-p53 and p21 when compared with young rats. In contrast, voluntary wheel running could up-regulate miR-130a expression; decrease the expression of Ac-p53 and p21 in aging rats. Interestingly, exercise reversed the impaired autophagy resulted from aging possibly by activating AMPK signaling. Moreover, overexpression of miR-130a in d-galactose (D-gal)-induced SH-SY5Y cell senescence model attenuated d-gal-induced impaired autophagy and cell senescence, demonstrated by decreased levels of LC3, Ac-p53, p21 and increased p62, suggesting that voluntary wheel running can alleviate brain aging in natural aging rats by up-regulating miR-130a-mediated autophagy.

miR-130a-Mediated KLF3 Can Inhibit the Growth of Lung Cancer Cells

Background

The role of microRNA (miR) in tumors has been reported in numerous articles. Previous studies have found that miR-130a is low expressed in lung cancer, but the related mechanism has not been fully elucidated. This study mainly explores the mechanism of miR-130a in lung cancer, so as to provide potential therapeutic targets for clinical applications.

Methods

Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the expression of miR-130a and KLF3 in the tissues of lung cancer patients. The miR-130a-mimics and miR-130a-inhibit were constructed. Cell proliferation, invasion, migration and apoptosis were determined by CCK-8, transwell, scratch test and flow cytometry. Western Blot was used to determine the expression of KLF3 protein in cells, and the dual-luciferase reporter to determine the relationship between KLF3 and miR-130a.

Results

miR-130a shows low expression in NSCLC patients, while KLF3 shows high expression, exhibiting a negative correlation. The 5-year survival rate of patients with low miR-130a expression and high KLF3 expression was reduced. Cox regression analysis showed that miR-130a was an independent prognostic factor for NSCLC patients. The dual-luciferase reporter revealed that miR-130a bound to KLF3 in a targeted manner, and cell experiments showed that miR-130a could inhibit the growth of lung cancer cells by regulating the expression of KLF3.

Conclusion

miR-130a shows low expression in lung cancer and predicts a poor prognosis. In addition, up-regulation of miR-130a can down-regulate KLF3 and inhibit the growth of lung cancer.

Long Non-coding RNA H19 Augments Hypoxia/Reoxygenation-Induced Renal Tubular Epithelial Cell Apoptosis and Injury by the miR-130a/BCL2L11 Pathway

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a severe kidney disease defined by partial or abrupt loss of renal function. Emerging evidence indicates that non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), particularly long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), function as essential regulators in AKI development. Here we aimed to explore the underlying molecular mechanism of the lncRNA H19/miR-130a axis for the regulation of inflammation, proliferation, and apoptosis in kidney epithelial cells. Human renal proximal tubular cells (HK-2) were induced by hypoxia/reoxygenation to replicate the AKI model in vitro. After treatment, the effects of LncRNA H19 and miR-130a on proliferation and apoptosis of HK-2 cells were investigated by CCK-8 and flow cytometry. Meanwhile, the expressions of LncRNA H19, miR-130a, and inflammatory cytokines were detected by qRT-PCR, western blot, and ELISA assays. The results showed that downregulation of LncRNA H19 could promote cell proliferation, inhibit cell apoptosis, and suppress multiple inflammatory cytokine expressions in HK-2 cells by modulating the miR-130a/BCL2L11 pathway. Taken together, our findings indicated that LncRNA H19 and miR-130a might represent novel therapeutic targets and early diagnostic biomarkers for the treatment of AKI.

Exosomes secreted by chemoresistant ovarian cancer cells promote angiogenesis

Background

Ovarian cancer (OC) has the highest mortality rate in gynecologic tumors. Despite decades of continuous efforts, the survival rate of patients has not improved significantly, mostly due to drug resistance. Exosomes are hot topics in recent years. Cells can affect the biological behaviors of other cells by transferring exosomes. So far, numerous researchers have found that tumor cells can secrete exosomes which play a important role in the development of tumors. Solid tumors can promote angiogenesis. When drug resistance occurs, it seems that more blood vessels form. We suppose that exosomes derived from chemoresistant OC cells can also promote angiogenesis.

Results

We investigate whether exosomes secreted by chemoresistant SKOV3-DDP cells (SKOV3-DDP-exo) and sensitive SKOV3 cells (SKOV3-exo) influence angiogenesis. After exosomes were extracted, exosomes were co-cultured with HUVECs. We found that SKOV3-DDP-exo and SKOV3-exo are absorbed by endothelial cells and promote the proliferation, migration, invasion and tube formation of endothelial cells. Moreover, SKOV3-DDP-exo is more powerful in angiogenesis, suggesting that parts of the components of SKOV3-DDP-exo are significantly radical. We also found that miR-130a was highly expressed in drug-resistant OC cells. Also, we found that miR-130a in SKOV3-DDP-exo is higher than SKOV3-exo. Therefore, we suggest that miR-130a in exosomes is the main cause of chemoresistant OC cells promoting angiogenesis.

LncRNA SAMMSON Overexpression Suppresses Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Proliferation via Inhibiting miR-130a Maturation to Participate in Intracranial Aneurysm

BACKGROUND

MiR-130a is a recently identified critical player in vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation, which participates in intracranial aneurysm (IA). However, the involvement of miR-130a in IA and its upstream regulator are unknown. Our preliminary sequencing analysis revealed a close correlation between miR-130a and lncRNA SAMMSON across IA samples. Therefore, we further studied the crosstalk between SAMMSON and miR-130a in IA.

METHODS

SAMMSON and miR-130a expression were measured using RT-qPCR. SAMMSON subcellular location was analyzed with nuclear fractionation assay. Their direct interaction was explored with RNA pull-down assay. The role of SAMMSON in miR-130a maturation was studied with overexpression analysis. VSMC cell proliferation was analyzed with BrdU assay.

RESULTS

SAMMSON and premature miR-130a were deregulated in IA, while mature miR-130a was upregulated in IA. SAMMSON is localized in both the nucleus and cytoplasm, and direct interaction between SAMMSON and miR-130a was observed. SAMMSON overexpression suppressed miR-130a maturation in VSMCs and reduced the enhancing effects of miR-130a on VSMC cell proliferation.

CONCLUSION

SAMMSON is overexpressed in IA and suppresses VSMC proliferation via inhibiting miR-130a maturation.

MiR-130a in the adipogenesis of human SGBS preadipocytes and its susceptibility to androgen regulation

Objectives: Adipogenesis is the differentiation process generating mature adipocytes from undifferentiated mesenchymal stem cells. The differentiation can be inhibited by androgens, although knowledge about intracellular effectors of this inhibition is scarce. Recently, androgen-regulated microRNAs were detected as interesting candidates in this context. In this study, we analyse the role of miR-130a and miR-301 in the adipogenesis of human SGBS preadipocytes and whether they are prone to androgen regulation. Materials and Methods: microRNA expression during adipogenic differentiation with or without androgen stimulation was measured by qPCR. Putative target genes of miR-130a and miR-301 were identified by target database search and validated in luciferase reporter assays. Results: miR-130a and miR-301 are both significantly downregulated on day 3 and day 5 of adipogenic differentiation in comparison to day 0. Under androgen stimulation, a significant upregulation of miR-130a was detected after 7 days of adipogenesis lasting to day 14, while miR-301 did not change significantly until day 14. Luciferase reporter assays revealed the androgen receptor (AR), adiponectin (ADIPOQ) and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) as miR-130a target genes. Conclusions: miR-130a is an androgen-regulated microRNA that is downregulated during the early phase of adipogenesis and exerts its functions by regulating AR and ADIPOQ translation. These data may help to identify new signalling pathways associated with the androgen-mediated inhibition of adipogenesis.

Pathway Analysis of Selected Circulating miRNAs in Plasma of Breast Cancer Patients: A Preliminary Study

MicroRNAs in the circulation of breast cancer (BC) patients have great potential for the early diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of breast cancer. The aim of this preliminary study was to obtain the expression profile of selected miRNAs in the plasma of BC patients that could discriminate BC patients from healthy volunteers and may be useful in early detection of BC. Significantly deregulated miRNAs were evaluated by pathway analysis with the prediction of potential miRNA targets. The study enrolled plasma samples from 65 BC patients and 34 healthy volunteers. Selected miRNAs were screened in pilot testing by the real-time PCR (qPCR) method, and the most appropriate reference genes were selected for normalisation by the geNorm algorithm. In the final testing, we detected miR-99a, miR-130a, miR-484 and miR-1260a (p < 0.05) as significantly up-regulated in the plasma of BC patients. Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis revealed that all significantly deregulated miRNAs are involved in the Hippo and Transforming Growth Factor-beta (TGF-beta) signalling pathways. Our study confirmed a different profile of selected circulating miRNAs in the plasma of BC patients with an emphasis on some critical points in the analysis process.

MiR-130a/Ndrg2 Axis Inhibits the Proliferation of Fibroblast-Like Synoviocytes in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Studies have found that N-myc downstream-regulated gene 2 (Ndrg2) is involved in the progression of rheumatoid arthritis (RA); however, the specific mechanism still remains unclear. Gene expression profiles in the tibial joints of the collagen-induced rheumatoid arthritis model were obtained using Gene Expression Omnibus database. Western blot and real-time PCR were respectively performed to determine the expression of Ndrg2 and gene messenger RNA. Cell viability was measured by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) method, and cell cycle was detected by flow cytometry. Cell scratch assays were carried out to detect migration. The binding ability of miR-130a to Ndrg2-3'-UTR was predicted by TargetScan website and confirmed by dual luciferase assay. A collagen-induced arthritis rat model was constructed to observe the effects of miR-130a on arthritis index, hind limb swelling, volume of rat hind paw, and inflammation. Ndrg2 was found downregulated in RA tissues, and knockdown of Ndrg2 promoted fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) proliferation and inflammation, while overexpressed Ndrg2 produced opposite results. Ndrg2 was predicted as a target gene for miR-130a, and miR-130a mimic promoted FLS proliferation, while miR-130a inhibitor suppressed FLS proliferation. Moreover, we found that miR-130a antagomir could significantly reduce the arthritis index, swelling degree, foot volume, and inflammatory factor levels; inhibit the expression of miR-130a; and promote the expression of Ndrg2. The miR-130a/Ndrg2 axis signaling pathway is involved in the progression of RA. Our findings provide a theoretical basis for the clinical treatment of RA.

miR-130a promotes immature porcine Sertoli cell growth by activating SMAD5 through the TGF-β-PI3K/AKT signaling pathway

Sertoli cells play vital roles in normal spermatogenesis, and microRNAs (miRNAs) participate in regulating Sertoli cell development. However, the functions and mechanisms of action of most identified miRNAs in porcine Sertoli cells remain largely unknown. Herein, we primarily explored the regulatory roles of miR-130a in immature porcine Sertoli cells using EdU-based high-content screening assay. The results demonstrated that 27 miRNAs have potential roles in the promotion of immature porcine Sertoli cell proliferation, and miR-130a was identified as a promising candidate. miR-130a promoted cell cycle progression and cell proliferation, whereas it impeded cell apoptosis in immature porcine Sertoli cells. It also contributed to Sertoli cell proliferation and testis development in vivo. A TMT-based proteomics approach revealed that miR-130a regulated the expression of 91 proteins and multiple pathways, including the TGF-β and PI3K/AKT signaling. miR-130a did not directly target the 3'-UTR of SMAD5; however, it increased SMAD5 phosphorylation. Moreover, miR-130a enhanced TGF-β signaling by activating SMAD5 protein, and TGF-β signaling further activated the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway to promote cell proliferation and inhibit cell apoptosis in porcine immature Sertoli cells. Collectively, miR-130a promoted immature porcine Sertoli cell growth by activating SMAD5 through the TGF-β-PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. This study, therefore, provides novel insights into the effects of miR-130a on porcine spermatogenesis through the regulation of immature Sertoli cell proliferation and apoptosis.

miR-130a/TGF-β1 axis is involved in sow fertility by controlling granulosa cell apoptosis

TGF-β1 is a ligand of the TGF-β superfamily and an important cytokine that regulates ovarian functions including follicular development, steroid production, ovulation, luteinization, and female fertility. However, little is known about the regulation of TGF-β1 expression in ovary. Here, we identified that TGF-β1 is a functional target of miR-130a in porcine ovarian granulosa cells (GCs). The 3'-UTR sequence of TGF-β1 gene (1137 bp in length) in Large White (LW) pig was isolated, and multiple RNA regulatory elements (RREs), including several binding motifs of different miRNAs, were identified in this region. Luciferase activity assay showed that miR-130a dramatically suppresses the 3'-UTR luciferase activity of TGF-β1 gene, and further inhibits the expression of TGF-β1 in porcine GCs. FACS revealed that miR-130a acts as a pro-apoptotic factor and promotes GC apoptosis by inhibiting TGF-β1. Two novel linked mutations (-573G > A and -540T  >  C) were identified in the promoter region of ssc-miR-130a, but their polymorphisms are not associated with sow reproductive traits. Importantly, combined genotype analysis with a known mutation (c.1583 A  >  G) in the 3'-UTR of porcine TGF-β1 gene showed a significant association with reproductive performance in LW sow population. Overall, our findings defined a novel regulatory axis, miR-130a/TGF-β1 axis, which is involved in regulating sow fertility.

Cigarette smoke promotes chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) through the miR-130a/Wnt1 axis

Cigarette smoke (CS) is a crucial factor in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Wnt/β-catenin signaling deregulation may further contribute to COPD progression. The deregulation and dysfunction of miRNAs in COPD have been reported. Investigating the deregulated miRNAs and their potential role in COPD progression may provide novel strategies for COPD treatment. In the present study, we analyzed significantly differentially-expressed miRNAs in COPD according to GSE44531 and miR-130a was selected. We revealed the upregulation of miR-130a in COPD, both in cigarette smoke extract (CSE)-treated BEAS-2B cells and CS-exposed mice. MiR-130a negatively regulated three critical factors in Wnt/β-catenin signaling, Wnt1, β-Catenin, and LEF1. MiR-130a inhibition rescued CSE-blocked activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in vitro. MiR-130a targets WNT1 3'UTR to inhibit its expression. Moreover, in CSE-stimulated BEAS-2B cells, miR-130a overexpression aggravated, while miR-130a inhibition partially attenuated CSE-caused suppression on cell migration and proliferation. MiR-130a aggravates CSE-induced cellular injury in BEAS-2B cells by targeting Wnt signaling. In summary, miR-130a has a pathogenetic role in CS-induced COPD and regulates Wnt/β-catenin signaling via targeting Wnt1. Our findings indicate that miR-130a is a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of CS-induced COPD.

MicroRNA-130a targeting hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha suppresses cell metastasis and Warburg effect of NSCLC cells under hypoxia

MicroRNAs have been demonstrated to play critical role in the development of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and hypoxia is a common hallmark of NSCLC. MiRNA-130a-3p (miR-130a) is a well-known tumor suppressor, and we intended to explore the role and mechanism of miR-130a in NSCLC cells under hypoxia. We used real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction method to measure miR-130a expression, and found that miR-130a was downregulated in human NSCLC tumors and cell lines (A549 and H1299), accompanied with upregulation of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF1A), a marker of hypoxia. Besides, miR-130a low expression was associated with tumor burden and poor overall survival. Moreover, miR-130a expression was even downregulated in hypoxia-treated A549 and H1299 cells. Ectopic expression of miR-130a suppressed Warburg effect, migration and invasion in hypoxic A549 and H1299 cells, as evidenced by decreased glucose consumption, lactate production, hexokinase 2 expression, and numbers of migration cells and invasion cells analyzed by commercial glucose and lactate assay kits, western blotting and transwell assays. Furthermore, overexpression of miR-130a restrained xenograft tumor growth of A549 cells in mice. However, recovery of HIF1A could reverse the suppressive effect of miR-130a overexpression on cell migration, invasion and Warburg effect in hypoxic A549 and H1299 cells. Mechanically, dual-luciferase reporter assay, RNA immunoprecipitation and RNA pull-down assay confirmed a target relationship between miR-130a and HIF1A. Collectively, we demonstrated an anti-tumor role of miR-130a in NSCLC cells under hypoxia through targeting HIF1A, suggesting a potential target for the interfering of NSCLC.

LncRNA CTBP1-AS2 is upregulated in osteoarthritis and increases the methylation of miR-130a gene to inhibit chondrocyte proliferation

OBJECTIVES

LncRNA CTBP1-AS2 has been reported to be involved in type 2 diabetes and cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, while its roles in other human diseases are unknown. Our preliminary deep sequencing analysis showed altered expression of CTBP1-AS2 in osteoarthritis (OA). In addition, CTBP1-AS2 was inversely correlated with miR-130a. This study was therefore carried out to investigate the interactions between CTBP1-AS2 and miR-130a in OA.

METHODS

Synovial fluid was collected from 62 OA patients and 62 healthy controls. RT-qPCR was performed to determine the expression levels of CTBP1-AS2 and miR-130a in synovial fluid. Cell transfections were performed to investigate the interactions between CTBP1-AS2 and miR-130a. Methylation-specific PCR (MSP) was performed to assess the effects of CTBP1-AS2 on the methylation of miR-130a. Cell counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay was performed to evaluate the roles of CTBP1-AS2 and miR-130a in regulating proliferation of chondrocytes.

RESULTS

The results showed that CTBP1-AS2 was upregulated in OA and inversely correlated with miR-130a. In chondrocytes of OA patients, overexpression of CTBP1-AS2 led to increased methylation of miR-130a gene and downregulated expression of miR-130a, while overexpression of miR-130a did not affect the expression of CTBP1-AS2. In contrast, no interaction between CTBP1-AS2 and miR-130a was observed in chondrocytes from healthy adults. Analysis of chondrocyte proliferation showed that overexpression of miR-130a led to increased proliferation rate of chondrocytes extracted from OA patients. Overexpression of CTBP1-AS2 led to decreased proliferation rate of chondrocytes and reversed the effects of overexpressing miR-130a.

CONCLUSION

Therefore, CTBP1-AS2 is upregulated in OA and may increase the methylation of miR-130a gene to inhibit chondrocyte proliferation. Key Points • CTBP1-AS2 is overexpressed in OA and may downregulate miR-130a through methylation to suppress the proliferation of chondrocytes. • The interaction between CTBP1-AS2 and miR-130a is indirect and mediated by certain pathological mediators.

MiR-130a alleviated high-glucose induced retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) death by modulating TNF-α/SOD1/ROS cascade mediated pyroptosis

High-glucose induced retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) death by triggering oxidative stress, however, the underlying mechanisms are still not fully delineated. In this study, the RPE cell line ARPE-19 were treated with different concentrations of glucose, the results showed that high-glucose (50 mM) inhibited cell proliferation, promoted cell apoptosis and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in a time-dependent manner. Notably, we found that high-glucose (50 mM) increased the expression levels of Caspase-1, Gasdermin D, NLRP3, IL-1β and IL-18 in ARPE-19 cells, which indicated that high-glucose triggered pyroptotic cell death. Further results validated that both ROS scavenger N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) and pyroptosis inhibitor necrosulfonamide (NSA) reversed the effects of high-glucose (50 mM) on ARPE-19 cell proliferation, apoptosis and pyroptosis. In addition, high-glucose (50 mM) significantly decreased the levels of miR-130a and superoxide dismutase (SOD) 1, and promoted tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α expressions in ARPE-19 cells. Interestingly, upregulation of miR-130a increased SOD1 levels in a TNF-α dependent manner. Furthermore, overexpression of miR-130a abrogated the effects of high-glucose (50 mM) on the above cell functions, which were all reversed by either upregulating TNF-α or knocking down SOD1 in ARPE-19 cells. Taken together, upregulation of miR-130a alleviated the cytotoxic effects of high-glucose (50 mM) on ARPE-19 cells by regulating TNF-α/SOD1/ROS axis mediated pyroptotic cell death.

miR-130a alleviates neuronal apoptosis and changes in expression of Bcl-2/Bax and caspase-3 in cerebral infarction rats through PTEN/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway

Effect of micro ribonucleic acid (miR)-130a on neuronal apoptosis in rats with cerebral infarction (CI) was studied to explore whether phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN)/phosphatidylinositol 3-hydroxy kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) is involved in the regulation of neuronal apoptosis. Thirty-six Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into blank control group, model group and miR-130a low-expression group. miR-130a was determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), the content of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and IL-10 was detected using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits, and the neuronal apoptosis level in each group was determined through terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining. The neurobehavioral score was significantly lower in model group than that in blank control group (P<0.01), while it was significantly higher in miR-130a low-expression group than that in model group (P<0.01). Compared with blank control group, the model group had obviously increased content of TNF-α and IL-6 (P<0.01), decreased content of IL-10 (P<0.01), more apoptotic neurons (P<0.01), higher expression of caspase-3 (P<0.01), and obviously lower Bcl-2/Bax (P<0.01). Moreover, expression of phosphorylated (p)-PTEN, PI3K and p-Akt in brain tissues was remarkably lower in the model group than those in the blank control group (P<0.01). The expression level of miR-130a in brain tissues of CI rats is significantly increased. miR-130a promotes the release of inflammatory factors and facilitates neuronal apoptosis through suppressing the PTEN/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

LncRNA-H19 promotes hepatic lipogenesis by directly regulating miR-130a/PPARγ axis in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Background: As one of the most common liver disorders worldwide, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) begins with the abnormal accumulation of triglyceride (TG) in the liver. Long non-coding RNA-H19 was reported to modulate hepatic metabolic homeostasis in NAFLD. However, its molecular mechanism of NAFLD was not fully clear.

Methods:In vitro and in vivo models of NAFLD were established by free fatty acid (FFA) treatment of hepatocytes and high-fat feeding mice, respectively. Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) and Oil-Red O staining detected liver tissue morphology and lipid accumulation. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining examined peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) level in liver tissues. ELISA assay assessed TG secretion. Luciferase assay and RNA pull down were used to validate regulatory mechanism among H19, miR-130a and PPARγ. The gene expression in hepatocytes and liver tissues was detected by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blotting.

Results: H19 and PPARγ were up-regulated, while miR-130a was down-regulated in NAFLD mouse and cellular model. H&E and Oil-Red O staining indicated an increased lipid accumulation. Knockdown of H19 inhibited steatosis and TG secretion in FFA-induced hepatocytes. H19 could bind to miR-130a, and miR-130a could directly inhibit PPARγ expression. Meanwhile, miR-130a inhibited lipid accumulation by down-regulating NAFLD-related genes PPARγ, SREBP1, SCD1, ACC1 and FASN. Overexpression of miR-130a and PPARγ antagonist GW9662 inhibited lipogenesis and TG secretion, and PPARγ agonist GW1929 reversed this change induced by miR-130a up-regulation.

Conclusion: Knockdown of H19 alleviated hepatic lipogenesis via directly regulating miR-130a/PPARγ axis, which is a novel mechanistic role of H19 in the regulation of NAFLD.

MicroRNA-130a Contributes to Type-2 Classical DC-activation in Sjögren's Syndrome by Targeting Mitogen- and Stress-Activated Protein Kinase-1

Objectives: Considering the critical role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in regulation of cell activation, we investigated their role in circulating type-2 conventional dendritic cells (cDC2s) of patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) compared to healthy controls (HC). Methods: CD1c-expressing cDC2s were isolated from peripheral blood. A discovery cohort (15 pSS, 6 HC) was used to screen the expression of 758 miRNAs and a replication cohort (15 pSS, 11 HC) was used to confirm differential expression of 18 identified targets. Novel targets for two replicated miRNAs were identified by SILAC in HEK-293T cells and validated in primary cDC2s. Differences in cytokine production between pSS and HC cDC2s were evaluated by intracellular flow-cytometry. cDC2s were cultured in the presence of MSK1-inhibitors to investigate their effect on cytokine production. Results: Expression of miR-130a and miR-708 was significantly decreased in cDC2s from pSS patients compared to HC in both cohorts, and both miRNAs were downregulated upon stimulation via endosomal TLRs. Upstream mediator of cytokine production MSK1 was identified as a novel target of miR-130a and overexpression of miR-130a reduced MSK1 expression in cDC2s. pSS cDC2s showed higher MSK1 expression and an increased fraction of IL-12 and TNF-α-producing cells. MSK1-inhibition reduced cDC2 activation and production of IL-12, TNF-α, and IL-6. Conclusions: The decreased expression of miR-130a and miR-708 in pSS cDC2s seems to reflect cell activation. miR-130a targets MSK1, which regulates pro-inflammatory cytokine production, and we provide proof-of-concept for MSK1-inhibition as a therapeutic avenue to impede cDC2 activity in pSS.

lncRNA-CIR regulates cell apoptosis of chondrocytes in osteoarthritis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a complex chronic degenerative joint disease involving oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis of chondrocytes. As decoys of micro RNAs, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in various biological processes. This study was designed to investigate the interactions between lncRNA-CIR, chondrocyte apoptosis, and the molecular mechanisms underlying OA.

METHODS

Primary cultured chondrocytes were stressed using H₂ O₂ , IL-1β, or TNF-ɑ to simulate conditions found in OA. Quantitative real-time PCR was performed to detect miR-130a, lncRNA-CIR, and Bim mRNA expression levels. Western blot analysis was used to detect Bim protein expression levels. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were assayed by detecting the fluorescent signal of 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA). Cell apoptosis was measured with combined staining of PI and DAPI. lncRNA-CIR knockdown and miR-130a over-expression or inhibition were performed using small interfering RNAs, and miR-130 mimics or inhibitors, respectively.

RESULTS

lncRNA-CIR is significantly upregulated in OA patients, accompanied by downregulation of miR-130a and upregulation of Bim. Bio-informatics analysis predicted miR-130a as a target of both lncRNA-CIR and Bim. While lncRNA-CIR knockdown significantly increased the expression of Bim, miR-130a significantly suppressed Bim expression, with accompanying increases of ROS level, inflammatory mediator release, cell apoptosis, and relative luciferase activity.

CONCLUSIONS

The present findings demonstrated that the lncRNA-CIR/miR-130a/Bim axis is involved in oxidative stress-related apoptosis of chondrocytes in OA.

Microrna-130a Downregulates HCV Replication through an atg5-Dependent Autophagy Pathway

We previously identified that miR-130a downregulates HCV replication through two independent pathways: restoration of host immune responses and regulation of pyruvate metabolism. In this study, we further sought to explore host antiviral target genes regulated by miR-130a. We performed a RT² Profiler™ PCR array to identify the host antiviral genes regulated by miR-130a. The putative binding sites between miR-130a and its downregulated genes were predicted by miRanda. miR-130a and predicted target genes were over-expressed or knocked down by siRNA or CRISPR/Cas9 gRNA. Selected gene mRNAs and their proteins, together with HCV replication in JFH1 HCV-infected Huh7.5.1 cells were monitored by qRT-PCR and Western blot. We identified 32 genes that were significantly differentially expressed more than 1.5-fold following miR-130a overexpression, 28 of which were upregulated and 4 downregulated. We found that ATG5, a target gene for miR-130a, significantly upregulated HCV replication and downregulated interferon stimulated gene expression. miR-130a downregulated ATG5 expression and its conjugation complex with ATG12. ATG5 and ATG5-ATG12 complex affected interferon stimulated gene (ISG) such as MX1 and OAS3 expression and subsequently HCV replication. We concluded that miR-130a regulates host antiviral response and HCV replication through targeting ATG5 via the ATG5-dependent autophagy pathway.

Knockdown of LncRNA H19 Relieves LPS-Induced Damage by Modulating miR-130a in Osteoarthritis

PURPOSE

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a commonly occurring illness without a definitive cure, at present. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been widely confirmed to be involved in the modulation of OA progression. This study aimed to investigate the role and mechanism of lncRNA H19 in OA.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Abundances of H19 and microRNA-130a (miR-130a) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated C28/I2 cells were measured by reverse-transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). CCK-8 and flow cytometry analyses were carried out to assess cell viability and apoptosis. Starbase online software was used to predict the putative binding sites between H19 and miR-130a. Luciferase reporter, RNA pull down, and RT-qPCR were performed to analyze the true interaction between H19 and miR-130a.

RESULTS

A notably dose-dependent elevation of H19 levels was observed in LPS-treated C28/I2 cells. Knockdown of H19 ameliorated the injury of LPS-induced C28/I2 cells, reflected by induced viability, decreased apoptosis, and reduced inflammatory factor secretions. Moreover, H19 negatively regulated the expression of miR-130a via acting as a molecular sponge for miR-130a. The stimulatory effects of H19 on cell damage were abolished following the restoration of miR-130a.

CONCLUSION

LncRNA H19 aggravated the injury of LPS-induced C28/I2 cells by sponging miR-130a, hinting a novel regulatory mechanism and a potential therapeutic target for OA.

Quantitative Real-Time PCR to Measure YAP/TAZ Activity in Human Cells

Transcription coactivators Yes-associated protein (YAP) and transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ, also known as WWTR1) are homologs of the Drosophila Yorkie (Yki) protein and are major downstream effectors of the evolutionarily conserved Hippo pathway. YAP/TAZ play critical roles in regulation of cell proliferation, apoptosis, and stemness, thus mediate functions of the Hippo pathway in organ size control and tumorigenesis. The Hippo pathway inhibits YAP/TAZ through phosphorylation, which leads to YAP/TAZ cytoplasmic retention and degradation. Dephosphorylated and nuclear-localized YAP/TAZ bind to transcription factors, especially the TEAD family proteins, thus transactivate the expression of specific genes. Therefore, measuring the expression level of YAP/TAZ target genes is a critical approach to assess Hippo pathway activity. Through gene expression profiling in different tissues and cells using techniques such as microarray and RNA-seq, many target genes of YAP/TAZ have been identified. Some of these genes were confirmed to be direct YAP/TAZ targets by chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP)-PCR or ChIP-seq. These works made it possible to quickly determine YAP/TAZ activity by measuring the mRNA levels of several YAP/TAZ target genes, such as CTGF, CYR61, and miR-130a by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). In this chapter, we demonstrate the use of qPCR to measure YAP/TAZ activity in MCF10A cells.

Single-nucleotide polymorphism rs731384 is associated with plasma lipid levels and the risk of coronary artery disease in Chinese populations

AIMS

To investigate the relationship between the miR-130a polymorphism rs731384 and coronary artery disease (CAD) and to further explore the molecular mechanism of the pathogenesis of CAD, an observational single-center study was conducted.

METHOD

A total of 876 subjects were recruited in the present study. Four milliliters of venous blood was drawn after 12 h of fasting to perform biochemical assays. CAD patients and controls were distinguished by coronary angiography. Rs731384 was genotyped on the Agena MassARRAY system according to the manufacturer's user guide. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS 16.0 software.

RESULTS

The study found that the plasma levels of total cholesterol (TC) (P=0.006), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (P=0.030), apolipoprotein A (ApoA) (P=0.038), and apolipoprotein B (ApoB) (P=0.022) distributed differently in patients with various alleles. Additionally, the AA genotype of rs731384 was found to be a protective factor against CAD in a recessive model (AA:AG+GG, odds ratio (OR) = 0.408, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) = 0.171-0.973, P=0.043). A significant association was found between the gene-environment interaction and CAD risk. The AA genotype along with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level ≥ 1.325 mmol/l significantly decreased the CAD risk (AA:AG+GG, OR = 0.117, 95% CI = 0.023-0.588, P=0.009).

CONCLUSION

The mutant AA genotype of rs731384 seems to be a protective factor against CAD, and rs731384 plays an important role in the human metabolism of plasma lipids.

MicroRNA-130a inhibits spermatogenesis by directly targeting androgen receptor in mouse Sertoli cells

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been shown to play a key role in spermatogenesis. However, whether the miRNAs influence androgen/androgen receptor (AR) signaling during spermatogenesis remains unclear. Using a bioinformatic approach, a potential miRNA, miR-130a, which could bind to Ar-3'untranslated region directly was identified. The expression pattern of miR-130a was further characterized by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. It was found that miR-130a was abundant in testis and its expression level was negatively correlated with age. Overexpression of miR-130a could inhibit AR expression both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, the mice with an intratesticular injection of miR-130a showed defects in spermatogenesis and increased germ cell apoptosis. Taken together, these results suggest that miR-130a could negatively regulate AR expression in mouse Sertoli cell, which further cause defects in spermatogenesis.

Circular RNA-ZFR Inhibited Cell Proliferation and Promoted Apoptosis in Gastric Cancer by Sponging miR-130a/miR-107 and Modulating PTEN

PURPOSE

This study aimed to probe into the associations among circular RNA ZFR (circ-ZFR), miR-130a/miR-107, and PTEN, and to investigate the regulatory mechanism of circ-ZFR‒miR-130a/miR-107‒PTEN axis in gastric cancer (GC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

GSE89143 microarray data used in the study were acquired from publicly available Gene Expression Omnibus database to identify differentially expressed circular RNAs inGC tissues. The expressions of circ-ZFR, miR-130a, miR-107, and PTEN were examined by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, while PTEN protein expression was measured by western blot. The variation of GC cell proliferation and apoptosis was confirmed by cell counting kit-8 assay and flow cytometry analysis. The targeted relationships among circZFR, miR-130a/miR-107, and PTEN were predicted via bioinformatics analysis and demonstrated by dual-luciferase reporter assay and RNA immunoprecipitation assay. The impact of ZFR on gastric tumor was further verified in xenograft mice model experiment.

RESULTS

Circ-ZFR and PTEN were low-expressed whereas miR-107 and miR-130a were highexpressed in GC tissues and cells. There existed targeted relationships and interactions between miR-130a/miR-107 and ZFR/PTEN. Circ-ZFR inhibited GC cell propagation, cell cycle and promoted apoptosis by sponging miR-107/miR-130a, while miR-107/miR-130a promoted GC cell propagation and impeded apoptosis through targeting PTEN. Circ-ZFR inhibited cell proliferation and facilitated apoptosis in GC by sponging miR-130a/miR-107 and modulating PTEN. Circ-ZFR curbed GC tumor growth and affected p53 protein expression in vivo.

CONCLUSION

Circ-ZFR restrained GC cell proliferation, induced cell cycle arrest and promoted apoptosis by sponging miR-130a/miR-107 and regulating PTEN.

Exosome-Derived miR-130a Activates Angiogenesis in Gastric Cancer by Targeting C-MYB in Vascular Endothelial Cells

Metastasis is a crucial reason for the poor prognosis of gastric cancer. Angiogenesis is closely associated with tumor invasion and metastasis. Cancer-derived exosomes play an important role in the establishment of the tumor microenvironment. In this study, exosomes were isolated by sequential differential centrifugation, and they were verified by transmission electron microscopy. Changes in the biological behavior of human umbilical vein endothelial cells were evaluated with downstream cellular functional experiments. The RNA and protein levels of the miRNA target gene were determined by real-time qPCR and western blotting. A mouse xenograft model was adopted to evaluate the correlation between exosome-derived miR-130a and tumor growth in vivo. We demonstrated that exosomes delivered miR-130a from gastric cancer cells into vascular cells to promote angiogenesis and tumor growth by targeting c-MYB both in vivo and in vitro. miR-130a packaged in exosomes secreted from cancer cells acts as a driver of angiogenesis. Therefore, miR-130a might be a potential biomarker for monitoring the activity of gastric cancer. In addition, suppressing the expression or blocking the transmission of these exosomes might be a novel antiangiogenic therapeutic strategy for gastric cancer.

microRNA-130a suppresses breast cancer cell migration and invasion by targeting FOSL1 and upregulating ZO-1

FOSL1 is frequently overexpressed in multiple types of human cancers including invasive breast cancers and implicated in cancer invasion and metastasis. However, how FOSL1 is overexpressed in cancers remains to be elucidated. Several microRNAs (miRNAs) have been shown to target FOSL1 and are downregulated in human cancers. Here, we report that miR-130a is a novel FOSL1 targeting miRNA. Using gene expression microarray analysis, we found that FOSL1 is among the most up-regulated genes in cells transfected with miR-130a inhibitors. Transient transfection-immunoblot, RNA-immunoprecipitation, and luciferase reporter assays revealed that miR-130a directly targets FOSL1 mRNA at its 3'-UTR. Overexpression of miR-130a significantly reduced the levels of FOSL1 in invasive breast cancer MDA-MB-231 and Hs578T cell lines and suppresses their migration and invasion. This inhibition can be rescued by ectopic expression of miR-130a-resistant FOSL1. Interestingly, we show that overexpression of miR-130a increased the levels of tight-junction protein ZO-1 while inhibition of miR-130a reduced the levels of ZO-1. We further show that miR-130a expression is significantly reduced in cancer tissues from triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients, correlating significantly with the upregulation of FOSL1 expression, compared to non-TNBC tissues. Together, our results reveal that miR-130a directly targets FOSL1 and suppresses the inhibition of ZO-1, thus inhibiting cancer cell migration and invasion, in TNBCs.

Macrophage-derived extracellular vesicles mediate smooth muscle hyperplasia: role of altered miRNA cargo in response to HIV infection and substance abuse

Our previous studies consistently demonstrate enhanced pulmonary vascular remodeling in HIV–infected intravenous drug users, and in simian immunodeficiency virus–infected macaques or HIV-transgenic rats exposed to opioids or cocaine. Although we reported an associated increase in perivascular inflammation, the exact role of inflammatory cells in the development of pulmonary vascular remodeling remains unknown. In this study, HIV–infected and cocaine (H+C)–treated human monocyte derived macrophages released a higher number of extracellular vesicles (EVs), compared to HIV-infected or uninfected cocaine-treated macrophages, with a significant increase in the particle size range to 100–150 nm. Treatment of primary human pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (HPASMCs) with these EVs resulted in a significant increase in smooth muscle proliferation. We also observed a significant increase in the miRNA-130a level in the EVs derived from H+C-treated macrophages that corresponded with the decrease in the expression of phosphatase and tensin homolog and tuberous sclerosis 1 and 2 and activation of PI3K/protein kinase B signaling in HPASMCs on addition of these EVs. Transfection of HPASMCs with antagomir-130a–ameliorated the EV-induced effect. Thus, we conclude that EVs derived from H+C-treated macrophages promote pulmonary smooth muscle proliferation by delivery of its prosurvival miRNA cargo, which may play a crucial role in the development of PAH.—Sharma, H., Chinnappan, M., Agarwal, S., Dalvi, P., Gunewardena, S., O’Brien-Ladner, A., Dhillon, N. K. Macrophage-derived extracellular vesicles mediate smooth muscle hyperplasia: role of altered miRNA cargo in response to HIV infection and substance abuse.

MicroRNA-130a Regulation of Desmocollin 2 in a Novel Model of Arrhythmogenic Cardiomyopathy

BACKGROUND

MicroRNAs are small noncoding RNA molecules that play a critical role in regulating physiological and disease processes. Recent studies have now recognized microRNAs as an important player in cardiac arrhythmogenesis. Molecular insight into arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (AC) has primarily focused on mutations in desmosome proteins. To our knowledge, models of AC due to microRNA dysregulation have not been reported. Previously, we reported on miR-130a mediated down-regulation of Connexin43.

OBJECTIVE

Here, we investigate miR-130a-mediated translational repression of Desmocollin2 (DSC2), as it has a predicted target site for miR-130a. DSC2 is an important protein for cell adhesion, which has been shown to be dysregulated in human AC.

METHOD & RESULTS

After induction of miR-130a, transgenic mice demonstrated right ventricular dilation. Surface ECG revealed spontaneous premature ventricular complexes confirming an arrhythmogenic phenotype in αMHC-miR130a mice. Using total protein from whole ventricular lysate, western blot analysis demonstrated an 80% reduction in DSC2 levels in transgenic myocardium. Furthermore, immunofluorescent staining confirmed downregulation of DSC2 in transgenic compared with littermate control myocardium. In transgenic hearts, histologic findings revealed fibrosis and lipid accumulation within both ventricles. To validate DSC2 as a direct target of miR-130a, we performed in vitro target assays in 3T3 fibroblasts, known to express miR-130a. Using a luciferase reporter fused to the 3UTR of DSC2 compared with a control, we found a 42% reduction in luciferase activity with the DSC2 3UTR. This reduction was reversed upon selective inhibition of miR-130a.

CONCLUSION

Overexpression of miR-130a results in a disease phenotype characteristic of AC and therefore, may serve as potential model for microRNA-induced AC.

MiR-130a is aberrantly overexpressed in adult acute myeloid leukemia with t(8;21) and its suppression induces AML cell death

BACKGROUND

Emerging evidence has revealed that miRNAs can function as oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes in leukemia. The ectopic expression of miR-130a has been reported in chronic leukemia, but our understanding of the biological implications of miR-130a expression remains incomplete.

METHODS

We quantified a cohort of de novo acute myeloid leukemia (AML) by bead-based miRNA and real-time quantitative PCR (Rq-PCR). The luciferase reporter gene assay was analyzed after the plasmid constructs which contain 5'-UTR of miR-130a and a Renilla luciferase reporter plasmid were transfected simultaneously into 293T cells. MTT and caspase 3/7 apoptosis assays were used to test cell viability and apoptosis.

RESULTS

We identified miR-130a as significantly overexpressed in t(8;21) AML. Expression of miR-130a decreased significantly once patients with t(8;21) achieved complete remission, but increased sharply at the time of relapse. In patients with t(8;21) AML, KIT mutational status was associated with miR-130a expression-with higher expression associated with KIT activating mutations. Increased miR-130a expression in t(8;21) AML was associated with slightly worse event-free survival; however, no impact on overall survival was observed. Knockdown of AML1/ETO protein in the SKNO-1 cell line resulted in decrease of expression of miR-130a. Direct binding of AML1/ETO fusion protein with the promoter sequence of miR-130a was detected with luciferase reporter gene assay. Following miR-130a knockdown, SKNO-1 demonstrated increased sensitivity to etoposide.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data suggest that miR-130a is directly activated by AML1/ETO, and may act as a factor which is associated with leukemia burden, event-free survival, and chemotherapy sensitivity in t(8;21) AML.

SOX9/miR-130a/CTR1 axis modulates DDP-resistance of cervical cancer cell

Cisplatin (DDP) -based chemotherapy is a standard strategy for cervical cancer, while chemoresistance remains a huge challenge. Copper transporter protein 1 (CTR1), a copper influx transporter required for high affinity copper (probably reduced Cu I) transport into the cell, reportedly promotes a significant fraction of DDP internalization in tumor cells. In the present study, we evaluated the function of CTR1 in the cell proliferation of cervical cancer upon DDP treatment. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been regarded as essential regulators of cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, as well as chemoresistance. By using online tools, we screened for candidate miRNAs potentially regulate CTR1, among which miR-130a has been proved to promote cervical cancer cell proliferation through targeting PTEN in our previous study. In the present study, we investigated the role of miR-130a in cervical cancer chemoresistance to DDP, and confirmed the binding of miR-130a to CTR1. SOX9 also reportedly act on cancer chemoresistance. In the present study, we revealed that SOX9 inversely regulated miR-130a through direct targeting the promoter of miR-130a. Consistent with previous studies, SOX9 could affect cervical cancer chemoresistance to DDP. Taken together, we demonstrated a SOX9/miR-130a/CTR1 axis which modulated the chemoresistance of cervical cancer cell to DDP, and provided promising targets for dealing with the chemoresistance of cervical cancer.

MiR-130a inhibition protects rat cardiac myocytes from hypoxia-triggered apoptosis by targeting Smad4

BACKGROUND

Cardiomyocyte death facilitates the pathological process underlying ischaemic heart diseases, such as myocardial infarction. Emerging evidence suggests that microRNAs play a critical role in the pathological process underlying myocardial infarction by regulating cardiomyocyte apoptosis. However, the relevance of miR-130a in regulating cardiomyocyte apoptosis and the underlying mechanism are still uncertain.

AIM

We sought to explore the regulatory effect of miR-130a on hypoxic cardiomyocyte apoptosis.

METHODS

The expression of miR-130a was measured by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Cell survival was determined by the MTT assay. The lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay was performed to deter-mine the severity of hypoxia-induced cell injury. Apoptosis was assessed via caspase-3 analysis. Protein expression level was determined by Western blotting. The genes targeted by miR-130a were predicted using bioinformatics and were validated via the dual-luciferase reporter assay system.

RESULTS

We found that miR-130a expression was greatly increased in hypoxic cardiac myocytes, and that the downregulation of miR-130a effectively shielded cardiac myocytes from hypoxia-triggered apoptosis. In bioinformatic analysis the Smad4 gene was predicted to be the target of miR-130a. This finding was validated through the Western blot assay, dual-luciferase reporter gene assay, and qRT-PCR. MiR-130a inhibition significantly promoted the activation of Smad4 in hypoxic cardiomyocytes. Inter-estingly, knockdown of Smad4 markedly reversed the protective effects induced by miR-130a inhibition. Moreover, we found that the inhibition of miR-130a promoted the activation of transforming growth factor-b1 signalling. Blocking of Smad4 signal-ling significantly abrogated the protective effects of miR-130a inhibition.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings indicate that inhibition of miR-130a, which targets the Smad4 gene, shields cardiac myocytes from hypoxic apoptosis. This study offers a novel perspective on the molecular basis of hypoxia-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis and suggests a possible drug target for the treatment of myocardial infarction.

Targeted interfering DEP domain containing 1 protein induces apoptosis in A549 lung adenocarcinoma cells through the NF-κB signaling pathway

Ectopic expression of DEP domain containing 1 (DEPDC1) in lung adenocarcinomas is associated with poor prognosis, but its role and the underlying mechanism remain unknown. In this study, DEPDC1 expression in lung cancer cell lines was examined with Western blot assay, and DEPDC1-positive cell A549 was selected for further experiments. DEPDC1 inhibitor miR-130a was overexpressed in A549 cells, and the proliferation and apoptosis of these cells were analyzed with cell counting and flow cytometry assay. Interfering peptide 11R-DEP:611–628 and JNK inhibitor SP600125 were used alone or in combination to treat A549 cells, and the cell proliferation and apoptosis were assessed by flow cytometry assay; caspase 3 and cleaved caspase 3, phosphor-JNK, and total JNK were detected by Western blotting; and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) localization was determined by immunofluorescence staining. We found that miR-130a and 11R-DEP:611–628 peptides (5 μM) both inhibited A549 proliferation and induced apoptosis. We observed that 11R-DEP:611–628 peptide treatment resulted in elevated A20 expression, dramatically reduced nuclear NF-κB, and increased phosphor-JNK. These findings indicate that DEPDC1 inhibits apoptosis of A549 cell by suppressing A20 expression to regulate NF-κB activity, and that JNK plays a protective role upon 11R-DEP:611–628 peptide treatment. In conclusion, DEPDC1 might be a novel therapeutic target for lung cancer, and the 11R-DEP:611–628 peptide is a potent apoptosis inducer in A549 cells.

Downregulation of miR-130a promotes cell growth and epithelial to mesenchymal transition by activating HMGB2 in glioma

Aberrant expression of miR-130a is usually found in cancer studies; however, the role of miR-130a has seldom been reported in glioma. We explored miR-130a's function and the underlying mechanism in glioma. It was found that miR-130a expression was significantly down-regulated in glioma tissues and cell lines. Overexpression of miR-130a decreased glioma cell growth and invasion both in vitro and in vivo. We identified the oncogene HMGB2 as a downstream target of miR-130a by using luciferase and western blot assays. Knockdown of HMGB2 mimicked the effect of miR-130a in glioma cells. Taken together, our study demonstrate that miR-130a may function as a tumor suppressor in glioma and suggest that miR-130a is a potential therapeutic target for glioma patients.

microRNA-130a is an oncomir suppressing the expression of CRMP4 in gastric cancer

Gastric cancer is one of the most common causes of death worldwide, although its incidence has steadily declined in recent years. There is strong evidence that aberrantly expressed microRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in gastric cancer tumorigenesis. Furthermore, CRMP4 is closely associated with the occurrence and development of gastric cancer, and our predictions suggest that miR-130a, which can promote gastric cancer tumorigenesis, is a potential CRMP4 regulator. In this study, we investigated the expression of CRMP4 and miR-130a in human gastric cancer cell lines by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot (WB) examination and direct interactions between miR-130a and CRMP4 by dual-luciferase reporter assay. We also evaluated the biological roles of miR-130a and CRMP4 in gastric cancer cells by flow cytometry, MTT assay, soft agar colony formation assay, and Transwell tests and confirmed CRMP4 function in vivo, using a tumor xenograft model. Our results demonstrated that CRMP4 expression was significantly decreased at both the gene and protein levels, while miR-130a expression was notably increased, in five human gastric cancer cell lines compared with human gastric epithelial cells. Dual-luciferase reporter assays indicated that CRMP4 was the direct target of miR-130a. Moreover, an inverse regulatory relationship between miR-130a and CRMP4 was verified by qRT-PCR and WB, and overexpression of miR-130a in BGC823 cells enhanced apoptosis and cell proliferation, arrested the cell cycle in G0/G1, and facilitated cell colony formation, invasion, migration, and adhesion, while upregulation of CRMP4 had opposite effects. Finally, the growth and weight of transplanted tumors derived from BGC823 cells in which CRMP4 was knocked down were remarkably reduced. These data indicate that miR-130a is an oncomir targeting CRMP4 and could be developed as a potential prognostic factor and a novel therapeutic target in gastric cancer.

miR-130A as a diagnostic marker to differentiate malignant mesothelioma from lung adenocarcinoma in pleural effusion cytology

BACKGROUND

Malignant pleural mesothelioma is a rare tumor with a dismal prognosis, usually presenting with recurrent effusions. However, the majority of malignant pleural effusions are due to lung adenocarcinoma (AdC). The distinction between these tumors has considerable therapeutic and medicolegal implications and can be very challenging both histologically and cytologically. Appropriate immunohistochemistry (IHC) is required to support the diagnosis. MicroRNA (miRNA) expression analysis could be a viable diagnostic tool for distinguishing between these tumors. The purpose of the current study was to assess the reliability of miRNAs as diagnostic markers to differentiate epithelioid malignant mesothelioma (MM) from lung AdC.

METHODS

Bioinformatic analysis of publicly searchable data sets regarding miRNA expression profiling was performed to select the most significant differentially expressed miRNAs. These were analyzed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction on histologic (41 MM cases and 40 lung AdC cases) and cytological (26 MM cases and 27 lung AdC cases) specimens and the diagnostic performances were assessed.

RESULTS

miR-130a, miR-193a, miR-675, miR-141, miR-205, and miR-375 were found to be the best distinguishing markers. Of these, only miR-130a was significantly overexpressed in MM compared with lung AdC (P =.029 in histologic and P =.014 in cytological samples). miR-130a demonstrated a sensitivity of 77%, a specificity of 67%, a positive predictive value of 69%, a negative predictive value of 75%, and an accuracy of 72% in identifying MM.

CONCLUSIONS

The diagnostic performances of miR-130a expression analysis and IHC appear to be similar. miR-130a quantification could be used reliably as second-level diagnostic tool to differentiate MM from lung AdC in pleural effusion cytology, mainly in those cases with ambiguous or negative IHC. Further validation is needed. Cancer Cytopathol 2017;125:635-43. © 2017 American Cancer Society.

Epigenetic disruption of miR-130a promotes prostate cancer by targeting SEC23B and DEPDC1

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-coding RNAs that mediate post-transcriptional gene silencing, fine tuning gene expression. In an initial screen, miRNAs were found to be globally down-regulated in prostate cancer (PCa) cell lines and primary tumours. Exposure of PCa cell lines to a demethylating agent, 5-Aza-CdR resulted in an increase in the expression levels of miRNAs in general. Using stringent filtering criteria miR-130a was identified as the most promising candidate and selected for validation analyses in our patient series. Down-regulation of miR-130a was associated with promoter hypermethylation. MiR-130a methylation levels discriminated PCa from non-malignant tissues (AUC = 0.956), and urine samples revealed high specificity for non-invasive detection of patients with PCa (AUC = 0.89). Additionally, repressive histone marks were also found in the promoter of miR-130a. Over-expression of miR-130a in PCa cells reduced cell viability and invasion capability, and increased apoptosis. Putative targets of miR-130a were assessed by microarray expression profiling and DEPD1C and SEC23B were selected for validation. Silencing of both genes resembled the effect of over-expressing miR-130a in PCa cells. Our data indicate that miR-130a is an epigenetically regulated miRNA involved in regulation of key molecular and phenotypic features of prostate carcinogenesis, acting as a tumour suppressor miRNA.

Targeting of RUNX3 by miR-130a and miR-495 cooperatively increases cell proliferation and tumor angiogenesis in gastric cancer cells

Mature microRNAs (miRNAs) are 21 to 23 nucleotide noncoding RNA molecules that can downregulate multiple gene expression by mRNA degradation or translational repression. miRNAs are considered to play important roles in cell proliferation, apoptosis, and differentiation during mammalian development. The Runt-related transcription factor 3 (RUNX3) expression and activity are frequently downregulated by various mechanisms in gastric cancer. We have reported that RUNX3 inactivation is crucial for early tumorigenesis. In this study, we investigated the role of miRNAs targeting RUNX3 in early tumorigenesis. miR-130a and miR-495 upregulated under hypoxic conditions that bind to the RUNX3 3′-untranslated region (3′-UTR) were identified in gastric cancer cells by using microarray analysis and bioinformatics programs. Combination of miR-130a and miR-495 inhibited RUNX3 expression at the protein level, but not at the mRNA level. miR-130a and miR-495 significantly inhibited the RUNX3–3′UTR-luciferase activity. Combination of miR-130a and miR-495 significantly decreased apoptosis determined by Annexin V-FITC/propidium iodide staining and flow cytometric analysis, and the expression of Bim in SNU484 gastric cancer cells. In addition, p21 and Bim, RUNX3 target genes, were completely downregulated by the combination of miR-130a and miR-495. Using matrigel plug assay, we found that antagomiRs specific for miR-130a and miR-495 significantly reduced angiogenesis in vivo. In conclusion, targeting miR-130a and miR-495 could be a potential therapeutics to recover RUNX3 expression under hypoxic conditions and in early tumorigenic progression.

MiR-130a regulates neurite outgrowth and dendritic spine density by targeting MeCP2

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are critical for both development and function of the central nervous system. Significant evidence suggests that abnormal expression of miRNAs is associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. MeCP2 protein is an epigenetic regulator repressing or activating gene transcription by binding to methylated DNA. Both loss-of-function and gain-of-function mutations in the MECP2 gene lead to neurodevelopmental disorders such as Rett syndrome, autism and MECP2 duplication syndrome. In this study, we demonstrate that miR-130a inhibits neurite outgrowth and reduces dendritic spine density as well as dendritic complexity. Bioinformatics analyses, cell cultures and biochemical experiments indicate that miR-130a targets MECP2 and down-regulates MeCP2 protein expression. Furthermore, expression of the wild-type MeCP2, but not a loss-of-function mutant, rescues the miR-130a-induced phenotype. Our study uncovers the MECP2 gene as a previous unknown target for miR-130a, supporting that miR-130a may play a role in neurodevelopment by regulating MeCP2. Together with data from other groups, our work suggests that a feedback regulatory mechanism involving both miR-130a and MeCP2 may serve to ensure their appropriate expression and function in neural development.

Interleukin-18 and miR-130a in severe sepsis patients with thrombocytopenia

BACKGROUND

Thrombocytopenia is one of the most common laboratory abnormalities encountered in patients with severe sepsis. It has been reported that thrombocytopenia is linked to mortality in patients with severe sepsis. However, the mechanism of thrombocytopenia in sepsis is unknown. We hypothesized that inflammatory cytokines and microRNAs (miRNAs) are not only involved in the pathogenesis of sepsis, but also are correlated with thrombocytopenia.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Eligible patients with severe sepsis were prospectively recruited and treated at our hospital between June 2012 and May 2014. The miRNA and protein expression of interleukin (IL)-18 and IL-27 were detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. The expression of miR-130a and miR-150 was detected by TaqMan real-time polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTS

Sixty eligible patients were divided into two groups: 28 severe sepsis patients with thrombocytopenia and 32 severe sepsis patients without thrombocytopenia. The results demonstrated that the miRNA expression and plasma concentration of IL-18 in severe sepsis patients with thrombocytopenia were higher than those in severe sepsis patients without thrombocytopenia (P=0.015 and P=0.034, respectively), and miR-130a expression was significantly lower in severe sepsis patients with thrombocytopenia (P<0.003).

CONCLUSION

Our data demonstrate that severe sepsis patients with thrombocytopenia have increased plasma and miRNA expression levels of IL-18 and decreased expression of miR-130a, suggesting that IL-18 and miR-130a might be involved in the pathophysiological process of severe sepsis with thrombocytopenia.

MicroRNA-130a regulates cell malignancy by targeting RECK in chronic myeloid leukemia

Emerging evidence has indicated that microRNAs are involved in tumor development and progression, acting as either tumor suppressors or oncogenes. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of miR-130a in the pathogenesis of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Functional studies indicate that over-expression of miR-130a in A562 CML cells dramatically suppresses cell proliferation and induces cell apoptosis both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the transcriptional regulator RECK is a target of miR-130a. In conclusion, our study suggests that miR-130a may function as a novel tumor suppressor in CML, and its anti-oncogenic activity may involve the direct targeting and inhibition of RECK.

The Etv2-miR-130a Network Regulates Mesodermal Specification

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are known to regulate critical developmental stages during embryogenesis. Here, we defined an Etv2-miR-130a cascade that regulates mesodermal specification and determination. Ablation of Dicer in the Etv2-expressing precursors resulted in altered mesodermal lineages and embryonic lethality. We identified miR-130a as a direct target of Etv2 and demonstrated its role in the segregation of bipotent hemato-endothelial progenitors toward the endothelial lineage. Gain-of-function experiments demonstrated that miR-130a promoted the endothelial program at the expense of the cardiac program without impacting the hematopoietic lineages. In contrast, CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout of miR-130a demonstrated a reduction of the endothelial program without affecting hematopoiesis. Mechanistically, miR-130a directly suppressed Pdgfra expression and promoted the endothelial program by blocking Pdgfra signaling. Inhibition or activation of Pdgfra signaling phenocopied the miR-130a overexpression and knockout phenotypes, respectively. In summary, we report the function of a miRNA that specifically promotes the divergence of the hemato-endothelial progenitor to the endothelial lineage.

miR-130a activates apoptotic signaling through activation of caspase-8 in taxane-resistant prostate cancer cells

BACKGROUND

The acquisition of drug resistance is one of the most malignant phenotypes of cancer and identification of its therapeutic target is a prerequisite for the development of novel therapy. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been implicated in various types of cancer and proposed as potential therapeutic targets for patients. In the present study, we aimed to identify miRNA that could serve as a therapeutic target for taxane-resistant prostate cancer.

METHODS

In order to identify miRNAs related to taxane-resistance, miRNA profiling was performed using prostate cancer PC-3 cells and paclitaxel-resistant PC-3 cell lines established from PC-3 cells. Microarray analysis of mRNA expression was also conducted to search for potential target genes of miRNA. Luciferase reporter assay was performed to examine miRNA binding to the 3'-UTR of target genes. The effects of ectopic expression of miRNA on cell growth, tubulin polymerization, drug sensitivity, and apoptotic signaling pathway were investigated in a paclitaxel-resistant PC-3 cell line.

RESULTS

The expression of miR-130a was down-regulated in all paclitaxel-resistant cell lines compared with parental PC-3 cells. Based on mRNA microarray analysis and luciferase reporter assay, we identified SLAIN1 as a direct target gene for miR-130a. Transfection of a miR-130a precursor into a paclitaxel-resistant cell line suppressed cell growth and increased the sensitivity to paclitaxel. Lastly, ectopic expression of miR-130a did not affect the polymerized tubulin level, but activated apoptotic signaling through activation of caspase-8.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggested that reduced expression of miR-130a may be involved in the paclitaxel-resistance and that miR-130a could be a therapeutic target for taxane-resistant prostate cancer patients.