Identification of metastasis-related microRNAs in hepatocellular carcinoma

Recent Advances in Liver Cancer Stem Cells: Non-coding RNAs, Oncogenes and Oncoproteins

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most prevalent malignancies worldwide, with high morbidity, relapse, metastasis and mortality rates. Although liver surgical resection, transplantation, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and some molecular targeted therapeutics may prolong the survival of HCC patients to a certain degree, the curative effect is still poor, primarily because of tumor recurrence and the drug resistance of HCC cells. Liver cancer stem cells (LCSCs), also known as liver tumor-initiating cells, represent one small subset of cancer cells that are responsible for disease recurrence, drug resistance and death. Therefore, understanding the regulatory mechanism of LCSCs in HCC is of vital importance. Thus, new studies that present gene regulation strategies to control LCSC differentiation and replication are under development. In this review, we provide an update on the latest advances in experimental studies on non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), oncogenes and oncoproteins. All the articles addressed the crosstalk between different ncRNAs, oncogenes and oncoproteins, as well as their upstream and downstream products targeting LCSCs. In this review, we summarize three pathways, the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) signaling pathway, and interleukin 6/Janus kinase 2/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (IL6/JAK2/STAT3) signaling pathway, and their targeting gene, c-Myc. Furthermore, we conclude that octamer 4 (OCT4) and Nanog are two important functional genes that play a pivotal role in LCSC regulation and HCC prognosis.

Prediction Model Combining Clinical and MR Data for Diagnosis of Lymph Node Metastasis in Patients With Rectal Cancer

BACKGROUND

Determining the status of lymph node (LN) metastasis in rectal cancer patients preoperatively is crucial for the treatment option. However, the diagnostic accuracy of current imaging methods is low.

PURPOSE

To develop and test a model for predicting metastatic LNs of rectal cancer patients based on clinical data and MR images to improve the diagnosis of metastatic LNs.

STUDY TYPE

Retrospective.

SUBJECTS

In all, 341 patients with histologically confirmed rectal cancer were divided into one training set (120 cases) and three validation sets (69, 103, 49 cases).

FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE

3.0T, axial and sagittal T₂ -weighted turbo spin echo and diffusion-weighted imaging (b = 0 s/mm² , 800 s/mm² ) ASSESSMENT: In the training dataset, univariate logistic regression was used to identify the clinical factors (age, gender, and tumor markers) and MR data that correlated with LN metastasis. Then we developed a prediction model with these factors by multiple logistic regression analysis. The accuracy of the model was verified using three validation sets and compared with the traditional MRI method.

STATISTICAL TESTS

Univariate and multivariate logistic regression. The area under the curve (AUC) value was used to quantify the diagnostic accuracy of the model.

RESULTS

Eight factors (CEA, CA199, ADCmean, mriT stage, mriN stage, CRM, EMVI, and differentiation degree) were significantly associated with LN metastasis in rectal cancer patients (P<0.1). In the training set (120) and the three validation sets (69, 103, 49), the AUC values of the model were much higher than the diagnosis by MR alone (training set, 0.902 vs. 0.580; first validation set, 0.789 vs. 0.743; second validation set, 0.774 vs. 0.573; third validation set, 0.761 vs. 0.524).

DATA CONCLUSION

For the diagnosis of metastatic LNs in rectal cancer patients, our proposed logistic regression model, combining clinical and MR data, demonstrated higher diagnostic efficiency than MRI alone.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

4 TECHNICAL EFFICACY STAGE: 2.

A three serum miRNA panel as diagnostic biomarkers of radiotherapy-related metastasis in non-small cell lung cancer

Serum microRNAs (miRNAs) have been implicated as noninvasive biomarkers for lung cancer diagnosis. However, there are no sensitive and specific biomarkers for the detection of radiotherapy-related non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) metastasis. The present study aimed to investigate the role of three serum miRNAs, namely miRNA (miR)-130a, miR-25 and miR-191*, in diagnosing NSCLC, and their biological functions in radiation-mediated development of metastatic properties in A549 cells. To determine this, serum samples were collected from 84 patients with NSCLC and 42 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Differential expression of serum miRNAs was analyzed by quantitative PCR. Significant associations between miRNA expression and overall survival of patients with NSCLC were identified using the Cox proportional regression model. A receiver operating characteristic curve was generated to evaluate diagnostic accuracy. The functions of miR-130a, miR-25 and miR-191* in lung cancer cells were studied by transfecting A549 cells with miRNA mimics and inhibitors. The results of the present study demonstrated that the expression levels of miR-130a, miR-25 and miR-191* in the serum of patients with NSCLC were increased compared with those in healthy controls, and these increases were associated with advanced age (≥60 years), radiotherapy, histological type (squamous carcinoma), low survival rate and low median survival time. Additionally, irradiation induced the upregulation of miR-130a, miR-25 and miR-191* expression in A549 cells in vitro and in a xenograft mouse model. Irradiation also promoted the invasiveness of A549 cells in vitro and metastasis in vivo. In conclusion, miR-130a, miR-25 and miR-191* may be potential biomarkers for the diagnosis of patients with NSCLC and may serve oncogenic roles in radiation-mediated metastasis of NSCLC.

The Similar Effects of miR-512-3p and miR-519a-2-5p on the Promotion of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Different Tunes Sung With Equal Skill

Although the therapeutic methods of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have made great advances, the current situation is that HCC is the common malignancy. Our previous bioinformatic study presented that two members of C19MC (mir-512-1 and mir-519a-2) acted as crucial roles in the HCC progression. In this study, we first demonstrated that the miR-512-3p and miR-519a-2-5p, which were spliced from the mir-512-1 and mir-519a-2, were the functional mature miRNAs. Meanwhile, both miR-512-3p and miR-519a-2-5p were significantly upregulated in human HCC samples and HCC cell lines. The miR-512-3p and miR-519a-2-5p promoted the proliferation, invasion, and metastasis in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, the two miRNAs co-targeted the downstream tumor suppressors MAP3K2 and MAP2K4 and subsequently achieved the HCC progression. In the clinical cohort, high expression of miR-512-3p and miR-519a-2-5p acted as two risk factors for HCC recurrence and distinguished patients with poor tumor-free survival after radical resection. The integration of the two miRNAs into the AJCC staging system significantly improved the accuracy for the prediction of HCC recurrence. Our study suggests that miR-512-3p and miR-519a-2-5p have similar effects on the promotion of HCC progression. They can be robust markers for the prediction of HCC recurrence and therapy targets.

A novel seven-gene signature as Prognostic Biomarker in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Purpose: Our study is designed to develop and certify a promising prognostic signature for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Materials and methods: We retrospectively analyzed mRNA expression profiles and clinicopathological data fetched from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets. We formulated a prognostic seven-gene signature composed of differentially expressed mRNAs (DEmRNAs) between HCC and nonneoplastic tissues through univariate Cox regression analysis. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, survival analysis and multivariate Cox regression analysis as well as nomograms were utilized to assess the prognostic performance of the seven-gene signature.

Results: The risk score based on a seven-gene signature categorized HCC subjects into a high- and low-risk group. There was significantly discrepant overall survival (OS) between patients in both groups and the corresponding ROC curve revealed a satisfactory predictive performance in HCC survival in both TCGA and GSE76427 cohort. Multivariate Cox regression analysis demonstrated that a seven-gene signature was an independently prognostic factor for HCC. Nomograms combining this prognostic signature with significant clinical characteristics conferred a crucial reference to predict the 1-,3- and 5 years OS.

Conclusions: Our study defined a promising seven-gene signature and nomogram model to forecast the OS of HCC patients, which is instrumental in clinical decision and personalized therapy.

Dysregulated microRNAs in Hepatitis B Virus-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Potential as Biomarkers and Therapeutic Targets

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are non-coding small RNAs that can function as gene regulators and are involved in tumorigenesis. We review the commonly dysregulated miRNAs in liver tumor tissues and plasma/serum of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. The frequently reported up-regulated miRNAs in liver tumor tissues include miR-18a, miR-21, miR-221, miR-222, and miR-224, whereas down-regulated miRNAs include miR-26a, miR-101, miR-122, miR-125b, miR-145, miR-199a, miR-199b, miR-200a, and miR-223. For a subset of these miRNAs (up-regulated miR-222 and miR-224, down-regulated miR-26a and miR-125b), the pattern of dysregulated circulating miRNAs in plasma/serum is mirrored in tumor tissue based on multiple independent studies. Dysregulated miRNAs target oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes involved in hepatocarcinogenesis. Normalization of dysregulated miRNAs by up- or down-regulation has been shown to inhibit HCC cell proliferation or sensitize liver cancer cells to chemotherapeutic treatment. miRNAs hold as yet unrealized potential as biomarkers for early detection of HCC and as precision therapeutic targets, but further studies in diverse populations and across all stages of HCC are needed.

miR-602 Mediates the RASSF1A/JNK Pathway, Thereby Promoting Postoperative Recurrence in Nude Mice with Liver Cancer

Purpose

At present, there are few studies on the mechanisms underlying postoperative recurrence of liver cancer, and the mechanism of action of miR-602 in postoperative recurrence of liver tumors is not clear. Our goals were to investigate the effects of miR-602 on the expression of the Ras-associated domain family 1A (RASSF1A) gene and the regulation of primary and recurrent hepatic tumors to clarify the molecular mechanisms of miR-602 in postoperative hepatocellular carcinoma.

Methods

We constructed a mouse liver orthotopic tumor model and a mouse liver recurrent tumor model. We measured the expression levels of the RASSF1A gene and then analyzed the effects of miR-602 on the regulation of RASSF1A. We transiently transfected the miR-602 gene into cells that stably overexpressed RASSF1A and examined relevant indicators to elucidate the mechanisms by which miR-602 regulates the RASSF1A/c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway in recurrence and dormancy in liver cancer.

Results

RASSF1A expression was inversely related to that of JNK, activating transcription factor 2 (ATF-2), and c-Jun in SMMC7721 cells stably transfected with the RASSF1A gene and in recurrent mouse tumor tissues. After transient transfection of cells with miR-602 mimic or miR-602 inhibitor, the expression of miR-602 was inversely related to that of RASSF1A.

Conclusion

MiR-602 might inhibit the JNK signaling pathway by inhibiting the expression of RASSF1A, thereby promoting recurrence of liver cancer after surgery. The low expression levels of miR-602 in liver cancer tissues were closely related to postoperative recurrence; they could be used as a marker to judge the prognosis of patients with liver cancer.

Biomarkers in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Diagnosis, Prognosis and Treatment Response Assessment

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the main cancer-related causes of death worldwide. Thus, there is a constant search for improvement in screening, diagnosis, and treatment strategies to improve the prognosis of this malignancy. The identification of useful biomarkers for surveillance and early HCC diagnosis is still deficient, with available serum biomarkers showing low sensitivity and heterogeneous specificity despite different cut-off points, even when assessed longitudinally, or with a combination of serum biomarkers. In contrast, HCC biomarkers used for prognostic (when associated with clinical outcomes) or predictive purposes (when associated with treatment response) may have an increased clinical role in the near future. Furthermore, some serum biomarkers are already implicated as a treatment selection tool, whether to provide access to certain therapies or to assess clinical benefit after treatment. In the present review we will discuss the clinical utility and foreseen future of HCC biomarkers implicated in surveillance, diagnosis, prognosis, and post-treatment assessment.

Emerging biomarkers in HCC patients: Current status

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the liver's most common primary malignancy, with over half a million new cases diagnosed each year and being the fourth leading cause of cancer death, worldwide. The poor prognosis of HCC is largely related to late diagnosis. Historically, serum alpha-fetoprotein and diagnostic imaging have been primary diagnostic modalities. However, the poor prognosis due to late diagnosis of HCC has proven unacceptable and, recently, significant efforts have been devoted to identifying patients with early stage HCC. Molecular biomarkers can provide additional and relevant information about the biological behavior of these tumors. Research in biomarker combinations may provide more accurate and valuable information for the future individualized HCC diagnosis and/or prognosis. Several biomarkers with prognostic significance have been identified, however all of them have been studied retrospectively. Furthermore, of all different molecular signatures that have been published, very few have been externally validated. The aim of this review is to analyze the most relevant emerging biomarkers of HCC.

Potential microRNA panel for the diagnosis and prediction of overall survival of hepatocellular carcinoma with hepatitis B virus infection

BACKGROUND

In hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), abnormal expression of multiple microRNAs (miRNAs) has been shown to be involved in the malignant biological behavior of liver cancer. The vast majority of liver cancer cases in China are closely related to hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, but there are few studies on the changes of miRNA expression in the progression from HBV infection to hepatoma.

AIM

To explore the role of miRNAs in the progression of HBV infection to cirrhosis and even to liver cancer.

METHODS

We screened differentially expressed miRNAs in 40 HBV cirrhosis, 40 normal and 15 HCC tissues by using a TaqMan Low Density Array and real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. To evaluate the power of the selected miRNAs to predict disease, we calculated the area under the receiver-operating-characteristic curves. The overall survival of HBV cirrhosis patients was analyzed via Kaplan-Meier analysis.

RESULTS

The levels of miR-375, miR-122 and miR-143 were significantly lower in HBV cirrhosis tissues, while miR-224 was significantly higher than in the controls (P < 0.0001). The area under the curves of the receiver-operating-characteristic curve for the 4-miRNA panel was 0.991 (95%CI: 0.974-1). Patients with a lower expression level of miR-224 or higher expression levels of miR-375, miR-122 and miR-143 had longer overall survival.

CONCLUSION

The four miRNAs (miR-375, miR-122, miR-143 and miR-224) may be helpful for early diagnosis of HBV infection, HBV cirrhosis, and prediction of its overall survival.

MicroRNA-34c suppresses proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cell via modulating high mobility group box protein 1

BACKGROUND

Atherosclerosis is the most frequent pathological process that causes cardiovascular diseases.

OBJECTIVE

The present study aimed to confirm miRNAs associated with atherosclerosis and explore the molecular mechanism of miR-34c and its target high mobility group box protein 1 (HMGB1) in the control of growth of smooth muscle cells in the development of atherosclerosis.

METHODS

Real-time PCR was firstly performed to confirm miRNA correlation with atherosclerosis, and computational analysis and luciferase assay were performed to explore the target of miR-34c, Western blot, and real-time PCR were also utilized to reveal the effect of whether high glucose (HG) and miR-34c affect miR-34c, HMGB1 levels, NF-κB p65 and TNF-α levels, and the role of miR-34c on vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) viability induced by HG. Students' unpaired t test was performed to compare data between two groups.

RESULTS

MiR-34c level was associated with atherosclerosis with different expression between VSMCs treated with high glucose or normal VSMCs. Then, HMGB1 is a virtual target of miR-34c with predicted binding site resided in HMGB1 3'UTR and further verified by that miR-34c remarkably reduced luciferase activity of wild HMGB1 3'UTR under a concentration-dependent fashion, and miR-34c cannot influence luciferase activity of mutant HMGB1 3'UTR.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggested miR-34c might be a novel therapeutic strategy in the management of atherosclerosis by suppressing the expression of HGMB1 and its downstream effectors.

Comprehensive analysis of miRNA-gene regulatory network with clinical significance in human cancers

microRNAs (miRNAs), particularly the exosomal miRNAs have been widely used as biomarkers and promising therapeutic targets in cancer. However, a comprehensive analysis of miRNA-gene regulatory network with clinical significance remains scarce. The emergence of high-throughput multi-omics data over large, well-characterized patient cohorts provides an unprecedented opportunity to address this problem. Herein, we performed a clinic-centered analysis to identify cancer-associated miRNAs, miRNA-target axis. We first calculated the correlation among miRNA, mRNA and 75 unique clinico-pathological characteristics (CPCs) in 26 cancer types, and established an online resource (4CR). Interestingly, we found that the high expression of several DNA methylation-related enzymes was associated with adverse outcomes of cancer patients, and these genes were regulated by a cluster of miRNAs. Furthermore, by integrating exosomal miRNA and mRNA databases, we identified exosomal miRNA biomarkers for non-invasive cancer surveillance and therapy monitoring. Finally, we explored the role of CPC-related miRNAs for therapeutic effect prediction of drugs based on their shared targets. Our analysis pipeline illustrated the significance of clinic-centered analysis in miRNA-gene pair identification and provided helpful clues for future cancer studies.

Molecule mechanisms of Ganoderma lucidum treated hepatocellular carcinoma based on the transcriptional profiles and miRNA-target network

Ganoderma lucidum has salutary effects on tumor treatment, including pancreatic cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying Ganoderma lucidum therapy is obscure. In this study, the Hepa1-6-bearing C57 BL/6 mouse model was utilized to explore the therapeutic efficacy of Ganoderma lucidum extract (GLE), documenting that it could effectively inhibit tumor growth. The microRNA (miRNA) profiles of GLE-treated and untreated mice were detected, and 25 differentially expressed (DE) miRNAs were determined, including 24 up-expressed and one down-expressed miRNAs. Using the ClusterOne algorithm, 8 hub miRNAs were isolated from the established miRNA-target network. The qRT-PCR assay demonstrated that these 8 miRNAs were up-expressed in the GLE treated tumor mice. Furthermore, the mRNA profiles showed that there are 76 DE mRNAs between GLE treated and model groups. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network shows that Cntn1, Irs1, Nfkbia, Rybp and Ywhaz playing important roles, and qRT-PCR further revealed they were down-expressed in GLE treated Hepa1-6-bearing C57 BL/6 mice. The rebuilt miRNA-target network was shown that these 5 mRNAs were regulated by mmu-mir-23a-5p, -3102-3p, -337-3p, and -467a-3p, respectively. This study suggested that these 4 interesting miRNAs were potential biomarkers for evaluation of GLE efficacy, which may down-regulate the expression of Cntn1, Irs1, Nfkbia, Rybp and Ywhaz, and mediate many signaling pathways occurring in tumor treatment.

MiR-30e-3p Influences Tumor Phenotype through MDM2/TP53 Axis and Predicts Sorafenib Resistance in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

The molecular background of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is highly heterogeneous, and biomarkers predicting response to treatments are an unmet clinical need. We investigated miR-30e-3p contribution to HCC phenotype and response to sorafenib, as well as the mutual modulation of TP53/MDM2 pathway, in HCC tissues and preclinical models. MiR-30e-3p was downregulated in human and rat HCCs, and its downregulation associated with TP53 mutations. TP53 contributed to miR-30e-3p biogenesis, and MDM2 was identified among its target genes, establishing an miR-30e-3p/TP53/MDM2 feedforward loop and accounting for miR-30e-3p dual role based on TP53 status. EpCAM, PTEN, and p27 were demonstrated as miR-30e-3p additional targets mediating its contribution to stemness and malignant features. In a preliminary cohort of patients with HCC treated with sorafenib, increased miR-30e-3p circulating levels predicted the development of resistance. In conclusion, molecular background dictates miR-30e-3p dual behavior in HCC. Mdm2 targeting plays a predominant tumor suppressor function in wild-type TP53 contexts, whereas other targets such as PTEN, p27, and EpCAM gain relevance and mediate miR-30e-3p oncogenic role in nonfunctional TP53 backgrounds. Increased circulating levels of miR-30e-3p predict the development of sorafenib resistance in a preliminary series of patients with HCC and deserve future investigations. SIGNIFICANCE: The dual role of miR-30e-3p in HCC clarifies how the molecular context dictates the tumor suppressor or oncogenic function played by miRNAs.

MicroRNA-639 is Down-Regulated in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Tumor Tissue and Inhibits Proliferation and Migration of Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells Through the KAT7/Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway

Background

This study aimed to investigate the expression of microRNA-639 (miR-639) in tumor tissue from patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and its effects on patient outcome, to identify the targets for miR-639 using bioinformatics and luciferase reporter analysis, and the effects of miR-639 in human HCC cells in vitro to identify the molecular pathways involved.

Material/Methods

Expression levels of miR-639 were compared in tumor tissue and adjacent normal liver tissue from 50 patients with HCC, and Kaplan-Meier curves identified the association with overall survival (OS). miR-639 expression was measured in HCC cells cultured in vitro using quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and Western blot. HCC cells were studied using the MTT assay, the colony formation assay, and the transwell assay. Bioinformatics and luciferase reporter analysis identified the role of the histone acetyltransferase gene, KAT7, in HCC.

Results

The expression of miR-639 was significantly reduced in HCC tissues compared with normal adjacent liver tissues, and inhibited cell proliferation and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of HCC cells. Bioinformatics and luciferase reporter analysis showed that miR-639 directly targeted KAT7 and inhibit its expression. KAT7 expression promoted cell proliferation, and migration of human HCC cells in vitro, and miR-639 inhibited cell proliferation and EMT by down-regulating the KAT7/Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

Conclusions

miR-639 was down-regulated in HCC tumor tissue, and inhibited proliferation and migration of HCC cells by the down-regulation of KAT7/Wnt/β-catenin signaling and was associated with reduced OS. These findings supported the potential role of miR-639 as a tumor suppressor.

An Integrated Model Based on a Six-Gene Signature Predicts Overall Survival in Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Background: Nowadays, clinical treatment outcomes of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have been improved. However, due to the complexity of the molecular mechanisms, the recurrence rate and mortality in HCC inpatients are still at a high level. Therefore, there is an urgent need in screening biomarkers of HCC to show therapeutic effects and improve the prognosis. Methods: In this study, we aim to establish a gene signature that can predict the prognosis of HCC patients by downloading and analyzing RNA sequencing data and clinical information from three independent public databases. Firstly, we applied the limma R package to analyze biomarkers by the genetic data and clinical information downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database (GEO), and then used the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression and survival analysis to establish a gene signature and a prediction model by data from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Besides, messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein expressions of the six-gene signature were explored using Oncomine, Human Protein Atlas (HPA) and the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC). Results: A total of 8,306 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were obtained between HCC (n = 115) and normal tissues (n = 52). Top 5,000 significant genes were selected and subjected to the weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA), which constructed nine gene co-expression modules that assign these genes to different modules by cluster dendrogram trees. By analyzing the most significant module (red module), six genes (SQSTM1, AHSA1, VNN2, SMG5, SRXN1, and GLS) were screened by univariate, LASSO, and multivariate Cox regression analysis. By a survival analysis with the HCC data in TCGA, we established a nomogram based on the six-gene signature and multiple clinicopathological features. The six-gene signature was then validated as an independent prognostic factor in independent HCC cohort from ICGC. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis confirmed the predictive capacity of the six-gene signature and nomogram. Besides, overexpression of the six genes at the mRNA and protein levels was validated using Oncomine and HPA, respectively. Conclusion: The predictive six-gene signature and nomograms established in this study can assist clinicians in selecting personalized treatment for patients with HCC.

Ultrasound-Mediated Gene Therapy of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Using Pre-microRNA Plasmid-Loaded Nanodroplets

The PIK3 CA gene encodes the p110α protein subunit and is one of the most efficient cancer genes in solid and hematological tumors including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). There are currently ongoing therapies against tumors based on PIK3 CA inhibition. Because microRNAs (miRNAs) play an important role in post-transcriptional regulation and are also involved in the inhibition of PIK3 CA expression to suppress cancer cell proliferation, overexpression of tumor-suppressive miRNA is a promising therapeutic approach for HCC therapy. The successful and localized delivery of miRNA overexpression vectors (pre-miRNA plasmids) is very important in improving the therapeutic efficacy of this miRNA therapy strategy. In the study described here, submicron acoustic phase-shifted nanodroplets were used to efficiently deliver pre-miRNA plasmid in vitro and in vivo for HCC therapy under focused ultrasound (US) activation. Briefly, six miRNAs, inhibiting PIK3 CA and downregulated in HCC, were selected through summary and analysis of the currently existing literature data. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), Western blot and cell apoptosis assay revealed that pre-miR-139, -203a, -378a and -422a plasmids among the six miRNA overexpression vectors could suppress growth of the hepatoma cell line SMMC-7721. These four pre-miRNA plasmids were then electrostatically adhered to positively charged lipid-shelled nanodroplets to obtain plasmid-loaded nanodroplets (PLNDs). The PLND-generated microbubbles oscillated and even collapsed under US exposure to release the loaded pre-miRNA plasmids and enhance their cellular uptake through consequent sonoporation, that is, formation of small pores on the cell membrane induced by the mechanical effects of PLND cavitation. Fluorescence microscopy results revealed that PLNDs could effectively deliver the aforementioned four pre-miRNA plasmids into SMMC-7721 cells in vitro under 1.2-MHz 60-cycle sinusoid US exposure with a peak negative pressure >5.5 MPa at a 40-Hz pulse repetition frequency. Plasmid delivery efficiency and cell viability positively correlated with the inertial cavitation dose that was determined mainly by peak negative pressure. Furthermore, PLNDs combined with US were evaluated in vivo to deliver these four pre-miRNAs plasmids and verify their therapeutic efficacy in subcutaneous tumor of the mouse xenograft HCC model. The results revealed that the PLNDs loaded with pre-miR-139 and -378a plasmids could effectively suppress tumor growth after US treatment. Thus, combination of pre-miRNA PLNDs with US activation seems to constitute a potential strategy for HCC therapy.

Anti-tumor Activity of Propofol: A Focus on MicroRNAs

BACKGROUND

MicroRNAs are endogenous, short, non-coding RNAs with the length as low as 20 to 25 nucleotides. These RNAs are able to negatively affect the gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. It has been demonstrated that microRNAs play a significant role in cell proliferation, cell migration, cell death, cell differentiation, infection, immune response, and metabolism. Besides, the dysfunction of microRNAs has been observed in a variety of cancers. So, modulation of microRNAs is of interest in the treatment of disorders.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the current review is to investigate the modulatory effect of propofol on microRNAs in cancer therapy.

METHODS

This review was performed at PubMed, SCOPUS and Web of Science data-bases using keywords "propofol', "microRNA", "cancer therapy", "propofol + microRNA" and "propofol + miR".

RESULTS

It was found that propofol dually down-regulates/upregulates microRNAs to exert its antitumor activity. In terms of oncogenesis microRNAs, propofol exert an inhibitory effect, while propofol significantly enhances the expression of oncosuppressor microRNAs.

CONCLUSION

It seems that propofol is a potential modulator of microRNAs and this capability can be used in the treatment of various cancers.

LncRNA CDKN2BAS predicts poor prognosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and promotes metastasis via the miR-153-5p/ARHGAP18 signaling axis

Background: Growing evidence shows that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a crucial role in cancer progression. However, whether lncRNA CDKN2BAS is involved in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) metastasis remains unclear.

Methods: Human lncRNA microarray analysis was performed to detect differential expression levels of lncRNAs in metastatic HCC tissues. Effects of CDKN2BAS on cell proliferation, migration, and apoptosis were determined by MTT assay, colony formation assay, migration assay, scratch assay, and flow cytometry. The xenograft experiment was used to confirm the effect of CDKN2BAS on HCC in vivo. qRT-PCR and Western blot were performed to determine the expression levels of mRNAs and proteins. Luciferase reporter assay was used to identify the specific target relationships.

Results: CDKN2BAS was remarkably up-regulated in metastatic HCC tissues compared with the adjacent non-tumor tissues. CDKN2BAS promotes HCC cell growth and migration in vitro and in vivo. Additionally, CDKN2BAS upregulated the expression of Rho GTPase activating protein 18 (ARHGAP18) by sponging microRNA-153-5p (miR-153-5p), and thus promoted HCC cell migration. Besides, CDKN2BAS downregulated the expression of Krüppel-like factor 13 (KLF13) and activated MEK-ERK1/2 signaling, thus reducing apoptosis in HCC cells.

Conclusions: Our study revealed that lncRNA CDKN2BAS promotes HCC metastasis by regulating the miR-153-5p/ARHGAP18 signaling.

Inflammatory Micro-environment Contributes to Stemness Properties and Metastatic Potential of HCC via the NF-κB/miR-497/SALL4 Axis

Increasing evidence has demonstrated the essential role of inflammatory micro-environment in tumorigenesis and tumor progression. Some cancer cells in tumor maintain typical stemness properties and, with the capacity of self-renewal, are thought to be crucial for the initiation and maintenance of tumors as well as their metastasis. Although both inflammatory micro-environment and stemness properties played crucial roles in tumor initiation and development, currently it is still unclear whether and how the inflammatory micro-environment promotes cancer stemness properties. Here, we show the first evidence that the inflammatory micro-environment promotes the stemness properties and metastatic potential of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) via the NF-κB/miR-497/SALL4 axis. We discover that miR-497 directly targets SALL4, negatively regulates its expression, and further inhibits the self-renewal and metastasis of HCC; more importantly, inflammatory factor TNF-α inhibits the expression of miR-497 via NF-kB-mediated negative transcriptional regulation and simultaneously upregulates the expression of SALL4 and promotes the self-renewal and metastasis phenotypes of HCC cells. Moreover, lower expression of miR-497 is significantly associated with poor prognosis in HCC patients. Taken together, our findings not only revealed a novel signaling pathway (NF-κB/miR-497/SALL4 axis) to connect inflammation with stemness properties, and clarified the molecular mechanisms underlying the inflammation-mediated self-renewal and metastasis phenotypes, but also provided novel molecular targets for developing new anticancer strategies.

Circulating microRNAs (miR-21, miR-223, miR-885-5p) along the clinical spectrum of HCV-related chronic liver disease in Egyptian patients

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS

MicroRNAs (miRNAs), small single stranded RNAs, function in the post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression and incorporated in pathogenesis of HCV related chronic liver disease. This study was designed to evaluate the significance of serum miR-21, miR-223, and miR-885-5p as biomarkers in various clinicopathological stages of HCV related chronic liver disease.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Serum miR-21, miR-223, and miR-885-5p were quantified by quantitative RT PCR in 60 patients with HCV-related liver disease (presumably genotype 4), in addition to 25 healthy controls. HCV patients were classified into: chronic non-cirrhotic HCV (n = 15), HCV related liver cirrhosis (n = 15), and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) (n = 30).

RESULTS

Serum levels of miR-885-5p in cirrhotic patients ± HCC (n = 45) were significantly higher than the non-cirrhotic patients (n = 15); p = 0.007 and healthy control; p = 0.001. However, no such significance was detected between HCC and non-HCC HCV patients; p = 0.12. Serum miRNA-885-5p was able to discriminate cirrhosis ± HCC from healthy controls using ROC analysis; AUC 0.85, 87% sensitivity and 80% specificity. On the other hand, HCC patients had significantly higher serum miR-2 1evels than non-HCC patients (non-cirrhotic and cirrhotic groups, n = 30); p = 0.048 and the control group; p = 0.002. ROC could differentiate HCC from control group; AUC 0.89, 80% sensitivity, 80% specificity. Both serum bilirubin and albumin showed significant weak correlation with miRNA-885-5p (r = 0.42, p = 0.001) and (r = -0.27, p = 0.04), respectively but no such correlation was observed with serum miRNA-21. In contrast, miRNA-223 showed no significant difference across the studied groups.

CONCLUSION

Along the spectrum of HCV-related chronic liver disease, miR-885-5p could be a potential marker for advanced liver damage while miR-21 could be a helpful diagnostic marker for HCC.

MicroRNAs in Animal Models of HCC

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality. Molecular heterogeneity and absence of biomarkers for patient allocation to the best therapeutic option contribute to poor prognosis of advanced stages. Aberrant microRNA (miRNA) expression is associated with HCC development and progression and influences drug resistance. Therefore, miRNAs have been assayed as putative biomarkers and therapeutic targets. miRNA-based therapeutic approaches demonstrated safety profiles and antitumor efficacy in HCC animal models; nevertheless, caution should be used when transferring preclinical findings to the clinics, due to possible molecular inconsistency between animal models and the heterogeneous pattern of the human disease. In this context, models with defined genetic and molecular backgrounds might help to identify novel therapeutic options for specific HCC subgroups. In this review, we describe rodent models of HCC, emphasizing their representativeness with the human pathology and their usefulness as preclinical tools for assessing miRNA-based therapeutic strategies.

MiR-371 promotes proliferation and metastasis in hepatocellular carcinoma by targeting PTEN

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. MiR-371 has recently emerged as an important regulator in tumorigenesis, and may serve as a biomarker for malignant tumors. We transfected miR-371 or its inhibitor in two human HCC cell lines, then used 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide, soft agar colony formation, and transwell migration assays to evaluate the effects on cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. We found that miR-371 was positively correlated with HCC metastasis and poor prognosis in the inflicted patients, and the high expression of miR-371 was promoted, whereas a low level of miR-371 depressed cell proliferation and invasion. We found PTEN to be a direct target of miR-371. The overexpression or knockdown of PTEN exhibited the opposite effects from those of miR-371 on cell proliferation and migration. Our study demonstrates that miR-371 promotes proliferation and metastasis in HCC by targeting PTEN.

MicroRNA-148b-colony-stimulating factor-1 signaling-induced tumor-associated macrophage infiltration promotes hepatocellular carcinoma metastasis

BACKGROUND

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding molecules that exhibit important regulatory roles in various biological or cellular functions, including tumor metastasis. However, the detailed mechanisms of the expression and functions of miRNAs in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have not yet been completely investigated.

METHODS

In this study, the levels of miR-148b in HCC cells and patient specimens were determined using qPCR assays. MiR-148b-overexpressing HCC cells were used to investigate the effect of miR-148b in vitro and in vivo. The relationship between the expression of miR-148b and colony stimulating factor-1 (CSF1) in HCC patients and the infiltration of macrophages into the tumor microenvironment were assessed by immunohistochemical staining.

RESULTS

MiR-148b expression was decreased in metastatic HCC cells. A positive association between downregulated miR-148b expression and several clinical parameters, including recurrence, metastasis, and poor prognosis, was observed in patients with HCC. The results of bio-functional experiments indicated that the biological characteristics of HCC cells were not affected by miR-148b deficiency in vitro. However, miR-148b deficiency significantly enhanced the progression and metastasis of HCC in nude mice. By analyzing the gene expression profiles, we demonstrated that CSF1 was regulated by miR-148b and that miR-148b deficiency promoted HCC growth and metastasis through CSF1/CSF1 receptor (CSF1R)-mediated tumor-associated macrophage (TAM) infiltration. These results were supported by the negative relationship between miR-148b and CSF1 expression and TAM infiltration in HCC patients. Moreover, HCC patients with low miR-148b levels and high TAM infiltration were associated with poorer prognosis.

CONCLUSION

MiR-148b-CSF1 signaling-induced TAM infiltration promotes HCC metastasis. Therefore, miR-148b plays a suppressor role in HCC and might be a potential prognostic factor and therapeutic candidate for HCC.

Dysregulated MicroRNA Fingerprints and Methylation Patterns in Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Cancer Stem Cells, and Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the top causes of cancer mortality worldwide. Although HCC has been researched extensively, there is still a need for novel and effective therapeutic interventions. There is substantial evidence that initiation of carcinogenesis in liver cirrhosis, a leading cause of HCC, is mediated by cancer stem cells (CSCs). CSCs were also shown to be responsible for relapse and chemoresistance in several cancers, including HCC. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) constitute important epigenetic markers that regulate carcinogenesis by acting post-transcriptionally on mRNAs, contributing to the progression of HCC. We have previously shown that co-culture of cancer cells with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) could induce the reprogramming of MSCs into CSC-like cells. In this review, we evaluate the available data concerning the epigenetic regulation of miRNAs through methylation and the possible role of this regulation in stem cell and somatic reprogramming in HCC.

Prognostic significance of miR-122 expression after curative resection in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

Downregulation of MicroRNA-122 (miR-122) and its association with cancer progression have been reported in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell line models and a limited number of HCC samples. Recently, restoration of miR-122 expression by direct delivery of miR-122 yielded promising results in HCCs. However, the prognostic effect of miR-122 expression in human HCC samples is not fully understood. We investigated the expression level of miR-122 by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction in 289 curatively resected HCC samples and 20 normal liver samples and evaluated the prognostic effect of miR-122 expression. The relative quantification value of miR-122 was much lower in HCC samples than in normal liver tissues. During a median 119 months of follow-up for survival, the low miR-122 expression group showed shorter recurrence-free survival (RFS) (p = 0.033) and intrahepatic recurrence-free survival (IHRFS) (p = 0.014), and a trend of short distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) (p = 0.149) than high expression group. On multivariate analysis, miR-122 expression was an independent prognostic factor for RFS, IHRFS and DMFS. Downregulation of miR-122 expression, frequently found in HCC samples, was an independent prognostic factor for RFS after curative resection. Emerging therapeutic approaches targeting miR-122 could be applicable in patients with miR-122 downregulated hepatocellular carcinoma.

MicroRNAs associated with microvascular invasion in hepatocellular carcinoma and their prognostic impacts in patients undergoing hepatic resection

Although microvascular invasion (McVI) has prognostic value for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who have undergone hepatic resection, few studies have investigated the relationship between McVI and the aberrant expression of microRNAs (miRNAs). The present study identified the miRNAs that were selectively expressed in HCC with McVI and investigated their prognostic value. Clinical data and the miRNA expression profiles of 372 patients with HCC were extracted from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. miRNAs that were differentially expressed between patients with McVI and those without vascular invasion (VI) were identified and investigated as potential prognostic factors for HCC. The results demonstrated that McVI was a significant predictor of shortened recurrence-free survival (RFS). The 3 year RFS rate in patients with HCC accompanied by McVI was 28.2 and 49.3% in HCC without VI (P<0.001). miRNA-141/-582/-9 were upregulated, while miRNA-675 was downregulated in patients with McVI when compared with HCC patients without VI. Log₂ fold-changes of miRNA-141/-582/-675/-9 were 0.80 [false discovery rate (FDR), 0.005], 0.55 (FDR, 0.045), -0.99 (FDR, 0.005) and 1.22 (FDR, <0.001), respectively. Kaplan-Meier analysis indicated that the overexpression of miR-141/-582/-9 was significantly associated with poor RFS and a poor overall survival. A text mining analysis revealed that these miRNAs were significantly associated with multifaceted hallmarks of cancer, including 'invasion and metastasis'. In conclusion, the overexpression of miRNA-141/-582/-9 was associated with McVI and a poor survival in patients undergoing hepatic resection for HCC.

High Expression of MicroRNA-196a is Associated with Progression of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Younger Patients

MicroRNAs are small RNAs involved in various biological processes and cancer metastasis. miR-196a was associated with aggressive behaviors in several cancers. The role of miR-196a in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) metastasis remains unknown. This study aimed to examine the role of miR-196a in HCC progression. Expression of miR-196a was measured in 83 human HCC samples. The HCC patients with high miR-196a expression had younger ages, lower albumin levels, higher frequency with alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels ≥20 ng/mL, more macrovascular invasion, and non-early stages. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that high miR-196a expression was associated with lower recurrence-free survival. Knockdown of miR-196a decreased transwell invasiveness, sphere formation, transendothelial invasion, and Slug, Twist, Oct4, and Sox2 expression, suppressed angiogenesis, and reduced sizes of xenotransplants and number of pulmonary metastasis. Down-regulation of miR-196a decreased Runx2 and osteopontin (OPN) levels. Knockdown of Runx2 in vitro resulted in comparable phenotypes with miR-196a down-regulation. Restoration of Runx2 in miR-196a-knockdown HCC reverted tumor phenotypes. This study showed that high expression of miR-196a is associated with HCC progression in a subset of younger patients. miR-196a mediates HCC progression via upregulation of Runx2, OPN, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) regulators, and stemness genes. We proposed that miR-196a can be used as a prognostic marker and a potential therapeutic target.

Adjuvant Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Prospect of Immunotherapy

Although patients undergo procedures with curative intent for early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), up to 70% of patients may have disease recurrence in the liver at 5 years. Thus far, no therapy has proven to be effective in the adjuvant setting. Here, we discuss the application of immune-based therapies in the adjuvant setting for HCC, focusing on the underlying rationale for immunotherapies, which patients may benefit from an immune-based therapy, and what type of immune therapy should be implemented.

Berberine as a potential autophagy modulator

Today, pharmacognosy is considered a valuable science in the prevention and treatment of diseases. Among herbals, Berberine is an isoquinoline alkaloid found in the Berberis species. Surprisingly, it shows antimicrobial, antiviral, antidiarrheal, antipyretic, and anti-inflammatory potential. Furthermore, it diminishes drug resistance in cancer therapy and enhances tumor suppression in part through autophagy and cell cycle arrest mechanisms. In the present review, we discuss the effect of berberine on diverse cellular pathways and describe how berberine acts as an autophagy modulator to adjust physiologic and pathologic conditions and diminishes drug resistance in cancer therapy.

Identification of a novel DNA repair-related prognostic signature predicting survival of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

Purpose

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most lethal neoplasm worldwide. Traditional biomarkers often exploit the relationship between a certain gene and cancer progression, but they cannot predict patient survival or prognosis accurately. We aim to construct a new DNA repair-related gene signature that combines several genes to improve prognosis prediction in HCC.

Methods

We selected an HCC mRNA sequencing (mRNA-seq) dataset (n=365) from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was used to explore bioinformatics information and further screen genes. We then built a gene signature based on the Cox proportional hazards regression model.

Results

GSEA revealed that the hallmark DNA repair gene set was significantly upregulated in the tumor phenotype. A set of seven genes, namely, ADA, FEN1, POLR2G, SAC3D1, SEC61A1, SF3A3, and UPF3B, were significantly a ssociated with overall survival (OS) and used to form a gene signature. The signature risk score was calculated and used to divide patients into high‐ and low‐risk groups. The high-risk group showed worse prognosis (log-rank test p<0.0001). Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that the prognostic performance of this risk score signature was robust in different subgroups based on clinicopathological features, with p-values <0.05 (HR=2.38, 95% CI (confidence interval) =1.355–4.184), indicating that it can serve as an independent prognostic indicator.

Conclusion

We developed and identified a seven‐gene signature related to the DNA repair process that can predict survival in HCC. It can be used as an effective classification tool and to guide clinical treatment.

Reduction sensitive CC9-PEG-SSBPEI/miR-148b nanoparticles: Synthesis, characterization, targeting delivery and application for anti-metastasis

miRNAs such as miR-148b play crucial regulatory role in tumor metastasis, but their applications are limited because they are easy to degrade in serum conditions and lack targeting ability. Herein, CC9-PEG-SSBPEI was synthesized and used as nano-carrier for miR-148b. DLS and gel retardation analyses indicated that CC9-PEG-SSBPEI could combine with miR-148b by charge interaction and formed into nanoparticles with the size changed from 811.6 nm to 146.4 nm. CC9-PEG-SSBPEI could protect miR-148b from RNase A degradation and showed a reduction sensitive release of miR-148b. FACS analysis and CLSM images displayed that the conjugated CC9 peptide improved the accumulation and penetration of the nanoparticles in HuH-7 liver cancer cells through binding with the target of miR-148b neuropilin-1(NRP-1) on the cell surface. The raised level of miR-148b in turn inhibited the expression of NRP-1 and suppressed the migration of HuH-7 liver cancer cells. Moreover, hemolysis and cytotoxicity assay demonstrated that the nanoparticles had good hemo- and cyto- compatibility. Hence, CC9-PEG-SSBPEI/miR-148b nanoparticles had the potential for targeting delivery of miR-148b and anti-metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells.

MicroRNA-191 promotes hepatocellular carcinoma cell proliferation by has_circ_0000204/miR-191/KLF6 axis

OBJECTIVES

MicroRNAs are powerful regulators in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tumorigenesis. MicoRNA-191 (miR-191) has been reported to play an important role in HCC, However, the regulatory mechanism is still unclear. In this study, we investigated the role of miR-191 in HCC and studied its underlying mechanisms of action.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The expression of miR-191 in HCC tissues was determined by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). The role of miR-191 in HCC cells was examined by using both in vitro and in vivo assays. Downstream targets of miR-191 were determined by qRT-PCR and Western blot analysis. Dual-luciferase assays were performed to validate the interaction between miR-191 and its targets.

RESULTS

The expression of miR-191 was significantly higher in HCC patients and a higher miR-191 expression predicted poorer prognosis. Analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas data sets suggested that miR-191 positively correlated with cell cycle progression. Gain and loss of function assays showed that miR-191 promoted cell cycle progression and proliferation. Luciferase reporter assay showed that miR-191 directly targeted the 3'-untranslated region of KLF6 mRNA. Furthermore, circular RNA has_circ_0000204 could sponge with miR-191, resulting in inactivation of miR-191.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study sheds light on the novel underlying mechanism of miR-191 in HCC, which may accelerate the development of cancer therapy.

JCD-DEA: a joint covariate detection tool for differential expression analysis on tumor expression profiles

BACKGROUND

Differential expression analysis on tumor expression profiles has always been a key issue for subsequent biological experimental validation. It is important how to select features which best discriminate between different groups of patients. Despite the emergence of multivariate analysis approaches, prevailing feature selection methods primarily focus on multiple hypothesis testing on individual variables, and then combine them for an explanatory result. Besides, these methods, which are commonly based on hypothesis testing, view classification as a posterior validation of the selected variables.

RESULTS

Based on previously provided A5 feature selection strategy, we develop a joint covariate detection tool for differential expression analysis on tumor expression profiles. This software combines hypothesis testing with testing according to classification results. A model selection approach based on Gaussian mixture model is introduced in for automatic selection of features. Besides, a projection heatmap is proposed for the first time.

CONCLUSIONS

Joint covariate detection strengthens the viewpoint for selecting variables which are not only individually but also jointly significant. Experiments on simulation and realistic data show the effectiveness of the developed software, which enhances the reliability of joint covariate detection for differential expression analysis on tumor expression profiles. The software is available at http://bio-nefu.com/resource/jcd-dea .

Overexpression of miR-623 suppresses progression of hepatocellular carcinoma via regulating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway by targeting XRCC5

It has been reported that miR-623 is deregulated in lung adenocarcinoma and inhibits tumor growth and invasion. However, it is unclear whether miR-623 has a role in the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Herein, we found that miR-623 was significantly downregulated in HCC, and that its expression was related to poor clinical outcomes of patients with HCC. Upregulation of miR-623 decreased cell proliferation, viability, migration, and invasion and further promoted apoptosis in 7721, Huh7, and Bel-7402 cells. Moreover, we also observed that miR-623 regulated the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt), Wnt/β-catenin, and extracellular regulated protein kinases/c-Jun N-terminal kinase (ERK/JNK) signaling pathways as well as the expression level of related proteins. Further, X-ray repair cross complementing 5 (XRCC5) was a direct target for miR-623, and the suppression of PI3K/Akt, Wnt/β-catenin, and ERK/JNK signaling pathways and cell proliferation and invasion abilities caused by miR-623 in HCC cells was significantly reversed by the upregulation of XRCC5. Collectively, our data suggested that miR-623 suppressed the progression of HCC by regulating the PI3K/Akt, Wnt/β-catenin, and ERK/JNK pathways by targeting XRCC5 in HCC in vitro, indicating that miR-623 may be a target for the therapy of HCC.

Serum microRNA-125a-5p as a potential biomarker of HCV-associated hepatocellular carcinoma

During diagnosis of early stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), single or small lesions are difficult to identify using screening ultrasonography, and conventional tumor markers are frequently negative. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that suppress the translation of target mRNAs and exert significance as biomarkers. The aim of the present study was to use samples of patients with HCC and those with other liver diseases caused by hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection to investigate the expression profile of serum miRNAs, and identify a miRNA that can serve as a HCC biomarker. Initially, changes in 2,555 miRNAs between pre- and post-curative treatment serum from 12 patients with early stage HCC were examined using microarray analysis. The serum levels of miR-125a-5p in 40 individuals with HCV-associated chronic hepatitis (CH), liver cirrhosis (LC) or HCC were measured using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and 5 miRNAs, including miR-125a-5p, miR-423-5p, miR-1247, miR-1304 and miR-3648, were identified to be downregulated following curative treatment in patients with HCC. Among these, miR-125a-5p was identified to be similarly decreased following treatment in all patients. Additionally, the expression levels of miR-125a-5p were significantly upregulated in patients with HCC in the early and advanced stages of disease, compared with patients with CH or LC (P<0.05). Serum miR-125a-5p fluctuates depending on the presence of HCC, and may serve as a noninvasive biomarker to aid in diagnosing early carcinogenesis in HCV-associated chronic liver diseases.

Expression Analysis of Long Non-Coding RNA HAR1A and HAR1B in HBV-Induced Hepatocullular Carcinoma in Chinese Patients

OBJECTIVE

To determine the clinical relevance of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) HAR1A and HAR1B expression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODS

In this study, we enrolled 50 cases of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) without cirrhosis, 50 cases of CHB and liver cirrhosis (LC), and 100 cases of HBV and HCC. The expression profiles of lncRNA HAR1A and HAR1B were analyzed using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR).

RESULTS

The expression levels of HAR1A and HAR1B were significantly lower in the HCC group, compared with the CHB and LC groups (P <.01). HAR1A and HAR1B were negatively associated with histologic grade and TNM (tumor/nodes/metastasis) stage (all P <.05). Univariable multivariable analysis showed that decreased HAR1A (HR = 0.753, P = .02) and HAR1B (HR = 0.551, P = .01) levels were independent predictors for shorter overall survival (OS) in HCC.

CONCLUSION

Decreased HAR1A and HAR1B expression in HCC indicates poor prognosis.

MicroRNA-139 inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma cell growth through down-regulating karyopherin alpha 2

BACKGROUND

MicroRNA-139-5p (miR-139) has been shown to play important roles in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development. However, the exact mechanism of miR-139 in HCC remains largely unknown.

METHODS

We investigated the function in human cell lines and patient tissue samples by experimental techniques in molecular biology including Co-IP assay, cell viability assay, quantitative real-time-PCR, et al. In addition, datasets were used to verify the results by database analysis. Statistical analysis was performed by using the GraphPad Prism 6 (GraphPad Software Inc., USA). A P value < 0.05 was defined as statistically significant.

RESULTS

In this study, we found that miR-139 was significantly down-regulated in HCC. MiR-139 level was negatively associated with the stage of HCC, and HCC patients with higher miR-139 level had longer overall survival (OS) than these having lower miR-139 expression. Overexpression of miR-139 led to reduced cell viability, elevated apoptosis, and decreased colony forming, migratory and invasive capacities in HCC cells, while down-regulation of miR-139 led to opposite phenotypes. MiR-139 also inhibited HCC growth in a xenograft mouse model. We identified karyopherin alpha 2 (KPNA2) as a direct target of miR-139. KPNA2 is up-regulated in HCC and higher KPNA2 level is associated with poor patient prognosis. Silencing of KPNA2 expression led to similar phenotypic changes as miR-139 overexpression. Restoration of KPNA2 attenuated the suppressive effects of miR-139 overexpression on cell viability, apoptosis, colony formation, migration and invasion. In addition, miR-139 overexpression and KPNA2 depletion led to decreased nucleus level of POU class 5 homeobox 1 (POU5F1) and c-myc, two well-known pro-oncogenes.

CONCLUSION

In together, these data revealed the essential roles of the miR-139/KPNA2 axis in HCC.

Retracted: MicroRNA-34a inhibit hepatocellular carcinoma progression by repressing hexokinase-1

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is known as a frequent type of primary cancer in the liver, and it is the third-most common cause of cancer-related death all over the world. However, the molecular mechanism in the progression of HCC is still unclear. The current study was designed to investigate the expression and function of microRNA-34a (miR-34a) in HCC. In HCC tissues and cells, the expression levels of miR-34a were analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The association between the level of miR-34a and hexokinase (HK)-1 was also investigated via luciferase reporter assay. Cell viability and proliferation were detected by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay and flow cytometry. To assess whether miR-34a can limit tumor growth in vivo, animal models and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling assay were used for examining the role of miR-34a on the development of HCC and cell apoptosis. The expression level of miR-34a was reduced in HCC samples and cells. The expression of miR-34a was associated with the viability and proliferation capacity of HCC cells, and miR-34a could inhibit HCC cells proliferation by inhibiting HK1. In the mouse model of HCC, volumes and weight of the tumors were significantly decreased by transfection with miR-34a mimic compared with the control group. Furthermore, miR-34a mimics could induce apoptosis in a greater proportion of cells compared with the control group. Taken together, the data may provide some novel insights into the molecular mechanism of miR-34a and HK1 in the progression of HCC. Thus, miR-34a/HK1 axis might be a novel promising therapeutic target for treating HCC.

MiR-338-5p promotes metastasis of colorectal cancer by inhibition of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, catalytic subunit type 3-mediated autophagy pathway

Background

In our preliminary screening, expression of miR-338-5p was found to be higher in primary colorectal cancer (CRC) with metastasis. The autophagy related gene- phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, catalytic subunit type 3 (PIK3C3) appeared to be targeted by miR-338-5p. Here, we provide solid evidence in support of PIK3C3 involved in miR-338-5p related metastasis of CRC in vitro and in vivo.

Methods

The potential clinical relevance of miR-338-5p and its target gene was analysed on benign colorectal polyps and primary CRCs by QPCR. Mouse spleen xenograft experiment was performed to examine the importance of miR-338-5p for metastasis.

Findings

PIK3C3 was one of target genes of miR-338-5p. In primary CRCs, expression of miR-338-5p is positively related to tumour staging, distant metastasis and poor patient survival. Patients with higher ratios of miR-338-5p/PIK3C3 also had significantly poor overall survival, supporting their significance in the progression of CRC. Over-expression of miR-338-5p promotes CRC metastasis to the liver and lung in vivo, in which PIK3C3 was down-regulated in the metastatic tumours. In contrast, overexpression of PIK3C3 in miR-338-5p stable cells inhibited the growth of metastatic tumours. Both migration and invasion of CRC in vitro induced by miR-338-5p are mediated by suppression of PIK3C3. Using forward and reverse approaches, autophagy was proved to involve in CRC migration and invasion induced by miR-338-5p.

Interpretation

MiR-338-5p induces migration, invasion and metastasis of CRC in part through PIK3C3-related autophagy pathway. The miR-338-5p/PIK3C3 ratio may become a prognostic biomarker for CRC patients.

Fund

NCKU Hospital, Taiwan, Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan.

Biodegradable Polymers as a Noncoding miRNA Nanocarrier for Multiple Targeting Therapy of Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Therapeutic strategy based on the restoration of tumor suppressor-microRNAs (miRNAs) is a promising approach for cancer therapy, but the low delivery efficiency of miRNA remains a huge hurdle due to the lack of safe and efficient nonviral carriers. In this work, with the use of newly developed PEGylated biodegradable charged polyester-based vectors (PEG-BCPVs) as the carrier, the miR26a and miR122 codelivering therapeutic strategy (PEG-BCPVs/miR26a/miR122 as the delivery formulation) is successfully developed for efficient treatment of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In vitro study results show that PEG-BCPVs are capable of effectively facilitating miRNA cellular uptake via a cell endocytosis pathway. Consequently, the restoration of miR26a and miR122 remarkably inhibit the cell growth, migration, invasion, colony formation, and induced apoptosis of HepG2 cells. More importantly, the chemosensitivity of HepG2 to anticancer drug is also considerably enhanced. After treatment with the PEG-BCPV-based miRNA delivery system, the expression of the multiple targeted genes corresponding to miR26a and miR122 in HepG2 cells is greatly downregulated. Accordingly, the newly developed miRNA restoration therapeutic strategy via biodegradable PEG-BCPVs as the carrier should be a promising modality for combating HCC.

Inflammation and Liver Cancer: Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Targets

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is associated with chronic inflammation and fibrosis arising from different etiologies, including hepatitis B and C and alcoholic and nonalcoholic fatty liver diseases. The inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6 and their downstream targets nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 drive inflammation-associated HCC. Further, while adaptive immunity promotes immune surveillance to eradicate early HCC, adaptive immune cells, such as CD8+ T cells, Th17 cells, and B cells, can also stimulate HCC development. Thus, the role of the hepatic immune system in HCC development is a highly complex topic. This review highlights the role of cytokine signals, NF-κB, JNK, innate and adaptive immunity, and hepatic stellate cells in HCC and discusses whether these pathways could be therapeutic targets. The authors will also discuss cholangiocarcinoma and liver metastasis because biliary inflammation and tumor-associated stroma are essential for cholangiocarcinoma development and because primary tumor-derived inflammatory mediators promote the formation of a "premetastasis niche" in the liver.

Novel role of microRNA-126 in digestive system cancers: From bench to bedside

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are ubiquitously expressed, small, non-coding RNAs that regulate the expression of approximately 30% of the human genes at the post-transcriptional level. miRNAs have emerged as crucial modulators in the initiation and progression of various diseases, including numerous cancer types. The high incidence rate of cancer and the large number of cancer-associated cases of mortality are mostly due to a lack of effective treatments and biomarkers for early diagnosis. Therefore there is an urgent requirement to further understand the underlying mechanisms of tumorigenesis. MicroRNA-126 (miR-126) is significantly downregulated in a number of tumor types and is commonly identified as a tumor suppressor in digestive system cancers (DSCs). miR-126 downregulates various oncogenes, including disintegrin and metalloproteinase domain-containing protein 9, v-crk sarcoma virus CT10 oncogene homolog and phosphoinositide-3-kinase regulatory subunit 2. These genes are involved in a number of tumor-associated signaling pathways, including angiogenesis, epithelial-mensenchymal transition and metastasis pathways. The aim of the current review was to summarize the role of miR-126 in DSCs, in terms of its dysregulation, target genes and associated signaling pathways. In addition, the current review has discussed the potential clinical application of miR-126 as a biomarker and therapeutic target for DSCs.

Changes of microRNAs expression profiles from red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkia) hemolymph exosomes in response to WSSV infection

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) as short noncoding RNAs play important regulatory roles in diverse biological processes by degrading the target mRNAs, and could be delivered by exosomes. WSSV is a highly pathogenic and prevalent virus, and has brought high mortality of P. clarkia. Till present, no studies focus on the miRNAs changes in exosomes during WSSV infection. To understand the different virulence of WSSV on miRNAs expression in P. clarkia hemolymph exosome, the deep sequencing was performed to compare the small RNA libraries from the hemolymph exosome of P. clarkia individuals with or without WSSV infections. From the TEM observations, NTA and Western Blot analysis, the extracted exosomes were well identified with classic characteristics. The 209 conserved miRNAs and 250 novel miRNAs were identified from the small RNA libraries. In response to WSSV infection, there were about 98 miRNAs significantly up-regulated and 59 miRNAs significantly down-regulated. The target genes prediction, GO and KEGG enrichment analysis revealed that some target genes of P. clarkia miRNAs were grouped mainly into the categories of biological regulation, immune system process, signal pathway and other more functions. This is the first report of comprehensive identification of P. clarkia hemolymph exosome miRNAs being differentially regulated in response to WSSV infection. These results will help to understand the hemolymph exosome miRNAs response to different virulence WSSV infection.

Tumor origin detection with tissue-specific miRNA and DNA methylation markers

Motivation

A clear identification of the primary site of tumor is of great importance to the next targeted site-specific treatments and could efficiently improve patient's overall survival. Even though many classifiers based on gene expression had been proposed to predict the tumor primary, only a few studies focus on using DNA methylation (DNAm) profiles to develop classifiers, and none of them compares the performance of classifiers based on different profiles.

Results

We introduced novel selection strategies to identify highly tissue-specific CpG sites and then used the random forest approach to construct the classifiers to predict the origin of tumors. We also compared the prediction performance by applying similar strategy on miRNA expression profiles. Our analysis indicated that these classifiers had an accuracy of 96.05% (Maximum-Relevance-Maximum-Distance: 90.02-99.99%) or 95.31% (principal component analysis: 79.82-99.91%) on independent DNAm datasets, and an overall accuracy of 91.30% (range 79.33-98.74%) on independent miRNA test sets for predicting tumor origin. This suggests that our feature selection methods are very effective to identify tissue-specific biomarkers and the classifiers we developed can efficiently predict the origin of tumors. We also developed a user-friendly webserver that helps users to predict the tumor origin by uploading miRNA expression or DNAm profile of their interests.

Availability and implementation

The webserver, and relative data, code are accessible at http://server.malab.cn/MMCOP/.

Contact

zouquan@nclab.net or a.teschendorff@ucl.ac.uk.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

The Epigenetic Regulation of HCC Metastasis

Epigenetic alterations, such as histone modification, DNA methylation, and miRNA-mediated processes, are critically associated with various mechanisms of proliferation and metastasis in several types of cancer. To overcome the side effects and limited effectiveness of drugs for cancer treatment, there is a continuous need for the identification of more effective drug targets and the execution of mechanism of action (MOA) studies. Recently, epigenetic modifiers have been recognized as important therapeutic targets for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) based on their reported abilities to suppress HCC metastasis and proliferation in both in vivo and in vitro studies. Therefore, here, we introduce epigenetic modifiers and alterations related to HCC metastasis and proliferation, and their molecular mechanisms in HCC metastasis. The existing data suggest that the study of epigenetic modifiers is important for the development of specific inhibitors and diagnostic targets for HCC treatment.

miR-192-5p Silencing by Genetic Aberrations Is a Key Event in Hepatocellular Carcinomas with Cancer Stem Cell Features

Various cancer stem cell (CSC) biomarkers have been identified for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but little is known about the implications of heterogeneity and shared molecular networks within the CSC population. Through miRNA profile analysis in an HCC cohort (n = 241) for five groups of CSC⁺ HCC tissues, i.e., EpCAM⁺, CD90⁺, CD133⁺, CD44⁺, and CD24⁺ HCC, we identified a 14-miRNA signature commonly altered among these five groups of CSC⁺ HCC. miR-192-5p, the top-ranked CSC miRNA, was liver-abundant and -specific and markedly downregulated in all five groups of CSC⁺ HCC from two independent cohorts (n = 613). Suppressing miR-192-5p in HCC cells significantly increased multiple CSC populations and CSC-related features through targeting PABPC4. Both TP53 mutation and hypermethylation of the mir-192 promoter impeded transcriptional activation of miR-192-5p in HCC cell lines and primary CSC⁺ HCC. This study reveals the circuit from hypermethylation of the mir-192 promoter through the increase in PABPC4 as a shared genetic regulatory pathway in various groups of primary CSC⁺ HCC. This circuit may be the driver that steers liver cells toward hepatic CSC cells, leading to hepatic carcinogenesis. SIGNIFICANCE: miR-192-5p and its regulatory pathway is significantly abolished in multiple groups of HCC expressing high levels of CSC markers, which may represent a key event for hepatic carcinogenesis.