MicroRNA-590 promotes cervical cancer cell growth and invasion by targeting CHL1

miRNAs role in cervical cancer pathogenesis and targeted therapy: Signaling pathways interplay

Cervical cancer (CC) is the primary cause of cancer deaths in underdeveloped countries. The persistence of infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) is a significant contributor to the development of CC. However, few women with morphologic HPV infection develop invasive illnesses, suggesting other mechanisms contribute to cervical carcinogenesis. MicroRNAs (miRNAs, miRs) are small chain nucleic acids that can regulate wide networks of cellular events. They can inhibit or degrade their target protein-encoding genes. They had the power to regulate CC's invasion, pathophysiology, angiogenesis, apoptosis, proliferation, and cell cycle phases. Further research is required, even though novel methods have been developed for employing miRNAs in the diagnosis, and treatment of CC. We'll go through some of the new findings about miRNAs and their function in CC below. The function of miRNAs in the development of CC and its treatment is one of these. Clinical uses of miRNAs in the analysis, prediction, and management of CC are also covered.

Identification of Immune and Hypoxia Risk Classifier to Estimate Immune Microenvironment and Prognosis in Cervical Cancer

Purpose

Cervical cancer (CC) is one of the most common gynecologic neoplasms. Hypoxia is an essential trigger for activating immunosuppressive activity and initiating malignant tumors. However, the determination of the role of immunity and hypoxia on the clinical outcome of CC patients remains unclear.

Methods

The CC independent cohort were collected from TCGA database. Consensus cluster analysis was employed to determine a molecular subtype based on immune and hypoxia gene sets. Cox relevant analyses were utilized to set up a risk classifier for prognosis assessment. The underlying pathways of classifier genes were detected by GSEA. Moreover, we conducted CIBERSORT algorithm to mirror the immune status of CC samples.

Results

We observed two cluster related to immune and hypoxia status and found the significant difference in outcome of patients between the two clusters. A total of 251 candidate genes were extracted from the two clusters and enrolled into Cox relevant analyses. Then, seven hub genes (CCL20, CXCL2, ITGA5, PLOD2, PTGS2, TGFBI, and VEGFA) were selected to create an immune and hypoxia-based risk classifier (IHBRC). The IHBRC can precisely distinguish patient risk and estimate clinical outcomes. In addition, IHBRC was closely bound up with tumor associated pathways such as hypoxia, P53 signaling and TGF β signaling. IHBRC was also tightly associated with numerous types of immunocytes.

Conclusion

This academic research revealed that IHBRC can be served as predictor for prognosis assessment and cancer treatment estimation in CC.

Downregulation of Circ-PITHD1 Suppressed Colorectal Cancer via Glycolysis Inhibition through miR-590-5p/HK2 Axis

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a frequent malignancy around the globe. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are implicated in CRC development. Nevertheless, the regulatory mechanisms and biological functions regarding circRNAs in CRC progression are largely unclear. The present investigation employed next-generation sequencing (NGS) to study the abnormal circRNA expression in CRC tissues. The regulatory mechanism and targets were then analyzed by bioinformatics, luciferase reporter analysis, CCK8, colony formation, and Transwell migration. In vivo metastasis and tumorigenesis assays were conducted to elucidate circ-PITHD1 roles regarding CRC. The data showed that circ-PITHD1 expression increased in a CRC cell line and tissues, which indicated that circ-PITHD1 functioned in CRC progression. circ-PITHD1 downregulation inhibited CRC invasion and proliferation in the experiments. Luciferase reporter results confirmed that both miR-590-5p and hexokinase 2 (HK2) were circ-PITHD1 downstream targets. HK2 overexpression or miR-590-5p suppression reversed CRC cell proliferation and invasion after silencing of circ-PITHD1 by regulation of glycolysis. Taken together, this investigation discovered that circ-PITHD1 downregulation suppressed CRC progression by inhibiting glycolysis via the miR-590-5p/HK2 axis.

miR-590-5p: A double-edged sword in the oncogenesis process

Accumulating evidence suggests the critical role of miR-590-5p in various aspects of cellular homeostasis, including cancer. Furthermore, we and others have recently demonstrated that miRNA-590-5p acts as an oncogene in some cancers while it acts as a tumor-suppressor in others. However, the role of miR-590-5p in oncogenesis is more complex, like a double-edged sword. Thus, this systematic review introduces the concept, mechanism, and biological function of miR-590-5p to resolve this apparent paradox. We have also described the involvement of miR-590-5p in crucial cancer-hallmarks processes like proliferation, invasion, metastasis, and chemo radioresistance. Finally, we have presented the possible genes/pathways targets of miR-590-5p through bioinformatics analysis. This review may help in designing better biomarkers and therapeutic targets for cancers.

Integrated Multi-Omics Analysis Identified PTPRG and CHL1 as Key Regulators of Immunophenotypes in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma(ccRCC)

Despite the increasing importance and status of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB), little is known about the underlying molecular mechanisms determining the target clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) population. In this study, we screened out 6 immune cells strongly correlated with expression levels of PD-L1 and IFN-γ based on the ccRCC samples extracted from GSE and TCGA data sets. By performing unsupervised clustering and lasso regression analysis, we grouped the ccRCC into 4 clusters and selected the two most distinct sub-clusters for further investigation-cluster A1 and B1. Next, we compared the two clusters in terms of mRNA, somatic mutations, copy number variations, DNA methylation, miRNA, lncRNA and constructed the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) hub by combing together the previous results at levels of DNA methylation, miRNA, and lncRNA. PTPRG and CHL1 were identified as key nodes in the regulation hub of immunophenotypes in ccRCC patients. Finally, we established the prognosis model by using Lasso-Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier analysis, recognizing WNT2, C17orf66, and PAEP as independent significant risk factors while IRF4 as an independent protective factor.

Cervical cancer development, chemoresistance, and therapy: a snapshot of involvement of microRNA

Cervical cancer (CC) is one of the leading causes of death in women due to cancer and a major concern in the developing world. Persistent human papilloma virus (HPV) infection is the major causative agent for CC. Besides HPV infection, genetic and epigenetic factors including microRNA (miRNA) also contribute to the malignant transformation. Earlier studies have revealed that miRNAs participate in cell proliferation, invasion and metastasis, angiogenesis, and chemoresistance processes by binding and inversely regulating the target oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes. Based on functions and mechanistic insights, miRNAs have been identified as cellular modulators that have an enormous role in diagnosis, prognosis, and cancer therapy. Signatures of miRNA could be used as diagnostic markers which are necessary for early diagnosis and management of CC. The therapeutic potential of miRNAs has been shown in CC; however, more comprehensive clinical trials are required for the clinical translation of miRNA-based diagnostics and therapeutics. Understanding the molecular mechanism of miRNAs and their target genes has been useful to develop miRNA-based therapeutic strategies for CC and overcome chemoresistance. In this review, we summarize the role of miRNAs in the development, progression, and metastasis of CC as well as chemoresistance. Further, we discuss the diagnostic and therapeutic potential of miRNAs to overcome chemoresistance and treatment of CC.

The role of HPV-induced epigenetic changes in cervical carcinogenesis (Review)

Cervical cancer is associated with infection by certain types of human papillomaviruses (HPVs), and this affects women worldwide. Despite the improvements in prevention and cure of HPV-induced cervical cancer, it remains the second most common type of cancer in women in the least developed regions of the world. Epigenetic modifications are stable long-term changes that occur in the DNA, and are part of a natural evolutionary process of necessary adaptations to the environment. They do not result in changes in the DNA sequence, but do affect gene expression and genomic stability. Epigenetic changes are important in several biological processes. The effects of the environment on gene expression can contribute to the development of numerous diseases. Epigenetic modifications may serve a critical role in cancer cells, by silencing tumor suppressor genes, activating oncogenes, and exacerbating defects in DNA repair mechanisms. Although cervical cancer is directly related to a persistent high-risk HPV infection, several epigenetic changes have been identified in both the viral DNA and the genome of the infected cells: DNA methylation, histone modification and gene silencing by non-coding RNAs, which initiate and sustain epigenetic changes. In the present review, recent advances in the role of epigenetic changes in cervical cancer are summarized.

miR-590-5p targets RMND5A and promotes migration in pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell lines

Required for meiotic nuclear division 5 homolog A (RMND5A) functions as an E3 ubiquitin ligase. To date, few studies have investigated the role of RMND5A in cancer. In the present study, the expression levels of RMND5A in multiple types of cancer were analyzed using the Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis platform. The results revealed that RMND5A was highly expressed and associated with overall survival in patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD). A wound-healing assay revealed that RMND5A overexpression significantly increased cell migration in the PAAD cell lines AsPC-1 and PANC-1. In silico analysis predicted that RMND5A was a potential target of microRNA(miR)-590-5p. Further in vitro experiments demonstrated that overexpression of miR-590-5p downregulated the expression levels of RMND5A and decreased the migratory ability of the AsPC-1 and PANC-1 cell lines. In addition, overexpression of miR-590-5p attenuated the promoting effects of RMND5A on the migration of AsPC-1 and PANC-1 cells. The results of the present study may further elucidate the mechanisms underlying PAAD progression and provide novel targets for the treatment of PAAD.

Angiogenesis-related non-coding RNAs and gastrointestinal cancer

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers are among the main reasons for cancer death globally. The deadliest types of GI cancer include colon, stomach, and liver cancers. Multiple lines of evidence have shown that angiogenesis has a key role in the growth and metastasis of all GI tumors. Abnormal angiogenesis also has a critical role in many non-malignant diseases. Therefore, angiogenesis is considered to be an important target for improved cancer treatment. Despite much research, the mechanisms governing angiogenesis are not completely understood. Recently, it has been shown that angiogenesis-related non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) could affect the development of angiogenesis in cancer cells and tumors. The broad family of ncRNAs, which include long non-coding RNAs, microRNAs, and circular RNAs, are related to the development, promotion, and metastasis of GI cancers, especially in angiogenesis. This review discusses the role of ncRNAs in mediating angiogenesis in various types of GI cancers and looks forward to the introduction of mimetics and antagonists as possible therapeutic agents.

Role of miRNAs in cervical cancer: A comprehensive novel approach from pathogenesis to therapy

Human papillomaviruses (HPV) infection is a major causative agent and strongly associated with the development of cervical cancer. Understanding the mechanisms of HPV-induced cervical cancer is extremely useful in therapeutic strategies for primary prevention (HPV vaccines) and secondary prevention (screening and diagnosis of precancerous lesions). However, due to the lack of proper implementation of screening programs in developing countries, cervical cancer is usually diagnosed at advanced stages that result in poor treatment responses. Nearly half of the patients will experience disease recurrence within two years post treatment. Therefore, it is vital to identify new tools for early diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment prediction. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs, implicated in posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression. Growing evidence has shown that abnormal miRNA expression is associated with cervical cancer progression, metastasis, and influences treatment outcomes. In this review, we provide comprehensive information about miRNA and their potential utility in cervical cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and clinical management to improve patient outcomes.

MicroRNAs and angiogenesis: a new era for the management of colorectal cancer

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small noncoding RNA molecules containing only 20–22 nucleotides. MiRNAs play a role in gene silencing and translation suppression by targeting and binding to mRNA. Proper control of miRNA expression is very important for maintaining a normal physiological environment because miRNAs can affect most cellular pathways, including cell cycle checkpoint, cell proliferation, and apoptosis pathways, and have a wide range of target genes. With these properties, miRNAs can modulate multiple signalling pathways involved in cancer development, such as cell proliferation, apoptosis, and migration pathways. MiRNAs that activate or inhibit the molecular pathway related to tumour angiogenesis are common topics of research. Angiogenesis promotes tumorigenesis and metastasis by providing oxygen and diffusible nutrients and releasing proangiogenic factors and is one of the hallmarks of tumour progression. CRC is one of the most common tumours, and metastasis has always been a difficult issue in its treatment. Although comprehensive treatments, such as surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy, have prolonged the survival of CRC patients, the overall response is not optimistic. Therefore, there is an urgent need to find new therapeutic targets to improve CRC treatment. In a series of recent reports, miRNAs have been shown to bidirectionally regulate angiogenesis in colorectal cancer. Many miRNAs can directly act on VEGF or inhibit angiogenesis through other pathways (HIF-1a, PI3K/AKT, etc.), while some miRNAs, specifically many exosomal miRNAs, are capable of promoting CRC angiogenesis. Understanding the mechanism of action of miRNAs in angiogenesis is of great significance for finding new targets for the treatment of tumour angiogenesis. Deciphering the exact role of specific miRNAs in angiogenesis is a challenge due to the high complexity of their actions. Here, we describe the latest advances in the understanding of miRNAs and their corresponding targets that play a role in CRC angiogenesis and discuss possible miRNA-based therapeutic strategies.

Exosomal miR-590-5p in Serum as a Biomarker for the Diagnosis and Prognosis of Gastric Cancer

The purpose of this study is to explore the expression of miRNA-590-5p, an exosome of gastric cancer (GC), and to evaluate the suitability of miR-590-5p, an exosome with its own clinical characteristics. Serum samples from 168 gastric cancer patients and 50 matched controls were collected and exosomal RNAs were extracted. After that, miR-590-5p is analyzed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), which is more related to clinical and pathological parameters and patient monitoring data. MGC-803 and HGC-27 cells were treated by miR-590-5p mimics, and then the changes of cell fluidity and invasiveness were monitored. The results showed that the expression level of miR-590-5p in exosomes of healthy observation group, early (I and II) stage group, and late stage (III) group was 30.34 ± 6.35, 6.19 ± 0.81, and 2.9 ± 0.19, respectively (all p < 0.05). ROC (receiver-operating characteristic curve) showed that the AUC (area under the curve) of exosomal miR-590-5p was 0.810 with 63.7% sensitivity and 86% specificity. The expression of exosomal miR-590-5p in serum was related to clinical stage (p = 0.008), infiltration depth, and the expression level of ki-67 (p < 0.001). In addition, Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the decrease of explicit level of exosomal miR-590-5p was related to the decrease of overall survival rate (p < 0.001). Cox regression analysis showed that miR-590-5p can be used as an independent predictor. Furthermore, upregulation of miR-590-5p inhibited cell migration and invasion in MGC-803 cells and HGC-27 cells. The serum expression level of exosomal miR-590-5p may be a biomarker, which is potentially useful and noninvasive for early detection and prediction of GC. In addition, miR-590-5p can play a role in eliminating carcinogens by actively regulating the malignant potential of gastric cancer.

MiR-590-5p regulates cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion in oral squamous cell carcinoma by targeting RECK

OBJECTIVE

To discover the role of miR-590-5p in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) progression and the corresponding mechanism via the targeting RECK.

METHODS

OSCC (n=85) and normal oral tissues (n=60) were collected to quantify the miR-590-5p expression by using qRT-PCR. Then SCC-15 and OEC-M1 cells were selected and divided into Mock, inhibitor NC, miR-590-5p inhibitor, si-RECK and miR-590-5p inhibitor + si-RECK groups. Dual-luciferase reporter gene assay was used to verify if miR-590-5p could target RECK. The biological behaviors of OSCC cells were evaluated by MTT, Wound-healing, Transwell and Flow cytometry. The expression of miR-590-5p and RECK was measured by qRT-PCR and Western blotting , respectively.

RESULTS

Overexpression of miR-590-5p was found in OSCC tissues. The expression of miR-590-5p was significantly associated with the clinical TNM stage, differentiation degree, and lymph node metastasis of OSCC. RECK was identified as a direct target of miR-590-5p. Compared with the Mock group, cells in the miR-590-5p inhibitor group were decreased in terms of proliferation, invasion, and migration, and increased in cell apoptosis, accompanied by down-regulated miR-590-5p, Bcl-2/Bax and MMP-9, and up-regulated RECK. By contrast, si-RECK group presented completely opposite changes, and si-RECK reversed the inhibitory effect of miR-590-5p inhibitor on the OSCC cell growth.

CONCLUSION

MiR-590-5p expression was obviously increased in OSCC, and inhibiting miR-590-5p enhanced the expression of its target gene RECK, thereby suppressing proliferation, migration and invasion of OSCC cells and promoting apoptosis of OSCC cells.

Circular RNA hsa_circ_0005114-miR-142-3p/miR-590-5p-adenomatous polyposis coli protein axis as a potential target for treatment of glioma

Glioma is the most common type of brain tumor and is associated with a high mortality rate. Despite recent advances in treatment options, the overall prognosis in patients with glioma remains poor. Studies have suggested that circular (circ)RNAs serve important roles in the development and progression of glioma and may have potential as therapeutic targets. However, the expression profiles of circRNAs and their functions in glioma have rarely been studied. The present study aimed to screen differentially expressed circRNAs (DECs) between glioma and normal brain tissues using sequencing data collected from the Gene Expression Omnibus database (GSE86202 and GSE92322 datasets) and explain their mechanisms based on the competing endogenous (ce)RNA regulatory hypothesis. In total, 424 commonly downregulated DECs (with the Gene_symbol annotated in the circBase database) in these two datasets were identified. Using the CircInteractome and Starbase databases, 18 micro (mi)RNAs (miRs) were predicted to interact with DECs, while 22 glioma-related genes obtained from the Comparative Toxicogenomics Database were predicted to be regulated by 15 miRNAs via the miRwalk 2.0 database. A ceRNA network was established based on 115 DECs, 15 miRNAs and 22 mRNAs. LinkedOmics online analysis using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data showed that hsa-miR-142-3p/hsa-miR-590-5p and their target gene adenomatous polyposis coli protein (APC) were all significantly associated with overall survival rate and their prognosis trend was opposite, revealing that high expression levels of hsa-miR-142-3p/hsa-miR-590-5 were associated with a poor overall survival rate, while high APC expression with a good overall survival rate. UALCAN analysis using TCGA data of glioblastoma multiforme and the GSE25632 and GSE103229 microarray datasets showed that hsa-miR-142-3p/hsa-miR-590-5p was upregulated and APC was downregulated. Thus, hsa-miR-142-3p/hsa-miR-590-5p-APC-related circ/ceRNA axes may be important in glioma, and hsa_circ_0005114 interacted with both of these miRNAs. Functional analysis showed that hsa_circ_0005114 was involved in insulin secretion, while APC was associated with the Wnt signaling pathway. In conclusion, hsa_circ_0005114-miR-142-3p/miR-590-5p-APC ceRNA axes may be potential targets for the treatment of glioma.

Upregulation of miR-205 induces CHN1 expression, which is associated with the aggressive behaviour of cervical cancer cells and correlated with lymph node metastasis

BACKGROUND

Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death in women worldwide. However, the mechanisms mediating the development and progression of cervical cancer are unclear. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the roles of microRNAs and a1-chimaerin (CHN1) protein in cervical cancer progression.

METHODS

The expression of miR-205 and CHN1 protein was investigated by in situ hybridisation and immunohistochemistry. We predicted the target genes of miR-205 using software prediction and dual luciferase assays. The expression of mRNAs and proteins was tested by qRT-PCR and western blotting respectively. The ability of cell growth, migration and invasion was evaluated by CCK-8 and transwell. Cell apoptosis was analysed by flow cytometry analysis.

RESULTS

We found that miR-205 and CHN1 were highly expressed in human cervical cancer tissue compared with paired normal cervical tissues. The CHN1 gene was shown to be targeted by miR-205 in HeLa cells. Interestingly, transfection with miR-205 mimic upregulated CHN1 mRNA and protein, while miR-205 inhibitor downregulated CHN1 in high-risk and human papilloma virus (HPV)-negative human cervical cancer cells in vitro,. These data suggested that miR-205 positively regulated the expression of CHN1. Furthermore, the miR-205 mimic promoted cell growth, apoptosis, migration, and invasion in high-risk and HPV-negative cervical cancer cells, while the miR-205 inhibitor blocked these biological processes. Knockdown of CHN1 obviously reduced the aggressive cellular behaviours induced by upregulation of miR-205, suggesting that miR-205 positively regulated CHN1 to mediate these cell behaviours during the development of cervical cancer. Furthermore, CHN1 was correlated with lymph node metastasis in clinical specimens.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings showed that miR-205 positively regulated CHN1 to mediate cell growth, apoptosis, migration, and invasion during cervical cancer development, particularly for high-risk HPV-type cervical cancer. These findings suggested that dysregulation of miR-205 and subsequent abnormalities in CHN1 expression promoted the oncogenic potential of human cervical cancer.

Overexpression of close homolog of L1 enhances the chemosensitivity of lung cancer cells via inhibition of the Akt pathway

Drug resistance leads to tumor relapse and further progression during chemotherapy in lung cancer. Close homolog of L1 (CHL1) has been identified as a tumor suppressor in most malignancies. However, to the best of our knowledge, whether CHL1 mediates chemoresistance remains unknown. The present study observed that CHL1 was significantly downregulated in cisplatin (DDP)-resistant cells (A549/DDP) and paclitaxel (PTX)-resistant cells (A549/PTX) compared with A549 cells. When treated with or without DDP and PTX, silencing of CHL1 in A549 cells promoted the cell survival rate and clone formation, and decreased apoptosis. Whereas overexpression of CHL1 in A549/DDP and A549/PTX cells impeded the cell survival and clone formation and promoted apoptosis. Additionally, CHL1 overexpression enhanced the chemosensitivity of A549/DDP cells to DDP in vivo. Notably, the chemoresistance induced by CHL1 depletion was reversed by the Akt inhibitor SC66 in A549 cells. The results of the present study demonstrated that CHL1 enhanced sensitivity of lung cancer cells by suppressing the Akt pathway, which suggested that CHL1 may be a potential target for overcoming chemoresistance in lung cancer.

The roles of microRNA in human cervical cancer

Although a potentially preventable disease, cervical cancer (CC) is the second most commonly diagnosed gynaecological cancer with at least 530,000 new cases annually, and the prognosis with CC is still poor. Studies suggest that aberrant expression of microRNA (miRNA) contributes to the progression of CC. As a group of small non-coding RNA with 18-25 nucleotides, miRNA regulate about one-third of all human genes. They function by repressing translation or inducing mRNA cleavage or degradation, including genes involved in diverse and important cellular processes, including cell cycling, proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. Results showed that misexpression of miRNA is closely related to the onset and progression of CC. This review will provide an overview of the function of miRNA in CC and the mechanisms involved in cervical carcinogenesis.

The regulatory mechanism and biological significance of the Snail-miR590-VEGFR-NRP1 axis in the angiogenesis, growth and metastasis of gastric cancer

Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) and neuropilins (NRPs), a co-receptor of VEGF, play a key role in the formation and development of blood vessels and in tumour growth and metastasis. However, whether VEGFR1/2 and NRP1 are regulated by the same upstream mechanism is unclear, especially in gastric cancer. We used prediction tools to detect miRNAs that may simultaneously regulate VEGFR1/2 and NRP1, and we finally determined that miR-590 can simultaneously regulate VEGFR1/2 and NRP1 in gastric cancer. We discovered that miR-590 was downregulated in gastric cancer tissues and cell lines, and this was related to the dysregulation of the transcription factor SNAIL. In addition, the overexpression of miR-590 inhibits the migration, invasion, proliferation and D-MVA levels of gastric cancer cells in vivo and in vitro by targeting VEGFR1/2 and NRP1. We also demonstrated that miR-590 may be a useful marker for the prognosis of gastric cancer with Kaplan–Meier survival analysis. Since the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is an important mechanism of tumour invasion and metastasis and VEGFR1/2 and NRP1 can promote the occurrence of EMT, we speculated that miR-590 can regulate the occurrence of EMT. Immunoblot and immunofluorescence analyses confirmed that the overexpression of miR-590 can inhibit the EMT in gastric cancer cells. Since SNAIL is also a mesenchymal marker, our results revealed a new, positive feedback loop. As a transcription factor, SNAIL inhibits the expression of miR-590, thereby upregulating the expression levels of NRP1 and VEGFR1/2; this leads to the development of EMT in gastric cancer and the upregulation of SNAIL.

Circulating microRNA-590-5p functions as a liquid biopsy marker in non-small cell lung cancer

Despite the availability of various diagnostic procedures, a tissue biopsy is still indispensable for the routine diagnosis of lung cancer. However, inaccurate diagnoses can occur, leading to inefficient cancer management. In this context, use of circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) may serve as diagnostic tools as liquid biopsies, and as biomarkers to better understand the molecular mechanisms involved in the progression of cancer. We identified miR‐590‐5p as a potential prognostic marker in the progression of non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We were able to detect this miRNA in blood plasma samples of NSCLC patients through quantitative real‐time PCR. Our data showed an ~7.5‐fold downregulation of miR‐590‐5p in NSCLC patients compared to healthy controls, which correlated with several clinicopathological features. Further, overexpression of miR‐590‐5p led to decreased cell viability, proliferation, colony formation, migration, and invasion potential of lung cancer cells, whereas its knockdown showed the opposite effect. In addition, the levels of several proteins involved in the epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition negatively correlated with miR‐590‐5p levels in lung adenocarcinoma cells and tumors of NSCLC patients. Further, dual‐luciferase reporter assays identified STAT3 as a direct target of miR‐590‐5p, which negatively regulated STAT3 activation and its downstream signaling molecules (eg, Cyclin D1, c‐Myc, Vimentin, and β‐catenin) involved in tumorigenesis. Taken together, our study suggests that miR‐590‐5p functions as a tumor suppressor in NSCLC through regulating the STAT3 pathway, and may serve as a useful biomarker for the diagnosis/prognosis of NSCLC, and as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of NSCLC.

Long noncoding RNA CHL1-AS1 promotes cell proliferation and migration by sponging miR-6076 to regulate CHL1 expression in endometrial cancer

Endometrial cancer (EC) is deemed to be the most typical gynecologic malignant tumor. Despite the incidence of EC being lower in Asia than that in western countries, substantial increased incidence has been observed in the past few decades in Asia. Although various molecular testing methods and genomic science have developed, the overall prognosis is still disappointing. LncRNAs have been found to influence the progression of various cancers. CHL1-AS1 has been found to be upregulated in ovarian endometriosis, nevertheless, the molecular mechanism and biological function of CHL1-AS1 in EC have not been explored. In our exploration, both CHL1-AS1 and CHL1 were upregulated in EC cells. Knockdown of CHL1-AS1 or CHL1 inhibited cell proliferation and migration in EC. Furthermore, microRNA-6076 (miR-6076) could bind with CHL1-AS1 or CHL1, and regulate the expression of CHL1. Finally, absence of miR-6076 or overexpression of CHL1 can partially rescue the effect of CHL1-AS1 knockdown or miR-6076 upregulation on cell proliferation and migration, respectively. All in all, our research was the first endeavor to study the underlying mechanism of CHL1-AS1 in EC and confirmed that CHL1-AS1 regulated EC progression via targeting the miR-6076/CHL1 axis, offering new insight into treating EC.

miR-22 Regulates Invasion, Gene Expression and Predicts Overall Survival in Patients with Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma

Background:

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is molecularly diverse and distinct molecular subtypes show different clinical outcomes. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are essential components of gene regulatory networks and play a crucial role in progression of many cancer types including ccRCC.

Objective:

Identify prognostic miRNAs and determine the role of miR-22 in ccRCC.

Methods:

Hierarchical clustering was done in R using gene expression profiles of over 450 ccRCC cases in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed to identify prognostic miRNAs in the TCGA dataset. RNA-Seq was performed to identify miR-22 target genes in primary ccRCC cells and Matrigel invasion assay was performed to assess the effects of miR-22 overexpression on cell invasion.

Results:

Hierarchical clustering analysis using 2,621 prognostic genes previously identified by our group demonstrated that ccRCC patients with longer overall survival expressed lower levels of genes promoting proliferation or immune responses, while better maintaining gene expression associated with cortical differentiation and cell adhesion. Targets of 26 miRNAs were significantly enriched in the 2,621 prognostic genes and these miRNAs were prognostic by themselves. MiR-22 was associated with poor overall survival in the TCGA dataset. Overexpression of miR-22 promoted invasion of primary ccRCC cells in vitro and modulated transcriptional programs implicated in cancer progression including DNA repair, cell proliferation and invasion.

Conclusions:

Our results suggest that ccRCCs with differential clinical outcomes have distinct transcriptomes for which miRNAs could serve as master regulators. MiR-22, as a master regulator, promotes ccRCC progression at least in part by enhancing cell invasion.

Gene regulation and prognostic indicators of lung squamous cell carcinoma: TCGA-derived miRNA/mRNA sequencing and DNA methylation data

Lung squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) is a common cancer worldwide, and this study aimed to investigate the key regulatory networks and prognostic indicators of LSCC. MicroRNA (miRNA)/messenger RNA (mRNA) sequencing and DNA methylation data were obtained from the Cancer Genome Atlas. Differentially expressed miRNAs (DEmiRNAs) and genes (DEGs) were identified by the limma package. Then, the transcription factors (TFs) of DEmiRNAs/DEGs, as well as the targets of miRNAs, were predicted by the TFmiR online tool. Using the t test, aberrant methylation was detected in TF binding sites (TFBSs) in promoters. Finally, integrated network and survival analyses were conducted using SPSS software. We obtained 104 DEmiRNAs and 4,491 DEGs, and validated 2,113 DEGs (VDEGs). Then, 103 TFs, 295 TFs, and 14 DEmiRNAs were predicted to target 95 DEmiRNAs, 821 DEGs and 283 DEGs, respectively. After TF-DEmiRNA/DEG and TF-DEmiRNA-DEG networks were constructed (e.g., E2F1-CDC25A, miR29a-RAN, miR326-TBL1XR1), five feedforward loops between ZEB1 and miR-141/200a/200b/200c/429 were found. Furthermore, VDEGs CDC25A, RAN, TBL1XR1 as well as miR-130b and miR-590 were negatively correlated with survival rates. E2F1-CDC25A, miR29a-RAN, miR326-TBL1XR1, and the feedforward loops between ZEB1/ZEB2 and miR-141/200a/200b/200c/429 might participate in LSCC development. Compared with BEAS-2B cells, the SK-MES-1 cells presented a higher expression level of miR-141, miR-200a, miR-200b, miR-200c but a lower expression level of ZEB1. Overexpressed miR-200c significantly attenuated the expression of ZEB1 and ZEB2 and inhibited the proliferation and migration of SK-MES-1 cells (all p < 0.05). In addition, CDC25A, miR-200a, miR-200b, miR-200c, miR-130b, and miR-590 are potential prognostic indicators of LSCC.

Downregulation of SOX2 may be targeted by miR-590-5p and inhibits epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in non-small-cell lung cancer

Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the leading type of cancer worldwide and sex determining region Y-box 2 (SOX2) has been implicated as an oncogene in various types of cancer. In the present study, SOX2 was positively associated with NSCLC stage and lymph node metastasis. Wound healing and Transwell assays demonstrated that knockdown of SOX2 inhibited A549 and H1299 cell migration. Furthermore, it was identified that knockdown of SOX2 inhibited epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition of NSCLC cells, which was demonstrated by increased expression of epithelial-cadherin and decreased expression of vimentin, zinc finger protein SNAI1 and zinc finger protein SNAI2. It was then demonstrated that SOX2 may be targeted by microRNA (miR)-590-5p, which indicated a potential therapeutic strategy for NSCLC focusing on the miR-590-5p/SOX2 axis.

microRNAs: New prognostic, diagnostic, and therapeutic biomarkers in cervical cancer

Cervical cancer is as a kind of cancer beginning from the cervix. Given that cervical cancer could be observed in women who infected with papillomavirus, regular oral contraceptives, and multiple pregnancies. Early detection of cervical cancer is one of the most important aspects of the therapy of this malignancy. Despite several efforts, finding and developing new biomarkers for cervical cancer diagnosis are required. Among various prognostic, diagnostic, and therapeutic biomarkers, miRNA have been emerged as powerful biomarkers for detection, treatment, and monitoring of response to therapy in cervical cancer. Here, we summarized various miRNAs as an employable platform for prognostic, diagnostic, and therapeutic biomarkers in the treatment of cervical cancer.

The role of miRNAs in the invasion and metastasis of cervical cancer

Cervical cancer (CC) with early metastasis of the primary tumor results in poor prognosis and poor therapeutic outcomes. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, noncoding RNA molecules that play a substantial role in regulating gene expression post-transcriptionally and influence the development and progression of tumors. Numerous studies have discovered that miRNAs play significant roles in the invasion and metastasis of CC by affecting specific pathways, including Notch, Wnt/β-catenin, and phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K)-Akt pathways. miRNAs also effectively modulate the process of epithelial–mesenchymal transition. Many studies provide new insights into the role of miRNAs and the pathogenesis of metastatic CC. In this review, we will offer an overview and update of our present understanding of the potential roles of miRNAs in metastatic CC.

miR-590-5p suppresses hepatocellular carcinoma chemoresistance by targeting YAP1 expression

Background

Resistance to chemotherapeutic treatment is a common phenomenon in cancers, especially in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The Hippo signaling pathway has been demonstrated to play a role in tumor initiation, development, and progression. However, little is known about its roles in the HCC chemoresistance.

Methods

In this study, real-time PCR and western blotting were used to identify the expression profile of key components of Hippo signaling pathway between chemoresistant and chemosensitive HCC cell lines. In vitro and in vivo loss- and gain-of-function studies were performed to reveal the effects and related mechanism of microRNA-590-5p/YAP1 axis in the chemoresistant phenotype of HCC cells.

Findings

We identified yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1) as the major dysregulated molecules in adriamycin (ADR)-resistant HCC cells. YAP1 was profoundly implicated in the chemoresistant phenotype of HCC cells. Furthermore, microRNA-590-5p was revealed as a functional modulator of YAP1. Importantly, YAP1-mediated chemoresistant phenotype was closely related to increased expression of stemness markers and ATP-binding cassette transporters. HCC patients with poor response to transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) treatment had higher protein level of YAP1 than that in the responsive patients.

Interpretation

The microRNA-590-5p/YAP axis plays an important role in the chemotherapeutic resistance of HCC cells, suggesting new adjuvant chemotherapeutic directions in HCC.

Fund

National Natural Science Foundation of China, Zhejiang Province Medical and Health Care Key Project, Experimental Animal Science and Technology Projects of Zhejiang Province, Public Welfare Technology Application Research Project of Lishui, Chinese Medicine Science and Technology Projects of Zhejiang Province.

miR‑590‑5p inhibits tumor growth in malignant melanoma by suppressing YAP1 expression

The microRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) involved in the carcinogenesis and progression of malignant melanoma (MM) remain unclear. In the present study, miR-590-5p was identified to be upregulated in MM cells compared with human melanocytes using a reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction to screen established oncogenic and tumor suppressor miRNAs. miR-590-5p was demonstrated to inhibit the cell proliferation and tumor growth of MM cells in vitro and in vivo by performing Cell Counting Kit-8 and tumour xenograft assays, respectively. In addition, flowcytometry assays indicated that miR-590-5p induced cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest at the G1 stage in MM cells. Finally, luciferase assays and western blot analysis results confirmed that the transcriptional regulator Yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1) is upregulated and inversely associated with miR-590-5p expression in MM cells, and is the direct target and functional mediator of miR-590-5p in MM. Altogether these results reveal the functional and mechanistic link between miR-590-5p and YAP1 in the progression of MM. Therefore, miR-590-5p is a potential therapeutic target in MM.

FGF18, a prominent player in FGF signaling, promotes gastric tumorigenesis through autocrine manner and is negatively regulated by miR-590-5p

Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) and their receptors are significant components during fundamental cellular processes. FGF18 plays a distinctive role in modulating the activity of both tumor cells and tumor microenvironment. This study aims to comprehensively investigate the expression and functional role of FGF18 in gastric cancer (GC) and elucidate its regulatory mechanisms. The upregulation of FGF18 was detected in seven out of eleven (63.6%) GC cell lines. In primary GC samples, FGF18 was overexpressed in genomically stable and chromosomal instability subtypes of GC and its overexpression was associated with poor survival. Knocking down FGF18 inhibited tumor formation abilities, induced G1 phase cell cycle arrest and enhanced anti-cancer drug sensitivity. Expression microarray profiling revealed that silencing of FGF18 activated ATM pathway but quenched TGF-β pathway. The key factors that altered in the related signaling were validated by western blot and immunofluorescence. Meanwhile, treating GC cells with human recombinant FGF18 or FGF18-conditioned medium accelerated tumor growth through activation of ERK-MAPK signaling. FGF18 was further confirmed to be a direct target of tumor suppressor, miR-590-5p. Their expressions showed a negative correlation in primary GC samples and more importantly, re-overexpression of FGF18 partly abolished the tumor-suppressive effect of miR-590-5p. Our study not only identified that FGF18 serves as a novel prognostic marker and a therapeutic target in GC but also enriched the knowledge of FGF-FGFR signaling during gastric tumorigenesis.

MicroRNA-590-5p regulates cell viability, apoptosis, migration and invasion of renal cell carcinoma cell lines through targeting ARHGAP24

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the leading cause of death in renal malignancies. MicroRNA-590-5p (miR-590-5p) is of great importance in the processes of many cancers regarding regulation of cancer cell invasion and proliferation. In our study, alternation of miR-590-5p expression in RCC cell lines through transfection with pre-miR-590-5p (up-regulation) or anti-miR-590-5p (down-regulation) was performed. Apoptosis and viability of RCC cell lines were measured by flow cytometry and CCK-8 analysis, respectively. Cell invasion and migration were estimated by Transwell assay. The association of miR-590-5p with ARHGAP24 expression was evaluated using luciferase assays, real-time PCR and western blot assay. The expressions of apoptosis and migration-related protein were also measured by western blotting. We found that pre-miR-590-5p transfection in Caki-2 and 786-O cells showed significant increases in cell viability, invasion and migration, which were accompanied by decreased cell apoptosis, while anti-miR-590-5p transfection obviously inhibited the cell viability, migration and invasion of Caki-2 and 786-O cells as well as induced apoptosis, compared with the negative control group. Furthermore, bioinformatics combined with luciferase reporter assays indicated that ARHGAP24 is directly targeted by miR-590-5p. ARHGAP24 overexpression in 786-O and Caki-2 cells phenocopied the effects of anti-miR-590-5p transfection along with enhanced expression of active Caspase-3 and Bax/Bcl-2 ratio as well as decreased expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9. These findings suggested that miR-590-5p/ARHGAP24 seems to function as a potentially beneficial target for RCC treatment.

CHL1 gene acts as a tumor suppressor in human neuroblastoma

Neuroblastoma is an aggressive, relapse-prone childhood tumor of the sympathetic nervous system that accounts for 15% of pediatric cancer deaths. A distal portion of human chromosome 3p is often deleted in neuroblastoma, this region may contain one or more putative tumor suppressor genes. A 2.54 Mb region at 3p26.3 encompassing the smallest region of deletion pinpointed CHL1 gene, the locus for neuronal cell adhesion molecule close homolog of L1. We found that low CHL1 expression predicted poor outcome in neuroblastoma patients. Here we have used two inducible cell models to analyze the impact of CHL1 on neuroblastoma biology. Over-expression of CHL1 induced neurite-like outgrowth and markers of neuronal differentiation in neuroblastoma cells, halted tumor progression, inhibited anchorage-independent colony formation, and suppressed the growth of human tumor xenografts. Conversely, knock-down of CHL1 induced neurite retraction and activation of Rho GTPases, enhanced cell proliferation and migration, triggered colony formation and anchorage-independent growth, accelerated growth in orthotopic xenografts mouse model. Our findings demonstrate unambiguously that CHL1 acts as a regulator of proliferation and differentiation of neuroblastoma cells through inhibition of the MAPKs and Akt pathways. CHL1 is a novel candidate tumor suppressor in neuroblastoma, and its associated pathways may represent a promising target for future therapeutic interventions.

NF-κB-driven improvement of EHD1 contributes to erlotinib resistance in EGFR-mutant lung cancers

Acquired resistance to epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine-kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs), such as gefitinib and erlotinib, is a critical obstacle in the treatment of EGFR mutant-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). EHD1, a protein of the C-terminal Eps15 homology domain-containing (EHD) family, plays a role in regulating endocytic recycling, but the mechanistic details involved in EGFR-TKI resistance and cancer stemness remain largely unclear. Here, we found that a lower EHD1 expression improved both EGFR-TKIs sensitivity, which is consistent with a lower CD133 expression, and progression-free survival in NSCLC patients. The overexpression of EHD1 markedly increased erlotinib resistance and lung cancer cell stemness in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, we demonstrated that miR-590 targeted the 3′-UTR of EHD1 and was regulated by NK-κB, resulting in downregulated EHD1 expression, increased erlotinib sensitivity and repressed NSCLC cancer stem-like properties in vitro and in vivo. We found that EHD1 was an important factor in EGFR-TKI resistance and the cancer stem-like cell phenotype of lung cancer, and these results suggest that targeting the NF-κB/miR-590/EHD1 pathway has potential therapeutic promise in EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients with acquired EGFR-TKI resistance.

ATF-3/miR-590/GOLPH3 signaling pathway regulates proliferation of breast cancer

Background

Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of death in women worldwide. Fast growth is the important character of breast cancer, which makes sure the subsequent metastasize and invasion breast cancer. Golgi related genes GOLPH3 has been reported to regulate many kinds of cancers proliferation. However, its upregulator remains largely unknown. miRNA modulate gene expression by post-transcriptional repression to participate in many signaling pathway of breast cancer cell proliferation. miR-590 has been reported to regulate tumorgenesis and could be regulated by its own target ATF-3. But whether miR-590 can be the modulator of Golgi related genes to regulate the breast cancer proliferation is unclear.

Methods

We performed the bioinformatics analysis of survival rate and expression differences of patients using the data of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA).Both of MTS and BrdU assays were used for cell proliferation analysis. Cell cycle was detected by flow cytometry .qRT-PCR was used for detecting the cell cycle related gene expression. Student’s t-test or One way anova was used for statistics.

Results

We found the upregulation of GOLPH3 in breast cancer samples compared with normal breast tissues, which also was related to the poor prognosis. Overexpression of GOLPH3 significantly promoted proliferation both of MDA-MB-231 cells (ER negative) and MCF-7 cells (ER positive). We further found that miRNA-590-3p could directly target the 3′-UTR of GOLPH3 mRNA to repress its expression. Overexpression of miR-590-3p inhibited the proliferation of MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells. The rescue experiments indicated that overexpression of GOLPH3 significantly resorted the proliferation inhibited by miR-590-3p. We also found that ATF-3 repressed miR-590-3p expression to modulate miR-590/GOLPH3 pathway to regulate breast cancer cells proliferation.

Conclusions

This study not only suggests that the ATF-3/miR-590/GOLPH3 signaling pathway is critically involved in the proliferation of breast cancer cells, but provides a novel therapeutic target and new insight base on epigenetic regulation for future breast cancer diagnosis and clinical treatment.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12885-018-4031-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Novel and Haplotype Specific MicroRNAs Encoded by the Major Histocompatibility Complex

The MHC is recognized for its importance in human health and disease. However, many disease-associated variants throughout the region remain of unknown significance, residing predominantly within non-coding regions of the MHC. The characterization of non-coding RNA transcripts throughout the MHC is thus central to understanding the genetic contribution of these variants. Therefore, we characterize novel miRNA transcripts throughout the MHC by performing deep RNA sequencing of two B lymphoblastoid cell lines with completely characterized MHC haplotypes. Our analysis identifies 89 novel miRNA transcripts, 48 of which undergo Dicer-dependent biogenesis and are loaded onto the Argonaute silencing complex. Several of the identified mature miRNA and pre-miRNA transcripts are unique to specific MHC haplotypes and overlap common SNPs. Furthermore, 43 of the 89 identified novel miRNA transcripts lie within linkage disequilibrium blocks that contain a disease-associated SNP. These disease associated SNPs are associated with 65 unique disease phenotypes, suggesting that these transcripts may play a role in the etiology of numerous diseases associated with the MHC. Additional in silico analysis reveals the potential for thousands of putative pre-miRNA encoding loci within the MHC that may be expressed by different cell types and at different developmental stages.

Loss of PPM1F expression predicts tumour recurrence and is negatively regulated by miR-590-3p in gastric cancer

OBJECTIVES

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) as small non-coding RNA molecules act by negatively regulating their target genes. Recent studies have shown that protein phosphatase Mg2+/Mn2+-dependent 1F (PPM1F) plays a critical role in cancer metastasis. But, the regulation mechanisms of PPM1F by miRNAs in gastric cancer (GC) remain undefined.

METHODS

The correlation of PPM1F or miR-590-3p (miR-590) expression with clinicopathological features and prognosis of the patients with GC was analysed by TCGA RNA-sequencing data. The miRNAs that target PPM1F gene were identified by bioinformatics and Spearman correlation analysis, and the binding site between miR-590 and PPM1F 3'UTR was confirmed by dual luciferase assay. MTT and Transwell assays were conducted to evaluate the effects of miR-590 or (and) PPM1F on cell proliferation and invasion.

RESULTS

We found that PPM1F expression was downregulated in GC tissues and cell lines and was correlated with tumour recurrence in patients with GC. The decreased expression of PPM1F was attributed to the dysregulation of miR-590 expression rather than its genetic or epigenetic alterations. Overexpression of miR-590 promoted cell proliferation and invasion capability of GC cells, while knockdown of miR-590 reversed these effects. Moreover, PPM1F was validated as a direct target of miR-590 and counteracted the tumour-promoting effects caused by miR-590. The expression of miR-590 presented the negative correlation with PPM1F expression and acted as an independent prognostic factor for tumour recurrence in patients with GC.

CONCLUSION

PPM1F may function as a suppressive factor and is negatively regulated by miR-590 in GC.

miR-590 promotes cell proliferation and invasion in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia by inhibiting RB1

MicroRNAs play important roles in the pathogenesis of cancers by inhibiting gene expression at posttranscriptional level. Here, we identified that miR-590 and its predicted target gene RB1 are differentially expressed in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (T-ALL). The correlation between miR-590 and RB1 was further confirmed in 395 T-ALL patients. In T-ALL cell lines, miR-590 promoted the cell proliferation by increasing G1/S transition. Moreover, migration and invasion assay showed that miR-590 promotes the migration and invasion of T-ALL cells by increasing E-cadherin and inhibiting MMP-9. Luciferase assays confirmed that miR-590 directly binds to the 3′untranslated region of RB1, and western blotting showed that miR-590 suppresses the expression of RB1 at the protein levels. This study indicated that miR-590 inhibits RB1 and promotes proliferation and invasion of T-ALL cells. Thus, miR-590 may represent a potential therapeutic target for T-ALL intervention.

MicroRNA-Mediated Regulation of ITGB3 and CHL1 Is Implicated in SSRI Action

Background: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant drugs are the first-line of treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD) but are effective in <70% of patients. Our earlier genome-wide studies indicated that two genes encoding for cell adhesion proteins, close homolog of L1 (CHL1) and integrin beta-3 (ITGB3), and microRNAs, miR-151a-3p and miR-221/222, are implicated in the variable sensitivity and response of human lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCL) from unrelated individuals to SSRI drugs.

Methods: The microRNAs miR-221, miR-222, and miR-151-a-3p, along with their target gene binding sites, were explored in silico using miRBase, TargetScan, microRNAviewer, and the UCSC Genome Browser. Luciferase reporter assays were conducted for demonstrating the direct functional regulation of ITGB3 and CHL1 expression by miR-221/222 and miR-151a-3p, respectively. A human LCL exhibiting low sensitivity to paroxetine was utilized for studying the phenotypic effect of CHL1 regulation by miR-151a-3p on SSRI response.

Results: By showing direct regulation of CHL1 and ITGB3 by miR-151a-3p and miR-221/222, respectively, we link these microRNAs and genes with cellular SSRI sensitivity phenotypes. We report that miR-151a-3p increases cell sensitivity to paroxetine via down-regulating CHL1 expression.

Conclusions: miR-151a-3p, miR-221/222 and their (here confirmed) respective target-genes, CHL1 and ITGB3, are implicated in SSRI responsiveness, and possibly in the clinical response to antidepressant drugs.

miR-590 promotes the proliferation of HUMSCs and induces ECM synthesis by targeting Smad7

MicroRNA (miR)-590 has been established to be a promoter of cell proliferation, migration and invasion, and an inhibitor of apoptosis in numerous cancer cell lines. However, its effects on non-cancer cells remain to be elucidated. miR-590 was transfected into human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (HUMSCs), and the cell proliferation rate was determined using a Cell-Light 5-ethynyl-20-deoxyuridine Apollo 567 kit and the presence of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins were detected using western blot analysis and immunofluorescence microscopy. Using bioinformatic analysis and dual-luciferase assays, the novel target miR-590 was identified. In addition, the effects of miR-590 on cell proliferation and ECM enhancement were also evaluated. The results of the present study demonstrated that miR-590 interacts directly with the 3'-untranslated region of Mothers Against Decapentaplegic Homolog 7 (Smad7), which is an important factor in transforming growth factor-β signaling pathway. Overexpression of miR-590 downregulated Smad7 expression at the mRNA and protein level, and subsequently resulted in cell proliferation and ECM accumulation. Additionally, the transfection of small interfering RNA targeting Smad7 in HUMSCs produced similar effects on cell proliferation and ECM to the overexpression of miR-590. The results of the present study indicated that miR-590 affects HUMSC proliferation by directly targeting Smad7.

MicroRNA-30e Functions as a Tumor Suppressor in Cervical Carcinoma Cells through Targeting GALNT7

Cervical cancer is the third most common cancer in women worldwide. However, the underlying mechanism of occurrence and development of cervical cancer is obscure. In this study, we observed that miR-30e was downregulated in clinical cervical cancer tissues and cervical cancer cells. Next, overexpression of miR-30e reduced the cervical cancer cell growth through MTT, colony formation, EdU, and Transwell assay in SiHa and Caski cells. Subsequently, UDP-N-acetyl-D-galactosamine: polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase 7 (GALNT7) was identified as a potential miR-30e target by bioinformatics analysis. Moreover, we showed that miR-30e was able to bind to the 3′UTR of GALNT7 by luciferase reporter assay. In addition, the mRNA and protein levels of GALNT7 in cervical cancer cells were downregulated by miR-30e. And we validated that downregulation of GALNT7 repressed the proliferation of SiHa and Caski cells by MTT, colony formation, and Transwell assay. We identified that the restoration of GALNT7 expression was able to counteract the effect of miR-30e on cell proliferation of cervical cancer cells. Furthermore, we found that the expression levels of GALNT7 were frequently upregulated and negatively correlative to those of miR-30e in cervical cancer tissues. In addition, we validated that restoration of GALNT7 rescued the miR-30e–suppressed growth of cervical cancer xenografts in vivo. In conclusion, the current results suggest that miR-30e may function as tumor suppressors in cervical cancer through downregulation of GALNT7. Both miR-30e and its novel target, GALNT7, may play an important role in the process of cervical cancer.

MicroRNA expression profiles and networks in placentas complicated with selective intrauterine growth restriction

The microRNA (miRNA) profiles of placentas complicated with selective intrauterine growth restriction (sIUGR) are unknown. In the present study, the sIUGR‑associated placental miRNA expression was investigated using microarray and confirmatory reverse transcriptase‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction studies. Placenta samples around the individual insertion region for each umbilical cord were collected from monochorionic twins complicated with (n=17) or without sIUGR (control, n=16). miRNA profile analysis was performed on two sIUGR cases and one control using an Affymetrix microRNA 4.0 Array system. A total of 14 miRNAs were identified to be specifically differentially expressed (7 upregulated and 7 downregulated) among larger twins of sIUGR cases compared with smaller twins of sIUGR cases. The target genes of the identified miRNAs participate in organ size, cell differentiation, cell proliferation and migration. In addition, according to the miRNA‑pathway network analysis, key miRNAs and pathways (transforming growth factor‑β, mitogen‑activated protein kinase and Wnt) were identified to be associated with the pathogenesis of sIUGR. To the best of our knowledge, the results of the current study have provided the most complete miRNA profiles and the most detailed miRNA regulatory networks of placental tissues complicated with sIUGR.

Differential expression of miRNAs in the seminal plasma and serum of testicular cancer patients

Various microRNAs from the miR-371-3 and miR-302a-d clusters have recently been proposed as markers for testicular germ cell tumours. Upregulation of these miRNAs has been found in both the tissue and serum of testicular cancer patients, but they have never been studied in human seminal plasma. The aim of this study was, therefore, to assess the differences in the expression of miR-371-3 and miR-302a-d between the seminal plasma and serum of testicular cancer patients, and to identify new potential testicular cancer markers in seminal plasma. We investigated the serum and seminal plasma of 28 pre-orchiectomy patients subsequently diagnosed with testicular cancer, the seminal plasma of another 20 patients 30 days post-orchiectomy and a control group consisting of 28 cancer-free subjects attending our centre for an andrological check-up. Serum microRNA expression was analysed using RT-qPCR. TaqMan Array Card 3.0 platform was used for microRNA profiling in the seminal plasma of cancer patients. Results for both miR-371-3 and the miR-302 cluster in the serum of testicular cancer patients were in line with literature reports, while miR-371and miR-372 expression in seminal plasma showed the opposite trend to serum. On array analysis, 37 miRNAs were differentially expressed in the seminal plasma of cancer patients, and the upregulated miR-142 and the downregulated miR-34b were validated using RT-qPCR. Our study investigated the expression of miRNAs in the seminal plasma of patients with testicular cancer for the first time. Unlike in serum, miR-371-3 cannot be considered as markers in seminal plasma, whereas miR-142 levels in seminal plasma may be a potential marker for testicular cancer.

MicroRNA-590-3p enhances the radioresistance in glioblastoma cells by targeting LRIG1

microRNA (miR)-590 has been found to serve potential roles in cancer development; however, the expression and function of miR-590 in human gliomas remains to be elucidated. The present study aimed to investigate the expression of miR-590 in human glioma tissues and radioresistant human glioblastoma cells (U251R), and to determine the effect and related molecular mechanism of miR-590-3p on the radiosensitivity of U251R cells in vitro. The results from reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction indicated that miR-590-3p was upregulated in human glioma tissues and radioresistant human glioblastoma cells, and that miR-590-3p expression was higher in high grade than in low grade gliomas. In vitro experiments revealed that the miR-590-3p inhibitor enhanced the radiosensitivity of U251R cells by suppressing cell viability, decreasing colony formation capacity and increasing cell apoptosis rate, as demonstrated by MTT, colony formation and flow cytometry analyses. A luciferase reporter assay demonstrated that leucine-rich repeats and immunoglobulin-like domains protein 1 (LRIG1) was a direct target of miR-590-3p. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that the effect of miR-590-3p suppression on cell viability, colony formation capacity and cell apoptosis rate was attenuated by the knockdown of LRIG1 in the U251R cells. In conclusion, the present study revealed that miR-590-3p was upregulated in human glioma tissues and radioresistant human glioblastoma cells, and miR-590-3p contributes to the radioresistance of human glioblastoma cells by directly targeting LRIG1. These findings may provide potential therapeutic strategies to prevent radioresistance in human gliomas.

MicroRNA profiling associated with non-small cell lung cancer: next generation sequencing detection, experimental validation, and prognostic value

Background

The average five-year survival for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients is approximately 15%. Emerging evidence indicates that microRNAs (miRNAs) constitute a new class of gene regulators in humans that may play an important role in tumorigenesis. Hence, there is growing interest in studying their role as possible new biomarkers whose expression is aberrant in cancer. Therefore, in this study we identified dysregulated miRNAs by next generation sequencing (NGS) and analyzed their prognostic value.

Methods

Sequencing by oligo ligation detection technology was used to identify dysregulated miRNAs in a training cohort comprising paired tumor/normal tissue samples (N = 32). We validated 22 randomly selected differentially-expressed miRNAs by quantitative real time PCR in tumor and adjacent normal tissue samples (N = 178). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox regression were used in multivariate analysis to identify independent prognostic biomarkers.

Results

NGS analysis revealed that 39 miRNAs were dysregulated in NSCLC: 28 were upregulated and 11 were downregulated. Twenty-two miRNAs were validated in an independent cohort. Interestingly, the group of patients with high expression of both miRNAs (miR-21^high and miR-188^high) showed shorter relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) times. Multivariate analysis confirmed that this combined signature is an independent prognostic marker for RFS and OS (p = 0.001 and p < 0.0001, respectively).

Conclusions

NGS technology can specifically identify dysregulated miRNA profiles in resectable NSCLC samples. MiR-21 or miR-188 overexpression correlated with a negative prognosis, and their combined signature may represent a new independent prognostic biomarker for RFS and OS.

miR-590 regulates WT1 during proliferation of G401 cells

Nephroblastoma (Wilms' tumor) is frequently associated with mortality in children. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are important for tumor development serving as oncogenes or tumor suppressors. In the present study, miRNA-590 (miR-590) was identified to be upregulated in Wilms' tumor tissues compared with the normal adjacent tissues. Additionally, the levels of miR-590 were consistent with their clinical stage. Wilms' tumor 1 (WT1) was considered to be a tumor suppressor in certain tumor types, and it has been detected at low expression levels in various types of cancer with high cell proliferation and aggressive behavior. The expression levels of miR-590 were quantified using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Cell proliferation was measured using 5-ethynyl-20-deoxyuridine assays. The protein expression levels of WT1 were investigated by western blot analysis. To the best of our knowledge, the present study was the first to determine that WT1 was a target gene of miR-590 as miR-590 was able to negatively regulate WT1 expression level by binding to the specific target site within the 3′-untranslated region (3′-UTR) of WT1 in G401 cells. Additionally, overexpression of miR-590 promoted G401 cell proliferation which was consistent with the effect of small interfering RNA-WT1. Subsequently, the present study determined that the cell phenotype altered by miR-590 overexpression may be reversed by upregulation of WT1 in G401 cells. In conclusion, the observations indicated that miR-590 may function as an oncogene via targeting WT1 to induce G401 cell proliferation. These results may contribute to current understanding of the function of miR-590 in nephroblastoma.

Validation of suitable normalizers for miR expression patterns analysis covering tumour heterogeneity

Oncogenic microRNAs (miRs) have emerged as diagnostic biomarkers and novel molecular targets for anti-cancer drug therapies. Real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) is one of the most powerful techniques for analyzing miRs; however, the use of unsuitable normalizers might bias the results. Tumour heterogeneity makes even more difficult the selection of an adequate endogenous normalizer control. Here, we have evaluated five potential referenced small RNAs (U6, rRNA5s, SNORD44, SNORD24 and hsa-miR-24c-3p) using RedFinder algorisms to perform a stability expression analysis in i) normal colon cells, ii) colon and breast cancer cell lines and iii) cancer stem-like cell subpopulations. We identified SNORD44 as a suitable housekeeping gene for qPCR analysis comparing normal and cancer cells. However, this small nucleolar RNA was not a useful normalizer for cancer stem-like cell subpopulations versus subpopulations without stemness properties. In addition, we show for the first time that hsa-miR-24c-3p is the most stable normalizer for comparing these two subpopulations. Also, we have identified by bioinformatic and qPCR analysis, different miR expression patterns in colon cancer versus non tumour cells using the previously selected suitable normalizers. Our results emphasize the importance of select suitable normalizers to ensure the robustness and reliability of qPCR data for analyzing miR expression.