Plasma Level of hsa-miR-619-5p microRNA Is Associated with Prostatic Cancer Dissemination beyond the Capsule

miR-619-5p and cardiogenic shock in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction

BACKGROUND

Cardiogenic shock (CS) is a severe myocardial dysfunction secondary to various cardiac conditions including ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI) and associated with a high risk of death. Little is known on epigenetic determinants in CS. Here, we investigated plasma miRNAs in relation to CS stratification in STEMI-patients.

METHODS

STEMI-patients (n = 49), with (CS, n = 25) and without CS (non-CS, n = 24) fulfilling inclusion criteria were included from HSCSP-cohort (Derivation-cohort). CS-miRNAs were analysed by Affymetrix-microarray and RT-PCR. Results were validated in a second cohort of CS-patients (CardShock: n = 35) with similar inclusion/exclusion criteria as the derivation cohort. In silico analysis were performed to identify potential miRNA target genes.

RESULTS

Of the 5-miRNA signature obtained from microarray analysis, miR-619-5p showed higher levels in CS than in Non-CS patients (p = .003) and discriminating power for CS by ROC (AUC: .752, p = .003). miR-619-5p directly associated with risk scores [GRACE, p = .001; CardShock, p < .001]. Furthermore, miR-619-5p showed discrimination power for death in CS. Thus, miRNA levels were significantly higher in patients with mortality outcome both in the Derivation HSCSP-cohort (p = .02; AUC: .78 ± .095) and the Validation CardShock-cohort (p = .017; AUC: .737 ± .086) By in silico analysis, miR-619-5p target genes and TNF-alpha were involved in the regulation of inflammation. miR-619-5p and TNF-alpha levels discriminated mortality outcome in CS-patients during 30-day follow-up (Validation-Cohort: ROC: .812, p = .002; HR: 9.99, p = .003).

CONCLUSIONS

Up-regulation of miR-619-5p is found in the plasma of STEMI-patients with CS and mortality outcome. These findings highlight the specificity of epigenetic regulation of inflammation on the disease severity of MI.

A nine-gene signature as prognostic biomarker in gastric cancer by bioinformatics analysis

PURPOSE

The prognosis of advanced gastric cancer (GC) remains poor. It is urgent and necessary to find suitable prognostic markers. miR-619-5p is highly expressed in GC. However, the value of miR-619-5p and its target genes as prognostic biomarkers of GC is unclear.

METHODS

RT-PCR was performed to verify the expression of miR-619-5p in GC cell lines and their exosomes. Western blotting and transmission electron microscope were used to identify exosomes. The target genes of miR-619-5p were predicted by RNA22 and TargetScan. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and prognosis-related genes (PRGs) were obtained using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. The DAVID database was used to analyse pathway enrichment and functional annotation of common target genes. The STRING database and Cytoscape software were used to screen key genes and visualize their functional modules. The survival analysis was conducted using TCGA and Kaplan-Meier Plotter (KMP) databases. Finally, a prognostic model was constructed on the foundation of the key genes to assess the reliability of the screening process.

RESULTS

The expression of miR-619-5p in GC cells and their exosomes was proved to be significantly higher than that in normal cell lines. There are 129 common target genes involved in 3 pathways and 28 functional annotations. Finally, nine key target genes of GC (BRCA1, RAD51, KIF11, ERCC6L, BRIP1, TIMELESS, CDC25A, CLSPN and NCAPG2) were identified, and a prognostic model was successfully constructed with a good predictive ability.

CONCLUSIONS

The model of 9-gene signature could effectively predict the prognosis of GC, and have great potential to be novel prognostic factors and therapeutic targets for patients with GC.

The potential of cell-free and exosomal microRNAs as biomarkers in liquid biopsy in patients with prostate cancer

PURPOSE

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the 4th most diagnosed cancer and the 8th leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Currently, clinical risk stratification models including factors like PSA levels, Gleason score, and digital rectal examination are used for this purpose. There is a need for novel biomarkers that can distinguish between indolent and aggressive pathology and reduce the risk of overdiagnosis/overtreatment. Liquid biopsy has a non-invasive character, can lead to less morbidity and provide new biomarkers, such as miRNAs, that regulate diverse important cellular processes. Here, we report an extended revision about the role of cell-free and exosomal miRNAs (exomiRNAs) as biomarkers for screening, diagnosis, prognosis, or treatment of PCa.

METHODS

A comprehensive review of the published literature was conducted focusing on the usefulness, advantages, and clinical applications of cell-free and exomiRNAs in serum and plasma. Using PubMed database 53 articles published between 2012 and 2021 were selected and discussed from the perspective of their use as diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic biomarkers for PCa.

RESULTS

We identify 119 miRNAs associated with PCa development and the cell-free and exosomal miR-21, miR-141, miR-200c, and miR-375 were consistently associated with progression in multiple cohorts/studies. However, standardized experimental procedures, and well-defined and clinically relevant cohort studies are urgently needed to confirm the biomarker potential of cell-free and exomiRNAs in serum or plasma.

CONCLUSION

Cell-free and exomiRNAs in serum or plasma are promising tools for be used as non-invasive biomarkers for diagnostic, prognosis, therapy improvement and clinical outcome prediction in PCa patients.

Identification of differentially expressed miRNAs derived from serum exosomes associated with gastric cancer by microarray analysis

AIMS

To explore the differentially expressed microRNAs (DEMs) in serum exosomes between gastric cancer (GC) patients and healthy people to provide new targets for GC diagnosis and treatment.

METHODS

DEMs in serum exosomes were screened by microarray analysis and verified by RT-qPCR. The target genes of DEMs were predicted using Targetscan and miRTarBase databases and then overlapped with the DEGs of STAD in TCGA database to obtain the common target genes. Biological function and pathway enrichment were analyzed using enrichr database, and a PPI network was constructed using STRING database. The potential target genes of DEMs were identified using the MCODE and cytoHubba plug-ins of Cytoscape software. Survival analysis were conducted using KMP and TCGA databases. The DEMs -target genes-pathways network was established using Cytoscape software. A Cox proportional hazards regression model formed by optimal target genes was used to access the reliability of this prediction process.

RESULTS

Three serum exosomal microRNAs (exo-miRNAs, has-miR-1273 g-3p, has-miR-4793-3p, has-miR-619-5p) were identified to be highly expressed in GC patients and performed excellent diagnostic ability. A total of 179 common target genes related to GC were predicted. They were mainly involved in 79 GO functional annotations and 6 KEGG pathways. The prognostic model formed by eight optimal target genes (TIMELESS, DNA2, MELK, CHAF1B, DBF4, PAICS, CHEK1 and NCAPG2), which were low-risk genes of GC, also performed perfect prognostic ability.

CONCLUSIONS

Serum exosomal has-miR-1273 g-3p, has-miR-4793-3p and has-miR-619-5p can be used as new diagnostic biomarkers for GC. Among them, serum exosomal hsa-miR-1273 g-3p / hsa-miR-4793-3p targets MELK and hsa-miR-619-5p targets NCAPG2 were identified as novel mechanisms involved in the development of GC. It provides new targets for the diagnosis and treatment of GC by exo-miRNAs.

Intratumour heterogeneity in microRNAs expression regulates glioblastoma metabolism

While specific microRNA (miRNA) signatures have been identified in glioblastoma (GBM), the intratumour heterogeneity in miRNA expression has not yet been characterised. In this study, we reveal significant alterations in miRNA expression across three GBM tumour regions: the core, rim, and invasive margin. Our miRNA profiling analysis showed that miR-330-5p and miR-215-5p were upregulated in the invasive margin relative to the core and the rim regions, while miR-619-5p, miR-4440 and miR-4793-3p were downregulated. Functional analysis of newly identified miRNAs suggests their involvement in regulating lipid metabolic pathways. Subsequent liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and tandem mass spectroscopy (LC-MS/MS) profiling of the intracellular metabolome and the lipidome of GBM cells with dysregulated miRNA expression confirmed the alteration in the metabolite levels associated with lipid metabolism. The identification of regional miRNA expression signatures may underlie the metabolic heterogeneity within the GBM tumour and understanding this relationship may open new avenues for the GBM treatment.

Tumor-derived exosomal miR-619-5p promotes tumor angiogenesis and metastasis through the inhibition of RCAN1.4

Tumor-derived exosomes (TEXs) contain enriched miRNAs that act as novel non-invasive biomarkers for cancer diagnosis and play a role in cancer progression. We investigated the exosomal miRNAs that affect cancer progression in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and identified the specific molecules involved. We identified that specific miRNAs in NSCLC cell-released exosomes can modulate angiogenesis, among which miR-619-5p was the most potent inducer. RCAN1.4 was identified as a target of miR-619-5p and its suppression promoted angiogenesis. Furthermore, the suppression of RCAN1.4 induced cell proliferation and metastasis in NSCLC cells. In patients with NSCLC, the level of RCAN1.4 expression was significantly lower, and that of miR-619-5p significantly higher, in tumor than normal lung tissues. miR-619-5p expression was higher than normal in exosomes isolated from the plasma of NSCLC patients. Finally, hypoxic conditions induced miR-619-5p upload into NSCLC cell-derived exosomes. Our findings indicate that exosomal miR-619-5p promotes the growth and metastasis of NSCLCs by regulating RCAN1.4 and can serve as a diagnostic indicator for these lung cancers.

Development of novel predictive miRNA/target gene pathways for colorectal cancer distance metastasis to the liver using a bioinformatic approach

Background

Liver metastases are the major cause of colorectal cancer (CRC)-related deaths. However, there is no reliable clinical predictor for CRC progression to liver metastasis. In this study, we investigated possible predictors (miRNAs and biomarkers) for clinical application.

Methodology

The Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets GSE49355, GSE41258 and GSE81558 for genes and GSE54088 and GSE56350 for miRNAs were used to identify common differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and miRNAs between primary CRC tissues and liver metastases. The identified miRNAs and their targets from the DEGs were verified in datasets comprising gene, miRNA and miRNA exosome profiles of CRC patients with no distant metastases (M0) and distant metastases (M1); the interaction networks and pathways were also mapped.

Results

There were 49 upregulated and 13 downregulated DEGs and 16 downregulated and 14 upregulated miRNAs; between the DEGs and miRNA targets, there were five upregulated and four downregulated genes. MiR-20a was strongly correlated with the status of liver metastasis. MiR-20a, miR499a, and miR-576-5p were highly correlated with the metastatic outcomes. MiR-20a was significantly highly expressed in the M1 group. In an analysis of the miRNA target genes, we found that CDH2, KNG1, and MMP2 were correlated with CRC metastasis. We demonstrated a new possible pathway for CRC metastasis: miR-576-5p/F9, miR20a/MMP2, CTSK, MMP3, and miR449a/P2RY14. The regulation of IGF transport and uptake by IGFBPs, extracellular matrix organization, signal transduction and the immune system were the enriched pathways.

Conclusion

This model can predict CRC to liver metastases and the pathways involved, which can be clinically applicable.

MicroRNA-194 regulates cell viability and apoptosis by targeting CDH2 in prostatic cancer

Introduction

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most common malignancies in men. However, a lack of understanding of the mechanism underlying PCa metastasis has strongly limited the effectiveness of therapy for this disease. Thus, investigating the mechanism of PCa may help improve the prognosis of PCa patients. The goal of this study was to investigate the role of microRNA-194 (miR-194) in PCa.

Materials and methods

The expression of miR-194 and cadherin 2 (CDH2) at the transcriptional level was measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The MTT assay cell apoptosis assay and Western blotting were used to determine the role of miR-194 and CDH2 in the PC3 human PCa cell line. The dual luciferase reporter assay system was performed to clarify the relationship between miR-194 and CDH2. qRT-PCR results showed that miR-194 was downregulated and CDH2 was upregulated in PC3 cells.

Results

Transfection with miR-194 mimics decreased cell viability and increased the rate of apoptosis compared with the control group of PC3 cells. Bioinformatics and the luciferase reporter assay indicated that CDH2 was a target of miR-194, and Western blot analysis suggested that CDH2 was negatively regulated by miR-194. Further studies revealed that the downregulation of CDH2 suppressed cell viability and promoted the apoptosis of PC3 cells and that miR-194 directly targeted CDH2 in PC3 cells. Finally, the in vivo experiments showed that miR-194 mimics suppressed tumor growth and induced apoptosis in a greater proportion of cells by decreasing the expression of CDH2 compared with the control group.

Conclusion

The results of this study showed that miR-194 targeted CDH2 to regulate PCa cell survival in vitro and suppress tumor growth in vivo. These findings suggest that miR-194 may be a useful therapeutic target in PCa.