Elevated microRNA-25 inhibits cell apoptosis in lung cancer by targeting RGS3

Effect of Raltitrexed on ECA109 Cellular Radiosensitivity and its Mechanism in Esophageal Cancer

BACKGROUND

To investigate the effect of raltitrexed + X-ray irradiation on esophageal cancer ECA109 cells and analyze the potential action mechanism.

METHODS

The 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used to analyze the inhibitory effect of raltitrexed on cell proliferation. The effect of raltitrexed on radiosensitivity was studied through a clone-forming experiment. The scratch assay and invasion test were performed to understand the cell migration and invasion abilities. The apoptosis rate change was measured using a flow cytometer, and Western Blotting was used to determine the expression of B cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) and Bcl2-associated X protein (Bax) in each group.

RESULTS

Raltitrexed significantly inhibited ECA109 proliferation in a time-dose-dependent manner; there were significant differences among different concentrations and times of action. The results of the clone-forming experiment showed a sensitization enhancement ratio of 1.65, and this demonstrated a radiosensitization effect. After the combination of raltitrexed with X-ray, the cell migration distance was shortened, and the number of cells penetrating the membrane was reduced.

CONCLUSION

Raltitrexed can inhibit the growth of esophageal cancer ECA109 cells and has a radiosensitization effect.

Function and regulation of RGS family members in solid tumours: a comprehensive review

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) play a key role in regulating the homeostasis of the internal environment and are closely associated with tumour progression as major mediators of cellular signalling. As a diverse and multifunctional group of proteins, the G protein signalling regulator (RGS) family was proven to be involved in the cellular transduction of GPCRs. Growing evidence has revealed dysregulation of RGS proteins as a common phenomenon and highlighted the key roles of these proteins in human cancers. Furthermore, their differential expression may be a potential biomarker for tumour diagnosis, treatment and prognosis. Most importantly, there are few systematic reviews on the functional/mechanistic characteristics and clinical application of RGS family members at present. In this review, we focus on the G-protein signalling regulator (RGS) family, which includes more than 20 family members. We analysed the classification, basic structure, and major functions of the RGS family members. Moreover, we summarize the expression changes of each RGS family member in various human cancers and their important roles in regulating cancer cell proliferation, stem cell maintenance, tumorigenesis and cancer metastasis. On this basis, we outline the molecular signalling pathways in which some RGS family members are involved in tumour progression. Finally, their potential application in the precise diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of different types of cancers and the main possible problems for clinical application at present are discussed. Our review provides a comprehensive understanding of the role and potential mechanisms of RGS in regulating tumour progression. Video Abstract.

RGS proteins and their roles in cancer: friend or foe?

As negative modulators of G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) signaling, regulators of G protein signaling (RGS) proteins facilitate various downstream cellular signalings through regulating kinds of heterotrimeric G proteins by stimulating the guanosine triphosphatase (GTPase) activity of G-protein α (Gα) subunits. The expression of RGS proteins is dynamically and precisely mediated by several different mechanisms including epigenetic regulation, transcriptional regulation -and post-translational regulation. Emerging evidence has shown that RGS proteins act as important mediators in controlling essential cellular processes including cell proliferation, survival -and death via regulating downstream cellular signaling activities, indicating that RGS proteins are fundamentally involved in sustaining normal physiological functions and dysregulation of RGS proteins (such as aberrant expression of RGS proteins) is closely associated with pathologies of many diseases such as cancer. In this review, we summarize the molecular mechanisms governing the expression of RGS proteins, and further discuss the relationship of RGS proteins and cancer.

A genome-wide computational approach to define microRNA-Polycomb/trithorax gene regulatory circuits in Drosophila

Characterization of gene regulatory networks is fundamental to understanding homeostatic development. This process can be simplified by analyzing relatively simple genomes such as the genome of Drosophila melanogaster. In this work we have developed a computational framework in Drosophila to explore for the presence of gene regulatory circuits between two large groups of transcriptional regulators: the epigenetic group of the Polycomb/trithorax (PcG/trxG) proteins and the microRNAs (miRNAs). We have searched genome-wide for miRNA targets in PcG/trxG transcripts as well as for Polycomb Response Elements (PREs) in miRNA genes. Our results show that 10% of the analyzed miRNAs could be controlling PcG/trxG gene expression, while 40% of those miRNAs are putatively controlled by the selected set of PcG/trxG proteins. The integration of these analyses has resulted in the predicted existence of 3 classes of miRNA-PcG/trxG crosstalk interactions that define potential regulatory circuits. In the first class, miRNA-PcG circuits are defined by miRNAs that reciprocally crosstalk with PcG. In the second, miRNA-trxG circuits are defined by miRNAs that reciprocally crosstalk with trxG. In the third class, miRNA-PcG/trxG shared circuits are defined by miRNAs that crosstalk with both PcG and trxG regulators. These putative regulatory circuits may uncover a novel mechanism in Drosophila for the control of PcG/trxG and miRNAs levels of expression. The computational framework developed here for Drosophila melanogaster can serve as a model case for similar analyses in other species. Moreover, our work provides, for the first time, a new and useful resource for the Drosophila community to consult prior to experimental studies investigating the epigenetic regulatory networks of miRNA-PcG/trxG mediated gene expression.

Expression of miRNA-25 in young and old lung adenocarcinoma

Background:

An appropriate personalized molecular testing ensures the most efficacious treatment in lung cancer. It is still controversial whether younger lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) patients have different molecular features compared with their older counterparts. MicroRNAs have been involved in lung cancer and their altered expression has been suggested as a potential biomarker in the pathogenesis, diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy of LUAD.

Materials and Methods:

To analyze putative differences in miR-25 expression between young (with age ≤50 years) and old adenocarcinoma patients, we quantified miR-25 levels with NanoString technology in 88 LUAD specimens. We further investigated a cohort of 309 LUAD patients from the cancer genome atlas (TCGA) database to test our hypothesis.

Results:

miR-25 expression was upregulated in young LUAD patients in comparison to the older ones (P = 0.03) in our series. The analysis of public database TCGA confirmed our results, which miR-25 differentially expressed in the two aged groups (P = 0.0009). Moreover, a consequential pairing of miR-25 with a target region in phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) 3’ untranslated region (UTR) and actually low PTEN expression seemed to be associated with high miR-25 (P = 0.001) in young patients.

Conclusions:

The interaction of miR-25 and PTEN in young LUAD may define a subgroup of patients, highlighting the concept of molecular testing in different age subtypes.

Relevance of miR-223 as Potential Diagnostic and Prognostic Markers in Cancer

In 1993, the discovery of microRNAs in Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) altered the paradigmatic view of RNA biology and post-transcriptional gene regulation. Further study revealed the role of microRNAs in disease development and progression. In particular, this review highlights microRNA-223 (miR-223 or miRNA-223) expression in malignant neoplastic disorders. miR-223 expression controls aspects of hematopoiesis and apoptosis, and cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. miR-223 regulates a number of gene targets, including cytoplasmic activation/proliferation-associated protein-1 (Caprin-1), insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R), and other cell proliferation- and cell cycle-associated genes. Several studies have proposed miR-223 as a novel biomarker for early cancer diagnosis. Here, we emphasize miR-223′s role in the development and progression of cancer.

Evaluation of circulating microRNAs-211 and 25 as diagnostic biomarkers of colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer is one of the most prevalent and deadly cancers worldwide. MicroRNAs are short single stranded non-coding RNAs that play important roles in carcinogenesis, tumor growth and tumor survival. Circulating microRNAs are increasingly becoming efficient and important biomarkers for several types of cancers. Herein, we aim to evaluate the diagnostic potentials of plasma microRNA-211 and microRNA-25 in colorectal cancer patients. Forty-four patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer and 40 healthy controls were recruited for the present study. Expressions of circulating microRNAs -211 and 25 were assessed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Expression of transforming growth factor-beta, a key factor in tumorigenesis and a key inducer of epithelial to mesenchymal transition was assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in patients' tissue and plasma. Our results demonstrated upregulated expressions of plasma microRNAs-211 and 25 correlated with the high transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β1) expression in patients. In addition, plasma levels were positively correlated with lymph node metastasis. Moreover, receiver operating characteristic analysis demonstrated the reliability of microRNAs-211 and 25 for discriminating colorectal cancer patients from healthy individuals. MicroRNA-211 and microRNA-25 might have a tumorigenic role in colorectal cancer and their plasma levels could be potential biomarkers in its diagnosis.

Diagnostic value of microRNA-25 in patients with non-small cell lung cancer in Chinese population: A systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

Previous studies have shown that microRNA-25 (miR-25) plays a key role in the occurrence and development of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Many studies have shown that there is a significant increment of miR-25 in circulating blood of patients with NSCLC. The meta-analysis aims to explore diagnostic value of miR-25 in NSCLC in Chinese population.

METHODS

PubMed, Web of science, Excerpta Medica Database, China national knowledge infrastructure and China Wanfang database were searched to collect studies upon correlation between miR-25 and diagnosis of the patients with NSCLC until April 2020. Combined sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, negative likelihood ratio, diagnostic odds ratio and area under receiver operating characteristic curve were calculated by Stata 15.0 software. Literature assessment was conducted according to quality assessment of diagnostic accuracy studies, and documents with scores above or equal to 11 were included in this meta-analysis.

RESULTS

Six studies were included, including 480 cases with NSCLC and 451 healthy controls. The combined sensitivity (0.75, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.69∼0.80), specificity (0.81, 95% CI: 0.76∼0.86), positive likelihood ratio (4.04, 95% CI: 3.14∼5.20), negative likelihood ratio (0.31, 95% CI: 0.25∼0.37), diagnostic odds ratio (13.09, 95% CI: 9.37∼18.29) and area under curve (0.85, 95% CI: 0.82∼0.88) indicated that miR-25 had desirable diagnostic accuracy for NSCLC.

CONCLUSION

MiR-25 can be applied in diagnosis of NSCLC and has potential of becoming a biomarker for detection of patients with early NSCLC in Chinese population.

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.

Analysis of the expression levels and clinical value of miR-365 and miR-25 in serum of patients with non-small cell lung cancer

The present study aimed to investigate the expression levels and clinical value of miR-365 and miR-25 in serum of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Patients (180) diagnosed with NSCLC at the Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University from July 2011 to December 2013 were used as the experimental group. Volunteers (90) undergoing health examinations were used as the control group. The serum of the patients was collected after fasting in the morning. The expression levels of miR-365 and miR-25 in the serum of patients was assessed by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), and the relationship among miR-365, miR-25 and the postoperative survival rate of NSCLC patients was analyzed. The relative expression level of miR-25 of patients with peripheral infiltration was significantly higher than that of patients without peripheral infiltration (P<0.05). There were significant differences in the relative expression level of miR-25 in different pathological grades and TNM stages, as well as with lymph node metastasis (P<0.05). The survival rate of NSCLC patients with high expression of miR-25 was significantly lower than that of NSCLC patients with low expression of miR-25 (P<0.05). The relative expression level of miR-365 of patients with peripheral infiltration was significantly lower than that of patients without peripheral infiltration (P<0.05). There were significant differences in the relative expression level of miR-365 in different pathological grades and TNM stages, as well as with lymph node metastasis (P<0.05). The survival rate of NSCLC patients with high expression of miR-365 was significantly higher than that of NSCLC patients with low expression of miR-365 (P<0.05). In conclusion, the expression levels of miR-25 and miR-365 were different in the serum of NSCLC patients, and they were closely related to certain clinical characteristics such as peripheral infiltration, pathological grade, tumor diameter, TNM stage and lymph node metastasis. Moreover, it was revealed that miR-25 and miR-365 affected the 5-year survival rate of patients. miR-25 and miR-365 could be used as important tumor markers to evaluate the prognosis of NSCLC patients.

Association between microRNA 25 expression in serum and lung cancer: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

This study aims to identify the association between microRNA 25 (mRNA 25) expression in serum and lung cancer (LC).

METHODS

This planned study will cover all eligible case-controlled studies that report association between mRNA 25 expression in serum and LC. It will include published studies from inception to the present in Cochrane Library, PUBMED, EMBASE, Web of Science, Allied and Complementary Medicine Database, VIP database, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure regardless language and geographical location. We will also search other sources, such as conference abstracts and reference lists of related known studies and experts in the domain consulted to avoid missing potential studies. Two contributors will independently examine and select studies, collect all necessary data, and judge study quality for all included studies. We will perform statistical analysis using RevMan V.5.3 software and Stata V.12.0 software.

RESULTS

This study will summarize current evidence to present first systematic review of research on the association between mRNA 25 expression in serum and LC.

CONCLUSION

This study will present comprehensive evidence to determine whether mRNA 25 expression in serum is associated with LC, and will provide helpful evidence for the future studies.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

INPLASY202040056.

Clinical significance of serum miR-25 in non-small-cell lung cancer

Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are becoming recognized as novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in several malignancies, including non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). miR-25 is overexpressed in small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and NSCLC tissues, and high miR-25 expression is associated with poorer overall survival of women with lung ADC. We hypothesised links between serum miR-25 levels and clinicopathological characteristics, diagnosis and prognosis of NSCLC patients. Methods: Serum miR-25 was determined by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction in 128 NSCLC patients and 128 healthy controls, and links between miR-25 level and cliniopathological characteristics including diagnosis and prognosis were explored. Results: Median (IQR) serum miR-25 levels were significantly increased in NSCLC compared to healthy controls at 0.86 relative units (0.14-1.78) versus 0.23 (0.08-0.96) (P < 0.001). Using a cut-off of 0.67 units, miR-25 had a sensitivity of 76.4%, specificity of 84.6%, accuracy of 72.6%, positive predictive value of 92.8% and negative predictive value of 68.5% for the diagnosis of NSCLC. High serum miR-25 level was significantly associated with gender (P = 0.042), tumour stage (P = 0.014) and lymph node metastasis (P < 0.001). In multivariate analyses, miR-25 was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival and relapse-free survival. Conclusions: Serum levels of miR-25 could improve NSCLC screening, and be a useful diagnostic and prognostic marker of NSCLC.

microRNA-383 regulates cell viability and apoptosis by mediating Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in non-small cell lung cancer

The aim of this study was to investigate the roles of microRNA-383 (miRNA-383) in progression of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and the potential mechanism. The expressions of miR-383 and Wnt1 protein were detected in lung cancer tissues and cells by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot analysis. After the transfection of miR-383 mimics, si-Wnt1 or miR-383+Wnt1, the viability and apoptosis of NSCLC cells were detected by cell counting kit-8 and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling, respectively. The interaction between miR-383 and Wnt1 was investigated by luciferase activity and Western blot analysis. Cells stably transfected with miR-383 mimics were inoculated into the right axillary of nude mice by subcutaneous injection. The tumor volume and weight were measured, and the expressions of miR-383, Wnt1, β-catenin, and cyclin D1 were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blot analysis. The expression of miR-383 was significantly decreased, and the level of Wnt1 was significantly increased (P < 0.05) in lung cancer tissues and cells. Upregulation of miR-383 or inhibition of Wnt1 expression inhibited the cell viability and induce apoptosis in NSCLC cells. Moreover, Wnt1 was the target gene of miR-383, and its overexpression weakened the regulatory effect of miR-383 on cell viability and apoptosis in NSCLC cells. Besides, the addition of miR-383 decreased the tumor volume and size and inhibited the expressions of Wnt1, β-catenin, and cyclin D1 at the protein level in nude mice. Collectively, miR-383 induced apoptosis and inhibited cell viability as well as tumorigenic capacity in nude mice via regulating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

MicroRNA-25 Protects Smooth Muscle Cells against Corticosterone-Induced Apoptosis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) are central components of atherosclerotic plaque. Loss of VSMCs through apoptotic cell death can cause fibrous cap thinning, necrotic core formation, and calcification that may destabilize plaque. Elevated glucocorticoid levels caused by psychological stress promote VSMC apoptosis and can exacerbate atherosclerosis in mice and humans. Changes in the levels of antiapoptosis microRNA-25 (miR-25) have been linked with heart disease, inflammation, VSMC phenotype, oxidative stress, and apoptosis. Here, we investigated the pathways and mechanisms of glucocorticoid-induced apoptosis of mouse VSMCs and the protective role of miR-25.

METHODS

Primary mouse VSMCs were cultured +/- corticosterone for 48 h. Apoptosis, ROS, apoptotic protein activities, miR-25, MOAP1, a miR-25 target, and p70S6 kinase were quantified at intervals. The roles of miR-25 were assessed by treating cells with lenti-pre-miR-25 and anti-miR-25.

RESULTS

VSMC apoptosis, caspase-3 activity, and Bax were increased by corticosterone, and cell death was paralleled by marked loss of miR-25. Protection was conferred by pre-miR-25 and exacerbated by anti-miR-25. Pre-miR-25 conferred reduced expression of the proapoptotic protein MOAP1, and the protective effects of pre-miR-25 were abrogated by overexpressing MOAP1. The antiapoptotic effects of miR-25 were paralleled by inhibition of the p70S6K pathway, a convergence target for the survival signaling pathways, and protection by pre-miR-25 was abrogated by the p70S6k inhibitor rapamycin.

CONCLUSIONS

MicroRNA-25 blocks corticosterone-induced VSMC apoptosis by targeting MOAP1 and the p70S6k pathway. Therapeutic manipulation of miR-25 may reduce atherosclerosis and unstable plaque formation associated with chronic stress.

miR-25 Promotes Melanoma Progression by regulating RNA binding motif protein 47

Melanoma is the most aggressive skin cancer, and accounts for the major part of skin cancer-related deaths in the world. In addition, the underlying mechanism of tumor progression in melanoma remains far from being elucidated. In this study, we have evaluated the function of miR-25 in melanoma. First, we examined the expression of miR-25 in four melanoma cell lines (A875, MV3, M14 and uacc-257) and in a normal melanocyte cell line (HEM-a). Then, we overexpressed miR-25 in M14 cells. Our results show that miR-25 promotes M14 cell proliferation and migration. We found that miR-25 up-regulates the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway in these tumor cells. Furthermore, a luciferase-based reporter gene assay showed that miR-25 could directly target the RNA-binding motif protein 47 (RBM47). Taken together, our findings suggest that RBM47 is a promising target for the treatment of melanoma.

RGS17 inhibits tumorigenesis and improves 5-fluorouracil sensitivity in nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Background

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a poorly differentiated malignant tumor, and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) is one of the most effective chemotherapeutic drugs used for the treatment of NPC. Abnormal expression of RGS17 had been shown to improve the sensitivity of many cancers to chemotherapy; however, the effects of RGS17 on NPC remain unclear.

Methods

We cultured NPC cell lines and altered the RGS17 expression with vector. Subsequently colony formation assays and CCK8 cell viability assay was used to test the proliferation of NPC cells, flow cytometry was used to determine the percentage of apoptotic cells, MMP kit and flow cytometry was used to measure the mitochondrial membrane potential, and a xenograft tumour model was attached to investigate the effects of RGS17 on the growth of NPC cells in vivo. Additionally, RT-PCR and western blot was induced to examine the expression of RGS17 and the mechanism.

Results

Here, we report for the first time that RGS17 is downregulated in NPC cell lines and that RGS17 overexpression significantly reduces cell proliferation, decreases the mitochondrial membrane potential, and induces cell apoptosis in NPC cells. In vivo, RGS17 also inhibits the tumorigenicity of NPC. In addition, RGS17 could significantly improve the sensitivity of NPC cells to 5-FU. Furthermore, investigation into the underlying mechanisms showed that RGS17 upregulated the levels of IRE1α, p53, and active caspase-3 and cleaved PARP.

Conclusion

These results indicate that RGS17 could play important roles in the proliferation, apoptosis, and chemotherapeutic sensitivity of NPC cells.

MicroRNA in lung cancer: role, mechanisms, pathways and therapeutic relevance

Lung cancer is the cardinal cause of cancer-related deaths with restricted recourse of therapy throughout the world. Clinical success of therapies is not very promising due to - late diagnosis, limited therapeutic tools, relapse and the development of drug resistance. Recently, small ∼20-24 nucleotides molecules called microRNAs (miRNAs) have come into the limelight as they play outstanding role in the process of tumorigenesis by regulating cell cycle, metastasis, angiogenesis, metabolism and apoptosis. miRNAs essentially regulate gene expression via post-transcriptional regulation of mRNA. Nevertheless, few studies have conceded the role of miRNAs in activation of gene expression. A large body of data generated by numerous studies is suggestive of their tumor-suppressing, oncogenic, diagnostic and prognostic biomarker roles in lung cancer. They have also been implicated in regulating cancer cell metabolism and resistance or sensitivity towards chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Further, miRNAs have also been convoluted in regulation of immune checkpoints - Programmed death 1 (PD-1) and its ligand (PD-L1). These molecules play a significant role in tumor immune escape leading to the generation of a microenvironment favouring tumor growth and progression. Therefore, it is imperative to explore the expression of miRNA and understand its relevance in lung cancer and development of anti-cancer strategies (anti - miRs, miR mimics and micro RNA sponges). In view of the above, the role of miRNA in lung cancer has been dissected and the associated mechanisms and pathways are discussed in this review.

Genetic Analysis of Rare Human Variants of Regulators of G Protein Signaling Proteins and Their Role in Human Physiology and Disease

Regulators of G protein signaling (RGS) proteins modulate the physiologic actions of many neurotransmitters, hormones, and other signaling molecules. Human RGS proteins comprise a family of 20 canonical proteins that bind directly to G protein-coupled receptors/G protein complexes to limit the lifetime of their signaling events, which regulate all aspects of cell and organ physiology. Genetic variations account for diverse human traits and individual predispositions to disease. RGS proteins contribute to many complex polygenic human traits and pathologies such as hypertension, atherosclerosis, schizophrenia, depression, addiction, cancers, and many others. Recent analysis indicates that most human diseases are due to extremely rare genetic variants. In this study, we summarize physiologic roles for RGS proteins and links to human diseases/traits and report rare variants found within each human RGS protein exome sequence derived from global population studies. Each RGS sequence is analyzed using recently described bioinformatics and proteomic tools for measures of missense tolerance ratio paired with combined annotation-dependent depletion scores, and protein post-translational modification (PTM) alignment cluster analysis. We highlight selected variants within the well-studied RGS domain that likely disrupt RGS protein functions and provide comprehensive variant and PTM data for each RGS protein for future study. We propose that rare variants in functionally sensitive regions of RGS proteins confer profound change-of-function phenotypes that may contribute, in newly appreciated ways, to complex human diseases and/or traits. This information provides investigators with a valuable database to explore variation in RGS protein function, and for targeting RGS proteins as future therapeutic targets.

A myriad of roles of miR-25 in health and disease

Small non-coding RNAs including microRNAs (miRNAs) have been recently recognized as important regulators of gene expression. MicroRNAs play myriads of roles in physiological processes as well as in the pathogenesis of a number of diseases by translational repression or mRNA destabilization of numerous target genes. The miR-106b-25 cluster is highly conserved in vertebrates and consists of three members including miR-106b, miR-93 and miR-25. MiR-106b and miR-93 share the same seed sequences; however, miR-25 has only a similar seed sequence resulting in different predicted target mRNAs. In this review, we specifically focus on the role of miR-25 in healthy and diseased conditions. Many of miR-25 target mRNAs are involved in biological processes such as cell proliferation, differentiation, and migration, apoptosis, oxidative stress, inflammation, calcium handling, etc. Therefore, it is no surprise that miR-25 has been reported as a key regulator of common cancerous and non-cancerous diseases. MiR-25 plays an important role in the pathogenesis of acute myocardial infarction, left ventricular hypertrophy, heart failure, diabetes mellitus, diabetic nephropathy, tubulointerstitial nephropathy, asthma bronchiale, cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury, neurodegenerative diseases, schizophrenia, multiple sclerosis, etc. MiR-25 is also a well-described oncogenic miRNA playing a crucial role in the development of many tumor types including brain tumors, lung, breast, ovarian, prostate, thyroid, oesophageal, gastric, colorectal, hepatocellular cancers, etc. In this review, our aim is to discuss the translational therapeutic role of miR-25 in common diseased conditions based on relevant basic research and clinical studies.

miR-148a-3p promotes rabbit preadipocyte differentiation by targeting PTEN

Although emerging data support crucial roles for microRNAs (miRNAs) during adipogenesis, the detailed mechanisms remain largely unknown. In this study, it was shown that in rabbits, levels of miR-148a-3p not only increased in white adipose tissue during early stages of growth but also during in vitro cultured preadipocyte differentiation. Furthermore, overexpression of miR-148a-3p significantly upregulated the mRNA levels of PPARγ, C/EBPα, and FABP4, as well as the protein levels of PPARγ, as indicated by qPCR and western blotting analyses. Overexpression of miR-148a-3p also promoted intracellular triglyceride accumulation. In contrast, downregulation of miR-148a-3p inhibited the differentiation of rabbit preadipocytes. Next, based on target gene prediction and a luciferase reporter assay, we further demonstrated that miR-148a-3p directly targeted one of the 3' untranslated regions of PTEN. Finally, it was observed inhibition of PTEN by siRNA promoted rabbit preadipocyte differentiation. Taken together, our results suggested that miR-148a-3p could be involved in regulating rabbit preadipocyte differentiation through inhibiting expression of PTEN, which further highlighted the importance of miRNAs during adipogenesis.

Regulator of G-protein signaling 3 targeted by miR-126 correlates with poor prognosis in gastric cancer patients

The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway dominates numerous cellular processes including cell proliferation, differentiation, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition, which play a crucial role in human cancer malignancies. Regulator of G-protein signaling 3 (RGS3) is a pivotal molecule involved in the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, which is worthy of intensive research as a potential target in cancer treatment. In this study, we found that RGS3 is significantly upregulated in gastric cancer (GC) tumor samples compared with normal samples from the analysis of two independent GC mRNA microarray datasets in the NCBI public database. Further immunohistochemistry assay and western-blot experiments confirmed this finding on the basis of the results of our own 102 paired GC specimens and three GC cell lines. We found that a high expression of RGS3 is associated with advanced TNM stages and more aggressive malignant behaviors. In addition, the association of overexpression of RGS3 and poor overall survival and progression-free survival outcomes suggests that RGS3 has the potential to serve as a molecular therapy target for GC. Interestingly, our pathways analysis and the follow-up dual-luciferase reporter assay showed that there is a direct 3'-untranslated region binding site between RGS3 mRNA and microRNA-126, a GC inhibitor. On the basis of all the above evidences, our findings suggest that overexpressed RGS3 regulated by microRNA-126 through the post-transcriptional modulation is associated significantly with a poor prognosis of GC patients.

MicroRNA-targeted therapeutics for lung cancer treatment

INTRODUCTION

Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality worldwide. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous non-coding small RNAs that repress the expression of a broad array of target genes. Many efforts have been made to therapeutically target miRNAs in cancer treatments using miRNA mimics and miRNA antagonists. Areas covered: This article summarizes the recent findings with the role of miRNAs in lung cancer, and discusses the potential and challenges of developing miRNA-targeted therapeutics in this dreadful disease. Expert opinion: The development of miRNA-targeted therapeutics has become an important anti-cancer strategy. Results from both preclinical and clinical trials of microRNA replacement therapy have shown some promise in cancer treatment. However, some obstacles, including drug delivery, specificity, off-target effect, toxicity mediation, immunological activation and dosage determination should be addressed. Several delivery strategies have been employed, including naked oligonucleotides, liposomes, aptamer-conjugates, nanoparticles and viral vectors. However, delivery remains a main challenge in miRNA-targeting therapeutics. Furthermore, immune-related serious adverse events are also a concern, which indicates the complexity of miRNA-based therapy in clinical settings.