A common MicroRNA signature consisting of miR-133a, miR-139-3p, and miR-142-3p clusters bladder carcinoma in situ with normal umbrella cells

Three-layer heterogeneous network based on the integration of CircRNA information for MiRNA-disease association prediction

Increasing research has shown that the abnormal expression of microRNA (miRNA) is associated with many complex diseases. However, biological experiments have many limitations in identifying the potential disease-miRNA associations. Therefore, we developed a computational model of Three-Layer Heterogeneous Network based on the Integration of CircRNA information for MiRNA-Disease Association prediction (TLHNICMDA). In the model, a disease-miRNA-circRNA heterogeneous network is built by known disease-miRNA associations, known miRNA-circRNA interactions, disease similarity, miRNA similarity, and circRNA similarity. Then, the potential disease-miRNA associations are identified by an update algorithm based on the global network. Finally, based on global and local leave-one-out cross validation (LOOCV), the values of AUCs in TLHNICMDA are 0.8795 and 0.7774. Moreover, the mean and standard deviation of AUC in 5-fold cross-validations is 0.8777+/-0.0010. Especially, the two types of case studies illustrated the usefulness of TLHNICMDA in predicting disease-miRNA interactions.

Baicalein Induces Apoptosis of Pancreatic Cancer Cells by Regulating the Expression of miR-139-3p and miR-196b-5p

Pancreatic cancer is a common malignant tumor with a high incidence and mortality rate. The prognosis of patients with pancreatic cancer is considerably poor due to the lack of effective treatment in clinically. Despite numerous studies have revealed that baicalein, a natural product, is responsible for suppressing multiple cancer cells proliferation, motility and invasion. The mechanism by which baicalein restraining pancreatic cancer progression remains unclear. In this study, we firstly verified that baicalein plays a critical role in inhibiting pancreatic tumorigenesis in vitro and in vivo. Then we analyzed the alteration of microRNAs (miRNAs) expression levels in Panc-1 cells incubated with DMSO, 50 and 100 μM baicalein by High-Throughput sequencing. Intriguingly, we observed that 20 and 39 miRNAs were accordingly up- and down-regulated through comparing Panc-1 cells exposed to 100 μM baicalein with the control group. Quantitative PCR analysis confirmed that miR-139-3p was the most up-regulated miRNA after baicalein treatment, while miR-196b-5p was the most down-regulated miRNA. Further studies showed that miR-139-3p induced, miR-196b-5p inhibited the apoptosis of Panc-1 cells via targeting NOB1 and ING5 respectively. In conclusion, we demonstrated that baicalein is a potent inhibitor against pancreatic cancer by modulating the expression of miR-139-3p or miR-196b-5p.

Silenced lncRNA SNHG14 restrains the biological behaviors of bladder cancer cells via regulating microRNA-211-3p/ESM1 axis

BACKGROUND

Bladder cancer (BCa) is a malignant tumor that occurs on the mucosa of the bladder, in which dysregulated long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved. This study investigated the effect of lncRNA small nucleolar RNA host gene 1 (SNHG14) on the biological characteristics of BCa cells from microRNA (miR)-211-3p/ESM1 signaling axis.

METHODS

BCa tissues and the matched normal tissues were collected to test SNHG14, miR-211-3p and ESM1 levels. SNHG14, miR-211-3p and ESM1 levels in BCa cell lines (T24, 5637, UMUC-3 and EJ) and normal bladder epithelial cells SV-HVC-1 were detected for screening the cell lines for follow-up experiments. T24 and UMUC-3 cells were transfected with different plasmids of SNHG14, miR-211-3p or ESM1 to observe the biological characteristics of BCa cells by MTT, colony formation, Transwell assays and flow cytometry. Tumor xenograft was implemented to inspect tumor growth in vivo. The targeting relationships of SNHG14, miR-211-3p and ESM1 were verified by bioinformatics software, RNA pull down assay and luciferase reporter assay.

RESULTS

Enhanced SNHG14, ESM1 and suppressed miR-211-3p were found in BCa tissues and cells. SNHG14 up-regulated ESM1 via competitive binding with miR-211-3p. Decreased SNHG14 or up-regulated miR-211-3p depressed cell cycle entry, colony formation, invasion, migration and proliferation abilities, and facilitated apoptosis of BCa cells. Decreased SNHG14 or up-regulated miR-211-3p reduced the tumor volume and weight of nude mice with BCa, as well as promoted apoptosis and restrained proliferation of tumor cells. miR-211-3p inhibition or ESM1 overexpression reversed the effects of down-regulation of SNHG14 on BCa, and miR-211-3p up-regulation or ESM1 downregulation reversed the effect of SNHG14 overexpression on BCa. SNHG14 targeted miR-211-3p to regulate ESM1 expression.

CONCLUSION

Our study highlights that silenced SNHG14 or elevated miR-211-3p represses the tumorigenic ability of BCa cells, which may be linked to ESM1 knockdown.

Using prediction models to identify miRNA-based markers of low dose rate chronic stress

Robust biomarkers of exposure to chronic low dose stressors such as ionizing radiation, particularly following chronic low doses and dose-rates, are urgently needed. MicroRNAs (miRNA) have emerged as promising markers of exposure to high dose and dose-rate. Here, we evaluated the feasibility of classifying γ-radiation exposure at different dose rates based on miRNA expression levels. Our objective was to identify miRNA-signatures discriminating between exposure to γ-radiation or not, including exposure to chronic low dose rates. We exposed male CBA/CaOlaHsd and C57BL/6NHsd wild-type mice to 0, 2.5, 10 and 100 mGy/h γ-irradiation (3 Gy total-dose). From an initial screening of 576 miRNAs, a set of 21 signature-miRNAs was identified based on differential expression (>± 2-fold or p < 0.05). This 21-signature miRNA panel was investigated in 39 samples from 4/5 livers/group/mouse strain. A set of significantly differentially expressed miRNAs was identified in all γ-irradiated samples. Most miRNAs were upregulated in all γ-irradiated groups compared to control, and functional analysis of these miRNAs revealed involvement in several cancer-related signaling pathways. To identify miRNAs that distinguished exposed mice from controls, nine prediction methods; i.e., six variants of generalized regression models, random-forest, boosted-tree and nearest-shrunken-centroid (PAM) were used. The generalized regression methods seem to outperform the other prediction methods for classification of irradiated and control samples. Using the 21-miRNA panel in the prediction models, we identified sets of candidate miRNA-markers that predict exposure to γ-radiation. Among the top10 miRNA predictors, contributing most in each of the three γ-irradiated groups, three miRNA predictors (miR-140-3p, miR-133a-5p and miR-145a-5p) were common. Three miRNAs, miR-188-3p/26a-5p/26b-5p, were specific for lower dose-rate γ-radiation. Similarly, exposure to the high dose-rates was also correctly predicted, including mice exposed to X-rays. Our approach identifying miRNA-based signature panels may be extended to classify exposure to environmental, nutritional and life-style-related stressors, including chronic low-stress scenarios.

Plasma Exosome-derived MicroRNAs as Novel Biomarkers of Traumatic Brain Injury in Rats

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a widespread central nervous system (CNS) condition and a leading cause of death, disability, and long-term disability including seizures and emotional and behavioral issues. To date, applicable diagnostic biomarkers have not been elucidated. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are enriched and stable in exosomes in plasma. Therefore, we speculated that miRNAs in plasma exosomes might serve as novel biomarkers for TBI diagnosis and are also involved in the pathogenesis of TBI. In this study, we first isolated exosomes from peripheral blood plasma in rats with TBI and then investigated the alterations in miRNA expression in exosomes by high-throughput RNA sequencing. As a result, we identified 50 significantly differentially expressed miRNAs, including 31 upregulated and 19 downregulated miRNAs. Then, gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis revealed that the most highly correlated pathways that were identified were the MAPK signaling pathway, regulation of actin cytoskeleton, Rap1 signaling pathway and Ras signaling pathway. This study provides novel perspectives on miRNAs in peripheral blood plasma exosomes, which not only could be used as biomarkers of TBI diagnosis but could also be manipulated as therapeutic targets of TBI.

Connecting the dots between different networks: miRNAs associated with bladder cancer risk and progression

BACKGROUND

Bladder cancer (BC) is a common urothelial malignancy, characterized by a high recurrence rate. The biology of bladder cancer is complex and needs to be deciphered. The latest evidence reveals the critical role of the non-coding RNAs, particularly microRNAs (miRNAs), as vital regulatory elements in cancer.

METHOD

We performed a miRNAs microarray using paired tissues (tumor and adjacent normal bladder tissue), followed by the validation with qRT-PCR of five selected transcripts. Additional next-generation sequencing investigation established the interconnection among the altered miRNAs and mutated genes. Based on the overlapping between TCGA data and data obtained in the study, we focused on the systematic identification of altered miRNAs and genes mutated involved in bladder cancer tumorigenesis and progression.

RESULTS

By overlapping the miRNAs expression data, the two patient cohorts, we identified 18 miRNAs downregulated and, 187 miRNAs upregulated. qRT-PCR validation was completed using a selected panel of two downregulated (miR-139-5p and miR-143-5p) and three up-regulated miRNAs (miR-141b, miR-200 s or miR-205). Altered miRNAs patterns are interrelated to bladder tumorigenesis, allowing them to be used for the development of novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. Three EMT-related upregulated miRNAs have an essential role in the molecular mechanisms, specifically key processes underlying tumorigenesis, invasion and metastasis. Using the Ampliseq Cancer Panel kit and Ion Torrent PGM Next-Generation Sequencing an increased mutation rate for TP53, FGFR3, KDR, PIK3CA and ATM were observed, but the mutational status for only TP53 was correlated to the survival rate. The miRNAs pattern, along with the gene mutation pattern attained, can assist for better patient diagnosis.

CONCLUSION

This study thereby incorporates miRNAs as critical players in bladder cancer prognosis, where their altered gene expression profiles have a critical biological function in relationship with tumor molecular phenotype. The miRNA-mRNA regulatory networks identified in BC are ripe for exploitation as biomarkers or targeted therapeutic strategies.

An EMT-related gene signature for the prognosis of human bladder cancer

The transition from non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) to muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) is detrimental to bladder cancer (BLCA) patients. Here, we aimed to study the underlying mechanism of the subtype transition. Gene set variation analysis (GSVA) revealed the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) signalling pathway with the most positive correlation in this transition. Then, we built a LASSO Cox regression model of an EMT-related gene signature in BLCA. The patients with high risk scores had significantly worse overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) than those with low risk scores. The EMT-related gene signature also performed favourably in the accuracy of prognosis and in the subtype survival analysis. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses demonstrated that the EMT-related gene signature, pathological N stage and age were independent prognostic factors for predicting survival in BLCA patients. Furthermore, the predictive nomogram model was able to effectively predict the outcome of BLCA patients by appropriately stratifying the risk score. In conclusion, we developed a novel EMT-related gene signature that has tumour-promoting effects, acts as a negative independent prognostic factor and might facilitate personalized counselling and treatment in BLCA.

High miR-139-3p expression predicts a better prognosis for hepatocellular carcinoma: a pooled analysis

Objective

To observe the expression and clinical significance of micro RNA (miR)-139-3p in liver cancer tissues, and to explore its relationship with miR-139-3p target genes related to the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods

A total of 362 patients with HCC were included in the study. Liver hepatocellular carcinoma data were obtained directly from The Cancer Genome Atlas data portal .The bioinformatics analysis tool TargetScan was applied to predict miR-139-3p target genes.

Results

Survival time was significantly higher in patients with high miR-139-3p expression, compared with the low miR-139-3p expression group. Bioinformatics analysis showed that miR-139-3p target genes ISG20L2, RAD54B, KIAA0101, and PIGS were significantly negatively correlated with miR-139-3p expression.

Conclusions

High miR-139-3p expression in HCC tissues was indicative of good patient prognosis. miR-139-3p target genes ISG20L2, RAD54B, KIAA0101, and PIGS were related to HCC prognosis.

EZH2-DNMT1-mediated epigenetic silencing of miR-142-3p promotes metastasis through targeting ZEB2 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Human nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) has the highest metastatic rate in head and neck. However, the mechanisms underlying NPC metastasis remain unclear. Here using propensity-score-matched miRNA microarray analysis, miR-142-3p is identified to be the most correlated with distant-metastasis-free survival and downregulated in paraffin-embedded NPC with distant metastasis, which is validated in both internal cohort and external GEO dataset from Canada. miR-142 locus hypermethylation was observed and found to be associated with miR-142-3p downregulation in metastatic NPC. Furthermore, miR-142-3p was epigenetically silenced by EZH2-recruited DNMT1 and suppressed NPC cell metastasis and EMT. Intersecting PCR array gene profiling with bioinformatic prediction, we identify ZEB2 as a direct and functional target of miR-142-3p in NPC. Reversal of miR-142-3p silencing efficiently suppresses NPC cell invasion and metastasis. Moreover, epigenetic miR-142 hypermethylation is correlated with unfavorable prognosis in both training and validation cohorts. This study identifies miR-142-3p as a key suppressive regulator in NPC metastasis and reveals a DNMT1-mediated epigenetic mechanism for miR-142-3p silencing, providing a potential prognostic marker and therapeutic target to combat NPC metastasis.

Identification of serum miR-139-3p as a non-invasive biomarker for colorectal cancer

Aberrant levels of circulating microRNAs are potential biomarkers for the early detection of colorectal cancer. The aim of this study was to study miR-139-3p and miR-622 in serum as a non-invasive biomarker for colorectal cancer diagnosis. We applied quantitative polymerase chain reaction to determine the levels of miR-139-3p and miR-622 in 42 pairs of tumor and adjacent non-tumor tissues, and in serum samples of 117 patients and 90 control subjects. Our results showed that miR-139-3p was silenced whereas miR-622 was overexpressed in colorectal cancer. Similarly, serum miR-139-3p level was significantly lower in colorectal cancer patients than in control subjects whereas miR-622 was more frequently detectable in patients. ROC analysis showed that AUC of miR-139-3p was 0.9935, with a sensitivity of 96.6% and specificity of 97.8%. Serum miR-139-3p level showed high sensitivity and specificity for both early and late stage CRCs and proximal and distal CRCs. Detectable serum miR-622 showed a sensitivity of 87.5% and specificity of 63.5% for discriminating CRC patients, but the sensitivity dropped for late stage patients (72.7%). We also included analyses of the blood CEA level for comparing the diagnostic performance of these blood-based biomarkers. The median level in CRC patients (3.6 ng/ml) was significantly higher than that in control (1.8 ng/ml). The AUC value of CEA in diagnosing CRC patients was 0.7515. CEA showed a positive correlation with tumor stage and age of patients and its level was higher in male. Collectively, serum miR-139-3p has strong potential as a promising non-invasive biomarker in colorectal cancer detection.

miR-221/222 cluster expression improves clinical stratification of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (TaT1) patients' risk for short-term relapse and progression

Clinical heterogeneity of bladder cancer prognosis requires the identification of bladder tumors' molecular profile to improve the prediction value of the established and clinically used markers. In this study, we have analyzed miR-221/222 cluster expression in bladder tumors and its clinical significance for patients' prognosis and disease outcome. The study included 387 tissue specimens. Following extraction, total RNA was polyadenylated at 3'-end and reversed transcribed. SYBR-Green based qPCR assays were performed for the quantification of miR-221/222 expression. Extensive statistical analysis was completed for the evaluation of miR-221/222 cluster's clinical significance. The expression of miR-221/222 is significantly downregulated in tumors compared to normal urothelium, while ROC curve and logistic regression analysis highlighted cluster's discriminatory ability. However, miR-222 levels were increased in muscle-invasive (T2-T4) compared to superficial tumors (TaT1), and in high compared to low-grade tumors. Kaplan-Meier survival curves and Cox regression analysis revealed the stronger risk of TaT1 patients overexpressing miR-222 for disease short-term relapse and progression following treatment. Moreover, multivariate Cox models highlighted the independent prognostic value of miR-222 overexpression for TaT1 patients' poor prognosis. Finally, the analysis of miR-222 expression improved significantly the positive prediction strength of the clinically used prognostic markers of tumor stage, grade, EORTC risk-stratification and recurrence at the first follow-up cystoscopy for TaT1 patients' outcome, and resulted to higher clinical net benefit following decision curve analysis. In conclusion, the expression of miR-221/222 cluster is deregulated in bladder tumors and miR-222 overexpression results to a superior positive prediction of TaT1 patients' short-term relapse and progression.

miR-30a inhibits the biological function of breast cancer cells by targeting Notch1

miR-30a is situated on chromosome 6q.13 and is produced by an intronic transcriptional unit. However, its role in regulating the apoptosis, invasion and metastasis of breast cancer cells is not yet fully understood. The aim of this study was to research the biological function of miR‑30a and its direct target gene in breast cancer. The biological function of miR‑30a was determined by examining breast cancer cell growth, apoptosis, metastasis and invasion. In addition, Notch1 expression was measured by western blot analysis, and a luciferase reporter vector was constructed to identify the miR‑30a target gene. miR‑30a was found to be significantly downregulated in breast cancer cells. We also found that miR‑30a inhibited breast cancer cell viability, migration and invasion, and induced cell apoptosis. On the whole, our data indicate that miR‑30a attenuates the development of breast cancer by regulating the expression of the downstream target gene, Notch1.

Downregulation of long noncoding RNA TUG1 inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis through the TUG1/miR-142/ZEB2 axis in bladder cancer cells

Background

Bladder cancer is a common serious disease around the world. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been demonstrated to participate in the development and progression of various cancers, including bladder cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of lncRNA taurine upregulated gene 1 (TUG1) on proliferation and apoptosis in bladder cancer cell lines and the underlying mechanism.

Methods

The levels of TUG1 were detected by quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) in bladder cancer tissues and cells. The mRNA and protein levels of zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 2 (ZEB2) were measured by qRT-PCR and Western blot analysis, respectively. The functional targets of TUG1 were predicted by online softwares and confirmed by luciferase reporter assay. The effects of TUG1 on cell proliferation and apoptosis were examined by MTT and apoptosis assay, respectively. The expression levels of β-catenin, cyclinD1, and c-Myc in T24 cells were determined by Western blot analysis.

Results

The levels of TUG1 and ZEB2 were significantly increased in bladder cancer tissues and cells. Knockdown of either TUG1 or ZEB2 inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis in bladder cancer cells. Interestingly, ZEB2 overexpression reversed the effects of TUG1 knockdown on cell proliferation and apoptosis. Moreover, ZEB2 was verified as a direct target of miR-142 and miR-142 could specially bind to TUG1. In addition, downregulation of TUG1 inhibited the Wnt/β-catenin pathway by regulating ZEB2 expression in bladder cancer cells.

Conclusion

Downregulation of TUG1 expression inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis in bladder cancer cells by targeting ZEB2 mediated by miR-142 through the inactivation of Wnt/β-catenin pathway.

Altered microRNA expression patterns during the initiation and promotion stages of neonatal diethylstilbestrol-induced dysplasia/neoplasia in the hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) uterus

Treatment of Syrian hamsters on the day of birth with the prototypical endocrine disruptor and synthetic estrogen, diethylstilbestrol (DES), leads to 100% occurrence of uterine hyperplasia/dysplasia in adulthood, a large proportion of which progress to neoplasia (endometrial adenocarcinoma). Consistent with our prior gene expression analyses at the mRNA and protein levels, we now report (based on microarray, real-time polymerase chain reaction, and in situ hybridization analyses) that progression of the neonatal DES-induced dysplasia/neoplasia phenomenon in the hamster uterus also includes a spectrum of microRNA expression alterations (at both the whole-organ and cell-specific level) that differ during the initiation (upregulated miR-21, 200a, 200b, 200c, 29a, 29b, 429, 141; downregulated miR-181a) and promotion (downregulated miR-133a) stages of the phenomenon. The biological processes targeted by those differentially expressed miRNAs include pathways in cancer and adherens junction, plus regulation of the cell cycle, apoptosis, and miRNA functions, all of which are consistent with our model system phenotype. These findings underscore the need for continued efforts to identify and assess both the classical genetic and the more recently recognized epigenetic mechanisms that truly drive this and other endocrine disruption phenomena.

Role of Host miRNA Hsa-miR-139-3p in HPV-16-Induced Carcinomas

Purpose: Human papillomavirus 16 (HPV-16) is an important risk factor in head and neck cancer (HNC). Studies suggest that miRNAs play an important role in cancer; however, their role in HPV-mediated oncogenesis remains largely unknown. We investigated the role of miRNAs with HPV-16 as putative target in HPV-16-mediated cancers.Experimental Design: Using in silico tools, we identified miRNAs with putative binding sequences on HPV-16 miRNAs. Hsa-miR-139-3p was identified as best candidate miRNA by luciferase reporter assay and was found to be significantly downregulated in HPV-16-positive tissues and cell lines. Overexpression/inhibition studies were performed to determine the role of miRNA in regulating oncogenic pathways.Results: Hsa-miR-139-3p was found to target high-risk HPV-16 oncogenic proteins and revive major tumor suppressor proteins (p53, p21, and p16). This resulted in inhibition of cell proliferation and cell migration, cell-cycle arrest at G₂-M phase and increased cell death of HPV-16-positive cells. Analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data showed decreased expression of Hsa-miR-139-3p in HPV-16-positive HNC and cervical cancer cases, and its higher expression correlated with better survival outcome in both cases. Increased DNA methylation of Hsa-miR-139-3p harboring gene PDE2A at its promoter/CpG islands was observed in HPV-16-positive tissues and cell lines, which further correlated with Hsa-miR-139-3p expression, suggesting its role in regulating Hsa-miR-139-3p expression. Furthermore, we observed an increased sensitization of Hsa-miR-139-3p overexpressed HPV-16-positive cells to chemotherapeutic drugs (cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil).Conclusions: HPV-16-mediated downregulation of Hsa-miR-139-3p may promote oncogenesis in HNC and cervical cancer. Clin Cancer Res; 23(14); 3884-95. ©2017 AACR.

Prognostic and predictive miRNA biomarkers in bladder, kidney and prostate cancer: Where do we stand in biomarker development?

PURPOSE

Defining reliable biomarkers is still a challenge in patients with urological tumors. Because miRNAs regulate diverse important cellular processes, these noncoding RNAs are putative molecular candidates. This review intends to give a critical overview about the current state of miRNAs as biomarkers in urological cancers with respect to prognostic stratification as well as for individual treatment selection.

METHODS

A comprehensive review of the published literature was conducted focusing at the clinical relevance of miRNAs in tissues and body fluids of prostate, bladder and kidney cancer. Using electronic database, 91 articles, published between 2009 and 2015, were selected and discussed regarding the robustness of miRNAs as valid biomarkers.

RESULTS

A number of miRNAs have been identified with prognostic and predictive relevance in different urologic tumor types. However, the inconsistency of the published results and the lack of multivariate testing in independent cohorts do not allow an introduction into clinical decision making at present.

CONCLUSION

miRNA-based biomarkers are a promising tool for future personalized risk stratification and response prediction in urological cancers.

MicroRNAs as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in colorectal cancer

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are key regulators involved in various tumors. They regulate cell cycle, apoptosis and cancer stemness, metastasis and chemoresistance by controlling their target gene expressions. Here, we mainly discuss the potential uses of miRNAs in colorectal cancer (CRC) diagnosis. We also shed light on the important corresponding miRNA targets and on the major regulators of miRNAs. Furthermore, we discuss miRNA activity in assessing the prognosis and recurrence of CRC as well as in modulating responsiveness to chemotherapy. Based on the various pro-oncogenic/anti-oncogenic roles of miRNAs, the advantages of a therapeutic strategy based on the delivery of miRNA mimics are also mentioned. Together, miRNA seems to be an excellent tool for effectively monitoring and targeting CRC.

MiR-139-5p inhibits the biological function of breast cancer cells by targeting Notch1 and mediates chemosensitivity to docetaxel

OBJECTIVES

MiRNA-139 is located at 11q13.4 and it has anti-oncogenic and antimetastatic activity in humans. However, its role in controlling apoptosis, invasion and metastasis and the development of chemosensitivity to docetaxel in breast cancer cells are not fully understood. The aim of this study was to research the biological function of miR-139-5p and the efficacy of chemosensitivity to docetaxel.

METHODS

MiR-139-5p expression in MCF-7, MCF-7/Doc cells and in selected breast cancer tissue samples was confirmed by real-time PCR; cell viability was analyzed by Cell Counting Kit-8 assay; apoptosis and cell cycle were analyzed by flow cytometry; control of metastasis and invasion of breast cancer cells was measured by transwell assay; expression of Notch1 was measured by western blot; a luciferase reporter vector was constructed to identify the miR-139-5p target gene.

RESULTS

MiR-139-5p was significantly down-regulated in breast cancer cells. MiR-139-5p inhibits the viability of breast cancer cells. MiR-139-5p induces apoptosis, causes cell cycle arrest in S phase, inhibits migration and invasion in breast cancer cells, however, MiR-139-5p play the opposite role in docetaxel-induced breast cancer cells.

CONCLUSIONS

MiR-139-5p not only attenuated the development of breast cancer cells but also mediated drug-resistance by regulating the expression of the downstream target gene Notch1.

ΔNp63 expression is a protective factor of progression in clinical high grade T1 bladder cancer

PURPOSE

Several risk factors have been claimed to predict the progression of clinically high grade T1 bladder tumors. However, these factors are not specific enough to define which patients should be treated immediately with radical cystectomy. Therefore, it is critical to identify molecular markers that can help provide individualized, risk stratified decision making. Our main goal was to evaluate the role of total p63, p53 and ΔNp63 expression in cases of clinically high grade T1 bladder cancer progression.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Total p63, p53 and ΔNp63 expression was analyzed by immunohistochemistry in 134 clinically high grade T1 tumors. We assessed clinical progression to muscle invasive disease or radical cystectomy as a patient outcome end point. Survival analysis was done for recurrence-free, progression-free, disease specific and overall survival.

RESULTS

A total of 132 patients (98.5%) underwent repeat transurethral resection. Cases of early progression (less than 3 months) were excluded from study to avoid under staging. Of the tumors 90 (67.2%) showed ΔNp63 expression loss. During a median followup of 62.1 months 19 patients (14.2%) progressed to muscle invasive disease. The progression rate was 21.1% in patients with tumors characterized by ΔNp63 loss but no progression was observed in those with tumors with ΔNp63 expression (p <0.001). There was no difference in the number of patients who underwent repeat transurethral resection, had associated carcinoma in situ, showed lymphovascular invasion or received followup intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guérin courses.

CONCLUSIONS

ΔNp63 expression is a favorable prognostic factor in clinically high grade T1 bladder cancer. This marker identifies patients at low risk for progression who could benefit from conservative therapy with transurethral bladder tumor resection and bacillus Calmette-Guérin, avoiding over treatment with immediate radical cystectomy.

Risk Score based on microRNA expression signature is independent prognostic classifier of glioblastoma patients

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most malignant primary brain tumor. The prognosis of GBM patients varies considerably and the histopathological examination is not sufficient for individual risk estimation. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-coding RNAs that function as post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression and were repeatedly proved to play important roles in pathogenesis of GBM. In our study, we performed global miRNA expression profiling of 58 glioblastoma tissue samples obtained during surgical resections and 10 non-tumor brain tissues. The subsequent analysis revealed 28 significantly deregulated miRNAs in GBM tissue, which were able to precisely classify all examined samples. Correlation with clinical data led to identification of six-miRNA signature significantly associated with progression free survival [hazard ratio (HR) 1.98, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.33-2.94, P < 0.001] and overa+ll survival (HR 2.86, 95% CI 1.91-4.29, P < 0.001). O(6)-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase methylation status was evaluated as reference method and Risk Score based on six-miRNA signature indicated significant superiority in prediction of clinical outcome in GBM patients. Multivariate Cox analysis indicated that the Risk Score based on six-miRNA signature is an independent prognostic classifier of GBM patients. We suggest that the Risk Score presents promising prognostic algorithm with potential for individualized treatment decisions in clinical management of GBM patients.

Differences in miRNA expression in early stage lung adenocarcinomas that did and did not relapse

Relapse of adenocarcinoma, the most common non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), is a major clinical challenge to improving survival. To gain insight into the early molecular events that contribute to lung adenocarcinoma relapse, and taking into consideration potential cell type specificity, we used stringent criteria for sample selection. We measured miRNA expression only from flash frozen stage I lung adenocarcinomas, excluding other NSCLC subtypes. We compared miRNA expression in lung adenocarcinomas that relapsed within two years to those that did not relapse within three years after surgical resection prior to adjuvant therapy. The most significant differences in mRNA expression for recurrent tumors compared to non-recurrent tumors were decreases in miR-106b*, -187, -205, -449b, -774* and increases in miR-151-3p, let-7b, miR-215, -520b, and -512-3p. A unique comparison between adjacent normal lung tissue from relapse and non-relapse groups revealed dramatically different miRNA expression, suggesting dysregulation of miRNA in the environment around the tumor. To assess patient-to-patient variability, miRNA levels in the tumors were normalized to levels in matched adjacent normal lung tissue. This analysis revealed a different set of significantly altered miRNA in tumors that recurred compared to tumors that did not. Together our analyses elucidated miRNA not previously linked to lung adenocarcinoma that likely have important roles in its development and progression. Our results also highlight the differences in miRNA expression in normal lung tissue in adenocarcinomas that do and do not recur. Most notably, our data identified those miRNA that distinguish early stage tumors likely to relapse prior to treatment and miRNA that could be further studied for use as biomarkers for prognosis, patient monitoring, and/or treatment decisions.

MicroRNA-126 inhibits invasion in bladder cancer via regulation of ADAM9

Background:

The miRNA deregulation is commonly observed in human malignancies, where they act as tumour suppressors or oncogenes. Despite the association of several miRNAs with bladder cancer, little is known about the miRNAs that contribute to bladder cancer progression from non-muscle invasive (NMI) to muscle-invasive (MI) disease.

Methods:

We first profiled the expression of miRNAs and mRNAs in a cohort of urothelial carcinomas and further characterised the role of miR-126 in invasion, as it emerged as the most downregulated miRNA between MI and NMI tumours.

Results:

We found that restoration of miR-126 levels attenuated the invasive potential of bladder cancer cells. Mechanistically, we identified the role of miR-126 in invasion through its ability to target ADAM9. Notably, a significant inverse correlation between miR-126 and ADAM9 expression was observed, where ADAM9 was upregulated in MI bladder cancer cells. While knockdown of ADAM9 attenuated the invasiveness of cells with low miR-126 levels, experimental upregulation of ADAM9 recapitulated the invasive phenotype. Furthermore, ADAM9 expression assessed by immunohistochemistry significantly correlated with poor prognosis in patients with urothelial carcinoma.

Conclusions:

In this study we describe the role of miR-126 in bladder cancer progression, identifying miR-126 and ADAM9 as potential clinical biomarkers of disease aggressiveness.