LncRNA EPIC1 promotes proliferation and inhibits apoptosis of gallbladder cancer cells by interacting with LET

Natural products and long noncoding RNA signatures in gallbladder cancer: a review focuses on pathogenesis, diagnosis, and drug resistance

Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is an aggressive and lethal malignancy with a poor prognosis. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and natural products have emerged as key orchestrators of cancer pathogenesis through widespread dysregulation across GBC transcriptomes. Functional studies have revealed that lncRNAs interact with oncoproteins and tumor suppressors to control proliferation, invasion, metastasis, angiogenesis, stemness, and drug resistance. Curcumin, baicalein, oleanolic acid, shikonin, oxymatrine, arctigenin, liensinine, fangchinoline, and dioscin are a few examples of natural compounds that have demonstrated promising anticancer activities against GBC through the regulation of important signaling pathways. The lncRNAs, i.e., SNHG6, Linc00261, GALM, OIP5-AS1, FOXD2-AS1, MINCR, DGCR5, MEG3, GATA6-AS, TUG1, and DILC, are key players in regulating the aforementioned processes. For example, the lncRNAs FOXD2-AS1, DILC, and HOTAIR activate oncogenes such as DNMT1, Wnt/β-catenin, BMI1, and c-Myc, whereas MEG3 and GATA6-AS suppress the tumor proteins NF-κB, EZH2, and miR-421. Clinically, specific lncRNAs can serve as diagnostic or prognostic biomarkers based on overexpression correlating with advanced TNM stage, metastasis, chemoresistance, and poor survival. Therapeutically, targeting aberrant lncRNAs with siRNA or antisense oligos disrupts their oncogenic signaling and inhibits GBC progression. Overall, dysfunctional lncRNA regulatory circuits offer multiple avenues for precision medicine approaches to improve early GBC detection and overcome this deadly cancer. They have the potential to serve as novel biomarkers as they are detectable in bodily fluids and tissues. These findings enhance gallbladder treatments, mitigating resistance to chemo- and radiotherapy.

LncRNA HOXB-AS3 promotes proliferation, migration, and invasion of gallbladder cancer cells by activating the MEK/ERK pathway

Background

LncRNA HOXB-AS3 are associated with tumor progression in several types of carcinomas, yet, its possibly biological role in gallbladder carcinoma(GBC) remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the biological function of HOXB-AS3 in GBC.

Methods

To know the potential function of HOXB-AS3 in gallbladder carcinoma, real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to detected the expression of HOXB-AS3 in gallbladder carcinoma cells. The colony formation assay and cell counting kit-8 assay was performed to measured cell viability. Flow cytometry was to analyse cell apoptosis and cell cycle. Cell invasion and migration were determined by the transwell invasion assay and wound-healing assay. A nude mice xenograft tumor model was performed to investigate the biological function of HOXB-AS3 in vivo.

Results

The results indicated that HOXB-AS3 was significantly elevated in gallbladder carcinoma tissues and cell lines. We used siHOXB-AS3 to knockdown the expression levels of HOXB-AS3. And knockdown HOXB-AS3 expression depressed gallbladder cancer cell viability and induced cell apoptosis. In addition, the gallbladder carcinoma cell cycle was obviously arrested at the G1 phase. Cell invasion and migration were markedly suppressed following knockdown HOXB-AS3 expression. Furthermore, the features of siHOXB-AS3 in gallbladder cancer cells could be reversed by the ERK1/2 phosphorylation agonist Ro 67-7476. Finally, we confirmed that HOXB-AS3 promoted the growth of transplanted tumors in vivo.

Conclusion

HOXB-AS3 promoted gallbladder carcinoma cell proliferation, invasion and migration by activating the MEK/ERK signaling pathway. HOXB-AS3 contributed to gallbladder cancer tumorigenesis and metastasis, making it a viable therapeutic target for gallbladder cancer treatment.

Plasma-derived exosomal long noncoding RNAs of pancreatic cancer patients as novel blood-based biomarkers of disease

BACKGROUND

Pancreatic cancer (PaCa) is one of the most intractable and fatal malignancies and is associated with the dysregulation of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), which are a large class of noncoding RNAs larger than 200 nt that act as competing endogenous RNAs or sponges for miRNAs to induce tumour biological behaviours. However, their clinical value in treating pancreatic cancer has been poorly explained, but they are essential for improving the prognosis of PaCa patients.

METHODS

We analysed the plasma-derived exosomal lncRNA profiles of PaCa patients by using whole-transcriptome sequencing analysis and identified significantly differentially expressed lncRNAs, including LINC01268, LINC02802, AC124854.1, and AL132657.1. In the current study, the expression levels of four plasma-derived exosomal lncRNAs in PaCa plasma were validated via quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT‒PCR). The relationship between the expression of the four lncRNAs and the clinicopathological features of patients with PaCa was also evaluated.

RESULTS

We demonstrated that exosomal LINC01268, LINC02802, AC124854.1 and AL132657.1 were highly expressed in PaCa plasma compared with those in normal controls; moreover, they were positively correlated with the serum expression of carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9). The receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs) of the four lncRNAs were 0.8421, 0.6544, 0.7190, and 0.6321, and the AUC value of the combination of the four exosomal lncRNAs increased to 0.8476, with a sensitivity of 0.72 and specificity of 0.89. These results suggested that the plasma-derived exosomal genes LINC01268, LINC02802, AC124854.1, and AL132657.1 may be novel diagnostic markers for PaCa.

CONCLUSIONS

Our research demonstrated that the plasma-derived exosomal lncRNAs of PaCa patients are novel blood-based biomarkers of disease.

TMEM244 Is a Long Non-Coding RNA Necessary for CTCL Cell Growth

Transmembrane protein 244 (TMEM244) was annotated to be a member of the TMEM family, which are is a component of cell membranes and is involved in many cellular processes. To date, the expression of the TMEM244 protein has not been experimentally confirmed, and its function has not been clarified. Recently, the expression of the TMEM244 gene was acknowledged to be a diagnostic marker for Sézary syndrome, a rare cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL). In this study, we aimed to determine the role of the TMEM244 gene in CTCL cells. Two CTCL cell lines were transfected with shRNAs targeting the TMEM244 transcript. The phenotypic effect of TMEM244 knockdown was validated using green fluorescent protein (GFP) growth competition assays and AnnexinV/7AAD staining. Western blot analysis was performed to identify the TMEM244 protein. Our results indicate that TMEM244 is not a protein-coding gene but a long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) that is necessary for the growth of CTCL cells.

Knockdown of IGF2BP3 inhibits the tumorigenesis of gallbladder cancer and modifies tumor microenvironment

Gallbladder cancer (GBC) ranks seventh among the gastrointestinal cancers. Messenger RNAs (mRNAs) could regulate the progression of GBC. For the purpose of exploring the targets for GBC treatment, RNA sequencing was used to identify the differential expressed mRNAs between GBC and adjacent tissues. Next, CCK8 assay was used to assess the cell viability, and cell proliferation was investigated by colony formation assay. Flow cytometry was performed to evaluate the cell apoptosis. Protein and mRNA expression were analyzed by western blot and RT-qPCR, respectively. Transwell was performed to evaluate the cell metastasis. GBC-derived exosomes were isolated with ultracentrifugation. To evaluate the function of exosomes in GBC, in vivo model of GBC was constructed. The data revealed IGF2BP3 was identified to be upregulated in GBC, and IGF2BP3 silencing was able to decrease GBC cell proliferation by promoting the apoptosis. The migration and invasion of GBC cells were reduced by IGF2BP3 knockdown. Silencing of IGF2BP3 obviously suppressed the level of p-STAT3 in GBC cells. Meanwhile, GBC cell-derived exosomes notably promoted macrophage M2 polarization via carrying IGF2BP3, and then the polarized macrophages promoted the malignant behavior of GBC cells. Furthermore, exosomes markedly promoted the tumor growth of GBC via promoting macrophage M2 polarization. In summary, knockdown of IGF2BP3 suppressed the malignant behavior of GBC cells. Additionally, knockdown of IGF2BP3 modified tumor microenvironment during the progression of GBC. Thus, these findings might provide a new theoretical basis for exploring a strategies against GBC.

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) H19 in human cancer: From proliferation and metastasis to therapy

Initiation and development of cancer depend on multiple factors that mutations in genes and epigenetic level can be considered as important drivers. Epigenetic factors include a large family of members and understanding their function in cancer has been a hot topic. LncRNAs are RNA molecules with no capacity in synthesis of proteins, and they have regulatory functions in cells. LncRNAs are localized in nucleus and cytoplasm, and their abnormal expression is related to development of tumor. This manuscript emphasizes on the role of lncRNA H19 in various cancers and its association with tumor hallmarks. The function of lncRNA H19 in most tumors is oncogenic and therefore, tumor cells increase its expression for promoting their progression. LncRNA H19 contributes to enhancing growth and cell cycle of cancers and by EMT induction, it is able to elevate metastasis rate. Silencing H19 induces apoptotic cell death and disrupts progression of tumors. LncRNA H19 triggers chemo- and radio-resistance in cancer cells. miRNAs are dually upregulated/down-regulated by lncRNA H19 in increasing tumor progression. Anti-cancer agents reduce lncRNA H19 in impairing tumor progression and increasing therapy sensitivity. A number of downstream targets and molecular pathways for lncRNA H19 have been detected in cancers including miRNAs, RUNX1, STAT3, β-catenin, Akt2 and FOXM1. Clinical studies have revealed potential of lncRNA H19 as biomarker and its association with poor prognosis. LncRNA H19 can be transferred to cancer cells via exosomes in enhancing their progression.