MicroRNA-143 functions as a tumor suppressor in human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Hierarchical Hypergraph Learning in Association- Weighted Heterogeneous Network for miRNA- Disease Association Identification

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a significant role in cell differentiation, biological development as well as the occurrence and growth of diseases. Although many computational methods contribute to predicting the association between miRNAs and diseases, they do not fully explore the attribute information contained in associated edges between miRNAs and diseases. In this study, we propose a new method, Hierarchical Hypergraph learning in Association-Weighted heterogeneous network for MiRNA-Disease association identification (HHAWMD). HHAWMD first adaptively fuses multi-view similarities based on channel attention and distinguishes the relevance of different associated relationships according to changes in expression levels of disease-related miRNAs, miRNA similarity information, and disease similarity information. Then, HHAWMD assigns edge weights and attribute features according to the association level to construct an association-weighted heterogeneous graph. Next, HHAWMD extracts the subgraph of the miRNA-disease node pair from the heterogeneous graph and builds the hyperedge (a kind of virtual edge) between the node pair to generate the hypergraph. Finally, HHAWMD proposes a hierarchical hypergraph learning approach, including node-aware attention and hyperedge-aware attention, which aggregates the abundant semantic information contained in deep and shallow neighborhoods to the hyperedge in the hypergraph. Our experiment results suggest that HHAWMD has better performance and can be used as a powerful tool for miRNA-disease association identification.

MicroRNAs: A novel signature in the metastasis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a malignant epithelial tumor, characterized by squamous cell differentiation, it is the sixth leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally. The increased mortality rate of ESCC patients is predominantly due to the advanced stage of the disease when discovered, coupled with higher risk of metastasis, which is an exceedingly malignant characteristic of cancer, frequently leading to a high mortality rate. Unfortunately, there is currently no specific and effective marker to predict and treat metastasis in ESCC. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small non-coding RNA molecules, approximately 22 nucleotides in length. miRNAs are vital in modulating gene expression and serve pivotal regulatory roles in the occurrence, progression, and prognosis of cancer. Here, we have examined the literature to highlight the intimate correlations between miRNAs and ESCC metastasis, and show that ESCC metastasis is predominantly regulated or regulated by genetic and epigenetic factors. This review proposes a potential role for miRNAs as diagnostic and therapeutic biomarkers for metastasis in ESCC metastasis, with the ultimate aim of reducing the mortality rate among patients with ESCC.

Emerging roles of miR-145 in gastrointestinal cancers: A new paradigm

Gastrointestinal (GI) carcinomas are a group of cancers affecting the GI tract and digestive organs, such as the gastric, liver, bile ducts, pancreas, small intestine, esophagus, colon, and rectum. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small functional non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) which are involved in regulating the expression of multiple target genes; mainly at the post-transcriptional level, via complementary binding to their 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR). Increasing evidence has shown that miRNAs have critical roles in modulating of various physiological and pathological cellular processes and regulating the occurrence and development of human malignancies. Among them, miR-145 is recognized for its anti-oncogenic properties in various cancers, including GI cancers. MiR-145 has been implicated in diverse biological processes of cancers through the regulation of target genes or signaling, including, proliferation, differentiation, tumorigenesis, angiogenesis, apoptosis, metastasis, and therapy resistance. In this review, we have summarized the role of miR-145 in selected GI cancers and also its downstream molecules and cellular processes targets, which could lead to a better understanding of the miR-145 in these cancers. In conclusion, we reveal the potential diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic value of miR-145 in GI cancer, and hope to provide new ideas for its application as a biomarker as well as a therapeutic target for the treatment of these cancer.

Clinical Significance and Regulation of ERK5 Expression and Function in Cancer

Extracellular signal-regulated kinase 5 (ERK5) is a unique kinase among MAPKs family members, given its large structure characterized by the presence of a unique C-terminal domain. Despite increasing data demonstrating the relevance of the ERK5 pathway in the growth, survival, and differentiation of normal cells, ERK5 has recently attracted the attention of several research groups given its relevance in inflammatory disorders and cancer. Accumulating evidence reported its role in tumor initiation and progression. In this review, we explore the gene expression profile of ERK5 among cancers correlated with its clinical impact, as well as the prognostic value of ERK5 and pERK5 expression levels in tumors. We also summarize the importance of ERK5 in the maintenance of a cancer stem-like phenotype and explore the major known contributions of ERK5 in the tumor-associated microenvironment. Moreover, although several questions are still open concerning ERK5 molecular regulation, different ERK5 isoforms derived from the alternative splicing process are also described, highlighting the potential clinical relevance of targeting ERK5 pathways.

Rs41291957 polymorphism in the promoter region of microRNA‑143 serves as a prognostic biomarker for patients with intracranial hemorrhage

The present study aimed to investigate the function of the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs41291957 in the prognosis of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). In addition, the molecular mechanisms underlying the role of microRNA (miR)‑143, Toll‑like receptor 2 (TLR2) and interleukin‑16 (IL‑16) were studied in patients with ICH that carried different alleles in the locus of the rs41291957 SNP. Kaplan‑Meier survival curves were calculated for 182 patients with ICH, genotyped as CC, presenting a cytosine in both chromosome, CT, presenting both variants, and TT, presents a thymine in both chromosomes. In addition, the possible regulatory relationships between miR‑143 and TLR2/IL‑16 were studied using computational analysis, luciferase assays and western blot assay. In addition, the inflammatory profiles of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum samples collected from the subjects were compared. The patients genotyped as TT presented the lowest survival rate, while patients genotyped as CC presented the highest survival rate. TLR2 mRNA was identified as a potential target of miR‑143, while IL‑16 showed no direct interaction with miR‑143. The above regulatory relationships were further investigated using cells transfected with miR‑143 precursor or TLR2 small interfering RNA. In addition, the expression levels of inflammatory factors, such as tumor necrosis factor α, interferon, IL‑6, IL‑10 and NF‑L‑6, were highest in the CSF/serum samples collected from patients genotyped as TT and lowest in patients genotyped as CC. By contrast, the expression levels of miR‑143 showed an opposite trend in the expression of the above inflammatory factors. The rs41291957 SNP, located in the promoter region of miR‑143, reduced the expression of miR‑143 and upregulated the expression of the pro‑inflammatory factor TLR2, eventually leading to a poorer prognosis in patients with ICH.

lncRNA MAFG-AS1 Contributes to Esophageal Squamous-Cell Carcinoma Progression via Regulating miR143/LASP1

Background

Increasing investigations indicate that long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) is responsible for diverse biological functions during the progression of cancer. However, its functions and underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Here, we investigated the MAFG-AS1- expression profile in esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients and explored its biological function and potential molecular mechanisms.

Methods

qRT-PCR and the GEPIA data base were used to evaluate expression levels of MAFG-AS1 in ESCC tissue and cells. WST1-proliferation, -migration, and -invasion assays were performed to define the role of MAFG-AS1 in ESCC. Potential molecular mechanisms of MAFG-AS1 were investigated with online bioinformatic analysis, qRT-PCR, and rescue assays.

Results

MAFG-AS1 was upregulated in 45 ESCC-tissue samples and cell lines compared to that of adjacent nontumor tissue and normal esophageal cells. Higher MAFG-AS1 expressionindicated poor survival. Gain- and loss-of-function experiments suggested that MAFG-AS1 promoted ESCC-cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Molecular mechanism analysis and rescue assay showed that miR143 inhibitors partly abolished the suppression of MAFG-AS1 knockdown on EC109-cells proliferation. Moreover, we found that LASP1 specifically targeted miR143. Collectively, these data indicated that MAFG-AS1 served as a ceRNA to elevate LASP1 levels by sponging miR143, and played an oncogenic role in ESCC.

Conclusion

Our research findings demonstrate that MAFG-AS1 is a key regulator through a novel MAFG-AS1–miR143–LASP1 axis in ESCC development and progression, which may offer a potential therapeutic target for ESCC.

RNA sequencing-based microRNA expression signature in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: oncogenic targets by antitumor miR-143-5p and miR-143-3p regulation

Aberrantly expressed microRNAs (miRNAs) disrupt intracellular RNA networks and contribute to malignant transformation of cancer cells. Utilizing the latest RNA sequencing technology, we newly created the miRNA expression signature of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). A total of 47 miRNAs were downregulated in ESCC tissues, and these miRNAs were candidates for antitumor miRNAs in ESCC cells. Analysis of the signature revealed that several passenger strands of miRNAs were significantly downregulated in ESCC, e.g., miR-28-3p, miR-30a-3p, miR-30c-3p, miR-133a-3p, miR-139-3p, miR-143-5p, and miR-145-3p. Recent studies indicate that some passenger strands of miRNAs closely involved in cancer pathogenesis. In this study, we focused on both strands of pre-miR-143, and investigated their antitumor roles and target oncogenes in ESCC. Ectopic expression of miR-143-5p and miR-143-3p significantly attenuated malignant phenotypes (e.g., proliferation, migration, and invasive abilities) in ESCC cell lines. We revealed that six genes (HN1, HMGA2, NETO2, STMN1, TCF3, and MET) were putative targets of miR-143-5p regulation, and one gene (KRT80) was a putative target of miR-143-3p regulation in ESCC cells. Our ESCC miRNA signature and analysis strategy provided important insights into the molecular pathogenesis of ESCC.

Long noncoding RNA HAGLR acts as a microRNA-143-5p sponge to regulate epithelial-mesenchymal transition and metastatic potential in esophageal cancer by regulating LAMP3

Homeobox D gene cluster antisense growth-associated long noncoding RNA (HAGLR) functions as a crucial regulator in the progression and development of human cancers. We analyzed effects of HAGLR, microRNA (miR)-143-5p and lysosome-associated membrane glycoprotein (LAMP)3 on esophageal cancer (EC) and the related mechanisms. Microarray analysis was used to screen out EC-related genes and the regulation network among HAGLR, miR-143-5p, and LAMP3. The regulatory mechanisms of HAGLR and miR-143-5p in EC were analyzed following the treatment of miR-143-5p mimic, miR-143-5p inhibitor, HAGLR vector, or small interfering RNA against HAGLR in EC cells. The expression of N-cadherin, vimentin, Twist1, Snail1, and E-cadherin as well as the abilities of cell proliferation, invasion, and migration were measured. The effects of the HAGLR/miR-143-5p/LAMP3 axis were determined in vivo by assessing tumor formation in nude mice. The expression of HAGLR and LAMP3 was increased, whereas that of miR-143-5p was diminished in EC tissues and cells. HAGLR could competitively bind to miR-143-5p, and miR-143-5p targeted LAMP3. Down-regulated HAGLR or up-regulated miR-143-5p increased E-cadherin expression and significantly diminished expression of LAMP3, N-cadherin, vimentin, Twist1, and Snail1. Moreover, down-regulated HAGLR inhibited cell proliferation, invasion, migration, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and tumor growth. Moreover, down-regulation of HAGLR inhibited LAMP3 expression by sponging miR-143-5p, thereby suppressing the progression of EC. Taken together, our results suggest HAGLR acts as a competing endogenous RNA of miR-143-5p to increase the expression of LAMP3, thus promoting EMT, proliferation, invasion, and migration in EC cells.-Yang, C., Shen, S., Zheng, X., Ye, K., Sun, Y., Lu, Y., Ge, H. Long noncoding RNA HAGLR acts as a microRNA-143-5p sponge to regulate epithelial-mesenchymal transition and metastatic potential in esophageal cancer by regulating LAMP3.

Genetic and molecular bases of esophageal Cancer among Iranians: an update

BACKGROUND

Esophageal cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer related deaths among the Iranians. There is still a high ratio of mortality and low 5 years survival which are related to the late onset and diagnosis. Majority of patients refer for the treatment in advanced stages of tumor progression.

MAIN BODY

It is required to define an efficient local panel of diagnostic and prognostic markers for the Iranians. Indeed such efficient specific panel of markers will pave the way to decrease the mortality rate and increase the 5 years survival among the Iranian patients via the early diagnosis and targeted therapy.

CONCLUSION

in present review we have reported all of the molecular markers in different signaling pathways and cellular processes which have been assessed among the Iranian esophageal cancer patients until now.

Mining and validating the expression pattern and prognostic value of acetylcholine receptors in non-small cell lung cancer

Acetylcholine receptors (AChRs), including nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) and muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs), are highly expressed in bronchial epithelial cells.We used The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data set to evaluate the expression pattern and prognostic value of the AChR gene family in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The mined data was validated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC).The survival analysis of TCGA data set showed that only CHRNA7 in the AChR gene family affected prognosis in both lung adenocarcinoma and lung squamous cell carcinoma. Furthermore, qRT-PCR proved that CHRNA7 was significantly upregulated in tumor tissues compared with matched normal tissues at mRNA level (P = .001). The expression level of α7 nAChR (encoded by CHRNA7) in 141 patients was measured by IHC and a high expression of α7 nAChR was associated with unfavorable prognosis (P = .008). Multivariate analysis showed that α7 nAChR was an independent prognostic factor (HR = 2.041; 95% CI 1.188-3.506; P = .007).α7 nAChR was upregulated in NSCLC and was associated with unfavorable prognosis. This gene may be a potential target for lung cancer treatment.

miRNA-143 replacement therapy harnesses the proliferation and migration of colorectal cancer cells in vitro

miR-143 is a tumor suppressor miRNA which its downregulation is frequently reported in colorectal cancer (CRC). This miRNA is a negative regulator of K-RAS, c-MYC, BCL-2, and MMP-9 genes which are engaged in tumor growth and metastasis. In the present study, miR-143 restoration was performed by transfection of the pCMV-miR-143 vector into the SW-480 CRC cells. Subsequently, alterations in proliferative and migratory potential of the cells were investigated by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) and wound-healing assays, respectively. Moreover, to detect apoptosis incidence in the transfected cells, 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining was used. Furthermore, mRNA levels of c-MYC, K-RAS, MMP-9, and BCL-2, as potential targets of miR-143, were assessed by quantitative Real-Time PCR (qRT-PCR). Also the expression levels of c-MYC, K-RAS, and MMP-9 proteins were investigated by the western blot analysis. Finally, the ratio of BAX to BCL-2 expression, as a potential marker of the response to apoptosis stimuli, was compared between the control and test groups. Furthermore, the trypan blue test was performed to determine the cell viability in cell suspension. According to the results, a decreased viability and migratory potential was observed for the miR-143 receiving cells. The DAPI staining also confirmed the occurrence of apoptosis. Moreover, BCL-2, K-RAS, MMP-9, and c-MYC mRNAs were significantly downregulated in the miR-143 grafted cells. The BAX/BCL-2 ratio also indicated a notable increase in the cells with miR-143 overexpression. In brief, miR-143 replacement could be considered as an effective strategy for the management of CRC and attenuating its invasive features.

MicroRNA-145 performs as a tumor suppressor in human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma by targeting phospholipase C epsilon 1

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is the leading pathologic type in China. miR-145 has been reported to be downregulated in multiple tumors. This study was aimed to investigate the role of miR-145 in ESCC. miR-145 expression was investigated in 65 ESCC samples as well as four ESCC cell lines by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Targetscan 6.2 website (http://www.targetscan.org/) was used to predict the targets of miR-145. Expression of phospholipase C epsilon 1 (PLCE1) messenger RNA and protein was detected by qRT-PCR or Western blot. MTT and wound healing assay were conducted to explore the effects of miR-145 on the proliferation and migration of ESCC cell lines, respectively. miR-145 was significantly decreased in ESCC tissues. An inverse correlation between miR-145 and invasion depth and TNM stage were observed. PLCE1 was a direct target of miR-145, and the expression of PLCE1 was inversely correlated with miR-145 expression in ESCC tissues. In addition, overexpression of miR-145 suppressed cell proliferation and migration in ESCC cells. The enforced expression of PLCE1 partially reversed the suppressive effect of miR-145. These results prove that miR-145 may perform as a tumor suppressor in ESCC by targeting PLCE1.

miR-143 Regulates Memory T Cell Differentiation by Reprogramming T Cell Metabolism

MicroRNAs are an important regulator for T cell immune response. In this study, we aimed to identify microRNAs with the potential to regulate T cell differentiation. The influence of miR-143 on differentiation and function of CD8+ T cells from healthy donors were detected, and it was found that miR-143 overexpression could significantly increase the differentiation of central memory T (Tcm) CD8+ cells, decrease cell apoptosis, and increase proinflammatory cytokine secretion. Furthermore, the specific killing of HER2-CAR T cells against esophageal cancer cell line TE-7 was enhanced by miR-143 overexpression. Glucose transporter 1 (Glut-1) was identified as the critical target gene of miR-143 in the role of T cell regulation. By inhibition Glut-1, miR-143 inhibited glucose uptake and glycolysis in T cell to regulated T cell differentiation. Tcm cell populations were also suppressed in parallel with the downregulation of miR-143 in tumor tissues from 13 patients with esophagus cancer. IDO and its metabolite kynurenine in the tumor microenvironment were screened as an upstream regulator of miR-143. IDO small interfering RNA significantly increased the expression of miR-143 and Tcm cell population. In conclusion, our results show that miR-143 enhanced antitumor effects of T cell by promoting memory T cell differentiation and metabolism reprogramming through Glut-1. Our findings will encourage the development of new strategies targeting miR-143 in both cancer cells and T cells.

Downregulation of microRNA‑449a‑5p promotes esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cell proliferation via cyclin D1 regulation

Aberrant microRNA-449a (miR-449a-5p) expression has been demonstrated to be associated with the development of various cancer types. However, the effect of miR-449a-5p on esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) cell proliferation remains unknown. The present study aimed to determine whether miR-449a-5p may regulate ESCC cell proliferation via negative regulation of cyclin D1. Reverse transcription quantitative-polymerase chain reaction was used to measure the expression of miR-449a-5p in ESCC tissues and cells. Western blot was performed to analyze the protein level of cyclin D1. The proliferation of ESCC cells was determined by MTT and clone formation assay. Paired ESCC and adjacent normal esophageal squamous tissues were collected from patients with ESCC. It was demonstrated that miR-449a-5p expression was reduced, whereas cyclin D1 expression was increased in ESCC tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues. Proliferation was investigated in vivo using the ESCC cell line Eca-190. miR-449a-5p inhibitor transfection facilitated the proliferation of Eca-109 cells. By contrast, transfection with miR-449a-5p mimics inhibited Eca-109 cell proliferation. Furthermore, it was confirmed that miR-449a-5p directly bound to the 3′-untranslated region of cyclin D1. Transfection with cyclin D1 small interfering RNA reversed the effects of the miR-449a-5p inhibitor on Eca-109 cell proliferation. In conclusion, miR-449a-5p may control ESCC proliferation through the negative regulation of cyclin D1 expression.

Expression of the microRNA-143/145 cluster is decreased in hepatitis B virus-associated hepatocellular carcinoma and may serve as a biomarker for tumorigenesis in patients with chronic hepatitis B

The aims of the present study were to identify the expression profile of microRNA (miR)-143/145 in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), explore its association with prognosis and investigate whether the serum miR-143/145 expression levels may serve as a diagnostic indicator of HBV-associated HCC. The microRNA (miRNA) chromatin immunoprecipitation dataset was obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Gene Expression Omnibus databases, and analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. It was observed that the expression of miR-143 and miR-145 was decreased 1.5-fold in HBV-associated HCC samples compared with non-tumor tissue in the TCGA and the GSE22058 datasets (P<0.01). Using the reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction, it was further confirmed that miR-143/145 and their host gene MIR143HG were downregulated in HBV-associated HCC tissues compared with corresponding distal non-tumor tissues. The lower level of miR-143 and miR-145 expression was associated with tumor differentiation, and may thus be responsible for a poor prognosis of patients with HBV-associated HCC. The receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to explore the potential value of miR-143 and miR-145 as biomarkers for predicting HBV-associated HCC tumorigenesis. In serum, miR-143/145 were identified to be significantly decreased in patients with HBV-associated HCC compared with negative control patients, and their associated areas under the ROC curves were calculated at 0.813 and 0.852 (P<0.05), with each having a sensitivity and a specificity close to 0.80. These results indicated that the decreased expression of the miR-143/145 cluster and their host gene MIR143HG in HBV-associated HCC tissue was associated with prognosis, and each of these miRNAs may serve as a valuable diagnostic biomarker for predicting HBV-associated HCC tumorigenesis.

Integration of metabolomics, transcriptomics, and microRNA expression profiling reveals a miR-143-HK2-glucose network underlying zinc-deficiency-associated esophageal neoplasia

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) in humans is a deadly disease associated with dietary zinc (Zn)-deficiency. In the rat esophagus, Zn-deficiency induces cell proliferation, alters mRNA and microRNA gene expression, and promotes ESCC. We investigated whether Zn-deficiency alters cell metabolism by evaluating metabolomic profiles of esophageal epithelia from Zn-deficient and replenished rats vs sufficient rats, using untargeted gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (n = 8/group). The Zn-deficient proliferative esophagus exhibits a distinct metabolic profile with glucose down 153-fold and lactic acid up 1.7-fold (P < 0.0001), indicating aerobic glycolysis (the "Warburg effect"), a hallmark of cancer cells. Zn-replenishment rapidly increases glucose content, restores deregulated metabolites to control levels, and reverses the hyperplastic phenotype. Integration of metabolomics and our reported transcriptomic data for this tissue unveils a link between glucose down-regulation and overexpression of HK2, an enzyme that catalyzes the first step of glycolysis and is overexpressed in cancer cells. Searching our published microRNA profile, we find that the tumor-suppressor miR-143, a negative regulator of HK2, is down-regulated in Zn-deficient esophagus. Using in situ hybridization and immunohistochemical analysis, the inverse correlation between miR-143 down-regulation and HK2 overexpression is documented in hyperplastic Zn-deficient esophagus, archived ESCC-bearing Zn-deficient esophagus, and human ESCC tissues. Thus, to sustain uncontrolled cell proliferation, Zn-deficiency reprograms glucose metabolism by modulating expression of miR-143 and its target HK2. Our work provides new insight into critical roles of Zn in ESCC development and prevention.

Effects of microRNA-21 on apoptosis by regulating the expression of PTEN in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is an aggressive malignancy and the most common subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in China. However, many cases still remain biologically and clinically heterogeneous, indicating that the DLBCL mechanism remains unclear. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are critically responsible for lymphomagenesis. We found that plasma miR-21 level was significantly higher in B-cell lymphoma. However, the exact contribution of miR-21 in DLBCL remains unknown.To determine the function and mechanism of miR-21 in DLBCL, miR-21 and phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) expressions were examined through real-time PCR and immunohistochemical methods. Moreover, the effects of antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) targeting miR-21 (ASO-21) were observed in DLCBL cell line.MiR-21 expressions in cell line and tissues of patients were significantly higher than those in normal controls, which were inversely correlated with PTEN expression. MiR-21 expression was significantly higher in stage III/IV patients than in stage I/II patients. PTEN protein was expressed positively in only 6 patients with DLBCL (6/26). MiR-21 expression level in the PTEN-negative group was 11.73 (2.13-64.29), which was significantly higher than that in the PTEN-positive group (1.04, 0.67-15.15; P = .038). After down-regulating the miR-21 expression, apoptosis of DLBCL cells increased and PTEN protein was up-regulated in ASO-21-treated cells compared with SCO-21-treated cells by western blot.These results suggested that miR-21 affects apoptosis of lymphoma cells by regulating the expression of PTEN in DLBCL, which may be associated with increased poor prognosis for DLBCL patients and represents a useful approach for DLBCL treatment.

miR-145-5p Suppresses Tumor Cell Migration, Invasion and Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition by Regulating the Sp1/NF-κB Signaling Pathway in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in the progression of human cancer. Although previous reports have shown that miR-145-5p is down-regulated in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), the roles and mechanisms of down-regulation of miR-145-5p in ESCC are still largely unknown. Using microRNA microarray and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets, we confirmed that miR-145-5p was down-regulated in ESCC tissues. In vitro assays revealed that ectopic miR-145-5p expression repressed cell proliferation, migration, invasion and epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). miR-145-5p also reduced the expressions of cell cycle genes including cyclin A2 (CCNA2), cyclin D1 (CCND1) and cyclin E1 (CCNE1), the EMT-associated transcription factor Slug, and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) including MMP2, MMP7 and MMP13. Furthermore, miR-145-5p mimics reduced candidate target gene specificity protein 1 (Sp1) and nuclear factor κ B (NF-κB) (p65) both in mRNA and protein levels. Knockdown of Sp1 phenocopied the effects of miR-145-5p overexpression on cell cycle regulators, EMT and the expression of NF-κB (p65). Importantly, inhibition of the NF-κB signaling pathway or knockdown of NF-κB (p65) phenocopied the effects of miR-145-5p on the migration, invasion and EMT of ESCC cells. In conclusion, our results suggested that miR-145-5p plays tumor-suppressive roles by inhibiting esophageal cancer cell migration, invasion and EMT through regulating the Sp1/NF-κB signaling pathway.

MicroRNA expression in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: Novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers

The aim of the present study was to identify more effective molecular diagnostic biomarkers for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). The non‑coding RNA profile GSE43732, generated from 238 paired frozen tissues from 119 patients, was analyzed. Raw data were preprocessed and the differentially expressed miRNAs were screened by limma package with log2 fold change >2. Prognosis‑associated miRNAs were identified using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and Kaplan-Meier (KM) curve analysis. miRNAs with an area under the ROC curve of ≥0.7 were selected. miRNA target genes were identified from verification and predictive databases, and an miRNA regulatory network was constructed and visualized using Cytoscape software. Gene Ontology and pathway enrichment analyses of the target genes were performed using TargetMine. A total of 107 differentially expressed miRNAs, including 54 upregulated and 53 downregulated miRNAs, were obtained. The KM survival curves revealed that 44 miRNAs were significantly associated with prognosis. Furthermore, 9 upregulated and 3 downregulated miRNAs were obtained. Two upregulated miRNAs, hsa‑miR‑143‑3p and hsa‑miR‑145‑5p, and two downregulated miRNAs, hsa‑miR‑182‑5p and hsa‑miR‑455‑5p, were identified and demonstrated to be associated with prognosis in ESCC. In addition, 8 known and 245 predicted target genes of hsa‑miR‑455‑5p were screened and the regulatory networks were constructed. Furthermore, these genes were functionally associated with macromolecule metabolic process and melanoma. In conclusion, two novel tumor suppressive miRNAs including miR‑182‑5p and miR‑455‑5p were identified. miR‑455‑5p in particular may be involved in the regulation of ESCC. These miRNAs may be used to predict the prognosis of ESCC.

Functions of microRNA-143 in the apoptosis, invasion and migration of nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a common cancer characterized by poor prognosis in areas of Southern China where it is endemic. microRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of naturally occurring small noncoding RNAs, some of which contribute to the initiation and development of cancer. The current study was designed to examine the expression level of miR-143 in NPC tissues. The potential functional targets of miR-143 involved in tumor apoptosis, invasion and migration were also investigated. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to evaluate the expression levels of miR-143 in clinical NPC specimens. Western blotting was used to explore the expression levels of extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK)-5, Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS), caspase 3 and B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) in CNE-2Z cells following transfection with miR-143. Significantly decreased expression levels of miR-143 were observed in NPC tissues in comparison with matched normal nasopharyngeal tissues. Moreover, negative associations of miR-143 with tumor invasion depth, as well as lymph node metastasis were found. The enforced expression of miR-143 induced NPC cell apoptosis in addition to the suppression of growth, migration and invasion. The functions of miR-143 in NPC are mediated, at least in part, by the inhibition of ERK-5 activity and promotion of caspase 3 and KRAS expression. These findings suggest that miR-143 may function as a tumor suppressor in the development and progression of NPC.

Correlations of microRNA:microRNA expression patterns reveal insights into microRNA clusters and global microRNA expression patterns

MicroiRNAs are genome encoded small double stranded RNAs that regulate expression of homologous mRNAs. With approximately 2500 human miRNAs and each having hundreds of potential mRNA targets, miRNA based gene regulation is quite pervasive in both development and disease. While there are numerous studies investigating miRNA:mRNA and miRNA:protein target expression correlations, there are relatively few studies of miRNA:miRNA co-expression. Here we report on our analysis of miRNA:miRNA co-expression using expression data from the miRNA expression atlas of Landgraf et al. Our analysis indicates that many, but not all, genomically clustered miRNAs are co-expressed as a single pri-miRNA transcript. We have also identified co-expression groups that have similar biological activity. Further, the non-correlative miRNAs we have uncovered have been shown to be of utility in establishing miRNA biomarkers and signatures for certain tumours and cancers.

Pemetrexed plus dendritic cells as third-line therapy for metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

This study was conducted to evaluate the toxicity and efficacy of pemetrexed plus dendritic cells (DCs) when administered as third-line treatment for metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). All patients in the study group had previously failed first-line treatment with 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin-based regimens, as well as second-line treatment with taxane-based regimens. A total of 31 patients were treated with pemetrexed (500 mg/m²) plus DCs on day 1, every 3 weeks. DCs were given for one cycle of 21 days. Thirty patients were evaluated for their response. No patient had a complete response, three patients (10.0%) had a partial response, ten patients (33.3%) had stable disease, and 17 patients (56.7%) had progressive disease. The overall response rate was 10.0%. The median progression-free survival (PFS) time was 2.9 months (95% CI, 2.7–3.2), and the median overall survival (OS) time was 7.1 months (95% CI, 6.4–7.9). The median PFS and OS times among patients with high and low levels of miR-143 expression in their blood serum were significantly different: median PFS times =3.2 months (95% CI, 2.9–3.4) and 2.7 months (95% CI, 2.4–3.0), respectively (P=0.017), and median OS times =7.8 months (95% CI, 6.8–8.9) and 6.3 months (95% CI, 5.3–7.3), respectively (P=0.036). No patient experienced Grade 4 toxicity. Combined third-line treatment with pemetrexed and DCs was marginally effective and well tolerated in patients with advanced ESCC. Serum miR-143 levels are a potential biomarker for predicting the efficacy of pemetrexed plus DCs in the treatment of ESCC.

The role of microRNA in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

MicroRNAs (miRNA) are 22-nucleotide non-coding RNAs that post-transcriptionally regulate gene expression by base pairing to partially complementary sequences in the 3'-untranslated region of their target messenger RNA. Altered miRNA expression also changes the expression of oncogenes and tumor suppressors, affecting the proliferation, apoptosis, motility and invasibility of gastrointestinal cancer cells, including the cells of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). It has been suggested that various miRNA expression profiles may provide useful biomarkers and therapeutic targets, but to date few studies have been published on the role of miRNA in ESCC. In this review we summarize the identification and characterization of miRNAs involved in ESCC and discuss their potential as biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

miR-1 suppresses the growth of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in vivo and in vitro through the downregulation of MET, cyclin D1 and CDK4 expression

Several aberrant microRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) have been implicated in esophageal cancer (EC), which is widely prevalent in China. However, their role in EC tumorigenesis has not yet been fully elucidated. In the present study, we determined that miR-1 was downregulated in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) tissues compared with adjacent non-neoplastic tissues using RT-qPCR, and confirmed this using an ESCC cell line. Using a nude mouse xenograft model, we confirmed that the re-expression of miR-1 significantly inhibited ESCC tumor growth. A tetrazolium assay and a trypan blue exclusion assay revealed that miR-1 suppressed ESCC cell proliferation and increased apoptosis, whereas the silencing of miR-1 promoted cell proliferation and decreased apoptosis, suggesting that miR-1 is a novel tumor suppressor. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms of action of miR-1 in ESCC, we investigated putative targets using bioinformatics tools. MET, cyclin D1 and cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4), which are involved in the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)/MET signaling pathway, were found to be targets of miR-1. miR-1 expression inversely correlated with MET, cyclin D1 and CDK4 expression in ESCC cells. miR-1 directly targeted MET, cyclin D1 and CDK4, suppressing ESCC cell growth. The newly identified miR-1/MET/cyclin D1/CDK4 axis provides new insight into the molecular mechanisms of ESCC pathogenesis and indicates a novel strategy for the diagnosis and treatment of ESCC.

microRNA-186 inhibits cell proliferation and induces apoptosis in human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma by targeting SKP2

miR-186 has been demonstrated to have a significant role as a tumor suppressor in many types of cancers. Nevertheless, its biological function in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains unknown. In the present study, we found that the expression level of miR-186 was downregulated in ESCC in comparison with the adjacent normal tissues and was significantly associated with differentiation level, TNM stage, and lymph node metastasis of ESCC. Functional experiments revealed that enforced overexpression of miR-186 in ESCC cells suppressed the proliferation, invasion, and induced the apoptosis of cells. Luciferase reporter assay and western blotting analysis were performed to verify the target gene regulated by miR-186, SKP2. Our findings established that the miR-186 has a suppressive role in ESCC progression via SKP2-mediated pathway, and this implies that miR-186 could be a potential therapeutic target for ESCC.

Role of Viral miRNAs and Epigenetic Modifications in Epstein-Barr Virus-Associated Gastric Carcinogenesis

MicroRNAs are short (21–23 nucleotides), noncoding RNAs that typically silence posttranscriptional gene expression through interaction with target messenger RNAs. Currently, miRNAs have been identified in almost all studied multicellular eukaryotes in the plant and animal kingdoms. Additionally, recent studies reported that miRNAs can also be encoded by certain single-cell eukaryotes and by viruses. The vast majority of viral miRNAs are encoded by the herpesviruses family. These DNA viruses including Epstein-Barr virus encode their own miRNAs and/or manipulate the expression of cellular miRNAs to facilitate respective infection cycles. Modulation of the control pathways of miRNAs expression is often involved in the promotion of tumorigenesis through a specific cascade of transduction signals. Notably, latent infection with Epstein-Barr virus is considered liable of causing several types of malignancies, including the majority of gastric carcinoma cases detected worldwide. In this review, we describe the role of the Epstein-Barr virus in gastric carcinogenesis, summarizing the functions of the Epstein-Barr virus-encoded viral proteins and related epigenetic alterations as well as the roles of Epstein-Barr virus-encoded and virally modulated cellular miRNAs.

The tumor-suppressive function of miR-1 by targeting LASP1 and TAGLN2 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

OBJECTIVE

This study determined the expression of microRNA-1 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) tissue and cell lines to evaluate its effects on clinicopathological parameters and its target genes LASP1 and TAGLN2.

METHODS

The expression of miR-1, lasp1, and tagln2 was detected in 55 ESCC tissues and adjacent normal tissues by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The association between miR-1, lasp1, and tagln2 expression and clinicopathological characteristics was observed. MicroRNA-1 (mimics-miR-1) and its inhibitor (Inhibitor-miR-1) were transfected into esophageal cancer cells KYSE 510 and Eca 109; cell proliferation, migration, and invasion assays were carried out. Plasmid construction and dual-luciferase reporter assay were also carried out to indicate whether LASP1 and TAGLN2 were miR-1 target genes. The expression of LASP1 and TAGLN2 was detected with Western blot methods in cell lines, by immunohistochemistry in ESCC tissue.

RESULTS

The gene expression level of microRNA-1 in cancer tissues was significantly lower than that in adjacent normal tissues (P < 0.01). The expression of miR-1 in ESCC was correlated with involvement of lymph nodes (P = 0.002), histologic classification (P = 0.000), and vessel invasion (P = 0.022). The expression of lasp1 and tagln2 increased in cancer tissues compared with in adjacent normal tissues (P < 0.05). MiR-1 suppresses the cell growth, migration, and invasion in vitro. The expression of LASP1 and TAGLN2 decreased in mimics-miR-1 transfected cells, and increased in inhibitor-miR-1 transfected cells. Luciferase reporter assay confirmed that LASP1 and TAGLN2 mRNA actually had the target sites of miR-1.

CONCLUSIONS

miR-1 suppresses cell proliferation, invasiveness, metastasis, and progression of ESCC by binding its targeted genes LASP1 and TAGLN2.

RETRACTED: MiR-143 inhibits tumor cell proliferation and invasion by targeting STAT3 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

This article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (http://www.elsevier.com/locate/withdrawalpolicy). This article has been retracted at the request of the Editor in Chief. The term miR-143 has been used instead of the term miR-143* in the introduction and discussion which is misleading. With the misuse of this term subsequent errors and misleading statements appear throughout the paper. The authors apologize for this mistake.

Current understanding of the functional roles of aberrantly expressed microRNAs in esophageal cancer

The incidence of esophageal cancer is rising, mostly because the increasing incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma in Western countries. Despite improvements in diagnosis and treatment, the overall 5-year survival rates remain low. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNA molecules that regulate the expression of target genes. Recently, disease specific miRNAs have been identified, which act as tumor suppressors or oncogenes. In this review, we will summarize the current knowledge about the function of aberrantly expressed miRNAs in esophageal cancer. We selected 5 miRNAs (miRNA-21, -143, -145, -196a and let-7) based on the available literature, and described their potential role in regulating pathways that are deregulated in esophageal cancer. Finally we will highlight the current achievements of using and targeting miRNAs. Because these miRNAs likely have important regulatory roles in cancer development, they open a therapeutic window for new treatment modalities.

Reproducible Research Practices and Transparency across the Biomedical Literature

There is a growing movement to encourage reproducibility and transparency practices in the scientific community, including public access to raw data and protocols, the conduct of replication studies, systematic integration of evidence in systematic reviews, and the documentation of funding and potential conflicts of interest. In this survey, we assessed the current status of reproducibility and transparency addressing these indicators in a random sample of 441 biomedical journal articles published in 2000–2014. Only one study provided a full protocol and none made all raw data directly available. Replication studies were rare (n = 4), and only 16 studies had their data included in a subsequent systematic review or meta-analysis. The majority of studies did not mention anything about funding or conflicts of interest. The percentage of articles with no statement of conflict decreased substantially between 2000 and 2014 (94.4% in 2000 to 34.6% in 2014); the percentage of articles reporting statements of conflicts (0% in 2000, 15.4% in 2014) or no conflicts (5.6% in 2000, 50.0% in 2014) increased. Articles published in journals in the clinical medicine category versus other fields were almost twice as likely to not include any information on funding and to have private funding. This study provides baseline data to compare future progress in improving these indicators in the scientific literature.

Examination of recent trends in reproducibility and transparency practices in biomedical research reveals an ongoing lack of access to full datasets and detailed protocols for both clinical and non-clinical studies.

There is increasing interest in the scientific community about whether published research is transparent and reproducible. Lack of replication and non-transparency decreases the value of research. Several biomedical journals have started to encourage or require authors to submit detailed protocols, full datasets, and disclose information on funding and potential conflicts of interest. In this study, we investigate the reproducibility and transparency practices across the full spectrum of published biomedical literature from 2000–2014. We identify an ongoing lack of access to full datasets and detailed protocols for both clinical and non-clinical biomedical investigation. We also map the availability of information on funding and conflicts of interest in this literature. The results from this study provide baseline data to compare future progress in improving these indicators in the scientific literature. We believe that this information may be essential to sensitize stakeholders in science about the need for improving reproducibility and transparency practices.

MicroRNA‑145 inhibits the malignant phenotypes of gastric carcinoma cells via downregulation of fascin 1 expression

MicroRNA (miR)‑145 has been demonstrated to act as a tumor suppressor, and deregulation of fascin 1 (FSCN1) has been observed in several types of human malignancy, including gastric carcinoma. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the function of miR‑145, specifically its targets in gastric carcinoma have yet to be fully elucidated. In the present study, downregulation of miR‑145 and upregulation of FSCN1 was identified in gastric carcinoma cell lines, compared with normal gastric mucosal epithelial cells. A luciferase reporter assay demonstrated that miR‑145 was able to bind to the 3'‑untranslated region of FSCN1 mRNA. Overexpression of miR‑145 led to a significant decrease in FSCN1 expression levels, whereas knockdown of miR‑145 resulted in increased FSCN1 expression levels in gastric carcinoma cells. Furthermore, overexpression of miR‑145 inhibited proliferation, migration and invasion in gastric carcinoma cells. Similar effects were also observed in gastric carcinoma cells transfected with FSCN1 small interfering RNA. In addition, overexpression of FSCN1 reversed the suppressive effects of miR‑145 upregulation on proliferation, migration and invasion in gastric carcinoma cells, suggesting that FSCN1 is indeed involved in the miR‑145‑mediated malignant phenotype of gastric carcinoma cells. The present study revealed an anti‑oncogenic role of miR‑145 in gastric carcinoma via inhibition of FSCN1, and suggested that miR‑145 may be used for the treatment of gastric carcinoma.

Implications of miR cluster 143/145 as universal anti-oncomiRs and their dysregulation during tumorigenesis

Tumorigenesis is a multistep process, de-regulated due to the imbalance of oncogenes as well as anti-oncogenes, resulting in disruption of tissue homeostasis. In many cases the effect of oncogenes and anti-oncogenes are mediated by various other molecules such as microRNAs. microRNAs are small non-coding RNAs established to post-transcriptionally regulate more than half of the protein coding genes. miR cluster 143/145 is one such cancer-related microRNA cluster which is down-regulated in most of the cancers and is able to hinder tumorigenesis by targeting tumor-associated genes. The fact that they could sensitize drug-resistant cancer cells by targeting multidrug resistant genes makes them potent tools to target cancer cells. Their low levels precede events which lead to cancer progression and therefore could be considered also as biomarkers to stage the disease. Interestingly, evidence suggests the existence of several in vivo mechanisms by which this cluster is differentially regulated at the molecular level to keep their levels low in cancer. In this review, we summarize the roles of miR cluster 143/145 in cancer, their potential prognostic applications and also their regulation during tumorigenesis.

miRNA-mRNA crosstalk in esophageal cancer: From diagnosis to therapy

The asymptomatic nature of esophageal cancer (EC) at early stages results in late clinical presentation leading to poor prognosis and limited success of therapeutic modalities. Efforts to identify diagnostic/prognostic markers have proven to be unsuccessful for translation into clinics. Hence, there is a pressing need for establishment of novel non-invasive biomarker for early diagnosis/better prognosis of EC. Recently, alteration in microRNA (miRNA) expression has emerged as an important hallmark of cancer. This review summarizes the differential expression of miRNAs in EC and addresses how their aberrant expression influences crucial biological processes such as apoptosis, cell proliferation, invasion and metastasis. Additionally, this review highlights the current status of circulating miRNA based diagnostic/prognostic markers. An effort has been made to find a connection between different miRNAs involved in EC and a detailed analysis has been done to screen out micoRNAs involved in prognosis and multidrug resistance. Further, investigation of these miRNAs would not only provide a gene therapy based strategy to prevent/treat cancer but also to reverse multidrug resistance leading to decreased requirement of harmful chemotherapeutic drugs.

The effect of recombinant lentiviral vector encoding miR-145 on human esophageal cancer cells

miR-145, a newly identified microRNA molecule, is hypothesized to function as a tumor suppressor, but this activity has not been investigated in esophageal l carcinoma (EC). The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of miR-145 on the biological features of EC cells. miR-145 was obtained using PCR technology and cloned into the lentiviral vector, pLVX-IRES-ZsGreen1, to construct the resulting vector, pLVX-IZ-miR-145. The vector was packaged, the viral titer was tested, and ECA109 cells were infected with the optimal viral titer. Cells that were stably transfected with miR-145 were screened. Flow cytometry was used to analyze enhanced green fluorescence protein gene expression, and to measure cell apoptosis and cell cycle. miR-145 expression was detected by real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR. Furthermore, cell proliferation was assayed using CCK-8 assay. The pLVX-IZ-miR-145 vector was successfully constructed, and the viral titer achieved up to 5.0 × 10(8) TU/mL. The transfection efficiency was 90 %. Compared to the control group, the expression level of miR-145 in the transfected group was significantly higher (185-fold, P < 0.05). miR-145 overexpression significantly inhibited esophageal cancer cell proliferation (P < 0.05). Moreover, the number of cells at the G2/M stage, as well as the cell apoptotic rate, in the miR-145-transfected group was significantly increased (P < 0.05). Our study reveals that overexpression of miR-145 inhibits cell proliferation, increases apoptosis, and influences the cell cycle progression of EC cell.

MicroRNA-185 downregulates androgen receptor expression in the LNCaP prostate carcinoma cell line

The present study aimed to investigate whether microRNA (miR)‑185 downregulated androgen receptor expression in the LNCaP prostate carcinoma cell line. Human prostate cancer (PCa) LNCaP cells were cultured and transfected with synthetic has‑miR‑185 mimic or inhibitor. The transfected cells were subsequently evaluated with a viability assay, nuclear staining, reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‑qPCR), dual luciferase assay and western blot analysis. The results of the western blot analysis and RT‑qPCR indicated that transfection with an miR‑185 mimic markedly reduced the androgen receptor (AR) protein expression levels in LNCaP cells, whereas transfection with an miR‑185 inhibitor increased the protein expression of AR in the LNCaP cells. The results of the luciferase reporter assay demonstrated that the predicted target site in the AR 3' untranslated regions was a specific functional binding site for miR‑185, and that AR was a direct target of miR‑185. In addition, downregulation of AR by miR‑185 impaired the interaction between AR and androgen response element, and downregulated the expression of the AR target gene prostate specific antigen. Data also suggested that the downregulation of AR mediated by miR‑185, inhibited the proliferation and induced the apoptosis of the LNCaP cells. Therefore, the results of the present study suggested that miR‑185 may be a potential negative modulator of AR‑mediated signaling and may act as a tumor suppressor in prostate cancer cells.

miR-143 inhibits interleukin-13-induced inflammatory cytokine and mucus production in nasal epithelial cells from allergic rhinitis patients by targeting IL13Rα1

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a common chronic inflammatory condition of the nasal mucosal tissue. The interleukin-13 (IL-13) signaling pathway is of great importance in the pathogenesis of AR. However, how the signaling molecules in this pathway are regulated, particularly through microRNAs (miRNAs), remains unclear. In the present study, we investigated the regulatory role and mechanism of miRNA-143 (miR-143) in IL-13-induced inflammatory cytokine and mucus production in nasal epithelial cells (NECs) from AR patients. Our results showed that forced expression of miR-143 significantly decreased the mRNA and protein expression levels of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), eotaxin and mucin 5AC (MUC5AC) in IL-13-stimulated NECs. Moreover, we confirmed that miR-143 directly targeted and significantly suppressed IL-13 receptor α1 chain (IL13Rα1) gene expression. This study thus suggests that miR-143 regulation of IL-13-induced inflammatory cytokine and mucus production in NECs from AR patients probably partly depends on inhibition of IL13Rα1. Therefore, the IL13Rα1 signaling pathway may be a potential target for the prevention and treatment of AR by miR-143.

MicroRNA-21 promotes cell growth and migration by targeting programmed cell death 4 gene in Kazakh's esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Esophageal cancer (EC) is the eighth most common cancer worldwide and the sixth most common cause of cancer death. There are two main types of EC--squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and adenocarcinoma (EAC). Although some advances in the exploration of its possible etiological mechanism were made recently including behaviors and environmental risk factors as well as gene alterations, the molecular mechanism underlying ESCC carcinogenesis and progression remains poorly understood. It has been reported that miR-21 was upregulated in most malignant cancers, the proposed mechanism of which was through suppressing expression of programmed cell death 4 (PDCD4). In present study, it is firstly reported that miR-21 was upregulated in Kazakh's ESCC and that miR-21 played a negative role in regulating PDCD4 using in situ hybridization (ISH) and luciferase reporter approach. Morever, in model of ESCC xenografted nude mice, miR-21 maybe used as an effective target in the treatment. The present results demonstrated that miR-21 may be a potential therapeutic target in management of ESCC.

miR-143 inhibits cell proliferation by targeting autophagy-related 2B in non-small cell lung cancer H1299 cells

microRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non‑coding RNAs involved in multiple biological pathways by regulating post-transcriptional gene expression. Previously, autophagy has been reported to suppress the progression of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, how miRNAs regulate autophagy in NSCLC remains to be elucidated. In the present study, the autophagy gene, autophagy-related 2B (ATG2B), was identified as a novel target of miR-143. The overexpression of miR-143 was able to downregulate the expression of atg2b at the transcriptional and translational levels by direct binding to its 3' untranslated region. Cell proliferation was significantly inhibited by the ectopic expression of miR-143 in H1299 cells. Knockdown of ATG2B resulted in a similar phenotype, with the overexpression of miR-143 in NSCLC cells. Furthermore, knockdown of ATG2B and hexokinase 2, a key enzyme in glycolysis and another target of miR-143, co-ordinated to inhibit the proliferation of H1299 cells. The results of the present study demonstrated that miR-143 was a novel and important regulator of autophagy by targeting ATG2B and repression of gene expression in autophagy and high glycolysis had a coordinate effect in H1299 cells. These results suggested that ATG2B may be a new potential therapeutic target for NSCLC. Furthermore, it was implied that interrupting autophagy and glycolysis improves NSCLC therapy.

Esophageal cancer-selective expression of TRAIL mediated by MREs of miR-143 and miR-122

Esophageal cancer is one of the most common digestive system neoplasms and has a quite poor prognosis. TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) induces the apoptosis in a wide range of cancer cells including esophageal cancers. However, TRAIL also activates apoptotic pathway in normal cells. To improve the specificity of TRAIL action, we employed the microRNA (miRNA) response elements (MREs) of miR-143 and miR-122 to restrict TRAIL expression mediated by an adenoviral vector (Ad-TRAIL-143-122) in esophageal cancer cells. The experiments showed that Ad-TRAIL-143-122 was able to highly express TRAIL in esophageal cancer cells, but not normal cells. The selective TRAIL expression also led to selective apoptosis in esophageal cancer cells. Ad-TRAIL-143-122 greatly reduced the viability of esophageal cancer cells without cytotoxicity to normal cells. In mice, Ad-TRAIL-143-122 suppressed the growth of esophageal cancer xenografts and protected liver from TRAIL-induced toxicity. In this study, we constructed a biologic vector that can express exogenous genes in a tumor-specific manner. This strategy can simultaneously treat cancer and prevent hepatoxicity and thus may be a promising way for esophageal cancer treatment.

Epidemiological studies of esophageal cancer in the era of genome-wide association studies

Esophageal cancer (EC) caused about 395000 deaths in 2010. China has the most cases of EC and EC is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in China. Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is the predominant histologic type (90%-95%), while the incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) remains extremely low in China. Traditional epidemiological studies have revealed that environmental carcinogens are risk factors for EC. Molecular epidemiological studies revealed that susceptibility to EC is influenced by both environmental and genetic risk factors. Of all the risk factors for EC, some are associated with the risk of ESCC and others with the risk of EAC. However, the details and mechanisms of risk factors involved in the process for EC are unclear. The advanced methods and techniques used in human genome studies bring a great opportunity for researchers to explore and identify the details of those risk factors or susceptibility genes involved in the process of EC. Human genome epidemiology is a new branch of epidemiology, which leads the epidemiology study from the molecular epidemiology era to the era of genome wide association studies (GWAS). Here we review the epidemiological studies of EC (especially ESCC) in the era of GWAS, and provide an overview of the general risk factors and those genomic variants (genes, SNPs, miRNAs, proteins) involved in the process of ESCC.

No association of pri-miR-143 rs41291957 polymorphism with the risk of congenital heart disease in a Chinese population

MiR-143 plays an important role in the heart development of zebra fish. The rs41291957 variant located in the pri-miR-143 sequence is associated with colorectal carcinogenesis. Therefore, the authors hypothesized that rs41291957 in pri-miR-143 might be involved in the risk of sporadic congenital heart disease (CHD). The authors conducted a case-control study of CHD in a Chinese population to test their hypothesis by genotyping pri-miR-143 rs41291957 in 1,109 CHD cases and 915 non-CHD control subjects. Logistic regression analyses showed no significant association of genotype or allele frequencies of pri-miR-143 rs41291957 A/G polymorphism with the CHD cases in overall or various subtypes compared with the control group. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the relationship between miR-143 and CHD cases. The results demonstrated that rs41291957 in pri-miR-143 has no major role in genetic susceptibility to sporadic CHD, at least in the current study population.

Assessing the clinical utility of cancer genomic and proteomic data across tumor types

Molecular profiling of tumors promises to advance the clinical management of cancer, but the benefits of integrating molecular data with traditional clinical variables have not been systematically studied. Here we retrospectively predict patient survival using diverse molecular data (somatic copy-number alteration, DNA methylation and mRNA, microRNA and protein expression) from 953 samples of four cancer types from The Cancer Genome Atlas project. We find that incorporating molecular data with clinical variables yields statistically significantly improved predictions (FDR < 0.05) for three cancers but those quantitative gains were limited (2.2-23.9%). Additional analyses revealed little predictive power across tumor types except for one case. In clinically relevant genes, we identified 10,281 somatic alterations across 12 cancer types in 2,928 of 3,277 patients (89.4%), many of which would not be revealed in single-tumor analyses. Our study provides a starting point and resources, including an open-access model evaluation platform, for building reliable prognostic and therapeutic strategies that incorporate molecular data.

MicroRNAs as oncogenes or tumour suppressors in oesophageal cancer: potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets

MicroRNAs are a class of small, non-coding RNAs that can negatively regulate protein-coding genes, and are associated with almost all known physiological and pathological processes, especially cancer. The number of studies documenting miRNA expression patterns in malignancy continues to expand rapidly, with continuously gained critical information regarding how aberrantly expressed miRNAs may contribute to carcinogenesis. miRNAs can influence cancer pathogenesis, playing a potential role as either oncogenes or tumour suppressors. Recently, several miRNAs have been reported to exert different regulatory functions in oesophageal cancer - the carcinoma typically arising from the epithelial lining of the oesophagus. These miRNAs also have potential clinical applications towards developing biomarkers or targets for possible use in diagnosis or therapy in oesophageal cancer. In this review, we have summarized the two (oncogenic or tumour suppressive) roles of miRNAs here, and their applications as potential biomarkers or therapeutic targets, which may illuminate future treatment for oesophageal cancer.