Long non-coding RNA highly up-regulated in liver cancer protects tumor necrosis factor-alpha-induced inflammatory injury by down-regulation of microRNA-101 in ATDC5 cells

Apoptosis and long non-coding RNAs: Focus on their roles in Heart diseases

Heart disease is one of the principal death reasons around the world and there is a growing requirement to discover novel healing targets that have the potential to avert or manage these illnesses. On the other hand, apoptosis is a strongly controlled, cell removal procedure that has a crucial part in numerous cardiac problems, such as reperfusion injury, MI (myocardial infarction), consecutive heart failure, and inflammation of myocardium. Completely comprehending the managing procedures of cell death signaling is critical as it is the primary factor that influences patient mortality and morbidity, owing to cardiomyocyte damage. Indeed, the prevention of heart cell death appears to be a viable treatment approach for heart illnesses. According to current researches, a number of long non-coding RNAs cause the heart cells death via different methods that are embroiled in controlling the activity of transcription elements, the pathways that signals transmission within cells, small miRNAs, and the constancy of proteins. When there is too much cell death in the heart, it can cause problems like reduced blood flow, heart damage after restoring blood flow, heart disease in diabetics, and changes in the heart after reduced blood flow. Therefore, studying how lncRNAs control apoptosis could help us find new treatments for heart diseases. In this review, we present recent discoveries about how lncRNAs are involved in causing cell death in different cardiovascular diseases.

Advances in Research on the Regulatory Roles of lncRNAs in Osteoarthritic Cartilage

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common degenerative bone and joint disease that can lead to disability and severely affect the quality of life of patients. However, its etiology and pathogenesis remain unclear. It is currently believed that articular cartilage lesions are an important marker of the onset and development of osteoarthritis. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a class of multifunctional regulatory RNAs that are involved in various physiological functions. There are many differentially expressed lncRNAs between osteoarthritic and normal cartilage tissues that play multiple roles in the pathogenesis of OA. Here, we reviewed lncRNAs that have been reported to play regulatory roles in the pathological changes associated with osteoarthritic cartilage and their potential as biomarkers and a therapeutic target in OA to further elucidate the pathogenesis of OA and provide insights for the diagnosis and treatment of OA.

MicroRNA-101-3p Suppresses mTOR and Causes Mitochondrial Fragmentation and Cell Degeneration in COPD

BACKGROUND

Cigarette smoke is assumed to cause the loss of airway wall structure in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by reducing airway smooth muscle cell (ASMC) function. It also modifies mTOR activity, microRNA (miR)-101-3p expression, and mitochondria function. Here, the link between miR-101-3p and mTOR-regulated mitochondria integrity and ASMC deterioration was assessed.

METHODS

Disease-specific miR-101-3p expression was determined by RT-PCR in primary ASMC (non-COPD smokers: n = 6; COPD: n = 8; healthy: n = 6). The regulatory effect of miR-101-3p modification on mTOR expression, mitochondrial fragmentation, and remodeling properties (α-SMA, fibronectin, MTCO2, and p70S6 kinase) was assessed in ASMC (healthy nonsmokers: n = 3; COPD: n = 3) by Western blotting and immunofluorescence microscopy. MiR-101-3p was modified by specific mimics or inhibitors, in ASMC stimulated with TNF-α (10 ng/ml) or cigarette smoke extract (CSE).

RESULTS

MiR-101-3p expression was significantly higher in ASMC of COPD patients, compared to ASMC of healthy or active smokers. MiR-101-3p expression was increased by TNF-α or CSE. TNF-α or miR-101-3p deteriorated ASMC and mitochondria, while decreasing mTOR signaling, α-SMA, fibronectin, and MTCO2. MiR-101-3p inhibition reduced ASMC deterioration and mitochondrial fragmentation.

CONCLUSION

Constitutive high miR-101-3p expression characterizes COPD-ASMC, causing increased mitochondrial fragmentation and ASMC deterioration. Thus, reactivation mTOR or blocking miR-101-3p presents a potential new strategy for COPD therapy.

Non-Coding RNA Related to MAPK Signaling Pathway in Liver Cancer

The advancement in high-throughput sequencing analysis and the evaluation of chromatin state maps have revealed that eukaryotic cells produce many non-coding transcripts/RNAs. Further, a strong association was observed between some non-coding RNAs and cancer development. The mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) belong to the serine–threonine kinase family and are the primary signaling pathways involved in cell proliferation from the cell surface to the nucleus. They play an important role in various human diseases. A few non-coding RNAs associated with the MAPK signaling pathway play a significant role in the development of several malignancies, including liver cancer. In this review, we summarize the molecular mechanisms and interactions of microRNA, lncRNA, and other non-coding RNAs in the development of liver cancer that are associated with the MAPK signaling pathway. Further, we briefly discuss the therapeutic strategies for liver cancer related to ncRNA and the MAPK signaling pathway.

Long noncoding RNAs in mesenchymal stromal/stem cells osteogenic differentiation: Implications in osteoarthritis pathogenesis

This letter focuses on a recently published article that provided an exceptional description of the effect of epigenetic modifications on gene expression patterns related to skeletal system remodeling. Specifically, it discusses a novel modality of epigenetic regulation, the long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), and provides evidence of their involvement in mesenchymal stromal/stem cells osteo-/adipo-genic differentiation balance. Despite focus on lncRNAs, there is an emerging cross talk between lncRNAs and miRNAs interaction as a novel mechanism in the regulation of the function of the musculoskeletal system, by controlling bone homeostasis and bone regeneration, as well as the osteogenic differentiation of stem cells. Thus, we touched on some examples to demonstrate this interaction. In addition, we believe there is still much to discover from the effects of lncRNAs on progenitor and non-progenitor cell differentiation. We incorporated data from other published articles to review lncRNAs in normal progenitor cell osteogenic differentiation, determined lncRNAs involved in osteoarthritis pathogenesis in progenitor cells, and provided a review of lncRNAs in non-progenitor cells that are differentially regulated in osteoarthritis. In conclusion, we really enjoyed reading this article and with this information we hope to further our understanding of lncRNAs and mesenchymal stromal/stem cells regulation.

Circulating long non-coding RNA TTTY15 and HULC serve as potential novel biomarkers for predicting acute myocardial infarction

INTRODUCTION

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a ubiquitous cardiovascular disease ensuing adverse prognosis caused by myocardial necrosis. Effective and rapid diagnosis of AMI is essential to following treatment in clinical practice while the existed biomarkers have inherent limitations. Consequently, exploration of novel biomarkers is needed. Long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) emerges as the upcoming biomarkers adopted in clinical use, and we aim at investigating the diagnostic power of lncRNA TTTY15 and HULC in AMI patients.

METHOD

We measured lncRNA level in 80 AMI patients and 36 healthy volunteers in discovering cohort and 50 AMI patients and 20 healthy volunteers in verification cohort with quantitative RT-PCR method. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was administered to detect the diagnostic power of selected lncRNAs. Regression and correlation analyses were performed to explore the related factors.

RESULTS

ROC analysis reveals the superiority of TTTY15 and HULC as biomarkers against conventional AMI biomarkers CKMB (AUC of TTTY15: 0.915 versus CKMB: 0.768 versus TnT: 0.869); AUC of HULC: 0.905 versus CKMB: 0.768 versus TnT: 0.869). Regression and correlation analysis indicates that TTTY15 and HULC may be one of the contributing factors to AMI and related to accepted risk factors.

CONCLUSION

Our results revealed the diagnostic potency of lncRNA TTTY15 and HULC, and they could also be treated as novel therapeutic targets in AMI therapy, hinting inspiration to the cardiologist in clinical practice.

A review of non-coding RNA related to NF-κB signaling pathway in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA), often called as "wear and tear" arthritis, is the most common form of degenerative joint arthritis and is a leading cause of disability. The nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) transcription factor has long been recognized as a disease-contributing factor for OA. More and more evidences show that targeting NF-κB signaling could offer novel potential therapeutic options for OA damage and reduce the risk of potential side-effects. In recent years, it has been shown that non-coding RNAs(ncRNAs) can trigger the expression of an array of genes and widely activate NF-κB signaling pathway, which induces destruction of the articular joint, leading to OA onset and progression. In this review, we discuss the involvement of NF-κB in OA pathogenesis and how ncRNAs attend and affect OA incidence and evolution, offering novel potential therapeutic options for OA treatment.

Crosstalk Among circRNA/lncRNA, miRNA, and mRNA in Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a joint disease that is pervasive in life, and the incidence and mortality of OA are increasing, causing many adverse effects on people's life. Therefore, it is very vital to identify new biomarkers and therapeutic targets in the clinical diagnosis and treatment of OA. ncRNA is a nonprotein-coding RNA that does not translate into proteins but participates in protein translation. At the RNA level, it can perform biological functions. Many studies have found that miRNA, lncRNA, and circRNA are closely related to the course of OA and play important regulatory roles in transcription, post-transcription, and post-translation, which can be used as biological targets for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of OA. In this review, we summarized and described the various roles of different types of miRNA, lncRNA, and circRNA in OA, the roles of different lncRNA/circRNA-miRNA-mRNA axis in OA, and the possible prospects of these ncRNAs in clinical application.

Recent Advances in Pharmacological Intervention of Osteoarthritis: A Biological Aspect

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease in the musculoskeletal system with a relatively high incidence and disability rate in the elderly. It is characterized by the degradation of articular cartilage, inflammation of the synovial membrane, and abnormal structure in the periarticular and subchondral bones. Although progress has been made in uncovering the molecular mechanism, the etiology of OA is still complicated and unclear. Nevertheless, there is no treatment method that can effectively prevent or reverse the deterioration of cartilage and bone structure. In recent years, in the field of pharmacology, research focus has shifted to disease prevention and early treatment rather than disease modification in OA. Biologic agents become more and more attractive as their direct or indirect intervention effects on the initiation or development of OA. In this review, we will discuss a wide spectrum of biologic agents ranging from DNA, noncoding RNA, exosome, platelet-rich plasma (PRP), to protein. We searched for key words such as OA, DNA, gene, RNA, exosome, PRP, protein, and so on. From the pharmacological aspect, stem cell therapy is a very special technique, which is not included in this review. The literatures ranging from January 2016 to August 2021 were included and summarized. In this review, we aim to help readers have a complete and precise understanding of the current pharmacological research progress in the intervention of OA from the biological aspect and provide an indication for the future translational studies.

The Emerging Role of Non-Coding RNAs in Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OS) is the most frequent degenerative condition in the joints, disabling many adults. Several abnormalities in the articular cartilage, subchondral bone, synovial tissue, and meniscus have been detected in the course of OA. Destruction of articular cartilage, the formation of osteophytes, subchondral sclerosis, and hyperplasia of synovial tissue are hallmarks of OA. More recently, several investigations have underscored the regulatory roles of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in OA development. Different classes of non-coding RNAs, including long ncRNAs (lncRNAs), microRNAs (miRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs), have been reported to affect the development of OA. The expression level of these transcripts has also been used as diagnostic tools in OA. In the present article, we aimed at reporting the role of these transcripts in this process. We need to give a specific angle on the pathology to provide meaningful thoughts on it.

Overexpression of lncRNA HULC Attenuates Myocardial Ischemia/reperfusion Injury in Rat Models and Apoptosis of Hypoxia/reoxygenation Cardiomyocytes via Targeting miR-377-5p through NLRP3/Caspase‑1/IL‑1β Signaling Pathway Inhibition

OBJECTIVE

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is characterized by myocardial tissue necrosis and activation of inflammatory response. This study aims to elucidate the potential mechanism underlying the protective effects of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) highly up-regulated in liver cancer (HULC) against myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in rat models and apoptosis of cardiomyocytes.

METHODS

We firstly established rat models of myocardial I/R injury and rat cardiomyocyte (H9c2 cells) models of hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) injury. Sprague-Dawley (SD) neonatal rats were randomized into four groups: sham, I/R, I/R+ microRNA (miR) -377-5p mimic, and I/R+ miR-377-5p antagomir, respectively. Then, histopathological examination was applied. Apoptosis was evaluated by transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining. Cell vitality was measured using MTT assay. The concentrations of creatine kinase MB (CK-MB), cardiac troponin I (cTnI), interleukin (IL) -6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The expression of Cleaved-Caspase-3, Caspase-3, NOD-like receptor P3 (NLRP3), Caspase-1, and IL-1β was analyzed by immunohistochemical (IHC) or Western blot analysis.

RESULTS

We found that HULC was downregulated and miR-377-5p was upregulated in IR-injured myocardial tissue and the H/R-induced H9c2 cell. Overexpression of miR-377-5p increased myocardial dysfunction and apoptosis and activated formation and secretion of IL-6 and TNF-α. The preprocessing of miR-377-5p silencing emerged opposite results. Strikingly, dual luciferase reporter assay showed that HULC was a sponge of miR-377-5p. Subsequently, mechanism experiments revealed that NLRP3/Caspase‑1/IL‑1β was a target axis of miR-377-5p. In vitro, the protective effect of HULC overexpression on H9c2 cell viability and inflammation was offset by miR-377-5p silencing. Finally, rescue assay suggested that HULC-miR-377-5p -NLRP3/Caspase‑1/IL‑1β axis regulated the apoptosis and inflammation of H/R-induced H9c2 cells.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, these results indicate that the protective effect of HULC against myocardial I/R injury and H/R cardiomyocyte apoptosis partially relies on the inhibition of NLRP3/Caspase‑1/IL‑1β signaling pathway.

Interactions Among lncRNA/circRNA, miRNA, and mRNA in Musculoskeletal Degenerative Diseases

Musculoskeletal degenerative diseases (MSDDs) are pathological conditions that affect muscle, bone, cartilage, joint and connective tissue, leading to physical and functional impairments in patients, mainly consist of osteoarthritis (OA), intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD), rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs) are novel regulators of gene expression that play an important role in biological regulation, involving in chondrocyte proliferation and apoptosis, extracellular matrix degradation and peripheral blood mononuclear cell inflammation. Research on MSDD pathogenesis, especially on RA and AS, is still in its infancy and major knowledge gaps remain to be filled. The effects of lncRNA/circRNA-miRNA-mRNA axis on MSDD progression help us to fully understand their contribution to the dynamic cellular processes, provide the potential OA, IDD, RA and AS therapeutic strategies. Further studies are needed to explore the mutual regulatory mechanisms between lncRNA/circRNA regulation and effective therapeutic interventions in the pathology of MSDD.

Roles of long non‑coding RNA in osteoarthritis (Review)

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic bone and joint disease characterized by articular cartilage degeneration and joint inflammation and is the most common form of arthritis. The clinical manifestations of OA are chronic pain and joint activity disorder, which severely affect the patient quality of life. Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) is a class of RNA molecules >200 nucleotides long that are expressed in animals, plants, yeast, prokaryotes and viruses. lncRNA molecules lack an open reading frame and are not translated into protein. The present review collated the results of recent studies on the role of lncRNA in the pathogenesis of OA to provide information for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of OA.

Down-regulation of HCP5 inhibits cell proliferation, migration, and invasion through regulating EPHA7 by competitively binding miR-101 in osteosarcoma

Patients with osteosarcoma (OS) usually have poor overall survival because of frequent metastasis. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been reported to be associated with tumorigenesis and metastasis. In this study, we investigated the expression and roles of lncRNA human histocompatibility leukocyte antigen (HLA) complex P5 (HCP5) in OS, aiming to provide a novel molecular mechanism for OS. HCP5 was up-regulated both in OS tissues and cell lines and high expression of HCP5 was associated to low survival in OS patients. Down-regulation of HCP5 inhibited cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, suggesting its carcinogenic role in OS. miR-101 was targeted by HCP5 and its expression was decreased in OS. The inhibitor of miR-101 reversed the impact of HCP5 down-regulation on cell proliferation, apoptosis, and metastasis in OS. Ephrin receptor 7 (EPHA7) was proved to be a target of miR-101 and had ability to recover the effects of miR-101 inhibitor in OS. In conclusion, lncRNA HCP5 knockdown suppressed cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, and induced apoptosis through depleting the expression of EPHA7 by binding to miR-101, providing a potential therapeutic strategy of HCP5 in OS.

lncRNA H19 acts as a ceRNA to regulate the expression of CTGF by targeting miR-19b in polycystic ovary syndrome

The etiology of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is complex and the pathogenesis is not fully understood. Some studies have shown that dysregulation of ovarian granulosa cells may be related to abnormal follicles and excessive androgen in women with PCOS. Our team has also confirmed the high expression status of H19 in PCOS patients in the early stage. However, the relationship between H19 and miR-19b in the development of PCOS is still unknown. Therefore, we used bioinformatics to predict the binding sites of human H19 and miR-19b, and of miR-19b and CTGF genes. After the silencing and overexpression of H19, real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect the expressions of H19, miR-19b, and CTGF. Western blotting was used to detect CTGF protein. Proliferation of KGN cells after H19 silencing was detected by CCK8. Flow cytometry was used to detect the apoptosis of KGN cells after H19 silencing. After the overexpression of H19, it was found that the expression of miR-19b gene decreased and the expression of CTGF increased, whereas silencing of H19 did the opposite. In addition, H19 could promote cell proliferation and decrease cell apoptosis. Finally, luciferase reporter assays showed that the 3′-end sequences of lncRNA H19 and CTGF contained the binding site of miR-19b. In conclusion, our study indicated that lncRNA H19 acted as a ceRNA to bind to miR-19b via a “sponge” to regulate the effect of CTGF on KGN cells, which may play a vital role in PCOS.

Role of MicroRNA, LncRNA, and Exosomes in the Progression of Osteoarthritis: A Review of Recent Literature

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common clinical degenerative disease characterized by the destruction of articular cartilage, which has an increasing impact on people's lives and social economy. The pathogenesis of OA is complex and unclear, and there is no effective way to block its progress. The study of the pathogenesis of OA is the prerequisite for the early diagnosis and effective treatment of OA. To define the pathogenesis of OA, this review considers the pathological mechanism of OA that involves microRNA, lncRNA, and exosomes. More and more evidence shows that microRNA, lncRNA, and exosomes are closely related to OA. MicroRNA inhibits the target gene by binding to the 3'- untranslated region of the targets. LncRNA usually competes with microRNA to regulate the expression level of downstream genes, while exosomes, as a carrier of intercellular information transfer, transmit the biological information of mother cells to target cells, and the effect of exosomes secreted by different cells on OA are different. In this review, we emphasized that different microRNA, lncRNA, and exosomes have different regulatory effects on chondrocyte proliferation and apoptosis, extracellular matrix degradation and inflammation. Besides, we classified and analyzed these molecules according to their effects on the progress of OA. Based on the analysis of the reported literature, this review reveals some pathogenesis of OA, and emphasizes that microRNA, lncRNA, and exosomes have great potential to assist early diagnosis and effective treatment of OA.

Role of Non-Coding RNAs in the Progression of Liver Cancer: Evidence from Experimental Models

Liver cancer is a devastating cancer that ranges from relatively rare (around 2% of all cancers in the United States) to commonplace (up to 50% of cancers in underdeveloped countries). Depending upon the stage of pathogenesis, prognosis, or functional liver tissue present, transplantation or partial hepatectomy may be the only available treatment option. However, due to the rise in metabolic syndrome and the increasing demand for livers, patients often wait months or years for available organs. Due to this shortage, doctors must have other treatment options available. One promising area of cancer research lies in understanding the role of regulatory non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) as oncogenic drivers and potential targets for prospective therapies. While the role of these ncRNAs was not initially clear, many of them have since been recognized to function as important players in the regulation of gene expression, epigenetic modification, and signal transduction in both normal and cancer cell cycles. Dysregulation of these different ncRNA subtypes has been implicated in the pathogenesis and progression of many major cancers including hepatocellular carcinoma. This review summarizes current findings on the roles noncoding RNAs play in the progression of liver cancer and the various animal models used in current research to elucidate those data.