MiR-204/miR-211 downregulation contributes to candidemia-induced kidney injuries via derepression of Hmx1 expression

Sodium Houttuyfonate Ameliorates DSS-induced Colitis Aggravated by Candida albicans through Dectin-1/NF-κB/miR-32-5p/NFKBIZ Axis Based on Intestinal microRNA Profiling

Our previous research indicated that Sodium houttuyfonate (SH) can effectively ameliorate dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis exacerbated by Candida albicans. However, the underlying protective mechanism of SH remains unclear. Therefore, in this study, a mice colitis model was infected with C. albicans, and the total colonic miRNAs were assessed. Furthermore, the differentially expressed miRNAs were enriched, clustered, and analyzed. Moreover, based on the dual luciferase analysis of NFKBIZ modulation by miR-32-5p, the in vitro and in vivo therapeutic effects of SH on inflammatory response, fungal burden, oxidative stress, and apoptosis were assessed at transcriptional and translational levels in the presence of agonist and antagonist. A total of 1157 miRNAs were identified, 84 of which were differentially expressed. Furthermore, qRT-PCR validated that SH treatment improved 17 differentially expressed miRNAs with > fourfold upregulation or > sixfold downregulation. Similar to most differentially altered miRNA, C. albicans significantly increased Dectin-1, NF-κB, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-17A, and decreased miR-32-5p which negatively targeted NFKBIZ. In addition, SH treatment reduced inflammatory response and fungal burden in a colitis model with C. albicans infection. Further analyses indicated that in C. albicans infected Caco2 cells, SH inhibited fungal growth, oxidative stress, and apoptosis by increasing Dectin-1, NF-κB, NFKBIZ, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-17A, and decreasing miR-32-5p. Therefore, SH can ameliorate the severity of colitis aggravated by C. albicans via the Dectin-1/NF-κB/miR-32-5p/NFKBIZ axis.

miR-204-5p Protects Nephrin from Enzymatic Degradation in Cultured Mouse Podocytes Treated with Nephrotoxic Serum

Nephrin is an essential constituent of the slit diaphragm of the kidney filtering unit. Loss of nephrin expression leads to protein leakage into the urine, one of the hallmarks of kidney damage. Autoantibodies against nephrin have been reported in patients with minimal change disease and recurrent focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. Understanding the mechanism of nephrin loss may help improve or lead to the development of novel treatment strategies. In this study, we demonstrated the important function of miR-204-5p expression on the protection of nephrin from anti-nephrin antibodies present in nephrotoxic serum (NTS). In addition, we identified that aspartyl protease cathepsin D is one enzyme that may be involved in nephrin enzymatic degradation and that cathepsin D is a direct target of miR-204-5p gene regulation. The regulation of miR-204-5p expression was determined to be regulated by the long noncoding RNA Josd1-ps. In an NTS in vivo animal model, treatment with the pan aspartic protease inhibitor Pepstatin A ameliorated renal damage. Finally, we showed that the expression of miR-204-5p had a nephrin-protecting function in vitro. Developing a method of delivery of miR-204-5p specifically to podocytes in vivo may provide a novel method of nephroprotection against nephrin autoantibodies.

Gene therapy and kidney diseases

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) poses a significant global health challenge, projected to become one of the leading causes of death by 2040. Current treatments primarily manage complications and slow progression, highlighting the urgent need for personalized therapies targeting the disease-causing genes. Our increased understanding of the underlying genomic changes that lead to kidney diseases coupled with recent successful gene therapies targeting specific kidney cells have turned gene therapy and genome editing into a promising therapeutic approach for treating kidney disease. This review paper reflects on different delivery routes and systems that can be exploited to target specific kidney cells and the ways that gene therapy can be used to improve kidney health.

MicroRNAs as Biomarkers and Therapeutic Targets for Acute Kidney Injury

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a clinical syndrome where a rapid decrease in kidney function and/or urine output is observed, which may result in the imbalance of water, electrolytes and acid base. It is associated with poor prognosis and prolonged hospitalization. Therefore, an early diagnosis and treatment to avoid the severe AKI stage are important. While several biomarkers, such as urinary L-FABP and NGAL, can be clinically useful, there is still no gold standard for the early detection of AKI and there are limited therapeutic options against AKI. miRNAs are non-coding and single-stranded RNAs that silence their target genes in the post-transcriptional process and are involved in a wide range of biological processes. Recent accumulated evidence has revealed that miRNAs may be potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for AKI. In this review article, we summarize the current knowledge about miRNAs as promising biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets for AKI, as well as the challenges in their clinical use.

MicroRNAs in kidney injury and disease

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression by degrading or repressing the translation of their target messenger RNAs. As miRNAs are critical regulators of cellular homeostasis, their dysregulation is a crucial component of cell and organ injury. A substantial body of evidence indicates that miRNAs are involved in the pathophysiology of acute kidney injury (AKI), chronic kidney disease and allograft damage. Different subsets of miRNAs are dysregulated during AKI, chronic kidney disease and allograft rejection, which could reflect differences in the physiopathology of these conditions. miRNAs that have been investigated in AKI include miR-21, which has an anti-apoptotic role, and miR-214 and miR-668, which regulate mitochondrial dynamics. Various miRNAs are downregulated in diabetic kidney disease, including the miR-30 family and miR-146a, which protect against inflammation and fibrosis. Other miRNAs such as miR-193 and miR-92a induce podocyte dedifferentiation in glomerulonephritis. In transplantation, miRNAs have been implicated in allograft rejection and injury. Further work is needed to identify and validate miRNAs as biomarkers of graft function and of kidney disease development and progression. Use of combinations of miRNAs together with other molecular markers could potentially improve diagnostic or predictive power and facilitate clinical translation. In addition, targeting specific miRNAs at different stages of disease could be a promising therapeutic strategy.

Down-regulation of microRNA-155 suppressed Candida albicans induced acute lung injury by activating SOCS1 and inhibiting inflammation response

Acute lung injury caused by Candida albicans could result in high mortality and morbidity. MicroRNA-155 (miR-155) and suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 (SOCS1) have been believed to play a key in the regulation of inflammatory response. Whether miR-155/SOCS1 axis could regulate the acute lung injury caused by C. albicans has not been reported. The acute lung injury animal model was established with acute infection of C. albicans. miR-155 inhibitor, miR-155 mimic, and sh-SOCS1 were constructed. The binding site between miR-155 and SOCS1 was identified with dual luciferase reporter assay. Knockdown of miR-155 markedly inhibited the germ tube formation of C. albicans. Knockdown of miR-155 significantly up-regulated the expression of SOCS1, and the binding site between miR-155 and SOCS1 was identified. Knockdown of miR-155 improved the acute lung injury, suppressed inflammatory factors and fungus loading through SOCS1. Knockdown of SOCS1 greatly reversed the influence of miR-155 inhibitor on the cell apoptosis in vitro. The improvement of acute lung injury caused by C. albicans, suppression of inflammatory response and C. albicans infection, and inhibitor of cell apoptosis were achieved by knocking down miR-155 through SOCS1. This research might provide a new thought for the prevention and treatment of acute lung injury caused by C. albicans through targeting miR-155/SOCS1 axis.

MicroRNA-204 attenuates oxidative stress damage of renal tubular epithelial cells in calcium oxalate kidney-stone formation via MUC4-mediated ERK signaling pathway

Oxalate-induced oxidative stress causes damage to cells, accompanied with renal deposition of calcium oxalate crystals. Recent studies have highlighted the extensive functions of microRNAs (miRNAs) in various processes, including cellular responses to oxidative stress. Hence, this study was intended to analyze the role of miR-204 in the calcium oxalate kidney-stone formation and the underlying mechanism. In silico analysis was performed to determine the miRNA/mRNA interaction involved in calculus, while dual-luciferase reporter assay was conducted for validation. A calcium oxalate kidney-stone model was established by H₂O₂ induction in RTEC HK-2 cells, in which the expression of miR-204 was examined. Gain- and loss-of-function approaches were employed to alter the expression of miR-204/MUC4 so as to assess the detailed role of miR-204 in oxidative stress injury in renal tubular epithelial cells (RTECs) and calcium oxalate kidney-stone formation. MUC4, an up-regulated gene in H₂O₂-induced HK-2 cells, was a target of MUC4. miR-204 functionally targeted MUC4 and blocked the ERK pathway activation. Furthermore, up-regulated miR-204 contributed to promotion of RTEC proliferation and suppression of ROS levels, RTEC apoptosis as well as formation of calcium oxalate crystal. Taken together, miR-204 impairs MUC4-dependent activation of the ERK signaling pathway and consequently ameliorates oxidative stress damage to RTECs and prevents calcium oxalate kidney-stone formation.

miR-211 alleviates ischaemia/reperfusion-induced kidney injury by targeting TGFβR2/TGF-β/SMAD3 pathway

MicroRNA-211 (miR-211) is closely related to apoptosis and plays an important role in ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. Whether miR-211 is involved in the protective effects in renal I/R injury is unknown. In this study, we evaluated the role of miR-211 in human tubular epithelial cells in response to hypoxia-reoxygenation (H/R) stimulation and I/R injury in vitro and in vivo. The results revealed that miR-211 was down-regulated and TGFβR2 was up-regulated in human kidney (HK-2) cells subjected to H/R. Luciferase reporter assay showed that TGFβR2 was a direct target of miR-211. Enforced miR-211 expression decreased H/R-induced HK-2 cell apoptosis and increased cell viability, and targeting miR-211 further increased H/R-induced HK-2 cell apoptosis and decreased cell viability. However, the effect of miR-211 was reversed by targeting TGFβR2 or enforced TGFβR2 expression in miR-211 overexpressing cells or miR-211 downexpressing cells. Moreover, we confirmed that miR-211 interacted with TGFβR2, and regulating TGF-β/SMAD3 signal. In vivo in mice, miR-211 overexpression ameliorates biochemical and histological kidney injury, reduces apoptosis in mice following I/R. On the contrary, miR-211 downexpressing promoted histological kidney injury and increased apoptosis in mice following I/R. Inhibition of miR-211 or miR-211 overexpression inhibited TGF-β/SMAD3 pathways or activated TGF-β/SMAD3 signal pathways in vitro and in vivo, which are critical for cell survival. Our findings suggested that miR-211 suppress apoptosis and relieve kidney injury following H/R or I/R via targeting TGFβR2/TGF-β/SMAD3 signals. Therefore, miR-211 may be as therapeutic potential for I/R- induced kidney injury.

HO-1: A new potential therapeutic target to combat osteoporosis

Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) exerts a protective effect against cell damage and induces the activity of many enzymes involved in the treatment of many human diseases, including osteoporosis. The increasing prevalence of osteoporosis and the limitations of the current treatments available led to a continuous occurrence of bone loss and osteoporotic fractures, highlighting the need of a better understanding of the mechanism and function of HO-1. Many factors cause osteoporosis, including lack of estrogen, aging, and iron overload, and they either cause the increase in inflammatory factors or the increase in reactive oxygen species to break bone reconstruction balance. Therefore, regulating the production of inflammatory factors and reactive oxygen species may become a strategy for the treatment of osteoporosis. Solid evidence showed that the overexpression of HO-1 compensates high oxidation levels by increasing intracellular antioxidant levels and reduces inflammation by suppressing pro-inflammatory factors. Some extracts can target HO-1 and ameliorate osteoporosis. However, no systematic report is available on therapies targeting HO-1 to combat osteoporosis. Therefore, this review summarizes the biological characteristics of HO-1, and the relationship between inflammatory response and reactive oxygen species production regulated by HO-1 and osteoporosis. The understanding of the role of HO-1 in osteoporosis may provide ideas for a potential clinical treatment and new drugs targeting HO-1.

Oligonucleotide-Based Therapies for Renal Diseases

The global burden of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is increasing every year and represents a great cost for public healthcare systems, as the majority of these diseases are progressive. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop new therapies. Oligonucleotide-based drugs are emerging as novel and promising alternatives to traditional drugs. Their expansion corresponds with new knowledge regarding the molecular basis underlying CKD, and they are already showing encouraging preclinical results, with two candidates being evaluated in clinical trials. However, despite recent technological advances, efficient kidney delivery remains challenging, and the presence of off-targets and side-effects precludes development and translation to the clinic. In this review, we provide an overview of the various oligotherapeutic strategies used preclinically, emphasizing the most recent findings in the field, together with the different strategies employed to achieve proper kidney delivery. The use of different nanotechnological platforms, including nanocarriers, nanoparticles, viral vectors or aptamers, and their potential for the development of more specific and effective treatments is also outlined.

Alterations in the gut microbiota and metabolic profiles coincide with intestinal damage in mice with a bloodborne Candida albicans infection

Candida albicans is an opportunistic fungus that can threaten life especially in patients with candidemia. The morbidity and mortality of candidemia originating from a central venous catheter (CVC) and illicit intravenous drug use (IVDU) are increasing. However, the mechanism underlying the bloodborne C. albicans infection remains unclear. Herein, we evaluated the gut microbiome, metabolites and intestinal mucosa by constructing the mouse models with candidemia. Model mice were injected with C. albicans via tail vein. Control mice underwent sham procedures. We observed basic life characteristics, intestinal damage-related alterations using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, intestinal tight junction protein levels, and intestinal permeability in these mice. Fecal samples were analyzed by performing 16S rRNA gene sequencing of the microbiota and LC-MS metabolomics to reveal the perturbations in intestinal flora and metabolism exacerbating intestinal damage. Weight loss, a decreased survival rate, C. albicans infection spread, and colonic epithelial damage occurred in the model group. Furthermore, the intestinal flora abundance was reduced. Several probiotics, such as Lactobacillus, and butyrate-producing bacteria, including Roseburia, Lachnospiraceae, and Clostridia, were depleted, and some pathogenic bacteria, such as Escherichia-Shigella and Proteus, belonging to the Proteobacteria phylum, and the inflammation mediators Ruminococcus and Parabacteroides were enriched in model mice. Multiple differentially altered metabolic pathways were observed and mainly related to bile acid, arachidonic acid, bile secretion, and arachidonic acid metabolism. This study illustrated the effects of a bloodborne C. albicans on the intestinal microbiota, metabolites, and intestinal barrier, which may provide new insights into tests or treatments for candidemia originating from CVC or IVDU.

Role of miR-211 in a PC12 cell model of Alzheimer's disease via regulation of neurogenin 2

NEW FINDINGS

What is the central question of this study? What is the mechanism of miR-211 in an Alzheimer's disease cell model? What is the main finding and its importance? miR-211 was upregulated in an Alzheimer's disease cell model. It targeted neurogenin 2, reduced the activation of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase-Akt signalling pathway, inhibited the proliferation of the Alzheimer's disease cell model and promoted apoptosis.

ABSTRACT

MicroRNAs (miRs) are aberrantly expressed in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. This study was intended to investigate the effect of miR-211 on an AD cell model and the involvement of neurogenin 2 (Ngn2). The appropriate dose and time for the effect of Aβ_1-42 on PC12 cells were determined to establish an AD cell model. An effect of miR-211 expression on cell viability, proliferation and apoptosis was detected after cell transfection. Online prediction and a dual luciferase reporter gene assay were utilized to confirm the binding sequence of miR-211 and Ngn2. qRT-PCR and western blot analysis were applied to measure Ngn2 expression. A gain and loss of function assay of miR-211 and Ngn2 was performed, and activation of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)-Akt signaling pathway was detected. The AD cell model was induced by Aβ_1-42 treatment. miR-211 expression was significantly enhanced after miR-211 transfection, leading to suppressed proliferation and promotion of apoptosis in Aβ_1-42 -treated PC12 cells. In addition, miR-211 could downregulate Ngn2 mRNA and protein expression, while overexpression of Ngn2 could reverse the effects of miR-211 on Aβ_1-42 -treated PC12 cells and significantly enhance the phosphorylated Akt and PI3K protein levels. miR-211 could inhibit growth of PC12 cells by suppressing Ngn2 expression and inactivating the PI3K-Akt signalling pathway.

Differential genes expression analysis of invasive aspergillosis: a bioinformatics study based on mRNA/microRNA

Invasive aspergillosis is a severe opportunistic infection with high mortality in immunocompromised patients. Recently, the roles of microRNAs have been taken into consideration in the immune system and inflammatory responses. Using bioinformatics approaches, we aimed to study the microRNAs related to invasive aspergillosis to understand the molecular pathways involved in the disease pathogenesis. Data were extracted from the gene expression omnibus (GEO) database. We proposed 3 differentially expressed genes; S100B, TDRD9 and TMTC1 related to pathogenesis of invasive aspergillosis. Using miRWalk 2.0 predictive tool, microRNAs that targeted the selected genes were identified. The roles of microRNAs were investigated by microRNA target prediction and molecular pathways analysis. The significance of combined expression changes in selected genes was analyzed by ROC curves study. Thirty-three microRNAs were identified as the common regulator of S100B, TDRD9 and TMTC1 genes. Several of them were previously reported in the pathogenesis of fungal infections including miR-132. Predicted microRNAs were involved in innate immune response as well as toll-like receptor signaling. Most of the microRNAs were also linked to platelet activation. The ROC chart in the combination mode of S100B/TMTC1, showed the sensitivity of 95.65 percent and the specificity of 69.23 percent. New approaches are needed for rapid and accurate detection of invasive aspergillosis. Given the pivotal signaling pathways involved, predicted microRNAs can be considered as the potential candidates of the disease diagnosis. Further investigation of the microRNAs expression changes and related pathways would lead to identifying the effective biomarkers for IA detection.

MiR-211 protects cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury by inhibiting cell apoptosis

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as critical regulators of neuronal survival during cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury. Accumulating evidence has shown that miR-211 plays a crucial role in regulating apoptosis and survival in various cell types. However, whether miR-211 is involved in regulating neuronal survival during cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury remains unknown. In this study, we aimed to explore the biological role of miR-211 in regulating neuronal injury induced by oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) and transient cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in vitro and in vivo. We found that miR-211 expression was significantly downregulated in PC12 cells in response to OGD/R and in the penumbra of mouse in response to MCAO. Overexpression of miR-211 alleviated OGD/R-induced PC12 cell apoptosis, whereas miR-211 inhibition facilitated OGD/R-induced PC12 cell apoptosis in vitro. Moreover, overexpression of miR-211 reduced infarct volumes, neurologic score, and neuronal apoptosis in vivo, whereas miR-211 inhibition increased infarct volumes, neurologic score and neuronal apoptosis in vivo. Notably, our results identified P53-up-regulated modulator of apoptosis (PUMA) as a target gene of miR-211. Our findings suggested that miR-211 may protect against MCAO injury by targeting PUMA in rats, which paves a potential new way for the therapy of cerebral I/R injury.

SIRT1 is a key regulatory target for the treatment of the endoplasmic reticulum stress-related organ damage

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is an evolutionarily conserved adaptive response that contributes to deal with the misfolded or unfolded protein in the lumen of the ER and restore the ER homeostasis. However, excessive and prolonged ER stress can trigger the cell-death signaling pathway which causes cell death, usually in the form of apoptosis. It is generally accepted that inappropriate cellular apoptosis and a series of the subsequent inflammatory response and oxidative stress can cause disturbance of normal physiological functions and organ damage. A lot of evidence shows that the excessive activation of the ER stress contributes to the pathogenesis of many kinds of diseases and inhibiting the inappropriate stress is of great significance for maintaining the normal physiological function. In recent years, Sirtuin1 (SIRT1) has become a research hotspot on ER stress. As a master regulator of ER stress, increasing evidence suggests that SIRT1 plays a positive role in a variety of ER stress-induced organ damage via multiple mechanisms, including inhibiting cellular apoptosis and promoting autophagy. Furthermore, a lot of factors have shown effective regulation of SIRT1, which indicates the feasibility of treating SIRT1 as a target for the treatment of ER stress-related diseases. We summarize and reveal the molecular mechanisms underlying the protective effect of SIRT1 in multiple ER stress-mediated organ damage in this review. We also summed up the possible adjustment mechanism of SIRT1, which provides a theoretical basis for the treatment of ER stress-related diseases.

Bioinformatics-Based Study to Investigate Potential Differentially Expressed Genes and miRNAs in Pediatric Sepsis

BACKGROUND Sepsis is an extremely common health issue with a considerable mortality rate in children. Our understanding about the pathogenic mechanisms of sepsis is limited. The aim of this study was to identify the differential expression genes (DEGs) in pediatric sepsis through comprehensive analysis, and to provide specific insights for the clinical sepsis therapies in children. MATERIAL AND METHODS Three pediatric gene expression profiles (GSE25504, GSE26378, GSE26440) were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The difference expression genes (DEGs) between pediatric sepsis and normal control group were screened with the GEO2R online tool. The Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses of the DEGs were performed. Cytoscape with CytoHubba were used to identify the hub genes. Finally, NetworkAnalyst was used to construct the targeted microRNAs (miRNAs) of the hub genes. RESULTS Totally, 160 overlapping upward genes and 61 downward genes were identified. In addition, 5 KEGG pathways, including hematopoietic cell lineage, Staphylococcus aureus infection, starch and sucrose metabolism, osteoclast differentiation, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) signaling pathway, were significantly enriched using a database for labeling, visualization, and synthetic discovery. In combination with the results of the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and CytoHubba, 9 hub genes including ITGAM, TLR8, IL1ß, MMP9, MPO, FPR2, ELANE, SPI1, and C3AR1 were selected. Combined with DEG-miRNAs visualization, 5 miRNAs, including has-miR-204-5p, has-miR-211-5p, has-miR-590-5p, and has-miR-21-5p, were predicted as possibly the key miRNAs. CONCLUSIONS Our findings will contribute to identification of potential biomarkers and novel strategies for pediatric sepsis treatment.

Endogenous miR-204 Protects the Kidney against Chronic Injury in Hypertension and Diabetes

BACKGROUND

Aberrant microRNA (miRNA) expression affects biologic processes and downstream genes that are crucial to CKD initiation or progression. The miRNA miR-204-5p is highly expressed in the kidney but whether miR-204-5p plays any role in the development of chronic renal injury is unknown.

METHODS

We used real-time PCR to determine levels of miR-204 in human kidney biopsies and animal models. We generated Mir204 knockout mice and used locked nucleic acid-modified anti-miR to knock down miR-204-5p in mice and rats. We used a number of physiologic, histologic, and molecular techniques to analyze the potential role of miR-204-5p in three models of renal injury.

RESULTS

Kidneys of patients with hypertension, hypertensive nephrosclerosis, or diabetic nephropathy exhibited a significant decrease in miR-204-5p compared with controls. Dahl salt-sensitive rats displayed lower levels of renal miR-204-5p compared with partially protected congenic SS.13^BN26 rats. Administering anti-miR-204-5p to SS.13^BN26 rats exacerbated interlobular artery thickening and renal interstitial fibrosis. In a mouse model of hypertensive renal injury induced by uninephrectomy, angiotensin II, and a high-salt diet, Mir204 gene knockout significantly exacerbated albuminuria, renal interstitial fibrosis, and interlobular artery thickening, despite attenuation of hypertension. In diabetic db/db mice, administering anti-miR-204-5p exacerbated albuminuria and cortical fibrosis without influencing blood glucose levels. In all three models, inhibiting miR-204-5p or deleting Mir204 led to upregulation of protein tyrosine phosphatase SHP2, a target gene of miR-204-5p, and increased phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3, or STAT3, which is an injury-promoting effector of SHP2.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings indicate that the highly expressed miR-204-5p plays a prominent role in safeguarding the kidneys against common causes of chronic renal injury.

Xuebijing Injection Maintains GRP78 Expression to Prevent Candida albicans-Induced Epithelial Death in the Kidney

Sepsis and septic shock threaten the survival of millions of patients in the intensive care unit. Secondary fungal infections significantly increased the risk of mortality in sepsis patients. Chinese medicine Xuebijing injection (XBJ) has been routinely used as an add-on treatment to sepsis and septic shock in China. Our network pharmacology analysis predicted that XBJ also influences fungal infection, consisting with results of pioneer clinical studies. We conducted in vivo and in vitro experiments to verify this prediction. To our surprise, XBJ rescued mice from lethal Candida sepsis in a disseminated Candida albicans infection model and abolished the colonization of C. albicans in kidneys. Although XBJ did not inhibit the growth and the virulence of C. albicans in vitro, it enhanced the viability of 293T cells upon C. albicans insults. Further RNA-seq analysis revealed that XBJ activated the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress pathway upon C. albicans infection. Western blot confirmed that XBJ maintained the expression of GRP78 in the presence of C. albicans. Interestingly, key active ingredients in XBJ (C0127) mirrored the effects of XBJ. C0127 not only rescued mice from lethal Candida sepsis and prevented the colonization of C. albicans in kidneys, but also sustained the survival of kidney epithelial cells partially by maintaining the expression of GRP78. These results suggested that XBJ may prevent fungal infection in sepsis patients. Pre-activation of ER stress pathway is a novel strategy to control C. albicans infection. Network pharmacology may accelerate drug development in the field of infectious diseases.

Interactions between immune response to fungal infection and microRNAs: The pioneer tuners

Due to their physiological and biological characteristics, numerous fungi are potentially emerging pathogens. Active dynamicity of fungal pathogens causes life-threatening infections annually impose high costs to the health systems. Although immune responses play crucial roles in controlling the fate of fungal infections, immunocompromised patients are at high risk with high mortality. Tuning the immune response against fungal infections might be an effective strategy for controlling and reducing the pathological damages. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are known as the master regulators of immune response. These single-stranded tuners (18-23 bp non-coding RNAs) are endogenously expressed by all metazoan eukaryotes and have emerged as the master gene expression controllers of at least 30% human genes. In this review article, following the review of biology and physiology (biogenesis and mechanism of actions) of miRNAs and immune response against fungal infections, the interactions between them were scrutinised. In conclusion, miRNAs might be considered as one of the potential goals in immunotherapy for fungal infections. Undoubtedly, advanced studies in this field, further identifying of miRNA roles in governing the immune response, pave the way for inclusion of miRNA-related immunotherapeutic in the treatment of life-threatening fungal infections.

microRNA-211 regulates cell proliferation, apoptosis and migration/invasion in human osteosarcoma via targeting EZRIN

Background

In recent years, microRNA-211 (miR211) has been considered as a tumor suppressor in multiple malignancies. However, the function of miR211 in human osteosarcoma has not been explored intensively so far. In this study, the relationship between miR211 and EZRIN was analyzed in human osteosarcoma.

Methods

The expression levels of miR211 and EZRIN were measured in both human osteosarcoma cells and tissues. The direct regulatory relationship between miR211 and EZRIN was evaluated using dual-luciferase assay. The effect of miR211 and EZRIN overexpression on cell proliferation, migration/invasion, and apoptosis was detected.

Results

The expression of miR211 was obviously lower in osteosarcoma tissues than paracancerous tissues. EZRIN was identified as the direct target of miR211, and up-regulation of miR211 increased the percentage of cell apoptosis, and suppressed cell proliferation as well as cell migration/invasion via directly regulating EZRIN.

Conclusions

Our study indicated that miR211 has an important role in the development and progress of osteosarcoma, and it might become a novel target in the diagnosis and treatment of human osteosarcoma.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s11658-019-0173-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Non-coding RNA-Associated ceRNA Networks in a New Contrast-Induced Acute Kidney Injury Rat Model

Contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) is a severe complication of intravascular applied radial contrast media, and recent progress in interventional therapy and angiography has revived interest in explaining detailed mechanisms and developing effective treatment. Recent studies have indicated a potential link between CI-AKI and microRNA (miRNA). However, the potential non-coding RNA-associated-competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) pairs involved in CI-AKI still remain unclear. In this study, we systematically explored the circRNA or lncRNA-associated-ceRNA mechanism in a new rat model of CI-AKI through deep RNA sequencing. The results revealed that the expression of 38 circRNAs, 12 lncRNAs, 13 miRNAs and 127 mRNAs were significantly dysregulated. We performed Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analyses for mRNAs with significantly different expression and then constructed comprehensive circRNA or lncRNA-associated ceRNA networks in kidney of CI-AKI rats. Thereafter, two constructed ceRNA regulatory pathways in this CI-AKI rat model—novel_circ_0004153/rno-miR-144-3p/Gpnmb or Naglu and LNC_000343/rno-miR-1956-5p/KCP—were validated by real-time qPCR. This study is the first one to provide a systematic dissection of non-coding RNA-associated ceRNA profiling in kidney of CI-AKI rats. The selected non-coding RNA-associated ceRNA networks provide new insight for the underlying mechanism and may profoundly affect the diagnosis and therapy of CI-AKI.

Overexpression of microRNA-204-5p alleviates renal ischemia-reperfusion injury in mice through blockage of Fas/FasL pathway

The multiple roles of microRNA-204-5p (miR-204-5p) in numerous types of cancer have been reported, but its function in renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (RIRI) remains unclear. In this study, we aim to explore whether miR-204-5p was implicated in the RIRI in mice via regulating the Fas/Fas ligand (FasL) pathway. Firstly, the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database was used to screen RIRI-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Then, RIRI mouse model was established, and the role of miR-204-5p and FasL in RIRI was explored by ectopic expression, depletion and reporter assay experiments. The blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine (Scr) levels in serum, as well as superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in renal tissues of mice were also measured. Afterwards, the regulatory role of miR-204-5p on Fas/FasL pathway in RIRI was investigated. Renal tissues from RIRI mice showed lower miR-204-5p expression and higher Fas and FasL expression. FasL was identified as a direct target gene of miR-204-5p. In addition, the increased levels of BUN, Scr and MDA, as well as decreased levels of SOD and GSH-Px in RIRI mice were reversed by elevation of miR-204-5p and blockage of the Fas/FasL pathway. Taken together, this study demonstrated that increased miR-204-5p might suppress RIRI in mice through suppressing Fas/FasL pathway by targeting FasL.

MicroRNA-204-5p suppresses IL6-mediated inflammatory response and chemokine generation in HK-2 renal tubular epithelial cells by targeting IL6R

During the pathogenetic process of varied kidney diseases, renal tubules are the major sites in response to detrimental insults, including pro-inflammatory stimuli. MicroRNA-204-5p (miR-204-5p) can be detected in the renal tubular epithelial cells in the normal kidney; its expression, however, is downregulated in the kidney with pathological changes. This study aimed to investigate the role of miR-204-5p in interleukin 6 (IL6) mediated inflammatory response and chemokine production in HK-2 renal tubular cells. In HK-2 cells, the expression of miR-204-5p was downregulated in response to exogenous pro-inflammatory stimulus, tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα), or IL1β, while that of IL6 receptor α (IL6R) was upregulated. Dual-luciferase results confirmed that miRNA-204-5p directly targeted IL6R. In addition to suppressing IL6R expression, miRNA-204-5p agomir also inhibited the phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) in HK-2 cells exposed to exogenous IL6. Further, miRNA-204-5p suppressed the overproduction of pro-inflammatory mediators (cyclooxygenase 2 and prostaglandin E2) and chemokines (C–C motif chemokine ligand 2 and C–X–C motif chemokine ligand 8). The anti-inflammatory effects of miRNA-204-5p were attenuated when IL6R was reexpressed in HK-2 cells. Collectively, our study reveals that miR-204-5p inhibits the inflammation and chemokine generation in renal tubular epithelial cells by modulating the IL6/IL6R axis.

The Implications of the Long Non-Coding RNA NEAT1 in Non-Cancerous Diseases

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in a variety of biological and cellular processes as well as in physiologic and pathophysiologic events. This review summarizes recent literature about the role of the lncRNA nuclear enriched abundant transcript 1 (NEAT1) in non-cancerous diseases with a special focus on viral infections and neurodegenerative diseases. In contrast to its role as competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) in carcinogenesis, NEAT1's function in non-cancerous diseases predominantly focuses on paraspeckle-mediated effects on gene expression. This involves processes such as nuclear retention of mRNAs or sequestration of paraspeckle proteins from specific promoters, resulting in transcriptional induction or repression of genes involved in regulating the immune system or neurodegenerative processes. NEAT1 expression is aberrantly-mostly upregulated-in non-cancerous pathological conditions, indicating that it could serve as potential prognostic biomarker. Additional studies are needed to elucidate NEAT1's capability to be a therapeutic target for non-cancerous diseases.

Heme oxygenase-1 as a potential therapeutic target in rheumatic diseases

BACKGROUND

Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), a cellular stress protein, serves a vital metabolic function as the rate-limiting enzyme in the degradation of heme to generate carbon monoxide (CO), iron, and biliverdin (BR). HO-1 may function as one of the most momentous factors of cell adaptation to oxidase stress, as well as a regulator of inflammatory signaling programs through the generation of its biologically active end products. Intensive investigation is now focusing on the potential function of HO-1 in inflammatory disorders, among which rheumatic diseases are one of the principal issues.

METHODS

"Heme oxygenase-1", "rheumatic diseases"; "lupus", "rheumatic arthritis", "osteoarthritis" and "oxidative stress" were used as key words for searching in Pubmed and Google scholar database.

RESULTS

Collected information from the related articles revealed the important role of pathogenesis and therapeutic potential of HO-1 in rheumatic diseases. Conclusions and discussions HO-1 has potential as a target for the treatment of rheumatic diseases due to its characteristic anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative role. However, it is essential to monitor the HO-1 expression during particular stage of the disorders, and levels of HO-1 in different tissues and organs should be further confirmed in order to correlate it with clinical symptoms and other hallmarks of rheumatic diseases.

Propofol attenuates sepsis-induced acute kidney injury by regulating miR-290-5p/CCL-2 signaling pathway

Previous studies have indicated that propofol has immunomodulatory and antioxidative properties. However, the renoprotection effect and the precise mechanisms of propofol in sepsis-induced renal injury remain unclear. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the role of miR-290-5p/CCL-2 signaling in septic mice treatment with propofol. Mice were treated with propofol (50 mg/kg) twice within 24 h. Survival outcome was monitored within 48 h. The mRNA and protein levels were assayed by qRT-PCR and western blotting, respectively. Mouse podocytes (MPC5) were treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to establish the cell model in vitro. The proliferation of MPC5 was monitored using the MTS assay. Cell apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry. Propofol improved survival outcome and alleviated acute kidney injury in cecal ligation and puncture-operated mice. Propofol increased miR-290-5p expression and decreased CCL-2 and inflammatory cytokines levels in the kidney for septic mice. We found that miR-290-5p was a direct regulator of CCL-2 in MPC5. Propofol could abrogate LPS-induced growth inhibition and apoptosis in MPC5. Meanwhile, propofol inhibited CCL-2 expression in LPS-treated MPC5, however, knockdown of miR-290-5p abrogated the inhibitory effect propofol on the mRNA and protein expressions of CCL-2. Propofol could serve as an effective therapeutic medication to suppress sepsis-induced renal injury in vivo and in vitro by regulating the miR-290-5p/CCL-2 signaling pathway.

Downregulation of long noncoding RNA Sox2ot protects PC-12 cells from hydrogen peroxide-induced injury in spinal cord injury via regulating the miR-211-myeloid cell leukemia-1 isoform2 axis

This study aimed to investigate the effects and possible mechanisms of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) Sox2 overlapping transcript (Sox2ot) on hydrogen peroxide (H₂ O₂ )-induced injury in pheochromocytoma (PC-12) cells. PC-12 cells were treated with H₂ O₂ to cell injury. The cells were transfected with short-hairpin RNA directed against Sox2ot (sh-Sox2ot), small interfering RNA directed against myeloid cell leukemia-1 (MCL-1) isoform2 (si-MCL-1), a miR-211 mimic, a miR-211 inhibitor, and their negative controls. Under different transfected treatments, cell viability, migration, invasion, and apoptosis as well as the expressions of apoptosis- and autophagy-related proteins were investigated. Besides, the regulatory relationships between Sox2ot and miR-211, miR-211 and MCL-1, as well as between MCL-1 and the protein kinase B (Akt)/mammalian target of the rapamycin (mTOR)/p70 ribosomal S6 protein kinase (p70S6K) signaling pathway were explored. Suppression of Sox2ot inhibited H₂ O₂ -induced PC-12 cell injury by increasing cell viability, migration, invasion, and decreasing apoptosis and autophagy. Moreover, suppression of Sox2ot increased miR-211 expression and alleviated H₂ O₂ -induced injury in PC-12 cells possibly via upregulation of miR-211. Furthermore, MCL-1 isoform2 was identified as a direct target of miR-211 and could be negatively regulated by miR-211. Suppression of miR-211 aggravated H₂ O₂ -induced cell injury by regulation of MCL-1 isoform2. Besides, inhibition of miR-211 suppressed the activation of the Akt/mTOR/p70S6K signaling pathway in H₂ O₂ -treated PC-12 cells, which was reversed after knockdown of MCL-1 isoform2 at the same time. Our findings indicate that downregulation of Sox2ot may protect PC-12 cells from H₂ O₂ -induced injury in SCI via targeting the miR-211/MCL-1 isoform2 axis. MCL-1 isoform2 may further regulate the activation of the Akt/mTOR/p70S6K pathway to mediate H₂ O₂ -induced injury. The Sox2ot-miR-211-MCL-1 isoform2 axis may be a promising therapeutic strategy for SCI.

miR-124/MCP-1 signaling pathway modulates the protective effect of itraconazole on acute kidney injury in a mouse model of disseminated candidiasis

Previous studies have indicated that monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP‑1), also referred to as C‑C motif chemokine ligand 2, has a significant role in the pathogenesis of sepsis, however, how microRNAs (miRs) contribute to this process remains to be fully elucidated. In the present study, using a mouse model of disseminated candidiasis, the renoprotective effect of itraconazole (ITR) and adenovirus‑delivered miR‑124 was investigated. The mice were treated with ITR (50 mg/kg) or transfected with miR‑124 mimics via tail‑vein injection 7 days prior to Candida albicans infection. The survival outcome was monitored following candidiasis‑induced sepsis with ITR or miR‑124 mimics treatment. The levels of pro‑inflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor‑α (TNF‑α), interleukin‑1β (IL‑1β) and IL‑6, were determined using enzyme‑linked immunosorbent assays. The mRNA and protein levels were assayed using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analyses, respectively. The results showed that ITR and miR‑124 mimics improved the survival outcome in candidiasis‑induced septic mice. The findings also indicated a significant downregulation in the serum levels of TNF‑α, IL‑1β and IL‑6 in the septic mice treated with ITR or miR‑124 mimics. Of note, ITR treatment significantly increased the expression of miR‑124 and decreased the levels of MCP‑1 in the kidneys of the septic mice. It was also shown that the overexpression of miR‑124 reduced the expression of MCP‑1 and attenuated candidiasis‑induced acute kidney injury (AKI) in septic mice. Transfection with miR‑124 mimics was equivalent to ITR in reducing the excessive inflammatory response and renal lesions in septic mice. These results provided evidence supporting the use of miR‑124 mimics as a therapeutic approach for attenuating candidiasis-induced AKI.

Role of microRNA in the detection, progression, and intervention of acute kidney injury

Acute kidney injury, characterized by sharply decreased renal function, is a common and important complication in hospitalized patients. The pathological mechanism of acute kidney injury is mainly related to immune activation and inflammation. Given the high morbidity and mortality rates of hospitalized patients with acute kidney injury, the identification of biomarkers useful for assessing risk, making an early diagnosis, evaluating the prognosis, and classifying the injury severity is urgently needed. Furthermore, investigation into the development of acute kidney injury and potential therapeutic targets is required. While microRNA was first discovered in Caenorhabditis elegans, Gary Ruvkun's laboratory identified the first microRNA target gene. Together, these two important findings confirmed the existence of a novel post-transcriptional gene regulatory mechanism. Considering that serum creatinine tests often fail in the early detection of AKI, testing for microRNAs as early diagnostic biomarkers has shown great potential. Numerous studies have identified microRNAs that can serve as biomarkers for the detection of acute kidney injury. In addition, as microRNAs can control the expression of multiple proteins through hundreds or thousands of targets influencing multiple signaling pathways, the number of studies on the functions of microRNAs in AKI progression is increasing. Here, we mainly focus on research into microRNAs as biomarkers and explorations of their functions in acute kidney injury. Impact statement Firstly, we have discussed the potential advantages and limitations of miRNA as biomarkers. Secondly, we have summarized the role of miRNA in the progress of AKI. Finally, we have made a vision of miRNA's potential and advantages as therapeutic target intervention AKI.

Identification of differential plasma miRNA profiles in Chinese workers with occupational lead exposure

Elevated lead absorptions are hazardous factors in lead-related workers. Previous studies have found its toxic impacts on nervous, circulatory, and metabolic systems. We hypothesized that alteration of miRNAs profile in plasma was closely associated with lead exposure. We analyzed to identify lead-related miRNAs in workers occupationally exposed to lead. Microarray assay was performed to detect plasma miRNA between workers with high and minimal lead exposure in the discovery stage. The following prediction of miRNAs' candidate target genes was carried out by using miRecords, STRING, and KEGG databases. We finally identified four miRNAs significantly associated with high level of blood lead. miR-520c-3p (*P=0.014), miR-211 (*P=0.019), and miR-148a (*P=0.031) were downexpressed in workers with high lead exposure and with high blood lead level (BLL), while miR-572(*P=0.027) displayed an opposite profile. Functional analysis of miRNAs displayed that these miRNAs could trigger different cellular genes and pathways. People under chronic lead exposure had a diverse 'fingerprint' plasma miRNA profile. Our study suggested that miR-520c-3p, miR-211, miR-148a, and miR-572 were the potential biomarkers for lead susceptibility in Chinese.

Differential expression of urinary exosomal microRNAs in IgA nephropathy

BACKGROUND

Immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) is the most common type of primary glomerulonephritis in the world. Reliable biomarkers are required for the non-invasive diagnosis and monitoring of IgAN. This study aims to investigate the difference in urinary exosomal microRNA (miRNA) expression profiles between patients with IgA nephropathy (IgAN) and healthy controls, which may provide clues to identify novel potential non-invasive miRNA biomarkers for renal diseases.

METHODS

Urine samples were collected from eighteen healthy controls and eighteen patients with IgAN. Differential centrifugation was performed to isolate exosomes from urine samples. High-throughput sequencing and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) were sequentially used to screen and further validate miRNA expression profiles in urinary exosomes of patients with IgAN in two independent cohorts.

RESULTS

Urinary exosomes were successfully isolated to obtain exosomal miRNAs. MiR-215-5p and miR-378i were significantly upregulated in urinary exosomes of patients with IgAN compared with healthy controls (P<.01), while miR-29c and miR-205-5p were significantly downregulated (P<.05). MiR-215-5p, miR-378i, miR-365b-3p and miR-135b-5p were found to have altered expression in patients with IgAN from validation cohorts, which was consistent with the high-throughput sequencing analysis.

CONCLUSION

This study suggests that there is a significant difference in urinary exosomal miRNA profiles between patients with IgAN and healthy controls. These exosomal miRNAs, such as miR-29c, miR-146a and miR-205 may potentially serve as novel non-invasive biomarkers for IgAN.

Identification and Characterization of MicroRNA Differentially Expressed in Macrophages Exposed to Porphyromonas gingivalis Infection

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short, noncoding RNAs involved in the regulation of several processes associated with inflammatory diseases and infection. Bacterial infection modulates miRNA expression to subvert any innate immune response. In this study we analyzed, using microarray analysis, the bacterial modulation of miRNAs in bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMMs) in which activity was induced by infection with Porphyromonas gingivalis The expression of several miRNAs was modulated 3 h postinfection (at a multiplicity of infection of 25). A bioinformatic analysis was performed to further identify pathways related to the innate immune host response under the influence of selected miRNAs. To assess the effects of the miRNAs identified on cytokine secretion (tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNF-α] and interleukin-10 [IL-10]), BMMs were transfected with selected miRNA mimics and inhibitors. Transfection with mmu-miR-155 and mmu-miR-2137 did not modify TNF-α secretion, while their inhibitors increased it. Inhibitors of mmu-miR-2137 and mmu-miR-7674 increased the secretion of the anti-inflammatory factor IL-10. In P. gingivalis-infected BMMs, mmu-miR-155-5p significantly decreased TNF-α secretion while inhibitor of mmu-miR-2137 increased IL-10 secretion. In vivo, in a mouse model of P. gingivalis-induced calvarial bone resorption, injection of mmu-miR-155-5p or anti-mmu-miR-2137 reduced the size of the lesion significantly. Furthermore, anti-mmu-miR-2137 significantly reduced inflammatory cell infiltration, osteoclast activity, and bone loss. Bioinformatic analysis demonstrated that pathways related to cytokine- and chemokine-related pathways but also osteoclast differentiation may be involved in the effects observed. This study contributes further to our understanding of P. gingivalis-induced modulation of miRNAs and their physiological effects. It highlights the potential therapeutic merits of targeting mmu-miR-155-5p and mmu-miR-2137 to control inflammation induced by P. gingivalis infection.

Sirtuin1 protects endothelial Caveolin-1 expression and preserves endothelial function via suppressing miR-204 and endoplasmic reticulum stress

Sirtuin1 (Sirt1) is a class III histone deacetylase that regulates a variety of physiological processes, including endothelial function. Caveolin1 (Cav1) is also an important determinant of endothelial function. We asked if Sirt1 governs endothelial Cav1 and endothelial function by regulating miR-204 expression and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Knockdown of Sirt1 in endothelial cells, and in vivo deletion of endothelial Sirt1, induced endothelial ER stress and miR-204 expression, reduced Cav1, and impaired endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation. All of these effects were reversed by a miR-204 inhibitor (miR-204 I) or with overexpression of Cav1. A miR-204 mimic (miR-204 M) decreased Cav1 in endothelial cells. In addition, high-fat diet (HFD) feeding induced vascular miR-204 and reduced endothelial Cav1. MiR-204-I protected against HFD-induced downregulation of endothelial Cav1. Moreover, pharmacologic induction of ER stress with tunicamycin downregulated endothelial Cav1 and impaired endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation that was rescued by overexpressing Cav1. In conclusion, Sirt1 preserves Cav1-dependent endothelial function by mitigating miR-204-mediated vascular ER stress.

Preliminary evaluation of circulating microRNAs as potential biomarkers in paracoccidioidomycosis

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small RNAs (length, 19-24 nucleotides) that regulate gene expression by either mRNA degradation or translational inhibition of proteins. Circulating miRNAs, which are extremely stable and protected from RNAse-mediated degradation in body fluids, have appeared as candidate biomarkers for numerous diseases. However, little is known about circulating miRNAs in fungal infections. Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) is caused by the Paracoccidioides species, and is endemic in Central and South America, with predominance in adult male workers from rural areas. The current study aimed to identify a serum miRNA expression profile that could serve as a novel diagnostic biomarker for PCM. Total RNA was isolated and the levels of circulating miRNAs were compared between patients with PCM and healthy control subjects using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Bioinformatic analysis was used to evaluate the potential roles of these miRNAs in PCM. Eight miRNAs were differentially expressed in serum samples from patients with PCM. These miRNAs are associated with apoptosis and immune response. The identified miRNAs facilitate with understanding the regulatory mechanisms involved in the host-parasite interaction of PCM. Furthermore, considering that the diagnosis of PCM presents difficulties, these miRNAs may serve as novel biomarkers for this disease.

The involvement of regulatory non-coding RNAs in sepsis: a systematic review

Background

Sepsis coincides with altered gene expression in different tissues. Accumulating evidence has suggested that microRNAs, long non-coding RNAs, and circular RNAs are important molecules involved in the crosstalk with various pathways pertinent to innate immunity, mitochondrial functions, and apoptosis.

Methods

We searched articles indexed in PubMed (MEDLINE), EMBASE and Europe PubMed Central databases using the Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) or Title/Abstract words (“microRNA”, “long non-coding RNA”, “circular RNA”, “sepsis” and/or “septic shock”) from inception to Sep 2016. Studies investigating the role of host-derived microRNA, long non-coding RNA, and circular RNA in the pathogenesis of and as biomarkers or therapeutics in sepsis were included. Data were extracted in terms of the role of non-coding RNAs in pathogenesis, and their applicability for use as biomarkers or therapeutics in sepsis. Two independent researchers assessed the quality of studies using a modified guideline from the Systematic Review Center for Laboratory animal Experimentation (SYRCLE), a tool based on the Cochrane Collaboration Risk of Bias tool.

Results

Observational studies revealed dysregulation of non-coding RNAs in septic patients. Experimental studies confirmed their crosstalk with JNK/NF-κB and other cellular pathways pertinent to innate immunity, mitochondrial function, and apoptosis. Of the included studies, the SYRCLE scores ranged from 3 to 7 (average score of 4.55). This suggests a moderate risk of bias. Of the 10 articles investigating non-coding RNAs as biomarkers, none of them included a validation cohort. Selective reporting of sensitivity, specificity, and receiver operating curve was common.

Conclusions

Although non-coding RNAs appear to be good candidates as biomarkers and therapeutics for sepsis, their differential expression across tissues complicated the process. Further investigation on organ-specific delivery of these regulatory molecules may be useful.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13054-016-1555-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

miR-211 suppresses hepatocellular carcinoma by downregulating SATB2

Dysregulation of microRNAs (miRs) is involved in carcinogenesis. Deregulation of miR-211 has recently been observed in many tumors, but its function in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is still unknown. Here we found that miR-211 was decreased in HCC cancer tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues. We also found that overexpression of miR-211 repressed proliferation and invasion in HepG2 and SMMC7721 cells. Luciferase reporter assays and western blot indicated that special AT-rich sequence-binding protein-2 (SATB2), is a direct target of miR-211. The expression of SATB2 was upregulated in HCC cancer tissues and cell lines and miR-211 levels inversely correlated with SATB2 levels in HCC. Importantly, SATB2 rescued the miR-211-mediated inhibition of cell invasion and proliferation. Finally, reintroduction of miR-211 repressed tumor formation of HCC in xenograft mice. This study provides insights into molecular mechanisms that miR-211 contributed to HCC.

MicroRNA-211 causes ganglion cell dysplasia in congenital intestinal atresia via down-regulation of glial-derived neurotrophic factor

BACKGROUND

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are known to be involved in normal brain functions and nervous system diseases. Some evidence have pointed to the dysregulation of miRNAs in congenital intestinal atresia. In this study, we investigated the differential expression of miRNAs and the posttranscriptional regulation of glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) by endogenous miRNA in congenital intestinal atresia.

METHODS

Quantitative real-time PCR and a Western blot were performed to determine the regulation of miRNA and GDNF in patients with congenital intestinal atresia. The results were verified in rat model of intestinal atresia and bone marrow derived stem cell BMSCs-derived into intestinal ganglion cells. The effects of miRNA and GDNF on the cell proliferation and apoptosis of isolated intestinal ganglion cells were detected with an 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay and a terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay, respectively.

KEY RESULTS

Only miR-211 was greatly up-regulated in the patients with congenital intestinal atresia. The other miRNAs examined showed no change. Overexpression of miR-211 suppressed the differentiation of BMSCs into intestinal ganglion cells. In retinal ganglion cells (RGC-5 cells), miR-211 regulated the expression of GDNF. The MTT and TUNEL assays revealed that miR-211 overexpression suppressed the cell proliferation of isolated intestinal ganglion cells and that GDNF overexpression reversed the effect of pre-miR-211 on cell proliferation and apoptosis.

CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES

Our results indicate that overexpression of miR-211 suppresses the differentiation of BMSCs into intestinal ganglion cells by directly down-regulating the expression of GDNF. The findings elucidate the role of miRNA in congenital intestinal atresia.

Targeting heme oxygenase-1 and carbon monoxide for therapeutic modulation of inflammation

The heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) enzyme system remains an attractive therapeutic target for the treatment of inflammatory conditions. HO-1, a cellular stress protein, serves a vital metabolic function as the rate-limiting step in the degradation of heme to generate carbon monoxide (CO), iron, and biliverdin-IXα (BV), the latter which is converted to bilirubin-IXα (BR). HO-1 may function as a pleiotropic regulator of inflammatory signaling programs through the generation of its biologically active end products, namely CO, BV and BR. CO, when applied exogenously, can affect apoptotic, proliferative, and inflammatory cellular programs. Specifically, CO can modulate the production of proinflammatory or anti-inflammatory cytokines and mediators. HO-1 and CO may also have immunomodulatory effects with respect to regulating the functions of antigen-presenting cells, dendritic cells, and regulatory T cells. Therapeutic strategies to modulate HO-1 in disease include the application of natural-inducing compounds and gene therapy approaches for the targeted genetic overexpression or knockdown of HO-1. Several compounds have been used therapeutically to inhibit HO activity, including competitive inhibitors of the metalloporphyrin series or noncompetitive isoform-selective derivatives of imidazole-dioxolanes. The end products of HO activity, CO, BV and BR may be used therapeutically as pharmacologic treatments. CO may be applied by inhalation or through the use of CO-releasing molecules. This review will discuss HO-1 as a therapeutic target in diseases involving inflammation, including lung and vascular injury, sepsis, ischemia-reperfusion injury, and transplant rejection.

MiR-204 is responsible for inherited retinal dystrophy associated with ocular coloboma

Ocular developmental disorders, including the group classified as microphthalmia, anophthalmia, and coloboma (MAC) and inherited retinal dystrophies, collectively represent leading causes of hereditary blindness. Characterized by extreme genetic and clinical heterogeneity, the separate groups share many common genetic causes, in particular relating to pathways controlling retinal and retinal pigment epithelial maintenance. To understand these shared pathways and delineate the overlap between these groups, we investigated the genetic cause of an autosomal dominantly inherited condition of retinal dystrophy and bilateral coloboma, present in varying degrees in a large, five-generation family. By linkage analysis and exome sequencing, we identified a previously undescribed heterozygous mutation, n.37 C > T, in the seed region of microRNA-204 (miR-204), which segregates with the disease in all affected individuals. We demonstrated that this mutation determines significant alterations of miR-204 targeting capabilities via in vitro assays, including transcriptome analysis. In vivo injection, in medaka fish (Oryzias latipes), of the mutated miR-204 caused a phenotype consistent with that observed in the family, including photoreceptor alterations with reduced numbers of both cones and rods as a result of increased apoptosis, thereby confirming the pathogenic effect of the n.37 C > T mutation. Finally, knockdown assays in medaka fish demonstrated that miR-204 is necessary for normal photoreceptor function. Overall, these data highlight the importance of miR-204 in the regulation of ocular development and maintenance and provide the first evidence, to our knowledge, of its contribution to eye disease, likely through a gain-of-function mechanism.

Epigenetic code and potential epigenetic-based therapies against chronic diseases in developmental origins

Accumulated findings have demonstrated that the epigenetic code provides a potential link between prenatal stress and changes in gene expression that could be involved in the developmental programming of various chronic diseases in later life. Meanwhile, based on the fact that epigenetic modifications are reversible and can be manipulated, this provides a unique chance to develop multiple novel epigenetic-based therapeutic strategies against many chronic diseases in early developmental periods. This article will give a short review of recent findings of prenatal insult-induced epigenetic changes in developmental origins of several chronic diseases, and will attempt to provide an overview of the current epigenetic-based strategies applied in the early prevention, diagnosis and possible therapies for human chronic diseases.