Analysis of lncRNA expression profiles in non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) and their clinical subtypes

The potential of targeting autophagy-related non-coding RNAs in the treatment of lung cancer

Lung cancer is the most prevalent malignant tumor worldwide and remains the leading cause of cancer-related mortality. Despite advances in treatment development, lung cancer patients often face poor quality of life and low survival rates. Increasing evidence highlights the significant roles of autophagy and non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in the initiation, progression, and therapeutic response of lung cancer. Autophagy and ncRNAs can function as both tumor-promoting and tumor-suppressing factors in lung cancer. Therefore, investigating the roles of autophagy and ncRNAs in lung cancer provides valuable insights into its pathophysiology. At the same time, non-coding RNA also plays an important role in regulating autophagy. This study reveals that autophagy affects the occurrence and development of lung cancer through multiple pathways. Then, we also studied that in lung cancer, ncRNAs (e.g., lncRNAs, miRNAs, circRNAs and piRNAs) can regulate autophagy to promote or inhibit tumorigenesis, metastasis and drug resistance in lung cancer. Finally, the problems and solutions of autophagy and ncRNAs in the treatment of lung cancer were explored. These findings suggest that autophagy and ncRNAs can be potential targets for the treatment of lung cancer.

Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde: The multifaceted roles of miR-145-5p in human health and disease

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are classified as small, non-coding RNAs that play crucial roles in diverse biological processes, including cellular development, differentiation, growth, and metabolism. MiRNAs regulate gene expression by recognizing complementary sequences within messenger RNA (mRNA) molecules. Recent studies have revealed that miR-145-5p functions as a tumor suppressor in several cancers, including lung, liver, and breast cancers. Notably, miR-145-5p plays a vital role in the pathophysiology underlying HIV and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases associated with cigarette smoke. This miRNA is abundant in biofluids and shows potential as a biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of several infectious diseases, such as hepatitis B, tuberculosis, and influenza. Additionally, numerous studies have indicated that other non-coding RNAs, including long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs), can regulate miR-145-5p. Given the significance of miR-145-5p, a comprehensive overview focusing on its roles in health and disease is essential. This review discusses the dual role of miR-145-5p as a protagonist and antagonist in important human diseases, with particular emphasis on disorders of the respiratory, digestive, nervous, reproductive, endocrine, and urinary systems.

[Long non-coding RNAs, new therapeutic targets for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancers?]

A better understanding of the molecular mechanisms associated with the aggressiveness and high recurrence rate of non-small cell lung cancers is needed to identify new biomarkers and therapeutic targets to improve patient management. In this context, this review provides a non-exhaustive update on the emerging family of long non-coding RNAs, important regulators of gene expression, frequently deregulated in cancers and in response to hypoxia - an environmental factor that plays an important role in the development, aggressiveness and treatment resistance of these tumors.

Vibrational microspectroscopy as a tool to unveil new chemotherapeutic strategies against osteosarcoma

Over the years, osteosarcoma therapy has had a significative improvement with the use of a multidrug regime strategy, increasing the survival rates from less than 20 % to circa 70 %. Different types of development of new antineoplastic agents are critical to achieve irreversible damage to cancer cells, while preserving the integrity of their healthy counterparts. In the present study, complexes with two and three Pd(II) centres linked by the biogenic polyamines: spermine (Pd2SpmCl4) and spermidine (Pd3Spd2Cl6) were tested against non-malignant (osteoblasts, HOb) and cancer (osteosarcoma, MG-63) human cell lines. Either alone or in combination according to the EURAMOS-1 protocol, they were used versus cisplatin as a drug reference. By evaluating the cytotoxic effects of both therapeutic approaches (single and drug combination) in HOb and MG-63 cell lines, the selective anti-tumoral potential is assessed. To understand the different treatments at a molecular level, Synchrotron Radiation Fourier Transform Infrared and Raman microspectroscopies were applied. Principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis are applied to the vibrational data, revealing the major metabolic changes caused by each drug, which were found to rely on DNA, lipids, and proteins, acting as biomarkers of drug-to-cell impact. The main changes were observed for the B-DNA native conformation to either Z-DNA (higher in the presence of polynuclear complexes) or A-DNA (preferably after cisplatin exposure). Additionally, a higher effect upon variation in proteins content was detected in drug combination when compared to single drug administration proving the efficacy of the EURAMOS-1 protocol with the new drugs tested.

LncRNA HOTTIP regulates TLR4 promoter methylation by recruiting H3K4 methyltransferase MLL1 to affect apoptosis and inflammatory response of fibroblast-like synoviocyte in rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory disease, and the role of HOXA transcript at the distal tip (HOTTIP) in its pathogenesis remains underexplored. This study investigates the mechanism by which HOTTIP influences apoptosis and the inflammatory response of fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS). An RA mouse model was established, and clinical scores were analyzed. Pathological changes in synovial tissues, bone mineral density (BMD) of the paws, serum tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) activity, and TNF-α and IL-1β levels were assessed. FLS were transfected, and cell proliferation and apoptosis were examined. The RNA-pull-down assay determined HOTTIP's interaction with mixed-lineage leukemia 1 (MLL1), while RNA immunoprecipitation assay measured HOTTIP expression pulled down by MLL1. The levels of MLL1 and toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) after MLL1 overexpression based on HOTTIP silencing were determined. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) was performed with H3K4me3 as an antibody, followed by the evaluation of TLR4 expression. HOTTIP expression was elevated in RA mouse synovial tissues. Inhibition of HOTTIP led to reduced clinical scores, inflammatory infiltration, synovial hyperplasia, TRAP activity, and TNF-α and IL-1β levels, along with increased BMD. In vitro Interference with HOTTIP suppressed RA-FLS apoptosis and inflammation. HOTTIP upregulated TLR4 expression by recruiting MLL1 to facilitate TLR4 promoter methylation. MLL1 overexpression reversed HOTTIP silencing-mediated repression of RA-FLS apoptosis. Activation of H3K4 methylation counteracted HOTTIP knockout, ameliorating the inflammatory response. HOTTIP regulates TLR4 expression by recruiting MLL1, leading to TLR4 promoter methylation, thereby suppressing RA-FLS proliferation and inducing cell apoptosis and inflammatory response in RA.

Role of Olive Bioactive Compounds in Respiratory Diseases

Respiratory diseases recently became the leading cause of death worldwide, due to the emergence of COVID-19. The pathogenesis of respiratory diseases is centred around inflammation and oxidative stress. Plant-based alongside synthetic drugs were considered as therapeutics due to their proven nutraceutical value. One such example is the olive, which is a traditional symbol of the MedDiet. Olive bioactive compounds are enriched with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer and antiviral properties. However, there are few studies relating to the beneficial effect of olive bioactive compounds on respiratory diseases. A vague understanding of its molecular action, dosage and bioavailability limits its usefulness for clinical trials about respiratory infections. Hence, our review aims to explore olive bioactive compound's antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties in respiratory disease defence and treatment. Molecular insight into olive compounds' potential for respiratory system protection against inflammation and ensuing infection is also presented. Olive bioactive compounds mainly protect the respiratory system by subsiding proinflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress.

Prenatal diagnosis and mRNA profiles of fetal tetralogy of Fallot

Tetralogy of fallot (TOF) in the fetus is a typical congential heart disease that occurs during the early embryonic period, being characterized by the abnormal development of conus arteriosus. The early diagnosis and prevention of fetal TOF is very important and there is a great need for exploring the pathogenesis of it in clinic. In this study, there were three cases being detected with TOF by fetal echocardiogram and confirmed by autopsy. We characterize the difference of expression of lncRNAs and mRNAs through sequencing analysis of 3 pairs of myocardial tissues of fetal TOF and those of age-matched controls. Compared with normal group, there were 94 differentially expressed lncRNAs and 83 mRNA transcripts in TOF (P < 0.05). Correlation analysis between lncRNA and mRNA further showed that differentially expressed lncRNA can be linked to mRNAs, suggesting the potential regulator role of lncRNA in mRNA expression. Our data serve as a fundamental resource for understanding the disease etiology of TOF.

Diagnostic value of lncRNA HOTAIR as a biomarker for detecting and staging of non-small cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND

Since the role of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) HOTAIR is yet to be established in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), we tried to explore the expression of lncRNA HOTAIR in NSCLC and evaluate the correlation between the combined detection of lncRNA HOTAIR and routine tumour markers and the pathological staging of lung cancer.

METHODS

This study prospectively included 148 patients with NSCLC selected from our hospital from January 2017 to September 2020 as the lung cancer group, and 148 healthy volunteers who referred for physical examination were selected as the control group. Fluorescence in situ hybridisation was used to detect the expression of lncRNA HOTAIR in the cancerous tissues and adjacent tissues of lung cancer patients; the immunofluorescence method was used to detect the serum NSE, CEA and CYFRA21-1 levels of the two groups of testers. Correlation analysis was used to evaluate any relation between cancer staging and markers. In addition, ROC curve analysis was used to estimate sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value.

RESULTS

The expression of lncRNA HOTAIR in lung cancer tissues was higher than control or surrounding tissue (p < 0.05). Also, high levels of NSE, CEA and CYFRA21-1 were observed in lung cancer group (p < 0.05). In both N and T stage, the expression of lncRNA HOTAIR combined with NSE, CEA and CYFRA21-1 levels increased with the increase in the number of stages (p < 0.05). The results of single factor analysis showed that NSE, CEA, CYFRA21-1 and lncRNA HOTAIR all have appropriate diagnostic value for detecting lung cancer (specificity of 92.6, 91.5, 90.6, 86.9%, respectively and the sensitivity of 61.3, 62.9, 55.4, 52.3%, respectively).

CONCLUSION

LncRNA HOTAIR is a novel diagnostic test with high diagnostic value for detecting of pathological staging of NSCLC; however, the diagnostic accuracy of lncRNA HOTAIR is not higher than other tumour biomarkers.

LINC01140 inhibits nonsmall cell lung cancer progression and cisplatin resistance through the miR-4742-5p/TACC1 axis

Recent studies show that lncRNAs participate in drug resistance and nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) progression. This study aimed to study the roles and mechanisms of long intergenic nonprotein coding RNA 01140 (LINC01140) in regulating NSCLC progression and drug resistance. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis were used to detect LINC01140, miR-4742-5p, and transforming acidic coiled-coil 1 (TACC1) expression in NSCLC cells. The interaction between two molecules was examined by luciferase reporter and/or RNA immunoprecipitation assays. Cell invasion, apoptosis, and cisplatin cytotoxicity were assessed by transwell invasion assay, flow cytometry analysis, and CCK-8 assay, respectively. LINC01140 was downregulated and miR-4742-5p was upregulated in NSCLC. LINC01140 inhibited miR-4742-5p expression by competitively binding to miR-4742-5p, while miR-4742-5p targeted TACC1 to inhibit TACC1 expression in NSCLC cells. LINC01140 enrichment repressed the invasive potential and cisplatin resistance and triggered apoptosis, which was reversed by miR-4742-5p overexpression. miR-4742-5p inhibition suppressed cell invasion and cisplatin resistance and accelerated apoptosis in NSCLC cells, while TACC1 silencing abolished these effects. Mechanistically, LINC01140 positively regulated TACC1 expression by sponging miR-4742-5p. In conclusion, LINC01140 inhibited NSCLC progression and cisplatin resistance via functioning as a ceRNA for miR-4742-5p to modulate TACC1.

ceRNA Network of lncRNA/miRNA as Circulating Prognostic Biomarkers in Non-Hodgkin Lymphomas: Bioinformatic Analysis and Assessment of Their Prognostic Value in an NHL Cohort

Research has been focusing on identifying novel biomarkers to better stratify non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients based on prognosis. Studies have demonstrated that lncRNAs act as miRNA sponges, creating ceRNA networks to regulate mRNA expression, and its deregulation is associated with lymphoma development. This study aimed to identify novel circulating prognostic biomarkers based on miRNA/lncRNA-associated ceRNA network for NHL. Herein, bioinformatic analysis was performed to construct ceRNA networks for hsa-miR-150-5p and hsa-miR335-5p. Then, the prognostic value of the miRNA–lncRNA pairs’ plasma levels was assessed in a cohort of 113 NHL patients. Bioinformatic analysis identified MALAT1 and NEAT1 as hsa-miR-150-5p and has-miR-335-5p sponges, respectively. Plasma hsa-miR-150-5p/MALAT1 and hsa-miR335-5p/NEAT1 levels were significantly associated with more aggressive and advanced disease. The overall survival and progression-free survival analysis indicated that hsa-miR-150-5p/MALAT1 and hsa-miR335-5p/NEAT1 pairs’ plasma levels were remarkably associated with NHL patients’ prognosis, being independent prognostic factors in a multivariate Cox analysis. Low levels of hsa-miR-150-5p and hsa-miR-335-5p combined with high levels of the respective lncRNA pair were associated with poor prognosis of NHL patients. Overall, the analysis of ceRNA network expression levels may be a useful prognostic biomarker for NHL patients and could identify patients who could benefit from more intensive treatments.

New Insights into the Importance of Long Non-Coding RNAs in Lung Cancer: Future Clinical Approaches

In mammals, a large part of the gene expression products come from the non-coding ribonucleotide sequences of the protein. These short and long sequences are within the range of tens to hundreds of nucleotides, encompassing more than 200 RNA molecules, and their function is known as the molecular structure of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA). LncRNA molecules are unique nucleotides that have a substantial role in epigenetic regulation, transcription, and post-transcriptional modifications in different ways. According to the results of recent studies, lncRNAs have been shown to assume various roles, including tumor suppression or oncogenic functions in common types of cancer such as lung and breast cancer. These non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) play a pivotal role in activating transcription factors, managing the ribonucleoproteins, the framework for collecting co-proteins, intermittent processing regulations, chromatin status alterations, and maintaining the control within the cell. Cutting-edge technologies have been introduced to disclose several types of lncRNAs within the nucleus and the cytoplasm, which have accomplished important achievements that are applicable in medicine. Due to these efforts, various data centers have been created to facilitate and modify scientific information related to these molecules, including detection, classification, biological evolution, gene status, spatial structure, status, and location of these small molecules. In the present study, we attempt to present the impacts of these ncRNAs on lung cancer with an emphasis on their mechanisms and functions.

lncRNA SNHG14 promotes the proliferation, migration, and invasion of thyroid tumour cells by regulating miR-93-5p

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) exert vital functions in the occurrence and development of various tumours. The aim of this study was to examine the regulatory effect and underlying molecular mechanism of lncRNA small nucleolar RNA host gene 14 (SNHG14) on the proliferation, invasion and migration of thyroid tumour cells. The expression of SNHG14 in thyroid tumour cell lines was determined using qRT-PCR. CCK-8 and western blot were used to detect the effects of SNHG14 on proliferation and apoptosis of thyroid tumour cells. The effect of SNHG14 on the migration and invasion of thyroid tumour cells was analyzed using immunofluorescence, wound-healing and transwell assays. A targeting relationship between SNHG14 and miR-93-5p was determined using bioinformatics software and luciferase reporter assays. In addition, CCK-8, immunofluorescence, wound-healing and transwell assays were applied to demonstrate that SNHG14 promoted the proliferation, migration and invasion of thyroid tumour cells by targeting miR-93-5p. The biological function of SNHG14 in vivo was explored through a xenograft model and immunohistochemistry. SNHG14 was upregulated in thyroid tumour cells compared with normal cells. Downregulation of SNHG14 effectively reduced the proliferation, migration and invasion of TPC-1 cells, and induced cell apoptosis. Moreover, SNHG14 directly targeted miR-93-5p and there was a negative correlation between them. Further functional experiments illustrated that miR-93-5p overexpression dramatically reversed the promoting role of SNHG14 in proliferation, migration and invasion of TPC-1 cells. Our results demonstrated that SNHG14 promotes the proliferation, invasion and migration of thyroid tumour cells by downregulating miR-93-5p.

Landscape analysis of lncRNAs shows that DDX11-AS1 promotes cell-cycle progression in liver cancer through the PARP1/p53 axis

Although long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in tumorigenesis, the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Transcriptomic analysis of 33 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) samples revealed that the most enriched pathway for differentially expressed genes was related to the cell cycle process, where DDX11-AS1 is the most significant lncRNA. Upregulation of DDX11-AS1 expression through demethylation was significantly associated with a poor prognosis. Further mechanistic studies revealed that DDX11-AS1 promoted the growth of HCC by interacting with PARP1 through attenuating its binding to p53, leading to downregulated expression of p53 for inhibiting the transcription of downstream genes such as p21. Knockdown of DDX11-AS1 expression in xenograft mice using anti-DDX11-AS1 oligonucleotide suppressed liver tumor proliferation. These findings indicate that DDX11-AS1 plays a role in the development of liver cancer by affecting the cell cycle.

A fourteen-lncRNA risk score system for prognostic prediction of patients with non-small cell lung cancer

Growing evidence has underscored long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) serving as potential biomarkers for cancer prognosis. However, systematic tracking of a lncRNA signature for prognosis prediction in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has not been accomplished yet. Here, comprehensive analysis with differential gene expression analysis, univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database was performed to identify the lncRNA signature for prediction of the overall survival of NSCLC patients. A risk-score model based on a 14-lncRNA signature was identified, which could classify patients into high-risk and low-risk groups and show poor and improved outcomes, respectively. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve revealed that the risk-score model has good performance with high AUC value. Multivariate Cox's regression model and stratified analysis indicated that the risk-score was independent of other clinicopathological prognostic factors. Furthermore, the risk-score model was competent for the prediction of metastasis-free survival in NSCLC patients. Moreover, the risk-score model was applicable for prediction of the overall survival in the other 30 caner types of TCGA. Our study highlighted the significant implications of lncRNAs as prognostic predictors in NSCLC. We hope the lncRNA signature could contribute to personalized therapy decisions in the future.

Sputum-Based Tumor Fluid Biopsy: Isolation and High-Throughput Single-Cell Analysis of Exfoliated Tumor Cells for Lung Cancer Diagnosis

Timely and effective diagnosis is of great significance for improving the survival rate of lung cancer patients. Although histopathology is the main diagnostic tool among the existing methods for lung cancer diagnosis, it is not suitable for high-risk groups, early lung cancer patients, patients with advanced-stage disease, and other situations wherein tumor tissues cannot be obtained. In view of this, we proposed an innovative lung cancer diagnosis method employing for the first time a microfluidic technology for high-efficiency isolation and high-throughput single-cell analysis of exfoliated tumor cells (ETCs) in sputum. This method fully combines the advantages of traditional sputum cytology and microfluidic technology and realizes the diagnosis of lung cancer by using a small amount of repeatable ETCs instead of the tumor tissue. This method is expected to provide a practical strategy for the non-invasive detection of lung cancer patients and lung cancer screening for high-risk groups.

LncRNA TUG1 Contributes to Hypoxia-Induced Myocardial Cell Injury Through Downregulating miR-29a-3p in AC16 Cells

Myocardial ischemia is a common reason that causes human death globally. Long noncoding RNA taurine upregulated 1 (TUG1) serves as an oncogene in a variety of cancers. In this article, we aimed to investigate the role of TUG1 and its underlying signal pathway in hypoxia-induced myocardial cell injury. Cell viability, apoptosis, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release were detected by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide, flow cytometry, western blot assay, and LDH cytotoxicity assay. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was applied to measure the enrichment of TUG1 and miR-29a-3p. MiR-29a-3p was predicted as a target of TUG1 by StarBase bioinformatic software, and the target relationship between TUG1 and miR-29a-3p was verified by dual-luciferase reporter assay. Hypoxia treatment induced the apoptosis and LDH release while inhibited the viability of AC16 cells. TUG1 was markedly upregulated while the level of miR-29a-3p was notably decreased in hypoxia-stimulated AC16 cells. TUG1 contributed to hypoxia-induced AC16 injury. MiR-29a-3p depletion intensified hypoxia-induced AC16 damage. TUG1 negatively regulated the expression of miR-29a-3p through their direct interaction in AC16 cells. TUG1 silencing-mediated influences in hypoxia-induced AC16 cells were partly reversed by the interference of miR-29a-3p. In conclusion, TUG1 accelerated hypoxia-induced AC16 injury through inversely modulating the level of miR-29a-3p. TUG1/miR-29a-3p axis might be an underlying therapeutic target for myocardial ischemia.

Long non-coding RNAs correlate with genomic stability in prostate cancer: A clinical outcome and survival analysis

BACKGROUND

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) participate in the regulation of genomic stability. Understanding their biological functions can help us identify the mechanisms of the occurrence and progression of cancers and can provide theoretical guidance and the basis for treatment.

RESULTS

Based on the mutation hypothesis, we proposed a computational framework to identify genomic instability-related lncRNAs. Based on the differentially-expressed lncRNAs (DElncRNAs), we constructed a genomic instability-derived lncRNA signature (GILncSig) to calculate and stratify outcomes in patients with prostate cancer. It is an independent predictor of overall survival. The area under the curve = 0.805. This value may be more significant than the classic prognostic markers TP53 and Speckle-type POZ protein (SPOP) in terms of outcome prediction.

CONCLUSIONS

In summary, we conducted a computation approach and resource for mining genome instability-related lncRNAs. It may turn out to be highly significant for genomic instability and customized decision-making for patients with prostate cancer. It also may lead to effective methods and resources to study the molecular mechanism of genomic instability-related lncRNAs.

Long noncoding HOXA11-AS knockdown suppresses the progression of non-small cell lung cancer by regulating miR-3619-5p/SALL4 axis

Accumulating evidence suggested that many long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) were widely involved in the development and progression of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the roles of lncRNA homeobox A11 antisense (HOXA11-AS) and its underlying mechanism in NSCLC remains largely unknown. The expression levels of HOXA11-AS, miR-3619-5p and sal-like protein 4 (SALL4) were detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Western blot analysis was used to measure the protein levels of hexokinase II (HK2) and SALL4. Cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion were determined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, flow cytometry and transwell assay, respectively. The glucose consumption and lactate production were measured using glucose assay kit and lactate assay kit, respectively. The potential binding sites between miR-3619-5p and HOXA11-AS or SALL4 were predicted by online software and verified by luciferase report assay. A xenograft tumor model was established to confirm the function of HOXA11-AS in NSCLC in vivo. HOXA11-AS and SALL4 were upregulated while miR-3619-5p was downregulated in NSCLC tissues and cells. HOXA11-AS knockdown suppressed cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and glycolysis but promoted apoptosis in NSCLC cells. Moreover, miR-3619-5p could directly bind to HOXA11-AS and its inhibition attenuated the inhibitory effect of HOXA11-AS knockdown on progression of NSCLC cells. Furthermore, SALL4 was a direct target of miR-3619-5p and its overexpression reversed the anti-tumor role of miR-3619-5p in NSCLC cells. Besides, HOXA11-AS modulated SALL4 expression via sponging miR-3619-5p. Additionally, silencing HOXA11-AS inhibited tumor growth though upregulating miR-3619-5p and downregulating SALL4. Collectively, HOXA11-AS knockdown inhibited the progression of NSCLC by regulating miR-3619-5p/SALL4 axis, which might offer a novel avenue for interpreting the mechanism of NSCLC development.

Long non-coding RNA GATA6-AS1 upregulates GATA6 to regulate the biological behaviors of lung adenocarcinoma cells

Background

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is known to be one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths globally. In recent decades, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been indicated to exert pivotal regulating functions in multiple biological behaviors in the initiation and development of LUAD. However, the functional mechanism of lncRNA GATA binding protein 6 antisense RNA 1 (GATA6-AS1) in LUAD has not been explored.

Methods

In the current study, GATA6-AS1 expression in LUAD tissues was revealed. Meanwhile, GATA6-AS1 expression in LUAD cells was investigated via RT-qPCR analysis. After A549 and H1975 cells were transfected with GATA6-AS1 overexpression plasmids, EdU and colony formation assays, TUNEL assays and flow cytometry analyses, as well as wound healing and Transwell assays were conducted to detect cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion. Afterwards, bioinformatic tools, western blot analyses, dual-luciferase reporter assays, and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assays were performed to investigate the correlation of microRNA-4530 (miR-4530), GATA6-AS1 and GATA6.

Results

We found that GATA6-AS1 expression was low-expressed in LUAD tissues and cells. Furthermore, the upregulation of GATA6-AS1 suppressed the proliferative, migration and invasion abilities, as well as promoted apoptotic rate of A549 and H1975 cells. Moreover, the mechanistic investigations revealed that GATA6-AS1 upregulated the expression of its cognate sense gene GATA6 by binding with miR-4530, thereby modulating the malignant progression of LUAD cells.

Conclusions

GATA6-AS1 repressed LUAD cell proliferation, migration and invasion, and promoted cell apoptosis via regulation of the miR-4530/GATA6 axis, indicating GATA6-AS1 as a new prognostic biomarker for LUAD.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12890-021-01521-7.

Establishment of primary reference measurement procedures and reference materials for EGFR variant detection in non-small cell lung cancer

Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA)-based mutation detection is promising to change the clinical practice of genotype-directed therapy for cancer. A growing number of non-invasive tests for cancer screening and monitoring that involve the detection of ctDNA have been commercialized. Primary reference measurement procedures (PRMPs) and reference materials (RMs) are urgently needed to assess the non-invasive tests. In this study, a PRMP based on digital PCR (dPCR) and ctDNA RMs for quantification of the frequently occurring variant in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR L858R, T790M, and 19Del) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were established. The candidate dPCR PRMP showed high specificity (false positive rate 0-0.003%), good repeatability (coefficient of variance (CV), 2-3% for 104 copies/reaction), and high interlaboratory reproducibility (3-10%). A good linearity (0.97 < slope < 1.03, R2 ≥ 0.9999) between the measured mutant (MU) value and prepared value was observed for all assays over the fractional abundance (FA) range, between 25% and 0.05%. The limit of quantification (LoQ) was determined to be 34 L858R, 23 T790M, and 34 19Del copies/reaction, corresponding to a FA of 0.2%. An inter-laboratory study of using the EGFR ctDNA RMs and dPCR assays demonstrated that the participating laboratories produced consistent concentrations of MU and wild-type (WT), as well as FA. This study demonstrates that dPCR can act as a potential PRMP for EGFR mutation for validation of NSCLC genotyping tests and ctDNA quantitative tests. The PRMP and RMs established here could improve interlaboratory repeatability and reproducibility, which supports rapid translation and application of non-invasive tests into clinical practice.

LINC00221 silencing prevents the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma through let-7a-5p-targeted inhibition of MMP11

Background

Microarray profiles of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) identified that long intergenic noncoding RNA 00221 (LINC00221) was upregulated. Herein, we aimed to identify the functional significance and underlying mechanisms of LINC00221 in HCC.

Methods and results

Human HCC samples had increased expression of LINC00221. Effects of LINC00221 on HCC cellular functions were analyzed using gain- and loss-function approaches. LINC00221 knockdown repressed HCC cell growth, migration, and invasion and enhanced their apoptosis. This anti-tumor effect was validated in vivo. Online prediction showed the potential binding relationship between LINC00221 and let-7a-5p, as well as that between let-7a-5p and matrix metalloproteinase 11 (MMP11). The results of luciferase, RNA immunoprecipitation, and RNA pull-down assays identified that LINC00221 interacted with let-7a-5p to increase expression of MMP11. Furthermore, we demonstrated that LINC00221 silencing increased let-7a-5p and inhibited MMP11 expression, thereby delaying the progression of HCC in vitro.

Conclusions

Silencing of LINC00221 could prevent HCC progression via upregulating let-7a-5p and downregulating MMP11. As such, LINC00221 inhibition presents a promising antitumor strategy for the treatment of HCC.

Down-Regulation of TMPO-AS1 Induces Apoptosis in Lung Carcinoma Cells by Regulating miR-143-3p/CDK1 Axis

Evidence has shown that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) play pivotal roles in cancer promotion as well as suppression. But the molecular mechanism of lncRNA TMPO antisense transcript 1 (TMPO-AS1) in lung cancer (LC) remains unclear. This study mainly investigated the effect of TMPO-AS1 in LC treatment. TMPO-AS1 was tested by Kaplan-Meier method. Quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was employed to assess the expressions of TMPO-AS1, miR-143-3p, and CDK1 respectively in LC tissues and cell lines. TMPO-AS1, miR-143-3p and CDK1 expressions in LC cells were regulated through cell transfection, followed by MTT for cell viability detection. Besides, dual-luciferase reporter assays were performed to verify the interrelated microRNA of TMPO-AS1 and the target of miR-143-3p. Western blot experiments were used to examine the expressions of apoptosis-related proteins, and flow cytometry tested the cell apoptosis in treated cells. TMPO-AS1 and CDK1 were overexpressed in LC tissues and cells, while miR-143-3p level was suppressed. The decrease of TMPO-AS1 led to the increase of miR-143-3p, which further resulted in the reduction of CDK1. Down-regulating TMPO-AS1 reduced LC cell viability, motivated cell apoptosis, as well as promoted the expressions of Bcl and CCND1 and restrained Caspase-3 level, but all these consequences were abrogated by miR-143-3p inhibitor. Simultaneously, siCDK1 could reverse the anti-apoptosis and pro-activity functions of miR-143-3p inhibitor in LC cells. Down-regulation of TMPO-AS1 has the effects of pro-apoptosis in LC by manipulating miR-143-3p/CDK1, which is hopeful to be a novel therapy for LC patients.

LncRNA WT1-AS downregulates lncRNA UCA1 to suppress non-small cell lung cancer and predicts poor survival

Background

LncRNA WT1-AS inhibits gastric cancer, while its role in other cancers is unknown. We investigated the role of WT1-AS in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods

Sixty-six NSCLC patients (40 males and 26 females; 36 to 68 years old; mean age 52.7 ± 6.4 years old) were selected from the 178 NSCLC patients operated on for lung cancer between 2010 and 2013. RT-qPCR was used to analyze the expression of lncRNA. Overexpression experiments were performed to assess interactions between lncRNAs. CCK-8 assay was carried to evaluate the roles of WT1-AS and UCA1 in regulating cell proliferation. Cell invasion and migration assays were performed to assess the roles of WT1-AS and UCA1 in regulating cell invasion and migration. Western-blot was performed to illustrate the effect of WT1-AS and UCA1 in EMT.

Results

WT1-AS was downregulated in NSCLC and was correlated with poor survival. The expression of WT1-AS in NSCLC was not correlated with clinical stages. LncRNA UCA1 was upregulated in cancer tissues and inversely correlated with WT1-AS. Overexpression of UCA1 did not affect WT1-AS, while overexpression of WT1-AS led to inhibited expression of UCA1. Overexpression of UCA1 resulted in increased proliferation, EMT, migration and invasion of NSCLC cells, while overexpression of WT1-AS showed opposite effects. In addition, overexpression of UCA1 inhibited the role of overexpression of WT1-AS.

Conclusions

Therefore, overexpression of WT1-AS may inhibit the cell proliferation and EMT to decrease cell migration and invasion of NSCLC cells by downregulating UCA1.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12885-020-07767-4.

The molecular mechanisms of the long noncoding RNA SBF2-AS1 in regulating the proliferation of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma

The long noncoding RNASBF2-AS1 can promote the occurrence and development of many kinds of tumours, but its role in oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is unknown. We found that SBF2-AS1 was up-regulated in ESCC, and its expression was positively correlated with tumor size (P = 0.0001), but was not related to gender, age, TNM stage, histological grade, and lymphnode metastasis (P > 0.05). It was further found that the higher the expression of SBF2-AS1, the lower the survival rate. COX multivariate analysis showed that the expression of SBF2-AS1 was an independent prognostic factor. Functional experiments show that inhibition of SBF2-AS1 can inhibit the proliferation of ESCC through in vivo and in vitro, and overexpression of SBF2-AS1 can promote the proliferation of ESCC and inhibit its apoptosis. In mechanism, SBF2-AS1/miR-338-3P, miR-362-3P/E2F1 axis are involved in the regulation of ESCC growth. In general, SBF2-AS1 may be used as ceRNA to combine with miR-338-3P and miR-362-3P to up-regulate the expression ofE2F1, and ultimately play a role in promoting cancer. It may be used as a therapeutic target and a biomarker for prognosis.

Long non-coding RNAs as potential biomarkers in the prognosis and diagnosis of lung cancer: A review and target analysis

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) have been emerged as a novel class of molecular regulators in cancer. They are dysregulated in many types of cancer; however, there is not enough knowledge available on their expression and functional profiles. Lung cancer is the leading cause of the cancer deaths worldwide. Generally, lncRNAs may be associated with lung tumor pathogenesis and they may act as biomarkers for the cancer prognosis and diagnosis. Compared to other invasive prognostic and diagnostic methods, detection of lncRNAs might be a user-friendly and noninvasive method. In this review article, we selected 27 tumor-associated lncRNAs by literature reviewing to further discussing in detail for using as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in lung cancer. Also, in an in silico target analysis, the "Experimentally supported functional regulation" approach of the LncTarD web tool was used to identifying the target genes and regulatory mechanisms of the selected lncRNAs. The reports on diagnostic and prognostic potential of all selected lncRNAs were discussed. However, the target genes and regulatory mechanisms of the 22 lncRNAs were identified by in silico analysis and we found the pathways that are controlled by each target group of lncRNAs. They use epigenetic mechanisms, ceRNA mechanisms, protein interaction and sponge mechanism. Also, 10, 23, 5, and 28 target genes for each of these mechanisms were identified, respectively. Finally, each group of target genes controls 50, 12, 7, and 2 molecular pathways, respectively. In conclusion, LncRNAs could be used as biomarkers in lung cancer due to their roles in control of several signaling pathways related to lung tumors. Also, it seems that lncRNAs, which use epigenetic mechanisms for modulating a large number of pathways, could be considered as important subjects for lung cancer-related diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers.

LINC00518 Interference Inhibits Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer by Upregulating miR216b-5p Expression

Introduction

Non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for the majority of lung cancer cases, and effective treatment for this disease is still lacking. This study aimed to explore the potential role of LINC00518 and miR216b-5p on cell proliferation and tumor growth in NSCLC.

Methods

The expression of LINC00518, miR216b-5p, MMP7, and MMP9 in NSCLC cell lines was determined by RT-qPCR analysis, which was also used to confirm the transfection effects. After transfection, proliferation, clone-formation ability, migration, and invasion of NSCLC cells were detected by CCK8, clone-formation, wound-healing, and transwell assays, respectively. Western blot analysis was used to detect the expression of MMP7, MMP9, Ki67, and PCNA. A xenograft model was constructed by subcutaneous injection of transfected NSCLC cells into nude mice.

Results

The results indicated that LINC00518 expression was increased and miR216b-5p expression decreased in NSCLC cell lines, and A549 cells were chosen for the next experiments. LINC00518 interference inhibited proliferation, invasion, and migration of A549 cells, together with the progression of NSCLC in vivo. In addition, LINC00518 directly targeted miR216b-5p. Downregulation of miR216b-5p weakened the inhibitory effect of LINC00518 interference on proliferation, invasion, and migration of A549 cells, as well as progression of NSCLC in vivo.

Discussion

In conclusion, LINC00518 interference inhibits NSCLC, which is partially reversed by downregulation of miR216b-5p expression.

Genome-wide analysis of long non-coding RNA expression profile in lung adenocarcinoma compared to spinal metastasis

Background

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in tumor metastasis. The aim of the present study was to investigate their expression profile and potential functions in spinal metastasis (SM) of lung adenocarcinoma.

Methods

We conducted lncRNA and mRNA expression in lung adenocarcinoma and its SM tissue using microarray analysis. Quantitative reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) revealed 10 differentially expressed lncRNAs. Gene ontology and pathway analysis were performed to test the gene effect. Possible target genes of lncRNAs were predicted based on precise algorithms.

Results

Microarray analysis found many significantly differentially expressed lncRNAs and mRNAs in lung adenocarcinoma compared with SM. qRT-PCR results aligned with those of the microarray analysis. The expression level of 10 lncRNAs showed the same trend (P<0.05). Biologic pathways known to be involved in cancer were identified among the differentially expressed mRNAs; these include cell adhesion molecules (related to 42 genes), focal adhesion (related to 31 genes), cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction (related to 48 genes), and extracellular matrix-receptor interaction (related to 23 genes). About 9,458 lncRNAs were found to have cis- or trans-genes. A total of 2,317 cis target genes were discovered to be abnormally expressed and could be regulated by lncRNAs in SM of lung adenocarcinoma.

Conclusions

Our results offer a genome-wide differential expression of lncRNA in lung adenocarcinoma and SM, as well as laying the foundation for further investigations of lncRNAs correlated with lung adenocarcinoma metastasis.

Liver X receptor agonist T0901317 inhibits the migration and invasion of non-small-cell lung cancer cells in vivo and in vitro

Liver X receptors are recognized as important regulators of cholesterol, fatty acid metabolism, inflammatory responses, and glucose homeostasis. The antineoplastic properties of synthetic liver X receptor (LXR) agonists (T0901317 and GW3965) have been reported in human carcinomas. Epidermal growth factor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) is a first-line treatment for non-small-cell lung cancer patients with EGFR mutations. We used scratch and transwell assays to analyze cell migration and invasion. We evaluated tumor migration and invasion in vitro using a fluorescent orthotopic lung cancer model. An MMP9 (mouse) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit was used to measure serum MMP9 concentrations. Protein expression was identified by western blot assays. In this study, we determined the effects of T0901317 and/or an EGFR-TKI on the lung cancer cell lines A549 and HCC827-8-1 in vitro and in vivo. We confirmed that the combination of the LXR agonist T0901317 and gefitinib can inhibit the migration and invasion of lung cancer both in vivo and in vitro, and this effect was possibly achieved by the inhibition of the ERK/MAPK signaling pathway. Our study showed that the combination of the LXR agonist T0901317 and gefitinib can inhibit the migration and invasion of lung cancer both in vivo and in vitro.

SLCO4A1-AS1 promotes cell growth and induces resistance in lung adenocarcinoma by modulating miR-4701-5p/NFE2L1 axis to activate WNT pathway

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) possessed essential functions in the biological behaviors of various human cancers. SLCO4A1 antisense RNA 1 (SLCO4A1-AS1) is a lncRNA that has been reported as a oncogenic regulator in colorectal cancer and bladder cancer. However, whether it exerted functions in the gene expression and cellular processes in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remains still obscure. In the present research, we unveiled the high level of SLCO4A1-AS1 in LUAD tissues and cells. Moreover, functional assays indicated that SLCO4A-AS1 facilitated LUAD cell proliferation, motility, and cisplatin-resistance. Besides, mechanism investigation revealed that miR-4701-5p could interact with SLCO4A1-AS1 and directly target to NFE2L1. The expression correlation between miR-4701-5p and SLCO4A1-AS1 or NFE2L1 was found to be negative. Moreover, NFE2L1 was expressed at a same tendency with SLCO4A1-AS1 in LUAD tissues and cells. In addition, it was confirmed that NFE2L1 was involved in SLCO4A1-AS1-mediated activation of WNT pathway. According to rescue assays, NFE2L1 could involve in SLCO4A1-AS1-mediated LUAD cell growth. Conclusively, our study demonstrated that SLCO4A1-AS1 facilitated cell growth and enhanced the resistance of LUAD cells to chemotherapy via activating WNT pathway through miR-4701-5p/NFE2L1 axis.

LncRNAs in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is associated with a high mortality, with around 1.8 million deaths worldwide in 2018. Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for around 85% of cases and, despite improvement in the management of NSCLC, most patients are diagnosed at advanced stage and the five-year survival remains around 15%. This highlights a need to identify novel ways to treat the disease to reduce the burden of NSCLC. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are non-coding RNA molecules longer than 200 nucleotides in length which play important roles in gene expression and signaling pathways. Recently, lncRNAs were implicated in cancer, where their expression is dysregulated resulting in aberrant functions. LncRNAs were shown to function as both tumor suppressors and oncogenes in a variety of cancer types. Although there are a few well characterized lncRNAs in NSCLC, many lncRNAs remain un-characterized and their mechanisms of action largely unknown. LncRNAs have success as therapies in neurodegenerative diseases, and having a detailed understanding of their function in NSCLC may guide novel therapeutic approaches and strategies. This review discusses the role of lncRNAs in NSCLC tumorigenesis, highlighting their mechanisms of action and their clinical potential.

Comprehensive Analysis of Competing Endogenous RNA (ceRNA) Network Based on RNAs Differentially Expressed in Lung Adenocarcinoma Using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Database

Background

The aim of this study was to explore a comprehensive analysis of the competing endogenous (ceRNA) network of lung adenocarcinoma and predict its regulatory mechanism and prognosis correlation based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database.

Material/Methods

The genes expression data from 535 lung adenocarcinoma cases and 59 normal tissue cases were acquired and downloaded from TCGA database, and differentially expressed messenger RNA (mRNA), long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) and microRNA (miRNA) were selected primarily by “edgeR” package in R software, which further constructs lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA ceRNA network. We then proceed to carry out Gene Ontology enrichment analysis, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis, and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis of the mRNAs involved in the ceRNA network.

Results

There are 3 mRNAs (ANLN, IGFBP1, and TFAP2A) in differentially expressed genes, 4 lncRNAs (AC015923.1, FGF12-AS2, LINC00211, and MED4-AS1), and 2 miRNAs (miR-31 and miR-490) associated with the prognostic of lung adenocarcinoma. Besides, LINC00461 and has-mir-139 as key nodes were found in the ceRNA network. Significantly, miR-31 shows the greatest prognostic value related to the adverse effect of the prognostic of lung adenocarcinoma (P<0.001).

Conclusions

By analyzing the expression data of lung adenocarcinoma in TCGA database, we found that 3 mRNAs, 4 lncRNAs, and 2 miRNAs were screened as potential prognostic factors for lung adenocarcinoma. In addition, LINC00461 and has-mir-139 are 2 important regulatory network nodes in lung adenocarcinoma ceRNA.

Long noncoding RNA PANDAR inhibits the development of lung cancer by regulating autophagy and apoptosis pathways

Background: LncRNAs has been shown to play important roles in the progression of lung cancer, but it remains poorly understood whether lncRNAs affect the occurrence and development of lung cancer by regulating autophagy and apoptosis levels. Here, we investigated the roles of PANDAR in NSCLC. Materials and Methods: The expression profile and clinical application of PANDAR and its possible target gene BECN1 were tested in 276 cases of lung cancer tissues. Through some actual experiments, we explored functions of PANDAR about proliferation, apoptosis and autophagy of NSCLC cells in vitro. Results: PANDAR was found to downregulate both in lung cancer tissues and cell lines compared with corresponding controls (P < 0.05 for all), which was related to tumor stage (P < 0.05). Moreover, autophagy related gene BECN1 was also downregulated in lung cancer tissues comparison with normal tissues (P < 0.01), and there was a significant positive correlation between PANDAR and BECN1 levels (r = 0.789, P < 0.001). So, the high expression of PANDAR increased BECN1 expression levels and impaired the proliferation of NSCLC cell lines in vitro. Furthermore study showed PANDAR could regulate cell autophagy and apoptosis levels. Conclusion: These results indicated lncRNA PANDAR was a tumor suppressor and can inhibit NSCLC cell proliferation by activating autophagy and apoptosis pathways via upregulation of BECN1 expression.

Construction of a metastasis-associated ceRNA network reveals a prognostic signature in lung cancer

Background

Lung cancer is the most common cancer worldwide, and metastasis is the leading cause of lung cancer related death. However, the molecular network involved in lung cancer metastasis remains incompletely described. Here, we aimed to construct a metastasis-associated ceRNA network and identify a lncRNA prognostic signature in lung cancer.

Methods

RNA expression profiles were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) were performed to investigate the function of these genes. Using Cox regression analysis, we found that a 6 lncRNA signature may serve as a candidate prognostic factor in lung cancer. Finally, we used Transwell assays with lung cancer cell lines to verify that LINC01010 acts as a tumor suppressor.

Results

We identified 1249 differentially expressed (DE) mRNAs, 440 DE lncRNAs and 26 DE miRNAs between nonmetastatic and metastatic lung cancer tissues. GO and KEGG analyses confirmed that the identified DE mRNAs are involved in lung cancer metastasis. Using bioinformatics tools, we constructed a metastasis-associated ceRNA network for lung cancer that includes 117 mRNAs, 23 lncRNAs and 22 miRNAs. We then identified a 6 lncRNA signature (LINC01287, SNAP25-AS1, LINC00470, AC104809.2, LINC00645 and LINC01010) that had the greatest prognostic value for lung cancer. Furthermore, we found that suppression of LINC01010 promoted lung cancer cell migration and invasion.

Conclusions

This study might provide insight into the identification of potential lncRNA biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis in lung cancer.

Silencing of S-phase kinase-associated protein 2 enhances radiosensitivity of esophageal cancer cells through inhibition of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway

We investigated the effect of S-phase kinase-associated protein 2 (SKP2) on radiosensitivity of esophageal cancer (EC) cells. Expression of SKP2, PI3K, AKT, Bcl-2 and Bax were assayed in EC. EC cells were transfected with SKP2-siRNA/IGF-1 to detect expression of SKP2, PI3K, AKT, Bcl-2 and Bax. At last, the radiosensitivity of cells in different doses of X (0, 2, 4, 6, 8 Gy) irradiation and cell apoptosis were also detected. EC cells displayed a higher positive expression rate of SKP2, elevated mRNA and protein expression of SKP2, PI3K, AKT, Bcl-2 and Bax, as well as higher extent of PI3K and AKT phosphorylation. SKP2 silencing downregulated mRNA and protein expression of PI3K, AKT and Bcl-2 but increased p27 protein expression, and inhibited the cell survival rate while promoting cell apoptosis. Taken together, silencing SKP2 can inhibit the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, thereby increasing the radiosensitivity of EC cells.

AOC4P suppresses viability and invasion and induces apoptosis in NSCLC cells by inhibiting the Wnt/β-catenin pathway

Increasing studies have well-documented the involvement of numerous lncRNAs in regulating the malignant phenotypes of various tumors including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells. However, up to date, the effects and mechanism of lncRNA amine oxidase, copper containing 4, pseudogene (AOC4P) in NSCLC progression remain undefined. AOC4P expression in NSCLC cells was detected by qRT-PCR. The protein levels of Wnt/β-catenin pathway-related proteins, matrix metallopeptidase (MMP)-2, and MMP-9 were examined by Western blot. The effects of AOC4P or combined with Wnt agonist BML-284 on the malignant phenotypes in NSCLC cells were explored by CCK-8, Transwell invasion assay, flow cytometry analysis and caspase-3/7 activity. AOC4P was lowly expressed in NSCLC samples and cells. Overexpression of AOC4P inhibited viability, the expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9, and invasion of NSCLC cells. Apoptosis and caspase-3/7 activity were suppressed in response to AOC4P overexpression in NSCLC cells. AOC4P overexpression suppressed tumor growth in a xenograft mouse model. Activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway by BML-284 abolished the effects of AOC4P overexpression on cell viability, invasion and apoptosis in NSCLC cells. In conclusion, AOC4P overexpression suppresses viability and invasion and induces apoptosis in NSCLC cells via inhibition of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway.

Combined eight-long noncoding RNA signature: a new risk score predicting prognosis in elderly non-small cell lung cancer patients

The elderly are the majority of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Compared to the overall population's predictive guidance, an effective predictive guidance for elderly patients can better guide patients' postoperative treatment and improve overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). Recently, the long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been found to play an important role in predicting tumor prognosis. To identify potential lncRNAs to predict survival in elderly patients with NSCLC, in the present study, we chose 456 elderly patients with NSCLC and analyzed differentially expressed lncRNAs from four Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets (GSE30219, GSE31546, GSE37745 and GSE50081). We then constructed an eight-lncRNA formula to predict elderly patients’ prognosis in NSCLC. Furthermore, we validated the prognostic values of the new risk model in two independent datasets, TCGA (n=670) and GSE31210 (n=130). Our data suggested a significant association between risk model and patients’ prognosis. Finally, stratification analysis further revealed the eight-lncRNA signature was an independent factor to predict OS and DFS in stage I elderly patients from both the discovery and validation groups. Functional prediction revealed that 8 lncRNAs have potential effects on tumor immune processes such as lymphocyte activation and TNF production in NSCLC. In summary, our data provides evidence that the eight-lncRNA signature could serve as an independent biomarker to predict prognosis in elderly patients with NSCLC especially in elderly stage I patients.

Sputum long non-coding RNA biomarkers for diagnosis of lung cancer

BACKGROUND

Analysis of molecular changes in sputum may help diagnose lung cancer. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play vital roles in various biological processes, and their dysregulations contribute to the development and progression of lung tumorigenesis. Herein, we determine whether aberrant lncRNAs could be used as potential sputum biomarkers for lung cancer.

METHODS

Using reverse transcription PCR, we measure expressions of lung cancer-associated lncRNAs in sputum of a discovery cohort of 67 lung cancer patients and 65 cancer-free smokers with benign diseases and a validation cohort of 59 lung cancer patients and 60 cancer-free smokers with benign diseases.

RESULTS

In the discovery cohort, four of the lncRNAs displayed a significantly different level in sputum of lung cancer patients vs.cancer-free smokers with benign diseases (all P< 0.001). From the four lncRNAs, three lncRNAs (SNHG1, H19, and HOTAIR) are identified as a biomarker panel, producing 82.09% sensitivity and 89.23% specificity for diagnosis of lung cancer. Furthermore, the biomarker panel has a higher sensitivity (82.09% vs. 52.24%, P= 0.02) and a similar specificity compared with sputum cytology (89.23% vs. 90.77%, P= 0.45). In addition, the lncRNA biomarker panel had a higher sensitivity (87.50% vs. 70.07%, p= 0.03) for diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma compared with adenocarcinoma of the lung, while maintaining the same specificity (89.23%). The potential of the sputum lncRNA biomarkers for lung cancer detection is confirmed in the validation cohort.

CONCLUSION

We have for the first time shown that the analysis of lncRNAs in sputum might be a noninvasive approach for diagnosis of lung cancer.

Integrative analyses of noncoding RNAs reveal the potential mechanisms augmenting tumor malignancy in lung adenocarcinoma

Precise noncoding RNA (ncRNA)-based network prediction is necessary to reveal ncRNA functions and pathological mechanisms. Here, we established a systemic pipeline to identify prognostic ncRNAs, predict their functions and explore their pathological mechanisms in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). After in silico and experimental validation based on evaluations of prognostic value in multiple LUAD cohorts, we selected the PTTG3P pseudogene from among other prognostic ncRNAs (MIR497HG, HSP078, TBX5-AS1, LOC100506990 and C14orf64) for mechanistic studies. PTTG3P upregulation in LUAD cells shortens the metaphase to anaphase transition in mitosis, increases cell viability after cisplatin or paclitaxel treatment, facilitates tumor growth that leads to poor survival in orthotopic lung models, and is associated with a poor survival rate in LUAD patients in the TCGA cohort who received chemotherapy. Mechanistically, PTTG3P acts as an ncRNA that interacts with the transcription factor FOXM1 to regulate the transcriptional activation of the mitotic checkpoint kinase BUB1B, which augments tumor growth and chemoresistance and leads to poor outcomes for LUAD patients. Overall, we established a systematic strategy to uncover prognostic ncRNAs with functional prediction methods suitable for pan-cancer studies. Moreover, we revealed that PTTG3P, due to its upregulation of the PTTG3P/FOXM1/BUB1B axis, could be a therapeutic target for LUAD patients.

lncRNA TPTEP1 competitively sponges miR‑328‑5p to inhibit the proliferation of non‑small cell lung cancer cells

Accumulating evidence suggests that lncRNAs are involved in almost all normal physiological processes and that aberrant expression of lncRNAs may be involved in the development of diseases, including non‑small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the roles of lncRNA‑TPTE pseudogene 1 (TPTEP1) in lung cancer and the underlying molecular mechanisms have remained elusive. In the present study, significant downregulation of TPTEP1 in tumors compared with normal tissues from patients with NSCLC was observed. Overexpression of TPTEP1 inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis in NSCLC cells. A bioinformatics analysis based on miRDB predicted microRNA (miR)‑328‑5p as a potential binding miRNA for TPTEP1. Using a dual‑luciferase reporter assay and western blot analysis, it was further validated that TPTEP1 sponged miR‑328‑5p to upregulate Src kinase signaling inhibitor 1 (SRCIN1) in NSCLC cells. Through regulation of SRCIN1, TPTEP1 was indicated to inactivate the Src and STAT3 pathways in NSCLC cells. Notably, silencing of SRCIN1 reversed the TPTEP1 overexpression‑induced inhibition of cell proliferation and increase of the apoptotic rate in NSCLC cells. Pearson correlation analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between TPTEP1 and SRCIN1 mRNA levels in NSCLC tumors. The present results provided insight into the roles of TPTEP1 in NSCLC and the underlying mechanisms.

Long non-coding RNA dysregulation is a frequent event in non-small cell lung carcinoma pathogenesis

Background

Long non-coding RNAs compose an important level of epigenetic regulation in normal physiology and disease. Despite the plethora of publications of lncRNAs in human cancer, the landscape is still unclear.

Methods

Microarray analysis in 44 NSCLC paired specimens was followed by qPCR-based validation in 29 (technical) and 38 (independent) tissue pairs. Cross-validation of the selected targets was achieved in 850 NSCLC tumours from TCGA datasets.

Results

Twelve targets were successfully validated by qPCR (upregulated: FEZF1-AS1, LINC01214, LINC00673, PCAT6, NUTM2A-AS1, LINC01929; downregulated: PCAT19, FENDRR, SVIL-AS1, LANCL1-AS1, ADAMTS9-AS2 and LINC00968). All of them were successfully cross validated in the TCGA datasets. Abnormal DNA methylation was observed in the promoters of FENDRR, FEZF1-AS1 and SVIL-AS1. FEZF1-AS1 and LINC01929 were associated with survival in the TCGA set.

Conclusions

Our study provides through multiple levels of internal and external validation, a comprehensive list of dysregulated lncRNAs in NSCLC. We therefore envisage this dataset to serve as an important source for the lung cancer research community assisting future investigations on the involvement of lncRNAs in the pathogenesis of the disease and providing novel biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis and therapeutic stratification.

Long non-coding RNA MBNL1-AS1 regulates proliferation, migration, and invasion of cancer stem cells in colon cancer by interacting with MYL9 via sponging microRNA-412-3p

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Colon cancer is a common cancer that is a threat to human health. Some long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been observed to exert roles in colon cancer. Here, the current study is aimed to explore the potential mechanism of lncRNA MBNL1 antisense RNA 1 (MBNL1-AS1) in progression of colon cancer and the associated mechanisms.

METHODS

Microarray analysis was performed to screen differentially expressed lncRNA and genes associated with colon cancer and its potential mechanism. The functional role of MBNL1-AS1 in colon cancer was analyzed, followed identification of the interaction among MBNL1-AS1, microRNA-412-3p (miR-412-3p), and MYL9. Subsequently, CSC viability, migration, invasion, and apoptosis were detected though a series of in vitro experiments. At last, in vivo experiments were performed to assess tumor formation of colon CSCs.

RESULTS

MBNL1-AS1 and MYL9 were poorly expressed in colon cancer. MBNL1-AS1 could competitively bind to miR-412-3p so as to promote MYL9 expression. Enhancement of MBNL1-AS1 or inhibition of miR-412-3p was shown to decrease CSC proliferation, migration, and invasion but promote apoptosis. Moreover, MBNL1-AS1 reversed the CSC-like properties as well as xenograft tumor formation in vivo induced by miR-412-3p.

CONCLUSION

Collectively, the present study suggests an inhibitory role of MBNL1-AS1 in colon cancer by upregulating miR-412-3p-targeted MYL9. Thus, this study provides an enhanced understanding of MBNL1-AS1 along with miR-412-3p and MYL9 as therapeutic targets for colon cancer.

The Combined Therapy of Berberine Treatment with lncRNA BACE1-AS Depletion Attenuates Aβ25-35 Induced Neuronal Injury Through Regulating the Expression of miR-132-3p in Neuronal Cells

Accumulating articles reported that berberine (Ber) played a neuroprotective role in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been identified as biomarkers and therapeutic targets of AD. However, the precise mechanism by which lncRNA β-amyloid cleaving enzyme 1 antisense RNA (BACE1-AS)regulates the progression of AD remains largely unknown. HPN and SK-N-SH cells treated with amyloid β 25-35 (Aβ_25-35) were regarded as AD model in vitro. Cell survival rate was measured by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) cytotoxicity assay was conducted to detect the cytotoxicity of neuronal cells. Flow cytometry was performed to determine the intracellular concentration of Ca²⁺, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and apoptosis of neuronal cells. Western blot assay was carried out to detect the apoptosis-related proteins of neuronal cells. The abundance of lncRNA BACE1-AS and miR-132-3p was measured by quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The binding sites between miR-132-3p and BACE1-AS were predicted by Starbase, and the combination was confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter assay. We found that Ber alleviated Aβ_25-35 induced neuronal injury in AD model, especially in high concentration Ber group. The enrichment of BACE1-AS was positively regulated by Aβ_25-35 and was inversely modulated by Ber in neuronal cells. The interference of BACE1-AS alleviated the neuronal damage of AD model. miR-132-3p was a direct target of lncRNA BACE1-AS in HEK293T cells, and it was negatively regulated by BACE1-AS in neuronal cells. BACE1-AS accumulation reversed the protective effect of miR-132-3p overexpression on AD model. Ber treatment and BACE1-AS intervention recovered the viability of AD model. Ber up-regulated the level of miR-132-3p via BACE1-AS in SK-N-SH and HPN neuronal cells. in conclucsion, Ber protected neuronal cells against Aβ_25-35 at least partly through BACE1-AS/miR-132-3p axis. The combined therapy of Ber treatment with BACE1-AS depletion might provide new insight into AD treatment.

Long non-coding RNA KDM5B anti-sense RNA 1 enhances tumor progression in non-small cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND

The long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been shown as a novel class of transcripts with no protein coding functions. LncRNAs can play diverse roles in cancer cell proliferation, differentiation, metastasis, and apoptosis. However, the exact contributions of lncRNA KDM5B anti-sense RNA 1 (KDM5BAS1) to non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remain poorly understood.

METHODS

In current study, we have unraveled a novel function of KDM5BAS1 in NSCLC.

RESULTS

We found that KDM5BAS1 was significantly overexpressed in tumor specimens and selected cancerous cell lines. Meanwhile, higher KDM5BAS1 expression predicted poor overall survival. Increased KDM5BAS1 expression can promote proliferation or migration and inhibit apoptosis in H1838 and H1299 cells. Furthermore, knocking down of KDM5BAS1 levels can also reduce tumor growth in in vivo implantation experiments. Overexpression of KDM5BAS1 also decreased the caspase-3 immunostaining but enhanced Ki-67 staining.

CONCLUSION

Taken together, our findings indicated that KDM5BAS1 might play an oncogenic role in NSCLC and provided clues into pharmacological intervention targeting KDM5BAS1.

lncRNA PVT1 accelerates progression of non-small cell lung cancer via targeting miRNA-526b/EZH2 regulatory loop

Biological function of plasmacytoma variant translocation 1 (PVT1) in influencing the progression of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) through Micro ribonucleic acid (miRNA)-526b/EZH2 regulatory loop was elucidated. Relative levels of PVT1 and miRNA-526b in NSCLC tissues were detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Prognostic potential of PVT1 in NSCLC was assessed by Kaplan-Meier curves. The interaction among PVT1/miRNA-526b/EZH2 regulatory loop was confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter gene assay. Regulatory effects of PVT1/miRNA-526b/EZH2 axis on viability and wound closure of A549 cells were evaluated by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) and wound closure assay, respectively. PVT1 was upregulated in NSCLC tissues, while miRNA-526b was downregulated. PVT1 level was negatively related to that of miR-526 in NSCLC tissues. Worse survival was seen in NSCLC patients expressing high level of PVT1 compared to those with low level. Knockdown of PVT1 attenuated viability and wound closure ability in A549 cells, which were partially reversed after miRNA-526b knockdown. miRNA-526b is the downstream target of PVT1 and its level was negatively regulated by PVT1. EZH2 is the target gene of miRNA-526b. Transfection of miRNA-526b mimic remarkably downregulated EZH2 in A549 cells. Importantly, the attenuated viability and wound closure ability in A549 cells overexpressing miRNA-526b were reversed after EZH2 overexpression. PVT1 is upregulated in NSCLC, and predicts a poor prognosis. PVT1 accelerates the progression of NSCLC via targeting miRNA-526b/EZH2 regulatory loop.

lncRNA Metastasis-Associated Lung Adenocarcinoma Transcript 1 Promotes Proliferation and Invasion of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells via Down-Regulating miR-202 Expression

Objective

Accumulating evidences indicate that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play key roles in cancer. This study aims to clarify role of the metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and uncover the underlying mechanisms.

Materials and Methods

In this experimental study, MALAT1 and miR-202 expression in tissues and cell lines were detected using quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assay. Cell transfection was conducted using Lipofectamine 3000. Cell proliferation was determined with CCK-8 assay. MMP2 and MMP9 expressions were measured with Western blot. Cell invasive ability was evaluated by Transwell assay. Starbase 2.0 tool was used to predict targets of MALAT1. Dual luciferase reporter assay, RNA-binding protein immunoprecipitation assay and RNA pull-down assay were conducted to confirm the potential direct interaction between MALAT1 and miR-202.

Results

MALAT1 was overexpressed in NSCLC samples and cell lines. High expression of MALAT1 was related to large tumor size (>3 cm), poor histological grade, advanced cancer and tumor metastasis in NSCLC. In vitro assays exhibited that knockdown of MALAT1 remarkably decreased A549 cell growth and invasion capacity, while overexpression of MALAT1 significantly enhanced NCI-H292 cell proliferation and invasion ability. Next, we verified that MALAT1 could act as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) by sponging miR-202 in NSCLC and there is a negative correlation between MALAT1 and miR-202. Besides, overexpression of miR-202 inhibited cell proliferation and invasive ability in MALAT1-overexpressed cells.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated that lncRNA-MALAT1 gets involved in NSCLC progression by targeting miR- 202, indicating that MALAT1 may serve as a novel therapeutic target for NSCLC treatment.

Silencing of Long Non-coding RNA HOTTIP Reduces Inflammation in Rheumatoid Arthritis by Demethylation of SFRP1

Accumulating evidence suggests long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play crucial roles in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Here, we aimed to define the role of HOXA transcript at the distal tip (HOTTIP) in RA pathogenesis in relation to SFRP1 methylation and Wnt signaling pathway. HOTTIP was found highly expressed, and SFRP1 was hypermethylated in RA synovial fibroblasts (RASFs). Next, gain- or loss-of-function experiments were conducted in RASFs to explore the effects of HOTTIP on the biological behaviors of RASFs. Silencing of HOTTIP or overexpression of SFRP1 inhibited RASF proliferation, invasion, and migration, while enhancing apoptosis. The relationship among HOTTIP, SFRP1, and Dnmt3b was determined using methylation-specific PCR (MSP), bisulfite sequencing PCR (BSP), RNA pull-down, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays. The regulatory mechanisms of HOTTIP/Dnmt3b/SFRP1 were explored by altering their expression in RASFs. It was noted that HOTTIP could induce SFRP1 promoter methylation through recruitment of Dnmt3b and activate the Wnt signaling pathway. Finally, a rat RA model was established in order to evaluate the in vivo effects of HOTTIP and SFRP1, which suggested that HOTTIP silencing or SFRP1 elevation inhibited the progression of RA in vivo. Our key findings demonstrate the anti-inflammatory ability of HOTTIP silencing in RA through SFRP1 promoter demethylation. These findings support HOTTIP as a candidate anti-arthritis target.

Long noncoding RNA ZNF667-AS1 reduces tumor invasion and metastasis in cervical cancer by counteracting microRNA-93-3p-dependent PEG3 downregulation

Zinc finger protein 667-antisense RNA 1 (ZNF667-AS1), located on human chromosome 19q13.43, is a member of the C2H2 zinc finger protein family. Herein, we aimed to analyze the interactions between ZNF667-AS1, microRNA-93-3p (miR-93-3p), and paternally expressed gene 3 (PEG3) and to explore their roles in the tumorigenesis of cervical cancer (CC). Differentially expressed long noncoding RNAs and miRNAs related to CC were determined using gene expression datasets sourced from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. Subsequently, the regulatory relationships between ZNF667-AS1 and miR-93-3p and between miR-93-3p and PEG3 were identified using the dual-luciferase reporter gene assay. In addition, the expression of miR-93-3p and ZNF667-AS1 was up- or downregulated in CC cells (HeLa), in order to assess their effects on cell cycle distribution and cell invasion in vitro, and tumor growth and metastasis in vivo. MiR-93-3p was found to be highly expressed, while ZNF667-AS1 and PEG3 were poorly expressed in CC. ZNF667-AS1 could competitively bind to miR-93-3p, which targeted PEG3. In addition, miR-93-3p downregulation and ZNF667-AS1 overexpression led to increased expression of PEG3, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases, and p16 and decreased expression of cyclin D1, matrix metalloproteinase-2 and -9. MiR-93-3p inhibition and ZNF667-AS1 elevation also inhibited cell cycle entry and cell invasion in vitro, but repressed tumor growth and metastasis in vivo. These key findings demonstrated that upregulation of ZNF667-AS1 could suppress the progression of CC via the modulation of miR-93-3p-dependent PEG3, suggesting a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of CC.

Comprehensive analysis of genomic alterations detected by next-generation sequencing-based tissue and circulating tumor DNA assays in Chinese patients with non-small cell lung cancer

While tumor genotyping is the standard treatment for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), spatial and temporal tumor heterogeneity and insufficient specimens can lead to limitations in the use of tissue-based sequencing. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) fully encompasses tumor-specific sequence alterations and offers an alternative to tissue sample biopsies. However, few studies have evaluated whether the frequency of multiple genomic alterations observed following ctDNA sequencing is similar to that observed following tissue sequencing in NSCLC. Therefore, in the present study, targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) was performed on tissue and plasma ctDNA samples in 99 patients with NSCLC. Overall, the frequencies of genetic alterations detected in ctDNA were positively correlated with those detected via tissue profiling (r=0.812; P=0.022). Genomic data revealed significant mutual exclusivity between alterations in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and tumor protein 53 (TP53; P=0.020), and between alterations in EGFR and KRAS (P=0.008), as well as potential mutual exclusivity between alterations in EGFR and Erb-B2 receptor tyrosine kinase 2 (P=0.059). Furthermore, the EGFR mutant allele frequency (MAF) was positively correlated with the TP53 MAF in individual tumors (r=0.773; P=0.005), and there was a marked difference in the EGFR MAF between patients with and without the TP53 mutation (P=0.001). Levels of the tumor serum marker CA242 in patients with ctDNA-detectable mutations were higher compared with those in patients without ctDNA-detectable mutations. The data from the present study highlight the importance of tissue and plasma ctDNA screening by NGS to guide personalized therapy and promote the clinical management of patients with NSCLC.

Long non-coding RNA LOC554202 promotes acquired gefitinib resistance in non-small cell lung cancer through upregulating miR-31 expression

Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation inevitably have a relapse due to the occurrence of acquired resistance, resulting in treatment failure. However, little is known about the mechanisms of acquired resistance of NSCLC patients. Here, we elucidated the expression pattern of LOC554202 and miR-31, and their biological functions and mechanisms in NSCLC with acquired EGFR TKI resistance to gefitinib. In the present study, we observed that LOC554202 and miR-31 promoted proliferation and clonogenic growth of gefitinib-resistant NSCLC cells in vitro. LOC554202 upregulated miR-31 expression and they both reduced sensitivity of NSCLC cells to gefitinib. In a xenograft mice model, we found that knockdown of miR-31 significantly repressed gefitinib-resistant NSCLC cells growth in vivo. Furthermore, both LOC554202 and miR-31 levels were significantly increased in NSCLC patients acquiring resistance to gefitinib, and the expression of LOC554202 was positively correlated with the expression of miR-31. By luciferase reporter assays, we identified RAS P21 Protein Activator 1 (RASA1) and Hypoxia Inducible Factor 1 Subunit Alpha Inhibitor (FIH-1) as direct targets of miR-31 in NSCLC cells. Mechanistically, miR-31 directly repressed RASA1 and FIH-1 expression, and thus, at least partially activated the RAF-MEK-ERK and PI3K-AKT signaling pathways in NSCLC with acquired resistance to gefitinib. In conclusion, these data will help us develop potential therapeutic targets for the diagnosis and treatment of acquired EGFR TKI resistance in EGFR-mutant NSCLC.

The characteristics of lung cancer in Xuanwei County: A review of differentially expressed genes and noncoding RNAs on cell proliferation and migration

The occurrence of lung cancers is the highest in Xuanwei County, Yunnan province, China, especially among nonsmoking women. Domestic combustion of smoky coal induces serious indoor air pollution and is considered to be the main cause of human lung cancers. The occurrence of lung cancer in Xuanwei County has unique characteristics, such as the high morbidity in nonsmoking women or people with no family history. In the present review, we summarize advances in identification of differentially expressed genes, regulatory lncRNAs and miRNAs in cell proliferation and migration of lung cancers in Xuanwei County. Moreover, several regulatory differentially expressed genes (DEGs) or noncoding RNAs have diagnostic and prognostic significance for lung cancers in Xuanwei County and have the potential to serve as biomarkers.