MicroRNA-133a regulates the mRNAs of two invadopodia-related proteins, FSCN1 and MMP14, in esophageal cancer. Br J Cancer. 2014;110:189-198. [PMID: 24196787 PMCID: PMC3887287 DOI: 10.1038/bjc.2013.676]

Potential target within the tumor microenvironment - MT1-MMP

Matrix metalloproteinases are integral to the modification of the tumor microenvironment and facilitate tumor progression by degrading the extracellular matrix, releasing cytokines, and influencing the recruitment of immune cells. Among the matrix metalloproteinases, membrane-type matrix metalloproteinase 1 (MT1-MMP/MMP14) is the first identified membrane-type MMP and acts as an essential proteolytic enzyme that enables tumor infiltration and metastatic progression. Given the pivotal role of MT1-MMP in tumor progression and the correlation between its overexpression in tumors and unfavorable prognoses across multiple cancer types, a comprehensive understanding of the potential functional mechanisms of MT1-MMP is essential. This knowledge will aid in the advancement of diverse anti-tumor therapies aimed at targeting MT1-MMP. Although contemporary research has highlighted the considerable potential of MT1-MMP in targeted cancer therapy, studies pertaining to its application in cell therapy remain relatively limited. In this review, we delineate the structural characteristics and regulatory mechanisms of MT1-MMP expression, as well as its biological significance in tumorigenesis. Finally, we discussed the current status and prospects of anti-tumor therapies targeting MT1-MMP.

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

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

Exosomal long non-coding RNAs: novel molecules in gastrointestinal cancers' progression and diagnosis

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers arise in the GI tract and accessory organs, including the mouth, esophagus, stomach, liver, biliary tract, pancreas, small intestine, large intestine, and rectum. GI cancers are a major cause of cancer-related morbidity and mortality worldwide. Exosomes act as mediators of cell-to-cell communication, with pleiotropic activity in the regulation of homeostasis, and can be markers for diseases. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), such as long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), can be transported by exosomes derived from tumor cells or non-tumor cells. They can be taken by recipient cells to alter their function or remodel the tumor microenvironment. Moreover, due to their uniquely low immunogenicity and excellent stability, exosomes can be used as natural carriers for therapeutic ncRNAs in vivo. Exosomal lncRNAs have a crucial role in regulating several cancer processes, including angiogenesis, proliferation, drug resistance, metastasis, and immunomodulation. Exosomal lncRNA levels frequently alter according to the onset and progression of cancer. Exosomal lncRNAs can therefore be employed as biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of cancer. Exosomal lncRNAs can also monitor the patient's response to chemotherapy while also serving as potential targets for cancer treatment. Here, we discuss the role of exosomal lncRNAs in the biology and possible future treatment of GI cancer.

Long noncoding RNA CDKN2B-AS1 silencing protects against esophageal cancer cell invasion and migration by inactivating the TFAP2A/FSCN1 axis

Esophageal cancer (EC) is the most aggressive malignancy in the gastrointestinal tract. Long noncoding RNA cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2 B antisense RNA 1 (CDKN2B-AS1) is implicated in EC development. However, the specific mechanisms involved remain poorly defined. Therefore, this research aimed to explore the mechanism of action of CDKN2B-AS1 in EC. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was conducted to measure CDKN2B-AS1 expression in EC cells and western blotting was utilized to evaluate transcription factor AP-2 alpha (TFAP2A) and fascin actin-bundling protein 1 (FSCN1) expression. After gain-of-function and loss-of-function assays, cell proliferation, migration, invasion, apoptosis, and apoptosis-related protein expression were assessed using cell counting kit-8, scratch tests, Transwell assays, flow cytometry, and western blotting, respectively. The binding relationship between CDKN2B-AS1 and TFAP2A was assessed by RNA immunoprecipitation and RNA pull-down assays. The binding relationship between TFAP2A and FSCN1 was evaluated using dual-luciferase reporter and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. Tumor xenografts from nude mice were used for in vivo verification. CDKN2B-AS1, TFAP2A, and FSCN1 were upregulated in EC cells. Mechanistically, CDKN2B-AS1 transcriptionally activated FSCN1 by recruiting TFAP2A to the FSCN1 promoter. Silencing CDKN2B-AS1 or TFAP2A suppressed EC cell proliferative, migrating, and invasive properties and augmented apoptosis. TFAP2A was bound to CDKN2B-AS1 and the FSCN1 promoter. Overexpression of TFAP2A or FSCN1 abolished the effects of CDKN2B-AS1-silencing on EC cell function. CDKN2B-AS1 silencing curtailed tumorigenesis in nude mice, which was nullified by the upregulation of TFAP2A or FSCN1. Our findings demonstrated the antioncogenic effects of silencing CDKN2B-AS1 in EC through inactivation of the TFAP2A/FSCN1 axis.

Prognostic value of micro-RNA 375, 133, 143, 145 in esophageal carcinoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Many studies have confirmed that micro-RNA (mir) is related to the prognosis of esophageal carcinoma (EC), suggesting the mir could be used to guide the therapeutic strategy of EC. Some of mir molecules are considered as favorable prognostic factors for EC. The purpose of our study is to evaluate the prognostic potential of mir-375, 133, 143, 145 in primary EC, we summarized all the results from available studies, aiming delineating the prognostic role of mir in EC. Relevant studies were identified by searching databases including Medline, Embase, Web of science, Cochrane Library. The studies which explored the prognostic value of mir-375, 133, 143, 145 expressions on survival outcomes in patients with EC were included in this study. The hazard ratios (HR) and their responding 95% confidence interval (CI) were also extracted. A total of 25 studies were collected, including 1260 patients, and the prognostic values of four mirs in EC were analyzed. Survival outcomes including overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were used as the primary endpoint to evaluate the prognostic value of mir. The pooled analysis results showed that up-regulation of mir-375 indicated favorable OS (HR=0.50; 95%CI: 0.37-0.69; P<0.001). In addition, the up-regulation of mir-133 (HR=0.40, 95%CI: 0.24-0.65, P<0.001), 143 (HR=0.40, 95%CI: 0.21-0.76, P < 0.001) and 145 (HR=0.55, 95%CI: 0.34-0.90, P<0.001) are also proved as protected factors in EC. Therefore, our study demonstrated that these mirs may have the potential to be used as prognostic biomarkers for EC in clinical practice.

FSCN1 Promotes Esophageal Carcinoma Progression Through Downregulating PTK6 via its RNA-Binding Protein Effect

Objective: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) causes many deaths worldwide every year. Fascin actin-bundling protein 1(FSCN1) has been reported to be a promoter of ESCC via its actin-binding function, however, its new role as an RNA-binding protein (RBP) has not been investigated. Here, we explored the RBP role of FSCN1 in the development of ESCC. Methods: Whole-genome expression sequencing was performed to screen for altered genes after FSCN1 knockdown. RNA immunoprecipitation was performed to determine the target mRNA of FSCN1 as an RBP. In vitro experiments with ECA-109 and KYSE-150 and ex vivo experiments in tumor-bearing mice were performed to investigate the effects of FSCN1 and Protein Tyrosine Kinase 6 (PTK6) on ESCC progression. Results: FSCN1 could downregulate mRNA and the protein level of PTK6. The binding position of PTK6 (PTK6-T2) pre-mRNA to FSCN1 was determined. PTK6-T2 blocked the binding between FSCN1 and the pre-mRNA of PTK6, and thus reversed the promotion effect of FSCN1 on ESCC tumor progression via the AKT/GSK3β signaling pathway. Conclusion: A novel effect of FSCN1, RBP-binding with the pre-mRNA of PTK6, was confirmed to play an important role in ESCC progression. PTK6-T2, which is a specific inhibitor of FSCN1 binding to the pre-mRNA of PTK6, could impede the development of ESCC.

Roles of microRNAs in tumorigenesis and metastasis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is the major subtype of esophageal cancer that is prevalent in Eastern Asia. Despite recent advances in therapy, the outcome of ESCC patients is still dismal. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are non-coding RNAs which can negatively modulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. The involvement and roles of miRNAs have become one of the hot topics of cancer research in recent years. In ESCC, genetic variations within miRNA coding genes were found to have distinct epidemiological significance in different populations. Dysregulated expression of several miRNAs was reported to be associated with therapeutic response. Functionally, miRNAs can act either in an oncogenic or a tumor-suppressive manner during tumorigenesis of ESCC by interrupting signaling pathways associated with cell proliferation, metabolism, cancer stemness, and resistance to chemo- or radiotherapy. Moreover, miRNAs modulate metastasis of ESCC by targeting genes that regulate cytoskeleton dynamics, extracellular matrix remodeling, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and tumor microenvironment. Most importantly, mounting evidence suggests that inhibiting oncogenic miRNAs or restoring the loss of tumor-suppressive miRNAs has therapeutic potential in the treatment of ESCC. Here, we review and discuss recent studies on the significance, biological functions, and therapeutic potential of miRNAs in tumorigenesis and metastasis of ESCC.

Exosomal lncRNA LINC01711 facilitates metastasis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma via the miR-326/FSCN1 axis

Esophageal cancer is a malignant tumor with a five-year survival rate of less than 20%. Early diagnosis and exploration of esophageal cancer pathogenesis are of great significance for the treatment and prognosis of esophageal cancer. Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) plays a vital role in the occurrence and development of different types of tumors. However, the role of exosome LncRNA in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is rarely reported. In this study, we detected high expression of lncRNA LINC01711 in ESCC tissues and was associated with poor prognosis. Silencing LINC01711 can inhibit the proliferation, migration, invasion, and growth of ESCC cell lines, and induce apoptosis. Linc01711 was identified as a competitive endogenous RNA that suppressed miR-326, and up-regulated the expression of fascin actin-bundling protein 1 (FSCN1). Besides, in vivo experiments showed that the administration of exosome-derived LINC01711 (LINC01711-Exo) promoted the growth of tumors in nude mice. In general, exosomal LINC01711 promoted the proliferation, migration, and invasion of esophageal cancer cells by up-regulating FSCN1 and down-regulating miR-326, thus improved the occurrence and development of ESCC.

Matrix metalloprotease-14 is a target enzyme for detecting peritoneal metastasis in gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

Accurate diagnosis of peritoneal metastasis in gastric cancer (GC) is important to determine the appropriate treatment. This study aimed to examine whether matrix metalloprotease-14 (MMP-14) was a candidate enzyme in fluorescence imaging for the diagnosis of peritoneal metastasis in GC.

METHODS

GC and normal peritoneal (NP) tissues from 96 and 20 patients, respectively were evaluated for MMP-14 expression. Live cell imaging of GC cell lines (NUGC4, MKN45, MKN74, HGC-27, and Kato-III) was performed using the MMP-14-activatable fluorescence probe; BODIPY-MMP. Furthermore, the overall survival (OS) was calculated in all patients (n = 96).

RESULTS

MMP-14 expression was significantly higher in GC tissues (median: 3.57 ng/mg protein; range:0.64-24.4 ng/mg protein) than in NP tissues (median: 1.34 ng/mg protein; median: 0.53-3.09 ng/mg protein) (P < 0.01). Receiver operating characteristic curves showed that the area under the curve, sensitivity, and specificity were 0.907, 84.4%, and 90.0%, respectively. In live cell imaging using the BODIPY-MMP, fluorescence was observed in five GC cell lines. In the analysis of OS, the high expression of the MMP-14 group had a significantly poorer OS rate than the low expression of the MMP-14 group (P = 0.02). In the multivariate analyses, MMP-14 expression was an independent risk factor for OS (hazard ratio: 2.33; 95 % confidence interval: 1.05-5.45; P = 0.04).

CONCLUSION

MMP-14 is a promising enzyme in intraoperative fluorescence imaging for peritoneal metastasis in GC, especially in patients with poor prognosis.

Non-Coding RNAs in Invadopodia: New Insights Into Cancer Metastasis

Invadopodia are actin-rich structures and their formation is implicated in cancer invasion and metastasis. Growing evidence has shown that noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) play important roles in pathological conditions, including tumorigenesis and metastasis. Although this is still a new area of research, ncRNAs appear to be promising biomarkers and therapeutic targets for cancer metastasis. However, understanding the roles of ncRNAs in invadopodia is still in the early stages and far from clinical application. In this mini-review, we summarize the roles of ncRNAs in invadopodia functions and discuss them in a therapeutic context. The current challenges and gaps in this field are also raised, and we provide some open questions to facilitate new ideas in targeting invadopodia in anticancer therapy.

Emerging Role of Fascin-1 in the Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, and Treatment of the Gastrointestinal Cancers

Simple Summary

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, including esophageal, gastric, colorectal, liver, and pancreatic cancers, remain as one of the leading causes of death worldwide, with a large proportion accounting for fatalities related to metastatic disease. The active involvement of fascin-1 in forming membrane protrusions crucial for cellular movement has been identified as an important molecular mechanism behind the phenotypic switch from the localized to the metastatic tumor. Thus, fascin-1 expression status in the malignant tissue has been utilized as an important component in determining the patient’s clinicopathological outcomes. In this review, we provide an up-to-date literature review of the role of fascin-1 in the initiation and metastatic progression of GI tract cancers, its involvement in patients’ clinical outcomes, and its potential as a therapeutic target.

Abstract

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, including esophageal, gastric, colorectal, liver, and pancreatic cancers, remain as one of the leading causes of death worldwide, with a large proportion accounting for fatalities related to metastatic disease. Invasion of primary cancer occurs by the actin cytoskeleton remodeling, including the formation of the filopodia, stereocilia, and other finger-like membrane protrusions. The crucial step of actin remodeling in the malignant cells is mediated by the fascin protein family, with fascin-1 being the most active. Fascin-1 is an actin-binding protein that cross-links filamentous actin into tightly packed parallel bundles, giving rise to finger-like cell protrusions, thus equipping the cell with the machinery necessary for adhesion, motility, and invasion. Thus, fascin-1 has been noted to be a key component for determining patient diagnosis and treatment plan. Indeed, the overexpression of fascin-1 in GI tract cancers has been associated with a poor clinical prognosis and metastatic progression. Moreover, fascin-1 has received attention as a potential therapeutic target for metastatic GI tract cancers. In this review, we provide an up-to-date literature review of the role of fascin-1 in the initiation of GI tract cancers, metastatic progression, and patients’ clinical outcomes.

LncRNA LOC146880 promotes esophageal squamous cell carcinoma progression via miR-328-5p/FSCN1/MAPK axis

We investigated the role of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) LOC146880 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). LOC146880 was significantly upregulated in ESCC tissues (n = 21) and cell lines compared to the corresponding controls. Higher LOC146880 expression correlated with poorer overall survival (OS) of ESCC patients. Moreover, CREB-binding protein (CBP) and H3K27 acetylation levels were significantly higher in the LOC146880 promoter in ESCC cell lines than in the controls. LOC146880 silencing inhibited in vitro proliferation, invasion, migration, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of ESCC cells. LOC146880 silencing also induced G1-phase cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in ESCC cells. Bioinformatics analysis, dual luciferase reporter assays, and RNA immunoprecipitation assays showed that LOC146880 regulates FSCN1 expression in ESCC cells by sponging miR-328-5p. Moreover, FSCN1 expression correlated with activation of the MAPK signaling pathway in ESCC cells and tissues. In vivo xenograft tumor volume and liver metastasis were significantly reduced in nude mice injected with LOC146880-silenced ESCC cells as compared to those injected with control shRNA-transfected ESCC cells. These findings show that the LOC146880/miR-328-5p/FSCN1/MAPK axis regulates ESCC progression in vitro and in vivo. LOC146880 is thus a promising prognostic biomarker and potential therapeutic target in ESCC.

Fascin actin-bundling protein 1 in human cancer: promising biomarker or therapeutic target?

Fascin actin-bundling protein 1 (FSCN1) is a highly conserved actin-bundling protein that cross links F-actin microfilaments into tight, parallel bundles. Elevated FSCN1 levels have been reported in many types of human cancers and have been correlated with aggressive clinical progression, poor prognosis, and survival outcomes. The overexpression of FSCN1 in cancer cells has been associated with tumor growth, migration, invasion, and metastasis. Currently, FSCN1 is recognized as a candidate biomarker for multiple cancer types and as a potential therapeutic target. The aim of this study was to provide a brief overview of the FSCN1 gene and protein structure and elucidate on its actin-bundling activity and physiological functions. The main focus was on the role of FSCN1 and its upregulatory mechanisms and significance in cancer cells. Up-to-date studies on FSCN1 as a novel biomarker and therapeutic target for human cancers are reviewed. It is shown that FSCN1 is an unusual biomarker and a potential therapeutic target for cancer.

Development of a LC-MS/MS method for the quantification of toxic payload DM1 cleaved from BT1718 in a Phase I study

Background: BT1718 is a novel bicyclic peptide anticancer drug targeting membrane type I matrix metalloproteinase to release its toxic payload DM1. A LC-MS/MS method was validated to quantify DM1 generated from BT1718 in a Phase I/IIa clinical trial. Materials & methods: Plasma samples underwent a reduction reaction to artificially cleave BT1718 into DM1 and its bicycle components. An alkylation step was carried out to stabilize the reaction products, and plasma proteins extracted using acetonitrile. LC-MS/MS analysis utilized a C18 column and Agilent 6460 triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (Agilent, Cheshire, UK). Results: The method was fully validated over a linear range of 200-50,000 ng/ml BT1718, with overall precision ≤10% and accuracy 89-102%. Conclusion: A novel method for quantifying DM1 yielded from BT1718 has been validated and is now being utilized clinically.

miR-4319 inhibited retinoblastoma cells proliferation, migration, invasion and EMT progress via suppressing CD147 mediated MMPs expression

Tumor migration is the critical step that lead to the migration in retinoblastoma (RB), in which microRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles. This study aimed to investigate the role of microRNA-4319 (miR-4319) in the development of retinoblastoma by identifying its targets, as well as its underlying regulatory mechanisms. Our data shown that miR-4319 was downregulated in RB tissues and RB cell lines. Enhanced miR-4319 suppressed cell proliferation, migration, invasion and EMT progress, promoted cell apoptosis in SO-RB50 and RB-Y79 cells. Of note, extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRI/CD147) was identified as a direct target gene for miR-4319. MMPs were regulated by CD147 and participated in the miR-4319 regulatory network in SO-RB50 cells. In addition, overexpression of CD147 abrogated the inhibitory effect of miR-4319 on RB cells. In summary, miR-4319 overexpression suppressed cell proliferation, migration and invasion may through suppressing the CD147 mediated MMPs expression, suggesting that miR-4319 may serve as a potential diagnostic biomarker and treatment target for RB.

Regulators at Every Step-How microRNAs Drive Tumor Cell Invasiveness and Metastasis

Tumor cell invasiveness and metastasis are the main causes of mortality in cancer. Tumor progression is composed of many steps, including primary tumor growth, local invasion, intravasation, survival in the circulation, pre-metastatic niche formation, and metastasis. All these steps are strictly controlled by microRNAs (miRNAs), small non-coding RNA that regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. miRNAs can act as oncomiRs that promote tumor cell invasion and metastasis or as tumor suppressor miRNAs that inhibit tumor progression. These miRNAs regulate the actin cytoskeleton, the expression of extracellular matrix (ECM) receptors including integrins and ECM-remodeling enzymes comprising matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), and regulate epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), hence modulating cell migration and invasiveness. Moreover, miRNAs regulate angiogenesis, the formation of a pre-metastatic niche, and metastasis. Thus, miRNAs are biomarkers of metastases as well as promising targets of therapy. In this review, we comprehensively describe the role of various miRNAs in tumor cell migration, invasion, and metastasis.

Tumor-derived exosomes influence the cell cycle and cell migration of human esophageal cancer cell lines

Our laboratory previously reported the usefulness as biomarkers of exosomes in the plasma of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients. However, the influence of tumor‐derived exosomes on the tumor itself and underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We here report changes in the phenotype and gene expression when cancer cells exist in an environment with tumor‐derived exosomes. The exosomes were isolated from the culture medium of human ESCC cells (TE2, T.Tn) by ultracentrifugation; cell proliferation assay, wound‐healing assay, and fluorescence imaging of the cell cycle were performed to clarify the phenotypic changes in the high concentration of tumor‐derived exosomes. Gene expression changes were also assessed by mRNA microarray, and the data were analyzed by gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). The data revealed that the proliferation of both TE2 and T.Tn was inhibited, and cell migration ability was upregulated in the exosome exposure group (P < .05). Fluorescence imaging using a fluorescent ubiquitination‐based cell cycle indicator expressing ESCC cells revealed that the ratio of G1‐phase cells was significantly increased in the exosome exposure group (P < .05). Findings of the GSEA clarified that high‐density exposure of cancer‐derived exosomes to their parent cancer cells downregulated the expression of genes related to cell proliferation and cell cycle, and upregulated the expression of genes related to actin filament length and extracellular structure organization. In conclusion, an environment of high‐density tumor‐derived exosomes induces changes in the gene expression and phenotype of tumor cells and may lead to tumor progression or malignant transformation.

Matrix metalloproteinase-14 (MMP-14) downregulation inhibits esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cell migration, invasion, and proliferation

Background

Matrix metalloproteinase‐14 (MMP‐14) is known to be a key regulator of oncogenesis and tumor progression. The present study was designed to assess the relationship between the downregulation of MMP‐14 and the in vitro proliferative, migratory, and invasive activity of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) cells.

Methods

MMP‐14 expression in human ESCC and paracancerous normal esophageal tissue samples was evaluated via immunohistochemistry, and correlations between MMP‐14 staining and patient clinicopathological features were examined. In addition, siRNA was used to knockdown MMP‐14 in ESCC cells, and the proliferation and invasive activity of these cells were then evaluated via MTT and Transwell assays, respectively. Flow cytometry was additionally used to assess cell cycle progression, while Western blotting was employed to measure protein levels within these cells.

Results

ESCC samples were found to exhibit MMP‐14 overexpression relative to paracancerous tissue samples, and this overexpression was positively correlated with tumor T classification (T1‐2 vs. T3; P < 0.05), N classification (negative vs. positive; P < 0.001), degree of differentiation (G1 vs. G3, P < 0.05; G2 vs. G3, P < 0.05) and clinical stage (I–IIA vs. IIB–III; P < 0.05). When MMP‐14 was knocked down in ESCC cells, this induced cell cycle arrest, impairing their proliferative and invasive activity.

Conclusions

MMP‐14 is a key regulator of the proliferation and invasion of ESCC cells, making it a viable therapeutic target for the treatment of this cancer.

How does fascin promote cancer metastasis?

Fascin is an F-actin-bundling protein that cross-links individual actin filaments into straight and stiff bundles. Fascin overexpression in cancer is strongly associated with poor prognosis and metastatic progression across different cancer types. It is well established that fascin plays a causative role in promoting metastatic progression. We will review the recent progress in our understanding of mechanisms underlying fascin-mediated cancer metastasis. This review will cover the biochemical basis for fascin-bundling activity, the mechanisms by which cancer cells upregulate fascin expression and the mechanism underlying fascin-mediated cancer cell migration, invasion, and metastatic colonization. We propose that fascin has broad roles in both metastatic dissemination and metastatic colonization. Understanding these mechanisms will be crucial to the development of anti-metastasis therapeutics targeting fascin.

Identification of the fatty acid synthase interaction network via iTRAQ-based proteomics indicates the potential molecular mechanisms of liver cancer metastasis

Background

Fatty acid synthase (FASN) is highly expressed in various types of cancer and has an important role in carcinogenesis and metastasis. To clarify the mechanisms of FASN in liver cancer invasion and metastasis, the FASN protein interaction network in liver cancer was identified by targeted proteomic analysis.

Methods

Wound healing and Transwell assays was performed to observe the effect of FASN during migration and invasion in liver cancer. Isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ)-based mass spectrometry were used to identify proteins interacting with FASN in HepG2 cells. Differential expressed proteins were validated by co-immunoprecipitation, western blot analyses and confocal microscopy. Western blot and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) were performed to demonstrate the mechanism of FASN regulating metastasis.

Results

FASN knockdown inhibited migration and invasion of HepG2 and SMMC7721 cells. A total of, 79 proteins interacting with FASN were identified. Additionally, gene ontology term enrichment analysis indicated that the majority of biological regulation and cellular processes that the FASN-interacting proteins were associated with. Co-precipitation and co-localization of FASN with fascin actin-bundling protein 1 (FSCN1), signal-induced proliferation-associated 1 (SIPA1), spectrin β, non-erythrocytic 1 (SPTBN1) and CD59 were evaluated. Knockdown of FASN in liver cancer reduced the expression of FSCN1, SIPA1, SPTBN1 and CD59. Furthermore, inhibition of FASN, FSCN1 or SPTBN1 expression in liver cancer resulted in alterations of epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT)-associated markers E-cadherin, N-cadherin, vimentin and transcription factors, Snail and Twist, at the mRNA level, and changes in matrix metallopeptidase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 protein expression.

Conclusion

The results suggested that the FASN-interacting protein network produced by iTRAQ-based proteomic analyses may be involved in regulating invasion and metastasis in liver cancer by influencing EMT and the function of MMPs.

Dysregulated long non-coding RNAs involved in regulation of matrix degradation during type-B aortic dissection pathogenesis

Thoracic aortic dissection (TAD) is a catastrophic disease with the rupture of aortic media resulted mainly from the degradation of extracellular matrix. With the deep study of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in cardiovascular diseases, the correlation between lncRNAs and the TAD pathogenesis is under revealed. In this study, we aimed to screen the differentially expressed lncRNAs involved in the regulation of matrix degradation during type-B aortic dissection (TBAD), whose pathogenesis is more similar to atherosclerosis. A total of 393 aberrantly expressed lncRNAs and 432 aberrantly expressed mRNAs were identified in the descending aortic samples from TBAD patients. Then, co-expression analysis was applied to analyze the correlation between the top five differentially expressed lncRNAs and aberrantly expressed mRNAs, so as to screen the lncRNAs involved in the regulation of matrix degradation. The results showed that two transcripts from lnc-TNFSF14 (lnc-TNFSF14-2, and lnc-TNFSF14-3) were negatively interacted with MMP14 and MMP19. Subsequently, quantitative real-time PCR assay confirmed that lnc-TNFSF14-2 were negatively correlated with MMP14 (r_s = - 0.8180) and MMP19 (r_s = - 0.8449), and lnc-TNFSF14-3 was also negatively correlated with MMP14 (r_s = - 0.7098) and MMP19 (r_s = - 0.7728) in descending aorta from TBAD patients (n = 20). Overall, our study found the aberrant lncRNAs expression profiles in TBAD, and identified lnc-TNFSF14 as a potential target regulating matrix degradation. The results also provided crucial clues for lncRNAs function research on TBAD development.

Long intergenic non-coding RNA 00337 confers progression of esophageal cancer by mediating microrna-145-dependent fscn1

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been highlighted as prominent genetic modulators involved in multiple important biological processes of cancer cells, especially in esophageal cancer (EC). We tried to elucidate the potential role of LINC00337 in the progression of EC. Based on TCGA database analysis and Reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction determination, high expression of LINC00337 and FSCN1 was detected, while miR-145 exhibited a low expression in EC. LINC00337 was identified to bind to miR-145 to impair the miR-145-dependent FSCN1 inhibition. The underlying regulatory mechanisms were evaluated by transfection with LINC00337 overexpression plasmid, siRNA against LINC00337, miR-145 mimic, or anta-miR-145. Downregulation of LINC00337 results in increased Bax level, decreased FSCN1, Bcl-2, VEGF, and p53 levels, in addition to diminished cell proliferation, migration, invasion and tumor growth, with accelerated cell apoptosis by upregulating miR-145. Taken together, the findings obtained provided evidence suggesting that LINC00337 acts as a tumor promoter in EC, providing insight and advancements for EC treatment.

Evaluation of Silencing Effect of miR-133a-5p Mimic on TIM-3 Expression in AML (HL-60) Cell Line

Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) is a complex blood malignancy leading to immature leukemic stem cells (LSCs) proliferation. T cell immunoglobulin mucin-3 (TIM-3) is known as a biomarker of AML LSCs. Several microRNAs (miRNAs) can affect gene expression in AML. In this study, the silencing effect of miR-133a-5p on TIM-3 expression in AML cell lineage (HL-60) was investigated. It's been hypothesized that miR-133a-5p may suppress the TIM-3 expression in AML cell line. Initially, miRNA-TIM-3 prediction, enrichment, and network analysis were done. Then, miR-133a-5p mimic was transfected into HL-60 cells. The TIM-3 protein and gene expression were measured by flow cytometry analysis and real-time PCR, respectively. MTT assay was also carried out. Based on the Bioinformatics predictions, miR-133a-5p was able to silence TIM-3 expression. Also, significant pathways pertained to miR-133a-5p were obtained using enrichment analysis. According to this, miR-133a-5p was mainly engaged in the MAPK signaling pathway and Nicotine addiction pathway using the KEGG database. The TIM-3 protein expression of the transfected cells was measured as 17.15 ± 8.87% (p = 0.001). A 52.48% significant gene silencing in mRNA level was obtained in comparison to the negative control. Despite of down regulation of TIM-3, HL-60 cell viability has not been significantly changed. It has been finally confirmed that miR-133a-5p could strongly suppress TIM-3 expression in AML cell line. Presumably, down regulation of TIM-3 could affect MAPK and Nicotine addiction signaling pathways.

Functional Significance and Therapeutic Potential of miRNA-20b-5p in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Novel therapies tailored to the molecular composition mechanism of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) are needed to improve patient survival. miR-20b-5p expression was significantly upregulated in cancerous tissues and associated with lymph node metastasis, clinical stage, and overall survival (OS). An analysis of the methylation status of the miR-20b-5p gene indicated that the hypomethylation of the CpG sites located upstream of the miR-20b-5p gene in the ESCC tissues was more frequent than in the adjacent normal tissues, and the methylation status of miR-20b-5p correlated inversely with its expression levels. Notably, a series of gain- and loss-of-function assays elucidated that miR-20b-5p promoted ESCC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion both in vitro and in vivo. Luciferase reporter assays, western blot, and qRT-PCR revealed that RB1 and TP53INP1 were the direct targets of miR-20b-5p. Moreover, the effects of ectopic miR-20b-5p expression were abrogated by RB1 and TP53INP1 overexpression. In contrast, the effects of miR-20b-5p depletion were impaired by RB1 and TP53INP1 knockdown. Treatment with a miR-20b-5p antagomir dramatically increased tumor growth and inhibited RB1 and TP53INP1 protein expression in nude mice. This work provided novel insights on the molecular mechanism of ESCC and further provided suggestions for therapy development.

DNA methylation-mediated repression of exosomal miR-652-5p expression promotes oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma aggressiveness by targeting PARG and VEGF pathways

Exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) have been recently shown to play vital regulatory and communication roles in cancers. In this study, we showed that the expression levels of miR-652-5p in tumour tissues and serum samples of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients were lower compared to non-tumorous tissues and serum samples from healthy subjects, respectively. Decreased expression of miR-652-5p was correlated with TNM stages, lymph node metastasis, and short overall survival (OS). More frequent CpG sites hypermethylation in the upstream of miR-652-5p was found in OSCC tissues compared to adjacent normal tissues. Subsequently, miR-652-5p downregulation promoted the proliferation and metastasis of OSCC, and regulated cell cycle both in cells and in vivo. The dual-luciferase reporter assay confirmed that poly (ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase (PARG) and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) were the direct targets of miR-652-5p. Moreover, the delivery of miR-652-5p agomir suppressed tumour growth and metastasis, and inhibited the protein expressions of PARG and VEGFA in nude mice. Taken together, our findings provide novel insight into the molecular mechanism underlying OSCC pathogenesis.

miR-150-5p mediates extravillous trophoblast cell migration and angiogenesis functions by regulating VEGF and MMP9

INTRODUCTION

miR-150-5p is involved in placenta function. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) play important roles in migration and invasion of cells, while VEGF is the major contributing factor in angiogenesis, and they are related to miR-150-5p. However, the mechanism by which miR-150-5p regulates placental functions is not known. Thus, we investigated the influence of miR-150-5p on extravillous trophoblast function and the underlying epigenetic mechanism.

METHODS

Real-time PCR were used to detect the miR-150-5p in the placenta of patients with preeclampsia and normal pregnant women. HTR-8/SVneo and JEG-3 cells were transfected with miR-150-5p inhibitor. Furthermore, we used CoCl₂ to establish the hypoxia cell model. qRT-PCR and Western blot analysis were performed to detect VEGF and MMP9 expression levels in the transfected cells. Cell Counting Kit-8 assay was conducted to evaluate the proliferation ability. Wound-healing and transwell assays were used to detect the migration and invasion capacities. Tube formation assay was performed to evaluate the angiogenesis ability.

RESULTS

miR-150-5p was up-regulated in the placenta of patients with preeclampsia. Inhibition of miR-150-5p significantly enhanced migration, invasion, and angiogenesis ability of both JEG-3 and HTR-8/SVneo cells. Similar results were seen in the hypoxic HTR-8/SVneo cell model. Moreover, mRNA and protein expression levels of VEGF and MMP9 were upregulated by the inhibition of miR-150-5p.

DISCUSSION

miR-150-5p impacts placental cellular abilities, including migration, invasion, and angiogenesis of extravillous trophoblast cells. More importantly, miR-150-5p regulates VEGF and MMP9 expression. The results suggest that miR-150-5p may have an impact on placenta functions.

Long noncoding RNA LINC01234 silencing exerts an anti-oncogenic effect in esophageal cancer cells through microRNA-193a-5p-mediated CCNE1 downregulation

BACKGROUND

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are transcribed pervasively in the genome and act to regulate chromatin remodeling and gene expression. Dysregulated lncRNA expression has been reported in many cancers, but the role of lncRNAs in esophageal cancer (EC) has so far remained poorly understood. In this study, we aimed to understand the effect of lncRNA LINC01234 on EC development through competitively binding to microRNA-193a-5p (miR-193a-5p).

METHODS

The Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database was used for microarray-based EC expression profiling. Gain- and loss-of-function analyses were carried out in human EC-derived Eca-109 and EC9706 cells. Expression analyses of miR-193a-5p, LINC01234, CCNE1, caspase-3, p21, Bax, cyclinD1 and Bcl-2 were performed using RT-qPCR and Western blotting. Cell proliferation, colony formation and apoptosis analyses were carried out using MTT, Hoechst 33258 and flow cytometry assays. A xenograft EC model in nude mice was used to evaluate in vivo tumor growth and CCNE1 expression.

RESULTS

Microarray-based analyses revealed that LINC01234 expression was increased in primary EC samples, whereas that of miR-193a-5p was decreased. We found that CCNE1 was a target of miR-193a-5p and that LINC01234, in turn, sponges miR-193a-5p. After treatment with si-LINC01234 or miR-193a-5p mimic, EC cells (Eca-109 and EC9706) exhibited cyclinD1 and Bcl-2 downregulation, and caspase-3, p21, Bax and cleaved caspase-3 upregulation. LINC01234 silencing or miR-193a-5p upregulation resulted in decreased proliferation and colony formation, and increased apoptosis of EC cells. In addition, LINC01234 silencing or miR-193a-5p upregulation resulted in reduced in vivo EC tumor growth and CCNE1 expression in nude mice.

CONCLUSIONS

We found that silencing of LINC01234 suppresses EC development by inhibiting CCNE1 through competitively binding to miR-193a-5p, which suggests that LINC01234 may represent a novel target for EC therapy.

Aberrant expression of a five-microRNA signature in breast carcinoma as a promising biomarker for diagnosis

BACKGROUND

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common malignancy among females with dismal quality of life in patients. It has been proven that epigenetic factors, especially microRNAs, are involved in breast carcinogenesis and progression. This study aimed to assess the expression and clinical performances of a five-microRNA signature (miR-127-3p, miR-133a-3p, miR-155-5p, miR-199b-5p, and miR-342-5p) in breast cancer and adjacent normal tissues to identify a potential biomarker for BC and investigate the relationship between their expression and clinicopathological features of BC patients as well.

METHODS

In this case-control investigation, we recruited 50 pairs of tumor and matched non-tumor surgical specimens from patients diagnosed with BC. Expression levels of miR-127-3p, miR-133a-3p, miR-155-5p, miR-199b-5p, and miR-342-5p were measured in BC and adjacent normal tissues by RT-qPCR.

RESULTS

We found that miR-127-3p, miR-133a-3p, miR-199b-5p, and miR-342-5p were significantly down-regulated, while miR-155-5p was significantly up-regulated in BC tumor tissues compared with the corresponding adjacent normal tissues. The decreased expression of miR-127-3p, miR-133a-3p, miR-342-5p, and up-regulation of miR-155-5p showed a significant correlation with disease stage. We also found a significant down-regulation of miR-127-3p, miR-199b-5p, and miR-342-5p compared in HER-2-negative patients. Our results indicated that miR-155-5p had a higher expression level in HER-2-positive patients. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis demonstrated that all these five microRNAs can serve as potential biomarkers to distinguish between tumor and non-tumor breast tissue samples.

CONCLUSIONS

The present findings suggested that dysregulation of this five-miRNA signature might be considered as a promising and functional biomarker for BC diagnosis.

Expression of MMP-14 and prognosis in digestive system carcinoma: a meta-analysis and databases validation

Background: The Matrix metalloproteinase-14 (MMP-14) expression has been shown to be overexpressed in different cancers. However, there is no comprehensive quantitative evaluation of the MMP-14 prognostic value in digestive system carcinoma (DSC). The aim of this study is to explore the correlation between the MMP-14 expression and DSC prognosis.

Methods: We conducted a meta-analysis to estimate the association strength between MMP-14 expression and prognosis. GEPIA and Kaplan Meier plotters were used to assess overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS)/progression-free survival (PFS) in DSC patients and the differential expression of MMP-14 in DSC tissues and adjacent tissues.

Results: A total of 20 studies including 2,519 patients with OS and 438 patients with DFS/PFS data were analyzed in evidence synthesis. Overall, the combined hazard ratio (HR) with 95% confidence interval (95% CI) was 1.98 (95%Cl: 1.77-2.22, P<0.001) for OS and 3.61 (95%Cl: 2.39-5.43, P<0.001) for DFS/PFS. For subgroup analyses, significant correlations were revealed between increased MMP-14 expression and poor OS in patients with gastric cancer (HR=2.21, 95%CI: 1.76-2.77, P<0.001), esophageal carcinoma (HR=2.01, 95%CI: 1.58-2.57, P<0.001), oral cancer (HR = 1.69, 95% CI: 1.30-2.20, P < 0.001) (HR=2.14, 95%CI 1.35-2.19, P<0.001) and hepatocarcinoma. In database verification analyses, the MMP-14 expression levels in normal tissues were significantly higher than that in DSC tissues, and significant associations were observed between high MMP-14 expression levels and poor prognosis.

Conclusions: The high expression levels of MMP-14 might predict poor prognosis in DSC. Larger prospective clinical cohort studies are required to validate the prognostic role.

Roles of MicroRNAs in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Pathogenesis

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are 20-22 nucleotides long single-stranded noncoding RNAs. They regulate gene expression posttranscriptionally by base pairing with the complementary sequences in the 3'-untranslated region of their targeted mRNA. Aberrant expression of miRNAs leads to alterations in the expression of oncogenes and tumor suppressors, thereby affecting cellular growth, proliferation, apoptosis, motility, and invasion capacity of gastrointestinal cells, including cells of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Thus, alterations in miRNAs expression associated with the pathogenesis and progression of ESCC. In addition, expression profiles of miRNAs correlated with various clinicopathological factors, including pathological stages, histological differentiation, invasion, metastasis of cancer, as well as survival rates and therapy response of patients with ESCC. Consequently, expression profiles of miRNAs could be useful as diagnostic, prognostic, and prediction biomarkers in ESCC. Herein, we describe the quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and microarray methods for detection and quantitate miRNAs in ESCC. In addition, we summarize the roles of miRNAs in ESCC pathogenesis, progression, and prognosis.

Silencing lncRNAs PVT1 Upregulates miR-145 and Confers Inhibitory Effects on Viability, Invasion, and Migration in EC

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) plasmacytoma variant translocation 1 (PVT1) is correlated to various malignant tumors. Consequently, we explored effects of lncRNA PVT1 on esophageal carcinoma (EC) targeting microRNA-145 (miR-145). EC tissues, adjacent normal tissues, and EC-related cell lines were collected and cultured. Expression of lncRNA PVT1, miR-145, fascin-1 (FSCN1), and related genes with intervening expression of PVT1 and miR-145 was determined. Bioinformatic website, dual-luciferase reporter assay, and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) were carried to verify target relationship among lncRNA PVT1, FSCN1, and miR-145. Scratch test, Transwell assay, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, and flow cytometry were performed for detection of migration, invasion, viability, and apoptosis of transfected cells, respectively. Finally, tumor formation in nude mice was measured. After database analysis, lncRNA PVT1, miR-145, and FSCN1 were selected for study. lncRNA PVT1 and FSCN1 can bind to miR-145. After overexpressing miR-145 or inhibiting lncRNA PVT1, EC cell viability, migration, and invasion were inhibited, while volume and weight of tumor formation in nude mice decreased. Expression of lncRNA PVT1, FSCN1, Bcl-2, CD147, VEGFR2, and MTA1 decreased and expression of miR-145 and Bax increased. Silencing lncRNA PVT1 can upregulate miR-145, which is a tumor suppressor in EC via knockdown of FSCN1. Thus, we might provide a potential theoretical basis for EC treatment.

Down-regulation of long noncoding RNA PVT1 inhibits esophageal carcinoma cell migration and invasion and promotes cell apoptosis via microRNA-145-mediated inhibition of FSCN1

Accumulating evidence has established that long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) plasmacytoma variant translocation 1 (PVT1) is a tumor regulator in many cancers. Here, we aimed to investigate the possible function of lncRNA PVT1 in esophageal carcinoma (EC) via targeting of microRNA-145 (miR-145). Initially, microarray-based gene expression profiling of EC was employed to identify differentially expressed genes. Moreover, the expression of lncRNA PVT1 was examined and the cell line presenting with the highest level of lncRNA PVT1 expression was selected for subsequent experiments. We then proceeded to examine interaction among lncRNA PVT1, FSCN1, and miR-145. The effect of lncRNA PVT1 on viability, migration, invasion, apoptosis, and tumorigenesis of transfected cells was examined with gain-of-function and loss-of-function experiments. We observed that lncRNA PVT1 was robustly induced in EC. lncRNA PVT1 could bind to miR-145 and regulate its expression, and FSCN1 is a target gene of miR-145. Overexpression of miR-145 or silencing of lncRNA PVT1 was revealed to suppress cell viability, migration, and invasion abilities, while also stimulating cell apoptosis. Furthermore, our in vivo results showed that overexpression of miR-145 or silencing of lncRNA PVT1 resulted in decreased tumor growth in nude mice. In conclusion, our research reveals that down-regulation of lncRNA PVT1 could potentially promote expression of miR-145 to repress cell migration and invasion, and promote cell apoptosis through the inhibition of FSCN1. This highlights the potential of lncRNA PVT1 as a therapeutic target for EC treatment.

Taurine up-regulated 1 accelerates tumorigenesis of colon cancer by regulating miR-26a-5p/MMP14/p38 MAPK/Hsp27 axis in vitro and in vivo

AIMS

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of long non-coding RNA taurine-upregulated gene 1 (TUG1) in colon cancer (Cc) and related molecular mechanisms.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

RT-qPCR, Western blot and immunohistochemistry were used to detect the expression of related proteins. BrdU and Transwell assays were used to detect cell proliferation and invasion, respectively. Immunofluorescence was used to detect the expression of Vimentin.

KEY FINDINGS

TUG1 expression was up-regulated in CaCO-2, SW620 and HT-29 cells, while miR-26a-5p was down-regulated. Bioinformatics analysis showed that miR-26a-5p was the target of TUG1, and the targeting relationship was further confirmed by dual-luciferase report analysis. Besides, matrix metalloproteinases-14 (MMP-14) was a target of mir-26a-5p. Knockdown of TUG1 by shRNA (sh-TUG1) inhibited MMP-14 expression. Functional analysis showed that sh-TUG1 significantly inhibited Cc cell proliferation, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transformation (EMT). Notably, miR-26a-5p inhibitor reversed the promotion of Cc caused by sh-TUG1. Mechanically, the overexpression of TUG1 significantly up-regulated the levels of MMP-14, VEGF, p-p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p-p38 MAPK) and p-HSP27 (heat shock protein 27), and promoted the proliferation, invasion and EMT of Cc cells. However, MAPK pathway inhibitor SB203580 has shown the opposite effect. Additionally, animal studies have shown that sh-TUG1 inhibited tumor growth and motility in vivo in the same way.

SIGNIFICANCE

This study demonstrated that TUG1 accelerates the development of colon cancer by regulating miR-26a-5p/MMP14/p38 MAPK/Hsp27 axis in vitro and in vivo. Therefore, TUG1 provides a new direction for the treatment of Cc.

MMP14 in Sarcoma: A Regulator of Tumor Microenvironment Communication in Connective Tissues

Sarcomas are deadly malignant tumors of mesenchymal origin occurring at all ages. The expression and function of the membrane-type matrix metalloproteinase MMP14 is closely related to the mesenchymal cell phenotype, and it is highly expressed in most sarcomas. MMP14 regulates the activity of multiple extracellular and plasma membrane proteins, influencing cell–cell and cell–extracellular matrix (ECM) communication. This regulation mediates processes such as ECM degradation and remodeling, cell invasion, and cancer metastasis. Thus, a comprehensive understanding of the biology of MMP14 in sarcomas will shed light on the mechanisms controlling the key processes in these diseases. Here, we provide an overview of the function and regulation of MMP14 and we discuss their relationship with clinical and pre-clinical MMP14 data in both adult and childhood sarcomas.

Epigenetically Upregulated MicroRNA-602 Is Involved in a Negative Feedback Loop with FOXK2 in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

MicroRNA is an endogenous, small RNA controlling multiple target genes and playing roles in various tumorigenesis processes. In this study, our results revealed that miR-602 expression levels in tumor tissues and preoperative serum from esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients were higher than those in non-tumorous tissues and healthy volunteers. miR-602 overexpression was closely related to lymph node metastasis and TNM stages and correlated short overall, and it acted as an independent prognostic marker of ESCC. The methylation status of the miR-602 gene indicated more frequent hypomethylation of the CpG sites located upstream of the miR-602 gene in the ESCC tissues than in the adjacent normal tissues, and the methylation status of miR-602 correlated inversely with its expression levels. Subsequently, miR-602 overexpression promoted ESCC proliferation and metastasis and regulated cell cycles in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, a dual-luciferase experiment validated that Fork head box (FOX)K2 (FOXK2) was a direct target of miR-602. More importantly, systemic delivery of formulated miR-602 antagomir could reduce tumor growth and increased FOXK2 protein expression in nude mice. This work provides novel insight into the molecular pathogenesis of ESCC.

Differentially expressed circulating miRNAs in postmenopausal osteoporosis: a meta-analysis

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been proven to play a crucial role in postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMO), and studies on their diagnostic value have been increasing. In our study, we aim to identify the key miRNAs in the PMO that might be potential biomarkers. A comprehensive systematic literature search was conducted by searching PubMed, Web of Science, Embase and Cochrane Library databases. In the total of 16 independent miRNA expression studies which contained 327 PMO patients and 328 postmenopausal (PM) healthy control samples, miRNAs were evaluated by using robust rank aggregation (RRA) method. A statistically significant meta-signature of up-regulated hsa-miR-133a-3p (P = 1.38e-03) was determined. Then bioinformatics analysis to recruit putative target genes prediction of hsa-miR-133a-3p and pathway enrichment analysis to reveal what biological processes this miRNA may affect were conducted. It was indicated that pathways were commonly associated with adrenergic signaling in cardiomyocytes, adherens junction, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway and AMPK signaling pathway. Furthermore, STRING and Cytoscape tools were used to visualize the interactions between target genes of hsa-miR-133a-3p. Six genes were detected as hub genes among 576 targets which were CDC42, RHOA, EGFR, VAMP2, PIK3R2 and FN1. After Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis, it was detected that these hub genes were mostly enriched in signaling pathways and cancer. In this meta-analysis, it is stated that circulating hsa-miR-133a-3p may serve as a potential non-invasive biomarker and therapeutic target in PMO.

Genome-wide ChIP-seq data with a transcriptome analysis reveals the groups of genes regulated by histone demethylase LSD1 inhibition in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cells

Expression of genes is controlled by histone modification, histone acetylation and methylation, but abnormalities of these modifications have been observed in carcinogenesis and cancer development. The effect of the lysine-specific histone demethylase 1 (LSD1) inhibitor, a demethylating enzyme of histones, is thought to be caused by controlling the expression of genes. The aim of the present study is to elucidate the efficacies of the LSD1 inhibitor on the gene expression of esophageal cancer cell lines using chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP)-Seq. A comprehensive analysis of gene expression changes in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) cell lines induced by the LSD1 inhibitor NCL1 was clarified via analysis using microarray. In addition, ChIP-seq analysis was conducted using a SimpleChIP plus Enzymatic Chromatin IP kit. NCL1 strongly suppressed the proliferation of T.Tn and TE2 cells, which are ESCC cell lines, and further induced apoptosis. According to the combinatory analysis of ChIP-seq and microarray, 17 genes were upregulated, and 16 genes were downregulated in both cell lines. The comprehensive gene expression study performed in the present study is considered to be useful for analyzing the mechanism of the antitumor effect of the LSD1 inhibitor in patients with ESCC.

The Impact of MicroRNA-133a on Prognosis and Clinicopathological Parameters for Digestive System Cancers: a Comprehensive Study Based on Meta-Analysis and TCGA Database

We conducted a meta-analysis on the impact of microRNA-133a (miR-133a) on digestive system cancers, and verified the results through The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Relevant studies were searched in English and Chinese database and meta-analysis was performed using Stata 12.0. The corresponding information of miR-133a and digestive system cancers were obtained from TCGA database and analysis was performed using SPSS. Increased miR-133a expression was linked with favorable overall survival (OS) in digestive system cancers (HR = 0.539, 95% CI: 0.416-0.698, P < 0.001), digestive tract cancers (HR =0.558, 95% CI: 0.406-0.767, P < 0.001), esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) (HR = 0.427, 95% CI: 0.265-0.690, P = 0.001) and gastric cancer (HR = 0.541, 95% CI: 0.385-0.761, P < 0.001). The expression of miR-133a was significantly lower in cancer tissue compared with adjacent tissue for ESCC (P < 0.001), gastric cancer (P < 0.001), colorectal cancer (P < 0.001) and hepatocellular carcinoma (P = 0.002). Meanwhile, the area under the ROC curve (AUC) value for miR-133a was 0.836, 0.888, and 0.99 in ESCC, gastric cancer and colorectal cancer. MiR-133a is a tumor suppressor with prognostic and diagnostic values for digestive system cancers. High miR-133a expression was associated with better prognosis and less adverse clinicopathological parameters. More research should be performed to test these findings.

Promoter hypomethylation mediated upregulation of MicroRNA-10b-3p targets FOXO3 to promote the progression of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC)

Background

Esophageal cancer is a high incident cancer worldwide with poor survival and limited therapeutic options. Alterations of microRNAs are common in cancers, and many of these micro RNAs are potential therapeutic and diagnostic targets to treat these cancers. miR-10b-3p located in chromosome region 2q31.1, and its expression is frequently increased in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). However, the biological functions, clinical significance and therapeutic implications of miR-10b-3p in ESCC remain unclear.

Methods

The expression levels of miR-10b-3p in ESCC specimens were analyzed by in situ hybridization (ISH) and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assays. Ectopic overexpression of miR-10b-3p in ESCC cells, mouse xenograft model, and metastasis model were used to evaluate the effects of miR-10b-3p on proliferation, and migration of cancer cells. Luciferase reporter assay and Western blot were performed to validate the potential targets of miR-10b-3p after the preliminary screening by computer-aided microarray analysis.

Results

We found that miR-10b-3p expression levels were significantly upregulated in the tumor tissues and serum samples of patients with ESCC. The expression levels of miR-10b-3p in both tumor tissues and serum samples were inversely associated with lymph node metastasis and clinical stages. We identified the expression level of miR-10b-3p in ESCC cancer samples as an independent prognostic marker of the overall survival rates of ESCC patients. We found more frequent hypomethylation of the CpG sites located upstream of the miR-10b-3p gene in the ESCC tissues compared with in the adjacent normal tissues, and the DNA methylation status of miR-10b-3p promoter region inversely correlated with the expression levels of miR-10b-3p. Ectopic overexpression of miR-10b-3p promoted cell proliferation, colony formation, migration and invasion in ESCC. While knockdown of miR-10b-3p had the opposite effects, particularly in promoting apoptosis. Mouse xenograft model confirmed that miR-10b-3p functions as a potent oncogenic miRNA in ESCC, which also promoting ESCC metastasis. Mechanistically, we found miR-10b-3p regulated FOXO3 expression by directly binding to the 3′-untranslated region. And systemic delivery of miR-10b-3p antagomir reduced tumor growth and inhibit FOXO3 protein expression in nude mice.

Conclusions

Collectively, our findings suggested upregulated expression of miR-10b-3p caused by promoter hypomethylation contributed to the progression of ESCC; Thus, miR-10b-3p is a potentially effective biomarker for ESCC that could have further therapeutic implications.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s13046-018-0966-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Clinical significance of AJUBA, YAP1, and MMP14 expression in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is generally known to be a highly fatal cancer, and thus novel molecular targets are needed to improve its diagnosis and treatment. AJUBA has been shown to regulate cell cycle, adhesion, proliferation, apoptosis, and migration in many malignant tumors. However, the clinical significance of AJUBA in ESCC tumor metastasis remains unclear. In this study, we explored the role of AJUBA, Yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1), and matrix metalloproteinase 14 (MMP14) in the clinical presentation and survival of ESCC. Immunohistochemical staining showed higher expression of these proteins in cancer tissues than in paired adjacent tissues, and this upregulation was differently related to lymph node metastasis and TNM stage. AJUBA expression was positively correlated with that of YAP1. High expression of MMP14 was associated with reduced survival. In general, our findings reveal that AJUBA, YAP1, and MMP14 might function as oncoproteins and contribute to novel targeted therapy in ESCC.

Prognostic Value of MicroRNAs in Esophageal Carcinoma: A Meta-Analysis

Background

Numerous articles have reported that abnormal expression levels of microRNAs (miRNAs) are related to the survival times of esophageal carcinoma (EC) patients, which contains esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Nevertheless, there has not been a comprehensive meta-analysis to assess the accurate prognostic value of miRNAs in EC.

Methods

Studies published in English up to April 12, 2018 that evaluated the correlation of the expression levels of miRNAs with overall survival (OS) in EC were identified by online searches in PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews performed by two independent authors. The pooled hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to estimate the correlation between OS and miRNA expression. HR ≥ 2 was considered cutoff for considering the miRNA as prognostic candidate.

Results

Forty-four pertinent articles with 22 miRNAs and 4310 EC patients were ultimately included. EC patients with tissue expression levels of high miR-21 or low miR-133a (HR = 2.48, 95% CI = 1.50–4.12), miR-133b (HR = 2.15, 95% CI = 1.27–3.62), miR-138 (HR = 2.27, 95% CI = 1.68–3.08), miR-203 (HR = 2.83, 95% CI = 1.35–5.95), miR-375 and miR-655 (HR = 2.66, 95% CI = 1.16–6.12) had significantly poorer OS (P < 0.05). In addition, EC patients with blood expression levels of high miR-21 (HR = 2.19, 95% CI = 1.31–3.68) and miR-223 had significantly shorter OS (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

In conclusion, tissue expression levels of miR-21, miR-133a, miR-133b, miR-138, miR-203, miR-375, and miR-655 and blood expression levels of miR-21 and miR-223 demonstrate significant prognostic value. Among them, the expression levels of miR-133a, miR-133b, miR-138, miR-203, and miR-655 in tissue and the expression level of miR-21 in blood are potential prognostic candidates for predicting OS in EC.

MicroRNAs as Immunotherapy Targets for Treating Gastroenterological Cancers

Gastroenterological cancers are the most common cancers categorized by systems and are estimated to comprise 18.4% of all cancers in the United States in 2017. Gastroenterological cancers are estimated to contribute 26.2% of cancer-related death in 2017. Gastroenterological cancers are characterized by late diagnosis, metastasis, high recurrence, and being refractory to current therapies. Since the current targeted therapies provide limited benefit to the overall response and survival, there is an urgent need for developing novel therapeutic strategy to improve the outcome of gastroenterological cancers. Immunotherapy has been developed and underwent clinical trials, but displayed limited therapeutic benefit. Since aberrant expressions of miRNAs are found in gastroenterological cancers and miRNAs have been shown to regulate antitumor immunity, the combination therapy combining the traditional antibody-based immunotherapy and novel miRNA-based immunotherapy is promising for achieving clinical success. This review summarizes the current knowledge about the miRNAs and long noncoding RNAs that exhibit immunoregulatory roles in gastroenterological cancers and precancerous diseases of digestive system, as well as the miRNA-based clinical trials for gastroenterological cancers. This review also analyzes the ongoing challenge of identifying appropriate therapy candidates for complex and dynamic tumor microenvironment, ensuring efficient and targeted delivery to specific cancer tissues, and developing strategy for avoiding off-target effect.

MicroRNAs in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: Potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets

Esophageal cancer is a common cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the major histological type of esophageal cancer in developing countries including China, and the prognosis is very poor. Many microRNAs are involved in several important biological and pathologic processes, and promote tumorigenesis. To better understand the prognostic and therapeutic roles of microRNAs in ESCC, we reviewed the diagnosis and prognosis associated oncogenic microRNAs (e.g. miR-21 and miR-17-92 cluster) and tumor suppressor microRNAs (e.g. miR-375, miR-133a and miR-133b), and diagnosis and prognosis associated oncogenic target genes (e.g. PDCD4 and CCND1) and tumor suppressor target genes (e.g. EZH2 and PDK1). We also summarized the prognostic microRNA and target gene pairs (e.g. miR-296 and CCND1, miR214 and EZH2). Taken together, our review highlights the opportunities and challenges for microRNAs in the molecular diagnosis and target therapy of ESCC.

TGF-β-induced NKILA inhibits ESCC cell migration and invasion through NF-κB/MMP14 signaling

The transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) signaling pathway plays anti- and pro-tumoral roles in the vast majority of cancers, and long noncoding RNAs have been reported to play key roles in the highly contextual response process. However, the roles of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in TGF-β signaling in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remain unknown. In this study, we performed RNA-seq to compare lncRNAs expression levels between TGF-β1-treated and untreated ESCC cells and observed that NF-kappaB-interacting lncRNA (NKILA) was remarkably upregulated by the classical TGF-β signaling pathway. RNA profiling of 39 pairs ESCC tumor and adjacent nontumor samples using RT-qPCR demonstrated that NKILA is significantly downregulated in ESCC tumor tissues, and NKILA expression levels were significantly decreased in advanced tumor tissues (III and IV) compared to early stages (I and II) (p < 0.01). Gain- and loss-of-function assays showed that NKILA inhibited ESCC cell metastasis in vitro and in vivo, and mechanism studies showed that NKILA repressed MMP14 expression by inhibiting IκBα phosphorylation and NF-κB activation. Collectively, these findings suggest that the TGF-β-induced lncRNA NKILA has potential as an antimetastasis therapy.

KEY MESSAGES

Long noncoding RNA NKILA could be remarkably upregulated by classical TGF-β signal pathway in ESCC. NKILA was significantly downregulated in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and negatively correlated with TNM stage. NKILA inhibits ESCC cell metastasis via repressing MMP14 expression by suppressing the phosphorylation of IκBα and NF-κB activation.

Utility of miR‑133a‑3p as a diagnostic indicator for hepatocellular carcinoma: An investigation combined with GEO, TCGA, meta‑analysis and bioinformatics

Increasing evidence has demonstrated that microRNA (miR)‑133a‑3p is an important regulator of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In the present study, the diagnostic role of miR‑133a‑3p in HCC, and the potential functional pathways, were both explored based on publicly available data. Eligible microarray datasets were collected from NCBI Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and ArrayExpress database. The data related to HCC and matched adjacent normal tissues were also downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Published studies reporting the association between miR‑133a‑3p expression and HCC were reviewed from multiple databases. By combining the data derived from three sources (GEO, TCGA and published studies), the authors analyzed the comprehensive relationship between miR‑133a‑3p expression and clinicopathological features of HCC. Eventually, putative targets of miR‑133a‑3p in HCC were selected for further bioinformatics prediction. A total of eight published microarray datasets were gathered, and the pooled results demonstrated that the expression of miR‑133a‑3p in the tumor group was lower than that in normal groups [standardized mean difference (SMD)=‑0.54; 95% confidence interval (CI), ‑0.74 to ‑0.35; P<0.001]. Consistently, the level of miR‑133a‑1 in HCC was reduced markedly compared to normal tissues (P<0.001) based on TCGA data, and the AUC value of low miR‑133a‑1 expression for HCC diagnosis was 0.670 (P<0.001). Furthermore, the combined SMD of all datasets (GEO, TCGA and literature) suggested that significant difference was observed between the HCC group and the normal control group, and lower miR‑133a‑3p expression in HCC group was noted (SMD=‑0.69; 95% CI, ‑1.10 to ‑0.29; P=0.001). In addition, the authors discovered five key genes of the calcium signaling pathway (NOS1, ADRA1A, ADRA1B, ADRA1D and TBXA2R) that may probably be targeted by miR‑133a‑3p in HCC. The study reveals that miR‑133a‑3p may function as a tumor suppressor in HCC. The prospective novel pathways and key genes of miR‑133a‑3p could offer potential biomarkers for HCC; however, the predictions require further confirmation.

ZNF750 Expression Is a Potential Prognostic Biomarker in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

OBJECTIVE

ZNF750, a transcriptional regulator of epidermal differentiation, has been identified as a tumor suppressor in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). The aim of the present study was to investigate the clinical and prognostic significance of ZNF750 expression and to evaluate the effect of ZNF750 knockdown on cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in ESCC.

METHODS

A total of 124 patients with ESCC who underwent curative esophagectomy were evaluated in this study. The expression of ZNF750 in surgical specimens was immunohistochemically assessed and used in the analysis of clinicopathological features and overall survival (OS). The molecular role of ZNF750 was investigated by ZNF750 knockdown using small interfering RNA (siRNA) in ESCC cell lines.

RESULTS

Low ZNF750 expression had a significant correlation with positive lymph node metastasis (p = 0.028). Furthermore, there was a significant relationship between low expression of ZNF750 in ESCC and a poor OS, and a multivariate analysis showed that low ZNF750 expression was an independent prognostic factor (p = 0.020). The cell growth, migration, and invasion were significantly increased by downregulation of ZNF750.

CONCLUSIONS

The low expression of ZNF750 was significantly associated with a poor prognosis, and ZNF750 expression may, therefore, be a reliable prognostic biomarker in ESCC.

miR-25 is upregulated before the occurrence of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are potential biomarkers for cancer detection including esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC); however, little is known about their expression profile and diagnostic impact in esophageal squamous cell intraepithelial neoplasia, the pathological precancerous lesion of ESCC. In this study, we examined the expression levels of eight miRNAs that were reported to be deregulated in ESCC, including miR-25, let-7a, miR-100, miR-133a, miR-223, miR-375, miR-483-5p and miR-1322, in 30 pairs of esophageal squamous cell neoplasia lesion tissues and corresponding adjacent normal tissues using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Differential expression of miRNAs was further examined by in situ hybridization. Furthermore, the deregulated miRNAs were also measured in serum and serum exosome samples of these patients. miR-25, an oncomir that had been reported to be upregulated in ESCC tissues, were found to be overexpressed in esophageal squamous cell intraepithelial neoplasia lesions (66.7%, 20/30) compared to adjacent normal tissues (P < 0.05), while the other seven miRNAs did not show a significant difference between the lesions and controls. The miR-25 signal was stronger in lesion tissues than in normal tissues according to in situ hybridization. The concentrations of miR-25 in both serum and exosome samples of patients were not significantly different from those of healthy individuals. These findings suggested that the overexpression of miR-25 in esophageal squamous cell intraepithelial neoplasia lesions might be a promising early biomarker candidate for the prediction of ESCC.

Prognostic role of microRNAs in human gastrointestinal cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Gastrointestinal cancers (GICs) mainly including esophageal, gastric and colorectal cancer, are the most common cause of cancer-related death and lead into high mortality worldwide. We performed this systematic review and meta-analysis to elucidate relationship between multiple microRNAs (miRs) expression and survival of GIC patients.

METHODS

We searched a wide range of database. Fixed-effects and random-effects models were used to calculate the pooled hazard ratio values of overall survival and disease free survival. In addition, funnel plots were used to qualitatively analyze the publication bias and verified by Begg's test while it seems asymmetry.

RESULTS

60 studies involving a total of 6225 patients (1271 with esophageal cancer, 3467 with gastric cancer and 1517 with colorectal cancer) were included in our meta-analysis. The pooled hazard ratio values of overall survival related to different miRs expression in esophageal, gastric, colorectal and gastrointestinal cancer were 2.10 (1.78-2.49), 2.02 (1.83-2.23), 2.54 (2.14-3.02) and 2.15 (1.99-2.31), respectively. We have identified a total of 59 miRs including 23 significantly up-regulated expression miRs (miR-214, miR-17, miR-20a, miR-200c, miR-107, miR-27a, etc.) and 36 significantly down-regulated expression miRs (miR-433, let-7g, miR-125a-5p, miR-760, miR-206, miR-26a, miR-200b, miR-185, etc.) correlated with poor prognosis in GIC patients. Moreover, 35 of them revealed mechanisms.

CONCLUSION

Overall, specific miRs are significantly associated with the prognosis of GIC patients and potentially eligible for the prediction of patients survival. It also provides a potential value for clinical decision-making development and may serve as a promising miR-based target therapy waiting for further elucidation.

Matrix Metalloproteinases in Bone Resorption, Remodeling, and Repair

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are the major protease family responsible for the cleavage of the matrisome (global composition of the extracellular matrix (ECM) proteome) and proteins unrelated to the ECM, generating bioactive molecules. These proteins drive ECM remodeling, in association with tissue-specific and cell-anchored inhibitors (TIMPs and RECK, respectively). In the bone, the ECM mediates cell adhesion, mechanotransduction, nucleation of mineralization, and the immobilization of growth factors to protect them from damage or degradation. Since the first description of an MMP in bone tissue, many other MMPs have been identified, as well as their inhibitors. Numerous functions have been assigned to these proteins, including osteoblast/osteocyte differentiation, bone formation, solubilization of the osteoid during bone resorption, osteoclast recruitment and migration, and as a coupling factor in bone remodeling under physiological conditions. In turn, a number of pathologies, associated with imbalanced bone remodeling, arise mainly from MMP overexpression and abnormalities of the ECM, leading to bone osteolysis or bone formation. In this review, we will discuss the functions of MMPs and their inhibitors in bone cells, during bone remodeling, pathological bone resorption (osteoporosis and bone metastasis), bone repair/regeneration, and emergent roles in bone bioengineering.