Panel of miR-150 and linc00673, regulators of CCR6/CCL20 may serve as non-invasive diagnostic marker of non-small cell lung cancer

The NcRNA/Wnt axis in lung cancer: oncogenic mechanisms, remarkable indicators and therapeutic targets

Early diagnosis of lung cancer (LC) is challenging, treatment options are limited, and treatment resistance leads to poor prognosis and management in most patients. The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway plays a vital role in the occurrence, progression, and therapeutic response of LC. Recent studies indicate that non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), including microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs) function as epigenetic regulators that can promote or inhibit Wnt/β-catenin signaling by interacting with Wnt proteins, receptors, signaling transducers, and transcriptional effectors, thereby affecting LC cell proliferation, metastasis, invasion, and treatment resistance. Deepening our understanding of the regulatory network between ncRNAs and the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway will help overcome the limitations of current LC diagnosis and treatment methods. This article comprehensively reviews the regulatory mechanisms related to the functions of ncRNAs and the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in LC, examining their potential as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets, aiming to offer new promising perspectives for LC diagnosis and treatment.

Upregulating lncRNA GUSBP11 protects chondrocytes from IL-1β-induced inflammatory damage via inhibiting miR-122-5p

Studies have demonstrated that several lncRNAs exhibit abnormal expression levels in patients suffering from osteoarthritis, and in-depth investigation of these aberrantly expressed lncRNAs may pave the way for innovative therapeutic strategies targeting OA. The aim of this study was to examine the expression of glucuronidase beta pseudogene 11 (GUSBP11) in OA patients and to elucidate its potential molecular mechanism. Reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to detect GUSBP11 levels on cartilage tissues and serum samples obtained from OA patients. To establish an in vitro OA cell model, interleukin-1β (IL-1β) was utilized to induce CHON-001 and ATDC5 cell lines. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay and flow cytometry were performed to evaluate cell viability and apoptosis, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was employed to qualify the levels of inflammatory factors. StarBase database predicted that miR-122-5p was the target gene of GUSBP11. Subsequently, luciferase reporter genes were conducted to validate this interaction. Potential target genes of miR-122-5p were predicted, followed by gene function annotation and correlation analysis of these targets. Our findings revealed that GUSBP11 expression was markedly decreased in both the cartilage tissues and serum of OA patients. Diminished levels of GUSBP11 showed high diagnostic accuracy for OA. In the IL-1β-induced OA cell model, GUSBP11 expression was notably reduced, leading to decreased cell viability, an increase in apoptotic cells, and elevated levels of inflammatory factors. Up-regulation of GUSBP11 significantly ameliorated these adverse effects. Luciferase reporter genes confirmed the interaction between GUSBP11 and miR-122-5p, indicating that an increase in miR-122-5p drastically inhibited cell viability while promoting apoptosis and inflammation. In conclusion, within the context of the in vitro OA cell model, GUSBP11 appears to exacerbate IL-1β-induced chondrocyte inflammation through the up-regulation of miR-122-5p. This underscores the potential of GUSBP11 as a novel target and avenue for therapeutic intervention in the treatment of OA.

Progress of CCL20-CCR6 in the airways: a promising new therapeutic target

The chemokine CCL20, a small cytokine that belongs to the C-C chemokine family, interacts with its homologous receptor CCR6, which is expressed on wide range of cell types. According to current research, the CCL20-CCR6 has been established as acritical player in a diverse range of inflammatory, oncogenic, and autoimmune diseases. Within the respiratory system, CCL20-CCR6 demonstrates heightened expression in conditions such as allergic asthma, chronic airway inflammation, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and other respiratory diseases, which is conducive to the inflammatory mediators recruitment and tumor microenvironment remodeling. Numerous studies have demonstrated that therapeutic interventions targeting CCL20 and CCR6, including antibodies and antagonists, have the potential to mitigate disease progression. Despite the promising research prospects surrounding the CCL20-CCR6 chemokine axis, the precise mechanisms underlying its action in respiratory diseases remain largely elusive. In this review, we delve into the potential roles of the CCL20-CCR6 axis within the respiratory system by synthesizing and analyzing current research findings. Our objective is to provide a comprehensive understanding of the CCL20-CCR6 axis and its implications for respiratory health and disease. And we aspire to propel research endeavors in this domain and furnish valuable insights for the development of future therapeutic strategies.

The modulatory effects of large and small extracellular vesicles from normal human urine on calcium oxalate crystallization, growth, aggregation, adhesion on renal cells, and invasion through extracellular matrix: An in vitro study

Urinary extracellular vesicles (uEVs) play important roles in physiologic condition and various renal/urological disorders. However, their roles in kidney stone disease remain unclear. This study aimed to examine modulatory effects of large and small uEVs derived from normal human urine on calcium oxalate (CaOx) crystals (the main component in kidney stones). After isolation, large uEVs, small uEVs and total urinary proteins (TUPs) with equal (protein equivalent) concentration were added into various crystal assays to compare with the control (without uEVs or TUPs). TUPs strongly inhibited CaOx crystallization, growth, aggregation and crystal-cell adhesion. Large uEVs had lesser degree of inhibition against crystallization, growth and crystal-cell adhesion, and comparable degree of aggregation inhibition compared with TUPs. Small uEVs had comparable inhibitory effects as of TUPs for all these crystal assays. However, TUPs and large uEVs slightly promoted CaOx invasion through extracellular matrix, whereas small uEVs did not affect this. Matching of the proteins reported in six uEVs datasets with those in the kidney stone modulator (StoneMod) database revealed that uEVs contained 18 known CaOx stone modulators (mainly inhibitors). These findings suggest that uEVs derived from normal human urine serve as CaOx stone inhibitors to prevent healthy individuals from kidney stone formation.

Circulating microRNA Panels for Detection of Liver Cancers and Liver-Metastasizing Primary Cancers

Malignant liver tumors, including primary malignant liver tumors and liver metastases, are among the most frequent malignancies worldwide. The disease carries a poor prognosis and poor overall survival, particularly in cases involving liver metastases. Consequently, the early detection and precise differentiation of malignant liver tumors are of paramount importance for making informed decisions regarding patient treatment. Significant research efforts are currently directed towards the development of diagnostic tools for different types of cancer using minimally invasive techniques. A prominent area of focus within this research is the evaluation of circulating microRNA, for which dysregulated expression is well documented in different cancers. Combining microRNAs in panels using serum or plasma samples derived from blood holds great promise for better sensitivity and specificity for detection of certain types of cancer.