An integrated genome-wide approach to discover deregulated microRNAs in non-small cell lung cancer: Clinical significance of miR-23b-3p deregulation

Contributions of Circulating microRNAs for Early Detection of Lung Cancer

There is unmet need to develop circulating biomarkers that would enable earlier interception of lung cancer when more effective treatment options are available. Here, a set of 30 miRNAs, selected from a review of the published literature were assessed for their predictive performance in identifying lung cancer cases in the pre-diagnostic setting. The 30 miRNAs were assayed using sera collected from 102 individuals diagnosed with lung cancer within one year following blood draw and 212 controls matched for age, sex, and smoking status. The additive performance of top-performing miRNA candidates in combination with a previously validated four-protein marker panel (4MP) consisting of the precursor form of surfactant protein B (Pro-SFTPB), cancer antigen 125 (CA125), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and cytokeratin-19 fragment (CYFRA21-1) was additionally assessed. Of the 30 miRNAs evaluated, five (miR-320a-3p, miR-210-3p, miR-92a-3p, miR-21-5p, and miR-140-3p) were statistically significantly (Wilcoxon rank sum test p < 0.05) elevated in case sera compared to controls, with individual AUCs ranging from 0.57−0.62. Compared to the 4MP alone, the combination of 3-miRNAs + 4MP improved sensitivity at 95% specificity by 19.1% ((95% CI of difference 0.0−28.6); two-sided p: 0.006). Our findings demonstrate utility for miRNAs for early detection of lung cancer in combination with a four-protein marker panel.

The Role of miR-23b in Cancer and Autoimmune Disease

Short-stranded miRNAs are single-stranded RNA molecules involved in the regulation of gene expression. miRNAs are involved in a variety of cellular physiological processes, including cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. miR-23b have been identified to act both as oncogenes and as tumor suppressors. In addition, miR-23b is related to inflammation resistance to various autoimmune diseases and restrained inflammatory cell migration. The characterization of the specific alterations in the patterns of miR-23b expression in cancer and autoimmune disease has great potential for identifying biomarkers for early disease diagnosis, as well as for potential therapeutic intervention in various diseases. In this review, we summarize the ever-expanding role of miR-23b and its target genes in different models and offer insight into how this multifunctional miRNA modulates tumor cell proliferation and apoptosis or inflammatory cell activation, differentiation, and migration.

MicroRNA-23b-3p targets non-SMC condensing I complex subunit G to promote proliferation and inhibit apoptosis of colorectal cancer cells via regulation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common types of malignancy worldwide and has a poor prognosis. Non-SMC condensing I complex subunit G (NCAPG) has been reported to be upregulated in numerous types of malignant tumor. However, to the best of our knowledge, its clinicopathological and biological significance in CRC remain to be elucidated. The results of the present study revealed that NCAPG expression levels were upregulated in human CRC tissues and cell lines. The upregulated expression of NCAPG was positively associated with patient clinicopathological characteristics, such as differentiation and tumor size, and independently associated with poor survival. Consistent with the clinical observations, NCAPG was discovered to promote the proliferation and inhibit the apoptosis of CRC cells. Moreover, NCAPG-knockdown inhibited CRC cell proliferation by regulating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Furthermore, NCAPG was identified as a potential target of microRNA (miR)-23b-3p, which was subsequently demonstrated to negatively regulate NCAPG expression. In conclusion, the findings of the current study indicated that the miR-23b-3p/NCAPG/PI3K/AKT signaling axis may play an important role in CRC carcinogenesis, and the status of the molecule may represent a promising prognostic marker for the disease.

miRNAs in lung cancer. A systematic review identifies predictive and prognostic miRNA candidates for precision medicine in lung cancer

Lung cancer (LC) is the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide and miRNAs play a key role in LC development. To better diagnose LC and to predict drug treatment responses we evaluated 228 articles encompassing 16,697 patients and 12,582 healthy controls. Based on the criteria of ≥3 independent studies and a sensitivity and specificity of >0.8 we found blood-borne miR-20a, miR-10b, miR-150, and miR-223 to be excellent diagnostic biomarkers for non-small cell LC whereas miR-205 is specific for squamous cell carcinoma. The systematic review also revealed 38 commonly regulated miRNAs in tumor tissue and the circulation, thus enabling the prediction of histological subtypes of LC. Moreover, theranostic biomarker candidates with proven responsiveness to checkpoint inhibitor treatments were identified, notably miR-34a, miR-93, miR-106b, miR-181a, miR-193a-3p, and miR-375. Conversely, miR-103a-3p, miR-152, miR-152-3p, miR-15b, miR-16, miR-194, miR-34b, and miR-506 influence programmed cell death-ligand 1 and programmed cell death-1 receptor expression, therefore providing a rationale for the development of molecularly targeted therapies. Furthermore, miR-21, miR-25, miR-27b, miR-19b, miR-125b, miR-146a, and miR-210 predicted response to platinum-based treatments. We also highlight controversial reports on specific miRNAs. In conclusion, we report diagnostic miRNA biomarkers for in-depth clinical evaluation. Furthermore, in an effort to avoid unnecessary toxicity we propose predictive biomarkers. The biomarker candidates support personalized treatment decisions of LC patients and await their confirmation in randomized clinical trials.

Bioinformatics analysis to determine the prognostic value and prospective pathway signaling of miR-126 in non-small cell lung cancer

Background

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been demonstrated to play crucial roles in the initiation and development of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, further investigation of the specific role of miR-126 in NSCLC is still required.

Methods

An analysis of miR-126 expression in NSCLC was carried out using the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, and a literature review was also performed. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in three mRNA datasets, GSE18842, GSE19804, and GSE101929, from GEO were identified. Following the prediction of hsa-miR-126-5p target genes by TargetScan, the overlap of miR-126 target genes with DEGs in NSCLC was examined. After that, Gene Ontology enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analyses were performed. Finally, an analysis to identify the impact of hub genes on the prognosis of NSCLC was carried out on the basis of a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network constructed using STRING and Cytoscape.

Results

The data in the literature review revealed a trend that miR126 was downregulated in NSCLC. The number of both NSCLC-related and miR-126-related DEGs was 187. Dozens of DEGs were significantly enriched in biological regulation, cell membrane binding, and signal receptor binding. In the PPI network analysis, 3 of 10 identified hub genes, namely NCAPG, MELK, and KIAA0101, were obviously related to poor prognosis in NSCLC; the survival rate was low among patients with high expression levels of these genes. Furthermore, through network analysis, TPX2, HMMR, and ANLN were identified as recessive miR-126-related genes that may be involved in NSCLC.

Conclusions

MiR-126 plays an essential role in the biological processes of NSCLC through binding to target genes and influences the prognosis of patients with the disease.

miR-23b-3p Plays an Oncogenic Role in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Reports show miR-23b to be a cancer-related biomarker in various cancer types. Interestingly, it has a dual role of oncogenic and tumor-suppressive functions, depending on the cancer type. This study focused on the unknown association of miR-23b-3p with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODS

Expression of miR-23b-3p was measured in nine HCC cell lines and 125 resected human HCC samples by TaqMan microRNA assays. To detect its downstream target, miR-23b-3p mimic and inhibitor constructs were transfected and analyzed.

RESULTS

HepG2, a high miR-23b-3p-expressing cell line, was transfected with a miR-23b-3p inhibitor construct, whereas SK-Hep1, a low miR-23b-3p-expressing cell line, was transfected with a mimic construct. Proliferation of HCC cells was activated by miR-23b-3p overexpression and diminished by its knockdown. Then, 125 clinical HCC samples were examined to measure miR-23b-3p expression. Tumor expression of miR-23b-3p was upregulated in 48 cases (38%) and downregulated in 77 cases (62%). The upregulated cases were correlated with elderly patients (P = 0.015). These patients also showed significantly poor overall survival [hazard ratio (HR), 3.10; 95% conflidence interval (CI), 1.57-6.29; P = 0.001] in a multivariate analysis. Furthermore, mitochondrial metabolism-related genes (MICU3 and AUH) were detected as specific binding targets.

CONCLUSION

The study showed that miR-23b-3p functions as an oncogenic microRNA in HCC cell lines. Its overexpression in resected HCC tissues was a significant prognostic factor of overall survival. Both MICU3 and AUH may be candidate gene targets of miR-23b-3p.

Reprogramming of Amino Acid Transporters to Support Aspartate and Glutamate Dependency Sustains Endocrine Resistance in Breast Cancer

Endocrine therapy (ET) is the standard of care for estrogen receptor-positive (ER⁺) breast cancers. Despite its efficacy, ∼40% of women relapse with ET-resistant (ETR) disease. A global transcription analysis in ETR cells reveals a downregulation of the neutral and basic amino acid transporter SLC6A14 governed by enhanced miR-23b-3p expression, resulting in impaired amino acid metabolism. This altered amino acid metabolism in ETR cells is supported by the activation of autophagy and the enhanced import of acidic amino acids (aspartate and glutamate) mediated by the SLC1A2 transporter. The clinical significance of these findings is validated by multiple orthogonal approaches in a large cohort of ET-treated patients, in patient-derived xenografts, and in in vivo experiments. Targeting these amino acid metabolic dependencies resensitizes ETR cells to therapy and impairs the aggressive features of ETR cells, offering predictive biomarkers and potential targetable pathways to be exploited to combat or delay ETR in ER⁺ breast cancers.

MicroRNA-23b-3p promotes pancreatic cancer cell tumorigenesis and metastasis via the JAK/PI3K and Akt/NF-κB signaling pathways

MicroRNA (miR)-23b-3p plays an important role in tumor growth, proliferation, invasion and migration in pancreatic cancer (PC). However, the function and mechanistic role of miR-23b-3p in the development of PC remains largely unknown. In the present study, the miR-23b-3p levels in the serum of patients with PC were found to be elevated, and the phosphorylation levels of Janus kinase (JAK)2, PI3K, Akt and NF-κВ were found to be upregulated. In addition, miR-23b-3p was induced in response to interleukin-6 (IL-6), which is known to be involved in the progression of PC. Overexpression of miR-23b-3p, on the other hand, activated the JAK/PI3K and Akt/NF-κB signaling pathways in PC cells, as evidenced by miR-23b-3p-induced upregulation of phosphorylated (p-)JAK2, p-PI3K, p-Akt and p-NF-κВ, as well as the downregulation of PTEN; and these effects were found to be reversible by miR-23b-3p inhibition. Furthermore, miR-23b-3p was found to downregulate PTEN by directly targeting the 3′-untranslated region of PTEN mRNA. Notably, in an in vivo xenograft mouse model, overexpression of miR-23b-3p accelerated PC cell-derived tumor growth, activated the JAK/Akt/NF-κВ signaling pathway and promoted liver metastasis. In contrast, knockdown of miR-23b-3p suppressed tumor growth and metastasis as well as JAK/Akt/NF-κВ signaling activity. In vivo imaging of the mice further confirmed the metastasis promoting role of miR-23b-3p in PC. These results suggested that miR-23b-3p enhances PC cell tumorigenesis and metastasis, at least, partially via the JAK/PI3K and Akt/NF-κB signaling pathways. Therefore, targeting miR-23b-3p or the JAK/PI3K and Akt/NF-κB signalings may be potential therapeutic strategy against PC.

Expression of serum exosomal miR-23b-3p in non-small cell lung cancer and its diagnostic efficacy

The present study aimed to investigate the expression of serum exosomal miR-23b-3p in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and to determine its diagnostic efficacy for NSCLC. From October, 2017 to October, 2019, 80 patients with NSCLC, 60 patients with pneumonia and 30 healthy subjects undergoing physical examination were enrolled at the People's Hospital of Yangzhong City. Serum samples were collected from the 3 groups of patients. The expression of miR-23b-3p in exosomes was detected by RT-qPCR. The Chi-squared test was used to analyze the expression level of miR-23b-3p in exosomes, and the patients with NSCLC were divided into 2 groups according to the expression level. The association between the patient clinicopathological parameters and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves was used to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of serum exosomal miR-23b-3p in NSCLC. The expression level of serum exosomal miR-23b-3p in the patients with NSCLC was significantly higher than that in patients with pneumonia (t=10.332, P<0.001) and healthy subjects (t=12.810, P<0.001); serum exosomal miR-23b-3p was significantly associated with tumor size, depth of invasion, liver metastasis and TNM stage (P<0.05). The area under the curve (AUC) for miR-23b-3p was 0.915 (95% CI, 0.84-0.92), the optimal relative expression of miR-23b-3p was 3.46, the sensitivity of diagnosis was 87.4%, and the specificity was 93.8%, all higher than that of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). The ROC^AUC of NSCLC was 0.645 (95% CI, 0.641-0.772) and for Cyfra21-1 it was 0.745 (95% CI, 0.701-0.812). Compared with the patients with pneumonia and the healthy subjects, the patients with NSCLC exhibited a higher level of serum exosomal miR-23b-3p. On the whole, these findings indicate that miR-23b-3p has a higher clinical diagnostic efficacy and may thus be a potential biomarker for the early diagnosis of NSCLC.

Meta-analysis of diagnostic and prognostic value of miR-126 in non-small cell lung cancer

In recent years, many studies on the relationship between the expression of microRNA-126 (miR-126) and the diagnostic and prognostic value of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have been made, but the results were still controversial. The aim is to explore the expression of miR-126 and the diagnosis and prognosis value of NSCLC, and to provide relevant evidence for clinical diagnosis and treatment. Literature related to miR-126 and NSCLC were searched in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CNKI, and Wanfang from the inception to February 2020. Stata 15.0 was used for meta-analysis. The diagnostic value data were used to calculate the pooled sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), positive likelihood ratio (PLR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR), and the prognostic value data were used to calculate the pooled risk ratio (hazard ratio, HR) of overall survival (OS) and its 95% confidence interval (95% CI). Thirteen studies were included, among which five were related to diagnosis containing 439 patients and 463 healthy controls, and eight related to prognosis containing 1102 patients. The results of miR-126 expression and diagnostic value of NSCLC showed that the pooled sensitivity was 0.83 (95% CI: 0.59-0.94), specificity = 0.83 (95% CI: 0.71-0.90), PLR = 4.78 (95% CI: 2.97-7.69), NLR = 0.20 (95% CI: 0.08-0.54), DOR = 23.48 (95% CI: 7.87-70.10), and the area under the summ ary receiver operating characteristic curve (SROC) was 0.89 (95% CI: 0.86-0.91). The results of prognostic value indicated that the expression of miR-126 was related to the OS of NSCLC (HR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.63-0.98). In conclusion, the expression of miR-126 has medium diagnostic value, and it is related to the prognosis of patients with NSCLC, with poor prognosis of miR-126 low expression.

MiR-23b functions as an oncogenic miRNA by downregulating Mcl-1S in lung cancer cell line A549

It has been reported that microRNA-23b (miR-23b) plays a role in multiple cancers, while its impact on lung cancer has not been comprehensively known. Our study explored the probable impacts of miR-23b on lung cancer cells. Expression of miR-23b was assessed by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction. After miR-23b mimic, inhibitor, and their own control were transfected into A549 cells, cell viability, migration, invasion, apoptosis, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) were investigated through different experimental methods. The targeting contact between miR-23b and myeloid cell leukemia-1 (Mcl-1) was investigated applying dual-luciferase activity assay. In addition, the modulatory impacts of miR-23b on the splicing variants of Mcl-1 (Mcl-1S and Mcl-1L) were explored. MiR-23b was highly expressed in lung cancer cells compared with normal lung cells. Increased expression of miR-23b promoted A549 cell viability, migration, invasion, and EMT. However, miR-23b silencing produced the opposite results. Mcl-1 has been proven to be a specialized target of miR-23b. Compared with the reduction of Mcl-1S induced by miR-23b overexpression, Mcl-1L showed negligible interaction with miR-23b. Moreover, the antitumor activities of miR-23b silencing were alleviated by Mcl-1S silencing. The blockage of Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription protein (JAK/STAT) and Wnt/β-catenin induced by miR-23b silencing was reversed by Mcl-1S silencing. MiR-23b might be an up-and-coming biomarker of lung cancer. In addition, miR-23b was involved in the tumor-promoting effects and the mobilization of JAK/STAT and Wnt/β-catenin pathways through the reduction of Mcl-1S.

Differential MicroRNA Expression Profiles as Potential Biomarkers for Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains a clinical challenge due to its poor prognosis. Therefore, the early diagnosis of PDAC is extremely important for achieving a cure. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) could serve as a potential biomarker for the early detection and prognosis of PDAC. In this work we analyzed plasma samples from healthy persons and PDAC patients to assess differential miRNA expression profiles by next generation sequencing technology and bioinformatics analysis. In this way, 165 mature miRNAs were found to be significantly deregulated in the patient group, of which 75 and 90 mature miRNAs were up- and down-regulated compared with healthy individuals, respectively. Furthermore, 1029 novel miRNAs were identified. In conclusion, plasma miRNA expression profiles are different between healthy individuals and patients with PDAC. These data provide a possibility for use of miRNA as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers of PDAC.

miR‑23b‑3p promotes the apoptosis and inhibits the proliferation and invasion of osteosarcoma cells by targeting SIX1

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common primary malignant bone tumor and the third most common cancer that occurs during childhood and adolescence. Increasing evidence has suggested that microRNA (miR)‑23b‑3p has an important role in OS tumorigenesis; however, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unknown. The aim of the present study was to investigate the expression levels of miR‑23b‑3p and sine oculis homeobox homolog 1 (SIX1) in OS tissues and cell lines (MG‑63, SaOS‑2 and U2OS), as well as to observe the effects of miR‑23b‑3p on U2OS cell viability, cell cycle, apoptosis and invasive ability. The results revealed that the expression levels of miR‑23b‑3p were significantly decreased in OS tissues and cell lines compared with tumor‑adjacent normal tissues and a non‑cancerous human fetal osteoblastic cell line (hFOB1.19). To investigate the underlying mechanisms of miR‑23b‑3p in OS tumorigenesis and progression, human U2OS cell lines over‑ or under expressing miR‑23b‑3p were established. The effects of miR‑23b‑3p on U2OS cell viability, cell cycle, apoptosis and invasion properties were determined by performing Cell Counting Kit‑8, flow cytometry and Transwell invasion assays. miR‑23b‑3p was revealed to suppress cell viability, proliferation and invasion, and to enhance the levels of cell apoptosis. Furthermore, SIX1 mRNA and protein expression levels in OS tissues and cell lines were significantly upregulated when compared with tumor‑adjacent normal tissues and hFOB 1.19 cells, which suggested that SIX1 expression levels may be inversely associated with miR‑23b‑3p levels in OS. Luciferase reporter system analysis demonstrated that miR‑23b‑3p binds to the SIX1 3'‑untranslated region. miR‑23b‑3p downregulation contributed to SIX1 upregulation, which facilitated the potentiation of cyclin D1 and vascular endothelial growth factor‑C expression levels, as well as the inhibition of caspase‑3 expression. Collectively, these results suggested that miR‑23b‑3p is downregulated and SIX1 is upregulated in OS cells, and that miR‑23b‑3p inhibition may suppress the proliferation and invasion of OS cells, and contribute to cell apoptosis via negative regulation of SIX1. miR‑23b‑3p/SIX1 may therefore represent a potential target for the treatment of OS.

miR-30a-5p together with miR-210-3p as a promising biomarker for non-small cell lung cancer: A preliminary study

BACKGROUND

Although an immense effort has been made to develop novel diagnostic methods and treatment strategies for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the survival rate of this disease has remained virtually unchanged. Small non-coding RNAs called microRNAs (miRNAs) have appeared to be very promising biomarkers of cancer including NSCLC.

OBJECTIVE

We investigated the expression level of six miRNAs, and subsequently we evaluated their diagnostic ability and their clinical significance.

METHODS

We performed an analysis in 50 paired cancer and non-cancerous lung tissue samples collected from NSCLC patients. The RT-qPCR technique was used to investigate the expression profile.

RESULTS

Obtained results indicate that miR-30a-5p, miR-126-3p and miR-486-5p are downregulated, while miR-205-5p and miR-210-3p are upregulated in NSCLC tissue. Moreover, performed stepwise discriminant analysis determined the model including miR-30a-5p and miR-210-3p which tested on the test set (n= 30) revealed an AUC of 0.969 and provided 100% sensitivity and 80% specificity in discriminating NSCLC tissue from non-cancerous lung tissue.

CONCLUSIONS

The present preliminary study demonstrated that five tested miRNAs were deregulated in cancer tissue. Moreover, miR-30a-5p together with miR-210-3p with excellent sensitivity and acceptable specificity may distinguish cancer tissue form non-cancerous tissue and thus may become a potential diagnostic biomarker for NSCLC.

MiR-23b-3p induces the proliferation and metastasis of esophageal squamous cell carcinomas cells through the inhibition of EBF3

MicroRNAs (miRNAs), some small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression at the posttranscriptional level, are always aberrantly expressed in carcinomas. In this study, we found that miR-23b-3p was remarkably up-regulated in human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cells and tissues. Moreover, miR-23b-3p could induce the proliferation, invasion, and metastasis in vitro. EBF3 was identified as the direct downstream target gene of miR-23b-3p and ectogenic EBF3 could strongly inhibit the proliferation, invasion, and metastasis in vitro. Furthermore, it was found that miR-23b-3p could regulate epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition progress by blocking EBF3. Therefore, it was concluded that miR-23b-3p targeted EBF3 to accelerate the proliferation, invasion, and metastasis in ESCC.

Non-small cell lung cancer associated microRNA expression signature: integrated bioinformatics analysis, validation and clinical significance

Recently, increasing studies of miRNA expression profiling has confirmed that miRNA plays an essential role in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, inconsistent or discrepant results exist in these researches. In present study, we performed an integrative analysis of 32 miRNA profiling studies compared the differentially expressed miRNA between NSCLC tissue and non-cancerous lung tissue to identify candidate miRNAs associated with NSCLC. 7 upregulated and 10 downregulated miRNAs were identified as miRNA integrated-signature using Robust Rank Aggregation (RRA) method. qRT-PCR demonstrated that miR-21-5p, miR-210, miR-205-5p, miR-182-5p, miR-31-5p, miR-183-5p and miR-96-5p were up-regulated, whereas miR-126-3p, miR-30a-5p, miR-451a, miR-143-3p and miR-30d-5p were down-regulated more than 2 folds in the NSCLC, which was further validated in Tumor Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis confirmed that 9 miRNAs had good predictive performance (AUC > 0.9). Cox regression analysis revealed that miR-21-5p (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.616, 95% CI: 1.114–2.342, p = 0.011) and miR-30d-5p (HR: 0.578, 95% CI: 0.400–0.835, p = 0.003) were independent prognostic factors in NSCLC for overall survival. The accumulative effects of the two miRNAs on the prognosis of NSCLC were further estimated. The results showed that patients with two positive markers had a worse prognosis than those with one or none positive marker. In conclusion, this study contributes to the comprehension of the role of miRNAs in NSCLC and provides a basis for further clinical application.

Detection of Serum microRNAs From Department of Defense Serum Repository: Correlation With Cotinine, Cytokine, and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Levels

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to investigate whether serum samples from the Department of Defense Serum Repository (DoDSR) are of sufficient quality to detect microRNAs (miRNAs), cytokines, immunoglobulin E (IgE), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).

METHODS

MiRNAs were isolated and quantified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) array. Cytokines and chemokines related to inflammation were measured using multiplex immunoassays. Cotinine and IgE were detected by enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) and PAHs were detected by Liquid Chromatography/Mass Spectroscopy.

RESULTS

We detected miRNAs, cytokines, IgE, and PAHs with high sensitivity. Eleven of 30 samples tested positive for cotinine suggesting tobacco exposure. Significant associations between serum cotinine, cytokine, IgE, PAHs, and miRNA were discovered.

CONCLUSION

We successfully quantified over 200 potential biomarkers of occupational exposure from DoDSR samples. The stored serum samples were not affected by hemolysis and represent a powerful tool for biomarker discovery and analysis in retrospective studies.

Circulating miRNAs as biomarkers for severe acute pancreatitis associated with acute lung injury

AIM

To identify circulating micro (mi)RNAs as biological markers for prediction of severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) with acute lung injury (ALI).

METHODS

Twenty-four serum samples were respectively collected and classified as SAP associated with ALI and SAP without ALI, and the miRNA expression profiles were determined by microarray analysis. These miRNAs were validated by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, and their putative targets were predicted by the online software TargetScan, miRanda and PicTar database. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (commonly known as KEGG) were used to predict their possible functions and pathways involved.

RESULTS

We investigated 287 miRNAs based on microarray data analysis. Twelve miRNAs were differentially expressed in the patients with SAP with ALI and those with SAP without ALI. Hsa-miR-1260b, 762, 22-3p, 23b and 23a were differently up-regulated and hsa-miR-550a*, 324-5p, 484, 331-3p, 140-3p, 342-3p and 150 were differently down-regulated in patients with SAP with ALI compared to those with SAP without ALI. In addition, 85 putative target genes of the significantly dysregulated miRNAs were found by TargetScan, miRanda and PicTar. Finally, GO and pathway network analysis showed that they were mainly enriched in signal transduction, metabolic processes, cytoplasm and cell membranes.

CONCLUSION

This is the first study to identify 12 circulating miRNAs in patients with SAP with ALI, which may be biomarkers for prediction of ALI after SAP.

MicroRNA-150 promotes cell proliferation, migration, and invasion of cervical cancer through targeting PDCD4

Recent studies have showed that microRNA-150 (miR-150) is up-regulated in various cancers including cervical cancer. However, the specific mechanism of miR-150 in the regulation of cell proliferation, migration and invasion is still unclear. In this study, a total of 150 cervical cancer samples, including 50 cervical cancer tissues, 50 corresponding adjacent non-neoplastic tissues, and 50 serum samples were collected from cervical cancer patients. 50 matched normal tissues and 50 serum samples were collected from the control group. MiR-150 was evaluated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Programmed cell death protein 4 (PDCD4) was evaluated by qRT-PCR and western blot. Cell migration and invasion were assessed by transwell assays. Proliferative abilities were determined by MTT assays. Luciferase reporter assay was employed to validate the direct target of PDCD4 by miR-150. We found that miR-150 was increased in cervical cancer specimens. In contrast, PDCD4 was decreased in cervical cancer tissues. MiR-150 promoted cell migration, invasion and proliferation through targeting PDCD4. These results collectively indicated that miR-150 might be used as a potential therapeutic biomarker in cervical cancer.

Asymmetric RNA Distribution among Cells and Their Secreted Exosomes: Biomedical Meaning and Considerations on Diagnostic Applications

Over the past few years, exosomes and their RNA cargo have been extensively studied because of the fascinating biological roles they play in cell-to-cell communication, including the signal exchange among cancer, stromal, and immune cells, leading to modifications of tumor microenvironment. RNAs, especially miRNAs, stored within exosomes, seem to be among the main determinants of such signaling: their sorting into exosomes appears to be cell-specific and related to cellular physiopathology. Accordingly, the identification of exosomal miRNAs in body fluids from pathological patients has become one of the most promising activity in the field of biomarker discovery. Several analyses on the qualitative and quantitative distribution of RNAs between cells and their secreted exosomes have given rise to questions on whether and how accurately exosomal RNAs would represent the transcriptomic snapshot of the physiological and pathological status of secreting cells. Although the exact molecular mechanisms of sorting remain quite elusive, many papers have reported an evident asymmetric quantitative distribution of RNAs between source cells and their exosomes. This phenomenon could depend both on passive and active sorting mechanisms related to: (a) RNA turnover; (b) maintaining the cytoplasmic miRNA:target equilibrium; (c) removal of RNAs not critical or even detrimental for normal or diseased cells. These observations represent very critical issues in the exploitation of exosomal miRNAs as cancer biomarkers. In this review, we will discuss how much the exosomal and corresponding donor cell transcriptomes match each other, to better understand the actual reliability of exosomal RNA molecules as pathological biomarkers reflecting a diseased status of the cells.

Identification of microRNAs as potential biomarkers for lung adenocarcinoma using integrating genomics analysis

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the most common histological subtype of non-small cell lung cancer, but novel biomarkers for early diagnosis are lacking. Extensive effort has been exerted to identify miRNA biomarkers in LUAD. Unfortunately, high inter-lab variability and small sample sizes have produced inconsistent conclusions in this field. To resolve the above-mentioned limitations, we performed a comprehensive analysis based on LUAD miRNome profiling studies using the robust rank aggregation (RRA) method. Moreover, miRNA-gene interaction network, pathway enrichment analysis and Kaplan-Meier survival curves were used to investigate the clinical values and biological functions of the identified miRNAs. A total of six common differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) were identified in LUAD. An independent cohort further confirmed that four miRNAs (miR-21-5p, miR-210-3p, miR-182-5p and miR-183-5p) were up-regulated and two miRNAs (miR-126-3p and miR-218-5p) were down-regulated in LUAD tissues. Pathway enrichment analysis also suggested that the above-listed six DEMs may affect LUAD progression via the estrogen signaling pathway. Survival analysis based on the TCGA dataset revealed the potential prognostic values of six DEMs in patients with LUAD (P-value<0.01). In conclusion, we identified a panel of six miRNAs from LUAD using miRNome profiling studies. Our results provide evidence for the use of these six DEMs as novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for LUAD patients.

Upregulated exosomic miR‑23b‑3p plays regulatory roles in the progression of pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is one of the most lethal malignances. Identification of biomarkers for early diagnosis of PC is a key imperative. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been shown to be valuable biomarkers in the context of several cancers. Exosomes refer to vesicles released by the tumor cells at the early stage of disease. Thus, detection of miRNA in exosomes can be used as a potential biomarker for PC. In this study, we profiled serum levels of miRNAs in patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP) and PC; the role of miR-23b-3p in PC progression was assessed in vitro. Additionally, we assessed, the expression of miR-23b-3p in exosomes isolated from serum samples and assessed the correlation between the expression of miR-23b-3p and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9). Three serum samples each were randomly selected from healthy controls (n=20), and patients with CP (n=18) and PC (n=16) for miRNA microarray profiling. The dysregulated miRNAs were confirmed using qRT-PCR. Four dysregulated miRNAs common to patients with CP and PC were identified on miRNA microarray analysis and confirmed by qRT-PCR. miR-23b-3p level was consistently higher in serum samples from PC patients as compared to those from healthy controls and CP patients (p<0.05). Overexpression of miR-23b-3p promoted proliferation, migration, and invasion capability of PC cells in vitro (p<0.05). Furthermore, miR-23b-3p was upregulated in exosomes of PC serum samples and the supernatant of pancreatic cancer cells (PANC-1), and the expression levels of miR-23b-3p were associated with those of serum CA19-9 levels. This study provides insights into the potential role of miR-23b-3p as a novel biomarker and target for treatment of PC.

Circulating exosomal microRNAs as prognostic biomarkers for non-small-cell lung cancer

Exosomal miRNAs are proposed as excellent candidate biomarkers for clinical applications. However, little is known about their potential roles as prognostic biomarkers in lung cancer. In this study, we explored the prognostic value of plasma exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Using a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) array panel, we analyzed 84 plasma exosomal miRNAs in 10 lung adenocarcinoma patients and 10 matched healthy controls. The qPCR array showed 30 aberrantly expressed exosomal miRNAs. Nine candidate miRNAs were selected based on differential expression and previous reports for further evaluating their prognostic roles in 196 NSCLC patients. Elevated levels of exosomal miR-23b-3p, miR-10b-5p and miR-21-5p were independently associated with poor overall survival (with hazard ratio [95% confidence interval]: 2.42 (1.45 - 4.04), P = 0.001; 2.22 (1.18 - 4.16), P = 0.013; 2.12 (1.28 - 3.49), P = 0.003, respectively). When compared to the clinical prognostic variables only model, adding the three exosomal miRNA signatures significantly improved survival predictive accuracy with an increase of time-dependent area under the receiver operating characteristic curve from 0.88 to 0.91 (P=0.015). Our results indicated that plasma exosomal miR-23b-3p, miR-10b-5p and miR-21-5p are promising non-invasive prognostic biomarkers of NSCLC.

MiR-205 as a promising biomarker in the diagnosis and prognosis of lung cancer

MicroRNA-205 (miR-205) was revealed as a novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for lung cancer, but the results in the published papers were inconsistent. This meta-analysis aimed to investigate the diagnostic and prognostic roles of miR-205 in patients with lung cancer. Totally, 16 eligible articles were included, among which 10 articles investigated the diagnostic value of miR-205, 5 articles examined its prognostic values, and 1 article studied both diagnostic and prognostic values. For the diagnostic meta-analysis, the pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, negative likelihood ratio, diagnostic odds ratio, and the overall area under the curve of miR-205 for patients with lung cancer were 0.88 (95% CI = 0.78 – 0.94), 0.78 (95% CI = 0.66 – 0.86), 4.00 (95% CI = 2.47 – 6.49), 0.16 (95% CI = 0.08 – 0.30), 25.86 (95% CI = 9.29 – 71.95), and 0.90 (95% CI = 0.87 – 0.92), respectively, indicating that miR-205 is a useful biomarker for diagnostic of lung cancer. The subgroup analysis further demonstrated that miR-205 had an excellent overall accuracy for detection with tissue samples compare with blood samples. For the prognostic meta-analysis, the pooled outcome of the disease-free survival and recurrence-free survival analyses revealed that increased miR-205 levels had a protective role in the prognosis of patients with lung cancer (pooled HR = 0.86, 95% CI: 0.78-0.96, z = 2.83, P = 0.005). In conclusion, miR-205 may be a promising biomarker for detection, predicting the recurrence of patients with lung cancer.

An miRNA Expression Signature for the Human Colonic Stem Cell Niche Distinguishes Malignant from Normal Epithelia

Malignant transformation of tissue stem cells (SC) may be the root of most cancer. Accordingly, we identified miRNA expression patterns in the normal human colonic SC niche to understand how cancer stem cells (CSC) may arise. In profiling miRNA expression in SC-enriched crypt subsections isolated from fresh, normal surgical specimens, we identified 16 miRNAs that were differentially expressed in the crypt bottom, creating an SC signature for normal colonic epithelia (NCE). A parallel analysis of colorectal cancer tissues showed differential expression of 83 miRNAs relative to NCE. Within the 16 miRNA signature for the normal SC niche, we found that miR-206, miR-007-3, and miR-23b individually could distinguish colorectal cancer from NCE. Notably, miR-23b, which was increased in colorectal cancer, was predicted to target the SC-expressed G protein-coupled receptor LGR5. Cell biology investigations showed that miR-23b regulated CSC phenotypes globally at the level of proliferation, cell cycle, self-renewal, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, invasion, and resistance to the colorectal cancer chemotherapeutic agent 5-fluorouracil. In mechanistic experiments, we found that miR-23b decreased LGR5 expression and increased ALDH⁺ CSCs. CSC analyses confirmed that levels of LGR5 and miR-23b are inversely correlated in ALDH⁺ CSCs and that distinct subpopulations of LGR5⁺ and ALDH⁺ CSCs exist. Overall, our results define a critical function for miR-23b, which, by targeting LGR5, contributes to overpopulation of ALDH⁺ CSCs and colorectal cancer. Cancer Res; 77(14); 3778-90. ©2017 AACR.

MiR-23b controls TGF-β1 induced airway smooth muscle cell proliferation via direct targeting of Smad3

BACKGROUND

MicroRNAs are small yet versatile gene tuners that regulate a variety of cellular processes, including cell growth and proliferation. Here we report that miR-23b inhibited airway smooth muscle cells (ASMCs) proliferation through directly targeting of Smad3.

METHODS

We obtained ASMCs by laser capture microdissection of normal and asthmatic mice lung tissues. Mice ASMCs were cultured and induced by TGF-β1. The implication between TGF-β1 and miR-23b in ASMCs were detected by RT-PCR. The effects of miR-23b on ASMCs proliferation and apoptosis were assessed by transient transfection of miR-23b mimics and inhibitor. The expression of Smad3 in ASMCs were detected by RT-PCR and Western blotting analysis. Dual-Luciferase Reporter Assay System will be applied to identify whether Smad3 is a target gene of miR-23b.

RESULTS

TGF-β1 and miR-23b mRNA expression of in-situ bronchial ASMCs collected by laser capture microdissection were increased in asthmatic mice compared to non-asthma controls. This is accompanied by an increase in miR-23b mRNA expression in TGF-β1 induced ASMCs. miR-23b up-regulation significantly inhibited TGF-β1-induced ASMCs proliferation and promoted apoptosis. MiR-23b negatively regulates the expression of Smad3 in ASMCs. Dual-Luciferase Reporter Assay System demonstrated that Smad3 was a direct target of miR-23b.

CONCLUSIONS

MiR-23b may function as an inhibitor of asthma airway remodeling by suppressing ASMCs proliferation via direct targeting of Smad3.

MicroRNA‑187 is an independent prognostic factor in lung cancer and promotes lung cancer cell invasion via targeting of PTRF

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in the progression of different types of cancers giving new hope for cancer treatment. The role and regulatory mechanism of microRNA‑187 (miR‑187) are largely unknown. In the present study, 74 patients with non‑small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were selected. Tumor tissues and matched normal tissues were collected for determining the expression level of miR‑187. Cell research was performed to detect the function of miR‑187. The expression level was measured and miR‑187 was found to be overexpressed in the NSCLC cell lines and tissues. Overexpression of miR‑187 promoted cell proliferation in the A549 and H1650 cell lines. Moreover, overexpression of miR‑187 also promoted cell migration and invasion. Polymerase I and transcript release factor (PTRF) was identified as a target of miR‑187. Overexpression of miR‑187 suppressed the expression of PTRF. Knockdown of PTRF promoted lung cancer cell invasion, and overexpression of PTRF had a negative effect on lung cancer cell invasion. The PTRF messenger RNA (mRNA) levels in cancer tissues were significantly lower than those in their adjacent normal lung tissues as determined by real‑time PCR (RT‑PCR). The expression of the PTRF protein was significantly weaker than that in the adjacent normal lung tissues using immunohistochemical staining. The findings revealed that miR‑187 promotes cell growth and invasion by targeting PTRF and miR‑187 may be a new prognostic factor for NSCLC.

MiR-23b controls TGF-β1 induced airway smooth muscle cell proliferation via TGFβR2/p-Smad3 signals

BACKGROUND

Abnormal proliferation of ASM (airway smooth muscle) directly contributes to the airway remodeling during development of lung diseases such as asthma. Here we report that a specific microRNA (miR-23b) controls ASMCs proliferation through directly inhibiting TGFβR2/p-Smad3 pathway.

METHODS

The expression of miR-23b in ASMCs was detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The effects of miR-23b on cell proliferation and apoptosis of ASMCs were assessed by transient transfection of miR-23b mimics and inhibitor. The target gene of miR-23b and the downstream pathway were further investigated.

RESULTS

Overexpression of miR-23b significantly inhibited TGF-β1-induced ASMCs proliferation and promoted apoptosis. RT-PCR and Western blotting analysis showed miR-23b negatively regulates the expression of TGFβR2 and p-Smad3 in ASMCs. Subsequent analyses demonstrated that TGFβR2 was a direct and functional target of miR-23b, which was validated by the dual luciferase reporter assay.

CONCLUSIONS

MiR-23b may function as an inhibitor of airway smooth muscle cells proliferation through inactivation of TGFβR2/p-Smad3 pathway.