The miR-130 family promotes cell migration and invasion in bladder cancer through FAK and Akt phosphorylation by regulating PTEN

PTEN-mediated resistance in cancer: From foundation to future therapies

In cancer resistance, phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted (PTEN) has emerged as a prominent protagonist. PTEN exerts its influence by regulating crucial signaling pathways that govern cell proliferation, survival, and differentiation. This comprehensive review article investigates deeply into the complex realm of PTEN-mediated drug resistance mechanisms in cancers. Our journey begins by exploring PTEN's foundational role of PTEN, unveiling its significance as a molecular conductor that intricately coordinates vital cellular pathways. We thoroughly dissected the intricate milieu of PTEN alterations, including mutations, deletions, and epigenetic silencing, and elucidated their profound implications for fueling cancer growth and evading treatment. As we navigate the complex network of PTEN, we unravel the intricate interplay between PTEN and pivotal signaling pathways, such as PI3K/AKT, MAPK/ERK, and Wnt/β-catenin, further complicating the resistance landscape. This expedition, through these intricately intertwined signaling cascades, provides insight into the multifaceted mechanisms driving resistance, thereby revealing potential exploitable weaknesses. In our quest for therapeutic strategies, we need to explore innovative approaches to restore PTEN function, encompassing genetic therapies, pharmacological agents, and precision medicines tailored to PTEN status. The concept of combination therapy has emerged as a potent tool to overcome PTEN-associated resistance, offering promising synergistic interactions with standard treatments, targeted therapies, or immunotherapy. This review offers a comprehensive overview of PTEN-mediated drug resistance mechanisms in cancer and elucidates intricate interactions within this complex landscape. This underscores the central role of PTEN in drug resistance and provides valuable insights into promising strategies with the potential to reshape the future of cancer treatment.

Analysis of microRNA expression in patients with uric acid calculi

Uric acid calculi (UAC) account for about 10% of cases worldwide, although this varies among countries. The etiology of nephrolithiasis is multifactorial, involving both genetic and environmental factors. Kidney stones occur three times more frequently in individuals with a family history of the condition compared to those without such a history. Genetic factors also contribute to cases of UAC. Genes such as ZNF365, SLC2A9 and SLC22A12 may be associated with the development of uric acid stones. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small RNA molecules, that play a significant role in regulating gene expression. The aim of this study was to characterize the expression profile of miRNAs associated with the SLC2A9, SLC22A12 and ZNF365 genes in patients with uric lithiasis. Twenty-two patients with pure uric stones and 8 controls with no history of lithiasis were included, all of whom consented voluntarily. To analyze the gene expression levels of the microRNAs studied, total RNA was obtained using the miRVana®miRNA kit, following the manufacturer's guidelines. qPCR analyses were then carried out using specific probes for the selected microRNAs. When comparing clinical characteristics, patients with nephrolithiasis had significant hyperuricemia (p < 0.0001) and more acidic urine (p = 0.0012). Lower urinary citrate excretion was also observed in patients with nephrolithiasis (p = 0.0047). With regard to microRNA expression data, statistically significant under-expression was observed in patients with calculi of microRNAs 143-3p (p = 0.015), 4770 (p = 0.0194), 4750-3p (p = 0.037), 301b-5p (p = < 0.0001) and 9-5p (p = 0.0015). In addition, microRNAs 4770 and 4750-3p were underexpressed in individuals with multiple stones (p = 0.0197, p = 0.0023 respectively). In relation to miR-4750-3p, it was also overexpressed in cases with stones larger than 2 cm (p = 0.0557). With the results of our study, we can conclude that the microRNAs 143-3p, 4770, 4750-3p, 301b-5p and 9-5p may be associated with the development of uric lithiasis. In addition, under-expression of microRNAs 4770 and 4750-3p is associated with the occurrence of multiple stones, while over-expression of miR-4750-3p is related to the formation of stones larger than 2 cm.

HOXA13 promotes immune evasion in bladder cancer by suppressing antigen processing and presentation, and phagosome pathways

Homebox A13 (HOXA13) and homeobox B13 (HOXB13) expression dysregulation have been previously reported in bladder cancer. However, their roles in bladder carcinogenesis remain unclear. This study characterizes the distinct transcriptomic profile and pathway enrichment of HOXA13 and HOXB13 knockdown in bladder cancer cells. Separate in vitro knockdown models for HOXA13 and HOXB13 were established using small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), and knockdown efficiency was validated through reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Transcriptomic profiling was conducted using RNA sequencing, followed by differential gene expression analysis, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genome (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis. HOXA13 knockdown significantly enriched pathways that are associated with immune evasion (i.e. antigen processing and presentation pathway, and phagosome pathway) through the upregulation of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I and II genes. These findings highlight the pivotal role of HOXA13 in promoting immune evasion in bladder cancer. Meanwhile, HOXB13 knockdown significantly enriched estrogen signaling pathway and PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, which are critical for cell proliferation and survival. While the role of HOXB13 in bladder cancer progression requires further delineation, the primary focus of this study is on HOXA13 due to its involvement in immune evasion mechanisms. This study provides novel insights into the potential therapeutic strategies for targeting HOXA13 in bladder cancer, and highlights the distinct roles of HOXA13 and HOXB13 in bladder carcinogenesis.

Natural compounds as modulators of miRNAs: a new frontier in bladder cancer treatment

Bladder cancer (BC) is a major global health issue with a high recurrence rate and limited effective treatments. Over the past few years, it has become evident that miRNAs play a role in the carcinogenesis process, particularly in regulating genes that promote cancer cell proliferation and invasion. This review focuses on the extent to which natural products can act as potential miRNA modulators for the management of bladder cancer. Polyphenols, flavonoids, and other phytochemicals are natural compounds found to have inherent potential to modulate miRNAs and reform the oncogenic properties of bladder cancer cells regulating cell growth and death. In integration with the current cancer treatment regimes, such natural agents may safely substitute for the traditional chemical chemotherapeutic agents of the conventional approaches. To this end, this review presents the existing knowledge of natural compounds as regulators of miRNA, their mechanisms for the management of BC, the role of their nanoparticles, and future novel therapies. The use of these compounds is not only a therapeutic practice for the conditions of bladder cancer, but it also upholds new avenues for creativity.

Multifaceted role of microRNA-301a in human cancer: from biomarker potential to therapeutic targeting

With the growing data on microRNA (miRNA) expression in tissues and circulation, there is increasing evidence for the potential of microRNAs to serve as biomarkers in cancer diagnosis and prognosis, as well as novel therapeutic targets. The expression level of miRNA-301a (miR-301a) is altered in a wide range of human tumor types, and numerous studies have revealed the roles of miR-301a in tumorigenesis and tumor progression. Herein, we comprehensively summarize, compare, and contrast the research advancements on the role of miR-301a in different cancers. Differential expression patterns of miR-301a in tissues and biofluids are implicated in cancer diagnosis, treatment response, and prognosis. MiR-301a modulates the expression of multiple genes, other noncoding RNAs, and signaling cascade via direct or indirect regulation in human cancer proliferation, migration, invasion, angiogenesis, and radio- or chemotherapy resistance. Cancer cell-associated miR-301a affects the tumor microenvironment through the alteration of immune function and cancer metabolism. These findings highlight the functional roles, clinical implications, and therapeutic relevance of miR-301a in various human cancers.

EV-miRNAs from breast cancer patients of plasma as potential prognostic biomarkers of disease recurrence

Background

Extracellular vesicles (EVs), ubiquitously released by blood cells, facilitate intercellular communication. In cancer, tumor-derived EVs profoundly affect the microenvironment, promoting tumor progression and raising the risk of recurrence. These EVs contain miRNAs (EV-miRNAs), promising cancer biomarkers. Characterizing plasma EVs and identifying EV-miRNAs associated with breast cancer recurrence are crucial aspects of cancer research since they allow us to discover new biomarkers that are effective for understanding tumor biology and for being used for early detection, disease monitoring, or approaches to personalized medicine. This study aimed to characterize plasma EVs in breast cancer (BC) patients and identify EV-miRNAs associated with BC recurrence.

Methods

This retrospective observational study included 24 BC patients divided into recurrence (n= 11) and non-recurrence (n= 13) groups. Plasma EVs were isolated and characterized. Total RNA from EVs was analyzed for miRNA expression using NanoString's nCounter® miRNA Expression Assays panel. MicroRNA target prediction used mirDIP, and pathway interactions were assessed via Reactome.

Results

A stronger presence of circulating EVs was found to be linked with a less favorable prognosis (p = 0.0062). We discovered a distinct signature of EV-miRNAs, notably including miR-19a-3p and miR-130b-3p, which are significantly associated with breast cancer recurrence. Furthermore, miR-19a-3p and miR-130b-3p were implicated in the regulation of PTEN and MDM4, potentially contributing to breast cancer progression.A notable association emerged, indicating a high concentration of circulating EVs predicts poor prognosis (p = 0.0062). Our study found a distinct EV-miRNA signature involving miR-19a-3p and miR-130b-3p, strongly associated with disease recurrence. We also presented compelling evidence for their regulatory roles in PTEN and MDM4 genes, contributing to BC development.

Conclusion

This study revealed that increased plasma EV concentration is associated with BC recurrence. The prognostic significance of EVs is closely tied to the unique expression profiles of miR-19a-3p and miR-130b-3p. These findings underscore the potential of EV-associated miRNAs as valuable indicators for BC recurrence, opening new avenues for diagnosis and treatment exploration.

The cooperative regulatory effect of the miRNA-130 family on milk fat metabolism in dairy cows

OBJECTIVE

There is a strong relationship between the content of beneficial fatty acids in milk and milk fat metabolic activity in the mammary gland. To improve milk quality, it is therefore necessary to study fatty acid metabolism in bovine mammary gland tissue. In adipose tissue, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARG), the core transcription factor, regulates the fatty acid metabolism gene network and determines fatty acid deposition. However, its regulatory effects on mammary gland fatty acid metabolism during lactation have rarely been reported.

METHODS

Transcriptome sequencing was performed during the prelactation period and the peak lactation period to examine mRNA expression. The significant upregulation of PPARG drew our attention and led us to conduct further research.

RESULTS

According to bioinformatics prediction, dual-luciferase reporter system detection, real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting, miR-130a and miR-130b could directly target PPARG and inhibit its expression. Furthermore, triglyceride and oil red O staining proved that miR-130a and miR-130b inhibited milk fat metabolism in bovine mammary epithelial cells (BMECs), while PPARG promoted this metabolism. In addition, we also found that the coexpression of miR-130a and miR-130b significantly enhanced their ability to regulate milk fat metabolism.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, our findings indicated that miR-130a and miR-130b could target and repress PPARG and that they also have a functional superposition effect. miR-130a and miR-130b seem to synergistically regulate lipid catabolism via the control of PPARG in BMECs. In the long-term, these findings might be helpful in developing practical means to improve high-quality milk.

LncRNA MRPL39 inhibits cell proliferation and migration by regulating miR-130/TSC1 axis in non-small cell lung cancer

Currently, the effect of miR-130 on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains controversial. In this study, the expression of miR-130 and lncRNA MRPL39 in tumor and non-tumor tissues of NSCLC patients was examined using real-time PCR (RT-PCR) and correlated with the prognosis of NSCLC. The phenotypic effects of miR-130 and MRPL39 on proliferation and migration of NSCLC cell line A549 cells were assessed through CCK-8 and Transwell assays with miR-130 mimic and MRPL39 (mitochondrial ribosomal protein L39) overexpressed plasmid transfection. StarBase/TargetScan analysis and dual-luciferase reporter gene assays were conducted to investigate the relationship between MRPL39, miR-130, and Tuberculosis sclerosis 1 (TSC1). MiR-130 was overexpressed, and MRPL39 was downregulated in NSCLC tissues and cells. Inhibition of miR-130 expression and overexpression of MRPL39 resulted in the inhibition of the viability and migration of A549 cells. MRPL39 is a potential upstream regulatory long non-coding RNA of miR-130, and its expression is negatively regulated by miR-130. TSC1 was identified as a target of miR-130, suppressing the antitumor effects of FGD5-AS1 silencing on GBM cells. After overexpression of MRPL39, the mRNA and protein levels of TSC1 in A549 cells significantly increased. However, after transfection with miR-130 mimic, the up-regulation of mRNA and protein was inhibited, leading to the suppression of cell proliferation and migration.

Elevated expression of miR-301a and its functional roles in canine oral melanoma

miR-301a is one of numerous dysregulated microRNAs (miRNAs) in canine oral melanoma (COM), one of which is miR-301a (upregulated). Its biological role has been described in various human cancer types, including malignant melanoma, but not in COM. Accordingly, in this study, we investigated miR-301a expression in COM in greater detail to ascertain whether it could serve as a diagnostic biomarker, elucidate its functional roles in this cancer, and predict the possible pathways by which it exerts its effects. Relative expression of miR-301a was investigated in clinical oral tissue and plasma samples and COM cell (KMeC and LMeC) lines using qRT-PCR. Knockdown of miR-301a was also validated for KMeC and LMeC cells using qRT-PCR. We performed CCK-8 assays to assess cell proliferation, monolayer wound-healing, and transwell migration assays to assess cell migration, a colony-formation assay to assess clonogenicity, a TUNEL assay and flow cytometry to assess apoptosis-related effects, and gene enrichment analyses to predict possible related pathways. miR-301a was markedly upregulated in COM oral tissue and plasma clinically, suggesting its potential as a diagnostic biomarker for COM diagnosis. In vitro assays demonstrated that miR-301 significantly inhibited apoptosis in COM cells while promoting cell migration, proliferation, and clonogenicity. We also predicted that miR-301 exerts cancer-promoting effects through the Wnt signalling pathway for COM. Our findings suggest that miR-301a is a COM oncomiR that regulates several oncogenic phenotypes with the potential to be a diagnostic biomarker.

TRIM29 promotes bladder cancer invasion by regulating the intermediate filament network and focal adhesion

Bladder cancer is a common malignancy whose lethality is determined by invasive potential. We have previously shown that TRIM29, also known as ATDC, is transcriptionally regulated by TP63 in basal bladder cancers where it promotes invasive progression and metastasis, but the molecular events which promote invasion and metastasis downstream of TRIM29 remained poorly understood. Here we identify stimulation of bladder cancer migration as the specific role of TRIM29 during invasion. We show that TRIM29 physically interacts with K14 + intermediate filaments which in turn regulates focal adhesion stability. Further, we find that both K14 and the focal adhesion protein, ZYX are required for bladder cancer migration and invasion. Taken together, these results establish a role for TRIM29 in the regulation of cytoskeleton and focal adhesions during invasion and identify a pathway with therapeutic potential.

PTEN, PTENP1, microRNAs, and ceRNA Networks: Precision Targeting in Cancer Therapeutics

The phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) is a well characterised tumour suppressor, playing a critical role in the maintenance of fundamental cellular processes including cell proliferation, migration, metabolism, and survival. Subtle decreases in cellular levels of PTEN result in the development and progression of cancer, hence there is tight regulation of the expression, activity, and cellular half-life of PTEN at the transcriptional, post-transcriptional, and post-translational levels. PTENP1, the processed pseudogene of PTEN, is an important transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulator of PTEN. PTENP1 expression produces sense and antisense transcripts modulating PTEN expression, in conjunction with miRNAs. Due to the high sequence similarity between PTEN and the PTENP1 sense transcript, the transcripts possess common miRNA binding sites with the potential for PTENP1 to compete for the binding, or 'sponging', of miRNAs that would otherwise target the PTEN transcript. PTENP1 therefore acts as a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA), competing with PTEN for the binding of specific miRNAs to alter the abundance of PTEN. Transcription from the antisense strand produces two functionally independent isoforms (PTENP1-AS-α and PTENP1-AS-β), which can regulate PTEN transcription. In this review, we provide an overview of the post-transcriptional regulation of PTEN through interaction with its pseudogene, the cellular miRNA milieu and operation of the ceRNA network. Furthermore, its importance in maintaining cellular integrity and how disruption of this PTEN-miRNA-PTENP1 axis may lead to cancer but also provide novel therapeutic opportunities, is discussed. Precision targeting of PTENP1-miRNA mediated regulation of PTEN may present as a viable alternative therapy.

The regulation of PTEN: Novel insights into functions as cancer biomarkers and therapeutic targets

This review summarizes the implications of the primary tumor suppressor protein phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) in aggressive cancer development. PTEN interacts with other cellular proteins or factors suggesting the existence of an intricate molecular network that regulates their oncogenic function. Accumulating evidence has shown that PTEN exists and plays a role in the cytoplasmic organelles and in the nucleus. PTEN blocks phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3K)-protein kinase B-mammalian target of rapamycin signaling pathway by dephosphorylating phosphatidylinositol (PI)-3,4,5-triphosphate to PI-4,5-bisphosphate thus counteracting PI3K function. Studies have shown that PTEN expression is tightly regulated at transcriptional, posttranscriptional, and posttranslational levels (including protein-protein interactions and posttranslational modifications). Despite recent advances in PTEN research, the regulation and function of the PTEN gene remain largely unknown. How mutation or loss of specific exons in the PTEN gene occurs and involves in cancer development is not clear. This review illustrates the regulatory mechanisms of PTEN expression and discusses how PTEN participates in tumor development and/or suppression. Future prospects for the clinical applications are also highlighted.

Targeting oncogenic functions of miR-301a in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma by PI3K/PTEN and MEK/ERK pathways

Treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC), the sixth most frequent cancer worldwide, remains challenging. miRNA dysregulation is closely linked to tumorigenesis and tumor progression, thus emerging as suitable targets for cancer treatment. Transcriptomic analysis of TCGA HNSCC dataset revealed that miR-301a expression levels significantly increased in primary tumors, as compared to patient-matched normal tissue. This prompted us to investigate its pathobiological role and potential as new therapeutic target using different preclinical HNSCC models. miR-301a overexpression in HNSCC-derived cell lines led to enhanced proliferation and invasion, whereas miR-301 inhibition reduced these effects. In vivo validation was performed using an orthotopic mouse model. Results concordantly showed that the mitotic counts, the percentage of infiltration depth and Ki67 proliferative index were significantly augmented in the subgroup of mice harboring miR-301a-overexpressing tumors. Further mechanistic characterization revealed PI3K/PTEN/AKT and MEK/ERK pathways as central signaling nodes responsible for mediating the oncogenic activity of miR-301a observed in HNSCC cells. Notably, pharmacological disruption of PI3K and ERK signals with BYL-719 and PD98059, respectively, was effective to completely revert/abolish miR-301a-promoted tumor cell growth and invasion. Altogether, these findings demonstrate that miR-301a dysregulation plays an oncogenic role in HNSCC, thus emerging as a candidate therapeutic target for this disease. Importantly, available PI3K and ERK inhibitors emerge as promising anti-tumor agents to effectively target miR-301a-mediated signal circuit hampering growth-promoting and pro-invasive functions.

Gene mutations in the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway were related to immune thrombocytopenia pathogenesis

BACKGROUND

Immune thrombocytopenic (ITP) is an autoimmune bleeding disease with genetic susceptibility. Twenty newly diagnosed active primary ITP patients who had not been treated with glucocorticosteroids, immune globulin or immunosuppressants prior to sampling were enrolled in this study. Bone marrow blood mononuclear cells were used for whole exome sequencing to further elucidation the variant genes of ITP.

METHODS

High-molecular-weight genomic DNA was extracted from freshly frozen bone marrow blood mononuclear cells from 20 active ITP patients. Next, the samples were subjected to molecular genetic analysis by whole-exome sequencing, and the results were confirmed by Sanger sequencing. The signaling pathways and cellular processes associated with the mutated genes were identified with gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analyses.

RESULTS

The results showed that there were 3998 missense mutations involving 2269 genes in more than 10 individuals. Unique genetic variants including phosphatase and tensin homolog, insulin receptor, and coagulation factor C homology were the most associated with the pathogenesis of ITP. Functional analysis revealed these mutation genes mainly affect Phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase/serine/threonine kinase B signaling pathways (signal transduction) and platelet activation (immune system).

CONCLUSION

Our finding further demonstrates the functional connections between these variant genes and ITP. Although the substantial mechanism and the impact of genetic variation are required further investigation, the application of next generation sequencing in ITP in this paper is a valuable method to reveal the genetic susceptibility.

Overexpression Pattern of miR-301b in Osteosarcoma and Its Relevance with Osteosarcoma Cellular Behaviors via Modulating SNX10

Prior studies have noted the importance of microRNAs (miRNAs) in development and progression of osteosarcoma (OS), but the influence of miR-301b is less investigated. This investigation aimed to explore the biological role of miR-301b/SNX10 in OS. GSE28423 and GSE28424 arrays delivered the corresponding miR-301b and sorting nexin 10 (SNX10) expression levels in OS samples. miR-301b and SNX10 expressions were also measured by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blotting in cells. Cell counting kit (CCK)-8 and transwell analysis were applied to measure cell characteristics. Luciferase reporter assay and Pearson correlation analysis were used to detect the relevance between miR-301b and SNX10. miR-301b was extremely increased in OS tissues compared with normal tissues, while SNX10 was decreased. The proliferation, invasion, and migration capabilities were limited following a low expression level of miR-301b whereas miR-301b overexpression promoted cellular malignant behaviors. miR-301b negatively targeted SNX10. The elevated SNX10 expression highlighted the inhibitory function on cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in OS cells treated by miR-301b inhibitor. Reduction of miR-301b induced the decrease of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related markers including N-cadherin, Vimentin, and matrix metallo-proteinase 9 (MMP)9. These results are added to the complete expanding field of the potential effects of miR-301b in OS cell malignant behaviors and demonstrate its promising role for further use to treat human OS.

miRNAs role in bladder cancer pathogenesis and targeted therapy: Signaling pathways interplay - A review

Bladder cancer (BC) is the 11th most popular cancer in females and 4th in males. A lot of efforts have been exerted to improve BC patients' care. Besides, new approaches have been developed to enhance the efficiency of BC diagnosis, prognosis, therapeutics, and monitoring. MicroRNAs (miRNAs, miRs) are small chain nucleic acids that can regulate wide networks of cellular events. They can inhibit or degrade their target protein-encoding genes. The miRNAs are either downregulated or upregulated in BC due to epigenetic alterations or biogenesis machinery abnormalities. In BC, dysregulation of miRNAs is associated with cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, proliferation, metastasis, treatment resistance, and other activities. A variety of miRNAs have been related to tumor kind, stage, or patient survival. Besides, although new approaches for using miRNAs in the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of BC have been developed, it still needs further investigations. In the next words, we illustrate the recent advances in the role of miRNAs in BC aspects. They include the role of miRNAs in BC pathogenesis and therapy. Besides, the clinical applications of miRNAs in BC diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment are also discussed.

Functional and clinical characteristics of focal adhesion kinases in cancer progression

Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a non-receptor tyrosine kinase and an adaptor protein that primarily regulates adhesion signaling and cell migration. FAK promotes cell survival in response to stress. Increasing evidence has shown that at the pathological level, FAK is highly expressed in multiple tumors in several systems (including lung, liver, gastric, and colorectal cancers) and correlates with tumor aggressiveness and patient prognosis. At the molecular level, FAK promotes tumor progression mainly by altering survival signals, invasive capacity, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, the tumor microenvironment, the Warburg effect, and stemness of tumor cells. Many effective drugs have been developed based on the comprehensive role of FAK in tumor cells. In addition, its potential as a tumor marker cannot be ignored. Here, we discuss the pathological and pre-clinical evidence of the role of FAK in cancer development; we hope that these findings will assist in FAK-based clinical studies.

Potential Application of Exosomes in Vaccine Development and Delivery

Exosomes are cell-derived components composed of proteins, lipid, genetic information, cytokines, and growth factors. They play a vital role in immune modulation, cell-cell communication, and response to inflammation. Immune modulation has downstream effects on the regeneration of damaged tissue, promoting survival and repair of damaged resident cells, and promoting the tumor microenvironment via growth factors, antigens, and signaling molecules. On top of carrying biological messengers like mRNAs, miRNAs, fragmented DNA, disease antigens, and proteins, exosomes modulate internal cell environments that promote downstream cell signaling pathways to facilitate different disease progression and induce anti-tumoral effects. In this review, we have summarized how vaccines modulate our immune response in the context of cancer and infectious diseases and the potential of exosomes as vaccine delivery vehicles. Both pre-clinical and clinical studies show that exosomes play a decisive role in processes like angiogenesis, prognosis, tumor growth metastasis, stromal cell activation, intercellular communication, maintaining cellular and systematic homeostasis, and antigen-specific T- and B cell responses. This critical review summarizes the advancement of exosome based vaccine development and delivery, and this comprehensive review can be used as a valuable reference for the broader delivery science community.

miRNAs and the Hippo pathway in cancer: Exploring the therapeutic potential (Review)

Cancer is recognized as the leading cause of death worldwide. The hippo signaling pathway regulates organ size by balancing cell proliferation and cell death; hence dysregulation of the hippo pathway promotes cancer‑like conditions. miRNAs are a type of non‑coding RNA that have been shown to regulate gene expression. miRNA levels are altered in various classes of cancer. Researchers have also uncovered a crosslinking between miRNAs and the hippo pathway, which has been linked to cancer. The components of the hippo pathway regulate miRNA synthesis, and various miRNAs regulate the components of the hippo pathway both positively and negatively, which can lead to cancer‑like conditions. In the present review article, the mechanism behind the hippo signaling pathway and miRNAs biogenesis and crosslinks between miRNAs and the hippo pathway, which result in cancer, shall be discussed. Furthermore, the article will cover miRNA‑related therapeutics and provide an overview of the development of resistance to anticancer drugs. Understanding the underlying processes would improve the chances of developing effective cancer treatment therapies.

circPTEN suppresses colorectal cancer progression through regulating PTEN/AKT pathway

Recently, circular RNAs (circRNAs) have attracted growing attention due to their pivotal roles in the complicated cellular processes of diverse human malignancies, including colorectal cancer (CRC). Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) is known as a typical tumor-suppressing gene. Nevertheless, limited investigation on the function of circRNAs generated from PTEN has been undertaken. In this research, hsa_circ_0094343 (circPTEN) was found to display low expression in CRC tissues and cells. CircPTEN is characterized with high stability due to its circular structure. Upregulation of circPTEN suppressed CRC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion but facilitated apoptosis. Data from mechanism assays revealed that circPTEN could elevate PTEN expression through sequestering microRNA-4470 (miR-4470) in CRC cells. Further, circPTEN was validated to inhibit K63-linked ubiquitination of protein kinase B (AKT) and AKT phosphorylation at Thr-308 and Ser-473 by competitively binding with tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6). Moreover, the results of rescue assays indicated that the suppressive effect of circPTEN on CRC progression could be totally reversed by overexpression of insulin like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) or partially reversed by knockdown of PTEN. To conclude, circPTEN suppresses CRC progression via regulation of PTEN/AKT pathway.

Long non-coding RNA NEAT1 contributes to lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation and apoptosis of human middle ear epithelial cells via regulating the miR-301b-3p/TLR4 axis

Acute otitis media (AOM) is a common infectious disease in children that is accompanied by signs and symptoms of middle ear inflammation and infection. Previous studies have shown that the long non-coding (lnc)RNA nuclear-enriched abundant transcript 1(NEAT1) participates in various inflammatory conditions and plays an important regulatory role. The focus of the present study was the biological function of NEAT1 and underlying molecular mechanism in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced human middle ear epithelial cells (HMEECs). The expression of NEAT1, miR-301b-3p and toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) protein were determined by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and western blot assays, respectively. Dual-luciferase reporter assay was performed to investigate the combination of miR-301b-3p and NEAT1 or TLR4. In addition, cell viability, apoptosis and the levels of pro-inflammatory factors (IL-1β, TNF-α and IL-6) were measured by Cell Counting Kit-8 assay, flow cytometry and ELISA, respectively. Cell viability was significantly decreased, whereas apoptosis and inflammation were increased in LPS-stimulated HMEECs. Functional analyses demonstrated that NEAT1 was upregulated following LPS treatment, whereas knockdown of NEAT1 significantly increased cell viability and alleviated apoptosis and inflammation. Mechanistically, NEAT1 directly bound to and negatively regulated miR-301b-3p expression, whereas miR-301b-3p inhibitors abolished the inhibitory effect of NEAT1 knockdown on cell apoptosis and inflammation. As a target of miR-301b-3p, TLR4 was regulated by NEAT1 and miR-301b-3p. TLR4 overexpression alleviated NEAT1 silencing-induced inflammatory suppression. Rescue experiments demonstrated that NEAT1 promoted TLR4 expression by inhibiting miR-301b-3p. Collectively, the results of the present study suggested that NEAT1 may attenuate LPS-induced inflammation and apoptosis in HMEECs by modulating the miR-301b-3p/TLR4 axis, and may provide a new therapeutic target for the clinical treatment of AOM.

Alterations in small RNA profiles in liver following a subchronic exposure to a low-dose pesticide mixture in Sprague-Dawley rats

Small RNAs have emerged as a promising new type of biomarker to monitor health status and track the development of diseases. Here we report changes in the levels of small RNAs in the liver of rats exposed to a mixture of six pesticides frequently detected in foodstuffs (azoxystrobin, boscalid, chlorpyrifos, glyphosate, imidacloprid and thiabendazole). Multivariate analysis with OPLS-DA methods showed that small RNA profiles can discriminate samples from pesticide treated rats from their concurrent controls. A total of 9 miRNAs were found to have their levels altered in the liver of the pesticide-treated rats in comparison to the controls, which included 7 that were downregulated (miR-22-5p, miR-193a-3p, miR-32-5p, miR-33-5p, miR-122-5p, miR-22-3p, miR-130a-3p) and 2 that were upregulated (miR-486-5p, miR-146a-5p). These miRNAs were predicted to regulate genes, which were found to have their expression altered by the pesticide mixture and have known health implications in the regulation of hepatic metabolism. This supports and extends our recent conclusions that high- throughput 'omics' analyses can reveal molecular perturbations, which can potentially act as sensitive and accurate markers of health risks arising from exposure to environmental pollutants such as pesticides.

miR‑130b regulates PTEN to activate the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and attenuate oxidative stress‑induced injury in diabetic encephalopathy

Diabetic encephalopathy (DE) is one of the main chronic complications of diabetes, and is characterized by cognitive defects. MicroRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) are widely involved in the development of diabetes-related complications. The present study evaluated the role of miR-130b in DE and investigated its mechanisms of action. PC12 cells and hippocampal cells were exposed to a high glucose environment to induce cell injuries to mimic the in vitro model of DE. Cells were transfected with miR-130b mimic, miR-130b inhibitor and small interfering RNA (si)-phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) to evaluate the protective effect of the miR-130b/PTEN axis against oxidative stress in high glucose-stimulated cells involving Akt activity. Furthermore, the effect of agomir-130b was also assessed on rats with DE. The expression of miR-130b was reduced in the DE models in vivo and in vitro. The administration of miR-130b mimic increased the viability of high glucose-stimulated cells, prevented apoptosis, increased the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), decreased the malondialdehyde (MDA) content, activated Akt protein levels and inhibited the mitochondria-mediated apoptotic pathway. The administration of miR-130b inhibitor exerted opposite effects, while si-PTEN reversed the effects of miR-130b inhibitor. In vivo, the administration of agomir-130b attenuated cognitive disorders and neuronal damage, increased SOD activity, reduced the MDA content, activated Akt protein levels and inhibited the mitochondria-mediated apoptosis pathway in rats with DE. On the whole, these results suggest that miR-130b activates the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway to exert protective effects against oxidative stress injury via the regulation of PTEN in rats with DE.

Pharmacological Inhibition of miR-130 Family Suppresses Bladder Tumor Growth by Targeting Various Oncogenic Pathways via PTPN1

Previously, we have revealed that the miR-130 family (miR-130b, miR-301a, and miR-301b) functions as an oncomiR in bladder cancer. The pharmacological inhibition of the miR-130 family molecules by the seed-targeting strategy with an 8-mer tiny locked nucleic acid (LNA) inhibits the growth, migration, and invasion of bladder cancer cells by repressing stress fiber formation. Here, we searched for a functionally advanced target sequence with LNA for the miR-130 family with low cytotoxicity and found LNA #9 (A(L)^i^i^A(L)^T(L)^T(L)^G(L)^5(L)^A(L)^5(L)^T(L)^G) as a candidate LNA. LNA #9 inhibited cell growth in vitro and in an in vivo orthotopic bladder cancer model. Proteome-wide tyrosine phosphorylation analysis suggested that the miR-130 family upregulates a wide range of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) signaling via the expression of phosphorylated Src (pSrc^Tyr416). SILAC-based proteome analysis and a luciferase assay identified protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor type 1 (PTPN1), which is implicated as a negative regulator of multiple signaling pathways downstream of RTKs as a target gene of the miR-130 family. The miR-130-targeted LNA increased and decreased PTPN1 and pSrc^Tyr416 expressions, respectively. PTPN1 knockdown led to increased tumor properties (cell growth, invasion, and migration) and increased pSrc^Tyr416 expression in bladder cancer cells, suggesting that the miR-130 family upregulates multiple RTK signaling by targeting PTPN1 and subsequent Src activation in bladder cancer. Thus, our newly designed miR-130 family targeting LNA could be a promising nucleic acid therapeutic agent for bladder cancer.

Clinical and In Silico Outcomes of the Expression of miR-130a-5p and miR-615-3p in Tumor Compared with Non-Tumor Adjacent Tissues of Patients with BC

BACKGROUND

Breast Cancer (BC) is the most common malignancy among women with a high mortality rate. The blockade of asparagine-related pathways may be an effective measure to control the progression and reduction of BC metastasis potential. Recently, it has been shown that various miRNAs, as part of small non-coding RNAs, have a great role in cancer development, especially asparagine-related pathways, to modulate the invasiveness.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate the expression of miR-130a-5p and miR-615-3p in tumoral and nontumoral adjacent tissues of patients with BC.

METHODS

There is a chance that asparagine metabolism is influenced by miR-130a-5p and miR-615-3p as confirmed by bioinformatics analysis. Hence, real-time PCR was conducted on eighty BC tumoral and non-tumoral adjacent tissues to evaluate the expression level of the two miRNAs. To predict the potential biological process and molecular pathways of miR-130a-5p, an in silico analysis was performed.

RESULTS

This study indicated that miR-130a was downregulated in tumoral tissues compared to non-tumoral adjacent tissues (P-value= 0.01443 and fold change= -2.5137), while miR-615-3p did not show a significant difference between the two groups. Furthermore, the subgroup studies did not reveal any significant correlation between the expression of these two miRNAs and subfactors. Furthermore, in silico studies unraveled several biological processes related to amino-acid metabolism, as well as pathways related to tumor development such as Phosphatase and Tensin Homolog (PTEN) and JAK-STAT pathways among miR-130a-5p target genes.

CONCLUSION

Our findings indicate that miRNA-130a-5p is downregulated in BC tissues and may play a tumor suppressor role in patients with BC. Therefore, it may be suggested as a potential diagnostic and therapeutic target for BC.

MicroRNAs expression associated with aggressive clinicopathological features and poor prognosis in primary cutaneous melanomas

Several studies have focused on identifying microRNAs involved in the pathogenesis of melanoma. However, its association with clinicopathological features has been scarcely addressed. The aim of this study is to identify microRNAs expression profiles related to aggressive clinicopathological and molecular features, and to analyze the association with melanoma survival. A retrospective and observational study was performed in a series of 179 formalin-fixed paraffin embedded primary cutaneous melanomas. First, a screening analysis on a discovery set (n = 22) using miRNA gene chip array (Affymetrix, Santa Clara, California, USA) was performed. Differentially expressed microRNAs were detected employing the software Partek Genomic Suite. Validation of four microRNAs was subsequently performed in the entire series (n = 179) by quantitative real time PCR (qRT-PCR). MicroRNAs expression screening analysis identified 101 microRNAs differentially expressed according to Breslow thickness (≤1 mm vs. >1 mm), 79 according to the presence or absence of ulceration, 78 according to mitosis/mm2 (<1 mitosis vs. ≥1 mitosis) and 97 according to the TERT promoter status (wt vs. mutated). Six microRNAs (miR-138-5p, miR-130b-3p, miR-30b-5p, miR-34a-5p, miR-500a-5p, miR-339-5p) were selected for being validated by qRT-PCR in the discovery set (n = 22). Of those, miR-138-5p, miR-130b-3p, miR-30b-5p, miR-34a-5p were selected for further analysis in the entire series (n = 179). Overexpression of miR-138-5p and miR-130b-3p was significantly associated with greater Breslow thickness, ulceration, and mitosis. TERT mutated melanomas overexpressed miR-138-5p. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed poorer survival in melanomas with miR-130b-3p overexpression. Our findings provide support for the existence of a microRNA expression profile in melanomas with aggressive clinicopathological features and poor prognosis.

MicroRNA-130b functions as an oncogene and is a predictive marker of poor prognosis in lung adenocarcinoma

Lung cancer is an aggressive disease and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. In the past several decades, the incidence of adenocarcinoma has significantly increased, and accounts for ~40% of all lung cancer cases. In the present study, we investigated the clinicopathologic significance of microRNA-130b (miR-130b) in lung adenocarcinoma and analyzed its cancer-specific functions. RNA was extracted from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded specimens of 146 lung adenocarcinoma cases, and miR-130b expression was analyzed using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. NCI-H1650 cells were transfected with miR-130b mimic and inhibitor to determine its effects on tumor cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. The expression of miR-130b in lung adenocarcinoma tissues was classified into two groups according to the median value. High expression of miR-130b was associated with higher histological grade, advanced pathologic T stage, lymph node metastasis, and lymphovascular invasion. Moreover, survival analysis showed that high miR-130b expression was significantly associated with unfavorable prognosis. In addition, miR-130b upregulation promoted cell migration and invasion, while its downregulation resulted in decreased cell proliferation, migration, and wound healing in in vitro experiments. In conclusion, these findings suggest that miR-130b promotes tumor progression and serves as a biomarker of poor prognosis for patients with lung adenocarcinoma. Hence, targeting miR-130b may serve as a potential therapeutic strategy for lung cancer.

YAP1 and its fusion proteins in cancer initiation, progression and therapeutic resistance

YAP1 is a transcriptional co-activator whose activity is controlled by the Hippo signaling pathway. In addition to important functions in normal tissue homeostasis and regeneration, YAP1 has also prominent functions in cancer initiation, aggressiveness, metastasis, and therapy resistance. In this review we are discussing the molecular functions of YAP1 and its roles in cancer, with a focus on the different mechanisms of de-regulation of YAP1 activity in human cancers, including inactivation of upstream Hippo pathway tumor suppressors, regulation by intersecting pathways, miRNAs, and viral oncogenes. We are also discussing new findings on the function and biology of the recently identified family of YAP1 gene fusions, that constitute a new type of activating mutation of YAP1 and that are the likely oncogenic drivers in several subtypes of human cancers. Lastly, we also discuss different strategies of therapeutic inhibition of YAP1 functions.

Knockdown of microRNA-130b improves doxorubicin sensitivity in bladder urothelial carcinoma by negatively regulating cylindromatosis expression

INTRODUCTION

Chemotherapeutic resistance reduces the sensitivity of bladder urothelial carcinoma (BUC) to chemotherapeutic drugs and contributes a barrier leading to treatment failure. The purpose of this research project is to investigate the regulatory effects of miR-130b on chemotherapeutic drug resistance of BUC and its mechanism.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The relative expression of miRNA-130b and cylindromatosis (CYLD) was examined using real-time quantitative PCR. The cell proliferation and doxorubicin sensitivity were detected with the enhanced CCK-8 assay. The specific combination of miR-130b and CYLD was verified with the luciferase reporter gene assay. Protein expression was detected by Western blot.

RESULTS

Our study found that miR-130b was up-regulated in doxorubicin-insensitive BUC tissues and cell lines, and its high expression was negatively related to doxorubicin sensitivity in BUC. The miR-130b knockdown reduced the IC₅₀ of doxorubicin and improved doxorubicin sensitivity of J82/Dox and T24/Dox cells. For the regulation mechanism analysis of miR-130b, bioinformatics analysis software was used to predict the potential targets of miR-130b, including the CYLD gene. The following luciferase activities assay, quantitative real time-PCR and western blot identified the CYLD gene as a target of miR-130b. Knockdown of CYLD reversed miR-130b's regulatory roles in doxorubicin sensitivity in J82/Dox and T24/Dox cells.

CONCLUSIONS

High expression of miR-130b is negatively related to doxorubicin sensitivity in BUC, and knockdown of miR-130b improves doxorubicin sensitivity in BUC by negatively regulating CYLD expression. Our findings will provide guidance for the clinical chemotherapy of BUC.

Evaluation of miR-130 family members as circulating biomarkers for the diagnosis of bladder cancer

OBJECTIVE

Previous research has shown that the miR-130 family is closely related to the occurrence and development of bladder cancer. We hope to use the miR-130 family members as new, non-invasive, and easily detectable biomarkers for bladder cancer.

METHODS

We analyzed 428 cases in The Cancer Genome Atlas-Bladder Urothelial Carcinoma database and verified that the miR-130 family members were significantly overexpressed in bladder cancer. A total of 74 bladder cancer patients and 90 controls were enrolled. The relative expression of the miR-130 family in serum was detected using quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The diagnostic efficacy of the miR-130 family members was determined using the receiver operating characteristic method (ROC), and a diagnostic panel was built using logistic regression. The results of the study were further confirmed in an external validation set of 492 samples from the Gene Expression Omnibus database.

RESULTS

The expression of the miR-130 family members (except for miR-301b-3p) in the serum of bladder cancer patients was higher than that in the controls. The diagnostic capabilities for bladder cancer were 0.847 (miR-130a-3p), 0.762 (miR-130b-3p), and 0.892 (miR-301a-3p). We established a three-miRNA panel with an area under the ROC curve as high as 0.961, indicating that it is a promising clinical diagnostic biomarker of bladder cancer with high sensitivity and specificity.

CONCLUSION

The expression levels of miR-130 family members in serum can effectively distinguish the bladder cancer patients from healthy controls. This finding will facilitate the clinical diagnosis of bladder cancer.

MicroRNAs and target molecules in bladder cancer

Bladder cancer (BC) is considered as one of the most common malignant tumors in humans with complex pathogenesis including gene expression variation, protein degradation, and changes in signaling pathways. Many studies on involved miRNAs in BC have demonstrated that they could be used as potential biomarkers in the prognosis, response to treatment, and screening before the cancerous phenotype onset. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate many cellular processes through their different effects on special targets along with modifying signaling pathways, apoptosis, cell growth, and differentiation. The diverse expression of miRNAs in cancerous tissues could mediate procedures leading to the oncogenic or suppressor behavior of certain genes in cancer cells. Since a specific miRNA may have multiple targets, an mRNA could also be regulated by multiple miRNAs which further demonstrates the actual role of miRNAs in cancer. In addition, miRNAs can be utilized as biomarkers in some cancers that cannot be screened in the early stages. Hence, finding blood, urine, or tissue miRNA biomarkers by novel or routine gene expression method could be an essential step in the prognosis and control of cancer. In the present review, we have thoroughly evaluated the recent findings on different miRNAs in BC which can provide comprehensive information on better understanding the role of diverse miRNAs and better decision making regarding the new approaches in the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, and treatment of BC.

Analysis of molecular and clinical parameters of 4-year adalimumab therapy in psoriatic patients

Introdcution

Through interaction with receptors TNFR1 and TNFR2, TNF-α activates a signal path, which exacerbates an inflammatory process, constituting an inseparable element of psoriasis.

Aim

To evaluate changes in the expression of TNF-α, TNFR1, TNFR2 during the 4-year-long adalimumab therapy in psoriatic patients, searching for the correlation between molecular and clinical markers. In addition, the role of miRNAs was analysed.

Material and methods

Whole blood and serum samples of psoriatic patients treated with adalimumab constituted material for the study. Changes in the expression of TNF-α and its receptors were evaluated with the use of the RTqPCR method and MALDI ToF mass spectroscopy, PASI, BSA, DAS28 indexes were used for the clinical analysis of the patients, while the role of miRNA molecules was determined basing on microrna.org database.

Results

Different TNF-α expression patterns were determined in patients with observed resistance to the medicine. We found that there is a correlation between the molecular markers of an inflammatory process and the clinical indexes. The bioinformatic analysis indicates the potential role of miRNAs in the regulation of expression of the analysed genes. Changes in the profile of TNF-α during adalimumab therapy are significantly determined by the individual variability and susceptibility to the biological medicine or its loss.

Conclusions

TNF-α seems to be a useful marker to evaluate the efficacy of therapy and occurring resistance to the medicine. A complex mechanism for the regulation of the analysed gene expression was underlined, which involved the potential role of miRNAs.

Ortho-silicic acid enhances osteogenesis of osteoblasts through the upregulation of miR-130b which directly targets PTEN

AIMS

Osteoporosis is considered a common skeletal disease. Ortho-silicic acid has been found to enhance the osteogenic differentiation of osteoblasts. However, the molecular mechanism of osteogenesis induced by ortho-silicic acid is still undefined totally. MicroRNAs (miRs) play a key role in osteogenesis of osteoblasts. This study investigated the role of miR-130b in promoting osteogenesis induced by ortho-silicic acid.

MAIN METHODS AND KEY FINDINGS

In this study, we found ortho-silicic acid enhanced osteogenesis of osteoblasts in vitro and promoted preventing and treating osteoporosis in vivo. Furthermore, the expression of miR-130b increased under application of ortho-silicic acid. In vitro, experiments demonstrated miR-130b overexpression or inhibition significantly promoted or suppressed osteogenic differentiation of osteoblasts under application of ortho-silicic acid, respectively. Consistently, downregulation of miR-130b in ovariectomy (OVX) rats dropped off the beneficial effect of ortho-silicic acid against bone loss. Mechanistically, we identified phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on human chromosome 10 (PTEN) as the direct target of miR-130b during osteogenesis induced by ortho-silicic acid.

SIGNIFICANCE

In conclusion, our findings reveal that ortho-silicic acid promotes the osteogenesis of osteoblasts mediated by the miR-130b/PTEN signaling axis, which identifies a new target to prevent and treat osteoporosis.

The lncRNA MALAT1/miR-30/Spastin Axis Regulates Hippocampal Neurite Outgrowth

Spastin, a microtubule-severing enzyme, is important for neurite outgrowth. However, the mechanisms underlying the post-transcriptional regulation of spastin during microtubule-related processes are largely unknown. We demonstrated that the spastin expression level is controlled by a long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1)/microRNA-30 (miR-30) axis during neurite outgrowth. The miR-30 expression level decreased in hippocampal neurons with increasing days in culture, and miR-30 overexpression suppressed while miR-30 inhibition promoted neurite outgrowth in hippocampal neurons. Spastin was validated as a target gene of miR-30 using the luciferase reporter assay. The protein expression, microtubule severing activity, and neurite promoting effect of spastin were suppressed by the overexpression of miR-30 mimics and increased by miR-30 inhibitors. MALAT1 expression increased during neurite outgrowth and MALAT1 silencing impaired neurite outgrowth. miR-30 was a sponge target of MALAT1 and MALAT1/miR-30 altered neurite outgrowth in hippocampal neurons. MALAT1 overexpression reversed the inhibitory effect of miR-30 on the activity of a luciferase reporter construct containing spastin, as well as spastin mRNA and protein expression, indicating that spastin was a downstream effector of MALAT1/miR-30. The MALAT1/miR-30 cascade also modulated spastin-induced microtubule severing, and the MALAT1/miR-30/spastin axis regulated neurite outgrowth in hippocampal neurons. This study suggests a new mechanism governing neurite outgrowth in hippocampal neurons involving MALAT1/miR-30-regulated spastin expression.

Global Analysis of the Human RNA Degradome Reveals Widespread Decapped and Endonucleolytic Cleaved Transcripts

RNA decay is an important regulatory mechanism for gene expression at the posttranscriptional level. Although the main pathways and major enzymes that facilitate this process are well defined, global analysis of RNA turnover remains under-investigated. Recent advances in the application of next-generation sequencing technology enable its use in order to examine various RNA decay patterns at the genome-wide scale. In this study, we investigated human RNA decay patterns using parallel analysis of RNA end-sequencing (PARE-seq) data from XRN1-knockdown HeLa cell lines, followed by a comparison of steady state and degraded mRNA levels from RNA-seq and PARE-seq data, respectively. The results revealed 1103 and 1347 transcripts classified as stable and unstable candidates, respectively. Of the unstable candidates, we found that a subset of the replication-dependent histone transcripts was polyadenylated and rapidly degraded. Additionally, we identified 380 endonucleolytically cleaved candidates by analyzing the most abundant PARE sequence on a transcript. Of these, 41.4% of genes were classified as unstable genes, which implied that their endonucleolytic cleavage might affect their mRNA stability. Furthermore, we identified 1877 decapped candidates, including HSP90B1 and SWI5, having the most abundant PARE sequences at the 5′-end positions of the transcripts. These results provide a useful resource for further analysis of RNA decay patterns in human cells.

Expression profile of microRNAs in bladder cancer and their application as biomarkers

Bladder cancer (BC) comprises 3% of all cancers and is particularly common in the developed countries. Early diagnosis is an important necessity in improvement of BC prognosis, as patients' outcome is significantly different between muscle invasive BC (MIBC) and non-muscle invasive BC cases. This cancer is resulted from an intricate interaction between genetic and environmental factors. Recent studies have identified microRNAs (miRNAs) as potential modulators of carcinogenic potential of BC cells. These small transcripts regulate expression of target genes mostly through binding with their 3' untranslated regions. Expression of several oncomiRs has been increased in BC tissues, peripheral blood or urine samples of these patients. These miRNAs promote oncogenic potential of BC through modulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition or PI3K/AKT, JAK/STAT and NF-κB/Snail signaling pathways. Besides, a number of tumor suppressive miRNAs have been down-regulated in BC samples leading to enhanced proliferation, invasiveness and metastasis of these cells. TGFβ1, Akt, MAPK, MET/SMAD3/SNAIL, MAPK1/Slug/vimentin and Wnt7a/β-catenin pathways and axes are among molecular targets of these miRNAs. Aberrant expressions of miRNAs in biofluids of patients with BC have potentiated them as molecular markers for prediction of disease course. In the current review, we provided a summary of studies which reported aberrant expression of miRNAs and their implications in the diagnosis or prognosis of patients with BC.

M2 macrophage-derived extracellular vesicles promote gastric cancer progression via a microRNA-130b-3p/MLL3/GRHL2 signaling cascade

BACKGROUND

Transfer of noncoding microRNAs (miRNAs) by extracellular vesicles (EVs) promotes the development of chemoresistance in many tumor types. Additionally, restoration or depletion of several miRNAs has been observed in multiple cancer types including gastric cancer (GC). In this present study, we aimed to investigate the mechanism of miR-130b-3p in M2 macrophage-derived EVs in the development of GC through regulation of mixed lineage leukemia 3 (MLL3) and grainyhead-like 2 (GRHL2).

METHODS

Expression of miR-130b-3p and GRHL2 was quantified in 63 pairs of cancerous and noncancerous gastric tissues. The predicted binding between miR-130b-3p and MLL3, together with the enrichment of MLL3, H3K4me1, and H3K27ac in gene enhancer region, was verified by luciferase activity assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation. Effects of miR-130b-3p on GC cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion, as well as tube formation of human umbilical endothelial vein cells (HUEVCs) were further determined by gain- and loss-of function assays in vitro.

RESULTS

miR-130b-3p was upregulated in GC tissues, and miR-130b-3p promoted survival, metastasis and angiogenesis of GC cells as well as enhanced tumor formation and angiogenesis in GC in vivo. Additionally, miR-130b-3p delivered in M2 macrophage-derived EVs promoted survival, migration, invasion, and angiogenesis of GC cells. Notably, MLL3 inhibited GC cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and vessel-like tube formation of HUEVCs by increasing GRHL2. Furthermore, downregulation of miR-130b-3p in M2 macrophage-derived EVs or upregulation of GRHL2 inhibited tumor formation and angiogenesis in GC.

CONCLUSION

This study highlights that EVs loaded with the specific miRNA cargo miR-130b-3p mediate communication between M2 macrophages and cancer cells in the tumor microenvironment through the modulation of MLL3 and GRHL2 in GC.

MicroRNA-92b acts as an oncogene by targeting PTEN/AKT in NSCLC

MicroRNAs can act as tumour suppressors or oncogenes by regulating cellular differentiation, proliferation and apoptosis, and the dysregulation of miRNA is involved in the occurrence and development of NSCLC. Here, we provided evidence that miR-92b as an oncogene in NSCLC by targeting PTEN/AKT. We found that miR-92b was up-regulated in human NSCLC tissues and cell lines. MiR-92b knockdown suppressed the NSCLC cells proliferation and migration in both in vivo and in vitro models. Conversely, miR-92b overexpression induced an aggressive phenotype. Moreover, miR-92b-mediated regulation of NSCLC cell proliferation and migration depended on binding to PTEN mRNA, which then led to the degradation of PTEN and activation of the downstream AKT signalling pathway. Overall, this study revealed the oncogenic roles of miR-92b in NSCLC by targeting PTEN/AKT, and provided novel insights for future treatments of NSCLC patients. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY: MiR-92b was up-regulated in human NSCLC tissues and cell lines. Our study demonstrated that miR-92b as an oncogene in NSCLC by targeting PTEN/AKT in both in vivo and in vitro models and provided novel insights for future treatments of NSCLC patients.

MicroRNA-301a promotes pancreatic cancer invasion and metastasis through the JAK/STAT3 signaling pathway by targeting SOCS5

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal digestive malignant tumors. We had previously found that microRNA-301a (miR-301a) is a oncogenic microRNA whose recognized conduce to nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) activation in pancreatic cancer, yet the underlying mechanisms of miR-301a in promoting pancreatic cancer invasion and migration is obscure. In this work we found that high expression of miR-301a in human pancreatic cancer patients is related to poor survival. Overexpression of miR-301a enhances pancreatic cancer cell invasion, angiogenesis and migration, whereas inhibition of miR-301a suppresses pancreatic cancer cell invasion and reduces orthotopic pancreatic tumor growth and metastasis. Furthermore, suppressor of cytokine signaling 5 (SOCS5) is identified as a target gene of miR-301a. We found that miR-301a suppressed the expression of SOCS5 leads to janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (JAK/STAT3) activation and is related to poor overall survival of pancreatic cancer patients. Taken together, our data show for the first time that the feedback loop between miR-301a and JAK/STAT3 pathway may play a significant role in pancreatic cancer invasion and metastasis. Targeting the loop may prove beneficial to prevent metastasis and provide a more effective therapeutic strategy for pancreatic cancer.

Exosomal miR-130b-3p targets SIK1 to inhibit medulloblastoma tumorigenesis

Exosomes are an important carrier for cell communication. miRNAs in exosomes are potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets in different types of cancer. However, the role of exosomal miRNAs in medulloblastoma (MB) patients is largely unknown. In this study, we reported that there was a higher level of miR-130b-3p in exosomes derived from MB patient plasma compared with exosomes from healthy control plasma. Exosomes from MB patient plasma could transfer miR-130b-3p to an MB cell line and played suppressor roles for cell proliferation. miR-130b-3p suppressed MB tumorigenesis by targeting a previously unknown target, serine/threonine-protein kinase 1 (SIK1), through the p53 signaling pathways. In addition, we found an unreported role of SIK1 in promoting MB tumor growth and an SIK1 inhibitor could inhibit MB cell proliferation. This research provides new insight into the molecular mechanism of MB and may provide a new therapeutic strategy for MB treatment.

PTEN: What we know of the function and regulation of this onco-suppressor factor in bladder cancer?

Bladder cancer accounts for high morbidity and mortality around the world and its incidence rate is suggested to be higher in following years. A number of factors involve in bladder cancer development such as lifestyle and drugs. However, it appears that genetic factors play a significant role in bladder cancer development and progression. Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) is a cancer-related transcription factor that is corelated with reduced proliferation and invasion of cancer cells by negatively targeting PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. In the present review, we aimed to explore the role of PTEN in bladder cancer cells and how upstream modulators affect PTEN in this life-threatening disorder. Down-regulation of PTEN is associated with poor prognosis, chemoresistance and progression of cancer cells. Besides, microRNAs, long non-coding RNAs, circular RNAs and other molecular pathways such as NF-kB are able to target PTEN in bladder cancer cells. Notably, anti-tumor drugs such as kaempferol, β-elemene and sorafenib upregulate the expression of PTEN to exert their inhibitory effects on bladder cancer cells.

miRNAs: A Promising Target in the Chemoresistance of Bladder Cancer

Chemotherapy is an important cancer treatment method. Tumor chemotherapy resistance is one of the main factors leading to tumor progression. Like other malignancies, bladder cancer, especially muscle-invasive bladder cancer, is prone to chemotherapy resistance. Additionally, only approximately 50% of muscle-invasive bladder cancer responds to cisplatin-based chemotherapy. miRNAs are a class of small, endogenous, noncoding RNAs that regulate gene expression at the posttranscriptional level, which results in the inhibition of translation or the degradation of mRNA. In the study of miRNAs and cancer, including gastric cancer, prostate cancer, liver cancer, and colorectal cancer, it has been found that miRNAs can regulate the expression of genes related to tumor resistance, thereby promoting the progression of tumors. In bladder cancer, miRNAs are also closely related to chemotherapy resistance, suggesting that miRNAs can be a new therapeutic target for the chemotherapy resistance of bladder cancer. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms of miRNAs in the chemotherapy resistance of bladder cancer is an important foundation for restoring the chemotherapy sensitivity of bladder cancer and improving the efficacy of chemotherapy and patient survival. In this article, we review the role of miRNAs in the development of chemotherapy-resistant bladder cancer and the various resistance mechanisms that involve apoptosis, the cell cycle, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and cancer stem cells (CSCs).

Hypoxia induced microRNA-301b-3p overexpression promotes proliferation, migration and invasion of prostate cancer cells by targeting LRP1B

Prostate cancer is a high burden on society worldwide due to its high morbidity and mortality. Growing evidence has implicated microRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) in the occurrence and progression of prostate cancer. The present study was conducted with main emphasis put on the possible effect of hypoxia-induced miR-301b-3p on prostate cancer by targeting low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1B (LRP1B). Firstly, the differentially expressed genes were identified by conducting microarray-based gene expression profiling of prostate cancer. Next, the expression of miR-301b-3p in prostate cancer cells was examined in cells treated with 1% oxygen or dimethyloxalylglycine (DMOG), and the cell line with the highest miR-301b-3p expression was selected for subsequent experiments. Subsequently, the target relationship between miR-301b-3p and LRP1B was identified. The effect of miR-301b-3p and LRP1B on cell proliferation, migration and invasion as well as tumorigenicity of transfected cells was examined using the gain- and loss-of-function approaches. Hypoxia induced miR-301b-3p was highly expressed while LRP1B was poorly expressed in prostate cancer. Moreover, miR-301b-3p could down-regulate LRP1B by interacting with LRP1B, which acted to promote the proliferation, migration and invasion abilities of prostate cancer cells in addition to tumor growth in vivo. In addition, up-regulation of LRP1B can reverse the promoting effect of miR-301b-3p on the aforementioned factors. Collectively, up-regulation of miR-301b-3p induced by hypoxia could potentially accelerate proliferation, migration and invasion of prostate cancer cells via the inhibitory effect on LRP1B expression, highlighting that miR-301b-3p may be instrumental for the therapeutic targeting of prostate cancer.

Pan-cancer clinical and molecular analysis of racial disparities

BACKGROUND

Racial disparities in cancer outcomes are increasingly recognized, but comprehensive analyses, including molecular studies, are limited. The objective of the current study was to perform a pan-cancer clinical and epigenetic molecular analysis of outcomes in African American (AA) and European American (EA) patients.

METHODS

Cross-platform analyses using cancer databases (the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program database and the National Cancer Data Base) and a molecular database (The Cancer Genome Ancestry Atlas) were performed to evaluate clinical and epigenetic molecular differences between AA and EA patients based on genetic ancestry.

RESULTS

In the primary pan-cancer survival analysis using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database (2,045,839 patients; 87.5% EA and 12.5% AA), AA patients had higher mortality rates for 28 of 42 cancer types analyzed (hazard ratio, >1.0). AAs continued to have higher mortality in 13 cancer types after adjustment for socioeconomic variables using the National Cancer Database (5,150,023 patients; 11.6% AA and 88.4% EA). Then, molecular features of 5,283 tumors were analyzed in patients who had genetic ancestry data available (87.2% EA and 12.8% AA). Genes were identified with altered DNA methylation along with increased microRNA expression levels unique to AA patients that are associated with cancer drug resistance. Increased miRNAs (miR-15a, miR-17, miR-130-3p, miR-181a) were noted in common among AAs with breast, kidney, thyroid, or prostate carcinomas.

CONCLUSIONS

The current results identified epigenetic features in AA patients who have cancer that may contribute to higher mortality rates compared with EA patients who have cancer. Therefore, a focus on molecular signatures unique to AAs may identify actionable molecular abnormalities.

The Mechanisms Underlying PTEN Loss in Human Tumors Suggest Potential Therapeutic Opportunities

In this review, we will first briefly describe the diverse molecular mechanisms associated with PTEN loss of function in cancer. We will then proceed to discuss the molecular mechanisms linking PTEN loss to PI3K activation and demonstrate how these mechanisms suggest possible therapeutic approaches for patients with PTEN-null tumors.

MicroRNAs Which Can Prognosticate Aggressiveness of Bladder Cancer

Bladder cancer (BC) is still characterized by a very high death rate in patients with this disease. One of the reasons for this is the lack of adequate markers which could help determine the biological potential of the tumor to develop into its invasive stage. It has been found that some microRNAs (miRNAs) correlate with disease progression. The purpose of this study was to identify which miRNAs can accurately predict the presence of BC and can differentiate low grade (LG) tumors from high grade (HG) tumors. The study included 55 patients with diagnosed bladder cancer and 30 persons belonging to the control group. The expression of seven selected miRNAs was estimated with the real-time PCR technique according to miR-103-5p (for the normalization of the results). Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves and the area under the curve (AUC) were used to evaluate the feasibility of using selected markers as biomarkers for detecting BC and discriminating non-muscle invasive BC (NMIBC) from muscle invasive BC (MIBC). For HG tumors, the relevant classifiers are miR-205-5p and miR-20a-5p, whereas miR-205-5p and miR-182-5p are for LG (AUC = 0.964 and AUC = 0.992, respectively). NMIBC patients with LG disease are characterized by significantly higher miR-130b-3p expression values compared to patients in HG tumors.

Circular RNA circPICALM sponges miR-1265 to inhibit bladder cancer metastasis and influence FAK phosphorylation

BACKGROUND

Metastasis is a major obstacle in the treatment of bladder cancer (BC). Circular RNAs exert various functions in the aggressive biological behaviour of cancers. In this study, we aimed to elucidate how circPICALM influences BC metastasis.

METHODS

The expression of circPICALM was analysed by real-time PCR. The tumourigenic properties of BC cells were evaluated using in vitro migration, invasion, and wound healing assays and an in vivo footpad model. The interaction between circPICALM and miR-1265 was confirmed by pull-down and dual-luciferase reporter assays and biotin-labelled miRNA capture. The interaction of STEAP4 and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) was confirmed by co-immunoprecipitation.

FINDINGS

CircPICALM was downregulated in BC tissues, and low circPICALM expression was related to advanced T stage, high grade, lymph node positivity and poor overall survival. Overexpression of circPICALM inhibited the metastasis of BC cells, and DHX9 negatively regulated circPICALM levels. CircPICALM colocalized with miR-1265 and acted as a sponge for this miRNA, and the pro-invasion effect of miR-1265 was abolished by circPICALM overexpression. STEAP4, a target of miR-1265, suppressed metastasis; it bound to FAK to prevent autophosphorylation at Y397 and influenced EMT in BC cells.

INTERPRETATION

CircPICALM can inhibit BC metastasis and bind to miR-1265 to block its pro-invasion activity. STEAP4 is a target of miR-1265 and is related to FAK phosphorylation and EMT. FUND: This research was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China, No.81772728, National Natural Science Foundation of China, No.81772719, National Natural Science Foundation of China No.81572514.

A Positive Feedback Loop Between Cancer Stem-Like Cells and Tumor-Associated Neutrophils Controls Hepatocellular Carcinoma Progression

Tumor-associated neutrophils (TANs) play a crucial role in tumor development and progression in the cancer microenvironment. Despite increased understanding of TAN contributions to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression and prognosis, the direct interaction between TANs and HCC cells is not fully understood. In this study, we tested the effect of TANs on HCC cells in vitro and in vivo and investigated the mechanism of interaction between them. Our results showed that TANs secreted bone morphogenetic protein 2 and transforming growth factor beta 2 and triggered microRNA 301b-3p (miR-301-3p) expression in HCC cells, subsequently suppressed gene expression of limbic system-associated membrane protein (LSAMP) and CYLD lysine 63 deubiquitinase (CYLD), and increased stem cell characteristics in HCC cells. These TAN-induced HCC stem-like cells were hyperactive in nuclear factor kappa B signaling, secreted higher levels of chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 5 (CXCL5), and recruited more TAN infiltration, suggesting a positive feedback loop. In clinical HCC samples, increased TANs correlated with elevated miR-301b-3p, decreased LSAMP and CYLD expression, and increased nuclear p65 accumulation and CXCL5 expression, all of which predicted patient outcome. Conclusion: Our work identified a positive feedback loop governing cancer stem-like cells and TANs in HCC that controls tumor progression and patient outcome.

Gene Regulatory Networks in Peripheral Mononuclear Cells Reveals Critical Regulatory Modules and Regulators of Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a complex, demyelinating disease with the involvement of autoimmunity and neurodegeneration. Increasing efforts have been made towards identifying the diagnostic markers to differentiate the classes of MS from other similar neurological conditions. Using a systems biology approach, we constructed four types of gene regulatory networks (GRNs) involved in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). The regulatory strength of each GRN across primary progressive MS (PPMS), relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS), secondary progressive MS (SPMS), and control were evaluated by an integrity algorithm. Among the constructed GRNs (referred as TF_gene_miRNA), POU3F2_CDK6_hsa-miR-590-3p, MEIS1_CASC3_hsa-miR-1261, STAT3_OGG1_hsa-miR-298, and TCF4_FMR1_hsa-miR-301b were top-ranked and differentially regulated in all classes of MS compared to control. These GRNs showed potential involvement in regulating various molecular pathways such as interleukin, integrin, glypican, sphingosine phosphate, androgen, and Wnt signaling pathways. For validation, the qPCR analysis of the GRN components (TFs, gene, and miRNAs) in PBMCs of healthy controls (n = 30), RRMS (n = 14), PPMS (n = 13) and SPMS (n = 12) were carried out. Real-time expression analysis of GRNs showed a similar regulatory pattern as derived from our systems biology approach. Also, our study provided several novel GRNs that regulate unique and common molecular mechanisms between MS conditions. Hence, these regulatory components of GRNs will help to understand the disease mechanism across MS classes and further insight may though light towards diagnosis.

The effect of miR-124-3p on cell proliferation and apoptosis in bladder cancer by targeting EDNRB

INTRODUCTION

Endothelin receptor type B (EDNRB) is a potential target gene of miR-124-3p, but the association between miR-124-3p and EDNRB has not yet been reported. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of miR-124-3p in bladder cancer (BC) and to determine whether miR-124-3p regulates cell proliferation by targeting EDNRB.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Bladder cancer tissues and cell lines were obtained in order to analyze the miR-124-3p and EDNRB expression through quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) and western blotting analysis. The dual-luciferase reporter assay was employed to confirm the relationship between miR-124-3p and EDNRB. The manipulation of miR-124-3p and EDNRB expression was achieved through cell transfection. Cell proliferation and apoptosis were evaluated by MTS assay, colony forming assay and flow cytometry. A nude mouse tumorigenicity assay was used to detect the effects of miR-124-3p in vivo.

RESULTS

There was an inverse correlation between the expression of miR-124-3p and EDNRB; miR-124-3p was down-regulated and EDNRB was up-regulated in BC tissues and cell lines. MiR-124-3p was observed to target EDNRB and suppress its expression. Other studies have suggested that the transfection of miR-124-3p mimics and EDNRB siRNA can suppress BC cell proliferation and induce cell apoptosis.

CONCLUSIONS

miR-124-3p regulates the proliferation and apoptosis of BC cells by suppressing EDNRB expression.