Blood hsa-miR-122-5p and hsa-miR-885-5p levels associate with fatty liver and related lipoprotein metabolism-The Young Finns Study

Circ-ABCA1 promotes oxidized low-density lipoprotein-induced inflammation and phenotypic switch in vascular smooth muscle cells

OBJECTIVE

Atherosclerosis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the arterial wall, in which Human Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells (HVSMCs) are involved. Nevertheless, the functions and mechanisms of circRNAs in oxidized Low-Density Lipoprotein (ox-LDL)-induced vascular smooth muscle cells remain unclear.

METHODS

Circ-ABCA1 expression was measured in the models of AS. Then, in the vitro model, oligonucleotide transfection was performed, followed by an analysis of VSMC proliferation, migration, inflammation, and phenotypic switch. Also, in the in vivo model, mice were injected with shRNA lentivirus, followed by histological examination of aortic tissues. Finally, the interaction of circ-ABCA1, miR-885-5p, and ROCK2 was identified.

RESULTS

Circ-ABCA1, was confirmed to be overexpressed in ox-LDL-induced VSMCs and mouse models of AS. Functionally, silencing circ-ABCA1 via oligonucleotide transfection suppressed VSMC proliferation, migration, inflammation, and phenotypic switch in vitro and prevented AS development in mice in vivo. Mechanistically, circ-ABCA1 absorbed miR-885-5p, which targeted ROCK2.

CONCLUSION

Taken together, the data from this study suggest that circ-ABCA1 mediates cellular inflammation and phenotype switching through the miR-885-5p/ROCK2 axis in ox-LDL-induced VSMCs, and the circ-ABCA1/miR-885-5p/ROCK2 axis is a new potential biomarker for the treatment of AS.

Cow's Milk Allergy May Induce Lipid Metabolism Disorder in BALB/c Mice via Exosomes

Allergic diseases and lipid-metabolism-disorder-derived diseases are both significant public health issues. Recent studies have shown that exosomes are associated with the course of allergic diseases and are involved in lipid metabolism. In this study, exosomes derived from cow's milk allergic (CMA) mice medially loaded lesser proteins favoring cholesterol metabolism. The levels of total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) in the serum were increased in the CMA mice, and hepatic lipid deposition was observed in the liver, but these phenomena were improved by inhibiting the exosome release. Specifically, the higher expression of the sterol regulatory element binding factor 2 (SREBP2) protein and HMGCR gene in the liver of CMA mice indicated an increase in cholesterol synthesis. NPC1L1 was also highly expressed in the small intestine of CMA mice, and fecal TC level was decreased, suggesting that the reabsorption of cholesterol was elevated. The biosynthesis of cholesterol, the reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) process, and the synthesis of bile acid in the liver were improved by inhibiting exosome release, as well as the reabsorption of cholesterol in the small intestine. This study has for the first time demonstrated the lipid metabolism disorder caused by CMA, especially the important role of exosomes in food allergies and lipid metabolism.

miR-122-5p Promotes Peripheral and Central Nervous System Inflammation in a Mouse Model of Intracerebral Hemorrhage via Disruption of the MLLT1/PI3K/AKT Signaling

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a recognized central nervous system inflammation complication. Several microRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) have been documented to be vital modulators in peripheral and central nervous system inflammation. Based on whole transcriptome sequencing and bioinformatics analysis, this study aims to reveal the possible molecular mechanisms by which miR-122-5p affects the inflammatory response in the peripheral and central nervous system in a mouse model of ICH. Differentially expressed ICH-related miRNAs were screened. Adeno-associated viral vectors were used to knock down miR-122-5p in mice to evaluate the effect of miR-122-5p on peripheral and central nervous system inflammation. The downstream target gene of miR-122-5p was analyzed. Neurons were isolated from mice and treated with hemin to construct an in vitro model of ICH, followed by transduction with miR-122-5p mimic or combined with oe-MLLT1. The neurons were then co-cultured with microglia BV2 to assess their activation. It was found that miR-122-5p was highly expressed in ICH, and MLLT1 was lowly expressed. In vivo experiments showed that miR-122-5p knockdown decreased neurological deficits, BBB permeability, and inflammation in the peripheral and central nervous system in ICH mice. It involved its binding to MLLT1 and downregulation of the activity of the PI3K/AKT pathway. In vitro data exhibited that miR-122-5p stimulated the generation of inflammatory factors and microglia activation by targeting MLLT1 and inhibiting the PI3K/AKT pathway. Collectively, our work reveals a novel miR-122-5p/MLLT1-mediated regulatory network in ICH that may be a viable target for neuroinflammation alleviation.

Circulating miRNA expression in extracellular vesicles is associated with specific injuries after multiple trauma and surgical invasiveness

Introduction

Two trauma treatment principles are Early Total Care (ETC), and Damage Control Orthopedics (DCO). Cellular mechanisms that underlie the connection between treatment type, its systemic effects, and tissue regeneration are not fully known. Therefore, this study aimed to: 1) profile microRNA (miRNA) expression in plasma derived Extracellular Vesicles (EVs) from a porcine multiple trauma model at different timepoints, comparing two surgical treatments; and 2) determine and validate the miRNA's messengerRNA (mRNA) targets.

Methods

The porcine multiple trauma model consisted of blunt chest trauma, liver laceration, bilateral femur fractures, and controlled haemorrhagic shock. Two treatment groups were defined, ETC (n=8), and DCO (n=8). Animals were monitored under Intensive Care Unit-standards, blood was sampled at 1.5, 2.5, 24, and 72 hours after trauma, and EVs were harvested from plasma. MiRNAs were analysed using quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction arrays. MRNA targets were identified in silico and validated in vivo in lung and liver tissue.

Results

The arrays showed distinct treatment specific miRNA expression patterns throughout all timepoints, and miRNAs related to the multiple trauma and its individual injuries. EV-packed miRNA expression in the ETC group was more pro-inflammatory, indicating potentially decreased tissue regenerative capacities in the acute post-traumatic phase. In silico target prediction revealed several overlapping mRNA targets among the identified miRNAs, related to inflammation, (pulmonary) fibrosis, and Wnt-signalling. These were, among others, A Disintegrin and Metalloproteinase domain-containing protein 10, Collagen Type 1 Alpha 1 Chain, Catenin Beta Interacting Protein 1, and Signal Transducers and Activators of Transcription 3. Validation of these mRNA targets in the lung showed significant, treatment specific deregulations which matched the expression of their upstream miRNAs. No significant mRNA deregulations were observed in the liver.

Discussion

This study showed treatment specific, EV-packed miRNA expression patterns after trauma that correlated with mRNA expressions in the lungs, target organs over distance. A systemic response to the increased surgical trauma in the ETC group was identified, with various miRNAs associated with injuries from the trauma model, and involved in (systemic) inflammation, tissue regeneration. EV-transported miRNAs demonstrated a clear role in multiple trauma, warranting further research into tissue-tissue talk and therapeutic applications of EVs after trauma.

Gene network based analysis identifies a coexpression module involved in regulating plasma lipids with high-fat diet response

Plasma lipids are modulated by gene variants and many environmental factors, including diet-associated weight gain. However, understanding how these factors jointly interact to influence molecular networks that regulate plasma lipid levels is limited. Here, we took advantage of the BXD recombinant inbred family of mice to query weight gain as an environmental stressor on plasma lipids. Coexpression networks were examined in both nonobese and obese livers, and a network was identified that specifically responded to the obesogenic diet. This obesity-associated module was significantly associated with plasma lipid levels and enriched with genes known to have functions related to inflammation and lipid homeostasis. We identified key drivers of the module, including Cidec, Cidea, Pparg, Cd36, and Apoa4. The Pparg emerged as a potential master regulator of the module as it can directly target 19 of the top 30 hub genes. Importantly, activation of this module is causally linked to lipid metabolism in humans, as illustrated by correlation analysis and inverse-variance weighed Mendelian randomization. Our findings provide novel insights into gene-by-environment interactions for plasma lipid metabolism that may ultimately contribute to new biomarkers, better diagnostics, and improved approaches to prevent or treat dyslipidemia in patients.

Association of the rs8720 and rs12587 KRAS Gene Variants with Colorectal Cancer in a Mexican Population and Their Analysis In Silico

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major global health challenge and one of the top 10 cancers in Mexico. Lifestyle and genetic factors influence CRC development, prognosis, and therapeutic response; identifying risk factors, such as the genes involved, is critical to understanding its behavior, mechanisms, and prognosis. The association between KRAS gene variants (rs8720 and rs12587) and CRC in the Mexican population was analyzed. We performed in silico analysis and analyzed 310 healthy individuals and 385 CRC patients using TaqMan assays and real-time PCR. The CC and GG genotypes of rs8720 and rs12587 were identified as CRC risk factors (p < 0.05). The CC and TC genotypes of the rs8720 were associated with rectal cancer, age over 50 years, moderately differentiated histology, and advanced cancer stage. TG and GG genotypes of the rs12587 variant were a risk factor in the CRC group, in patients with stage I-II, males, and stage III-IV non-chemotherapy response. The TG haplotype is protected against CRC. The combined CCGG genotype was linked to CRC risk. In silico analysis revealed that the rs12587 and rs8720 variants could influence KRAS gene regulation via miRNAs. In conclusion, rs8720 and rs12587 variants of the KRAS gene were associated with CRC risk and could influence KRAS regulation via miRNAs.

The challenging role of micro-RNAs in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in children with obesity: is it time for a new era?

INTRODUCTION

As the pediatric obesity epidemic, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become the most common chronic liver disease in childhood. Pediatric NAFLD pathophysiology is tangled and still unclear, but insulin resistance (IR), genetics, epigenetics, oxidative stress, and inflammation act as key players. Due to the increased cardiometabolic risk of these patients, several biomarkers have been proposed for early NAFLD identification, but their clinical utility is poor. Recently, hepatic dysregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) has been linked to metabolic dysfunction, which in turn implied in NAFLD development. Evidence on the intriguing role of miRNAs in NAFLD pathogenesis has emerging especially in at-risk children such as those with obesity. However, pediatric evidence supporting their potential use as early noninvasive NAFLD tools is still limited but promising.

AREAS COVERED

We provided an overview on the emerging role of miRNAs in pediatric NAFLD by addressing some issues regarding their pathophysiological link with the metabolic milieu and their role as reliable NAFLD markers in children with obesity.

EXPERT OPINION

Strong evidence supports a potential role of miRNAs as early biomarkers of NAFLD in children with obesity. They might represent a valid diagnostic and targeted therapeutic tool due to its close pathogenic link with the metabolic milieu.

Exosomes and lipid metabolism in metabolic and cardiovascular disorders

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Exosomes are lipid-bound particles that carry lipids, protein, and nucleic acid and affect cellular function. This review highlights the current knowledge on the crosstalk between exosomes and lipid metabolism and their impact on cardiometabolic disease.

RECENT FINDINGS

Recent studies revealed that lipids and lipid metabolizing enzymes are important for exosome biogenesis and internalization and conversely how exosomes affect lipid metabolism, secretion, and degradation. The interplay between exosomes and lipid metabolism affects disease pathophysiology. More importantly, exosomes and lipids might function as biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis or possibly therapies.

SUMMARY

Recent advances in our understanding of exosomes and lipid metabolism have implications for our understanding of normal cellular and physiological functions as well as disease pathogenesis. Exosome and lipid metabolism have implications in novel diagnostic tests and treatments of cardiometabolic disease.

Coronary artery disease patient-derived iPSC-hepatocytes have distinct miRNA profile that may alter lipid metabolism

Metabolic dysfunction, partly driven by altered liver function, predisposes to coronary artery disease (CAD), but the role of liver in vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque development remains unclear. Here we produced hepatocyte-like cells (HLCs) from 27 induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines derived from 15 study subjects with stable CAD (n = 5), acute CAD (n = 5) or healthy controls (n = 5). We performed a miRNA microarray screening throughout the differentiation, as well as compared iPSC-HLCs miRNA profiles of the patient groups to identify miRNAs involved in the development of CAD. MicroRNA profile changed during differentiation and started to resemble that of the primary human hepatocytes. In the microarray, 35 and 87 miRNAs were statistically significantly deregulated in the acute and stable CAD patients, respectively, compared to controls. Down-regulation of miR-149-5p, -92a-3p and -221-3p, and up-regulation of miR-122-5p was verified in the stable CAD patients when compared to other groups. The predicted targets of deregulated miRNAs were enriched in pathways connected to insulin signalling, inflammation and lipid metabolism. The iPSC-HLCs derived from stable CAD patients with extensive lesions had a distinct genetic miRNA profile possibly linked to metabolic dysfunction, potentially explaining the susceptibility to developing CAD. The iPSC-HLCs from acute CAD patients with only the acute rupture in otherwise healthy coronaries did not present a distinct miRNA profile, suggesting that hepatic miRNAs do not explain susceptibility to plaque rupture.

Epigenetics and mitochondrial dysfunction insights into the impact of the progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

A metabolic problem occurs when regular functions of the body are disrupted due to an undesirable imbalance. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is considered as one of the most common in this category. NAFLD is subclassified and progresses from lipid accumulation to cirrhosis before advancing to hepatocellular cancer. In spite of being a critical concern, the standard treatment is inadequate. Metformin, silymarin, and other nonspecific medications are used in the management of NAFLD. Aside from this available medicine, maintaining a healthy lifestyle has been emphasized as a means of combating this. Epigenetics, which has been attributed to NAFLD, is another essential feature of this disease that has emerged as a result of several sorts of research. The mechanisms by which DNA methylation, noncoding RNA, and histone modification promote NAFLD have been extensively researched. Another organelle, mitochondria, which play a pivotal role in biological processes, contributes to the global threat. Individuals with NAFLD have been documented to have a multitude of alterations and malfunctioning. Mitochondria are mainly concerned with the process of energy production and regulation of the signaling pathway on which the fate of a cell relies. Modulation of mitochondria leads to elevated lipid deposition in the liver. Further, changes in oxidation states result in an impaired balance between the antioxidant system and reactive oxygen species directly linked to mitochondria. Hence mitochondria have a definite role in potentiating NAFLD. In this regard, it is essential to consider the role of epigenetics as well as mitochondrial contribution while developing a medication or therapy with the desired accuracy.

Noncoding RNAs Associated with PPARs in Etiology of MAFLD as a Novel Approach for Therapeutics Targets

Background. Metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is a complex disease that results from the accumulation of fat in the liver. MAFLD is directly associated with obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. PPARγ ligands, including pioglitazone, are also used in the management of this disease. Noncoding RNAs play a critical role in various diseases such as diabetes, obesity, and liver diseases including MAFLD. However, there is no adequate knowledge about the translation of using these ncRNAs to the clinics, particularly in MAFLD conditions. The aim of this study was to identify ncRNAs in the etiology of MAFLD as a novel approach to the therapeutic targets. Methods. We collected human and mouse MAFLD gene expression datasets available in GEO. We performed pathway enrichment analysis of total mRNAs based on KEGG repository data to screen the most potential pathways in the liver of MAFLD human subjects and mice model, and analyzed pathway interconnections via ClueGO. Finally, we screened disease causality of the MAFLD ncRNAs, which were associated with PPARs, and then discussed the role of revealed ncRNAs in PPAR signaling and MAFLD. Results. We found 127 ncRNAs in MAFLD which 25 out of them were strongly validated before for regulation of PPARs. With a polypharmacology approach, we screened 51 ncRNAs which were causal to a subset of diseases related to MAFLD. Conclusion. This study revealed a subset of ncRNAs that could help in more clear and guided designation of preclinical and clinical studies to verify the therapeutic application of the revealed ncRNAs by manipulating the PPARs molecular mechanism in MAFLD.

MicroRNAs as serum biomarker for Senecio brasiliensis poisoning in cattle

Senecio spp. is one of the most frequent plant-related poisonings in cattle. Its ingestion generates the disease seneciosis, characterized by hepatic damages. Liver biopsies and serum markers dosage are tools used in diagnosis; however, many breeding cattle are undiagnosed. MicroRNAs are non-coding RNA, stable in biological fluids. Their difference in expression levels may indicate the presence of the poisoning. We analyzed the miRNA profiling to identify potential diagnostic biomarkers for Senecio brasiliensis poisoning. The expression of miR-21, miR-885, miR-122, miR-181b, miR-30a, miR-378, and let-7 f were evaluated in the serum of exposed cattle. At least one histological change was found in liver and lower quantity of albumin and high AST and ALP were also detected. MiRNAs miR-30a, miR-378, miR-21, miR-885, and miR-122 presented significantly higher expression in intoxicated animals than in healthy animals. Furthermore, miR-122, miR-885, and, especially, miR-21 signatures demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity, with potential application for detecting poisoning.

Concentration of Serum Biomarkers of Brain Injury in Neonates With a Low Cord pH With or Without Mild Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy

Objective

To determine the concentrations of four neuroprotein biomarkers and 68 miRNAs in neonates with low cord pH and/or mild hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE).

Study Design

A prospective cohort study enrolled neonates with low cord pH (n = 18), moderate-severe HIE (n = 40), and healthy controls (n = 38). Groups provided serum samples at 0–6 h of life. The concentrations of biomarkers and miRNAs were compared between cohorts.

Result

The low cord pH and moderate-severe HIE groups had increased concentrations of GFAP, NFL and Tau compared to controls (P < 0.05, P < 0.001, respectively). NFL concentrations in mild HIE was higher than controls (P < 0.05) but less than moderate-severe HIE (P < 0.001). Of 68 miRNAs, 36 in low cord pH group and 40 in moderate-severe HIE were upregulated compared to controls (P < 0.05). Five miRNAs in low cord pH group (P < 0.05) and 3 in moderate-severe HIE were downregulated compared to controls (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

A biomarker panel in neonates with low cord pH may help clinicians make real-time decisions.

MicroRNA serum profiles and chronic graft versus host disease

Chronic graft versus host disease (cGVHD) is the most common long-term complication of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). During the last decade, the interest of micro RNAs (miRNAs) in the pathophysiological process of cGVHD has increased. The objectives of this study were to investigate a wide range of serum miRNAs in allografted patients and identify associations between miRNAs and cGVHD. The study included 79 allotransplanted adults, where serum samples were obtained one year after the allo-HSCT, and miRNA profiling analysis in serum was performed. 50 of the 79 patients (63%) had signs of cGVHD at the one-year post-allo-HSCT control. miRNA-sequencing analysis revealed 1380 different miRNAs detected for at least one patient, while 233 miRNAs (17%) were detected in more than 70 patients. We identified ten miRNAs that differed significantly between patients with and without cGVHD (p <0.005, false discovery rate (FDR) <0.1), and all or these miRNAs were detected for >75 of the patients. Furthermore, five distinct miRNAs; miR-365-3p, miR-148-3p, miR-122-5p, miR-378-3p, and miR-192-5p, were found to be particularly associated with cGVHD in our analysis and validated by receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis. Based on only three miRNAs, miR-365-3p, miR-148-3p, and miR-378-3p, we developed a miRNA signature which by bioinformatic approaches and linear regression model utterly improved our potential diagnostic biomarker model for cGVHD. We conclude that miRNAs are differently expressed among patients with and without cGVHD, although further and larger studies are needed to validate our present findings.

Circulating Levels of microRNA-122 and Hepatic Fat Change in Response to Weight-Loss Interventions: CENTRAL Trial

PURPOSE

Little is known about the relations between changes in circulating microRNA-122 (miR-122) and liver fat in response to weight-loss interventions. We aimed to investigate the association between miR-122 and changes of hepatic fat content during 18-month diet and physical activity interventions.

METHODS

The CENTRAL trial is an 18-month randomized, controlled trial among adults with abdominal obesity or dyslipidemia. Subjects were randomly assigned to a low-fat diet or a Mediterranean/low-carbohydrate diet. After 6 months of dietary intervention, each diet group was further randomized into added physical activity groups or no added physical activity groups for the following 12 months of intervention. The current study included 220 participants at baseline and 134 participants with repeated measurements on serum miR-122 and hepatic fat content over 18 months.

RESULTS

Serum miR-122 significantly increased from baseline to 18 months, while no difference was observed across the 4 intervention groups. We found a significant association between miR-122 and hepatic fat content at baseline, as per unit increment in log-transformed miR-122 was associated with 3.79 higher hepatic fat content (P < 0.001). Furthermore, we found that higher elevations in miR-122 were associated with less reductions in hepatic fat percentage during 18-month interventions (β = 1.56, P = 0.002). We also found a significant interaction between changes in miR-122 and baseline fasting plasma glucose with hepatic fat content changes in 18 months (P interaction = 0.02).

CONCLUSIONS

Our data indicate that participants with higher elevation in serum miR-122 may benefit less in reduction of hepatic fat content in response to diet and physical activity interventions.

miRNAs Contained in Extracellular Vesicles Cargo Contribute to the Progression of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: An In Vitro Aproach

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, progressive lung disease. Lesions in the lung epithelium cause alterations in the microenvironment that promote fibroblast accumulation. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) transport proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids, such as microRNAs (miRNAs). The aim of this study was to characterize the differentially expressed miRNAs in the cargo of EVs obtained from the LL97 and LL29 fibroblast cell lines isolated from IPF lungs versus those derived from the CCD19 fibroblast cell line isolated from a healthy donors. We characterized EVs by ultracentrifugation, Western blotting, and dynamic light scattering. We identified miRNAs by small RNA-seq, a total of 1144 miRNAs, of which 1027 were known miRNAs; interestingly, 117 miRNAs were novel. Differential expression analysis showed that 77 miRNAs were upregulated and 68 were downregulated. In addition, pathway enrichment analyses from the Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genomes identified several miRNA target genes in the categories, cell proliferation, regulation of apoptosis, pathways in cancer, and proteoglycans in cancer. Our data reveal that miRNAs contained in EVs cargo could be helpful as biomarkers for fibrogenesis, diagnosis, and therapeutic intervention of IPF.

Untargeted sequencing of circulating microRNAs in a healthy and diseased older population

We performed untargeted profiling of circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) in a well characterized cohort of older adults to verify associations of health and disease-related biomarkers with systemic miRNA expression. Differential expression analysis revealed 30 miRNAs that significantly differed between healthy active, healthy sedentary and sedentary cardiovascular risk patients. Increased expression of miRNAs miR-193b-5p, miR-122-5p, miR-885-3p, miR-193a-5p, miR-34a-5p, miR-505-3p, miR-194-5p, miR-27b-3p, miR-885-5p, miR-23b-5b, miR-365a-3p, miR-365b-3p, miR-22-5p was associated with a higher metabolic risk profile, unfavourable macro- and microvascular health, lower physical activity (PA) as well as cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) levels. Increased expression of miR-342-3p, miR-1-3p, miR-92b-5p, miR-454-3p, miR-190a-5p and miR-375-3p was associated with a lower metabolic risk profile, favourable macro- and microvascular health as well as higher PA and CRF. Of note, the first two principal components explained as much as 20% and 11% of the data variance. miRNAs and their potential target genes appear to mediate disease- and health-related physiological and pathophysiological adaptations that need to be validated and supported by further downstream analysis in future studies.

Clinical Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02796976 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02796976).

MicroRNA-122-5p Inhibition Improves Inflammation and Oxidative Stress Damage in Dietary-Induced Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Through Targeting FOXO3

Misregulated microRNA network has been emerging as the main regulator in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The deregulation of miR-122-5p is associated with the liver disease. However, the specific role and molecular mechanism of miR-122-5p in NAFLD remain unclear. In this study, we have reported that the high-fat diet (HFD) or palmitic acid (PA) significantly upregulated the hepatic miR-122-5p expression in vivo and in vitro. Inhibition of miR-122-5p suppressed accumulation-induced inflammation of lipids and oxidative stress damage in PA-treated L02 cells and HFD-induced fatty liver. The effect of the miR-122-5p inhibitor on NAFLD did not depend on insulin resistance-mediated PI3K/AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway but rather on the upregulation of its downstream FOXO3. Subsequently, we validated that miR-122-5p directly binds to the predicted 3′-UTR of FOXO3 to inhibit its gene expression. Conversely, silencing FOXO3 abolished the hepatic benefits of miR-122-5p inhibition to obese mice by decreasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes of superoxide dismutase (SOD). This study provides a novel finding that FOXO3 was the target gene of miR-122-5p to attenuate inflammatory response and oxidative stress damage in dietary-induced NAFLD. Our study provided evidence to reveal the physiological role of miR-122-5p in dietary-induced NAFLD.

Identification of a Novel Five-Gene Signature as a Prognostic and Diagnostic Biomarker in Colorectal Cancers

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality worldwide. The current TNM (Tumor, Node, and Metastasis) classification approach is suboptimal in determining the prognosis of CRC patients. The prognosis for CRC is affected by a variety of features that are present at the initial diagnosis. Herein, we performed a systematic exploration and established a novel five-panel gene signature as a prognostic and early diagnosis biomarker after performing differential gene expression analyses in five independent in silico CRCs cohort and independently validating it in one clinical cohort, using immunohistochemistry. Four genes (BDNF, PTGS2, GSK3B, and CTNNB1) were significantly upregulated and one gene (HPGD) was significantly downregulated in primary tumor tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues throughout all the five in silico datasets. The univariate CoxPH analysis yielded a five-gene signature that accurately predicted overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) in the in silico training (AUC = 0.73 and 0.69, respectively) and one independent in silico validation cohort (AUC = 0.69 and 0.74, respectively). This five-gene signature demonstrated significant associations with poor OS in independent clinical validation cohorts of colon cancer (CC) patients (AUC = 0.82). Intriguingly, a risk stratification model comprising of the five-gene signature together with TNM stage and gender status achieved an even superior AUC of 0.89 in the clinical cohorts. On the other hand, the circulating mRNA expression of the upregulated four-gene signature achieved a robust AUC = 0.83 with high sensitivity and specificity as a diagnosis marker in plasma from CRC patients. We have identified a novel, five-gene signature as an independent predictor of OS, which in combination with TNM stage and gender offers an easy-to-translate and facile assay for the personalized risk-assessment in CRC patients.

Western diet-induced shifts in the maternal microbiome are associated with altered microRNA expression in baboon placenta and fetal liver

Maternal consumption of a high-fat, Western-style diet (WD) disrupts the maternal/infant microbiome and contributes to developmental programming of the immune system and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in the offspring. Epigenetic changes, including non-coding miRNAs in the fetus and/or placenta may also underlie this risk. We previously showed that obese nonhuman primates fed a WD during pregnancy results in the loss of beneficial maternal gut microbes and dysregulation of cellular metabolism and mitochondrial dysfunction in the fetal liver, leading to a perturbed postnatal immune response with accelerated NAFLD in juvenile offspring. Here, we investigated associations between WD-induced maternal metabolic and microbiome changes, in the absence of obesity, and miRNA and gene expression changes in the placenta and fetal liver. After ~8-11 months of WD feeding, dams were similar in body weight but exhibited mild, systemic inflammation (elevated CRP and neutrophil count) and dyslipidemia (increased triglycerides and cholesterol) compared with dams fed a control diet. The maternal gut microbiome was mainly comprised of Lactobacillales and Clostridiales, with significantly decreased alpha diversity (P = 0.0163) in WD-fed dams but no community-wide differences (P = 0.26). At 0.9 gestation, mRNA expression of IL6 and TNF in maternal WD (mWD) exposed placentas trended higher, while increased triglycerides, expression of pro-inflammatory CCR2, and histological evidence for fibrosis were found in mWD-exposed fetal livers. In the mWD-exposed fetus, hepatic expression levels of miR-204-5p and miR-145-3p were significantly downregulated, whereas in mWD-exposed placentas, miR-182-5p and miR-183-5p were significantly decreased. Notably, miR-1285-3p expression in the liver and miR-183-5p in the placenta were significantly associated with inflammation and lipid synthesis pathway genes, respectively. Blautia and Ruminococcus were significantly associated with miR-122-5p in liver, while Coriobacteriaceae and Prevotellaceae were strongly associated with miR-1285-3p in the placenta; both miRNAs are implicated in pathways mediating postnatal growth and obesity. Our findings demonstrate that mWD shifts the maternal microbiome, lipid metabolism, and inflammation prior to obesity and are associated with epigenetic changes in the placenta and fetal liver. These changes may underlie inflammation, oxidative stress, and fibrosis patterns that drive NAFLD and metabolic disease risk in the next generation.

Identification of Immune-Related Genes for Establishment of Prognostic Index in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy has been proved to be a promising therapy to many types of solid tumors. However, effective biomarker for estimating the response to ICI therapy and prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients remains underexplored. The aim of this study is to build a novel immune-related prognostic index based on transcriptomic profiles. Methods: Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was conducted to identify immune-related hub genes that are differentially expressed in HCC cohorts. Next, univariate Cox regression analysis and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) analysis were used to detect hub genes associated to overall survival (OS). To validate the immune-related prognostic index, univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis were performed. CIBERSORT and ESTIMATE were used to explore the tumor microenvironment and immune infiltration level. Results: The differential expression analysis detected a total of 148 immune-related genes, among which 25 genes were identified to be markedly related to overall survival in HCC patients. LASSO analysis yielded 10 genes used to construct the immune-related gene prognostic index (IRGPI), by which a risk score is computed to estimate low vs. high risk indicating the response to ICI therapy and prognosis. Further analysis confirmed that this immune-related prognostic index is an effective indicator to immune infiltration level, response to ICI treatment and OS. The IRGPI low-risk patients had better overall survival (OS) than IRGPI high-risk patients on two independent cohorts. Moreover, we found that IRGPI high-risk group was correlated with high TP53 mutation rate, immune-suppressing tumor microenvironment, and these patients acquired less benefit from ICI therapy. In contrast, IRGPI-low risk group was associated with low TP53 and PIK3CA mutation rate, high infiltration of naive B cells and T cells, and these patients gained relatively more benefit from ICI therapy.

Clinical and Molecular Biomarkers for Diagnosis and Staging of NAFLD

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common hepatic pathology in industrialized countries, affecting about 25% of the general population. NAFLD is a benign condition, however, it could evolve toward more serious diseases, including non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), fibrosis, cirrhosis, and finally, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Liver biopsy is still the gold standard for NAFLD diagnosis. Due to the risks associated with liver biopsy and the impossibility to apply it on a large scale, it is now necessary to identify non-invasive biomarkers, which may reliably identify patients at higher risk of progression. Therefore, several lines of research have tried to address this issue by identifying novel biomarkers using omics approaches, including lipidomics, metabolomics and RNA molecules' profiling. Thus, in this review, we firstly report the conventional biomarkers used in clinical practice for NAFL and NASH diagnosis as well as fibrosis staging, and secondly, we pay attention to novel biomarkers discovered through omics approaches with a particular focus on RNA biomarkers (microRNAs, long-noncoding RNAs), showing promising diagnostic performance for NAFL/NASH diagnosis and fibrosis staging.

Systems analysis of miRNA biomarkers to inform drug safety

microRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) are short non-coding RNA molecules which have been shown to be dysregulated and released into the extracellular milieu as a result of many drug and non-drug-induced pathologies in different organ systems. Consequently, circulating miRs have been proposed as useful biomarkers of many disease states, including drug-induced tissue injury. miRs have shown potential to support or even replace the existing traditional biomarkers of drug-induced toxicity in terms of sensitivity and specificity, and there is some evidence for their improved diagnostic and prognostic value. However, several pre-analytical and analytical challenges, mainly associated with assay standardization, require solutions before circulating miRs can be successfully translated into the clinic. This review will consider the value and potential for the use of circulating miRs in drug-safety assessment and describe a systems approach to the analysis of the miRNAome in the discovery setting, as well as highlighting standardization issues that at this stage prevent their clinical use as biomarkers. Highlighting these challenges will hopefully drive future research into finding appropriate solutions, and eventually circulating miRs may be translated to the clinic where their undoubted biomarker potential can be used to benefit patients in rapid, easy to use, point-of-care test systems.

Methylation status of nc886 epiallele reflects periconceptional conditions and is associated with glucose metabolism through nc886 RNAs

BACKGROUND

Non-coding RNA 886 (nc886) is coded from a maternally inherited metastable epiallele. We set out to investigate the determinants and dynamics of the methylation pattern at the nc886 epiallele and how this methylation status associates with nc886 RNA expression. Furthermore, we investigated the associations between the nc886 methylation status or the levels of nc886 RNAs and metabolic traits in the YFS and KORA cohorts. The association between nc886 epiallele methylation and RNA expression was also validated in induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines.

RESULTS

We confirm that the methylation status of the nc886 epiallele is mostly binomial, with individuals displaying either a non- or hemi-methylated status, but we also describe intermediately and close to fully methylated individuals. We show that an individual's methylation status is associated with the mother's age and socioeconomic status, but not with the individual's own genetics. Once established, the methylation status of the nc886 epiallele remains stable for at least 25 years. This methylation status is strongly associated with the levels of nc886 non-coding RNAs in serum, blood, and iPSC lines. In addition, nc886 methylation status associates with glucose and insulin levels during adolescence but not with the indicators of glucose metabolism or the incidence of type 2 diabetes in adulthood. However, the nc886-3p RNA levels also associate with glucose metabolism in adulthood.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate that nc886 metastable epiallele methylation is tuned by the periconceptional conditions and it associates with glucose metabolism through the expression of the ncRNAs coded in the epiallele region.

Methylation status of nc886 epiallele reflects periconceptional conditions and is associated with glucose metabolism through nc886 RNAs

BACKGROUND

Non-coding RNA 886 (nc886) is coded from a maternally inherited metastable epiallele. We set out to investigate the determinants and dynamics of the methylation pattern at the nc886 epiallele and how this methylation status associates with nc886 RNA expression. Furthermore, we investigated the associations between the nc886 methylation status or the levels of nc886 RNAs and metabolic traits in the YFS and KORA cohorts. The association between nc886 epiallele methylation and RNA expression was also validated in induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines.

RESULTS

We confirm that the methylation status of the nc886 epiallele is mostly binomial, with individuals displaying either a non- or hemi-methylated status, but we also describe intermediately and close to fully methylated individuals. We show that an individual's methylation status is associated with the mother's age and socioeconomic status, but not with the individual's own genetics. Once established, the methylation status of the nc886 epiallele remains stable for at least 25 years. This methylation status is strongly associated with the levels of nc886 non-coding RNAs in serum, blood, and iPSC lines. In addition, nc886 methylation status associates with glucose and insulin levels during adolescence but not with the indicators of glucose metabolism or the incidence of type 2 diabetes in adulthood. However, the nc886-3p RNA levels also associate with glucose metabolism in adulthood.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate that nc886 metastable epiallele methylation is tuned by the periconceptional conditions and it associates with glucose metabolism through the expression of the ncRNAs coded in the epiallele region.

Deciphering the role of epigenetic modifications in fatty liver disease: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Fatty liver disease (FLD), primarily nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), is the most common liver disorder that affects a quarter of the global population. NAFLD is a spectrum of disease ranging from simple steatosis to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, which is associated with increased risk of developing liver cancer. Given that the pathogenic mechanisms of fatty liver remain largely elusive, it is important to further investigate potential underlying mechanisms including epigenetic modifications. Here, we performed a systematic review of human epigenetic studies on FLD presence.

METHODS

Five bibliographic databases were screened until 28 August 2020. We included cross-sectional, case-control and cohort studies in humans that examined the association of epigenetic modifications including global, candidate or epigenome-wide methylation of DNA, noncoding RNAs and histone modifications with FLD.

RESULTS

In total 36 articles, based on 33 unique studies, consisting of 12 112 participants met the inclusion criteria. Among these, two recent epigenome-wide association studies conducted among large population-based cohorts have reported the association between cg06690548 (SLC7A11) and FLD. Moreover, several studies have demonstrated the association between microRNAs (miRNAs) and FLD, in which miR-122, miR-34a and miR-192 were recognized as the most relevant miRNAs as biomarkers for FLD. We did not find any studies examining histone modifications in relation to FLD.

CONCLUSIONS

Cumulative evidence suggests a link between epigenetic mechanisms, specifically DNA methylation and miRNAs, and FLD. Further efforts should investigate the molecular pathways by which these epigenetic markers may regulate FLD and also the potential role of histone modifications in FLD.

Adulthood blood levels of hsa-miR-29b-3p associate with preterm birth and adult metabolic and cognitive health

Preterm birth (PTB) is associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes and neurocognitive impairment later in life. We analyzed for the first time the associations of PTB with blood miRNA levels in adulthood. We also investigated the relationship of PTB associated miRNAs and adulthood phenotypes previously linked with premature birth. Blood MicroRNA profiling, genome-wide gene expression analysis, computer-based cognitive testing battery (CANTAB) and serum NMR metabolomics were performed for Young Finns Study subjects (aged 34-49 years, full-term n = 682, preterm n = 84). Preterm birth (vs. full-term) was associated with adulthood levels of hsa-miR-29b-3p in a fully adjusted regression model (p = 1.90 × 10^-4, FDR = 0.046). The levels of hsa-miR-29b-3p were down-regulated in subjects with PTB with appropriate birthweight for gestational age (p = 0.002, fold change [FC] = - 1.20) and specifically in PTB subjects with small birthweight for gestational age (p = 0.095, FC = - 1.39) in comparison to individuals born full term. Hsa-miR-29b-3p levels correlated with the expressions of its target-mRNAs BCL11A and CS and the gene set analysis results indicated a target-mRNA driven association between hsa-miR-29b-3p levels and Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Insulin signaling and Regulation of Actin Cytoskeleton pathway expression. The level of hsa-miR-29b-3p was directly associated with visual processing and sustained attention in CANTAB test and inversely associated with serum levels of VLDL subclass component and triglyceride levels. In conlcusion, adult blood levels of hsa-miR-29b-3p were lower in subjects born preterm. Hsa-miR-29b-3p associated with cognitive function and may be linked with adulthood morbidities in subjects born preterm, possibly through regulation of gene sets related to neurodegenerative diseases and insulin signaling as well as VLDL and triglyceride metabolism.

Identification of human glucocorticoid response markers using integrated multi-omic analysis from a randomized crossover trial

Background:

Glucocorticoids are among the most commonly prescribed drugs, but there is no biomarker that can quantify their action. The aim of the study was to identify and validate circulating biomarkers of glucocorticoid action.

Methods:

In a randomized, crossover, single-blind, discovery study, 10 subjects with primary adrenal insufficiency (and no other endocrinopathies) were admitted at the in-patient clinic and studied during physiological glucocorticoid exposure and withdrawal. A randomization plan before the first intervention was used. Besides mild physical and/or mental fatigue and salt craving, no serious adverse events were observed. The transcriptome in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and adipose tissue, plasma miRNAomic, and serum metabolomics were compared between the interventions using integrated multi-omic analysis.

Results:

We identified a transcriptomic profile derived from two tissues and a multi-omic cluster, both predictive of glucocorticoid exposure. A microRNA (miR-122-5p) that was correlated with genes and metabolites regulated by glucocorticoid exposure was identified (p=0.009) and replicated in independent studies with varying glucocorticoid exposure (0.01 ≤ p≤0.05).

Conclusions:

We have generated results that construct the basis for successful discovery of biomarker(s) to measure effects of glucocorticoids, allowing strategies to individualize and optimize glucocorticoid therapy, and shedding light on disease etiology related to unphysiological glucocorticoid exposure, such as in cardiovascular disease and obesity.

Funding:

The Swedish Research Council (Grant 2015-02561 and 2019-01112); The Swedish federal government under the LUA/ALF agreement (Grant ALFGBG-719531); The Swedish Endocrinology Association; The Gothenburg Medical Society; Wellcome Trust; The Medical Research Council, UK; The Chief Scientist Office, UK; The Eva Madura’s Foundation; The Research Foundation of Copenhagen University Hospital; and The Danish Rheumatism Association.

Clinical trial number:

NCT02152553.

Several diseases, including asthma, arthritis, some skin conditions, and cancer, are treated with medications called glucocorticoids, which are synthetic versions of human hormones. These drugs are also used to treat people with a condition call adrenal insufficiency who do not produce enough of an important hormone called cortisol. Use of glucocorticoids is very common, the proportion of people in a given country taking them can range from 0.5% to 21% of the population depending on the duration of the treatment. But, like any medication, glucocorticoids have both benefits and risks: people who take glucocorticoids for a long time have an increased risk of diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and death.

Because of the risks associated with taking glucocorticoids, it is very important for physicians to tailor the dose to each patient’s needs. Doing this can be tricky, because the levels of glucocorticoids in a patient’s blood are not a good indicator of the medication’s activity in the body. A test that can accurately measure the glucocorticoid activity could help physicians personalize treatment and reduce harmful side effects.

As a first step towards developing such a test, Chantzichristos et al. identified a potential way to measure glucocorticoid activity in patient’s blood. In the experiments, blood samples were collected from ten patients with adrenal insufficiency both when they were on no medication, and when they were taking a glucocorticoid to replace their missing hormones. Next, the blood samples were analyzed to determine which genes were turned on and off in each patient with and without the medication. They also compared small molecules in the blood called metabolites and tiny pieces of genetic material called microRNAs that turn genes on and off.

The experiments revealed networks of genes, metabolites, and microRNAs that are associated with glucocorticoid activity, and one microRNA called miR-122-5p stood out as a potential way to measure glucocorticoid activity. To verify this microRNA’s usefulness, Chantzichristos et al. looked at levels of miR-122-5p in people participating in three other studies and confirmed that it was a good indicator of the glucocorticoid activity.

More research is needed to confirm Chantzichristos et al.’s findings and to develop a test that can be used by physicians to measure glucocorticoid activity. The microRNA identified, miR-122-5p, has been previously linked to diabetes, so studying it further may also help scientists understand how taking glucocorticoids may increase the risk of developing diabetes and related diseases.

Transcriptomic Analysis Reveals Host miRNAs Correlated with Immune Gene Dysregulation during Fatal Disease Progression in the Ebola Virus Cynomolgus Macaque Disease Model

Ebola virus is a continuing threat to human populations, causing a virulent hemorrhagic fever disease characterized by dysregulation of both the innate and adaptive host immune responses. Severe cases are distinguished by an early, elevated pro-inflammatory response followed by a pronounced lymphopenia with B and T cells unable to mount an effective anti-viral response. The precise mechanisms underlying the dysregulation of the host immune system are poorly understood. In recent years, focus on host-derived miRNAs showed these molecules to play an important role in the host gene regulation arsenal. Here, we describe an investigation of RNA biomarkers in the fatal Ebola virus disease (EVD) cynomolgus macaque model. We monitored both host mRNA and miRNA responses in whole blood longitudinally over the disease course in these non-human primates (NHPs). Analysis of the interactions between these classes of RNAs revealed several miRNA markers significantly correlated with downregulation of genes; specifically, the analysis revealed those involved in dysregulated immune pathways associated with EVD. In particular, we noted strong interactions between the miRNAs hsa-miR-122-5p and hsa-miR-125b-5p with immunological genes regulating both B and T-cell activation. This promising set of biomarkers will be useful in future studies of severe EVD pathogenesis in both NHPs and humans and may serve as potential prognostic targets.

miR-122-5p/KIF5B/AMPK/AKT regulatory network regulates the progression of NAFLD

BACKGROUND

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a progressive liver disease, which may develop into end-stage liver disease and endanger human life. miR-122-5p may be related to the progression of NAFLD disease, but the specific regulation mechanism is still unknown. It is helpful for us to optimize the prevention or treatment strategy of NAFLD.

METHODS

Real-time PCR was applied to test miR-122-5p and KIF5B in serum, rat liver tissue induced by high fat diet (HFD), and primary hepatocytes exposed to oleic acid ester and palmitate (FFA) of NAFLD patients. The role of miR-122-5p on inflammatory factors (MCP-1, TNF-α, IL-10) and liver injury markers (AST, ALT) in vivo and in vitro was analyzed.

RESULTS

miR-122-5p and KIF5B were both highly expressed in NAFLD patients' serum, rat liver tissue and primary hepatocytes, while KIF5B was low expressed. miR-122-5p expression enhanced with the increase of HFD feeding time. The dual luciferase reporter gene assay system confirmed that there was a targeting relationship between miR-122-5p and KIF5B, indicating that KIF5B and protein level were evidently up-regulated in primary hepatocytes. Down-regulation of miR-122-5p was helpful to improve the liver weight/body weight ratio (liver index) level of rats, as well as the levels of triglyceride (TG), inflammatory factors and liver injury markers in liver tissues in vivo and in vitro. Phosphorylation of AMPK/AKT pathway-related proteins and fat metabolism-related factors in rat liver tissues and cells in primary hepatocytes were notably reduced, while down-regulation of miR-122-5p was helpful to restore activation of the pathway and increase the level of fat metabolism-related factors.

CONCLUSION

Decrease of miR-122-5p can target and enhance KIF5B, which can be applied for treating NAFLD.

Circulatory microRNAs as potential biomarkers for fatty liver disease: the Rotterdam study

BACKGROUND

Fatty liver disease (FLD) is the most common cause of liver dysfunction in developed countries. There is great interest in developing clinically valid and minimally invasive biomarkers to enhance early diagnosis of FLD.

AIM

To investigate the potential of circulatory microRNAs (miRNAs) as biomarkers of FLD at the population level.

METHODS

Plasma levels of 2083 miRNAs were measured by RNA sequencing in 1999 participants from the prospective population-based Rotterdam Study cohort. The Hounsfield Unit (HU) attenuation of liver was measured using non-enhanced computed tomography (CT) scan. Logistic and linear regression models adjusting for potential confounders were used to examine the association of circulatory miRNAs with liver enzymes (n = 1991) and CT-based FLD (n = 954). Moreover, the association of miRNAs with hepatic steatosis and liver fibrosis was assessed longitudinally in individuals who underwent abdominal ultrasound (n = 1211) and transient elastography (n = 777) after a median follow-up of >6 years.

RESULTS

Cross-sectional analysis showed 61 miRNAs significantly associated with serum gamma-glutamyl transferase and/or alkaline phosphatase levels (Bonferroni-corrected P < 8.46 × 10^-5 ). Moreover, 17 miRNAs were significantly associated with CT-based FLD (P < 8.46 × 10^-5 ); 14 were among miRNAs associated with liver enzymes. Longitudinal analysis showed that 4 of these 14 miRNAs (miR-193a-5p, miR-122-5p, miR-378d and miR-187-3p) were significantly associated with hepatic steatosis (P < 3.57 × 10^-3 ) and three (miR-193a-5p, miR-122-5p and miR-193b-3p) were nominally associated with liver fibrosis (P < 0.05). Nine of the 14 identified miRNAs were involved in pathways underlying liver diseases.

CONCLUSIONS

Plasma levels of several miRNAs can be used as biomarkers of FLD, laying the groundwork for future clinical applications.

Cell-free DNA and RNA-measurement and applications in clinical diagnostics with focus on metabolic disorders

Circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) and RNA (cfRNA) hold enormous potential as a new class of biomarkers for the development of noninvasive liquid biopsies in many diseases and conditions. In recent years, cfDNA and cfRNA have been studied intensely as tools for noninvasive prenatal testing, solid organ transplantation, cancer screening, and monitoring of tumors. In obesity, higher cfDNA concentration indicates accelerated cellular turnover of adipocytes during expansion of adipose mass and may be directly involved in the development of adipose tissue insulin resistance by inducing inflammation. Furthermore, cfDNA and cfRNA have promising diagnostic value in a range of obesity-related metabolic disorders, such as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, type 2 diabetes, and diabetic complications. Here, we review the current and future applications of cfDNA and cfRNA within clinical diagnostics, discuss technical and analytical challenges in the field, and summarize the opportunities of using cfDNA and cfRNA in the diagnostics and prognostics of obesity-related metabolic disorders.

High expression levels of circulating microRNA-122 and microRNA-222 are associated with obesity in children with Mayan ethnicity

OBJECTIVES

High expression levels (HELs) of microRNA-122 (miR-122) or microRNA-222 (miR-222) have been associated with insulin resistance (IR), which leads to the development of obesity. The association between HELs of circulating miR-122 and miR-222 and the risk of obesity was evaluated in Mexican school-aged children, where childhood obesity is the primary cause of morbidity.

METHODS

Anthropometric data, biochemical parameters, and caloric intake were obtained in 50 children with obesity and 49 children with normal weight. The expression of circulating miR-122 and miR-222 was measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction amplification. Data were analyzed using Student t test, Pearson correlation coefficient, associations with chi-square, and multiple linear and logistic regressions with SPSS software v.23.

RESULTS

The mean relative expression for miR-122 and miR-222 was 0.33 and 5.65, respectively, for children with obesity and 0.22 and 3.16, respectively, for children with normal weight. The expression of miR-122 and miR-222 was 1.47 and 1.78-fold higher, respectively, in children with obesity (P = 0.001 and P = 0.025). HELs of both miR-122 and miR-222 were associated with body mass index (BMI), waist to height ratio (WHR), fat percentage, serum high-density lipid levels, triglycerides (TGs), and metabolic index (MI) (P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

The HELs of circulating miR-122 conferred a 3.85-fold increase in the risk for obesity, whereas the HELs of both miR-122 and miR-222 conferred a 3.11-fold increase in the risk for obesity, which were also associated with higher anthropometric or biochemical parameters, such as BMI, WHR, fat percentage, serum high-density lipid levels, TGs, and MI, in Mayan children.

Identification and characterization of miRNA expression profiles across five tissues in giant panda

microRNA (miRNA) is a small endogenous noncoding RNA molecule that plays multiple roles in regulating most biological processes. However, for China's national treasure giant panda, a world-famous rare and protected species, reports of its miRNA have been found only in blood and breast milk. To explore the miRNA expression differences between different giant panda tissues, here, we generated the miRNA profiles of five tissues (heart, liver, spleen, lung, and kidney) from four giant pandas with Illumina Hiseq 2500 platform, and filtered the differentially expressed miRNAs (DEmiRs) in each tissue, predicted the target genes of miRNA from each tissue based on the DEmiRs. Then, the GO and KEGG enrichment analysis were conducted using the target genes predicted from DEmiRs in each tissue. The RNA-seq generated an average of 0.718 GB base per sample. A total of 1,256 known miRNAs and 12 novel miRNAs were identified, and there were 215, 131, 185, 83, and 126 tissue-specific DEmiRs filtered in the heart, liver, spleen, lung, and kidney, respectively, including miR-1b-5p, miR-122-5p, miR-143, miR-126-5p, and miR-10b-5p, respectively. The predicted target genes, including MYL2, LRP5, MIF, CFD, and PEBP1 in the heart, liver, spleen, lung, and kidney, respectively, were closely associated with tissue-specific biological functions. The enrichment analysis results of target genes showed tissue-specific characteristics, such as the significantly enriched GO terms extracellular matrix in the heart and insulin-like growth factor binding in the liver. The miRNA profiles of the heart, liver, spleen, lung, and kidney of giant panda have been reported in this study, it reveals the miRNA expression differences between different tissues of the giant panda, and provides valuable genetic resources for the further related molecular genetic research of the rare and protected species giant panda and other mammals.

Differential miRNA Expression: Signature for Glaucoma in Pseudoexfoliation

Purpose

To investigate the microRNA (miRNA) profile in patients with different stages of pseudoexfoliation (PXF).

Methods

Peripheral blood of patients with PXF (naïve to medical therapy and with no systemic disease/drugs) with ocular hypertension (OHT) and pseudoexfoliation glaucoma (PXG) was evaluated in triplicate for miRNA profiling using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) arrays. Those identified in the discovery stage were validated with evaluation of serum transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) levels by ELISA. The downstream targets of TGF-β1 and unfolded protein response (UPR) were analyzed using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Predicted targets of the identified miRNA and KEGG pathway analysis were done using miRbase and DIANA tools mirPathv3.1.

Results

We found hsa-miR-122-5p, hsa-miR-124-3p and hsa-miR-424-5p to be upregulated in PXG targeting 3 specific pathways namely TGF-β1, fibrosis/ECM and proteoglycan metabolism with common effectors like SMAD/3/2. The unfolded protein response (UPR) genes were significantly downregulated in all stages of PXF suggesting this as the key mechanism for protein aggregates in PXF syndrome. Serum TGF-β1 was significantly upregulated as disease progressed to later stages in PXG. This elevation in advanced stages was associated with significantly differential expression of downstream pathways and fibrotic genes in OHT compared to PXG predominantly through the SMAD3, a canonical pathway marker.

Conclusion

Circulatory miRNA differentially regulating TGF-β1 and downstream targets including UPR genes may be the key mechanisms for glaucoma onset in PXF.

Metabolic recovery after weight loss surgery is reflected in serum microRNAs

INTRODUCTION

Bariatric surgery offers the most effective treatment for obesity, ameliorating or even reverting associated metabolic disorders, such as type 2 diabetes. We sought to determine the effects of bariatric surgery on circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) that have been implicated in the metabolic cross talk between the liver and adipose tissue.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

We measured 30 miRNAs in 155 morbidly obese patients and 47 controls and defined associations between miRNAs and metabolic parameters. Patients were followed up for 12 months after bariatric surgery. Key findings were replicated in a separate cohort of bariatric surgery patients with up to 18 months of follow-up.

RESULTS

Higher circulating levels of liver-related miRNAs, such as miR-122, miR-885-5 p or miR-192 were observed in morbidly obese patients. The levels of these miRNAs were positively correlated with body mass index, percentage fat mass, blood glucose levels and liver transaminases. Elevated levels of circulating liver-derived miRNAs were reversed to levels of non-obese controls within 3 months after bariatric surgery. In contrast, putative adipose tissue-derived miRNAs remained unchanged (miR-99b) or increased (miR-221, miR-222) after bariatric surgery, suggesting a minor contribution of white adipose tissue to circulating miRNA levels. Circulating levels of liver-derived miRNAs normalized along with the endocrine and metabolic recovery of bariatric surgery, independent of the fat percentage reduction.

CONCLUSIONS

Since liver miRNAs play a crucial role in the regulation of hepatic biochemical processes, future studies are warranted to assess whether they may serve as determinants or mediators of metabolic risk in morbidly obese patients.

Effect of diabetes on exosomal miRNA profile in patients with obesity

INTRODUCTION

Obesity is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and cardiovascular disease. T2DM increases the risk of cardiovascular-related death. We investigated changes in circulating exosomal microRNA (miRNA) profiles in patients with DM with obesity compared with patients without DM with obesity.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

This prospective study involved 29 patients with obesity (patients without DM=16, patients with DM=13) and healthy volunteers (HVs) (n=18). We measured circulating levels of exosomal miRNAs by next-generation sequencing and compared miRNA levels across the three groups.

RESULTS

The expression levels of 25 miRNAs (upregulated=14, downregulated=11) differed between patients with obesity with DM and patients with obesity without DM. Compared with HV, patients with DM with obesity had 53 dysregulated miRNAs. Additionally, moving stepwise from HV to patients with obesity without DM to patients with obesity with DM, there was a consistent increase in expression levels of miR-23a-5p and miR-6087 and a consistent decrease in expressions levels of miR-6751-3p.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data show that the exosomal miRNAs is altered by dysregulated glucose metabolism in patients with obesity. This circulating exosomal miRNA signature in patients with obesity with or without DM is a potential biomarker and therapeutic target in these patients.

Feedback activation of GATA1/miR-885-5p/PLIN3 pathway decreases sunitinib sensitivity in clear cell renal cell carcinoma

Sunitinib is the most commonly used first-line therapy for the treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC), but intrinsic and extrinsic resistance to targeted therapies dramatically compromise the benefit of clinical outcome. Dissecting the underlying mechanisms and discovering reliable predictive biomarkers are urgently needed in clinic. Here, we discovered miR-885-5p was notably decreased after sunitinib treatment and associated with poor disease progression in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). In vitro and in vivo studies identified miR-885-5p inhibition contributed to sunitinib resistance. Mechanistically, sunitinib treatment reduced GATA1 expression, which in turn reduced its binding to MIR885 promoter and resulted in miR-885-5p downregulation in transcriptional level. In addition, PLIN3 was confirmed to be directly targeted by miR-885-5p and its upregulation significantly increased lipid droplets formation to decrease sunitinib sensitivity. Therefore, GATA1/miR-885-5p/ PLIN3 pathway may serve as a potential therapeutic strategy and a biomarker for sunitinib treatment in ccRCC.

Role of Extracellular Vesicles in the Pathophysiology, Diagnosis and Tracking of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease, affecting approximately one-third of the global population. Most affected individuals experience only simple steatosis—an accumulation of fat in the liver—but a proportion of these patients will progress to the more severe form of the disease, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which enhances the risk of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Diagnostic approaches to NAFLD are currently limited in accuracy and efficiency; and liver biopsy remains the only reliable way to confirm NASH. This technique, however, is highly invasive and poses risks to patients. Hence, there is an increasing demand for improved minimally invasive diagnostic tools for screening at-risk individuals and identifying patients with more severe disease as well as those likely to progress to such stages. Recently, extracellular vesicles (EVs)—small membrane-bound particles released by virtually all cell types into circulation—have emerged as a rich potential source of biomarkers that can reflect liver function and pathological processes in NAFLD. Of particular interest to the diagnosis and tracking of NAFLD is the potential to extract microRNAs miR-122 and miR-192 from EVs circulating in blood, particularly when using an isolation technique that selectively captures hepatocyte-derived EVs.

Non-Coding RNAs as Potential Novel Biomarkers for Early Diagnosis of Hepatic Insulin Resistance

In the recent years, the prevalence of metabolic conditions such as type 2 Diabetes (T2D) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) raises. The impairment of liver metabolism resulting in hepatic insulin resistance is a common symptom and a critical step in the development of T2D and MetS. The liver plays a crucial role in maintaining glucose homeostasis. Hepatic insulin resistance can often be identified before other symptoms arrive; therefore, establishing methods for its early diagnosis would allow for the implementation of proper treatment in patients before the disease develops. Non-coding RNAs such as miRNAs (micro-RNA) and lncRNAs (long-non-coding RNA) are being recognized as promising novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets—especially due to their regulatory function. The dysregulation of miRNA and lncRNA activity has been reported in the livers of insulin-resistant patients. Many of those transcripts are involved in the regulation of the hepatic insulin signaling cascade. Furthermore, for several miRNAs (miR-802, miR-499-5p, and miR-122) and lncRNAs (H19 imprinted maternally expressed transcript (H19), maternally expressed gene 3 (MEG3), and metastasis associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1)), circulating levels were altered in patients with prediabetes, T2D, and MetS. In the course of this review, the role of the aforementioned ncRNAs in hepatic insulin signaling cascade, as well as their potential application in diagnostics, is discussed. Overall, circulating ncRNAs are precise indicators of hepatic insulin resistance in the development of metabolic diseases and could be applied as early diagnostic and/or therapeutic tools in conditions associated with insulin resistance.

Regulation of hepatic microRNAs in response to early stage Echinococcus multilocularis egg infection in C57BL/6 mice

We present a comprehensive analysis of the hepatic miRNA transcriptome at one month post-infection of experimental primary alveolar echinococcosis (AE), a parasitic infection caused upon ingestion of E. multilocularis eggs. Liver tissues were collected from infected and non-infected C57BL/6 mice, then small RNA libraries were prepared for next-generation sequencing (NGS). We conducted a Stem-loop RT-qPCR for validation of most dysregulated miRNAs. In infected mice, the expression levels of 28 miRNAs were significantly altered. Of these, 9 were up-regulated (fold change (FC) ≥ 1.5) and 19 were down-regulated (FC ≤ 0.66) as compared to the non-infected controls. In infected livers, mmu-miR-148a-3p and mmu-miR-101b-3p were 8- and 6-fold down-regulated, respectively, and the expression of mmu-miR-22-3p was reduced by 50%, compared to non-infected liver tissue. Conversely, significantly higher hepatic levels were noted for Mus musculus (mmu)-miR-21a-5p (FC = 2.3) and mmu-miR-122-5p (FC = 1.8). In addition, the relative mRNA expression levels of five genes (vegfa, mtor, hif1-α, fasn and acsl1) that were identified as targets of down-regulated miRNAs were significantly enhanced. All the five genes exhibited a higher expression level in livers of E. multilocularis infected mice compared to non-infected mice. Finally, we studied the issue related to functionally mature arm selection preference (5p and/or 3p) from the miRNA precursor and showed that 9 pre-miRNAs exhibited different arm selection preferences in normal versus infected liver tissues. In conclusion, this study provides first evidence that miRNAs are regulated early in primary murine AE. Our findings raise intriguing questions such as (i) how E. multilocularis affects hepatic miRNA expression;(ii) what are the alterations in miRNA expression patterns in more advanced AE-stages; and (iii) which hepatic cellular, metabolic and/or immunologic processes are modulated through altered miRNAs in AE. Thus, further research on the regulation of miRNAs during AE is needed, since miRNAs constitute an attractive potential option for development of novel therapeutic approaches against AE.

Various infectious diseases in humans have been associated with altered expression patterns of microRNAs (miRNAs), a class of small non-coding RNAs involved in negative regulation of gene expression. Herein, we revealed that significant alteration of miRNAs expression occurred in murine liver subsequently to experimental infection with E. multilocularis eggs when compared to non-infected controls. At the early stage of murine AE, hepatic miRNAs were mainly down-regulated. Respective target genes of the most extensively down-regulated miRNAs were involved in angiogenesis and fatty acid synthesis. Furthermore, we found higher mRNA levels of three angiogenic and two lipogenic genes in E. multilocularis infected livers compared to non-infected controls. Angiogenesis and fatty acid biosynthesis may be beneficial for development of the E. multilocularis metacestodes. In fact the formation of new blood vessels in the periparasitic area may ensure that parasites are supplied with oxygen and nutrients and get rid of waste products. Additionally, E. multilocularis is not able to undertake de novo fatty acid synthesis, thus lipids must be scavenged from its host. More research on the regulation of the hepatic miRNA transcriptome at more advanced stages of AE is needed.

Association of Circulating microRNAs with Coronary Artery Disease and Usefulness for Reclassification of Healthy Individuals: The REGICOR Study

Risk prediction tools cannot identify most individuals at high coronary artery disease (CAD) risk. Oxidized low-density lipoproteins (oxLDLs) and microRNAs are actively involved in atherosclerosis. Our aim was to examine the association of CAD and oxLDLs-induced microRNAs, and to assess the microRNAs predictive capacity of future CAD events. Human endothelial and vascular smooth muscle cells were treated with oxidized/native low-density lipoproteins, and microRNA expression was analyzed. Differentially expressed and CAD-related miRNAs were examined in serum samples from (1) a case-control study with 476 myocardial infarction (MI) patients and 487 controls, and (2) a case-cohort study with 105 incident CAD cases and 455 randomly-selected cohort participants. MicroRNA expression was analyzed with custom OpenArray plates, log rank tests and Cox regression models. Twenty-one microRNAs, two previously undescribed (hsa-miR-193b-5p and hsa-miR-1229-5p), were up- or down-regulated upon cell treatment with oxLDLs. One of the 21, hsa-miR-122-5p, was also upregulated in MI cases (fold change = 4.85). Of the 28 CAD-related microRNAs tested, 11 were upregulated in MI cases-1 previously undescribed (hsa-miR-16-5p)-, and 1/11 was also associated with CAD incidence (adjusted hazard ratio = 0.55 (0.35–0.88)) and improved CAD risk reclassification, hsa-miR-143-3p. We identified 2 novel microRNAs modulated by oxLDLs in endothelial cells, 1 novel microRNA upregulated in AMI cases compared to controls, and one circulating microRNA that improved CAD risk classification.

Gestational diabetes and maternal obesity are associated with sex-specific changes in miRNA and target gene expression in the fetus

Background/Objective

Pregnancies complicated by gestational diabetes (GDM) or maternal obesity have been linked to the development of diabetes, obesity and fatty liver disease later in life with sex-specific manifestations. Alterations in miRNA expression in offspring exposed to GDM and maternal obesity and effects on hepatic development are unknown. Here we describe how exposure to maternal obesity in utero leads to sex-specific changes in miRNA and target gene expression in human fetal liver.

Methods

Candidate miRNA expression was measured in 2^nd trimester amniotic fluid (AF) from women with GDM. Targets of differentially expressed miRNAs were determined and pathway enrichment of target genes was performed. MiRNA and target gene expression were measured in a separate cohort of 2^nd trimester primary human fetal hepatocytes (PHFH) exposed to maternal obesity via QPCR and western blot. All studies were IRB approved.

Results

GDM exposed AF had significant increases in miRNAs 199a-3p, 503-5p, and 1268a (fold change (FC) ≥1.5, p<0.05). Female offspring specific analysis showed enrichment in miRNAs 378a-3p, 885-5p, and 7-1-3p (p<0.05). MiRNA gene targets were enriched in hepatic pathways. Key genes regulating de novo lipogenesis were upregulated in obesity exposed PHFH, especially in males. Significantly altered miRNAs in GDM AF were measured in obese exposed PHFH, with consistent increases in miRNAs 885-5p, 199-3p, 503-5p, 1268a and 7-1-3p (FC ≥1.5, p<0.05). Female PHFH exposed to maternal obesity had increased expression of miR-885-5p, miR-199-3p, miR-503-5p, miR-1268s and miR-7-1-3p, (p<0.05), corresponding to decreased target genes expression for ABCA1, PAK4 and INSR. In male PHFHs, no miRNA changes were measured but there was increased expression of ABCA1, PAK4, and INSR (p<0.05).

Conclusion

Our data suggest sex-specific changes in miRNA and gene expression in PHFH may be one mechanism contributing to the sexual dimorphism of metabolic disease in offspring exposed to GDM and maternal obesity in utero.

Circulating microRNAs (miR-21, miR-223, miR-885-5p) along the clinical spectrum of HCV-related chronic liver disease in Egyptian patients

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS

MicroRNAs (miRNAs), small single stranded RNAs, function in the post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression and incorporated in pathogenesis of HCV related chronic liver disease. This study was designed to evaluate the significance of serum miR-21, miR-223, and miR-885-5p as biomarkers in various clinicopathological stages of HCV related chronic liver disease.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Serum miR-21, miR-223, and miR-885-5p were quantified by quantitative RT PCR in 60 patients with HCV-related liver disease (presumably genotype 4), in addition to 25 healthy controls. HCV patients were classified into: chronic non-cirrhotic HCV (n = 15), HCV related liver cirrhosis (n = 15), and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) (n = 30).

RESULTS

Serum levels of miR-885-5p in cirrhotic patients ± HCC (n = 45) were significantly higher than the non-cirrhotic patients (n = 15); p = 0.007 and healthy control; p = 0.001. However, no such significance was detected between HCC and non-HCC HCV patients; p = 0.12. Serum miRNA-885-5p was able to discriminate cirrhosis ± HCC from healthy controls using ROC analysis; AUC 0.85, 87% sensitivity and 80% specificity. On the other hand, HCC patients had significantly higher serum miR-2 1evels than non-HCC patients (non-cirrhotic and cirrhotic groups, n = 30); p = 0.048 and the control group; p = 0.002. ROC could differentiate HCC from control group; AUC 0.89, 80% sensitivity, 80% specificity. Both serum bilirubin and albumin showed significant weak correlation with miRNA-885-5p (r = 0.42, p = 0.001) and (r = -0.27, p = 0.04), respectively but no such correlation was observed with serum miRNA-21. In contrast, miRNA-223 showed no significant difference across the studied groups.

CONCLUSION

Along the spectrum of HCV-related chronic liver disease, miR-885-5p could be a potential marker for advanced liver damage while miR-21 could be a helpful diagnostic marker for HCC.

Associations between body condition score at parturition and microRNA profile in colostrum of dairy cows as evaluated by paired mapping programs

MicroRNA (miRNA) are abundant in milk, and likely have regulatory activity involving lactation and immunity. The objective of this study was to determine the miRNA profile in colostrum of overconditioned cows compared with cows of more moderate body condition score (BCS) at calving. Multiparous cows with either high (≥4.0 on a scale of 1 to 5; n = 7) or moderate BCS (2.75 to 3.50; n = 9) in the week before parturition were selected from a commercial dairy herd. Blood and colostrum were sampled within 24 h after calving. Blood serum was analyzed for free fatty acid (FFA) concentration. MicroRNA was isolated from colostrum samples after removing milk fat and cells. MicroRNA were sequenced, and reads were mapped to the bovine genome and to the existing database of miRNA at miRBase.org. Two programs, Oasis 2.0 and miRDeep2, were employed in parallel for read alignment, and analysis of miRNA count data was performed using DESeq2. Identification of differentially expressed miRNA from DESeq2 was not affected by the differences in miRNA detected by the 2 mapping programs. Most abundant miRNA included miR-30a, miR-148a, miR-181a, let-7f, miR-26a, miR-21, miR-22, and miR-92a. Large-scale shifts in miRNA profile were not observed; however, colostrum of cows with high BCS contained less miR-486, which has been linked with altered glucose metabolism. Colostrum from cows with elevated serum FFA contained less miR-885, which may be connected to hepatic function during the transition period. Potential functions of abundant miRNA suggest involvement in development and maintenance of cellular function in the mammary gland, with the additional possibility of influencing neonatal tissue and immune system development.

Whole blood microRNA levels associate with glycemic status and correlate with target mRNAs in pathways important to type 2 diabetes

We analyzed the associations between whole blood microRNA profiles and the indices of glucose metabolism and impaired fasting glucose and examined whether the discovered microRNAs correlate with the expression of their mRNA targets. MicroRNA and gene expression profiling were performed for the Young Finns Study participants (n = 871). Glucose, insulin, and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels were measured, the insulin resistance index (HOMA2-IR) was calculated, and the glycemic status (normoglycemic [n = 534]/impaired fasting glucose [IFG] [n = 252]/type 2 diabetes [T2D] [n = 24]) determined. Levels of hsa-miR-144-5p, -122-5p, -148a-3p, -589-5p, and hsa-let-7a-5p associated with glycemic status. hsa-miR-144-5p and -148a-3p associated with glucose levels, while hsa-miR-144-5p, -122-5p, -184, and -339-3p associated with insulin levels and HOMA2-IR, and hsa-miR-148a-3p, -15b-3p, -93-3p, -146b-5p, -221-3p, -18a-3p, -642a-5p, and -181-2-3p associated with HbA1c levels. The targets of hsa-miR-146b-5p that correlated with its levels were enriched in inflammatory pathways, and the targets of hsa-miR-221-3p were enriched in insulin signaling and T2D pathways. These pathways showed indications of co-regulation by HbA1c-associated miRNAs. There were significant differences in the microRNA profiles associated with glucose, insulin, or HOMA-IR compared to those associated with HbA1c. The HbA1c-associated miRNAs also correlated with the expression of target mRNAs in pathways important to the development of T2D.

The clinical significance of microRNA-122 in predicting the prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: A meta-analysis validated by the Cancer Genome Atlas dataset

BACKGROUND

Although the prognostic value of microRNA-122 (miR-122) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients have been evaluated by numerous studies, the results of them were not completely consistent. The present study aims to comprehensively evaluate the predicting value of miR-122 on the prognosis of patients with HCC based on all eligible literatures.

METHODS

Numerous electronic databases (MEDLINE, Embase, Pubmed, Google Scholar, and China Biology Medicine disc) were applied to retrieve relevant studies. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were used as primary endpoints. All statistical analyses were performed by RevMan software version 5.3.5 and STATA software version 14.1. In addition, the results of this meta-analysis were validated by an independent dataset from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA).

RESULTS

A total of 11 studies containing 1124 patients were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled results showed that low miR-122 expression in HCC tissues significantly associated with unfavorable OS (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.48, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.22-1.80, P < .001) and PFS (HR = 1.54, 95% CI 1.28-1.85, P < .001) in patients with HCC. However, the expression level of miR-122 in blood did not have the ability in predicting OS (HR = 0.75, 95% CI 0.44-1.28, P = .29) and PFS (HR = 0.84, 95% CI 0.58-1.20, P = .33) of HCC. Subgroup analysis further indicated that low expression of miR-122 in tumor tissues predicted poor OS in HCC patients who received curative liver resection (HR = 2.00, 95% CI 1.08-3.70, P = .03). Analysis using TCGA dataset suggested that low miR-122 expression in HCC tissues was significantly associated with OS (HR = 1.61, 95% CI 1.13-2.27, P = .008) other than PFS (HR = 1.30, 95% CI 0.96-1.75, P = .09).

CONCLUSION

Low miR-122 expression in HCC tissues was a reliable indicator for predicting the OS of HCC patients who underwent curative resection. Owing to the disagreement between this meta-analysis and the TCGA dataset, the predictive value of miR-122 in tissues for PFS needs to be verified by future well-designed studies with large sample size.

Role of Noncoding RNA in Development of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is increasing in prevalence globally, but little is known about its specific molecular mechanisms. During the past decade, noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) have been linked to NAFLD initiation and progression. They are a class of RNAs that play an important role in regulating gene expression despite not encoding proteins. This review summarizes recent research on the relationship between ncRNAs and NAFLD. We discussed the potential applicability of ncRNAs as a biomarker for early NAFLD diagnosis and assessment of disease severity. With further study, ncRNAs should prove to be valuable new targets for NAFLD treatment and benefit the development of noninvasive diagnostic methods.