IRS1 promotes thyroid cancer metastasis through EMT and PI3K/AKT pathways

A-to-I-Edited miR-1304-3p Inhibits Glycolysis and Tumor Growth of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma by Inactivating Wnt5a/ROR2 Signaling

A-to-I RNA editing is a pervasive mechanism in the human genome that affects the regulation of gene expression and is closely associated with the pathogenesis of numerous diseases. This study elucidates the regulatory mechanism of A-to-I edited miR-1304-3p in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Western blot, immunohistochemistry, and RT-qPCR assays were employed to quantify protein and mRNA expression. Colony formation, Edu, wound healing, and Transwell assays were applied to determine miRNA function. Glycolysis was assessed using glucose uptake and lactate production assay. A dual-luciferase reporter assay confirmed the downstream targets of miRNA, and a xenograft assay demonstrated the efficacy of the miRNA. The A-to-I RNA editing level of miR-1304-3p was observed to increase in KYSE180 and KYSE140 ESCC cells following ADAR1 treatment. Following A-to-I editing, the function of miR-1304-3p in ESCC progression underwent a reversal, shifting from carcinogenic to inhibitory. Wild-type (WT) miR-1304-3p targets IRS1, whereas the edited version targets ROR2. The WT miR-1304-3p, but not the edited version, suppressed the expression and tumor-suppressive effect of IRS1 in ESCC. Conversely, ROR2, a specific downstream target of the edited miR-1304-3p, acted as a tumor promoter in ESCC. Furthermore, A-to-I editing of miR-1304-3p can inhibit glycolysis and inactivate the Wnt5a/ROR2 signaling pathway in ESCC. A-to-I RNA editing alters the function of miR-1304-3p in ESCC by changing its target gene. The edited miR-1304-3p hinders the development of ESCC by inhibiting glycolysis and inactivating the Wnt5a/ROR2 signaling pathway.

Identification of potential targetable genes in papillary, follicular, and anaplastic thyroid carcinoma using bioinformatics analysis

PURPOSE

To perform an extensive exploratory analysis to build a deeper insight into clinically relevant molecular biomarkers in Papillary, Follicular, and Anaplastic thyroid carcinomas (PTC, FTC, ATC).

METHODS

Thirteen Thyroid Cancer (THCA) datasets incorporating PTC, FTC, and ATC were derived from the Gene Expression Omnibus. Genes differentially expressed (DEGs) between THCA and normal were identified and subjected to GO and KEGG analyses. Multiple topological properties were harnessed and protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks were constructed to identify the hub genes followed by survival analysis and validation.

RESULTS

There were 70, 87, and 377 DEGs, and 23, 27, and 53 hub genes for PTC, FTC, and ATC samples, respectively. Survival analysis detected 39 overall and 49 relapse-free survival-relevant hub genes. Six hub genes, BCL2, FN1, ITPR1, LYVE1, NTRK2, TBC1D4, were found common to more than one THCA type. The most significant hub genes found in the study were: BCL2, CD44, DCN, FN1, IRS1, ITPR1, MFAP4, MKI67, NTRK2, PCLO, TGFA. The most enriched and significant GO terms were Melanocyte differentiation for PTC, Extracellular region for FTC, and Extracellular exosome for ATC. Prostate cancer for PTC was the most significantly enriched KEGG pathway. The results were validated using TCGA data.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings unravel potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets of thyroid carcinomas.