Deregulated expression of long non-coding RNA UCA1 in multiple myeloma

Highlighting the role of long non-coding RNA (LncRNA) in multiple myeloma (MM) pathogenesis and response to therapy

Transcripts longer than 200 nucleotides that are not translated into proteins are known as long non-coding RNAs, or lncRNAs. Now, they are becoming more significant as important regulators of gene expression, and as a result, of many biological processes in both healthy and pathological circumstances, such as blood malignancies. Through controlling alternative splicing, transcription, and translation at the post-transcriptional level, lncRNAs have an impact on the expression of genes. In multiple myeloma (MM), the majority of lncRNAs is elevated and promotes the proliferation, adhesion, drug resistance and invasion of MM cells by blocking apoptosis and altering the tumor microenvironment (TME). To control mRNA splicing, stability, and translation, they either directly attach to the target mRNA or transfer RNA-binding proteins (RBPs). By expressing certain miRNA-binding sites that function as competitive endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs), most lncRNAs mimic the actions of miRNAs. Here, we highlight lncRNAs role in the MM pathogenesis with emphasize on their capacity to control the molecular mechanisms known as "hallmarks of cancer," which permit earlier tumor initiation and progression and malignant cell transformation.

The diagnostic value of serum lncRNA CATG00000112921.1 as a marker of multiple myeloma

BACKGROUND

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a malignant plasma cell disease. At present, numerous studies have shown that lncRNA plays a very important role in the occurrence, development and even drug resistance of multiple myeloma. It may become a potential diagnostic and prognostic marker of multiple myeloma and provide new ideas for targeted therapy. Based on the above research background, this study used gene chip technology to screen out the differentially expressed lncRNA in the serum of MM patients and healthy people, and verified more clinical serum samples to screen out the lncRNA with the largest difference as a biomarker for further research.

METHOD

In this research, the data of hospitalized patients diagnosed with MM and healthy people in the Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University were retrospectively collected. The lncRNA expression profile of serum samples from patients with multiple myeloma and healthy controls was analyzed by lncRNA chip technology. The serum samples were verified by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR, and the candidate diagnostic markers were screened out. The ROC working curve was drawn to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of the candidate markers and to determine their stability at different temperatures and time.

RESULT

A total of 44 MM patients and 37 healthy people were involved in this research. Among them, 4 patients with MM and 4 patients with HD were sent for microarray analysis. According to Fold Change ≥ 2 and P < 0.05, a total of 17 differentially expressed lncRNA molecules were screened, of which 9 were up-regulated RNA molecules and 8 were down-regulated RNA molecules. Through real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR verification, it was found that lncRNA CATG00000112921.1 was highly expressed in the healthy control group and diminished in patients with multiple myeloma, P < 0.001. The ROC curve demonstrated that the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.749, the sensitivity was 0.636, the specificity was 0.789, and the 95 % CI was 0.636-0.862 (P < 0.001). In addition, in order to verify the effects of temperature, time and repeated freezing and thawing on lncRNA, it was placed at 25°C, 4°C, -20°C, -80°C for 0 h, 24 h, 48 h, 72 h, and placed at-80°C repeated freezing and thawing 0 times, 2 times, 4 times, 8 times, and the expression level was not significantly changed.

CONCLUSION

Serum lncRNA CATG00000112921.1 may be a potential candidate diagnostic marker for multiple myeloma. The ROC curve shows that it has good diagnostic value, and its high stability at different temperatures and different times is a required condition for becoming a diagnostic marker. As far as we know, this is the first study in the world to find differential expression of lncRNA CATG00000112921.1 in peripheral serum of healthy people and newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients. This study also highlights the application of gene chip technology in screening differentially expressed genes.

Expression of NEAT1 can be used as a predictor for Dex resistance in multiple myeloma patients

OBJECTIVE

Multiple myeloma is a heterogeneous disorder and the intratumor genetic heterogeneity contributes to emergency of drug resistance. Dexamethasone has been used clinically for decades for MM. Nevertheless, their use is severely hampered by the risk of developing side effects and the occurrence of Dex resistance. LncRNA NEAT1 plays a oncogenic role and participates in drug resistance in many solid tumors. Therefore, we investigated a potential usefulness of this molecular as a biomarker for diagnosis of MM and possible correlations of NEAT1 expression with drug resistance and prognosis.

METHODS

Bone marrow and peripheral blood mononuclear cells samples were collected from 60 newly diagnosed MM patients. The expression of NEAT1expression level were detected by quantitative real-time PCR analyses. The relationship about the expression levels of lncRNA with other clinical and cytogenetic features was analyzed. In addition, we measured to analysis the correlation between the expression of NEAT1 and Dex resistance in MM patients.

RESULTS

It was found that the expression of NEAT1 is significantly higher in multiple myeloma patients compared to controls and does not change with other clinical features and cytogenetic features. We further discovered that overexpression of NEAT1 was associated with Dex resistance and a poor prognosis in MM patients.

CONCLUSION

LncRNA NEAT1 has a significant value that might act as a promoting factor in the development of MM and may be severed as a diagnostic factor in MM. NEAT1 invovled in Dex resistance, which provide a new interpretation during the chemotherapy for MM.

Aberrantly expressed long noncoding RNAs as potential prognostic biomarkers in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma: A systemic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Numerous studies have manifested long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) as biomarkers to determine the prognosis of multiple myeloma (MM) patients. Nevertheless, the prognostic role of lncRNAs in MM is still ambiguous. Herein, we performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the predictive value of aberrantly expressed lncRNAs in MM.

METHODS

A systemic literature search was performed in PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, and Web of Science databases until October 9, 2021, and the protocol was registered in the PROSPERO database (CRD42021284364). Our study extracted the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), or event-free survival (EFS). Begg's and Egger's tests were employed to correct publication bias.

RESULT

Twenty-six individual studies containing 3501 MM patients were enrolled in this study. The results showed that aberrant expression of lncRNAs was associated with poor OS and PFS of MM patients. The pooled HRs for univariate OS and PFS were 1.48 (95% CI = 1.17-1.88, p < 0.001) and 1.30 (95% CI = 1.18-1.43, p < 0.001), respectively, whereas the pooled HRs for multivariate OS and PFS were 1.50 (95% CI = 1.16-1.95, p < 0.001) and 1.59 (95% CI = 1.22-2.07, p < 0.001), respectively. Subgroup analysis suggested that MALAT1, TCF7, NEAT1, and PVT1 upregulation were associated with poor OS (p < 0.05), PVT1, and TCF7 upregulation were implicated with worse PFS (p < 0.05), while only TCF7 overexpression was correlated with reduced EFS (p < 0.05). Moreover, the contour-enhanced funnel plot demonstrated the reliability of our current conclusion, which was not affected by publication bias.

CONCLUSION

Aberrantly expressed particular lncRNAs are critical prognostic indicators in long-term survival as well as promising biomarkers in progression-free status. However, different cutoff values and dissimilar methods to assess lncRNA expression among studies may lead to heterogeneity.

Multiple myeloma, a quintessential malignant disease of aging: a geroscience perspective on pathogenesis and treatment

Multiple myeloma (MM) is an incurable plasma cell malignancy, which is predominantly a disease of older adults (the median age at diagnosis is 70 years). The slow progression from asymptomatic stages and the late-onset of MM suggest fundamental differences compared to many other hematopoietic system-related malignancies. The concept discussed in this review is that age-related changes at the level of terminally differentiated plasma cells act as the main risk factors for the development of MM. Epigenetic and genetic changes that characterize both MM development and normal aging are highlighted. The relationships between cellular aging processes, genetic mosaicism in plasma cells, and risk for MM and the stochastic processes contributing to clonal selection and expansion of mutated plasma cells are investigated. In line with the DNA damage accumulation theory of aging, in this review, the evolution of monoclonal gammopathy to symptomatic MM is considered. Therapeutic consequences of age-dependent comorbidities that lead to frailty and have fundamental influence on treatment outcome are described. The importance of considering geriatric states when planning the life-long treatment course of an elderly MM patient in order to achieve maximal therapeutic benefit is emphasized.

The Landscape of lncRNAs in Multiple Myeloma: Implications in the "Hallmarks of Cancer", Clinical Perspectives and Therapeutic Opportunities

Simple Summary

Multiple myeloma (MM) is an aggressive hematological neoplasia caused by the uncontrolled proliferation of aberrant plasmacells. Neoplastic transformation and progression are driven by a number of biological processes, called ‘hallmarks of cancer’, which are regulated by different molecules, including long non-coding RNAs. A deeper understanding of the mechanisms that regulate MM development and progression will help to improve patients stratification and management, and promote the identification of new therapeutic targets.

Abstract

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are transcripts longer than 200 nucleotides that are not translated into proteins. Nowadays, lncRNAs are gaining importance as key regulators of gene expression and, consequently, of several biological functions in physiological and pathological conditions, including cancer. Here, we point out the role of lncRNAs in the pathogenesis of multiple myeloma (MM). We focus on their ability to regulate the biological processes identified as “hallmarks of cancer” that enable malignant cell transformation, early tumor onset and progression. The aberrant expression of lncRNAs in MM suggests their potential use as clinical biomarkers for diagnosis, patient stratification, and clinical management. Moreover, they represent ideal candidates for therapeutic targeting.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) as prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers in multiple myeloma: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Recently, emerging studies have demonstrated the utility of particular long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) as useful biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of multiple myeloma (MM). We systematically reviewed the literature and conducted a meta-analysis to quantify the predictive effectiveness of lncRNAs in the prognosis and diagnosis of MM.

METHODS

A systematic search was performed in PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science until March 24, 2021. A meta-analysis was conducted to explore the correlation between the expression of lncRNAs and prognostic endpoints, including overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and disease-free survival (DFS) or event-free survival (EFS). Moreover, the diagnostic performance of lncRNAs in MM was investigated by calculating accuracy metrics.

RESULTS

Overall, 43 studies were included in this systematic review, amongst which 36 studies assessed prognostic endpoints (including 5499 participants and 69 lncRNAs), and 11 studies evaluated diagnostic outcomes (with 1723 participants and 11 lncRNAs). The overexpression of CRNDE (hazard ratio (HR)= 1.94, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.61, 2.34), NEAT1 (HR=1.97, 95%CI 1.36, 2.85), PVT1 (HR=1.92, 95%CI 1.25, 2.97), and TCF7 (HR=1.98, 95%CI 1.42, 2.76) was significantly associated with reduced OS. Furthermore, upregulation of PVT1 was significantly correlated with poor PFS (HR=1.86, 95%CI 1.29, 2.68). The pooled diagnostic performance of lncRNAs was as follows: sensitivity 0.78 (95%CI 0.73, 0.82), specificity 0.88 (95%CI 0.83, 0.92), and area under the curve 0.89 (95%CI 0.86, 0.92).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results revealed the potential significance of lncRNAs in MM as diagnostic and prognostic markers, which may be the future targets for individualized therapy.

LncRNAs LY86-AS1 and VIM-AS1 Distinguish Plasma Cell Leukemia Patients from Multiple Myeloma Patients

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are functional RNAs longer than 200 nucleotides. Due to modern genomic techniques, the involvement of lncRNAs in tumorigenesis has been revealed; however, information concerning lncRNA interplay in multiple myeloma (MM) and plasma cell leukemia (PCL) is virtually absent. Herein, we aimed to identify the lncRNAs involved in MM to PCL progression. We investigated representative datasets of MM and PCL patients using next-generation sequencing. In total, 13 deregulated lncRNAs (p < 0.00025) were identified; four of them were chosen for further validation in an independent set of MM and PCL patients by RT-qPCR. The obtained results proved the significant downregulation of lymphocyte antigen antisense RNA 1 (LY86-AS1) and VIM antisense RNA 1 (VIM-AS1) in PCL compared to MM. Importantly, these two lncRNAs could be involved in the progression of MM into PCL; thus, they could serve as promising novel biomarkers of MM progression.

lncRNA ST3GAL6‑AS1 promotes invasion by inhibiting hnRNPA2B1‑mediated ST3GAL6 expression in multiple myeloma

Multiple myeloma (MM) is an incurable disease caused by the infiltration of malignant plasma B cells into bone marrow, whose pathogenesis remains largely unknown. Long non‑coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as important factors in pathogenesis. Our previous study validated that lncRNA ST3 β‑galactoside α‑2,3‑sialyltransferase 6 antisense RNA 1 (ST3GAL6‑AS1) was upregulated markedly in MM. Therefore, the aim of the study was to investigate the molecular mechanisms of ST3GAL6‑AS1 in MM cells. ST3GAL6‑AS1 expression levels in MM cells was detected using reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR. ST3GAL6‑AS1 antisense oligonucleotides and small interfering RNAs were transfected into MM cells to downregulate expression. In vitro assays were performed to investigate the functional role of ST3GAL6‑AS1 in MM cells. RNA pull‑down, RNA immunoprecipitation and comprehensive identification of RNA‑binding proteins using mass spectrometry assays were used to determine the mechanism of ST3GAL6‑AS1‑mediated regulation of underlying targets. It was reported that knockdown of ST3GAL6‑AS1 suppressed the adhesion, migration and invasion ability of MM cells in vitro. Expression of ST3GAL6 was significantly reduced when ST3GAL6‑AS1 was knock downed in MM cells. Moreover, mechanistic investigation showed that ST3GAL6‑AS1 could suppress ST3GAL6 mRNA degradation via interacting with heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A2B1 (hnRNPA2B1). The present results suggested that upregulated lncRNA ST3GAL6‑AS1 promotes adhesion and invasion of MM cells by binding with hnRNPA2B1 to regulate ST3GAL6 expression.

Construction and analysis of an aberrant lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA network associated with papillary thyroid cancer

Accumulating evidence has indicated that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are the main constituents of competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks. Nonetheless, in the lncRNA-related ceRNA network of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), the function of cancer-specific lncRNAs, as well as their use for the potential prediction of PTC prognosis, remains unclear. In this study, 384 RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) profiles of PTC patients were attained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), an open-source database that offers vast amounts of RNA-seq data, and 75 miRNAs, 495 lncRNAs, and 1099 mRNAs (P < .05 and |logFC| >2) were detected when compared with normal tissues. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways were analyzed using the Cytoscape plug-in BinGo. An aberrant lncRNA-mRNA-miRNA ceRNA network consisting of 31 differentially expressed (DE)-lncRNAs, 13 DE-miRNAs, and 134 DE-mRNAs was built in TCGA. On the basis of overall survival (OS) analysis, 6 lncRNAs (CCAT1, SYNPR, SFTA1P, HOTAIR, HCG22, and CLDN10) were identified as prognostic biomarkers for patients in TCGA (P < .05). Through qRT-PCR, we designated 6 cancer-specific lncRNAs as having great significance for survival by verifying their expression in the 60 PTC patients who were diagnosed. The qRT-PCR and TCGA results were completely consistent. Our research provides data for further understanding the lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA ceRNA network and elucidating the molecular mechanisms of PTC.

Long Noncoding RNA SNHG6 Promotes Proliferation and Inhibits Apoptosis in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Cells by Regulating miR-490-3p/RSF1 Axis

Background: Nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a malignant cancer type and has developed into the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Small nucleolar RNA host gene 6 (SNHG6) has been identified as an oncogene in multiple cancers. However, the functions of SNHG6 in tumorigenesis and progression of NSCLC are still poorly understood. Materials and Methods: The expression of SNHG6, miR-490-3p, and remodeling and spacing factor 1 (RSF1) in NSCLC tumors and cells was measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The correlation between miR-490-3p and SNHG6 or RSF1 was analyzed by Pearson's correlation coefficient. Luciferase reporter assay was employed for verifying the interaction between miR-490-3p and SNHG6 or RSF1. Cell viability was examined by 3-(4, 5)-dimethylthiazole-2-y1)-2, 5-biphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Cell apoptosis was evaluated by flow cytometry and Western blot, respectively. Protein expression of RSF1, Bcl-2, Bax, and cleaved caspase-3 (cleaved casp-3) was detected by Western blot assay. Xenograft mice models were established by subcutaneously injecting H460 cells stably transfected with sh-SNHG6 and sh-NC. Results: SNHG6 and RSF1 expression were upregulated, whereas miR-490-3p was downregulated in NSCLC tumors and cell lines compared with normal tissues and cells. Pearson's correlation coefficient analysis indicated that miR-490-3p was correlated with SNHG6 and RSF1 inversely. Then, luciferase reporter assay confirmed the interaction between miR-490-3p and SNHG6 or RSF1. More importantly, the rescue experiments clarified that miR-490-3p inhibitor could relieve SNHG6 silencing-mediated inhibition on proliferation and promotion on apoptosis in NSCLC. In addition, the authors discovered that SNHG6 promoted cell progression by regulating miR-490-3p/RSF1 axis. However, SNHG6 knockdown hindered tumor growth in vivo by regulating RSF1 by targeting miR-490-3p. Conclusion: The authors demonstrated that SNHG6 promoted proliferation and inhibits apoptosis in NSCLC by regulating miR-490-3p/RSF1 axis, representing promising targeted therapeutic strategies against NSCLC.

Long noncoding RNA IRAIN acts as tumor suppressor via miR-125b in multiple myeloma

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are aberrantly expressed in a variety of cancer types. The lncRNA IGF1R antisense imprinted non-protein coding RNA (IRAIN) is associated with various cancer types, yet the role of IRAIN in multiple myeloma (MM) progression remains unclear. In the present study it was identified that IRAIN may act as a tumor suppressor in MM, whilst microRNA (miR)-125b may promote tumorigenesis. Downregulation of IRAIN significantly increased the expression of miR-125b. Furthermore, by using dual-luciferase reporter assays, IRAIN was identified as a target of miR-125b. Knockdown of IRAIN promoted MM cell proliferation in vitro. Thus, expression levels of IRAIN may be used to predict the clinical prognosis of patients with MM and may be a novel therapeutic target for treating MM.

UCA1 long non-coding RNA: An update on its roles in malignant behavior of cancers

The lncRNA urothelial carcinoma-associated 1 (UCA1) is a 1.4 kb long transcript which has been firstly recognized in human bladder cancer cell line. Subsequent studies revealed its over-expression in a wide array of human cancer cell lines and patients' samples. In addition to conferring malignant phenotype to cells, it enhances resistance to conventional anti-cancer drugs. Moreover, transcript levels of this lncRNA have been regarded as diagnostic markers in several cancer types including gastric, bladder and liver cancers. The underlying mechanism of its participation in carcinogenesis has been identified in some cancer types. Sponging tumor suppressor miRNAs, interacting with cancer-promoting signaling pathways and enhancing cell cycle progression are among these mechanisms. Although few studies have shown anti-carcinogenic properties for this lncRNA, the bulk of evidence supports its oncogenic roles. In the current study, we have reviewed the current literature on the role of UCA1 in the carcinogenic process based on the results of in vitro studies, investigations in animal models and assessment of UCA1 expression in clinical samples.

Evaluation of serum long noncoding RNA NEAT and MiR-129-5p in hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most prevalent form of cancer. Various long non coding RNA (lncRNAs) and micro RNA have been confirmed to have a role in the progression of HCC. Our aim was to investigate for the first time the expression profile of serum level of LNC NEAT (nuclear enrich abundant transcript) and MiR-129-5p in HCC patients and their relations with patient's clinical and biochemical investigations rather than previous studies on tissue cell lines. Our study includes 72 subjects divided into 36 as control subjects and 36 patients with HCC. Complete physical and laboratory investigations were done on all subjects. RNAs were extracted from sera of all subjects. RNAs were reversed transcribed into cDNAs using Qiagen, Valenica, CA. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) was performed using Rotor gene Q System (Qiagen). Relative NEAT1 expression level was significantly increased in serum of HCC patients 4.7 (1.31-6.82) (p < .0001). Meanwhile MiR-129-5p relative expression level was significantly decreased in serum of HCC patients 0.17 (0.14-20) (p < .0001). Also there was negative significant correlation between the expression level of LNC NEAT and MiR-129-5p in HCC group (p < .0001). ROC curve analysis revealed that LNC NEAT; AUC = 0.981, p < .0001, cutoff value (1.02), sensitivity 100%, specificity 88.9%. MiR-129-5p; AUC = 0.997, p < .0001, cutoff value (0.43), sensitivity 100%, specificity 97.2%. Serum LNC NEAT and MiR-129-5p could be used as potential biomarkers for HCC cancer diagnosis and prognosis.

The role of long non-coding RNAs in multiple myeloma

Multiple myeloma (MM) is still an incurable disease, and its pathogenesis involves cytogenetics and epigenetics. In recent years, the roles of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in MM have been deeply studied by scholars. LncRNAs are defined as a class of non-protein-coding transcripts greater than 200 nucleotides in length, which are involved in a large spectrum of biological processes, including proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, invasion, and chromatin remodeling. However, little is known about the specific mechanisms of these lncRNAs. They can act as oncogenic and/or tumor-suppressive factors in the development and progression of MM. But that how do they work remains unclear. In this review, the recent progress in the study of functional lncRNAs associated with MM was summarized and the present knowledge about their expression and roles was discussed, to provide guidance for the in-depth functional study of lncRNAs.

Long noncoding RNA UCA1 as a novel biomarker of lymph node metastasis and prognosis in human cancer: a meta-analysis

Background: Urothelial carcinoma associated 1 (UCA1), a novel long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) which is first discovered in 2006 in human bladder cancer and has become a hot spot in recent years. UCA1 has been demonstrated correlated with clinical outcomes in various cancers. However, the results from each study are insufficient and not completely consistent. Therefore, we perform a systematic meta-analysis to evaluate the value for a feasible biomarker for metastasis and prognosis of cancer. Methods: Relevant English literatures were searched in PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of science, Embase databases and Chinese literatures were searched in Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure Wanfang from inception up to 17 April 2018. The pooled odds ratio (OR) and hazard ratio (HR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) using random/fixed-effect were used to identify the relationship between UCA1 and lymph node metastasis (LNM) or overall survival (OS) of cancer patients. Subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis were performed. The current meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager 5.3 and Stata 12.0 software. Results: A total of 3411 patients from 38 studies were finally included. Patients who with high UCA1 expression suffered from an increased risk of LNM (OR = 2.50; 95% CI: 1.93–3.25). UCA1 was also significantly associated with OS (HR = 2.05; 95% CI: 1.77–2.38). Subgroup analyses across several different variables also showed the similar results in LNM and OS of cancer patients. Conclusion: High expression of UCA1 was linked with poor clinical outcome. UCA1 can serve as a potential molecular marker for metastasis and prognosis in different types of cancers.

Extramedullary disease in multiple myeloma - controversies and future directions

Extramedullary disease of multiple myeloma (EM) remains a treatment challenge even in the era of new drugs. While many reports analyzing various aspects of EM have been published, mechanism of EM development has not been clarified yet. This review summarizes current knowledge about this clinical entity, including its history, diagnostics, imaging methods, incidence, prognosis, current treatment options, risk factors and known molecular mechanisms that might be involved in pathogenesis of EM.

Decreased expression of long noncoding RNA XLOC_013703 promotes cell growth via NF-κB pathway in multiple myeloma

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are dysregulated in cancer and involved in oncogenic or tumor inhibitory processes. The aim of the study was to investigate the expression pattern of lncRNA XLOC_013703 in multiple myeloma (MM) and to evaluate its biological role and potential significance. We found that XLOC_013703 was significantly decreased in CD138 positive plasma cells and serum of MM patients compared to normal controls, and the decreased XLOC_013703 expression was correlated with β2-MG, serum-free light chain (s-FLC) and revised international staging system. RNA-fluorescence in situ hybridization results revealed that XLOC_013703 was distributed both in the nucleus and in the cytoplasm of MM cells including H929, RPMI8226, and U266. Overexpression of XLOC_013703 inhibited the proliferation of U266 cells and blocked the cell cycle in G1 stage, thus contributing to MM cell apoptosis. By contrast, knockdown of XLOC_013703 promoted the growth of H929 cells. Western blot analysis confirmed that the expression of p-IκBα and nuclear P65 was substantially increased in shRNA transfection groups compared to control groups, whereas overexpression of XLOC_013703 reduced these expressions. In conclusion, we confirmed that the decreased expression of a novel lncRNA, XLOC_013703, in MM. XLOC_013703 was involved in MM cell survival and proliferation via nuclear factor-κB pathway which represents a potential therapeutic target for MM. © 2019 IUBMB Life, 71(9):1240-1251, 2019.

LncRNA H19 overexpression induces bortezomib resistance in multiple myeloma by targeting MCL-1 via miR-29b-3p

Radiotherapy, chemotherapy, autologous/allogeneic stem cell transplantation, and targeted drug therapy are currently available therapeutic options for multiple myeloma (MM), but the clinical outcome remains unsatisfactory owing to frequent occurrence of drug resistance. Anti apoptosis is one of the main mechanisms to mediate drug resistance. Studies have shown that MCL-1 plays a key role in the growth of cancer cells “escaping” drug attacks, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Our previous study demonstrated that lncRNA H19 was highly expressed in the serum of MM patients. Bioinformatics predicts that miR-29b-3p is the downstream target gene, and MCL-1 is the downstream target protein of miR-29b-3p. Therefore, we speculated that MCL-1 may be involved in the occurrence of drug resistance through epigenetics. On the basis of these previous findings, the present study was intended to explore the biological function of H19, interactions between the downstream target genes, and the effect of H19 on BTZ resistance of myeloma cells. In addition, in vivo experiments we have also confirmed that H19 promoted tumor growth and may develop resistance to bortezomib partly. It was found that H19 reduced cell sensitivity to the chemotherapeutic drug BTZ by working as a miRNA sponge to inhibit the expression of miR-29b-3p, enhance MCL-1 transcriptional translation and inhibit apoptosis. These findings may help gain insights into the molecular mechanism of acquired BTZ resistance and develop new drug targets for the clinical treatment of MM.

Long Non-Coding RNAs in Multiple Myeloma

Multiple myeloma (MM) is the second most common hematooncological disease of malignant plasma cells in the bone marrow. While new treatment brought unprecedented increase of survival of patients, MM pathogenesis is yet to be clarified. Increasing evidence of expression of long non-coding RNA molecules (lncRNA) linked to development and progression of many tumors suggested their important role in tumorigenesis. To date, over 15,000 lncRNA molecules characterized by diversity of function and specificity of cell distribution were identified in the human genome. Due to their involvement in proliferation, apoptosis, metabolism, and differentiation, they have a key role in the biological processes and pathogenesis of many diseases, including MM. This review summarizes current knowledge of non-coding RNAs (ncRNA), especially lncRNAs, and their role in MM pathogenesis. Undeniable involvement of lncRNAs in MM development suggests their potential as biomarkers.

Circulating exosomal long noncoding RNA PRINS-First findings in monoclonal gammopathies

Multiple myeloma is the second most common hematological malignancy characterized by focal lesions of malignant plasma cells in the bone marrow. These lesions contain subclones that directly influence survival of patients. Bone marrow biopsies are single-site biopsies and thus cannot contain all information about the tumor. In contrast, liquid biopsies analyze circulating cells and molecules that are secreted from all sites of the tumor. Long noncoding RNA molecules are one class of these molecules. We performed a two-phase biomarker study investigating lncRNA expression profiles in exosomes of peripheral blood serum of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (MM) patients, monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) patients in comparison with healthy donors (HD). Surprisingly, this analysis revealed dysregulation of only one exosomal lncRNA PRINS in MM vs HD. Overall, MM and MGUS patients were distinguished from HD with sensitivity of 84.9% and specificity of 83.3%. Our study suggests a possible diagnostic role for exosomal lncRNA PRINS in monoclonal gammopathies patients.

Emerging roles of noncoding RNAs in multiple myeloma: A review

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a hematologic malignancy characterized by unrestricted secretion of monoclonal immunoglobulin and uncontrolled plasma cell proliferation. Extra-medullary infiltration and drug resistance are two major obstacles in the treatment of MM. To solve these problems, it is necessary to elucidate the underlying pathological mechanisms and find new therapeutic targets. Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), which were once considered "transcriptional noise," have been recognized as crucial regulators in the process of tumorigenesis including MM. Increasing evidence has shown that ncRNAs participate in MM pathogenesis via a series of complex cellular or extracellular processes. This review article summarizes examples of ncRNAs involved in myelosis and discusses their potential as biomarkers and therapeutic targets in the diagnosis and treatment of myelosis.

Long Non-Coding RNAs Guide the Fine-Tuning of Gene Regulation in B-Cell Development and Malignancy

With the introduction of next generation sequencing methods, such as RNA sequencing, it has become apparent that alterations in the non-coding regions of our genome are important in the development of cancer. Particularly interesting is the class of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), including the recently described subclass of circular RNAs (circRNAs), which display tissue- and cell-type specific expression patterns and exert diverse regulatory functions in the cells. B-cells undergo complex and tightly regulated processes in order to develop from antigen naïve cells residing in the bone marrow to the highly diverse and competent effector cells circulating in peripheral blood. These processes include V(D)J recombination, rapid proliferation, somatic hypermutation and clonal selection, posing a risk of malignant transformation at each step. The aim of this review is to provide insight into how lncRNAs including circRNAs, participate in normal B-cell differentiation, and how deregulation of these molecules is involved in the development of B-cell malignancies. We describe the prognostic value and functional significance of specific deregulated lncRNAs in diseases such as acute lymphoblastic leukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, mantle cell lymphoma, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, follicular lymphoma, Burkitt lymphoma and multiple myeloma, and we provide an overview of the current knowledge on the role of circRNAs in these diseases.

Long Non-Coding RNAs in Multiple Myeloma

Multiple myeloma (MM) is an incurable disease caused by the malignant proliferation of bone marrow plasma cells, whose pathogenesis remains largely unknown. Although a large fraction of the genome is actively transcribed, most of the transcripts do not serve as templates for proteins and are referred to as non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), broadly divided into short and long transcripts on the basis of a 200-nucleotide threshold. Short ncRNAs, especially microRNAs, have crucial roles in virtually all types of cancer, including MM, and have gained importance in cancer diagnosis and prognosis, predicting the response to therapy and, notably, as innovative therapeutic targets. Long ncRNAs (lncRNAs) are a very heterogeneous group, involved in many physiological cellular and genomic processes as well as in carcinogenesis, cancer metastasis, and invasion. LncRNAs are aberrantly expressed in various types of cancers, including hematological malignancies, showing either oncogenic or tumor suppressive functions. However, the mechanisms of the related disease-causing events are not yet revealed in most cases. Besides emerging as key players in cancer initiation and progression, lncRNAs own many interesting features as biomarkers with diagnostic and prognostic importance and, possibly, for their utility in therapeutic terms as druggable molecules. This review focuses on the role of lncRNAs in the pathogenesis of MM and summarizes the recent literature.

Aberrant lncRNA Expression in Multiple Myeloma

Multiple myeloma (MM), a type of malignant tumor, is characterized by dysplasia of clonal plasma cells in the bone marrow. People with MM will have damaged organs or tissues due to secretion of large amounts of monoclonal immunoglobulin or fragments (M protein). Despite improved survivability by novel treatment strategies over the last decade, MM is still incurable by current therapies. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), with length of more than 200 nucleotides, have been reported to act as important regulators in many diseases, including MM. Recent studies have reported aberrant lncRNA expression in MM; these dysregulated lncRNAs can play oncogenic and/or tumor-suppressive roles in the development and progression of MM. In this article, we present a general overview on the role of lncRNAs in MM pathogenesis and discuss their potential as prognostic biomarkers and targets for treatment.

Neat1 in hematopoietic stem cells

Hematopoietic Stem Cells (HSCs) generate blood and immune cells through a hierarchical process of differentiation. Genes that regulate this process are of great interest for understanding normal and also malignant hematopoiesis. Surprisingly, however, very little is known about long-non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) in HSCs. Neat1 is a lncRNA that plays a major role in the formation of sub-nuclear structures called paraspeckles, and was reported to regulate proliferation and differentiation in other cells types. We detected Neat1 expression using RNA-seq data and RT-qPCR in HSCs, progenitors and effector immune cells, by specific detection of its isoforms. Neat1 is highly expressed in stem and progenitor cells, yet it shows significant reduction in granulocytes. Microscopically, Neat1 is detected as sharp nuclear foci. Paraspeckle proteins NONO and PSPC1 are detected as aggregated nuclear foci in fresh primary hematopoietic cells, and in cultured cells. Induction of differentiation in vitro was found to enhance Neat1 expression. Taken together, our data demonstrate for the first time the expression of Neat1 and paraspeckles formation in HSCs and along hematopoiesis.

Pan-cancer analysis of long non-coding RNA NEAT1 in various cancers

Changes in the abundance and activity of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have an important impact on the development of cancer. The nuclear paraspeckle assembly transcript 1 (NEAT1) has been reported to be overexpressed in many types of cancer since its discovery. However, inconsistencies exist as NEAT1 can also function as a tumor suppressor in certain types of cancer, such as acute promyelocytic leukemia. Here we systematically describe our current understanding of NEAT1 in tumor initiation and progression. First, we analyzed the expression patterns of NEAT1 in various normal tissues and malignant cancers using data from public data portals, the Genotype-Tissue Expression Project (GTEx) and the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), together with recent progress in the study of NEAT1 in various types of cancer. Second, we discussed the functions and mechanisms of NEAT1 in modulating tumor activity. Then, the upstream transcription factors and downstream microRNA targets of NEAT1 in the transcription cascade of cancers were also summarized. These data highlight the emerging role of NEAT1 in tumorigenesis, and present promising targetable pathways and clinical opportunities for tumor prevention and classifications.

LncRNA MALAT1 acts as an oncogene in multiple myeloma through sponging miR-509-5p to modulate FOXP1 expression

Previous studies showed that Metastasis associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1(MALAT1) acted as an oncogene in Multiple Myeloma (MM). However, the underlying mechanism of MALAT1 in MM remains unclear. Quantitative real time-PCR(qRT-PCR) was used to determine MALAT1 expression in MM samples and cell lines. in vitro function assays were used to determine the function of MALAT1 on MM cells. Bioinformatics tools were used to predict the targets of MALAT1 and miR-509-5p, respectively. Furthermore, rescue experiments were performed to further confirm the regulation of miR-509-5p by MALAT1. In the present study, our data showed that MALAT1 expression was upregulated in MM samples and cell lines. In function assays, we confirmed that MALAT1 inhibition significantly suppressed cells proliferation, induced cells apoptosis, arrested cells in G1/S phase, and inhibited MM cells growth in vivo. Furthermore, MALAT1 was identified to function as a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) for miR-509-5p to promote MM cell viability. Additionally, our results suggested that miR-509-5p targeted the 3’-UTR of FOXP1 to suppress MM cells progression. Meanwhile, our results showed that miR-509-5p inhibitors significantly abrogated the decreased expression of FOXP1 induced by MALAT1 suppression, indicating that MALAT1 could positively regulate FOXP1 expression by sponging miR-509-5p. Our findings suggested that MALAT1/miR-509-5p/FOXP1 axis was one of the key signalings in mediating MM cell growth, and further indicated that MALAT1 could act as a novel diagnostic marker and therapeutic target for the treatment of MM.

Long non-coding RNA UCA1 indicates an unfavorable prognosis and promotes tumorigenesis via regulating AKT/GSK-3β signaling pathway in cholangiocarcinoma

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been documented to play key roles in a wide range of pathophysiological processes, including cancer initiation and progression. Recently, the aberrant expression of urothelial carcinoma associated 1 (UCA1) was observed in many types of cancers. However, its clinical relevance and exact effects in cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) remains unknown. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the clinical significance of UCA1 and evaluate its prognostic value in patients with CCA. Besides, the functional roles of UCA1 were detected both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, potential signaling pathways were explored to clarify the molecular mechanisms underlying CCA cell proliferation. The results indicated that UCA1 transcription is enhanced in both CCA tissue samples and cell lines, and this overexpression is associated with tumor stage (P = 0.007), lymph node invasion (P = 0.027), TNM stage (P = 0.004) and postoperative recurrence (P = 0.033) of CCA patients. Besides, UCA1 could function as an independent prognostic predictor for overall survival in patients with CCA (P = 0.014). For the part of functional assays, knockdown of UCA1 could attenuate CCA cell growth both in vitro and in vivo. Besides, UCA1 facilitates apoptosis via Bcl-2/caspase-3 pathway. In addition, UCA1 regulates migration and invasion potential of CCA cells by affecting EMT. Furthermore, AKT/GSK-3β axis was activated to upregulate CCND1 expression due to overexpression of UCA1 in CCA. To summary, UCA1 might be a potentially useful prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for CCA.