miRNA-133b targets FGFR1 and presents multiple tumor suppressor activities in osteosarcoma

MiR-1976/NCAPH/P65 axis inhibits the malignant phenotypes of lung adenocarcinoma

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is a malignancy with an abysmal survival rate. High metastasis is the leading cause of the low survival rate of LUAD. NCAPH, an oncogene, is involved in the carcinogenesis of LUAD. However, the regulation of NCAPH in LUAD remains controversial. In this work, we identified an up-regulation of NCAPH in LUAD tissues. Patients who expressed more NCAPH had shorter overall survival (OS). Furthermore, NCAPH overexpression promoted LUAD cell migration while inhibiting apoptosis. MiR-1976 and miR-133b were predicted to target NCAPH expression by searching TargetScan and linkedomics databases. Following that, we confirmed that miR-1976 suppressed NCAPH by directly targeting a 7-bp region of NCAPH 3' untranslated regions (UTR). In addition, increased expression of miR-1976 decreased the proliferation & migration and promoted apoptosis of LUAD cells, and the re-introduction of NCAPH reversed these influences. Furthermore, the xenograft and metastasis mouse models also confirmed that miR-1976 inhibited tumor growth and metastasis in vivo by targeting NCAPH. Finally, we found that MiR-1976 targeting NCAPH blocked the activation of NF-κB. In conclusion, miR-1976 inhibits NCAPH activity in LUAD and acts as a tumor suppressor. The miR-1976/NCAPH/NF-κB axis may, in the future, represent crucial diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers and promising therapeutic options.

Detailed role of microRNA-mediated regulation of PI3K/AKT axis in human tumors

The regulation of signal transmission and biological processes, such as cell proliferation, apoptosis, metabolism, migration, and angiogenesis are greatly influenced by the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Highly conserved endogenous non-protein-coding RNAs known as microRNAs (miRNAs) have the ability to regulate gene expression by inhibiting mRNA translation or mRNA degradation. MiRNAs serve key role in PI3K/AKT pathway as upstream or downstream target, and aberrant activation of this pathway contributes to the development of cancers. A growing body of research shows that miRNAs can control the PI3K/AKT pathway to control the biological processes within cells. The expression of genes linked to cancers can be controlled by the miRNA/PI3K/AKT axis, which in turn controls the development of cancer. There is also a strong correlation between the expression of miRNAs linked to the PI3K/AKT pathway and numerous clinical traits. Moreover, PI3K/AKT pathway-associated miRNAs are potential biomarkers for cancer diagnosis, therapy, and prognostic evaluation. The role and clinical applications of the PI3K/AKT pathway and miRNA/PI3K/AKT axis in the emergence of cancers are reviewed in this article.

Functional role of MicroRNA/PI3K/AKT axis in osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma (OS) is a primary malignant bone tumor that occurs in children and adolescents, and the PI3K/AKT pathway is overactivated in most OS patients. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are highly conserved endogenous non-protein-coding RNAs that can regulate gene expression by repressing mRNA translation or degrading mRNA. MiRNAs are enriched in the PI3K/AKT pathway, and aberrant PI3K/AKT pathway activation is involved in the development of osteosarcoma. There is increasing evidence that miRNAs can regulate the biological functions of cells by regulating the PI3K/AKT pathway. MiRNA/PI3K/AKT axis can regulate the expression of osteosarcoma-related genes and then regulate cancer progression. MiRNA expression associated with PI3K/AKT pathway is also clearly associated with many clinical features. In addition, PI3K/AKT pathway-associated miRNAs are potential biomarkers for osteosarcoma diagnosis, treatment and prognostic assessment. This article reviews recent research advances on the role and clinical application of PI3K/AKT pathway and miRNA/PI3K/AKT axis in the development of osteosarcoma.

Novel dual inhibitor for targeting PIM1 and FGFR1 kinases inhibits colorectal cancer growth in vitro and patient-derived xenografts in vivo

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most common cause of cancer-related death in the world. The pro-viral integration site for Moloney murine leukemia virus 1 (PIM1) is a proto-oncogene and belongs to the serine/threonine kinase family, which are involved in cell proliferation, migration, and apoptosis. Fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1) is a tyrosine kinase that has been implicated in cell proliferation, differentiation and migration. Small molecule HCI-48 is a derivative of chalcone, a class of compounds known to possess anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects. However, the underlying mechanism of chalcones against colorectal cancer remains unclear. This study reports that HCI-48 mainly targets PIM1 and FGFR1 kinases, thereby eliciting antitumor effects on colorectal cancer growth in vitro and in vivo. HCI-48 inhibited the activity of both PIM1 and FGFR1 kinases in an ATP-dependent manner, as revealed by computational docking models. Cell-based assays showed that HCI-48 inhibited cell proliferation in CRC cells (HCT-15, DLD1, HCT-116 and SW620), and induced cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase through modulation of cyclin A2. HCI-48 also induced cellular apoptosis, as evidenced by an increase in the expression of apoptosis biomarkers such as cleaved PARP, cleaved caspase 3 and cleaved caspase 7. Moreover, HCI-48 attenuated the activation of downstream components of the PIM1 and FGFR1 signaling pathways. Using patient-derived xenograft (PDX) murine tumor models, we found that treatment with HCI-48 diminished the PDX tumor growth of implanted CRC tissue expressing high protein levels of PIM1 and FGFR1. This study suggests that the inhibitory effect of HCI-48 on colorectal tumor growth is mainly mediated through the dual-targeting of PIM1 and FGFR1 kinases. This work provides a theoretical basis for the future application of HCI-48 in the treatment of clinical CRC.

Research Progress of Exosome-Loaded miRNA in Osteosarcoma

Currently, although the improvement of surgical techniques and the development of chemotherapy drugs have brought a certain degree of development to the treatment of osteosarcoma, the treatment of osteosarcoma has many shortcomings, and its treatment is limited. MiRNAs and exosomes can be used as diagnostic tools, and they play an important role in the occurrence and chemotherapy resistance of osteosarcoma. Therefore, providing a new method for the treatment of osteosarcoma is the key to solving this problem. To systematically summarize the research status of exoskeleton drug-loaded miRNA in osteosarcoma, we identified and evaluated 208 studies and found that exosome-carrying miRNA can be used as an index for the diagnosis and prognosis of osteosarcoma and share a certain relationship with chemosensitivity. In addition, exosomes can also be used as a carrier of genetic drugs able to regulate the progression of osteosarcoma. Based on the above findings, we propose suggestions for the future development of this field, aiming to bring new ideas for the early diagnosis and treatment of osteosarcoma.

The potential roles and mechanisms of non-coding RNAs in cancer anoikis resistance

Increasing evidence indicates that anoikis resistance is a critical process for metastasis of cancer cells, making it the attractive therapeutic target for cancer benefit. Anoikis resistance is widely regulated by various factors, such as signaling pathways, integrins switch, and non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). ncRNAs composed of microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs), are frequently dysregulated in a variety of human malignancies and are closely related to anoikis resistance of cancer cells. Based on the available literature, we reviewed the molecular basis underlying ncRNAs modulating cancer cells anoikis resistance, which may contribute to a better understanding of cancer metastasis and provide new beneficial therapeutic strategies against cancer.

Unraveling the roles of miRNAs in regulating epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma is one of the most prevalent primary bone tumors with a high metastatic and recurrence rate with poor prognosis. MiRNAs are short and non-coding RNAs that could regulate various cellular activities and one of them is the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Osteosarcoma cells that have undergone EMT would lose their cellular polarity and acquire invasive and metastatic characteristics. Our literature search showed that many pre-clinical and clinical studies have reported the roles of miRNAs in modulating the EMT process in osteosarcoma and compared to other cancers like breast cancer, there is a lack of review article which effectively summarizes the various roles of EMT-regulating miRNAs in osteosarcoma. This review, therefore, was aimed to discuss and summarize the EMT-promoting and EMT-suppressing roles of different miRNAs in osteosarcoma. The review would begin with the discussion on the concepts and principles of EMT, followed by the exploration of the diverse roles of EMT-regulating miRNAs in osteosarcoma. Subsequently, the potential use of miRNAs as prognostic biomarkers in osteosarcoma to predict the likelihood of metastases and as therapeutic agents would be discussed.

MiRNA-34c-5p protects against cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury: involvement of anti-apoptotic and anti-inflammatory activities

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are known as important regulators of gene expression and play important roles in diverse biological activities. However, the involvement of miRNAs in cerebral ischemia remains elusive. In the present study, using the middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model and oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion (OGD/RP)-induced cell injury model, we found that the expression levels of miR-34c-5p were significantly reduced in MCAO rats and OGD/RP cells. Overexpression of miR-34c-5p could improve the increased brain infarction, brain water content and neurological scores in MCAO rats, as well as the abnormal expression of inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, COX-2, iNOS, IL-10) in OGD/RP cells. Moreover, overexpression of miR-34c-5p was found to inhibit the activity of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) by regulating the expression of nuclear receptor coactivator 1 (NCOA1), and increase the apoptotic rate of cortical neurons by inhibiting the expression of Caspase-3 and Bax and upregulating the expression of Bcl-2. Taken together, our findings demonstrated that miR-34c-5p plays an important role in cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury, which may be mediated through inflammatory and apoptotic signaling pathways.

MicroRNA-802 promotes the progression of osteosarcoma through targeting p27 and activating PI3K/AKT pathway

PURPOSE

Increasing evidences suggest dysfunctions of microRNAs (miRNAs) are playing important part in tumors. Therefore, the role of miR-802 in osteosarcoma (OS) was exploited. The object was to evaluate the effect of miR-802 and verify its influence on p27 Kip1 (p27) in OS.

METHODS

RT-qPCR experiment was used to detect miR-802 and p27 expression in OS tissues and cells. We explored the function of miR-802 through Transwell assays. The phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT serine/threonine kinase pathway and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) was detected by Western blot assays. Luciferase assay was used to testify the target of miR-802.

RESULTS

MiR-802 expression was elevated in OS, which was related to poor clinical outcome in OS patients. MiR-802 overexpression promoted OS migration, invasion and EMT. Further, p27 is a direct target of miR-802. P27 elevation counteracted the promotion effect of OS on EMT, migration and invasion induced by miR-802. In addition, miR-802 overexpression inactivated PI3K/AKT pathway via targeting p27 in OS.

CONCLUSION

MiR-802 promoted the progress of EMT, migration and invasion in OS via targeting p27. This newly identified miR-802/p27/PI3K/AKT axis may represent potential targets for OS.

Effect of miR-133b on progression and cisplatin resistance of triple-negative breast cancer through FGFR1-Wnt-β-catenin axis

BACKGROUND

As a type of breast cancer that has relatively strong invasiveness, triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) seriously affects the survival of patients. microRNAs (miRNAs) have been shown to exert a prominent regulatory effect on the disease, among which miR-133b is reported to be involved in the pathological mechanism of breast cancer, but its role in TNBC remains unclear.

METHODS

In this study, real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and Western blotting (WB) were performed for detecting the expressions of miR-133b, fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1), and Wingless/Integrated (Wnt)-β-catenin pathway markers (Wnt1, β-catenin, nuclear-β-catenin, p-GSK-3β, GSK-3β, cyclinD1, and FOXQ1). With TNBC cells and DDP-resistant TNBC cells (TNBC/DDP cells) used as research objects, their proliferation and apoptosis were measured by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assays and Flow cytometry, respectively. Then, the targeted relationship between miR-133b and FGFR1 was verified by Dual luciferase reporter gene assay (DLRGA).

RESULTS

In our study, miR-133b was down-regulated while FGFR1 up-regulated in TNBC. The ectopic expression of miR-133b remarkably inhibited the proliferation and colony formation but induced apoptosis of TNBC cells, and inactivated the Wnt-β-catenin pathway. The knockdown of FGFR1 had similar effects. Additionally, miR-133b targeted and negatively regulated FGFR1. Up-regulating miR-133b or down-regulating FGFR1 could enhance the proliferation and DDP sensitivity of TNBC cells or TNBC/DDP cells. Up-regulating FGFR1 could offset the anti-TNBC cell survival and DDP sensitization shown by ectopic expression of miR-133b.

CONCLUSION

To sum up, miR-133b can inhibit the growth and DDP resistance of TNBC cells by targeting FGFR1 and inactivating the Wnt-β-catenin pathway.

Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptors (FGFRs) and Noncanonical Partners in Cancer Signaling

Increasing evidence indicates that success of targeted therapies in the treatment of cancer is context-dependent and is influenced by a complex crosstalk between signaling pathways and between cell types in the tumor. The Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF)/FGF receptor (FGFR) signaling axis highlights the importance of such context-dependent signaling in cancer. Aberrant FGFR signaling has been characterized in almost all cancer types, most commonly non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), breast cancer, glioblastoma, prostate cancer and gastrointestinal cancer. This occurs primarily through amplification and over-expression of FGFR1 and FGFR2 resulting in ligand-independent activation. Mutations and translocations of FGFR1-4 are also identified in cancer. Canonical FGF-FGFR signaling is tightly regulated by ligand-receptor combinations as well as direct interactions with the FGFR coreceptors heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) and Klotho. Noncanonical FGFR signaling partners have been implicated in differential regulation of FGFR signaling. FGFR directly interacts with cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) and extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, contributing to invasive and migratory properties of cancer cells, whereas interactions with other receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) regulate angiogenic, resistance to therapy, and metastatic potential of cancer cells. The diversity in FGFR signaling partners supports a role for FGFR signaling in cancer, independent of genetic aberration.

LncRNA-ROR/microRNA-185-3p/YAP1 axis exerts function in biological characteristics of osteosarcoma cells

AIM

The co-expression network of long non-coding RNA ROR (lncRNA-ROR) and microRNA-185-3p (miR-185-3p) has not been focused on osteosarcoma. Therein, this work was initiated to uncover lncRNA-ROR and miR-185-3p functions in osteosarcoma.

METHODS

LncRNA-ROR, miR-185-3p and Yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1) expression in osteosarcoma tissues and cells were detected. The screened cells (MG63 and U2OS) were transfected with decreased and/or increased lncRNA-ROR and miR-185-3p to explore osteosarcoma progression. Tumor growth was detected by tumor xenografts in mice.

RESULTS

Up-regulated lncRNA-ROR and YAP1 and down-regulated miR-185-3p were found in osteosarcoma. LncRNA ROR knockdown or miR-185-3p overexpression inhibited osteosarcoma cell progression while lncRNA ROR elevation or miR-185-3p inhibition presented the opposite effects. Function of lncRNA ROR was rescued by miR-185-3p and regulated the growth and metastasis of osteosarcoma cells via modulating YAP1, the target gene of miR-185-3p.

CONCLUSION

This work illustrates that lncRNA-ROR down-regulation or miR-185-3p up-regulation inhibits osteosarcoma progression via YAP1 repression.

MicroRNA-375 overexpression disrupts cardiac development of Zebrafish (Danio rerio) by targeting notch2

MicroRNAs are small noncoding RNAs that are important for proper cardiac development. In our previous study of fetuses with ventricular septal defects, we discovered that microRNA-375 (miR-375) is obviously upregulated compared with that in healthy controls. Our study also confirmed that miR-375 is crucial for cardiomyocyte differentiation. This research mainly focused on the biological significance and mechanism of miR-375 using a zebrafish model. We injected zebrafish embryos with 1-2 nl of a miR-375 mimic at various concentrations (0/2/4/8 μM) or with negative control. The deformation and mortality rates were separately assessed. The different expression levels of miR-375 and related genes were examined by qRT-PCR, and luciferase assays and in situ hybridization were used to clarify the mechanism of miR-375 during embryonic development. Overexpression of miR-375 disrupted the cardiac development of zebrafish embryos. Disruption of miR-375 led to a decreased heart rate, pericardial edema, and abnormal cardiac looping. Various genes involved in cardiac development were downregulated due to the overexpression of miR-375. Moreover, the NOTCH signaling pathway was affected, and the luciferase reporter gene assays confirmed notch2, which was predicted by bioinformatics analysis, as the target gene of miR-375. Our findings demonstrated that the overexpression of miR-375 is detrimental to embryonic development, including cardiac development, and can partially simulate a multisystemic disorder. MiR-375 has an important role during cardiac morphogenesis of zebrafish embryos by targeting notch2, indicating its potential as a diagnostic marker.

Circ_0015756 Aggravates Hepatocellular Carcinoma Development by Regulating FGFR1 via Sponging miR-610

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the leading threat of cancer-related death in humans. Increasing studies show that circular RNAs (circRNAs) are important indicators in cancer diagnosis and prognosis. This study intended to explore the function and mechanism of circ_0015756 in HCC, providing the additional opinion for HCC treatment.

Materials and Methods

Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was utilized to detect the expression of circ_0015756 and miR-610. Cell viability was assessed by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, and colony formation capacity was ascertained by colony formation assay. Cell migration and invasion were monitored by transwell assay. Cell cycle progression and apoptosis were analyzed by flow cytometry assay. Circ_0015756 oncogenicity was determined by Xenograft models. The targets of circ_0015756 and miR-610 were predicted by bioinformatics tools and validated using RNA pull-down, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) and dual-luciferase reporter assays. The expression level of fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1) was measured by Western blot.

Results

The expression of circ_0015756 was increased in HCC tissues, serums and cells. Circ_0015756 downregulation impaired HCC cell viability, colony formation capacity, invasion and migration, induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, and inhibited tumor growth in vivo. MiR-610 was ensured as a target of circ_0015756, and miR-610 absence reversed the effects of circ_0015756 downregulation. Further, FGFR1 was targeted by miR-610, and FGFR1 overexpression overturned the effects of miR-610 restoration in HCC cells. Circ_0015756 could regulate FGFR1 expression by targeting miR-610.

Conclusion

Circ_0015756 played its tumorigenic properties in HCC by activating FGFR1 via sponging miR-610, and circ_0015756 was expected to be a vital indicator in HCC diagnosis and treatment.

SP1-mediated upregulation of lncRNA LMCD1-AS1 functions a ceRNA for miR-106b-5p to facilitate osteosarcoma progression

Growing studies have indicated the involvements of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the initiation and progression of various tumors. We aimed to investigated the role of lncRNA LMCD1 antisense RNA 1 (LMCD1-AS1) in osteosarcoma development. We found that LMCD1-AS1 and SP1 were highly expressed in osteosarcoma tissues and cell lines. High levels of LMCD1-AS1 were correlated with positively metastasis and poor clinical prognosis. Moreover, we showed that SP1 can bind to the promoter region of LMCD1-AS1, resulting in its overexpression in osteosarcoma. Functionally, silencing of LMCD1-AS1 suppressed the proliferation, migration, invasion and EMT progress of osteosarcoma cells. Mechanistic studies revealed that LMCD1-AS1 was a sponge of miR-106b-5p activity. LMCD1-AS1 modulated survival of osteosarcoma via targeting miR-106b-5p. Overall, we firstly indicated that LMCD1-AS1 overexpression contributes to osteosarcoma development and poor clinical outcome, suggesting that LMCD1-AS1 may be a novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for osteosarcoma and a target for osteosarcoma therapy.

MicroRNA-761 targets FGFR1 to suppress the malignancy of osteosarcoma by deactivating PI3K/Akt pathway

Purpose

MicroRNA-761 (miR-761) has been reported to be deregulated in many types of human cancers and play important roles in cancer genesis and progression. However, the biological roles of miR-761 in osteosarcoma (OS) and the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown.

Methods

The expression of miR-761 in OS tissues and cell lines was analyzed using RT-qPCR. A series of gain-of-function tests were performed, and status of malignancy was evaluated on basis of proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis using different assays to determine the regulatory roles of miR-761 in OS cells in vivo and in vitro. Notably, the mechanisms underlying the action of miR-761 in the pathogenesis of OS were investigated using bioinformatic analysis, luciferase reporter assay, RT-qPCR and Western blotting.

Results

The results showed that miR-761 expression was decreased in OS tissues and cell lines and is closely correlated with clinical stage and distant metastasis in OS patients. Patients with OS having low miR-761 expression showed worse prognosis compared to OS patients with high miR-761 expression. Restoring the miR-761 expression level decreased OS cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro; promoted cell apoptosis in vitro; and impaired tumor growth in vivo. In addition, fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1) was found as a direct target gene of miR-761 in OS cells. Furthermore, silencing FGFR1 expression stimulated the tumor-suppressing roles of miR-761 upregulation in OS cells, whereas the activity of miR-761 overexpression in OS cells was abolished by the restoration of FGFR1 expression. Moreover, restoration of miR-761 expression deactivated the PI3K/Akt pathway in vitro and in vivo.

Conclusion

These results suggest that miR-761 plays anti-cancer roles in OS by directly targeting FGFR1 and deactivating the PI3K/Akt pathway. The newly identified miR-761/FGFR1/PI3K/Akt pathway partially illustrates the mechanism of OS pathogenesis and presents a novel candidate therapeutic target for antitumor therapy.

MicroRNA-552 promotes migration and invasion of osteosarcoma through targeting TIMP2

Aberrant miRNAs play important roles in tumor development and progression. Previous studies reported that miR-552 was dysregulated expressed in multiple cancers. However, its biological effects and underlying mechanism in osteosarcoma remains largely unknown. In present research, we demonstrated that miR-552 was significantly up-regulated in both osteosarcoma cell lines and tissues for the first time. Its high-expression was significantly associated with poor prognostic features and overall survival of osteosarcoma patients. Gain- and loss-of-function experiment confirmed that miR-552 promoted cell migration, invasion and MMPs expression. Moreover, TIMP2 was a direct downstream target of miR-552. miR-552 inversely correlated with TIMP2 in osteosarcoma tissues. TIMP2 restoration at least partially abolished the migration, invasion and MMPs expression of miR-552 on osteosarcoma cells. Above all, our data suggest that miR-552 promoted migration, invasion and MMPs expression of osteosarcoma by targeting TIMP2, and represent a novel potential therapeutic target for osteosarcoma.