Upregulation of microRNA-328-3p by hepatitis B virus contributes to THLE-2 cell injury by downregulating FOXO4

Regulatory role of microRNAs in virus-mediated inflammation

Viral infections in humans often cause excessive inflammation. In some viral infections, inflammation can be serious and even fatal, while in other infections it can promote viral clearance. Viruses can escape from the host immune system via regulating inflammatory pathways, thus worsening the illness. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are tiny non-coding RNA molecules expressed within diverse tissues as well as cells and are engaged in different normal pathological and physiological pathways. Emerging proof suggests that miRNAs can impact innate and adaptive immunity, inflammatory responses, cell invasion, and the progression of viral infections. We discuss some intriguing new findings in the current work, focusing on the impacts of different miRNAs on host inflammatory responses and virus-mediated inflammation. A better understanding of dysregulated miRNAs in viral infections could improve the identification, prevention, and treatment of several serious diseases.

Noncoding RNAs in hepatitis: Unraveling the apoptotic pathways

Hepatitis is a worldwide health issue that causes inflammation of the liver and is frequently brought on by viral infections, specifically those caused by the hepatitis B and C viruses. Although the pathophysiological causes of hepatitis are complex, recent research indicates that noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) play a crucial role in regulating apoptosis, an essential process for maintaining liver homeostasis and advancing the illness. Noncoding RNAs have been linked to several biological processes, including apoptosis. These RNAs include microRNAs (miRNAs), long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs). Distinct expression patterns characterising different stages of the disease have been discovered, indicating dysregulation of these non-coding RNAs in liver tissues infected with hepatitis. The complex interplay that exists between these noncoding RNAs and apoptotic effectors, including caspases and members of the Bcl-2 family, plays a role in the precarious equilibrium that regulates cell survival and death during hepatitis. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of ncRNA-mediated apoptosis in hepatitis, as well as insights into possible therapeutic targets and diagnostic indicators.

Screening and identification of specific cluster miRNAs in N2a cells infected by H7N9 virus

This study aims to screen and identify specific cluster miRNAs of H7N9 virus-infected N2a cells and explore the possible pathogenesis of these miRNAs. The N2a cells are infected with H7N9 and H1N1 influenza viruses, and the cells are collected at 12, 24 and 48 h to extract total RNA. To sequence miRNAs and identify different virus-specific miRNAs, high-throughput sequencing technology is used. Fifteen H7N9 virus-specific cluster miRNAs are screened, and eight of them are included in the miRBase database. These cluster-specific miRNAs regulate many signaling pathways, such as the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, the RAS signaling pathway, the cAMP signaling pathway, actin cytoskeleton regulation and cancer-related genes. The study provides a scientific basis for the pathogenesis of H7N9 avian influenza, which is regulated by miRNAs.

Dysregulated microRNAs as a biomarker for diagnosis and prognosis of hepatitis B virus-associated hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a malignancy with a high incidence and fatality rate worldwide. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is one of the most important risk factors for its occurrence and development. Early detection of HBV-associated HCC (HBV-HCC) can improve clinical decision-making and patient outcomes. Biomarkers are extremely helpful, not only for early diagnosis, but also for the development of therapeutics. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a subset of non-coding RNAs approximately 22 nucleotides in length, have increasingly attracted scientists' attention due to their potential utility as biomarkers for cancer detection and therapy. HBV profoundly impacts the expression of miRNAs potentially involved in the development of hepatocarcinogenesis. In this review, we summarize the current progress on the role of miRNAs in the diagnosis and treatment of HBV-HCC. From a molecular standpoint, we discuss the mechanism by which HBV regulates miRNAs and investigate the exact effect of miRNAs on the promotion of HCC. In the near future, miRNA-based diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic applications will make their way into the clinical routine.

Identifying MicroRNA Markers That Predict COVID-19 Severity Using Machine Learning Methods

Individuals with the SARS-CoV-2 infection may experience a wide range of symptoms, from being asymptomatic to having a mild fever and cough to a severe respiratory impairment that results in death. MicroRNA (miRNA), which plays a role in the antiviral effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection, has the potential to be used as a novel marker to distinguish between patients who have various COVID-19 clinical severities. In the current study, the existing blood expression profiles reported in two previous studies were combined for deep analyses. The final profiles contained 1444 miRNAs in 375 patients from six categories, which were as follows: 30 patients with mild COVID-19 symptoms, 81 patients with moderate COVID-19 symptoms, 30 non-COVID-19 patients with mild symptoms, 137 patients with severe COVID-19 symptoms, 31 non-COVID-19 patients with severe symptoms, and 66 healthy controls. An efficient computational framework containing four feature selection methods (LASSO, LightGBM, MCFS, and mRMR) and four classification algorithms (DT, KNN, RF, and SVM) was designed to screen clinical miRNA markers, and a high-precision RF model with a 0.780 weighted F1 was constructed. Some miRNAs, including miR-24-3p, whose differential expression was discovered in patients with acute lung injury complications brought on by severe COVID-19, and miR-148a-3p, differentially expressed against SARS-CoV-2 structural proteins, were identified, thereby suggesting the effectiveness and accuracy of our framework. Meanwhile, we extracted classification rules based on the DT model for the quantitative representation of the role of miRNA expression in differentiating COVID-19 patients with different severities. The search for novel biomarkers that could predict the severity of the disease could aid in the clinical diagnosis of COVID-19 and in exploring the specific mechanisms of the complications caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection. Moreover, new therapeutic targets for the disease may be found.

Plasma microRNA and metabolic changes associated with pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome: a prospective cohort study

Acute respiratory distress syndrome is a heterogeneous pathophysiological process responsible for significant morbidity and mortality in pediatric intensive care patients. Diagnosis is defined by clinical characteristics that identify the syndrome after development. Subphenotyping patients at risk of progression to ARDS could provide the opportunity for therapeutic intervention. microRNAs, non-coding RNAs stable in circulation, are a promising biomarker candidate. We conducted a single-center prospective cohort study to evaluate random forest classification of microarray-quantified circulating microRNAs in critically ill pediatric patients. We additionally selected a sub-cohort for parallel metabolomics profiling as a pilot study for concurrent use of miRNAs and metabolites as circulating biomarkers. In 35 patients (n = 21 acute respiratory distress, n = 14 control) 15 microRNAs were differentially expressed. Unsupervised random forest classification accurately grouped ARDS and control patients with an area under the curve of 0.762, which was improved to 0.839 when subset to only patients with bacterial infection. Nine metabolites were differentially abundant between acute respiratory distress and control patients (n = 4, both groups) and abundance was highly correlated with miRNA expression. Random forest classification of microRNAs differentiated critically ill pediatric patients who developed acute respiratory distress relative to those who do not. The differential expression of microRNAs and metabolites provides a strong foundation for further work to validate their use as a prognostic biomarker.

Forkhead O Transcription Factor 4 Restricts HBV Covalently Closed Circular DNA Transcription and HBV Replication through Genetic Downregulation of Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 4 Alpha and Epigenetic Suppression of Covalently Closed Circular DNA via Interacting with Promyelocytic Leukemia Protein

Nuclear located hepatitis B virus (HBV) covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) remains the key obstacle to cure chronic hepatitis B (CHB). In our previous investigation, it was found that FoxO4 could inhibit HBV core promoter activity through downregulating the expression of HNF4α. However, the exact mechanisms whereby FoxO4 inhibits HBV replication, especially its effect on cccDNA, remain unclear. Here, our data further revealed that FoxO4 could effectively inhibit cccDNA mediated transcription and HBV replication without affecting cccDNA level. Mechanistic study showed that FoxO4 could cause epigenetic suppression of cccDNA. Although FoxO4-mediated downregulation of HNF4α contributed to inhibiting HBV core promoter activity, it had little effect on cccDNA epigenetic regulation. Further, it was found that FoxO4 could colocalize within promyelocytic leukemia protein (PML) nuclear bodies and interact with PML. Of note, PML was revealed to be critical for FoxO4-mediated inhibition of cccDNA epigenetic modification and of the following cccDNA transcription and HBV replication. Furthermore, FoxO4 was found to be downregulated in HBV-infected hepatocytes and human liver tissues, and it was negatively correlated with cccDNA transcriptional activity in CHB patients. Together, these findings highlight the role of FoxO4 in suppressing cccDNA transcription and HBV replication via genetic downregulation of HNF4α and epigenetic suppression of cccDNA through interacting with PML. Targeting FoxO4 may present as a new therapeutic strategy against chronic HBV infection.

IMPORTANCE HBV cccDNA is a determining factor for viral persistence and the main obstacle for a cure of chronic hepatitis B. Strategies that target cccDNA directly are therefore of great importance in controlling persistent HBV infection. In present investigation, we found that FoxO4 could efficiently suppress cccDNA transcription and HBV replication without affecting the level of cccDNA itself. Further, our data revealed that FoxO4 might inhibit cccDNA function via a two-part mechanism: one is to epigenetically suppress cccDNA transcription via interacting with PML, and the other is to inhibit HBV core promoter activity via the genetic downregulation of HNF4α. Of note, HBV might dampen the expression of FoxO4 for its own persistent infection. We propose that manipulation of FoxO4 may present as a potential therapeutic strategy against chronic HBV infection.

Human Amnion-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal/Stem Cells Pre-Conditioning Inhibits Inflammation and Apoptosis of Immune and Parenchymal Cells in an In Vitro Model of Liver Ischemia/Reperfusion

Ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI) represents one of the leading causes of primary non-function acute liver transplantation failure. IRI, generated by an interruption of organ blood flow and the subsequent restoration upon transplant, i.e., reperfusion, generates the activation of an inflammatory cascade from the resident Kupffer cells, leading first to neutrophils recruitment and second to apoptosis of the parenchyma. Recently, human mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (hMSCs) and derivatives have been implemented for reducing the damage induced by IRI. Interestingly, sparse data in the literature have described the use of human amnion-derived MSCs (hAMSCs) and, more importantly, no evidence regarding hMSCs priming on liver IRI have been described yet. Thus, our study focused on the definition of an in vitro model of liver IRI to test the effect of primed hAMSCs to reduce IRI damage on immune and hepatic cells. We found that the IFNγ pre-treatment and 3D culture of hAMSCs strongly reduced inflammation induced by M1-differentiated macrophages. Furthermore, primed hAMSCs significantly inhibited parenchymal apoptosis at early timepoints of reperfusion by blocking the activation of caspase 3/7. All together, these data demonstrate that hAMSCs priming significantly overcomes IRI effects in vitro by engaging the possibility of defining the molecular pathways involved in this process.

Diagnostic Potential of Plasma Extracellular Vesicle miR-483-3p and Let-7d-3p for Sepsis

Background: microRNAs (miRNAs) from circulating extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been reported as disease biomarkers. This study aimed to identify the diagnostic value of plasma EV-miRNAs in sepsis.

Methods: EVs were separated from the plasma of sepsis patients at admission and healthy controls. The expression of EV-miRNAs was evaluated by microarray and qRT-PCR.

Results: A preliminary miRNA microarray of plasma EVs from a discovery cohort of 3 sepsis patients at admission and three healthy controls identified 11 miRNAs with over 2-fold upregulation in sepsis group. Based on this finding, EV samples from a validation cohort of 37 sepsis patients at admission and 25 healthy controls were evaluated for the expression of the 6 miRNAs relating injury and inflammation via qRT-PCR. Elevated expression of miR-483-3p and let-7d-3p was validated in sepsis patients and corroborated in a mouse model of sepsis. miR-483-3p and let-7d-3p levels positively correlated with the disease severity. Additionally, a combination of miR-483-3p and let-7d-3p had diagnostic value for sepsis. Furthermore, bioinformatic analysis and experimental validation showed that miR-483-3p and let-7d-3p target pathways regulating immune response and endothelial function.

Conclusion: The present study reveals the potential role of plasma EV-miRNAs in the pathogenesis of sepsis and the utility of combining miR-483-3p and let-7d-3p as biomarkers for early sepsis diagnosis.

The social and occupational consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic among patients with multiple sclerosis in three distinct populations: A web-based cross-sectional survey

Background

The novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes the disease COVID-19, has caused a pandemic that has rapidly affected the whole world and caused a significant threat to public health. The aim of this study was to investigate and analyze the social and occupational effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) in three different countries: China, Spain, and Cuba.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was designed to assess the social and occupational effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in MS patients in these three countries, using a 25-item anonymous online questionnaire, structured into three sections. Quantitative data are expressed as mean (standard deviation), and quantitative data as absolute frequency and percentage.

Results

A total of 361 participants responded to the questionnaire: 194 from China, 104 from Spain, and 63 from Cuba. We found no cases of COVID-19 among Chinese patients with MS, and few cases in Spain and Cuba. Respondents reported different levels of impact on relationships with friends, family, and colleagues, and patients in all three countries described increased use of digital or social media platforms. Spanish patients reported a significantly less negative impact than those in Cuba and China. Mental and cognitive effects were similar in all three countries, although China seemed to have a better situation. We also found that the time spent exercising decreased at specific points during the pandemic, but with few changes in dietary habits. Patients reported little or no change in their means of transport in all three countries. Most patients in all three countries reported little or no physical deterioration, especially in Chinese patients (82.47%), compared to the Spanish (70.20%) and Cuban respondents (73.02%). In general, patients from all three countries demonstrated confidence in overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic, although to a lesser extent among Spanish respondents.

Conclusions

During the pandemic, family support was more effective in China than in Cuba and Spain. Neither COVID-19 infections nor the number of MS relapses increased significantly during lockdown in any of the three countries. Regarding their economic situation, Spanish MS patients reported a significantly less severe negative impact than those in Cuba and China. Patients from all three countries used digital or social media platforms more frequently, probably to maintain personal relationships. Chinese and Cuban respondents were more confident of the control of the pandemic than the Spanish, who were more pessimistic.

miR-328-3p, a Predictor of Stroke, Aggravates the Cerebral Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury

Background

In the present study, we aimed to identify microRNAs (miRNAs) that affected the prognosis of stroke and assess their biological effects.

Materials and Methods

A high-throughput sequencing (HTS) analysis was performed to screen distinctive miRNAs in serum exosomes of stroke patients, and these miRNAs were subsequently validated using individual quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) in a cohort consisting of 39 stroke patients and 20 normal controls. Briefly, miR-328-3p agomir or agomir NC was injected into rats before ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) injury. Zea-Longa score, neurological severity score (mNSS), triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay, transmission electron microscopy, and hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining were used to examine the brain injury. Immunohistochemistry was utilized to determine the expressions of TNF-α and IL-6.

Results

The expression of serum exosomal miR-328-3p was significantly reduced in patients with an infarct volume ≥10 cm³ (P=0.01). Serum exosomal miR-328-3p was associated with the short-term prognosis (P=0.02), and the level of miR-328-3p was an independent relative factor for short-term prognosis (OR 5.276, P=0.02). The sensitivity of miR-328-3p level higher than 1.24 to predict the severity of the patient’s 1-week prognosis was 70%, and the specificity was 83% (AUC=0.74, P=0.02). The mNSS was higher in the miR-328-3p agomir group compared with the agomir NC group (P=0.03). Neutrophil infiltration was more serious in the miR-328-3p agomir group.

Conclusion

Our study indicated that miR-328-3p played a critical predictive role in the short-term prognosis of stroke, and up-regulation of miR-328-3p aggravated cerebral I/R injury.

Role of Forkhead Box O Proteins in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Biology and Progression (Review)

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common type of malignant tumor of the digestive system, is associated with high morbidity and mortality. The main treatment for HCC is surgical resection. Advanced disease, recurrence, and metastasis are the main factors affecting prognosis. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are not sufficiently efficacious for the treatment of primary and metastatic HCC; therefore, optimizing targeted therapy is essential for improving outcomes. Forkhead box O (FOXO) proteins are widely expressed in cells and function to integrate a variety of growth factors, oxidative stress signals, and other stimulatory signals, thereby inducing the specific expression of downstream signal factors and regulation of the cell cycle, senescence, apoptosis, oxidative stress, HCC development, and chemotherapy sensitivity. Accordingly, FOXO proteins are considered multifunctional targets of cancer treatment. The current review discusses the roles of FOXO proteins, particularly FOXO1, FOXO3, FOXO4, and FOXO6, in HCC and establishes a theoretical basis for the potential targeted therapy of HCC.

Transcriptome Classification Reveals Molecular Subgroups in Patients with Hepatitis B Virus

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) specifically infects hepatocytes, which can cause progressive liver fibrosis and a significantly increased risk of liver cancer. Multiple studies indicated host genetic, virological, and immunological factors could affect the HBV infection. However, the underlying mechanism involved in HBV infection remained unclear. Based on the analysis of gene expression data of 124 HBV patients (GEO accession: GSE84044), molecular subgroups of patients infected with hepatitis B virus were identified in this study, including C1, C2, and C3 groups. The age, fiber, degree of chemical and inflammation, and gene expression difference were also compared among the three sampling groups. Furthermore, the liver index was calculated using 93 liver-specific genes. The liver-specific gene expression in different molecular subgroups of HBV patients was thoroughly analyzed and then was compared with fibrosis and inflammation levels. Results showed that the C2 group was the youngest and the C3 group had the highest degree of fibrosis and inflammation. Enrichment analysis showed that metabolism-related pathways were mainly expressed in the C1 and C2 groups, and inflammation-related pathways and proteoglycans in cancer were highly expressed in the C1 and C3 groups. The liver index was higher in the C2 group than in the C1 and C3 groups, and it was the lowest in the C3 group. Macrophage M1/M2 and neutrophils were significantly different in the three groups. M1 was mainly abundant in the C3 group, and M2 and neutrophils were mainly abundant in the C2 group. This study provides novel information to understand the mechanisms of HBV infection in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients.

The miRNA: a small but powerful RNA for COVID-19

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a severe and rapidly evolving epidemic. Now, although a few drugs and vaccines have been proved for its treatment and prevention, little systematic comments are made to explain its susceptibility to humans. A few scattered studies used bioinformatics methods to explore the role of microRNA (miRNA) in COVID-19 infection. Combining these timely reports and previous studies about virus and miRNA, we comb through the available clues and seemingly make the perspective reasonable that the COVID-19 cleverly exploits the interplay between the small miRNA and other biomolecules to avoid being effectively recognized and attacked from host immune protection as well to deactivate functional genes that are crucial for immune system. In detail, SARS-CoV-2 can be regarded as a sponge to adsorb host immune-related miRNA, which forces host fall into dysfunction status of immune system. Besides, SARS-CoV-2 encodes its own miRNAs, which can enter host cell and are not perceived by the host's immune system, subsequently targeting host function genes to cause illnesses. Therefore, this article presents a reasonable viewpoint that the miRNA-based interplays between the host and SARS-CoV-2 may be the primary cause that SARS-CoV-2 accesses and attacks the host cells.

Cell death pathways and viruses: Role of microRNAs

Viral infections lead to the death of more than a million people each year around the world, both directly and indirectly. Viruses interfere with many cell functions, particularly critical pathways for cell death, by affecting various intracellular mediators. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a major example of these mediators because they are involved in many (if not most) cellular mechanisms. Virus-regulated miRNAs have been implicated in three cell death pathways, namely, apoptosis, autophagy, and anoikis. Several molecules (e.g., BECN1 and B cell lymphoma 2 [BCL2] family members) are involved in both apoptosis and autophagy, while activation of anoikis leads to cell death similar to apoptosis. These mechanistic similarities suggest that common regulators, including some miRNAs (e.g., miR-21 and miR-192), are involved in different cell death pathways. Because the balance between cell proliferation and cell death is pivotal to the homeostasis of the human body, miRNAs that regulate cell death pathways have drawn much attention from researchers. miR-21 is regulated by several viruses and can affect both apoptosis and anoikis via modulating various targets, such as PDCD4, PTEN, interleukin (IL)-12, Maspin, and Fas-L. miR-34 can be downregulated by viral infection and has different effects on apoptosis, depending on the type of virus and/or host cell. The present review summarizes the existing knowledge on virus-regulated miRNAs involved in the modulation of cell death pathways. Understanding the mechanisms for virus-mediated regulation of cell death pathways could provide valuable information to improve the diagnosis and treatment of many viral diseases.