miR-203 suppresses the proliferation and migration and promotes the apoptosis of lung cancer cells by targeting SRC

The Role of microRNAs in Gene Expression and Signaling Response of Tumor Cells to an Acidic Environment

Many tumors are characterized by marked extracellular acidosis due to increased glycolytic metabolism, which affects gene expression and thereby tumor biological behavior. At the same time, acidosis leads to altered expression of several microRNAs (Mir7, Mir183, Mir203, Mir215). The aim of this study was to analyze whether the acidosis-induced changes in cytokines and tumor-related genes are mediated via pH-sensitive microRNAs. Therefore, the expression of Il6, Nos2, Ccl2, Spp1, Tnf, Acat2, Aox1, Crem, Gls2, Per3, Pink1, Txnip, and Ypel3 was examined in acidosis upon simultaneous transfection with microRNA mimics or antagomirs in two tumor lines in vitro and in vivo. In addition, it was investigated whether microRNA expression in acidosis is affected via known pH-sensitive signaling pathways (MAPK, PKC, PI3K), via ROS, or via altered intracellular Ca2+ concentration. pH-dependent microRNAs were shown to play only a minor role in modulating gene expression. Individual genes (e.g., Ccl2, Txnip, Ypel3) appear to be affected by Mir183, Mir203, or Mir215 in acidosis, but these effects are cell line-specific. When examining whether acid-dependent signaling affects microRNA expression, it was found that Mir203 was modulated by MAPK and ROS, Mir7 was affected by PKC, and Mir215 was dependent on the intracellular Ca2+ concentration. Mir183 could be increased by ROS scavenging. These correlations could possibly result in new therapeutic approaches for acidotic tumors.

Identification and functional validation of SRC and RAPGEF1 as new direct targets of miR-203, involved in regulation of epidermal homeostasis

The epidermis is mostly composed of keratinocytes and forms a protecting barrier against external aggressions and dehydration. Epidermal homeostasis is maintained by a fine-tuned balance between keratinocyte proliferation and differentiation. In the regulation of this process, the keratinocyte-specific miR-203 microRNA is of the outmost importance as it promotes differentiation, notably by directly targeting and down-regulating mRNA expression of genes involved in keratinocyte proliferation, such as ΔNp63, Skp2 and Msi2. We aimed at identifying new miR-203 targets involved in the regulation of keratinocyte proliferation/differentiation balance. To this end, a transcriptome analysis of human primary keratinocytes overexpressing miR-203 was performed and revealed that miR-203 overexpression inhibited functions like proliferation, mitosis and cell cycling, and activated differentiation, apoptosis and cell death. Among the down-regulated genes, 24 putative target mRNAs were identified and 8 of them were related to proliferation. We demonstrated that SRC and RAPGEF1 were direct targets of miR-203. Moreover, both were down-regulated during epidermal morphogenesis in a 3D reconstructed skin model, while miR-203 was up-regulated. Finally silencing experiments showed that SRC or RAPGEF1 contributed to keratinocyte proliferation and regulated their differentiation. Preliminary results suggest their involvement in skin carcinoma hyperproliferation. Altogether this data indicates that RAPGEF1 and SRC could be new mediators of miR-203 in epidermal homeostasis regulation.

A TGF-β-responsive enhancer regulates SRC expression and epithelial-mesenchymal transition-associated cell migration

The non-receptor tyrosine kinase SRC is overexpressed and/or hyperactivated in various human cancers, and facilitates cancer progression by promoting invasion and metastasis. However, the mechanisms underlying SRC upregulation are poorly understood. In this study, we demonstrate that transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) induces SRC expression at the transcriptional level by activating an intragenic the SRC enhancer. In the human breast epithelial cell line MCF10A, TGF-β1 stimulation upregulated one of the SRC promotors, the 1A promoter, resulting in increased SRC mRNA and protein levels. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP)-sequencing analysis revealed that the SMAD complex is recruited to three enhancer regions ∼15 kb upstream and downstream of the SRC promoter, and one of them is capable of activating the SRC promoter in response to TGF-β. JUN, a member of the activator protein (AP)-1 family, localises to the enhancer and regulates TGF-β-induced SRC expression. Furthermore, TGF-β-induced SRC upregulation plays a crucial role in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-associated cell migration by activating the SRC-focal adhesion kinase (FAK) circuit. Overall, these results suggest that TGF-β-induced SRC upregulation promotes cancer cell invasion and metastasis in a subset of human malignancies.

Circ_0060967 contributes to colorectal cancer progression by sponging miR-1184 to up-regulate SRC proto-oncogene

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are closely associated with cancer pathogenesis. The purpose of our current study was to explore the role and mechanism of circ_0060967 in colorectal cancer (CRC) development.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Human CRC specimens and paired healthy tissues were used to examine variable expression. The expression of circ_0060967 and microRNA (miR)-1184 was examined by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR. The protein levels of proliferating cell nuclear antigen, BCL2-associated X, apoptosis regulator (Bax), proto-oncogene nonreceptor tyrosine kinase Src (SRC), nuclear factor-κB inhibitor alpha (IκBα), phosphorylated-IκBα (p-IκBα), RELA proto-oncogene, nuclear factor-κB subunit (p65), and phosphorylated-p65 (p-p65) were determined by western blot. Proliferation and motility of HCT-116 and SW480 CRC cells were assessed by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) and transwell assays, respectively. Dual-luciferase reporter assay and RNA immunoprecipitation assay were used to determine the binding relation between miR-1184 and circ_0060967 or SRC. Animal studies were used to detect the role of circ_0060967 in CRC cell tumorigenicity.

RESULTS

Circ_0060967 abundance was enhanced in human CRC tissue samples versus paired normal colorectal tissues and in HCT-116 and SW480 CRC cells versus normal HCO cells. Decreased expression of circ_0060967 could suppress cell growth, motility, and invasiveness of CRC cells in vitro and tumor growth in vivo. Circ_0060967 sponged miR-1184, and miR-1184 targeted SRC. Furthermore, we also found circ_0060967 affected cell growth by modulating miR-1184/SRC axis in CRC.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates a novel circ_0060967/miR-1184/SRC regulatory cascade in affecting CRC cell malignant behaviors, which can have a broad effect on the field of molecularly targeted therapeutics.

Study on the mechanism of action of Scutellaria barbata on hepatocellular carcinoma based on network pharmacology and bioinformatics

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the most common cancers with the characteristics of invasion and high mortality. Current forms of prevention remain severe. Scutellaria barbata is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine treatment of various tumors. This study explored the mechanism of Scutellaria barbata in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma by network pharmacology and bioinformatics. Methods: The active ingredients of Scutellaria barbata and potential targets for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma were collected by network pharmacology. The protein interaction network was constructed to screen the core targets, and the association between the core targets and diseases was further verified by bioinformatics methods. Finally, the active ingredients corresponding to the targets closely related to the disease were screened for AMDE characteristics analysis. Molecular docking of drug-like ingredients with corresponding targets was performed. We used CCK-8 kit to determine the effect of active ingredients on cell proliferation. Results: 29 candidate active ingredients and 461 related targets of Scutellaria barbata were screened. A total of 8238 potential therapeutic targets for hepatocellular carcinoma were indentified. Finally, 373 potential targets for the treatment of HCC were obtained. The active ingredients: wogonin, Rhamnazin, eriodictyol, quercetin, baicalein, and luteolin, etc. The core targets were CDK1, CDK4, SRC, and E2F1. A total of 3056 GO enrichment entries were obtained, and 180 enrichment results were obtained by KEGG pathway analysis. Genes were mainly enriched in PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, IL-17 signaling pathway, TNF signaling pathway, apoptosis pathway, and hepatocellular carcinoma pathway. Molecular docking results showed that the screened compounds had strong binding ability with the corresponding target proteins. CCK8 assays showed that Rhamnazin and Luteolin suppressed the proliferation of HCC cells significantly compared with controls. Conclusion: This study revealed that the mechanism of Scutellaria barbata in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma may be that the active ingredients inhibit the expression of core genes and block the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway to inhibit the proliferation, and migration and induce apoptosis of cancer cells.

Noncoding RNAs in apoptosis: identification and function

Apoptosis is a vital cellular process that is critical for the maintenance of homeostasis in health and disease. The derailment of apoptotic mechanisms has severe consequences such as abnormal development, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases. Thus, there exist complex regulatory mechanisms in eukaryotes to preserve the balance between cell growth and cell death. Initially, protein-coding genes were prioritized in the search for such regulatory macromolecules involved in the regulation of apoptosis. However, recent genome annotations and transcriptomics studies have uncovered a plethora of regulatory noncoding RNAs that have the ability to modulate not only apoptosis but also many other biochemical processes in eukaryotes. In this review article, we will cover a brief summary of apoptosis and detection methods followed by an extensive discussion on microRNAs, circular RNAs, and long noncoding RNAs in apoptosis.

Nanoliposomal Delivery of MicroRNA-203 Suppresses Migration of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer through Distinct Target Suppression

Triple-negative breast cancers affect thousands of women in the United States and disproportionately drive mortality from breast cancer. MicroRNAs are small, non-coding RNAs that negatively regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally by inhibiting target mRNA translation or by promoting mRNA degradation. We have identified that miRNA-203, silenced by epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), is a tumor suppressor and can promote differentiation of breast cancer stem cells. In this study, we tested the ability of liposomal delivery of miR-203 to reverse aspects of breast cancer pathogenesis using breast cancer and EMT cell lines. We show that translationally relevant methods for increasing miR-203 abundance within a target tissue affects cellular properties associated with cancer progression. While stable miR-203 expression suppresses LASP1 and survivin, nanoliposomal delivery suppresses BMI1, indicating that suppression of distinct mRNA target profiles can lead to loss of cancer cell migration.

Serum Exosomes and Their miRNA Load-A Potential Biomarker of Lung Cancer

Early detection of lung cancer in screening programs is a rational way to reduce mortality associated with this malignancy. Low-dose computed tomography, a diagnostic tool used in lung cancer screening, generates a relatively large number of false-positive results, and its complementation with molecular biomarkers would greatly improve the effectiveness of such programs. Several biomarkers of lung cancer based on different components of blood, including miRNA signatures, were proposed. However, only a few of them have been positively validated in the context of early cancer detection yet, which imposes a constant need for new biomarker candidates. An emerging source of cancer biomarkers are exosomes and other types of extracellular vesicles circulating in body fluids. Hence, different molecular components of serum/plasma-derived exosomes were tested and showed different levels in lung cancer patients and healthy individuals. Several studies focused on the miRNA component of these vesicles. Proposed signatures of exosome miRNA had promising diagnostic value, though none of them have yet been clinically validated. These signatures involved a few dozen miRNA species overall, including a few species that recurred in different signatures. It is worth noting that all these miRNA species have cancer-related functions and have been associated with lung cancer progression. Moreover, a few of them, including known oncomirs miR-17, miR-19, miR-21, and miR-221, appeared in multiple miRNA signatures of lung cancer based on both the whole serum/plasma and serum/plasma-derived exosomes.

miR-203a suppresses cell proliferation by targeting RING-finger protein 6 in colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of most common cancers worldwide. Although miR-203a is reported as a tumor suppressor involved in cell progression in some cancers, the role of miR-203a in CRC is still controversial and the underling mechanism of miR-203a in CRC remains unclear. Here, we demonstrated that low expression of miR-203a had poorer survival in CRC patients. miR-203a was down-regulated in most human colon cancer cells. Overexpression of miR-203a could inhibit colon cancer cell proliferation and arrest cell cycle in G1 phase. Bioinformatics and dual luciferase reporter assay confirmed that RING-finger protein 6 (RNF6) was a target gene of miR-203a. Silencing RNF6 inhibited cell proliferation and arrest cell cycle in G1 phase. RNF6 overexpression reversed the effects of miR-203a overexpression in colon cancer cells. Taken together, our data indicate that miR-203a inhibits colon cancer cell proliferation by targeting RNF6, offer novel insights into the regulatory network of miR-203a-modulated cell cycle and proliferation, and suggest that miR-203a a potential therapeutic target in CRC treatment.

Advances of exosome isolation techniques in lung cancer

Lung cancer (LC) is among the leading causes of death all over the world and it is often diagnosed at advanced or metastatic stages. Exosomes, derived from circulating vesicles that are released from the multivesicular body, can be utilized for diagnosis and also the prognosis of LC at early stages. Exosomal proteins, RNAs, and DNAs can help to better discern the prognostic and diagnostic features of LC. To our knowledge, there are various reviews on LC and the contribution of exosomes, but none of them are about the exome techniques and also their efficiency in LC. To fill this gap, in this review, we summarize the recent investigations regarding isolation and also the characterization of exosomes of LC cells. Furthermore, we discuss the noncoding RNAs as biomarkers and their applications in the diagnosis and prognosis of LC. Finally, we compare the efficacy of exosome isolation methods to better fi + 6 + guring out feasible techniques.

MiR-155-5p and MiR-203a-3p Are Prognostic Factors in Soft Tissue Sarcoma

Soft tissue sarcoma (STS) is a heterogeneous group of rare malignancies with a five-year survival rate of approximately 50%. Reliable molecular markers for risk stratification and subsequent therapy management are still needed. Therefore, we analyzed the prognostic potential of miR-155-5p and miR-203a-3p expression in a cohort of 79 STS patients. MiR-155-5p and miR-203a-3p expression was measured from tumor total RNA by qPCR and correlated with the demographic, clinicopathological, and prognostic data of the patients. Elevated miR-155-5p expression was significantly associated with increased tumor stage and hypoxia-associated mRNA/protein expression. High miR-155-5p expression and low miR-203a-3p expression, as well as a combination of high miR-155-5p and low miR-203a-3p expression, were significantly associated with poor disease-specific survival in STS patients in the Kaplan–Meier survival analyses (p = 0.027, p = 0.001 and p = 0.0003, respectively) and in the univariate Cox regression analyses (RR = 1.96; p = 0.031; RR = 2.59; p = 0.002 and RR = 4.76; p = 0.001, respectively), but not in the multivariate Cox regression analyses. In conclusion, the oncomiR miR-155-5p and the tumor suppressor-miR miR-203a-3p exhibit an association with STS patient prognosis and are suggested as candidates for risk assessment.

Diagnostic and mechanistic values of microRNA-130a and microRNA-203 in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma

This research was determined to unearth the diagnostic values and the effects of microRNA (miR)-130a and miR-203 on cell proliferation and apoptosis of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). Expression of miR-130a and miR-203 were evaluated and were subjected to correlation analysis. The diagnostic values of miR-130a and miR-203 and their associations with clinicopathological characteristics of patients with PTC were measured. The expression levels of miR-130a and miR-203 in K1, IHH4, TPC-1, and BCPAP cells together with Nthy-ori 3-1 cells were measured. Cells were transfected with miR-130a mimics, miR-203 mimics, and coordinate of miR-130a mimics and miR-203 mimics. Cell growth, colony formation, and apoptosis were detected by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, colony formation assay, and flow cytometry. PTC tissues had decreased miR-130a and miR-203 relative to adjacent normal tissues and normal thyroid tissue (both P < .05). miR-130a was in positive correlation with miR-203 (r = 0.754, P < .01). miR-130a was related with tumor infiltration and tumor stage while miR-203 was implicated in tumor stage and lymph-node metastasis. The area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, as well as specificity for miR-130 in predicting PTC was 0.839, 74.5%, and 85.0% and those for miR-203 were 0.818, 73.7%, and 84.0%, respectively. PTC cells had lower expression of miR-130a and miR-203 than that in Nthy-ori 3-1 cells. After transfected miR-130a and miR-203 mimics in BCPAP and TPC-1 cells, both cells had increased miR-130a and miR-203, promoted cell apoptosis rate and decreased cell growth rate, and colony formation ability. After coordinately transfected with miR-130a mimics and miR-203 mimics, the cell growth and colony formation ability of PTC cells were restrained, and apoptosis of PTC cells was elevated (all P < .05). This study highlights that miR-130a and miR-203 have satisfactory diagnostic value in PTC and upregulated miR-130a and miR-203 can inhibit PTC cell growth and promote cell apoptosis.

Limonoid compounds from Xylocarpus granatum and their anticancer activity against esophageal cancer cells

Background

To investigate the anticancer effects of limonoid compounds that were isolated and purified from Xylocarpus granatum fruits on human esophageal cancer (EC) cells. A structure‐activity relationship experiment was designed to identify the functional moiety of limonoid compounds identified as being critical for its anticancer activity.

Methods

Eca109 cells were cultured in RPMI1640 medium and treated with limonoid compounds. Cell proliferation was determined by the MTT assay in vitro. Eca109 cells apoptosis was analyzed by by flow cytometry after being treated with xylogranatin C. The expression of p53, Bax, bcl‐2, caspase‐3 and GRP78 in Eca109 cells after xylogranatin C treatment was examined by western blot assay.

Results

Four linonoid compounds strongly inhibited the cellular proliferation of Eca109 cells. Xylogranatin C was the strongest inhibitor, whose inhibitory effect was comparable to that of the well‐known chemotherapeutic agent, cisplatin. Furthermore, xylogranatin C might induce Eca109 cell apoptosis through joint effects on multiple pathways, including the death receptor and endoplasmic reticulum pathways. Additionally, xylogranatin C suppressed tumor cell proliferation by upregulating miR‐203a expression in Eca109 cells.

Conclusions

Xylogranatin C induced Eca109 cellular apoptosis and exerted antitumor activity. Xylogranatin C suppressed tumor cell proliferation by upregulating miR‐203a expression in Eca109 cells.

Implication of the p53-Related miR-34c, -125b, and -203 in the Osteoblastic Differentiation and the Malignant Transformation of Bone Sarcomas

The formation of the skeleton occurs throughout the lives of vertebrates and is achieved through the balanced activities of two kinds of specialized bone cells: the bone-forming osteoblasts and the bone-resorbing osteoclasts. Impairment in the remodeling processes dramatically hampers the proper healing of fractures and can also result in malignant bone diseases such as osteosarcoma. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small non-coding single-strand RNAs implicated in the control of various cellular activities such as proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. Their post-transcriptional regulatory role confers on them inhibitory functions toward specific target mRNAs. As miRNAs are involved in the differentiation program of precursor cells, it is now well established that this class of molecules also influences bone formation by affecting osteoblastic differentiation and the fate of osteoblasts. In response to various cell signals, the tumor-suppressor protein p53 activates a huge range of genes, whose miRNAs promote genomic-integrity maintenance, cell-cycle arrest, cell senescence, and apoptosis. Here, we review the role of three p53-related miRNAs, miR-34c, -125b, and -203, in the bone-remodeling context and, in particular, in osteoblastic differentiation. The second aim of this study is to deal with the potential implication of these miRNAs in osteosarcoma development and progression.

lncRNA TPTEP1 competitively sponges miR‑328‑5p to inhibit the proliferation of non‑small cell lung cancer cells

Accumulating evidence suggests that lncRNAs are involved in almost all normal physiological processes and that aberrant expression of lncRNAs may be involved in the development of diseases, including non‑small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the roles of lncRNA‑TPTE pseudogene 1 (TPTEP1) in lung cancer and the underlying molecular mechanisms have remained elusive. In the present study, significant downregulation of TPTEP1 in tumors compared with normal tissues from patients with NSCLC was observed. Overexpression of TPTEP1 inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis in NSCLC cells. A bioinformatics analysis based on miRDB predicted microRNA (miR)‑328‑5p as a potential binding miRNA for TPTEP1. Using a dual‑luciferase reporter assay and western blot analysis, it was further validated that TPTEP1 sponged miR‑328‑5p to upregulate Src kinase signaling inhibitor 1 (SRCIN1) in NSCLC cells. Through regulation of SRCIN1, TPTEP1 was indicated to inactivate the Src and STAT3 pathways in NSCLC cells. Notably, silencing of SRCIN1 reversed the TPTEP1 overexpression‑induced inhibition of cell proliferation and increase of the apoptotic rate in NSCLC cells. Pearson correlation analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between TPTEP1 and SRCIN1 mRNA levels in NSCLC tumors. The present results provided insight into the roles of TPTEP1 in NSCLC and the underlying mechanisms.

Mechanism of epithelial‑mesenchymal transition inhibited by miR‑203 in non‑small cell lung cancer

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether miR-203 can inhibit transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and the migration and invasion ability of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells by targeting SMAD3. In the present study, the expression levels of miR-203, SMAD3 mRNA and protein in NSCLC tissues were examined, as well as their corresponding paracancerous samples. The miR-203 mimics and miR-203 inhibitor were transfected into the H226 cell line. RT-qPCR was used to assess the expression levels of E-cadherin, Snail, N-cadherin and vimentin mRNA, and western blotting was performed to detect the expression levels of p-SMAD2, SMAD2, p-SMAD3, SMAD3 and SMAD4. The cell migration and invasion abilities were detected by Transwell assays. The target site of SMAD3 was predicted by the combined action between miR-203 and dual luciferase. The results revealed that the RNA levels of miR-203, compared with paracancerous tissues, were decreased in NSCLC tissues, while SMAD3 mRNA and protein levels were upregulated, and miR-203 inhibited SMAD3 expression. Induction of TGF-β led to decreased E-cadherin mRNA levels, upregulation of Snail, N-cadherin and vimentin mRNA levels (P<0.05), and significant increase in cell migration and invasion, whereas transfection of miR-203 mimics reversed the aforementioned results (P<0.05). Conversely, miR-203 inhibitor could further aggravate the aforementioned results (P<0.05). Western blot results revealed that transfection of miR-203 mimics significantly reduced the protein expression of SMAD3 and p-SMAD3 (P<0.05). Furthermore, the results of the Dual-Luciferase assay revealed that miR-203 inhibited SMAD3 expression by interacting with specific regions of its 3′-UTR. Overall, a novel mechanism is revealed, in which, miR-203 can inhibit SMAD3 by interacting with specific regions of the 3′-UTR of SMAD3, thereby restraining TGF-β-induced EMT progression and migration and invasion of NSCLC cells.

Clinical significance of serum MicroRNA-203 in patients with acute myeloid leukemia

This study aimed to detect serum miR-203 expression levels in AML and explore its potential clinical significance. Quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was performed to measure the serum miR-203 levels in 134 patients with AML and 70 healthy controls. The results demonstrated that serum miR-203 expression was significantly reduced in AML patients compared with healthy controls. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis revealed miR-203 could distinguish AML cases from normal controls. Low serum miR-203 levels were associated with worse clinical features, as well as poorer overall survival and relapse free survival of AML patients. Moreover, multivariate analysis confirmed low serum miR-203 expression to be an independent unfavorable prognostic predictor for AML. The bioinformatics analysis showed that the downstream genes and pathways of miR-203 was closely associated with tumorigenesis. Downregulation of miR-203 in AML cell lines upregulated the expression levels of oncogenic promoters such as CREB1, SRC and HDAC1. Thus, these findings demonstrated that serum miR-203 might be a promising biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of AML.

Oxygen-induced circRNA profiles and coregulatory networks in a retinopathy of prematurity mouse model

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a leading cause of childhood blindness. At present, the molecular mechanisms underlying ROP are still far from being clearly understood. Circular RNAs (circRNAs), a novel class of noncoding RNAs, have been reported to serve vital regulatory roles in several human diseases. However, it is still unclear how circRNAs are involved in ROP. In the present study, oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR) murine retinal samples and paired normal tissues were chosen for high-throughput transcriptome RNA sequencing and bioinformatic analyses. As a result, a total of 236 differentially expressed circRNAs, 14 differentially expressed miRNAs, and 9,756 differentially expressed mRNAs were identified in the OIR samples. Gene ontology analysis showed that angiogenesis ranked in the top five upregulated biological processes associated with differential mRNA expression. Then, 66 co-expression pairs of circRNA-mRNA were predicted according to the mRNAs that were enriched in angiogenesis. Furthermore, coregulation prediction was separately performed to identify the differentially expressed miRNAs that targeted angiogenesis-associated circRNAs or mRNAs. Finally, nine differentially expressed circRNAs were predicted to be competing endogenous RNAs by constructing a circRNA-miRNA-mRNA network followed by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR validation. The results of the present study suggest that the identified set of circRNA transcripts and the potential regulatory mechanisms for the development of ROP are worthy of functional studies.

The full recovery of mice (Mus Musculus C57BL/6 strain) from virus-induced sarcoma after treatment with a complex of DDMC delivery system and sncRNAs

BACKGROUND

Virus-induced cellular genetic modifications result in the development of many human cancers.

METHODS

In our experiments, we used the RVP3 cell line, which produce primary mouse virus-induced sarcoma in 100% of cases. Inbreed 4-week-old female C57BL/6 mice were injected subcutaneously in the interscapular region with RVP3 cells. Three groups of mice were used. For treatment, one and/or two intravenous injections of a complex of small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs) a-miR-155, piR-30074, and miR-125b with a 2-diethylaminoethyl-dextran methyl methacrylate copolymer (DDMC) delivery system were used. The first group consisted of untreated animals (control). The second group was treated with one injection of complex DDMC/sncRNAs (1st group). The third group was treated with two injections of complex DDMC/sncRNAs (2nd group). The tumors were removed aseptically, freed of necrotic material, and used with spleen and lungs for subsequent RT-PCR and immunofluorescence experiments, or stained with Leishman-Romanowski dye.

RESULTS

As a result, the mice fully recovered from virus-induced sarcoma after two treatments with a complex including the DDMC vector and a-miR-155, piR-30074, and miR-125b. In vitro studies showed genetic and morphological transformations of murine cancer cells after the injections.

CONCLUSIONS

Treatment of virus-induced sarcoma of mice with a-miR-155, piR-30074, and miR-125b as active component of anti-cancer complex and DDMC vector as delivery system due to epigenetic-regulated transformation of cancer cells into cells with non-cancerous physiology and morphology and full recovery of disease.

Diagnostic and prognostic significance of serum miR-203 in patients with acute myeloid leukemia

MicroRNAs play important roles in the initiation and progression of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). This study aimed to detect serum miR-203 expression levels in AML and explore its potential clinical significance. Quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was performed to measure the serum miR-203 levels in 134 patients with AML and 70 healthy controls. The results demonstrated that serum miR-203 expression was significantly reduced in AML patients compared with healthy controls. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis revealed miR-203 could distinguish AML cases from normal controls. Low serum miR-203 levels were associated with worse clinical features, as well as poorer overall survival and relapse free survival of AML patients. Moreover, multivariate analysis confirmed low serum miR-203 expression to be an independent unfavorable prognostic predictor for AML. The bioinformatics analysis showed that the downstream genes and pathways of miR-203 was closely associated with tumorigenesis. Downregulation of miR-203 in AML cell lines upregulated the expression levels of oncogenic promoters such as CREB1, SRC and HDAC1. Thus, these findings demonstrated that serum miR-203 might be a promising biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of AML.

MicroRNA-203 impacts on the growth, aggressiveness and prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma by targeting MAT2A and MAT2B genes

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is characterized by the down-regulation of the liver-specific methyladenosyltransferase 1A (MAT1A) gene, encoding the S-adenosylmethionine synthesizing isozymes MATI/III, and the up-regulation of the widely expressed methyladenosyltransferase 2A (MAT2A), encoding MATII isozyme, and methyladenosyltransferase 2B (MAT2B), encoding a β-subunit without catalytic action that regulates MATII enzymatic activity. Different observations showed hepatocarcinogenesis inhibition by miR-203. We found that miR-203 expression in HCCs is inversely correlated with HCC proliferation and aggressiveness markers, and with MAT2A and MAT2B levels. MiR-203 transfection in HepG2 and Huh7 liver cancer cells targeted the 3'-UTR of MAT2A and MAT2B, inhibiting MAT2A and MAT2B mRNA levels and MATα2 and MATβ2 protein expression. These molecular events were paralleled by an increase in SAM content and were associated with growth restraint and apoptosis, inhibition of cell migration and invasiveness, and suppression of the expression of CD133 and LIN28B stemness markers. In contrast, MAT2B transfection in the same cell lines led to a rise of both MATβ2 and MATα2 expression, associated with increases in cell growth, migration, invasion and overexpression of stemness markers and p-AKT. Altogether, our results indicate that the miR-203 oncosuppressor activity may at least partially depend on its inhibition of MAT2A and MAT2B and show, for the first time, an oncogenic activity of MAT2B linked to AKT activation.

Identifying the differentially expressed microRNAs in esophagus squamous cell carcinoma of Kazakh patients in Xinjiang

Despite improvements in diagnosis and treatment, the survival of patients with advanced stages of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains poor. Therefore, novel biomarkers that can assist with early detection of ESCC are required. In the present study, three paired ESCC and normal esophageal tissue samples from Xinjiang Kazakh patients were obtained and microRNA (miRNA) microarray analysis was used to detect the differentially-expressed miRNAs. The target genes of the identified miRNAs were predicted using miRWalk software. A total of 23 miRNAs were differently expressed in Kazakh patients with ESCC. Gene Ontology enrichment analysis demonstrated that the upregulated miRNAs were predominantly associated with the 'vesicle' and 'membrane-bounded vesicle' terms, while the downregulated miRNAs were primarily associated with the term 'negative regulation of integrin-mediated signaling pathway'. The most highly enriched Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway for the differentially-expressed miRNAs was 'Endocrine and other factor-regulated calcium reabsorption'. Protein-protein interaction network analysis revealed that IQ motif containing GTPase activating protein 1, RAB11A, lysine acetyltransferase 2B, catenin α 1 and tight junction protein 2 were hub genes of the network. In conclusion, a number of differentially-expressed miRNAs were identified in ESCC tissues samples from Xinjiang Kazakh patients, which may improve the understanding of the processes of tumorigenesis and development.

CircRNA fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 promotes tumor progression in non-small cell lung cancer by regulating Galectin-1-AKT/ERK1/2 signaling

The dysregulation of circular RNA (circRNA) expression is involved in the progression of several cancers, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the role and underlying molecular mechanisms of circRNA FGFR3 (circFGFR3) in NSCLC progression remains unknown. Here, we used quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction to validate that circFGFR3 expression was higher in NSCLC tissues than in the paratumor tissues. Furthermore, our study indicated that the forced circFGFR3 expression promoted NSCLC cell invasion and proliferation. Mechanistically, we found that circFGFR3 promoted NSCLC cell invasion and proliferation via competitively combining with miR-22-3p to facilitate the galectin-1 (Gal-1), p-AKT, and p-ERK1/2 expressions. Clinically, we revealed that the high circFGFR3 expression correlates with the poor clinical outcomes in patients with NSCLC. Together, these data provide mechanistic insights into the circFGFR3-mediated regulation of both the AKT and ERK1/2 signaling pathways by sponging miR-22-3p and increasing Gal-1 expression.

The Tumor-Like Phenotype of Rheumatoid Synovium: Molecular Profiling and Prospects for Precision Medicine

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by destructive hyperplasia of the synovium. Fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) are a major component of synovial pannus and actively participate in the pathologic progression of RA. How rheumatoid FLS acquire and sustain such a uniquely aggressive phenotype remains poorly understood. We describe the current state of knowledge of the molecular alterations in rheumatoid FLS at the genomic, epigenomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic levels, which offers a means to reconstruct the pathways leading to rheumatoid pannus. Such data provide new pathologic insight and suggest means to more sensitively assess disease activity and response to therapy, as well as support new avenues for therapeutic development.

MicroRNA-203 Inhibits Long Noncoding RNA HOTAIR and Regulates Tumorigenesis through Epithelial-to-mesenchymal Transition Pathway in Renal Cell Carcinoma

This study aims to investigate the role of miR-203-HOTAIR interaction in the suppression of renal cell carcinoma (RCC). We employed series of in vitro assays such as proliferation, invasion, migration, and colony formation along with in vivo tumor xenograft model. Profiling of miR-203 and HOTAIR expression revealed that miR-203 was significantly underexpressed, whereas HOTAIR was overexpressed in RCC cell lines and clinical specimens compared with normal cell line and tissue. Both miR-203 and HOTAIR expression significantly distinguished malignant from normal tissues and significantly correlated with clinicopathologic characteristics of patients. Overexpression of miR-203 significantly inhibited proliferation, migration, and invasion with an induction of apoptosis and cell-cycle arrest. However, HOTAIR suppression resulted in the similar functional effects in the same RCC cell lines. In silico, RNA-22 algorithm showed a binding site for miR-203 in HOTAIR. We observed a direct interaction between miR-203 and HOTAIR by RNA-immunoprecipitation (RIP) and luciferase reporter assays. We show that miR-203-HOTAIR interaction resulted in the inhibition of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and metastatic genes as indicated by induction of key metastasis-suppressing proteins E-cadherin, claudin (epithelial markers), and PTEN along with induction of tumor suppressor genes p21 and p27. A significant decrease in vimentin (mesenchymal marker), KLF4, and Nanog (stemness markers) was also observed. This is the first report demonstrating miR-203-mediated regulation of HOTAIR induces tumor suppressor effects in RCC by regulating EMT and metastatic pathway genes. Thus, the study suggests that therapeutic regulation of HOTAIR by miR-203 overexpression may provide an opportunity to regulate RCC growth and metastasis. Mol Cancer Ther; 17(5); 1061-9. ©2018 AACR.

Function of PM2.5 in the pathogenesis of lung cancer and chronic airway inflammatory diseases

Previous research has identified that air pollution is associated with various respiratory diseases, but few studies have investigated the function served by particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) in these diseases. PM2.5 is known to cause epigenetic and microenvironmental alterations in lung cancer, including tumor-associated signaling pathway activation mediated by microRNA dysregulation, DNA methylation, and increased levels of cytokines and inflammatory cells. Autophagy and apoptosis of tumor cells may also be detected in lung cancer associated with PM2.5 exposure. A number of mechanisms are involved in triggering and aggravating asthma and COPD, including PM2.5-induced cytokine release and oxidative stress. The present review is an overview of the underlying molecular mechanisms of PM2.5-induced pathogenesis in lung cancer and chronic airway inflammatory diseases.

Aberrant Expression of Some Circulating miRNAs in Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a heterogeneous cancer commonly affecting children due to dysregulation of miRNA expression. In the current study, authors investigated the expression profile for miRNA-125b-1 and miRNA-203 among childhood ALL. Blood samples were collected from newly diagnosed childhood ALL and healthy control children. The expression profile for candidate miRNAs was detected using quantitative RT-PCR analysis. Statistical analysis were performed using receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) to examine the diagnostic efficacy of the two miRNA and their levels among ALL clinicopathological factors and phenotypes. The median expression level for miRNA-125b-1 was significantly high in childhood ALL; while miRNA-203 level was significantly low in childhood ALL as compared to control ones. MiRNA-125-1 reported significant increase in T-ALL as compared to other ALL phenotypes. Median miRNA-203 level was high in T-ALL followed by pre-B-ALL although no significant difference was reported. Clinicopathological factors did not emphasize significance with either detected miRNAs. Using ROC curve the diagnostic efficacy was significant with an area under the curve 0.858 for miRNA-125b-1 (83.72, 100%) and 0.878 for miRNA-203 (97.67, 86.96%). The combination of the two key miRNAs revealed absolute sensitivity (100%). MiRNA-125b-1 and miRNA-203 can be useful molecular markers for diagnosis of ALL. Further studies with large cohort are warranted to validate these results.

MicroRNA-203 predicts human survival after resection of colorectal liver metastasis

BACKGROUND

Resection of colorectal liver metastasis (CRLM) can be curative. Predicting which patients may benefit from resection, however, remains challenging. Some microRNAs (miRNAs) become deregulated in cancers and contribute to cancer progression. We hypothesized that miRNA expression can serve as a prognostic marker of survival after CRLM resection.

RESULTS

MiR-203 was significantly overexpressed in tumors of short-term survivors compared to long-term survivors. R1/R2 margin status and high clinical risk score (CRS) were also significantly associated with short-term survival (both p = 0.001). After adjusting for these variables, higher miR-203 expression remained an independent predictor of shorter survival (p = 0.010). In the serum cohort, high CRS and KRAS mutation were significantly associated with short-term survival (p = 0.005 and p = 0.026, respectively). After adjusting for CRS and KRAS status, short-term survivors were found to have significantly higher miR-203 levels (p = 0.016 and p = 0.033, respectively).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We employed next-generation sequencing of small-RNAs to profile miRNAs in solid tumors obtained from 38 patients who underwent hepatectomy for CRLM. To validate, quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was performed on 91 tumor samples and 46 preoperative serum samples.

CONCLUSIONS

After CRLM resection, short-term survivors exhibited significantly higher miR-203 levels relative to long-term survivors. MiR-203 may serve as a prognostic biomarker and its prognostic capacity warrants further investigation.

MicroRNA-203 suppresses proliferation in liver cancer associated with PIK3CA, p38 MAPK, c-Jun, and GSK3 signaling

Primary liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma, HCC) is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths, and alternative ways to treat this disease are urgently needed. In recent years, novel approaches to cancer treatment have been based on microRNAs, small non-coding RNA molecules that play a crucial role in cancer progression by regulating gene expression. Overexpression of some microRNAs has shown therapeutic potential, but whether or not this was the case for microRNA-203 (miR-203) in liver cancer was unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of miR-203 overexpression in liver cancer and explore the related mechanisms. Liver cancer cells from the HepG2 and Hep3B cell lines were transfected with either miR-203 mimics or negative control RNA, and then the cells were subjected to cell viability, cell proliferation, and Western blotting assays. As a result of microRNA-203 overexpression, HepG2 and Hep3B cell viability and cell proliferation significantly declined. Furthermore, microRNA-203 overexpression led to inhibited expression of phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase (PIK3)/protein kinase B (Akt), c-Jun, and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (p38 MAPK), and restored glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK 3) activity in HepG2 cells. Our results suggest that c-Jun, p38 MAPK, PIK3CA/Akt, and GSK3 signaling involved in the effect of miR-203 on the proliferation of HCC cells.

Circulating exosomal microRNA-203 is associated with metastasis possibly via inducing tumor-associated macrophages in colorectal cancer

A primary tumor can create a premetastatic niche in distant organs to facilitate the development of metastasis. The mechanism by which tumor cells communicate with host cells to develop premetastatic niches is unclear. We focused on the role of microRNA (miR) signaling in promoting metastasis. Here, we identified miR-203 as a signaling molecule between tumors and monocytes in metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Notably, high expression of serum exosomal miR-203, a major form in circulation, was associated with distant metastasis and an independent poor prognostic factor, whereas low expression in tumor tissues was a poor prognostic factor in CRC patients. We also found that exosomes carrying miR-203 from CRC cells were incorporated into monocytes and miR-203 could promote the expression of M2 markers in vitro, suggesting miR-203 promoted the differentiation of monocytes to M2-tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). In a xenograft mouse model, miR-203-transfected CRC cells developed more liver metastasis compared to control cells. In conclusion, serum exosomal miR-203 expression is a novel biomarker for predicting metastasis, possibly via promoting the differentiation of monocytes to M2-TAMs in CRC. Furthermore, we propose the concept of site-dependent functions for miR-203 in tumor progression.

Circulating exosomal microRNA-203 is associated with metastasis possibly via inducing tumor-associated macrophages in colorectal cancer

A primary tumor can create a premetastatic niche in distant organs to facilitate the development of metastasis. The mechanism by which tumor cells communicate with host cells to develop premetastatic niches is unclear. We focused on the role of microRNA (miR) signaling in promoting metastasis. Here, we identified miR-203 as a signaling molecule between tumors and monocytes in metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Notably, high expression of serum exosomal miR-203, a major form in circulation, was associated with distant metastasis and an independent poor prognostic factor, whereas low expression in tumor tissues was a poor prognostic factor in CRC patients. We also found that exosomes carrying miR-203 from CRC cells were incorporated into monocytes and miR-203 could promote the expression of M2 markers in vitro, suggesting miR-203 promoted the differentiation of monocytes to M2-tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). In a xenograft mouse model, miR-203-transfected CRC cells developed more liver metastasis compared to control cells. In conclusion, serum exosomal miR-203 expression is a novel biomarker for predicting metastasis, possibly via promoting the differentiation of monocytes to M2-TAMs in CRC. Furthermore, we propose the concept of site-dependent functions for miR-203 in tumor progression.

MicroRNA-driven deregulation of cytokine expression helps development of drug resistance in metastatic melanoma

microRNAs are major components of the eukaryotic post-transcriptional machinery and are frequently deregulated during cancer development. Increasing evidence points to them also as key players in the establishment of drug resistance. In this review, we provide an updated overview of the role of miRNAs in melanoma development and drug resistance and postulate that they are able to drive these processes in concert with deregulation of inflammatory and angiogenic cytokine expression. Notably, we have identified by querying the Cancer Genome Atlas database, a defined set of miRNAs which mostly have an impact on the development of melanoma and have recognized the main downstream pathways controlled by them. Most importantly, these miRNAs, which are down-regulated in metastatic melanomas as compared to primary tumors, are also able to predict prognosis of BRAF-mutated melanoma patients. Finally, we discuss the possibility that a common miRNA signature characterizes not only acquired resistance to MAPKi but also innate resistance to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy, since these conditions are both associated with alterations of the same pro-angiogenetic and pro-inflammatory pathways.

Identification of novel genetic regulations associated with airway epithelial homeostasis using next-generation sequencing data and bioinformatics approaches

Airway epithelial cells play important roles in airway remodeling. Understanding gene regulations in airway epithelial homeostasis may provide new insights into pathogenesis and treatment of asthma. This study aimed to combine gene expression (GE) microarray, next generation sequencing (NGS), and bioinformatics to explore genetic regulations associated with airway epithelial homeostasis. We analyzed expression profiles of mRNAs (GE microarray) and microRNAs (NGS) in normal and asthmatic bronchial epithelial cells, and identified 9 genes with potential microRNA-mRNA interactions. Of these 9 dysregulated genes, downregulation of MEF2C and MDGA1 were validated in a representative microarray (GSE43696) from the gene expression omnibus (GEO) database. Our findings suggested that upregulated mir-203a may repress MEF2C, a transcription factor, leading to decreased cellular proliferation. In addition, upregulated mir-3065-3p may repress MDGA1, a cell membrane anchor protein, resulting in suppression of cell-cell adhesion. We also found that KCNJ2, a potassium channel, was downregulated in severe asthma and may promote epithelial cell apoptosis. We proposed that aberrant regulations of mir-203a-MEF2C and mir-3065-3p-MDGA1, as well as downregulation of KCNJ2, play important roles in airway epithelial homeostasis in asthma. These findings provide new perspectives on diagnostic or therapeutic strategies targeting bronchial epithelium for asthma. The approach in this study also provides a new aspect of studying asthma.

MicroRNA-1258: An invasion and metastasis regulator that targets heparanase in gastric cancer

Numerous microRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) are involved in suppressing or promoting the formation of cancer. However, to the best of our knowledge, the role of miRNA-1258 in gastric cancer (GC) has not previously been investigated. Our previous study demonstrated an increased expression of heparanase (HPSE) in GC tissues and HPSE-facilitated invasion and metastasis of GC cells. Consequently, in the present study, the function of miR-1258 in the invasion and metastasis of GC cells was investigated to determine whether miR-1258 is associated with GC through HPSE. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to determine miR-1258 expression in GC cell lines and tissues. A Transwell cell invasion assay and an MTT proliferation assay were used to investigate the effects of miR-1258 on the invasion and proliferation of one of the cell lines, SGC-7901 cells, in vitro. The effect of miR-1258 on SGC-7901 cell metastasis was investigated using an in vivo tumor metastasis formation assay. Western blot analysis and RT-qPCR were used to investigate whether HPSE was a target of miR-1258 in GC. The expression of miR-1258 was significantly downregulated in 3 GC cell lines and 116 GC tissues compared with controls (all P<0.001). An association was identified between decreased miR-1258 expression level and increased age (P=0.042), advanced pathological tumor stage (P=0.027) and positive lymphatic vessel invasion (P=0.044) in patients with GC. Furthermore, the upregulation of miR-1258 expression suppressed SGC-7901 cell invasion in vitro (P<0.001) and inhibited SGC-7901 cell metastasis in vivo (P=0.016). The western blot analysis and RT-qPCR results indicated that miR-1258 downregulated the expression of HPSE at the translational level. The results of the present study indicate that miR-1258 acts as a tumor suppressor to inhibit invasion and metastasis by targeting HPSE. Therefore, miR-1258 may serve as a novel biomarker and therapeutic target in the treatment of GC.

[Expression profile of miR-501-5p in lung adenocarcinoma patients from Xuanwei area]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the relationship between miR-501-5p expression and the clinicopathological factors in patients with lung adenocarcinoma in Xuanwei area.

METHODS

Surgical specimens of lung adenocarcinoma and paired adjacent tissues from 24 patients with lung adenocarcinoma from Xuanwei area were examined for miR-501-5p expression using microRNA microarray technique and qPCR. Chi-square test was used to analyze the association of miR-501-5P expression with the clinicopathological characteristics of the patients. Multiple regression analysis was performed to analyze the association of miR-501-5p expression with the patients' gender, age, tumor stage, and preoperative CEA level.

RESULTS

MicroRNA microarray analysis and qPCR validation results revealed significantly upregulated expressions of miR-501-5p in patients with lung adenocarcinoma from Xuanwei area (Plt;0.01). The microarray data showed an up-regulation of miR-501-5p by 3.17 folds in lung adenocarcinoma tissue compared with the adjacent tissue (P=0.22376, FDR=0.071395). Chi-square test indicated that miR-501-5p expression level was associated with the patients' age (f=7.168, P=0.014), TNM stage (f=36.627, P<0.01), and preoperative serum CEA level (f=30.045, Plt;0.01), but not with the patients' gender (f=3.612, P=0.071). Multiple regression analysis revealed that miR-501-5p expression was positively correlated with the patients' age, TNM stage of the tumor, and serum CEA (Plt;0.05).

CONCLUSION

miR-501-5p expression is up-regulated in lung adenocarcinoma with significant associations with the patients' age, TNM stages and serum CEA level in patients from Xuanwei area, suggesting its potential role in the tumorigenesis and progression of lung adenocarcinoma in Xuanwei area.

MicroRNAs: Impaired vasculogenesis in metal induced teratogenicity

Certain metals have been known for their toxic effects on embryos and fetal development. The vasculature in early pregnancy is extremely dynamic and plays an important role in organogenesis. Nascent blood vessels in early embryonic life are considered to be a primary and delicate target for many teratogens since the nascent blood islands follow a tightly controlled program to form vascular plexus around and inside the embryo for resourcing optimal ingredients for its development. The state of the distribution of toxic metals, their transport mechanisms and the molecular events by which they notch extra-embryonic and embryonic vasculatures are illustrated. In addition, pharmacological aspects of toxic metal induced teratogenicity have also been portrayed. The work reviewed state of the current knowledge of specific role of microRNAs (miRNAs) that are differentially expressed in response to toxic metals, and how they interfere with the vasculogenesis that manifests into embryonic anomalies.

miR-203 enhances let-7 biogenesis by targeting LIN28B to suppress tumor growth in lung cancer

Human cancers often exhibit increased microRNA (miRNA) biogenesis and global aberrant expression of miRNAs; thus, targeting the miRNA biogenesis pathway represents a novel strategy for cancer therapy. Here, we report that miR-203 enhances the biogenesis of tumor suppressor let-7 in lung cancer by directly targeting LIN28B. Specially, we found that the LIN28B protein levels were dramatically increased in lung cancer tissues, but its mRNA levels did not differ significantly, suggesting that a post-transcriptional mechanism is involved in LIN28B regulation. Interestingly, miR-203 overexpression was accompanied by massive upregulation of a group of miRNAs, especially let-7, and the let-7 expression level was concordant with the miR-203 expression in lung cancer tissues, implying its biological relevance. Furthermore, we showed that miR-203 played a critical role in inhibiting the proliferation and promoting the apoptosis of lung cancer cells by suppressing LIN28B and enhancing let-7 biogenesis. In summary, our results establish a novel mechanism by which miR-203, LIN28B and let-7 are tightly linked to form a regulatory network in lung cancer cells. The findings shed light on the role of a specific miRNA as a modulator of miRNA biogenesis and provide basis for developing new strategies for lung cancer therapy.

Host microRNA-203a Is antagonistic to the progression of foot-and-mouth disease virus infection

Sam68 was previously shown to be a critical host factor for foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) replication. MicroRNA (miR) miR-203a is reportedly a negative regulator of Sam68 expression both in vitro and in vivo. Here, transfection of miR-203a-3p and miR-203a-5p mimics separately and in combination in a porcine cell line followed by FMDV infection resulted in diminished viral protein synthesis and a 4 and 6log reduction in virus titers relative to negative controls, respectively. Unexpectedly, Sam68 expression was increased by miR-203a-5p transfection, but not miR-203a-3p. miR-203a-5p also down-regulated Survivin expression, which was predicted to play a role in FMDV infection. Moreover, miR-203a-5p but not miR-203a-3p affected a reduction in FMDV viral RNA. These effects were not replicated with a related Picornavirus, suggesting FMDV specificity. Importantly, miR-203a-3p and miR-203a-5p impaired FMDV infection across multiple FMDV serotypes. We concluded that miR-203a-3p and miR-203a-5p represent attractive potential naturally occurring bio-therapeutics against FMDV.

Network Pharmacological Screening of Herbal Monomers that Regulate Apoptosis-Associated Genes in Acute Pancreatitis

OBJECTIVES

In this study, we screened for differentially expressed genes in acute pancreatitis and the herbal monomers that regulate these genes.

METHODS

Gene expression profile data were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database (GSE3644). We used the Human Protein Reference Database to determine the protein-protein interaction network and CFinder software (Department of Biological Physics of Eötvös University, Budapest, Hungary) to identify several functional modules. Then, we used Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery software (Frederick, Md) to perform a gene ontology-biological process functional enrichment analysis. Based on a database of herbal monomers and a literature search, we constructed a gene-herbal monomer regulatory network using Cytoscape software (San Diego, Calif), and we analyzed the relationships between apoptosis, genes, and herbal monomers.

RESULTS

A total of 1745 differentially expressed genes were identified. Nine modules were identified, and the main function of module 3 was closely related to apoptosis. Within module 3, we selected 13 genes that were closely related to apoptosis for further analysis. In the gene-herbal monomer regulatory network, 18 herbal monomers that regulate multiple target genes were selected as the focus of this study.

CONCLUSIONS

These herbal monomers regulate multiple target genes to induce apoptosis and may potentially be used as new drugs for acute pancreatitis treatment in the future.

The roles of microRNAs related with progression and metastasis in human cancers

Metastasis is an important factor in predicting the prognosis of the patients with cancers and contributes to high cancer-related mortality. Recent studies indicated that microRNAs (miRNAs) played a functional role in the initiation and progression of human malignancies. MicroRNAs are small non-coding RNAs of about 22 nucleotides in length that can induce messenger RNA (mRNA) degradation or repress mRNA translation by binding to the 3' untranslated region (3'-UTR) of their target genes. Overwhelming reports indicated that miRNAs could regulate cancer invasion and metastasis via epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related and/or non-EMT-related mechanisms. In this review, we concentrate on the underlying mechanisms of miRNAs in regulating cancer progression and metastasis.

MiR-203 promotes the growth and migration of ovarian cancer cells by enhancing glycolytic pathway

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play an important role in the tumorigenesis of ovarian cancer. Previously, we have reported the dysregulation of miR-203 in the ovarian cancer tissues. However, the biological functions and molecular mechanisms of miR-203 in ovarian cancer remain unknown. Here, we showed that the expression of miR-203 was increased in ovarian cancer tissues compared with the adjacent non-cancerous tissues and the transcription of miR-203 was inhibited by P53. Forced expression of miR-203 in ovarian cancer promoted cell growth and migration, while depletion of miR-203 inhibited the growth and migration of ovarian cancer cells. In addition, miR-203 promoted the metastasis of ovarian cancer cells in vivo and shorted the survival of the nude mice. Mechanically, miR-203 targeted the 3'-UTR of pyruvate dehydrogenase B (PDHB) and increased the consumption of glucose and the production of lactate. Overexpression of PDHB abolished the oncogenic effects of miR-203 on the growth of ovarian cancer cells. Together, our data suggested the oncogenic roles of miR-203 in ovarian cancer by promoting glycolysis, and miR-203 might be a therapeutic target for ovarian cancer.

Prognostic role of microRNA-203 in various carcinomas: evidence from a meta-analysis involving 13 studies

Growing evidence from recent studies has revealed that microRNA-203 (miR-203) might be an attractive prognostic biomarker for cancer. But controversy still remains. The aim of this meta-analysis was to summarize available evidences and clarify the preliminary predictive value of miR-203 for prognosis in cancer patients. Eligible studies were identified through multiple research strategies in PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science up to October 2015. Key statistics such as pooled hazard ratios (HR) with 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) were utilized to calculate patient survival. 13 eligible studies with 1600 patients were ultimately enrolled in this meta-analysis. Our results failed to show a significant relation between upregulated miR-203 expression and a favorable overall survival (OS) (HR 1.00, 95 % CI 0.65-1.36) in a random effect model. However, in subgroup analysis, we found that high expression of miR-203 was significantly associated with poor OS in Caucasian patients (HR 1.31, 95 % CI 1.06-1.55). In contrast, for Asian patients, over-expression of miR-203 was an independent prognostic factor for better and OS (HR 0.59, 95 % CI 0.22-0.96). It also suggested that cancer types and miRNA assay method were significant associated with prognosis. The over-expression of miR-203 was effectively predictive of worse prognosis in breast cancer (HR 6.35, 95 % CI 1.34-11.36), pancreatic cancer (HR 1.19, 95 % CI 1.08-1.30), ependymoma (HR 1.35, 95 % CI 1.10-1.61), but for glioma patients, elevated miR-203 is a potential biomarker for predicting better progression of cancer (HR 0.26, 95 % CI -0.02 to 0.54). Besides, for direct miRNA profiling studies, over-expression of miR-203 was an independent prognostic factor for worse OS (HR 6.35, 95 % CI 1.34-11.36). This meta-analysis indicated that ethnicity, tumor type and miRNA assay method mainly contributed to heterogeneity. Considering the insufficient evidence, further relevant studies are warranted.

miR-203 Expression in Exfoliated Cells of Tongue Coating Represents a Sensitive and Specific Biomarker of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

Background and Aim. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been implicated in the pathophysiology of numerous human diseases including gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The objective of this study was to investigate the miRNA expression of exfoliated cells of the tongue in patients with GERD versus healthy controls (Ctrls). Methods. Using quantitative reverse-transcription PCR (qRT-PCR), expression levels of six candidate miRNAs (miR-143, miR-145, miR-192, miR-194, miR-203, and miR-205) were examined across a discovery cohort of patients with GERD (n = 24) versus Ctrls (n = 24). These findings were confirmed across a validation cohort (GERD, n = 142; Ctrls, n = 48). Differences in miRNA expression levels were evaluated using the Mann-Whitney U test while the specificity and sensitivity were obtained using receiver-operator characteristic (ROC) curves. Results. miR-203 was significantly downregulated in GERD patients as compared to Ctrls (P < 0.0001) with ROC curve of 0.94 (95% CI: 0.90-0.97). The sensitivity and the specificity of miR-203 were 91.7% and 87.3%, respectively, in the GERD and Ctrls. These results suggest that miR-203 may be a useful diagnostic marker for discriminating GERD from Ctrls. Conclusions. miR-203 testing may assist in the diagnosis of patients with symptoms suggestive of GERD.

Downregulated expression of miRNA-149 promotes apoptosis in side population cells sorted from the TSU prostate cancer cell line

The objective of the present study was to identify prostate cancer stem cells and determine the effects of modulating specific miRNAs on prostate CSC proliferation and apoptosis. We applied flow cytometry sorting of side population cells to cultures of prostate cancer cell lines (TSU, DU145, PC-3 and LNCaP). The proportion of SP cells in the TSU line was 1.60±0.40% (mean ± SD), while that of the DU145, PC-3 and LNCaP lines was 0.60±0.05, 0.80±0.05 and 0.60±0.20%, respectively. Because the proportion of SP cells derived from TSU cells is greater, these cells were selected to sort side population cells and non-side population cells. The stem-like properties of SP cells had been identified by in vivo and in vitro experiments, and the related study was published. RNA was extracted from the SP cells and non-SP cells and analyzed using miRNA microarray technology. Fifty-three miRNAs with significant differences in their expression were detected in total. Furthermore, 20 of these miRNAs were validated by qPCR. We found that hsa-miR‑149 expression in SP cells and non-SP cells was significantly different; hsa-miR-149 was significantly upregulated in SP cells. By constructing a vector for lentiviral infection, we found that the downregulation of hsa-miR-149 leads to a reduction in proliferation, an increase in apoptosis, and a significant reduction in the colony formation potential, thus, inhibiting tumor growth in vivo of SP cells from the TSU cell line. The present study will provide new avenues toward understanding the function of prostate cancer stem cells (PCSCs) in tumorigenicity and metastasis.