MiR-193a-3p inhibits pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cell proliferation by targeting CCND1

Flavonoids as modulators of miRNA expression in pancreatic cancer: Pathways, Mechanisms, And Therapeutic Potential

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a complex malignancy, distinguished by its aggressive characteristics and unfavorable prognosis. Recent developments in understanding the molecular foundations of this disease have brought attention to the noteworthy involvement of microRNAs (miRNAs) in disease development, advancement, and treatment resistance. The anticancer capabilities of flavonoids, which are a wide range of phytochemicals present in fruits and vegetables, have attracted considerable interest because of their ability to regulate miRNA expression. This review provides the effects of flavonoids on miRNA expression in PC, explains the underlying processes, and explores the possible therapeutic benefits of flavonoid-based therapies. Flavonoids inhibit PC cell proliferation, induce apoptosis, and enhance chemosensitivity via the modulation of miRNAs involved in carcinogenesis. Additionally, this review emphasizes the significance of certain miRNAs as targets of flavonoid action. These miRNAs have a role in regulating important signaling pathways such as the phosphoinositide-3-kinase-protein kinase B/Protein kinase B (Akt), mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK), Janus kinase/signal transducers and activators of transcription (JAK/STAT), and Wnt/β-catenin pathways. This review aims to consolidate current knowledge on the interaction between flavonoids and miRNAs in PC, providing a comprehensive analysis of how flavonoid-mediated modulation of miRNA expression could influence cancer progression and therapy. It highlights the use of flavonoid nanoformulations to enhance stability, increase absorption, and maximize anti-PC activity, improving patient outcomes. The review calls for further research to optimize the use of flavonoid nanoformulations in clinical trials, leading to innovative treatment strategies and more effective approaches for PC.

miRNAs in pancreatic cancer progression and metastasis

Small non-coding RNA or microRNA (miRNA) are critical regulators of eukaryotic cells. Dysregulation of miRNA expression and function has been linked to a variety of diseases including cancer. They play a complex role in cancers, having both tumour suppressor and promoter properties. In addition, a single miRNA can be involved in regulating several mRNAs or many miRNAs can regulate a single mRNA, therefore assessing these roles is essential to a better understanding in cancer initiation and development. Pancreatic cancer is a leading cause of cancer death worldwide, in part due to the lack of diagnostic tools and limited treatment options. The most common form of pancreatic cancer, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), is characterised by major genetic mutations that drive cancer initiation and progression. The regulation or interaction of miRNAs with these cancer driving mutations suggests a strong link between the two. Understanding this link between miRNA and PDAC progression may give rise to novel treatments or diagnostic tools. This review summarises the role of miRNAs in PDAC, the downstream signalling pathways that they play a role in, how these are being used and studied as therapeutic targets as well as prognostic/diagnostic tools to improve the clinical outcome of PDAC.

miR-329b-5p Affects Sheep Intestinal Epithelial Cells against Escherichia coli F17 Infection

Diarrhea is the most common issue in sheep farms, typically due to pathogenic Escherichia coli (E. coli) infections, such as E. coli F17. microRNA, a primary type of non-coding RNA, has been shown to be involved in diarrhea caused by pathogenic E. coli. To elucidate the profound mechanisms of miRNA in E. coli F17 infections, methods such as E. coli F17 adhesion assay, colony counting assay, relative quantification of bacterial E. coli fimbriae gene expression, indirect immune fluorescence (IF), Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU), Western blotting (WB), and scratch assay were conducted to investigate the effect of miR-329b-5p overexpression/knock-down on E. coli F17 susceptibility of sheep intestinal epithelial cells (IECs). The findings indicated that miR-329b-5p enhances the E. coli F17 resistance of sheep IECs to E.coli F17 by promoting adhesion between E. coli F17 and IEC, as well as IEC proliferation and migration. In summary, miR-329b-5p plays a crucial role in the defense of sheep IECs against E. coli F17 infection, providing valuable insights into its mechanism of action.

Dysregulation of a Subset of Circulating and Vesicle-Associated miRNA in Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most aggressive neoplasia, characterized by early metastasis, low diagnostic rates at early stages, resistance to drugs, and poor prognosis. There is an urgent need to better characterize this disease in order to identify efficient diagnostic/prognostic biomarkers. Since microRNAs (miRNAs) contribute to oncogenesis and metastasis formation in PDAC, they are considered potential candidates for fulfilling this task. In this work, the levels of two miRNA subsets (involved in chemoresistance or with oncogenic/tumor suppressing functions) were investigated in a panel of PDAC cell lines and liquid biopsies of a small cohort of patients. We used RT-qPCR and droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) to measure the amounts of cellular- and vesicle-associated, and circulating miRNAs. We found that both PDAC cell lines, also after gemcitabine treatment, and patients showed low amounts of cellular-and vesicle-associated miR-155-5p, compared to controls. Interestingly, we did not find any differences when we analyzed circulating miR-155-5p. Furthermore, vesicle-related miR-27a-3p increased in cancer patients compared to the controls, while circulating let-7a-5p, miR-221-3p, miR-23b-3p and miR-193a-3p presented as dysregulated in patients compared to healthy individuals. Our results highlight the potential clinical significance of these analyzed miRNAs as non-invasive diagnostic molecular tools to characterize PDAC.

Upregulation of miR-519d-3p Inhibits Viability, Proliferation, and G1/S Cell Cycle Transition of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells Through Targeting CCND1

Background: MicroRNA (miR)-519d-3p suppresses tumor development, however, its role in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) has yet to be determined. Materials and Methods: OSCC and adjacent tissues were collected (n = 45 for adjacent; n = 21 for Stage I-II OSCC; n = 24 for Stage III-IV OSCC). The cell viability, proliferation, and cell cycle of OSCC were, respectively, assessed by the Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), colony formation assay, and flow cytometry. Relative expressions of cell cycle-regulated proteins (Cyclin D1 [CCND1], CDK4, and CDK6) and miR-519d-3p were measured with Western blot and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction as needed. Dual-luciferase reporter assay was performed to verify the prediction of TargetScan that miR-519d-3p and CCND1 shared potential binding sites. Correlation analysis between miR-519d-3p and CCND1 was performed with Pearson's correlation test. Results: In OSCC tissues, downregulating miR-519d-3p expression correlated with a higher tumor grade. Upregulating miR-519d-3p expression inhibited OSCC cell viability and proliferation, increased cells in G0/G1 phase and reduced those in S/G2 phase, and downregulated the expressions of cell cycle-related protein (CDK4, CDK6). CCND1 was the target gene of miR-519d-3p, and overexpressed CCND1 reversed the effects of upregulation of miR-519d-3p on suppressing the viability, proliferation, and cell cycle of OSCC cells. Conclusions: miR-519d-3p upregulation suppressed the cell viability, proliferation, and G1/S cell cycle transition of OSCC through targeting CCND1. The current findings provide a possible clinical option for OSCC treatment.

miR-193a-3p Enhanced the Chemosensitivity to Trametinib in Gallbladder Carcinoma by Targeting KRAS and Downregulating ERK Signaling

Objective: In this study, the authors identified miR-193a-3p as a tumor-suppressing microRNA, and its effects on the chemosensitivity to trametinib in gallbladder carcinoma (GBC) were evaluated. Materials and Methods: The levels of miR-193a-3p in clinical GBC tissues and GBC cells were determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The protein levels of KRAS, ERK, and phosphorylated ERK (p-ERK) were examined by Western blot. Dual-luciferase reporter assays were performed to confirm the interaction between miR-193a-3p and KRAS. The effect of miR-193a-3p knockdown or overexpression on the malignant behaviors and chemosensitivity of GBC was determined by 3-(4,5-dimethlthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazoliumbromide and flow cytometry assays in vitro and further examined in a xenograft model. Results: The levels of miR-193a-3p were significantly decreased in GBC cell lines, especially with KRAS mutations. In addition, miR-193a-3p overexpression retarded cell proliferation of GBC, but induced cell apoptosis. Moreover, miR-193a-3p overexpression significantly improved the chemosensitivity of GBC to trametinib both in in vitro assays and in vivo xenograft mouse model. Further mechanisms disclosed that KRAS was a target of miR-193a-3p and levels of p-ERK were increased by treatment with miR-193a-3p inhibitor in GBC. Conclusions: These data suggested that miR-193a-3p enhanced the chemosensitivity to trametinib in GBC with wild-type KRAS or KRAS mutations by directly targeting KRAS and finally downregulated ERK signaling.

In silico analysis to identify novel ceRNA regulatory axes associated with gallbladder cancer

Competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks are reported to play a crucial role in regulating cancer-associated genes. Identification of novel ceRNA networks in gallbladder cancer (GBC) may improve the understanding of its pathogenesis and might yield useful leads on potential therapeutic targets for GBC. For this, a literature survey was done to identify differentially expressed lncRNAs (DELs), miRNAs (DEMs), mRNAs (DEGs) and proteins (DEPs) in GBC. Ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) using DEMs, DEGs and DEPs in GBC identified 242 experimentally observed miRNA-mRNA interactions with 183 miRNA targets, of these 9 (CDX2, MTDH, TAGLN, TOP2A, TSPAN8, EZH2, TAGLN2, LMNB1, and PTMA) were reported at both mRNA and protein levels. Pathway analysis of 183 targets revealed p53 signaling among the top pathway. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis of 183 targets using the STRING database and cytoHubba plug-in of Cytoscape software revealed 5 hub molecules, of which 3 of them (TP53, CCND1 and CTNNB1) were associated with the p53 signaling pathway. Further, using Diana tools and Cytoscape software, novel lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA networks regulating the expression of TP53, CCND1, CTNNB1, CDX2, MTDH, TOP2A, TSPAN8, EZH2, TAGLN2, LMNB1, and PTMA were constructed. These regulatory networks may be experimentally validated in GBC and explored for therapeutic applications.

Identification and profiling of microRNAs involved in the regenerative involution of mammary gland

Regenerative involution is important for the subsequent lactation, but molecular mechanism has not been revealed. The crucial miRNA in tissue development indicates that miRNAs might participate in regenerative involution. In the present study, the mammary tissues of the dairy goats (n = 3) were collected via biopsy at wk-8 (time to dry off), -6, -4, -1, and + 1 relative to lambing for the Hematoxylin and Eosin staining and miRNA sequencing. Alveolar structures collapsed during regenerative involution, but the structures remained intact and distended. Among the 50 miRNA expression trajectories categorized by short time-series expression miner, two significant patterns were clustered. The differentially expressed miRNAs in the two patterns were mainly related to the self-renewal of tissue and enriched in pathways containing vesical-mediated transport, tissue development, tube development, vasculature development and epithelial development. The identification of the miRNA will help in elucidating the regulatory roles of miRNAs in mammary gland development.

Screening and identification of differentially expressed microRNAs in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma based on microRNA microarray

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common type of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma in adults and the pathogenesis of DLBCL is multifactorial and complex. Understanding the molecular mechanisms involved in DLBCL is important to identify new therapeutic targets. The present study aimed to screen and identify differentially expressed microRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) between diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and control [lymph node reactive hyperplasia (LRH)] groups, and to investigate whether miRNAs associated with DLBCL could serve as potential therapeutic targets. In total, 5 DLBCL experimental samples and 5 control samples were obtained from fresh patient tissues. Firstly, the fresh samples were analyzed using miRNA microarray to identify differentially expressed miRNAs. Next, three databases (TargetScan, microRNA.org and PITA) were used to predict by intersection the potential target genes of the 204 differential miRNAs identified, and a Venn diagram of the results was performed. Subsequently, the target genes of differential miRNAs were analyzed by Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis. Finally, to validate the miRNA microarray data, reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was performed for 8 differentially expressed miRNAs (miR-193a-3p, miR-19a-3p, miR-19b-3p, miR-370-3p, miR-1275, miR-490-5p, miR-630 and miR-665) using DLBCL and LRH fresh samples. In total, 204 miRNAs exhibited differential expression, including 105 downregulated and 54 upregulated miRNAs. The cut-off criteria were set as P≤0.05 and fold-change ≥2. A total of 7,522 potential target genes for the 204 miRNAs were predicted. Potential target genes were enriched in the following pathways: ‘Cancer’, ‘MAPK signaling pathway’, ‘regulation of actin cytoskeleton’, ‘focal adhesion’, ‘endocytosis’, ‘Wnt signaling pathway’, ‘axon guidance’, ‘calcium signaling pathway’ and ‘PI3K/AKT signaling pathway’. A total of 8 miRNAs were validated by RT-qPCR, and 4 miRNAs (miR-19b-3p, miR-193a-3p, miR-370-3p and miR-490-5p) exhibited low expression levels in DLBCL (P<0.05), while miR-630 was highly expressed in DLBCL (P<0.05). Overall, the present study screened 204 differentially expressed miRNAs and analyzed the expression levels of 8 differentially expressed miRNAs in DLBCL. These differentially expressed miRNAs may serve as therapeutic targets for improvement of therapeutic efficacy in DLBCL in the future.

Tumor suppressor miR-193a-3p enhances efficacy of BRAF/MEK inhibitors in BRAF-mutated colorectal cancer

Patients with BRAF‐mutated colorectal cancer (CRC) have a poor prognosis despite recent therapeutic advances such as combination therapy with BRAF, MEK, and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors. To identify microRNAs (miRNAs) that can improve the efficacy of BRAF inhibitor dabrafenib (DAB) and MEK inhibitor trametinib (TRA), we screened 240 miRNAs in BRAF‐mutated CRC cells and identified five candidate miRNAs. Overexpression of miR‐193a‐3p, one of the five screened miRNAs, in CRC cells inhibited cell proliferation by inducing apoptosis. Reverse‐phase protein array analysis revealed that proteins with altered phosphorylation induced by miR‐193a‐3p were involved in several oncogenic pathways including MAPK‐related pathways. Furthermore, overexpression of miR‐193a‐3p in BRAF‐mutated cells enhanced the efficacy of DAB and TRA through inhibiting reactivation of MAPK signaling and inducing inhibition of Mcl1. Inhibition of Mcl1 by siRNA or by Mcl1 inhibitor increased the antiproliferative effect of combination therapy with DAB, TRA, and anti‐EGFR antibody cetuximab. Collectively, our study demonstrated the possibility that miR‐193a‐3p acts as a tumor suppressor through regulating multiple proteins involved in oncogenesis and affects cellular sensitivity to MAPK‐related pathway inhibitors such as BRAF inhibitors, MEK inhibitors, and/or anti‐EGFR antibodies. Addition of miR‐193a‐3p and/or modulation of proteins involved in the miR‐193a‐3p–mediated pathway, such as Mcl1, to EGFR/BRAF/MEK inhibition may be a potential therapeutic strategy against BRAF‐mutated CRC.

Tumor suppressive role of miR-33a-5p in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells by directly targeting RAP2A

Background

The suppressive effects of miR-33a-5p have been reported in colorectal cancer and lung cancer. However, the functional role of miR-33a-5p in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has not yet been elucidated.

Methods

The expression of miR-33a-5p was determined using reverse-transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) in PDAC tissues and cell lines. The association between miR-33a-5p expression and clinical categorical parameters was analyzed by the chi-square test. Cell proliferation was analyzing by Cell Counting Kit -8 (CCK-8) assay. Transwell assay was utilized to assess cell migration and invasion. The interactions between miR-33a-5p and RAP2A were verified by luciferase reporter assay, RT-qPCR, western blot analysis and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay.

Results

Here, we observed for the first time that miR-33a-5p expression level was significantly decreased in PDAC tissues and cell lines. There was a significant association between decreased miR-33a-5p expression and TNM stage or lymph node metastasis. Overexpression of miR-33a-5p significantly inhibited SW1990 and PANC-1 cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Knockdown of miR-33a-5p remarkedly promoted cell proliferation, migration and invasion in BxPC-3 and ASPC-1. Mechanistically, RAP2A was confirmed as the target of miR-33a-5p in PDAC cells. Moreover, RAP2A overexpression abolished miR-33a-5p-mediated suppressive effects on SW1990 and PANC-1 cells.

Conclusions

Taken together, these results suggest that miR-33a-5p exerted tumor suppressive effects on PDAC cells by targeting RAP2A, which might provide a new theoretical basis for the clinical treatment of PDAC.

DNM3OS Facilitates Ovarian Cancer Progression by Regulating miR-193a-3p/MAP3K3 Axis

PURPOSE

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are essential regulators in the development of ovarian cancer (OC). Nonetheless, the function of lncRNA DNM3 opposite strand/antisense RNA (DNM3OS) in OC remains unclear. This work aimed to investigate the biological roles and underlying mechanisms of DNM3OS in OC.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was conducted to examine DNM3OS, microRNA (miR)-193a-3p, and mitogen-activated protein kinase 3 (MAP3K3) mRNA expression in OC tissues and cell lines. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was employed to analyze the relationship between DNM3OS expression and the prognosis of OC patients. Cell counting kit-8, 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine, and transwell experiments were conducted to monitor cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, respectively. Western blot was applied to examine epithelial-mesenchymal transition associated protein (E-cadherin and N-cadherin) expression. Luciferase reporter gene and RNA immunoprecipitation experiments were performed to confirm the relationships among DNM3OS, miR-193a-3p, and MAP3K3. Pearson's correlation analysis was adopted to analyze the correlations among DNM3OS, miR-193a-3p, and MAP3K3 mRNA.

RESULTS

DNM3OS expression was remarkably increased in OC tissues and cell lines, which was associated with the unfavorable prognosis of the patients. DNM3OS overexpression enhanced OC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion; suppressed E-cadherin protein expression; and facilitated N-cadherin protein expression, while the transfection of miR-193a-3p mimics had the opposite effects. DNM3OS directly interacted with miR-193a-3p, and miR-193a-3p targeted MAP3K3 by directly binding to 3'UTR. DNM3OS could up-regulate the expression of MAP3K3 via repressing miR-193a-3p expression.

CONCLUSION

DNM3OS, as an oncogenic lncRNA, increases the malignancy of OC cells via regulation of an miR-193a-3p/MAP3K3 axis.

Down-regulation of microRNA-125b-2-3p is a risk factor for a poor prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of mortality in cancer patients, but the association between miR-125b-2-3p and the onset and prognosis of HCC has not been reported in previous studies; thus, the clinicopathological implications of miR-125b-2-3p in HCC require elaboration. To examine the expression of miR-125b-2-3p in HCC, both in-house RT-qPCR and public datasets were used to calculate the standard mean difference (SMD) and the summary receiver operating characteristic (sROC). MiR-125b-2-3p was markedly lower in HCC than in non-tumor tissue as assessed by the in-house RT-qPCR which was confirmed by the integrative analysis showing the SMD being -0.69 and the area under the curve (AUC) being 0.84 based on 1,233 cases of HCC and 630 cases of non-HCC controls. To gain a overview of the clinical value of miR-125b-2-3p in HCC, all possible datasets were integrated, and lower miR-125b-2-3p levels could lead to poorer differentiation and a more advanced clinical stage of HCC. The hazard ratio (HR) of miR-125b-2-3p was also calculated using a Cox proportional hazards model, and the miR-125b-2-3p level could act as an protective indication for the survival with the HR being 0.74 based on 586 cases of HCC. Furthermore, the effect of nitidine chloride (NC), a natural bioactive phytochemical alkaloid, on the regulation of miR-125b-2-3p and its potential targets was also investigated. The miR-125b-2-3p level was increased after NC treatment, while the expression of its potential target PRKCA was reduced. Above all, a low-expressed level of miR-125b-2-3p plays a tumor suppressive role in HCC.

circRNA circ_102049 Implicates in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Progression through Activating CD80 by Targeting miR-455-3p

Emerging evidence has shown that circular RNAs (circRNAs) and DNA methylation play important roles in the causation and progression of cancers. However, the roles of circRNAs and abnormal methylation genes in the tumorigenesis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) are still largely unknown. Expression profiles of circRNA, gene methylation, and mRNA were downloaded from the GEO database, and differentially expressed genes were obtained via GEO2R, and a ceRNA network was constructed based on circRNA-miRNA pairs and miRNA-mRNA pairs. Inflammation-associated genes were collected from the GeneCards database. Then, functional enrichment analysis and protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks of inflammation-associated methylated expressed genes were investigated using Metascape and STRING databases, respectively, and visualized in Cytoscape. Hub genes of PPI networks were identified using the NetworkAnalyzer plugin. Also, we analyzed the methylation, protein expression levels, and prognostic value of hub genes in PDAC patients through the UALCAN, Human Protein Atlas (HPA), and Kaplan-Meier plotter databases, respectively. The circRNA_102049/miR-455-3p/CD80 axis was identified by the ceRNA network and hub genes. In vitro and in vivo experiments were performed to evaluate the functions of circRNA_102049. The regulatory mechanisms of circRNA_102049 and miR-455-3p were explored by RT-PCR, western blot, and dual-luciferase assays. In the present study, twelve hub genes (STAT1, CCND1, KRAS, CD80, ICAM1, ESR1, RAF1, RPS6KA2, KDM6B, TNRC6A, FOSB, and DNM1) were determined from the PPI networks. Additionally, the circRNA_102049 was upregulated in PDAC cell lines. Functionally, the knockdown of circRNA_102049 by siRNAs inhibited cell growth, inflammatory factors, and migratory and invasive potential and promoted cell apoptosis. Mechanistically, circRNA_102049 functioned as a sponge of miR-455-3p and partially reversed the effect of miR-455-3p and consequently upregulated CD80 expression. Our findings showed that circRNA_102049 and methylated hub genes play an important role in the proliferation, apoptosis, migration, invasion, and inflammatory response of PDAC, which might be selected as a promising prognostic marker and therapeutic target for PDAC.

miR-193a-5p promotes pancreatic cancer cell metastasis through SRSF6-mediated alternative splicing of OGDHL and ECM1

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short and non-coding RNAs binding to 3'UTR of target mRNAs to downregulate their expression. Recent studies have shown that miRNAs indirectly regulated alternative splicing (AS) by targeting splicing factors and caused shifts in splicing patterns of target genes. However, the roles of miRNA-regulating splicing factors in pancreatic cancer progression remain unknown. Herein, we reported that miR-193a-5p was markedly upregulated in pancreatic cancer tissues and cells and correlated with clinical outcomes of pancreatic cancer patients. Overexpression of miR-193a-5p contributed to the metastasis of pancreatic cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo. The mechanistic investigation suggested that miR-193a-5p modulated oxoglutarate dehydrogenase-like (OGDHL) and extracellular matrix protein 1 (ECM1) AS by targeting serine/arginine-rich splicing factor 6 (SRSF6), leading to the activation of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process. Together, our findings highlighted the role of miR-193a-5p-targeting SRSF6 in pancreatic cancer metastasis, which may serve as a novel target for pancreatic cancer diagnosis and therapy.

Serum miR-1290 and miR-1246 as Potential Diagnostic Biomarkers of Human Pancreatic Cancer

Background: Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a highly malignant tumor with no effective early diagnostic biomarkers. This study was performed to screen and identify serum microRNAs (miRNAs) as noninvasive biomarkers for PC diagnosis.

Methods: Two upregulated miRNAs were selected by integrated analysis of three independent GEO datasets. Then, the expressions of two miRNAs in serum were determined by quantitative reverse-transcription PCR among 120 PC patients, 40 benign disease controls and 40 healthy controls. The correlation between serum miRNAs and clinical characteristics was analyzed. The diagnostic utility of miRNAs was compared to CA19-9 using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis.

Results: We discovered miR-1290 and miR-1246 were upregulated in PC patients through GEO datasets analysis. Serum miR-1290 and miR-1246 expression levels were elevated in PC patients compared to all controls and dramatically decreased after tumor resection (all P<0.001). The area under the curve (AUC) for miR-1290 was larger than miR-1246 and CA19-9 (miR-1290: 0.91; miR-1246: 0.81; CA19-9: 0.82). The combined diagnosis of individual or both miRNAs with CA19-9 was more effective for discriminating PC from all controls than the single CA19-9 assay (miR-1290+CA19-9: 0.96, miR-1246+CA19-9: 0.93, miR-1290+miR-1246+CA19-9: 0.97). The abundance of serum miR-1290 and miR-1246 was associated with tumor stage and size respectively and logistic modeling proved that both of them were independent risk factors for PC.

Conclusion: Serum miR-1290 and miR-1246 might be promising biomarkers for PC diagnosis and the combined detection of CA19-9, together with miR-1290 or miR-1246, could improve the diagnostic accuracy of PC.

LncRNA KCNQ1OT1 contributes to the progression and chemoresistance in acute myeloid leukemia by modulating Tspan3 through suppressing miR-193a-3p

AIMS

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive cancer that invariably produces drug resistance after treatment. The aim is to explore the role of lncRNA potassium voltage-gated channel subfamily Q member 1 overlapping transcript 1 (KCNQ1OT1) and associated novel mechanisms in the progression and chemoresistance of AML.

MAIN METHODS

The expression of KCNQ1OT1, miR-193a-3p, and Tspan3 was measured by qRT-PCR. The values of IC50 for adriamycin (ADR) and the ability of proliferation were analyzed by CCK-8 assay. Cell migration and invasion were assessed by transwell assay. Cell apoptosis was monitored by flow cytometry assay. The expression of Tspan3, MRP1, P-gp and LRP at the protein level was quantified by western blot. The relationship between miR-193a-3p and KCNQ1OT1 or Tspan3 was predicted by bioinformatics tool Diana and verified by dual-luciferase reporter assay, RIP assay or RNA pull-down assay.

KEY FINDINGS

KCNQ1OT1 and Tspan3 were up-regulated, while miR-193a-3p was down-regulated in ADR resistant AML samples and cells. KCNQ1OT1 knockdown reduced ADR resistance, inhibited proliferation, migration and invasion but promoted apoptosis of ADR resistant AML cells, miR-193a-3p inhibition reversed these effects. MiR-193a-3p was a target of KCNQ1OT1 and combined with Tspan3 3' untranslated region (3' UTR). Enrichment of miR-193a-3p decreased ADR resistance, inhibited proliferation, migration and invasion and stimulated apoptosis in ADR resistant AML cells, but Tspan3 overexpression overturned these impacts.

SIGNIFICANCE

KCNQ1OT1 aggravates AML progression and chemoresistance to ADR by inducing Tspan3 expression via adsorbing miR-193a-3p in ADR resistant AML cells, providing a theoretical basis for the treatment of AML with chemoresistance.