MicroRNA-32 and MicroRNA-548a Promote the Drug Sensitivity of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells to Cisplatin by Targeting ROBO1 and Inhibiting the Activation of Wnt/β-Catenin Axis

Wnt/β-catenin signaling in the development and therapeutic resistance of non-small cell lung cancer

Wnt/β-catenin signaling is a critical pathway that influences development and therapeutic response of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In recent years, many Wnt regulators, including proteins, miRNAs, lncRNAs, and circRNAs, have been found to promote or inhibit signaling by acting on Wnt proteins, receptors, signal transducers and transcriptional effectors. The identification of these regulators and their underlying molecular mechanisms provides important implications for how to target this pathway therapeutically. In this review, we summarize recent studies of Wnt regulators in the development and therapeutic response of NSCLC.

Deciphering the Enigmatic Influence: Non-Coding RNAs Orchestrating Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway in Tumor Progression

Dysregulated expression of specific non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) has been strongly linked to tumorigenesis, cancer progression, and therapeutic resistance. These ncRNAs can act as either oncogenes or tumor suppressors, thereby serving as valuable diagnostic and prognostic markers. Numerous studies have implicated the participation of ncRNAs in the regulation of diverse signaling pathways, including the pivotal Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway that is widely acknowledged for its pivotal role in embryogenesis, cellular proliferation, and tumor biology control. Recent emerging evidence has shed light on the capacity of ncRNAs to interact with key components of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, thereby modulating the expression of Wnt target genes in cancer cells. Notably, the activity of this pathway can reciprocally influence the expression levels of ncRNAs. However, comprehensive analysis investigating the specific ncRNAs associated with the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and their intricate interactions in cancer remains elusive. Based on these noteworthy findings, this review aims to unravel the intricate associations between ncRNAs and the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway during cancer initiation, progression, and their potential implications for therapeutic interventions. Additionally, we provide a comprehensive overview of the characteristics of ncRNAs and the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, accompanied by a thorough discussion of their functional roles in tumor biology. Targeting ncRNAs and molecules associated with the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway may emerge as a promising and effective therapeutic strategy in future cancer treatments.

Non-coding RNA-based therapeutics in cancer therapy: An emphasis on Wnt/β-catenin control

Non-coding RNA transcripts are RNA molecules that have mainly regulatory functions and they do not encode proteins. microRNAs (miRNAs), lncRNAs and circRNAs are major types of this family and these epigenetic factors participate in disease pathogenesis, especially cancer that their abnormal expression may lead to cancer progression. miRNAs and lncRNAs possess a linear structure, whereas circRNAs possess ring structures and high stability. Wnt/β-catenin is an important factor in cancer with oncogenic function and it can increase growth, invasion and therapy resistance in tumors. Wnt upregulation occurs upon transfer of β-catenin to nucleus. Interaction of ncRNAs with Wnt/β-catenin signaling can determine tumorigenesis. Wnt upregulation is observed in cancers and miRNAs are able to bind to 3'-UTR of Wnt to reduce its level. LncRNAs can directly/indirectly regulate Wnt and in indirect manner, lncRNAs sponge miRNAs. CircRNAs are new emerging regulators of Wnt and by its stimulation, they increase tumor progression. CircRNA/miRNA axis can affect Wnt and carcinogenesis. Overall, interaction of ncRNAs with Wnt can determine proliferation rate, migration ability and therapy response of cancers. Furthermore, ncRNA/Wnt/β-catenin axis can be utilized as biomarker in cancer and for prognostic applications in patients.

The SLIT/ROBO Pathway in Liver Fibrosis and Cancer

Liver fibrosis is a common outcome of most chronic liver insults/injuries that can develop into an irreversible process of cirrhosis and, eventually, liver cancer. In recent years, there has been significant progress in basic and clinical research on liver cancer, leading to the identification of various signaling pathways involved in tumorigenesis and disease progression. Slit glycoprotein (SLIT)1, SLIT2, and SLIT3 are secreted members of a protein family that accelerate positional interactions between cells and their environment during development. These proteins signal through Roundabout receptor (ROBO) receptors (ROBO1, ROBO2, ROBO3, and ROBO4) to achieve their cellular effects. The SLIT and ROBO signaling pathway acts as a neural targeting factor regulating axon guidance, neuronal migration, and axonal remnants in the nervous system. Recent findings suggest that various tumor cells differ in SLIT/ROBO signaling levels and show varying degrees of expression patterns during tumor angiogenesis, cell invasion, metastasis, and infiltration. Emerging roles of the SLIT and ROBO axon-guidance molecules have been discovered in liver fibrosis and cancer development. Herein, we examined the expression patterns of SLIT and ROBO proteins in normal adult livers and two types of liver cancers: hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma. This review also summarizes the potential therapeutics of this pathway for anti-fibrosis and anti-cancer drug development.

ROBO3s: a novel ROBO3 short isoform promoting breast cancer aggressiveness

Basal-like breast cancer (BLBC) is a highly aggressive breast cancer subtype frequently associated with poor prognosis. Due to the scarcity of targeted treatment options, conventional cytotoxic chemotherapies frequently remain the standard of care. Unfortunately, their efficacy is limited as BLBC malignancies rapidly develop resistant phenotypes. Using transcriptomic and proteomic approaches in human and murine BLBC cells, we aimed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the acquisition of aggressive and chemotherapy-resistant phenotypes in these mammary tumors. Specifically, we identified and characterized a novel short isoform of Roundabout Guidance Receptor 3 (ROBO3s), upregulated in BLBC in response to chemotherapy and encoding for a protein variant lacking the transmembrane domain. We established an important role for the ROBO3s isoform, mediating cancer stem cell properties by stimulating the Hippo-YAP signaling pathway, and thus driving resistance of BLBC cells to cytotoxic drugs. By uncovering the conservation of ROBO3s expression across multiple cancer types, as well as its association with reduced BLBC-patient survival, we emphasize its potential as a prognostic marker and identify a novel attractive target for anti-cancer drug development.

NLR family CARD domain containing 5 promotes hypoxia-induced cancer progress and carboplatin resistance by activating PI3K/AKT via carcinoembryonic antigen related cell adhesion molecule 1 in non-small cell lung cancer

It is well known that non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a malignant tumor with high incidence in the world. We aimed to clarify a possible target and identify its precise molecular biological mechanism in NSCLC. NLR family CARD domain containing 5 (NLRC5) is widely expressed in tissues and exerts a vital role in anti-tumor immunity. We determined NLRC5 expression by RT-qPCR and western blot assay. The role of NLRC5 in the development of NSCLC was assessed by a loss-of-function assay. CCK-8, Annexin-V-FITC/PI Apoptosis Detection Kit, Transwell, and wound healing assays were used to determine the cell functions. Drug resistance-related proteins were analyzed by western blot assay. Furthermore, the modulation of NLRC5 on carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 1 (CEACAM1) expression and subsequent PI3K/AKT signaling was assessed. In this study, a hyper-expression of NLRC5 was found in NSCLC tissues and cell lines. Knockdown of NLRC5 suppressed cell viability, invasion, and migration, and furthermore promoted cell apoptosis in NSCLC cells. Moreover, under normoxia or hypoxia treatment, the upregulation of NLRC5 was related to carboplatin resistance. NLRC5 silencing increased carboplatin-resistant cell chemosensitivity, as evidenced by the increase in the cell inhibition rate and decrease in drug resistance-related protein expression. Mechanistically, NLRC5 knockdown inhibited the expression of CEACAM1 and subsequently blocked the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. In conclusion, NLRC5 promotes the malignant biological behaviors of NSCLC cells by activating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway via the regulation of CEACAM1 expression under normoxia and hypoxia.

Contribution of MicroRNAs in Chemoresistance to Cisplatin in the Top Five Deadliest Cancer: An Updated Review

Cisplatin (DDP) is a well-known anticancer drug used for the treatment of numerous human cancers in solid organs, including bladder, breast, cervical, head and neck squamous cell, ovarian, among others. Its most important mode of action is the DNA-platinum adducts formation, inducing DNA damage response, silencing or activating several genes to induce apoptosis; these mechanisms result in genetics and epigenetics modifications. The ability of DDP to induce tumor cell death is often challenged by the presence of anti-apoptotic regulators, leading to chemoresistance, wherein many patients who have or will develop DDP-resistance. Cancer cells resist the apoptotic effect of chemotherapy, being a problem that severely restricts the successful results of treatment for many human cancers. In the last 30 years, researchers have discovered there are several types of RNAs, and among the most important are non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), a class of RNAs that are not involved in protein production, but they are implicated in gene expression regulation, and representing the 98% of the human genome non-translated. Some ncRNAs of great interest are long ncRNAs, circular RNAs, and microRNAs (miRs). Accumulating studies reveal that aberrant miRs expression can affect the development of chemotherapy drug resistance, by modulating the expression of relevant target proteins. Thus, identifying molecular mechanisms underlying chemoresistance development is fundamental for setting strategies to improve the prognosis of patients with different types of cancer. Therefore, this review aimed to identify and summarize miRs that modulate chemoresistance in DDP-resistant in the top five deadliest cancer, both in vitro and in vivo human models.

Circular RNA SOX13 promotes malignant behavior and cisplatin resistance in non-small cell lung cancer through targeting microRNA-3194-3p/microtubule-associated protein RP/EB family member 1

Circular RNA (circRNA) presents an essential regulatory role in affecting the occurrence and acquired resistance in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but how circSOX13 impacts NSCLC is unclear. In this work it was found that compared with adjacent normal tissues, circSOX13 and the microtubule-associated protein RP/EB family member 1 (MAPRE1) were signally up-regulated in NSCLC while miR-3194-3p was signally lowered. Pulmonary function tests (PETs) revealed that knocking down circSOX13 or overexpressing miR-3194-3p inhibited NSCLC proliferation, invasion and migration but promoted its apoptosis. The promoting effect of overexpressing circSOX13 on NSCLC was reversed via knocking down MAPRE1. Additionally, knocking down circSOX13 reduced cisplatin resistance in NSCLC. Furthermore, circSOX13 mediated MAPRE1 expression via competitively binding miR-3194-3p to exert its tumorigenic impact. To conclude, this work clarified the carcinogenic impact of circSOX13-miR-3194-3p-MAPRE1 axis on NSCLC and DDP resistance. CircSOX13 can be a potential diagnostic marker and therapeutic target for NSCLC, thus providing a new insight for clinically reversing its acquired resistance.

Total Flavonoids of Rhizoma Drynariae Promotes Differentiation of Osteoblasts and Growth of Bone Graft in Induced Membrane Partly by Activating Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway

Total flavonoids of Rhizoma drynariae (TFRD), a Chinese medicine, is widely used in the treatment of fracture, bone defect, osteoporosis and other orthopedic diseases, and has achieved good effects. Purpose of this trial was to explore efficacy of TFRD on bone graft’s mineralization and osteoblasts’ differentiation in Masquelet induced membrane technique in rats. Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into high dose group (H-TFRD), middle dose group (M-TFRD), low dose group (L-TFRD) and control group (control). The critical size bone defect model of rats was established with 10 rats in each group. Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) spacer was implanted into the defect of right femur in rats. After the formation of the induced membrane, autogenous bone was implanted into the induced membrane. After 12 weeks of bone graft, bone tissues in the area of bone graft were examined by X-ray, Micro-CT, hematoxylin-eosin (HE) and Masson trichrome staining to evaluate the growth of the bone graft. The β-catenin, c-myc, COL1A1, BMP-2 and OPN in bone graft were quantitatively analyzed by Western blot and Immunohistostaining. Osteoblasts were cultured in the medium containing TFRD. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) method, Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and Alizarin Red S (ARS) staining, Western blot, RT-PCR and other methods were used to detect the effects of TFRD on the proliferation of osteoblasts and the regulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. In vivo experiments showed that the growth and mineralization of bone graft in TFRD group was better. Moreover, the expression of Wnt/β-catenin and osteogenesis-related proteins in bone tissue of TFRD group was more than that in other groups. In vitro experiments indicated that osteoblasts proliferated faster, activity of ALP was higher, number of mineralized nodules and proteins related to osteogenesis were more in TFRD group. But blocking Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway could limit these effects. Therefore, TFRD could promote mineralization of bone graft and differentiation of osteoblasts in a dose-dependent manner during growing period of the bone graft of induced membrane technique, which is partly related to the activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.