Nanoparticles Mediated circROBO1 Silencing to Inhibit Hepatocellular Carcinoma Progression by Modulating miR-130a-5p/CCNT2 Axis

Insights into the history and trends of nanotechnology for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma: a bibliometric-based visual analysis

BACKGROUND

Nanotechnology has great potential and advantages in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but the research trends and future directions are not yet clear.

OBJECTIVES

Analyze the development trajectory, research hotspots, and future trends of nanotechnology and HCC research globally in the past 20 years, providing a more comprehensive and intuitive reference for researchers in this field.

METHODS

Retrieve relevant literature on nanotechnology and HCC research in the Web of Science (WOS) Core Collection database, and conduct bibliometric analysis using software such as CiteSpace, VOSviewer, and SCImago Graphica.

RESULTS

A total of 852 English publications meeting the criteria were retrieved from the WOS database, with an overall increasing trend in the number of publications and citation frequency over the years. China leads in the number of publications and international collaborations, followed by the USA and India. The most influential research institution is the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the most influential scholar/team is the Rahman, Mahfoozur team, and the journal with the most publications is the International Journal of Nanomedicine. A comprehensive analysis reveals that the current main research directions include new types of nanoparticles, targeted drug delivery systems, photothermal/photodynamic therapy, gene delivery systems, diagnostics, and imaging. It is anticipated that further collaboration among scholars, institutions, and countries will accelerate the development of nanotechnology in the field of HCC research.

CONCLUSION

This study provides an in-depth analysis of the research status and development trends of nanotechnology in treating HCC from a bibliometric perspective, offering possible guidance for researchers to explore hot topics and frontiers, select suitable journals, and partners in this field.

Circular RNAs in cancer

Circular RNA (circRNA), a subtype of noncoding RNA, has emerged as a significant focus in RNA research due to its distinctive covalently closed loop structure. CircRNAs play pivotal roles in diverse physiological and pathological processes, functioning through mechanisms such as miRNAs or proteins sponging, regulation of splicing and gene expression, and serving as translation templates, particularly in the context of various cancers. The hallmarks of cancer comprise functional capabilities acquired during carcinogenesis and tumor progression, providing a conceptual framework that elucidates the nature of the malignant transformation. Although numerous studies have elucidated the role of circRNAs in the hallmarks of cancers, their functions in the development of chemoradiotherapy resistance remain unexplored and the clinical applications of circRNA-based translational therapeutics are still in their infancy. This review provides a comprehensive overview of circRNAs, covering their biogenesis, unique characteristics, functions, and turnover mechanisms. We also summarize the involvement of circRNAs in cancer hallmarks and their clinical relevance as biomarkers and therapeutic targets, especially in thyroid cancer (TC). Considering the potential of circRNAs as biomarkers and the fascination of circRNA-based therapeutics, the "Ying-Yang" dynamic regulations of circRNAs in TC warrant vastly dedicated investigations.

Recent advances in polymeric nanoparticles for the treatment of hepatic diseases

The liver performs crucial roles in energy metabolism, detoxification, and immune regulation. Hepatic diseases, including hepatitis, liver fibrosis, and liver cancer, have posed a significant threat to global health, emphasizing the critical need for the development of novel and effective treatment approaches. Nanotechnology, an emerging technology, has been extensively researched in medicine. Among the many types of nanomaterials, polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) are widely used in drug delivery systems. Compared to traditional therapies, they offer significant advantages in the treatment of liver disease by improving outcomes and reducing side effects. This review introduced the development of liver disease and discussed the application of natural polymers and synthetic polymers in their management. Furthermore, this paper reviewed the application of polymeric nanoparticles -mainly chitosan (CS), hyaluronic acid (HA), polyethylene glycol (PEG) and poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA)-in liver disease treatment, focusing on their use in various delivery systems for pure bioactive compounds of natural origin, drugs, nucleic acids, peptides, and others. Finally, the challenges and future perspectives of the NPs were discussed to provide guidance for further research directions, with the aim of promoting the clinical application of nanotherapeutics in treating hepatic diseases.

Circular RNA hsa_circ_0001610 promotes prostate cancer progression by sponging miR-1324 and upregulating PTK6

Prostate cancer (PCa) incidence and cancer-related deaths are both high in the male population. Once castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) has developed, PCa can be difficult to manage. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) play essential roles in the regulation of carcinogenesis and cancer progression. In CRPC, however, the potential molecular mechanisms and biological functions of circRNAs are yet to be defined. In this study, we conducted RNA sequencing on four hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (HSPC) tumor tissue samples and three CRPC samples. We recognized hsa_circ_0001610, a novel circRNA that was highly expressed in the cells and tissue of CRPC. We used quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) to evaluate hsa_circ_0001610 expression. We conducted in vivo and in vitro experiments and found that hsa_circ_0001610 overexpression caused PCa cells to proliferate and migrate and caused enzalutamide resistance. In contrast, the opposite results were found for hsa_circ_0001610 knockdown. We used Western blot, dual-luciferase reporter assays, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), qRT-PCR, and rescue experiments to reveal the underlying mechanisms of hsa_circ_0001610. Mechanistically, hsa_circ_0001610 acted as a molecular sponge for miR-1324 and thus reversed its inhibitory effect on its target gene PTK6. As a result, the PTK6 expression was enhanced, which accelerated PCa progression. The findings of this study confirmed that hsa_circ_0001610 drives the progression of PCa through the hsa_circ_0001610/miR-1324/PTK6 axis. Thus, hsa_circ_0001610 is potentially an effective therapeutic target and specific biomarker for advanced PCa.

CircROBO1 knockdown improves the radiosensitivity of hepatocellular carcinoma by regulating RAD21

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

Radioresistance is a common problem in the treatment of many cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Previous studies have shown that circROBO1 is highly expressed in HCC tissues and acts as a cancer promoter to accelerate the malignant progression of HCC. However, the role and mechanism of circROBO1 in HCC radioresistance remain unclear.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

CircROBO1, microRNA (miR)-136-5p and RAD21 expression levels were analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR. Cell function and radioresistance were evaluated by colony formation assay, cell counting kit 8 assay, EdU assay and flow cytometry. Protein expression was determined using western blot analysis. RNA interaction was analyzed by dual-luciferase reporter assay and RNA pull-down assay. In vivo experiments were performed by constructing mice xenograft models.

RESULTS

CircROBO1 was highly expressed in HCC, and its knockdown inhibited HCC cell proliferation and promoted apoptosis to enhance cell radiosensitivity. On the mechanism, circROBO1 could serve as miR-136-5p sponge to positively regulate RAD21. MiR-136-5p inhibitor or RAD21 overexpression reversed the regulation of circROBO1 knockdown on the radiosensitivity of HCC cells. Also, circROBO1 interference improved the radiosensitivity of HCC tumors in vivo.

CONCLUSIONS

CircROBO1 might be a promising target for treating HCC radioresistance.

Nanoparticles-Delivered Circular RNA Strategy as a Novel Antitumor Approach

Anticancer therapy urgently needs the development of novel strategies. An innovative molecular target is represented by circular RNAs (circRNAs), single-strand RNA molecules with the 5' and 3' ends joined, characterized by a high stability. Although circRNA properties and biological functions have only been partially elucidated, their relationship and involvement in the onset and progression of cancer have emerged. Specific targeting of circRNAs may be obtained with antisense oligonucleotides and silencing RNAs. Nanotechnology is at the forefront of research for perfecting their delivery. Continuous efforts have been made to develop novel nanoparticles (NPs) and improve their performance, materials, and properties regarding biocompatibility and targeting capabilities. Applications in various fields, from imaging to gene therapy, have been explored. This review sums up the smart strategies developed to directly target circRNAs with the fruitful application of NPs in this context.

Circular RNA circESYT2 serves as a microRNA-665 sponge to promote the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma through ENO2

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have emerged as crucial regulators in tumor progression, yet their specific role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains largely uncharacterized. In this study, we utilized high-transcriptome sequencing to identify the upregulation of circESYT2 (hsa_circ_002142) in HCC tissues. Functional experiments carried out in vivo and in vitro revealed that circESYT2 played a significant role in maintaining the growth and metastatic behaviors of HCC. Through integrative analysis, we identified enolase 2 (ENO2) as a potential target regulated by circESYT2 through the competitive endogenous RNA sponge mechanism. Additional gain- or loss-of-function experiments indicated that overexpression of circESYT2 led to a tumor-promoting effect, which could be reversed by transfection of microRNA-665 (miR-665) mimic or ENO2 knockdown in HCC cells. Furthermore, the direct interaction between miR-665 and circESYT2 and between miR-665 and ENO2 was confirmed using RNA immunoprecipitation, FISH, RNA pull-down, and dual-luciferase reporter assays, highlighting the involvement of the circESYT2/miR-665/ENO2 axis in promoting HCC progression. These findings shed light on the molecular characteristics of circESYT2 in HCC tissues and suggest its potential as a biomarker or therapeutic target for HCC treatment.

Circular RNAs as biomarkers and therapeutic targets for gastrointestinal cancers

Circular RNAs are a class of noncoding RNAs with covalently linked 5' and 3' ends that arise from backsplicing events. The absence of a 5' cap and a 3' poly(A) tail makes circular RNAs relatively more stable than their linear counterparts. They are evolutionary conserved and tissue-specific, and some show disease-specific expression patterns. Although their biological functions remain largely unknown, circular RNAs have been shown to play regulatory roles by acting as microRNA sponges, regulators of RNA-binding proteins, alternative splicing, and parental gene expression, and they could even encode proteins. Over the past few decades, circular RNAs have attracted wide attention in oncology owing to their implications in various tumors. Many circular RNAs have been characterized as key players in gastrointestinal cancers and influence cancer growth, progression, metastasis, and therapeutic resistance. Accumulating evidence reveals that their unique characteristics, coupled with their critical roles in tumorigenesis, make circular RNAs promising non-invasive clinical biomarkers for gastrointestinal cancers. In the present review, we summarized the biological roles of the emerging circular RNAs and their potential as biomarkers and therapeutic targets, which may help better understand their clinical significance in the management of gastrointestinal cancers.

Circ_0007386 Promotes the Progression of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Through the miR-507/ CCNT2 Axis

Background

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been shown to play a crucial role in the initiation and development of Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the mechanism and function of circ_0007386 in HCC are still unknown.

Methods

Circ_0007386 expression level in HCC tissues, and HCC cell lines was further analyzed by qRT-PCR. Agarose gel electrophoresis and Sanger sequencing were used to figure out the structure of circ_0007386. The involvement of circ_0007386 in HCC development was evaluated by experimental investigations conducted in both laboratory settings (in vitro) and living organisms (in vivo). RNA immunoprecipitation, Western blotting, luciferase reporter assay and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) were applied for finding out the interaction among circ_0007386, miR-507 and CCNT2. To assess the connection between circ_0007386 and lenvatinib resistance, lenvatinib-resistant HCC cell lines were employed.

Results

The expression of circ_0007386 was found to increase in HCC tissues, and it was observed to be associated with a worse prognosis. Overexpression of circ_0007386 stimulated HCC cells proliferation, invasion, migration and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) while silencing of circ_0007386 resulted in the opposite effect. Mechanistic investigations revealed that circ_0007386 acted as a competing endogenous RNA of miR-507 to prevent CCNT2 downregulation. Downregulating miR-507 or overexpressing CCNT2 could reverse phenotypic alterations that originated from inhibiting of circ_0007386. Importantly, circ_0007386 determines the resistance of hepatoma cells to lenvatinib treatment.

Conclusion

Circ_0007386 advanced HCC progression and lenvatinib resistance through the miR-507/ CCNT2 axis. Meanwhile, circ_0007386 served as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target in HCC patients.

Circular RNAs in Cell Cycle Regulation of Cancers

Cancer has been one of the most problematic health issues globally. Typically, all cancers share a common characteristic or cancer hallmark, such as sustaining cell proliferation, evading growth suppressors, and enabling replicative immortality. Indeed, cell cycle regulation in cancer is often found to be dysregulated, leading to an increase in aggressiveness. These dysregulations are partly due to the aberrant cellular signaling pathway. In recent years, circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been widely studied and classified as one of the regulators in various cancers. Numerous studies have reported that circRNAs antagonize or promote cancer progression through the modulation of cell cycle regulators or their associated signaling pathways, directly or indirectly. Mostly, circRNAs are known to act as microRNA (miRNA) sponges. However, they also hold additional mechanisms for regulating cellular activity, including protein binding, RNA-binding protein (RBP) recruitment, and protein translation. This review will discuss the current knowledge of how circRNAs regulate cell cycle-related proteins through the abovementioned mechanisms in different cancers.

MiR-339-5p Inhibits Ferroptosis by Promoting Autophagic Degradation of FTH1 Through Targeting ATG7 in Liver Cancer Cells

Background

Liver cancer has a high incidence and mortality rate worldwide, and there is an urgent need to identify new therapeutic strategies and predictive targets to improve the clinical outcomes of advanced liver cancer. Ferroptosis holds promise as a novel strategy for cancer therapy. Epigenetic dysregulation is a hallmark of cancer, and noncoding RNAs are tightly involved in cell fate determination. Therefore, we aimed to identify a novel ferroptosis regulator from aberrantly expressed microRNAs that may serve as a novel biomarker and therapeutic target for liver cancer.

Methods

The expression signature and prognostic value of miR-339 was assessed using TCGA data set. The role of miR-339/ATG7/FTH1 axis in liver cancer cells were evaluated through growth curve, colony formation, 7-AAD staining. The role of miR-339 in regulation of ferroptosis was determined by immunofluorescence staining, flow cytometry, and Elisa kits.

Results

Here, we showed that miR-339 is aberrantly overexpressed in patients with liver cancer. In addition, miR-339 inhibition dramatically suppresses liver cancer progression. Furthermore, miR-339 silencing drives cell death and inhibits liver cancer progression, indicating that miR-339 may serve as a novel ferroptosis suppressor. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that miR-339 targets ATG7 to facilitate the autophagic degradation of FTH1 and prevent ferroptosis in liver cancer cells.

Conclusions

We provide important evidence that the miR-339 inhibition activates of the autophagy pathway to promote ferroptosis by degrading FTH1 in liver cancer cells. We found that miR-339 regulates the balance between ferroptosis and autophagy in liver cancer cells.

Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells protect against ferroptosis in acute liver failure through the IGF1-hepcidin-FPN1 axis and inhibiting iron loading

Acute liver failure (ALF) is a significant global issue with elevated morbidity and mortality rates. There is an urgent and pressing need for secure and effective treatments. Ferroptosis, a novel iron-dependent regulation of cell death, plays a significant role in multiple pathological processes associated with liver diseases, including ALF. Several studies have demonstrated that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have promising therapeutic potential in the treatment of ALF. This study aims to investigate the positive effects of MSCs against ferroptosis in an ALF model and explore the underlying molecular mechanisms of their therapeutic function. Our results show that intravenously injected MSCs protect against ferroptosis in ALF mouse models. MSCs decrease iron deposition in the liver of ALF mice by downregulating hepcidin level and upregulating FPN1 level. MSCs labelled with Dil are mainly observed in the hepatic sinusoid and exhibit colocalization with the macrophage marker CD11b fluorescence. ELISA demonstrates a high level of IGF1 in the CCL 4+MSC group. Suppressing the IGF1 effect by the PPP blocks the therapeutic effect of MSCs against ferroptosis in ALF mice. Furthermore, disruption of IGF1 function results in iron deposition in the liver tissue due to impaired inhibitory effects of MSCs on hepcidin level. Our findings suggest that MSCs alleviate ferroptosis induced by disorders of iron metabolism in ALF mice by elevating IGF1 level. Moreover, MSCs are identified as a promising cell source for ferroptosis treatment in ALF mice.

Recent research progress of circular RNAs in hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an extremely heterogeneous malignant tumor with a high morbidity and mortality. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are noncoding RNAs with high stability, organ/tissue/cell-specific expression and are conserved across species. Accumulating evidence suggested that circRNAs play crucial roles as microRNA sponges, protein sponges, scaffolds, recruiters and could even polypeptide encoders. Many studies have since revealed that circRNAs were aberrantly expressed in HCC and acted as crucial modulators of HCC carcinogenesis and progression. Furthermore, circRNAs have also been identified as potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for HCC. In this review, we thoroughly outline and evaluate the function of circRNAs in HCC development, with an emphasis on the specific molecular pathways by which they participated in the formation and progression of HCC, and we address their potential for serving as clinical biomarkers in HCC.

Recent advances of exosomal circRNAs in cancer and their potential clinical applications

Circular RNA (circRNA) is a type of non-coding RNA that forms a covalently closed, uninterrupted loop. The expression of circRNA differs among cell types and tissues, and various circRNAs are aberrantly expressed in a variety of diseases, including cancer. Aberrantly expressed circRNAs contribute to disease progression by acting as microRNA sponges, functional protein sponges, or novel templates for protein translation. Recent studies have shown that circRNAs are enriched in exosomes. Exosomes are spherical bilayer vesicles released by cells into extracellular spaces that mediate intercellular communication by delivering cargoes. These cargoes include metabolites, proteins, lipids, and RNA molecules. Exosome-mediated cell-cell or cell-microenvironment communications influence the progression of carcinogenesis by regulating cell proliferation, angiogenesis, metastasis as well as immune escape. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge about exosomal circRNAs in cancers and discuss their specific functions in tumorigenesis. Additionally, we discuss the potential value of exosomal circRNAs as diagnostic biomarkers and the potential applications of exosomal circRNA-based cancer therapy.

Exosomal circRNA: emerging insights into cancer progression and clinical application potential

Exosomal circRNA serves a novel genetic information molecule, facilitating communication between tumor cells and microenvironmental cells, such as immune cells, fibroblasts, and other components, thereby regulating critical aspects of cancer progression including immune escape, tumor angiogenesis, metabolism, drug resistance, proliferation and metastasis. Interestingly, microenvironment cells have new findings in influencing tumor progression and immune escape mediated by the release of exosomal circRNA. Given the intrinsic stability, abundance, and broad distribution of exosomal circRNAs, they represent excellent diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for liquid biopsy. Moreover, artificially synthesized circRNAs may open up new possibilities for cancer therapy, potentially bolstered by nanoparticles or plant exosome delivery strategies. In this review, we summarize the functions and underlying mechanisms of tumor cell and non-tumor cell-derived exosomal circRNAs in cancer progression, with a special focus on their roles in tumor immunity and metabolism. Finally, we examine the potential application of exosomal circRNAs as diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets, highlighting their promise for clinical use.