DLEU1: A Functional Long Noncoding RNA in Tumorigenesis

Interplay of Transcriptomic Regulation, Microbiota, and Signaling Pathways in Lung and Gut Inflammation-Induced Tumorigenesis

Inflammation can positively and negatively affect tumorigenesis based on the duration, scope, and sequence of related events through the regulation of signaling pathways. A transcriptomic analysis of five pulmonary arterial hypertension, twelve Crohn's disease, and twelve ulcerative colitis high throughput sequencing datasets using R language specialized libraries and gene enrichment analyses identified a regulatory network in each inflammatory disease. IRF9 and LINC01089 in pulmonary arterial hypertension are related to the regulation of signaling pathways like MAPK, NOTCH, human papillomavirus, and hepatitis c infection. ZNF91 and TP53TG1 in Crohn's disease are related to the regulation of PPAR, MAPK, and metabolic signaling pathways. ZNF91, VDR, DLEU1, SATB2-AS1, and TP53TG1 in ulcerative colitis are related to the regulation of PPAR, AMPK, and metabolic signaling pathways. The activation of the transcriptomic network and signaling pathways might be related to the interaction of the characteristic microbiota of the inflammatory disease, with the lung and gut cell receptors present in membrane rafts and complexes. The transcriptomic analysis highlights the impact of several coding and non-coding RNAs, suggesting their relationship with the unlocking of cell phenotypic plasticity for the acquisition of the hallmarks of cancer during lung and gut cell adaptation to inflammatory phenotypes.

Non-coding RNAs as therapeutic targets in cancer and its clinical application

Cancer genomics has led to the discovery of numerous oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes that play critical roles in cancer development and progression. Oncogenes promote cell growth and proliferation, whereas tumor suppressor genes inhibit cell growth and division. The dysregulation of these genes can lead to the development of cancer. Recent studies have focused on non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), including circular RNA (circRNA), long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), and microRNA (miRNA), as therapeutic targets for cancer. In this article, we discuss the oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes of ncRNAs associated with different types of cancer and their potential as therapeutic targets. Here, we highlight the mechanisms of action of these genes and their clinical applications in cancer treatment. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying cancer development and identifying specific therapeutic targets are essential steps towards the development of effective cancer treatments.

LncRNA DLEU1 promotes angiogenesis in diabetic foot ulcer wound healing by regulating miR-96-5p

BACKGROUND

Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) carries high rates of major amputation and mortality.

AIMS

The goals of this study were to identify expression of circulating lncRNA DLEU1 and miR-96-5p in patients with diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) and to explore the function of lncRNA DLEU1/miR-96-5p axis in DFU.

METHODS

Matched patients with DFU and healthy individuals were randomly selected. Serum samples from all subjects were used for circulating lncRNA DLEU1 and miR-96-5p assessment by RT-qPCR. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted to assess the discriminative capacity of lncRNA DLEU1 and miR-96-5p in identifying DFU. Cell proliferation was detected by CCK-8 assay. Cell apoptosis was assayed by Annexin V-FITC/PI staining method. Bioinformatics, luciferase reporter activity assay, and in vitro cell experiments were used to explore the relationship between lncRNA DLEU1 and miR-96-5p.

RESULTS

LncRNA DLEU1 and miR-96-5p were significantly up- and downregulated in patients with DFU, respectively, compared with controls. After ROC assessment, lncRNA DLEU1 and miR-96-5p were found to discriminate DFU from miR-96-5p. Furthermore, lncRNA DLEU1 inhibited human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) cell proliferation and increased HUVECs apoptosis and oxidative stress through sponging miR-96-5p.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest lncRNA DLEU1 and miR-96-5p as circulating biomarkers for DFU. Also, we provide the clue for the pathogenic significance of lncRNA DLEU1/miR-96-5p in DFU, as well as insights for new potential targets.

GPR37-centered ceRNA network contributes to metastatic potential in lung adenocarcinoma: Evidence from high-throughput sequencing

The competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA)-based profiling has been extensively studied in carcinogenesis of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), while it has seldomly been applied to investigate the metastatic potential of LUAD. This study aims to examine the function and in-depth mechanism of GPR37-centered ceRNA network in LUAD. Cancer tissues and adjacent normal tissues from three LUAD patients were collected for high-throughput sequencing to screen for differentially expressed genes. A PPI network was constructed to screen the key gene GPR37, followed by analysis for the functions and pathways. Clinical data from LUAD patients were integrated with gene expression data in TCGA-LUAD dataset for survival analysis. Based on the miRNAs targeting_GPR37 and lncRNAs targeting_miRNAs, a lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA ceRNA network was established. GPR37 was up-regulated in LUAD tissue samples, and it may be a key gene involved in LUAD progression. GPR37 in LUAD was mainly enriched in the mitosis-related pathways. High GPR37 expression corresponded to poor prognosis in LUAD patients. Meanwhile, GPR37 could be used as an independent factor to predict the prognosis in LUAD patients. LncRNA DLEU1, up-regulated in LUAD tissue samples, may competitively bind to miR-4458 to up-regulate the expression of the miR-4458 downstream target GPR37. DLEU1 was associated with poor prognosis and tumor metastasis in LUAD patients. Altogether, our findings reveal a novel ceRNA network of DLEU1/miR-4458/GPR37 in LUAD growth and metastasis.

Long noncoding RNA DLEU1 promotes proliferation and glycolysis of gastric cancer cells via APOC1 upregulation by recruiting SMYD2 to induce trimethylation of H3K4 modification

OBJECTIVES

APOC1 has been reported to promote tumor progression. Nevertheless, its impact on cell proliferation and glycolysis in gastric cancer (GC) remains to be probed. Hence, this study explored the related impacts and mechanisms.

METHODS

DLEU1, SMYD2, and APOC1 expression was detected in GC cells. Afterward, ectopic expression and knockdown experiments were conducted in GC cells, followed by measurement of cell proliferation, glucose uptake capability, lactic acid production, ATP content, extracellular acidification rate (ECAR), oxygen consumption rate (OCR), and GLUT1, HK2, and LDHA expression. In addition, interactions between DLEU1 and SMYD2 were analyzed with RIP and RNA pull down assays, and the binding of SMYD2 to APOC1 promoter and the methylation modification of SMYD2 in H3K4me3 were assessed with a ChIP assay. The ectopic tumor formation experiment in nude mice was conducted for in vivo validation.

RESULTS

DLEU1, SMYD2, and APOC1 were highly expressed in GC cells. The downregulation of DLEU1 or APOC1 inhibited glucose uptake capability, lactic acid production, ECAR, the expression of GLUT1, HK2, and LDHA, ATP contents, and proliferation but augmented OCR in GC cells, which was also verified in animal experiments. Mechanistically, DLEU1 interacted with SMYD2 and recruited SMYD2 to APOC1 promoter to promote H3K4me3 modification, thus facilitating APOC1 expression. Furthermore, the effects of DLEU1 silencing on GC cell proliferation and glycolysis were negated by overexpressing SMYD2 or APOC1.

CONCLUSION

LncRNA DLEU1 recruited SMYD2 to upregulate APOC1 expression, thus boosting GC cell proliferation and glycolysis.

Development of anoikis-related long non-coding RNA signature associated with prognosis and immune landscape in cutaneous melanoma patients

BACKGROUND

Anoikis is involved in many critical biological processes in tumors; however, function in CM is still unknown. In this study, the relevance between Anoikis-related lncRNAs (ARLs) and the clinicopathological characteristics of patients with CM was comprehensively assessed.

METHODS

Through analysis of TCGA dataset, ARLs were identified by using TCGA dataset. Based on the ARLs, a risk model was established to anticipate the prognosis of patients with CM, besides, the prediction accuracy of the model was evaluated. The immune infiltration landscape of patients with CM was assessed comprehensively, and the correlation between ARLs and immunity was elucidated. Immunotherapy and drug sensitivity analyses were applied to analyze the treatment response in patients with CM with diverse risk scores. Different subgroups were distinguished among the patients using consensus cluster analysis.

RESULTS

A risk model based on six ARLs was set up to obtain an accurate prediction of the prognosis of patients with CM. There were distinctions in the immune landscape among CM patients with diverse risk scores and subgroups. Six prognosis-related ARLs were highly correlated with the number of immune cells. Patients with CM with different risk scores have various sensitivities to immunotherapy and antitumor drug treatments.

CONCLUSION

Our newly risk model associated with ARLs has considerable prognostic value for patients with CM. Not only has the risk model high prediction accuracy but it also indicates the immune status of CM patients, which will provide a new direction for the individualized therapy of patients with CM.

LncRNA DLEU1 facilitates the progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma by miR-126-5p/GAB1 axis

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the most frequent malignancies found in head and neck cancers. Dysregulation of lncRNAs has been proposed to be related to the development of OSCC. Here, we investigated the function and probable mechanisms of lncRNA DLEU1 in OSCC. OSCC cell lines and human oral keratinocytes (HOKs) were cultured, while SCC-25 and CAL-27 cells were transfected with the corresponding plasmids. Reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and western blot were carried out to measure the RNA and protein levels. Cell proliferation, migration and invasion were evaluated using MTT assays, wound healing and Transwell assays. The StarBase database predicted the interactions between DLEU1 and miR-126-5p, as well as miR-126-5p and GAB1, which were further validated using a dual-luciferase reporter assay. Our results indicated that DLEU1 and GAB1 were upregulated, while miR-126-5p was downregulated in OSCC cells. Silencing DLEU1 reduced OSCC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, while DLEU1 overexpression had the opposite effects. DLEU1 mediated biological effects in OSCC through binding to miR-126-5p, which directly targeted GAB1. miR-126-5p knockdown rescued the inhibitory function of DLEU1 depletion on proliferation, migration and invasion. Meanwhile, the miR-126-5p mimic exerted suppressive functions in the progression of OSCC, which were neutralized after GAB1 overexpression. In summary, lncRNA DLEU1 targets the miR-126-5p/GAB1 axis to aggravate OSCC progression, providing a novel target for treating OSCC.

Identification of Immune Infiltration-Related ceRNAs as Novel Biomarkers for Prognosis of Patients With Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma

Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness globally; hence, relevant clinical biomarkers are necessary to enable diagnosis, early detection, and development of novel therapies. The differentially expressed genes were annotated and visualized using Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia. In addition, a competitive endogenous ribonucleic acids network was constructed using Cytoscape, which explained the regulation of gene expression in glaucoma. The CIBERSORT algorithm was employed to analyze the immune microenvironment. We validated that the core genes could predict glaucoma occurrence and development and identified potential molecular mechanism pathways, which were associated with immune infiltration and participated in endogenous regulation networks. Our data may partially explain the pathogenesis of glaucoma and they provide potential theoretical support for targeted therapy.

The Ferroptosis-Related Noncoding RNA Signature as a Novel Prognostic Biomarker in the Tumor Microenvironment, Immunotherapy, and Drug Screening of Gastric Adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Ferroptosis is a new type of cell death different from apoptosis, necrosis, autophagy, and pyroptosis. This study aimed to explore the relationship between ferroptosis-related noncoding RNA (ncRNA) and gastric adenocarcinoma with regard to immunity and prognosis.

METHODS

Ferroptosis-related ncRNA expression profiles and clinical pathology and overall survival information were collected from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Gene Expression Omnibus database. The ferroptosis-related ncRNA signature was identified by Cox regression analysis and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator analysis. The survival analysis, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, and decision curve analysis were adopted to evaluate the prognostic prediction performance of the signature. The correlation between risk and multiple clinical characteristics was analyzed using the chi-square test. The Gene Ontology, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes, and gene set enrichment analysis were used for mining functions and pathways. The CIBERSORT, ssGSEA, and ESTIMATE algorithms were used to assess immune infiltration and the tumor microenvironment. The response of immunotherapy was predicted using the Submap algorithm, and the Connectivity Map and the ridge regression model were used to screen and evaluate drugs.

RESULTS

A carcinogenic risk signature was constructed using five ferroptosis-related ncRNAs. It showed an extraordinary ability to predict the prognoses of patients with gastric adenocarcinoma [area under the ROC curve (AUC) after 6 years = 0.689; GSE84426, AUC after 6 years = 0.747]. The lower ferroptosis potential level and lower tumor mutation burden were related to the poor prognoses of patients. The high-risk group had more immune cell recruitment, and the overall effect of the anti-immune checkpoint immunotherapy was not as good as that of the low-risk group. The high- and low-risk groups were enriched in tumor- and immune-related pathways, respectively. The screened antitumor drugs, such as genistein, guanabenz, and betulinic acid, improved the survival of the patients.

CONCLUSIONS

The ferroptosis-related ncRNA signature is a potential carcinogenic prognostic biomarker of gastric adenocarcinoma.

Long non-coding RNA DLEUI promotes papillary thyroid carcinoma progression by sponging miR-421 and increasing ROCK1 expression

We investigated the role of long non-coding RNA DLEU1 (deleted in lymphocytic leukemia 1) in the progression of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). DLEU1 levels were higher in PTC cell lines (BHP5-16, TPC-1,8505C, and SW1736) and patient tissues (n=54) than in a human thyroid follicular epithelial cell line (Nthy-ori3-1) or adjacent normal thyroid tissues. High DLEU1 expression correlated positively with lymph node metastasis and advanced clinical stages in PTC patients. Bioinformatics, dual luciferase reporter, and RNA pulldown assays confirmed that DLEU1 directly binds to miR-421. Moreover, bioinformatics and dual luciferase reporter assays showed that miR-421 directly binds to the 3'untranslated region of the rho-related coiled-coil kinase 1 (ROCK1) in TPC-1 cells. PTC patient tissues and cell lines showed high ROCK1 mRNA and protein levels as well as low miR-421 levels. CCK-8, flow cytometry, wound healing, and Transwell invasion assays demonstrated that DLEU1 silencing decreases TPC-1 cell proliferation, survival and progression, but they can be rescued by miR-421 knockdown or ROCK1 overexpression. DLEU1 knockdown in TPC-1 cells decreased in vivo xenograft tumor size and weight compared to controls in nude mice. These findings demonstrate that DLEU1 promotes PTC progression by sponging miR-421 and increasing ROCK1 expression.