Non-Coding RNAs and Brain Tumors: Insights Into Their Roles in Apoptosis

Melatonin and retinal cell damage: molecular and biological functions

The indoleamine hormone, melatonin, is produced in the pineal gland and has an essential role in many physiological functions. The pineal gland is considered to be the most important organ for producing melatonin. Nevertheless, it is important to point out that the eye is also capable of producing melatonin, and has its own circadian rhythm in producing this hormone. Melatonin is mainly produced by a subpopulation of photoreceptors in a diurnal rhythm. Numerous in vitro and in vivo studies have shown the beneficial effects of melatonin in eye-related disorders. These diseases primarily affect retinal cells, highlighting the therapeutic potential of melatonin, especially in the retina. Melatonin's ability to regulate oxidative stress response pathways and modulate the expression of antioxidant genes makes it a promising candidate for mitigating retinal cell damage. Moreover, melatonin can modulate inflammatory pathways such as NF-кB and further reduce retinal damage, as well as affecting programmed cell death such as apoptosis and autophagy in retinal cells. Therefore, the goal of this review is to explore the ways in which melatonin protects retinal cells from damage and ischemia. We discuss the mechanisms involved in order to gain valuable understanding of the possible therapeutic applications of melatonin in protection of retinal cells and treatment of retinal disorders.

MicroRNA as Key Players in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Insights into Their Role in Metastasis

Liver cancer or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains the most common cancer in global epidemiology. Both the frequency and fatality of this malignancy have shown an upward trend over recent decades. Liver cancer is a significant concern due to its propensity for both intrahepatic and extrahepatic metastasis. Liver cancer metastasis is a multifaceted process characterized by cell detachment from the bulk tumor, modulation of cellular motility and invasiveness, enhanced proliferation, avoidance of the immune system, and spread either via lymphatic or blood vessels. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding ribonucleic acids (RNAs) playing a crucial function in the intricate mechanisms of tumor metastasis. A number of miRNAs can either increase or reduce metastasis via several mechanisms, such as control of motility, proliferation, attack by the immune system, cancer stem cell properties, altering the microenvironment, and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Besides, two other types of non-coding RNAs, such as long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs) can competitively bind to endogenous miRNAs. This competition results in the impaired ability of the miRNAs to inhibit the expression of the specific messenger RNAs (mRNAs) that are targeted. Increasing evidence has shown that the regulatory axis comprising circRNA/lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA is correlated with the regulation of HCC metastasis. This review seeks to present a thorough summary of recent research on miRNAs in HCC, and their roles in the cellular processes of EMT, invasion and migration, as well as the metastasis of malignant cells. Finally, we discuss the function of the lncRNA/circRNA-miRNA-mRNA network as a crucial modulator of carcinogenesis and the regulation of signaling pathways or genes that are relevant to the metastasis of HCC. These findings have the potential to offer valuable insight into the discovery of novel therapeutic approaches for management of liver cancer metastasis.

Role of circRNAs in regulating cell death in cancer: a comprehensive review

Despite multiple diagnostic and therapeutic advances, including surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy, cancer preserved its spot as a global health concern. Prompt cancer diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis depend on the discovery of new biomarkers and therapeutic strategies. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are considered as a stable, conserved, abundant, and varied group of RNA molecules that perform multiple roles such as gene regulation. There is evidence that circRNAs interact with RNA-binding proteins, especially capturing miRNAs. An extensive amount of research has presented the substantial contribution of circRNAs in various types of cancer. To fully understand the linkage between circRNAs and cancer growth as a consequence of various cell death processes, including autophagy, ferroptosis, and apoptosis, more research is necessary. The expression of circRNAs could be controlled to limit the occurrence and growth of cancer, providing a more encouraging method of cancer treatment. Consequently, it is critical to understand how circRNAs affect various forms of cancer cell death and evaluate whether circRNAs could be used as targets to induce tumor death and increase the efficacy of chemotherapy. The current study aims to review and comprehend the effects that circular RNAs exert on cell apoptosis, autophagy, and ferroptosis in cancer to investigate potential cancer treatment targets.

Imaging Techniques and Biochemical Biomarkers: New Insights into Diagnosis of Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer (PaC) incidence is increasing, but our current screening and diagnostic strategies are not very effective. However, screening could be helpful in the case of PaC, as recent evidence shows that the disease progresses gradually. Unfortunately, there is no ideal screening method or program for detecting PaC in its early stages. Conventional imaging techniques, such as abdominal ultrasound, CT, MRI, and EUS, have not been successful in detecting early-stage PaC. On the other hand, biomarkers may be a more effective screening tool for PaC and have greater potential for further evaluation compared to imaging. Recent studies on biomarkers and artificial intelligence (AI)-enhanced imaging have shown promising results in the early diagnosis of PaC. In addition to proteins, non-coding RNAs are also being studied as potential biomarkers for PaC. This review consolidates the current literature on PaC screening modalities to provide an organized framework for future studies. While conventional imaging techniques have not been effective in detecting early-stage PaC, biomarkers and AI-enhanced imaging are promising avenues of research. Further studies on the use of biomarkers, particularly non-coding RNAs, in combination with imaging modalities may improve the accuracy of PaC screening and lead to earlier detection of this deadly disease.

lncRNA-mediated immune system dysregulation in RIF; a comprehensive insight into immunological modifications and signaling pathways' dysregulation

The initial stage of biological pregnancy is referred to as implantation, during which the interaction between the endometrium and the fetus is crucial for successful implantation. Around 10% of couples undergoing in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer encounter recurrent implantation failure (RIF), a clinical condition characterized by the absence of implantation after multiple embryo transfers. It is believed that implantation failure may be caused by inadequate or excessive endometrial inflammatory responses during the implantation window, as the female immune system plays a complex role in regulating endometrial receptivity and embryo implantation. Recent approaches to enhance the likelihood of pregnancy in RIF patients have focused on modifying the mother's immune response during implantation by regulating inflammation. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a significant role in gene transcription during the inflammatory response. Current research suggests that dysfunctional lncRNAs are linked to various human disorders, such as cancer, diabetes, allergies, asthma, and inflammatory bowel disease. These non-coding RNAs are crucial for immune functions as they control protein interactions or the ability of RNA and DNA to form complexes, which are involved in differentiation, cell migration, and the production of inflammatory mediators. Given the apparent involvement of the immune system in RIF and the modulatory effect of lncRNAs on the immune system, this review aims to delve into the role of lncRNAs in immune system modulation and their potential contribution to RIF.

MicroRNAs, long non-coding RNAs, and circular RNAs and gynecological cancers: focus on metastasis

Gynecologic cancer is a significant cause of death in women worldwide, with cervical cancer, ovarian cancer, and endometrial cancer being among the most well-known types. The initiation and progression of gynecologic cancers involve a variety of biological functions, including angiogenesis and metastasis-given that death mostly occurs from metastatic tumors that have invaded the surrounding tissues. Therefore, understanding the molecular pathways underlying gynecologic cancer metastasis is critical for enhancing patient survival and outcomes. Recent research has revealed the contribution of numerous non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) to metastasis and invasion of gynecologic cancer by affecting specific cellular pathways. This review focuses on three types of gynecologic cancer (ovarian, endometrial, and cervical) and three kinds of ncRNAs (long non-coding RNAs, microRNAs, and circular RNAs). We summarize the detailed role of non-coding RNAs in the different pathways and molecular interactions involved in the invasion and metastasis of these cancers.

Emerging roles of miR-145 in gastrointestinal cancers: A new paradigm

Gastrointestinal (GI) carcinomas are a group of cancers affecting the GI tract and digestive organs, such as the gastric, liver, bile ducts, pancreas, small intestine, esophagus, colon, and rectum. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small functional non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) which are involved in regulating the expression of multiple target genes; mainly at the post-transcriptional level, via complementary binding to their 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR). Increasing evidence has shown that miRNAs have critical roles in modulating of various physiological and pathological cellular processes and regulating the occurrence and development of human malignancies. Among them, miR-145 is recognized for its anti-oncogenic properties in various cancers, including GI cancers. MiR-145 has been implicated in diverse biological processes of cancers through the regulation of target genes or signaling, including, proliferation, differentiation, tumorigenesis, angiogenesis, apoptosis, metastasis, and therapy resistance. In this review, we have summarized the role of miR-145 in selected GI cancers and also its downstream molecules and cellular processes targets, which could lead to a better understanding of the miR-145 in these cancers. In conclusion, we reveal the potential diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic value of miR-145 in GI cancer, and hope to provide new ideas for its application as a biomarker as well as a therapeutic target for the treatment of these cancer.

Unlocking the role of non-coding RNAs in prostate cancer progression: exploring the interplay with the Wnt signaling pathway

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most common cancers in males, exhibiting a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations that pose challenges in its diagnosis and treatment. The Wnt signaling pathway, a conserved and complex pathway, is crucial for embryonic development, tissue homeostasis, and various physiological processes. Apart from the classical Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, there exist multiple non-classical Wnt signaling pathways, including the Wnt/PCP and Wnt/Ca2+ pathways. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are involved in the occurrence and development of PCa and the response to PCa treatment. ncRNAs are known to execute diverse regulatory roles in cellular processes, despite their inability to encode proteins. Among them, microRNAs, long non-coding RNAs, and circular RNAs play key roles in the regulation of the Wnt signaling pathway in PCa. Aberrant expression of these ncRNAs and dysregulation of the Wnt signaling pathway are one of the causes of cell proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, migration, and angiogenesis in PCa. Moreover, these ncRNAs affect the characteristics of PCa cells and hold promise as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. Herein, we summarize the role of ncRNAs in the regulation of the Wnt signaling pathway during the development of PCa. Additionally, we present an overview of the current progress in research on the correlation between these molecules and clinical features of the disease to provide novel insights and strategies for the treatment of PCa.

The role of microRNAs in neurobiology and pathophysiology of the hippocampus

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short non-coding and well-conserved RNAs that are linked to many aspects of development and disorders. MicroRNAs control the expression of genes related to different biological processes and play a prominent role in the harmonious expression of many genes. During neural development of the central nervous system, miRNAs are regulated in time and space. In the mature brain, the dynamic expression of miRNAs continues, highlighting their functional importance in neurons. The hippocampus, as one of the crucial brain structures, is a key component of major functional connections in brain. Gene expression abnormalities in the hippocampus lead to disturbance in neurogenesis, neural maturation and synaptic formation. These disturbances are at the root of several neurological disorders and behavioral deficits, including Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy and schizophrenia. There is strong evidence that abnormalities in miRNAs are contributed in neurodegenerative mechanisms in the hippocampus through imbalanced activity of ion channels, neuronal excitability, synaptic plasticity and neuronal apoptosis. Some miRNAs affect oxidative stress, inflammation, neural differentiation, migration and neurogenesis in the hippocampus. Furthermore, major signaling cascades in neurodegeneration, such as NF-Kβ signaling, PI3/Akt signaling and Notch pathway, are closely modulated by miRNAs. These observations, suggest that microRNAs are significant regulators in the complicated network of gene regulation in the hippocampus. In the current review, we focus on the miRNA functional role in the progression of normal development and neurogenesis of the hippocampus. We also consider how miRNAs in the hippocampus are crucial for gene expression mechanisms in pathophysiological pathways.

Targeting Non-Coding RNA for CNS Injuries: Regulation of Blood-Brain Barrier Functions

Central nervous system (CNS) injuries are the most common cause of death and disability around the world. The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is located at the interface between the CNS and the surrounding environment, which protects the CNS from exogenous molecules, harmful agents or microorganisms in the blood. The disruption of BBB is a common feature of CNS injuries and participates in the pathological processes of secondary brain damage. Recently, a growing number of studies have indicated that non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) play an important role in brain development and are involved in CNS injuries. In this review, we summarize the mechanisms of BBB breakdown after CNS injuries. We also discuss the effects of ncRNAs including long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), circular RNAs (circRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) on BBB damage in CNS injuries such as ischemic stroke, traumatic brain injury (TBI), intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). In addition, we clarify the pharmacotherapies that could regulate BBB function via ncRNAs in CNS injuries, as well as the challenges and perspectives of ncRNAs on modulation of BBB function. Hence, on the basis of these effects, ncRNAs may be developed as therapeutic agents to protect the BBB for CNS injury patients.

Recent Advances and Future Potential of Long Non-Coding RNAs in Insects

Over the last decade, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have witnessed a steep rise in interest amongst the scientific community. Because of their functional significance in several biological processes, i.e., alternative splicing, epigenetics, cell cycle, dosage compensation, and gene expression regulation, lncRNAs have transformed our understanding of RNA's regulatory potential. However, most knowledge concerning lncRNAs comes from mammals, and our understanding of the potential role of lncRNAs amongst insects remains unclear. Technological advances such as RNA-seq have enabled entomologists to profile several hundred lncRNAs in insect species, although few are functionally studied. This article will review experimentally validated lncRNAs from different insects and the lncRNAs identified via bioinformatic tools. Lastly, we will discuss the existing research challenges and the future of lncRNAs in insects.

MicroRNA-Based Markers of Oral Tongue Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Buccal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Systems Biology Approach

Objective

Oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC) and buccal squamous cell carcinoma (BSCC) are the first and second leading causes of oral cancer, respectively. OTSCC and BSCC are associated with poor prognosis in patients with oral cancer. Thus, we aimed to indicate signaling pathways, Gene Ontology terms, and prognostic markers mediating the malignant transformation of the normal oral tissue to OTSCC and BSCC.

Methods

The dataset GSE168227 was downloaded and reanalyzed from the GEO database. Orthogonal partial least square (OPLS) analysis identified common differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) in OTSCC and BSCC compared to their adjacent normal mucosa. Next, validated targets of DEMs were identified using the TarBase web server. With the use of the STRING database, a protein interaction map (PIM) was created. Using the Cytoscape program, hub genes and clusters within the PIM were shown. Next, gene-set enrichment analysis was carried out using the g:Profiler tool. Using the GEPIA2 web tool, analyses of gene expression and survival analysis were also performed.

Results

Two DEMs, including has-miR-136 and has-miR-377, were common in OTSCC and BSCC (p value <0.01; |Log2 FC| > 1). A total of 976 targets were indicated for common DEMs. PIM included 96 hubs, and the upregulation of EIF2S1, CAV1, RAN, ANXA5, CYCS, CFL1, MYC, HSP90AA1, PKM, and HSPA5 was significantly associated with a poor prognosis in the head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), while NTRK2, HNRNPH1, DDX17, and WDR82 overexpression was significantly linked to favorable prognosis in the patients with HNSCC. "Clathrin-mediated endocytosis" was considerably dysregulated in OTSCC and BSCC.

Conclusion

The present study suggests that has-miR-136 and has-miR-377 are underexpressed in OTSCC and BSCC than in normal oral mucosa. Moreover, EIF2S1, CAV1, RAN, ANXA5, CYCS, CFL1, MYC, HSP90AA1, PKM, HSPA5, NTRK2, HNRNPH1, DDX17, and WDR82 demonstrated prognostic markers in HNSCC. These findings may benefit the prognosis and management of individuals with OTSCC/BSCC. However, additional experimental verification is required.

The key role of microRNA-766 in the cancer development

Cancer is caused by defects in coding and non-coding RNAs. In addition, duplicated biological pathways diminish the efficacy of mono target cancer drugs. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short, endogenous, non-coding RNAs that regulate many target genes and play a crucial role in physiological processes such as cell division, differentiation, cell cycle, proliferation, and apoptosis, which are frequently disrupted in diseases such as cancer. MiR-766, one of the most adaptable and highly conserved microRNAs, is notably overexpressed in several diseases, including malignant tumors. Variations in miR-766 expression are linked to various pathological and physiological processes. Additionally, miR-766 promotes therapeutic resistance pathways in various types of tumors. Here, we present and discuss evidence implicating miR-766 in the development of cancer and treatment resistance. In addition, we discuss the potential applications of miR-766 as a therapeutic cancer target, diagnostic biomarker, and prognostic indicator. This may shed light on the development of novel therapeutic strategies for cancer therapy.

Non-coding RNAs and glioma: Focus on cancer stem cells

Glioblastoma and gliomas can have a wide range of histopathologic subtypes. These heterogeneous histologic phenotypes originate from tumor cells with the distinct functions of tumorigenesis and self-renewal, called glioma stem cells (GSCs). GSCs are characterized based on multi-layered epigenetic mechanisms, which control the expression of many genes. This epigenetic regulatory mechanism is often based on functional non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). ncRNAs have become increasingly important in the pathogenesis of human cancer and work as oncogenes or tumor suppressors to regulate carcinogenesis and progression. These RNAs by being involved in chromatin remodeling and modification, transcriptional regulation, and alternative splicing of pre-mRNA, as well as mRNA stability and protein translation, play a key role in tumor development and progression. Numerous studies have been performed to try to understand the dysregulation pattern of these ncRNAs in tumors and cancer stem cells (CSCs), which show robust differentiation and self-regeneration capacity. This review provides recent findings on the role of ncRNAs in glioma development and progression, particularly their effects on CSCs, thus accelerating the clinical implementation of ncRNAs as promising tumor biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

Analysis of Long Non-Coding RNA-Mediated Regulatory Networks of Plutella xylostella in Response to Metarhizium anisopliae Infection

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) represent a diverse class of RNAs that are structurally similar to messenger RNAs (mRNAs) but do not encode proteins. Growing evidence suggests that in response to biotic and abiotic stresses, the lncRNAs play crucial regulatory roles in plants and animals. However, the potential role of lncRNAs during fungal infection has yet to be characterized in Plutella xylostella, a devastating pest of cruciferous crops. In the current study, we performed a strand-specific RNA sequencing of Metarhizium anisopliae-infected (Px36hT, Px72hT) and uninfected (Px36hCK, Px72hCK) P. xylostella fat body tissues. Comprehensive bioinformatic analysis revealed a total of 5665 and 4941 lncRNAs at 36 and 72-h post-infection (hpi), including 563 (Px36hT), 532 (Px72hT) known and 5102 (Px36hT), 4409 (Px72hT) novel lncRNA transcripts. These lncRNAs shared structural similarities with their counterparts in other species, including shorter exon and intron length, fewer exon numbers, and a lower expression profile than mRNAs. LncRNAs regulate the expression of neighboring protein-coding genes by acting in a cis and trans manner. Functional annotation and pathway analysis of cis-acting lncRNAs revealed their role in several immune-related genes, including Toll, serpin, transferrin, βGRP etc. Furthermore, we identified multiple lncRNAs acting as microRNA (miRNA) precursors. These miRNAs can potentially regulate the expression of mRNAs involved in immunity and development, suggesting a crucial lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA complex. Our findings will provide a genetic resource for future functional studies of lncRNAs involved in P. xylostella immune responses to M. anisopliae infection and shed light on understanding insect host-pathogen interactions.

Non-Coding RNAs and Oral Cancer: Small Molecules With Big Functions

Oral cancer remains a major public concern with considerable socioeconomic impact in the world. Despite substantial advancements have been made in treating oral cancer, the five-year survival rate for oral cancer remained undesirable, and the molecular mechanisms underlying OSCC carcinogenesis have not been fully understood. Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) include transfer RNAs (tRNAs), as well as small RNAs such as microRNAs, and the long ncRNAs such as HOTAIR are a large segment of the transcriptome that do not have apparent protein-coding roles, but they have been verified to play important roles in diverse biological processes, including cancer cell development. Cell death, such as apoptosis, necrosis, and autophagy, plays a vital role in the progression of cancer. A better understanding of the regulatory relationships between ncRNAs and these various types of cancer cell death is therefore urgently required. The occurrence and development of oral cancer can be controlled by increasing or decreasing the expression of ncRNAs, a method which confers broad prospects for oral cancer treatment. Therefore, it is urgent for us to understand the influence of ncRNAs on the development of different modes of oral tumor death, and to evaluate whether ncRNAs have the potential to be used as biological targets for inducing cell death and recurrence of chemotherapy. The purpose of this review is to describe the impact of ncRNAs on cell apoptosis and autophagy in oral cancer in order to explore potential targets for oral cancer therapy.

MicroRNA-383: A tumor suppressor miRNA in human cancer

Downregulated expression of anti-tumor miR-383 has been found in many kinds of cancer. MiR-383 family members can directly target the 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) of the mRNA of some pro-tumor genes to attenuate several cancer-related processes, including cell proliferation, invasion, migration, angiogenesis, immunosuppression, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, glycolysis, chemoresistance, and the development of cancer stem cells, whilst promoting apoptosis. Functionally, miR-383 operates as a tumor inhibitor miRNA in many types of cancer, including breast cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, gastric cancer, pancreatic cancer, colorectal cancer, esophageal cancer, lung cancer, head and neck cancer, glioma, medulloblastoma, melanoma, prostate cancer, cervical cancer, oral squamous cell carcinoma, thyroid cancer, and B-cell lymphoma. Both pro-tumor and anti-tumor effects have been attributed to miR-383 in ovarian cancer. However, only the pro-tumor effects of miR-383 were reported in cholangiocarcinoma. The restoration of miR-383 expression could be considered a possible treatment for cancer. This review discusses the anti-tumor effects of miR-383 in human cancers, emphasizing their downstream target genes and potential treatment approaches.