Identification and Confirmation of the miR-30 Family as a Potential Central Player in Tobacco-Related Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Integrative analysis of m7G methylation-associated genes prognostic signature with immunotherapy and identification of LARP1 as a key oncogene in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Background

N7-methylguanosine (m7G) methylation is an RNA modification associated with cancer progression, but its specific role in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remains unclear.

Methods

This study analyzed the differential expression of m7G-related genes (m7GRGs) in HNSCC using the TCGA-HNSCC dataset, identifying key pathways associated with the cell cycle, DNA replication, and focal adhesion. A LASSO-Cox regression model was constructed based on four m7GRGs (EIF3D, EIF1, LARP1, and METTL1) and validated with GEO datasets and clinical samples. Further validation of gene upregulation in HNSCC tissues was conducted using RT-qPCR and immunohistochemistry, while the role of LARP1 in HNSCC cells was assessed via knockout experiments.

Results

The constructed model demonstrated strong predictive performance, with the risk score significantly correlating with prognosis, immune infiltration, and drug sensitivity. An external dataset and clinical specimens further confirmed the model's predictive accuracy for immunotherapy response. Additionally, two regulatory axes-LINC00707/hsa-miR-30b-5p/LARP1 and SNHG16/hsa-miR-30b-5p/LARP1-were identified. LARP1 knockout experiments revealed that suppressing LARP1 markedly inhibited HNSCC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion.

Conclusion

The m7GRG-based prognostic model developed in this study holds strong clinical potential for predicting prognosis and therapeutic responses in HNSCC. The identification of LARP1 and its related regulatory pathways offers new avenues for targeted therapy in HNSCC.

New evidence for miRNA testing in head and neck squamous cell cancer patients

PURPOSE

Prognosis of HNSCC has not changed over the last decades. MicroRNAs mediate gene expression and participate in regulating cellular biological processes. Its aberrant expression is an important event in the development of several cancers, including head and neck squamous cell cancer. The aim of the study is to determine if circulating miRNAs are reliable diagnostic indicators and can be used to monitor head and neck cancer.

METHODS/PATIENTS

An observational, longitudinal, prospective, analytical study was conducted, with a case-control design, in which 37 head and neck squamous cell cancer patients at diagnosis were compared with 30 healthy patients. Blood samples were obtained and free miRNA expression levels of 17 miRNAs were determined by PCR-RT. Follow-up of HNSCC was carried out for one year with blood extractions at 7 days for surgical patients, and 1, 2, 6 and 12 months after finishing treatment for all patients.

RESULTS

Seventy-eight percent of the participants in HNSCC group and 57% among control group were men. Smokers and alcohol consumers exhibit increased susceptibility to HNSCC, and risk rises to 63.4% (R2 = 0.634) when both factors are combined. HNSCC patients overexpressed miR-21-5p and miR-122, while miR-195-5p is downregulated. Elevated miR-21-5p levels correlates with tumour size and miR-374b-5p, with advanced stage (p = 0.005).

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that the evaluation of certain miRNAs' expression levels in plasma can be used as potential markers for HNSCC diagnosis. Further assays with larger samples could be performed to validate data and establish a cut-off expression level for our proposed miRNAs.

Association of miRNA and Bone Tumors: Future Therapeutic Inroads

Small endogenous non-coding RNA molecules known as micro-ribonucleic acids (miRNAs) control post-transcriptional gene regulation. A change in miRNA expression is related to various diseases, including bone tumors. Benign bone tumors are categorized based on matrix production and predominant cell type. Osteochondromas and giant cell tumors are among the most common bone tumors. Interestingly, miRNAs can function as either tumor suppressor genes or oncogenes, thereby determining the fate of a tumor. In the present review, we discuss various bone tumors with regard to their prognosis, pathogenesis, and diagnosis. The association between miRNAs and bone tumors, such as osteosarcoma, Ewing's sarcoma, chondrosarcoma, and giant-cell tumors, is also discussed. Moreover, miRNA may play an important role in tumor proliferation, growth, and metastasis. Knowledge of the dysregulation, amplification, and deletion of miRNA can be beneficial for the treatment of various bone cancers. The miRNAs could be beneficial for prognosis, treatment, future drug design, and treatment of resistant cases of bone cancer.

Modifiable factors for benign salivary gland neoplasms: A Mendelian randomization study

BACKGROUND

Observational studies have found associations between smoking, alcohol, radiation, body mass index (BMI), periodontitis, and the hazard of benign salivary gland neoplasms (BSGNs). Nevertheless, the etiology of BSGNs remains unclear. This study aims to assess the causal association between these modifiable factors and the BSGNs.

METHODS

Genetic instruments associated with exposures at the genome-wide significance level were selected from corresponding genome-wide association studies. The summary statistics for BSGNs were obtained from the FinnGen consortium (2445 cases and 340,054 controls). The inverse variance-weighted method was used as the primary analysis, and several sensitivity analyses were performed to test the reliability.

RESULTS

Genetically predicted higher lifetime smoking index (odds ratio [OR] = 2.10, p = 0.012) and BMI (OR = 1.58, p = 2.29 × 10-5) were associated with elevated risk of BSGNs, whereas other exposures do not. Sensitivity analyses showed consistency. The causal effect of the lifetime smoking index became more significant after adjusting for BMI (OR = 2.89, p = 0.005) and alcohol consumption (OR = 2.49, p = 0.002). A slight negative association emerged for alcohol consumption with adjustment for cigarettes per day (OR = 0.53, p = 0.034) but disappeared when adjusting for cigarettes per day and BMI.

CONCLUSION

This study supports the independent causal role of lifetime smoking index and BMI in BSGNs risk.

KRAS mutations upregulate Runx1 to promote occurrence of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Gene mutations play an important role in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) by not only promoting the occurrence and progression of HNSCC but also affecting sensitivity to treatment and prognosis. KRAS is one of the most frequently mutated oncogenes, which has been reported to have a mutation rate from 1.7% to 12.7% and may lead to poor prognosis in HNSCC, but its role remains unclear. Here, we found that the KRAS mutation can promote HNSCC generation through synergism with 4-Nitroquinoline-1-Oxide(4NQO). Mechanistically, KRAS mutations can significantly upregulate Runx1 to promote oral epithelial cell proliferation and migration and inhibit apoptosis. Runx1 inhibitor Ro 5-3335 can effectively inhibit KRAS-mutated HNSCC progression both in vitro and in vivo. These findings suggest that the KRAS mutation plays an important role in HNSCC and that Runx1 may be a novel therapeutic target for KRAS-mutated HNSCC.

[MiR-30e-5p overexpression promotes proliferation and migration of colorectal cancer cells by activating the CXCL12 axis via downregulating PTEN]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the regulatory effects of miR-30e-5p on biological behaviors of colorectal cancer cells and the role of PTEN/CXCL12 axis in mediating these effects.

METHODS

Bioinformatic analysis was performed to explore the differential expression of miR-30e-5p between colorectal cancer tissues and normal tissues. RT-qPCR was used to detect the differential expression of miR-30e-5p in intestinal epithelial cells and colorectal cancer cells. Bioinformatics and dual luciferase assay were used to predict and validate the targeting relationship between miR-30e-5p and PTEN. Human and murine colorectal cancer cell lines were transfected with miR-30e-5p mimics, miR-30e-5p inhibitor, miR-30e-5p mimics+LV-PTEN, or miR-30e-5p inhibitor + si-PTEN. The changes in biological behaviors of the cells were detected using plate clone formation assay, CCK-8 assay, flow cytometry, scratch healing and Transwell assays. PTEN and CXCL12 expressions in the cancer cells were detected by Western blotting. The effects of miR-30e-5p inhibitor on colorectal carcinogenesis and development were observed in nude mice.

RESULTS

Bioinformatic analysis showed that miR-30e-5p expression was significantly elevated in colorectal cancer tissues compared with the adjacent tissue (P < 0.01). Higher miR-30e-5p expression was detected in colorectal cancer cell lines than in intestinal epithelial cells (P < 0.01). Dual luciferase assay confirmed the targeting relationship between miR-30e-5p and PTEN (P < 0.05). Transfection with miR-30e-5p mimics significantly enhanced proliferation and metastasis and inhibited apoptosis of the colorectal cancer cells (P < 0.05), and co-transfection with LV-PTEN obviously reversed these changes (P < 0.05). MiR-30e-5p mimics significantly inhibited PTEN expression and enhanced CXCL12 expression in the cancer cells (P < 0.01), and miR-30e-5p inhibitor produced the opposite effect. Transfection with miR-30e-5p inhibitor caused cell cycle arrest in the cancer cells, which was reversed by co-transfection with si-PTEN (P < 0.05). In the in vivo experiments, the colorectal cancer cells transfected with miR-30e-5p inhibitor showed significantly lowered tumorigenesis.

CONCLUSION

Overexpression of miR-30e-5p promotes the malignant behaviors of colorectal cancer cells by downregulating PTEN to activate the CXCL12 axis.

GLDC mitigated by miR-30e regulates cell proliferation and tumor immune infiltration in TNBC

Background

TNBC, whose clinical prognosis is poorer than other subgroups of breast cancer, is a malignant tumor characterized by lack of estrogen receptors, progesterone hormone receptors, and HER2 overexpression. Due to the lack of specific targeted drugs, it is crucial to identify critical factors involved in regulating the progression of TNBC.

Methods

We analyzed the expression profiles of TNBC in TCGA and the prognoses values of GLDC. Correlations of GLDC and tumor immune infiltration were also identified. CCK8 and BrdU incorporation assays were utilized to determine cell proliferation. The mRNA and protein levels were examined by using Real-time PCR and Western blot analysis.

Results

In the present study, we analyzed the mRNA expression profiles of TNBC in TCGA and found that GLDC, a key enzyme in glycine cleavage system, was significantly up-regulated in TNBC tissues and higher expression of GLDC was correlated with a worse prognosis in TNBC. Moreover, the expression of GLDC was negatively correlated with macrophage and monocyte and positively correlated with activated CD4 T cell and type 2 T helper cell in TNBC. Overexpression of GLDC facilitated the proliferation of TNBC cells, whereas GLDC knockdown had the opposite effects. Additionally, miR-30e acts as a functional upstream regulator of GLDC and the inhibitory effects of miR-30e on cell proliferation were mitigated by the reintroduction of GLDC.

Conclusions

These results imply that miR-30e-depressed GLDC acts as a tumor suppressive pathway in TNBC and provides potential targets for the treatment of TNBC.

Towards Personalized Medicine in Myasthenia Gravis: Role of Circulating microRNAs miR-30e-5p, miR-150-5p and miR-21-5p

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune neuromuscular disease characterized by fatigable skeletal muscle weakness with a fluctuating unpredictable course. One main concern in MG is the lack of objective biomarkers to guide individualized treatment decisions. Specific circulating serum microRNAs (miRNAs) miR-30e-5p, miR-150-5p and miR-21-5p levels have been shown to correlate with clinical course in specific MG patient subgroups. The aim of our study was to better characterize these miRNAs, regardless of the MG subgroup, at an early stage from diagnosis and determine their sensitivity and specificity for MG diagnosis, as well as their predictive power for disease relapse. Serum levels of these miRNAs in 27 newly diagnosed MG patients were compared with 245 healthy individuals and 20 patients with non-MG neuroimmune diseases. Levels of miR-30e-5p and miR-150-5p significantly differed between MG patients and healthy controls; however, no difference was seen compared with patients affected by other neuroimmune diseases. High levels of miR-30e-5p predicted MG relapse (p = 0.049) with a hazard ratio of 2.81. In summary, miR-150-5p is highly sensitive but has low specificity for MG, while miR-30e-5p has the greatest potential as a predictive biomarker for the disease course in MG, regardless of subgroup.

The Key Differences between Human Papillomavirus-Positive and -Negative Head and Neck Cancers: Biological and Clinical Implications

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a unique malignancy associated with two distinct risk factors: exposure to typical carcinogens and infection of human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV encodes the potent oncoproteins E6 and E7, which bypass many important oncogenic processes and result in cancer development. In contrast, HPV-negative HNSCC is developed through multiple mutations in diverse oncogenic driver genes. While the risk factors associated with HPV-positive and HPV-negative HNSCCs are discrete, HNSCC patients still show highly complex molecular signatures, immune infiltrations, and treatment responses even within the same anatomical subtypes. Here, we summarize the current understanding of biological mechanisms, treatment approaches, and clinical outcomes in comparison between HPV-positive and -negative HNSCCs.