Positive Reciprocal Feedback of lncRNA ZEB1-AS1 and HIF-1α Contributes to Hypoxia-Promoted Tumorigenesis and Metastasis of Pancreatic Cancer

The role of LncRNA-MANCR induced by HIF-1α drive the malignant progression of pancreatic cancer by targeting miRNA-494/SIRT1 signaling axis under hypoxic conditions

This study revealed the prospective biological role and fundamental mechanisms of hypoxia-induced lncRNA-MANCR (MANCR), which is notably upregulated in pancreatic cancer (PC). This work uncovered the potential biological function and underlying mechanisms of hypoxia-induced MANCR, which is significantly elevated in PC. Microarray assays confirmed MANCR expression in the tissues of patients with PC and patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP), which positively correlated with sirtuin-1 (SIRT1) mRNA levels. Chromatin immunoprecipitation and luciferase assays were employed to gauge binding within the hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α)/MANCR/miRNA-494/SIRT1 pathway. Additionally, the association between MANCR expression and the clinical outcomes of patients with PC was confirmed. MANCR is significantly upregulated in PC cells under hypoxic conditions, which is closely linked to poor prognosis in patients with PC. Depletion of MANCR repressed in vitro proliferation, migration, and invasion of PC cells and in vivo growth of PC xenograft tumours. We further demonstrated that MANCR is localised in the cytoplasm and competitively binds miR-494, which directly targets SIRT1. Mechanically, the overexpression of SIRT1 improved the stability of the HIF-1α protein through deacetylation, leading to enhanced HIF-1α assembly. Moreover, MANCR underwent transcriptional regulation by HIF-1α in a hypoxic setting. This modulation was ascribed to HIF-1α binding to hypoxia response elements present in the MANCR promoter sequence. Data revealed the potential possibility of feedback between MANCR and HIF-1α, which may be conducive to hypoxia-induced oncogenicity and PC tumorigenesis, thereby providing a suitable therapeutic target.

The lactate metabolism and protein lactylation in epilepsy

Protein lactylation is a new form of post-translational modification that has recently been proposed. Lactoyl groups, derived mainly from the glycolytic product lactate, have been linked to protein lactylation in brain tissue, which has been shown to correlate with increased neuronal excitability. Ischemic stroke may promote neuronal glycolysis, leading to lactate accumulation in brain tissue. This accumulation of lactate accumulation may heighten neuronal excitability by upregulating protein lactylation levels, potentially triggering post-stroke epilepsy. Although current clinical treatments for seizures have advanced significantly, approximately 30% of patients with epilepsy remain unresponsive to medication, and the prevalence of epilepsy continues to rise. This study explores the mechanisms of epilepsy-associated neuronal death mediated by lactate metabolism and protein lactylation. This study also examines the potential for histone deacetylase inhibitors to alleviate seizures by modifying lactylation levels, thereby offering fresh perspectives for future research into the pathogenesis and clinical treatment of epilepsy.

Epigenetic modifications involving ncRNAs in digestive system cancers: focus on histone modification

In recent years, epigenetic modifications have been strongly linked to tumor development, with histone modifications representing a key epigenetic mechanism. In addition, non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) play a critical role in regulating cancer-related pathways. The abnormal interaction between histone modifications and ncRNAs, both pivotal epigenetic regulators, has been widely observed across various cancer types. Here, we systematically explore the molecular mechanisms through which histone modifications and ncRNAs contribute in the pathogenesis of digestive system cancers, and aberrant ncRNA-mediated histone modifications manipulate various biological behaviors of tumor cells including proliferation, migration, angiogenesis, etc. In addition, we provide new insights into diagnostic, prognostic markers, therapeutic targets and chemoradiation resistance for digestive system cancers from the epigenetic perspective.

LncRNAs as nodes for the cross-talk between autophagy and Wnt signaling in pancreatic cancer drug resistance

Pancreatic cancer is a malignancy with high mortality. In addition to the few symptoms until the disease reaches an advanced stage, the high fatality rate is attributed to its rapid development, drug resistance and lack of appropriate treatment. In the selection and research of therapeutic drugs, gemcitabine is the first-line drug for pancreatic cancer. Solving the problem of gemcitabine resistance in pancreatic cancer will contribute to the progress of pancreatic cancer treatment. Long non coding RNAs (lncRNAs), which are RNA transcripts longer than 200 nucleotides, play vital roles in cellular physiological metabolic activities. Currently, our group and others have found that some lncRNAs are aberrantly expressed in pancreatic cancer cells, which can regulate the process of cancer through autophagy and Wnt/β-catenin pathways simultaneously and affect the sensitivity of cancer cells to therapeutic drugs. This review presents an overview of the recent evidence concerning the node of lncRNA for the cross-talk between autophagy and Wnt/β-catenin signaling in pancreatic cancer, together with the practicability of lncRNAs and the core regulatory factors as targets in therapeutic resistance.

The strict regulation of HIF-1α by non-coding RNAs: new insight towards proliferation, metastasis, and therapeutic resistance strategies

The hypoxic environment is prominently witnessed in most solid tumors and is associated with the promotion of cell proliferation, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), angiogenesis, metabolic reprogramming, therapeutic resistance, and metastasis of tumor cells. All the effects are mediated by the expression of a transcription factor hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α). HIF-1α transcriptionally modulates the expression of genes responsible for all the aforementioned functions. The stability of HIF-1α is regulated by many proteins and non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). In this article, we have critically discussed the crucial role of ncRNAs [such as microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), circular RNAs (circRNAs), Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs), and transfer RNA (tRNA)-derived small RNAs (tsRNAs)] in the regulation of stability and expression of HIF-1α. We have comprehensively discussed the molecular mechanisms and relationship of HIF-1α with each type of ncRNA in either promotion or repression of human cancers and therapeutic resistance. We have also elaborated on ncRNAs that are in clinical examination for the treatment of cancers. Overall, the majority of aspects concerning the relationship between HIF-1α and ncRNAs have been discussed in this article.

Molecular profile of metastasis, cell plasticity and EMT in pancreatic cancer: a pre-clinical connection to aggressiveness and drug resistance

The metastasis is a multistep process in which a small proportion of cancer cells are detached from the colony to enter into blood cells for obtaining a new place for metastasis and proliferation. The metastasis and cell plasticity are considered major causes of cancer-related deaths since they improve the malignancy of cancer cells and provide poor prognosis for patients. Furthermore, enhancement in the aggressiveness of cancer cells has been related to the development of drug resistance. Metastasis of pancreatic cancer (PC) cells has been considered one of the major causes of death in patients and their undesirable prognosis. PC is among the most malignant tumors of the gastrointestinal tract and in addition to lifestyle, smoking, and other factors, genomic changes play a key role in its progression. The stimulation of EMT in PC cells occurs as a result of changes in molecular interaction, and in addition to increasing metastasis, EMT participates in the development of chemoresistance. The epithelial, mesenchymal, and acinar cell plasticity can occur and determines the progression of PC. The major molecular pathways including STAT3, PTEN, PI3K/Akt, and Wnt participate in regulating the metastasis of PC cells. The communication in tumor microenvironment can provide by exosomes in determining PC metastasis. The components of tumor microenvironment including macrophages, neutrophils, and cancer-associated fibroblasts can modulate PC progression and the response of cancer cells to chemotherapy.

Exosomes: A potential tool for immunotherapy of ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer is a malignant tumor of the female reproductive system, with a very poor prognosis and high mortality rates. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are the most common treatments for ovarian cancer, with unsatisfactory results. Exosomes are a subpopulation of extracellular vesicles, which have a diameter of approximately 30-100 nm and are secreted by many different types of cells in various body fluids. Exosomes are highly stable and are effective carriers of immunotherapeutic drugs. Recent studies have shown that exosomes are involved in various cellular responses in the tumor microenvironment, influencing the development and therapeutic efficacy of ovarian cancer, and exhibiting dual roles in inhibiting and promoting tumor development. Exosomes also contain a variety of genes related to ovarian cancer immunotherapy that could be potential biomarkers for ovarian cancer diagnosis and prognosis. Undoubtedly, exosomes have great therapeutic potential in the field of ovarian cancer immunotherapy. However, translation of this idea to the clinic has not occurred. Therefore, it is important to understand how exosomes could be used in ovarian cancer immunotherapy to regulate tumor progression. In this review, we summarize the biomarkers of exosomes in different body fluids related to immunotherapy in ovarian cancer and the potential mechanisms by which exosomes influence immunotherapeutic response. We also discuss the prospects for clinical application of exosome-based immunotherapy in ovarian cancer.

Natural antisense transcripts as drug targets

The recent discovery of vast non-coding RNA-based regulatory networks that can be easily modulated by nucleic acid-based drugs has opened numerous new therapeutic possibilities. Long non-coding RNA, and natural antisense transcripts (NATs) in particular, play a significant role in networks that involve a wide variety of disease-relevant biological mechanisms such as transcription, splicing, translation, mRNA degradation and others. Currently, significant efforts are dedicated to harnessing these newly emerging NAT-mediated biological mechanisms for therapeutic purposes. This review will highlight the recent clinical and pre-clinical developments in this field and survey the advances in nucleic acid-based drug technologies that make these developments possible.

The m7G-Related Long Noncoding RNA Signature Predicts Prognosis and Indicates Tumour Immune Infiltration in Colon Cancer

With high morbidity and mortality, colon cancer (CC) is considered as one of the most often diagnosed cancers around the world. M7G-related lncRNA may provide a regulatory function in the formation of CC, but the principle of regulation is still unclear. The purpose of this research was to establish a novel signature that may be used to predict survival and tumour immunity in CC patients. Data about CC in TCGA was collected for analysis, coexpression analysis and univariate Cox analysis were used to screen prognostic m7G-related lncRNAs. A consensus clustering analysis based on prognostic m7G-related lncRNAs was applied, and a prognosis model based on least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analysis was established. Independent prognostic analysis, nomogram, PCA, clinicopathological correlation analysis, TMB, survival analysis, immune correlation analysis, qRT–PCR and clinical therapeutic compound prediction were also applied. 90 prognostic m7G-related lncRNAs were found, GO and KEGG analysis showed that prognostic m7G-related lncRNAs were mainly related to cell transcription and translation. The results of the consensus clustering analysis revealed substantial disparities in survival prognosis and tumour immune infiltration between two clusters. We built a risk model with 21 signature m7G-related lncRNAs, patients in the high-risk group had a considerably poorer prognosis than those in the low-risk group. Independent prognostic analysis confirmed that patients’ prognosis was linked to their tumour stage and risk score. PCA, subgroups with distinct clinicopathological characteristics were studied for survival, multi-index ROC curve, c-index curve, the survival analysis of TMB, and model comparison tested the reliability of risk model. A tumour immunoassay revealed a substantial difference in immune infiltration between high-risk and low-risk individuals. Five chemicals were eliminated, and qRT–PCR indicated that the four lncRNAs were expressed differently. Overall, m7G-related lncRNA is closely related to colon cancer and the 21 signature lncRNAs risk model can efficiently evaluate the prognosis of CC patients, which has a possible positive consequence for the future diagnosis and therapy of CC.