MicroRNA-940 Targets INPP4A or GSK3β and Activates the Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway to Regulate the Malignant Behavior of Bladder Cancer Cells

The duality of GSK-3β in urinary bladder cancer: Tumor suppressor and promoter roles through multiple signaling pathways

Urinary bladder cancer (UBC), the tenth most common cancer globally, is primarily categorized into non-muscle-invasive (NMIBC) and muscle-invasive (MIBC) types. NMIBC has a low risk of metastasis but tends to recur frequently after transurethral resection, whereas MIBC is associated with a higher likelihood of metastasis and poorer prognosis. At diagnosis, roughly 75 % of UBC patients have NMIBC, while the remaining 25 % present with tumor invasion into the bladder's muscle layer. The molecular complexity of UBC has driven research toward identifying subtypes for more personalized treatment approaches. Glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) has emerged as a pivotal regulator in UBC through its dual roles across six key pathways: (1) Wnt/β-catenin regulation (tumor suppression vs oncogenic activation), (2) ER stress responses (apoptosis induction vs cytoprotection), (3) Akt/GSK-3β/β-catenin/c-Myc signaling, (4) PI3K/Akt/mTOR interactions, (5) NF-κB-mediated immune modulation, and (6) Snail1/β-catenin-driven epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT). Our analysis reveals that GSK-3β's context-dependent functions create both therapeutic opportunities and challenges - while inhibition suppresses tumor growth via β-catenin degradation, it may simultaneously activate NF-κB-mediated oncogenic processes. These paradoxical effects are particularly evident in the tumor microenvironment, where GSK-3β modulation differentially regulates CD8+ T cell function and macrophage polarization. Understanding these complex pathway interactions is crucial for developing precision therapies that exploit GSK-3β's tumor-suppressive roles while mitigating its oncogenic potential.

Overexpression of BMAL-1 is related to progression of urothelial carcinoma in arsenic exposure area

BACKGROUND

Environmental exposure to arsenic has long been associated with various clinical and pathophysiological aspects of urothelial carcinoma (UC), although the role of arsenic in UC and its impact on circadian proteins, particularly BMAL-1, remains unestablished. Previous research suggests that arsenic upregulates Aurora kinase A (AURKA), subsequently inhibiting GSK-3β, which might lead to overexpression of BMAL-1; nevertheless, the underlying pathway and its clinical significance in UC with arsenic exposure have yet to be validated. This study focuses on two potential upstream regulators of BMAL-1, AURKA and GSK-3β.

METHODS

Ninety-nine tumor tissue samples were retrospectively collected along with their respective clinical data. Immunohistochemistry was employed to assess the expression of each protein.

RESULTS

A positive relationship was observed between the expression levels of AURKA and BMAL-1 (p < 0.001), while negative correlations were noted between the expression levels of GSK-3β and AURKA (p < 0.001), and between GSK-3β and BMAL-1 (p = 0.003). Tissue samples exposed to arsenic exhibited significantly higher levels of AURKA (p < 0.001) and BMAL-1 (p < 0.001), a markedly lower expression of GSK-3β (p = 0.001), alongside a decreased survival status (p = 0.025) compared to non-exposed samples. Furthermore, patients with UC of higher tumor grade tended to show increased levels of AURKA (p < 0.001), BMAL-1 (p < 0.001), and decreased levels of GSK-3β (p < 0.001). Elevated expression of AURKA (p < 0.001) and BMAL-1 (p = 0.002), as well as reduced expression of GSK-3β (p = 0.003), were also associated with a decreased survival status.

CONCLUSIONS

This study highlights the differential expression of BMAL-1, AURKA, and GSK-3β in association with arsenic exposure and their significant impact on clinical and pathological features of UC. Moreover, BMAL-1, AURKA, and GSK-3β emerge as potential prognostic markers for UC in regions with arsenic exposure.

Non-coding RNAs in urinary bladder cancer microenvironment: Diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic perspective

Urinary bladder cancer (UBC) is the ninth most common cancer worldwide. Despite the reliance of UBC therapy on definite pathological grading and classifications, the clinical response among patients varies widely. The molecular basis of this type of cancer appeals to considerable research; hence, new diagnostic and therapeutic options are introduced. Convenient keywords were searched in Google Scholar, PubMed, the Egyptian Knowledge Bank (EKB), and Web of Science. The recent era of UBC research is concerned with non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), predominantly, microRNAs (miRNAs) and long non-coding RNA (lncRNAs). In addition, snoRNAs, PIWI-interacting RNAs, mitochondrial RNAs, circular, and Schistosoma haematobium-related ncRNAs appeared to contribute to the pathogenesis of the UBC. This review underscored the recently studied ncRNAs and their importance in the pathogenesis of UBC. Besides, we introduced the prospectives regarding their diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic significance in UBC clinical settings. Conclusion. Oncogenic and oncosuppressor ncRNAs' definite balances and interaction within the TME of UBC are key players in the fate of the tumor. Thus, profiling ncRNA in-depth inspects the TME of the UBC for better clinical insights.

Highlighting function of Wnt signalling in urological cancers: Molecular interactions, therapeutic strategies, and (nano)strategies

Cancer is a complex, multistep process characterized by abnormal cell growth and metastasis as well as the capacity of the tumor cells in therapy resistance development. The urological system is particularly susceptible to a group of malignancies known as urological cancers, where an accumulation of genetic alterations drives carcinogenesis. In various human cancers, Wnt singalling is dysregulated; following nuclear transfer of β-catenin, it promotes tumor progression and affects genes expression. Elevated levels of Wnt have been documented in urological cancers, where its overexpression enhances growth and metastasis. Additionally, increased Wnt singalling contributes to chemoresistance in urological cancers, leading to reduced sensitivity to chemotherapy agents like cisplatin, doxorubicin, and paclitaxel. Wnt upregulation can change radiotherapy response of urological cancers. The regulation of Wnt involves various molecular pathways, including Akt, miRNAs, lncRNAs, and circRNAs, all of which play roles in carcinogenesis. Targeting and silencing Wnt or its associated pathways can mitigate tumorigenesis in urological cancers. Anti-cancer compounds such as curcumin and thymoquinone have shown efficacy in suppressing tumorigenesis through the downregulation of Wnt singalling. Notably, nanoparticles have proven effective in treating urological cancers, with several studies in prostate cancer (PCa) using nanoparticles to downregulate Wnt and suppress tumor growth. Future research should focus on developing small molecules that inhibit Wnt singalling to further suppress tumorigenesis and advance the treatment of urological cancers. Moreover, Wnt can be used as reliable biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of urological cancers.

Urinary extracellular vesicles-encapsulated miRNA signatures: A new paradigm for urinary bladder cancer diagnosis and classification

Bladder cancer (BCa) stands as prevalent malignancy of the urinary system globally, especially among men. The clinical classification of BCa into non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) and muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) is crucial for prognosis and treatment decisions. However, challenges persist in current diagnostic methods like Urine cytopathology that shows poor sensitivity therefore compromising on accurately diagnosing and monitoring BCa. In recent years, research has emphasized the importance of identifying urine and blood-based specific biomarkers for BCa that can enable early and precise diagnosis, effective tumor classification, and monitoring. The convenient proximity of urine with the urinary bladder epithelium makes urine a good source of noninvasive biomarkers, in particular urinary EVs because of the packaged existence of tumor-associated molecules. Therefore, the review assesses the potential of urinary extracellular vesicles (uEVs) as noninvasive biomarkers for BCa. We have elaborately reviewed and discussed the research that delves into the role of urinary EVs in the context of BCa diagnosis and classification. Extensive research has been dedicated to investigating differential microRNA (miRNA) expressions, with the goal of establishing distinct, noninvasive biomarkers for BCa. The identification of such biomarkers has the potential to revolutionize early detection, risk stratification, therapeutic interventions, and ultimately, the long-term prognosis of BCa patients. Despite notable advancements, inconsistencies persist in the biomarkers identified, methodologies employed, and study populations. This review meticulously compiles reported miRNA biomarkers, critically assessing the variability and discrepancies observed in existing research. By synthesizing these findings, the article aims to direct future studies toward a more cohesive and dependable approach in BCa biomarker identification, fostering progress in patient care and management.

Plausible role of INPP4A dysregulation in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

INPP4A has been shown to be involved in the regulation of cell proliferation and apoptosis of multiple cell types including fibroblasts. Previous reports from our group have demonstrated the role of inositol polyphosphate 4-phosphatase Type I A (INPP4A) in these functions. Though existing evidences suggest a critical role for INPP4A in the maintenance of lung homeostasis, its role in chronic lung diseases is relatively under explored. In the current study, we made an attempt to understand the regulation of INPP4A in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Through integration of relevant INPP4A gene expression data from public repositories with our results from in vitro experiments and mouse models, we show that INPP4A is altered in IPF. Interestingly, the direction of the change is dependent both on the disease stage and the region of the lung used. INPP4A was found to be upregulated when analyzed in lung sample representative of the whole lung, but was downregulated in the fibrotic regions of the lung. Similarly, INPP4A was found to be high, compared to controls, only in the early stage of the disease. Though the observed increase in INPP4A was found to be negatively correlated to physiological indices, FVC, and DLCO, of lung function, treatment with anti-INPP4A antibody worsened the condition in bleomycin treated mice. These contrasting results taken together are suggestive of a nuanced regulation of INPP4A in IPF which is dependent on the disease stage, cellular state and extent of fibrosis in the lung region being analyzed.

Circ-GSK3B up-regulates GSK3B to suppress the progression of lung adenocarcinoma

GSK3B is the mRNA form of glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK-3β), which is a critical repressor of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and generally inhibited in cancer cells. Plenty of researches have disclosed that circular RNAs, namely circRNAs exert important functions in the progression of various human malignancies including lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). Therefore, we attempted to explore whether there existed certain circRNAs that could mediate LUAD development by regulating GSK3B expression and Wnt/β-catenin pathway. In the present research, circ-GSK3B (hsa_circ_0066903) was found to be significantly down-regulated in LUAD tissues and cells and it suppressed the proliferation, migration and stemness of LUAD cells. Furthermore, it was discovered that circ-GSK3B competitively sponged miR-3681-3p and miR-3909 to elevate GSK3B expression. Circ-GSK3B could impair the binding ability of FKBP51 to GSK-3β to inhibit the phosphorylation of GSK-3β^S9, resulting in the inactivation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. In addition, the regulatory effect of circ-GSK3B on LUAD tumorigenesis and cell progression was testified through in vitro and in vivo rescue experiments. In conclusion, circ-GSK3B suppressed LUAD development through up-regulating and activating GSK3B.

Optimization of a method for the clinical detection of serum exosomal miR-940 as a potential biomarker of breast cancer

Serum exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) are potential biomarkers for tumor diagnosis. Clinically, reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) can be used to determine the expression of exosomal miRNAs in the serum of breast cancer patients. The prerequisites for obtaining meaningful serum exosomal miRNA data of breast cancer patients include a suitable extraction method for exosomes and RT-qPCR data standardized by internal reference genes. However, the appropriate methods for the extraction of exosomes and the applicability of reference genes for analyzing exosomal miRNAs in breast cancer patients remain to be studied. This study compared the effects of three exosome extraction methods as well as the expression of exosomal miRNA in different initial serum amounts and at different serum states to identify the selection of the best method for serum exosome extraction. Five candidate reference genes including miR-16, miR-484, miR-1228, miR-191 and miR-423 for standardizing serum exosomal miRNAs were screened using five algorithms and were used for the quantification of serum exosomal miR-940. Significant downregulation of serum exosomal miR-940 expression in breast cancer was detected using miR-191 and miR-1228, whereas no significant down or up regulation was observed with miR-484, miR-423 and miR-16. Previous studies have shown that the expression level of miR-940 is downregulated in breast cancer tissues. The absolute quantitative results showed that miR-940 was significantly downregulated in breast cancer serum exosomes, which was consistent with the results from the analysis using miR-191 or miR-1228 as reference genes. Therefore, miR-191 and miR-1228 could serve as reference genes for the relative quantification of serum exosomal miRNAs. This finding indicated the importance of rigorously evaluating the stability of reference genes and standardization for serum exosomal miRNA expression. Moreover, the level of serum exosomal miR-940 in breast cancer could reflect the presence of lymph node metastasis and the status of HER2/neu, which indicates its potential as a biomarker for breast cancer metastasis. In summary, an optimized protocol for the detection of serum exosomal miR-940 as a breast cancer marker was preliminarily established.

Genetic variants of cell cycle pathway genes are associated with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma in the Chinese population

Genetic alterations in the cell cycle pathway are common in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). We identified four novel HNSCC susceptibility loci (CDKN1C rs452338, CDK4 rs2072052, E2F2 rs3820028 and E2F2 rs2075993) through a two-stage matched case-control study. There was a combined effect among the four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), as the number of risk genotypes increased, the risk of HNSCC displayed an increasing trend (Ptrend < 0.001). And there were multiplicative interactions between rs452338 and rs2072052, rs2072052 and rs3820028, rs2072052 and rs2075993. Functional bioinformatics analysis and dual-luciferase reporter assay revealed that E2F2 rs2075993 T>C reduced the stability of E2F2 3'-UTR secondary structure and affected the binding of E2F2 to miR-940, which was up-regulated in HNSCC tumor tissues (P = 2.9e-8) and was correlated with poor overall survival of HNSCC (HR = 1.39, 95% CI = 1.02-1.90). In vitro assays, we discovered that the expression of miR-940 was regulated by METTL3, and miR-940 promoted the proliferation, migration and invasion, and inhibited the senescence and autophagy of tumor cells. In terms of mechanism, compared with rs2075993 allele T, we found that the protective variant rs2075993 allele C interfered with the translational inhibition of E2F2 by miR-940, resulting in increased expression of E2F2 protein, which further reduced the proliferation, migration, invasion, and increased the senescence of tumor cells.

Identification of an eleven-miRNA signature to predict the prognosis of endometrial cancer

Endometrial cancer (EC) is the most common gynecological malignancy. Recent studies have uncovered miRNA acted a striking role in predicting the prognosis of multiple tumors. Over 500 EC samples were selected from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Univariate, LASSO and multivariate Cox regression analysis were employed to screen out the prognosis-involved miRNAs. Kaplan-Meier (K-M) and time-dependent receiver operation characteristic (ROC) curves were conducted to reveal survival analysis and assess the accuracy of the signature. The independence of the model was verified via univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis. Besides, qRT-PCR was conducted to testified the expression of 11 miRNAs in 16 paired tissues. A total of 514 specimens were randomly divided into the training set and the testing set, then an 11 miRNAs-based signature were determined which divided the patients into high-risk group and low-risk group. The survival was markedly different and the ROC curve exhibited a precise prediction. Meanwhile, the univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis verified the miRNAs-based model was an independent indicator of EC. Moreove, the prediction ability of this model with clinicopathological features was more efficient. Finally, functional enrichment analysis demonstrated these miRNAs were associated with the occurrence and progression of cancer. Additionally, hsa-mir-216b, hsa-mir-363, hsa-mir-940 and hsa-mir-1301 were highly expressed in EC tissues in contrast to normal tissues through qRT-PCR. Importantly, the eleven-miRNA signature was full of robust ability to predict the prognosis of EC.

Network analysis of miRNA targeting m6A-related genes in patients with esophageal cancer

Background

We investigated the miRNA-m6A related gene network and identified a miRNA-based prognostic signature in patients with esophageal cancer using integrated genomic analysis.

Methods

We obtained expression data for m6A-related genes and miRNAs from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets. Survival analysis was conducted to identify potential prognostic biomarkers. LASSO Cox regression was performed to construct the overall survival (OS) associated prediction signature. We used the Kaplan-Meier (K-M) curve and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves to explore the signature's efficiency and accuracy. Interactions between the m6A-related genes and miRNAs were identified in starBase3.0 and used to construct the miRNA-m6A related gene network.

Results

We found that HNRNPC, YTHDF, ZC3H13, YTHDC2, and METTL14 were dysregulated in esophageal cancer tissues. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that HNRNPC may be an independent risk factor for OS. Five hundred twenty-two potential upstream miRNAs were obtained from starBase3.0. Four miRNAs (miR-186, miR-320c, miR-320d, and miR-320b) were used to construct a prognostic signature, which could serve as a prognostic predictor independent from routine clinicopathological features. Finally, we constructed a key miRNA-m6A related gene network and used one m6A-related gene and four miRNAs associated with the prognosis. The results of our bioinformatics analysis were successfully validated in the human esophageal carcinoma cell lines KYSE30 and TE-1.

Conclusion

Our study identified a 4-miRNA prognostic signature and established a key miRNA-m6A related gene network. These tools may reliably assist with esophageal cancer patient prognosis.

miR-940 is a new biomarker with tumor diagnostic and prognostic value

miR-940 is a microRNA located on chromosome 16p13.3, which has varying degrees of expression imbalance in many diseases. It binds to the 3′ untranslated region (UTR) and affects the transcription or post-transcriptional regulation of target protein-coding genes. For a diversity of cellular processes, including cell proliferation, migration, invasion, apoptosis, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), cell cycle, and osteogenic differentiation, miR-940 can affect them not only by regulating protein-coding genes but also long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs) in pathways. Intriguingly, miR-940 participates in four pathways that affect cancer development, including the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, PD-1 pathway, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-Akt pathway. Importantly, the expression of miR-940 is intimately correlated with the diagnosis and prognosis of tumor patients, as well as to the efficacy of tumor chemotherapy drugs. In conclusion, our main purpose is to outline the expression of miR-940 in various diseases and the molecular biological and cytological functions of target genes in order to reveal its potential diagnostic and prognostic value as well as its predictive value of drug efficacy.

Molecular Mechanism of 73HOXC-AS1-Activated Wntβ-Catenin Signaling and eIF4AIII in Promoting Progression of Gastric Cancer

OBJECTIVE

This study is aimed at exploring the regulatory mechanism of 73HOXC-AS1 overexpression plasmid-activated Wntβ-catenin classic signaling pathway and eukaryotic initiation factor 4A (eIF4AIII) expression increased by lentivirus-eIF4AIII-RNAi (44682-1) (LV-eIF4AIII-RNAi (44682-1)).

METHODS

Focusing on the occurrence and progression of gastric cancer, the human gastric cancer cell line BGC823 (University Experimental Center) was taken as the research object and was transfected after subculture. According to the different ways of transfection, the cells were divided into the P1 group (LV-eIF4AIII-RNAi (44682-1) overexpressed plasmid), the P2 group (pcDNA-HOXC-AS1 overexpressed plasmid), the P3 group (LV-eIF4AIII-RNAi (44682-1) + pcDNA-HOXC-AS1), and the P4 group (no transfection, control group). Cell proliferation was detected by CCK-8 (Cell Counting Kit-8) assay, Western blotting was adopted to detect Wnt3a and P-GSK3β proteins, Transwell assay was adopted to detect the ability of cell migration and invasion, and cell cycle and apoptosis were detected by flow cytometry.

RESULTS

The results show that the protein expression levels of Wnt3a and P-GSK3β (glycogen synthase kinase-3β) in the P1 and P4 groups were lower than those in the P2 and P3 groups (P < 0.05). The cell activity and clone number of BGC823 in the P3 group were higher than those in the P1, P2, and P4 groups (P < 0.05). The apoptosis rate of BGC823 cells in the P3 group was significantly higher than those in the P1, P2, and P4 groups (P < 0.05). The proportion of BGC823 cells in the P3 group at the S phase was significantly higher than those in the P1, P2, and P4 groups, while the proportion in the G2 phase was significantly lower than those in the P1, P2, and P4 groups (P < 0.05). The number of migrating and invading BGC823 cells in the P3 group was significantly higher than those in the P1, P2, and P4 groups, while the number of migrating BGC823 cells in the P4 group was significantly lower than those in the P1 and P2 groups (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The 73HOXC-AS1 overexpression plasmid-activated Wntβ-catenin classic signaling pathway and eIF4AIII expression increased by LV-eIF4AIII-RNAi (44682-1) could act together on BGC823 cells to improve cell proliferation activity, migration, and invasion; inhibit cell apoptosis; and prevent cells from entering the S phase.

Tumor suppressor role of sFRP‑4 in hepatocellular carcinoma via the Wnt/β‑catenin signaling pathway

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a malignant tumor located in the liver. Secreted frizzled-related protein 4 (sFRP-4) is associated with cancer occurrence, but the relationship between sFRP-4 and HCC is not completely understood. The present study aimed to investigate the role and mechanism underlying sFRP-4 in HCC. sFRP-4 mRNA expression levels were determined via reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and immunohistochemistry. The Cell Counting Kit-8 assay was performed to evaluate HCCLM3 and Huh7 cell viability. Moreover, HCCLM3 and Huh7 cell proliferation were assessed using the BrdU ELISA assay kit, and cell apoptosis was measured via flow cytometry. Western blotting was conducted to measure β-catenin and GSK-3β protein expression levels. The results demonstrated that sFRP-4 expression was significantly downregulated in HCC tissues and cells compared with adjacent healthy tissues and MIHA cells, respectively. Moreover, the results indicated that compared with the control group, sFRP-4 overexpression inhibited HCC cell viability and proliferation, and accelerated HCC cell apoptosis. Furthermore, the results suggested that sFRP-4 inhibited the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway by upregulating GSK-3β expression and downregulating β-catenin expression, thus restraining the malignant behavior of HCC cells. In conclusion, the present study indicated that sFRP-4 served a tumor suppressor role in HCC cells by restraining the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

Comprehensive Analysis of Correlations in the Expression of miRNA Genes and Immune Checkpoint Genes in Bladder Cancer Cells

Personalised medicine is the future and hope for many patients, including those with cancers. Early detection, as well as rapid, well-selected treatment, are key factors leading to a good prognosis. MicroRNA mediated gene regulation is a promising area of development for new diagnostic and therapeutic methods, crucial for better prospects for patients. Bladder cancer is a frequent neoplasm, with high lethality and lacking modern, advanced therapeutic modalities, such as immunotherapy. MicroRNAs are involved in bladder cancer pathogenesis, proliferation, control and response to treatment, which we summarise in this perspective in response to lack of recent review publications in this field. We further performed a correlation-based analysis of microRNA and gene expression data in bladder cancer (BLCA) TCGA dataset. We identified 27 microRNAs hits with opposite expression profiles to genes involved in immune response in bladder cancer, and 24 microRNAs hits with similar expression profiles. We discuss previous studies linking the functions of these microRNAs to bladder cancer and assess if they are good candidates for personalised medicine therapeutics and diagnostics. The discussed functions include regulation of gene expression, interplay with transcription factors, response to treatment, apoptosis, cell proliferation and angiogenesis, initiation and development of cancer, genome instability and tumour-associated inflammatory reaction.

Wnt signalling pathway in bladder cancer

Bladder cancer (BC) is one of the most common tumours of the urinary system and is also known as a highly malignant tumour. In addition to conventional diagnosis and treatment methods, recent research has focused on studying the molecular mechanisms related to BC, in the hope that new, less toxic and effective targeted anticancer drugs and new diagnostic markers can be discovered. It is known that the Wingless (Wnt) signalling pathway and its related genes, proteins and other substances are involved in multiple biological processes of various tumours. Clarifying the contribution of the Wnt signalling pathway in bladder tumours will help establish early diagnosis indicators, develop new therapeutic drugs and evaluate the prognosis for BC. This review aims to summarise previous studies related to BC and the Wnt signalling pathway, with a focus on exploring the participating substances and their mechanisms in the regulation of the Wnt signalling pathway to better determine how to promote new chemotherapeutic drugs, potential therapeutic targets and diagnostic biomarkers.

Synthetic Artificial Long Non-coding RNA Shows Higher Efficiency in Specific Malignant Phenotype Inhibition Compared to the CRISPR/Cas Systems

Objective: Both oncogenic transcription factors (TFs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) play an important regulator in human cancer by transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation, respectively. These phenomena raise questions about the ability of artificial device to regulate miRNAs and TFs simultaneously. In this study, we aimed to construct an artificial long non-coding RNA, “alncRNA,” which imitated CRISPR/Cas systems and to illuminate its therapeutic effects in bladder cancer cell lines. At the same time, we also compared the efficiency of alncRNA and CRISPR/Cas systems in regulating gene expression.

Study Design and Methods: Based on engineering principles of synthetic biology, we combined tandem arrayed cDNA sequences of aptamer for TFs with tandem arrayed cDNA copies of binding sites for the miRNAs to construct alncRNA. In order to prove the utility of this platform, we chose β -catenin, NF-κB, miR-940, and miR-495 as the functional targets and used the bladder cancer cell lines 5637 and T24 as the test models. Real-time Quantitative PCR (qPCR), dual-luciferase assay and relative phenotypic experiments were applied to severally test the expression of relative gene and therapeutic effects of our devices.

Result: Dual-luciferase assay indicated alncRNA could inhibit transcriptional activity of TFs. What’s more, the result of qPCR showed that expression levels of the relative TFs target genes and miRNAs were reduced by corresponding alncRNA and the inhibitory effect was better than CRIPSR dCas9-KRAB. By functional experiments, decreased cell proliferation, increased apoptosis, and motility inhibition were observed in alncRNA-infected bladder cells.

Conclusion: In summary, our synthetic devices indeed function as anti-tumor regulator, which synchronously accomplish transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation in bladder cancer cell and show higher efficiency in specific malignant phenotype inhibition compared to the CRISPR/Cas systems. Most importantly, Anti-cancer effects were induced by the synthetic alncRNA in the bladder cancer lines. Our devices, therefore, provides a novel strategy for cancer therapy and could be a useful “weapon” for cancer cell.

miR-940 inhibits cell proliferation and promotes apoptosis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cells and is associated with post-operative prognosis

The present study aimed to examine microRNA (miR)-940 expression in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) tissues and cells, analyze its association with the clinicopathological features and prognosis of patients, and explore the potential underlying mechanisms. miR-940 expression in ESCC cell lines and a normal esophageal cell line was detected using reverse transcription-quantitative (RT-q)PCR. Furthermore, 210 resected ESCC tissue and para-carcinoma tissue specimens were collected, and miR-940 expression in those tissues was detected by RT-qPCR. In addition, the association of miR-940 with the clinicopathological features and prognosis of patients was analyzed. In an in vitro experiment, miR-940 mimics were transduced into ESCC cells by the liposome method. An MTT assay was used to detect the effect of miR-940 on the viability of ESCC cells. The influence of miR-940 on the cell cycle and apoptotic rate of ESCC cells was detected by flow cytometry. The present results indicated that the expression levels of miR-940 in human ESCC tissues and cell lines were markedly downregulated, and that low expression of miR-940 in ESCC tissues was significantly associated with a poor degree of differentiation, positive lymph node metastasis and advanced clinical stage. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis suggested that low miR-940 expression was associated with poor prognosis. Cox regression analysis revealed that lymph node metastasis, clinical stage and miR-940 expression were independent risk factors affecting the prognosis of patients. Overexpression of miR-940 in ESCC cells markedly reduced the cell viability, blocked the cell cycle at G0/G1 phase and promoted cell apoptosis. These results suggest that miR-940 is downregulated in ESCC, which is linked to the occurrence and progression of ESCC. Conversely, overexpression of miR-940 reduced the cell viability and promoted apoptosis of ESCC cells. Therefore, miR-940 may be a promising novel prognostic marker and anti-cancer target in ESCC.

WNT/β-catenin signaling in urothelial carcinoma of bladder

Urothelial carcinoma of bladder is the second most prevalent genitourinary disease. It is a highly heterogeneous disease as it represents a spectrum of neoplasms, including non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) and metastatic lesions. Genome-wide approaches and candidate gene analysis suggest that malignant transformation of the bladder is multifactorial and a multitude of genes are involved in the development of MIBC or NMIBC phenotypes. Wnt signaling is being examined to control and maintain balance between stemness and differentiation in adult stem cell niches. Owing to its participation in urothelial development and maintenance of adult urothelial tissue homeostasis, the components of Wnt signaling are reported as an important diagnostic and prognostic markers as well as novel therapeutic targets. Mutations/epigenetic alterations in the key molecules of Wnt/β-catenin canonical pathway have been linked with tumorigenesis, development of drug resistance and enhanced survival. Present review extends our understanding on the functions of key regulatory molecules of canonical Wnt/β-catenin pathway in urothelial tumorigenesis by inducing cancer stem cell phenotype (UCSCs). UCSCs may be responsible for tumor heterogeneity, high recurrence rates and complex biological behavior of bladder cancer. Therefore, understanding the role of UCSCs and the regulatory mechanisms that are responsible for high relapse rates and metastasis could help to develop pathway inhibitors and augment current therapies. Potential implications in the treatment of urothelial carcinoma of bladder by targeting this pathway primarily in UCSCs as well as in bulk tumor population that are responsible for high relapse rates and metastasis may facilitate potential therapeutic avenues and better prognosis.

MicroRNAs: Key Players in Bladder Cancer

Bladder cancer (BC) is the second highest morbid malignancy of the urinary tract and the fifth most common cancer worldwide. BC is highly malignant with significant morbidity and mortality, especially muscle-invasive BC (MIBC), which has a poor prognosis and frequently recurs after the first resection. Therefore, more sensitive diagnostic tools and effective therapeutic methods are urgently needed. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that regulate the expression of protein-coding genes by repressing their translation or cleaving RNA transcripts in a sequence-specific manner. miRNAs play very important roles in regulating genes related to tumorigenesis, tumor development, progression, metastasis and angiogenesis. With the rapid development of high-throughput sequencing technology, an increasing number of miRNAs with aberrant expression between either BC patients and healthy volunteers or between BC tumor tissues and matched peripheral control tissues have been recently examined. The tumor etiopathogenesis must be determined to promote the development of new markers as diagnostic and prognostic tools and targets for bladder tumor therapy, it is therefore vital to elucidate the function of miRNAs with aberrant expression in BC. In the present study, we examined the published data of BC-related miRNAs by reviewing their expression levels, possible functions, potential target genes, related molecular regulatory networks, candidate markers for prognosis and diagnosis, and prospective therapeutic cases, and we summarized the status of research on BC-related miRNAs in recent years.

MicroRNA-940 restricts the expression of metastasis-associated gene MACC1 and enhances the antitumor effect of Anlotinib on colorectal cancer

Background: Metastasis-associated with colon cancer-1 (MACC1) is an important regulator that promotes colorectal cancer (CRC) cells’ proliferation and distant metastasis. Therefore, MACC1 is considered as a promising therapeutic target of CRC. This work aimed to identify the microRNA (miR) targeted to MACC1, and to study the potential of using the particular miR in enhancing the antitumor effect of chemotherapy.

Materials and methods: miR prediction was performed in the miR database. The effect of miR-940 on MACC1’s expression was examined by Western blot, and the effect of miR-940 on the expression of genes related to the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) was identified by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction experiments. In vivo growth of CRC cells were analyzed in the nude mice subcutaneous tumor model and CRC liver metastasis model.

Results: By using the database, miR-940 was identified to target to the 3ʹUTR of MACC1’s mRNA. Experimentally, transfection of miR-940 decreased the expression of MACC1 in CRC cells and inhibited the EMT process of the transfected cells. MiR-940 also enhanced the inhibitory effect of Anlotinib on CRC cells’ in vivo growth and invasion. Correspondingly, ectopic expression of MACC1 mutant, which does not contain miR-940 binding site, blocked the antitumor effect of miR-940 on CRC cells.

Conclusion: MiR-940 restricts the proliferation and invasion of CRC cells by targeting to MACC1’s mRNA, and enhances the antitumor effect of Anlotinib on CRC tumors.

Phosphoinositide phosphatases in cancer cell dynamics-Beyond PI3K and PTEN

Phosphoinositides are a group of lipids that regulate intracellular signaling and subcellular biological events. The signaling by phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-trisphosphate and Akt mediates the action of growth factors that are essential for cell proliferation, gene transcription, cell migration, and polarity. The hyperactivation of this signaling has been identified in different cancer cells; and, it has been implicated in oncogenic transformation and cancer cell malignancy. Recent studies have argued the role of phosphoinositides in cancer cell dynamics, including actin cytoskeletal rearrangement at the plasma membrane and the organization of intracellular compartments. The focus of this review is to summarize the impact of the activities of phosphoinositide phosphatases on intracellular signaling related to cancer cell dynamics and to discuss how the abnormalities in the activities of the enzymes alter the levels of phosphoinositides in cancer cells.

Exome sequencing in 51 early onset non-familial CRC cases

Background

Colorectal cancer (CRC) cases with an age of onset <40 years suggests a germline genetic cause. In total, 51 simplex cases were included to test the hypothesis of CRC as a mendelian trait caused by either heterozygous autosomal dominant or bi‐allelic autosomal recessive pathogenic variants.

Methods

The cohort was whole exome sequenced (WES) at 100× coverage. Both a dominant‐ and recessive model were used for searching predisposing genetic factors. In addition, we assayed recessive variants of potential moderate risk that were enriched in our young‐onset CRC cohort. Variants were filtered using a candidate cancer gene list or by selecting variants more likely to be pathogenic based on variant type (e.g., loss‐of‐function) or allele frequency.

Results

We identified one pathogenic variant in PTEN in a patient subsequently confirmed to have a hereditary hamartoma tumor syndrome (Cowden syndrome) and one patient with a pathogenic heterozygous variant in PMS2 that was originally not identified by WES due to low quality reads resulting from pseudogenes. In addition, we identified three heterozygous candidate missense variants in known cancer susceptibility genes (BMPR1A,BRIP1, and SRC), three truncating variants in possibly novel cancer genes (CLSPN,SEC24B, SSH2) and four candidate missense variants in ACACA, NR2C2, INPP4A, and DIDO1. We also identify five possible autosomal recessive candidate genes: ATP10B,PKHD1,UGGT2,MYH13,TFF3.

Conclusion

Two clear pathogenic variants were identified in patients that had not been identified clinically. Thus, the chance of detecting a hereditary cancer syndrome in patients with CRC at young age but without family history is 2/51 (4%) and therefore the clinical benefit of genetic testing in this patient group is low. Of note, using stringent filtering, we have identified a total of ten candidate heterozygous variants and five possibly biallelic autosomal recessive candidate genes that warrant further study.

MiR-940 inhibits TGF-β-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition and cell invasion by targeting Snail in non-small cell lung cancer

Increased evidence reveals that miR-940 inhibits the migration and invasion of cancer cells. Considering transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) signaling is crucial to cellular epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process and metastasis of cancer, it is in urgent to explore whether and how miR-940 plays an essential role in regulating TGF-β-induced EMT in lung cancer progression. In the present study, we observed a reciprocal expression with down-regulated miR-940 and up-regulated Snail mRNA in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tissues. we further found that the expression of miR-940 was decreased in NSCLC tissues with lymph node metastasis, advanced TNM stages and poor cell differentiation, in which, on the contrary, the expression of Snail was increased. Overexpression of miR-940 significantly inhibited Snail mRNA and protein expression in A549 and H226 cells. Mechanistically, Snail mRNA was identified as target of miR-940. In addition, miR-940 repressed TGF-β-induced EMT and further hampered the cell migration and invasion. Finally, siRNA-mediated knockdown of Snail copied the phenotype of miR-940 overexpression in A549 and H226 cells. Taken together, our study reveals that miR-940 can suppress TGF-β-induced EMT and cell invasion by targeting Snail 3'-UTR mRNA in NSCLC.

Identification and validation of a four-miRNA (miRNA-21-5p, miRNA-9-5p, miR-149-5p, and miRNA-30b-5p) prognosis signature in clear cell renal cell carcinoma

Purpose

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is one of the most common cancers with high mortality worldwide. However, biomarkers for predicting prognosis in ccRCC are limited. In this study, we attempted to identify potential prognostic biomarkers of ccRCC.

Methods

Clinical information and the preprocessed ccRCC mature miRNA expression profiles in The Cancer Genome Atlas database were downloaded from UCSC Xena. The miRNAs differentially expressed between ccRCCs and matched normal tissues were analyzed using the “limma” package. A miRNA-based signature was constructed using the multivariate Cox regression model with prognosis index (PI) formula. Patients with ccRCC were divided into low-risk and high-risk subgroups according to median PI. The survival times were compared between the two groups using Kaplan–Meier analysis with log-rank test. The training set was used to construct a miRNA-based signature for predicting prognosis. The test set was used to verify the signature. Target gene prediction and functional enrichment analysis of the four miRNAs were performed using miRNet.

Results

We identified four miRNAs, miRNA-21-5p, miRNA-9-5p, miR-149-5p, and miRNA-30b-5p, as independent prognostic indicators. Next, we used these four miRNAs to construct a four-miRNA PI for each patient. Results revealed that patients in the high-risk group (n=119) had significantly shorter survival time than those in the low-risk group (n=118) (high-risk/low-risk group log-rank P=0.000). This four-miRNA signature is an independent prognostic factor compared with routine clinicopathological features in the test set. These miRNAs targeted 1,634 genes, and a miRNA-target gene network was constructed using miRNet. The target genes of these four miRNAs were involved in various pathways related to cancer.

Conclusion

Our observations suggest that the four-miRNA signature correlated with the survival of patients with ccRCC and can be used as a prognostic biomarker of ccRCC.

Long noncoding RNA FOXD2-AS1 accelerates the gemcitabine-resistance of bladder cancer by sponging miR-143

Increasing evidences have proved that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) modulate the tumorigenesis of bladder cancer involved in multiple pathophysiological processes. In the study, we investigate the role of lncRNA FOXD2-AS1 in the gemcitabine (GEM) resistant bladder cancer and explore its potential mechanism. Results showed that lncRNA FOXD2-AS1 was high-expressed in gemcitabine-resistant bladder cancer cells. In vitro experiments, FOXD2-AS1 knockdown suppressed the 50% inhibitive concentration (IC50) of gemcitabine, drug-resistance related genes (MDR1, MRP2, LRP1) expression, invasion and ABCC3 protein expression in gemcitabine-resistant bladder cancer cells (T24/GEM, 5637/GEM). In vivo of xenograft assay, FOXD2-AS1 knockdown inhibited the tumor growth of bladder cancer cells. Bioinformatics program and validation experiments confirmed that FOXD2-AS1 positively regulated ABCC3 protein through targeting miR-143, acting as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA). In summary, our results revealed the vital roles of FOXD2-AS1/miR-143/ABCC3 axis in gemcitabine resistance of bladder cancer cells, providing a novel therapeutic strategy for bladder cancer.