Upregulated miR-193a-3p as an oncogene in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma regulating cellular proliferation, migration and apoptosis

A novel miRNA-based signature as predictive tool of survival outcome of colorectal cancer patients

It is great significance of identifying valuable biomarkers for early diagnosis and prognostic prediction of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. This study aimed at developing and validating a miRNAs-based signature as prognostic tool for CRC patients. The miRNA expression profile of 624 CRC samples (613 tumor tissues and 11 normal tissues) was analyzed, and 523 differentially expressed miRNAs (DEmiRNAs) were identified, in which 191 were downregulated and 332 were upregulated. All patients were randomly divided into a training cohort (N = 308) and an internal validation cohort (N = 200). Using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and Cox regression model, a prognostic signature of 10 miRNAs (hsa-miR-149-5p, hsa-miR-193b-5p, hsa-miR-193a-3p, hsa-miR-3677-3p, hsa-miR-29a-3p, hsa-miR-200c-5p, hsa-miR-200a-5p, hsa-miR-6854-5p, hsa-miR-216a-5p and hsa-miR-891a-5p) was developed in the training cohort. The risk score was calculated by the product of the expression level and the coefficients of each miRNA. The prognostic value of 10 miRNAs-based signature for CRC patients was tested and validated. Survival analysis indicated that high-risk patients (> 1.10) had a worse overall survival (OS) than low-risk (≤ 1.10) patients (5-year OS rate for training cohort: 59.3% vs. 78.9%, p < .001; validation cohort: 48.3% vs. 69.3%, p = .011). The miRNA-based signature was an independent prognostic factor for CRC patients (HR for training cohort:2.476, 95% CI:1.202-5.098, p = .014; HR for validation cohort:2.050, 95% CI:1.087-3.869, p = .027). The AUC values for 3-year and 5-year OS prediction were 0.718 and 0.784 in the training cohort, 0.659 and 0.614 in the validation cohort, respectively. The 10 miRNAs-based signature provided a proper prognostic stratification for CRC patients, and it might be a promising tool for survival prediction.

Circular RNA CircDHRS3 Aggravates IL-1β-induced ECM Degradation, Apoptosis, and Inflammatory Response via Mediating MECP2 Expression

Previous studies have reported that circular RNA hsa_circ_0010024 (circDHRS3), microRNA (miR)-193a-3p, and Methyl CpG binding protein 2 (MECP2) are unconventionally expressed in osteoarthritis (OA) cartilage samples. However, the regulatory mechanisms among circDHRS3, miR-193a-3p, and MECP2 in OA pathogenesis are unclear. Changes of circDHRS3, miR-193a-3p, and MECP2 mRNA were detected by qRT-PCR. Several protein levels were evaluated using western blotting. Cell proliferation was analyzed by 5-Ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) and cell counting assays. Cell apoptosis was determined by flow cytometry assay. Detection of pro-inflammatory cytokines was conducted using ELISA. The relationship between circDHRS3 or MECP2 and miR-193a-3p was validated by dual-luciferase reporter assay. We verified that circDHRS3 and MECP2 were overexpressed in OA cartilage samples, whereas miR-193a-3p was downregulated. CircDHRS3 silencing weakened IL-1β-induced chondrocyte cartilage extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation, apoptosis, and inflammatory response. CircDHRS3 adsorbed miR-193a-3p to modulate MECP2 expression. Also, silencing of miR-193a-3p impaired circDHRS3 silencing-mediated suppression on IL-1β-induced chondrocyte injury. Also, MECP2 overexpression alleviated miR-193a-3p mimic-mediated inhibition on IL-1β-prompted chondrocyte injury. CircDHRS3 silencing reduced MECP2 expression via sponging miR-193a-3p, thereby weakening IL-1β-induced chondrocyte ECM degradation, apoptosis, and inflammatory response.

miR-193a-3p Enhanced the Chemosensitivity to Trametinib in Gallbladder Carcinoma by Targeting KRAS and Downregulating ERK Signaling

Objective: In this study, the authors identified miR-193a-3p as a tumor-suppressing microRNA, and its effects on the chemosensitivity to trametinib in gallbladder carcinoma (GBC) were evaluated. Materials and Methods: The levels of miR-193a-3p in clinical GBC tissues and GBC cells were determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The protein levels of KRAS, ERK, and phosphorylated ERK (p-ERK) were examined by Western blot. Dual-luciferase reporter assays were performed to confirm the interaction between miR-193a-3p and KRAS. The effect of miR-193a-3p knockdown or overexpression on the malignant behaviors and chemosensitivity of GBC was determined by 3-(4,5-dimethlthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazoliumbromide and flow cytometry assays in vitro and further examined in a xenograft model. Results: The levels of miR-193a-3p were significantly decreased in GBC cell lines, especially with KRAS mutations. In addition, miR-193a-3p overexpression retarded cell proliferation of GBC, but induced cell apoptosis. Moreover, miR-193a-3p overexpression significantly improved the chemosensitivity of GBC to trametinib both in in vitro assays and in vivo xenograft mouse model. Further mechanisms disclosed that KRAS was a target of miR-193a-3p and levels of p-ERK were increased by treatment with miR-193a-3p inhibitor in GBC. Conclusions: These data suggested that miR-193a-3p enhanced the chemosensitivity to trametinib in GBC with wild-type KRAS or KRAS mutations by directly targeting KRAS and finally downregulated ERK signaling.

Functional Screen for microRNAs Suppressing Anchorage-Independent Growth in Human Cervical Cancer Cells

The progression of anchorage-dependent epithelial cells to anchorage-independent growth represents a critical hallmark of malignant transformation. Using an in vitro model of human papillomavirus (HPV)-induced transformation, we previously showed that acquisition of anchorage-independent growth is associated with marked (epi)genetic changes, including altered expression of microRNAs. However, the laborious nature of the conventional growth method in soft agar to measure this phenotype hampers a high-throughput analysis. We developed alternative functional screening methods using 96- and 384-well ultra-low attachment plates to systematically investigate microRNAs regulating anchorage-independent growth. SiHa cervical cancer cells were transfected with a microRNA mimic library (n = 2019) and evaluated for cell viability. We identified 84 microRNAs that consistently suppressed growth in three independent experiments. Further validation in three cell lines and comparison of growth in adherent and ultra-low attachment plates yielded 40 microRNAs that specifically reduced anchorage-independent growth. In conclusion, ultra-low attachment plates are a promising alternative for soft-agar assays to study anchorage-independent growth and are suitable for high-throughput functional screening. Anchorage independence suppressing microRNAs identified through our screen were successfully validated in three cell lines. These microRNAs may provide specific biomarkers for detecting and treating HPV-induced precancerous lesions progressing to invasive cancer, the most critical stage during cervical cancer development.

Comparison of porcine milk microRNA expression in milk exosomes versus whole swine milk and prediction of target genes

Abstract. Milk exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) are important for postnatal growth and immune system maturation in newborn mammals. The functional hypothesis of milk exosomal miRNAs and their potential bioavailability in milk to newborn mammals were investigated. Briefly, 37 exosomal miRNAs were upregulated compared to miRNAs found outside the exosomes. Among these miRNAs, ssc-miR-193a-3p expression was upregulated 1467.35 times, while ssc-miR-423-5p, ssc-miR-551a, ssc-miR-138, ssc-miR-1 and ssc-miR-124a were highly concentrated and upregulated 13.58–30.06 times. Moreover, these miRNAs appeared to be relevant for cell development and basic physiological processes of the immune system. Following the analysis of target gene prediction and related signalling pathways, 9262 target genes were mainly concentrated in three signalling pathways: metabolic pathways, pathways in cancer, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt) signalling pathways. Among 9262 target genes, more than 20 miRNAs were enriched in exosomes, such as methyl CpG binding protein 2 (MECP2) and glycogen synthase 1 (GYS1). After determining the miRNA localization-, distribution- and function-related metabolism, we found that these exosomes were specifically concentrated miRNA target genes and they were interrelated with cell development and basic cell functions, such as metabolism and immunity. It is speculated that miRNAs in milk can influence offspring via milk exosomes.

miR-193a Directly Targets PSEN1 and Inhibits Gastric Cancer Cell Growth, the Activation of PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathway, and the Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition

Background

Gastric cancer, a kind of gastrointestinal malignancy, is the second type of leading death cancer. miR-193a is a key tumor suppressor in several diseases. PSEN1 is mainly related to Alzheimer's disease and may be involved in the cleavage of the Notch receptor. Material and Methods. RT-PCR and western blot were applied to evaluate miR-193a and the expression level of PSEN1. Luciferase reporter assay was applied to verify whether PSEN1 was a target of miR-193a. The Kaplan–Meier method was employed to calculate the 5-year overall survival of gastric cancer patients.

Results

miR-193a was downregulated in gastric cancer tissues and cell lines, and downregulation of miR-193a predicted poor 5-year overall survival of gastric cancer. miR-193a inhibited the proliferation and the activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in gastric cancer cells. miR-193a inhibited gastric cancer tumor growth in vivo. miR-193a impaired cell invasion and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in HGC-27 cells. In addition, PSEN1 was a direct target of miR-193a and PSEN1 reversed partial functions of miR-193a in cell proliferation and invasion.

Conclusion

miR-193a prominently decreased the proliferation, invasion, and activation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and the abilities of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in gastric cancer cells. The newly identified miR-193a/PSEN1 axis provides novel insight into the pathogenesis of gastric cancer.

MicroRNAs and angiogenesis: a new era for the management of colorectal cancer

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small noncoding RNA molecules containing only 20–22 nucleotides. MiRNAs play a role in gene silencing and translation suppression by targeting and binding to mRNA. Proper control of miRNA expression is very important for maintaining a normal physiological environment because miRNAs can affect most cellular pathways, including cell cycle checkpoint, cell proliferation, and apoptosis pathways, and have a wide range of target genes. With these properties, miRNAs can modulate multiple signalling pathways involved in cancer development, such as cell proliferation, apoptosis, and migration pathways. MiRNAs that activate or inhibit the molecular pathway related to tumour angiogenesis are common topics of research. Angiogenesis promotes tumorigenesis and metastasis by providing oxygen and diffusible nutrients and releasing proangiogenic factors and is one of the hallmarks of tumour progression. CRC is one of the most common tumours, and metastasis has always been a difficult issue in its treatment. Although comprehensive treatments, such as surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy, have prolonged the survival of CRC patients, the overall response is not optimistic. Therefore, there is an urgent need to find new therapeutic targets to improve CRC treatment. In a series of recent reports, miRNAs have been shown to bidirectionally regulate angiogenesis in colorectal cancer. Many miRNAs can directly act on VEGF or inhibit angiogenesis through other pathways (HIF-1a, PI3K/AKT, etc.), while some miRNAs, specifically many exosomal miRNAs, are capable of promoting CRC angiogenesis. Understanding the mechanism of action of miRNAs in angiogenesis is of great significance for finding new targets for the treatment of tumour angiogenesis. Deciphering the exact role of specific miRNAs in angiogenesis is a challenge due to the high complexity of their actions. Here, we describe the latest advances in the understanding of miRNAs and their corresponding targets that play a role in CRC angiogenesis and discuss possible miRNA-based therapeutic strategies.

A positive feedback loop between AlkB homolog 5 and miR-193a-3p promotes growth and metastasis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the most frequent malignancies worldwide. miR-193a-3p acts as an oncogene or tumor suppressor in different cancers. However, the functional role and regulatory mechanism of miR-193a-3p in ESCC remain to be elucidated. Our results demonstrated that miR-193a-3p expression was significantly upregulated and associated with advanced TNM stage, recurrence, and poor prognosis in ESCC patients. miR-193-3p targeted ALKBH5 and suppressed its expression. ALKBH5 inhibited miR-193a-3p expression in turn. ALKBH5 affected the primary miR-193a-3p processing by negatively regulating its m⁶A modification. These findings suggested a positive feedback regulation between miR-193a-3p and ALKBH5 in ESCC cells. Moreover, the functional assays indicated that the miR-193-3p-ALKBH5 feedback loop promoted the proliferation, migration and invasion ability of ESCC cells in vitro, and facilitated tumor growth and metastasis in vivo. Collectively, our current study identified a novel positive feedback regulation between miR-193a-3p and ALKBH5 in ESCC, which may be helpful to gain insight into ESCC pathogenesis and provide novel therapeutic target for ESCC.

miR-193a-3p Mediates Placenta Accreta Spectrum Development by Targeting EFNB2 via Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Pathway Under Decidua Defect Conditions

Objective: To clarify the role of microRNA-193a-3p (miR-193a-3p) in the pathogenesis of placenta accreta spectrum.

Methods: The placental tissue expression levels of miR-193a-3p and Ephrin-B2 (EFNB2) were compared between a placenta accreta spectrum group and a control group. Transwell migration and invasion assays were used to verify the effect of miR-193a-3p and EFNB2 on HTR-8/SVneo cells cultured in human endometrial stromal cell (hESC)-conditioned medium. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related proteins were examined by western blotting to establish whether the EMT pathway was altered in placenta accreta spectrum. To determine whether EFNB2 is a target gene of miR-193a-3p, luciferase activity assays were performed.

Results: miR-193a-3p was upregulated but EFNB2 downregulated in the placenta accreta spectrum group and EFNB2 was a direct target of miR-193a-3p. Overexpression or inhibition of miR-193a-3p revealed that miR-193a-3p promoted the migration and invasion of HTR-8/SVneo cells cultured in hESC-conditioned medium. Furthermore, EMT was induced, as shown by increased N-cadherin, vimentin, MMP2, and MMP9 and decreased E-cadherin in the placenta accreta spectrum group and in HTR-8/SVneo cells transfected with miR-193a-3p mimics or si-EFNB2. The negative effect of miR-193a-3p inhibitor was reversed by co-transfection with si-EFNB2 in function studies and in analyses of EMT-related proteins in vitro.

Conclusion: miR-193a-3p which upregulated in placenta accreta spectrum group increases HTR-8/SVneo cell migration and invasion by targeting EFNB2 via the EMT pathway under decidua defect conditions to lead to placenta accreta spectrum.

Tumor Suppressor Role of hsa-miR-193a-3p and -5p in Cutaneous Melanoma

BACKGROUND

Remarkable deregulation of several microRNAs (miRNAs) is demonstrated in cutaneous melanoma. hsa-miR-193a-3p is reported to be under-expressed in tissues and in plasma of melanoma patients, but the role of both miR-193a arms in melanoma is not known yet.

METHODS

After observing the reduced levels of miR-193a arms in plasma exosomes of melanoma patients, the effects of hsa-miR-193a-3p and -5p transfection in cutaneous melanoma cell lines are investigated.

RESULTS

In melanoma cell lines A375, 501Mel, and MeWo, the ectopic over-expression of miR-193a arms significantly reduced cell viability as well as the expression of genes involved in proliferation (ERBB2, KRAS, PIK3R3, and MTOR) and apoptosis (MCL1 and NUSAP1). These functional features were accompanied by a significant downregulation of Akt and Erk pathways and a strong increase in the apoptotic process. Since in silico databases revealed TROY, an orphan member of the tumor necrosis receptor family, as a potential direct target of miR-193a-5p, this possibility was investigated using the luciferase assay and excluded by our results.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results underline a relevant role of miR-193a, both -3p and -5p, as tumor suppressors clarifying the intracellular mechanisms involved and suggesting that their ectopic over-expression could represent a novel treatment for cutaneous melanoma patients.

MicroRNA‑590 inhibits migration, invasion and epithelial‑to‑mesenchymal transition of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma by targeting low‑density lipoprotein receptor‑related protein 6

MicroRNA-590 (miR-590) has been revealed as a tumor suppressor, while low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 6 (LRP6) is considered to act as a tumor promoter. However, their roles and underlying molecular regulatory mechanisms in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) have yet to be fully elucidated. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate these mechanisms. The expression levels of miR-590 and LRP6 in human ESCC samples and cell lines were determined using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR. Bioinformatics analysis was used to predict the relationship between miR-590 and LRP6, and luciferase assay was performed to validate the relationship between these factors. Transwell assays were used to determine cell migration and invasion, while western blotting assays were used to detect the protein expression levels of LRP6, E-cadherin, N-cadherin and Vimentin. The present study demonstrated that miR-590 was downregulated and LRP6 was upregulated in ESCC tissues and cell lines. Furthermore, it was found that miR-590 overexpression and LRP6 knockdown inhibited cell migration, invasion and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in ESCC cell lines. Additional mechanistic studies identified that LRP6 was a target of, and was inhibited by, miR-590. Collectively, the present findings suggested that miR-590 inhibited the invasion, migration and EMT of ESCC cells by mediating LRP6.

MicroRNA-527 Induces Proliferation and Cell Cycle in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells by Repressing PH Domain Leucine-Rich-Repeats Protein Phosphatase 2

Increasing evidence indicated that microRNAs served dominant roles in carcinogenesis and cancer progression by targeting potential downstream genes. In our study, we found that miR-527 was an upregulated expression in human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) cells and tissues. Furthermore, overexpression of miR-527 promoted cell proliferation and colony formation, enhanced anchorage-independent growth ability, and contributed to cell cycle. In addition, protein phosphatase 2 (PHLPP2) was identified as the direct downstream target gene of miR-527 and was confirmed by luciferase gene reporter assay. In summary, we concluded that miR-527 acted as an oncogenic microRNA in ESCC development by directly targeting PHLPP2 might be a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of ESCC.

MicroRNA-193a-3p suppresses the colorectal cancer cell proliferation and progression through downregulating the PLAU expression

Background

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death in China. Dysregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) is involved in cancer development and progression. Our previous study showed an inverse relationship between miR-193a-3p expression and the prognosis of CRC. However, the exact biological functions of miR-193a-3p in CRC are still poorly understood. This study aimed to explore the role and mechanism of miR-193a-3p in CRC.

Methods

Real-time PCR and Western blotting were used to examine the expression levels of RNA and protein, respectively. A dual luciferase assay was performed to validate predicted targets of miR-193a-3p. Loss and gain-of-function studies were carried out to reveal the effects and potential mechanism of the miR-193a-3p in the proliferation, metastasis and angiogenesis of CRC cells.

Results

The expression levels of miR-193a-3p in human CRC cell lines were significantly decreased compared with that in normal colonic epithelium cell line. Furthermore, plasminogen activator urokinase (PLAU) was validated as a direct target gene of miR-193a-3p. Over-expression of miR-193a-3p inhibited proliferation, migration and angiogenesis of HT-29 cell, whereas forced expression of PLAU could rescue the inhibitory effects.

Conclusion

miR-193a-3p might inhibit CRC cell growth, migration and angiogenesis partly through targeting PLAU. MiR-193a-3p/PLAU axis might provide a potent therapeutic opportunity for aggressive CRC.

miR-193: A new weapon against cancer

microRNAs (miRNAs) are known as a large group of short noncoding RNAs, which structurally consist of 19-22 nucleotides in length and functionally act as one of the main regulators of gene expression in important biological and physiological contexts like cell growth, apoptosis, proliferation, differentiation, movement (cell motility), and angiogenesis as well as disease formation and progression importantly in cancer cell invasion, migration, and metastasis. Among these notable tiny molecules, many studies recently presented the important role of the miR-193 family comprising miR-193a-3p, miR-193a-5p, miR-193b-3p, and miR-193b-5p in health and disease biological processes by interaction with special targeting and signaling, which mainly contribute as a tumor suppressor. Therefore, in the present paper, we review the functional role of this miRNA family in both health and disease conditions focusing on various tumor developments, diagnoses, prognoses, and treatment.

miR-218 overexpression suppresses tumorigenesis of papillary thyroid cancer via inactivation of PTEN/PI3K/AKT pathway by targeting Runx2

Background

It was previously reported that downregulation of miR-218 promoted thyroid cancer cell invasion, migration, and proliferation. However, the biological functions of miR-218 and its possible regulatory mechanisms in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) cells are still elusive.

Materials and methods

The expression levels of miR-218 and Runx2 in PTC tissues and cells were determined by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blot. The effects of miR-218 overexpression on cell viability, invasion, apoptosis, and PTEN/PI3K/AKT pathway in PTC cells were evaluated by cell counting kit-8 assay, Transwell invasion assay, flow cytometry assay, and Western blot, respectively. Luciferase reporter assay and qRT-PCR were performed to identify the target of miR-218. Xenograft tumor experiment was performed to confirm the biological roles of miR-218 and its potential mechanisms in vivo.

Results

miR-218 expression was downregulated and Runx2 expression was upregulated in PTC tissues and cells. Overexpression of miR-218 suppressed viability and invasion, and induced apoptosis of PTC cells in vitro, while Runx2 overexpression greatly abolished these effects. miR-218 overexpression inactivated the PTEN/PI3K/AKT pathway, which was abated by Runx2 upregulation. Additionally, Runx2 was validated to be a direct target of miR-218. Moreover, enforced expression of miR-218 inhibited tumor growth and Runx2 expression, and blocked PTEN/PI3K/AKT pathway in vivo.

Conclusion

miR-218 overexpression suppresses the tumorigenesis of PTC via downregulating PTEN/PI3K/AKT pathway by targeting Runx2, which indicates that miR-218 may be a potential therapeutic target for human PTC.

The clinical value of miR-193a-3p in non-small cell lung cancer and its potential molecular mechanism explored in silico using RNA-sequencing and microarray data

miR‐193a‐3p is a tumor‐related miRNA playing an essential role in tumorigenesis and progression of non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The objective of the present study was to investigate the relationship between miR‐193a‐3p expression and clinical value and to further explore the potential signaling of miR‐193a‐3p in the carcinogenesis of NSCLC. RNA‐sequencing and microarray data were collected from the databases GEO, ArrayExpress and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Furthermore, in silico assessments were performed to analyze the prospective pathways and networks of the target genes of miR‐193a‐3p. In total, 453 cases of NSCLC patients and 476 normal controls were included in blood samples, while 920 cases of NSCLC patients and 406 normal controls were included in tissue samples. The pooled positive likelihood ratio, the pooled negative likelihood ratio and the pooled diagnostic odds ratio were calculated to reflect the diagnostic value of miR‐193a‐3p in blood and tissue samples. Moreover, the areas under the curve of the summary receiver operating characteristic curve of blood and tissue were 0.64 and 0.79, respectively. In addition, we found a lower level of miR‐193a in NSCLC tissues than in non‐cancerous controls based on TCGA. A gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis demonstrated that miR‐193a‐3p could be related to key signaling pathways in NSCLC. Also, several vital pathways were illustrated by KEGG. Lower expression of miR‐193a‐3p in tissue samples of NSCLC may be associated with tumorigenesis and be a predictor of deterioration of NSCLC patients, and pathway analysis revealed crucial signaling pathways correlated with the incidence and progress of NSCLC.

LncRNA NEAT1 promotes dexamethasone resistance in multiple myeloma by targeting miR-193a/MCL1 pathway

Although dexamethasone (DEX) remains a first-line agent for multiple myeloma (MM) therapy, the development of DEX resistance has become an indicator of poor prognosis in MM patients. It is thus urgent to develop strategies to restore the vulnerability of MM to DEX. This study demonstrated long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) nuclear paraspeckle assembly transcript 1 (NEAT1) was highly expressed in DEX-resistant myeloma cell lines, and upregulation of NEAT1 was tightly linked to poor prognosis. The in-depth study revealed that during the development of DEX resistance in these cells, the miR-193a levels were decreased, which resulted in the increased expression of the target gene myeloid cell leukemia-1 (MCL1). We also found knockdown of NEAT1, the DEX-induced sensitivity was enhanced in the resistant cells. Meanwhile, overexpression of NEAT1 increased the DEX-induced resistance in the sensitive cells. In conclusion, the NEAT1/miR-193a/MCL1 pathway is closely associated with the development of DEX resistance in myeloma cells, and knockdown of NEAT1 can significantly improve DEX sensitivity in MM.

Biological Function of MicroRNA193a-3p in Health and Disease

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small noncoding RNAs that act mainly as negative regulators of gene expression. Several studies demonstrated that miRNAs take part in numerous biological processes, such as proliferation, apoptosis, and migration. The dysregulation of miRNAs has been frequently observed in different types of disease, including cancer. Here, we provide a comprehensive review on the human miR-193a-3p by considering its role in both physiological and pathological contexts. Different mechanisms involved in regulating miR-193a-3p expression have been reported, including epigenetic modifications and transcription factors. In physiological contexts, miR-193a-3p seemed able to limit proliferation and cell cycle progression in normal cells. Remarkably, several publications demonstrated that miR-193a-3p acted as a tumor suppressor miRNA in cancer by targeting different genes involved in proliferation, apoptosis, migration, invasion, and metastasis. Furthermore, the downregulation of miR-193a-3p has been observed in many primary tumors and altered levels of circulating miR-193a-3p have been identified in serum or plasma of cancer patients and subjects affected by Parkinson's disease or by schizophrenia. In a clinical perspective, further studies are needed to explore the antitumor effects of the miR-193a-3p mimics delivery and the relevance of this miRNA detection as a possible diagnostic and prognostic biomarker.