Therapeutic targeting of noncoding RNAs in hepatocellular carcinoma: Recent progress and future prospects

Navigating liver cancer: Precision targeting for enhanced treatment outcomes

Cancer treatments such as surgery and chemotherapy have several limitations, including ineffectiveness against large or persistent tumors, high relapse rates, drug toxicity, and non-specificity of therapy. Researchers are exploring advanced strategies for treating this life-threatening disease to address these challenges. One promising approach is targeted drug delivery using prodrugs or surface modification with receptor-specific moieties for active or passive targeting. While various drug delivery systems have shown potential for reaching hepatic cells, nano-carriers offer significant size, distribution, and targetability advantages. Engineered nanocarriers can be customized to achieve effective and safe targeting of tumors by manipulating physical characteristics such as particle size or attaching receptor-specific ligands. This method is particularly advantageous in treating liver cancer by targeting specific hepatocyte receptors and enzymatic pathways for both passive and active therapeutic strategies. It highlights the epidemiology of liver cancer and provides an in-depth analysis of the various targeting approaches, including prodrugs, liposomes, magneto-liposomes, micelles, glycol-dendrimers, magnetic nanoparticles, chylomicron-based emulsion, and quantum dots surface modification with receptor-specific moieties. The insights from this review can be immensely significant for preclinical and clinical researchers working towards developing effective treatments for liver cancer. By utilizing these novel strategies, we can overcome the limitations of conventional therapies and offer better outcomes for liver cancer patients.

miRNA and lncRNA as potential tissue biomarkers in hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is primary liver cancer, frequently diagnosed at advanced stages with limited therapeutic options. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate target gene expression and through inhibitory competitive binding of miRNA influence cellular processes including carcinogenesis. Extensive evidence proved that certain miRNA's are specifically expressed in neoplastic tissues of HCC patients and are confirmed as important factors that can participate in the regulation of key signalling pathways in cancer cells. As such, miRNAs have a great potential in the clinical diagnosis and treatment of HCC and can improve the limitations of standard diagnosis and treatment. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have a critical role in the development and progression of HCC. HCC-related lncRNAs have been demonstrated to exhibit abnormal expression and contribute to transformation process (such as proliferation, apoptosis, accelerated vascular formation, and gain of invasive potential) through their interaction with DNA, RNA, or proteins. LncRNAs can bind mRNAs to release their target mRNA and enable its translation. These lncRNA-miRNA networks regulate cancer cell expression and so its proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, metastasis, angiogenesis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), drug resistance, and autophagy. In this narrative review, we focus on miRNA and lncRNA in HCC tumor tissue and their interaction as current tools, and biomarkers and therapeutic targets unravelled in recent years.

Design strategies and biological applications of β-galactosidase fluorescent sensor in ovarian cancer research and beyond

Beta-galactosidase (β-galactosidase), a lysosomal hydrolytic enzyme, plays a critical role in the catalytic hydrolysis of glycosidic bonds, leading to the conversion of lactose into galactose. This hydrolytic enzyme is used as a biomarker in various applications, including enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), gene expression studies, tuberculosis classification, and in situ hybridization. β-Galactosidase abnormalities are linked to various diseases, such as ganglioside deposition, primary ovarian cancer, and cell senescence. Thus, effective detection of β-galactosidase activity may aid disease diagnoses and treatment. Activatable optical probes with high sensitivity, specificity, and spatiotemporal resolution imaging capabilities have become powerful tools for visualization and real time tracking in vivo in the past decade. This manuscript reviews the sensing mechanism, molecular design strategies, and advances of fluorescence probes in the biological application of β-galactosidase, particularly in the field of ovarian cancer research. Current challenges in tracking β-galactosidase and future directions are also discussed.

MiR-22 Deficiency Fosters Hepatocellular Carcinoma Development in Fatty Liver

MiR-22 is mostly considered as a hepatic tumor-suppressor microRNA based on in vitro analyses. Yet, whether miR-22 exerts a tumor-suppressive function in the liver has not been investigated in vivo. Herein, in silico analyses of miR-22 expression were performed in hepatocellular carcinomas from human patient cohorts and different mouse models. Diethylnitrosamine-induced hepatocellular carcinomas were then investigated in lean and diet-induced obese miR-22-deficient mice. The proteome of liver tissues from miR-22-deficient mice prior to hepatocellular carcinoma development was further analyzed to uncover miR-22 regulated factors that impact hepatocarcinogenesis with miR-22 deficiency. MiR-22 downregulation was consistently observed in hepatocellular carcinomas from all human cohorts and mouse models investigated. The time of appearance of the first tumors was decreased and the number of tumoral foci induced by diethylnitrosamine was significantly increased by miR-22-deficiency in vivo, two features which were further drastically exacerbated with diet-induced obesity. At the molecular level, we provide evidence that the loss of miR-22 significantly affects the energetic metabolism and mitochondrial functions of hepatocytes, and the expression of tumor-promoting factors such as thrombospondin-1. Our study demonstrates that miR-22 acts as a hepatic tumor suppressor in vivo by restraining pro-carcinogenic metabolic deregulations through pleiotropic mechanisms and the overexpression of relevant oncogenes.

Function of the Long Noncoding RNAs in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Classification, Molecular Mechanisms, and Significant Therapeutic Potentials

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common and serious type of primary liver cancer. HCC patients have a high death rate and poor prognosis due to the lack of clear signs and inadequate treatment interventions. However, the molecular pathways that underpin HCC pathogenesis remain unclear. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), a new type of RNAs, have been found to play important roles in HCC. LncRNAs have the ability to influence gene expression and protein activity. Dysregulation of lncRNAs has been linked to a growing number of liver disorders, including HCC. As a result, improved understanding of lncRNAs could lead to new insights into HCC etiology, as well as new approaches for the early detection and treatment of HCC. The latest results with respect to the role of lncRNAs in controlling multiple pathways of HCC were summarized in this study. The processes by which lncRNAs influence HCC advancement by interacting with chromatin, RNAs, and proteins at the epigenetic, transcriptional, and post-transcriptional levels were examined. This critical review also highlights recent breakthroughs in lncRNA signaling pathways in HCC progression, shedding light on the potential applications of lncRNAs for HCC diagnosis and therapy.

RNA Therapeutic Options to Manage Aberrant Signaling Pathways in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Dream or Reality?

Despite the early promise of RNA therapeutics as a magic bullet to modulate aberrant signaling in cancer, this field remains a work-in-progress. Nevertheless, RNA therapeutics is now a reality for the treatment of viral diseases (COVID-19) and offers great promise for cancer. This review paper specifically investigates RNAi as a therapeutic option for HCC and discusses a range of RNAi technology including anti-sense oligonucleotides (ASOs), Aptamers, small interfering RNA (siRNA), ribozymes, riboswitches and CRISPR/Cas9 technology. The use of these RNAi based interventions is specifically outlined in three primary strategies, namely, repressing angiogenesis, the suppression of cell proliferation and the promotion of apoptosis. We also discuss some of the inherent chemical and delivery problems, as well as targeting issues and immunogenic reaction to RNAi interventions.

Capsaicin Alters the Expression of Genetic and Epigenetic Molecules In Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cell

Capsaicin is a natural product which is extracted from pepper and has the potential to be used in cancer treatment because of its anti- proliferative effects. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of capsaicin on the hepatocellular carcinoma cell proliferation and the expressions of related genetic markers as Ki-67, PI3K/AKT/mTOR and epigenetic markers as miR-126 and piR-Hep-1. The inhibitory concentration of capsaicin in HepG2 cells was determined. piR-Hep-1 and miR-126 expressions and Ki-67, PI3K, AKT and mTOR gene expressions were examined by RT-PCR. The inhibitory concentration of capsaicin for HepG2 cells was 200 nM and the decreased proliferation was observed at 24th hour. As epigenetic markers, an up regulation of miR-126 and down regulation of piR-Hep-1 expression were determined after treatment. Moreover, Ki-67, PI3K and mTOR gene expressions decreased while AKT gene expression increased after the treatment (p<0.001). According to the obtained data, capsaicin has an impact on proliferation both genetically and epigenetically. Furthermore, treatment of capsaicin effects miR-126 and piR-Hep-1 expressions which effect carcinogenesis in different way. Moreover, there are some clues which indicate that these two small non-coding RNA might affect each other and share the same target molecules post-transcriptionally.

PIWI interacting RNAs perspectives: a new avenues in future cancer investigations

As a currently identified small non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) category, the PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are crucial mediators of cell biology. The human genome comprises over 30.000 piRNA genes. Although considered a new field in cancer research, the piRNA pathway is shown by the existing evidence as an active pathway in a variety of different types of cancers with critical impacts on main aspects of cancer progression. Among the regulatory molecules that contribute to maintaining the dynamics of cancer cells, the P-element Induced WImpy testis (PIWI) proteins and piRNAs, as new players, have not been broadly studied so far. Therefore, the identification of cancer-related piRNAs and the assessment of target genes of piRNAs may lead to better cancer prevention and therapy strategies. This review articleaimed to highlight the role and function of piRNAs based on existing data. Understanding the role of piRNA in cancer may provide perspectives on their applications as particular biomarker signature in diagnosis in early stage, prognosis and therapeutic strategies.

Long non-coding RNA HCP5 functions as a sponge of miR-29b-3p and promotes cell growth and metastasis in hepatocellular carcinoma through upregulating DNMT3A

Multiple studies have revealed that long non-coding RNA (lncRNAs) served as regulatory factors in modulating tumorigenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In the present study, we demonstrated that lncRNA HCP5 was overexpressed in HCC tissues and cell lines, and these findings were obvious even in metastatic and recurrent cases. Knockdown of HCP5 significantly alleviated cell growth, metastasis, and invasion both in vitro and in vivo through promoting apoptosis and by inactivating the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) progress. Moreover, miR-29b-3p has been identified as a negatively regulatory target gene of HCP5, and served as a tumor suppressor of HCC to prevent cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Subsequently, DNMT3A was identified as a downstream regulatory factor of miR-29b-3p, and acted as a participated element of HCC progression by activating AKT phosphorylation. Taken together, our study elucidated for the first time that HCP5 plays a crucial role in HCC via the HCP5/miR-29b-3p/DNMT3A/AKT axis and our findings demonstrated a novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategy with potentiality to treat HCC.

Involvement of cytochrome P450 enzymes in inflammation and cancer: a review

Cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes are responsible for the biotransformation of drugs, xenobiotics, and endogenous substances. This enzymatic activity can be modulated by intrinsic and extrinsic factors, modifying the organism's response to medications. Among the factors that are responsible for enzyme inhibition or induction is the release of proinflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin-1 (IL-1), IL-6, tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), and interferon-γ (IFN-γ), from macrophages, lymphocytes, and neutrophils. These cells are also present in the tumor microenvironment, participating in the development of cancer, a disease that is characterized by cellular mutations that favor cell survival and proliferation. Mutations also occur in CYP enzymes, resulting in enzymatic polymorphisms and modulation of their activity. Therefore, the inhibition or induction of CYP enzymes by proinflammatory cytokines in the tumor microenvironment can promote carcinogenesis and affect chemotherapy, resulting in adverse effects, toxicity, or therapeutic failure. This review discusses the relevance of CYPs in hepatocarcinoma, breast cancer, lung cancer, and chemotherapy by reviewing in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies. We also discuss the importance of elucidating the relationships between inflammation, CYPs, and cancer to predict drug interactions and therapeutic efficacy.

lncRNA ROR Promotes Gastric Cancer Drug Resistance

OBJECTIVE

Gastric cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors worldwide, and for resectable tumors, the most effective treatment is surgery with chemotherapy in neoadjuvant or adjuvant setting. However, the majority of patients fail to achieve the ideal initial response and/or develop resistance to chemotherapy. It was reported that long noncoding RNA regulator of reprogramming (ROR) is highly associated with the progression of gastric cancer. However, the role ROR in multidrug resistance (MDR) remains unclear.

METHODS

The messenger RNA levels of 63 specimens of patients with gastric cancer were determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis and were correlated with drug resistance and survival of patients. To determine the cellular functions of ROR, we generated gastric cancer MDR cells. The effect of ROR depletion on multidrug resistance-associated protein 1 (MRP1) expression and cell apoptosis were examined by immunoblotting analyses, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, and flow cytometry.

RESULTS

We found that ROR expression levels are positively associated with increased MDR and poor prognosis of patients with gastric cancer. Regulator of reprogramming expression is increased in gastric cancer cells resistant to adriamycin (ADR) and vincristine (VCR). Depletion of ROR reduced MRP1 expression and increased apoptosis of drug-resistant gastric cancer cells in response to ADR and VCR treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

We demonstrated that ROR expression promotes MRP1 expression and MDR of gastric cancer cells and is correlated with increased MDR and poor prognosis of patients with gastric cancer. Our finding highlighted the potential of targeting ROR to improve the efficacy of chemotherapy.

Biopathological Significance of PIWI-piRNA Pathway Deregulation in Invasive Breast Carcinomas

Simple Summary

The PIWI-piRNA ribonucleoproteic complexes are pivotal regulators of genome integrity, differentiation and homeostasis and their dysregulation has recently been implicated in carcinogenesis. The aim of this study was to analyze the four PIWILs gene expression in invasive breast carcinomas (IBC) at RNA level using quantitative RT-PCR and protein level using immunohistochemistry. In normal breast tissue, PIWILs 2 and 4 were solely expressed, whereas an abnormal emergence of PIWIL1 and 3 was observed in respectively 30% and 6% of IBCs. Conversely, PIWIL2 was underexpressed in 48.3% and PIWIL4 downregulated in 43.3% of IBCs. Similar patterns of PIWIL deregulation were observed in a multitumoral panel, suggesting a generic mechanism in most cancers. PIWIL2 underexpression was significantly associated with DNA methylation and strong cytotoxic immune response. Characterization of the newly recognized PIWIL-piRNA pathway in IBCs opens interesting therapeutic perspectives using piRNAs, hypomethylating drugs, checkpoints immunotherapies and anti-PIWIL 1–3 antibodies.

Abstract

The PIWI proteins emerging in the development of human cancers, edify PIWI-piRNA ribonucleoproteic complexes acting as pivotal regulators of genome integrity, differentiation and homeostasis. The aim of this study is to analyze the four PIWILs gene expression in invasive breast carcinomas (IBCs): at RNA level using quantitative RT-PCR (n = 526) and protein level using immunohistochemistry (n = 150). In normal breast tissue, PIWILs 2 and 4 were solely expressed, whereas an abnormal emergence of PIWIL1 and 3 was observed in respectively 30% and 6% of IBCs. Conversely, PIWIL2 was underexpressed in 48.3% and PIWIL4 downregulated in 43.3% of IBCs. Significant positive associations were observed between PIWIL4 underexpression, HR+ status and HR+ ERBB2+ molecular subtype and PIWIL2 underexpression, PR- status, ERBB2- status and molecular subtype. Similar patterns of PIWIL deregulation were observed in a multitumoral panel, suggesting a generic mechanism in most cancers. PIWIL2-4 underexpression was mainly regulated at epigenetic or post-transcriptional levels. PIWIL2 underexpression was significantly associated with DNA methylation and strong cytotoxic immune response. PIWIL2-4 were mainly associated with genes implicated in cell proliferation. As a result of this study, characterization of the PIWIL-piRNA pathway in IBCs opens interesting therapeutic perspectives using piRNAs, hypomethylating drugs, checkpoints immunotherapies and anti-PIWIL 1–3 antibodies.

The crosstalk of ABCA1 and ANXA1: a potential mechanism for protection against atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis, characterized by the formation of fat-laden plaques, is a chronic inflammatory disease. ABCA1 promotes cholesterol efflux, reduces cellular cholesterol accumulation, and regulates anti-inflammatory activities in an apoA-I- or ANXA1-dependent manner. The latter activity occurs by mediating the efflux of ANXA1, which plays a critical role in anti-inflammatory effects, cholesterol transport, exosome and microparticle secretion, and apoptotic cell clearance. ApoA-I increases ANXA1 expression via the ERK, p38MAPK, AKT, and PKC pathways. ApoA-I regulates the signaling pathways by binding to ABCA1, suggesting that apoA-I increases ANXA1 expression by binding to ABCA1. Furthermore, ANXA1 may increase ABCA1 expression. ANXA1 increases PPARγ expression by modulating STAT6 phosphorylation. PPARγ also increases ANXA1 expression by binding to the promoter of ANXA1. Therefore, ABCA1, PPARγ, and ANXA1 may form a feedback loop and regulate each other. Interestingly, the ANXA1 needs to be externalized to the cell membrane or secreted into the extracellular fluids to exert its anti-inflammatory properties. ABCA1 transports ANXA1 from the cytoplasm to the cell membrane by regulating lipidization and serine phosphorylation, thereby mediating ANXA1 efflux, likely by promoting microparticle and exosome release. The direct role of ABCA1 expression and ANXA1 release in atherosclerosis has been unclear. In this review, we focus on the role of ANXA1 in atheroprogression and its novel interaction with ABCA1, which may be useful for providing basic knowledge for the development of novel therapeutic targets for atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease.

Mechanisms of hepatocellular carcinoma progression

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary malignancy of the liver. It is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, with a very poor prognosis. In the United States, there has been only minimal improvement in the prognosis for HCC patients over the past 15 years. Details of the molecular mechanisms and other mechanisms of HCC progression remain unclear. Consequently, there is an urgent need for better understanding of these mechanisms. HCC is often diagnosed at advanced stages, and most patients will therefore need systemic therapy, with sorafenib being the most common at the present time. However, sorafenib therapy only minimally enhances patient survival. This review provides a summary of some of the known mechanisms that either cause HCC or contribute to its progression. Included in this review are the roles of viral hepatitis, non-viral hepatitis, chronic alcohol intake, genetic predisposition and congenital abnormalities, toxic exposures, and autoimmune diseases of the liver. Well-established molecular mechanisms of HCC progression such as epithelial-mesenchymal transition, tumor-stromal interactions and the tumor microenvironment, cancer stem cells, and senescence bypass are also discussed. Additionally, we discuss the roles of circulating tumor cells, immunomodulation, and neural regulation as potential new mechanisms of HCC progression. A better understanding of these mechanisms could have implications for the development of novel and more effective therapeutic and prognostic strategies, which are critically needed.

Long non-coding RNA AGAP2-AS1, functioning as a competitive endogenous RNA, upregulates ANXA11 expression by sponging miR-16-5p and promotes proliferation and metastasis in hepatocellular carcinoma

Background

Accumulating evidence has highlighted the potential role of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the biological behaviors of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Here, we elucidated the function and possible molecular mechanisms of the effect of lncRNA-AGAP2-AS1 on the biological behaviors of HCC.

Methods

EdU, Transwell and flow cytometry were used to determine proliferation, migration, invasion and apoptosis of HCC cells in vitro. The subcutaneous tumor model and lung metastasis mouse model in nude mice was established to detect tumor growth and metastasis of HCC in vivo. The direct binding of miR-16-5p to 3’UTR of ANXA11 was confirmed by luciferase reporter assay. The expression of AGAP2-AS1 and miR-16-5p in HCC specimens and cell lines were detected by real-time PCR. The correlation among AGAP2-AS1 and miR-16-5p were disclosed by a dual-luciferase reporter assay, RIP assay and biotin pull-down assay.

Results

Here, we demonstrated that AGAP2-AS1 expression was up-regulated in HCC tissues and cell lines, especially in metastatic and recurrent cases. Gain- and loss-of-function experiments indicated that AGAP2-AS1 promoted cell proliferation, migration, invasion, EMT progression and inhibited apoptosis of HCC cells in vitro and in vivo. Further studies demonstrated that AGAP2-AS1 could function as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) by sponging miR-16-5p in HCC cells. Functionally, gain- and loss-of-function studies showed that miR-16-5p promoted HCC progression and alteration of miR-16-5p abolished the promotive effects of AGAP2-AS1 on HCC cells. Moreover, ANXA11 was identified as direct downstream targets of miR-16-5p in HCC cells, and mediated the functional effects of miR-16-5p and AGAP2-AS1 in HCC, resulting in AKT signaling activation. Clinically, AGAP2-AS1 and miR-16-5p expression were markedly correlated with adverse clinical features and poor prognosis of HCC patients. We showed that hypoxia was responsible for the overexpression of AGAP2-AS1 in HCC. And the promoting effects of hypoxia on metastasis and EMT of HCC cells were reversed by AGAP2-AS1 knockdown.

Conclusions

Taken together, this research supports the first evidence that AGAP2-AS1 plays an oncogenic role in HCC via AGAP2-AS1/miR-16-5p/ANXA11/AKT axis pathway and represents a promising therapeutic strategy for HCC patients.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s13046-019-1188-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

LncRNA LOC105372579 promotes proliferation and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in hepatocellular carcinoma via activating miR-4316/FOXP4 signaling

Background: Recently, a growing number of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been identified to be important for human cancer development. However, how lncRNA regulates hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression still remains largely unclear. We aimed to investigate the function of LOC105372579 in HCC progression. Materials and methods: The expression levels of lncRNA LOC105372579 in HCC tissues and cell lines were analyzed by qRT-PCR. The effects of LOC105372579 silencing on proliferation, migration and invasion were determined by using cell counting kit-8, colony formation assay and Transwell assay. Moreover, the xenograft mouse model was used to detect how LOC105372579 regulates HCC growth in vivo. Results: LOC105372579 was highly expressed in HCC tissues and cell lines. Moreover, upregulated levels of LOC105372579 predicted poor prognosis. LOC105372579 silencing suppressed the proliferation of HCC cells in vitro. We also validated that LOC105372579 knockdown inhibited the migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of HCC cells. Xenograft assay demonstrated that LOC105372579 promotes tumor growth in vivo. Mechanistically, we identified that LOC105372579 is a sponge for miR-4316 and that FOXP4 is a direct target of miR-4316. Conclusion: Thus, our findings supported that LOC105372579 contributes to HCC cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and EMT by activating miR-4316/FOXP4 signaling.

Systems Challenges of Hepatic Carcinomas: A Review

Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is ubiquitous in its prevalence in most of the developing countries. In the era of systems biology, multi-omics has evinced an extensive approach to define the underlying mechanism of disease progression. HCC is a multifactorial disease and the investigation of progression of liver cirrhosis becomes much extensive with cultivating omics approaches. We have performed a comprehensive review about such challenges in multi-omics approaches that are concerned to identify the immunological, genetics and epidemiological factors associated with HCC.

Genomewide identification of a novel six-LncRNA signature to improve prognosis prediction in resectable hepatocellular carcinoma

The current prognostic long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) signatures for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are still controversial and need to be optimized by systematic bioinformatics analyses with suitable methods and appropriate patients. Therefore, we performed the study to establish a credible lncRNA signature for HCC outcome prediction and explore the related mechanisms. Based on the lncRNA profile and the clinical data of carefully selected HCC patients (n = 164) in TCGA, six of 12727 lncRNAs, MIR22HG, CTC‐297N7.9, CTD‐2139B15.2, RP11‐589N15.2, RP11‐343N15.5, and RP11‐479G22.8 were identified as the independent predictors of patients’ overall survival in HCC by sequential univariate Cox and 1000 times Cox LASSO regression with 10‐fold CV, and multivariate Cox analysis with 1000 times bootstrapping. In the Kaplan‐Meier analysis with patients trichotomized by the six‐lncRNA signature, high‐risk patients showed significantly shorter survival than mid‐ and low‐risk patients (log‐rank test P < 0.0001). According to the ROCs, the six‐lncRNA signature showed superior predictive capacity than the two existing four‐lncRNA combinations and the traditional prognostic clinicopathological parameter TNM stage. Furthermore, low MIR22HG and CTC‐297N7.9, but high CTD‐2139B15.2, RP11‐589N15.2, RP11‐343N15.5, and RP11‐479G22.8, were, respectively, demonstrated to be related with the malignant phenotypes of HCC. Functionally, the six lncRNAs were disclosed to involve in the regulation of multiple cell cycle and stress response‐related pathways via mediating transcription regulation and chromatin modification. In conclusion, our study identified a novel six‐lncRNA signature for resectable HCC prognosis prediction and indicated the underlying mechanisms of HCC progression and the potential functions of the six lncRNAs awaiting further elucidation.

Long non-coding RNA DSCR8 acts as a molecular sponge for miR-485-5p to activate Wnt/β-catenin signal pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma

Previous evidences reveal that long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) down syndrome critical region 8 (DSCR8) involves in the progression of multiple cancers. However, the exact expression, function, and mechanism of DSCR8 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain uncovered. In this study, real-time PCR in HCC tissues and cell lines indicated that DSCR8 expression was upregulated, while miR-485-5p was downregulated. MTT assay, plate clone formation, Edu assay, flow cytometry, and in vivo experiments indicated that DSCR8 promoted HCC cell proliferation and cycle, whereas accelerated cell apoptosis. Luciferase reporter gene assay, RIP assay, and rescue experiments demonstrated that DSCR8 functioned as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) by sponging miR-485-5p in HCC cells. Furthermore, gain- and loss-of-function studies showed that miR-485-5p activated Wnt/β-catenin signal pathway by targeting Frizzled-7 (FZD7). Moreover, DSCR8 activated Wnt/β-catenin signal pathway to promote HCC progression by DSCR8/miR-485-5p/FZD7 axis. Statistical analysis revealed that DSCR8 and miR-485-5p were closely related to some malignant clinicopathological features and 5-year survival rates of HCC patients. Taken together, the present study reports for the first time that DSCR8 activates Wnt/β-catenin signal pathway to promote HCC progression by DSCR8/miR-485-5p/FZD7 axis. The findings provide promising and valuable strategies for targeted therapy of HCC.