MicroRNAs associated with therapy of non-small cell lung cancer

circRNA-CPA4 Regulates Cell Proliferation and Apoptosis of Non-small Cell Lung Cancer via the miR-1183/PDPK1 Axis

Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) stands as a prevalent subtype of lung cancer, with circular RNAs emerging as key players in cancer development. This study elucidates the role of circRNA-CPA4 in NSCLC. Elevated circRNA-CPA4 expression in NSCLC lines was confirmed through qRT-PCR. Silencing circRNA-CPA4 with shRNA revealed, through CCK-8, colony formation, and flow cytometry assays, a notable constraint on proliferation and promotion of apoptosis in NSCLC cells. Subcellular localization analysis, RNA immunoprecipitation, and expression level assessments were employed to decipher the intricate interplay among miR-1183, circRNA-CPA4, and PDPK1. Results demonstrated heightened circRNA-CPA4 levels in NSCLC, and its knockdown curtailed NSCLC growth in vivo. Acting as a molecular sponge for miR-1183, circRNA-CPA4 regulated PDPK1 expression. Conversely, inhibiting miR-1183 counteracted the impact of circRNA-CPA4 silencing, reinstating NSCLC cell proliferation, and impeding apoptosis. Overall, this study unveils a novel mechanism: circRNA-CPA4 promotes PDPK1 expression by sequestering miR-1183, fostering NSCLC cell proliferation, and hindering apoptosis.

Use of recombinant microRNAs as antimetabolites to inhibit human non-small cell lung cancer

During the development of therapeutic microRNAs (miRNAs or miRs), it is essential to define their pharmacological actions. Rather, miRNA research and therapy mainly use miRNA mimics synthesized in vitro. After experimental screening of unique recombinant miRNAs produced in vivo, three lead antiproliferative miRNAs against human NSCLC cells, miR-22-3p, miR-9-5p, and miR-218-5p, were revealed to target folate metabolism by bioinformatic analyses. Recombinant miR-22-3p, miR-9-5p, and miR-218-5p were shown to regulate key folate metabolic enzymes to inhibit folate metabolism and subsequently alter amino acid metabolome in NSCLC A549 and H1975 cells. Isotope tracing studies further confirmed the disruption of one-carbon transfer from serine to folate metabolites by all three miRNAs, inhibition of glucose uptake by miR-22-3p, and reduction of serine biosynthesis from glucose by miR-9-5p and -218-5p in NSCLC cells. With greater activities to interrupt NSCLC cell respiration, glycolysis, and colony formation than miR-9-5p and -218-5p, recombinant miR-22-3p was effective to reduce tumor growth in two NSCLC patient-derived xenograft mouse models without causing any toxicity. These results establish a common antifolate mechanism and differential actions on glucose uptake and metabolism for three lead anticancer miRNAs as well as antitumor efficacy for miR-22-3p nanomedicine, which shall provide insight into developing antimetabolite RNA therapies.

MicroRNA based combinatorial therapy against TKIs resistant CML by inactivating the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway: a review

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is characterized by presence of Philadelphia chromosome, which harbors BCR-ABL oncogene responsible for encoding BCR-ABL oncoprotein. This oncoprotein interferes with cellular signaling pathways, resulting in tumor progression. Among these pathways, PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway is significantly upregulated in CML. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are current standard therapy for CML, and they have shown remarkable efficacy. However, emergence of TKIs drug resistance has necessitated investigation of novel therapeutic approaches. Components of PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway have emerged as attractive targets in this context, as this pathway is known to be activated in TKIs-resistant CML cells/patients. Inhibiting this pathway may provide a complementary approach to improving TKIs' efficacy and treatment outcomes. Given previous research indicating that miRNAs play an inhibitory role in cancer, current study used computational tools to identify miRNAs that specifically target pathway's core components. A comprehensive analysis was performed, resulting in identification of 111 miRNAs that potentially target PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. From this extensive list, 7 miRNAs was selected for further investigation based on their consistent downregulation across leukemia subtypes. Except for hsa-miR-199a-3p, remaining six miRNAs have been extensively studied in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Given high similarity between AML and CML, it is believed that six miRNAs which are not studied in context of CML may also be advantageous for curing chemoresistance in CML. Building upon this knowledge, it is reasonable to speculate that a combination therapy approach involving use of miRNAs alongside TKIs may offer improved therapy for TKIs-resistant CML compared to TKIs monotherapy alone.

MicroRNA in lung cancer-a novel potential way for early diagnosis and therapy

Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer-related deaths in the world. One of the reasons of poor prognosis and high mortality of lung cancer patients is the diagnosis of the disease in its advanced stage. Despite innovative diagnostic methods and multiple completed and ongoing clinical trials aiming at therapy improvement, no significant increase in patients' long-term survival has been noted over last decades. Patients would certainly benefit from early detection of lung cancer. Therefore, it is crucial to find new biomarkers that can help predict outcomes and tumor responses in order to maximize therapy effectiveness and avoid over- or under-treating patients with lung cancer. Nowadays, scientists' attention is mainly dedicated to so-called liquid biopsy, which is fully non-invasive and easily available method based on simple blood draw. Among common liquid biopsy elements, circulating tumor nucleic acids are worth mentioning. Epigenetic biomarkers, particularly miRNA expression, have several distinct features that make them promising prognostic markers. In this review, we described miRNA's involvement in tumorigenesis and present it as a predictor of cancer development and progression, potential indicator of treatment efficacy, and most importantly promising therapeutic target.

Modulation of microRNAs expression and cellular signaling pathways through curcumin as a potential therapeutical approach against ovarian cancer: A review

Short non-coding RNAs called microRNAs (miRNAs) control gene expression by either inhibiting translation or degrading messenger RNA. MiRNAs are crucial for many biological functions, and the deregulation of their expression is strongly linked to the emergence of cancer. A single miRNA controls several gene expressions, allowing it to simultaneously control a number of cellular signaling pathways. As a result, miRNAs may be used as therapeutic targets as well as biomarkers for the prognosis and diagnosis of different cancers. Recent research has shown that natural compounds like curcumin, resveratrol and quercetin exert their pro-apoptotic and/or anti-proliferative impacts by modulating one and/or more miRNAs, which inhibits the growth of cancer cells, induces apoptosis, or increases the effectiveness of conventional cancer therapies. Here, we summarize the most recent developments in curcumin's control over the expression of miRNAs and emphasize the significance of these herbal remedies as a viable strategy in the treatment and prevention of cancer.

The Molecular and Cellular Strategies of Glioblastoma and Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Cells Conferring Radioresistance

Ionizing radiation (IR) has been shown to play a crucial role in the treatment of glioblastoma (GBM; grade IV) and non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Nevertheless, recent studies have indicated that radiotherapy can offer only palliation owing to the radioresistance of GBM and NSCLC. Therefore, delineating the major radioresistance mechanisms may provide novel therapeutic approaches to sensitize these diseases to IR and improve patient outcomes. This review provides insights into the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying GBM and NSCLC radioresistance, where it sheds light on the role played by cancer stem cells (CSCs), as well as discusses comprehensively how the cellular dormancy/non-proliferating state and polyploidy impact on their survival and relapse post-IR exposure.

Current Landscape of Therapeutic Resistance in Lung Cancer and Promising Strategies to Overcome Resistance

Simple Summary

Despite an initial response to therapy, many lung cancer patients inevitably develop resistance to therapy leading to decreased duration of response and success of treatment. Recent research aims to elucidate mechanisms of resistance in order to improve drug response and treatment outcomes. By utilizing multidisciplinary approaches that target various resistance mechanism, it may be possible to delay development of treatment resistance or even resensitize cancers. This review aims to discuss novel approaches to improve clinical outcomes, delay the occurrence of resistance, and overcome resistance.

Abstract

Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide with a 5-year survival rate of less than 18%. Current treatment modalities include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy. Despite advances in therapeutic options, resistance to therapy remains a major obstacle to the effectiveness of long-term treatment, eventually leading to therapeutic insensitivity, poor progression-free survival, and disease relapse. Resistance mechanisms stem from genetic mutations and/or epigenetic changes, unregulated drug efflux, tumor hypoxia, alterations in the tumor microenvironment, and several other cellular and molecular alterations. A better understanding of these mechanisms is crucial for targeting factors involved in therapeutic resistance, establishing novel antitumor targets, and developing therapeutic strategies to resensitize cancer cells towards treatment. In this review, we summarize diverse mechanisms driving resistance to chemotherapy, radiotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy, and promising strategies to help overcome this therapeutic resistance.

APE1 controls DICER1 expression in NSCLC through miR-33a and miR-130b

Increasing evidence suggests different, not completely understood roles of microRNA biogenesis in the development and progression of lung cancer. The overexpression of the DNA repair protein apurinic/apyrimidinic endodeoxyribonuclease 1 (APE1) is an important cause of poor chemotherapeutic response in lung cancer and its involvement in onco-miRNAs biogenesis has been recently described. Whether APE1 regulates miRNAs acting as prognostic biomarkers of lung cancer has not been investigated, yet. In this study, we analyzed miRNAs differential expression upon APE1 depletion in the A549 lung cancer cell line using high-throughput methods. We defined a signature of 13 miRNAs that strongly correlate with APE1 expression in human lung cancer: miR-1246, miR-4488, miR-24, miR-183, miR-660, miR-130b, miR-543, miR-200c, miR-376c, miR-218, miR-146a, miR-92b and miR-33a. Functional enrichment analysis of this signature revealed its biological relevance in cancer cell proliferation and survival. We validated DICER1 as a direct functional target of the APE1-regulated miRNA-33a-5p and miR-130b-3p. Importantly, IHC analyses of different human tumors confirmed a negative correlation existing between APE1 and Dicer1 protein levels. DICER1 downregulation represents a prognostic marker of cancer development but the mechanisms at the basis of this phenomenon are still completely unknown. Our findings, suggesting that APE1 modulates DICER1 expression via miR-33a and miR-130b, reveal new mechanistic insights on DICER1 regulation, which are of relevance in lung cancer chemoresistance and cancer invasiveness.

MicroRNAs as Predictors of Lung-Cancer Resistance and Sensitivity to Cisplatin

Background: Platinum-based chemotherapy, cisplatin (DDP) specifically, is the main strategy for treating lung cancer (LC). However, currently, there is a lack of predictive drug-resistance markers, and there is increased interest in the development of a reliable and sensitive panels of markers for DDP chemotherapy-effectiveness prediction. MicroRNAs represent a perspective pool of markers for chemotherapy effectiveness. Objectives: Data on miRNAs associated with LC DDP chemotherapy response are summarized and analyzed. Materials and methods: A comprehensive review of the data in the literature and an analysis of bioinformatics resources were performed. The gene targets of miRNAs, as well as their reciprocal relationships with miRNAs, were studied using several databases. Results and Discussion: The complex analysis of bioinformatics resources and the literature indicated that the expressions of 12 miRNAs have a high predictive potential for LC DDP chemotherapy responses. The obtained information was discussed from the point of view of the main mechanisms of LC chemoresistance. Conclusions: An overview of the published data and bioinformatics resources, with respect to the predictive microRNA markers of chemotherapy response, is presented in this review. The selected microRNAs and gene panel have a high potential for predicting LC DDP sensitiveness or DDP resistance as well as for the development of a DDP co-therapy.

Leonurus japonicus Houttuyn induces reactive oxygen species-mediated apoptosis via regulation of miR-19a-3p/PTEN/PI3K/AKT in U937 and THP-1 cells

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Leonurus japonicus Houttuyn is a medicinal ingredient in more than 300 prescriptions in traditional Korean medicine. It is especially important for women's health and blood-related diseases. Recent research revealed that Leonurus japonicus Houttuyn extracts have antioxidative, anticancer, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties.

AIM OF THE STUDY

However, its underlying anti-cancerous mechanisms remain unclear. This study elucidated the anticancer mechanism of Leonurus japonicus Houttuyn in U937 and THP-1 cancer cells.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used for detecting main compound of Leonurus japonicus Houttuyn, rutin. EZ-Cytox cell viability assay, Western blot analysis, live and dead cell assay, 2', 7' dichlorofluorescin diacetate (DCFDA) assay, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis, and microRNA (miR) mimic transfection assay were applied to further investigate anti-cancer efficacies and underlying mechanism in U937 and THP-1 cells.

RESULTS

The main compound of Leonurus japonicus Houttuyn, rutin was detected using HPLC. The cytotoxic effect of Leonurus japonicus Houttuyn was exerted in U937 and THP-1 cancer cells but not in MDBK and IEC-6 normal cells. Leonurus japonicus Houttuyn decreased mitochondria membrane potential (ΔΨm). Consistently, Leonurus japonicus Houttuyn reduced the expression of survivin and cleaved caspase-9, caspase-3, and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). Cell death was increased in Leonurus japonicus Houttuyn treated groups. Phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) and CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein homologous protein (CHOP) was increased and phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) and Protein kinase B (AKT) were decreased by Leonurus japonicus Houttuyn. Reactive oxygen speices generation was elevated by Leonurus japonicus Houttuyn and its cytotoxicity was reversed by N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC) pretreatment. Moreover, onco-microRNA (miR), miR-19a-3p was suppressed by Leonurus japonicus Houttuyn and transfection of miR-19a-3p mimic reversed the regulated PTEN, p-AKT, CHOP expression, attenuating Leonurus japonicus Houttuyn induced apoptosis.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings indicated that Leonurus japonicus Houttuyn has anti-cancer effects by regulation of PTEN/PI3K/AKT signal pathway and ROS-related ER stress-induced apoptosis via regulation of miR-19a-3p. Leonurus japonicus Houttuyn may be an effective candidate for triggering PTEN-dependent apoptosis of cancer cells related to acute myeloid leukemia.

Different roles of the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) axis in non-small cell lung cancer

Abstract:

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains one of the deadliest malignant diseases, with high incidence and mortality worldwide. The insulin-like growth factor (IGF) axis, consisting of IGF-1, IGF-2, related receptors (IGF-1R, -2R), and high-affinity binding proteins (IGFBP 1–6), is associated with promoting fetal development, tissue growth, and metabolism. Emerging studies have also identified the role of the IGF axis in NSCLC, including cancer growth, invasion, and metastasis. Upregulation of IGE-1 and IGF-2, overexpression of IGF-1R, and dysregulation of downstream signaling molecules involved in the PI-3K/Akt and MAPK pathways jointly increase the risk of cancer growth and migration in NSCLC. At the genetic level, some noncoding RNAs could influence the proliferation and differentiation of tumor cells through the IGF signaling pathway. The resistance to some promising drugs might be partially attributed to the IGF axis. Therapeutic strategies targeting the IGF axis have been evaluated, and some have shown promising efficacy. In this review, we summarize the biological roles of the IGF axis in NSCLC, including the expression and prognostic significance of the related components, noncoding RNA regulation, involvement in drug resistance, and therapeutic application. This review offers comprehensive understanding of NSCLC and provides insightful ideas for future research.

Molecular Pathology of Lung Cancer

This overview of the molecular pathology of lung cancer includes a review of the most salient molecular alterations of the genome, transcriptome, and the epigenome. The insights provided by the growing use of next-generation sequencing (NGS) in lung cancer will be discussed, and interrelated concepts such as intertumor heterogeneity, intratumor heterogeneity, tumor mutational burden, and the advent of liquid biopsy will be explored. Moreover, this work describes how the evolving field of molecular pathology refines the understanding of different histologic phenotypes of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and the underlying biology of small-cell lung cancer. This review will provide an appreciation for how ongoing scientific findings and technologic advances in molecular pathology are crucial for development of biomarkers, therapeutic agents, clinical trials, and ultimately improved patient care.

microRNA-1321 and microRNA-7515 contribute to the progression of non-small cell lung cancer by targeting CDC20

Cell division cycle 20 (CDC20) and microRNAs (miRNAs) are differentially expressed in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The current study aimed to investigate the role of miR-1321 and miR-7515 regulation in CDC20 during NSCLC development. CDC20 expression in paracancerous and tumor tissues was assessed using quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The relationship between CDC20 expression and prognosis of patients was analyzed using the TCGA database. The expression profile of CDC20 in healthy lung cells and NSCLC cells was detected using qRT-PCR and western blotting. After the knockdown of CDC20 in NSCLC cells, the cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, invasion, and cell cycle changes were investigated by CCK8, EdU, flow cytometry, wound healing, and Transwell assays. The miRNAs targeting CDC20 were predicted using two bioinformatics websites and validated using dual-luciferase assays. CDC20 was enhanced in NSCLC tissues and cells, thus predicting the poor prognosis in NSCLC patients. After CDC20 inhibition, the malignant phenotype of NSCLC cells was reverted. miR-1321 and miR-7515 targeted CDC20 and exhibited the same anti-tumor effects as CDC20 silencing. Functional rescue experiments showed that CDC20 overexpression averted the anti-tumor effects of miR-1321 and miR-7515 on NSCLC cells. miR-1321 and miR-7515 inhibited NSCLC development by targeting CDC20. Thus, the current study has implications in NSCLC treatment and provides novel insights into NSCLC management.

Curcumin increases crizotinib sensitivity through the inactivation of autophagy via epigenetic modulation of the miR-142-5p/Ulk1 axis in non-small cell lung cancer

Drug resistance is a critical factor responsible for the recurrence of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Previous studies suggest that curcumin acts as a chemosensitizer and radiosensitizer in human malignancies, but the underlying mechanism remains elusive. In the present study, we explored how curcumin regulates the expression of miR-142-5p and sensitizes NSCLC cells to crizotinib. We found that miR-142-5p is significantly downregulated in NSCLC tissue samples and cell lines. Curcumin could increase crizotinib cytotoxicity by epigenetically restoring the expression of miR-142-5p. Furthermore, curcumin treatment suppressed the expression of DNA methylation-related enzymes, including DNMT1, DNMT3A, and DNMT3B, in NSCLC cells. In addition, the upregulation of miR-142-5p expression increased crizotinib cytotoxicity and induced apoptosis in tumor cells in a similar manner to that of curcumin. Strikingly, miR-142-5p overexpression suppressed crizotinib-induced autophagy in A549 and H460 cells. Mechanistically, miR-142-5p inhibited autophagy in lung cancer cells by targeting Ulk1. Overexpression of Ulk1 abrogated the miR-142-5p-induced elevation of crizotinib cytotoxicity in A549 and H460 cells. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that curcumin sensitizes NSCLC cells to crizotinib by inactivating autophagy through the regulation of miR-142-5p and its target Ulk1.

Expression of miRNA-601 and PD-L1 among Iranian Patients with Lung Cancer and Their Relationship with Smoking and Mycoplasma Infection

OBJECTIVE

microRNAs (miRNAs) are highly conserved noncoding RNA molecules that mainly function to regulate gene expressions, and have a significant role in tumourigenesis. Programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) is a major co-inhibitory checkpoint signal that controls T cell activities, maintains peripheral tolerance and is contribute to the development of cancer. The aim of this study is to examine miRNA-601 and PD-L1 gene expression in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and its relation with Mycoplasma infection.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this case-control study, respiratory secretions and blood samples were collected from 80 healthy people and 80 NSCLC patients. The expression levels of miRNA-601 and PD-L1 were evaluated using real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The presence of Mycoplasma species in respiratory secretions was detected by biochemical assays and PCR.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference in the expression level of miRNA-601 between control and patients with tumour stage I, but miRNA-601 expression was significantly downregulated in patients with tumour stages II, III, and IV (P<0.05). A significant, negative relationship was found between miRNA-601 expression and tumour stage (P<0.001). Overexpression of PD-L1 was found in all of the disease stages. PCR results showed the presence of Mycoplasma pneumoniae (M. pneumoniae) in respiratory secretions from patients with stages III and IV NSCLC. We observed that 72% of patients with stages III and IV NSCLC had a positive smoking history and 65.3% were positive for Mycoplasma.

CONCLUSION

Serum miRNA-601 may act as a potential noninvasive biomarker for lung cancer and Mycoplasma infection prognosis.

Evaluation Expression of miR-146a and miR-155 in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Patients

Background

Non−small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the major type of lung cancer. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are novel markers and targets in cancer therapy and can act as both tumor suppressors and oncogenes and affect immune function. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of miR146a and miR155 in linked to blood immune cell phenotypes and serum cytokines in NSCLC patients.

Methods

Thirty-three NSCLC patients and 30 healthy subjects were enrolled in this study. The allele frequencies of potential DNA polymorphisms were studied using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)–restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis in peripheral blood samples. Quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to measure the expression of miR-146a and miR-155 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Serum cytokine (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, TGF-β, IL-4, IFN-γ) levels were determined by ELISA. The frequency of circulating CD3+CTLA-4+ and CD4+CD25+FOXP3+ (T regulatory cells/Treg) expression was measured by flow cytometry.

Results

miR-146a was significantly downregulated in PBMC of NSCLC patients (P ≤ 0.001). Moreover, IL-6 and TGF-β levels were elevated in NSCLC patients (P ≤ 0.001, P ≤ 0.018, respectively). CD3+ CTLA-4+ and Treg cells frequencies were higher in patients than in control subjects (P ≤ 0.0001, P ≤ 0.0001, respectively). There was a positive correlation between miR-155 and IL-1β levels (r=0.567, p ≤ 0.001) and a negative correlation between miR-146a and TGF-β levels (r=-0.376, P ≤ 0.031) in NSCLC patients. No significant differences were found in the relative expression of miR-146a and miR-155, cytokine levels or immune cell numbers according to miR-146a and miR-155 (GG/GC/CC, TT/AT/AA) genotypes. However, there was a positive correlation between miR-146a and IL-1β levels (r=0.74, P ≤ 0.009) in GG subjects and a positive correlation between miR-146a expression and CD3+CTLA4+ cell frequency (r=0.79, P ≤ 0.01) in CC genotyped subjects. Conversely, a negative correlation between miR-146a expression and Treg cell frequency (r=−0.87, P ≤ 0.05) was observed with the GG genotype. A positive correlation between miR-155 and IL-1β expression (r=0.58, p ≤ 0.009) in the TT genotype and between miR-155 expression and CD3+CTLA-4 cell frequency (r=0.75, P ≤ 0.01) was observed in the AT genotype.

Conclusions

The current data suggest that the miR-146a expression in PBMC and serum TGF-β and IL-1β levels may act as blood markers in NSCLC patients. Further study is needed to elucidate the link between immune cells and serum miR146 at early disease stages.

LncRNA NR2F2-AS1 induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition of non-small cell lung cancer by modulating BVR/ATF-2 pathway via regulating miR-545-5p/c-Met axis

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is one type of the most common cancers, which results in the major death worldwide. This study focuses on the understanding of the molecular mechanism of lncRNA NR2F2-AS1 and its regulation on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in the development of NSCLC. Expressions of lncRNA NR2F2-AS1, miR-545-5p, c-Met, biliverdin reductase (BVR), ATF-2 and EMT-related markers in NSCLC tissues and cells were measured by western blotting and RT-qPCR assays. The impact of lncRNA NR2F2-AS1 and miR-545-5p on the cell proliferation, migration, invasion and EMT were analyzed by CCK-8, colony formation, wound healing and transwell assays. The interactions among lncRNA NR2F2-AS1, miR-545-5p and c-Met predicted by bioinformatic analysis were evaluated through dual luciferase reporter assay and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). After generating tumor xenografts, immunohistochemistry was utilized to measure the expression of Ki-67 and EMT-related proteins in vivo. Our results showed that lncRNA NR2F2-AS1, c-Met, BVR and ATF-2 were overexpressed while miR-545-5p was silenced in NSCLC tissues and cells. Silencing of lncRNA NR2F2-AS1 or upregulating miR-545-5p significantly inhibited the cell proliferation, migration, invasion and EMT process. The EMT process could be inhibited by suppressing c-Met/BVR/ATF-2 axis. The tumor xenograft experiments demonstrated that the tumor growth and EMT process were significantly inhibited by silencing lncRNA NR2F2-AS1 or overexpression of miR-545-5p in vivo. LncRNA NR2F2-AS1 promoted the NSCLC development through suppressing miR-545-5p to activate EMT process through c-Met/BVR/ATF-2 axis. Our study indicated that lncRNA NR2F2-AS1 and miR-545-5p could be used as potential therapeutic targets to improve NSCLC treatment.

Recent advances in the role of Th17/Treg cells in tumor immunity and tumor therapy

Th17 and Treg cells play an important role in regulating tissue inflammation and maintaining the stability of the immune system. They regulate inflammatory responses, participate in the occurrence and development of autoimmune diseases and tumors, and determine the disease progress. Malignant tumor is one of the diseases with the highest mortality rate in the world. However, the efficacy of traditional treatment is limited, so it is necessary to find safe and efficient treatment methods. Studies have shown that the balance of Th17/Treg cells plays a critical role in tumor progression. In this paper, we review the antitumor and tumor-suppressing effects of Th17/Treg cells, and new strategies for tumor therapy, combined with new research hotspots such as immune checkpoint therapy, miRNA-related gene therapy, and metabolic pathway regulation of Th17/Treg cell differentiation and tumor generation. The synergistic therapy is expected to be widely used in the future clinical practice, providing a new choice for the prevention and treatment of malignant tumors.

MicroRNA-25-3p promotes cisplatin resistance in Non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) through adjusting PTEN/PI3K/AKT route

MicroRNAs exert crucial effects in the drug resistance. The purpose of this research was to investigate the miR-25-3p effects on DDP resistance in NSCLC. We used RT-qPCR to evaluate the expression of miR-25-3p. Cell growth was determined using MTS assay. Cellular bio-activity was analyzed via Colony formation, Annexin V/PI, and Transwell assay. Luciferase reporter assay was used to determine miR-25-3p and PTEN binding. Western blot was used to determine PTEN, PI3K, p-AKT/AKT expression. In-vivo study was used to determine the effects of miR-25-3p on the tumor growth. Expression of miR-25-3p is increased in NSCLC cisplatin resistant A549 and H1299 cells. Furthermore, miR-25-3p mimic enhanced drug resistance, and accelerated cell invasion and metastasis. Moreover, miR-25-3p mimic resulted in the activation of PTEN/PI3K/AKT pathway. However, miR-25-3p inhibitors exhibited the opposite trend. We further identified PTEN as a potential target of miR-25-3p. PTEN knockout promoted cisplatin resistance, while PTEN mimic displayed opposite effects. Interestingly, miR-25-3p further boosted cisplatin resistance cells in vivo, and miR-25-3p inhibitors reduced the in-vivo tumor volume. MiR-25-3p/PTEN/PI3K/AKT axis might accelerate DDP tolerance in NSCLC, which may serve as a potential target for chemotherapy resistance in NSCLC.

Low miR-1231 expression predicts poor prognosis in non-small-cell lung cancer and accelerates cell proliferation, migration and invasion

Aim: miRNAs have been found to be involved in the tumor progression. This study aimed to assess the prognostic significance and biological function of miRNA-1231 (miR-1231) in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Materials & methods: Expression of miR-1231 was measured by using quantitative real-time PCR. The prognosis value of miR-1231 was evaluated by Kaplan-Meier survival curves and Cox regression analysis. The biological function of miR-1231 was further studied. Results: Expression of miR-1231 in NSCLC patients and NSCLC cell lines were decreased. MiR-1231 was an independent prognostic biomarker. Overexpression of miR-1231 inhibited NSCLC cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Conclusion: Downregulated expression of miR-1231 serves as a prognostic biomarker of NSCLC and may be a potential therapeutic target.

Serum miR-21 and miR-210 as promising non-invasive biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of colorectal cancer

OBJECTIVE

this study aimed to investigate the expression and clinical significance of miR-21 and miR-210 in serum of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC).

METHODS

the expression levels of serum miR-21 and miR-210 in 40 CRC patients (CRC group) and 20 healthy patients (control group) were measured by qRT-PCR. Correlation analysis was performed of the relationship between serum miR-21 and miR-210 levels with clinical characteristics, including gender, age, tumor location, tumor size, tumor stage, local invasion and TNM staging. The expression levels of miR-21 and miR-210 in the CRC group were separately measured before and after surgery. ROC analysis was performed to evaluate the diagnostic value of miR-21 and miR-210.

RESULTS

serum miR-21 and miR-210 in the CRC group were much higher than those in the control group. Meanwhile, the levels of serum miR-21 and miR-210 were closely related to tumor size (p = 0.028, p = 0.047), lymphatic metastasis (p = 0.038, p = 0.028), TNM staging (p = 0.014, p = 0.047) and tumor stage (p = 0.014, p = 0.017), but independent of gender, age and tumor location. In addition, serum miR-21 and miR-210 in the CRC group (n = 18) after surgery were lower than those before surgery (p < 0.001). ROC curves showed that miR-21 (AUC = 0.863) and miR-210 (AUC = 0.818) both had diagnostic efficacy in CRC patients.

CONCLUSION

miR-21 and miR-210 can be used as novel non-invasive biomarkers for CRC diagnosis and prognosis.

Harnessing the epigenome to boost immunotherapy response in non-small cell lung cancer patients

The introduction of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-based therapy for non-oncogene addicted non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has significantly transformed the treatment landscape of the disease. Inhibitors of the programmed cell death protein 1/programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) immune checkpoint axis, which were initially considered as a late-line treatment option, gradually became the standard of care as first-line treatment for subgroups of NSCLC patients. However, a significant fraction of patients either fails to respond or progresses after a partial response to ICI treatment. Thus, the identification of mechanisms responsible for innate and acquired resistance to immunotherapy within a rapidly evolving tumor microenvironment (TME) is urgently required, as is the identification of reliable predictive biomarkers beyond PD-L1 expression. The deregulation of the epigenome is a key driver of cancer initiation and progression, and it has also been shown to drive therapeutic resistance. Tumor education of infiltrating myeloid cells towards an immuno-suppressive phenotype as well as induction of T-cell dysfunction in the TME is also driven by epigenome reprogramming. As it stands and, given their dynamic nature, epigenetic changes in cancer and non-cancer cells represent an attractive target to increase immunotherapy activity in NSCLC. Accordingly, clinical trials of combinatorial immuno-epigenetic drug regimens have been associated with tumor response in previously immunotherapy-resistant NSCLC patients irrespective of their PD-L1 status. Moreover, epigenetic signatures might represent valuable theragnostic biomarkers as they can be assayed easily in liquid biopsy and provide multiple layers of information. In this review, we discuss the current knowledge regarding the dysregulated epigenetic mechanisms contributing to immunotherapy resistance in NSCLC. Although the clinical data are still maturing, we highlight the attractive perspective that the synergistic model of immuno-epigenetic strategies might overcome the current limitations of immunotherapy alone and will be translated into durable clinical benefit for a broader NSCLC population.

miR-371b-5p promotes cell proliferation, migration and invasion in non-small cell lung cancer via SCAI

Objective: Multiple gene targets have been reported for treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), however, the accompanying genetic tolerance was reported increasingly. Therefore, it is important to find new biomarkers or therapeutic targets in treatment of NSCLC.

Methods: The expression levels of miR-371b-5p were detected by qRT-PCR in NSCLC tissues and cell lines. To evaluate the effect of miR-371b-5p on NSCLC progression, we first transfected the miR-371b-5p inhibitor for construction of the miR-371b-5p down-regulated cell model. Then the cell proliferation, migration, invasion and cell apoptosis were detected. In addition, the expression levels of adhesion factors were detected. The target gene of miR-371b-5p was identified by bioinformatics analysis, and rescue experiment was conducted to validate the effect of miR-371b-5p on proliferation, migration and invasion of NSCLC.

Results: Our findings revealed that the miR-371b-5p was overexpressed in NSCLC and could markedly promote the cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Expression levels of both intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) were significantly down-regulated when treated by miR-371b-5p inhibitor. Moreover, dual-luciferase reporter assay showed that the miR-371b-5p targeted SCAI in regulation of cell proliferation, migration and invasion, and the expression of miR-371b-5p was negatively associated with SCAI in NSCLC tissues and cell lines. Rescue experiment revealed that the miR-371b-5p could rescue the effect of SCAI on cell proliferation, migration and invasion.

Conclusion: Our results suggest that the miR-371b-5p and SCAI may serve as novel prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for NSCLC.

miR-34a-5p might have an important role for inducing apoptosis by down-regulation of SNAI1 in apigenin-treated lung cancer cells

Apigenin is a flavonoid with antioxidant and anticancer effects. It has been reported that apigenin inhibits proliferation, migration, and invasion and induces apoptosis in cultured lung cancer cells. However, there is little information on the involvement of microRNAs (miRNAs) in its effects. miRNA microarray analysis and polymerase-chain-reaction analysis of miRNAs revealed that treatment of human lung cancer A549 cells with apigenin up-regulated the level of miR-34a-5p. Furthermore, mRNA microarray analysis and the results of three microRNA target prediction tools showed that Snail Family Transcriptional Repressor 1 (SNAI1), which inhibits the induction of apoptosis, had its mRNA expression down-regulated in A549 cells treated with apigenin. Our findings suggest that apigenin might induce apoptosis by down-regulation of SNAI1 through up-regulation of miR-34a-5p in A549 cells.

The important roles of microRNAs in depression: new research progress and future prospects

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are non-encoding, single-stranded RNA molecules of about 22 nucleotides in length encoded by endogenous genes involved in posttranscriptional gene expression regulation. Studies have shown that miRNAs participate in a series of important pathophysiological processes, including the pathogenesis of depression. This article systematically summarized the research results published in the field of miRNAs and depression, which mainly involved three topics: circulating miRNAs as markers for diagnosis and prognosis of depression, the regulatory roles of miRNAs in the pathogenesis of depression, and the roles of miRNAs in the mechanisms of depression treatment. By summarizing and analyzing the research literature in recent years, we found that some circulating miRNAs can be potential biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognostic evaluation of depression. miRNAs that disorderly expressed during the disease play important roles in the depression pathogenesis, and miRNAs also play roles in the mechanisms of psychotherapy and drug therapy for depression. Elucidating the important roles of miRNAs in depression will bring people's understanding of the pathogenesis of depression to a new level. In addition, these miRNAs may be developed as new biomarkers for diagnosing depression, or as drug targets, or these molecules may be used as new drugs, which may provide new means for the treatment of depression. KEY MESSAGES: • The research results of miRNAs and depression are reviewed. • Circulating miRNAs can be potential biomarkers for depression. • MiRNAs play important roles in the depression pathogenesis. • MiRNAs play important roles in drug therapy for depression.

Rola miRNA w rozwoju wybranych nowotworów – potencjalne zastosowanie w diagnostyce*

MikroRNA (miRNA) są małymi cząsteczkami kwasu rybonukleinowego, które mimo że nie podlegają procesowi translacji, pełnią ważną funkcję regulacyjną w komórkach eukariotycznych. Ich fizjologiczną funkcją jest utrzymywanie homeostazy komórek. Zaburzona ekspresja miRNA może spowodować rozwój wielu chorób, w tym chorób nowotworowych. Działanie miRNA polega na hamowaniu tworzenia się białek, w tym białek o właściwościach onkogennych i antyonkogennych. Mutacje w miejscach kodowania miRNA mogą prowadzić do nadmiernego lub zmniejszonego wytwarzania wspomnianych białek. Odkrycie miRNA i poznanie ich roli w komórce otworzyło nowe możliwości dla diagnostyki chorób nowotworowych. Zmiany poziomu odpowiednich miRNA, w krwiobiegu lub innych płynach ustrojowych, mogą być markerem diagnostycznym chorób. Diagnostyka onkologiczna mogłaby przebiegać na podstawie badań profilu miRNA pacjenta i porównania go z opracowanymi wcześniej profilami zmian miRNA powiązanymi z występowaniem danego rodzaju choroby nowotworowej. Informacja o zmianach profilu miRNA podstawowych w regulacji ekspresji genów związanych z procesami nowotworzenia, mogłaby się przyczynić do opracowania terapii eksperymentalnych opartych na przywróceniu pierwotnego poziomu miRNA w komórkach, a tym samym, na przywróceniu prawidłowej regulacji ekspresji genów. Coraz nowsze metody wyciszania i włączania ekspresji miRNA mogą w przyszłości zaowocować skutecznymi rozwiązaniami terapeutycznymi.

The miR-146a SNP Rs2910164 and miR-155 SNP rs767649 Are Risk Factors for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer in the Iranian Population

Background

Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that regulate gene expression and may act as both tumor suppressors and as oncogenes. The presence of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) inside the miRNA genomic region could affect target miRNA maturation, expression, and binding to its target mRNA and contribute to cancer development. Previous studies on the SNPs Rs2910164 in miR-146a and Rs767649 in miR-155 showed association with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) development. Thus, the aim of this study was to detect any correlation between those SNPs in Iranian NSCLC patients.

Methods

In a small cohort study, 165 NSCLC patients and 147 noncancer controls were enrolled between Apr 2015 and Sep 2019 at the Masih Daneshvari Hospital, Tehran, Iran. Allele frequencies from the genomic DNA of blood cells were studied using PCR-RFLP and their association with the risk of lung cancer was evaluated.

Results

The rs2910164C allele (OR = 1.56, 95% CI = 1.10–2.21, p = 0.012) and CC genotype (OR = 2.93, 95% CI = 1.07–7.9, p = 0.034, respectively) were associated with a significantly increased risk for lung cancer compared to that for the GG genotype. When patients were stratified according to smoking exposure, no association with rs2910164 variants was found. The AT genotype (OR = 0.57, 95% CI = 0.33–0.99, p = 0.048) and the A allele frequency (OR = 0.58, 95% CI = 0.35–0.98, p = 0.043) in rs767649 were lower in NSCLC patients in comparison with the control group. In addition, the rs767649 AT genotype frequency in smoking controls was higher than in smoking NSCLC patients (OR = 0.44, 95% CI = 0.21–0.90, p = 0.024). No association was found between rs2910164 and rs767649 variants and stage or type of NSCLC.

Conclusion

Our finding suggests that miR-146a rs2910164 and miR-155 rs767649 polymorphisms may be considered as genetic risk factors for the susceptibility to NSCLC in the Iranian population. However, a larger multicenter study across Iran is needed to confirm these findings.

Serum and Glucocorticoid-Inducible Kinase 1 (SGK1) in NSCLC Therapy

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains the most prevalent and one of the deadliest cancers worldwide. Despite recent success, there is still an urgent need for new therapeutic strategies. It is also becoming increasingly evident that combinatorial approaches are more effective than single modality treatments. This review proposes that the serum and glucocorticoid-inducible kinase 1 (SGK1) may represent an attractive target for therapy of NSCLC. Although ubiquitously expressed, SGK1 deletion in mice causes only mild defects of ion physiology. The frequent overexpression of SGK1 in tumors is likely stress-induced and provides a therapeutic window to spare normal tissues. SGK1 appears to promote oncogenic signaling aimed at preserving the survival and fitness of cancer cells. Most importantly, recent investigations have revealed the ability of SGK1 to skew immune-cell differentiation toward pro-tumorigenic phenotypes. Future studies are needed to fully evaluate the potential of SGK1 as a therapeutic target in combinatorial treatments of NSCLC. However, based on what is currently known, SGK1 inactivation can result in anti-oncogenic effects both on tumor cells and on the immune microenvironment. A first generation of small molecules to inactivate SGK1 has already been already produced.

Overexpression of microRNA-124-5p sensitizes non-small cell lung cancer cells to treatment with 5-fluorouracil via AEG-1 regulation

Chemotherapeutic resistance represents a major obstacle for the treatment of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC); however, the associated molecular mechanisms underpinning the development of resistance remain poorly characterized. In the current study, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-resistant A549 cells (A549/5-FU) were generated from A549 cells. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and western blotting were used to detect microRNA(miR)-124-5p and astrocyte elevated gene 1 (AEG-1) expression levels in cells and tumor tissues. In addition, the cytotoxic effect of 5-FU on the cells was determined using the Cell Counting Kit-8 assay, and the Dual-luciferase reporter assay was used to validate AEG-1 as a target gene of miR-124-5p. Transfection with a miR-124-5p mimic enhanced inhibition of cell viability induced by 5-FU in A549/5-FU cells, whereas miR-124-5p inhibitor transfection partially reversed 5-FU-induced cell viability inhibition in A549 and H1299 cells. A decrease in miR-124-5p expression level was observed in A549/5-FU cells compared with the parental A549 cells. Furthermore, AEG-1 was predicted as a target gene of miR-124-5p, and its expression was increased in A549/5-FU cells compared with A549 cells. Additionally, the upregulation of miR-124-5p was associated with lower expression levels of AEG-1 in A549/5-FU cells, compared with parental A549 cells. Moreover, the Dual-luciferase reporter assay confirmed the ability of miR-124-5p to bind directly to the 3'-untranslated region of AEG-1 mRNA. Notably, the overexpression of AEG-1 reversed the ability of the miR-124-5p mimic to increase the sensitivity of A549/5-FU cells to 5-FU treatment. Additionally, a significant negative correlation between miR-124-5p expression and AEG-1 mRNA levels was detected in 40 pairs of NSCLC tissues and their corresponding adjacent paracancerous tissues. The results of the present study indicated that miR-124-5p may regulate the chemotherapeutic sensitivity of NSCLC cells, and may therefore represent a promising biomarker or therapeutic target for patients with NSCLC.

miR-421 promotes the viability of A549 lung cancer cells by targeting forkhead box O1

MicroRNA (miR)-421 has been reported to serve various important roles in numerous types of cancer, including neuroblastoma and gastric cancer. However, to the best of our knowledge, few reports have determined the role of miR-421 in lung cancer. The aim of the current study was to analyze the expression levels of miR-421 in A549 lung cancer cells, to determine the target gene of miR-421, and to investigate the function and mechanism of miR-421 in cellular cytotoxicity. miR-421 expression levels were analyzed in A549 lung cancer cells using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR, a MTT assay was performed to determine the effect of miR-421 on A549 cell cytotoxicity and the protein expression levels of forkhead box O1 (FOXO1) were determined via western blotting. The target gene of miR-421 was predicted and verified using TargetScan and a dual-luciferase reporter assay, respectively. The results revealed that miR-421 expression levels were significantly upregulated in A549 lung cancer cell lines compared with the normal cells (P<0.01). Additionally, it was discovered that miR-421 promoted A549 cell viability (P<0.01) compared with A549 transfected with negative control. miR-421 was also identified to bind to the 3′-untranslated region of FOXO1. In A549 cells transfected with miR-421-mimics, the expression levels of phosphorylated (p)-AKT, p-glycogen synthase kinase-3β, p-retinoblastoma and cyclin D1 were significantly upregulated (P<0.01), whereas the expression levels of FOXO1 and p21 were significantly downregulated (P<0.01) compared with the control group. In conclusion, the results of the present study suggested that miR-421 may promote the viability of A549 lung cancer cells by targeting FOXO1 and modulating cell cycle, indicating that targeting miR-421 and FOXO1 may represent future therapeutic strategies for the treatment of patients with lung cancer.

Downregulation of microRNA-324-3p inhibits lung cancer by blocking the NCAM1-MAPK axis through ALX4

Lung cancer remains the principal cause of cancer-related death worldwide. As microRNAs (miRNAs) are critically involved in lung cancer, we investigated the potential role of miR-324-3p in lung cancer via the ALX4/NCAM1/MAPK axis. The expression of miR-324-3p and ALX4 was detected in clinical samples, and their interaction confirmed by miRNA-targeted luciferase reporter assay. The mechanisms involved in the miR-324-3p-ALX4 interaction in lung cancer cell biological processes were analyzed through gain- and loss-of function approaches. In addition, cultured lung cancer cells were treated with the p38MAPK pathway activator P79350 in order to explore the role of this pathway in the abovementioned axis. Further, a tumor xenograft model in nude mice was constructed to confirm the in vitro findings. miR-324-3p was highly expressed in lung cancer tissues and cells, and inhibited the expression of ALX4 in A549 cells. After confirming the targeted inhibition of ALX4 by miR-324-3p, we showed that this interaction upregulated the expression of NCAM1 and activated the MAPK pathway. The inhibition of miR-324-3p could suppress lung cancer cell invasion, migration, and autophagy, and retarded the growth of subcutaneous tumors in nude mice. Downregulation of ALX4 or NCAM1 overexpression reversed these favorable effects of decreased miR-324-3p. Our study demonstrated the promotive effect of miR-324-3p on the development and progression of lung cancer, thus suggesting a new target for treatment of this devastating disease.

MicroRNAs in Lung Cancer Oncogenesis and Tumor Suppression: How it Can Improve the Clinical Practice?

Background

Lung cancer (LC) development is a process that depends on genetic mutations. The DNA methylation, an important epigenetic modification, is associated with the expression of non-coding RNAs, such as microRNAs. MicroRNAs are particularly essential for cell physiology, since they play a critical role in tumor suppressor gene activity. Furthermore, epigenetic disruptions are the primary event in cell modification, being related to tumorigenesis. In this context, microRNAs can be a useful tool in the LC suppression, consequently improving prognosis and predicting treatment.

Conclusion

This manuscript reviews the main microRNAs involved in LC and its potential clinical applications to improve outcomes, such as survival and better quality of life.

Downregulation of miR-499a-5p Predicts a Poor Prognosis of Patients With Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer and Restrains the Tumorigenesis by Targeting Fibroblast Growth Factor 9

The aberrant expression of microRNA is an important regulator in the tumorigenesis of non-small cell lung cancer. In this study, we found that miR-499a-5p was notably downregulated in non-small cell lung cancer tissues and cell lines. Decreased miR-499a-5p expression was associated with larger tumor size and higher TNM stage. Non-small cell lung cancer patients with low expression of miR-499a-5p exhibited a worse overall survival rate compared with those patients with high expression of miR-499a-5p. Ectopic expression of miR-499a-5p significantly suppressed non-small cell lung cancer cell proliferation and colony formation, and hampered cell cycle at G0/G1 phase in vitro. Conversely, knockdown of miR-499a-5p promoted non-small cell lung cancer cell proliferation and colony formation, and induced cell cycle at S phase. Furthermore, in vivo experiments revealed that overexpression of miR-499a-5p inhibited the tumor formation in a nude mouse xenograft model. Mechanistic studies showed that fibroblast growth factor 9 was a direct target gene of miR-499a-5p. miR-499a-5p directly bound to fibroblast growth factor 9 mRNA 3’-UTR, therefore led to the reduction in fibroblast growth factor 9 protein expression. Finally, rescue experiments confirmed that silencing of fibroblast growth factor 9 partially reversed the phenotypes of miR-499a-5p knockdown on non-small cell lung cancer cell proliferation. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that downregulation of miR-499a-5p predicts a worse prognosis of patients with non-small cell lung cancer and restrains the tumorigenesis by targeting fibroblast growth factor 9. These findings may provide valuable clues for the future development of therapeutic strategies against this cancer.

Targeting miRNAs by natural products: A new way for cancer therapy

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression through mRNA degradation or translation inhibition. MiRNAs play important roles in a variety of biological processes, and dysregulation of miRNA expression is highly associated with cancer development. Individual miRNA regulates multiple gene expressions, enabling them to regulate multiple cellular signaling pathways simultaneously. Hence, miRNAs could be served as cancer biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis, and also therapeutic targets. Recently, more and more evidences showed that natural products such as paclitaxel, curcumin, resveratrol, genistein or epigallocatechin-3-gallate exert their anti-proliferative and/or pro-apoptotic effects through regulating one or more miRNAs, leading to the inhibition of cancer cell growth, induction of apoptosis or enhancement of conventional cancer therapeutic efficacy. Herein, we outlined the recent advances in the regulation of miRNAs expression by the natural products and highlight the importance of these natural drugs as a potential strategy in cancer treatment. This review will help us better understand how natural products modulate miRNAs and contribute to the development of effective and safe natural drugs for therapeutic purposes.

TNFAIP2 Promotes Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells and Targeted by miR-145-5p

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα) is an inflammatory cytokine that regulates inflammation and tumor progression in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The higher levels of TNF α are known to induce expression of several genes such as TNFα-induced protein 2 (TNFAIP2) with a largely unknown role in NSCLC. We provide the preliminary evidence for the role of TNFAIP2 in NSCLC progression and its epigenetic regulation mediated by microRNA, miR-145-5p. The expression of TNFAIP2 was confirmed using quantitative real-time PCR, immunohistochemistry, and Western blot in NSCLC tissue and paired adjacent normal tissue. All in vitro assays were undertaken in A549 and H23 cells and chemoresistance assays were undertaken in A549/Cisplatin (DDP) and H23/DDP cell types. TNFAIP2 silencing was undertaken using lipofectamine transfection of specific siRNA. Cells were co-transfected with miR-145-5p, and TNFAIP2-3' untranslated region (UTR) or TNFAIP2 with mutated 3'UTR using the luciferase vector pGL. Cell viability, transwell migration, and invasion were assessed. The role of caspase 3 proteins in cell viability was ascertained using Western blot. The tumor tissues (and cisplatin-resistant cell lines A549/DDP and H23/DDP) expressed significantly higher levels of TNAIP2 mRNA and protein. Silencing of TNFAIP2 resulted in reduced cell viability, reduced invasion, and migration in vitro. Silencing of TNFAIP2 in A549/DDP and H23/DDP had higher expression of TNFAIP2, reduced cell viability, and increased induction of caspase 3. MiR-145-5p binds to the 3'UTR of TNFAIP2. Overexpression of MiR-145-5p reduced expression of TNFAIP2, decreased cell viability, reduced cell migration and invasion, and significantly reduced expression of caspase 3 protein. TNFAIP2 mediates tumorigenesis in NSCLC through, not completely known pathways. miR-145-5p negatively regulates TNFAIP2 expression. miR-145-5p-mediated therapies may be explored in NSCLC.

Tumor evolution in epidermal growth factor receptor mutated non-small cell lung cancer

As the incidence of cancer increases worldwide there is an unmet need to understand cancer evolution to improve patient outcomes. Our growing knowledge of cancer cells' clonal expansion, heterogeneity, adaptation, and relationships within the tumor immune compartment and with the tumor microenvironment has made clear that cancer is a disease that benefits from heterogeneity and evolution. This review outlines recent knowledge of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) pathogenesis and tumor progression from an evolutionary standpoint, focused on the role of oncogenic driver mutations as epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Understanding lung cancer evolution during tumor development, growth, and under treatment pressures is crucial to improve therapeutic interventions and patient outcomes.

Upregulated miR-665 expression independently predicts poor prognosis of lung cancer and facilitates tumor cell proliferation, migration and invasion

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is one of the leading causes of global cancer-associated mortality. Aberrant microRNAs (miRs) have been reported to be involved in the pathogenesis of various cancer types. The present study aimed to investigate the expression profile and prognostic value of miR-665 in patients with NSCLC, and to analyze its functional role in tumor progression using NSCLC cells. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR was used to estimate the expression levels of miR-665. Kaplan-Meier survival curves and Cox regression analysis were performed to evaluate the prognostic value of miR-665. The effects of miR-665 on NSCLC cell proliferation, migration and invasion were examined by cell transfection, and the target gene of miR-665 was explored. miR-665 expression was elevated in the tissue and cell samples of NSCLC. This increased miR-665 expression was associated with lymph node metastasis and TNM stage. An independent association between miR-665 and overall survival was identified in patients with NSCLC. When regulating the expression levels of miR-665 in vitro, NSCLC cell proliferation, migration and invasion were enhanced by overexpression of miR-665, but were inhibited by knockdown of miR-665. The luciferase activity results indicated that the protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type B (PTPRB) was a direct target of miR-665 in NSCLC cells. The present study provided evidence for the clinical significance of a decreased expression of miR-665 in the prognosis of NSCLC. Upregulation of miR-665 contributed to tumor cell proliferation, migration and invasion by targeting PTPRB, suggesting the potential of miR-665 as a candidate therapeutic target for NSCLC treatment.

MiR-21, EGFR and PTEN in non-small cell lung cancer: an in situ hybridisation and immunohistochemistry study

AIMS

To analyse microRNA (miR)-21 distribution and expression at the cellular level in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). MiR-21 is an oncogenic microRNA overexpressed in NSCLC. In previous studies, overexpression of miR-21 was evaluated from the tumour bulk by quantitative reverse transcription PCR with results expressed on average across the entire cell population.

METHODS

We used in situ hybridisation and immunohistochemistry to assess the correlation between miR-21 levels and the expression of markers that may be possible targets (epidermal growth factor reaction) or may be involved in its upregulation (phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), p53). The Pearson's χ² tests was used to assess correlation with clinicopathological data and with miR-21 expression both in tumour and tumour stroma.

RESULTS

Cytoplasmic staining and expression of Mir-21 were detected in the tumours and in associated stromal cells. Expression was highest in the stroma immediately surrounding the tumour cells and decreased as the distance from the tumour increased. No expression of miR-21 was found in normal lung parenchyma and a significant association was found between tumour localised miR-21 and PTEN.

CONCLUSIONS

Presence of miR-21 in both cell tumour and stromal compartments of NSCLC and the relationship with PTEN confirms miR-21 as a microenvironment signalling molecule, possibly inducing epithelial mesenchymal transition and invasion by targeting PTEN in the stromal compartment possibly through exosomal transport. In situ immunohistochemical studies such as ours may help shed light on the complex interactions between miRNAs and its role in NSCLC biology.

MiRNAs and LncRNAs: Dual Roles in TGF-β Signaling-Regulated Metastasis in Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is one of the most malignant cancers around the world, with high morbidity and mortality. Metastasis is the leading cause of lung cancer deaths and treatment failure. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), two groups of small non-coding RNAs (nc-RNAs), are confirmed to be lung cancer oncogenes or suppressors. Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) critically regulates lung cancer metastasis. In this review, we summarize the dual roles of miRNAs and lncRNAs in TGF-β signaling-regulated lung cancer epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), invasion, migration, stemness, and metastasis. In addition, lncRNAs, competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs) can act as miRNA sponges to suppress miRNAs, thereby mediating TGF-β signaling-regulated lung cancer invasion, migration, and metastasis. Through this review, we hope to cast light on the regulatory mechanisms of miRNAs and lncRNAs in TGF-β signaling-regulated lung cancer metastasis and provide new insights for lung cancer treatment.

Regulatory mechanism of microRNA-155 in chicken embryo fibroblasts in response to reticuloendotheliosis virus infection

Reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV) infection of multiple avian species can lead to a number of diseases such as runting syndrome, immunosuppression and oncogenesis, causing major economic losses. MicroRNAs play important roles in post-transcriptional regulation, effectively inhibiting protein synthesis, and participating in many biological processes in cells, including proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, lipometabolism, virus infection and replication, and tumorigenesis. Based on our previous high-throughput sequencing results, we explore the regulatory mechanisms of microRNA-155(miR-155) in chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEFs) in response to REV infection. Our results revealed expression of miR-155 in CEFs after REV infection upregulated in a time- and dose-dependent manner, indicating miR-155 plays a role in REV infection in CEFs indeed. After transfected with miR-155-mimic and miR-155-inhibitor, we found overexpression of miR-155 targeted caspase-6 and FOXO3a to inhibit apoptosis and accelerate cell cycle, thus improving viability of REV-infected CEFs. This result also verified the protective role of miR-155 in the viability of CEFs in the presence of REV. Knockdown of miR-155 also supported these above conclusions. Our findings uncover a new mechanism of REV pathogenesis in CEFs, and also provide a theoretical basis for uncovering new effective treatment and prevention methods for RE based on miR-155.

Overexpression of p-Akt, p-mTOR and p-eIF4E proteins associates with metastasis and unfavorable prognosis in non-small cell lung cancer

The Akt (protein kinase B)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway, which is dysregulated in various cancers, controls the assembly of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4F (eIF4E) complex. However, whether aberrant expression of phosphorylated Akt (p-Akt), phosphorylated mTOR (p-mTOR) and phosphorylated eIF4E (p-eIF4E) is associated with clinicopathological characteristics in surgically resected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has been rarely reported. Here, we investigated expression of p-Akt, p-mTOR and p-eIF4E proteins in NSCLC by immunohistochemistry and evaluated their correlation with clinicopathological characteristics and prognostic significance. The results showed that the positive percentage of p-Akt, p-mTOR and p-eIF4E was higher in NSCLC. Additionally, p-mTOR and p-eIF4E was dramatically higher in lung adenocarcinoma (both P<0.05). Most importantly, NSCLC patients with lymph node metastasis had significantly elevated expression of p-Akt, p-mTOR and p-eIF4E (all P<0.05). Positive expression of p-Akt, and any positive expression of p-Akt, p-mTOR and p-eIF4E proteins were positively correlated with clinical stages (both P<0.05). Spearman’s rank correlation test revealed that expression of p-Akt was correlated with p-eIF4E and p-mTOR (r = 0.107, P = 0.047; r = 0.287, P<0.001, respectively). Also, p-eIF4E had positive correlation with p-mTOR (r = 0.265, P<0.001). Furthermore, NSCLC patients with increased expression of p-Akt, p-mTOR and p-eIF4E, and any positive expression of above three proteins had lower overall survival rates (all P<0.05). Multivariate Cox regression analysis further indicated thatp-eIF4E was an independent prognostic factor for NSCLC patients (P = 0.046). Taken together, overexpression of p-Akt, p-mTOR and p-eIF4E proteins is associated with metastasis and poor prognosis of NSCLC patients after surgical resection, and positive expression of p-eIF4E protein may act as an independent unfavorable prognostic biomarker for overall survival of NSCLC patients.

miR-1269b Drives Cisplatin Resistance of Human Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer via Modulating the PTEN/PI3K/AKT Signaling Pathway

Background

MiRNAs have been reported to induce certain drug resistance in multiple solid tumors via various mechanisms. Our study aimed to investigate whether miRNA-1269b was involved in the chemoresistance and the progression of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods

MTT and colony formation assay were conducted to determine cell proliferation and cell apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry with annexin V/PI. Luciferase reporter assay was performed to validate miRNA-targeting sequences. The function of miR-1269b in cisplatin-resistant was evaluated in vivo in a mouse tumor model.

Results

We found that miR-1269b expression was up-regulated in cisplatin-resistant NSCLC specimens and NSCLC cell lines, which resulted in the promotion of chemoresistance and tumorigenicity. miR-1269b overexpression enhanced drug resistance and promoted cell proliferation in vitro and tumor growth in vivo, with reduced apoptosis rate of A549 cells inin vitro cell culture. Mechanistically, we identified PTEN as the direct target of miR-1269b, and the PTEN level was negatively correlated with miR-1269b in NSCLC specimens. Further study demonstrated that miR-1269b targeted PTEN to modulate PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

Conclusion

In conclusion, these findings suggest that the miR-1269b/PTEN/PI3K/AKT-mediated network might promote cisplatin resistance in NSCLC, and that miR-1269b can be a potential therapeutic target for chemoresistance in NSCLC patients.

Combination therapy of gefitinib and miR-30a-5p may overcome acquired drug resistance through regulating the PI3K/AKT pathway in non-small cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation often initially respond to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) treatment but may acquire drug resistance due to multiple factors. MicroRNAs are a class of small noncoding and endogenous RNA molecules that may play a role in overcoming the resistance.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this study, we explored and validated, through in vitro experiments and in vivo models, the ability of a combination treatment of EGFR-TKI, namely gefitinib, and a microRNA mimic, miR-30a-5p, to overcome drug resistance through regulation of the insulin-like growth factor receptor-1 (IGF1R) and hepatocyte growth factor receptor signaling pathways, which all converge on phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K), in NSCLC. First, we examined the hypothesized mechanisms of drug resistance in H1650, H1650-acquired gefitinib-resistance (H1650GR), H1975, and H460 cell lines. Next, we investigated a potential combination treatment approach to overcome acquired drug resistance in the H1650GR cell line and an H1650GR cell implanted mouse model.

RESULTS

Dual inhibitors of EGFR and IGF1R significantly lowered the expression levels of phosphorylated protein kinase B (p-AKT) and phosphorylated mitogen-activated protein kinase (p-ERK) compared with the control group in all cell lines. With the ability to repress PI3K expression, miR-30a-5p mimics induced cell apoptosis, and inhibited cell invasion and migration in the treated H1650GR cell line.

CONCLUSION

Gefitinib, combined with miR-30a-5p mimics, effectively suppressed the growth of H1650GR-induced tumor in xenografts. Hence, a combination therapy of gefitinib and miR-30a-5p may play a critical role in overcoming acquired resistance to EGFR-TKIs. The reviews of this paper are available via the supplemental material section.

miR-140-3p inhibits progression of non-small cell lung cancer by targeting Janus kinase 1

microRNAs (miRNAs) have gained more attention due to the biological functions in many cancers, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the roles and the mechanism of miR-140-3p in NSCLC progression remain poorly understood. In this study, the expression levels of miR-140-3p and Janus kinase 1 (JAK1) were measured in NSCLC tissues and cells by quantitative real-time PCR. Cell viability, apoptosis, migration and invasion were detected by 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyl-trtrazolium bromide, flow cytometry, Western blot or trans-well assay, respectively. Murine xenograft model was conducted to analyze the anti-tumor effect of miR-140-3p in vivo. Interaction between miR-140-3p and JAK1 was probed by luciferase reporter activity and Western blot. We found that miR-140-3p expression was down-regulated and JAK1 expression was increased in NSCLC tissues and cells compared with those in corresponding controls. Moreover, overexpression of miR-140-3p inhibited cell viability, migration and invasion while promoted cell apoptosis in NSCLC cells and suppressed NSCLC xenograft tumor growth in vivo. Besides, JAK1 was proved as a target of miR-140-3p and its restoration reversed miR-140-3p-mediated regulatory effect on progression of NSCLC. We concluded that miR-140-3p inhibited NSCLC progression by targeting JAK1, providing a novel avenue for treatment of NSCLC.

Therapeutic delivery of microRNA-143 by cationic lipoplexes for non-small cell lung cancer treatment in vivo

PURPOSE

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide and new improvements are urgently needed. Several miRNA-targeted therapeutics have reached clinical development. MicroRNA-143 (miR-143) was found to significantly suppress the migration and invasion of NSCLC. It might be of great potential for NSCLC treatment. However, the therapeutic effect of miR-143 against NSCLC in vivo has not been explored until now.

METHODS

The cationic liposome/pVAX-miR-143 complex (CL-pVAX-miR-143) was prepared and its biodistribution was assessed. The tumor suppression effects of CL-pVAX-miR-143 were evaluated in early-stage and advanced experimental lung cancer metastasis mice models by systemic delivery, respectively, and also in subcutaneous tumor models by intratumoral injection. The toxicity of CL-pVAX-miR-143 was assessed by H&E analysis and biochemical measurements. The preliminary mechanism of CL-pVAX-miR-143 on tumor suppression was explored by immunochemistry and western blotting.

RESULTS

The assays on the stability and safety of CL-pVAX-miR-143 showed that it mainly accumulated in the lung after systemic administration. The intratumoral delivery of CL-pVAX-miR-143 effectively inhibited A549 subcutaneous tumor growth. Notably, systemic delivery of CL-pVAX-miR-143 significantly inhibited tumor metastasis and prolonged survival dose dependently in early-stage experimental lung cancer metastasis models. More importantly, same results were shown in advanced mice models with metastasis. CL-pVAX-miR-143 treatment did not induce obvious acute toxicity. The preliminary mechanism on inhibiting tumor metastasis might be induced by targeting CD44v3.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggested that CL-pVAX-miR-143 might be a promising strategy for clinical treatment of non-small cell lung cancer, especially for advanced NSCLC with metastasis.