The C/D box small nucleolar RNA SNORD52 regulated by Upf1 facilitates Hepatocarcinogenesis by stabilizing CDK1

Small nucleolar RNAs: the hidden precursors of cancer ribosomes

Ribosomes are heterogeneous in terms of their constituent proteins, structural RNAs and ribosomal RNA (rRNA) modifications, resulting in diverse potential translatomes. rRNA modifications, guided by small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs), enable fine-tuning of ribosome function and translation profiles. Recent studies have begun linking dysregulation of snoRNAs, via rRNA modifications, to tumourigenesis. Deciphering the specific contributions of individual rRNA modifications to cancer hallmarks and identifying snoRNAs with oncogenic potential could lead to novel therapeutic strategies. These strategies might target snoRNAs or exploit the dependence of cancer cells on specific rRNA modification sites, potentially disrupting aberrant ribosomal translation programs and hindering tumour growth. This review discusses current evidence and challenges in linking changes in snoRNA expression to rRNA modification and cancer biology.This article is part of the discussion meeting issue 'Ribosome diversity and its impact on protein synthesis, development and disease'.

Non-Coding RNAs in Cancer: Structure, Function, and Clinical Application

We are on the brink of a paradigm shift in both theoretical and clinical oncology. Genomic and transcriptomic profiling, alongside personalized approaches that account for individual patient variability, are increasingly shaping discourse. Discussions on the future of personalized cancer medicine are mainly dominated by the potential of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), which play a prominent role in cancer progression and metastasis formation by regulating the expression of oncogenic or tumor suppressor proteins at transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels; furthermore, their cell-free counterparts might be involved in intercellular communication. Non-coding RNAs are considered to be promising biomarker candidates for early diagnosis of cancer as well as potential therapeutic agents. This review aims to provide clarity amidst the vast body of literature by focusing on diverse species of ncRNAs, exploring the structure, origin, function, and potential clinical applications of miRNAs, siRNAs, lncRNAs, circRNAs, snRNAs, snoRNAs, eRNAs, paRNAs, YRNAs, vtRNAs, and piRNAs. We discuss molecular methods used for their detection or functional studies both in vitro and in vivo. We also address the challenges that must be overcome to enter a new era of cancer diagnosis and therapy that will reshape the future of oncology.

Hepatoma cell-derived exosomal SNORD52 mediates M2 macrophage polarization by activating the JAK2/STAT6 pathway

BACKGROUND

A recent study revealed the oncogenic role of box C/D small nucleolar RNA 52 (SNORD52) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by facilitating the aggressive phenotypes of hepatoma cells. However, the potential role of exosomal SNORD52 in macrophage polarization during HCC progression remains poorly understood.

METHODS

Exosomes were isolated from hepatoma cells. Western blotting and flow cytometry were performed to determine the levels of M2 macrophage polarization markers. SNORD52 expression was assessed using qRT-PCR. The levels of JAK2/STAT6 pathway-related proteins were analyzed using western blotting.

RESULTS

SNORD52 was enriched in exosomes derived from hepatoma cells and in plasma samples from patients with HCC. Hepatoma cell-derived exosomal SNORD52 was internalized by THP-1 macrophages. SNORD52 overexpression increased the levels of M2 macrophage polarization markers and JAK2/STAT6 pathway-related proteins Additionally, hepatoma cell-derived exosomal SNORD52 interacted with the JAK2/STAT6 pathway to mediate M2 macrophage polarization.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings revealed that hepatoma cell-derived exosomal SNORD52 induces M2 macrophage polarization by activating the JAK2/STAT6 pathway.

Advances in the mechanism of small nucleolar RNA and its role in DNA damage response

Small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) were previously regarded as a class of functionally conserved housekeeping genes, primarily involved in the regulation of ribosome biogenesis by ribosomal RNA (rRNA) modification. However, some of them are involved in several biological processes via complex molecular mechanisms. DNA damage response (DDR) is a conserved mechanism for maintaining genomic stability to prevent the occurrence of various human diseases. It has recently been revealed that snoRNAs are involved in DDR at multiple levels, indicating their relevant theoretical and clinical significance in this field. The present review systematically addresses four main points, including the biosynthesis and classification of snoRNAs, the mechanisms through which snoRNAs regulate target molecules, snoRNAs in the process of DDR, and the significance of snoRNA in disease diagnosis and treatment. It focuses on the potential functions of snoRNAs in DDR to help in the discovery of the roles of snoRNAs in maintaining genome stability and pathological processes.

Small Nucleolar RNAs in Solid Tumors: A Brief Review of the Literature on These Potential Biomarkers

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to conduct an integrative review, addressing the key findings, biological functions, and clinical significance of these biomolecules in solid tumors.

METHODS

This document analyzes the main data on the involvement of snoRNAs in solid tumors. For this, Pubmed and Science direct were used, with keywords. Additionally, a search for the host gene was conducted using the snoDB tool, and its chromosomal location was identified using the Hugo Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC).

RESULTS

According to research conducted in the literature, the majority of snoRNAs were found to be overexpressed and described as regulators of processes such as invasion, cellular proliferation, apoptosis, and migration. They are associated with clinical prognostic factors such as metastasis and worse survival.

CONCLUSION

Therefore, it is essential to expand the investigation of snoRNAs in oncology across different types of tumors. The utilization of these biomolecules may pave the way for innovative clinical applications, such as their use in the early detection of neoplasms in non-invasive samples and as therapeutic targets. Broadening research on snoRNAs across various tumor types is crucial.

SnoRNAs: Exploring Their Implication in Human Diseases

Small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) are earning increasing attention from research communities due to their critical role in the post-transcriptional modification of various RNAs. These snoRNAs, along with their associated proteins, are crucial in regulating the expression of a vast array of genes in different human diseases. Primarily, snoRNAs facilitate modifications such as 2'-O-methylation, N-4-acetylation, and pseudouridylation, which impact not only ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and their synthesis but also different RNAs. Functionally, snoRNAs bind with core proteins to form small nucleolar ribonucleoproteins (snoRNPs). These snoRNAs then direct the protein complex to specific sites on target RNA molecules where modifications are necessary for either standard cellular operations or the regulation of pathological mechanisms. At these targeted sites, the proteins coupled with snoRNPs perform the modification processes that are vital for controlling cellular functions. The unique characteristics of snoRNAs and their involvement in various non-metabolic and metabolic diseases highlight their potential as therapeutic targets. Moreover, the precise targeting capability of snoRNAs might be harnessed as a molecular tool to therapeutically address various disease conditions. This review delves into the role of snoRNAs in health and disease and explores the broad potential of these snoRNAs as therapeutic agents in human pathologies.

Role of UPF1 in lncRNA-HEIH regulation for hepatocellular carcinoma therapy

UPF1, a novel posttranscriptional regulator, regulates the abundance of transcripts, including long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), and thus plays an important role in cell homeostasis. In this study, we revealed that UPF1 regulates the abundance of hepatocellular carcinoma upregulated EZH2-associated lncRNA (lncRNA-HEIH) by binding the CG-rich motif, thereby regulating hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tumorigenesis. UPF1-bound lncRNA-HEIH was susceptible to degradation mediated by UPF1 phosphorylation via SMG1 and SMG5. According to analysis of RNA-seq and public data on patients with liver cancer, the expression of lncRNA-HEIH increased the levels of miR-194-5p targets and was inversely correlated with miR-194-5p expression in HCC patients. Furthermore, UPF1 depletion upregulated lncRNA-HEIH, which acts as a decoy of miR-194-5p that targets GNA13, thereby promoting GNA13 expression and HCC proliferation. The UPF1/lncRNA-HEIH/miR-194-5p/GNA13 regulatory axis is suggested to play a crucial role in cell progression and may be a suitable target for HCC therapy.

Small nucleolar RNA and its potential role in the oncogenesis and development of colorectal cancer

Small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) represent a class of non-coding RNAs that play pivotal roles in post-transcriptional RNA processing and modification, thereby contributing significantly to the maintenance of cellular functions related to protein synthesis. SnoRNAs have been discovered to possess the ability to influence cell fate and alter disease progression, holding immense potential in controlling human diseases. It is suggested that the dysregulation of snoRNAs in cancer exhibits differential expression across various cancer types, stages, metastasis, treatment response and/or prognosis in patients. On the other hand, colorectal cancer (CRC), a prevalent malignancy of the digestive system, is characterized by high incidence and mortality rates, ranking as the third most common cancer type. Recent research indicates that snoRNA dysregulation is associated with CRC, as snoRNA expression significantly differs between normal and cancerous conditions. Consequently, assessing snoRNA expression level and function holds promise for the prognosis and diagnosis of CRC. Nevertheless, current comprehension of the potential roles of snoRNAs in CRC remains limited. This review offers a comprehensive survey of the aberrant regulation of snoRNAs in CRC, providing valuable insights into the discovery of novel biomarkers, therapeutic targets, and potential tools for the diagnosis and treatment of CRC and furnishing critical cues for advancing research into CRC and the judicious selection of therapeutic targets.

Small but strong: the emerging role of small nucleolar RNA in cardiovascular diseases

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of mortality and disability worldwide. Numerous studies have demonstrated that non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) play a primary role in CVD development. Therefore, studies on the mechanisms of ncRNAs are essential for further efforts to prevent and treat CVDs. Small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) are a novel species of non-conventional ncRNAs that guide post-transcriptional modifications and the subsequent maturation of small nuclear RNA and ribosomal RNA. Evidently, snoRNAs are extensively expressed in human tissues and may regulate different illnesses. Particularly, as the next-generation sequencing techniques have progressed, snoRNAs have been shown to be differentially expressed in CVDs, suggesting that they may play a role in the occurrence and progression of cardiac illnesses. However, the molecular processes and signaling pathways underlying the function of snoRNAs remain unidentified. Therefore, it is of great value to comprehensively investigate the association between snoRNAs and CVDs. The aim of this review was to collate existing literature on the biogenesis, characteristics, and potential regulatory mechanisms of snoRNAs. In particular, we present a scientific update on these snoRNAs and their relevance to CVDs in an effort to cast new light on the functions of snoRNAs in the clinical diagnosis of CVDs.

Knowledge mapping and current trends of global research on snoRNA in the field of cancer

Cancer is a major health hazard for humans. Recent studies have indicated the involvement of small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) in the occurrence and development of cancer and indicated its potential role as a diagnostic/prognostic marker and therapeutic target. The purpose of this study was to use the bibliometrics method to analyze the published literature on this subject. We collected articles pertaining to the field of snoRNA and cancer from the Web of Science Core Collection database. The data were analyzed to identify the research hotspots and frontiers. The number of articles in this field was low in the early period. Chu Liang and Montanaro Lorenzo were the most prolific authors on this subject, while Jiang and Feng were the most frequently cited authors. In China, three institutions published the most articles, namely Wuhan Univ, China Med Univ, and Guangxi Med Univ. The journal with the highest number of articles on this subject was Oncotarget. The country with the most published articles was China. Analysis of keywords and burst words indicated that early studies mainly focused on molecular mechanisms. Available evidence suggests the involvement of snoRNAs in the molecular mechanism of cancer development and their potential role as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker.

Significance of nucleologenesis, ribogenesis, and nucleolar proteome in the pathogenesis and recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma

INTRODUCTION

Emerging evidence suggests that enhanced ribosome biogenesis, increased size, and quantitative distribution of nucleoli are associated with dysregulated transcription, which in turn drives a cell into aberrant cellular proliferation and malignancy. Nucleolar alterations have been considered a prognostic histological marker for aggressive tumors. More recently, advancements in the understanding of chromatin network (nucleoplasm viscosity) regulated liquid-liquid phase separation mechanism of nucleolus formation and their multifunctional role shed light on other regulatory processes, apart from ribosomal biogenesis of the nucleolus.

AREAS COVERED

Using hepatocellular carcinoma as a model to study the role of nucleoli in tumor progression, we review the potential of nucleolus coalescence in the onset and development of tumors through non-ribosomal biogenesis pathways, thereby providing new avenues for early diagnosis and cancer therapy.

EXPERT OPINION

Molecular-based classifications have failed to identify the nucleolar-based molecular targets that facilitate cell-cycle progression. However, the algorithm-based tumor risk identification with high-resolution medical images suggests prominent nucleoli, karyotheca, and increased nucleus/cytoplasm ratio as largely associated with tumor recurrence. Nonetheless, the role of the non-ribosomal functions of nucleoli in tumorigenesis remains elusive. This clearly indicates the lacunae in the study of the nucleolar proteins pertaining to cancer. [Figure: see text].

Electroacupuncture Pretreatment Alleviates Cerebral Ischemia-reperfusion Injury by Down-regulating Mir-155-5p

BACKGROUND

Increasing evidence shows that electroacupuncture pretreatment (EP) plays a crucial role in cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury, and cerebral I/R injury is the most serious complication of ischemic stroke treatment. The role of miR-155-5p in cerebral I/R injury has been studied, but the regulation of EP on miR-155-5p has not been reported.

METHODS

The middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) mice were used to investigate the role of EP in cerebral I/R injury. Longa and modified neurological severity scores (mNSS) were used to evaluate neurological impairment. HE staining and TUNEL staining were used to evaluate brain injury. The expressions of miR-155-5p, Yin Yang 1 (YY1) and p53 were detected by qRT-PCR. The expressions of related proteins were detected by western blot. The binding of YY1 to miR- 155-5p was verified by dual-luciferase reporter assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay. Mice brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs) were isolated and cultured for in vitro experiments. Oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) was used to verify the role of YY1, p53 and miR-155-5p in cerebral I/R injury in vitro.

RESULTS

MCAO modeling induced brain injury, apoptosis, and increased levels of miR-155-5p, YY1, and p53. EP markedly alleviated brain injury and reduced levels of miR-155-5p, p53, and YY1. miR-155 agomir markedly increased the expression of miR-155-5p and p53. miR-155 antagomir decreased the levels of miR-155-5p and p53. Dual-luciferase reporter and ChIP assay verified that YY1 regulated miR-155-5p expression. YY1 shNRA greatly decreased miR-155-5p and p53. Inhibition of p53 decreased miR-155-5p expression. Both miR-155-5p inhibitor and YY1 shRNA promoted proliferation, inhibited apoptosis, and decreased levels of ICAM-1 and Eselectin of OGD/R-treated BMECs. Inhibition of p53 strengthened the effect of miR-155-5p inhibitor and YY1 shNRA on BMECs.

CONCLUSION

Electroacupuncture pretreatment alleviates cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury by regulating the YY1/p53/miR-155-5p axis.

DDX24 regulates the chemosensitivity of hepatocellular carcinoma to sorafenib via mediating the expression of SNORA18

Sorafenib (SFN) is a multi-kinase inhibitor drug for the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but its limited efficacy is a major obstacle to the clinical outcomes of patients with HCC. We aimed to explore a novel molecular mechanism underlying the chemosensitivity of HCC to SFN, and to identify a promising therapeutic target for HCC treatment. In this study, bioinformatic analysis revealed that DDX24 was associated with poor survival in HCC cases, and significantly related to the pathways modulating tumor development. DDX24 regulated HCC cell proliferation and migration potentials. Moreover, reduction of DDX24 promoted the sorafenib-mediated inhibition of HCC cell growth and migration, the elevation of sorafenib-induced HCC cell apoptosis. DDX24 overexpression suppressed the inhibitory effect of SFN on cell proliferation and migration and reduced the apoptosis induced by SFN. Further, DDX24, combined with SFN treatment, presented a synergistic enhancement of the sensitivity of SFN to the growth and migration of HCC cells via AKT/ERK and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) pathways, and that it modulated apoptosis via the caspase/PARP pathway. Mechanistically, SNORA18 served as a target gene for DDX24, regulating the chemosensitivity of sorafenib-treated HCC cells. Furthermore, SNORA18 knockdown or overexpression could partially reverse the inhibition or elevation of cell viability, colony formation and migration induced by DDX24 in sorafenib-treated HCC cells, respectively. Collectively, our results suggest that DDX24 regulates the chemosensitivity of HCC to SFN by mediating the expression of SNORA18, which may act as an effective therapeutic target for improving SFN efficiency in HCC treatment.

A review on the role of cyclin dependent kinases in cancers

The Cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) class of serine/threonine kinases has crucial roles in the regulation of cell cycle transition and is mainly involved in the pathogenesis of cancers. The expression of CDKs is controlled by a complex regulatory network comprised of genetic and epigenetic mechanisms, which are dysregulated during the progression of cancer. The abnormal activation of CDKs results in uncontrolled cancer cell proliferation and the induction of cancer stem cell characteristics. The levels of CDKs can be utilized to predict the prognosis and treatment response of cancer patients, and further understanding of the function and underlying mechanisms of CDKs in human tumors would pave the way for future cancer therapies that effectively target CDKs. Defects in the regulation of cell cycle and mutations in the genes coding cell-cycle regulatory proteins lead to unrestrained proliferation of cells leading to formation of tumors. A number of treatment modalities have been designed to combat dysregulation of cell cycle through affecting expression or activity of CDKs. However, effective application of these methods in the clinical settings requires recognition of the role of CDKs in the progression of each type of cancer, their partners, their interactions with signaling pathways and the effects of suppression of these kinases on malignant features. Thus, we designed this literature search to summarize these findings at cellular level, as well as in vivo and clinical levels.

Small Nucleolar RNAs and Their Comprehensive Biological Functions in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) are a class of highly conserved, stable non-coding RNAs involved in both post-transcriptional modification of RNA and in ribosome biogenesis. Recent research shows that the dysfunction of snoRNAs plays a pivotal role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and related etiologies, such as hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Growing evidence suggests that snoRNAs act as oncogenes or tumor suppressors in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) through multiple mechanisms. Furthermore, snoRNAs are characterized by their stability in body fluids and their clinical relevance and represent promising tools as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. SnoRNAs represent an emerging area of cancer research. In this review, we summarize the classification, biogenesis, activity, and functions of snoRNAs, as well as highlight the mechanism and roles of snoRNAs in HCC and related diseases. Our findings will aid in the understanding of complex processes of tumor occurrence and development, as well as suggest potential diagnostic markers and treatment targets. Furthermore, we discuss several limitations and suggest future research and application directions.

SNHG25 facilitates SNORA50C accumulation to stabilize HDAC1 in neuroblastoma cells

Increasing studies have pointed out that small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) and their host genes (SNHGs) have multi-functional roles in cancer progression. Bioinformatics analysis revealed the importance of snoRNA host gene 25 (SNHG25) in neuroblastoma (NB). Hence, we further explored the function and molecular mechanism of SNHG25 in NB. Our study revealed that SNHG25 expression was upregulated in NB cells. Through loss-of-function assays, we discovered that silencing of SNHG25 suppressed NB cell proliferation, invasion, and migration. Moreover, we found that SNHG25 positively regulated snoRNA small nucleolar RNA, H/ACA box 50 C (SNORA50C) in NB cells, and SNORA50C depletion had the same function as SNHG25 silencing in NB cells. Moreover, we proved that SNHG25 recruited dyskerin pseudouridine synthase 1 (DKC1) to facilitate SNORA50C accumulation and associated small nucleolar ribonucleoprotein (snoRNP) assembly. In addition, it was manifested that SNHG25 relied on SNORA50C to inhibit ubiquitination of histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1), thereby elevating HDAC1 expression in NB cells. Further, HDAC1 was proven to be a tumor-facilitator in NB, and SNORA50C contributed to NB cell growth and migration through the HDAC1-mediated pathway. In vivo xenograft experiments further supported that SNHG25 promoted NB progression through SNORA50C/HDAC1 pathway. Our study might provide a novel sight for NB treatment.

snoRNAs: functions and mechanisms in biological processes, and roles in tumor pathophysiology

Small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs), a type of non-coding RNA, are widely present in the nucleoli of eukaryotic cells and play an important role in rRNA modification. With the recent increase in research on snoRNAs, new evidence has emerged indicating that snoRNAs also participate in tRNA and mRNA modification. Studies suggest that numerous snoRNAs, including tumor-promoting and tumor-suppressing snoRNAs, are not only dysregulated in tumors but also show associations with clinical prognosis. In this review, we summarize the reported functions of snoRNAs and the possible mechanisms underlying their role in tumorigenesis and cancer development to guide the snoRNA-based clinical diagnosis and treatment of cancer in the future.

SNORD1C maintains stemness and 5-FU resistance by activation of Wnt signaling pathway in colorectal cancer

Small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) are a class of non-coding RNAs that play indispensable roles in cancers, including colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the role of SNORD1C in CRC is unclear. In the current study, SNORD1C expression was measured in CRC tissues using quantitative real-time PCR. A series of in vivo and in vitro experiments were performed to examine the functional role of SNORD1C in CRC. Quantitative real-time PCR, western blotting, sphere formation assay, and chemotherapy resistance analysis were conducted to illustrate the SNORD1C molecular mechanism. SNORD1C was upregulated in CRC and that high SNORD1C expression was related to poor prognosis. After knocking down SNORD1C in CRC cell lines, cell proliferation, colony formation, cell migration, and invasion were alleviated, while apoptosis was increased. Transcriptional RNA-sequencing analysis revealed that following SNORD1C knockdown, β-catenin was downregulated, as was the transcription factor TCF7, which inhibited the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Meanwhile, levels of the stem cell-related factors were reduced, diminishing cell stemness and tumorigenesis. Our findings suggest that SNORD1C functions via the Wnt/β-catenin pathway to enhance cancer cell stemness in CRC and could be a predictive biomarker for the prognosis ad aggressiveness of this malignancy. Additionally, targeting SNORD1C may be a novel therapeutic strategy for CRC.

The Potential Role of Small Nucleolar RNAs in Cancers – An Evidence Map

Purpose

Cancer seriously endangers human health in every country of the world. New evidence shows that small nucleolar RNAs play important roles in tumorigenesis. Herein, we created this evidence map to systematically assess the impact of dysregulated snoRNAs on cancers.

Methods

We searched four databases to February 2022 using the keywords, “carcinoma”, “neoplasms”, “tumor”, “cancer”, “snoRNA”, and “small nucleolar rna”. The research data were independently screened by two reviewers. Bubble plot, mind map, heatmap were used to depict the relationship between snoRNAs and cancers.

Results

In total, 102 studies met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed in this evidence map. In this study, we found that dysregulated snoRNAs were statistically associated with the clinicopathological characteristics of cancer patients, and affected tumor cell phenotypes. Abnormally expressed snoRNAs were associated with poor survival in cancer patients. Current research confirmed that snoRNAs have good diagnostic efficiency for cancers. snoRNAs could modulate biological processes and signaling pathways of different cancer cells by altering rRNA, regulating mRNA, and recruiting protein factors.

Conclusion

Taken all together, ectopic snoRNAs may serve as new biomarkers for clinical assessment, diagnostic, prognostic prediction of cancer patients, and provide a potential therapeutic strategy for cancer treatment. This article provided a visual analysis of existing evidence on snoRNAs and cancers, which can offer useful information for different researchers interested in snoRNAs.

The biological behavior of tRNA-derived fragment tRF-Leu-AAG in pancreatic cancer cells

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a life-threatening cancer with increasing incidence in developed countries. Reports indicate that tRNA-derived fragments (tRFs) are possible therapeutic targets and biomarkers for cancer treatment. Nonetheless, the effect of tRF-Leu-AAG on PC is unclear. This study aims to explore the role of tRF-Leu-AAG and upstream frameshift mutant 1 (UPF1) in the development of PC and its potential underlying mechanisms. High-throughput second-generation sequencing techniques were used to detect the expression of tRFs in cancerous and adjacent normal tissues from PC patients. The role of tRF-Leu-AAG proliferation in PC cells was investigated via the Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK8) assay. The effect of tRF-Leu-AAG on the invasion and migration ability of PC cells was also determined by the transwell assay. Thereafter, the downstream target genes of tRF-Leu-AAG were comprehensively predicted using bioinformatics analysis databases. We also used the Dual-Luciferase Reporter assay to assess the nexus between tRF-Leu-AAG and UPF1. Eventually, Western Blot was used to validate the expression of UPF1 in PC cells. A total of 33 tRF expressions significantly varied from PC patients. RT-qPCR confirmed that the expression of tRF-Leu-AAG was observably up-regulated in PC cells as compared to the control cells. Importantly, knockdown of tRF-Leu-AAG observably inhibited cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Furthermore, according to the predicted frameshift database results, the UPF1 acted as downstream target genes for tRF-Leu-AAG and significantly down-regulated UPF1 expression.

Overexpression of small nucleolar RNA SNORD1C is associated with unfavorable outcome in colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most incident cancer and third leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs located in the nucleoli of cells, and play key roles in multiple cancers. However, the role of serum snoRNAs in CRC remains unknown. We analyzed the expression of the snoRNA SNORD1C in the serum of patients with CRC using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) (n = 122). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were estimated, and the area under the ROC curve (AUC) was calculated. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) analysis of co-expressed genes was performed using the database for annotation, visualization, and integrated discovery (DAVID), and visualized by R language. The results showed that the expression of SNORD1C in patients with CRC (n = 122) was significantly higher than that in normal individuals (n = 50) and patients with benign colorectal disease (n = 33) (P < 0.05). The overexpression of serum SNORD1C was related to poor tissue differentiation and high carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels (P < 0.05). In the ROC curve analysis, SNORD1C serum expression combined with CEA offered better predictive value for the diagnosis of CRC (AUC = 0.838) compared with SNORD1C (AUC = 0.748) or CEA (AUC = 0.715) alone. High expression of SNORD1C was found to be closely associated with prognosis and unfavorable outcomes in patient with CRC. Therefore, serum SNORD1C may be a noninvasive tumor biomarker for diagnosis of CRC.

Identification of PAFAH1B3 as Candidate Prognosis Marker and Potential Therapeutic Target for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. PAFAH1B3 plays an important role on occurrence and development in a variety tumor. However, the function of PAFAH1B3 in HCC remains unclear.

Methods

The TIMER, ONCOMINE, Human Protein Atlas (HPA), GEPIA, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), HCCDB, UALCAN and LinkedOmics database were used to analyze the prognostic value, co-expression genes and regulator networks of PAFAH1B3 in HCC. siRNA transfections and inhibitor of PAFAH1B3 P11 were used to verify the anti-tumor effect on HCC cell lines. Gene expression was detected by qRT-PCR. The functions of PAFAH1B3 downregulation in HCC cell lines were investigated using cell cycle analysis, apoptosis detection, CCK8 assay and transwell assay. Western blot was used to evaluate the role of PAFAH1B3 on metabolic pathways in HCC cells.

Results

Based on the data from databases, the expression of PAFAH1B3 was remarkably increased in HCC patients. High expression of PAFAH1B3 was associated with poorer overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). And PAFAH1B3 was notably linked to age, sex, grade, stage, race, and TP53 mutational status. Then, the functional network analysis showed PAFAH1B3 may be involved in HCC through cell cycle, cell metabolism, spliceosome, and RNA transport. Furthermore, the mRNA expression of PAFAH1B3 was also increased in HCC cell lines. Flow cytometry analysis showed that PAFAH1B3 manipulated apoptosis and cell cycle regulation. CCK8 assay showed that PAFAH1B3 silencing or pharmacologic inhibitor of PAFAH1B3 inhibited the proliferation of HepG2, Huh7 and MHCC-97H cells. Transwell assay results showed that PAFAH1B3 silencing also significantly impaired the invasion and migratory ability of HCC cells. In addition, PAFAH1B3 silencing significantly downregulated the expression of glycolysis and lipid synthesis signaling pathways.

Conclusion

Our findings suggested that PAFAH1B3 plays a critical role in progression of HCC. PAFAH1B3 as a prognosis marker and potential target for HCC has prospective clinical significance.

MiR-27a-3p suppresses cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury by targeting FOXO1

Cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (CI/R) injury is a serious complication when treating patients experiencing ischemic stroke. Although the microRNA miR-27a-3p reportedly participates in ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury, its actions in CI/R remain unclear. To mimic CI/R in vitro, HT22 cells were subjected to oxygen glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R). The results indicate that OGD inhibited growth and induced apoptosis among HT22 cells. The apoptosis was accompanied by increases in activated caspases 3 and 9 and decreases in Bcl-2. Oxidative stress was also increased, as indicated by increases in ROS and malondialdehyde and decreases in glutathione and superoxide dismutase. In addition, OGD induced G1 arrest in HT22 cells with corresponding upregulation of FOXO1 and p27 Kip1, suggesting the cell cycle arrest was mediated by FOXO1/p27 Kip1 signaling. Notably, FOXO1 was found to be the direct target of miR-27a-3p in HT22 cells. MiR-27a-3p was downregulated in OGD/R-treated HT22 cells, and miR-27a-3p mimics partially or entirely reversed all of the in vitro effects of OGD. Moreover, miR-27a-3p agomir significantly alleviated the symptoms of CI/R in vivo in a rat model of CI/R. Thus, MiR-27a-3p appears to suppress CI/R injury by targeting FOXO1.

Comprehensive Analysis of the Functions and Prognostic Value of RNA-Binding Proteins in Thyroid Cancer

RNA binding proteins (RBPs) have been proved to play pivotal roles in a variety types of tumors. However, there is no convincible evidence disclosing the functions of RBPs in thyroid cancer (THCA) thoroughly and systematically. Integrated analysis of the functional and prognostic effect of RBPs help better understanding tumorigenesis and development in thyroid and may provide a novel therapeutic method for THCA. In this study, we obtained a list of human RBPs from Gerstberger database, which covered 1,542 genes encoding RBPs. Gene expression data of THCA was downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA, n = 567), from which we extracted 1,491 RBPs' gene expression data. We analyzed differentially expressed RBPs using R package "limma". Based on differentially expressed RBPs, we constructed protein-protein interaction network and the GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses were carried out. We found six RBPs (AZGP1, IGF2BP2, MEX3A, NUDT16, NUP153, USB1) independently associated with prognosis of patients with thyroid cancer according to univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression models. The survival analysis and risk score analysis achieved good performances from this six-gene prognostic model. Nomogram was constructed to guide clinical decision in practice. Finally, biological experiments disclosed that NUP153 and USB1 can significantly impact cancer cell proliferation and migration. In conclusion, our research provided a new insight of thyroid tumorigenesis and development based on analyses of RBPs. More importantly, the six-gene model may play an important role in clinical practice in the future.

Identification and validation of a hub gene prognostic index for hepatocellular carcinoma

Aims: We aim to provide new insights into the mechanisms of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and identify key genes as biomarkers for the prognosis of HCC. Materials & methods: Differentially expressed genes between HCC tissues and normal tissues were identified via the Gene Expression Omnibus tool. The top ten hub genes screened by the degree of the protein nodes in the protein-protein interaction network also showed significant associations with overall survival in HCC patients. Results: A prognostic model containing a five-gene signature was constructed to predict the prognosis of HCC via multivariate Cox regression analysis. Conclusion: This study identified a novel five-gene signature (CDK1, CCNB1, CCNB2, BUB1 and KIF11) as a significant independent prognostic factor.

Comprehensive Analysis of Gene Expression Changes and Validation in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Aim

This study aimed to analyze the involvement of hub genes in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Methods

Four series were used in this study: GSE45267, GSE84402, and GSE101685 from GPL570 platform in the Gene Expression Omnibus and the other from The Cancer Genome Atlas. The gene audition was completed using R software and Venn diagrams. The outcome, Gene Ontology enrichment, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes preliminary analyses of differentially expressed genes were performed using the R software. A string image was obtained using the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes. The protein–protein interaction network was examined using Cytoscape software. The corrplot package was used to analyze the correlation of genes. Human Protein Atlas was used to confirm the protein levels. Univariate Cox regression was used to analyze whether these genes were related to survival. UALCAN was used to confirm the effect of these genes on patient survival.

Results

A total of 107 differentially expressed genes from 491 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and 119 normal individuals were selected in this study. Cytoscape revealed 25 central nodes from the 107 genes. CCNB1, CDK1, CCNA2, PTTG1, and CDC20 were selected based on the cell cycle pathway. A significant correlation was found among the 6 DEGs. The transcription levels and protein levels of these genes were verified in cells and human tissue samples. The overall survival for these genes was analyzed using univariate Cox regression and UALCAN.

Conclusion

CCNB1, CDK1, CDC20, PTTG1, CCNA2, and TTK were overexpressed and correlated in hepatocellular carcinoma cells and tumors. The results might help explore the prognosis and diagnostic markers of HCC.