Prognostic effect of a novel long noncoding RNA signature and comparison with clinical staging systems for patients with hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma after hepatectomy

The role of non-coding RNAs in the diagnosis of different stages (HCC, CHB, OBI) of hepatitis B infection

Despite the availability of an effective hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccine and universal immunization schedules, HBV has remained a health problem in various stages such as occult hepatitis B infection (OBI), chronic hepatitis B (CHB), and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which is considered one of the possible phases during chronic HBV infection. OBI is defined as the persistence of HBV genomes in hepatocytes of patients with a negative HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) test and detectable or undetectable HBV DNA in the blood. OBI is occasionally associated with infection caused by mutant viruses that produce a modified HBsAg that is undetected by diagnostic procedures or with replication-defective variations. Many aspects of HBV (OBI more than any other stage) including prevalence, pathobiology, and clinical implications has remained controversial. According to a growing body of research, non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) have been linked to the development and progression of a number of illnesses, including viral infectious disorders. Despite a shortage of knowledge regarding the expression and biological activities of lncRNAs and miRNAs in HBV infection, Hepatitis B remains a major global public health concern. This review summarizes the role of lncRNAs in the diagnosis and treatment of different stages of hepatitis B infection.

LINC01116 Promotes Migration and Invasion of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma by Acting as a Competed Endogenous RNA in Regulation of MMP1 Expression

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) has increasingly become a worldwide health concern, and its survival rate has not been much improved partially due to a deficiency of precise molecular markers. Dysregulation of LINC01116, a long noncoding RNA sequence, has been observed in several types of cancer. However, the role played by LINC01116 in OSCC has not yet been fully elaborated. This study explored how LINC01116 was involved in the regulation of OSCC progression by analyzing expressions of LINC01116 in OSCC patients. The findings demonstrated upregulation of LINC01116 in OSCC tissues as opposed to regular oral mucosa, and overexpression of LINC01116 was correlated with advanced tumor status. LINC01116 knockdown using shRNA markedly reduced the OSCC cell invasion and migration in vitro. Moreover, the expression of LINC01116 was negatively correlated with that of microRNA-9-5p (miR-9). Luciferase reporter and loss-of-function assays demonstrated that LINC01116 functioned as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) that could effectively sponge miR-9, thus regulating the derepression of matrix metalloproteinase 1 (MMP1). Furthermore, we confirmed that LINC01116 knockdown did not affect the expression of MMP1 messenger RNA (mRNA). Collectively, it is demonstrated in this study that overexpression of LINC01116 can promote the OSCC progression. The LINC01116-miR-9-MMP1 axis provides a novel insight into the OSCC pathogenesis and offers potential therapeutic targets against OSCC.

Landscape analysis of lncRNAs shows that DDX11-AS1 promotes cell-cycle progression in liver cancer through the PARP1/p53 axis

Although long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in tumorigenesis, the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Transcriptomic analysis of 33 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) samples revealed that the most enriched pathway for differentially expressed genes was related to the cell cycle process, where DDX11-AS1 is the most significant lncRNA. Upregulation of DDX11-AS1 expression through demethylation was significantly associated with a poor prognosis. Further mechanistic studies revealed that DDX11-AS1 promoted the growth of HCC by interacting with PARP1 through attenuating its binding to p53, leading to downregulated expression of p53 for inhibiting the transcription of downstream genes such as p21. Knockdown of DDX11-AS1 expression in xenograft mice using anti-DDX11-AS1 oligonucleotide suppressed liver tumor proliferation. These findings indicate that DDX11-AS1 plays a role in the development of liver cancer by affecting the cell cycle.

Long noncoding RNA FIRRE contributes to the proliferation and glycolysis of hepatocellular carcinoma cells by enhancing PFKFB4 expression

Recent reports show that long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) FIRRE contributes to the proliferation, apoptosis resistance, and invasion of colorectal cancer and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. However, the biological function of FIRRE in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unknown. Here, we disclosed that the FIRRE level was frequently increased in HCC compared to nontumor tissues. Compared with normal liver cells, we also confirmed the upregulated level of FIRRE in HCC cells. Notably, the FIRRE high expression was related to malignant clinical features, including advanced TNM stage and tumor size ≥5 cm, and conferred to worse survival of HCC. Functionally, FIRRE knockdown repressed the proliferation and glycolysis of HCCLM3 cells. Overexpression of FIRRE strengthened Huh7 cell proliferation and glycolysis. Notably, FIRRE positively regulated the glycolic enzyme 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-biphosphatase 4 (PFKFB4) expression in HCC cells. PFKFB4 was highly expressed and positively associated with FIRRE level in HCC tissues. The upregulated expression of PFKFB4 was associated with high tumor grade and advanced TNM stage. TCGA data revealed that the PFKFB4 high expression indicated a poor prognosis of HCC. Mechanistically, modulating FIRRE level did not affect the stability of PFKFB4 mRNA. FIRRE was mainly distributed in HCC cells' nucleus and promoted PFKFB4 transcription and expression via cAMP-responsive element-binding protein (CREB). PFKFB4 could abolish the effects of FIRRE knockdown on HCC cell proliferation and glycolysis. To conclude, the highly expressed FIRRE facilitated HCC cell proliferation and glycolysis by enhancing CREB-mediated PFKFB4 transcription and expression.

Hepigenetics: A Review of Epigenetic Modulators and Potential Therapies in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma is the fifth most common cancer worldwide and the second most lethal, following lung cancer. Currently applied therapeutic practices rely on surgical resection, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, or a combination thereof. These treatment options are associated with extreme adversities, and risk/benefit ratios do not always work in patients' favor. Anomalies of the epigenome lie at the epicenter of aberrant molecular mechanisms by which the disease develops and progresses. Modulation of these anomalous events poses a promising prospect for alternative treatment options, with an abundance of felicitous results reported in recent years. Herein, the most recent epigenetic modulators in hepatocellular carcinoma are recapitulated on.