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Shen YJ, Ji MY, Huang Q, Hsueh CY, Du HD, Zhang M, Zhou L. Nicotine downregulates miR-375-3p via neurotrophic tyrosine receptor kinase 2 to enhance the malignant behaviors of laryngopharyngeal squamous epithelial cells. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 2024; 274:116215. [PMID: 38489902 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2024.116215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
Nicotine exposure from smoking constitutes a significant global public health concern. Furthermore, smoking represents a pivotal risk factor for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). However, the influence of nicotine on HNSCC remains relatively underexplored. Our aim was to unravel the molecular mechanisms that underlie the effect of nicotine on the metastatic cascade of HNSCC. In this study, we discovered a significant association between smoking and HNSCC metastasis and prognosis. Nicotine significantly enhanced HNSCC cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in vitro. Analysis of TCGA-HNSCC and FDEENT-HNSCC cohorts revealed reduced miR-375-3p levels in HNSCC tumor tissues, particularly among current smokers. Additionally, miR-375-3p level was strongly correlated with both lymph node metastasis and tumor stage. By downregulating miR-375-3p, nicotine promotes HNSCC cell metastasis in vitro and hematogenous metastatic capacity in vivo. Utilizing transcriptomic sequencing, molecular docking, dual-luciferase reporter assay, and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), we demonstrated that miR-375-3p specifically binds to 3' untranslated region (3'UTR) of NTRK2 mRNA. Thus, this study uncovers a novel nicotine-induced mechanism involving miR-375-3p-mediated NTRK2 targeting, which promotes HNSCC metastasis. These findings have implications for improving the prognosis of patients with HNSCC, especially in smokers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Jie Shen
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery, Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Meng-You Ji
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery, Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Qiang Huang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery, Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Chi-Yao Hsueh
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery, Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China.
| | - Huai-Dong Du
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery, Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China.
| | - Ming Zhang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery, Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China.
| | - Liang Zhou
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery, Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China.
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Wang CS, Lee YC, Jhan JH, Li WM, Chang LL, Huang AM, Lin HH, Wu YR, Hsu WC, Ke HL. MicroRNA-299-3p inhibits cell proliferation, motility, invasion and angiogenesis via VEGFA in upper tract urothelial carcinoma. J Gene Med 2024; 26:e3616. [PMID: 38049938 DOI: 10.1002/jgm.3616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) is a rare tumor with extraordinarily different features between Eastern and Western countries. Vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGFA) was originally identified as a secreted signaling protein and regulator of vascular development and cancer progression. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of VEGFA by microRNA in UTUC. METHODS VEGFA expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry in 140 human UTUC tissue samples. Next, we assessed the regulatory relationship between VEGFA and miR-299-3p by real-time PCR, western blotting, ELISA and dual-luciferase reporter assays using two UTUC cell lines. The role of miR-299-3p/VEGFA in cell proliferation, motility, invasion, and tube formation was analyzed in vitro. RESULTS High VEGFA expression was significantly associated with tumor stage, grade, distant metastasis and cancer-related death and correlated with poor progression-free and cancer-specific survival. VEGFA knockdown repressed proliferation, migration, invasion and angiogenesis in UTUC cell lines. miR-299-3p significantly reduced VEGFA protein expression and miR-299-3p overexpression inhibited VEGFA mRNA and protein expression by directly targeting its 3'-UTR. Functional studies indicated that VEGFA overexpression reversed the miR-299-3p-mediated suppression of tumor cell proliferation, migration, invasion and angiogenesis. In addition, miR-299-3p/VEGFA suppressed cellular functions in UTUC by modulating the expression of P18 and cyclin E2. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that miR-299-3p possibly suppresses UTUC cell proliferation, motility, invasion and angiogenesis via VEGFA. VEGFA may act as a prognostic predictor, and both VEGFA and miR-299-3p could be potential therapeutic targets for UTUC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chien-Shen Wang
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Department of Urology, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Chen Lee
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Jhen-Hao Jhan
- Department of Urology, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Department of Urology, Kaohsiung Municipal Siaogang Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Ming Li
- Department of Urology, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Department of Urology, Ministry of Health and Welfare Pingtung Hospital, Pingtung, Taiwan
- Department of Urology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Lin-Li Chang
- Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - A-Mei Huang
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Hui-Hui Lin
- Department of Urology, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ru Wu
- Department of Urology, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Chi Hsu
- Department of Urology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Hung-Lung Ke
- Department of Urology, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Department of Urology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Department of Urology, Kaohsiung Municipal Ta-Tung Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
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