miR-3682-3p directly targets FOXO3 and stimulates tumor stemness in hepatocellular carcinoma via a positive feedback loop involving FOXO3/PI3K/AKT/c-Myc

Celestial Insights: Unraveling the Role of miR-3682-3p in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

ABSTRACT

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a formidable oncological challenge, calling for innovative therapeutic strategies to improve patient outcomes. MicroRNAs have emerged as key regulators in cancer, and miR-3682-3p shows potential as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in HCC. We conducted a comprehensive study to uncover its role in HCC biology, revealing dysregulation and clinical associations. Target gene analysis provided insights into potential molecular mechanisms. Moreover, we explored its impact on the tumor microenvironment, immune cell infiltration, and therapy responses. Our findings highlight miR-3682-3p as a promising candidate for further investigations and potential therapeutic strategies in HCC management.

MiR-3682-3p promotes esophageal cancer progression by targeting FHL1 and activating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

BACKGROUND

Esophageal cancer (EC) is highly ranked among all cancers in terms of its incidence and mortality rates. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are considered to play key regulatory parts in EC. Multiple research studies have indicated the involvement of miR-3682-3p and four and a half LIM domain protein 1 (FHL1) in the achievement of tumors. The aim of this research was to clarify the significance of these genes and their possible molecular mechanism in EC.

METHODS

Data from a database and the tissue microarray were made to analyze the expression and clinical significance of miR-3682-3p or FHL1 in EC. Reverse transcription quantitative PCR and Western blotting were used to detect the expression levels of miR-3682-3p and FHL1 in EC cells. CCK8, EdU, wound healing, Transwell, flow cytometry, and Western blotting assays were performed to ascertain the biological roles of miR-3682-3p and FHL1 in EC cells. To confirm the impact of miR-3682-3p in vivo, a subcutaneous tumor model was created in nude mice. The direct interaction between miR-3682-3p and FHL1 was demonstrated through a luciferase assay, and the western blotting technique was employed to assess the levels of crucial proteins within the Wnt/β-catenin pathway.

RESULTS

The noticeable increase in the expression of miR-3682-3p and the decrease in the expression of FHL1 were observed, which correlated with a negative impact on the patients' overall survival. Upregulation of miR-3682-3p expression promoted the growth and metastasis of EC, while overexpression of FHL1 partially reversed these effects. Finally, miR-3682-3p motivates the Wnt/β-catenin signal transduction by directly targeting FHL1.

CONCLUSION

MiR-3682-3p along the FHL1 axis activated the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and thus promoted EC malignancy.

Enhancer-mediated FOXO3 expression promotes MSC adipogenic differentiation by activating autophagy

BACKGROUND

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are pluripotent stem cells capable of differentiating into osteocytes, adipocytes and chondrocytes. However, in osteoporosis, the balance of differentiation is tipped toward adipogenesis and the key mechanism is controversial. Researches have shown that, as upstream regulatory elements of gene expression, enhancers ar involved in the expression of identity genes. In this study, we identified enhancers-mediated gene FOXO3 promoting MSC adipogenic differentiation by activating autophagy.

METHODS

We integrated data of RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) and ATAC-sequencing (ATAC-seq) to find the identity gene FOXO3. The expression of FOXO3 protein, adipogenic transcription factors and the substrate of autophagy were measured by western blotting. The Oil Red O (ORO) staining was used to visualize the adipogenesis of MSCs. Immunohistochemistry was used to visualize the FOXO3 expression in adipocytes in bone marrow. Immunofluorescence was used to detect the expression of PPARγ and LC3B.

RESULTS

During adipogenesis, enhancers redistribute to genes associated with adipogenic differentiation, among which we identified the pivotal identity gene FOXO3. FOXO3 could promote the expression of the adipogenic transcription factors PPARγ, CEBPα, and CEBPβ during adipogenic differentiation, while PPARγ, CEBPα, and CEBPβ could in turn bind to FOXO3 and continue to promote FOXO3 expression to form a positive feedback loop. Consistently elevated FOXO3 expression promotes autophagy by activating the PI3K-AKT pathway which mediates adipogenic differentiation.

CONCLUSIONS

Pivotal identity gene FOXO3 promotes autophagy by activating PI3K-AKT pathway, which provokes adipogenic differentiation of MSCs. Enhancer-regulated adipogenic identity gene FOXO3 could be an attractive treatment for osteoporosis.

Progress in the study of FOXO3a interacting with microRNA to regulate tumourigenesis development

FOXO3a is a protein of the forkhead box family that inhibits tumour cell growth. One of the regulatory modes affecting the role of FOXO3a is microRNA targeting and degradation of its mRNA expression, and conversely, aberrant expression of FOXO3a as a transcription factor also influences microRNA levels. We summarized the results of the regulatory interactions of twenty-five microRNAs with FOXO3a in five types of malignant tumours and found that dual microRNAs synergize with FOXO3a to inhibit breast cancer cell growth including two groups; Three individual microRNAs collaborated with FOXO3a to restrain hepatocellular carcinoma progression; Twelve individual microRNAs antagonized FOXO3a to promote the development of a single tumour cell, respectively; and five microRNAs antagonized FOXO3a to contribute to the progression of more than two types of tumours. The above findings demonstrated the tumour suppressor effect of FOXO3a, but another result revealed that miR-485-5p and miR-498 inhibited the growth of hepatocellular carcinoma cells by antagonizing FOXO3a when acting in combination with other long-stranded non-coding RNAs, respectively, suggesting that FOXO3a at this moment plays the function of promoting the tumour progression. The PI3K/AKT, Snail, VEGF-NRP1, and Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathways perform crucial roles in the above process. It is anticipated that the above studies will assist in understanding the effects of FOXO3a-MicroRNA interactions in cancer genesis and development, and provide new perspectives in the treatment of malignant tumours.

Dysregulated microRNAs as a biomarker for diagnosis and prognosis of hepatitis B virus-associated hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a malignancy with a high incidence and fatality rate worldwide. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is one of the most important risk factors for its occurrence and development. Early detection of HBV-associated HCC (HBV-HCC) can improve clinical decision-making and patient outcomes. Biomarkers are extremely helpful, not only for early diagnosis, but also for the development of therapeutics. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a subset of non-coding RNAs approximately 22 nucleotides in length, have increasingly attracted scientists' attention due to their potential utility as biomarkers for cancer detection and therapy. HBV profoundly impacts the expression of miRNAs potentially involved in the development of hepatocarcinogenesis. In this review, we summarize the current progress on the role of miRNAs in the diagnosis and treatment of HBV-HCC. From a molecular standpoint, we discuss the mechanism by which HBV regulates miRNAs and investigate the exact effect of miRNAs on the promotion of HCC. In the near future, miRNA-based diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic applications will make their way into the clinical routine.

Tumor matrix stiffness provides fertile soil for cancer stem cells

Matrix stiffness is a mechanical characteristic of the extracellular matrix (ECM) that increases from the tumor core to the tumor periphery in a gradient pattern in a variety of solid tumors and can promote proliferation, invasion, metastasis, drug resistance, and recurrence. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a rare subpopulation of tumor cells with self-renewal, asymmetric cell division, and differentiation capabilities. CSCs are thought to be responsible for metastasis, tumor recurrence, chemotherapy resistance, and consequently poor clinical outcomes. Evidence suggests that matrix stiffness can activate receptors and mechanosensor/mechanoregulator proteins such as integrin, FAK, and YAP, modulating the characteristics of tumor cells as well as CSCs through different molecular signaling pathways. A deeper understanding of the effect of matrix stiffness on CSCs characteristics could lead to development of innovative cancer therapies. In this review, we discuss how the stiffness of the ECM is sensed by the cells and how the cells respond to this environmental change as well as the effect of matrix stiffness on CSCs characteristics and also the key malignant processes such as proliferation and EMT. Then, we specifically focus on how increased matrix stiffness affects CSCs in breast, lung, liver, pancreatic, and colorectal cancers. We also discuss how the molecules responsible for increased matrix stiffness and the signaling pathways activated by the enhanced stiffness can be manipulated as a therapeutic strategy for cancer.