Porcine acellular dermal matrix accelerates wound healing through miR-124-3p.1 and miR-139-5p

BACKGROUND AIMS

Cutaneous wound management is a major health problem and imposes a huge economic burden worldwide. Previous studies have demonstrated that wound healing is a highly coordinated process including epithelialization, angiogenesis, remodeling and scarring. This progression requires self-renewal, preservation and repair properties of stem cells. However, our understanding of the detailed internal regulatory mechanism following injury and the means to accelerate wound healing are limited.

METHODS

Our previous research revealed that porcine acellular dermal matrix (ADM) effectively promotes wound healing and scar formation through epidermal stem cells (ESCs), and this process is relevant to the alteration of internal miRNA levels. In this study, we investigated the regulatory function of porcine ADM treatment on miRNAs in ESCs.

RESULTS

We report that the treatment of porcine ADM reduced the levels of miR-124-3p.1 and miR-139-5p in wounds. MiR-124-3p.1 and miR-139-5p inhibited the expression of JAG1 and Notch1, respectively, by directly targeting miRNAs in ESCs.

CONCLUSIONS

This work demonstrates that porcine ADM induced down-regulation of miR-124-3p.1/139-5p in wounds and up-regulation of JAG1/Notch1 in ESCs, thus enhancing cutaneous wound healing.

MiR-124-3p.1 Sensitizes Ovarian Cancer Cells to Mitochondrial Apoptosis Induced by Carboplatin

Background

Carboplatin is a platinum-based chemotherapeutic drug that is commonly used as a treatment for ovarian cancer. However, high doses and repeated use of carboplatin usually reduce the sensitivity of cancer cells to the drug. There is an urgent need to develop strategies to increase the sensitivity of ovarian cancer cells to carboplatin.

Materials and Methods

Quantitative reverse-transcriptase real-time PCR was used to detect miR-124-3p.1 levels in ovarian cancer tissues and cell lines. Transfection with miR-124-3p.1 and caveolin-1 (CAV1) was used for gain-of-function experiments. Western blot and immunoprecipitation assays were performed to evaluate the expression and function of CAV1, AKT, Bad, and Bcl-xl. Flow cytometry analysis was used to measure the apoptosis rates of SKOV3 and A2780 cells.

Results

Expression levels of miR-124-3p.1 were decreased in ovarian cancer tissues and cell lines. Furthermore, overexpression of miR-124-3p.1 enhanced carboplatin-induced apoptotic cell death of ovarian cancer cell lines. Regarding the mechanism of this effect, we showed that CAV1 was the target of miR-124-3p.1 in ovarian cancer. Overexpression of miR-124-3p.1 suppressed the expression of CAV1, thereby reducing the activation of AKT and phosphorylation of Bad. As a result, the function of Bcl-xl was inhibited and carboplatin-induced mitochondrial apoptosis was enhanced.

Conclusion

miR-124-3p.1 sensitizes carboplatin-induced mitochondrial apoptosis through suppression of CAV1 in ovarian cancer. Increasing miR-124-3p.1 expression may represent a novel strategy to improve carboplatin sensitivity in ovarian cancer.

MicroRNA-124-3p.1 promotes cell proliferation through Axin1-dependent Wnt signaling pathway and predicts a poor prognosis of triple-negative breast cancer

Background

Triple‐negative breast cancer (TNBC) is one subtype of breast cancer, which is characterized by an aggressive disease. It is commonly accompanied with extremely poor prognosis because of no available molecularly targeted therapy. Thus, understanding the detailed molecular mechanisms of TNBC is urgently needed.

Methods

The levels of Axis inhibition protein 1 (Axin1), Cyclin D1, c‐Myc, and miR‐124‐3p.1 were measured by quantitative real‐time PCR (qRT‐PCR). Furthermore, the breast cancer cell proliferation was measured by CCK‐8 assay, colony formation assays, and EdU staining. Xenograft model was used to show the tumor genesis of breast cancer cells. The regulatory function of miR‐124‐3p.1 on Wnt/β‐catenin signaling activation through directly targeting Axin1 was proven using qRT‐PCR, Western blot analysis, and dual‐luciferase reporter assay. To further assess the clinical significance of miR‐124‐3p.1 in the prognosis of breast cancer patients, we performed Kaplan‐Meier survival analysis and log‐rank tests.

Results

miR‐124‐3p.1 expression was elevated in advanced TNBC patients, and high miR‐124‐3p.1 predicts poor overall survival in TNBC patients. Further data showed that miR‐124‐3p.1 downregulation diminished, while miR‐124‐3p.1 upregulation increased the growth of TNBC cells in vitro and in vivo. Finally, we proved that miR‐124‐3p.1 exerted its function via targeting tumor suppressor gene Axin1 and activating the Wnt signaling pathway.

Conclusion

In summary, all the results demonstrate that miR‐124‐3p.1 promotes TNBC cell growth by controlling Axin1, suggesting that targeting miR‐124‐3p.1 might offer an effective therapeutic strategy for TNBC in the future.

Propofol suppresses proliferation and metastasis of colorectal cancer cells by regulating miR-124-3p.1/AKT3

BACKGROUND

Propofol, an extensively used intravenous anesthetic agents during cancer resection surgery, has been confirmed to execute anti-tumor effect on multiple cancers, including colorectal cancer (CRC). Although the role of propofol in CRC has been previously reported, its action mechanism remains poorly understood. This study further explored the biological function and underlying mechanism of propofol in CRC cells.

METHODS

The cell proliferation, migration and invasion were assessed by methylthiazolyldiphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, wound healing assay and transwell assay, respectively. The expression levels microRNA-124-3p.1 (miR-124-3p.1) and AKT serine/threonine kinase 3 (AKT3) was analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Western blot assay was employed to measure the protein expression of MMP-9, Vimentin and Cyclin D1. The interaction between miR-124-3p.1 and AKT3 was predicted by TargetScan and confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter assay.

RESULTS

Propofol inhibited CRC cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Knockdown of miR-124-3p.1 or AKT3 upregulation reversed the inhibitory effects of propofol on CRC cell proliferation and metastasis. Besides, AKT3 was a direct target of miR-124-3p.1 and its overexpression abated the anti-tumor effect of miR-124-3p.1 on CRC cell proliferation and metastasis.

CONCLUSION

Propofol inhibited CRC cell proliferation, migration and invasion by upregulating miR-124-3p.1 and downregulating AKT3, providing a new sight for propofol treatment of CRC.