BACKGROUND Osteosarcoma (OS) is a common primary malignant bone tumor for which the molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Studies on coding and non-coding RNAs are needed to determine the molecular mechanism. MATERIAL AND METHODS To explore the potential roles of miRNAs and mRNA in OS, we determined the miRNA and mRNA expression profile of 3 pairs of OS and paracancerous tissues from patients with OS by sequencing and bioinformatics analysis. The expression levels of critical miRNAs and mRNAs were verified in 10 pairs of OS and paracancerous tissues. An miRNA inhibitor and mimics were used to investigate the interactions between miRNAs and target genes. The cell counting kit-8 assay was performed to evaluate OS cell proliferation after miRNA interference. RESULTS A total of 184 miRNAs and 2501 mRNAs were identified (fold-change >2.0 or <2.0, P<0.05), with up-regulation of 82 miRNAs and 1320 mRNAs and down-regulation of 102 miRNAs and 1181 mRNAs in OS tissue. The protein protein interaction network revealed that UQCRC1 (ubiquinol-cytochrome c reductase core protein 1) is a critical gene and a potential target gene of miR-214-3p. Both UQCRC1 and miR-214-3p were significantly differentially expressed in OS tissue and cell lines (down and up-regulated, respectively). Down-regulated miR-214-3p expression increased UQCRC1 expression and suppressed OS cell proliferation. In contrast, overexpression of miR-214-3p decreased UQCRC1 expression and promoted OS cell proliferation. CONCLUSIONS High miR-214-3p expression may promote OS cell proliferation by targeting UQCRC1, providing insight into a potential therapeutic target for preventing and treating OS.
Accumulating evidence has uncovered long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) as central regulators in the pathogenesis of diverse human cancers including colorectal cancer (CRC). The present study discovered that a novel lncRNA ITIH4 antisense RNA 1 (ITIH4-AS1) was frequently under-expressed in most normal human tissues, including colon tissues. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the role of ITIH4-AS1 in CRC. Interestingly, a significant overexpression of ITIH4-AS1 was observed in CRC cell lines relative to normal NCM460 cells. Also, we investigated the facilitating role of ITIH4-AS1 in CRC cell growth and metastasis both in vitro and in vivo. Additionally, we explained that ITIH4-AS1 upregulation in CRC was attributed to downregulation or even depletion of RE1 silencing transcription factor (REST), a presently identified transcriptional repressor for ITIH4-AS1. Meanwhile, the contribution of ITIH4-AS1 to CRC development was validated to rely on the activation of the JAK/STAT3 pathway. More importantly, we verified that FUS interacted with both ITIH4-AS1 and STAT3, and that ITIH4-AS1 evoked nuclear translocation of phosphorylated (p)-STAT3 in CRC through recruiting FUS. In summary, our findings unveiled for the first time that upregulation of ITIH4-AS1 induced by the downregulated REST exerts pro-tumor functions in CRC through FUS-dependent activation of the JAK/STAT3 pathway, implying that targeting ITIH4-AS1 may be a novel effective strategy for CRC therapy. Accumulating evidence has uncovered long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) as central regulators in the pathogenesis of diverse human cancers including colorectal cancer (CRC). The present study discovered that a novel lncRNA ITIH4 antisense RNA 1 (ITIH4-AS1) was frequently under-expressed in most normal human tissues, including colon tissues. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the role of ITIH4-AS1 in CRC. Interestingly, a significant overexpression of ITIH4-AS1 was observed in CRC cell lines relative to normal NCM460 cells. Also, we investigated the facilitating role of ITIH4-AS1 in CRC cell growth and metastasis both in vitro and in vivo. Additionally, we explained that ITIH4-AS1 upregulation in CRC was attributed to downregulation or even depletion of RE1 silencing transcription factor (REST), a presently identified transcriptional repressor for ITIH4-AS1. Meanwhile, the contribution of ITIH4-AS1 to CRC development was validated to rely on the activation of the JAK/STAT3 pathway. More importantly, we verified that FUS interacted with both ITIH4-AS1 and STAT3, and that ITIH4-AS1 evoked nuclear translocation of phosphorylated (p)-STAT3 in CRC through recruiting FUS. In summary, our findings unveiled for the first time that upregulation of ITIH4-AS1 induced by the downregulated REST exerts pro-tumor functions in CRC through FUS-dependent activation of the JAK/STAT3 pathway, implying that targeting ITIH4-AS1 may be a novel effective strategy for CRC therapy.
Background Breast cancer is a pivotal cause of global women cancer death. Immunotherapy has become a promising means to cure breast cancer. As constitutes of immune microenvironment of breast cancer, macrophages exert complicated functions in the tumour development and treatment. This study aims to develop a prognostic macrophage marker genes signature (MMGS).Methods Single cell RNA sequence data analysis was performed to identify macrophage marker genes in breast cancer. TCGA database was used to construct MMGS model as a training cohort, and GSE96058 dataset was used to validate the MMGS as a validation cohort.Results Genes included in the MMGS model were: SERPINA1, CD74, STX11, ADAM9, CD24, NFKBIA, PGK1. MMGS risk score stratified by overall survival of patients divided them into high- and low-risk groups. And MMGS risk score remained independent prognostic factor in multivariate analysis after adjusting for classical clinical factors in both training and validation cohorts. Besides, hormone receptors negative and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) positive patients had higher risk score. MMGS showed better distinguishing capability between high-risk and low-risk groups in hormone receptor positive and HER2 negative subgroup.Conclusion MMGS provides a new understanding of immune cell marker genes in breast cancer prognosis and may offer reference for immunotherapy decision for breast cancer patients.
Melanoma is an aggressive malignant skin tumor endangering the health of patients. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) have been increasingly reported to be implicated in the carcinogenesis of melanoma. Long intergenic non-coding RNA 00665 (LINC00665) has been found to exert important regulatory roles in some cancers, yet its function in melanoma remains to be investigated. QRT-PCR analysis was conducted to evaluate the relative expression of RNAs. Functional experiments in vitro including colony formation, EdU, wound-healing and transwell assays, as well as in vivo xenograft assays, were utilized to study the role of LINC00665 in melanoma. Mechanical experiments were implemented to probe into the molecular linkage of LINC00665, miR-224-5p and VMA21. LINC00665 was abnormally highly expressed in melanoma cells. Silencing LINC00665 could inhibit the proliferation and migration of melanoma cells. LINC00665 sponged miR-224-5p to upregulate VMA21. VMA21 knockdown exerted similarly interfering effects on above biological processes in melanoma cells. However, VMA21 overexpression abolished the in vitro and in vivo outcomes of LINC00665 silencing. LINC00665 promotes proliferative and migrating abilities of melanoma cells via targeting miR-224-5p/VMA21 axis.
Nerve transfer is the most common treatment for total brachial plexus avulsion injury. After nerve transfer, the movement of the injured limb may be activated by certain movements of the healthy limb at the early stage of recovery, i.e., trans-hemispheric reorganization. Previous studies have focused on functional magnetic resonance imaging and changes in brain-derived neurotrophic factor and growth associated protein 43, but there have been no proteomics studies. In this study, we designed a rat model of total brachial plexus avulsion injury involving contralateral C7 nerve transfer. Isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation and western blot assay were then used to screen differentially expressed proteins in bilateral motor cortices. We found that most differentially expressed proteins in both cortices of upper limb were associated with nervous system development and function (including neuron differentiation and development, axonogenesis, and guidance), microtubule and cytoskeleton organization, synapse plasticity, and transmission of nerve impulses. Two key differentially expressed proteins, neurofilament light (NFL) and Thy-1, were identified. In contralateral cortex, the NFL level was upregulated 2 weeks after transfer and downregulated at 1 and 5 months. The Thy-1 level was upregulated from 1 to 5 months. In the affected cortex, the NFL level increased gradually from 1 to 5 months. Western blot results of key differentially expressed proteins were consistent with the proteomic findings. These results indicate that NFL and Thy-1 play an important role in trans-hemispheric organization following total brachial plexus root avulsion and contralateral C7 nerve transfer.
Abstract To construct a long noncoding RNA (lncRNA)–microRNA (miRNA)–messenger RNA (mRNA) regulatory network related to epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) cisplatin‐resistant, differentially expressed genes (DEGs), differentially expressed lncRNAs (DELs), and differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) between MDAH and TOV‐112D cells lines were identified. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis were conducted to analyze the biological functions of DEGs. Downstream mRNAs or upstream lncRNAs for miRNAs were analyzed at miRTarBase 7.0 or DIANA‐LncBase V2, respectively. A total of 485 significant DEGs, 85 DELs, and 5 DEMs were identified. Protein–protein interaction (PPI) network of DEGs contrains 81 nodes and 141 edges was constructed, and 25 hub genes related to EOC cisplatin‐resistant were identified. Subsequently, a lncRNA–miRNA–mRNA regulatory network contains 4 lncRNAs, 4 miRNAs, and 35 mRNAs was established. Taken together, our study provided evidence concerning the alteration genes involved in EOC cisplatin‐resistant, which will help to unravel the mechanisms underlying drug resistant.
Previous studies suggested that the mode of donor transection is a critical factor affecting the efficacy of the contralateral C7 (CC7) nerve transfer. Nevertheless, the mechanism underlying this phenomenon remains elusive. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the division modes of the CC7 nerve and cortical functional reorganization of Sprague-Dawley rats. We hypothesized that different methods of CC7 nerve transection might induce differences in cortical functional reorganization, thus resulting in differences in surgery efficacy. BDNF, TNF-α/IL-6, and miR-132/134 were selected as indicators of cortical functional reorganization. No significant differences in all these indicators were noted between the entire group and the entire root+posterior division group ( P>0.05 ). BDNF and miR-132/134 levels in the entire group and the entire root+posterior division group were significantly increased compared with their levels in the posterior group and the blank control group ( P<0.001 ). In all groups, BDNF, TNF-α/IL-6, and miR-132/134 levels in both hemispheres initially increased and subsequently decreased until week 40. In conclusion, this study provided the evidence of dynamic changes in BDNF, TNF-α/IL-6, and miR-132/134 in the cortex of rats after CC7 nerve transfer using different transecting modes, demonstrating that different CC7 nerve divisions might result in different surgical effects through modulation of cortical reorganization.
Introduction. Baicalein has been shown to have antitumor activities in several cancer types. However, its acting mechanisms remain to be further investigated. This work is aimed at exploring the functional long noncoding RNA (lncRNA)/microRNA (miRNA)/messenger RNA (mRNA) triplets in response to baicalein in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell to understand the mechanisms of baicalein in HCC. Methods. Differentially expressed lncRNAs (DELs) and miRNAs (DEMs) in HCC cell treated with baicalein were first screened using GSE95504 and GSE85511, respectively. miRNA targets for DELs were predicted and intersected with DEMs, after which the miRNA expression was validated using ENCORI and its prognostic value was assessed using Kaplan-Meier plotter. Potential miRNA targets were predicted by 3 prediction tools, after which expression level was validated at UALCAN and Human Protein Atlas. Kaplan-Meier plotter was used to evaluate the effects of these genes on overall survival and recurrence-free survival of HCC patients. Enrichment analyses for these genes were performed at DAVID. Results. Here, we identified 14 overlapping DELs and 26 overlapping DEMs in the baicalein treatment group than those in the DMSO treatment group. Subsequently, by analyzing expression and clinical significance of miRNAs, hsa-miR-4443 was found as a highly potential miRNA target. Then, targets of hsa-miR-4443 were predicted and analyzed, and we found AKT1 was the most potential target for hsa-miR-4443. Hence, the lncRNAs-hsa-miR-4443-AKT1 axis that can respond to baicalein was established. Conclusion. Collectively, we elucidated a role of lncRNAs-hsa-miR-4443-AKT1 pathway in response to baicalein treatment in HCC, which could help us understand the roles of baicalein in inhibiting cancer progression and may provide novel insights into the mechanisms behind HCC progression.