Oncogenic circDHTKD1 promotes tumor growth and metastasis of oral squamous cell carcinoma in vitro and in vivo via upregulating miR-326-mediated GAB1

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been extensively elucidated with regard to their significant implications in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). This study performed the functional investigation of circRNA dehydrogenase E1 and transketolase domain containing 1 (circDHTKD1) in OSCC. RNA expression levels of different molecules were measured via quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Cellular behaviors were detected by 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-y1)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) for cell viability, colony formation assay for clonal capacity, flow cytometry for cell apoptosis, wound healing assay for migration, and transwell assay for migration/invasion. Western blot was used for analyzing protein expression. RNA pull-down and dual-luciferase reporter assays were applied to assess the binding between targets. A xenograft tumor model was established in nude mice for in vivo experiments. Our expression analysis revealed that circDHTKD1 was upregulated in OSCC tissues and cells. circDHTKD1 knockdown was shown to impede OSCC cell growth and metastasis but motivate apoptosis. Additionally, circDHTKD1 served as a microRNA-326 (miR-326) sponge and the function of circDHTKD1 was achieved by sponging miR-326 in OSCC cells. Also, miR-326 inhibited OSCC development via targeting GRB2-associated-binding protein 1 (GAB1). circDHTKD1 could sponge miR-326 to alter GAB1 expression. Furthermore, circDHTKD1 contributed to OSCC progression in vivo via the miR-326/GAB1 axis. These data disclosed a specific circDHTKD1/miR-326/GAB1 signal axis in governing the malignant progression of OSCC, showing the considerable possibility of circDHTKD1 as a predictive and therapeutic target for clinical diagnosis and treatment of OSCC.     

lncRNA PCAT1表达下调抑制口腔鳞状细胞癌细胞的增殖、生长、侵袭、迁移及上皮-间充质转化

目的:探讨长链非编码RNA(long non-coding RNA,lncRNA) PCAT1对口腔鳞状细胞癌(oral squamous cell carcinoma,OSCC)细胞的增殖、生长、侵袭及迁移的影响,并探讨其可能机制。方法:采用Lipofectamine 200将PCAT1 siRNA转染入OSCC细胞分别利用RT-qPCR和Western blot检测相关基因的mRNA及蛋白表达;分别利用CCK-8实验和集落形成实验检测OSCC细胞的增殖及生长能力;利用细胞侵袭实验和细胞迁移实验检测OSCC细胞的侵袭及迁移能力。结果:PCAT1在OSCC组织和细胞中的表达与癌旁正常组织和正常口腔细胞黏膜角质细胞相比显著上调(P 0. 05)。转染PCAT1 siRNA可以显著降低PCAT1在Tca8113和TSCCa细胞中的表达(P 0. 05)。PCAT1的低表达可以显著抑制Tca8133和TSCCa细胞的增殖、生长、侵袭及迁移(P 0. 05)。PCAT1在Tca8113和TSCCa细胞中的低表达可以抑制ZEB1、N-cadherin和vimentin的mRNA及蛋白表达,同时增加E-cadherin的mRNA及蛋白表达(P 0. 05)。结论:沉默PCAT1能够抑制OSCC细胞的增殖、生长及转移,该作用可能与调控上皮-间充质转化有关。     

Low expression of miR-99b promotes progression of clear cell renal cell carcinoma by up-regulating IGF1R/Akt/mTOR signaling

Objective: Dysfunctions of microRNAs have been implicated in the progression of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). Here, we investigated the roles of miR-99b and miR-99b* in ccRCC development. Methods: The expression levels of miR-99b and miR-99b* in tumor and tumor-adjacent tissues from ccRCC patients were quantified by quantitative Real-Time PCR (qRT-PCR). MicroRNA mimics and inhibitors were employed to evaluate the functions of miR-99b and miR-99b*. The effects of miR-99b on the proliferation and migration of ccRCC cells were analyzed by MTT and wound-healing assays, respectively. The effect of miR-99b on the expression of its target gene IGF1R and mTOR was determined by western blotting and qRT-PCR. Results: The abundances of miR-99b and miR-99b* were lower in ccRCC tissues than in the tumor-adjacent tissues from patients. Similarly, the expression of these two microRNAs was higher in the normal kidney HK-2 cells than in the ccRCC cell lines. Moreover, miR-99b and miR-99b* inhibited the proliferation and migration of ccRCC cells. MiR-99b was found to down-regulate IGF1R and mTOR expression, likely through targeting their mRNAs to induce degradation. Consistently, the mRNA levels of IGF1R and mTOR were higher in ccRCC tissues than in the tumor-adjacent tissues, and Akt, a downstream factor of IGF1R, was highly activated correspondingly in ccRCC tissues. Conclusion: The low expression of miR-99b and miR-99b* contributes to ccRCC development and miR-99b acts as an onco-suppressor by suppressing IGF1R and mTOR expression to down-regulate IGF1R/AKT/mTOR signaling.     

HOXA10 controls proliferation,migration and invasion in oral squamous cell carcinoma

Although HOX genes are best known for acting in the regulation of important events during embryogenesis, including proliferation, differentiation and migration, alterations in their expression patterns have been frequently described in cancers. In previous studies we analyzed the expression profile of the members of the HOX family of homeobox genes in oral samples of normal mucosa and squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and identified differently expressed genes such as HOXA10. The present study aimed to validate the increased expression of HOXA10 in OSCCs, and to investigate the effects arising from its knockdown in OSCC cells. The levels of HOXA10 mRNA were determined in human OSCC samples and cell lines by quantitative PCR, and HOXA10-mediated effects on proliferation, apoptosis, adhesion, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), migration and invasion were studied in HSC-3 tongue carcinoma cells by using retrovirus-mediated RNA interference. Higher expression of HOXA10 mRNA was observed in OSCC cell lines and in tumor tissues compared to normal controls. HOXA10 knockdown significantly reduced the proliferation of the tumor cells which was accompanied by increased levels of p21. HOXA10 silencing also significantly induced the expression of EMT markers and enhanced the adhesion, migration and invasion of HSC-3 cells. No effects on cell death were observed after HOXA10 knockdown. The results of the current study confirm the overexpression of HOXA10 in OSCCs, and further demonstrate that its expression is functionally associated with several important biological processes related to oral tumorigenesis, such as proliferation, migration and invasion.     

miR-106a promotes growth and metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer by targeting PTEN

MicroRNAs are a class of small non-coding RNAs that play essential roles in cancer development and progression. Recent studies suggested that abnormal expression of miRNAs occurs frequently in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tissues compared to adjacent normal tissues. In this study, we investigated the expression and the biological roles of miR-106a in non-small cell lung cancer. Our results showed that miR-106a was up-regulated in NSCLC tissues and cell lines. Inhibition of miR-106a in NSCLC cells substantially inhibited cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) was identified as a direct target of miR-106a, and over-expression of miR-106a suppressed PTEN by direct binding to its 3’-untranslated region (3’-UTR). Furthermore, the presence of miR-106a was inversely correlated with PTEN in NSCLC tissues. Overall, this study suggested that miR-106a inhibited the growth and metastasis of NSCLC cells by decreasing PTEN expression. These data provide novel insights with potential therapeutic applications for the treatment of NSCLC.     

miR-589-3p靶向DSPP基因对口腔鳞状细胞癌肿瘤干细胞的调控作用

目的:探讨miR-589-3p靶向牙本质涎磷蛋白(DSPP)对口腔鳞状细胞癌(OSCC)肿瘤干细胞增殖、凋亡、侵袭的影响.方法:对OSCC患者和口腔良性肿物患者组织中miR-589-3p和DSPP的表达进行检测,对miR-589-3p和DSPP的相关性进行分析.双荧光素酶报告实验验证miR-589-3p与DSPP的靶向...     

MiR-1228 promotes breast cancer cell growth and metastasis through targeting SCAI protein

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women around the world. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying breast cancer pathogenesis are only partially understood. Here, in this study, we found that miR-1228 was up-regulated in breast cancer cell lines and tissues. Ectopic expression of miR-1228 mimics leads to promoted cell growth, invasion and migration. Using bioinfomatic analysis and 3’UTR luciferase reporter assay, we determined SCAI can be directly targeted by miR-1228, which can down-regulate endogenous SCAI protein level. Furthermore, our findings demonstrate that SCAI was down-regulated in breast cancer cell lines and tissues. Rescue experiment demonstrated that miR-1228 promoted cell growth is attenuated by over-expression of MOAP1 and miR-1228 promoted cell invasion and migration can be attenuated by over-expression of SCAI. Taken together, this study provides evidences that miR-1228 serves as an oncogene to promote breast cancer proliferation, invasion and migration, which may become a critical therapeutic target for breast cancer treatment.     

Gallic acid modulates phenotypic behavior and gene expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma cells by interfering with leptin pathway

Gallic acid is a polyphenolic compost appointed to interfere with neoplastic cells behavior. Evidence suggests an important role of leptin in carcinogenesis pathways, inducing a proliferative phenotype. We investigated the potential of gallic acid to modulate leptin-induced cell proliferation and migration of oral squamous cell carcinoma cell lines. The gallic acid effect on leptin secretion by oral squamous cell carcinoma cells, as well as the underlying molecular mechanisms, was also assessed. For this, we performed proliferation, migration, immunocytochemical and qPCR assays. The expression levels of cell migration-related genes (MMP2, MMP9, Col1A1, and E-cadherin), angiogenesis (HIF-1α, mir210), leptin signaling (LepR, p44/42 MAPK), apoptosis (casp-3), and secreted leptin levels by oral squamous cell carcinoma cells were also measured. Gallic acid decreased proliferation and migration of leptin-treated oral squamous cell carcinoma cells, and reduced mRNA expression of MMP2, MMP9, Col1A1, mir210, but did not change HIF-1α. Gallic acid decreased levels of leptin secreted by oral squamous cell carcinoma cells, accordingly with downregulation of p44/42 MAPK expression. Thus, gallic acid appears to break down neoplastic phenotype of oral squamous cell carcinoma cells by interfering with leptin pathway.     

Talin-1 overexpression defines high risk for aggressive oral squamous cell carcinoma and promotes cancer metastasis

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is highly invasive and is associated with frequent tumour recurrences and lymph node metastases. Identification of genes involved in the aggressiveness of OSCC may provide new targets for clinical intervention. A genome-wide study based on the Sty1 250K SNP array indicated the involvement of the Talin-1 (TLN1) gene in the 9p13.3 amplicon, which was further validated by dual colour fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Comparative analyses revealed that TLN1 was the most highly expressed integrin-cytoskeleton cross-linker that can trigger integrin activation. IHC analyses and mouse study also revealed an association between TLN1 overexpression and advanced OSCC with invasion to adjacent tissues. Survival analyses indicated a significant association between TLN1 genetic gain/overexpression and a reduced overall survival in patients. Functional knockdown by a dominant negative TLN1 fragment reduced cell growth and invasiveness in TLN1-overexpressing cells via inactivation of downstream oncogenic signalling. The present study suggests an important role for TLN1 in oral cancer development. TLN1 overexpression could serve as a diagnostic marker for aggressive phenotypes and a potential target for treating OSCC.     

miR-204-5p inhibits cell proliferation and induces cell apoptosis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma by regulating Nestin

Esophageal cancer (EC) is a highly malignant gastrointestinal tumor, and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the most common histological types of EC. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs closely related to tumorigenesis and tumor progression. In addition, Nestin is an intermediate filament protein (class VI) and contributes to the progression of numerous tumors. However, the correlation between miRNAs and Nestin in ESCC remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between miR-204-5p and Nestin in ESCC. First, Nestin-related miRNAs in ESCC were explored using RNA sequencing. In ESCC tissues and cell lines, the expression of miR-204-5p was decreased detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), whereas Nestin protein level was upregulated identified by Western blotting (WB). Besides, Nestin was the direct target of miR-204-5p in ESCC determined via the luciferase reported assay. Moreover, miR-204-5p regulated Nestin to inhibit ESCC cell proliferation detected by the colony formation assay and promote ESCC cell apoptosis identified using the flow cytometry and TUNEL assay. Furthermore, miR-204-5p suppressed tumorigenesis in vivo evaluated by the murine xenograft tumor model. In conclusion, these results indicated that miR-204-5p inhibited cell proliferation and induced cell apoptosis in ESCC through targeting Nestin, which might provide novel therapeutic targets for ESCC therapy.     

miR-217调控lncRNAMALAT1影响食管鳞癌细胞的生物学行为

目的　探讨miR-217通过调控lncRNA MALAT1抑制食管鳞状细胞癌细胞的增殖,迁移和侵袭行为及其机制。 方法　qPCR检测miR-217在食管鳞状细胞癌组织和不同细胞株中的表达情况;双荧光素酶报告基因检测miR-217与MALAT1之间的相互作用;MTT增殖实验检测抑制miR-217后食管鳞状细胞癌细胞的增殖能力的变化情况;划痕愈合试验和Transwell侵袭实验检测抑制miR-217后食管鳞状细胞癌细胞的迁移和侵袭行为的变化情况;Western blotting实验检测miR-217对MALAT1下游相关蛋白表达情况的影响。 结果　与正常食管组织相比,食管鳞状细胞癌组织中miR-217的表达水平相对上调,与其他细胞株相比,Ec109细胞中miR-217表达最高;双荧光素酶实验证实miR-217能与MALAT1的3’ UTR特异性结合,可以调控MALAT1的表达与活性;抑制miR-217的表达后可以抑制食管鳞状细胞癌细胞的增殖、迁移和侵袭能力;抑制miR-217后MALAT1下游MIA2,ROBO1表达明显下调。 结论　miR-217可以调控MALAT1的表达影响食管鳞状细胞癌细胞的生物学行为。     

miR-27a promotes cell proliferation and metastasis in renal cell carcinoma

miR-27a has been reported to exhibit abnormal expression in renal cell carcinoma (RCC), but the role of miR-27a in RCC remains unknown. In our study, up-regulation of miR-27a was validated by Real-time PCR analysis in 133 RCC samples. Overexpression of miR-27a promoted cell migration, invasion and proliferation in vitro, while its low expression exerted opposite effects. Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated that the patients with high expression of miR-27a had a worse overall and relapse-free survivals compared with those with low expression of miR-27a. Cox proportional hazards analyses showed that miR-27a expression was an independent prognostic factor for RCC patients. Collectively, our findings illustrate the promoting-cancer effect of miR-27a in RCC, suggesting that miR-27a could be a potential therapeutic target for RCC. Additionally, Kaplan-Meier analyses and Cox proportional regression analysis suggest that miR-27a may be a potential biomarker for predicting the survival of RCC patients.     

Immunosuppressive mediators of oral squamous cell carcinoma in tumour samples and saliva

The goal of this study was to compare the salivary concentrations of IL-10, TGF-β1 and soluble HLA-G (sHLA-G) in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) to those in healthy individuals (control group), and to correlate the expression of these mediators in saliva with that in the tumour microenvironment. Neoplastic tissue and saliva samples from patients with OSCC (n = 22) were analysed by immunohistochemistry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) respectively. We detected high expression of IL-10 and HLA-G in the tumour microenvironment when compared to healthy oral mucosa samples. Determination of IL-10 salivary concentration enabled us to distinguish patients with OSCC from healthy individuals (P = 0.038), which showed correlation with tissue expression of this cytokine. HLA-G salivary release was similar in both groups (P = 0.17) and no correlation with tumour expression was observed. TGF-β1 expression was low or absent in tumours, and salivary concentration was similar between groups. Our results suggest that of the three markers analysed, IL-10 is a potential salivary biomarker. Furthermore, the elevated expression of HLA-G and IL-10 in tumour sites could favour the escape of tumour cells from immune defense mechanisms.     

miR-455-5p suppresses hepatocellular carcinoma cell growth and invasion via IGF-1R/AKT/GLUT1 pathway by targeting IGF-1R

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is among the most frequently observed forms of cancer. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are increasingly thought to play a key role in regulating the onset and progression of a wide range of cancer types. In the present report, we found that miR-455-5p expression was significantly decreased in both HCC patient tumor tissues and cell lines, and that this reduction in expression was linked to poorer patient outcomes. When we overexpressed miR-455-5p in HCC cell lines (Huh7 and HepG2), this was linked with impaired proliferation, colony formation, migration, and invasion. We further found that this miRNA was able to directly bind the insulin growth factor receptor (IGF-1R) 3′-untranslated region, thereby suppressing IGF-1R expression in HCC cells. Consistent with this, miR-455-5p overexpression was associated with reduced glucose transporter (GLUT) 1 expression, which in turn inhibited HCC cell uptake of glucose, production of lactate, and generation of ATP. Together these results thus indicate that mIR-455-5p is able to suppress tumor functionality via impairing glycolysis in HCC cells, highlighting this miRNA as a potential target for anti-cancer therapeutic interventions.     

Expression of E-cadherin and vimentin in oral squamous cell carcinoma

The aim of the study is to determine the levels of E-cadherin, vimentin expression in tumor tissues from patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), and the relationship between the expression of E-cadherin, vimentin and epithelial-mesenchymal transition, in order to explore its values for predicting the invasion and metastasis of oral squamous cell carcinoma, short survival of patients in many types of cancer. E-cadherin and vimentin expression of 10 benign and 42 OSCC tumor tissues was examined by immunohistochemical staining. E-cadherin is positively expressed in normal oral mucosa epithelium, but vimentin expression is not found in normal oral mucosa epithelia; the E-cadherin and vimentin were expressed in 26 of 42 (61.9%) and 16 of 42 (38.1%), respectively. No statistically difference was found for E-cadherin and vimentin expression in patients with different age, gender and tumor location, E-cadherin and vimentin expression was significantly associated with lymph node metastasis and tissue location (P < 0.05); E-cadherin expression was also significantly associated with tumor stage (P < 0.05); there are significantly difference between infiltrative margin and central area in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma for E-cadherin and vimentin positive expression (P < 0.05). E-cadherin and vimentin positive expression was associated with tumor metastasis of oral squamous cell carcinoma. Our study preliminarily confirmed that EMT phenomenon is existed during the development of oral squamous cell carcinoma. Co-evaluation of E-cadherin and vimentin might be a valuable tool for predicting OSCC patient outcome.     

Overexpression of CD9 correlates with tumor stage and lymph node metastasis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Objective: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the leading causes of cancer deaths worldwide. CD9 has been reported to play a critical role in cell motility, growth and metastasis of multiple cancers. The present study investigated the clinicopathological features of CD9, and its biological characteristics in ESCC. Methods: Fifteen normal esophageal tissue specimens, fifty-three ESCC adjacent tissues and one hundred and four ESCC tissues were included in this study. Using immunohistochemistry (IHC), the expression levels of CD9 were evaluated among different samples. And its clinicopathological parameters and its prognostic factors were analyzed. Western blotting was used to measure CD9 expression and colony formation was performed to determine the effect of CD9 on cell growth in ESCC TE-1 cells. Results: Compared with normal esophageal tissues and tumor adjacent tissues, CD9 expression level is significantly higher in ESCC tissues. CD9 expression correlated with tumor stage (P = 0.022) and lymph node metastasis (P = 0.019) in ESCC patients. Furthermore, the small interfering RNA-mediated silencing of CD9 expression in TE-1 cells resulted in increased proliferation as evidenced by increased colony number and colony size. Conclusion: CD9 expression is upregulated in ESCC tissues and its expression is correlated with tumor stage and lymph node metastasis in ESCC patients. CD9 suppresses the proliferation of TE-1 cells. CD9 may present a potential in tumor progression in ESCC.