Project description:MicroRNAs play an important role in the pathogenesis of different types of cancer including bladder cancer. MiR-21 has been identified to have an oncogenic function, while its inhibition suppresses tumor growth. Here, we followed an integrated bioinformatics and molecular analyses to identify the molecular mediators of miR-21 oncogenic function in bladder cancer and evaluate the therapeutic potential of a chemically-modified miR-21 inhibitor in bladder xenografts. MiR-21 expression was found to up-regulated in human bladder cancers relative to normal tissues and miR-21 inhibition suppressed bladder cancer cell properties, including growth, invasiveness and anchorage-independence. Intravenous administration of an antisense oligonucleotide against miR-21 harboring locked-nucleic-acid (LNA-miR-21) modifications blocked bladder tumor growth in vivo. Transcriptomic analysis of 28 bladder cancer cell lines revealed a gene signature that negatively correlated with miR-21 expression levels. Bioinformatics and 3’UTR luciferase assay analyses revealed a direct interaction between miR-21 the 3’UTR of PPP2R2A gene. Inhibition of PPP2R2A expression induced bladder cancer growth, suggesting its tumor suppressor function. Gene profiling followed by IPA network analysis revealed that PPP2R2A regulates the ERK1/2 molecular network. Taken together, PPP2R2A is the functional mediator of miR-21 oncogenic activity on bladder cancer and LNA-miR-21 could have a therapeutic potential in bladder cancer patients.
Project description:miR-21 is upregulated in advanced tumor stages, distal metastasis, and poor survival and in response to cytotoxic stress, but is also known to confer resistance to radiation and chemotherapy. We discovered that global ablation of miR-21 significantly decreased tumorigenesis and metastatic spread of breast cancer, while sensitizing breast carcinomas to cytotoxic agents by evoking Fas/FasL-dependent apoptosis. Targeting miR-21 may represent a novel and efficacious therapeutic modality either alone or in combination with standard oncologic treatments.
Project description:MicroRNA (miRNA) sponges containing miRNA complementary binding sites constitute a potentially useful strategy for miRNA-inhibition therapeutics in cancer patients. Recently, naturally occurring circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been revealed to function as efficient microRNA sponges. We hypothesized that synthetic circRNA sponges targeting oncomiRs could be constructed and used to achieve potentially therapeutic microRNA loss of function. In this study, linear RNA molecules containing five miR-21 binding sites were transcribed in vitro. After dephosphorylation by calf intestinal phosphatase and phosphorylation by T4 polynucleotide kinase, circRNA sponges were circularized using 5’-3’ end ligation by T4 RNA ligase 1. Synthetic circular sponge stability was assayed in the presence of RNase R or fetal bovine serum. Luciferase reporter and cell proliferation assays were performed to assess competitive inhibition of miR-21 activity by circRNA sponges in NCI-N87 gastric cancer cells. Tandem Mass Tag (TMT) labeling proteomics analysis and Western blotting were performed to delineate effects of circRNA sponges on miR-21 downstream targeted proteins. Our experiments revealed that artificial circRNA sponges can be synthesized using enzymatic ligation. These synthetic circRNA sponges are more resistant than their linear RNA counterparts to nuclease degradation in vitro. They effectively suppress the activity of miR-21 on its downstream protein targets, including the important cancer protein DAXX. Finally, they also inhibit gastric cancer cell proliferation. Our results suggest that synthetic circRNA sponges represent a rapid, effective, convenient strategy to achieve loss of miRNA function in vitro, with potential future therapeutic application in vivo.
Project description:Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Despite advancements and improvements in surgical and medical treatments, the survival rate of lung cancer patients remains frustratingly poor. Local control for early stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has dramatically improved over the last decades for both operable and inoperable patients. However, the molecular mechanisms of NSCLC invasion leading to regional and distant disease spread remain poorly understood. Here we identify miR-224 to be significantly up-regulated in NSCLC tissues, in particular in resected NSCLC metastasis. Increased miR-224 expression promotes cell migration, invasion and proliferation by directly targeting the tumor suppressors, TNFAIP1 and SMAD4. In concordance with in vitro studies, mouse xenograft studies validated that miR-224 function as a potent oncomiR in NSCLC in vivo. Moreover, we found promoter hypomethylation and activated ERK signaling to be involved in the regulation of miR-224 expression in NSCLC. Up-regulated mir-224 thus facilitates tumor progression by shifting the equilibrium of the partially antagonist functions of SMAD4 and TNFAIP1 towards enhanced invasion and growth in NSCLC. Our findings indicate that targeting miR-224 could be effective in the treatment of certain lung cancer patients Oncogenic role of miR-224 in lung cancer
Project description:Breast cancer (BrCa) relies on specific microRNAs to drive disease progression. Oncogenic miR-21 is upregulated in many cancers including BrCa and is associated with poor survival and treatment resistance. We sought to determine the role of miR-21 in BrCa tumor initiation, progression and treatment response. In a triple-negative BrCA model, radiation exposure increased miR-21 in both primary tumor and metastases. In vitro, miR-21 knockdown decreased survival in all BrCa subtypes in presence of radiation. The role of miR-21 to BrCa initiation was evaluated by implanting wild-type miR-21 BrCa cells into genetically-engineered mouse models where miR-21 was intact, heterozygous or globally ablated. Tumors were unable to grow in mammary fat pads of miR-21-/- mice, grew in ~50% of miR-21+/- and 100% in miR-21+/+ mice. The contribution of miR-21 in progression and metastases was tested by crossing miR-21-/- mice with mice that spontaneously develop BrCa. Global ablation of miR-21 significantly decreased tumorigenesis and metastases of BrCa while sensitizing tumors to radio- and chemotherapeutic agents by a Fas/FasL-dependent apoptosis. Therefore, targeting miR-21 alone or in combination with various radio or cytotoxic therapies may represent novel and efficacious therapeutic modalities for the future treatment of BrCa patients. We used microarray to identify gene expression associated with miR-21 function in breast development and metastasis.
Project description:Background: Circular RNAs (circRNAs), a subclass of noncoding RNAs, have been reported to be involved in the progression of various diseases. However, the exact role of circRIMS1, also termed hsa_circ_0132246, in human bladder cancer remains to be discovered. Methods: By performing RNA-seq comparing bladder cell lines and normal uroepithelial cells, circRIMS1 was selected as the research object. We further verified by qRT-PCR that circRIMS1 was upregulated in bladder cancer tissue and cell lines. Proliferation, colony formation, Transwell migration, Matrigel invasion, apoptosis, western blotting and in vivo tumorigenesis and metastasis assays were utilized to evaluate the roles of circRIMS1, miR-433-3p and CCAR1. For mechanistic investigation, RNA pull-down, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and luciferase reporter assay confirmed the binding of circRIMS1 with miR-433-3p. Results: CircRIMS1 was significantly upregulated in bladder cancer and circRIMS1 expression was associated with the pathological stage and histological grade of bladder cancer. Inhibition of circRIMS1 suppressed the proliferation, migration and invasion of bladder cancer cells in vitro and in vivo, while overexpression of circRIMS1 exerted the opposite effects. Moreover, the circRIMS1/miR-433-3p/CCAR1 regulatory axis was confirmed to be responsible for the biological functions of circRIMS1. Conclusions: CircRIMS1 acts as a tumor promoter in bladder cancer to enhance tumor growth, migration and invasion via the miR-433-3p/CCAR1 regulatory axis, which provides a new therapeutic target and a novel biomarker in bladder cancer. Keywords: CircRIMS1, Bladder cancer, miR-433-3p, CCAR1, Progression, Metastasis
Project description:Background: Circular RNAs (circRNAs), a subclass of noncoding RNAs, have been reported to be involved in the progression of various diseases. However, the exact role of circRIMS1, also termed hsa_circ_0132246, in human bladder cancer remains to be discovered. Methods: By performing RNA-seq comparing bladder cell lines and normal uroepithelial cells, circRIMS1 was selected as the research object. We further verified by qRT-PCR that circRIMS1 was upregulated in bladder cancer tissue and cell lines. Proliferation, colony formation, Transwell migration, Matrigel invasion, apoptosis, western blotting and in vivo tumorigenesis and metastasis assays were utilized to evaluate the roles of circRIMS1, miR-433-3p and CCAR1. For mechanistic investigation, RNA pull-down, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and luciferase reporter assay confirmed the binding of circRIMS1 with miR-433-3p. Results: CircRIMS1 was significantly upregulated in bladder cancer and circRIMS1 expression was associated with the pathological stage and histological grade of bladder cancer. Inhibition of circRIMS1 suppressed the proliferation, migration and invasion of bladder cancer cells in vitro and in vivo, while overexpression of circRIMS1 exerted the opposite effects. Moreover, the circRIMS1/miR-433-3p/CCAR1 regulatory axis was confirmed to be responsible for the biological functions of circRIMS1. Conclusions: CircRIMS1 acts as a tumor promoter in bladder cancer to enhance tumor growth, migration and invasion via the miR-433-3p/CCAR1 regulatory axis, which provides a new therapeutic target and a novel biomarker in bladder cancer. Keywords: CircRIMS1, Bladder cancer, miR-433-3p, CCAR1, Progression, Metastasis
Project description:Numerous studies have described the altered expression and the causal role of miRNAs in human cancer. However, to date efforts to modulate miRNA levels for therapeutic purposes have been challenging to implement. Here, we find that Nucleolin (NCL), a major nucleolar protein, post-transcriptionally regulates the expression of a specific subset of miRNAs, including miR-21, miR-221, miR-222, and miR-103, causally involved in breast cancer initiation, progression and drug-resistance. We also show that NCL is commonly overexpressed in human breast tumors, and its expression correlates with that of NCL-dependent miRNAs. Finally, this study indicates that NCL-binding guanosine-rich aptamers affect the levels of NCL-dependent miRNAs and their target genes, reducing breast cancer cell aggressiveness, both in vitro and in vivo. These findings illuminate a path to novel therapeutic approaches based on NCL-targeting aptamers for the modulation of miRNA expression in the treatment of breast cancer. HeLa cells were transfected with the control or anti-nucleolin siRNA. After 72hours total RNA was collected and analyzed by NanoString.
Project description:Numerous studies have described the altered expression and the causal role of miRNAs in human cancer. However, to date efforts to modulate miRNA levels for therapeutic purposes have been challenging to implement. Here, we find that Nucleolin (NCL), a major nucleolar protein, post-transcriptionally regulates the expression of a specific subset of miRNAs, including miR-21, miR-221, miR-222, and miR-103, causally involved in breast cancer initiation, progression and drug-resistance. We also show that NCL is commonly overexpressed in human breast tumors, and its expression correlates with that of NCL-dependent miRNAs. Finally, this study indicates that NCL-binding guanosine-rich aptamers affect the levels of NCL-dependent miRNAs and their target genes, reducing breast cancer cell aggressiveness, both in vitro and in vivo. These findings illuminate a path to novel therapeutic approaches based on NCL-targeting aptamers for the modulation of miRNA expression in the treatment of breast cancer. MCF7 cells were treated with the control drug or AS1411 aptamer. After 72hours total RNA was collected and analyzed by Affymetrix U133 plus.