联合TCGA和GEO数据库构建和分析胃癌中circRNA相关的ceRNA网络

环状RNA (circular RNA, circRNA)是一类呈闭环状结构的竞争性内源RNA (competing endogenous RNA, ceRNA),其通过竞争性地吸附微RNA (microRNA, mi RNA)来调节基因表达。circRNA失调与癌细胞的增殖、分化和侵袭等密切相关。本研究基于生物信息学分析和多数据库的联合应用,以ceRNA为切入点探析胃癌中circRNA潜在的致病机制,以期为胃癌提供潜在的临床诊疗靶点,并为胃癌的科学研究提供新思路。首先,通过挖掘胃癌差异表达的circRNA、mi RNA和m RNA构建circRNA-miRNA-mRNA ceRNA网络;随后,利用网络拓扑属性分析确定核心的节点,并根据这些核心的节点从原始的ceRNA网络中提取子网;最后,对子网进行功能学分析和生存分析,分析网络行使的生物学功能并挖掘预后相关的基因。结果显示:共挖掘了6个核心节点(hsa_circ_0008468、hsa_circ_0005822、hsa_circ_0025842、hsa-miR-940、hsa-miR-944及hsa-miR-515-5p);从原始的ceRNA网络中提取了包含8对circRNA-miRNA和539个mi RNA-m RNA关系对的子网络。功能富集结果表明子网涉及癌症相关的多个生物学过程,包括代谢途径、cAMP信号通路、pathways in cancer信号通路等,生存分析发现子网中ACO2、E2F8、GHR、ITIH5等14基因与预后显著相关,这表明3个核心circRNA介导的ceRNA网络与胃癌的发生发展及预后密切相关。     

环状RNA：竞争性内源RNA新成员

环状RNA（circRNA）广泛存在于各种生物细胞中,具有结构稳定、丰度高和组织特异性表达等特征。最近的研究表明,一些circRNA作为竞争性内源NRNA（ceRNA）来发挥基因表达调控的作用。circRNA利用其microRNA（miRNA）应答元件结合miRNA,以阻断miRNA对其靶标表达的抑制作用,从而调控其他相关RNA的表达水平。circRNA在基因表达调控中重要作用的发现不仅丰富了人们对ceRNAiN控网络的认识,而且提示circRNA在药物开发和疾病诊治中具有良好的应用前景。     

circRNA-miRNA-mRNA网络对心血管疾病调控作用的研究进展

近年来环状RNA (circular RNA, circRNA)与心血管疾病的关联已成为国内外学者的研究热点。该文对circRNA的生物合成及其生物学功能进行了概述,并着重综述了在心血管疾病的发生发展中,circRNA作为微小RNA (microRNA, miRNA)的"海绵",竞争性抑制miRNA与mRNA的结合,通过circRNAmiRNA-mRNA网络发挥重要调控作用的相关研究进展,为circRNA成为心血管疾病的生物学靶点提供科学依据。     

蜜蜂球囊菌菌丝和孢子中环状RNA的鉴定及比较分析

[目的] 本研究旨在明确蜜蜂球囊菌（Ascosphaera apis,简称球囊菌）菌丝和孢子中环状RNA（circular RNA,circRNA）的数量、种类和表达谱差异,并探讨共有circRNA、特有circRNA和差异表达circRNA（differentially expressed circRNA,DEcircRNA）在菌丝与孢子中的潜在作用。[方法] 基于前期获得的球囊菌菌丝（AaM）和孢子（AaS）的高质量RNA-seq数据,利用find_circ软件预测circRNA。通过Venn分析筛选AaM和AaS的共有circRNA和特有circRNA。根据P ≤ 0.05且|log₂ fold change|≥ 1的标准筛选AaMvs.AaS比较组的DEcircRNA。通过比对GO和KEGG数据库对circRNA的来源基因进行功能和通路注释。利用TargetFinder软件预测circRNA靶向结合的miRNA及miRNA靶向结合的mRNA。采用Cytoscape软件对竞争性内源RNA（competing endogenous RNA,ceRNA）调控网络进行可视化。通过RT-qPCR对DEcircRNA进行验证。[结果] AaM和AaS中分别含有13210156和19011000条短序列读段（anchors reads）,其中分别有6124922和11392886条能够比对上球囊菌参考基因组。在AaM和AaS中分别鉴定到1868个和2225个circRNA,二者共有的circRNA为1098个,AaM的特有circRNA为770个,AaS的特有circRNA为1127个。AaM和AaS的circRNA长度主要介于1000-2000 nt,基因间区circRNA为主要环化类型。AaMvs.AaS比较组包含456个上调circRNA和97个下调circRNA。共有circRNA的来源基因可注释到29个功能条目和14类通路;AaM的特有circRNA的来源基因可注释到31个功能和17类通路;AaS的特有circRNA的来源基因可注释到34个功能条目和16类通路;DEcircRNA的来源基因可注释到29个功能条目和40条通路。调控网络分析结果显示,36个共有circRNA靶向4个miRNA进而调控6个与内吞作用通路相关的靶mRNA;4（255）个AaM（AaS）的特有circRNA靶向2（2）个miRNA进而调控8（2）个次级代谢产物生物合成通路相关的靶mRNA;9个DEcircRNA靶向2个DEmiRNA进而调控3个MAPK信号通路相关的DEmRNA。RT-qPCR结果显示10个DEcircRNA的表达趋势与测序数据一致,证实了测序数据的可靠性。[结论] 球囊菌菌丝和孢子的共有circRNA、特有circRNA和DEcircRNA可能通过调控来源基因表达和充当ceRNA的方式调节球囊菌的物质和能量代谢、内吞作用、次级代谢产物生物合成和MAPK信号通路,进而影响球囊菌菌丝生长、孢子萌发和致病性。     

环状RNA:潜在的新型miRNA活性调控分子

环状RNA(circular RNA,circRNA)是近年来RNA领域最新的研究热点.它是一类由特殊的选择性剪切产生且在真核细胞中广泛表达的环形内源性RNA分子.研究发现,circRNA富含microRNA(miRNA)结合位点,可以发挥竞争性内源RNA作用,作为miRNA"海绵"来解除对其靶基因的抑制效应.近年来,circRNA作为一种新型调控分子调控miRNA功能的发挥,受到众多研究者的青睐.本文综述circRNA的产生机制,及其调控miRNA的最新研究进展与研究方法等.     

意大利蜜蜂工蜂中肠的环状RNA及其调控网络分析

【目的】环状RNA(circRNA)在可变剪接、转录调控和来源基因的表达调控等方面具有重要功能。本研究旨在分析意大利蜜蜂Apis mellifera ligustica工蜂中肠circRNA的数量、种类、结构特征和作用,并通过构建和分析circRNA的调控网络探索circRNA的调控功能。【方法】在实验室条件下人工饲养意大利蜜蜂工蜂,利用circRNA-seq技术对意大利蜜蜂7和10日龄成年工蜂中肠样品进行深度测序。利用find_circ软件从质控后的数据中预测circRNA。通过BLAST比对GO和KEGG数据库,对circRNA的来源基因进行功能和代谢通路注释。利用TargetFinder软件预测circRNA靶向结合的miRNA及miRNA靶向结合的mRNA,通过Cytoscape v.3.2.1软件对circRNA-miRNA和circRNA-miRNA-mRNA调控网络进行构建及可视化。通过设计背靠背引物和线性扩增引物RT-PCR对预测出的circRNA进行验证。【结果】意大利蜜蜂工蜂中肠样品的测序平均得到136 463 071条clean reads,去除rRNA后各样品的anchor reads均在136 779 122条及以上。共预测出10 833个circRNA,长度主要介于15~1 000 nt;上述circRNA的类型丰富,其中已注释的外显子circRNA数量最多,分布在西方蜜蜂1号染色体的circRNA数量最多,其次为8号染色体。CircRNA的来源基因可注释到包括结合、细胞进程和细胞在内的45个GO条目,以及包括内吞作用、内质网蛋白加工及核糖体在内的121条KEGG代谢通路,表明circRNA在意大利蜜蜂工蜂中肠的生长、发育、新陈代谢和细胞生命活动等生物学过程中发挥重要作用。进一步构建circRNA-miRNA和circRNA-miRNA-mRNA调控网络,分析结果显示部分circRNA可能作为竞争性内源RNA吸附结合microRNA,从而调控基因的表达水平。最后,对随机选择的3个circRNA的RT-PCR结果验证了其真实存在。【结论】本研究对意大利蜜蜂工蜂中肠中的circRNA进行预测、分析及鉴定。研究结果提供了中肠circRNA的数量、种类、结构特征、作用和调控网络的信息,揭示了circRNA可能通过作用于来源基因和作为竞争性内源RNA在意大利蜜蜂工蜂中肠的生长发育和免疫防御中发挥作用,为深入研究circRNA在意大利蜜蜂中肠发育及胁迫响应过程中的功能奠定了基础。     

竞争性内源RNA的生物学功能及其调控

最新研究表明,RNA之间可以通过竞争结合共同的microRNA反应元件(microRNA response element, MRE)实现相互调节,这种调控模式构成竞争性内源RNA(Competing endogenous RNA, ceRNA)。已发现的ceRNA包括蛋白编码mRNA和非编码RNA,其中后者包括假基因转录物、长链非编码RNA(Long non-coding RNA, lncRNA)、环状RNA(Circular RNA, circRNA)等。文章主要从ceRNA分类的角度,阐述各类ceRNA构成的调控网络发挥的生物学功能在病理和生理相关过程中的作用,以及可能影响ceRNA调控有效性的因素。     

LncRNA作为ceRNA调控肿瘤的发生发展

长链非编码RNA(lncRNA)是长度大于200 bp,不编码蛋白质的内源性RNA分子.近年来的研究表明,lncRNA可以作为一种竞争性内源RNA(competing endogenous RNA,ceRNA)吸附miRNA,参与靶基因的表达调控,从而在肿瘤的发生发展中发挥重要的作用.本文从lncRNA作为ceRNA发挥生物学功能这一角度,概述了相关lncRNA在肿瘤发生发展中的作用及机制.揭秘lncRNA与miRNA在肿瘤发生中的相互作用,将为肿瘤的诊断和治疗提供新思路.     

竞争性内源RNA:一种全新的基因表达调控模式

竞争性内源RNA(ceRNA)假说是一种全新的基因表达调控模式:mRNA、假基因转录物和长链非编码RNA等转录物通过microRNA应答元件竞争结合相同的microRNA来调控各自的表达水平,从而影响细胞的功能.迄今为止,多家实验室已从生物信息学、细胞生物学和动物实验等层面验证了该假说.本文追溯了ceRNA假说提出的历程,讨论了ceRNA调控网络的影响因素,并提出了一些有待进一步完善的内容.ceRNA假说大大拓展了人类基因组中功能遗传信息的范畴,也为解析一些人类疾病发生的机制提供了新线索.     

非编码RNA作为ceRNA在人癌症中的功能及机制

非编码RNA(non-coding RNA, ncRNA),即无编码蛋白质潜力的RNA,包括短非编码RNA,例如微RNA(microRNA, miRNA),长非编码RNA(long coding RNA, lncRNA)和环状RNA(circular RNA, circRNA)等,已被证明可以在RNA水平上调节细胞中多种生理及病理过程。miRNA是约18～22个核苷酸大小的内源性非编码RNA分子,可以通过MRE与靶基因的3′非翻译区(untranslated region,UTR)中的互补序列结合,抑制蛋白质编码基因的表达,并导致mRNA转录物的更新、转换或降解。2011年,Salmena等提出,非编码RNA与具有编码蛋白质能力的RNA(mRNA)之间存在一种被称为竞争性内源RNA(competing endogenous RNA, ceRNA)的相互作用机制假说,即含有miRNA反应元件(MRE)的ncRNA通过与miRNA结合,解除miRNA对靶基因的抑制作用。这一假说对基因表达调控的传统认知进行了补充,在RNA水平上将多种ncRNA的作用补充到经典的miRNA调控mRNA翻译的过程,将其延伸为ceRNA-miRNA-mRNA的网络调控模式。近年来研究发现,ceRNA机制广泛存在于胃癌、结肠癌和膀胱癌等各类癌症中,并且在肿瘤的基因调控及肿瘤细胞的增殖、侵袭、转移、凋亡、细胞周期等生物过程中发挥作用。本文将介绍ceRNA及其网络的机制与分子基础,并且结合两类非编码RNA——lncRNA及circRNA作为ceRNA分别在人类不同癌症类型中的近期研究进展作一综述,讨论该机制在肿瘤中的角色及作用,以期拓宽对肿瘤发生发展机制的视野,为癌症治疗提供新思路。     

Downregulation of miR-31, miR-155, and miR-564 in chronic myeloid leukemia cells

Background/Aims

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short non-coding regulatory RNAs that control gene expression and play an important role in cancer development and progression. However, little is known about the role of miRNAs in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Our objective is to decipher a miRNA expression signature associated with CML and to determine potential target genes and signaling pathways affected by these signature miRNAs.

Results

Using miRNA microarrays and miRNA real-time PCR we characterized the miRNAs expression profile of CML cell lines and patients in reference to non-CML cell lines and healthy blood. Of all miRNAs tested, miR-31, miR-155, and miR-564 were down-regulated in CML cells. Down-regulation of these miRNAs was dependent on BCR-ABL activity. We next analyzed predicted targets and affected pathways of the deregulated miRNAs. As expected, in K562 cells, the expression of several of these targets was inverted to that of the miRNA putatively regulating them. Reassuringly, the analysis identified CML as the main disease associated with these miRNAs. MAPK, ErbB, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were the main molecular pathways related with these expression patterns. Utilizing Venn diagrams we found appreciable overlap between the CML-related miRNAs and the signaling pathways-related miRNAs.

Conclusions

The miRNAs identified in this study might offer a pivotal role in CML. Nevertheless, while these data point to a central disease, the precise molecular pathway/s targeted by these miRNAs is variable implying a high level of complexity of miRNA target selection and regulation. These deregulated miRNAs highlight new candidate gene targets allowing for a better understanding of the molecular mechanism underlying the development of CML, and propose possible new avenues for therapeutic treatment.     

Long-Term Effects of Peripubertal Binge EtOH Exposure on Hippocampal microRNA Expression in the Rat

Adolescent binge alcohol abuse induces long-term changes in gene expression, which impacts the physiological stress response and memory formation, two functions mediated in part by the ventral (VH) and dorsal (DH) hippocampus. microRNAs (miRs) are small RNAs that play an important role in gene regulation and are potential mediators of long-term changes in gene expression. Two genes important for regulating hippocampal functions include brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and sirtuin-1 (SIRT1), which we identified as putative gene targets of miR-10a-5p, miR-26a, miR-103, miR-495. The purpose of this study was to quantify miR-10a-5p, miR-26a, miR-103, miR-495 expression levels in the dorsal and ventral hippocampus of male Wistar rats during normal pubertal development and then assess the effects of repeated binge-EtOH exposure. In addition, we measured the effects of binge EtOH-exposure on hippocampal Drosha and Dicer mRNA levels, as well as the putative miR target genes, BDNF and SIRT1. Overall, mid/peri-pubertal binge EtOH exposure altered the normal expression patterns of all miRs tested in an age- and brain region-dependent manner and this effect persisted for up to 30 days post-EtOH exposure. Moreover, our data revealed that mid/peri-pubertal binge EtOH exposure significantly affected miR biosynthetic processing enzymes, Drosha and Dicer. Finally, EtOH-induced significant changes in the expression of a subset of miRs, which correlated with changes in the expression of their predicted target genes. Taken together, these data demonstrate that EtOH exposure during pubertal development has long-term effects on miRNA expression in the rat hippocampus.     

MicroRNA–mRNA interaction network using TSK-type recurrent neural fuzzy network

MicroRNAs are short non-coding RNAs that can regulate gene expression during various crucial cell processes such as differentiation, proliferation and apoptosis. Changes in expression profiles of miRNA play an important role in the development of many cancers, including CRC. Therefore, the identification of cancer related miRNAs and their target genes are important for cancer biology research. In this paper, we applied TSK-type recurrent neural fuzzy network (TRNFN) to infer miRNA–mRNA association network from paired miRNA, mRNA expression profiles of CRC patients. We demonstrated that the method we proposed achieved good performance in recovering known experimentally verified miRNA–mRNA associations. Moreover, our approach proved successful in identifying 17 validated cancer miRNAs which are directly involved in the CRC related pathways. Targeting such miRNAs may help not only to prevent the recurrence of disease but also to control the growth of advanced metastatic tumors. Our regulatory modules provide valuable insights into the pathogenesis of cancer.