Regulation of CRABP-II expression by MycN in Wilms tumor

Cellular retinoic acid binding protein II (CRABP-II) is overexpressed in a wide variety of cancers. Previously we have shown that CRABP-II expression levels are also elevated in neuroblastoma and Wilms tumors. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the abnormal expression of CRABP-II in Wilms tumor, we studied the expression of MycN and CRABP-II in these tumor samples. Our data revealed that CRABP-II is overexpressed in Wilms tumor compared to normal adjacent non-neoplastic tissue and its levels are even higher in late stage tumors. Its expression correlates with MycN expression in tumors. The tumors that do not express MycN have no CRABP-II expression. The expression of CRABP-II is also regulated by methylation and its promoter is unmethylated in tumors. Knockdown of MycN by small interfering RNA leads to downregulation of CRABP-II. Thus our results suggest that both MycN and DNA methylation are responsible for CRABP-II expression in pediatric tumors and demethylation of CRABP-II may be an early event in tumor development.     

RNA干扰与染色质沉默——生物体内精密的网络调控机制

基因表达受不同层次的调控.RNA干扰通过产生双链小RNA诱导同源mRNA序列降解,从而在转录后抑制特定基因的表达.最新的研究成果显示：RNA干扰产生的双链小RNA可通过与染色质中的重复序列DNA及组蛋白甲基化酶相互作用,引起组蛋白H3 Lys9的甲基化,进一步与异染色质形成相关蛋白结合,导致染色质沉默.综述了RNA干扰,小RNA,组蛋白修饰,染色质沉默及基因表达调控之间存在着精密的网络调控机制.     

三株传染性法氏囊病病毒A节段全长基因组结构和编码蛋白的序列分析

用长距离RT PCR方法分别克隆了浙江地区传染性法氏囊病病毒 (IBDV)细胞致弱株HZ2、弱毒疫苗株JD1和野毒株ZJ2 0 0 0的A节段基因组全长 ,三毒株的A节段均长 32 59bp ,都包含两个相互重叠的开放阅读框架和两端的 5′ ,3′ 非编码区 (NCR)。它们在核苷酸和推导的四种病毒蛋白VP2、VP3、VP4、VP5的氨基酸水平上高度同源 ,并具有位于VP2高变区的特征性氨基酸H2 53、N2 79、T2 84、R330 ,这些氨基酸是弱毒株和几个强毒株的标志。野毒株ZJ2 0 0 0的高强毒力可能与VP2高变区和VP2 VP4剪切位点附近的几个突变有关。序列比较进一步支持VP2并非是决定IBDV毒力的唯一因素。不同毒力表型毒株的两端NCR序列高度保守提示NCR可能与IBDV毒力并不直接相关。另外 ,根据VP5在十种不同表型毒株中高度保守 ,作者提出了一种VP5与病毒毒力关系的推测     

Screening of significant biomarkers related with prognosis of liver cancer by lncRNA-associated ceRNAs analysis

This study aimed to identify significant biomarkers related to the prognosis of liver cancer using long noncoding RNA (lncRNA)-associated competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) analysis. Differentially expressed mRNA and lncRNAs between liver cancer and paracancerous tissues were screened, and the functions of these mRNAs were predicted by gene ontology and pathway enrichment analyses. A ceRNA network consisting of differentially expressed mRNAs and lncRNAs was constructed. LncRNA FENDRR and lncRNA HAND2-AS1 were hub nodes in the ceRNA network. A risk score assessment model consisting of eight genes (PDE2A, ESR1, FBLN5, ALDH8A1, AKR1D1, EHHADH, ADRA1A, and GNE) associated with prognosis were developed. Multivariate Cox regression suggested that both pathologic_T and risk group could be regarded as independent prognostic factors. Furthermore, a nomogram model consisting of pathologic_T and risk group showed a good prediction ability for predicting the survival rate of liver cancer patients. The nomogram model consisting of pathologic_T and a risk score assessment model could be regarded as an independent factor for predicting prognosis of liver cancer.     

Life without A tail: New formats of long noncoding RNAs

While most long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) appear indistinguishable from mRNAs, having 5′ cap structures and 3′ poly(A) tails, recent work has revealed new formats. Rather than taking advantage of the canonical cleavage and polyadenylation for their 3′ end maturation, such lncRNAs are processed and stablized by a number of other mechanisms, including the RNase P cleavage to generate a mature 3′ end, or capped by snoRNP complexes at both ends, or by forming circular structures. Importantly, such lncRNAs have also been implicated in gene expression regulation in mammalian cells. Here, we highlight recent progress in our understanding of the biogenesis and function of lncRNAs without a poly(A) tail.This paper is part of a directed issue entitled: The Non-coding RNA Revolution.     

CircNr1h4 regulates the pathological process of renal injury in salt‐sensitive hypertensive mice by targeting miR‐155‐5p

Circular RNAs are a class of widespread and diverse endogenous RNAs that may regulate gene expression in various diseases, but their regulation and function in hypertensive renal injury remain unclear. In this study, we generated ribosomal‐depleted RNA sequencing data from normal mouse kidneys and from injured mouse kidneys induced by deoxycorticosterone acetate‐salt hypertension and identified at least 4900 circRNA candidates. A total of 124 of these circRNAs were differentially expressed between the normal and injured kidneys. Furthermore, we characterized one abundant circRNA, termed circNr1h4, which is derived from the Nr1h4 gene and significantly down‐regulated in the injured kidneys. RNA sequencing data and qPCR analysis also showed many microRNAs and mRNAs, including miR‐155‐5p and fatty acid reductase 1 (Far1), were differentially expressed between the normal and injured kidney and related to circNr1h4. In vitro, the silencing of circNr1h4 or overexpression of miR‐155‐5p significantly decreased Far1 levels and increased reactive oxygen species. Mechanistic investigations indicated that circNr1h4 acts as a competing endogenous RNA for miR‐155‐5p, leading to regulation of its target gene Far1. Our study provides novel insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying kidney injury in hypertension, which will be required to develop therapeutic strategies of targeting circRNAs for hypertensive kidney injury.