Down-regulation of miR-17 family expression in response to retinoic acid induced neuronal differentiation

Whole-genome microRNA and gene expression analyses were used to monitor changes during retinoic acid induced differentiation of neuroblasts in vitro. Interestingly, the entire miR-17 family was over-represented among the down-regulated miRNA. The implications of these changes are considerable, as target gene prediction suggests that the miR-17 family is involved in the regulation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway, synaptic plasticity and other markers of neuronal differentiation. Significantly, many of the target responses predicted by changes in miRNA expression were supported by the observed changes in gene expression. As expected, markers of neuronal differentiation such as anti-apoptotic protein B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL2), myocyte enhancer factor-2D (MEF2D) and zipper protein kinase (MAP3K12; aka ZPK/MUK/DLK) were each up-regulated in response to differentiation. The expression of these genes was also reduced in response to miR-17 and miR-20a transfection, and more specifically they were also shown to contain functional miRNA recognition elements for members of the miR-17 family by reporter gene assay. This suggests that the miR-17 family have an integral role in fine-tuning the pathways involved in the regulation of neuronal differentiation.     

Endoplasmic reticulum stress‐induced exosomal miR‐27a‐3p promotes immune escape in breast cancer via regulating PD‐L1 expression in macrophages

Immune escape of breast cancer cells contributes to breast cancer pathogenesis. Tumour microenvironment stresses that disrupt protein homeostasis can produce endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. The miRNA‐mediated translational repression of mRNAs has been extensively studied in regulating immune escape and ER stress in human cancers. In this study, we identified a novel microRNA (miR)‐27a‐3p and investigated its mechanistic role in promoting immune evasion. The binding affinity between miR‐27a‐3p and MAGI2 was predicted using bioinformatic analysis and verified by dual‐luciferase reporter assay. Ectopic expression and inhibition of miR‐27a‐3p in breast cancer cells were achieved by transduction with mimics and inhibitors. Besides, artificial modulation of MAGI2 and PTEN was done to explore their function in ER stress and immune escape of cancer cells. Of note, exosomes were derived from cancer cells and co‐cultured with macrophages for mechanistic studies. The experimental data suggested that ER stress biomarkers including GRP78, PERK, ATF6, IRE1α and PD‐L1 were overexpressed in breast cancer tissues relative to paracancerous tissues. Endoplasmic reticulum stress promoted exosome secretion and elevated exosomal miR‐27a‐3p expression. Elevation of miR‐27a‐3p and PD‐L1 levels in macrophages was observed in response to exosomes‐overexpressing miR‐27a‐3p in vivo and in vitro. miR‐27a‐3p could target and negatively regulate MAGI2, while MAGI2 down‐regulated PD‐L1 by up‐regulating PTEN to inactivate PI3K/AKT signalling pathway. Less CD4⁺, CD8⁺ T cells and IL‐2, and T cells apoptosis were observed in response to co‐culture of macrophages and CD3⁺ T cells. Conjointly, exosomal miR‐27a‐3p promotes immune evasion by up‐regulating PD‐L1 via MAGI2/PTEN/PI3K axis in breast cancer.     

Hypoxia‐induced miR‐3677‐3p promotes the proliferation,migration and invasion of hepatocellular carcinoma cells by suppressing SIRT5

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), with life‐threatening malignant behaviours, often develops distant metastases and is the fourth most common primary cancer in the world, having taken millions of lives in Asian countries such as China. The novel miR‐3677‐3p is involved in a high‐expression‐related poor prognosis in HCC tissues and cell lines, indicating oncogenesis functions in vitro and in vivo. Initially, we confirmed the inhibition of proliferation, migration and invasion in miR‐3677‐3p knock‐down MHCC‐97H and SMMC‐7721 cell lines, which are well known for their high degree of invasiveness. Then, we reversed the functional experiments in the low‐miR‐3677‐3p‐expression Hep3B cell line via overexpressing miR‐3677‐3p. In nude mice xenograft and lung metastasis assays, we found suppressor behaviours, smaller nodules and low density of organ spread, after injection of cells transfected with shRNA‐miR‐3677‐3p. A combination of databases (Starbase, TargetScan and MiRgator) illustrated miR‐3677‐3p targets, and it was shown to suppress the expression of SIRT5 in a dual‐luciferase reporter system. To clarify the conclusions of previous ambiguous research, we up‐regulated SIRT5 in Hep3B cells, and rescue tests were established for confirmation that miR‐3677‐3p suppresses SIRT5 to enhance the migration and invasion of HCC. Interestingly, we discovered hypoxia‐induced miR‐3677‐3p up‐regulation benefited HCC malignancy and invasiveness. In conclusion, the overexpression of miR‐3677‐3p mediated SIRT5 inhibition, which could increase proliferation, migration and invasion of HCC in hypoxic microenvironments.     

微小RNA(microRNA)在肝细胞肝癌发生发展中的作用研究进展

MicroRNA是近几年发现的一种非编码小分子RNA,其主要功能体现在参与调节生物个体发育、细胞增殖与分化、肿瘤细胞的发生等多种病理过程中。MicroRNA在调控癌基因和抑癌基因的表达过程中,以及在肝细胞肝癌发生和发展中发挥着关键性的作用。本综述对microRNA在肝细胞肝癌发生发展中的作用进行汇总,以期为肝细胞肝癌的临床诊断以及治疗提供理论参考。     

LPS诱导脓毒症小鼠脾组织microRNA表达的筛选研究

目的采用Small RNA测序技术检测脓毒症小鼠24 h脾组织microRNA(miRNA)的表达变化,并从非编码基因层面分析脓毒症脾功能损伤的可能机制。方法将30只SPF级健康BALB/C小鼠随机分为对照组和脓毒症组,每组15只。脓毒症组采用LPS 10 mg/kg腹腔注射进行建模,对照组仅予等量生理盐水腹腔注射。两组术毕均行肌肉注射平衡液5 ml/kg,并于术后24 h各组随机取5只小鼠的脾组织提取RNA,采用Small RNA测序技术进行miRNA检测,然后应用生物信息学软件分析脓毒症小鼠脾组织的miRNA表达差异及靶基因预测。结果小鼠建模后24 h,与对照组相比,脓毒症小鼠脾脏组织已知及未知miRNA表达上调数分别为39个、3个,下调数分别为16个、3个。其中已知miRNA表达上、下调倍数最大的前5个基因分别为Rno-miR-217-5p,rno-mir-216a-5p,rnomiR-216b-5p,rno-miR-375-3p,rno-mir-216b-3p。下调倍数前5的miRNA:Rno-miR-138-5p,rno-miR-451a-3p,rno-miR-138-1-3p,rno-miR-202-5p,rno-miR-592。结论LPS诱导脓毒症小鼠可出现miRNA表达量的改变,其上、下调倍数最显著的miRNA可能对预测LPS诱导的脓毒症脾功能损伤有一定指导意义。     

In vitro brown and “brite”/“beige” adipogenesis: Human cellular models and molecular aspects

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) has long been thought to be absent or very scarce in human adults so that its contribution to energy expenditure was not considered as relevant. The recent discovery of thermogenic BAT in human adults opened the field for innovative strategies to combat overweight/obesity and associated diseases. This energy-dissipating function of BAT is responsible for adaptive thermogenesis in response to cold stimulation. In this context, adipocytes can be converted, within white adipose tissue (WAT), into multilocular adipocytes expressing UCP1, a mitochondrial protein that plays a key role in heat production by uncoupling the activity of the respiratory chain from ATP synthesis. These adipocytes have been named “brite” or “beige” adipocytes. Whereas BAT has been studied for a long time in murine models both in vivo and in vitro, there is now a strong demand for human cellular models to validate and/or identify critical factors involved in the induction of a thermogenic program within adipocytes. In this review we will discuss the different human cellular models described in the literature and what is known regarding the regulation of their differentiation and/or activation process. In addition, the role of microRNAs as novel regulators of brown/“brite” adipocyte differentiation and conversion will be depicted. Finally, investigation of both the conversion and the metabolism of white-to-brown converted adipocytes is required for the development of therapeutic strategies targeting overweight/obesity and associated diseases. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Brown and White Fat: From Signaling to Disease.