MicroRNA-301b-3p accelerates the growth of gastric cancer cells by targeting zinc finger and BTB domain containing 4

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been found to be aberrantly expressed and exert essential roles in the tumorigenesis and progression of gastric cancer (GC). miR-301b-3p has been recognized as a cancer-related miRNA in lung cancer, bladder cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma. However, the function of miR-301b-3p in GC progression and its underlying mechanism have not been studied yet. In this study, we found that miR-301b-3p expression was up-regulated in GC tissues compared to adjacent noncancerous tissues. Furthermore, the elevated levels of miR-301b-3p were detected in GC cell lines (SGC-7901, AGS, MKN-45 and MGC-803) as compared with GES-1 cells. Interestingly, GC tissues from patients with tumor size ≥ 5 cm and advanced tumor stages showed obvious higher levels of miR-301b-3p compared to matched controls. Functionally, miR-301b-3p knockdown prominently inhibited cell proliferation, and induced cell cycle arrest at G1 phase and apoptosis in MGC-803 cells. Meanwhile, ectopic expression of miR-301b-3p conversely regulated these biological behaviors of MKN-45 cells. Next, we found that miR-301b-3p knockdown increased, whereas miR-301b-3p overexpression reduced the expression of zinc finger and BTB domain containing 4 (ZBTB4) in GC cells. Accordingly, luciferase reporter assay identified ZBTB4 as a direct target of miR-301b-3p. ZBTB4 overexpression markedly restrained the growth of MGC-803 cells. More importantly, ZBTB4 silencing partially reversed miR-301b-3p knockdown-induced tumor suppressive effects on MGC-803 cells. In conclusion, we firstly revealed that miR-301-3p was highly expressed in GC and contributed to tumor progression via attenuating ZBTB4, which might provide a novel molecular-targeted strategy for GC treatment.     

MicroRNA‐361‐3p is a potent therapeutic target for oral squamous cell carcinoma

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) can act not only as tumor suppressor genes but also as oncogenes. Oncogenic miRNAs (oncomiRs) could therefore provide opportunities for the treatment of human malignancies. Here, we aimed to identify oncomiRs present in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and addressed whether targeting these miRNAs might be useful in treatment for cancer. Functional screening for oncomiRs in a human OSCC cell line (GFP‐SAS) was carried out using the miRCURY LNA microRNA Knockdown Library – Human version 12.0. We identified a locked nucleic acid (LNA)/DNA antisense oligonucleotide against miR‐361‐3p (LNA‐miR‐361‐3p) which showed the largest degree of growth inhibition of GFP‐SAS cells. Transfection with a synthetic mimic of mature miR‐361‐3p resulted in an approximately 20% increase in the growth of GFP‐SAS cells. We identified odd‐skipped related 2 (OSR2) as a miR‐361‐3p target gene. Transfection of GFP‐SAS cells with LNA‐miR‐361‐3p caused a significant increase in the expression levels of OSR2. Cotransfection of a OSR2 3′‐UTR luciferase reporter plasmid and LNA‐miR‐361‐3p into GFP‐SAS cells produced higher levels of luciferase activity than in cells cotransfected with the LNA‐nontarget. We assessed the effect of LNA‐miR‐361‐3p on the in vivo growth of GFP‐SAS cells. We found that LNA‐miR‐361‐3p significantly reduced the size of s.c. xenografted GFP‐SAS tumors, compared to the control group treated with LNA‐NT. Finally, we observed that miR‐361‐3p is overexpressed in OSCC tissues. These results suggest that miR‐361‐3p supports the growth of human OSCC cells both in vitro and in vivo and that targeting miR‐361‐3p could be a useful therapeutic approach for patients with OSCC.     

Heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HB-EGF) antisense oligonucleotide protected against hyperlipidemia-associated atherosclerosis

Background and aims

Heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HB-EGF) is a representative EGF family member that interacts with EGFR under diverse stress environment. Previously, we reported that the HB-EGF-targeting using antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) effectively suppressed an aortic aneurysm in the vessel wall and circulatory lipid levels. In this study, we further examined the effects of the HB-EGF ASO administration on the development of hyperlipidemia-associated atherosclerosis using an atherogenic mouse model.

Hyaluronan-based delivery of therapeutic oligonucleotides for treatment of human diseases

Introduction: Oligonucleotide therapeutics such as antisense oligonucleotides and siRNA requires chemical modifications and nano-sized carriers to circumvent stability problems in vivo, to reach target tissues, and to overcome tissue and cellular barriers. Hyaluronic acid (HA), already utilized in drug delivery and tissue engineering, possess properties that are useful to solve these problems and achieve full potential of oligonucleotide therapeutics.

Areas covered: Complexes of oligonucleotide therapeutics with HA are discussed in terms of interactions providing the complexes formation and genes targeted by the therapeutics to cure diseases such as cancer, atherosclerosis, liver cirrhosis, and inflammation. The achieved therapeutic effects are rationalized as consequences of biodistribution, cell internalization and endosomal escape provided by HA.

Expert opinion: Design of electrostatic, coordination, and hydrophobic interactions as well as covalent conjugation between oligonucleotide drugs, HA macromolecules and intermediate ligands are crucial for carrier–cargo association and dissociation under different conditions to impart oligonucleotides stability in vivo, their accumulation in diseased organs, cellular uptake, and dissociation in cytoplasm intact. These are the delivery factors that provides eventual complex formation of oligonucleotide therapeutics with their mRNA, microRNA, or protein targets. Elucidation of the impact of structural parameters of oligonucleotide/HA complexes on their therapeutic effect in vivo is important for the future rational design of the delivery agents.     

牙本质基质蛋白1基因反义核酸对MDPC-23细胞碱性磷酸酶活性和矿化能力的影响

目的 :观察牙本质基质蛋白 1(dentalmatrixprotein ,DMP1)基因反义寡核苷酸 (AS -ODN)对成牙本质细胞系MDPC -2 3细胞碱性磷酸酶 (ALPase)活性和矿化能力的影响 ,深入研究成牙本质细胞的分化和牙本质形成的机制。方法 :以稳定表达DMP1的MDPC -2 3细胞为靶细胞、不同浓度DMP1反义核酸为阻断剂 ,观察不同作用时间对MDPC -2 3细胞ALPase活性的影响。用Westernblot法检测 10 μmol/LAS -ODN不同作用时间细胞DMP1表达情况 ,并观察连续作用 10d对该细胞矿化能力的影响。结果 :与正常组和S -ODN组比较 ,不同浓度的AS -ODN能够降低MDPC -2 3细胞ALPase活性 ,其中 10 μmol/LAS -ODN降低ALPase活性最为显著 (作用 5d时OD值最低 ,为 0 .3 3 78± 2 .0E)。Westernblot法检测到DMP1在MDPC -2 3细胞的表达在 10 μmol/LAS -ODN加入 12h后减弱 ,2 4h后完全阻断。此浓度AS -ODN连续作用细胞 10d后 ,vonKossa染色显示细胞中出现明显的钙盐沉积 ,矿化结节的数量和大小明显少于对照组。结论 :DMP1反义核酸能够降低MDPC -2 3细胞AL Pase活性和矿化能力 ,提示DMP1参与调节成牙本质细胞矿化过程 ,可能具有启动牙本质矿化的作用。     

m6A识别蛋白HuR调控lncRNA TRG-AS1抑制结直肠癌生长的机制研究

目的 探讨N6-甲基腺苷（m6A）识别蛋白人类抗原R(HuR)调控长链非编码RNA T细胞受体γ位点反义RNA 1(lncRNA TRG-AS1)对结直肠癌（CRC）生长的影响。方法 比色法检测CRC患者的癌组织、癌旁组织及正常结肠上皮细胞NCM460及CRC细胞HCT116、SW480、LOVO中m6A含量;实时荧光定量PCR(qPCR)检测TRG-AS1表达;Western blot检测HuR蛋白表达。将HCT116细胞分为Ct组、OE-NC组、OE-HuR组、si-NC组、si-HuR组、siHuR+pcDNA组、si-HuR+pcDNA-TRG-AS1组,CCK-8法检测细胞增殖;平板克隆实验检测细胞克隆形成能力;流式细胞术检测细胞凋亡率;划痕愈合实验检测细胞迁移;Transwell检测细胞侵袭;裸鼠体内移植瘤实验观察肿瘤生长情况;采用甲基化RNA免疫共沉淀（MeRIP）检测TRG-AS1上是否存在m6A位点;RNA pull-down实验和RNA免疫共沉淀（RIP）检测TRG-AS1与HuR蛋白的相互作用。结果 在CRC组织和细胞中,HuR蛋白、TRG-AS1高表达,m6A含...     

Estimated number of off‐target candidate sites for antisense oligonucleotides in human mRNA sequences

Antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) therapeutics are single‐stranded oligonucleotides which bind to RNA through sequence‐specific Watson–Crick base pairings. A unique mechanism of toxicity for ASOs is hybridization‐dependent off‐target effects that can potentially occur due to the binding of ASOs to complementary regions of unintended RNAs. To reduce the off‐target effects of ASOs, it would be useful to know the approximate number of complementary regions of ASOs, or off‐target candidate sites of ASOs, of a given oligonucleotide length and complementarity with their target RNAs. However, the theoretical number of complementary regions with mismatches has not been reported to date. In this study, we estimated the general number of complementary regions of ASOs with mismatches in human mRNA sequences by mathematical calculation and in silico analysis using several thousand hypothetical ASOs. By comparing the theoretical number of complementary regions estimated by mathematical calculation to the actual number obtained by in silico analysis, we found that the number of complementary regions of ASOs could be broadly estimated by the theoretical number calculated mathematically. Our analysis showed that the number of complementary regions increases dramatically as the number of tolerated mismatches increases, highlighting the need for expression analysis of such genes to assess the safety of ASOs.