Clinical and pathological features of miR-10b and RHOC gene expression in hepatocellular carcinoma

Aberrant expression of microRNAs （miRNAs） was reported frequently in different human cancers. The major role of miRNA is targeting 31-UTR of coding gene and causing translational repression or mRNA degradation. miR-10b overexpression was reported to promote breast cancer metastasis by up-regulating RHOC expression. But its expression in hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC） remains unclear. Our study indicated that the expression of miR-10b was different in HCC and adjacent tissue samples, and reduced expression of miR-10b in HCC was related tovein invasion. High-level expression of RHOC was also related to vein invasion in HCC. But no correlation was found between miR-10b and RHOC expression. These results suggest that miR-10b and RHOC are independent predictors of HCC invasion and metastasis.     

MicroRNA及其靶基因在糖尿病肾病小鼠肾脏的表达

 验证与糖尿病肾病小鼠肾脏相关的microRNAs的表达并运用实时荧光定量PCR分析靶基因与糖尿病肾病的关系。以db/db小鼠为模型组（DN组）,db/m小鼠为正常组（NC组）,定期测量小鼠的体重、血糖、甘油三酯、总胆固醇及24 h尿蛋白排泄率。留取DN小鼠与NC小鼠肾脏组织,检测肾脏组织形态学染色及实时荧光定量PCR（qRT-PCR）。qRT-PCR验证差异表达的microRNAs及其靶基因的mRNA表达水平。血糖、24 h尿蛋白排泄率结果表明糖尿病肾病动物模型构建成功。与NC小鼠相比,DN小鼠肾脏miR-196a、miR-21、miR-200b表达明显升高,且差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）。miR-196a、miR-200b、miR-21的表达水平与血糖、甘油三酯、总胆固醇、24 h尿蛋白排泄率存在正相关关系（P<0.05）。利用miRNAs数据库预测miR-196a的靶基因有ANX1、HOXB7、PTEN、FOXO1、HOXB8、HOXA5等。与NC组比较,DN组ANX1、FOXO1的mRNA表达水平降低,且差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）。同时ANX1、FOXO1与24 h尿蛋白排泄率存在正相关（P<0.05）。MiR-196a可能通过调节ANX1、FOXO1的表达水平来参与糖尿病肾病的发生发展。     

不同运动强度对急性心肌梗死大鼠心功能的影响及循环miRNAs差异表达

研究不同运动强度对急性心肌梗死大鼠心功能的影响, 分析循环微小RNA(microRNAs, miRNAs)的差异表达与靶基因及基因功能. 制作急性心肌梗死大鼠模型40只,分为4组, 每组10只, 分别为假手术组、单纯心肌梗死组、中等强度持续运动(continuous moderate training, CMT)组和间歇高强度运动(high intensity interval training, HIT)组, CMT组和HIT组大鼠接受运动治疗8周, 用超声心动图评估心功能, 用基因芯片技术测定4组大鼠模型循环miRNAs差异表达, 用生物信息学技术分析不同运动强度下循环miRNAs相关靶基因及基因功能. CMT组和HIT组的治疗显著改善了心肌梗死大鼠心功能和运动耐量, HIT组显著优于CMT组. 单纯心肌梗死组与假手术组相比, 明显上调的循环miRNAs有14个, 明显下调的循环miRNAs有4个. 与单纯心肌梗死组相比, CMT组明显上调的循环miRNAs有11个, 明显下调的循环miRNAs有2个; HIT组明显上调的循环miRNAs有53个, 明显下调的关键miRNAs有41个. 与假手术组相比, 单纯心肌梗死组心肌相关循环miRNAs的差异表达有miR-26a-5p, miR-92a-3p和miR-378a-3p; 与单纯心肌梗死组相比, CMT组有miR-92a-3p, HIT组有miR-34c-3p, miR-23a-3p, miR-98-3p, miR-208a-5p和miR-92-3p. 高强度间歇运动对心肌梗死大鼠心功能和运动耐量的改善作用优于中等强度持续运动, 其循环miRNAs及心肌相关循环miRNAs的差异表达数量明显高于中等强度持续运动, 循环miRNAs差异表达有望作为运动强度和运动效果判断的分子生物学标志物.     

A microRNA regulon that mediates endothelial recruitment and metastasis by cancer cells

Metastatic progression of cancer is a complex and clinically daunting process. We previously identified a set of human microRNAs (miRNAs) that robustly suppress breast cancer metastasis to lung and bone and which display expression levels that predict human metastasis. Although these findings revealed miRNAs as suppressors of cell-autonomous metastatic phenotypes, the roles of non-coding RNAs in non-cell-autonomous cancer progression processes remain unknown. Here we reveal that endogenous miR-126, an miRNA silenced in a variety of common human cancers, non-cell-autonomously regulates endothelial cell recruitment to metastatic breast cancer cells, in vitro and in vivo. It suppresses metastatic endothelial recruitment, metastatic angiogenesis and metastatic colonization through coordinate targeting of IGFBP2, PITPNC1 and MERTK--novel pro-angiogenic genes and biomarkers of human metastasis. Insulin-like growth factor binding protein 2 (IGFBP2) secreted by metastatic cells recruits endothelia by modulating IGF1-mediated activation of the IGF type-I receptor on endothelial cells; whereas c-Mer tyrosine kinase (MERTK) receptor cleaved from metastatic cells promotes endothelial recruitment by competitively antagonizing the binding of its ligand GAS6 to endothelial MERTK receptors. Co-injection of endothelial cells with breast cancer cells non-cell-autonomously rescues their miR-126-induced metastatic defect, revealing a novel and important role for endothelial interactions in metastatic initiation. Through loss-of-function and epistasis experiments, we delineate an miRNA regulatory network's individual components as novel and cell-extrinsic regulators of endothelial recruitment, angiogenesis and metastatic colonization. We also identify the IGFBP2/IGF1/IGF1R and GAS6/MERTK signalling pathways as regulators of cancer-mediated endothelial recruitment. Our work further reveals endothelial recruitment and endothelial interactions in the tumour microenvironment to be critical features of metastatic breast cancer.     

microRNA-16 expression in HeLa cells is upregulated in cell-cycle and drug dependent manner

microRNAs are single-stranded, non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression. The microRNA-16 family has been reported to be involved in cell-cycle regulation, which could also downregulate expression of multiple pro-proliferation genes. The present results demonstrated that miR-16 expression in HeLa cells increased when the cells were arrested during S-phase under methyl methanesulfate (MMS) treatment. This further resulted in downregulation of a target protein CDC25A, whereas miR-16 expression did not increase when HeLa cells were arrested during the MMS-treated G₀/G₁ or G₂/M phase. Furthermore, when HeLa cells were arrested during S-phase with hydroxyurea treatment, miR-16 expression did not increase. These results suggest that expression levels of microRNAs in mammalian cells are delicately regulated under variable cellular conditions.     

A viral microRNA functions as an orthologue of cellular miR-155

All metazoan eukaryotes express microRNAs (miRNAs), roughly 22-nucleotide regulatory RNAs that can repress the expression of messenger RNAs bearing complementary sequences. Several DNA viruses also express miRNAs in infected cells, suggesting a role in viral replication and pathogenesis. Although specific viral miRNAs have been shown to autoregulate viral mRNAs or downregulate cellular mRNAs, the function of most viral miRNAs remains unknown. Here we report that the miR-K12-11 miRNA encoded by Kaposi's-sarcoma-associated herpes virus (KSHV) shows significant homology to cellular miR-155, including the entire miRNA 'seed' region. Using a range of assays, we show that expression of physiological levels of miR-K12-11 or miR-155 results in the downregulation of an extensive set of common mRNA targets, including genes with known roles in cell growth regulation. Our findings indicate that viral miR-K12-11 functions as an orthologue of cellular miR-155 and probably evolved to exploit a pre-existing gene regulatory pathway in B cells. Moreover, the known aetiological role of miR-155 in B-cell transformation suggests that miR-K12-11 may contribute to the induction of KSHV-positive B-cell tumours in infected patients.     

MiR-205 inhibits the invasion and migration of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma by modulating SMAD1 expression

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma （ESCC） is one of the most lethal cancers worldwide. In this study, we aimed to investigate the underlying mechanisms of metastasis inhibition by miR-205 in ESCC. In microRNA （miRNA） array and quantitative RT-PCR analyses, we found that the expression level of miR-205 was significantly lower in patients with lymph node metastasis compared with that in patients without lymph node metastasis. After transfection of miR-205 mimics or inhibitors into ESCC cell lines, a significant negative correlation was observed between the expression level of miR-205 and Smad 1. In luciferase reporter assays, we revealed that miR- 205 inhibited the expression of SMAD1 by targeting the 3＇ untranslated region （3＇-UTR） of SMAD1 mRNA in ESCC cells. Furthermore, our results showed that miR-205 sup- pressed the invasion and migration of ESCC cells, whereas Smadl increased their invasion and migration. Taken together, our study demonstrates that miR-205 functions as a suppressor of tumor metastasis by regulating SMAD1 expression through targeting the 3＇-UTR of SMAD1 mRNAin ESCC. Therefore, miR-205 may be a potential therapeutic target for miRNA-based therapy of ESCC.     

MicroRNA control of Nodal signalling

MicroRNAs are crucial modulators of gene expression, yet their involvement as effectors of growth factor signalling is largely unknown. Ligands of the transforming growth factor-beta superfamily are essential for development and adult tissue homeostasis. In early Xenopus embryos, signalling by the transforming growth factor-beta ligand Nodal is crucial for the dorsal induction of the Spemann's organizer. Here we report that Xenopus laevis microRNAs miR-15 and miR-16 restrict the size of the organizer by targeting the Nodal type II receptor Acvr2a. Endogenous miR-15 and miR-16 are ventrally enriched as they are negatively regulated by the dorsal Wnt/beta-catenin pathway. These findings exemplify the relevance of microRNAs as regulators of early embryonic patterning acting at the crossroads of fundamental signalling cascades.     

Control of leaf morphogenesis by microRNAs

Plants with altered microRNA metabolism have pleiotropic developmental defects, but direct evidence for microRNAs regulating specific aspects of plant morphogenesis has been lacking. In a genetic screen, we identified the JAW locus, which produces a microRNA that can guide messenger RNA cleavage of several TCP genes controlling leaf development. MicroRNA-guided cleavage of TCP4 mRNA is necessary to prevent aberrant activity of the TCP4 gene expressed from its native promoter. In addition, overexpression of wild-type and microRNA-resistant TCP variants demonstrates that mRNA cleavage is largely sufficient to restrict TCP function to its normal domain of activity. TCP genes with microRNA target sequences are found in a wide range of species, indicating that microRNA-mediated control of leaf morphogenesis is conserved in plants with very different leaf forms.     

Differential gene expression profile in ischemic myocardium of Wistar rats with acute myocardial infarction

To determine the differential genes in ischemic myocardium of Wistar rats with acute myocardial infarction （AMI）, we constructed two differential gene expression profiles. AMI model was generated by Iigation of the left anterior descending coronary artery in Wistar rats. Total RNA was extracted from the normal and the ischemic heart tissues under the IigaUon point at the 8th day after the operation. Differential gene expression profiles of the two samples were constructed by using long serial analysis of gene expression （LongSAGE）. Real time fluorescence quantitative PCR （Q-PCR） was used to confirm the expression changes of partial target genes. The main results were as follows： a total of 15966 tags were screened from the normal and the ischemic LongSAGE maps, and 9646 tags in the normal tissue and 9563 tags in the ischemic tissue were obtained. Among them, 7665 novel tags were identified by NCBI BLAST search. In the ischemic tissue, 142 genes significantly changed compared to those in the normal tissue （P〈0.05）. These differentially expressed genes may play important roles in the pathways of oxidation and phosphorylation, ATP synthesis and glycolysis and so on. Partial genes identified by the LongSAGE were confirmed by Q-PCR. The results show that AMI causes a series of gene expression changes in the regulation of the pathways related to energy metabolism.     

A microRNA polycistron as a potential human oncogene

To date, more than 200 microRNAs have been described in humans; however, the precise functions of these regulatory, non-coding RNAs remains largely obscure. One cluster of microRNAs, the mir-17-92 polycistron, is located in a region of DNA that is amplified in human B-cell lymphomas. Here we compared B-cell lymphoma samples and cell lines to normal tissues, and found that the levels of the primary or mature microRNAs derived from the mir-17-92 locus are often substantially increased in these cancers. Enforced expression of the mir-17-92 cluster acted with c-myc expression to accelerate tumour development in a mouse B-cell lymphoma model. Tumours derived from haematopoietic stem cells expressing a subset of the mir-17-92 cluster and c-myc could be distinguished by an absence of apoptosis that was otherwise prevalent in c-myc-induced lymphomas. Together, these studies indicate that non-coding RNAs, specifically microRNAs, can modulate tumour formation, and implicate the mir-17-92 cluster as a potential human oncogene.     

A brain-specific microRNA regulates dendritic spine development

MicroRNAs are small, non-coding RNAs that control the translation of target messenger RNAs, thereby regulating critical aspects of plant and animal development. In the mammalian nervous system, the spatiotemporal control of mRNA translation has an important role in synaptic development and plasticity. Although a number of microRNAs have been isolated from the mammalian brain, neither the specific microRNAs that regulate synapse function nor their target mRNAs have been identified. Here we show that a brain-specific microRNA, miR-134, is localized to the synapto-dendritic compartment of rat hippocampal neurons and negatively regulates the size of dendritic spines--postsynaptic sites of excitatory synaptic transmission. This effect is mediated by miR-134 inhibition of the translation of an mRNA encoding a protein kinase, Limk1, that controls spine development. Exposure of neurons to extracellular stimuli such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor relieves miR-134 inhibition of Limk1 translation and in this way may contribute to synaptic development, maturation and/or plasticity.     

MicroRNAs 103 and 107 regulate insulin sensitivity

Defects in insulin signalling are among the most common and earliest defects that predispose an individual to the development of type 2 diabetes. MicroRNAs have been identified as a new class of regulatory molecules that influence many biological functions, including metabolism. However, the direct regulation of insulin sensitivity by microRNAs in vivo has not been demonstrated. Here we show that the expression of microRNAs 103 and 107 (miR-103/107) is upregulated in obese mice. Silencing of miR-103/107 leads to improved glucose homeostasis and insulin sensitivity. In contrast, gain of miR-103/107 function in either liver or fat is sufficient to induce impaired glucose homeostasis. We identify caveolin-1, a critical regulator of the insulin receptor, as a direct target gene of miR-103/107. We demonstrate that caveolin-1 is upregulated upon miR-103/107 inactivation in adipocytes and that this is concomitant with stabilization of the insulin receptor, enhanced insulin signalling, decreased adipocyte size and enhanced insulin-stimulated glucose uptake. These findings demonstrate the central importance of miR-103/107 to insulin sensitivity and identify a new target for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity.     

Amplification of the miR-181c/d cluster is inversely correlated with PDCD4 expression in gastric cancer

miR-181c/d is dysregulated in gastric cancer （GC）. We investigated the amplification and expression of miR-181c/d and its predicted target genes in GC. Amplification of miR-181c/d was quantified by genomic real-time PCR in GC and adjacent normal tissues, as well as the levels of mature miR-181c/d was performed by real-time PCR in the same tissues. The potential target genes of miR-181c/d were predicted using bioinformatics software. Expression of one potential target gene, PDCD4, was measured by semiquantitative RT-PCR, real-time PCR, and immunohistochemistry. Next, the relationship between miR181c/d expression and PDCD4 expression was analyzed. Results indicated that the amplification and expression of miR-181 c/d were significantly higher in GC than in adjacent normal tissues （primary miR-181 c/d, P 〈 0.001; miR-181 c,P = 0.0344; miR-18 ld, P = 0.0153）, and there was a strong correlation between mature miR-181c/d and primary miR-181c/d. Thirty-two target genes were predicted, including PDCD4 which is a known tumor suppressor gene. Expression of PDCD4 was significantly down-regulated in GC as compared to adjacent normal tissues and was inversely correlated with miR-181c/d expression in GC （miR-18lc and PDCD4： R = -0.496, P = 0.008; miR-181d and PDCD4： R = -0.454, P = 0.003）. Therefore, miR-181c/d may play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of GC by down- regulating PDCD4 expression.