Blood circulating exosomes carrying microRNA-423-5p regulates cell progression in prostate cancer via targeting FRMD3.

This study explored the role of circulating exosomal microRNA-423-5p in the progression of PCa and its molecular mechanism. First, based on the microarray analysis, microRNA-423-5p was at a high expression level in PCa peripheral blood samples. It was demonstrated that microRNA-423-5p expression in serum exosomes of PCa patients was notably higher than that in healthy people as revealed by qRT-PCR. Further studies indicated that overexpressing microRNA-423-5p promoted cell progression of PCa. Microarray analysis and luciferase gene reporter assay illustrated that FRMD3 was targeted by microRNA-423-5p, and its expression was down-regulated by microRNA-423-5p. While FEMD3 knockdown would reverse the repressive effect of silencing microRNA-423-5p on PCa cell functions. In addition, it was exhibited that exosomes carrying microRNA-423-5p could internalize into PCa cells by labeling and tracing exosomes. Cell function assays and animal experiments manifested those exosomes carrying microRNA-423-5p could enhance PCa cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in vivo. In conclusion, this study indicated that blood circulating exosomal microRNA-423-5p played important roles in PCa cell functions, and illustrated the molecular mechanism of microRNA-423-5p as an oncogene in PCa.

An R2R3-MYB Transcription Factor OsMYBAS1 Promotes Seed Germination under Different Sowing Depths in Transgenic Rice.

MYB-type transcription factors play essential regulatory roles in seed germination and the response to seedling establishment stress. This study isolated a rice R2R3-MYB gene, OsMYBAS1, and functionally characterized its role in seed germination by generating transgenic rice plants with the overexpression and knockout of OsMYBAS1. Gene expression analysis suggested that OsMYBAS1 was highly expressed in brown rice and root, respectively. Subcellular localization analysis determined that OsMYBAS1 was localized in the nucleus. No significant differences in seed germination rate were observed among wild-type (WT) and transgenic rice plants at the 0-cm sowing depth. However, when sown at a depth of 4 cm, higher germination rates, root lengths and seedling heights were obtained in OsMYBAS1-overexpressing plants than in WT. Furthermore, the opposite results were recorded between the osmybas1 mutants and WT. Moreover, OsMYBAS1-overexpressing plants significantly enhanced superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzyme activity and suppressed the accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA) content at the 4-cm sowing depth. These results indicate that the MYB transcription factor OsMYBAS1 may promote rice seed germination and subsequent seedling establishment under deep-sowing conditions. These findings can provide valuable insight into rice seed-quality breeding to facilitate the development of a dry, direct-seeding production system.