Proximal tubule-derived exosomes contribute to mesangial cell injury in diabetic nephropathy via miR-92a-1-5p transfer.

BACKGROUND: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is an increasing threat to human health and regarded to be the leading cause of end-stage renal disease worldwide. Exosomes delivery may play a key role in cross-talk among kidney cells and the progression of DN. However, the mechanisms underlying exosomes in DN remain unclear. METHODS: The cross-disciplinary study, including in vivo, in vitro, and human studies was conducted to explore the cross-talk between proximal tubular epithelial cells (PTECs) and mesangial cells (MCs) in DN. We purified exosome from PTECs treated with high glucose and db/db mice and assessed their influences in the pathologic change of MCs and downstream signal pathway. Healthy individuals and type 2 diabetic patients were enrolled to examine the role of exosomes in clinical applications. RESULTS: High glucose stimulated PTECs to secrete exosomal miR-92a-1-5p, which was taken-up by glomerular MCs, inducing myofibroblast transdifferentiation (MFT) in vitro and in vivo. PTEC-released exosomal 92a-1-5p decreased reticulocalbin-3 expression, leading to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress by downregulating genes essential for ER homeostasis including calreticulin and mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor. Treatment with miR-92a-1-5p inhibitor ameliorated kidney damage in db/db mice with DN. Urinary miR-92a-1-5p could predict kidney injury in type 2 diabetic patients. CONCLUSIONS: PTEC-derived exosomal miR-92a-1-5p modulated the kidney microenvironment in vivo and in vitro models, which altered ER stress and MFT in MCs resulting in DN progression. Further blocking miR-92a-1-5p epigenetic regulatory network could be a potential therapeutic strategy to prevent the progression of DN. Video Abstract.

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) has been the leading cause of end-stage renal disease worldwide. Exosomes play a principle role in cross-talk of kidney cells and further affect the onset or progression of DN. This study firstly demonstrated the communication between proximal tubular epithelial cells (PTECs) and mesangial cells (MCs) through exosome transmission. PTEC-released exosomal 92a-1-5p induced endoplasmic reticulum stress and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in MCs through reticulocalbin-3 modulation. Kidney damage was rescued in DN mice after treatment with miR-92a-1-5p inhibitor. Moreover, urinary exosomal miR-92a-1-5p could predict DN progression in type 2 diabetic patients. These findings prove the impact of exosomal miR-92a-1-5p on pathophysiologic mechanisms and its potential use in clinical care and prediction of DN.

Montelukast Increased IL-25, IL-33, and TSLP via Epigenetic Regulation in Airway Epithelial Cells.

The epithelium-derived cytokines interleukin (IL)-25, IL-33, and thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) are important mediators that initiate innate type 2 immune responses in asthma. Leukotriene receptor antagonists (LTRAs) are commonly used to prevent asthma exacerbations. However, the effects of LTRAs on epithelium-derived cytokines expression in airway epithelial cells are unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effects of LTRAs on the expression of epithelium-derived cytokines in human airway epithelial cells and to explore possible underlying intracellular processes, including epigenetic regulation. A549 or HBE cells in air-liquid interface conditions were pretreated with different concentrations of LTRAs. The expression of epithelium-derived cytokines and intracellular signaling were investigated by real-time PCR, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and Western blot. In addition, epigenetic regulation was investigated using chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis. The expression of IL-25, IL-33, and TSLP was increased under LTRAs treatment and suppressed by inhaled corticosteroid cotreatment. Montelukast-induced IL-25, IL-33, and TSLP expression were mediated by the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathways and regulated by histone H3 acetylation and H3K36 and H3K79 trimethylation. LTRAs alone might increase inflammation and exacerbate asthma by inducing the production of IL-25, IL-33, and TSLP; therefore, LTRA monotherapy may not be an appropriate therapeutic option for asthma.

Leptin Silencing Attenuates Lipid Accumulation through Sterol Regulatory Element-Binding Protein 1 Inhibition in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma.

Leptin is a crucial regulator of metabolism and energy homeostasis in mammals. Many studies have investigated the impacts of leptin on human cancers, such as proliferation and metastasis. However, the mechanisms underlying leptin-mediated regulation of lipid metabolism in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) remain incompletely understood. In the current study, leptin downregulation ameliorated lipid accumulation, triglyceride, and cholesterol levels. Mechanistically, diminished leptin by siRNA not only inhibited sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 (SREBP1), a master regulator of lipid metabolism, at the mRNA and protein levels, but also reduced SREBP1 downstream target expressions, such as fatty acid synthase (FASN) and stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 (SCD1), in NPC cells. In addition, leptin expression could modulate the promoter activity of SREBP1. We also found that pharmacological inhibition of poly-ADP ribose polymerase-γ (PPAR-γ) resulted in increased SREBP1 expression in leptin-depleted NPC cells. Functionally, SREBP1 overexpression overcame the effects of leptin-silencing attenuated triglyceride level, cholesterol level and cell survival in NPC cells. Taken together, our results demonstrate that leptin is an important regulator of lipid metabolism in NPC cells and might could be a potential therapeutic target for treatment of NPC patients.

KITLG Promotes Glomerular Endothelial Cell Injury in Diabetic Nephropathy by an Autocrine Effect.

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is an increasing threat to human health. The impact of hyperglycemia or its metabolites, advanced glycation end-products (AGEs), on glomerular endothelial cells (GECs) and their pathophysiologic mechanisms are not well explored. Our results reveal that AGEs increased the expression and secretion of the KIT ligand (KITLG) in GECs. Both AGEs and KITLG promoted endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndoMT) in GECs and further increased the permeability of GECs through the AKT/extracellular-signal-regulated kinase pathway. Inhibition of KITLG's effects by imatinib prevented AGE-medicated EndoMT in GECs, supporting the belief that KITLG is a critical factor for GEC injury. We found higher KITLG levels in the GECs and urine of db/db mice compared with db/m mice, and urinary KITLG levels were positively correlated with the urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR). Furthermore, type 2 diabetic patients had higher urinary KITLG levels than normal individuals, as well as urinary KITLG levels that were positively correlated with urinary ACR and negatively correlated with the estimated glomerular filtration rate. KITLG plays a pathogenic role in GEC injury in DN and might act as a biomarker of DN progression.

Ladinin 1 Shortens Survival via Promoting Proliferation and Enhancing Invasiveness in Lung Adenocarcinoma.

Lung cancer is one of the deadliest cancers worldwide, including in Taiwan. The poor prognosis of the advanced lung cancer lies in delayed diagnosis and non-druggable targets. It is worth paying more attention to these ongoing issues. Public databases and an in-house cohort were used for validation. The KM plotter was utilized to discover the clinical significance. GSEA and GSVA were adopted for a functional pathway survey. Molecular biological methods, including proliferation, migration, and the EMT methods, were used for verification. Based on public databases, the increased expression of Ladinin 1 (LAD1) was presented in tumor and metastatic sites. Furthermore, an in-house cohort revealed a higher intensity of LAD1 in tumor rather than in normal parts. The greater the expression of LAD1 was, the shorter the duration of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) patient survival. Moreover, the association of B3GNT3 with LAD1 affected the survival of LUAD patients. Functional analyses using GSEA and GSVA revealed the associations with survival, migration, invasion, and EMT. Biologic functions supported the roles of LAD1 in proliferation via the cell cycle and migration in EMT. This study reveals that LAD1 plays a major role in regulating proliferation and migration in lung cancer and impacts survival in LUAD. It is worth investing in further studies and in the development of drugs targeting LAD1.

High B3GALT5 expression confers poor clinical outcome and contributes to tumor progression and metastasis in breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Existence of breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) is implicated in disease relapse, metastasis, and resistance of treatment. ß1,3-Galactosyltransferase 5 (B3GALT5) has been shown to be a pro-survival marker for BCSCs. However, little is known about the prognostic significance of B3GALT5 in breast cancer. METHODS: Paired tissues (tumor part and adjacent non-tumor part) from a cohort of 202 women with breast cancer were used to determine the expression levels of B3GALT5 mRNA by qRT-PCR. Kaplan-Meier and multivariable Cox proportional hazard models were used to assess survival differences in terms of relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS). Both breast cancer cells and cancer stem cells (BCSCs) were used to see the in vitro effects of knockdown or overexpression of B3GALT5 on cell migration, invasion, and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). A patient-derived xenograft (PDX) model was used to see the in vivo effects of knockdown of B3GALT5 in BCSCs on tumor growth and metastasis. RESULTS: Higher expression of B3GALT5 in 202 breast cancer tissues, especially in adjacent non-tumor tissue, correlated with poor clinical outcomes including shorter OS and RFS in all patients, especially those with early stage breast cancer. In vitro studies showed B3GALT5 could enhance cell migration, invasion, mammosphere formation, and EMT. Of note, B3GALT5 upregulated the expression of ß-catenin and EMT activator zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1 (ZEB1) pathway in BCSCs. In vivo studies showed B3GALT5 expression in BCSCs is critical for not only tumor growth but also lymph node and lung metastasis in PDX mice. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrated the value of B3GALT5 as a prognostic marker of breast cancer, especially among the early stage patients, and its crucial roles in regulating EMT, cell migration, and stemness thereby promoting breast cancer progression.

High Glucose Induces Mesangial Cell Apoptosis through miR-15b-5p and Promotes Diabetic Nephropathy by Extracellular Vesicle Delivery.

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is an increasing threat to human health and is regarded as an important public issue. The pathophysiologic mechanisms of DN are complicated. The initiating molecular events triggering the loss function in mesangial cells (MCs) in DN are not well known. In this cross-disciplinary study, transcriptome analysis of high glucose (HG)-treated mouse MCs (MMCs) using next-generation sequencing and systematic bioinformatics analyses indicated that miR-15b-5p and its downstream target B cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2) contribute to HG-induced apoptosis in MMCs. HG elevated miR-15b-5p expression, which in turn decreased the translation of BCL-2, leading to MMC apoptosis under HG. Apoptosis of MCs was enhanced in the presence of extracellular vesicles isolated from the urine of type 2 diabetic patients with high levels of miR-15b-5p. Furthermore, increased levels of urinary miR-15b-5p were found in db/db mice and type 2 diabetic patients, and such levels correlated with low baseline kidney function and rapid decline in kidney function during a mean of follow-up period of 2.4 ± 0.1 years. Therefore, miR-15b-5p induced mesangial cells apoptosis by targeting BCL-2 under HG. miR-15b-5p has the potential to predict kidney injury in DN. Blocking the miR-15b-5p epigenetic regulatory network could be a potential therapeutic strategy to prevent mesangial apoptosis in DN.

IL-25 Induced ROS-Mediated M2 Macrophage Polarization via AMPK-Associated Mitophagy.

Interleukin (IL)-25 is a cytokine released by airway epithelial cells responding to pathogens. Excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) leads to airway inflammation and remodeling in asthma. Mitochondria are the major source of ROS. After stress, defective mitochondria often undergo selective degradation, known as mitophagy. In this study, we examined the effects of IL-25 on ROS production and mitophagy and investigated the underlying mechanisms. The human monocyte cell line was pretreated with IL-25 at different time points. ROS production was measured by flow cytometry. The involvement of mitochondrial activity in the effects of IL-25 on ROS production and subsequent mitophagy was evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, Western blotting, and confocal microscopy. IL-25 stimulation alone induced ROS production and was suppressed by N-acetylcysteine, vitamin C, antimycin A, and MitoTEMPO. The activity of mitochondrial complex I and complex II/III and the levels of p-AMPK and the mitophagy-related proteins were increased by IL-25 stimulation. The CCL-22 secretion was increased by IL-25 stimulation and suppressed by mitophagy inhibitor treatment and PINK1 knockdown. The Th2-like cytokine IL-25 can induce ROS production, increase mitochondrial respiratory chain complex activity, subsequently activate AMPK, and induce mitophagy to stimulate M2 macrophage polarization in monocytes.

Cysteinyl Leukotriene Pathway and Cancer.

Cancer remains a leading cause of death worldwide, despite many advances being made in recent decades. Changes in the tumor microenvironment, including dysregulated immunity, may contribute to carcinogenesis and cancer progression. The cysteinyl leukotriene (CysLT) pathway is involved in several signal pathways, having various functions in different tissues. We summarized major findings of studies about the roles of the CysLT pathway in cancer. Many in vitro studies suggested the roles of CysLTs in cell survival/proliferation via CysLT1 receptor (CysLT1R). CysLT1R antagonism decreased cell vitality and induced cell death in several types of cancer cells, such as colorectal, urological, breast, lung and neurological malignancies. CysLTs were also associated with multidrug resistance of cancer, and CysLT1R antagonism might reverse chemoresistance. Some animal studies demonstrated the beneficial effects of CysLT1R antagonist in inhibiting tumorigenesis and progression of some cancer types, particularly colorectal cancer and lung cancer. The expression of CysLT1R was shown in various cancer tissues, particularly colorectal cancer and urological malignancies, and higher expression was associated with a poorer prognosis. The chemo-preventive effects of CysLT1R antagonists were demonstrated in two large retrospective cohort studies. In summary, the roles of the CysLT pathway in cancer have been delineated, whereas further studies are still warranted.

The Expression Profile of mRNA and tRNA Genes in Splenocytes and Neutrophils after In Vivo Delivery of Antitumor Short Hairpin RNA of Indoleamine 2,3- Dioxygenase.

RNA-based therapeutics are considered as novel treatments for human diseases. Our previous study demonstrated that treatment with short-hairpin RNA against Ido1 (IDO shRNA) suppresses tumor growth, detects Th1-bias immune responses, and elevates expression of tryptophan transfer RNA (tRNATrp) in total splenocytes. In addition, depletion of Ly6g+ neutrophils attenuates the effect of IDO shRNA. The aim of this study was to investigate the regulatory network and the expression profile of tRNAs and other non-coding RNAs in IDO shRNA-treated spleens. The total splenocytes and magnetic bead-enriched splenic neutrophils were collected from the lung tumor bearing mice, which were treated with IDO shRNA or scramble IDO shRNA, and the collected cells were subsequently subjected to RNA sequencing. The gene ontology analysis revealed the different enrichment pathways in total splenocytes and splenic neutrophils. Furthermore, the expression of tRNA genes was identified and validated. Six isoacceptors of tRNA, with different expression patterns between total splenocytes and splenic neutrophils, were observed. In summary, our findings not only revealed novel biological processes in IDO shRNA-treated total splenocytes and splenic neutrophils, but the identified tRNAs and other non-coding RNAs may contribute to developing a novel biomarker gene set for evaluating the clinical efficiency of RNA-based cancer immunotherapies.

Loss of miR-145-5p Causes Ceruloplasmin Interference with PHD-Iron Axis and HIF-2α Stabilization in Lung Adenocarcinoma-Mediated Angiogenesis.

For decades, lung cancer has been the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) play critical roles in mediating lung cancer development and metastasis. The present study aims to clarify how HIF's over-activation affects lung cancer angiogenesis not only in a normoxic condition, but also a hypoxic niche. Our study shows that human lung cancer exhibits elevated levels of ceruloplasmin (CP), which has a negative impact on the prognosis of patients. CP affects the cellular Fe2+ level, which inactivates prolyl hydroxylase (PHD) 1 and 2, resulting in HIF-2α enhancement. Increased HIF-2α leads to vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) secretion and angiogenesis. The expression of CP is under the epigenetic control of miR-145-5p. Restoration of miR-145-5p by miRNA mimics transfection decreases CP expression, increases Fe2+ and PHD1/2 levels and HIF hydroxylation while reduced HIF-2α levels resulting in the inhibition of tumor angiogenesis. In contrast, inhibition of miR-145-5p by miRNA inhibitors increases the expression of CP and VEGF-A in lung cancer cells. Significantly, miR-145-5p expression is lost in the tumor samples of lung cancer patients, and low miR-145-5p expression is strongly correlated with a shorter overall survival time. In conclusion, the current study reveals the clinical importance and prognostic value of miR-145-5p and CP. It identifies a unique mechanism of HIF-2α over-activation, which is mediated by iron imbalance of the iron-PHD coupling that modulates tumor angiogenesis.

Upregulation of Thr/Tyr kinase Increases the Cancer Progression by Neurotensin and Dihydropyrimidinase-Like 3 in Lung Cancer.

Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death globally, thus elucidation of its molecular pathology is highly highlighted. Aberrant alterations of the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) are implicated in the development of cancer due to abnormal cell division. TTK (Thr/Tyr kinase), a dual serine/threonine kinase, is considered to act as a cancer promoter by controlling SAC. However, the mechanistic details of how TTK-mediated signaling network supports cancer development is still a mystery. Here, we found that TTK was upregulated in the tumor tissue of patients with lung cancer, and enhanced tumor growth and metastasis in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, TTK exerted a significant enhancement in cancer growth by neurotensin (NTS) upregulation, and subsequently increased the expression of cyclin A and cdk2, which was resulting in the increase of DNA synthesis. In contrast, TTK increased cell migration and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) by enhancing the expression of dihydropyrimidinase-like 3 (DPYSL3) followed by the increase of snail-regulated EMT, thus reinforce metastatic potential and ultimately tumor metastasis. TTK and DPYSL3 upregulation was positively correlated with a poor clinical outcome in patients with lung cancer. Together, our findings revealed a novel mechanism underlying the oncogenic potential effect of TTK and clarified its downstream factors NTS and DPYSL3 might represent a novel, promising candidate oncogenes with potential therapeutic vulnerabilities in lung cancer.

The Potential Effects of Curcumin on Pulmonary Fibroblasts of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF)-Approaching with Next-Generation Sequencing and Bioinformatics.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic and progressive interstitial lung disease. Currently, therapeutic options are limited for this fatal disease. Curcumin, with its pleiotropic effects, has been studied for its potential therapeutic utilities in various diseases, including pulmonary fibrosis. However, the detailed mechanisms have not been studied comprehensively. We conducted a next-generation sequencing and bioinformatics study to investigate changes in the profiles of mRNA and microRNA after curcumin treatment in IPF fibroblasts. We identified 23 downregulated and 8 upregulated protein-coding genes in curcumin-treated IPF fibroblasts. Using STRING and IPA, we identified that suppression of cell cycle progression was the main cellular function associated with these differentially expressed genes. We also identified 13 downregulated and 57 upregulated microRNAs in curcumin-treated IPF fibroblasts. Further analysis identified a potential microRNA-mediated gene expression alteration in curcumin-treated IPF fibroblasts, namely, downregulated hsa-miR-6724-5p and upregulated KLF10. Therefore, curcumin might decrease the level of hsa-miR-6724-5p, leading to increased KLF10 expression, resulting in cell cycle arrest in curcumin-treated IPF fibroblasts. In conclusion, our findings might support the potential role of curcumin in the treatment of IPF, but further in-depth study is warranted to confirm our findings.

CXCL17-derived CD11b+Gr-1+ myeloid-derived suppressor cells contribute to lung metastasis of breast cancer through platelet-derived growth factor-BB.

BACKGROUND: Metastasis is the major cause of death from breast cancer. Colonization and adaption of metastatic cells in distant organs is a rate-limiting step of the cancer spreading. The underlying mechanisms responsible for the colonization of breast cancer to lung metastatic niches are not fully understood. METHODS: Specific gene contributions to lung metastasis were identified by comparing gene profiles of 4T1 tumors metastasizing to various organs via microarray. The oncogenic properties CXCL17 were examined by in vivo spontaneous metastasis mouse model. The chemotactic activity of CXCL17 on CD11b+Gr-1+ myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) was examined by both in vitro and in vivo models. The therapeutic effects of MDSC depletion and platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) inhibition were examined by orthotic models. RESULTS: Here, we demonstrate that breast cancer cells secrete CXCL17, which increases the accumulation of CD11b+Gr-1+ MDSCs in the lungs. Metastatic lung-infiltrating CD11b+Gr-1+ MDSCs induce angiogenesis in the lungs and facilitate cancer extravasation and survival that ultimately promote lung metastases. CXCL17 increases CD11b+Gr-1+ MDSCs to express PDGF-BB, which not only contributes to CD11b+Gr-1+ MDSC-mediated angiogenesis in the lung metastatic niche, but is also involved in the colonization of breast cancer. Consequently, both CD11b+Gr-1+ MDSC depletion and PDGF receptor inhibitor effectively prevents CXCL17-driven lung metastasis in breast cancer. More importantly, patients with high levels of CXCL17 have shorter distant metastasis-free and overall survival rates, indicators of poor prognosis. CONCLUSION: Our study reveals that MDSCs derived by CXCL17 contribute to the establishment of a lung metastatic niche by PDGF-BB secretion and provide a rationale for development of CXCL17 or PDGF-BB antagonists to inhibit or prevent lung metastasis in cases of breast cancer.

Hypoxic Lung-Cancer-Derived Extracellular Vesicle MicroRNA-103a Increases the Oncogenic Effects of Macrophages by Targeting PTEN.

Hypoxia, the most commonly observed characteristic in cancers, is implicated in the establishment of an immunosuppressive niche. Recent studies have indicated that extracellular vesicle (EV)-mediated cancer-stroma interactions are considered to play a critical role in the regulation of various cellular biological functions, with phenotypic consequences in recipient cells. However, the mechanisms underlying the relationship between EVs and hypoxia during cancer progression remain largely unknown. In this study, we found that EVs derived from hypoxic lung cancers increased M2-type polarization by miR-103a transfer. Decreased PTEN levels caused by hypoxic cancer-cell-derived EV miR-103a increased activation of AKT and STAT3 as well as expression of several immunosuppressive and pro-angiogeneic factors. In contrast, inhibition of miR-103a by an miRNA inhibitor effectively decreased hypoxic cancer-mediated M2-type polarization, improving the cytokine prolife of tumor infiltration macrophages. Macrophages received cancer-cell-derived EV miR-103a feedback to further enhance cancer progression and tumor angiogenesis. Finally, circulating EV miR-103a levels were higher in patients with lung cancer and closely associated with the M2 polarization. In conclusion, our results delineate a novel mechanism by which lung cancer cells induce immunosuppressive and pro-tumoral macrophages through EVs and inspire further research into the clinical application of EV inhibition or PTEN restoration for immunotherapy.

New Insight on Solute Carrier Family 27 Member 6 (SLC27A6) in Tumoral and Non-Tumoral Breast Cells.

Long-chain fatty acids are the most abundant fatty acids and are essential for various physiological processes. Translocation of long-chain fatty acids across cell membrane is dependent on transport proteins. Solute carrier family 27 member 6 (SLC27A6) is a transport protein which mediates long-chain fatty acid uptake. The bioinformatic analysis revealed that the expression of SLC27A6 in non-tumoral breast tissue was higher than that in tumoral breast cancer in clinic samples. When SLC27A6 expression in non-tumorigenic cell H184B5F5/M10 was repressed, the fatty acids uptake capacity and cell proliferation was inhibited, and cell cycle was delayed. The protein expression of cell cycle regulators including cell division protein kinase 4 (CDK4), CDK6, and cyclin D1 was significantly decreased in SLC27A6-silenced H184B5F5/M10. By contrast, relatively low SLC27A6 expression in tumorigenic breast cancer cell Hs578T when compared to H184B5F5/M10. Repressing SLC27A6 expression did not affect these phenotypes in Hs578T. The interaction network of SLC27A6 was further investigated via STRING database. The function of these SLC27A6-associated proteins mainly involved in lipid biosynthesis, fatty acid metabolic process, and fatty acid transport. In conclusion, this study reveals inverse correlation between SLC27A6 expression and tumoral tissues and provides a new insight into SLC27A6-mediated cell growth and cell cycle regulation in non-tumorigenic breast cells.

Deduction of Novel Genes Potentially Involved in Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma Using Next-Generation Sequencing and Bioinformatics Approaches.

Upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) is a relatively uncommon cancer worldwide, however it accounts for approximately 30% of urothelial cancer in the Taiwanese population. The aim of the current study is to identify differential molecular signatures and novel miRNA regulations in UTUC, using next-generation sequencing and bioinformatics approaches. Two pairs of UTUC tumor and non-tumor tissues were collected during surgical resection, and RNAs extracted for deep sequencing. There were 317 differentially expressed genes identified in UTUC tissues, and the systematic bioinformatics analyses indicated dysregulated genes were enriched in biological processes related to aberration in cell cycle and matrisome-related genes. Additionally, 15 candidate genes with potential miRNA-mRNA interactions were identified. Using the clinical outcome prediction database, low expression of SLIT3 was found to be a prognostic predictor of poor survival in urothelial cancer, and a novel miRNA, miR-34a-5p, was a potential regulator of SLIT3, which may infer the potential role of miR-34a-5p-SLIT3 regulation in the altered tumor microenvironment in UTUC. Our findings suggested novel miRNA target with SLIT3 regulation exerts potential prognostic value in UTUC, and future investigation is necessary to explore the role of SLIT3 in the tumor development and progression of UTUC.

Deducting MicroRNA-Mediated Changes Common in Bronchial Epithelial Cells of Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-A Next-Generation Sequencing-Guided Bioinformatic Approach.

Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are chronic airway inflammatory diseases that share some common features, although these diseases are somewhat different in etiologies, clinical features, and treatment policies. The aim of this study is to investigate the common microRNA-mediated changes in bronchial epithelial cells of asthma and COPD. The microRNA profiles in primary bronchial epithelial cells from asthma (AHBE) and COPD (CHBE) patients and healthy subjects (NHBE) were analyzed with next-generation sequencing (NGS) and the significant microRNA changes common in AHBE and CHBE were extracted. The upregulation of hsa-miR-10a-5p and hsa-miR-146a-5p in both AHBE and CHBE was confirmed with quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Using bioinformatic methods, we further identified putative targets of these microRNAs, which were downregulated in both AHBE and CHBE: miR-10a-5p might suppress BCL2, FGFR3, FOXO3, PDE4A, PDE4C, and PDE7A; miR-146a-5p might suppress BCL2, INSR, PDE4D, PDE7A, PDE7B, and PDE11A. We further validated significantly decreased expression levels of FOXO3 and PDE7A in AHBE and CHBE than in NHBE with qPCR. Increased serum miR-146a-5p level was also noted in patients with asthma and COPD as compared with normal control subjects. In summary, our study revealed possible mechanisms mediated by miR-10a-5p and miR-146a-5p in the pathogenesis of both asthma and COPD. The findings might provide a scientific basis for developing novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.

Independent Association of Overhydration with All-Cause and Cardiovascular Mortality Adjusted for Global Left Ventricular Longitudinal Systolic Strain and E/E' Ratio in Maintenance Hemodialysis Patients.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Fluid overload is common and associated with morbidity and mortality in patients with end-stage renal disease. The relationship between fluid overload and cardiac function is complex, and whether fluid overload is associated with adverse outcomes in patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD) independently of systolic and diastolic function of the left ventricle (LV) remains unclear. METHODS: The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between overhydration and all-cause and cardiovascular (CV) mortality after adjusting for LV function in 178 maintenance HD patients. The relative hydration status (overhydration/ extracellular water, ∆HS) was measured using a body composition monitor, and then used to assess the fluid status. A ∆HS ≥7% was defined as fluid overload. Global left ventricular longitudinal systolic strain (GLS), and the early filling and early diastolic mitral annular velocity (E/E') ratio were assessed using speckle-tracking and tissue Doppler echocardiography. RESULTS: During a mean follow-up period of 2.7 years, 24 patients died, including 11 CV deaths. An increased ∆HS was significantly associated with all-cause and CV mortality in the univariate analysis. This prognostic significance remains after multivariate adjusting for GLS and E/E' ratio for all-cause (HR, 1.123; 95% CI, 1.063-1.186; p-value < 0.001) and CV (HR, 1.088; 95% CI, 1.005-1.178; p-value =0.037) mortality. Moreover, ∆HS significantly improved the prognostic value beyond conventional clinical and echocardiographic parameters. CONCLUSION: A higher ∆HS was independently associated with increased all-cause and CV mortality after adjusting for systolic and diastolic function of the LV. This suggests that ∆HS may be a relevant target for improving outcomes in maintenance HD patients.

Angiopoietin-2, Renal Deterioration, Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events and All-Cause Mortality in Patients with Diabetic Nephropathy.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Diabetic nephropathy is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease and accounts for 30∼40% of patients requiring maintenance dialysis, thereby increasing the burden on health insurance programs. Diabetic nephropathy is also the strongest predictor of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to examine whether angiopoietin-2 (Angpt2), a modulator of endothelial function, affects the clinical outcomes of diabetic patients. METHODS: This study enrolled 236 patients with diabetes mellitus with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) < 60ml/min/1.73m2 from January 2006 to December 2011, who were followed until June 2017. Clinical outcomes included renal outcomes (commencing dialysis and rapid decline in renal function (eGFR decline > 3 ml/min per 1.73 m2/year)), major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs), and all-cause mortality. RESULTS: Over a mean follow-up period of 3.9±2.7 years, 135 (57.2%) patients commenced dialysis, 106 (44.9%) had rapid decline in renal function, and 50 (21.2%) had MACEs or died from all-causes. Log-formed Angpt2 was significantly associated with increased risks of commencing dialysis (HR: 3.91, 95% CI: 1.56-9.76), rapid renal function decline (OR: 6.81, 95% CI: 1.06-43.88), and MACEs or all-cause mortality (HR: 6.34, 95% CI: 1.18-33.97) in the adjusted analysis. Patients in the highest quartile had hazard ratios of 2.90 and 3.11 for commencing dialysis and rapid renal function decline, respectively, compared to those in the lowest quartile after adjustments. Similar significant dose-response results were found in composite outcomes of either MACEs or all-cause mortality. CONCLUSION: Angpt2 is an independent predictor of adverse clinical outcomes in diabetic patients. Further studies are needed to identify the pathogenic role of Angpt2 in renal deterioration and cardiovascular complications of diabetes mellitus.