miR-185-5p alleviates the inflammatory response of acute gouty arthritis by inhibiting of IL-1β / 细胞与分子免疫学杂志

Objective To investigate the relationship between interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and miR-185-5p in the process of joint injury in acute gouty arthritis (AGA). Methods The serum miR-185-5p levels of 89 AGA patients and 91 healthy volunteers were detected by real-time quantitative PCR. The correlation between miR-185-5p expression level and VAS score or IL-1β expression level was evaluated by Pearson correlation coefficient method. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic value of miR-185-5p in AGA. THP-1 cells were induced by sodium urate (MSU) to construct an in vitro acute gouty inflammatory cell model. After the expression level of miR-185-5p in THP-1 cells was upregulated or downregulated by transfection of miR-185-5p mimics or inhibitors in vitro, inflammatory cytokines of THP-1 cells, such as IL-1β, IL-8 and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), were detected by ELISA. The luciferase reporter gene assay was used to determine the interaction between miR-185-5p and the 3'-UTR of IL-1β. Results Compared with the healthy control group, the expression level of serum miR-185-5p in AGA patients was significantly reduced. The level of serum miR-185-5p was negatively correlated with VAS score and IL-1β expression level. The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.905, the sensitivity was 80.17% and the specificity was 83.52%. Down-regulation of miR-185-5p significantly promoted the expression of IL-1β, IL-8 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), while overexpression of miR-185-5p showed the opposite results. Luciferase reporter gene assay showed that IL-1β was the target gene of miR-185-5p, and miR-185-5p negatively regulated the expression of IL-1β. Conclusion miR-185-5p alleviates the inflammatory response in AGA by inhibiting IL-1β.

Unveiling the role of osteoblastic micro RNAs in the skeleton: from biological functions to therapeutic potential / Rol de los micro-ARN osteoblásticos en el esqueleto: desde las funciones biológicas al potencial terapéutico

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNA molecules that play critical roles in post-transcriptional gene regulation. They function by binding to target messenger RNA (mRNA) molecules, leading to their degradation or inhibiting their translation into proteins. In the context of skeletal diseases, such as osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, and bone metastasis, there is growing evidence osteoblastic miRNAs, are involved in the regulation of bone formation and maintenance.Osteoblasts are bone-forming cells responsible for synthesizing and depositing the extracellular matrix, which ultimately mineralizes to form bone tissue. Osteoblastic miRNAs modulate various aspects of osteoblast function, including proliferation, differentiation, mineralization, and apoptosis. Dysregulation of these miRNAs can disrupt the balance between bone formation and resorption, leading to skeletal diseases.The therapeutic implications of targeting osteoblastic miRNAs in skeletal diseases are significant. Modulating the expression levels of specific miRNAs holds promise for developing novel therapeutic strategies to enhance bone formation, prevent bone loss, and promote bone regeneration. Potential therapeutic approaches include the use of synthetic miRNA mimics to restore miRNA expression in diseases associated with miRNA downregulation or the use of anti-miRNA oligonucleotides to inhibit miRNA function in diseases associated with miRNA upregulation.miRNA-based therapies are still in the early stages of development, and further research is needed to fully understand the complexity of miRNA networks. Additionally, the delivery of miRNAs to specific target tissues and cells remains a challenge that needs to be addressed for effective clinical translation. Nonetheless, targeting osteoblastic miRNAs represents a promising avenue for future therapeutic interventions in skeletal diseases. (AU)

Los micro-ARNs (miARNss) son pequeños ARN no codificantes que desempeñan un papel fundamental en la regulación génica postranscripcional. Ejercen su función al unir-se a moléculas de ARN mensajero (ARNm), promoviendo su degradación e inhibiendo su traducción en proteínas. En el contexto de las enfermedades esqueléticas, como la osteoporosis, la osteoartritis y la metástasis ósea existe evidencia de que los miARNs osteoblásticos están involucrados en la regulación de la formación y del mantenimiento óseo. Los osteoblastos son células formadoras de hueso responsables de sintetizar y depositar la matriz extracelular, que finalmente se mineraliza para formar el hueso. Los miARNs derivados de osteoblastos modulan varios aspectos de la función de estas células, incluida la proliferación, diferenciación, mineralización y la apoptosis. La desregulación de estos miARNs puede alterar el equilibrio entre la formación y la resorción ósea, lo que lleva a enfermedades óseas. Las implicaciones terapéuticas de los miARNs osteoblásticos en enfermedades esqueléticas son significativas. La modulación de los niveles de expresión de miARNs específicos es prometedora para desarrollar nuevas estrate-gias terapéuticas a fin de mejorar la formación, prevenir la pérdida y promover la regeneración ósea. Los enfoques terapéuticos potenciales incluyen el uso de miméticos de miARNs para restaurar la expresión de miARNs o el uso de oligonucleótidos anti-miARNs para inhibir su función. Las terapias basadas en miARNs aún se encuentran en las primeras etapas de desarrollo. La administración de miARNs a las células y los tejidos específicos sigue siendo un desafío para lograr una aplicación clínica eficaz. (AU)

Enrichment of miR-17-5p enhances the protective effects of EPC-EXs on vascular and skeletal muscle injury in a diabetic hind limb ischemia model

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is highly susceptible to diabetic hind limb ischemia (DHI). MicroRNA (MiR)-17-5p is downregulated in DM and plays a key role in vascular protection. Endothelial progenitor cell (EPC)-released exosomes (EPC-EXs) contribute to vascular protection and ischemic tissue repair by transferring their contained miRs to target cells. Here, we investigated whether miR-17-5p-enriched EPC-EXs (EPC-EXsmiR-17-5p) had conspicuous effects on protecting vascular and skeletal muscle in DHI in vitro and in vivo. METHODS: EPCs transfected with scrambled control or miR-17-5p mimics were used to generate EPC-EXs and EPC-EXsmiR-17-5p. Db/db mice were subjected to hind limb ischemia. After the surgery, EPC-EXs and EPC-EXsmiR-17-5p were injected into the gastrocnemius muscle of the hind limb once every 7 days for 3 weeks. Blood flow, microvessel density, capillary angiogenesis, gastrocnemius muscle weight, structure integrity, and apoptosis in the hind limb were assessed. Vascular endothelial cells (ECs) and myoblast cells (C2C12 cells) were subjected to hypoxia plus high glucose (HG) and cocultured with EPC-EXs and EPC-EXsmiR-17-5p. A bioinformatics assay was used to analyze the potential target gene of miR-17-5p, the levels of SPRED1, PI3K, phosphorylated Akt, cleaved caspase-9 and cleaved caspase-3 were measured, and a PI3K inhibitor (LY294002) was used for pathway analysis. RESULTS: In the DHI mouse model, miR-17-5p was markedly decreased in hind limb vessels and muscle tissues, and infusion of EPC-EXsmiR-17-5p was more effective than EPC-EXs in increasing miR-17-5p levels, blood flow, microvessel density, and capillary angiogenesis, as well as in promoting muscle weight, force production and structural integrity while reducing apoptosis in gastrocnemius muscle. In Hypoxia plus HG-injured ECs and C2C12 cells, we found that EPC-EXsmiR-17-5p could deliver their carried miR-17-5p into target ECs and C2C12 cells and subsequently downregulate the target protein SPRED1 while increasing the levels of PI3K and phosphorylated Akt. EPC-EXsmiR-17-5p were more effective than EPC-EXs in decreasing apoptosis and necrosis while increasing viability, migration, and tube formation in Hypoxia plus HG-injured ECs and in decreasing apoptosis while increasing viability and myotube formation in C2C12 cells. These effects of EPC-EXsmiR-17-5p could be abolished by a PI3K inhibitor (LY294002). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that miR-17-5p promotes the beneficial effects of EPC-EXs on DHI by protecting vascular ECs and muscle cell functions.

Forkhead Box M1 Regulates the Proliferation,Invasion,and Drug Resistance of Gastric Cancer Cells via circ_NOTCH1 / 中国医学科学院学报

Objective To investigate the impacts of forkhead box M1(FOXM1)on the proliferation,invasion,and drug resistance of gastric cancer cells by regulating the circular RNA circ_NOTCH1.Methods Western blotting and real-time quantitative PCR were performed to determine the expression of FOXM1 protein and circ_NOTCH1,respectively,in the gastric cancer tissue,para-carcinoma tissue,human normal gastric mucosa epithelial cell line GES-1 and gastric cancer cell lines MGC-803,HGC-27,and BGC-823.BGC-823 cells were classified into the following groups:control,short hairpin RNA FOXM1(sh-FOXM1)and negative control(sh-NC),small interfering RNA circ_NOTCH1(si-circ_NOTCH1)and negative control(si-NC),and sh-FOXM1+circ_NOTCH1 overexpression plasmid(sh-FOXM1+pcDNA-circ_NOTCH1)and sh-FOXM1+negative control(sh-FOXM1+pcDNA).CCK-8 assay and clone formation assay were employed to measure the cell proliferation,and Transwell assay to measure cell invasion.After treatment with 1.0 mg/L adriamycin for 48 h,the cell resistance in each group was analyzed.Western blotting was employed to determine the expression levels of FOXM1,proliferating cell nuclear antigen(PCNA),Bax,multi-drug resistance-associated protein 1(MRP1),and multi-drug resistance gene 1(MDR1).RNA pull-down and RNA immunoprecipitation were employed to examine the binding of circ_NOTCH1 to FOXM1 protein.Results Compared with those in the para-carcinoma tissue,the expression levels of FOXM1 protein and circ_NOTCH1 in the gastric cancer tissue were up-regulated(all P<0.001).Compared with GES-1 cells,MGC-803,HGC-27,and BGC-823 cells showed up-regulated expression levels of FOXM1 protein and circ_NOTCH1(all P<0.001).Compared with the control group and sh-NC group,the sh-FOXM1 group with down-regulated expression of FOXM1 protein and circ_NOTCH1 showed decreased optical density value,clone formation rate,cell invasion number,and cell viability,down-regulated expression of PCNA,MRP1,and MDR1,and up-regulated expression of Bax protein in BGC-823 cells(all P<0.001).Compared with the control group and the si-NC group,the si-circ_NOTCH1 group with down-regulated expression of circ_NOTCH1 showed decreased optical density value,clone formation rate,cell invasion number,and cell viability,down-regulated expression of PCNA,MRP1,and MDR1,and up-regulated expression of Bax protein in BGC-823 cells(all P<0.001).Compared with sh-FOXM1 group and sh-FOXM1+pcDNA group,the sh-FOXM1+pcDNA-circ_NOTCH1 group with up-regulated expression of circ_NOTCH1 showed increased optical density value,clone formation rate,cell invasion number,and cell viability,up-regulated expression of PCNA,MRP1,and MDR1,and down-regulated expression of Bax protein(all P<0.001).FOXM1 protein was able to interact with circ_NOTCH1.Conclusion Interference with FOXM1 may inhibit the proliferation,invasion,and drug resistance of gastric cancer cells by silencing circ_NOTCH1 expression.

An Investigation of the Effects of B7-H4 Gene rs10754339 and miR-125a Gene rs12976445 on Cancer Susceptibility / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the effects of the B7-H4 gene rs10754339 and miR-125a gene rs12976445 on cancer susceptibility through a case-control study and meta-analysis.@*METHODS@#A total of 1,490 cancer patients (lung/gastric/liver/: 550/460/480) and 800 controls were recruited in this case-control study. The meta-analysis was performed by pooling the data from previous related studies and the present study.@*RESULTS@#The results of this study showed that in the Hubei Han Chinese population, the rs10754339 gene was significantly associated with the risk of lung and gastric cancer but not liver cancer, and the rs12976445 gene was significantly associated with the risk of lung cancer but not liver or gastric cancer. The meta-analysis results indicated that rs10754339 and rs12976445 contributed to cancer susceptibility in the Chinese population and also revealed a significant association between rs10754339 and breast cancer risk, as well as between rs12976445 and lung cancer risk.@*CONCLUSION@#The B7-H4 gene rs10754339 and miR-125a gene rs12976445 may be the potential genetic markers for cancer susceptibility in the Chinese population, which should be validated in future studies with larger sample sizes in other ethnic populations.

SHED-derived exosomes ameliorate hyposalivation caused by Sjögren's syndrome via Akt/GSK-3β/Slug-mediated ZO-1 expression / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

BACKGROUND@#Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by sicca syndrome and/or systemic manifestations. The treatment is still challenging. This study aimed to explore the therapeutic role and mechanism of exosomes obtained from the supernatant of stem cells derived from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED-exos) in sialadenitis caused by SS.@*METHODS@#SHED-exos were administered to the submandibular glands (SMGs) of 14-week-old non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice, an animal model of the clinical phase of SS, by local injection or intraductal infusion. The saliva flow rate was measured after pilocarpine intraperitoneal injection in 21-week-old NOD mice. Protein expression was examined by western blot analysis. Exosomal microRNA (miRNAs) were identified by microarray analysis. Paracellular permeability was evaluated by transepithelial electrical resistance measurement.@*RESULTS@#SHED-exos were injected into the SMG of NOD mice and increased saliva secretion. The injected SHED-exos were taken up by glandular epithelial cells, and further increased paracellular permeability mediated by zonula occluden-1 (ZO-1). A total of 180 exosomal miRNAs were identified from SHED-exos, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis suggested that the phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) pathway might play an important role. SHED-exos treatment down-regulated phospho-Akt (p-Akt)/Akt, phospho-glycogen synthase kinase 3β (p-GSK-3β)/GSK-3β, and Slug expressions and up-regulated ZO-1 expression in SMGs and SMG-C6 cells. Both the increased ZO-1 expression and paracellular permeability induced by SHED-exos were abolished by insulin-like growth factor 1, a PI3K agonist. Slug bound to the ZO-1 promoter and suppressed its expression. For safer and more effective clinical application, SHED-exos were intraductally infused into the SMGs of NOD mice, and saliva secretion was increased and accompanied by decreased levels of p-Akt/Akt, p-GSK-3β/GSK-3β, and Slug and increased ZO-1 expression.@*CONCLUSION@#Local application of SHED-exos in SMGs can ameliorate Sjögren syndrome-induced hyposalivation by increasing the paracellular permeability of glandular epithelial cells through Akt/GSK-3β/Slug pathway-mediated ZO-1 expression.

Effect of miR-125b on T Cell Activation in Aplastic Anemia by Targetting B7-H4 / 中国实验血液学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the effect of miR-125b on T cell activation in patients with aplastic anemia (AA) and its molecular mechanism.@*METHODS@#A total of 30 AA patients were enrolled in department of hematology, Binzhou Medical University Hospital from January 2018 to October 2021, as well as 15 healthy individuals as healthy control (HC) group. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated, in which the levels of miR-125b and B7-H4 mRNA were detected by RT-qPCR. Immunomagnetic beads were used to separate naive T cells and non-naive T cells from AA patients and healthy people to detect the levels of miR-125b and B7-H4 mRNA. Lentivirus LV-NC inhibitor and LV-miR-125b inhibitor were transfected into cells, and T cell activation was detected by flow cytometry. The dual-luciferase reporter gene assay was used to detect the targetting relationship between miR-125b and B7-H4. RT-qPCR and Western blot were used to detect the levels of miR-125b, CD40L, ICOS, IL-10 mRNA and B7-H4 protein.@*RESULTS@#Compared with HC group, the expression of miR-125b was up-regulated but B7-H4 mRNA was down-regulated in PBMCs of AA patients (P <0.05), and the proportions of CD4+CD69+ T cells and CD8+CD69+ T cells in PBMCs of AA patients were higher (P <0.05). The expression of miR-125b was significantly up-regulated but B7-H4 mRNA was down-regulated in both naive T cells and non-naive T cells of AA patients (P <0.05), and non-naive T cells was more significant than naive T cells (P <0.05). Compared with NC inhibitor group, the expression of miR-125b was significantly decreased, the expression level of CD69 on CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in PBMCs was also significantly decreased, while the luciferase activity was significantly increased after co-transfection of miR-125b inhibitor and B7-H4-3'UTR-WT in the miR-125b inhibitor group (P <0.05). Compared with NC inhibitor group, the mRNA and protein levels of B7-H4 were significantly increased in the miR-125b inhibitor group (P <0.05). Compared with miR-125b inhibitor+shRNA group, the expression levels of CD69 on CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were significantly increased, and the levels of CD40L, ICOS and IL-10 mRNA were also significantly increased in the miR-125b inhibitor+sh-B7-H4 group (P <0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#MiR-125b may promote T cell activation by targetting B7-H4 in AA patients.

Inhibitory Effect of Resveratrol on the Proliferation of Multiple Myeloma Cells and the Underlying Mechanism / 中国实验血液学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the effect of resveratrol (RSV) on the proliferation of multiple myeloma (MM) cells and its molecular mechanism.@*METHODS@#MM cells (MM1.S, RPMI-8226 and U266) were treated with different concentrations of RSV for 24-72 h. The effect of RSV on the proliferation of MM cells was detected by CCK-8 (cell counting kit-8) assay. RPMI-8226 cells were divided into RSV, miR-21 mimic, RSV+miR-21 mimic, miR-21 inhibitor and RSV+miR-21 inhibitor groups, and transfected with corresponding plasmids. The cell cycle distribution of each group was detected by flow cytometry with propidium iodide (PI) single staining. The cell apoptosis of each group was detected by AnnexinV-FITC/PE-PI double staining. The expression of miR-21 in MM cells treated with RSV and the expression of KLF5 mRNA in each group were detected by qRT-PCR. The expression of KLF5 protein in each group was detected by Western blot.@*RESULTS@#RSV inhibited the proliferation and induced apoptosis of MM cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. After the MM cells were treated with RSV, the number of cells in sub-G1 phase was increased, and that in G2/M phase was decreased. Moreover, RSV significantly downregulated the expression of miR-21 in MM cells, and the inhibitory effect of miR-21 mimic on KLF5 expression in MM cells was counteracted by RSV.@*CONCLUSION@#RSV may inhibit the proliferation and induce apoptosis of MM cells by inhibiting miR-21 and up-regulating KLF5 expression.

Effect of LINC00174 on the Malignant Proliferation of Multiple Myeloma Cells and Its Related Mechanism / 中国实验血液学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the biological function of LINC00174 in multiple myeloma (MM).@*METHODS@#Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to detect the expressions of LINC00174 and miR-150 in peripheral blood of MM patients and MM cell lines. EdU staining and flow cytometry were used to detect the effects of LINC00174 and miR-150 on the proliferation and apoptosis of MM cells. Western blot was used to detect the expressions of proliferation marker nuclear-related antigen Ki67, apoptosis-related protein cleaved caspase-3 and transcription factor forkhead box protein P1 (FOXP1). Bioinformatics and dual-luciferase reporter assay were used to verify the targeting relationship between LINC00174 and miR-150 and the targeting relationship between miR-150 and FOXP1.@*RESULTS@#The level of LINC00174 was significantly increased in peripheral blood of MM patients and MM cell lines (P <0.05). Compared with NC-siRNA group, the expression of LINC00174 was significantly reduced in LINC00174-siRNA group, the proliferation of U266 cells was reduced, the apoptosis rate was significantly increased, the level of Ki67 protein was reduced, and the level of cleaved caspase-3 protein was increased (all P <0.05). LINC00174 targeted regulation of the expression of miR-150. Compared with LINC00174-siRNA+NC inhibitor group, the expression of miR-150 in U266 cells in LINC00174-siRNA+miR-150 inhibitor group was significantly reduced, the cell proliferation was enhanced, the apoptosis rate was reduced, the level of Ki67 protein was increased, and the level of cleaved caspase-3 was decreased (all P <0.05). FOXP1 is the target gene of miR-150. Compared with NC mimic group, the expression of FOXP1 protein in miR-150 mimic group was significantly reduced, the cell proliferation was reduced, the apoptosis rate was significantly increased, Ki67 protein level was decreased, and the level of cleaved caspase-3 was increased. Compared with miR-150 mimic + vector group, the expression of FOXP1 protein in miR-150 mimic + pcDNA-FOXP1 group was significantly increased, the cell proliferation was enhanced, the apoptosis rate was reduced, the level of Ki67 protein was increased, and the level of cleaved caspase-3 was decreased (all P <0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#LINC00174 promotes the proliferation of MM cells and inhibits cell apoptosis by regulating the miR-150/ FOXP1 axis.

A state-of-the-art review on miRNA in prevention and treatment of Alzheimer 's disease / 浙江大学学报·医学版

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a multifactorial and heterogenic disorder. MiRNA is a class of non-coding RNAs with 19-22 nucleotides in length that can regulate the expression of target genes in the post-transcriptional level. It has been found that the miRNAome in AD patients is significantly altered in brain tissues, cerebrospinal fluid and blood circulation, as compared to healthy subjects. Experimental studies have suggested that expression changes in miRNA could drive AD onset and development via different mechanisms. Therefore, targeting miRNA expression to regulate the key genes involved in AD progression is anticipated to be a promising approach for AD prevention and treatment. Rodent AD models have demonstrated that targeting miRNAs could block biogenesis and toxicity of amyloid β, inhibit the production and hyper-phosphorylation of τ protein, prevent neuronal apoptosis and promote neurogenesis, maintain neural synaptic and calcium homeostasis, as well as mitigate neuroinflammation mediated by microglia. In addition, animal and human studies support the view that miRNAs are critical players contributing to the beneficial effects of cell therapy and lifestyle intervention to AD. This article reviews the most recent advances in the roles, mechanisms and applications of targeting miRNA in AD prevention and treatment based on rodent AD models and human intervention studies. The potential opportunities and challenges in clinical application of targeting miRNA for AD patients are also discussed.

CircRNA-SCAF8 promotes vascular endothelial cell pyroptosis by regulating the miR-93-5p/TXNIP axis / 浙江大学学报·医学版

OBJECTIVES@#To investigate the role and mechanism of circRNA-SR-related CTD associated factor 8 (SCAF8) in regulating endothelial cell pyroptosis in high glucose environment.@*METHODS@#Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were cultured and divided into six groups. The normal control group and high glucose control group were cultured in cell culture medium with 5 and 33 mmol/L glucose, respectively. The RNA control group, circRNA-SCAF8 inhibition group, miR-93-5p overexpression group and miR-93-5p inhibition group were added with non-functional siRNA, circRNA-SCAF8 inhibitor, miR-93-5p overexpression molecule and miR-93-5p inhibitor in high glucose environment, respectively. Cell viability and pyroptosis were detected by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, flow cytometry and Hoechst 33342/propidium iodide fluorescence double staining. Western blotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were used to detect the expression of pyroptosis-related factors including apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD (ASC), cysteine aspartic acid specific protease-1 (caspase-1) and Gasdermin D (GSDMD), NOD like receptor protein 3 (NLRP-3), thioredoxin interacting proteins (TXNIP), IL-18 and IL-1β. The expression of circRNA-SCAF8, miR-93-5p and TXNIP was detected by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was used to locate circRNA-SCAF8 and miR-93-5p. Dual luciferase assay was used to verify the targeted regulatory relationship between miR-93-5p and upstream and downstream molecules.@*RESULTS@#Compared with the RNA control group, the cell survival rate of circRNA-SCAF8 inhibition group and miR-93-5p overexpression group increased (both P<0.01), the pyroptosis decreased (both P<0.01), and the expressions of pyroptosis-related factors such as TXNIP, NLRP-3, caspase-1, GSDMD, ASC, IL-18 and IL-1β were significantly decreased (all P<0.05). The expression of miR-93-5p was significantly increased after inhibition of circRNA-SCAF8 (P<0.01), and the expression of circRNA-SCAF8 tended to decrease after overexpression of miR-93-5p, but with no statistical significance (P>0.05). Dual luciferase assay showed that miR-93-5p downre-gulated circRNA-SCAF8 expression by binding to the 3 ´ UTR region of circRNA-SCAF8, and miR-93-5p downregulated TXNIP expression by binding to the 3 ´ UTR region of TXNIP. FISH showed that circRNA-SCAF8 and miR-93-5p were both located in the cytoplasm and were highly associated in the cells. qRT-PCR showed that the relative expression of TXNIP increased or decreased after overexpression or inhibition of miR-93-5p compared with the RNA control group, respectively (both P<0.05), suggesting that miR-93-5p could regulate TXNIP gene expression.@*CONCLUSIONS@#CircRNA-SCAF8/miR-93-5p/TXNIP axis is involved in the regulation of pyroptosis in HUVECs under high glucose.

Altered microRNA expression profiles of human spermatozoa in normal fertile men of different ages / 亚洲男科学杂志(英文版)

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are mediators of the aging process. The purpose of this work was to analyze the miRNA expression profiles of spermatozoa from men of different ages with normal fertility. Twenty-seven donors were divided into three groups by age (Group A, n = 8, age: 20-30 years; Group B, n = 10, age: 31-40 years; and Group C, n = 9, age: 41-55 years) for high-throughput sequencing analysis. Samples from 65 individuals (22, 22, and 21 in Groups A, B, and C, respectively) were used for validation by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). A total of 2160 miRNAs were detected: 1223 were known, 937 were newly discovered and unnamed, of which 191 were expressed in all donors. A total of 7, 5, and 17 differentially expressed microRNAs (DEMs) were found in Group A vs B, Group B vs C, and Group A vs C comparisons, respectively. Twenty-two miRNAs were statistically correlated with age. Twelve miRNAs were identified as age-associated miRNAs, including hsa-miR-127-3p, mmu-miR-5100_L+2R-1, efu-miR-9226_L-2_1ss22GA, cgr-miR-1260_L+1, hsa-miR-652-3p_R+1, pal-miR-9993a-3p_L+2R-1, hsa-miR-7977_1ss6AG, hsa-miR-106b-3p_R-1, hsa-miR-186-5p, PC-3p-59611_111, hsa-miR-93-3p_R+1, and aeca-mir-8986a-p5_1ss1GA. There were 9165 target genes of age-associated miRNAs. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis of the target genes identified revealed enrichment of protein binding, membrane, cell cycle, and so on. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis of age-related miRNAs for target genes revealed 139 enriched pathways, such as signaling pathways regulating stem cell pluripotency, metabolic pathways, and the Hippo signaling pathway. This suggests that miRNAs play a key role in male fertility changes with increasing age and provides new evidence for the study of the mechanism of age-related male fertility decline.

miR-18a ameliorates inflammation and tissue injury in a mouse model of allergic rhinitis via blocking TLR4/NF-κB pathway / 细胞与分子免疫学杂志

Objective To investigate the role of microRNA-18a (miR-18a) in the pathogenesis of allergic rhinitis in mice. Methods Twenty-two BALB/c mice were randomly divided into a blank group, a model group and a miR-18a group. Mice in the model group and the miR-18a group were injected intraperitoneally with obumin (OVA) suspension to prepare allergic rhinitis models, and mice in the miR-18a group were simultaneously given lentiviral vector plasmid for overexpression of miR-18a. Allergy symptoms were evaluated by the behavioral score and HE staining. The plasma levels of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) were measured by ELISA. The distribution of CD45+ cells in nasal mucosa was measured by immunofluorescence histochemistry, and CD45+ cells in nasal lavage fluid were measured by flow cytometry. The mRNA expression levels of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α in nasal mucosa tissues were measured by fluorescence quantitative PCR, and the protein expressions of Toll like receptor 4 (TLR4), nuclear factor κB p65 (NF-κB p65), inhibitor of NF-κB α (IκBα) and phosphorylated IκBα (p-IκBα) in nasal mucosa were measured by Western blot analysis. Results Compared with the blank group, the plasma levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α in the model group increased significantly. The number of CD45+ cells in both nasal mucosa tissue and nasal irrigation fluid increased, and the mRNA levels of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α and the protein expression levels of TLR4, NF-κB p65 and p-IκBα in nasal mucosa increased. Compared with the model group, the plasma levels of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α in the miR-18a group decreased significantly. The number of CD45+ cells in both nasal mucosa tissue and nasal lavage fluid decreased, and the mRNA levels of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α and the exprotein expression levels of TLR4, NF-κB p65 and p-IκBα in nasal mucosa decreased. Conclusion miR-18a can inhibit the occurrence and development of allergic rhinitis, and its molecular mechanism is related to the inhibition of TLR4/NF-κB pathway activation.

Effects of miR-143 on the migration and invasion of osteosarcoma cells by regulating MMP-13 expression / 中国骨伤

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the effect of miR-143 regulating matrix metalloproteinase(MMP)-13 expression on migration and invasion of osteosarcoma cells.@*METHODS@#The mouse osteosarcoma cell line 143B cells were cultured in 96-well plates, and blank group, negative group, positive group, and intervention group were set up. Then, the blank group did no treatment 50 μg miR-143 mimic was added to positive group, negative group added equal mimic NC (control sequence of miR-143 mimic), the intervention group was added 50 μg miR-143 mimic and 10 μg MMP-13 protein, all groups continued to culture for 3 to 6 hours, and finally the serum was aspirated to treat for half an hour. The protein expressions of miR-143 and MMP-13 in each group were measured by fluorescence quantitative PCR experiment and Western blot experiment, respectively, and the invasion and migration abilities of cells were measured by Transwell and scratch experiments.@*RESULTS@#The expression of MMP-13 protein in the positive group and the intervention group was significantly lower than that in the blank group, and the positive group was lower than the intervention group (P<0.05);The mean numbers of invasive cells in blank group, negative group, positive group and intervention group were (1 000.01±44.77), (959.25±46.32), (245.04±4.33), (634.06±33.78) cells/field, respectively;the scratch healing rate of the positive group and the intervention group was significantly lower than that of the blank group, and the positive group was lower than the intervention group (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#MMP-13 is a target of miR-143, which can reduce the migration and invasion ability of osteosarcoma cells by inhibiting the expression of MMP-13.

Regulation of non-coding RNA in type H vessels angiogenesis of bone / 中国修复重建外科杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To summarize the regulatory effect of non-coding RNA (ncRNA) on type H vessels angiogenesis of bone.@*METHODS@#Recent domestic and foreign related literature about the regulation of ncRNA in type H vessels angiogenesis was widely reviewed and summarized.@*RESULTS@#Type H vessels is a special subtype of bone vessels with the ability to couple bone formation. At present, the research on ncRNA regulating type H vessels angiogenesis in bone diseases mainly focuses on microRNA, long ncRNA, and small interfering RNA, which can affect the expressions of hypoxia inducible factor 1α, platelet derived growth factor BB, slit guidance ligand 3, and other factors through their own unique ways of action, thus regulating type H vessels angiogenesis and participating in the occurrence and development of bone diseases.@*CONCLUSION@#At present, the mechanism of ncRNA regulating bone type H vessels angiogenesis has been preliminarily explored. With the deepening of research, ncRNA is expected to be a new target for the diagnosis and treatment of vascular related bone diseases.

Akt2 inhibitor promotes M2 macrophage polarization in rats with periapical inflammation by reducing miR-155-5p expression / 南方医科大学学报

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the effect of Akt2 inhibitor on macrophage polarization in the periapical tissue in a rat model of periapical inflammation.@*METHODS@#Rat models of periapical inflammation were established in 28 normal SD rats by opening the pulp cavity of the mandibular first molars, followed by injection of normal saline and Akt2 inhibitor into the left and right medullary cavities, respectively. Four rats without any treatment served as the healthy control group. At 7, 14, 21 and 28 days after modeling, 7 rat models and 1 control rat were randomly selected for observation of inflammatory infiltration in the periapical tissues by X-ray and HE staining. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression and localization of Akt2, macrophages and the inflammatory mediators. RT-PCR was performed to detect the mRNA expressions of Akt2, CD86, CD163, inflammatory mediators, miR-155-5p and C/EBPβ to analyze the changes in macrophage polarization.@*RESULTS@#X-ray and HE staining showed that periapical inflammation was the most obvious at 21 days after modeling in the rats. Immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR showed that compared with those in the control rats, the expressions of Akt2, CD86, CD163, miR-155-5p, C/EBPβ, and IL-10 increased significantly in the rat models at 21 days (P < 0.05). Compared with saline treatment, treatment with the Akt2 inhibitor significantly decreased the expression levels of Akt2, CD86, miR-155-5p and IL-6 and the ratio of CD86+M1/CD163+M2 macrophages (P < 0.05) and increased the expression levels of CD163, C/EBPβ and IL-10 in the rat models (P < 0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Inhibition of Akt2 can delay the progression of periapical inflammation in rats and promote M2 macrophage polarization in the periapical inflammatory microenvironment possibly by reducing miR-155-5p expression and activating the expression of C/EBPβ in the Akt signaling pathway.

Read-through circular RNA rt-circ-HS promotes hypoxia inducible factor 1α expression and renal carcinoma cell proliferation, migration and invasiveness / 北京大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To identify and characterize read-through RNAs and read-through circular RNAs (rt-circ-HS) derived from transcriptional read-through hypoxia inducible factor 1α (HIF1α) and small nuclear RNA activating complex polypeptide 1 (SNAPC1) the two adjacent genes located on chromosome 14q23, in renal carcinoma cells and renal carcinoma tissues, and to study the effects of rt-circ-HS on biological behavior of renal carcinoma cells and on regulation of HIF1α.@*METHODS@#Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Sanger sequencing were used to examine expression of read-through RNAs HIF1α-SNAPC1 and rt-circ-HS in different tumor cells. Tissue microarrays of 437 different types of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) were constructed, and chromogenic in situ hybridization (ISH) was used to investigate expression of rt-circ-HS in different RCC types. Small interference RNA (siRNA) and artificial overexpression plasmids were designed to examine the effects of rt-circ-HS on 786-O and A498 renal carcinoma cell proliferation, migration and invasiveness by cell counting kit 8 (CCK8), EdU incorporation and Transwell cell migration and invasion assays. RT-PCR and Western blot were used to exa-mine expression of HIF1α and SNAPC1 RNA and proteins after interference of rt-circ-HS with siRNA, respectively. The binding of rt-circ-HS with microRNA 539 (miR-539), and miR-539 with HIF1α 3' untranslated region (3' UTR), and the effects of these interactions were investigated by dual luciferase reporter gene assays.@*RESULTS@#We discovered a novel 1 144 nt rt-circ-HS, which was derived from read-through RNA HIF1α-SNAPC1 and consisted of HIF1α exon 2-6 and SNAPC1 exon 2-4. Expression of rt-circ-HS was significantly upregulated in 786-O renal carcinoma cells. ISH showed that the overall positive expression rate of rt-circ-HS in RCC tissue samples was 67.5% (295/437), and the expression was different in different types of RCCs. Mechanistically, rt-circ-HS promoted renal carcinoma cell proliferation, migration and invasiveness by functioning as a competitive endogenous inhibitor of miR-539, which we found to be a potent post-transcriptional suppressor of HIF1α, thus promoting expression of HIF1α.@*CONCLUSION@#The novel rt-circ-HS is highly expressed in different types of RCCs and acts as a competitive endogenous inhibitor of miR-539 to promote expression of its parental gene HIF1α and thus the proliferation, migration and invasion of renal cancer cells.

Research progress of mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles in liver diseases / 中华肝脏病杂志

Mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles (MSC-EVs) transport and transmit intercellular information and play an essential role in physiological and pathological processes. MSC-EVs, MSC-EVs-microRNA, and genetically modified MSC-EVs are involved in the onset and progression of different liver diseases and play a role in reducing liver cell damage, promoting liver cell regeneration, inhibiting liver fibrosis, regulating liver immunity, alleviating liver oxidative stress, inhibiting liver cancer occurrence, and others. Hence, it will replace MSCs as a research hotspot for cell-free therapy. This article reviews the research progress of MSC-EVs in liver diseases and provides a new basis for cell-free therapy of clinical liver diseases.

Huangqi Decoction, a compound Chinese herbal medicine, inhibits the proliferation and activation of hepatic stellate cells by regulating the long noncoding RNA-C18orf26-1/microRNA-663a/transforming growth factor-β axis / 中西医结合学报

OBJECTIVE@#Huangqi Decoction (HQD), a classical traditional Chinese medicine formula, has been used as a valid treatment for alleviating liver fibrosis; however, the underlying molecular mechanism is still unknown. Although our previous studies showed that microRNA-663a (miR-663a) suppresses the proliferation and activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and the transforming growth factor-β/small mothers against decapentaplegic (TGF-β/Smad) pathway, whether long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in HSC activation via the miR-663a/TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway has not yet reported. The present study aimed to investigate the roles of lncRNA lnc-C18orf26-1 in the activation of HSCs and the mechanism by which HQD inhibits hepatic fibrosis.@*METHODS@#The expression levels of lnc-C18orf26-1, miR-663a and related genes were measured by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. HSCs were transfected with the miR-663a mimic or inhibitor and lnc-C18orf26-1 small interfering RNAs. The water-soluble tetrazolium salt-1 assay was used to assess the proliferation rate of HSCs. Changes in lncRNA expression were evaluated in miR-663a-overexpressing HSCs by using microarray to identify miR-663a-regulated lncRNAs. RNA hybrid was used to predict the potential miR-663a binding sites on lncRNAs. Luciferase reporter assays further confirmed the interaction between miR-663a and the lncRNA. The expression levels of collagen α-2(I) chain (COL1A2), α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway-related proteins were determined using Western blotting.@*RESULTS@#Lnc-C18orf26-1 was upregulated in TGF-β1-activated HSCs and competitively bound to miR-663a. Knockdown of lnc-C18orf26-1 inhibited HSC proliferation and activation, downregulated TGF-β1-stimulated α-SMA and COL1A2 expression, and inhibited the TGF-β1/Smad signaling pathway. HQD suppressed the proliferation and activation of HSCs. HQD increased miR-663a expression and decreased lnc-C18orf26-1 expression in HSCs. Further studies showed that HQD inhibited the expression of COL1A2, α-SMA, TGF-β1, TGF-β type I receptor (TGF-βRI) and phosphorylated Smad2 (p-Smad2) in HSCs, and these effects were reversed by miR-663a inhibitor treatment.@*CONCLUSION@#Our study identified lnc-C18orf26-1 and miR-663a as promising therapeutic targets for hepatic fibrosis. HQD inhibits HSC proliferation and activation at least partially by regulating the lnc-C18orf26-1/miR-663a/TGF-β1/TGF-βRI/p-Smad2 axis.