RESUMEN
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are crucial in the pathogenesis of human cancers. Existing studies reported that microRNA (miRNA) modulates the stemness of CSCs. We discovered that renal cell CSCs have suppressed miR-381. Suppression of miR-381 promotes renal cell tumorigenesis and CSC-like properties. Furthermore, the forced expression of miR-381 prevents the renal cell tumorigenesis and CSC-like properties. Mechanistically, renal cell CSCs have been found to interact with SOX4 through miR-381 directly. miR-381 inhibits renal cell CSC-like properties and tumorigenesis via downregulating SOX4. Examination of the patient-derived xenografts (PDX) and patient cohorts reveals that miR-381 may be able to forecast the advantages of Sunitinib in RCC patients. Moreover, the introduction of SOX4 could reverse the sensitivity of miR-381 overexpression RCC cells to Sunitinib-induced cell apoptosis. These results indicated that miR-381 is critical in renal cell CSC-like properties and tumorigenesis, making it the ideal therapeutic target for RCC.
RESUMEN
Background: As a new-generation androgen-receptor antagonist, enzalutamide is a first-choice drug for advanced prostate cancer (PCa) patients. However, secondary resistance to enzalutamide poses a new challenge in the treatment of cancer. Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) regulates cell function through many levels and mechanisms, and also plays an important role in the biological behaviors of tumors. Methods: LncRNA microarrays were used to detect enzalutamide-resistant related lncRNA in Enzalutamide-resistant C4-2 (C4-2 ENZ-R) cells and corresponding parent cells. Cell Counting Kit 8, flow cytometry, and transwell assays were used to test the effect of lncRNA NONHSAT210528 on the function of PCa cells. RNA pulls down and the luciferase report gene was used to detect the competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) mechanism. The culture supernatant of C4-2 and C4-2b cells was transferred to the lower chamber for transwell assay of human umbilical endothelial cells (HUVECs). Results: The lncRNA microarray analysis showed that there were significant differences in the expression of many lncRNAs between the C4-2 ENZ-R and C4-2 cells. The real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detection showed that the expression of lncRNA NONHSAT210528 was significantly higher in the C4-2 ENZ-R cells than the C4-2 cells. The Transwell assays showed that lncRNA NONHSAT210528 overexpression increased the invasion of the C4-2 and C4-2b cells. The cell-wound scratch and the transwell assays showed that the culture supernatant of C4-2 and C4-2b cells with overexpressed lncRNA NONHSAT210528 promoted the migration and invasion of HUVECs. Furthermore, lncRNA NONHSAT210528 regulated the expression of YOD1 dependent on miR-21. Conclusions: Enzalutamide-resistant related lncRNA NONHSAT210528 appears to promote the proliferation and invasion of PCa cells by functioning as a ceRNA and regulating the miR-21-5p/YOD1 signal pathway.
RESUMEN
Hypoxia-induced erythropoietin signaling plays an important role in tumor growth and invasion. In the present study, we investigated the contribution of erythropoietin signaling pathway to castration-resistant prostate cancer and the development of a neuroendocrine phenotype. Immunohistochemical staining showed that the erythropoietin and erythropoietin receptor scores in castration-resistant prostate cancer and androgen-dependent prostate cancer were 7.55 versus 4.5 and 7.45 versus 5.9,respectively (P < 0.001). Furthermore, a cell proliferation assay was conducted, and the differential expression of erythropoietin and erythropoietin receptor in LNCaP cells and hypoxia-induced LNCaP cells was evaluated using western blot and quantitative real-time PCR. The proliferation capacity of hypoxia-induced LNCaP cells was similar in cultures of both fetal bovine serum and charcoal-stripped fetal bovine serum, suggesting that LNCaP cells acquired hypoxia-induced androgen-independent growth. After 2 weeks of hypoxic culture, LNCaP cells showed a neuroendocrine cell change and increased expression of neuron-specific enolase, erythropoietin, and erythropoietin receptor; knockdown of erythropoietin receptor reversed the hypoxia-induced upregulation of neuron-specific enolase in the LNCaP cells. In conclusion, the concurrent upregulation of erythropoietin and erythropoietin receptor in castration-resistant prostate cancer suggests that the erythropoietin/erythropoietin receptor autocrine loop plays an important role in the progression of castration resistance and is responsible for the development of a neuroendocrine phenotype.