scholarly journals Focused screening reveals functional effects of microRNAs differentially expressed in colorectal cancer

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danuta Sastre ◽  
João Baiochi ◽  
Ildercilio Mota de Souza Lima ◽  
Josiane Lilian dos Santos Schiavinato ◽  
Dimas Tadeu Covas ◽  
...  

AbstractBackgroundColorectal cancer (CRC) is still a leading cause of death worldwide. Recent studies have pointed to an important role of microRNAs carcinogenesis. In fact, several microRNAs have been described as aberrantly expressed in CRC tissues and in the serum of patients. More specifically, microRNAs with dual roles in both cancer and stem cell survival represent a potential source of novel molecular targets in CRC due to their described functions in normal and deregulated proliferation. However, the functional outcomes of microRNA aberrant expression still need to be explored at the cellular level. Here, we aimed to investigate the effects of microRNAs involved in the control of pluripotency of stem cells in the proliferation and cell death of a colorectal cancer cell line.MethodsWe performed transfection of 31 microRNA mimics in HCT116 CRC cells. Cell proliferation and cell death were measured after 4 days of treatment using fluorescence staining in a high content screening platform. Total number of live and dead cells were automatically counted and analyzed. To reveal mRNA targets, we used an oligonucleotide microarray. Functional classification of targets was done using DAVID tool. Gene expression of potential mRNA targets was performed by qPCR.ResultsTwenty microRNAs altered the proliferation of HCT116 cells in comparison to control. Three microRNAs significantly repressed cell proliferation and induced cell death simultaneously (miR-22-3p, miR-24-3p, and miR-101-3p). Interestingly, all anti-proliferative microRNAs in our study had been previously described as poorly expressed in the CRC samples and were implicated in the disease. Microarray analysis of miR-101-3p targets revealed Wnt and cancer as pathways regulated by this microRNA. Specific repression of anti-apoptotic isoform of MCL-1, a member of the BCL-2 family, was also identified as a possible mechanism for miR-101-3p anti-proliferative/pro-apoptotic effect.ConclusionsmicroRNAs described as upregulated in CRC tend to induce proliferation in vitro, whereas microRNAs described as poorly expressed in CRC halt proliferation and induce cell death in vitro. Selective inhibition of anti-apoptotic MCL-1 contributes to anti-tumoral activity of miR-101-3p.

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Wei Han ◽  
Hongli Yin ◽  
Hao Ma ◽  
Yi Wang ◽  
Desong Kong ◽  
...  

Background. Oxaliplatin (L-OHP) resistance is a major obstacle to the effective treatment of colorectal cancer. The resistance mechanism(s) of colorectal tumors to L-OHP may be related to the regulation of ERCC1 by cancer-expressed miRNAs, but no in-depth studies on the miRNAs that affect drug resistance have been performed. Curcumin (Cur) can reverse the drug resistance of cancer cells, but its effects on ERCC1 expression and miRNA profiles in colorectal cancer have not been studied. Methods. To study the regulation effect of curcumin on ERCC1 expression and its effects on miRNAs, the L-OHP-resistant colorectal cancer cell line HCT116/L-OHP was established. MTT assays were used to evaluate cell proliferation. Flow cytometry was used to investigate apoptotic induction. Western blot and RT-PCR analysis were used to evaluate the expression of drug-associated ERCC1, Bcl-2, GST-π, MRP, P-gp, and survivin. Results. HCT116//L-OHP cell lines were successfully established. The combination of L-OHP and curcumin could reduce L-OHP resistance in vitro. In addition, combination therapy inhibited the expression of ERCC1, Bcl-2, GST-π, MRP, P-gp, and survivin at the mRNA and protein level. Curcumin was found to inhibit ERCC1 through its ability to modulate miR-409-3p. Conclusion. Curcumin can overcome L-OHP resistance in colorectal cancer cells through its effects on miR-409-3p mediated ERCC1 expression.


Chemotherapy ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 64 (3) ◽  
pp. 146-154 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jinghu He ◽  
Junjie Xing ◽  
Xiaohong Yang ◽  
Chenxin Zhang ◽  
Yixiang Zhang ◽  
...  

Objective: Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a major cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Proteasome 26S subunit ATPase 2 (PSMC2) plays vital roles in regulating cell cycle and transcription and has been confirmed to be a gene potentially associated with some human tumors. However, the expression correlation and molecular mechanism of PSMC2 in CRC are still unclear. This study aimed to investigate the role of PSMC2 in malignant behaviors in CRC. Methods: The high protein levels of PSMC2 in CRC samples were identified by tissue microarray analysis. Lentivirus was used to silence PSMC2 in HCT116 and RKO cells; MTT and colony formation assay were performed to determine cell proliferation. Wound healing and Transwell assay were used to detect cell migration and invasion. Flow cytometry assay was applied to detect cell cycle and apoptosis. Result: The results showed that, among the 96 CRC patients, the expression of PSMC2 was a positive correlation with the clinicopathological features of the patients with CRC. Furthermore, the low PSMC2 expression group showed a higher survival rate than the high PSMC2 expression group. The expression levels of PSMC2 in cancer tissue were dramatically upregulated compared with adjacent normal tissues. In vitro, shPSMC2 was designed to inhibit the expression of PSMC2 in CRC cells. Compared with shCtrl, silencing of PSMC2 significantly suppressed cell proliferation, decreased single cell colony formation, enhanced apoptosis, and accelerated G2 phase and/or S phase arrest. Conclusion: Survival analysis indicated that high expression of PSMC2 in the CRC samples was associated with poorer survival rate than low expression of PSMC2, while the anti-tumor effect of PSMC2 silencing was also confirmed at the cellular level in vitro. Our results suggested that PSMC2 potentially worked as a regulator for CRC, and the silencing of PSMC2 may be a therapeutic strategy for CRC.


2016 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 136-42
Author(s):  
Lili Indrawati ◽  
Purwantyastuti Ascobat ◽  
Budiman Bela ◽  
Murdani Abdullah ◽  
Ingrid S. Surono ◽  
...  

Background: The prevalence of colorectal cancer is rising in Asia including Indonesia. Annona muricata tea leaves, that is traditionally used for maintaining health, and lately being used by cancer patients. The objectives of this study is to investigate its effects in human colorectal cancer cell in vitro and ex vivo.Methods: Thirty patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) were enrolled in a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial. They were equally divided into two groups: those treated with 300 mg A. muricata leaf extract and placebo daily for 8 weeks. Serum from supplemented CRC patients of both groups was compared for caspase 9 and caspase 8 enhancement activity. Antiproliferative effect of water extract of A. muricata leaves and its fractions were evaluated against colorectal cancer cell line (DLD-1 and COLO 205) compared with 5-fluorouracil and placebo, the dose range was 62.5-2,000 µg/mL. Method used was 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Data were analyzed by Mann-Whitney U test. The p value was set at 0.05.Results: Ethanol-soluble fraction of A. muricata leaves extract water extract (ESFAM) leaves extract had cytotoxicity effects on DLD-1 as well as COLO 205 cell line, as shown by the lower IC50 compared to 5-fluorouracil and placebo, 20.59 μg/mL and 654.9μg/mL, respectively. Serum of subjects supplemented with extract significantly induced caspase 9 (p=0.001) activity of DLD-1 colorectal cancer cell line, but not for caspase 8 activity (p=0.372).Conclusion: The study's results suggest the cytotoxicity potential of  A. muricata  leaves extract  in in vitro and ex vivo studies.


2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hui-Zi Liu ◽  
Ti-Dong Shan ◽  
Yue Han ◽  
Xi-Shuang Liu

Abstract Increasing studies have shown that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are regarded as important regulators in the occurrence and development of colorectal cancer (CRC). Although lncRNA CASC9 has been studied in CRC, the detailed regulatory mechanism of CASC9 in CRC is still unclear. In this study, we found that CASC9 was significantly upregulated in CRC tissues and cell lines compared to normal controls and that aberrant expression was associated with the tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage of CRC. Functionally, CASC9 depletion efficiently inhibited the proliferation of CRC cells and induced cell apoptosis in vitro. Mechanistically, CASC9 was mainly enriched in the cytoplasm of CRC cells and interacted directly with miR-576-5p. Downregulation of miR-576-5p reversed the inhibitory effect of CASC9 siRNA on CRC cell progression. Furthermore, AKT3 has been identified as a downstream target of miR-576-5p. Spearman’s correlation analysis revealed that AKT3 was negatively correlated with miR-576-5p but positively correlated with CASC9. Downregulation of miR-576-5p restored the effect of CASC9 silencing on AKT3 expression. Therefore, silencing CASC9 could downregulate the expression of AKT3 by reducing the competitive binding of CASC9 to miR-576-5p, thus suppressing CRC cell proliferation and promoting cell apoptosis. In summary, we identified CASC9 as an oncogenic lncRNA in CRC and defined the CASC9/miR-576-5p/AKT3 axis, which might be considered a potential therapeutic target for CRC patients, as a novel molecular mechanism implicated in the proliferation and apoptosis of CRC.


Author(s):  
Hamid Behrouj ◽  
Atefeh Seghatoleslam ◽  
Pooneh Mokarram ◽  
Saeid Ghavami

The Wnt/β-catenin pathway, which interferes with cell proliferation, differentiation, and autophagy, is commonly dysregulated in colorectal cancer (CRC). Mutation of the RAS oncogene is the most prevalent genetic alteration in CRC and has been linked to activation of protein kinase B (AKT) signaling. Phosphorylation of β-catenin at Ser 552 by AKT contributes to β-catenin stability, transcriptional activity, and increase of cell proliferation. Casein kinase 1 alpha (CK1α) is an enzyme that simultaneously regulates Wnt/β-catenin and AKT. The link of the AKT and Wnt pathway to autophagy in RAS-mutated CRC cells has not well identified. Therefore, we investigated how pharmacological CK1α inhibition (D4476) is involved in regulation of autophagy, Wnt/β-catenin, and AKT pathways in RAS-mutated CRC cell lines. qRT-PCR and immunoblotting experiments revealed that phospho-AKT (S473) and phospho-β-catenin (S552) are constitutively increased in RAS-mutated CRC cell lines, in parallel with augmented CK1α expression. The results also showed that D4476 significantly reduced the AKT/phospho-β-catenin (S552) axis concomitantly with autophagy flux inhibition in RAS-mutated CRC cells. Furthermore, D4476 significantly induced apoptosis in RAS-mutated CRC cells. In conclusion, our results indicate that CK1α inhibition reduces autophagy flux and promotes apoptosis by interfering with the AKT/phospho-β-catenin (S552) axis in RAS-mutated CRC cells.


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