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 ...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-stimulatedα-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-βtype 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.展开更多
BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)has been a pervasive malignancy throughout the world with elevated mortality.Efficient therapeutic targets are beneficial to treat and predict the disease.Currently,the exact mo...BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)has been a pervasive malignancy throughout the world with elevated mortality.Efficient therapeutic targets are beneficial to treat and predict the disease.Currently,the exact molecular mechanisms leading to the progression of HCC are still unclear.Research has shown that the microRNA-142-3p level decreases in HCC,whereas bioinformatics analysis of the cancer genome atlas database shows the ASH1L expression increased among liver tumor tissues.In this paper,we will explore the effects and mechanisms of microRNA-142-3p and ASH1L affect the prognosis of HCC patients and HCC cell bioactivity,and the association between them.AIM To investigate the effects and mechanisms of microRNA-142-3p and ASH1L on the HCC cell bioactivity and prognosis of HCC patients.METHODS In this study,we grouped HCC patients according to their immunohistochemistry results of ASH1L with pathological tissues,and retrospectively analyzed the prognosis of HCC patients.Furthermore,explored the roles and mechanisms of microRNA-142-3p and ASH1L by cellular and animal experiments,which involved the following experimental methods:Immunohistochemical staining,western blot,quantitative real-time-polymerase chain reaction,flow cytometric analysis,tumor xenografts in nude mice,etc.The statistical methods involved in this study contained t-test,one-way analysis of variance,theχ^(2)test,the Kaplan-Meier approach and the log-rank test.RESULTS In this study,we found that HCC patients with high expression of ASH1L possess a more recurrence rate as well as a decreased overall survival rate.ASH1L promotes the tumorigenicity of HCC and microRNA-142-3p exhibits reduced expression in HCC tissues and interacts with ASH1L through targeting the ASH1L 3′untranslated region.Furthermore,microRNA-142-3p promotes apoptosis and inhibits proliferation,invasion,and migration of HCC cell lines in vitro via ASH1L.For the exploration mechanism,we found ASH1L may promote an immunosuppressive microenvironment in HCC and ASH1L affects the expression of the cell junction protein zonula occludens-1,which is potentially relevant to the immune system.CONCLUSION Loss function of microRNA-142-3p induces cancer progression and immune evasion through upregulation of ASH1L in HCC.Both microRNA-142-3p and ASH1L can feature as new biomarker for HCC in the future.展开更多
基金supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.82074101 and No.81773979)Shanghai Municipal Health Commission (No.202040486)
文摘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-stimulatedα-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-βtype 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.
基金Supported by the Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem Innovation Fund,No.22HHXBJC00001the Key Discipline Special Project of Tianjin Municipal Health Commission,No.TJWJ2022XK016.
文摘BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)has been a pervasive malignancy throughout the world with elevated mortality.Efficient therapeutic targets are beneficial to treat and predict the disease.Currently,the exact molecular mechanisms leading to the progression of HCC are still unclear.Research has shown that the microRNA-142-3p level decreases in HCC,whereas bioinformatics analysis of the cancer genome atlas database shows the ASH1L expression increased among liver tumor tissues.In this paper,we will explore the effects and mechanisms of microRNA-142-3p and ASH1L affect the prognosis of HCC patients and HCC cell bioactivity,and the association between them.AIM To investigate the effects and mechanisms of microRNA-142-3p and ASH1L on the HCC cell bioactivity and prognosis of HCC patients.METHODS In this study,we grouped HCC patients according to their immunohistochemistry results of ASH1L with pathological tissues,and retrospectively analyzed the prognosis of HCC patients.Furthermore,explored the roles and mechanisms of microRNA-142-3p and ASH1L by cellular and animal experiments,which involved the following experimental methods:Immunohistochemical staining,western blot,quantitative real-time-polymerase chain reaction,flow cytometric analysis,tumor xenografts in nude mice,etc.The statistical methods involved in this study contained t-test,one-way analysis of variance,theχ^(2)test,the Kaplan-Meier approach and the log-rank test.RESULTS In this study,we found that HCC patients with high expression of ASH1L possess a more recurrence rate as well as a decreased overall survival rate.ASH1L promotes the tumorigenicity of HCC and microRNA-142-3p exhibits reduced expression in HCC tissues and interacts with ASH1L through targeting the ASH1L 3′untranslated region.Furthermore,microRNA-142-3p promotes apoptosis and inhibits proliferation,invasion,and migration of HCC cell lines in vitro via ASH1L.For the exploration mechanism,we found ASH1L may promote an immunosuppressive microenvironment in HCC and ASH1L affects the expression of the cell junction protein zonula occludens-1,which is potentially relevant to the immune system.CONCLUSION Loss function of microRNA-142-3p induces cancer progression and immune evasion through upregulation of ASH1L in HCC.Both microRNA-142-3p and ASH1L can feature as new biomarker for HCC in the future.
