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There exists a dilemma in the treatment of microsatellite stability (MSS) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) owing to limited therapeutic options. Based on the promising results of the REGONIVO trial, combination of anti-PD-1 and regorafenib could be applicable for this kind of patients. Here we first report a case of an MSS mCRC patient who received sinitilimab plus regorafenib as third-line treatment and suffered severe multisystem treatment-related adverse events including Grade 3 myocarditis, myositis, myasthenia gravis, dermatitis, hepatitis, etc. Fortunately, all these adverse events were reversed with administration of corticosteroids. Though evidence of tumor shrinkage was not found, CEA levels markedly decreased. Therefore, anti-PD-1 plus regorafenib might be optional for the MSS mCRC patients which requires special caution in the clinical practice.Lay abstract There exists a dilemma in the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) owing to limited therapeutic options. Based on the results of clinical trials, combination of anti-PD-1 and regorafenib is promising for these patients. Here we first report a case of an mCRC patient who received sinitilimab plus regorafenib as third-line treatment and suffered severe multisystem treatment-related adverse events including grade 3 myocarditis, myositis, myasthenia gravis, dermatitis, hepatitis, etc. Fortunately, all these adverse events were reversed with administration of corticosteroids. Though evidence of tumor shrinkage was not found, serum tumor marker level markedly decreased. Therefore, anti-PD-1 plus regorafenib might be optional for the mCRC patients which requires special caution in the clinical practice.

Animal models refers to the animal experimental objects and related materials that can simulate human body established in medical research. As the second-largest disease in terms of morbidity and mortality after cardiovascular disease, cancer has always been the focus of human attention all over the world, which makes it a research hotspot in the medical field. At the same time, more and more animal models have been constructed and used in cancer research. With the deepening of research, the construction methods of cancer animal models are becoming more and more diverse, including chemical induction, xenotransplantation, gene programming, and so on. In recent years, patient-derived xenotransplantation (PDX) model has become a research hotspot because it can retain the microenvironment of the primary tumor and the basic characteristics of cells. Animal models can be used not only to study the biochemical and physiological processes of the occurrence and development of cancer in objects but also for the screening of cancer drugs and the exploration of gene therapy. In this paper, several main tumor animal models and the application progress of animal models in tumor research are systematically reviewed. Finally, combined with the latest progress and development trend in this field, the future research of tumor animal model was prospected.

BackgroundThe standard neoadjuvant treatments in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) still have either poor safety or efficacy. Better therapies are needed in China.MethodsThis was an open-label, single-arm, phase 2 trial. Patients with potentially resectable ESCC (cT1b-3, Nany, M0 or T4a, N0-1, or M0) received preoperative intravenous sintilimab plus triplet chemotherapy (liposomal paclitaxel, cisplatin, and S-1) every 3 weeks for two cycles. The primary endpoints were safety and surgical feasibility; the secondary endpoint was major pathological response (MPR) rate. Genomic biomarkers (genetic mutations, tumor mutational burden (TMB), circulating tumor DNA status and immune microenvironment) in baseline tumor samples were investigated.ResultsAll 30 patients completed two cycles of neoadjuvant treatment and underwent surgical resection. Grade 3–4 treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) occurred in 36.7% (11/30) of patients. The most frequent TRAEs were decreased white cell count (76.7%), anemia (76.7%), and decreased neutrophil count (73.3%). All TRAEs were hematological toxicities; none caused ≥30 days surgical delay. The MPR and pathological complete response (pCR) rates were 50.0% (15/30; 95% CI 33.2 to 66.9) and 20.0% (6/30; 95% CI 9.5 to 37.3), respectively. Patients with higher TMB and more clonal mutations were more likely to respond. ERBB2 alterations and ctDNA high-releaser status have a negative correlation with neoadjuvant ICI response. No significant difference was observed between therapeutic response and tumor immune microenvironment.ConclusionsNeoadjuvant sintilimab plus platinum-based triplet chemotherapy appeared safe and feasible, did not delay surgery and induced a pCR rate of 20.0% in patients with potentially resectable ESCC.Trial registration numberNCT03946969.

Cancer immunotherapy has achieved positive clinical responses in the treatment of various cancers, including gastric cancer (GC). In this study, we characterized the heterogeneity of T cells isolated from GC patients at the single-cell level using single-cell RNA sequencing. We identified different immune cell subtypes and their heterogeneous transcription factors and depicted their developmental trajectories. In particular, we focused on exhausted CD8+ cells and Tregs and discovered that, as compared to control, the IRF8 transcription factor was downregulated in CD8+ tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) from GC tissues, and that GC patients with lower IRF8 levels in blood CD8+ T cells tended to be a at a more advanced disease stage. These findings provide a theoretical basis for targeted immune therapy in GC.

Oxaliplatin resistance inevitably occurs in almost all cases of metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC), and it is important to study the roles of lncRNAs and their specific regulatory mechanisms in oxaliplatin resistance. Exosomes are increasingly designed for drug or functional nucleic acid delivery due to their properties, thereby improving the effectiveness of cancer therapy. The results of this study show that the low expression of PGM5 antisense RNA 1 (PGM5-AS1) in colon cancer is induced by transcription inhibitor, GFI1B. PGM5-AS1 prevents proliferation, migration, and acquired oxaliplatin tolerance of colon cancer cells. Exosomes encapsulating oxaliplatin and PGM5-AS1 can reverse drug resistance. For identifying differentially expressed target genes regarding PGM5-AS1, RNA transcriptome sequencing was performed. The mechanism by which PGM5-AS1 regulates its target genes was explored by performing experiments such as fluorescent in situ hybridization assay, dual-luciferase reporter gene assay, and RNA immunoprecipitation. The results show that by recruiting SRSF3, PGM5-AS1 activates alternate splicing to downregulate PAEP expression. For hsa-miR-423-5p, PGM5-AS1 can also act as a sponge to upregulate the NME1 expression.

Preeclampsia (PE) is associated with maternal and fetal perinatal morbidity and mortality, which brings tremendous suffering and imposes an economic burden worldwide. The failure of uterine spiral artery remodeling may be related to the abnormal function of trophoblasts and lead to the occurrence and progression of PE. Aberrant expression of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) is involved in the failure of uterine spiral artery remodeling. However, the regulation of lncRNA expression in PE is poorly characterized. Here, we reported that hypoxia-induced microRNA (miR)-218 inhibited the expression of lncRNA TUG1 by targeting FOXP1. Further RNA sequencing and mechanism analysis revealed that silencing of TUG1 increased the expression of DNA demethylase TET3 and proliferation-related DUSP family, including DUSP2, DUSP4, and DUSP5, via binding to SUV39H1 in the nucleus. Moreover, TUG1 modulated the DUSP family in vitro through a TET3-mediated epigenetic mechanism. Taken together, our results unmask a new regulatory network mediated by TUG1 as an essential determinant of the pathogenesis of PE, which regulates cell growth and possibly the occurrence and development of other diseases.

Immune cells infiltrating tumors are capable of significantly impacting carcinogenesis through cancer promotion and anticancer responses. There are many aspects of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) related T lymphocytes that are undergoing extensive studies, whereas the effect exerted by B lymphocytes remains a less researched area. In this study, the latest research on the effect of B lymphocytes as they infiltrate tumors in relation to HCC is presented. Their prognosis-related importance is analyzed, along with their function in the tumor microenvironment (TME), as well as the way that B cell biology can be employed to help create a B cell therapy strategy for HCC.

Background Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in various human diseases, including cancers. However, their mechanisms remain undocumented. We investigated alterations in lncRNA that may be related to pancreatic cancer (PC) through analysis of microarray data. Methods In the present study, quantitative real-time PCR analysis was used to examine the expression of taurine upregulated 1 (TUG1) in PC tissue samples and PC cell lines. In PC cell lines, MTT assays, colony formation assays, and flow cytometry were used to investigate the effects of TUG1 on proliferation, cell cycle regulation, and apoptosis. Moreover, we established a xenograft model to assess the effect of TUG1 on tumor growth in vivo. The molecular mechanism of potential target genes was detected through nuclear separation experiments, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), chromatin immunoprecipitation assays (ChIP), and other experimental methods. Results The findings suggest that the abnormally high expression of TUG1 in PC tissues was associated with tumor size and pathological stage. Knockdown of TUG1 blocked the cell cycle and accelerated apoptosis, thereby inhibiting the proliferation of PC cells. In addition, RIP experiments showed that TUG1 can recruit enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) to the promoter regions of Rho family GTPase 3 (RND3) and metallothionein 2A (MT2A) and inhibit their expression at the transcriptional level. Furthermore, ChIP experiments demonstrated that EZH2 could bind to the promoter regions of RND3 and MT2A. The knockdown of TUG1 reduced this binding capacity. Conclusion In conclusion, our data suggest that TUG1 may regulate the expression of PC-associated tumor suppressor genes at the transcriptional level and these may become potential targets for the diagnosis and treatment of PC.

Bingqing Hui,1,2,* Yetao Xu,3,* Benpeng Zhao,4,* Hao Ji,1,2 Zhonghua Ma,1,2 Shufen Xu,1,2 ZhenYu He,1,5 Keming Wang,1,2 Jianwei Lu6 1Department of Oncology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210000, Jiangsu, China; 2Department of Oncology, Second Clinical Medical College of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210000, Jiangsu, China; 3Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, Jiangsu, China; 4Basic Medicine Faculty of Shanghai Jiaotong University, Core Facility of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai 200000, China; 5Department of General Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210000, Jiangsu, China; 6Department of Medical Oncology, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Cancer Hospital, Nanjing 210000, Jiangsu, China *These authors contributed equally to this work Background: Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in various human diseases, including cancers. However, their mechanisms remain undocumented. We investigated alterations in lncRNA that may be related to pancreatic cancer (PC) through analysis of microarray data. Methods: In the present study, quantitative real-time PCR analysis was used to examine the expression of taurine upregulated 1 (TUG1) in PC tissue samples and PC cell lines. In PC cell lines, MTT assays, colony formation assays, and flow cytometry were used to investigate the effects of TUG1 on proliferation, cell cycle regulation, and apoptosis. Moreover, we established a xenograft model to assess the effect of TUG1 on tumor growth in vivo. The molecular mechanism of potential target genes was detected through nuclear separation experiments, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), chromatin immunoprecipitation assays (ChIP), and other experimental methods. Results: The findings suggest that the abnormally high expression of TUG1 in PC tissues was associated with tumor size and pathological stage. Knockdown of TUG1 blocked the cell cycle and accelerated apoptosis, thereby inhibiting the proliferation of PC cells. In addition, RIP experiments showed that TUG1 can recruit enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) to the promoter regions of Rho family GTPase 3 (RND3) and metallothionein 2A (MT2A) and inhibit their expression at the transcriptional level. Furthermore, ChIP experiments demonstrated that EZH2 could bind to the promoter regions of RND3 and MT2A. The knockdown of TUG1 reduced this binding capacity. Conclusion: In conclusion, our data suggest that TUG1 may regulate the expression of PC-associated tumor suppressor genes at the transcriptional level and these may become potential targets for the diagnosis and treatment of PC. Keywords: LncRNA, ncRNA, regulate, mechanism, cancer, EZH2, transcriptional level, tumor suppressor genes

Hui B, Xu Y, Zhao B, et al. Onco Targets Ther. 2019;12:1043–1057. The Editor and Publisher of OncoTargets and Therapy wish to retract the published article. Concerns were raised over alleged image duplication between Figures 2F and 6E. Specifically: Figure 2F, panel AsPC-1 Empty vector appears to have been duplicated with Figure 6E, panel BxPC-3 si-NC. The author responded to our queries but were unable to provide a satisfactory explanation for the alleged duplication and could not provide the original data for the study. The Editor requested for the article to be retracted and the authors agreed with this decision. The authors wish to apologise for this error. Our decision-making was informed by our policy on publishing ethics and integrity and the COPE guidelines on retraction. The retracted article will remain online to maintain the scholarly record, but it will be digitally watermarked on each page as “Retracted”. This retraction relates to this paper

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common malignancy in the world, and long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) plays a critical role in carcinogenesis. Here, we report a novel lncRNA, MAPKAPK5-AS1, that acts as a critical oncogene in CRC. In addition, we attempted to explore the functions of MAPKAPK5-AS1 on tumor progression in vitro and in vivo. Quantitative RT-PCR was used to examine the expression of MAPKAPK5-AS1 in CRC tissues and cells. Expression of MAPKAPK5-AS1 was significantly upregulated in 50 CRC tissues, and increased expression of MAPKAPK5-AS1 was found to be associated with greater tumor size and advanced pathological stage in CRC patients. Knockdown of MAPKAPK5-AS1 significantly inhibited proliferation and caused apoptosis in CRC cells. We also found that p21 is a target of MAPKAPK5-AS1. In addition, we are the first to report that MAPKAPK5-AS1 plays a carcinogenic role in CRC. MAPKAPK5-AS1 is a novel prognostic biomarker and a potential therapeutic candidate for CRC cancer.

Background: An increasing number of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) is recognized to be associated with drug resistance in CRC.Methods: For identifying differentially expressed target genes regarding PGM5-AS1, RNA transcriptome sequencing was performed. The mechanism by which PGM5-AS1 regulates its target genes was explored by performing experiments such as fluorescent in situ hybridization assay, dual luciferase reporter gene assay and RNA immunoprecipitation. Results: The lncRNA PGM5-AS1 was identified by analyzing data from the original microarray data set of colon cancer (GSE75970). PGM5-AS1 additionally suppressed acquired oxaliplatin resistance in CRC cells. Malignant phenotype of PGM5-AS1 was inhibited by recruiting SRSF3 to activate alternative splicing and being a sponge specific to hsa-miR-423-5p.Conclusions: Downregulation of PGM5-AS1 in oxaliplatin-resistant colon cancer tissues and cell lines is induced by transcriptional inhibition of GFI1B. PGM5-AS1 recruited SRSF3 to activate alternative splicing to downregulate the expression of PAEP. In addition, PGM5-AS1 could competitively bind with hsa-miR-423-5p to upregulate the expression of NME1. PGM5-AS1 inhibits the proliferation, invasion, migration and acquired oxaliplatin resistance of colon cancer cells through these two pathways.

// Zhonghua Ma 1, 2, * , Hesuyuan Huang 3, 6, * , Jirong Wang 2, * , Yan Zhou 4, * , Fuxing Pu 5 , Qinghong Zhao 6 , Peng Peng 7 , Bingqing Hui 1, 2 , Hao Ji 1, 2 and Keming Wang 1, 2 1 The Second Clinical Medical College of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210000, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China 2 Department of Oncology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210000, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China 3 Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Children’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210008, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China 4 Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Yixing Hospital of Jiangsu University, Wuxi 214200, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China 5 Department of Medical Center for Digestive Diseases, Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210000, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China 6 Department of General Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210000, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China 7 Department of Oncology, Second Hospital of Nanjing, Nanjing 210000, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China * These authors have contributed equally to this work Correspondence to: Keming Wang, email: kemingwang@njmu.edu.cn Keywords: long noncoding RNA, SNHG15, pancreatic cancer, proliferation, P15 and KLF2 Received: March 14, 2017 Accepted: May 29, 2017 Published: August 18, 2017 ABSTRACT Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) is emerging as an critical regulator in multiple cancers, including pancreatic cancer (PC). Recently, lncRNA SNHG15 was found to be up-regulated in gastric cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma, exerting oncogenic effects. Nevertheless, the biological function and regulatory mechanism of SNHG15 remain unclear in pancreatic cancer (PC). In this study, we reported that SNHG15 expression was also upregulated in PC tissues, and its overexpression was remarkably associated with tumor size, tumor node metastasis (TNM) stage and lymph node metastasis in patients with PC. SNHG15 knockdown inhibited proliferative capacities and suppressed apoptotic rate of PC cells in vitro , and impaired in-vivo tumorigenicity. Additionally, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assays showed that SNHG15 epigenetically repressed the P15 and Kruppel-like factor 2 (KLF2) expression via binding to enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2), and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays (CHIP) assays demonstrated that EZH2 was capable of binding to promoter regions of P15 and KLF2 to induce histone H3 lysine 27 trimethylation (H3K27me3). Furthermore, rescue experiments indicated that SNHG15 oncogenic function partially involved P15 and KLF2 repression. Consistently, an inverse correlation between the expression of SNHG15 and traget genes were found in PC tissues. Our results reported that SNHG15 could act as an oncogene in PC, revealing its potential value as a biomarker for early detection and individualized therapy.

// Yifan Lian 1, 2, * , Changsheng Yan 3, * , Jie Ding 4, * , Rui Xia 5 , Zhonghua Ma 1, 4 , Bingqing Hui 1, 4 , Hao Ji 1, 4 , Jing Zhou 1, 4 and Keming Wang 1, 4 1 The Second Clinical Medical College of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210000, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China 2 Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongshan Hospital Affiliated to Xiamen University, Xiamen 361004, Fujian, People’s Republic of China 3 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210000, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China 4 Department of Oncology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210000, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China 5 Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210000 Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China * These authors have contributed equally to this work Correspondence to: Keming Wang, email: kemingwang@njmu.edu.cn Keywords: colorectal cancer, proliferation, LL22NC03-N64E9.1, KLF2, lncRNA Received: October 25, 2016 Accepted: June 12, 2017 Published: July 31, 2017 ABSTRACT Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNA) have been implicated in variety human cancer but their mechanisms of function are mainly undocumented. In the present study, we investigated lncRNAs alteration that contributed to colorectal cancer (CRC) by utilizing TCGA RNA sequencing data and other publicly available lncRNAs expression profiling data. Here, We screened out the CRC–associated lncRNA LL22NC03-N64E9.1, a key regulator of CRC development and progression. We also revealed that knockdown of LL22NC03-N64E9.1 inhibited cell proliferation, colony formation, tumorigenicity and apoptosis promotion, both in vitro and in vivo . Mechanistically, LL22NC03-N64E9.1 repressed underlying target gene KLF2 transcription through binding to EZH2. Furthermore, rescue experiments revealed that LL22NC03-N64E9.1 oncogenic function may partially depend on repressing KLF2. Taken together, our results suggested that LL22NC03-N64E9.1 confered an oncogenic function in human CRC and may serve as a candidate prognostic biomarker and target for new therapies in this deadly disease.

Correction for ‘Long non-coding RNA SNHG17 is an unfavourable prognostic factor and promotes cell proliferation by epigenetically silencing P57 in colorectal cancer’ by Zhonghua Ma et al., Mol. BioSyst., 2017, 13, 2350–2361.

An in-depth understanding of circular RNAs (circRNAs) indicates that they are abundant in the eukaryotic transcriptome. Many circRNAs act as microRNA sponges; thus, they represent a new type of regulatory factor. However, the role of circRNA in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains largely unknown. Low circ_0021977 expression in patients with CRC is associated with higher tug-lymph node metastasis (TNM) stage and poorer prognosis compared with patients with high circ_0021977 expression. Moreover, miR-10b-5p was shown to be a target of circ_0021977, and p21 and p53 are suggested to be putative target genes of miR-10b-5p. The results showed that the circ_0021977/miR-10b-5p/p21&p53 regulatory axis suppresses proliferation, migration, and invasion by CRC cells. This evidence reveals new relationships and brings new highlights to the treatment of CRC.

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been reported to be involved in various human diseases, and increasing studies have revealed that lncRNAs can play a vital role in preeclampsia (PE). In our study, lncRNA hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF1A) antisense RNA 2 (HIF1A-AS2) was found to be significantly downregulated in placenta tissues of PE patients by quantitative real-time PCR analysis. Moreover, Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assays showed that downregulation of HIF1A-AS2 can impede cell proliferation of HTR-8/SVneo and JAR trophoblasts cells. Ectopic overexpression of HIF1A-AS2 can increase the function of trophoblasts cell migration and invasion in vitro. RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq), RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) experiments showed that HIF1A-AS2 can recruit lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) and epigenetically repress pleckstrin homology-like domain, family A, member 1 (PHLDA1) transcription in human trophoblasts cells. In summary, our findings suggest that downregulated HIF1A-AS2 may play a role in the pathogenesis and progression of PE, and has potential as a novel prognostic marker in PE. Keywords: preeclampsia, HIF1A-AS2, LSD1, proliferation, invasion, PHLDA1

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been reported to be involved in a variety of human diseases, including cancers. However, their mechanisms have not yet been fully elucidated. We investigated lncRNA changes that may be associated with pancreatic cancer (PC) by analyzing published microarray data, and identified AGAP2-AS1 as a relatively overexpressed lncRNA in PC tissues. qRT-PCR assays were performed to examine expression levels of AGAP2-AS1. MTT assays, colony formation assays, and EdU assays were used to determine the proliferative capacity of cells. Flow cytometry and TUNEL assays were used to study the regulation of AGAP2-AS1 in the cell cycle and apoptosis. Transwell experiments were used to study changes in cell invasion and metastasis, and a nude mouse model was established to assess the effects of AGAP2-AS1 on tumorigenesis in vivo. RNA sequencing was performed to probe AGAP2-AS1-related pathways. Subcellular fractionation and FISH assays were used to determine the distribution of AGAP2-AS1 in PC cells, and RIP and ChIP were used to determine the molecular mechanism of AGAP2-AS1-mediated regulation of potential target genes. Increased expression of AGAP2-AS1 was associated with tumor size and pathological stage progression in patients with PC. RREB1 was found to activate transcription of AGAP2-AS1 in PC cells. AGAP2-AS1 affected proliferation, apoptosis, cycle arrest, invasion, and metastasis of PC cells in vitro, and AGAP2-AS1 regulated PC proliferation in vivo. Furthermore, AGAP2-AS1 epigenetically inhibited the expression of ANKRD1 and ANGPTL4 by recruiting zeste homolog 2 (EZH2), thereby promoting PC proliferation and metastasis. In summary, our data show that RREB1-induced upregulation of AGAP2-AS1 regulates cell proliferation and migration in PC partly through suppressing ANKRD1 and ANGPTL4 by recruiting EZH2. AGAP2-AS1 represents a potential target for the diagnosis and treatment of PC in the future.

Background: Long non-coding RNA with a length of more than 200 nucleotides, called long non-coding RNA (LncRNAs), lncRNAs can regulate its activity or change its location by interfering with the activity of mRNA and directly binding to proteins. It can also affect the expression of downstream genes by inhibiting RNA polymerase, And as a competitive endogenous RNAs to regulate gene expression, thus playing an important role in the biological process. Colorectal cancer is a malignant lesion of colorectal mucosa caused by environmental, genetic and epigenetic factors. The occurrence of colorectal cancer is a multi-stage, multi-gene process, but its pathogenesis is not fully understood. With the discovery of new molecular and epigenetic mechanisms in CRC, lncRNA has become a biological target for diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic applications. Methods: Therefore, by screening the GEO database, we found that the expression of Linc01003 in cancer tissues was significantly different from that in paracancerous tissues, and then the expression was detected in 60 pairs of colorectal cancer tissues, five colorectal cancer cell lines and normal intestinal epithelial cell lines. In order to verify the phenotype of linc01003 by knockdown and overexpression experiments, and to explore the mechanism of linc01003 regulating mechanism of proliferation and apoptosis, the upstream transcription factors were predicted by database and verified by related experiments. The related downstream targets were screened by high throughput sequencing and verified by qRT-PCR, Western blot, RIP, ChIP, RNA-FISH and other experiments. Results: Highly expressed linc01003 is closely related to more advanced pathological stages and shorter life cycles.The results showed that the expression of LncRNA Linc01003 induced by transcription factor FOXP1 was significantly increased in colorectal cancer tissues and cells. Knockdown of Linc01003 in colorectal cells could significantly inhibit cell proliferation and induce apoptosis, while overexpression could promote cell proliferation. This can also be proved in animal experiments. After high throughput sequencing, it was found that the expression of crude oncogene HKDC1 was up-regulated and the expression of tumor suppressor gene DIC was down-regulated. Then through bioinformatics prediction and RIP experiments, it was proved that linc01003 binds to EZH2 and AGO2 proteins. CHIP experiments showed that Linc01003 could bind EZH2 to participate in the transcriptional regulation of HKDC1. Luciferase reporter gene confirmed that linc01003 competitive adsorption of miR-106b-5p promoted SLC25A10( DIC) expression. Therefore, we conclude that long non-coding RNA Linc01003 with high expression is associated with later stage and worse prognosis, and transcription factor FOXP1 can induce high expression of long non-coding RNA Linc01003. The high expression of linc01003 promotes the proliferation and inhibits the apoptosis of colorectal cancer cells. Lin01003 promotes the proliferation of colorectal cancer cells through EZH2/HKDC1 and miR-106b-5p/DIC regulatory axes. Conclusions: Therefore, we conclude that the transcription factor FOXP1 induced linc01003 promotes proliferation and inhibits apoptosis of colorectal cancer cells through EZH2/HKDC1 and miR-106b-5p/DIC regulatory axis . It is expected to be a diagnostic marker for CRC and a potential biotherapeutic target. Funding Statement: This study was supported by grants from the National Natural Sciences Foundation of China (grant no. 81772603), Key talents of young medicine in Jiangsu Province(grant no.QNRC2016662), Nanjing Health Science and Technology Development Medical Key Technology Development Project (grant no.YKK18190). Declaration of Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interests. Ethics Approval Statement: All patients provided written informed consent, and all the experiments were approved by the Research Ethics Committee of Nanjing Medical University. This study was conducted in strict accordance with the guidelines of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) on the use of laboratory animals. Our plan has been approved by the Animal Experimental Ethics Committee of Nanjing Medical University.

Objectives Despite improvements in diagnosis and treatment, preeclampsia (PE) continues to pose a significant risk of maternal and foetal morbidity and mortality if not addressed promptly. An increasing number of studies have suggested that tissue factor pathway inhibitor 2 (TFPI2) acts as a suppressor gene, possibly inhibiting multiple serine proteases affecting cell proliferation and migration. It plays an essential role in the occurrence and development of PE, but the pathogenesis remains unclear. Materials and methods In our research, we performed western blotting, immunohistochemistry and qPCR assays to investigate TFPI2 and miR-616-3p expression in preeclamptic placental tissues. Cell assays were performed in HTR-8/SVneo and JEG3 cell lines. Cell proliferation and migration events were investigated by MTT, EdU and transwell assays. In conjunction with bioinformatics analysis, luciferase reporter assays were performed to elucidate the mechanism by which miR-616-3p binds to TFPI2 mRNA. Results We established that TFPI2 protein levels were significantly upregulated in PE placental tissues. In addition, we found that miR-616-3p binds specifically to the 3'-UTR region of TFPI2 mRNA. Furthermore, miR-616-3p knockdown or TFPI2 overexpression substantially impaired cell growth and migration, whereas miR-616-3p upregulation or TFPI2 knockdown stimulated cell proliferation and migration. This miR-616-3p/TFPI2 axis was also found to affect the epithelial-mesenchymal transition process in PE. Conclusions Our results demonstrated that TFPI2 plays a vital role in the progression of PE and might provide a prospective therapeutic strategy to mitigate the severity of the disorder.

The long noncoding RNAHOXA11-ASreveals abnormal expression in numerous human diseases. However, its function and biological mechanisms remain unclear in Preeclampsia (PE). In this study, we report thatHOXA11-ASwas significantly downregulated in preeclampsic placental tissues and could contribute to the occurrence and development of Preeclampsia. Silencing ofHOXA11-ASexpression could significantly suppress trophoblast cell growth and migration, whereasHOXA11-ASoverexpression facilitated cell growth in HTR-8/SVneo, JEG3 and JAR cell lines. RNA-seq analysis also indicated thatHOXA11-ASsilencing preferentially regulated numerous genes associated with cell proliferation and cell migration. Mechanistic analyses showed thatHOXA11-AScould recruit Ezh2 and Lsd1 protein, and regulateRND3mRNA expression in nucleus. In cytoplasm,HOXA11-ASmodulateHOXA7expression by sponged miR-15b-5p, thus affecting trophoblast cell proliferation. Together, these resulting data confirm that aberrant expression ofHOXA11-ASis involved in the occurrence and development of Preeclampsia, and may act as a prospective diagnosis and therapeutic target in PE.

Recently, substantial evidence has demonstrated that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play critical roles in multiple cancers including colorectal cancer (CRC). Utilizing publicly available lncRNA-expression-profiling data from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) dataset GSE21510, we screened SNHG17 as a new candidate lncRNA associated with CRC development and progression. We further demonstrated that SNHG17 was upregulated in CRC tissues, and that its overexpression was significantly correlated with tumor size, TNM stage, and lymph node metastasis in CRC patients. Moreover, SNHG17 knockdown significantly inhibited the proliferation of CRC cells, and induced cell cycle G1/G0 phase arrest and cell apoptosis. Consistent with these findings, SNHG17 silencing inhibited tumor growth in vivo. Mechanistic studies revealed the capability of lncRNA SNHG17 to epigenetically suppress P57 by binding to enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (a key component of polycomb repressive complex 2) in CRC cells, and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction assays demonstrated that SNHG17 expression levels were inversely correlated with those of P57 in CRC tissues. Furthermore, rescue experiments confirmed that SNHG17 exerted oncogenic functions partly through regulating P57 expression. These findings represent the first reporting of the roles and mechanisms associated with SNHG17 in CRC progression, highlighting SNHG17 as a potential therapeutic target for CRC patients.

Background/Aims: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most commonly diagnosed malignancies worldwide. Current evidence has revealed the key roles of long non-coding RNAs (IncRNAs) in multiple cancers, including CRC. In this study we identified the lncRNA SH3PXD2A-AS1 as a novel molecule associated with CRC progression by analyzing the publicly available data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets. Methods: Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assays were performed to examine the expression levels of SH3PXD2A-AS1 in CRC tissue samples and CRC cell lines. Cell viability examination, colony-formation experiments, ethynyl deoxyuridine (Edu) assays and flow cytometry were performed to investigate the roles of SH3PXD2A-AS1 in CRC proliferation, cell cycle regulation, and apoptosis. Transwell assays were used to explore the effects of SH3PXD2A-AS1 on CRC cells migration and invasion. A nude mice model was used to assess the effects of SH3PXD2A-AS1 on tumorigenesis in vivo. Subcellular fractionation, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays were conducted to detect the molecular mechanisms of SH3PXD2A-ASl-mediated gene expression. Rescue assays were used to determine whether P57 and Kruppel-like factor 2 (KLF2) were involved in SH3PXD2A-ASl-dependent CRC proliferation. Results: We firstly found that SH3PXD2A-AS1 was significantly upregulated in CRC tissues and cell lines, and overexpression of SH3PXD2A-AS1 was correlated with tumor size, TNM stage, and lymph node metastasis in patients with CRC. Furthermore, SH3PXD2A-AS1 knockdown inhibited CRC cells proliferation, migration and invasion in vitro, and suppressed tumorigenesis in vivo. Mechanistic studies indicated that SH3PXD2A-AS1 could epiqenetically repress P57 and KLF2 expression through interaction with EZH2. Rescue experiments suggested that SH3PXD2A-ASl-mediated oncogenesis was impaired by overexpression of P57 or KLF2. Interestingly, the expression of SH3PXD2A-AS1 was inversely correlated with the expression of P57 and KLF2 in CRC tissue samples. Conclusion: Our research presents the first evidence that SH3PXD2A-AS1 acts as an oncogene in CRC, and may be a promising diagnostic or therapeutic target in patients with CRC.

Evidence indicates that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a critical role in the regulation of tumor cellular processes, such as proliferation, apoptosis, and metastasis. LncRNA CRNDE (Colorectal Neoplasia Differentially Expressed) is located at human chromosome 16 and has been found overexpressed in a variety of cancers including colorectal cancer (CRC). In this paper, we report that lncRNA CRNDE expression was remarkably upregulated in CRC tissues and that lncRNA CRNDE overexpression was positively correlated with advanced pathological stages and larger tumor sizes. In addition, the knockdown of CRNDE significantly suppressed proliferation and caused apoptosis of CRC cells both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, RNA immunoprecipitation and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays demonstrated that lncRNA CRNDE could epigenetically suppress the expressions of dual-specificity phosphatase 5 (DUSP5) and CDKN1A by binding to EZH2 (the key components of Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2)), thus promoting CRC development. In conclusion, our data suggest that the lncRNA CRNDE promotes the progression of CRC and is a potential therapeutic target for CRC intervention.