ObjectiveTo understand advances in diagnostic value of long non-coding RNA (LncRNA) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to find a useful tumor marker for early diagnosis of HCC.MethodThe recent literatures relevant the LncRNA in the HCC were reviewed and summarized.ResultsThe LncRNA could be detected in the blood and urine of the patients by the RNA immunoprecipitation, sequencing technology, gene chip, real-time quantitative PCR, and other techniques. With the rise of RNA sequencing technology, the number of identified LncRNAs had increased rapidly, and the remarkable progress had been made in the field of liver diseases. At present, the LncRNA related to HCC mainly included the urothelial cancer associated 1, highly up-regulated in liver cancer, metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1, HOXA transcript at the distal tip, H19, SPRY4 intronic transcript 1, plasma-cytoma variant translocation gene 1, uc002mbe.2, uc007biz.1, etc., which were stable in the blood or urine and abnormally expressed in the HCC, alone or as a supplement to alpha-fetoprotein could obviously improve the sensitivity and specificity of diagnosis of HCC, even increased the sensitivity to 100%.ConclusionsLncRNA is specifically expressed in HCC and is expected to be a novel biomarker for early diagnosis of HCC. However, LncRNA has many types, diverse structures, and complex molecular regulation mechanisms. It is very difficult to find a strong combination or combinations to replace or supplement traditional biomarkers and to be clinically useful further efforts. It is believed that with deepening of LncRNA research in HCC, it will have a broader prospect in early screening, diagnosis, and prognosis of HCC.
ObjectiveTo summarize the regulatory role of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) in peripheral nerve injury (PNI) and neural regeneration.MethodsThe characteristics and mechanisms of lncRNA were summarized and its regulatory role in PNI and neural regeneration were elaborated by referring to relevant domestic and foreign literature in recent years.ResultsNeuropathic pain and denervated muscle atrophy are common complications of PNI, affecting patients’ quality of life. Numerous lncRNAs are upregulated after PNI, which promote the progress of neuropathic pain by regulating nerve excitability and neuroinflammation. Several lncRNAs are found to promote the progress of denervated muscle atrophy. Importantly, peripheral nerve regeneration occurs after PNI. LncRNAs promote peripheral nerve regeneration through promoting neuronal axonal outgrowth and the proliferation and migration of Schwann cells.ConclusionAt present, the research on lncRNA regulating PNI and neural regeneration is still in its infancy. The specific mechanism remains to be further explored. How to achieve clinical translation of experimental results is also a major challenge for future research.
ObjectiveTo understand the research progress of related biomarkers in early diagnosis of gastric cancer in recent years.MethodThe domestic and foregin literatures on studies of biomarkers of early diagnosis of gastric cancer in recent years were reviewed.ResultsAt present, the sensitivity and specificity of serum tumor biomarkers of gastric cancer such as CEA and CA19-9 were lower, so the molecular markers that could predict, screen, and diagnose gastric cancer in the early stage were further explored. The recent studies suggested that microRNAs, long non-coding RNAs, circular RNAs, exosome, etc. molecular markers in early diagnosis of gastric cancer had better prospects of clinilal application.ConclusionWith the continuous development of molecular biology technology, the values of microRNAs, long non-coding RNAs, circular RNAs, DNA, etc. in early diagnosis of gastric cancer would be further explored.
ObjectiveTo summarize research progress of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in acute pancreatitis (AP), so as to provide new ideas for pathogenesis, diagnosis, and therapy of AP.MethodThe literatures on studies of ncRNAs in AP in recent years were read and reviewed.ResultsThe incidence of AP was currently increasing, but its etiology was diverse, and its pathogenesis was still fully unclear. In recent years, a large number of studies had confirmed that the ncRNA played an important role in the occurrence of many cellulars and diseases processes. Through continuous exploration for potential mechanisms of AP based on ncRNA (including long non-coding RNA and microRNA) function, it was found that the specificity and sensitivity of ncRNAs in the diagnosis of AP were better than of the traditional biomarkers. Meanwhile, ncRNAs were involved in the regulation of inflammatory response through a variety of ways.ConclusionsncRNAs are involved in altering gene expression (including up-regulation or down-regulation) in the key physiological functions of AP through a variety of ways, it might provide new ideas for understanding pathogenesis of AP and help to find new therapeutic targets. A variety of ncRNAs closely related to AP are expected to become biomarkers and molecular targets for early diagnosis and treatment of AP, so as to achieve early diagnosis and targeted treatment of AP.
ObjectiveBy detecting the expression of the long non-coding RNA metastasis associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1) in myocardial tissue under different hypoxia patterns, to explore the possible mechanism of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)-induced cardiovascular diseases.MethodsSD rats were randomly and equally divided into 4 groups namely a normal (N) group, a continuous hypoxia (CH) group, an intermittent hypoxia (IH) group and an intermittent hypoxia with hypercapnia (IHH) group, and were treated for 1, 2, and 3 weeks. The expression of MALAT1 and associated immune factors of the myocardial tissue were examined by qRT-PCR.ResultsAn elevation without significance was observed in those three hypoxia groups in contrast with N group after 1 week’s treatment. However, in 2 and 3 weeks’ groups, the mRNA expression of MALAT1 was significantly higher in IHH group than the other three groups (all P<0.01), while there was no significant difference among IH, CH or N groups despite an increasing tendency in IH and CH groups against N group were observed. Additionally, the expressions of hypoxia inducible factor-1α (P<0.05), Toll-like receptor 4 (P<0.01) and interleukin-6 (P<0.05) mRNA were also increased significantly in IHH group compared with IH, CH and IHH groups in 3 weeks’ treatment respectively, which were coordinated with the change of MALAT1 mRNA.ConclusionsThe expression of MALAT1 in myocardial tissue is elevated by intermittent hypoxia with hypercapnia, and the tendency is similar with hypoxia-induced inflammation factors. These findings indicate that MALAT1 is probably a regulatory factor of OSA induced myocardial immune injury.
ObjectiveTo investigate the expression of growth arrest-specific 5 (GAS5) mRNA and its clinical significance in hepatocellular carcinoma.MethodsThe expression of GAS5 mRNA in the hepatocellular carcinoma tissues and corresponding adjacent tissues were detected by real time-PCR. The relationship between the expression of GAS5 mRNA and clinicopathological characteristics were analyzed by SPSS 19.0 software.ResultsThe expression of GAS5 mRNA in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues was significantly lower than that of the adjacent tissues (P<0.01). The expression of GAS5 mRNA was related to tumor size, tumor number, lymph node metastasis, clinical TNM stage, alpha fetoprotein level, and tumor differentiation (P<0.05). Cox hazard model results showed that low expression of GAS5 mRNA was associated with poor prognosis (P<0.05).ConclusionGAS5 mRNA is expected to be a diagnostic and prognostic marker for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.
ObjectiveTo study value of long noncoding RNA H19 and HOTTIP in plasma in predicting efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) for resectable locally advanced gastric cancer. MethodsForty patients with T3–4aN+M0 gastric cancer and 40 patients with benign gastric diseases treated in the Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital Affiliated to Qingdao University from August 2020 to May 2021 were prospectively included. The expressions of H19 and HOTTIP in the plasma of gastric cancer and benign gastric diseases patients without any treatment after admission were detected before treatment (CAPEOX regimen was used in the patients with gastric cancer), then which were detected after 2 NAC courses for patients with gastric cancer. Meanwhile, some clinical items were detected and the efficacy of NAC was evaluated. The complete remission (CR) and partial remission (PR) were classified as objective remission, CR, PR, and disease stability were classified as disease control. The expressions of H19 and HOTTIP between the different patients were compared and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate their values in the diagnosis of resectable locally advanced gastric cancer. ResultsThere were 13 cases of T downstaging and 27 cases of T non-downstaging and 25 cases of objective remission and 35 disease control after NAC. The median relative expression levels of H19 and HOTTIP before NAC in the patients with gastric cancer were higher than those in the patients with benign gastric diseases (H19: 1.42 versus 0.98, Z=–3.835, P<0.001; HOTTIP: 2.15 versus 1.04, Z=–5.062, P<0.001), and which were in the patients with T downstaging and disease control were lower than those in the patients with T non-downstaging and 5 cases of disease progression (For T staging, H19: 1.12 versus 1.54, Z=–2.960, P=0.002; HOTTIP: 1.49 versus 2.30, Z=–2.310, P=0.019. For efficacy of NAC, H19: 1.39 versus 2.48, Z=–3.211, P<0.001; HOTTIP: 1.96 versus 3.25, Z=–2.393, P=0.014). The median relative expressions of H19 and HOTTIP after NAC were lower than those before NAC in the patients with gastric cancer (H19: 1.12 versus 1.42, Z=–3.965, P<0.001; HOTTIP: 1.30 versus 2.15, Z=–4.839, P<0.001). There were no significant differences in the changes of H19 and HOTTIP before and after NAC between the patients with T downstaging and T non-downstaging, and between disease control and disease progression (P>0.05). The areas of ROC curve of H19, HOTTIP, and combination of H19 and HOTTIP in diagnosis of resectable locally advanced gastric cancer were higher than 0.7. ConclusionsLncRNA H19 and HOTTIP might be potential tumor markers in gastric cancer, and their diagnostic values for resectable locally advanced gastric cancer are higher. Gastric cancer patients with low expressions of H19 and HOTTIP in plasma might be more sensitive to NAC.
ObjectiveTo investigate the key long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and transcription factors (TFs) in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) by Bioinformatics analysis.MethodsBioinformatics analysis of three gene expression profiles from the Gene Expression Omnibus dataset (GSE2052, GSE44723, and GSE24206), including 42 IPF and 21 normal lung tissues, was performed in this study. Subsequently, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were filtered, and key genes involved in signaling pathways and the DEG-associated protein-protein interaction network (PPI) were further analyzed. The filtered genes expression was determined by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis.ResultsA total of 8483 aberrantly expressed genes were screened, and 29 overlapping genes were identified among these three datasets. A significant enrichment analysis of DEG-associated functions and pathways was further performed. A total of 18 modules were obtained from the DEG PPI network, and most of the modules were involved in polyubiquitination, Golgi vesicle transport, endocytosis and so on. The key genes were obtained through hypergeometric testing, and most of the corresponding genes were closely associated with ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis, the spliceosome, and the cell cycle. These differential expressed genes, such as lncMALAT1, E2F1 and YBX1, were detected in the peripheral blood of IPF patients when compared with those normal control subjects.ConclusionlncMALAT1, E2F1 and YBX1 might be possible regulators for the pathogenesis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
ObjectiveTo investigate the regulatory effect of long chain non-coding RNA (lncRNA) metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1) adsorbing microRNA-124 (miR-124) on osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs).MethodsC3H10T1/2 cells derived from mouse embryos were cultured in vitro, then randomly divided into control group (group A), lncRNA MALAT1 no-load plasmid group (group B), lncRNA MALAT1 overexpression plasmid group (group C), lncRNA MALAT1 small interfering RNA (siRNA) group (group D), and lncRNA MALAT1 siRNA negative control group (group E). The cells were transfected into plasmids and siRNA, then induced to differentiate into osteoblasts. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and alizarin red staining were used to detect the osteogenic differentiation of cells in each group, real-time fluorescence quantitative (qRT-PCR) analysis was used to detect the expressions of lncRNA MALAT, miR-124, and osteogenesis-related genes such as Runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), osteopontin (OPN), and osteocalcin (OCN) in each group. Double luciferase reporter gene was used to detect the targeting regulation of lncRNA MALAT1 to miR-124.ResultsThe relative contents of ALP positive cells, mineralized nodule, and the relative mRNA expressions of lncRNA MALAT1, Runx2, OPN, and OCN in group C were significantly higher than those in other groups (P<0.05), while in group D significantly lower than in other groups (P<0.05); the relative expression of miR-124 in group C was significantly lower than that in other groups(P<0.05), while in group D significantly higher than in other groups (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in these indexes between groups A, B, and E (P>0.05). The results of double luciferase reporter gene assay showed that lncRNA MALAT1 targeting down-regulated the expression of miR-124.ConclusionLncRNA MALAT1 can targeting down-regulate the expression of miR-124 and promote the osteogenic differentiation of MSCs.