HOTAIR

Gene Summary

Gene:HOTAIR; HOX transcript antisense RNA
Aliases: HOXAS, HOXC-AS4, HOXC11-AS1, NCRNA00072
Location:12q13.13
Summary:This gene is located within the Homeobox C (HOXC) gene cluster on chromosome 12 and is co-expressed with the HOXC genes. It functions through an RNA product, which binds lysine specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) and Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2), and serves as a scaffold to assemble these regulators at the HOXD gene cluster, thereby promoting epigenetic repression of HOXD. This gene is highly expressed in multiple tumors. Alternatively spliced transcript variants have been identified. [provided by RefSeq, Feb 2019]
Databases:OMIM, HGNC, Ensembl, GeneCard, Gene
Source:NCBIAccessed: 31 August, 2019

Cancer Overview

Research Indicators

Publications Per Year (1994-2019)
Graph generated 31 August 2019 using data from PubMed using criteria.

Literature Analysis

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Tag cloud generated 31 August, 2019 using data from PubMed, MeSH and CancerIndex

Specific Cancers (8)

Latest Publications: HOTAIR (cancer-related)

Li Z, Tan H, Zhao W, et al.
Integrative analysis of DNA methylation and gene expression profiles identifies MIR4435-2HG as an oncogenic lncRNA for glioma progression.
Gene. 2019; 715:144012 [PubMed] Related Publications
Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been shown to play an important role in tumor biogenesis and prognosis. The glioma is a grade classified cancer, however, we still lack the knowledge on their function during glioma progression. While previous studies have shown how lncRNAs regulate protein-coding gene epigenetically, it is still unclear how lncRNAs are regulated epigenetically. In this study, we firstly analyzed the RNA-seq data systematically across grades II, IV, and IV of glioma samples. We identified 60 lncRNAs that are significantly differentially expressed over disease progression (DElncRNA), including well-known PVT1, HOTAIR, H19 and rarely studied CARD8-AS, MIR4435-2HG. Secondly, by integrating HM450K methylation microarray data, we demonstrated that some of the lncRNAs are epigenetically regulated by methylation. Thirdly, we developed a DESeq2-GSEA-ceRNA-survival analysis strategy to investigate their functions. Particularly, MIR4435-2HG is highly expressed in high-grade glioma and may have an impact on EMT and TNFα signaling pathway by functioning as a miRNA sponge of miR-125a-5p and miR-125b-5p to increase the expression of CD44. Our results revealed the dynamic expression of lncRNAs in glioma progression and their epigenetic regulation mechanism.

Tokgun PE, Tokgun O, Kurt S, et al.
MYC-driven regulation of long non-coding RNA profiles in breast cancer cells.
Gene. 2019; 714:143955 [PubMed] Related Publications
AIM: MYC deregulation contributes to breast cancer development and progression. Deregulated expression levels of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) have been demonstrated to be critical players in development and/or maintenance of breast cancer. In this study we aimed to evaluate lncRNA expressions depending on MYC overexpression and knockdown in breast cancer cells.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cells were infected with lentiviral vectors by either knockdown or overexpression of c-MYC. LncRNA cDNA was transcribed from total RNA samples and lncRNAs were evaluated by qRT-PCR.
RESULTS: Our results indicated that some of the lncRNAs having tumor suppressor (GAS5, MEG3, lincRNA-p21) and oncogenic roles (HOTAIR) are regulated by c-MYC.
CONCLUSION: We observed that c-MYC regulates lncRNAs that have important roles on proliferation, cell cycle and etc. Further studies will give us a light to identify molecular mechanisms related to MYC-lncRNA regulatory pathways in breast cancer.

Botti G, Scognamiglio G, Aquino G, et al.
LncRNA
Int J Mol Sci. 2019; 20(9) [PubMed] Free Access to Full Article Related Publications
lncRNAs participate in many cellular processes, including regulation of gene expression at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. In addition, many lncRNAs can contribute to the development of different human diseases including cancer. The tumor microenvironment (TME) plays an important role during tumor growth and metastatic progression, and most of these lncRNAs have a key function in TME intracellular signaling. Among the numerous identified lncRNAs, several experimental evidences have shown the fundamental role of the lncRNA

Hong CH, Lin SH, Lee CH
CCL21 Induces mTOR-dependent MALAT1 Expression, Leading to Cell Migration in Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma.
In Vivo. 2019 May-Jun; 33(3):793-800 [PubMed] Free Access to Full Article Related Publications
BACKGROUND: Mycosis fungoides (MF) is indolent, but may disseminate to leukemia. We reported that C-C motif chemokine ligand 21 (CCL21) is associated with MF invasion and progression. Metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1), a long noncoding RNA, is associated with several cancer types, however, how it interacts with CCL21 to regulate MF progression, remains unclear.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Expression of long noncoding RNAs MALAT1, antisense noncoding RNA in the INK4 locus (ANRIL), Hox antisense intergenic RNA (HOTAIR), highly up-regulated in liver cancer RNA (HULC), and leukemia-associated non-coding insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor activator RNA 1 (LUNAR1) in tissues from MF was studied using polymerase chain reaction and RNA interference in MF cell line MyLa were used to address this question.
RESULTS: Expression of MALAT1 was selectively increased in MF tissues. C-C Chemokine receptor type 7 (CCR7) expression was found to be increased in MyLa cells. CCL21 was found not only to mediate migration, but also to enhance MALAT1 and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) activation in MyLa cells. Knockdown of MALAT1 abrogated CCL21-mediated migration, but not mTOR activation. In contrast, mTOR inhibition reduced CCL21-mediated migration and MALAT1 expression.
CONCLUSION: CCL21 induced mTOR activation in MyLa cells, followed by expression of MALAT1, causing cell migration. MALAT1 and mTOR are potential therapeutic targets for MF.

Yang L, Peng X, Li Y, et al.
Long non-coding RNA HOTAIR promotes exosome secretion by regulating RAB35 and SNAP23 in hepatocellular carcinoma.
Mol Cancer. 2019; 18(1):78 [PubMed] Free Access to Full Article Related Publications
BACKGROUND: Emerging evidence indicates that tumor cells release a large amount of exosomes loaded with cargos during tumorigenesis. Exosome secretion is a multi-step process regulated by certain related molecules. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play an important role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression. However, the role of lncRNA HOTAIR in regulating exosome secretion in HCC cells remains unclear.
METHODS: We analyzed the relationship between HOTAIR expression and exosome secretion-related genes using gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). Nanoparticle tracking analysis was performed to validate the effect of HOTAIR on exosome secretion. The transport of multivesicular bodies (MVBs) after overexpression of HOTAIR was detected by transmission electron microscopy and confocal microscopy analysis of cluster determinant 63 (CD63) with synaptosome associated protein 23 (SNAP23). The mechanism of HOTAIR's regulation of Ras-related protein Rab-35 (RAB35), vesicle associated membrane protein 3 (VAMP3), and SNAP23 was assessed using confocal co-localization analysis, phosphorylation assays, and rescue experiments.
RESULTS: We found an enrichment of exosome secretion-related genes in the HOTAIR high expression group. HOTAIR promoted the release of exosomes by inducing MVB transport to the plasma membrane. HOTAIR regulated RAB35 expression and localization, which controlled the docking process. Moreover, HOTAIR facilitated the final step of fusion by influencing VAMP3 and SNAP23 colocalization. In addition, we validated that HOTAIR induced the phosphorylation of SNAP23 via mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling.
CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated a novel function of lncRNA HOTAIR in promoting exosome secretion from HCC cells and provided a new understanding of lncRNAs in tumor cell biology.

Sterbova M, Pazourkova E, Santorova-Pospisilova S, et al.
The use of Human Inflammatory Response and Autoimmunity RT2 lncRNA PCR Array for plasma examination in breast cancer patients prior to therapy.
Neoplasma. 2019; 2019:641-646 [PubMed] Related Publications
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are defined as RNA molecules longer than 200 nucleotides with poor protein-coding capacity and key functions in regulation of gene expression. Dysregulations of lncRNAs (e.g. HOTAIR and MALAT I) were detected in plasma of breast cancer (BC) patients. Plasma samples are examined as liquid biopsies for purposes of non-invasive diagnostics therefore the research of plasma lncRNAs as potential plasma biomarkers became highly topical. 84 lncRNAs were profiled in 18 plasma samples - 9 BC patients and 9 age-matched healthy - using Human Inflammatory Response & Autoimmunity RT2 lncRNA PCR Array. Total RNA from plasma samples was isolated using miRNeasy Serum/Plasma Kit. Although a pre-amplification recommended for quantification from small starting RNA amounts was used, only 3 lncRNAs (A2ML1-AS1, GAS5 and SNHG5) were detected in all plasma samples. A total of 72 lncRNAs (e.g. HOTAIR or MALAT I) were detected only in some samples and 9 lncRNAs were not detected in any samples. No significant differences were observed in levels of plasma lncRNAs between the BC patients and healthy controls despite the fact that our panel contained also the lncRNAs whose levels were previously reported as significantly different in plasma or cancer tissues (e.g. GAS5, HOTAIR, MALAT I) in BC patients. Detection of lncRNAs in plasma is due to their low concentrations quite difficult as compared with tissues. Our findings suggest that analysis of plasma lncRNAs using this technology is not suitable for use as non-invasive diagnostic tool in BC patients.

Wu J, Tang Q, Ren X, et al.
Reciprocal interaction of HOTAIR and SP1 together enhance the ability of Xiaoji decoction and gefitinib to inhibit EP4 expression.
J Ethnopharmacol. 2019; 237:128-140 [PubMed] Related Publications
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The Chinese herbal prescription Xiaoji decoction (XJD) has long been used for cancer treatment. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of this medicine, particularly to enhance the efficiency of EGFR-TKI in the treatment of lung cancer have not been well elucidated.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cell viability and cell cycle distribution were detected by MTT assay and flow cytometry, respectively. The phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and protein levels of SP1 and EP4 were determined by Western blot. The expression of the HOX transcript antisense RNA (HOTAIR) was measured by qRT-PCR. Transient transfection experiments were used to overexpress the HOTAIR, SP1 and EP4 genes. The interaction between HOTAIR and SP1 were further examined via RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay. A tumor xenograft model was used to confirm the in vitro findings.
RESULTS: We showed that XJD inhibited growth and induced cell arrest of human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells. We also found that XJD increased the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and inhibited levels of HOTAIR and SP1, EP4 proteins, which were blocked by inhibitor of MEK/ERK. There was reciprocal interaction between HOTAIR and SP1. Silencing of HOTAIR reduced EP4 protein levels and repressed the growth of NSCLC cells, while overexpression of HOTAIR and SP1 overcame XJD-reduced EP4 protein expression. Additionally, excessive expressed EP4 reversed the effect of XJD on cell growth. Importantly, there was synergy of XJD with another cancer treatment drug, EGFR-TKI gefitinib, in this process. We also found that XJD inhibited tumor growth in a xenograft nude mice model.
CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that XJD inhibits NSCLC cell growth via ERK1/2-mediated reciprocal repression of HOTAIR and SP1 protein expression, followed by reduced EP4 gene expression. XJD and gefitinib exhibit synergy in this process. The in vitro and in vivo study provides a novel mechanism by which XJD enhances the growth inhibitory effect of gefitinib in gefitinib-resistant NSCLC cells.

Mishra S, Verma SS, Rai V, et al.
Long non-coding RNAs are emerging targets of phytochemicals for cancer and other chronic diseases.
Cell Mol Life Sci. 2019; 76(10):1947-1966 [PubMed] Related Publications
The long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are the crucial regulators of human chronic diseases. Therefore, approaches such as antisense oligonucleotides, RNAi technology, and small molecule inhibitors have been used for the therapeutic targeting of lncRNAs. During the last decade, phytochemicals and nutraceuticals have been explored for their potential against lncRNAs. The common lncRNAs known to be modulated by phytochemicals include ROR, PVT1, HOTAIR, MALAT1, H19, MEG3, PCAT29, PANDAR, NEAT1, and GAS5. The phytochemicals such as curcumin, resveratrol, sulforaphane, berberine, EGCG, and gambogic acid have been examined against lncRNAs. In some cases, formulation of phytochemicals has also been used. The disease models where phytochemicals have been demonstrated to modulate lncRNAs expression include cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. The regulation of lncRNAs by phytochemicals can affect multi-steps of tumor development. When administered in combination with the conventional drugs, phytochemicals can also produce synergistic effects on lncRNAs leading to the sensitization of cancer cells. Phytochemicals target lncRNAs either directly or indirectly by affecting a wide variety of upstream molecules. However, the potential of phytochemicals against lncRNAs has been demonstrated mostly by preclinical studies in cancer models. How the modulation of lncRNAs by phytochemicals produce therapeutic effects on cancer and other chronic diseases is discussed in this review.

Jiang D, Li H, Xiang H, et al.
Long Chain Non-Coding RNA (lncRNA) HOTAIR Knockdown Increases miR-454-3p to Suppress Gastric Cancer Growth by Targeting STAT3/Cyclin D1.
Med Sci Monit. 2019; 25:1537-1548 [PubMed] Free Access to Full Article Related Publications
BACKGROUND Gastric cancer is a common gastrointestinal tumor. The incidence and mortality of gastric cancer are very high. Therefore, it is important to study targeted drugs. Recent studies found long chain non-coding RNA (lncRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) were abnormal in gastric cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS We collected adjacent normal and cancer tissues of gastric cancer patients and measured HOTAIR, miR-454-3p, STAT3, and Cyclin D1 expression and analyzed the correlation with clinical status. We also measured AGS and SGC7901 cells proliferation rate of different groups by MTT assay, and we evaluated AGS and SGC7901 cell apoptosis and cell cycle by flow cytometry. In addition, we assessed the relative proteins expressions by WB assay. Finally, we explored the correlation between miR-454-3p and STAT3 by use of double luciferase reporter. RESULTS lncRNA HOTAIR was negatively correlated with miR-454-3p expression in gastric cancer tissues. lncRNA HOTAIR knockdown suppressed AGS and SGC7901, which are gastric cancer cell lines that promote cell proliferation by increasing cell apoptosis and keeping the cell cycle in G1 phase. In further mechanism research, we found that the STAT3 and Cyclin D1 proteins expressions were suppressed by lncRNA HOTAIR down-regulation in AGS and SGC7901 cells. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that lncRNA HOTAIR knockdown stimulates miR-454-3p expression to inhibit gastric cancer growth by depressing STAT3/Cyclin D1 activity.

Mahmoudian-Sani MR, Jalali A, Jamshidi M, et al.
Long Non-Coding RNAs in Thyroid Cancer: Implications for Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, and Therapy.
Oncol Res Treat. 2019; 42(3):136-142 [PubMed] Related Publications
Thyroid cancer is a rare malignancy and accounts for less than 1% of malignant neoplasms in humans; however, it is the most common cancer of the endocrine system and responsible for most deaths from endocrine cancer. Long non-coding (Lnc)RNAs are defined as non-coding transcripts that are more than 200 nucleotides in length. Their expression deregulation plays an important role in the progress of cancer. These molecules are involved in physiologic cellular processes, genomic imprinting, inactivation of chromosome X, maintenance of pluripotency, and the formation of different organs via changes in chromatin, transcription, and translation. LncRNAs can act as a tumor suppressor genes or oncogenes. Several studies have shown that these molecules can interact with microRNAs and prevent their binding to messenger RNAs. Research has shown that these molecules play an important role in tumorigenicity, angiogenesis, proliferation, migration, apoptosis, and differentiation. In thyroid cancer, several lncRNAs (MALAT1, H19, BANCR, HOTAIR) have been identified as contributing factors to cancer development, and can be used as novel biomarkers for early diagnosis or even treatment. In this article, we study the newest lncRNAs and their role in thyroid cancer.

Pyfrom SC, Luo H, Payton JE
PLAIDOH: a novel method for functional prediction of long non-coding RNAs identifies cancer-specific LncRNA activities.
BMC Genomics. 2019; 20(1):137 [PubMed] Free Access to Full Article Related Publications
BACKGROUND: Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) exhibit remarkable cell-type specificity and disease association. LncRNA's functional versatility includes epigenetic modification, nuclear domain organization, transcriptional control, regulation of RNA splicing and translation, and modulation of protein activity. However, most lncRNAs remain uncharacterized due to a shortage of predictive tools available to guide functional experiments.
RESULTS: To address this gap for lymphoma-associated lncRNAs identified in our studies, we developed a new computational method, Predicting LncRNA Activity through Integrative Data-driven 'Omics and Heuristics (PLAIDOH), which has several unique features not found in other methods. PLAIDOH integrates transcriptome, subcellular localization, enhancer landscape, genome architecture, chromatin interaction, and RNA-binding (eCLIP) data and generates statistically defined output scores. PLAIDOH's approach identifies and ranks functional connections between individual lncRNA, coding gene, and protein pairs using enhancer, transcript cis-regulatory, and RNA-binding protein interactome scores that predict the relative likelihood of these different lncRNA functions. When applied to 'omics datasets that we collected from lymphoma patients, or to publicly available cancer (TCGA) or ENCODE datasets, PLAIDOH identified and prioritized well-known lncRNA-target gene regulatory pairs (e.g., HOTAIR and HOX genes, PVT1 and MYC), validated hits in multiple lncRNA-targeted CRISPR screens, and lncRNA-protein binding partners (e.g., NEAT1 and NONO). Importantly, PLAIDOH also identified novel putative functional interactions, including one lymphoma-associated lncRNA based on analysis of data from our human lymphoma study. We validated PLAIDOH's predictions for this lncRNA using knock-down and knock-out experiments in lymphoma cell models.
CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates that we have developed a new method for the prediction and ranking of functional connections between individual lncRNA, coding gene, and protein pairs, which were validated by genetic experiments and comparison to published CRISPR screens. PLAIDOH expedites validation and follow-on mechanistic studies of lncRNAs in any biological system. It is available at https://github.com/sarahpyfrom/PLAIDOH .

Ren Y, Wang YF, Zhang J, et al.
Targeted design and identification of AC1NOD4Q to block activity of HOTAIR by abrogating the scaffold interaction with EZH2.
Clin Epigenetics. 2019; 11(1):29 [PubMed] Free Access to Full Article Related Publications
BACKGROUND: Nearly 25% of long intergenic non-coding RNAs (lincRNAs) recruit chromatin-modifying proteins (e.g., EZH2) to silence target genes. HOX antisense intergenic RNA (HOTAIR) is deregulated in diverse cancers and could be an independent and powerful predictor of eventual metastasis and death. Yet, it is challenging to develop small molecule drugs to block activity of HOTAIR with high specificity in a short time.
RESULTS: Our previous study proved that the 5' domain, but not its 3' domain, was the function domain of HOTAIR responsible for tumorigenesis and metastasis in glioblastoma and breast cancer, by recruiting and binding EZH2. Here, we targeted to establish a structure-based methodology to identify lead compounds of HOTAIR, by abrogating scaffold interactions with EZH2. And a small compound AC1NOD4Q (ADQ) was identified by high-throughput molecular docking-based virtual screening of the PubChem library. Our analysis revealed that ADQ was sufficiently and specifically interfering HOTAIR/EZH2 interaction, thereby impairing the H3K27-mediated tri-methylation of NLK, the target of HOTAIR gene, and consequently inhibiting tumor metastasis through Wnt/β-catenin pathway in vitro and in orthotopic breast cancer models. The results of RIP and EMSA further revealed that 36G46A of 5' domain was the essential binding site for ADQ exerted its inhibitory effect, further narrowed the structure and function of HOTAIR from the 5' functional domain to the micro-domain.
CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest of a potential new strategy to discover the lead compound for targeted lincRNA therapy and potentially pave the way for exploiting ADQ as a scaffold for more effective small molecule drugs.

Dong X, He X, Guan A, et al.
Long non-coding RNA Hotair promotes gastric cancer progression via miR-217-GPC5 axis.
Life Sci. 2019; 217:271-282 [PubMed] Related Publications
AIMS: The oncogenic role of lncRNA Hotair has been acknowledged in subset of malignancies, including gastric cancer (GC). However, the detailed molecular mechanisms that contribute to its oncogenic role of are largely elusive. This study was designed to explore the underlying mechanism that contributes the regulatory role of Hotair in GC pathogenesis and progression.
MAIN METHODS: Expression pattern of lncRNAs in GC tissues and adjacent normal tissues were identified by using microarray analysis. The cell proliferation of GC cells was examined by CCK-8 assay and colony formation assay, while migration and invasion capabilities of GC cells were examined by Transwell (with or without Matrigel) assay. Cell apoptosis was examined by Flow cytometer. qRT-PCR and western blotting were used to examine the expression of Hotair, miR-217, and other related genes. The potential target relationships were predicted by miRcode algorithm, and validated by dual luciferase reporter gene assay.
KEY FINDINGS: We observed that Hotair was frequently up-regulated in GC tissues and cell lines, and high Hotair level was positively correlated with poor prognosis in GC patients. Knockdown of Hotair inhibited GC cells' viability, migration, invasion, Epithelial mesenchymal transition process. MiR-217 was decreased while GCP5 was increased in GC cells. Hotair negatively regulated the expression of miR-217 in GC while miR-217 targeted GCP5 to down-regulate its expression. Hotair promoted GC development by promoting GCP5 expression via sponging miR-217.
SIGNIFICANCE: Hotair could serve as a potentially prognostic indicator and provide new light into its underlying biological-molecular mechanism in GC.

Zhang J, Liu L, Lin Z, et al.
SNP-SNP and SNP-environment interactions of potentially functional HOTAIR SNPs modify the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma.
Mol Carcinog. 2019; 58(5):633-642 [PubMed] Related Publications
HOX transcript antisense intergenic RNA (HOTAIR) has been widely regarded as a functional lncRNA contributing to multiple cancers. However, few studies have examined the effect of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in HOTAIR on the occurrence and development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this study, three potentially functional HOTAIR SNPs (rs17105613, rs12427129, and rs3816153) were selected using bioinformatic tools. A case-control study including 1262 cases and 1559 controls was conducted to explore the association of HOTAIR SNPs with the risk of HCC in a Southern Chinese population. We found that SNPs rs12427129 and rs3816153 were associated with the risk of HCC in dominant genetic models (CC: CT + TT, adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 0.72, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.57-0.90 and GG: GT + TT, adjusted OR = 1.30, 95%CI = 1.08-1.57). Additionally, SNP-environment interactions for rs12427129, rs3816153, and HBsAg status were found to enhance the risk of HCC, with FDR-P as an additive interaction equal to 0.0006 and 0.0144, respectively. In multifactor dimensionality reduction (MDR) analysis, the three-factor model (HBsAg status, rs12427129 and rs3816153) yielded the highest test accuracy of 77.74% (permutation P < 0.001). Interestingly, the effect of rs12427129 and rs3816153 on the risk of HCC could be modified by HBsAg status, while the rs12427129 CT/TT genotype could antagonize the detrimental effect of rs3816153 GT/TT genotype on HCC. Our findings suggest that rs12427129 and rs3816153, including their SNP-SNP and SNP-environment interaction with HBsAg status, potentially play important roles on the susceptibility to HCC.

Tatangelo F, Di Mauro A, Scognamiglio G, et al.
Posterior HOX genes and HOTAIR expression in the proximal and distal colon cancer pathogenesis.
J Transl Med. 2018; 16(1):350 [PubMed] Free Access to Full Article Related Publications
BACKGROUND: Increasing evidences showed that the location of the primary tumor on the right (proximal) or left (distal) side of the colon have a prognostic/predictive value for colon cancer patients. However, the understanding of the molecular mechanisms that contribute to the pathogenesis in different location of colon is still unclear. Probably an important role could be played by genes that control the spatial-temporal development of bodily structures, such as HOX genes.
METHODS: The main purpose of this study was to analyze the expression of the paralogous 13 HOX genes and of the HOX regulating lncRNA HOTAIR in distal and proximal CRC cases. We have carried out a Tissue Micro Array with left and right CRC samples associated with all clinical-pathological parameters of patients. The expression of HOX genes was evaluated by immunohistochemistry and the staining of HOTAIR was performed by in situ hybridization using a specifically designed LNA probe.
RESULTS: All paralogous 13 HOX genes and HOTAIR are silent in normal tissue and expressed in CRC samples. HOXB13, HOXC13 and HOTAIR showed a statistical association with lymph nodes metastasis (p value = 0.003, p value = 0.05, p value = 0.04). HOXB13, HOXC13 and lncRNA HOTAIR are overexpressed in right CRCs samples (p value < 0 and p value = 0.021). HOTAIR is also strongly correlated with HOXB13 (p value = 0.02) and HOXC13 (p value = 0.042) expression.
CONCLUSIONS: Our data highlighted an important role of posterior HOX genes in colorectal cancer carcinogenesis. Specifically, the aberrant expression of the HOXB13, HOXC13 and HOTAIR in proximal colon cancers could add an important dowel in understanding molecular mechanisms related to tumor pathogenesis in this location.

Moschovis D, Vasilaki E, Tzouvala M, et al.
Association between genetic polymorphisms in long non-coding RNAs and pancreatic cancer risk.
Cancer Biomark. 2019; 24(1):117-123 [PubMed] Related Publications
BACKGROUND: Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are emerging as candidate biomarkers of cancer, having regulatory functions in both oncogenic and tumor-suppressive pathways. Concerning pancreatic cancer (PC), deregulation of lncRNAs involved in tumor initiation, invasion, and metastasis seem to play a key role. However, data is scarce about regulatory mechanism of lncRNA expression.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study was to investigate the contribution of two lncRNAs polymorphisms (rs1561927 and rs4759313 of PVT1 and HOTAIR, respectively) in PC susceptibility.
METHODS: A case-control study was conducted analysing rs1561927 and rs4759313 polymorphisms using DNA collected in a population-based case-control study of pancreatic cancer (111 pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cases (PDAC), 56 pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor (PNET), and 125 healthy controls).
RESULTS: Regarding the PVT1 rs1561927 polymorphism the G allele was significantly overrepresented in both PDAC and PNET patients compared to the controls, while the presence of the HOTAIR rs4759314 G allele was found to be overrepresented in the PNET patients only compared to the controls. The PVT1 rs1561927 AG/GG genotypes were associated with poor overall survival in PDAC patients.
CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggested that polymorphisms of these two lncRNA polymorphisms implicated in pancreatic carcinogenesis. Further large-scale and functional studies are needed to confirm our results.

Aalijahan H, Ghorbian S
Long non-coding RNAs and cervical cancer.
Exp Mol Pathol. 2019; 106:7-16 [PubMed] Related Publications
Cervical cancer is determined as the second highest number of deaths factor in female cancers. Here is a need to find new biomarkers for detection and preliminary prognosis, metastasis. To find new treatment to enhance the survival of cervical cancer patients, pivotal actions are necessitated to be implemented. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) appear to be the crucial modulators in various processes and critically influence the oncogenesis. The commencement and general review actions of the following lncRNAs HOTAIR, H19, XIST, CCHE1, EBIC, MALAT1, ANRIL, LET, NEAT1, BLACAT1, UFC1, SNHG16 and SNHG20 are focused in this review article. Roles of the lncRNAs in cervical cancer in terms of prognosis and tumor progression, invasion and metastasis, apoptosis, and radio-resistance are pointed out. In this review the utilization of lncRNAs as biomarkers in cervical cancer prognosis for metastasis is discussed. An overview of this review will be useful for selection of biomarkers in diagnosis, prognosis, and targeted therapy of cervical cancer in the future.

Song Y, Wang R, Li LW, et al.
Long non-coding RNA HOTAIR mediates the switching of histone H3 lysine 27 acetylation to methylation to promote epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in gastric cancer.
Int J Oncol. 2019; 54(1):77-86 [PubMed] Free Access to Full Article Related Publications
HOX transcript antisense intergenic RNA (HOTAIR), a well‑known long non‑coding RNA, plays an important role in the regulation of epithelial‑to‑mesenchymal transition (EMT). In this study, we propose a novel mechanism through which HOTAIR promotes EMT by switching histone H3 lysine 27 acetylation to methylation at the E‑cadherin promoter, which induces the transcriptional inhibition of E‑cadherin. HOTAIR recruits polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) to catalyze H3K27me3; however, whether HOTAIR is associated with the acetylation of histone H3 lysine 27, a marker of transcriptional activation, and the mechanisms through which HOTAIR triggers the metastasis of gastric cancer (GC) by epigenetic regulation remain largely unknown. In this study, HOTAIR knockdown significantly reversed EMT by increasing the expression of E‑cadherin in GC cells. Additionally, the loss of PRC2 activity induced by HOTAIR knockdown resulted in a global decrease in H3K27 methylation and an increase in H3K27 acetylation. Furthermore, HOTAIR recruits PRC2 (which consists of H3K27 methyltransferase EZH2, SUZ12 and EED), which may inhibit the reaction between the acetyltransferase CBP and H3K27 acetylation. On the whole, the findings of this study suggested that the HOTAIR‑mediated acetylation to methylation switch was associated with the transcriptional inhibition of E‑cadherin. HOTAIR can promote the development of GC through the epigenetic regulation of E‑cadherin, switching the state of the E‑cadherin promoter from the transcriptionally active to the transcriptionally repressive state.

Li N, Meng DD, Gao L, et al.
Overexpression of HOTAIR leads to radioresistance of human cervical cancer via promoting HIF-1α expression.
Radiat Oncol. 2018; 13(1):210 [PubMed] Free Access to Full Article Related Publications
BACKGROUND: HOTAIR was known to enhance radioresistance in several cancers. However, the function of HOTAIR on radioresistance involving the regulation of HIF-1α in cervical cancer has not been reported.
METHODS: BALB/c nude mice were injected subcutaneously with HeLa cells and irradiated by X-ray. The tumor volume was measured and the expression of HOTAIR in tumors was detected by quantitative real-time PCR. Western blot was performed to detect the protein level of HIF-1α. MTT (3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl) 22,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay and the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay was used to examine the cell viability and cell apoptosis of HeLa cells and C33A cells exposed to radiation.
RESULTS: Radiotherapy inhibited the tumor growth in mice bearing HeLa cells. Radiotherapy reduced the expression of HOTAIR and HIF-1α in tumor tissues and HeLa cells or C33A cells. HOTAIR overexpression abrogated the effect of radiation on the cell viability and cell apoptosis of HeLa and C33A cells. HOTAIR also upregulated the expression of HIF-1α in HeLa and C33A cell exposed to radiation. HIF-1α knockdown reversed increasing cell viability and reducing apoptosis of HeLa and C33A cell induced by HOTAIR overexpression. HOTAIR overexpression promoted tumor growth in mice bearing HeLa and exposed to radiation.
CONCLUSION: Radiotherapy might inhibit cervical cancer cell growth through HOTAIR/HIF-1α pathway.

Hu W, Xu W, Shi Y, Dai W
lncRNA HOTAIR upregulates COX-2 expression to promote invasion and migration of nasopharyngeal carcinoma by interacting with miR-101.
Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2018; 505(4):1090-1096 [PubMed] Related Publications
BACKGROUND: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is the most common type of head and neck cancers which is notable for its distinctive pattern of geographical distribution. HOTAIR has been reported to regulate nasopharyngeal carcinoma tumorigenesis and progression. However, the detailed mechanism underlying HOTAIR-promoted nasopharyngeal carcinoma remains not fully understood.
METHODS: We used RT-qPCR approach to examine genes expression and mRNA level. MTT assay and soft agar assay were used to detect cell growth rate in culture and under suspended condition, respectively. Besides, we employed wound healing assay and transwell invasion assay to determine migration and invasion ability of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells. We predicted direct downstream targets of miR-101 by bioinformatic analysis, which was confirmed by dual luciferase reporter assay.
RESULTS: HOTAIR was upregulated in NPC tissues and cells. miR-101 inhibitor greatly enhanced HOTAIR knockdown-regulated cell proliferation, migration and invasion of CNE1 and CNE2 cells. miR-101 was shown to directly bind 3'-UTR of COX-2 and downregulate COX-2 expression. Finally, COX-2 overexpression was demonstrated to rescue the tumor phenotypes of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells attenuated by HOTAIR knockdown or miR-101 mimic.
CONCLUSIONS: Here, we highlight the importance of HOTAIR/miR-101/COX-2 axis in progression of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells. Our findings provide a novel mechanism for explaining HOTAIR-induced nasopharyngeal carcinoma and help developing the therapeutical strategies by targeting HOTAIR.

Fan CN, Ma L, Liu N
Systematic analysis of lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA competing endogenous RNA network identifies four-lncRNA signature as a prognostic biomarker for breast cancer.
J Transl Med. 2018; 16(1):264 [PubMed] Free Access to Full Article Related Publications
BACKGROUND: Increasing evidence has underscored the role of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) acting as competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) in the development and progression of tumors. Nevertheless, lncRNA biomarkers in lncRNA-related ceRNA network that can predict the prognosis of breast cancer (BC) are still lacking. The aim of our study was to identify potential lncRNA signatures capable of predicting overall survival (OS) of BC patients.
METHODS: The RNA sequencing data and clinical characteristics of BC patients were obtained from the Cancer Genome Atlas database, and differentially expressed lncRNA (DElncRNAs), DEmRNAs, and DEmiRNAs were then identified between BC and normal breast tissue samples. Subsequently, the lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA ceRNA network of BC was established, and the gene oncology enrichment analyses for the DEmRNAs interacting with lncRNAs in the ceRNA network was implemented. Using univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses, a four-lncRNA signature was developed and used for predicting the survival in BC patients. We applied receiver operating characteristic analysis to assess the performance of our model.
RESULTS: A total of 1061 DElncRNAs, 2150 DEmRNAs, and 82 DEmiRNAs were identified between BC and normal breast tissue samples. A lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA ceRNA network of BC was established, which comprised of 8 DEmiRNAs, 48 DElncRNAs, and 10 DEmRNAs. Further gene oncology enrichment analyses revealed that the DEmRNAs interacting with lncRNAs in the ceRNA network participated in cell leading edge, protease binding, alpha-catenin binding, gamma-catenin binding, and adenylate cyclase binding. A univariate regression analysis of the DElncRNAs revealed 7 lncRNAs (ADAMTS9-AS1, AC061992.1, LINC00536, HOTAIR, AL391421.1, TLR8-AS1 and LINC00491) that were associated with OS of BC patients. A multivariate Cox regression analysis demonstrated that 4 of those lncRNAs (ADAMTS9-AS1, LINC00536, AL391421.1 and LINC00491) had significant prognostic value, and their cumulative risk score indicated that this 4-lncRNA signature independently predicted OS in BC patients. Furthermore, the area under the curve of the 4-lncRNA signature associated with 3-year survival was 0.696.
CONCLUSIONS: The current study provides novel insights into the lncRNA-related ceRNA network in BC and the 4 lncRNA biomarkers may be independent prognostic signatures in predicting the survival of BC patients.

Bure I, Geer S, Knopf J, et al.
Long noncoding RNA HOTAIR is upregulated in an aggressive subgroup of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) and mediates the establishment of gene-specific DNA methylation patterns.
Genes Chromosomes Cancer. 2018; 57(11):584-597 [PubMed] Related Publications
Aberrant alterations of DNA methylation are common events in oncogenesis. The origin of cancer-associated epigenetic defects is of interest for mechanistic understanding of malignant transformation and-in the long run-therapeutic modulation of DNA methylation in a locus-specific manner. Given the ability of certain long noncoding RNAs to operate as an interface between DNA and the epigenetic modification machinery which can interact with DNA methyltransferases, we hypothesized-considering HOTAIR as an example-that this transcript may contribute to gene specificity of DNA methylation. Using gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs, n = 67) as a model, we confirmed upregulation of HOTAIR in tumors with high risk of recurrence and showed high abundance of the transcript in GIST cell lines. HOTAIR knockdown in GIST-T1 cells triggered transcriptional response of genes involved in the organization and disassembly of the extracellular matrix and, notably, induced global locus-specific alterations of DNA methylation patterns. Hypomethylation was induced at a total of 507 CpG sites, whereas 382 CpG dinucleotides underwent gain of methylation upon HOTAIR depletion. Importantly, orchestrated gain or loss of methylation at multiple individual CpG sites was shown for cancer-related DPP4, RASSF1, ALDH1A3, and other targets. Collectively, our data indicate that HOTAIR enables target specificity of DNA methylation in GIST and is capable of dual (hypo- and hypermethylation) regulation by a yet to be defined mechanism. The results further suggest the feasibility of manipulating DNA methylation in a targeted manner and are of interest in the context of epigenetic cancer therapy.

Wang N, Meng X, Liu Y, et al.
LPS promote Osteosarcoma invasion and migration through TLR4/HOTAIR.
Gene. 2019; 680:1-8 [PubMed] Related Publications
OBJECTIVES: Osteosarcoma is one of common malignant tumors worldwide in the metaphysis of teenagers. The role of lncRNAs in Osteosarcoma has become an emerging area of research.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cell migration and invasion were analyzed in Osteosarcoma cell following knockdown or overexpression by transfection with small interfering RNA (siRNA) or treated with LPS. Western blotting and Real-time RT-PCR methods were used to analyze the effects of LPS on EMT.
RESULTS: We discovered that LPS could regulate cell migration and invasion and promote EMT. At the same time, LPS could regulate the expression of TLR4 and HOTAIR. In addition, knockdown of the expression of TLR4 partially reverses the promotion of cell invasion induced by LPS.
CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicated that LPS coordinate the Osteosarcoma through TLR4/HOTAIR.

Zhang Z, Qian W, Wang S, et al.
Analysis of lncRNA-Associated ceRNA Network Reveals Potential lncRNA Biomarkers in Human Colon Adenocarcinoma.
Cell Physiol Biochem. 2018; 49(5):1778-1791 [PubMed] Related Publications
BACKGROUND/AIMS: Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) acting as competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) play significant roles in the development of tumors, but the functions of specific lncRNAs and lncRNA-related ceRNA networks have not been fully elucidated for colon adenocarcinoma (COAD). In this study, we aimed to clarify the lncRNA-microRNA (miRNA)-mRNA ceRNA network and potential lncRNA biomarkers in COAD.
METHODS: We extracted data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and identified COAD-specific mRNAs, miRNAs, and lncRNAs. The biological processes in Gene Ontology (GO) and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) were analyzed for COAD-specific mRNAs. We then constructed a ceRNA network of COAD-specific mRNAs, miRNAs and lncRNAs and analyzed the correlation between expression patterns and clinical features of the lncRNAs involved. After identifying potential mRNA targets of 4 lncRNAs related to overall survival (OS), we conducted stepwise analysis of these targets through GO and KEGG. Using tissue samples from our own patients, we also verified certain analytical results using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR).
RESULTS: Data from 521 samples (480 tumor tissue and 41 adjacent non-tumor tissue samples) were extracted from TCGA. A total of 258 specific lncRNAs, 206 specific miRNAs, and 1467 specific mRNAs were identified (absolute log2 [fold change] > 2, false discovery rate < 0.01). Analysis of KEGG revealed that specific mRNAs were enriched in cancer-related pathways. The ceRNA network was constructed with 64 lncRNAs, 18 miRNAs, and 42 mRNAs. Among these lncRNAs involved in the network, 3 lncRNAs (LINC00355, HULC, and IGF2-AS) were confirmed to be associated with certain clinical features and 4 lncRNAs (HOTAIR, LINC00355, KCNQ1OT1, and TSSC1-IT1) were found to be negatively linked to OS (log-rank p < 0.05). KEGG showed that the potential mRNA targets of these 4 lncRNAs may be concentrated in the MAPK pathway. Certain results were validated by qRT-PCR.
CONCLUSION: This study providing novel insights into the lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA ceRNA network and reveals potential lncRNA biomarkers in COAD.

Xiao Q, Zheng F, Tang Q, et al.
Repression of PDK1- and LncRNA HOTAIR-Mediated EZH2 Gene Expression Contributes to the Enhancement of Atractylenolide 1 and Erlotinib in the Inhibition of Human Lung Cancer Cells.
Cell Physiol Biochem. 2018; 49(4):1615-1632 [PubMed] Related Publications
BACKGROUND/AIMS: We previously showed that the major bioactive compound of Atractylodes macrocephula Koidz atractylenolide 1 (ATL-1) inhibited human lung cancer cell growth by suppressing the gene expression of 3-Phosphoinositide dependent protein kinase-1 (PDK1 or PDPK1). However, the potentially associated molecules and downstream effectors of PDK1 underlying this inhibition, particularly the mechanism for enhancing the anti-tumor effects of epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine-kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs), remain unknown.
METHODS: Cell viability and cell cycle distribution were measured using 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and flow cytometry assays, respectively. Western blot analyses were performed to examine the protein expressions of PDK1 and of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2). The levels of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) and HOX transcript antisense RNA (HOTAIR) were examined via qRT-PCR. RNA-binding protein immunoprecipitation assays were used to analyze HOTAIR interaction with EZH2. The promoter activity of the EZH2 gene was determined using Secrete-Pair Dual Luminescence Assay Kit. Exogenous expressions of PDK1, HOTAIR, and EZH2 were conducted via transient transfection assays. A xenografted tumor model was used to further evaluate the effect of ATL-1 in the presence or absence of erlotinib in vivo.
RESULTS: We showed that the combination of ATL-1 and EGFR-TKI erlotinib further inhibited growth and induced cell arrest of the human lung cancer cells, determined by both MTT and flow cytometry assays. ATL-1 inhibited the protein expression and the promoter activity of EZH2, which was reversed in cells with PDK1 overexpression. Interestingly, ATL-1 inhibited the expression levels of HOTAIR. While silencing HOTAIR inhibited the expressions of PDK1 and EZH2, overexpression of HOTAIR reduced the ATL-1-reduced PDK1 and EZH2 protein expressions and EZH2 promoter activity. In addition, ATL-1 reduced the HOTAIR binding to the EZH2 protein. Moreover, we found that exogenously expressed EZH2 antagonized the effect of ATL-1 on cell growth inhibition. Consistent with the in vitro results, ATL-1 inhibited tumor growth and the expression levels of HOTAIR, protein expressions of EZH2 and PDK1 in vivo. Importantly, there was synergy of the combination of ATL-1 and erlotinib in this process.
CONCLUSION: Here, we provide the first evidence that ATL-1 inhibits lung cancer cell growth through inhibiting not only the PDK1 but also the lncRNA HOTAIR, which results in the reduction of one downstream effector EZH2 expression. The novel interplay between the HOTAIR and EZH2, as well as repressions of the PDK1 and HOTAIR coordinate the overall effects of ATL-1. Importantly, the combination of ATL-1 and EGFR-TKI erlotinib exhibits synergy. Thus, targeting the PDK1- and HOTAIR-mediated downstream molecule EZH2 by the combination of ATL-1 and erlotinib potentially facilitates the development of an additional novel strategy to combat lung cancer.

Chang L, Guo R, Yuan Z, et al.
LncRNA HOTAIR Regulates CCND1 and CCND2 Expression by Sponging miR-206 in Ovarian Cancer.
Cell Physiol Biochem. 2018; 49(4):1289-1303 [PubMed] Related Publications
BACKGROUND/AIMS: The long noncoding RNA homeobox (HOX) transcript antisense intergenic RNA (HOTAIR) has been demonstrated to be a vital modulator in the proliferation and metastasis of ovarian cancer cells, but its potential molecular mechanism remains to be elucidated. In the current study, we aimed to uncover the biological role of lncRNA HOTAIR and its underlying regulatory mechanism in the progression and metastasis of ovarian cancer.
METHODS: HOTAIR expression was detected by quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) and northern blotting. The SKOV3 ovarian cancer cell line was chosen for the subsequent assays. In addition, the molecular mRNA and protein expression levels were examined by qRT-PCR and western blotting. The competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) mechanism was validated by bioinformatics analysis and a dual luciferase reporter gene assay.
RESULTS: HOTAIR expression was significantly higher in ovarian carcinoma tissues and cell lines than in the control counterparts. Both CCND1 and CCND2 were downstream targets of miR-206. The inhibition of HOTAIR elevated the expression of miR-206 and inhibited the expression of CCND1 and CCND2. Moreover, CCND1 and CCND2 were highly expressed in ovarian cancer tissues, and their expression was positively correlated with HOTAIR expression. Finally, the functional assays indicated that the anticancer effects of miR-206 could be rescued by the simultaneous overexpression of either CCND1 or CCND2 in ovarian cancer.
CONCLUSION: HOTAIR enhanced CCND1 and CCND2 expression by negatively modulating miR-206 expression and stimulating the proliferation, cell cycle progression, migration and invasion of ovarian cancer cells.

Cheng D, Deng J, Zhang B, et al.
LncRNA HOTAIR epigenetically suppresses miR-122 expression in hepatocellular carcinoma via DNA methylation.
EBioMedicine. 2018; 36:159-170 [PubMed] Free Access to Full Article Related Publications
BACKGROUND: MicroRNA-122 (miR-122), a pivotal liver-specific miRNA, is frequently repressed in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and associated with poor prognosis. Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) HOTAIR has been proved to function as an oncogene in multiple cancers including HCC. However, the relationship between HOTAIR and miR-122 in HCC remains largely unknown.
METHODS: We investigated the function of HOTAIR and miR-122 in HCC cell models and a xenograft mouse model. The regulatory network between HOTAIR and miR-122 was further detected following overexpression or knockdown of HOTAIR. DNA methylation status of miR-122 promoter region, as well as expression levels of DNMTs, EZH2 and Cyclin G1 were analyzed.
FINDINGS: In this study, we found that HOTAIR was highly expressed whereas miR-122 was suppressed in HCC, and HOTAIR negatively regulated miR-122 expression in HCC cells. Furthermore, knockdown of HOTAIR dramatically inhibited HCC cell proliferation and induced cell cycle arrest in vitro and suppressed tumorigenicity in vivo by upregulating miR-122 expression. Mechanistically, a CpG island was located in the miR-122 promoter region. HOTAIR epigenetically suppressed miR-122 expression via DNMTs-mediated DNA methylation. Moreover, HOTAIR upregulated DNMTs expression via EZH2. In addition, suppression of miR-122 induced by HOTAIR directly reactivated oncogene Cyclin G1 expression. Collectively, our results suggest that HOTAIR epigenetically suppresses miR-122 expression via DNA methylation, leading to activation of Cyclin G1 and promotion of tumorigenicity in HCC, which provide new insight into the mechanism of HOTAIR-mediated hepatocarcinogenesis via suppressing miR-122.

Olgun G, Sahin O, Tastan O
Discovering lncRNA mediated sponge interactions in breast cancer molecular subtypes.
BMC Genomics. 2018; 19(1):650 [PubMed] Free Access to Full Article Related Publications
BACKGROUND: Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) can indirectly regulate mRNAs expression levels by sequestering microRNAs (miRNAs), and act as competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) or as sponges. Previous studies identified lncRNA-mediated sponge interactions in various cancers including the breast cancer. However, breast cancer subtypes are quite distinct in terms of their molecular profiles; therefore, ceRNAs are expected to be subtype-specific as well.
RESULTS: To find lncRNA-mediated ceRNA interactions in breast cancer subtypes, we develop an integrative approach. We conduct partial correlation analysis and kernel independence tests on patient gene expression profiles and further refine the candidate interactions with miRNA target information. We find that although there are sponges common to multiple subtypes, there are also distinct subtype-specific interactions. Functional enrichment of mRNAs that participate in these interactions highlights distinct biological processes for different subtypes. Interestingly, some of the ceRNAs also reside in close proximity in the genome; for example, those involving HOX genes, HOTAIR, miR-196a-1 and miR-196a-2. We also discover subtype-specific sponge interactions with high prognostic potential. We found that patients differ significantly in their survival distributions if they are group based on the expression patterns of specific ceRNA interactions. However, it is not the case if the expression of individual RNAs participating in ceRNA is used.
CONCLUSION: These results can help shed light on subtype-specific mechanisms of breast cancer, and the methodology developed herein can help uncover sponges in other diseases.

Gao S, Zhou B, Li H, et al.
Long noncoding RNA HOTAIR promotes the self-renewal of leukemia stem cells through epigenetic silencing of p15.
Exp Hematol. 2018; 67:32-40.e3 [PubMed] Related Publications
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous hematopoietic disorder initiated from a small subset of leukemia stem cell (LSC), which presents unrestricted self-renewal and proliferation. Long non-coding RNA HOTAIR is abundantly expressed and plays oncogenic roles in solid cancer and AML. However, whether HOTAIR regulates the self-renewal of LSC is largely unknown. Here, we reported that the expression of HOTAIR was increased in LSC than in normal hematological stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs). HOTAIR inhibition by short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) decreased colony formation in leukemia cell lines and primary AML blasts. We then investigated the role of HOTAIR in leukemia in vivo. HOTAIR knockdown extends the survival time in U937-transplanted NSG mice. Furthermore, HOTAIR knockdown reduced infiltration of leukemic blasts, decreased frequency of LSC, and prolonged overall survival in MLL-AF9-induced murine leukemia, suggesting that HOTAIR is required for the maintenance of AML. Mechanistically, HOTAIR inhibited p15 expression through zeste homolog 2 (EZH2)-enrolled tri-methylation of Lys 27 of histone H3 (H3K27me3) in p15 promoter. In addition, p15 partially reversed the decrease of colony and proliferation induced by HOTAIR knockdown, suggesting that p15 plays an important role in the leukemogenesis by HOTAIR. In conclusion, our study suggests that HOTAIR facilitates leukemogenesis by enhancing self-renewal of LSC. HOTAIR might be a potential target for anti-LSC therapy.

Wang C, Li Y, Li YW, et al.
HOTAIR lncRNA SNPs rs920778 and rs1899663 are associated with smoking, male gender, and squamous cell carcinoma in a Chinese lung cancer population.
Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2018; 39(11):1797-1803 [PubMed] Article available free on PMC after 01/11/2019 Related Publications
The abnormal expression of the long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) HOX transcript intergenic antisense RNA (HOTAIR) plays an important role in the development of various cancers; however, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in HOTAIR and their association with primary lung cancer susceptibility have not yet been reported. Here, we performed a case-control study including 262 primary lung cancer patients and 451 cancer-free control individuals to investigate the association between four haplotype-tagging SNPs (rs920778, rs12826786, rs4759314, and rs1899663) in the HOTAIR lncRNA and the risk of developing primary lung cancer. We found a significant association between the SNPs rs920778 and rs1899663 in the HOTAIR and primary lung cancer susceptibility (P < 0.05). Moreover, homozygous C/T (C/T + TT) for rs920778 (C > T) sites was significantly associated with gender, smoking history, and pathological type. In addition, linkage disequilibrium and haplotype analysis of HOTAIR gene polymorphisms for susceptibility to lung cancer revealed a high degree of linkage disequilibrium between the rs920778 and rs1899663 loci (D' = 0.86, r2 = 0.52). The population of rs920778, rs1899663, and rs4759314 had a significantly increased risk of lung cancer (P < 0.001). In summary, the present study provides persuasive evidence that SNP rs920778 is closely correlated with susceptibility to primary lung cancer. Future studies are warranted to validate and expand these findings, and to further dissect the importance of these SNPs in the development of primary lung cancer.

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