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MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are internal, non-coding, and ∼22 nt small RNAs that display cell- and tissue-specific expression. They play important regulatory roles in cell proliferation and chemo-sensitivity. This study focused on tumor-suppressive miR-33b-5p expression as well as its role in gastric cancer. MiR-33b-5p was found low expression in gastric cancer cell lines. Functionally, western blots and the luciferase reporter assay were used to confirm that HMGA2 was the potential target of miR-33b-5p. Next, we used CCK-8 kits to analyze the effect of miR-33b-5p combined chemotherapy drugs on cell inhibition rate, and flow cytometry to analyze cells apoptosis. Colony formation ability was determined by plating at 500 cells per well into six-well plates and culturing for 15 d. The results showed that upregulation of miR-33b-5p decreased expression of HMGA2 and inhibited gastric cancer cell growth as well as sensitized gastric cancer cells to chemotherapy drugs. MiR-33b-5p overexpression hindered luciferase activity of HMGA2,3′-untranslated region-based reporter construct in 293 T cells. These data demonstrate that miR-33b-5p may be a potential therapeutic target for gastric cancer and function as tumor-suppressive miRNA through targeting HMGA2 in gastric cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Activation of phospholipases A2 (PLA2s) leads to the generation of biologically active lipid mediators that can affect numerous cellular events. The Group VIA Ca2+-independent PLA2, designated iPLA2β, is active in the absence of Ca2+, activated by ATP, and inhibited by the bromoenol lactone suicide inhibitor (BEL). Over the past 10–15 years, studies using BEL have demonstrated that iPLA2β participates in various biological processes and the recent availability of mice in which iPLA2β expression levels have been genetically-modified are extending these findings. Work in our laboratory suggests that iPLA2β activates a unique signaling cascade that promotes β-cell apoptosis. This pathway involves iPLA2β dependent induction of neutral sphingomyelinase, production of ceramide, and activation of the intrinsic pathway of apoptosis. There is a growing body of literature supporting β-cell apoptosis as a major contributor to the loss of β-cell mass associated with the onset and progression of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes mellitus. This underscores a need to gain a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying β-cell apoptosis so that improved treatments can be developed to prevent or delay the onset and progression of diabetes mellitus. Herein, we offer a general review of Group VIA Ca2+-independent PLA2 (iPLA2β) followed by a more focused discussion of its participation in β-cell apoptosis. We suggest that iPLA2β-derived products trigger pathways which can lead to β-cell apoptosis during the development of diabetes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Over the past decade, important roles for the 84–88kDa Group VIA Ca2+-independent phospholipase A2 (iPLA2β) in various organs have been described. We demonstrated that iPLA2β participates in insulin secretion, insulinoma cells and native pancreatic islets express full-length and truncated isoforms of iPLA2β, and certain stimuli promote perinuclear localization of iPLA2β. To gain a better understanding of its mobilization, iPLA2β was expressed in INS-1 cells as a fusion protein with EGFP, enabling detection of subcellular localization of iPLA2β by monitoring EGFP fluorescence. Cells stably-transfected with fusion protein expressed nearly 5-fold higher catalytic iPLA2β activity than control cells transfected with EGFP cDNA alone, indicating that co-expression of EGFP does not interfere with manifestation of iPLA2β activity. Dual fluorescence monitoring of EGFP and organelle Trackers combined with immunoblotting analyses revealed expression of truncated iPLA2β isoforms in separate subcellular organelles. Exposure to secretagogues and induction of ER stress are known to activate iPLA2β in β-cells and we find here that these stimuli promote differential localization of iPLA2β in subcellular organelles. Further, mass spectrometric analyses identified iPLA2β variants from which N-terminal residues were removed. Collectively, these findings provide evidence for endogenous proteolytic processing of iPLA2β and redistribution of iPLA2β variants in subcellular compartments. It might be proposed that in vivo processing of iPLA2β facilitates its participation in multiple biological processes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The biological effects of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) have been widely studied. Dysregulation of miRNAs plays a critical role in the progression of nervous system diseases and in cell proliferation and differentiation. Our previous study validated that miR-19b-3p was associated with FXR1 (Fragile X related gene 1), one of homologous genes of FMR1 (Fragile X mental retardation 1). The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of FXR1 and miR-19b-3p, and the crucial role of miR-19b-3p in FXS and to validate whether miR-19b-3p could regulate the growth of SH-SY5Y cells. We determined that miR-19b-3p could regulate the expression of not only USP32 , RAB18 and Dusp6 but also FXR1 , and FXR1 could in turn regulate the expression of miR-19b-3p. What's more, the overexpression of miR-19b-3p significantly inhibited the proliferation, contributed the apoptosis and slowed down the cycle of SH-SY5Y cells. Taken together, our results indicate that miR-19b-3p plays a significant role in the molecular pathology of FXS by interacting with FXR1 and influencing the growth of SH-SY5Y cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]