Long intergenic non-coding RNAs (lincRNAs) play important roles in human cancer development, including cell differentiation, apoptosis, and tumor progression. However, their underlying mechanisms of action are largely unknown at present. In this study, we focused on a novel suppressor lincRNA that has the potential to inhibit progression of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Our experiments disclosed long intergenic non-protein coding RNA 1488 (LINC01488) as a key negative regulator of HCC. Clinically, patients with high LINC01488 expression displayed greater survival rates and better prognosis. In vitro and in vivo functional assays showed that LINC01488 overexpression leads to significant suppression of cell proliferation and metastasis in HCC. Furthermore, LINC01488 bound to cyclin E to induce its ubiquitination and reduced expression of vimentin mediated by both miR-124-3p/miR-138-5p. Our results collectively indicate that LINC01488 acts as a tumor suppressor that inhibits metastasis and tumorigenesis in HCC via the miR-124-3p/miR-138-5p/vimentin axis. Furthermore, LINC01488 interacts with and degrades cyclin E, which contributes to its anti-tumorigenic activity. In view of these findings, we propose that enhancement of LINC01488 expression could be effective as a potential therapeutic strategy for HCC.

In addition to the fundamental role of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)/IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1R) signaling dysregulation in cancer initiation and proliferation, the IGF/IGF-1R signaling also plays an important role in the maintenance of stem cell characteristics and enhancement of stem cell-based therapeutic efficacy. This review focused on the role of IGF/IGF-1R signaling in preclinical IGF-targeted therapies, including IGF-1R monoclonal antibodies, IGF-1R tyrosine kinase inhibitors, and neutralizing antibodies of IGFs in multiple tumors and endocrine disorders. On the other hand, the function of IGF/IGF-1R signaling in stem cell self-renewal, pluripotency and therapeutic efficacy in regenerative medicine was outlined. Finally, the review summarized ongoing studies on IGF/IGF-1R signaling blockade in multiple cancers and highlighted the IGF-1R signaling modifications in stem cells as a potential strategy to improve stem cell-based therapeutics in regenerative medicine.

Parkinson’s disease (PD) lacks effective therapeutic methods. Exosomes are specialized vesicles that feature a double-layered lipid structure and are rich in proteins, miRNA, mRNA, growth factors, and other biomolecules. Their diverse components enable tissue repair and cell activation, making exosomes a promising candidate for therapeutic applications, including for PD. Exosomes are widely studied in cancer treatment and regenerative medicine. Since these vesicles retain the characteristics of their source cells, selecting the appropriate cell type is crucial. In this study, we compared exosomes derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), and 293T cells in terms of particle production, protein content, cellular uptake efficiency, and therapeutic effects on PD. The results showed that exosomes derived from iPSCs outperformed those from the other two cell types in all evaluated aspects, followed by MSC-derived exosomes, while 293T-derived exosomes were the least effective. This study provides valuable comparative data to inform the selection of source cells for exosome-based therapies in regenerative medicine.