MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous small non-coding RNAs with the capacity to regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally. The miRNA-29 family consists of miR-29a, miR-29b, and miR-29c, among which miR-29b is the most highly expressed and is found at two genomic loci. Recently, numerous studies have demonstrated that aberrant expression of miR-29b is common in the majority of human cancers. miR-29b is known to critically affect cancer progression by functioning as a tumor suppressor. However, it may also act as an oncogene under certain conditions. In this review, we illustrate the role of miR-29b in cancer regulation, function, and signaling. This is the first review highlighting the role of miR-29b in cancer. Our review aims to summarize the effects of miR-29b on cancer activity and its interactions with target genes and signaling pathways, as well as to provide therapeutic implications for overcoming cancer chemoresistance.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) present frequently altered expression in urologic cancers including prostate, bladder, and kidney cancer. The altered expression of miR-223 has been reported in cancers and other diseases in recent researches. MiR-223 is up-regulated in systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis. In neoplastic diseases, miR-223 is proved to be up-expressed in plasma or serum and cancer tissues compared with normal tissues in pancreatic cancer, gastric cancer, et al. However, whether altered expression of miR-223 is associated with prostate cancer (PCa) and what it is potential functions in PCa remained unveiled. In this study, we firstly found miR-223-3p were up-regulated in prostate cancer tissues and then we study functional role of miR-223-3p in PCa using DU145, PC3 and LNCaP cell lines. Our data suggested that miR-223-3p might target gene SEPT6 and promoted the biological behavior of prostate cancer. Notably, we found increasing SEPT6 expression might reverse the biological activity induced by miR-223-3p, which might be a potential therapeutic target for PCa.

Dioscin possesses antioxidant effects and has anticancer ability in many solid tumors including prostate cancer (PCa). Nevertheless, its effect and mechanism of anti-PCa action remain unclear. The tyrosine protein phosphatase SHP1, which contains an oxidation-sensitive domain, has been confirmed as a target for multicancer treatment. Further studies are needed to determine whether dioscin inhibits PCa through SHP1. We performed in vitro studies using androgen-sensitive (LNCaP) and androgen-independent (LNCaP -C81) cells to investigate the anticancer effects and possible mechanisms of dioscin after administering interleukin-6 (IL-6) and dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Our results show that dioscin inhibited cell growth and invasion by increasing SHP1 phosphorylation [p-SHP1 (Y536)] and inhibiting the subsequent P38 mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway. Further in vivo studies confirmed that dioscin promoted caspase-3 and Bad-related cell apoptosis in these two cell lines. Our research suggests that the anticancer effects of dioscin on PCa may occur through SHP1. Dioscin may be useful to treat androgen-sensitive and independent PCa in the future.