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Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles carrying miR-655-3p inhibit the development of esophageal cancer by regulating the expression of HIF-1α via a LMO4/HDAC2-dependent mechanism

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Abstract

Objective

This study clarified the function of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell (hUCMSC)-derived extracellular vesicle (EV)-enclosed miR-655-3p in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).

Methods

A Chi-square test and the Kaplan–Meier estimator were used to analyze the prognosis of ESCC in relation to the expression of miR-655-3p. ESCC cells were incubated with PBS or hUCMSC-derived EVs (hUCMSC-EVs) in the conditions of gene modification, after which the malignant behaviors of ESCC cells were assessed and the molecular interactions were determined. The effect of hUCMSC-derived EV-miR-655-3p was also investigated in a nude mouse model of ESCC.

Results

Low expression of miR-655-3p indicated poor prognosis of ESCC. hUCMSC-EVs suppressed the malignant behaviors of ESCC cells and the growth and liver metastasis of transplanted tumors. Inhibition of miR-655-3p in hUCMSCs impaired the therapeutic effect of hUCMSC-EVs. LMO4, targeted by miR-655-3p, activated the transcription of HIF-1α by sequestering HDAC2 from HIF-1α promoter. Knockdown of LMO4 suppressed ESCC cell activities, while overexpression of HIF-1α counteracted the tumor suppressive effect of LMO4 knockdown.

Conclusion

miR-655-3p enclosed in hUCMSC-derived EVs inhibits ESCC progression partially by inactivating HIF-1α via the LMO4/HDAC2 axis.

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Data availability

The datasets used or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Code availability

Not applicable.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Professor Yuan Yunchang for his valuable comments on the article and thank the Thoracic Surgery Laboratory for providing the experimental site and reagents free of charge.

Funding

The authors thank for the grant from the Innovative research and development project of Department and Reform Commission of Hunan Province.

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Authors

Contributions

CMJ conceived the ideas. DJ designed the experiments. CMJ performed the experiments. DJ analyzed the data. CMJ and XZK provided critical materials. DJ and XZK wrote the manuscript. CMJ supervised the study. All the authors have read and approved the final version for publication.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jie Deng.

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The collection and use of human tissues were authorized by the ethics committee of The First Hospital of Changsha in consistent with the Declaration of Helsinki. All patients signed informed consents for the sample collection. All animal experiments were conducted under the rules and ethical requirements of laboratory animal management, with approval from the ethics committee of The First Hospital of Changsha.

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All patients signed informed consents for the sample collection.

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Highlights 

• Low expression of miR-655-3p in ESCC patients indicates poor prognosis.

• hUCMSC-derived EV-carrying miR-655-3p suppresses ESCC in vivo and in vitro.

• miR-655-3p negatively regulates the expression of LMO4 in a targeted manner.

• LMO4 activates HIF-1α transcription by sequestering HDAC2 from HIF-1α promoter

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Chen, M., Xia, Z. & Deng, J. Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles carrying miR-655-3p inhibit the development of esophageal cancer by regulating the expression of HIF-1α via a LMO4/HDAC2-dependent mechanism. Cell Biol Toxicol 39, 1319–1339 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10565-022-09759-5

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