Distinct from classical tumor angiogenesis, vasculogenic mimicry (VM) provides a blood supply for tumor cells independent of endothelial cells. VM has two distinct types, namely tubular type and patterned matrix type. VM is associated with high tumor grade, tumor progression, invasion, metastasis, and poor prognosis in patients with malignant tumors. Herein, we discuss the recent studies on the role of VM in tumor progression and the diverse mechanisms and signaling pathways that regulate VM in tumors. Furthermore, we also summarize the latest findings of non-coding RNAs, such as lncRNAs and miRNAs in VM formation. In addition, we review application of molecular imaging technologies in detection of VM in malignant tumors. Increasing evidence suggests that VM is significantly associated with poor overall survival in patients with malignant tumors and could be a potential therapeutic target.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Recently, accumulating data indicate that long noncoding RNAs (LncRNAs) function as novel crucial regulators of diverse biological processes, including proliferation and metastasis, in tumorigenesis. Lnc NONHSAT081507.1 (LINC81507) is associated with lung adenocarcinoma. However, its pathological role in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains unknown. In our study we investigated the role of LINC81507 in NSCLC. The expression of LINC81507 was analyzed in 105 paired NSCLC tumor specimens and paired adjacent non-tumorous tissues from NSCLC patients by real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). Gain- and loss-of-function experiments were conducted to investigate the functions of LINC81507, miR-199b-5p and CAV1. Reduced expression of LINC81507 resulted in cell growth, proliferation, migration and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) in NSCLC cells, whereas ectopic overexpression of LINC81507 resulted in the opposite effects both in vitro and in vivo. Nuclear and Cytoplasmic fractionation assays showed LINC81507 mainly resided in cytoplasm. Bioinformatics analysis and dual-luciferase assays revealed that miR-199b-5p was a direct target of LINC81507 through binding Ago2. Mechanistic analysis demonstrated that miR-199b-5p specifically targeted the Caveolin1 (CAV1) gene, and LINC81507 inactivated the STAT3 pathway in a CAV1-dependent manner. Taken together, LINC81507 is decreased in NSCLC and functions as a sponge to miR-199b-5p to regulate CAV1/STAT3 pathway, which suggests that LINC81507 serve as a tumor suppressor and potential therapeutic target and biomarker for metastasis and prognosis in NSCLC.

Lung cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer and the main cause of cancer death in the world. X-box binding protein 1 (XBP1), which is an important transcription factor involved in regulating the unfolded protein response (UPR) during endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, might act as a potent oncogenic protein in the processes of tumorigenesis, tumor proliferation and metastasis in various cancers. However, the clinical significance and pathological role of XBP1 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains unknown. In this study, we investigated the expression of XBP1s protein in the 104 NSCLC tumor tissues and matched adjacent normal lung tissues (ANLT) by Immunohistochemical (IHC), and we found overexpressed XBP1s protein was associated with NSCLC TNM stages, lymph node metastasis and poor prognosis. The further gain-and loss-of-function experiments indicated overexpression of XBP1s protein promoted cell invasion, migration and metastasis both in vitro and in vivo. Further study showed XBP1s protein could upregulate insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP3) expression, and regulated NSCLC cells invasion and metastasis by regulating IGFBP3. Taken together, XBP1s protein is markedly overexpressed in NSCLC and serves as an oncogene that play a critical role in NSCLC tumorigenesis and development. Importantly, XBP1s protein might not only be a potential biomarker for metastasis and prognosis but also a potential therapeutic target in NSCLC.

Background Lung adenocarcinoma (LADC) is a major subtype of non-small cell lung cancer and has one of the highest mortality rates. An increasing number of long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) were reported to be associated with the occurrence and progression of LADC. Thus, it is necessary and reasonable to find new prognostic biomarkers for LADC among LncRNAs. Methods Differential expression analysis, survival analysis, PCR experiments and clinical feature analysis were performed to screen out the LncRNA which was significantly related to LADC. Its role in LADC was verified by CCK-8 assay and colony. Furthermore, competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) regulatory network construction, enrichment analysis and protein–protein interaction (PPI) network construction were performed to investigate the downstream regulatory network of the selected LncRNA. Results A total of 2431 differentially expressed LncRNAs (DELncRNAs) and 2227 differentially expressed mRNAs (DEmRNAs) were from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. Survival analysis results indicated that lnc-YARS2-5, lnc-NPR3-2 and LINC02310 were significantly related to overall survival. Their overexpression indicated poor prognostic. PCR experiments and clinical feature analysis suggested that LINC02310 was significantly correlated with TNM-stage and T-stage. CCK-8 assay and colony formation assay demonstrated that LINC02310 acted as an enhancer in LADC. In addition, 3 targeted miRNAs of LINC02310 and 414 downstream DEmRNAs were predicted. The downstream DEmRNAs were then enriched in 405 Gene Ontology terms and 11 Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways, which revealed their potential functions and mechanisms. The PPI network showed the interactions among the downstream DEmRNAs. Conclusions This study verified LINC02310 as an enhancer in LADC and performed comprehensive analyses on its downstream regulatory network, which might benefit LADC prognoses and therapies.

Background: Lung adenocarcinoma (LADC) is a major subtype of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and has one of the highest mortality rates. An increasing number of long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) were reported to be associated with the occurrence and progression of LADC. Thus, tt is necessary and reasonable to find new prognostic biomarkers for LADC among LncRNAs. Methods: Differential expression analysis, survival analysis, PCR experiments and clinical feature analysis were performed to screen out the LncRNA which was significantly related to LADC. Its role in LADC was verified by CCK-8 assay and colony. Furthermore, competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) regulatory network construction, enrichment analysis and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network construction were performed to investigate the downstream regulatory network of the selected LncRNA. Results: A total of 2431 differentially expressed LncRNAs (DELncRNAs) and 2227 differentially expressed mRNAs (DEmRNAs) were from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Survival analysis results indicated that lnc-YARS2-5, lnc-NPR3-2 and LINC02310 were significantly related to overall survival. Their overexpression indicated poor prognostic. PCR experiments and clinical feature analysis suggested that LINC02310 was significantly correlated with TNM-stage and T-stage. CCK-8 assay and colony formation assay demonstrated that LINC02310 acted as an enhancer in LADC. In addition, 3 targeted miRNAs of LINC02310 and 414 downstream DEmRNAs were predicted. The downstream DEmRNAs were then enriched in 405 Gene Ontology (GO) terms and 11 Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways, which revealed their potential functions and mechanisms. The PPI network showed the interactions among the downstream DEmRNAs. Conclusions: This study verified LINC02310 as an enhancer in LADC and performed comprehensive analyses on its downstream regulatory network, which might benefit LADC prognoses and therapies.

Lung adenocarcinoma (LADC) is a major subtype of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and has one of the highest mortality rates. An increasing number of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) were reported to be associated with the occurrence and progression of LADC. In order to find potential biomarkers for LADC therapies among lncRNAs, 2431 differentially expressed lncRNAs (DElncRNAs) over LADC and adjacent normal samples were identified from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) expression data. Lnc-YARS2-5, lnc-NPR3-2 and LINC02310, which were the top-3 significant DElncRNAs related to overall survival, were selected for further analysis. Their overexpression indicated poor prognostic. PCR experimental results also showed that they were mainly up-regulated in the LADC tissues from Xiangya Hospital. Clinical analysis of these cases suggested that LINC02310 was significantly correlated with TNM-stage and T-stage, which was further validated by the clinical analysis based on TCGA. Reasonably, we assumed that LINC02310 acted as an enhancer in LADC, which was demonstrated by CCK-8 assay and colony formation assay. Moreover, 3 targeted miRNAs of LINC02310 and 414 downstream differentially expressed mRNAs (DEmRNAs) were predicted. The competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) regulatory network was constructed with LINC02310, 3 miRNAs and 113 DEmRNAs involved. The downstream mRNAs were then enriched in 405 GO terms and 11 KEGG pathways, which revealed their potential functions and mechanisms. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network showed the relationships between the downstream mRNAs. In conclusion, this study verified LINC02310 as an enhancer in LADC and conducted comprehensive analyses on its target miRNAs and downstream mRNAs.

Background: Lung adenocarcinoma (LADC) is a major subtype of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and has one of the highest mortality rates. An increasing number of long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) were reported to be associated with the occurrence and progression of LADC. Thus, tt is necessary and reasonable to find new prognostic biomarkers for LADC among LncRNAs.Methods: Differential expression analysis, survival analysis, PCR experiments and clinical feature analysis were performed to screen out the LncRNA which was significantly related to LADC. Its role in LADC was verified by CCK-8 assay and colony. Furthermore, competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) regulatory network construction, enrichment analysis and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network construction were performed to investigate the downstream regulatory network of the selected LncRNA.Results: A total of 2431 differentially expressed LncRNAs (DELncRNAs) and 2227 differentially expressed mRNAs (DEmRNAs) were from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Survival analysis results indicated that lnc-YARS2-5, lnc-NPR3-2 and LINC02310 were significantly related to overall survival. Their overexpression indicated poor prognostic. PCR experiments and clinical feature analysis suggested that LINC02310 was significantly correlated with TNM-stage and T-stage. CCK-8 assay and colony formation assay demonstrated that LINC02310 acted as an enhancer in LADC. In addition, 3 targeted miRNAs of LINC02310 and 414 downstream DEmRNAs were predicted. The downstream DEmRNAs were then enriched in 405 Gene Ontology (GO) terms and 11 Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways, which revealed their potential functions and mechanisms. The PPI network showed the interactions among the downstream DEmRNAs. Conclusions: This study verified LINC02310 as an enhancer in LADC and performed comprehensive analyses on its downstream regulatory network, which might benefit LADC prognoses and therapies.