Background: We focused on the KCNQ1OT1/miR-15a/PD-L1 axis and explored its significance in regulating immune evasion and malignant behaviors of prostate cancer (PC) cells. Methods: The expression levels of KCNQ1OT1, miR-15a, PD-L1, and CD8 in cells or tissues were examined by RT-qPCR, western blot or immunohistochemistry (IHC) assays. The direct regulations between KCNQ1OT1, miR-15a and PD-L1 were validated by luciferase reporter assay. PC cells were co-cultured with CD8 + T cells to study the immune evasion. Proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion abilities were detected by MTT, flow cytometry, wound healing and Transwell assays, respectively. The cytotoxicity of CD8 + T cells was determined by LDH cytotoxicity Kit. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and Ras/ERK signaling markers were evaluated by western blot. Results: KCNQ1OT1, PD-L1 and CD8 were increased, while miR-15a was decreased in PC tissues. MiR-15a directly bound to the 3′-UTR of PD-L1 and inhibited the expression of PD-L1. Overexpressing miR-15a in PC cells was sufficient to promote cytotoxicity and proliferation, while inhibit apoptosis of CD8 + T cells, and also suppressed viability, migration, invasion and EMT while promoted apoptosis of PC cells. The above anti-tumor effects of miR-15a were reversed by overexpressing PD-L1. KCNQ1OT1 sponged miR-15a and released its inhibition on PD-L1. Functionally, KCNQ1OT1 in PC cells was essential for suppressing the cytotoxicity of CD8 + T cells and maintaining multiple malignant phenotypes of PC cells. The Ras/ERK signaling was suppressed after overexpressing miR-15a or knocking down KCNQ1OT1. Conclusions: LncRNA KCNQ1OT1 sponges miR-15a to promote immune evasion and malignant progression of PC via up-regulating PD-L1.
Deregulation has formed the primary core of education reform in Taiwan in the past decade. The principal selection system was one of the specific recommendations in the deregulation of education. The method of designation of senior high school principals has changed from being “appointed” to being “selected.” The issue as to whether selection of principals affects their leadership styles is a subject worthy of examination. This study employs transformational and transactional leaderships as a framework for identifying leadership behavior exhibited by general and vocational high school principals that differed from past behavior and caused by reform in the principal selection system. This study employed interviews to accumulate principals’ viewpoints about the change of principal designation and its effects on their leadership behavior. Questionnaires were used to collect teachers’ perceptions about the changes of principal leadership behavior in the different principal designation method in addition to directly getting the information from principals. The main results of the study indicated that the principal selection system conforms to society’s expectations and democratic basis and appointed principals’ leadership behavior tends to be transactional, while selected principals’ leadership behavior tends to be transformational. Recommendations are made for principals and education authorities.
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