PIWI-interacting RNAs(pi RNAs)are a class of small noncoding RNA molecules that specifically bind to piwi protein family members to exert regulatory functions in germ cells.Recent studies have found that pi RNAs,as tissue-specific molecules,both play oncogenic and tumor suppressive roles in cancer progression,including cancer cell proliferation,metastasis,chemoresistance and stemness.Additionally,the atypical manifestation of pi RNAs and PIWI proteins in various malignancies presents a promising strategy for the identification of novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets in the diagnosis and management of tumors.Nonetheless,the precise functions of pi RNAs in cancer progression and their underlying mechanisms have yet to be fully comprehended.This review aims to examine current research on the biogenesis and functions of pi RNA and its burgeoning importance in cancer progression,thereby offering novel perspectives on the potential utilization of pi RNAs and piwi proteins in the management and treatment of advanced cancer.
Background:Piwi-interacting RNAs(piRNAs)are a type of non-coding RNAs,initially identified in germ cells in 2006,known to bind to the Piwi family proteins.Accumulating studies indicate their importance in genome stability,epigenetics regulation,germ cell differentiation,and tumor development.Despite growing interest in piRNA research,there is a lack of comprehensive bibliometric studies on the subject.This study aims to analyze piRNA research trends from 2006 to 2023.Methods:The literature regarding piRNA was sourced from the Web of Science on April 25,2023.VOSviewer,CiteSpace and a bibliometric online website(https://bibliometric.com/app)were employed to perform bibliometric analysis.Network maps were constructed to evaluate the collaborations among countries,institutions,authors,journals,references,keywords,and research hot pots.Results:In this study,2549 literature were published across 464 countries and 6921 institutions,comprising 2010 articles and 539 reviews.The United States led in publication output(n=1011,39.66%),followed by China(635,24.91%).The University of Tokyo had the most publications among all institutions(n=100,3.92%),followed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences(n=86,3.37%).Among 631 published journals,Nucleic Acids Research was the most published journal(n=83,3.26%).Siomi Mikiko C published the most articles(n=58),with Aravin Alexei A as the most co-cited author.Analysis of term co-occurrence unveiled three highly interconnected clusters,including“piRNA biogenesis and function”,“cancer and regulation”,as well as“protein and species”.The research focus has transferred from male reproductive development to tumor progression.Conclusion:This bibliometric analysis offered a thorough overview of the current state of piRNA research,deepening understanding of the progress in this field over the last 17 years and providing a valuable reference for scholars engaged in piRNA studies.
目的探究Piwi相互作用RNA(Piwi-interacting RNA,piRNA)与糖尿病肾病(diabetic nephropathy,DN)的相关性。方法使用高通量测序技术检测DN患者肾组织(实验组)及肾肿瘤患者肿瘤旁肾组织(对照组)中piRNA的差异表达谱,通过基因本体(gene ontology,GO)和京都基因与基因组百科全书(Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes,KEGG)富集分析对差异表达piRNA的生物学功能进行阐述。采用实时荧光定量PCR检测目标piRNA在DN患者血清中的表达水平。采用Spearman相关分析法分析血清目标piRNA与DN患者临床指标之间的相关性。结果高通量测序结果显示,以|log2差异倍数|≥2且P<0.05为筛选条件,与对照组相比,DN组显著差异表达的piRNA共127个,其中99个表达上调,28个表达下调,上调前5位的piRNA分别是piRNA-hsa-161686、piRNA-hsa-349255、piRNA-hsa-355720、piRNA-hsa-151229及piRNA-hsa-154959,下调前5位的piRNA分别是piRNA-hsa-1929960、piRNA-hsa-174194、piRNA-hsa-148658、piRNA-hsa-172594及piRNA-hsa-172421。PCR验证P值较小且表达量较高的3个上调和3个下调基因,结果显示,血清piRNA-hsa-77976的表达在DN患者中显著下调(P=0.028),与测序结果一致,其余基因表达与测序结果不一致或差异无统计学意义。生物信息学分析预测显示显著差异表达的piRNA可能通过Rap1、Ras、PI3K-Akt及轴突导向通路参与DN的调控。相关性分析结果显示,piRNA-hsa-77976表达与血尿素氮(r=-0.584,P=0.028)、血肌酐(r=-0.637,P=0.014)、胱抑素C(r=-0.738,P=0.003)及β2微球蛋白(r=-0.822,P<0.001)均呈负相关,与估算肾小球滤过率(r=0.661,P=0.010)呈正相关。结论piRNA差异表达与DN密切相关,或可作为DN诊断及预后评估的新型生物标志物。
