In lung cancer,
Let-7 targets IGF-1R to induce autophagy and blocks the function of BCL2L1/BCL2/PI3K complex to induce apoptosis and pyroptosis and inhibit cell motility
[61].
Let-7a targets Rictor’s mTORC2 component, inhibiting AKT/mTORC1 signaling to activate autophagy in gastric cancer
[62]. Similar regulation can be observed in human placental trophoblasts, in which the expression of
Let-7b was correlated with cell growth and motility. The
Let-7b-mediated TGFBR1/ERK/IL-6/TNF-α cascade triggers not only apoptosis but also autophagy. Such regulation may contribute to pre-eclampsia during pregnancy
[63]. In glioma, the downregulation of STAT3 was mediated by
Let-7a,
Let-7d, and
Let-7f. Upregulation of
Let-7 suppressed the expression of STAT3, resulting in the inhibition of cell proliferation and induction of autophagy and apoptosis
[64]. Liang et al. identified that a set of the
Let-7 family was downregulated in hepatocellular carcinoma, with different clinical correlations under a genetic profiling analysis. The expression of
Let-7b and
Let-7c had a better prognosis;
Let-7e had a poor prognosis instead. Among them,
Let-7e has been demonstrated to promote tumor growth by suppressing autophagy and apoptosis
[65]. A similar strategy was used in cholangiocarcinoma. Clinical evidence showed that the expression of NUAK1 was negatively correlated with
Let-7a. NUAK1-mediated cholangiocarcinoma cell motility can be suppressed by increasing
Let-7a. In turn, the overexpression of
Let-7a inhibited NUAK1-mediated tumor malignancy by the induction of autophagy
[66]. Additionally,
Let-7 can be regulated by LncRNA H19 and LIN28 in breast cancer. The expression of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) H19 and LIN28 was correlated with breast cancer’s poor prognosis and metastasis ability. Overexpression of H19 and LIN28 increases the expression of several autophagy-related ATG markers as well as its puncta structure formation. Downregulation of
Let-7 increased the transcript activity of several EMT-related genes—including Slug, Zeb1, Twist, Snail, β-catenin, and HMGA2—to modulate the metastasis of breast cancer
[67]. Another lncRNA MIR99AHG, as well as its
Let-7c-associated cluster, were reported to have decreased expression in lung cancer. MIR99AHG increased
Let-7c, subsequently promoting autophagy via targeting mTOR, an autophagy suppressor of nucleation, and ANXA2, a negative regulator of elongation, to suppress the growth and motility of lung adenocarcinoma
[68]. In view of the controversial role of autophagy in a variety of cancers, the regulation of
Let-7-mediated autophagy in tumor progression could be complicated—and condition-, environment-, and tissue-specific.