Circular RNA circ‐TNRC6B inhibits the proliferation and invasion of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cells by regulating the miR ‐452‐5p/ DAG1 axis

作者：Ruiyu Xu, Ping’an Ding, Xiaoru Zhao, Ziyi Li, Fei Liu, Lina Gu, Yang Zheng, Meixiang Sang, Lingjiao Meng · 发表于：Molecular Oncology · 年份：2023 · DOI：10.1002/1878-0261.13432 · 被引用次数：36 · 研究领域：Circular RNAs in diseases、MicroRNA in disease regulation、Fatigue and fracture mechanics

Previous studies have uncovered the key role of circular RNAs (circRNAs) in various diseases, including cancer. However, the growth-inhibitory effects of circRNAs on esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) have not been completely elucidated. This study characterized a newly identified circRNA derived from exons 9-13 of TNRC6B (named circ-TNRC6B). The expression of circ-TNRC6B in ESCC tissues was markedly downregulated when compared to that in non-tumor tissues. In 53 ESCC cases, circ-TNRC6B expression was negatively correlated with the T stage. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that circ-TNRC6B upregulation was an independent protective factor for ESCC patients' prognosis. Overexpression and knockdown functional experiments demonstrated that circ-TNRC6B inhibited ESCC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. RNA immunoprecipitation and dual-luciferase reporter assays demonstrated that circ-TNRC6B sponges oncogenic miR-452-5p to upregulate the expression and activity of DAG1. Treatment with miR-452-5p inhibitor partially reversed the circ-TNRC6B-induced changes in the biological behavior of ESCC cells. These findings demonstrated that circ-TNRC6B exerts a tumor-suppressing effect in ESCC through the miR-452-5p/DAG1 axis. Thus, circ-TNRC6B is a potential prognostic biomarker for the clinical management of ESCC.