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Cancer Cell International

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01-12-2020 | Metastasis | Primary research

Circular RNA UBAP2 contributes to tumor growth and metastasis of cervical cancer via modulating miR-361-3p/SOX4 axis

Authors: Lingli Meng, Xiupeng Jia, Wenying Yu, Chunnian Wang, Jie Chen, Fenglei Liu

Published in: Cancer Cell International | Issue 1/2020

Abstract

Background

Increasing researches have reported that circular RNA UBAP2 (circUBAP2) may be a potential prognosis biomarker and participate in the development of several cancers; however, the role of circUBAP2 in cervical cancer (CC) remains largely unclear.

Methods

We applied qRT-PCR and Western blot to examine expression levels of circUBAP2, miR-361-3p, SOX4, Bax, Bcl-2, Cleaved caspase 3, N-cadherin, Vimentin and E-cadherin. Cell proliferation, apoptosis, invasion and migration were analyzed by MTT assay, Flow cytometry, and Transwell assay, respectively. The interaction between miR-361-3p and circUBAP2 or SOX4 was confirmed by luciferase reporter assay and pull-down assay. Murine xenograft model was established by injecting SiHa cells which stably transfected sh-circUBAP2.

Results

CircUBAP2 was up-regulated in CC tissues and cell lines and high circUBAP2 expression predicated poor outcome. Knockdown of circUBAP2 suppressed cell proliferation, migration, invasion and EMT, while induced apoptosis in CC in vitro, and inhibited tumor growth and metastasis in vivo. MiR-361-3p directly bound to circUBAP2 or SOX4, and circUBAP2 could regulate SOX4 expression by sponging miR-361-3p in CC cells. Furthermore, rescue assay results demonstrated that the inhibitory effects of circUBAP2 knockdown on cell growth and metastasis were partially reversed by miR-361-3p down-regulation or SOX4 up-regulation in CC.

Conclusion

CircUBAP2 represents a prognostic marker and contributes to tumor growth and metastasis via modulating miR-361-3p/SOX4 axis in CC, which indicates a potential therapeutic target for CC treatment.

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Title: Circular RNA UBAP2 contributes to tumor growth and metastasis of cervical cancer via modulating miR-361-3p/SOX4 axis
Authors: Lingli Meng
Xiupeng Jia
Wenying Yu
Chunnian Wang
Jie Chen
Fenglei Liu
Publication date: 01-12-2020
Publisher: BioMed Central
Keywords: Metastasis
Cervical Cancer
Cervical Cancer
Published in: Cancer Cell International / Issue 1/2020
Electronic ISSN: 1475-2867
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12935-020-01436-z

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