Li WD, Wang HT, Huang YM, Cheng BH, Xiang LJ, Zhou XH, Deng QY, Guo ZG, Yang ZF, Guan ZF, Wang Y. Circ_0003356 suppresses gastric cancer growth through targeting the miR-668-3p/SOCS3 axis.
World J Gastrointest Oncol 2023;
15:787-809. [PMID:
37275445 PMCID:
PMC10237019 DOI:
10.4251/wjgo.v15.i5.787]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have attracted extensive attention as therapeutic targets in gastric cancer (GC). Circ_0003356 is known to be downregulated in GC tissues, but its cellular function and mechanisms remain undefined.
AIM
To investigate the role of circ_0003356 in GC at the molecular and cellular level.
METHODS
Circ_0003356, miR-668-3p, and SOCS3 expression were assessed via quantitative real time-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Wound healing, EdU, CCK-8, flow cytometry and transwell assays were used to analyze the migration, proliferation, viability, apoptosis and invasion of GC cells. The subcellular localization of circ_0003356 was monitored using fluorescence in situ hybridization. The interaction of circ_0003356 with miR-668-3p was confirmed using RIP-qRT-PCR, RNA pull-down, and dual luciferase reporter assays. We observed protein levels of genes via western blot. We injected AGS cells into the upper back of mice and performed immunohistochemistry staining for examining E-cadherin, N-cadherin, Ki67, and SOCS3 expressions. TUNEL staining was performed for the assessment of apoptosis in mouse tumor tissues.
RESULTS
Circ_0003356 and SOCS3 expression was downregulated in GC cells, whilst miR-668-3p was upregulated. Exogenous circ_0003356 expression and miR-668-3p silencing suppressed the migration, viability, proliferation, epithelial to mesenchy-mal transition (EMT) and invasion of GC cells and enhanced apoptosis. Circ_0003356 overexpression impaired tumor growth in xenograft mice. Targeting of miR-668-3p by circ_0003356 was confirmed through binding assays and SOCS3 was identified as a downstream target of miR-668-3p. The impacts of circ_0003356 on cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, invasion and EMT were reversed by miR-668-3p up-regulation or SOCS3 down-regulation in GC cells.
CONCLUSION
Circ_0003356 impaired GC development through its interaction with the miR-668-3p/SOCS3 axis.
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