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Zeng J, Feng Y, Lin L, Ye H, Shen H, Sun Y. Circ_0000069 promotes the development of hepatocellular carcinoma by regulating CCL25. BMC Cancer 2024; 24:827. [PMID: 38992592 PMCID: PMC11238365 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-024-12594-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally, influenced by aberrant circRNA expression. Investigating circRNA-miRNA-mRNA interactions can unveil underlying mechanisms of HCC and identify potential therapeutic targets. METHODS In this study, we conducted differential analyses of mRNAs, miRNAs, and circRNAs, and established their relationships using various databases such as miRanda, miRDB, and miTarBase. Additionally, functional enrichment and immune infiltration analyses were performed to evaluate the roles of key genes. We also conducted qPCR assays and western blotting (WB) to examine the expression levels of circRNA, CCL25, and MAP2K1 in both HCC cells and clinical samples. Furthermore, we utilized overexpression and knockdown techniques for circ_0000069 and conducted wound healing, transwell invasion assays, and a tumorigenesis experiment to assess the migratory and invasive abilities of HCC cells. RESULTS Our findings revealed significant differential expression of 612 upregulated genes and 1173 downregulated genes in HCC samples compared to normal liver tissue. Additionally, 429 upregulated circRNAs and 453 downregulated circRNAs were identified. Significantly, circ_0000069 exhibited upregulation in HCC tissues and cell lines. The overexpression of circ_0000069 notably increased the invasion and migration capacity of Huh7 cells, whereas the downregulation of circ_0000069 reduced this capability in HepG2 cells. Furthermore, this effect was counteracted by CCL25 silencing or overexpression, separately. Animal studies further confirmed that the overexpression of hsa_circ_0000069 facilitated tumor growth in xenografted nude mice, while the inhibition of CCL25 attenuated this effect. CONCLUSION Circ_0000069 appears to promote HCC progression by regulating CCL25, suggesting that both circ_0000069 and CCL25 can serve as potential therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junshao Zeng
- Department of Oncology, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Guigang City People's Hospital, Guigang, Guangxi, China
| | - Yi Feng
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Guigang City People's Hospital, No. 1, Zhong Shan Road, Guigang, 537100, Guangxi, China
| | - Liwen Lin
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Guigang City People's Hospital, No. 1, Zhong Shan Road, Guigang, 537100, Guangxi, China
| | - Huifeng Ye
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Guigang City People's Hospital, No. 1, Zhong Shan Road, Guigang, 537100, Guangxi, China
| | - Haoming Shen
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Hunan Cancer Hospital &, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
| | - Yifan Sun
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Guigang City People's Hospital, No. 1, Zhong Shan Road, Guigang, 537100, Guangxi, China.
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Fumero-Velázquez M, Hagstrom M, Dhillon S, Geraminejad T, Olivares S, Donati M, Nosek D, Waldenbäck P, Kazakov D, Sheffield BS, Tron VA, Gerami P. Clinical, Morphologic, and Molecular Features of Benign and Intermediate-grade Melanocytic Tumors With Activating Mutations in MAP2K1. Am J Surg Pathol 2023; 47:1438-1448. [PMID: 37773074 DOI: 10.1097/pas.0000000000002131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/30/2023]
Abstract
Activating mutations in MAP2K1 can be seen in benign and intermediate-grade melanocytic neoplasms with spitzoid morphology. We analyzed the clinical, histopathologic, and genetic features for 16 cases of benign and intermediate-grade melanocytic tumors harboring activating MAP2K1 mutations. We compared them to Spitz neoplasms with characteristic Spitz fusions or HRAS mutation. We also compared the mutational pattern of benign and intermediate-grade MAP2K1 -mutated neoplasms and melanomas with activating MAP2K1 mutations. Among the 16 cases, the favored morphologic diagnosis was Spitz nevus (8/16), atypical Spitz tumors (6/16), and deep penetrating nevus (2/16). The 2 most common architectural patterns seen included a plaque-like silhouette with fibroplasia around the rete reminiscent of a dysplastic nevus (n=7) or a wedge-shaped or nodular pattern with the plexiform arrangement of the nests aggregating around the adnexa or neurovascular bundle (n=8). The cases with dysplastic architecture and spitzoid cytology resembled dysplastic Spitz nevi. Compared with true Spitz neoplasms, MAP2K1 -mutated neoplasms occurred in older age groups and had more frequent pagetosis and a lower average mitotic count. The most common type of mutation in the benign and intermediate-grade cases in the literature involves an in-frame deletion, while, in melanomas, missense mutations are predominant. Benign and intermediate-grade melanocytic neoplasms with activating mutations in MAP2K1 can have morphologic overlap with Spitz neoplasms. A significant proportion of melanomas also have activating MAP2K1 mutations. In-frame deletions are predominantly seen in the benign and intermediate-grade cases, and missense mutations are predominantly seen in melanomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mónica Fumero-Velázquez
- Department of Dermatology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
| | - Michael Hagstrom
- Department of Dermatology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
| | - Soneet Dhillon
- Department of Dermatology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
| | - Tara Geraminejad
- Department of Dermatology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
| | - Shantel Olivares
- Department of Dermatology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
| | - Michele Donati
- Department of Pathology, University Hospital Campus Bio-Medico, Rome, Italy
| | - Daniel Nosek
- Department of Pathology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | | | - Dmitry Kazakov
- Institute for Dermatohistopathology, Pathology Institute Enge, Zürich, Switzerland
| | | | - Victor A Tron
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Toronto
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lifelabs LP, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Pedram Gerami
- Department of Dermatology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
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Lee Y, Nam S. Network and Computational Drug Repurposing Analysis for c-Myc Inhibition in Burkitt Lymphoma. Cancer Genomics Proteomics 2023; 20:712-722. [PMID: 38035700 PMCID: PMC10687731 DOI: 10.21873/cgp.20418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIM The treatment rate of Burkitt lymphoma (BL) is still low in low-income countries and among elderly patients. The c-Myc dysregulation induced by mutations is one of the characteristics of BL. However, studies on the downstream signaling pathways of c-Myc are still lacking. This study aimed to identify the signaling pathways regulated by c-Myc. MATERIALS AND METHODS Network and gene set analyses using c-Myc inhibition (i.e., c-Myc knock-down and c-Myc inhibitor treatment) transcriptome datasets for BL cell lines were performed to determine the pathways regulated by c-Myc. In addition, computational drug repurposing was used to identify drugs that can regulate c-Myc downstream signaling pathway. RESULTS Computational drug repurposing revealed that the ERK/MAPK signaling pathway is regulated by c-Myc in BL and that this pathway can be modulated by vorinostat. Furthermore, in the pharmacogenomics database, vorinostat showed a cell viability half-maximal inhibitory concentration of less than 2 μM in the BL cell lines. CONCLUSION The downstream signaling pathway regulated by c-Myc and the drug that can modulate this pathway is presented for the first time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongmin Lee
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Gachon Advanced Institute for Health Sciences and Technology (GAIHST), Gachon University, Incheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Seungyoon Nam
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Gachon Advanced Institute for Health Sciences and Technology (GAIHST), Gachon University, Incheon, Republic of Korea;
- Department of Genome Medicine and Science, AI Convergence Center for Medical Science, Gachon Institute of Genome Medicine and Science, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Gachon University College of Medicine, Incheon, Republic of Korea
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Dawood H, Celik I, Ibrahim RS. Computational biology and in vitro studies for anticipating cancer-related molecular targets of sweet wormwood (Artemisia annua). BMC Complement Med Ther 2023; 23:312. [PMID: 37684586 PMCID: PMC10492370 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-023-04135-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Recently, it was shown that many natural extracts have positive effects against cancer, compared with chemotherapy or recent hormonal treatments. A. annua is an annual medicinal herb used in the traditional Chinese medicine. It has also been shown to inhibit the proliferation of various cancer cell lines. METHODS Multi-level modes of action of A. annua constituents in cancer therapy were investigated using an integrated approach of network pharmacology, molecular docking, dynamic simulations and in-vitro cytotoxicity testing on both healthy and cancer cells. RESULTS Network pharmacology-based analysis showed that the hit Artemisia annua constituents related to cancer targets were 3-(2-methylpropanoyl)-4-cadinene-3,11-diol, artemisinin G, O-(2-propenal) coniferaldehyde, (2-glyceryl)-O-coniferaldehyde and arteamisinin III, whereas the main cancer allied targets were NFKB1, MAP2K1 and AR. Sixty-eight significant signaling KEGG pathways with p < 0.01 were recognized, the most enriched of which were prostate cancer, breast cancer, melanoma and pancreatic cancer. Thirty-five biological processes were mainly regulated by cancer, involving cellular response to mechanical stimulus, positive regulation of gene expression and transcription. Molecular docking analysis of the top hit compounds against the most enriched target proteins showed that 3-(2-methylpropanoyl)-4-cadinene-3,11-diol and O-(2-propenal) coniferaldehyde exhibited the most stabilized interactions. Molecular dynamics simulations were performed to explain the stability of these two compounds in their protein-ligand complexes. Finally, confirmation of the potential anticancer activity was attained by in-vitro cytotoxicity testing of the extract on human prostate (PC-3), breast (MDA-MB-231), pancreatic (PANC-1) and melanoma (A375) cancerous cell lines. CONCLUSION This study presents deeper insights into A. annua molecular mechanisms of action in cancer for the first time using an integrated approaches verifying the herb's value.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hend Dawood
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Alexandria University, Alexandria, 21521, Egypt
| | - Ismail Celik
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Erciyes University, Kayseri, 38039, Turkey
| | - Reham S Ibrahim
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Alexandria University, Alexandria, 21521, Egypt.
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Hagstrom M, Fumero-Velázquez M, Dhillon S, Olivares S, Gerami P. An update on genomic aberrations in Spitz naevi and tumours. Pathology 2023; 55:196-205. [PMID: 36631338 DOI: 10.1016/j.pathol.2022.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Spitz neoplasms continue to be a diagnostic challenge for dermatopathologists and are defined by distinctive morphological and genetic features. With the recent advancements in genomic sequencing, the classification, diagnosis, and prognostication of these tumours have greatly improved. Several subtypes of Spitz neoplasms have been identified based on their specific genomic aberrations, which often correlate with distinctive morphologies and biological behaviour. These genetic driver events can be classified into four major groups, including: (1) mutations [HRAS mutations (with or without 11p amplification) and 6q23 deletions]; (2) tyrosine kinase fusions (ROS1, ALK, NTRK1-3, MET and RET); (3) serine/threonine kinase fusions and mutations (BRAF, MAP3K8, and MAP2K1); and (4) other rare genomic aberrations. These driver genomic events are hypothesised to enable the initial proliferation of melanocytes and are often accompanied by additional genomic aberrations that affect biological behaviour. The discovery of theses genomic fusions has allowed for a more objective definition of a Spitz neoplasm. Further studies have shown that the majority of morphologically Spitzoid appearing melanocytic neoplasms with aggressive behaviour are in fact BRAF or NRAS mutated tumours mimicking Spitz. Truly malignant fusion driven Spitz neoplasms may occur but are relatively uncommon, and biomarkers such as homozygous 9p21 (CDKN2A) deletions or TERT-p mutations can have some prognostic value in such cases. In this review, we discuss the importance and various methods of identifying Spitz associated genomic fusions to help provide more definitive classification. We also discuss characteristic features of the various fusion subtypes as well as prognostic biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Hagstrom
- Department of Dermatology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Mónica Fumero-Velázquez
- Department of Dermatology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Soneet Dhillon
- Department of Dermatology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Shantel Olivares
- Department of Dermatology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Pedram Gerami
- Department of Dermatology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.
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Chilamakuri R, Agarwal S. Direct Targeting of the Raf-MEK-ERK Signaling Cascade Inhibits Neuroblastoma Growth. Curr Oncol 2022; 29:6508-6522. [PMID: 36135081 PMCID: PMC9497977 DOI: 10.3390/curroncol29090512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The Raf-MEK-ERK signaling network has been the subject of intense research due to its role in the development of human cancers, including pediatric neuroblastoma (NB). MEK and ERK are the central components of this signaling pathway and are attractive targets for cancer therapy. Approximately 3–5% of the primary NB samples and about 80% of relapsed samples contain mutations in the Raf-MEK-ERK pathway. In the present study, we analyzed the NB patient datasets and revealed that high RAF and MEK expression leads to poor overall survival and directly correlates with cancer progression and relapse. Further, we repurposed a specific small-molecule MEK inhibitor CI-1040 to inhibit the Raf-MEK-ERK pathway in NB. Our results show that CI-1040 potently inhibits NB cell proliferation and clonogenic growth in a dose-dependent manner. Inhibition of the Raf-MEK-ERK pathway by CI-1040 significantly enhances apoptosis, blocks cell cycle progression at the S phase, inhibits expression of the cell cycle-related genes, and significantly inhibits phosphorylation and activation of the ERK1/2 protein. Furthermore, CI-1040 significantly inhibits tumor growth in different NB 3D spheroidal tumor models in a dose-dependent manner and by directly inhibiting spheroidal tumor cells. Overall, our findings highlight that direct inhibition of the Raf-MEK-ERK pathway is a novel therapeutic approach for NB, and further developing repurposing strategies using CI-1040 is a clinically tractable strategy for effectively treating NB.
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Wang J, Zhou CC, Sun HC, Li Q, Hu JD, Jiang T, Zhou S. Identification of several senescence-associated genes signature in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. J Clin Lab Anal 2022; 36:e24555. [PMID: 35692082 PMCID: PMC9279997 DOI: 10.1002/jcla.24555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Revised: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background As one of the core aging processes, cellular senescence is associated with tumorigenesis, growth, and immune modulation in cancers. Nevertheless, the prognosis of senescence‐associated genes (SAGs) signature in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remains to be further evaluated. Methods The transcriptome and corresponding clinical datasets of SAGs in patients with HNSCC were downloaded from public databases. A new prognostic SAGs signature was established with least absolute shrinkage and selection operator discussion. Patients with HNSCC were fallen into two risk groups based on each sample's risk mark and the cutoff point. The survival analysis was extended to determine the predictive accuracy of the SAGs signature. Furthermore, the evaluation of SAGs signature was made according to clinicopathological characteristics, survival state, the infiltration of inflammatory cells, and efficacy of immunotherapy. Results 41 SAGs were recognized and adopted to establish the forecast signature. The survival analysis indicated that patients with HNSCC in the high‐senescent score group had significantly reduced overall survival compared with those in the low‐senescent score group. It was certified that the risk score of SAGs signature was a separate predicting agent for HNSCC applying Cox regression analysis. According to functional analysis, some immune‐associated pathways were increased in the low‐senescent score group significantly. High‐senescent score group was correlated with poor clinicopathological characteristics, given less the infiltration of inflammatory cells state and worse immunotherapeutic effect. Conclusion A new SAG signature predicting result and response to immunotherapy of HNSCC was identified. Cellular senescence may be a hidden target for HNSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Wang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The Affiliated People's Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Chong-Chang Zhou
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Ningbo Medical Center Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo, China
| | - Hong-Cun Sun
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The Affiliated People's Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Qun Li
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Ningbo Medical Center Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo, China
| | - Jian-Dao Hu
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The Affiliated People's Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Tao Jiang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The Affiliated People's Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Shao Zhou
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The Affiliated People's Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
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Expression Profile and Diagnostic Significance of MicroRNAs in Papillary Thyroid Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14112679. [PMID: 35681658 PMCID: PMC9179248 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14112679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 05/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
The incidence of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) has increased in recent years. To improve the diagnostic management of PTC, we propose the use of microRNAs (miRNAs) as a biomarker. Our aim in this study was to evaluate the miRNA expression pattern in PTC using NanoString technology. We identified ten miRNAs deregulated in PTC compared with reference tissue: miR-146b-5p, miR-221-3p, miR-221-5p, miR-34-5p, miR-551b-3p, miR-152-3p, miR-15a-5p, miR-31-5p, and miR-7-5p (FDR < 0.05; |fold change (FC)| ≥ 1.5). The gene ontology (GO) analysis of differentially expressed miRNA (DEM) target genes identified the predominant involvement of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance, and pathways in cancer in PTC. The highest area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) for DEMs was found for miR-146-5p (AUC = 0.770) expression, indicating possible clinical applicability in PTC diagnosis. The combination of four miRNAs (miR-152-3p, miR-221-3p, miR-551b-3p, and miR-7-5p) showed an AUC of 0.841. Validation by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reactions (qRT-PCRs) confirmed our findings. The introduction of an miRNA diagnostic panel based on the results of our study may help to improve therapeutic decision making for questionable cases. The use of miRNAs as biomarkers of PTC may become an aspect of personalized medicine.
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Liu L, Wang H, Yu S, Gao X, Liu G, Sun D, Jiang X. An Update on the Roles of circRNA-ZFR in Human Malignant Tumors. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 9:806181. [PMID: 35186956 PMCID: PMC8848330 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.806181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
CircRNAs (circular RNAs) are single-stranded RNAs that form covalently closed loops and function as important regulatory elements of the genome through multiple mechanisms. Increasing evidence had indicated that circRNAs, which might serve as either oncogenes or tumor suppressors, played vital roles in the pathophysiology of human diseases, especially in tumorigenesis and progression. CircRNA-ZFR (circular RNA zinc finger RNA binding protein) is a circular RNA that had attracted much attention in recent years. It has been found that circRNA-ZFR was abnormally expressed in a variety of malignant tumors, and its dysregulated expression was closely related to tumor stage, cancer metastasis and patients’ prognosis. Recent studies had shown that aberrantly expressed circRNA-ZFR could regulate the malignant biological behaviors of tumors through various mechanisms; further exploration of circRNA-ZFR expression in tumors and its regulation on malignant biological behaviors such as tumor proliferation, invasion and drug resistance will provide new ideas for clinical tumors diagnosis and treatment.
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