The circular RNA hsa_circ_0046263 drives carcinogenesis and metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to a study, which appeared in Cancer Management and Research.
Researchers analyzed hsa_circ_0046263, microRNA-940 (miR-940), and neuro-oncological ventral antigen 2 (NOVA2) levels using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Proliferation detection was conducted using Cell Counting Kit-8 and colony formation assays, while cell cycle and apoptosis were assessed using flow cytometry.
Following analysis, the researchers observed that Hsa_circ_0046263 was significantly upregulated in NSCLC with important prognostic value. They noted that the results of vitro experiments suggested that hsa_circ_0046263 knockdown caused inhibitory effects on NSCLC cell proliferation, cell cycle, and metastasis but a stimulative effect on apoptosis. Moreover, molecular mechanism analysis demonstrated that hsa_circ_0046263 served as a miR-940 sponge to act in the development of NSCLC. Furthermore, miR-940 targeted NOVA2 and NOVA2 was regulated by hsa_circ_0046263/miR-940 axis. Also, the results showed that NOVA2 overexpression neutralized miR-940-mediated progression inhibition of cancer cells.
In conclusion, the researchers wrote, “Hsa_circ_0046263 was identified as a cancer-promoting factor in NSCLC via sponging miR-940 and upregulating NOVA2, which presented a clear mechanism of NSCLC occurrence and progression.”
