Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

CircRTN4 inhibits the progression of gastric cancer by sponging miR-424-5p and regulating LATS2 expression

Xiaoli Li^1,2, Tianming Wang¹, Qian Chen¹, Qi Fu¹, Yan Cui¹, Haibang Pan¹

¹First Clinical Medical School, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou 730000, China; ²Gansu Provincial Maternity and Child-care Hospital, Lanzhou 730050, China.

For correspondence:- Haibang Pan Email: phbwbb@gszy.edu.cn Tel:+869315162887

Accepted: 30 April 2023 Published: 30 May 2023

Citation: Li X, Wang T, Chen Q, Fu Q, Cui Y, Pan H. CircRTN4 inhibits the progression of gastric cancer by sponging miR-424-5p and regulating LATS2 expression. Trop J Pharm Res 2023; 22(5):967-974 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v22i5.5

© 2023 The authors.
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Abstract

Purpose: To determine the expression of circRTN4 in gastric cancer (GC) and its role in tumor progression.

Methods: GEO dataset GSE93541 was analyzed using GEO2R. Starbase website was used to predict the combination of miRNA and circRTN4. The relationship between circRTN4 and prognosis was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier Plotter database, while expression levels of circRTN4, miR-424-5p, and LATS2 were assessed by quantitative real time-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). CCK8, EDU, Transwell, and Western blot were used to assess GC proliferation, migration, invasion, and stemness. Lastly, co-transfection of miR-424-5p or si-LAST2 was reversely used to demonstrate the regulatory effect of circRTN4 on the progression of gastric cancer cells. Significantly downregulated circRTN4 in GC was screened, and the combined miR-424-5p and downstream gene LATS2 were predicted by Starbase.

Results: The average relative expression of circRTN4 mRNA in GC tissues was significantly lower than in adjacent tissues. MiR-424-5p was highly expressed in tumor tissues, while LATS2 decreased (p < 0.05). Low expression of circRTN4 was associated with a low survival rate in patients. pLCDH-circRTN4 significantly inhibited the proliferation of gastric cancer cells (p < 0.05). Overexpression of circRTN4 inhibited the migration and invasion of tumor cells, while pLCDH-circRTN4 reduced the ability of GC stem cells and expressions of MMP2 and OCT4.

Conclusion: expression of circRTN4 decreases in GC, and contributes to the development and progression of this disease by increasing the levels of LATS2 and binding with miR-424-5p. This suggests that circRTN4 may serve as a promising prognostic marker as well as a potential therapeutic target for gastric cancer

Keywords: Gastric cancer, Circular RNA, miRNA