circRNA circMED27 acts as a prognostic factor and mediator to promote lenvatinib resistance of hepatocellular carcinoma

Pengfei Zhang; Haixiang Sun; Peihao Wen; Yilin Wang; Yuehong Cui; Jing Wu

Molecular Therapy: Nucleic Acids (Mar 2022)

circRNA circMED27 acts as a prognostic factor and mediator to promote lenvatinib resistance of hepatocellular carcinoma

Pengfei Zhang,
Haixiang Sun,
Peihao Wen,
Yilin Wang,
Yuehong Cui,
Jing Wu

Affiliations

Pengfei Zhang: Department of Oncology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
Haixiang Sun: Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
Peihao Wen: Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450000, China
Yilin Wang: Department of Hepatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; Corresponding author: Yilin Wang, Department of Hepatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
Yuehong Cui: Department of Oncology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; Corresponding author: Yuehong Cui, Department of Oncology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
Jing Wu: Department of Oncology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; Corresponding author: Jing Wu, Department of Oncology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 27
pp. 293 – 303

Abstract

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Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been proven to play key roles in the development and progression of various types of cancers. However, there were no reported studies on the roles of circRNA mediator complex subunit 27 (circMED27) in tumors including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this study, we found that circMED27 was significantly increased in HCC serum and that higher levels of circMED27 were correlated with bad clinical characteristics and poor prognoses of patients with HCC. Furthermore, upregulated circMED27 promoted HCC resistance to lenvatinib. Our mechanistic investigations revealed that circMED27 functions as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) for miR-655-3p to upregulate ubiquitin-specific peptidase 28 (USP28) expression. Thus, we are led to conclude that circMED27 acts as a potential therapeutic target for HCC patients receiving lenvatinib therapy and may represent a promising molecular biomarker for forecasting lenvatinib-resistant HCC.

Published in Molecular Therapy: Nucleic Acids

ISSN: 2162-2531 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United States
LCC subjects: Medicine: Therapeutics. Pharmacology
Website: https://www.cell.com/molecular-therapy-family/nucleic-acids/latest-content

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