Circ_0020123 promotes NSCLC tumorigenesis via up-regulating KIAA1522 expression through miR-940

Circ_0020123 was highly expressed in NSCLC tissues and cell lines, and knockdown of circ_0020123 abolished cell growth, migration and invasion <i>in vitro</i> and hindered tumor growth in nude mice. Mechanically, circ_0020123 directly targeted miR-940, and KIAA1522 was a target of miR-940. Thereafter, a series of rescue experiments showed that circ_0020123 served its biological functions by miR-940/KIAA1522 axis. In all, circ_0020123 acted as an oncogene to promote the tumorigenesis of NSCLC via miR-940/KIAA1522 axis, suggesting a potential therapeutic target for NSCLC treatment.

Circ_0020123（环状RNA，circular RNA）在非小细胞肺癌（non-small cell lung cancer, NSCLC）组织及细胞系中呈高表达；敲低Circ_0020123可在体外抑制细胞增殖、迁移与侵袭能力，并在裸鼠体内阻滞肿瘤生长。机制研究显示，Circ_0020123可直接靶向miR-940（微小RNA-940，microRNA-940），而KIAA1522是miR-940的靶基因。后续一系列挽救实验证实，Circ_0020123通过miR-940/KIAA1522信号轴发挥其生物学功能。综上，Circ_0020123作为癌基因（oncogene），通过miR-940/KIAA1522信号轴促进非小细胞肺癌的发生发展，提示其可作为非小细胞肺癌治疗的潜在靶点。