Targeting circRNA TFRC in bladder cancer alleviates urinary tract infections by reducing erythroid progenitor cells

the same population of EPCs was detected in bladder cancer patients. The EPCs, whose function could be reversed via anti-CD71 treatment, were induced by the circRNA TFRC (circular RNA derived from the transferrin receptor mRNA; cTFRC) in bladder cancer exosomes. severe immune deficiency in the context of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in the urethra of treatment-naïve bladder cancer-bearing mice.

本研究在膀胱癌患者体内检测到了同一种群的内皮祖细胞（Endothelial Progenitor Cells, EPCs）。这类内皮祖细胞的功能可通过抗CD71治疗实现逆转，其诱导因素为膀胱癌细胞外泌体中的环状RNA TFRC（circular RNA TFRC, circRNA TFRC）——该环状RNA源自转铁蛋白受体mRNA，简称cTFRC。未经治疗的膀胱癌荷瘤小鼠尿道感染铜绿假单胞菌（Pseudomonas aeruginosa）时，会出现严重的免疫功能缺陷。