Novel circular RNA circSLIT2 facilitates the aerobic glycolysis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma via miR-510-5p/c-Myc/LDHA axis

Cell Death Dis. 2021 Jun 24;12(7):645. doi: 10.1038/s41419-021-03918-y.

Abstract

Increasing evidence has indicated the great diagnostic and therapeutic potentials of circular RNAs (circRNAs) in human cancers. Although the biological roles of circRNAs in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) have been partially annotated, the potential regulatory mechanism of circRNAs in PDAC tumorigenesis remains poorly understood. Here, our study found that the novel circRNA circSLIT2 was significantly upregulated in PDAC tissues and cells. Clinically, ectopic high-expression of circSLIT2 was correlated with unfavorable prognosis of PDAC patients. Functional experiments demonstrated that circSLIT2 promoted the aerobic glycolysis and proliferation of PDAC cells in vitro, and circSLIT2 knockdown inhibited tumor growth in vivo. Mechanistically, circSLIT2 acted as miRNA sponge to target miR-510-5p/c-Myc axis. Furthermore, c-Myc bound with the promoter region of lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA) to activate the transcription. Collectively, present findings reveal that circSLIT2/miR-510-5p/c-Myc/LDHA axis participates in the aerobic glycolysis and carcinogenesis of PDAC, and may act as a promising therapeutic target.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Animals
  • Apoptosis
  • Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal / enzymology*
  • Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal / genetics
  • Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal / pathology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Glycolysis*
  • Humans
  • L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / genetics
  • L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / metabolism*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Nude
  • MicroRNAs / genetics
  • MicroRNAs / metabolism*
  • Middle Aged
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / enzymology*
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / genetics
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / pathology
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / metabolism*
  • RNA, Circular / genetics
  • RNA, Circular / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction
  • Transcription, Genetic

Substances

  • MIRN510 microRNA, human
  • MYC protein, human
  • MicroRNAs
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc
  • RNA, Circular
  • L-Lactate Dehydrogenase
  • LDHA protein, human