Background: Angiogenesis plays an important role in the progress of glioma. RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs), dysregulated in various tumors, have been verified to mediate diverse biological behaviors including angiogenesis.
Methods: Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and western blot were performed to detect the expression of SRSF10, circ-ATXN1, miR-526b-3p, and MMP2/VEGFA. The potential function of SRSF10/circ-ATXN1/miR-526b-3p axis in glioma-associated endothelial cells (GECs) angiogenesis was further studied.
Results: SRSF10 and circ-ATXN1 were significantly upregulated in GECs compared with astrocyte-associated endothelial cells (AECs). Knockdown of SRSF10 or circ-ATXN1 significantly inhibited cell viability, migration and tube formation of GECs where knockdown of SRSF10 exerted its function by inhibiting the formation of circ-ATXN1. Moreover, the combined knockdown of SRSF10 and circ-ATXN1 significantly enhanced the inhibitory effects on cell viability, migration and tube formation of GECs, compared with knockdown of SRSF10 and circ-ATXN1, respectively. MiR-526b-3p was downregulated in GECs. Circ-ATXN1 functionally targeted miR-526b-3p in an RNA-induced silencing complex. Up-regulation of miR-526b-3p inhibited cell viability, migration and tube formation of GECs. Furthermore, miR-526b-3p affected the angiogenesis of GECs via negatively regulating the expression of MMP2/VEGFA.
Conclusion: SRSF10/circ-ATXN1/miR-526b-3p axis played a crucial role in regulating the angiogenesis of GECs. The above findings provided new targets for anti-angiogenic therapy in glioma.
Keywords: Angiogenesis; Circ-ATXN1; Glioma; Glioma associated endothelial cells; SRSF10; miR-526b-3p.