Background: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a malignant blood cancer with a poor prognosis and complex pathogenesis. Recently, the critical role of circular RNAs (circRNAs) has been demonstrated in the malignant progression of AML. This study aimed to investigate the functional role and underlying mechanism of circ_0001602 in AML development.
Methods: Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assay was conducted for detecting the expression of circ_0001602, CCND3, microRNA-192-5p (miR-192-5p), and Zinc Finger and BTB Domain-Containing Protein 20 (ZBTB20) mRNA. RNase R assay and Actinomycin D assay were implemented to determine the characteristics of circ_0001602. Cell counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay was performed to evaluate cell proliferation. Flow cytometry was employed for assessing cell cycle distribution and apoptosis. Dual-luciferase reporter assay and RIP assay were utilized for confirming the interactions between miR-192-5p and circ_0001602 or ZBTB20.
Results: Circ_0001602 and ZBTB20 were upregulated and miR-192-5p level was reduced in AML tissues and cells. Depletion of circ_0001602 repressed cell proliferation and induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in AML cells. Functionally, circ_0001602 was identified to be the sponge of miR-192-5p, and miR-192-5p silence restored the suppressive effects of circ_0001602 knockdown on AML cell progression. Furthermore, ZBTB20 was a target of miR-192-5p, and ZBTB20 overexpression neutralized the miR-192-5p-mediated inhibiting actions on the malignant phenotypes of AML cells. Besides, circ_0001602 could sponge miR-192-5p to positively regulate ZBTB20 expression.
Conclusion: Circ_0001602 contributed to AML cell development at least partially through modulating the miR-192-5p/ZBTB20 axis, which provided new insights for AML treatment.
Keywords: AML; ZBTB20; circ_0001602; miR-192-5p.