Multiple myeloma (MM) is an incurable plasma cell malignancy in the bone marrow characterized by chromosome instability (CIN), which contributes to the acquisition of heterogeneity, along with MM progression, drug resistance, and relapse. In this study, we elucidated that the expression of BUB1B increased strikingly in MM patients and was closely correlated with poor outcomes. Overexpression of BUB1B facilitated cellular proliferation and induced drug resistance in vitro and in vivo, while genetic targeting BUB1B abrogated this effect. Mechanistic studies unveiled that enforced expression of BUB1B evoked CIN resulting in MM poor outcomes mainly through phosphorylating CEP170. Interestingly, we discovered the existence of circBUB1B_544aa containing the kinase catalytic center of BUB1B, which was translated by a circular RNA of BUB1B. The circBUB1B_544aa elevated in MM peripheral blood samples was closely associated with MM poor outcomes and played a synergistic effect with BUB1B on evoking CIN. In addition, MM cells could secrete circBUB1B_544aa and interfere the MM microenvironmental cells in the same manner as BUB1B full-length protein. Intriguingly, BUB1B siRNA, targeting the kinase catalytic center of both BUB1B and circBUB1B_544aa, significantly inhibited MM malignancy in vitro and in vivo. Collectively, BUB1B and circBUB1B_544aa are promising prognostic and therapeutic targets of MM.
© 2021. The Author(s).