circ_0006789 promotes cervical cancer development via the miR-615-5p/HSF1 axis

Wenyu Zhou; Weiwei Song; Meisong Lu

doi:10.1007/s12672-024-01012-1

circ_0006789 promotes cervical cancer development via the miR-615-5p/HSF1 axis

Discov Oncol. 2024 May 15;15(1):165. doi: 10.1007/s12672-024-01012-1.

Authors

Wenyu Zhou^#^{1

2}, Weiwei Song^#², Meisong Lu³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, No.199 Dazhi Street, Nangang District, Harbin, 150000, Heilongjiang, China.
² Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Shenzhen Pingshan District Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Shenzhen, 518100, Guangdong, China.
³ Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, No.199 Dazhi Street, Nangang District, Harbin, 150000, Heilongjiang, China. lululumeisong_phd@hotmail.com.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

Objective: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are involved in the development of human cancers, including cervical cancer (CC). However, the role and mechanism of circ_0006789 (circSLC25A43) in CC are unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the functional role of circ_0006789 in CC.

Methods: The expression of circ_0006789 in CC tissues and cell lines was examined by RT-qPCR. The characterization of circ_0006789 in CC cells was verified by subcellular localisation, actinomycin D assay, and RNase R assay. After circ_0006789 was knocked down in CC cell lines, the proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion of CC cells were assessed by CCK-8 method, flow cytometry, and Transwell assay. RIP assay, FISH assay, dual luciferase reporter gene assay and Western blot were used to investigate the regulatory mechanism between circ_0006789, miR-615-5p and heat shock factor 1 (HSF1).

Results: circ_0006789 was upregulated in CC tissues and cell lines. CC cells were inhibited in their proliferation, migration, and invasion, as well as promoted to apoptosis when circ_0006789 was knocked down. It was found that circ_0006789 targeted miR-615-5p, and miR-615-5p expression was inversely correlated with circ_0006789 expression. Furthermore, HSF1 was a target gene of miR-615-5p. Furthermore, the suppressive effects on HeLa cells mediated by circ_0006789 knockdown were counter-balanced when miR-615-5p was knocked down and HSF1 was overexpressed. Mechanistically, circ_0006789 was found to promote CC development by reducing miR-615-5p and increasing HSF1 expressions.

Conclusion: circ_0006789 accelerates CC development via the miR-615-5p/HSF1 axis.

Keywords: Cervical cancer; HSF1; circ_0006789; miR-615-5p.