N6-methyladenosine-modified circular RNA QSOX1 promotes colorectal cancer resistance to anti-CTLA-4 therapy through induction of intratumoral regulatory T cells

Abstract

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the 3rd most common cancer worldwide. CircRNAs are promising novel biomarkers for CRC. T regulatory (Treg) cells express the immune checkpoint receptor of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4) and promote tumor immunological tolerance. We therefore investigate the biological functions and mechanisms of circQSOX1 in CRC tumorigenesis; involvement of circQSOX1 in promoting Treg cell-mediated CRC immune escape in anti-CTLA-4 therapy.

Methods: Bioinformatics analyses were performed for circQSOX1expressions, specific binding sites, and N6-methyladenosine (m⁶A) motifs of circQSOX1, thatwere further validated with a series of experiments. Functions of circQSOX1 in promoting CRC development, Treg cells-based immune escape, and anti-CTLA-4 therapy response were investigated both in vitro and in vivo.

Results: High circQSOX1 expression was associated with carcinogenesis and poor clinical outcome of CRC patients. METTL3-mediated RNA m⁶A modification on circQSOX1 could be read by IGF2BP2 in CRC cells. CircQSOX1 promoted CRC development by regulating miR-326/miR-330-5p/PGAM1 axis. CircQSOX1 regulated glycolysis and promoted immune escape of CRC cells, and inhibits anti-CTLA-4 therapy response in CRC patients.

Conclusion: m⁶A-modified circQSOX1 facilitated CRC tumorigenesis by sponging miR-326 and miR-330-5p to promotes PGAM1 expression, which further promoted CRC immune escape by activating glycolysis and inactivating the anti-CTLA-4 therapy response of CRC. Combined treatment with sh-circQSOX1 and anti-CTLA-4 could be a strategy to overcome Treg cell-mediated CRC immune therapy resistance.

Keywords: Anti-CTLA-4 therapy; CircQSOX1; Colorectal cancer; MiR-326; MiR-330–5p; PGAM1.