CircRNA circ-ITCH suppresses papillary thyroid cancer progression through miR-22-3p/CBL/β-catenin pathway

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Molecular Biology
• Genetics

Background:

• Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are emerging regulators in carcinogenesis.
• The specific role of circRNAs in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) remains largely undefined.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the function of circRNA circ-ITCH in PTC development.
• To elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms of circ-ITCH in PTC.

Main Methods:

• Quantitative real-time PCR to measure circ-ITCH expression.
• In vitro gain-of-functional assays (cell proliferation, invasion, apoptosis).
• In vivo tumor growth assays.
• Bioinformatics analysis and luciferase reporter assays to identify miRNA targets and downstream pathways.

Main Results:

• Circ-ITCH expression is significantly downregulated in PTC tissues compared to normal adjacent tissues.
• Overexpression of circ-ITCH inhibits PTC cell proliferation and invasion, and promotes apoptosis in vitro.
• Circ-ITCH overexpression impairs tumor growth in vivo.
• Circ-ITCH acts as a sponge for miR-22-3p, upregulating CBL expression.
• CBL upregulation suppresses the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, attenuating PTC progression.

Conclusions:

• Circ-ITCH functions as a tumor suppressor in PTC.
• A novel circ-ITCH/miR-22-3p/CBL/β-catenin signaling pathway is identified in PTC progression.
• Circ-ITCH represents a potential therapeutic target for PTC.