circ-PKD2 inhibits carcinogenesis via the miR-204-3p/APC2 axis in oral squamous cell carcinoma

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Molecular Biology
• Genetics

Background:

• Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are increasingly recognized for their roles in various cancers.
• The specific involvement of circRNAs in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) pathogenesis is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the role and clinical significance of circRNAs in OSCC.
• To explore the function of a specific downregulated circRNA, circ-PKD2, in OSCC development.
• To elucidate the molecular mechanism involving circ-PKD2, miR-204-3p, and adenomatous polyposis coli 2 (APC2) in OSCC.

Main Methods:

• CircRNA expression profiling using microarray analysis in paired OSCC and normal tissues.
• In vitro and in vivo functional assays to assess the biological impact of circ-PKD2.
• Molecular analyses to identify interactions between circ-PKD2, miR-204-3p, and APC2.

Main Results:

• Downregulation of circ-PKD2 in OSCC tissues was significantly associated with aggressive clinical characteristics.
• Overexpression of circ-PKD2 suppressed OSCC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, while inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest.
• Knockdown of circ-PKD2 promoted these aggressive behaviors.
• circ-PKD2 functions as a molecular sponge for miR-204-3p, thereby upregulating its target gene, APC2.
• The circ-PKD2/miR-204-3p/APC2 axis was shown to modulate OSCC progression through multiple signaling pathways.

Conclusions:

• The circ-PKD2/miR-204-3p/APC2 axis represents a novel regulatory pathway in the pathogenesis of oral squamous cell carcinoma.
• circ-PKD2 acts as a tumor suppressor in OSCC.
• This pathway holds potential as a novel therapeutic target for OSCC treatment.