Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 2, 2025

Author Spotlight: Unveiling Transmembrane Protein Family-Related Markers in Gastric Cancer and Implications for Targeted Therapies
07:47

Author Spotlight: Unveiling Transmembrane Protein Family-Related Markers in Gastric Cancer and Implications for Targeted Therapies

Published on: September 15, 2023

1.9K

CircRNA NALCN acts as an miR-493-3p sponge to regulate PTEN expression and inhibit glioma progression

Yi Liu1, Simin Chen2, Gang Peng1

  • 1Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.

Cancer Cell International
|June 11, 2021
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) like circNALCN are crucial in cancer. This study found circNALCN inhibits glioma progression by regulating the miR-493-3p/PTEN pathway, offering a potential therapeutic target.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are increasingly recognized for their roles in tumor progression.
  • The specific functions and mechanisms of the novel circNALCN in glioma remain largely unexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the expression patterns of circNALCN in glioma.
  • To elucidate the functional role and underlying molecular mechanism of circNALCN in glioma progression.

Main Methods:

  • RNA sequencing to analyze circRNA expression profiles in glioma tissues and controls.
  • Quantitative real-time PCR to measure circNALCN, miR-493-3p, and PTEN levels.
  • Cell proliferation and migration assays (CCK-8, wound healing, Transwell) to assess functional impact.
  • Dual-luciferase reporter, FISH, and RNA pulldown assays to confirm the circNALCN-miR-493-3p-PTEN interaction.

Main Results:

  • CircNALCN expression was significantly downregulated in glioma tissues and cell lines.
  • Lower circNALCN levels correlated with higher World Health Organization grade and poorer overall survival.
  • Overexpression of circNALCN suppressed glioma cell proliferation and migration.
  • Mechanistically, circNALCN functions as a sponge for miR-493-3p, thereby relieving miR-493-3p-mediated repression of PTEN.

Conclusions:

  • CircNALCN inhibits glioma progression via the miR-493-3p/PTEN axis.
  • CircNALCN represents a promising biomarker and therapeutic target for glioma.
Keywords:
GliomaPTENPrognosisceRNAcircNALCNmiR-493-3p

More Related Videos

Defining Gene Functions in Tumorigenesis by Ex vivo Ablation of Floxed Alleles in Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor Cells09:37

Defining Gene Functions in Tumorigenesis by Ex vivo Ablation of Floxed Alleles in Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor Cells

Published on: August 25, 2021

1.9K
Characterization of Functionally Associated miRNAs in Glioblastoma and their Engineering into Artificial Clusters for Gene Therapy09:40

Characterization of Functionally Associated miRNAs in Glioblastoma and their Engineering into Artificial Clusters for Gene Therapy

Published on: October 4, 2019

5.8K

Related Concept Videos

Abnormal Proliferation02:23

Abnormal Proliferation

Under normal conditions, most adult cells remain in a non-proliferative state unless stimulated by internal or external factors to replace lost cells. Abnormal cell proliferation is a condition in which the cell's growth exceeds and is uncoordinated with normal cells. In such situations, cell division persists in the same excessive manner even after cessation of the stimuli, leading to persistent tumors. The tumor arises from the damaged cells that replicate to pass the damage to the...
4.8K
PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway01:22

PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway

The mammalian target of rapamycin  (mTOR) is a serine/threonine kinase that regulates growth, proliferation, and cell survival in response to hormones, growth factors, or nutrient availability. This kinase exists in two structurally and functionally distinct forms: mTOR complex 1  (mTORC1) and mTOR complex 2  (mTORC2). The first form (mTORC1) is composed of a rapamycin-sensitive Raptor and proline-rich Akt substrate, PRAS40. In contrast,  mTORC2 consists of a...
4.3K
Negative Regulator Molecules01:23

Negative Regulator Molecules

Positive regulators allow a cell to advance through cell cycle checkpoints. Negative regulators have an equally important role as they terminate a cell’s progression through the cell cycle—or pause it—until the cell meets specific criteria.
37.0K
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
4.0K
Interactions Between Signaling Pathways01:19

Interactions Between Signaling Pathways

Signaling cascades usually lack linearity. Multiple pathways interact and regulate one another, allowing cells to integrate and respond to diverse environmental stimuli.
Convergence and divergence, and cross-talk between signaling pathways
Two distinct signaling pathways can converge on a single functional unit, which may either be a single protein or a complex of proteins. The response is either functionally distinct or synergistic between the two pathways but different from the response...
6.8K
The Ras Gene02:38

The Ras Gene

The Ras-gene-encoded proteins are regulators of signaling pathways controlling cell proliferation, differentiation, or cell survival. The Ras-gene family in humans constitutes three primary members—the HRas, NRas, and KRas. These genes code for four functionally distinct yet closely related proteins—the HRas, NRas, KRas4A, and KRas4B. The involvement of mutant Ras genes in human cancer was first discovered in 1982 and is among the most common causes of human tumorigenesis.
Ras is a...
6.6K