Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 4, 2025

03:36
Development of Compendium for Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Published on: April 12, 2024
526
CircLONP2 Accelerates Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Progression via Direct MiR-27b-3p-ZEB1 Axis
Cailin Zhu1, Weiyun Bi2, Hongtao Li3
1Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.
Frontiers in Oncology
|July 22, 2022
Summary
Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are upregulated in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), promoting cancer progression. CircLONP2 acts as an oncogenic factor, potentially serving as a prognostic biomarker for ESCC patients.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Oncology
- Cancer Research
Background:
- Circular RNAs (circRNAs) play a significant role in the development of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).
- Understanding the specific functions of circRNAs, such as circLONP2, is crucial for deciphering ESCC carcinogenesis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the functional roles and underlying mechanisms of circLONP2 in the progression of ESCC.
- To evaluate circLONP2 as a potential prognostic biomarker for ESCC.
Main Methods:
- Quantification of circLONP2 levels in ESCC patient samples and cell lines.
- In vitro experiments to assess the impact of circLONP2 on ESCC cell proliferation and migration.
- Mechanistic studies involving interactions with microRNAs (miRNAs) and target gene expression analysis (miR-27b-3p, ZEB1).
Main Results:
- CircLONP2 expression is significantly upregulated in human ESCC tissues and cell lines.
- Elevated circLONP2 levels correlate with poorer overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) in ESCC patients.
- CircLONP2 promotes ESCC aggressiveness by sponging miR-27b-3p, leading to increased ZEB1 expression and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT).
Conclusions:
- The circLONP2/miR-27b-3p/ZEB1 axis drives ESCC metastasis through regulation of EMT.
- CircLONP2 functions as an oncogenic circRNA in ESCC.
- CircLONP2 holds promise as a valuable prognostic biomarker for predicting patient outcomes in ESCC.
Related Concept Videos
Tumor Progression
6.5K
Tumor progression is a phenomenon where the pre-formed tumor acquires successive mutations to become clinically more aggressive and malignant. In the 1950s, Foulds first described the stepwise progression of cancer cells through successive stages.
Colon cancer is one of the best-documented examples of tumor progression. Early mutation in the APC gene in colon cells causes a small growth on the colon wall called a polyp. With time, this polyp grows into a benign, pre-cancerous tumor. Further...
Colon cancer is one of the best-documented examples of tumor progression. Early mutation in the APC gene in colon cells causes a small growth on the colon wall called a polyp. With time, this polyp grows into a benign, pre-cancerous tumor. Further...
6.5K
Abnormal Proliferation
4.6K
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...
4.6K
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression
3.9K
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...
The mTOR pathway or the...
3.9K
Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
4.3K
Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that divide and produce different cell types. Ordinarily, cells that have differentiated into a specific cell type are terminally differentiated; however, scientists have found a way to reprogram these mature cells so that they dedifferentiate and return to an unspecialized, proliferative state. These cells are pluripotent like embryonic stem cells—able to produce all cell types—and are called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).
Somatic...
Somatic...
4.3K
The Tumor Microenvironment
6.8K
Every normal cell or tissue is embedded in a complex local environment called stroma, consisting of different cell types, a basal membrane, and blood vessels. As normal cells mutate and develop into cancer cells, their local environment also changes to allow cancer progression. The tumor microenvironment (TME) consists of a complex cellular matrix of stromal cells and the developing tumor. The cross-talk between cancer cells and surrounding stromal cells is critical to disrupt normal tissue...
6.8K
Mechanisms of Retrovirus-induced Cancers
5.2K
Retroviruses are RNA viruses that have been shown to cause cancers in diverse species, including chickens, mice, cats, and monkeys. The RNA genomes of these viruses are first reverse-transcribed into single and then double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) copies. This dsDNA called proviral DNA then integrates into the host genome. Subsequently, the host cell transcribes the proviral DNA in concert with the chromosomal DNA. This leads to the production of viral RNA and proteins that assemble at the host...
5.2K

