Circular STAG2 RNA Modulates Bladder Cancer Progression via miR-145-5p/TAGLN2 and Is Considered as a Biomarker for...

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Molecular Biology
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Bladder cancer (BCa) progression involves complex regulatory mechanisms.
• STAG2 is implicated in BCa biology, with its derived circRNAs being potential disease markers.
• circSTAG2(16-25) shows differential expression in BCa patients' urine.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the regulatory role of circSTAG2(16-25) in bladder cancer.
• To explore circSTAG2(16-25) as a potential urinary biomarker for BCa development and recurrence.
• To elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying circSTAG2(16-25) function.

Main Methods:

• Differential expression analysis of circSTAG2(16-25) in urine from BCa patients and healthy volunteers.
• Expression analysis in BCa cell lines with varying tumorigenicity.
• In vitro assays to confirm circSTAG2(16-25) binding to miR-145-5p.
• Functional studies on the impact of circSTAG2(16-25) overexpression on BCa cell behavior.

Main Results:

• circSTAG2(16-25) was significantly upregulated in BCa patient urine, particularly in recurrent cases.
• Higher circSTAG2(16-25) levels correlated with increased BCa cell line tumorigenicity.
• Overexpression of circSTAG2(16-25) enhanced BCa cell proliferation, motility, and invasion.
• circSTAG2(16-25) was confirmed to sponge miR-145-5p, leading to the activation of its target gene TAGLN2.

Conclusions:

• circSTAG2(16-25) promotes BCa progression by inhibiting the tumor suppressor miR-145-5p and activating TAGLN2.
• Urinary circSTAG2(16-25) holds potential as a non-invasive biomarker for predicting bladder cancer recurrence.