Circ_0012152 Accelerates Acute Myeloid Leukemia Progression through the miR-652-3p/SOX4 Axis

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Molecular Biology
• Genetics

Background:

• Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a severe hematological cancer marked by excessive myeloid blast proliferation.
• Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are increasingly recognized for their roles in the development of AML.
• Investigating specific circRNAs like circ_0012152 is crucial for understanding AML pathogenesis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the clinical significance of circ_0012152 in AML patients.
• To elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which circ_0012152 influences AML progression.

Main Methods:

• Quantitative real-time PCR was used to measure circ_0012152 expression in 247 AML patients and 40 healthy controls.
• Cell Counting Kit-8 assay and flow cytometry assessed cell growth, apoptosis, and cell cycle.
• RNA pull-down, RNA sequencing, and bioinformatics analyses identified miRNA and mRNA targets.

Main Results:

• Circ_0012152 was significantly elevated in AML patients and identified as an independent adverse prognostic factor for overall survival.
• Knockdown of circ_0012152 suppressed AML cell growth, induced apoptosis, and halted cell cycle progression.
• MiR-652-3p was identified as a direct target of circ_0012152, and its inhibition reversed the effects of circ_0012152 knockdown.
• SOX4 was identified as a downstream target of miR-652-3p, with its expression inversely correlated to circ_0012152 levels.

Conclusions:

• Circ_0012152 acts as a poor prognostic biomarker in AML.
• The circ_0012152/miR-652-3p/SOX4 axis promotes AML cell proliferation and progression.