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Updated: Jun 23, 2025
Identification of Circular RNAs using RNA Sequencing
Published on: November 14, 2019
Identification of Circular RNAs as Biomarker Candidates in Lung Cancer Treatment
Busra Apaydin1, Ufuk Mert2,3, Milad Asadi1
1Institute of Health Sciences, Department of Basic Oncology, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey.
Objective:
Lung cancer is the most common malignancy and among the leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Therefore, there is an important need for biomarkers that can be used in the early diagnosis of the disease and in the follow-up of treatment. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have a covalently closed circular structure that lacks 3' and 5' polar ends and is resistant to RNAase enzymes. Due to these properties, they can be stably found in body fluids. Therefore, they can serve as potential biomarkers in the diagnosis, monitoring of therapeutic response and prognosis of cancer. In our study, we aimed to investigate the expression levels of circRNA molecules in the treatment of lung cancer and to determine those that have the potential to be biomarkers.
Methods:
In this in vitro study, expression levels of 163 circRNAs were investigated in A549 cells, a non-small cell lung cancer cell line, before and after treatment with carboplatin and pemetrexed. Total RNA isolation and cDNA synthesis were performed after treatments. Expression levels of circRNA genes were determined by RT-qPCR method with the designed divergent primer sequences.
Results:
The study revealed the characterisation of differentially expressed circRNAs by treatment in lung cancer cells. Of them, hsa_circ_0001320 is not expressed in cancer cells, is expressed only after treatment, and increased the level of its expression in response to combination therapy.
Conclusion:
As a result, while carboplatin, pemetrexed, and combined drug applications changed the expression levels of some circRNAs in lung cancer cells, some circRNAs were expressed only after treatment. In treatment follow-up and management, hsa_circ_0001320 has been identified as potential biomarker candidate.
Insights
Circular RNAs (circRNAs) show promise as lung cancer biomarkers. Hsa_circ_0001320 is uniquely expressed after treatment, indicating its potential for monitoring lung cancer therapy.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer death globally, necessitating novel biomarkers for early diagnosis and treatment monitoring.
- Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are stable molecules found in body fluids, making them promising candidates for cancer biomarkers.
- Their unique structure confers resistance to degradation, enhancing their utility in clinical applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the expression profiles of circRNAs in lung cancer cells during treatment.
- To identify specific circRNAs that can serve as potential biomarkers for lung cancer diagnosis and therapy monitoring.
Main Methods:
- An in vitro study was conducted using the A549 non-small cell lung cancer cell line.
- Expression levels of 163 circRNAs were analyzed before and after treatment with carboplatin and pemetrexed.
- Reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was employed to determine circRNA gene expression.
Main Results:
- Treatment with carboplatin and pemetrexed resulted in differential expression of several circRNAs in lung cancer cells.
- Hsa_circ_0001320 was found to be unexpressed in untreated cancer cells but expressed post-treatment.
- The expression of hsa_circ_0001320 significantly increased in response to combination therapy.
Conclusions:
- Chemotherapy, including carboplatin and pemetrexed, alters circRNA expression in lung cancer.
- Hsa_circ_0001320 emerges as a potential biomarker candidate for the follow-up and management of lung cancer treatment.
- The findings highlight the diagnostic and prognostic potential of specific circRNAs in oncology.
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