AUTHOR=Zhu Yuting , Ma Xiaopeng , Zhang Heng , Wu Yijun , Kang Meiyun , Fang Yongjun , Xue Yao 

TITLE=Mechanism of circADD2 as ceRNA in Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology

VOLUME=9

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cell-and-developmental-biology/articles/10.3389/fcell.2021.639910

DOI=10.3389/fcell.2021.639910

ISSN=2296-634X

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Background:</bold> Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) is the most common malignant tumor in children. Increasing evidence suggests that circular RNAs (circRNAs) play critical regulatory roles in tumor biology. However, the expression patterns and roles of circRNAs in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) remain largely unknown.</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> circADD2 was selected by microarray assay and confirmed by qRT-PCR; <italic>in vitro</italic> effects of circADD2 were determined by CCK-8 and flow cytometry; while mice subcutaneous tumor model was designed for <italic>in vivo</italic> analysis. RNA immunoprecipitation and dual-luciferase assay were applied for mechanistic study. Protein levels were examined by Western blot assay.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> circADD2 was down-regulated in ALL tissues and cell lines. Overexpression of circADD2 inhibited cell proliferation and promoted apoptosis both <italic>in vitro</italic> and <italic>in vivo</italic>. Briefly, circADD2 could directly sponge miR-149-5p, and the level of AKT2, a target gene of miR-149-5p, was downregulated by circADD2.</p><p><bold>Conclusion:</bold> circADD2, as a tumor suppressor in ALL, can sponge miR-149-5p, and may serve as a potential biomarker for the diagnosis or treatment of ALL.</p>