CircIRAK3 sponges miR-3607 to facilitate breast cancer metastasis

Cancer Lett. 2018 Aug 28:430:179-192. doi: 10.1016/j.canlet.2018.05.033. Epub 2018 May 25.

Abstract

As a class of endogenous noncoding RNAs, circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been recently identified to regulate tumourigenesis and progression in multiple malignancies. However, the expression profiles and function of circRNAs in breast cancer metastasis are largely unknown. Here, we determined that the expression of a novel circRNA, which we named circIRAK3, was increased in metastatic breast cancer (BC) cells and predictive of BC recurrence. Gain-of-function and loss-of-function studies in BC cells demonstrated that circIRAK3 promoted cell migration, invasion and metastasis in vitro and in vivo but did not affect cell proliferation, colony formation or cell cycle progression. Using circIRAK3 in vivo precipitation and luciferase reporter assays, we identified miR-3607 as a circIRAK3-associated miRNA. Furthermore, RNA sequencing and bioinformatics analysis showed that forkhead box C1 (FOXC1), the target of miR-3607, was downregulated in circIRAK3-silenced cells and mediated circIRAK3-induced BC cell migration. Intriguingly, FOXC1 could, in turn, bind to the IRAK3 promoter, triggering a positive-feedback loop that perpetuated the circIRAK3/miR-3607/FOXC1 signaling axis. Collectively, our findings indicated that circIRAK3 may exert regulatory roles in BC metastasis and may be a potential target for metastatic BC therapy.

Keywords: Breast cancer; FOXC1; Metastasis; circRNA; miRNA.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Animals
  • Breast / pathology
  • Breast Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Movement / genetics
  • Cell Proliferation / genetics
  • Disease Progression
  • Down-Regulation
  • Feedback, Physiological
  • Female
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors / metabolism*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Gene Knockdown Techniques
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-1 Receptor-Associated Kinases / genetics*
  • Mice, Nude
  • MicroRNAs / genetics
  • MicroRNAs / metabolism*
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Invasiveness / genetics
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / genetics*
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / pathology
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • RNA / genetics
  • RNA / metabolism*
  • RNA, Circular
  • RNA, Small Interfering / metabolism
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • FOXC1 protein, human
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors
  • MicroRNAs
  • RNA, Circular
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • RNA
  • IRAK3 protein, human
  • Interleukin-1 Receptor-Associated Kinases