| Expression pattern: |
UP |
| Associated gene: |
AGO2, CNIH4, TGFalpha, EGFR, pAKT, pERK, TFII-I |
| Associated microRNA: |
miR-149-5p |
| Biological function: |
enhances HCC proliferation, migration, and invasion; promotes tumor growth and lung metastasis; sensitizes HCC cells to EGFR inhibitors; enhances synergistic cytotoxicity of lenvatinib combined with EGFR inhibitors |
| Molecular mechanism: |
ceRNA sponge mechanism: circUCK2(2,3) sponges miR-149-5p to upregulate CNIH4, increasing TGFalpha secretion and activating EGFR with downstream pAKT and pERK signaling |
| Biological pathway or process: |
proliferation (promotes); migration (promotes); invasion (promotes); metastasis (promotes); EMT (promotes); EGFR (promotes); PI3K/AKT (promotes); ERK (promotes); ceRNA regulation (promotes) |
| Detected method: |
Q
S
|
| Validation methods: |
circRNA-seq; Back-Splice Junction PCR / divergent primers PCR; Sanger Sequencing; RNase R Treatment; Actinomycin D / DRB Stability Assay; RT-qPCR; Nuclear-Cytoplasmic Fractionation; ISH (In Situ Hybridization); Clinical Sample Validation; Cohort Study; Survival Analysis; Transfection; CCK8; Colony Formation Assay; EdU Staining; Cell Cycle Assay; Transwell Assay; Wound Healing Assay; Western Blot; IHC (Immunohistochemistry); ELISA; RIP (RNA Immunoprecipitation); RNA Pull-Down; Luciferase Reporter Assay; RNA-seq; Bioinformatics Analysis; In Vivo Animal Model; H&E Staining |
| Clinical significance: |
upregulated in HCC tissues and serves as an independent risk factor for recurrence-free survival; negatively correlates with RFS and early-RFS |
| Description: |
circUCK2(2,3) is up-regulated in HCC and promotes proliferation, migration/invasion, and metastasis. It acts as a ceRNA by sponging miR-149-5p to relieve repression of CNIH4, increasing TGFalpha secretion and activating EGFR with downstream AKT/ERK signaling. High circUCK2(2,3) predicts poorer recurrence-free survival and may indicate better response to combined lenvatinib plus EGFR inhibition. |
| Confidence score: |
0.8996 |