Xing Chen, Qunfu Tang, Yingjie Wang, Jianbin Zhang, Lei Zhou
{"title":"LncRNA ACTA2-AS1 acts as a bladder cancer prognostic biomarker and blocks malignant advance via miR-148b-3p/DNAJB4.","authors":"Xing Chen, Qunfu Tang, Yingjie Wang, Jianbin Zhang, Lei Zhou","doi":"10.1186/s12957-026-04447-8","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) is crucial in bladder cancer (BCa) development. This research explores the clinical significance and underlying mechanisms of lncRNA ACTA2-AS1 in BCa.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>From the GEO database, differentially expressed lncRNAs (DElncRNAs) in BCa were identified, and tumor, along with adjacent non-tumor tissue samples from 132 patients, were collected. RT-qPCR was employed for the quantitative measurement of ACTA2-AS1, miR-148b-3p, and DNAJB4 expression. Chi-square analysis was employed to assess the association of ACTA2-AS1 with clinical features. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression evaluated ACTA2-AS1's prognostic value. CCK-8, Transwell, and flow cytometry assays evaluated cell proliferation, migration, invasion, apoptosis, and cell cycle arrest. DLR and RIP tests confirmed miR-148b-3p's targeting of ACTA2-AS1 and DNAJB4.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>ACTA2-AS1 showed significant downregulation in four GEO databases. Moreover, both ACTA2-AS1 and DNAJB4 were notably decreased in BCa tumor tissues, while miR-148b-3p increased significantly. Low ACTA2-AS1 expression correlates with poor tumor differentiation, positive lymph node metastasis, and TNM stage III-IV. Moreover, patients with low ACTA2-AS1 expression are associated with a significantly unfavorable prognosis. Mechanistically, miR-148b-3p targets ACTA2-AS1 and DNAJB4. The suppression impacts of ACTA2-AS1 on BCa cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, and its boost of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest were greatly reversed by miR-148b-3p.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Low ACTA2-AS1 expression is a potential biomarker for unfavorable prognosis in BCa patients. Furthermore, ACTA2-AS1 may counteract BCa's malignant biological behaviors via targeting the miR-148b-3p/DNAJB4 axis.</p>","PeriodicalId":23856,"journal":{"name":"World Journal of Surgical Oncology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8000,"publicationDate":"2026-06-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13543625/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"World Journal of Surgical Oncology","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12957-026-04447-8","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"ONCOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) is crucial in bladder cancer (BCa) development. This research explores the clinical significance and underlying mechanisms of lncRNA ACTA2-AS1 in BCa.
Methods: From the GEO database, differentially expressed lncRNAs (DElncRNAs) in BCa were identified, and tumor, along with adjacent non-tumor tissue samples from 132 patients, were collected. RT-qPCR was employed for the quantitative measurement of ACTA2-AS1, miR-148b-3p, and DNAJB4 expression. Chi-square analysis was employed to assess the association of ACTA2-AS1 with clinical features. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression evaluated ACTA2-AS1's prognostic value. CCK-8, Transwell, and flow cytometry assays evaluated cell proliferation, migration, invasion, apoptosis, and cell cycle arrest. DLR and RIP tests confirmed miR-148b-3p's targeting of ACTA2-AS1 and DNAJB4.
Results: ACTA2-AS1 showed significant downregulation in four GEO databases. Moreover, both ACTA2-AS1 and DNAJB4 were notably decreased in BCa tumor tissues, while miR-148b-3p increased significantly. Low ACTA2-AS1 expression correlates with poor tumor differentiation, positive lymph node metastasis, and TNM stage III-IV. Moreover, patients with low ACTA2-AS1 expression are associated with a significantly unfavorable prognosis. Mechanistically, miR-148b-3p targets ACTA2-AS1 and DNAJB4. The suppression impacts of ACTA2-AS1 on BCa cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, and its boost of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest were greatly reversed by miR-148b-3p.
Conclusion: Low ACTA2-AS1 expression is a potential biomarker for unfavorable prognosis in BCa patients. Furthermore, ACTA2-AS1 may counteract BCa's malignant biological behaviors via targeting the miR-148b-3p/DNAJB4 axis.
期刊介绍:
World Journal of Surgical Oncology publishes articles related to surgical oncology and its allied subjects, such as epidemiology, cancer research, biomarkers, prevention, pathology, radiology, cancer treatment, clinical trials, multimodality treatment and molecular biology. Emphasis is placed on original research articles. The journal also publishes significant clinical case reports, as well as balanced and timely reviews on selected topics.
Oncology is a multidisciplinary super-speciality of which surgical oncology forms an integral component, especially with solid tumors. Surgical oncologists around the world are involved in research extending from detecting the mechanisms underlying the causation of cancer, to its treatment and prevention. The role of a surgical oncologist extends across the whole continuum of care. With continued developments in diagnosis and treatment, the role of a surgical oncologist is ever-changing. Hence, World Journal of Surgical Oncology aims to keep readers abreast with latest developments that will ultimately influence the work of surgical oncologists.