CircLIFRSA/miR-1305/PTEN axis attenuates malignant cellular processes in non-small cell lung cancer by regulating AKT phosphorylation

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is typically diagnosed at advanced stages, which limits the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions. The present study aimed to explore the role of the newly identified circLIFRSA in the PTEN/AKT signaling pathway and its involvement in the malignant processes of NSCLC. CircLIFRSA expression was identified through microarray analysis, and its levels in NSCLC samples were quantified by RT-qPCR. The impact of circLIFRSA on cell growth, proliferation, apoptosis, and cell cycle were evaluated by MTT assay, colony formation assay, and flow cytometry. Additionally, Western blotting was employed to analyze the expression of PTEN and phosphorylated AKT (pAKT) in NSCLC cells. The expression of circLIFRSA was found to be significantly reduced in NSCLC cells and tissues. This downregulation correlated with various clinicopathological characteristics and indicated its potential as an early diagnostic biomarker for NSCLC. Importantly, circLIFRSA was shown to inhibit cell growth and proliferation while promoting apoptosis in NSCLC cells. Mechanically, circLIFRSA was found to attenuate the malignant processes of NSCLC cells via the miR-1305/PTEN axis and the suppression of AKT phosphorylation. These findings indicate that circLIFRSA/miR-1305/PTEN axis attenuates malignant processes by regulating AKT phosphorylation, and provide new insights into the potential of circLIFRSA as a biomarker for early diagnosis and as a promising therapeutic target in NSCLC.