CSF3R-AS promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progression and sorafenib resistance through the CSF3R/JAK2/STAT3 positive feedback loop

Abstract Antisense circular RNA is a special type of circular RNA that is derived from the antisense complementary strand of parental mRNA. However, the function of antisense circRNA in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is still unclear. Here, we reported that CSF3R-AS was upregulated in HCC and correl...

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Main Authors: Ziyang Feng, Yan Gao, Changjing Cai, Jun Tan, Ping Liu, Yihong Chen, Gongping Deng, Yanhong Ouyang, Xuewen Liu, Ke Cao, Shan Zeng, Ying Han, Xiangying Deng, Hong Shen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Publishing Group 2025-03-01
Series:Cell Death and Disease
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41419-025-07558-4
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author Ziyang Feng
Yan Gao
Changjing Cai
Jun Tan
Ping Liu
Yihong Chen
Gongping Deng
Yanhong Ouyang
Xuewen Liu
Ke Cao
Shan Zeng
Ying Han
Xiangying Deng
Hong Shen
author_facet Ziyang Feng
Yan Gao
Changjing Cai
Jun Tan
Ping Liu
Yihong Chen
Gongping Deng
Yanhong Ouyang
Xuewen Liu
Ke Cao
Shan Zeng
Ying Han
Xiangying Deng
Hong Shen
author_sort Ziyang Feng
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Antisense circular RNA is a special type of circular RNA that is derived from the antisense complementary strand of parental mRNA. However, the function of antisense circRNA in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is still unclear. Here, we reported that CSF3R-AS was upregulated in HCC and correlated with a poor prognosis. CSF3R-AS promoted the proliferation, angiogenesis, and metastasis of HCC, and inhibited apoptosis. Mechanistically, CSF3R-AS has a 180-base complementary pairing sequence with its parental mRNA CSF3R, which can directly bind to CSF3R and recruit RBMS3 to stabilize its parental mRNA, and finally activate JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway. Interestingly, STAT3 can act as a transcription factor of CSF3R-AS, which means that there is a CSF3R-AS/CSF3R/JAK2/STAT3 positive feedback loop in HCC. Finally, the CSF3R-AS/CSF3R/JAK2/STAT3 positive feedback loop was also activated in HCC sorafenib-resistant cells, and blocking this loop was expected to improve the sensitivity of HCC to sorafenib. These findings suggested that the CSF3R-AS/CSF3R/JAK2/STAT3 positive feedback loop could promote HCC progression and sorafenib resistance. Blocking this loop is expected to provide new research directions and therapy targets for HCC.
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spelling doaj-art-b0048639fac54f40ad3b77e18db3dcb92025-08-20T02:48:57ZengNature Publishing GroupCell Death and Disease2041-48892025-03-0116111210.1038/s41419-025-07558-4CSF3R-AS promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progression and sorafenib resistance through the CSF3R/JAK2/STAT3 positive feedback loopZiyang Feng0Yan Gao1Changjing Cai2Jun Tan3Ping Liu4Yihong Chen5Gongping Deng6Yanhong Ouyang7Xuewen Liu8Ke Cao9Shan Zeng10Ying Han11Xiangying Deng12Hong Shen13Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South UniversityDepartment of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South UniversityDepartment of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South UniversityDepartment of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South UniversityDepartment of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South UniversityDepartment of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South UniversityDepartment of Emergency, Hainan General Hospital, Hainan Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical UniversityDepartment of Emergency, Hainan General Hospital, Hainan Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical UniversityDepartment of Oncology, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South UniversityDepartment of Oncology, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South UniversityDepartment of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South UniversityDepartment of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South UniversityDepartment of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South UniversityDepartment of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South UniversityAbstract Antisense circular RNA is a special type of circular RNA that is derived from the antisense complementary strand of parental mRNA. However, the function of antisense circRNA in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is still unclear. Here, we reported that CSF3R-AS was upregulated in HCC and correlated with a poor prognosis. CSF3R-AS promoted the proliferation, angiogenesis, and metastasis of HCC, and inhibited apoptosis. Mechanistically, CSF3R-AS has a 180-base complementary pairing sequence with its parental mRNA CSF3R, which can directly bind to CSF3R and recruit RBMS3 to stabilize its parental mRNA, and finally activate JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway. Interestingly, STAT3 can act as a transcription factor of CSF3R-AS, which means that there is a CSF3R-AS/CSF3R/JAK2/STAT3 positive feedback loop in HCC. Finally, the CSF3R-AS/CSF3R/JAK2/STAT3 positive feedback loop was also activated in HCC sorafenib-resistant cells, and blocking this loop was expected to improve the sensitivity of HCC to sorafenib. These findings suggested that the CSF3R-AS/CSF3R/JAK2/STAT3 positive feedback loop could promote HCC progression and sorafenib resistance. Blocking this loop is expected to provide new research directions and therapy targets for HCC.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41419-025-07558-4
spellingShingle Ziyang Feng
Yan Gao
Changjing Cai
Jun Tan
Ping Liu
Yihong Chen
Gongping Deng
Yanhong Ouyang
Xuewen Liu
Ke Cao
Shan Zeng
Ying Han
Xiangying Deng
Hong Shen
CSF3R-AS promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progression and sorafenib resistance through the CSF3R/JAK2/STAT3 positive feedback loop
Cell Death and Disease
title CSF3R-AS promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progression and sorafenib resistance through the CSF3R/JAK2/STAT3 positive feedback loop
title_full CSF3R-AS promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progression and sorafenib resistance through the CSF3R/JAK2/STAT3 positive feedback loop
title_fullStr CSF3R-AS promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progression and sorafenib resistance through the CSF3R/JAK2/STAT3 positive feedback loop
title_full_unstemmed CSF3R-AS promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progression and sorafenib resistance through the CSF3R/JAK2/STAT3 positive feedback loop
title_short CSF3R-AS promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progression and sorafenib resistance through the CSF3R/JAK2/STAT3 positive feedback loop
title_sort csf3r as promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progression and sorafenib resistance through the csf3r jak2 stat3 positive feedback loop
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41419-025-07558-4
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