# CircVAMP3 promotes acute lung injury progression by regulating the miR-580-3p/STING/IFN-β axis in macrophages

**Authors:** Zheng Zhou, Shuyang Chen, Yajun Wang, Shujing Chen, Jinjun Jiang

PMC · DOI: 10.7717/peerj.19573 · 2025-06-26

## TL;DR

This study shows that a circular RNA called circVAMP3 worsens lung injury by boosting inflammation through a specific molecular pathway.

## Contribution

The study identifies circVAMP3 as a novel regulator of inflammation in acute lung injury via the miR-580-3p/STING/IFN-β axis.

## Key findings

- circVAMP3 promotes IFN-β expression in macrophages, contributing to acute lung injury progression.
- circVAMP3 regulates the miR-580-3p/STING/IFN-β axis in macrophages.
- circVAMP3 is a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for ARDS.

## Abstract

Circular RNA (circRNA) is a prominent group of non-coding RNA (ncRNA) that regulates gene expression at the post-transcriptional level in various diseases including acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). In our study, circVAMP3 was a novel circRNA significantly increased in macrophages in an acute lung injury (ALI) model. Through knockdown and overexpression of circVAMP3, we found circVAMP3 promoted the expression of IFN-β in macrophages, which was vital in the pathophysiological process of ARDS. Moreover, we showed that circVAMP3 targeted Stimulator of Interferon Genes (STING) through miR-580-3p by bioinformatics analysis and intervene of miR-580-3p. CircVAMP3 acts as a pro-inflammation ncRNA by regulating the miR-580-3p/STING/IFN-β axis and could be a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for ARDS.

## Linked entities

- **Genes:** VAMP3 (vesicle associated membrane protein 3) [NCBI Gene 9341], STING1 (stimulator of interferon response cGAMP interactor 1) [NCBI Gene 340061], IFNB1 (interferon beta 1) [NCBI Gene 3456]
- **Diseases:** acute respiratory distress syndrome (MONDO:0006502), acute lung injury (MONDO:0006502)

## Full-text entities

- **Genes:** STING1 (stimulator of interferon response cGAMP interactor 1) [NCBI Gene 340061] {aka ERIS, MITA, MPYS, NET23, SAVI, STING}, IFNA1 (interferon alpha 1) [NCBI Gene 3439] {aka IFL, IFN, IFN-ALPHA, IFN-alphaD, IFNA13, IFNA@}
- **Diseases:** ALI (MESH:D055371), ARDS (MESH:D012128), inflammation (MESH:D007249)

## Figures

7 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12206400/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12206400