# circSATB1 Modulates Cell Senescence in Age-Related Acute Myeloid Leukemia: A Mechanistic Proposal

## TL;DR

This paper explores how a specific circular RNA, circSATB1, promotes cell senescence in elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia.

## Contribution

The study identifies circSATB1 as a senescence-associated circRNA in AML and suggests its role in cell cycle arrest and senescence.

## Key findings

- circSATB1 is overexpressed in elderly AML patients and AML cells.
- Knockdown of circSATB1 leads to cell cycle arrest in G0/G1 phase and promotes cellular senescence.
- Database analysis suggests circSATB1 may be regulated by two miRNAs and nine RNA-binding proteins.

## Abstract

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a malignant hematological tumor with a high prevalence in elderly people, and circular RNA (circRNA) plays an important role in age-related diseases. Induction of cancer cell senescence is a highly promising therapeutic strategy; however, the presence of senescence-associated circRNAs in AML remains to be elucidated. Here, we show that the expression patterns of circRNAs differed between elderly AML patients and healthy volunteers. circSATB1 was significantly overexpressed in elderly patients and AML cells. Knockdown of circSATB1 resulted in the inhibition of proliferation and arrest of the cell cycle in the G0/G1 phase; no effect on apoptosis or DNA integrity was observed, and precocious cellular senescence was promoted, characterized by no change in telomere length. Database analysis revealed that there may be two miRNA and nine RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) involved in regulating the cellular functions of circSATB1. Our observations uncover circSATB1-orchestrated cell senescence in AML, which provides clues for finding more modest therapeutic targets for AML.