The KANSL1-ARL17A fusion gene generates oncogenic chKANSARL and F-circKA RNAs that synergistically drive lung cancer progression via a novel F-circKA/miR-6860/chKANSARL axis

TL;DR

A fusion gene in lung cancer produces two RNA types that work together to speed up cancer growth by interacting with a specific microRNA.

Contribution

Discovery of a novel regulatory axis involving a fusion circular RNA, a chimeric RNA, and miR-6860 in lung cancer progression.

Findings

Overexpression of chKANSARL or F-circKA increases lung cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion.

F-circKA acts as a sponge for miR-6860, derepressing chKANSARL expression and enhancing oncogenic effects.

The F-circKA/miR-6860/chKANSARL axis synergistically drives tumor growth in mice.

Abstract

Fusion genes are pivotal drivers of tumorigenesis, often generating oncogenic chimeric RNAs and fusion circular RNAs. However, the mechanisms by which these transcripts synergistically contribute to cancer progression remain poorly understood. Here, we identified a lung cancer-specific chimeric RNA KANSL1-ARL17A (chKANSARL) and its circular variant fusion circular RNA KANSL1-ARL17 A (F-circKA), both derived from the fusion gene KANSARL. Functional assays revealed that overexpression of either chKANSARL or F-circKA significantly enhanced lung cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, while their knockdown suppressed these malignant phenotypes. In vivo experiments demonstrated that chKANSARL overexpression accelerated tumor growth in immunodeficient mice. Notably, coexpression experiments uncovered a synergistic regulatory interaction between F-circKA and chKANSARL, amplifying oncogenic effects. Mechanistically, miRNA sequencing and dual-luciferase assays revealed that F-circKA acts as a molecular sponge for miR-6860, thereby derepressing chKANSARL expression. Rescue experiments further validated this regulatory axis, wherein miR-6860 inhibition reversed the tumor-suppressive effects of F-circKA knockdown. Collectively, our study identifies and characterizes a novel F-circKA/miR-6860/chKANSARL regulatory axis, revealing how dual transcriptional outputs from the KANSARL fusion gene can synergistically drive lung cancer progression. These findings highlight a previously unrecognized layer of cooperative regulation between linear and circular fusion RNAs in oncogenesis and provide a new framework for understanding fusion gene-mediated tumorigenesis.

Figures