CircMYOF acts as a miR-4739 sponge to promote progression and facilitate glycolysis via VEGFA/PI3K/AKT pathway in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Abstract Emerging evidences has revealed that circular RNAs (circRNAs) participate in the initiation and development of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), a deadly malignancy with extremely low 5-year survival rate. Reprogrammed glucose metabolism is a key feature of tumor development, including PDAC. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of circRNAs in reprogrammed glucose metabolism in PDAC. RNA sequencing under various glucose incubation circumstance was performed. A new circMYOF was identified. Sanger sequencing and RNase R treatment confirmed its circular RNA characteristics. Real time PCR indicated that it was overexpressed in PDAC tissues and cell lines. Gain-of and loss-of function assay implied that circMYOF promoted progression in PDAC. Mechanically, RNA pull down and luciferase reporter assay suggested that circMYOF, exhibiting as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) for miR-4739, facilitated glycolysis via VEGFA/PI3K/AKT pathway. Taken together, our finding indicates that circMYOF may be a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for PDAC patients. Citation Format: Dandan Zheng, Xianxian Huang, Juanfei Peng, Yanyan Zhuang, Yuanhua Li, Junchi Qu, Shineng Zhang, Fengting Huang. CircMYOF acts as a miR-4739 sponge to promote progression and facilitate glycolysis via VEGFA/PI3K/AKT pathway in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Virtual Special Conference on Pancreatic Cancer; 2021 Sep 29-30. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(22 Suppl):Abstract nr PO-026.