Circ_0002232 Acts as a Potential Biomarker for AML and Reveals a Potential ceRNA Network of Circ_0002232/miR-92a-3p/PTEN

Abstract Background: PTEN, known as a classical tumor suppressor, has been reported to be down-expressed in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and affected the progression of AML patients. CircRNAs, an emerging type of non-coding RNAs, could act as competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) and has been reported to regulate the expression of PTEN through sponging miRNA in many solid tumors. But there are rarely studies focused on the role of circ-PTEN in AML. Our research was aimed to investigate the expression level of circ_0002232, one of circular RNAs of PTEN, reveal the clinical significance and potential ceRNA interaction network in AML of it.Methods: Circ_0002232 expression in 117 AML patients and 48 controls was detected by using Real-time quantitative PCR. The diagnostic value of circ_0002232 expression was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic curve. Kaplan-Meier curves were used to analyse the impact of circ_0002232 for overall survival. CeRNA network of circ_0002232 was predicted by using interaction prediction websites.Results: Compared with controls, circ_0002232 was notably low-expressed in AML (P<0.001). According to the result of receiver operating characteristic curve, circ_0002232 expression could distinguish AML patients from controls (P<0.001). There were significant differences in patients’ age (P=0.002), FAB classifications (P=0.025), white blood cell count (P=0.034) and platelet count (P=0.047) between low-expressed circ_0002232 group and high-expressed circ_00022332 group. Moreover, there was a positive correlation between circ_0002232 expression and patients’ age (Pearson r=0.256, P=0.0053). Interestingly, we found that patients in low-expressed circ_0002232 group had better overall survival both in whole AML (P=0.019) and non-APL AML (P=0.044). Remarkably, the expression of circ_0002232 was positively correlated with PTEN (Pearson r=0.769, P<0.001). Furthermore, there was a negative correlation in AML between circ_0002232 and miR-92a-3p (Pearson r=-0.262, P=0.032), miR-92a-3p and PTEN (Pearson r=-0.358, P=0.019). Interaction prediction websites revealed that circ_0002232 might regulate the expression of PTEN through sponging miR-92a-3p and affect the process of AML.Conclusions: Circ_0002232, one of circRNAs of PTEN, was remarkably down-regulated in AML and could act as a promising biomarker for the diagnosis of AML. In addition, there might be a potential ceRNA interaction network of circ_0002232/miR-92a-3p/PTEN in AML.