circUBAP2 exacerbates malignant capabilities of NSCLC by targeting KLF4 through miR-3182 modulation

Chemo-resistance and refractoriness remain challenges for Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients and the underlying molecular mechanisms haven’t been fully explained. In this study, we investigated the influence of circUBAP2 on the NSCLC tumor cells. This study might provide novel therapeutic targets for NSCLC treatment. Clinical samples and NSCLC cell lines were used to investigate circUBAP2 expressions and their impact on tumor cell chemo-resistance. CCK8 and transwell assays were conducted to explore the differences of NSCLC tumor proliferation and migration capabilities affected by circUBAP2. Dual-luciferase reporter gene assay was performed to explore the detailed molecular mechanism of circUBAP2 regulation network. circUBAP2 exhibited significantly elevated average level in our clinical samples of NSCLC, compared with normal tissues. CircUBAP2 level was positively correlated with disease stage and metastatic status. circUBAP2 significantly enhanced the migration, proliferation and chemo-resistance of NSCLC cell lines. Further experiments indicated that circUBAP2 promoted malignant biological behavior of NSCLC tumor cells by targeting KLF4 through modulating miR-3182 expression. Our study demonstrated for the first time that circUBAP2 played an important role exacerbating malignant capabilities of NSCLC. circUBAP2-miR3182-KLF4 regulative network demonstrated in this study could be a novel therapeutic target for future NSCLC treatment.