Hsa_circ_0092887 targeting miR‐490‐5p/UBE2T promotes paclitaxel resistance in non‐small cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND: Chemoresistance is a major contributing factor to cancer treatment failure. Emerging research reveals that circular RNA (circRNA) dysregulation is implicated in chemoresistance. Our current study aimed to investigate the involvement of hsa_circ_0092887 in paclitaxel (PTX) resistance in non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: RT‐qPCR as well as western blotting were used for the analysis of hsa_circ_0092887, miR‐490‐5p and UBE2T expression in PTX‐resistant NSCLC tumor tissues and cells. CCK‐8 assay was done to determine the IC50 value of PTX. CCK‐8 assay, wound healing assay, analysis of apoptosis related proteins (Bax and Bcl‐2), and xenograft mouse models were utilized to investigate the role of hsa_circ_0092887 in PTX‐resistance in NSCLC. The binding sites of miR‐490‐5p to hsa_circ_0092887 or UBE2T were predicted by bioinformatics tools and were verified by RIP and dual‐luciferase assays. RESULTS: Expression of hsa_Circ_0092887 was upregulated in NSCLC tumor samples/cell lines, and its expression was also higher in PTX‐resistant tumor samples/cell lines when compared with their respective controls. Silencing of hsa_circ_0092887 in PTX‐treated NSCLC cells inhibited cell proliferation and migration, induced apoptosis, and suppressed tumor growth in xenograft mouse models in vivo. MiR‐490‐5p was a direct target of hsa_circ_0092887, and UBE2T was a functional downstream target of hsa_circ_0092887/miR‐490‐5p axis. Hsa_circ_0092887 depletion‐induced anti‐cancer effects in PTX‐treated NSCLC cells were reversed by miR‐490‐5p inhibitor. Furthermore, inhibition of miR‐490‐5p strengthened UBE2T expression, thereby attenuating the anti‐cancer effects caused by UBE2T knockdown. CONCLUSION: Hsa_circ_0092887 depletion alleviated PTX‐resistance in NSCLC cells via modulating the miR‐490‐5p/UBE2T axis, and the targeted management of hsa_circ_0092887‐mediated signaling axis might contribute to PTX‐resistance intervention in NSCLC.