CircRNA-SORE mediates sorafenib resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma by stabilizing YBX1

Sorafenib is the first-line chemotherapeutic therapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, sorafenib resistance significantly limits its therapeutic efficacy, and the mechanisms underlying resistance have not been fully clarified. Here we report that a circular RNA, circRNA-SORE (a circular RNA upregulated in sorafenib-resistant HCC cells), plays a significant role in sorafenib resistance in HCC. We found that circRNA-SORE is upregulated in sorafenib-resistant HCC cells and depletion of circRNA-SORE substantially increases the cell-killing ability of sorafenib. Further studies revealed that circRNA-SORE binds the master oncogenic protein YBX1 in the cytoplasm, which prevents YBX1 nuclear…

• NN
  National Natural Science Foundation of China

  Awards: 81902367, 81827804, 2019308, 81772546
• CP
  China Postdoctoral Science Foundation

  Award: 2020M671755
• ZU
  Zhejiang University

  Awards: 2019XZZX005-4-05, 81827804
• NS
  Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province

  Awards: 81827804, LQ19H160026