Circular RNA ITCH downregulates GLUT1 and suppresses glucose uptake in melanoma to inhibit cancer cell proliferation

Abstract

Background

Circular RNA ITCH has been proved as a tumor suppressor in several types of cancer. Genetic alterations are known to play important roles in melanoma development. However, the function of circular RNAs and the role of ITCH in melanoma are still hardly known.

Methods

We investigated the expression levels of ITCH and the correlation between ITCH expression and GLUT1 expression, which showed that ITCH was downregulated in melanoma tissues and inversely correlated with GLUT1.

Results

ITCH overexpression resulted in the downregulation of GLUT1 and suppressed glucose uptake in melanoma. GLUT1 overexpression promoted glucose uptake but failed to affect ITCH. ITCH overexpression resulted in increased, while GLUT1 overexpression resulted in decreased rate of melanoma cell proliferation. In addition, GLUT1 overexpression reduced the effects of ITCH overexpression on cell proliferation.

Conclusions

We concluded that ITCH may downregulate GLUT1 and suppresses glucose uptake in melanoma to inhibit cancer cell proliferation.

Keywords:

• Melanoma
• circular RNA ITCH
• GLUT1
• proliferation

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Data availability statement

The analyzed data sets generated during the study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Author contributions

Qianli Lin and Defeng Lin conceptualization, methology, analysis, investigation, manuscript preparation. Hua Jiang analysis, investigation, manuscript preparation.