The RBP2–BECN1–VEGF Axis Orchestrates a Self-Amplifying Circuit to Drive Malignant Progression in Gastric Cancer
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: Gastric cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality worldwide, with its progression governed by aberrant epigenetic modification and dysregulated signaling networks. Retinoblastoma-binding protein 2 (RBP2, also termed KDM5A/JARID1A), a histone H3K4me2/3 demethylase, is frequently overexpressed in multiple human malignancies. However, the molecular mechanism by which RBP2 regulates autophagy and angiogenesis signaling networks in gastric cancer remains poorly elucidated. The present study aimed to explore the functional role and underlying mechanism of RBP2 in facilitating gastric cancer progression via constructing an autophagy-angiogenesis positive feedback loop.A series of clinical specimen analyses, cellular functional experiments, and xenograft tumor models were performed in this study. The results demonstrated that RBP2 was significantly upregulated in gastric cancer tissues and positively correlated with the expression of the core autophagy gene BECN1. Mechanistically, RBP2 directly bound to the promoter region of BECN1 and transcriptionally activated its expression, thereby triggering protective autophagy in gastric cancer cells. RBP2-induced autophagy further promoted the secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a pivotal pro-angiogenic factor in tumors. Notably, secreted VEGF exerted a positive feedback regulatory effect on RBP2 expression. Further mechanistic investigation revealed that VEGF inhibited JNK phosphorylation, subsequently downregulating the p53/miR-212 signaling axis. Suppression of miR-212 expression abrogated its post-transcriptional inhibitory effect on RBP2, leading to a significant increase in RBP2 expression.Collectively, this study firstly identifies a novel positive feedback loop termed RBP2-BECN1-autophagy-VEGF-JNK/p53/miR-212-RBP2 in gastric cancer. This self-amplifying signaling cascade integrates epigenetic regulation, cellular autophagy, and pro-angiogenic signaling, continuously driving gastric cancer cell proliferation, invasion, and tumor growth. These findings provide novel mechanistic insights into gastric cancer pathogenesis and offer promising combinatorial therapeutic targets for clinical gastric cancer treatment.
ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens
PROVIDER: GSE334190 | GEO | 2026/09/09
REPOSITORIES: GEO
ACCESS DATA