Circular RNA circSLC39A10 promotes prostate cancer progression by activating Wnt signaling via the miR-936/PROX1/β-catenin axis

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) play a crucial role in the initiation and development of cancers. Understanding circRNAs' functions and molecular mechanisms in tumor development is expected to reveal new diagnostic indicators and therapeutic targets of prostate cancer (PCa). In our study, we identified a new circRNA hsa-circ-0057553 (circSLC39A10) in PCa from a bioinformatic microarray analysis. The levels of circSLC39A10 were observed to be markedly elevated in both prostate cancer cells and tissues. This increased expression was associated with multiple clinicopathological features, suggesting its potential as a new diagnostic indicator for PCa. CircSLC39A10 exhibited oncogenic effects on the proliferation, migration, invasion, and metastasis of prostate cancer cells both in vivo and in vitro. CircSLC39A10 was identified as a factor that promoted the malignant progression of PCa cells through the miR-936/PROX1/β-catenin pathway, ultimately leading to the activation of Wnt signaling. Overall, circSLC39A10 is an oncogenic circRNA with potential as a biomarker for PCa. The identified circSLC39A10/miR-936/PROX1/β-catenin axis shows promise as an innovative therapeutic target for PCa.