Fig. 7.

Clinical relevance of the positive feedback loop in patients with BCa. (A) qRT-PCR for the miR-16-2-3p expression in BCa tissues (n = 296) paired with NATs (n = 296). (B) qRT-PCR analysis showed miR-16-2-3p level in a 296-case BCa tissues with pathological grade. (C) qRT-PCR for the miR-16-2-3p expression in primary tumor (n = 88) paired with metastatic LNs (n = 88). (D) qRT-PCR for the Wnt5a expression in BCa tissues (n = 296) paired with NATs (n = 296). (E) qRT-PCR analysis showed Wnt5a level in a 296-case BCa tissues with pathological grade. (F) qRT-PCR for the Wnt5a expression in primary tumor (n = 88) paired with metastatic LNs (n = 88). (G, H) Kaplan-Meier survival curves for OS (E) and DFS (F) of low and high miR-16-2-3p expression level in patients with BCa. The median expression level of miR-16-2-3p was taken as the cutoff value. (I) Representative images and quantification of circNIPBL–indicated N-cadherin and E-cadherin expression was detected by RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization assay in BCa tissues. Scale bar = 50 μm. (J, K) Correlation analysis of circNIPBL and E-cadherin (H), N-cadherin (I) expression in bladder cancer tissues (n = 296). (L) Schematic illustrating the potential mechanism of circNIPBL sustains bladder cancer metastasis via a positive feedback loop. The statistical difference was assessed through the nonparametric Mann–Whitney U test in A-H, J, K and the χ² test in I. Error bars show the SD from three independent experiments. *p < 0.05 and **p < 0.01