ZNF148 modulates TOP2A expression and cell proliferation via ceRNA regulatory mechanism in colorectal cancer

Background: Competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) regulation is a novel hypothesized mechanism that states RNA molecules share common target microRNAs (miRNAs) and may competitively combine into the same miRNA pool. Methods: Zinc finger protein 148 (ZNF148) and TOP2A expression were analyzed in 742 colorectal cancer (CRC) tissues using immunohistochemistry (IHC). ZNF148 mRNA, TOP2A mRNA, miR101, miR144, miR335, and miR365 expression were estimated in 53 fresh frozen CRC tissues by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Mechanisms underpinning ceRNA were examined using bioinformatics, correlation analysis, RNA interference, gene over-expression, and luciferase assays. Results: Protein levels of ZNF148 and TOP2A detected by IHC positively correlated (Spearman correlation coefficient [rs] = 0.431, P