Exosomal circ_0050688 Shapes a Chemoresistant Microenvironment by Driving Spatial Resistance Spreading in Glioblastoma via the MDM2 Pathway.

Background

Acquired tolerance to temozolomide (TMZ) remains one of the main obstacles to enduring therapeutic success in glioblastoma (GBM). While tumor-derived extracellular vesicles are known to orchestrate therapy evasion by horizontally transferring molecules across the tumor microenvironment, the precise regulatory roles of specific exosomal circular RNAs (circRNAs) in establishing this refractory state require further elucidation.

Methods

The expression of circ_0050688 in TMZ-resistant GBM clinical tissues and cell lines was evaluated. Exosomes derived from resistant cells were isolated and confirmed via transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and marker analysis. PKH67 fluorescent tracking was utilized to visually demonstrate exosome internalization by sensitive recipient cells. Biological functions, including the expression of the multidrug resistance protein P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and the proliferation marker Ki-67, were evaluated. The competing endogenous RNA mechanism was validated using RNA FISH, dual-luciferase reporters, and functional rescue experiments. In vivo efficacy was determined using subcutaneous xenograft mouse models.

Results

Clinical and in vitro analyses revealed that circ_0050688 is upregulated in TMZ-refractory GBM, predicting adverse patient survival. Through PKH67-based tracing, we confirmed that resistant cells actively secrete circ_0050688-enriched exosomes, which are subsequently engulfed by drug-sensitive bystander cells. This vesicular transfer directly instigates a chemoresistant and highly proliferative phenotype, marked by elevated P-gp and Ki-67 levels. At the molecular level, circ_0050688 operates as a molecular decoy for miR-508-5p, thereby preventing the suppression of its downstream target, MDM2. Functionally, circ_0050688 depletion eradicated these aggressive traits and restored TMZ vulnerability across both cellular and murine xenograft models. Furthermore, rescue assays confirmed that this circ_0050688-driven chemoresistance is fundamentally dependent on the miR-508-5p/MDM2 signaling axis.

Conclusions

Current data uncover an intercellular signaling network driven by vesicular circ_0050688, which functions as a mobile oncogene to reshape the TMZ-refractory microenvironment. Targeting this exosomal circ_0050688/miR-508-5p/MDM2 network to suppress P-gp and Ki-67 expression represents a highly promising therapeutic strategy for refractory GBM.