Hsa_circ_0038737 promotes PARPi resistance in castration-resistant prostate cancer via IGF2BP3-mediated DNPH1 mRNA stabilization

BACKGROUND: Resistance to poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARPi) poses a major challenge to therapeutic efficacy in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Although circular RNAs (circRNAs) have emerged as critical regulators in cancer biology, their involvement in PARPi resistance remains largely uncharacterized. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to elucidate the molecular mechanism by which hsa_circ_0038737 modulates PARPi resistance in CRPC through post-transcriptional regulatory pathways. METHODS: We employed a comprehensive set of in vitro and in vivo approaches, including qRT-PCR, RNA sequencing, RNA-protein pull-down, RNA immunoprecipitation, functional assays, and xenograft/organoid models, to investigate the biological function and mechanistic role of hsa_circ_0038737 in CRPC progression and therapeutic response. RESULTS: We identified hsa_circ_0038737 as a nuclear-enriched circRNA significantly upregulated in CRPC, with expression levels correlating with poor prognosis and aggressive clinical features. Mechanistically, hsa_circ_0038737 interacts with RNA-binding protein (RBP) IGF2BP3, enhancing the stability of DNPH1 mRNA, a nucleotide sanitizer critical for DNA repair. The circRNA-RBP-mRNA regulatory axis promotes PARPi resistance by facilitating DNA damage repair capacity. Moreover, we revealed that reverse-complementary Alu elements mediate circRNA biogenesis, with HNRNPDL facilitating this process. Pharmacologic inhibition of DNPH1 effectively restored PARPi sensitivity both in vitro and in vivo. CONCLUSION: Our findings reveal a novel hsa_circ_0038737/IGF2BP3/DNPH1 axis driving PARPi resistance in CRPC, offering promising potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets to overcome resistance and improve treatment outcomes in advanced prostate cancer.