circRNA_SLC8A1 promotes the survival of mycobacterium tuberculosis in macrophages by upregulating expression of autophagy-related protein SQSTM1/p62 to activate the NF-B pathway

Macrophages act as the first immune defense line of the host against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). A previous study showed that circRNA_SLC8A1 was significantly upregulated in Mtb-infected macrophages, but its regulatory mechanism in anti-tuberculosis infection is unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the role of circRNA_SLC8A1 in the anti-tuberculosis activity of macrophages. We showed that circRNA_SLC8A1 was upregulated in tuberculosis patients. Moreover, the binding sites of miR-20b-5p on circRNA_SLC8A1 and Sequestosome 1 (SQSTM1/p62) mRNA were predicted by StarBase and verified by the double luciferase reporter gene assay. Next, we found that miR-20b-5p expression was decreased, while SQSTM1 protein expression was increased in a time- and dose-dependent manner in the human macrophage U937 in response to Mtb infection. Furthermore, circRNA_SLC8A1 overexpression vector (circRNA_SLC8A1) or shRNA (sh-circRNA_SLC8A1) and/or miR-20b-5p mimic or inhibitor and/or SQSTM1 overexpression vector (SQSTM1) or small interfering RNA (si-SQSTM1) or its corresponding control were transfected into Mtb-infected macrophages. Results showed that overexpression of circRNA_SLC8A1 or miR-20b-5p inhibitor promoted the secretion of pro-inflammatory factors IL-1 beta, IL-6, and TNF-alpha, increased Nitric Oxide (NO) content and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression, inhibited Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Cleaved-caspase-3 protein expression, and cell apoptosis, and promoted Mtb survival. Silencing SQSTM1 inhibited secretion of pro-inflammatory factors and activation of the NF-kappa B pathway. Overexpression of miR-20b-5p blocked the promoting of circ-SLC8A1 on SQSTM1 protein expression. In summary, circRNA_SLC8A1 sponged miR-20b-5p to upregulate SQSTM1/p62 expression and promoted Mtb survival in macrophages through the NF-kappa B signaling pathway.