Circ_0084615 promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition-mediated tumor progression in hepatocellular carcinoma

AimCircRNAs have been identified as crucial regulators in tumorigenesis and progression. This study aimed to explore the biological role and underlying mechanism of circ_0084615 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).MethodsThe expression of RNAs was detected by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The effects of circ_0084615 silencing on malignant behaviors of HCC cells were assessed by CCK-8, colony formation, wound healing, and Transwell assays in vitro and tumor transplantation experiment in vivo. The expression of proteins was detected by Western blotting. Dual-luciferase reporter assay and RNA-binding protein immunoprecipitation were performed to explore the mechanism of circ_0084615.ResultsA significant upregulation of circ_0084615 was observed in HCC tissues, and positively correlated with the TNM staging. Silencing of circ_0084615 impeded HCC cell viability, colony formation, migration, invasion, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and xenograft tumor growth. Mechanistically, circ_0084615 could bind to miR-1200 and eliminate its ability to destroy actin-like 6A (ACTL6A) mRNA, thereby increasing ACTL6A expression and facilitating the malignant behaviors of HCC cells.ConclusionsThis study clarified the oncogenic activity and mechanism of circ_0084615, thereby providing potential diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic target for inhibiting HCC progression. Circ_0084615 has identified as an oncogenic circRNA in hepatocellular carcinoma. circ_0084615 could bind to miR-1200 and eliminate its ability to destroy actin-like 6A (ACTL6A) mRNA, thereby facilitating the malignant behaviors of hepatocellular carcinoma cells in vitro and in vivo.image