Circ_0060967 facilitates proliferation, migration, and invasion of non-small-cell lung cancer cells by sponging miR-660-3p/UBN2

Growing evidence has implied that circular RNAs (circRNAs) are involved in multiple tumors progression. This study firstly uncovered the function of circ_0060967 in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) progression. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was employed to monitor circ_0060967, miR-660-3p, and ubinuclein-2 (UBN2) mRNA expression in clinical tissues and cell lines. Cell counting kit-8 assay, 5-ethynyl-20-deoxyuridine assay, and Transwell assay were recruited to research cells viability, proliferation, migration, and invasion. BALB/c nude mice were applied to perform in vivo study. Fluorescence in situ hybridization was adopted to explore the subcellular location of circ_0060967 in NSCLC cells. Dual luciferase reporter gene assay and RNA pull-down assay were utilized to identify the interaction among circ_0060967, miR-660-3p, and UBN2. Western blot was employed for UBN2 protein expression investigation in NSCLC cells. Immunohistochemistry was utilized to research UBN2 protein expression in clinical tissues and xenograft tumor tissues. Circ_0060967 was aberrantly over-modulated in NSCLC tissues and cells. High circ_0060967 expression implied grim prognosis. Loss of circ_0060967 weakened NSCLC cells viability, proliferation, migration, invasion, and in vivo growth. Circ_0060967 was mainly distributed in the cytoplasm of NSCLC cells. Down-modulated miR-660-3p and up-regulated UBN2 were found in NSCLC patients. miR-660-3p was sponged by circ_0060967 and it directly targeted UBN2. miR-660-3p down-modulation rescued the suppression of circ_0060967 loss on NSCLC cells viability, proliferation, migration, and invasion. Circ_0060967 facilitated NSCLC progression by enhancing UBN2 expression via sponging miR-660-3p. It might be a promising target for NSCLC treatment.