Hsa_circ_0031787 promotes cell proliferation and invasion in colorectal cancer

Objective: Circular RNA (circRNA) has been found to be involved in regulating tumor development. However, the roles and underlying mechanisms of circRNA in colorectal cancer (CRC) development remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the effects of hsa_circ_0031787 on CRC.a Methods: Aberrant circRNA expression was explored by the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, and hsa_circ_0031787 was selected for further study. Hsa_circ_0031787 expression was determined in CRC tissues and cell lines by qRT-PCR. Cell proliferation was measured by Edu and colony formation assays. Cell invasion was tested by Transwell assays. Results: Hsa_circ_0031787 expression levels in CRC were significantly increased and correlated with advanced TNM stage and lymph node metastasis in CRC patients. Functional assays showed that hsa_circ_0031787 suppression reduced CRC cell proliferation and invasion in vitro and reduced tumor growth in vivo. Furthermore, hsa_circ_0031787 suppression reduced activation of the Wnt/beta-catenin axis in CRC. Conclusions: Our results showed that hsa_circ_0031787 may function as an oncogenic circRNA in CRC progression, thus providing a new potential therapeutic target.