circEPSTI1 regulates ovarian cancer progression via decoying miR-942.

Increasing studies show that circular RNAs (circRNAs) play vital roles in tumour progression. But, how circRNAs function in ovarian cancer is mostly unclear. Here, we detected the expression of circEPSTI1 in ovarian cancer and explored the function of circEPSTI1 in ovarian cancer via a series of experiments. Then, we performed luciferase assay and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay to explore the competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) function of circEPSTI1 in ovarian cancer. qRT-PCR verified that circEPSTI1 was overexpressed in ovarian cancer. Inhibition of circEPSTI1 suppressed ovarian cancer cell proliferation, invasion but promoted cell apoptosis. Luciferase assays and RIP assay showed that circEPSTI1 and EPSTI1 (epithelial stromal interaction 1) could directly bind to miR-942. And circEPSTI1 could regulate EPSTI1 expression via sponging miR-942. In summary, circEPSTI1 regulated EPSTI1 expression and ovarian cancer progression by sponging miR-942. circEPSTI1 could be used as a biomarker and therapeutic target in ovarian cancer.

Xie J ，Wang S ，Li G ，Zhao X ，Jiang F ，Liu J ，Tan W ... -  《-》

circEPSTI1 Acts as a ceRNA to Regulate the Progression of Osteosarcoma.

Recent studies have reported the vital roles of circular RNAs (circRNAs) in tumor progression. However, the function and expression profile of most circRNAs in osteosarcoma remain unclear. We examined the expression of circEPSTI1, a circRNA, in 50 paired adjacent normal tissues and osteosarcoma tissues by qRT-PCR. Then, we further explored the function of circEPSTI1 in osteosarcoma progression in vitro and in vivo. For example, cell proliferation and migration were examined. Some experiments were performed to explore the regulatory function of circEPSTI1 in miRNA and to investigate the potential role of circEPSTI1 in osteosarcoma. We found that circEPSTI1 was significantly upregulated in osteosarcoma. Inhibition of circEPSTI1 suppressed the osteosarcoma cancer cell proliferation and migration in vitro. Dual luciferase reporter assay showed that circEPSTI1 and MCL1 (myeloid cell leukaemia 1) could bind to miR-892b and that MCL1 and circEPSTI1 were targets of miR-892b. Thus, the circEPSTI1-miR-892b-MCL1 axis affected osteosarcoma progression through the miRNA sponging mechanism. circEPSTI1 may serve as a target and biomarker for osteosarcoma treatment.

Tan X ，Tan D ，Li H ，Lin Y ，Wen Z ，Zeng C ... -  《-》

CircRhoC promotes tumorigenicity and progression in ovarian cancer by functioning as a miR-302e sponge to positively regulate VEGFA.

Ovarian cancer is a leading cause of deaths due to gynaecological malignancy. While endogenous non-coding circular RNAs (circRNAs) in cancer have attracted attention, their roles in ovarian cancer are not known. We used qRT-PCR to quantify expression of circRhoC in ovarian cancer tissues and normal tissues. The effects of overexpressing or destruction of circRhoC on the phenotype of ovarian cancer cells were assessed both in vitro and in vivo. Dual-luciferase reporter assay assesses the microRNA sponge function of circRhoC. Western blotting was used to confirm the effects of circRhoC and microRNA on target gene expression. Our results showed that circRhoC was significantly up-regulated in ovarian cancer tissues compared to normal ovarian tissues. Overexpression of circRhoC in CAOV3 ovarian cancer cell increased cell viability, migration and invasion ability; destroying circRhoC in A2780 had the opposite effects and inhibited ovarian tumour cell A2780 dissemination in the peritoneum in vivo. We confirmed circRhoC functions as a sponge for miR-302e to positively regulate VEGFA; FISH experiments showed that circRhoC could co-focal with miR-302e; besides, overexpression of miR-302e reversed the ability of circRhoC to positively regulate VEGFA, and what's more, RIP assay showed that circRhoC could directly bind with VEGFA; besides, VEGFA expression level in ovarian cancer tissues was positively associated with circRhoC expression. In conclusion, the oncogenic effect of RhoC in ovarian cancer is at least in part due to circRhoC, which functions not only as a miR-302e sponge to positively regulate VEGFA protein expression, but may also directly bind and modulate VEGFA expression.

Wang LL ，Zong ZH ，Liu Y ，Guan X ，Chen S ，Zhao Y ... -  《-》

Circular RNA circEPSTI1 accelerates cervical cancer progression via miR-375/409-3P/515-5p-SLC7A11 axis.

Wu P ，Li C ，Ye DM ，Yu K ，Li Y ，Tang H ，Xu G ，Yi S ，Zhang Z ... -  《-》

circEPSTI1 as a Prognostic Marker and Mediator of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Progression.

Chen B ，Wei W ，Huang X ，Xie X ，Kong Y ，Dai D ，Yang L ，Wang J ，Tang H ，Xie X ... -  《Theranostics》