Hsa-circ-0052001 promotes gastric cancer cell proliferation and invasion via the MAPK pathway.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Gastric cancer (GC) ranks fourth among the causes of death from malignant tumors in the world. Studies have implicated the dysregulation of circRNAs with GC. However, the relationship between hsa-circ-0052001 and GC is unclear. METHODS: In our current study, we assessed the expression levels of hsa-circ-0052001 in GC cells and tissues using quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). The role of hsa-circ-0052001 expression on the proliferation and invasion of GC cells was assessed using in vitro experiments. The role of hsa-circ-0052001 on the proliferation of GC cells was also analyzed using in vivo models. The pathways downstream of hsa-circ-0052001 were identified using bioinformatics analyses, western blot (WB) assays, and qRT-PCR. RESULTS: We found that compared with normal gastric mucosa epithelial cells and adjacent paracancer tissues, hsa-circ-0052001 was overexpressed in GC cells and tissues. Also, the hsa-circ-0052001 level was linked to patient clinicopathological characteristics of GC. Cell proliferation and metastatic ability were inhibited in gastric cancer cells when hsa-circ-0052001 was knocked down in vitro and cancer growth in vivo. Mechanistically, hsa-circ-0052001 promoted the carcinogenesis of GC cells via the MAPK signal pathway. CONCLUSION: Hsa-circ-0052001 functions as a tumor gene in promoting the progression of GC through MAPK pathway, which has provided a promising target for patients with GC.