Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been verified to have essential regulatory roles in diverse human cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this study, we aimed to explore the roles of circ_0001445 in HCC. Herein, circ_0001445 was decreased and miR-942-5p was increased in HCC tissues and cells. Circ_0001445 overexpression or miR-942-5p inhibition repressed cell cycle process, migration, invasion, epithelial-mesenchymal transition and glycolysis in HCC cells. Mechanistically, circ_0001445 could promote ALX4 expression through targeting miR-942-5p. Moreover, miR-942-5p overexpression reversed the inhibitory effect of circ_0001445 on HCC cell progression. The effect of miR-942-5p on HCC cell development was rescued following the elevation of ALX4. In addition, circ_0001445 overexpression restrained tumorigenesis in vivo. In conclusion, circ_0001445 played a negative role in HCC progression by modulating miR-942-5p/ALX4 axis, which might provide a novel target for HCC therapy.

中文翻译：

---

circ_0001445的过表达通过调节miR-942-5p/ALX4轴减缓肝细胞癌的进展

环状 RNA (circRNA) 已被证实在多种人类癌症中具有重要的调节作用，包括肝细胞癌 (HCC)。在本研究中，我们旨在探索 circ_0001445 在 HCC 中的作用。在此，HCC 组织和细胞中 circ_0001445 减少，miR-942-5p 增加。Circ_0001445 过表达或 miR-942-5p 抑制抑制了 HCC 细胞中的细胞周期过程、迁移、侵袭、上皮间质转化和糖酵解。从机制上讲，circ_0001445 可以通过靶向 miR-942-5p 促进 ALX4 表达。此外，miR-942-5p 过表达逆转了 circ_0001445 对 HCC 细胞进展的抑制作用。ALX4 升高后，miR-942-5p 对 HCC 细胞发育的影响得以恢复。此外，circ_0001445的过表达抑制了体内肿瘤的发生。综上所述，