Circular RNA is a newly discovered member of non-coding RNA (ncRNA) and regulates the target gene by acting as a micro-RNA sponge. It plays vital roles in various diseases. However, the functions of circular RNA in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remain still unclear. Our data showed that circ-WHSC1 was highly expressed in NSCLC cells and tissues. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments showed that circ-WHSC1 promoted NSCLC proliferation. circ-WHSC1 also promoted the migration and invasion of lung cancer cells. Through bioinformatic analysis and functional experiments, we showed that circ-WHSC1 could act as a sponge for micro-RNA-7 (miR-7) and regulate the expression of TAB2 (TGF-beta activated kinase one binding protein two). Inhibition of the circ-WHSC1/miR-7/TAB2 pathway could effectively attenuate lung cancer progression. In summary, this study confirmed the existence and oncogenic function of circ-WHSC1 in NSCLC. The research suggests that the circ-WHSC1/miR-7/TAB2 axis might be a potential target for NSCLC therapy.

中文翻译：

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环状 RNA WHSC1 通过调节 miR-7/TAB2 在肺癌中发挥致癌作用

环状RNA是新发现的非编码RNA（ncRNA）成员，通过充当micro-RNA海绵来调节靶基因。它在各种疾病中起着至关重要的作用。然而，环状RNA在非小细胞肺癌（NSCLC）中的作用仍不清楚。我们的数据显示circ-WHSC1在NSCLC细胞和组织中高表达。体外和体内实验均表明 circ-WHSC1 促进了 NSCLC 的增殖。circ-WHSC1还促进了肺癌细胞的迁移和侵袭。通过生物信息学分析和功能实验，我们发现 circ-WHSC1 可以作为 micro-RNA-7 (miR-7) 的海绵并调节 TAB2（TGF-β 活化激酶一结合蛋白二）的表达。抑制 circ-WHSC1/miR-7/TAB2 通路可有效减缓肺癌进展。总之，本研究证实了 circ-WHSC1 在 NSCLC 中的存在及其致癌作用。研究表明，circ-WHSC1/miR-7/TAB2 轴可能是 NSCLC 治疗的潜在靶点。