A large number of researches have shown that circular RNA (circRNA) is new hope for the diagnosis or treatment of tumors, including liver cancer (LCa). However, it remains largely unclear the role of circRNA in the progression of LCa and its molecular mechanism. GSE164803 microarray dataset was applied to identify dysregulated circRNAs in LCa and noncancerous tissues. CircTUBGCP5 (hsa_circ_0034049) was selected for further research. Biological functions of circTUBGCP5 were investigated by EdU, colony formation, flow cytometry, glucose consumption and lactate production assay, and in vivo tumorigenesis. RNA pull-down assay and dual-luciferase reporter assay were used to investigate the interaction between circTUBGCP5, miR-144-3p, and ACSL4. We demonstrated that circTUBGCP5 was significantly up-regulated in LCa tissues and cells. CircTUBGCP5 promoted LCa cell proliferation, anti-apoptotic ability, glycolysis, and tumorigenesis at least partially by sponging miR-144-3p to regulate ACSL4 protein level. In conclusion, circTUBGCP5 is a forceful contributor to malignant behaviors and glycolysis of LCa via modulating the circTUBGCP5/miR-144-3p/ACSL4 axis, which has provided a target for the diagnosis and treatment of LCa patients.

中文翻译：

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circTUBGCP5通过上调ACSL4的表达促进肝癌进展和糖酵解

大量研究表明，环状RNA（circRNA）是包括肝癌（LCa）在内的肿瘤诊断或治疗的新希望。然而，目前尚不清楚circRNA在LCa进展中的作用及其分子机制。GSE164803 微阵列数据集用于识别 LCa 和非癌组织中失调的 circRNA。CircTUBGCP5 (hsa_circ_0034049) 被选中进行进一步研究。通过 EdU、集落形成、流式细胞术、葡萄糖消耗和乳酸产生测定以及体内肿瘤发生研究了 circTUBGCP5 的生物学功能。RNA pull-down 分析和双荧光素酶报告基因分析用于研究 circTUBGCP5、miR-144-3p 和 ACSL4 之间的相互作用。我们证明了 circTUBGCP5 在 LCa 组织和细胞中显着上调。CircTUBGCP5 至少部分通过海绵化 miR-144-3p 调节 ACSL4 蛋白水平来促进 LCa 细胞增殖、抗凋亡能力、糖酵解和肿瘤发生。总之，circTUBGCP5通过调节circTUBGCP5/miR-144-3p/ACSL4轴，是LCa恶性行为和糖酵解的有力贡献者，为LCa患者的诊断和治疗提供了靶点。