Abstract

Background CircRNA is a very important functional RNA that plays an important role in the development and metabolism of cancer. However, the study of circRNA in NSCLC has not been fully elucidated. Methods The expression of hsa_circ_0017620, SFMBT2, miR-520a-5p, and KRT5 was determined using qRT-PCR. KRT5, Twist1, E-cadherin, and Ki67 protein expression were measured with western blot. The positive expression rates of Ki67 and Vimentin were determined by immunohistochemistry assay. 5-Ethynyl-2’-deoxyuridine (EdU), colony formation, and MTT assays were used to assess cell proliferation. Transwell migration and invasion assay were applied to determine cell migration and invasion. Dual-luciferase reporter and RNA immunoprecipitation assays were used to verify the relationship among hsa_circ_0017620, miR-520a-5p, and KRT5. The animal experiment was used to ensure the effects of hsa_circ_0017620 on tumor growth in vivo . Results Hsa_circ_0017620 was upregulated in NSCLC cells and tissues. MiR-520a-5p had been verified to be a target miRNA of hsa_circ_0017620 and KRT5 had been verified to be a target mRNA of miR-520a-5p in NSCLC cells. Knockdown of hsa_circ_0017620 inhibited cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in NSCLC cells, which was reversed by downregulating miR-520a-5p or upregulating KRT5 in NSCLC. Overexpression of hsa_circ_0017620 had opposite effects in NSCLC. Moreover, hsa_circ_0017620 silencing inhibited tumor growth in vivo of NSCLC. Conclusion In this study, we found that hsa_circ_0017620 played an important role in NSCLC progression. Hsa_circ_0017620 regulated cell proliferation, invasion, and migration through targeting miR-520a-5p/KRT5 axis in NSCLC, providing a potential new target for the treatment and diagnosis of NSCLC.