Hsa_circ_0079875 functions as a competitive endogenous RNA to promote hepatocellular carcinoma progression

Circular RNA (circRNA) can influence the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) as a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA). However, there are still many circRNAs whose functions are unknown. Our research explores the role of a novel circRNA, hsa_circ_0079875, in HCC. The expression of hsa_circ_0079875 in HCC was verified by next-generation sequencing, quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). The distribution of hsa_circ_0079875 in HCC cells was investigated by RNA subcellular isolation and FISH assays. The functional effects on HCC proliferation, invasion, migration, cell cycle, and apoptosis were verified by overexpression and knockdown of hsa_circ_0079875. Moreover, xenograft mouse models and immunohistochemistry experiments were used to assess the function of hsa_circ_0079875 in vivo. Hsa_circ_0079875 was up-regulated in HCC tissues and mainly distributed in the cytoplasm. Higher hsa_circ_0079875 leads to larger tumor tissue, more microvascular invasion(MVI) and higher AFP levels, which in turn leads to a poor prognosis. Overexpression of hsa_circ_0079875 can promote the proliferation, migration, and invasion of HCC cells and inhibit apoptosis in vitro and in vivo. Knocking down hsa_circ_0079875 has the opposite effect. Sequencing and biological information predicted the target miRNA and mRNA of hsa_circ_0079875. Further bioinformatics and clinical correlation analysis revealed that hsa_circ_0079875 promote the malignant biological behaviors of HCC through hsa_circ_0079875/miR-519d-59/NRAS ceRNA net. Therefore, hsa_circ_0079875 can be a potential prognostic marker and therapeutic target for HCC.