Circular RNA 14580 promotes papillary thyroid cancer progression by interacting with CTSW/fibrosis singling pathway

Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is an increasingly prevalent endocrine malignancy, with a subset exhibiting aggressive features such as lymphatic metastasis and resistance to iodine therapy. Recent studies suggest that circular RNAs (circRNAs) play a significant role in PTC pathology. High throughput circRNA sequencing identified circRNA_14580 as notably upregulated in PTC tissues. This circRNA is implicated in crucial tumorigenic processes, including apoptosis, proliferation, and migration of PTC cells. Mechanistic investigations reveal that circ_14580 interacts with cathepsin W (CTSW), a key player in PTC-associated fibrosis. Notably, silencing circ_14580 diminishes the activation and collagen production of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), highlighting its role in modulating the tumor microenvironment. These findings underscore circ_14580 as a critical oncogene in PTC and suggest that targeting the circ_14580/CTSW/fibrosis axis could offer novel therapeutic strategies for controlling PTC progression.