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Circular Circ_0001387 Promotes Hepatocellular Carcinoma Progression via miR-4324/MCM6 Axis and Cell Cycle Pathway
1Laboratory Department of Hefei First People's Hospital, Hefei, China.
Current Medicinal Chemistry
|May 19, 2026
Summary
Circular RNA circ_0001387 promotes hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression by sponging miR-4324 and upregulating MCM6. This novel axis offers a potential therapeutic target for HCC intervention.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has a poor prognosis, with circular RNAs (circRNAs) playing a key role in its development.
- This study investigates the function of a novel circRNA, circ_0001387, in the pathophysiology of HCC.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the role and mechanism of circ_0001387 in hepatocellular carcinoma progression.
- To identify the circRNA-miRNA-mRNA axis involved in HCC pathogenesis.
Main Methods:
- Bioinformatics analysis of GEO databases to identify the circRNA-miRNA-mRNA axis.
- In vitro functional assays including cell proliferation, migration, invasion, apoptosis, and cell cycle analysis.
- In vivo tumor growth assessment in nude mouse xenografts and interaction validation using dual-luciferase reporter assays.
Main Results:
- Circ_0001387 and MCM6 were found to be upregulated in HCC tissues and cells, while miR-4324 was downregulated.
- Overexpression of circ_0001387 promoted HCC cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and tumor growth, while inhibiting apoptosis.
- Circ_0001387 acts as a sponge for miR-4324, leading to the upregulation of its target gene, MCM6.
Conclusions:
- Circ_0001387 promotes HCC progression through the miR-4324/MCM6 axis.
- This pathway represents a potential therapeutic target for HCC intervention.
- Further clinical validation is needed to establish this axis as a reliable biomarker for HCC.
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