Circular RNA hsa_circ_0002473 Boosts Gastric Cancer Progression via the miR-873-5p/TEAD1 Axis

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) display cancer-specific expression profiles associated with the prevalence and fatality rates of gastric cancer (GC). Although the functions of certain circRNAs in GC advancement have been clarified, a recently identified circRNA hsa_circ_0002473, require further examination. The current study reveals that hsa_circ_0002473 facilitates gastric cancer progression. Initially, we observed that hsa_circ_0002473 exhibited high expression levels in gastric cancer tissue and cells. Subsequent investigations utilizing the Incucyte S3 imaging system, colony formation assay, scratch wound healing assay, and mouse xenograft models demonstrated that knockdown of hsa_circ_0002473 significantly inhibited the proliferation and migration of GC cells. Additionally, dual-luciferase assays confirmed hsa_circ_0002473 directly binds miR-873-5p and miR-873-5p targeting of the TEAD1 3'UTR. Crucially, rescue experiments demonstrated that miR-873-5p restoration or TEAD1 knockdown reduced hsa_circ_0002473-driven GC cells proliferation and migration. Our findings demonstrate that hsa_circ_0002473 elevates TEAD1 expression by competitively sequestering miR-873-5p, thereby promoting gastric cancer progression.​ This newly identified circRNA regulatory axis could enrich the genetic characteristics of GC, provide a possible medicinal genetic target for GC, and present a new perspective for GC molecular diagnosis.