CircSMC3 regulates gastric cancer tumorigenesis by targeting miR-4720-3p/TJP1 axis.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are identified to play an evident role in many human cancers, such as gastric cancer. However, the potential mechanisms underlying the circRNA-induced pathogenesis in gastric cancers are still elusive. The present study is designed to unfold the mechanism by which circRNAs involve in gastric cancer progression. Using circRNAs microarray, we detected the dysregulated circRNAs and identified an upregulated circRNA, circSMC3 (hsa_circ_0000260), in gastric cancer tissues. Patients with high circSMC3 expression levels had a poor overall survival via Kaplan-Meier survival analysis implied that gastric cancer. Functionally, loss of circSMC3 abolished the proliferation and motility of gastric cancer cells. Mechanically, circSMC3 decreased miR-4720-3p expression by acting as a miRNA sponge, and tight junction protein 1 (TJP1) 3'UTR was identified to be the target of miR-4720-3p, contributing to a circSMC3/miR-4720-3p/TJP1 axis. Thus, our results indicate that circSMC3 promotes gastric cancer cell proliferation and motility through miR-4720-3p/TJP1.