CircRNA hsa_circ_0030018 regulates the development of glioma via regulating the miR-1297/RAB21 axis.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) play a crucial role in tumor occurrence and progression. And the dysregulated circRNAs are reported to be relevant to glioma development. Nevertheless, the function and regulatory mechanism of hsa_circ_0030018 in glioma progression are largely indistinct. The abundances of hsa_circ_0030018, miR-1297, and RAB21 were detected using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction or western blot. Cell proliferation was assessed via colony formation assay and 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Cell apoptosis and cell cycle progression were evaluated by flow cytometry. Cell migration and invasion were examined using transwell assay and wound healing assay. The protein levels were measured by western blot. The interaction between miR-1297 and hsa_circ_0030018 or RAB21 was validated via dual-luciferase reporter analysis, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), and RNA pull-down assays. A xenograft model experiment was performed to analyze the function of hsa_circ_0030018 on tumor growth in vivo. hsa_circ_0030018 and RAB21 levels were enhanced, and the miR-1297 level was reduced in glioma tissues and cells. The silence of hsa_circ_0030018 or overexpression of miR-1297 impeded cell proliferation, metastasis, and expedited cell apoptosis and cycle arrest in glioma cells. Furthermore, hsa_circ_0030018 modulated glioma malignant behaviors via sponging miR-1297, and miR-1297 suppressed glioma development via targeting RAB21. Moreover, hsa_circ_0030018 knockdown inhibited tumor growth in vivo. The hsa_circ_0030018 knockdown repressed glioma progression by mediating the miR-1297/RAB21 pathway, providing potential therapeutic targets for glioma treatment.