Circ_0005276 aggravates the development of epithelial ovarian cancer by targeting ADAM9.

OBJECTIVE Our purpose was to assess the relationship between circ_0005276 and clinical features of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), and to illustrate the regulatory effect of circ_0005276 on migratory potential in EOC cells. PATIENTS AND METHODS EOC tissues and adjacent normal ones were collected from 49 EOC patients. Relative levels of circ_0005276 and ADAM9 in EOC tissues were determined by quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR). The relationship between circ_0005276 and clinical features of EOC patients was analyzed. Moreover, migratory potentials of CAOV3 and SKOV3 cells affected by circ_0005276 were examined by transwell and wound healing assay. Regulatory effects of circ_0005276/ADAM9 feedback loop on the development of EOC were finally detected by Luciferase assay and rescue experiments. RESULTS It was found that circ_0005276 was upregulated in EOC tissues and its level was positively linked to rates of lymphatic metastasis and distant metastasis in EOC patients. Survival analysis showed worse OS and DFS in EOC patients expressing a high level of circ_0005276 than those with a low level. Besides, knockdown of circ_0005276 attenuated migratory potentials in EOC cells. ADAM9 was verified to be the target gene binding circ_0005276, and its level was positively regulated by circ_0005276. Notably, circ_0005276 aggravated the development of EOC by targeting ADAM9. CONCLUSIONS Circ_0005276 is highly expressed in EOC tissues, and its level is positively linked to metastasis. Serving as an unfavorable gene in the prognosis of EOC, circ_0005276 aggravates the development of EOC by upregulating ADAM9.