CircHIPK3 regulates fatty acid metabolism through miR-637/FASN axis to promote esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

The oncogenic role of circRNA in cancers including esophageal cancer (EC) has been well studied. However, whether and how circRNAs are involved in cancer cell metabolic processes remains largely unknown. Here, we reported that circRNA, circHIPK3, is highly expressed in ESCC cell lines and tissues. Knockdown of circHIPK3 significantly restrained cell proliferation, colony formation, migration, and invasion in vitro and inhibited tumor growth in vivo. Mechanistically, circHIPK3 was found to act as a ceRNA by sponging miR-637 to regulate FASN expression and fatty acid metabolism in ESCC cells. Anti-sense oligonucleotide (ASO) targeting circHIPK3 substantially inhibited ESCC both in vitro and in vivo. Therefore, these results uncover a modulatory axis constituting of circHIPK3/miR-637/FASN may be a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for ESCC in the clinic.