Exosomal circ_001860 promotes colorectal cancer progression through miR-582-5p/ZEB1 axis

Extensive research has recently been conducted to investigate the regulating impact of exosomal circular RNAs (circRNAs) in throughout the development of multiple malignancies. Nevertheless, there is still much to learn about the biological roles and underlying mechanisms of exosomal circRNAs in colorectal cancer (CRC). Exosomes (exo) were isolated from blood samples and CRC cells by differential centrifugation. In addition, the competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) mechanism of circ_001860 in CRC was determined through Starbase and dual-luciferase reporter gene experiments. Gain and loss of function experiments verified the regulatory effect of circ_001860/miR-582-5p/ZEB1 on the malignant phenotype of CRC cells. The therapeutic effect of circ_001860 on CRC xenograft tumor model was explored through mouse experiment. Circ_001860 was significantly enriched in exo isolated from CRC blood samples and CRC cells. Circ_001860 can be transported into CRC cells via exo. Through competitive binding to miR-582-5p, circ_001860 increased ZEB1, thereby facilitating tumor formation in vivo as well as stimulating CRC cell proliferation and metastasis in vitro. Through the miR-582-5p/ZEB1 axis, exosomal circ_001860 enhanced the advancement of CRC. This finding may offer non-invasive biomarkers for clinical screening and diagnosis of CRC patients.