CircRNA_102272 Promotes Cisplatin-Resistance in Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Decreasing MiR-326 Targeting of RUNX2

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the leading cause of tumor-associated death in males and females worldwide. HCC is mostly diagnosed at advanced stages and the chemotherapeutic cisplatin is one of the major therapeutic options in the treatment of patients with treating advanced HCC. Despite several reports on HCC multidrug resistance, the underlying regulatory mechanisms are still unclear. METHODS: RT-PCR was performed to detect circRNA_102272, miR-326 and RUNX2 expression. The CCK8 assay was used to examine cell proliferation and cisplatin IC(50) values. The luciferase reporter assay was performed to verify complementary combinations between circRNA_102272 and miR-326 and between miR-326 and RUNX2. RESULTS: CircRNA_102272 expression was upregulated in HCC tissues and cells. CircRNA_102272 knockdown suppressed HCC cell proliferation and decreased cisplatin-resistance. In addition, circRNA_102272 facilitated HCC cisplatin-resistance by regulating the miR-326/RUNX2 axis. CONCLUSION: CircRNA_102272 is significantly increased in HCC tissues and cells and promotes HCC cell proliferation and cisplatin-resistance. More importantly, circRNA acts as a ceRNA to suppress the expression and activity of miR-326, leading to the increase in RUNX2 expression. By elucidating circRNA_102272 role and mechanism of action in HCC, our study provides insights and an opportunity to overcome cisplatin-resistance in HCC.