circCD151 promotes GLI2 expression by regulating miR-30d-5p and enhancing proliferation, invasion and stemness of lung cancer

To investigate the changes of circular (circ)RNA circCD151 expression in lung cancer tissues and cells and its effects on proliferation, migration and invasion of lung cancer cells. The relative expression levels of circCD151 in lung cancer tissues and lung cancer cells (A549 and NCI-H292) were determined by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR. The effects of silencing or upregulation of circCD151 on the activity and clonal forming ability of A549 and NCI-H292 cells were detected by CCK-8 and cloning formation experiments. Transwell invasion assay detected the effects of silencing or upregulation of circCD151 on the migration and invasion ability of A549 and NCI-H292 cells. The regulatory effect of circCD151 on miR-30d-5p was detected by dual luciferase reporter gene. The relative expression level of circCD151 in lung cancer tissues was significantly higher compared with that in adjacent tissues. The relative expression level of circCD151 in A549 and NCI-H292 cells was significantly higher compared with that in human lung epithelial cells. In A549 and NCI-H292 cells, silencing circCD151 decreased cell activity and clonal formation ability and invasion ability was also significantly decreased. circCD151 was upregulated in A549 and NCI-H292 cells and the activity and clonal formation ability of A549 and NCI-H292 cells were significantly increased and the invasion ability was also significantly increased. Double luciferase reporter assay confirmed the ceRNA regulatory mechanism of circCD151/miR-30d-5p/GLI2. In the present study, in vivo and in vitro functional studies demonstrated that circCD151 may promote the proliferation, invasion and cell stemness of lung cancer cells. Further molecular mechanism studies demonstrated that circCD151 could promote the malignant proliferation of lung adenocarcinoma by targeting miR-30d-5p and upregulating GLI2 expression. From the perspective of circRNA, the present study will provide new clues to the pathogenesis and prognostic judgment of lung adenocarcinoma and provide a new target for clinical treatment.