The circular RNA circFARSA sponges microRNA-330-5p in tumor cells with bladder cancer phenotype

BACKGROUND: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) modulate gene expression in various malignancies. However, their roles in the occurrence of bladder cancer (BC) and their underlying mechanisms of action are currently unclear. METHODS: We measured levels of the circRNA phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase subunit alpha (circFARSA) and target microRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) in BC tissues and cell lines using quantitative polymerase chain reactions. The functions of circFARSA in tumor formation were examined in mice with BC xenografts in vivo and in BC cells via determination of their proliferation, activity, apoptosis, metastasis, and invasion in vitro using cell counting kit-8 assays, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assays, flow cytometry, western blotting, Transwell assays, and cell wound healing assays. Interactions between miR-330 and circFARSA were predicted and confirmed by bioinformatic processing and dual-luciferase reporter gene assays, respectively. Expression profiles of miR-330 targets in BC cells were assessed via western blotting. RESULTS: circFARSA expression was markedly upregulated in BC tissues and cell lines compared with that in normal bladder samples. Silencing circFARSA expression decreased BC cell proliferation, invasion, and migration but induced their apoptosis in vitro. Downregulating circFARSA expression slowed tumor growth in vivo and directly sponged miR-330 and inhibited its function in BC cells in vitro. Inhibiting miR-330 expression abolished the regulatory effects of circFARSA silencing on the tumor phenotypes of BC cells. CONCLUSIONS: circFARSA expression is upregulated and exerts oncogenic functions in BC by sponging miR-330. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12885-022-09467-7.