Silencing circular RNA hsa_circABCC1 inhibits osteosarcoma progression through down‐regulating HDAC4 via sponging miR‐591

Abstract Background Circular RNA (circRNA) has been shown to play an important regulatory role in the development of various cancers, including osteosarcoma (OS). However, the role of circRNA ABCC1 (circABCC1) in OS was still poorly understood. The aim of our study was to investigate the role of circABCC1 in OS progression and its potential molecular mechanisms. Methods The expression of circABCC1, microRNA‐591 (miR‐591) and histone deacetylase 4 (HDAC4) in OS tissues or cells was detected by quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR) and western blot (WB) analyses. In vitro experiments, the viability, proliferation, apoptosis, migration, invasion and autophagy of U2OS and HOS cells were assessed in vitro using cell counting kit‐8 (CCK‐8) assay, 5‐ethynyl‐29‐deoxyuridine (EdU) assay, flow cytometry (FCM) assay, transwell migration and invasion assays (transwell) and WB assay, respectively. Interactions between circABCC1 and miR‐591, miR‐591 and HDAC4 were confirmed using a dual luciferase reporter gene assay system. The oncogenic role of circABCC1 in OS in vivo was examined by establishing a tumor xenograft model. Results CircABCC1 was significantly elevated in OS tissues (about 3.1‐folds) and cells (U2OS (about 2.1‐folds) and HOS (about 2.8‐folds)) compared with the control ( p < .05). Silencing of circABCC1 significantly reduced the viability and proliferation, promoted apoptosis, impaired migration and invasion, and increased autophagy of U2OS and HOS cells ( p < .05). In addition, miR‐591 was confirmed to be a target of circABCC1, exerting an opposite effect to circABCC1 ( p < .05). MiR‐591 attenuation in U2OS and HOS cells was able to reply to the inhibition of cell proliferation, migration and invasion as well as promotion of cell apoptosis and autophagy mediated by silencing circABCC1 ( p < .05). HDAC4 was verified to be the target gene of miR‐591 in U2OS and HOS cells and was regulated by the circABCC1/miR‐591 axis ( p < .05), and restoration of HDAC4 levels in U2OS and HOS cells was able to restore the altered cellular function caused by silencing circABCC1 ( p < .05). In addition, knockdown of circABCC1 attenuated tumor growth in vivo ( p < .05). Conclusion Silencing of circABCC1 inhibits osteosarcoma progression by attenuating HDAC4 expression through sponging miR‐591.