Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a novel group of noncoding RNAs characterized by a covalently closed loop. An increasing evidence suggests that deregulated circRNAs exert their essential regulatory roles in oncogenesis. However, little is explored on the biological role of novel circRNAs in cervical cancer (CC) progression. In the present study, we analyzed two GSE microarrays to screen for CC-specific circRNAs and found two circRNAs both expressed in CC cells and tissues. Among them, circ_0005576 was significantly overexpressed in both CC tissues and cell lines. Furthermore, upregulated circ_0005576 was positively associated with advanced FIGO stage, lymph node metastasis, but was negatively related with overall survival of CC patients. Additionally, circ_0005576 knockdown induced a suppressed cell growth, colony formation and metastasis of HeLa and SiHa cells. Mechanistically, circ 0005576 was mainly located in the cytoplasm and served as a sponge of miR-153-3p to increase kinesin family member 20A (KIF20A) expression. Rescue assays further validated the effects of circ_0005576/miR-153-3p/KIF20A axis on CC proliferation, migration and invasion. In conclusion, our research reveals a novel circ_0005576/miR-153-3p/KIF20A axis promoting CC progression, which may suggest a new insight into the pathogenesis of CC.
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