Abstract
Circular RNA ABCB10 (circ‑ABCB10) modulates cellular functions and microRNA (miR)‑1271 in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). The present study aimed to investigate the interaction between circ‑ABCB10 and miR‑1271 in regulating EOC cellular function and the calpain small subunit 1 (Capn4)/Wnt/β‑catenin signaling pathway. circ‑ABCB10 and miR‑1271 expression levels were detected in EOC cells (OVCAR3, UWB1.289, SKOV3 and CAOV3) and normal ovarian epithelial cells (IOSE80) via reverse‑transcription quantitative PCR. SKOV3 cells were transfected with control short hairpin (sh)RNA plasmids, control inhibitor, circ‑ABCB10 shRNA plasmids and miR‑1271 inhibitor. UWB1.289 cells were transfected with control overexpression plasmids, control mimic, circ‑ABCB10 overexpression plasmids and miR‑1271 mimic. Subsequently, cell proliferation, apoptosis, invasion and the Capn4/Wnt/β‑catenin signaling pathway were assessed. In addition, a luciferase activity assay was performed. circ‑ABCB10 expression was significantly increased in OVCAR3, SKOV3 and CAOV3 cells compared with IOSE80 cells, but was not significantly altered in UWB1.289 cells. miR‑1271 expression was significantly decreased in OVCAR3, UWB1.289, SKOV3 and CAOV3 cells compared with IOSE80 cells. In both SKOV3 and UWB1.289 cells, circ‑ABCB10 negatively regulated miR‑1271, whereas miR‑1271 did not affect circ‑ABCB10. Furthermore, circ‑ABCB10 enhanced cell proliferation, invasion and the Capn4/Wnt/β‑catenin signaling pathway, but inhibited cell apoptosis, whereas miR‑1271 suppressed cell proliferation, invasion and the Capn4/Wnt/β‑catenin signaling pathway, but facilitated cell apoptosis. Moreover, miR‑1271 attenuated the proproliferative, proinvasive and antiapoptotic effects of circ‑ABCB10, and reversed the positive regulation of circ‑ABCB10 on the Capn4/Wnt/β‑catenin signaling pathway. Besides, the luciferase activity assay indicated that circ‑ABCB10 directly bound to miR‑1271. In conclusion, the present study indicated that circ‑ABCB10 promoted cell proliferation and invasion, and suppressed apoptosis by regulating the miR‑1271‑mediated Capn4/Wnt/β‑catenin signaling pathway in EOC.