Down-regulated circ_0001853 inhibits lipopolysaccharide-induced endometritis progression via sponging miR-34c-5p

Abstract

Background

To investigate the diagnostic value and mechanism of action of circular RNA (circ_) circ_0001853 and microRNA (miR) miR-34c-5p in patients with endometritis.

Methods

189 patients with endometritis and 176 healthy individuals were included in this study. Venous blood serum was collected from the study subjects and stored temporarily at −80 °C. Real-time quantitative chain polymerase reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to detect circ_0001853 and miR-34c-5p expression, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves assessed the diagnostic value of both in predicting endometritis. Cell counting kit (CCK8) observed cell proliferation, flow cytometry recorded apoptosis, enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) monitored inflammatory factor expression, and dual luciferase reporter assay and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) verified the relationship between circ_0001853 and miR-34c-5p targeting interactions.

Results

High levels of circ_0001853 and low levels of miR-34c-5p were present in endometritis patients, and they were negatively correlated. Both circ_0001853 and miR-34c-5p alone or in combination had diagnostic value in predicting the progression of endometritis. Transfection of si-circ_0001853 promoted cell proliferation and reduced apoptosis and cellular inflammation levels induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation. There was a direct reciprocal targeting relationship between miR-34c-5p and circ_0001853, and the use of miR-34c-5p inhibitor resisted silencing circ_0001853 promoted cell proliferation and increased the number of apoptotic cells and cellular inflammation levels.

Conclusions

circ_0001853 is involved in endometritis progression through miR-34c-5p, i.e., low circ_0001853 promotes miR-34c-5p-induced proliferation of epithelial cells, reduces apoptosis, and suppresses inflammation levels, preventing disease progression.