CircRNA HIPK3 facilitates the metastasis and migration of hepatocellular carcinoma through regulation of miR-381-3p-YAP axis

Over the past few years, an increasing amount of research has uncovered the noteworthy contribution of circRNAs to the onset and advancement of tumors. Nevertheless, the complete comprehension of the molecular mechanisms and roles of circHIPK3 in hepatocellular carcinoma remains elusive. The study revealed a notable increase in the expression of circHIPK3 in hepatocellular carcinoma tissue when compared to the surrounding non-cancerous tissue. Moreover, we noticed that the suppression of circHIPK3 significantly impeded the metastasis and migration capabilities of cell lines associated with hepatocellular carcinoma. Crucially, we validated that circHIPK3 acts as a miR-381-3p sponge, alleviating its suppression on YAP and consequently triggering the activation of the Hippo-YAP signaling pathway, resulting in the advancement of hepatocellular carcinoma. The identification of this finding could potentially offer novel targets for the diagnosis and management of hepatocellular carcinoma.