# Circ_0001741 regulates proliferation and invasion in ESCC via the miR-194-5p/E2F3 axis

## TL;DR

This study shows that a circular RNA called circ_0001741 promotes the growth and spread of esophageal cancer by interacting with miR-194-5p and E2F3.

## Contribution

The study identifies a novel circRNA-miRNA-oncogene axis involved in ESCC progression.

## Key findings

- Circ_0001741 is upregulated in ESCC tissues by 7.5-fold compared to normal tissues.
- Silencing circ_0001741 reduces ESCC cell proliferation and invasion.
- Circ_0001741 promotes ESCC by sponging miR-194-5p and upregulating E2F3.

## Abstract

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a highly aggressive gastrointestinal malignancy. This study aims to investigate the role and molecular mechanism of a novel circular RNA, circ_0001741, in ESCC progression.

The circular structure of circ_0001741 was confirmed by RNase R and actinomycin D assays alongside divergent primer-based amplification targeting its backsplice junction (BSJ). Its expression was profiled using an ESCC tissue microarray. Functional effects of circ_0001741 on proliferation and invasion were assessed using CCK-8 and Transwell assays. The interactions within the circ_0001741/miR-194-5p/E2F3 axis were validated through dual-luciferase reporter, RNA pull-down, and rescue experiments.

Circ_0001741 was significantly upregulated in ESCC tissues with a 7.5-fold increase compared to adjacent normal tissues. Functional assays demonstrated that silencing circ_0001741 markedly inhibited ESCC cell proliferation and invasion significantly. Mechanistically, circ_0001741 directly sponged miR-194-5p, leading to the upregulation of its target oncogene E2F3. Crucially, the anti-tumor effects induced by circ_0001741 knockdown were significantly reversed by co-silencing miR-194-5p or overexpressing E2F3, thus establishing a functional circ_0001741/miR-194-5p/E2F3 axis in ESCC.

Our findings establish that circ_0001741 drives ESCC progression by modulating the miR-194-5p/E2F3 axis, underscoring its therapeutic potential for ESCC treatment.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12957-025-04124-2.