Fig. 4

MiR-138-5p functionally targeted circ_002136. (a) A schematic representation of how circ_002136 arose from the CDK11A gene as determined by scanning CDK11A genomic DNA and circBase. (b) The expression of miR-138-5p was measured after knockdown of circ_002136 by qRT-PCR. Values represent the means ± SD (n = 5, each group). ^**P < 0.01 vs. circ_002136(−)NC group. (c) MiR-138-5p regulated the expression of circ_002136 in GECs. Values represent the means ± SD (n = 5, each group). ^**P < 0.01 vs. miR-138-5p(+)NC group; ^##P < 0.01 vs. miR-138-5p(−)NC group. (d) The putative binding site between circ_002136 and miR-138-5p was predicted, and the relative luciferase activity was expressed as firefly/renilla luciferase activity. Values represent the means ± SD (n = 5, each group). ^**P < 0.01 vs. circ_002136 Wt + miR-138-5p(+)NC group. (e-f) MiR-138-5p was identified in the circ_002136-RISC complex. The relative expression of circ_002136 and miR-138-5p was measured using qRT-PCR. Data are presented as the means ± SD (n = 5, each group). ^**P < 0.01 vs. anti-IgG group, ^##P < 0.01 vs. anti-Ago2 in control group. (g) The co-effects of circ_002136 and miR-138-5p on the viability of GECs were evaluated by the CCK-8 assay. Data are presented as the means ± SD (n = 5, each group). ^**P < 0.01 vs. circ_002136(−)NC + miR-138-5p(+)NC group. (h) The co-effects of circ_002136 and miR-138-5p on the migration of GECs were evaluated by the transwell assay. Data are presented as the means ± SD (n = 5, each group). ^**P < 0.01 vs. circ_002136(−)NC + miR-138-5p(+)NC group. The scale bar represents 100 μm. (I) The co-effects of circ_002136 and miR-138-5p on the tube formation of GECs were evaluated by the Matrigel tube formation assay. Data are presented as the means ± SD (n = 5, each group). ^**P < 0.01 vs. circ_002136(−)NC + miR-138-5p(+)NC group. The scale bar represents 100 μm