Computational Analysis of Circrna-Related Competing Endogenous Rna Networks in Hif-1 Signaling of Gastric Cancer Publisher



M Zargar MAHSA ; S Khalilian SHEYDA ; N Rasaei NILOUFAR ; K Saleki KIARASH ; A Ghaffarijolfayi AMIR ; N Samieefar NOOSHA ; N Rezaei NIMA
Source: Human Gene Published:2025

Abstract

Gastric cancer is a global concern as the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Given the high mortality rate, understanding the molecular mechanisms that drive gastric cancer is crucial. One such important pathway is HIF-1 signaling pathway, which contributes to tumor angiogenesis and metastasis.In addition, circular RNAs (circRNAs) have become a hot spot in cancer research due to their high stability and specificity and their role in various cancer pathogenesis, including gastric cancer. circRNAs as endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) compete with mRNAs to trap shared miRNAs and thereby modulate gene expression. Since the most dysregulated biological functions are associated with tumor invasion and metastasis, understanding the molecular mechanisms involved is crucial for developing effective therapeutic approaches. The aim of the present study was to create a ceRNA network related to circRNA, which is involved in HIF-1 signaling pathway in gastric cancer, with a bioinformatics approach. We showed that hsa_circ_0000348 and hsa_circ_0004674 have the most connections in the ceRNA network, while both are among the top expressions of gastric cancer. In addition, we showed that these two circRNAs can compete with genes involved in important cellular processes that play a role in disease pathogenesis by trapping common miRNAs. We also determined the transcription factors and metabolites related to these genes. We suggested that these circRNAs may play a central role in the HIF-1 signaling pathway of gastric cancer and can be used as a molecular biomarker and/or therapeutic target for gastric cancer in the future. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.