CircSLC7A5 upregulates NRD1 by competing with miR-148a-3p to promote progression of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the most prevalent and lethal gastrointestinal malignancies worldwide. Emerging evidence suggests that circular RNAs (circRNAs) play a pivotal regulatory role in human cancers, including ESCC, but their functions and molecular mechanisms remain to be established. In this investigation, real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR analysis revealed that circSLC7A5 is upregulated in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and associated with poor prognosis. Knockdown of circSLC7A5 inhibited tumor cell proliferation, clone formation, migration in vitro, as well as tumor growth in vivo. Mechanistically, our data indicate that circSLC7A5 functions as a competitive RNA that induces upregulation of NRD1 through competing with miR-148a-3p, thereby accelerating the progression of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. In view of the collective findings, the modulation axis composed of circSLC7A5/miR-148a-3p/NRD1 may serve as a promising clinical biomarker and therapeutic target for ESCC.