Comprehensive analysis and identification of the circ_0084615/miR-451a/MEF2D axis in benzo(a)pyrene exposed tumor cells in hepato-carcinogenesis.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is caused by genetic and epigenetic alterations, as well as abnormal lifestyle and dietary habits, including contaminated food intake. Benzo(a)pyrene (B[a]P), derived from deep-fried meats, is regarded as the main dietary factor for tumorigenesis in epidemiological investigations. Although various studies have illustrated the adverse effects of B[a]P in malignancy through cell and animal models, the correlation between B[a]P exposure and clinical data remain to be explored. In the present study, we analyzed and identified novel B[a]P-associated circular RNA (circRNA) from microarray databases of liver tumor cells and HCC patient samples. Considering that circRNA regulates mRNA as a miRNA sponge, molecular circRNA-miRNA-mRNA interactions based on the stimulation of B[a]P exposure were predicted and established. Furthermore, up-regulated circ_0084615 in B[a]P-treated tumor cells was verified as a miRNA sponge via fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) assays, and the repression between circ_0084615 and target miR-451a exhibited a contrasting effect on hepatocarcinogenesis. Therefore, we performed integrated bioinformatics analysis and molecular experiments to establish the circ_0084615/miR-451a/MEF2D pathway, which provided a better understanding of the adverse effects of fried food preference on human health.