Hsa_circ_0003848 promotes gastric cancer via miR-144-3p/mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor and serves as a plasma biomarker in Helicobacter pylori infection

Figure 5 Mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor overexpression reverses the anti-migratory effects of hsa_circ_0003848 knockdown in gastric cancer cells. A: Transwell migration assays showing that knockdown of hsa_circ_0003848 significantly reduces AGS cell migration; B: Overexpression of hsa-miR-144-3p inhibits AGS cell migration, while inhibition of hsa-miR-144-3p promotes cell motility. Mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor overexpression reverses the migratory inhibition caused by hsa_circ_0003848 knockdown. ns, no significance, n = 3, ^cP < 0.001; C: Schematic model illustrating the proposed regulatory axis, where hsa_circ_0003848 functions as a competing endogenous RNA, sponging hsa-miR-144-3p to derepress mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor expression and enhance gastric cancer cell migration. MET: Mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor; NC: Negative control.