Circular RNA hsa_circ_0001658 Inhibits Intervertebral Disc Degeneration Development by Regulating hsa-miR-181c-5p/FAS

Background and Purpose. Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is the main cause of low back pain, but its pathogenesis has not been studied clearly. Circular RNA is a type of noncoding RNA (ncRNA). In this study, we studied the potential role of circular RNA in the pathogenesis of IDD. Methods. We obtained microarray data (GSE116726, GSE67566) from Gene Expression Omnibus database, and differential expression level of ncRNA in nucleus pulposus (NP) tissues of IDD patients was analyzed. The potential circRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory network was analyzed by starBase. The effect of the interaction between hsa_circ_0001658, hsa-miR-181c-5p, and FAS on the proliferation and apoptosis of human neural progenitor cells (hNPCs) was studied. Results. hsa_circ_0001658 was significantly upregulated ( logFC > 2.0 and adj . P . Val < 0.01 ) in the NP tissues of IDD patients, and hsa-miR-181c-5p expression was downregulated ( logFC < − 2.0 and adj . P . Val < 0.01 ). Silencing of hsa-miR-181c-5p or overexpression of hsa_circ_0001658 inhibited the proliferation of hNPCs and promoted their apoptosis. hsa_circ_0001658 acted as a sponge of hsa-miR-181c-5p. hsa-miR-181c-5p downregulated the expression of Fas cell surface death receptor (FAS), promoted the proliferation, and inhibited the apoptosis of hNPCs. hsa_circ_0001658 functioned in hNPCs through targeting hsa-miR-181c-5p/FAS. Conclusion. Circular RNA hsa_circ_0001658 inhibits IDD development by regulating hsa-miR-181c-5p/FAS. It is expected to be a potential target for the therapy of IDD.