Expression profiling of circular RNA reveals a potential miR-145-5p sponge function of circ-AFF2 and circ-ASAP1 in renal cell carcinoma.

Objectives: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are involved in carcinogenesis, though their expression profile in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is uncharacterized. The tumor suppressor gene miR-145-5p is expressed in RCC tissues, but its relationship with circRNAs is unknown. Thus, we aimed to identify differentially expressed circRNAs in RCC tissues and to explore the interaction between these circRNAs and miR-145 in the development of RCC.