CircEHMT1 inhibits metastatic potential of breast cancer cells by modulating miR-1233-3p/KLF4/MMP2 axis

CircRNA is a kind of covalent head-to-tail looped RNA and plays an important role in tumor development. However, the identification of new potential targetable circRNAs to inhibit cancer development is still a huge challenge. In this study, we found that circEHMT1 inhibited migration and invasion of breast cancer cells. Mechanistically, we identified miR-1233-3p as a target of circEHMT1, and the circEHMT1/miR-1233-3p axis regulated matrix metalloprotease 2 (MMP2) by modulating the transcription factor Krϋppel-like factor 4 (KLF4). In summary, we showed that circEHMT1 has potential as a prognostic factor in breast cancer and played a tumor suppressor role via the circEHMT1/miR-1233-3p/KLF4/MMP2 axis. •CircEHMT1 is obviously decreased in breast cancer tissues.•CircEHMT1 overexpression suppresses human breast cancer cell migration and invasion via miR-1233-3p/KLF4-MMP2 axis.•Cardiovascular system injection of circEHMT1 packed in nanoparticles prevent lung metastasis.