Fig. 6

PGF was a downstream target of the circALG1/miR-342-5p signalling axis. A Venn diagram of RNA sequencing and downstream target genes of miR-342-5p predicted by TargetScan. B The expression level of PGF in TCGA COAD+READ data. C Prognostic analysis of CRC with low and high PGF expression. D qRT-PCR detection of PGF expression in tumours and adjacent tissues from patients with CRC. E The correlation between PGF expression and miR-342-5p was evaluated by Pearson’s correlation analysis. F The luciferase activities were measured by a dual-luciferase assay, and the Renilla/firefly luciferase light-unit ratio was calculated. G-H Bar graphs of Transwell migration and invasion assays of cells with different PGF expression levels. I WB analyses of total ERK and p-ERK in the MAPK signalling pathway as well as the EMT-related proteins E-cadherin and vimentin in cells with different PGF expression levels. J-K Bar graphs of Transwell migration and invasion assays of cells with PGF inhibition and treatment with the circALG1 overexpression plasmid (top, J) or miR-342-5p inhibitor (bottom, J) and cells with PGF overexpression and treatment with the circALG1 inhibitor (top, K) or miR-342-5p mimics (bottom, K). L WB detection of the expression levels of PGF, total ERK and p-ERK (MAPK signalling pathway) and E-cadherin and vimentin (EMT-related proteins) in cancer and paraneoplastic tissues from patients with CRC. The results are presented as the mean ± s.d. and are representative of at least 3 independent experiments. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001, ^#p > 0.05