circRNA basic information
circBase ID: hsa_circ_0045943
Name: hsa_circ_TIMP2
Synonym: circTIMP2
Host Gene: TIMP2
Genomic location(hg19): chr17:76849058-76870001:-
Genomic location(hg38): chr17:78852976-78873919:-
Subcellular localization: cytoplasm
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Disease basic information
MONDO ID:
0001056
MONDO name: gastric cancer
Disease details: gastric cancer
Disease DO ID:
10534
Disease MeSH ID:
-
Disease NCIt ID:
C9331
Disease ICD11 ID:
1397617262
Disease OMIM ID:
613659
Species: Human
Species details: Homo sapiens
Tissue specimen:

gastric cancer tissues; matched adjacent non-tumor tissues; xenograft tumor nodules; liver tissue; ascites

Cell lines:

AGS; MKN-45; HGC-27; NCI-N87; GES-1

In vivo animal model:

cell line-derived xenograft

circRNA-disease information
Expression pattern:
DN
Associated gene: TIMP2, AGO2, Wnt5a, beta-catenin, E-cadherin, Vimentin, VEGF, Ki-67, IL-10
Associated microRNA: miR-106a / hsa-miR-106a-5p
Biological function: circTIMP2 suppresses gastric cancer cell proliferation, migration, invasion, angiogenesis, EMT, Wnt/beta-catenin signaling and tumor growth, while promoting apoptosis; tumor-derived exosomes counteract its tumor-suppressive effects.
Molecular mechanism: circTIMP2 acts as a ceRNA sponge for miR-106a, relieving repression of TIMP2 and forming a circTIMP2/miR-106a/TIMP2 feedback loop that inhibits Wnt/beta-catenin signaling and EMT; tumor-derived exosomes disrupt this protective loop.
Biological pathway or process:

ceRNA regulation (promotes); Wnt/beta-catenin (inhibits); EMT (inhibits); proliferation (inhibits); apoptosis (promotes); migration (inhibits); invasion (inhibits); angiogenesis (inhibits); metastasis (inhibits); immune regulation (other)

Detected method:
Q
Validation methods:

Back-Splice Junction PCR / divergent primers PCR; RT-qPCR; FISH / smFISH; Clinical Sample Validation; RIP (RNA Immunoprecipitation); Luciferase Reporter Assay; Transfection; EdU Staining; Colony Formation Assay; Annexin V/PI Flow Cytometry; Transwell Assay; Wound Healing Assay; TUNEL; In Vivo Animal Model; H&E Staining; ELISA; Western Blot; IHC (Immunohistochemistry); Bioinformatics Analysis

Clinical significance:

circTIMP2 is significantly downregulated in human gastric cancer tissues and is highlighted as a promising therapeutic target; no diagnostic or prognostic survival association was reported.

Description:

circTIMP2 is downregulated in gastric cancer and functions as a tumor suppressor. It sponges miR-106a to relieve repression of TIMP2, thereby inhibiting Wnt/beta-catenin signaling, EMT, proliferation, migration, invasion, angiogenesis and tumor growth while promoting apoptosis. Tumor-derived exosomes can counteract this protective circTIMP2/miR-106a/TIMP2 axis and promote tumor progression.

Confidence score:

0.8175

Other information
Title:

The circTIMP2/miR-106a/TIMP2 tumor-suppressive axis versus tumor-derived exosomal counteraction in gastric cancer.

Journal: Apoptosis : an international journal on programmed cell death
Published: 2026
PubMed ID: 41854883
Study type:

combined biological and clinical study

Data availability: Data available on reasonable request; supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1007/s10495-026-02297-z
Code availability: -