Circular RNAs show differential expression profiles and may be potential therapeutic targets by acting as ceRNAs in cholesteatoma

In our present study, we explored the circRNA expression profiles in cholesteatoma by deep RNA-seq analysis. We obtained totally 355 significantly differentially expressed circRNA in cholesteatoma, among which 101 were identified to be up-regulated, and 254 down-regulated. By constructing the circRNA-miRNA-mRNA ceRNA networks, it was discovered that circRNAs might contribute to cholesteatoma formation by functioning as ceRNAs for miRNAs. A genome-wide analysis was performed to profile differences in circRNA expression between 4 pairs of cholesteatoma and matched normal skin samples. All specimens were obtained from 2 female and 2 male patients aged 18-year-old to 32-year-old who received unilateral middle ear cholesteatoma surgeries. The post-auricular skins were taken as control samples from the same patients.