Fig. 9: Proposed working model for promotional effects of circMBOAT2 on ICC progression.

CircMBOAT2 derives from the exons 2–3 of the MBOAT2 gene by backsplicing in the nucleus and exporting to the cytoplasm. CircMBOAT2 stabilized PTBP1 to facilitate FASN mRNA cytoplasmic export, which altered the lipid metabolic profile and regulated redox homeostasis in ICC, thus promoting tumor growth.