Abstract: Objective To explore the effect of esculin on the biological behavior of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells and its possible mechanism. Methods Different concentrations of esculin were used to treat human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells HNE-3, si-NC, si-circ-ZNF609 were transfected into HNE-3 cells, pcDNA, pcDNA-circ-ZNF609 were respectively transfected into HNE-3 cells and then treated with esculin. CCK-8 experiment was used to detect cell proliferation. Intracellular glucose uptake levels and lactate levels were tested using kits. The activity of pyruvate kinase and hexokinase was tested using an enzyme activity kit. The Transwell chamber test was used to find cell migration and invasion. RT-qPCR method was used to detect the expression of circ-ZNF609. Protein expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 was calculated by Western blot. Results Esculin could reduce cell survival rate and the protein levels of MMP-2, MMP-9 in a concentration-dependent manner (P＜0.001), could reduce glucose uptake and lactate levels (P＜0.001), and may reduce pyruvate kinase and the activity of hexose kinase (P＜0.001), could also reduce the number of migrating and invading cells (P＜0.001). Esculin could reduce the expression of circ-ZNF609 (P＜0.001), and it was dose-dependent. After transfection with si-circ-ZNF609, the cell survival rate and the protein levels of MMP-2, MMP-9 were decreased (P＜0.001), glucose uptake and lactate levels were decreased(P＜0.001). The activity of pyruvate kinase and hexokinase and the number of migrating and invasive cells were all decreased (P＜0.001). Transfection of pcDNA-circ-ZNF609 may restore the inhibitory effects of esculin on the proliferation, glycolysis, migration and invasion of HNE-3 cells. Conclusions Esculin could inhibit cell proliferation, glycolysis, migration and invasion in HNE-3 cells by regulating the expression of circ-ZNF609.

Key words: nasopharyngeal carcinoma, esculin, circ-ZNF609, cell proliferation, migration, invasion