GC-MSCs promote metastasis by modulating the circ_0024107/miR-5572/6855-5p/CPT1A axis in gastric cancer cells. (A) CPT1 activity and (B) β-oxidation rate detection in HGC-27 cells following treatment with GC-MSC-CM and BM-MSC-CM. (C and D) Migration and invasion of HGC-27 cells pre-treated with etomoxir and incubated with MSC-CM. (E and F) Comparison of circ_0024107, CPT1A, miR-5572 and miR-6855-5p levels in HGC-27 cells following treatment with GC-MSC-CM and BM-MSC-CM using (E) reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and (F) western blot analysis. (G and H) Migration and invasion of circ_0024107-silenced HGC-27 cells following incubation with GC-MSC-CM. (I and J) FAO activity of circ_0024107-silenced HGC-27 cells following incubation with GC-MSC-CM. (K) Detection of CPT1A, miR-5572 and miR-6855-5p levels, and (L) CPT1A protein content in circ_0024107-silenced HGC-27 cells treated with GC-MSC-CM. (M) Detection of circ_0024107, CPT1A, miR-5572 and miR-6855-5p levels, and (N) CPT1A protein content in HGC-27 cells following incubation with the CM from circ_0024107-silenced GC-MSCs. (O and P) FAO activity of HGC-27 cells following incubation with the CM from circ_0024107-silenced GC-MSCs. Scale bars, 100 µM; magnification, ×200. Values are presented as the mean ± SD (n=3). **P<0.01 and ***P<0.001. circRNA, circular RNA; GC-MSCs, gastric cancer-derived mesenchymal stem cells; BM-MSCs, bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells; CPT1A, carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A; CM, conditioned medium; FAO, fatty acid oxidation; ETO, etomoxir.