Figure 4.

Studies investigating the effects of in vitro atherosclerosis environments on circHIPK3 demonstrate both (1) and (4) harmful effects of cellular proliferation, migration, and apoptosis [61,82], and (2) and (3) protective effects of inhibited osteogenic differentiation, mineralization, and calcium deposition, reduced lipid accumulation, and increased rates of autophagy [37,143]. Both (1) harmful and (2) protective effects were seen from sponging of miR-106a-5p [82]. Opposing effects on angiogenesis were also demonstrated via sponging of miR-637 by (4) circHIPK3 and [61] (5) circ_0002194 [122], the latter of which suggests equivocal effects on the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis due to the observed impaired angiogenesis but enhanced oxidative stress.