CCK-8 assay, transwell migration and invasion assay and flow cytometry revealed that circEMB downregulation reversed the effects of miR-3184-5p inhibition on the proliferation, migration and invasion abilities; apoptosis and cell cycle arrest of OSA cells, whereas EGFR knockdown reversed the circEMB and miR-3184-5p knockdown-induced cell functional phenotype (Fig. 7a-f). The gene discussed is EGFR; the disease is obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.