EPSTI1 and rheumatoid arthritis: Since si-circ_0000479 was proved not to affect the expression of the parental gene EPSTI1, we speculated that circ_0000479 may not affect the pathogenesis of RA by regulating the expression of EPSTI1 in this study, but this does not negate the potential function of EPSTI1 in the pathogenesis of RA.