In addition, circNRIP1 knockdown inhibited GC cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and AKT1 expression levels, and mechanistically, circNRIP1 acted as a miR-149-5p sponge to induce GC cell metabolism and autophagy through regulation of the AKT1/mTOR pathway and promote GC progression via exosomal transport. Here, AKT1 is linked to gastric cancer.