S: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a class of endogenous noncoding RNAs that form covalently closed circles. Although circRNAs influence many biological processes, little is known about their role in intestinal epithelium homeostasis. We surveyed circRNAs required to maintain intestinal epithelial integrity and identified circHIPK3 as a major regulator of intestinal epithelial repair after acute injury. METHODS: Intestinal mucosal tissues were collected from mice exposed to cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) for 48 h and patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and sepsis.