Fangfang Hua1, Shanshan Liu1, Lihong Zhu1, Ning Ma1, Shan Jiang2, Jun Yang3. 1. Department of Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University, Weihui, Henan 453100, PR China. 2. Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University, Weihui, Henan 453100, PR China. 3. Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University, Weihui, Henan 453100, PR China. Electronic address: junyang72@163.com.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer is the most common gynecological malignancies in women worldwide. The previous study showed that lncRNA NNT-AS1 could play an important role in tumor development and metastasis of colorectal cancer. However, little is known about the function of NNT-AS1 in cervical cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression profile of NNT-AS1 in cervical cancer and assess its possible molecular mechanism. METHODS: Relative expression levels of NNT-AS1 in cervical cancer tissues were determined by qRT-PCR. The biologic functions of NNT-AS1 in cervical cancer were explored by MTT assay, transwell assay and flow cytometric analysis in vitro. The influence of NNT-AS1 on tumorigenesis was measured by mice xenograft model. In addition, we evaluated the activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway by luciferase assay and western blot. RESULTS: Our results showed that NNT-AS1 expression in cervical cancer tissues compared with adjacent non-tumor tissues the overexpression of NNT-AS1 was positively associated with advanced FIGO stage, lymph node metastasis, depth of cervical invasion and poorer overall survival. Function assays showed that NNT-AS1 inhibition could suppress cervical cancer cells proliferation and invasion ability in vitro as well as the activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. In vivo mice xenograft model revealed that silencing NNT-AS1 could reduce tumor growth in nude mice. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the current study suggested that NNT-AS1 might play an important role in cervical carcinogenesis and might serve as a potentially therapeutic target and prognostic marker in the treatment of cervical cancer.
BACKGROUND:Cervical cancer is the most common gynecological malignancies in women worldwide. The previous study showed that lncRNA NNT-AS1 could play an important role in tumor development and metastasis of colorectal cancer. However, little is known about the function of NNT-AS1 in cervical cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression profile of NNT-AS1 in cervical cancer and assess its possible molecular mechanism. METHODS: Relative expression levels of NNT-AS1 in cervical cancer tissues were determined by qRT-PCR. The biologic functions of NNT-AS1 in cervical cancer were explored by MTT assay, transwell assay and flow cytometric analysis in vitro. The influence of NNT-AS1 on tumorigenesis was measured by mice xenograft model. In addition, we evaluated the activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway by luciferase assay and western blot. RESULTS: Our results showed that NNT-AS1 expression in cervical cancer tissues compared with adjacent non-tumor tissues the overexpression of NNT-AS1 was positively associated with advanced FIGO stage, lymph node metastasis, depth of cervical invasion and poorer overall survival. Function assays showed that NNT-AS1 inhibition could suppress cervical cancer cells proliferation and invasion ability in vitro as well as the activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. In vivo mice xenograft model revealed that silencing NNT-AS1 could reduce tumor growth in nude mice. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the current study suggested that NNT-AS1 might play an important role in cervical carcinogenesis and might serve as a potentially therapeutic target and prognostic marker in the treatment of cervical cancer.