Long non-coding RNA DGCR5 is involved in the regulation of proliferation, migration and invasion of lung cancer by targeting miR-1180.

Accumulating studies have demonstrated that non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), including small non-coding RNAs (small ncRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), are involved in tumor growth in lung cancer (LC). However, the specific role of DGCR5 in LC progression is not yet clear. In the present study, we found that DGCR5 was downregulated and miR-1180 was upregulated in the sera and tissues of LC patients and was correlated with poor prognosis. We also found that DGCR5 suppressed proliferation, migration and invasion of LC cell lines H520 and H1299. In addition, a luciferase reporter gene assay was used to investigate the regulatory relationship between DGCR5 and miR-1180. Furthermore, we suggested that DGCR5 inhibited the expression of AKT, GSK-3β, and β-catenin by targeting miR-1180. Based on these findings, DGCR5 might serve as a potential target for the development of effective anti-neoplastic therapies in lung cancer.