Long non-coding RNA LINC00673 promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progression and metastasis through negatively regulating miR-205.

Increasing evidence demonstrates abnormal expression of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) is closely correlated with various malignancies including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The present study aims to investigate the role of lncRNA long intergenic noncoding RNA 00673 (LINC00673) in tumorigenesis of HCC. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) revealed LINC00673 was upregulated in HCC cancerous tissue and cell lines compared to adjacent normal tissue and normal liver cell lines. LINC00673 overexpression is associated with poor prognosis and low survival rate. LINC00673 silencing inhibited the proliferation, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of HCC cells in vitro. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that miR-205 targeted 3'-UTR of LINC00673. Rescue experiments confirmed that miR-205 could reverse the effect of LINC00673 on HCC cells. In vivo xenograft tumor assay LINC00673 silencing reduced the tumor volume and weight. Taken together, findings indicate overexpression of LINC00673 promotes HCC cells progression by regulating miR-205, providing a prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for HCC and is associated with poor survival of HCC patients.