Long non-coding RNA ZEB1-AS1 indicates poor prognosis and promotes melanoma progression through targeting miR-1224-5p.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have critical roles in various types of cancer, but their roles in the development of melanoma and the underlying molecular mechanisms remain to be fully elucidated. In the present study, the role of zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1 antisense RNA 1 (ZEB1-AS1) in melanoma was assessed. The expression levels of ZEB1-AS1 were increased in melanoma cell lines and tumor tissues as indicated by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis. Kaplan-Meier analysis suggested that higher expression of ZEB1-AS1 predicts poor prognosis of melanoma patients. Furthermore, knockdown of ZEB1-AS1 inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of melanoma, suggesting a role of ZEB1-AS1 in the development and progression of melanoma. In addition, a luciferase reporter assay confirmed that the expression of miR-1224-5p was directly regulated by ZEB1-AS1. Transfection with miR-1224-5p mimics reduced the levels of ZEB1-AS1 and the proliferation, migration and invasion of melanoma. In conclusion, ZEB1-AS1 enhances the proliferation, migration and invasion of melanoma, at least in part by inhibiting the expression of miR-1224-5p, and its overexpression is associated with poor survival of melanoma patients. In addition, the ZEB1-AS1/miR-1224-5p interaction may be a promising therapeutic target for melanoma treatment.