Chao Zhou1, Na An2, Chunyan Cao3, Guodong Wang4. 1. Digestive System Department, Yankuang new journey general hospital, Jining City, China. 2. Qingdao central hospital, Qingedao City, China. 3. Emergency Department, Qingdao Central Hospital, Qingdao City, China. 4. Digestive System Department, Changle County People's Hospital, Weifang City, China.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) function as oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes in several cancers. The present study aimed to determine the functions of lncRNA HOXC-AS1 in gastric cancer (GC) in vitro. METHODS: A quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to measure the expression of lncRNA HOXC-AS1 in GC cell lines and normal cells. After silencing HOXC-AS1 in GC cells, a cell counting kit-8 assay monitored the viability of the cells. qRT-PCR and western blot documented the EMT key genes in response to HOXC-AS1 change. qRT-PCR detected mRNA expression for eIF4AIII in GC and normal cell lines and cell viability was measured after an increase and decrease of eIF4AIII. RNA pull-down and qRT-PCR confirmed the binding in between. Apoptosis was compared by flow cytometry. The interplay between the two genes was surveyed by introduction of the sh-HOXC-AS1 and sh-eIF4AIII and by assessing cell viability, EMT and Wnt/β-catenin signaling. RESULTS: lncRNA HOXC-AS1 expression is up-regulated in GC cells and a decrease of lncRNA HOXC-AS1 inhibited cell viability. Binding was validated by RNA pull-down. Additionally, inhibition of eIF4AIII induced an increase of lncRNA HOXC-AS1, thus promoting cell proliferation and the EMT process but deterring apoptosis of gastric cancer cells. Wnt/β-catenin signaling was impeded by HOXC-AS1 inhibition but restored by suppression of eIF4AIII. CONCLUSIONS: HOXC-AS1 may promote the proliferation and the EMT process and inhibit apoptosis by binding eIF4AIII via Wnt/β-catenin signaling, which indicates that HOXC-AS1/eIF4AIII might be an axis that could be further used as a biomarker to help with the diagnosis of GC.
BACKGROUND: Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) function as oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes in several cancers. The present study aimed to determine the functions of lncRNA HOXC-AS1 in gastric cancer (GC) in vitro. METHODS: A quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to measure the expression of lncRNA HOXC-AS1 in GC cell lines and normal cells. After silencing HOXC-AS1 in GC cells, a cell counting kit-8 assay monitored the viability of the cells. qRT-PCR and western blot documented the EMT key genes in response to HOXC-AS1 change. qRT-PCR detected mRNA expression for eIF4AIII in GC and normal cell lines and cell viability was measured after an increase and decrease of eIF4AIII. RNA pull-down and qRT-PCR confirmed the binding in between. Apoptosis was compared by flow cytometry. The interplay between the two genes was surveyed by introduction of the sh-HOXC-AS1 and sh-eIF4AIII and by assessing cell viability, EMT and Wnt/β-catenin signaling. RESULTS: lncRNA HOXC-AS1 expression is up-regulated in GC cells and a decrease of lncRNA HOXC-AS1 inhibited cell viability. Binding was validated by RNA pull-down. Additionally, inhibition of eIF4AIII induced an increase of lncRNA HOXC-AS1, thus promoting cell proliferation and the EMT process but deterring apoptosis of gastric cancer cells. Wnt/β-catenin signaling was impeded by HOXC-AS1 inhibition but restored by suppression of eIF4AIII. CONCLUSIONS:HOXC-AS1 may promote the proliferation and the EMT process and inhibit apoptosis by binding eIF4AIII via Wnt/β-catenin signaling, which indicates that HOXC-AS1/eIF4AIII might be an axis that could be further used as a biomarker to help with the diagnosis of GC.