The long noncoding RNA CASC9 regulates migration and invasion in esophageal cancer.

The objective of the study was to investigate the expression and functions of CASC9 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) upregulated in ESCC tissues were detected by RNA sequencing. Expression of CASC9 was determined from clinical samples and cell lines by qRT-PCR. The effects of CASC9 knockdown on migration and invasion were evaluated by wound healing assay, cell migration and invasion assays in vitro. We found that the lncRNA, CASC9, was markedly upregulated in ESCC tissues. Furthermore, knockdown of CASC9 significantly suppressed cell migration and invasion in vitro. Furthermore, enhanced CASC9 expression level was correlated with differentiation. The results indicated that CASC9 is significantly upregulated in ESCC tissues and may represent a new marker of poor prognosis and a potential therapeutic target for esophageal cancer intervention.

Pan Z ，Mao W ，Bao Y ，Zhang M ，Su X ，Xu X ... -  《Cancer Medicine》

Up-regulation of lncRNA CASC9 promotes esophageal squamous cell carcinoma growth by negatively regulating PDCD4 expression through EZH2.

Wu Y ，Hu L ，Liang Y ，Li J ，Wang K ，Chen X ，Meng H ，Guan X ，Yang K ，Bai Y ... -  《Molecular Cancer》

LncRNA CASC9 promotes tumorigenesis by affecting EMT and predicts poor prognosis in esophageal squamous cell cancer.

Gao GD ，Liu XY ，Lin Y ，Liu HF ，Zhang GJ ... -  《-》

LncRNA CASC9 promotes esophageal squamous cell carcinoma metastasis through upregulating LAMC2 expression by interacting with the CREB-binding protein.

Liang Y ，Chen X ，Wu Y ，Li J ，Zhang S ，Wang K ，Guan X ，Yang K ，Bai Y ... -  《-》

Long noncoding RNA H19 is up-regulated in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and promotes cell proliferation and metastasis.

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been shown to play various roles in tumorigenesis, among which lncRNA H19 has been revealed as an ambivalent factor that acts as both an oncogene and a tumor suppressor in carcinogenesis. However, the exact biological role of H19 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains to be determined. The aim of this study was to examine the expression pattern of H19 in ESCC and evaluate its biological role and clinical significance in the progression of ESCC. Expression of H19 was analyzed in 64 ESCC tissues and four ESCC cell lines by quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Proliferation, cell cycle, migration, and invasion assays were performed in ESCC cell lines following knockdown of H19 to determine the biological function of H19 in the progression of ESCC both in vitro and in vivo. Western blot analysis was also performed to identify the potential mechanisms involved. H19 was highly expressed both in ESCC samples and cell lines compared with corresponding normal counterparts. The up-regulation of of H19 was significantly correlated with ESCC clinical stage and lymph node metastasis. Knockdown of H19 not only exerted inhibitory effect on tumor proliferation in vitro and in vivo, but also repressed the migratory and invasive capacity. G0/G1 phase arrest was also found in H19 knockdown cell lines. In addition, silencing of H19 up-regulated epithelial marker E-cadherin while down-regulating mesenchymal marker vimentin and metastasis-associated protein such as MMP-9. These findings indicate that H19 acts as an oncogene and promotes ESCC cell proliferation and metastasis, which may infer H19 as a marker of poor prognosis and, thus, a potential therapeutic target for treating ESCC patients.

Tan D ，Wu Y ，Hu L ，He P ，Xiong G ，Bai Y ，Yang K ... -  《-》