Long non-coding RNA CCAT2 promotes cholangiocarcinoma cells migration and invasion by induction of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition.

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is one of the most aggressive malignancies in humans. Emerging evidence has indicated that abnormally expressed long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) could conduce to tumorigenesis and progression. Specifically, colon cancer-associated transcript 2 (CCAT2) has been reported to be overexpressed in several carcinomas. However, its clinical significance and functional roles in CCA is still unknown. qRT-PCR experiments were conducted to assess the CCAT2 expression in CCA tissue samples and cell lines. In addition, the link between CCAT2 expression and clinicopathological characteristics was analyzed. The potential effects of CCAT2 in CCA cells was evaluated in vitro including cell proliferation, colony-forming ability, apoptosis, migration, invasion and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). As a result, CCAT2 was aberrantly overexpressed in CCA tissue samples and cells, and this upregulation was correlated with tumor size, lymph node invasion, TNM stage and postoperative recurrence in CCA patients. Overexpression of CCAT2 could serve as an independent prognostic indicator for CCA. Additionally, overexpression of CCAT2 was a dismal prognostic indicator for patients with CCA. Furthermore, CCAT2 silencing caused tumor suppressive effects via reducing cell proliferation, migration and invasion, inducing cell apoptosis and reversing the EMT process in HuCCT1 and CCLP1 cells. Collectively, our data illustrated that lncRNA CCAT2 played an oncogenic role in CCA and may offer a potential therapeutic target for treating this fatal disease.

Xu Y ，Yao Y ，Qin W ，Zhong X ，Jiang X ，Cui Y ... -  《-》

Overexpression of long noncoding RNA H19 indicates a poor prognosis for cholangiocarcinoma and promotes cell migration and invasion by affecting epithelial-mesenchymal transition.

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a deadly disease that poorly responds to chemotherapy and radiotherapy and whose incidence has increased worldwide. Furthermore, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in multiple biological processes, including tumorigenesis. Specifically, H19, the first discovered lncRNA, has been reported to be overexpressed in diverse human carcinomas, but the overall biological role and clinical significance of H19 in CCA remains unknown. In the present study, expression levels of H19 were investigated in CCA tissues and cell lines and were correlated with clinicopathological features. Moreover, we explored the functional roles of H19 depletion in QBC939 and RBE cells, including cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, invasion and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). The results indicated that H19 was upregulated in CCA tissue samples and cell lines, and this upregulation was associated with tumor size, TNM stage, postoperative recurrence and overall survival in 56 patients with CCA. Moreover, knockdown of H19 followed by RNA silencing restrained cell proliferation and promoted apoptosis. In addition, H19 suppression impaired migration and invasion potential by reversing EMT. Overall, our findings may help to develop diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutics that target H19 for the treatment of CCA.

Xu Y ，Wang Z ，Jiang X ，Cui Y ... -  《-》

Long non-coding RNA HOTAIR promotes tumorigenesis and forecasts a poor prognosis in cholangiocarcinoma.

Qin W ，Kang P ，Xu Y ，Leng K ，Li Z ，Huang L ，Gao J ，Cui Y ，Zhong X ... -  《Scientific Reports》

Enhanced expression of lncRNA TP73-AS1 predicts adverse phenotypes for cholangiocarcinoma and exerts oncogenic properties in vitro and in vivo.

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is one of the most aggressive malignancies with increasing incidence worldwide. Various evidence documents that abnormally expressed long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in tumorigenesis and progression. TP73-AS1 is a novel cancer-related lncRNA that contributes to the development of several malignancies. However, its clinical value and potential effects on CCA remains unknown. RT-qPCR was used to measure the expression levels of TP73-AS1 in CCA tissues and paired non-tumor tissues and the association between TP73-AS1 expression and clinicopathological characteristics was analyzed. In addition, the functional roles of TP73-AS1 in CCA were detected both in vitro and in vivo. The results illustrated that TP73-AS1 transcription is enhanced in both CCA tissue samples and cell lines, and this upregulation is closely associated with larger tumor size (p=0.008) and advanced TNM stage (p=0.026) in patients with CCA. For the part of functional assays, silencing of TP73-AS1 could attenuate CCA cell growth both in vitro and in vivo. Additionally, silencing of TP73-AS1 facilitates apoptosis via activating caspase-3 and caspase-9. Importantly, TP73-AS1 expression did not affect HIBEC cell growth and apoptosis. Moreover, TP73-AS1 could also facilitate migration and invasion potential of CCA cells. Collectively, these findings may help to develop a potential therapeutic target for the patients with CCA.

Yao Y ，Sun Y ，Jiang Y ，Qu L ，Xu Y ... -  《-》

SP1-induced upregulation of lncRNA SPRY4-IT1 exerts oncogenic properties by scaffolding EZH2/LSD1/DNMT1 and sponging miR-101-3p in cholangiocarcinoma.

Xu Y ，Yao Y ，Jiang X ，Zhong X ，Wang Z ，Li C ，Kang P ，Leng K ，Ji D ，Li Z ，Huang L ，Qin W ，Cui Y ... -  《JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL & CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH》