LncRNA THAP9-AS1 accelerates cell growth of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma through sponging miR-335-5p to regulate SGMS2.

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is kind of common and aggressive malignant tumors with high incidence and mortality all over the world. Accumulating studies have reported that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) can play a vital regulatory role in human cancers. THAP9 antisense RNA 1 (THAP9-AS1) has been identified as an oncogene in several cancers. But its role in ESCC remains to be studied. In our research, THAP9-AS1 expression in ESCC cell lines was analyzed by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Cell proliferation, migration, invasion and apoptosis as well as EMT process were analyzed by 5-Ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine ( EdU), Transwell, Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP Nick-End Labeling (TUNEL) and western blot experiments. The interplay of THAP9-AS1, miR-335-5p and sphingomyelin synthase 2 (SGMS2) was analyzed by luciferase reporter assay and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay. We discovered that THAP9-AS1 was highly expressed in ESCC cell lines and that the knockdown of THAP9-AS1 inhibited proliferation, migration, and invasion as well as EMT of ECSS cells but enhanced cell apoptosis. Furthermore, miR-335-5p was proved to be sponged by THAP9-AS1 and its up-regulation could repress ESCC progression. Additionally, SGMS2 was verified to be the target gene of miR-335-5p. In rescue assay, SGMS2 overexpression could offset the suppressive role of THAP9-AS1 depletion on ESCC progression. In short, THAP9-AS1 accelerated cell growth of ESCC through sponging miR-335-5p to regulate SGMS2.

Pan Q ，Li B ，Zhang J ，Du X ，Gu D ... -  《-》

THAP9-AS1/miR-133b/SOX4 positive feedback loop facilitates the progression of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Cheng J ，Ma H ，Yan M ，Xing W ... -  《Cell Death & Disease》

Regulation of IncRNA ZNF667-AS1 in Proliferation and Invasion of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells via Mediating ceRNA Network.

Wei L ，Gu W ，Hu L ，Wang K ，Huang H ，Shen Y ... -  《CRITICAL REVIEWS IN EUKARYOTIC GENE EXPRESSION》

Silencing of Long Noncoding RNA SNHG6 Inhibits Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Progression via miR-186-5p/HIF1α Axis.

Du F ，Guo T ，Cao C 《-》

A novel long noncoding RNA, LOC440173, promotes the progression of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma by modulating the miR-30d-5p/HDAC9 axis and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition.

Countless evidence suggests that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in human malignant cancers, including esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), although their exact function remains unclear. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the roles and molecular mechanisms of the lncRNA LOC440173 in ESCC progression. Microarray analysis and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction were conducted to measure the expression levels of LOC440173 and miR-30d-5p. The biological function of this lncRNA was investigated using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium, clone formation, and transwell assays, as well as flow cytometry and Western blot analysis. The function of LOC440173 was validated in vivo using tumor xenografts. The regulatory network of LOC440173/miR-30d-5p/HDAC9 was established using bioinformatic analysis and verified with dual-luciferase reporter assays, RNA immunoprecipitation assay, and rescue experiments. The expression level of LOC440173 was significantly increased in ESCC tissues and esophageal carcinoma cells. High LOC440173 expression was correlated with histological grade, tumor invasion depth, lymph node metastasis, and TNM stage. Overexpression of LOC440173 promoted esophageal cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, as well as the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process in vitro, and facilitated tumor growth in vivo. MicroRNA-30d-5p (miR-30d-5p) was downregulated in ESCC tissues and acted as a direct binding target of LOC440173 during the regulation of HDAC9 expression in esophageal carcinoma cells. In conclusion, LOC440173 exerts a promotive role in ESCC tumorigenesis by targeting the miR-30d-5p/HDAC9 axis and regulating the EMT process. LOC440173 might be a new therapeutic target for the treatment of ESCC.

Wang G ，Feng B ，Niu Y ，Wu J ，Yang Y ，Shen S ，Guo Y ，Liang J ，Guo W ，Dong Z ... -  《-》