Long non-coding RNA WT1-AS inhibits cell aggressiveness via miR-203a-5p/FOXN2 axis and is associated with prognosis in cervical cancer.
EUROPEAN REVIEW FOR MEDICAL AND PHARMACOLOGICAL SCIENCES 2020;
23:486-495. [PMID:
30720155 DOI:
10.26355/eurrev_201901_16860]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
Substantial evidence has demonstrated that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play pivotal roles in tumorigenesis and tumor progression. The lncRNA Wilms tumor 1 Antisense RNA (WT1-AS) is a potential tumor suppressor in some types of cancers. The objective of this study was to evaluate the biological roles of WT1-AS in cervical cancer.
PATIENTS AND METHODS
The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) was used to identify differentially expressed lncRNAs in cervical carcinoma. The level of lncRNA WT1-AS in cervical carcinoma tissues and cell lines was determined by quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR). The lentiviral vector encoding WT1-AS (LV-WT1-AS) or miR-203a-5p mimic was transfected into cervical carcinoma cells. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), wound healing and transwell invasion assays were applied to assess the role of WT1-AS in cervical cancer cell growth and migration. WT1-AS directly bound to miR-203a-5p was confirmed using Luciferase reporter assay. The level of forkhead box N2 (FOXN2) was assessed by quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction analysis. A xenograft model was constructed to explore the role of WT1-AS in cervical cancer cell growth in vivo.
RESULTS
WT1-AS was down-regulated in both cervical cancer tissues and cell lines. Functional analyses indicated that the over-expression of WT1-AS remarkably inhibited cervical carcinoma cell growth, migration and invasion. The results of the Luciferase reporter assays verified that miR-203a-5p is a direct target of WT1-AS. Moreover, FOXN2 was identified as a direct target gene of miR-203a-5p, and the up-regulation of miR-203a-5p reversed the inhibitory effects of WT1-AS in cervical cancer cells.
CONCLUSIONS
Our results demonstrated that WT1-AS was under-expressed in cervical carcinoma and suppresses cervical cancer cell growth and aggressiveness via a miR-203a-5p/FOXN2 axis.
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