Long Noncoding RNA Context-Dependently Regulates by Interacting With Activated Complex in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells.

Background: Long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) mediates the pathogenesis of various diseases, including cancer and cardiovascular, infectious, and metabolic diseases. This study examined the role of lncRNA in the development and progression of cancer.

Methods: The expression of was determined using tissues containing complementary DNA (cDNA) from patients with liver, lung, kidney, oral, and colon cancers. The expression of acting genes adjacent to the locus (, , , , , , and ) was also assessed. We used knockdown and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays to identify the acting genes that interact with .

Results: was most significantly downregulated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), while a higher level correlated with a shorter survival time of patients with HCC. Multivariate analysis indicated was not an independent predictor for overall survival. was significantly upregulated, and its increased expression was associated with dismal survival in HCC patients, similar to the results for . knockdown significantly decreased cellular migration. ChIP of HCC cell lines revealed that is regulated by the transcription factor ATF3 and binds to the promoter the activated complex. Additionally, when was knocked down, the expression of target genes such as , , and was also downregulated. could play a positive or negative regulator for with a context-dependent manner in both HCC tissues and animal model.

Conclusion: Our study suggests that plays a key role in HCC progression -regulated target genes and may serve as a novel therapeutic target.