OncoTargets and Therapy (Nov 2020)

The SP1-Induced Long Noncoding RNA, LINC00339, Promotes Tumorigenesis in Colorectal Cancer via the miR-378a-3p/MED19 Axis

  • Ye H,
  • Li W,
  • Wu K,
  • Liu Y,
  • Lv Y,
  • Zhu Y,
  • Luo H,
  • Cui L

Journal volume & issue
Vol. Volume 13
pp. 11711 – 11724

Abstract

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Hua Ye,1,2 Wende Li,3 Kefeng Wu,1,2 Yi Liu,1,2 Yingnian Lv,1,2 Yuzhen Zhu,1,2 Hui Luo,1,2 Liao Cui1,2 1Guangdong Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Natural Drugs, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, People’s Republic of China; 2Institute of Marine Biomedical Research, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, People’s Republic of China; 3Guangdong Laboratory Animals Monitoring Institute, Zhanjiang, Guangdong 524023, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Hua YeGuangdong Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Natural Drugs, Guangdong Medical University, 2 Wenming East Road, Zhanjiang 524023 Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of ChinaEmail [email protected]: Accumulating evidence has indicated that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are pivotal regulators involved in the pathogenesis of cancer; however, the molecular mechanism of LINC00339 in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains unclear.Methods: The quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction for the expression of LINC00339 and miR-378a-3p and Western blots for MED19 were performed. A dual-luciferase assay was used to investigate the interaction between LIN00339 and miR-378a-3p, as well as between miR-378a-3p and MED19. Cell proliferation was determined by 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) and 5-ethynyl-2ʹ-deoxyuridine (EdU) assay. The cell cycle was analyzed by propidium iodide staining followed by flow cytometry analysis. The wound-healing and transwell invasion assays were used to evaluate cell migration and invasion.Results: The expression of LINC00339 was significantly upregulated in CRC cells and tissues, and high LINC00339 expression indicated an advanced tumor stage. Further experiments demonstrated that SP1 activated LINC00339 expression by binding to its promoter region. Luciferase activity and RNA pull-down assays demonstrated a direct interaction between LINC00339 and miR-378a-3p. miR-378a-3p expression was decreased in CRC samples and negatively correlated with LINC00339 expression in tumors. Gain- and loss-of-function assays indicated that LINC00339 contributed to cell proliferation, cell cycle progression, migration, and invasion, while miR-378a-3p reversed these effects. Furthermore, cotransfection of wild-type MED19 3ʹ-UTR reporters and miR-378a-3p significantly reduced luciferase activity. MED19 mRNA and protein expression was inhibited and enhanced by miR-378a-3p and LINC00339, respectively. MED19 overexpression reversed the effect of miR-378a-3p on cellular processes. Moreover, LINC00339 promoted tumor growth in vivo and induced epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and activated the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in cells.Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate the regulatory role of the SP1/LINC00339/miR-378a-3p/MED19 axis in CRC tumorigenesis and provide novel insight into the molecular mechanism underlying CRC.Keywords: LINC00339, ceRNA, miR-378a-3p, MED19, colorectal cancer

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