OncoTargets and Therapy (Feb 2021)
Long Noncoding RNA JAKMIP2-AS1 Promotes the Growth of Colorectal Cancer and Indicates Poor Prognosis
Abstract
Tianyi Ma,1 Tianyu Qiao,1 Ziming Yuan,1 Guiyu Wang,1 Rui Huang,1 Meng Wang,1 Hanqing Hu,1 Yihao Zhu,1 Xiaoming Zou,2 Xishan Wang1,3 1Department of Colorectal Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Colorectal Surgery, Cancer Institute and Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Xiaoming Zou; Xishan Wang Email [email protected]; [email protected]: The identification of cancer-associated long noncoding RNAs and the investigation of their molecular and biological functions are important for understanding the molecular biology and progression of cancer. JAKMIP2-AS1 has not been reported in the literature, especially in the context of colorectal cancer. The aim of the present study was to examine the expression pattern of JAKMIP2-AS1 in colorectal cancer (CRC) and evaluate its biological role and clinical significance in tumor progression.Methods: JAKMIP2-AS1 expression was analyzed in 56 CRC tissues and nine CRC cell lines by quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Overexpression and RNA interference (RNAi) approaches were used to investigate the biological functions of JAKMIP2-AS1. The effect of JAKMIP2-AS1 on proliferation was evaluated by CCK-8, colony formation, and EdU assays. Subcutaneous injection of cells was used to study proliferation in BALB/c nude male mice. Proliferation-related protein levels were examined by immunohistochemical analysis. Differences between groups were tested for significance using Student’s t-test (two-tailed).Results: JAKMIP2-AS1 was highly expressed in both CRC samples and cell lines compared with the corresponding normal counterparts. The upregulation of JAKMIP2-AS1 expression promoted the proliferation of colorectal cancer cells. Moreover, patients with high levels of JAKMIP2-AS1 expression had a relatively poor prognosis. Inhibition of JAKMIP2-AS1 by RNAi decreased the proliferation of CRC cells in vitro and impeded cell growth in vivo. Ki-67 and PCNA levels were affected by JAKMIP2-AS1 knockdown or overexpression in vivo.Conclusion: Our findings indicate that JAKMIP2-AS1 is significantly upregulated in CRC tissues and regulates CRC cell proliferation. Thus, JAKMIP2-AS1 may represent a new marker of poor prognosis and is a potential therapeutic target for CRC intervention.Keywords: colorectal cancer, long noncoding RNA, proliferation, prognosis
