Cancer Management and Research (Jan 2020)
LncRNA CASC9 Affects Cell Proliferation, Migration, and Invasion of Tongue Squamous cell Carcinoma via Regulating miR-423-5p/SOX12 Axes
Abstract
Xin Chen, 1 Hanfeng Xu, 2 Guowen Sun, 1 Ying Zhang 2 1Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Nanjing Stomatological Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China; 2Oncology Department, The Second Hospital of Nanjing, Nanjing, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Ying ZhangOncology Department, The Second Hospital of Nanjing, No. 1-1 Zhongfu Road, Nanjing 210003, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86-025-83626473Email [email protected]: The incidence of tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) has increased in recent decades. However, the function of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) CASC9 in the occurrence and progression of TSCC is unclear. In this work, we attempted to clarify the role of lncRNA CASC9 in determining the phenotype of TSCC cells, and to clarify the underlying mechanisms.Methods: We used qRT-PCR analysis to identify the level of CASC9 mRNA expression in TSCC clinical samples and cell lines. We investigated cell proliferation, and cell migration and invasion of TSCC cells transfected with siCASC9 or siNC using CCK-8 and transwell assays. Bioinformatics analysis and a luciferase reporter assay were employed to predict and verify the target microRNA (miRNA).Results: CASC9 was up-regulated in the TSCC tissues and cells, and predicted a poor prognosis. CASC9 silencing significantly inhibited cell proliferation, migration, and invasion of the TSCC cells compared with the non-targeting control small interfering RNA (siCtrl) treatment. miR-423-5p was predicted as the targeting miRNA of CASC9; this was verified by a luciferase reporter assay. CASC9 expression showed a negative correlation with miR-423-5p expression and a positive correlation with SOX12 expression. The miR-423-5p inhibitor can rescue the carcinogenesis effect of CASC9 on TSCC cells.Conclusion: Our work indicates that CASC9 plays a role in TSCC tumorigenesis; this novel information will improve TSCC molecular targeting therapy.Keywords: CASC9, tongue squamous cell carcinoma, miR-423-5p, proliferation, invasion, migration
