The effect of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) THOR on proliferation and migration of colon cancer cells was investigated. Lentiviral vector expressing lncRNA THOR shRNA was used to establish colon cancer SW620 lncRNA THOR knockdown cell line (experimental group), and at the same time, a control vector cell line (control group) was established by empty vector virus. Proliferation ability of the two groups was analyzed by CCK8 and EdU methods. Migration ability of the cells was analyzed by Transwell method. Xenograft tumor method was used to analyze the in vivo proliferation ability of the two groups of cells. mRNA levels of lncRNA THOR target genes were analyzed by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). Compared with control cells, the cell proliferation ability of the experimental group was significantly decreased (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the cell migration ability of the experimental group was significantly decreased (P<0.05). The tumor growth rate of the experimental group in the mice was significantly lower than that of the control group (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, mRNA levels of lncRNA THOR target genes IGF2BP1, SOX9 and c-myc in the experimental group were significantly downregulated (P<0.05). The results indicated that lncRNA THOR knockdown can significantly downregulate the expression of genes involved in tumor proliferation and migration, promote tumor cell proliferation and migration, indicating that lncRNA THOR plays an important role in colon cancer.
Keywords: colon cancer; lncRNA THOR; migration; proliferation.