LINC00886 Facilitates Hepatocellular Carcinoma Tumorigenesis by Sequestering microRNA-409-3p and microRNA-214-5p

Lu Li; Rong Ai; Xiwei Yuan; Shiming Dong; Dandan Zhao; Xiaoye Sun; Tongguo Miao; Weiwei Guan; Peilin Guo; Songhao Yu; Yuemin Nan

doi:10.2147/JHC.S410891

LINC00886 Facilitates Hepatocellular Carcinoma Tumorigenesis by Sequestering microRNA-409-3p and microRNA-214-5p

J Hepatocell Carcinoma. 2023 Jun 8:10:863-881. doi: 10.2147/JHC.S410891. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Lu Li^#¹, Rong Ai^#¹, Xiwei Yuan¹, Shiming Dong¹, Dandan Zhao¹, Xiaoye Sun², Tongguo Miao¹, Weiwei Guan¹, Peilin Guo¹, Songhao Yu¹, Yuemin Nan¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Traditional and Western Medical Hepatology, Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University & Hebei Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Fibrosis in Chronic Liver Diseases, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, 050051, People's Republic of China.
² Department of Organ Transplant Center, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Tianjin, 300192, People's Republic of China.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

Purpose: As the major subtype of liver cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) suffers from high mortality and is prone to recurrence. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are well characterized to be pivotal players contributing to HCC pathogenesis and progression. Therefore, this study intended to probe the biological functions of LINC00886 in hepatocarcinogenesis.

Patients and methods: Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was applied to analysis of LINC00886, microRNA-409-3p (miR-409-3p), microRNA-214-5p (miR-214-5p), RAB10 and E2F2 expression. Subcellular localization of LINC00886 was identified through a fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) kit and a subcellular assay. Additionally, proliferated cells were determined with EdU as well as cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assays. Scratch and Transwell assays were applied to detect migratory and invasive cells. Apoptotic cells were measured via TUNEL staining assay. Furthermore, targeted binding between LINC00886 and miR-409-3p or miR-214-5p was validated utilizing dual-luciferase reporter assays. RAB10, E2F2 and NF-κB signaling-associated protein levels were evaluated utilizing Western blot.

Results: LINC00886, RAB10 and E2F2 levels were aberrantly increased, with the abnormal expressed decline of miR-409-3p and miR-214-5p, in HCC tissues, cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Silencing LINC00886 attenuated the proliferative, migratory, invasive, and anti-apoptotic potential of HCC cells, while LINC00886 overexpression proceeded in the contrary direction. Mechanistically, miR-409-3p and miR-214-5p were validated as binding targets for LINC00886 and inverted the biological functions of LINC00886 during HCC progression. Furthermore, the LINC00886-miR-409-3p/miR-214-5p axis could regulate RAB10 and E2F2 expression via mediating NF-κB pathway activation in hepatocarcinogenesis.

Conclusion: Our findings indicated that LINC00886 facilitated HCC progression via absorbing miR-409-3p or miR-214-5p to upregulate RAB10 and E2F2 through activation of NF-κB pathway, offering a promising novel target for HCC therapy.

Keywords: LINC00886; NF-κB signaling; hepatocellular carcinoma; miR-214-5p; miR-409-3p.

Grants and funding

This project was supported by the Key Research and Development Program of Hebei Province in 2019 (No. 19277779D); the introduction of foreign intelligence program in Hebei Province in 2020.