Background: Lung cancer is one of the most common types of cancer and a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Therefore, it is useful to know the biomarkers involved in the malignancy of lung cancer.
Objectives: This study aimed to show that SOX2-OT as a long non-coding RNA (IncRNA) regulates gene expression via the SOX2-OT/miR-194-5p/SOX5 axis molecular pathway in lung cancer.
Materials and methods: A549 cells transfected with siRNA-SOX2-OT and the expression of SOX2-OT and miR-194-5p genes were analyzed by real-time PCR before and after transfection. In addition, the expression of the B-catenin, MMP9, phosphorylated and activated STAT3 (p-STAT3), SOX5, and VEGF proteins before and after transfection was investigated by Western blotting.
Results: After using siRNA-SOX2-OT, an increase in the expression of miR-194-5p and a decrease in the expression of B-catenin, SOX5, p-STAT3 activated STAT3, VEGF, and MMP9 proteins was observed.
Conclusions: According to the results of the present study, an increase in SOX2-OT in lung cancer seems to stimulate the expression of beta-catenin, SOX5, MMP9, and VEGF thus support the malignancy of lung cancer cells.
Keywords: MMP9; SOX5; VEGF; p-STAT3; β-catenin; SOX2-OT; miRNA-194-5P.
Copyright: © 2021 The Author(s); Published by Iranian Journal of Biotechnology.