title: Long non-coding RNA Loc554202 induces apoptosis in colorectal cancer cells via the caspase cleavage cascades.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Aberrant expression of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) has frequently been reported in cancer studies, including those of colorectal cancer (CRC). Increasing evidence suggests that lncRNAs are significantly correlated with the pathogenesis, development and metastasis of cancer. Loc554202 is a 2166-bp transcript on human chromosome 9p21.3, the expression of which is dysregulated in breast and lung cancer cells. However, its role in CRC remains under investigation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was carried out to assess the relative expression of Loc554202 in CRC cell lines and tissues. Gain and/or loss of function approaches were used to investigate the potential functional roles in cell proliferation and apoptosis in vitro and in vivo. qRT-PCR, western-blotting and immunohistochemistry were used to evaluate the mRNA and protein expression of apoptosis-related factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Loc554202 was significantly downregulated in cancerous tissues and CRC cell lines compared with adjacent normal tissue and a normal human intestinal epithelial cell line. Low Loc554202 expression was closely associated with advanced pathologic stage and a larger tumor size. The overexpression of Loc554202 decreased the cell proliferation and induced apoptosis in vitro and hindered tumorigenesis in vivo. Loc554202 regulated cell apoptosis partly through the activation of specific caspase cleavage cascades.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that Loc554202 may play an important role in the progression of CRC and could be a candidate prognostic biomarker or a target for new cancer therapies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, PR China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, PR China.
authors.forename: Binbin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Department of clinical laboratory, Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, PR China.
authors.forename: Jianping
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, PR China.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, PR China.
authors.forename: Yongguo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, PR China.
authors.forename: Yifan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lian
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, PR China.
authors.forename: Ya
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, PR China.
authors.forename: Jirong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, PR China.
authors.forename: Yingrui
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, PR China.
authors.forename: Zhaoxia
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210029, PR China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: De
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, PR China. wkmys@sohu.com.
authors.forename: Keming
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology*; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D005260:Female; D059585:G1 Phase Cell Cycle Checkpoints; D015870:Gene Expression; D045325:HCT116 Cells; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008819:Mice, Nude; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D062085:RNA, Long Noncoding / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: C534612:MIRN31 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs; D062085:RNA, Long Noncoding; D020169:Caspases