Overexpression of LncRNA AFAP1-AS1 predicts poor prognosis and promotes cells proliferation and invasion in gallbladder cancer.
BACKGROUND
Long non-coding RNA actin filament-associated protein 1 antisense RNA 1 (AFAP1-AS1) has been elucidated to be associated with some kinds of human cancers. However, whether lncRNA AFAP1-AS1 implicates in tumor development of gallbladder cancer (GBC) remains largely unknown. This study aims to elucidate the tumorigenic role and regulatory function of lncRNA AFAP1-AS1 in gallbladder cancer.


METHODS
We analyzed lncRNA AFAP1-AS1 expression by quantitative real time PCR (qRT-PCR) in 40 gallbladder cancer tissue and adjacent normal tissues, survival plots were generated by Kaplan-Meier analysis and the log-rank test. The expression levels of transcription factor Twist1 and epithelial-to mesenchymal transition (EMT) makers (E-cadherin and Vimentin) were detected by quantitative real time PCR and western blotting analysis after knockdown of lncRNA AFAP1-AS1.


RESULTS
The expression levels of lncRNA AFAP1-AS1 were significantly elevated in GBC tissues and GBC cell lines. In addition, the expression level of lncRNA AFAP1-AS1 was significantly associated with tumor sizes and the higher expression of lncRNA AFAP1-AS1 was correlated with poor prognosis in GBC patients. Knockdown of LncRNA AFAP1-AS1 suppressed cell growth and invasion in NOZ and GBC-SD cells. Furthermore, we found that knockdown of LncRNA AFAP1-AS1 in GBC cells inhibited EMT by down-regulating the transcription factor Twist1 and Vimentin and up-regulated the E-cadherin.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggested lncRNA AFAP1-AS1 was correlated with poor prognosis in GBC patients and lncRNA AFAP1-AS1 might be novel therapeutic target in gallbladder cancer.
Department of Oncology, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China. Electronic address: mafei12354@sina.com.
Fei
F
Ma
Department of General Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200000, China. Electronic address: 361799795@qq.com.
Shou-Hua
SH
Wang
Department of General Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200000, China. Electronic address: caiqiang12306@sina.com.
Qiang
Q
Cai
Department of General Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200000, China. Electronic address: zhangmingdi12369@sina.com.
Ming-Di
MD
Zhang
Department of General Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200000, China. Electronic address: yangyong10668@sina.com.
Yong
Y
Yang
Department of Biliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Shanghai Shuguang Hospital Affiliated with Shanghai University of T.C.M., Shanghai, 201203, China. Electronic address: dingjun110112@163.com.
Jun
J
Ding
D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005706:Gallbladder Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D055785:Gene Knockdown Techniques; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D010641:Phenotype; D011379:Prognosis; D062085:RNA, Long Noncoding / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
C000605367:AFAP1-AS1 long noncoding RNA, human; D062085:RNA, Long Noncoding
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition; Gallbladder cancer; Tumor invasion; lncRNA AFAP1-AS1