Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most prevalent type of hepatic carcinoma. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are considered crucial regulators of gene expression; however, their functions in HCC are not well understood. Thus, the present study is aimed at elucidating the functions of the lncRNA HOXA-AS3 in HCC. The functions of the HOXA-AS3/miR-455-5p/programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) axis were investigated in vitro via qRT-PCR and dual-luciferase reporter assays. The effect of HOXA-AS3 expression on tumor growth and metastasis was assessed using a mouse xenograft model. High HOXA-AS3 expression was observed in the HCC cell lines. Furthermore, overexpression of HOXA-AS3 in HCC cells enhanced proliferation, migration, and invasion, regulated the cell cycle, and retarded apoptosis. We also identified an miR-455-5p binding site in HOXA-AS3. By sponging miR-455-5p, HOXA-AS3 increased the expression of PD-L1. Additionally, both the inhibition of PD-L1 and overexpression of miR-455-5p reversed the effects on cell proliferation and invasion triggered by the overexpression of HOXA-AS3. In conclusion, HOXA-AS3 modulated the functions of HCC cells through the miR-455-5p/PD-L1 axis. Therefore, HOXA-AS3 may be a novel therapeutic target for HCC.
Highlights
Among hepatic carcinomas, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most prevalent worldwide [1, 2]
TCGA database was used to select Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) associated with HCC
The findings revealed that HCC cells had considerably higher HOXA-AS3 expression levels than L-02 cells (Figure 1(e))
Summary
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most prevalent worldwide [1, 2]. The incidence of HCC is relatively low in the Western world, while there is a high prevalence in Asia. During the past 30 years, incidence has increased twofold in America and onefold in Britain [3, 4]. The 5-year survival of HCC patients remains low, and HCC causes approximately 600,000 annual deaths [5]. There has been little progress in developing effective treatments for HCC over the last 20 to 30 years. There is an urgent need for new, reliable treatments for patients with HCC
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