Downregulated lncRNA UCA1 acts as ceRNA to adsorb microRNA-498 to repress proliferation, invasion and epithelial mesenchymal transition of esophageal cancer cells by decreasing ZEB2 expression

Abstract

Objective: Esophageal cancer (EC) is one of the most general malignant tumors in humans. There were few studies researching the connections between lncRNA UCA1 and EC. This study is to research the effect of lncRNA UCA1 adsorbing microRNA-498 (miR-498) as a ceRNA to regulate ZEB2 expression on epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT), invasion and migration of EC cells. Methods: UCA1, miR-498 and ZEB2 expression in EC tissues and cells was detected by RT-qPCR or western blot analysis. EC cells were transfected with siRNA-UCA1, miR-498 mimics or their controls to determine cell colony, proliferation, cycle distribution, apoptosis, migration and invasion by colony formation assay, CCK-8 assay, flow cytometry, and Transwell assay, respectively. The protein expression of PCNA, c-Myc, E-cadherin, N-cadherin, MMP-2 and MMP-9 was detected by Western blot analysis. The growth rate and weight of transplanted tumor in nude mice were observed. Results: There were overly expressed UCA1 and ZEB2 and lowly expressed miR-498 in EC tissues and cells. LncRNA UCA1 acted as ceRNA to inhibit miR-498 expression and thereby increasing ZEB2 expression. With down-regulated UCA1 and up-regulated miR-498, ZEB2 expression, cell proliferation, colony formation, invasion, migration ability, EMT, tumor growth rate and weight in nude mice were apparently reduced. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that inhibited UCA1 up-regulated miR-498 and downregulated ZEB2, thereby repressing proliferation activity, invasion, migration, and EMT of EC cells.

LncRNA UCA1 maintains the low‐tumorigenic and nonmetastatic status by stabilizing E‐cadherin in primary prostate cancer cells

“…[14][15][16][17] It has been reported that UCA1 contributes to the progression of prostate cancer by regulating proliferation and metastasis through inactivation of KLF4-KRT6/13 signaling pathway, 18 and functioning as a sponge for miR-184, 19 miR-204, 20 or miR-498. 21 Moreover, UCA1 promotes progression of colon cancer 22 and osteosarcoma, 23 and correlates with poor prognosis of ovarian cancer patients. 24 UCA1 can be induced by TGF-β1 25 and its upregulation leads to enhanced invasion and migration in gastric cancer cells.…”

Lnc-RNA UCA1 Promotes TGF-β-Mediated Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition via Inhibiting miR-204 in Gastric Cancer Cells

“…In renal cancer, UCA1 plays a critical regulatory role in proliferation and progression of renal cancer cells by interacting with miR-182-5p/DLL4 axis [21]. In gastric cancer, UCA1 works with miR-7, 495, 498 to promote tumor-genesis [22,23]. In MNK45 gastric cancer cell line, we demonstrated that UCA1 sponges miR-204 to free its target gene ZEB1 (Fig.…”

Propofol suppresses hypoxia‐induced esophageal cancer cell migration, invasion, and EMT through regulating lncRNA TMPO‐AS1/miR‐498 axis

“…Previous studies have suggested that miR-498 level was lower in EC tissues/cells than in normal tissues/cells. 33 Here, we detected the level of miR-498 in EC cells. In agreement with the previous data, our results confirmed that miR-498 expression was downregulated in EC cells.…”