Involvement of NEAT1/miR‐133a axis in promoting cervical cancer progression via targeting SOX4

Abstract

NEAT1 is an important tumor oncogenic gene in various tumors. Nevertheless, its involvement remains poorly studied in cervical cancer. Our study explored the functional mechanism of NEAT1 in cervical cancer. NEAT1 level in several cervical cancer cells was quantified and we found NEAT1 was greatly upregulated in vitro. NEAT1 knockdown inhibited cervical cancer development through repressing cell proliferation, colony formation, capacity of migration, and invasion and also inducing the apoptosis. For another, microRNA (miR)‐133a was downregulated in cervical cancer cells and NEAT1 negatively modulated miR‐133a expression. Subsequently, we validated that miR‐133a functioned as a potential target of NEAT1. Meanwhile, SOX4 is abnormally expressed in various cancers. SOX4 was able to act as a downstream target of miR‐133a and silencing of SOX4 can restrain cervical cancer progression. In addition, in vivo assays were conducted to prove the role of NEAT1/miR‐133a/SOX4 axis in cervical cancer. These findings implied that NEAT1 served as a competing endogenous RNA to sponge miR‐133a and regulate SOX4 in cervical cancer pathogenesis. To sum up, it was implied that NEAT1/miR‐133a/SOX4 axis was involved in cervical cancer development.

Emerging roles of MiR-133a in human cancers

“…International Publisher Table 1. Target genes of miR-133a in various cancers MiR-133 Cancers Target genes Downregulated CRC SOX4, FSCN1, RFFL, SENP1, Eif4A1, Rho A Bladder cancer FSCN1, TAGLN2, EGFR, GSTP1 GC FSCN1, USP39, ERBB2/HER2, GABARAPL1, FOXP3, DSEN1, TAGLN2, Sp1 Nasopharyngeal cancer EGFR ESCC FSCN1, EGFR, COL1A1, SOX4 RCC TAGLN2 Breast cancer EGFR, MAML1, LASP1, UCP2 [42,43] CRC ABHD11-AS1 upregulated in tumor tissues and cells [46] cervical cancer NEAT1 upregulated in tumor tissues and cells [50] CRC: colorectal cancer; NSCLC: non-small cell lung cancer; PC: pancreatic cancer.…”

Retracted Article: Long non-coding RNA NEAT1 accelerates cell progression in cervical cancer by regulating the miR-889-3p/E2F7 axis through the activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway

“…12 Similarly, NEAT1 expedited tumor growth in vitro and in vivo by targeting miR-133a and altering the SOX4 expression. 13 By contrast, the down-regulation of NEAT1 inhibited hepatocellular carcinoma cell growth by the activation of CD8 + T cells through the regulation of miR-155. 14 However, the regulatory mechanism of NEAT1 in CC is still unclear.…”

MicroRNA-592 suppresses the malignant phenotypes of thyroid cancer by regulating lncRNA NEAT1 and downregulating NOVA1

“…NOVA1, a member of the NOVA family of neuron-specific RNA-binding proteins, is aberrantly downregulated in multiple human cancers and affects a variety of pathophysiological processes associated with carcinogenesis and cancer progression (50)(51)(52). The expression and roles of NEAT1 and roles have been studied in other human cancers (43)(44)(45)(46)(47)(48)(49). Herein, we identified a novel NEAT1-miR-592-NOVA1 pathway, and this pathway could serve crucial roles in the aggressiveness of thyroid cancer.…”

“…In the present study, NOVA1 was validated as a direct target of miR-592 in thyroid cancer cells, and NEAT1 was proposed to function as a ceRNA to modulate NOVA1 expression by sponging miR-592. Multiple studies reported that NEAT1 is expressed at high levels and exerts oncogenic roles in a variety of human cancers, including cervical cancer (43), nasopharyngeal carcinoma (44), breast cancer (45), non-small cell lung cancer (46), colorectal cancer (47,48), and oral squamous cell carcinoma (49). NEAT1 is also upregulated in thyroid cancer (35)(36)(37), and upregulation of NEAT1 is positively correlated with TNM stage and tumor size (35).…”