Long non-coding RNA SNHG20 promotes non-small cell lung cancer cell proliferation and migration by epigenetically silencing of P21 expression

Abstract

Mounting evidence demonstrates that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are novel transcripts governing multiple biological processes, and their dysregulation is involved in the development and progression of multiple types of cancers. Small Nucleolar RNA Host Gene 20 (SNHG20) is a 2183 bp lncRNA, and its overexpression predicts poor prognosis in colorectal cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma. However, the clinical relevance of SNHG20 and its molecular mechanisms affecting cancer cell phenotype have not been documented. Here, we found that SNHG20 was upregulated in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tissues compared with normal samples. Higher SNHG20 expression was significantly associated with advanced tumor, lymph node and metastases (TNM) stage and tumor size, as well as poorer overall survival. Moreover, knockdown of SNHG20 repressed NSCLC cell proliferation, migration and induced cell apoptosis. Mechanistic investigations revealed that SNHG20 could interact with EZH2 (enhancer of zeste homolog 2), thereby repressing P21 expression. Furthermore, rescue experiments indicated that SNHG20 functioned as an oncogene partly via repressing p21 in NSCLC cells. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that SNHG20 is a new candidate for use in NSCLC diagnosis, prognosis and therapy.

Silencing of lncRNA SNHG20 delays the progression of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease to hepatocellular carcinoma via regulating liver Kupffer cells polarization

“…Existing evidence indicates that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in the occurrence and development of liver diseases including NAFLD and HCC . Small nucleolar RNA host gene 20 (SNHG20) is a recently discovered lncRNA implicated in multiple cancers . Our preliminary results confirmed that SNHG20 expression was increased in liver tissues in the NALFD‐HCC (NALFD accompanied by HCC) tumor group compared with the NALFD group, both in human and experimental mouse livers.…”

LncRNA SNHG20 is associated with clinical progression and enhances cell migration and invasion in osteosarcoma

“…Then, Liu et al further presented evidence that levels of SNHG20 expression were increased in 96 pairs of hepatocellular carcinoma tissues and four cancer cell lines compared with adjacent normal tissues and normal human liver cell line, respectively . Moreover, Chen et al reported that SNHG20 expression was elevated in non‐small cell lung cancer samples compared with normal samples . In colorectal cancer, Li et al indicated that levels of SNHG20 expression were up‐regulated in tumor tissues compared to corresponding normal tissues from 107 .…”

“…In order to further explore the clinical significance of SNHG20 in the progression of osteosarcoma, we assessed the association between SNHG20 expression and clinical parameters of osteosarcoma cases, and observed high‐expression of SNHG20 was obviously associated with Enneking stage, distant metastasis, and histological grade. In non‐small cell lung cancer patients, Chen et al indicated levels of SNHG20 were correlated with advanced TNM stage and big tumor size . Moreover, Guo et al demonstrated that SNHG20 overexpression was related to bigger tumor size, advanced FIGO stage, and existent lymph node metastasis in patients with cervical cancer .…”

“…Recently, the prognostic value of SNHG20 has been suggested in hepatocellular carcinoma , lung cancer , colorectal cancer and cervical cancer . Liu et al found that patients with high level of SNHG20 expression had shorter overall survival time and disease‐free survival time than those with low level of SNHG20 expression, and high‐expression of SNHG20 was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival in hepatocellular carcinoma patients .…”

SNHG6 Promotes Tumor Growth via Repression of P21 in Colorectal Cancer

“…It has been previously reported that lncRNAs could bind to EZH2 and epigenetically silence the downstream target genes [26,28]. We therefore performed RNA immunopreciptation (RIP) analysis to examine whether SNHG6 could bind to EZH2.…”