Zhiqing Cheng1, Limei Gong2, Shan Lin1, Xiaojie Jiang1, Qinghe Cai1
1Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Putian University, Putian, China
2Department of General Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Putian University, Putian, China
Summary
Purpose: Liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) presents a significant challenge due to its high recurrence rate and poor prognosis. However, the precise regulatory mechanisms underlying its tumorigenesis remain unclear.
Methods: Various approaches were employed to predict the binding sites between LINC00978 and several miRNAs and SOX12.
Results: The study revealed a significant upregulation of long non-coding RNA00978 (LINC00978) in LIHC, with its high expression correlating with a poor prognosis. Furthermore, silencing LINC00978 suppressed the growth and metastasis of LIHC cells. Mechanistically, it was discovered that LINC00978 acted as a sponge for microRNA-125b-5p (miR-125b-5p) and identified SRY-Box Transcription Factor 12 (SOX12) as a direct target gene of miR-125b-5p. Importantly, the study demonstrated that the suppressed effects of LINC00978 silencing on LIHC cell growth and metastasis could be reversed by inhibiting miR-125b-5p and overexpressing SOX12.
Conclusion: The findings suggest that the LINC00978/miR-125b-5p/SOX12 axis could represent a promising therapeutic target for LIHC.
Keywords: liver hepatocellular carcinoma, LINC00978, miR-125b-5p, SOX12, cell proliferation, migration, invasion.
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