LINC00355 Promotes Tumor Progression in HNSCC by Hindering MicroRNA-195-Mediated Suppression of HOXA10 Expression

Shuo Lu; Zhifeng Sun; Li Tang; Lingling Chen

doi:10.1016/j.omtn.2019.11.002

LINC00355 Promotes Tumor Progression in HNSCC by Hindering MicroRNA-195-Mediated Suppression of HOXA10 Expression

Mol Ther Nucleic Acids. 2020 Mar 6:19:61-71. doi: 10.1016/j.omtn.2019.11.002. Epub 2019 Nov 15.

Authors

Shuo Lu¹, Zhifeng Sun², Li Tang³, Lingling Chen³

Affiliations

¹ Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523808, P.R. China; Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518000, P.R. China. Electronic address: neuropge@163.com.
² Reproductive Medicine Center, Renmin Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan 442000, P.R. China; Biomedical Engineering College, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan 442000, P.R. China.
³ College of Health Science and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen Technology University, Shenzhen 518118, P.R. China.

Abstract

Emerging evidence suggests that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in the progression of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). However, the specific role of LINC00355 in HNSCC remains elusive. Here, we identify the relationship between LINC00355 and the development of HNSCC through the interaction of LINC00355 with microRNA-195 (miR-195), which in turn targets homeoboxA10 (HOXA10). First, we identified differentially expressed lncRNAs and genes related to HNSCC. Next, the interaction among LINC00355, miR-195, and HOXA10 was identified. Subsequently, the expression of LINC00355 and miR-195 was altered to evaluate their effects on viability, invasion, migration, epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT), and apoptosis of cancer stem cells (CSCs) in HNSCC. Finally, we assessed the ability of LINC00355 to alter tumor growth after HNSCC CSCs were injected into nude mice. Our findings indicate that LINC00355 and HOXA10 were highly expressed in HNSCC, while miR-195 was poorly expressed. CSCs with upregulated aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH-1) were sorted. Silencing LINC00355 in these cells led to increased miR-195 expression and a reduction in HOXA10 expression, which inhibited viability, invasion, migration, and EMT and promoted apoptosis of CSCs. Silencing LINC00355 in vivo also led to decreased tumor growth. Our study provides evidence that LINC00355 acts as a miR-195 sponge to promote viability, invasion, migration, and EMT and inhibit apoptosis of CSCs by upregulating HOXA10, suggesting that LINC00355 represents a potential therapeutic target in the treatment of HNSCC.

Keywords: Long intergenic non-coding RNA 00355; head and neck cancer; homeobox A10; invasion; microRNA-195; proliferation; tumor stem cell; xenograft tumor in nude mice.

Publication types

Retracted Publication