LncRNA-RMRP Acts as an Oncogene in Lung Cancer

PLoS One. 2016 Dec 1;11(12):e0164845. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0164845. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

Accumulating studies have demonstrated that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) act a crucial role in the development of tumors. However, the role of lncRNAs in lung cancer remains largely unknown. In this study, we demonstrated that theexpression of RMRP was upregulated in lung adenocarcinoma tissues compared to the matched adjacent normal tissues. Moreover, of 35 lung adenocarcinoma samples, RMRP expression was upregulated in 25 cases (25/35; 71.4%) compared to the adjacent normal tissues. We also showed that RMRP expression was upregulated in lung adenocarcinoma cell lines (A549, SPC-A1, H1299 and H23) compared to the bronchial epithelial cell line (16HBE). Ectopic expression of RMRP promoted lung adenocarcinoma cell proliferation, colony formation and invasion. In addition, overexpression of RMRP inhibited the miR-206 expression in the H1299 cell and increased the KRAS, FMNL2 and SOX9 expression, which were the target genes of miR-206. Re-expression of miR-206 reversed the RMRP-induced the H1299 cell proliferation and migration. Our data proved that RMRP acted as an oncogene LncRNA to promote the expression of KRAS, FMNL2 and SOX9 by inhibiting miR-206 expression in lung cancer. These data suggested that RMRP might serve as a therapeutic target in lung adenocarcinoma.

MeSH terms

  • A549 Cells
  • Adenocarcinoma / genetics*
  • Adenocarcinoma / pathology
  • Adenocarcinoma of Lung
  • Cell Proliferation / genetics
  • Female
  • Formins
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / genetics
  • Humans
  • Lung / metabolism
  • Lung / pathology
  • Lung Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Lung Neoplasms / pathology
  • Male
  • MicroRNAs / biosynthesis*
  • MicroRNAs / genetics
  • Neoplasm Invasiveness / genetics
  • Proteins / genetics*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras) / biosynthesis*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras) / genetics
  • RNA, Long Noncoding / biosynthesis*
  • RNA, Long Noncoding / genetics
  • SOX9 Transcription Factor / biosynthesis*
  • SOX9 Transcription Factor / genetics

Substances

  • FMNL2 protein, human
  • Formins
  • KRAS protein, human
  • MIRN206 microRNA, human
  • MicroRNAs
  • Proteins
  • RMRP non-coding RNA, human
  • RNA, Long Noncoding
  • SOX9 Transcription Factor
  • SOX9 protein, human
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras)

Grants and funding

The authors received no specific funding for this work.