Long noncoding RNA AFAP1-AS1 indicates a poor prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma and promotes cell proliferation and invasion via upregulation of the RhoA/Rac2 signaling

  • Authors:
    • Jin-Yan Zhang
    • Ming-Zhe Weng
    • Fang-Bin Song
    • Yong-Gang Xu
    • Qi Liu
    • Jun-Yi Wu
    • Jun Qin
    • Tao Jin
    • Jun-Ming Xu
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: February 8, 2016     https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.2016.3385
  • Pages: 1590-1598
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Abstract

It has been shown that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a critical role in the regulation of cellular processes including cancer progression and metastasis. However, the biological functions and clinical significance of lncRNA AFAP1-AS1 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain unclear. Expression of AFAP1-AS1 was analyzed in 78 HCC tissues by real-time PCR. The effect of AFAP1-AS1 on cell proliferation was examined by MTT assay, cell apoptosis was detected by flow cytometric analysis and cell invasion was determined by Transwell assay. RhoA/Rac2 signaling and downstream factors were verified by western blotting. HCC cells infected with si-AFAP1-AS1 were injected into nude mice to investigate the effect of AFAP1-AS1 on the tumorigenesis in vivo. We found that increased expression of AFAP1-AS1 was significantly correlated with pathological staging (P=0.024) and lymph-vascular space invasion (LVSI) in HCC patients (P=0.007). Multivariate analyses indicated that AFAP1-AS1 represented an independent predictor for overall survival of HCC (P=0.029). Further experiments showed that knockdown of AFAP1-AS1 by si-AFAP1-AS1 decreased the proliferation and invasion in vitro and in vivo, induced cell apoptosis and blocked cell cycle in S phase via inhibition of the RhoA/Rac2 signaling. Taken together, our findings indicate that AFAP1-AS1 may promote the HCC development through upregulation of RhoA/Rac2 signaling and provide a potential therapeutic target for HCC.
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April-2016
Volume 48 Issue 4

Print ISSN: 1019-6439
Online ISSN:1791-2423

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Spandidos Publications style
Zhang J, Weng M, Song F, Xu Y, Liu Q, Wu J, Qin J, Jin T and Xu J: Long noncoding RNA AFAP1-AS1 indicates a poor prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma and promotes cell proliferation and invasion via upregulation of the RhoA/Rac2 signaling. Int J Oncol 48: 1590-1598, 2016.
APA
Zhang, J., Weng, M., Song, F., Xu, Y., Liu, Q., Wu, J. ... Xu, J. (2016). Long noncoding RNA AFAP1-AS1 indicates a poor prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma and promotes cell proliferation and invasion via upregulation of the RhoA/Rac2 signaling. International Journal of Oncology, 48, 1590-1598. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.2016.3385
MLA
Zhang, J., Weng, M., Song, F., Xu, Y., Liu, Q., Wu, J., Qin, J., Jin, T., Xu, J."Long noncoding RNA AFAP1-AS1 indicates a poor prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma and promotes cell proliferation and invasion via upregulation of the RhoA/Rac2 signaling". International Journal of Oncology 48.4 (2016): 1590-1598.
Chicago
Zhang, J., Weng, M., Song, F., Xu, Y., Liu, Q., Wu, J., Qin, J., Jin, T., Xu, J."Long noncoding RNA AFAP1-AS1 indicates a poor prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma and promotes cell proliferation and invasion via upregulation of the RhoA/Rac2 signaling". International Journal of Oncology 48, no. 4 (2016): 1590-1598. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.2016.3385