Long noncoding RNA TUG1 promotes progression via upregulating DGCR8 in prostate cancer

X.-L. Yang, C. Wei, Y.-B. Zhang, H.-Q. Guo

Department of Urology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China. dr.guohongqian@gmail.com

---

• Oncology

OBJECTIVE: Recent researches have proved that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play an important role in tumorigenesis. In this research, lncRNA TUG1 was explored to identify the role it played in the development of prostate cancer.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Quantitative Real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was utilized to detect TUG1 expression in both prostate cancer tissue samples and cells. Moreover, the associations between expression level of TUG1 and patients’ disease-free survival rate were studied respectively. Next, wound healing assay and transwell assay were conducted. Furthermore, qRT-PCR and Western blot assay were used to explore the underlying mechanism.

RESULTS: In comparison with TUG1 expression in adjacent tissues, TUG1 expression level was significantly higher in prostate cancer samples, which was closely associated with patients’ disease-free survival time. After TUG1 was downregulated, cell migration and invasion of prostate cancer cells were inhibited in vitro. Moreover, after TUG1 was upregulated, cell migration and invasion of prostate cancer cells were enhanced in vitro. In addition, after knockdown of TUG1, the mRNA and protein expression of DGCR8 was downregulated, while after overexpression of TUG1, the mRNA and protein expression of DGCR8 was upregulated. Furthermore, it was found that DGCR8 expression positively correlated to TUG1 expression in prostate cancer tissues.

CONCLUSIONS: Results above showed that TUG1 could enhance cell migration and invasion of prostate cancer by upregulating DGCR8, which may offer a potential therapeutic target in prostate cancer.

This article has been withdrawn. The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause.

Free PDF Download