Long non-coding RNA AB209630 suppresses cell proliferation and metastasis in human hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most prevalent cancers worldwide and the second most common cause of cancer-related mortalities. With a high potential for metastasis and recurrence, HCC is refractory to cure. The present study aimed to explore the role of a recent-discovered LncRNA, AB209630, in human HCC, in order to provide new insights useful for clinical HCC diagnosis and treatment. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction was performed to examine the expression of AB209630 in clinical HCC samples and the adjacent non-cancerous tissues. The reduced expression of AB209630 observed in HCC tissues and cultured HCC cells compared with normal hepatic tissues and cells prompted the construction of an AB209630-expressing plasmid with a CBP tag on the plasmid backbone. Cell proliferation and colony formation assays were conducted to detect the effects of AB209630 on HCC cell proliferation. In addition, Transwell assay and wound-healing assays were performed, the results of which further indicated that the overexpression of AB209630 inhibited the migration and invasion of HCC cells. These results revealed the inhibitory effects of AB209630 on HCC progression, and suggest the potential of AB209630 as an inhibitor of HCC for clinical use.