NEAT1/hsa-mir-98-5p/MAPK6 axis is involved in non-small-cell lung cancer development

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) or microRNAs belong to the two most important noncoding RNAs and they are involved in a lot of cancers, including non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Therefore, currently, we focused on the biological and clinical significance of lncRNA nuclear enriched abundant transcript 1 (NEAT1) and hsa-mir-98-5p in NSCLC. It was observed that NEAT1 was upregulated while hsa-mir-98-5p was downregulated respectively in NSCLC cell lines compared to human normal lung epithelial BES-2B cells. Inhibition of NEAT1 can suppress the progression of NSCLC cells and hsa-mir-98-5p can reverse this phenomenon. Bioinformatics search was used to elucidate the correlation between NEAT1 and hsa-mir-98-5p. Additionally, a novel messenger RNA target of hsa-mir-98-5p, mitogen-activated protein kinase 6 (MAPK6), was predicted. Overexpression and knockdown studies were conducted to verify whether NEAT1 exhibits its biological functions through regulating hsa-mir-98-5p and MAPK6 in vitro. NEAT1 was able to increase MAPK6 expression and hsa-mir-98-5p mimics can inhibit MAPK6 via downregulating NEAT1 levels. We speculated that NEAT1 may act as a competing endogenous lncRNA to upregulate MAPK6 by attaching hsa-mir-98-5p in lung cancers. Taken these together, NEAT1/hsa-mir-98-5p/MAPK6 is involved in the development and progress in NSCLC. NEAT1 could be recommended as a prognostic biomarker and therapeutic indicator in NSCLC diagnosis and treatment.