Long non-coding RNA RNCR3 promotes prostate cancer progression through targeting miR-185-5p

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been suggested to play important roles in the development of numerous kinds of human cancers. Increasing data has indicated that lncRNA RNCR3 has been involved in some human diseases. However, the exactly biological function and potential mechanisms of RNCR3 in the development of prostate cancer is still unclear. Here, our results confirmed that the RNCR3 expression was increased in prostate cancer compared to the corresponding adjacent normal prostate tissues. Moreover, our data showed that the increased expression of RNCR3 is significantly associated with tumor progression and poor survival of prostate cancer patients. Additionally, we found that RNCR3 knockdown could suppress the ability of proliferation, colony formation, and invasion of prostate cancer cells. Finally, we further confirmed that RNCR3 binds to miR-185-5p, which has been identified as a tumor suppressor in some human cancers, including prostate cancer. We also confirmed that the oncogenic function of RNCR3 in prostate cancer are partly mediated by negative regulation of miR-185-5p targeted BRD8 ISO2. Our data revealed that RNCR3 functions as an tumor-promoting lncRNA in prostate cancer and may serve as a novel important biomarker for the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer.