Long non-coding RNA H19 promotes proliferation of Hodgkin's lymphoma via AKT pathway

To explore whether lncRNA (Long non-coding RNA) H19 could promote the development of Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) by regulating cell proliferation via AKT pathway.

H19 expressions in 60 HL tissues, 40 RH (reactive hyperplasia of lymph nodes) tissues, L428, A20 and Ly1 cell lines were evaluated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). H19 siRNA and pcDNA-H19 were constructed. Cell viability after altering H19 expression was detected by EdU and cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. The mRNA level of AKT in HL tissues and RH tissues was detected by qRT-PCR. The relationship between AKT and H19 was further detected by Western blot.

H19 was overexpressed in HL tissues and cell lines compared with those of controls. HL patients with huge lump and in Ann Arbor stage III-IV presented higher expression of H19. Besides, H19 expression was negatively correlated to overall survival (OS) of HL patients. In vitro experiments suggested that H19 downregulation decreased proliferation and viability of HL cells. AKT expression was upregulated in HL tissues compared with RH tissues, and was positively regulated by H19. Western blot results also indicated that H19 overexpression upregulated protein expression of AKT in HL cells.

Overexpressed lncRNA H19 promotes HL development by stimulating proliferation of HL cells via AKT pathway.