LncRNA STXBP5-AS1 suppressed cervical cancer progression via targeting miR-96-5p/PTEN axis

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Molecular Biology
• Genetics

Background:

• Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are implicated in tumor initiation and progression, including cervical cancer (CC).
• The specific role and molecular mechanisms of STXBP5-AS1 in CC remain largely uncharacterized.
• Understanding lncRNA functions is crucial for developing novel therapeutic strategies for cervical cancer.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the expression levels of STXBP5-AS1, miR-96-5p, and PTEN in cervical cancer tissues.
• To elucidate the functional role of STXBP5-AS1 in regulating CC cell proliferation and invasion.
• To explore the underlying molecular mechanism involving STXBP5-AS1, miR-96-5p, and PTEN in CC.

Main Methods:

• Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) for gene expression analysis.
• Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) and Transwell assays to assess cell proliferation and invasion.
• Luciferase reporter and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assays to confirm molecular interactions.

Main Results:

• STXBP5-AS1 and PTEN expression were downregulated, while miR-96-5p was upregulated in CC tissues.
• Overexpression of STXBP5-AS1 significantly inhibited CC cell proliferation and invasion by suppressing miR-96-5p.
• MiR-96-5p promoted CC progression by regulating PTEN, and STXBP5-AS1 functioned as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) upregulating PTEN via sponging miR-96-5p.

Conclusions:

• STXBP5-AS1 acts as a tumor suppressor in cervical cancer.
• The STXBP5-AS1/miR-96-5p/PTEN axis plays a critical role in regulating CC cell proliferation and invasion.
• STXBP5-AS1 may serve as a potential therapeutic target for cervical cancer treatment.