Long non-coding RNA LINC00152 acts as a sponge of miRNA-193b-3p to promote tongue squamous cell carcinoma progression

Dysregulated expression of long non-coding RNAs has been determined to be important in cancer development; however, their role in tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) progression and carcinogenesis, to the best of our knowledge, is yet to be elucidated. The present study revealed that long intergenic non-coding RNA 00152 (LINC00152) expression was significantly increased in human TSCC tissues compared with in tissues from matched controls using RT-qPCR. In TSCC cell lines, CAL-27 and SCC-9, LINC00152 was revealed to promote TSCC cell proliferation, enhance cell cycle progression and inhibit cell apoptosis. Additionally, migration and invasion of TSCC cell lines was increased in response to LINC00152 overexpression. Mechanistically, LINC00152 was determined to be localized in the cytoplasm and acted as a microRNA (miR)-193b-3p sponge, and LINC00152 knockdown or miR-193b-3p mimics both inhibited PI3K signaling pathway activation and downstream AKT phosphorylation; therefore, promoting TSCC progression in vitro. Overall, the results of the present study suggested that increased LINC00152 expression in TSCC tissues may act as a sponge of miR-193b-3p to promote cancer progression in vitro.