Role of lncRNA-ENST00000412010 in regulating nasopharyngeal cancer cell survival

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a rare tumor with highly recurrent and lack of effective treatment. Long non- coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been reported to play roles in various cancers including NPC.

In the current study, two cell lines of NPC (CNE-2Z and 5-8F cells) were transfected with short hairpin RNA (shRNA) targeting lncRNA-ENST00000412010 (shlncRNA) or control shRNA (shControl). Cell proliferation, survival, in vitro colony formation, and in vivo xenograft tumor formation were then investigated.

The study found that cells transfected with shlncRNA grew significantly slower than the cells transfected with shControl as measured on day 5; increased in Annexin V expression; decreased in colony formation; and smaller in xenograft tumor size on day 45. Expression of DNA damage-inducible transcript 3, dual specificity protein phosphatase 5, insulin receptor substrate 1, interleukin-6, and tribbles homolog 3 genes was significantly up-regulated in the cells transfected with shlncRNA, while gene expression of matrix metalloproteinase-7 and cyclin-dependent kinase 4 inhibitor B was significantly down-regulated in the cells transfected with shlncRNA. Immunoblotting assay confirmed DUSP5 protein was significantly increased while proteins of MMP-7 and CDKN2B were significantly lower in the cells lacking lncRNA than that of the control cells.

These findings suggested that lncRNA-ENST00000412010 plays a role in modulating NPC survival and tumorigenesis through regulating molecules associated with cell cycle and protein phosphatase.