Long noncoding RNA LINC02580 suppresses the invasion-metastasis cascade in hepatocellular carcinoma by targeting SRSF1

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a severe global health problem. There is increasing evidence for the important roles of long noncoding RNAs in tumorigenesis and metastasis in HCC. In this study, we identified and characterized a novel long noncoding RNA, LINC02580, involved in HCC. LINC02580 was highly downregulated in HCC cohorts and was identified as a tumor suppressor. Low LINC02580 expression in patients with HCC was correlated with poor prognosis. Functional assays indicated that LINC02580-deficient cells show enhanced colony formation, migration, and invasion in vitro and promote subcutaneous tumor formation and distant lung metastasis in vivo. With respect to the underlying mechanism, we found that LINC02580 modulates the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) associated pathway in HCC cells by specifically binding to serine and arginine-rich splicing factor 1 (SRSF1). In summary, our findings illustrated that LINC02580 is a metastasis-suppressing lncRNA in HCC, and provided vital clues of how LINC02580 performs its biological functions. Further, this lncRNA may be a potential target in the prognosis and treatment of HCC.