LINC00958 promotes endometrial cancer cell proliferation and metastasis by regulating the miR-145-3p/TCF4 axis

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) exert an essential regulatory role in cancer progression. This work focuses on the role of LINC00958 in endometrial cancer (EC).

LINC00958 expression in EC tissues was examined by GEPIA database and TCGA-UCEC dataset. LINC00958, miR-145-3p, and TCF4 mRNA expression levels in EC tissues and cells were examined by qRT-PCR. Western blot was employed to determine TCF4, E-cadherin, and N-cadherin protein expression levels. After LINC00958 was overexpressed or silenced, cell proliferation was determined using Cell Counting Kit 8 (CCK-8) and bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation experiments. Cell migration and invasion were examined by Transwell experiment. Dual-luciferase reporter gene or RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) experiments were executed to validate the targeting relationships among LINC00958 and miR-145-3p and TCF4. The effects of LINC00958 on EC cell proliferation and metastasis were investigated in vivo using a nude mouse subcutaneous graft model and a caudal vein injection model.

LINC00958 was remarkably upmodulated in EC. Moreover, its overexpression was strongly linked to unfavorable overall survival of the patients. Functional experiments confirmed that in vitro knockdown of LINC00958 suppressed EC cell proliferation and metastasis. LINC00958 was validated to decoy miR-145-3p and repressed its expression, and TCF4 was uncovered to be a target gene of miR-145-3p and negatively modulated by miR-145-3p. Furthermore, the function of LINC00958 was dependent on its regulation of miR-145-3p and TCF4.

LINC00958 acts as an oncogenic lncRNA to regulate EC progression by modulating the miR-145-3p/TCF4 axis. Knockdown of LINC00958 impedes tumor growth and metastasis in vitro and in vivo, opening a new avenue for therapeutic intervention.