Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 3, 2025

Dual CRISPR-Interference Strategy for Targeting Synthetic Lethal Interactions Between Non-Coding RNAs in Cancer Cells
Published on: May 30, 2025
Long non-coding RNA Lnc-408 promotes invasion and metastasis of breast cancer cell by regulating LIMK1
Yina Qiao1, Ting Jin1, Shengdong Guan1
1Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medical Diagnostics, Chinese Ministry of Education, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
Abstract:
Invasion and metastasis are the leading causes of death in patients with breast cancer (BC), and epithelial-mesenchymal transformation (EMT) plays an essential role in this process. Here, we found that Lnc-408, a novel long noncoding RNA (lncRNA), is significantly upregulated in BC cells undergoing EMT and in BC tumor with lymphatic metastases compared with those without lymphatic metastases. Lnc-408 can enhance BC invasion and metastasis by regulating the expression of LIMK1. Mechanistically, Lnc-408 serves as a sponge for miR-654-5p to relieve the suppression of miR-654-5p on its target LIMK1. Knockdown or knockout of Lnc-408 in invasive BC cells clearly decreased LIMK1 levels, and ectopic Lnc-408 in MCF-7 cells increased LIMK1 expression to promote cell invasion. Lnc-408-mediated enhancement of LIMK1 plays a key role in cytoskeletal stability and promotes invadopodium formation in BC cells via p-cofilin/F-actin. In addition, the increased LIMK1 also facilitates the expression of MMP2, ITGB1, and COL1A1 by phosphorylating CREB. In conclusion, our findings reveal that Lnc-408 promotes BC invasion and metastasis via the Lnc-408/miR-654-5p/LIMK1 axis, highlighting a novel promising target for the diagnosis and treatment of BC.
Related Concept Videos
lncRNA - Long Non-coding RNAs
lncRNA - Long Non-coding RNAs
MicroRNAs
MicroRNAs
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression
The mTOR pathway or the...
Non-LTR Retrotransposons