LINC00174 Facilitates Proliferation and Migration of Colorectal Cancer Cells via MiR-3127-5p/ E2F7 Axis

The literature indicates that LINC00174 promotes the growth of colorectal cancer (CRC) cells, but its research needs to be enriched. We tried to explore the function and mechanism of LINC00174 in CRC cell proliferation and migration. Bioinformatics analysis predicted the binding relationship and expressions of lncRNA, miRNA and mRNA. Clinical study analyzes the relationship between LINC00174 and clinical data characteristics of CRC patients. The expressions of LINC00174, miR-3127-5p and E2F7 were verified by RT-qPCR, and the combination of the two was verified by dual luciferase analysis and RNA immunoprecipitation as needed. Western blot was used to detect the expression of EMT-related protein and E2F7 protein. Functional experiments were used to evaluate the function of the target gene on CRC cells. LINC00174 was up-regulated in CRC clinical samples and cells and was related to the clinical characteristics of CRC patients. High-expression of LINC00174, contrary to the effect of siLINC00174, promoted cell viability, proliferation, migration and invasion, up-regulated the expressions of N-Cadherin, Vimentin, E2F7, and inhibited the expression of E-Cadherin. MiR-3127-5p was one of the targeted miRNAs of LINC00174 and was down-regulated in CRC samples. In addition, miR-3127-5p mimic partially reversed the malignant phenotype of CRC cells induced by LINC00174. Besides, E2F7 was a target gene of miR-3127-5p, and LINC00174 repressed miR-3127-5p to regulate E2F7. Our research reveals that LINC00174 affected the biological characteristics of CRC cells through regulated miR-3127-5p/ E2F7 axis.