DLGAP1-AS2 promotes human colorectal cancer progression through trans-activation of Myc

Substantial evidence suggests that non-coding RNA plays a vital role in human cancer, especially long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) with a length greater than 200nt. Herein, we found a lncRNA facilitating human colorectal cancer (CRC) progression. DLGAP1-AS2 was significantly increased in CRC tissues and cell lines. Knockdown of DLGAP1-AS2 inhibited CRC cell proliferation, migration, invasion in vitro, and tumor growth in vivo. The subcellular localization of DLGAP1-AS2 was translocated from the cytoplasm of normal cells to the nucleus of CRC cells due to reduced levels of N⁶-methyladenosine (m⁶A) modification. Further, through the screening of a series of signal pathways, we found that Myc pathway was involved in the effect of DLGAP1-AS2. Silencing of DLGAP1-AS2 markedly reduced Myc mRNA and protein levels. Blockade of Myc effectively abolished the enhanced aggressive behaviors of CRC cells caused by DLGAP1-AS2 overexpression. Mechanistically, DLGAP1-AS2 directly bound CTCF, a well-known transcriptional repressor of Myc, resulting in reduced binding of CTCF on Myc promoter and activating Myc transcription. The second hairpin structure of DLGAP1-AS2 was critical for the interaction between DLGAP1-AS2 and CTCF in the nucleus. Taken together, our study reveals the oncogenic regulatory axis of DLGAP1-AS2/CTCF/Myc in CRC, implying a promising targeted therapy for clinical application.