Prognostic Value of MCM3AP-AS1 in Glioma and its Regulatory Effect on Tumor Progression

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as promising cancer biomarkers due to their stability and detectability. This study aimed to investigate the clinical significance and molecular mechanisms of lncRNA MCA3AP-AS1 in glioma. This study collected the clinical data from 177 glioma patients, and the expression of MCM3AP-AS1 was measured in glioma tissues and cell lines. Kaplan-Meier and COX regression analyses were employed to assess its prognostic value in glioma. In the mechanism study, bioinformatics prediction, correlation analysis, and dual-luciferase assays were conducted to validate the regulatory network involving MCM3AP-AS1, miR-23c, and PIK3R3. Functional experiments (CCK-8, Transwell assays, and Western blot) further determined the impact of MCM3AP-AS1 on glioma cell functions and confirmed the potential regulatory mechanism. Upregulation of MCM3AP-AS1 in glioma was related to the WHO grade, KFS scores, and glioma poor prognosis. Correlation analysis, binding site prediction, and the dual-luciferase reporter assay confirmed the interaction relationship among MCM3AP-AS1, miR-23c, and PIK3R3. In mechanism, MCM3AP-AS1 knockdown suppressed the glioma cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). This attenuated effect of downregulated MCM3AP-AS1 expression in glioma cell proliferation, migration, and invasion could be further reversed by miR-23c inhibition. Upregulated MCM3AP-AS1 expression in glioma was associated with the poor prognosis of glioma. MCM3AP-AS1 may promote glioma progression by enhancing cell proliferation, migration, and invasion through the miR-23c/PIK3R3 axis.