Long non-coding RNA TRPM2-AS as a potential biomarker for hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: There is increasing evidence that long non-coding RNAs are involved in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tumorigenesis. The expression level of TRPM2-AS in HCC and its clinical association remain poorly defined.

METHOD: qRT-PCR was performed to detect the expression of TRPM2-AS in 108 HCC patients. The correlations between TRPM2-AS expression and clinicopathological factors and prognosis were evaluated. The inference of TRPM2-AS to the proliferation and apoptosis of HCC cells was detected.

AIMS: The aim of our study was to explore the expression of TRPM2-AS in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and the relation with prognosis and clinical features.

RESULTS: The expression of TRPM2-AS was higher in most HCC tissues and was significantly correlated with tumor size, AJCC stage, tumor differentiation, and the prognosis of HCC patients. Interfering TRPM2-AS expression using siRNA significantly inhibited cell proliferation and promoted cell apoptosis in two HCC cell lines.

CONCLUSION: Long non-coding RNA TRPM2-AS is upregulated in HCC and represents a new biomarker for HCC and the inhibition of TRPM2-AS promotes apoptosis in HCC cells in vitro.