LncRNA ZEB1-AS1 predicts unfavorable prognosis in gastric cancer.

OBJECTIVES: LncRNA ZEB1 Antisense 1 (ZEB1-AS1) has been suggested to be an oncogenic role in human hepatocellular carcinoma, osteosarcoma, glioma and esophageal carcinoma progression. However, the clinical significance and biological function of ZEB1-AS1 in gastric cancer is poorly understood.

METHODS: Levels of ZEB1-AS1 expression in gastric cancer tissues and cell lines were detected by qRT-PCR. Loss-of-function and gain-of-function studies were conducted to explore the biological function of ZEB1-AS1 in gastric cancer cells migration, invasion and EMT process. Rescued-function studies were performed to explore the association between ZEB1-AS1 and ZEB1 in gastric cancer cells migration, invasion and EMT process.

RESULTS: ZEB1-AS1 was overexpressed in gastric cancer tissues and cell lines, and correlated with malignant status and prognosis in gastric cancer patients. ZEB1-AS1 regulated gastric cancer cells migration, invasion and EMT process. ZEB1-AS1 positively regulated ZEB1 expression in gastric cancer cells, and had a strongly positive correlation with ZEB1 expression in gastric cancer tissues. Rescued-function studies showed ZEB1 was critical for ZEB1-AS1 induced gastric cancer cells migration, invasion and EMT process.

CONCLUSIONS: ZEB1-AS1 served as oncogenic roles in the regulation of gastric cancer cells migration, invasion and EMT process through modulating ZEB1.