Long non-coding RNA DLEU7-AS1 promotes the occurrence and development of colorectal cancer via Wnt/β-catenin pathway.

OBJECTIVE:   To investigate the expression features of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) DLEU7-AS1 in colorectal cancer (CRC), so as to further study its role in the occurrence and development of CRC and its potential regulatory mechanism.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: The expression levels of lncRNA DLEU7-AS1 in 82 pairs of CRC tissues and para-carcinoma normal tissues were detected via quantitative Real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), and the correlation of DLEU7-AS1 expression with pathological indexes of CRC and patients' prognosis was analyzed. Besides, the expression of DLEU7-AS1 in CRC cells was further detected via qRT-PCR. The DLEU7-AS1 knockdown expression model was established using small interfering RNA in CRC cell lines HT-29 and HCT-116, and the effect of DLEU7-AS1 on biological functions of CRC cells was analyzed via Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) and transwell invasion/migration assay. Finally, its potential mechanism was investigated via Western blotting.

RESULTS: The results of qRT-PCR showed that the expression level of DLEU7-AS1 in CRC was significantly higher than that in normal tissues, and the difference was statistically significant. Compared with those in patients with low DLEU7-AS1 expression, the tumor stage in patients with high DLEU7-AS1 expression was higher, the prevalence rates of lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis were higher, and the overall survival rate was lower. Compared with those in the negative control group, the cell proliferation, invasion, and migration capacities were decreased significantly in DLEU7-AS1 knockdown expression group. Moreover, the results of Western blotting revealed that the expressions of key proteins in Wnt/β-catenin pathway, including β-catenin, c-myc, and cyclinD1, were decreased in si-DLEU7-AS1.

CONCLUSIONS: The expression of DLEU7-AS1 is significantly increased in CRC, which is markedly associated with CRC staging, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis and poor prognosis. DLEU7-AS1 may promote the proliferation, invasion and migration capacities of CRC through regulating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway.