Long noncoding RNA BDNF-AS is downregulated in cervical cancer and has anti-cancer functions by negatively associating with BDNF.

PURPOSE: We investigated expression and mechanism long noncoding RNA BDNF-AS in human cervical cancer (CC).

METHODS: BDNF-AS expressions were examined by qPCR in CC cell lines and human CC tumors. CC cell lines, SiHa and DoTc2-4510 were transduced with lentivirus to ectopically overexpress BDNF-AS. Possible anti-cancer effects of BDNF overexpression were examined on CC in vitro proliferation and migration, and in vivo transplantation. Human BDNF gene expression was also examined in CC cell lines and tumors. In CC cells with overexpressed BDNF-AS, BDNF was upregulated to examine its direct effect in NDNF-AS-modulated CC proliferation and migration.

RESULTS: BDNF was downregulated in both CC cells and human CC tumors. In CC cells, BDNF-AS overexpression is anti-cancer by inhibiting proliferation and migration in vitro, and transplantation in vivo. BDNF was inversely expressed as BDNF-AS in CC. Upregulation of BDNF in BDNF-AS-overexpressed CC cells reversed the anti-cancer effects of BDNF-AS.

CONCLUSION: BDNF-AS is downregulated in CC. Overexpressing BDNF-AS may inhibit CC, possibly through inverse regulation on BDNF.