APC-activated long non-coding RNA inhibits colorectal carcinoma pathogenesis through reducing exosome production.

The adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of colorectal carcinoma (CRC), but remains a challenge for drug development. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are invaluable in identifying cancer pathologies, and providing therapeutic options for cancer patients. Here, we identified a lncRNA (lncRNA-APC1) activated by APC through lncRNA microarray screening, and examined its expression among a large cohort of CRC tissues. A decrease in lncRNA-APC1 expression was positively associated with lymph node and/or distant metastasis, a more advanced clinical stage, as well as a poor prognosis of CRC patients. Additionally, APC can enhance lncRNA-APC1 expression by suppressing the enrichment of PPARα on the lncRNA-APC1 promoter. Furthermore, enforced lncRNA-APC1 expression was sufficient to inhibit CRC cell growth, metastasis and tumor angiogenesis by suppressing exosome production through directly binding Rab5b mRNA and reducing its stability. Importantly, exosomes derived from lncRNA-APC1-silenced CRC cells promoted angiogenesis by activating the MAPK pathway in endothelial cells, and moreover, exosomal Wnt1 largely enhanced CRC cell proliferation and migration through non-canonicial Wnt signaling. Collectively, lncRNA-APC1 is a critical lncRNA regulated by APC in the pathogenesis of CRC. Our findings suggest an APC-regulated lncRNA-APC1 program as an exploitable therapeutic maneuver for CRC patients.