Long non-coding RNA CYTOR enhances gastric carcinoma proliferation, migration and invasion via the miR-136-5p/HOXC10 axis.

Known as long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), they are essential in regulating tumour metastasis. In gastric carcinoma (GC), lncRNA cytoskeleton regulator ( CYTOR ) keeps at high levels, but its influences on GC cell proliferation, migration and invasion need further investigation. Hence, the role played by lncRNA CYTOR in GC was explored in this study. We employed quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) to determine lncRNA CYTOR and microRNA (miR)-136-5p levels in GC, Western blot analysis to measure Homeobox C10 ( HOXC10 ), and Flow cytometry, transwell, and cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assays to evaluate the roles played by miR-136-5p and lncRNA CYTOR in GC cells. Furthermore, bioinformatics analysis and Luciferase assay were carried out to identify the target genes of the two. LncRNA CYTOR was found to be upregulated in GC cells, and its knockdown inhibited GC cell growth. MiR-136-5p, underexpressed in GC cells, was identified as a target of CYTOR in modulating GC progression. Moreover, HOXC10 was miR-136-5p's downstream target. Finally, CYTOR participated in GC progression in vivo. Collectively, CYTOR modulates the miR-136-5p/HOXC10 axis to accelerate GC progression.