Colon cancer is one of the most life-threatening
malignancies worldwide.
Long noncoding RNA (
lncRNA) HOX transcript
antisense RNA (HOTAIR) is a
cancer-associated
biomarker involved in the
metastasis and prognosis of several
cancers. However, whether and how HOTAIR affects
colon cancer progression is still unclear. Consequently, we used RNA interference to knock down HOTAIR to explore its effects on human
colon cancer cells. The dual
luciferase reporter gene assay was initially used for testify the regulating relationship between
lncRNA HOTAIR and
insulin-like growth factor 2
mRNA-
binding protein 2 (IGF2BP2). We determined the expressions of HOTAIR, IGF2BP2,
E-cadherin, and
vimentin. Meanwhile, cell growth, cycle and apoptosis, migration, and invasion were assayed. LoVo cells were transplanted into nude mice, and
tumor formation and microvessel density were evaluated.
LncRNA HOTAIR positively regulated IGF2BP2. Besides, the expressions of HOTAIR and
E-cadherin and the apoptosis were increased, while the expressions of IGF2BP2 and
vimentin, the growth, invasion and migration of LoVo cells, the average
tumor weight, and microvessel density value were decreased. Of importance, overexpressed IGF2BP2 could reverse the above impacts. Taken together, the current study indicates that silencing of HOTAIR could inhibit the invasion, proliferation, and migration, and promote apoptosis of
colon cancer LoVo cells through suppressing IGF2BP2 and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition.