Knockdown of LncRNA RHPN1-AS1 Inhibits Cell Migration, Invasion and Proliferation in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

摘要

Previous studies have revealed that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) progression. However, the detailed roles of lncRNA RHPN1-AS1 remain to be elucidated. In this study, by analyzing online RNA-Seq data, we found that RHPN1-AS1 was upregulated in HNSCC tissues and that its expression level was associated with neoplasm histologic grade. High expression of RHPN1-AS1 was also confirmed in HNSCC tissues. Knockdown of RHPN1-AS1 inhibited tumor cell migration, invasion and proliferation in HNSCC. Furthermore, inhibition of RHPN1-AS1 suppressed the expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related genes ( β-Catenin , Claudin-1 and Vimentin ) in HNSCC cells. Collectively, our results suggest that RHPN1-AS1 , acting as an oncogene, may be a potential diagnostic and therapeutic target in HNSCC.