Published online Nov 15, 2020. doi: 10.4251/wjgo.v12.i11.1272
Peer-review started: June 1, 2020
First decision: September 11, 2020
Revised: September 24, 2020
Accepted: October 12, 2020
Article in press: October 12, 2020
Published online: November 15, 2020
Pancreatic cancer is one of the tumors with the lowest 5-year survival rate, and its incidence has been surging in recent years. Many studies have confirmed the critical role of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the development and progression of pancreatic cancer, but little has been known about C9orf139 in pancreatic cancer.
To identify biomarkers for the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic cancer.
To explore the mechanism of action of lncRNA-C9orf139 in pancreatic cancer.
The relative expression of C9orf139 in tissues and sera of patients with pancreatic cancer was tested by RT-qPCR. The predictive value of C9orf139 for pancreatic cancer prognosis and the interaction between C9orf139 and miR-663a were assessed. The biological functions of C9orf139 were evaluated by in vitro assays and in vivo subcutaneous tumor formation experiments in animal models. The molecular mechanism of C9orf139 on miR-663a/Sox12 was investigated through assays including RNA pull-down, Western blot, RNA immunoprecipitation, and co-immunoprecipitation.
RT-qPCR results revealed markedly high C9orf139 levels in the serum and tissue of pancreatic cancer patients, which showed clinical diagnostic and prognostic value. Biological and functional analyses suggested that C9orf139 may promote the growth of pancreatic cancer cells by regulating the miR-663a/Sox12 axis.
C9orf139 is highly expressed in pancreatic cancer and may work as a diagnostic and prognostic marker for pancreatic cancer. It promotes pancreatic cancer cell growth via the miR-663a/Sox12 axis.
The role of C9orf139 in other tumors may be uncovered in the future, and its application in anti-cancer therapy will be promoted.