Long noncoding RNA HEIH promotes melanoma cell proliferation, migration and invasion via inhibition of miR-200b/a/429

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are frequently dysregulated and have important roles in many diseases, particularly cancers. lncRNA-HEIH was first identified in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The expression, clinical significance and roles of lncRNA-HEIH in melanoma are still unknown. In the present study, we found that lncRNA-HEIH is highly expressed in melanoma tissues and cell lines, associated with advanced clinical stages, and predicts poor outcomes in melanoma patients. Functional assays showed that ectopic expression of lncRNA-HEIH promotes melanoma cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Knockdown of lncRNA-HEIH inhibits melanoma cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Mechanistically, we revealed that lncRNA-HEIH directly binds to miR-200b/a/429 promoter and represses miR-200b/a/429 transcription. The expression of miR-200b is inversely associated with lncRNA-HEIH in melanoma tissues. Furthermore, overexpression of miR-200b/a/429 abrogates melanoma cell proliferation, migration and invasion enhanced by lncRNA-HEIH. In conclusion, we identified lncRNA-HEIH as a key oncogene in melanoma via transcriptional inhibition of miR-200b/a/429. Our data suggested that lncRNA-HEIH may serve as a promising prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for melanoma.