Silencing long non-coding RNA, differentiation antagonizing non-protein coding RNA promotes apoptosis and inhibits tumor growth in colon cancer

The long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) differentiation antagonizing non-protein coding RNA (DANCR) has been reported to be a novel potential biomarker for colon cancer prognosis. However, its functional role in colon cancer remains unknown. In the present study, DANCR expression in colon cancer cell lines was determined by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Cell Counting kit-8 assay, colony formation assay, flow cytometry, Hoechst 33258 staining and western blotting were utilized to investigate the effect and mechanism of DANCR in the regulation of colon cancer growth. Establishment of a xenograft tumor model followed by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) dUTP nick-end labeling assay and immunohistochemical staining were performed to confirm the findings in vitro. DANCR was revealed to be overexpressed in all human colon cancer cell lines. Silencing DANCR by small interfering RNA significantly inhibited cell proliferation and colony formation. Flow cytometry analyses and Hoechst 33258 staining revealed that apoptosis was induced upon DANCR-knockdown. Silencing DANCR was revealed to efficiently impair colon tumor growth by promoting caspase 3 expression and tumor apoptosis. In summary, the results of the present study demonstrated that DANCR is a potential therapeutic target in colon cancer.