The long non‐coding RNA OLC8 enhances gastric cancer by interaction with IL‐11

BACKGROUND: The gastric cancer (GC) represents a common malignancy especially in China. Long non‐coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are critically involved in various types of cancer. However, the underlying mechanisms of OLC8 in gastric cancer are still largely unknown. METHODS: The lncRNA profiling was used to identify novel lncRNAs associated with GC. The expression of OLC8 was quantified using qRT‐PCR. Migration and viability assays were performed to evaluate the in vitro effects. Xenograft tumor models were conducted to investigate the in vivo oncogenic potential. RNA‐seq was used to identify IL‐11 as OLC8 binding partner. RESULTS: In current study, we have identified a novel lncRNA termed OLC8. OLC8 was significantly overexpressed in gastric cancer specimens and cell lines. In vitro experiments showed that OLC8 facilitated migration and viability of MKN1 and AGS cells. As expected, in vivo experiments also confirmed an oncogenic role for OLC8. Mechanistic study indicated that OLC8 associated with IL‐11 transcripts. The OLC8‐IL‐11 binding greatly impaired the degradation of IL‐11 mRNAs. Not surprisingly, enhanced expression of IL‐11 could increase STAT3 activation to favor gastric cancer development. CONCLUSIONS: Our current research has identified OLC8 as a novel oncogenic lncRNA in IL‐11/STAT3 signaling, and OLC8 may constitute a potential target for gastric cancer intervention.