Downregulation of lncRNA NCK1-AS1 Inhibits Cancer Cell Migration and Invasion in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma by Upregulating miR-135a

INTRODUCTION: The present study was carried out to explore the functionality of lncRNA NCK1-AS1 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). METHODS: Levels of NCK1-AS1 were measured by performing qPCR and were compared by ANOVA (one-way) performed in combination with Tukey’s test. Expression levels of miR-135a in plasma of NPC patients were measured by performing qPCR. The effects of transfections on the invasion and migration of C666-1 cells were analyzed by Transwell assays. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: In the present study, we found that the plasma levels of NCK1-AS1 were significantly higher in NPC patients than the levels in patients with arthritis of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), as well as healthy participants. No significant difference in plasma levels of NCK1-AS1 was found between TMJ patients and healthy participants. Upregulation of NCK1-AS1 distinguished NPC patients from TMJ patients and healthy participants. A significant and inverse correlation between NCK1-AS1 and miR-135a was found in NPC patients. NCK1-AS1 siRNA silencing led to the upregulation of miR-135a. NCK1-AS1 siRNA silencing and miR-135a overexpression resulted in inhibited cell migration and invasion, and miR-135a inhibition attenuated the effects of NCK1-AS1 siRNA silencing. CONCLUSION: The downregulation of lncRNA NCK1-AS1 inhibited cancer cell migration and invasion in NPC by upregulating miR-135a.