Long non-coding RNA FENDRR inhibits migration and invasion of cutaneous malignant melanoma cells

The present study aimed to investigate the effects of lncRNA FENDRR on the migration and invasion of malignant melanoma (MM) cells. The expression levels of FENDRR in MM tissues and MM cell lines were detected using qRT-PCR, followed by construction of FENDRR-knocked down and overexpressed stable cells. Then the effects of FENDRR on cell proliferation, migration and invasion were detected using MTT assay and Transwell assay. The protein expression levels of matrix metallopeptidase 2 (MMP2), MMP9, and related factors in JNK/c-Jun pathway were detected using Western blot. FENDRR was down-regulated in MM tissues and cell lines. Besides, its expression levels in different MM cells were diverse. Knockdown of FENDRR facilitated MM cells proliferation, migration and invasion in A375 cells, while overexpressing FENDRR had reverse results. In addition, MMPs and JNK/c-Jun pathway involved in the FENDRR-mediated regulation of MM cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Our results demonstrated that FENDRR mediated the metastasis phenotype of MM cells by inhibiting the expressions of MMP2 and MMP9 and antagonizing the JNK/c-Jun pathway.