lncRNA TPTEP1 competitively sponges miR-328-5p to inhibit the proliferation of non-small cell lung cancer cells

Accumulating evidence suggests that lncRNAs are involved in almost all normal physiological processes and that aberrant expression of lncRNAs may be involved in the development of diseases, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the roles of lncRNA-TPTE pseudogene 1 (TPTEP1) in lung cancer and the underlying molecular mechanisms have remained elusive. In the present study, significant downregulation of TPTEP1 in tumors compared with normal tissues from patients with NSCLC was observed. Overexpression of TPTEP1 inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis in NSCLC cells. A bioinformatics analysis based on miRDB predicted microRNA (miR)-328-5p as a potential binding miRNA for TPTEP1. Using a dual-luciferase reporter assay and western blot analysis, it was further validated that TPTEP1 sponged miR-328-5p to upregulate Src kinase signaling inhibitor 1 (SRCIN1) in NSCLC cells. Through regulation of SRCIN1, TPTEP1 was indicated to inactivate the Src and STAT3 pathways in NSCLC cells. Notably, silencing of SRCIN1 reversed the TPTEP1 overexpression-induced inhibition of cell proliferation and increase of the apoptotic rate in NSCLC cells. Pearson correlation analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between TPTEP1 and SRCIN1 mRNA levels in NSCLC tumors. The present results provided insight into the roles of TPTEP1 in NSCLC and the underlying mechanisms.