Long non‐coding RNA Sox2 overlapping transcript (SOX2OT) promotes multiple myeloma progression via microRNA‐143‐3p/c‐MET axis

Long non‐coding RNA Sox2 overlapping transcript (SOX2OT) was reported to be involved in progression of multiple cancers. However, the role and mechanism of SOX2OT in multiple myeloma (MM) has yet to be unravelled. In the present study, elevated SOX2OT levels are reported in MM cell lines and patient samples as compared to normal plasma cells (nPCs) and healthy donors, respectively. Knock‐down of SOX2OT led to a significant inhibition of cell proliferation, arrested cells at G0/G1 phase and induced cell apoptosis in MM samples in vitro, as well as slowed the growth of tumours in vivo. Additionally, our data indicated that SOX2OT functioned as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) in MM cells that regulated miR‐144‐3p expression. Repression of miR‐144‐3p reversed the inhibition of MM development due to SOX2OT knock‐down. Our data also revealed that SOX2OT regulated the expression of the cellular‐mesenchymal to epithelial transition factor (c‐MET, a known target of miR‐143‐3p) by functioning as a sponge of miR‐144‐3p in MM samples. These data support that SOX2OT promotes MM progression through regulating the miR‐144‐3p/c‐MET axis, suggesting that SOX2OT might be as a potential therapeutic target for MM.