Long Noncoding RNA JAKMIP2-AS1 Promotes the Growth of Colorectal Cancer and Indicates Poor Prognosis

BACKGROUND: The identification of cancer-associated long noncoding RNAs and the investigation of their molecular and biological functions are important for understanding the molecular biology and progression of cancer. JAKMIP2-AS1 has not been reported in the literature, especially in the context of colorectal cancer. The aim of the present study was to examine the expression pattern of JAKMIP2-AS1 in colorectal cancer (CRC) and evaluate its biological role and clinical significance in tumor progression. METHODS: JAKMIP2-AS1 expression was analyzed in 56 CRC tissues and nine CRC cell lines by quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Overexpression and RNA interference (RNAi) approaches were used to investigate the biological functions of JAKMIP2-AS1. The effect of JAKMIP2-AS1 on proliferation was evaluated by CCK-8, colony formation, and EdU assays. Subcutaneous injection of cells was used to study proliferation in BALB/c nude male mice. Proliferation-related protein levels were examined by immunohistochemical analysis. Differences between groups were tested for significance using Student’s t-test (two-tailed). RESULTS: JAKMIP2-AS1 was highly expressed in both CRC samples and cell lines compared with the corresponding normal counterparts. The upregulation of JAKMIP2-AS1 expression promoted the proliferation of colorectal cancer cells. Moreover, patients with high levels of JAKMIP2-AS1 expression had a relatively poor prognosis. Inhibition of JAKMIP2-AS1 by RNAi decreased the proliferation of CRC cells in vitro and impeded cell growth in vivo. Ki-67 and PCNA levels were affected by JAKMIP2-AS1 knockdown or overexpression in vivo. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that JAKMIP2-AS1 is significantly upregulated in CRC tissues and regulates CRC cell proliferation. Thus, JAKMIP2-AS1 may represent a new marker of poor prognosis and is a potential therapeutic target for CRC intervention.