Downregulation of lncRNA RPLP0P2 inhibits cell proliferation, invasion and migration, and promotes apoptosis in colorectal cancer

Recent studies have revealed that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are closely associated with colorectal cancer (CRC); however, the role of the lncRNA RPLP0P2 in CRC remains largely unknown. In the present study, RNA expression profiles of CRC were collected from The Cancer Genome Atlas database and the prognosis of CRC with respect to RPLP0P2 was assessed. Subsequently, RPLP0P2 expression was knocked down in the human CRC cell line RKO using a short hairpin RNA (shRNA) lentivirus, and the biological behaviors of the cells, such as proliferation, migration, cell cycle progression and apoptosis, were examined. The results demonstrated that the expression levels of RPLP0P2 were higher in CRC tissue compared with those in normal tissue, and RPLP0P2 was associated with prognosis. RPLP0P2 knockdown significantly decreased cell colony formation, migration and invasion, and arrested CRC cells in the S phase to G(2)/M phase transition. Furthermore, apoptosis was significantly increased in CRC cells infected with the RPLP0P2 shRNA lentivirus compared with in the control group. In conclusion, RPLP0P2 may promote proliferation, invasion and migration, and inhibit apoptosis of CRC cells, suggesting that RPLP0P2 may function as an oncogene in CRC.