Knockdown of LINC01279 Suppresses Gastric Cancer Proliferation and Migration by Inhibiting PI3K/Akt/mTOR Signaling Pathway

OBJECTIVE: To explore the functional and molecular mechanism of long noncoding RNA LINC01279 in gastric cancer (GC). METHODS: The LINC01279 expression in GC and tissues of para-carcinoma was detected by qPCR (real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR), and the association between the LINC01279 expression and clinicopathological features of patients with GC was investigated. The colony formation, CCK-8, transwell assays, and cell cycle detection kit were used for detection of the effect of LINC01279 on GC cell proliferation, cell cycle, colony formation, and invasion. The effect of LINC01279 on PI3K/AKT/mTOR in the GC signaling pathway was identified by the Western blotting technique. The effect of LINC01279 on GC cell proliferation in vivo was evaluated by subcutaneous xenograft tumors in the nude mice. RESULTS: The results of qPCR displayed the expression of LINC01279 was higher in tissues of GC patients. Furthermore, the tumor size, TNM stage, and metastasis of lymph nodes were also closely related to LINC01279 expression. The experiments on cell function showed that the LINC01279 knockdown significantly inhibited the colony formation, invasion, and proliferation of GC cells and induced the cell cycle arrest in G0 and G1 phases. The Western blotting technique also showed that LINC01279 knockdown significantly inhibited the phosphorylation of PI3K, Akt, and mTOR in GC cells. Furthermore, in vivo experiments displayed that the LINC01279 knockdown significantly inhibited the GC growth. CONCLUSION: Knockdown of LINC01279 plays a significant role in inhibiting the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway which affects the GC invasion and proliferation. The LINC01279 expression can be utilized as a biomarker for the prediction of the GC prognosis.