LINC00858 promotes colorectal cancer by sponging miR-4766-5p to regulate PAK2
Authors: Lei Yu
Zhongsheng Chen
Wei Zhan
Lianghe Li
Tian Tian
Xin Liao
Rui Li
Journal: Cell Biology and Toxicology (2020)
Discipline: MOLECULAR BIOLOGY & GENETICS
Keywords: CRC; LINC00858; PAK2; Progression; miR-4766-5p.
Affiliations: Surgery of Colorectal, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang City, 550004, Guizhou, China., Department of Imaging, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang City, 550004, Guizhou, China., Graduate Student of Surgery, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang City, 550004, Guizhou, China., Department of Pathology, Guiyang Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Guiyang City, 550004, Guizhou, China., Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Zhongshan East Road 83, Guiyang, 550002, People's Republic of China. .

Abstract:  Objectives: LncRNAs (long noncoding RNAs) have been reported to critically regulate colorectal cancer (CRC). We prospectively investigated effects and mechanisms of lncRNA LINC00858 on regulation of CRC progression. Methods: Expression of LINC00858 and its target were analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and in situ hybridization. MTT and bromodeoxyuridine/5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) staining to assess cell proliferation ability. Flow cytometry, wound healing, and transwell assays were conducted to evaluate cell apoptosis, migration, and invasion, respectively. Interaction between LINC00858 and its target was confirmed by luciferase activity assay and RNA immunoprecipitation. Subcutaneous xenotransplanted tumor model was established and employed to detect tumorigenic functions of LINC00858, and further evaluated by qRT-PCR, western blot, immunohistochemistry, and hematoxylin and eosin staining. Results: With a predicted poor prognosis, LINC00858 was upregulated in CRC patients. LINC00858 knockdown suppressed cell proliferation, invasion, and migration abilities, meanwhile induced cell apoptosis. Moreover, LINC00858 could target and inhibit the miR-4766-5p expression, thus promoting CRC progression. miR-4766-5p further suppressed serine/threonine kinase PAK2. Interestingly, interference of LINC00858 suppressed tumorigenic ability of CRC in vivo by downregulating PAK2. Conclusions: LINC00858 promoted CRC progression by sponging miR-4766 to upregulate PAK2, shedding lights on LINC00858 as a potential therapeutic target candidate in CRC treatment from bench to clinic. 

Retracted: No

PubPeer comments:
 In Materials and methods, This study was approved by Ethics Committee on Drug Clinical Trials in Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University (Approval No. 2018-123-01). The ethics approval number  2018-123-01 is considered to indicate that the research was approved in 2018, while researchers followed up the patients for up to 60 months (Fig. 1), and published their result in early 2021. ![file] Does this suggest that the researchers started the prospective cohort study before obtaining the approval of a ethics committee? , 
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