Long noncoding RNA XIST increases the aggressiveness of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma by regulating miR-124-3p/EZH2

Abstract

The long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are an emerging class of cancer regulators. The objective of the study was to elucidate the roles and underlying mechanisms of XIST in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma . Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) suggested that XIST was highly upregulated in laryngeal squamous cancerous (LSCC) tissues. Knockdown of XIST, mediated by lentiviral transfection of XIST-specific short-hairpin RNA (shRNA), led to the inhibition of proliferation, migration, and invasion of LSCC cells in vitro . In vivo , XIST knockdown also suppressed the growth of LSCC xenografts in mice. Upregulation of miR-124 and downregulation of EZH2 were concomitantly observed after XIST knockdown, and our data suggested that XIST served as the competitive endogenous RNA of miR-124 to modulate EZH2 expression. Moreover, ectopic overexpression of EZH2 prominently attenuated the anti-proliferation activity by XIST knockdown. Therefore, XIST plays an important role in progression of LSCC by modulating the miR-124-EZH2 axis. • Data from this study provides the first evidence that over expression of XIST promotes laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas. • XIST might be used as therapeutic target of LSCC. • XIST plays an important role in progression of LSCC.