LAUSR

OBJECTIVE Some studies have confirmed that long non-coding ribonucleic acids (lncRNAs) played a vital role in the pathophysiology of various diseases, especially in oncogenesis and progression of tumors. Dysexpressed lncRNAs regulate different cellular processes, including proliferation, invasion, and apoptosis. The aim of this study was to explore the clinical significance and function of lncRNA MIR4435-2HG in colorectal cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS Quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) was performed to detect the expression of lncRNA MIR4435-2HG. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to evaluate the overall survival and disease-free survival of patients with colorectal cancer. The cell proliferation was measured by Methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay. The cell apoptotic rate was measured via flow cytometry method. RESULTS LncRNA MIR4435-2HG is a novel cancer-related lncRNA that was recently found to exhibit high expression in colorectal cancer. The dysregulation of lncRNA miR4435-2HG was significantly related to the tumor size (p<0.001), lymph node metastasis (p<0.001), and tumor node metastasis (TNM) staging (p=0.022). The patients with higher expression of lncRNA miR4435-2HG showed worse prognosis than those with low expression of lncRNA miR4435-2HG group. Besides, the downregulated lncRNA miR4435-2HG expression could repress cell proliferation and enhance cell apoptosis. CONCLUSIONS LncRNA MIR4435-2HG functions as an oncogene that promotes colorectal cancer progression, and likely represents a biomarker or therapeutic target of colorectal cancer.