Long noncoding RNA LINC01189 is associated with HCV-hepatocellular carcinoma and regulates cancer cell proliferation and chemoresistance through hsa-miR-155-5p.

Emerging evidence has demonstrated that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) may be closely associated with Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this study, we investigated the expression and functions of a lncRNA, LINC01189, in HCV-associated HCC. LINC01189 expression was measured in HCC tumors, HCV-infected HCC tumors and HCV-infected HCC cells. LINC01189 was overexpressed in HCV-infected HepG2 cells to measure its function on HCV-correlated cancer proliferation. In HCC cell lines of Huh7 and Hep3B, LINC01189 was upregulated to investigate its effects on cancer cell proliferation and 5-FU chemoresistance. The competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) target of LINC01189, human microRNA-155-5p (hsa-miR-155-5p) was probed by dual-luciferase assay and qRT-PCR. Hsa-miR-155-5p was upregulated in LINC01189-overexpessed Huh7 and Hep3B cells to investigate their epigenetic correlation on HCC development regulation. LINC01189 is downregulated in HCV-infected HCC tumors and cell lines. LINC01189 overexpression inhibited HCC cancer cell proliferation and 5-FU chemoresistance. Hsa-miR-155-5p was confirmed to be a ceRNA target of LINC01189 in HCC. Upregulating hsa-miR-155-5p reversed the LINC01189-mediated inhibition on HCC proliferation and 5-FU chemoresistance. LINC01189 downregulation is associated with HCV infection in HCC, and it has tumor-suppressing effects on HCC development through hsa-miR-155-5p.

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