Upregulated long non-coding RNA AFAP1-AS1 expression is associated with progression and poor prognosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Hao Bo; Zhaojian Gong; Wenling Zhang; Xiayu Li; Yong Zeng; Qianjin Liao; Pan Chen; Lei Shi; Yu Lian; Yizhou Jing; Ke Tang; Zheng Li; Yanhong Zhou; Ming Zhou; Bo Xiang; Xiaoling Li; Jianbo Yang; Wei Xiong; Guiyuan Li; Zhaoyang Zeng

doi:10.18632/oncotarget.4057

Upregulated long non-coding RNA AFAP1-AS1 expression is associated with progression and poor prognosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Oncotarget. 2015 Aug 21;6(24):20404-18. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.4057.

Authors

Hao Bo^{1

2

3}, Zhaojian Gong^{2

4}, Wenling Zhang², Xiayu Li³, Yong Zeng¹, Qianjin Liao¹, Pan Chen¹, Lei Shi⁴, Yu Lian², Yizhou Jing², Ke Tang², Zheng Li^{1

2

3}, Yanhong Zhou^{1

2

3}, Ming Zhou^{1

2

3}, Bo Xiang^{1

2

3}, Xiaoling Li^{1

2

3}, Jianbo Yang^{1

5}, Wei Xiong^{1

2

3}, Guiyuan Li^{1

2

3}, Zhaoyang Zeng^{1

2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Hunan Cancer Hospital and The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
² The Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis of the Chinese Ministry of Health and The Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
³ Hunan Key Laboratory of Nonresolving Inflammation and Cancer, Disease Genome Research Center, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
⁴ Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
⁵ Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology and Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America.

Abstract

Altered expression of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) associated with human carcinogenesis. We performed a cDNA microarray analysis of lncRNA expression in 12 cases of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and 4 non-tumor nasopharyngeal epitheliums. One lncRNA, actin filament associated protein 1 antisense RNA1 (AFAP1-AS1), was identified and selected for further study. AFAP1-AS1 expression was upregulated in NPC and associated with NPC metastasis and poor prognosis. In vitro experiments demonstrated that AFAP1-AS1 knockdown significantly inhibited the NPC cell migration and invasive capability. AFAP1-AS1 knockdown also increased AFAP1 protein expression. Proteomic and bioinformatics analyses suggested that AFAP1-AS1 affected the expression of several small GTPase family members and molecules in the actin cytokeratin signaling pathway. AFAP1-AS1 promoted cancer cell metastasis via regulation of actin filament integrity. AFAP1-AS1 might be a potential novel marker that can predict cancer patient prognosis and as a potential therapeutic target for NPC.

Keywords: AFAP1 antisense RNA1 (AFAP1-AS1); long non-coding RNA (LncRNA); metastasis; nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC); prognosis.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Carcinoma
Cell Line, Tumor
Cell Proliferation / genetics
Disease Progression
Gene Knockdown Techniques
Heterografts
Humans
Mice
Mice, Nude
Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma
Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / genetics*
Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / metabolism*
Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / pathology
Neoplasm Metastasis
Prognosis
RNA, Long Noncoding / biosynthesis*
RNA, Long Noncoding / genetics*
RNA, Long Noncoding / metabolism

Substances

AFAP1-AS1 long noncoding RNA, human
RNA, Long Noncoding