Open Access
ARTICLE
Long Noncoding RNA WEE2-AS1 Plays an Oncogenic Role in Glioblastoma by Functioning as a Molecular Sponge for MicroRNA-520f-3p
Hengzhou Lin, Dahui Zuo, Jiabin He, Tao Ji, Jianzhong Wang, Taipeng Jiang
Department of Neurosurgery, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University,
Health Science Center, Shenzhen, P.R. China
Oncology Research 2020, 28(6), 591-603. https://doi.org/10.3727/096504020X15982623243955
Abstract
The long noncoding RNA WEE2 antisense RNA 1 (WEE2-AS1) plays an oncogenic role in hepatocellular
carcinoma and triple negative breast cancer progression. In this study, we investigated the expression and roles
of WEE2-AS1 in glioblastoma (GBM). Furthermore, the molecular mechanisms behind the oncogenic actions
of WEE2-AS1 in GBM cells were explored in detail. WEE2-AS1 expression was detected using quantitative
real-time polymerase chain reaction. The roles of WEE2-AS1 in GBM cells were evaluated by the cell counting kit-8 assay, flow cytometric analysis, Transwell cell migration and invasion assays, and tumor xenograft
experiments. WEE2-AS1 expression was evidently enhanced in GBM tissues and cell lines compared with
their normal counterparts. An increased level of WEE2-AS1 was correlated with the average tumor diameter,
Karnofsky Performance Scale score, and shorter overall survival among GBM patients. Functionally, depleted
WEE2-AS1 attenuated GBM cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro, promoted cell apoptosis, and
impaired tumor growth in vivo. Mechanistically, WEE2-AS1 functioned as a molecular sponge for microRNA-
520f-3p (miR-520f-3p) and consequently increased specificity protein 1 (SP1) expression in GBM cells. A
series of recovery experiments revealed that the inhibition of miR-520f-3p and upregulation of SP1 could
partially abrogate the influences of WEE2-AS1 downregulation on GBM cells. In conclusion, WEE2-AS1
can adsorb miR-520f-3p to increase endogenous SP1 expression, thereby facilitating the malignancy of GBM.
Therefore, targeting the WEE2-AS1–miR-520f-3p–SP1 pathway might be a promising therapy for the management of GBM in the future.
Keywords
Cite This Article
Lin, H., Zuo, D., He, J., Ji, T., Wang, J. et al. (2020). Long Noncoding RNA WEE2-AS1 Plays an Oncogenic Role in Glioblastoma by Functioning as a Molecular Sponge for MicroRNA-520f-3p.
Oncology Research, 28(6), 591–603.