Research on lncRNA DANCR Regulation of Proliferation, Metastasis, and miR-216a Expression in Esophageal Cancer Cells

Objective To explore the effect of long non-coding RNA differentiation antagonizing nonprotein coding RNA (lncRNA DANCR) on promoting proliferation and metastasis of esophageal cancer cells by inhibiting the expression of miR-216a.

Method This study constructed esophageal cancer cell lines overexpressing and knocking down lncRNA DANCR using lentiviral transfection technology. Subsequently, the effects of lncRNA DANCR on the proliferation, migration, and invasion of esophageal cancer cells were verified through CCK-8 assay, scratch assay, and Transwell assay. The luciferase reporter gene assay was used to detect the inhibitory effect of lncRNA DANCR on miR-216a expression in esophageal cancer cells.

Results Overexpression of lncRNA DANCR promoted the proliferation, migration, and invasion of esophageal cancer cells, while knockdown weakened their proliferation and metastasis. The results of the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) experiment showed that lncRNA DANCR inhibited the expression of miR-216a, and the results of the luciferase reporter gene experiment also confirmed this result.

Conclusion LncRNA DANCR can positively regulate the proliferation, migration, and invasion of esophageal cancer cells, but it is negatively correlated with miR-216a expression.