Purpose: Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in the development of various tumors including prostate cancer. The purpose of this study was to explore the function of a natural antisense RNA, IDH1-AS1 , exerting potential carcinogenic effects in prostate cancer through a novel molecular mechanism.
Materials and Methods: GEPIA and CCLE databases were searched to identify alterations in the expression of IDH1-AS1 , which were then verified by RT-qPCR in 20 pairs of matched tumor and normal tissue samples. Subsequently, CCK-8, EdU, and transwell assays were conducted to investigate the carcinogenic effect of IDH1-AS1 . RT-qPCR, Western blot, and isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) enzyme activity assays were used to explore the functional relationship between IDH1-AS1  and its sense gene IDH1.
Results: IDH1-AS1 expression was found to be significantly increased in prostate cancer tissues and cell lines. IDH1-AS1  knockdown significantly inhibited the proliferation and migration of prostate cancer cells. Interestingly, RT-qPCR and Western blot analyses revealed that IDH1-AS1  did not significantly affect the expression of IDH1 mRNA or protein but was involved in the regulation of IDH1 enzyme activity in prostate cancer cells.
Conclusion: Our experiments revealed that the carcinogenic effects of IDH1-AS1  in prostate cancer may depend on a new molecular mechanism, which directly alters IDH1 enzyme activity. Our findings indicate that IDH1-AS1  is a novel candidate target for prostate cancer treatment.
Keywords: antisense RNA, divergent transcription, bioinformatics analysis, enzyme activity