Introduction: Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been demonstrated to participate in many biological processes and severs as important regulators during the progression of gastric cancer.
Methods: Here, we introduced human lncRNA SNHG15 which was highly expressed in gastric cancer and cells. Interestingly, the expression of SNHG15 was correlated with programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1), which promotes the resistance of gastric cancer cells to immune responses. Meanwhile, SNHG15 downregulation suppressed the expression of PD-L1 and resistance of immune responses.
Results: Further, our results suggested that SNHG15 acted as a competing endogenous RNA (CeRNA) to sponge miR-141, which was downregulated in gastric cancers and negatively correlated to PD-L1.
Conclusion: Our results suggested that SNHG15 improved the expression of PD-L1 by inhibiting miR-141, which in turn promoted the resistance of stomach cancer cells to the immune responses.
Keywords: lncRNA SNHG15, gastric cancer, PD-L1, immuno-escape, miR-141