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Objective: Long-chain noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are key players in a wide range of biological processes, especially the pathogenesis and development of tumors. LncRNA MCM3AP-AS1 has been demonstrated to be involved in the invasion of various tumors including prostate cancer (PCa). However, its functions in PCa have not been fully elucidated.
Methods: qRT-PCR was conducted to measure the expression levels of lncRNA MCM3AP-AS1 and miR-543-3p in PCa tissue samples and cell lines. The expression levels of E-cadherin and SLC39A10 proteins were detected by Western blots. CCK-8 test, cell scratch test and trans-well test were used to evaluate the proliferation, invasion and migration abilities of PCa cells, respectively. Annexin V-FITC/PI experiments were carried out to determine the status of apoptosis. Bioinformatics analysis and Luciferase assay were used to explore the relationship between lncRNA MCM3AP-AS1, miR-543-3p and SLC39A10.
Results: In PCa tissue samples and cell lines, lncRNA MCM3AP-AS1 was up-regulated while miR-543-3p was down-regulated. Over-expression of MCM3AP-AS1 could promote the proliferation and invasion of PCa cells. Correlation analysis showed that the expression of MCM3AP-AS1 and miR-543-3p was significantly and inversely correlated. We further verified that miR-543-3p inhibitor was able to reverse si-MCM3AP-AS1-mediated inhibitory effects on the PCa cell proliferation, migration and invasion through regulating the downstream protein axis SLC39A10/PTEN/Akt. Finally, in vivo experiments indicated that knocking down of MCM3AP-AS1 could largely reduce tumor volumes, and decreased the ratio of Ki67-positive cells and the expression of SLC39A10 in tumor samples.
Conclusion: LncRNA MCM3AP-AS1 can promote the proliferation, migration and invasion abilities of PCa cells through regulating the miR-543-3p/SLC39A10/PTEN axis, which suggests that lncRNA MCM3AP-AS1 might be a potential target for prostate cancer therapy.
Keywords: lncRNA MCM3AP-AS1, miR-543-3p, SLC39A10, PTEN, prostate cancer