Background: Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been identified as prognostic biomarkers and functional regulators in human cancers. The present study aimed to determine the expressions and functions of an lncRNA, Small Nucleolar RNA Host Gene 16  (SNHG16 ), in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
Patients and methods: SNHG16  expressions were tested by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) in HCC cell lines, as well as 43 pairs of HCC tissues and pair-matched healthy hepatic tissues. It was overexpressed in Hep3B and HuH7 cells. The effects of SNHG16  overexpression in HCC in vitro proliferation, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) chemoresistance, and in vivo tumor growth were tested. A potential microRNA (miRNA) sponge target of SNHG16 , hsa-miR-93, was tested by luciferase reporter assay and qRT-PCR. In addition, hsa-miR-93 was upregulated in SNHG16 -overexpressed HCC cells to examine its effect on SNHG16 -mediated cancer cell functional regulation in HCC.
Results: SNHG16  levels were markedly downregulated in both HCC cell lines and HCC tissues. Lentivirus-mediated SNHG16  overexpression inhibited HCC cell proliferation, 5-FU chemoresistance, and in vivo tumor growth. Hsa-miR-93 was confirmed to be directly sponging on SNHG16 . Its upregulation in HCC cells reversed SNHG16  overexpression and induced tumor-suppressing effects in HCC cells.
Conclusion: Our data demonstrate that SNHG16  plays a critical role in HCC development via functionally sponging hsa-miR-93.
Keywords: lncRNA, SNHG16 , miRNA, hsa-miR-93, proliferation