Background: In multiple cancers, long non-coding RNA small nucleolar RNA host gene 20 (lncRNA SNHG20 ) is generally dysregulated. In the present study, both the biological role and clinicopathological value of lncRNA SNHG20  in glioma are explored.
Methods: Real-time PCR was employed to determine lncRNA SNHG20  expression in glioma patients. The prognostic role of expression of lncRNA SNHG20  was evaluated in a retrospective cohort study. In addition, the association between lncRNA SNHG20  expression and the clinicopathological features of glioma patients, such as tumor recurrence, survival status, follow-up time, WHO grade, resection extent, tumor location, Karnofsky performance scale score, cystic change, tumor size, gender and age, was discussed. By constructing and transfecting siRNAs that targeted lncRNA SNHG20  into the glioma U87 cells, the effects of lncRNA SNHG20  on the proliferation and cell cycle of U87 cells were assessed through cell counting kit-8, colony formation and cell cycle assays, respectively. In addition, Western blot and real-time PCR measured the expression levels of P21 and CCNA1 in U87 cells after being transfected with SNHG20  siRNA.
Results: Our results suggested the high expression of lncRNA SNHG20  in human glioma tissues compared with normal brain tissues, which was related to recurrence-free survival and poor overall survival in glioma patients. According to the existing retrospective cohort study, high lncRNA SNHG20  expression was associated with tumor size, extent of resection, WHO grade, follow-up time, survival status and recurrence. Besides, knocking down the expression of lncRNA SNHG20  could inhibit the proliferation and colony formation abilities of glioma U87 cells through cell cycle arrest. Consequently, the expression of CCNA1 was inhibited, and the expression of P21 was up-regulated in U87 cells.
Conclusion: A high lncRNA SNHG20  expression level predicts the poor prognosis for glioma patients. Moreover, lncRNA SNHG20  can promote glioma proliferation through silencing P21 and thus lncRNA SNHG20  is an independent potential prognostic biomarker for glioma patients.
Keywords:  lncRNA SNHG20 , glioma, clinicopathological, prognosis, proliferation