Long Non-coding RNA 02298 Promotes the Malignancy of HCC by Targeting the miR-28-5p/CCDC6 Pathway

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a malignancy characterized by a high fatality rate. Increasing evidence indicating that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a regulatory role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Among them, the correlation between LINC02298 and HCC remains unknown. The expression and subcellular localization of LINC02298 in HCC tissues and cell lines were detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Furthermore, the correlation between the expression of LINC02298 and clinicopathological features of HCC patients was analyzed. The regulatory effects of LINC02298 in HCC were investigated using colony formation, cell count Kit-8(CCK8), Transwell, EDU, cell cycle and apoptosis analysis. In addition, the expression of EMT-related proteins were detected by western blotting. Dual-luciferase reporter, RT-qPCR and rescue assays were employed to validate the involvement of the LINC02298/miR-28-5p/CCDC6 axis in the progression of HCC. The up-regulation of LINC02298 was observed in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues and cells, and it was found to be correlated with a negative prognosis in patients with HCC. Overexpression of LINC02298 enhanced the proliferation, migration, invasion, and induction of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) while suppressing apoptosis in HCC cells. LINC02298 bind to miR-28-5p to regulate the expression of CCDC6. Inhibition of miR-28-5p saved the inhibitory effect of shLINC02298, and knockdown of CCDC6 also saved the inhibitory effect of miR-28-5p on HCC in vitro and in vivo. LINC02298 regulates the expression of CCDC6 by sponging of miR-28-5p, thereby facilitating the the malignancy and EMT of HCC.Graphical AbstractThe expression of LINC02298 exhibited an elevation in HCC tissues and cell lines. LINC02298 functions as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) by sequestering microRNAs (miRNAs) to modulate the expression of PDLIM5. Furthermore, it has been observed that LINC02298 plays a significant role in enhancing the proliferation, migration, and invasion capabilities of HCC cells, while simultaneously inhibiting apoptosis.