NUBE2R2-AS1 as Prognostic Marker, Promotes Cell Migration and Invasion in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer by Modulating Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Process

Objective. Long non-coding RNA ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2R2 antisense RNA 1 (UBE2R2-AS1) has been identified to be associated with cervical cancer and glioma. Nevertheless, the expression, prognostic value, and function role of UBE2R2-AS1 remain unclear in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods. Fifty-nine pairs of tumor tissues and adjacent normal tissues were collected from NSCLC patients, and UBE2R2-AS1 expression was determined using quantitative real time PCR analysis. The clinical significance of UBE2R2-AS1 was evaluated by Chi-square test, Kaplan-Meier method analysis, and Cox's regression model. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay and transwell assays were utilized to estimate cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in NSCLC cell lines (95D and H1299). Results. UBE2R2-AS1 was highly expressed in NSCLC tissues compared with that in adjacent normal tissues, which was significantly associated with lymph node metastasis and poor prognosis. Knockdown of UBE2R2-AS1 suppressed the proliferation, migration, and invasion, inhibiting the EMT process (increased E-cadherin, decreased N-cadherin and vimentin) in 95D and H1299 cells. Overexpression of UBE2R2-AS1 obtained the opposite results. Conclusions. These discoveries indicated that UBE2R2-AS1 could be a therapeutic target and a potential diagnostic for NSCLC.