Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To explore the biological function of LINC01116 in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) and its underlying mechanism.PATIENTS AND METHODS: The expression level of LINC01116 in 60 EOC tissues, 30 normal ovarian tissues and EOC cells were detected by qRT-PCR (quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction). Disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) of enrolled EOC patients were recorded. The correlation between LINC01116 expression, DFS and OS of EOC patients was analyzed using ROC curve. Influencing factors for DFS and OS were analyzed by univariable and multivariable Cox regression model. For in vitro experiments, the effect of LINC01116 knockdown on proliferation, invasion and apoptosis of EOC cells were detected by CCK-8 (cell counting kit-8), transwell assay and flow cytometry, respectively. Protein expressions of apoptosis-related genes in EOC cells transfected with pc-DNA-LINC01116 or si-LINC01116 were detected by Western blot.RESULTS: LINC01116 was overexpressed in EOC tissues than that of paracancerous tissues. DFS and OS in EOC patients with higher expression of LINC01116 were remarkably shorter than those with lower expression. FIGO (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics) clinical stage and LINC01116 expression were the independent factors that affected DFS and OS of EOC patients. Besides, LINC01116 expression was positively correlated to the diagnostic sensitivity of EOC patients. In vitro experiments found that LINC01116 overexpression promoted proliferation and invasion of EOC cells. Overexpressed LINC01116 resulted in upregulated Bcl-2, and downregulated cleaved Caspase-3 and cleaved Caspase-9 in EOC cells.CONCLUSIONS: Overexpressed LINC01116 promotes EOC progression via increasing proliferation and migration, and inhibiting cell apoptosis.