Long non-coding RNA DANCR upregulates IGF2 expression and promotes ovarian cancer progression.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Recent studies have revealed the important role of long non-coding RNA (lncRNAs) in the development of malignant tumors. In this work, we explored the exact role of lncRNA DANCR in ovarian cancer progression and the underlying mechanism. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to detect DANCR expression in both ovarian cancer cells and tissue samples. Subsequently, cell proliferation assay and transwell assay were conducted. Furthermore, the underlying mechanism was explored via qRT-PCR and Western blot assay. RESULTS: The expression of DANCR in ovarian cancer samples was significantly higher than that of the corresponding normal tissues. After DANCR overexpression in vitro, the proliferation, invasion and migration of ovarian cancer cells were markedly promoted. In addition, both the mRNA and protein expression levels of insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2) were remarkably upregulated after DANCR overexpression. Furthermore, the results found that the expression level of IGF2 was positively correlated with DANCR expression in ovarian cancer tissues. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we revealed that DANCR could enhance the proliferation, migration and invasion capacities of ovarian cancer cells by upregulating IGF2. Our findings might offer a potential therapeutic choice for patients with ovarian cancer.