lncRNA SLC9A3-AS1 Promotes Oncogenesis of NSCLC via Sponging microRNA-760 and May Serve as a Prognosis Predictor of NSCLC Patients

Background: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a prevalent type of lung cancer worldwide. Long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) SLC9A3-AS1 is reported to play a carcinogenic role in nasopharyngeal carcinoma, but its full-scale role in NSCLC remains elusive. Methods: SLC9A3-AS1 expression was detected in serum and tissue of NSLCC patients and NSCLC cell lines. The effects of SLC9A3-AS1 on NSCLC proliferation, migration and invasion were evaluated using CCK-8 and transwell assays. In addition, the potential downstream molecules of SLC9A3-AS1 were searched and explored by bioinformatics analysis, RT-qPCR, dual-luciferase reporter, and rescue experiments. Results: SLC9A3-AS1 was upregulated in NSCLC tissues and cell lines. SLC9A3-AS1 possessed a favorable ability in diagnosing NSCLC. A high level of SLC9A3-AS1 was associated with poor prognosis in NSCLC patients. Functionally, SLC9A3-AS1 knockdown inhibited cell proliferation, migration, and invasion of NSCLC cells. Mechanistically, SLC9A3-AS1 acted as competing endogenous RNA for miR-760 to regulate NSCLC progression. In addition, rescue assay showed that downregulation of miR-760 could reverse the modulatory activity of SLC9A3-AS1 knockdown on NSCLC cells. Conclusion: SLC9A3-AS1 was upregulated in NSCLC, and SLC9A3-AS1 knockdown hindered NSCLC progression through targeting miR-760, suggesting that it may prove to be a novel biomarker and therapeutic target for NSCLC.