LncRNA GAS8-AS1 is a Novel Prognostic and Diagnostic Biomarker for Pancreatic Cancer
Abstract Background: LncRNA GAS8-AS1 inhibits thyroid carcinoma, but its function in other malignancies is unknown. The present study aimed to investigate the involvement of GAS8-AS1 in pancreatic cancer (PC). Methods: The present study included 68 PC patients (38 males and 30 females, 42- 66 years, 52.1±4.5) and 62 healthy volunteers (28 males and 24 females, 43- 67 years, 52.3 ±4.9). Real-time quantitative PCR, transient cell transfection and in vitro cell migration and invasion assay were applied for the research. In the present study we found that plasma GAS8-AS1 was lower in PC patients than in healthy controls. Downregulation of plasma GAS8-AS1 distinguished early stage PC patients from healthy controls. Results: Patients with low plasma levels of GAS8-AS1 showed significantly lower 5-year overall survival rate. Plasma levels of miR-1179 were also significantly lower in PC patients than in healthy controls, and were positively correlated with plasma levels of GAS8-AS1 only in PC patients. GAS8-AS1 overexpression resulted in the upregulation of miR-1179. MiR-1179 overexpression also led to the overexpression of GAS8-AS1. Overexpression of both GAS8-AS1 and miR-1179 led to inhibited migration and invasion of PC cells. Conclusions: Therefore, GAS8-AS1 may promote PC by positively interacting with miR-1179.