Abstract
Mounting research papers have suggested that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) elicit important functions in the progression of osteosarcoma (OS). This study focused on the role of TNK2-AS1 in OS. TNK2-AS1 was powerfully expressed in OS tissues and cell lines. In addition, TNK2-AS1 downregulation inhibited proliferative, migratory, and invasive capacities while promoting apoptosis in OS cells. miR-4319 was removed by TNK2-AS1 and therefore TNK2-AS1 elevated WDR1 expression in OS cells. miR-4319 had an inhibitory influence on OS progression, while WDR1 was a contributor to OS progression. Rescue assays certified that TNK2-AS1 promoted malignant phenotypes in vitro and the growth in vivo of OS cells by upregulating WDR1. In depth, we found that YY1 accelerated the transcription of TNK2-AS1 in OS cells, and that its role in OS also depended on TNK2-AS1-regulated WDR1. In conclusion, TNK2-AS1 was positively modulated by YY1 and aggravated the development of OS by 'sponging' miR-4319 to elevate WDR1. The findings highlighted that TNK2-AS1 might be a promising target for the treatment of OS.