Abstract
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common malignant tumor of the digestive system. Long non-coding (lnc) RNA ENST00000430471 has been reported to be involved in CRC development and metastasis because of its cancer-promoting ability. However, the detailed molecular mechanisms of ENST00000430471 in CRC remain largely unknown. METHODS: The cell proliferation assay and Xenograft experiment were performed to examine the proliferation rate of the tumor cells. Invasiveness and migration capability of the cells were evaluated using the invasion and wound healing assays, respectively. In addition, the RNA pull-down assay and subsequent mass spectrometry techniques were performed to identify the proteins interacting with ENST00000430471. RESULTS: Herein, small specific inhibiting (si) RNA-si0471#2 was used to silence ENST00000430471 in HCT116 and SW620 cell lines. This led to a significant reduction in cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. The RNA pull-down assay and mass spectrometry further revealed that ENST00000430471 interacted with several proteins such as the Y-box-binding protein 1 (YBX-1). On one hand, silencing of ENST00000430471 decreased the mRNA and protein expression levels of YBX-1. On the other hand, overexpression of YBX1 partially attenuated the suppression of cell proliferation, invasion, and migration induced by ENST00000430471 silencing. CONCLUSION: Silencing of ENST00000430471 inhibits proliferation, migration, and invasion of CRC cells by regulating YBX-1 expression. These results provide baseline information that is essential in the identification of effective therapeutic targets for CRC therapy.